Grant will enable nonprofit to continue fighting homelessness through 2011

Robyn Yates, V.P. of Marketing for Windermere Real Estate, announced today the company's charitable foundation has selected Henderson Allied community Advocates, dba HopeLink, to receive its entire 2009 endowment, to put toward its homelessness prevention efforts. The $25,000 donation will be made official at a check presentation ceremony to be held at the non-profit organization's headquarters in Henderson, on June 9, 2010.

The 2009 endowment of $25,000 came from Windermere agents. For every transaction a Windermere agent made in the Las Vegas valley, a fee was donated to the foundation. Windermere agents care about the community they live in.

Established in Henderson in 1991, HopeLink focuses on preventing homelessness for families in crisis. For more than 18 years, the organization has worked to stabilize families and transition them back to permanent housing, through such services as emergency shelter, food pantry, transportation assistance and more.

For the first time ever, Windermere's three Southern Nevada offices voted to combine their annual donations to the Windermere Foundation, for the purpose of awarding it to a single charity. Windermere held a call for submissions throughout the month of April, and Hopelink was among dozens of local non-profit organizations that applied to receive the grant.

"Being in real estate, we put families in homes everyday," said Yates. "Through our donations to the Windermere Foundation, we are able to provide housing for in-need families in all of our communities. It is our way of showing how blessed we feel as a company to be in such a position to give back." 

The mission of the Windermere Foundation is to support homeless and low-income families. Nationally, non-profit agencies receiving Windermere Foundation dollars have furnished emergency and transitional housing, have subsidized costs for services such as health care, employment counseling, placement and training, day care, scholarships and much more. Contributions from Windermere agents combined with contributions from Windermere employees and the public have allowed the Windermere Foundation to distribute over $2 million annually in recent years to non-profit agencies dedicated to helping homeless and low-income families.

The check presentation ceremony will be held from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. on June 9, 2010, at 178 Westminster Way in Henderson. Refreshments will be served, courtesy of Panera Bread.

It is time to let go of the economy and take control of your existence. You can either give away your power to; the economy, the market or the story of the day. Giving away personal power is giving away your control, hope and happiness. There is always a story for why things aren't going well. Today, this moment, take your power back!

 Personal power is the ability to achieve what you want. More than anything else, it is personal power that brings you success and happiness. There have been some that have felt powerless in the economic climate of the past months.

 Power is a multi-faceted concept. You experience a sense of personal power when you feel in control of your life. Power is the ability to achieve goals. It is also the ability to influence others. Considerable power comes from the ability to communicate. Power includes enthusiasm and optimism. Your energy level is related to your power. You have personal power when you are the master of your destiny. Power is related to self-esteem and confidence. The freer you are, the more you tend to experience your power.

·        Getting angry, bitter and/or resentful at others will fix nothing.

·        Positive change starts with awareness, understanding and acknowledgement

·        The situation will change when you change. 

 4.      Take control of your health. Exercise. The kind of exercise that empowers you is the kind that lets mind and body sing together as one. Find the exercise that induces a positive mental state and that is enjoyable to you. Maybe walking is empowering to you because you are expanding the scope of your surroundings. Yoga can bring tone and strength to mind and body. For some it is a game of tennis or golf. 

 5.      Get Inspired and Inspire others. Surround yourself with others who inspire and challenge you. Working together with like minded committed and inspired individuals is exciting and productive. 

"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, It is the only thing that ever has."

7. Keep re-inventing yourself. Being stagnant and inflexible in a dynamic world is a sure-fire way to become redundant, unnecessary and powerless. While your core values, beliefs and standards might remain constant, it is important that you continue to adapt

" Be thankful for what you have; you'll end up having more. If you concentrate on what you don't have, you will never, ever have enough. "
Oprah Winfrey

• Short Sales are About 15% of National Housing Market
• First-Time buyers are nearly half of Short Sale Buyers
• Short Sale Properties sell at 15 - 20% less than non-distressed properties
• Expect 2 Months for "yes" or "No" response to offers
• Three offers for every completed short sale
• Expect an Average of 4 Months on market
• 5% total commission is most common; 6% does happen

What should Homeowners who have challenges meeting mortgage payments do?

• Homeowners having difficulty making their mortgage payments should talk to their mortgage servicer or a housing counselor as early as possible.The servicer may not be the same company that originated the homeowners mortgage.
• The servicer will work with their customers to find viable alternatives to foreclosure where possible.
• A servicer may own the loans they service and/or service the loans for investors so the ultimate decision as to what alternatives can be provided may not be up to the servicer.

• A short sale is a program that allows homeowners to sell the home for less than the amount owed on the mortgage.
• Homes are sold at fair market value and the proceeds are used as payment in full on the mortgage.
• Borrowers must qualify to be considered for a short sale.
• Qualification does not guarantee short sale approval.
• Note:  A promissory note for debt not covered by the sale may be required by some investors or, junior lien holders to agree to the short sale.

• Refinancing
• Repayment plans
• Loan modifications
• Short sales
• and other options

• Avoid stress of foreclosure sale; honorable exit to a difficult situation.
• Homeowners can typically live in the home until the new owner closes, giving time to make other living arrangements.
• Foreclosure is postponed and collection calls will stop once a written, signed offer is received and approved.