Vol 3, Issue 6

sheCenter(Fold)

Barbara Corcoran Real Estate Mogul and Business Consultant Page 30

The NWBC Closed Out the Fiscal Year with a BANG! Page 20

Acoustic Trends in Housing Page 40

The Mystery Behind Lending to Women Page 16

Part 2: Studies of Risk and Prevention for Women’s Cancers Page 50

VOL. 3 / ISSUE 6

Muffy Davis: Breaking Barriers Page 26

Vol 3. Issue 6: Break it Down

16

23

Barbara Corcoran 30 sheCENTER(FOLD)

Features

16

THE MYSTERY BEHIND LENDING TO WOMEN

By Ann Sullivan

30 sheCENTER(FOLD):

20 THE NWBC CLOSED OUT THE FISCAL YEAR WITH A BANG!

By Amanda Brown

23

WHERE HAVE YOUR POSSESSION RIGHTS GONE?

By Marianne Jones

BARBARA CORCORAN Real Estate Mogul and Business Consultant

40 ACOUSTIC TRENDS

IN HOUSING

By Dr. Bonnie Schnitta

36 THE FIVE STAR

CONFERENCE RECAP

38 ONE COOL EXPO (CAR) CONFERENCE RECAP

26 MUFFY DAVIS:

BREAKING BARRIERS

Table of

CONT

43

40

46

Departments

43 SAFETY FIRST FOR REAL ESTATE AGENTS

46 BUILDING A

GREENER BUSINESS

OF RISK 50 STUDIES AND PREVENTION

By Elizabeth Stewart Part 2: City of Hope New advancements in women’s cancers bring us one step closer to finding cures.

54 SWAN: 8 INFOGRAPHIC Get a Break Down on What’s Happening in Residential and Commercial Real Estate.

14 APP MAPP

Find out the latest apps that benefit industries within the housing economy.

- SPEAK - WRITE - ATTEND - NETWORK Out of their offices and into the field, where NAWRB members can be seen and heard.

48 WHAT WOMEN WANT: -REVIEWS - FASHION - HEALTH - COOKING

ENTS

nawrb STAFF & CONTRIBUTORS

PUBLISHER/CEO/MARKETING DIRECTOR/ EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Desirée Patno CONTENT WRITERS Lindsay Cabreros Kristen Cervantes

Get your free subscription she CEN

TER(FO

SENIOR GRAPHIC DESIGNER Kendall Roderick

SVP - Nei

L

GLEND D) A GABRIE L

ghborhood

Lending Executi ve Bank of America

The Borr ower E Impacts & Impl ffect: ications O LOAN F 2014 LIMIT S

MEMBERSHIP RELATIONS Andrea Fierro

Polic Prescript ions to A y ssist ENTRE WOMEN PRENE URS

BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT Lindsay Williams VOL. 3 / ISSUE 2

NAWRB CERTIFICATION Laurie Keys

Div THE H ersity in OUSIN G MARK ET SBA: P utting in the H Tools ands of ENTRE WOMEN PRENE URS N MAG

AZINE

|

1

CONTRIBUTORS Ann Sullivan Amanda Brown Marianne Jones Dr. Bonnie Schnitta Elizabeth Stewart

NAWRB Magazine is a monthly magazine featuring unique content for women in the housing economy, exclusive interviews with industry professionals, business development tools, book reviews, feature stories and more. NAWRB Magazine welcomes comments from all readers. All materials submitted to NAWRB Magazine are subject to editing.

The articles, content, and other information in this publication are for information purposes only. Articles, content, and other information in this publication without named authors are contributed by the publication’s staff, but do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of NAWRB. NAWRB assumes no liability or responsibility for any inaccurate, delayed or incomplete information, nor for any actions taken in reliance thereon.

www.NAWRB.com (949) 559-9800 | Media@NAWRB.com 34 Executive Park, Suite 260, Irvine, CA 92614

sign up on

NAWRB.com

NAWRB Magazine is your gateway to the hottest topics for women in the housing economy. /NAWRB

/NAWRB

In our last issue, we chose, “Women’s Changing Climate” as our theme, which highlighted the constantly adapting climate for women in the housing economy.

By identifying the changing landscape for women, it’s time to break down how it translates across the housing continuum.

From the real estate industry to acoustical consulting in the construction industry, our theme “Break It Down” has led women from several facets of the housing economy to contribute their knowledge and expertise.

Our infographics this issue are provided courtesy of the National Women’s Business Council (NWBC) on capital: What to think about, when to pursue it, where to find it and how to get it. An overview of the why, when, and where are important questions to think about. We provide some of the key factors in the mystery behind lending to women to help answer, “Why do women lag behind their male counterparts when it comes to obtaining capital for their businesses?” In addition, NWBC reviews the government and corporate procurement with some great highlights including, “Women-Owned firms that sell to other businesses have higher revenues across almost all industries.”

We explored a serious issue sweeping the real estate industry: safety. Women real estate agents and lenders are placed in vulnerable situations when showing homes or qualifying potential buyers. It’s important to take the necessary steps to revisit procedural guidelines and better equip ourselves to ensure personal safety.

In this issue, NAWRB is proud to feature real estate mogul and business consultant Barbara Corcoran as our sheCenter(Fold).

Corcoran’s straight-forward thinking and successful career granted her an investor chair on the hit television show, “Shark Tank.” It allows her to compete with the other Shark Tank investors to help as-

piring entrepreneurs jump-start their businesses. Her words of wisdom to start a real estate brokerage, exude confidence and originality through the many setbacks along the way showcase how she excelled at moving forward.

We continue with Part 2 from the City of Hope Women’s Cancer Series. Scientists study both risk and prevention specifically addressing risk among Latinas, preventing metastasis to the brain and identifying biomarkers to predict cancer’s spread.

NAWRB is excited to host its Inaugural Conference on Oct. 27-29 in Long Beach, California. Our Inaugural Conference will provide the awareness, opportunities and access to grow and expand your business both vertically and horizontally. NAWRB’s collaborative effort with multiple women’s organizations, federal agencies including the FDIC and CFPB’s Offices of Minority and Women Inclusion, and countless other agencies will provide the awareness of an indepth legislative landscape. With so many relevant agencies and organizations under one roof, this is your Fast Track niche to leveraging the opportunities and education provided to accelerate your business. Our featured contract officers will provide access to current and future contracts, how to set up a non-profit, and expand your business by working with global clients. These resources allow you to turn your dreams into a reality.

From breaking down housing industries to showcasing inspiring women and providing meaningful information, this issue will strengthen the mind, body and spirit of women.

Desirée Patno Publisher/CEO

Desirée.Patno@NAWRB.com

NAWRB MAGAZINE |

7

NWBC infoGRAPHIC

8

| NAWRB MAGAZINE

NWBC infoGRAPHIC

NAWRB MAGAZINE |

9

NWBC infoGRAPHIC

10

| NAWRB MAGAZINE

NWBC infoGRAPHIC

NAWRB MAGAZINE |

11

CONGRATULATIONS to new and renewed NAWRB Certified Women-Owned Businesses Specializing in the Housing Economy

SANDRA COPE

LINDA MITTON

Inwest Title Services, Inc. sandra@inwesttitle.com www.inwesttitle.com 435-634-5080

Avatar Property Services, Inc. lmitton@avatargreen.net www.avatargreen.net 888-776-9910

NANCY ALLEE Indiana Central Homes nallee@mibor.net www.indianacentralhomes.com 317-722-0913

CARLOTTA DIAZ

JANET FARLEY

Realty World Westcamp Realty homes@westcamprealty.com www.soldbycarlotta.com 916-348-6000

Covenant Realty of NC jfarley10@aol.com www.covenantrealtyofnc.com 919-570-0583

These businesses have received the only third-party, industry-specific certifier of women-owned businesses in the housing economy, or minority women-owned businesses in the housing economy

12

| NAWRB MAGAZINE

appMAPP

ReaLync ReaLync enables live virtual tours of properties, providing buyers and renters real experiences of spaces.

ReaLync transcends the photos and slideshows of yesterday by making property touring mobile, real time and highly interactive.

This real time environment simplifies and enhances the touring process by providing agents and clients a more efficient, convenient and cost-effective way of showing and touring properties.

Using ReaLync, agents host clients through live video with a smartphone or tablet. During live tours, users can communicate in real time while also capturing photos, taking notes, viewing property details, private chatting with others and later comparing and sharing their tours saved on the storage cloud. ReaLync is transforming the online real estate experience by truly making real estate real time. FREE

EasyMeasure Evaluate the approximate measurements of property with EasyMeasure. Perfect for homebuilders, EasyMeasure provides the dimensions of lot lines, existing rooms, distances between houses, and virtually anything else.

Although the measurements are approximate, the app allows buyers and homebuilders to better analyze a potential property that could be hard to visualize, such as a vacant lot or large building. EasyMeasure works by using the height of a smartphone’s camera lens and its tilt angle to determine the distance to the object. To use, aim a smartphone camera at any object and EasyMeasure will lay the measurements on top of the image for easy viewing. Measured images can be saved for later use, emailed, and shared on social media platforms. FREE

Environmental Impact Calculator Gain environmental awareness and control your carbon footprint with the Environmental Impact Calculator.

Whether it is your office building or home, the calculator allows you to input factors such as the number of vehicles, electricity bill, natural gas bill, and more to estimate the property’s carbon footprint. With this knowledge, users can create projects for any length of time to implement green initiatives to improve their property’s impact. Simply enter the updated numbers at the end of a project regarding factors such as utility bills and number of vehicles to receive an updated carbon footprint estimate. The calculator also converts users’ information into real world comparisons like the number of acres of forest absorbing carbon, and the amount of cars removed from the road to better understand the difference they are making. FREE

From real estate to homebuilding, here are three housing industry apps to help simplify and improve not only the home buying process but your environmental impact.

14

| NAWRB MAGAZINE

sheSHOWCASE

Brenda Maher

Elizabeth Gore Dell has announced Elizabeth Gore as their next Entrepreneur in Residence.

Currently the Entrepreneur in Residence at the United Nations Foundation, Gore will officially join Dell in February 2015.

Brenda Maher was promoted to Regional Vice President of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices New England Properties.

Maher brings over 28 years of real estate experience to her new position.

Showcasing Women

'On the Move' in the

Housing Economy

Pam O'Grady October Research, the leading provider of premium market intelligence publications, has announced Pam O’Grady as their Vice President of Business Development.

Government

?

THE

MYSTERY BEHIND Lending to Women In her first appearance before the U.S. House of Representatives, the Administrator of the Small Business Administration (SBA), Maria Contreras-Sweet, recently said, “There is no silver bullet when it comes to access to capital.” This comes from a woman who left the California-based bank she founded to become Administrator.

Her sentiments were brought into clear focus by another Californian, Congresswoman Janice Hahn, who cited bleak statistics when it comes to the status of women and access to capital: before the recession, women-owned small businesses received 40 percent of SBA loans; today, it is only 16 percent.

The publication of the Senate Small Business Committee’s report on challenges facing women business owners, 21st Century Barriers to Women’s Entrepreneurship, has spurred the women’s business community into doing some soul-searching to try to get to the bottom of the mystery. Namely, why do women lag behind their male counterparts when it comes to obtaining capital for their businesses? The speculation comes in various forms: women don’t have the confidence to go ask for money/ investment, men lend to men not women, lending requirements stack the deck against lending to women-owned businesses since they tend to be smaller and newer than male-owned businesses; the list goes on.

By Ann Sullivan

The National Women’s Business Council, another voice for women nationwide, recently published a study about this topic.

Among its findings: Men tend to start businesses with twice as much capital as women, $135,000 vs. $75,000.

The biggest difference in amount of capital between men and women was with regard to outside equity,

16

| NAWRB MAGAZINE

Government in which women receive only 2% of total outside funding compared to men, who receive 18%.

Women were more likely to be discouraged from applying for loans due to fear of denial – and justifiably so: in 2008, women-owned businesses were much more likely to have their loan applications denied than their male counterparts.

Women entrepreneurs tend to raise smaller amounts of capital to finance their firms and are more reliant on personal, rather than external, sources of financing as compared to male entrepreneurs.

