By Mary Edna Williams President, NC Association of REALTORS®
The saying goes that “it is darkest before the dawn.” Those words convey where we were in 2009 and where I believe we are headed in 2010. There still will be many challenges, but hopefully we have learned from our past mistakes. That knowledge, along with other resources, will guide us throughout 2010 to a brighter and better future for the NC Association of REALTORS®
The resignation of Executive Vice President Tim Kent, while a loss for NCAR, provides us with an opportunity to step back and review our priorities and goals and plot the course we need to take to continue our growth and success.
The search is already under way for the new EVP. In the interim, we are fortunate to have a strong team of professionals on staff to help the ship stay on course. Anne Shoemaker, Bryan Jenkins and Rick Zechini will oversee the daily operations.
We have much to do in 2010. Educational courses must be member-need driven –with concentrations on short sales and foreclosures, going green and social media/technology. We must keep members informed of resources like NAR’s “Right Tools Right Now” program that offers free business-related downloads. For now, we’ve gotten a reprieve on a potential tax on professional services, but it’s an issue that again could rear its ugly head. We must continue to lobby our congressmen and senators to pass legislation that provides affordable health insurance for our members without bankrupting firm owners, that continues mortgage interest deductions, and that sets a moratorium on the Home Valuation Code of Conduct (HVCC).
Kudos to members who have responded to the calls for action (CFA) from our government affairs staff. Brokers and owners, please sign up through NAR’s website for the Broker Involvement Participation and help us increase our CFA numbers. We also must review and refine our budget and investment policies to ensure future financial growth and security.
So as you can see, there are many challenges ahead that must be met if our membership and association are going to thrive. These challenges cannot be met without the input and support from members, volunteers and staff. You are the NCAR family. And like family, we may not always agree, but at the end of the day, we put our differences behind us and do what is best for the family. Please join me in meeting the challenge, united as a T-E-A-M. Remember … Together Everyone Achieves More.
Sincerely,
Mary Edna WilliamsContact Us: Members of the NC REALTORS® staff can be reached Monday through Friday during regular business hours of 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. at 800-443-9956 or via email using the person’s first initial and last name@ncrealtors.org. Our fax number is 336-299-7872.
Administrative
Anne Shoemaker
Chief Operating Officer
Bryan Jenkins
Chief Financial Officer
Denise Daly
Membership Records Coordinator/Bookkeeper
Diane Greene Director of Community Outreach
Pam Haire Director of Leadership Development
Sherry Harris Administrative Assistant
Amanda Lowe Accounting Assistant
Phyllis Lycan Accountant
Donna Peterson Executive Assistant
Kristin Miller Partner Program Manager
Communications Kevin Brafford
Director of Communications and Marketing
Julie Woodson Director of Public Affairs
Samantha Ashburn Website Coordinator
Barbara West Communications Specialist
Legislative Rick Zechini Director of Government Affairs
Cady Thomas Director of Regulatory Affairs
David McGowan Political Specialist
Mary Catherine Green RPAC Manager
Professional Development
Chris Rhodes Director of Professional Development
Volume 89, Issue 1
NC Association of REALTORS® Inc.
Chartered in 1921
PRESIDENT Mary Edna Williams, Raleigh
PRESIDENT-ELECT
Stephanie Walker, Kill Devil Hills
TREASURER
Tom Barton, New Bern
IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT
Sandra O’Connor, Greensboro
REGIONAL VICE PRESIDENTS
Michael Davenport, Kill Devil Hills, Region 1
Tori Humphrey, Ocean Isle Beach, Region 2
Steve Cohen, Fayetteville, Region 3
Preston Edwards, Durham, Region 4
Kevin Green, Greensboro, Region 5
Paul McGill, Winston-Salem, Region 6
Marlene Peeler, Shelby, Region 7
Aric Beals, Charlotte, Region 8
Roger Parham, Charlotte, Region 8
Kirk Booth, Asheville, Region 9
Elizabeth Allardice, Raleigh, Region 10
John Wood, Cary, Region 10
EDITOR
Kevin Brafford
ASSISTANT EDITOR
Barbara West
BUSINESS OFFICE
NC Association of REALTORS® Inc.
4511 Weybridge Lane
Greensboro, NC 27407
Phone: (336) 294-1415
Toll Free: (800) 443-9956
Fax: (336) 299-7872
Insight (USPS 017602) is published quarterly by the NCAR Management Corp., 4511 Weybridge Lane, Greensboro, NC 27407. Member subscriptions of $3.90 are covered by annual membership dues. Periodicals postage rates paid at Greensboro, NC.
POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Insight; 4511 Weybridge Lane, Greensboro, NC 27407.
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For all the latest news and business tools, check out www.ncrealtors.org.
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By Kevin Brafford Editor
More than ever, REALTORS® can benefit mightily from taking advantage of all available – and affordable – resources that can save you money. A story on Page 20 in this issue of Insight, for example, profiles five ways to stretch your marketing budget.
Almost as easy to access – well, at least when you’re in front of a computer – is NAR’s wonderful public awareness campaign. “Right Tools, Right Now” was launched early in 2009 and has played to such rave reviews that it’ll continue for at least the foreseeable future. You can see it all for yourself at www.REALTOR.org/RightTools.
Members can find more than 300 products, publications or services for free or at cost, so you can take advantage of the timely tools, tips and strategies that you and your business need to help make 2010 successful. Special items are featured each month; as of this writing, for example, you could still download the
34 Number of consecutive months that Nevada has endured the highest percentage of foreclosure filings in the United States.
60 Percentage of option ARMS (adjusted rate mortgages) that went to residents of California and other western states during the real estate boom.
360 In billions, the amount of money guaranteed by the FHA in mortgages in 2008, four times the amount guaranteed in 2007.
75,000 Number of homes completed in 2009 with the Energy Star Designation, meaning a home is at least 20 percent more energy-efficient than other new properties.
107,000 Number of cases being investigated by the Internal Revenue Service for fraudulently claiming the first-time homebuyer tax credit.
very user-friendly 2009 NAR Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers. There’s a wide variety of educational brochures on topics such as the current available tax credits, short sales, avoiding foreclosure, FHA mortgages or how to save energy at home.
In addition, “Right Tools, Right Now” includes financial assistance for local and state associations. For the second consecutive year, NAR is providing a substantial rebate for local and state association executives to attend its annual AE Institute, which is set for Quebec City in the latter part of April. The national association is expected to make similar financial commitments for other important meetings during 2010.
