Prudential Names Gail P. Guge VP Marketing
Mary Lenk Properties Joins Burgdorff ERA
A Revolutionary Idea to Keep Good Agents - Offer Benefits
Despite Cyber Wars - Realtors Numbers Are Strong
Sandicor Signs with Microsoft
Coldwell Banker Sponsors New Vacation Homebuying Guide
NAR Convention Set for Anaheim

Prudential Names Gail P. Guge VP Marketing

The Prudential Real Estate Affiliates, Inc. has appointed Gail P. Guge as vice president of marketing. Guge will direct development of advertising, marketing materials and prgrams designed to aid more than 1,400 affiliate offices and 37,000 sales associates in the Prudential Real Estate Network. She has over 19 years experience in marketing, including senior management positions and will utilize her expertise is in strategic planning, program development and the ability to combine advertising programs with public relations and promotion efforts to maximize marketing potential.

Mary Lenk Properties Joins Burgdorff ERA

Judy Reeves, president of Burgdorff ERA, announces the merger of Mary Lenk Properties with Burgdorff ERA. Mary Lenk Properties brings approximately 100 sales associates to Burgdorff ERA as well as a focus on luxury properties and relocation. Mrs. Lenk has brokered a number of homes for prominent people including two homes for Richard M. Nixon. She will serve as vice president and manager of Burgdorff ERA Mary Lenk Properties Division.

A Revolutionary Idea to Keep Good Agents - Offer Benefits

One of the most difficult challenges of being self-employed is not having employee benefits. Not only do such things as insurance cost more when someone is not a member of a large company or credit union, they are also harder to get. And it takes time to price and evaluate the plans that are available, not to mention preparing tax forms every quarter, monitoring office costs, and so much more.

One real estate company has taken self-employment worries away for its agents and brokers. CENTURY 21 New Millenium, the largest Century 21 real estate firm on the Eastern Seaboard, has just announced an optional compensation plan for its nearly 200 sales associates. The plan covers salary, health benefits, a 401K plan, paid vacation, sick leave and profit-sharing options.

What makes the plan unique is that sales associates have the option of receiving a salary instead of working as independent contractors.

"Our current commission-based compensation plan requires both new and seasoned sales associates to take the risk of cyclical and unpredictable markets, which can both frustrate our current associates and deter potential associates from a career in real estate," said Ike Broaddus, president of the company. "Though this salary option is uncommon in the real estate industry, it is an excellent recruiting tool, as it allows participating agents to forecast their finances in a way that most commissioned sales people cannot."

CENTURY 21 New Millenium is a new company that was formed by the merging of three Century 21 firms in Washington, D.C.

Despite Cyber Wars - Realtors Numbers Are Strong

The numbers are in for 1997.

They show that Realtors are a very wired group indeed. They convincingly demonstrate that when it comes to networking, agents are pace-setting, envelope-busting, go getters.

We're not talking techno babble here. We're talking the way things get done at the kitchen table. We're talkin the grist and grind of real world transaction gears churning out deals. The American Dream delivered every day, to a doorstep near you - as long as the mortgage check is in the mail that is.

The National Association of Realtors has released the numbers for 1997. Home buyers, once again, used a variety of sources in their search process, most of which clearly lead back to the advice and expertise of professional agents.

• 82 % used professional real estate agents
• 51 % newspaper ads
• 39 % open houses; 38 percent, yard signs
• 34 % home books or magazines
• 24 % friends, neighbors or relatives
• 18 % online services and the Internet.

When asked where they first learned about the house they bought, consumers revealed that agents are still the primary source of available property information, but that, clearly inventory is not the only factor driving their selection.

• 50 % said real estate agents
• 17 % yard signs
• 9 % friends, neighbors or relatives; 8 percent, newspaper ads
• 4 % open houses
• 4 % the seller
• 3 % home books or magazines
• 3 % builders
• 2 % online services or the Internet.

From the National Association of Realtors' annual study, The Home Buying and Selling Process: 1997''

Fears that losing the gateway position to available property information might adversely impact their value does not seem to be justified from these numbers. While Agents directly provided for 50% of home views, they managed to insert their services into 82% of the transactions.

That discrepancy speaks of a perceived value going way beyond the traditional gateway function. The NAR study states that, "Eighty-two percent of real estate sales are the result of agent contacts through previous clients, referrals, friends and family, and personal contacts."

Years of sphere of influence farming perhaps? Professional networking through mortgage, legal, insurance, and inspection based "get the deal done, anytime, every time" groups?

Realtors long ago mastered the many variations of in depth contact management. The impact of the PC on direct marketing can in fact be measured through the changes that have taken place in the real estate industry. Agents pump out sustained contact and familiarity like Seinfeld re-runs.

Affability, trust, and high touch sincerity buffer volumes of expertise and counsel. And they are wired where it counts - with the consumer.

Sandicor Signs with Microsoft

SANDICOR, Inc. and Microsoft Corporation have signed a contract under which SANDICOR will provide real estate listing data for Microsoft’s new consumer real estate web site. HomeAdvisor launched in July, 1998.

William Stegall, President/CEO of SANDICOR, Inc. said, "We are delighted to have this site licensing agreement with Microsoft. As a result, our customers will receive increased exposure for their property listings on the newest and one of the best branded Internet sites for Real Estate."

As San Diego' s leading source of Real Estate Information and Technology, SANDICOR, provides training, marketing, telecommunications services and information systems support to over 8,000 licensed Real Estate Agents in 2,400 offices throughout San Diego County. As a content provider, the company supplies data to companies including DataQuick, Spatial Data, Primary Access, Moore Data Systems, Commonwealth Title and the San Diego Union Tribune. Incorporated in 1991 and privately owned, SANDICOR also licenses its database to National and Worldwide Consumer Web Sites such as REALTOR.com, Cyberhomes, California Living Network and Homeseekers. On June 1, 1998, SANDICOR, under a contract with Pacific Bell, installed a new digital telecommunications network to further enhance the company' s data communications services including Internet access and email.

Coldwell Banker Sponsors New Vacation Homebuying Guide Coldwell Banker Real Estate Corporation (Coldwell Banker®) is sponsoring "Road Map to Your Vacation Property Dream," to help second home buyers with the vacation home buying process. Designed to be marketed to the Baby Boomer crowd, the book offers such tips as how to choose a location, finance a vacation property, manage a property and create income opportunities from the property, among many others. The book is being marketed through most Coldwell Banker offices located in resort markets, and is also available in bookstores. Interested readers may order a copy through Bookmasters, Inc. at 1-800-247-6553, or visit the Internet at http://www.bookmasters.com.

Published: July 24, 1998

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