Final q4

real estate - benefits - foreclosure - banks - florida realtors - public policy

magazine 4TH QUARTER OCTOBER, NOVEMBER, DECEMBER 2014

Osceola ReView

USING YOUTUBE PAGE07

& WHAT THE GOVERNMENT MUST PROVE IN A TAX EVASION CASE PAGE12

& OVERCONNECTIVITY:

WHEN TOO MUCH TECH HURTS YOUR RELATIONSHIPS

PAGE24

START AND SPREAD YOUR 2013 Awards

& Installation GLOBAL Luncheon BRAND Highlights PAGE21

WELCOMECONTENTS

002

WELCOME/ CONTENTS OCT, NOV, DEC 2014 news 4 5 7 8 12 13 18 21

Member Announcements & Benefits First Quarter AE Message Using YouTube REALTORS速 Obligation to Disclose Present or Contemplated Interests What the Government Must Prove in a Tax Evasion Case The FDOR Sales Tax Audit OSCAR Recommended Candidates for This November Start and Spread Your Global Brand

technology

24

Overconnectivity: When Too Much Tech Hurts Your Relationships

events

10 October, November, December 2014 Calendar

15 New OSCAR Members 16 Photos from the RPAC Auction

local trends

28

Market Dynamics

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Events to Watch for This Quarter Hello REALTORS®! We’re closing out 2014, but we still have a lot of exciting opportunities to grow your skills as a REALTOR® and expand your network which I would like to share with you.

OSCAR regularly offers designation and certification opportunities to boost your credentials and build your expertise. There are a couple courses I would like to highlight that will put you in that direction: First, on October 17th, we will be offering NAR’s popular At Home With Diversity (AHWD) certification course. Working in such a diverse marketplace, this course is highly beneficial in helping you navigate business within our multicultural environment. At Home With Diversity is a lifetime certification, so it’s a great value not only because of its useful information, but also because it doesn’t 2014 OSCAR President, Daisy Lopez-Cid require renewal. Another major professional development course that’s coming up in October is our Seller Representative Specialist (SRS) two-day course. This is a designation opportunity that brings with it 11 CEs and a specialization that will bolster your credentials with sellers. This course will be held on October 30th and 31st.

Networking is also key to building your success as a REALTOR®. Watch out for the Global Night at the OSCAR coming this October on the 25th, hosted by our Global Alliance Committee. This event is open to REALTORS® and non-REALTORS® alike, and will feature live entertainment, guest speakers, food and drink, plus opportunities to make beneficial connections that will help you in your business. So come, speak to some of our Global Alliance Representatives and celebrate the many achievements this dedicated committee has achieved over the course of this year in drawing focus to our diverse market and promoting multicultralism within the community. Later this year in December, we will have our annual Installation and Award Ceremony luncheon. Please attend to take part in the recognition of REALTORS® by their peers and witness the installation of your new Board of Directors. It will be a wonderful chance to get to know your fellow REALTOR® members and make those valuable connections that are so important to fostering your success in the industry.

Participation in these education and networking opportunities offer pathways to set you on track to your success. Don’t miss out! I hope to see you all there!

magazine contact Published by Osceola County Association of Realtors®, 1105 Shady Lane, Kissimmee, FL 34744 SOCIAL MEDIA & MEMBERship SERVICES: Nannette Cherry, nan@osceola-realtors.com association Executive/editor: Carol Platt, CRB, e-Pro T 4078460117 E ae@osceola-realtors.com

advocates team

contributing writers

WEB MASTER: Chris Florence, CCIM, e-Pro webmaster@osceola-realtors.com COMMUNICATIONS: Nannette Cherry nan@osceola-realtors.com Membership SERVICES COORDINATOR: Eli Perez, e-Pro eli@osceola-realtors.com AE Assistant - professional development: Kim Wagar, e-Pro, AHWD kim@osceola-realtors.com AE ASSISTANT - EVENTS: Christina Barnhardt, e-Pro christina@osceola-realtors.com

Interested in contributing to our quarterly publication?! We would love to hear from you.

We require that all works be original, meaning written by you, and do not allow promotion of your business.

advertising distribution

Digital or printed media packs available on request.

HEAD OF SALES: Chris Florence, CCIM, e-Pro The ReView is printed quarterly. To subscribe contact our subscriptions team below. webmaster@osceola-realtors.com

ACCOUNTS: Bob St. Gordon, e-Pro MEMBERSHIP SERVICES: Ally Vallecillo, e-Pro bob@osceola-realtors.com ally@osceola-realtors.com

SUBSCRIPTIONS MANAGER: Nannette Cherry, e-Pro communications@osceola-realtors.com

www.Osceolarealtors.org

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OSCAR Announcements & Benefits

OSCAR CARES ABOUT OSCEOLA COUNTY OSCAR’s Community Involvement Committee has been very active. In addition to the blood drive in September, the Crockpot drive coming up in December to benefit the homeless, and the recent scholarship awards, they have been recognized for donating a generous $500 to the School District of Osceola County’s Families in Transition Prgoram. This contribution makes it possible to provide additional resources for students and teachers in Osceola schools. We applaud your efforts toward making Osceola County a better place to live.

RPAC FUNDRAISING SURPASSES GOAL! Thanks to you, REALTORS®, we have surpassed our RPAC fundraising goal by 149%! This is a phenomenal show of support for a PAC that works tirelessly to ensure your business operations run smoothly, and your profits are maximized. RPAC knows how important it is to have Washington in your corner, so it lobbies hard on your behalf. Whenever you give to RPAC, you’re giving back to yourself. Check out photos from our hugely successful RPAC Auction on Pages 16 and 17.

Your Member Benefits Did you know you can get free tech help through Florida REALTORS®? If you are having problems with your computer, simply call the tech hotline at 407-587-1450. Florida REALTORS® tech support team is standing by to help you with your technology tribulations Monday through Friday from 9am - 8pm and on Saturdays from 9am-5pm. You can also reach them through email or via live chat. To find more on these options, visit: http://www.floridarealtors.org/ToolsAndSupport/TechHelpline/index. cfm.

Don’t let befuddling technology troubles keep you from operating effectively and efficiently in this digital age!

We Want to Hear From You! Tell us your OSCAR Success Stories! We want to hear from our members about how classes, labs, and networking events are helping you gain your competeitive edge and grow your success!

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OSCAR

4TH Quarter Association

Executive MESSAGE

First Time Homeowners Today, First Time Property Managers Tomorrow!

MEDIA CONTACT: Carol Platt

PHONE: 407-846-0117

History has taught us that stable, secure and affordable housing affects child development and education, physical and mental health, and long-term economic success. Statistical data has shown that each sociological segment of our society experiences those benefits through homeownership and investment. At the turn of the century, most property ownership and investment was gender oriented and often economically stratified. Today, homeownership is building long-term wealth for women and stabilizing economic status and wealth creation for families from all socioeconomic levels and demographic and geographic descriptions. In fact, first generation homeowners are becoming first time real estate investors.

Investment strategies have gotten creative and varied in the process. For some new investors, foreclosure and pre-foreclosures are allowing that original purchase or expansion of assets. Others are starting with lease-options for their first home. Local, state and national homeownership

2014

EMAIL: ae@osceola-realtors.com

incentives, a bi-partisan effort to empower societal opportunity with a great rate of return, have facilitated community building through investment in revitalization areas, even the containment of governmental fees, costs, and tax rates are influencing affordability.

When philanthropy is coupled with profit it results in affordable housing and rehabilitated neighborhoods.

Some revitalization incentives can result in tax liabilities so REALTORS® may encourage their clients to check with a tax advisor when accepting any purchase incentive. REALTORS® can help allay those first time fears of property ownership by recommending classes and advisors on basic repair and minor rehabilitation techniques at local hardware and home improvement stores. In fact, simplistic money-saving instructions can now be found on You Tube.

Property maintenance and repair companies are often members of the Osceola County Association of REALTORS® and their contact numbers are located on our website, in this quarterly magazine or their business cards can easily be picked up from our office at 1105 Shady Lane in Kissimmee.

