Joyce Marsh, CLHMS, SRES, CSP

Stirling Sotheby's Inernational Realty will host a "worldwide auction" of Florida Commercial Properties on Wednesday, December 17, 2008 at 4:00PM - Office - Retail - Commercial - Industrial - Development Sites - Builder Inventory

Stirling Sotheby's International Realty has held a series of successful residential real estate auctions in 2008 and we are proud of our record of helping motivated sellers move properties and helping buyers find great values.

Yet we have heard from investors from as far away as Europe that while homes are nice, commercial property is more desirable.

Stirling Sotheby's International Realty's Auction Services Team and Commercial Properties Group are honored to present an outstanding collection of Florida commercial properties that are available for auction. On December 17, buyers from across the country and around the globe will bid for more than $50 million in diverse commercial properties. Many of these properties offer the opportunity to generate immediate revenue or provide headquarters for businesses at amazing prices.

The auction will be held at Embassy Suites, Downtown, Orlando and registered bidders can take part in person, online or via telephone. If you have questions about anything listed in this brochure, please feel free to contact Joyce Marsh, Managing Director, Stirling Sotheby's International Realty, 115 International Parkway, Heathrow, FL. 32746 (407)333-1900 or email direct at: jmarsh@stirlingsir.com

We look forward to your registration and I would like to personally congratulate each of you who are successful bidders on December 17!

For additional information, please review the below flyer, regarding our upcoming commercial property auction. We will have 29 various income producing properties for sale through Auction. Previews of the properties are scheduled for Thursday, December 11th, 1:00-4:00 pm and Saturday, December 13th, 10:00 am to 1:00 pm.

For additional information on each property, such as floor plans, condo docs and directions to each property, please visit our website at www.auctionsbystirling.com or www.StirlingSIR.com/Auctions.

Click here to access the complete commercial auction brochure.http://www.stirlingsir.com/eflyers/auctions/commercial/CommercialAuctionBroUB.pdf

Lake Mary is centrally located being only 30 minutes from downtown Orlando, and 45 minutes from the Daytona Beach and area attractions and immediate access to Interstate 4 for easy commuting.

Lake Mary is well known for the industry and variety of jobs which enhance the local economy and career opportunities. During the week about 35,000 commuters arrive in the city from various locations throughout central Florida.

Money magazine named Lake Mary #4 of the Best Places to live in 2007. For more information on the Money magazine article and a snapshot of the area, demographics, etc. click on the link below:

http://money.cnn.com/magazines/moneymag/bplive/2007/snapshots/PL1238425.html

World class shopping, fine restaurants and entertainment are a fact of life in Lake Mary. Families with school age children will especially appreciate a local school system ranked among the best in the nation.

Lake Mary offers the best combination of economic opportunity, good schools, safe streets, lots of things to do, and a real sense of community

Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke is requesting more government action to relieve the foreclosure crisis and break the cycle of foreclosures which he claims is continuing to plunge the country deeper into a recession.

Bernanke called on the government to increase efforts to assist homeowners at risk of losing their homes, and said the "more needs to be done". Bernanke also emphasized that weakness in the housing sector has proved a serious drag on overall economic activity, and steps to stablize the housing market will help stabilize the economy as well.

Unemployment figures still remain high and indicate a deeply troubled employment sector. Unemployment claims are at the highest level since December 1982.

Many major companies are continuing to cut jobs, and on Wall Street stocks are continuing to slide with reports contributing to the growing anxiety.

Bernanke is recommending the following options:

1. Easing the terms of a government program called Hope for Homeowners. The program lets distressed homeowners refinance into more affordable, federally insured mortgages if the lender agrees to write down the amount owed on the mortgage and pays an upfront insurance premium.

2. Easing the terms of a loan-modification plan put forward by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. that seeks to make mortgage payments more affordable. The FDIC put this plan into effect at IndyMac Bank, a large savings and loan that failed earlier this year, and has used it to modify mortgages at other financial institutions.

3. Having the government buy delinquent or at-risk mortgages in bulk and then refinance them through Hope for Homeowners or another government program that insures home mortgages.

The Fed is also expected to lower its key interest rate by as much as a half percentage point on December 16, and European banks cut they key interest rates this week.

It will be interesting to see what Bernanke is able to accomplish at this point.

Time to start your engines and get your Business Plans and Goals in place for 2009. In our company, we encourage all of our sales associates to write a comprehensive business plan and set goals for the year. We take our business seriously, and preparing a comprehensive business plan and setting goals for the next year, 3-5-10 years are all part of the plan.

• If you are in business, and want to stay in business and be successful, this is not negotiable!
• If you don't have a plan, and plan for your business, then you won't have any business!
• You must establish realistic budgets for marketing and expenses (not just wing it!)

Developing good habits, and writing a business plan are an essential part of being in any business, and real estate is no exception. Many agents fail to plan and set goals for themselves, and they are setting themselves up for failure.

Now is the time (if you have not already done so) to get those plans started so you have a clear path and know where you are heading.....towards success!