Exciting Announcement

THE HERMAN GROUP JOINS ERA REAL ESTATE NETWORK
ERA Real Estate Enters Denver Market and Continues Franchise Growth
in Colorado and Florida with National Top 150 Brokerage Firm

• ERA Real Estate Grows Network in Colorado Markets
• The Herman Group Joins ERA Franchise System
• Firm Will Now Operate as ERA Herman Group Real Estate

PARSIPPANY, N.J. (February 23, 2010)– ERA Franchise Systems LLC

, a global franchising leader in the residential real estate industry, today announced it has entered the Denver market and continued its domestic franchise growth in Colorado and Florida. The Herman Group

, a leading real estate brokerage firm with more than 1,000 real estate professionals operating primarily in Denver, Colorado Springs and South Florida, has joined the ERA^® global network. The firm will now operate as ERA Herman Group Real Estate. This addition gives ERA Real Estate significant presence in Colorado Springs and other key markets including Denver, a new market for the growing network. It is a major step in the strategy for dynamic growth put in place by ERA Franchise Systems LLC president and chief executive officer, Charlie Young.
“It is tremendously exciting for us to be able to enter the Denver market with a business leader and a company that are as well respected as Roger Herman and his firm,” said Young. “ERA Herman Group Real Estate delivers a powerful combination of innovative spirit, forward-thinking approach and market presence. It is an example of the kind of company we have and will continue to attract as we grow our network. Our vision for the future is one of leadership and innovation and ERA Herman Group Real Estate is a great fit for the brand. Plus, this new affiliation will increase our already strong presence in Colorado Springs rooted in our successful, long-time affiliation with ERA Shields Real Estate and CEO/Owner Bill Hurt.”
The Herman Group is an independent, full-service real estate firm serving buyers and sellers in Colorado, where it was established in 2004, and in South Florida. With closed sales volume in 2008 of $730 million, an average sales price of $242,000, and over 3,000 closed sides, The Herman Group was ranked No. 121 in the 2009 Real Trends 500. Its founder, Roger Herman, has over 20 years of experience in all aspects of residential and commercial real estate including mortgage, title, relocation, short sales and REO properties. After years of record sales in residential real estate, Mr. Herman put his entrepreneurial skills to work to build a company from the ground up.
“Real estate is my passion. To become part of ERA Real Estate really stokes the fire,” said Roger Herman, principal broker of ERA Herman Group Real Estate. “Despite some of the recent challenges in the industry, we still see significant long-term growth opportunities based on innovation and new technologies. ERA Real Estate, under Charlie Young’s leadership, shares that vision. Joining a network with top pros like Bill Hurt and ERA Shields Real Estate in Colorado Springs can only help my team be more successful.”
About ERA Franchise Systems LLC
ERA Franchise Systems LLC

is a global franchising leader in the residential real estate industry with more than 35 years experience in developing consumer-oriented products and services. Since 1977, ERA Real Estate has teamed with the Muscular Dystrophy Association in its fight against neuromuscular diseases, raising more than $30 million. The ERA^® network includes approximately 30,000 brokers and sales associates and approximately 2,600 offices throughout the United States and 45 other countries and territories. Each office is independently owned and operated. ERA Franchise Systems LLC is a subsidiary of Realogy Corporation, a global provider of real estate and relocation services. ERA Franchise Systems LLC information is available at: ERA.com

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Celebrities Sell Houses Too

Celebrity Home Sightings:

Actor Charlie Sheen fromTwo and a Half Men is selling his 1927 gated Mediterranean palazzo with incredible charm and character $3,197,000 4 br | 4 ½ ba Single-Family Home

Actress Scarlett Johansson is looking to offload her Spanish Villa complete with solar electric upgrades and "Big Chill" appliances $4,950,000 4 br | 5 ½ ba Single-Family Home

Professional tennis player Andy Roddick is looking for a buyer for his lakefront home with outdoor patio and media room $4,000,000 4 br | 3 full 2 partial ba Single-Family Home

Information taken from Trulia Real Estate Search February 25, 2010 Newsletter

Free Projects at Lowe's and Home Depot for Kids

Fantastically fun projects for kids at Lowe's and Home Depot and they are FREE! So whether you live in Colorado Springs near me or you live elsewhere in the country, consider taking your kid(s) to one of these upcoming Free Workshops.

Townhouse For Sale in District 20 in Colorado Springs

JUST LISTED!

Looking for real estate in Colorado Springs? This 3 bedroom, 2 bath, 2 car garage townhome just went on the market and is a great buy at $125,000. One bedroom is on the main level and the other 2 are upstairs. To learn more about this real estate listing visit my website or email me.

