OC REALTOR®: September/October 2021 by Orange County REALTORS®

CONTENTS ON GUARD!

SEPTEMBER | OCTOBER 2021

Although real estate is not generally thought of as a dangerous occupation, it does have its risks. REALTORS® sometimes work alone or late, may be asked to drive to remote locations, and often show vacant homes to strangers. In fact, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, real estate has one of the highest rates of homicide of any professional occupation. On the cover of this issue, Ivan Salmeron suggests that the answer may be a REALTOR® Safety League, a quartet of superheroes whose job would be to protect, to prevent, and to defend. Able to sense the approach of danger and to come rapidly to the rescue, members of this League would use their superior strength and intelligence to stop physical attacks, prevent cybercrimes, and make the world a safer place for the practice of real estate. But because this League exists only in science fiction or fantasy, the focus of this issue of OC REALTOR® is on what you can do personally and professionally to promote REALTOR® safety and to protect yourself, your business, and those you love from becoming victims of scams, cybercrimes, or assaults. On its pages, you will find ideas about how to recognize threats, make yourself a hard target, and be prepared to fight or flee. Hence, its urgent message is, “On Guard!”

PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE:

Are You Safe on Social Media?

Putting the Emphasis on Safety

“Staying safe in uncertain times and unexpected situations requires planning, preparation, and practice,” writes Lori Namazi. She adds, “We owe it to ourselves to reduce our risk in our personal lives and in our businesses.”

COVER STORY:

Scams by Phone, Text, and Email—On My!

Sabrina Blair and Sherri Butterfield team up to tell you how to recognize and avoid some of the alltoo-common scams—and what to do if you become the victim of one.

SEPTEMBER | OCTOBER 2021

Michelle McCann reminds you that threats may be lurking in those seemingly innocuous posts and tweets and offers some practical do’s and don’ts to help you avoid them.

Defense in Depth: Become a Hard Target

Jeff Liberman tells you how to reduce your risk of becoming a victim by creating layers of personal and professional protection.

Protecting Your Mental Well-Being: Tips for Maintaining Balance in Your Life

Sabrina Blair cautions you not to neglect yourself in your zeal to serve your clients, recommends some steps you can take to find or restore balance, and tells you what to do in a mental-health emergency.

OC REALTOR®

FEATURES:

Seven Tips You Can Implement Now!

REALTOR® and Speaker Leigh Brown offers some practical ideas to help you work better, live better, and be happier.

Redistricting: Drawing the Lines that Define California’s Electoral Boundaries Commissioner Linda Akutagawa explains the criteria used in the statewide redistricting process and how you can offer ideas and suggest maps.

ON THE COVER

The Orange County Housing Update: No Crash Coming

Steven Thomas uses supply-and-demand examples to explain why, despite dire predictions, the housing market is not about to crash.

As a reminder that September is REALTOR® Safety Month, featured on the cover is an original design by Ivan Salmeron titled “On Guard!” which depicts the fearsome foursome of the fictional REALTOR® Safety League.

Orange County REALTORS® Congratulates the Eighteen Graduates of Its Fourth Leadership Academy After delays and cancellations caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, August 2, 2021, was their long-awaited graduation day.

DEPARTMENTS:

Names in the News

Education Central: Upcoming Classes by Track

Online Magazine

ORANGE COUNTY

REALTOR®

Love OC REALTOR®? Did you know that you can read it online, anytime? Read past issues at www.ocrealtors.org/magazine.

MAGAZINE

25552 La Paz Road Laguna Hills, CA 92653

10540 Talbert Avenue, Ste. 225 West Fountain Valley, CA 92708

949-586-6800

714-375-9313

2021 OFFICERS

2021 BOARD OF DIRECTORS Ed Molina Charleen Nagata-Newhouse Pamela Pedego Joe Pierce Vinil Ramchandran Lacy Robertson Lisa Schulz Jessica Siguenza Lynne Suzanski Scott White

MAGAZINE STAFF Sabrina Blair

Breanna Reed

Sherri Butterfield

Ivan Salmeron

Director of Communications sabrina@ocrealtors.org Communications Specialist sherri@ocrealtors.org

Accounting Administrator breanna@ocrealtors.org Print & Marketing Specialist ivan@ocrealtors.org

SEPTEMBER | OCTOBER 2021

Mission Statement The mission of Orange County REALTORS® is to promote the REALTOR® Code of Ethics; to provide education, services, and resources to our members; and to advocate the protection of real property rights.

Notice to All Members

Lori Namazi President Adam Rodell President-Elect Joyce Endo Treasurer Danielle Corliss Immediate Past President Dave Stefanides Chief Executive Officer

Mary Jane Cambria Matt Cortez Sandra Deering Dorinda Francois Michele Harrington Julie Hile Jeff Jackson Joyce Leonard Liz Lewis Yami Martinez Chip McAllister

It is the long-established policy of this Association, California Association of REALTORS®, and the National Association of REALTORS® to adhere to both the letter and spirit of the federal and state antitrust laws. For their own protection, members should be aware of the antitrust laws as they affect their specific business activities. Any illegal activity under the state and federal antitrust laws is not in compliance with Association policy, nor is it in the interests of the Association or its members. Participation in Association activities must occur only in harmony with these very important laws. Federal law prohibits discrimination based on race, color, sex, religion, or national origin in connection with the sale or rental of residential real estate, in advertising the sale or rental of housing, in the financing of housing, and in the provision of real estate brokerage services. The OC REALTOR® editor reserves the right to review and edit all submissions. Orange County REALTORS® makes no warranties and assumes no responsibility for the accuracy of the information contained herein. The opinions expressed in articles are not necessarily the opinions of Orange County REALTORS®. Orange County REALTORS® does not necessarily endorse the companies, products, or services advertised in this magazine unless specifically stated. OC REALTOR® (USPS 025-445, ISSN 1945-2179) Volume 12, Issue 5, is published by Orange County REALTORS®, 25552 La Paz Road, Laguna Hills, CA 92653. Periodicals postage paid at Laguna Beach, CA, and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Orange County REALTORS®, 25552 La Paz Road, Laguna Hills, CA 92653-5127. Annual membership dues include $3.13 for a one-year (6 issues) subscription to OC REALTOR® magazine. OC REALTOR® cannot be responsible for unsolicited materials. Publisher: Orange County REALTORS® Printer: The Monaco Group

OC REALTOR®

PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE

Staying safe in uncertain times and unexpected situations requires planning, preparation, and practice. By Lori Namazi

2021 PRESIDENT, ORANGE COUNTY REALTORS®

s summer comes to an end and we continue to venture out into the world much like we did in years past, it’s a perfect time to be reminded of the many ways we can enjoy ourselves while proactively being prepared in the unlikely event that something unthinkable happens. Because September is REALTOR® Safety Month, Orange County REALTORS® is presenting a series of classes about personal safety, and several of the articles in this issue of our magazine are about how to protect your mental health, how to stay safe on social media, and how to avoid the danger that may be lurking in an innocent-sounding robocall. Safety is the state of being protected from potential harm. Because Risk Management is my favorite topic to talk about, this issue is sure to be at my fingertips all year long! 8

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OC REALTOR®

None of us wants to factor in a safety strategy as we go about our daily lives; but sadly, it has become essential. The number of stories in the news where people are endangered continues to grow. Even though we hear these stories, we often do not take the situation to heart until it happens to us or to someone close to us. Some of you may have heard me share the story of my daughter’s having been outside Knott’s Berry Farm in July when there was a drive-by shooting. Waking up the following morning to a phone call from her in tears, broken, from the hour-long trauma she endured trying to get to safety nearly crushed me. Thankfully, she got home safe and unharmed. To say she wasn’t affected emotionally would be untrue. Even I was affected from hearing about it; and I realized that, in an instant, I could have lost her.

