0 SAVED LUXURY LISTINGS 24/4/2009- Budget - what Budget? As far as the average UK home buyer and seller is concerned the 2009 Budget was rather a non-event. Moves to kick-start stalled new housing projects; a beefed-up mortgage rescue scheme; added support for shared equity mortgages and much needed and very belated upgraded housing for our armed forces are all to be welcomed. But they will hardly provide great stimulus, and in the housing market with which most people are involved – the sale and purchase of established homes – there was really very little in the Chancellor’s Budget to cheer about. The government had a wonderful opportunity to re-think Stamp Duty – if only just to install a new threshold of £250,000. This would have provided a much-needed boost to property market activity. Instead the Chancellor simply chose to extend the temporary £175,000 level for another twelve months, after which the cap will fall back to £125,000. This move only maintains the status quo. With the best will in the world it can’t really be regarded as a stimulus package. But the good news is that the market is improving at a very encouraging rate without our government’s help. There are sure signs of greater market activity and, in some market areas, even a levelling off of prices from the steep slide we have seen over the past months. Perhaps we are all better off sorting out the property market ourselves without intervention from our leaders. Perhaps we are better off with our free market. After all, if the Budget has done one thing it has shown that recent government involvement in many other areas of our economy hasn’t helped much either. So some crumbs of comfort for first time buyers in the Budget, but higher earners may well decide to buy now while property prices are at the bottom of a trough in order to avoid paying off larger mortgages during a time of increased income taxation.   20/4/2009- April Market Comment from the heart of Mayfair MAYFAIR RESIDENTIAL MARKET REPORT FOR THE FIRST QUARTER OF 2009 FROM PETER WETHERELL OF WETHERELLS OF MAYFAIR   Q1 2009 - The number of sales in Mayfair has been dire with volume of sales way down on previous years.    In £ value terms the bids (offers received on property for sale) are 25% off the peak 2007/8 selling figures BUT most vendors are not accepting the bids hence low volume of sales.   The 2003-7 average for Q1 residential sales in Mayfair - 48 sales The 2008 volume of sales for Q1 was - only 18 The 2009 volume of sales for Q1 was - JUST 7   In two of the months out of the last 6 months Wetherell had a record market share of 100% of all sales. To achieve this statistic we sold only 3 properties!   GREEN SHOOTS ?   Press speculation is now on the "green shoots" of recovery.   Based on the amount of viewings over the last few months in Mayfair then the answer is yes.   If based on the amount of offers then again the answer is yes. If on the amount sold -sadly no.    However the small amount of recent sales and "off-market" deals indicate that prime property is still selling well and serious buyers are trying to tempt out the sellers with attractive selling prices.   SHAPE OF RECOVERY?   Prediction is a very risky game.   V - Certainly not a V recovery where we will see prices bouncing back to 2007 values.  Those predicting a V have moved the spike of the V further into the future.   U - Not even a U recovery where we see values bottom out for a while before recovering to previous values.   L - We feel it will be more like an L whereby the market will find its equilibrium level and then maintain that level for the predictable future.  The difficulty at present is knowing whether we have dropped down the L far enough to travel along the bottom line?   THE FUTURE   Wetherell's view is that prime residential property is still a sound long term investment class, a tangible asset class than can derive income and show capital growth. It is a hedge against inflation.   Following the old adage of "location, location, location" and the economics of supply and demand, then where better than Mayfair, geographically bounded and supply restricted through strict development planning regulation.    Add to this the renewed residential vitality of the Mayfair area through period office buildings reverting back to their former residential use and you have the perfect "location, location, location" opportunity.   The $ and the ? are still strong so for overseas buyers the Mayfair market looks like good value and from the perspective of the seller then it is probably a goodtime to sell.  Perhaps the equilibrium between buyers and sellers is just around the corner? Kind regards. Peter Wetherell Visit my website at www.wetherell.co.uk   1/4/2009- Cora Bett Thomas Realty Sales Associates Named Distinguished Sales Society for 2008 The Savannah Board of Realtors recently named its selection for the 2008 Distinguished Sales Society. Several Cora Bett Thomas Realty sales associates were recognized at the annual luncheon for accomplishing a total volume of $1,500,000 in sales. The Cora Bett Thomas Realty inductees into the Distinguished Sales Society for 2008 include the following sales associates: Alyson Arnold Melinda Martin Bailey Patricia Bishop Heather Booth Helen Duffy Baker Leavitt David Minkovitz Peter Nelsen Betty “Ticky” Pinckney Ruthie Seese Jamie Sumner Karen Washburn “This extraordinary group of agents worked very hard and showed true commitment to real estate during one of the most difficult times of our profession,” said Cora Bett Thomas, founder and CEO of Cora Bett Thomas Realty. “Customer service, a positive attitude and a knowledge and true understanding of the market set these agents apart.” Membership into the Distinguished Sales Society is dependent upon the sales record and involvement of sales associates during the 2008 calendar year. The Distinguished Sales Society is to give recognition to the sales professionals and brokers who are true leaders in the real estate industry. Agents and brokers must also attend a minimum of two Savannah Board of Realtor meetings and/or participate in a project or activity. These requirements are meant to serve not only the sales associates, but also the buyers and sellers they represent.   1/4/2009- Leaders in Luxury Real Estate JOIN Forces Cora Bett Thomas Realty & Associates dominates the luxury residential and commercial real estate market along the Georgia and South Carolina coast, with offices based in Savannah, Ga. and Bluffton and Beaufort, S.C.  Founder and CEO, Cora Bett Thomas is proud to announce the merger with another preeminent luxury firm, Town & Country Real Estate, which is located in Beaufort, SC., “the crown jewel of the sea islands.” Combining their expertise and services, under the leadership of Cora Bett Thomas, the companies will operate as Cora Bett Thomas and Associates. Town & Country Real Estate was founded in 1995 and covers Beaufort, Fripp Island, Harbor Island, Beaufort County, and in many of the surrounding areas of the South Carolina Lowcountry offering residential, land, and resort real estate sales as well as vacation, commercial and investment opportunities. Cora Bett Thomas Realty and Town & Country’s merger comes at a time when many are departing the real estate industry. Thomas believes this is the opportunity for the real estate profession and real agents to embrace even higher professional standards and deeper levels of education. A superior level of customer service has always been of upmost importance to both firms. Continuing in that tradition and through the strong international affiliations of Cora Bett Thomas Realty, such as London based Mayfair International, and Who's who in Luxury Real Estate, The Board of Regents, Leading Real Estate Companies of the World, and Luxury Portfolio, among others, will continue to attract an elite clientele to the Lowcountry. “Town & Country Real Estate has long been known for its excellence in serving the needs of Buyers and Sellers in the unique Lowcountry market,” said Cora Bett Thomas. "We are thrilled about the integration of both of our outstanding firm. This positions Cora Bett Thomas Realty & Associates as the dominant residential and commercial real estate firm along the Creative Coast of Georgia and South Carolina - with profound expertise, service levels, and integrity that simply cannot be matched by any other company." Cora Bett Thomas Realty remains on the cutting edge of technology and fully recognizes the powerful role the Internet plays in today’s real estate transactions. CoraBettThomas.com promotes listings in all price points to nearly 1000 other websites worldwide. With this merger, Town and Country clients will now benefit from the global exposure that CoraBettThomas.com provides Buyers and Sellers. “Today, more than ever,” says Thomas, “it is critical to search for Buyers in all parts of the world, not just locally. Our strategic partnerships provide this extraordinary opportunity.“     “This is an exciting time to become a part of Cora Bett Thomas Realty & Associates,” said Matt McAlhaney, an owner of Town & Country Real Estate. “Cora Bett Thomas Realty’s professionalism, operations, technology infrastructure and entrepreneurial force are an ideal match to our rich history and the unyielding tradition of quality that has served our loyal customers for so long." McAlhaney added, “There is no better equipped agency to assist Sellers and Buyers in meeting the demands of today’s challenging market and our decision to join this powerhouse of a company illustrates our ongoing commitment to maintaining a competitive edge and to serving the needs of our community.” Bill Anderson, an owner of Town & Country Real Estate concluded, “Our clients and our sales associates will all benefit from the synergy generated by this merger.”   14/3/2009- Article From Living Barbados Magazine Following the recent visit by Nick Churton and Annette Reeve to the Mayfair International Realty affiliates, Realtors Limited, in Barbados the following has appeared in the latest issue of Living Barbados magazine: The area’s leading real estate brokerage, Realtors Limited, has joined with the United Kingdom’s Mayfair International Realty to market properties to the European investor. The Mayfair International Realty network is composed of 125 of the finest British brokerages and operates 350 offices throughout the length and breadth of the United Kingdom. London based Mayfair International Realty is synonymous with quality, integrity, experience and customer satisfaction. “We consider being part of Mayfair International Realty as an essential move to guarantee that our clients’ properties reach the widest possible market,” says Suzanne Davis, Manager of Real Estate and Business Development for Realtors Limited. “We are now working in a global real estate village. The international real estate investor is a reality. Our aim, working with Mayfair International Realty, is to bring the global investor to our marketplace.” The nationalities of the Realtors Limited buyers reads like a world atlas. The strength of European currencies against the dollar makes Barbados a fantastic investment for European buyers. “We are seeing more buyers than ever before attracted to Barbados from Europe, and particularly from the UK,” says Ms Davis. Realtors Limited has now joined Mayfair International’s global real estate directory and referral network. “The marketing of our clients’ properties will receive a clear benefit from this exposure to a global market,” said Mrs Davis. “Since Realtors Limited was first established 56 years ago the company has gone the extra mile for our clients. I am delighted to say that now, as part of Mayfair International Realty, we are going an extra 4211 miles and opening the doorway to Europe for our valued clients.” Realtors Limited was founded in 1952 and with over fifty years of experience and influence on the property market, Realtors Limited has the distinction of being the most enduring real estate company in Barbados. The ability to uphold the heritage of the company while embracing the rapid technological changes of the modern twenty-first century society has been one of the underlying reasons for the success of the company. For Further Information UK: Nick