2011-09-10_Commonwealth_Magazine

BIG FORMS CHANGES (P. 18) • NEW FTC RULES FOR REALTORS (P. 4) September/October 2011

A journal for real estate professionals published by the Virginia Association of REALTORS® • www.VARealtor.com

The skills brokers want, the training Realtors® need

WHAT DOES IT TAKE?

with New Tools from

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firstword ANDREW KANTOR

PUBLISHED BY THE VIRGINIA ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® The Business Advocate for Virginia Real Estate Professionals John Dickinson, CCIM, GRI President Trish Szego, CRB, CRS President-Elect Mary Victoria Dykstra, ABR, CRS Vice President John Daly, SFR Treasurer Cindy Stackhouse, GRI Immediate Past President R. Scott Brunner, CAE Chief Executive Officer scott@VARealtor.com Amanda Arwood Vice President of Marketing & Communications amanda@VARealtor.com Andrew Kantor Editor & Information Manager andrew@VARealtor.com For advertising information, Brittany Sullivan at (410) 584-1968 or e-mail var@networkmediapartners.com The mission of The Virginia Association of REALTORS® is to enhance its membership’s ability to achieve business success.

Commonwealth magazine (ISSN#10888721) is published bi-monthly by the Virginia Association of REALTORS®, 10231 Telegraph Road, Glen Allen, VA 23059-4578; (804) 264-5033.

Virginia Association of REALTORS® members pay annual dues with a one-year subscription included within their dues.

Periodicals postage paid at the Glen Allen, VA post office and additional mailing offices. USPS Per. # 9604.

Postmaster: Send address changes to: Commonwealth magazine, 10231 Telegraph Rd., Glen Allen, VA 23059-4578.

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Skill sets AFTER ACCEPTING A job offer at my previous employer, as a formality I had to fill out an application.

Besides the usual — contact info, work history, etc. — it had a section labeled “Office Equipment Proficiency” with several blank lines to be filled in.

Having already landed the job, and having a bit of a snarky attitude, I entered “Copiers, staplers, and most tape dispensers.”

I suspect that box had been put in when applicants were expected to write things like “mimeograph,” “TELEX,” or for the cutting-edge whiz kids, “facsimile transmitter/receiver.”

I took a similar trip in the Way-Back Machine recently when I went through my old résumés and saw what I had put in the “Skills” section.

Just after college it proclaimed my expertise in “personal computer software, including WordPerfect.” Soon it crowed about my skill with “a variety of on-line research tools” and later “Microsoft Office, Adobe Photoshop, and other software.”

Today there’s no mention of Office, although Photoshop remains, plus video editing and Web coding.

Times change, and with them the requirements to do your job… sort of. Today we don’t need to mention Microsoft Office or claim to be a “skilled facsimile sender.”

It’s assumed. Instead, we have to emphasize new skills if we want to

adapt to the changing world.

This is all relatively recent — a product of the technology boom of the late 20th century. Old tools became dead-easy to operate (copies, fax machines), while new tools emerged with learning curves (cell phones, e-mail). Maybe you no longer thought of faxing as a skill, but “Internet applications” became a résumé bullet point.

And those new technologies require you to do more than learn new buttons to push. You also need to learn how to take advantage of them, and what the rules and best practices are for using them. Anyone can turn an oven on; the skill is knowing how to use it.

So what will tomorrow’s Realtors® need to know? Guess what? It’s the same stuff as today: customer service, knowing the process, making connections.

Tomorrow will also be different. Your job will be less about finding a house than about advising and negotiating for your client. Less about pricing and more about marketing.

And that’s what we look at in this issue. What are Realtors® training for today? What are brokers looking for? And where, exactly, might the Realtor® of Tomorrow come from? ● Andrew Kantor, Editor andrew@VARealtor.com SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2011

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SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2011 VOLUME 18 ● ISSUE 5

contents

departments 4 quickhits The latest news and announcements for Virginia’s Realtors®

10 statswatch The numbers that shape your world

12 legallines Questions and answers about Virginia real estate law

16 lifelessons When real estate pros break the rules ... and get caught

18 formfactor Our property management forms — all of them — have been revamped

30 accessibletech The little (and usually free) apps that can make your life easier

in every issue

feature

22

What does it take?

A changing market means changing the brokers and Realtors working in it. Brokers are finding it harder than ever to recruit and train agents. New Realtors have different skills — and different expectations. The Realtors of tomorrow are already here.

GET AHEAD by GOING BACK

1 firstword 36 rpacreport 43 contactvar 44 lastword APEX Award of Excellence winner 2

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2011

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quickhits

ANDREW KANTOR

Advertising and law

Talking about mortgages? New FTC rule means new requirements for Realtors® Real estate professionals need to be aware of a new FTC rule — “Mortgage Acts and Practices – Advertising,” aka, MAP. Among other things, it prohibits misrepresentations and imposes recordkeeping requirements on anyone who provides information about mortgage products to consumers.

This affects real estate professionals, because “providing information” could mean something as simple as giving a client a lender’s rate sheet.

The FTC originally proposed the MAP rule in 2009; the goal was to regulate unfair or deceptive practices in the advertising of mortgage products, whether by mortgage brokers, lenders, home builders, and anyone else involved in the process. And, despite NAR’s efforts to get an exemption for real estate professionals, that includes real estate professionals when they provide information about a mortgage product to a consumer.