Photo by: www.istockphoto.com/RossHelen

PUT TING THE

PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE

“We owe it to ourselves

If nothing else, I have a deeper understanding of the human instinct of fight or flight; and in instances of this kind, it is flight. Never again will I question why people react the way they do in an unthinkable situation. Every move my daughter described was perfectly logical in the moment while the situation was unfolding and there were so many unknowns. My daughter’s experience also made me keenly aware that I need to do more to protect myself in all aspects of my business and my personal life. All the things I have put off doing—creating emergency kits for home and car, signing up for a Virtual Private Network (VPN) and for encryption software, and so many other to-dos—are now completed. There are many other things that I still need to do, and I’m making them a priority so that I know I am ready should anything happen. I encourage you to do the same!

Photo by: www.istockphoto.com/PeopleImages

to reduce our risk in our personal lives and in our businesses.”

We owe it to ourselves to reduce our risk in our personal lives and in our businesses. It’s not a fun conversation to have, but it is one that we must have, and the tips and tools found in this issue are a good place to begin. I hope you will share them with your family members, friends, and clients. On a separate note, I invite you to become more involved at Orange County REALTORS® by joining one of our committees. Committee applications are due on October 31, 2021. If you would like to learn more about our committees, what their responsibilities are, how often they meet, and how to become an active member of one, please visit www.ocrealtors.org/committees for additional information. Meanwhile, stay safe and be well.

OC REALTOR®

SEPTEMBER | OCTOBER 2021

REAL ESTATE PRACTICE

NAMES IN THE NEWS

Photos by Marion Butterfield

Names in the News Congratulations to Our New Officers! As the result of an election held during the Orange County REALTORS® Board of Directors meeting on July 7, Scott White will serve as President-Elect in 2022 and as President in 2023, and Joyce Endo will serve as Treasurer in 2022. Scott obtained his real estate license in 2005 and joined Orange County REALTORS® in May of that same year. Scott, who says that his passion is giving back to others through training and advocacy, has chaired the OC REALTORS® Education Committee, served as a trustee for the Political Affairs and Elections Committee, and been a mentor to more than twentyfive REALTORS® and OC REALTORS® volunteer leaders. In May 2019, Scott successfully sought reelection to the OC REALTORS® Board of Directors because, as he explains, “being a board member allows me to have a say in the direction of our industry.” Joyce, who is currently serving as Orange County REALTORS® Treasurer, also obtained her real estate license in 2005 and joined OC REALTORS® in that same year. She has served on several OC REALTORS® committees, including Local Government Relations North, Finance, and Political Affairs and Elections. She is a member of the Orange County Chapter of the Asian Real Estate Association of America (AREAA) and was president of the Women’s Council of REALTORS® Coastal-West Orange County Network in 2017. This spring, the California Association of REALTORS® (C.A.R.) honored Joyce during Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month in May. 12

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OC REALTOR®

OCBC President Lucy Dunn Plans to Retire at the End of 2021 Lucy Dunn recently announced that, after serving as president and chief executive officer of the Orange County Business Council (OCBC) for fifteen years, she will retire at the end of this year. Lucy earned a law degree from Western State University College of Law. While serving as assistant general counsel for Signal Landmark, she helped settle ten-year litigation that protected the Bolsa Chica wetlands. Later, she became the first woman president of the Building Industry Association of Southern California and served as the governor-appointed director of the California Department of Housing and Community Development. Described by some as a strong voice for data-driven and fact-based policymaking, Lucy believes that, to lure employers, Orange County must have good schools to educate future workers, reliable public transportation, a strong arts program, and ample affordable housing. It is no surprise, then, that under Dunn’s leadership, the OCBC initiated its Workforce Housing Scorecard. Lucy says that the single most important issue facing Orange County right now is rebuilding trust among people.

Huntington Beach City Council Fills Seat Vacated by Ortiz On June 1, Tito Ortiz resigned from the Huntington Beach City Council after only six months on the job. Hoping to avoid the million-dollar expense of holding a special election to fill the vacancy, the City Council invited applications—and received more than one hundred of them. At a special meeting on Monday, July 26, the Council chose civil rights attorney Rhonda Bolton to fill the post. She is the first Black woman to hold such a position in that city’s 112-year history.

Photo by Marion Butterfield

NAMES IN THE NEWS

Cox Communications Changes Its Personnel Lineup Cox Communications has promoted Director of Government Affairs Kristen Camuglia to the position of Director of Regulatory Affairs for California, where the primary focus of her efforts will be telecommunications policy. To fill the void created by Kristen’s departure, Cox has hired Dave Simpson, who has worked in transportation policy in Orange County for thirty years. Most recently, Dave served as Director of Government Affairs for the Transportation Corridor Agencies (TCA). Before that, he spent twenty-three years in a similar role with the Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA). Dave can be reached by email at Dave.simpson2@cox.com or by phone at 949-979-3628.

Orange County Ranks Among Healthiest Counties in the Nation Twenty California counties are among the five hundred healthiest in the nation, according to the recent ranking made by U.S. News & World Report in partnership with the Aetna Foundation. Factors considered included access to care, health outcomes, equity, employment, food availability, environment, public safety, and transportation in the community. Among the California counties named were Orange, Ventura, San Diego, San Francisco, Solano, and Santa Cruz. The top five counties in the nation were Los Alamos County, New Mexico; Douglas County, Colorado; Falls Church city, Virginia; Loudoun County, Virginia; and Broomfield County, Colorado.

Seth Teigen Joins SOCEC Board Providence Mission Hospital CEO Seth Teigen recently joined the South Orange County Economic Coalition (SOCEC) Board of Directors. SOCEC is a business coalition in South Orange County that works to promote a healthy business climate in the region.

Republican Party Names Assemblyman Phillip Chen Its 2020 Legislator of the Year The Republican Party of Orange County has named Assemblyman Phillip Chen (R–55th District) its 2020 Legislator of the Year. The Party points out that, since being elected to the Assembly in 2016, Chen has been a strong conservative voice in Sacramento, fighting against tax increases and for a more responsible and responsive government. During the past year, Assemblyman Chen authored twenty-five bills to address some of California’s most pressing issues, including a bill to make it easier for state agencies to share information about persons who have committed fraud in unemployment insurance claims. In addition to Chen, the Party named Orange County Sheriff Don Barnes as County Elected Official of the Year and Tustin Mayor Pro Tem Austin Lumbard as City Council Member of the Year.

OC REALTOR®

SEPTEMBER | OCTOBER 2021

NAMES IN THE NEWS UCI Professor Wins Prize for Work Leading to Virus Vaccines Philip Felgner, director of UCI’s Vaccine Research and Development Center and Protein Microarray Laboratory and Training Facility, has been named a recipient of Spain’s Princess of Asturias Award in recognition of his research contributions to the development of virus vaccines. The Asturias Prizes are awarded in eight categories each year, including the arts, social science, literature, and sports, as well as science, and include a $60,000 prize and a grand reception in Oviedo, Spain, in October, where the whole town comes out to celebrate. Professor Felgner’s research with DNA over a period of thirtyfive years helped make possible Pfizer’s rapid development of a COVID-19 vaccine. Among the guests attending a fundraiser at the Pacific Club on June 23 for Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer (center) were Building Industry Association CEO Jeff Montejano and OC REALTORS® Director Ed Molina.

Thirty-Four Orange County Cities Sue State Over Housing Obligation The thirty-four city members of the Orange County Council of Governments (OCCOG) have sued the state Department of Housing and Community Development over its projected homebuilding requirements for the next decade, arguing that the state agency has grossly overestimated the number of new residences Southern California must plan for by 2030. The state agency determined that Southern California will need 1,341,827 new homes in the coming decade. The lawsuit filed in June says that the correct number should be about 651,000, or less than half the number that the state is requiring. The cities cite studies by Freddie Mac and the Embarcadero Institute as sources for their much lower estimate. Under the state’s Regional Housing Needs Assessment (RHNA) program, cities and counties are required to amend their General Plans every five to eight years to include zoning for the projected housing need at all income levels. Failure to plan adequately for the required number of homes can result in the loss of state grants for parks, homeless services, and a wide variety of other programs.

