REALTOR Review E-Magazine Summer Ed. by Raleigh Regional Association of REALTORS®

REALTORreview 速

SUMMER 2010

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RALEIGH REGIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® 111 Realtors Way, Cary, NC 27513 (919) 654-5400, Fax: (919) 654-5401 www.rrar.com BOARD OFFICERS Theresa Clark, President Linda Trevor, President-Elect Stacey Anfindsen, Secretary/Treasurer John Wood, Past-President Joey Robbins, Vice-President RRAR DIRECTORS Mark Connor Tom Smith Parker Creech Phyllis Brookshire Steina DeAndrade Eddie Brown Harriette Doggett Asa Fleming Laurie Donofrio Julie Garrison Grayson Hodge Tom Gongaware Carol McCormick Lewis Grubbs Mollie Owen Becky Harper John Pace Morty Jayson Randy Scherr Melanie Osborne Jose Serrano Teresa Pitt REALTOR® FOUNDATION OF THE TRIANGLE PRESIDENT Joey Robbins NCAR REGIONAL VICE PRESIDENTS Elizabeth Allardice John Wood NAR DIRECTORS John Wood Eddie Brown TRIANGLE REALTORS® LEADERSHIP ACADEMY DEAN Morty Jayson Members are cautioned that the inclusion of a name, specific commercial product or service in an article, or the inclusion of a paid advertisement in this publication does not imply endorsement by the Raleigh Regional Association of REALTORS®. All advertisers in this publication wholly support the Fair Housing Act and fully promote equal opportunity housing. Copyright 2010 by the Raleigh Regional Association of REALTORS®. All rights reserved.

Summer 2010

REALTORreview ®

SUMMER 2010, VOL. 2, NO. 3

features

Realtor Party

RPAC’S STRENGTH IS IN ITS NUMBERS RPAC represents the real estate industry’s collective voice. The greater our numbers, the more effective our voice. THE 12 BRIDGING GENERATION-

COMMUNICATION DIVIDE One great tip is to team up. FOR A 15 STRATEGIES REALISTIC ASKING PRICE

These are valuable tools for overcoming one of the greatest challenges agents face.

ARE WEBSITES BECOMING OBSOLETE? Bernice Ross reports on a trend in favor of blogs.

departments 3 From the President 7 Community Service 14 Neighbors Helping Neighbors

14 NewsMakers 17 Educational

Opportunities

24 Bits & Pieces 25 New Members

REGION RANKS AMONG THE BEST Raleigh-Wake County continues to grow and capture top quality-of-life rankings in leading national publications. FUND-RAISER IS 22 GOLF A HIT! Check out the smiles

as members help raise funds for REALTOR® Foundation of the Triangle.

28 TMLS Updates 30 Local Market Updates 34 RRAR Events REALTOR® REVIEW STAFF: Congratulations! Raleigh Regional Association of REALTORS® Director of Communications Patricia “Trish” Gregory Rand and her husband, Walter Rand, welcomed their first child, daughter Lucy Rand, June 2nd. Trish will return to work Sept. 2. Caroline Shipman, managing editor, carolines@rrar.com • Heidi Ketler, APR, editor, hketler@verizon.net • Margo Alfieri, assistant editor, margoa@rrar.com • Shelly Beck, graphic designer, sbdesign@cox.net For editorial contributions and ad inquiries, please contact Caroline Shipman at carolines@rrar.com or (919) 654-5400. REALTOR® Review

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REALTOR® Review

Summer 2010

from the president

Theresa Clark 2010 RRAR President

Online journey can boost your business If you are not on the beach or working with a client right now, you need to be taking advantage of the mileage you’ll get from all the cool benefits of association membership. The quick and easy way to check them out is to go online.

By Theresa Clark, RRAR 2010 President

t’s vacation time. While your sights are set on getting away from it all and recharging, consider taking time off to browse your association websites for value-added benefits that can energize your business. Here’s a rundown of some of the exciting tools for professional growth and business success available. Tour a warehouse of possibilities In March 2009, the National Association of REALTORS® opened its warehouse of products, publications and services to members at no cost or at cost through its “Right Tools Right Now” initiative. This generous program has been extended into 2010, so don’t miss this opportunity to access NAR’s 300 businessenhancement programs. Every month, there are new featured offerings, including a number of free webinars. Last month, “Prospecting for Today’s Market: What Really Works” and an energy-savers tip sheet topped the list. Go to the NAR home page at www.realtor.org and click on the “Right Tools Right Now” icon or click here for more information. Rediscover publications and partners The North Carolina Association of REALTORS®, likewise, offers members great benefits on its website at www.ncrealtors.org. For starters, the REALTOR® Partners member discount program is your connection to a wealth of products and services. UPS was the featured partner for July and AT&T had a special discount on phones and service plans. Timely and information-packed articles on the North Carolina real estate market can be found in the bimonthly publication For the Record. It’s also Summer 2010

designed to be shared with those in your database, so you can print and mail it or scan and e-mail it. Another valuable resource with great articles is the online magazine Insight. It can be found by clicking on the publication link. You can read it either in magazine format or as a pdf. September splash The NCAR Convention and Expo is right around the corner Sept. 18-21 in Myrtle Beach. There is no better place for networking with REALTORS® throughout the state and superior education, and you’ll have fun while you’re at it. To make the most of the biggest event of the year, click on the big convention link on the NCAR home page or click here. New site close to home Yes, I’ve saved the best for last. You’ll find a wealth of business-boosting educational and networking tools at the all-new Raleigh Regional Association of REALTORS® website at www.rrar.com. If you haven’t ventured around it lately, you need to check it out. You’ll be amazed at how many free computer classes you can attend because you are a member. Classes on Outlook and Blackberrys are among them. Relevant classes also are offered to enlighten members on the many Multiple Listing Service enhancements coming soon. If you are not on the beach or working with a client right now, you need to be taking advantage of the mileage you’ll get from all the cool benefits of association membership. The quick and easy way to check them out is to go online. Happy travels!

Sincerely, Theresa Clark REALTOR® Review

CELEBRATING 45 YEARS Oct. 2-3, 8-10, 15-17 2010 12 p.m. - 5 p.m. Free Admission For a self guided parade book including a map, directions and home listings, please contact the Home Builders Association of Raleigh - Wake County 919-233-2033 or visit

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REALTOR® Review

Summer 2010

RPAC gives us one loud voice REALTORS® are an incredibly diverse group. Diverse in age, ethnicity, education, race and every other way you can imagine. This is one of the many things that makes our association strong. Yet for as different as we are, as people and our approaches to the practice of real estate, there are things that also bring us together. The most critical common bond we share, is the need for our businesses to thrive and for us to succeed. That is, in effect, why associations exist and why RPAC exists.

Evolution of political funding In the early ’70s, campaign finance regulations were very loose – so much so that any person or company could write any amount of check to a candidate and theoretically establish the winner. This practice was changed 30 some years ago and substantially refined again three more times. Today’s campaign finance system has many controls and oversight at varying levels of government. It is essentially a balance to guarantee free speech under the United States Constitution while defending against undue specialinterest influence or political corruption. This is no small chore. This past Jan. 21, the U.S. Supreme Court handed down a decision in the Citizens United v. FEC case finding that prohibiting certain types of political speech by corporations and unions violated the First Amendment. This decision Summer 2010

allows all types of organizations, corporations, associations, labor unions and advocacy groups to use money from the general treasuries for advertising about issues and candidates, known as “independent expenditures,” so long as there is no coordination with the campaign. It is now also permissible to conduct these activities within the previously prohibited window of time, 60 days before the general election. Ads now can also expressly use terminology previously forbidden, like “vote for” or “vote against.” These are significant changes and reverse much of the previous “electioneering” case law.

Your participation in RPAC is essential Our campaign system is not perfect; however, we have to engage in the system that exists if we are to protect and grow our real estate businesses. One of

the very best ways to accomplish this task is to be involved, and involved big time. The home buyer tax credit would have never happened without our engagement; the Home Affordable Foreclosure Alternatives and Home Affordable Modifications mortgage foreclosure prevention programs would have never happened without our engagement; ditto for the short sale modification regulations; the transfer tax issue losses; and on and on. Our REALTOR® Political Action Committee (RPAC) allows us to collect contributions from our members (you and me) and pool them together so they speak louder than they would individually. We can, and do, use these contributions to support those candidates who share our smallbusiness philosophy and embrace the entrepreneurial spirit. And in case you are wondering, so does practically every other large professional trade association. In the arena of politics there are no spectators – you are either a player or a victim. With the help of a strong PAC, professional lobbyists and our grassroots army we will continue to engage for your businesses. Please consider contributing to RPAC. There is no other group out there working harder for your small business or the housing consumer!

Remember to vote Nov. 2! If you are not sure if you are registered, or where to vote, click here. REALTOR® Review

REALTOR速 Review

Summer 2010

community service

Raleigh Regional Association of REALTORS® President Theresa Clark congratulates this year’s scholarship winners: (from left) Dana Andersen, Sarah Kline, Ashley Stacy and Kathryn Hornaday. (Scholarship winner Nicholas Savage is not pictured.)