The rule’s requirements The MAP rule prohibits misrepresentations in a commercial communication about any term of a mortgage credit product. And “commercial communication” is broadly defined: It covers any oral and written statement designed to “create an interest in purchasing goods or services” — in this case a mortgage credit product. That means any form of credit that is offered to a consumer and secured by the consumer’s dwelling.

And what kind of statement is considered to be creating such an interest? The definition is broad — any information about mortgage terms is covered, and under “mortgage terms,” the FTC includes interest rates, amount of taxes, variability of interest rates, prepayment penalties, and products sold in conjunction with a mortgage such as credit insurance.

4

September/october 2011

The rule applies to real estate professionals when they provide any information about the terms of a specific mortgage product to a consumer. For example, by giving a client a rate sheet for a particular lender, or providing an application for a specific mortgage product.

So what kinds of mortgage-related communications aren’t covered? General information about market rates or types of mortgage products will likely not be subject to the rule (unless it’s related to a specific lender’s product).

Similarly, explaining to a client how a mortgage prequalification works doesn’t fall under the rule, but providing that client with a particular lender’s documentation for preapproval is covered.

General information? Probably not covered.

Information about a specific product or lender?

Probably covered.

Disclaimers and recordkeeping So a Realtor® gives a client information that falls under the rule. What does that mean? What does she have to do to be in compliance?

For starters, provide a disclaimer on whatever documents you give out or written statements you make; a properly crafted one can protect against later misrepresentation claims.

NAR’s sample disclaimer is simple and clear: This communication is provided to you for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon by you. [Name of brokerage] is not a mortgage lender and so you should contact [name of lender] directly to learn more about its mortgage products and your eligibility for such products.

The disclaimer must be prominent and should be separated from the rest of the text in the document.

(The FTC has said that disclaimers in small type at the bottom of a document will not protect against misrepresentation claims, and language buried within the text may also not offer protection.) www.VARealtor.com

(Note that you should tailor NAR’s sample disclaimer to the type of information you’re providing to a client. For example, if you’re providing services beyond basic mortgage information, you will need to edit your disclaimer to cover those services.)

Any “information” given to clients needs to be retained for two years.

Real estate professionals are required to keep all covered commercial communications for two years from the date that the communication was made to the consumer.

In a practical sense, that means putting all covered statements in writing, including those statements in each client’s file (paper or electronic), and filing them with the brokerage. This record retention system should become part of the brokerage’s overall record retention program.

Of course, VAR will keep members informed about any changes to the rule as well as any recommendations from NAR or the FTC.

Foreclosures

With funds cut, housing counselors are out — and foreclosures may rise As funding runs out for the National Foreclosure Mitigation Counseling Program, people who might have been able to work out a deal with a lender are ending up in foreclosure instead.

Launched in 2007, the NFMCP had $475 million to provide professional counseling for families facing foreclosure. And the program worked — the Mortgage Bankers Association found that homeowners who had a counselor were more likely to have their loans modified than those who didn’t.

For a relatively small government program, it did a lot for the economy, helping homeowners, neighborhoods, and lenders. But funding for the program was eliminated, and when the existing money runs out those counselors won’t be available — and that will mean foreclosures will start to rise again.

Volume 18 ● Issue 5 September/october 2011

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quickhits Mortgage market

Justice Dep’t. investigating S&P for mortgage ratings The Justice Department is investigating whether Standard & Poors “improperly rated dozens of mortgage securities in the years leading up to the financial crisis.” (Before you think this is payback for S&P’s downgrade of the US credit rating, note that the investigation began before that happened.)

Quoth the New York Times: [T]he Justice Department has been asking about instances in which the company’s analysts wanted to award lower ratings on mortgage bonds but may have been overruled by other S.& P. business managers.

In case you forgot the issue, before the housing

bubble burst, S&P and other rating agencies notoriously gave high ratings to mortgage-based securities that were composed of troubled loans which, as the Times put it, “made the mortgages appear less risky and thus more valuable.” When the market crashed, the true value of those mortgages became clear — and banks (and all of us) were left to pay the piper.

This isn’t the first time S&P has been blamed for overly enthusiastic ratings. Before the dot-com crash, the company had rated many soon-to-be-gone firms AAA, costing investors millions; it also gave Enron its highest rating in 2001, and in 2008 rated Bear Stearns AAA.

MLS news

6

California MLS merger creates largest MLS in the country

Arizona association buys largest regional MLS in the state

The California Association of Realtors’ vision of a statewide MLS is a big step closer, now that two MLSs there have agreed to merge, forming the largest in the country.

On one side, the California Regional Multiple Listing Service (35,000 participants), which was formed in 2010 in a merger between CAR’s own calREDD MLS and nearby Multi-Regional Multiple Listing Service (MRMLS).

On the other side, and just down the road, the Anaheim-based SoCalMLS (33,000+ participants).

The new, combined MLS will use the CRMLS name, and will be 70% larger than MRIS — currently the largest in the country.

If you’re not familiar with California geography, all this is taking place down south, around the Los Angeles area. So as Rob Hahn of 7DS Associates points out, “The other smaller MLS’s in the southern California market have got to be thinking about what this means. Either join the parade, or possibly get steamrolled.

Northern California — which boasts a couple of very large MLS’s as well — should be taking a very hard look indeed at consolidation.”

The board of the Arizona Association of Realtors voted to acquire the state’s largest MLS, the Arizona Regional Multiple Listing Service Inc. (ARMLS), for $4.75 million. The plan is to work with the state’s 13 other MLSs to create a single entity covering the entire state: the Arizona MLS. Much of the work is already done, at least from an information point of view, thanks to an earlier data-sharing agreement between ARMLS and the MLS’s run by the Santa Cruz and Tucson associations. Together, the three systems cover about 80 percent of properties in Arizona.