All told, the “Right Tools, Right Now” program is a more than $10 million financial investment from NAR during a period when our members and associations need help the most. Certainly, it’s worth the investment of your time.
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I’ve a always s said t that I o owe m my l life t to t the U University o of South C Carolina b because t that’s w where m my p parents m met. My father moved south from New Jersey on a football scholarship to USC. He used to say it was his ticket out. He met my mother there, and after a brief stint in New Jersey, they moved to Charlotte when I was 3. I’m still surrounded by Gamecocks to this day; in addition to my parents, my wife (Pamela) is a Gamecock, the best man in my wedding is a Gamecock and so is my father-in-law.
I w went t to C Chapel H Hill f for u undergrad a and W Wake F Forest f for my M MBA. I was in the evening MBA program at Wake, so I was working full time and taking two courses each semester, including summers. In the evening program, everyone is a working professional, so you’re killing yourself during the day at your job, and killing yourself in the program at night. You’re working 80 to 90 hours a week. I’m a runner so I like to say that you treat things like that as a marathon and pace yourself. You have to make sure you can finish. It was great though, and I really did love it.
I m met m my w wife w while w we w were both w working f for S Sara L Lee Products i in W Winston-SSalem. My boss’s boss actually introduced us. Here we had two single people, and you know how people like to play matchmaker. I certainly wasn’t looking but it happened, and I’m very lucky. We had our first son, John, in 1999. He’s our type A. Then we have our 7-year-old, Joe. He’s our type B child, our free spirit.
I w was a c corporate g guy f for a about 1 14 y years, a and w worked specifically w with A Avery D Dennison C Corporation f for a about five y years. I was based outside of Boston with Avery Dennison and when I moved, I tried to get my wife to relocate with me. She basically said, “Forget about it, buddy.” She’s from South Carolina, and the cold weather up there would have done her in, I believe, and it definitely broke me of cold weather. There are great folks up
Pete Frandano
Southport
Brunswick County Association of REALTORS®
there, but they can have the weather.
I w was i in t the a air g going f from B Boston t to P Pittsburgh o on 9 9/11. We were flying to Pittsburgh for a day trip visiting a client. The pilot came on and said, “Ladies and gentlemen, this is a strange one, but we’ve been given a security alert and we’re being diverted to Rochester.” About five minutes later, the pilot comes on and says, “Ladies and gentlemen, they want us on the ground now, so we’re going down in Syracuse.” We had no idea what was going on, but the moment we touched down, the cell phones started going off. My assistant finally got me and told me the airplanes had hit the World Trade Center. That was the beginning of the end for me, in terms of a wake-up call. I was working with a big corporation, living near Boston while my wife and first son were living in Greensboro. I was going from Boston to Asia to Brazil and so on, just bouncing all over the place. I finally just said, “What’s really important in life?”
When w we w were t thinking a about r relocating, m my b brother-iin-llaw a asked m me i if I I’d ever b been t to S Southport. I said, “Where’s Southport?” thinking he was talking about someplace in Maine. He said it was below Wilmington, and I said, “Below Wilmington where?” That’s when we rolled the maps out. We were looking for two things: first was quality of life and the answer to that was an immediate yes. I have a 90-second commute to my office when I’m in Southport. The second question was, can we make a living? And that answer has been a yes. We’re blessed to live in such a wonderful state, from the mountains to the sea. Even in the downturn, people are still moving here.
I r remember t the n night b before w we m moved t to S Southport, just s staring a at t the c ceiling a and t thinking, “What have I done?” I was sweating bullets. What was I thinking? I was leaving the corporate treadmill and a, well, “cushy” lifestyle. The business was great, but I was never home. We moved down here and haven’t looked back since.
There are many issues being followed by NC REALTORS® staff in the area of regulatory affairs. Currently, nine of the various boards and commissions that impact the real estate industry are going through the rule-making process.
“Not all the rule changes being considered will directly affect our members, but we are monitoring them all closely and staying on top of all the changes taking place,” says Cady Thomas, our director of regulatory affairs.
Following are some of the most significant and/or immediate changes being considered:
> The Real Estate Commission (REC) – The REC is considering changes to 17 rules. Two of the most significant are increasing the number of years a real estate licensee must keep trust account records (from three to five), and requiring the disclosure of military installations on the residential property disclosure statement. The draft rule changes will be published in the January North Carolina Register, and a public hearing will be held on these rules on Feb. 10.
> The Building Code Council voted in December to require all new homes to have carbon monoxide detectors, beginning Jan. 1, 2011.
> Home Inspector Licensure Board – The Board is currently effecting rules changes that bring the rules into compliance with recently passed legislation. NC REALTORS® crafted and successfully lobbied for enactment of the legislation in 2009, which will improve home inspection reporting, raise the general liability insurance requirements for inspectors and increase the professionalism and educational standards of the home inspection industry. This legislation passed unanimously and, among other things, deleted the requirement that an inspector include items that “adversely affect the habitability of the dwelling” on the summary page of the report, as this phrase is highly ambiguous and proved to cause interpretation and enforcement issues. The bill also prevents a home inspector from trying to require that a home be “brought up to Code.” Now, the Board is effecting rules changes that will bring the rules into compliance with the general statutes.
> The Commissioner of Banks held a public hearing on proposed rules changes to implement legislation passed this session to conform North Carolina’s mortgage licensing act to federal law. The original legislation would have drastically limited seller financing in North
Carolina by eliminating the current exemption from mortgage licensing for seller financing effective June 30, 2009. Current North Carolina law allows sellers to finance up to five real estate transactions per year without being licensed as a mortgage broker.
While this change in state law was required by recently enacted federal legislation, NC REALTORS® staff successfully lobbied for an amendment to extend the current exemption from mortgage licensing for seller financing. The amendment extends the current exemption (i.e. sellers can finance up to five real estate transactions per year) until at least July 31 of this year. There could be an even longer exemption depending on HUD’s determination of whether this exemption is compliant with federal law.
“Staff will continue to work with NAR and other state REALTOR® associations at the federal level to keep this option available for sellers and buyers, while ensuring that the rule changes reflect the final legislation,” Thomas says.
> Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) – In ongoing lobbying efforts, staff is evaluating DENR’s recommendations that impact homeowners. Randleman Lake and Falls Lake are the current subjects of discussion, and staff is working with REALTORS® and other stakeholders in these areas to protect private property rights.