Names in the News is intended to be primarily a place where REALTOR® and Affiliate members of Orange County REALTORS® can share both personal and professional news—about births (of children or grandchildren), graduations, weddings, anniversaries, accomplishments, awards, and other milestones—with one another. If you have news to share, email it to Orange County REALTORS® Writer and Editor Sherri Butterfield at Sherri@ocrealtors.org. 14

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OC REALTOR®

NAMES IN THE NEWS

NAR Honors Orange County REALTORS® with Its CAP Digital Investor Pin The National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) recently honored OC REALTORS® with its Corporate Ally Program (CAP) Digital Investor Pin in recognition of the Association’s “generous investment in the Corporate Ally Program’s 2021 fundraising campaign” and informed OC REALTORS® that it is entitled to use the CAP digital pin in its email signature block and on its corporate website to show clients, customers and colleagues that Orange County REALTORS® “generously invested in a campaign that advances the REALTOR® Party mission to protect and preserve a robust and dynamic real estate industry.”

UC Regents Vote to Increase Tuition and Fees The University of California Board of Regents has voted to increase undergraduate tuition and fees to just over $13,000 a year for in-state students, with additional campus-based fees on top of that. UC President Michael Drake says that the increase—the first since 2017—is necessary to provide cost predictability. The UC system has ten campuses with 292,000 undergraduate and graduate students, up from 171,000 students two decades ago. But declining, unstable state funding has resulted in a backlog of deferred maintenance, classrooms and technology that need upgrading, and larger class sizes.

Assemblyman Steven Choi Honored with Civil Justice Gavel The Civil Justice Association of California (CJAC) has chosen Assemblyman Steven Choi (R–68th District) to receive the 2021 Civil Justice Gavel. Each year, the CJAC presents this gavel to one Republican and one Democratic legislator who display extraordinary leadership in promoting a fair and balanced civil justice system in California. When considering potential award recipients, the CJAC evaluates legislators’ votes on bills that impact California’s legal climate, promoting a balanced civil justice system in California communities. Assemblyman Choi’s voting record received a score of 100 percent on the SJAC’s 2020 Balance Scorecard. Assemblyman Choi (center) is pictured here at a fundraiser hosted for him by former Congresswoman Mimi Walters on July 8 at the Pacific Club with (from left to right) Anaheim Councilman Trevor O’Neil, Jim Thor, Lisa Yi, Laurie Johnson, and Orange County Sheriff Don Barnes. OC REALTOR®

SEPTEMBER | OCTOBER 2021

NAMES IN THE NEWS Mayor Harry Sidhu Declares that Anaheim Is Back Anaheim, Orange County’s largest city, paid a high price during the pandemic. It lost millions of dollars in revenue it might otherwise have received from Disneyland, the Anaheim Convention Center, Angel Stadium, and Honda Center, and from the hotels, restaurants, and shops that cater to its many visitors. About 30,000 of its residents lost their jobs, and 900 died of COVID-19. During an in-person State of the City address at the City National Grove of Anaheim in July, Anaheim Mayor Harry Sidhu declared optimistically that Anaheim, which has had to borrow millions to balance its budget, is now poised for a major economic comeback driven by new development around Angel Stadium and the Honda Center and at the Disneyland Resort. Painting a picture of Anaheim’s brightening future, Sidhu said, “Our mission in the months and years ahead is to define the next chapter of our history. To ensure that every Anaheim resident knows that they are living in the best of times.”

Laguna Beach Bans Single-Use Plastics at Beaches, in Parks, and on Trails In an ordinance that is the first of its kind in Orange County, Laguna Beach has banned single-use plastic containers and straws at beaches, in parks, and on trails. The ban is designed to reduce the negative impact that more than six million annual visitors can have on that seaside town and includes plastic takeout bags and utensil sleeves. In 2007, Laguna Beach became Orange County’s first city to ban Styrofoam or polystyrene containers.

Mission Viejo Will Implement District Voting in 2022 In 2018, the nonprofit Southwest Voter Registration Education Project sued Mission Viejo, claiming that the city’s system of at-large voting diluted Latino votes and calling for the city to implement a district system. In response, the City Council suggested cumulative voting. Although this latter system was approved by the Orange County Superior Court in 2018, the California Secretary of State said that the city would need to seek legislative approval. Rather than take the time required to gain that approval, the City Council decided to implement district voting and has begun the process of laying out voting districts. 16

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OC REALTOR®

September 14 Is Election Day Tuesday, September 14, is Election Day. On that day, voters will decide whether to recall California Governor Gavin Newsom or retain him in office until his term ends in 2023. The Orange County Registrar of Voters has mailed ballots to all registered voters. You can cast your vote in person at an official vote center, place your marked ballot in an official ballot collection box, drop it in a U.S. Postal Service letter collection box, or mail it at a U.S. Post Office. If your ballot is mailed, it must be postmarked by September 14 and received by the Orange County Registrar of Voters no later than September 21. You can find a list of vote centers and drop-off spots in your Voter Information Guide booklet and on the website of the Orange County Registrar of Voters at www.ocvote.com. The recall ballot includes two questions. The first question is: “Shall Gavin Newsom be recalled (removed) from the office of Governor?” If more than 50 percent vote no, Newsom remains in office. If more than 50 percent vote yes, Newsom is removed from office. The second question is: “If Newsom is ousted, who should replace him?” Forty-six candidates are running to replace Gavin Newsom. Because there are so many candidates, Newsom’s replacement could be elected with a mere fraction of the total votes cast. Once you have voted, you can track your ballot using an online tool called Where’s My Ballot? To learn more about this tool or to sign up for this tracking service, visit WheresMyBallot.sos.ca.gov. If the recall passes, the candidate who receives the most votes will become governor. He or she will take over on the thirty-eighth day after the election (which will be in late October) and will serve the remainder of the term, which ends on January 2, 2023. The recall of a California governor, which has been tried fifty-five times since 1913, has succeeded only once. That was in 2003, when Governor Gray Davis was recalled, and Arnold Schwarzenegger was chosen to replace him.

NAMES IN THE NEWS

REAL ESTATE PRACTICE

Leave no doubt about who you are. Define yourself as a REALTOR®, answer your phone, use video to your advantage, connect with people, and organize—and prioritize—your contact list!

By Leigh Brown REALTOR® & Speaker If you couldn’t attend my class—or maybe you want a refresher—let's dig right in with a recap of tips you can apply right now in your real estate practice so that you can work better, live better, and be happier.

SEPTEMBER | OCTOBER 2021

OC REALTOR®

REAL ESTATE PRACTICE

1. Define yourself as a REALTOR®. You're at the best moment ever for revamping the marketing for your real estate business because you should now be closer to your clients than you've ever been. So, what makes a REALTOR® successful? It is not knowledge. It’s not competence. The things that make you a successful REALTOR® are that you’re likable and that you’re able to connect with people. You’re there because of the client, and you’ve got to be able to articulate that.

2. Get consistent. Think about your strategy. The public needs to know how you operate. When they do, it will change your business forever. Operate your business in a consistent manner. Use intake sheets in different colors to help you separate buyers from sellers when you have a stack of papers on your desk. Write down the client’s details. Stay organized.

3.Talk to people. Talk to people on the phone. I do not know why REALTORS® like to text. The phone’s ringing. Do not ponder whether to decline or accept. Chances are, when you can call back, they’ve already contacted eight other REALTORS® until they got one. So answer your phone. And here's how you answer it: A greeting, first name, last name, company, affiliation, period.

4. Move Beyond the first contact. When you call—spoiler alert!—if they don't want to talk to you, they’ll hit decline and send you to voicemail. And then you say your greeting in the voicemail, with the message, “Hey, if you need anything, call me back. If you don’t, I’ll talk to you soon.” That takes all the pressure off.

5. You knew this was coming— video! You’ve got to do video. The pandemic has been a gift to many REALTORS® because they were allergic to video before. But now because of Zoom, you’ve had to get comfortable with it. Video is a great way to let people hear your voice, see your eyes, and know that you’re a human and not a bot.

