Press Releases

For Real Estate Agents in Canada, Luxury Home Training Is Just a Click Away

For luxury real estate agents looking to market their services to high-end home buyers and sellers, The Institute for Luxury Home Marketing (ILHM) today launched a Canadian version of its popular online training leading to the Certified Luxury Home Marketing Specialist designation.  

The 16-hour program is based upon the highly effective live training which has been available in both the United States and Canada since 2003.  Through the training, Canadian agents will:

• Have access to specific information about Canada’s wealthy – who they are, how to find them, and how to become their real estate professionals of choice.
• Better understand the competencies and service required in the Canadian upper-tier housing market.
• Meet the training requirement for earning the Certified Luxury Home Marketing Specialist designation. 

“The demand for luxury home training from Canadian agents has grown tremendously and is a natural evolution as the Institute for Luxury Home Marketing continues to expand throughout North America,” said Waco Moore, president of the Dallas-based training and membership organization. 

“The Institute’s relationship with the two largest real estate companies in Canada -- Royal LePage and RE/MAX of Canada -- has helped us create training that addresses the market differences and the special expectations and demands of affluent Canadian home buyers and sellers,” Moore said.
The updated Canadian curriculum is full of up-to-the-minute real estate data, statistics, insight, and marketing strategies and was tested with real estate agents in a live class this summer in Vancouver, before rolling it out online.  

Completion of either live or online training results in membership in The Institute for Luxury Home Marketing and fulfills the educational requirements for earning the Certified Luxury Home Marketing Specialist (CLHMS) designation.  Agents must also meet stringent sales performance requirements to earn the designation.

“At Royal LePage, we are excited to have this training available to our agents who work with or wish to target the luxury residential market,” said Trea MacPherson, Manager, Learning Services at Royal LePage Real Estate Services.

“Luxury is a special niche that requires a strong understanding of the affluent consumers’ attitudes and expectations, a niche which demands quality service.  The new Canadian-specific training will help our Royal LePage professionals differentiate themselves as better able to meet the needs of very successful buyers and sellers,” MacPherson concluded. 

Information on both the U.S. and Canadian versions of the luxury residential marketing training is available online or by calling (214) 485-3000. 

CLHMS designation is now the official luxury home designation for Nextage Realty’s prestigious Nextage Luxe Collection™

Nextage Realty International, LLC, an innovative new residential real estate franchise brand, has announced a new relationship with the Institute for Luxury Home Marketing (ILHM).  Under the new agreement, the Institute’s Certified Luxury Home Marketing Specialist (CLHMS) designation will be the official luxury home designation for Nextage Realty’s prestigious Nextage Luxe Collection ™ program.  The Institute for Luxury Home Marketing is the largest training and research organization serving luxury real estate sales professionals internationally.

Nextage Realty real estate professionals who participate in the Nextage Luxe Collection™ will be asked to take ILHM’S luxury training course which is the first step toward earning the Institute’s CLHMS designation and results in ILHM membership.  Training is offered in live courses scheduled across the US and Canada and is offered online.“We are pleased to be able to offer the luxury home training and the CLHMS designation to our associates who work in the luxury market,” said Dot Hudgens, VP of Performance for Nextage Realty International, LLC.  “We understand that the affluent have special needs and high service expectations.  The Institute’s training will help our Nextage Luxe Collection™ agents deliver top-notch services to luxury buyers and sellers and in so doing, will maximize their own success.”

“Nextage Realty is an exciting new real estate brand and we are pleased to help their agents build their competencies in the luxury home market,” said Institute Founder Laurie Moore-Moore.

The ILHM training includes information on luxury residential trends and the demographics of luxury buyers and sellers, identifies the special competencies required to serve the very affluent, trains agents in LifeStyle Marketing and offers exclusive research information on how to target and best serve the sophisticated luxury home buyer and seller.

For more information about The Institute for Luxury Home Marketing (ILHM), the Certified Luxury Home Marketing Specialists (CLHMS) designation and for the complete ILHM training schedule, visit http://www.LuxuryHomeMarketing.com.

Nextage Realty International, LLC is a consumer-centric company that helps brokers and agents overcome today’s major marketplace challenges by creating a unique team environment.  Nextage’s industry changing business model allows agents to BUILD a business, not just DO business™ while providing the absolute highest level of client service.   With an evolutionary business model and the most innovative compensation plan in the industry, Nextage Realty is setting the new standard and leading the industry into its “Next Age.” 