The study made the following recommendations: • Entrepreneurs should consider founding businesses

with other people. According to the study, many investors are reluctant to fund a single business owner because of the difficulty for one person to scale a business. Additionally, they should also complete a cost-benefit analysis of what equity financing can do, carefully weighing the upside (financial, social, and human capital) of external equity with the downside (less control of the company’s future).

• A recently published SBA Advocacy study, Un-

derstanding the Gender Gap in STEM Fields Entrepreneurship, backs up the last set of recommendations, finding that women who attended universities with industry-funded research and development are more likely to start an entrepreneurial venture. It also found that women are just as likely as men to be entrepreneurs when their first postdoctoral job is in a STEM industry.

Policy advocates are all seeking a way to bring more capital to women-owned businesses so that they can become successful and create wealth for themselves and their families.

An ally is Senator Maria Cantwell, who chairs the Senate Small Business Committee. She recently held a roundtable discussion in Seattle, Washington that focused on changes Congress could make to resolve this inequity. After a hearing packed with women business owners and advocates on Capitol Hill earlier in the summer in Washington, D.C., Senator Cantwell introduced a bill that would make it easier to access loans of less

• For Funders, the study recommends increasing

"Why do women lag behind their male counterparts when it comes to obtaining capital for their businesses?"

• For the Entrepreneurship Ecosystem, the study

than $150,000 (including microloans) because women use these loans by a greater percentage than men. It also boosts the services of Women’s Business Centers (WBCs), which provide entrepreneurs with business training, counseling, as well as connections to lenders.

outreach to find women entrepreneurs with investment-ready firms. Similarly, they should increase the number of women on the financing and investment side, such as angel investors, members of a venture capital pitch committee, and in other roles. recommends encouraging women to participate in STEM fields prior to entrepreneurship. Although women are on par with men regarding educational attainment, previous research indicates that women are less likely to have degrees in STEM fields – and these fields are more likely to offer opportunities for growth-oriented entrepreneurship. Additionally, business programs focused on women and women-led and –owned businesses should be established and strengthened, including accelerator and incubator programs, equity financing programs, and business mentorship and training programs that target women-owned firms with high-growth potential.

Similarly, to counter the lending trends identified at the Congressional hearing, Administrator Contreras-Sweet touted recent actions taken by the SBA on a number of fronts to increase SBA loans to women. For example, the SBA waived fees on loans below $150,000. The Administrator recently announced the upcoming launch of SBA One, an online platform that will automate the credit scoring process and the sharing of electronic documents between the lender, the bank, and the SBA. Also, under her leadership, the SBA has expanded the Impact NAWRB MAGAZINE |

17

Government Investment Fund, a feature of the Small Business Investment Company (SBIC) Program, which promises to increase the amount of investment funds that flow to women-owned businesses.

Solving the problem of access to capital for women requires actions on all fronts both public and private. No one has a cure-all – a silver bullet – to solve the problem.

On the private front, business organizations that serve women need to step up educational offerings and seminars, including training on which lending programs are

"Last, but certainly not least, women should think bigger and bolder by foregoing the notion that business debt is bad." available and the best way to obtain the right amount of capital required to start and grow their businesses. They must facilitate connections with lenders and investors who want to connect with their membership. Lenders

need to be much more aggressive about reaching out to women business owners and advertising their loan products to them. Non-traditional lending institutions, such as Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs), must do a better job of promoting their ability to provide small loans. Equity and angel investors should be seeking out and forming alliances with women business organizations to create a pipeline of women who are ready and eligible for their capital offerings.

On the public side, the Small Business Administration (SBA) should push its network of lenders to pay closer attention to lending to women. The SBA should also look for ways to strengthen outreach efforts to women to encourage them to participate in their lending programs. Similarly, the SBA could make it easier for women-owned small business to apply for loans by streamlining the requirements for participating. Like Senator Cantwell’s proposed bill, Congress should allocate the necessary funding to Women’s Business Centers who are in a position to help: there are just slightly more than 100 WBCs nationwide, which is not nearly enough to serve the fastest growing segment of businesses.

Last, but certainly not least, women should think bigger and bolder by foregoing the notion that business debt is bad. Insisting on a cash business will almost certainly keep the business small and result in slow growth.

That is unless you come to the business armed with lots of cash or you take over a business that is well-established. The last time I looked, not many of us fit into either category.

Although the answers to why women lag behind men in accessing capital for their operations and growth remain elusive, there is no mystery that to be successful, women entrepreneurs need it. An integrated solution depends on all stakeholders, both private and public, must work together to increase capital for women entrepreneurs.

So what are we waiting for? Let’s get to it.

Ann Sullivan

WIPP Government Relations

18

| NAWRB MAGAZINE

NWBC Review

The

National Women’s Business Council (NWBC) closed out fiscal year 2014 in a big way – and with a bang!

An Afternoon with the NWBC: Tea, Cookies, and #AccesstoMarkets on Sept. 24 in Washington, D.C.

By Amanda Brown Here’s what you missed: The afternoon began with the official business meeting of the Council. Carla Harris, the Council’s presidentially appointed Chairwoman, and Vice President at Morgan Stanley, opened the afternoon with a bang of the gavel and a roll call of the Council. NWBC had some recent transitions, welcoming new members — Anne, Pam, and Rosana — and thanking Tara Abraham, the outgoing WBENC representative who has dutifully served her full three-year term.

en-owned small businesses (WOSBs) that has never been met. The U.S. Small Business Administration, in their recent scorecard, reported that 4.32 percent of eligible dollars, or $15.4 billion, went to WOSBs in 2013.

The rest of the eligible dollars, less than 1 percent, may not seem substantial, but it amounts to at least $2.3 billion that could have gone into the pockets of women business owners.

Carla continued with commentary on women’s access to markets and the theme for the day: “We know that more women supplying products and services in the federal marketplace, in corporate supply chains, and overseas yields competition, choice, and quality. We know it’s also a way for women to grow and scale their businesses, ultimately creating jobs, and spurring the economy even more. It’s a win-win for all – good for individual business and the economy.” She shared the latest data points and findings on women’s access to new and emerging markets.

At large U.S. firms, there is no established goal for minimum spending with women-owned businesses (WOBs). Similarly, there is minimal data on corporate spending with WOBs.

Warning: Some of this you expect or already know; some of this will make your jaw drop.

On government procurement: The federal government has a statutory goal of awarding 5 percent of eligible prime contracting dollars to wom-

20

| NAWRB MAGAZINE

On corporate procurement:

That said, many large corporations are committed to increasing spending with women-owned businesses.

For example, the Billion Dollar Roundtable (BDR) is a group of corporations that spent at least $1 billion with minority- and women- owned suppliers. The BDR promotes and shares best practices in supply chain diversity.

We also know that women-owned firms that sell to other businesses have higher revenues across almost all industries, and better access to capital. Our recently released infographic on women-owned businesses in the supply chain – featuring the story of Stacy Madison of Stacy’s

NWBC Review Pita Chips – addresses this in greater detail. The infographic can be viewed on our website at NWBC.gov.

NWBC developed new and exciting partnerships to further our mission.

On exporting:

NWBC was lucky to have the honorable Maria Contreras-Sweet, the SBA Administrator, join us for closing remarks too — before Carla dismissed attendees to the three workshops: Make Your Fortune from the Fortune 500, Get Ready for Primetime and Go Global, Get Your Export On.

Less than 5 percent of privately-owned U.S. firms had any exporting activity in 2007. But among women-owned firms, this number drops to 3 percent. U.S. companies that export grow faster and are 8.5 percent less likely to go out of businesses than firms that don’t export.

U.S. exports of goods and services totaled $2.1 trillion in 2011. Exports are a growing and substantial part of the U.S. economy, accounting for 13.8 percent of our nation’s gross domestic product, or GDP. More than 70 percent of the world’s purchasing power is located outside of the U.S., indicating a tremendous growth potential for firms that export.

“Women-owned firms that sell to other businesses have higher revenues across almost all industries” These numbers demonstrate the struggle, but also the opportunity. Carla shared with the more than 250 women in the room and dialed in from afar, “The opportunities are ripe – but it’s tough to get a contract, start exporting or break into the corporate supply chain.

We know that. We are here… because it’s time to increase the access of women-owned and -led businesses into new markets, and to increase the market share in existing target markets. We want to empower and equip you to leverage these opportunities.”

Committee chairs: Rose Wang, Magdalah Racine-Silva and Shelly Kapoor Collins then led us through a Buzzfeed-style list of Council updates including: NWBC wrapped three new research projects; briefed Congress, the SBA and women’s business organizations on our access to capital research; launched four new research projects for this coming year; released an infographic on women-owned businesses in the supply chain; congratulated federal agencies that met the 5 percent WOSB procurement goal and highlighted those that failed; and coordinated and collaborated with the women’s entrepreneurship ecosystem. Our members also spoke out on the Council’s four pillars and even served as judges for the groundbreaking SBA Accelerator Competition and

The workshops were stacked with amazing moderators and panelists, and I’d be remiss if I didn’t call them out.

Leading the #showmethecontract conversation was Michelle Dolberry-Thompson, Advisor on Small Business Growth and VIP Program Administrator at American Express OPEN and small business owner herself. Speakers included Vanessa E. Gentry-Ali, President and CEO of All-U-Need Personnel; Aditi Dussault, Senior Advisor to the Associate Administrator for the Office of Government Contracting and Business Development at the U.S. Small Business Administration; Rose Wang, Founder and CEO of the Binary Group and NWBC Council Member; and Ann Sullivan, President of Madison Services Group, Inc.

The #fortuneclub panel was moderated by one of our newest Council Members, Pam Prince-Eason and featured Donna Donato, Vice President of Global ProNAWRB MAGAZINE |

21

NWBC Review curement at Bristol-Myers Squibb; Pamela Pesta, Vice President of Strategic Sourcing at Nationwide Insurance; Shendora Pridgen, Vice President of Firmwide Sourcing at Morgan Stanley; and Deborah Rosado Shaw, Senior Vice President and Chief Global Diversity and Engagement Officer of PepsiCo.

These three workshops called attention to the real opportunities that women have in the different marketplaces.

There was of course discussion of the unique challenges that women face, but our panelists were on hand and well-prepared to share concrete ideas and best practices to help women overcome the obstacles and pursue a government contract, land a corporate deal or start exporting.

More than 70% of the world’s purchasing power is located outside of the U.S., indicating a tremendous growth potential for firms that export.

It was quite the afternoon, and quite the end to the 26th year of the Council.

The third workshop, #goingglobal, was led by Roberta Zenn Phillips, Executive Director of the Center for Women in Business at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation, and included Roz Alford, Co-principal of ASAP Solutions Group, LLC; NWBC Council Member, Kim Benson, Vice President (and co-owner) of Cange International, Inc.; Richard Ginsburg, Senior International Trade Specialist in the Office of International Trade at the U.S. Small Business Administration; Mary Estelle Ryckman, Senior Policy Advisor for the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative; and Dr. Amanda Sozer, Founder and President of SNA International.

On to the next one: For more information about this event and to learn what you might have missed, go to Twitter and check out the hashtags: #nwbc924, #showmethecontract, #goingglobal and #fortuneclub. And for more information about the Council, or the latest on women business ownership, visit our website NWBC.gov.

Amanda Brown

Executive Director of NWBC

From left to right: Pamela Prince-Eason, Rose Wang, Marsha Bailey, Erin Kelley, Dr. Teresa Nelson, Tara Abraham, Amanda Brown, Roz L. Alford, Carla Harris, Shelly Kapoor Collins, Kimberly A. Blackwell, Jaime Nack, Anne D. Shybunko-Moore, Samhita Mukhopadhyay, Rosana Privitera Biondo, Laura Yamanaka, Magdalah Racine-Silva

22

| NAWRB MAGAZINE

Landlord Rights

Where Have Your Possession Rights Gone?

A call for change in California laws

By Marianne Jones

While we would like to think the

laws in California would protect property owners, my recent experience with my ex-boyfriend proves otherwise. Contrary to popular belief, the state actually leans toward protection of the occupant and makes it extremely difficult to evict a tenant from your residence.

