RE/MAX, the Illinois real estate leader will bring their hot air balloon to Galena, Ill., on Oct. 31 to participate in a balloon glow from 7 to 9 p.m. along the Galena River in the city’s downtown area. In a balloon glow, hot air balloons are fully inflated and then lighted from within, but remain tethered to the ground.
The event is part of the annual Galena Halloween festivities that culminate with a spectacular parade, which will be held this year on Nov. 1. The RE/MAX balloon team also will participate in the parade.
The 75-foot-tall RE/MAX balloon is a familiar sight in the skies of the northern Illinois, where it frequently appears at community events and visits schools as part of a special educational program about the science and sport of ballooning. Its appearances are sponsored by the 3,400 RE/MAX associates who serve the northern Illinois real estate market.
Friday, October 10, 2008
RE/MAX, The Illinois Real Estate Leader Will Bring RE/MAX Hot Air Balloon To Galena For Annual Halloween Festivities
Chicago Real Estate Leader’s Web Site Help Sellers Avoid Foreclosure By Connecting Them To Short Sale Experts
“Short sales” have emerged as a preferred alternative to foreclosures, and now RE/MAX, the Chicago real estate leader, offers property owners who may need to complete a short sale of their home or investment property, a fast way to find the real estate expertise they’ll need to achieve that goal. The regional RE/MAX Web site, www.illinoisproperty.com recently added a special portal on its home page that makes it easy for Chicago real estate and northern Illinois real estate property owners to contact a RE/MAX agent with the specialized knowledge required to handle a short sale. To navigate directly to the portal, go to www.illinoisproperty.com/shortsale.aspx.
“Short sales are definitely more complex than a traditional real estate transaction,” said Jim Merrion, regional director of the RE/MAX network in northern Illinois. Short sales usually come into play when homeowners find that the apparent value of their residence has fallen below the total amount owed on their existing mortgage loans. “Many lenders will agree to accept the proceeds from a short sale and forgive the rest of what is owed because it lets the lender avoid the lengthy and costly foreclosure process.
“The seller’s agent has to work with all parties to the transaction and facilitate obtaining the lender’s approval of the sale,” said Merrion. “In fact, it is not uncommon for a seller to have both a first and second mortgage, which means two lenders are involved and the situation becomes even more challenging. Finding an agent who understands how the process works is an essential first step for any homeowner facing a short sale situation.”
Not long ago, short sales were relatively uncommon, and only a small minority of real estate agents had experience in handling them, but according to Merrion, the number of agents familiar with short sales has expanded substantially in the last two years.
“Starting in the fourth quarter of last year, we have been offering training to our agents in how to handle short sales and foreclosure property. RE/MAX International now provides a similar course through RE/MAX University, a global education source that makes educational programs available via television, the Internet and even hand-held devices,” he said. “Innovations and resources of this type help us maintain the reputation of having the most experienced and educated real estate professionals in the industry.”
Monday, October 6, 2008
RE/MAX, The Chicago Real Estate Leaders Move Hot Air Balloon Celebration From Lakefront To Northside Park To Avoid Traffic Snarl
RE/MAX, the Chicago real estate leaders arranged to have the RE/MAX hot air balloon make its first ever visit to Chicago on Oct. 8 to celebrate RE/MAX Global Balloon Day. However, the balloon won’t be seen along the city’s lakefront as originally planned. Because of concerns that sight of the 75-foot-tall balloon could generate traffic problems on Lake Shore Drive in Chicago, IL, it now will be on display in Revere Park, 2509 W. Irving Park Road in the city’s North Center neighborhood.
RE/MAX Global Balloon Day commemorates the 30th anniversary of the first flight of this widely recognized corporate symbol. To mark the event, the Chicago real estate experts plan to fully inflate the balloon, weather permitting, and tether it to the ground between 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. During that time, Bonnie Greene of the Metro Shadow Traffic Networks will broadcast traffic updates from the balloon on US99 radio’s “Lisa Dent & Ramblin’ Ray” morning show.
Depending on wind conditions, the balloon will be able to rise as much as 35 feet off the ground even while tethered.
The RE/MAX hot air balloon fleet is one of the largest in the world, with over 100 balloons located on six continents. The distinctive red, white and blue balloon, which represents the international real estate network, has become one of the most recognized corporate images in the world.
Because of the strong brand awareness it creates, the RE/MAX balloon has helped take the international franchisor to the top of several national and international brand rankings, including Advertising Age’s Top 200 U.S. Megabrands, which ranked RE/MAX as the No. 1 real estate franchisor.
Information about the RE/MAX Hot Air Balloon program can be found at www.remax.com.