“There are other issues involving the Licensing Board for General Contractors, the Coastal Resources Commission and the North Carolina Appraisal Board,” Thomas says. “We will continue to inform REALTORS® of developments on these issues, and we’ll continue to work to promote and protect the interests of our members.”
In December, the N.C. Court of Appeals invalidated Union County’s impact fee ordinance. NC REALTORS® played a key role in this litigation as the Association’s Legal Action Fund helped pay for a “friend of the court” brief in the case, and Director of Government Affairs Rick Zechini assisted in its preparation.
(continued on page 25)
Thank you for all of your smiles, help and understanding.” That’s one of the last emails I received from my dear friend and 2009 NC REALTORS® Leadership Academy member Tony Rickard. It was easy to offer smiles, help and understanding to Tony, for he freely gave those things to the many people whose lives he touched.
Sadly, the REALTOR® family lost a beloved member on Nov. 2 when Tony passed away at his home in Charlotte following a brief battle with cancer. He was 58.
A REALTOR® with more than 30 years’ experience who was very involved in commercial real estate, Tony also was licensed as a general contractor in North Carolina in 1988. He received his CCIM (Certified Commercial Investment Member) designation in 1992 and subsequently served in many leadership positions in the organization locally and nationally, including board of directors member, treasurer, vice president and president in 2007. Tony was a CCIM national endowed scholarship honoree in 2009.
Tony was active in the REALTORS® Land Institute and earned the Accredited Land Consultant (ALC) designation. In 2005, he served as president of the NC REALTORS® Land Institute, and in 2008 he was named the REALTOR® Land Institute’s Land Broker of the Year.
About six weeks after a Leadership Academy retreat in April, Tony was diagnosed with cancer. The entire class was amazed that Tony joined them for the next retreat, just a few weeks after undergoing extensive surgery. This was truly a testament to Tony’s commitment and dedication. Despite the pain he was enduring, he exuded a positive attitude and thankfulness that was truly inspiring. It was at this retreat that the class members decided to rename their class “The Mighty
Ducks” in honor of Tony. An avid hunter, Tony was a member of Ducks Unlimited, an organization known as the world’s leader in wetlands and waterfowl conservation.
Tony’s desire to serve was not limited to the real estate profession. In 1992, he was inducted into the Mecklenburg Shrine Club, and in 2006 he received the group’s Distinguished Service Award. A member of Calvary Church in Charlotte, Tony was active in the prison ministry.
Cindy Chandler, the 2006 NC REALTORS® president and one of Tony’s close friends, shares the following about her colleague: “Tony – we called him just ‘Rickard’ – could make you laugh, smile, scream, roll your eyes and sigh. But when he was finished with you – and that’s the way it was – you felt as if you were the most important, cherished person in the world. He was always there for you. He never complained, seldom spoke a critical word, and never failed to ask, ‘What can I do for you today?’ He was part of my professional life for many years and while I know he’s still with me, always in my heart, I feel the void.
“I miss the sometimes annoying calls, I miss the big smile, and I miss the unconditional love and acceptance he gave me and those around him. I’m a better person for having known him. Rickard, he’s God’s land broker now.”
Eddie Blanton, the 2010 NC-CCIM president, also spoke about the loss of his friend. “A part of me, a part of us all, is now gone,” he says. “Tony left a fantastic legacy that will benefit many people for years to come. Many of us loved Tony, not only as our mentor and peer, but as a true friend. I am so glad that Tony was a part of my life and I am forever changed due to his personal and professional influences.”
We extend our heartfelt condolences to Tony’s best friend and wife of more than 32 years, Sonya Murphy Rickard, and to their loving daughter, Katie.
I’ll never forget the day my daughter said goodbye to her favorite high school teacher. Mr. Collins was an extremely passionate and gifted science teacher who was leaving the profession he loved because he couldn’t afford to live on a teacher’s wages. His young family was growing and he wanted to put down roots in a home of his own, but the averagepriced home was far beyond his means. It was a hard lesson for my daughter to learn and even harder for me to accept as someone involved in the real estate industry.
Fast forward five years, and housing prices have substantially declined in many markets, but teachers like Mr. Collins are still having problems finding an affordable place to live close to where they work. And so are hardworking citizens in other critical occupations such as police officers, firefighters, licensed practical nurses and community service workers.
That’s why Homes4NC is launching a new Workforce Housing Program designed to help essential workers become homeowners with a stake in the community they are serving. The foundation of this Homes4NC initiative is a certification program to educate REALTORS® about the issues surrounding workforce housing and the programs and resources available to help them serve workforce housing buyers.
In order to be certified as a Workforce Housing Specialist (WHS), members will have to complete 16 hours of education including FHA Fundamentals, NC Housing Finance Agency’s “Financing Dreams” and a two-hour class on local housing programs and organizations. Elective courses such as NAR’s Employer Assisted Housing Program and REBAC’s Short Sales and Foreclosures course will round out the program.
REALTORS® who have been certified through the program can more effectively educate potential home buyers and advocate for workforce housing in their community. The WHS program will initially be offered in Asheville, Raleigh and Wilmington, with the hopes of adding more areas by mid-year.
The second component of the Homes4NC Workforce Housing Program is a comprehensive public education effort featuring a consumer-oriented website where users can search for affordable housing programs and Workforce Housing Specialists in their specific community.
An awareness campaign will be launched in conjunction with National Homeownership Month in June to encourage consumers to visit Homes4NC’s revamped website for easy access to great housing programs and
Workforce Housing Specialists who can help them through the home buying process.
Homes4NC President John Newman expects this program to fill an increasing need among first-time homebuyers. “This type of education and guidance is so important for lowerwage workers who typically don’t have the knowledge or experience they need to understand the complexities involved in the typical home purchase,” he says. “This program will better equip REALTORS® to provide workforce buyers with the extra support they need to become homeowners.”
For more information about this program or Homes4NC, contact Diane Greene at 800-443-9956.
