Prudential Homesale is Recognized at Prudential Real Estate Convention

The Prudential Real Estate Convention took place last week in Orlando, FL and Prudential Homesale was recognized for its accomplishments in a couple of areas.

We are now ranked 7th nationally within the Prudential Real estate network which is comprised of nearly 550 companies with 1,700 offices and over 55,000 agents.  This is up a notch from last year.

Additionally, Prudential Homesale was honored as the #1 Company in conversion of online buyer leads within the network.  This accomplishment would not have been possible without the fantastic work our Business Development & Relocation Department does in coordinating and spearheading this effort for our agents.

Finally, our Company was recognized as the 9th most successful fundraiser for the Sunshine Kids among Prudential Real Estate franchises.  For those not familiar with Sunshine Kids, it is a non-profit organization that provides positive group activities and emotional support for children with cancer.

Congratulations to the entire Prudential Homesale Team!

REALTORS® Property Resource – The Good, the Bad and the Ugly

The REALTORS® Property Resource (RPR) is finally here in the Greater Harrisburg area.  Late last week, the Central Penn Multiple Listing (CPML) service turned on the spigot and rich, property data started flowing to its members.  Not that anyone noticed.  In fact the unveiling of this powerhouse tool for REALTORS® has been one of the best kept secrets in the Mid-State.  Go figure!?!

In case you’re one of the majority of REALTORS® or consumers who is wondering what the heck is the RPR, all you have to do is go to their blog site to get an overview.  If you’re looking to make sense of how the RPR may impact the real estate industry, read one of my previous blog posts on the subject.  I’ve been on record for over a year saying that I think this endeavor by the National Association of REALTORS® will cause major upheaval in our business – mainly with how local Multiple Listing Services (MLS) will function in the future.

So now that it’s here, let’s look at the product from different viewpoints and perspectives – in other words – the Good, the Bad and the Ugly sides.

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Prudential Homesale Makes 2011 REAL Trends 500 List

The REAL Trends 500 is an annual research report which identifies the country’s largest and most successful residential firms as ranked by closed transaction sides and separately by closed sales volume.  This report represents the most trusted standard of measuring the performance of the nation’s leading realty service firms.

Prudential Homesale Services Group continues to be a major force in Central Pennsylvania by once again making this prestigious list.  According to the recently released 2011 REAL Trends 500 survey, Prudential Homesale ranks number 62 in closed volume and number 38 in closed transaction sides.

Congratulations to everyone in our company for continuing to work hard for our clients.  “We help people achieve their dreams!”

Harrisburg, PA and Business; A Great Match

The Wall Street Journal’s online business site, MarketWatch, recently named the ten best cities in the United States to do business in.  Drumroll please – - – coming in at number nine – - – Harrisburg, PA!  MarketWatch cited our city’s ”high personal income levels and strong business attraction” as two of the reasons it made the list.  Geographically, it has the advantage of being located between the major metropolitan cities of Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Washington DC and New York.  Penn State, one of the top research universities in the country is also located within an easy drive.  In addition, the regions boasts a top notch medical facility in Penn State’s Hershey Medical Center.  You can see the entire list by clicking here.

If you’re thinking of locating your business in Harrisburg, the Capital Region Economic Development Corporation (CREDC) is a great resource.  Its mission is to be a catalyst for policy change for job creation and for business growth in Cumberland, Dauphin, and Perry Counties that enhances the quality of life in our region.

Congratulations Harrisburg!

Forbes.com Names the Harrisburg/Carlisle Area as One of Top Metro Areas

A national business website, Forbes.com, just named the Harrisburg/Carlisle metropolitan area as one of its ten most livable cities in America.  The following is the entire news article that appeared on the front page of The Patriot News on May 4, 2010:

Guess Who Lives in America’s Fifth Most Livable City?  You Do.

Forget the Big Apple, Boston and Seattle.

Harrisburg ranks fith in a Forbes.com list of America’s most livable cities.  Pittsburgh is first.

“By and large, the cities on the list aren’t big tourist destinations, but they are places where costs are relatively low and quality of life is high,” said Francesca Levy at Forbes.com.

Levy said the list doesn’t intend to suggest one metro area is better than another.

“Rather, we developed a measure to judge one aspect of cities: livability.”  And she siad Forbes.com defines that as “one where you can get through the day-to-day business of life witht he fewest obstacles.”

“That means, on average, having a good balance of job security and opportunity, safety, and a decent amount of stuff to do, and everyday costs aren’t out of control,” Levy said.

The ranking comes as good news for those who serve as the region’s cheerleaders.

“I think it speaks very well about our region, particularly when we’re in competition with metro areas of all sizes,” said David Black, president of the Harrisburg Regional Chamber.

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The Incredible Shrinking House

The average sized home in America is starting to shrink.  No longer are homeowners demanding square footage and soaring open vaults in their living spaces.  McMansions are OUT – - – efficiency and versatility are IN.  MarketWatch’s Amy Hoak recently reported on this fast-evolving building trend.