Get Out From Under Holiday Bills Pg. 7
February 20, 2015 BrevardElite.com
Links & Content In This Issue: #1 in Brevard County Over $1 Billion Sold RE/MAX Total Volume Darren Hardy – Pick a Vice Get Out From Under Holiday Bills February Training Calendar Agent Development 9 Ways to Declutter Your Home 10 Important to Ask at An Open House Home of the Week RE/MAX Make Tax Time Less Taxing Use Video to Grow Your Business Top 10 Individuals YTD Top 10 Teams YTD Photographic Crimes Agents Commit Pinterest Awards Recognition Birthdays & Anniversaries Property Management Division Supporting Staff Website Links: Training Center RE/MAX Mainstreet Paperless Pipeline ShowingTime RE/MAX University The ABOVE Magazine
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Today is: National Love Your Pet Day BrevardElite.com
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*AUTO *HOME *LIFE *BUSINESS www.SuntreeInsurance.com
Paul McDonough
3199 Suntree Blvd., Suite 2 Rockledge, FL 32955 Phone: 622.5333 Fax: 622.5336
Vynn Pechart
Yesterday many people celebrated Mardi Gras, a day in which we indulge in many of our vices. And today, many attempt to repent in the Catholic tradition of Lent by Giving up one of those vices for the next 46 days. Religious or not, I think it is a good idea for all of us to run a vice check today:
Pick a vice—something you do in moderation, but you know doesn’t contribute to your highest good—and take yourself on a 30 day wagon run. To get your Daily Dose of Darren's Motivational Medicine, click the following link to register: http://www.darrendaily.com BrevardElite.com
5 Ways to Get Out From Under Holiday Bills Feeling that holiday bill hangover? You’re not alone—Americans planned to spend $861 on the 2014 holiday season. Whether you spent more or less, here are ideas to put that debt to bed. Regain control of your finances with these five ways to begin to dig out from under those holiday bills: 1. Be Realistic Credit card debt will not go away on its own. In fact, when ignored, it will grow and grow as interest compounds. Realizing your debt exists and setting up a plan to pay it off is the first step. 2. Ask for a Lower Rate This may sound too simple, but you never get what you don’t ask for. If you’re paying a high interest rate, it’s worth a call to your credit card company to see if they will lower it. 3. Transfer Your Balance to a 0% Interest Card A balance transfer can be a great way to get your debt under control, but it can be a double-edged sword. 0% interest can be tempting when you see something you just have to have. If you can resist adding to your debt, transferring to a 0% interest card can help reduce your minimum payment and make reaching your goal easier. 4. Make More Than The Minimum Payment If all you do every month is make your minimum payment, you are setting yourself up for a very long commitment with your credit card company. By paying more than the minimum payment due, you will get ahead of schedule while also paying less interest. 5. Stop Using Your Credit Card While trying to pay down your balance, one of the simplest steps is not to use that card for any further purchases. Adding to your debt while trying to pay it off is like taking one step forward and two steps back. Unless it is an absolute emergency, you’re better off using your debit card or cash for any new purchases. BrevardElite.com
Enter to Win Bob Vila’s $3,000 Entertainment Furniture Give-Away
Brand Transfer & Storage 1731 Cogswell St. Rockledge, FL 32955 321.632.5020 Ext. 102 www.brandtransfer.com
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Kim Osman Insurance Group, Inc. 474 N Harbor City Blvd, Suite 4 Melbourne, Fl 32935
Call Today! 321.549.0678
Pete Osman
posman1@kimosmanins.com
Find out why It's Always A Great Day at the Kim Osman Agency
Kim Osman
kosman1@kimosmanins.com
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February/March Training Calendar “Down Payment Assistance Programs” Feb 24 at the Melbourne Office Training Room With Darcy Normandia from Community Housing Initiative 12:00 – 1:00 PM (lunch will be provided)
“Get Social Savvy with Facebook Ads” Feb 26 at the Melbourne Office Training Room With Heather Holliday with Social Marketing Nut 9:00 - 11:00 AM (a light breakfast will be provided)
“Do’s and Don’ts” March 4 at the Melbourne Office Training Room With Scott Case 12:00 - 1:00 PM (A light lunch will be provided)
“FSBO Boot Camp - Everything You Need to Know” March 10 at the Melbourne Office Training Room 9:00 AM
“Creating a NET Sheet for YOUR clients” March 17 at the Melbourne Office Training Room With Prestige Title 9:00 AM (a light breakfast will be provided)
“Boot Camp – Open House” March 24 at the Melbourne Office Training Room 9:00 AM
“Boot Camp – Open House” March 30 at the Cocoa Beach Office Noon Please RSVP Susan Lewis at: Susan.BrevardElite@gmail.com BrevardElite.com
Take your business to new heights with
Agent Development Schedule your one-on-one 30 minute consultation with Susan Lewis please call 321-775-8110 Susan will be placing an emphasis on consulting, training and accountability.
