Selling home on your

Alaska Journal of Commerce: Selling home on your own can prove costly 04/22/02 [an error occurred while processing this directive] [an error occurred while processing this directive] Home Focus In this Issue Calendar Bulletin Board Movers & Shakers Business History Archive Around the World Legals Viewpoint Profile Cartoons Contact Us Advertise with us Subscribe About Us Classified ADs Oil & Gas Special Sections Wealthbuilders Fish Factor Travel Insight Property Wise Tech Watch Law Page Philanthropy Health Book of Lists -5° 17° 9° 8° 27° 33° 35° 41° 44° 39° 35° Choose City Anchorage Barrow Bethel Cordova Deadhorse Denali Park Dillingham Dutch Harbor Fairbanks Galena Haines Homer Juneau Kenai Ketchikan Kodiak Kotzebue McGrath Nenana Paxson Petersburg Pribilof Islands Sitka Skagway Soldotna Talkeetna Valdez Wrangell Yakutat Email Newsletter Palm Pilot Delivery Letter to the editor Comments Locate a copy [an error occurred while processing this directive] [an error occurred while processing this directive] 042202 prop_wise 2 Alaska Journal of Commerce Late night television and local radio programming is rife with infomercials and advertisements touting how easy it is to buy and sell your houses, buildings and businesses all by yourself and save staggering amounts of money to boot. -- Web posted Monday, April 22, 2002 Selling home on your own can prove costly By Ken Jelinek For the Journal Late night television and local radio programming is rife with infomercials and advertisements touting how easy it is to buy and sell your houses, buildings and businesses all by yourself and save staggering amounts of money to boot. They can be rather insulting to those of us in the real estate industry because they attempt to make us sound unnecessary, unethical and expensive. But the fact is, you really can do it yourself successfully. Cynically speaking, however, you can also fix your own car, generate your own electricity, defend yourself in court, trade your own stocks and never visit a doctor. You could probably do your neighbor's job too. One day, when everything is perfectly computerized and digital, you probably won't need a real estate agent. But for now, for the rest of us, we need the help, and that help is going to cost us. So, before you go spiraling off in your declaration of independence, ask yourself, "If it's really so easy, then why aren't all real estate transactions conducted without an agent?" You might also ask yourself if you would want to eliminate the real estate agent and take on all of his or her responsibilities when you are already bogged down with your own life in general, and especially if you haven't done it enough to do it right or do it well? Then, listen closely to your answers because we professionals in the industry are often patching up real estate transactions gone sour behind the well-meaning do-it-yourselfers. Keep in mind that I'm referring to all professionals in the industry including agents, attorneys, loan originators, title officers, processors, surveyors, tax assessors, appraisers and inspectors. But I'm referring specifically to the agent because he or she is the center in this wheel. Nationally, only three to five of every 100 home sales consists of successful "For Sale by Owner" transactions. The vast majority of those that attempt it end up hiring an agent within the first 30 days after they have realized the true cost, time and demands required for marketing and showing a home. Locally, the statistics indicate 15-17 percent of FSBOs are successful. While there are a lot of reasons for this, one of the main ones is that we have a robust seller's market with relatively low inventory. This can be quite tempting for sellers to strike out on their own because it looks easier than it is. But even the owners that sell their own homes usually sell to a buyer who has an agent paid for by the seller. The truth is that the vast majority of all real estate transactions are completed with agents involved on at least one side of the sale, and for this reason, most transactions go very smoothly. But sometimes they don't. One recent seller took the advice of a local FSBO program on pricing his home. Several programs will give you limited service for a set fee. He put an ad in the paper and sold it within three days. When the appraisal report came back he learned that he priced his home too low but was still committed to that price. Sure, he might have saved 6 or 7 percent in brokerage fees but he lost a lot more than that to the happy buyer because his FSBO consultant didn't know the market well enough. In a similar incident, a very excited couple heard of a perfect home on the market For Sale By Owner in their neighborhood. The sellers told them that they didn't want to pay any brokerage fees and proceeded to negotiate down the asking price by $9,000, which made the buyers feel special. A market analysis revealed that the starting price was already about $10,000 too high. And yet, it's going to be sold at the same market price to the buyers whether or not they have an agent paid by the seller. Recently a buyer made an offer on a duplex that was accepted with a counteroffer to increase the earnest money. Both buyer and seller agreed verbally and the only thing lacking was the buyer's signature on