Five high school seniors win RRAR scholarships The Community Service Committee’s mission is to make significant and positive contributions to the community through a collective effort of service to local charitable organizations. Each year, the Raleigh Regional Association of REALTORS® Community Service Committee offers scholarships to recognize Wake County High School seniors who excel academically and demonstrate outstanding community service. The committee’s goal in granting these scholarships is to instill awareness throughout its membership and the community of the selfless service and achievement by these area high school seniors. This year, the committee selected five outstanding seniors to receive scholarships. Nicholas Savage is a graduate of Wake Forest-Rolesville High School. He has donated more than 800 hours to community service, specifically co-founding a baseball league for special-needs children in Wake Forest. Savage plans to attend North Carolina State University in the fall and will major in engineering. ($2,000 scholarship) Dana Andersen graduated from Apex High School. Throughout her high school tenure, she volunteered more than 500 hours. Andersen plans to attend the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in the fall and earn a double major in clinical psychology and business. ($1,000 scholarship) Summer 2010

Sarah Kline graduated from Cary Christian School. In addition to dedicating hundreds of volunteer hours to various nonprofits, she has been involved with Girl Scouts of America for 10 years and has volunteered more than 4,000 hours with the organization. Kline has been admitted into both Duke University and into the Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps at Duke. She plans to graduate from Duke in four years, with a major in chemistry and then continue on into the Naval Medical Corps. ($1,000 scholarship) Ashley Stacy is a graduate of East Wake High School of Arts, Education and Global Studies. Throughout high school, she was involved with more than 16 non-profit organizations and donated hundreds of hours of her time to support those charities. Stacy will attend East Carolina University. After graduation, her plan is to attend East Carolina’s Brody School of Medicine and pursue a career in medicine. ($1,000 scholarship) Kathryn Hornaday graduated from Green Hope High School. She has volunteered more than 500 hours to local organizations. After graduation, she plans to seek a major in biology, focusing on cellular, molecular and developmental biology. Hornaday ultimately plans to enter medical school after college and reach the goal of becoming a neonatal surgeon. ($1,000 scholarship) REALTOR® Review

Save smart through energyefficient mortgages An energy efficient mortgage (EEM) recognizes the energy efficiency and cost effectiveness gained when a home has energysaving improvements.

Deductions and credits Mortgage interest deductions and tax credits are always powerful and positive incentives for homeowners. A mortgage interest deduction is a federal tax incentive that encourages home ownership, allowing homeowners to deduct mortgage interest on their federal and state income tax returns.

An EEM does raise your monthly mortgage payments because you are rolling your energy improvements into the home, but it also may help lower your gas, energy and water consumption. By investing up front, you’ll be enjoying lower energy bills down the road. Monthly savings will depend on the home’s efficiency, square footage and geography.

HERS rating To determine a home’s energy efficiency, a qualified energy consultant or an accredited home energy rater will provide a Home Energy Rating System (HERS) Index. A HERS rating is based on a 100-point scale using the 2006 International Energy Conservation Code as a baseline. The lower the score, the more energy efficient the home is. For example, a home with a HERS index of 70 is 30 percent more efficient than one built to a minimum building code, with a HERS score of 100. Home operating costs include all the costs to run your home. The most obvious operating costs are utilities, such as electricity, water and fuel. Based on your HERS rating, energy-efficient improvement recommendations could include Energy Star appliances, duct sealing, programmable thermo8

REALTOR® Review

stats, solar hot water systems, improved attic insulation and active or passive solar technologies.

FHA EEM With a Federal Housing Administration Energy Efficient Mortgage, a borrower can finance up to 100 percent of the cost of eligible energy-efficient improvements into a regular FHA mortgage, subject to certain dollar limitations, without an appraisal of the energy improvements or additional credit qualification of the borrower. The included mortgage energyefficient improvements must be cost effective and the total cost of the improvements (including maintenance costs) must be less than the total present value of the energy saved throughout the useful life of the improvements. All improvements must be completely installed within 90 days, if they are to be listed in escrow at closing.

Those remodeling a historic home should be sure to use federal historic rehabilitation tax credits. Available in 30 states, credits can be earned for design and consultant fees, as well as for walls; floors; ceilings; permanent coverings, such as paneling; structural elements; repair of windows and doors; HVAC; plumbing; electrical wiring and lighting fixtures; chimneys; and stairs. As a further incentive, existing energy-efficiency tax credits have been extended to Dec. 31. Tax credits have gone up from 10 percent to 30 percent of qualifying costs, with a $1,500 maximum per year. Certain rules and qualifications apply, so check with your tax professional for assistance. The Home Star Energy Retrofit Act of 2010, legislation that aims to increase the energy tax credit annual limit from $1,500 to $8,000, passed in the United States House of Representatives in May. Summer 2010

“The Energy Efficient Mortgage is a great program, not only because I will be able to reduce my impact on the environment, but also because I will be able to significantly reduce my energy bills.” – Resale home buyer Allison Arpin Home appreciation Energy Efficient Mortgages also allow appreciation with declining market risk should the homeowner decide to sell. Home appreciation is defined as the rise in an asset’s value that the owner can realize through refinance or a sale. Under the current U.S. tax code, sellers are allowed to realize a tax free gain of up to $250,000 for single ownership and $500,000 for married couples, so long as they have lived in the house for two of the last five years and it has not been a recent rental. In order to qualify for tax credits, homeowners must save all of

their Energy Star labels, all sales receipts and manufacturer’s certification statements. The results are worth the extra organizational time. Duke Energy and Progress Energy offer discounts in perpetuity to those who have earned the Energy Star certification. Resale home buyer Allison Arpin says, “The Energy Efficient Mortgage is a great program, not only because I will be able to reduce my impact on the environment, but also because I will be able to significantly reduce my energy bills. After completing the energy upgrades recommended to me by my HERS rater at Southern Energy Management, I have the potential

to cut my energy bills in half!” FM Lending Services is an FHAapproved Department of Housing and Urban Development lender for the EEM program, and its mortgage program may be used with an existing home sale, new construction or as part of an existing mortgage refinance. FM Lending Services is the affiliated mortgage company for Fonville Morisey Realty Inc. and one of the top FHA lenders in the Triangle area of North Carolina. This article is a collaboration of information from: Allison Arpin, home buyer; Aaron Lubeck, author of Green Restorations (New Society Publishing); Hugh Page, senior mortgage consultant, FM Lending; and Pat Daley, broker, Fonville Morisey Realty.

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REALTOR® Review

REALTOR速 Review

Summer 2010

Wake County is still a top destination By Raymond Larcher

While many other areas in the United States struggle to entice people to live in their communities, Wake County remains a leader in many categories. Indeed, despite the recession and unemployment numbers, the amount of people living in Raleigh continues to rise.

category, with 5.7 percent growth during the one-year period. Cary is now the 179th largest city in America, surpassing Savannah, Ga., and Columbia, S.C., among other notable places. Apex was ranked No. 44 in CNN/Money Magazine’s list of the nation’s best places to live in 2009.

Carolina for 2009, according to Site Selection magazine.

Internet Availability – Forbes.com called Raleigh “America’s most wired city” in March.

Health – The University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute ranked Wake first among healthiest counties in North Carolina.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau’s annual population estimates released in June, Raleigh has more residents than Cincinnati, St. Louis and Minneapolis. With an estimated 405,791 residents, Raleigh is America’s 45th largest city.

It’s not hard to see why people continue to relocate here, given how Wake County impresses newcomers in many ways. Just this year alone, the area has been honored for the following:

The figures also show that Raleigh ranked 14th overall in the nation among cities with more than 100,000 people, in terms of largest population growth percentage from July 1, 2008 to July 1, 2009 (the most recent figures available). Raleigh grew 3 percent, with an additional 11,925 people, and Wake County is projected to grow by 3.5 percent in the next five years.

business magazine Portfolio.com ranked Raleigh No. 1 in quality of living, ahead of 66 other major metropolitan areas, including New York City and Los Angeles. The website cited a stable business community and reasonable cost of living, plus the high-tech industries located here.

Cary boasted some impressive statistics of its own, even beating Raleigh in the aforementioned

There are no signs the trend of Wake County being a national leader will end anytime soon. Already in July, Money magazine ranked Cary No. 23 on its new list of the 100 best places to live in America.

Summer 2010

Quality of Life – In May, the online

Business Climate – The area is

the top one in this category in North

Driving – Car and Driver magazine ranked Raleigh No. 9 in its Best Drivers’ Cities survey in January. There are no signs the trend of Wake County being a national leader will end anytime soon. Already in July Money magazine ranked Cary No. 23 on its new list of the 100 best places to live in America. For more information on the county’s accolades over the years, call (919) 664-7066. Ray Larcher is executive vice president of the Raleigh Regional Association of REALTORS®.

REALTOR® Review

5 tips By Bernice Ross

The next generation of real estate agents is motivated, hungry for information and eager to learn how to succeed. Their perspective, however, is an eyeopener for those of us who are “old timers.” I recently had dinner with a friend who holds a regional training position for a major real estate franchise and who had just conducted a new agent training class. For the first time in many years, there were a large number of new agents in their 20s. One of these agents asked very earnestly, “How can I sell to old people?” My friend asked, “What constitutes ‘old?’” His answer: “Someone who is 40.” This agent was completely serious. He wanted to succeed and was eager to know what worked.

some are so far behind that they will never catch up. In terms of the younger agents, they have great technological expertise, but many are poor at developing face-to-face relationships. Gen Yers also have huge issues about confrontation and criticism. You have to wonder how well they will do when a deal falls apart and everyone is screaming “Lawsuit!” at each other. In response to the new agent’s question, here are five strategies that can help each generation achieve the best possible outcome with their clients regardless of their age.

1. Niche your business to serve people in your own age group.

Another friend recounted a conversation he had with a Gen Xer. She claimed that older agents are “dinosaurs.” His response, “The term dinosaur implies movement. They’re not dinosaurs, they’re fossils!”

If you are uncomfortable working with someone who is substantially younger or older than you, focus on building your business around those who are in your age group. Boomers still control most of the wealth in this country and are still actively engaged in buying and selling real estate.

