Arcadia REALTOR Magazine - August 2012

Arcadia

REALTOR® Embracing technology

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The Official Publication of the Arcadia Association of REALTORS®

Innovation

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e t a d p u r a e Wor y d i m Man ld-C redevelopment money lass

utstanding staff Live More, Work Less.

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Mid-Year CIPS Designation Update: The eNewsletters s t e State of the l t u O a i d e M l a i c o S t n Releva Association Lunch P online event registration

Increased Membership

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a birth

See page 9

VALUED MEMBERS

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All-StAARs Toastmasters Club

AUGUST 2012

WWW.THEAAR.COM

1 VOL. 16, NO. 6

Arcadia

REALTOR®

Arcadia Association of REALTORS® 601 South First Avenue Arcadia, California 91006 626.446.2115 626.446.4072 FAX www.TheAAR.com

2012 ASSOCIATION OFFICERS

REGULAR FEATURES 4 Events Calendar

4 From the EVP’s Desk Andrew Cooper, Executive Vice President

5 Attorney Comments Dave Freeman, AAR Legal Counsel

6 Market Matters

12 Tech Talk

“Make Seismic Moves” Kristin Kloberdanz, N.A.R. REALTOR® Magazine

13 Affiliate Corner

“What is HBM and How Can It Help REALTORS® Capture More Business?”

Michael Sohl, WJ Bradley Mortgage Captial, LLC

08.12

{ Arcadia REALTOR® | August | Two Thousand and Twelve | Volume Sixteen | Number Eight}

2

August 2012

Ryan Asao {President} Andy Bencosme {President-Elect} Mike Vachani {Vice-President} Jill Nelson {Secretary/Treasurer}

2012 ASSOCIATION DIRECTORS Margaret Garemore Jeanne Keating John Lee Paulina Lee George Monte Joseph Pacilio Sylvia Ramos Irene Yamagata Nick Zigic

2012 C.A.R. DIRECTORS

Ryan Asao Andy Bencosme Jeanne Keating Paulina Lee George Monte Richard Stone Randall Traw Mike Vachani Kelvin Wong Nick Zigic

ARCADIA ASSOCIATION STAFF

We are here to help you with your needs!

Office Phone 626.446.2115 Robin Allen Ext. 307 Director of Finance / Office Manager Robin@TheAAR.com Michael Beltran Ext. 302 IT Director / Webmaster Michael@TheAAR.com Brenda Faltes Ext. 304 Director of MLS Data Integrity, Supra & Social Media Brenda@TheAAR.com Stephanie Maertens Ext. 303 Director of Education, Publications & MLS Caravan Stephanie@TheAAR.com Maria Roberts Ext. 305 Director of Membership & Professional Standards Maria@TheAAR.com Jane Shriver Ext. 301 Director of Association Services Jane@TheAAR.com Andrew Cooper Ext. 308 Executive Vice President Andrew@TheAAR.com

ON THE COVER 7

Mid-Year Update: The State of the Association A report of the state of the Arcadia Association thus far for the current year. A look at the successes of the Association and new programs that have been installed.

9

Commercial Real Estate Education Summit The Commercial / Investment Committee held its annual Summit with four fantastic speakers and a wonderful group of sponsors.

11

Live More, Work Less. Here’s How. Make yourself more productive, more relaxed and more successful by heeding this valuable tips.

12

Make Seismic Moves A look into one way to make an earth-shaking difference in your business.

411 E. Huntington Dr. Suite 101 B, Arcadia CA 91006 Phone: 626-446-2401 Fax: 626-446-2362

Ready for a Stress-Free Closing????

Let the Contempo Escrow Team show you how easy it can be!!

Short Sales Commercial Mobile Homes

Bulk Sales Residential

ABC License Transfers Refinance

Contempo Escrow’s educated, friendly and proficient team will provide the best escrow services available to you and your clients! Open your next escrow with us, and experience the

Contempo Difference!!

ADDITIONAL CONTENTS 3

“Streamlining Short Sales” Please join us at our upcoming class to learn all about the short sale process and increasing closings.

10

Equal / Housing Opportunity Committee “REALTORS® Rebuilding Together” An inside look at what the Rebuilding Together program is and how they help those in our surrounding communities.

10

Education Committee “The Top 10 Reasons REALTORS® Get Sued” A look at the recent course held at the AAR. The course received a packed house and will be brought back by popular demand in November.

STREAMLINING SHORT SALES

10

Global Real Estate Committee “The EB-5 Immigration Program” The Association recently welcomed Howard Ting, YK America Group, to discuss this immigration program as it relates to REALTORS® and their clients.

