'Twas The Night Before Christmas

'Twas the night before Christmas, and the market was lax

Real estate agents were busy, especially at RE/MAX.

For Sale Signs were hanging in their red, white, and blue

And agents were busy writing contracts for homes old and new.

The past clients of 09 were nestled all snug in their new beds,

While visions of tax credits danced in their heads.

And Stacey wearing her balloon pin, and Andy in his blue suit,

Started working the phones to find the next new recruit.

When down in the lobby there arose such a clatter,

We sprang from our desks to see what was the matter.

Away to the window Andy flew like a flash,

Tore open the shutters to see it was snowing green cash.

The moon on the breast of the new-fallen dough

It was a gift from the government in the form of tax credits and rates so low.

When, in the parking lot out back to our wondering eyes should appear,

But a miniature sleigh, and eight tiny reindeer.

With no driver in sight, and a fluffy red suit on the seat,

Andy changed into the red suit and was steering into the air in a heartbeat.

He flew about town distributing materials on the tax credit and rates,

But he knew he’d need help because buyers and sellers shouldn’t wait.

"Now, Shirley! Now, Amsi! Now, Kevin and Dan!

To NH, please Roberta! And Paula! And, Kerry and Pam!”

Western MA needed to hear this so he called all his elves
Including The King Group, Art, Tom, and John W as well

“Now, Sherry! Now, Gwen! Now Sara and Genie!
We must spread the word..from here to Buffini!”

Methuen was new, but the town needed to hear,
So Andy called more agents to help spread the good cheer.

“Yanelys, Michelle, Grace and Jenn too!”
Summoning his agents…through the sky Andy flew.

Tewksbury to Billerica, Derek, John, Claudette and Patsy too,
Every single agent was needed, not just a few.

From Joan and Barb in Westford to Dracut and Team Barrett,
The market was so good…Andy needed every agent to share it.

Mark T and Team Groton…DP and his team of five,
All 187 agents were needed and the COFI staff to thrive.

To the tip of the state! And a visit to every town!

Andy needed help! So he picked up Stacey…still in her hospital gown!

As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly,

When they met with any obstacle, they’d mount to the sky.

So up to every house the coursers they flew,

With the sleigh full of pamphlets, on the tax credit and short sales too.

As the twilight of Christmas began to shine,

Andy and Stacey were tired but new they’d be fine.

Their agents had come out, all 187 plus staff,
To work through the evening to educate the mass.

Andy’s eyes -- how they twinkled! His smile how merry!

His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry!

His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,

And his hair was all curly with some white as the snow.

He had a broad face and a little round belly,

That shook, when he laughed like a bowlful of jelly.

A wink of his eye and a twist of his head,

On back to Chelmsford Andy steered the sled.

He spoke not a word, his job was done,

For agents, buyer, and sellers… year 2010 would be a good one.

And laying his finger aside of his nose,

And giving a nod, into the parking lot he drove.

He sprang from his sleigh, to his team of agents he gave a whistle,

And away to their homes they went like the down of a thistle.

But I heard Andy exclaim, as the RE/MAX agents drove out of sight,

"Happy Holidays to all, and to all a good-night.”

Happy Holidays to You and Your Families
- Stacey Alcorn & Andrew Armata
RE/MAX Prestige

A HAPPY HOLIDAY WEEK!!!

Above is a photo of Team Pelham - taken at Meadowcreek Golf Club last Thursday)

This week was one of those fun-filled weeks where the offices were filled with holiday spirit. The Chelmsford office is filled with holiday gifts for the 25 local families our agents adopted for the holidays. As well, we welcomed the holidays in this week with two fun packed parties. On Wednesday we had a catered luncheon at the East Longmeadow office for all of the agents in Western, MA. The office was standing room only as we shared good cheer and all participated in a Yankee Swap. Of course, no holiday party could be complete without some home baked snacks from Christine..our Wilbraham administrator. Her rum cake was to die for!

On Thursday we celebrated the holidays with an afternoon cocktail party at Meadowcreek Golf Club in Dracut where about 120 of our local Eastern MA agents stopped in to share in the holiday spirit. The highlite of this party was Andrew's speech where he recognized the many past RE/MAX owners who now work at our firm and who have formed the foundation of our company. In traditional RE/MAX style we also had an aggressive Yankee Swap where no holds were barred in swapping gifts.

It's been an awesome year in real estate....a year that we wall needed after the challenges we've been through. We all get so busy in our lives and our businesses but during these brief holiday get togethers you really get to sit back and say "Wow...these people really are family...and there's no place I'd rather be than RE/MAX Prestige."

ANOTHER ONE JOINED.....

RE/MAX Prestige is very excited to announce the newest addition to our RE/MAX Family. My daughter, Oshyn Catherine McHugh was born on Friday, December 11, 2009. Sometimes we have to call and email and meet several times with the best in the industry before they join our firm...and sometimes they're just Born to be RE/MAX.

If you're interested in evaluating your career for 2010 please email or call me for a confidential interview.

20 Reasons to list during the Holidays

1.) Rates are averaging under 5%, the lowest in years. There's no telling how long rates will last this low.

2.) There is less competition for buyers.

3.) Winter prospects are more serious buyers.

4.) Your home looks better during the holidays.

5.) One of the highest percentages of "the listing sold" to "listing taken" occur during this time of year.

6.) You may receive more money for your home now because you have less competition.

7.) Throughout the holiday season, you may restrict showings during your personal family events.

8.) Buyers have more time to look at homes during the holidays, especially during vacations.

9.) January is traditionally the biggest transfer month and you must be on the market to capture that market.

10.) By selling now you can have a delayed closing or extended occupancy until the beginning of the following year if you want it.

11.) When you sell during the winter you have an opportunity to buy during the spring, when many homes are on the market.

12.) You may have fewer actual showings, but more qualified and motivated prospects.

13.) Corporate transfers, who need to buy a home now, can't wait until spring.

14.) If you purchased your home at the peak of pricing and need to sell because of loss of a job or a job transfer, banks are working with homeowners to allow a short sale so you can sell your home with far less impact to your credit than if you lost it to foreclosure. Undoubtedly with less listing inventory in the winter, short sales will get processed faster by the lenders.

15.) Homeowners who have owned and lived in their principal residence for five consecutive years within the past eight years may also qualify for a new tax credit of up to $6,500 under the recently signed qualified homeowner tax credit.

16.) If you're selling this home and buying another, there's a 1 in 4 chance that the home you are looking to buy is in a short sale position. By starting the selling/buying process now you can rest assured that you will close early in the new year, long before potential tax credits can run out for you or the buyers of your home.

17.) If your home no longer suits the needs of your family, you can sell it now for less than you might hope for, however selling now will enable you to buy a more suitable home at a great price, to lock in low interest rates and to ride the market up in a home, which fits your current needs better.

18.) A recession is a natural selection process, which weeds out contractors, lenders, appraisers and Realtors who are not highly skilled in their fields. The people you deal with in a real estate transaction at this time are much more likely to be professional and skilled at what they do than in a boom market.

19.) The current and extended first-time homeowner tax credit allowed incredible numbers of first-time buyers the chance to get into their own home and get $8,000 back in tax credits. Many of these first time buyers are looking for their home now, not wanting to risk that they won't have a property under agreement by the April 30th deadline.

20.) Curb Appeal. If your landscape and lawn isn't that great, breathe a sigh of relief that no one else's is this time of year, either. Add seasonal color, a wreath, perhaps some decorations.