Welcome to the Newest Members of Our Team

                                 
    Joseph Kuhl                                              Krystyna Kopec 
"An Asset to the RED Team"                           "Carmel's Rising Star"
 

                               
   Soo Dagnese                                           Monique McKeithan 
"Another Broker with Vision"                          "Finds a Home with KWRP"
 

We are happy to have them as part of our team.

"Another Broker with Vision"

Jerry Orser's extensive managerial experience over thirty years includes ten years with Entergy Nuclear Power. As a planning supervisor where he trained employees on the job, train the trainer and planned for extensive power outages, implemented policies and procedures for Radiation Protection.

Look who's talking about SHIFT

Now there is another great way to share the message of SHIFT - stay informed on what the media is saying about this powerful book, and share it with your team. Did you know that just recently SHIFT appeared in REALTOR® magazine and on Trulia®?

According to Swanepoel TRENDS Report, Keller Williams is ranked #3 in Top 10 Trendsetters for 2008.

Below is the post from Stefan Swanepoel:

TOP 10 TRENDSETTERS FOR 2008

As part of the annual Swanepoel TRENDS Report we also every year include a look back at the year that just passed and list the Top 10 Newsmakers, Top 10 Events and Top 10 Trendsetters for 2008.

This week I am discussing the Trendsetters. Trendsetters are defined as those companies that during 2008 set forth actions that were different and memorable and could potentially have a far reaching impact on the real estate industry in the years to come.

The Top 10 Trendsetters in Real Estate for 2008 are:

1. Brookfield Real Estate Services

The acquisition of a Top 10 national franchise happens but once or twice a decade. So when it does occur it's important news - when it's done by a non-U.S. company it's very big news. The acquisition of GMAC Real Estate by Brookfield Real Estate Services, the holding company of Royal LePage, Canada's largest real estate company, solidifies them as a major real estate player in North America.

2. Cyberhomes

For its dynamic growth and rapid rise during the last year to become one of the strongest new forces in consumer facing websites we recognize Cyberhomes as a newsmaker. After various earlier missteps with FNIS and Dwayne Walker, Fidelity seems to have picked a winning horse in Cyberhomes.

3. Keller Williams

Despite the steep slide in real estate sales and the sharp reduction in the number of real estate agents among most large national real estate franchises, KW apparently bucked the trend in both cases. The company has continued to grow rapidly in size, stature and market share since 2000 as well as during the 2006-2008 housing bubble, to become one of top national real estate franchises in the industry.

4. Fannie Mae & Freddie Mac

These two Government Sponsored Entities (GSE), long considered economic pillars of stability in the real estate industry, shocked the world with their financial collapse and the extent to which their leadership apparently mismanaged funds and their responsibilities. The fact that government intervention was necessary to rescue them from total failure remains shocking.

5. Engel & Völkers

The #1 real estate company in Germany, and according to some reports all of Europe, expanded its real estate shop franchise concept to over 500 offices in 25 countries. It also aggressively expanded into the U.S. by opening shops in Florida, Connecticut and New York and with openings in California scheduled for 2009.

6. National Association of Realtors^®

This institution celebrated its 100^th anniversary in 2008 and as we reflect on all of its accomplishments it is evident that the industry would not be where it is today without the National Association of Realtors^® (NAR). However, what makes NAR newsworthy is not its survival but the announcement of their second century initiatives, which if successful, could significantly reshape the real estate brokerage industry.

7. Casa Latino

Rising rapidly during the last two years, Casa Latino has become the undisputed national leader in the Hispanic market with offices in 14 states as well as 14 countries and territories in South America and the Caribbean.

8. Realogy

There is no doubt that the higher the tree the stronger the wind. The industry leader and mega-brand real estate franchise enjoyed success and expanded during the strong real estate market of 2000-2005. The financial crisis and housing collapse have taken their toll on the company however, resulting in hundreds of offices being closed and almost half a billion in estimated losses in 2008. The company is large enough to survive, yet it carries an enormous debt to be restructured. 2009 might provide the answer.

9. Frontdoor.com

Since the launch of HGTV's frontdoor.com late in 2007, the site has been a true bright spot for the industry. The site has enjoyed significant growth while also offering a large selection of information for the home buying, selling and owning community.

10. Broker Agent News

Coming late to the Online Community world did not stop Broker Agent News. During the latter part of 2008 it not only changed its name from Broker Agent News to Broker Agent Professional, but also launched a new Social Network for real estate agents named Broker Agent Social. Within the first month participation exploded past 5,000

The 2009 Swanepoel TRENDS Report will be published the first week of February. You can still save $50 off the cover price by ordering pre the publication date at www.realestatebooks.org.

Our dynamic annual meeting of agents and brokers is the best-attended company event in real estate. More than 10,000 of our family members gather to learn, socialize and become inspired to accomplish even greater goals. Each year, our associates look forward to sharing in this informative and engaging Keller Williams experience. 

This month not to be cliché is about Thanksgiving. We start by reflecting on the past year and really focusing on what we have to be grateful for. In our line of service there is much to be thankful for, although some may disagree. We certainly should be thankful for the opportunities given to us each and every day, whether we take advantage of them or not is a story for another month.
Our career choice also affords us the flexibility to spend time with loved ones and pursue passions outside of real estate. We should also take solace in the fact that we will have people to share the holidays with and that we will have warmth, shelter and food.
Yes, these are the tip of the iceberg of things we can all be thankful for. Now, we look at the equally important "giving" part of the holiday. Sometimes when our careers take a downturn or are not reaching the heights we have expected we are susceptible to feeling sorry for ourselves and possibly begin to blame circumstance for our perceived misfortunes.
This past year probably more so than ever, our industry has felt the belt tighten and a lot of agents are at a real crossroads, understandably so. I am here to tell you, that no matter how poorly of a year you may have had, you still have something to give. I would think that the majority of us have warmth, shelter, food and people whom care about us. Reality is though, that there are people out there who lack one or more of these, not to mention the capacity to seek for them. We have an opportunity to give, no matter how little we think we have. It can be in the form of money, various donations of coats, canned goods, blankets, etc. However, the one thing and probably the most impactful we could give is our time.
We have no excuse to not lend ourselves to our communities and to the people in them who truly need our assistance. They often have not had the luxuries and opportunities that we enjoy, and that no matter how down of a year we have had, we are often still in a place to lend a helping hand.
Believe me when I tell you, you will get back way more than you put in when you take the time to help those less fortunate, and who of us isn't looking for something to make us feel great.

Happy Thanks - Giving, I look forward to the tremendous impact our real estate professionals will have on our communities this year. Please share any and all of your stories, I would be delighted to share the light with everyone.

By Walter Sadowski

Profit Sharing is a "gift", a simple thank you to the associates that help
us grow our company with like minded, productive associates...

It Is:
• Residual (lasts a lifetime)
• Transferable (to heirs)
• Vested (after three years)

It Allows:
• Actual equity in the company
• Leverage in your business
• Economic freedom

Facts:
• Profit Share Does Not Come From Associate commissions
• Profit Sharing is a means for distributing the wealth and rewarding associates for growing the company.
• The Keller Williams® Realty Profit Share System was designed to reward its associates for building the company.
• The program allows any Keller Williams® Realty associate, affiliate broker, or employee the opportunity to participate in the profits they help generate without assuming any financial risks.

Contributed by Lou Cardillo