REALTOR Magazine February March 2018 by Bakersfield Association of REALTORS®

M A G A Z I N E FEBRUARY / MARCH 2018

INSIDE

Proposition 13 Taxpayer protection being targeted

Digital Marketing

Goals to maximize and track your digital marketing dollars

Derek Sprague

American Dream Revised Homeownership should be seen as forced savings

R E A L T O R S

Meet your new president. See Page 4

A R E

D E F I N E D

B Y

T H E I R

C O D E

BAKERSFIELD REALTOR® MAGAZINE

O F

E T H I C S

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update

2018 OFFICERS President Derek Sprague Mossy Oak Properties

President-Elect Athena Collup Miramar International — Mill Rock Vice President Ronda Newport Watson Realty, ERA Secretary/Treasurer Scott Knoeb Frontier Real Estate Services, Inc. Immediate Past President Midge Jimerson Boydstun Realty Co., Inc. Chief Executive Officer Linda Jay, RCE

2018 Directors

Anna Albiar Coldwell Banker Preferred, Coffee William Chicas Watson Realty ERA Michele Cooper Karpe Real Estate Center Wayland Louie RE/MAX Golden Empire Glenn Porter RE/MAX Golden Empire Darlene Tobias Century 21, Jodan-Links Brian Tuttle Coldwell Banker Preferred – Coffee Ashley Weaver Karpe Real Estate Center

CONTENTS

Bakersfield REALTOR® Magazine

LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT Derek Sprague lays out his theme – Connect the Dots.

WILL THE NEW TAX LAWS AFFECT HOUSING? Yes, but if history repeats itself, the general economy will get stronger – more jobs and more income.

JOURNEY TO BECOME C.A.R. PRESIDENT-ELECT Jeanne Radsick moves forward as an active candidate for C.A.R. office as President Elect.

LEADERSHIP ACADEMY GRADUATES We are proud to announce our first year of graduates in 2017 demonstrating their commitment and hard work

NEW CHAIR EXCITED ABOUT THE FUTURE OF YPN Nik Boone is getting the YPN ready for some great events happening in 2018 with great speakers, softball tournament and so much more. Keep a lookout!

INAUGURAL CELEBRATION PHOTOS Snapshots from a celebration to remember!

HOW TO GET THE MOST OF YOUR MEMBER DUES With membership benefits totaling more than $24,000 in savings, you can’t afford to not take advantage of what’s offered to you.

HOW REAL ESTATE AND HOSPITALITY ARE SIMILAR Actually they’re more like parallel universes! See the comparisons are similarities… all cause for optimism

JOHN 3:16

ON THE COVER

Introducing our new 2018 Association President, Derek Sprague

Executive Editor - Linda Jay, CEO, RCE Managing Editor - Carol Duran Contributing Articles Editor - Tiffany Waldowski Statistics - Jamey Lyster Graphic Designer - Carol Duran Bakersfield Association of REALTORS® 2300 Bahamas Drive, Bakersfield, CA 93309 P. 661-635-2300 F. 661-635-2317 www.bakersfieldrealtor.com facebook.com/bakersfieldrealtors twitter.com/bakorealtors BAKERSFIELD REALTOR

MAGAZINE

LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT

2017 is going to be a tough year to beat

DEREK SPRAGUE

nder past President Midge Jimerson’s leadership, the Bakersfield Association of REALTORS® led an effort to protect local homeowners from being further exploited by the Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) program. Twelve REALTORS® participated in our first Leadership Academy, a program designed to foster personal growth and future Association and community leaders. We joined colleagues statewide in efforts to address the affordability crisis and inventory issues facing California, and made our voices heard at the federal level during our President’s first year in office.

Even if you are on the right track, you’ll get run over if you just sit there” – Will Rogers

With last year in the books, it is time to move forward to 2018 and another opportunity for us to do good on behalf of our members in our industry and the community. The year is off to a phenomenal start thanks to the leadership team and committees. They are already making significant efforts on a voluntary basis to protect and grow our REALTOR® family and the community. If you are new to the business or young at heart, the Young Professionals Network (YPN) is a phenomenal opportunity to network and grow yourself to another level. YPN is again coordinating some of our State Legislative

Day efforts. If you paid the $149 True Cost of Doing Business with your membership dues and have never previously attended the California Association of REALTORS® (CAR) Legislative Day, you are eligible to join and attend at no cost! There is not much time left to sign up, so if you are interested, contact Nik Boone, any one of our YPN Committee Members or Cindy Kiser. Cindy can be reached at 661-635-2315 or cindy@ bakersfieldrealtor.org. It is an eye-opening experience to see firsthand the impact CAR makes on real estate legislation, and I highly encourage you to join us! REALTORS® Bringing Home the Cure is off to a busy start. REALTORS® Bringing Home the Cure raises money to support ACS Relay for Life and Kern County Campout Against Cancer. Cancer has made an impact on all of our lives one way or another, and I hope you consider showing them some love by dropping in on their meeting or by attending the annual Wine Tasting Event or some of the other fun events they have planned. Big thanks are due to Chair Debi Roberson, ViceChairs Kim Plivelich and Michele Cooper, and Director Liaison Ronda Newport for their

efforts to make this another successful year for REALTORS® Bringing Home the Cure. I also wanted to highlight the longstanding efforts of our members who cook meals for seniors on a regular basis. Sally’s Place is the name of our initiative that regularly plans, prepares, and cooks a warm meal for local seniors. They… Need… Help. If you are interested in giving them some support, whether it is grocery shopping, cooking, or serving, please go to www. BakersfieldREALTOR.com/Committees and sign up for Sally’s Place. Recognition should be given to Chair Cheri Romero, Vice Chair Lisa Hook-Estes, and Director Liaison Wayland Louie for their tireless efforts in this area.

THIGS YOU DIDN’T KNOW ABOUT DEREK SPRAGUE nI

first took the real estate salesperson examination from the Department of Real Estate on November 5, 2004. A minimum score of 70% is needed to pass the examination. I received a score of 69%. nI

first took the real estate broker examination on May 21, 2008. A minimum score of 75% is needed to pass the examination. I received a score of 73%. nI

enjoy playing competitive sports…baseball, basketball, beach volleyball, soccer, and softball to name a few. nI

have been collecting pins from places that I have traveled to since I was in fifth grade. nI

was 5’8” until I got my braces off of my teeth my senior year in high school. I am 6’3” now. Is there a connection between the two?

“The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing”

– Walt Disney

WANTED: Professional, dedicated REALTORS® with a caring spirit who are committed to growing themselves and their real estate career. If this describes you and you have a particular skill or interest, please consider applying it to better our industry and sign up for a committee by going to www. BakersfieldREALTOR.com/Committees BAKERSFIELD REALTOR® MAGAZINE

2018 OFFICERS AND DIRECTORS BAKERSFIELD ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®

DEREK SPRAGUE

ATHENA COLLUP

2018 President

2018 President -Elect

MIDGE JIMERSON

DARLENE TOBIAS

ANNA ALBIAR

WILLIAM CHICAS

Immediate Past President

2017 - 2019 Director

2016 - 2018 Director

2017 - 2019 Director

RONDA NEWPORT

SCOTT KNOEB

2018 Vice President

2018 Secretary / Treasurer

ASHLEY WEAVER

MICHELE COOPER

2016 - 2018 Director

GLENN PORTER

2018 - 2020 Director

2018 Director

WAYLAND LOUIE

2018 - 2020 Director

GEMLS BOARD OF DIRECTORS Athena Collup nv 2018 President Bill Mell Vice President Greg Holland Secretary Linda Jay 2018 CFO BRIAN TUTTLE

2018 - 2020 Director

LINDA JAY

Chief Executive Officer

David Knoebv Wayland Louie Derek Sprague Terri Collins Midge Jimersonv Theresa Olsonv Martha Johnson John Houchinvn Nick Magazzi nv v Terms through

December 31, 2018 n Represents Large Brokerage

BAKERSFIELD REALTOR® MAGAZINE

LETTER FROM THE CEO

The Synergy of Leadership

ne of the most intriguing dynamics of any organization is that of leadership. If you have been in the corporate world for any length of time, it is certain you have seen a variety of styles, methods and principles that have been exemplified and cultivated by the leadership of the organization, based on its core values. Whether a well-established business or a new startup organization, those core values, the foundation that provides guiding principles as to how the organization performs their work and conducts themselves, will definitively establish a unique culture and brand for the organization. The core values of our organization has created a culture and branding that has stood the test of time. Now in our 113th year, our Association stands firmly on its foundation of Excellence, Leadership, Diversity, Collaboration and Innovation. Our Association just celebrated its continued legacy of leadership at our 2018 Inaugural Event, recognizing and expressing our gratitude for the exemplary leadership of our 2017 President, Midge Jimerson, and also celebrating the vision, ideals and goals of our 2018 President, Derek Sprague. But