Attend this half-day program to learn how to identify good prospects, use Equator, increase short sale closings with Bank of America, Citibank, Chase, and other servicers, and see what’s changed with HAFA.

11

C.A.R. Expo in Anaheim (October 2-4) Save the date! The California Association of REALTORS® Expo is rapidly approaching! This year, the Expo will be held in Anaheim.

14

“The Four Steps to Financial Freedom” We are offering this course for FREE! Join us by registering online at www.TheAAR.com

Teresa L. Shaver Certified Sr. Escrow Officer

Amy Choy Escrow Officer

SEMINAR For REALTORS

Thursday, August 9, 2012 Check-in: 8:30 a.m.

Program: 9 a.m to 12:30 p.m.

ADVANCED RESERVATIONS REQUIRED

Seats are extremely limited! Must be on time. NO LATE ENTRIES.

Arcadia Masonic Center 50 W. Duarte Rd. Arcadia, CA 91007

Register Early! $10 registration fee for C.A.R. members To register, please visit www.TheAAR.com and click on the course title under "Upcoming Events."

Continental Breakfast Included. For questions, contact Stephanie Maertens at (626) 446-2115.

Arcadia REALTOR® Magazine

3

August Events Calendar 1

8:30 a.m. - MLS Caravan 9:30 a.m. - Events 4 Charity Committee Mtg.

2

9:30 a.m. - Commercial Committee Mtg. 11:00 a.m. - Commercial Marketing Mixer

3

12:00 p.m. - 1:30 p.m. - Toastmasters

6

9:00 a.m. - 10:30 a.m. - “Let’s Call the Whole Thing Off: Cancellation of Contracts” Class 12:00 p.m. - 1:30 p.m. - Equal Opportunity Class

7

1:00 p.m. - Ethics Video

8

8:30 a.m. - MLS Caravan 8:45 a.m. - Affiliate Committee Mtg. 3:30 p.m. - Equal Opportunity / Housing Affordability Committee Mtg.

9

9:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. - “Streamlining Short Sales” Event @ Arcadia Masonic Center

10

10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. - CRMLS Training

13

8:30 a.m. - New Member Orientation 1:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. - Contract Class Part 1

14

1:30 p.m. - CRMLS Operations Mtg.

15

8:30 a.m. - New Member Induction 8:30 a.m. - MLS Caravan 9:30 a.m. - Public Relations Committee Mtg. 1:30 p.m. - Local Government Relations Committee Mtg.

16 11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. - Lunch & Learn Series “Google Apps”

1:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. - Contract Class Part 2

FROM THE EVP’S DESK It’s Time to Re-Energize It’s August – one of the most popular vacation months of the year and it feels like everyone is taking a vacation... except you. Whether business is good or bad, everyone needs time off to renew and reenergize. As REALTORS® and Affiliates, running your business can be an emotional and physical strain however there are some ways to ensure that taking time off won’t be your business’ undoing.

Keep in mind that if our business isn’t at a level where we can responsibly take a vacation, we can still take “mental-health” days off which are just as good.

Get-Away Alternatives As CEO’s of our own company (remember, you are your own company) if being away for long stretches at a time is problematic, we can always try the following:

•

Mini-vacations—long weekends several times during the year to gain that time away you need.

•

Industry related conferences or conventions but with guaranteed down-time built in. Remember, if the primary purpose of the trip is business-related (like attending your brands annual convention or an Inman Connect Conference or a motivational event) and travel is within the U.S., then transportation costs to and from that location are fully deductible business expenses (only the costs related to your down time, such as meals and lodging on your days off, are nondeductible personal expenses).

Delegate, Delegate, Delegate We’re very fortunate in our industry and in particularly the AAR to have rock-solid business partners like our title and mortgage people, our pestcontrol people, our home inspection people, to name just a few. While away, it’s imperative we use them wisely. To handle the real estate end of things, if we’re fortunate enough to have an assistant then enough said. If you don’t have one then buddy-up with a fellow REALTOR® and trade off while you each are away. It makes sense and it works. Caveat: if there is any sharing of commission be SURE to get that agreement in writing before you leave and better yet have it documented by your Broker or Manager.

Technology, if You Must

17

10:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. - “4 Steps to Financial Fitness” Class Despite your spouse’s and children’s wishes to the contrary, if you can’t 12:00 p.m. - 1:30 p.m. - Toastmasters stand the thought of being too far removed from your business or you fear

20

10:00 a.m. - CRMLS Association Executive’s Mtg. 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. - CRMLS Training N.A.R. Leadership Mtgs (August 20-21)

21

10:00 a.m. - Zipforms Training 2:00 p.m. - Education Committee Mtg.

22

8:30 a.m. - MLS Caravan 9:30 a.m. - Young Professionals Network Committee Mtg.

