The last month of the year represents an especially good opportunity for investors.

Banks and financial companies want to get as many of their properties off the books as they can, and they may be more inclined to make deals to make that happen. Cash offers that can close in a week or two are especially attractive to banks right now, because they know the closing isn’t likely to be delayed. The trade-off for them is that they may be willing to take a lower price in exchange for clearing the property out of their inventory and not having to deal with it in 2011.

If you’re an investor considering a rental property or a project house to fix and flip, or if you’re a well-qualified buyer with the means to close on a house before the year ends, let’s talk — there are opportunities out there for you!

 Posted by Jon Rademacher

Do you enjoy spending time on Facebook? If so, you can put this great social media tool to work for you in your home search.

The first step is to choose an agent who shares your enthusiasm for Facebook and invite them to be your friend. Although most agents do not use Facebook to publicize listings and open houses, once you have updated your agent on what you are looking for, it’s the perfect media for them to let you know about new listings that might interest you, and about the open houses they are personally hosting.

You can use Facebook to send your agent questions, or showing requests. You can use it to follow neighborhoods you are interested in as many of them now have Facebook groups or pages. And you can use it to keep friends and family members updated about homes you are considering. Our great www.WoodsBros.com website makes it easy to link listings to Facebook and other social media sites as well.

 Posted by Marcia Murray

October 2010 by Volume:
David Kaseman
Bob & Sally Peterson
Vladimir Oulianov
Amy Mosser
Ann Deck
Shelly Nitz
Linda McCall
Carol Schulz
Chuck Winkler
Pat Schmit
Susan Vaccaro
Rita Dinger
Carl Brown
Mike Poskochil
Rob & Teresa Predmore
Diane Richters
Richard Young
Linda & John Tidball
DeEtta Mayrose
Gayle Coffin
Patty French
Pam Norton

October 2010 by Units:
Mike Poskochil
Vladimir Oulianov
Pat Schmit
Gayle Coffin
Chuck Winkler
Carol Schulz

 Posted by Woods Bros Realty

Here are the October numbers from all Woods Bros offices, including Lincoln, Seward, York, Beatrice and Grand Island:

• $35,547,921 Total Volume Closed (Up 14% over last month)
• 208 Total Sides Closed (Up 2% over last month)
• 180 Sides Placed Under Contract
• 467,560 Page Views on WoodsBros.com
• 45,203 User Sessions on WoodsBros.com
• 40 New Saved Searches on WoodsBros.com
• 819 New Saved Properties on WoodsBros.com
• 82 New Customers on WoodsBros.com
• 1,016 Visits to Facebook.com/WoodsBros

View our monthly Market Snapshot here.

 Posted by Woods Bros Realty

To People…

•  Home owners are happier and healthier and enjoy a greater feeling of control over their lives.
•  Owning a home is one of the best ways to build longterm wealth. Historically, a home owner’s net worth has ranged 31 to 46 times that of a renter.
•  Homeowners are free to redecorat,e renovate and modify their homes as they wish.
•  Most Homeowners enjoy stable housing costs — a fixed rate mortgage payment might not change for 15 to 30 years while rent typically increases 3% a year.
• Homeowners can typically deduct mortgage interest and property taxes on their federal individual income tax return

To Communities…….

• People who own homes vote more often and volunteer more to their neighborhoods.
• Home owners do not move as frequently as renters, providing more neighborhood stability. In turn, this stability helps reduce crime and supports neighborhood upkeep.
• Children of homeowners do better in school, stay in school longer, are more likely to participate in organized activities and spend less time in front of tv.

To America…..

• 67% of American households are owner occupied. America is a nation of home owners.
•  Homeowners pay 80% to 90% of Federal individual income taxes, contributing to federal programs that benefit all Americans.
• Every home purchased pumps $60,000 into the economy for furniture, home improvements and related items.
• Housing accounts for more than 15% of the national gross Domestic Product, a key driver of our national economy.
• For these reasons and more, home ownership is the American Dream.