My ex lived in my home during our relationship but for a number of years now he has lived in my storage shed, which has no electricity or bathroom facilities, located directly behind my home. When I tried to get him out due to domestic abuse and felony vandalism, I discovered it was nearly impossible to evict him due to the fact that he has pro-tenant and possession rights. I ended up having to go to court on three separate occasions but his legal team kept getting extension after extension, each time reducing the charges against him.

This in turn bought him more time to live on my property, making his stand even stronger. During this time, my ex

was using drugs to the extent that the police were quite aware of him. He was arrested on two separate occasions but was released the same day, enabling him to come back to my property to harass me more.

Due to California’s strong pro-tenant and possession laws, the police were unable to access the back shed where he lived even though he had violated three restraining orders as well as a criminal restraining order. Once again the pro-tenant and possession laws protected my ex, not me as the legal property owner.

In my case, all I heard from the court and the police was that “special circumstances” prevented everyone from taking normal steps or action to evict my ex-boyfriend. I inquired as to what these “special circumstances” were since he didn’t pay rent and there has never been a written rental agreement between us. In essence, he is a squatter, yet he has more rights to stay on my property

NAWRB MAGAZINE |

23

Landlord Rights

By Marianne Jones assume that they should have the law defend their rights as a tax-paying citizen. This simply isn’t the case.

"My ex-boyfriend continues to live in the storage shed whenever he feels like it." rent-free than I have as the legal property owner.

I am by no means a rich owner of a multi-million dollar house with a lavish lifestyle. I purchased my simple four-bedroom home in 1976 in Orange County where I raised my three children and six grandchildren. After years of struggle, I paid off my home yet I have no rights over it.

It is a frightening fact but occupants have more rights than legal homeowners. The laws governing occupancy need to change. If a property owner wants to evict the tenant it is reasonable and logical to

24

| NAWRB MAGAZINE

I currently rent out a room in my home because I am a retired senior and need to supplement my income in order to live and support those I love. This person pays their rent on time, is courteous and helpful. Yet I still have to deal with the increasing troubles caused by an ex-boyfriend who refuses to leave my back storage shed where the legal system allows him to live and keep his possessions rent-free with no repercussions. The laws governing this situation need to change otherwise squatters like him will continue to take advantage and that simply is not acceptable in our society.

What gives anyone the right to take advantage of a property owner that has worked so hard to purchase a home? Who protects us? Scary as it may seem, the tenant can actually turn things around in the court system and make the homeowner look like the perpetrator.

The time has come to revise the laws of California governing property and tenant occupancy. It’s time to stand up for the owners and hard working citizens like myself who simply want to protect what we have worked so hard for so many years to achieve. If people do not stand up for their rights, scary scenarios like mine will become the standard rather than the exception.

Currently, my ex-boyfriend continues to sneak back and live in the storage shed whenever he feels like it. According to the existing restraining order, he can only access his belongings if he

Landlord Rights is accompanied by an officer or his lawyer, but when I call the police as he enters my backyard he hides in the neighborhood and they are unable to catch him. I feel as though I am living in prison since I can’t even go into my backyard for fear of running into him.

I have long lost the enjoyment of my home that I own.

"The tenant can actually turn things around in the court system and make the homeowner look like the perpetrator."

An important fact that owners should be acutely aware of in their struggle to remove unwanted tenants concerns improvements to the property.

Any occupant be it renter, boyfriend or ex-husband that makes any improvements in trade for staying there can legally sue the owner later for materials and labor and be able to collect that money back. In fact, the court system gives them legal rights to place liens that you will have a hard time resolving or removing should you want to eventually sell your property.

In essence, they once again have the legal owner over a barrel with little options other than to pay them what they aren’t due. When will it end?

After eight months of continual struggle in the legal system, I still am unable to even remove his possessions from the shed due to “special circumstances,” which to this day no judge or court representative has been able to

adequately explain to me. Neither the court nor the attorneys dealing with the case have been able to present me with written explanations as to who is legally responsible for his things. And while his possessions are there, he’s constantly coming and going as he pleases. Yet, if I try to remove, donate or sell any of his things, I can be held liable and punished by a legal system that is constrained to defend me or my rights. It’s a confusing matter of legalities that to this day no one will put anything in writing for clarification.

Why should any violator be in control of your property? It’s time to do something about it. The laws have to change in favor of the legal owner rather than those who skirt the law of decency and continue to live in properties they should logically have no rights to occupy. As I work toward resolving my own legal issues I look forward to speaking with others interested in taking up this fight with me to change a system that is obviously broken down. I’ll do what is needed to legally fight for all property and homeowners’ rights so that no other person has to deal with living this nightmare.

Marianne Jones jmarianne95@gmail.com Author of several children’s books.

NAWRB MAGAZINE |

25

Follow Your DREAMS

Muffy Davis:

Breaking Barriers Muffy Davis knows no bounds. She has won medals in multiple Paralympic Games as part of Team USA, holds over 25 World Cup titles, is a loving mother and wife and successful motivational speaker. She has triumphed through life’s challenges to become the accomplished woman she is today.

As a young skier and Olympic hopeful, Davis’ journey to the Olympic Games was disrupted by a life-altering accident in the late 1980s. While traveling at over 45 MPH, she skied through a safety fence and hit two trees. Although her helmet saved her life, her spine was fractured, which rendered her paralyzed from her midchest down. Davis was only 16 years old.

Although she was forced to confront her new disability, it marked the beginning of a rewarding and successful career. Instead of simply surviving, Davis chose to thrive.

It was a combination of moments that led Davis to accept her fate and flourish with her new circumstances.

“I was young; I was 16. After a couple years, I realized I wasn’t going to wake up and I didn’t want to miss 18.

I had spent a lot of time in therapy and rehab. I looked at my mom and said, ‘Mom, I’m okay with this and you have to be too. I want to live. I want to move forward,’” said Davis.

26

| NAWRB MAGAZINE

A year after her accident, Davis captured a glimpse of the world of adaptive sports when she saw the Disabled Alpine World Championships in Winter Park, Colorado. Her first reaction was “Hey, I can do that” and her fiery passion for competitive sports was once again ignited.

And so, Davis embarked on her journey to the Paralympics. Her hard work led her to the 1998 Nagano Paralympic Games where she won a bronze medal in Slalom; 2002 Salt Lake City Paralympic Games where she took home three silver medals for Downhill, Super G, and Giant Slalom; and the 2012 London Paralympic Games where she transitioned to handcycling and won three gold medals for individual H1-3 Road Race, H1-4 Team Relay, and H1-2 Individual Time Trial.

Despite her unstoppable nature, Davis is only human and faces tough and stressful days like everyone else. To help her cope, she gives herself “grieving days” which she has been using for decades.

After her accident, she felt compelled to maintain her usual upbeat personality to stay strong for her friends and family. Her mother encouraged her to embrace emotions such as anger and sadness to allow for a release. Grieving days are Davis’ way of embracing the

Follow Your DREAMS negative feelings that can come with overwhelming days or painful events.

“Basically, it’s just giving yourself permission to feel what you’re feeling. We’re human. We have hard times. I like to acknowledge that it’s okay to have a bad day and give yourself permission to feel instead of stuffing it and burying it because it’ll stay with you,” Davis stated.

Everyone can benefit from having their own grieving days as no one is immune to stress. But who motivates the motivational speaker when times get rough? Beyond grieving days, Davis has countless ways to boost her morale.

“I try to stay in touch with my spirituality. My sports really help me a lot. For me, that’s my meditation, when I can go out and ride or do something physically active.

But also, we have support groups. I have a sports psychologist that I talk to when I’m competing and she really helps keep me on track and focused,” she said. Davis also relies on the light of her life: her daughter, Elle.

“She’s the best. She helps me and I can just let go of everything else, and sit and listen to her giggle and laugh.

It all comes into perspective,” Davis said.

With a strong team of support and countless medals under her belt, Davis is constantly moving forward. She has wheeled across the Great Wall of China, went scuba diving through the turquoise waters of the Great Barrier Reef, and conquered Mount Shasta in Northern California with the help of a SnowPod. Created by paraplegic and mountaineer Peter Rieke, the SnowPod is an innovative 45-pound vehicle, similar to a tractor, which is powered by a hand crank. The contraption rests on snowmobile treads to traverse the terrain.

With each crank, the user is propelled a mere inch and a half. The summit that Davis climbed with the SnowPod was well over 14,000 feet. According to teamusa.org, Davis became the first female paraplegic mountaineer to summit a peak over 14,000 feet.

Davis uses all of her experiences as a tool to empower women everywhere at all age levels. Currently, she is an ambassador for Right To Play, a global organization founded by Norwegian Olympic speed skater Johann Olav

Koss and comprised of athlete ambassadors, coaches, and staff. The main goal of the organization is to use fun games and sports as a tool for teaching health lessons and life skills. Many of the ambassadors are also Olympians and it is not uncommon for them to donate their winnings to help fund the organization.

“It’s very powerful. So much about being an athlete is really self-centered. It’s a great way to give back and help the world because we’ve been blessed,” said Davis.

As a Right To Play ambassador, she worked in Ghana and used sports to teach AIDS awareness and prevention while inspiring young girls. Although Davis hasn’t been as involved since the birth of her daughter, she hopes to become more involved as Elle gets older. Her daughter is currently five years old.

With world traveling, volunteering, and competing, Davis no doubt has an action-packed schedule. What’s next on her agenda?

She hopes to finish her book and fulfill her lifelong passion of starting a non-profit so she can empower young girls and women everywhere through participation in sports.

“I want to tie in female Olympic athletes and their daughters to run clinics and teach,” Davis said. Ideally, she can travel with her daughter to developing countries in Africa to teach different sporting programs. The diverse program would not only help disadvantaged women but teach girls “the value and importance of volunteering and giving back,” according to Davis.

When faced with the unthinkable, Davis has used her inner strength and the support of her loved ones to become the definition of a strong and successful woman.

With the hopeful creation of her non-profit, she can help women everywhere harness their own inner strength.

Regarding her aspiration to create a non-profit, she said, “My dream is to keep empowering women whether it is sports which are my medium, but also in work and business to be the best they can be, and reach their potential. We have so much to offer the world. My goal is to hopefully keep sharing that and show women how strong they all are.”

NAWRB MAGAZINE |

27

NAWRB with U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) present a specialized hybrid of Women in Housing and Women in Government

Awareness, Opportunities, and Access

Stuart Ishimaru, CFPB; Congresswoman Maxine Waters

Congresswoman Maxine Waters

We Made History Jay Inouye, Freddie Mac

OMWI Sandbox: Jay Inouye, Shendora Pridgen, Desirée Patno, Roxanne Wilson, Ingrid Beckles, Frank Robinson

Stuart Ishimaru, CFPB; Melodee Brooks, FDIC

F

or the first time since passage of the legislation and outside of Washington, D.C., a woman-owned business association leader, NAWRB, organized and sponsored this unique event for the women-owned business community to put laser focus on the opportunities created by Dodd-Frank Section 342. By bringing together in one venue the author of Dodd-Frank Section 342 Congresswoman Maxine Waters, representatives from the Office of Minority and Women Inclusion (OMWI) at the federal agencies, the regulated entities including Freddie Mac, Fannie Mae, Wells Fargo, Chase, MUFG Union Bank and Morgan Stanley, the Small Business Administration (SBA) Women’s Business Ownership, and the National Women’s Business Council (NWBC), the conference delegates were provided with unprecedented insight to the legislation’s purpose, key Women-Owned Business (WOB) statistics, and the regulated entities’ meaningful efforts to increase opportunities for women employment and WOB suppliers to their organizations.

% of 100

Silent Auction Proceeds go

ing to Pediatrics at

NAWRB Foundation

NAWRBevents.com | 949.559.9800 | Conference@NAWRB.com

Women-Owned Business Certification Four fundamental categories taking the mystery out of being certified.

