Casa Latino and Fidelity National Financial Team Up To Assist Real Estate Professionals and Home Buyers

For Immediate Release
Contact: Robb Heering
Casa Latino Franchise Corporation
(203) 262-4185

Casa Latino and Fidelity National Financial Team Up
To Assist Real Estate Professionals and Home Buyers

SOUTHBURY, CT. (May 30, 2008) Casa Latino announced today that it will incorporate several Fidelity National Financial, Inc. (NYSE: FNF) products and tools initially Cyberhomes, Listing Producer and EC Purchasing to further assist its real estate agents to conduct business and to better educate consumers on the process of buying a home. Robb Heering, president and founder of Casa Latino Franchise Corporation, said: “I am delighted to make available to our brokers and agents important tools to help them succeed in this challenging real estate market; and to be associated with a company with the capabilities and reputation of FNF.”

FNF’s Multicultural Marketing Division will also support Casa Latino agents in helping to educate immigrant and non-English-speaking homebuyers and sellers about the home buying process. “FNF’s Multicultural Marketing Division and its nationwide network of title and escrow companies are uniquely positioned to assist Casa Latino in both closing transactions and reaching out to underserved consumers,” said Pablo Wong, FNF senior vice president for market development. FNF’s title and escrow companies operate under five brands, including Chicago Title, Fidelity National Title, Ticor Title, Alamo Title, and Security Union Title.

“As our business relationship grows, we will incorporate other helpful FNF tools and establish FNF’s family of title insurance companies as Casa Latino’s preferred providers of title and settlement services,” concluded Heering.

About Casa Latino
Casa Latino was created in 2005 based upon the premise that Hispanic homebuyers and sellers have unique needs based upon cultural differences and lifestyles, bolstered by the fact that those needs are not being effectively served by any other national brand. The company offers franchisees unprecedented culturally specific and significant back office support, training, marketing tools, advertising, coaching, and much more to ensure their success. The franchise model encourages a variety of agent compensation programs, which dramatically enhance a broker's ability to recruit agents. The low franchise fee and an exceptionally low transaction-based royalty structure make Casa Latino an extremely attractive opportunity. Casa Latino has awarded franchises in several states and is executing an aggressive growth plan in the USA and many other countries. More information can be found at http://www.casalatino.com/.

About FNF
Fidelity National Financial, Inc. (NYSE:FNF), is a leading provider of title insurance, specialty insurance, claims management services and information services. FNF is one of the nation's largest title insurance companies through its title insurance underwriters Fidelity National Title, Chicago Title, Ticor Title, Security Union Title, and Alamo Title that issue approximately 28 percent of all title insurance policies in the United States. FNF also provides flood insurance, personal lines insurance, and home warranty insurance through its specialty insurance business. FNF also is a leading provider of outsourced claims management services to large corporate and public sector entities through its minority-owned subsidiary, Sedgwick CMS. FNF is also a leading information services company in the human resource, retail, and transportation markets through another minority-owned subsidiary, Ceridian Corporation. More information about FNF can be found at www.fnf.com.

Co-Founder of Nuestra Casa Magazine Joins Cygnus Business Media

Rodriguez Joins Cygnus Business Media as Head of Custom Marketing Division
Custom Marketing Solutions Raise Awareness, Drive Purchases

FORT ATKINSON, Wis.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Cygnus Business Media, a leading diversified business-to-business media company, announced today that Marco Rodriguez will join the company as senior vice president of custom marketing. Rodriguez is a co-founder of Nuestra Casa International, LLC, a national Spanish real estate magazine in print and online. In 2007, Mr. Rodriguez along with the team of Nuestra Casa International, LLC launched new magazines in cities across the country to add to its current four publications in Illinois, Wisconsin, and Indiana. Today, they have publications in Orlando, Tampa, and Houston.

“The Hispanic market is one of the fastest growing demographics,” says Cygnus Business Media Co-CEO Carr Davis. “We are consistently asked by many of our advertisers about reaching this influential market. Marco will be a tremendous asset in how we reach this dynamic group."
Cygnus Custom Marketing has developed innovative programs for leading organizations interested in reaching their crucial client base for more than 40 years. Their client list ranges from Fortune 500 companies to small and mid-size companies.

