My mother, a retired REALTOR®, grew up in the 1930s during the Depression when, according to her, you got by on hard work and shared what you had with so many others who had even less. She graduated from high school in the midst of WWII, at a time when it seemed that the war would never end.
A few years later, the war ended, the rationing of goods stopped, the economy improved and things got better. But then came another war, a president assassinated, and the days of civil rights strife grew throughout the country and in Dayton, as well. Then, yet another war…You get the picture.
After all this turmoil, things got better for a while. Then, there was a recession in the 1980’s, the Gulf War in the 90’s, 9/11, the Iraq War, and now the Great Recession.
As she completes her 84th year, my mother tells me that, her life experiences have taught her that we are not entitled to only good times. To those who might be feeling sorry for themselves for not selling as much today, my mother’s advice is: “Keep working…take life on as it comes to you…change as you need to respond to life’s circumstances…things are always changing…and things do get better.”
I do not know if the futurists I heard at the NAR Summit meeting in Chicago last week are correct – but I know my mother is probably right…again. – Steve Brown, 2009 Vice President & Liaison to Committees
NAR continues to do everything it can to support REALTORS® in business and to keep an eye on regulatory issues that present difficulties for members and consumers. One such rule from the FHA states that some properties that exceed $417,000 and are in declining areas with loan-to-value ratios that exceed 95 percent are required to get two appraisals.
We’ve heard from many of you that getting just one appraisal these days has been a challenge, needless to say getting two.
2009 NAR President Charles McMillan just wrote a letter to the FHA asking them to rescind the rule. I couldn’t agree with Charles’ letter more. Getting two appraisals places one more burden on hard-hit areas, is one more hoop to jump through to get a house sold, and is in short, redundant. It also passes on yet another cost to homebuyers in an already challenging market.
As Charles’ letter stated, “one appraisal, completed in accordance with the Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice (USPAP), should be sufficient to reflect the true value of a home.”
NAR has been vigilant on watching out for members and consumers when it comes to appraisals and the HVCC. We conducted a member survey a few months ago and found that over a third of members have had trouble with a sale due to HVCC. NAR is currently asking Members of Congress to sign on to a bill that would place an 18-month moratorium on the Code.
Vicki Cox Golder, the incoming NAR president, said at the Leadership Summit this week in Chicago that increasing member involvement is her main goal for the coming year. She wants more REALTORS® involved in advocacy, whether it’s members responding to Calls for Action or brokers joining the Broker Involvement Program.
You can get involved today and start fulfilling her theme of putting REALTORS® “On the Rise” by writing your member of Congress and asking him or her to sign on to the moratorium.
I was encouraged at the Leadership Summit to see so many enthusiastic REALTOR® leaders and hear so many new ideas spinning around in conversation. We have continued challenges to face as we head into fall, but we have every reason to believe we will succeed.
As always, we will keep you posted and keep looking out for members and consumers’ best interests because we are believers in the American dream of homeownership. Gary Thomas – NAR 2009 Vice President and Liaison to Government Affairs
A couple of weeks ago, I had the opportunity to attend Inman’s Real Estate Connect Conference in San Francisco. I have been going to Connect for several years now, and I find it is one of the best ways to learn about new trends in the business.
There were three key messages that I heard throughout the sessions:
First, several people made the point that we need to pass the torch along to a new generation. I couldn’t agree more!
Second, just as the real estate business is changing, so it the news media. New is being reported and generated at a grassroots level, and social media outlets like Twitter and Facebook are encouraging this trend. We need to engage with media and consumers via these outlets.
Third, we are seeing a blending of video and text to convey information that’s both entertaining and effective. For example, a video book can explain even the most complex topic, like an economic principle, simply. Associations and REALTORS should be looking at video as a viable way to communicate information to members and consumers.
I left the conference feeling quite proud that NAR is already moving in these directions. We’ve made a major effort through programs like the Leadership Academy and the Young Professionals Network to bring new members into the association. Our surround-sound program is helping state and local associations engage media in all kinds of new ways. And, of course, Realtor.org now features hundreds of videos on all kind of real estate-related topics.
Of course, the main reason I attended the conference was to get new ideas that will make my business more successful. I jotted down a few different web sites that were highlighted at Real Estate Connect that can help me (and you) stay ahead of the competition. Here are just a few of the most interesting ones:
Issuu.com allows you create your own online magazine.