1. Benefits of being certified:

• Access to contracting opportunities specifically for Women-Owned Businesses • Connection to professional community of women and women business owners • Highlights your technical expertise and experience while providing exposure to the Industry and validating your business • Certified businesses can tap into a multitude of public and private sector contracts and support client initiatives

2. Requirements for Certification:

• The business must be 51 percent or more women-owned, managed and operated • The women business owner must be a U.S. citizen or legal resident alien • Technical expertise in the housing economy

3. Process of Certification:

1. Application available online at NAWRB.com 2. Submit completed hard copy application with supporting documentation, sworn affidavit and application processing fee in a 3-ring binder 3. Review of application packet by certification staff 4. Follow up with applicant to obtain any additional materials necessary 5. Committee and Board Review 6. Certification can take up to 45 days with complete application

4. Why Certify with NAWRB:

NAWRB is the only third-party, industry-specific certifier of Women-Owned Business (WOB) and Minority Women-Owned Business (MWOB) certifications specializing in the housing economy.

Advance your company to the next plateau.

Take advantage of the benefits of being certified as a Women-Owned Business.

To obtain your application: visit www.NAWRB.com | (949) 559-9800 | certification@NAWRB.com

NAWRB Women-Owned Business Certification Specializing in the Housing Economy

NAWRB

sheCENTER(FOLD)

MARGARET KELLY

CEO of RE/MAX

Real Estate Mogul and Business Consultant

Barbara Corcoran She took a bite out of the real estate world and turned her extensive knowledge into exhilarating opportunities on the hit television show “Shark Tank.” As one of the most sought after investors, she shares how women business owners can achieve success.

NAWRB: You’ve revealed your struggles with school and establishing your career as a young woman. What sparked your transformation into the powerful mogul you are today?

Barbara Corcoran: I don’t think there’s such thing as transformation. For me, it happened inch by inch. I had many setbacks along the way that I got very good at moving forward. I wouldn’t call that a transformation but definitely moving forward, no matter what. I was like many of the entrepreneurs I work with now. We take a hit, but we keep popping back up. We don’t lay low in recovery. I learned how to get back up and move forward. Taking those hits can inspire people to achieve what they want.

NAWRB: At the beginning of your journey, you started your real estate business, The Corcoran Group, in 1973 with only $1,000 to invest in the company. What challenges do you see for women who want to start a business in our country’s current economy, and how can they overcome them?

Barbara Corcoran: Remember, $1,000 in 1973 is probably equivalent to $10,000 today. When you’re speaking real estate, what you need today to start a brokerage firm is exactly what I needed when I started. You need a license so you’re legal, you need enough money to put an ad in the paper or online or however you’re going to communicate that you have something and you need a listing. I have to say, not a lot has changed. If anything, the one thing that has changed is the ease of access to everyone else’s listings. I think a very easy way to get started in real estate, and what I wholeheartedly believe in, is starting with rentals. The rental listings are easier

to get. With rentals, you also have much more practice.

You don’t work with one customer for four months. You don’t have to compete with well-entrenched sales agents with a tremendous following and a lot of clout. You can go in under the radar by renting apartments and what you get is 1,000 people to work with over six months and really train versus you might get eight people over eight months for the sale sector. Today, you have access to properties online. It’s public information. The listing issue of ‘what can I show if I’m licensed’ is all there for you.

NAWRB: You’re bringing up some excellent points.

Starting out with rentals and getting out there to promote listings is crucial to being successful. However, creating and maintaining a small business can often be overwhelming. Did you have any mentors or influential people to guide and support you along the way? In what ways did they help?

Barbara Corcoran: Ramon Simone loaned me $1,000.

That was clearly influential. Was he my mentor who told me what to do? No, he was a developer. He did the building and I did the brokerage. But, I had something better than a mentor. I had a role model: my mom.

There’s no better mentor in the world than someone you can watch and do a knockoff of. That’s basically what I did, what my mother did with her kids, and what I did with my company. What a head start that is to have someone super efficient, who’s very talented at motivating people and a hard worker! I do nothing but hard work because my mother and father were tremendous hard workers. I also have the advantage of competition with our family of 10. Think of what an advantage that is coming into the business world. I mean, 10 kids to compete with for attention. I was pretty good at getting

NAWRB MAGAZINE |

31

sheCENTER(FOLD) attention and, of course, that led me to being very good at generating publicity.

NAWRB: Along with having a role model to look up to, many entrepreneurs rely on other resources to elevate their business, such as technology. You once said the “best thing that was going to ever happen to the world of real estate (was) the Internet.” What role do you think the Internet and technology plays today for business owners?

Barbara Corcoran: Technology is your partner or your enemy; take your choice. You can use Twitter or Instagram to build followers to give information.

You can write a blog locally, nationally or internationally. If you are not using the Internet to make friends, which I think is what it’s intended for, to give data that’s useful, to share amazing pictures, to present things differently than anyone else has, then you’re out of your mind because it’s there for the taking. And so, does it play that role in building your identity?

Yes. The other thing it does is give the power to the buyer and business owner. It gives the canned information out of the broker’s hand directly to the buyers and sellers. The buyers and sellers will be as smart as you are. What it’s really done is also put the emphasis on service because if you can’t provide service and give anything more useful, what do they need you for to open the door? It’s totally changed the playing field but what’s wonderful about it is that it’s a great equalizer. You can look as powerful as the largest firm out there while being a single operator depending on how clever you do it.

en entrepreneurs who are trying to do it all, such as be a successful business woman, raise a family, take care of a home, and find time for herself ?

Barbara Corcoran: That’s an easy one. There’s no such thing as balance. End of story. To try to find it is such a waste of time. The closest I’ve gotten to balance is chopping time so that for me, I definitely have my family time without business and my business time without family. I really can have two lives.

When I’m at work, I’m hyper-focused. My family doesn’t bother me here. But when I’m home with them, I’m really focused on them. I have that iron-clad wall, but I can’t say I don’t breach it because traveling is my Achilles’ heel since I fall behind on my work and I’m trying to catch up on emails.

I’m guilty of not being with my family; that’s my pitfall. But on a more normalized schedule, I definitely cannot find balance but I have built a wall between the two pieces of my life. It’s so stressful trying to be two people and men do it much better than women. They have the option to do it better than women since they have a mom at home. The only other thing I can offer is to plan your fun in advance. For example, if I didn’t plan in my calendar when I’m going on vacation, those vacations wouldn’t happen.

“I definitely have my family time without business & my business time without family. I really can have two lives.”

NAWRB: Technology has greatly evolved, just as a woman’s role in society has with more women leading businesses as CEOs. What advice do you have for wom-

32

| NAWRB MAGAZINE

NAWRB: Love your idea of chopping time. It’s very cool; you start a project and if you’re working on it at home, you feel guilty. It’s so easy to combine your work and family time, forgetting to make a clear distinction.

Barbara Corcoran: It’s especially hard if you’re a neat person and have to leave the day organized. You’re very vulnerable to addiction. One other thing I used to do was plug in my phone, just out of habit, next to my bed.

The minute I woke up in the morning, the alarm would

sheCENTER(FOLD) go off on my phone. But I got myself a real alarm clock and now my phone is in my entrance hall. I don’t see it; I don’t hear it. It’s an out of sight, out of mind kind of thing. When I plug it in, I have to go out of my way to get it. It literally is that easy to break the addiction, that physical change has helped me tremendously. When I

“I learned how to get back up ... that’s what makes anyone get to where they want to go.” wake up in the morning, I’m not holding the alarm anymore which was my phone to wake me up and scroll down to see what my texts are.

NAWRB: Scheduling time for yourself and making those small physical changes like plugging your phone elsewhere is important in order to maintain a happy and successful career. However, success can be measured in many different ways for many different people. Based on your personal experience as a business owner and investor, what ways can women expand or promote their business and become more successful?

Barbara Corcoran: I think the easiest way is to create a statistical report where you keep data on your own business. For real estate, what you have in your job is access to information in your field better than people who are in a different field. We tend to, as we work day in and day out, think of it as not exciting information. But it’s all in how you package it. Think to yourself, “What do I know about my business statistically that other people don’t?” Chopping up whatever information you have and putting it into a different format is always intriguing.

That’s how I make my living on TV with real estate segments. It has converted the best for me but that was a result of me publishing my progress reports. I had 11 sales, added them together, divided by 11 and published a report that gave the average price of New York City apartments. I got business doing that. I used statistics to build publicity for anything. I have a clear theory that I’m in the process of testing that I know is going to be accurate, where you can figure out if you are an entrepreneur or not, so you don’t waste your time if you’re not. You can move forward if you test well. I think pro-

ducing statistics is the easiest way to generate publicity for yourself. And now that you can publish online, you can get it out there yourself, however you want to do it.

Any kind of survey versus opinions is always more effective with any kind of publicity effort. People always need statistics but they don’t necessarily need your opinion. If you give statistics, they’ll come to you for your opinion.

NAWRB: You mentioned your time on television doing real estate segments and now you’re one of the stars of the popular television show, “Shark Tank.” How did you become involved with the show and what aspects of the show do you enjoy the most?

Barbara Corcoran: I simply got a phone call asking if I’d be interested. I was on a CNBC show with an elevator pitch of analyzing someone’s business. I think that probably triggered it. But also, my secretary of many years, Cheryl Martinelli, had a close friend from childhood, Holly Jacobs. I worked with Cheryl for many years, and Holly was into the TV world and became the head of reality TV for Sony, the top dog. Over the years that Cheryl worked for me, she talked to Holly about me.

Holly lived in Los Angeles but they always got together.

I think it was Holly, because of what Cheryl said, who instructed someone to make that call.

NAWRB: On “Shark Tank” you witness many entrepreneurs fortunate enough to receive capital for their businesses. What resources, such as angel funding, would you recommend for female entrepreneurs who do not have the opportunity to appear on the show?

Barbara Corcoran: The easiest one today that didn’t exist a short while ago is crowdfunding. Go online, make your pitch, and ask for money. Let me tell you, it’s amaz-

“I had so many setbacks along the way that I got very good at moving forward.” ing how many people need money to get started. I saw a project over a year ago that I couldn’t believe. One of the quickest funds raised was from a beekeeper in Vermont who had no bees. He stood in his bee suit and told the camera that he wanted to make honey but he didn’t have any bees. What was the payoff ? If you sent him $500, NAWRB MAGAZINE |

33

sheCENTER(FOLD) you got the first run of his honey. Looking at that, I thought, who would give this man money? But, he got like $78,000. He was authentic and you believed him.

Crowdfunding is the big Kahuna today. All you need is a good video and a relatively logical business plan, which of course makes no difference once you get going.

NAWRB: So what do you love most about the show?

it’s exactly even. It seems like there’s as many women entrepreneurs as there are men whereas in other years, I feel like I invested in more male-owned businesses.

Not because I chose to but because that’s just how the numbers broke.

NAWRB: As an investor on “Shark Tank,” you are able to negotiate whose business idea you want to select.

What qualities in contestants lead you to choose their business plan?

Barbara Corcoran: I enjoy everything after filming Barbara Corcoran: I don’t is done because that’s when choose their business plan I get to work with the enreally at all. Their business trepreneurs. That for me has to make some common is a repeat of what I did to sense. There has to be a need build The Corcoran Group. for the product or a semiThey’re just like my top sales need. But I would say that people. The good ones are just about all of the prodalways pushing the envelope ucts make sense. The only seeing how far they can go. thing I’m looking for is in They listen to me and ignore the contestants themselves, me, just like my top sales the entrepreneurs. I’m lookpeople. And, they make it to ing for a partner. I’m going the finish line. They’re great to have to be working with at rejection and don’t take Daymond John, Barbara Corcoran, Kevin O’Leary, this guy or gal, and push Lori Greiner, Robert Herjavec. much downtime at all. They them as hard as I can. What just keep going and keep is the entrepreneur made of ? ticking. All of that is very If you want to drill down comfortable to me because I from there, I’m looking for love that. So that is the part the same traits over and over I really like, growing their again, which is wild enthusibusinesses. It’s immensely asm and the ability to sell. I satisfying in the same way like to ask about themselves. that growing my own busiI’m trying to get a sense of ness was satisfying when I did it for myself. It’s great to see. You feel like you make who they are, background-wise, not just how they came a heck of a difference but also the process of making the up with the idea. I’m really trying to find someone a little insecure, someone with something to prove because that difference, which I happen to love. often takes the form of a phenomenal business person.