23

9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. - “Introduction to Technology” Class 1:30 p.m. - CRMLS Finance Mtg.

24

8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. - Agent Photo Day @ AAR

27

9:00 a.m. - 1:00 p .m. - Contract Class Part 3

4

August 2012

the unexpected, there are (unfortunately) plenty of ways to stay connected through your laptop, tablet, smart phone, etc. Be sure to set limits on when you are to be called so that you won’t be bothered for every little thing.

Maybe set up a text-only rule so the sound of a ringing phone doesn’t set off alarms.

(Continued on page 5)

28

9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. - “Paperless Office” Class 1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. - “Phones, Cameras” Class 1:30 p.m. - Budget and Finance Committee Mtg.

29

8:30 a.m. - MLS Caravan

30

9:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. - Contract Class Part 4

31

8:30 a.m. - AAR Board of Director’s Mtg.

Attorney Comments July 2012

By Dave Freeman, Association Counsel 1. GUARANTEE AGREEMENTS – ENFORCEABLE: Another large ($17.7 million) deal went sour, leaving the Guarantor liable for the debt. This time, the Borrower borrowed money to finance a large real estate development.

The Guarantor guaranteed payment of the loan.

When, in 2008, the property values dropped dramatically, the Lender sued the Guarantor directly for the money. The Guarantor claimed under the One Form of Action Rule that the Lender must first foreclose on the property, and then under California Code of Civil Procedure 580d, could not sue the Borrower or Guarantor for the deficiency.

The result was that the Guarantor was liable for the debt, and lost the suit and his appeal.

The point is: Courts are supposed to enforce contract rights, when clearly drawn. The Guarantor agreed, in writing, to repay the money if the Borrower did not. Solution: Think twice before you (don’t) personally guarantee another’s loans, particularly if you do not have absolute control of the project or situation.

2. TRUSTEE(S) AS DEFENDANTS IN LAWSUILTS: A Trust cannot sue

FROM THE EVP’S DESK (Continued from page 4)

or be sued successfully in Court or in arbitration. A Trust is merely a collection of assets. The title to the Trust assets is held by the Trustee(s).

Therefore, if you arbitrate or sue against the Trust, the proper party to name as a defendant is the Trustee(s).

Similarly, documents such as Deeds and Trust Deeds should mention John Doe, Trustee of the John Doe Family Trust, not just the John Doe Family Trust.

This point was brought home by a large case recently where the Sellers backed out of the sale of a very large apartment complex. The contract was drawn with the name of the Trust (not the Trustees) as the Seller. When the Trustees refused to sell the property to the Buyer, binding arbitration ensued, leading to an award in favor of the Buyer against the Trust. The Court confirmed the arbitration award, but the Buyer was unable to enforce the transfer of the property, because the Trust did not own the property. The Trustees were the ones who should have been in the contract, escrow, arbitration and Court confirmation. If in doubt on legal matters, check with your broker/manager and/or legal counsel.

3. AGENCY RELATIONSHIP – CONFIRMATION: You are all familiar with the Agency Disclosure Statement,

wherein you disclose the possible different relationships the client and you can enter into. You are also familiar with the Agency Confirmation portion of the contract, wherein you disclose what your actual relationship with the client is (maybe too familiar). The problem is: Sometimes being too familiar or comfortable with a particular paragraph causes you to be sloppy in dealing with it.

Recently, an agent inadvertently checked both boxes, thereby indicating that they were the agent of the Seller exclusively, and both the Buyer and Seller. When the developer of the project modified the C.C.& R’s, causing the Buyer’s property to become much less valuable, the Buyer sued the Developer and the Broker for fraud claiming that they misrepresented the project. The Buyer also sued the Broker for breach of the fiduciary duty which he owed the Buyer as his agent. The case was eventually order to a full jury trial, including the Broker, based on the ambiguity in the disclosure paragraph of the contract. The fate of the Broker is now in the hands of a jury, at great expense.

Agents and office managers/ brokers must be careful in completing and reviewing (respectively) the documents and contracts which are put in front of, and given to the clients.

Andrew Cooper

Executive Vice-President

Things to Consider If business is down, schedule a vacation! Yes, this goes against every conceivable notion of good sense. But haven’t you noticed that when you are getting ready to take time off or go out of town business starts to drastically pick up or you get very busy? Also, when planning your vacation, consider purchasing trip-cancellation insurance. Costs have come down considerably and it might be a wise investment just in case a loan doesn’t fund at the last minute or an escrow is threatening to cancel.