6. Implement missionary style. I coined the phrase “missionary-style real estate” a long time ago. That’s belly to belly, nose to nose, toes to toes. You’ve got to think about how to take your social media life and expand it to be connected to people. Sometimes as REALTORS®, we dial into things that we may or may not like because we think we’re supposed to. Well, whatever you like, make that your number one place to spend money and time because then it will be good for your soul, too.

7. Know who’s who. Learn how to use those quiet moments in business to clean things up. Clean up your database. Make categories of contacts. My contacts bracketed in diamonds are people who actively send me business. This is how specific it is: In the past twelve months, have they sent me someone? Whether they bought or sold is irrelevant. Be sure to think about that. Often, we only honor the people who send us closed business. Think about the people who give you an at-bat because they're actively advocating for you in the community. Some of you call them VIPs or top 50s, but my biggest tip is to go through and prune it. If you would like to see my full presentation of these seven tips, you can watch our previous webinar at www.ocrealtors.org/tips. Be sure to register for the two classes that are coming this fall. Both are packed with professional insights you can put to immediate use in your own career! Tuesday, October 12, 12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m.

Top Scripts/Dialogues/Ideas for Buyers and Sellers in the Great Unknown www.ocrealtors.org/top-scripts Monday, November 1, 9:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.

7 Deadly Sins of Sales www.ocrealtors.org/7-sins Leigh Brown is one of the top-selling REALTORS® in the Charlotte, North Carolina, real estate market. She is also a wife, a mother, a runner, a singer, and a pianist, who enjoys cooking, gardening, and needlepoint. With the 2020 launch of One Community Real Estate®, she continued her mission to support and develop REALTORS® who are both leaders and advocates in their own communities. OC REALTOR®

SEPTEMBER | OCTOBER 2021

POLITICS

Redistricting:

Drawing the Lines that Define California’s Electoral Boundaries Reapportionment is the federal process of reallocating seats in the House of Representatives based on the decennial census. Redistricting is the state process of drawing new boundaries that determine how and where people within those states vote and are represented. Photo by Marion Butterfield

By Sherri Butterfield By law, everyone must go through redistricting every ten years. Before 2010, California state legislators drew the lines in the Golden State, which enabled them to choose their constituents, rather than the other way around, and made it very tempting to gerrymander district boundaries in ways that favored political parties or individual candidates.

Commissioner Linda Akutagawa

ortions of this article are based on, or have been excerpted from, a presentation titled “We Draw the Lines—CA: Redistricting Update,” which was given by Linda Akutagawa, a Huntington Beach resident and member of the California Citizens Redistricting Commission, during a virtual meeting hosted on May 19 by the Orange County REALTORS® Political Affairs and Elections Committee, for which Tony Faulkner serves as chair and Michele Harrington serves as vice chair.

The Process Because people are born, die, and move from one place to another and because communities grow and shrink, local populations must be counted, and voting district boundaries must be redrawn from time to time to ensure equal representation. Every ten years, the U.S. population is counted in a national census, and the data from this census are used to draw new maps to account for population shifts between districts and across states lines. Reapportionment is the federal process of reallocating seats in the House of Representatives to ensure that House seats are held by states in proportion to the size of their current populations. Redistricting is the state process of drawing new boundaries to determine how and where people vote and are represented. 20

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OC REALTOR®

Proposition 11, passed by voters in 2008 and called the Voters FIRST Act, assigned the power to draw electoral boundaries for state Assembly and Senate districts to a Citizens Redistricting Commission. Two years later, Proposition 20 added congressional redistricting to the Commission’s responsibilities. Thus, the redistricting of California’s congressional, state Senate and Assembly, and Board of Equalization districts has become the responsibility of a voter-approved California Citizens Redistricting Commission. The 2020 Redistricting Commission consists of fourteen members. They were chosen in a lengthy process which began with more than 20,000 applicants. Of these, 2,000 applicants were asked to submit supplemental applications, 120 were interviewed, and a slate of 60 was chosen and sent to the state Legislature for final selection and approval. California is the most populous state in the nation and, until this year, was entitled to fill 53 of the 435 seats in the House of Representatives; however, because California’s relative standing has declined over the past decade, that number has been reduced by one seat, to 52. Thus, The Commission’s assignment is to divide the state into 52 congressional voting districts and to draw the lines for 40 state Senate districts and 80 state Assembly districts.

POLITICS

The Six Weighted Criteria In drawing the boundaries for these districts, the Commission must consider the following six criteria in this order: 1. Equal Population. Districts must be roughly equal in population with no more than 10 percent difference between the largest and smallest to comply with the U.S. Constitution. 2. The Voting Rights Act. Districts must comply with the Voting Rights Act to ensure that minorities have an equal opportunity to elect representatives of their choice. 3. Contiguity. Districts must be drawn so that all parts of a district are connected to one another, and there are no peninsulas or islands. 4. Communities of Interest. Districts must minimize the division of cities, counties, and local neighborhoods to the extent possible. The Commission should avoid splitting up communities of interest—that is, concentrated populations in which members show common social and economic interests. For example, during testimony before the Commission earlier this year, a resident of Westminster asked that Little Saigon be kept within a single district, and representatives of several beach cities asked the Commission to put all the coastal communities into a single congressional district rather than splitting them between districts, arguing that doing so will give them a stronger and more persuasive voice regarding their shared concerns about beach erosion, flood control, and the negative impacts of tourism. 5. Geographically Compact. Districts should be geographically compact such that nearby areas of population are not bypassed for more distant populations. This requirement refers to density, not shape. 6. Nesting Districts. Where practical, each state Senate district should be composed of two complete and adjacent Assembly districts, and each Board of Equalization district should be composed of ten complete and adjacent state Senate districts. In addition, districts may not be drawn for the purpose of favoring or discriminating against an incumbent, political candidate, or political party. Because political considerations are not supposed to be a part of the redistricting process, how many residents in the district are registered as Democrat or Republican does not matter, and boundary changes could mean that some sitting elected officials are drawn out of an area they currently represent.

The Deadlines Deadlines for completion of the redrawing process vary somewhat, depending on who is doing the drawing and what is being drawn. Although congressional redistricting has a much higher profile, local government agencies— including 58 counties, 482 cities, 1,037 school districts, community college districts, and water disricts—are also drawing new boundaries that will serve them until the 2030 census. On July 17, 2020, the California Supreme Court ruled in Legislature of California vs. Alex Padilla (S262530) that the Commission should have until December 15, 2021, to submit its maps to the California Secretary of State because of the delay in the release of census results. Most cities and school districts do not have seats on the ballot until November 2022, so they have a bit longer to redraw their district lines. In the meantime, people who want to be a part of the redistricting process still have opportiunities to be heard. Meetings are scheduled in Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, and San Bernardino Counties. Also, people can offer suggestions via email by using an online tool—DrawMyCACommunity.org— which lets them sketch out their ideal political districts and explain why the state should follow their suggestions.

For More Information For questions about the redistricting process or to provide public input, write to the California Citizens Redistricting Commission 721 Capitol Mall, Suite 260 Sacramento, California 95814 call 916-323-0323, or send an email to VotersFirst Act@crc.ca.gov.

For information about the Commission, visit the website at www.WeDrawTheLinesCA.org.

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SEPTEMBER | OCTOBER 2021

REALTOR® SAFETY

SEPTEMBER | OCTOBER 2021

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REALTOR® SAFETY

Scams by Phone, Text, and Email—Oh My! As scammers diversify their attacks and refine their methods, you need to increase your awareness and improve your defense to avoid the aggravation and expense of becoming one of their victims. By Sabrina Blair and Sherri Butterfield

“ . . . during 2018, more than

35,000 people reported having been victims of a Social Security scam and said that they had lost $10 million.”

Scam Likely

Scams by Phone A scam is a dishonest scheme to take money or to obtain sensitive information that can be sold or used to gain access to money. Scammers often work by telephone because doing so makes it easy for them to change locations and makes it difficult for law enforcement to find and prosecute them. Using an attractive offer or an alarming threat, they try to trick you into giving them your bank account number (supposedly, for a deposit or authorized payment), your social security number (to verify your identity), your insurance or Medicare number (to verify your eligibility), or the number of a gift card bought to pay for a new purchase or to pay off an existing debt.

