RE/MAX Northern Illinois News | March-April 2014

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Message from the Sales Advisory Council (SAC) 2014 President Melissa Somone-Graham Hello, Fellow RE/MAX Agents, My name is Melissa Somone-Graham. I am a Broker/Associate at RE/MAX 1st, Elmhurst and your 2014 Sales Advisory Council (SAC) President. SAC was created in 1978 to promote and coordinate educational, social, and Illinois is one of only two RE/MAX regions with an active Sales Advisory Council. Although our mission has stood the test of time, the way it is carried out needed to evolve to meet the needs of our agents. Melissa Somone-Graham

To better accommodate all of our busy schedules, the SAC board decided to try some new approaches in 2014. Event locations are rotating around the city and suburbs, and there are fewer, but more valuable, meetings and events.

The SAC Board will continue to work hard to exceed your expectations and deliver quality events throughout the year. Your attendance is encouraged at our upcoming Tech Day on April 24 from 10am-3pm in Addison at K1 Speed located at 2381 W. Army Trail Road. With 20 technology mini-workshops to choose from, and topics ranging from paperless organization to creating videos, there is sure to be something for everyone. Hear a special message from Melissa and keynote speaker John Reyes: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ynYfVc0I1j4. To register go to: http://events.signup4.com/sactechday2014. ! " # $ % &* + rep is? Send me an email at melissasomone@remax.net. Your feedback and ideas are always welcome. Contact myself or a board member to share your insights.

For example, in January we combined a networking night together with a market update presentation. April's Tech Day will host both a national keynote speaker in addition to mini-workshops.

Stay up to speed on all our events by making sure you have not opted out of Regional emails. If you’re a SAC rep, make sure you 3 " ! $ % 5 6 & : ; $ % # # < ! ; + $ % & "* 3 Illinois Facebook page where we will promote our events.

We've brought back an old favorite for our summer networking

SAC Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/REMAX.SAC/

Fall will deliver an amazing educational event (details will be announced soon).

! 5 6 > & > +++ 6 # & K Illinois/149343751785786

We are also incorporating more than one event at a time.

The Winter's Holiday Bash will feature old traditions with new additions.

NEWS in Northern Illinois

March/April 2014

SAC Educational Event Q U VZ* ! $ " % " U " [ ; # was “Get Charged Up for the Spring Market� and was held in the afternoon at Carlucci Rosemont in Rosemont. Featured speakers " " ! ] U # + &" " V^_` &

" [ [ # 5 + + " + & & # website. The educational portion was followed by a cocktail networking reception.

NEWS in Northern Illinois

March/April 2014

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Top Broker Starr Zook Takes Command at RE/MAX On Track in Aledo Starr Zook, one of the leading real estate brokers in Mercer County, for more than a decade, recently acquired RE/MAX On [ 6 " * + + " V^^_

Starr Zook

" VV_ $ * been extensively renovated since Zook took command in early December, with new equipment and a remodeled interior that Zook describes as “upscale yet relaxing.�

“I’ve long considered the idea of owning my own real estate #* " + && & " * seemed to fall into place,� said Zook, a Mercer County resident all her life. “I love working in this community and my goal is & # € Zook has consistently ranked among the top sales producers ! + 6 ! V^^ " V^_^*

+ " ; & ! broker for closed transactions outside the Chicago metro area. She also works closely with her husband, Donald, who operates ‚ 6 ! # * ! * # & | older commercial and residential properties in and around Aledo. The properties include the historic 25,000-square-foot building in which RE/MAX On Track is located along with four other businesses and six apartments. Zook plans to add brokers to the RE/MAX On Track team over the next few months, each of whom will share her commitment to delivering real estate services of the highest caliber, each one handled in a way that makes all parties to the transaction well-informed and comfortable. “The basis of my work in real estate has always been to treat others as I would want to be treated,� said Zook. “That is also & & & * " ## " embodying that approach in everything we do.�

Recognized Among Top Franchise Opportunities Franchise 500Ž Survey Ranks RE/MAX Highest in Real Estate Category Global franchisor RE/MAX, LLC, once again holds the top ranked position among real estate brands in the prestigious 35th Annual Entrepreneur 2014 Franchise 500Ž. Appearing in the January edition of Entrepreneur magazine, this year’s ranking is the 11th time in 15 years that the Franchise 500 named RE/MAX as the top franchisor in the real estate category.