Association Executive, Carol Platt

Professional REALTORS® can help the beginning homeowner and investor every step of the way. The Osceola County Association of REALTORS® website, www.OsceolaREALTORS.org, is searchable. Ask about experience in pre-foreclosures, foreclosures, rehabilitation properties, and investment purchase incentives. Tell that prospective REALTOR® about family needs, hopes and dreams. Find a REALTOR® with the patience and listening skills, plus professional knowledge and property access to help you advance your immediate action plan and your long-term strategy for economic success!

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Marketing Tips

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USING YOUTUBE MEDIA CONTACT: Chris Florence

BLOG: abrandaid.com/blog-marketing-strategies

In this YouTube for beginners article we will touch on a few overview items. First, you need to know what exactly you’re going to put into your videos. What do your followers or audience expect? Stay on topic. Brainstorming some ideas prior to shooting is recommended if you can. However, if you get inspired or don’t have time, whip out your cell phone and start recording before you forget.

HootSuite: Social Media Management for Business Screencasts This is where you capture your computer screen.

Screencasts can be used to create different types of content. Here’s the software you need: • • • •

ScreenFlow for Mac users Quicktime for Mac will do screencasts as well for free Camtasia Studio for PC users Jing Project – a free lite version of Camtasia

Video Interviews Video interviews are also an easy way to create video content. Here are some tools you can use to conduct the interviews: • • •

Skype Oovoo Tinychat

All you’ll need to do is record these sessions through your ScreenFlow or Camtasia software to capture your screen and create a video interview.

Video Recording The ideal length of the video varies: • •

For short tip videos: 60-90 seconds is about right For video shows: 10-15 minutes Here are some important tips to make great videos:

• • • •

Make the first 3-5 seconds really count.

Make sure you’re high-energy and make strong eye contact with the camera.

Have strong calls to action in the video.

Work with an outline that has bullets instead of reading

your text.

Video Equipment and Editing Important Tips: Some useful tips about the video equipment you need to create great videos:

EMAIL: chris@abrandaid.com

Microphone. Your audience will forgive your bad visuals, but you’ve got to have good audio. I’ve turned off many a video with bad audio or even audio that is so low that I can’t turn my speakers up loud enough to even hear. So use a microphone whenever you can. I use a $150 special made

by Rode that can plug into your iPhone or Canon Powershot.

For down and dirty low tech I’ve used my iPhone headphones with the mic and clipped it on my shirt like a lapel mic. It’s with me wherever I go so it’s convenient.

High definition. Most cameras shoot in high definition.

Sephora sells makeup for high definition cameras. This is a whole new industry.

Lighting. Have the natural light source shining onto your face. Lighting is crucial.

Camera Equipment Some camera equipment: • • • •

The Flip Camera Nikon/Canon DSLRs [You will need some lenses for this and it gets pricey.]

Canon PowerShot Smartphone (our favorite)

Video Editing Software Here are the links to the video editing software: • • • • •

iMovie for Mac users Windows Movie Maker for PC users Sony Vegas [I personally can vouch for this software.

Very good.]

Adobe Premier [For more advanced users] The FREE option is to edit your videos in YouTube!

That’s right, cloud based editing…sweet!

Video Distribution Get a YouTube channel.

A YouTube channel gives you additional SEO benefits because it’s owned by Google. And you can customize your YouTube channel by giving it a branded skin.

Connect your YouTube account to your Facebook and Twitter accounts.

Then, publish your videos on Facebook.

Once you have your YouTube account connected to your Facebook account, you can come in and hit the “Like” button on your video. It will be published on your Facebook

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Continued from previous page...

Re-Post Your Video Content

Profile wall with the little video player.

To get videos onto your Facebook business page you need to copy the URL of your video and paste it onto your wall, or you can try out some of the Facebook apps.

• •

Involver YouTube Channels

The best way to hit all of the social media outlets is to use Hootsuite and recycle old content on a monthly basis to help maximize all the hard work of creating your videos.

And if you want to publish your video on another website, use the embed code for your video to publish it there.

Professional Standards

REALTOR’S® OBLIGATION TO DISCLOSE PRESENT OR CONTEMPLATED INTERESTS MEDIA CONTACT: Bob St. Gordon

PHONE: 407-846-0117

The Case Interpretations of the Code of Ethics approved by the National Association’s Professional Standards Committee and published in Interpretations of the Code of Ethics illustrate and explain the principles articulated in the Articles and Standards of Practice. While a REALTOR® cannot be found in violation of a Standard of Practice or a Case Interpretation, both are official statements of National Association policy and are not merely advisory. Both can be cited by complainants in support of alleged violations of Articles and by hearing panels in support of decisions that an Article(s) has been violated.

(Adopted 11/10) The following is “Copyright NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®. Reprinted with permission.”

Case #11-10: REALTOR®’s Obligation to Disclose Present or Contemplated Interests (Adopted May, 1997. Revised November, 2000.)

Client A, an owner, needed to sell a property. She approached REALTOR® B to list the property. They agreed to the terms of the listing and the property was listed.

An offer was made and was accepted by Client A. After the prospective purchaser completed the loan

EMAIL: accounts@osceola-realtors.com

application, REALTOR® B was contacted to appraise the property. When the lender was preparing the closing statement, the lender became aware that the listing broker was also the appraiser and filed a complaint with the Board of REALTOR® alleging that REALTOR® B had failed to disclose in the appraisal that he had an interest in the property, specifically seeing that the sale closed. The complaint was referred by the Grievance Committee for hearing before a panel of the Board’s Professional Standards Committee.

At the hearing, REALTOR® B protested that the lender was misreading Article 11, as interpreted by Standard of Practice 11-1, claiming that “any present or contemplated interest” referred only to an ownership interest. REALTOR® B concluded that the listing commission had been earned when a ready, willing, and able purchaser contracted to purchase the property and that the appraisal process was separate and distinct from the brokerage process.

The Hearing Panel concluded that REALTOR® B’s defense was specious and because he was the listing agent REALTOR® B was biased in favor of Client A since a successful transaction would benefit REALTOR® B in the form of a commission.

REALTOR® B was found in violation of Article 11.

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EVENTSCALENDAR

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events THIS OCT/NOV/DEC

SEMINAR

REGISTRATION CONTACT Kim Wagar

EMAIL aeassistant@ osceola-realtors.com

OCTOBER 1ST

Demystifying the Appraisal Process 3 CE’s TIME: 9:00AM - 12:00PM INSTRUCTOR: Pat Reass COST: Free for Members

TIME: 9:00AM - 4:00PM OCTOBER 17TH

MLS Compliance 101

OCTOBER 17TH

MLS Adding & Modifying Listings

At Home With Diversity (AHWD) 7 CE’s TIME:8:30AM - 5:00PM

$35 for Non-Members

INSTRUCTOR: David Wyant

Preparing & Navigating the Listing Contract

Members

4 CE’s TIME: 1:00PM - 5:00PM

INSTRUCTOR: Cynthia DeLuca COST: Free for Members $35 for Non-Members OCTOBER 6TH

Toastmasters TIME: 5:30PM - 6:30PM OCTOBER 7TH

MLS Learn & Earn TIME: 9:00AM - 10:00AM OCTOBER 13TH

Toastmasters

COST: $99 for Members & NonOCTOBER 20TH

New Member Welcome TIME: 9:00AM - 12:30PM

New Member Ethics & Quadrennial Code of Ethics Video

Toastmasters TIME: 5:30PM - 6:30PM

OCTOBER 30TH-31ST

Sellers Representative Specialist (SRS) 2 Day Course 11 CE’s TIME: 9:00AM - 4:30PM INSTRUCTOR: Marcie Roggow COST: $295 for Members and Non-Members

