The Sarah Fisher Hartman Racing team began the week by making sure the car itself and driver Josef Newgarden had everything necessary for a successful practice.

Josef climbed into the driver’s seat, helmet and firesuit on, ready to rock.

He zipped around the speedway, an exciting preview to the live action we’ll witness on race day, Sunday May 26th.

Post-practice, Josef met with IndyCar fans, smiling, shaking hands and posing for pictures.

Quite the comedian, Josef always keeps us laughing.

When Josef and the Sarah Fisher Hartman Racing team head home after practice, the Smarter. Bolder. Faster. IndyCar rests in its own branded garage. Check out the signage over the doors!

To keep up with the CENTURY 21 IndyCar, be sure you are following the brand on Facebook and Twitter. For those on Twitter, follow all things Indy 500 on the hashtag, #C21Indy500.

Each Friday we share with you the must-read, real estate news of the week. We’ve got everything you need to know to stay on top of breaking industry news and trends.

“Home Prices Show Biggest Gain In 7 years”

This week AOL Real Estate shared news on the improving market, courtesy of a new data, “A survey shows U.S. home prices rose 10.5 percent in March compared with a year ago, the biggest gain since March 2006. CoreLogic, a real estate data provider, said Tuesday that annual home prices have now increased for 13 straight months. Prices are rising in part because more buyers are bidding on a limited supply of homes for sale.” Is this what you’re seeing in your market? Continue reading . . .

“Optimism Over Home Prices Reaches Milestone”

Teke Wiggin of Inman News reported this week that optimism about the housing market is growing among consumers, “A majority of Americans now expect home prices to increase over the next year, pointing to growing optimism among housing-market observers, according to the results of Fannie Mae’s April 2012 National Housing Survey. By comparison, in April of last year only 32 percent of those surveyed said they believed home prices would appreciate over the next year. In April, the three percentage point increase in the share of Americans who believe prices will increase was enough to push the total share of those bullish on home prices to 51 percent, Fannie Mae said.” Continue reading . . .

“8 Tools To Boost Your Office’s Productivity”

We all wish we had more hours in the day, especially when it comes to the real estate business. This week Agent Genius posted a terrific article about 8 tools and apps you can use to streamline your business. Continue reading . . .

It was a completely packed house.

Joining Mick Scheetz and Tracy Hutton of CENTURY 21 Scheetz was Michael Bernoff, results coach and motivational speaker, who delivered a jolt of inspiration to attendees.

Tracy then welcomed to the stage Sarah Fisher, owner of Sarah Fisher Hartman Racing. Sarah shared with the group what it means to her to work Smarter, Bolder and Faster. Something tells us there’s an emphasis on the Faster.

Driver Josef Newgarden arrived on stage to thunderous applause. Josef energized the room and gave a helping hand with the day’s raffle.

Josef was wearing his CENTURY 21 firesuit, complete with his Twitter handle on the back. You can follow Josef, @JosefNewgarden.

After the events at Dallara IndyCar Factory, members of the CENTURY 21 team were given a private tour of Sarah Fisher Hartman Racing HQ, including a look at the race car as it’s being prepped for the Indy 500.

It was a great day in Indy and we can’t wait for the big race on Sunday May 26th. Follow CENTURY 21 on Facebook and Twitter for real time updates between now and race day.

Each Friday we share with you the must-read, real estate news of the week. We’ve got everything you need to know to stay on top of breaking industry news and trends.

“Digital Identity – 10 Things A Real Estate Agent Needs To Consider”

What comes up when a prospective client Googles you? That is the question you should ask yourself when thinking about your digital marketing strategy. In this piece from Agency Logic, consider 10 questions that will help define your online presence, generate more leads and close more deals. Continue reading . . .

“5 Takeaways From The Latest Case-Shiller Report”

This week’s report is the latest sign that the U.S. housing market has rebounded after home prices hit a bottom one year ago. The report showed broad-based home price gains, with all 20 cities that compose the index posting year-over-year price gains. For more all the details and stats, continue reading . . .

“Top 25 Most Profitable Markets For Flipping Houses”

Flipping houses is back. This time, lending is different, and the economic climate is dramatically different, so investors are taking a different approach, but as with any business transaction, profits are the name of the game, so where can flippers get the most bang for their buck? Continue reading . .

C21: Why should brokers and agents make the time to join the brand at ICSC in Las Vegas?

HF: If you have commercial clientele in the retail space, it is the single most important convention to attend. ICSC is all about retail. It’s the place where connections are made, the training takes places and where deals are done.

C21: If someone is new to the commercial business, would you advise they attend?

HF: For someone that is new in the business, they can attend and have a greater understanding because of the caliber of training. Those who have been doing commercial real estate for a long time and already have the clients, it’s the place they can go to have a stronger presence. Either way, you should be among the people who are doing the bulk of the deals.

C21: Tell us more about the importance of the CENTURY 21 Commercial booth at the convention.

HF: The booth is where we, CENTURY 21 System members from across the country, come to meet. Because retail is one of those parts of our industry where clients want multiple locations, going to ICSC and being at the CENTURY 21 booth gives you the chance to develop relationships with System members all across the country. It allows you to deepen your referral network.  You don’t just want to call a stranger, you want to know the person on the other end of the line, spend time with them and realize they are a valuable partner.

C21: For a CENTURY 21 System member on the fence about registering, what’s your 30 second elevator pitch?

HF: Deals are being done at ICSC. People are signing leases. The deal tables are open from 9am – 5pm, people putting pen to paper. This is every broker, developer, retailer and mall manager all in one place, ready to sign. Need I say more?

