From: Subject: THE COUNTY -REALTORS- STEPS FORWARD Date: Wed, 22 Apr 2009 13:27:18 -0500 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Content-Location: mhtml:file://C:\Documents and Settings\HP_Administrator\Local Settings\Temporary Internet Files\Content.MSO\WordWebPagePreview\11E4ADD1.mht X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V6.00.2900.5579 THE COUNTY = -REALTORS- STEPS FORWARD

THE COUNTY -REALTORS- STEPS=20 FORWARD

 

      There are times when a busi­ness needs to = take a=20 step-forward. Now is such a time in Real Estate. For the last 20 years, = Fred=20 McDonald has been a member of the Champaign County Association of=20 REALTORS=AE=20 (CCAR) and their Multiple Listing Service (MLS), an association for = which he=20 serves as President Elect.  = CCAR=20 covers Champaign, Douglas, and = Piatt = Counties.  In 1993, McDonald brought the = CCAR MLS=20 to a Douglas county office for the first time when, after four years in = a=20 Champaign office, he opened THE = COUNTY=20 -REALTORS- office in Tuscola. As a means of continuing his original = business=20 plan to =93Access More Buyers and Sellers=94, McDonald has now joined a = second MLS=20 (Central Illinois) which covers 11 counties; Christian, Clark, Coles, = Crawford,=20 Cumberland, Douglas, Edgar, Effingham, Jasper, Moultrie, and Shelby=20 Counties.

      Within = Douglas = County there is significant = activ­ity=20 by the Central Illinois MLS.  Of all=20 the MLS listings within Douglas County, 28% are in the Central = Illinois=20 MLS and 72% are in the Champaign MLS, as of this printing.  For buyers, McDonald now has quick and = complete access=20 to not just 28% or 72% of county listings, but to 100%.  Our clients can now view = residential,=20 commercial, and land listings in both MLS systems by going to THE COUNTY = -REALTORS- web site:  www.THECOUNTY-REALTORS.com. = This is a=20 unique service which no one else offers in this = area.

      For=20 sell­ers, each listing with THE COUNTY -REALTORS- is now = submitted to=20 150 offices and 725 REALTORS=AE.=20 =93You never know the location from which a buyer will come=94, McDonald = said, =93but=20 THE COUNTY -REALTORS- has you covered in all directions=94.  When Iron Horse Subdivision = started, the=20 question on people=92s minds was, =93Will buyers come from Champaign or = will there be=20 a move-up by Tuscola residents?=94 =20 Both of those buyers made purchases, but what was not anticipated = were=20 the number of buyers from other small towns.  A growing trend is couples = wanting to=20 locate in Douglas = County because it is between Champaign and=20 Mattoon/Charleston.  This = situation=20 is commonly brought about by career jobs and university schooling.  As an example, recently a = young=20 professional couple with roots in Newton was=20 drawn to Douglas=20 County because = the husband=20 works at Sarah Bush and the wife works at Carle Clinic.  Small town buyers are = continuing to=20 relocate.

      There = is a=20 history of McDonald making moves to enhance the market impact of The = COUNTY=20 -REALTORS-.  After working = in a=20 Champaign real estate office for four years and concentrating on the = Tuscola and=20 Douglas=20 County markets, = he made the=20 move to Tuscola by starting his own company.  =93The franchise company in = Champaign did=20 a good job in the Champaign market, but the business plan needed to be = modified=20 in order to best serve clients outside of Champaign/Urbana=94, McDonald=20 explained.  That move = brought a=20 Champaign County MLS office to Douglas County for the first=20 time.

      Then, = with a=20 slight market decline in 1997-98, McDonald acquired the local Century=20 21=AE office, and soon after moved The COUNTY = -REALTORS- office=20 to its present US 36 and Court Street location.  Another significant change = McDonald=20 arranged during that time was within CCAR. =20 Douglas=20 County=92s = classification was=20 changed from =93Out-of-Area=94 to =93South Region=94.  =93Champaign agents and their = buyers often=20 missed Douglas County listings, because they were grouped with listings = from=20 throughout the state as =91Out-of Area=92, now Douglas County listings = are grouped=20 along with Pesotum, Philo and Tolono as =91South Region=92=94, McDonald=20 explained.  These are = examples of=20 timely business improvements.

      Not = only do you=20 never know from where the buyer will come, but you never know what=20 REALTOR=AE=20 they may choose to use.  = Joining a=20 second MLS system is a way of reaching-out to hundreds more=20 REALTORS=AE=20 and providing them with easy and convenient access to McDonald=92s = listings in=20 Douglas=20 County.  When you want to Access More = Buyers and=20 Sellers contact THE COUNTY=20 -REALTORS-.