Entrepreneur’s annual survey evaluates companies by { # " " * + * | #* & " & Each company receives a cumulative score and the 500 franchises with the highest scores become the Franchise 500. To be eligible, companies must have at least one unit in the U.S. and provide a franchise disclosure document. Also in October, RE/MAX was the only real estate company to be included in the Top 50 Franchises for Minorities compiled 5 ! ! + K straight year that RE/MAX made the list.

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New Year Brings New Leader at RE/MAX Connections II in Marengo As Ben Broughton Takes the Reins [ + ƒ + " & to RE/MAX Connections II in Marengo, as Ben Broughton took the reins as Broker/Owner on Jan. 1, acquiring the

# " * Laura Heinberg. Broughton, 40, is a Marengo-area native who left the tool and die industry Ben Broughton 11 years ago to forge an impressive career in real estate sales, eventually becoming one of the top & " 6 „ % + 6 K & { + …Q+ # !; + " " time, and when this opportunity arose, there was really no { & # *€ " …[ has a fantastic group of agents and a great staff.� " + % V_* " been eager to operate a RE/MAX franchise because “I feel it provides me with the best way to offer an attractive business # " K& " * + + leading national brand that has great credibility in both the residential and commercial real estate markets.�

% !! " 6 * " „ * + " _   " + to act as managing broker. ; & " K& " # brokers and upgrading the technology, especially in the area of lead generation. “There are so many ways in which we can make more effective use of the internet to expand our outreach to potential clients, and that is at the top of my list,� he said. „ & † ; real estate market is in the midst of a solid expansion. Since 2011 home prices have risen 13 percent and home sales are up 48 percent, he reported. “A major stimulus for our area will be the contemplated completion of a full interchange at Ill. Hwy. 23 and Interstate 90, and plans for that apparently are moving ahead,� Broughton said. “A lot of land in our area has been targeted for development that hasn’t happened yet, and the interchange would help get those projects rolling.� In addition to his real estate career, Broughton has been an active member of the local community, currently serving as cochair of the Marengo Settlers Days committee.

NEWS in Northern Illinois

March/April 2014

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Leadership Among Most Influential RE/MAX Chairman and Co-Founder Dave Liniger and RE/MAX CEO ‰ named among top real estate leaders of 2013 on two Dave Liniger Margaret Kelly prestigious industry * ! # _^^ ! † " " Swanepoel Power 200. | " + # † " advance the real estate industry. Among the nominated are thought leaders and entrepreneurs who embody originality, strength, power and principle.

“There are so many talented and dedicated individuals in real estate today, so it’s truly an honor to be included among such an exclusive group,� Liniger said. “Our industry has faced numerous challenges in recent years, and leaders who advocated for home buying and selling, consumers and real estate professionals made a real difference in turning this market around.� [ #& ! # _^^ ! † Leaders list honors those who have made extraordinary contributions that change the way homes are bought and sold. The Swanepoel Power 200 ranks industry innovators and † K ‰ " _ & # + # Q * 6 " ˆ " ‰ * __Œ + __ " on the Power 200 list.

South Loop Specialist Terri Buseman Joins RE/MAX Premier Properties in Chicago’s Gold Coast Terri Buseman, a broker specializing in residential properties in Chicago’s South Loop and neighboring communities, has joined RE/MAX Premier Properties, _V^ˆ ] 6+ A resident of the South Loop for the last 30 years, Buseman earned her real estate Terri Buseman license in 2004 after an extensive career with Delta Airlines. Before joining * + " + ‰ Š # “What attracted me to RE/MAX Premier Properties were both its great Gold Coast location and especially the opportunity to work with Broker/Owners Janice Corley and Cynthia

Bauer,� said Buseman. “They are exceptional real estate professionals who provide the right working environment, training and support to help take my business to a higher level of productivity and success.� According to Buseman the attached housing market in the & " $ $ " " " V^_Z [ " # * V^_Z* " # totaled 1,551 units, a 21 percent increase over the same 11 month period in 2012. For that same time period, the median sales price for an attached home in those areas was $340,000 in 2013, up from $285,000 a year earlier, a 19 percent increase.

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After 25 Years with in Metro Chicago Real Estate Market, Broker Roger Lautt Happy to Be Home Again After a Brief Departure

Roger Lautt

The most recent addition to the brokerage team at RE/MAX Premier & * _V^ˆ ] 6+ * should feel right at home immediately. That is because Roger Lautt spent more than 20 years as a top producer in the metro Chicago real estate market for ! + 6 before a brief departure last summer.