that change. In the meantime, the seller sold the duplex to a second buyer to get a higher price and quicker closing. He now has two accepted offers on the same property at the same time. Which party in this potential lawsuit would you like to be? Not all sellers innocently try to save money on real estate commissions. Some choose to "overlook" disclosing pertinent and sometimes legally required information to buyers because doing so might lower the final sales price or prohibit a sale indefinitely because they can't afford to fix a deficiency. How would you protect yourself without the watchful eye of an expert? Agents usually take on quite a bit of risk in marketing your house for sale or driving you around looking at homes to buy. They pay for everything up front and often don't get paid until the day it is recorded, which makes him or her, actually, quite a bargain. On the other hand, you could do it yourself. Ken Jelinek is an associate broker with RE/MAX Properties in Anchorage. He can be reached at 907-257-0196. [an error occurred while processing this directive] © 2004 The Alaska Journal of Commerce and Morris Communications Corp.

Real Estate Agent

Scottsdale Real Estate, Arizona Golf Properties, Phoenix and Carefree Real Estate Listings Arizona Real Estate by Judy Brickman With 18 years of experience in real estate, Judy Brickman specializes in golf course properties , Arizona luxury homes , vacation home rental and sale, second homes and residential lots in northeast Scottsdale and Carefree. With her expertise in real estate in Scottsdale, Arizona and the surrounding area, she is an excellent resource when buying or selling your home! With special emphasis on such areas as The Boulders , Desert Mountain, Estancia, Mirabel, Desert Highlands, Whisper Rock, Troon, DC Ranch, Terravita, Grayhawk and Legend Trail, Carefree and Pinnacle Peak you will be able to view the broad spectrum of real estate available ranging from luxury Arizona golf properties to regular Phoenix, Carefree, and Scottsdale real estate. Combining extensive knowledge of the Arizona real estate marketplace with a dedicated commitment to service, Judy Brickman welcomes the opportunity to work with you in locating your dream home or lot, or in marketing your property. When searching for Real Estate in Scottsdale, Arizona , Phoenix homes for sale, or other Arizona real estate - Judy Brickman is truly your number one option! Welcome to Arizona Real Estate | About Judy Brickman | Contact Judy Arizona Real Estate Listings | Golf Properties | The Boulders Resort | Arizona State Information Buyers Questionnaire | Sellers Questionnaire | Real Estate Links | Site Map Internet Marketing by VKI Studios

real estate brokers. Real

Real Estate Agent Printer-friendly version ( HTML ) Real Estate Agent What is this job like? | How do you get ready? | How much does this job pay? | How many jobs are there? | What about the future? | Are there other jobs like this? | Where can you find more information? What is this job like? Back to Top Real estate agents help people buy and sell houses. They must be able to say approximately how much money a house is worth. They need to know what the neighborhoods in their towns are like. They must know the laws that have to do with buying or selling a house. They also can tell home buyers where to get a loan if they need more money to buy a house. In return for selling a house, real estate agents get to keep a small part of the money that the buyer paid for it. Real estate agents work for real estate brokers. Real estate brokers manage real estate offices. People who want to buy a house often ask a real estate agent to help them. They meet with the agent to tell him or her what kind of house they want. They must also discuss how much money they can afford to spend. The agent then takes them to see houses for sale. Buying a house is a very important decision because houses cost a lot of money. This means that buyers often want to look at many houses before they decide to buy one. Real estate agents also sell houses for people. They help the seller set the price for the house. To do this, they must know what the house is like. They must also figure out what people would be willing to pay for the house so that it will sell quickly. They make sure that people see ads for the house so that they can think about buying it. Once a person agrees to buy a house, real estate agents still have work to do. They must fill out special forms that let everyone know that the house has a new owner. Both the buyer and the seller of the house must sign these forms for the sale of the house to be legal. Often, the agents must help the buyer to get a loan from the bank to pay for the house. Real estate agents generally work in offices. Since much information about properties is available over the Internet, some agents can work out of their own homes. In either case, however, much of their time is spent outside the office showing houses to buyers. Sometimes they must leave the office to meet with people who have houses to sell. Good real estate agents also spend time away from the office finding out more about the houses in their town that might one day be up for sale. Agents often work more than 40 hours a week. They often must work in the evening or on weekends. This