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Contact Corean Hamlin at coreanhamlin@charter.net
Feb. 9, 8:30-12:30
Core Class – Financing Dreams
Mar. 9, 8:30-12:30
Core Class – FHA Fundamentals
Apr. 9, 8:30-12:30
Core Class – Local Programs & Resources
May 11, 8:30-12:30
Elective Class – Employer Assisted Housing
RALEIGH
Contact Cara Mottershead at caram@rrar.com
Feb. 4
Elective Class – REBAC’s Short Sales & Foreclosures
WILMINGTON
Contact Lois Campbell at lois@wrar.com
Jan. 21
Core Class – FHA Fundamentals
Apr. 7
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May 12
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(continued on page 25)
Mary Edna Williams would be the first to tell you that she bleeds red more than most. She is a proud N.C. State University graduate and an ardent fan. And when a conversation turns to the national championship won by the Wolfpack men’s basketball team in 1983, you get a deeper glimpse into what she loves and, more importantly, who she is.
“When all the odds were against them, the ‘Cardiac Pack’fought until they reached the championship and won,” says Williams, the NC REALTORS®’2010 president. “It reaffirms that you should always be positive and confident. And to always remember that the game isn’t over until the buzzer sounds.”
Williams takes the Cardiac Pack’s surprising achievement seriously, as evidenced by a photo of the 1983 N.C. State team that adorns her office. Framed by the Wolfpack players is Jim Valvano, their head coach. “Jimmy V” is forever linked to two memorable TVmoments. One came just after N.C. State stunned Houston with a last-second basket to win the national championship; he sprinted across the court, looking (in his words) “for someone to hug.” The other came a decade later, when, during an emotional speech just eight weeks before he would die from cancer, he told a riveted audience to “take time every day to laugh, to think and to cry.”
It’s a philosophy Williams has epitomized throughout her life, and it’s a philosophy we could all stand to learn from. To put down the Blackberry, to set the contracts aside, to take a deep breath … and to laugh, think and cry.
Mary Edna Cagle grew up in Wadesboro, a small town of about 3,000 folks between Rockingham and Charlotte – and not far from the South Carolina state line. It was one of those towns where everybody knew everybody else, especially the Cagles. Mary Edna’s father, Bob, was the mayor for years, so during Williams’childhood, there was no anonymity. “Growing up, you just couldn’t do whatever you wanted,” she says. “If you misbehaved, someone would tell your parents. I definitely waited till college to misbehave.”
Aside from working as a mayor, Williams’father was one of only two funeral directors in their small town, a field he went into after he returned from World War II. Williams’mother, Emily, worked various jobs, including at a hosiery mill during the war, a jewelry store and a bank. “Neither of my parents went to a four-year college, because they were coming along during the war,” she says. “And they struggled, but they made my brother and I feel like we could do anything, especially my daddy. It didn’t matter that I was a girl; he expected me to succeed. I never grew up feeling like I was suppose to graduate from school, get married, and have babies. My daddy and I were very close – he hung the stars and the moon, and he thought I did, too.”
It was through her father that Williams discovered a passion that still inspires her today. “My daddy loved politics,” she says. “It was always a big deal on election night. We’d go downtown and they’d have the big board in front of the local newspaper office, and you’d watch the results come in.”
In 1964, Bob Cagle worked as one of Dan K. Moore’s campaign managers in the gubernatorial election. “Since my daddy campaigned for Dan K. Moore, I did too,” Williams says. “I was in the second grade and the poll where you voted was on the same street as our house. I would drag my record player with extension cords all the way out on the sidewalk, play the campaign record and sing the ‘Elect Dan K. Moore’song. I would play it as loud as I could to encourage people to vote for him.”
Young Mary Edna’s impressive campaigning didn’t go unnoticed. “When we attended Dan K. Moore’s inaugural celebration, my daddy picked me up, put me on stage and Governor Moore gave me a big kiss.”
When Williams was a teen, she watched as older brother Bobby left for N.C. State University. It wasn’t long after that she followed suit. “I started at N.C. State in 1974, just as the Wolfpack won their first national championship,” she says. “I lived in the very first co-ed dorm
(continued on page 14)
my freshman year, on the 11th floor. Of course, on the day my daddy moved me in, the elevators were broken. He looked at me and said, ‘You’d better stay here, girl, because I’m not coming back to get you!’”
And stay she did. It wasn’t long after she was settled on campus that she came face to face with Charles Kenneth “Kinney” Williams. “Kinney was a resident advisor in my dorm,” she says. “I was playing cards with a bunch of guys on his floor when he came around to hand out newsletters. And I swear, I looked at him and thought, ‘I don’t know who you are, but I’m going to marry you one day.’”
The two didn’t date immediately. In fact, Mary Edna kept her eye on Kinney for nearly two years. “Just before we started dating, we were playing pingpong and we bet that whoever lost would take the winner to the Angus Barn in Raleigh,” she says. “He swears to this day that he let me get ahead and accidently ‘missed.’That was really how we got together. And we’ve been married for 31 years now.”
The key to their more than three decades of marital bliss is simple. “We really love each other, and we share a lot, but we’ve also realized that we’re individuals,” she says. “Kinney takes flying lessons and is working on his commercial license. He goes on motorcycle trips with his buddies while I go to the beach with my girlfriends. We let each other be ourselves.”
Williams admits it can be hectic trying to balance her thriving business and Kinney’s career as an electrical engineer, but they make it work. “We find time whenever we can,” says Williams. “Like one morning, he was getting ready to leave the house, and I asked him if he had plans this evening. He said he was free, so I went ahead and laid out what I was going to fix for dinner, because neither of us had anywhere to be.”
Williams was among the first N.C. State graduates to earn a degree in a new major: social work. “In college, I really wanted to be more of a counselor and help people,” she says. “But when I graduated, it was a time in the market where you couldn’t get that type of job unless you had a master’s in social work.” So she joined the workforce, first at a daycare and then as a disability determination specialist with the state, processing Social Security disability claims.
It was during this time that Williams lost her mother to cancer. Her father had died unexpectedly of a heart attack her freshman year at NCSU. He was 58 and she was 64. “My parents talked about all these things they wanted to do when they retired, and here I was in this job I didn’t like,” Williams says. “I just decided that I wasn’t going to stay at a job that I didn’t enjoy, and in 30 years, still be miserable.”
Williams always demonstrated a talent for selling – remember her efforts on behalf of wouldbe governor Dan Moore? – and she had an uncle in Atlanta who sold real estate. “I remember thinking that my uncle always looked like he was enjoying himself, and having fun,” she says. “So I started taking night classes through Fonville Morisey to get my real estate license, and before I even knew if I passed the real estate exam, I interviewed with York Properties and got a job.”