Synergy: The interaction or cooperation of two or more organizations, substances, or other agents to produce a combined effect greater than the sum of their separate effects…

is also about so much more! It is not only a celebration of positional leadership… those who are at the pinnacle of the leadership journey… it is about the leadership role exemplified by each and every member of our team… and that includes Directors, committee chairs, vice-chairs and their respective members, Affiliate partners, and staff members of the Association. They are all leaders in their own right, each one contributing a very significant and critical element to the overall success of our organization. It’s not about what we can accomplish individually, but what we are able

to accomplish collectively! And we are so very proud of what we accomplish together! As the CEO of an organization, one of the most important responsibilities we have is in the area of people development. It continues to be an honor and privilege to serve this prestigious Association, with so many leaders truly committed to professionalism and excellence. It is inspirational to work along side of our REALTOR® members who give so generously of their time and talent to continue growing a stronger community, both professionally and for the families of the greater Bakersfield area. It is especially impressive and rewarding to help people grow as they continue on their journey of leadership and to witness the transformation that occurs with each level of leadership to which they are called. Do you see yourself as a leader? You should, because you are… just where you are! You truly do make a difference! If you desire to continue growing in your leadership role, now is the perfect time to begin! Please talk to one of the members of our leadership team, they would welcome the opportunity to help you in your journey. My door is always open as well! Together we can continue to grow and accomplish great things! BAKERSFIELD REALTOR® MAGAZINE

Will the New Tax Laws Affect Housing? Yes!

It’s about more than jobs and income, but that helps! STEVE MURRAY | REALTRENDS PRESIDENT

While the National Association of Realtors® (NAR) admits that only an estimated 1.3 percent of mortgages will be affected by the new $750,000 cap on the mortgage interest deduction, that still means that tens of thousands of high-net-worth, high-earning families will have their deduction capped. And, the cap of $10,000 on the combination of local and state property and income taxes will cause some discomfort for homeowners (and others in states with high-income taxes).

The Economy Will Get Stronger However, if history repeats itself, then like the Kennedy tax cuts of the early 1960s, the Reagan tax cuts of the early 1980s and the Bush tax cuts of the early 2000s, the general economy will get stronger—more jobs and more income. With the decrease in tax rates for regular C-type corporations and new

BAKERSFIELD REALTOR® MAGAZINE

deductions for S and LLC—which will lower taxes for these entities—business owners will retain a higher share of their earnings and may choose to invest it in growing their businesses. Growth generally means more employment and the chance for higher pay for employees One of the big advantages is the raising of the standard deduction for young single and married households. The new deductions are $12,000 for singles and $24,000 for married households. Not only will this reduce their paperwork, but it may help young families save money faster for down payments for their own homes. And, if this tax reform does nothing else, helping young families keep more of their money—whether they use it to buy a home or pay down their student debt or whatever—will benefit the economy and housing.

Hidden Behind the News

One other note—hidden behind this news is the news that the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) has rescinded the prior decision to lump franchised businesses like regular businesses regarding whether someone is an employer. The uncertainty caused by the prior NLRB on employment practice by franchised businesses caused most to stop dead in their tracks in terms of growing their businesses. This move by the administration, combined with the new tax plan and other reductions in regulatory activities, sets the stage for a potential return to 3+ percent growth in the economy versus the low 2 percent rates of growth over the last eight years. That makes this tax plan more of a winner for the country than a loser. This article reprinted with the permission of Real Trends Inc. Copyright 2018

O U R F U T U R E B E G I N S TO D AY !

FOR C.A.R. 2019 PRESIDENT-ELECT

Jeanne Radsick, Running Unapposed…

Moves forward in her quest to become the C.A.R. 2019 President-Elect

s most of you know by now, I am an active candidate for the office of 2019 President Elect for the California Association of REALTORS®. It has been a very interesting and eventful year so far, and the activity level will be increasing soon. The rules by which the campaign must be run are very specific in many cases, and pretty vague in others, so that the individual candidate can have the ability to make the campaign their own. We can have only 31 campaign advisors, which sounds like a lot, but that represents one from each Region within the state organization. Each of them is charged with keeping the candidate informed about issues and updating them on events that the candidate was unable to attend. By the end of January, I will have attended 7 installations besides our own scheduled for the 26th of January, from Southern California to the Bay Area and beyond. They each have their own flavor, just as each of our Regions have different issues and concerns. It provides a chance to see members who do not normally come to the C.A.R. meetings. Even though I became an announced candidate in early May of 2017, there was no opportunity to have a reception until the fall C.A.R. meetings, which were held in San Diego. By all accounts, this was the best reception ever held by a candidate and I have

to thank Linda Jay and Kim Schaefer, as well as the rest of the staff, for their extraordinary work and support. Instead of campaign pins

Jeanne Radsick met with C.A.R. directors at the reception held in San Diego at the fall meetings

or stickers, we decided to give everyone at the meetings small packets of pistachios with a campaign business-sized card hand tied onto the package. What a hit that was! After they were first passed out, we went to most of the regional caucuses where we had about a minute to be introduced and have a few words to say. At every single one, the members talked about the pistachios. At the C.A.R. meetings in Monterey, I spoke before the directors at the Candidates Forum. Fortunately for me, the deadline for any further announced candidates has passed, so I am running unopposed. Then more visits to the caucuses. Finally, at the C.A.R. meetings coming in May, I will go before the Nominating Committee and be asked some very tough questions. If they see fit to nominate me, it will go to the Board of Directors for a vote on Saturday, May 5th. Technically, I will then become the President Elect for 2019 on the first day after the NAR meeting in the fall, with an installation to be held at the C.A.R. winter meetings in January 2019. I know it seems far away, but it is coming fast and the pace is picking up. Thank you all for the many well wishes and support for my candidacy. Bakersfield has a proud tradition of service, and I hope to continue to put our collective foot forward and make you all proud. BAKERSFIELD REALTOR® MAGAZINE

REALTORS® WHO MAKE THEIR VOTE COUNT… JOIN THE RGR COMMITTEE NOW!

REALTORS® have earned respect and recognition through

Legislative Victories

want to take this opportunity to thank our membership for being on the forefront of advocacy for issues that directly impact our membership and the real estate industry as a whole. Over the past year, we have had numerous Calls to Action from the National Association of REALTORS®, the California Association of REALTORS®, and our own from Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE), Federal Flood Insurance to Tax Reform. Hundreds of our members have not only answered those calls, but they have voluntarily made contributions to the REALTOR® Action Fund, and they have given countless volunteer hours to fight for the issues that impact our REALTOR® members, their clients, and their businesses. Unfortunately, some of the issues we advocate for or against are complex, difficult, contentious, or don’t have direct impact in each geographical area in the state, but we always stand up and we stand together. As the only advocacy group in America that fights exclusively for homeownership, real estate investment, and strong communities, the REALTOR® Party is not focused on the right, left or even the middle of the aisle; it is focused on the issues that matter to existing and future homeowners and the real estate industry. The REALTOR® Party is the most bipartisan major Political Action Committee in the Country. Supporting candidates and campaigns and engaging in community outreach, the REALTOR® Party leverages the association’s

BAKERSFIELD REALTOR® MAGAZINE

best asset—its grassroots network of 1.2 million REALTORS® across the U.S. and its territories—to work hard on behalf of America’s 75 million homeowners and those who aspire to one day own property of their own. The Bakersfield Association of REALTORS® and it’s members are an extremely important part of that. Our members should be proud of the advocacy work that they do on behalf of their clients, future homeowners, and the real estate industry. In recent years, our local level activities have increased significantly; REALTORS® have earned respect and recognition through legislative victories in every corner of the country; and state and local REALTOR® Associations, such as ours, have expanded their community and political presence… all because of the actions of our members through the REALTOR® Party. 2018 will be no different. Our members will once again be called upon to answer important Calls to Action at all levels of

government. This year is an election year and our local Association will support campaigns of policy makers that are REALTOR® champions. We will again lobby our elected officials on the local level, in Sacramento and Washington D.C. on critical real estate related issues. If you have never had the opportunity to attend Legislative Day in Sacramento, there is still time to sign up. Legislative Day gives REALTORS® the opportunity to meet and discuss real estate issues directly with their state legislators and staff and learn about the political process in action. It provides an opportunity to hear from California’s most dynamic political leaders and the leadership of your state association. After a rewarding day of business, California REALTORS® are invited to attend a Capitol Reception. Scholarships are available for first time attendees. Thank you for the opportunity to express my gratitude for all of the advocacy work that you do. It would be impossible for me to do my job without the help of our membership. We are so fortunate to have so many members that understand that politics are indeed their business, and that are willing to show up and volunteer their time when it matters most. Your efforts truly are keeping the American Dream alive. If you would like more information on how to get more involved, please contact Kim Schaefer at (661) 635-2306 or Kim@ bakersfieldrealtor.org.