Churton: 011 44 20 7467 5333, Nick@MayfairInternationalRealty.com; Barbados: Suzanne Davis: Tel: 246 432-6930. Email suzannedavis@barbadosrealtorslimited.com   14/3/2009- Update on the London Market Peter Wetherell, recognised "Property Guru" of Mayfair comments on the impasse in the residential sales market in Mayfair, London and the positive knock on effect to the rental market. "So far this year, there has only been a couple of handful of sales in residential Mayfair property. In the whole of 2007 there were 33 agents eating off the residential sales market cake. By 2008 the cake had shrunk to 20 agents and now to this year you can count the selling agents on two hands. That is not to say that the market is quiet, viewings are up but new instructions are low. The amount of price reductions compared to the whole market is now 34%. Offers on individual properties are up but the difference as a percentage between buyer and seller is between 15-20%. Vendors are reluctant to sell by taking a low offers from potential purchasers. Buyers who have cash in bank want to invest in bricks and mortar but are still not buying Rental Market has 25% more applicants this year than last and a 15% rise in applicants over £2,000 p.w. Wetherell's view is that investing in bricks and mortar at this point in the financial cycle is a sound investment Prime property still sells for prime prices but in prime locations - Where better than Mayfair? We currently have £36.6M of outstanding offers from 11 buyers which have been rejected by the vendors. Wetherell have £67M of property openly available for sale amounting to 24 properties out of a total market of 123 properties with a total market value of £405.6M. Few of our properties have price reductions due in part to correct initial marketing price and a reluctance of vendors to drop further. Viewings are up over 30% since end of 2008 (December: 71 viewings but 103 viewings in last four weeks). Offers on property are up and the "hot" applicants' purchasing power amounts to £59M." Kind regards. Peter Wetherell www.wetherell.co.uk   13/3/2009- Article From Barbados Business Authority ONE OF THE OLDEST and most respected real estate companies in Barbados, Realtors Limited, instead of being adversely affected by the economic slowdown, is selling property to Americans who before were virtually absent from its portfolio. When BARBADOS BUSINESS AUTHORITY asked chairman Nick Parravicino last Tuesday evening during a cocktail reception at the Polo Ridge, St James, whether Barbados was still able to attract second home investors, he said “Very much so.” At the function, which marked the beginning of a business association between Realtors Limited and London-based Mayfair International Realty, he stressed: “We have not been adversely affected. We do a huge rental business. I look after 100 houses and rent them. And up to the end of February we have had a very good season. “We are down a bit, but not a lot to worry about. A lot of our people are confirming for next year [and] what has been very encouraging to us is we have been selling quite a few properties. In the last couple of weeks we have sold two properties to Americans. That is something that we have not done for a long, long time. “ "We have sold to the English, Italians, Germans. I’ve even sold to some people form Norway recently. But the American market seems to be picking up and the Canadian market is picking up.” Parravicino said Barbados "security” was promoting investor confidence in the destination, while the money of the rich was keeping the market afloat in these troubling financial and economic times. “Those people that are rich will always be rich. There is a downturn, but a lot of it is on a piece of paper. [Let’s say] you had $300 million; it is [maybe] down $150 [million]. You can still enjoy yourself . . . . It was a paper loss." “It was the people who got in on buying on a mortgage who are in trouble,” he said.   13/3/2009- Cora Bett Thomas Realty & Associates Announces Georgia Top Sales Associates for 2008 Savannah, GA — Mayfair International Realty affiliates, Cora Bett Thomas Realty & Associates recently announced the top sales associates for their achievements during 2008 in the Savannah office. “This extraordinary group of agents worked very hard and showed true commitment to real estate during one of the most difficult times of our profession,” said Cora Bett Thomas, founder and CEO of Cora Bett Thomas Realty. “Service, a positive attitude and knowledge of the selling area set these agents apart and their sales speak for themselves.” The 2008 CBTR Georgia Top 10, which recognizes the Savannah offices top ten producers for 2008 at the Savannah office, included the following sales associates (in rank order, starting from 1st): 1. Ruthie Seese 2. Jamie Sumner 3. Melinda Martin Bailey 4. Stephanie Wilson-Evans 5. Peter Nelsen 6. Heather Booth 7. Betty “Ticky” Pinckney 8. Baker Leavitt 9. Alyson Arnold 10. Helen Duffy The 2008 CBTR Georgia Top Commercial Agents included: 1. David Minkovitz 2. Betty Reiter The Lifetime Achiever Award is a new honor this year that was presented to Patricia Bishop. She has been the firm’s Agent of the Year for the past 12 consecutive years. Bishop was recognized for her outstanding sales and leadership in the Savannah office. The 2008 CBTR Georgia Agent of the Year award, which honors the sales associate with the highest overall sales volume, went to Ruthie Seese for her outstanding sales and high level of customer service. “I am so proud of all of these agents,” said Thomas. “They have shown fortitude in this market and come out on top as leaders in this industry along the Georgia coast. I hope that this honor shows them how important they are to our team and continues to inspire others.”   9/3/2009- March Winds - a market comment by Nick Churton, Managing Director of Mayfair Office and Mayfair International Realty March is traditionally the month of high winds: and already there is some wind of change in the market. The recent half a point interest rate reduction presages another record low and is the sixth time that UK borrowing costs have fallen since October, when rates were still five per cent. With its rate-cutting ammunition all but exhausted, the Bank of England may now be left with only one card to play - quantitative easing – better known as printing money. But homeowners have rather enjoyed a licence to print money for over a decade, and although this has stalled now there are signs that new opportunities are opening up again. Yet both lenders and government seem to be out of step with reality – along with some reporters. The recent announcement that Northern Rock will, once again, offer mortgages came as good news. However the caveat that this £14 billion lending spree - to be spread over the next two years - is not targeted at first time buyers, but will primarily serve to provide ‘relatively small loans to unlock chains’, came as a bit of a kick in the teeth to those wanting to climb onto the housing ladder. Surely it makes more sense to unfreeze the market by initially helping first time buyers and getting the market moving from the bottom rather than trying to kick start it in the middle. Nothing ever started in the middle. In line with Gordon Brown’s wish to ban mortgages for one hundred per cent of a property's value, ‘The Rock’ will be lending no more than ninety per cent of value. This seems to be shutting the stable door after the horse has bolted. Few would argue that the one hundred per cent mortgage was always a dangerous policy. But what is galling for most of us is, that having encouraged everyone to borrow, borrow, borrow - whether they could afford it or not - the political and banking classes are now busy lecturing everyone on how irresponsible maximum value mortgages are. To my mind this is institutional hypocrisy as the advice is given without hint of irony, and as if they would or could never dream of suggesting such a stupid course of action. Of course any measure to improve the supply of lending is good. But the aid should be targeted at where it will be most beneficial for everyone. It should also be introduced within a mix of other measures designed to take advantage of the market position we are in. A moratorium on Stamp Duty, key worker mortgages, the reintroduction of local authority housing and imaginative joint ownership schemes could all help to provide new, exciting and affordable homes for many that have been locked out of the market through spiraling prices over the past five years. If this group were helped the rest of the market would surely follow on. If they are not we will only increase our housing problems. On their own the Northern Rock mortgages will not be enough to help the housing market. But it is a start: and perhaps, along with greater activity in the market, a sign that we are entering the first stage of recovery. Our offices are showing clear indications that there is a fresh wind this March and that it is blowing a certain amount of good.   6/3/2009- Google News Alert for: Mayfair International Realty Overseas Property and Investment News - London,UK Last month the director of investment firm Mayfair International Realty, Annette Reeve, said many UK buyers have been considering the upstate New York area. The quote above recently appeared on an article which can be found at http://www.propertyshowrooms.com/usa/property/news/new-york-reports-show-price-falls_147081.html   6/3/2009- BARBADOS' UPSCALE real estate market will ride out the global economic downturn. Published on: 3/6/2009. Managing director of British firm Mayfair International Realty, Nick Churton, and chairman of the 56-year-old Realtors Limited, Nick Parravicino, made the prediction during an interview with the WEEKEND NATION at the latter's Holetown, St James offices on Tuesday. The real estate companies have formed an association that should reap benefits for both of them. Churton and Mayfair International's director, Annette Reeve, are in Barbados to experience first-hand what the country has to offer. Churton said that Barbados' "track record of good governance and a stable economy for a period of time" were determining factors for people interested in buying real estate. Reeve added: "Buyers in Europe are definitely returning to places that they feel are secure. We had a run in Europe in the last probably four or five years where people were saying: 'I'm going to buy in Croatia, I'm going to buy in Bulgaria, I'm going to buy in all these places'. "Unfortunately they've been hit very, very badly and they're not offering that security, so one of the great things about this downturn is that those people who do want to buy real estate are returning to the comfortable, known, safe, and secure places . . . ." Parravicino described the things noted by Churton as the "backbone and stable things in the island". "I'm absolutely sure it will continue; the whole world has been affected. I always say we were the last to get affected. I think we will survive pretty good. Barbados has always been a safe place to buy property. The English have bought property here all their lives. "Though our market has gone down a bit to more realistic prices, I don't think it has dropped 30 per cent. What we may see is 20 to 25 per cent [reduction] . . . ," Parravicino explained. http://www.nationnews.com/news/local/LEAD-real-estate-market-will-do-good-copy-for-web   6/3/2009- Barbadian, British realty firms team up to cover globe REAL ESTATE COMPANY Realtors Limited has joined forces with British firm Mayfair International Realty. Nick Churton, managing director of Mayfair, said what was important nowadays in real estate was to cover a global market rather than a series of independent ones. "It's important that we expose property on the island to as wide a market as we possibly can and that's what this relationship is designed to do," he said. Chairman of the 56-year-old Barbadian company, Nick Parravicino, said he was pleased with the affiliation. "We're very, very happy to be associated with them because they have a terrific reputation not only in England, but they have contacts in America . . . . We need that right now because when things improve, we want to be there to be able to satisfy people's needs as they come along," he said. Churton added that Mayfair represented more than 125 firms in Britain and an increasing number in the United States. "We're into locations like Miami, New York, San Francisco, Lake Tahoe, and throughout Florida," he added.   