NAWRB: How do you feel about the ratio of female entrepreneurs on your show? Do you feel like it’s a fair ratio? NAWRB: You’re investing your time and energy. If you don’t have a sense of their makeup and where they come Barbara Corcoran: Lately, there have been more female from, then they’re taking advantage of you. Do you have entrepreneurs. It was male dominant for seasons one, a specific trait that tells you right away that a person is two and three. And it wasn’t because of the show but worth the investment? it had to do with the ratio of women that applied to men. Women have a harder time showing off, standing Barbara Corcoran: I really want someone who’s spiteful. in front of a camera and thinking they look good. But I know that’s a weird trait in business to look for but you in the last season of the show, my sense of it is that know what, I’m going to work with them for the next

“I’m looking for the same traits over and over again, which is wild enthusiasm and the ability to sell.”

34

| NAWRB MAGAZINE

sheCENTER(FOLD) four, five, six years. When there’s a lot of money on the table, I want someone who really appreciates me. I’m a human being. I want them to be thankful for the opportunity because I am thankful for them.

Prospect Has

Renovation Loans for Every Need!

Renovation loans are a great option for people who are looking to buy or refinance a property in need of repairs or upgrades. With one loan, and one set of fees, buyers can close on a home and get the cash for major to minor repairs. Prospect offers a full line of renovation mortgages. Here are a few basics to help you understand the differences.

FHA 203(k) Renovation Loan: n

Allows complete home renovation with a Consultant loan or, smaller projects that cost $35,000 or less with a Streamline loan.*

Fannie Mae HomeStyle® Renovation Mortgage: n

Purchase and renovate most residential properties and even include luxury items like pools that cannot be done with the 203(k).

With our renovation background and experience with timely dispersal of funds for the project, we can help your buyers buy and create their perfect home. Contact us today!

888-685-1576 Experienced.

Reliable.

On Time.

Additional restrictions may apply. *Please speak to your Loan Officer regarding the differences between Consultant and Streamline FHA 203(k) Renovation loans. HomeStyle® is a registered trademark of Fannie Mae. Rev 10.23.14 (1014-1697) LR 2014-865 Equal Housing Lender. Prospect Mortgage is located at 15301 Ventura Blvd., Suite D300, Sherman Oaks, CA. Prospect Mortgage, LLC (NMLS #3296, www.nmlsconsumeraccess.org) is a Delaware limited liability company. Operates as Prospect Lending in NY. This is not an offer for extension of credit or a commitment to lend. All loans must satisfy company underwriting guidelines. Information and pricing are subject to change at any time and without notice.

NAWRB MAGAZINE |

35

Conference REVIEW

Excitement filled the air as several

well-known faces graced one of the largest mortgage banking events of the year: the Five Star Conference and Expo. The speakers provided informative and engaging words to thousands of attendees who were eager to gain some exclusive insight on the housing industry and how to become a successful entrepreneur.

The conference focused on a variety of industry disciplines including compliance, foreclosure and property management during its 11th annual convention held on Sept. 14-16 at the Hilton Anatole in Dallas, Texas.

36

the setting and personable content of the keynote allowed for an intimate experience for those that attended. The Bush daughters reminisced about their memories in the White House and playfully poked fun at their father as they weaved humorous family stories with inquisitive questions for their parents.

tive Summit and Short Sale Executive Summit which occurred at previous Five Star Conferences. Both summits were incredibly powerful as they facilitated active decision-making amongst high-powered executives, including input from NAWRB’s own Desirée Patno, across the housing continuum.

“I felt like I was transplanted into the actual living room of the President and his family. The questions Bush’s daughters asked were warm and endearing which allowed me to really embrace them as a whole,” said NAWRB CEO Desirée Patno.

At the summits that Huey facilitated, executives were able to gather in one room to propose innovative concepts to improve short sale and REO processes. Realizing the impact of Huey, it was only fitting that she was given the Lifetime Achievement Award. According to Five Star, Huey received the award because she is an esteemed visionary who influences the direction of the housing industry.

A highlight for many attendees at the conference was the keynote engagement, which featured a special Q&A session with 43rd U.S. President George W. Bush and First Lady Laura Bush. The session was hosted by the couple’s daughters, Barbara Bush and Jenna Bush Hager.

Along with the Bush family, another significant feature of the conference was its second annual Women in Housing Leadership Summit. Moderated by business mogul and former model Kathy Ireland, the Leadership Summit allowed participants to collaborate with successful women and engage in thought-provoking discussions.

Hundreds of attendees crowded the Chantilly Ballroom to capture a glimpse of the First Family who conducted the keynote engagement in a living-room style setting. Despite a packed ballroom,

The summit also honored J.K. Huey of Wells Fargo Home Mortgage with the Lifetime Achievement Award. Huey, a prominent woman leader in the housing industry, spearheaded the REO Execu-

| NAWRB MAGAZINE

Many women impacting the housing industry spoke at the Women in Housing Leadership Summit including Amy Brachio, partner, Ernst & Young; Margaret Kelly, president and CEO, RE/MAX; Jo Ann Kruse, president and CEO of Matt Martin Real Estate Management and Ann Thorn, SVP, liquidation services, Bank of America.

As moderator of the leadership summit,

Photo B: George W. Bush poses with a military veteran at the Military Warriors Honors Banquet which honored the nation’s heroes.

Photo B

“I felt like I was transplanted into the actual living room of the President and his family.”

Photo A: Barbara Bush and Jenna Bush Hager personalized their interview with parents George Bush and Laura Bush with family stories and fun memories.

-NAWRB CEO Desirée Patno

Ireland discussed how she became the successful entrepreneur she is today despite many difficult obstacles. Her impressive empire exceeds sales of $2 billion annually. Ireland’s experience lent a knowledgeable and strong voice to women entrepreneurs in the audience.

She also spoke at the Five Star Conference and Expo’s charitable event, the Military Warriors Honors Banquet.

The banquet provided a platform for the Military Warriors Support Foundation as it awarded mortgage-free homes to wounded military veterans and their families. Attendees of the banquet were treated to a special performance by well-known recording artist, Wynonna Judd.

or labs, that allowed them to hear from speakers and experts without moving to other rooms. This allowed attendees to gain valuable insight regarding the industry of their choice.

The six unique and brand new academic Five Star Labs focused on servicing, REO, property management, investment, foreclosure and compliance. During the interactive sessions, experts specializing in specific topics provided their inside knowledge and experience while participants were able to network with others in the mortgage and real estate industries.

One of the six labs was Compliance, which provided information on the costs of meeting compliance regulations and how to determine risks from loan designations. Another popular lab was Property Management, which tackled the topics of the bidding process and how to get the best deals as well as managing evictions.

The futuristic and unique approach to the Five Star Conference and Expo enabled attendees to learn more indepth knowledge about their industry.

Photo C: Kathy Ireland provides her opening remarks at the Military Warriors Honors Banquet.

However, Wynonna Judd wasn’t the only live performance at the Five Star Conference. Open to the general audience, attendees were given the opportunity to break loose from the professional, educational atmosphere of the event and listen to the live Emerald City band.

Cocktails and networking opportunities were abundant to all who attended.

Throughout the conference, participants could peruse mini conferences, Photo C

NAWRB MAGAZINE |

37

Conference REVIEW

NAWRB CEO Desirée Patno (center) smiles for the camera with NAWRB Members Melinda Harris (left) and Tami Bonnell (right) of EXIT Realty

Hundreds

of real estate professionals convened at the California Association of Realtors (CAR) Expo 2014 in Anaheim, CA. Like last year’s CAR Expo, countless free educational sessions were provided for attendees.

From those beginning their real estate careers to seasoned veterans, the expo provided presentations geared towards all levels of learning.

REALTOR® Fundamentals sessions, which were available to newcomers in the housing industry. These sessions provided basic information, tips, and guidance from knowledgeable presenters and speakers. In contrast, experienced real estate professionals were able to choose from a list of sessions that focused on innovative marketing strategies.

From award-winning agents to CEOs and bestselling authors, the CAR Expo provided diverse speakers to address issues within all facets of the housing industry. The first session of the expo, “Smart Investing Tips,” tackled a trending issue: the evolving real estate market’s affect on investments. Rick Palacios Jr., the Director of Research at John Burns Real Estate Consulting, presented the session and taught attendees how to alter their investment strategies to create and increase profits.

38

| NAWRB MAGAZINE

NAWRB CEO Desirée Patno moderates a session on 20 Ways to Close Deals Faster

The educational sessions continued on Tuesday and featured NAWRB CEO Desirée Patno as a moderator for the “Negotiating across Generations” session which was presented by Alex Wang and Andrew Greenwell. Negotiation techniques that work for Baby Boomers aren’t necessarily the best techniques for most Millennials as each generation has unique qualities exclusive to them.

The session helped attendees navigate the world of negotiation to better complete transactions.

Special additions were sprinkled throughout the three-day expo for relaxation, charity, and fun. The second day of the expo included an ice cream social and prize giveaway that attracted many of the attendees. CAR members were also given the opportunity to mingle amongst each other at Club CAR, a free event at the Marriott Platinum Ballroom that involved lively dancing and networking.

However, the expo provided amenities that were valid all three days of the event as well. At any time, attendees could stop by numerous cell phone charging stations, internet stations to check email, and could even purchase Disneyland Park tickets at a discounted price, courtesy of CAR. Move For Hunger, a non-profit that collaborates

with moving companies to pick up unwanted non-perishable foods, had an active campaign throughout the span of the expo as well. Attendees were encouraged to donate canned foods and financial contributions, which would be given to the Second Harvest Food Bank.

The last two days of the expo featured a mix of sponsored, free, and paid sessions. Popular sessions included “Top Trends in Housing Finance,” “Reach Your Target Audience,” and “How to Write the Winning Offer,” which many of the new additions to the housing industry were able to benefit from.

Attendees looking to change up their schedules were free to explore the expo hall, which was open all three days. With over 200 exhibitors, the expo provided attendees with countless products to benefit not only themselves but their business. NAWRB was one of the exhibits and experienced a very successful showing. The products ranged from ornate discounted jewelry and escrow services, to home improvement and smartphone applications.

Regulatory

g n i s u in ho tate

es s l d a e n r ds in c tre

i jor tren t s u o Ac to ma

iv relat

e

Three major trends are emerging in real estate that directly affect the acoustic requirements of a home or multi-family. On the surface these trends appear to be dissimilar, however each has a common thread when considering the required acoustic engineering of the space.

The first trend in real estate involves young couples who are starting a family and/or individuals/couples who are transitioning from a very small inexpensive apartment or condo. Typically acoustic disturbances, such as footfall from above and sound through the wall or ceiling from their neighboring tenants, was commonplace. As they move into more expensive rentals or purchase their first home, eliminating this level of disturbance is now important criteria when evaluating a residence.

The second trend is at the other end of the real estate spectrum, where baby boomers are downsizing and moving into smaller or multi-family homes. Usually,

“The floors and walls need to be capable of stopping elevated sound.” they are selling a spacious home. Architects and builders are trying to create an environment where the floors and walls are constructed to prevent the sounds of neighbors from disturbing the occupant. In the past, this was a lesser issue since walls were only shared with a family member, if anyone. Privacy is becoming a

40

| NAWRB MAGAZINE

By Dr. Bonnie Schnitta

critical aspect of acoustic design whether it is a smaller home, or a multi-family.

The third trend is that friends, instead of choosing to move into a senior housing facility, have opted to build or renovate a home together where they can share that home in a multi-family setting. The plan is to either create their own housing system since it is more desirable to share a space with friends rather than sharing a residence with someone they do not know. There are numerous variations to this trend. The outcome of which can be a majestic estate, one example is the multi-family estate designed by Brion Jeannette’s office, Aerie, in Corona Del Mar, CA. On this project, great attention was given to the acoustic separation of floors and walls. Additionally, a lot of thought was put into inhibiting plumbing sounds from one residence to another.

These three trends have similar acoustic construction requirements of privacy and comfort. The floors need to be engineered so they do not transmit disturbing footfall. The floors and walls also need to be capable of stopping elevated sound.

Architects have training in designing walls that meet a certain sound transmission class (STC). The STC that was part of the past design is no longer an acceptable goal since today’s modern TVs have strong base frequency response.

