Mel Foster Co. is proud to announce the promotion of Charlotte Courtney to Managing Broker of the Clinton office. In her new position, Ms. Courtney will be responsible for recruiting, budgeting and supervision of eight sales associates in the Mel Foster Co. Clinton office. The company has eight residential real estate offices.
Lynsey Engels, president, real estate brokerage said, “We are thrilled to have Charlotte in the role of Managing Broker. Her knowledge of the real estate industry and her active role in assisting agents as they learn, and grow have prepared her for her new role.”
Ms. Courtney is a licensed managing broker in Iowa and a designated managing broker in Illinois. During her 10 years as a sales associate with Mel Foster Co., Charlotte earned a place in the company’s President’s and Executive Clubs, which recognizes top sales or unit producers. She is a member of the National Association of REALTORS®, the Iowa Association of REALTORS®, and the Quad City Area REALTORS®, and she serves on the executive board for the YWCA Clinton. Charlotte resides in DeWitt with her husband, Pete, and four children.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: CONTACT: Iowa Association of REALTORS® 515-453-1064 info@iowarealtors.com, 5/25/17
Hard work pays off. The First Time Home Buyers Savings Program has been signed!
REALTORS® know that homeownership is the American dream. With the First Time Home Buyer Program, Iowans will be able to start saving and moving into a home of their own more quickly than in recent years.
Through a grant from the National Association of REALTORS®, we rallied Iowa REALTORS® and consumers to contact our legislature about the benefits of homeownership and the importance of the program. Ultimately, the First Time Home Buyer Program, Senate File 505, passed in the Senate with a vote of 49-11 and passed in the House with a vote of 87-11. Governor Branstad signed the bill Tuesday, May 9, 2017. It will go into effect January 1, 2018.
The Iowa Association of REALTORS® will be working with the Department of Revenue to implement the new program. A few key features of the program include:
● This bill allows individuals to open an interest-bearing savings account and designate the account as a first-time homebuyer savings account.
● The funds must be used to buy a property in Iowa.
● A first-time homebuyer is identified as an Iowa resident who has not owned a single-family residence for at least three years prior to the home purchase for which the account’s funds are applied.
● An individual may establish more than one account as long as each account has a different beneficiary.
● Parents and grandparents can start an account for a child or grandchild.
● There is no limit as to how much can be retained in each account.
● An account holder is allowed to deduct from the individual income tax the amount of contributions made during the year by the account holder to the account holder’s accounts, not to exceed $2,000 per year or $4,000 for married taxpayers with a joint account.
● The interest earned on the account is not taxable.
● The yearly tax deduction can be taken up to 10 times (a max of 10 years).
● This is a state tax deduction NOT a tax credit.
● It cannot be deducted on federal taxes.
● If the money is not used to buy an Iowa property, it may be subject to penalty.
The Iowa Association of Realtors® is the state’s largest real estate professional organization representing almost 7,000 members and affiliates. Anyone is eligible to become an IAR affiliate. For membership information, visit www.iowarealtors.com.
Mel Foster Co. is pleased to announce that Don Marple of their Davenport Kimberly Road office was named REALTOR® of the Year during the Iowa Association of REALTORS® (IAR) annual convention held in Cedar Rapids last week.
Marple has been a licensed REALTOR® in Iowa for more than 37 years, and has worked at Mel Foster Co. in Davenport since 1995. He has been an active member of the IAR since 1980, serving on numerous committees, including past chair of the annual convention, and member of the education, consumers affairs, technology and member services committees. He served as IAR president in 2013, president-elect in 2011 and treasurer in 2010. He received the IAR President’s Special Recognition Award in 1995. He has also been a member of the REALTOR® Foundation of Iowa Board of Directors.
Marple is presently serving on the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) – Public Housing and MLS Policy Committees. Marple also served as a commissioner on the State of Iowa Real Estate Commission from 2004-2007.
Marple has also served in various leadership roles on his local board, the Quad Cities Area REALTORS® Association, including 2002 president, secretary/treasurer, and as a member of several committees. He received REALTOR® of the Year Award in 1998 and the Bert Frahm Award for Outstanding Dedication and Service to the Real Estate Industry and to the Community in 1995. He has earned several of real estate’s highest designations, including Graduate, REALTOR® Institute (GRI), and Certified Residential Specialist (CRS).
Marple is very active in his community. He is currently a commissioner on the Scott County Condemnation Board. He has also served as past president for the Donahue Sportsman Club and was a founding member of the North Scott Soccer Club. He has been a Junior Achievement volunteer in the North Scott School District for the past 19 years, as well as a long-time volunteer with the Cub Scouts and Big Brothers/Big Sisters.
About Mel Foster Co. Real Estate
Founded in 1921, Mel Foster Co. is a real estate leader in Eastern Iowa and Western Illinois serving Davenport, Bettendorf, Moline, Rock Island and the surrounding Quad City area. It is one of Iowa’s largest independently owned real estate companies. Mel Foster Co. Real Estate specializes in residential and commercial sales and offers services for a broader spectrum of property transactions including farm and land, land development and management, relocation and new construction. Visit www.melfosterco.com for more information.
Mel Foster Co. is pleased to announce that Jon Yocum of their Bettendorf office was installed as President of the Iowa Association of REALTORS® during the Iowa Association of REALTORS® (IAR) annual convention held in Cedar Rapids last week.
Yocum has been a licensed REALTOR® in Iowa for more than 26 years, and has worked at Mel Foster Co. in Davenport since 1996. He has been an active member of the IAR since 1988, serving on numerous committees, including regional vice-president from 2007-2012, member of the education, consumer affairs, legislative, technology and member services committees. He served as IAR president-elect in 2014, treasurer in 2013 and Chairman of the Professional Standards committee in 2012. Yocum also received honorable mention for the 2005 Good Neighbor Award and in 2010 received the Good Neighbor Award for his volunteer work with the Student Built Home Program, where he has served as chairman for 16 years.
Yocum has also served in various leadership roles on his local board, the Quad Cities Area REALTORS® Association, including 2008 secretary/treasurer, 2009 chairman, a director for seven years, and as a member of several committees. He received REALTOR® of the Year Award in 2004 and 2009 and the Bert Frahm Award for Outstanding Dedication and Service to the Real Estate Industry and to the Community in 1999. He was a member and a three year director of the Greater Davenport Board of REALTORS® and received the Distinguished Service Award in 1997.
Yocum is very active in his community. He is also a member of the Quad City Home Builders, where Yocum, for the last 16 years has served as the chairperson for Student Built Home Project and received the 2005 Associate of the Year Award.
About Mel Foster Co. Real Estate
Founded in 1921, Mel Foster Co. is a real estate leader in Eastern Iowa and Western Illinois serving Davenport, Bettendorf, Moline, Rock Island and the surrounding Quad City area. It is one of Iowa’s largest independently owned real estate companies. Mel Foster Co. Real Estate specializes in residential and commercial sales and offers services for a broader spectrum of property transactions including farm and land, land development and management, relocation and new construction. Visit www.melfosterco.com for more information.
