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METRO BROKERS INC. PROUDLY ANNOUNCES PARTNERSHIP WITH COLORADO EAGLES HOCKEY TEAM

Relationship will facilitate Metro Brokers expansion and commitment to Northern Colorado

(Loveland, Colo.) - July X, 2010 Metro Brokers, Inc. www.metrobrokersonline.com is proud to announce a joint partnership with the Colorado Eagles, Northern Colorados beloved hockey team based in Loveland, CO. Metro Brokers will be involved in a variety of marketing and sponsorship opportunities during the upcoming 2010/2011 hockey season at the Budweiser Events Center. Metro Brokers is dedicated to growing its membership and client base in and around Fort Collins and this relationship will help foster brand awareness for the growing real estate company in Northern Colorado.

"The Colorado Eagles have established an amazing fan base in Northern Colorado," said Bob Luna, president, Metro Brokers, Inc. "This is a perfect venue for Metro Brokers to establish itself among the people in the community in a creative and unique manner and establish a strong identity by getting involved with such a noteworthy organization."

As president of Metro Brokers, Bob Luna has been committed to growing its membership base into outlying areas along the front-range and this relationship illustrates their commitment to the people of Northern Colorado. A total of 9 Metro Brokers offices and 50 agents currently reside in the area.

"Metro Brokers is the ideal business model for those agents interested in controlling their own destiny," said Doug Lindstrom, broker owner of the Metro Brokers Loveland office. "As a result, we have experienced substantial growth and success during the down market. We hope this partnership with the Eagles will prove our commitment to Northern Colorado, help us grow our businesses and foster a long relationship within our community."

Metro Brokers Inc. provides real estate agents an independent framework to succeed through innovative technologies, brand awareness, continuing education courses and extensive multi-media mix marketing. Unlike other real estate companies, Metro Brokers Inc. is actually owned and operated by its brokers and prides itself on its strong team of agents.

"Just like the Metro Brokers organization, the Colorado Eagles are a hard working, high producing, and successful team, making this partnership a perfect fit for both sides," said Lindstrom.

About Metro Brokers, Inc.

Metro Brokers, Inc. has been Colorado's leader in real estate, technology and services, for more than 30 years, providing the framework, structure, brand and freedom for real estate brokers to work professionally, efficiently and profitably. Our network of nearly 2,000 highly experienced real estate professionals specialize in residential, commercial and investment properties and have access to ground breaking technologies, continuing education courses, and innovative marketing that help buyers and sellers make the most of their real estate transactions. Unlike most other real estate companies Metro Brokers, Inc. is actually owned and operated by its brokers.

Posted in Announcements, Ownership, GenX GenY, Online Education, Metro Brokers Offices, Metro Brokers Agents, Metro Brokers Staff, Membership Info

With the expansion in federal programs that assist homeowners with mortgages and curb foreclosures, coupled with the near end of the homebuyer tax credit, economists are anticipating a spike in home sales.

The tax credit expires on April 30 and mortgage rates are expected to increase later this year, so home buyers who are on the fence will want to--and most likely will--take advantage of the timing and incentives. Plus, foreclosed homes are still great deals for investors and buyers who don't view the future with as much fear.

Some are worried about an "exit strategy" for the end of the homebuyer tax credit and some states are looking to expand their own tax incentives once the federal credit expires.

What will happen come summer is anyone's call at this point, but spring is certainly to spike.

Watch CBS News Videos Online

Read more from CBS News and The New York Times.

Posted in Buyer Resources, Seller Resources, Ownership

Through the HFA Hardest Hit Fund, Housing Finance Authorities in 10 states are eligible for $2.1 billion in funds from the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP). The funds are to assist those homeowners at the center of the housing crisis, who have been hit hard by unemployment and declining prices.

Targeted relief programs funded by the expansion include unemployment assistance to prevent foreclosures, assistance for borrowers who owe more than their home is now worth, help for those challenged by second mortgages, and programs that encourage affordable and sustainable ownership.

The first five states to receive the initial round of funding at $1.5 billion are California ($700 million), Florida ($418 million), Michigan ($154 million), Arizona ($125 million) and Nevada ($103 million). The second round of funding at $600 million, as announced by the Treasury Department, will be distributed to Ohio ($172 million), North Carolina ($159 million), South Carolina ($138 million), Oregon ($88 million) and Rhode Island ($43 million).

