The Group Gives Back project recently helped to raise approximately $4,000 in gifts for needy families and charitable causes across Northern Colorado. Forty administrative staff at The Group Inc. each received $50 from the company, with the charge of using the money to help a worthy cause in the community. The company’s initial gift – totaling $2,000 – combined with the creativity of the staff, eventually doubled to around $4,000.
 In one case, 12 Group employees combined their funds with matching donations from Group Realtors to assemble $1,200. The funds were then used to help two needy families buy shoes, coats, blankets and food.  An alliance of eight employees leveraged their $400, getting Realtors to contribute another $1,200. The resulting $1,600 was donated to the Homelessness Prevention Fund.
 Among the other distributions:
• Twelve employees pooled $600 to buy two $300 gift cards for needy families.
• One employee matched her own $50, and then donated $25 each to Pets Forever, Northern Colorado Chapter of the MS Society, the Northern Colorado Alzheimer’s Association, and the Northern Colorado Aids Project.
• One contributed $50 to a church fund that’s used for urgent community needs.
• One donated $50 to Hearts and Horses, and also joined the organization as a volunteer.
• One provided $50 to buy dog and cat food for a no-kill animal shelter.
• One gave $50 to Puppy’s Voice.
 
Eric Thompson, President of The Group Inc., said “The idea for The Group Gives Back initially came from OtterBox who had a similar program for their employees.  I thought it was a perfect fit for our company and was really excited to see creativity and teamwork that our staff used to touch quite a few lives here in Northern Colorado.  This is a place that has given us so much and we are honored to play a role in giving back to those who are in need.”

Stu Hoime, Venture Manager for The Group Guaranteed Mortage, submitted the following report for the week:

National average rate for the week ending November 20th:

30 year fixed:  4.83%
15 year fixed:  4.32%

Market Commentary:
A highly anticipated speech on Monday by Fed Chief Bernanke on the economic outlook revealed no change in the Fed’s stance on short-term monetary policy. There were also few surprises in the economic data released during the week. The monthly inflation readings continued to show that inflation is not a cause for concern in the short-term. As a result, mortgage rates barely moved during the week, remaining at historically low levels.

The decline in the value of the dollar has received a great deal of attention lately. While Fed officials rarely discuss the value of the dollar, Bernanke assured investors that the Fed is closely watching exchange rates. However, he then reminded investors that the Fed’s dual mandate is to promote full employment and to keep prices stable. According to Bernanke, the value of the dollar is just one of many factors affecting inflation, and the Fed is not concerned by the movement in the dollar so far. With a fragile economy and high a unemployment rate, he suggested that the Fed intends to keep the fed funds rate at very low levels. Tightening monetary policy to strengthen the dollar would hurt the economic recovery and slow job creation. After the speech, the value of the dollar fell to the lowest level since August 2008.

If foreign investors expect the value of the dollar to continue to fall, it may pose a risk for mortgage rates in the future. Foreign investors historically have been major buyers of mortgage-backed securities (MBS). When the dollar falls, the value of US assets to foreign investors in their own currency declines, making US investments less rewarding. With the Fed scaling back its MBS purchases over the next few months, a drop in foreign demand would further pressure yields higher to fill the void left by the Fed.

A wide range of economic data will be released during the holiday-shortened week ahead. Existing Home Sales will come out on Monday. GDP, Consumer Confidence, and the ! FOMC Minutes from the November 4th Fed meeting will be released on Tuesday. Durable Orders, Personal Income, Core PCE inflation, New Home Sales, and Consumer Sentiment will all be packed in on Wednesday. In addition, there will be Treasury auctions on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday. Mortgage markets will be closed on Thursday for Thanksgiving.Copyright @ 2009 MBSQuoteline

Stu Hoime
Venture Manager
The Group Guaranteed Mortgage
Together with Bank of America
2803 East Harmony Road
Fort Collins, CO. 80528
970-229-2512
stu.hoime@thegroupmortgage.com

Fort Collins, CO – Chuck McNeal, Chairman and CEO of The Group, Inc. Real Estate announced today that Eric Thompson has been hired as President of the company.Thompson has been the Managing Broker of the Summit County operations of Slifer Smith & Frampton Real Estate in Breckenridge, Colorado since 2004.McNeal has served as interim President since November 2008.

