Remodeling and decorating trends in 2010 are likely to reflect the fact that many home owners are settling in for the long haul.
Here are some ideas for updating homes and gardens from decorators and leading real estate practitioners:
Environmentally sensitive furniture. Natural fibers, sustainable woods, and recycled products are key to attracting environmentally concerned buyers.
Classic neutral colors. Deep gray browns and gray blues, muted beige, and chalky white will be particularly popular shades, Pittsburgh Paints predicts.
Backyard gardens. First Lady Michelle Obama led the way in 2009 when she installed one at the White House.
Backyard living. Wood-deck additions offer an 80.6 percent payback, according to the annual Cost vs. Value Report from Remodeling magazine and REALTOR® magazine. Simple fire pits and outdoor fireplaces also will be popular, trend-watchers say.
Made in America. As more people feel compelled to support local employment, U.S. manufactured products and antiques will become more popular, says Patricia Shackelford, author of design blog, Mrs. Blandings.
Monday, December 28, 2009
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
Keller Williams Realty Ranked as Top Real Estate Franchise by Industry Leader and Entrepreneur Magazine
AUSTIN, TEXAS (December 21, 2009) — Keller Williams Realty joined the ranks of the top franchises in the world last week, when the company was ranked as the No. 1 real estate franchise on the 31st Annual Franchise 500 list by Entrepreneur magazine. During the same week, the company was also voted the Most Recognizable Brand of Real Estate Franchises for 2009 in an industry-wide survey for the Swanepoel TRENDS Report.
“The Swanepoel TRENDS Report is a respected source for the real estate industry and beyond, as is Entrepreneur magazine, and we are excited to see our agents honored in this way for all of their hard work,” said Mark Willis, CEO, Keller Williams Realty. “We certainly wouldn’t have been included on either list without the dedication and resolve of our agents.”
According to the ranking in Entrepreneur magazine, the most important criteria to determine the top franchises included financial strength and stability, as well as growth rate and size of the franchise system. The magazine also looked at the number of years the company has been in business and the length of time it’s been franchising, in addition to start-up costs and financial data. Additionally, Keller Williams Realty made an impressive showing on the overall list, placing higher than any other real estate franchise.
The Swanepoel TRENDS Report is published by Stefan Swanepoel, a real estate industry speaker and insider. The survey was crafted to determine the Most Recognizable Brand for Real Estate Franchises for his report out in February 2010. The survey included votes cast by 11,000 plus real estate agents, who cast 390,000 votes to select the top 10.
Earlier in the year,Keller Williams Realty also received the highest overall satisfaction ratings from home buyers among the largest full-service real estate firms from J.D. Power and Associates for the second year in a row.
“We are extremely proud that our associates and company are being recognized for our strength and stability during this time in our industry,” said Mary Tennant, president and COO, Keller Williams Realty. “We attribute our success to being in business with phenomenal people and to our core business models, which have allowed our franchises to thrive during any market.”
###
About Keller Williams Realty Inc.:
Founded in 1983, Keller Williams Realty Inc. is the third-largest real estate franchise operation in the United States, with 679 offices and 73,000 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).
“The Swanepoel TRENDS Report is a respected source for the real estate industry and beyond, as is Entrepreneur magazine, and we are excited to see our agents honored in this way for all of their hard work,” said Mark Willis, CEO, Keller Williams Realty. “We certainly wouldn’t have been included on either list without the dedication and resolve of our agents.”
According to the ranking in Entrepreneur magazine, the most important criteria to determine the top franchises included financial strength and stability, as well as growth rate and size of the franchise system. The magazine also looked at the number of years the company has been in business and the length of time it’s been franchising, in addition to start-up costs and financial data. Additionally, Keller Williams Realty made an impressive showing on the overall list, placing higher than any other real estate franchise.
The Swanepoel TRENDS Report is published by Stefan Swanepoel, a real estate industry speaker and insider. The survey was crafted to determine the Most Recognizable Brand for Real Estate Franchises for his report out in February 2010. The survey included votes cast by 11,000 plus real estate agents, who cast 390,000 votes to select the top 10.
Earlier in the year,Keller Williams Realty also received the highest overall satisfaction ratings from home buyers among the largest full-service real estate firms from J.D. Power and Associates for the second year in a row.
“We are extremely proud that our associates and company are being recognized for our strength and stability during this time in our industry,” said Mary Tennant, president and COO, Keller Williams Realty. “We attribute our success to being in business with phenomenal people and to our core business models, which have allowed our franchises to thrive during any market.”
###
About Keller Williams Realty Inc.:
Founded in 1983, Keller Williams Realty Inc. is the third-largest real estate franchise operation in the United States, with 679 offices and 73,000 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).
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
Holiday Extravaganza to Light Up the Season for Residents
Usher in the holiday season with the city’s Holiday Extravaganza on Dec. 5. A fun-filled schedule includes the following:
Chili Cook-Off – 8 a.m.
Hosted by the Irving Police and Fire departments, the cook-off will take place at Heritage Park, 217 Main St. First-, second- and third-place trophies will be awarded. The entry fee to participate in the contest is $20 and an unwrapped toy. Attendees may purchase a tasting cup for $5. Proceeds will benefit the Blue Christmas toy drive. For more information, call (972) 523-8849.