It’s likely to grow, too — the association has already been approached by five other locals and a regional MLS about becoming part of this new platform.

Quoth Duane Fouts, current chair of AAR: “While the current members of ARMLS will see no dues increase, they will now be able to service their clients anywhere in the state. Smaller local associations who join will be able to increase services as well as take advantage of the cost efficiencies and buying power of the larger organization.”

The current CEO of ARMLS, Bob Bemis, will become CEO of the AMMLS.

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2011

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quickhits Foreclosures

Appeals Court: MERS can foreclose in Virginia The 4th Circuit Court of Appeals — which covers Virginia — has ruled that MERS (Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems) does have the right to foreclose on homes even though the company doesn’t hold the deeds.

This concurs with some rulings and contradicts others. For example, the Kansas Court of Appeals has ruled that MERS cannot foreclose on someone’s home because it doesn’t hold the actual note — only a deed of trust.

The issue is securitized mortgages — the ones split up into pieces and packaged like stocks.

MERS handles that process for something like 60 million loans, making it easier on the lenders and financial companies trading the things.

But splitting a loan becomes an issue when foreclosure is in the mix. Who owns the loan when it’s been sold off piecemeal? MERS claimed that it did — or, rather, that it had the power to act on behalf of the actual owner(s).

The Court of Appeals agreed, in part because of Virginia’s nonjudicial foreclosure laws, which allow lenders to foreclose without involving a court.

So, at least in Virginia and at least for now, the foreclosure engine is back on track.

8

September/october 2011

Housing stats

Virginia home prices still above historical average There’s evidence out there that homes in some areas might be undervalued, and that the pricing pendulum has swung too far.

The gist is this: If you’re familiar with historical housing prices you know that, relative to income, home values have remained stable. When you look at home prices compared to income, the two have moved together depending on the market. So in a broad sense the same people could afford the same house in 1950, 1960, or 1990.

Specifically, home prices have been about 2.9x the average local annual income. (I.e., if the average household income in a neighborhood is $75,000, the average home will be worth about $217,000.)

Right now, in many areas, home prices are still above that 2.9 factor — that’s why some economists say we haven’t hit bottom. In Virginia Beach, for example, prices are still 47% above their historic price-to-income ratio; Richmond is about 42% above. The U.S. as a whole is about 14% above.

In contrast, some areas — notably Detroit and Las Vegas — have seen housing prices fall to well below historical price-to-income levels, meaning (at least in theory, this being economics) that they’re well undervalued. And people are beginning to take advantage.

“Values dropped so far that there are just great bargains,” said Dan Elsea, president of brokerage services for Real Estate One in the Detroit area. For years, layoffs in the automobile sector contributed to a “total freeze on activity,” he said. But over the past six months, as the industry has recovered, “you have this dam burst of people saying, ‘We’re ready to buy.’”

Many of those buyers, the article says, are people looking to rent out the property — with a booming rental market, they’re finding a tidy profit awaits.

You might think, “Eventually the pendulum will swing back. That’s how these things work.” And you might be right. But Zillow’s chief economist, Stan Humphries, isn’t so sure: “There’s no iron law that says a market will return to its historical average.”

www.VARealtor.com

Predictions

Housing stats

2012 doesn’t look good to mortgage bankers

US homeownership hits 13-year low

Polishing off its crystal ball, the Mortgage Bankers Association said it expects 2012 to be a weak year for mortgages — it anticipates about $931 billion in originations, the lowest since 1997. (Compare this year, where the MBA said it expects to see about $1.1 trillion in originations.)

Member benefits

VAR launches new legal video series Great news for anyone who would rather watch a video than read through pages of legal articles (that’s everyone, right?): VAR’s Legal Counsel Blake Hegeman will be walking you through FAQs from VAR’s Broker Legal Hotline in a series of short video segments. First up? Advertising, which is one of the most requested topics.

In this first video, Blake addresses questions like: • What are my disclosure obligations for online and print advertising?

• What are the requirements for team advertising?

• What are the regulatory and ethical considerations in online advertising?

• and much more…

Keep in mind that the video content is meant for VAR members only, so you’ll need to be logged into the VAR website to view them and all of the legal content on VAR’s website. Check out the VAR Legal Videos page at VARealtor.com/LegalVideos for updates, new additions, and more from VAR’s top-notch legal team.

Mortgage market

Senate considers national mortgage-servicing standard The Senate Banking Committee is looking to set a new national standard for mortgage services after a slew of issues came to light, including the robosigning of legal documents, dual-track foreclosures, and “unnecessarily delayed modifications.”

The concept has the backing of major lenders; they like the idea of a single, national standard. But smaller banks and credit unions — which pointed out that they weren’t part of the problem — are asking to be exempt from the guidelines.

B. Dan Berger, executive vice president of the National Association of Credit Unions, said in a letter to Senate committee leaders, “In short, credit unions have not participated in the practices that have led to discussions about the worthiness of national mortgage servicing standards and should not be unjustly punished for the shortcomings of institutions that have.”

Volume 18 ● Issue 5

According to the Census Bureau, homeownership in the US has dropped to just under 66% in the second quarter of 2011 — the lowest level since 1998. That’s down 1% since the same quarter last year, and half a percent lower than Q1.

Its highest level? About 69.2% in 2004, according to BankRate. com, which also notes that the decline has hit African-American households particularly strongly.

