ADVANCED ACCESS December 2004 Newsletter

December 2004 Newsletter

“If there is no joyous way to give a festive gift, give love away."
--Unknown

DECORATE Your Site for the Holiday Season
It’s EASY with our Classic Package^TM 3.0

Now that the holidays are here, it’s time to deck the halls of your website to capture the spirit of the season! With our Classic Package^TM 3.0 FLEX DESIGN, you have a multitude of options for dressing up your presence on the Internet:

· Change your Home Page to one of the holiday styles available in the design center of your Virtual Office. It’s as easy as a click of your mouse!

· Create a CUSTOM BANNER with seasonal photos and add it to one or several of the pages of your website

· Send a Holiday IntelliC@rd^TM greeting to your sphere of influence, your clients and prospects.

· Create a Holiday Link Page with links to some of the popular holiday shopping websites

· Decorate your site with one of our beautiful pre-designed Holiday Banners available in our Design Center. We’ve added NEW banners to our collection (a few are pictured below…)

With the FLEX DESIGN capabilities available in our Classic Package^TM 3.0, you will be ready to celebrate the season in style with a festive website! We invite you to try it today, and be sure to call us TOLL FREE at 1-866-518-1571 if you have any questions or need any assistance. Our customer support representatives are here to help you, and we sincerely appreciate your business.

NEW ADVANCED ACCESS Website Unveiled

We are happy to announce that our NEW ADVANCED ACCESS WEBSITE has just been released and it is now available for viewing. A result of months of planning, design, and implementation by our staff, our AA website has been created with you, our valued client, in mind.

Visit www.AdvancedAccess.com and you will find an entire section devoted to YOU - with helpful resources, including:

What’s New – a listing of our monthly client e-newsletters
Weekly Marketing Tips – compiled for your reference
Training Class Information
Search Engine Reference Guide
National Seminar Speaker Listing
Premium Marketing Package Information
And MORE!

Our new design is well organized and easy-to-navigate, with INTERACTIVE features, including our state-of-the-art “color choice” module. Simply click on a color block to choose the color in which you view our site – choose between blue, teal, fuchsia, black and green. With handy “drop-down” windows, you will find all of the information you need to manage your own AA website, and of course, our TOLL FREE number and contact information is available on every page throughout the site for your convenience.

The latest state-of-the-art Internet technology was employed in creating our website, designed by Tyler Nguyen and Jerry Smith, both talented graphic artists who have been on board with ADVANCED ACCESS for years. We would also like to thank Gary Brackle, VP of Affinity Marketing & Communications, for his contributions with the text for the FLASH messages that appear numerous pages of the site, and to Bill Koelzer, for his marketing services.

Tyler Nguyen and Jerry Smith

We hope you find our new ADVANCED ACCESS website helpful and informative. As always, we welcome any comments or suggestions about our new website. The Key to YOUR Success….Is OUR Service.

ADVANCED ACCESS Virtual Assistant Network

In last month’s newsletter, we asked you to send us the names of your Virtual Assistants, along with a testimonial about their services. We received a few names and recommendations from you for Virtual Assistants, but we still need more, in order to build our new ADVANCED ACCESS Virtual Assistant Network.

If you are an ADVANCED ACCESS client, could you please provide us with the name of your Virtual Assistant, along with their contact information and a testimonial about the manner in which they have helped you in your real estate business. If you are a Virtual Assistant helping one of our ADVANCED ACCESS clients, please encourage your clients to submit your name to us so you can be included in our list.

Some of our clients have asked how a Virtual Assistant can help them build the custom content in their website and improve their business. Virtual Assistants are just what the name implies - “Virtual.” Your Virtual Assistant can work from their own home from any location to help you achieve your goals. When choosing a Virtual Assistant, it’s important that you find one who ‘fits’ well with you and someone with whom you can work together on your projects. Even though you won’t ‘see’ your Virtual Assistant, communication with your VA is essential to achieve your goals. Here are a few ideas on what a Virtual Assistant can do for you on your Website…

· Add links to your Link Exchange program to gain more relevance in the search engines

· Add new Listings and Solds to your ListNow program

· Add content to your Free Reports

· Periodically Change the Design and “Look” of your Site

· Send out Property Listing and Sold Notices through Intellicards

· Add names and emails to your Contact Management system

· Create pop-up guestbooks

· Add links to your Favorite Links section

· Update and organize your Local Partners

· Check your Statistics and report trends to you

· Add information to My New Homes section

· Organize the files in your File Library

· Send out Open House Notices

· And MORE!