And while Williams is now a seasoned REALTOR® with more than 20 years of experience under her belt, she still remembers the first home she sold. “I never told my buyer that this was my first sale, so on the day of the closing, the other agent asked me if this was my first. I said ‘yes’ and then really bragged on how easy my buyer had been,” says Williams. “He must have been happy, because he used me again in the purchase of a home.” Williams was named Rookie of the
With her husband of 31 years, Kinney, and living life to the fullest.Year that particular year, and she’s been a top producer since.
Amid the successes of her growing real estate career, however, Williams encountered a life changing experience. In April 2004, she was diagnosed with breast cancer – the same disease her mother had died from years before. “The cancer was so tiny that even the radiologist couldn’t see it at first,” she says. “The digital mammogram flagged it, and I was very fortunate that they found it when they did.”
Despite having to endure chemotherapy and radiation, Williams remained determined to beat her cancer. “I only stayed home the week of my surgery and on days I had chemo. Every other day, I put my wig on and off I went,” she says. “I just worked through it – what else could you do? They can give you all the treatments and drugs in the world, but if your mind isn’t right, and you’re not positive about the outcome, you’ve already lost.”
So she persevered. “I had a business, and it was important to me to let my agents know that everything was going to be OK, that they didn’t need to be looking for somewhere else to go, that we’re going to be here for a long, long time,” she says. “You have to set the tone.”
To the surprise of no one who knew what a fighter she was, Williams recovered completely. “I’m a firm believer – though this sounds very Pollyannaish – that things happen for a reason,” she says. “There are no guarantees in this world, and you have to live your life to the fullest. You have to take it all in and enjoy it. I work hard, but I play hard.”
Indeed. When she’s not selling real estate or driving to and from Raleigh and NC REALTORS®’headquarters in Greensboro, Williams and her husband enjoy traveling.
“Kinney has his pilot’s license and is a member of a flying club, so he can get a plane easily,” she says. “In fact, we travel quite a bit that way.”
Although she enjoys flying with Kinney now, she did have concerns at first. “The first time I rode with him, he had only had his pilot’s license for two months and we were in Las Vegas,” she says. “That plane went up and we were flying over the Grand Canyon. I’ve never been one to have panic attacks, but I just kept thinking, ‘I have to get out of here, I have to get out of here.’Kinney said he’d never seen me that quiet. We landed safely though, and I’ve been OK ever since.”
When they’re not traveling, the Williamses can be found at Carter-Finley Stadium or the RBC Center rooting on their beloved alma mater. “We go to all of the games,” she says, adding that her company (RE/MAX Capital) has even sponsored the university’s Hoops for Hope program. In appreciation, Williams received an autographed basketball that she proudly displays in her office. “Kay Yow, the longtime women’s basketball coach whose life was recently taken by breast cancer, signed it,” she says. “That makes it really special to me.”
The autographed basketball sits just below the photo of Jim Valvano, the charismatic coach whose words during his fight with cancer forever will be etched in the memories of many: “Never give up, don’t ever give up.”
Through her own life, Williams has demonstrated that she won’t ever give up. She’s come to appreciate every opportunity that’s presented to her – the latest her upcoming year as president of the largest trade association in North Carolina. Being a member of NC REALTORS®, like basketball, is a team game, she believes. “We all need to work together. This association is a family, and at the end of the day, we all need to come together and move forward in the direction that best serves our association. I’m looking forward to a good year.”
There is a buzz of activity going on within the High Point Regional Association of REALTORS®, and the local community stands to be the benefactor.
Late last year, the Association received word that it has been officially chartered as a Young Professionals Network – only the second program of its kind in the state, according to Executive Vice President Ed Terry. “The birth of this program is the culmination of an effort to bring a very creative, resourceful, energetic group of minds and talents into the mainstream of Association activities,” says Terry.
Plans for 2010 include ensuring financial stability, increasing public awareness and membership, promoting community involvement, and providing networking opportunities for members. “Via High Point University and our various community colleges, we have the perfect venues for expanding the influence of this group,” Terry says.
Another Association program, the Education Task Force, is beginning its second full year and has now
morphed into the Public Education Advocates Committee.
From dialogue with leaders from the Guilford County Public School System, a financial literacy module was designed and shared with students in various Guilford County public schools. The modules, which follow a fictional character through the multi-year process of avoiding debt and preparing to buy a home, hopefully will help the students be more fiscally sound as they grow into adults. “These modules have been presented to teachers and career coordinators and met rave reviews,” says Terry. “It’s difficult to beat this ‘real world’ education.’”
The NC Association of REALTORS® wants to publicize your Association’s efforts in the community in a future issue of Insight magazine. Please contact Barbara West at bwest@ncrealtors.org and tell us your story.
Mike Barr, chief executive officer of the Greensboro Regional REALTORS® Association, and Brenda Roney, association executive of the Carteret County Association of REALTORS®, have earned the National Association of REALTORS®’ certified executive designation.
Barr and Roney join nearly 400 association executives who have achieved the RCE designation, the only professional designation designed specifically for REALTOR® association executives.
To receive the RCE designation, applicants must first document their professional development activities, and achievements, as well as their educational background. Once they have completed the first step, eligible candidates must complete a three-hour comprehensive exam or the one and a half hour CAE+5 exam. Certified executives must be recertified every four years to maintain the designation.
Barr and Roney will be recognized at the 2010 AE Institute in Quebec City, Canada in April.
Benjamin Cone III of Charlotte has been elected vice chairman of the N.C. Real Estate Commission, it was announced by Executive Director Phillip T. Fisher.
A member of the Commission since 2007, Cone is managing director of Milestone Partners, LLC, in Charlotte. He has held management positions in the textile and commercial furniture industries.
Cone is a graduate of the University of North Carolina with a bachelor of arts in economics and N.C. State University with a bachelor of science in textile management, magna cum laude.
The N.C. Real Estate Commission is responsible for the regulation of 100,000 firm and individual licensees in the state.