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Luxury home sales outperform other price ranges this summer

Dallas, TX,  August 30, 2010 -- Gloomy news that July sales of existing homes dropped 25.5% year-over-year has overshadowed new statistics showing summer sales of million dollar plus homes significantly outperformed other price ranges.

“Luxury homebuyers have been buying this summer,” said Laurie Moore-Moore, CEO of The Institute for Luxury Home Marketing (ILHM).  “After waiting in the wings, many affluent buyers spent the summer shopping for value and snapping up trophy properties.”

Statistics would indicate that she’s right. According to The National Association of Realtors (NAR), for 2009 million-dollar and above home sales were just 1.2% of total sales or about 61,500 sales nationally.  In July 2010, million dollar plus market share was up to 1.9%.  While sales of homes in the $500,000 and above range rose dramatically in June, the million-dollar-plus market segment was the only price range in July showing positive growth compared to last year.  “The mix of what is selling has shifted in favor of homes priced at $750 and above,” added Moore-Moore.

NAR’s report that July’s median sales price increased 0.7% year-over-year may be more a function of increasing sales of expensive properties relative to other price ranges than an indicator of across-the-board home price appreciation.

According to the ILHM National Luxury Market Report -- which does a weekly analysis of luxury homes for sale in more than 30 major markets -- after a dramatic rise in upper-tier inventory, which started in January of this year, the numbers of luxury homes for sale has declined about 5% since the beginning of July.  Along with a decrease in inventory, there has been a decline in asking prices.  Forty three percent of luxury homes currently on the market have had at least one reduction in asking price over the last 90 days.  An additional 19% have been pulled off the market and subsequently re-listed. 

“While I wouldn’t say the luxury market is in recovery,” said Moore-Moore, “ the growing market share of luxury sales relative to total sales, a slight downward trend in inventory, and sellers who are more realistic about price are factors shifting the affluent into a buying mode.”

Leaders in Luxury event offers best practices and networking to upper-tier residential agents

Top Luxury Agents in North American invited to October event in Austin (TX)

May 26,  2010—This October, real estate agents who work in the million and multi-million dollar fine home and estate market in the US and Canada can take advantage of a networking and educational opportunity available only once a year. The Institute for Luxury Home Marketing has scheduled its sixth annual Leaders in Luxury, an invitation-only event highlighting best practices in the upper-tier residential real estate market.  The meeting will be held at the luxurious Barton Creek Resort and Spa in Austin (TX), October 20-22, 2010. 

“We are working hard to finalize our agenda of speakers and panelists who can share the ideas and practices which are making top luxury agents successful. And, of course, we have a fabulous property tour, a marketing awards competition, and lots of networking opportunities planned,” said Institute President Waco Moore.

Previous Leaders in Luxury events sparked comments like this one from Trinkie Watson of Chase International in Lake Tahoe (CA), “There is no way I can pick just one idea to take home and use.  The entire conference was fabulous with useful information in all categories.  As always, the attention to detail was superb and the networking was invaluable!”

Karen Marti Hale of Dallas-based Virginia Cook Realtors agreed, “Fabulous opportunity!  Valuable information to take your business to another level.  Ideas and strategies that can be implemented immediately.”

“We’ll be announcing details on our advisory board, speakers and special events in the next several weeks.  Meanwhile, we have opened the program for registration,” said Institute founder Laurie Moore-Moore.

In addition to keynote speakers, expert panels and breakouts, special recognition awards will also be given in several marketing categories including an award for overall excellence in marketing in the luxury real estate market. The contest is open to all attendees.  Award entries will be judged by advertising/marketing executives.

For more information on Leaders in Luxury or to register:
www.leadersinluxury.com
info@luxuryhomemarketing.com
(214)-485-3000

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ILHM Center for Asset Preservation first to offer detailed short sale training based on mandatory government program

“Making Home Affordable changes the rules for short sales”

The Institute for Luxury Home Marketing (ILHM) has announced the creation of a new division – The Center for Asset Preservation (CAP). “Recognizing the reality of today’s market, with millions of homeowners facing possible foreclosure, our members asked us for up-to-date information and training for helping homeowners who are suffering financial hardship and need to sell their homes,” said Laurie Moore-Moore, ILHM founder. “We created CAP to meet this need.” 

CAP’s core offering is a Short Sale Success course covering the government’s new Making Home Affordable Program (MHA) which defines the new processes, rules, guidelines and paperwork required in the vast majority of short sales today. Training is available online and will also be offered at the CAP Short Sale Summit 2009, a two-day special event in Houston (TX), October 7th and 8th.

