8101 College Blvd. continued its streak of ranking among the Top 10 offices in the PREA Network, as Kathy Copeland accepted the 2009 Pinnacle award on Tuesday, March 9. With this win, Kathy, her agents and staff carry on what is essentially a tradition that began with their first Pinnacle Award in 1991.

"“I am so proud of the agents in our office. Year-in and year-out they demonstrate that they are the crème de la crème, not only by ranking as one of the Top Ten offices, but by how they give their all for every client, in every transaction,” beamed Copeland.

Congratulations to everyone in the 8101 office.

A smaller percentage of mortgages were delinquent and the rate of those entering the foreclosure process slowed in the fourth quarter of 2009, possible signs that the foreclosure crisis that has gripped many of the nation’s housing markets is finally starting to ease, a trade group has reported.

“We are likely seeing the beginning of the end of the unprecedented wave of mortgage delinquencies and foreclosures that started with the subprime defaults in early 2007,” said Jay Brinkmann, chief economist of the Mortgage Bankers Association, in a written statement. Full story.

Source: Amy Hoak, RISMedia, Monday, March 8, 2010.

It seems like we just put away the holiday decorations, and it's already time to turn our clocks ahead an hour at 2 a.m. Sunday, March 14. Help your clients remember to set their clocks ahead by sending them a fun, new Spring Forward eCard, available on the eCard section of PREA Center. It's also a great time to remind them to check the batteries in their smoke detectors.

Don't miss this opportunity to get a Prudential CARES Volunteer Grant for the nonprofit organization where you volunteer. If you volunteered for 40 hours or more in 2009 for a non-profit organization, you may be eligible for a grant up to $5,000 USD based on your efforts. The application deadline has been extended to March 29. Click here to download the application.

Prudential Kansas City was well represented - over 20 agents - at KCRAR’s Northland Region bowling tournament on Wednesday, March 3. Platte County Broker, Kristi Ferrara, had the honor of presenting a check at the event to PKC’s Bonny Roney for over $2,000, which was raised by northland agents for Operation School Bell. Bonny sits on the board of the Assistance League which oversees Operation School Bell and use the money collected to provide brand-new clothing to 22 children in Clay and Platte Counties.

Forbes online ranked Kansas City, MO number 10 among major cities in America that are more rapidly exiting the recession. The 10 cities that were selected all have relatively healthy housing markets and are buffeted by industries like government, defense, education and technology that can offer work even in a national slump.

Another statistic which weighed in the selection of cities was the median sales price for a single-family home, according to the National Association of Realtors.



Source: Forbes.com, Tuesday, March 2nd, 2010.

PKC is proud to kick off the 2010 TeamBuilder campaign. . .Game On! We know that all work and no play makes you a dull agent, so this year we've make it all about fun and games! There's a lot of good times in store for you and plenty of ways to participate. In case you missed the TeamBuilder video in your Tuesday meeting, click here to see it online. It explains exactly how the contest works and what prizes you could win.

Look for regular updates here on PKC Agent about the latest TeamBuilder developments. If you have any additional questions about the contest, contact your broker. Now go get your Game On, by getting those referrals in!

Fran Cashion (Corp.) certainly got her exercise while accepting back-to-back awards at the Prudential Sales Convention award ceremony. No sooner had she walked off stage after being recognized for 1st Place in Corporate Inventory Management, when her name was called again. This time she was being honored as the Prudential Relocation Corporate Services Director of the Year. She earned this award for exceeding the performance of all other relocation departments in the PREA Network, in marketing assistance, destination and inventory management.

As corporate inventory manager, we want to recognize Elaine Cavener (Corp.) for her expertise and management of inventory properties what resulted in 1st place inventory award.

Congratulations, Fran and Elaine!

Mark Thursday, March 11th in your calendar as the day to discover more ways to keep you and your business at their highest levels, at the 2010 KCRAR REALTOR® Resource Rally trade show. This event, at the Overland Park Convention Center, will provide you with the means to keep your mind, body, and profession in great shape!

Renown speakers will tell you how to stay successful and avoid professional pitfalls, as well as what trends to expect in 2010.

Shawnee Mission Medical Center will be hosting Health and Wellness workshops throughout the day, and will also be conducting free health screenings.

Make plans to attend this Thursday. The trade show goes from 8:30 AM to 3:30 PM and admission is just $5. Visit KCRAR.com for complete details.

We have made the extended and expanded homebuyer tax credit marketing materials, including flyers and postcards, available on the Flyer Template section of the My Marketing page. Be sure to share these with your buyers and remind them that time is running out to take advantage of the tax credit!

There are two versions of the flyer. One is a static PDF and the other is a Publisher file which can be personalized with your photo and contact information. There are three versions of the postcard - one for new homebuyers, one for existing homeowners, and one which is appropriate for both. The backs of these postcards can also be personalized. If you wish to get the postcards professionally produced, we encourage you to contact Print Time.

Don't forget, there is additional tax credit information available to give to your buyers on the Buyer Book page. Be sure to include it in your next buyer presentation.

In April, spring is in full swing, and when the weather is nice, there is nothing Kansas Citians love to do more than cookout. Keep your COI informed about all the BBQ events and festivals around the area with the April promotional postcard from Print Time.

Download the postcard information to see the complete line of 2010 card designs and pricing guideline, and to plan out which cards you want to order. Call 816-471-1500 or visit the Tell 25 page on PKCAgent.com to place your order with Print Time.

Buyers today want to see photos, and lots of them. But if the snapshots you're taking of your listings are unflattering, lack detail, or are simply too boring, you could actually be doing a disservice. There are generally six common difficulties you face when snapping these pics:

• Photos are too dark
• Photos look like UFO sightings
• You're losing detail
• Photos emphasize flaws in the room
• Photos are all starting to look the same
• Photos are tilted

REALTOR® Magazine Helps you solve these photogrpahy issues with tips in this article. Be sure to read it and improve your picture-taking just in time for the spring housing market.

Source: Melissa Dittmann Tracey, REALTOR ® Magazine, July 2008.

The latest in PREA's series of recipe eCards comes just in time for the wearin' of the green. This variation on the traditional corned beef and cabbage is sure to please your most proud Irish clients.

Find this and other Irish-inspired eCards on PREA Center. Send them out soon to wish your COI Erin go Bragh in time for St. Patrick's Day on Wednesday, March 17.

One of best ways to ensure you are providing the best service to your clients, is to make sure you keep up with the latest developments and trends in the industry.

The Continuing Education series offered by PKC is a great way to stay up-to-date, so be sure to take advantage of it!

To register, call Elaine Cavener at ex. 1486 or by email ecavener@prukc.com.

View the course schedule for 2010, and find out how to register. Times and dates are subject to change, so check back for the most current schedule.