Entrepreneur Magazine recently ranked Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC as the fastest-growing franchise among real estate companies for 2011 and the No. 14 fastest growing franchise in all business categories. Coldwell Banker Real Estate also was ranked No. 75 in the Entrepreneur 2011 Global Top Franchises list and No. 90 in the publication’s 32nd annual U.S. Franchise 500® rankings.

"In the midst of a challenging market, we are proud of our expansion and recognition as an ever-growing franchise," said Budge Huskey, president and chief operating officer for Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC. "We're always moving, and that means forging new relationships and gaining presence in new markets, while empowering our existing franchisees and their sales associates with the tools they need to continue to succeed."

Among these tools is the recently released Coldwell Banker Managing Broker Academy, an online learning portal for managers and brokers. The newest tool provides videos, podcasts and social learning aids focusing on long-term educational planning and timely educational tools.

Additional training and ongoing support Coldwell Banker offers offices and agents includes:
•    Intensive multi-day introductory training sessions offered at Coldwell Banker's headquarters and franchisee offices
•    Diverse classes and continuing education programs  available in person or online
•    National and local advertising, including television, online and mobile
•    Management conferences and regional training events
•    Field operation evaluations
•    Grand opening support
•    Weekly newsletters

Want to know some good ways to boost your home's value? Here is a top 10 list courtesy of thisoldhouse.com.

1. Create Space

Knock out a non-structural wall, or even remove that kitchen island. Anything that opens the space and creates a sense of flow in the house is generating a response from buyers who can afford to be choosy. For the price of a few hundred dollars, you'll transform the feel of the house.

2. Prue, Limb, and Landscape

Tangled trees and unkempt bushes can obscure views, darken interiors, promote mold, and block a good look at the house. "People forget about their trees more than almost anything," says Roger Voisinet, a thirty-year veteran of the Charlottesville, Virginia real estate market. Yet, landscaping is one of the top three investments that bring the biggest return. According to a 2007 survey of 2,000 brokers conducted byHomeGain, an online real estate marketing site, an investment of around $400 or $500 dollars in landscaping, can bring a return of four times that. "It could really make a significant difference in the price. Nobody likes to spend money, but landscaping might even be the most important thing, even if owners have kept up the house," says Voisinet.

3. Let in the Light

The number one item on the 2007 HomeGain survey, lighting—everything from a dimmer switch to the increasingly popular sun tubes—noticeably enhances a home's appeal. California broker Robert Bailey says, "Dimmers allow you to create a mood." 

He's a booster of sun tubes, too. Less expensive than framing in a skylight, sun tubes—also known as light pipes, sunscoops, and tubular skylights—use reflective material to funnel natural light from a globe-capped hole cut in a rooftop down through a ceiling fixture and into a room. Bailey says, with tubular skylights, sunlight is nice, and moonlight is even nicer. "I'm putting six of them in my house. I don't need a skylight, but I do want the natural light."

4. Don't Put Off Care and Maintenance

Before thinking about a fancy upgrade to the kitchen, address the basics. Insulate the attic, repair plumbing leaks, replace rusty rain gutters, inspect the furnace and the septic system, replace or repair leaky windows, install storm doors, weed the flower beds. As broker Robert Bailey says, "What you don't notice as a weed, I see as a weekend of work."

Investing in maintenance and repairs is not only moneywise; could also be crucial to a sale. Brokers and agents from across the country say the houses that get attention in this buyers market are in tip-top shape. John Veneris, the regional vice president of the National Association of Realtors in Downers Grove, Illinois, says, "What's important in this market, now more than ever, because there is so much inventory, the houses that sell are in pristine condition and are priced to the market."

5. Go Green

If maintenance and repairs are in hand, Virginia broker Roger Voisinet says put the greenbacks into green efficiency. If your heating or air conditioning systems are old, "new ones are so much better, with savings of up to 30 to 40%." Another example he points to: for $7,000 for the unit and installation, with $2,100 back in green tax credits, a solar-powered water heater could save you as much as 80% on your water-heating bills.

6. Home Begins at the Front Door

ERA's Kristin Willens says, "Don't underestimate the power of a front door. People make up their minds in the first seven seconds of entering a house."
Surveyed brokers like a working door bell, and Voisinet says don't forget an overhang, such as an awning or portico, above the front door. "If you don't have a way out of the rain, or shelter from the sun while you are fumbling for your keys, you are really missing out."

