Full Schapiro Group ACCE Report

In 2007 The American Chamber of Commerce Executives association contracted with The Shapiro Marketing Group to study the benefits to businesses of Chamber Membership.

The full study is attached, however here are the highlights:

WASHINGTON — A national study by The Schapiro Group, an Atlanta based market research firm, reveals a number of important findings about how consumers and business owners perceive the local chamber of commerce and the businesses that are their members.

For example:

• When consumers know that a business is a member of the local chamber, they are 44% more likely to think favorably about it,

• Consumers who are told that a business is a chamber member are 51% more likely to be highly aware of it and 57% more likely to think positively of its local reputation.

• Consumers are 63% more likely to buy goods and services in the future from a company that they believe is a member of the local chamber of commerce.

The study also has good news for businesses that sell to other businesses.

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NOVEMBER 2009 NEWSLETTER COLUMN

As both nighttime and daytime temperatures moderate, and the true signs of the arrival of Fall and Winter can be seen as license plates driving our streets change colors, it’s time to reflect on those things for which we’re thankful.

My partial list contains: my family; their (and my) health; the opportunity to serve the people of Pinal County; my friends and their families; the many civic and community organizations that labor so hard to help those less fortunate; those who serve and protect us at home and abroad; the hard working, dedicated, men and women who labor on our behalf in local, county, state, and federal government; and the honor and privilege of living in the greatest country in the world – the United States of America.

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FED Report Sees Recession Ending
The recession is ending and the economy is finally growing again. That’s the message implicit in the Federal Reserve’s latest survey of businesses around the country, which found economic activity stabilizing or improving in most regions. Economists warn the expansion is fragile and will have staying power only if consumers start spending more money. Rising unemployment that kept Americans cautious could make for a plodding recovery in the months ahead. All but one of the Fed’s 12 regions indicated economic activity either was “stable” showed “signs of stabilization” or had “firmed,” according to the Fed survey.

The one exception is the St. Louis region, which reported the economic decline is “moderating.”  Among Fed districts, tourism activity has been steady, but business travel is said to be down markedly in the New York District. In the Southeast, travel-related spending remained sluggish in most of the region.  Restaurant and hotel spending was subdued in the 10th District, which includes several Western and Midwestern states. (Pages 5B, USA Today; B11, New York Times; A14, Washington Post; www.ajc.com/Business; Travel Advance, September 10)

Submitted by

Dawn Madden

Maricopa Properties

520-568-0555

www.MaricopaProperties.com

The Cromford Report ™ shows that the number of sales per month within Maricopa is still increasing.
The Cromford Report™ provides detailed information to track the history and current status of the
Greater Phoenix residential resale market and offers unique insight into its future direction.

Back in May I made the comment that the price per square foot had yet to catch up to the trend of
lower number of listings vs. higher number of sale each month. That is no longer the case.
The Cromford Report (tm) shows that price per square foot on sold homes rose 4% between May and June.
MLS reports show a 2.5% increase in price per square foot of sold homes between June and July.
With pricing per square foot rising now, we could have possibly hit the bottom of the market within Maricopa!

For a copy of the report or to learn more about the marketplace in your particular city, please
contact us at Info@MaricopaProperties.com with the subject line of CROMFORD REPORT along with
the City name that you are interested in receiving reports on.
Thank you!

The local Arizona District of the US Small Business Administration has posted
a new ARC Loan Program section to their website.  This section has all the information a small business will want to know when applying for an ARC Loan.  To view this information, please visit the following link:

http://www.sba.gov/localresources/district/az/AZ_STIMULUS_REFERRAL_INFORMATI.html

Do you need to find out which banks in Arizona are participating?  Click here for an updated list of Active SBA Lenders.

For additional ARC Loan information, please visit the US SBA website:

www.sba.gov/recovery/arcloanprogram/

and

www.sba.gov/aboutsba/sbaprograms/elending/RECOVERY_INFO_LENDERS.html

Terry Goddard Warns Consumers to Beware of Bogus Property Tax Offer

Attorney General Terry Goddard is warning Arizona homeowners to be wary of official-looking advertisements claiming that a homeowner’s property qualifies for a “property tax reduction review.” This solicitation appears to be an attempt to scam homeowners who are looking to reduce their property tax bill.

The solicitation, which requests a $189 processing fee, is not affiliated with any government entity. The document attempts to appear official and contains a “notice number” and deadline for prompt processing.

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