4/3/2009- Strong interest in Barbados property Following the recent affiliation between Mayfair International Realty and Realtors Limited in Barbados, Nick Churton and Annette Reeve visited this beautiful Caribbean Island where Realtors Limited organised a fabulous launch campaign. Following interviews with the national press and TV on the island, the following article appeared in the Barbados Advocate "UK investors are maintaining their strong interest in the local property market. So says Annette Reeve, International Director of Mayfair International Realty, a British firm which has just struck up an arrangement with Realtors Limited, a long-standing real estate and property development firm in Barbados. She said that in general, the British are returning to the market and one of them is Barbados. “Good comes out of all of these things, and people who got a little burnt going into the newer markets are looking again at Barbados, knowing full well they can get here easily, the flights are going in and out the island, on airlines they know and trust, and a location they feel comfortable about,” Reeve said. “So I think it is a great time for Barbados in this changing market,” she told the media. Nick Churton, managing director of Mayfair International Realty, told the news conference that there are many strong points for the Barbados market. Among these are a stable and attractive economy and exciting real estate – the type of factors that will drive any real estate market, and across many price ranges. ‘The question is getting the message out that this is a great opportunity, a great economy, lovely location and good standard of construction.” Churton said. Reeves remarked that their role is to promote the island in the UK to increase the awareness of the properties and what they can get for their money. “Our role is to access the marketplace in London for rentals. We have a network of over 300 offices in the UK which will be made aware of what Barbados has to offer and such information can be passed on to buyers,” she said. Churton said that the PR has already been done on Barbados and that there is no need to educate people about this country as is the case with other locations. “What is required now is getting the message about a particular real estate. We are particularly well connected with the UK Press,” he said noting that properties in this country will be promoted in such newspapers as the Telegraph and The Times, and the Country Life magazine. Reeve said that one of the excellent advantages the island is that people return to what they know. “Barbados is a place the British has known for a long time. So from the point of view of people coming to the island, it is quite good time for Europeans in general,” she said." See the whole piece at http://www.barbadosadvocate.com/newsitem.asp?more=local&NewsID=2324   27/2/2009- To Florida and beyond Mayfair International Realty was recently quoted in an article on the UK buyers' views on the US Property Market. Favourably the article said: With the recent poll in Jet-to-Let magazine showing that the US is now the third most popular overseas buyer destination - compared to fifth in 2008 - many prospective buyers may consider where might be the best places to buy in the country. In recent times much attention has been focused on California and Florida, with these being not just fashionable, sunny states with lots of tourism, but also among the biggest victims of the tidal wave of foreclosures that has swept through the property sector as a result of the sub-prime crisis. This has led to the possibility of picking up bargains in these states as repossessed homes are sold on cheaply. But Florida has always had plenty of attractions in any case - be these the appeal to second home owners of the climate and lifestyle, or the buy-to-let tourist potential of being near Disneyworld or other visitor attractions. Commenting on patterns of British ownership of US property, director at Mayfair International Realty Annette Reeve said that the sunshine state is undoubtedly the most popular buyer destination. She stated: "I think I'm right in saying that 90 per cent of UK buyers go to Florida and obviously a huge percentage of those go to Orlando." The city, of course, is home to the Disney resort. However, Ms Reeve noted, investors are now starting to look to alternatives elsewhere. She remarked: "Florida is still going to be the number one place, certainly for second home owners, but people are looking at other parts; they are looking at ski resorts and New York. If you can get it right then you can fly in and out of New York for not a huge amount of money and some of the upstate parts of New York are lovely, so that's quite popular." South Carolina locations like Savannah and Charleston are also growing in popularity due to having some "lovely resorts". So for buyers in the US, it may be that now is a good time to look around a bit more. Of course, that may not change the fact that Florida and foreclosures still offers an option. Commenting on the Orlando Foreclosures Expo held earlier this month, organiser Phil Peachey said the event had been a success and that repeating it in June will be a priority, not least as people will now have a better understanding of what it can achieve. He commented: "Real estate industry professionals, people facing foreclosure and investors alike were at the event for different purposes, and they were all able to find answers from the broad range of exhibitors who are experts at what they do." So for those who do buy in the US, Florida may continue to take the lion's share of the trade. But for some, it may just be that the ideal purchase could be found elsewhere. The article can be found at http://news.assetz.co.uk/articles/4659.html   26/2/2009- Obama election has "huge" impact on property buyers The following article recently appeared on Property Showrooms.dot Article Date : Thursday, February 26, 2009       Barack Obama's election as US president brightened the outlook of Britons looking to invest in property in the country, it has been suggested. According to Mayfair International Realty, his election in November of last year has brought hope that the US property market, which has suffered due to the credit crunch, may be rejuvenated. "People … are hopeful that he will make amends to the economy in the US, which will benefit us all in the long run," director of the real estate company Annette Reeve stated, adding that the "Obama effect" on the number of Britons who are looking at buying a home in the US has been "huge". Last week the president took the first steps towards boosting the country's real estate sector by signing a new 75 billion USD (52 billion GBP) plan to reduce the number of foreclosures taking place and give those in negative equity the chance to remortgage so they will not have to lose their homes. See the article at http://www.propertyshowrooms.com/usa/property/news/obama-election-has-huge-impact-property-buyers_144509.html Other articles on the site relating to Mayfair International Realty can be found at http://www.propertyshowrooms.com/tags/11855/annette-reeve.html   24/2/2009- British investors 'shunning risky destinations' A recent comment on the international property news website Property Showrooms quoted Mayfair International Realty and said: Britons are treating the US property market as a secure and strong market in which to invest in property, an expert has stated. Director of Mayfair International Realty Annette Reeve said the perceived weaknesses and insecurities of other markets mean that the US, despite its recent problems, is seen as a better place to invest. She explained: "People are returning to the USA because it [has got] good property and it's a governed country. If you buy a property there, the laws in the US are very strict so you can buy with security." Other countries, however, have provided a number of buyer "horror stories", Ms Reeve noted. She added that the foreclosures market is providing a large supply of cheap properties, while the risk of overpaying for a home is less in the country because there is more information available in the public domain. Last week US president Barack Obama launched a new 75 billion USD (51 billion GBP) initiative aimed at reducing the number of foreclosures in the US. Read the whole piece at http://www.propertyshowrooms.com/usa/property/news/british-investors-shunning-risky-destinations_143542.html   21/2/2009- America the favoured After another recent interview with the UK press about the property market the following article appeared in Assetz, a leading UK on-line magazine for property investors. The article stressed the opportunities offered in North America versus those offered in other markets. "Given that it was in the United States that the sub-prime crisis kicked off - starting the roll of the snowball that has subsequently turned into an economic avalance - it may seem ironic to imagine the country as a place investors in property should favour. Yet according to one expert, the US offers a stability that others do not. Such a view has been expressed by Annette Reeve, director at real estate brokerage Mayfair International Realty, who commented that a number of considerations some might have imagined to be important in the past were not so significant, such as the value of the pound against the dollar. She explained: "When the dollar was two to the pound, everybody in the US thought that meant that everybody would rush to America and buy property. The dollar to pound ratio has never been the great deciding factor that people thought it was. The reason there is increased interest in the US at the moment is because prices are down a lot, there are some really great deals out there and the USA is deemed as a stable climate." To talk of the US as stable may have a ring of irony about it. But, as Ms Reeve explained, other property markets dealing with the shock of the economic downturn have revealed themselves to pose more dangers to investors than the US. She remarked: "You don't need to read too many newspapers to hear horror stories about Spain, Dubai, Bulgaria and all those other places, so people are returning to the USA because it [has got] good property and it's a governed country." Ms Reeve added that Spain is one particular case of a country that suffers by comparison. Foreclosures were also noted by Ms Reeve as a good way to invest, with many bargains to be enjoyed. But this is an area in which those looking to buy may be wise to move swiftly, following the launch of President Obama's new plan to help homeowners. This scheme will see $75 billion (£54 billion) being spent to help banks protect those close to losing their homes and to enable homeowners in negative equity to remortgage on more favourable terms. Put together, these measures are intended to benefit nine million people. Should this help to bring down the number of foreclosures, the opportunities to buy such homes as knock-down prices may diminish. However, if the measure does enable the US housing market to stabilise, it could be good news for investors in the longer run, with a normalised housing market starting to grow again in the future."   20/2/2009- US property investors "looking beyond" Florida I was recently called by Axia, a leading currency exchange company here in London who were looking to write a piece on the North America market. I was delighted to have the opportunity to say what a great time it is to invest in both the US and Canada. The piece has appeared on their blog at http://www.axiafx.com/newsarticle.asp?article=2170 The article read ........ US property investors 'looking beyond' Florida Property investors intending to make a purchase in the US are increasingly "looking beyond" Florida. That is according to the director of Mayfair International Realty, Annette Reeve, who claims that while 90 per cent of foreign investors in the country purchase property in the Sunshine State, some are now looking elsewhere. Specifically, she highlighted locations such as Savannah and Charleston in South Carolina, which are home to some "lovely resorts", alongside New York State. Ms Reeve commented: "Florida is still going to be the number one place, certainly for second homeowners, but people are looking at other parts - they are looking at ski resorts and New York. "You can fly in and out of New York for not a huge amount of money and some of the upstate parts … are lovely, so that's quite popular."   20/2/2009- California Dreaming The Grubb Company, who recently joined Mayfair International Realty, are really going the extra mile in demonstrating their true international marketing reach. A property being marketed in Ireland by UK member Paul Twyneham & Company caught the eye of Unhei Kang, a Realtor with The Grubb Company in Oakland, California and she posted it on her blog. http://www.unheikang.com/2009/02/announcing-mayfair-international.html   20/2/2009- Spreading the word As communication becomes more and more important it's great when our members are able to spread the word about the property world to their clients and communities. Julie Jones of Premier Estate Properties in Fort Lauderdale recently posted a great piece about the London market on her blog - and with a beautiful shot of London in the snow earlier this month. A top producer with Premier Estate Properties for many years Julie originally comes from the UK before she set off to the sunshine and real estate world of South Florida.   7/2/2009- Guide to house swap holidays: Scotia free The following article appeared in the UK's Telegraph newspaper on Saturday February 7th 2009 by Sara Wheeler. It highlights the idea of house swapping as a vacation option in these "credit crunch" days. Having been lucky enough to visit Mayfair International Realty member, Tradewinds Realty, in the summer of 2008 it brought back wonderful memories of this beautiful part of Canada. Sara wrote : "My Canadian husband grew up in Nova Scotia on the Atlantic seaboard; his people had emigrated from Scotland after the Clearances. He had always spoken fondly of the pastoral landscapes of the 1950s where he and his brothers skinny-dipped in cool lakes, and of the drive-in cinema where he claims half the population was conceived. He wanted to take our children, to see if it still existed. So last August we fixed up a house swap in Nova Scotia. As a veteran of three tremendous family home exchanges, I can reveal that these are the only holiday options on the planet with absolutely no hidden costs. The home we picked was on Black Point in Pictou County (pronounced Picto), near New Glasgow and 105 miles from Halifax, the provincial capital. Set in characteristic North Shore dunes overlooking the Northumberland Strait, the back garden decanted on to a two-mile sandy beach. Inside, the house, home like ours to a family of four, was abnormally clean, and typically North American in that everything in it was outsize, from the frightening Maytag washing-machine to the four-berth fridge. But it would be hard to conceive of a lovelier setting. I never saw more than a dozen people on our beach; most of the time it was just us and the bald eagles. There was a bank of reeds where piping plovers nested. The water was warm. Nova Scotians boast that their North Shore is the warmest on the whole east coast because its shallow, sandy bottom stretches to Prince Edward Island rather than toppling off the continental shelf. Our neighbours were few, their houses clapboard or faux-clapboard, some handsome and some not, but all called cottages by my husband (reverting to type the minute he stepped on to the Tarmac) even if 'mansion’ would have been more appropriate. Our children, inordinately proud of their half-Canadian status, rejoiced at the maple leaf flags hoisted in the front yards. The unsavoury practice of flying the national flag outside one’s home is much less common in Canada than in the US; its popularity in the backwoods of Black Point exemplifies the curiously unreconstructed nature of Nova Scotian society. Off the quiet roads, blue spruce and other softwoods rolled inland, trailing a heady scent of gummy resin. It turns out that North Shore Nova Scotians are equally proud of their Scottish heritage. The region has attracted so little immigration that the original settlement patterns remain, as does the ethnic mix; our area, dotted with cavernous Presbyterian churches, was even called the Scottish Coast, and a shop near Alma advertised kilt rentals. When we visited the Hector replica in Pictou harbour, we were gripped to find a Graham (my husband’s surname) on the ship’s list. In 1773, when the Hector set sail from Loch Broom in Ross-shire carrying 33 families, a piper and 25 single men wearing the forbidden tartans, it inaugurated the great Highland migrations. The 11-week voyage was so crowded, the ship so unsanitary and the passengers so seasick that 18 died of smallpox and dysentery before making landfall. Other Canadians perceive the Maritimes – Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island (add Newfoundland and you get Atlantic Canada) – as rustic, attractive and inhabited by seriously weird people. Appearances of the provinces in the national papers are restricted to charming photographs of the red cliffs of PEI and reportage of the 'Cape Breton Man Claims to be Martian’ variety, the latter illustrated with pictures of a spaceship built from lobster claws. Perhaps this will change when Newfoundland brings in its oil from the Grand Banks in seven years. Yet Canadian townies still crowd the fashionable yachty developments of Chester and Lunenburg on the east coast of Nova Scotia (Canada’s ocean­front playground! yell the province’s number­plates). Those parts have been the Hamptons of the north (sort of) since the 1900s, when city folk flocked in to sample the placid water and tie up at Chester’s deep, fogless moorings. The North Shore, on the other hand, is devoid of tourists: we were the only people on our beach, ever, not connected in some way or other to Pictou County. It was 'down home’ with a retro Nova Scotian tang: the ancient schoolbus converted into an ice-cream van in the Wentworth Valley; the annual Chedabucto Mackerel Derby; the local newspaper called the Antigonish Casket. Even at the Atlantic Super­store in New Glasgow, staff at the fruit and veg section wore dungarees and plaid shirts. The 21st century has yet to make an appearance, as have decent restaurants. But who needs what local brochures still quaintly refer to as 'fine dining’ when you can buy scallop and lobster by the bucketload? The difficulty was deciding between one lobster or two. We were lucky with the weather, and needed little to entertain two small boys beyond the kayaks and bikes – four of each – that came with the house. At sunset we drifted with the current in Back Bay, watching ospreys come home, and at night huddled round a beach fire or let off fireworks purchased from the petrol station. We had planned a three-day trip to the south-west, but abandoned it: it was too good where we were. Instead, to break the idyllic monotony, we drove west along the Northumberland Shore to Oak Island and Fox Harbour, where we found vast sand flats (unoccupied even in mid-August), as well as more eagles and a dazzling mare’s-tail sky. When the boys spotted a porcupine on the way home, we tailed it (porcupines never run – they don’t need to. Nothing could survive an encounter with its erect needles). Last thing, we called at the Harbour Store to pick up lobsters for a late supper. The live ones go for Can$10.99 (£6.25) per kilogram. The south coast east of Halifax is the least populated region of the 21,345 square mile province. 'Where are all the people?’ asked 11-year-old Wilf as we headed through luxuriant forest and wide rivers (wide by European standards, at any rate). At Sherbrooke in the logging heartlands of the St Mary’s River watershed, a recreated 19th-century settlement occupied half the village. Normally I hate that kind of thing. But the rest of Sherbrooke was so old-fashioned one barely noticed the difference. The foggy, granite-cliffed shore south of Sherbrooke spooled east towards Cape Breton, fretted with saltwater inlets and wooden piers. We cooked corn over a fire at Lonely Rock near Larry’s River, originally a French settlement named La Rivière – those Scots knew how to put the Frogs in their place. The first Wheeler-Graham house swap unfolded on the Greek island of Lesbos, the northernmost of the Eastern Sporades. For three weeks we exchanged our home with a villa in Thermi, a village surrounded by olive groves 15 minutes’ drive from the capital, Mytilene. It was a traditional stone house with overhanging upper storeys, and the master bedroom and roof terrace overlooked the Aegean and the Turkish coast; at owl light we watched fishing boats bringing home the catch before hurrying down to the harbour taverna to gobble it up. Unlike our Nova Scotian hosts, the owner and his wife, both academics at the university of the Eastern Sporades, had taken a refreshingly casual approach to preparing the house for its new residents. Half the food in the fridge was mouldy. One learnt not to open a cupboard, as one risked being flattened by the lava of junk that foamed forth. All the appliances had quirky features, or didn’t work at all. But who cared, when the beach was a five-minute walk away? By saving so much cash on a house swap, I always reckon that we can afford one good add-on excursion. In Lesbos we took the ferry to Ayvalik in Turkey (a five-mile hop), trawled the waterfront and hired Captain Hussein and his boat for three days. We slept on board, ate fresh sardines cooked on a brazier, bathed in the sea – as Gertrude Stein said, 'Paradise, if you can stand it.’ At Christmas 2007 we took our chances in Morocco. We found a house at Agadir on the Atlantic coast. This one was a different kettle of couscous – urban, smart and serviced daily by a charming maid inevitably called Fatima who spoke not a word of English or French. But we co-opted a neighbour to interpret, and Fatima whipped up excellent tagines to sustain us after a hard day in the souk. All three of our swaps included a car, and this is where one really saves money. In Morocco we had use of a four-wheel-drive. It was swappee Taoufique who recommended a first-class excursion itinerary. We headed south through the dizzying gorges of the Anti-Atlas, finding excellent roads and no traffic, and breaking the journey at Les Amandiers, a kasbah-style hilltop hotel in Tafraoute overlooking the date groves and pink-walled Berber villages nestled in the Ameln valley. The hotel, all high-ceilings and drowsy waiters, was straight out of The Sheltering Sky. Onward to Tata, where we took refuge at Dar Infiane in the heart of the palmeraie, its six glorious rock-hewn rooms looking out on to the Sahara quietly steaming beyond 20,000 date palms. On the third night we fetched up at a tented encampment among the rocky desert excrescences at Akka Naît Sidi gorge, and after the sun went down behind Jbel Banni, the chill fell like a curtain. Part of the fun of a house swap is getting inside someone else’s life; it’s voyeurism, but in a good way. Does she ever wear those furry handcuffs at the bottom of the wardrobe? Why do they keep bin-bags of old newspapers in the basement? Could anyone possibly like that painting? The London-based writer Miranda Seymour was so intrigued to notice that her swappee, a single man from New York, had the same CDs and books as her, that they met up – and later married. Practically, a swap offers opportunities that would not be possible without incurring considerable expense in regular holiday accommodation. Our house, and the three with which we swapped, had more bedrooms than were needed. In Lesbos we had five friends to stay for a week. Our Moroccan swappees hosted Christmas for their Paris-based son in our idiosyncratic terrace house in London (it’s a former butcher’s), and the Nova Scotians took Granny along to show her Bucking­ham Palace. All this happened after consent had been requested and given, by email, in advance. Animals are a trickier issue, but it is surprising how many people post their places on the house-swap