SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT

Lowe’s Companies, Inc. Extends Long-Term Relationship with NAR to Provide Members Exclusive Marketing Tools and Valuable Savings

Marketing & Business Development is pleased to announce the three-year extension of NAR’s partnership with Lowe’s Companies, Inc., under the REALTOR Benefits® Program. March 2011 will mark the 5 year anniversary of this successful program; and the extension solidifies Lowe’s position as the Association’s exclusive home improvements provider, offering a free direct marketing tool created exclusively for members through the Lowe’s Program for REALTORS®.

The popular Lowe’s Program for REALTORS®, boasting more than 700,000 enrolled members to date, provides a means for members to send their clients highly customized newsletters and coupons, including a 10% discount on home improvement purchases at Lowe’s, along with other select rebates. These discounts can be sent as a direct mail piece or by email, on behalf of participating members, featuring the member’s photo, company logo and contact information. Best of all, it’s absolutely FREE to REALTORS®. Lowe’s has made it easy for NAR members to take advantage of this offer through the member-only Web site at www.LowesRealtorBenefits.com.

Additionally, Lowe’s provides an additional unique NAR member benefit where REALTORS® receive a 5% discount on the online purchase of Lowe’s gift cards through the member-only site.

We look forward to the continuation of our strong relationship with one of the world’s largest home improvement retailers and are excited to be able to provide members another valuable, free program for another several years.

The Fact Sheet below details the offering available through the REALTOR Benefits® Program. If you have questions about this or the REALTOR Benefits® Program in general, please contact me at x8269 or a member of the Strategic Alliances team listed below.   

Thanks,

BOBG

WHAT:                    Lowe’s and NAR commit to a three-year extension of partnership through the REALTOR Benefits® Program, offering a unique program for NAR members to use with their customers and clients.

Available to:           All NAR members

FEATURES:

The Lowe’s Program for REALTORS®:

This program allows NAR members to provide valuable Lowe’s offers to customers and clients through highly customized mailings including the member’s photo, company logo, name and contact information, all at no cost and with minimal effort.

Details:

·       In order to participate, you must register at www.LowesRealtorBenefits.com

·       There you will establish your own personal profile that may include your personal photo and business logo; this information will be used when Lowe’s creates your customized direct mail and email marketing pieces sent to your clients.

·       Next, set up individual profiles for your clients, select ‘Buyer’ or ‘Seller’ option, and delivery format.

·       From that point, Lowe’s will generate a customized marketing piece of your choice:

For Your Seller

•       Customized direct mail to thank clients for choosing you, plus information on prepping the house for sale, and a special coupon worth 10% off Lowe’s merchandise. You can also select from multiple product offers to further customize your mailing. 

•       A special personalized e-mail is also available for your sellers that includes helpful home selling tips and a 10% off Lowe’s coupon.

•       You can also send your sellers an HGTV email with three episodes of “Designed to Sell,” which includes a 10% off Lowe’s coupon.

For Your New Homeowners/Buyers

•       Congratulatory customized direct mail that includes a coupon worth 10% off purchases up to $10,000 at Lowe’s, as a Housewarming gift from you. You can also select one additional rebate offer for your new homeowner.

•       A special personalized e-mail is also available for buyers, that includes a 10% off Lowe’s coupon.

•       For first-time homebuyers, you can also select to send them a FREE Lowe’s Creative Ideas First Time Home Buyers Guide with the direct mail or email.

Lowe’s Custom Publications

Through the direct mail piece, clients will also learn about the option to subscribe to a free Lowe’s Custom Publication offering helpful advice and project ideas as an added, free gift from you! REALTORS® may also subscribe to any of Lowe’s Custom Publications.

LowesRealtorBenefits.com Mobile Site

You can also send the same personalized Lowe's direct mail coupons and e-coupons to your buyers and sellers directly from your cell phone or other handheld device. Visit the web site for details.