Many of these messages are delivered by robocall. For example, in one current scam script, a male caller announces in a threatening voice, “This call is to inform you that we have got an order to suspend your social security number immediately, within twenty-four hours, because we have found suspicious and fraudulent activities on it. To get more information about this case file, please call immediately on our department number 636-264-8119. I repeat: 636264-8119.” In another current scam script, from which the first few words are mysteriously missing, the female caller continues, “ . . . try to steal your social security and personal information. If it is not fixed right away, then your computer will become obsolete, and all of your credential information may drop compromised. If you are the one who is using Microsoft Windows in your computer, then please press 1 now to speak to security team now.” After a brief pause, the caller adds in a somewhat apologetic and more conciliatory tone, “Please ignore if we called you by mistake. Thanks.” OC REALTOR®

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REALTOR® SAFETY Yet a third current scam script takes the form of an attractive offer. A female voice announces enthusiastically, “Congratulations! You are our second-place lucky pick for this month’s super prize giveaway of $6.5 million and a brand-new 2021 Mercedes Benz in the color of your choice, plus $7,000 monthly for life. Congratulations for being one of our newest winners! And always remember, at Publishers’ Clearing House, the winnings is always free. We are looking forward to hearing from you. Have a wonderful day. Please press 1 to speak with an agent.” Other types of scams include requests that you donate to a specific charity or a disaster relief effort, extend the warranty on your car or home appliances, participate in a free product trial, apply for a low-cost loan, pay taxes to claim your considerable lottery winnings, or use a gift card to pay a utility bill before service is suspended. The point is that while none of these messages is genuine, your losses could be if you follow the instructions. In each of these instances, your safest course of action is to ignore the call. Do not pick up the receiver, do not press any buttons, and do not call the recommended telephone number. If you have not already done so, buy a phone on which the screen reveals the number from which a call is coming, the identity of the caller, or both, and sign up through your telephone service carrier for caller ID. Then, if you do not recognize the caller’s name or the telephone number as one from which you were expecting a call, let the message roll over to voicemail, where you can listen to it later and respond to it at your leisure—or erase it if you wish. But don’t trust your caller ID completely. In a practice called spoofing, scammers can make almost any name or number show up on your caller ID. Even if the call appears to be from a local number or from a government agency like the Social Security Administration (SSA), it could be a scammer calling from anywhere in the world. If you are curious about the source of the call, you can make a note of the telephone number and then Google it later. Chances are that, when you do so, you’ll discover that you are not the only one being called.

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In a letter dated December 27, 2018, Jennifer Leach, director for the Consumer and Business Division of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), wrote that, during 2018, more than 35,000 people reported having been victims of a Social Security scam and said that they had lost $10 million. To reassure readers, she added, “Your Social Security number is not about to be suspended. You don’t have to verify your number to anyone who calls out of the blue. And your bank accounts are not about to be seized. SSA will never call to threaten your benefits or tell you to wire money, send cash, or put money on gift cards. Anyone who tells you to do those things is a scammer.” If the Social Security Administration has questions about your account, it will send a letter. If you are concerned about your account, you can go online to verify your status or make an appointment to visit a local SSA office in person. If someone from a department store calls to say that they have noticed suspicious charges on your account and asks you for your account number, do not respond. Instead, politely thank the caller and hang up. Log into your account online to see if there have been any unexplained charges lately. Place a call to the customer service number shown on the back of your credit card to ask if there has been flurry of recent activity or if there are new charges that have not been posted to your account. And be honest with yourself: If you didn’t enter that contest or drawing, you probably are not the second-place lucky pick for this month’s super prize giveaway!

If you responded to the message and now regret it, what can you do?

1. If you gave your user name and password to

a scammer, change your password right away. If you use the same password for other accounts or sites, change it there, too.

2. If you gave a scammer your social security

number, visit IdentityTheft.gov to learn how to monitor your credit report to see if your number is being misused.

3. If someone calls and offers to “help” you

recover money that you have already lost, do not give out any personal information or agree to pay. Instead, thank the caller, state that you are not interested, and hang up.

4. Report the scam to the FTC. If you lost money or have information about the scammer who called you, report the call at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. If you did not lose money but simply want to report the call, you can use the streamlined reporting form at DoNotCall.gov.

REALTOR® SAFETY

Scams by Text

Scams by Email

Most scammers are trying to trick you into providing personal information, such as account numbers, passwords, or your social security number. Once they obtain that information, they can gain access to your email, bank, or other accounts— or sell your information to other criminals. The FTC lists the following approaches to scamming:

Similar to text message scams, email scams—which are commonly called phishing—are efforts to obtain your personal information. Some phishing emails can be easily identified, but scammers are becoming more sophisticated at creating fake emails. The FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center reported that people lost $57 million to phishing schemes in 2019. To avoid becoming a victim, review this list of common phishing scams reported by the FTC:

» A promise of free prizes, gift cards, or coupons » An offer of a low- or no-interest credit card » A promise to help you pay off your student loans » A “notice” of some suspicious activity on your account » A claim there’s a problem with your payment information » A fake invoice with a demand to contact them if you didn’t authorize the purchase

» A notice of some suspicious activity or log-in attempts on your account » A claim that there’s a problem with your account or your payment information

» A fake package delivery notification

» A request for you to confirm some personal

What can you do if you believe you have received a scam text message? Here are your options:

» A fake invoice and a link to enter payment

1. Tell the sender to stop. Most legitimate companies abide by California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) guidelines, which mandate that they must provide a way for individuals to opt out of receiving text messages. Generally, those instructions are provided within the message itself: “Reply STOP to opt out of receiving these messages.”

information » An offer that says you’re eligible to register for a government refund » An offer of a coupon for free stuff

2. Block the number. You can block the specific number from being able to call or text you again. To do so, on an iPhone, click on the sender’s number within the text message. Click on the info (i) icon then on the Details screen, click on the phone number, choose Block this Caller and Block Contact. On Androids, click on the three-dot icon in the upper right corner within the text message and click Block Number. 3. Report it. You can report the number to your cellular provider by forwarding the original text message to 7726 (SPAM), free of charge. You can use this method whether you have Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile, or Sprint.

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REALTOR® SAFETY

If you are unsure whether an email is legitimate or fake, here are some things to look for and what to do next.

1. Check the sender’s email address. An email may appear to be from “Chase” or “Amazon”; however, if you hover your mouse over the sender’s name, you will be able to see the sender’s actual email address. If it is not from “Chase.com” or “Amazon.com,” it is likely a fake, and you should delete it right away.

2. Who is the intended recipient? If an email is not addressed to you specifically, then it might be a scam. Look out for emails with a generic greeting such as “Hi Dear,” “Dear Customer,” or “Hello Mr./Mrs.” That’s a good sign the email is not directed to you personally but is intended for a broader audience and may be fraudulent.

3. Do you have an account? It may be easy to get

caught up in the urgency of a phishing email that claims you owe money or threatens that your account soon will be closed, but pause to consider the alleged source. Do you have an account with Paypal or Netflix? If not, that is an obvious red flag. If you do have an account, contact the company directly but not with the contact information provided in the email. Look on the company’s website for contact information or, if it is a bank or department store, call the customer service number shown on the back of your credit card.

5. Secure your accounts. Many online account

providers now offer two-factor authentication. Some businesses require that you set it up while others make it optional. Two-factor authentication means that if someone tries to access your account from another, unknown device, you will need to authenticate that login attempt via either a text message, email, or phone call confirmation. If someone else tries to access your account, he or she will need to put in a one-time security code that can be sent only to the telephone number or email address that you have on file.

6. Report it. The FTC recommends that you forward phishing emails to the Anti-Phishing Working Group at reportphishing@apwg.org. You can also report them on the FTC website at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.

