H O R I Z O N S

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In a recent Toast Master’s District 47 Executive Council meeting held in Ft. Myers, Florida, HG Christie’s Agent and Appraiser, Elbert Thompson            , was named the Area Governor of the 2nd Quarter for District 47. 

Elbert has captured this esteemed honor after 13 distinguished years with Toastmasters International and has competed and won several contests throughout the years.  Rising as a leader during his affiliation with this well-regarded organization that is dedicated to enhancing communication and leadership skills, Elbert also served as a club president.  His stellar performance within the Toastmaster’s organization has now yielded wider recognition  with this prestigious award for a district that stretches across the Bahamas and South Florida, from Key West to Tampa. This represents approximately 5,000 members and 42 areas.

HG Christie salutes Elbert in this outstanding accomplishment.  During his professional career Elbert has maximized his speaking talents, knowledge and exceptional training skills in many venues.  One of Mr. Thompson’s most memorable posts in the Bahamas where his exceptional skills could be witnessed was as a news anchor and reporter with the national televisionand radio station,  ZNS.

When congratulated he remarked, “I was truly shocked and humbled by the honours when my name was called and I thank all of the Area 83 clubs, their executive officers, members and Area 83 Council members as their work and cooperation has made this all possible.  GO AREA 83!!!!”

HG Christie is proud to have Elbert Thompson             as a valued member of our team.  Elbert shines not only at Toastmasters but professionally as well.  A respected appraiser, a Top Producing Agent and recently a proficient company trainer.  So “GO ELBERT!  Shine on!”

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Thawing in the warmth of the Bahamian Sunshine nearly 100 Air Canada passengers disembarked the inaugural international direct flight into George Town, Exuma on Sunday.

After just a few short hours, commuters sporting gleeful expressions headed off to play at the new Sandals Emerald Bay resort ready to soak up the gorgeous Exuma seaside. 

The island of Exuma is welcoming and grateful for these direct flights and views this as just the beginning of an even greater increase to international arrivals to Exuma. Executives with Air Canada have said that they are ’booked to capacity for the rest of the month for their flights into Exuma’.

“We are so proud to be here,” said Sandal’s Chief Executive OfficerAdam Stewart. “We are here today and are committed to the people of Exuma.

The executive was present yesterday for the day’s festivities, along with a host of other island officials.
Raymond Francis, executive director of the Out Islands Promotions Board, noted that the inaugural flight came at a time when most big airlines were considering cutting routes to boost cost efficiency - that’s proof, he said, for what’s in store for Exuma in the near future.

“It goes to show that Air Canada and Sandals are confident in Exuma’s tourism growth,” he said. “We are confident this direct service will boost tourism demand [and] we hope this will entice . . . and provide much needed direct service from Toronto.”

The Air Canada flight will operate one day a week servicing the Toronto to George Town routes.

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Potential home buyers who delay have a lot to lose.

First-time home buyer and move-up tax credits worth $8,000 and $6,500, respectively, expire April 30. Buyers who qualify get a dollar-for-dollar reduction in taxes or a cash payment if they don’t pay enough taxes to cover the credit.

Other factors that should spur buyers:

Low mortgage rates. If the Federal Reserve stops buying mortgage-backed securities at the end of March, 30-year rates will almost certainly rise to more than 6 percent.

Rising prices. About 30 percent of markets are already experiencing price increases. Prices are falling in 12 percent of markets, says Fiserv (but that only helps if you want to live there).

Source: Money Magazine, Beth Braverman (03/02/2010)

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The Mortgage Bankers Association is seeing signs that the foreclosure crisis is ending.

“The continued and sizable drop in the 30-day delinquency rate is a concrete sign that the end may be in sight,” says Jay Brinkmann, MBA’s chief economist, in a published statement.

Brinkmann said that normally there is a large spike in short-term mortgage delinquencies at the end of the year because of high heating bills and holiday expenditures. This year, there was not only no spike, but the 30-day delinquency rate actually fell from 3.79 percent to 3.63 percent.

Thirty-day delinquencies have historically been a leading indicator of serious delinquencies and foreclosures, Brinkmann said.

“[This] gives us growing confidence that the size of the problem now is about as bad as it will get,” he said.

