The American Institute of Architects says that homeowners are asking for energy management systems or products to include:

q       Triple-glazed windows

q       Tankless water heaters

q       Synthetic material

q       Recycled materials

q       Water-saving products

q       Thermal moisture control

q       Improvement of indoor air quality

REALTORS® from across the country descended on New Orleans for their convention and to help the people of New Orleans.  Over 25,000 REALTORS®, spouses, and vendors were in attendance according to figures given at the conference.

When shopping or visiting the great places to eat, it was great to hear “Thank you for coming!” and “Thank you, REALTORS®.”  People would also say, “please go back and tell your friends to come to New Orleans.”

Over 2,000 attendees put in 8,364 hours of volunteer work. Because of their efforts…

• The New Orleans Public Library will open 3 months earlier than expected.
• Seven new homes were framed and many more new homes have siding, roofing and porches in the Musicians Village with Habitat for Humanity.
• The children at St. Joan of Arc School can learn on the 20 computers that were set up, along with the books secured from other closed schools and a new blacktop play area.
• 535 students from De La Salle School have a fresh, newly painted environment in which to learn.
• More residents will be able to enjoy City Park and the Botanical Gardens and the Park has $15,000 in new equipment to use.
• There are many more stories to tell but only so much room to share the information. It was a rewarding experience for REALTORS® in attendance, both personally and professionally.  

Realist Tax System has new features:

v      Ability to save the Single Line View

v      Ability to view up to 500 records per page (Limit was 100 per page)

November is REALTOR® Designation Awareness Month.  

NAR’s “2006 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers” shows that the role of the REALTORS® continues to be an important factor in the real estate transaction for consumers.  81 percent of buyers who used the Internet to search for a home purchased their home through a real estate agent.  According to the study, buyers listed several benefits to using an agent, including the agent’s knowledge of the home-buying process, the property, and the area.  Word of mouth recommendations continues to be the leading way buyers found their agent.

The NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® has launched a national advertising campaign to urge potential home buyers who have been waiting on the sidelines to act now before prices gain traction. The campaign includes full-page newspaper ads running in six of the nation’s leading newspapers.

The advertisement points out:

q       Interest rates have fallen seven months in a row and are near 40- year lows.

q       Inventories of existing homes are higher than they have been in decades.

q       Home prices have stabilized.

“Homeownership is a safe, secure way to build long-term wealth, “the ad reads.  “The national median price of homes bought 10 years ago has increased 88 percent.  The number of U.S. households is expected to increase 15 percent during the next decade, creating a continued high demand for housing.”

• Safety Tip of the Week: Install an alarm system for your home.  Consider investing in an alarm system if you do not already have one.  If you do, make sure you have a panic button feature you can easily use in the room you use as an office.