Last Remaining Taxpayer Protection Being Targeted in 2018 contribution by

VINCE FONG

ASSEMBLYMAN

alifornia is unfortunately infamous for its high-priced tax code—boasting the highest income tax, sales tax, and second highest gas tax in the nation. As efforts are launched to focus on lowering the tax burdens in California, one of the very few saving graces in this state is the property tax guardian enshrined via Proposition 13. However, this year, expect a big push by Sacramento Democrats to undo Prop. 13, which will make California an even more unaffordable place to live and work, especially for middle class families. Many Californians dream of opening up their own businesses and contributing jobs to their communities. By keeping property taxes low, Prop. 13 has made many of those dreams for middle and working class families a reality. Unfortunately, that spirit of entrepreneurship is under direct attack by politicians looking for another way to increase your taxes. Specifically, there is an effort underway to eliminate the cap on assessment increases for businesses, allowing their taxes to skyrocket. This so-called “split-roll” tax would be

devastating for local small businesses whose bottom lines depend on stable, reasonable tax rates. Tax dollars from a split-roll system would be yanked out of the hands of hard-working men and women who own local businesses such as stores, barbershops, dry cleaners, and delis. By making it tougher to buy, own, or rent commercial property, a split-roll tax would impact everyone - forcing businesses to close due to rising rents or everyday services and products becoming more expensive for Californians. The inconvenient truth is that high property taxes would affect every day

Californians the most. Business owners trying to survive would be forced to do something they hate - pass increased costs to consumers, hurting working families and people who are struggling to make ends meet. California is already well known for having the most difficult business climate. With burdensome regulations and an onerous tax system, a split-roll property tax would force people thinking about starting or expanding a business to do it somewhere else. In recent years, we’ve seen an exodus of middle and working class families who refuse to put up with our high cost of living and doing business. A split-roll tax would only make matters worse. Recently, the non-partisan Legislative Analyst Office declared that the state is seeing a $7.5 billion surplus in tax revenues. It is irresponsible for Sacramento to continue to attempt to take more hard-earned tax dollars when we are seeing such high surpluses. We must always remember that ordinary Californians work hard for their income. It’s your money, not Sacramento’s. We need to do everything possible to keep Prop. 13 intact. If it is a priority of this state to promote entrepreneurship and innovation in the Golden State, we must reject these attempts to make California more unaffordable and make Sacramento live within its means. BAKERSFIELD REALTOR® MAGAZINE

2018 Award Recipients OUR AWARD RECIPIENTS FOR 2017

OUR 2017 RISING STAR RECIPIENTS

Casie Cortez

Ryan Dobbs

Janice Fisher

Nicholas Megazzi

RE/MAX Golden Empire

Brian Tuttle

Greg Holland

REALTOR® of the Year Salesperson of the Year

oin us in congratulating our 2018 award recipients as we continue a time-honored tradition of recognizing members of our Association for their exemplary service to our Association, profession and community. Awarding the prestigious REALTOR® and Salesperson of the Year Awards began in 1955 and continues to recognize REALTORS® whose unwavering dedication and

661 Realty

Suzi Beaty

Affiliate of the Year

commitment to professionalism and service continues to provide a high standard of leadership and accountability. The Affiliate of the Year Award is our way of acknowledging our Affiliate Partners for their tremendous service and support of our Association. The Rising Star Award is our way of recognizing the exemplary service and achievements of our newest REALTOR® protégés.

Coldwell Banker Preferred, Ming

Watson Realty ERA

Jennifer Woods

Miramar International Mill Rock

Applications Available for Director Seats REALTOR® associations on the local, state, and national level all have a part in enforcing policies and standards that protect the associations and help the organization run smoothly. While the National Association of REALTORS® sets policies and provides overall leadership, the local associations have the most direct connection with members.

Commitment of Attendance at meetings, functions, etc. Leadership effectiveness at the Association is achieved by members committed to providing continuity, which could include up to 7 years of service in the capacity of Director, officer roles and past president role.

BAKERSFIELD REALTOR® MAGAZINE

Qualification requirements for Director seats: n Member

in good standing n Served on a minimum of three Association Committees (various committees acceptable) over a three-year period or one year as Chair of a committee. n Payment of $149 Political Action Fund Contribution n Two letters of recommendation (endorsement) 1. From applicant’s Broker (required) 2. From a currently seated Officer, Director or Past Association President (Choose one) Three seats are available for the current election year. The elected take office January 1, 2019.

Timeline for Nominating Process: n Wednesday, February 14, 2018 Notice of Election – Invitation for Officer/ Director Applications n Friday, March 16, 2018 Applications Due n Monday, April 9 – Friday, April 13, 2018 Candidate Interviews n Monday, April 23, 2018 Ballots Sent Out n Wednesday, May 25, 2018 Election Closed n Wednesday,

June 27, 2018, 10am - Election results released at Association Annual Meeting

Goals Provide Great Government Services

Supervisor Maggard committed to improving quality of life in Kern county contribution by

MIKE MAGGARD

SUPERVISOR

s the incoming Chairman of the Board of Supervisors for 2018, I am excited about what the new year will bring for our county and the various communities we call home. I look forward to the year ahead as we labor together to make Kern County a great place. Your Association is a meaningful partner in this effort. 2017 was definitely a year of living within our budgetary means, while providing the essential services that our constituents depend upon throughout the year that protect our quality of life. The Bakersfield Association of REALTORS® should be rightly proud for playing a pivotal role in protecting homeownership due to their advocacy efforts on PACE (Property Assessed Clean Energy Program). This was one of the most significant legislative victories in all of 2017. This program was sold as an opportunity to provide typically lower income homeowners with a way to make affordable environmental upgrades to their homes. However, the program was plagued with challenges in regard to its superpriority lien status, to name just a few of the shortcomings, and one that ultimately harmed unsuspecting consumers with predatory practices. I was very proud to stand with the REALTORS® to successfully end this

program in the county in order to protect consumers and homeownership. Kern County has a lot of work ahead of us in the coming year, and we will be guided by our three strategic goals in everything we do. Our primary goal is enhancing the quality of life for all Kern County residents. We cannot rest until everyone in Kern County is healthy, safe, and prosperous. To do that, the second goal of County government is to be a model of excellence in managing our business and in managing the employees who serve you. As Vince Lombardi once said, “if you chase perfection, you will catch excellence.” Finally, our board aims to foster a culture of innovation so that working smarter, better and cheaper becomes a way of life.

These goals are not unique to County government. Every community wants a better life for its residents, and every business and industry knows that excellence and innovation are key to survival. But by keeping a laser like focus on these goals, the County can provide our residents with great government services despite our budget challenges. We are now more than a year into an effort to infuse county leadership and frontline employees with Lean Six Sigma and peak performance principles. Lean Six Sigma is a continuous process improvement method for empowering employees to improve their work environment and for adding value to the services we provide. By using Lean Six Sigma tools to change how we approach, design and execute services, we can make decisions that shore up our fiscal position, erase our structural debt, attract new talent, promote innovation, and develop and reward our workforce. As we work toward that future, there is no better time than now to rethink and reformulate County government to embrace and deliver smart change. We will chase perfection and capture excellence in everything we attempt. The hard work we do today, staying focused on objectives, creating efficiency, cutting costs, and rethinking the way we conduct our business will pay off – in better value and a better community for all of us to live in.

BAKERSFIELD REALTOR® MAGAZINE

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We are proud to announce our first Bakersfield Association of REALTORS®

Leadership Academy Graduates

A.J. BHUEE

Watson Realty ERA

MELINDA CLEMMER

Clemmer and Company Real Estate

JENNY MAGANA

Miramar International Downtown

NIK BOONE

Ascend Real Estate

MICHELE COOPER

Karpe Real Estate Center

BILL MELL

Bill Mell & Associates

WILLIAM CHICAS Watson Realty ERA

VANESSA HARTWIG

JOHN HOUCHIN Coldwell Banker Preferred, Ming

SCOTT KNOEB

Ascend Real Estate

Frontier Real Estate Services

VALI NEMETZ

RONDA NEWPORT

John Balfanz Homes, Inc

Watson Realty, ERA

We began our first Leadership Academy training in 2017 which gave our graduates a chance to experience and understand the rewards of serving the REALTOR® community. It also helped in identifying their talents and commitment that will set the tone for the future of our Association. A big congratulations to everyone for your commitment and hard work! BAKERSFIELD REALTOR® MAGAZINE

Next Generation

Leaders… Who will take the place of this generation’s leaders?