"Our first consultation focused on developing my action plan for areas I want to improve on for 2015. We covered Farming, FSBO's, Personal Marketing Promotions and effectively using Social Media so I'm not wasting my time. We picked up where we left off in our follow up session and reviewed progress on activities. We also talked scripts/dialogues for "problem" customers. My mindset is in action mode and Susan is helping me stay accountable towards my goals." ~ Barb Mihalik
"Our meeting with Susan was well worth the time we spent with her. She opened our eyes to the simple things that we knew we should be doing, but just don't ever seem to find the time to get it done. She gave us some great ideas that we plan on implementing into our 2015 business plan. Thank you Susan for the great one-on-one time!" ~ Lou Ann Janke
We promised to never stop looking at ways to improve as a company no matter how successful we become. BrevardElite.com
February 25th at 5:30 in the Suntree Training Room. $5.55 to play. Bring a dish to share. Come one come all - join in the fun!
Bunco was originally a confidence game similar to Three Card Monte. It originated from 19th-century England where it was known as "eight dice cloth". It was imported to San Francisco as a gambling activity in 1855, where it gave its name to gambling parlors, or "Bunco parlors", and more generally to any swindle. After the Civil War the game evolved to a popular parlor game. During the 920s and Prohibition, Bunco was re-popularized as a gambling game, often associated with a speakeasy. Law-enforcement groups raiding these parlors came to be known as "Bunco squads". Bunco as a family game saw a resurgence in popularity in the 1980s.
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9 Ways to Declutter Your Home Schedule a date. Just as you would make an appointment for a checkup, make one to declutter. Decide how long you want to work and set a timer. 15 minutes of tidying. Every day, straighten pillows on the sofa, clean kitchen countertops, take out the trash and start the dishwasher. Pet peeves first. Which messy area bugs you the most? Zero in on that area, even if it’s as small as a shelf or a drawer, and focus on cleaning that spot only. Make decisions. Put your emotions aside and sort objectively. Do you really use this item? Do you need it? Set up three boxes: Keep, Sell/Donate, Storage. Whatever doesn’t go into one of these three should go into a garbage bag. Group like things together. Pencils go with other pencils and pants with other pants. In your pantry, put vegetable cans with other vegetable cans. In closets, group like pieces of clothing. Shelving. Install open shelving and add some attractive baskets or bins to hold everything from linens to off-season clothing to toys. Label each container and make sure the items you use most are easiest to reach. Clear the countertops. They’re the catchalls in most homes. Divide the clutter into piles of like items. Find containers and find a place for every item. Wastebaskets. Put one in every room so it’s easy for your family to throw things out right away. Clean as you go. Whenever you leave a room, pick up something that should be moved to another room or thrown away. Keep a laundry basket or box near the stairs for singletrip convenience. BrevardElite.com
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www.rdibella.metlife.com 321.610.9934 321.255.1480 rdibella@metlife.com BrevardElite.com
10 Important Questions to Ask During an Open House 1. How many offers have been made? Does the agent look happy? Maybe even … suspiciously happy? Is she distracted, perhaps not giving you the “hard sell”? She might have received word that an offer is coming in any minute. If the agent has already received offers, she’ll probably be eager to share the news with you — in hopes that you’ll bid as well and drive up the price. Make sure to anticipate the conversation by asking her directly how many offers have been made on the home so that you can negotiate accordingly. 2. Has the asking price fluctuated? Your agent can find out how many times the price has shifted since the home was first listed, but the seller’s agent will likely jump at the chance to explain why. Perhaps the price dropped because the seller has to move on a tight timeline. Info like this might even clue you in that the list price is somewhat flexible — and you can use that to your advantage when it’s time to draft your offer letter. 3. Why do the sellers want to move? If the sellers are moving because the area is unsafe, the schools are terrible, or the neighbor practices the drums at midnight, their agent will be loath to share those details with you. But it’s important to ask this question anyway, and do your best to try to read between the lines. 4. How long has the property been on the market? You can find this information yourself on Trulia, or by asking your agent, but the seller’s agent will be able to put this information in context. Perhaps it’s been on the market for a long time, but only because the sellers received an offer from a buyer whose financing fell through. Or perhaps the house went on the market this week, but the sellers have had a lot of interest and expect it to sell quickly. All of this is useful when you’re deciding whether to make an offer. 5. Are there any issues with the home? The seller is required to tell potential buyers about any known structural problems or code violations. It’s standard to ask for a written seller’s disclosure, so request one — and if you’re lucky, a talkative agent or seller might reveal more in person. 6. When was the house last updated? Clearly visible updates, like new appliances or a fresh coat of paint, are easy to identify. However, features like the age of the roof and wiring that aren’t easily seen are equally as important and need to be questioned. >>>>Read more