Viralheat.com can help you monitor what’s being said about you in social media.
Drop.io can help you share files and presentations on the web.
Jimdo.com will help you create a free web site.
Mailchimp.com provides online marketing for your business.
Geochirp helps you search for people who are twittering in a specific area.
I encourage you to check out these sites and tell us what you think of these services. If there are other resources you are using that would be helpful to your fellow members, please let us know by commenting here. Sharing ideas is one more way you can help pass the torch that will light our way toward a new real estate market, and a very bright future for all REALTORS®. – Dick Gaylord, 2009 Immediate Past President
On Wednesday night, my Congressman Jim Langevin, held a constituents’ meeting on health care reform at the Warwick City Hall. The City Council chambers hold 475 people. Every spot was filled and more than 100 people assembled outside. In an effort to educate the public, Congressman Langevin presented a power point presentation. To his credit, he remained civil, patient and attentive. It is not easy to stay on message when people are yelling and screaming at you. It is also not easy to engage in real discussion when people come with an agenda of disruption and distraction.
Obviously, health insurance reform is a major issue for this country. It requires serious, open discussion. For REALTORS®, health insurance reform is about having access to affordable health insurance policies. Our status as independent contractors or self employed limits many agents to purchasing individual policies with high out of pocket costs, or simply to have no health insurance at all. Our membership survey found more than 300,000 REALTORS® have no health insurance at all, countless more have less than comprehensive policies and are at risk of losing coverage due to increased costs. It is a real challenge, in fact, a hardship for many of our members.
As a result, the National Association of REALTORS® is actively engaged in the conversation. We are working toward prudent, effective health care reform that recognizes our unique income situation as independent contractors or being self-employed. Also, we have been arguing for insurance reform and cost control. As Americans, we are involved in the conversation. As an Association, we seek a dialogue that addresses the needs of our members and staff. Know that we are doing that. I should also mention that NAR hasn’t endorsed ANY of the health care proposals floating around on Capitol Hill. And we won’t until a clearer picture of the final package emerges. That is why we are listening, learning and discussing. The issue and our membership require it.
You should expect that there will be more loud public forums. That is the way of public discourse now. It is a way for people to share the intensity of their position, but it would be very helpful to listen and learn before reacting. The majority of sound bites shared by the media demonstrated a total lack of understanding of the proposals. Ideology is important, but it should be argued with accurate information, not innuendo and propaganda. This applies to all sides of the issue. While it would be naïve to expect a change in process, it would be encouraging to work toward resolution of the issue with information and common sense. It is too important an issue to ignore or minimize. – Ron Phipps, 2009 NAR First Vice President
We’ve made it to the dog days of summer, and it’s already proven to be a heated season in Washington. I wanted to update you on some good news from the Making Home Affordable program as well as keep you informed on the big issues we’ve been seeing across our television screens.
First, the Administration announced last week that FHA mortgages are now eligible for modification under the MHA program. This is great news not only for REALTORS® and homeowners but for the entire economy. Now thousands of more homeowners have the opportunity to modify their mortgages, make their payments more affordable, and keep their homes.
Keeping families in their homes is key to stabilizing home prices and stabilizing the economy.
Second, we’ve heard from hundreds of members about appraisals and the HVCC. Right now we’re continuing to ask Congress to place an 18-month moratorium on the code so we can take some time to figure out what’s working with it and what’s not. We’ve asked our REALTOR® Federal Political Coordinators (FPCs) to urge their members of Congress to sign on to the bill calling for a moratorium. So far we have 55 members on board. The FPCs will continue to push for support during the August congressional recess. We will keep you updated on our progress.
Third, health insurance reform has obviously been a major issue not only for REALTORS® this summer but for the whole country. NAR continues to advocate for the interests of the self-employed and small businesses in any reforms that take place. The House has adjourned for August and plans to vote on a bill when it returns in the fall. A group of bipartisan members of the Senate will continue working this week and throughout the month on drafting its bills. But the Senate itself will recess on Friday and will likely vote on a bill in the fall as well.