“Content is what drives interest in our publications, on our websites and at our tradeshows," adds Davis. “What our Custom Marketing group is exceptional at is creating and distributing targeted content for our clients to their customers via a custom magazine, newsletter, website, digital offerings, magazine/catalogs and collateral programs. Marco has spent years developing magazines in the home services and building market and will be influential in leading our custom marketing group.”

According to the Custom Publishing Council’s 2007 Readership & Effectiveness Survey, 77 percent of readers agree that a custom publication gives them a more favorable impression of the organization that sponsors them. Cygnus’ own readership surveys have found that readers are more familiar with a clients’ products and their capabilities when targeted with a custom marketing platform or solution and are more likely to consider clients’ brands in their next purchase decision.

Rodriguez is particularly intrigued with the need for media products and interactive tools that effectively reach and communicate with the growing number of Hispanic-owned businesses and staff in the construction trades. "In my previous work, we launched a real estate publication to serve the Hispanic community," he says. "That background, combined with the reach that Cygnus has in construction, may be the foundation to meeting the information needs of an important segment of the market and serving our clients who wish to do so."

Cygnus Custom Marketing Solutions include print magazines and a broad range of Internet and web-based services designed to support sales’ efforts, enhance brand awareness, and strengthen customer retention. The group develops initial strategies and on-going content with turnkey solutions and distributes these through various platforms.

“Communication is essential in building loyalty with customers,” adds Rodriguez. “Building a custom marketing program assists in leveraging customer relationships and building a product or service brand in more focused forum. I am looking forward to working with the talented staff of Cygnus Custom Marketing.”

Cygnus Custom Marketing Solutions include custom magazines, brochures, newsletters, magazine/catalogs or magalogs, web site enhancements/community development through podcasts, forums, chats, webinars and podcasts.

Rodriguez succeeds Shari Dodgen. “Shari has been an extraordinary asset in the Cygnus Custom Marketing group and she will be missed,” adds Davis. “We wish her well in her new endeavor.”
Rodriguez is a graduate of The John Marshall Law School Chicago, the University of Illinois-Urbana Champaign with a Bachelors Degree in Finance, College of LAS. He is also an internationally-known speaker on Hispanic media.

Cygnus Business Media reaches nearly 15 million business owners, executives and professionals annually through its portfolio of over 175 media products. Its four distinct divisions - Cygnus Publishing, Cygnus Expositions, Cygnus Interactive and Cygnus Custom Marketing - provide comprehensive, integrated advertising and marketing programs for Cygnus’ valued customers and clients. The company's leading business publications, tradeshows, conferences, websites, online products and custom marketing capabilities enhance brand identity, generate sales leads, and build product awareness as they strengthen customer/client relationships.

For more information on how Cygnus Business Media can help you achieve your advertising and marketing objectives, visit http://www.cygnusb2b.com/.

Cygnus Business MediaKathy Scott, 770-427-5290Kathy.Scott@Cygnusb2b.com

Real Estate Latino.com launches new website to empower bilingual real estate professionals.

Real Estate Latino.com launches new website to empower bilingual real estate professionals.

“The Internet's fastest-growing bilingual real estate portal provides listings, resources and community features to help Latino consumers make better real estate decisions”

JACKSONVILLE, FL., May 9 - Leading online community RealEstateLatino.com today announced the launch of RealEstateLatino.net, a new resource website for bilingual real estate professionals. REL continues its commitment as the nation’s leading provider of online real estate resources and education for Latinos. “We have designed an innovative web portal exclusively for REL’s member certified agents,” said Bill Arce, President and CEO of RealEstateLatino.com.

Our network of online companies is focused on helping our certified real estate members become more successful by providing access to secured exclusive lead territories, a listing in our certified agent online database, and offer special training sections by certified professionals. However, the most innovative tool is the “Easy Lead Follow-Up System,” where agents will have access to prepared letters, in Spanish and English, to help keep them in contact with their leads.

"This website not only advertises your company on the web, but also gives the tools to follow up on the leads provided, definitely, a service combination hard to find,” said Armando Tam, owner of A.T. Realty from Concord, California and President of the Contra Costa County Chapter of the National Association of Hispanic Real Estate Professionals.

RealEstateLatino.com believes that in order for the company to carry on its leadership role in increasing Latino homeownership, it is essential to continue developing new ways to better serve the Hispanic community. We are truly pleased with the opportunity to empower our agents and together, being able to achieve our goal of “Impeccable Ethical Behavior,” concluded Mr. Arce.