is because most buyers and sellers are free only at those times. How do you get ready? Back to Top Real estate agents must have a license from the State in which they work. To get a license, a person must have graduated from high school. The person must be at least 18 years old and pass a written test. In some States, a person who wants to be a real estate agent must go to a special school for a few months. Sometimes it helps to take some college courses about real estate. This is because the process of selling a house can be hard to understand. Good real estate agents must get along well with buyers and sellers. It helps if real estate agents are pleasant and dress neatly. They should be well organized and be able to remember people's names. They should deal honestly with people and have good manners. They must also be very eager to sell houses, which is sometimes a lot of hard work. How much does this job pay? Back to Top Most real estate agents do not get a regular paycheck. Instead, they get part of the money that the home buyer pays to the home seller when a house is sold. This means that agents who sell more houses earn more money. It also means that agents who sell more expensive houses earn more. The middle half of all real estate agents earned between $21,010 and $52,860 a year in 2002. The lowest-paid 10 percent earned less than $15,480. The highest-paid 10 percent earned more than $83,780 a year. The middle half of all real estate brokers earned between $29,240 and $90,170 a year in 2002. The lowest-paid 10 percent earned less than $17,290. The highest-paid 10 percent earned more than $145,600 a year. How many jobs are there? Back to Top Real estate agents and brokers held about 407,000 jobs in 2002. Many work part time, and have other jobs as well. Most real estate agents work in large cities. Many also work in smaller cities that are growing quickly. This is because there are more houses being bought and sold in such places. What about the future? Back to Top The number of jobs for real estate agents is expected to grow more slowly than the average for all occupations through the year 2012. This is partly because more information about real estate is available on the Internet. This allows agents to conduct more business in less time, so fewer agents are needed. It should be rather easy to find a job as a real estate agent. This is because many agents find that they cannot sell enough houses to be successful, so they quit their jobs. Only people who enjoy selling, and are good at it, should try to become real estate agents. Are there other jobs like this? Back to Top Insurance sales agents Retail salespersons (car salespersons, etc.) Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing Securities, commodities, and financial services sales agents Travel agents Where can you find more information? Back to Top More BLS information about real estate brokers and sales agents can be found in the Occupational Outlook Handbook . The Handbook also shows where to find out even more about this job. Last Modified Date: October 21, 2004

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land loan? Typically, it

How We Work: Frequently Asked Questions Overview Agros Development Process Organizational Foundations Where We Work Our Impact People and Progress Sustainability FAQs Overview Organizational Profile Vision and Mission History and Future News Room Board of Directors Careers Contact Us Overview Give Online How to Get Involved Volunteer Overview Service Team Experiences Donor Stories Noemí Fund Central America in Transition Recommended Reading Frequently Asked Questions Background Information Why is land ownership important to the rural poor? Land is a precious asset around the world. It is a primary source of income, security and stability. Families who have the opportunity to own their own parcel of land can farm it to ensure a stable income for their families and preserve it for their children. They will invest in their land, improving the soil while conserving the environment. Through land ownership, rural poor families acquire a viable way of supporting themselves and overcoming their poverty while simultaneously creating a sustainable community. However, for most rural poor families owning land is an unattainable dream. They don't have access to the cash or credit they need to buy land. Their inability to purchase land guarantees many poor people in third-world countries a life of desperate poverty, working for low wages as farmhands or migrant laborers. Rural poor families become trapped in a cycle of poverty. They are left unable to purchase their own land, paying exorbitant rents for basic survival on poor quality land, and working for desperately low wages as farmhands and migrant laborers. Agros helps families in Central America purchase their own land. In doing so, we help rural poor families create viable, healthy, and sustainable communities today, and for generations to come. How Agros Helps Does Agros give families free land, or do they work to purchase their own land? Agros offers rural poor families a hand-up, not a handout. We help families purchase land through low-interest loans. Loan payments fund the purchase of land for new Agros communities. Agros owns the land and provides each family in the new