Holiday Parade – 4 p.m.
The annual holiday parade will start at O’Connor and Rock Island roads, and travel southbound on O’Connor Road, eastbound on Second Street, northbound on Lucille Street, westbound on Irving Boulevard and northbound at O’Connor Road. The community is invited to line the streets of the Irving Heritage District and witness this festive collection of floats and holiday music.
Tree Lighting Ceremony – 5:30 p.m.
The tree lighting ceremony will begin at City Hall, 825 W. Irving Blvd. The ceremony will feature a variety of performing artists including Dana’s Dance School, Forscher’s Dance School, Irving High Toy Tigers drill team and the Irving Bible Church choir. Following a fireworks show, the Irving Symphonic Band will present a holiday concert. Other activities include Santa visits and children’s activities and concessions.
Chili Cook-Off – 8 a.m.
Hosted by the Irving Police and Fire departments, the cook-off will take place at Heritage Park, 217 Main St. First-, second- and third-place trophies will be awarded. The entry fee to participate in the contest is $20 and an unwrapped toy. Attendees may purchase a tasting cup for $5. Proceeds will benefit the Blue Christmas toy drive. For more information, call (972) 523-8849.
Holiday Parade – 4 p.m.
The annual holiday parade will start at O’Connor and Rock Island roads, and travel southbound on O’Connor Road, eastbound on Second Street, northbound on Lucille Street, westbound on Irving Boulevard and northbound at O’Connor Road. The community is invited to line the streets of the Irving Heritage District and witness this festive collection of floats and holiday music.
Tree Lighting Ceremony – 5:30 p.m.
The tree lighting ceremony will begin at City Hall, 825 W. Irving Blvd. The ceremony will feature a variety of performing artists including Dana’s Dance School, Forscher’s Dance School, Irving High Toy Tigers drill team and the Irving Bible Church choir. Following a fireworks show, the Irving Symphonic Band will present a holiday concert. Other activities include Santa visits and children’s activities and concessions.
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Tuesday, December 1, 2009
The 7 tips you can use to make public speaking easier
Tip 1- Normalize your fear. In other words, be aware that just about everyone shares this fear. It is normal in our society.
Tip 2 – Create what you want. Remember that your thoughts create your reality. If you tell yourself, “I am a terrible public speaker,” then you’ll become that which you think. If you tell yourself, “This is a great speech and people will get a lot out of it,” then the confidence you project will shine.
Tip 3 – Visualize. Remember to visualize how you want to see yourself when you are speaking in front of a crowd. How would you ideally like to feel when speaking in front of people? Would you like to be calm and relaxed? Start visualizing yourself as a calm and relaxed speaker, and step inside of the picture and feel the feelings as if they are happening right now.
Tip 4 – Remain Positive. Give yourself a positive verbal suggestion, such as “I am a calm, confident, dynamic public speaker.”
Tip 5 – Question the fear. Ask yourself why you are afraid. Did a negative episode happen in your life where you where ridiculed or judged? If so, a part of you decided, “I’ll never do that again.” It became your survival strategy. Healing that wound will require that you ask the scared part what it would need to feel safe. A client of mine recently did just that to her scared part. It became clear that her scared part would only be willing to speak up if it was being heard by a friendly, supportive audience, where mistakes were allowed.
Tip 6 – Rehearse. Find a person who will listen with support and encouragement, like a coach or a mentor. Then role play with that person until you feel comfortable speaking.
Tip 7 – Speak from your heart. Realize that your speaking is a gift. It is benefitting the listener. Become passionate about what you say. Focus on your audience, not yourself. This is about them and what you have to give to them.
Tip 2 – Create what you want. Remember that your thoughts create your reality. If you tell yourself, “I am a terrible public speaker,” then you’ll become that which you think. If you tell yourself, “This is a great speech and people will get a lot out of it,” then the confidence you project will shine.
Tip 3 – Visualize. Remember to visualize how you want to see yourself when you are speaking in front of a crowd. How would you ideally like to feel when speaking in front of people? Would you like to be calm and relaxed? Start visualizing yourself as a calm and relaxed speaker, and step inside of the picture and feel the feelings as if they are happening right now.
Tip 4 – Remain Positive. Give yourself a positive verbal suggestion, such as “I am a calm, confident, dynamic public speaker.”
Tip 5 – Question the fear. Ask yourself why you are afraid. Did a negative episode happen in your life where you where ridiculed or judged? If so, a part of you decided, “I’ll never do that again.” It became your survival strategy. Healing that wound will require that you ask the scared part what it would need to feel safe. A client of mine recently did just that to her scared part. It became clear that her scared part would only be willing to speak up if it was being heard by a friendly, supportive audience, where mistakes were allowed.
Tip 6 – Rehearse. Find a person who will listen with support and encouragement, like a coach or a mentor. Then role play with that person until you feel comfortable speaking.
Tip 7 – Speak from your heart. Realize that your speaking is a gift. It is benefitting the listener. Become passionate about what you say. Focus on your audience, not yourself. This is about them and what you have to give to them.
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