“I thought I’d try working for a brokerage with a different business model, but as you can see, I’m back with the RE/MAX organization and glad of it,� said Lautt. “I missed RE/MAX in multiple ways – the camaraderie that exists at the " * " has in the marketplace and its outstanding presence on the internet. Best of all, I feel as if I’ve come back home. When I decided I needed to make a change, RE/MAX was the only place I considered though I had offers from others.� Like many of the highly experienced brokers for which RE/MAX is known, Lautt holds an array of professional credentials earned through training he has taken over the years. [ " " % " ] " & K& *

% " * # # % Residential Specialists and Graduate of the RealtorŽ Institute. His move to RE/MAX Premier Properties reunites Lautt with Janice Corley, who along with Cynthia Bauer, owns and # " " * + 6 % & " Q " [ + “Janice and I had an excellent working relationship, and when we went our separate ways, we remained good friends. I’ve always "# " + * 3 seemed like the natural thing to do,� said Lautt. “Besides, it saves me time because otherwise I’d be meeting Janice for lunch to talk + + 3 € Along with his career in real estate, Lautt is also active in working with dogs, teaching weekly classes at locations in ${ * % " + " Q that many of his real estate clients are looking for a home that will work for them and their canine companions. …ƒ " + " + # * " they do have an amazing ability to do that,� Lautt noted. “Well, I wouldn’t say I was lost, but in coming back to RE/MAX, I certainly feel as if I am home again.�

NEWS in Northern Illinois

March/April 2014

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RE/MAX Suburban’s Glen Ellyn Office Welcomes 3 New Broker Agents Veeramasuneni moved to the United States from India 14 years ago, settling in Wheaton with her family. She worked in the # " + ” $ | * # # 6 " + & 6 † „ " * [ " ’ "

Roz Iaccino

Lakshmi (Sue) Veeramasuneni

Kathy Berger

[ + 6 3 " ‘ of RE/MAX Suburban, 441 Taft Ave. They are Roz Iaccino, 6 # :$ < ’ # " ‰ [ & of an 18-broker sales force at RE/MAX Suburban, Glen Ellyn. Iaccino moved into real estate brokerage after a 28-year career in construction as a member of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 701. Over that time she also has built and remodeled houses, giving her the kind of hands-on construction K& # + " + + 6 through the home buying process. It would be fair to say that Iaccino, a resident of Wheaton, is entering the family business. “My mom has been a RE/MAX broker in Glen Ellyn for many " # 3 + ! * I’m loving it,� she reported.

“Getting a clear understanding of my clients’ priorities is always # 3 *€ ’ # " …! + # " perfect home, which takes patience and diligence, and I consider myself fortunate to possess both those qualities.� * ‰ " licensed assistant to Haya Miller, a leading broker in the Glen + " # 6 # Berger’s career in real estate started on the marketing side of * + 6 + # " & * # companies and later for the condominium development arm of the Inland Real Estate Group. She is also an experienced rehabber, and her most recent bathroom renovation was featured ]!ƒ + 6 …! " + # * + ; " for a buyer or helping a seller get their residence in shape for { 6 *€ " …! 6 " hidden potential in a home, along with strong skills in staging and remodeling that can bring that potential out into the open.�

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BOXSCORES FOR THE MONTH OF DECEMBER 2013

2 0 14 CALENDAR OF EVENTS Click HERE

Top Office (Closed Transactions)

RE/MAX City, Chicago

Largest Commission Check

$47,425

Largest Referral Check

$20,572

Total Residential Transactions

2,686

Total Commercial Transactions

62

BOX SCORES

FOR THE MONTH OF JANUARY 2014

RE/MAX NORTHERN ILLINOIS*

Top Office (Closed Transactions)

RE/MAX of Naperville

Number of Offices

100

Largest Commission Check

$92,500

Number of Agents

2,071*

Largest Referral Check

$23,760

Closed Sales Volume (YTD

$761,643,009 (Through Feb 2014) $7,755,470,185 (For 2013)

Total Residential Transactions

2,101

Total Commercial Transactions

66

RE/MAX, LLC

FOR THE MONTH OF FEBRUARY 2014

Number of Offices

6,000+

Number of Agents

90,000+

Top Office (Closed Transactions)

RE/MAX Professionals Select, Naperville

Number of Countries

90+

Largest Commission Check

$60,000

Largest Referral Check

$12,197

Total Residential Transactions

1,915

Total Commercial Transactions

47

*Through February 28, 2014

NEWS in Northern Illinois

March/April 2014

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BALLOON SIGHTINGS

Follow the RE/MAX Hot Air Balloon on Twitter @REMAXNorthernIL. The RE/MAX hot air balloon, one of the most famous and memorable corporate symbols in history, has been flying the skies of northern Illinois all year long. For the most recent flights, see the flight log below or follow us on Twitter @REMAXNorthernIL. In 2013, the RE/MAX hot air balloon flew 157 times in northern Illinois!