7. What's Under Your Feet?

Don't undervalue the materials you're standing on. Ninety-four percent of real estate pros recommend spending some money on floors. But it doesn't have to be a lot of money. For an estimated average investment of $600 to $900, brokers report that the return in value comes in at up to $2,000. 
And you can spend even less than that. A few well-placed nails can eliminate distracting squeaks. Other small projects with a big impact include repairing broken tile, patching damaged floor boards, and tossing out the wall-to-wall carpeting.

8. Easy Bath Upgrades

Brokers, one and all, say spiffing up the kitchen and bath is a sure bet for adding value to your home. Surveyed brokers say these kinds of improvements can get expensive. It may not be economical to do a major renovation if you are trying to spend as little as possible before putting a house up for sale. But some upgrades are cheap, easy, and fast...especially in the bathroom. 

Replace frosted glass for clear glass, clean the grout, remove rust stains, apply fresh caulk, update doorknobs and cabinet pulls, replace faucets, and install a low-flush toilet. Even buying a new toilet seat can make a difference. Bailey says, "You can spend $500 on a bathroom, and it's totally tuned up."

9. Neutral Wall Colors

If you're getting ready to put a house on this circumspect market, don't allow walls with chipped paint to go unmaintained. If you need to do more than a touch up, choose neutral colors. 

Broker Reba Haas says, "Get out of your personal taste." She says buyers want to be able to project their own ideas onto a space, and sellers can help with toned-down wall color.

10. Remove the Question Marks from Your House

Haas calls it the "What's that?" factor, and whatever it is (1950s wallpaper in a 1930s bungalow, a broken front step or cracked threshold, green-and-blue vinyl flooring), fix it or remove it. She recommends getting the impartial advice of a friend who can tell you what's drawing attention and raising questions for the wrong reasons. "The more questions, the more people are likely to say, 'We don't want that house.' Sometimes it's the quick fix that someone put in thinking, 'I can live with it.''' Haas says those fixes bite you back later when it's time to sell because prospective buyers are looking for more than jerrybuilt solutions.

Coldwell Banker has the Highest Overall Sales Volume in all of Central Pennsylvania.

Coldwell Banker Select Professionals and Coldwell Banker Homestead Group Select Pofessionals have the highest overall sales volume in the Central Pennsylvania market.  We sell more houses than any other real estate brand in central PA and we would love to make one of those yours!

Source: CPML Stats report Date Range 1/1/2010 - 12/31/2010

Coldwell Banker has teamed up with AdMob, the new video ad service from Google to become the first company to utilize its services. Click the image to the right to watch a Youtube video showcasing the product in action!

They ads are avilable only on the iPad as of now, but Andriod compatibility is just around the corner to run on countless devices.

"These new HTML5-based ad formats are built specifically for tablets' larger, HD screens, and make use of features like touch, tap and swipe," stated a post on the Google Mobile Ads blog today. "Together, these features will enable advertisers to develop rich, engaging campaigns and run them across multiple mobile platforms."

Mediapost.com also ran an article detailing this great partnership, you can read all about it here.

Gillespie: Those Not Fearful for Jobs Should Buy Homes

Jun 28, 2011

Jim Gillespie, Coldwell Banker Real Estate CEO, on who should be purchasing homes and his view on the market.

Click here to view the video!

The 7 Deadly Sins of Overpricing
From Trulia.com

Most experts would advise that the best way to increase your
odds of a successful sale is to price your home at fair market
value. But, as logical as this advice sounds, for many sellers it is
still tempting to tack a few percentage points onto the price to
"leave room to negotiate". To avoid this temptation, let's take a
look at the seven deadly sins of overpricing:

1. Appraisal Problems
Even if you do find a buyer willing to pay an inflated price, the fact
is over 90% of buyers use some kind of financing to pay for their
home purchase. If your home won't appraise for the purchase
price the sale will likely fail.

2. No Showings
Today's sophisticated home buyers are well educated about the real estate market. If your home is overpriced they
won't bother looking at it, let alone make you an offer.

3. Branding Problems
When a new listing hits the market, every agent quickly checks the property out to see if it's a good fit for their
clients. If your home is branded as "overpriced", reigniting interest may take drastic measures.

