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MARCH 2009

To access Quarterly Newsletters and Monthly Memos, please log in to your member account at www.seniorsrealestate.com and click on "Memos & Quarterly Newsletters" in the left-hand pane.

SRES� Council Member Memo
March 2009

Member Benefit Spotlight

Next SRES� Webinar being held March 25th presented by Ruth Fennell

Find SRES� on Facebook

Refer a Friend contest winner announced

Website Statistics

SRES� and Senior Lending Network form Business Partnership

SRES� Business Partner update; Retirement Housing Online

SRES� Business Partner update- Alzheimer�s Association

SRES^� Member Benefit Highlight � Educational Webinar Archive

This is the second edition of the Member Benefit Highlight in our SRES^� Memo! Each month, the SRES^� Council will highlight one of our member benefits in the monthly newsletter. We will inform you where to find the benefit on the site, and explain how you can take advantage of this tool to help your business thrive. We hope last month�s highlight of the SRES^� Print Shop provided valuable instruction on how to utilize that Member Benefit. This month we are highlighting the Educational Webinar Archive.

It is already March and the busy season is right around the corner! Make sure you are prepared by educating yourself through our free Webinar Archive! To date, SRES^� has hosted four webinars, including February�s webinar that reviewed all of your SRES^� member benefits and explains how to use them. This archive contains the audio and video presentations as well as the question and answer discussion immediately following the session. Because these are recorded files, you can access this educational opportunity at any time!

The Webinar Archive is available under the Member Communications section in the Members Only area of the website. Once you are logged in, simply click on the webinar archive link and you will be brought to the listing of webinar topics. To listen to the recorded sessions, simply click on the webinar you wish to view and you will be directed to the presentation.

If you have additional questions or would like a more detailed walk through of the Webinar Archive, you can contact sres@realtors.org.

We hope you have a chance to check out the Webinar Archive and take advantage of this exclusive FREE member benefit!

Next SRES^� Webinar will be Wed., March 25^th

The first of the Baby Boomers are now eligible for Social Security. There are 75 million more right behind them, and 58 million seniors in front of them. According to the U.S. Census, more than half of all seniors currently suffer some limitations in their life activities. Yet, most of them want to stay in their homes for as long as possible.

What will it take to make that happen?

Once again, the Boomers are leading the way. As America �grays,� it will become more and more important to have homes that are attractive, comfortable, roomy, yet safety-conscious�and, that allow for needs at ALL stages of life.

Come learn about:

� the needs of multi-generational families

� the benefits of an accessible home regardless of your age

� the Seven Principles of Universal Design and how they apply to an accessible home

� the multitude of products that can make a home more accessible and �visitable� by everyone.

We all want to be in control as we get older. The time to prepare is BEFORE a crisis hits. Knowing about Accessibility will help you, your clients, customers, friends, and family when looking to buy or build the next home that will be enjoyed for many years to come.

Presented by:

Ruth Fennell, REALTOR^�, SRES, CSA, CAPS, CRS, ABR, GRI, CIPS, AHWD, TRC, CLHMS, ASP, CPMS, CSP, PMN, e-PRO, RECS, ITI, SPHR, AIM, CTM, WCR, REEA, M.A.
Tennessee Licensed Real Estate Broker, Florida Licensed Real Estate Broker-Associate, Florida Licensed Real Estate Instructor

President, Senior Loving Transitions
Author, �Loving Senior Transitions: The Top Five Questions Baby Boomers Need to Ask to Help Aging Loved Ones.�

Click here and register.

SRES^� is Now on Facebook!

The SRES^� council has started a Facebook page dedicated to REALTORS^� who have the SRES^� designation. If you are already on Facebook, become a fan, network with SRES^� members, post discussions, upload photos and share this page with your friends and fellow REALTORS^�.

Not familiar with Facebook?

According to the website, �Facebook gives people the power to share and makes the world more open and connected. Millions of people use Facebook everyday to keep up with friends, upload an unlimited number of photos, share links and videos, and learn more about the people they meet.�

You can read more about Facebook and other social networking tools with the following articles:

� Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Facebook

� Social Networking and The New Real Estate Sphere of Influence:

o http://rismedia.com/2009-02-23/social-networking-and-the-new-real-estate-sphere-of-influence/

� Social Networking with Boomers:

o http://rismedia.com/2009-02-21/increasing-number-of-seniors-using-the-web/

To create your own Facebook webpage, simply visit www.facebook.com and begin filling out your profile on the homepage.