The floors and walls all have to be able to stop this low-frequency sound whether it is coming from a room that is closer than it used to be, or an apartment. Previous-

Regulatory

ly, the need to stop the disturbance was less urgent since it occurred in one’s own home amongst family. With multi-family housing and apartments, the need to silence bothersome acoustic disturbances is greater. Plumbing and HVAC noise also need to be addressed.

A Canadian national lab conducted a study that demonstrated how the STC of a ceiling, floor or wall can be reduced due to a small hole by as much as 10 STC points. This small acoustic leakage and STC reduction can be the result of an electric outlet, recessed light, etc. that is not acoustically treated. The STC reduction is typically the difference between hearing or not hearing the person in the adjacent room or floor. When that person is not a family member, it becomes more disturbing.

One of the biggest problems trying to achieve a complete acoustic seal in a wall or floor so that there are no holes is that typically the hole is not visible.

An example is that after an installation of a layer of drywall it is possible that there could be a small acoustic leak at the seam where the wall board meets the floor or ceiling. There needed to be a method by which this was tested. The solution was a 2011 patent on a device that tests a wall, floor configuration or pipe or HVAC duct that is wrapped in order to confirm that the installation was correct. This device is used by acoustic installation crews of SoundSense.

The last acoustic trend is associated with the design trend for larger volume as well as curtain and carpet free spaces.

These spaces have a high reverberation time or become an extremely echoic space. Every enclosed space exhibits reverberation. Reverberation is sound persistence due to repeated boundary reflections after the source of the sound

stops. Due to overlapping of successive syllables or tones, excessive reverberation reduces the intelligibility of speech and music within a room. On the other hand, too little reverberation will make the room “dead.” The ideal reverberation

“Acoustic disturbance is now important criteria when evaluating a home.”

time for a room varies considerably and depends on several factors, including but not limited to: personal preference, volume and auditory requirements.

SoundSense corrects reverberation in a room by mathematically positioning and applying acoustic material at precise locations on the boundaries of the room. SoundSense identifies the optimal locations for this acoustic treatment by means of its proprietary computer program that delivers The Paradise Effect™, an acoustically refined environment where pure tones are enhanced, speech is clear and the room gives a feel of general well-being.

Clearly, reverberation treatment is critical in rooms intended for any type of audio application such as the media room,

NAWRB MAGAZINE |

41

Regulatory family room, exercise room, or any area intended for general TV/audio listening.

Tuning reverberation should also be addressed in potentially echoic rooms such as the dining room. In addition any room intended for reading, learning, or working should receive reverberation treatment.

Ideal reverberation not only improves productivity and concentration, but also provides a positive living environment.

All in all, the acoustic design of a space is becoming more relevant in real estate.

42

| NAWRB MAGAZINE

Buyers are acoustically sensitive depending on their property history. Being able to recognize these needs and address them properly will help ensure every client gets the home of their dreams.

“These trends have similar acoustic construction requirements of privacy and comfort.�

Dr. Bonnie Schnitta is the founder and CEO of SoundSense, LLC, a turnkey acoustical consulting and engineering company that also offers a complete line of acoustic products, experienced installation crews, and construction consulting.

Safety

Safety First

for Real Estate Agents Beverly Carter was showing a new client a vacant property on Sept. 25 just as she would any other day for her job as a real estate agent in Little Rock, Arkansas.

However, that day was different. Carter went missing.

Friends, family members, volunteers and police spent countless hours searching, hoping and praying that Carter would be found safe. The body of the 49-year-old wife, mother and grandmother was found several days later in a shallow grave about 20 miles northeast of central Little Rock.

The Little Rock Police Department eventually arrested 33-year-old Arron Lewis after he was a person of interest and admitted to police that he kidnapped Carter.

According to Pulaski County Sheriff ’s Office Capt. Simon Haynes, he was a stranger to Carter.

When asked by reporters why he chose Carter, Lewis said, “She was just a woman who worked alone — a rich broker.”

A survey by the National Association of Realtors found that 57 percent of agents are women, and women are often victimized for no obvious reason, according to a 2011 report on violent crimes against real estate agents.

The safety of real estate agents has been a hot topic since the death of Carter. Although Carter left her purse in her car and told her husband where she would be as precaution, it still wasn’t enough.

Many real estate agents put their lives on the line to show homes to prospective buyers who they may know nothing about. Not only was Lewis a stranger to Carter, but he also has an extensive criminal history including felony theft of property, obstruction of government op-

erations and unlawful removal of a theft device. That type of information is not always readily available to agents before meeting unknown clients.

Real estate agents do not always meet clients at a secure location or get background checks done as well.

Since it would take convincing licensing boards in each U.S. state to adjust the real estate safety awareness rules, agents may oftentimes take it upon themselves to find ways to decrease the chances of a potential attack.

One of the ways is to go through safety training, which is typically provided by a professional instructor, individual brokerages or regional estate associations, according to Tracey Hawkins, a former real estate agent who is now a safety and security expert and teaches real estate professionals. The training can benefit agents by showing them how to safely show homes.

Until more training is freely available, there are many tips and tools out there for agents to use that can possibly help keep them out of harm’s way.

Safety Apps Technology companies are improving the safety of real estate agents by developing apps geared toward assisting agents with how to meet and present homes to clients more securely.

The Guardly app provides protection whenever and wherever an agent is.

With the app, emergency responders are able to view the exact location of an urgent situation by using Wi-Fi networks comparable to how GPS uses satellites.

NAWRB MAGAZINE |

43

Safety MyForce is another security app that alerts friends, family and emergency response of the location of a person. When real estate agents get an unsettling feeling while showing a home, they can launch the app and have an alert ready to use when necessary. If the alert is activated, a highly-trained operator will be available to assist with a wide range of emergency situations.

Real estate agents meet many clients who are often strangers. Secure Show is an app that verifies the identity of a potential client and mutually shares information between the agent and buyer before meeting in person. As both parties go through the verification process, they can access information such as a driver’s license and photos of what they look like.

While innovative apps can help agents be more protected from potential threats, there are other ways for them to be safe that uses technology, fashion and essential adjustments in the way they prepare to show homes.

Wearable Security When a cell phone is accidentally left at home or the battery is drained, agents can rely on trendy yet tech savvy styles to protect themselves from harm.

At first glance, Cuff smart jewelry devices look like fashionable accessories. However, a closer look reveals the actual purpose of the decorative pieces. While wearing the device, a real estate agent can press the Cuff bracelet or necklace and send an electronic distress signal to people authorized to receive the alert messages.

Agents can also add extra security in the form of a Pod that can be added to a keychain, necklace or headband.

Pods were developed by First Sign, which has a partner-

44

| NAWRB MAGAZINE

ship with MaceWear, the makers of the original pepper spray. Once pressed, the Pods can send an alert that an agent is in danger and add extra peace of mind.

When a cell phone has no power agents can look to its case for extra protection during a stressful situation. The pepper spray phone case by Spraytect allows agents to use the painful substance by pulling, rotating and firing at an attacker. The case comes in several colors and combines safety with style.

Basic Precautions Along with safety apps and gadgets, there are also helpful tips agents can use before meeting a buyer and possibly prevent a violent attack.

According to realestate.com, agents can keep their phones on a charger to make sure it is always available.

Also, the website recommends that real estate agents steer away from using “glam shots” in advertisements to deter the wrong type of clients.

Other tips include not advertising listings as “vacant” or “currently unoccupied” so strangers don’t know that an agent will be in a location that no one goes to. Agents can also conduct a reverse phone search on clients who call to see if there are any red flags about where that person is calling from. Moreover, while showing a home, agents can park by a road, unlock all deadbolts and use a remote control to unlock their car more quickly.

As an extra precaution, agents may also consider carrying mace, pepper spray or a Taser with them while showing a home or meeting a potential client for the first time.

Although these tips can help prevent an attack on real estate agents, the most important tips are meeting clients

Safety in your office first and not holding open houses alone, according to the Business Know-How website. The more agents know about potential clients, the chances of being harmed decrease.

Another crucial tip, that doesn’t include the use of a mobile device or protective jewelry, is for an agent to trust their instinct. Agents can ask colleagues to go with them to show a home if a first meeting with a client makes them feel uneasy.

Whenever a crime occurs within the real estate industry, it is another reminder of the hidden danger agents face every day. As horrific as the crimes are, they bring more awareness to keeping agents safe.

The last day of the National Association of Realtor’s “Realtor Safety Month” was the day Carter’s body was found. In an interview with the Washington Post, Chris Polychron, the association’s incoming president, said he would make safety a top priority when he takes charge in November. It is a step closer to making agents as safe as possible.

“As an extra precaution, agents may

also consider carrying mace, pepper spray or a Taser with them...”

NAWRB MAGAZINE |

45

Trends

Building a

reener Business improvements and the use of transparency tools such as Environmental Product Declarations and Health Product Declarations.

With

environmental issues becoming a hot topic around the world, many consumers and business owners are looking into different options as a way to incorporate green building designs and construction into their companies and homes.

However, with an uncertain economy, the innovative sustainable building trend can benefit companies in search of new business ventures and clients. And with recent research, more businesses are moving towards sustainable building.

Green building accounts for nearly one-third of new construction in the U.S., according to NPR.org.

Not only can sustainable building benefit business owners and consumers, but the construction industry as well.

The construction industry has seen its share of ups and downs by peaking at almost $500 billion in revenue in 2008, then decreasing to less than $350 billion two years later, and eventually staying on a steady track, according to the 2013 FMI Third Quarter Construction Outlook.

However, the construction industry can use green building trends and incentives to achieve success.

Regarding success, many construction companies can use green trends in order to secure future client opportunities.

According to the Construction Monitor website, there are many green building trends paving the way in the construction industry. Those trends include renovating buildings to make them more green, energy efficient

46

| NAWRB MAGAZINE

Water awareness, recycling and Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification are also trends in green building.

LEED certification is popular in environmental construction because it shows potential clients that a person has knowledge of green building. The United States Green Building Council (USGBC) developed the LEED rating system as a way to make sure the standards for green building were being met.

Not only is this certification becoming the norm for businesses, but it is also required for a growing number of them. According to NPR.org, LEED is the law in some

“Bamboo grows rapidly, it is also an efficient renewable resource.� states, while certification is encouraged or required in 34 states, 14 federal departments and 200 local governments.

Homes that are LEED-certified are predicted to use 30 to 60 percent less energy in comparison to a home built to International Energy Conservation Code, according to the USGBC website.

In some cases, the benefits of using LEED requirements in construction can help improve the quality of a business for its employees and customers. The USGBC website also states how LEED building reduces noise levels and improves air quality, which increases staff productivity.

Sustainable building is also making its mark on the construction industry by impacting the way homes, business and schools are developed.

Trends

Many buildings are turning toward the environmental construction trend including single-family homes, multi-family homes, senior living facilities and dormitories, according to the Mother Nature Network website.

“Harvard University, incorporated bamboo flooring into its LEED Gold-certified housing.”

Several schools are using environment-friendly building materials such as Harvard University, which incorporated bamboo flooring into its LEED Gold-certified housing.

Schools are using bamboo flooring due to its resilience.

Since bamboo grows rapidly, it is also an efficient renewable resource. Harvard University also incorporated double-insulated glass windows with a U-value, which measures the rate of heat transfer through a building, of 0.25 percent to its buildings, according to the university’s website.

struction. From bamboo floors to solar panels, these items can make a positive impact on the environment and companies.

Along with upgrading flooring, installing solar panels to business buildings and homes can generate incentives for a construction company and its clients. Solar-powered panels produce electricity from the sun’s rays, which can then be used to supply renewable energy to homes and businesses, and saves money by lowering utility bills.

As with most businesses in the construction industry, incentives can assist with increasing revenue, but networking and building relationships with potential clients can be important aspects to maintaining a successful company as well.

With sustainable building on the rise, construction companies can embrace green trends to appeal to potential clients who are interested in adding green initiatives to their homes and businesses.

As for the future of environmental construction, the total revenue across the industry is expected to grow to $245 billion by 2016, according to USGBC. Whether it is updating flooring material or constructing an entirely green design from the ground up, business owners in the construction industry may find more green in their wallets by investing in green building.

Not only does environmental construction enhance the quality of buildings and the world, but it also offers incentives for businesses. Federal, state and local governments provide solar energy tax credits and rebates for businesses that qualify under certain requirements such as which electricity company they buy from.

