Oct. 1, 2007 Edition

Say Cheese

Convention keynote address will help you find new success
By Elizabeth Hayes

Elizabeth Hayes

"Who Moved My Cheese?" is coming to HVA's Annual Convention. The popular book by Spencer Johnson is a perfect fit for HomeVestors franchisees in 2007. Craig Christensen, co-founder and senior partner of Spencer Johnson Partners, will deliver the keynote presentation.

After an overwhelming positive response to his session at the Leadership Invitational in Denver, Christensen was invited to the Annual Convention where he will address the entire franchise network on Friday, Dec. 7.

Christensen has advised leaders of the world's premier companies and organizations, from Steven Covey to the U.S. Air Force to the United Nations. "Who Moved My Cheese?" has been translated into more than a dozen languages and reaches over a half million professionals each year.

HomeVestors President and CEO John Hayes says that the timing and the topic couldn't come at a better time as HomeVestors franchisees adapt to a changing market.

"Our cheese has moved," says Dr. Hayes. "Some have already found new cheese and others are in pursuit of its new location. No matter where you are in the race to find new cheese, this presentation is sure to help you get there faster. Anyone who is serious about adapting to today's marketplace or finding the new opportunities presented in this new real estate market will want to hear what Craig has to say."

…Elizabeth Hayes is events content coordinator for HomeVestors and can be reached at 972.532.8048 or elizabeth.hayes@homevestors.com

Bridging The Gap

REIA makes a great neighbor in Atlanta

Walking through this Atlanta REIA entrance puts you directly in front of the HomeVestors office.

What if you had direct access to 3,000 potential investors who walked past your office on a regular basis? That's the situation for Resource Properties, Inc. in Atlanta.

Resource Properties' search for new office space led its owners to the perfect location for attracting the attention of investors -- the lobby of the building owned by the Georgia Real Estate Investors Association (GAREIA). The Georgia chapter of REIA has one of the largest memberships in the U.S., and was happy to lease its lobby space to HomeVestors.

The high-profile office space is just inside the REIA entrance, making Torres and her business partner, Scott Friedman, highly visible to members.

The REIA information counter is directly across from the HomeVestors office.

"Our ideal space was in this building," Torres continues. "Because of the changing market, we knew we wanted to attract investors. So we decided to move away from a traditional retail space to an office. It's harder to sell retail right now, so we put our office in a place that would increase our wholesale business. We're doing what we need to change with the times and the market."

Sharing building space has not only put Resource Properties front and center with investors, but is also helping HomeVestors build a relationship with REIA. Torres says an added benefit is the increased awareness of HomeVestors within the entire investor community.

"It's opened all kinds of opportunities," says Torres. "As a result of our business officing in the Georgia REIA headquarters, HomeVestors was invited to become the official sponsor of the annual real estate investor's convention, and HomeVestors President and CEO John Hayes was invited to be the keynote speaker for the group's annual convention. HomeVestors was prominently featured at a three-day convention that attracted investors from all over Georgia. This was another great opportunity to promote our brand to the investor community for the entire Atlanta council."

. . . The Real Estate Investors Association has chapters nationwide. For information on getting involved with your state's REIA chapter, visit nationalreia.com

Love Is In The Air

HVA training leads to the altar

While attending training at HomeVestors, most new franchisees find tips on how to market and operate their business. Rob Sturrock and Christi Morsehauser found much more, however. Two and a half years after first meeting in Dallas, Sturrock and Morsehauser were married.

The couple first spoke on the phone in early 2005, when Rob was researching a HomeVestors franchise opportunity in Milwaukee. While conducting his research, Sturrock called Midwest American Properties, an HVA franchise in Milwaukee. At the time, Christi was an office coordinator at Midwest American Properties.

"I called Midwest to find out what kind of people to hire, and generally how the market was doing in Milwaukee," recalls Sturrock. "That was the first time I spoke with Christi."

Four trainees from Wisconsin attended the April training session that year, and during the 10-day period, the group found itself hanging out or sitting around talking at the bar.

Once training ended, however, everyone returned home and it was business as usual.

"We got back and were both working sixty- to seventy-hour work weeks, so dating took a back seat," says Sturrock. "I think we both knew we wanted to be more than just friends, but the timing wasn't right."

Finally, about six months after the initial meeting, Rob and Christi began dating.

"We knew dating could be tricky because we're in the same business, but we quickly discovered there's no competition between offices; we are all on the same team," says Sturrock.

Christi worked at Midwest for another year before branching out on her own as a real estate agent, listing and selling properties for Sturrock's HomeVestors franchise, Riverhouse Investments.

On August 25, 2007, with most of the Milwaukee-area HomeVestors team present, Rob and Christi were married.