Once your profile is created, don�t forget to join the 357 people that are already fans of SRES^� by visiting our Fan Page!

Refer a Friend contest winner announced

Congratulations to Tammy Smith, SRES with Century 21 in Newtown, PA for winning the Refer- A- Friend Drawing! Thank you for your referral Tammy. We hope you enjoy your $300 American Express gift card! Thank you to everyone that participated.

SRES^� Website Statistics for February 2008

On a monthly basis we track how many NEW visitors visit our website. For the month of February 2009 we tracked over 7,038 NEW (first time) visitors. We continue to see an increase each month! The �Locate an SRES Designee� continues to be one of the most visited pages on the website.

SRES^� and Senior Lending Network form business partnership

SRES^� is excited to announce it has teamed up with one of the most recognized reverse mortgage brands, the Senior Lending Network.

Prompted by the Government�s new �HECM for Home Purchase Program�, which enables senior homeowners to use the proceeds from a reverse mortgage to purchase a new primary residence, Senior Lending Network is poised to create the most prominent program of its kind within the reverse mortgage industry.

Currently, more than 25 percent of homeowners age 62 and older are looking to permanently relocate to a new home but don�t have the funds to do so. This fact, combined with today�s troubled economy, led the Federal Housing Administration to design this program. As a leading reverse mortgage lender, Senior Lending Network is always seeking new avenues of growth to better serve the senior community, and this latest venture provides a new opportunity for real estate agents to tap into the growing reverse mortgage industry while helping American seniors achieve their homeownership goals.

�In conjunction with more and more baby boomers turning 62, today�s unpredictable economy, and seniors wishing to maintain their quality of life, we�ve adopted this program,� said David Peskin, Senior Lending Network CEO. �This is an unprecedented opportunity for you to access the reverse mortgage industry, while ethically serving the senior community as they reach their retirement goals.�

Now available in NY, NJ, SC, AZ, FL, CT, and MD, Senior Lending Network�s program includes education, training, and marketing support all designed to help you sell more homes. For more information about this program, please call 1-877-254-9568 or visit them online at www.SeniorLendingNetwork.com.

SRES and Senior Lending Network will be presenting the April member webinar.. Watch for more details soon!

SRES^� Business Partner Update- Retirement Housing Online

�Advertising and marketing during down markets is the most important thing any real estate professional can do. Inexpensive and effective internet advertising is one of the most vital marketing mediums available TODAY.� Steve Olson, President of Retirement Housing Online

RetirementHousingOnline is a premier active adult real estate directory dedicated to REALTORS^� with the Seniors Real Estate Specialist^� designation. Our site is highly optimized and specifically targets the 50+ market. Since inception, we have generated more than 1 million visitors. RetirementHousingOnline can direct this traffic to you for less than 50 cents per day. There are still 28 states with no SRES^� listings, so don�t wait to sign up, you may be the first in your home state to get your listing live!

We provide special pricing to SRES^� designees. To take advantage of this discount and post your advertisement instantly, go to www.retirementhousingonline.com and use Coupon Code MC4PH.

SRES^� Business Partner Update- Alzheimer�s Association

Recently we announced our new relationship with the Alzheimer�s Association. One of the goals of the Alzheimer�s Association is to inform, engage, and serve SRES^� designees and their clients by providing information and resources about Alzheimer�s, housing and care options, home safety, and more. They have created a new educational DVD Understanding Alzheimer's and Alzheimer's and Safety. This two program DVD is packed with 50 minutes of practical advice for caregivers and people with dementia. The DVD was developed under the guidance of Alzheimer's Association experts and features tips from caregivers and people with dementia.

To view a sample and to order the DVD, visit http://www.alz.org/living_with_alzheimers_15809.asp.

We value you and your ideas! We welcome all your suggestions. Please email sres@realtors.org or call us at 800-500-4564.