Re/Max top real estate franchise
Colorado-based Re/Max International is the top real estate franchise in the United States and the eighth-best franchise overall, according to Entrepreneur magazine’s 27th annual Franchise 500 survey. Subway was the top franchise, followed by Denver-based submarine sandwich chain Quiznos and Curves Fitness Center. Companies in the survey are judged by financial strength, stability, growth rate and system size. Other criteria: the number of years in business, length of time franchising, start-up costs, litigation, percentage of terminations and whether the company provides financing. Re/Max, founded in 1973 by Dave and Gail Liniger, has more than 6,000 affiliated offices worldwide and 114,000 sales associates.
MDC tops for shareholders
Denver-based MDC Holdings is one of the top three companies in terms of rewarding shareholders. The company tied with DR Horton on the Forbes Platinum 400 list with a 33 percent total annualized return for the past eight years. The No. 1 company was NVR, a Reston, Va.-based homebuilder, with a 51 percent return.
Incentives for buyers
Frontier Communities is offering more than $10,000 in incentives on homes in several of its communities. Incentives include a 42-inch plasma television, full-size Maytag washer and dryer or incentives toward furniture, closing costs, garages, carports, moving costs and apartment lease buyouts. Frontier’s developments include Cornerstone Townhomes at Thornton Parkway and Colorado Boulevard in Thornton; Prairie Walk on Cherry Creek at E-470 and Jordan Road in Parker; Blue Sky at Vista Ridge at Colorado 7 west of Interstate 25 in Erie; First Creek Farm at East 56th Avenue and Tower Road in Aurora; and the Town Homes at Murphy Creek at E-470 and East Jewell Avenue in Aurora.
Mortgage rates slip slightly to 6.21 percent
Rates on 30-year mortgages dipped last week. Mortgage giant Freddie Mac reported Thursday in its weekly survey that rates on 30-year, fixed-rate mortgages dropped to 6.21 percent. That was down slightly from the previous week’s average rate of 6.22 percent. Below are average mortgage rates in Denver, Adams and Arapahoe counties as of Thursday and the previous 52 weeks. The one-year Treasury bill average reported by the Federal Reserve Bank is 4.36 percent. The Cost of Funds Index for November from the Federal Home Loan Bank (11th District) was 3.190 percent.