During his tenure with Slifer Smith & Frampton Real Estate, Thompson led the company from no.5 in local market share to no.1 in local market share.He has extensive experience in all aspects of real estate brokerage including sales, recruiting, training, managing, marketing, and new construction and development.In addition, he holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics from the University of Colorado.

McNeal said, “Eric’s values and beliefs are in perfect alignment with the culture of The Group.His vision for the future of our company as well as the broad experience he brings is nearly impossible to find in this business.We are very excited to have someone of this caliber as President of The Group and I am confident he will become an important part of the Northern Colorado real estate and business community.”

The Group, Inc. Real Estate is the largest real estate company in northern Colorado and was founded in 1976. Its family of companies is independently owned by Realtors, managers and staff.Over 300 people work in The Group’s six real estate offices in Fort Collins, Greeley and Loveland.The Group has been the market leader since its inception in 1976 and has been named the most productive firm in the country by Realtor Magazine and RealTrends.

Group Realtors completed the coursework necessary to earn the Certified Negotiation Expert designation.  The 12 hour course, developed by Tom Hayman, was taught by Oliver Frascona at The Group’s Harmony Office in September.

The Certified Negotiation Expert designation was designed to give Realtors the knowledge, training and ability needed to become an expert negotiator – a vital skill required for real estate transactions.Better results can be derived for the customer when collaborative approaches are used to help identify and create value for all parties.The CNE designation training course was ranked in the Top 5 New training courses in the 2008 Swanepoel Trends Report. 

There are currently only 3,000 Realtors in the country who have earned the CNE  designation.   Group Realtors who have completed the course are:

Kathy Albertz

Kathy Arents

Deb Baker

Scott Beasley

Jason Billings

Cindy Blach

Kathy Boeding

Brian Bogaard

Dianne Breneman

Chad Brent

Sally Brent

Steve Bricker

Nate Buie

Jo Carney

Jim Chance

Lee Cord

Leone Coryell

Sharianne Daily

Dave Dornan

Chris Doyle

Kurt Faulkner

Rita Greywood

Debbie Guinn

Chris Hau

Rhonda Heth

Troy Hiebsch

Prue Kaley

Larry Kendall

Stephanie Kirkland

Cindy Kurtz

Cindy Kutin

Sally Lee

Coleen Ligotke

Bob Lone

Diana Luthi

Ron Maulsby

Nancy Maus

Deanna McCrery

Terry McNeal

Doug Miller

Tracie Milton

Vern Milton

Jeff Montgomery

Jim Muller

Dave Muth

Carole Newberry

Lisa O’Brien

Layne Payant

Julie Perich

Leigh Ann Peters

Anne Pielstick

Joey Porter

Chuck Rehmer

Miki Roth

Karen Rowan

Tracey Ryk

Andrea Schaefer

John Simmons

Bob Skillman

Todd Sledge

Darin Slocum

Tami Spaulding

Kristen Specketer

Linda Stenson

Jack Taylor

Laura Thomas

John Valencia

Cathy Vance

Carol Voorhis

Wynn Washle

Mari Wildt

Tracy Wilson

Job Loss Protection Gives Homebuyers Confidence!

The Group, Inc. Real Estate, has announced today it is offering the Job Loss Protection program (*), a part of the HELP Program (Homeowner Education and Loan Protection) administered by the Rainy Day Foundation.

The Job Loss Protection program assists buyers who purchase a home listed by The Group in the event of an involuntary job loss within the first 24 months of the loan.The home must be covered by the program.The program covers mortgage payments up to $1,800 per month for up to 6 months.

Chuck McNeal, Chairman of The Group, Inc. said, “Job Loss Protection is an important and timely service that gives sellers a way to differentiate their property and gives buyers the confidence to purchase.The Group, Inc. is proud to be the first company in Northern Colorado and only the second in the state to offer Job Loss Protection. This simple program will be the difference many customers are looking for to proceed with their real estate plans.”