STEVE MURRAY | REALTRENDS PRESIDENT

s one generation of industry leaders is slowly leaving the industry, the question always arises, “Who will be the next generation of leaders to take their place?” Often, the one who is aging and fading questions whether the next generation has what it takes to lead the company forward. I recall (like it was yesterday) that at the age of 26, I was hired as the Executive Director of a firm called Intercommunity Relocation (ICR) which was a network of some of the largest independent brokerage firms in the country. Through many mergers and acquisitions, many of its members are the backbone of what is today Leading Real Estate Companies of the World. I had never run a business; never supervised anyone. But with the guidance of the board of directors and a great staff, we not only survived the onslaught of Homequity and Merrill Lynch’s launch of their own networks but prospered for many years. And, I received the best education money can buy—that of the older generation who were more than willing to share everything they had learned. Through my work with several CEO groups, of which we’ve had the pleasure of working with for over 20 years, I’ve observed the next generation up close. My view is that

BAKERSFIELD REALTOR® MAGAZINE

the industry is going to be in very good hands. These next-generation young leaders have had the benefit of learning from the owners or family members of large brokerage firms—some since they were in grade school. Many have incorporated the work ethic of their parents, other family members or leaders of brokerage firms for whom they work. Many have worked their way through successful real estate sales careers along with management duties. The ones I know are not in the least infected with what many call the “disease of the Millennial generation.” We’ve all read and heard that Millennials are entitled, not hard-working, have few discernable job skills, etc. I think that would be like saying that all Boomers were hippies (which if you lived through the ‘60s you would have thought so.) In fact, there is no way to label one generation with such broad characterizations without making a huge mistake. Even most Boomers ultimately grew up to become outstanding leaders in business, government, education and the non-profit world. In our practice, we’ve had the pleasure of serving both the Boomer and Gen-X generations of leaders. Now, we are meeting and engaging with the Millennial generation. A few observations:

n They

are just as smart as our generation and likely smarter in many ways. Those whom I’ve met are smarter about many things than our generation at the same age. n They

are less tolerant of foolishness than we were. I don’t mean they are egregious or intolerant, just that they have less patience for agents and employees who won’t work hard and apply themselves. n In

some ways, they are more ambitious and eager to grow, learn and expand than we prior generations. Certainly, they are more adventurous. n Their

technological talent is well beyond ours, as is their general knowledge of the business aspect of realty services. n They

and this business will have an entirely new environment to work in than we did. Boomers and Gen-X have lived through a great deal of tumult, as I expect this next generation will do as well. And, they will do quite a bit of learning along the way. As you would with any people in your organizations, don’t be fooled by what is said about this young generation. My view is that most of them want what we wanted— growth, success and a rich, full life for themselves and their families. This article reprinted with the permission of Real Trends Inc. Copyright 2018

YPN Goal is to Groom Leaders of Tomorrow…

Excited about Events Planned in 2018 contribution by

NIK BOONE

go and learn with us. Your attendance will

2018 YPN Chair, Ascend Real Estate

he Young Professionals Network (YPN) is gearing up for some great events in the next couple of months! From our annual softball tournament, to our Legislative Days, we have an amazing start to 2018! Our greatest achievement from the YPN has been the attendance and enthusiasm for Legislative Day, and that’s a tradition we plan on keeping and ramping up over the coming years! This year, we want even more people to attend in order to see the importance of the politics and legislature going on in our state, which at any point could affect our day-to-day lives in real estate. The beauty of being in real estate is the freedom to make as much or a little as we each choose, and to work whenever we want to. Unfortunately, there are several laws that could affect our careers, as well as millions of homeowners, coming to fruition in 2018, that we desperately need support on. Whether it’s your first time going to Sacramento, or your fifth time, you always learn something new from our local politicians. This year we are offering to cover the cost for first time attendees to

n Broker/Owner, Ascend n 2018

Real Estate

YPN Chair

n YPN

Advisory Committee Member n Technology Chair n Bakersfield Life Magazine 20 Under 40 n NAR 30 Under 30 nominee

include private lunches with politicians right here from Kern County. Call or email the Association for more information on this! We are also getting ready for our biggest softball tournament we’ve had to date, with even more teams and players than ever before! This year we will continue the Home Run Derby, as well as some great food and drinks,

with a few hidden surprises. The tournament will be held at Mesa Marin. The date is still to be determined, but be on the lookout for our emails regarding this amazing event! We are also going to be spicing up our well attended YPN Lunch N’ Learns with some amazing speakers, and great topics for 2018. We have decided to bring in speakers from around the state and the nation, to help educate our members here in Bakersfield. The speakers cover a wide variety of topics, including CRM, Marketing, Laws, Lead Generation, and much, much more! The Lunch N’ Learns have been a hallmark for the YPN and we have received nothing but positive reviews on them, so this year we are planning them bigger and better, to help benefit more people than ever before! The YPN’s goal is to groom the leaders of tomorrow, and this year, in order to further this objective, we are going to be having private speakers and leaders in our community come speak exclusively to our advisory committee about the importance of being a leader. If you, or anyone you know, have an interest in bettering themselves personally and professionally, call or email me today! BAKERSFIELD REALTOR® MAGAZINE

derek

B A K ER S F I E L D ASSOC I ATI ON O F RE A LTO RS ®

2018 PRESIDENT

SPRAGUE

PHOTOS: ABBYS PHOTOGRAPHY & HISLOP PHOTOGRAPHY

INAUGURAL CELEBRATION PARTNERS A special thank you to our Inaugural Partners:

REALTOR® of the Year – Agape Mortgage, Salesperson of the Year – Personal Express Insurance, Affiliate of the Year – Habitat for Humanity, Partners: Greater Bakersfield Chamber of Commerce, Keller Williams Realty, Coldwell Banker Preferred, Signature Property Inspections, Inc., ® Michele Martha Johnson, BAKERSFIELD REALTOR MAGAZINEand Bernard G. LeBeau, Esq. 18 Cooper,

DEREK SPRAGUE

INAUGURAL CELEBRATION

BAKERSFIELD REALTORÂ® MAGAZINE

2018

What’s the Next-Next?

We broke out the crystal ball to give you a peek into what’s coming in the next year STEVE MURRAY | REALTRENDS PRESIDENT

At this time of year, everyone is offering their predictions for the real estate industry. Through our practice consulting with real estate brokerages around the country, here’s what we see for 2018. n There

will be changes at the top of two or three of the national real estate organizations in 2018. This will be the first time this has happened in 20 years. And, we would expect to see significant changes in at least two of these organizations due to these changes. n NAR’s new CEO Bob Goldberg will be under enormous pressure to make some significant changes to how and where NAR operates. What businesses might he reinvest in and which might he cut loose may have a significant impact on his organizations.

BAKERSFIELD REALTOR® MAGAZINE

n The

House/Senate tax plan passed and, for the most part, will negatively impact housing sales, mostly at the upper end. It may slow that portion of the market down for some time. However, we do not believe it will have a long-term effect on overall housing sales. n Compass will spend its $500 million in new capital buying brokerage firms as well as agents and teams in its efforts to convince its investors that it can grow rapidly and become as profitable as its market capitalization indicates. n There will be dozens of new Artificial Intelligence tools available to the real estate brokerage profession. Some will find a market and shift spending away from general online advertising to more focused targeted advertising.

n Consolidation

will continue among REALTOR® associations and MLSs at a faster pace than before. n Many new legal challenges will appear challenging the Independent Contractor arrangement of our industry. n 2018 is Upstream’s make it or break it year. Can they get the service into the hands of enough brokerage firms and markets to begin to show its promise? n The housing market will remain very strong, driven by the increase in households and household incomes—restraining the market will be the extraordinary lack of inventory and house prices. Overall, expect a small increase in unit sales and home prices. This article reprinted with the permission of Real Trends Inc. Copyright 2018

New President, Theresa Olson

Leads Women’s Council of REALTORS® Local Chapter

omen’s Council of REALTORS®, Bakersfield – A New Year with a Renewed Vision. Happy New Year to one and all! I would like to start off by introducing myself, I am Theresa Edmoundson-Olson, this year’s 2018 President of Women’s Council of REALTORS® (WCR), Bakersfield. I am honored and blessed to be a part of such an outstanding group of professionals in our Industry. Women’s Council of REALTORS® and the National Association of REALTORS® are essential partners in advancing the industry with hundreds of Networks across the country.