4. Selling the Competition
Overpricing helps your competition. How? You make their lower prices seem like bargains. Nothing is worse than
watching your neighbors put up a sold sign.

5. Stagnation
The longer your home sits on the market, the more likely it is to become stigmatized or stale. Have you ever seen a
property that seems to be perpetually for sale? Do you ever wonder - What's wrong with that house?

6. Tougher Negotiations
Buyers who do view your home may negotiate harder because the home has been on the market for a longer
period of time and because it is overpriced compared to the competition.

7. Lost Opportunities
You will lose a percentage of buyers who are outside of your price point. These are buyers who are looking in the
price range that the home will eventually sell for but don't see the home because the price is above their pre-set
budget.

Most buyers look at 10-15 homes before making a buying decision. Because of this, setting a competitive price
relative to the competition is an essential component to a successful marketing strategy.

Foreclosure prevention funding application deadline is Sept. 16

There’s still time for homeowners facing foreclosure to apply for the Emergency Homeowners’ Loan Program (EHLP) through the PA Housing Finance Agency (PHFA). The deadline to apply for EHLP assistance is September 16. 

Pennsylvania received $105 million to aid homeowners facing foreclosure through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). This foreclosure prevention program is intended to help families in danger of losing their homes due to involuntary unemployment, under-employment or for medical reasons.

To date, PHFA has approved $32 million in EHLP loans. It has received nearly 1,700 applications and 854 of those have met the requirements of the program and have been approved. After September 16, Pennsylvania loses access to any EHLP funding not committed to homeowners approved for the program. 

“PHFA is committed to getting this foreclosure assistance to as many homeowners throughout the state as possible,” said Realtor® Ronald Croushore, a member of the PHFA board. “If Realtors® are aware of homeowners facing foreclosure, they should encourage them to apply for this program as quickly as possible.” 

To qualify for an EHLP loan, homeowners need to meet certain HUD requirements, including:

• Their current gross income must be at least 15 percent lower than their pre-event income
• They must be at least three payments delinquent on their mortgage
• The property must be owner-occupied and be the homeowner’s principal residence
• The property must be a single-family residence – either a one-to-four unit structure or condominium. 

Pennsylvania residents should call PHFA at 800-342-2397 for details. Operators are available Monday through Friday during normal business hours.

Brian N. Zulli, Esquire has joined Coldwell Banker Select Professionals as the company In-House Counsel and President of Guardian Transfer, CBSP’s title company.  A practicing Attorney for 12 years, Brian specializes in real estate and title law.   

Brian is a 1996 graduate of Shippensburg University School of Law, and obtained his Juris Doctorate from Widener University School of Law in 2000.    Brian was admitted to practice law by the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania and the Middle District of Pennsylvania.

A Certified Instructor for the Pennsylvania Bar Association, the PA Real Estate Commission and the PA Department of Insurance, Brian is also a licensed Pennsylvania Title Agent.

Brian is a member of the Pennsylvania and Lancaster County Bar Associations, an Associate Member of the Dauphin County Bar Association, a member of the Pennsylvania Licensing Exam Review Committee through the PA Department of Insurance, and is a member of the Judicial & Legislative and Technology Committees of the Pennsylvania Land Title Association.

Brian can be reached via email: bzulli@cbsp.com or cell 717-824-0880. 

Ensure You Have Access to Affordable Mortgages

Coldwell Banker has a new product on their website that is aimed to help first time home buyers with one of the biggest decisions of their lives.They have pooled all the knowledge of their agents to produce several videos to help out the process for people that have never purchased a property before. Topics include:

• Kids take on Real Estate
  
• How do you know you have picked the right agent
• What is a pre-approved mortgage?
• The biggest tips for first time home buyers
• What to do and not to do when picking colors for your home
• Home safety tips for smoke/carbon monoxide detectors
• When is the right time to make an offer
• Tips on packing your precious belongings for the big move
• Finding the right contractor for house projects
• What to look for besides the size of a home
  

Buying your first home can be overwhelming, which is the reason Coldwell Banker created this resource. Besides the videos there are articles and calculators to make sure you have the most informed decision possible to get your feet wet in the home buying process.

CLICK HERE to visit this great new Coldwell Banker resource!