We are excited to announce that, for every new agent that joins the company in Illinois between Feb 1 and Mar 31, 2012 as a result of being referred by a CRR agent, that referring agent will receive one chance in a drawing for a new iPad2. This is in addition to the $75.00 appreciation gift we will also send to the referring agent. The drawing will be held the first part of April 2012.

Please click here to see the video announcement

Check out this article from DSNews.

http://goo.gl/EwoR8

Click on name to see Charles Rutenberg Realty Credentials

Looking for proficiency exam locations?
IAR has more than 60 exam locations located around the state and space will get limited after March 1. The best advice? Take your exam as soon as possible!

Want a quick (and cost-effective) route to get your transition and CE?
Take the “IAR 30-Hour Transition Home Study” course (Item #625) available from the IAR REALTOR® Store – look under store category “Pre-License.” The cost is $165. Once you have successfully completed the 30-hour course, there are no other continuing education hours required to renew your license. You also earn credit for GRI Course 1. This option is particularly good for members who are licensed as a salesperson and who have not taken any CE yet this year.

IAR Transition Help Line
The IAR Transition Help Line is available 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday. E-mail questions@IARlicenselaw.org or call 877-538-5861. Due to the high volume of calls to the help line, you may have to leave a voice message. You can also find transition information at IARlicenselaw.org.

Charles Rutenberg Realty in Illinois found December 2011 sale transactions were up 16.9% over November 2011 and an impressive 56.5% over December 2010. While the number of transactions increased, average sale prices fell. The average sale price for all transactions in 2011 was 7.5% lower than the average sale price for all transactions in 2010.

Sure Win CE provides simple inexpensive solutions for your Illinois real estate education needs. Whether education for the current real estate professional or professional education to get your real estate license, we are here for you. Contact Sure Win CE for all the details regarding licensing in Illinois along with the education courses to move forward. If you have questions, need help ordering or would like to pay by check call them at 888-844-7515.

http://www.surece.com/

by KERRI PANCHUK Tuesday, January 10th, 2012, 8:05 am

Home values in the United States in November remained flat with the prior month but declined 4.6% from last year, according to the latest real estate markets report fromZillow Inc.

The company’s home value index, which measures prices across the nation, shows the average home price was $147,800 in November, the same level recorded in 2003.

Of the 165 housing markets tracked by Zillow, 60% noted appreciating or flat home values in November, including Los Angeles, Washington, Miami-Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., San Francisco and Detroit.

Zillow said foreclosure liquidations rates are down sharply in the wake of the robo-signing controversy last year, which slowed foreclosure processing overall.

In November, slightly more than eight of every 10,000 homes in the country were foreclosed upon. That is down from October 2010 when 11 of every 10,000 residential properties faced a similar fate. Zillow’s numbers are based on completed foreclosures.

Zillow said the number of foreclosures could rise again if attorneys general reach a settlement with financial firms, giving banks more certainty over the foreclosure process.

“Overall, we are seeing encouraging signs in housing data such as sequential months of slowing depreciation rates, stabilizing markets and organic improvement in value trends, largely in the absence of government policy intervention,” said Stan Humphries, Zillow chief economist.

“However, we’re not out of the woods yet,” he said. “Supply and demand are still not in balance in many markets and we do expect higher foreclosure liquidation rates near-term, which will put additional downward pressure on home values.”

NAR released its pending home sales index figure last week, and for the second month in a row, the index is up. What’s more, the index has broken 100. That’s significant because the only other time the index has hit 100 in recent years is when the home buyer tax credit was available. “It is the natural, organic power of great affordability conditions and job creation that is bringing the index level up,” says NAR Chief Economist Lawrence Yun. “This is a very encouraging sign.”
Hear more from Lawrence Yun on trends in housing data and sales  Click Here