To learn more about our company or become a REL.com Certified Agent please visit http://www.realestatelatino.net/.

About RealEstateLatino.com:

RealEstateLatino.com is a free online bilingual real estate community where Latino buyers and sellers find ethical real estate agents, homes for sale and educational resources. Launched in 2004 by real estate broker visionary, Bill Arce; he created the RealEstateLatino.com to answer Latino’s real estate concerns about buying or selling a home.

Source: http://www.realestatelatino.co/m

PR Contact: Dunia Arce at 866-934-9779 or Dunia@realestatelatino.com

Ultimate Diversity - Bay Area Player Grabs Casa Latino Real Estate

May 12, 2008 - What do superstar actor Will Smith, Miami’s Latino scene, The San Francisco Bay Area, Mortgages, Real Estate, Salsa Dancing, and Healthy Latino Cooking have in common?

At 32, Armando “Mando” Tam, of Concord, California has achieved much in his young business life. Originally from Rivas, Nicaragua, the son of Chinese and Nicaraguan parents, Mando arrived in America at age 3.

A few years ago, after spending several years in retail management and a few more in telecom and insurance, Armando Tam started teaching Salsa dancing and began singing with a Latino band. His dancing skills landed him a job with Will Smith in the Welcome to Miami Summer hit video. His lyrical skills got him his own record deal. More recently, he competed in a reality TV cooking show with a healthy Latino cooking cuisine.

He found time to become a mortgage broker and later founded his own mortgage brokerage, A.T. Funding, with offices in California and Florida. Mortgages naturally led him to real estate brokerage. He opened and still operates a successful real estate agency, A.T. Realty.
Perhaps the most well rounded and most versatile member of the Casa Latino franchise owner’s society, Mando is humbled by the opportunities before him.

He is the key operator and an equal equity partner of the entity which owns the area development rights to Casa Latino Real Estate in the Bay Area. His partners include two non-disclosed Hispanic business power players.

Tams first Casa Latino office will open next month in Oakland. He’ll open additional offices throughout Contra Costa and Alameda County and will likely open offices in other states, including Florida. Tam stated “I am very excited to be a part of the Casa Latino family. My partners and I will expand the brand throughout the Bay Area with at least 3 office locations within the next 6 months and we’ll partner with others for locations outside of our market area.”
Robb Heering, Casa Latino’s founder and CEO stated that “the professionalism and experience Mando and his team posses will result in a raising of the bar at Casa Latino. As our brand has grown we’ve begun to attract very well qualified and experienced real estate professionals.

We expect this team to grow a sizeable portfolio of Casa Latino Real Estate offices throughout several key markets. They have the experience, knowledge, and ability to dominate Latino market share in several communities and we look forward to working with them and supporting their efforts”

About Casa Latino
Launched in 2005 in Connecticut, Casa Latino offers franchisees unprecedented culturally specific and significant back office support, training, marketing tools, advertising, coaching, and much more to ensure their success. The franchise royalty model encourages a variety of agent compensation programs which dramatically enhances a broker’s ability to recruit agents. The low franchise fee and an exceptionally low transaction based royalty structure make Casa Latino an extremely attractive opportunity.

Press Contact:
Robb Heering
203-262-4185
robb@casalatino.com

Zions Bank Launches Spanish Version of Web Site

SALT LAKE CITY, May 5 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Zions Bank today
announced the launch of a Spanish language version of its Internet site,
http://www.zionsbank.com/espanol.

The Web site is targeted at the growing
number of Latinos making financial transactions online. Nationally, 76
percent of bilingual Latinos use the Internet, according to a 2007 report
by the Pew Hispanic Center. Other studies indicate Hispanic entry into the
online marketplace is outpacing that of the general market.

More than 100 individual Web pages on the site allow consumers to
compare a variety of personal and business banking products to select the
best choices for their unique needs. The site allows users to locate branch
offices, read about Spanish-speaking community bankers along the Wasatch
Front, and learn financial tips. Also included are "Su Futuro Financiero"
consumer education columns written by Zions Bank's Sylvia Haro.

Businesses can take advantage of information about treasury management
services and international banking in Spanish. The pages also feature local
Latino-owned businesses that have been highlighted on Zions Bank's
"Negocios en Accion" weekly radio feature, also hosted by Haro.

