Monthly Archives: June 2009

Outer Banks Ranks as One of the Top U.S. Beaches

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The Outer Banks of North Carolina is becoming a favorite of travelers everywhere!  

The Outer Banks Welcomes Progress

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In a recent entry to the Kennebec Journal, a columnist compared the differences between the Outer Banks of North Carolina and other vacation destinations on the east coast, particularly Maine. 

In article, the author points out the fact that a lot of towns in New England seem to be stuck in the past while the Outer Banks surges forward in growth.  He highlights the fact that many years ago, there was nowhere for people to shop for everyday household items, now there is K-Mart, Wal-Mart, Home Depot, and multiple Harris Teeter and Food Lions. 

The main difference that the author noticed is the fact that people embrace growth on the Outer Banks with open arms, while towns in New England tend to be a bit more close-minded or pessimistic about growth.

OBX has been named as one of the most family friendly beaches in the US.  Locals are always looking to meet someone new on the Outer Banks and there has never been a better time to visit us than this year!  We look forward to welcoming you with open arms.

Great Accolades for the Outer Banks

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We’re not just tooting our own horn.  Trusted journalists and travel review outlets are celebrating the Outer Banks of North Carolina for its diversity and broad appeal to families, couples and seekers of outdoor recreation and adventure.

The Outer Banks of North Carolina is fast becoming the preferred choice for families looking for value-added vacations closer to home with all the fun in the sun this summer.  Here is some of what the world is saying about our barrier islands:  Coquina Beach in the Cape Hatteras National Seashore, near Nags Head, NC is listed by Fodor’s as one of the 7 Best Family Beaches in the East, and Forbes Traveler has named Nags Head, NC as one of America’s Favorite Beach Towns.  The town of Kill Devil Hills, NC is ranked by Surfer magazine as #6 of its Ten Best Surf Towns in America.  The Travel Channel lists Duck, NC as one of its Best Beaches.  And national beach expert Dr. Stephen Leatherman a.k.a. “Dr. Beach” has ranked Cape Hatteras as one of his 2009 Ten Best Beaches in America.  With accolades like these this summer, coupled with the value-added travel incentives and specials put forth by our local businesses to grab your attention, the Outer Banks is the smart choice for your summer getaway.

And it’s absolutely gorgeous.  In just a few hours drive, you can reach 130 miles of seemingly endless island beaches that will make you forget that you’re still in America’s backyard.  Along with some of the largest remaining tracts of undeveloped coastline left in the country, that’s the beauty.  We’re just a few hours away, but you’ll feel a million miles from the cares of home.  You’ll also never have to worry about finding a place to park, or having quarters handy.  Parking is free, and there’s enough for everyone.  Our beaches are free to access, and with three islands, you can be as secluded or as sociable as you like.

Coldwell Banker YouTube Channel

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COLDWELL BANKER ‘ON LOCATION’ YOUTUBE CHANNEL
DRAWS A CROWD

Immersive YouTube Channel Now Most Viewed in Real Estate Industry;
Attracts more than 200,000 Visitors in First Month and Features 1,700 Localized Videos

PARSIPPANY, N.J. (June 23, 2009) – In just one month since its launch, Coldwell Banker “On Location,” an innovative branded YouTube™ channel focused on real estate search and insights, has reached the milestone of more than 200,000 visitors to the site.  Designed to offer consumers a new way to search for and interact with real estate information, listings and local insights via video, the channel currently features more than 1,700 videos (1,300 of which are new since the site launched), that highlight behind-the-scenes looks at towns and neighborhoods, smart tips and timely news on real estate topics, and video listings of homes for sale. 

Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC launched On Location in May 2009 becoming the first brand to fully tap into the power of video.  Since its launch, On Location has been among the top ten most-viewed brand channels on YouTube and is the leading real estate brand page on the site. 

“The response we have seen since the launch of On Location has been tremendous and it is a confirmation that video truly is the way of the future for real estate,” said Michael Fischer, senior vice president, marketing, Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC.  “The Coldwell Banker sales force has already uploaded more than 1300 original videos with many, many more on the way.  We are proud to lead the industry with an online resource that provides consumers with information to help them through the home buying and selling process.”

Two areas of strategic focus set Coldwell Banker On Location apart from other real estate Web sites.  First, it showcases the power of video to bring real estate more vividly to life – offering behind-the-scenes looks at towns and neighborhoods, smart tips and timely news on real estate topics, and video listings of homes for sale.  Second, content posted to On Location has a strong emphasis on local information and insights, so consumers can dig deeper into the areas of the country that interest them most.

Fischer noted that the channel is continuing to grow with content being added every day.  “As more and more videos are uploaded, On Location will become an even greater asset to consumers. It has the potential to be the Web’s richest array of real estate video content, and the results we have seen thus far prove that we are well on our way,” he said.

To create On Location, Coldwell Banker Real Estate closely collaborated with both YouTube, a Google subsidiary, and Google to develop a customized framework and user experience. In addition, On Location is the first branded YouTube channel to use dynamic IP lookup to search for videos, which automatically serves up local results when visitors first hit the site.

Development of the On Location site was a collaborative effort by Coldwell Banker interactive agency partners, FD Kinesis and Bootstrap Software, Inc.