 Posted by Gene Ward

Yost & Little will merge with Prudential Carolina Realty, expanding the company’s footprint in the Greensboro residential real estate market

HomeServices of America, Inc., a Berkshire Hathaway affiliate, today announced the acquisition of Greensboro-based Yost & Little Realty, one of North Carolina’s most respected residential real estate brokerage firms.

One of the nation’s long-standing residential real estate firms, 82 year-old Yost & Little Realty has three offices and more than 140 real estate professionals in Greensboro and High Point, North Carolina. The company’s volume of closings for 2009 was $230 million.

HomeServices will merge Yost & Little with its existing residential real estate firm, Prudential Carolinas Realty. The new company in the Greensboro market will be re-branded Prudential Yost & Little Realty. Prudential Carolinas Realty will continue to operate as the HomeServices brand in the Winston-Salem, Kernersville and Charlotte markets.

Both Prudential Yost & Little and Prudential Carolinas have long-standing reputations for providing excellent customer service within the high-end residential market. With the merger, PruYost & Little will further its position within the Triad as the market leader in dollar sales volume, unit sales and average sales price.

The HomeServices business model focuses on companies that are market leaders, such as Yost & Little, with long-standing traditions for excellence. The average age of a HomeServices operating company is more than 54 years.

“Yost & Little is a pioneer within the residential real estate brokerage arena in North Carolina,” says Ron Peltier, chairman and CEO of HomeServices. “This transaction exemplifies our vision of joining with companies that share our core values and strengthening those brands through our affiliation. Our business model leaves the people who built the companies in place and gives them the freedom to operate in local markets they know best.”

“This merger creates the premier real estate company within the Triad,” adds Yost & Little president Eddie Yost. “We are combining two strong firms within the Triad into an even stronger organization. By joining forces with HomeServices, we will be unmatched in our ability to serve the real estate and corporate relocation needs of new and existing clients. Our commitment is to make this merger seamless for our customers, who will continue to be served by their existing agents.”

Yost will serve as Chairman of Prudential Yost & Little Realty and will be joined in leading the company by managing brokers, Dean Little and Mark Yost. Tommy Camp, Prudential Carolinas Realty’s president and CEO will continue to oversee HomeServices’ operations in the Triad, Charlotte and Triangle regions.

“I have every confidence that this combination of two high-quality companies in the Carolinas real estate market is truly the best of both worlds,” said Camp, president and chief executive officer of Prudential Carolinas Realty. “We have the strong corporate backing of HomeServices – a Berkshire Hathaway affiliate and a leading national home services provider – and two deeply rooted local companies with intimate knowledge of the Triad, one of the most sought-after addresses in America.”

About HomeServices of America

HomeServices of America, Inc. (www.homeservices.com), based in Minneapolis, Minn., is the second-largest homeownership service provider and the most financially sound real estate company in the United States. Owned by MidAmerican Energy Holdings Company, a consolidated subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway Inc., HomeServices’ operating companies offer integrated real estate services, including brokerage services, mortgage originations, title and closing services, property and casualty insurance, home warranties and other homeownership services. HomeServices Relocation, LLC is the full-service relocation arm of HomeServices of America, which provides every aspect of domestic and international relocation to corporations around the world. HomeServices operates in 20 states under the following residential real estate brand names: Carol Jones REALTORS; CBSHOME Real Estate; Champion Realty Inc.; Edina Realty; EWM REALTORS; Harry Norman, REALTORS; HOME Real Estate; Huff Realty; Iowa Realty; Koenig & Strey Real Living; Long Companies; Prudential California Realty; Prudential Carolinas Realty; Prudential First Realty; Prudential York Simpson Underwood; RealtySouth; Rector-Hayden REALTORS; Reece & Nichols; Roberts Brothers Inc.; Semonin REALTORS; and Woods Bros. Realty. Information about HomeServices and the locations of its subsidiary companies is available at www.homeservices.com.

 Posted by Woods Bros Realty