"Zions Bank's new Spanish Web site helps reinforce our commitment to
serving the Latino community, and its launch coincides with the bank's
efforts to expand its services for Hispanics to even more branch locations
this year," said Joe Reyna, multicultural retail region president.
Plans are underway to continue expanding the content and features
available online in Spanish.

"Because more than half of Zions Bank's personal account holders are
enrolled in Internet Banking, we know it is a convenient service that now
can be used by our increasingly diverse customer base, including those who
prefer making financial transactions in Spanish," said Carl Snyder,
president of Zions Internet Banking.

Zions Internet Banking has garnered awards and recognitions for being
at the forefront of the online banking industry. In 2007, Zions Internet
Banking was named as a finalist in the in the 2007 Computerworld Honors
Program and was recognized for its extraordinary use of information
technology in the Finance, Insurance and Real Estate category. In addition,
Zions Internet Banking received the 2007 Utah Best of State award for
computer-related services.

A 2004 study by the consulting firm Speer & Associates ranked Zions
Bank's Web site as the No. 1 bank Internet site among regional banks with
assets between $15 billion and $25 billion. In the overall ranking of
Western Hemisphere banks, Zions ranked No. 7 just after multi-regional and
Canadian institutions. In 2004, financial services consulting firm Javelin
Strategy & Research published a survey that ranked Zions Bank's online bill
payment system (http://www.zionsbank.com/) No. 1 for its services and
features. In addition, Javelin ranked Zions Internet Banking No. 3 for its
identity fraud prevention, detection and resolution capabilities.

Zions Bank, a subsidiary of Zions Bancorporation (Nasdaq: ZION),
operates 138 full-service branches and nearly 200 ATMs throughout Utah and
Idaho. In addition to a wide range of traditional banking services, Zions
offers a comprehensive array of investment, mortgage, and insurance
services, and has a network of loan origination offices for small
businesses nationwide. The company is also a leader in providing electronic
banking services, including odd-lot electronic bond trading. Founded in
1873, Zions has been serving the communities of the Intermountain West for
135 years. Additional information on Zions Bank is available at
http://www.zionsbank.com/.

Related links:
http://www.zionsbank.com/espanol

Latinos Talk Housing, Puerto Rico statehood in Conference

Jason Hawk The Chronicle-Telegram
Monday April 28, 2008

ELYRIA — More than 40 million Latinos live in the United States, including more than 260,000 in Ohio.

But nobody’s paying much attention to the issues that affect them, said Joel Arredondo of the Coalition for Hispanic/Latino Issues and Progress.

That’s why his organization is stepping up this weekend to talk about how Latinos can cope with foreclosure, the “Latinization” of America and possible statehood for Puerto Rico.

The 13th Annual Hispanic Leadership Conference kicked off Friday night at the Holiday Inn in Elyria and continues today at Lorain County Community College. The most important issue of the year in Lorain — where 21 percent of the population is Hispanic — is foreclosure, said Mike Ferrer, coalition spokesman.

“Our conference is for the line worker who every day goes to work and tries to better their lives and their families’ lives,” Ferrer said. “We’re all family. We all need to work together to touch each others’ lives. If we can do that, our county will survive. We’ve got to break this trend, where everywhere you go there are empty houses.”

Paul Bellamy, former director of the Lorain County Reinvestment Coalition, is now an attorney for the Equal Justice Foundation. He’ll talk today at the conference about fair housing and mortgage lending inequity.As far back as 2002, Bellamy predicted a major lending disaster would take its toll on Ohio, and now he fights lenders who prey on disadvantaged and minority groups.

The keynote speaker at the conference will be Pennsylvania Secretary of the Commonwealth Pedro Cortés, who is the first Latino cabinet member in Pennsylvania history.

The foreclosure crises in both Pennsylvania and Ohio have decimated the Latinos in both states, he said. There’s a need for better education about lending, and it should be printed in Spanish, he said.

His advice to the Hispanic community in Lorain: Start putting money away for a rainy day and use tax refund checks this year to pay down debt instead of making expensive purchases.
“Use those economic stimulus checks from Uncle Sam to satisfy high-interest debt first,” he said. “That could save you up to 25 percent overall.”

Contact Jason Hawk at 329-7148 or jhawk@chroniclet.com.

