New Year, New Location! Where’s RAFFY in January 2012?

RAFFY is on the move!  If you think you know where RAFFY is, send your guess to contest@rafv.com

Thanks to Reddy and Associates, RAFFY’s sponsor for January 2012.

I'm betting you can guess where I'm at on the Fox.

Where’s RAFFY? December

RAFFY’s in a new place in December, here’s a clue: His heart is as big as his head.

RAFFY’s December sponsor is Guaranteed Rate.

Tell us where you think RAFFY is. 

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RAFFY Exposed – A Funny Thing Happened on The Way To The Photo

Photographing RAFFY was an adventure! The first month RAFFY appeared at the Japanese Gardens at the Fabyan Forest Preserve in Geneva. This was not RAFFY’s first stop of the photo shoot day, he’d already traveled the northern part of Kane County and despite the weatherman’s assurances that this was to be a perfect weather day it was getting mighty warm. Scouting locations for RAFFY’s close up shots is difficult work, there’s dodging folks using the bike path, walking into swarms of bugs near the river, trying not to fall into the river while taking a unique shot, looking for the perfect lighting so that RAFFY can be seen in the picture and making sure RAFFY didn’t fall off of his perch just as the camera clicked, stars can be soooo difficult! But despite all the distractions, we got the shot, and were on to the next location. Keep checking back to see some of the out takes and stories in the pursuit of RAFFY’s location shoots.

RAFFY Is At A New Location For November – Do You Know “Where’s RAFFY”?

Clue: There are a few of these left at the museum

RAFFY will be appearing at a new location each month. Submit your guess to contest@rafv.com of Where’s RAFFY to contest@rafv.com – Don’t forget to add your NAME, the place RAFFY appears and the town in your email.

The winner will be drawn from all correct answers submitted.

To learn more about RAFFY click here.

Where’s RAFFY Contest

Where's RAFFY?

Who’s RAFFY? – RAFFY is the mascot of the REALTOR® Association of the Fox Valley, he’s in charge of a new contest to engage RAFV members to visit our new blog – RAFV Today.

Where’s RAFFY? – He can be found all over the Fox Valley from Algonquin to Yorkville when you look for the clues carefully.

What does RAFFY do? – RAFFY will appear on the RAFV Today blog monthly in a new location somewhere in the Fox Valley in a photo near a landmark clue, members will send in their guess of where RAFFY is appearing in the photo.

Why would I look for RAFFY?- You could win a monthly drawing sponsored by an RAFV Affiliate Member!

* All correctly guessed submissions will be entered into a drawing for the monthly prize.

A new picture of RAFFY appearing somewhere in the Fox Valley area will appear here each month.  Look for Raffy clues starting October 1 and send in your guess.

Send in your entry to Contest@RAFV.com – Be sure to include your name, the location and town.

Illinois Hardest Hit Program

The Illinois Hardest Hit program is designed to help approximately 15,000 Illinois homeowners threatened by foreclosure. The program uses federal funds to support working families having trouble making mortgage payments due to unemployment or underemployment. The program allows eligible participants to receive up to $25,000 over 18 months as a 10-year loan to keep mortgages current and make ongoing payments, including fees and penalties. The loan is forgiven over the last five years of the 10-year term and carries zero interest. There are specific eligibility requirements. Funds for the program are supplied by the U. S. Department of the Treasury.

Learn more about the program go to: www.illinoisHardestHit.org. There are detailed questions and answers on the site as well.

License Law Transition Courses and Step-by-Step Transition Video

Get the latest educational calendar for transition courses, prep courses and the proficiency exams at more than 70 IAR branch classroom locations statewide as well as online learning options via www.illinioisrealtor.org/education. If you need a good video for one of your agent meetings, show Step-by-Step Guide to the License Transition developed by IAR legal counsel and available from IARlicenselaw.org, your most reliable source for Illinois license law news and resources.

 

100 Productivity Apps for Real Estate Professionals – inman.com

I found a great report to share with you! : Popular mobile tools for iPhone, iPad . Going mobile has never been so easy. This report includes a series of top 10 lists featuring a range of popular apps that real estate professionals may find useful in boosting… read here.

Scammer Tried to Sell Home He Didn’t Own, Police Say

Suburban Chicago police are hunting for a man they say tried to sell a home that wasn’t his. The case is hardly an isolated one, with reports coming from hard-hit foreclosure states of similar acts. Empty or rented homes are the easiest targets, says the FBI.

Police in Campton Hills, Ill., have issued an arrest warrant for Daniel Kellogg, accusing him of changing the title of the house that he was renting to his name and listing it with a real estate agent. Kellogg also allegedly bounced some rent checks and sublet the home to other renters, pocketing the cash read more …

I’m Getting Tired of This…

Being negative.  There’s a lot of bad news out there, you don’t have to do anything more than open your newspaper, log onto your favorite news sites, read an article or blog and you’ll see plenty of ‘the sky is falling’ kind of opinions. Well, I’m not immune to it and I’m thinking you aren’t either, but I’m going to make a conscious effort to combat that through my attitude and thoughts. I’m starting with balancing my need to keep informed of news that has an effect on me and being aware of all that’s good around me.

I’m limiting my time spent reading and listening to the news, I’m seeking out articles that focus on how we’re gaining ground, making a difference, seeing seeds of growth and how communities are thriving.  I invite you to join me. I’m making a choice, that’s what I can do. You can too!

We are in industries that have a direct impact on peoples lives, as REALTORS®, Lenders, Home Inspectors, Attorneys and all the other professions that somehow touch the property transaction. We help people find a home, a place for their business or to invest their hard earned dollars. We help people realize their dreams!  That’s big stuff, that’s positive stuff!

We have one of the most powerful lobbying groups behind us, we have local representation, a strong message at the state level and in Washington D.C. for literally pennies a day investment for this enormous support.  We help create jobs with every transaction, we help our communities thrive and we can continue to make a difference.

I challenge you in the next 30 days to do something that is a conscious action to be a positive influence or to make a positive change. And I’m inviting you to share what you did, how you made a difference and if your attitude is different. It can be a “pay it forward” thing or just a new way of looking at your world, a different business practice or becoming involved in something that you always wanted to find the time for.

What can you do?