LOOK INSIDE: ABoR’s 2008 Realty Roundup • Independence Title’s 4th Annual Chili cook off • and much, much more!
WCAoR’s Annual Christmas Tree Gala Set for November 20 It’s that time again! The Williamson County Association of REALTORS (WCAoR) will host its annual Christmas Tree Gala on Thursday, Nov. 20 from 5:30 to 8 p.m. This year’s event will be held at the Highland Homes model in Hidden Glen, Round Rock. This is an event where you can give back to your community by raising funds for Williamson County area graduating seniors. For those of you who have participated in the past, we give thanks and hope you will donate another beautiful tree for this year’s gala. For those who have not
participated, please consider donating a decorated tree for our silent and live auction. A list of decorating specifications is provided at www.wcaor.org/documents/Specifications.pdf. You can also download the submission form at www.wcaor.org/documents/TreeSubmission.pdf. Each donated entry must include its own submission form and must be received at the Association office before Nov. 19 at 3 p.m. More than one tree may be donated to the auction. Join the excitement and help your Association raise enough funds to provide more than five scholarships this year. For more information, please contact Douglas Craig at 255-6211.
Upcoming Events: NOVEMBER 20 WCAoR Christmas Tree Gala Highland Homes model 1412 Hidden Glen Dr. - 5:30 to 8 p.m.
DECEMBER 2 NAHREP Installation Mexican American Cultural Center - 6 p.m.
DECEMBER 3 CRS Installation Westwood County Club - 11:30 a.m.
DECEMBER 5 ABoR’s 2009 Installation & Awards Renaissance Austin Hotel - 6 p.m.
DECEMBER 10 AMBA Holiday Party University of Texas Club - 6:30 p.m. DECEMBER 11 WCAoR Installation Banquet Marriott La Frontera- 5:30 p.m.
o ci a t e s i n a s sprogress NOVEMBER 2008 • VOL. 13 • ISSUE 7
Enjoyable. Entertaining. It’s all About You.
Investing in Professional Home Staging Brings Payoffs month that are bringing professional staging and redesign groups together CONTRIBUTING WRITER to discuss vital industry issues. One If you are a REALTOR who works mostly with of the things they discussed was set5HW XU Q RQ RI $JHQW V buyers, your life may be pretty cushy right now, as ting some standards so REALTORS 3U RM HFW 7\SL FDO &RVW 3U L FH , QFU HDVH , QYHVW PHQW 5HFRPPHQGL QJ it is a great time to buy with interest rates down and know who they can trust. Because the /L JKW HQ EU L JKW HQ plenty of homes to choose from, making prices com- industry has blossomed over the &O HDQ DQG GH FO XW W HU petitive. But if you work mostly with sellers, your years, more and more people are call/DQGVFDSH I U RQW EDFN \DU GV 6W DJH KRPH I RU VDO H life may be filled with clients who are becoming ing themselves stagers and REAL5 H S D L U H O H F W U L F D O R U S O X PE L Q J more and more anxious as the days their house sits TORS may not know how to tell the U GDPDJHG I O RRU L QJ 5HSDL difference among them until after on the market begin to rack up. 8SGDW H NL W FKHQ EDW KU RRPV The best thing a REALTOR can do to help these they have spent the money on their DFH RU VKDPSRR FDU SHW L QJ 5HSO clients is to show them how to make their home the services— which may be too late. 3DL QW H[W HU L RU ZDO O V “You want to choose someone most attractive on the market— not by reducing the price— but by highlighting and accentuating their with a visual marketing backhome's best features to appeal to a wide variety of ground,� advises Boettcher, who has potential buyers, a process called staging. Since the been staging for eight years and is a Real Estate Staging Association has announced that popular presenter at conventions. November is Home Staging Awareness Month, it is a “You need someone with real estate $YHU DJH 'D\V RQ 0DU NHW %HI RU H 6RO G $63 +RPH 6W DJL QJ perfect time to learn more about this marketing strate- knowledge and professionalism. Ask 6DO HV 6XFFHVV 5DW H to see their before and after pictures gy that so many in the industry have embraced. Ellen Boettcher of Staging by Design recently and ask for references. Treat them like attended one of the many round table discussions any other vendor.� REALTORS should also think about that are being held throughout the country this what level service they Presorted Standard are seeking. U.S. Postage RI PAID Stagers can Austin, Texas $ 6 3 6 W D J H G +RPHV be hired on Paid Permit #715 VHO O RQ DYHU DJH L Q a consultP.O. Box 81366 PR Q W K R U O H V V ant basis, Austin, Texas 78708-1366 with or without a %DVHG RQ D 6W DJHG+RPHV FRP VXU YH\ RI RYHU KRPHV DFU RVV &DQDGD W KH &RQW L QHQW DO 86 SU HSDU HG I RU VDO H E\ DQ $FFU HGL W HG 6W DJL QJ 3U RI HVVL RQDO $63Œ
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By Linda McNabb