Bridging the communication gap between the various generations is challenging. The “dinosaurs” in many cases are just as technologically savvy as many young agents. On the other hand,

On the other hand, with the median age of first-time buyers in the 30s, there is plenty of business to be done with Gen X and Gen Y. In fact, I’ve watched many agents begin their business when

REALTOR® Review

they were fresh out of college. They initially sold to their friends who were just beginning their careers, as well. As their friends progressed in their careers, they moved into larger properties to accommodate their families.

2. Like attracts like. Regardless of your age, a shared interest in a recreational activity, a charitable cause or a community issue can be an excellent way to attract potential clients. The goal is to build a personal connection with your clients. The way you do this is by asking questions and being genuinely interested in what they have to say. I always made a point of knowing a little about a lot of different topics. For example, I had a physicist who wanted to buy a haunted house. He didn’t believe in that “mumbo jumbo.” I didn’t pretend to have a grasp of the physics work he did, but asked him questions about the applications of his work. We also had great conversations about “haunted” houses, as well as houses with strange histories. Because I made a point of being interested in his personal interests, I listed and sold five properties with him. Summer 2010

help bridge the generation gap 3. Become a master of the inventory. For new agents, the two critical things they must first master are the contracts and the inventory. Most top producers can price a property without even looking at the comparable sales. All clients want to know that their agent is technically competent. Regardless of your experience level, staying on top of the inventory is critical to success with all age groups.

4. Use a team approach. Many older agents are teaming up either with their kids or with younger tech-savvy agents. When they work with their clients, they can offer the best of both worlds: the experience and marketing

savvy of a seasoned agent, plus the technological expertise of an agent who grew up working with computers and has a natural understanding about how to put technology to good use.

5. Be proactive, not reactive. The scariest question for a new agent is, “How long have you been in the business?” To avoid having this question asked in the first place, it’s critical to be proactive. For example, if you are on a listing appointment, put together a detailed marketing plan that includes a wealth of Web 2.0 applications, such as syndication of the property information to multiple real estate portals, online video distribution, a virtual tour,

etc. Also be sure to include proven strategies, such as a tollfree call capture service and a single-property website (that uses the property address as the URL). Thus, when the client raises that dreaded question about how long you have been in the business, answer by saying, “Not that long. Please compare my marketing plan and the other services I provide to the other agents you interview. Then choose the agent who you feel will do the best job of marketing your property.” When it comes down to it, real estate success comes from finding commonalities, providing exceptional service, and demonstrating business and technological expertise. This in turn creates a strong connection with your clients that motivates them to say, “I want to do business with you regardless of your age.” Bernice Ross, chief executive officer of RealEstateCoach.com, is a national speaker, trainer and author of Real Estate Dough: Your Recipe for Real Estate Success and other books. She can be reached at bernice@realestatecoach.com or on Twitter: twitter.com/bross.

When it comes down to it, real estate success comes from finding common-alities, providing exceptional service, and demonstrating business and technological expertise. This in turn creates a strong connection with your clients that motivates them to say, “I want to do business with you regardless of your age.”

Summer 2010

REALTOR® Review

newsmakers

neighbors helping neighbors

REALTOR® executives earn elite association management degree

ROBBINS

Thanks for supporting “Our Troops”

On June 11, more than 350 pounds of toiletries and supplies for United States troops landed on the ground in Baghdad, the result of Raleigh Regional Association of REALTORS®’ two-week campaign to collect needed items to be distributed by the USO. It was RRAR’s third such initiative, led by its Community Service Committee, which has expressed sincere thanks to those who helped show the men and women serving this country that they are not forgotten and their sacrifices are deeply appreciated. A campaign to collect supplies began May 19, with a compelling presentation to the RRAR Board of Directors by RRAR member Terry Benson. He had just completed a 16-month position with the USO and was onsite in Baghdad when RRAR’s previous donation shipments arrived. At the May meeting, Benson played a slideshow featuring photos of the troops during their dayto-day lives in combat and even featured some pictures of soldiers unloading RRAR donations. At the conclusion of the slideshow, Benson presented the RRAR with a commemorative flag. It now hangs framed in the hallway of the RRAR office as a daily reminder of the sacrifice fellow Americans and even REALTOR® members make to ensure this nation’s freedom. 14

REALTOR® Review

WIEST

Two industry executives have earned the prestigious certificate for Strategies in Nonprofit Management from the University of Chicago Graham School of General Studies.

The certificates recognize the exceptional efforts of Tara Lightner Robbins, director of governmental affairs for the Raleigh Regional Association of REALTORS®, and Rachel Wiest, vice president of operations of the Triangle MLS Inc. Robbins and Wiest were among 46 elite REALTOR® association executives to have achieved this mark of excellence. Local and state association executives who have earned the certificate represent more than 1,120,000 REALTORS® in 48 states in 1,483 REALTOR® associations. “The University of Chicago certificate program is an extremely valuable tool for association executives and I am honored to have been given this opportunity to participate,” Robbins said. “This is truly an honor and I am very proud to be receiving this certificate. It is a high point in my career as an MLS executive,” Wiest said. Prior to becoming a graduate of the University of Chicago certificate program, participants must attend six customized classes in association and nonprofit management, and pass the pre- and postwork assignments for each class. Participants must demonstrate knowledge of areas critical to REALTOR® association management, including strategic planning, performance management, leadership, budgeting and finance, advocacy and lobbying, board governance and developing effective programs. Robbins has spent 16 years in association management, specializing in government relations, for state, local and national trade associations. Wiest has worked in MLS management for more than 10 years. She currently serves on the Multiple Listing Issues and Policy Committee for the National Association of REALTORS®. Summer 2010

you the seller’s odds of selling in a given month. For example, if there are 12 months of inventory on the market, that means the seller’s odds or probability of selling in any month is 8.3 percent (1/12). The probability the seller won’t sell in a given month is 91.7 percent (11/12).

2. Holding costs

Six strategies for a realistic asking price One of the greatest challenges agents face is getting sellers to be realistic about their asking price. Summer 2010

By Bernice Ross

You’ve done a thorough CMA (comparative market analysis) and you’re certain that the sellers will see the truth about where they should price their property. After they review your work they say, “But our house is worth more!” One of the greatest challenges agents face is getting sellers to be realistic about their asking price. If you’re struggling with pricing your listings right, here are six strategies that can help you persuade your sellers to be realistic.

1. Odds of selling (absorption rates)

Absorption rates are generally one of the most powerful ways to persuade sellers to be realistic. The calculation is relatively simple. In most areas, your local multiple listing service publishes how many months of inventory are currently on the market. Next, divide “1” by the number of months of inventory. This gives you the percentage of listings that are selling each month. It also tells

Another approach is to show the seller the cost of waiting to sell, especially if there has been a decline in prices. For example, assume a property is worth $240,000 and the property values during the last 12 months have declined by 10 percent ($24,000.) If the seller’s mortgage payments, taxes and insurance run $2,000 per month, each month the seller waits to sell costs them the holding costs (i.e., $2,000) plus the rate of price depreciation. In this example, that’s another $2,000 per month. Consequently, each month the seller stays on the market costs them an additional $4,000.

3. Price per square foot CMA

A third strategy is to use a priceper-square-foot analysis. Sellers are generally prepared to have a conversation about the current list prices. What most are not prepared to do is to discuss how much properties are selling for on a price-per-square-foot basis. Many multiple listing services provide price-per-square-foot data. (If this number is not available, simply take the price each See SIX STRATEGIES on page 16 REALTOR® Review

SIX STRATEGIES continued from page 15

comparable sale sold at and divide it by the number of square feet in the improvements.) When you discuss the information with the seller, use the price per square foot based on the selling price, not the list price. When you ask the seller where they would like to price their property based on the price per square foot, you will often obtain a more realistic asking price.

4. What properties have “qualified for” in your area This is a powerful approach, especially when used with a priceper-square-foot CMA. The argument is simple. “Mr. and Mrs. Seller, you already know that in order to sell your house, you need a qualified buyer, right? Did you also know that your house has to qualify?” Most sellers will ask you what this means. “Since most buyers need a loan to purchase, this means your house will have to qualify for a loan with a lender. To determine where to position your property in the market, let’s take a look at what other properties are qualifying for in your area.” You then review the CMA data for closed sales on a priceper-square-foot basis. Properties that have closed “have qualified.” Because you are using closed sales to set the price, you are much

REALTOR® Review

more likely to obtain a realistically priced listing.

5. Show them the comparable sales in person or online If you don’t own a laptop, you can always take your sellers out to look at the current inventory in person. However, this is timeconsuming. The good news is that with all the great Web tools available, you no longer have to chauffeur them around. Instead, provide them with a virtual tour of the comparable sales. This is especially helpful when the sellers don’t feel they need to paint or get rid of the clutter. Showing them the videos or the interior photos of the most recent comparable sales is a smart way to educate them about what is required to get their property sold.

6. Use online pricing tools Although you may not love Zillow or some of the other online pricing tools, they can be powerful tools to help sellers be realistic about their prices. Because the information comes from a third party rather than a real estate company or agent, many sellers are more likely to believe this data is correct. Sometimes sellers simply won’t be persuaded by any argument that you make. When this occurs, the best policy is to thank them for their time and to walk away. There’s no point in being saddled with a listing that won’t sell – or even if it did, won’t appraise. Save yourself the time, effort and frustration of having to market an overpriced listing.

Bernice Ross, chief executive officer of RealEstateCoach.com, is a national speaker, trainer and author of Real Estate Dough: Your Recipe for Real Estate Success and other books. She can be reached at bernice@realestatecoach.com or on Twitter: twitter.com/bross.