“We created CAP and began developing this training for our ILHM members, but when we discovered that no one was offering timely, detailed training covering Making Home Affordable and the Mortgage Forgiveness Debt Relief Act, we decided to open the CAP training to all agents, said Moore-Moore. 

“This information is ‘must have’ information for agents hoping to help homeowners avoid foreclosure.  It is essential for completing successful short sales at any price point,” she added.  The course includes a special module on luxury home short sales. 

“Most agents don’t realize that the Making Home Affordable Program changes almost everything about completing successful short sales,” Moore-Moore said. “The program covers nine out of ten loans, is mandatory, and is in effect today.  With jumbo loans defaulting at twice the rate of conventional loan defaults, luxury agents need information about short sales.”

“Lender’s loss mitigators are currently being trained to implement MHA.  Freddie Mac is starting to audit implementation.  Realtors must understand the program, it’s not an option.  We invite agents to take the quick quiz about short sales on our website.  We think most agents, even those who’ve taken general short sale training, will be surprised by the correct answers,” said Moore-Moore.

“We believe strongly that America’s REALTORS® must get involved, get trained and get to work to help homeowners in distress.  As an industry, we are key to helping get American households back on their feet and the economy back to good health.  Training is essential to this effort. CAP’s goal is to help”

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Institute for Luxury Home Marketing Partners with Napa Consultants

The Institute for Luxury Home Marketing™ (ILHM) has announced a marketing partnership with Napa Consultants, International, a leading luxury real estate strategic marketing firm specializing in personal and company branding, website design and internet/social media marketing.  The two firms are working together to bring new benefits to Institute members, and develop a series of short marketing videos which will be available to real estate professionals online. 

“Ron and Alexandria Seigel, the managing partners of Napa Consultants, bring a wealth of experience to luxury real estate marketing,” said Institute President Waco Moore.  “As previous broker/owners of a Beverly Hills commercial real estate firm serving the entertainment industry and high-end retail clients and as senior level executive coaches to iconic global companies such as Nike, Apple, and Disney, the Seigel’s have substantial marketing experience on which to base their consulting services.”

“We look forward to bringing our new video series and our marketing services to luxury residential agents who are Institute members,” said Ron Seigel.  “In the challenging market we face today, it is more important than ever that a real estate professional implement effective marketing.”

About The Institute for Luxury Home Marketing (ILHM)
The Institute for Luxury Home Marketing™ exists to help real estate professionals around the world provide high quality service to buyers and sellers of luxury properties.  Institute members complete special training to build expertise in the marketing of upscale homes and estates and those who meet performance standards may earn the prestigious Certified Luxury Home Marketing Specialist™ (CLHMS) designation. 

About Napa Consultants, International
Napa Consultants, International is a California-based strategic marketing company offering corporate and personal marketing services, to include branding, website design, and social networking strategies.  

Premiere Luxury Home Marketing Course Now Available Online

The Institute for Luxury Home Marketing (ILHM) is now offering its Certified Luxury Home Marketing Specialist (CLHMS) designation training online through the new ILHM online training portal.

The 14-hour web course meets the training requirement for the CLHMS designation and covers the same content as the popular live course.  Over 8,000 agents have completed live training in the U.S. and Canada since 2003. The online course debuts at a special price of $395 which will be good through July 4, 2009, a savings of $100.

“Just like our live course, completion of the online course will result in membership in The Institute for Luxury Home Marketing and agents will have full access to all member benefits,” said ILHM President Waco Moore. “This includes the $2,900 worth of free advertising on the Wall Street Journal’s website.

“The course is now as close as agents’ computers -- literally at their fingertips," said Moore. "They can learn how to take their luxury business to the next level, working from the office or at home in their pajamas and bedroom slippers.”

“As of June 1, we have hundreds of luxury agents on our waiting list for online training,” said Moore. “The demand for this course --developed by ILHM founder Laurie Moore-Moore—has been extremely high. The availability of the course online eliminates the need for international agents to travel to the U.S. to attend a live session. As a result, we expect our international membership to expand, offering our thousands of members even more global networking opportunities.”

Danny Veal of Keller Williams in metropolitan Orlando (FL) reported immediate success after completing the training, “After completing my recent training, I went out on not one, but two listing presentations on homes over 19,000 sq. ft. The valuable information I received helped me secure both listings. One is listing at $4.9 million and the second is listing at $10.8 million. Thank you so much!!!!”

