May 2003 Newsletter

"If the sight of the blue skies fills you with joy, if a blade of grass has power
to move you, if the simple things in nature have a message
you understand, rejoice, for your soul is alive . . . "
- Eleonora Duse

NAR's Housing Affordability Index Hits 30-Year HIGH

Great news for homebuyers AND real estate professionals, as the NAR's Housing Affordability Index hit a 30-year high in the first quarter of this year.

What IS the Housing Affordability Index and what do its numbers mean in terms of real estate sales? The NAR Housing Affordability index shows the typical household had 144.0 percent of the income needed to purchase a home at the median existing-home price, which was $161,500. This index measures affordability factors for all homebuyers making a 20 percent down payment, with an index of 100 defined as the point where a median-income family has exactly the right amount of income needed to purchase a median-priced existing home. The first-quarter median family income was $52,929, which would qualify to buy a home costing $232,600.

Cathy Whatley, NAR President, said home sales are reflecting the index. "Existing-home sales were at an all-time record during the first quarter, showing the favorable affordability conditions are coinciding nicely with a strong underlying demand for homes," she said. "This has contributed to a record homeownership rate of 68.3 percent in the United States as more and more families are able to afford the American dream."

The Housing Affordability Index record high is a great opportunity to contact your prospects and report the good news. As Cathy Whatley says, "Although affordability conditions for first-time buyers have always lagged repeat buyers, they're in a better position today, given historically low mortgage interest rates," She continues, "Typically, this means starting out in a lower-cost property and building equity over time in order to trade-up to a larger home. The important thing is to get started when you can because when you trade rent for a mortgage, that's the day you start to build housing wealth for the future."

For additional information about the Housing Affordability Index, please click here to read the NAR report.

Acknowledge Those Who Served with Memorial Day Banners

On Memorial Day, May 26, we pay tribute to those who have served and those who died serving in order that we might live in freedom.

Originally called Decoration Day, Memorial Day is a day of remembrance for those who have died in service to our nation. There are many stories as to its actual beginnings, with over two dozen cities and towns laying claim to being the birthplace of Memorial Day.

Pictured above are a few of the many colorful and patriotic banners available in our graphic library to commemorate the holiday. In addition to the graphic banners, you can choose between two Classic Package design styles (one example below) to devote the entire home page of your website to this holiday of remembrance.

If you have the Classic Package design, you can make the changes directly through your Virtual Office. The collages under the 'All Holidays' and 'Patriotic' categories are both appropriate for the month of May.

Any of our customer support representatives would be happy to assist you in adding the Memorial Day banners or website styles to your site. Simply give us a call TOLL FREE 866-518-1571 or e-mail us at support@advancedaccess.com.

Allen Hainge's Personal Telephone Tech Coaching

Allen F. Hainge, a national technology speaker, trainer and coach, is a leader in the industry when it comes to showing sales associates and companies how to make money using today's technology. Allen's focus is not on technical jargon, but rather making today's technology work for you. 

By now, we all know that using today's technology will make us more money, save lots of time and money, and allow us to take nicer vacations. And, although you know that, have you really integrated today's technology into your business? 

Maybe you just need someone to work with you one-on-one, someone who can show you how to: 

• Earn more money using today's technology
• Make the right technology decisions
• Save more of what you make through the use of technology
• Earn more while working less days per week

If so, Allen F. Hainge's Personal Telephone Tech Coaching may be just right for you. Allen's proven, one-on-one telephone coaching focuses on what you need to know in order to start using today's technology to the fullest, to take your business to the next level! 

Allen's Personal Telephone Tech Coaching program is designed to give you time to work with Allen, via telephone, so that you can accomplish the objectives you and he mutually agree on. As Allen says, "My mission is to give my telephone coaching clients more than they expect, to give them concrete value for their investment, and to provide them with the knowledge, techniques and tools they need in order to: 

• Dramatically increase their income 
• Lessen the time they spend working by 1 or 2 days per week
• Allow them to keep more of what they earn
• Allow them to use their business as a means to an end: a more fulfilling life"

For additional information about Allen Hainge's personal Telephone Tech Coaching program.

A Closer Look at AA's Customer Support Center

Occasionally our clients ask us about our Customer Support Center. At ADVANCED ACCESS, it has always been our priority to be as responsive as possible, and to find more efficient ways to serve you. About six months ago we introduced a NEW system to handle your e-mail inquiries and phone calls. Since that time we have been carefully monitoring our new state-of-the-art system to ensure ALL your needs are addressed. 

We understand that in order to consistently provide the best service, the people we select to work with you have to be of the highest caliber. We employ a team concept with your success as our goal. To accomplish this, we choose only top-level Customer Service Representatives to serve you. Currently we have over 50 people dedicated exclusively to customer service and/or support to ensure your success with your Internet marketing program. Our hard-working customer service representatives work on a multi-tiered system, with supervisors, managers and programmers available to handle your most complex questions.

ADVANCED ACCESS has been growing steadily, and we now have nearly 20,000 clients across the country. Consequently, we receive a large volume of phone calls into our Customer Support Center each day. Last month (April) we averaged 336 calls per day from our customers, and since we began our new system our average number of calls per day is 325. The highest volume day was 478 calls, which kept our Customer Support Representatives very busy. 

During the last month, when you called on our Toll-Free Support Hotline during regular business hours (7 am-6 pm Pacific Time, Mon-Fri), we have answered 95.6% of your phone calls. That means you only had to leave voice mail messages less than 5% of the time. 