Companies utilizing solar energy can also save money by reducing monthly bills. Although green building costs can initially be higher, it is a long term investment for construction companies with energy savings that last.

Additionally, businesses can use a variety of renewable resource materials to incorporate environmental conNAWRB MAGAZINE |

47

what WOMEN WANT

Have you read or watched something lately that impacted you?

Share your thoughts with NAWRB Magazine’s editorial staff and readers. Send reviews to media@nawrb.com

FILMS

BOOKS The Elegance of the Hedgehog

By Muriel Barbery

Critically acclaimed, The Elegance of the Hedgehog tells the story of the residents of an ultra posh apartment building near the Left Bank with an emphasis on Renée Michel and Paloma Josse. Renée, the concierge, maintains the persona that her society expects of a concierge: uncultured. In reality, she is an autodidact that reads Tolstoy, listens to opera, and eats fine foods. Paloma is a highly intelligent 12 year old girl that feels alone amongst her vain and dim-witted neighbors.

Readers will explore the quirky lives of the residents and encounter a twist ending that’ll change their lives forever.

In Stitches

By Dr. Anthony Youn From television appearances to celebrity clientele, Dr. Anthony Youn has garnered widespread success. However, Youn’s younger years were void of confidence and filled with awkwardness. He sported thick glasses, braces, and intrusive headgear. From nerd to confident surgeon, Youn shares his hilarious stories from high school and med school while at the same time identifying the struggles of following your dream. This inspiring, down-toearth story shows that even the most successful people today had to start from the bottom somewhere.

Bossypants

By Tina Fey

The comedic writer and actress behind hit television shows such as Saturday Night Live and 30 Rock brings her talents to Bossypants. Although a well-known writer now, Fey’s transition into a recognized female writer in a male-dominated field was a journey riddled with struggle. Fey flips these struggles into humorous stories and words of wisdom. The pages are filled with entertaining short stories from her childhood in Pennsylvania to her life into motherhood and everything in between. Prepare to laugh out loud and gain an inside look into the life of the successful comedy writer.

48

| NAWRB MAGAZINE

Dolphin Tale 2

Starring Harry Connick, Jr., Ashley Judd, Morgan Freeman This family-friendly movie is a sequel to the 2011 film, “Dolphin Tale,” and was inspired by real-life events about an injured dolphin named Winter who was rescued by a group of doctors and team of concerned citizens.

You will be inspired by the courage and determination of the rescuers who need to find Winter another poolmate, since dolphins cannot be housed alone, in order to keep her from being transferred to another aquarium.

Guardians of the Galaxy

Starring Benicio Del Toro and Chris Pratt Part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Guardians of the Galaxy is an action-packed movie that features the epic adventures of Peter Quill. As a young boy, Quill is taken away to become part of The Ravagers, or space scavengers. He eventually breaks free of The Ravagers and finds himself in dire trouble when he steals an orb that is desired by the evil villain, Ronan. Quill teams up with an eccentric crew of oddballs as he escapes Ronan at every chance while simultaneously trying to save the universe from the destructive powers of the orb.

If I Stay

Starring Chloë Grace Moretz, Mireille Enos, Jamie Blackley Your entire life can change in an instant and “If I Stay,” a film based on the novel of the same name by Gayle Forman, challenges you to think about what you might do in a difficult situation. This tear-jerker is about Mia Hall and a gut-wrenching decision she has to make after a tragic accident leaves her wondering if she should stay and fulfill her dreams of becoming a professional cello player, or leave the world behind to be with loved ones.

Hall’s off-and-on boyfriend, Adam, stays by her side after the accident, which makes her decision even more difficult.

what WOMEN WANT

:

s e n o t l a r t u e n d n a m r a w t flaun

NAWRB MAGAZINE |

49

Part 2:

Women’s Cancers:

Scientists study both risk and prevention

In this series – this part examines how researchers are identifying risks and possible ways to prevent cancer – we explore crucial strides made against women's cancers by City of Hope researchers during the past year. The projects are many and varied, involving the basics of fighting cancer, analyses of who's at greatest risk, the search for surprising new therapies, the testing of new treatments and the follow-up with survivors and their partners.

STUDIES OF RISK AND PREVENTION

By Elizabeth Stewart Reprinted with permission from City of Hope

Photo A*

Addressing risk among Latinas Jeffrey Weitzel, M.D., director of the Division of Clinical Cancer Genetics, has focused much of his research on understanding the role and prevalence of BRCA mutations in the Latin American population. Specific mutations in the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes increase the risk of breast and ovarian cancers.

Research that Weitzel published last year, which revealed the need for in-depth BRCA testing for Latinas, has served as an entryway into Latin America, including Mexico, Peru and Columbia. He has received funding from the Avon Foundation and the Breast Cancer Research Foundation to train doctors, perform risk assessments and conceive of more cost-effective ways to perform laboratory testing so that underserved women can receive this important preventative care.

Weitzel is recruiting women from these countries to be included in City of Hope’s BRCA registry so that he can continue to learn about this dangerous mutation.

Susan Neuhausen, Ph.D., The Morris & Horowitz Families Professor in Cancer Etiology & Outcomes Research and co-leader of Cancer Control and Population Sciences Program is also conducting research that will benefit Latinas.

She aims to uncover genes that cause breast cancer in Latinas, who have been underrepresented in research studies.

50

| NAWRB MAGAZINE

*Photo A: Research into breast cancer risk takes City of Hope researchers far from California. By better understanding the disease, they can better fight it and prevent it.

Next: Part 3: Developing innovative therapeutics In Part 1, we explained ways in which researchers are seeking to fight cancer through basic science.

Each study plays a role. Each adds to what we know about cancer. Each brings us closer to cures.

Neuhausen’s research is critical because Latinas are diagnosed with breast cancer at younger ages and with more aggressive disease than their non-Latina Caucasian counterparts. The study is a first step toward an effective, risk-based screening approach that will save lives and improve women’s health.

Preventing metastasis to the brain When breast cancer spreads, it can take root in any part of the body — including the brain. Rahul Jandial, M.D., Ph.D., assistant professor of neurosurgery, in collaboration with Eugene Roberts, Ph.D., director emeritus, neurobiochemistry and John Termini, Ph.D., professor of molecular medicine, are studying the molecular beginnings of breast-to-brain metastasis so that they can find ways to prevent it.

Their research has shown that when breast cancer cells migrate to the brain, they imitate the functions of brain cells to fit into their surrounding environment. Jandial, Roberts and Termini recently identified key molecules in the brain that breast cancer cells exploit for their own survival. They believe this vital information can be used to explore therapeutic interventions that target these key molecules and stop breast cancer cells from thriving in the brain.

Identifying biomarkers to predict cancer’s spread Under current standards of care, every woman with breast cancer undergoes a sentinel node biopsy to check whether cancer has spread to the lymph nodes under the arm. Results in about 80 percent of women show no sign of spread, and yet many women endure chronic side effects, including numbness in the arm, abnormal nerve sensations and lymphedema (swelling). *Photo B *Photo B: Breast cancer is often diagnosed in the brain years after the original diagnosis. City of Hope researchers now know how those cancer cells hide in the meantime.

Courtney Vito, M.D., assistant clinical professor of surgery, is partnering with Robert Hickey, Ph.D., associate professor of radiation biology, to identify biomarkers — proteins or molecules in blood or fluid that indicate the presence of cancer — to predict the spread of cancer and save women from needlessly undergoing this exploratory procedure. This research has served as the basis for a new clinical trial that is due to open in the coming year, and could keep many women from enduring a painful procedure.

NAWRB MAGAZINE |

51

Easy Slow Cooker Beef Stew Ingredients: 2 lbs beef stew meat, cut into 1 inch cubes ¼ cup flour ½ tsp salt ½ tsp black pepper 1 garlic clove, minced 1 bay leaf

1 tsp paprika 1 tsp Worcestershire 1 onion, chopped 1 ½ cups beef broth 3 potatoes, diced 4 carrots, sliced 1 stalk celery, chopped

Directions:

Place meat in slow cooker/Crock-Pot. In a small bowl, mix flour, salt, and pepper. Pour mixture over meat and stir to coat evenly. Add the remaining ingredients.

Cover, and cook on Low for 10-12 hours or High for 4-6 hours. Serve with fresh bread.

* Recipe Sources located in index

Pumpkin Cheesecake in a Glass Ingredients: 9-12 graham crackers, finely ground 1 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted 8 oz. cream cheese, room temp.

1 cup pure pumpkin, (not pumpkin pie filling)

1 tsp pure vanilla extract ½ cup sugar 2 tsp pumpkin pie spice 1 large tub (12 oz.) whipped topping, divided in half

Directions: In a medium bowl, combine the finely ground graham crackers and melted butter. Divide the crumb mixture into the bottom of your chosen container and gently press to form a layer. In a large bowl with an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese until smooth. Add vanilla extract, sugar, pumpkin, and pumpkin pie spice. Beat until well-combined. With a spatula, gently fold in half of the whipped topping. Mix until fully combined. Spoon a layer of filling onto graham cracker crust, then a layer of plain whipped topping. Repeat until your glass is completely filled. Store finished cheesecakes in the refrigerator until ready to serve. Makes 4 small glasses or 1 glass trifle bowl.

52

| NAWRB MAGAZINE

ut o k r o llet W

a B : itness

F

Dance away everyday stresses while improving your flexibility by trying a ballet-inspired workout. Create

a peaceful ambiance by finding a quiet space in your home and play classical music. Gracefully move your arms and legs to get that toned dancer’s body. This particular workout, called the Plié Pulse to Passé, targets your thighs, hips, abs, calves, and arms. Safety is a priority while working out: if you are a ballet beginner, try using a household item such as a chair or table to maintain balance and stability.

Step one:

Plié Pulse to Passé workout:

• Stand tall with your heels together and toes turned about 45 degrees.

• While standing tall, take one step forward with your left foot, turn it out, and cross it in front of your right.

• Rest your hand on the back of a chair and raise your arm straight out to your side.

• Plié by bending both knees out to the sides and rise up to the balls of your feet.

• While keeping your left heel lifted, extend your left toes outside your right knee.

• Bring your left arm up over your head.

• Repeat this 20 times on each side.

NAWRB MAGAZINE |

53

Speak/Write/Attend

Speak

NAWRB Member Zoritha Thompson (middle) spoke at the Exceptional Women of Color (EWOC) networking brunch and conference on Sept. 15 at the DoubleTree

by Hilton Sacramento.

Write

NAWRB Member Renee Marie Smith, Esq. was published

by Forbes for her article on “A 4x4 on Success: Four Women and Four Business Basics.” Smith celebrates her eight-year business anniversary and shares business advice.

NAWRB Member Tami Bonnell led a EXIT Realty Corp. webinar on Sept. 17 called “30 Minutes to Greatness Broker Webinar.”

Attend

NAWRB Member Zoritha Thompson, CEO and real estate broker for Goree & Thompson Real Estate, was featured in an article for Sacramento Magazine titled “Getting Started: Six Women Entrepreneurs Explain What It Took To Launch Their Businesses.”

NAWRB Member Tami Bonnell was at the EXIT Realty Capital Choice conference at the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, California.

NAWRB Members Angelica Suarez (left), Brandy Nelson (right) and Elizabeth Goodchild attended the Asian Real Estate Association of America (AREAA) “A” List conference on Sept. 5-7 at the Bellagio Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada. The conference provided attendees the opportunity to connect with industry leaders and Fortune 500 companies.

Many of our NAWRB Members attended The Five Star Conference & Expo in Dallas, Texas on Sept. 14-16. The annual conference is the largest event in mortgage servicing. This year, it introduced new Labs to help attendees get the most out of the presentations and speakers. The Members that went were: Angelica Suarez, Ivy Melton, Justine Garcia, Kelly Wood, Katherine Castillo and Willie Stewart. NAWRB CEO Desirée Patno was also at the event.