As soon as we compile a list from our most valuable resource – YOU - for recommended Virtual Assistants, we will be announcing our new ADVANCED ACCESS Virtual Assistant Network in a future newsletter.

Ho Ho Ho...Get Certified as an e-PRO!

If you are looking for a great present to get for yourself this holiday season, look no further. An e-PRO certification will be the gift that keeps on giving all year round! e-PRO Certification is NAR's online training program to certify real estate professionals as Internet competent and savvy specialists. Comprehensive and interactive (with other successful real estate professionals who are taking the course at the same time you are), e-PRO is the only certification program of its kind recognized nationwide and endorsed by the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® (NAR). Because of the innovative design, you will be able to complete the course at your own pace, when and where you want, with any Internet connection.... 24 hours a day 7 days a week.

At the 2004 NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® Conference & Expo in Orlando, Florida, NAR launched a new certified e-PRO® Trainer Program. Our very own Sr. Vice-President of Sales, Jane Ellsworth-Purcell, was recognized as one of the first to complete the program and is now a certified e-Pro Trainer. Having completed the certification program established by NAR, Jane is now able to conduct seminars and classes as an authorized trainer in the e-PRO Technology Program.

The e-PRO Certification Course is an educational program unlike any other professional certification or designation course available, comprehensive and interactive. It is sponsored by the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION of REALTORS® and is specifically designed to help real estate professionals thrive in the competitive world of online real estate.

Becoming an e-Pro will help you reach the affluent and rapidly growing consumer group who will appreciate your ability in utilizing the Internet. Statistics prove that more and more people are using the Internet to locate real estate than ever, and these consumers will recognize that a REALTOR® who is e-PRO certified will provide them with the latest techniques and services for their home buying and selling needs.

The Regular Price for the e-Pro Course is $359.00. Through a special arrangement with Internet Crusade, ADVANCED ACCESS will pay $30.00 as a contribution to your success as an ePRO. This $30.00 Discount for a limited time only and is our Holiday gift to YOU!

For more information, please click here.

101 Reasons Why Classic Package^TM 3.0 is a GREAT Value

Last month our sales team traveled to Orlando, Florida for the National Association of REALTORS® annual convention. In preparing for our exhibit at the trade show, we compiled a list of features in our Classic Package^TM 3.0 website and we would like to share them with you. The List is entitled “Classic Package^TM - 101 FREE Reasons to Own It Today!” Our staff had a great time working on the list, and we thought a reminder of the many features available to you in our Classic Package^TM might just help you plan your Internet Marketing campaign for 2005. Click here to view our 101 Reasons, but be prepared…the list is LONG!

Housing Wealth Has Greater Effect Than Stocks, New Study Shows

Source: www.Realtor.org

Housing wealth has a more immediate impact on consumer spending than stock wealth and has sustained the U.S. economy since the beginning of this decade, shows a new study produced by the Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University and Macroeconomic Advisers, LCC, and commissioned by the National Association of Realtors®.

David Lereah, NAR's chief economist, said the study shows a large difference between the impact of housing wealth and stock wealth on consumer spending, particularly during the last economic downturn. "Aggressive cuts in short term interest rates at the beginning of the decade forestalled economic problems and led to record home sales and home equity borrowing," Lereah said. "Without the stimulus, housing's contribution to consumer spending would have been about half as great, the recession much worse and the recovery less robust."

A major finding in the study is that over time, consumers spend about five-and-a-half cents out of every dollar increase in both housing wealth and stock wealth. However, spending from housing wealth only takes about a year to reach 80 percent of its long-run effect, compared with nearly five years for stock wealth to have the same effect – likely because near-term gains in stock wealth could prove to be unsustainable.