Best of all, we're proud to announce that the average "hold" time for our customers calling in is 35 seconds. 

We have thoroughly tested the technology behind our system, and we will continue to closely monitor our response time and YOUR success. Nothing is more important to us than your satisfaction, and as always, we welcome your comments, suggestions, and feedback. If there is anything we can do to make your experience with ADVANCED ACCESS more pleasant, please do not hesitate to contact us ANYTIME.

Remember, our TOLL FREE Customer Support Number is 866-518-1571.

Time to Vote for the Most Impressive AA Website!

One of the topics discussed in our ADVANCED ACCESS forum is both fun and informative. Introduced last month by one of our valued clients - Gregg Wiatt, from Prescott Arizona, the subject is "Who Has the Most Impressive ADVANCED ACCESS Website." Greg Wiatt, who has a VERY impressive website himself, worked extensively on his content and link popularity and has taken full advantage of the features and options available in our versatile Classic Package design. 

Nominations were made during the last month by our clients, and the final list of nominees have been compiled. Before voting, if you haven't already, you will have a chance to view each of the nominees' websites. The winner will announced in the June 2003 newsletter. 

The nominees for the Most Impressive AA Website work diligently to improve their link popularity, content and features available to the homebuyer and seller. As a result of their hard work, they have achieved high rankings on the search engines and large numbers of unique visitors each day. Check them out - visiting the nominees' sites may help you gain some valuable ideas for your OWN website. And then be sure to vote for the site you consider the most impressive.

MORE Classes Offered in our Hands-On Training Center 

As part of our commitment to your success, ADVANCED ACCESS maintains a hands-on Computer Learning Center at our headquarters in Anaheim Hills, California. Our state-of-the-art Training Center features 12 high-speed computers with T-3 Internet line connections (VERY fast internet access!) This month we've added MORE classes and expanded the Virtual Office class into Beginner and Advanced sessions. 

We welcome our clients locally and from and across the country to our Learning Center. Southern California is a great place to visit! If you're from out of town, we would love to see you in our office -- it would be a great opportunity to have some fun and learn something at the same time. 

Jamie LeBlanc is our knowledgeable class Instructor. The oldest of six children, Jamie grew up in Southern California and graduated from Corona High school. She spent several years as a Production Control Manager in the Aerospace industry before coming to ADVANCED ACCESS.

Jamie would do anything to help someone in need. She credits being the mother of two young daughters for giving her patience. A positive person, she avoids negative attitudes and complaining.

When not working, Jamie enjoys spending time with her daughters, and beau, Casey Griswold, a sales manager at Advanced Access. She loves shopping, going to the gym, and eating, especially Italian and Mexican food. Her goals are to enjoy her family, complete a Bachelors degree in business administration, and advance in her position here at Advanced Access.

Featured Employee of the Month - Tamara DeVries

This month we're featuring Tamara DeVries from our Accounting Department. Tamara has been on board with us for nearly two years, and we're always amazed by her efficiency, and by the sheer volume of work she accomplishes each day. Tamara is responsible for Payroll, Accounts Payable, Purchasing, Bank Deposits, Customer Credits, Credit Card Reconciliation and balancing the accounting transactions at the end of each day.

Tamara, a native Californian, was born in Fontana. She has lived in the Corona area her entire life with her parents and her younger sister. Tamara is the epitome of the true "California girl" with a smile and disposition as warm as a sunny day. It's no wonder Tamara's favorite color is yellow, as she enjoys every active hobby under the sun, including the beach, the Colorado River (a popular vacation spot for Southern Californians) wake boarding, water-skiing with the "air chair," or as she says, "Anything with sun and water - I'm there."

Tamara drives a bright yellow Volkswagen Beetle, and she loves to use it to cruise around with her friends, go to Disneyland (she has an annual pass) and shop, shop, shop. Tamara's dad is a pilot who flys a Lear Jet 45, and she occasionally has a chance to fly with him as a passenger. Recently she traveled to Ohio to visit her younger sister, Kristi, who is attending Ohio State University on a full softball scholarship. It was Kristi's 21st birthday, and Tamara, being a supportive big sister, flew out to celebrate and cheer for Kristi at her softball games.

In her spare time, Tamara spends a lot of time at the gym, working out with weights and attending kickboxing classes with some of her colleagues at ADVANCED ACCESS. She has also recently started playing racquetball. Tamara has been playing softball since she was 8 years old, and currently plays after work in a slow pitch women's league. At home, Tamara has a yellow love bird she calls "Nacho" who greets her with a song after a long day at the office.

Tamara has always wanted to be a contestant on "The Makeover Story" on television's The Learning Channel. However, Tamara's ultimate career goal is to be a stay at home mom, just as her mom was, so she can raise the children she hopes to have in the future. But first on the agenda, as Tamara says, "I need to find my Prince Charming."

We consider it a privilege to work with someone as talented and efficient as Tamara DeVries, and thought you might enjoy getting to know her too.

In honor of Mother's Day, here are a few quotes from poets and Presidents alike:

All that I am or hope to be I owe to my angel mother. I remember my mother's prayers and they have always followed me. They have clung to me all my life.
Abraham Lincoln

Any mother could perform the jobs of several air-traffic controllers with ease.
Lisa Alther

Don't call me an icon. I'm just a mother trying to help.
Princess of Wales Diana

Adam was the luckiest man; he had no mother-in-law.
Mark Twain

I do not like broccoli. And I haven't liked it since I was a little kid and my mother made me eat it. And I'm President of the United States and I'm not going to eat any more broccoli.
George Bush

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