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At an annual awards dinner, the Greater Boston Assoc. of Realtors' (GBAR) honored several Boston-area Realtors for their service in the industry.
John Ranco, a broker for Hammond Residential Real Estate in Boston's Back Bay was named the GBAR 2010 Realtor of the Year.
Ranco has been a member of GBAR for the past decade, according to a statement. The award honors members for their volunteerism and industry work over the past 18 months in three specific areas: participation and service to the Realtor organization on the local, state and national levels; community involvement, including volunteerism in community service projects and membership and support of civic and charitable organizations; and outstanding business and real estate industry accomplishments.
"Over the past decade, John has distinguished himself as one of the most knowledgeable, fair and hard-working members of our association and has led by example in connecting Realtors with the communities they serve," said John Dulczewski, GBAR executive director.
Ranco is the immediate past president of GBAR. Currently, he is the chairman of the nominating committee and sits on the board of directors for GBAR, the Greater Boston Real Estate Board (GBREB), and the Massachusetts Assoc. of Realtors, according to a statement.
Laurie Cadigan, broker and owner of Barrett and Co. in Concord, was presented with the Andrew F. Hickey distinguished service award.
The Andrew F. Hickey distinguished service award is presented annually to one local Realtor for his or her lengthy and dedicated service to GBAR and the GBREB, according to a statement.
"Laurie is a natural-born leader who has enthusiastically supported the mission and goals of the Realtor organization and Greater Boston Real Estate Board for more than a dozen years," said GBAR Executive Director John Dulczewski. "She has earned the respect of her peers for her honesty, optimism and activist nature, as well a unique ability to build consensus on association governance matters and industry issues of political sensitivity."
Cadigan became a member of GBAR more than 20 years ago. She is a former two term president of GBAR and previously served as clerk of GBREB in 2008, according to a statement.
Bill Dermody, sales manager for Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage on Chapel St. in Needham, has won the GBAR 2010 good neighbor award.
The good neighbor award is modeled closely after that given by the National Assoc. of Realtors and recognizes real estate professionals for their community activism, according to a statement. Recipients of the award have made an extraordinary commitment to improving the quality of life in their communities through volunteer work.
"It was a great honor just to be nominated as Realtor of the Year," said Dermody. "I never expected to receive another award. It was like the icing on the cake. I was in total shock and disbelief."
Dermody has been a GBAR member since 1995 and is a long time member of the Needham Exchange Club, according to a statement. He has volunteered hundreds of hours of his personal time to work on local civic projects and community groups.
Nik Ligris of Ligris + Assoc. in Brookline, was awarded with the first ever GBAR affiliate member of the year award.
The affiliate member of the year award was created to acknowledge the involvement of industry product and service providers for their active participation in GBAR programs and activities, and for their general support of the association, its mission and the Realtor membership, according to a statement.
Ligris has been a consistent presence at GBAR events since 2008. He serves as a member of the GBAR business development committee and has made a sincere effort to engage with GBAR members and to promote the value of affiliate memberships to other industry vendors, according to a statement.
Bruce Klemer, manager of the Century 21 Commonwealth office in Framingham, was presented with the first ever Realtor spirit award.
The Realtor spirit award was created to acknowledge individuals who make a difference in the lives of their colleagues, clients and customers, according to a statement. They have strong professional ethics, a cooperative spirit and a willingness to share personal knowledge, industry experience and personal time to help others succeed in their careers.
"I have always felt that Realtors should try to give back to their community and the organizations that help further their careers," said Klemer. "I feel that GBAR has always helped me and I'm glad to be a part of the work they do. Being part of a professional organization and always striving to improve and help others is what it is all about for me."
Klemer has been a member of GBAR since 1985, according to a statement. He is the current chairman of the GBAR professional standards committee, and held this title in 1997 and 2009 as well.
Courtesty of Whistlerheather of seatoskynation.com
Now we completely expected the market in Whistler to cool during the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic period of February and March. We also expected that January would be slow due to infrastructure that still needed to be realized; and of course April to start cleaning up after the party… May and June are known as the shoulder months so a slight slow down was also expected during this period. That would bring us right through to the third quarter 2010.
However looking at the number of sales year to date we can clearly surmise that January – May & June have been consistant in terms of sales. By the end of June it appeared Whistler was well on its way to a great summer in real estate. Then July finished and our balloon had a slow leak… No pun in tended. Trying to figure out why was not hard…
For full article click here

Courtesy of: Wilshire International Realty
The property owners, the Town of Palm Beach and the merchant’s association (Worth Avenue Association, Inc.) have collectively partnered to breathe new life into the hardscape and landscape of the world-renowned shopping destination, Worth Avenue.
The rich history of the Avenue began in 1918 when Addison Mizner brought his unique sense of architecture to the island, building the elegant Everglades Club at the west end of the street, which set the pace for the prestige that this strip of real estate would one day command.
For full article click here

Trinity Properties Hawaii Is Pleased To Announce Top Producing Agent, Annie Kwock, Recently Listed Among Hawaii Business's Prestigious Top 100 Realtors in Hawaii! MAHALO to my incomparable team whose dedication to excellence shines through in every transaction! MAHALO to our wonderful clients for 22 fabulous years sharing our love of Hawaii Real Estate with you! Your trust in our service inspires us to strive to exceed your expectations every day! We look forward to many more rewarding years of service to YOU!