54

| NAWRB MAGAZINE

Network

upcomingEVENTS September 30-October 2 24th Annual Institutional Investor Real Estate Conference (Los Angeles, CA) The Annual Institutional Investor Real Estate Conference will focus on the state of the real estate industry, six years after the housing crisis. Authorities in the finance and real estate industries will discuss the global macroeconomic landscape in addition to trending topics such as technological developments, disruptive forces in real estate investing, and new opportunities in the housing industry.

October 7-10 2014 Superstar Retreat (Hollywood, FL) Build your success step-by-step with the 2014 Superstar Retreat.

The four day retreat is an in-depth sales training session for the real estate industry. Attendees will learn the fundamentals to growing their own business, and how to be a more profitable and productive real estate agent. In its 29th year, the Superstar Retreat is led by Mike Ferry, a leading real estate coach.

October 7-8 The Real Estate Private Equity Forum on Land & Homebuilding (Las Vegas, NV) The Real Estate Private Equity Forum will feature hundreds of professionals that include land owners, lenders, land developers, property management, and other fields within the real estate industry. Some topics that will be discussed at the forum include the state of land prices, how to diversify your business, and strategies for land acquisition. With high-ranking speakers and panelists, the forum provides a unique opportunity for those in the homebuilding industry.

October 7-9 California Association of Realtors (CAR) Expo 2014 (Anaheim, CA) The CAR Expo brings 30 free educational seminars, an expo for excellent networking, and accomplished speakers to Anaheim for its annual event. The three day conference is free to all CAR members and invites all professionals from real estate and affiliated industries. Attendees can also hone in on specialized educational topics with CAR’s all-day targeted sessions and conferences for additional guidance.

October 12-14 NAHREP 2014 National Convention (Los Angeles, CA) The NAHREP National Convention combines educational sessions and networking with a touch of glamour and excitement. Workshop topics range from HUD, credit services, video marketing and more.

Speakers from various backgrounds within the housing and finance industry will provide their expert knowledge throughout each workshop. NAHREP’s National Conventional also includes a lively Latin Music Festival with jazz, flamenco, cumbia, and mariachi along with a Red Carpet After Party.

October 19-22 MBA Annual Convention & Expo (Las Vegas, NV) This annual convention features all of the educational topics and business opportunities pertinent to real estate finance professionals.

Featuring speakers that are at the top of their fields, the workshops will educate and enlighten attendees. Topics will include the future of government housing finance, single-family rentals, and GSE reform.

A “vintage Vegas” themed reception and special talk from actor Kevin Spacey will add a fun and exciting dimension as well.

October 23-25 California Escrow Association (CEA) 59th Annual Education Conference (Costa Mesa, CA) Travel back in time to the 1970s at the CEA’s Annual Education Conference. With multiple disco lounges for networking and an exciting escrow expo, the CEA weaves fun with business to provide an educational event. Pressing topics such as new standards regarding Dodd-Frank, CFPB updates, and legal updates for escrow officers will be discussed. Attendees can also sign up for an Escrow Boot Camp that will provide necessary information concerning the different facets of escrow.

October 27-29 NAWRB 2014 Inaugural Conference (Long Beach, CA) Awareness, opportunities, and access take center stage at NAWRB’s groundbreaking Inaugural Conference. Attendees will have the opportunity to engage with panelists from regulated entities, federal agencies, and the private sector to establish a firm awareness that will help recognize and leverage business opportunities. Matchmaking sessions will pair attendees with their own financial fitness mentors. The conference includes other exciting elements such as a Roaring Twenties themed Gala, silent auction, raffles, and more.

NAWRB MAGAZINE |

55

index ADVERTISERS A Alvarez Lincoln/Jaguar.......................28 C Chase Bank.........................................28 Chrimata, Inc................................ 28, 45 City of Hope......................................60 D Desirée Patno Enterprises, Inc...... 19, 28 E Exit Realty Corp........................... 28, 54 H Harmony Escrow, Inc..................... 3, 28 L Landy Insurance Agency....................42 N National Mortgage Professional Magazine....................58 New American Funding.....................28 P Prospect Mortgage.............................35 U Union Bank........................................28

COMPANIES A Allstate Appraisal...............................36 ALL-U-NEED Personnel.................22 American Express OPEN..................21 AREAA.............................................54 ASAP Solutions Group, LLC............22 Avatar Property Services, Inc..............12 B Bank of America................................36 Binary Group.....................................22 BP America, Inc.................................15 Brigitte Respaut Clement, LLC.........13 Bristol-Meyes Squibb.........................22 C California Association of Realtors................................ 38, 55 California Escrow Association...........55 Cange International, Inc.....................22 City of Hope............................ 7, 50, 51 Compliance Solutions........................36

56

| NAWRB MAGAZINE

Consumer Financial Protection Bureau...........................55 Corcoran Group, The.................... 31, 34 Covenant Realty of NC......................12 D Dell.....................................................15 Dimont & Associates.........................36 E EasyMeasure......................................14 Environmental Impact Calculator......14 Ernst & Young...................................36 Executive Real Estate Properties........13 F First Sign............................................44 First Team Realty...............................13 G Goree & Thompson Real Estate.........54 Guardly, The.......................................43 I Indiana Central homes.......................12 Instagram...........................................31 Inwest Title Services, Inc....................12 J John Burns Real Estate Consulting...................38 K Keller Williams Realty Metropolitan.......................13 M MaceWear..........................................44 Madison Services Group, Inc.............22 Matt Martin Real Estate Management...............36 Morgan Stanley.............................. 7, 22 Mortgage Contracting Services..........36 Mother Nature Network....................47 MTC Financial dba Trustee Corps..........................13 MyForce.............................................44 N National Association of Hispanic Real Estate Professionals................55 National Association of Realtors................................ 43, 45 NAWRB............7, 19, 29, 36, 38, 54, 55 National Women’s Business Council......... 7, 8, 16, 20, 22 Nationwide Insurance.........................22

O October Research...............................15 P PepsiCo..............................................22 Prospect Mortgage.............................13 Provest................................................36 Q Quality Real Estate Services, Inc........13 R RE/MAX..................................... 13, 36 Real Estate 31, LLC...........................13 Realty Executives of Nevada..............13 Realty World Westcamp Realty.........12 ReaLync.............................................14 S Safeguard Properties...........................36 Second Harvest Food Bank................38 Secure Show.......................................44 SBA....................7, 16, 17, 18, 21, 22, 40 Small Business Investment Company.....................18 Smith Title Services...........................13 SNA International..............................22 Soundsense, LLC...............................41 Spraytect.............................................44 T Twitter................................................31

U U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation...................22 U.S. Trade Representative...................22 United Nations Foundation................15 W Wells Fargo........................................36 Women Business Centers............... 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 15, 16 Women Impacting Public Policy............................... 7, 18

index PEOPLE A Abraham, Tara................................... 20 Albert, Steve...................................... 36 Alford, Roz........................................ 22 Allee, Nancy...................................... 12 Andrew, Erin....................................... 7 B Bana, Taz........................................... 13 Bartlett, Larry.................................... 36 Benson, Kim...................................... 22 Bonnell, Tami.................................... 54 Booker, Ashante.................................. 7 Brachio, Amy.................................... 36 Brown, Amanda.................. 7, 20, 21, 22 Bush, Barbara.................................... 36 Bush, George W................................ 36 Bush, Laura....................................... 36 C Cantwell, Maria.........................7,17, 18 Castillo, Katherine........................13, 54 Clement, Brigitte Respaut................. 13 Collins, Shelly Kapoor....................... 21 Contreras-Sweet, Maria..... 7, 16, 17, 21 Cope, Sandra..................................... 12 Corcoran, Barbara... 7, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34 D Davis, Muffy.................................26, 27 Diaz, Carlotta.................................... 12 Dolberry-Thompson, Michelle.......... 21 Donato, Donna.................................. 22 Dussault, Aditi................................. 22 E Elkins, Deana.................................... 36 F Farley, Janet....................................... 12 G Garcia, Justine................................... 54 Gentry-Ali, Vanessa E....................... 22 Ginsburg, Richard............................. 22 Goodchild, Elizabeth V..................... 54 Gore, Elizabeth.................................. 15 Greenbaum, Mike............................. 36

Greenwell, Andrew............................ 38 Greiner, Lori...................................... 34 H Hager, Jenna Bush............................. 36 Hahn, Janice ..................................... 16 Hammond, Jean................................. 11 Harbison, Laura................................. 13 Harris, Carla.................................20, 21 Hawkins, Tracey ............................... 43 Hayes, Simon..................................... 43 Herjavec, Robert................................ 34 Hickey, Robert .................................. 51 Hinkle, Marc..................................... 36 Huey, J.K............................................ 36 I Ireland, Kathy...............................36, 37 J Jacobs, Holly...................................... 33 Jandial, Rahul.................................... 51 John, Daymond................................. 34 Johnson, Terry................................... 13 Jones, Marianne.................. 7, 23, 24, 25 Judd, Wynonna.................................. 36 K Kelly, Margaret.................................. 36 Kennedy, Valarie................................ 13 Knees, Jodi......................................... 36 Koss, Johann Olav............................. 27 Kruse, Jo Ann.................................... 36 M Madison, Stacy.................................. 21 Maher, Brenda................................... 15 Martinelli, Cheryl.............................. 33 Melton, Ivy........................................ 54 Miller, Gina....................................... 13 Mitton, Linda.................................... 12 N Nack, Jamie ......................................... 9 Nelson, Brandy ................................. 54 Neuhausen, Susan.............................. 50 O O’Grady, Pam.................................... 15 O’Leary, Kevin................................... 34

P Palacios Jr., Rick................................ 38 Patno, Desirée..................... 7, 36, 38, 54 Pesta, Pamela..................................... 22 Phillips, Roberta Zen........................ 22 Polychron, Chris................................ 45 Pridgen, Shendora..........................7, 22 Prince-Eason, Pam............................ 22 R Reuter, Scott...................................... 36 Rieke, Peter........................................ 27 Roberts, Eugene................................ 51 Ryckman, Mary Estelle..................... 22 S Schnitta, Bonnie................. 7, 40, 41, 42 Schumacher, Amy.............................. 13 Shaw, Deborah Rosado...................... 22 Silva-Rancine, Magdalah................... 21 Simone, Ramone............................... 31 Smith, Jennifer.................................. 41 Smith, Renee Marie.....................13, 54 Sozer, Armanda................................. 22 Stewart, Elizabeth........................50, 51 Stewart, Willie................................... 54 Stith, Mashell.................................... 13 Suarez, Angelica................................ 54 Sullivan, Ann.................... 16, 17, 18, 22 T Termini, John..................................... 51 Thompson, Zoritha............................ 54 Thorn, Ann........................................ 36 V Vito, Courtney................................... 51 W Waibsnaider, Noha.............................. 9 Wang, Alex........................................ 38 Wang, Rose...................................21, 22 Weitzel, Jeffery................................... 50 Wood, Kelly....................................... 54 Y Yamanaka, Laura................................. 9

RECIPE SOURCES • http://allrecipes.com/recipe/slow-cooker-beef-stew-i/ • http://chefronlock.com/recipes/pumpkin-cheesecake-in-a-glass/ NAWRB MAGAZINE |

57

National Mortgage Professional Magazine has become “The source for top originators—that connects the mortgage professional community under various media formats. While electronic media has become a vital part of our information platform, there is nothing like the feeling of holding a magazine in your hands. In the business world, knowledge and expertise rank high in the qualities of successful professionals. A subscription to our print edition allows you to share the informative articles in our publication with your colleagues and business partners - it is literally right there, at your fingertips. Our exceptional team of industry-seasoned monthly contributors, all with meaningful expertise in their related disciplines, provides the most up-todate news, insight and advice for today’s mortgage professional.

Stay on top of mortgage industry news and trends. The NMP Daily Email Newsletter is your source for breaking news, insights and tips. Gets free access to full articles including the hottest industry headlines, featured articles and other mission critical mortgage industry stories delivered to your inbox each day.

The NMP Mortgage News Ticker is a daily news feed that gives you a snapshot of the hottest mortgage news stories from around the web. Stay informed of the most recent headlines and blogs, all compiled into one convenient daily email.

“The strength of a woman is not measured by the impact that all her hardships in life have had on her; but the strength of a woman is measured by the extent of her refusal to allow those hardships to dictate her and who she becomes.”

— C. JoyBell C.