Charlotte Regional Realtor® Association Speaker Series

This Wednesday, the Charlotte Regional Realtor^® Association is hosting a Speaker Series event in your area with association staff and local police officials.  The event will address two major areas of concern for you and your agents.  At this time, enrollment is lower than expected for an event of such importance.  Please help us spread the word regarding this opportunity.  Also, please reply directly to this e-mail if agents in your office are planning to attend and have not yet signed up.  

Committee Volunteer Fair - Are you interested in becoming more involved with the association, Carolina Multiple Listing Services, Inc. (CMLS) or the Housing Opportunity Foundation? We welcome and encourage all members to get involved and help make a difference in your association and industry.  Staff will be available for questions.  

Safety and local crime information from your area’s police department officials - Get informed about keeping you and your clients safe.  Learn tips that could save your life.  

Mooresville

Location:      Charles Mack Citizen Center

1:30 p.m.       Registration      2 p.m.        Committee Volunteer Fair 

                        Staff Representatives for 19 Committees 2:30 p.m.       Speakers from the Mooresville Police Department 

                        Captain Phil Blocker 

Brenda Welch 

 Benefits Coordinator 

Charlotte Regional Realtor® Association 

704.940.3123

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Facing Foreclosure in the greater Charlotte area (Mooresville, NC)?

Margaret, an agent in my office, recently had a self employed seller who was facing foreclosure.  She came across the North Carolina Housing Finance Agency which was able to help this seller avoid foreclosure.  I have attached there flyer for you incase you have a similar situation.  Details can be found at http://www.ncforeclosurehelp.org  or by calling 888-384-3811.

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Help Needed: Richard with brain cancer, moving off the street

Margaret in my office has recently started helping out at the Mooresville Soup Kitchen. There is a young man, Richard, that has brain cancer and has been living on the streets.  The owner/runner of the soup kitchen has found him a place to live and has people running him to his treatments, but he has nothing, absolutely nothing.  No bed, chairs, lamps, dishes, silverware, towels, soap, etc.  If there is anything you have you plan on giving to Good Will or throwing away that may be of value to someone with nothing please give Margaret a call at 704-662-2255.

MOORESVILLE SOUP KITCHEN SUPPORT FOR RICHARD 

ITEMS NEEDED  Set of dishes and some mugs, bowls, glasses 

Set of dishes and some mugs, bowls, glasses Silverware 

Bed linens not sure of the size 

Maybe a bed should be first 

Bath towels, wash cloths 

Dish towels 

Chairs 

Sofa 

Bookselves 

TV 

End Tables 

Snacks 

Lamps 

Clothes – probably a medium 

Sneakers (don’t know size) 

Books/magazines (nothing girlie) 

Dish soap 

Bath soap 

Tooth paste and brush 

Deordorant 

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Uptrend Continues in Pending Home Sales

Article by: National Association of Realtors

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Men vs. Women in the home buying process

COLDWELL BANKER REAL ESTATE SURVEYS 1,000 MEN AND WOMEN TO DISCOVER GENDER DIFFERENCES IN THE HOME-BUYING PROCESS 

Survey Finds that While Couples Make Real Estate Buying Decisions Together, Women Make Up Their Minds Significantly Faster than Men
           
PARSIPPANY, N.J. (August 17, 2009) –   It often seems as though men and women are from different planets, but every day millions of couples navigate through day-to-day and even life-altering decisions. Because a home is the biggest purchase most people will make in their lifetime, Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC surveyed 1,000 individuals to discover how much men and women differ in the home-buying process. 

The real estate company engaged a third-party research firm, International Communications Research (ICR), to delve into the innerpsyche of men and women, asking questions such as “How long did it take for you to know that the last home you purchased was right for you?” and “If you found the home of your dreams but had concerns about its security, would you still be interested?” Coldwell Banker Real Estate also surveyed couples on additional topics, such as “Who wears the pants in the relationship?” when it comes to making major financial decisions. 

“The results were surprising,” said Diann Patton, the Coldwell Banker consumer real estate expert. “Not only did we uncover some of the inherent differences between men and women, but we also pinpointed a number of ways that the two genders are actually the same. For example, both men and women are increasingly concerned with having a space to work in their homes – something we would not have seen 40 years ago.” She continued, “We also found that feeling insecure about a home’s safety is a deal-breaker for most people, regardless of gender.” 

Patton noted this topic is particularly timely given that many first-time homebuyers are hoping to take advantage of the $8,000 tax credit before it expires on December 1, 2009. 

Below are some key highlights from the Coldwell Banker Real Estate study: 

Women may be inclined to make up their mind more quickly than men … 

• When asked how long it took before they knew their home was “right” for them, almost 70 percent of women had made up their mind the day they walked into the house, vs. 62 percent of men. Conversely, significantly more men needed two or more visits: (32 percent of men vs. 23 percent of women). 

Women would rather live closer to their extended family than to their job … 

• 55 percent of women find it more important to be closer to their extended family (those that do not live in their household) than to their job, compared to only 37 percent of men. 

A home’s security is a deal-breaker for both men and women … 

• 64 percent of women said that if they found the home of their dreams but had concerns about its security, they would no longer be interested. More than half of men agreed (51 percent). 

Couples say that no one “wears the pants in the relationship” in terms of major financial decisions …

• When asked who wears the pants in the relationship (when it comes to major financial decisions, such as purchasing a home), almost 70 percent of respondents living with their significant other said it’s actually mutual.
• However, 23 percent think that they, themselves, wear the pants in the relationship, not their partner. More men than women said this (26 percent vs. 20 percent, respectively).

Men and women agree on how they would use a spare room, for the most part …
When the respondents were asked how they would use an extra 12 x 12 room if it could be anything they wanted, men and women agreed on the top three most popular, and very practical, responses:

• Bedroom: 25 percent
• Office/Study: 15 percent
• Family Room / Den: 11 percent

However, men really do want a “Man Cave”…

• Interestingly, out of the 8 percent who indicated they would turn that spare room into an entertainment center, it was a preponderance of men leading the charge.  In fact, four times as many men as women said they would use the extra space for recreation / entertainment.

In addition to providing background on the survey results, Patton is able to offer tips for couples who are currently going through the process of buying a home.  “These results further validate how critical it is for couples to recognize each other’s differences and work together, from deciding a neighborhood to how to use a spare room,” she said. “Online tools and the expertise of a real estate professional can be particularly helpful for couples, especially if they work together step-by-step along the way.”

Methodology: Coldwell Banker Real Estate engaged ICR to conduct an omnibus survey via telephone in May 2009, among more than 1,000 respondents.

About Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC
Since 1906, the Coldwell Banker® organization has been a premier full-service real estate provider. In 2008, Franchise Times magazine’s prestigious Top 200 issue ranked the Coldwell Banker system No. 1 in real estate for the ninth straight year and 12th among franchisors in all industries. The Coldwell Banker System has approximately 3,200 residential real estate offices and approximately 100,000 sales associates in 47 countries and territories. The Coldwell Banker System is a leader in the industry in residential and commercial real estate, and in niche markets such as resort, new home and luxury property through its Coldwell Banker Previews International® division. It is a pioneer in consumer services with its Coldwell Banker Concierge® Service Program and award-winning Web site, www.coldwellbanker.com. Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC is a subsidiary of Realogy Corporation, a global provider of real estate and relocation services. Coldwell Banker® is a registered trademark licensed to Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC. Each office is independently owned and operated.

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