The Mission of Women’s Council of REALTORS® We are a network of successful REALTORS®, advancing women as professionals and leaders in business, industry and the communities we serve. This is the year of growth and change for our local Women’s Council of REALTORS®, Bakersfield! I would like to start out by introducing our new Executive Team for 2018, which is as follows: President Elect: Jenny Magana Treasurer: Michele Cooper Secretary: Dana Munson Membership Director: Julie Domlao Education Director: Jodi Moore Ways & Means Director: Miguel Hernandez Hospitality Director: Vanessa Hartwig

We have changed our location for our luncheons, as well as several events, to the prestigious Seven Oaks Country Club. Our luncheons will be held every other month, starting this January, on the third Thursday of the month from 11:30-1 PM! The social events will be held in the evenings at several locations in our community! We are planning a Kentucky Derby Dance and Corn Hole Tournament in April, as well as our traditional Martini Mixer and Sip & Shop this year! You don’t want to miss out on any of these events so please join us and see your life enriched by what Women’s Council of REALTORS® has to offer. n WCR

President 2018 President, Bakersfield Association of REALTORS® n 2018 Director n 2018 GEMLS Director n CAR Director 2009-2018 n NAR Director 2014 n BAR Officer & Director 2009-2015 n Optimal Hospice Foundation President 2017-2018 n REALTORS® Bringing Home the Cure Committee Chair 2013-2015 n Salesperson of the Year 2010 n Relay for Life Event Chair 2006 n 2014

Parliamentarian: Debi Roberson With these amazing individuals by my side, we expect to have a year full of inspiring educational luncheons and also throw in some exciting fundraising social events throughout the year.

Women’s Council Core Values are: n Professional n The

Credibility

Power of Relationships

n Leadership n Diversity n Involvement n Success n Influence

If you would like to become an empowered REALTOR® in our Community, come and join the Women’s Council of REALTORS®, Bakersfield! Don’t just see the possibilities, live them! Have a Blessed and prosperous New Year!

FOR MORE INFORMATION

Feel free to contact Theresa Olson at 661.978.4105 or email her at TheresaOBroker@gmail.com

Leaders, Professional, Network, Partnerships, REALTORS® Success, Support, Value, Industry, opportunity, Relationships, Strong, Communities, connected, Council, engaged, serve, Vision, opportunity, advancing, Bakersfield, local, marketing, excellence, Impact, Leadership, diversity, involvement, Influence, Referrals, invest, strengthen, tools, resources, partners, dynamic, accessible, achievement, goals, trusted Empowered,

BAKERSFIELD REALTOR® MAGAZINE

How Do You Keep Your Associates Motivated Strategies for keeping Sales Associates on a Success Track throughout the year

LARRY KENDALL | AUTHOR OF NINJA SELLING & CHAIRMAN EMERITUS OF THE GROUP, INC.

t’s a new year. Goals are set. Business plans are written. Enthusiasm is high. Now what? Will your associates execute their business plans and achieve their goals? Or will they be like the health club member who loses focus and commitment after January? How do you help them stay on track? Here are three simple steps. 1. Know their why. What are their reasons for living? Perhaps it is to provide for their family, pay for their kids’ college education, fulfill a dream to live on water, or be financially independent. The why is what gets them up in the morning. It is the rocket fuel that motivates them. Their why needs to be funded and real estate is a great way to do it. There is no upper limit on their income. You need to know their why. 2. Focus on activities. Associates are great at setting goals. Unfortunately, most of them are not disciplined at doing the activities that will achieve the goals. They need your help. First, show them the productive activities that generate business—personal notes, live interviews, real estate reviews, open houses, value added mailings, etc. Focus on the right activities and production takes care of itself. Help them gamify these activities (like a fit bit) by setting activity goals and tracking them. When an associate falls off track and is not doing their activities (resulting in a sales

BAKERSFIELD REALTOR® MAGAZINE

slump), don’t scold them like their mother who is upset because they didn’t make their bed. Simply, help them reconnect with their why. Ask them, “have you given up your dream to provide for your kids’ college education?” They are more motivated by their why than by your scolding. 3. Rewards and Recognition. In a study of 65 potential incentives in the workplace, conducted by Dr. Gerald Graham of Wichita State University, the most motivating incentive was simply a manager who “personally congratulates an associate for doing a good job.” However, 58 percent of the respondents said their manager rarely – if ever – offered such simple praise. Graham concluded, “It appears that the techniques that have the greatest motivational impact are practiced the least, even though they are easier and less expensive to use.” Rewards usually involve giving something tangible —cash, gift certificates, trophies, etc. Recognition, on the other hand, usually involves intangibles such as words of praise. As commissioned sales associates, their primary rewards come through their production. Recognition is where you come in. There are three types of recognition and you need to practice all three. Recognizing Achievements. Frederick Herzberg’s ground-breaking research on motivation in the 1960s led him to discover two powerful motivators which, when

combined, have the potential for explosive results. These motivators were the desire to achieve and recognition and appreciation for that achievement. At the end of every week your associates will have achieved any number of things—some big, most small. Whatever their achievement was, you want them to feel that it was valuable. Recognizing Behaviors. As a manager, you are in the business of managing behavior. Encourage your associates to perform the productive activities and their production will follow. When you see them doing the productive activities, reinforce their behavior through reward and recognition. Recognizing Attributes. While recognizing your associates for what they do is essential, you also want to appreciate and value them for who they are. Recognize them for their loyalty, creativity, work ethic, humor, teamwork or something else. By highlighting their personal qualities and characteristics, you place value on them as people. Follow the three steps above and read the excellent book, Nine Minutes on Monday, The Quick and Easy Way to Go from Manager to Leader by James Robbins. You will keep your associates motivated and productive throughout the entire year (not just in January). They will achieve their goals and so will you. This article reprinted with the permission of Real Trends Inc. Copyright 2018

THE A TEAM (AFFILIATES IN ACTION) PARTNERSHIPS Becoming an Affiliate Member of the Bakersfield Association of REALTORS® gives you the chance to network with REALTORS®. The relationships you create gives you the opportunity to expand your network and assist you in business development. The Association has many activities and events where Affiliate Members have the opportunity to participate. Collectively, we also have a special group of individuals who form a group of loyal, hard-working Affiliate Members called the A Team, who serve the Association in a variety of ways. To achieve the A Team status, the Affiliates must meet certain criteria that has been established. If you’d like to be part of this special group of Affiliate Members, the A Team, contact Jeff Aguilera, Affiliate Chair, or Marrisa Williams, staff liaison at 635-2300.

JEFF AGUILERA, CHAIR Cornerstone Mortgage 661.578.9259 jeff@csmbakersfield.com www.cornerstonemortgage.com

DEANA WITWER, VICE-CHAIR Built Right Home Inspection 661.377.7777 Deana@builtrighthi.com www.builtrighthi.com

DAN ARDIS San Joaquin Valley Mortgage 661.847.4810 danardis@sjvalleymortgage.com

SUZI BEATY Fidelity National Home Warranty 661.477.3906 suzi.beaty@fnf.com

MIKE GEORGE Agape Mortgage 661.324.2427 mikegeorge@agapemtgco.com www.agapemtgco.com

SHARI GEORGE Agape Mortgage 661.324.2427 sharigeorge@agapemtgco.com www.agapemtgco.com

LISA HOOK-ESTES The Mortgage House – Stockdale 661-301-5472 Lhook-estes@themortgagehouse

CHEREYL NUNN Loan Depot 661.270.8601 cnunn@loandepot.com www.loandepot.com

JANETTE RAMSEY Janette Ramsey Insurance 661.328.9250 janette@jramseyinsurance.com

BARBARA WELLS San Joaquin Valley Mortgage 661.703.2227 bwells@sjvalleymortgage.com BAKERSFIELD REALTOR® MAGAZINE

Membership Benefits How to get the most out of your dues…

With your commitment to our Association, we offer various REALTOR® benefits tailored just for you. EDUCATION. Educational programs, products and services to enhance your knowledge and skills for greater success in your real estate business. Many are offered at no cost or at a reduced rate for members; including, classes, seminars and hands-on user workshops covering relevant, up-to-date topics and technologies for the real estate industry. REALTOR® designation classes are also offered. ZIPFORMS®. zipForm Pluse with zipTMS and zipVault and zipForm Standard. FREE inline and desktop electronic forms, storage, and transaction management--$1,349 savings. Zipform Mobile. FREE zipForm mobile for members-- $25 savings. ZIPlOGIX Digital Ink FREE unlimited e-signatures for members--$100 savings. Forms Advisor and Forms Tutor. FREE solution for forms selection and usage instruction--$100 savings. www.car.org/tools/zipform. ePUBS for zipForms. FREE electronic publications from C.A.R. --$45 Savings. www.car.org/ tools/zipForm/ePUBS/faqs. C.A.R. Sample Legal Letters in zipForm. FREE access to sample legal letters --$500 Savings. www.CAR.org/tools/zipform/formlibraries sampleletter. zipForm MLSConnect. FREE MLS data connectivity to zipForm Pulse for members --$50 savings. www.car.org/tools/ zipform/misconnect/ ADVOCACY EFFORTS AT NATIONAL, STATE AND LOCAL LEVELS OF GOVERNMENT n FREE legislative support—more than $10,000 annual commission wage savings www.car.org/governmentalaffairs n Our Government Affairs Director lobbies our local government agencies on issues that protect the real estate industry and private property rights. LEGAL HOTLINE. FREE Legal advice services for members—average savings of $250 per call (213)739-8383. LEGAL Q&As Available to members is a full range of legal opinions pertinent to the real estate industry. Developed by C.A.R.’s attorneys and available

