Interviews with all five 2010 Board Of Director Candidates.  If you are a Shareholder, please request your ballet form Metro Brokers Corporate Office.  There are three seats available and five candidates running.  These are three year terms.  Votes will be tallied up at this years annual Shareholders meeting held January 15,2010. 

Posted in Board Of Directors, Movers and Shakers, Giving Back, Metro Brokers Agents

Tax Credit Quandries Answered

The complexity of new home buyer tax credits leaves potential buyers with many questions. Here are answers to some of the most confusing:

How does a current home owner qualify for the $6,500 credit?
Buyers must have lived in their homes for at least five out of the last eight years. The home they buy must become their primary residence, but buyers don't have to sell their previous home. They can use the previous home as a rental or a second home and still claim the credit.

Does the new home have to be more expensive than the one the buyer currently owns?
No. It is fine to use it to downsize. If the property sells for more than $800,000, the buyers don't qualify.

Can buyers who are building a new home claim the credit?
Yes, although the contract must be in place by April 30 and the buyer must move in by July 1.

Can buyers claim the credit if they purchase a home from a relative?
No. The legislation prohibits taxpayers from claiming the credit if the sale is between "related parties," including parent, grandparent, child, or grandchild.

Source: USA Today, Sandra Block (11/24/2009)

Posted in Buyer Resources, Seller Resources

People on the Move - November 27, 2009

by Staff Writer

Published: November 25,2009

Time posted: 9:47 am

Tags: People on the Move 

Mistalynn Less has been named communications manager of Winter Park Resort. She previously was the resort's marketing coordinator.

Pat Thrasher has joined the ProTeam Downtown offices of Metro Brokers. She previously was an agent for Keller Williams and has more than four years of experience in residential real estate buying and selling.

Shawn M. Cole has joined Vectra Bank Colorado as executive vice president and community bank director. He has more than 15 years of banking and finance experience, and has worked in leadership positions at regional and national banks in the Midwest and Rocky Mountain regions.

Anthony Tu has received The Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays with Neck Ribbon from the emperor of Japan. The Colorado State University professor helped the Japanese identify and catch suspects in the sarin gas attacks during the 1990s.

Andre D'Amour has received an Employee of the Year award from the Colorado Hotel & Lodging Association. He is assistant director of conference services at Cheyenne Mountain Resort.

Posted in Join Metro Brokers, Who's New, Metro Brokers Agents

Attention All Metro Brokers Members:  

Educating Real Estate Agents On How To Use Modern Technologies To Better Their Business Will Never Be The Same!

On November 17th, 2009 dozens of the most respected educators in the real estate industry converge to host the first of its kind, Virtual Real Estate BarCamp.

Virtual Real Estate BarCamp is a 1-Day Learning Extravaganza.
From 9am until 4pm PST, three concurrent webinar "rooms" will each host 9 different sessions, for a total of 27 different presentations.
There is something for everyone and everything for someone, and best of all, IT IS FREE and attendance is unlimited!

Click below to:
Register.
Learn more.
See who is coming.
Check out the Session Calendar.
Get sponsorship info.

Attendance is projected to be at least 1000 agents, nationwide.
Do not miss out on being part of this ground-breaking event.

Session topics include:

1. Social Media Risk Management
2. Flickr for Real Estate
3. Developing Your Brand
4. Online Advertising Secrets
5. Facebook for Real Estate
6. WordPress Training
7. Daily Goal Tracking
8. Starting a Real Estate Blog

...and much more, with new sessions being added every day.

And if that wasn\'t cool enough, individuals from around the country are volunteering to host In-Real-Life MeetUps for after the event.
Learn all day, and then meet to have a beer with local participants. This is going to be a blast!

We hope to see you there!

Posted in Technology And You, Online Education