First looks and impressions:

The new interface while taking a few minutes to adjust to, is not terribly different then previous versions. This really helps minimize the amount of time to learn the various new features. Having several agents who struggle with technology on our team, they managed to adjust very well with a short training course provided by my I.T. Staff.

Part of the new look and feel are hidden items that become unhidden when activated. These include: Reminders and Action plans. You can select to hide these or unhide as needed which is a very nice feature for admins.

The enhancements

There are significant enhancements that went into the new CMS which include:

A Calendar - This is one welcome addition, I'll tell you that! Not only can the entire team use the calendar to set events (which we have sorely needed for a very long time), but also individuals can use the calendar for lead events: Scheduled showings, closings, inspections etc.

There is also a small calendar that helps to assist in setting date ranges for viewing leads. This feature is very handy and helps to indentify leads within a date range.

Action Plans - This new feature is perhaps one of our favorites. By establishing action plans, agents have a schedule of tasks to complete for each lead. This not only helps keep the agent focused, but also provides a means for the agent to monitor their leads and the responses they receive. Well done REW, great new feature.

For admins - There are now 2 modes available to view leads. The current mode is handy to see new leads while the system mode is very handy to get an overall view.

Details

The Lead details page has been significantly improved with several features. One of these is the phone number (if available) for a lead being displayed prominently at the top of the lead detail information. Excellent!

The lead status now displays as a colored quasi button. This helps the lead status stand out and allows for quick and easy recognition of various lead types/status'.

Summary

If you are an REW customer and have not upgraded I highly recommend CMS 2.5. The many new features, enhancements and visual displays help make working leads simpler and more straight forward then in the past.

Adding these new features to the already easy to use lead management portion of REW websites has not only helped our team agents, but also our administrative assistants to achieve better quality customer services for our valued customers.

Thank you REW for continuing to provide us the finest website tools available.

If you have anything to add, please feel free to share with everyone. The more we share with eachother, the more we each grow and prosper.

Best wishes to all.

Recently, several of us were discussing the condo sales market and while the sale numbers are not as high as most of us would like them to be, condos are moving quite well in various tourist oriented areas such as Panama City and Panama City Beach, Florida.

In the past several weeks, I've written quite a few reasonable offers on condos all of which have been accepted.

Some were short sales, but most of the contracts I wrote were for reasonably prices condos for sale.

This is quite a good sign for the condo market and our economy. As condo prices are the lowest they have been in years, many buyers are able to afford a Florida vacation condo that they probably could not have afforded a few years back.

Purchasing condos has several positive effects on the economy:

• Stimulates local economies by bringing in more visitors and residents
• Helps the home sales market by bringing activity to the real estate market
• Gives real estate agents a chance to advertise to potential buyers and sellers that the real estate market in general is not as bad as the media proclaims
• Provides income during high rental times - since the prices are low, chances are cash flow will be positive

These and several other side effects of condos sales help to stimulate local economies as well as the local real estate market for home sales.

I believe we've seen the worst for the Panama City real estate market and are about to experience a significant upswing in both condo and home sales, as well as pricing. While pricing will doubtfully increase by leaps and bounds, I believe we will see a gradual, sustainable increase in prices through the end of the year.

What does this mean to you?

If you're a buyer, it means you can purchase a home or condo at a very affordable price. This in turn will provide you with security for your future, a pleasant vacation spot that most can afford on modest budgets or being able to downsize or upgrade your current living conditions with reasonable assurances.

If you're a seller and not upside down in your condo or home investment, now is the opportunity to place your home or condo on the market.

Setting a reasonable market price will ensure your sale is executed in a timely manner. Of course, setting your price unreasonably will only result in disappointment and lost revenue.

Recently I placed a clients' condo for sale on the market and before I had a chance to advertise it, it received 3 full price offers!. Does this mean I priced the unit too low? Absolutely not! It means, I priced it correctly and it sold! These buyers were lookling for a good deal, and got one.

At Keller Williams we call that a Win - Win situation.

Sellers, please remember this advise...

When listing your condo or home for sale, listen to those of us who sell real estate everyday for a living. We are much more aware of where the selling price points are then you! After all, we do this everyday, month after month.