Each year, phone, text, and email scams cost their unwitting victims many millions of dollars. To protect yourself, your friends, and your business, be aware of the approaches and methods scammers use; be cautious as you listen, read, and browse; be skeptical of both offers that seem too good to be true and threats that are frightening; and report any scamming attempts of which you become aware. In all encounters of this kind, make it your goal to escape unscathed and unscammed.

4. When in doubt, do not click on any links. The

link is usually the key to the scam. It can often lead to malware, download a virus to your computer, or take you to a fraudulent website where the scammer hopes that you will “log in” or provide your personal information. As you might with a sender’s email address, you can hover over a link to see what website it is actually directing to. If the link looks like gibberish or clearly is not directing to the alleged company’s website (e.g., Amazon.com), then do not click on it.

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“ The FBI’s Internet Crime

Complaint Center reported that people lost $57 million to phishing schemes in 2019.”

Are You Safe on

REALTOR® SAFETY

Social media use has become commonplace; but are threats hiding in those posts and tweets? Does familiarity breed carelessness when it comes to deciding what questions to answer and what details to post and share?

ver the past decade, social media use has become an integral part of our everyday lives and a global means of communication. We use Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, Tik Tok, and other platforms for social interaction, to connect with clients and colleagues, to stay up to date with current events, to spread information, and as decision-making tools.

When we think of phishing and malicious software scams, we initially think about email. However, social media is one of the most common ways criminals attempt to gain access to your sensitive personal information. It can be easy to fall prey to these criminal efforts because social media is all about interacting with people, and we sometimes let down our guard.

In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic pushed most, if not all, businesses, entrepreneurs, and individuals of all ages to transition to social media as a form of communication, ready or not! This accelerated socialmedia evolution left some of us vulnerable to security threats that we may not have thought about.

Hackers do send phishing scam emails that appear to come from social media platforms, such as Facebook, that include an alarming message about your password or with a link that you must click on to retain your account. But phishing scammers can also use social media platforms themselves to perform criminal acts against you by asking you to befriend a fake account that will steal your information, steal your money, gain access to your computer and data, and/or profit from you by some other nefarious means. Once your account has been hacked, cybercriminals can take over your account and deliver similar malware to all your friends and contacts.

Common cybercriminal tactics have become more advanced and increasingly permit hackers to gain access to confidential information. Phishing, malware, fraudulent communications that are presented as genuine, and lies pretending to be sensitive information are rampant on social media.

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Graphic by: www.istockphoto.com/z_wei

By Michelle McCann

REALTOR® SAFETY To avoid falling victim to common social media scams, follow the Do’s and Don’ts described below.

Do’s

Don’ts

Do check your privacy settings on all your social media accounts. Limit access to your posts to people you know, and do not allow apps to access your profile information.

Do use different passwords for each account. Set up two-factor authentication, which guarantees that only you can access your account even if your password is compromised.

Do think about what personal information you post about yourself and what information can be used to steal your identity.

Do be suspicious of accounts that add you if you do not share mutual friends or know them personally. Be especially wary of online people who seem to be trying to get close to you or who ask you for things like money.

Do research ads and posts that offer super low prices on popular brands or free trials. If the claim seems too good to be true, it probably is. Don’t click!

Don’t include personal information about yourself—such as your home address or planned vacation dates—in your public profile. Instead, share only information about yourself that you are comfortable sharing with the world.

Don’t include the type of personal information that you might have used elsewhere as the answer to a security question—for example, you mother’s maiden name, the name of your first pet, the name of the elementary school you attended, or the name of your kindergarten teacher.

Don’t accept friend requests from strangers.

Don’t download apps via links on social media.

Don’t take surveys or quizzes or answer personal questions that are posted on social media.

Don’t click on suspicious links, even from people you know. Do not click on links that promise gifts or special offers.

Don’t click on clickbait campaigns, which are juicy headlines or videos about trending news articles.

» »

Don’t log into your social media account or enter any passwords from an email or instant message request.

Don’t trust any direct message or instant message with hyperlinks that tells you to click on it, even if a friend sends it to you.

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Graphic by: www.istockphoto.com/lemono

Don’t log into your social media accounts or any account while using a public wi-fi network.

DEFENSE IN DEPTH:

REALTOR® SAFETY

Become a Hard Target According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, real estate has one of the highest rates of homicide of any professional occupation. Reduce your risk of becoming a victim by creating layers of personal and professional protection.

By Jeff Liberman

PRESIDENT, CRISIS CONTROL SOLUTIONS

lthough real estate is not thought of as a dangerous occupation, over the past few years, the real estate industry has suffered a series of violent crimes involving real estate professionals. Most recently, on August 7, 2021, home inspector Mike Alderson was tragically shot and killed while visiting a home in Huntington Beach as the result of a dispute among family members over the sale of the home. Another example involved Arkansas real estate agent Beverly Carter (a wife, mother, and grandmother), who was kidnapped and killed by Arron Lewis in 2014. He confessed that he had chosen her as his victim because she was a rich woman who worked alone. In March 2015, REALTOR® Lori Kennedy was sexually assaulted while hosting an open house in Gilbert, Arizona. The attack came during a lull in the open house. Kennedy was holding and petting the property owner’s small dog. The attacker, whom Kennedy describes as being about 5 feet 9 inches tall and weighing 300 pounds or more, came through the front entry and began petting the dog but was soon groping Kennedy. When she backed up, he came closer, eventually pinning her against a wall. Although Kennedy has had self-defense training and carries both mace and a knife during open houses, she says that she froze in the moment. Luckily, the man left, and she was not physically injured. And women are not the only victims. In March 2021, Stefano Barbosa, an agent in Fort Lauderdale, was held at gunpoint by a 15-year-old boy, forced to drive to an ATM and withdraw $1,000, and then shot in the chest before crashing his car into a tree.

These crimes illustrate that real estate is a high-risk profession. In fact, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, it has one of the highest rates of homicide of any professional occupation. You can take steps to reduce your risk of becoming a victim by creating layers of personal and professional protection. Maintain a hostile work environment for criminals. Rule one for remaining safe both in the profession of real estate and in your personal life is this: maintain a hostile work environment for criminals. The more barriers—both procedural and physical—that you can put between a potential attacker and you, the more likely you are to dissuade him from targeting you. This approach is known as defense in depth. Visualize your safety as a series of concentric circles, each one representing a layer of protection that a criminal must penetrate to get to you. The more protective layers that you and your office maintain through policy, culture, and practice, the more time you will have to detect and deter criminals and to disengage or defend yourself from them. OC REALTOR®

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REALTOR® SAFETY

“ The more barriers—both

procedural and physical— that you can put between a potential attacker and you, the more likely you are to dissuade him from targeting you”

Increase your situational awareness. Your outermost ring of protection is situational awareness. Think of this as your radar, always looking over the horizon for the approach of danger. As a REALTOR®, this is especially important because it’s your job to be out in the community. You must be constantly aware of the crime patterns in the areas that you serve. Maintaining situational awareness is simple and free. Subscribe to local law enforcement social media sites like Facebook, Twitter, and Nixle. In addition, sign up for breaking news alerts from local media resources. The simple act of receiving text and email alerts from these sources keeps you informed about crime trends and law enforcement activity in your community. The information in a breaking alert might provide you with exactly the warning you need to avoid danger during a showing or an open house. Gather protective intelligence. The next ring of security is gathering protective intelligence. Have a personal and office policy of vetting prospective clients before establishing a professional relationship with them. Demanding photo identification from prospective clients creates a barrier that dissuades many offenders from targeting REALTORS®. Criminals almost always prefer to maintain anonymity. Create a procedural barrier that keeps them from doing so. When you receive a copy of a prospective client’s identification, use one or more of the free online resources to check criminal, civil, and character issues that you should be aware of before you meet face to face. Wouldn’t you like to know that a prospective client is a registered sex offender before inviting him into your car and taking him out to see a property?