Summer 2010

educational opportunities

Earn national SFR certification Nearly one-third of all existing homes sold recently were either short sales or foreclosures, according to National Association of REALTORS® data. In response to this housing market development, NAR added the new Short Sales and Foreclosure Resource (SFR) certification program to its course lists. To become SFR certified, REALTORS® must complete a one-day education program, either in-person or online, as well as three one-hour webinars. Attendees also can earn their SFR designation at the REALTORS® Conference & Expo in San Diego, Calif., Nov. 13-16. Soon, prospective home buyers who are specifically looking for distressed homes can search REALTOR.com®’s Find a REALTOR® feature to look for agents in their area who hold the SFR designation. These agents will be better equipped to handle requests from bargain hunters with their eyes on short sale and foreclosure properties. And, given that not everyone can qualify for the federal Making Home Affordable (MHA) program, sellers who are left no choice but to go after short sales can also benefit from the knowledge and insight that a SFR-certified REALTOR® can provide.

Workforce housing certificate program:

Get the credentials you need to serve fast-growing market Did you know that first-time home buyers accounted for nearly half of all home sales in 2009? Thanks to a slow economic recovery, buyers at the lower end of the market are expected to be the fastestgrowing market segment through 2012. The North Carolina Workforce Housing Specialist (WHS) program is designed to provide the education and credentials REALTORS® need to help more low- and moderate-income buyers achieve affordable home ownership. It will provide expert knowledge on the federal, state and local housing programs and resources available to serve these buyers. It also will help you connect with like-minded professionals and the organizations that are increasing housing opportunities in your community.

REALTORS® with this designation can position themselves as valuable resources to meet a growing need in the communities they serve. The Real Estate Buyer’s Agent Council of NAR is offering the program that includes training on how to manage short sale, foreclosure and real estateowned transactions. It also provides resources to help REALTORS® stay current on national and state-specific information as the distressed home market evolves. For more information, visit NAR’s information page.

Local REALTORS® earn SFR certification These agents with LaChapelle Properties in Cary recently earned the National Association of REALTOR® Short Sale and Foreclosure Resource designation: Cynthia LaChapelle Alberta Kurtz Frances Wirth Summer 2010

Benefits of certification • It’s a great low-cost education program that will pay you back in new business. • Workforce Housing Specialists will be a focus of a public awareness campaign. See EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES on page 18 REALTOR® Review

EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES continued from page 17

• Graduates will be promoted to housing organizations and at community events. • Graduates receive a certificate and are listed on this website. • Graduates can advertise their credentials in their personal marketing. In order to be certified as a Workforce Housing Specialist, participants must complete 16 hours of education within one year. Classes are currently being offered in Asheville, Greensboro, Raleigh and Wilmington, with additional locations being added as needed.

Upcoming WHS classes at RRAR Aug. 9 Foreclosure, Short Sales, REO’s & Auctions (elective class) 1:30-5:30 p.m., Instructor: Bill Gallagher Also counts as 4 hours of NC CE elective credit Oct. 6 Be a Housing Hero seminar/Local Housing Finance Program (core class) 9-11 a.m., Free Oct. 8 CRS 111 Short Sales and Foreclosures, Protecting Your Clients’ Interests (elective class) 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m, Instructor: Mark Given

CRS 211 short sale course also counts for SFR designation The CRS 211 “Short Sales and Foreclosures: Protecting your Clients’ Interests” will be offered from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., Friday, Oct. 8. Mark Given will instruct. Working with buyers and sellers of distressed properties can be frustrating and time consuming, but also rewarding. The Short Sales and Foreclosures Resources (SFR) course provides REALTORS® with practical approaches to the pre-foreclosure and foreclosure processes that will result in the successful disposition of these properties. The course explains the intricacies of the short sale and foreclosure processes, as well as the roles of lenders, sellers, buyers and cooperating agents involved. Dialogues and systems for working with financial institutions and other owners of REO properties are also provided. Upon the successful completion of this course, the student will be able to: • Give competent advice and counsel to homeowners who are in danger of losing their home through foreclosure. • Negotiate successfully with financial institutions and other owners of REO (real estate-owned) properties. • Sell and list REO and short sale properties.

Be a Housing Hero The Housing Opportunity Committee will host its “Be a Housing Hero” seminar from 9 to 11 a.m., Wednesday, Oct. 6 at the Raleigh Regional Association of REALTORS® office. Contact Cara or Sonya at (919) 654-5400 for more information!

REALTOR® Review

• Help clients maintain possession of their homes by creating “short sales” on qualified properties that will lead to the successful sale of those properties. This course meets the core course requirement for the Real Estate Buyer’s Agent Council’s SFR certification program. For more information, click here or visit www.realtorsfr.org/ or contact Cara Mottershead at (919) 654-5400. With the CRS designation, you become part of the network of more than 38,000 certified residential specialists designees and candidates/general members. To learn more about the designation and CRS courses coming to you, visit www. crs.com. Summer 2010

Let’s get together on safety Knowledge. Awareness. Empowerment. These are the core components of REALTOR® safety. They also comprise the theme of NAR’s latest efforts to raise awareness about safety. In recognition of the sixth annual REALTOR® Safety Week Sept. 13-19, RRAR will host a free safety seminar and breakfast Friday, Sept. 17, starting at 9 a.m. Seating is limited, so reserve your space today by calling (919) 654-5400 or sending an e-mail to sonyay@rrar.com. This is a perfect time to start focusing on best practices for ensuring your personal safety, as well as your clients’ safety, home and office safety, and more.

Leadership Academy applications now accepted The Raleigh Regional Association of REALTORS® has begun accepting applications for the 2011 Triangle REALTORS® Leadership Academy. The deadline is Nov. 12. Leadership skills are essential for success as a leader in your industry or a volunteer in your community. Whether you are interested in leading people or leading organizational change, the Triangle REALTORS® Leadership Academy helps you increase your effectiveness as a leader and equip you with a resiliency that is important in our everchanging profession. The 2011 Triangle REALTORS® Leadership Academy, taught by a nationally recognized faculty, will consist of seven program modules spread throughSummer 2010

out the year. Topics discussed will range from leadership concepts, planning and administration, communication skills, spokesperson training and media relations, financial programs, issues and budgeting considerations. You also will attend the “State of the Triangle” and North Carolina Association of REALTORS® Legislative Day. Here’s what two 2008 Triangle REALTORS® Leadership Academy graduates have to say about the program: “Being a participant…was one of the most professional and personal growth-promoting experiences I’ve had in a very long time. The academy brought out strengths I didn’t know I had and finetuned others that I use in my everyday work and personal life. I look forward to future accomplishments that will be simplified by the leadership tools I developed. The Leadership Academy was an outstanding opportunity and one that I would not trade because of what it now brings to my professional and volunteer endeavors… . I’d love to be able to attend again, just because it was such a positive experience.” – Miki Davis, Coldwell Banker Advantage

“Being in the Triangle Leadership Academy helped me grow as a person. The friendships and skills learned during my session were invaluable to me. I am a much more confident real estate agent because of my experience.” – Julie Garrison, Prudential York Simpson Underwood

The Leadership Academy is for RRAR members only, and enrollment is extremely limited in order to maximize the experience for the participant. Contact Cara Mottershead at (919) 654-5400 for a complete packet. REALTOR® Review

RAP is growing The Raleigh Regional Association of REALTORS® would like to recognize and acknowledge the following 2010 Raleigh Associate Program members:

Lance Bailey, Surplus Warehouse Jamie Barron, First Citizens Bank Corey Bauer, Wells Fargo Home Mortgage Jo Ann Brady, PrimeLending

Tim Minton, Home Builders Association of Raleigh-Wake County Christopher Murray, Corporate Investors Mortgage Group, Inc.

Matt Branstrom, Bank of America Home Loans

Lorraine Piechnik, Primary Residential Mortgage, Inc.

Kevan Bytnar, The Real Estate Book

Doug Schoonmaker, Suntrust Mortgage

Kristen Carmack, First Citizens Bank

Ryan Shaughnessy, First Citizens Bank

Ricardo Cobos, Suntrust Mortgage

Stephen Smallman, Steve Smallman Property Inspections

David Colgan, Academy Mortgage Corporation Heather Driver, Summit Hospitality Group Cheryl Edwards, Coastal Mortgage Robert Gallagher, Coastal Mortgage Eric Goodsell, U.S. Inspect, LLC Katherine Haney, Kat’s Design Services Kurt Kruase, Brightgreen Home Loans, Inc. Joe Lee, Walker Jackson Mortgage Kevin Martini, Suntrust Mortgage

Paul Suber, Coastal Mortgage Erik Taylor, First Citizens Bank Belinda Wells, James Hardie Building Products Mark Wooten, Suntrust Mortgage If you are in an allied field or any company that provides products or services to the real estate industry, we welcome you to become a Raleigh Associate Program member. For more information, contact Priscilla Erwin at priscillae@rrar.com or at (919) 654-5400.

Ericka McCaw, The Governors Club

REALTOR® Review

Summer 2010

Why agents ditch websites FOR BLOGS be able to customize his content.