Toastmasters

MLS Learn & Earn TIME: 9:00AM - 10:00AM

Office will be closed on 11/27, 11/28, 12/24, 12/25, and 12/31

COST: Free for Members $35 for Non-Members NOVEMBER 19TH

MLS Training NOVEMBER 24TH

Toastmasters DECEMBER 1ST

Toastmasters TIME: 5:30PM - 6:30PM

NOVEMBER 10TH

Toastmasters MLS Training TIME: TBA Toastmasters TIME: 5:30PM - 6:30PM

TIME: 9:00AM - 12:00PM

INSTRUCTOR: Cynthia DeLuca

TIME: 5:30PM - 6:30PM

NOVEMBER 17TH

MLS Basic

4 CE’s TIME: 1:00PM - 5:00PM

NOVEMBER 4TH

INSTRUCTOR: Cynthia DeLuca

OCTOBER 27TH

COST: Free for Members

TIME: TBA

TIME: 5:30PM - 6:30PM

TIME: 5:30PM - 6:30PM

INSTRUCTOR: Pat Reass

Preparing & Navigating the Listing Contract

TIME: TBA

7 CE’s TIME: 8:30AM - 4:30PM

$129 for Non-Members

3 CE’s TIME: 9:00AM - 12:00PM

MLS Training

Toastmasters OCTOBER 22ND

Unless otherwise noted

$35 for Non-Members

TIME: 5:30PM - 6:30PM

TIME: 5:30PM - 6:30PM

407.846.0117

OCTOBER 29TH

NOVEMBER 3RD

COST: Free for Members

Tech Lab Day

TIME: 3:00PM - 4:30PM

No CE’s TIME: 1:00PM - 4:00PM

Choosing & Writing a Successful Contract

OCTOBER 14TH

TIME: 1:00PM - 2:30PM

CALL

NOVEMBER 18TH

Demystifying the Appraisal Process

DECEMBER 2ND

Annual Membership Meeting & Breakfast TIME: 9:00AM - 10:00PM Classes are free to members unless otherwise noted.

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DECEMBER 4TH

Annual Award & Installation Luncheon TIME: 11:30AM - 1:30PM LOCATION: Royal St. Cloud Country Club

TIME: 8:30AM - 4:30PM INSTRUCTOR: Cynthia DeLuca COST: Free for Members $129 for Non-Members DECEMBER 15TH

Toastmasters DECEMBER 8TH

New Member Welcome TIME: 9:00AM - 12:30PM

TIME: 5:30PM - 6:30PM DECEMBER 22ND

Toastmasters TIME: 5:30PM - 6:30PM

New Member Ethics &

DECEMBER 29TH

Toastmasters TIME: 5:30PM - 6:30PM

Quadrennial Code of Ethics Video No CE’s TIME: 1:00PM - 4:00PM

Toastmasters TIME: 5:30PM - 6:30PM DECEMBER 10TH

MLS Basic TIME: 9:00AM - 12:00PM

MLS Compliance 101

CAN’T FIND AN EVENT YOU WISH TO ATTEND? Your REALTOR® Advocates work hard at providing you with the most up to date info going on here at the association. We are still human and may miss something so, if you can’t find information that you need, let us know. We welcome your encouraging input.

TIME: 1:00PM - 2:30PM

MLS Adding & Modifying Listings TIME: 3:00PM - 4:30PM

DECEMBER 11TH

Choosing & Writing a Successful Contract 7 CE’s

Email: Communications @osceolarealtors.com

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Tax Corner

WHAT THE GOVERNMENT

MUST PROVE

In A TAX EVASION CASE MEDIA CONTACT: Peter Pappas

EMAIL: ppappas@pappaslaw.com

Tax evasion under 26 U.S.C. § 7201 is one of the more serious charges the federal government can bring against a taxpayer. To establish a violation of section 7201 for tax evasion, the following elements must be proved: 1.

2.

3.

An attempt to evade or defeat a tax or the payment thereto; An additional tax due and owing; and Willfulness.

The government must prove each element beyond a reasonable doubt.

The IRS sometimes mistakenly makes criminal tax referrals. It is our job as your tax attorney to demonstrate to the IRS criminal investigators that no tax crime has been committed and that the case should be sent back to the IRS civil division.

It is the job of a tax attorney to demonstrate to the IRS criminal investigators that you did not commit a tax crime.

If you are being investigated for tax evasion (or other criminal tax charges) by the IRS criminal investigation division or are currently undergoing an IRS audit and believe that the IRS may make a referral to the IRS criminal investigation division, you must consult with an experienced tax attorney.

But far and away the best way to avoid IRS tax evasion and other criminal charges is to know the tax laws, comply with them and document that compliance. The best way to do this is to hire a qualified, experienced tax attorney and/or tax CPA to advise you.

How to prevent criminal tax charges?

If you haven’t filed your tax return or if you filed a return that you know understated the correct amount of your tax liability, there are a few things you must immediately do to minimize the chances that the IRS will make a referral to its criminal investigation division (CID). They are obvious, but still, many people don’t do them.

WEB: www.pappastax.com

1.

File your return before the IRS refers your case to the CID – In order for the government to prevail in an IRS criminal prosecution on a failure to file tax returns charge it must prove that you intentionally did not file your tax return. Your voluntary filing, even though late, makes it hard if not impossible for the government to prove intent.

2.

Amend your return to correct the errors in the original return – Again, the government must be able to prove that you intentionally filed a false return. When you correct your tax return without being prompted to do so, it gives rise to the assumption that you made a mistake, rather than that you knowingly tried to evade taxes.

Many non-filers believe that because they have not received a nasty notice from the IRS demanding that they file their return they have gotten off scot free. But nothing could be further from the truth. Here’s why: When a case is referred to IRS CID the special agent assigned to investigate it will immediately instruct the IRS to stop sending IRS notices to the taxpayer requesting that the delinquent tax return be filed. The reason he does this is because he knows that a voluntarily filing by you before he has had the chance to complete his investigation will kill the government’s case while it’s still in its shell.

3.

Hire a tax lawyer in order to get Attorney-Client Privilege – Of course, you shouldn’t embark on any course of conduct without first consulting with an experienced criminal tax attorney. Remember, there is no accountant-client privilege which means that a CPA, IRS Enrolled Agent or other non-lawyer tax advisor can be subpoenaed and forced to disclose statements you made to him in the course of their engagement.

If you require the services of a non-lawyer tax advisor, you should hire an experienced criminal tax lawyer and have that lawyer engage the services of the tax advisor in order to subsume him under the attorneyclient privilege.

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THE FDOR

Tax Corner

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SALES TAX AUDIT MEDIA CONTACT: Peter Pappas

EMAIL: ppappas@pappaslaw.com

Is your business facing a FDOR Sales Tax Audit? You will want to read this…

Like the IRS, the Florida Department of Revenue generally audits Florida residents and Florida businesses because they have reason to believe they may not be in compliance with the tax laws.

Florida’s Audit Selection Process: The DOR uses a variety of strategies for collecting information about Florida residents and businesses. Here are some of the sources it regularly uses to identify a potential audit candidate: · · · · ·

IRS information.

Information from other states or other state agencies.

Computer-based random selection.

Department of Revenue database information.

Business publications, periodicals, journals, and directories.

Although it is not listed here, the DOR also selects audit candidates based on tips from other taxpayers.

The Conduct of the Audit: The DOR conducts two types of audit: The Desk Audit, which takes place in a DOR office, and the Field Audit, which takes place at the taxpayer’s place of business.

Usually the subject of a tax audit is a major tax such as the sales and use tax or the corporate income tax, along with related local option or emergency excise taxes.

The audit process begins when the DOR issues a Notification of Intent to Audit Books and Records (Form DR-840 or CA-I) which shows the audit period and the type of taxes to be examined.

· · ·

WEB: www.pappastax.com

Purchase and sales journals, Sales tax exemption or resale certificates, and Documentation to verify amounts entered on tax returns.

You may receive a questionnaire to assess the potential for an electronic audit.

The Department may audit for periods of more than 3 years if you did not file a tax return for those periods or filed a substantially incorrect return.

If you fail to produce records, the DOR will estimate your tax liability based upon available information. This always results in a higher tax liability and should be avoided at all costs.

In the case of a field audit, the auditor will call you to arrange a date for the review.

The auditor will interview you or your tax representative.

The auditor will ask you detailed questions about your business, its organizational structure, its accounting methods, and internal control systems.

To minimize disruption of the workplace, we have our clients assign a single employee to be our liaison during the audit process.

Throughout the audit, you have a right to know the basic findings and proposed changes.

Auditors are encouraged to assist you in complying with Florida tax laws; however, some are better at this than others.

