The mortgage market may be in a historic upheaval, but mortgage companies continue to pump out upbeat advertisements.

brags in its ads that “No one can do what Countrywide can” and that “Countrywide can show you the way home.” Wachovia ads feature an “Approved” stamp prominently at the top, and Bank of America says, “Homeownership is the best medicine.”

Also, the National Association of Realtors is running national television ads saying there has never been a better time to buy a home. Home values nearly double every 10 years, the commercial claims, showing a young couple walk up to their white colonial-style home.

Despite rising foreclosures, defaults, lawsuits and investigations by state and federal regulators, the mortgage industry has not reduced its ad spending.

Mortgage experts say spending will be strong into the spring, a prime buying time for the housing market. But consumer advocates say the ads continue to be misleading.

“There’s been huge scrutiny on these companies, but they are continuing to advertise,” said Sally Greenberg, executive director of the National Consumers League, a nonprofit organization in Washington. “Many of these companies are bleeding, and these ads are a way to get more money into the door.”

Indeed, the Mortgage Bankers Association is predicting this will be a down year for the industry, and on Friday it said that the total value of mortgages produced would be down 16 percent from its level last year.

Mortgage companies spent nearly $409 million on ads in the third quarter of last year, the most recent period with available data, higher than the industry’s ad spending during the peak of the housing boom, according to TNS Media Intelligence. Mortgage ads can easily be found in all types of media outlets, and the ads cited in this article were found by Competitrack, a company in New York that tracks advertising.

“There may be some good, legitimate offers,” said Frank Dorman, a spokesman for the Federal Trade Commission, which monitors advertising for deception. “But it’s a good time for consumers to be especially wary.”

You can increase the effectiveness of your real estate and rentals ads by following a few simple guidelines. Potential customers look for specific information. Sometimes adding one or two words can make a big difference in ad response!

If the home is offered at a price lower than the area median, include price in the headline or near the start of the copy.

If the home is priced above the area median, include specific information on location or unique features in the headline or near the start of the copy. 3

Include ZIP code and city when submitting ad to achieve best results in searchable online database.

Maximize your investment in advertising by using all the available space in headlines. Find out how many characters will fit in a headline and consistently fill those spaces.

Write positive headlines. Avoid negative headlines like “Illness Forces Sale.”

Fill the ad with information appealing to prospects. Include all vital statistics including number of bedrooms and baths, square footage and price. If an open house is scheduled include the address!

Observe Fair Housing Act guidelines prohibiting discriminating in advertising on the basis of race, sex, color, religion, national origin, mental or physical handicap, familial status, and marital status .

Edit to strengthen your ad! Remove non-essential information and insert more benefits.

Avoid phrases like “For more information, call…” Use that space for actual facts about the home.

Use active phrases. Instead of “large formal dining room”, consider “seat 16 for dinner.”

Avoid uncommon abbreviations. They abbreviate results.

Write active, descriptive headlines. You will be rewarded with better ad response.

“RE/MAX Real Estate” Ranks Among Top 5 Search Terms “RE/MAX real estate” ranks No. 4 among real estate search terms on the Internet, according to a recent study by Hitwise, an online competitive intelligence service.

RE/MAX was the only real estate franchise to appear in the Top 10, with “Century 21″ coming in far behind at 16.

Hitwise, a subsidiary of Experian, has been collecting and analyzing data directly from Internet Service Providers (ISPs) since 1997. The extensive sample size of data analyzed (25 million people worldwide, including 10 million in the U.S.), provides detailed information on search terms used to find thousands of sites.

The terms were ranked by volume of searches that brought traffic to Web sites in the Hitwise Business and Finance - Real Estate category for January, based on U.S. Internet usage.

Rankings
1. Realtor.com - 9.08 percent
2. HomeGain - 2.44 percent
3. Yahoo Real Estate - 2.25 percent
4. RE/MAX Real Estate - 2.21 percent
5. Rent.com - 2.19 percent
6. Zillow - 2.06 percent
7. Apartments.com - 2 percent
8. Move.com - 1.91 percent
9. ZipRealty - 1.86 percent
10. U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development - 1.42 percent

Here are some real esate affirmations to consider adopting or adapting as desired and applicable for you individually:

1. Success Keys: I must think successful and act successful to be successful!

2. Professional Value: The real estate commissions I receive are not just a reward for having a real estate license; they are payment for providing valuable professional services.

3. Real Work: I do not avoid difficult tasks and uncomfortable situations. I get paid well for doing the things that unsuccessful people won’t do or can’t do.

4. Enthusiasm and Confidence: I do not think, talk or act negatively about the real estate business. I know that my atti­tude affects my level of success and I always show enthusiasm and confidence to my customers, clients and fellow associates. I believe in my personal value and the value of my office and company.

5. Consistent Prospecting: I do not wait for prospects to come to me. I actively seek‑out qualified prospects.

6. Selling Situation: I do not allow myself to become bogged‑down in “busy work.” I assure my success by consistently getting into actual selling situations. I maximize my probability for success by working proven real estate systems.

7. Reasonable Probability: I do not depend on luck and gamble on unrealistic possibilities. I only work on properties and with prospects where there is a reasonable probability of success.

8. Worthy Clients: I don’t waste my time, energy, or money on unqualified clients. The clients and custom­ers I work with are worthy of my valuable professional services.

9. Working Hours: I do not work the same hours as a salaried employee. I know that I must be available when prospects are available. I do not allow other people to interfere with my work schedule. I carefully guard my working hours.

10. Concern, Responsibility and Control: I do not accept responsibility for situations which are beyond my control. I show concern for all situations, but I only accept responsibility for controllable circumstances.

11. Honesty and Benefits: I do not disguise reality by telling people only what they hope to hear. I tell my custom­ers and clients the truth and sell them on the benefits.

12. Persuasion: I do not argue with customers or clients or run from problems. I successfully persuade people with patience and benefits.

13. Loose Ends: I do not rush through transactions leaving unsolved problems that I hope will disappear. I answer questions and concerns assuring future satisfaction.

14. Personal Responsibility: My level of success is not dependent upon uncontrollable circumstances. I fully ac­knowledge that … If it is to be, it’s up to me.

15. Specialization: I do not try to work with every prospect or on every property. I specialize on properties and with prospects where I have professional competency value and reasonable ability for success. I also have the personal desire to work with them in a professional man­ner.

16. I Believe: I have the right to be successful. I have the ability to be successful. I am personally responsible for my level of success. I create my success through my thoughts and my actions!

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