BAKERSFIELD REALTOR® MAGAZINE

online at www.car.org/legal/ OMBUDSMAN SERVICES. As a REALTOR®, you have access to our Association’s Ombudsman who provides counsel, advice and education to REALTORS® and members of the public on our professional standards, monetary disputes prior to arbitration, as well as formal arbitration and Code of Ethics complaint policies and procedures. ETHICS & PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS. REALTOR® Code of Ethics is designed to instill the highest standards of professionalism in the industry and elevate the image of REALTORS® in our community. MLS AND TECHNICAL SUPPORT. Our MLS manager provides support and training on MLS issues relative to recent developments and trends. COMMUNITY REALTOR® IMAGE. A public relations program aimed at serving the community and elevating the REALTOR® image through fundraisers for local charities and advertising in various publications. realtor.com® PROFILE. A realtor.com® marketing profile for you at no additional cost. Claim yours today at www.goo.gl/ A01Zul REAL ESTATE STORE. A convenient location to purchase many of the supplies you need for your business. Prices are discounted for members, and charges can be conveniently made to your Association account. C.A.R. MAGAZINE. FREE subscription for members --$24 savings . www.car.org/ newsstand/crem/ REALTOR® MAGAZINE. Published by the National Association of REALTORS® and delivered to its members, REALTOR® Magazine is filled with news and information designed to provide insights on how to be successful in the current complex marketplace. BAKERSFIELD REALTOR® MAGAZINE. Published by the Bakersfield Association of REALTORS® and available to its members, Bakersfield REALTOR® Magazine is filled with news and local information designed to

provide insights on how to be successful in our local market. FAIR HOUSING PARTNERSHIP. Implementation of the “Fair Housing Partnership” between HUD and REALTORS® available to members, facilitating their qualification to participate in HUD sales and demonstrating a commitment to fair housing practices. GROUP INSURANCE. As a REALTOR® member, C.A.R. offers a wide array of group insurance plans, including errors and omissions insurance, with flexible premiums and discounts. MEMBERSHIP DISCOUNTS. Available at participating retailers through the group buying power of the NAR and C.A.R. LOCAL STAFF SUPPORT. Professionals serving professionals. Our professional staff is here to support you and your business. Mortgage Rescue. FREE C.A.R member Benefit, assisting members to move stalled transactions forward—Per transaction’s saved, members received an average of nearly $10,000 in commission income (213) 739-8383 CE in the Dues. FREE 45-Hour Package of Online CE Courses --$120 Savings. 45Free. car.org CALIFORNIA REALTOR EXPO. FREE EXPO admission for members --$250 savings. Expo.car.org ClientDIRECT. FREE member online newsletter--$150 savings. www.clientdirect.net Research Reports. FREE of charge from C.A.R. --$130 savings www.car.org/economics/currentreserch C.A.R. Member Discounts Program. FREE and Discounted member benefits and Insurance --$300+ possible savings www.car.org/members/memberbenefits/ carmemberadvantage/ Market Updates and snapshots FREE updates for members --$50 savings per update. www.car.org/marketdata

OCTOBER 2017

SUCCESS

Welcome, New Members!

Your journey as a REALTOR® has just begun in making a positive impact in the lives of families in our community

Melissa L. Anderson, SearchKern.com; Tonja E. Bertolucci, Miramar International -Truxtun; James William Bray, Keller Williams Realty; Byron R. Callejas, Stratton Davis Realty; Julio C. Ceron Castillo, RE/MAX Preferred REALTORS®; Alya S. Czar, Keller Williams Realty; Heidi J. Dalton, SearchKern.com; Ariane Domaleski, Accelerated Home Sales; Hope Dougan, Liberty One Real Estate Group; Samantha Gallardo, Intero Real Estate Services; Connie Gardner, Miramar International-Riverwalk; Ivan K. Harlander, Keller Williams Realty; Rachel L. Harless, Keller Williams Realty; Ernesto M. Osuna Hernandez, Intero Real Estate Services; Geri Kennedy, eHomes of Bakersfield; Willard Presley Lee, 661 Realty; Jeremy McNaughton, Elite Team Properties; William L. Miller, McKinzie Nielsen Real Estate; Drew T. Peterson, Keller Williams Realty; Angela M. Przybylski, Intero Real Estate Services; Benjermen F. Reyes, Keller Williams Realty; John D. Rosello, Keller Williams Realty; Ryan Self, Jr., Coldwell Banker Preferred - CO; Carlos E. Villatoro, Golden Valley Real Estate Group

NOVEMBER 2017 new realtors october 2017

Guillermo Acosta, Magic Real Estate; Lauren Ash, My Realty; Jessica Choate, SearchKern. com Miramar International-Riverwalk; Tiffany A. Dorman, SearchKern.com Miramar International-Riverwalk; Halie Epps, Intero Real Estate Services; Karrie A. Gee, Keller Williams Realty; Patrick T. Liles, Keller Williams Realty; Nicole D. Lynch, Watson Realty ERA; Eduardo Morales, Keller Williams Realty; Marla D. Pemberton, Gregory D. Bynum & Associates; Alma Yanira Ramirez, Watson Realty ERA; Matthew S. Roberts, Watson Realty ERA; Lisa G Ruesga, Magic Real Estate; Kyle R. Shiloh, Miramar International; Maximino Plancarte Torres, Stratton Davis Realty; Brandi Diane Valadon, Keller Williams Realty

DECEMBER 2017 new realtors ® november 2017

new realtors ® december 2017

Briner T. Anviyeh, Coldwell Banker Preferred, Ming; Ulysses Arrequin, Century 21 Tobias Real Estate; Nancy Bautista, Liberty One Real Estate Group; Tara M. Carter, Keller Williams Realty; Patsy S. Cohen, Marcom Real Estate; Sheila Diane Collier, Castle & Cooke California, Inc; Anita L. Connelly, Coldwell Banker Preferred – CO; Joette C. Fowler, Keller Williams Realty; Joy Gebarah, Alliance Investments Group, Inc; Brandon W. Goedhart, Watson Realty ERA; Emilly M. Gomez, Cimax Realty; Dannielle L. Lapham, Keller Williams Realty; Cesilie A. Loomis-Akins, Team Tracey Tipton Miramar International-Riverwalk; Veronica A. Mathis, Keller Williams Realty; Shawnte McNabb, Premier Realty; Julia R. Pimienta, Intero Real Estate Services; Bevis D. Pruett, Keller Williams Realty; Jeffrey A. Saso, Miramar International; Raman P. Singh, Guardian Real Estate; Shannon Sparks, Keller Williams Realty; Nicole Turner, Keller Williams Realty; Yolanda V. Zamora, Solutions Realty, Inc.

Hit Your Target Market! You can’t miss by advertising with the Bakersfield Association of REALTORS®

Start marketing and promoting your company today with the Bakersfield Association of REALTORS®.

The Association has nearly 2,000 REALTOR® and Affiliate members. We offer many ways for you to actively communicate your company’s brand and marketing message directly to our members. Every week we host a variety of activities, classes, and events. Reach your target market in effective and affordable ways. Consider one of our many

opportunities.

SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES: PRICES RANGE PER ACTIVITY n Newsletter n Educational

Classes

n Networking

Activities

n Community

Outreach

n Special

MEMBER RATES WEBSITE Member Advertising Rates Property Search & Partners Page

$400/mo

Property Search Page

$300/mo

PARTNERSHIP LOGO Member Advertising Rates Logo on public website partnership page (with redirect to your website)

Events

FOR ADVERTISING INFORMATION OR AD SIZES, PLEASE CONTACT: Carol Duran at 635-2307 Communications Design and Development

Call now at 661-635-2307

$200/ mo.

CONNECTIONS NEWSLETTER Eblast: Member Newsletter

1 time run

$60/blast

4x consec. run

$200/mo

Your Professional Resource… we’re here for you!

Jamey Lyster

Manager of Information Technology (IT) MLS Services

Claudia Bugarin Professional Standards Administrator

Cindy Kiser

Manager of Education and Professional Development

Ginger Edwards Controller-Office Administrator

Carol Duran

Communications Design & Development

Bakersfield Association of REALTORS® Staff can be reached at 661.635.2300

Linda Curutchague Member Services Manager

BAKERSFIELD REALTOR® MAGAZINE

Marrisa Williams Member Services Speciialist

Kim Schaefer Government Affairs Director

How to Spend Your Dollars This Year Digital marketing goals to boost your bang for your buck

PAUL SALLEY | DIRECTOR OF BUSINESS ACQUISITION

start of a new year brings new business goals and objectives. Included in these resolutions should be a plan to maximize and track your digital marketing dollars to ensure your brokerage is receiving a tangible return on investment. Fortunately, there are some sound strategies to help you achieve these goals.

