Keller Williams Realty Bucks National Business Trends During the Toughest Real Estate Market on Record

RISMEDIA, January 29, 2009-Bailout. Credit crunch. Foreclosure. Despite these words permeating the headlines and airwaves, there are companies out there moving forward - even in real estate. Keller Williams® Realty Inc., the fourth largest real estate company in North America, announced that it outpaced the market in 2008, while remaining free of debt, and gave back more than $30 million in profits to its agents.

“Our strategy is no secret. We faithfully follow the sound financial model of leading with revenue - the same model our market centers follow,” said Mark Willis, CEO of Keller Williams Realty Inc. “As we watch companies throughout the country take on billions of dollars of debt, we are proud to say that our company has not one dollar of financing debt and we remain strong and financially sound. It is our joy to be able to give back to our agents during these times.”

Despite pervasive downward trends in the real estate industry, Keller Williams Realty continues to outperform the industry. For the first 11 months of 2008, existing home sales for the United States fell 17% when compared to the same period the year before. By comparison, Keller Williams Realty is poised to outdo those numbers by 10 percentage points, and in addition, the company experienced a much smaller contraction in its agent base compared to the National Association of REALTORS®, who saw a 10% decline in membership.

“Keller Williams was founded 25 years ago during one of the toughest markets on record - when interest rates were higher than 18 percent. We continue to urge our agents to zero in on lead generation and reducing expenses so they can thrive during this market,” said Mary Tennant, president and COO of Keller Williams Realty Inc. “We admire our agents’ spirit, tenacity, and dedication to their businesses. They just keep powering forward.”

Throughout 2008 Keller Williams Realty launched new products and services specifically to boost its agents’ businesses, including two new books: Your First Home: The Proven Path to Home Ownership for first-time home buyers, and SHIFT: How Top Real Estate Agents Tackle Tough Times. Both books are written by Gary Keller, co-founder and chairman of the board of Keller Williams Realty, who also authored national best sellers The Millionaire Real Estate Agent and The Millionaire Real Estate Investor.

For more information or to read the full article, go to RISMEDIA

ALC Retreat in Ponder, TX

Widgets: Fluff Up Your Web Site

Want an easy way to give your Web site or blog some sizzle? Then it's time to enter the wonderful world of widgets—snippets of code you can place on a Web page to add new functions or interactive features, such as mortgage calculators, driving directions, property search boxes, or even Google ads. They're usually free and they're remarkably easy to use—even if you have no knowledge of computer programming. It's as simple as copying and pasting code from a source (usually a different Web site) directly into your blog or into an HTML box on your Web page.

If your widget displays data that change frequently, such as mortgage rates, real estate news headlines, or weather reports, the information is automatically updated on your Web site.

Widgets appear as self-contained components of your blog or site, and many can be customized to match the color scheme of your site.

"Widgets are one part of providing customers with all the information and tools they need at your site," says broker Liz Sidorowicz with RE/MAX Signature in Chicago, who uses widgets on her Web site (www.lizshomes.com). She worked with a Webmaster to develop widgets that allow consumers to compare mortgage costs, estimate proceeds from selling a home, and determine whether it's smarter financially to rent or own. She made all of these widgets available to other real estate practitioners at Widgetbox, an online library of widgets.

Where to Hunt for Widgets

Eager to scout out some cool widgets that will enhance your site? Head to the Web, where you'll find a wide range of free options at sites such as Widgipedia, Google Gadgets, and the above-mentioned Widgetbox.

Real estate–focused companies, including Trulia and Zillow, also offer free widgets you can use on your site, as long as you don't mind the sometimes not-so-subtle branding and the idea that these widgets may direct users off your site.

Here are some widgets worth checking out:

Meebo. Customize the look of this instant-messaging widget and add it to your site to chat in real time with visitors. Free registration is required.

Google Translate. If you cater to an international crowd, consider Google's translation widget, which renders all of your Web page content in Spanish, Polish, Hindi, or any other available language your visitors choose.

YouTube on Your Site. This widget lets visitors watch YouTube-hosted videos without leaving your site.

Altos Research. Just select your metro area and get real estate stats—days on market, median price, inventory, and more—specific to your market.

And Now, the Fine Print

If all this seems too easy, be warned; free widgets usually come with a catch or two.

Widgets are normally branded with a different company's logo and Web site link—that company may have developed the widget to draw traffic to its own Web site. Read the terms of use, and test it out before making it a prominent feature of your site.

Also, remember that in the world of widgets, it is possible to overdo it. Be selective. Choose tools that match with your prospects' interests and needs.

With a little caution and discretion, widgets can be one of the most effective low-cost tools for distinguishing your site. "My widgets keep people coming back," says Sidorowicz.

Widgets Are Simple as 1-2-3
To use widgets on your site:

1. Find a widget you'd like to use and choose where you'd like to use it, presumably on your blog or Web site.

2. Copy the provided widget code and paste it into your page's code.

3. Reload the page to make sure the widget is working. Periodically recheck in case servers that supply the widget's data move or expire.

By Michael Antoniak, February 2009 From realtor.com

Notice

The KW office is closed and All Rockwall ISD schools and facilities are closed today (Wednesday, Jan 28) due to inclement weather.

Be safe!

Amber

Great Recipe for 2009

1. Take a 10-30 minute walk every day. And while you walk, smile. It is the ultimate anti-depressant.

2. Sit in silence for at least 10 minutes each day. Talk to God about what is going on in your life. Buy a lock if you have to.

3.When you wake up in the morning complete the following statement, 'My purpose is to__________ today. I am thankful for______________'

4.Eat more foods that grow on trees and plants and eat less food that is manufactured in plants.

5.Drink green tea and plenty of water. Eat blueberries, wild Alaskan salmon, broccoli, almonds & walnuts.

6.Try to make at least three people smile each day.

7.Don't waste your precious energy on gossip, energy vampires, issues of the past, negative thoughts or things you cannot control. Instead invest your energy in the positive present moment.

8.Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a college kid with a maxed out charge card.

9.Life isn't fair, but it's still good. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.

10.Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.

11.You are not so important that you have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.

12.Make peace with your past so it won't spoil the present.

13.Don't compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all
about.

14.No one is in charge of your happiness except you.

15.Frame every so-called disaster with these words: 'In five years, will this matter?'

16.Forgive everyone for everything.

17.What other people think of you is none of your business.

18.GOD heals everything - but you have to ask Him.

19.However good or bad a situation is, it will change.

20.Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends will. Stay in touch!!!

21.Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.

22.Each night before you go to bed complete the following statements: I am thankful for__________. Today I accomplished_________.

23.Remember that you are too blessed to be stressed.

24.When you are feeling down, start listing your many blessings. You'll be smiling before you know it.