VanEd Newslog

What we're reading: Our favorite items from this past week include foreclosures, ray guns, card tricks, and philanthropy

Quote: Education is the ability to listen to almost anything without losing your temper or your self-confidence.-Robert Frost, American Poet

 

The past week has been full of news from the world of real estate and finance, sure, but we found some of our staff caught up reading articles and posts on topics ranging from marketing to science fiction. Here are some of the items we found the most interesting from this past week.

 

Fannie Mae is preparing to open a pilot project that is designed to sell foreclosed properties to investors in hopes that the investors will turn them into rental properties. http://on.wsj.com/yEzBvB 

Not to be out done, Freddie Mac made moves to adopt a new way of valuing foreclosed properties. With any luck this one turns out to be a good step.  http://bit.ly/zOV7vF

Teller (yes, of Penn & Teller) Reveals His Secrets and discussed seven steps to.... well.... manipulating us! (18 months to create one trick! Amazing!) http://bit.ly/ymk0ew

How do we hush rowdy library patrons? We currently use the tried and true "shhhhh" method, but we all want a new Japanese SpeechJammer Ray Gun!  http://bit.ly/wN2b4B Yep. #shhh

In case you missed it, the Bowling To Teachers Grant Classroom Supply program is running at participating Kids Bowl Free centers.  Last week they delivered information to about 60 schools in Madison, WI to let teachers know about the program.  We'd love for you to let your kids teachers know about it too.  Tell them to visit www.BowlingToTeachers.com for all of the details.  

These folks are going to be giving away 80 - $250 Grants each month starting in March and ending in July.  That's 400 grants in total. We wanted to make certain to pass this information along in hopes that teachers around the country get a chance to participate!

The most successful people in real estate choose VanEd. To learn more about the family of courses offered by VanEd, visit us online at http://www.vaned.com. And for up to the minute industry information or to receive special promotions and discount offers, connect with us online at any of our other social networks listed below!

Happy Martin Luther King Day

"If you can't fly then run, if you can't run then walk, if you can't walk then crawl, but whatever you do you have to keep moving forward."

 ~ Martin Luther King Jr.

To celebrate Martin Luther King Day we share the NAR video below and note that there are still lessons to be learned, still struggles being undertaken when it comes to the housing industry. We must also recognize the strides made and that we have come a long way. And we are reminded that it is our job to keep moving forward in order to make each tomorrow better than the day before.

Alabama Association of REALTORS® letter RE: Alabama REALTOR® Disaster Relief Fund & how you can help

The following letter was issued by the Alabama Association of REALTORS®:

Thank you for the emails, texts and telephone calls since Mother Nature’s fury last Wednesday altered Alabama’s population and landscape with awful energy.

Yes, we need help. This email is in response to your expressions of concern and inquiries about how to help us. The most experienced FEMA and National Weather Service personnel report that the number (118) of tornadoes in Alabama, paths on the ground (one 238 miles and varied from ½ to 1 full mile wide and another for 110 miles and a mile wide), wind speeds and overall violence of the cells was unprecedented. There just isn’t a way or time for me to tell you what has happened and what IS happening on the bright and sunny Saturday.

Here are a few staggering Alabama facts. 250 deaths and thousands missing (500 is one county), 5 million plus dead poultry (Alabama 3^rd largest producer), Browns Ferry Nuclear Power Plant shut down as all outside power lines ripped away and no power production for weeks, 19 large power cable towers lost, bodies being found miles from tornado paths, thousands of business and industries totally destroyed (5,731 homes and buildings totally destroyed in Tuscaloosa alone), etc.  Go to http://www.al.com/  from time to time to get a sense of conditions here. We have one REALTOR® death confirmed and reports of two missing. There are 23 members whose homes are totally destroyed and until cell and internet communications are restored we can’t know of others.

We have activated the Alabama REALTOR® Disaster Relief Fund and we can accept tax deductible donations from members and non-members wanting to help. The online link is http://www.alabamarealtors.com/ or mail checks to P. O. Box 4070, Montgomery, AL 36104. Please post anyone wanting to assist in person should go to http://www.servealabama.org/ as this is the official site where volunteers are given options to help where the need is the greatest. Help is needed.

Alabamians are volunteering in person and collecting essentials to ship to north Alabama. An event on this scale causes those of us untouched to take action. The spirit of people is beginning to give a glimpse of what is ahead – rebuild, recovery and come back better than ever. Thank you for your prayers for all those whose lives have suddenly changed.

 

Danny Cooper
Executive Vice President
Alabama Association of REALTORS®
Office: 334-262-3808   Fax: 334-263-9650

REALTOR® Magazine Good Neighbor Awards program opens nominations. Do you know a good neighbor?

The NAR Good Neighbor Awards recognize those REALTORS® that make a commitment to their communities through volunteer work. Each year 5 winners are recognized for their charitable efforts and will earn $10,000 each in grants for their favorite charities.

There are many awards given to agents all across the country, but the Good Neighbor Awards are only given to those REALTORS® who make "extraordinary commitment to improving the quality of live in their communities." You can learn more about the Good Neighbor Awards, view past winners and even receive guidance on becoming more involved with your community using the Good Neighbor Tool Kit by visiting the Good Neighbor Home page on REALTOR® Magazine on line.

To learn more about the awards and to find the application on-line, click here.

To learn more about how VanEd gets involved in our communities, visit our Philanthropy page on line. You will even have the opportunity to get involved by telling us about a teacher in your area that may need our help. Visit www.vaned.com/charity to learn more.