"During these difficult economic times, we will work to help responsible homeowners stay in their homes and stabilize the housing market so home values can rise. This program will allow housing finance agencies in the places hardest-hit by the housing crisis find innovative ways to help homeowners stay afloat, and empower local agencies that know these communities best," said President Obama.

Read more at Inman News and the official press release.

Posted in MBI News, Ownership

What's a top concern for home buyers today? Authenticity.

That's what Heather McCune, director of marketing for Bassenian Lagoni Architects in Park Ridge, Ill., said. Buyers today want cost-effective architecture, plans that focus on spaces and not rooms and homes that are designed "'green' from the outset." Key for builders is "finding the balance between what buyers want and the price point."

Among the top 10 must-have features for home buyers listed by RISMedia's Steve Kerch are:

• Large kitchens with islands
• Appliances that are energy efficient
• Brick and stone interiors
• Community landscaping

View the entire list and read more at RISMedia.

Posted in Education And Training, Seller Resources, Ownership

Interviewer:  You are watching another great episode here on metrobrokersTV.com and I am joined today in the studio with Rhonda Giles.  Rhonda, thank you for coming down and joining us.

Rhonda Giles:  Scott, thank you very much for having me.

Interviewer:  Tell us your story.  How did you get to become a Metro Broker?  Why did you choose Metro Brokers?

Rhonda Giles:  Well Scott, I have been in real estate for 34 years now in the Northern Colorado area, the entire time in Greeley and I have been with the big companies and I have been with small companies and the more I have got more familiar with Metro Brokers and their concepts and the independence and the independent companies working together did sound like a wonderful idea and that's what I really, really like doing is being independent, but yet working with other companies when we need to.

Interviewer:  Now, did you... what company were you with before Metro Brokers or were you... this is a small independent company?

Rhonda Giles:  I have been, in Greeley, I have been with both, smaller companies and the larger companies.  The last office I was with was New Horizons before I went to Metro Brokers.

Interviewer:  And then you decided to come around in[Phonetic] full force and with Metro Brokers and decided to open up an office in Greeley, correct?

Rhonda Giles:  Yes, that is correct.  Back in the early '90s, I got very involved at state level with the CRS Chapter, certified residential specialist, and as I was going through the different chairs and working throughout the state with CRS, I got to know a lot more Metro Broker people and they all impressed me and they all enjoyed so much that they talked to me about it many times about why I should join Metro Brokers and the details of opening Metro Brokers and bringing it into a town like Greeley and so we decided that's exactly what we wanted to do and we started a Metro Broker office in Greeley?

Interviewer:  And where is that office in Greeley?

Rhonda Giles:  We are located at 3835 West 10th Street in Greeley.  It is right next door to the brand new post office on West 10th Street or Highway 34, so a very good location and lot of exposure.

Interviewer:  And how is it going for you with Metro Brokers?  So, you haven't left, so you must be enjoying it.

Rhonda Giles:  Love it.  We opened our office in 1996.  There were just three of us when we first opened up.

Interviewer:  And how many brokers do you have in your office now?

Rhonda Giles:  Scott, right now we have approximately 10 brokers and we are growing.

Interviewer:  So, you definitely out there recruiting.

Rhonda Giles:  Recruiting and enjoying every minute of it.

Interviewer:  And let's talk about more of what you are doing up in Greeley.  You are trying to get the name out there.  Is there any special things you are doing to help out, to grow Metro Brokers up in Greeley?

Rhonda Giles:  Since we are one of the original offices in Northern Colorado, we are helping try opening offices in Loveland and in Fort Collins and promoting the ideas of independent companies working together.

Interviewer:  So, you definitely enjoy being your own boss.

Rhonda Giles:  Very much so.

Interviewer:  Any last thing that people should know about why they should be a Metro Broker?

Rhonda Giles:  Very much so ; it's we have got fantastic technology, the website, like the metrobrokerstv, ads, we supply... sponsor The Rockies[Phonetic], we just have a lot of publicity, a lot of coverage, a lot of exposure and we work well together as independent brokers working together.

Interviewer:  So, basically to sum it up, best name, best price in the real estate business today correct?

Rhonda Giles:  Definitely.

Interviewer:  All right.  From Rhonda's mouth to our own ears, it's the best name, best price in real estate.  For more great interviews, go to metrobrokerstv.com.

Posted in MBI Advantages, Who's New, Franchise Opportunity, Ownership