website with pets attached. One, predictably in California, came equipped with a cage of snakes. Our Lesbos place advertised two dogs that lived in the large yard. This, I reasoned in advance, would be fun for my two small urban guerrillas (and I had a pair of guinea pigs of my own that needed feeding). Somehow or other, by the time we got there the two dogs had become eight. On our last night in Nova Scotia, we found the Empire Drive-In on the outskirts of New Glasgow. It was the size of several football pitches, with only two other cars. It was showing a double bill of Star Wars and The Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants. You had to tune the car radio to FM 91.5 for the soundtrack. It had a satisfactorily dingy 1950s feel. Yes, my husband concluded, it was just as he remembered. Now our boys had memories too."   28/1/2009- London Calling - an update on the property market in London I'm often asked about the property market here in London and particularly in Mayfair but, as we deal with property from all over the globe, I thought you might appreciate the thoughts of your Mayfair colleague here in the this wonderful part of town. Peter Wetherell, principal broker at high-end brokerage Wetherell in Mount Steet and recently named "Mayfair property guru" by Country Life magazine. has a unique finger on the pulse of this tiny, yet wealthiest, part of London. Peter's Market report for the start of year reads: Luxury goods and the top end of the property market are now feeling the effects of the recession. Mayfair is insulated but not isolated from the effects of wealth depletion. However new registrations of applicants are up for the new year and those with CASH seem to want to balance their portfolios out of bank deposits and into asset based investments such as property – at the right price! Predictions for 2009 Looking back at our predictions over the last 2 years they turned from positive to cautious in March 2008 and to dismal by July when we indicated that it was in our opinion the hardest market since 1973 (secondary banking crisis). The rest as they say is history. Our only prediction for 2009 is that it will be unpredictable! Current Position entering 2009 The current feeling is that there are a few more people looking again and wanting to make their CASH work for them in property. Outstanding bids (turned down offers) £100M Property Instructions for sale £150M Hot Applicant Funds available to buy £250M Perceived 40% off last years prices for oil based $ money Buyers waiting for 2nd Qtr 2009 Rental market good but tenants renegotiating on rents payable Records for 2008 The record sales mostly happened in the 1st H of 2008 £3000 p.s.f. for £30M house sale / £2000 p.s.f. for unmodernised house sale £3,000 p.s.f. + for an unmodernised apartment 2008 verses 2007 2008 was a year of two halves: 1st half very active. 2nd half died slowly in Q3 before falling off a cliff in Q4. Market really tough but for December Wetherell had 100% market share in residential sales in Mayfair. That is the good news, we didn't sell anything in the previous month and the December 100% was just 2 deals! - One at £850K and other at £3.1M. Number of properties sold down 60% Aggregate Value of property sold down 45% Number of agents down 30% Asking Prices down 15-20% Drop in Asset Values 10-15% Market Share of top 3 estate agents increased from 49% to 60% Wetherell market share up 62% (24% to 39% of total value sold)   19/1/2009- Second homes: The sweet life on a stretch of Florida's 'sugar sand' By Larry Olmsted, Special for USA TODAY Unlike densely populated South Florida or theme-park epicenter Orlando, the western panhandle of Florida has no big cities, and trendy nightclubs are few and far between. The region is not exactly sleepy, with plenty of golf courses and resort developments, but for many years it hasn't drawn much attention from second-home buyers beyond nearby Louisiana, Texas and Alabama. Not so any longer. Attracted by some of the best values in Florida (not to mention some of the state's most acclaimed beaches), buyers from all over the USA and Canada are heading to south Walton County. A new international airport scheduled for 2010 may bring them from even farther. The main selling point is sand, so soft and white locals call it "sugar sand." The 26-mile stretch of coastline that constitutes the beaches of south Walton County has 14 towns or communities — including Seaside, the locale for the fictional picture-perfect town in the film The Truman Show. All 26 miles have been certified "Blue Wave Beaches," an environmental seal of approval from the Clean Beaches Council. ARCHIVE: Find more second-home destinations The entire strip is on a narrow peninsula between the Gulf of Mexico and Choctawhatchee Bay. More than 40% of the region is owned by the state and protected from development. There are numerous state parks and preserves, as well as an extensive network of protected sand dunes. All of it is linked by more than 200 miles of bicycle paths and hiking trails. But the landscape is not all nature: The strip has about a dozen golf courses. The 14 communities are each distinct — some gated, some not; some planned, some evolved. The best known are Sandestin, Seaside, WaterSound and WaterColor. Among them, they contain an array of restaurants, art galleries, shops and recreational facilities. Most have a mix of houses, townhouses and condos. Prices also are diverse, from just over $100,000 to several million dollars. "Compared to south or central Florida, we have a huge variety of product with a large number of affordable homes," says Joe Bracciale, director of real estate sales at Sandestin. A look at three south Walton County neighborhoods • WaterColor. This 500-acre mixed resort and residential development (watercolorflorida.com), designed in traditional Southern style, includes a boutique hotel, spa, beach club, marina, shops and restaurants. Residents also have access to a nearby Tom Fazio golf course. Home sites range from $96,000 to $1.5 million and houses from $575,000 to $4.6 million. The master plan calls for 1,140 homes. • Sandestin. This huge development (sandestin.com) contains 30 subcommunities on 2,400 acres with thousands of homes and condos, some in high-rises. It also has four golf courses, a tennis club, spa, marina, 7 miles of beach and coastline, a shopping center, pedestrian retail village, 20 restaurants and several hotels. Condos begin as low as $129,000, and houses run as high as $3 million to $4 million, but "the majority of our residences are in the $250,000-$600,000 range," says Joe Bracciale, director of real estate sales. • Town of WaterSound. A sister property to WaterColor, this development (watersoundbeachclub.com) includes three neighborhoods, all designed in an architectural style inspired by Nantucket. WaterSound Beach is a gated, 256-acre beachfront community with mostly private homes. It has lots from $275,000 and houses from $865,000. WaterSound West Beach is a 62-acre coastal community surrounded by protected land with fewer than 200 home sites. Lots begin at $159,000 and houses at $699,000. WaterSound, on 1,400 acres, has the most residences planned, more than 1,200, and the most amenities, including a golf course and extensive trails. Lots start at $59,000 and houses from $459,000.   19/1/2009- Housing downturn's winners and losers By Aaron Kessler, Sarasota Herald Tribune Published: Monday, January 19, 2009 at 1:00 a.m. As the housing downturn continues, it is becoming abundantly clear that the crisis means a fantastic opportunity for some and potential ruin for others. The most visible extremes: the first-time home buyer and the upside-down homeowner. First-time buyers are likely in a better position to buy a house than ever in recent memory. Low prices combined with rock-bottom interest rates means they can effectively run the table. But the upside-down homeowner -- one owing more on his mortgage than his home is now worth -- has no good options. They cannot afford to sell and, in many cases, cannot afford to stay. The future is bleak, the choices limited and the price they originally paid might never be reached again in their lifetimes. "First-time home buyers are really in a great position," said Sherwin Taradash, an agent with Sarasota-based Michael Saunders & Co. "I think buyers today are very cognizant of what's happening in the market. They know that they can negotiate some pretty good deals." List prices have already fallen a long way from where they were during the boom. In November, the median single-family home in Sarasota-Bradenton sold for $172,700 -- half of what it did in 2005 at the height of the boom. In Charlotte County-North Port, the November median was $97,700. For the first-time home buyer, the real concern is whether a home purchase today turns them into an upside-down owner next month, or next year. All indications are the decline in values could continue for some time. No one can pinpoint the bottom. Nick Churton, managing director of London-based Mayfair International Realty, said the period between the halfway point of a downturn and the bottom could be the prime time of opportunity for buyers, provided they are in it for the long haul. "If you find that dream home today that you've always wanted, it's possible you may take a hit in the short term, but in the long term you're really going to benefit," Churton said. "For a serious buyer who wants a house to live in, to enjoy as a home, there are some great opportunities right now in Florida." When will values rise? A recent analysis of the 100 largest metropolitan areas attempted to tackle the question of whether new home buyers could expect to build equity by 2012. The report, jointly published by the Center for Economic and Policy Research and the National Low Income Housing Coalition, found that in 34 out of 100 markets studied, "new homeowners would likely lose home equity by 2012 if they purchased a modest home." Those markets included major cities like Chicago, Los Angeles, Boston and Seattle, as well as smaller places like Allentown, Pa., and Ogden, Utah. But only one of those 34 predicted "negative" metro areas was in Florida: Miami-Fort Lauderdale. All other Florida cities studied, including Sarasota-Bradenton, were predicted to be in positive territory by 2012. "While many communities have yet to hit bottom and significant price declines must still be reckoned with in many areas, recent price declines mean that many communities are moving back toward the historical track of modest equity increases for home buyers," the report stated. But wanting to buy and being able to in the current environment are two different things. The credit crunch is putting the squeeze on. Local lenders say they do have money available, and interest rates are headed toward levels not seen since the 1950s. But the standards for borrowing are tight. Leslie Swart, a senior mortgage consultant with Blue Skye Lending, said borrowers need to be able to document their income and have a solid credit score. They also must have reserves -- money after the closing still left over in the bank. "They can't use all of their funds just to purchase the house and have nothing left," she said. Swart says first-time buyers in Sarasota-Bradenton have been very active borrowers in recent months. They "realize that for what they're paying in rent, they could actually buy." With interest rates at historic lows, refinancing has also begun taking off again. Homeowners who locked themselves in when rates were between 6 percent and 7 percent, or who originally signed up for an adjustable-rate mortgage, are rushing to lock in 30-year-fixed rates in the 5 percent range. New buyers are able to save tens of thousands of dollars over time, thanks to the lower rates. That means even if they could have saved a little more on the price by waiting, the gains from the lower interest rates more than make up that difference. Underwa ter quandary As good as low interest rates are for new buyers, they do not help upside-down homeowners. Regardless of when the bottom arrives, the appreciation that follows is likely to be slow and steady. For those who bought at bubble prices, the stark fact remains they will never sell their homes for a profit. If the upside-down, or "underwater," homeowner could just refinance, that might help ease the financial strain. But most of the time, they cannot do that, either. Those owners are simply stuck, said Frank Fontanetta, president of Sarasota's Sentinel Mortgage. "The valuation issue is blocking a lot of people from getting them, even though in many cases it would help the lenders as well," he said. To qualify for a refinancing, an appraisal is nearly always required. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, in particular, want to see one, because the law prevents them from refinancing loans to people who hold less than 20 percent equity in their homes. As values have plummeted, those upside-down homeowners no longer qualify, even if their credit is otherwise good and they still have respectable income and assets. Fontanetta argues that Fannie and Freddie should waive the requirement for appraisals in some circumstances. Such a move is not without its critics, but it is not unheard-of. Similar programs are already offered through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development for loans through both the Federal Housing Administration and the Veterans Administration. "HUD offers the ability to do what they call a 'streamlined refinance' without an appraisal," Fontanetta said. "There's no reason Fannie and Freddie shouldn't be doing the same thing." Fannie executives hinted in December they were considering such a move. "Just reducing that monthly payment could really take the pressure off a lot of people," Fontanetta said. "It buys them time to figure things out." Out of the picture For many underwater homeowners, though, the unfortunate end to their struggle is the loss of their home, either through a foreclosure, short sale or deed in lieu of foreclosure. With so many borrowers defaulting, the creditworthiness of huge swaths of the population is being hit. Someone may have a long history of on-time payments and good relationships with creditors, but if they become one of the millions of Americans facing a foreclosure or short sale, their score is almost always ruined, Fontanetta said. "I still might have the ability to pay," he said. "I still might have a good income and good cash flow. But if something like that happened today, all of my 20-plus years of credit go down the tubes." Potential buyers who, down the road, may be needed to keep the housing market functioning properly will be relegated to the sidelines for what could be years. "There's a whole group of people affected today that two or three years from now are not going to be able to buy a home," Fontanetta said. "Are we going to write off all these people for years because they got caught up in this thing?"   10/1/2009- UK Reduces Interest Rates to their lowest level since 1694 Interest rates in the UK have now been cut to 1.5 per cent. The last time they were as low as this was 1694 when the Bank of England was established to manage mounting debts. Nothing changes. In England at that time William III was on the throne – it was the beginning of the William and Mary period. Peter the Great was the Russian Czar. Handel and Bach were young music prodigies, and Isaac Newton was greatly influencing scientific thought. Following the Pilgrim Fathers, British and Dutch settlers were continuing to colonise North America, where two years before 19 women were hung in the Salem Witch Trials in Massachusetts. If history repeats itself it could be 2324 before interest rates are as low again. This rather suggests that now is as good a time as any to take advantage of these rates and enter the UK property market. With prices back to 2003 levels - when there was huge activity in the market - this makes even more sense. As well as the real estate market being more affordable for Britons, another sector is starting to see the attraction of purchasing in the UK. Overseas buyers, largely missing from the UK for many years, are beginning to discover some great investment opportunities. Buyers from the US, France, Italy and other European countries, locked out previously through the strength of the pound, are now taking advantage of the reversal of fortune in exchange rates, coupled with falling real estate prices, and re-entering the UK market. This demonstrates what a great time it is for buying real estate in the UK right now – perhaps the best time since 1694!   9/1/2009- Life, Confidence and the Real Estate Market The start of this fresh year is a good time to reflect on the turbulent months behind us in the real estate market, and to look ahead. It is surprising how similar the US real estate market is to that of many European countries right now. But perhaps this year we ought to think twice about trying to second-guess the future. It is fair to say that we have endured a year of rollercoaster news and extraordinary financial events, with the banking system turning cartwheels and the real estate market suffering one of the harshest periods of trading for over half a century. Many of us in the real estate industry will be relieved that 2008 is over. The media in the US and Europe seems to be full of ‘expert’ opinions about falling real estate values, when the market will turn and how long any period of recovery will take. From newspaper and broadcast journalists to eminent economists, they all have something to say. The trouble is few seem to agree. This is hardly surprising as none of them is a clairvoyant and none has ever encountered this sort of crisis before. So, no matter how expert anyone thinks they are, nobody really knows. With so many people conjecturing different things (and by the law of averages one of them will eventually be right) forecasting appears to be a rather fruitless exercise. But we local real estate experts do know a thing or two. We know what is going on in our particular market place. We know we are still agreeing sales and, whilst it is fair to say that prices need to be realistic, buyers are returning to the fray. There has certainly been an upsurge in activity following dramatic interest rate cuts on both sides of the Atlantic, and we think this will increase with further rate cuts as banks slowly relax their stranglehold on mortgage money. Also, no matter how eroded confidence is across the real estate and financial worlds, people do still leave the family nest, co-habit, get married, give birth, separate, divorce, get new jobs, lose their jobs, win the lottery, hit the jackpot and, sadly, die. Despite low property transaction volumes there is still movement. There always is. So now is the time to look forward, perhaps with just a little more optimism than in recent months. Low interest rates will attract buyers, turmoil in financial markets may just turn investors back to the safety of real estate, money will need to be lent to ensure the banking system begins to move again and, most importantly, life and the real estate market will go on.   4/1/2009- Sharing Nova Scotia with the World The following feature story was written by Amy Spurway for the Nova Scotia "Come to life" initiative. "Come to life" is a public-private sector initiative that markets Nova Scotia as an excellent place in which to live, work, invest, play and visit. Like so many remarkable ideas, the origin of Tim Harris' business can be traced back to the fine Nova Scotia tradition of meeting up with a friend to share a beverage and shoot the breeze. That's essentially how Tradewinds Realty began. After an eight-year stint in the High Arctic working in construction engineering, Harris, broker and president of Tradewinds, found himself back home in Chester on what was supposed to be a ten-day vacation. But when the boss called asking him to return to the Arctic early, he had already realized that he needed to "re-root" himself in Nova Scotia. He told his boss, "No, I'm not going back. I'm home. I'm done." With no concrete contingency plan, Harris decided to act on a suggestion that emerged over a casual conversation and a beer with a friend: He got into real estate. Within three years, Tim Harris was at the helm of his own real estate company. Today, Tradewinds Realty Inc., is home to more than 40 agents in six offices around the province, a seventh scheduled to open in metro Halifax in the late spring of 2009, and sales affiliates in England and Costa Rica. The company generated over $75-million in sales in 2007 and two years earlier, Tradewinds was awarded the prestigious Bentley International Property Award for Best Canadian Real Estate Agency. From the start, Harris was keen on using technology to adapt his business to the challenges of the real estate market provincially, nationally and internationally. The Tradewinds website, SeaNovaScotia.com, separates his company from traditional real estate companies by harnessing the marketing and communications power of the Internet, and working with the notion of 'local knowledge, global reach.' Those looking to buy their own little piece of paradise can view over 700 virtual listings, get answers to any questions they might have about life in Nova Scotia, watch live webcam feeds from a number of picturesque vantage points, and read the down-to-earth, personal profiles of each Tradewinds agent, all online. Tradewinds also successfully strikes that essential balance between freedom and support for its staff. It effortlessly blends modern technology with traditional friendliness for its clients. The agents, have their own unique and sophisticated intranet site, i.Tradewinds.com. It allows them to live and work anywhere in the province, without local office support, while still remaining connected to the company and to their clients. Potential clients can contact agents directly, and each agent is free to let their personal identity shine through. "My salespeople have the reins. They're in control of their own image, and how they brand themselves," Harris happily admits. "And the website does everything for our agents, so they can conduct their business from anywhere." Tradewinds is constantly expanding its reach and drawing more attention to all that Nova Scotia has to offer. "We've expanded because our client base has asked us to." That client base is growing steadily within Nova Scotia, but also abroad. Tradewinds' London office is seeing an increase in business, and Harris notes that the integration into Nova Scotia is seamless for those coming from the United Kingdom. The familiar comfort of Nova Scotia's culture and climate, easily-accessible air travel, and affordable property in a place with one twenty-fifth the population density of England, is quickly making Nova Scotia an appealing option for folks across the pond. As Harris points out, when these international buyers go looking for a new place to call home, "It's not hard to choose Nova Scotia." Harris himself is an example of why living and doing business in Nova Scotia is not a hard choice to make. He lives just two doors away from his office. He is an avid sailor, and despite the 24/7 nature of the real estate business, he makes a point of escaping to the water every chance he gets. In 2003, he entered the Executive MBA program at Saint Mary's University, and graduated two years later. "I was able to earn a world class MBA just an hour from my home, and it helped my business immensely. We're so lucky to have access to that kind of education here," he says. The decision to stay in Nova Scotia, and to pursue a line of work that ultimately helps others make their home here has paid off for everyone involved with Tradewinds. Harris credits Nova Scotia with providing the opportunities he needed to build his company and his life here, and he does not hesitate to express his appreciation, saying, "My people, my education, my business, my success. It’s all Nova Scotia." And through Tradewinds Realty, Tim Harris is sharing Nova Scotia with the world.   