By Bernice Ross

What do real estate’s smartest and most tech-savvy agents have in common with the least techsavvy agents? Many of them no longer have a website! I recently attended a webinar where the expert leading the session declared, “If you’re still using a website where you have to wait on your Web designer to upload content, you’re stuck in the 1990s.” There seems to be a strong trend among many cutting-edge real estate agents to dump their static websites and to replace them with a blog. There are numerous reasons for making this move. First, website maintenance is expensive. In addition to hosting fees, most agents and companies have to pay a programmer to make changes in their site. This typically runs at least $50 per hour. Second, unless you are a programmer, it’s not practical to update your website daily. This means that the content on your site is static. Obtaining high ranking on the search engines using a static website can be much more difficult than working with a blog. The reason is simple: The search engines catalogue sites only when the content changes. Blogs are inexpensive and relatively easy to set up. They allow you to post fresh content on the fly from a host of different sources. You can post pictures and videos Summer 2010

from your smart phone; you can use voice recognition software to convert a phone message to a written blog post; and you can also post directly from many of the social media sites. Blogs also help you obtain higher search-engine ranking. Each time you create a new blog post, you are creating additional links to your blog site. These additional links can help your search engine ranking, provided that your blog is hosted on your personal website or URL rather than on the blogging company’s main site. For example, my WordPress blog is integrated into my site at RealEstateCoach.com. On the other hand, my LuxuryClues blog is on TypePad. I have to manually link back to my main website from TypePad. That’s not an issue with my WordPress blog. The links automatically go back to my main website.

Are blogs an adequate substitute for websites? The “no” argument On the “no” side of the argument, the general manager of our company shared this example. She was working with a client who had set up a blog on Blogger.com prior to its acquisition by Google. When Google acquired Blogger, the company informed the client that he could keep his current blog, but he would no longer receive software updates and he would no longer

Furthermore, his only option in terms of keeping his current blog was to host with the new site. This meant that anyone trying to access his blog through an old link would be unable to see the post. In contrast, when you own your URL it’s relatively simple to change hosting companies provided that you have backed up your website content. Furthermore, any links that you have are still good as long as you don’t change your main website URL. On the other hand, if you don’t own your own URL you have a much more difficult situation. To migrate your site, you must be able to obtain all your past content from the company that is hosting your website on its server.

Are blogs an adequate substitute for websites? The “yes” argument I posed this question to Michael Krisa of ThatInterviewGuy. com. Krisa decided to dump his traditional website and to rely on a blog for his business. Krisa argues that having a blog site gives you increased control. Furthermore, because WordPress is “open source” and so many people are writing applications, the issues described with Blogger would be highly unlikely. Rather than paying thousands of dollars to set up a new site, Krisa said he launched a completely customized site with landing (squeeze) pages for under $200. If you elect to use a blog site See WHY AGENTS DITCH on page 23 REALTOR® Review

Fund-raiser is above par! Approximately 80 participants golfed for fun and a good cause during the Raleigh Regional Association of REALTORS® Charity Golf Tournament June 7 at the Lonnie Poole Golf Course at North Carolina State University. Proceeds will benefit REALTOR® Foundation of the Triangle charitable endeavors.

Special thanks to Kevan Bytnar with The Real Estate Book, Denise Keane with Raleighwood, Drew Mitchell with GolfSmith, Rocky

Top Hospitality and the North Carolina Ballet for providing giftbag giveaways and prizes.

Congratulations to the tournament winners!

It was a beautiful day for golf, with a nice breeze easing the rays of the summer sun and adding to the enjoyment of a new and exciting golf course. Players also were treated to good food, cold drinks and prizes. Sponsors included James Hardie Building Supplies, Visual Properties, Corey Bauer with Wells Fargo Home Mortgage, American Dream Residential Mortgage and BrightGreen Home Loans. 22

REALTOR® Review

FIRST PLACE: Jamie Barron, Mark Moye, Ryan Shaughnessy and Erik Taylor Summer 2010

WHY AGENTS DITCH continued from page 21

rather than a website with a blog built into it, a major challenge you will face is how to organize your data. If you’re going this route, most experts insist you separate your marketing and listing data from your blog posts. Potential clients don’t want to wade through multiple blog posts to locate “properties for sale.” SECOND PLACE: Bryan Deweese, Brian Winter, Eric Sayer and Corey Bauer (not pictured)

THIRD PLACE: David Colgan, Hank Rather, Asa Fleming and Rich Kemp

LONGEST DRIVE – HOLE 11: Mary Toler and Jim Cleveland

CLOSEST TO THE PIN – HOLES 2 AND 17: Bill Owen See FUND-RAISER on page 24

Summer 2010

Are blogs an adequate substitute for websites? Maybe I’m on the fence on this one. I believe that the marketing strategy that works the best has four components: print marketing, website, blog and social media. You use your print marketing to drive traffic to your blog and/or website. Your website is for static content. This would include your multiple listing service feed, your personal listings, community information, your contact information, mortgage calculator, facts about purchasing, etc. Your blog is the place to engage your sphere of influence as well as to attract potential customers. Blogging, however, always requires you to initiate the process by doing a post. In contrast, the social media allow you to initiate conversations as well as allowing others to initiate conversations with you. Ideally, these work together for maximum results. You use your print marketing to drive prospects to your website, blog or to the social media sites where you are active. Bernice Ross, chief executive officer of RealEstateCoach.com, is a national speaker, trainer and author of Real Estate Dough: Your Recipe for Real Estate Success and other books. She can be reached at bernice@realestatecoach.com or on Twitter: twitter.com/bross. REALTOR® Review

bits & pieces

Get a kick out of fall savings Find fall savings at the REALTOR® Store!

Flyer/info box bargains – Sale pricing on

one of the most popular flyer box styles (Models 8-102 and 8-122). Available in black or white and comes complete with a stake. Regularly $18.99 – Only $15.99 Aug 1-Oct 31.

Holiday calendar savings – Save by pre-

For more information, call (919) 654-7253 or send an e-mail to store@rrar.com. Click here to visit the REALTOR® Store online.

Get ready for a New Homes showdown!

New home neighborhoods will be on display at the 2010 New Homes Expo “American New Home Showdown,” offering great sights, information, fun and prizes.

ordering magnetic holiday calendars. Save even more by placing a group order to qualify for quantity discounts. Early bird pricing as follows:

Mark your calendars for Tuesday, Aug. 10, from 11 a.m. - 2 p.m., at the New Longbranch Entertainment Complex (600 Creekside Drive, Raleigh).

Pack of 20 calendars – Reg. $12 – Early bird price only $10

The event is being jointly hosted by the Home Builders Association of Raleigh-Wake County and the Raleigh Regional Association of REALTORS®, and sponsored by 12 Oaks, Wells Fargo, Lennar and Standard Pacific Homes.

Case of 100 calendars – Reg. $60 – Early bird price only $45 Two-case quantity discount – Save $3 more – Early bird price only $42/case Three-plus case quantity discount – Save $6 more – Early bird price only $39/case

Custom sign service – Why wait? Our turn-

around time is typically one to two days! Custom riders and signs make your listing stand out! Numerous text and sign colors, sizes and designs now available. (Sorry, unable to produce logos or photos.)

New rider sizes – By popular request, in addi-

tion to 18-inch and 24-inch riders, a selection of 30inch riders is now available for REALTOR® custom sign printing service. *Sale offers cannot be combined with other discounts.

FUND-RAISER

Click here to register today.

Jones named in Who’s Who Charlene J. Jones, CRS, GRI, ABR, SRES, a broker with Prudential York Simpson Underwood Realty in Cary, has been accepted into the 2010-2011 Montclair Who’s Who in North America registry.

The registry recognizes and highlights men and women of leadership and disJONES tinction within various industries throughout the United States and Canada. Inclusion is an honor bestowed upon the most distinguished professionals after careful review of their credentials and accomplishments.

continued from page 23

Dressed for success are (from left) Kevan Bytnar, Mike Glas, James Lutz and Sam Zerarka.

These players look cool as cucumbers. They are (from left) Pat Wray, John Van Campen, Cara Pierce and Mark Parker. 24

REALTOR® Review

This foursome is raring to go. They are (from left) Tony Carter, Wesley Carter, Steve Berlew and Bob Steinfeld. Summer 2010

WELCOME NEW MEMBERS Luis F. Aguilar, Family Realty Corp. Kristin D. Alexander, Fonville Morisey/Athens Grove Barbara Ashley, Howard Perry & Walston New Homes Thomas R. Barker, Dominion Realty Partners L.L.C. Robert C. Barnes, Zip Realty Inc. Wesley A. Barnes, Barnes McQuade Realty Jamie Barron, First Citizens Bank Alan Beal, Realty World Partners Noelle Beard, Howard Perry & Walston Realtor Traci Belk, David Weekley Homes Amy N. Blackman, Prudential York Simpson Underwood John Thomas Bohlmann, Howard Perry & Walston Realtor Courtnay Borleske, Fonville Morisey/Lochmere Joshua A. Bosse, Keller Williams Preferred Real Estate Robert K. Braswell, CB Advantage Jonathan D. Breedlove, Breedlove & Associates Shelia V. Brewington, Re/Max One Realty Craig A. Briner, Pegasus Realty Ltd. James Brooks, Raleigh Cary Realty Inc. Susan E. Brown, Howard Perry & Walston Realtor Nicole A. Bullard, Re/Max United Lisa D. Burgess, American Dream Properties Inc. Beth Byrd, Beazer Homes Amy Bytnar, HomeBuyingForLess L.L.C. Ferdinand G. Camaya, Howard Perry & Walston Realtor Carla R. Capps, Stonewood Properties Inc. Kristen Carmack, First Citizens Bank Michael W. Carner, Prudential York Simpson Underwood Jon L. Carroll, Zip Realty Inc. Shawn P. Carter, Standard Pacific Carolinas L.L.C. Sandra L. Chapman, Evelyn Douglas Realty John T. Chappell II, Cityspace Management Jennifer C. Clark, The Real Estate Store Andrea L. Coleman, Fathom Realty Anne M. Conklin, Allen Tate Co. Inc. Anna Courtney, Block & Associates Realty Samuel Craig, Re/Max United Kelly Cranmer, Fonville Morisey/Brier Creek Erna-Irene Crowder, Zip Realty Inc. Kelly B. Crowder, Fonville Morisey/Youngsville Amanda Cucinelli, Allen Tate Co. Inc. Lillie Davis, Howard Perry & Walston Realtor Amy M. DeLorenze, Raleigh Cary Realty Inc. Mary M. Devine, Regan & Co. Margaret M. Domingue, Deans Group Realty Joan Dorsey, CB Advantage Carrie J. Dove, Keller Williams Realty Cheryl Edwards, Coastal Mortgage Services Inc Jennifer Everson, Stevens Realty & Relocation Deborah B. Fedrick, Zip Realty Inc. Aaron Feldman, Beazer Homes Michael J. Flynn Jr., Realty World on Salem Street Patrick B. Ford, Fonville Morisey/Veneta Ford Group James W. Fouts, Keller Williams Realty Robert Gallagher, Coastal Mortgage Services Inc. Arlisa N. Galloway, Weichert, Realtors - Columbus Louise J. Garren, CB Advantage Michael E. Gentilini, Metro-West Appraisal Co. L.L.C. Devin E. Giovacchini, Howard Perry & Walston Realtor Stacey R. Gregory, HomeTowne Realty Garner Kristin B. Gross, Howard Perry & Walston Realtor Jennifer M. Haga, Fonville Morisey/Preston Brian K. Hale, Allen Tate Co. Inc. Janell Hand, Fonville Morisey & Barefoot Suzanne M. Hardeman, Beazer Homes Gelinda Harkley, Zip Realty Inc. Starlynn L. Hasty-Nipper, Circa Properties L.L.C. Duane M. Hawkins, Fonville Morisey/Garner