Bargain Shopping in Colorado Springs

Do you enjoy finding a good bargain? I know I do. And although coupons have their place and are GREAT, I'm not good at hunting through newspapers or web sites to find them. But I wanted to share with you that I LOVE this bargain site for Colorado Springs. If you live in Colorado Springs or surrounding areas, you too will love this great site for bargains, coupons, free stuff and more. And best yet - it's free! They even review all the grocery store ads each week and tell you where to get your best deals!

Save money and time by letting this site do the work for you by telling you where to shop and save. You can also follow them on Facebook or Twitter to keep up to date with savings.

Should You Remodel or Should You Move?

I found this web site to be very interesting and full of helpful tools about whether you should remodel your home or just move. They even have a calculator tool that estimates and compares the costs of remodeling vs. moving.

After a year of steady declines in home remodeling, the Spring 2010 U.S. Remodeling Sentiment Report reveals a 13% increase in the number of homeowners who say they will remodel in the next 12 months. This increase follows a 5% increase in last year’s Spring 2009 report. The continuing upward swing in remodeling sentiment indicates that 2010 will show a strong increase in remodeling activity.

The Spring 2010 Sentiment Report, a survey of 5,000 homeowners in the U.S. who are considering remodeling, also shows that the recession has had several impacts on U.S. homeowners. These include:

-The most popular projects in the past–remodeling the kitchen and bathrooms–have decreased in popularity, as adding a bathroom has taken the honors of the most popular project. This makes sense since, for many homeowners, updating an existing room can be put off because it is often seen as a “luxury,” while for many, the addition of a bathroom is a necessity due to changes in the needs of the family.

-Interest in do-it-yourself projects, both the actual building as well as acting as their own general contractor, has remained steady throughout the economic downturn.

-Economizing on the cost of materials is growing in popularity at the same time, as fewer homeowners are reporting they will use expensive materials for their remodel. The percentage of homeowners reporting they will use average costing materials remains the same.

-The number of homeowners reporting they are “excited” about remodeling has climbed to an all-time high of 54%, which is primarily due to homeowners who aren’t excited about remodeling choosing to put their plans on hold to wait until the recession is over. This may be a costly choice for homeowners since the cost to remodel now is as much as 20% lower than in 2006, according to a special cost to remodel study published earlier this year. Information taken from RISMedia January 30, 2010

Of course, now is also a time to consider remodeling with the energy efficient rebates that are available or to buy a home since mortgage rates are very low and the housing market in Colorado Springs has many available homes.

Price Reduced on this Colorado Springs Home for Sale

I've just lowered the price on this fabulous listing of mine in Black Forest, Colorado Springs. It's now $775,000 for a great horse property on 19.55 acres with 7 bedrooms and 4 baths. You can view more details on my web site. If you are looking to buy or sell a home in the Colorado Springs Real Estate Market, please contact me today.

Energy Efficient Tax Credits for Homeowners

Tax season is upon us and like it or not at some point in the next two months we will all be trudging our way through this grueling process. I hope that many of your were able to take advantage of some of the more heavily publicized credits like the first time home buyer tax credit. (A side note: There is still time to take advantage of this GREAT tax credit. If you go under contract before April 30, 2010 you can qualify!) Perhaps you also took advantage of some of the many tax credits offered in the The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 that applied to energy efficient improvements in your home.

I found the most concise explanation of what qualifies and how much is being offered per item through the US Department of Energy site. An attractive item is a 30% tax credit on Energy Star Certified items such as AC's, windows, insulation, and roofing with a $1,500 cap. Also enticing is a 30% tax credit with no cap for alternative energy sources such as solar or geothermal through the year 2016. Be sure to check the Energy Star website for a more specific list of items that qualify and how to apply for the credits.

The federal government rolled out a plan that provides funding for rebates on energy efficient appliances. Through the Energy Efficient Appliance Rebate Program, individual states will be able to offer rebates for energy efficient appliances so check this out if you are in need of anything from a new fridge, clothes washer, dishwasher or other appliance. It varies by state so click on your state, it could mean $100's in savings.

Many of these benefits are still being offered, so if you are considering any improvement and/or appliance purchase, be sure to check the Database of State Incentives for Renewables & Efficiency. This too varies by state and offers updated information about programs and incentives in your area. You can actually combine most of these credits, rebates, and incentives currently offered and really save a bundle. Going green can actually mean making some green so do your homework and reap the benefits!