community with a promissory note. The land title is held by Agros until each family repays the cost of their parcel of land. How long does it typically take families to pay off their land loan? Typically, it takes a family seven to 10 years to pay for their land. Once the loan is repaid, the land title is written in the name of both husband and wife, or the name of the one parent in a single parent family. There is a two-year grace period is allowed. The title is then passed on to the family in a land title transfer ceremony. This is an important and joyous event in the community. Is the land legally available? Establishing a legally secure title to the land is an important element of Agros' work. Before land is even considered for purchase, it must be legally available and clear of competing claims. This contributes to the long-range security of the families. What happens if a family can't pay? Occasionally, a family is unable or unwilling to repay the cost of the land. In such cases, the community leadership committee will work within existing community bi-laws to resolve the issue. The Agros Approach How is the Agros approach unique? Agros' approach of working with the rural poor in long-term asset building makes its work unique. With the exception of some government efforts at land distribution, there are few organizations that have been willing to provide long-term land loans to the poor. Agros is also unique in its approach of avoiding dependency and paternalism in its relationship with participants. By working with each community to develop local leadership, governing bodies, and decision-making processes, individuals gain self-esteem and confidence in their own ability to make sound decisions about their future. This is "breaking free from the cycle of poverty" in the most profound way. Agros has discovered that lending to the poor can be a viable credit risk. A small loan can provide a poor family with just enough capital to help them break free from poverty. Families who understand that they will become self-sufficient owners of their own land at the end of their repayment period have great incentive to fulfill their loan obligations. In addition, by focusing its projects on specific geographical areas, Agros is able to maximize the efficiency of its work in rural areas and generate more possibilities for further economic development and impact. What is an Agros Village? An Agros village is a community comprised of a group of selected families (between 25 and 75) in need who are striving together to make a better future for themselves and their children. Each family is lent a parcel of land, materials to build a house and access to an integrated irrigation system. Through additional small business loans, education and accountability, economic sustainability is the goal to enable them to effectively repay the cost of their loans. Each village has community governance with elected positions that decide the goals and priorities based on input from other villagers. Villages have co-ops, community banks and other economically based programs all based on sustainability. How do new projects get started? First, a group of families interested in becoming an Agros village approaches Agros staff in Central America to nominate a village. Agros must then determine the village's degree of need and prioritize accordingly. We have a fixed number of communities that we can start each year according to funding. The Agros offices in each country work with the Seattle office to determine this number. Since the need for land is always greater than the financial resources available to start new communities, tough decisions have to be made. If resources are available to start a new community, Agros field staff will begin to work with potential villagers. Agros field staff work with the community leaders to learn about parcels available for sale, discuss sale price, and to develop negotiating strategies. Field staff survey the land, assess its quality, and determine land titles and water availability. If everything meets our standards and funds are available for land purchase, field staff give community leaders the go-ahead to begin negotiations. Land purchases are typically timed around the agricultural calendar. A parcel will be purchased in time to prepare the land for the first harvest. Simultaneously, Agros field staff get to know the members of the community, while community members learn about Agros' work. Typically, the most important issue for communities to understand is that Agros provides loans and assistance to help farming families build assets, but that we do not provide charity and free handouts. During the initial development phase, Agros provides services such as agricultural credit and training to create a relationship with the group. At this time the community is introduced to Agros and Agros observes the community's ability to cooperate and sees whether it responds well to the challenges of the Agros model. If community members agree to Agros' repayment policy, and if Agros believes there is a good fit, field staff will typically start with a small project, such as providing small 6-month loans for seeds and agricultural supplies. There is always a tremendous need for short-term credit in rural areas. These small projects provide a