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108 Mediterranean Way, Indian Harbour Beach, FL listing by Sue Tillman with RE/MAX Elite
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Major changes to FHA mortgage insurance and payoff of existing FHA loan New guidelines affect buyers and sellers Effective January 25, 2015 FHA has two new guidelines which will affect both buyers and sellers. For buyers: The monthly mortgage insurance premium has been lowered by 50 basis points (30 year fixed rate loan). Prior to 1/25/15 the FHA monthly mortgage insurance cost 1.3% per year. For example, a $200,000 loan would have monthly mortgage insurance of $217/month; this cost is now .80% per year so the new monthly amount is $133/month. This will increase the buyer’s purchasing power and lower their monthly payment. For sellers: Previously FHA loans required interest to be collected until the last day of the month regardless of when the loan was paid off. For example, if the seller was paying off their current FHA loan March 5 the lender would charge interest through March 31. This additional cost resulted in sellers receiving less proceeds from the sale of their home; it also created additional stress to the closing by trying to schedule closings on the last day or two of the month. Now FHA only requires interest through the day the loan is paid off. For example if the seller had a $200,000 loan balance at 6% interest the daily interest cost was $33 per day. If the closing was on March 5 this would cost the seller an additional $858.00 (because interest was required until the last day of the month regardless of when the home was sold and the loan was paid off). Please contact the Dyer Mortgage Group if you have any questions about these new FHA changes. We anticipate this will increase the buyer’s purchasing power by about $20,000 due to the lower monthly mortgage insurance premium, thus they will be able to buy a higher priced home and still have the same payment. As always we appreciate your referrals! Bobbie Dyer Division President 321-215-4419 bdyer@dyermtg.com
www.dyermortgagegroup.com BrevardElite.com
Prestige Title
Prestige Title of Brevard has the knowledge, experience, and resources to get your real estate transaction closed. So whether you’re a buyer, seller, mortgage broker, lending institution, or real estate professional we want to be your preferred title insurance provider of choice!
5120 N. Highway US 1, Suite 102 Palm Shores, FL Phone: 321.242.7660 Fax: 321.242.1675
Tiffany Fortenberry 321.288.8931 Shawn Fortenberry www.prestigeclosings.com 321.302.0031 BrevardElite.com
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CALL TODAY, INSTALLED TOMORROW 1-877-542-2972 www.protectyourhomepartners.com/partner/remax-elite BrevardElite.com
Top 10 Ways to Use Video to Grow Your Business Top 10 Ways to Use Video to Increase Transactions and Client Relationships 1. A video that presents your service from your clients viewpoint is a great way to differentiate yourself from the competition. Focus on how your outstanding service solves specific challenges. For example: show a visual representation of the success you’ve had in your farm. Remember this hot video tip from episode #1 of #TomFerryShow about shooting a video in front of all your sold homes? 2. Visual stories are becoming a popular style of video. These often have animation or stop-motion graphics, with voice-over explaining what you’re showing and what you want the viewer to be focused on. 3. Get your customers involved in making a marketing video. Customer testimonials or success stories interviewing customers can really build your credibility. Keep in mind that a very authentic, rather than staged, style works best. 4. Keeping in mind that authenticity is a huge value to clients, especially younger people, man-inthe-street interviews are another good way to promote your business. Showing, rather than telling, the benefits of your particular service is very compelling. 5. Use community videos to grow your business. Linking to positive videos done by others is a good choice here, as is creating your own. As my friend, Gary Vaynerchuk says “be the mayor of your farm”. 6. Videos embedding in emails are twice as likely to be opened as emails without video. The best of these videos also have a clear conversion activity or call to action. My friends at Bomb Bomb make this super simple. 7. Make a series of videos showing why you are the best agent in your community. For instance, a series on how to stage a house for showings could entice new listings. 8. Get some of your best customers together with experts in the industry to discuss the state of real estate, new developments, and common issues in your community. This will engage viewers on two levels – they will be able to relate to questions and find valuable information from the experts. >>>>Read more BrevardElite.com
Contact: Kelly Cox 321.751.8711 Pillartopost.com • Leader in our industry in home inspections • Comprehensive & Accurate Reports
Congratulations!!! Kelley Cox of Pillar To Post Home Inspectors received the 2014 Business Partner of the Year Award from Space Coast Association of Realtors!