Top 10 Romantic Homes

In honor of Valentine's Day (coming this Sunday), I thought you might enjoy this article about the Top 10 Most Romantic Homes For Sale in the U.S. (there is even a listing in Denver, Colorado).

I have a listing that didn't make this list, but it sure is a beautiful home for sale in Black Forest in Colorado Springs. It would make a great horse property, which I think is pretty romantic!

Do you have any fun, romantic or special Valentine's Day plans? Leave me a comment - I'd love to hear about them.

Lowe's Home Improvement Coupon and Project Ideas

Do you enjoy doing relatively simple home improvement jobs? I do! Creative home projects can do so much for your soul as well as for the value of your home, while saving you money by doing it yourself!

I love how I feel after having accomplished a task for my home and I usually love the finished product. As a Realtor in Colorado Springs, I have a relationship with Lowe's that allows me to get YOU a "$10 off your next $50 purchase at Lowe's" coupon. If you would like one of these coupons, please email me your name and full address and I will email it to you. (I do need your full address in order to get the coupon).

I found Lowe's instructions on how to install kitchen cabinet organizer's to be excellent and helpful. Here's a glimpse at what their instructions cover:

If you ever find yourself digging through your kitchen cabinets and drawers, not being able to find what youre looking for, you could use cabinet organizers. They can decrease the clutter to get your kitchen back in order. Here are some practical tips for planning and installing two popular organizers that can make your kitchen more efficient.

Original content and further helpful tips found at Lowe's Creative Idea Center.

Money in Your Pocket

Would you like to put money in your pocket AND have a more energy efficient home?

Colorado Springs Utilities offers a wide range of rebates to help you save energy and money, now and in the future. I believe almost any home could use some kind of upgrade, whether it's in the form of appliances, insulation, watersense toilets, cooling and/or heating equipment, windows, etc. Many of the rebates offered by Colorado Springs Utilities are instant savings that you will get credited on your monthly bill. Some are rebates or credits you can claim on your federal and/or state tax returns. For more information, visit the CSU site and learn how to Get the Green Back!

Top Home Improvements Recommended to Sell Your Home

Are you considering selling your home? Maybe your home is on the market and you want to do a few home improvements to help increase your selling chances. I came across this article that you might find interesting:

According to the HomeGain survey, the top five home improvements that Realtors recommend to home sellers based on cost and return on investment (from highest to lowest ROI) are:

1. Cleaning and de-cluttering ($200 cost / $1,700 price increase / 872% ROI)
2. Home staging ($300 cost / $1,780 price increase / 586% ROI)
3. Lightening and brightening ($230 cost / $1,300 price increase / 572% ROI)
4. Landscaping ($320 cost / $1,500 price increase / 473% ROI)
5. Repairing plumbing ($385 cost / $1,250 price increase / 327% ROI)

Go to the article on RISMedia to read more.

If you would like to sell your home, please contact me today.

Help Haiti using your mobile phone

With the recent earthquake in Haiti causing so much devastation there, and help still needed, I wondered what can we do from Colorado Springs (or wherever you may be)? I know some people have already given or even gone and helped. I came across this article of a way to use your mobile phone to help the Red Cross with their efforts in Haiti. Simply text "HAITI" to 90999 and your donation of $10 will be received by the Red Cross and billed to your mobile phone carrier. Find out more details on the Red Cross site.

Valentine's Package at the Broadmoor

The Broadmoor Hotel is such a luxurious place to stay. Whether you live in Colorado Springs or will be visiting in the next few weeks, you can enjoy their Valentine's Special Package that runs from February 5 - 19, 2010.

Package includes:

• Standard Guest Room (upgrade option)
• Complimentary Serenity Shower or tub soak with purchase of a spa service
• 15% discount on select retail purchases
• Champagne and chocolates at turndown on night of arrival
• Complimentary access to The Broadmoor movie theater
• 40% discount on suite upgrade

Package prices starting at $98 per person, per night based on double occupancy. Limited availability. Not applicable to groups. Applicable taxes and fees not included. Spa service must be a minimum of $100 in value to receive complimentary shower or tub soak.

Quaint Rancher For Sale in Colorado Springs

NEWS ALERT: Great rancher for sale at $104,999 in Colorado Springs. This house is located in school district 11.

This house has two bedrooms and one bathroom.

Included with it is a refrigerator purchased in 2009; a washer and dryer purchased in 2008; microwave, Dish satellite and a storage shed in the back yard. The entire yard is fenced - so perfect for children or pets (or both!).

View more information and photos of the interior on my website.

Call or Email me today to view this home!