“The black homeownership rate peaked at 49.7 percent in the second quarter of 2004 and fell … to 44.8 percent, at the beginning of this year,” wrote the Atlantic Wire. “Over the same time, the white homeownership rate fell from 76.2 percent to 74.1 percent.”

Paul Dales, senior U.S. economist with the research firm Capital Economics, told DSnews. com (which covers the mortgage default servicing industry) that the increase in the homeownership rate seen during the housing boom has been more than completely wiped out by the bust.

And the decline is not even over yet, according to Dales. He says the poor economic climate, the double dip in house prices, the high number of foreclosures, and tight credit conditions are all reasons why the homeownership rate will continue to fall. l

September/october 2011

9

statswatch The year that time (should) forget When it comes to real estate stats, you always want to compare this year to last year — not this month to last.

That way you’re comparing apples to apples. Usually.

Comparisons with 2010 present a problem. Early in the year, the home buyers tax credit was artificially driving up sales (and to some extent prices). Then the incentive was poised to expire, extended, and poised to expire again. Finally, it ended.

All this played havoc with the “natural” market — if there is such a thing. So when you compare 2010 to 2011, you find that the changes are much more dramatic than they would have been without the tax credit.

The clearest example is April. The tax credit was in full swing and sales were up in 2010.

So looking at April 2011 you see a huge drop. But it’s misleading; you’re comparing a “normal” year with a tax-credit-driven year.

The chart shows the change in units sold from year to year. The blue line shows the difference between 2009 and 2011. The red line shows 2010 vs. 2011.

The blue line shows relatively modest changes — within 10% up or down. But the red line fluctuates wildly thanks to the tax incentive, making 2011’s numbers vary by more than 25% at one point.

Bottom line: Don’t get too excited or dismayed over comparisons between this year and last. Instead, turn to the 2009 numbers; they’re at least in the same orchard.

Percent Change in Units Sold 20.0%

10.0%

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-10.0% 2009’s sales are much closer to this year’s because of 2010’s tax credit

-20.0%

2011 vs 2009

10 September/october 2011

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2011 vs 2010

www.VARealtor.com

WHAT MAKES A CENTURY 21 AGENT? SWAGGER STRAiGHT oUT of THE old WEST CoMbiNEd WiTH THE dRivE of A Gold-MEdAl-WiNNiNG GYMNAST. PlUS SMARTS. ElECTRiC CAR SMARTS, NoT PAPER-CUT SMARTS. bECAUSE THAT’S No Good AT All. CENTURY 21 AGENTS. SMARTER. boldER. fASTER. ®

C21.CoM © 2011 CENTURY 21 REAL ESTATE LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. CENTURY 21® IS A REGISTERED TRADEMARK OWNED BY CENTURY 21 REAL ESTATE LLC. AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY COMPANY. EQUAL HOUSING OPPORTUNITY. EACH OFFICE IS INDEPENDENTLY OWNED AND OPERATED.

legallines BLAKE HEGEMAN

All about the Benjamins We get a lot of commission calls on the Legal Hotline. Some are basic, and others are extremely complicated, requiring a great deal of discussion. Here’s a look at some questions about one of the most basic parts of your job: getting paid for your hard work.

Q:

May I pay a team directly or do I have to pay the individual agents?

A: Brokers may pay only licensees, whether individuals or entities. So if agents in your firm form a team, but don’t create and license a business entity, you continue to pay the team members individually. However, if they form an LLC called, say, “The Jones Team, LLC” and get it licensed at DPOR as a business entity salesperson, you can then pay the entity, and the owners can distribute the payments according to their rights.

12 September/october 2011

Q:

What if the listing agent puts the wrong commission offer in the MLS? A: Consider the following

example: The MLS shows an offer of 2.5% to cooperating brokers, and the buyer’s agent responds by producing a buyer.

The listing agreement stated that the listing firm’s compensation offer would be 3%, the HUD-1 actually showed 3%, and 3% was disbursed to the selling firm at closing. A month later, the listing firm called demanding the return of the half percent. Is the selling firm obligated to return the half percent?

Yes. Virginia law is clear that with open-ended offers (offers that are accepted by performance), the offer you respond to is binding.

The selling firm responded to an offer of 2.5%, and that’s what it earned. Similarly, if the listing firm had offered 3% but had intended to offer only 2.5%, it will owe the 3%.

Another example: Let’s say I lost my dog and I put a $500 reward poster up for her return.

You see the poster, find my dog and head over to my house.

While you are on your way, I decide that my dog really isn’t worth that much to me and I change the poster to $350.

What are you entitled to? $500, because that is the offer for which you performed.

www.VARealtor.com

Q:

May we pay a nonlicensed company for real estate leads?

A: Section 8 of RESPA expressly

prohibits this, unless the source of the referrals is licensed. Section 8 of RESPA provides that it is illegal to pay or to receive anything of value pursuant to an agreement that “settlement services” will be referred. Real estate brokerage is a settlement service. (This prohibition applies only if there is an institutional mortgage loan in the deal.)

RESPA contains an exemption in the case of referrals by real estate licensees to each other.

This also could be a violation of Virginia law, which provides that referral is a licensed activity. See 18 VAC 135-20-280: Actions resulting in an improper brokerage commission include: 1. Offering to pay or paying a commission or other valuable consideration to any person for acts or services performed in violation of Chapter 21 (§54.12100 et seq.) of Title 54.1 of the Code of Virginia, or this chapter; provided, however, that referral fees and shared commissions may be paid to any real estate entity licensed in this or another jurisdiction, or to any referral entity in the United States, the members of which are brokers licensed in this or another jurisdiction and which only disburses commissions or referral fees to its licensed member brokers;

Q:

I was offered a 2.5% commission split as the selling agent. When I looked at the HUD1 I learned that the listing agent received 3.5%.