Why You Should Hire an Experienced Tax Professional

The auditor will give you a detailed list of the records he wants to examine.

DOR auditors are given great power to determine and assess taxes, penalties and interest against you or your business entity.

The types of records he will want to review will include, but are not limited to:

They also have the authority to refer cases to the DOR criminal investigation division.

· · · · ·

Auditors are trained in Florida tax law and, unless you are a tax lawyer yourself, have a distinct and overwhelming advantage over the average taxpayer.

Federal income tax returns Florida tax returns Depreciation schedules General ledgers and journals Property records, cash receipt and disbursement journals

The best way to even the playing field is to hire an experienced tax professional who knows as much or more than the agent about Florida tax law and procedure.

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Networking Events

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JOIN US IN WELCOMING

THE 2015 BOARD OF DIRECTORS...

President: Karen Dierickx President-Elect: Jeff Perry Immediate Past-President: Daisy Cid Treasurer: Jerry Kelley Secretary: Becky Chirillo Jason Daugherty Joe Johnson Maria Flores Garcia Marge Eddy Tim Weisheyer Patrice DeNike Angel Ortiz Dave Courtney Susie Graves Wanda Linscott

...AND OUR NEWEST MEMBERS!

Pictured above, new members from July. Pictured left, new members from September. Welcome to OSCAR!

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RPAC AUCTION This past August we held our annual RPAC auction at the Osceola Council on Aging, and it was an astounding success! Thanks to all who came out and participated! With your help, we raised far and above our projected goal, exceeding it by 149% Good times were had, great items were purchased, and the REALTOR速 cause was supported through your generous donations.

Those dollars will be put to work for YOU in the coming year, so pat yourselves on the back for money wisely invested.

Above: Nom Noms Top Right: The lovely Goodwin ladies smile for the camera Right: Your OSCAR staff poses for a picture before the night gets swinging Below: Stewart Title Group Bottom Right: Our lucky cruise winner, Carol Platt.

OSCAR members turned out in droves to take part in this event. We were elated to see so many participate in the festivities and fundraising!

Photos Courtesy of Shane Maloy

Employees of Stewart Title smile for the camera

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GET OUT AND VOTE!

Our Candidate Screening Committee has carefully vetted a number of local candidates to determine their sensitivity to issues that REALTORS速 face in their day to day dealings. The following are candidates that understood the importance of home ownership to the economy and the value that REALTORS速 bring to a community. To honor that commitment, our Candidate Screening Committee has presented each candidate chosen with a $1000 campaign contribution as endorsement. Take a moment to research the candidates listed here for consideration when you go to the polls on November 4th. Remember, voting is a crucial part of the democratic process, so do your part and make your voices heard!

Cheryl Grieb for Osceola County Commission Seat 4

John Quinones Osceola County Commission Seat 2

Donald Shroyer for St. Cloud City Council Seat 5

Wanda Rentas for Kissimmee City Commissioner Seat 2

Mickey Hopper for St. Cloud City Council Seat 4

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Jerry Gemskie for Kissimmee City Commissioner Seat 4

Carol Platt: US House of Representatives District 9

Darren Soto: Florida Senate

OSCAR RECOMMENDS THE FOLLOWING CANDIDATES FOR THE STATE AND NATIONAL LEVEL:

Neil Combee: Florida House of Representatives District 39

Mike LaRosa: Florida House of Representatives District 42

CONGRATS TO THESE WINNERS!

Ricky Booth for School Board Member District 5

Clarence Thacker School Board Member District 4

Jay Wheeler for School Board Member District 1

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Global News

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start and spread your global brand MEDIA CONTACT: Meg White

It’s easy to see the draw of getting into international real estate. The adventurous aspects of global travel combined with the opportunity to spread the uniquely American view of property ownership across the globe are just the beginning.

What’s not so easy is figuring out how to be successful in global real estate. Thankfully, the third and final day of Inman News Real Estate Connect NYC this year was devoted to helping brokers and real estate professions break into the global market, or expand their international business holdings. We distilled hours of discussions, expert tips, and market predictions to help you flourish around the world.

Begin the Journey They say it’s a small world, but let’s face it: The world of international real estate is already crowded. Thankfully, there are a number of concrete steps practitioners who are just starting out can take to make the move to global operations smoother.

You don’t even have to leave your farming area to get to know the global market as it applies to your area.

Managing Director of Coldwell Banker India Ramnik Chopra says he’s gotten a fair amount of referrals from Indians who are living in the United States. They’re eager to tell friends and relatives back in their home country that they know someone in the United States who can help with property purchases stateside.

“Start getting entrenched in the local immigrant community here,” he advises. If you’re not sure where to start, the National Association of REALTORS®’ state-bystate international business reports can help.

And while we’re at it, let me mention that I recently sat in on a Certified International Property Specialists (CIPS) course and found it contained both highly specific guidance on difficult tax and legal issues and a practical what-to-expect guide. Learn more about CIPS here.

EMAIL: mwhite@realtors.org

In addition to pursuing CIPS classes, Shawna Gilbert, a senior regional development consultant with RE/MAX, also recommends looking around locally.

“Pick a country, or maybe two countries, that make sense for your market,” she says, and then “learn about the country.”

Several speakers at the event recommended taking advantage of any travel opportunity—business or pleasure—to set an appointment with someone who can open up that market to your business. But how do you find people with whom to set those meetings? Nikki Field, a senior global advisor and associate broker at Sotheby’s International Realty suggests you make connections with money managers and other advisors who have the ear of wealthy, would-be investors.

“Call your banker. Who does he know in Shanghai?” she says. After you meet with your banking connection abroad, then some of “their trust with their clients [can be] transferred” to you.

Making Your Online Presence Global-Friendly The likelihood an international buyer is going to find you from your neighborhood bus bench ad is pretty low. The very nature of international property searches means your web presence is even more of a determining factor than it is in your local market.

However, the technical solutions to reaching international audiences online are not overly complex.

Coldwell Banker’s Chopra recommends reaching out by adding two cheap, simple tools to your site: Google Translator and a currency converter.

Or maybe you just aced a deal with someone who speaks another language fluently. Eleonore Rojas, vice president of partnerships and product integration at Move Inc., suggests asking them to write a review: “If you have recom-

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Staying connected with international clients may require tools apart from phone and e-mail. Several speakers at Inman suggested cross-platform mobile messaging apps such as WeChat, a free app run by one of China’s largest Internet service providers, and the low-cost Silicon Valley-based alternative, WhatsApp. But don’t forget good, old-fashioned Skype. “It really shows that you know international if you go ahead and publish your Skype information along with your contact information,” says Janet Choynowski, founder and CEO of Immobel and Real-Buzz Group.

Though international buyers are easier to connect with using online tools, don’t make the mistake of thinking that searching for real estate online looks the same in every country.

“Advertise to the global wealthy where they live,” says Ryan Serhant, executive vice president and managing director of New York-based brokerage Nest Seekers. For example, Serhant advises those looking to capture the Chinese market have a presence on Soufun (a listings portal for real estate in China), Weibo (a social networking/ microblogging site), and Baidu (a popular search engine). “Spend the money. It’ll pay dividends, I promise.”

Know the Numbers Globe-trotting sounds fun, but there is math involved at the end of the day. Make sure you know about customary commission structures in the countries you’re dealing with.

Olivia Decker, founder and co-owner of Decker Bullock Sotheby’s International Realty, notes that commissions in the United Kingdom tend to be “very low,” around 2 percent. Meanwhile, in Italy, the buyer pays half the commission. That means that “if you’re a buyer’s agent, you don’t get paid from the listing side.”

Still, Decker has completed multi-million-dollar deals without having to necessarily obtain licensure in the countries where she’s working. Often she’ll create a consulting agreement with her client. The actual deal is closed by local attorneys or agents, and the amount she’s paid in the end is dictated by that agreement.

Knowing the landscape in the country you’re targeting is a necessity. But you also need to know local numbers in order to convince these savvy clients to work with you.

After all, many foreigners aren’t used to being able to rely on an established group of real estate professionals to assist in the transfer of property. So why should they start now?

“The global wealthy shop for real estate on their own, [so you need to] convince them of your worth.