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IHOP will be celebrating its 10th Annual National Pancake Day on Tuesday, March 3 from 7 am – 10 pm. If you are not familiar with this event, this is how it works: Guests can visit any IHOP to enjoy a free short stack of buttermilk pancakes in exchange for a voluntary donation to CMN Hospitals. As you can imagine, this is a VERY busy day for IHOP restaurants and any help we can offer is greatly appreciated. We are looking for volunteers to join us at any of our 3 Brevard locations; Palm Bay, Cocoa Beach and Titusville, to greet their patrons and thank them as they make donations. This is also a great opportunity to engage with the local community. If you would like to volunteer please contact Susan Lewis at: susan.brevardelite@gmail.com
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Are YOU Overwhelmed, Overburdened, Maxed out, Bogged down, or just plain ole tuckered out?
The Elite Transaction Management Department can help!! An agent averages 19 hours of their time on a transaction from contract to closing. We are giving you back most of that time, so that you can focus on activities that drive in more income for your business! We have established exclusive pricing for these services and you only pay at closing.
$200 for 1 side or $250 for both! Providing the processing, organizing and communications you need to manage your transactions with accuracy, speed and the highest level of professionalism.
For more information contact:
Denell Hastings 321.775.8178
denell.brevardelite@gmail.com
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Give us a call today! 321-698-5370 Florida License # HI 8266 Melbourne & Surrounding Areas BrevardElite.com
Congratulations to Our Top 10 Individuals YTD as of December 2014
#1 Silvia Mozer $16,159,471 64 Transactions
#2 Karen Osiniak $11,126,653 35 Transactions
#4 Pat Murphey $7,781,100 35 Transactions
#5 Sue Tillman $4,497,450 26 Transactions
#7 Theresa Friend $4,071,100 22 Transactions
#8 Peggy Penridge $4,040,165 24 Transactions
#3 Steve Vitani $11,111,607 34 Transactions
#6 Bruce Kwitny $4,330,700 28 Transactions
#9 Melinda Corns #10 Connie Trincali $3,733,240 $3,385,400 17 Transactions 20 Transactions BrevardElite.com
Congratulations to Our Top Teams YTD as of December 2014
#1 McCoy-Freeman Group $27,414,210 109 Transactions
#4 Joy Frankel Team $15,517,572 80 Transactions
#7 Brevard Real Estate Team $11,807,650 49 Transactions
#2 Platinum Realty Group $25,370,568 146 Transactions
#5 Barclay Group $12,524,000 48 Transactions
#8 321 Team $9,688,064 52 Transactions
#3 Coastal Estate Team $23,939,860 74 Transactions
#6 Kuhns Realty Group $12,261,865 66 Transactions
#9 Romano Team $8,186,819 29 Transactions
#10 Central Florida Team $3,987,118 35 Transactions BrevardElite.com
Top 10 photographic crimes real estate agents commit 1. Photographs that still have the date stamps on them. Not only does it look bad, but most often the date is more than a few months old! 2. Crooked photos of the inside or outside of the home. Most everyone has a photo editor that will automatically straighten your photo. Use it. 3. Blurry or out-of-focus photos. You should always take several shots of each room so that if some are blurry, you have others to use. 4. Partial room shots where just the corner of the room is shown. You should always stand in the corner of a room and get as much of the room in the shot as possible. In fact, if you can stand in another room and still get the whole room you are shooting, it’s even better! 5. Photos with people or pets in the shot. Really? If you can’t get a shot without pets or people (which there is no reason why you can’t), then at least Photoshop them out! 6. Photos with open toilets in them. Close the lid! It looks a lot better. 7. Interior photos with bad tint (orange, yellow or green). Again, take more than one shot per room just in case, and try photo-editing software to help as well. 8. Exterior shots taken into the sun. No home can look its best that way. Make sure to time your photo shoot so that this doesn’t happen. 9. Interior photos that are dark because there are no lights on or it is too dark outside. Most all rooms will look better during the daytime. 10. Photos with mirrors or windows that show a flash of light and the agent with a camera. You can usually shoot rooms with windows or mirrors from an angle and keep this from happening. BrevardElite.com
Veteran-owned company Established 2000 Happyhomeinspection.com
Work Smarter. Smart-Targeting focuses you on the homes most likely to sell.