"In other words, housing produces a quicker lift to the economy while home-price growth provides lasting benefits," Lereah said. "Homeowners are more confident of gains in housing wealth, so they spend more readily and quickly when they occur."

"Housing Wealth Effects," sponsored by NAR's National Center for Real Estate Research, reviewed a number of existing studies and developed new models to compare wealth effects. The study shows that expansionary monetary policy can provide a rapid and substantial lift to consumer spending under the right circumstances. While some investors pulled out of the stock market when values began to fall in 2000, a near 45-year low in interest rates allowed housing to help the economy through a soft spot.

Other findings include:

About 6 in 10 homeowners have more home equity than stock wealth.
Total housing consumption, operations, related goods and investment came to about 23.1 percent of Gross Domestic Product in 2003. Over the last 50 years, housing has hovered between one-fifth and one-quarter of GDP.
Housing wealth accounts for 36 percent of the nation's tangible assets. The U.S. Federal Reserve Board estimated the value of housing stock at $15.2 trillion in the fourth quarter of 2003.
Late last year, the homeownership rate was 68 percent, but only 52 percent of households held stock – either directly or
indirectly.
In 2001, the Federal Reserve Board's Survey of Consumer Finances showed that the top 1 percent of stockholders controlled
33.5 percent of stock, while the top 1 percent of homeowners controlled 13 percent of home equity.

Click here to read the entire article.

The National Association of Realtors® , "The Voice for Real Estate," is America's largest trade association, representing 1 million members involved in all aspects of the residential and commercial real estate industries.

Featured AA Employee – Maria Valderrama

This month we are featuring Maria Valderrama from the Outside Sales Department. Maria has been on board with ADVANCED ACCESS for nearly a year as Executive Assistant to Jane Ellsworth-Purcell, Sr. VP - Sales. Maria’s duties include organizing and planning ALL the events at ADVANCED ACCESS, including the many conventions and trade shows at which we exhibit all year; setting up the schedules for the Outside Sales Department, and generally keeping the department running smoothly.

Maria was born and raised in Manila, Philippines. Her full name is Maria Laurice Rosales Valderrama. Maria was brought up with two younger brothers, Deni and David. She moved to California with her family in 1992 and has lived in San Bernardino County, California for the last 10 years.

Maria graduated at the top of her class at Etiwanda High School and started out as a Mathematics major at California State University San Bernardino. However, it wasn’t too long before Maria found her other interest—computer programming. Maria earned my Bachelor of Science Degree in Computer Science just a few years ago.

Maria considers her brothers - Deni, 23, and David, 20 – to be the most important people in her life. Although she doesn’t spend a lot of time with her brothers, Maria enjoys every moment that they share with each together. The simple things in life are what Maria treasures most…going to the mall with Deni to buy CD’s; watching Law & Order SVU on Saturday nights with David, and playing video games.

When Maria is not at work, she enjoys going to the beach with her boyfriend Jason (pictured right – Jason Spence in our Design Department) to watch him surf, reading Stephen King and Dean Koontz novels, watching scary movies, or just hanging around the house with her new puppy Julius, a.k.a. Big Foot, a German Shepherd Labrador.

We are fortunate to work with someone as talented and hard working as Maria. Maria is respected and appreciated by all who know and work with her – especially her colleagues in the Sales Department.

ADVANCED ACCESS Holiday Office Hours

ADVANCED ACCESS will close our offices on Friday, December 24 and Friday, December 31, 2004 in observance of the Christmas and New Year Holidays.

The entire Management Team and staff wish to take this opportunity to extend to our loyal customers, friends and families a very sincere Happy Holiday Greeting! We are thankful for the opportunity to serve our valued clients, and for your business and support through the years.

Normal office hours will resume on Monday, January 3, 2005.

And now, a Holiday Breakfast Special…

This guy goes into a restaurant for a holiday breakfast while in his hometown for the season. After looking over the menu he says, "I'll just have the Eggs Benedict."

His order comes a while later and it's served on a huge fancy chrome plate. He asks the waiter, "What's with the fancy plate?"

The waiter replies, "There's no plate like chrome for the hollandaise!"

November 2004 | Back to Main Page | January 2005