Countrywide and New Vista Asset Management Join Together to Turn Foreclosures Into Opportunities for Home Buyers

CALABASAS, Calif., April 25 /PRNewswire/ -- Countrywide Financial (NYSE: CFC), a diversified financial services provider, and New Vista Asset Management have joined together to find qualified buyers for Countrywide's REO properties. The program is designed to help minimize the impact of foreclosures on neighborhoods by reaching out to consumers interested in residing in these communities.

In the relationship, New Vista's network of real estate professionals who have deep roots in minority communities are assigned the responsibility and will work to ensure that prepared homebuyers, often first-time and minority homebuyers working with New Vista professionals, have the opportunity to purchase REO properties.

Additionally, New Vista and Countrywide will be hosting several community seminars for first-time buyers to educate them about purchasing REO units and obtaining the best financing possible for their situation. These seminars, beginning in Los Angeles and Dallas, will be held in collaboration with community-based organizations and focused on providing consumers the information they need to purchase REO properties.

"Countrywide and New Vista Asset Management share the common mission of helping to make sure that homeownership is achievable and sustainable, and that neighborhoods are stabilized during this difficult time in the housing market," said Steve Bailey, Senior Managing Director of Loan Administration for Countrywide. "Countrywide and New Vista Asset Management began the relationship in mid-October 2007, and we are currently partnering in local markets, including San Diego, Sacramento, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Dallas, Fort Worth, Houston, San Antonio and Atlanta."

New Vista's overall strategy is to leverage its broad connections with real estate brokers who work in minority communities, nonprofit housing counselors and mortgage industry professionals to create a source of housing that will be accessible to first-time homebuyers in the underserved community. The company is working with leading lenders, like Countrywide, to create a more responsible way to sell these REO units, making them attractive to homebuyers rather than investors.

"Countrywide has always been a clear industry leader in serving and promoting minority homeownership," said New Vista's Chairman Gary Acosta. "By marketing and selling REO units directly to first-time and minority home buyers, New Vista and Countrywide are advancing our mutual commitment to increase affordable housing opportunities and act as responsible contributors to the local housing market."

"We applaud the efforts of Countrywide and New Vista to keep the dream of homeownership alive in underserved communities," said Timothy Sandos, President and CEO of National Association of Hispanic Real Estate Professionals. "By creating a program to ensure that first-time and minority homebuyers have access to affordable REO properties, New Vista and Countrywide are helping protect neighborhoods from community deterioration and loss of minority homeownership," added Mr. Sandos.

About Countrywide Financial
Founded in 1969, Countrywide Financial Corporation is a diversified financial services provider. Through its family of companies, Countrywide originates, purchases, securitizes, sells, and services prime and nonprime loans; provides loan closing services such as credit reports, appraisals and flood determinations; offers banking services which include depository and home loan products; conducts fixed income securities underwriting and trading activities; provides property, life and casualty insurance; and manages a captive mortgage reinsurance company.

For more information about the Company, visit Countrywide's website at http://www.countrywide.com.

About New Vista Asset Management
New Vista Asset Management is a San Diego-based national REO management and marketing company that provides innovative and community-based outsourcing solutions for mortgage bankers, mortgage investors and regulated financial institutions. The key driver behind the company's integrated minority homeownership strategy is to use our client's foreclosure inventory to create affordable housing solutions for minority and first-time homebuyers and increase homeownership rates in underserved communities. New Vista was founded by the nation's top minority housing leaders: Jim Park is the President and CEO of New Vista and currently serves as the President of the Asian Real Estate Association of America, and Gary Acosta is the Co-founder of the National Association of Hispanic Real Estate Professionals (NAHREP).

For more information about the company, go to http://www.newvistareo.com.
SOURCE Countrywide Financial

Lopez Sentenced on Mortgage Fraud

Thursday, April 24, 2008 at 12:02AM
Lopez Sentenced on Mortgage Fraud

From KPBS:
The FBI reports mortgage fraud cases are skyrocketing nationally. Yesterday, a key figure in a San Diego scheme admitted to forging documents to secure loans for mostly Latino borrowers who couldn't afford them. A judge then sentenced Alejandro Lopez to three months in prison and four months in a residential re-entry center.