perfect testing ground for community members to experience the assistance Agros provides, while Agros field staff learn which community members are bona fide farmers who have a willingness to repay their loans and a desire to work hard to overcome their poverty. During this process, entire communities may choose not to continue to work with Agros, or larger groups of participating families may be whittled down to smaller groups. Typically this is due to Agros' repayment policy, which families may not take seriously until their small loan comes due. At this stage, Agros field staff may choose to go through another 6-month loan cycle with a community. This phase may also include agricultural training to help farming families learn appropriate techniques that will increase crop yields, or other training related to health and nutrition, depending on the needs of the community. Building Long-Term Change How does Agros's approach address long-term poverty issues such as rural-urban migration, education, and health? In our experience, land ownership brings tremendous change in the lives of the rural poor. This change cannot help but positively affect large, long-term poverty issues in the following ways: Improved land quality With the prospect of land ownership, families invest in the quality of their soil and new agricultural techniques which boost crop production, stimulate rural economies and bring greater prosperity to rural areas. Through Agros's agricultural training and support for income-generating activities, families can build lasting economic security for themselves and their children. Improved quality of life As income security is established, the quality of life increases and the potential for social unrest and civil conflict is reduced. Agros supports the unfolding of this "virtuous circle" through the elements of its model. By helping poor families purchase land, the development cycle begins. A stronger community Agros's training in leadership and community organization helps develop local leaders who can work together to resolve community problems and plan for an improved future using foresight gained through prior experiences. Improved health A diversified diet leads to better nutrition and better health. As a result, infant death and malnutrition are reduced, providing an incentive to have smaller families. Better educational opportunities Greater economic stability allows parents to part with child labor and enroll their children in school. Agros also helps communities in projects such as school building. Reduced rural-urban migration As economic prospects and quality of life improve, rural families have no reason to migrate. This leads to greater stability and prosperity as urban areas are not flooded with rural migrants looking for a better life. How does Agros's model affect the problem of illegal immigration into the United States? There are many reasons why immigrants leave the rural countryside and come to the United States. Among them are the conditions of extreme poverty in which people live and the lack of opportunities that enable families to overcome their poverty. Many of the people coming to the U.S. illegally are "economic migrants" - people who come in search of work. Poverty conditions and lack of work opportunities at home mean that these economic migrants are willing to leave their families, risk their lives, and find work in some of the least desirable conditions - often as menial laborers and minimum wage workers. Steady work is better than no work, and minimum wage in the U.S. is often more than they can earn in an entire day in their native country. Throughout Central America, political and economic conditions are such that no matter how hard people work, 60 percent are earning less than $1 per day and 40 percent are living below the poverty line. Unemployment and underemployment are rampant in the rural areas. There are simply not enough jobs to go around and no hope that circumstances will change any time soon. By helping rural families purchase land and build thriving communities, Agros provides an alternative for people who believe their only option is to migrate into the city or into another country, such as the U.S. Agros enables families to stay together and to generate income within their own countries and communities. Agros helps families create a livelihood for themselves that can be passed on to their children. As conditions improve, the motivation for becoming an economic migrant disappears. Families stay together, communities are strengthened, and lives are transformed. How do Agros projects help women? Women in developing countries and across Central America face grave challenges. As the primary caretakers of families and children, they are on the front lines of hunger, malnutrition and death in their families. Agros' programs cannot be successful or have a lasting impact if the health of women is in jeopardy. Many women in rural Central America: Lack access to prenatal care and are isolated from modern health facilities Get married as adolescents, start families at a young age, and don't know how to plan the size of their families Have a difficult time keeping their children healthy and well-nourished because they don't know how, or don't have the resources to prepare a well-balanced meal