This can’t be right, and when I demanded to see the listing agent’s agreement with his seller he refused. What gives?

A: The listing agent and seller can agree to offer any cobroke fee they

choose. Furthermore, the listing agent has no duty or right to turn over his agreement with his client to you.

The agreement contains confidential information, the seller may object to such action on the agent’s part. Sharing the listing agreement would require the client’s consent.

A wrinkle in advertising NAR recently clarified how a new ethics rule concerning online advertising affects Virginia law.

Virginia Real Estate Board (VREB) regulations allow a licensee to include his required online advertising disclosures (see below) or a link to those disclosures on the online viewable page. For example, if a firm advertises on a local newspaper’s site, it would have to include its firm name, city and state of main office, and all jurisdictions in which the firm is licensed — or provide a link to those required disclosures on the Web page containing the advertisement. The choice is the firm’s; even if there is plenty of room on the page, VREB does not require all the disclosures to be there, as long as there is a link on the viewable page.

However, NAR SOP 12-5 requires the firm name to be displayed in a reasonable and readily apparent way in advertisements and only allows the link to replace the firm name “in electronic displays of limited information (e.g., “thumbnails, text messages, ‘tweets’, etc.).”

Therefore, if a firm advertises online and there is ample room to put the firm name, it must at least include that, although it could provide a link to the other required disclosures (city and state of main office and all jurisdictions of licensure). On the other hand, if the firm advertises online using Twitter, where there is no space for the firm name, then just a link to the required disclosures will suffice.

Where the Code of Ethics and the law conflict, the Code must give way to the requirements of the law. But where the Code establishes a higher standard than is required by law, Realtors® are obligated by the Code’s higher standard. In this case, the Code establishes a higher standard.

Volume 18 ● Issue 5 September/october 2011 13

legallines

Q:

The landlord wants to pay a “finder’s fee” to tenants who bring in other renters. Can the landlord directly compensate his tenants in this fashion, even when a real estate firm is managing the property?

A: Section 54.1-2103A7 of the Code of Virginia gives the answer. This

section deals with exemptions from the requirements of licensure, and exempts “Any existing tenant of a residential dwelling unit who refers a prospective tenant to the owner of the unit or to the owner’s duly authorized agent or employee and for the referral receives, or is offered, a referral fee from the owner, agent, or employee.”

Q:

May a buyer agent offer to rebate a portion of his commission to a client?

A: A licensee may rebate to a client, as long as the lender approves.

(There are maximum total concessions that buyers are permitted from all sources on most loan programs).

The rebate must also be listed on the HUD1. Concessions to buyers are of interest to lenders for determining loan-to-value ratios. Also, keep in mind that when you advertise a potential rebate there should be disclaimer language making clear that it is subject to lender approval.

Q:

Under what circumstances can I charge a client a transaction or administrative fee?

A: Courts have found that administrative fees are a violation of RESPA unless specific additional services are performed beyond those that would have been performed had the fee not been charged. The problem stems from the RESPA provision that prohibits fees in connection with settlements for which no services are performed.

NAR’s solution is to set your commission as X% plus $Y (or whatever).

That makes the admin fee part of the commission, so there’s no problem.

It’s not the only way you can do it, but it’s one way that we’re pretty sure works. Just don’t charge a fee you call anything other than a brokerage fee unless you can show what additional services are rendered that would not have been performed if the fee had not been paid. ●

Legal Lines is written by VAR legal counsel Blake Hegeman. Please note that answers to Legal Lines questions are informational only. Consult your own legal counsel for legal advice.

You can find more Q&A from the archives of our Legal Hotline in our Legal Resources Center at VARealtor.com/ legalresources.

14 SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2011

As a reminder, below is a list of disclosures required by the Real Estate Board and the new SOP 12-5.

Online ads for a firm must have: • Firm name; • City and state of main office; and • All jurisdictions (usually states) in which the firm is presently licensed.

Online ads for a licensee (not a firm) must have: • Licensee’s and firm’s name; • City and state of the licensee’s office (not necessarily firm’s main office); and • Jurisdictions (usually states) in which the licensee holds a license, active or not.

And for those of you who want it from the horse’s mouth, here’s the text of Standard of Practice 12-5: Realtors® shall not advertise nor permit any person employed by or affiliated with them to advertise real estate services or listed property in any medium (e.g., electronically, print, radio, television, etc.) without disclosing the name of that Realtor®’s firm in a reasonable and readily apparent manner. This Standard of Practice acknowledges that disclosing the name of the firm may not be practical in electronic displays of limited information (e.g., “thumbnails”, text messages, “tweets”, etc.). Such displays are exempt from the disclosure requirement established in this Standard of Practice, but only when linked to a display that includes all required disclosures.

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Now More of Your Clients May Qualify for a VHDA Loan VHDA is pleased to announce an increase in maximum income limits, making it possible for more first-time homebuyers to qualify for a VHDA loan.