KPBS Reporter Amita Sharma has more on how the mortgage fraud worked in this case.
This is a story about the kind of crime that's helped wreck the American dream and damage the economy. It starts out with two brothers Alejandro and Emilio Lopez. Together, they partly owned and ran The Century 21 El Dorado office in San Marcos. They along with others made up what the government calls the Lopez Team. And like all teams this one wanted to win -- commissions that is. And the team thought Hispanic immigrants with visions of owning homes could help so the Lopez group targeted them.

Saide: They would advertise on Spanish language radio stations and they would advertise in Spanish language newspapers and publications including El Latino El Comprador, Mexicano and Esponos Unidos.

That's federal prosecutor Yesmin Saide. She says the Lopez Team found scores of Latinos who just wanted to buy homes. The team knew the people they had targeted didn't qualify for mortgage loans. But the Lopezes refused to let a detail like income stand in the way of qualifying their newfound clients anyway. The Lopezes didn't just cut corners by bending rules. Saide says they broke them.

Saide: What they would do is they would inflate the borrowers incomes.
In fact, the incomes were exaggerated by as much as five times the actual amount. Federal prosecutor Valerie Chu says the Lopezes also inflated bank balances to match falsified incomes.
Chu: What they would do in some of those cases is go with a client to open a bank account and then funnel some money in there triggering the bank to issue a verification of deposit indicating that such amount of money was in the bank on that particular day and then after that the money would transfer back out to the defendants.

The team falsified employment information on loan papers -- some of the borrowers were told to sign statements they were business owners or they were housekeepers for the wives of the Lopez brothers. Chu says to back that up, the Lopezes went further.

Chu: They would often times indicate their own names or the names of relatives or family members to serve as employers so that when the lender called there would be someone there to answer the questions and say why yes this client does work here and they make such and such amount of income.

Chu says they even got fake letters to bolster the deception.

Chu: The Lopez team actually purchased these letters, these fraudulent letters from these third party tax preparers and they would put them in the loan applications for the client to justify these higher income amounts and the employment that would fit the income amount."

The government won't comment on how fluent the clients were in English. Prosecutor Saide did say borrowers were simply told to sign loan documents. They were not told about what kind of information the papers contained.

Saide: Almost the entire loan file was fraudulent …if not the entire loan file.
The scheme affected over 200 borrowers over two years starting in 2003. They each received mortgages totaling an average of 400 thousand dollars.

Meanwhile, the FBI has seen a huge rise in mortgage fraud investigations, according to special agent Darrell Foxworth. The bureau is investigating about 1,300 mortgage fraud cases nationally, up sharply from last year.

Foxworth: The FBI views mortgage fraud as a significant crime problem. We recognize the impact this has on the nation's economy. You see effects on interest rates. You see the impact it has on the banking community on loans that are defaulted.

Prosecutors won't say whether any of the Century 21 borrowers lost their homes. The Lopez brothers, a loan officer and an office manager have cut a plea deal with the government. They admitted they made more than one million dollars in commissions off the fraudulent loans. They said they did it to help the Latino community. Prosecutors said they did it to make money.
Amita Sharma, KPBS News.

How Can We Best Help Hispanics Achieve Homeownership in this Market

By Brenda Santalises

In today's market, every facilitator to the Hispanic homebuyer must arm themselves with three key points: 1. Getting Rid of Fear, 2. Have a solid research toolkit, and 3. Understand Hispanics NEED an advisor.

Every agent should decide today that they are indeed the authoritative figure! We, as agents, have the power to make a positive impact by deciding "I am no longer afraid - the market is GREAT!" The more we internalize the thoughts that the market is not best, the more we make it real for our clients. If YOUR head is together, then THEIR head is together! Hispanics have a tendency to sensationalize media and "what others say". If we say - "the market is so-so", they hear - "the market is going down the drains". As Terry Watson, a consultant of Watson World Inc., once said - "I have a friend that has a fear of dogs - well, miraculously, every time she walks by a dog, they ALL bark at her." We need to create fearless thoughts to our clients that lead to action.

Agents can no longer be "just another agent". No longer "go with the flow". In today's market, agents need to realize that Hispanics continue to lack information. They need and believe in what they see in WRITING. Agents need to create a solid toolkit of research that gets over the media and highlights the positive aspects of the market. The truth is that interest rates are at an all time LOW, there is the plethora in inventory that buyers once begged for, and homeownership continues to be a solid LONG-TERM investment - historically what Hispanic families are after. Research, learn and print these positive articles at a real estate educational library. Favorites - ProQuest Access information available to Realtors at Realtor.org & HousingMarketFacts.com. As author Malcolm Muggeridge once said, "Never forget that only dead fish swim with the stream".