Realtors at The Group have been certified by Creative Alliances, the Administrator of the program, to offer this program.The program is offered at no cost to the buyer.If a seller elects to participate in the program, the cost is paid by the seller at closing.

The Group, Inc. real estate is independently owned by its Realtors, managers and staff.It has been the market leader in Northern Colorado since 1976 and has six offices in Fort Collins, Greeley, and Loveland.

(*) The HELP Program including the Job Loss Protection is made available by the seller’s enrollment in the Creative Alliances SAvE Program.The Sellers Advantage via Exposure is an optional multifaceted program which includes the HELP Program.

The Group, Inc., Real Estate, announced that Carole Florin Newberry, has joined their Harmony Office as a Broker Associate/Partner. She has 19 years of real estate experience in Nevada specializing in new construction, golf course communities, and investment property.

Carole recently relocated to Northern Colorado. Her sister and brother and their families, as well as her father are already in the area. She loves the wonderful lifestyle that Northern Colorado has to offer and is looking forward to transferring her knowledge and experience into our real estate market.
She can be reached at 2803 E. Harmony Road, Fort Collins, 970-229-0700.

The Group, Inc. Real Estate announced that Deanna McCrery has been awarded the Certified Senior Advisor (CSA) Designation by the Society of Certified Senior Advisors (SCSA), an international organization that has trained more than 20,000 professionals to meet the changing needs of a growing senior population.

The U.S. Bureau of Census predicts that by 2030 there will be about 70 million people who are 65 and older.The health, financial and social needs of seniors are different and more complicated than those of any other age group.

Ms. McCrery is a Broker Associate/Partner with The Group, Inc. Real Estate.She can be reached at 970-223-0700.www.deannarealestate.com

The Northern Colorado Business Report published good news about Greeley:

Greeley is among eight affordable cities for relocating retirees profiled in the September/October 2009 issue of Where to Retire magazine.

The other cities featured are Chattanooga, Tenn.; Fort Myers, Fla.; Winston-Salem, N.C.; Spokane, Wash.; Lancaster, Pa.; Salem, Ore. and Chico, Calif.

According to Where to Retire editor Mary Lu Abbott, it’s a prime time for retirees to find affordable places to relocate, as an excess inventory of homes provides great values at low cost. As the housing market recovers, much of the buyer traffic will be active adults looking toward retirement. The cities that offer the opportunity for a well-rounded lifestyle coupled with great home buys should see increased interest from relocating retirees.

Abbott outlined some of Greeley’s attractions in a release announcing the selections.

“Greeley has nearby Rocky Mountain National Park for scenic adventures, an expansive parks and recreation system that includes the Senior Activities Center for planned outings and social events and a nationally recognized medical center,” she said.

Each year, 700,000 Americans move to new towns to retire. Generally healthier, better educated and more affluent than retirees who stay put, relocating retirees bring significant economic benefits to their new states and hometowns, according to Abbott.

The Group, Inc. now offers its customers 24/7 secure online access to their real estate transaction file through www.thegroupinc.com whenever and wherever.  This new system, called SureClose, provides centralized communication with direct email contact to the Realtor and the lender.  As items in the file are added or updated, it is noted in SureClose.  This cuts down on the need for you to make a call to the Realtor or our Escrow Department…it saves time and is more efficient.  

 

All closing documents may be reviewed online prior to closing AND following closing, all documents are stored for 4 years for your convenience.

 

This is just another way The Group, Inc. is making the real estate transaction ‘transparent’ for our customers – making you a part of the process.  It is also one more way we are ‘going green’!

 

Contact The Group, Inc. for more information about SureClose and how it can streamline your next transaction with us!

The Group, Inc. is breaking new ground in customer service by making information on sold homes available online for consumers.  Visitors to The Group’s website, www.thegroupinc.com, can search for sold properties by address, neighborhood, zip code, and city; results will show the sales price, sold date, specific details about the property, and photos.

 

Consumers have been asking for easily searchable data on sold homes for a long time, and real estate companies have been reluctant to provide it.  The Group, Inc. is one of the first real estate companies in the U.S. to put this information on their website for direct access by consumers.  Our company philosophy has always been to be the source of real estate information for our customers and this is the next step.