Gayle Henderson of RE/MAX Excalibur in Phoenix (AZ) said this about the course, "Anyone specializing in Luxury Home Marketing, or wanting to develop the skills for this market niche, should make this certification program a high priority. The knowledge gained and the networking opportunities will be most rewarding and enriching."

Agents can find more information about the course and the many benefits offered by membership in The Institute on the ILHM website, and the Course Registration Page.

Institute for Luxury Home Marketing Partners with Proxio

Luxury agents gain world-wide visibility for listings and global networking opportunities through new international MLS

The Institute for Luxury Home Marketing (ILHM) has announced a marketing partnership with Proxio, the international MLS and global referral network designed to give international visibility to property listings and facilitate networking and referrals among real estate professionals around the world.

“Proxio will provide Institute members with an online platform for connecting to agents across the globe who want international exposure for their properties and who wish to create a network of agents for the sharing of referrals,” said Institute founder Laurie Moore-Moore. “When Proxio was launched this past spring at the SIMA trade show in Spain, we immediately knew this was a service our luxury home experts could profit from.”

According to Janet Case, founder and CEO of Proxio, the new network is based on the idea that the more high-trust relationships you have with agents outside your local marketplace, the more referral opportunities you create and the more referral income you will generate.  The Proxio website is both a network of agents and a vehicle for the sharing of property information. 

“We see numerous benefits for our members around the world,” says Institute President Waco Moore.  “Our members will have a competitive advantage in listing presentations when they can talk about international listing exposure.  The site automatically translates listings into seven languages, and through the thousands of agents already in the Proxio network in over 60 countries, our members will gain exposure to serious buyer prospects.”

“Increasing globalization means clients are buying everywhere—and any agent with a long-term intent to be successful in this new environment needs to reach beyond traditional borders to promote listings, attract foreign buyers, and satisfy clients who want to move to another country,” says Case.  “We are delighted to help Institute members build referral networks—and trusted relationships—with other Institute members and with agents in other parts of the world. Through Proxio, agents have the ability to control who sees their property information, something which is important to many who work in the most expensive segment of the market where privacy is a concern and in markets where open listings are common.“

While Proxio participation is available to all real estate professionals, The Institute for Luxury Home Marketing (ILHM) has negotiated additional features for its members, who can utilize the expanded service at no cost. 

About The Institute for Luxury Home Marketing (ILHM)
The Institute for Luxury Home Marketing exists to help real estate professionals around the world provide high quality service to buyers and sellers of luxury properties.  Institute members complete special training to build expertise in the marketing of upscale homes and estates and those who meet performance standards may earn the prestigious Certified Luxury Home Marketing Specialist (CLHMS) designation. http://www.LuxuryHomeMarketing.com

About Proxio
Proxio, the international MLS and global referral network, internationalizes real estate professionals overnight with its culturally adapted, multilingual services. More than 2100 real estate offices in over 60 countries participate in Proxio. Proxio addresses the need for real estate agents all over the world to have better access to market information, greater global exposure, and a stronger value proposition for clients. More information at http://www.proxio.com.

New report the first to provide real-time data and insights on nation’s luxury housing market.

The Institute for Luxury Home Marketing will officially launch the ILHM National Luxury Market Report at the National Association of Realtors national convention this week in Orlando, Florida. 

“The ILHM Luxury Market Report is the only real-time national report tracking the luxury market,” says Waco Moore, President of The Institute for Luxury Home Marketing.   Like the Case-Shiller Composite Index and other national indices, it is a bundle of data from markets around the country that give a simplified view and try to get at the question of what’s happening in the marketplace.  Unlike other reports and indices currently available, the ILHM Luxury Market Report focuses exclusively on the top of the market and provides a real-time snapshot of the luxury market at both the local and national levels.   

“We know that real estate is a local business.  We also know that in a given place, at a given time, different price segments within the market perform differently,” says Moore. “Trophy homes at the top of the market might be in high demand and setting new price records, while in the same city starter homes might be stagnant and seeing major downward price pressures.  Most major indices ignore this fact and lump all price segments together to get at some sense of overall market trends.  We don’t do that.  In fact, we look at just the top of the market, so that you can see more clearly what is really happening in luxury markets around the country and the overall luxury trend at the national level. ”

Data in the ILHM Luxury Market Report is based on analysis of properties currently listed for-sale in 31 metropolitan markets across the country.  The report is the timeliest source of market data on current luxury housing market activity.