By Will Martin General Counsel
Dear Forms Guy: I’m the listing agent on a residential sale that has gone south. The seller is irate that the buyer has terminated the contract based on the Cost of Repair Contingency and won’t consent to a return of the buyer’s earnest money deposit, which our firm is holding. Between you and me, I think the estimated cost of necessary repairs clearly exceeds the agreed-upon amount, but my client is very upset that the deal has fallen apart and frankly isn’t acting reasonably. I see that the last sentence in the “Note” at the end of paragraph 4 of the Offer to Purchase and Contract (form 2-T) states that we can pay the deposit to the clerk of court in accordance with the provisions of N.C.G.S. 93A-12. What’s that all about? Sincerely, Veronica
Dear Veronica: NC REALTORS® were instrumental in getting a law passed in 2005 to help real estate agents get disputed deposits out of their trust accounts. According to the law, a real estate broker acting as an escrow agent may deposit disputed funds with the clerk of court in the county in which the property for which the disputed monies are being held is located, following 90 days’ written notice to the persons claiming ownership of the disputed monies. Sincerely, Forms Guy
Veronica: Is this new procedure mandatory?
Forms Guy: No.
Veronica: If an escrow agent decides to use the procedure, is there any particular notice form that has to be used?
Forms Guy: No, but NC REALTORS® created a form for that purpose. It’s in the Association’s forms library under the catchy title: “Notice of Intent To Deposit Disputed Earnest Money With Clerk of Court,” form 740.
Veronica: How must the notice be sent?
Forms Guy: The notice must be provided by delivering a copy of it to the person or by mailing it to the person by first-class mail at the person’s last known address.
Veronica: Can the escrow agent deliver the notice or send it to the person’s real estate agent?
Forms Guy: No, it has to be delivered or sent to the person claiming ownership of the funds, not the person’s agent.
Veronica: What if the escrow agent doesn’t have a current address for one of the parties?
Forms Guy: The law only requires that the notice be sent to the person’s last known address. A broker should make a reasonable effort to determine a person’s current address, but if, for example, the person has moved and left no forwarding address, it should be sufficient to send the notice to the last address.
Veronica: What if you’re a listing agent holding a disputed earnest money deposit and you don’t have the buyer’s address and the buyer’s agent isn’t comfortable giving their buyer client’s address to you?
Forms Guy: That could be a problem. For that reason, we have recently added wording to the standard residential listing and buyer agency agreements where the client directs the agent to disclose the client’s last known address to the escrow agent upon request so that the escrow agent can comply with the notice requirement of the law.
Veronica: What if the escrow agent sends the notice and the parties resolve the dispute before the 90 days is up?
Forms Guy: Assuming they both sign a release, the escrow agent can then disburse the deposit according to the agreement of the parties.
Veronica: What if one party takes the other one to small claims court before the 90 days is up?
Forms Guy: If the magistrate issues a decision ordering disbursement, the escrow agent would disburse the deposit according to the terms of the magistrate’s order.
Veronica: OK, assume 90 days runs and there’s been no agreement between the parties and there’s no court order. What happens then?
Forms Guy: The escrow agent can then deposit the disputed funds with the clerk of court. At the time of the deposit, the escrow agent must certify that they’ve properly notified the parties. The certification form is also in the NCAR forms library as form 741. There’s a charge of $6 for filing the form with the clerk.
Veronica: What happens to the money after it’s deposited with the clerk?
Forms Guy: Either party may file what’s known as a “special proceeding” with the clerk to recover the disputed monies. The filing fee is currently $88. If a special proceeding is filed, the clerk would then hold a hearing to determine the rightful ownership of the disputed funds and distribute the funds accordingly. If the party filing the special proceeding prevails, they may recover the costs of filing the action as well.
Veronica: Would a party have to hire a lawyer to help them with the special proceeding?
Forms Guy: An individual would not, but that would be up to them to decide. Frankly, if the deposit is small, the expense of hiring a lawyer would likely exceed the amount of the deposit. NC REALTORS® worked with the Administrative Office of the Courts (AOC) to develop an easy-to-complete form with instructions that a non-attorney could use to file a special proceeding on their own. The form is called “Petition To Recover Disputed Monies,” (AOC-SP-261). If the form isn’t available in the clerk’s office, a filable PDF version is available on the AOC’s website at http://www.nccourts.org/forms/FormSearch.asp.
Veronica: May a party’s real estate agent help them complete the form?
Forms Guy: No! As the instructions for completing the form state in bold type: “Neither the Clerk nor any real estate broker who represented a party in the real estate transaction that gave rise to this dispute can give you legal advice about your case or assist you in completing this form. … If you have any questions about your case, or about completing or using this form, you should contact an attorney.”
Veronica: What if neither party files a special proceeding?
Forms Guy: If no special proceeding is filed within one year of the disputed funds being deposited with the clerk, the disputed funds are deemed unclaimed and are to be delivered to the State Treasurer in accordance with the North Carolina Unclaimed Property Act.
Veronica: Thanks for the good information, Forms Guy.
Forms Guy: Anytime, Veronica. Best wishes!
Have a question or questions for the Forms Guy?
Email Will Martin at wmartin@ncrealtors.org
Think you have to spend an arm and a leg for effective marketing techniques? Think again. There are dozens of ways that you can promote your company without having to invest thousands of dollars a month in marketing activities that may or may not pay off. Here are five shoestring marketing tactics that have already been tested, and that won’t break the bank:
If you haven’t taken five minutes to set up your own free blog online at a website like Wordpress (www.wordpress.com), now is the time to do it. By adding this feature to your website (or by creating a standalone blog with its own domain name), you can reach customers to whom you wouldn’t otherwise have access.
Add useful information to the blog on a regular basis and include an RSS feed that viewers can “subscribe” to. Update
your blog regularly and include useful information (such as current real estate news and pricing information for your area) that keeps visitors coming back for more, spreading the word about it and turning to you when it comes time to buy or sell.
Desiree Whalen has found a cost-effective way to maintain and advertise her website: She enlisted the help of her husband, Todd, a website designer and search engine optimization (SEO) expert.
“He saves me thousands of dollars a month by handling all of the SEO and updates for my site,” says Whalen, a broker with WilmingtonForSale.com, a division of Precision Development in Wilmington.
For the small investment – “All I have to do is make him dinner every night,” she says – Whalen gleans about 99 percent of her business from her website. REALTORS® looking to replicate Whalen’s shoestring tactic can enlist children, spouses, family members or friends who possess a high level of technical knowledge.
A teenager who uses websites like Facebook on a regular basis, for example, could be a great source of advice and help for any agent looking to cultivate a presence on social networking portals. “I get excellent rankings on the search engines in my target markets,” says Whalen. “Thanks to Todd, I’m able to channel my marketing efforts online, and at no cost.”
