how2educate - continuing education

HAFA and HAMP

sedonakathy — Sat, 28 Aug 2010 20:32:42 +0000

What in the world do these acronyms mean?

Home Affordable Modification Program

The Home Affordable Modification Program (HAMP), a national mortgage modification program,

provides eligible borrowers the opportunity to modify their first lien mortgage loans to make them

more affordable. Under HAMP, servicers apply a uniform loan modification process to provide

eligible borrowers with affordable and sustainable monthly payments for their first lien mortgage

loans. Affordability is achieved through the application of interest rate reduction, term extension,

principal forbearance and principal forgiveness.

To download the HAMP brochure, click here.

To download the HAFA information, click here.

ARE YOU YOUR BRAND?

sedonakathy — Tue, 24 Aug 2010 01:15:16 +0000

The question is being asked in another way, “Is Your Business Guilty of the ‘Obama Mistake’”?

The 2008 campaign handlers did themselves proud. They took their candidate to the top with a great majority and a high approval rating. They made the “sale”.

Has the “customer service” equaled the hype and the promises?

In “branding”, a business must not only sell the product, but must be a “promise of the value of the product”. A profound statement by Randall S. Hansen, PhD.

Seth Godin: “Finding Your Brand Essence”. You may not find it the first time out of the box, because you might be looking in the wrong direction. Look within yourself. It’s not about the clothes…

When you’ve discovered what makes you special and different, ramp up the customer service to follow the sale.

Your success is a cinch!

Kathy Howe aka SedonaKathy

how2educate LLC
how2arizona real estate
how2realty referrals LLC
kathy@kathyhowe.com

To Boat or Not to Boat After 50…?

sedonakathy — Mon, 23 Aug 2010 20:49:55 +0000

You decide!

Enjoy the day…

Kathy Howe aka SedonaKathy

Carpal Tunnel Exercises

sedonakathy — Mon, 23 Aug 2010 14:52:06 +0000

For those of us who write or use a computer everyday, you might find like I did that my hands became painful. I talked with other friends who write and they gave me stretching exercises to do…voila!

This is a great video with even more exercises. Stay healthy!

Kathy Howe aka SedonaKathy

September AZ RE CE Schedule

sedonakathy — Thu, 19 Aug 2010 09:14:15 +0000

how2educate LLC’s September offerings:

9/8/2010 10-1 Sick Building Syndrome…and some moldy facts (Disclosure)
9/8/2010 1:30-4:30 Roots of Discrimination: a look at our past (Fair Housing)
9/10/2010 10-1 Short Sales, Anti-deficiency, Bankruptcy – Anatomy of a Short Sale (Legal Issues)
9/10/2010 1:30-4:30 Arizona’s Law of Agency…and say it isn’t so! (Agency)
9/11/2010 10-1 Broker Management (Commissioner’s Standards)
9/13/2010 10-1 Essentials – the Middle (Contracts)
9/13/2010 1:30-4:30 Essentials – the Home Stretch (Disclosure)
9/14/2010 10-1 Real Estate, Next Exit, the Future (General)
9/14/2010 1:30-4:30 Business Planning: the Nuts and Bolts (Commissioner’s Standards)

To register for a class: kathy@kathyhowe.com

Classes are $25/each or $75 for 8 classes over 1 year.

ARIZONA state-wide MLS or data-sharing?

sedonakathy — Fri, 13 Aug 2010 16:09:24 +0000

Wow! We are getting closer to the REALTOR(R) family sharing listing information with each other, let alone sharing it all with the public.

If you are an AZ REALTOR(R) member you should go to your email inbox and take the Arizona Association of REALTORS(R) survey.

How will this affect you and your clients? It will 17 times multiply the exposure your sellers are getting in the state of Arizona! It gives access to REALTORS(R) throughout the state for ALL information.

Did you know: REALTOR(R) members have to go to REALTOR.com, just like buyers and sellers to get limited information on a listing with another board or association that they do not belong to…! We don’t even cooperate with each other in our client’s best interest. And we don’t disclose this information to our clients. We tell them that everyone can find them on REALTOR.com.