To see a video about Coldwell Banker On Location please visit:   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W1AKZDhUrLY

 

YouTube is a subsidiary of Google Inc.

About Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC
Since 1906, the Coldwell Banker® organization has been a premier full-service real estate provider. In 2008, Franchise Times magazine’s prestigious Top 200 issue ranked the Coldwell Banker system No. 1 in real estate for the ninth straight year and 12th among franchisors in all industries. The Coldwell Banker System has approximately 3,500 residential real estate offices and more than 101,000 sales associates in 47 countries and territories. The Coldwell Banker System is a leader in the industry in residential and commercial real estate, and in niche markets such as resort, new home and luxury property through its Coldwell Banker Previews International® division. It is a pioneer in consumer services with its Coldwell Banker Concierge® Service Program and award-winning Web site, www.coldwellbanker.com. Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC is a subsidiary of Realogy Corporation, a global provider of real estate and relocation services. Coldwell Banker® is a registered trademark licensed to Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC. Each office is independently owned

Housing Starts Jump in May

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Housing Starts Jump 17.2% in May.  Permits Post Gains in May, Too

Nationwide housing starts rebounded in May from record lows in the previous month, posting a 17.2% gain to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 532,000 units, according to U.S. Commerce Department figures released this week.

While driven largely by a double-digit gain in the volatile multifamily sector, the uptick also reflected a substantial gain on the single-family side and applied consistently to all regions of the country.

“Having drawn down standing inventories to very thin levels over the past year, some home builders are now carefully replenishing their supplies in response to demand from smart buyers who are taking advantage of low interest rates and prices,” said Joe Robson, chairman of the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) and a home builder from Tulsa, Okla.

 

“Today’s report showing three consecutive months of gains in single-family housing starts and two consecutive months of gains in single-family permits is a very welcome sign that the market may be nearing a turning point,” said NAHB Chief Economist David Crowe. “That said, our recent surveys tell us that builders remain very cautious about the future, and that they are aware of the upcoming expiration of the first-time buyer tax credit at the end of November. Homes that get started now should be able to close by that deadline, and this may be spurring some of the latest construction activity.”

 

Single-family housing starts gained 7.5% in May, breaking the 400,000 mark for the first time since November 2008 to reach a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 401,000 units. Meanwhile, starts in the much more volatile multifamily sector posted a 77 percent gain following a nearly equivalent decline in the previous month, for a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 124,000 units.

 

Building permit issuance, which can be an indicator of future building activity, rose 4 percent overall in May to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 518,000 units. On the single-family side, permits rose 7.9% to 408,000 units, while on the multifamily side, they declined 8.3% to 110,000 units.

 

Both housing starts and permits were up across every region in May. Starts rose 2% in the Northeast, 11.1% in the Midwest, 16.8%in the South and 28.6% in the West. Permits rose 5.7% in the Northeast, 8.9% in the Midwest, 2.3% in the South and 3.8% in the West.

 

For more information, visit www.nahb.org.

 

Promising Legislation on the Horizon

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In recent days, government officials have taken steps to stimulate the housing market by pushing for immediate legislation.

U.S. Senator Johnny Isakson proposed to expand the first-time homebuyer tax credit, in efforts to increase demand and in turn, boost the economy. Click here for the full story.

Working parallel with members of Congress, The Housing Working Group of Business Roundtable – comprised of CEOs of leading U.S. corporations – also proposed means to help stabilize and grow the housing market. Chairman of the Roundtable, Richard A. Smith, president and CEO of Realogy Corporation weighs in on the discussion. Click here to read more or click here to learn more about the Roundtable.

 

 

 

Coldwell Banker on TV

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Jim Gillespie, President and CEO of Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC, appeared on Bloomberg Television yesterday. 

 

In the clip, Gillespie speaks about the current state of the housing market.  Jim also discusses some pretty encouraging statistics that give hope to buyers that are on the fence about purchasing their property.

Home Sales on the Rise

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It has been predicted by industry experts that the volume of home sales in America will continue to rise as 2009 progresses.  Prices are falling, interest rates are at an all time low, and tax incentives for first home buyers are all motivation for buyers these days. 

 

Last week, the National Association of Realtors reported that existing home sales have risen since April.  This is the second increase that we have seen in three months.  A month ago, the National forecast 2009 sales at 4.97 million and 2010 sales at 5.28 million.  “Housing affordability conditions have been at historic highs, but now the $8000 tax credit for first time buyers is beginning to impact the market,” says Lawrence Yun, Chief Economists for NAR.  This is yet another reason why there has never been a better time to buy.

Job Loss Protection from Coldwell Banker

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Unemployment is a major concern as a result of the current economic conditions, and unemployment fears may be associated with “on the fence buyers” in today’s housing market. 

 

The simple fact is that people don’t have the sense of job security that they once did, so they are holding off on making large purchases, such as a house.  Coldwell Banker Inc. is happy to announce that they are launching a new incentive program, The Paycheck Guardian. 

 

This program provides a qualified homebuyer a monthly benefit of up to $1,500 for 6 months in the event of job loss.  This plan also includes a $10,000 lump sum payment for accidental death. If a seller decides to purchase this program, they can include this insurance as an additional feature on their home listing. 

 

This program offers peace of mind that can also provide competitive advantage over other listings in your marketplace.