April deadline to exempt your vehicle from tax

Don't ignore April deadlines to exempt your vehicle from taxation
Thanks to last year's amendment to the Texas Constitution, you aren't required to pay tax on any personally owned vehicle that is also used for business purposes. However, you may need to file an annual exemption form in order to avoid this tax.
Do I have to file an exemption?If you were taxed on your vehicle in 2007, you must file an exemption form to receive a rebate. If you’ve never received a tax bill for your vehicle, you may receive one for 2008 if you don’t file an exemption. Protect yourself from a tax you don’t have to pay: File an annual exemption.
How do I get an exemption? Contact your local appraisal district to see what its requirements are; a list of county appraisal districts with each district's contact information is available online. Some appraisal districts have created separate forms for 2007 and 2008 exemptions, while others are using the form published by the Texas comptroller's office (PDF). Use whatever form your local appraisal office requires.
What are the deadlines?Your exemption for 2007 must be filed by April 1; your 2008 exemption is due April 30. The annual deadline thereafter will be April 30.
What if my appraisal office doesn't have a form?If your local appraisal office fails to provide clear directions on how to exempt yourself from mixed-used vehicle taxation, the Texas Association of REALTORS® recommends that you file an exemption with your local appraisal district using the form published by the Texas comptroller's office (PDF).
What if I lease my vehicle?The exemption applies only to personally owned vehicles. Leasing companies owe the tax for leased vehicles. However, they may pass on the tax to you unless you have filed an affidavit (PDF) with the leasing company stating you use the vehicle for personal use 50% or more of the time.

March 5th Training

Please keep the date of 5 March at 10 AM open for a good training session with Pam O’bryant on financing the Purchase.
A good learning for our newer agents and a good refresher for those of us who have been around awhile.
10 AM Next Wednesday.
Thank you
Bob

Prudential Update - click link for video

Attached please find your link to our fourth edition of "PruConnect," our video magazine spotlighting some of the latest information, tools and resources coming from PREA.
I’m especially excited about this "PruConnect" installment, as it provides the latest on our Yahoo! agreement, our advertising in "The Wall Street Journal" and our evolving postcard program. It also discusses our growing Web partnerships, and hints at some pivotal announcements I will make next month at Sales Convention relating to our new interactive marketing and online advertising. Our plans are big and bold, and will help transition our company to become the most progressive, interactive marketing resource for residential real estate. Sales Convention registration closes at 11:59 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 28 so register today if you haven't already.
Click here and enjoy the show! http://preanews.com/ve/ZZys2892Cx92u98j311

Don and Ann and the Family

Group Photo

Here is a pic of our attendees for our annual awards breakfast

Sales/Listing and Agent of the Year Jeanne Desha

Congratulations to Jeanne Desha on again sweeping our top awards at our annual awards breakfast on Valentines Day.

Word, Excel and Powerpoint online access

GOOGLE DOCS
5 February 2008

Google Docs is an online replacement for word processor (like MS Word), spreadsheet (like MS Excel) and Presentation software (like MS PowerPoint). It stores everything, on an offline server so you never need to worry about backing up your hard drive so as not to lose these files. The real advantage of this system is that we can share any and all documents that we generate with all staff and associates as desired. To use the system, please follow the below procedure to access the company's Google Documents website:

Type in the following link: http://docs.donjohnsoncompany.com and save as a bookmark or desktop icon once in the site. To save as an icon on your personal computers, click on "file", "send" "shortcut to desktop" There will be an icon on all company computers that says "Google Docs PDJC".

From this screen you need to sign into the site: Your sign on name is your first name and your initial password is "password" without the quotation marks.

You now see the main screen from which you will prepare a new document, spreadsheet or presentation. You can use these for presentations to your clients, to make fliers, any number of pieces for you business all at no cost to you as the sales associate or staff member.

To begin, simply click on your folder (there is a folder for each staff member and Sales Associate) then click on the word "New" at the top left and it gives you the option of whether you want a document, spreadsheet or presentation; click on whichever and begin your work.

Please see Bernie or Bob for any additional help needed should your exploring only frustrate you!

This system will replace the current MS Office system we have now on the computers as Microsoft discontinues updating and supporting the version of Office we currently have on our computers.


Good luck and we look for this to be a very productive tool for all of us.


Bob