Jason V. Haynes, Zip Realty Inc. Rhebia Heyward, Re/Max United Natasha T. Hill, Zip Realty Inc. Tracy C. Hobbs, Beazer Homes James D. Jacques Jr., Referral Realty Group Inc. Anita Jagath, Selling Directly Ethan J. Jarrell, List 2 Sell Realty Gary Jeudy, Keller Williams Realty Natasha Jindal, Endra Real Estate L.L.C. Cindy Johnson, Fonville Morisey/Veneta Ford Group Amanda L. Jones, Fonville Morisey/Garner Emily D. Jordan, Howard Perry & Walston Realtor Rayssa M. Joseph, eRealty Inc. Christine C. Kelly, Harrell Properties Nancy King, Re/Max United/Providence Place Terri E. Kinlaw, Keystone Properties Joseph T. Knott, Capstone Real Estate Services Cindy L. Kobeda, Prudential York Simpson Underwood Jeb D. Koury, Beazer Homes Kurt Krause, Brightgreen Home Loans Inc. Carolyn J. Lambert, Zip Realty Inc. Ann M. Landau, Re/Max United James J. Larcom, Fonville Morisey/Preston Joe Lee, Walker Jackson Mortgage Kong Y. Lee, Park Real Estate Timothy S. Lehan, Glenwood Agency L.L.C. Sandra B. Leonard, Howard Perry & Walston Realtor Mark E. Leuver, Weichert Realtors - Triangle John Locicero, Zip Realty Inc. Douglas G. Lovette, Keller Williams Realty Michael E. Madariaga, Allen Tate Co. Inc. Erika L. Madsen, Re/Max United Thomas K. Madsen, Re/Max United Rajvinder S. Mann, Allen Tate Co. Inc. Heather Mansfield, Fonville Morisey/Ashford Pamela Mansueti, Fonville Morisey/Brier Creek Katherine E. Manton, Fonville Morisey/Stonehenge John A. Marinaccio, Realty World on Salem Street Edith W. Marren, Beazer Homes Kristen K. Marsh, Fathom Realty Evelyn I. Martel, Howard Perry & Walston Realtor George Maxwell, Carolina RealtyMax Inc. Mary B. Mayberry, Keller Williams Jahmal McCullough, Zip Realty Inc. James T. McDermott, Prudential York Simpson Underwood Angela McKean, Zip Realty Inc. Tanika McKinney, Prime One Realty Kendra McLean, Regan & Co. Tina M. Meehan, The New Home Group Megan N. Melhinch, Howard Perry & Walston Realtor Melissa G. Mendoza, Howard Perry & Walston Realtor Li Meng, CHK Realty Matthew L. Moberly, Neighborhood Marketing Service Susan Montpetit, Town & Country Realty Inc. Lyn N. Morrison, Raleigh Investment Real Estate Ralph W. Mullins Jr., DSM Inc. William B. Mullins, DSM Inc. Starla M. Netterville, Keller Williams Realty Cynthia M. Newcomb, Allen Tate Co. Inc. Maria C. Noble, Regan & Co. Tim Noulles, Zip Realty Inc. Christine F. Osborne, Allen Tate Co. Inc. John T. Ozgunduz, Keller Williams Realty Jonathan Pannaman, Howard Perry & Walston Realtor Bipin R. Parekh, Bipin Parekh Realty L.L.C. Sangita Patel, Real Triangle Properties Aaron M. Peeler, Howard Perry & Walston Realtor Lakisha Pharms, Fonville Morisey/ITB

Carla M. Pittari, DR Horton Inc. Ernest G. Potts, Howard Perry & Walston Realtor Kristopher A. Powell, Smart Choice Realty Co. Milagros I. Rawlings, Howard Perry & Walston Realtor Anthony Raye, Re/Max One Realty Patricia A. Rentz, NC VIP Homes Brian S. Rickard, M/I Homes of Raleigh L.L.C. Allison Rodrigues, Golden Realty & Management Fania Rodriguez, Howard Perry & Walston Realtor Erica P. Rogalski, Wilson Property Management Inc. Rocio V. Rojas, Howard Perry & Walston Realtor Janet C. Rose, Fonville Morisey/Youngsville Daniel F. Rosero, Zip Realty Inc. Vincent Ruggiero, Fonville Morisey/Preston Kimberly P. Saltus, Reeves Realty Inc. Amanda Schambs, Prudential York Simpson Underwood Kirsten L. Shatilla, Howard Perry & Walston Realtor Ryan Shaughnessy, First Citizens Bank Christopher M. Simmering, Prudential York Simpson Underwood Ronald D. Singleton, Hollydaire Properties Kaye Anne Sloan, Castle Creek Realty L.L.C. Raymond C. Spears, Raleigh Cary Realty Inc. Jonathan D. Stephens, Beazer Homes Adam M. Stetten, Stetten Realty Inc. Paul Suber, Coastal Mortgage Services Inc Jerri Sutphin Magee, Re/Max United Aldin N. Tan, Carolina RealtyMax Inc. Three Test, Triangle MLS Inc. Tony E. Tharrington, Fonville Morisey/Brier Creek Monica Thomas, Fonville Morisey/Stonehenge Michael M. Thornton, Keller Williams Realty Carla E. Timmerberg, Capital Investments Realty L.L.C. Vindvashni P. Tiwari, Bipin Parekh Realty L.L.C. Brian Tobin, Howard Perry & Walston Kenneth P. Trabucco, Howard Perry & Walston Realtor Andrew Truesdale, Fonville Morisey/Brier Creek Karen Turner, Bailey Wright Realty Ty A. Turner, Beazer Homes Pauline Vedel, Zip Realty Inc. Perry Verille, Toll Brothers Inc. Patricia Vermillion, Fonville Morisey/Brier Creek Mary C. Walters, Only Way Realty Yuan Wang, CHK Realty Suzanne Weber, Connect Realty.com Inc. Christel R. Wegmann, CityGate Real Estate Services Paul Weisner, Re/Max United Bonnie W. White, Zip Realty Inc. Mark W. Wilkins, Allison James Estates and Home Shadrach M. Winborne, Barner & Assoc. RE Co. Inc. Derrick E. Winston, Fonville Morisey/Brier Creek Michael Shawn Wiseman, Beazer Homes Michael A. Wolgin, Keller Williams Samuel S. Wood, Allen Tate Co. Inc. Christopher M. Woodlief, Keller Williams Realty James R. Wydick, Allen Tate Co. Inc. Lin Xu, CHK Realty Bryan Yonish, Good Homes Store Carrie Yorker, Boylan Realty Lexie Ziegler, Glenwood Agency L.L.C. Temika Ziglar, Howard Perry & Walston Realtor

If you would like to SPONSOR A NEW MEMBER ORIENTATION, please contact Priscilla Erwin at (919) 654-5400. Summer 2010

REALTOR速 Review

Help! The real estate commission is after me! If it is not your worst nightmare, it is probably near the

u Your response

Responding to the letter of inquiry is a critical stage, and extreme care should be given to provide accurate information to the commission. If mistakes were made in your transaction, this is the time to admit them. The Real Estate License Law demands honesty; it does not demand perfection. If the complainant has misrepresented something in the complaint, be sure to bring that to the commission’s attention. The commission may be reluctant to proceed to a contested hearing if the credibility of its witness is in doubt. Keep in mind that your response will be shared with the complainant. You should be prepared to back up, with testimony or documents all of the statements in your response.

The commission’s letter of inquiry will give you 14 calendar days to submit a response. Extensions of this deadline can be obtained. The letter will ask you to provide a written statement describing your involvement in the subject transaction. You also may be asked to provide copies of specified documents.

