This is a long note but I encourage you to read it.  I have a lot to say.

For most of us the, new year marks a significant point on the calendar where we choose to recommit to something of importance, end a bad habit, or mentally close one chapter of our lives and move onto the next.  It’s been a challenging year for many in the Advantage family and after 4 plus years of declining values, challenging listings, long escrows, and multiple offers, it’s safe to say many of us are ready for something bright on the horizon.

There have been some bright spots this year.  Investors are in the market with a high degree of participation.  Trustee sales are an interesting angle for rehab and resell investors.  I have spent the last quarter checking into this myself – went to a sale, talked with some title companies and hard money lenders. New REO accounts are still being assigned with growth opportunities with HUD, Fannie and Freddie.  Property management accounts grew this year.  New home sales exist and for some, there are good buys with below market interest rates offered by the builders.  Second home interest appears to be increasing as well.

Our market, no doubt, has been ground zero for the real estate implosion.  Selling 20 homes in a year still might not yield a $100,000 income these days versus more than $200,000 just 4 years ago.  Without an REO account selling 20 homes in a year can be challenging now whereas sometimes 20 new leads came in on one day 4 years ago.  It’s our new normal.  But why look back, because after 4 to 5 years of this, it is still taking its toll on our family.  Many of us have filed bankruptcy, decided to short sale our rentals and even our homes, some have just plain lost their homes.  For more, these tough decisions are not yet made as we struggle with the pride and shame we self-manufacture concerning these issues.  I encourage you to decide – remove the guilt, lift the weight off your shoulders, and put yourself in a place to focus on opportunity and renewal.

Welcome to 2011!

I pray this year finds you making the decisions to move your life and business forward.  If you’re struggling with house and finance, may you find the resolve to decide a course of action and pursue it.  If you have been watching sectors of opportunity in the market, may you decide to get off fence and pursue them.  If you have been able to grow your business recently, I pray for your continued success.  Thanks to many of you who have shared your ideas and success with others.  In 2011, I would like to see more of us sharing our ideas and moving all our agents and the company forward as a whole.

RE/MAX Advantage is strong and moving forward.

Thanks to you and our very hard-working staff, Advantage continues to operate pretty much the way it has always.  Shirley, Bobbi, Luis, Lori and Nanci work hard and have been incredibly loyal and dependable to our/your business.  Charlotte and Patti on the weekend have continued to ensure our weekends do not skip a beat.  2010 marked the retirement of both our brokers and we welcomed Sandra Thomas to the helm in Summerlin.  Sandra has been a breath of fresh air and we look forward to her growth in 2011.

I’m excited about the next 90 days!

In a few weeks, the return of the office meeting will happen.  New format, new location, more agent sharing, “tell me something I don’t know” segment, and more.

In January we will be launching a new look to AdvantageAgents.com and will be rebranding it as WeSellLasVegas.com.  New to the site will be lead generation for short sale sellers and property management accounts.  We have enjoyed page 1 placement for keywords with “remax” and “las vegas” or “Henderson” for many years and have averaged over 400 unique visitors per week over the entire year.