Local News

Arlene Chalkley, Bob Brady and Tracy Cooper Graduate from ERA TOP Gun Academy

Thursday, April 26th, 2012

ERA COLONIAL REAL ESTATE Professionals Complete Advanced Training Program

San Antonio, TX – Leading local sales associates Arlene Chalkley, Bob Brady and Tracy Cooper of ERA Colonial Real Estate recently completed the ERA® Top Gun Academy, an advanced home buying and selling training program offered by ERA Franchise Systems LLC.

The ERA Top Gun Academy is designed to increase productivity by focusing on several skill areas essential to success in the industry. Each session builds on the individual’s understanding of his or her customer and offers techniques for identifying and providing tailored, personalized customer service.

 “Top Gun training is designed to help real estate professionals to continually enhance the level of customer service they offer,” said Molly Harvey, Vice President of Sales. “Arlene, Bob and Tracy’s pursuit of this training is a reflection of their professionalism and commitment to offering their clients outstanding real estate guidance.”

2012 Pilgrimage to the Alamo

Wednesday, April 25th, 2012

An Official Fiesta Event

ERA Colonial Real Estate agent, Bob Brady marched this year in the Pilgrimage to the Alamo with his fellow members of the Sons of the American Revolution.   The Daughters of the Republic of Texas has staged its Pilgrimage to the Alamo since 1925. The pilgrimage is a memorial tribute to the Alamo heroes and the heritage of Texas. A solemn, wreath-bearing procession of historic, civic, patriotic, military and school groups walks silently to the Alamo. At the same time, an announcer intones the names of the Alamo defenders from within the Alamo walls. The ceremony concludes with a brief memorial service.  Bob is in the row behind the banner second person from the right in the blue shirt.

Shane Hamilton – Jim Jackson Memorial Award Finalist for 2011

Friday, April 20th, 2012

ERA Colonial Real Estate is proud to recognize Shane Hamilton form the San Antonio Office for being a finalist for 2011 for the Jim Jackson Memorial Award.  This is Shane’s second year to be a finalist.

The Jim Jackson Memorial Award for 1st IN SERVICE® is named after the late co-founder and president of ERA Real Estate. This award honors the sales associate and/or the broker office that best demonstrates the commitment to being 1ST IN SERVICE® and 1st in Customer Satisfaction®. This award is based on how the consumers rated their buying or selling experience when working with ERA sales associates, teams and companies.

“Shane is a valued and respected agent on our team,” said Molly Harvey Vice President of Sales for ERA Colonial Real Estate.  “We are very proud of Shane’s dedication to providing superior service to his clients and he sets the example for our office and our company”

The criteria for sales associates is a minimum productivity of 30 transactions a year; a minimum of 13 surveys returned and a 20 percent or better survey return rate, and 95% or higher overall customer satisfaction rating. Nine finalists and one winner are selected and announced each year.

Cristina Tomlinson Earns ASP Designation

Thursday, April 19th, 2012

Cristina Tomlinson, Sales Associate with ERA Colonial Real Estate, has earned the Accredited Staging Professional (ASP) designation. As a benefit of graduating from the ASP course, Cristina is now a member of the ASP Home Staging Network and the International Association of Home Staging Professionals. ASP Home Staging is the most proven and time-tested method to help market and sell client’s home faster and for the most amount of money in any market. Every time. Cristina learned the staging techniques that will help her get top dollar for her clients. She learned how Staging works and how to communicate the benefits of Home Staging to her clients. Savvy home sellers and Real Estate Agents understand that in order to get offers and top dollar for their listings in the least amount of time, they need to professionally prepare homes with an Accredited Staging Professional (ASP). Cristina Tomlinson can be reached at 210-363-9139 and cristina.tomlinson@era.com

Platinum Top 50 – San Antonio Early Qualifiers Announced

Tuesday, April 10th, 2012

Platinum Top 50 of San Antonio will host the 9th Annual Early Qualifier Celebration on May 3rd at the Vistas of Sonoma Ranch .  Platinum Top 50 of San Antonio will honor five hundred residential REALTORS at this event whose sales production during the first six months of the award year ranked highest among all submissions.

The following agents from ERA Colonial Real Estate in San Antonio are being honored at the event:

Arlene Chalkley

Cristina Tomlinson

Christi Hensely

Chad Hughes

Charlene Busch

Danny Ashinhurst

Diana Ridgway

Jeanne Koplan

Kelly Lee

Norma Floyd

Patty Flores

Mike LaMacchia

Reagin McAllister

Shane Hamilton

Sharon Mayhugh

The Platinum Top 50 Awards Program annually recognizes fifty (50) residential REALTORS® for their outstanding achievements in: sales, education, industry participation and civic leadership. Often referred to as the most successful and well-rounded REALTORS®, Platinum Top 50 Winners exemplify: initiative, involvement, success, and philanthropy.

