Living in Asheville NC

We love living in Asheville, NC!!!!! If you are looking to move to the area please contact us!!!! We are natives of Asheville and and can help you buy or sell real estate!! We have a GREAT TEAM and can also help you (if you need help) with a short sale...................Let us know what we can do for you!!!!!
www.PatandDonna.com 828-277-8685 We look forward to hearing from YOU!!!

MLS 468624

MLS 468624

Rural Housing Preservation and Stabilization Act of 2010

Great Information from Kim Winters of Mountain 1st Bank.

Rural Housing Preservation and Stabilization Act of 2010




Yesterday, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Rural Housing Preservation and Stabilization Act of 2010 (H.R. 5017). Through this legislation, the guarantee fee in the USDA Guaranteed Rural Housing (GRH) Program may be raised to offset any need for Congressional appropriations. Additionally, H.R. 5017 would authorize USDA Rural Development to guarantee up to $30 billion in loans in Fiscal Year 2010. This would represent an additional $18 billion in loan making authority for the remainder of this fiscal year.

Before these changes can be implemented, similar legislative action will need to occur in the U.S. Senate.

Following this action in the House, the USDA Rural Development National Office sent an announcement that stated: “Depending upon Congressional activity with the proposed legislation it is possible that the Agency may consider issuing Conditional Commitments.”

The purpose of this update is to keep your organization apprised of the actions being taken to address the pending lack of funding for the USDA GRH Program. Please share this information with your clients and staff, as well as appropriate parties. We will continue to keep you updated regarding available program funding, in addition to any legislative events pertaining to the USDA GRH Program.

As always, we at Mountain 1st Bank & Trust remain committed to the USDA Guaranteed Rural Housing Program and appreciate your support of the home financing needs of rural America. If you have questions or need additional assistance, please feel free to contact me.

Kim WintersSenior Mortgage Banker828-350-8022kwinters@mountain1st.com



Kimberly Winters
Senior Mortgage Banker
Mountain 1st Bank & Trust
52B Coxe Ave
Asheville, NC 28801
office: 828-350-8022 X2610
fax: 828-350-8525
mobile: 828-460-1300

How Is Keller Williams Changing the Real Estate World?

How Is Keller Williams Changing the Real Estate World?

By Jeremy Conaway
March 26, 2010 – 1:14 PM

It was a classic Keller Williams moment. The announcement was delivered at a key juncture during the Company’s annual Family Reunion event, in the middle of CEO Mark Willis’s annual State of the Company presentation.

For those who have never attended the reunion event, it is very difficult to describe. There is simply no other professional conference in the industry that even comes close to delivering the anticipation, the passion, the excitement and indeed the satisfaction that comes with this annual celebration of success and achievement.

For the rest of this great article go to Recon

Realtors® Strive to Reduce Stress in Short Sale Transactions

Washington, February 19, 2010

According to the most recent Realtors® Confidence Index, buyers continue to be discouraged with the extended short sale process, resulting in foreclosures that could have been prevented. New resources from the National Association of Realtors® aim to help Realtors® and consumers successfully navigate the short sale process to help more homeowners avoid foreclosure.

“Our members report that short sales are often riddled with delays and red tape,” said NAR President Vicki Cox Golder, owner of Vicki L. Cox & Associates in Tucson, Ariz. “As the first, best source for real estate information, Realtors® are dedicated to help streamline and improve the short sale process for both buyers and sellers. NAR has worked tirelessly to provide Realtors® with the resources they need to navigate short sale transactions, as well as provide guidance on helpful government programs designed for homeowners facing the process.”

On April 5, 2010, the U.S. government will implement the Home Affordable Foreclosure Alternatives Program. Part of the Home Affordable Modification Program, HAFA helps homeowners who are unable to retain their home under HAMP by simplifying and streamlining the use of short sales and deeds-in-lieu of foreclosures. Homeowners must meet certain requirements to participate and incentive payments are provided to homeowners and servicers.