Geographic Area

Maximum Gross Household Income Limits

Maximum Sales Price/ Loan Limit

2 or Fewer People:

3 or More People:

New & Existing:

Washington-ArlingtonAlexandria MSA

$120,900

$140,000

$450,000

Charlottesville MSA

$87,400

$101,200

Richmond MSA

$85,000

$98,400

Norfolk-VA BeachNewport News MSA

$79,600

$92,200

Winchester MSA

$72,000

$82,800

King George

$92,600

$107,300

Culpeper

$85,000

$98,400

Rappahanock

$79,600

$92,200

Warren

$72,000

$82,800

Essex

$72,000

$82,800

Louisa

$72,000

$82,800

Statewide (all areas not listed)

$72,000

$82,500

$325,000

$310,000

$231,700

These limits apply to all VHDA loans. FHA Plus combined first and second mortgage cannot exceed maximum sales price limit. Loan amounts that include financed guaranty fees or mortgage insurance premiums cannot exceed VHDA’s sales price limits. Higher income and sales price / loan limits may be available for properties located in Areas of Economic Opportunity, also known as Federal Targeted Areas. For details, visit vhda.com/FederalTargetedAreas. Please contact an approved lender for the maximum allowable FHA, VA and RHS mortgage limits and the RHS gross income guidelines in your area. For a lender near you, visit vhda.com/FindALender. The information contained herein (including but not limited to any description of VHDA and its lending programs and products, eligibility criteria, interest rates, fees and all other loan terms) is subject to change without notice.

Virginia Housing Development Authority | 877-VHDA-123 | vhda.com/LoanLimits

lifelessons Kathleen Toler

A for effort, F for fraud I see what you did there When the price of a house they had seen earlier was reduced, Chris and Tiffany Wood jumped at the chance to put in an offer through their agent, Hunter. The property belonged to a Realtor® (Wendy Peterson) and her husband, so Wendy acted as the listing agent.

The Petersons made a counter-offer, and negotiations ensued during the next few days. At the time of the listing, the buyer agent’s commission was 4%. Late one evening during negotiations, Wendy lowered the commission from 4% to 3% in the contract — unbeknownst to Hunter.

Two days before settlement, the settlement agent asked Hunter for the amount of the commission.

That’s when Hunter realized that he had been the victim of Wendy’s bait-and-switch. However, Hunter agreed to accept 3% so the deal would go through, and planned to discuss the discrepancy after settlement.

After Hunter filed a complaint with the Real Estate Board, Wendy offered a slew of explanations for the compensation change. She suggested that Hunter had agreed to it. She said she forgot to change the commission because she was too busy with her visiting parents. She claimed that she had told Hunter verbally.

She even accused Hunter and his broker of “unethical behavior,” for filing a complaint to go after the additional 1% fee. But Wendy had no documentation to back up any of her stories.

The investigation proved that Wendy lowered the commission late in the evening on one of the final days of contract negotiations, after she and Hunter and already agreed to put the terms of the sale in writing.

Wendy had also threatened to postpone settlement in order to resolve the commission dispute — a move the Board found highly inappropriate because an agent shouldn’t put personal compensation above the clients’ interest.

For baiting, switching, and being a lousy liar, Wendy was fined $4,200 and her license was suspended for 24 months or until she completed eight hours of continuing education.

16 September/october 2011

Potemkin tenants Rich was a property manager for Doormouse Residential Management. One of the rental properties he managed belonged to his client, Wilma.

Wilma’s property went on the rental market in April.

In June, Rich e-mailed Wilma that he had accepted a tenant. In July, Richter sent an e-mail to Wilma saying, “Just wanted to let you know the new tenants moved in and the property looks good.”

Everything seemed to be going smoothly — Wilma received rent for July, August, and September. But in October, Rich told Wilma that the tenants wouldn’t pay so he let them out of the lease, and a new tenant signed the lease in December.

All would have seemed normal in the course of the rental business, except that when Doormouse Residential merged with another company. In September, the owner accounts were audited and Wilma’s account came up short to the tune of $3,000.

Rich admitted the property was actually vacant between March and November. He had told Wilma that there was a tenant because the property had been vacant for a long time and he wanted to give her some good news.

What really happened? Rich thought he had a potential tenant for July, but when the renter backed out, he lied to Wilma to cover his tracks. Conveniently, his fictitious tenants couldn’t pay rent and left just before Rich leased the property to a real tenant.

For populating a house with imaginary characters, Rich was fined $4,000 and his license was revoked. www.VARealtor.com

Math is hard Tate had worked for Bandersnatch Commercial for more than a year when the company decided to stop offering property management services. Needing a new job, he approached Carol, owner of Vorpal Real Estate Group, suggesting he could help Vorpal expand its real estate services. Carol agreed, and Tate transferred the properties he had managed for Bandersnatch Commercial to Vorpal.

Tate had only worked for Vorpal for a few months when Carol became suspicious about his accounting methods. Although Tate kept a notebook on his desk for each property, every time Tate was asked to provide documentation for accounts, he gave an excuse.

By September, Carol’s suspicions were confirmed when owners began calling, complaining that they hadn’t received their monthly reconciliation reports.

After looking into her accounts, Carol fired Tate in October.

Over the next three months, an accountant spent nearly 140 hours reconstructing Vorpal’s accounts.

(Bandersnatch’s accountants, alerted to what had happened, spent nearly 80 hours reconciling their accounts.)

Even though he had an associate’s degree in accounting, Tate had used some rather creative accounting methods. When tenants couldn’t pay rent, he often used their security deposit escrow funds. He also paid owners’ rental proceeds even when rent hadn’t been received. He made math errors, had bank deposits that didn’t equal the amount of money received, and didn’t pay vendor invoices. He admitted he couldn’t keep track of it all.

Tate told the Real Estate Board that it was difficult to find tenants for the properties. “I feel I was looking out for the investor by keeping a good tenant who fell on hard times,” he explained.

