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MOVERS & SHAKERS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 33 MCS Selects Former NFL Player for VP Role Mortgage Contracting Services, LLC (MCS), appointed Bobby Leopold, an industry veteran and former NFL player, as VP of business development. Leopold holds about 20 years' experience in marketing, sales, and business development in the financial and communications industries. He also played for the San Francisco 49ers and Green Bay Packers. eMortgage Logic Adds SVP to Sales Team eMortgage Logic, LLC, hired David Cooper to serve as the new SVP for the company's sales team. Cooper first began his career in mortgage services more than 10 years ago. In his new role, Cooper focuses on the capital markets space and provides information to clients on various customized valuation and technology products to meet specific needs. Rekon Announces VP Promotion Rekon Technologies promoted Jim Su to VP of software development. Su previously served as director of product development. In his new role, Su is charged with overseeing the technology operations of Rekon's software programmers and managing the company's quality assurance team. He joined Rekon more than seven years ago. RentRange Names Industry Veteran as New President RentRange, LLC, appointed Eric Taylor to serve as its new president. Taylor joins the company with more than 25 years in the mortgage and insurance services industry. In his new role, Taylor is tasked with executing the vision of the organization and leading the company's new product innovation efforts. Before joining RentRange, Taylor was president of Real Property Decisions. Long & Foster Welcomes New Managers in Delaware and Maryland Maggie Colman was named branch manager of Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc.'s Pike Creek office in Wilmington, Delaware. Colman served in various real estate-oriented capacities with Patterson-Schwartz Real Estate for 22 years prior to joining Long & Foster. She began her career in 1991 as a residential sales associate and moved up the ranks as a broker, sales office manager, and division director as well as several management and leadership roles supporting the firm's ancillary businesses and corporate efforts. Tom Coard was named manager of Long & Foster Real Estate's Bel Air Central office in Bel Air, Maryland. Coard has more than 10 years' experience in real estate and management. He was previously affiliated with Coldwell Banker's Harford County regional office in Bel Air, serving homebuyers and sellers throughout the state of Maryland. Long & Foster Real Estate hired industry veteran Ellen Katz as branch manager of its Potomac/ Cabin John office in Potomac, Maryland. Katz's career in real estate began in 1989 as a licensed Realtor in Maryland. She is currently an associate broker licensed in Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, D.C. She earned the professional designation Graduate, Realtor Institute (GRI) and for the last eight years, served as a sales manager with another firm in the region. Long & Foster Associates Recognized with Honors Leslie Friedson, a sales associate with Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc., in Potomac, Maryland, was named the 2012 Member of the Year by the Greater Capital area chapter of the Women's Council of Realtors (WCR). The WCR honored Friedson for her contributions and commitment to its local chapter in the Greater Capital area of Maryland. Long & Foster Real Estate also announced three of its sales associates based in Virginia received the prestigious Realtor Emeritus status from the National Association of Realtors (NAR). Ron Rush has been a Realtor for more than 44 years. He currently leads the Ron Rush Team affiliated with Long & Foster's South Riding office as well as its Fairfax Center office. Over the course of his career, Rush has transacted more than $1 billion in sales. Lillian Peterson, a sales associate with Long & Foster's Falls Church office, was also recognized with Realtor Emeritus status. Peterson's work as a Realtor spans 45 years. She is the first and only member of the Northern Virginia Association of Realtors (NVAR) to earn membership in the organization's Multi-Million Dollar Sales Club every year for more than four straight decades. Linda Maxwell, based out of Long & Foster's Springfield office, received Realtor Emeritus status as well. Maxwell has dedicated 40 years of service to real estate. She began her career in 1973 while working as a flight attendant with Pan Am Airlines. She eventually left the airline industry for a full-time position as a real estate sales associate. Maxwell holds memberships in the Northern Virginia Association of Realtors Million Dollar Sales Club, Long & Foster's Gold Team, and Long & Foster's President's Club Hall of Fame. CONTINUED ON PAGE 37 34 HOME SALES STRUGGLE IN LARGEST COUNTIES WHILE PRICES INCREASE The largest counties in the country displayed strong home price growth in November, but sales were weak, according to DataQuick's most recent Property Intelligence Report (PIR). The company's PIR tracks valuation, REO inventory, and sales trends in the 42 largest counties on a monthly, quarterly, and yearly basis. Among the findings, DataQuick reported prices grew in 41 of the 42 counties month-over-month in November, and all 42 counties showed quarterly and yearly home price growth. Adding to the positive trend was a decline in foreclosures for 24 of the 42 counties from October to November. Quarter-over-quarter, foreclosures fell in 20 of the 42 counties, and compared with 2011, foreclosures were down in 29 counties. Sales, however, were dismal for the most part, increasing in only 13 of the 42 reported counties monthover-month. On a quarterly basis, sales were up in just seven counties, and during the past year, sales improved in 25. "While there is evidence that a recovery in housing is under way nationally, the strength of the housing market varies across the country," said Gordon Crawford, VP of analytics for DataQuick. "In comparison to prior reports, we see that home price growth and foreclosure performance improved while sales performance worsened." Crawford also warned of factors that could contribute to home price declines. Those factors include decreases in federal spending as well as the impact of shadow inventory and negative equity. "One area of continuing concern is Florida's Gulf Coast housing market," Crawford said. "While recent home price growth has been positive, the substantial increase in foreclosure rates threatens future home price growth as foreclosed properties hit the market."

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