A statewide data-sharing ability or a statewide MLS would be awesome!!

Kathy Howe aka ‘SedonaKathy

how2educate
how2arizona real estate
how2realty referrals
928-274-4088
kathy@kathyhowe.com

Is Print Dead?

sedonakathy — Mon, 09 Aug 2010 13:37:36 +0000

Kathy Howe aka SedonaKathy

Many people think that advertising in print is a big waste of money. Is it?

In our “Price, List, Market…Sell” real estate continuing education class we teach that your dollars are better spent if they are spread out to meet the generational and visual demands of clients and potential clients.

Example: Use postcards in your prospecting area to drive people to your website. Use weekly ads in a local newspaper as “institutional” advertising (keeping your name in front of the public). Use your email to drive people to your website. Etc.

Here’s a great video.

Enjoy the day…

Kathy Howe aka SedonaKathy
how2educate LLC
LaTierra Plaza
Sedona, AZ

New AZ Laws A/O July 29, 2010

sedonakathy — Sat, 07 Aug 2010 17:41:49 +0000

Busy session for AZ legislature. How does all of this affect you?

HB2345: HOA; Condos; For Sale Signs

HOAs (planned communities and condos) cannot prohibit temporary “open house” signs except in the common area
HOAs cannot require a particular sign, nor can they prohibit a for sale sign that meets industry standards
HOAs cannot prohibit “for lease” signs unless the governing docs prohibit leases
HOAs cannot regulate an “open house” so long as the “open house” occurs between 8am and 6pm

HB2371: Home Inspections

Certified home inspectors must include pools and spas

HB2450: Water and Wastewater Fees and Charges

Prohibits a municipality from refusing service or requiring payment for unpaid water and wastewater services from anyone other than the person contracted with the municipality

HB2766: Tenant Notice; Foreclosures

If the landlord of a residential property of not more than four connected units that is under foreclosure leases a unit, the landlord must provide each tenant with written notice of possible foreclosure. Form of the notice is prescribed and includes, if known, the date, time and place of the foreclosure sale. If a landlord fails to comply with the notice requirement, the tenant may deliver a notice of breach of agreement and recover damages and obtain injunctive relief

HB2768: Real Property Transfer Fee Covenants

Prohibits private transfer fees paid to developers or third-party companies on the sale of real property. This legislation targets a specific and new type of transfer fee, not those paid homeowner associations. Government-imposed transfer fees are already prohibited by the 2008 constitutional amendment drafted by AAR and passed by the voters

SB1219: Real Estate Licensee

Returns license renewal to 2 years
Allows licensee to cancel real estate license with ADRE
Defines business broker
Requires a valid fingerprint clearance card from DPS before applying for a license from Arizona Department of Real Estate

Kathy Howe aka SedonaKathy

Stop Trying to Delight Your Customers

sedonakathy — Sat, 31 Jul 2010 19:14:56 +0000

The Harvard Business Review, in its July-August issue, has an article about customer service:

Stop Trying to Delight Your Customers!

“Two critical findings emerged that should affect every company’s customer service strategy. First, delighting customers doesn’t build loyalty; reducing their effort—the work they must do to get their problem solved—does. Second, acting deliberately on this insight can help improve customer service, reduce customer service costs, and decrease customer churn.”

Great advice! Read the whole article here.

Have a great day!

Kathy Howe aka SedonaKathy

Are You Renovating a Home Built 1978 or Older?

sedonakathy — Fri, 23 Jul 2010 14:28:53 +0000

There are new rules from EPA.

“EPA requires that firms performing renovation, repair, andpainting projects that disturb lead-based paint in pre-1978 homes, child care facilities and schools be certified by EPA and that they use certified renovators who are trained by EPA-approved training providers to follow lead-safe work practices.”

“Renovations in sizes greater than 6 sq. ft. interior and 20 sq. ft. exterior fall under this regulation.” - from AAR’s article.

Owners of properties are exempted but responsible for any work they do.

Read a synopsis by the Arizona Association of REALTORS. Click here.