It’s Our Secret After writing this piece on taking time off from work I have to admit I’m definitely one of those guilty people for not taking proper vacations. I can’t blame it on not wanting to travel with our year and a half old son, I’ve always been guilty of vacation avoidance for the most part. So with you, our loyal REALTOR® and Affiliate members in mind, I will endeavor to take a day or two off in an effort to re-energize and enthusiastically guide our great association. But I can’t promise to leave my smart phone at home – just don’t tell my wife.

Arcadia REALTOR® Magazine

5

Market

Matters

Market Statistics for the San Gabriel Valley Single Family Homes

City Alhambra

6

Zip Code 91801

Condominiums

Price % Sales of Chg from Single Family Price Median January Homes SFR ($1,000) 2011 11

$390

June 2012

-13.3%

Price Median Condo ($1,000)

Sales Count Condos 14

$351

SFR Only

Price & Chg from Median January Home Price/ 2011 Sq. Ft. 3.1%

$348

Alhambra

91803

12

$443

-3.7%

4

$327

n/a

$257

Altadena

91001

50

$375

-16.0%

2

$1,112

1.0%

$316

Arcadia

91006

31

$680

-14.1%

3

$634

15.2%

$328

Arcadia

91007

19

$828

-17.2%

8

$446

-23.8%

$404

Azusa

91702

37

$270

3.8%

15

$153

-7.3%

$203

Duarte

91010

18

$350

29.6%

8

$185

-35.1%

$228

El Monte

91731

10

$335

36.7%

1

$298

6.0%

$262

El Monte

91732

11

$270

-17.6%

12

$308

9.8%

$227

El Monte - South

91733

7

$325

36.3%

3

$213

n/a

$232

Glendora

91740

28

$330

0.3%

3

$275

26.9%

$234

Glendora

91741

27

$485

2.3%

2

$342

0.4%

$265

La Ca単ada Flintridge

91011

23

$950

-15.9%

2

$858

14.3%

$453

La Verne

91750

36

$390

-17.0%

7

$300

5.3%

$246

Monrovia

91016

16

$515

24.3%

11

$420

6.3%

$335

Pasadena

91101

1

n/a

n/a

16

$385

4.8%

n/a

Pasadena

91103

23

$421

9.2%

4

$533

24.5%

$322

Pasadena

91104

33

$525

8.7%

4

$310

31.7%

$354

Pasadena

91105

21

$908

-39.5%

9

$620

0.0%

$462

Pasadena

91106

11

$2,300

405.5%

12

$355

-5.2%

$540

Pasadena

91107

27

$621

-12.0%

7

$346

-34.4%

$382

Rosemead

91770

21

$335

-15.0%

4

$275

-17.8%

$305

San Gabriel

91775

19

$527

-3.3%

2

$318

-34.1%

$385

San Gabriel

91776

16

$425

-20.6%

3

$444

2.7%

$332

San Marino

91108

13

$1,862

62.6%

n/a

n/a

n/a

$583

Sierra Madre

91024

7

$568

-21.7%

2

$439

-2.5%

$338

Temple City

91780

27

$526

0.5%

4

$406

3.8%

$364

Source: DQNews.com

August 2012

Mid-Year Report: The State of the Association

By Ryan Asao, AAR 2012 President

As your 2012 AAR President, I am pleased to present the Association with a “State of the Association” address which provides a detailed mid-year update of our accomplishments the first six months of this year.

When I took on this position, one of my goals was to increase our membership and I’m pleased to announce that as of June 30th, we have done just that. We have 42 more members than we did this time last year.

Our Affiliate membership has also increased by 19 members since the end of June last year. These are strong indications that our industry is well on its way to recovering from the economic downfall and that REALTORS® and Affiliates are recognizing that the Arcadia Association of REALTORS® is a strong organization which continues to embrace technology and is pushing forward in an innovative direction to provide great things for its members.

In March we launched a brand new, interactive and user friendly website that was “redesigned with you in (Continued on page 8)



(626) 831-8862 www.morrisoninspects.com Arcadia REALTOR® Magazine

7

Mid-Year Report: State of the Association (Continued from page 7)

mind” featuring easier to find forms, an upcoming events section, and a growing video library just to name a few. One of the most popular features we have added to this site is the capability to sign up for events and classes online. Our research has proved that a significant amount of our members prefer to use this online service and we are pleased to offer it. We have received very positive comments but we would still like to improve this site. To encourage your feedback and to solicit comments on the Association as a whole, we have added a “suggestion box” banner on the home page of the website. Please take a moment to add your suggestion to the box.