Jason Joseph, a partner with Margie Joseph and Associates Realtors in Austin, Texas, gleans the bulk of his business from his sphere of influence, and for good reason: He works that network daily with emails, phone calls and personal contacts.
“I lean heavily on my sphere of influence, and use it to generate new business,” says Joseph, who also uses mass mailings and drip email campaigns to stay in touch with his network.
To create their own networks, Joseph says REALTORS® should make a list of everyone they know (including past and present clients, business associates, colleagues and family members) and then create a list of the top 10 people who can help you succeed. “Those are the ones you want to lean on and work with,” he says.
Jo Ann Doyle knows how expensive and time-consuming it can be to advertise properties in traditional formats such as print and direct mail, so she chooses to “show off” her listings online via virtual tours that feature the entire home – not just certain rooms and/or features.
For a small financial and time investment, Doyle, broker-owner at Carolinas Choice Realtors in Charlotte, utilizes Visual Tour (www.visualtour.com) to create the virtual tours. She goes through every room of the house to get the footage, then spends just a few minutes uploading and editing the online videos to get them ready for prime time.
Doyle says the cost-effective marketing strategy goes a long way in getting her listings sold in today’s challenging market. “I show them the entire house – from top to bottom,” says Doyle, “and use tools like 360-degree panoramic shots to help draw in buyers.”
It takes about one hour, three times a month, for Lisa Blaylock to convince moving companies and other service providers that she is the go-to REALTOR® in her community.
An associate with Coldwell Banker San Jose Main in California, Blaylock recently shared the mid-day meal with corporate account representatives from Transpac and PODS, both of which have turned into great sources of referrals for her. “I get all of my clients to get their junk out of their homes so that we can stage them, and I’ve been using these companies to facilitate that,” says Blaylock.
Using a discount card that gets her 50 percent off the total tab at higher-end restaurants, Blaylock can schmooze with these potential referral sources without breaking the bank. “It’s a pretty costeffective way to get my name out there,” she says.
Every few weeks, Joanne Miner, a REALTOR® with ConnectRealty.com, Inc. in Matthews, posts real estate specific webinars for anyone to see. In order to share her webinars, Miner uses a social media networking site known as LinkedIn, a 50 millionplus member organization comprising one thing and one thing only: working professionals.
“I post webinars to LinkedIn for two reasons. The first reason is name recognition. With so many professionals in one place, it’s a great way to grow your business,” says Miner. “Secondly, I get great feedback and connections from our webinars that have really benefitted our business.”
LinkedIn is a young but rapidly growing phenomenon. Founded in 2003, LinkedIn has amassed users in more than 200 countries and territories, and more than 170. And it can claim an interesting fact that most social media sites can’t: Executives from all Fortune 500 companies are presently “LinkedIn.” How’s that for bragging rights?
When it comes to using LinkedIn for real estate purposes, however, there are two types of connections REALTORS® should be most interested in
connections within the industry, and connections outside the industry.
REALTORS® come across a whole lot of real estate professionals on a daily basis. We’re talking appraisers, attorneys, inspectors and mortgage brokers, just to name a few. So when you need to make a quick referral, or ask a question about a tricky short sale, look no further than LinkedIn.
“If I was looking for a mortgage broker in another state, I’d get on LinkedIn and look at the type of connections they have,” says Miner. “And if they do not have many connections or solid recommendations, I assume they are not very active in that area, so I move on and look for another broker.”
LinkedIn is also a great way to check up on possible REALTOR® referrals. “When I refer people, I always try to first go on LinkedIn and get a feel for another REALTOR® based on recommendations and connections,” says Barbara Johnson, a REALTOR® with Realty World First Coastal Realty in Morehead City. “If I can find solid information and recommendations, it increases my confidence that my client will be well taken
care of.”
LinkedIn is also helpful when you need advice. Similar to ActiveRain, it can be a one-stop shop for tons of free advice. The best way to engage in these conversations is by going to the “Search Answers” portion of the search bar. Once you’re here, type in a phrase or word and watch as numerous responses related to your question appear.
“There have been a couple of times I’ve needed help with a specific short sale, and I asked for help on LinkedIn,” says Miner. “I got some really great, quick responses back. It’s a great place for REALTORS ® to share advice.”
Aside from real estate related industries, there are a whole host of other professions that homeowners need to be connected with when they relocate. We’re talking plumbers, teachers, business leaders, community advocates, etc. If you can provide specific information on the services most relevant to your clients ahead of time, you’re separating yourself from the pack.
“If my clients are moving to an area I’m not familiar with, I get on LinkedIn and find the daycares, schools or businesses they might be interested in,” says Johnson. “That way, my clients have a list of resources before they even step foot in their new town, and I’ve positioned myself not just as a REALTOR®, but as a community expert.”
“When you’re connecting with people, you need to have a focus on what type of follower you’re looking for,” says Leslie Williams, a REALTOR® with Keller Williams Realty in Raleigh. “Then gear your online profile towards those wishes, and what you want to get out of LinkedIn.”
So remember, when networking with professionals outside of the industry, think outside the box, and network with any and all professions that could grow your business.
LinkedIn follows a fairly different set of rules when compared to the previous social media sites we’ve discussed, so pay attention. The biggest difference falls under the cliché of quality over quantity. Unlike Facebook or Twitter, for example, the number of con-
nections you have is irrelevant. Instead, it’s the quality of the connections.
“You never want to link up with someone you don’t know well enough to make a recommendation about their character or integrity,” says Johnson. “The goal is to get good, solid connections. You don’t want to link with people who have nothing to add to your business.”
The big rule – never get too personal – applies particularly to LinkedIn. This site simply doesn’t exist for that purpose. “You should gear your profile towards your goals for your business,” says Williams. “It’s distracting if someone puts personal information on their profile that might go against their goals or how they’re trying to brand themselves as a professional.”
Once you’ve made solid, professional connections, recommendations are a natural next step. But again, be selective. Other professionals are making decisions based on what you write, so mean what you say. And hopefully, that person will return the favor and write a glowing recommendation for you.
Lastly, get involved in the dialogue. “A lot of members discuss what’s happening in their respective market,” says Miner. “I pay attention to these conversations in case I get an out-of-town buyer from that area. Then I can talk to them like I’m knowledgeable about their market, and that’s invaluable.”