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Verify the identity of prospective clients by having them meet you in the office before conducting a showing. Have them fill out a new client information sheet and introduce them to a colleague. This process is likely to dissuade criminals because they have now established both a paper trail and witnesses. Establish office safety policies. These policies should include procedures for protecting the personal information of employees and clients, for preventing workplace violence, for responding to medical emergencies, and for supervising agents who are out in the field— especially during showings and open houses. You and your office should have a policy of providing backup for agents who want a colleague present when they feel uncomfortable with a client or situation. Have a regular training program. Your office must have a regular training program that educates all staff members about crime trends, workplace and personal safety, and lessons learned from the industry. If an agent is the victim of a crime, or has a “close call,” your office should conduct a team debriefing to discuss the incident and share the lessons learned to ensure that it does not happen again.

REALTOR® SAFETY Take responsibility for your personal safety. Your final ring of security is your personal safety. Sharpen your intuition by keeping informed about crimes, and acknowledge that your occupation carries with it inherent risks. Start thinking about the situations you encounter at work and in your personal life that place you at risk, and visualize your responses to them. Create “mental blueprints” now so that you will have an automatic reaction if you encounter a threatening scenario in the future. Keep yourself in good physical shape and take a real estate safety and self-defense class. If you carry a weapon, such as a stun gun or pepper spray, practice with it so that using it becomes second nature. Dress in a manner that will allow you to run or fight, if you must. By implementing the defense-in-depth approach in your personal and professional life, you are creating a hostile work environment for criminals and helping to create a culture of safety in the real estate industry.

Jeff Liberman is a 31-year law enforcement veteran, and retired Commander from the Long Beach Police Department. He has extensive experience in intelligence operations, counterterrorism, and investigations, and will be providing a virtual presentation about REALTOR® Safety on September 17 from 10:00 to 11:30 a.m. for Safety Week. You can register at www.ocrealtors.org/safety-week. Jeff’s email address is crisiscontrolsolutions@gmail.com.

“ Sharpen your intuition

by keeping informed about crimes, and acknowledge that your occupation carries with it inherent risks.

”

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REALTOR® SAFETY

PROTECTING YOUR MENTAL WELL-BEING:

Tips for Maintaining Balance in Your Life In your zeal to serve your clients, don’t neglect yourself. Sleep well, exercise regularly, maintain solid friendships, share your thoughts, express your concerns, and seek help when you need it.

By Sabrina Blair

DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS AND PROGRAMS

Exercise

Set Boundaries

It is important to make time for regular physical activity. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that adults do at least 150 minutes a week of moderate-intensity exercise, or 75 minutes a week of vigorous-intensity aerobic physical activity, as well as strength training two or more days a week. In addition, the CDC says that “regular physical activity can help keep your thinking, learning, and judgment skills sharp as you age. It can also reduce your risk of depression and anxiety and help you sleep better.”

Real estate can quickly become an 24/7 job if you let it—emphasis on “if you let it.” For this reason, it is important to set boundaries and make time for your personal life, friends, family, and even sleep! It may feel a little uncomfortable at first, but you should set a schedule for yourself as if you had a regular nineto-five job. Other people are not usually expected to work after they have left the office for the day or after they have clocked out. Although real estate functions differently, that does not mean that you must work nonstop. Decide that you will not do any work after 7:00 p.m. and stick to it. If clients call you, text you, or email you after 7:00 p.m., politely let them know that you will get back to them in the morning. Although your response may seem a bit dismissive at first, most people will understand that you need a life.

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REALTOR® SAFETY

Express Yourself It’s important to get things off your chest and not keep stress or frustration bottled up inside. There are different ways to express yourself, and you need to discover which one works for you. Keep a Journal. If you are not very good at communicating your feelings to others or simply prefer to keep some thoughts private, journaling may be a good option for you. Journaling need not consist of several paragraphs detailing every minute of your day, but it can if you want it to. More simply, it could be making a list of several things that happened during the day and how each one made you feel. Call a Friend. If you have a friend, family member, or co-worker to whom you can vent, you should. It does not have to be a therapy session. It can be a simple check-in and an opportunity for someone else to lend an ear and maybe even offer some advice. it How is .. going?.

Find Support Sometimes, it is best to find others who can really understand what you are going through, whether it be peers or a therapist. Support Groups. Orange County REALTORS® hosts a monthly meeting of the REALTOR® and Affiliate Wellness (RAW) Group that is open to all members. This group’s mission is to create a fellowship for REALTOR® and Affiliate members who are struggling with personal or work-related stress, anxiety, depression, alcoholism, or any form of addiction to come together and share their experience, strength, and hope by providing a safe meeting space. Currently, the meetings take place via Zoom. For more information, visit www.ocrealtors.org/raw. Therapy. Sometimes, therapy is considered a bad word, but it can be beneficial to have someone outside your sphere to talk to about what is going on in your life and receive actionable guidance while you work through it. REALTOR® members can access Members TeleHealthsm through the National Association of REALTORS® for only $7 a month. Through Members TeleHealthsm, you and your family can obtain professional medical advice, including mental health services, from the comfort of home. To learn more, visit www.realtorsinsuranceplace.com/telehealth-offer.

Additional Resources Additional specialized resources are readily available to provide help and advice via voice or text if you need it. OC WarmLine. The OC WarmLine is a free and confidential telephone service providing emotional support and resources to Orange County residents, available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. If you, a family member, or a loved one are experiencing mental health concerns, substance abuse, or loneliness or are in need of community resources, the OC WarmLine is for you! You can call or text the OC WarmLine at (714) 991-6412 or chat online at www.namioc.org/oc-warmline. National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is a free, confidential crisis service that is available to everyone 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The Lifeline connects people to the nearest crisis center in the Lifeline national network. These centers provide crisis counseling and mental health referrals. You can either call 1-800-273-TALK (8255) or visit www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org/chat. Crisis Text Line. The Crisis Text Line is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week throughout the United States. The Crisis Text Line serves people in any type of crisis, connecting them with counselors who can provide support and information. To reach the Crisis Text Line, text “HELLO” to 741741. Veterans Crisis Line. The Veterans Crisis Line is a free, confidential resource that connects veterans 24 hours a day, seven days a week with a trained responder. The service is available to all veterans, even if they are not registered with the Veterans Administration (VA) or enrolled in VA healthcare. Either call 1-800-273TALK (8255) and press 1, send a text to 838255, or visit www.veteranscrisisline.net/get-help/chat.

In an Emergency If you need immediate assistance or believe that someone is in danger, call 911 or go to the nearest hospital emergency room.

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ORANGE COUNTY HOUSING UPDATE

With recent reports of inflation and home prices soaring as they did before the Great Recession, many are predicting a correction in housing.

By Steven Thomas

REPORTSONHOUSING.COM

ome prices were surging from 2000 through 2006. Homeowners were sitting back in their recliners watching their home values skyrocket. It seemed like the housing market was unstoppable. Then it all came tumbling down with the beginning of the subprime meltdown in March 2007. Values dropped like a rock. Many lost their homes to foreclosure or short sale. Everyone remembers the scars of the Great Recession. Either they were directly affected, or it happened to someone they knew. Once again, housing is soaring with seemingly no end in sight. Buyers are tripping over each other, willing to pay tens of thousands of dollars above the asking price. When you throw in the news of rising inflation and the potential of higher mortgage rates, the madness must come to a screeching halt soon, right? Even though so many are anticipating and reporting that a housing crash is imminent, it simply is not going to occur—not now, not in the next six months, and not in the foreseeable future.

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The Great Recession was triggered by a housing market where buyers could purchase a home regardless of their true qualifications. Zero-downpayment loans, negative adjustablerate mortgages, cash-out refinancing, subprime lending, and fudged loan documents all contributed to the astonishing rise in values, which inflated the housing bubble that burst in 2007. The housing market crashed, and home values plunged. What occurred can be explained by looking at supply and demand. When supply rises and demand drops, the market time for housing climbs. When supply drops and demand rises, the market time falls. The writing was already on the wall a couple of years before the start of the Great Recession.