Speaking of classes and events, as an Association, it is our job to provide world-class events, education and career-building opportunities for our valued REALTOR® and Affiliate members. As members of the AAR, it is to YOUR benefit that you attend these classes and events because they offer you the opportunity to improve your business and the services you offer your clients. By the end of June we have already offered 33 events, including 14 educational classes to help you grow your business. How many have you attended? As you can see, we are making huge efforts to provide you with the education you have asked for. Here is a sample of just a few of the classes we have coming up in the second half of the year: a 4-part real estate contracts and forms training course, the new Lunch and Learn series every third Thursday of the month, continued CRMLS training, and a N.A.R. CIPS Designation.

These are just to name a few!

To better notify you of upcoming classes and events, we have improved and increased our electronic communication efforts. These include stand-alone emails, easier to read and eye-pleasing weekly eNewsletters to REALTORS® and Affiliates, Broker eBlasts and also through relevant social media outlets like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIN and YouTube. We also produce this monthly printed magazine that you can pick up in the AAR office or at the weekly Caravan meeting. This magazine also gets emailed to you monthly.

This year we reached a near-record number of members who joined or re-joined the PEPsters program. This stands for Politically Elite Participants and these outstanding members contributed an additional $49 to add more political power to the AAR efforts.

Thank you to those who are members, we greatly appreciate your outstanding contribution.

To better serve the demographics of our Association we have hired a new employee who speaks and writes fluent Mandarin, Cantonese and Chaozhou.

Politically, we have had a busy first six months of the year. Besides the disappearance of Redevelopment money that our local governments have to contend with, there have been dozens of Assembly Bills and Senate Bills that affect our industry that have come to light in 2012. These bills affect housing and property management, land use, environment and infrastructure, taxation, transactional issues involving brokers and risk management, to name but a few. The AAR and C.A.R. have made stands against the Bills that would affect the livelihood of our members and would adversely affect private property rights.

As an example, the latest issue we are fighting is a proposed transfer fee increase in the city of Los Angeles. The proposal would double the transfer fee to $9 per $1000 dollars transferred. We have enough transactions that occur in the city of Los Angeles to take on this fight with our neighboring Associations and with C.A.R. We will keep you updated.

As 2012 President, one of the items I am very proud of is our new All-StAARs Toastmasters club. We launched this club in March and we have a consistent group of 25-30 people who attend each meeting. I can share with you that the progress our club members have made is nothing short of remarkable. We meet in the AAR building on the first and third Friday of each month at 12:00 p.m.

Please stop by our next meeting, guests are always welcome.

I would be remiss if I didn’t provide a mid-year update on what has happened on a personal level with some of our staff members.

In the first six months of the year we have had two marriages and one birth. Congratulations to Jane Shriver and Brenda Faltes on their 2012 nuptials and to Maria Roberts and her husband, Chris (a previous AAR staff member) on the birth of their first son.

The rest of the year is jam-packed with great events and learning opportunities! We encourage you to attend as many as possible.

In closing I would like to thank each and every one of you for being a valued REALTOR® member and Affiliate member of our great Association. I look forward to serving as your President for the second half of this year.

8

August 2012

Commercial Real Estate Education Summit The Arcadia Association of REALTORS® recently held its annual Commercial Real Estate Education Summit at the Doubletree Hotel in Monrovia. We were honored to have four fantastic speakers at this wonderful event.

During the first session, attendees enjoyed hearing from Gary Schlossberg, Economist from Wells Fargo. Gary provided a thoughtful and timely presentation on the state of our local economy and that of our Northern California counterparts and how it affects our industry in this area.

The next session offered “Marketing and Business Development on Steroids” presented by Bill Ukropina, Coldwell Banker Commercial North County. Bill discussed various aspects of improving the marketing of yourself and your properties. Bill was widely received by attendees and we were extremely honored to have him speak.

For the third session, we were honored to have Joseph DeCarlo with JD Property Management Inc. Joseph offered a detailed insight about what Property Management entails and the financial responsibility involved.

The afternoon speaker keynote speaker for the event was Sam Foster, CCIM and National Association of REALTORS® Signature Series speaker. The AAR was privileged to have Sam because we are a National Association of REALTORS® Accredited Association.

Sam discussed “Developing a Prosperous Tenant Representation Practice”. Within his presentation he covered what a tenant representative needs both on the singular level and on the corporate level, how to prepare to be a tenant representative and the documents needed to do this.

The entire Summit provided great information and education for any real estate agents who are involved in the commercial aspect of real estate or anyone who wants to start acquiring investments for themselves and others. In addition to the beneficial information, there were great opportunities for networking with other commercial-minded agents and commercial companies.

We would like to offer a big thank you to our sponsors who so generously donated to the event. Our Platinum sponsor was Roy Rico, Wells Fargo Pasadena. Our Gold Sponsors include: Julie Arballo, Wells Fargo; Mary Kay, Advanced Group Property Inspection Company; Carrie Crest, LaRocca Inspections and Dino Champagne, Asset Preservation Incorporated.

