Author Archives: Carol Morgan

Despite the Economy, a New Business Thrives

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The Interior PartnersTwo years ago, the housing market was slowing down and several companies were going out of business. That is also when The Interior Partners decided to set up shop. In those two years, Cindi MacPherson and Ashley Norred have experienced success after success with twenty projects under their belt. They’ve completed five residential projects, a restaurant and 15 model installations for home builders. They operate all across the Southeast.

How were they so successful in such a down market? Their low overhead, flexibility with clients and knack for staying in tight budgets have given them a competitive edge. In order to stay in budget, furniture was reused for different projects but accented with different items to provide a fresh look. Cindi MacPherson is extremely optimistic about growth potential in 2010 since the market is turning around.

Last fall, The Interior Partners won the Gold and Silver OBIEs from the Greater Atlanta Home Builders Association for best model home merchandising for $299,999 and under for their work in the Bryant Lake community of LaGrange, Ga.

The Interior Partners enjoys the creativity in residential projects. Currently, they are working on one project in Midtown Atlanta, a structure of glass, stone and steel, and another in the Vinings neighborhood that was damaged by the September 2009 floods in Georgia.

The Interior Partners would love to assist you with your next project. They serve the following areas: Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, Alabama or Tennessee. Contact them by calling 678-731-0926 or visiting their website, The Interior Partners.

Just Two Weeks till the Southern Building Show!

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Southern Building ShowRegistration is open for the 2010 Southern Building Show and Conference, a 3-day conference taking place May 13-15 at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta, Georgia.

The conference will feature five different tracks:

  1. design and architecture
  2. business operations and finance
  3. sales and marketing
  4. construction/building science
  5. green building.

Thursday, the conference kicks off with the Super Sales Rally, sponsored by social media marketing firm, mRELEVANCE, the rally will be led by Melinda Brody and Meredith Oliver. Always a favorite, this session will teach you how to find your inner “rockstar” and stand out from the crowd.

A host of other seminars will be taught by industry leaders through the duration of the conference. A complete schedule of sessions is available on the Southern Building Show website.

Also, several professional development opportunities are available including the following NAHB certification courses: Green Building for Building Professionals, Marketing and Communications Strategies for Aging & Accessibility (CAPS I), Design/Build Solutions for Aging and Accessibility (CAPS II) and Business Management for Business Professionals.

Full registration for the Southern Building Show is $175 and includes access to exhibits, educational seminars and the Super Sales Rally. Individual day tickets cost $125, but ticket prices will rise after May 5.

Be sure to register soon to ensure your spot at the Southern Building Show!

State Program Helps Avoid Foreclosures

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foreclosure avoidanceEven with foreclosure rates increasing 14% in 2009, North Carolina still ranks one of the lowest for foreclosures nationwide.   With help from a government run program that focuses on counseling and legal-service agencies, the state was able to avoid $183.6 million in investor losses and $43.6 in value declines last year.

The State Home Foreclosure Prevention Act (SHFPP) is the result of  2008 emergency legislation to the state’s high rate of foreclosures on subprime loans and successfully dodged 2,620 foreclosures in 2009.  The project was launched with the Commissioner of Banks, 34 state agencies, HUD-certified counseling services, legal service providers, and nonprofit groups.  Lenders have to give 45 days notice before filing foreclosure, according to state law. Counselors review homeowner’s personal finances to figure out why the mortgage became unsuccessful and might be able to work out a loan modification and the Commissioner of Banks expanded the phone-counseling services to all North Carolina homeowners seeking help.

SHFPP emerged when the state passed its Emergency Foreclosure Act in 2008 and sent $600,000 in grants to nonprofits and counseling agencies.  Bank of America put up another $2 million, and North Carolina Housing Finance Agency secured $25 million in federal grants and the Commissioner of Banks pays the SHFPP staff with more than $1 million in fees it charges banks.  If these funds aren’t renewed, the project will need to tap other sources, such as national foundations.  However, with the expected budget deficit there is a chance the funding won’t be renewed.  Read the entire article.

Sell to Women Through the Social Media Grapevine

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social media grapevineFellow MIRMs Tammie Smoot and Carol Flammer will present Sell to Women Through the Social Media Grapevine at the 21st Century Building Show and Expo on Thursday, September 16 from 2 to 3:30 p.m.  Presented by Professional Women in Building, you are sure to leave with at least one tip for how to target this influential group of buyers.

Targeting and engaging women through social media is a new method for builders and developers to reach these powerful decision makers interactively.  Find out how social networking sites can help you spread your messages virally through the social media grapevine. You tell one contact and she tells a friend and so on.

Social media marketing is the perfect way to target female buyers – after all women influence 91% of homebuying decisions. Spread your brand and messages with online tools including blogs, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and more. See a return on your investment with increased sales.
Learning Outcomes:
•    Better understanding of available social media tools and how to utilize them for a competitive advantage
•    How to target female homebuyers through effective use of social media.
•    Steps to launch an effective social media program and/or ways to improve an existing one.

Get Social at the 21st Century Building Expo & Conference

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Social Media Marketing feamRELEVANCE founders and managing partners, Carol Flammer and Mitch Levinson MIRMs will present “Social Media for Home Builders” at the 21st Century Building Expo & Conference on Thursday, September 16 from 10 to 11:30 a.m. The show takes place in Charlotte, NC at the Charlotte Convention Center.

If you are home builder or developer who is still wondering how social media can benefit your business, this is the seminar for you. Learn how home builders, developers and others in the real estate industry use social media for a competitive advantage. From social media to social networking, blogging and social bookmarking, see case studies of how builders are benefiting from Active Rain, FaceBook, Twitter, Blogging and more. Learn how to track and measure a successful social media program and learn how to set one up from the ground up.

If you can’t make the 21st Century Building Expo & Conference, call us to schedule a consultation. We’d love to help you build your online program. 770-383-3360 or email carol (at) mrelevance.com.