Convince them you know more than they do,” says Serhant. He says real estate professionals need to know local properties well, be prepared to compare values across different global markets, and be able to highlight favorable tax structures to make the case for buying in your market. “Your knowledge can… turn an asking price into a bargain.”

Working With Chinese Buyers One takeaway from the conference was the dominance of Chinese buyers and investors in the U.S. market today. According to the 2013 Profile of International Buyers, 12 percent of international buyers who bought in the United States last year were from China, second only to Canada.

Jonathan Cooper, vice president of operations at Vancouver-based Macdonald Realty Group, said real estate professionals in North America can be great resources of local tax and legal information for Chinese buyers, who are used to a very different set-up in their home countries.

“Ninety-nine to 100 percent of property in China is leasehold,” he said. When looking at property he showed them, many of his clients “didn’t know that most of the property is actually free title… that was a revelation to some of them.”

Cooper also advised practitioners to learn about the waiting periods maintained by financial institutions in the area where Chinese buyers are looking to purchase.

Buyers might have to wait anywhere from 30 to 90 days before they can close.

“The money can be there, liquid, but the bank won’t release the mortgage,” he said. “Some Chinese buyers are not aware of that.”

It’s also important to stay up on the news coming out of a country where you want to work. Serhant says that upcoming reforms the Chinese government says it will make to increase transparency and fairness in the tax code may cause some Chinese owners to move property investments abroad: “Not all Chinese owners are looking forward to that increased transparency.”

No matter where you decide to set up your foothold in global real estate, be sure you have the staff and referral relationships necessary so that you don’t neglect your deals locally. Sotheby’s Field says she relies on a team of eight to keep things on track when she’s out of the country.

“They’re minding my business while I’m traveling,” she says. “Keep minding the home front. Don’t let it slide.”

Reprinted from REALTOR® Magazine (January 2014 | By Meg White) with the permission of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®. Copyright 2014. All rights reserved.

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Tech Tips

overconnectivity: when too much tech hurts your relationships MEDIA CONTACT: Melissa Dittman Tracey

Technology can keep you plugged in with your clients and peers, but sometimes being online 24-7 can come at the expense of forming stronger offline relationships.

Could you be overplugged?

Overconnectivity with your smartphone and social networking activities may actually hinder your relationships. “Technology is making us more social and helping us to connect, but we have to use good judgment,” says etiquette and manners expert Diane Gottsman, owner of The Protocol School of Texas, a company specializing in executive leadership and etiquette training. “We are very reliant on our technology.

That’s not a bad thing. It helps us become more available and recognizable, which helps bring us more business. But we need to know when to use it, when to turn it off, and how to use it appropriately.”

EMAIL: mtracey@realtors.org

Social networking “super sharers” are becoming an increasing annoyance online, according to a recent Pew Research survey of 1,800 adult Facebook users. In that survey, 36 percent of respondents said that they dislike when people share “too much information about themselves.” A study of 500 active Twitter users by the Georgia Institute of Technology’s School of Interactive Computing found that others welcome your message more when you limit talk about yourself. Researchers found the most effective approach to tweets is to make them “informative” — in this context, sharing news stories or statistics rather than talking about, say, what you had for dinner. Also, researchers found that users preferred positive messages and did not have a high tolerance for posters who tended to share negative tweets. Other recent studies also have linked oversharers on social networks to narcissism, according to a 2013 University of Michigan study.

Offense #1: Oversharing In the year of the “selfie,” you may find it difficult not to think of social media as just a means to promote yourself and get your message out. The more you post, the more connected you look, right? Not necessarily, according to a growing number of surveys that show too many posts can actually disconnect you from others, especially depending on what you say in those posts.

If you’re a real estate professional who merges your personal life with your business life on your social networks, make sure you’re not turning people off by becoming one of the growing number of what are called “meformers.”

What’s that? Rutgers researchers Mor Naaman and Jeffrey Boase distinguished Internet social network users into two broad categories: meformers and informers. Meformers are people who use social networks (Twitter for the researchers’ analysis) to post updates on their everyday activities, social lives, feelings, thoughts, and emotions. They found the majority of Internet users in their research fell in this category, while only 20 percent were informers. Informers use their social networks to share information; they interact more with their followers and tend to mention others in their messages more often. Informers also tend to have more friends.

“The whole idea of social media is to interact with other people,” Gottsman says. “You’re not the priority, but what you can do for your clients is, like sharing information.”

Being an oversharer not only can cause others to tune you out online or unfriend you but can also impact your real-life relationships, according to a study by researchers from University of Birmingham, University of the West of England, University of Edinburgh, and Heriot-Watt University. For example, posting too many photos can spark feelings of jealousy among others, and others may also start to tune you out if you post every accomplishment or the same content over and over again.

Here are four tips for proper social sharing: Don’t make it all about you. Take a critical look at your last few posts on your social networks: Are you a meformer or an informer? “When every post someone opens up is all about you, you risk becoming annoying,” Gottsman says. “When it’s all about you, people tune you out. You can occasionally talk about yourself, but do it every fifth mention or so.”

Seek connection. Build rapport and be inquisitive of your followers. Use Twitter, Facebook, and your other social networks to engage in conversations with others

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by asking a question, answering a question, or sharing pertinent links (other than just your own). Make a point of commenting on your followers’ posts, Gottsman says.

Question the value, before you post. Before you put a message out there, ask yourself: What’s the value and what’s your motivation for posting it? “The information you share should ultimately be the type of content other people are interested in passing along to their own followers,” Gottsman says. “Keep your tone informative, unique, and conversational.”

Segment your lists. On Facebook, you can use the Friend List feature to segment your contacts. This allows you to get your message on the feeds of only the followers who you know will find it useful. You can segment your followers by close friends and acquaintances or even create custom lists. (Others won’t be notified about how you’ve segmented your lists on Facebook.) Learn more about setting up the Facebook Friend list feature.

Offense #2: Overuse Another common tech etiquette downfall: never disconnecting. Does the thought of being stuck with a dead phone battery make your heart race? Does forgetting your phone send you into a panic? When your phone buzzes, do you have a compulsion to respond immediately at any cost? Or maybe you’ve experienced “phantom vibration syndrome,” a term coined for those who experience that common false alarm phone vibration. If all this sounds familiar, “nomophobia” (abbreviated for no-mobilephone-phobia) may describe you.

Nomophobia is the rush of anxiety and fear some people get when they realize they’re disconnected. A survey by SecurEnvoy has estimated that up to 67 percent of the population could have nomophobia.

Phone separation anxiety is common, and in an industry like real estate where you rely on your phone to stay connected to your business, you may feel the separation even more. Losing touch could mean losing business.

But losing one’s sense of life balance due to constant connectivity can be draining on a salesperson, according to researchers at Baylor University’s Keller Center in the report “How Technology is Changing the Sales Environment.”

Technology can create an idea of there’s “no place to hide” creating by the expectation of constant connectivity.

“We recommend that agents consider how they might use technology to create good connectivity as well as appropriate boundaries,” the authors note in the report.

Here are five tips to avoid technology overuse: Monitor your use. Is your phone use starting to

scatter your attention and becoming a distraction from your tasks and relationships? Track the number of hours you spend each week on it, such as your social media use and your responses to e-mails and text messages, etc. There’s an app for that too. Menthal Balance is an app available for Android users to track the time they spend on their smartphone, including phone time and the apps you use the most frequently. You’ll get a full report of your usage and can see if a digital diet may be needed.

Turn off your phone around others. “Make people in front of you always the priority,” says Gottsman. “If you interrupt a face-to-face conversation to respond to a text or take a call, you are communicating to the person you are speaking with that they are less important.” Also, don’t just flip your phone to vibration mode. The constant buzzing can distract you and others around you as well.

If an incoming call is absolutely urgent, excuse yourself and go to a private space to take the call, Gottsman says.

But, she adds, it’s usually better to let a call go to voicemail than to pick up the call just to offer an excuse like “I can’t talk right now.”

Harness technology to automate but with a humantouch. If you’re scared about missing a call, you can use technology to show you’re responsive until you actually have time to respond. For example, programs like Better Voicemail automatically change your customized voicemail greetings based on who is calling by using their caller ID information, area code, or a call group you’ve designated (such as first-time callers). You can also use it to send an automatic text follow-up with your website URL to first-time callers or any other information you’d like them to have. Learn about more tools: Adding the Human Element to Your Technology.

