SHAUFELBERGER EARNS COLDWELL BANKER PREVIEWS INTERNATIONAL PROPERTY SPECIALIST DESIGNATION

Program Certifies Coldwell Banker Sales Associates To Work With Luxury Properties

Savannah, Georgia - Jeff Shaufelberger, of Coldwell Banker Platinum Partners has earned the Coldwell Banker Previews International Property Specialist designation, according to Connie Farmer Ray, CEO & President of Coldwell Banker Platinum Partners.  To date, only eight percent of more than 97,000 Coldwell Banker sales associates have been awarded this designation.

Coldwell Banker Previews International is a comprehensive marketing effort designed specifically for marketing luxury residential properties to affluent buyers worldwide. Through the success of this initiative, Coldwell Banker Previews International is a world leader in the marketing of luxury homes.

"In addition to a demanding performance criteria based on successfully selling luxury properties, Jeff had to complete a prescribed certification course to earn the Previews Property Specialist designation," said Ray. "The course covers topics such as developing detailed market analysis for sellers of luxury homes and how to make use of Previews resources to implement specialized marketing plans that will expose exceptional properties to affluent buyers on a worldwide basis."

Shaufelberger, who is a Savannah native, has been affiliated with Coldwell Banker Platinum Partners for over 12 years.  He is an award-winning Sales Associate who has earned many honors, including Circle of Excellence and Top Producer consistently for many years.  Jeff has been an active member of the Savannah Board of Realtors® and Distinguished Sales Society for over 13 years.  Jeff is also is involved in several local non-profit organizations and donates his time to volunteer programs.   To learn more about Jeff Shaufelberger, please contact him via Jeffrey.shaufelberger@coldwellbanker.com or at 912.660.8334.

Coldwell Banker Platinum Partners, established in 1995, is a full-service real estate firm with office locations spanning from Beaufort, South Carolina, through the greater Savannah area to St. Simons Island, Georgia.  In addition to listing and selling residential real estate, Coldwell Banker Platinum Partners' other divisions include commercial real estate, property management, relocation services, new homes, a real estate school, mortgage lending and a publishing/media division. The  company's corporate offices are located at 6349 Abercorn St.,  Savannah, Georgia. For more information visit their Web site at www.MyCbpp.com.

COLDWELL BANKER PLATINUM PARTNERS INSPIRED BY NEW STRATEGIES AND NETWORKING AT COLDWELL BANKER GEN BLUE CONFERENCES

Coldwell Banker Platinum Partners Team members attended 2014 Coldwell Banker ® Brand Gen Blue Events, one in Hollywood, California, and the other in Orlando, Florida.   The annual event brought together hundreds of Coldwell Banker members not only from the United States, but internationally, for an intensive event that included celebrity speakers as well as an agenda of interactive workshops, roundtable discussions, and executive presentations.  “I attended the Gen Blue Orlando and the Previews class in Orlando and really enjoyed Craig Hogan … he did a tremendous job!”, says Janet Miller, Coldwell Banker Platinum Partners REALTOR.

The Generation Blue Experience began in 2011 in New Orleans when Coldwell Banker redefined its former International Business Conference. The thrills, unexpected moments and world-class learning opportunities included numerous highlights and features.  This year’s event speakers included some names like:  Jane Lynch, George Dennehy, DJ Mary Mac, Tom Ferry, Matthew Ferrara, Zan Monroe, Budge Husky - Coldwell Banker President and CEO, Mike Fischer – Coldwell Banker COO, Sean Blankenship - Coldwell Banker SVP of Marketing, and many more.

Topics included talent attraction, customer experience, technological innovations, brand culture, business strategy, online reputation and of course, some really great educational accounts! “Gen Blue learning sessions are not about the practice of selling real estate – they’re about the practice of running a better business!”, said Connie Farmer Ray, CEO and President of Coldwell Banker Platinum Partners.  “The last few years have been interesting ones for those of us in real estate,” she continues.  “Despite the economic challenges Coldwell Banker has remained a strong network and together we have shifted with the market, adjusted with the consumer’s needs and revolutionized the real estate industry.”