To get started, go to www.linkedin.com. The most important step is filling out your profile. Post your photo, past and present work experience, as well as your educational background. The more you tell, the better the results. Think of it as an electronic resume.
Then, get active! Start making connections and start joining groups to make your voice heard on important issues affecting your industry.
“If you fill out your profile completely and link to the most relevant professionals,” says Johnson, “you’ll have a really good start in making LinkedIn work for you.”
Real estate professionals are teaming up to provide better service in increasingly competitive markets. The teams, which are forming all over the country, represent about 9 percent of practitioners, according to the National Association of REALTORS®. Team members usually operate as a coalition within a larger company, signing a contract that stipulates that each team member gets a share of commissions based on their role in the sale – or sometimes cooperating more informally. Participants say the big plus of the arrangement is 24hour coverage by committed practitioners with a stake in making sales.
Google has been improving the usability of real estate information in its Google Maps function. Users can now select the “real estate” option from the “more” button on the top right of any Google Map. They’ll automatically see balloons on the maps of listings, as well as a pop-up real estate refinement panel on the left. From there, they can refine what they are searching for by checking the boxes for renting or buying, apartment or house, as well as price range, square footage, numbers of bedrooms and bathrooms, and foreclosure listings.
The majority of Manhattan residents – 50.3 percent
live alone, according to the latest U.S. Census Bureau statistics. New York first passed the 50 percent mark in 2007. High-paying jobs, the expense of raising a family, longer-lived widows and widowers, and an appreciation of the single lifestyle are the factors making Manhattan a singles community, says William Helmreich, deputy chairman of City College’s sociology department.
Buyers of new homes can expect much healthier and more energy-efficient properties than they get if they buy an older home. Tom Molidor, president of Molidor Custom Builders in Clarendon Hills, Ill., recommends installing a high-efficiency furnace close to the part of the house the family uses the most, instead of putting it in the basement. A 3,000-square-foot home that is top-rated for energy efficiency can be heated in the greater Chicago area, for example, for less than $50 a month, estimates R.A. Faganel Builders.
Two industry powerhouses, Real Living and GMAC Real Estate, are merging to create a residential real estate franchise with about $20 billion in annual home sales. The move was set in motion in late 2008 when
Brookfield Residential Property Services (Brookfield RPS), a division of Brookfield Asset Management Inc., acquired GMAC Real Estate. Last November, Brookfield RPS acquired Real Living Network Services, a subsidiary of Real Living Inc., and as a result will now rebrand GMAC Real Estate as Real Living.
Mortgage leader JPMorgan Chase & Co. plans to hire 1,200 new mortgage loan officers by the end of 2010, a 60 percent increase in its sales force. The new loan officers will work at branches in 23 states, including California, Florida, Texas, New York, Chicago, Boston, St. Louis, and Washington, D.C.
More than two-thirds of the independent landlords surveyed by the National Association of Independent Landlords say they would offer to reduce rent to keep tenants and one-third say they have already done so in the past 18 months. Of those who are willing to cut the rent, 61 percent would reduce it by 5 percent while 29 percent would cut it by 10 percent, the survey reported.
A recent survey of Florida homeowners associations found them feeling beleaguered and discouraged. More than 90 percent of the 777 associations surveyed by the Community Association Leadership Lobby say they expect their financial troubles to continue or deepen in 2010. About 60 percent of survey respondents increased assessments to cover budget shortfalls caused by delinquent owners. And about 66 percent of respondents say there has been an increase in the number of property owners who are more than 60 days late paying fees and assessments.
While a recent California Association of REALTORS® survey found that 54 percent of real estate professionals polled do not use social networks for business purposes, experts say practitioners will shift gears as more homebuyers and sellers go online. Those taking advantage of social networks are using sites like YouTube, Facebook, and Twitter to promote themselves and their listings. However, Facebook and Flickr are among the social networking sites that limit marketing activities, so practitioners typically use these sites to keep in touch with clients and potential clients. While practitioners use Twitter to send blast messages about properties for sale, others use it to get to know prospects better.
January 19
January 19-20
January 21-22
January 21
February 22-25
March 15-18
April 16-20
April 19-22
April 21
April 22
May 10-15
May 15-18
June 7-9
June 9
August 23-26
September 19-21
October 11-14
October 25-28
November 3-8
(continued from page 9)
Spokesperson Training
Vision Quest
2010 NC REALTORS®’ Inaugural Meetings
Inaugural Gala
GRI 300
GRI 200
NAR AE Institute
GRI 100
Professional Standards
Professional Standards
NAR Midyear Meetings
GRI 200
NC REALTORS® Legislative Meetings
Legislative Day
GRI 100
NC REALTORS®’ 2010 Convention & Expo
GRI 200
GRI 300
National Association of REALTORS®’ 2010 Convention & Expo
Raleigh
Raleigh
Raleigh
Raleigh
Charlotte
Greensboro
Quebec City
Wilmington
TBD
TBD
Washington, DC
Greensboro
Raleigh
Raleigh
Asheville
Myrtle Beach
Chapel Hill
New Bern
New Orleans
After years of unsuccessfully seeking impact fee authority from the legislature, Union County adopted a so-called adequate public facilities ordinance (APFO). The APFO allows the county to analyze a proposed development and determine whether it would lead to a school being over “capacity.” If so, then the development would not be allowed unless an impact fee is paid to the county.
“The NC Court of Appeals found that Union County did not have the authority to adopt such an APFO,” Zechini says. “This is a great victory for the real estate community and calls into question other APFOs across the state.”
(continued from page 11)
Affordable housing doesn’t come easy. It takes many dollars and volunteers to help just one family get into a safe and affordable home they can call their own. That’s why we are so grateful for the dedicated sponsors listed below. Thanks to their generous contributions in 2009, Homes4NC was able to help many families statewide with their housing needs.
Ambassadors
Albemarle Area Association of REALTORS®
Carteret County Association of REALTORS®
Catawba Valley Association of REALTORS®
Century 21 Brock & Associates
Greater Chapel Hill Association of REALTORS®
Pinnacle Partners
Bank of America
NC Housing Finance Agency
Greenville-Pitt Association of REALTORS®
Jacksonville Board of REALTORS®
Neuse River Region Association of REALTORS®
Outer Banks Association of REALTORS®
Topsail Island Association of REALTORS®
Washington-Beaufort Co. Board of REALTORS®
