In an attempt to stay at the cutting edge of the industry, several of the major real estate brokerage organizations are further expanding to allow the consumer the ability with very little effort to complete all the necessary steps of buying and selling a home in one step. The added services include escrow, title, mortgage and now a Concierge Service with referral contacts for contractors, handymen, gardening services, and moving companies. The benefits for the customer are that the services are screened and provide a track record of proven customer satisfaction. Prices are competitive and performance is guaranteed. Contractors are licensed and insured.

Recent success stories confirm sales that were handled by in-house mortgage companies are often funded in record time especially when the closing of a sale is contingent on a date certain that cannot be exceeded. A recent case-in-point situation resulting from a team effort including evening and weekend participation concluded with a sale that might have fallen to the way side were it not that the title company, the mortgage company, and the real estate agent are all on the same page. The total escrow period ran from Thursday to Monday of the following week and closed just in time to avoid a 2 year capital gain's anniversary date.

There is also a discount package that may soon be available to the consumer when utilizing bundled services of the same organization. There will obviously have to be benefits to the consumer which might include monetary, service, and convenience benefits. More than likely, the net results will be all of the above. More than anything, today's savvy consumer is looking for a company with credibility and an impeccable reputation. As the year concludes, the paperless office will become even closer to reality with bundled services playing a big role in simplifying the home buying and home selling process.

If you are like most of us today, time is the most precious of commodities. Ron Wynn and the Coldwell Banker-Jon Douglas company provide a "one stop shopping" luxury so that you have more time to devote to the demanding necessities warranted by your job and family. In addition to real estate representation, the company's affiliates include:

• Escrow - West Coast Escrow Company
• Title - Equity Title Company
• Mortgage - First Capital Mortgage
• Rehab - The Concierge Service
• Movers - The Concierge Service