Invest in landing pages. In addition to matching ads to a specified target audience, create a separate landing page relevant to the ad. This is critical for tracking conversions and funneling leads into your CRM. Create these landing pages separately from your website so they can be fully controlled by your marketing team. This eliminates time

going back and forth with web developers to create the pages and place code. There are many landing page platforms available to accommodate this task. REAL Trends consultants can help you with this.

However, even with the use of these tools, there still is some marketing finesse and expertise that is required to create and couple ads with strategic target audiences.

Try a new tech advance. Next, deploy one of the technology advances 2017 brought. Predictive marketing tactics, big data solutions and predictive analytics are a few of the tools that have been refined and released over the past year. These solutions leverage demographic information along with browsing data and historical buying and selling information to accurately place digital advertising across search platforms, display networks and social media platforms. Another big advantage of these tools is that they allow for conversion tracking.

Incorporate new marketing tactics. Ensure marketing success by incorporating new marketing tactics along with accurate tracking of campaign performance and generated leads. By doing so, you’ll know which marketing tools and tactics work for your audiences and region as well as those that don’t. The key will be to launch these marketing efforts to a relevant audience and accurately track their results all the way to a sell.

BAKERSFIELD REALTOR® MAGAZINE

How to Build an Effective E-team How one brokerage built an e-team to handle leads

PAUL SALLEY | DIRECTOR OF BUSINESS ACQUISITION

any brokerages in residential real estate are interested in the benefits an e-team affords but are not sure how to approach assembling this team model. REAL Trends spoke with Amanda Hodge, customer service manager of Ruhl & Ruhl Realtors in the Quad Cities Area of Iowa. The brokerage attributes much of its success in obtaining and processing qualified leads to the structure and implementation of their e-team. “Our e-team consists of 20 percent of the agents in each office. [These agents] agreed to a higher level of customer service, meet a small GCI requirement (15,000), attend a yearly training, weekly sales meetings and certain file update requirements. They must meet at least 15 percent conversion in order to stay on the team,” says Hodge. Of course, building your e-team takes a plan. Hodge notes that “The more experienced agent is not always the best choice [for the e-team). We want to do our best to have e-team agents who

BAKERSFIELD REALTOR® MAGAZINE

are hungry enough to give exceptional service for the life of the lead.” With that comes challenges. She says that brokers must outline clear expectations of the agents on an e-team. For example, she says, “We have strong follow-up systems where [an inside sales person (ISA)] will call the lead up to six times in the first 15 days. If the ISA doesn’t reach the lead, it’s assigned to an e-team agent. They must call 24 hours after getting the assignment, again after eight days and every 30 days after that for the life of the lead.” E-teams can be an effective for any brokerage when

structured and implemented correctly. With more and more leads coming in from various online sources, both paid and organic, it’s crucial to have a plan in place to nurture these leads to a measurable conversation and seeing them through to a sale. For Ruhl & Ruhl, it’s working. “Our conversion year-over-year slowly continues to improve as we tighten up our lead process. We’re up 1 percent year-to-date from last year.” This article reprinted with the permission of Real Trends Inc. Copyright 2018

REALTORS® pledge themselves to the Code of Ethics

New Training Requirements for 2018 with examples, sign-in to the NAR website for a summary of provisions of interest to NAR and its members. NAR will be providing ongoing updates and guidance to members in the coming weeks, as well as addressing additional concerns through future legislation and rulemaking.

contribution by

JOE NEWTON

The requirement for REALTORS® to complete Code of Ethics training changed to a biennial requirement (every two years) in November 2014 by action of the National Association’s Executive Committee and Board of Directors. This change originated as a recommendation from the REALTOR® of the Future Work Group.

The National Association of REALTORS® has available on their website an analysis of the recently passed legislation and how it affects real estate owners as well as real estate professionals. For a downloadable copy that discusses the major provisions with examples, sign-in to the NAR website for a summary of provisions of interest to NAR and its members. NAR will be providing ongoing updates and guidance to members in the coming weeks, as well as addressing additional concerns through future legislation and rulemaking.

CODE OF ETHICS TRAINING CYCLES: The first biennial cycle began January 1, 2017 and will end December 31, 2018. REALTORS® are required to complete ethics training of no less than 2.5 hours of instructional time within two-year cycles. The training must meet specific learning objectives and criteria established by the National Association of REALTORS®. Training may be completed through the Bakersfield Association of REALTORS® or through another method, such as home study, correspondence, classroom courses, or online courses. This year’s National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) Code of Ethics has a few changes reflected below: CURRENT CYCLE:

January 1, 2017 to December 21, 2018; Future Cycles: January 1, 2019 to December 31st, 2020.

In Article 12 and SOP 12-10, the word “image” has been added to the discussion of avoiding misleading advertising. Is there an ethical line that you should consider? Some agents claim that altering a listing photo, for example, in any manner is false advertising. To them it is misleading,

OMBUDSMAN REPORT SEPTEMBER - DECEMBER 2017 n

366 calls were received by our Ombudsman

31 calls were grievance/ethics complaints against agents that were resolved n

JOE NEWTON | Ombudsman damages reputation, and ultimately unacceptable. Editing out distractions that are temporary anyway (garden hoses, signs, etc.) may be quite common. But what about utility lines in front of a house, or a neighbor’s shrubbery and fences? This only begins the discussion, yet it is a question for everyone to consider when photo advertising their listings. A suggestion is to try and put yourself in the buyer’s position. Speak to your photo team to learn more about what can be done to enhance property image while complying with ethical standards.

The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act – What it Means for Homeowners and Real Estate Professionals: The National Association of REALTORS® has available on their website an analysis of the recently passed legislation and how it affects real estate owners as well as real estate professionals. For a downloadable copy that discusses the major provisions

18 grievance/ethics packages were mailed to complaining parties regarding cases that could not be resolved n

5 Arbritraiion packages were mailed to complaining parties regarding cases that could not be resolved n

136 calls requesting information on real estate procedures

5 calls were arbitration complaints against an agent which were resolved

0 Violations of public trust cases reported

105 calls requesting information on deposits

anonymous call

3 calls were complaints against a non association member n

49 cases referred to Association mediation

3 Kern River Lake Isabella call

11 Tehachapi calls

1,101 Year-to-date total BAKERSFIELD REALTOR® MAGAZINE

How Real Estate &Hospitality are Similar

Real estate is a unique industry, but it does not exist in a bubble. The changes the industry is going through right now—I’ve seen them before SCOTT GOWDISH | REALTRENDS EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT OF DEVELOPMENT, LONE WOLF TECHNOLOGIES

’d like to share some similarities between real estate and the hospitality industry. To me, these disparate industries are more like parallel universes. In this article, I’ll draw a few comparisons between the two and demonstrate why their similarities are cause for optimism, not concern. First, a little background. Before coming to Lone Wolf Technologies, I spent most of my career (20 years or so) developing enterprise software for the travel and hospitality sectors. My focus there was—and still is at Lone Wolf—to make the transaction simpler and improve the lives of the buyer and seller. This entailed changes to almost everything, from automation to user experience, commercial booking engines to e-Commerce platforms. Let me tell you, making these changes was no simple task. The travel and hospitality sector lagged five to seven years behind standard IT, and the industry’s sloth-like speed of adoption made bringing new product(s) to market a more significant challenge than it should’ve been. We find the lack of speed of adoption to be similar in both the hospitality and real estate verticals.

Similarity #1:

Old Processes and Technologies at the Center of It All When it comes to IT, the real estate and hospitality verticals tend to lag behind the rest of the market due to antiquated systems of inventory that monopolize consumers’ access to their data—data that they need to make quality decisions. In hospitality, this antiquated system is known as the Global Distribution System,

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or GDS. Its near monopoly on the industry is very similar to what brokerages and agents see in their relationship with the MLS. Challenges plaguing both spaces are legacy systems, unnecessary bureaucracy and proprietary connectivity options. However, hospitality has been able to move beyond these challenges with the banding together of vendors and providers of inventory. Will real estate be able to do the same? Hospitality also has some of the most demanding customers and revenue models in existence. I quickly became aware of the industry’s need to provide flexible solutions to better suit the partners for whom we provided services and solutions. Most of these companies made their brand (and the processes within these brands) the cornerstone of their connection to patrons. I see the same construct here in the real estate space. Brokerages need flexibility in their software to express their unique brand. For technology to be flexible, it needs to be modern. So, before the industry can move forward, the technology needs to catch up.