22/12/2008- Brits like Florida for second home Real estate price drops, legal stability and the warm climate are draws Brits like Florida for second home Real estate price drops, legal stability and the warm climate are draws By Aaron Kessler. Published: Monday, December 22, 2008 in the Sarasota Herald Tribune Michael Saunders & Co. brought in two executives recently from London-based Mayfair International Realty, which the company affiliates with abroad, to brief its agents on what British buyers are looking for, and how Florida is perceived on the other side of the pond. Nick Churton, managing director for Mayfair, and Annette Reeve, its international director, sat down last week with the Herald-Tribune to share their thoughts on the current situation. Churton said during the last decade British buyers in search of a second home increasingly began considering the United States, and particularly Florida, and that in recent months America has become even more attractive. Spain had largely been "Europe's Florida" for all intents and purposes, with its affordable prices, warmer weather and easy access. Discount airlines sprung up that offered fares from London to Spain for as little as $40 to $50. "You could fly down there for less than it cost to take a train from London out of the country," Churton said. The result was an enormous building boom, with houses and condominium buildings sprouting up in Spain's vacation hotspots. But the overbuilding and the speculation it brought with it, much like Florida, has now resulted in a bust as well -- with prices down an average of 89 percent over the last year in Spain, Churton said. What is more, Reeve, Mayfair's international director, said an alarming trend of land grabs and housing scams in Spain has many British buyers thinking twice about whether the country can protect their purchases. Other trendy destinations such as Bulgaria and the Middle Eastern city of Dubai, have also made some buyers nervous. "If they're going to be investing in a house in another country, they want to be protected," Reeve said. "They want governed places, where they can be confident things will be stable." Recently, then, as the worldwide financial crisis has created even more anxiety about what the future might hold, British buyers have increasingly been looking toward the United States. While America is suffering from its own economic crisis, and the housing market in Florida is continuing to struggle, Reeve said the perception abroad is that the United States is taking aggressive steps to deal with its problems, and that there is little risk of law and order breaking down. "Florida is deemed safe," Reeve said. "You don't have to worry about that kind of thing here. It's not like Spain where your house could be bulldozed." Florida was not always at the forefront of British buyers' minds. But as Churton put it, "real estate purchases follow tourism," and in the last decade, more and more visitors from the UK have been heading to the Sunshine State. 'Great word of mouth' You could say the market primarily breaks down into two categories: regular people, and the very rich. How they discover Sarasota turns out to be a bit different. For the rich, Sarasota is becoming a well-known destination in Britain. Its beaches, welcoming downtown and in particular its vibrant art scene, have made the well-off UK buyer take notice. The stock of luxury properties also helps draw the million-dollar buyers in search of their vacation paradises. "Sarasota has been getting great word of mouth in our luxury circles," Churton said. When it comes to regular folks in Britain, the Florida experience has tended to evolve a little bit differently. Reeve said the bulk of tour companies operating in the UK cater to one destination: Orlando. As a result, most British families looking to go on their first Florida vacation have perceived Walt Disney World as being synonymous with such a trip. But the other iconic image of Florida is the beach, and The Mouse is not on the coast. "They'll get to Orlando, and after a few days at the Magic Kingdom, the kids are tugging at their shirts, saying they want to go to the beach," Reeve said. What happens next can determine which coast the family favors from that point on -- will they become fans of Sarasota or Tampa, or will they instead come to favor the east coast? "The most common thing that happens is they go up to the concierge at the hotel, and just ask how far it is to the nearest beach," Reeve said. "They'll be told, well a couple hours this way and you're on the west coast, and couple the other way and you hit the east. "And what generally happens is they'll wind up choosing the one that's on the same side of Orlando they're already on." So in other words, large numbers of such visitors discover Sarasota almost by accident because they just happen to be staying at a hotel on the west side of Orlando. Once they do come here, however, is not uncommon for them to fall for the place, and continue to return on future vacations -- forgoing Epcot Center and heading straight to Sarasota. Those trips then inevitably lead to thoughts of purchasing a vacation home in the area, and Churton said a fair number have done just that over the years. However, during the Florida housing boom, Sarasota and other parts of the state became so expensive that many such potential buyers were priced out of the market. Now that has all changed. With the median price in Sarasota-Bradenton last month clocking in at $169,000, affordability is back for a large swath of the population. That includes international buyers from Britain and elsewhere. "So what's happened now is there's an incredible opportunity here," Churton said. "For those people who thought they had found their dream house and lusted after it, but just couldn't afford it? "Now they can." Immigration complications For those looking to make purchases in Florida, they are almost exclusively second homes, Churton said. That is partly a function of the market segment, but also because when buying in the United States, many British citizens and other foreigners have no other choice. Because of U.S. immigration policies, they cannot simply pick up and move here -- they have to keep their home in the UK. Churton said there have been some ideas batted recently around about whether that could ever change. The National Association of Realtors, for example, proposed a special immigration status for foreign retirees seeking to spend their golden years in the United States. "It was something along the lines of, instead of a green card, you'd have essentially a 'silver card,' so to speak," he said. "It would be a great idea, if it could ever happen." Churton said it would open up the housing market here in Florida to many in the UK who would love to retire here and buy a house, much like Americans in Ohio or New York have done, but who simply cannot afford to maintain two homes on opposite sides of the Atlantic. For now, those people will look instead at Spain or other places in Europe, where European Union rules allow them to relocate from Britain without a problem. Reeve said the financial crisis has also led to more serious international buyers, and she said this coming season would like see very committed people looking for homes in Florida. "Over the next six months, I think we're going to see a lot more of them," she said. "This season, we won't see tire kickers coming over. The buyers now are almost all very serious about getting something done."   4/11/2008- Savannah College of Art and Design Honors Cora Bett Thomas Cora Bett Thomas, founder and CEO of Cora Bett Thomas Realty & Associates, received the Charles and Marie Pepe Award at the Savannah College of Art and Design Founders’ Day ceremony on Friday, October 17. The Pepe Award, named in honor of SCAD Trustees Charles and Marie Pepe, is given to an individual who has made a significant philanthropic commitment to the college. “I am honored to receive this award,” said Cora Bett Thomas. “It has always been important to me to support the Savannah College of Art and Design. When you see students from all over the world as well as the growth of the college you know that your contributions are making a difference.” Cora Bett Thomas was especially touched to receive this award on SCAD’s 30th Anniversary. “It seems just like yesterday that I met President Wallace and her family and learned of their idea for an art school in Savannah,” said Thomas. “Over the past thirty years SCAD has truly changed the landscape of Savannah, and I am proud to be a part of its legacy.” Thomas’s loyalty and commitment to the school since its beginnings in 1978 was one of the many reasons that she was selected as the recipient of this award. Barry Buxton, Ph.D., Vice President for Special Projects - SCAD, presented Thomas with the award and said, “Nobody has believed in and supported SCAD longer than Cora Bett Thomas. Her enthusiasm is contagious to students, professors, and board members alike.” Thomas ended her acceptance speech saying that the friendships she has made through her work with SCAD have been the most rewarding and that she is looking forward to the next 30 years.   17/10/2008- Mayfair International Realty affiliates receive top awards Congratulations go to two Mayfair International Realty affiliates who have received awards at a top Luxury Real Estate conference recently held in Philadelphia. Amongst awards given, Mayfair affiliates were recognised as experts in their field. Awards given were: Most Innovative Marketing Technique: Waterfront Properties and Club Communities, Jupiter, Florida Best Web Site – Innovation: Chase International (www.chasenation.com), Lake Tahoe, California & Nevada Billionaires Club (Individuals selling more than $1 billion of property): Shari Chase, Chase International, California & Nevada Congratulations to both!   13/10/2008- Michael Saunders of Michael Saunders & Company in Sarasota, Florida addressed the UK's National Association of Estate Agents in London Michael Saunders, founder and president of Michael Saunders & Company, addressed the National Association of Estate Agents at their 2008 International Forum, in London, England. The NAEA is the United Kingdom’s equivalent of the U.S.’s National Association of Realtors. Following her speech, Saunders was interviewed for British television, billed as one of America’s top real estate experts. Invited to address the gathering for her general knowledge of American real estate and property marketing - but especially for her mastery of the art of international property networking - Saunders addressed the forum on the values of focused cross-border brokerage relationships at a time when real estate markets are reeling from the effects of the global housing, credit and financial crisis. The invitation to address the prestigious gathering was extended by Mayfair International Realty with whom Michael Saunders & Company has an exclusive trans-Atlantic brokerage affiliation.   