ORANGE COUNTY HOUSING UPDATE

Figure 1. In June 2006, the Expected Market Time surpassed 150 days, a Deep Buyer’s Market. It grew to 225 days by year’s end. In 2007, it surpassed 150 days in March, the start of the subprime meltdown, and by July, surpassed 290 days. By year’s end, it had reached 451 days. In contrast, the Expected Market Time in Orange County at the end of July was 26 days, an extremely Hot Seller’s Market.

Housing data illustrated market conditions that were lining up in favor of buyers. The inventory swelled while demand crumbled. As a result, the Expected Market Time (the time between hammering in the For Sale sign and opening escrow) rose to unbelievable heights. In June 2006, the Expected Market Time surpassed 150 days, a Deep Buyer’s Market. It grew to 225 days by year’s end. In 2007, it surpassed 150 days in March, the start of the subprime meltdown, and by July, surpassed 290 days. By year’s end, it had reached 451 days. Contrast that with today, and the landscape is entirely different. The inventory is at record-low levels, and demand, fueled by historically low rates below 3 percent, is off the charts. The Expected Market Time in Orange County at the end of July was at 26 days, an extremely crazy, nutty, Hot Seller’s Market (below 60 days), where home values are surging higher every month, sellers get to call the shots,

and most home sales are closing well above their asking prices. It will remain a Hot Seller’s Market for the remainder of the year based on the anemic inventory and today’s crazy demand (see Figure 1). The big difference is supply and demand. At the end of July, the Active Listing Inventory in Orange County was at 2,464 homes. Back in October 2006, there were more than 15,000 homes. In 2007, there were more than 17,500 homes, over seven times today’s supply (see Figure 2). End-of-July-2021 demand (the last 30 days of new escrows) was at 2,838. In 2006, it averaged 2,325 pending sales; and in 2007, it averaged 1,713. With an enormous supply and weak demand, the Expected Market Time reached very high levels before the Great Recession, a precursor to the massive slide in home values. OC REALTOR®

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ORANGE COUNTY HOUSING UPDATE

Figure 2. At the end of July, the Orange County active listing inventory was at 2,464 homes. Back in October 2006, there were more than 15,000 homes. In 2007, there were more than 17,500 homes, over seven times today’s supply.

Some naysayers are calling for a massive spike in mortgage rates because of inflation. June 2021’s core Consumer Price Index appeared to be soaring out of control with a 4.5 percent increase over June 2020. Yet, in taking a closer look at the numbers, the Federal Reserve is correct in its anticipation of “transitory,” or short-lived, inflation. The rise had more to do with a global chip shortage. Used cars jumped 10 percent as car rental companies clamored to restock their depleted inventories. Sporting event prices surged 10 percent, airline tickets climbed 10 percent, and hotel rooms were up by 9 percent. Previously, prices in these areas had been discounted because of the pandemic. All other goods were unchanged. As a result, mortgage rates have not moved and have remained below 3 percent since the start of July. Mortgage rates were forecast to rise to about 3.5 percent by year’s end because of an improving economy that is emerging from the pandemic; but a number of factors, including the COVID-19 delta variant and small improvements in unemployment, have kept a lid on any rise in rates. It now looks as if mortgage rates may rise only to about 3.25 percent by year’s end. Higher rates would not dismantle the housing market; instead, they would decelerate the market from an insanely Hot Seller’s Market to a regular Hot Seller’s Market with a market time above 40 days. 38

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OC REALTOR®

The Bottom Line: The housing market is not going to crash. The inventory is low, demand is high, market time is at all-time lows, mortgage rates are at record-low levels, buyers must qualify for mortgages, subprime and zero-down loans are not fueling housing, and homeowners have plenty of equity.

Steven Thomas has a degree in quantitative economics and decision sciences from the University of California, San Diego, and more than twenty years of experience in real estate. His bimonthly Orange County Housing Report is available by subscription and provides housing market analysis that is easy to understand and useful in setting the expectations of both buyers and sellers. His website is www.ReportsOnHousing.com.

LEADERSHIP TRAINING

Orange County REALTORS®

Congratulates

the Eighteen Graduates of Its Fourth Leadership Academy The training program that began in September 2019 was supposed to culminate with a trip to Sacramento on May 1, 2020, for C.A.R.’s Annual Legislative Day, but the COVID-19 pandemic forced cancellation of this activity and of the graduation ceremony originally planned for the following June.

By Sherri Butterfield August 2, 2021, was the long-awaited graduation day for the Orange County REALTORS® Fourth Leadership Academy. At a luncheon held on the back patio of the Arroyo Trabuco Golf Club in Mission Viejo, the eighteen cadets who had begun what was to be an intensive eight-month training program in September 2019 finally received certificates indicating that they had satisfactorily completed their studies. The Academy had been scheduled to conclude in May 2020 with the traditional trip to Sacramento for the annual California Association of REALTORS® (C.A.R.) Legislative Day, but Leg Day was postponed because of the COVID-19 pandemic, and social distancing precluded an in-person graduation ceremony— until now. The eighteen graduates of the Orange County REALTORS® 2019–20 Leadership Adademy are Sofia Delgado, First Team Real Estate; Anna Dickinson, Regency Real Estate Brokers; Yvonne Flores, Westcliff Properties; Van Gordon, Farmers Insurance; Mike Grambow, JMJ Financial; Lata Jobanputra, Zutila Real Estate; Cecilia Carolina Johnson, Harcourts Prime Properties; Victoria Johnson-Stokes, Coldwell Banker Realty; Mindy Luong, HPT Realty and Finance; Rachel Masamori, Z Real Estate; Conrad Mazeika, eXp Realty of California; Catherine Miyoshi, eXp Realty of California; Adam Houn Nguyen, Compass Real Estate; Vinil Ramchandran, Dream Business Brokers; Deborah Rose, First Team Estates; Sandra Traver, Keller Williams; Paul Wirth, Blueprint for Entrepreneurial Growth; and Daniel Wu, HomeSmart Evergreen Realty. Despite some unanticipated obstacles and unexpected delays, this year’s Academy graduates are enthusiastic about their experience and grateful for what they have learned. For example, in an email, Mindy Luong writes, “I am so honored and very happy to be included in this group with so many good leaders and good friendships that I can learn from.” And Van Gordon adds, “Thank you, Rita (Tayenaka), Dave (Stefanides), Deb (Shrider), Jamie (Saltman), Zhipi (McDougald), and the OCR Leadership Team for such a great experience during the past two years. In a way, I consider myself lucky for being in the program from 2019 to 2021.” 40

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LEADERSHIP TRAINING

Attending the Graduation Ceremony for Orange County REALTORS® Fourth Annual Leadership Academy were, in the back row (from left to right) Mike Grambow, Daniel Wu, Orange County REALTORS® Chief Executive Officer Dave Stefanides, and Vinil Ramchandran, and in the front row (from left to right), Instructor Deb Shrider, Anna Dickinson, Lata Jobanputra, Sofia Delgado, Sandra Traver, Orange County REALTORS® 2021 President Lori Namazi, Rachel Masamori, Yvonne Flores, Mindy Luong, Van Gordon, Victoria Johnson-Stokes, and Cecilia Carolina Johnson. Not pictured are Academy Graduates Conrad Mazeika, Adam Houn Nguyen, Deborah Rose, and Paul Wirth.

Inspired by participation in the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) Leadership Academy, Orange County REALTORS® 2015 President Rita Tayenaka recognized the need for a similar local program. Believing that good leaders are always in demand and that leadership potential can be cultivated and encouraged with appropriate training and applicable experience, Rita took the lead in helping OC REALTORS® establish a Leadership Academy to provide “cadets”—as trainees are called—with opportunities to be exposed to innovative ideas and management techniques and to work under the tutelage of more experienced leaders toward the shared goal of advancing the real estate industry. Rita reports that, in the five years since the first Leadership Academy was held in 2016–17, seventy-eight cadets have graduated from four Leadership Academies. Many of these graduates have gone on to take more active roles as Directors or committee members in local, state, or national REALTOR® Associations, or have found other ways to use their knowledge, training, and skills to benefit the real estate community.

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