Designate specific “on” times. Have specific times of the day when you will answer e-mail, text, and phone messages, and be sure to convey those times to your clients. “By engaging with e-mail and text messages within a bounded time period, the agent exercises more control and reduces the anxiety that might be felt due to overconnectivity,” according to the Baylor University Keller Center report.

Watch your nonverbal message. By always being glued to a device, what message are you sending to others?

For example, if you’re buried in your phone at networking events, you may send a message that you’re unapproachable. By glancing at your phone in conversations with others, you may make others around you feel second-rate, Gottsman says. By picking up the phone in a crowded restaurant or noisy place to try to show you’re always available, you may make the other person feel annoyed at the background noise or make them feel frustrated that they don’t have your full attention.

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professional.

Offense #3: Overly informal Technology makes you more connected and with that, comes a rush to always be responsive. But in that rush, you may be tempted to take some shortcuts with your messaging. Your messages over social networks, texts, and e-mails are still a reflection of you and your professionalism, no matter how impressive your response rate is. It’s a reflection of your personal brand, Gottsman says.

In other words, you are what you tweet. Mistypings, poor grammar and spelling, and shortening words by omitting letters or using abbreviations (particularly ones that the other person may not know the meaning of) may make you appear less professional.

A recent study alludes to how costly those seemingly little errors can be, particularly if they appear in the description you write on a home listing ad. About 43 percent of 1,291 people surveyed online said they would be less inclined to tour a home if its online listing contained misspellings or improper grammar, according to a new study by Redfin and the grammar experts at Grammarly.

“A home listing filled with misspellings or grammar errors sends a signal to potential buyers that details are not important,” says Allison VanNest at Grammarly, a website offering grammar and spelling checkers.

Likewise, any message you send out to clients — whether just over e-mail, text, social networking, or other channels — could have that same effect of showing them that details aren’t important or could make you look less

Here are two tips for professional correspondence: Slow down and proofread. Take a moment before you press “send” to reread your e-mails and text messages carefully. Don’t rely on spelling and grammar checkers to catch everything. For example, in the Redfin and Grammarly study, they mentioned common offenses like incorrect words in listing ads that wouldn’t be caught by these tools – such as “master bedroom with walking closet” or “fresh pain and carpet.” Also, besides your spelling and grammar, make sure that your message is clear and the information you’re writing is correct. In a rush, it’s easy to accidentally forward the wrong document, hit a “reply all” button, or even call your client by the wrong name.

Don’t be abrupt. Your client has a question and you have the answer, so you may be tempted to ditch all the formalities and just give the point-blank answer. But when you’re abrupt with your message, you may send a message to your client that you don’t really care or aren’t willing to give them your full attention. Be polite, not abrupt, with your messages, Gottsman says. Include a signature line with all your e-mails so that the client has your contact information on hand. If you’re texting, make sure you identify yourself; don’t assume the other person has you in her contact list and knows who sent the text, Gottsman says. “We get too comfortable,” Gottsman says.

“But the content you put out there is a reflection of you.”

Reprinted from REALTOR® Magazine (May 2014 | By Melissa Dittmann Tracey) with the permission of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®.

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MARKET

OSCEOLA COUNTY

DYNAMICS 2 years (monthly) - 7.1.12 to 7.31.14 key information Construction Type All

Osceola SFH Distressed vs.

Total Sales Units Sold

Bedrooms All

Bathrooms All

Property Types Residential (Single Family Home)

Lot Size All Sq Ft All

This data is dependent upon timeliness of sales and totality of information reported by participants.

The data reflects only the sales published through the Mid-Florida Regional Multiple Listing Service (MFRMLS) and does not include all sales in reported areas.

Neither the Association nor the MFRMLS is in any way responsible for its accuracy.

Data: Total Sales = all MFRMLS Osceola Single Family Housing (SFH) & Planned Unit Development (PUD).

(SFH), (PUD)-REO/Bank Owned/Short Sale from Special Sale Provision.

Average Days on Market is: Days to Closed

supply & demand number of units (FS) Monthly Change -4.58 Monthly % -.16 Total Change -109.91 Total % Change -3.86

FOR SALE 3.9%

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month’s supply of inventory (sold calculation) Monthly Change -.04 Monthly % -0.54 Total Change -0.89 Total % Change -13.06

MSI SALE -13.1%

median price (sold) low, high, average, median Monthly Change 2,216.45 Monthly % 1.88 Total Change 53,194.91 Total % Change 45.15

FOR SALE 45.2%

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professional

affiliates ADVERTISING/ PUBLICATIONS Guide To Homes, Inc. Rhonda Rogers 7810 Gall Blvd # 309 Zephyrhills, FL 33541 T 813-928-1885 guidetohomes@gmail.com Osceola Woman Newspaper Kena Blain P.O. Box 701509 Orlando, FL 34770 T 407-891-9771 F 407-891-0145 kblain@osceolawoman.com www.osceolawoman.com The Osceola Gazette Matt Plocha 108 Church St. Kissimmee, FL 34741 T 407-846-7600 ext107 F 407-846-8516 mplocha@osceolanewsgazette.com osceolanewsgazette.com The Real Estate Book Michael Martin 261 Specialty Point Sanford, FL 32771 T 407-878-1238 orlandorebook@gmail.com

AGENT MARKETING SERVICES BrandAid Chris Florence 7354 Bent Grass Drive Winter Haven, FL 33884 T 863-557-7953 chris@brandaid.com www.abrandaid.com

ATTORNEYS CPCLaw Charles Castellon 14129 Town Loop Blvd, Suite 200 Orlando, FL 32837 T 407-851-0201 F 407-851-9411 ccastellon@centralflattorney.com The Law Office of Charles E. “Gene” Moore, JR., P. Gene Moore 8 Broadway Avenue, Suite 109 Kissimmee, FL 34741 gmoore545@yahoo.com T 407-460-1370 F 407-264-8278 gmoore545@yahoo.com Law Office of Daniel Villazon, P.A. 1420 Celebration Blvd.

Celebration, FL 34747 T 407-483-0041 dvillazon@yahoo.com frecattorney.com

The Pappas Group Peter Pappas 4798 New Broad Street Suite #210 Orlando, FL 32814 T 407-648-2555 F 407-264-6580 ppappas@pappaslaw.com www.pappastax.com The Pappas Group Julie Pappas 4798 New Broad Street Suite #210 Orlando, FL 32814 T 407-648-2555 F 407-264-6580 jpappas@pappaslaw.com Quinones & Oliver, P.L. Leslie Zimmerly 11513 Lake Underhill Rd, Ste A Orlando, FL 32825 T 407-249-5050 F 407-249-5008 leslie@QFPO.com www.QFPO.com Roland H. Acosta & Associates Roland H. Acosta 399 Carolina Avenue, Suite 210 Winter Park, FL 32789 T 407-644-2531 F 407-628-9289 racosta@acostaatlaw.com Sanchez Law Group Desiree Sanchez 605 E. Robinson St, Ste 650 Orlando, FL 32801 T 407-236-0502 F 407-236-0444 dsanchez@cfllawgroup.com www.cfllawgroup.com

CONSTRUCTION/ REPAIR/ RENOVATIONS Linscott Plumbing Services Wayne Linscott 2009 Jaffa Dr. St. Cloud, FL 34771 T 407-891-1700 linscottplbg@aol.com

FINANCIALSERVICES/ INSTITUTIONS BB&T Glen Spears 255 S Orange Ave, Orlando, FL 32801 T 407-241-3557 F 407-563-4024 gspears@bbandt.com

BB&T Edwin Oquendo 2710 N. Orange Blossom Trail Kissimmee, FL 34744 T 407-401-3950 F 407-870-9895 eoquendo@bbandt.com