To help Realtors® understand HAFA and its guidelines, NAR has released a brochure about the Home Affordable Foreclosure Alternatives Program and additional resources online, including government forms and guidelines, a video explaining the new federal guidelines, and frequently asked questions. Designed to help Realtors® explain the new program to homeowners, NAR’s HAFA resources explain how the program aims to streamline short sales and, in the process, save more families from foreclosure.

“The new guidelines and incentives as part of HAFA are a crucial step towards reducing problems with the short sale process, and Realtors® are ready to help make this new program a success,” said Golder.

In addition to its resources on HAFA, NAR launched a Short Sales and Foreclosures Certification Program in August 2009. The SFR program is offered by the Real Estate Buyer’s Agent Council of NAR and includes training on how to manage short sale, foreclosure and real-estate owned transactions.

The Realtors® Confidence Index is a monthly survey of more than 50,000 Realtors®.

The National Association of Realtors®, “The Voice for Real Estate,” is America’s largest trade association, representing 1.2 million members involved in all aspects of the residential and commercial real estate industries.

Information on the First Time Home Buyer Credit

Keller Williams Realty Bucks National Business Trends During the Toughest Real Estate Market on Record

News Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Amber Presley

512/327-3037

amber.presley@kw.com

Keller Williams Realty Bucks National Business Trends During the Toughest Real Estate Market on Record

Company celebrates 25 years as it outpaces market through its financial model

AUSTIN, TEXAS (January 27, 2009) — Bailout. Credit crunch. Foreclosure. Despite these words permeating the headlines and airwaves, there are companies out there moving forward – even in real estate. Keller Williams® Realty Inc., the fourth largest real estate company in North America, announced today that it outpaced the market in 2008, while remaining completely financially solvent, and gave back more than $30 million in profits to its agents.

“Our strategy is no secret. We faithfully follow the sound financial model of leading with revenue – the same model our market centers follow,” said Mark Willis, CEO of Keller Williams Realty Inc. “As we watch companies throughout the country take on billions of dollars of debt, we are proud to say that our company has not one dollar of financing debt and we remain strong and financially sound. It is our joy to be able to give back to our agents during these times.”

Despite pervasive downward trends in the real estate industry, Keller Williams Realty continues to outperform the industry. For 2008, existing home sales for the United States fell 13 percent as reported by the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR). By comparison, Keller Williams Realty saw sales decline by only 7 percent. In addition, the company experienced a much smaller contraction in its agent base compared to NAR, who saw a 10 percent decline in membership.

“Keller Williams was founded 25 years ago during one of the toughest markets on record – when interest rates were higher than 18 percent. We continue to urge our agents to zero in on lead generation and reducing expenses so they can thrive during this market,” said Mary Tennant, president and COO of Keller Williams Realty Inc. “We admire our agents’ spirit, tenacity, and dedication to their businesses. They just keep powering forward.”

Throughout 2008 Keller Williams Realty launched new products and services specifically to boost its agents’ businesses, including two new books: Your First Home: The Proven Path to Home Ownership for first-time home buyers, and SHIFT: How Top Real Estate Agents Tackle Tough Times. Both books are written by Gary Keller, co-founder and chairman of the board of Keller Williams Realty, who also authored national best sellers The Millionaire Real Estate Agent and The Millionaire Real Estate Investor.

Additionally, Keller, co-author Dave Jenks and trainer and coach Tony DiCello hit the road to teach the 12 tactics laid out in SHIFT, drawing more than 20,000 attendees in 29 cities. The company also continued to provide agents support through Operation Heart to Heart 2, a training initiative designed to help agents and market centers deal with today’s market.

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About Keller Williams Realty Inc.:

Founded in 1983, Keller Williams Realty Inc. is the fourth-largest real estate franchise operation in North America, with more than 690 offices and 70,000 associates in the United States and Canada. The company, which began franchising in 1990, has an agent-centric culture that emphasizes access to leading-edge education and promotes an economic model that rewards associates as stakeholders and partners. For more information, visit Keller Williams Realty online at (www.kw.com).