[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 159 (Wednesday, October 1, 2008)]
[Senate]
[Page S10320]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                          FISHMAN REALTY GROUP

 Ms. SNOWE. Mr. President, today I recognize Fishman Realty 
Group of Portland, a 12 person real estate firm providing vital 
assistance to naval personnel transitioning from Brunswick Naval Air 
Station in my home State of Maine as a result of the 2005 Base 
Realignment and Closure round. In this effort, Fishman Realty Group 
manages the Army Corps of Engineers' Homeowners' Assistance Program, a 
crucial initiative that enables departing Navy personnel to sell their 
homes to the Federal government. In turn, service members and their 
families are able to purchase homes elsewhere without missing a step in 
not only their service, but also their livelihood. Given the housing 
crisis our country is currently facing, fostering a smooth transition 
for our service members is an absolute necessity.
  With the Brunswick Naval air Station slated for closure in 2011, the 
prospect that our current precarious housing market would hinder naval 
families from selling their homes is certainly unsettling. For 
instance, service members reassigned to another base could potentially 
face large losses on their homes--impeding the ability of these men and 
women to purchase homes elsewhere and continue their duties.
  That is why Fishman Realty Group has proven to be a beacon in 
combating markets depressed by crumbling housing prices. Through the 
Homeowners' Assistance Program, Fishman Realty Group is responsible for 
maintaining and listing the properties that the government has acquired 
from the departing personnel, preventing financial loss for their 
families, and protecting an already depressed market from further 
economic turmoil. As the sailors of Brunswick Naval Air Station depart, 
they need not fear that their homes will become financial burdens.
  The effort of Fishman Realty Group is a shining example of how small 
businesses can make a tangible and tremendous difference during an 
economic downturn. Founded by Alan Fishman in 1987, Fishman Realty 
Group offers full service real estate brokering and property management 
throughout the greater Portland area. Additionally, the firm couples 
these offerings with local appraisers, lenders, and engineers; and 
facilitates transactions within and around the Portland community. In 
these challenging times for the housing market, it is a testament to 
Fishman Realty Group's business integrity that it reaches out to help 
military families, demonstrating that their business ethic is 
fundamentally grounded in putting others first.
  In 21 years of service to Portland communities, Fishman Realty Group 
has transformed landscapes and expanded opportunities for hundreds of 
businesses and families. I wish Fishman Realty Group and its employees 
continued success, and I thank them for their commitment to the 
community of Brunswick Naval Air Station.

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