Spotting Celebrities in Hollywood!

We proudly share the following agents who attended the Gen Blue events:  Paul Armitage, Annette Bryant, Jenny Hearn, Kim Kersey, Thomas Kersey, Robert Kozlowski, Sarah McCoy, Janet Miller, Laurie Morella, Sherwin Prescott, Connie Farmer Ray, Kelli Weis, and Tom Woiwode.  Find out more about Coldwell Banker Platinum Partners at www.MyCbpp.com.

About Coldwell Banker Platinum Partners

Coldwell Banker Platinum Partners, established in 1995, is a full-service real estate firm with office locations spanning from Beaufort, South Carolina, through the greater Savannah area to St. Simons Island, Georgia. In addition to listing and selling residential real estate, Coldwell Banker Platinum Partners’ other divisions include commercial real estate, property management, relocation services, new homes, a real estate school, mortgage lending and a publishing/media division. The company’s corporate offices are located at 6349 Abercorn St., Savannah, Georgia. For more information visit their Web site at www.MyCbpp.com.

Why Replace It When You Can Paint It :: Featured Agent Ruth Ragland

Why Replace It When You Can Paint It
By John Voket

I recently became acquainted with Lisa Kaplan Gordon, a builder of luxury homes in McLean, VA. She has published a wonderful guide to help evaluate whether homeowners can refresh certain areas or furnishings with a new coat of paint.

In this first of several segments, we'll look at a couple of unconventional areas where a few cans of paint can save consumers hundreds if their alternative is replacing the item.

First, let's consider appliances.

Gordon says use indoor appliance paint to change colors, or a liquid stainless steel application to give your appliance a stainless steel look. Use a roller for small touch-ups; and two or three thin coats of spray paint for total appliance coverage.

To prep:

Feature Agent - Ruth Ragland
Coldwell Banker Platinum Partners
(843) 271-1367

1. Clean appliance exteriors with a heavy-duty cleaning solution and, if needed, a scrubbing pad.

2. Remove handles and hardware; place painters tape over trim and logos.

3. Sand the exterior.

Then:

Be sure the front of your appliance is metal, not plastic. Plastic exteriors will require priming.

If spray-painting, haul the appliance outdoors to avoid getting paint on cabinets and floors.

If painting indoors, open windows to promote ventilation.

For the stainless look, apply Liquid Stainless Steel with a brush.

Gordon also loves the idea of covering stains and reviving carpets with upholstery paint. Her source, Kathie Smula of Spray It New upholstery paint says carpets with a short pile are the best candidates for painting; unfortunately, long-pile carpets become hard and matted when painted.

To prep:

1. Thoroughly clean the carpet. You don’t have to steam clean, but scrub the worst stains and vacuum so dirt doesn’t mix with paint.

2. Skip priming and just spray paint two or three coats, depending on how deep you want the color. Make sure it’s dry to the touch before spraying another coat.

Then:

Don’t confuse upholstery paint for carpets, with fabric paint, which is good for T-shirts.

If you get paint clumps, loosen the area with a bristle brush and dab up excess paint.

Six cans of spray paint will cover an 8-foot-by-10-foot carpet with at least two coats.

In future segments we'll touch base with Gordon on other ways to touch-up with paint versus replacing!

Reprinted with permission from RISMedia. ©2014. All rights reserved.

Susan Dailey Joins Coldwell Banker Platinum Partners’ Sales Team in Savannah

Coldwell Banker Platinum Partners is pleased to announce the addition of Susan Dailey to their team of REALTORS. Dailey brings more than 25 years experience in sales and marketing and is excited to combine these two skills to aggressively work for her clients to get their homes on the market quickly and sold for top dollar!

Using the latest technology, video and social media tools with the national brand of Coldwell Banker behind her, Dailey will look to reach customers even before they move to Savannah or the local area. Coldwell Banker is one of the primary members of the CARTUS® Broker Network, the leader in relocation services worldwide. “As a native of Savannah I am excited to share my knowledge of the area to help those moving here make the transition seamlessly and successfully.” 