 Through participation in The Award Program, REALTORS® experience various products and services by PT50 Preferred Affiliates, allowing them to be on the cutting edge of what is new and exciting in the marketplace. 

 Congratulations to our Team on your sales success!

Chad Hughes Awarded Prestigious Designation by ERA Real Estate

Tuesday, April 3rd, 2012

Hughes Nationally Recognized for 2011 Performance San Antonio, TX ] (4/2/2012) – Chad Hughes of ERA Colonial Real Estate in San Antonio TX was awarded a Leaders’ Circle designation by ERA Franchise Systems LLC, a global franchise leader in the residential real estate industry. This designation, conferred at the 2012 ERA® International Business Conference (March 14-17, 2012) in New Orleans, La. recognizes the ERA network’s top producers for excellence in real estate sales.”

An unparalleled commitment to service has clearly contributed to Chad’s success and I am pleased to congratulate him on this impressive accomplishment,” said Charlie Young, president and chief executive officer of ERA Franchise Systems LLC.  “Fewer than 10 percent of our sales professionals earn this designation, making Chad not only a role model for the company but for the entire industry as well. Indeed, he serves as an exemplary ambassador for the brand and I am proud to have him representing ERA Real Estate.”

 To qualify for the Leaders’ Circle designation, ERA sales associates or selling-brokers must have achieved 65 total closed units or $200,000 in adjusted gross commission (AGC) in 2011. Associate or broker teams must have generated 97.5 total closed units or $300,000 in AGC to earn this designation.

Coming in the Fall 2012 – Georgetown, Texas

Thursday, March 8th, 2012

We are excited to announce plans for a new office building for our Georgetown, TX real estate center.  This fall, we will be in a new office building – at the same location. We invite you to follow our Office Makeover:  Part 1

Georgetown real estate center

AUSTIN APARTMENTS ARE HOT AS TEXAS SUMMER

Thursday, August 18th, 2011

AUSTIN (Austin American-Statesman) – Like the sweltering Texas summer heat, rental rates are at an all-time high and occupancies are rising, making the Austin apartment market one of the healthiest in the nation.

The area’s job growth and a limited number of apartment units under construction are behind these increases.

“In my 25 years of analyzing the apartment market in Austin, I’ve never seen things as tight as they are right now,” said Charles Heimsath, president of Austin-based real estate consulting firm Capitol Market Research.

Heimsath predicts occupancy rates for Austin area apartments as high as 97 percent by the end of the year.

Fort Hood area home sales rise 12 percent

Tuesday, July 19th, 2011

BELL AND CORYELL COUNTIES – Area home sales were up in June, according to information from the Fort Hood Area Association of Realtors. Sales in Killeen, Copperas Cove, Harker Heights, Kempner and Nolanville increased by 12 percent from May — to 223 from 198.

It marked the fourth consecutive month that homes sales increased or held steady.

June home sales dropped 16 percent from June 2010. In the 12 months leading up to June 30, 2010, 2,822 homes were sold versus 2,215 between then and June 30 of this year.

The median price of a home sold on the local market in June was $127,000, up from $116,150 in May.

The area’s housing inventory is also inching closing to the six-month supply that would indicate a healthy market.

Read more at the Killeen Daily Herald.

New WilCo water park readies to make splash with locals

Monday, June 13th, 2011

WILLIAMSON COUNTY — With waterfalls and water cannons, the new Quarry Splash Pad brings an array of water activities to the Williamson County Southwest Regional Park. The park held its grand opening on June 10.

The Quarry splash pad uses existing rock features of the old quarry area to craft a water spray park for the community, according to a Williamson County news release. The park will consist of the quarry, rapids and a sand play area.

 The water area features waterfalls, water jets and water cannons. The park does not have standing water such as a pool and does not have lifeguards on duty. Along with the water area, the 2-acre park hosts a miniature train, a children’s playscape, two large pavilions, two birthday pavilions, a concession stand and restrooms.

Westar Construction built the splash pad at a cost of about $1.9 million, the news release stated.

The splash pad will be open daily from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. with an entrance fee of $1 per person. Food is allowed in the park but glass is not.

The park itself is located at 3005 CR 175 just north of FM 1431, while the new Quarry Splash Pad can be found behind the softball fields inside the park.

For more information visit http://parks.wilcogov.org

By Idan Englander (vobrien@impactnews.com)