BB&T Katerine Navas 2710 N. Orange Blossom Trail Kissimmee, FL 34744 T 407-452-0598 F 407-870-9865 knavas@bbandt.com BB&T Denitza Guenova 7208 W Sand Lake Rd. Orlando, FL 32819 T 321-354-9601 F 407-345-5240 dguenova@bbandt.com Butler Mortgage Barbara Bowling 1012 W. Emmett Street, Suite B Kissimmee, FL 34741 T 407-931-3800 F 407-931-3801 bblowling@butlermortgage.com

Butler Mortgage Harry Urban 1012 W. Emmett St, Ste B Kissimmee, FL 34741 T 407-931-3800 F 407-931-3801 hurban@butlermortgage.com Centerstate Bank of Florida, N.A. Scott Johnson 920 North John Young Parkway Kissimmee, FL 34746 T 407-847-3800 F 407-847-8482 sjohnson@centerstatebank.com Currencies Direct International Chris Doran 4700 Millenia Blvd., Ste. 175 Orlando, FL 32839 T 407-900-2174 chris.d@currenciesdirect.com www.currenciesdirect.com Financial Education Services Olga Castano 2611 Oak Run Blvd Kissimmee, FL 34744 T 407-346-3194 olgacastarealtor@yahoo.com www.financialfreedom4u.us Guaranteed Rate Ivan Duarte 7125 Turner Rd, Suite 101 Rockledge, FL 32955 T 321-609-0789 ivanduate@guaranteedrate.com www.guaranteedrate.com/ ivanduarte Moneycorp Kelly Cutchin 7380 W Sand Lake Rd, Ste 410 Orlando, FL 32819 T 407-352-5890 F 407-352-5893 kelly.cutchin@moneycorp.com www.moneycorp.com/usa

Movement Mortgage Jason Parris 66 Riley Rd, Ste B2 Celebration, FL 34747 T 407-764-7344 F 804-477-1463 jason.parris@movementmortgage.com www.movementmortgage.com/ jason.parris RP Funding Scott Johnson 2700 Westhall Ln, Ste 120 Maitland, FL 32751 T 321-397-4189 F 888-851-7348 Scott.Johnson@rpfunding.com www.rpfunding.com RP Funding Jon Woods 2700 Westhall Ln, Ste 120 Maitland, FL 32751 T 321-397-4189 F 888-851-7348 Jon.woods@rpfunding.com www.rpfunding.com

Qubty Financial Group

David Qubty 7680 Universal Blvd., Suite 405 Orlando, FL 32819-8998 T 407-370-3030 F 407-370-2040 dqubty@qubtyfinancialgroup.com

Qubty Financial Group

Sami D. Qubty 7680 Universal Blvd., Suite 405 Orlando, FL 32819-8998 T 407-370-3030 F 407-370-2040 dqubty@qubtyfinancialgroup.com Trustco Bank Sarah Near 1525 East Osceola Pkwy Kissimmee, FL 34746 T 407-932-0398 F 407-932-0719 snear@branch.trustcobank.com trustcobank.com

Waterstone Mortgage Adriana Lopez Pardo 2699 Lee Rd. Ste 480 WinterPark, FL 32789 T 407-645-6386 F 407-628-2609 alopezpardo@ waterstonemortgage.com www.waterstone-fl.com Wells Fargo Home Mortgage Cliff Frohn One Home Campus Des Moines, IO, 50328 T 515-213-6500 F 515-213-6102 mlsmemberships@wellsfargo.com wellsfargo.com

OSCARAFFILIATES

031 HOME WARRANTY 2-10 Home Buyers Warranty Cameron Foster 1900 Jake Street, Suite 109 Orlando, FL 32814 T 407-473-1972 cfoster@2-10.com First American Home Warranty Corp Bobby Jo Justice 3239 Lorimar Lane St Cloud, FL 34772 T 407-902-5237 bjustice@firstam.com Home Warranty of America Tammy Birchler PO Box 850 Lincolnshire, IL, 60069 T 888-492-7357 ext. 424 tbichler@hwahomewarranty.com

INSPECTION SERVICES ACF Home Inspections, Inc. Luis Figueroa 509 S. Chickasaw Trail #18 Orlando, FL 32825 T 407-466-8921 F 407-381-5556 acfinspection@aol.com acfhomeinspections.com Budget Services, Inc. Ed Hogan 3617 Crosley Avenue St Cloud, FL 34772 T 407-892-8811 F 407-892-8516 budgettermite@earthlink.net budgetservicesfl.com FirmFoundationsHomeInspections,Inc. Aubrey Kahn 2200 Sylvan Court Kissimmee, FL 34746

T 321-624-0254

akahn.firmfoundations@gmail.com tophomeinspection.com Housemaster Home Inspections Colin Williams 527 Brack Street Kissimmee, FL 34744 T 407-343-4677 F 407-947-5354 cawilliams@housemaster.com osceola.housemaster.com Pilar Home Inspection Peter Boorman 106 Haversham Way Davenport, FL 33897 T 407-729-2579 peter.pilarhi@gmail.com www.pilarhomeinspectors.com Pillar to Post Sam Grasso 8200 Lynch Dr. Orlando, FL 32835 T 407-512-5995 F 407-512-6707 sam.grasso@pillartopost.com www.pillartopost.com/samgrasso

Wayne Home Inspections Wayne C. Glover 1533 Trumbull Street Kissimmee, FL 34744 T 407-935-1127 F 407-935-1483 wayne.glover@netzero.net wayneshomeinspection.com

REALESTATE SCHOOLS/EDUCATION IFREC Real Estate Schools Richard Fryer 5029 Edgewater Drive Orlando, FL 32810 T 407-644-7277 F 407-647-5227 robin@ifrec.com

Victoria Real Estate Academy Ana Malavet 1507 Fortune Retail Court Kissimmee, FL 34744 T 321-746-6393 exito@vrealestateacademy.com www.vrealestateacademy.com

REALTOR速 SERVICES Creating Wealth USA, LLC August Byllot P.O. Box 470654 Celebration, FL 34747 T 863-255-5858 augie@creatingwealthusa.com creatingwealthusa.com

TITLE/ESCROW/ INSURANCE SERVICES A-Z Team Title, LLC Bernard S. Edwards 102 Park Place Blvd.

Kissimmee, FL 34743 T 407-932-0529 F 407-932-1587 bernie@azteamtitle.com

American Latin Title Maria de Fatima De Assuneao 13574 Village Park Dr. ,Ste 135 Orlando, FL 32837 T 407-363-7704 F 407-363-7706 Fatima@americanlatintitle.com www.americanlatintitle.com Fidelity National Title of Florida Amanda Meyer 1390 Hope Road, Suite 400 Maitland, FL 32751 T 407-551--5030 F 407-875-1010 amanda.meyer@fnf.com www.fidelityeastflorida.com First American Title David Counselman 1101 Miranda Lane, Suite 101 Kissimmee, FL 34741 T 407-516-9327 F 866-722-5957 wcounselman@firstam.com www.firstam.com First International Title Shelly Dukes 1101 Miranda Lane, Suite 105 Kissimmee, FL 34741 T 321-443-6901 F 866-350-3338 shelly.dukes@firstintitle.com Final Negotiations, LLC. Rhonda Owen 1201 Emmet Street Kissimmee, FL 34741 T 407-846-0978 rowen@stewart.com

HIG Insurance Group Chase Herbig 890 E. State Road 434 Longwood, FL 32750 T 407-920-1115 F 407-260-0216 chase@hhig.com www.callhig.com The Health Insurance Store Flor Santana 1007 E. Vine St Kissimmee, FL 34744 T 407-738-3677 myflhealthinsuranceagent@gmail.com Infinity Title Group Samantha Andrade 714 John Young Pkwy Kissimmee, FL 34741 T 407-201-6420 F 321-250-7865 samantha@infinitytitlegroup.com Integrity First Title Betty M. Dobbie 908 Mabbette Street Kissimmee, FL 34741 T 407-846-4500 F 407-846-4533 bdobbie@integrityft.com

