For Sale By Owner Homes / Mortgage Blog

First-time Home Buyers Now Have Access to Real Estate and Mortgage Partners Via HomeTeam’s Online Beta Portal

Home buyers connect with service providers; move closer to home ownership

TAMPA, Fla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--HomeTeam, creator of the nationally syndicated “Cause” television program of the same name, has added real estate and mortgage partners to its first-time home buyer online portal beta, www.hometeam.com. The news was announced today at the Mortgage Bankers Association’s 2007 National Technology in Mortgage Banking Conference and Expo in Tampa.

Home buyers can search HomeTeam’s database of real estate and mortgage partners by zip code. Additionally, home buyers will have access to extensive mortgage information and education, networking capabilities, as well as real estate agent and loan officer searches.

“We’re excited about starting our partnership with HomeTeam as they focus on helping people get into homes who normally would not have the resources to assist them in the process,” said Karen Mayfield, president of The Home Loan Group, Prudential California Real Estate’s mortgage affiliate.

HomeTeam’s real estate and mortgage partners will now receive leads when a home buyer makes a service request. HomeTeam currently has 100 percent national mortgage coverage and significant real estate coverage with partners including Keller Williams–The Alaska Group, Century 21 United, Real Estate One, Prudential Fox and Roach, and Prudential California, among others. New partners are being added regularly to facilitate HomeTeam’s aggressive 2007 growth plans.

“First-time home buyers are positioned well to enter the current market and capitalize on the low interest rates being offered,” said Eric Gorrell, president and CEO of HomeTeam. “Through our online beta portal, first-time home buyers can now search for and locate real estate and mortgage professionals in their preferred region. Additionally, we now have the ability to offer our partners leads, helping them actively engage this underserved market and capture more business. In adding these partners to our portal, HomeTeam is continuing to make the home buying process easier, faster and more successful for first-time home buyers everywhere.”

About HomeTeam

Founded in 2003 and based in Seattle, Wash., HomeTeam is managed by a seasoned executive team with experience creating quality TV programming, real estate-related affinity partnerships and web-based technologies. The HomeTeam Web site portal is a trusted online community that guides first-time home buyers through a clear and concise home buying process. Supporting the online community is HomeTeam University, which empowers the consumer with knowledge through courses, content, educational seminars and home-ownership counseling.

The HomeTeam one-hour “Cause” television show has reached 94 percent U.S. coverage weekly on ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX, CW and Superstation WGN cable. For each show, unsuspecting individuals or families are surprised with a down payment and the first year’s mortgage payments for their first home. Friends and family are enlisted over a three-day period to add the final touches that will make the house a home. Recipients are chosen each week from nominations submitted to www.hometeam.com. Host Troy McClain tells the story of each family’s dreams despite challenging life struggles, through home videos, photographs and interviews from family and friends. Then finally, at the end of each episode, the American Dream is revealed, their very own home.