2014 BALLOON FLIGHTS FLOWN (January 9 - March 11, 2014) Date

Launch Site

Landing Site

Date

Launch Site

Landing Site

1/9/2014

Schaumburg

McHenry

2/15/2014

Sterling

Sterling

1/9/2014

Carpentersville

Woodstock

2/15/2014

Dixon

Dixon

1/18/2014

DeKalb

Kirkland

2/15/2014

Oregon

Leaf River

1/20/2014

Hampshire

Pingree Grove

2/16/2014

West Chicago

Aurora

1/21/2014

Harvard

Harvard

2/16/2014

Palos Hills

Homer Glen

1/31/2014

Freeport

German Valley

2/19/2014

Sandwich

Sandwich

1/31/2014

Byron

Stillman Valley

2/24/2014

Rockford

Garden Prairie

1/31/2014

Genoa

Hampshire

2/27/2014

New Lenox

Frankfort

2/2/2014

Roscoe

Caledonia

3/3/2014

Crestwood

Frankfort

Flossmoor

Matteson

2/2/2014

Marengo

Marengo

3/3/2014

2/3/2014

Sugar Grove

Montgomery

3/6/2014

Prospect Heights

Huntley

Lake Bluff

Gurnee

Antioch

Wilmot

2/3/2014

Yorkville

Yorkville

3/6/2014

2/3/2014

Rochelle

Rochelle

3/6/2014

2/4/2014

Crystal Lake

Huntley

3/7/2014

Belvidere

Garden Prairie

2/11/2014

Ottawa

Ottawa

3/11/2014

St. Charles

Elburn

2/12/2014

West Dundee

McHenry

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NEWSMAKERS

Fifty Attend the March 18

Experience at the Regional Office

! * & & * " 6 Q+ " # + " * Rochelle and Chicago to attend this special event, which highlights the features and benefits of the RE/MAX system. The

" # # " ! Q Broker/Owners John Bearrows, RE/MAX Hub City, Rochelle; Starr Zook, RE/MAX On Track, Aledo; Rich Capocioni, RE/MAX Center, Grayslake; Kathy O’Radnik, RE/MAX 1st Service, Homer Glen and Broker/Manager Val Hatzelis, RE/MAX ‘10’, brought recruits. Broker/Owners Al Snyder, RE/MAX Partners, Berwyn; Janice Corley, RE/MAX Premier Properties, Chicago and new Broker/Owner Augustina Campos, RE/MAX Fidelity, Chicago, sent recruits. In addition, there were new and veteran agents in attendance learning how to use the RE/MAX system to their advantage. The next RE/MAX Experience is scheduled for May 20.

NEWS in Northern Illinois

March/April 2014

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NEWSMAKERS In Memoriam Our deepest condolences go out to... ‌Barb Foy* & * & * " ‌to the friends, family and colleagues of Priscilla Imes, RE/MAX Enterprises, Downers Grove, who recently passed. ‌Cynthia Bauer, RE/MAX Premier Properties, Chicago, on the recent loss of her mother. ‌Joyce Moravee, RE/MAX 2000, Crete, on the loss of her daughter.

RE/MAX Northern Illinois Co-Founder Dick Hegner Passes ] 6 " „ " Illinois region in 1977, just a few years after RE/MAX, LLC, + " " ! + first regions in the RE/MAX system and it was the first one to reach 1,000 Sales Associates. The Hegners’ contributions to RE/MAX have been unmatched throughout the system and it is with great sadness that we communicate that Dick Hegner passed away in early February at the age of 92. For those of you who knew Dick, he was a determined franchise salesman, an accomplished artist, a great humanitarian and had a wonderful sense of humor. He will be dearly missed.

Betty and Dick Hegner

NEWS in Northern Illinois

March/April 2014

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RE/MAX 1st participated in Elmhurst's 18th annual St. Patrick's parade on March 8. It is considered to be metro Chicago’s second largest St. Patrick Parade. Pictured in front of the float (from left) are Broker Associates Robert and Donna Raven, 2014 SAC president and Broker Associate Melissa Somone-Graham and Broker/Owner Ed Kress.

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An Important Message From Our Awards Ceremony Sponsor

This advertisement does not constitute an endorsement from the RE/MAX organization.

NEWS in Northern Illinois

March/April 2014

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