18/9/2008- Houlihan Lawrence Joins Forces with Mayfair International Realty, Expands Global Presence RISMEDIA, Sept. 18, 2008-Houlihan Lawrence, a residential real estate brokerages in the Westchester, Putnam and Dutchess counties of New York, has announced a marketing partnership with Mayfair International Realty, an exclusive luxury brand, promoting and marketing the finest luxury properties throughout Europe. The firm will act as Houlihan Lawrence’s London office and marketing arm, as well as its gateway into Europe with a network of over 350 real estate offices in the UK and Europe. This affiliation will enable Houlihan Lawrence to effectively reach a large global audience. “We are thrilled to announce this new alliance with Mayfair International Realty,” said Chris Meyers, chief operating officer of Houlihan Lawrence. “In response to the growing international interest in our properties, we see an increasing need to provide our services in a global marketplace. Our partnership with this premier London-based agency will enable us to create new business opportunities.” According to the company, Houlihan Lawrence’s affiliation with Mayfair International Realty will strengthen the firm’s position in the New York market by placing their properties at the forefront of an affluent international audience. The firm’s properties will be marketed to European buyers through Mayfair International Realty’s extensive media network and showcased on their highly prominent website. In addition, properties will be listed on the real estate search site of the Telegraph, Britain’s largest daily newspaper, whose website attracts 17 million users, and Country Life, regarded as the leading magazine for luxury real estate in the United Kingdom. “Houlihan Lawrence is one of the pre-eminent brokerage firms in the New York area,” said Nicholas Churton, managing director of Mayfair International Realty. “We are extremely pleased to add Houlihan Lawrence’s remarkable properties to our customer base. International exposure is vital in today’s market and Mayfair International Realty plays an integral role in ensuring that properties being marketed through Houlihan Lawrence reach qualified international buyers.” For more information, visit www.houlihanlawrence.com and www.mayfairinternationalrealty.com.   4/1/2008- A New Year: 2008 Nova Scotia Market Update MARKET REVIEW from our Nova Scotia affiliate,Tim Harris, Tradewinds Realty Inc. The US buyers market: Obviously the the weakness of the US dollar is impacting our Nova Scotia real estate market. Nova Scotia, since the 1920’s, has long been considered a second home destination by thousands US citizens. Many began traveling here by rail and steam boat, however, whether it is now by modern air or road travel our American friends are slowing their pace of purchasing their second (and sometimes third or forth) home in Nova Scotia. All is not lost, as recently as December our web traffic, according to alexa.com, indicated that 55.6% of our web traffic comes from the US, relatively unchanged from 6 months ago. Where we see the difference is actual feet on the ground in Nova Scotia. Our walk-in traffic at our Chester office slowed considerably in the fall of this past year. While sales to US citizens is still happening, the tap is but a trickle of what is was a year ago. One advantage of the slow down has been that the American buyers who do see their way to our province are serious buyers and are not wasting our time, as they have brushed off the concerns of our dollar and are zeroing in on a NS second home, come hell or high water. The emerging buying market from the UK: 22.2% of our web traffic is now from the UK., about double the increase in traffic from just a year ago. Our major investment in Mayfair International Realty is paying off with exposure to the UK market through the Mayfair site, the Daily Telegraph and recently Country Life web sites.   21/12/2007- Tradewinds Realty appear in top UK financial magazine Tradewinds Realty Inc. The Mayfair International Realty affiliate in Nova Scotia, Canada were delighted to be featured in the UK's MoneyWeek magazine. MoneyWeek magazine is read by busy city professionals, fund managers and stockbrokers and offers a round-up of the week's most important financial stories. The property pages offer a themed choice of properties each week and give readers an insight into great properties and investments around the world. Tim Harris, Principal Broker of Tradewinds Realty inc says "This exposure in the UK is fantastic. With over 22% of hits on our website coming from the UK, over double that of 12 months ago, we see a large number of UK buyers seeking homes in our beautiful area. Through Linda Rooney, Chief PR Officer at Mayfair International Realty's headquarters in London, we have had a number of features in the UK press during 2007 and this has only added to our increased presence in the Nova Scotia market. Having our very own, exclusive, London office gives us a unique advantage in our market"   6/12/2007- Michael Saunders announces exclusive alliance with Mayfair International Realty. Michael Saunders of Michael Saunders & Company in Sarasota recently announced her exclusive affiliation with Mayfair International Realty, she said: "We have just linked an exclusive alliance with Mayfair International Realty, an organization headquartered in London that represents 125 real estate brokerages with 350 offices—mainly in the U.K—but with affiliations throughout mainland Europe and the Middle East. Each listing priced from $250,000 is now showcased on Mayfair International’s Web site (Mayfairinternationalrealty.com), which boasts over 1.2 million hits per month and over 600,000 users. In addition Mayfair has uploaded all properties priced over $ 1 million to the Web site for Country Life Magazine, a U.K. institution for over 100 years. A copy is hand-delivered to Queen Elizabeth each week.   5/9/2007- From the on-line diary of Caroline Carrara of EWM of Miami After her visit to the Mayfair International Realty headquarters in London, UK born Caroline Carrara wrote "Well, with their exchange rate of 2 to 1 and our glorious sunshine, they would be fools if they didn’t… Whilst in London last week, I took the opportunity to visit our London affiliate office, Mayfair International Realty. Mayfair International Realty is located in Mayfair, one of London’s ritziest neighborhoods, with an address synonymous with wealth, class and luxury. Not to mention, right smack in the heart of prime shopping between Oxford Street and Bond Street. Mayfair International is the brainchild of Nick Churton assisted by Annette Reeve.  It was established in 1995 and boasts its headquarters in London. Mayfair represents 350 offices of 125 Brokerage Firms across the UK, as well as firms in France, Spain, Italy, Canada, South Africa and United States. Real estate is a totally different ballgame in the UK. The British do not have the MLS. If a customer was to search for a new property, they would have to visit all the different brokerages in town to see their own personal inventory. Alternatively, buyers use the property search sites of newspapers to find listings from many brokerage firms in one place. It is basically their substitute for the MLS.And this is one way Mayfair offers EWM agents and customers great advantages to assist in selling our Floridian properties in the UK and overseas: Mayfair uploads all of EWM’s listings of $250k and up to the property search site of the Telegraph, www.telegraph.co.uk; the UK’s highest circulated quality daily newspaper. Its website has 6 million users and 49 million hits per month. This is a unique benefit to EWM agents and customers, EWM being the only Miami Broker whose properties are uploaded to the telegraph. Mayfair International will also promote all of our EWM listings of over $250k on their United States Website, www.mayfairinternationalrealty.com, and on their highly prominent UK website, www.mayfairoffice.co.uk, which links our listings directly from our EWM site. In addition, Mayfair has established great connections with reputable journalists for editorial P.R. in publications such as the Sunday Times and Financial Times. They are always in search of properties which are unusual, quirky or have some celebrity connection that appeals to the British mentality. If a EWM agent wishes to place an ad directly in an English publication, keep in mind that Mayfair offers EWM agents discounted rates on all national press of up to 48% in those same publications. And the icing on the cake: Mayfair Int’l Realty provides EWM customers with  “Sellers Letters” delivered via Royal Mail directly to the seller informing them of their inclusion into Mayfair Inventory and telling them how their services will help promote their listing. And most importantly, if you are in the area, they will gladly you make you a wonderful cuppa (cup of tea), so don’t forget to pop in and rest your weary feet…Annette and Nick will be happy to meet you!"   26/4/2007- Investabroad Properties - New European Member Mayfair International is proud to announce the addition of Invest Abroad Properties to our growing list of European members. Investabroad Properties 115 Tennant Street Birmingham, EnglandB15 1EY Tel: 0044 (0) 121 248 4911 Fax: 0044 (0) 121 616 1516 Website: http://www.investabroadproperties.com Investabroad Properties is the leading network of UK agents selling overseas property. IAP and its staff are dedicated to providing, through the network members, a service to overseas property purchasers which provides them with : The widest possible choice of property types, prices and locations. A full client care programme including personal inspection tours. A range of rewarding opportunities for investors. A simple process to buy overseas property. Full independent mortgage facilities service. An integrated after sales service. A comprehensive range of additional services. The confidence and reassurance of buying through a well known local firm.   15/2/2007- Mayfair International Realty Making News Again After the Semi Annual Conference, Mayfair International Realty was featured on the ABC Jupiter Evening News. Please click on the following link to view the video in full size: Mayfair in the News Or view the video below:   15/2/2007- Member meeting at Admirals Cove, Jupiter, Florida Broker members, 13 in all, met in intimate surroundings to review the international marketplace, trends in North America, review and evaluate the latest marketing ideas, and network with other luxury brokers. Our outstanding web team reviewed our current products, what's the next big thing on the internet and how we maximise Mayfair's presence on the net. Our initiative with international portals, such as the United Kingdom's Telegraph and Country Life, has created a real competitive edge for the members. The meeting was judged to be among the best ever attended by many of the members. Rosita, marooned by New York City's snow fall, we missed you.   18/1/2007- Mayfair Semi-Annual Conference Mayfair brokers to meet in Jupiter, Florida, 15 February 2007. All member brokers have agreed to attend.   17/1/2007- Telegraph advertorial for Nova scotia The Telegraph pieces are worth £2,208 for Tim Harris and £6,992 for Vladi. The former has replied and I have sent him both copies – he will pass one on!   15/1/2007- Brian A French And Associates Join An Exclusive Global Real Estate Community Leading real estate agency, Brian A French & Associates, has joined with the United Kingdom’s Mayfair International Realty to market properties to UK and US buyers seeking their dream home in Italy. The Mayfair International Realty network is composed of 125 of the finest British estate agents with 350 offices throughout the length and breadth of the United Kingdom. London based Mayfair International Realty is synonymous with quality, integrity, experience and customer satisfaction. On the other side of the Atlantic, Mayfair International Realty acts for a growing number of high-end realtors in Florida, Manhattan and even in Nova Scotia, Canada. Italy has long been the dream destination for many buyers from both the UK and North America and, by joining Mayfair International Realty, Brian A French & Associates will be able to promote their clients’ properties to a truly global audience. “We consider being part of Mayfair International Realty as an essential move to guarantee that our clients’ properties reach the widest possible market,” says Steve Emmett, managing director of Brian French & Associates. “We are now working in a global real estate village. The international real estate investor is a reality. Our aim, working with Mayfair International Realty, is to bring the global investor to our marketplace.” The nationalities of Italian property buyers reads like a world atlas. “We are seeing more buyers than ever before attracted to Tuscany and Umbria from other parts of Europe and the US,” says Steve. Brian A French & Associates has now joined Mayfair International’s global real estate directory and referral network. “The marketing of our clients’ properties will receive a clear benefit from this exposure to a global market,” said Steve. “During the past 34 years my company has gone the extra mile for our clients. I am delighted to say that now, as part of Mayfair International Realty, we are going an extra thousand miles and beyond Europe into the US and other dynamic markets for our valued clients.”   14/1/2007- New York Broker on Mayfair Membership "Mayfair gives us an opportunity to expand our international presence, and gives us a working office in Europe. One of Mayfair’s strengths is its close contacts with the UK press that has resulted in some wonderful coverage for us.” – Kirk Henckels, Stribling & Company, Executive Vice President and Director of Stribling Private Brokerage   10/1/2007- Mayfair International announces data feed to t