AAR Commercial / Investment Committee members with the speakers and sponsors are (L to R): Mike Vachani, Committee Chairman; Girgis Eskander; George Monte; Ryan Asao, AAR 2012 President; Dino Champagne, Asset Preservation Incorporated; Careayre Rambeau; Tim Johnson; Sam Foster, N.A.R. Signature Series Speaker; Julie Arballo, Wells Fargo; Roy Rico, Wells Fargo; Fred Madjar; Carrie Crest, LaRocca Inspection Company; Suzie Koo; Roy Blume, Committee Vice-Chairman; Representative from Wells Fargo; David Hyun; Joseph DeCarlo, JD Property Management and Mary Kay, Advanced Group Property Inspection Company.

(Continued on page 13) Arcadia REALTOR® Magazine

9

REALTORS® Rebuilding Together

By Yvonne Rosas-Petty, Equal/Housing Opportunity Committee Co-Chairman and President of RTSGVF As REALTORS® we have the wonderful job of helping people find homes and live the American Dream.

Often time, a home that once brought so much happiness can become a burden and sometimes a health hazard, especially to our most vulnerable members of our communities: the elderly, the low income and our Veterans. The cost to maintain a home can be quite expensive and sometimes Code Enforcement will write code violations on homeowners who sadly cannot comply due to age or physical ability and income. Rebuilding Together San Gabriel Valley Foothills (RTSGVF) is an affiliate of a National Non-Profit whose function is to help these homeowners stay in their home, making them safe and livable.

This is done through generous donations and with the help of volunteers from all walks of life. The Arcadia Association of REALTORS® has partnered with Rebuilding Together San Gabriel Valley Foothills (RTSGVF)in several projects. REALTORS® and Affiliates have really stepped up to the plate to help. Most recently, Rebuilding Together is working on a project for a 33-year Duarte High School employee who over the years has run across over two dozen cases of children who have been abandoned by their parents or immediate family. This woman has made it her personal mission to provide a safe shelter, food and clothing for these children and in return, only asks that they obtain their High School Diploma. However in recent years, due to the economy, her son›s have lost their construction jobs, and to add to that, the rain has caused the roof in their home to leak therefore, rendering two bedrooms useless due to water damage and one bathroom useless due to clogged galvanized plumbing. Her heating and air-conditioning no longer work. This not only affected her family but the many children she helps. We have received donations of material and labor and are nearly done with this project. This is just one of the many stories of homeowners we have helped.

As REALTORS® and Affiliates it seems a perfect fit that the very people who help families get into homes would be there to make sure they can stay in their home. I am proud to say, as a member of the Arcadia Association of REALTORS®, two of our RTSGVF board members are members of the Arcadia Association, Irene Yamagata-Bermundez and Nikki Felix. If you are interested in becoming more involved, would like to become a supporter or if you know of a homeowner who may need our help, please contact us. You can reach me at my email address at realtoryvonne@msn.com and please visit our website at www.

RTSGVF.org. We can Rebuild Together!

EDUCATION COMMITTEE

GLOBAL REAL ESTATE COMMITTEE

The AAR Education Committee recently held a course on “The Top 10 Reasons REALTORS® Get Sued”. Instructor, Ralph Kephart, GeoAssurance, helped those who attended to understand things that can get them into legal trouble and how to stay out of court. A special thank you to our sponsor, Stephanie LaPorte, Old Republic Home Protection and Barbara Moody, GeoAssurance, who provided a wonderful continental breakfast for those who attended.

The AAR Global Business Alliance Committee recently held a networking mixer with guest speaker, Howard Ting, Senior Vice President, YK America Group. Howard discussed “The EB-5 Immigration Program”. After a great informational session, those who attended enjoyed some tasty international treats and networked with other global-minded real estate practitioners. A special thank you to Mark Wu, Allstate Insurance, Roubina der Sarkissian, American Trust Escrow and Mary Kay, Advanced Group Property Inspections who all helped to sponsor the event.

“The Top 10 Reasons REALTORS® Get Sued”

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The speakers and sponsors are (L to R): Barbara Moody, GeoAssurance; Stephanie LaPorte, Old Republic Home Protection; Ralph Kephart, Instructor; Anne Kephart, GeoAssurance.

“The EB-5 Immigration Program”

Members of the Global Business Alliance Committee with one of the speakers are (L to R): Nick Zigic, Global Business Alliance CoChairman; Representative with YK America Group; Howard Ting, YK America Group; Kelvin Wong, Global Business Alliance Chairman and Mary Kay, Advanced Group Property Inspection Company.