Susan Dailey
Coldwell Banker Platinum Partners
Savannah Area

Her prior experience as owner of Dailey Marketing Solutions, gave her an opportunity to work with some of the area’s local real estate agents and brokerage firms for both residential and commercial real estate services to help position and build their brand with public relations, advertising and web marketing.
In addition to listing and selling real estate, Dailey will be also be assisting with development of a new website. This new comprehensive site will provide sales listings for all five of their market areas including Savannah, West Chatham, Brunswick, Beaufort/Hilton Head and Vidalia. This online source will also offer both buyers and sellers valuable information about the communities Coldwell Banker Platinum Partners serves including city, county and school resources so that buyers can find the home that best serves their family’s needs.

“My Background is in sales and marketing, but I have a passion for helping people. I love combining these two to create aggressive marketing campaigns to sell homes quickly, and I work tirelessly with buyers to help them find the home of their dreams.”

Dailey is a member of the Savannah Area Board of Realtors,  Georgia Association of Realtors, National Association of Realtors, and a Graduate of Georgia Southern University with BBA in Marketing. She has stayed involved in the community by volunteering in a variety of organizations including Friends of Massie, Memorial Health Foundation, Junior League, Hancock Day School, Dutch Island Homeowners Association and others.  “I pride myself on exceeding expectations for both buyers and sellers, and look forward to putting the tools, reputation and training of Coldwell Banker Platinum Partners to work for my clients!”

Susan Dailey may be reached at (912) 441-6397 or go to coldwellbanker.com/susandailey

Coldwell Banker Platinum Partners, established in 1995, is a full-service real estate firm with more than 100 sales agents strategically dispersed among its office locations stretching from Beaufort, South Carolina, through the greater Savannah area to St. Simons Island, Georgia. The company was founded by Connie Farmer Ray, president and CEO of Coldwell Banker Platinum Partners. In addition to listing and selling residential real estate, Coldwell Banker Platinum Partners’ other divisions include commercial real estate, property management, relocation services and a publishing/media division. The company’s corporate offices are located at 6349 Abercorn St., Savannah, Georgia. For more information visit their Web site at www.MyCbpp.com or call 800.505.8111.

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Q: When Is the Best Time to Refinance? :: Featured Agent -- Don Varnadoe

Q: When Is the Best Time to Refinance?
A: Many people flock to refinance while mortgage interest rates are low, particularly when rates are about two percentage points below their existing home loans.

Don Varnadoe
(912) 222-2969

Other factors, like when to finance, will depend on how long you plan to hold on to your home and whether you have to pay considerable fees to refinance. It also will depend on how far along you are in paying off your current mortgage. 

If you expect to sell your home relatively soon, you are not likely to recoup the costs you incurred to refinance. And if you are more than halfway through paying your current mortgage, you probably will gain little by refinancing. However, if you are going to own your home for at least another five years, that is probably long enough to recoup any refinancing costs and realize real savings as a result of lowering your monthly payment.

In fact, if it costs you nothing to refinance, you can gain even more. Many lenders will let you roll the costs of the refinancing into the new note and still reduce the amount of the monthly payment. Plus, there are no-cost refinancing deals available.

Contact your lender, and its competitors, before you refinance.

Reprinted with permission from RISMedia. ©2014. All rights reserved.

Harness the Beauty of Fall and Winter to Get Your Home Sold::Featured Agent Lynne Davis

Harness the Beauty of Fall and Winter to Get Your Home Sold

Featured Agent:
Lynne Davis
(843) 263-5746

By Keith Loria

Conventional wisdom says that spring and summer are the best seasons for selling a home since people typically want to be moved and settled into their new space so that they can enjoy the summer months. However, for anyone looking to sell their home, it’s important to remember that sales don’t come to a standstill during the colder seasons. In fact, there are plenty of people looking to buy in the fall, including first-time buyers, people relocating for a job and even empty nesters.