and lack knowledge of basic sanitation Are of poor health themselves because they sacrifice food and other resources for their children and are continuously breast feeding due to multiple consecutive births Agros' programs address the needs of women and children by creating a positive cycle of change. We help women achieve: Education : For young girls who would otherwise marry young and start families when they are little older than children themselves, Agros provides opportunities for them to go to school. Educated girls tend to marry later and their children tend to be healthier. Literacy training : Agros offers literacy training to adults, giving both men and women who were not able to go to school the opportunity to learn how to read and write. Financial independence : Agros trains women to manage a savings account and family finances because women tend to invest in their families. Business expertise : Through microenterprise development, Agros teaches women skills they can use to start their own businesses. Agros also teaches women (and their children) how to raise small animals close to home to generate income. Family planning and health care : Many women have had more than 5 children and have never received a gynecological exam or had access to prenatal care. Through the women's health initiative: Women learn about their bodies in a way that promotes self-esteem. Women with greater self-esteem become active in community organization. They get involved in village decision-making and develop leadership skills. Women receive regular physical exams, many for the first time in their lives. Agros works within the local culture to provide education about birth spacing and birth control so that women and their husbands can make informed decisions about family planning. People talk a lot about the importance of "sustainable development." How are Agros' methods sustainable? Sustainable development is an important element of Agros' work. Agros works to create sustainability in three primary areas: in the environment, in family economics, and in community organizations. Environmental sustainability begins by providing families with land. People take better care of and are more concerned about a resource over which they have ownership. Agros then provides training and technical assistance regarding the use and stewardship of this land. This includes the construction of composting latrines, improved wood burning stoves, and education on soil conservation, organic composting, and agro-forestry techniques. Economic sustainability begins with improved production of basic grains. When a family produces more food on less land, they become more confident in their ability to feed themselves. With food security established, they begin to try things they've never done before, for instance, growing foods that they can sell in the market and use to generate income. Once families begin to generate a stable income, they can begin to pay back their land loans. And once their loans have been repaid (typically within 10 years), they become self-sustaining owners of their own land. From this land, they are able to generate an on-going, stable income and provide an environment in which their children can thrive. Community sustainability is attained in two ways. First, we help give rural families the training to create a local community government that looks to the entire community for participation and decision-making. This becomes the backbone for civic responsibility and participation. It also becomes the primary way communities continue to thrive long after Agros has departed. The second way is through the Noemí Fund. What is the Noemí Fund? The Noemí Fund is a loan fund that provides the capital needed to buy land and develop village infrastructure, including the resources needed to administer and manage this fund. When a new community is started, the loan fund is used to match every dollar raised for the development costs of a new community, including field support and training. As communities begin to repay their loans, the payments are returned to the loan fund. As the loan fund is replenished, new communities can be started. What happens if Agros is not there? If Agros is not there to provide access to land ownership, opportunity and hope for a sustainable life is slowly choked out. Families will continue to face malnutrition. Lack of education will persist. Migration to urban centers will increase as the rural poor seek a viable life. As a result, dysfunctional structures will remain intact without being held accountable. Cities will become overcrowded and the families moving into them unable to find work or hope in their new location. Communities will become even more broken than before, and despair will overwhelm souls. Planning for the Future What are Agros's goals and plans for the future? Through 2006, our primary focus is to consolidate and strengthen existing projects in Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua, and Chiapas, Mexico. At the same time, Agros is ramping up organizational and financial capacity to ensure on-going growth past 2006. At the same time, the need for Agros's work is considerable in countries throughout the developing world. There are many opportunities beyond our current geographic focus that will be considered