After reviewing your response, the commission’s legal staff has several options. One is to close the file because of insufficient evidence of wrongdoing. The staff can also “Close and Warn.” This means that the file will be closed without disciplinary action, but you will receive a letter advising you to exercise greater caution

top of the list: on your desk when you arrive in the office is a brown envelope from the North Carolina Real Estate Commission. You know it is not time to renew your license and when you open the envelope, your fears are confirmed. At the top, in bold black letters: “LETTER OF INQUIRY.” What do you do? By Bill Gifford and Will Martin

The first thing you should do is take a deep breath and resist the impulse to panic. Just because the commission has opened a file does not mean that disciplinary action is inevitable. It only means the commission is doing its job; it is investigating the potential of wrongdoing. North Carolina law gives you the opportunity to present your side of the story before the commission staff decides whether to proceed with a formal hearing. If you are affiliated with a firm, you should immediately bring the matter to the attention of your broker-in-charge. Many agents and firms have errors and omissions 26

REALTOR® Review

coverage, which pays for the defense of regulatory proceedings. While this coverage may be limited (perhaps to $2,500), it is often not subject to any deductible. Such coverage would allow the immediate involvement of an attorney at no additional cost to you.

Summer 2010

in the future. A third option is for the matter to be referred to the full commission for a “probable cause” determination.

u Option 3 Should legal staff elect the third option, it will present a brief summary of the facts to the commission. The commission must decide, based solely on the presentation of its legal staff, whether probable cause exists to believe that you have violated either the Real Estate License Law or the commission’s rules. If the commission finds probable cause, the case will be assigned to a commission attorney for prosecution.

There are several levels of discipline that can be agreed upon, including a so-called “conditional dismissal” of the case, a reprimand and a license suspension with all or some part of the suspension “stayed” (not active). If the settlement involves any disciplinary action, the commission will publish a summary of that action in its Real Estate Bulletin. If the discipline involves a license suspension or revocation, the commission also will issue a press release to newspapers in the county where the agent does business. If the parties are unable to negotiate a resolution of the case, a

Responding to the letter of inquiry is a critical stage, and extreme care should be given to provide accurate information to the commission.

contested hearing will be scheduled. The hearing will be conducted much like a trial. You or your attorney will be given the opportunity to make an opening statement, to present evidence and then to make a closing argument. Typically, a disciplinary hearing lasts no more than one day, and decisions are issued that same day. If you are not satisfied with the decision, you will have the right to appeal to the Superior Court in your home county.

u Bottom line The bottom line is that a consumer complaint is just the beginning of a multi-staged process. Each stage of this process provides an opportunity for you to present your side of the story. In a significant percentage of cases, if the true facts are presented to the commission in a clear and organized fashion, the end result of the process is no discipline whatsoever. Will Martin and Bill Gifford are managers in the law firm of Martin & Gifford P.L.L.C., which practices primarily in the area of real estate brokerage law. For more information about the firm, go to www.martingiffordlaw.com.

The next step in the process is the settlement phase. The commission attorney will submit a settlement proposal to you, generally within 30 days of the probablecause determination. You will have an opportunity to accept or reject that proposal or submit your own proposal. At this point, the assistance of an attorney is advisable. We often suggest that our clients meet face-to-face with the commission’s lawyer to discuss possible settlement, and we have had good success in negotiating acceptable outcomes. Summer 2010

REALTOR® Review

• Last 12 months • Last 24 months NEW

Get real estate market reports with new Trends web tool Real estate professionals to select a location specified by state, county, city, subdivision or street and returns a graphic report. Reports are immediately available and provide visual information on real estate trends in your market, based on sold-property history. The TMLS Trends tool can be accessed by logging on to the Triangle MLS website at www.trianglemls. com and clicking on the “Market Trends” section or through the TEMPO sidebar.

Reports are available for the following property types: • Residential • Residential rentals, where sale price is equal to rent

• Comparison by month for the past two full years and this year to date NEW • Comparison by quarter for the past two full years and this year to date NEW Trends charts may be used for newsletters, websites and printed material. Trends charts are available in PNG, JPG and PDF formats, and may be labeled with your name and company name.

TEMPO offers enhanced productivity tools Get ready to experience greater productivity while you reduce your carbon footprint; save paper, printing and postage costs; and eliminate document storage and lost paperwork. Two new enhancements were added to the Multiple Listing Service system on July 21 – the integration of Document Manager and Fax Manager. Document and Fax Manager give you the opportunity to streamline your document-management processes.

• Commercial-improved

Now, you can easily access them from the system!

• Commercial-unimproved

Fax Manager features:

• Multifamily • Land

Trend report charts available include: • Average price at sale • Median list price at sale • Average list price per square foot at sale • Average sale price • Median sale price • Average sale price per square foot • Average percentage of sale price to list price • Average days on market (CDOM)

Timeframe may be selected dynamically from: • Last three months • Last six months • Last nine months 28

REALTOR® Review

• Ability to send clients important paper documents digitally. • Streamlined documentrelated workflow and processes. • Safe, reliable way to exchange, organize and store documents. • Document transmission and receipt through a single inbox. • Documents automatically saved to customer’s file. • Reusable, bar-coded coversheets for faxing documents. Summer 2010

• Ability to create personal and share office inboxes. • E-mail documents from your inbox to anyone. • Integration with Document Manager for seamless access and efficiency. • Fax-machine only, no scanner needed.

Document Manager features: • Secure online document and file storage available 24/7. • Ability to upload documents via fax, e-mail, scan to e-mail, direct upload, bulk fax/scan • Automatic transmission of documents and notification to proper parties. • Ability to archive entire transaction file to any location on a CD-ROM for clients, agents or office storage. • Integration with TEMPO, so no need to leave your MLS system. • Intuitive interface for easy learning. • Eco-friendly solution for reduced carbon footprint. Log on to the Triangle MLS website at www.trianglemls.com to register for a Document Manager class.

TEMPO’s public record tool expands its searches In July, Realist added two new enhancements to public record searches within TEMPO. • The remaining 88 counties of North Carolina were added. • Pre-foreclosure and bankowned properties are flagged in all counties.

Summer 2010

Addition of 88 counties: All counties of North

Carolina are now available providing Triangle Multiple Listing Service subscribers more accurate listing data, with greater information of outlying areas.

Foreclosure module: Under “Searches,” Realist,

offers a new “Foreclosure Activity” option. This feature identifies properties in pre-foreclosure and bank-owned (REO) properties. The properties will be tagged with a flag for easy identification: red for pre-foreclosure and green for an REO. Some counties are updated two, three or even four times a week. The foreclosure module in the Realist system allows Triangle MLS subscribers to search for the following in foreclosed and distressed sales.

Foreclosures: • Pre-foreclosures – These are properties that have a Notice of Default filed on them, but have not yet been repossessed by the lender. • Bank owned - The foreclosure process has already taken place and paperwork has been filed. These properties have already gone through the auction stage, but did not sell and the bank has reclaimed title.

Distressed sales: • Bank-owned sale – This is different from bank owned in that the seller on a completed transaction is a bank. • Short sale.

Future enhancements: Later this year, about 15

fields of data will be integrated from Triangle MLS into Realist. When performing a search in Realist, you will be able to identify properties that also are listed in Triangle MLS.

To get help with these new features: Sign up

for a Realist class by logging on to the Triangle MLS website at www.trianglemls.com. These features are also covered in the TEMPO Boot Camp course. For information regarding the North Carolina foreclosure process and Realist click here or visit http:// www.trianglemls.com/default.cfm/page/593.

REALTOR® Review

Single-Fam #N/A Townhouse-Condo

Local Market Updates

A free research tool from the Triangle Multiple Listing Service, Inc.

Entire Triangle Region All TMLS Activity

June 2009

2010

New Listings

4,164

Closed Sales

2,358

Median Sales Price* Average Sales Price*

Year to Date Change

2009

2010

3,840

- 7.8%

24,486

26,783

+ 9.4%

2,676

+ 13.5%

9,812

11,641

+ 18.6%

$186,000

$199,945

+ 7.5%

$182,000

$186,000

+ 2.2%

$233,289

$240,697

+ 3.2%

$225,047

$224,693

- 0.2%

Total Dollar Volume (in millions)*

$550.1

$644.1

+ 17.1%

$2,207.8

$2,613.6

+ 18.4%

Percent of Original List Price Received at Sale*

96.9%

+ 0.0%

96.3%

96.6%

+ 0.2%

100

+ 3.9%

102

- 0.6%

18,216

18,937

+ 4.0%

Average Days on Market Until Sale Inventory of Homes for Sale

Change

*Does not account for seller concessions. Some of the figures referenced in this report are for only one month worth of activity. As such, they can sometimes look extreme due to the small sample size involved.

Activity—Most Recent Month 4,164

3,840

Activity—Year to Date 2009

26,783

24,486

2010

2,358

2009 2010

2,676

11,641

9,812

+ 13.5%

- 7.8% New Listings

Closed Sales

Median Sales Price

$186,000

2010

96.9% $182,000

June

Year to Date

Days on Market Until Sale 100

+ 3.9% June

96.9%

$186,000

+ 2.2%

+ 7.5%

New Listings

Closed Sales

Percent of Original List Price Received at Sale 2009

$199,945

+ 18.6%

+ 9.4%

2009 2010

+ 0.0% June

96.6%

96.3%

+ 0.2% Year to Date

June Inventory of Homes for Sale 2009

102

18,216

18,937

2010

- 0.6% Year to Date

+ 4.0% 2009

2010

All data provided by Triangle Multiple Listing Service, Inc. Reports are created and maintained by 10K Research and Marketing.

For further information regarding TMLS Market Trends and Analysis please visit: www.trianglemls.com

REALTOR® Review

Summer 2010

Single-Fam #N/A Townhouse-Condo

Local Market Updates

A free research tool from the Triangle Multiple Listing Service, Inc.