Courtesy of Malone Hodges
After months of strategic planning, Carmel Realty Company has opened their second office on the world renowned Ocean Avenue in Carmel-by-the-Sea. The office is a testament to modern technology with touch screen technology showcasing key geographic areas: Carmel, Carmel Valley, Pebble Beach and the Monterey Peninsula. There is also a showcase for the area’s leading golf course destinations and real estate surrounding those world class golf courses like Cypress Point Club, the Links at Spanish Bay, Pebble Beach, Monterey Peninsula Country Club, Tehama, The Santa Lucia Preserve and more. The showroom also features Luxury Vacation Rentals for clients to browse. The office has a gallery feel where clients can come in with a coffee and browse luxury real estate as they would art, electronics or any other luxury retail experience. The response has been tremendous and they plan to roll out this lifestyle experience in future offices. Carmel Realty is the area’s leading brokerage and local luxury real estate rental company. They opened the office on Ferrari Friday during the 60th Annual Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance which draws auto aficionados, collectors and celebrities from around the world including the likes of Jay Leno, Jeremy Piven, and California's Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger.
The new office is located on Ocean Avenue in Carmel-by-the-Sea, CA 92921. Carmel Realty Company was the first Real Estate company in Carmel, California and maintains a rich tradition as local, luxury real estate experts.
The company was founded in 1913. For four generations since then, The Mitchell Family have led the Real Estate market in Carmel and Pebble Beach. In 2002, The Mitchell family made Carmel Realty part of The Mitchell Group, the largest privately held real estate office on the peninsula with 5 offices and over 130 agents. When the Mitchell Group brokerage reached nearly a billion dollars in sales, the family sold to Sotheby's in 2005, Shelly Mitchell Lynch purchased Carmel Realty in order to continue its century of quality and rich tradition as local, luxury real estate experts.
This impressive Richardsonian Romanesque Revival mansion is by far the most imposing home in New Orleans. Made with the finest of materials. Exquisite blue sandstone exterior, tile roof, ornate plaster details throughout. Every amenity. Private gated grounds by landscape archiect Rene Fransen. Terraced patio with fabulous heated pool, hot tub. Built-in 3 car garage. Architectural gem.


Courtesy of Eric Billingsley of Rodeo Realty
This gated and private East Coast traditional view estate is located in the star-studded Crest Streets of Beverly Hills. Not surprisingly, a long list of celebrities formerly owned the property, including: Christine McVie of the rock band Fleetwood Mac, Joan Collins, and Elton John.
The estate is on more than ¾ acres of lush, park-like grounds. A large motor court entry leads to a majestic home that features flagstone exterior and slate roof. Interiors have wood floors and wonderful spaces for entertaining. The living room features a marble fireplace and French doors that lead to a covered patio overlooking the landscaped grounds and city, mountain and ocean views.

The formal dining room also features French doors that open to a fragrant rose garden. The centerpiece of the home is a gourmet kitchen with center island, breakfast area, pine cabinets, exposed beam ceiling and top of the line commercial stainless steel appliances. An adjacent family/media room with oversized fireplace and built-in bookcase plus separate den/office with fireplace are also featured.
The master suite offers city and ocean views, an oversized fireplace and master bath with dual sinks, spa tub and steam shower with ocean view. Three additional bedroom suites complete the interiors. The lush grounds include several flat grassy areas, a swimmers pool, sun deck and pond with shady gazebo.
Joe Babajian of Rodeo Realty and Judy Cycon of Prudential California Realty are co-listing the property. The price is $7.45 million. For more information visit: www.lloydcrestestate.com.
Sponsored by Zillow, this years “People’s Choice Best Real Estate Blog Award” in Dallas goes to the Ebby Blog!
With over 60 years of success helping buyers and sellers throughout the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex realize their dream of homeownership, the Ebby Home Team has become one of the largest and best-known privately owned residential real estate firms in the country. The Company participated in approximately 19,000 property transactions in 2006, exceeding a sales volume of more than $4.7 billion -- marking the best year in sales in the company's history.
The Ebby Home Team is proud of its standing as No.1 in the Dallas/Ft. Worth Metroplex, No.1 in Texas and No. 18 in the nation, as listed by REAL Trends, Inc. who ranks the top independent residential real estate firms in the country. Ebby Halliday has approximately 1,600 staff and sales associates, including more than 130 bilingual associates. It also offers in-house apartment and residential leasing locators, property management, and a counseling center to assist transferees and corporations with special and individual needs. Ellen Terry, REALTORS® was acquired by Ebby Halliday in 1995.
The boutique-style agency has been serving Dallas' upscale residential real estate market since 1981. It also is the exclusive Dallas representative of Leading Estates of the World, representing properties with national and international significance. Dave Perry-Miller & Associates, known for marketing properties of quality and character to the most discerning clients, was acquired in 2007.Additionally, through Home Team Mortgage Company, an affiliate of Ebby Halliday, mortgage loan officers are on site at Company offices providing convenience, expertise and unparalleled personal service for home-financing needs. And, in today's changing insurance environment, you can trust Ebby Halliday's insurance company, Home Team Insurance, to be your very own personal insurance provider.
Courtesy of Gwen Inzer of Choi International
Now more than ever, it's time to recognize those outstanding sales professionals who, through determination and hard work, achieved incredible results in 2009.
The Wall Street Journal and REAL Trends, Inc. are pleased to announce the 2010 Top 400 Real Estate Professionals.
Patricia Choi of Choi International has been ranked #35 in the Top 100 Agents by Sales Volume category with $70,082,950.
During the 27+ years that she has been involved in real estate sales, Patricia has distinguished herself as a leader in regional, national and international real estate organizations. Locally, she was the first recipient of the Aloha 'Aina Real Estate Award as the Realtor's Choice in 1998 for her service to the industry and clients, her professional and ethical conduct, her cooperative business approaches and extraordinary service to all in transactions. She was appointed by the Governor in 1999 to the Real Estate Commission of the State of Hawaii, to which she devoted part of her time as a public service until 2003.
For more information on Patricia Choi please click here
The final rankings were published this morning in The Wall Street Journal Online. Click here for more details
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