as part of a long-term expansion plan. We have received requests for assistance from communities in Brazil, India, Kenya, the Middle East, Romania and South Africa. Post-2006 expansion will be determined through a process of (1) documenting need amongst the rural poor; (2) engaging in prayer and discernment, (3) identifying local interest and leadership, (4) receiving an invitation to participate, and (5) raising the requisite funds. When these criteria are met, expansion into new geographies will be considered. Our Christian Commitment Is Agros a Christian organization? Agros is comprised of Christians who desire to follow the teachings of Jesus Christ by serving the rural poor regardless of their faith. We agree that spiritual transformation is key to holistic transformation. It is God who ultimately transforms the individual. Agros plays a role in encouraging the spiritual transformation of individuals in Agros communities. Faith plays a crucial role in the holistic development of the Agros communities. International development organizations worldwide recognize the overall importance of faith in development. The church is the community institution that will survive. It also provides the moral compass for the development of the community and its values for the present and future generations. How does religious faith impact the work you do in the field? We try to model and communicate biblical principles to assist in the transformation of lives. Our role in spiritual transformation is expressed by: Sharing and teaching biblical principles underlying our social and physical services: Land purchase and use Land ownership and repayment Work ethic and responsibility Community organization Leadership development Infrastructure development and maintenance Agriculture & enterprise training Health and education Agros personnel being prepared to respond to and answer the "Why" questions. Why is Agros doing this? Why are you doing this personally? Whom does Agros serve? Agros works with landless, rural families of all faiths who have demonstrated their agricultural vocation and a willingness to cooperate with Agros program goals and expectations. In most cases, Agros assists groups that have already been organized and who demonstrate a need and the values of community and concern for each other. We look for a history of working together and an understanding of the importance of hard work. We work with groups of people who have: Initiated a relationship with local Agros staff Committed to abide by the Agros program and principles Demonstrated active leadership that holds values consistent with those of Agros Shown characteristics that lead Agros staff to believe the group has a strong chance of succeeding as a community. In determining the potential for success of a community, one of the factors necessary is a group of believers in the local area (i.e. a church). We may work with groups that have no professing Christians. Our Funding How is Agros Funded? The funding for Agros comes from three primary resources: Individuals, churches and foundations. Individuals and churches support Agros in the following ways: General Giving Walk with a Family Special Projects and Appeals Journey with a Village Country offices also seek out resources from local and international organizations. There are in-kind donations such as trees, seeds and other supplies. Heifer Project International contributes support for training and small animal husbandry. Most recently the Noemí Fund was developed to provide capital needed to jumpstart development and match donations from other sources. This fund was started to make available rotating credit that is repaid, and to supply future capital. How You Can Help How can churches, community organizations, and businesses get involved with Agros? Agros welcomes opportunities to partner with churches, organizations and businesses through its "Journey with a Village" program. This program partners individuals, families, churches, foundations, businesses or community groups with rural landless families in developing countries where Agros works. The purpose of the partnership is to enable these families to purchase their own agricultural land, build a livelihood, restore self-dignity, and overcome poverty. As a JWAV partner, you have the opportunity to help change these families' lives forever by coming alongside them in a financial and relational commitment of up to 5 years. Our typical process is: Meet : Get to know you, introduce you to the work of Agros and explain the JWAV program. Match : Determine if your goals and the community's goals would benefit through partnership. Champion : Help you select a Village Champion to organize a committee and if desired, delegate responsibilities and provide prayer support. Visit : Put together a trip so that you and other potential supporters can meet the families involved in your new potential partnership. Partner : Formalize the partnership through a signed agreement and celebration with the community. How can I make a donation to Agros? Simply on click on Give Now to make and individual donation, or call us at 206-528-1066. Home | Give Now | How We Work | Inside Agros | Get Involved | Learn More | Contact © 2005 Agros International. 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