Three real estate professionals win $23,000 each from a la mode

OKLAHOMA CITY, OKLA. — a la mode, a leading developer of desktop, mobile and web software and services for real estate professionals, announced Rick Furmage, Cari Kresa and Rick Hoffman have won a total of $69,000 as part of its 23rd anniversary celebration. The giveaway was geared to showcase a la mode's stability and leadership to each of their three core groups of customers – real estate agents, mortgage originators and real estate appraisers. As such, the company obtained thousands of entries.

Rick Furmage, the agent who won $23,000, is with Prudential Select Properties serving northern Ohio and the Lake Erie area. Rick was understandably shocked that he won and plans to take his family on a vacation and invest the rest in his business. As for his real estate website, Agent XSite: RickFurmage.com, he says, "When I pull out my laptop and show a seller all the photos and how professional the house looks on my website – I edge out my competition time and time again."

Cari Kresa, the lucky appraiser who pocketed $23,000, owns CJM and Associates in Dania Beach, Florida. Cari has been appraising for eight years and depends on her appraiser website, Appraiser XSite: SouthFloridaresidentialAppraisers.com and its automated marketing program, XSellerate, to stay competitive in today's tough real estate valuation market. She says her favorite tool is XSellerate. "It makes me look like a big, professional firm and has done wonders for my business."

Finally, Rick Hoffman was the $23,000 winner in the mortgage origination sector. Rick depends on his mortgage website, Mortgage XSite: MTGLending.com to help his mortgage origination business in Everett, Washington to help him get new business. In fact, he says "Borrowers are really shopping around and credibility is crucial. I have clients tell me all the time that they researched mortgage lenders online and have chosen me over my competitors because of my professional looking site." Rick plans to invest his winnings directly back into growing his firm.

"For anyone in any part of the real estate business, the last few years have been tough, and we're not out of the woods yet," said Scott Kinnaird, CEO of a la mode. "Our goal with this giveaway was to help reinforce to our customers that we're not going anywhere, and that our products will help them continue to succeed in this tough economy and beyond. Our products are time tested and proven to work, and we want as many real estate professionals to succeed as possible. In a time when all we hear about is doom and gloom, it's important to shine a spotlight on those real estate professionals that are successful, are doing the right things, and are going to continue to succeed for many years to come."

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About a la mode

Founded in 1985, a la mode develops desktop tools, mobile tools, web sites for real estate professionals, mortgage brokers, and appraisers. a la mode's flagship product, WinTOTAL form-filling software for appraisers leads the residential appraisal industry. a la mode's Mercury Network, a vendor management platform for lenders, provides the most experienced local appraisers in an HVCC-compliant, easy-to-use loan ordering and management application. a la mode's mission-critical products are used by hundreds of thousands of appraisers, agents, inspectors, and lending professionals to complete the nation's real estate transactions. The company's state-of-the-art offices are located in Salt Lake City, Oklahoma City, and Washington, DC. To learn more, visit www.alamode.com.