Similarity #2:

Consumers are Forcing our Partners to Justify their Value In the travel agent space, the elimination of commissions by the inventory providers (hotels, airlines, cars) forced the agency and corporate travel providers to adapt to a changing revenue model. As a result, agencies were forced to justify a service fee and provide higher service levels to stay in business. In this case, the consumer benefitted the most. In real estate, the proliferation of realtime pricing data and changes to the rules governing the sale of property is going to result in a new competitive landscape that

will benefit consumers in much the same way. Brokerages will need to optimize the transaction and remove the number of hands it goes through before being settled. This will allow for the reduction of costs to the consumer, and also provide a better margin to the broker. History, as always, repeats itself.

Similarity #3: Lack of Transparency Leads to Disruption

In our space, disruption is coming from online brokerages and technology providers (i.e., Zillow Group, Lone Wolf Technologies, et al). Travel saw this same disruption when Expedia, Orbitz and Travelocity gave consumers the power to book for themselves, while also lowering fees and providing the consumer a better, more transparent experience. Real estate is seeing the same types of pressures, as online and paperless transactions are becoming commonplace while fixed-fee brokerages are looking for more optimizations around the transaction as their margins get squeezed. Again, the consumer is the beneficiary of this disruption. These are just three of the many similarities between the Real Estate and Hospitality verticals. You’ll notice that the two industries are alike in how they view their customer, sell their brands and define their value proposition to their agents and associates. Overcoming the challenges facing the hospitality industry wasn’t easy, but we got it done. And real estate will too. The opportunity to turn these challenges into a better user experience, which in turn means a more profitable industry, is a thrilling proposition. This article reprinted with the permission of Real Trends Inc. Copyright 2018

Similarity #1: Old Processes and Technologies at the Center of It All

Similarity #2:

Consumers are Forcing our Partners to Justify their Value

Similarity #3: Lack of Transparency Leads to Disruption

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state of the

HOUSING MARKET NOVEMBER 2017

APRIL 2016 DECEMBER 2017

All Areas

Bakersfield

* Figures from Single Family Homes Only. Statistics were run on January 9, 2018 Bakersfield uses the following Zip Codes: 93301, 93302, 93303, 93304, 93305, 93306, 93307, 93308, 93309, 93310, 93311, 93312, 93313, 93314.

2016 Compared to 2017 by MLS Area

2017 YEAR-TO-DATE STATS Dollar Value

# Sold

Area

Average Sold Price*

% of List Price*

DOM*

2017

2016

2017

2016

2017

2016

2017

2016

2017

2016

239

279

$40,168,017

$46,471,196

$172,921

$176,045

97.21

96.86

174

172

$17,878,515

$17,387,511

$107,688

$104,860

97.95

97.09

248

230

$42,266,652

$36,528,534

$173,726

$160,432

98.35

98.56

$7,765,400

$7,500,890

$388,270

$293,036

95.55

96.76

258

246

$40,863,225

$35,948,856

$158,385

$146,199

97.88

97.50

518

522

$91,912,728

$90,475,962

$188,747

$181,067

98.16

97.62

190

187

$43,732,258

$41,661,974

$236,623

$228,464

98.43

98.93

104

$30,889,446

$27,592,892

$313,216

$312,003

96.30

97.36

106

114

$14,389,679

$15,111,470

$137,016

$134,278

96.37

98.09

135

120

$23,508,088

$20,402,505

$176,478

$172,876

97.96

96.58

$1,575,250

$1,925,125

$166,656

$160,427

99.02

95.83

543

585

$84,467,105

$88,779,970

$164,273

$156,679

98.70

98.43

1382

1430

$297,713,976

$295,760,215

$226,879

$219,261

98.50

98.53

794

826

$253,238,169

$263,233,215

$321,989

$322,628

98.18

97.70

$5,129,874

$2,759,990

$394,606

$551,998

99.67

99.66

167

226

$46,986,549

$59,084,808

$284,622

$262,066

98.21

98.44

1151

1065

$350,833,335

$317,881,246

$305,503

$299,230

98.61

98.38

430

463

$162,851,404

$163,314,604

$380,667

$355,607

98.57

98.24

$7,650,300

$7,845,700

$423,253

$448,100

98.23

97.07

$14,451,048

$21,044,907

$301,034

$296,504

136

99.50

99.15

180

148

$51,566,279

$36,847,775

$291,974

$257,901

97.68

97.57

$5,081,100

$2,949,000

$298,888

$210,643

124

251

96.92

87.33

$5,633,715

$1,682,109

$161,530

$100,416

96.25

97.38

$1,346,998

$7,374,585

$223,408

$179,137

127

96.89

96.95

$2,095,771

$9,462,300

$608,136

$597,492

100.52

98.82

$4,791,300

$2,961,000

$297,020

$301,875

133

145

95.60

94.91

$8,298,211

$8,929,540

$151,794

$141,797

96.12

94.28

$4,658,625

$2,941,000

$413,511

$326,778

95.79

97.45

$1,217,400

$72,000

$243,480

$72,000

99.12

96.64

$2,759,200

$2,770,950

$211,650

$200,500

94.39

96.89

208

223

$39,352,790

$41,559,747

$189,913

$186,367

98.02

97.90

175

169

$21,015,499

$19,621,473

$118,063

$114,845

96.16

96.94

158

181

$31,634,836

$33,059,745

$200,607

$183,110

97.51

97.11

154

131

$52,279,719

$39,525,205

$346,399

$312,708

96.85

97.11

2017 QUARTERLY STATS 1st Qtr 2017 New Listings Contingent Pending Sold Total Volume Closed Median Sales Price * Average DOM * Average Sale Price/SqFt *

1st Qtr 2016

2nd Qtr 2017

2nd Qtr 2016

3rd Qtr 2017

3rd Qtr 2016

4th Qtr 2017

4th Qtr 2016

2,900

3,123

3,088

3,292

2,993

3,143

2,235

686

604

824

857

749

682

2,203 586

1,240

1,260

2,173

2,169

2,007

2,107

1,747

1,649

1,680

1,674

2,118

2,107

2,020

2,143

1,824

1,812

$383,313,489

$373,370,870

$507,248,581

$487,444,709

$490,050,028

$497,731,307

$439,390,363

$411,921,119

$216,000

$215,000

$228,125

$220,000

$227,825

$216,250

$230,000

$220,000

137.50

132.97

138.62

134.05

138.08

136.9

140.39

134.91

* Figures from Single Family Homes Only. Statistics were run on January 9, 2018 BAKERSFIELD REALTORÂ® MAGAZINE

American Dream Revised New study says homeowners shouldn’t count on property appreciation creating wealth

Home Ownership Should be Seen More as Forced Savings, Says FAU Expert The American Dream of homeownership as the path to creating wealth may be due for a revision. A new study by faculty at Florida Atlantic University, Florida International University and the University of Wyoming finds that the property appreciation most homeowners expect when buying a home may be relatively meaningless in terms of building wealth. The study, published in the Journal of Housing Research, found that households through their own actions have more control over their overall wealth than do uncontrollable market variables. That is, any gains from property appreciation have been historically offset by greater gains in the stock and bond markets. “When considering buying and building wealth through equity appreciation versus renting and reinvesting in a portfolio of stocks and bonds, property appreciation does

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Owning real estate should be sold as a strategy to create better set of risk-adjusted returns rather than create wealth alone. not change the results,” said study co-author Ken Johnson, Ph.D., real estate economist at FAU’s College of Business and co-developer of the Beracha, Hardin and Johnson Buy vs. Rent Index. “On average, renting and reinvesting wins in terms of wealth creation regardless of property appreciation, because property appreciation is highly correlated with gains in the traditional financial asset classes of stocks and bonds.” So, the old adage that those who choose not to buy a home are “throwing their money away on rent” isn’t necessarily true. That statement inherently assumes that any monies that someone would have used for a down

payment and/or any rent savings are spent on consumption. But what if the renter instead reinvests those monies and earns a return? “When you assume that those monies are reinvested at a rate of return, renting, on average, wins in terms of wealth creation,” Johnson said. “Of course, many renters will not reinvest those monies and will instead use them for consumer goods, which is the least desirable option in terms of building wealth.” The analysis showed that households that are likely to not reinvest buy-rent cash differentials should mostly own rather than rent their primary residence as ownership forces them to save. “The American Dream is alive and well but in need of revision,” Johnson said. “To that end, we suggest not all but most should own rather than rent due to ownership’s embedded commitment to save. Owning real estate should be sold as a strategy to create better set of risk-adjusted returns rather than create wealth alone.” This article reprinted with the permission of Real Trends Inc. Copyright 2018

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