NAR has not taken a formal position on any of the heath care bills circulating in Congress. The provisions of the bills are just too much in flux right now. We have, however, identified points that we do and don’t support when it comes to reform and have communicated those points to both the House and the Senate. You can read about them here.
Lastly, the Energy bill has gotten a lot of press in the last month, and we’ve heard from many of our members on it. My colleague Steve Brown, 2009 NAR Vice President and Liaison to Committees, recently blogged about why NAR supports some of its provisions. Check it out. It’s good background on how NAR makes decisions.
The Energy bill has passed in the House. The Senate is working on its own legislation right now. With so much talk about health care and the economy, the Senate will not readdress the bill until the fall.
NAR is working hard to ensure REALTORS®’ interests are kept top-of-mind in Washington. Keep checking Realtor.org/GovernmentAffairs to get up-to-date on the issues.
A lot is going on right now. Sometimes it feels like there’s no rest for the weary. But I do hope you will take some time to rest in August. We can’t stay sharp unless we take a time-out from work. I hope you’ll consider doing that. And drop us a line below so we can know what’s on your mind as summer comes to a close. — Gary Thomas, 2009 NAR Vice President and Liaison to Government Affairs
Last week, I had the opportunity to sit down for an interview with NAR’s 2010 Leadership Team. Although the team officially takes office in November, the Summer is an opportunity for them to get together and prepare for the coming year – and to get to know each other a little better – before they meet with association leaders in Chicago later this month.
Although I’m not part of the 2010 team, I’ve worked with every member of the team for several years, and I know them very well. I wanted to give you, our members, a sneak peak at what this new leadership team is like, and what you can expect to hear – and see – from them later this year.
The very first thing that struck me about the team is the incredible diversity in their experiences – and how that is going to help them make the best decisions for members.
As 2010 President Vicki Cox Golder noted: “Not a single one of us has the answer to all of the questions.”
As anyone who has served in leadership will tell you, having different opinions and perspectives ALWAYS leads to better decisions. So having a national leadership team where all areas of the business – land, title, commercial, etc. – are represented is a great service to the members.
For example, 2010 Vice President & Liaison to Committees Brooke Hunt believes that her experience as a sales agent, “being in the car, being in people’s homes, day in and day out” is a great complement to the team.
As CEO Dale Stinton said, “Everybody’s different; everybody has their own point of view. We trust and respect each other.”
I was also struck by how driven the incoming team is – and how passionate they are about serving the members. As 2010 Vice President & Liaison to Government Affairs Vince Malta put it: “We’re type A plus…and, that’s good for the members.”
Although the entire team spends about two-thirds of the year away from home on travel, they all agreed that meeting with members face-to-face is the most incredible experience.
So, what exactly is the team focusing on in 2010? In short – anything and everything that will help us in our businesses!
It should come as no surprise that laws and policies that can help the real estate market are high on the list of priorities. And, as Moe Veissi, 2010 First Vice President says we also need to keep creating new initiatives that help members in the business – like the Second Century Initiatives, and Right Tools, Right Now.
2010 Treasurer, Jim Helsel, also applauds NAR for doing more to communicate with commercial practitioners and for stepping up our visibility worldwide, with a new Senior Vice President for International. These are two areas where we can expect to see even more from NAR in the year ahead.
Perhaps our 2009 President, Charles McMillan, summed it up best, when he said, “This 2010 leadership is going to be responsible for the rise of our members, of the real estate consumer, and confidence in the economy of this nation.”
I couldn’t agree more, and I think you also are going to see a great push to get more new faces into leadership. As 2010 President-Elect Ron Phipps noted, “None of us would be here if we weren’t asked. Someone specifically came to us and said, I think you could do a good job. “
All in all, the spirit of the group is truly remarkable. How they work together is a credit to incoming President Vicki Cox Golder, who is one of the most prepared members I have ever worked with. She always welcomes input and ideas and is a true pleasure to work with. I couldn’t be more excited about this team and the future of our organization.
You’ll be able to watch my full interview with the 2010 Leadership Team, and get a closer look at the theme and goals for 2010, right here on the President’s Report a little later this month, so please check back at the end of August.
In the meantime, I encourage each and every member to get involved now. Call your local, state and national association and ask to be a part of the team that builds a brand new day for real estate in America. Now is our time to shine. – Dick Gaylord, 2009 Immediate Past President