Live More, Work Less. Here’s How. Article provided by the California Association of REALTORS®

Ever heard of the 80/20 rule? Also known as the Pareto Principle, it goes something like this: 20% of your time creates 80% of your results. If that’s true, it would help to identify your 20% and make the most of your valuable time. Try using these guidelines to help define where your focus should be and how to generate positive results in your real estate career.

1. Know what’s important to you. Set goals in five of the most essential elements of life: Family, Financial, Mental/Spiritual, Physical and Educational. Many successful agents don’t just define these goals, they post them in their office and review them daily.

2. Lather, rinse, repeat. Have a schedule and take it seriously. In real estate, this means prospecting, lead follow-up, pre-qualifying, presenting, negotiating, and closing.

3. Battle the boredom. Yes, following a schedule can feel monotonous at times, but push through and stick with it. Repetitious boredom pays off when momentum kicks into gear. Stopping and starting your process creates the stopping and starting of your income. Stay the course and establish a more predictable, profitable outcome.

4. Follow up, follow up, follow up. Can you name your top five prospects off the top of your head and what motivates them? Have you set your next appointment with them? Your leads are waiting for you, so it may help to track them on a spreadsheet or white board you can see every day.

5. Use scripts. Role play new scenarios with a partner before trying them out on actual prospects.

6. Don’t stop learning. Try to devote 10% of your income and 10% of your time to education, even when you’re producing the earnings you need to meet your goals. There’s always something you can do to improve and hone your skill set.

7. Master your own universe. Take control of your focus, body, calendar, and wallet. That means planning ahead and following a schedule, both personal and prospecting. If at all possible, it’s a good idea to maintain a savings account, even if it starts with just 5% of each check.

8. Ask for help when you need it. Call your colleagues, reach out to a coach, and tap into the resources available through your firm or the C.A.R. website.

9. Know your numbers. Exactly where is your business coming from, and how much are you spending on each lead source in terms of time and money?

10. Be consistent. Many top producers start and end each work day in exactly the same way. It’s no coincidence that many of them also manage to exercise regularly – the discipline is the same.

Success stories don’t happen on their own, but they can happen. Getting there can be challenging, but know that your hard work will be worth it in the end. Remember, it’s okay to be frustrated and it’s okay to need help, but it’s up to you do something about it. Figure out your 20% and spend your energy on the things that matter most.

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Tech.Talk

Join us for a “Cameras, Phones and Practical Applications” class on August 28, 2012 in the AAR building to learn more about videos!

Make Seismic Moves

By Kristin Kloberdanz, N.A.R. REALTOR® Magazine

It’s not enough to simply own the right gadgets. The value you get from your tech tools—and the applications that run on them—depends on your ability to unlock their full potential to generate leads, spread the word about properties, and close transactions. Geiger counters set? It’s time to give your business a jolt. Let this tech-savvy pro show you how.

Eric Lavey is a salesperson with Teles Properties in Beverly Hills, Calif. Last summer, he created a video for one of his listings, a luxury home in the hills, that attracted a lot of attention for its noir look and stylish storyline.

Eric’s Story: After working in the talent agency world for years, I got into real estate at the end of 2005, right before the collapse. I remember selling my first condo within two weeks. Then the whole world flipped. I had to be different.

This town responds to things that are fresh and out of the box.

In 2010, I listed a $1.6 million home and had amazing photos to market it. It looked like it was out of Architectural Digest. The buyers bought it within two weeks—without touring the property in person—because of those wonderful photos. That’s when I started thinking about videos. Some agents were already using video, but the quality was often bad and didn’t reflect the property’s true potential. People looking here in the $1 million range are savvy. They are talent agents, attorneys, doctors, and super creative people. Their expectations are high. However, their sense of imagination is sometimes lacking. You need to show even the most creative people how they can live in a house.

Last summer, I had a really sexy listing in the Hollywood Hills for just under $1 million. My assistant and I scoured for a young, hungry filmmaker. There are plenty here, but certainly agents in Ohio or Kansas can find people in their area who want to make movies. I hired a sharp guy who’d done small student films.

of videos that show buyers how the homebuying process works. I try to keep my videos at about 90 seconds. My budget per video is well under $3,000.

The key is to find someone with film equipment who knows how to use it and who can edit really well. But I am involved in every aspect of production. I direct the concept, shots, and editing. My assistant and I post the videos to my site, www.ericlavey.com, and to my Vimeo and YouTube channels. I also use the videos in e-mail blasts.

Since launching these videos nine months ago, I’ve heard from people all over the world, which is great. But more important, the videos have helped me gain recognition locally.

