Howard Hanna Buyer Incentive Package Press Release

Corporate Office

119 Gamma Drive, Pittsburgh, PA 15238

For immediate release – March 11, 2009

Howard Hanna looking to jump start home sales with incentives package

--Howard Hanna Real Estate Services is supplementing the federal government’s home buying stimulus program with a stimulus plan of their own – the Howard Hanna Assurance program.

The company is looking to jump start sales in the region and will offer a revamped one-stop shop program that includes offering to take over the leases of renters if they buy a home through the company. The initial marketing campaign begins this weekend.

Hanna’s Apartment Dwellers Trade-in program is looking for renters who find homes to buy but are unable to get out of a long-term lease. Hanna will first work with the landlord to see if someone else can take over the remainder of the contract.

''Ideally, we want to find someone to sub-lease the space,'' Hanna said. ''If we can't find a person, we take over the lease. It's a calculated risk.''

The new Howard Hanna Home Advantage Program grew out of internal brainstorming in recent months on how to help people overcome such things as job-security fears created by the recession so that they will buy a home, Hanna said.

''We're trying to work out all of the objections people are having,'' he added. ''We're trying to be creative and innovative.''

“The negative media about real estate markets has made buyers timid. Most people are listening to ‘national’ reports. Real estate is local – like the weather. We all just don’t listen to one weather forecast,” said Hanna.

Howard Hanna believes in the strength of their markets and their company provides a wide range of value-added consumer incentives to instill confidence in the minds of buyers, as well as heighten realization that now is a great time to buy.

The program also is a way for the company to differentiate itself from competitors, he said.

“While we’ve seen an increase in open house traffic and visits to our web site, driven by the historically low mortgage rates, a large supply of affordable housing and the new $8,000 federal tax incentive for first-time buyers – but we see people not pulling the trigger on sales,” said Helen Hanna Casey, President of the family firm.

“Only through Howard Hanna Assurance can buyers get additional value along with the tax credit,” said Hanna Casey. “We offer a whole value package – all of the strengths of Howard Hanna to our buyers - and to our sellers.”

Howard Hanna’s Assurance program also includes:

The company’s exclusive 100% Money-back Guarantee. Simply put, the home is the single biggest purchase most people will ever make and Howard Hanna guarantees the home’s value. If the buyer of a guaranteed home listed by Howard Hanna isn’t satisfied within the first year, the company will buy it back at 100% of the purchase price, taking any worry out of the transaction.

Howard Hanna Mortgage’s “Powerhouse Mortgage Program, whereby qualified buyers have access to $125 million dollars in mortgage money every month coupled with the lowest interest rates in decades and abundant secured funds provide consumer confidence for Howard Hanna buyers. “Our extensive line of credit means that those who can afford to buy a home need not worry about not getting a loan because of a credit slow down,” explained Hanna. “Interest rates are low and we have the money to lend.”

Complementing the package is the company’s Retail Alliance Service Partner program which provides buyers and sellers with information about the best price and priority service from product and service providers in areas related to moving, such as moving companies, painting, carpeting, etc. Howard Hanna draws from a network of approximately 120 such vendors.

“The size of our company allows us to offer these and other valuable extras that, when combined with historically low mortgage interest rates and the government’s tax credit, ensures that now is the absolute best time to purchase a home -- from first time buyers - to buyers needing a bigger house and more space - to buyers wanting to make the change to maintenance free living,” said Hoddy Hanna. “We are a full-service, one-stop-shopping center for real estate sales and service. Buyers and sellers who purchase or sell a home through us can rest assured that we can help them with all of their needs, ranging from finding a home, to providing mortgage services, to handling closing costs and insurance, as well as helping them turn their new home into a “dream come true”.

Howard Hanna Real Estate Services is the 4^th largest full-service real estate company and the 3^rd largest privately held real estate company in the United States. The full-service company specializes in residential and commercial brokerage service, mortgages, closing and title insurance, land development, appraisal services, insurance services and corporate relocation. The company has 152 offices across Pennsylvania, Ohio, New York and West Virginia, and employs more than 5,200 sales associates and staff.