Finally, it's time we go back to work and again wrap our arms around those we serve, the Hispanic community. For them, it's much more than a need, it is a want. They want, above all, an unequivocally ethical professional who wants big success for the client, but focuses small. They need someone who takes the time with a list - in writing - describing step by step what happens next. They also need a factual "FAQ" list which focuses on their cultural and financial needs. They need to know and see a diagram of trusted partners in the business whom the agent has established a relationship with - a sphere of positive influence that propels their homeownership goals forward. You need to establish - they need you and they CAN TRUST you. Gather testimonial letters TODAY - every professional should have a minimum of 5 per year in the business.

In today's market, we are going back to work, and if we focus on the three key points above, we make Hispanic homeownership dreams come true. But more importantly, our own dream of enjoying what we do and feel as though we don't work a day in our lives again...

Wells Fargo Launches Multi-Faceted Homebuyers Program to Assist Diverse Segments

--> Nation's Leading Retail Mortgage Lender Joins with Real Estate Professionals to Help Consumers through Pre- and Post-Closing Education and Guaranteed Closings DES MOINES, Iowa, April 17 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ --

Wells Fargo Home Mortgage held a live simulcast today for thousands of real estate professionals to launch the company's 2008 outreach efforts to all consumers and focused its first forum on serving the needs of first-time homebuyers, low- to moderate- income and multi-cultural consumers. The company also announced further improvements in its credit education and closing guarantee programs.

Casa Latino Real Estate Expands in Southern California

April 16, 2008 - Casa Latino Real Estate is celebrating the grand opening of four new offices spanning both Los Angeles and Orange Counties.

With offices open in Long Beach, San Pedro, Santa Ana, and Tustin, Casa Latino is now servicing uniquely distinctive communities within the two counties.

According to Roberto ‘Robb’ Heering, founder and CEO of Casa Latino, “although we are viewed as the only nationwide real estate brand built from the ground up to effectively and professionally service the Latino community, families of every culture, race, and ethnicity are warmly welcomed. In fact, Casa Latino is fast becoming America’s multicultural real estate agency of choice. Our franchise owners, brokers and agents are proud of the fact that our offices embrace the incredibly diverse cultures of our local communities. Most of our agents aren’t simply bilingual, they are multicultural.”

The unprecedented expansion is just the beginning of a target of having 150 offices open throughout Southern California by 2013, and is occurring during a real estate market that many industry insiders consider to be one of the worst of all time. Casa Latino attributes this growth and success to a combination of modern, industry-changing business with a core traditional value system.

“The support we offer for our agents and for those looking to open their own Casa Latino offices is unparalleled. It’s something this industry has never seen before, and something we’re incredibly proud of offering,” said Nicholas Howard, Broker and co-President of Casa Latino Southern California. “For our customers, we’re bringing real estate back to basics, with an emphasis on quality customer service and treating every family and every individual with warmth and compassion.”

Casa Latino Southern California’s headquarters is located at 260 Redondo Avenue in Long Beach. For more information on Casa Latino and its Southern California locations, visit www.CasaLatinoSoCal.com. Additional offices will continue to open in dozens of neighborhoods and communities throughout Los Angeles and Orange Counties.

About Casa Latino Franchise Corporation

Casa Latino was created in 2005 based upon the premise that Hispanic home buyers and sellers have unique needs based upon cultural differences and lifestyles, bolstered by the fact that those needs are not being effectively served by any other national brand. The company offers franchisees unprecedented culturally specific and significant back office support, training, marketing tools, advertising, coaching, and much more to ensure their success. The franchise model encourages a variety of agent compensation programs which dramatically enhance a broker’s ability to recruit agents. The low franchise fee and an exceptionally low transaction based royalty structure make Casa Latino an extremely attractive opportunity. Casa Latino has awarded franchises in 10 states and is executing an aggressive growth plan in the USA and many other countries.

Southern California Contact:
Nicholas Howard
Casa Latino Southern California
(562) 434-9605
View Company Website: http://www.casalatino.com/