Wake County

June

Wake County, NC

2009

2010

New Listings

2,195

Closed Sales

1,238

Median Sales Price* Average Sales Price*

Year to Date Change

2009

2010

1,980

- 9.8%

13,175

13,964

+ 6.0%

1,382

+ 11.6%

5,250

6,302

+ 20.0%

$200,000

$220,000

+ 10.0%

$199,990

$208,000

+ 4.0%

$254,699

$264,636

+ 3.9%

$247,824

$250,265

+ 1.0%

Total Dollar Volume (in millions)*

$315.3

$365.7

+ 16.0%

$1,301.1

$1,577.3

+ 21.2%

Percent of Original List Price Received at Sale*

97.0%

97.2%

+ 0.2%

96.7%

97.2%

+ 0.4%

+ 4.8%

101

+ 1.9%

9,187

9,211

+ 0.3%

Average Days on Market Until Sale Inventory of Homes for Sale

Change

Activity—Most Recent Month

Activity—Year to Date 2009

2,195

1,980

13,964

13,175

2010

1,238

2009 2010

1,382

6,302

5,250

+ 11.6%

- 9.8% New Listings

Closed Sales

Median Sales Price $200,000

$220,000

2009 2010

$199,990

$208,000

+ 4.0%

June

Year to Date

Days on Market Until Sale 99

+ 4.8% June

New Listings

Closed Sales

Percent of Original List Price Received at Sale

+ 10.0%

+ 20.0%

+ 6.0%

97.2%

97.0%

2009 2010

+ 0.2% June

97.2%

96.7%

+ 0.4% Year to Date

June Inventory of Homes for Sale 2009 2010

101

9,187

+ 1.9% Year to Date

9,211

+ 0.3% 2009

2010

All data provided by Triangle Multiple Listing Service, Inc. Reports are created and maintained by 10K Research and Marketing.

For further information regarding TMLS Market Trends and Analysis please visit: www.trianglemls.com

Summer 2010

REALTOR® Review

farewell David John Clifford Berry David John Clifford Berry died suddenly in his home May 7. Born in Washington, D.C., in 1948, he was a long-time resident of Millbrook, North Raleigh and Wake Forest. He was a graduate of Millbrook High School and St. Andrews Presbyterian College. Berry had two distinguished careers: radio and real estate. He was instrumental in founding WQDR and served as salesperson, sales manager and station manager. While there, he won the Peabody Award (radio’s equivalent of the Pulitzer Prize) for a series of reports exposing the health problems of Vietnam veterans. He was also presented with the Abe Lincoln Award for the same series. In 1984, Berry participated in the launch of WRDU, where he served as general manager and vice president. He also was manager of WPTF/Durham Life Broadcasting. In 1987, he embarked on his second career with then-wife Vicki Berry, starting Vicki Berry Realty in Wake Forest and later adding the Century 21 franchise. He quickly excelled in the real estate sales industry, achieving the highest Century 21 awards and becoming a broker-in-charge. Berry also volunteered his time to the Youth Group of North Wake Church and to Campus Life Ministries. Berry is survived by his children, Cathleen and David Jr.; grandchildren, Emily and Tristan; ex-wife, Vicki Berry; brother, Crist Berry, and wife, Patricia; and brother, John Nicholas, and wife, Joan. He was preceded in death by his father, Bob Berry, and his mother, Ann Berry. Stephen R. Kenney Stephen R. Kenney of Raleigh died May 5. Born in 1930 in Charlotte, N.C., he grew up in Tarboro and Windsor before moving to Raleigh, where he graduated from Broughton High School. After serving in the United States Air Force, he graduated in 1955 from the University of North Carolina, where he was a member of the football team. That year Kenney, began a career in real estate as owner of Kenney Real Estate Co. until his death. He held many positions with the Raleigh Regional Association of REALTORS®, including president and director, and was named REALTOR® of the Year in 1966. He was also president and a member of the board of directors of the North Carolina Association of REALTORS®. In 1966 Kenney was named Tar Heel of the Week. 32

REALTOR® Review

Kenney also served as executive vice president and general manager of PMC Properties Inc., which owned and operated Ramada Inns in Raleigh and Pinehurst. Kenney was a member of St. Michael’s Episcopal Church, where he served as a member of the Vestry and as a Sunday school teacher. A long-time member and past president of the Raleigh Jaycees, he was the vice president of the Raleigh Chamber of Commerce and the Raleigh Junior Chamber of Commerce. He was a member of the United States and North Carolina Power Squadron, Carolina Country Club and The Fifty Group. He also coached the Country Club Hills Bulldogs to numerous championships during a five-year period in the 1960s. Kenney was preceded in death by his parents S.E.W. Kenney and Fannie Rudge Kenney. He is survived by his wife of 58 years, Katherine Faucette Kenney; sister, Frances K. King; son, Stephen F. Kenney, and wife, Camilla; son, David W. “Whit” Kenney, and wife, Cindy; and daughter, Katherine E. Kenney; and eight grandchildren, Stephen, Lesley, David, Zachary, Tessa, Lucas, Cole and Connor.

Diana Lyn Kaeser Diana Lyn Kaeser died April 25 at her home in Apex, N.C. She was born in 1953 in Hot Springs, Va., and her childhood was spent in Gaithersburg, Md., where her father operated Williams Feed and Supply Co. In 1977, she moved with her two sons and her IBM family to Cary, N.C. After seeing her boys through elementary school, Kaeser began a 20-year career with Fonville Morisey Realty. Kaeser is survived by her parents, Aubrey Williams and Grace Williams; her two sons, John and Brian Kaeser; her brother, David Williams, his wife, Janell, and their two daughters; and her sister, Cynthia Simpson, her husband, Randy, and their eight children. Irene Pittman Irene Pittman, 66, died April 26. She was born in1944 in Person County to Henry and Elener (Cook) Walker. She is survived by her husband, Frank Decker; son, Joe Pittman; and daughter, Kendy Lucas; brothers, Cal, Dewey and Inky Walker; stepchildren, Lisa Johnson and Leland Decker; grandchildren, Joie White, Saul Pittman, Cheri Hayworth, Katie Williams and Kayla Lucas; two step-grandchildren; one great-granddaughter, Taylor Pittman; and her beloved dog, Augie. Summer 2010

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1. Based on 2009 yearend statistics by Inside Mortgage Finance 1/29/10. 2. Borrower must be 62 years of age or older. Call for more detailed program information. Wells Fargo Home Mortgage is a division of Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. ©2010 Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. All rights reserved. 101025 - 06/10

Summer 2010

REALTOR® Review

RRAR events August 5 New Member Orientation, 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. 9 Mandatory Update, 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Instructor: Bill Gallagher

CE Elective - Foreclosure, Short Sales, REOs & Auctions, 1:30 to 5:30 p.m. Instructor: Bill Gallagher Leadership Academy Dinner TCC - Lunch and Learn, 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Community Service Committee, noon to 1 p.m.

YPN - Making Social Networking Work for your Business, 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.

September 2 New Member Orientation, 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. 6 Labor Day 10 Real Estate Bar Camp 2010 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. 13 -19 6th annual REALTOR® Safety Week 15 Joint meeting with Women’s Council and Triangle International Council of REALTORS , 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. ®

REALTOR® Review

8:45 to 10 a.m. Housing Opportunity Committee - Be a Housing Hero Seminar, 9 to 11 a.m.

Protecting your Clients’ Interests, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Instructor: Mark Given

9 to 11 a.m.

October 6 Women’s Council of REALTORS®,

8 The CRS 211, Short Sales and Foreclosures:

20 Down Payment Assistance Seminar,

17 Safety Seminar, 9 a.m. 19-22 NCAR Convention

12:30 p.m. Instructor: Vicki Ferneyhough

REALTORS® Dine Out

8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.

23 Mandatory Update, 8:30 a.m. to

7 New Member Orientation, 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.

19 New Member Orientation,

16 New Member Orientation,

noon to 1 p.m.

BICAR, 1:30 to 5:30 p.m. Instructor: Vicki Ferneyhough

Housing Opportunity Committee, 9 a.m. Speaker: Diane Green

11 12 17 18

21 Community Service Committee,

14-15 Leadership Academy 19 Community Service Committee, noon to 1 p.m.

20 Mandatory Update, 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Instructor: George Bell Elective (TBD), 1:30 to 5:30 p.m. Instructor: George Bell

21 Real Estate Trends, 8:30 to 11 a.m. New Member Orientation, 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. If you would like to sponsor a New Member Orientation, contact Priscilla Erwin at (919) 654-5400. To see a comprehensive list of association events visit http://www.rrar.com/event-calendar.cfm. Summer 2010

People’s Pride

Our Home Cleaning Services Include: Windows Stove/Ovens Baseboards Wiping Down doors Bathroom (s) Bedroom(s) Trashout

Light Fixtures Counter Tops Vacuum/Mop Floors Refrigerator Air Vents Cabinets Yard Removal

We offer Move-in’s, Move-out’s, One Time Cleaning, Weekly, Bi-Weekly and Monthly Services.

Please visit our website at:

www.peoplesprideservices.com

To see the additional services we offer under “Property Preservation” To get your property ready for the challenging market!

Or call us at 919.931.5834

LOWELL’S

JUNK REMOVAL

Big or Small We’ll Haul It All Haul Away Almost Anything Home or Business

919-830-0098

GET RID OF YOUR JUNK TODAY!

• We do all the loading, hauling & cleanup • Garbage • Furniture • Appliances • Dump Runs • Rental Cleanouts • Rubbish Removal • Construction Debris • Real Estate Clean Out • Foreclosure Clean Out

! P L HE

Messy garage before

After a cleanup!

FREE ESTIMATES

Tired of Seeing This? Call Us Today We’ll Take Care of it!