Source: Mortgage Bankers Association (02/19/2010)

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“A BID TO SAVE THE EARTH” PROCEEDS TO BENEFIT CONSERVATION INTERNATIONAL, OCEANA, NATURAL RESOURCES DEFENSE COUNCIL AND THE CENTRAL PARK CONSERVANCY

DEUTSCHE BANK’S ASSET MANAGEMENT DIVISION TO BE LEAD SPONSOR

NBCU’s ‘Green is Universal’ is the Official Media Partner

Mobilizing Numerous On-air, Online Properties and Talent

To Drive Awareness Throughout Earth Week

London/New York/Hong Kong – February 2010 — Christie’s International, the world’s leading art business, announces “A Bid to Save the Earth” Green Auction. This first-of-its-kind charity auction will take place on April 22, 2010 to coincide with the 40th anniversary of Earth Day. The Evening Sale event will be held at Christie’s, Rockefeller Center, New York and be carried live globally via Christie’s LIVE™ on www.christies.com. Proceeds from the sale will be divided among four leading not-for-profit environmental organizations: Conservation International, Oceana, Natural Resources Defense Council and the Central Park Conservancy. All four beneficiary organizations are 4-Star rated by CharityNavigator.org, its highest rating for not-for-profit organizations. The four participating not-for-profits have programming and supporters across 150 countries and all 7 continents.
read more…
http://www.abidtosavetheearth.org/
http://www.christies.com/features/auctions/0410/greenauction/?CID=5447010004301b

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As a musician I have developed a keen sense of sound.  I make conscientious efforts to not expose myself to situations where the music will be off key, because it is excruciating.  Couple that with marketing information, a prime area of interest to me, and I am there!

Apparently, according to an article from Fast Company on addictive sounds, Buyology Inc. and Elias Arts, a sound identity company in New York, used volunteers and the latest neuroscience-based research methods to confirm that sound has remarkable power. This of course is not surprising. The surprise was just how many commercial brands have made their way into the world’s 10 most powerful and addictive sounds.   These sounds that penetrate our subconscious daily beat out some of the most familiar and comforting sounds of nature, including the sound of waves - one of my personal favorites.

Great article - check it out:

http://www.fastcompany.com/article/the-most-addictive-sounds-in-the-world-advertising-neuromarketing?partner=homepage_newsletter

Recognize this one?  Bet you can hum it…

http://images.fastcompany.com/mp3/top10brandedsounds/Intel_Logo.mp3

This ranked #2, proving repetition is the key.

How about this #3?  http://www.martinlindstrom.com/sounds/PhoneVibrate.wav

If you know this, I bet you are one of the millions that is familiar with the term ‘Crackberry’.

This one though #1, has got to be my favorite and obviously for everyone else too…http://www.martinlindstrom.com/sounds/BabyGiggle.wav

Bet you smiled when you listened to it.

Check out the full list below and listen in. While the sound of waves didn’t make this list, I am not ready to scratch it off of mine.  As I type I am enjoying the sound of the rain on the window. Wonder why that didn’t make the top ten?

Listen in to

THE MOST ADDICTIVE SOUNDS IN THE WORLD

Non-branded and branded sounds:
1. Baby giggle
2. Intel
3. Vibrating phone
4. ATM / cash register
5. National Geographic
6. MTV
7. T-MobileRingtone
8. McDonald’s
9. ‘Star Spangled Banner’
10. State Farm

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I was marveling at the amazing stunts that Shaun Whitebrought to the Halfpipe in the Olympics.  http://www.vancouver2010.com/olympic-snowboard/athletes/shaun-white_ath1023740ln.html

While other competitors executed difficult Olympic worthy programs they were made to seem simplistic and luster lacking after having watched Shaun White.  This charismatic ‘surfer dude’ type takes to snowboarding like a duck to water.  I sit and enjoy the experience with Shaun sucked into the vortex of the moment of glory. 

While I vicariously enjoy the moment with Shaun I can’t help from begin my ‘armchair analysis’.

As someone whose business is reliant on marketing, I begin to question the wisdom of rebranding at this stage of Shaun’s career.  In a Prince like maneuver (remember his attempt to become that symbol thingy) http://www.faqs.org/faqs/music/prince-faq/general-faq/, Shaun is attempting to rebrand from the ‘Flying Tomato’ to notoriety as ‘The Animal’.  Beyond questioning the wisdom of this, I can’t get the image of ‘Animal’ the spunky Muppet out of my head. Then I find out that this is the inspiration.  I guess I get it now. http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474978057399&grpId=3659174697259360

I press beyond that because truth is Shaun has proven himself a demigod entitled to change his name as he wishes.  I go back to relishing the moment of the realization of a life’s dream.

Shaun’s affable personality is evident from the tender age of 14 as he explains to an interviewer that he was no longer in school because they did not view snowboarding as a valid sport.  Consequently, they felt he was spending too much time out of school and he was asked to leave.  This week Shaun’s pursuit of his dream was validated by the world.