“Until now, there has simply been no way for people to monitor the trends in the luxury real estate markets around the country," said Michael Simonsen, CEO of Altos Research.  "Combining our unique real-time real estate data with the Institute's leadership position in the luxury home market creates a compelling view of the high-end housing market - a place to see the statistics that you can't find in the headlines.” said Michael Simonsen, CEO and co-founder of Altos Research.

The report examines housing pricing, inventory levels and market conditions in 31 major U.S. metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs): Atlanta, Austin, Baltimore, Boston, Charlotte, Chicago, Cleveland, Dallas, Denver, Detroit, Honolulu, Houston, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Orlando, Philadelphia, Phoenix, Portland, Raleigh Durham, Sacramento-Tahoe, Salt Lake, San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle, Silicon Valley, Tampa, Minneapolis-St. Paul, Ventura, and Washington DC.

The ILHM Luxury Market Report is updated and published weekly. 

For more information on the ILHM National Luxury Market Report visit: http://www.luxuryhomemarketing.com/report

About The Institute
The Institute for Luxury Home Marketing trains real estate agents who work in the luxury market and awards the prestigious Certified Luxury Home Marketing Specialist (CLHMS) designation to members who meet strict performance standards. Based in Dallas (TX), The Institute has an international membership. For information: www.LuxuryHomeMarketing.com  

About Altos Research
Altos Research LLC pioneered real-time real estate research. Founded in 2005, the company's information products serve investors, traders, and thousands of real estate professionals. Because real estate data is traditionally obscure and highly latent, Altos built the Real-Time Market Intelligence(TM) platform to monitor dozens of housing market metrics as they are right now in local markets across the country. The company publishes real estate reports and real estate data each week for thousands of zip codes around the country.

Top Luxury Real Estate Agents Recognized in Upscale Marketing Competition

Real estate professionals working in upscale markets gathered to see how their marketing techniques compare to the best in the business at the Leaders in Luxury networking symposium for upper-tier Realtors in Miami’s South Beach (FL). Hosted by The Institute for Luxury Home Marketing, Leaders in Luxury (LIL) is an annual invitation-only education and networking opportunity for real estate agents who work in the million dollar plus housing market.

The Institute for Luxury Home Marketing announced this year’s Leaders in Luxury (LIL) award winners, who were chosen by a noted advertising executive for their quality and performance in upscale real estate marketing:

• Michael Morrison of Morrison House Sotheby’s International Realty, Tacoma (WA), “Best Property Marketing Campaign”
• Maureen Kennedy of Pacific Union Real Estate, Oakland (CA), “Overall Excellence in Personal Marketing”
• Carole Smith of Esslinger, Wooten, Maxwell, Coral Gables (FL), “Best Agent Website”
• Aaron Wheeler of Oakville Properties, Campbell (CA), “Best Agent Blog”
• Jana Martin, Keller Williams Realty, Sarasota (FL), “Outstanding Personal Achievement”
• Angela Eliopoulos of Global Owner Properties –Long & Foster, Washington (DC); “Most Unique Property”

“While the awards and recognition are an important aspect of the meeting, the program content and networking opportunities are at the core of the meeting’s value,” according to The Institute’s President, Waco Moore.  Kelly Cobb from Fonville Morisey , Cary (NC)  agreed, “In my almost 25 years of real estate, I don’t recall ever enjoying speakers more,  Even the LIL breakout sessions had presenters who could have been keynotes!” 

Karen Hardestry, Vision Real Estate, Mill Valley (CA), was also enthusiastic about the meeting, “The information provided and quality of agents attending will keep me coming back to LIL year after year.   Superb!”  

Canadian attendee, Nancy Rondeau, RE/MAX Ability Real Estate, metropolitan Toronto (ON) said, “I strive to own the luxury niche in my market.  Annual attendance at LIL is a guaranteed boost to my success in today’s competitive market.”

According to Moore, Leaders in Luxury connects Realtors who focus on the luxury arena, giving them a venue in which they can share constructive ideas, learn from each other’s experiences, and gain new insights into the luxury market from experts in a variety of fields. For information, visit www.LeadersInLuxury.com.

About The Institute for Luxury Home Marketing (ILHM)
The Institute has thousands of members on four continents.  Members who have completed special training and met performance standards may earn the prestigious Certified Luxury Home Marketing Specialist designation. Associates who demonstrate competence in the million dollar and above property arena are recognized with membership in The Institute’s Million Dollar Guild. Find training and membership information at www.LuxuryHomeMarketing.com or 214-485-3000.
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