Specialized Training and Marketing Materials Serve Clients and Help Preserve America’s Architectural Heritage
PARSIPPANY, N.J. (October 23, 2008) – Observing a ten-year partnership with the National Trust for Historic Preservation, ERA Franchise Systems LLC announces the relaunch of its ERA® Historic Properties program for the marketing and sale of distinctive vintage homes. The National Trust for Historic Preservation is a non-profit organization dedicated to the preservation and protection of America’s historic places.
“This program focuses on the more than 30 million homes that were built in America before 1950,” said P.J. Martin Smith, senior vice president of marketing, ERA Franchise Systems LLC. “Membership in the Historic Properties program identifies ERA sales associates prepared to serve the needs of clients who appreciate the special qualities of homes and neighborhoods that celebrate the history of our country.”
Homes selected for inclusion in the program, which bear the distinctive ERA Historic Properties symbol must be at least 50 years old and meet a minimum listing price threshold. Homes that are tied to a historic event, person or distinct architectural style are prime candidates for the program.
“The National Trust for Historic Preservation and ERA program offers a clear informational advantage in the field of historic homes,” said Dwight Young, a speaker, author, educator and seminar leader for the National Trust for Historic Preservation. “The training provides sales associates with important background on historic properties that can ultimately foster the preservation of historic properties across the country.”
To earn the designation of historic specialist in the Historic Properties program, ERA sales associates must complete Architecture In America: International Origins and Influence, a course developed by ERA Real Estate and the National Trust for Historic Preservation. Spanning more than three centuries of history, the course highlights both high-style and vernacular buildings, ranging from stately federal mansions and handsome Italian style rowhouses to modest Queen Anne cottages and mail-order bungalows.
Additionally, to round out this marketing program, training provides brokers and sales associates the opportunity to familiarize themselves with laws and regulations that govern historic properties and designated historic districts. This ultimately enables them to educate clients about available tax credits and any restrictions that may exist on altering a historic property.
Members of the program may also display the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s logo, and have access to specialized promotional materials, including exclusive marketing resources for historic properties and more.
The National Trust for Historic Preservation is a private, nonprofit membership organization dedicated to saving historic places and revitalizing America’s communities. Staff at the Washington, D.C., headquarters, six regional offices and 29 historic sites work with the Trust’s 270,000 members and thousands of preservation groups in all 50 states.
For more information about the ERA Historic Properties program, visit http://www.era.com/erabuy/historic.html.