Newcastle Title Services Tammy Lynn Dietz 12 S Clyde Avenue Kissimee, FL 34741 T 407-518-1008 F 407-218-5057 tammy@newcastletitleservices.com www.newcastletitleservices.com Paragon Title Group Tina Johnson 1222 Ingram Street Kissimmee, FL 34744 T 407-847-0412 F 407-847-0429 docs@paragontitlegroup.com Quality Title & Escrow LLC Lisa Bennett 1801 Lee Road, Suite 205 Winter Park, FL 32789 T 321-304-3906 F 321-304-3009 lisa@qtefl.com Quality Title & Escrow LLC Juanita Figueroa 715 Mabbette St. Kissimmee, FL 34741 T 407-483-8861 F 407-483-8869 juanita@qtefl.com www.qtefl.com Stewart Title Company Rhonda Owen 1201 Emmett Street Kissimmee, FL 34741 T 407-846-7477 / F 407-846-6573 rowen@stewart.com Stewart Title Company Becky Sheive 1201 Emmett Street Kissimmee, FL 34741 T 407-846-7477 / F 407-846-6573 bsheive@stewart.com Stewart Title Company Rayelynne Ketchum 1201 Emmett Street Kissimmee, FL 34741 T 407-957-9000 F 407-957-8055 rwoeste@stewart.com

OTHER SERVICES Arnotts Furniture & Auction Gallery James Arnott 9230 W. Irlo Bronson Hwy Clermont, FL 34714 T 407-401-9893 auctionsbyjames@yahoo.com www.auction.smugmug.com Concordia Studios Kemp Howland 355 Falling Waters Dr Poinciana, FL 34759 T 407-222-4847 F 407-705-2562 Kemp.Howland@gmail.com concordiastudios.com Fanatical Cleaning Services Adriana Restrepo 239 Glowing Peace Ln Orlando, FL 32824 trpc19@yahoo.com HDM Pools Hector Munoz 709 Del Ray Dr Kissimmee, FL 34758 T 407-346-8769 hector@HDMpools.com www.HDMpools.com Heritage Park Inn Mary Rivera 2050 E. Irlo Bronson Memorial Highway Kissimmee, FL 34741 T 407-846-4545 F 407-923-2268 maryriv65@gmail.com Mr. ReKey Lock smith Daniel Lewis 1014 Webster Ave Orlando, FL 32804 T 407-207-0272 F 866-204-1717 Daniel@rekey.com www.rekey.com Punta Cana Restaurant Tito Arias 2050 E. Irlo Bronson Memorial Hwy Kissimmee, FL 34744 T 407-935-9020 puntacanaresta@aol.com Systeco Pest Control Cesar Vergara 25800 N. CR 426 Oviedo, FL 32765 T 407-832-9124 admin@systeco.com www.systecom.com Unidos Supermarket Jose Toribio 1200 Simspon Rd Kissimmee, FL 347414 T 407-962-0028 F 407-962-0020 Wild Palms Productions Victor Salgado 2420 Cypress Trace Circle Orlando, FL 328254 T 321-948-3512 wildpalmsproductions@gmail.com wildpalmspro.com

PRSRT STD U S POSTAGE PAID MID-FL FL PERMIT NO. 581

Osceola County Association of Realtors® 1105 Shady Lane • Kissimmee, FL 34744

quelin

welcome new

members Erica Abeling - Celebrate Real Estate Alyciana Ama - KAT Realty & Property Management, LLC Hanjomig Amate - Luxury Realty, Inc. Francisco Andino - Keller Williams at the Lakes Nicola Ansons - Watson Realty Corp Ronald Astorga - Coldwell Banker Acker Realty Maria Batista - Professional Real Estate Team Robert Belfi - Drim Properties Saul Benjumea - La Rosa Realty LLC Prisila Bereton - Urban Square Realty Victor Berrios Cermeno - For the People Realty, LLC Janet Betancourt - Right Choice Realty & Services, Inc. Luz Bettancourt - Victoria Realty Saquib Bhatti - BHHS Results Realty Diana Bossio - La Rosa Realty LLC Phounsompasong Bounsanga - Coldwell Banker Ackley Realty Humaira Bourne - Charles Rutenberg Realty Rebecca Brewer - Brewer Realty Services LLC Robert Bussiere - Coldwell Banker Acker Realty Eliza Butler - Coldwell Banker Acker Realty Maireddy Butron - Rockrose Realty Michael Camel - Weichert Realtors Hallmark Pro Amparo Caicedo - Deconova International Realty Denise Caraballo - La Rosa Realty Karen Caropelo - Exit Realty Champions Pedro Carrasquillo - Weichert Realtors Hallmark Pro Shaohua Chen - Sunshine Florida Realty, Inc. Debora Clavell-Pena - Property Outlet International Giorgio Concas - Transcontinental Realty Group Amarilis Cuevas De Luca- Tom Real Estate Meghan Dearing - Celebration Rental Group Melissa Diaz - Weichert Realtors Hallmark Pro John Ellward - Celebration Real Estate Group Jamil Farmer - Watson Realty Corp William Fernandez - FDV Investment Realty Michelle Figueroa - Watson Realty Corp Maribel Frattali - Weichert Realtors Hallmark Pro Minetta Garay - Property Solutions Unlimited, Inc. Dalvin Gonzalez - Keller Williams Classic II Realty Michael Graham - Coldwell Banker Residential Real Estate Tiffany Griggs - La Rosa Realty LLC Laurie Harlow - Ameritream Realty, Inc. Rebecca Harner - Century 21 Metro Lifestyles Tom Harris - Changing Latitutdes Real Estate Service Josefina Henricy - Top Saving Realty Christian Hill - Select Estates, LLC Rebecca Hill - Palm Blue Realty LLC Oleksandra Hunter - Keller Williams at the Lakes Jose Jimenez - Tom Real Estate Ralf Klug - Rockrose Realty Robert Kneeland - OneRes International Realty Holly La Rosa - La Rosa Realty LLC Zhongxin Ma - Golden Sun Realty, Inc. Pedro Martinez - Empire Network Realty, Inc. David McAllister - Keller Williams at the Lakes Andrea Mercado - Tom Real Estate Maria Montalvo - Decanova International Realty Raymond Moore - Prudential Results Realty Javier Moreira - Coldwell Banker Acker Realty Dagmar Orozco - Century 21 All Homes & Property Israel Oyola - For the People Realty, LLC Walter Parraga - Romo Realty Benito Pellerano - Keller Williams Classic II Realty Paul Phillips - Weichert Realtors Hallmark Pro Mirella Platon - Keller Williams Advantage II Annette Portalatin - Keller Williams Classic II Realty Carlos Prieto Mercado - Central Florida Realty Team Krystle Smith - Keller Williams at the Lakes Barbara Reilly - Weicert Realts Hallmark Pro

Danielle Riendeau - Coldwell Banker Acker Realty Samantha Rivera - Zip Realty, Inc. Jaime Rodriguez - JP Capital Realty, Inc. Jacqueline Roe - DeNike Realty and Property Management, LLC Marisol Rojas - Only Way Realty Golden Star Group Claudia Ruig - La Rosa Realty LLC Jose Saleta - Weichert Realtors Hallmark Pro Lorena Santiago - Coldwell Banker Acker Realty Eric Schnetzer - M&N Holloway Tandy Sinor - Dynamic Realty LLC Juan Smaine - Weicert Realtors Hallmark Pro Kregg Smith - Brick and Mortar Community Service Organization Krystle Smith - Keller Williams at the Lakes Mayra Soler Mutt - Coldwell Banker Ackley Realty James Tatterson - Keller Williams at the Lakes Gloriann Tavares- Only Way Realty Golden Star Group Neil Terwilliger - Davis Real Estate Group Armando Torres - Capital Equity Real Estate Group, Inc Manuel Torres - Homs Realty Group, Inc. Christian Valasquez - Bosco Realty Group, Inc. Yaneth Varona - Deconomva International Realty Rafael Villegas - Luxury Realty, Inc. Irena Vishneva - International Florida Properties, Inc. Natalie Voroshylo - Century 21 Metro Lifestyles Exley Warren - Weichert Realtors Hallmark Pro May-Britt Woodward - Coldwell Banker West Realty Cato Zachrisen - SuperiorFloridaRealty.com Inc.

AFFILIATE

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ACF Home Inspections, Inc. Financial Education Services HDM Pools The Health Insurance Store Infinity Title Group Paragon Title Group Sanchez Law Group Victoria Real Estate Academy