For taking the idea of “New Math” a bit too far, Tate was fined $6,050 and had his license was revoked. l

Volume 18 ● Issue 5 September/october 2011 17

formfactor Blake Hegeman

VAR overhauls property management forms In collaboration with the Northern Virginia and Richmond associations of Realtors®, VAR’s Standard Forms Working Group recently completed a massive overhaul of VAR’s property management forms.

You will notice major changes that make the forms more user friendly and ensure accuracy. Below are a few highlights of the revised forms. Please keep in mind that these are only the highlights; you should read each revised form carefully to ensure you’re familiar with all the changes.

These changes pertain to VAR property management forms only. If you use other forms, please check with your forms provider regarding any revisions.

form 200 Residential Lease nT he lease has been reformatted so that all the blanks

that must be filled in are either at the front of the document or immediately before the signature blocks at the end. nA n “Optional Provisions” section has been added to address asbestos, lead-based paint, defective drywall, tenant transfer (non-military), and diplomats. nA provision has been added stating that a violation of any POA or condominium association rule or regulation will constitute a breach of the lease. nN ew language has been added to require the tenant to pay for the cost of any unnecessary service call and any costs incurred as a result of the tenant failing to keep appointments with service persons that require access in order to make scheduled repairs.

form 300 Application for Lease nT he document has been reformatted to allow for three

applicants on one application in an easy-to-read vertical format. nL anguage regarding the disposition of the application deposit has been clarified. nA provision requiring that fees will be charged per applicant has been added. nD isclosures have been added concerning defective drywall and military air installations, with applicable addenda provided.

18 September/october 2011

form 975 Listing Agreement – Exclusive Right to Lease nA schedule has been added concerning specific

appliances, fixtures, and amenities to be provided. nC hanges have been made pertaining to advertising and listing services, and a provision was added concerning opting out of Internet-based listings.

form 900 Property Management and Exclusive Rental Agreement nA section has been added requiring that if the prop-

erty was constructed prior to 1978, the landlord must use a certified lead-based paint renovator for any repairs to the property. nN ew language has been added that allows the agent to retain rental payments during the last month of the lease agreement in order to pay outstanding charges affecting the property. nA provision has been added requiring the landlord to keep and maintain all utilities on in the landlord’s name during any periods of vacancy of the property. nA new Property Management Information Form has been added. nA new defective drywall disclosure has been added.

www.VARealtor.com

formfactor form 220 Pet Addendum

form 240 Tenant Consent Form

n new language makes it clear that the pet deposit will

n a new section of the Virginia Residential landlord

not be returned until the end of the lease, even if the pet dies or is removed from the dwelling unit before the end of the lease term. n a section has been added for the tenant to designate a person (including contact phone number) for the landlord to contact to care for the pet in the event the landlord is unable to reach the tenant. n limitation of liability and indemnification language for the landlord and managing agent has been added.

Tenant act (VRlTa) concerns confidentiality of tenant records. It lists a number of situations in which the landlord or managing agent can disclose information to third parties. For example, the landlord or managing agent may provide information if subpoenaed in a civil case. It also allows them to disclose information if the tenant gives prior written consent. n The new Tenant Consent Form reiterates the statutory exemptions to confidentiality and adds other situations when a landlord may release tenant information. For example, the tenant agrees to the release of information if requested by a property, condominium, or similar association in which the unit is located.

form 1300 Disclosure of Information on Lead-Based Paint And Lead-Based Paint Hazards n language has been added to deal with the problem of

prospective tenants delivering this form to the landlord signed and initialed before the landlord completes the form. n landlord- and managing agent-immunity provisions from the Virginia Residential landlord Tenant act were added.

form 230 Guaranty of Lease Agreement n The language in this form has been largely replaced

to more accurately reflect the landlord-tenant relationship.

Forms — they’re the bread and butter of a deal.

They’re full of fine print and legalese, and not everyone “gets” the details. and that often ends up as a call to our legal Hotline. (Shameless plug: (804) 622-7955.)

So we asked our intrepid legal counsel (read: lawyer), Blake Hegeman, to take one of the forms the Hotline gets the most questions about and illuminate it for us.

They’re all available, free for download, at www.VARealtor.com/standardforms.

form 1100 Move-In Move-Out Inspection Report n The provision regarding visible evidence of mold

has been clarified. n a provision has been added concerning visible evidence of disturbed paint surfaces. n Blocks have been updated regarding the charges to be withheld from security deposits, and a line has been added for utility payments.

20 SePTemBeR/OCTOBeR 2011

WWW.VaRealTOR.COm

OUTSTANDING AGENTS. OUTSTANDING RESULTS.速

WHAT

22 SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2011

WWW.VAREALTOR.COM

DOES IT TAKE?

By Liam MacLeod

The skills brokers want, the training Realtors® need The Realtor® of tomorrow might be a jerk.

No. Scratch that.

The Realtor® of tomorrow might get away with being a jerk. Or sort of a jerk, anyway, but only if she produces results — and garners a reputation for doing so.

The warm personality and firm handshake that have served Realtors® for the past 100 years might not be as important as a firm handle on the flow of information about the market. And, of course, getting things done.

VOLUME 18 ● ISSUE 5

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2011 23

“I don’t think the profession has done a good job of marketing itself to the younger generation.”

“There are some people who are very successful but not very likeable,” said Gail Ailor, Long & Foster’s director of career development for Richmond and Southwest Virginia.

“Proven results can resonate more with an individual client than likeability,” she said.