Website: www.smartzip.com BrevardElite.com
We need your peanut butter and/or monetary help! Girl Scout Troop 1559 has officially adopted South Trinity Towers for a community project. South Trinity Towers is a low income subsidized apartment building for elderly people. In January, John Gaydar from Dyer Mortgage Group and his wife Wendy along with Girl Scout Troop 1559 helped put together 165 grocery bags (1 for each unit) & bringing them door to door. The money to purchase the food comes from a large private family trust; however the Trust has yet to renew its donations for this year. We are having a peanut butter/money drive. Peanut butter has a good amount of protein and is less expensive than other forms while having a longer shelf life. If you are at the grocery store and they have “buy one, get one free” on peanut butter….maybe you can pick up one to keep and give the other to Troop 1559? Or you’d like to make a donation or the company you work for would help sponsor South Trinity Towers. We know there are literally thousands of great causes and many dear to your heart. We certainly do not want to replace them. However, maybe this week you could buy a case of water instead of a case of soda and give the difference to Troop 1559 for Trinity Towers. A few dollars goes a long way for someone in need. Peanut
butter
Please help in any way you can. We are hoping to fund at least our next 2 months of service. Thank you for reading and supporting Girl Scout Troop 1559 in our Community Project. Please see Candace Jansen for all Peanut butter and monetary donations by February 20th. BrevardElite.com
We at H.I.P. Construction are dedicated to creating an organizational culture that encourages honesty, integrity, and professionalism by adopting and enforcing the following practices: 1.
Emphasize, through staff training, that the organization expects its employees to be honest, have a sense of integrity, and behave professionally. Convey these same expectations to vendors, consultants, volunteers, and anyone else who performs paid or unpaid work for the organization.
2.
Explicitly require "honesty, integrity, and professionalism" in all job descriptions, staff contracts, volunteer policies, performance evaluations, and labor agreements.
3.
Inform employees, contractors, and the general public of established policies, procedures, and expectations regarding honesty, integrity, and professionalism.
4.
Commend and reinforce behavior that exemplifies high ethical expectations.
5.
Never tolerate dishonest, corrupt, or unprincipled behavior in the workplace, regardless of job type or level of authority.
Get started with your FREE estimate today! 321.775.8212
jason@trusthip.com
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It's RACE weekend! Boogity boogity boogity!!
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2015 Awards Recognition
Silvia Mozer
Andy Barclay
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Neal Spurlock – 02/11 Avto Surmava - 02/17 Sally Contess – 02/17 Candace Jansen – 02/20 Patty Teachman – 02/24 Mary Maniscalco – 02/27 Carol Burke – 02/27
Anniversaries Susie Graham – 1 year Ron Wallen– 1 year Theresa Friend– 3 Years Christine Cornwell– 4 years Patty Teachman – 4 years Jennifer McCoy- 8 years Nikki McCoy-Freeman – 8 years Bobby Freeman – 8 years BrevardElite.com
Our Property Management Division Your clients can fill out their credit application and pay online. It’s easy and menu driven. If you have any questions please call Sheryl at 321-863-7824 (cell) or 321-775-8122 (office).
Sheryl
Suzi
Natia
Sal
Click Here to see 321rentals.net
Cheryl
Patty
Avto
Scott
Liz
Thank you for your support and referrals!
3288 Elizabeth St., W. Melbourne, FL listing by Liz Cooper
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Wishing you a fantastic Friday on behalf of your RE/MAX Elite Family!
321.752.5858 BrevardElite.com Your Supporting Staff
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