C21: To register for ICSC RECon in Las Vegas, visit the convention’s website.

So how do you do that?

At CENTURY 21 Global Conference in Las Vegas a new tool was unveiled, Modern Office Concept (MOC). MOC is a resource center available to System members that outlines all of the ways in which you can modernize your CENTURY 21 office.

You can get to MOC via 21Online by visiting the Tool Library, selecting New Growth Platform and then MOC.

On those pages you will find information on how to build, open or refresh your office. There are three detailed areas to explore: Design, Technology and Location.

You can even see photos from other offices that have used MOC to transform their spaces. In addition, CENTURY 21 Business Benefits lists preferred vendors who can help you and your team make the switch with furniture, supplies, signage and more.

Are you ready to modernize your office? Visit 21Online for all the details.

Each Friday we share with you the must-read, real estate news of the week. We’ve got everything you need to know to stay on top of breaking industry news and trends.

“5 Ways To Maintain Client Relationships After The Close”

In this great piece from Agent Genius, learn tips for keeping in touch with your clients after the close. Though they may not be on your radar day-to-day anymore, there is a right away and a wrong way to keep them in your sphere. Continue reading . . .

“Selling Your Home? The Cards Are In Your Favor”

This week CNN Money offers a multitude of reasons why now is the time to list. As a listing agent, be sure you are up on these perspectives and able to provide expert advice to your potential clients. Continue reading . . .

“Looking To Attract Foreign Buyers? 6 Tips For International SEO And Marketing”

A big “thank you” to Inman News for this great piece on how to attract international buyers. Read on for excellent tips on how to be more discoverable on the web, especially for those whose first language is not English. Continue reading . . .

For the past year and a half, Ben has been committed to changing the terms of airline travel for individuals who use wheelchairs.  Currently, airplanes are not accessible to anyone in his situation – and only those that can be physically removed from their wheelchair are able to fly.

“The Accessible Airline issue is one that I have been working hard on for the past year and a half,” said Trockman. “In mid-April I traveled to Indianapolis to speak in front of the state Senate and House, who have just passed a resolution in favor of my proposal.  I truly believe it is a cause worth pursuing, not only for myself, but for thousands of other individuals who may be positively affected.”

Let’s put the power of the CENTURY 21 System behind Ben’s proposal and help those with this level of disability to lead more independent lives. The proposal reads:

“This world of ours is full of barriers and limitations for individuals with disabilities; especially, those who are in power wheelchairs. But, one limitation that should not be accepted is the difficulty of airline transportation for the disabled.

The current standard for air travel for those in power wheelchairs is exhausting, dangerous, many times embarrassing and utterly unacceptable. It is also a process that has the opportunity of improving and eventually being fixed.

Such a change would knock down the current barriers of airline travel for the over one and a half million Americans who are currently wheelchair-bound. Everyone, absolutely everyone, should have the opportunity to travel the world by air; sign the petition if you agree.”

Please support Ben and this initiative by following his request and signing the petition.

ICSC RECon is the global convention for the shopping center industry and provides an opportunity for retail real estate professionals from around the world to network, make deals, and learn. With over 30,000 attendees and 1,000 exhibitors, it is the largest industry convention and an opportunity for all attendees to close more business.

If you are a System member – broker or agent – looking to grow your commercial business, don’t miss the opportunity to leverage the brand’s presence at the show and to increase your retail commercial business in 2013. Connect with large retail clients such as Walmart, Target and Gap or restaurant chains such as McDonald’s, Subway and Starbucks.

This year CENTURY 21 Commercial will have a brand booth (rendering below) at the convention. This is the perfect place to network with fellow CENTURY 21 System members from across the country and set up meetings with prospects and clients.

We are thrilled to share that the CENTURY 21 IndyCar will also make an appearance at the booth. Show your network that the brand truly is Smarter, Bolder and Faster.

On Monday May 20^th, the brand will host a private networking reception for registered ICSC RECon attendees. Please join us from 4 – 6pm at the CENTURY 21 Commercial booth, located at S574W of the Leasing Mall in the South Hall on the 1^st floor. Plan to attend and invite your clients to attend with you.

To RSVP your attendance to the networking reception, please email jack.gettles@century21.com or anasua.sanyal@century21.com.

Will you be joining us in Las Vegas?

Each Friday we share with you the must-read, real estate news of the week. We’ve got everything you need to know to stay on top of breaking industry news and trends.

“How To Close More Deals – The Relationship Strategy”

Our friends over at Bigger Pockets wrote a great piece on the importance of building and nurturing relationships in order to close more deals. Sometimes it’s the little things that make your business stand out. Learn how to become the agent of choice in your community. Continue reading . . .

“How To Budget For Your Very First Home”

So, you’ve been renting for years and now you’ve gotten your financial situation in order and are ready to buy a house. Do you know how much house your monthly budget can handle? Do you know all the parties involved to close? MSN Real Estate lays it all out. Continue reading . . .

“Lenders More Optimistic About Home Prices”

Lenders are more confident about the direction of home prices than at any time in the last three years, according to a quarterly survey conducted for decision-management firm FICO by the Professional Risk Managers’ International Association. This is great news for the market and great news for your business. Continue reading . . .

“30+ Killer Ways to Build Your Email List”

Who doesn’t want a biggest email list? It doesn’t matter if you’re an agent, broker or recruiter – having a bigger email list allows you to reach out to your target market on a one-on-one level. In this great piece from the New Media Expo (formerly known as Blog World), get smart about how to increase your email subscriptions and extend your reach within your sphere. Continue reading . . .