Thank You for allowing us the opportunity to serve you

"In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity." -Albert Einstein

As this year draws to a close, the staff and I wanted to say thank you.  I want you to know that we truly appreciate your business and we are looking forward to 2011.

This year brought many new challenges to our industry.  New laws, rules and regulations continue to change the landscape of real estate, not to mention online education.  Economic intrigue is everywhere, and not unlike many of your businesses we also faced these changes.  I want you to know that as I look ahead I see great opportunity, and in 2011 we will continue to embrace our students and affiliates and encourage them to be successful.

Thank you for calling us, visiting our website, becoming a fan on Facebook and LinkedIn.  Thank you for reading our NewsLog or following us on twitter.  We greatly appreciate you being our customer and look forward to being your resource far into the future.

Our entire team is dedicated to serving the best interests of our students, so if you have any questions or ideas for how we might better serve you, feel free to contact us.  As always, we're here to help.

To a prosperous and extraordinary new year!

Sincerely,

C. Vann Hilty, CRS, CDEI
Director
Van Education Center
www.vaned.com

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Happy Halloween: It's no trick, application period for the REALTORS® for Education grant program ends today!

The REALTORS® for Education Foundation, a non-profit program designed at making direct grant donations to classroom teachers in need of funds to run classroom programs, is now accepting applications for the Fall 2010 grant cycle!

The open application period began on October 1st and applications will be accepted through today, October 31st, 2010. The application is available for teachers and will be submitted online. $3,000 dollars is the limit for each grant application in this grant cycle. For more information and to make application teachers should visit http://www.vaned.com/charity.

VanEd is proud to be a part of this fantastic partnership with the REALTOR® community. 

Donations to the fund may also be made online, and the not-for-profit foundation awards 100% of all donated funds in the form of grants. Do you know a teacher in need of funds to run a classroom project? Have them apply for a grant! The Foundation board of directors will award grants in September. Click here for more information or to donate to the fund!

You can view all of the available information online at http://www.vaned.com/charity.

REALTORS® for Education charity grant application period is open for teachers in Colorado

The REALTORS® for Education Foundation, a non-profit program designed at making direct grant donations to classroom teachers in need of funds to run classroom programs, is now accepting applications for the Fall 2010 grant cycle!

The open application period has now begun and applications will be accepted until October 31st, 2010. The application is available for teachers and will be submitted online. $3,000 dollars is the limit for each grant application in this grant cycle. For more information and to make application teachers should visit http://www.vaned.com/charity.

VanEd is proud to be a part of this fantastic partnership with the REALTOR® community. 

Donations to the fund may also be made online, and the not-for-profit foundation awards 100% of all donated funds in the form of grants. Do you know a teacher in need of funds to run a classroom project? Have them apply for a grant! The Foundation board of directors will award grants in September. Click here for more information or to donate to the fund!

You can view all of the available information online at http://www.vaned.com/charity.

Assume the Best, baby.....

My Dear Soulful Friends, I have a new mantra. Assume the Best. This actually comes from my personal life where it's been sorely needed for, oh, about 43 years now, but I recently started intentionally applying it to my business life (is there really a clear division between the two anyway?). When someone does something that doesn't make sense to you - something that irritates, inconveniences, hurts or offends you - do you automatically assume it was intentionally done to irritate, inconvenience, hurt or offend? Do you naturally filter through all the possibilities of why they did "it" and latch onto the one that makes them a bad guy or gal... and conveniently places you in the self-righteous role of victim? I do. Not always, but I can admit, it's probably the first line of defense when I'm confused by someone else's words or actions. Since I was 13 years old I've known the power of the pout, the sulk and the whine to put the other person on the defensive (maybe that's a female thing!) and although I'd love to say I've grown out of it... well... that would be a lie. Unfortunately, variations of pouting, sulking and whining still work in the hands of a master ;-] But we're all grown up now and operating in the real world with other imperfect human beings. And maybe it's time to give those flawed human beings in our lives the benefit of the doubt. Not just because it's the nice thing to do, but because in most cases, they deserve that benefit! You know what? The world is not a hostile, dangerous place populated by human beings who wish to harm you. Trust in that reality and I think you'll find it to be your reality... in life, love AND business! Assume the Best, baby, Assume the Best... All my "Best,"

Congratulations to the 2009 Good Neighbor Awards Winners

At the General Session this past week at the NAR Conference, The 2009 Good Neighbor Awards winners were recognized. These REALTORS^® have made an extraordinary commitment to improving the quality of life in their communities through volunteer work.

REALTOR^® Magazine has sponsored the Good Neighbor Awards since their inception in 2000, and each of the past 10 years five winners receive $10,000 grants for their cause.

Visit http://www.realtor.org/GNA to read the stories of this years winners, and congratulations to each of the following 2009 winners (listed below) from all of us at VanEd.

Greg Adamson - Cindy Johnson - Helen Marotto - Regina Ragon - Samuel Thomas

CAR accepting nominations for Good Neighbor Awards

The Colorado Association of REALTORS® is accepting nominations for the Good Neighbor Awards. The CAR Good Neighbor Award will be presented to four REALTORS® who have made extraordinary commitments to improving the quality of life in their communities through volunteer community service.

The awards will recognize individual contributions, association and/or company efforts in the community. The recipients will be announced at the CAR state convention Inaugural Dinner on Sunday, October 18th, 2009 in Colorado Springs. A donation of $1,000 will be made to a community organization on behalf of the winners.

Applications are being accepting now through Friday September 4th, 2009. For information on the award and the application, click here.