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Arcadia, CA 91006 20 Years of Doing Business and Providing Great Service!

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Keeping in mind those slick commercials from Apple and luxury carmakers about how the product will make your life better, I set about to capture that high-quality look and feel. I chose a buyer profile and created a story line for the house. The video shows a young man, maybe a talent agent or attorney, coming home from the office. He’s texting, changing his clothes, fixing a drink, and then heading back down the street to some cool restaurants, which shows how convenient this home is in today’s world. The neighborhood looks stylish, and the house shows really well. People talk about the house in the video. The goal is for the consumer to say, “I need this in my life.” It’s pure marketing—a brochure.

Since then, I’ve done four storyline videos for listings, and I recently did three mini documentaries on a neighborhood called Atwater Village. I’m also working on very simple, informative videos, such as an interview with a mortgage broker I work with. And I’m in the process of putting together a line

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August 2012

Standing (left (left toright): right): Yolanda Yolanda Vidales, Vidales, Julie Julie Nguyen, Nguyen, Kai Kai Wu, Jackie Jackie Ramos, Liem Liem Ho, Ho, Standing standing (left to to right): Yolanda Vidales, Julie Nguyen, Kai Wu, JackieWu, Ramos, Liem Ramos, Ho, Janet Cerswell, JanetCerswell, Cerswell, Suzie SuzieArchuleta, Archuleta, Luly Luly Goodmand and Jojo Janet Jojo Ong Ong. Suzie Archuleta, Luly Goodman, Jojo Ong Sitting (left to right): Terri TerriFabbri, Fabbri,Alexis AlexisOstensen, Ostensen,Kay KayGass Gassand and Shelly Malicek Sitting sitting(left (leftto to right): right): Terri Fabbri, Alexis Ostensen, Kay Gass, Shelley MalicekShelly Malicek

We are members of the:

• Arcadia Association of REALTORS®

• Amercan Escrow Association

Affiliate Corner

“What is HBM and How Can It Help REALTORS® Capture More Business?”

By Michael Sohl, Area Manager, WJ Bradley Mortgage Capital, LLC

HBM – Home Buyers Marketing is a structured business plan that can easily be added to your current business model or it can be used as a new plan for new REALTORS® looking for the right program or strategy that can guarantee success. Fortunately and unfortunately this program is not the best suited for everyone and I would leave that up to you individually to determine if it is right for you.

months. Call HBM an incubation system for both buyers and sellers in addition to past clients, friends and family.

The National Association of REALTORS® confirms that on average, for every 25 contacts a REALTOR® talks to, they end up working with two potential prospects. Of those two prospects a REALTOR® closes one. So in a nutshell there are 23 prospects that have slipped away. N.A.R. also says that prospective buyers deal with up to 17 REALTORS® before finally buying. Would you agree with at least these few things? If so, Home Buyers Marketing may be a good business plan in order to capture an additional 1 to 2 buyers of the 23 that were lost, especially since those prospects eventually buy something over the next 6-12

We are planning to sponsor some upcoming events to introduce HBM to all of you and hope you will take the opportunity to join us to learn about this very exciting program that will undoubtedly increase your business to your desired growth goal.

When I saw the power that this program has and the benefits it creates for REALTORS®, buyers, sellers, friends, family and just about anyone and everyone I had to bring this on board here at WJ Bradley Mortgage Capital, LLC and share it with our partners, YOU! It has many tools and features that can benefit you and your clients, past and current. The program will also connect you into today’s technology by connecting you and your Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter.

I invite you to contact me directly at (626) 689-4240 or cell (626) 318-1970. You can also send me an email at Michael. sohl@wjbradley.com. We are located at 1055 E. Colorado Boulevard, Suite 120, Pasadena, CA 91106.

Commercial Real Estate Education Summit

(Continued from page 9)

Attendees of the event enjoying a wonderful lunch.

Attendees of the complimentary pool-side mixer following the Summit.

Arcadia REALTOR® Magazine

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Arcadia Association of REALTORS® 601 South First Avenue Arcadia, California 91006

“The Four Steps to Financial Freedom” FRIDAY, AUGUST 17, 2012 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.

Check-in begins: 9:30 a.m.

AAR Building Cost: FREE (with $10 refundable deposit) Visit www.TheAAR.com for more details and to register

Dedicated to Providing High Quality Legal Services ®

• Estate Planning • Trust Administration • Probate • Business Law • Commercial Transactions • Corporation, LLC & Partnership Formations • Business Contracts

Call today for a free consultation

Romy S. Rahmanian, Attorney

(626) 869-8787 37 E. Huntington Drive, Suite A • Arcadia, CA 91006 romy@rahmanianlaw.com • www.RahmanianLaw.com

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