One of the most often occuring mistakes sellers make in any market is believing they can price their property better then a professional. What happens when a seller prices their own real estate without researching the market? If an agent takes the listing, it sits on the market. Many times for months and months with little to no activity.

Is this really what you want to experience as a seller?

In every real estate market there are 2 methods of listing homes and condos for sale: You can either list your property and cross your fingers or you can list your property to sell. Which method do you think is more profitable?

If I can help you buy or sell a Panama City Beach Florida Condo please call me directly at 850.774.6582 or contact me at your convenience.

Visit my website today and search for the vacation condo or home you've always wanted.

Let me tell you of something very special and dear to me that has occurred recently...

The beginning of this year started off quite well and I was very enthusiastic about the coming year. At the time and unknown to me, one of my customers submitted an entry on my behalf to RISMedia's Top 50 Realtors on the Rise for 2008.

I only recently learned out about this, when I was contacted by RISMedia that I had been selected as one of the Top 50 Realtors on the Rise for 2008!

I was both ecstatic and confused about this selection, since I had no knowledge of what the interviewer was talking about.

It seems, a customer had submitted me to the contest without my knowledge and I had been selected.

If you've ever had the most glorious feeling that your daily achievments had not only been recognized but also spot lighted and acknowledged by a customer then you know exactly how I have been feeling these past several weeks.

It is not often in the real estate business that past customers and clients are so overwhelmed with the service they receive that they are willing to take the initiative and recommend not only friends and family but also recommend an agent for an award and/or recognition for their efforts.

This is one of the reasons I am in the Florida real estate business.

The enjoyment, fulfillment and satisfaction I receive from helping those with Florida real estate needs achieve their goals and dreams makes me believe my chosen career was the right one for me at the right time.

Please read the full article here and when you need an agent who goes beyond what is necessary to assist you with your Florida Real Estate needs, I hope you'll remember this story and think of me.

Just like my many satisfied customers have done in the past and continue to do so.

In addtion, I've written new articles: How to select a business for purchase and Real Estate Auctions: Is it for you?

The How to... business article is the first in a new series of commercial real estate articles. If you are interested in purchasing a business, learn what you should know and how to proceed BEFORE you purchase.

If you are interested in purchasing a business in Panama City, Panama City Beach or other Bay County areas, contact me for information on opportunities. My commercial real estate experts will help you find the business or building to help make your company a driving force within our community.

The Real Estate Auction article I wrote after attending a seminar on real estate auctions.

During the seminar, I realized there were several aspects of real estate auctions of which my customers and clients may not be aware. Example: Did you know that there were basically two types of real estate auctions: Absolute and Reserve? Read the article to learn more about real estate auctions.

If you're interested in understanding more about the Panama City Beacjh real estate auction market, contact me directly. There are some benefits associated with real estate auctions you may find advantageous for your real estate sale.

However, from what I can discern, I believe I am the only woman entered in this contest. Am I? Is this true?

The other entries all seem to be men for whom I hold the highest regard and respect. But where are all the woman?

Ladies, are we not just as capable of being the "Greatest real estate agent in the world"?

The men seem to all support each other with links, trackbacks and blog comments in support of eachother. They throw their hat in to support one or another entrant.

I've had a few men and one woman, sign on in support of my effort in this contest and I am greatful and appreciative for their support and efforts. Thanks guys for supporting me, and offering your assistance. Let's recruit some more men to our cause. In fact let's get the woman involved!

Ladies, we need to stand together and show the "boys" we also are capable of lofty goals. We also can unite as a team and together we can earn this title. Not for me, but for our team.

Women in business have long been a powerful force that has in many ways changed the face of business, economics as well as many other industries.

If Hillary Clinton can run for President of the United States in one of the largest and most powerful social boys clubs in history, then we can win this contest also.

It's our time ladies, let's prove it and stand with me and support me in this endeavor. Not for me, but for us... Women in real estate... Woman in business!

Many of the contestants in this contest whom I respect greatly, have some very interesting points of view. Take Ryan Ward for example. In his article he says: "I suppose a good place to start would be an agent who really knows, understands and can explain the local real estate market to the client" which I began to cover in my first entry on this topic.

Of course advertising is a major factor of consideration.

Now, let's talk about...

