Take a look at the following NAR article which featured one of my recent sales here in Rochester, NY.

http://www.realtor.org/rmosales_and_marketing/howisoldit/columns/0905_howisoldit_possibilities

Bernie Fallon www.fallon-realty.com

I am enjoying success with the new tax credit available to first time home buyers. With up to an $8000. credit and the new ruling on FHA loans for monetizing this at closing, a number of customers are stepping up to take advantage of this. As I explain it to them, this is a huge incentive which is unprecedented. Once we understand their financial position, I work hard to find my buyer(s) the home of their dreams! I definitely believe this government sponsored tax incentive (and obviously the current low interest rates) will result in improving our economy and contribute to the American dream of homeownership for many!

For the past 2 years, I have been representing a small employer in the Rochester metro area who provides zero interest home purchase loans to his employees. The rationale behind his generosity is to help stabilize the employee/family lives with home ownership and equity buildup. As you might realize, these new homeowners would never have qualified with traditional lenders due to their lower income situations. This win-win approach has resulted in 4 home purchases in the last 2 years, with a 5th soon to be transacted! All the stakeholders in this arrangement have been extremely pleased with their outcome. It has been a gratifying experience for me as a Realtor to work with these people and see how home ownership has improved their lives. My hat is off to this employer and his employees for working together towards a successful future!

I recently listed 2 Curves franchises for sale here in the Rochester, NY area. Both clubs have enthusiastic owner operators who consider their members as true friends! While I am not in a position to join the clubs, I have truly enjoyed working with these and past owners. I am told that once customers become members, they form a real bond with the group and loyalty to the operator.

If you have an interest in becoming an owner operator, please let me know and thanks!

To Whom It May Concern:

I just spent the greater part of 8 hours cleaning up my Windows XP system (yes that would be a destructive recovery for you techies....!) as a result of the subject title virus. Unfortunately, downloaded anti-spyware software did not do the trick for me after the fact (names withheld to protect the company and the innocent/me). Before anyone chides me on my recovery routine or why I got the virus in the first place, please bear with me. The good news is that all my backups were in place, so nothing was lost to the black hole of cyberspace.

If any one wants a few tips to prevent a potentially catastrophic loss of their business data (or personal data for that matter), drop me a comment. In the meantime, use a good anti-virus software package and perform regular backups of your files. Thanks for the venting time!

I recently attended a seminar held by Murray Gould (www.PortCityPreservation.com) on the use of federal and New York State (NYS) tax credits to aid in the purchase and redevelopment of physically or functionally obsolete historic properties. Once a property has been registered with the National Register of Historic Places, a gateway to funding can be opened! Rehabilitation tax credits can be utilized to help offset the purchase and rehab of both residential and commercial properties. This tax credit is currently 20% at the federal level and hopefully soon to be 10% at the NYS level. There are also additional tax credit and grant programs which can serve to bridge financing gaps in the restoration of historic unique buildings. Some of these include a New Markets tax credit and grant programs such as Community Development Block and Main Street grants. These funding sources are an excellent method to aid in the reuse and redevelopment of structures which are architecturally significant. They are most often valuable to a municipality's history, character and image.

Please contact me with any questions, ideas or comments! Thanks for your time.