This offers a unique opportunity for sellers to help their homes stand out. For the fall, this means raking leaves, with a focus on keeping them off driveways and walkways. And don’t neglect your lawn just because it’s fall. Grass grows in the fall, so take the time to keep your lawn well-manicured.

It’s also important to use the weather to your advantage. If it’s a nice day, open the windows to let the fresh air in, so long as the air doesn’t make your house too cold. Also, open curtains and blinds to let in the sunshine and the picturesque fall foliage.

In addition, make sure your heating system is in excellent working condition. If it’s cold outside, you want the inside of your home to be warm in order to create a cozy, welcoming feeling. Keeping the heat on and being able to say the system works well can be a huge selling point.

If you’re listing your home this fall, don’t be afraid to get in the holiday spirit. But don’t overdo it. The addition of a few subtle Halloween and Thanksgiving decorations can have guests envisioning themselves spending the holidays in your home. Consider decorating with subtle fall pumpkins of various colors and sizes.

You may also want to add a special touch by baking. The smell of a warm pie during the fall, or even cookies throughout the holiday season, go a long way toward creating a nice, homey touch. Just make sure your kitchen is perfectly cleaned and organized; don’t put yourself in a situation where you’re baking or cleaning while people visit.

If you’re thinking of selling during the winter, be sure the photos of your house used in listings were taken in the spring or summer. The last thing you want is for online real estate sites to showcase your house covered in snow and ice.

And last but not least, maintaining your home is key. During the fall season, make sure there are no leaves or wet shoes in the hallway or foyer. As winter approaches, be cognizant of keeping the entrance dry and free of snow boots.

A house can sell at any time, during any season, so stay positive and use the beauty of fall and winter to your advantage.

For more information about selling your home this fall or winter, contact our office today.

Reprinted with permission from RISMedia. ©2014. All rights reserved.

HEARN EARNS COLDWELL BANKER PREVIEWS INTERNATIONAL PROPERTY SPECIALIST DESIGNATION

Program Certifies Coldwell Banker Sales Associates To Work With Luxury Properties 

Jenny Hearn
Previews Specialist

Savannah, Georgia – Jenny Hearn, of Coldwell Banker  Platinum Partners has earned the Coldwell Banker Previews International Property Specialist designation, according to Connie Farmer Ray, CEO & President of Coldwell Banker Platinum Partners.  To date, only eight percent of more than 97,000 Coldwell Banker sales associates have been awarded this designation.

Coldwell Banker Previews International is a comprehensive marketing effort designed specifically for marketing luxury residential properties to affluent buyers worldwide. Through the success of this initiative, Coldwell Banker Previews International is a world leader in the marketing of luxury homes.

       

“In addition to a demanding performance criteria based on successfully selling luxury properties, Jenny had to complete a prescribed certification course to earn the Previews Property Specialist designation,” said Ray. “The course covers topics such as developing detailed market analysis for sellers of luxury homes and how to make use of Previews resources to implement specialized marketing plans that will expose exceptional properties to affluent buyers on a worldwide basis.”

Hearn has been affiliated with Coldwell Banker Platinum Partners for 9 years.  She is an award-winning Sales Associate who has earned many honors, including Circle of Excellence and Top Produce and Million Dollar Producer with SABOR, she has also earned her GRI & CSP Designations.  A native and resident of  Savannah, Jenny  is a Certified New Homes Sales Professional, a Board Member on Chatham County Board of Equalization, a member of the National Association of REALTORS, Georgia Association of REALTORS and Savannah Board of REALTORS.

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Coldwell Banker Platinum Partners, established in 1995, is a full-service real estate firm with office locations spanning from Beaufort, South Carolina, through the greater Savannah area to St. Simons Island, Georgia. In addition to listing and selling residential real estate, Coldwell Banker Platinum Partners’ other divisions include commercial real estate, property management, relocation services, new homes, a real estate school, mortgage lending and a publishing/media division. The company’s corporate offices are located at 6349 Abercorn St., Savannah, Georgia. For more information visit their Web site at www.MyCbpp.com.