Market and Product Knowledge - I believe an agent must maintain a strong and thorough knowledge of their local real estate market.

To accomplish this they must spend hours researching sales and listings, expired listings and withdrawn listings.

They must also be familiar with the Financial market pertaining to loan programs currently being offered by lenders, both residential and commercial interest rates as needed, as well as economic and consumer trends.

Perhaps the best way to accomplish these items is to build a professional team of qualified individuals who specialize in these areas. This allows the agent to provide this vital information for their customers while maintaining up to market information in these areas.

As you continue to read these posts, I believe you will notice a recurring theme. That theme being, it takes a team of qualified individuals working for a common cause, the customer, to make this highly saught after title a reality.

I use the term 'we', as I consider not only my customers and clients as part of my team, but also I am expanding my local team to include additional customer services!

To better serve my clients, I am looking for a full time Florida licensed buyers agent to add to my team. If you're a licensed Florida real estate agent, please contact me directly.

In addition:

We'll be launching a new Property Management and Rental service scheduled to open March 1, 2008. To manage this new service, I've brought to my team: Jodi James and Randy Danforth. Both have many years experience in real estate investing and property management.

We've now expanded our Commercial Real Estate services department which includes a new website: Panama City commercial Real Estate This department will be managed by Jessie Cochran (already a valued member of my team and my webmaster). While this commercial site grows, register our feed to stay up to date with current commercial sales and leases, investment opportunities, articles and information in Panama City and Bay County Florida.

We've remodeled the condominiums pages on jennifermackay.com! For my visitors convenience, each condo page now includes condos for sale in that complex. We'll be adding allot more condo projects over the next few days for your convenience.

It's a very exciting time to be in the real estate business in Panama City, Florida. As the new International Airport continues on it's long journey to becoming a reality, I am seeing many more new customers interested in relocating and investing in our local real estate market.

As more and more buyers, investors and business people learn about the exciting opportunities available in Panama City, Panama City Beach and Bay County, I will continue to expand and offer the finest Panama City Real Estate services available!

Today, Jan. 28th, the Panama City/Bay County International Airport announced the stay on construction for the new airport has been lifted by the US Court of Appeals. The Next step is in the hands of the Army Corp of Engineers to lift their suspension.

The Airport also announced US Air will begin servicing Panama City in April.

We're once again on track!

This is the best news we could possibly have for the residents of Bay County Florida.

Buyers and investors, with interest rates the lowest they have been in 4 years, as well as this announcement, it's time to open the flood gates and start investing!

Yesterday, our tax dollars were spent needlessly on defending the FAA's record of decision and approval of the new Panama City International Airport. The original decision occured in 2006.

The future of the Bay County Florida's economic growth and prosperity was defended by Don Carr, outside counsel for the Airport Authority, and Ellen Durkee, an attorney for the Department of Justice on behalf of the FAA.

Your tax dollars and future were offered as fodder by The Natural Resources Defense Counsel, Defenders of Wildlife and Friends of PFN, a local pilots organization who hired Manhattan attorney Victor Hou to represent them.

Read the full article here.

Here's a suggestion... If you know any of the "Friends of PFN", pat them on the back and hand them a receipt for wasting your tax dollars on a frivolous lawsuit that will effect your income and prosperity for you and your families future!

The new Panama City International Airport final decision, slated for January 23rd is getting alot of political attention as it should!

Many public improvements currently under construction in preparation for the airport such as: widening Highway 79, paving the access road to the new airport as well as many new commercial construction projects.

In an effort to continue to provide my visitors the best services and real estate searching experience, I've added some new features to the website.

Two new neighborhoods have been added to the website with quick search features:

Shadow Bay - A Callaway Florida family oriented neighborhood with home prices ranging from $175,000 - $250,000. Close to schools and shopping, this neighborhood is very popular with relocating military families stationed at Tyndall Air Force base.

Cherokee Heights - One the newer neighborhoods in the Panama City area with home prices ranging from $185,000 - $300,000. Also close to schools and within 5 miles of Panama City mall, the home prices in this neighborhood are expected to climb during the coming years.

I've also added new social bookmarking abilities to many pages and articles. If you enjoy the pages or articles and find them of interest, please share them with your friends, family and colleagues.

Look for more website updates coming in the next few weeks.