For All Clients

Keep in touch with clients with monthly co-branded e-newsletter monthly tips on buying, selling and moving, plus information to education clients about innovative home products and projects that yield a high return. Every six months, this enewsletter also includes $10 off $50 ‘Project Starter Coupons’ for special savings at Lowe’s.

Discounts For REALTORS®

Members may also obtain the savings and rebate offers available from Lowe’s manufacturers for their own use; check the partner page for updates via REALTOR.org/RealtorBenefits  

Gift Card Program

Lowe’s offers an additional NAR member benefit where NAR members will receive a 5% discount on the online purchase of Lowe’s gift cards at www.LowesRealtorBenefits.com. The gift card discount is not available in stores or at Lowes.com.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: 

Building on its long history of home improvement and community involvement, Lowe’s will continue to team up with NAR on a variety of future Habitat for Humanity projects in communities across the country. Lowe’s is also a proud sponsor of REALTOR® Magazine’s Good Neighbor Awards.  

PROGRAM CONTACT INFORMATION:

To learn more about the Lowe’s marketing program and to register, visit www.LowesRealtorBenefits.com; you will need to provide your NAR Membership I.D. (NRDS) number.

NAR CONTACT INFORMATION: 

Kristin Stafford                                                      

 Managing Director, Strategic Alliances                

 312-329-8628                                                        

 kstafford@realtors.org                                            

Rebecca Daly

Senior Strategic Alliances Account Manager

 312-329-8379

rdaly@realtors.org

Ken Burlington

Vice President, Strategic Alliances

312-329-8360

kburlington@realtors.org

Developers aim for foreign capital via investor visas

MIAMI – July 8, 2010 – Finding traditional bank financing for a mixed-use project in Hollywood, Fla., was highly unlikely in the midst of today’s credit crunch.

That’s one reason developer Charles “Chip” Abele turned to an investor visa program as an alternative financing vehicle.

Abele and his partners in the Gold Coast Florida Regional Center are launching efforts to attract foreign nationals to invest in real estate projects, as a way to secure a green card.

“The capital markets have basically shriveled up and the banking industry has pulled back from real estate,” said Abele, chairman and chief executive of the Coral Gables, Fla.-based center. “We’ve got a lot of projects in the pipeline, and we decided we needed to get into the capital business ourselves.”

And Gold Coast is not alone. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services has approved 10 regional centers in Florida alone.

Depending on the location of the project, the minimum investment is either $500,000 or $1 million. The visa applicants must also show that their investment generates 10 jobs.

While the EB-5 investor visa program was created by Congress in 1990 for new business development and job creation, industry experts say that during the past year it’s increasingly becoming a popular financing tool for the real estate industry.

“The program has been totally underutilized until recently,” said Ronald Fieldstone, a corporate tax attorney with Arnstein & Lehr in Miami, who has worked on eight EB-5 project approvals across the country, including Gold Coast.

“All of a sudden it’s become a cause celebre, and more people are trying to take advantage of the opportunity,” he said. “It’s a cheaper source of capital to undertake a project that would not otherwise be feasible in this economy.”

Gold Coast just launched plans to begin seeking investors, setting up marketing offices in Venezuela, Mexico, South Africa, Great Britain and China.

Copyright © 2010, The Miami Herald, Elaine Walker. Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune News Service.

Join the Realtors Association of the Palm Beaches in August for the Florida Real Estate Networking and Study Tour and hear a presentation from Al Zucaro, World Trade Center Palm Beach in reference to the EB-5 VISA and how it can help your foreign clients purchase property in the US. http://www.floridarealtors.org/NewsAndEvents/2010-Florida-Realtors-Inbound-Trade-Mission.cfm 

Did you know? Foreign investors spent $66 billion in U.S. residential property last year, according to the just-released 2010 NAR Profile of International Home Buying Activity. View the full report at: http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.realtor.org%2Fresearch%2Fresearch%2Freportsintl&h=919ceyFseQKBAzapaUSof35wNvg