As ‘The Caribbean’s Private Island Specialist’, I have met hundreds of folks with a dream.  The scenarios are as varied as the individuals, but at the heart of the matter is always ‘The dream’, our personal propulsion.  This leads me to think for a moment on our (HG Christie) portfolio of private islands providing access to dreams.  Ranging from 265K to multiple millions these dreams are within reach for many. (Check a few of them out on the links below.) This was the subject of a recent French TV shoot I was involved in (more on that another time).

http://hgchristie.com/index.php/details/index/Id/17946

http://hgchristie.com/index.php/details/index/Id/20068

http://hgchristie.com/index.php/details/index/Id/20037

http://hgchristie.com/index.php/details/index/Id/11941

We sometimes forget to listen to our dreams.  We get distracted or we lose hope.  Yet today, I head into my day encouraged by ‘The Animal’ to go for the dream and reach for gold whether others view it as valid or not.  I look forward to helping others find their dreams too. 

“Wonder if I can get the guys in the band to call me ‘The Animal’ now?  I am the drummer after all.”

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So, yesterday I as sat on the chilly, yes that is ‘chilly’ – but gorgeous, little island of Nassau in the Bahamas,  I pondered as to whether or not the wise Asians had it right this year – proclaiming this ‘The Year of The Tiger’.  Perhaps more appropriately this should declared  “The Year of the Pants”

First, we had the GeneralLarry Platt go viral on American Idol with his “Pants on the Ground” song  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tMwhl4IrPNc

And now,  the world is once again focusing on pants as the Norwegian Curling team sends a ‘loud’ statement with their pant selection from “Loud Mouth Golf” http://www.usatoday.com/sports/olympics/vancouver/2010-02-16-talk-of-vancouver-wednesday_N.htm

However, true to form, the wisdom of the Eastern hemisphere prevails. Today balance has been restored and the declaration of ‘The Year of the Tiger’ is apropos.  This morning the Olympics, which by the way have been phenomenal, takes a media backseat to Tiger Woods breaking his silence and releasing a statement.

http://www.chicagobreakingsports.com/2010/02/tiger-woods-breaks-silence-with-statement.html

So, now  I sit this morning in my humble office in HG Christie and evaluate what all of this means for the world.  Could this be a commentary on the global economy?  “Don’t look like a fool, but be bold.”

Perhaps the gleaned wisdom for real estate in 2010 is: “ Employ ‘The Eye of the Tiger’, but  don’t get caught with your pants down”?

Hmmmmmm….. I’ll get back to you on that. 

I’ll think on this some more as I sell breathtaking real estate like the Albany Development - a collective vision of Tavistock Groupand Golf icons Tiger Woods and Ernie Els. 

Check it out : http://hgchristie.com/index.php/details/index/Id/19894

Okay, you know what, the world is indeed in balance today.  Well, at least my little corner is.

Have a good one.

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On Saturday, January 23, 2010 the community of Marsh Harbour, Abaco came together in a show of support and strength for a 3 mile walk and educational seminar sponsored by HG Christie in conjunction with Insurance Management. 

In an overwhelming response over 415 registered walkers took to the streets of Marsh Harbour. Walkers included John Christie, Director and Vice President of HG Christie Ltd, and several members of the HG Christie team. Photos of loved ones adorned the sea of pink shirts of walkers.  Precious images of mothers, daughters and sisters who had fought this deadly disease some who are ‘survivors’ and some who had not made it.  Hope and Courage were not just words on a handmade sign, they were emotions visible on faces and felt in hearts of almost everyone there.  Under the direction of HG Christie’s Marsh Harbour, Abaco agent Leah Pinder,  a talented and tireless team of professionals, friends and family united to bring awareness and information on Breast Cancer to the Abaco community. A primary objective of the event being to create a survivors directory for support within the community.

A Breast Cancer survivor of 6 years Leah Pinder had a personal commitment to reaching out to her community to create this support system for survivors and to share current information from some of the amazing women she had met on her journey.  Care givers, a mother whose daughter had Breast Cancer, a Survivor, a courageous young woman who opted for prophylactic surgery and Leah herself openly shared their experiences, their compassion and concern for others urging all women of 30 and older to get regular mammograms. Many left convicted to “Check their Boobies”.

HG Christie is proud to be associated with this phenomenal event which raised over $8000 for the Abaco Chapter of the Cancer Society. This success demonstrated the importance of the issue of Breast Cancer within this small community.  Everyone left touched and empowered.  HG Christie wishes to extend they deep sense of gratitude to Leah Pinder and her wonderful circle of support for organizing such a phenomenal event.  We look forward to next year.  We are sure it will be outstanding.