Forget the toothy-grinned, gladhandling Hollywood Realtor. Consider an alternative image: strong negotiator, market analyst, economist, more consultant than salesperson, master of social media, troubleshooter, and someone at home immersed in real estate law and contracts.

“I think today’s Realtor® has to be a little more sophisticated,” said Ann Palmateer, an award-winning real estate educator with Prudential Towne Realty in Chesapeake. Certainly, they need to have one eye on the market — the whole market.

“Realtors® need to be much more aware of economic conditions — local, national and global,” said Mary Dykstra, director of business development for MKB Realtors in Roanoke.

“We need to understand trends and data more than we ever have.

Customers like us to have an idea of where the market is going.”

Everybody knows painfully well where the market’s been.

BASIC TRAINING How do you build the Realtor® of tomorrow? Training, of course, but that’s just for starters. Tomorrow’s Realtors®, as we’ll see, will need to learn more than just the basics.

George Safire has been involved in real estate education since 1978.

“I’ve probably got more podium time teaching principles of real estate than anyone in Virginia,” he said, and, 24 SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2011

compared to when he entered the real estate profession in the 1970s, “the training has gotten much, much better” — both through real estate schools and through brokerages themselves. “Almost all of them have an in-house training program, and some have mentoring programs,” he said.

Those can be particularly important to newcomers to the field, especially if they’re iffy about joining the profession.

Marisol Alers of Mechanicsville received her real estate license in March; she now works at Long & Foster. She said the company’s training offerings was one reason she signed on after completing her coursework and passing the state exam.

Passing that exam was necessary, but far from sufficient. Fieldwork quickly revealed holes in her knowledge — especially about the increasingly complicated process of applying for and receiving a mortgage and some requirements around disclosures.

“There are a lot more responsibilities for an agent than I previously knew about,” she said. The in-house training ensures she’s up to speed.

Brad Chase became an agent in Roanoke in 2007. He said that, after attending Moseley-Dickinson Academy of Real Estate — which he praised — he learned there were still gaps to fill.

“They don’t teach you anything about contracts,” he said. More importantly, “You can’t really be taught strategy. You just have to figure it out.”

Jennifer Allan agreed. She’s the author of Sell With Soul: Creating an Extraordinary Career in Real Estate without Losing Your Friends, Your Principles, or Your Self-Esteem.

WWW.VAREALTOR.COM

Initial schooling helps rookies pass the state exam, she said, and that’s about it.

The question, of course, is exactly what tomorrow’s Realtors® need to be trained in.

REALTOR® 201 “This is a no-brainer to me,” Allan said. “Stop with all the fanfare paid to effective prospecting techniques and start teaching real estate agents how to sell their listings.”

Teach “how to negotiate a tough inspection,” she suggested. “How to prepare for an appraisal. How to effectively communicate with a seller so that she’s on board and cooperative.

How to become a master of their market. How to explain every single provision of their contracts and disclosures.

How to create accurate and persuasive CMAs. How to stay on top of dates and deadlines and how to proactively head off problems before they become crises.”

Allan said agents ought to be encouraged to prioritize the tasks that serve their current clients and get to prospecting later.

“I saw an outline of a training program for a big-name company that spent the first month teaching agents various prospecting techniques,” she said. “But it wasn’t until weeks seven and eight that they offered any training on contracts and the MLS. Crazy.”

What about the softer skills, such as presentation and personality — bedside manner, so to speak? The best formula is, of course, a mix of likeable, competent, and professional, Allan said.

“It’s not the same thing as wanting the best [orthopedic doctor] to rebuild your leg,” she explained — when an abysmal bedside manner is easily VOLUME 18 ● ISSUE 5

trumped by surgical skill — “because having a grasp of human nature and decent communication skills are integral parts of this job,” Allan said.

“But I would agree 100 percent that a successful real estate agent does not need to be an outgoing, charismatic social butterfly to succeed. I wasn’t, and I succeeded just fine.”

So what exactly does a successful real estate pro need to be? George Safire wishes he knew.

“If I could answer that question and bottle it I could be a multi-millionaire,” he said.

During his decades as a real estate educator, Safire sometimes encountered people he knew would be failures who turned out to be masters. He met others who seemed a surefire bet to excel who quickly bottomed out.

“There was no characteristic I could put my finger on that was a guarantee of success,” Safire said. “If anything, I’d say it’s tenacity.”

Safire shared the story of a young woman who struggled mightily with the coursework in principles of real estate.

“She finally got through it and started taking the state exam. She took it 32 times before she passed.

She just kept coming back. Once that child got her license, she just tore this business up.”

Why? Because the basics are just that: basics. Success tomorrow will depend on knowing and meshing with a new breed of real estate consumer.

They have the tools to find the homes they want; search engines are easy to use and allow anyone to focus on the smallest detail. So Realtors® might find that their skills are less about matching buyers and sellers and more about acting as expert, consultant, and mediator.

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2011 25

MATCHMAKER, MATCHMAKER Mollie Wasserman is founder of the Accredited Consultant in Real Estate designation course and coaching program, and the author of The End of 6%. She believes the real estate profession has not yet recognized how the role of an agent has changed over the last 30 years, and is has not yet adapted to the tremendous growth of technology.

“Buyers and sellers, armed with information they got without going through an agent, are finding each other more and more,” she explained.

Thus, an agent’s role these days is less matchmaker and more consultant.

A consultant who can analyze data, negotiate, guide, and troubleshoot — providing judgment, experience, and expertise.

“As a consultant, we’re no longer paid to provide information but to interpret it and that’s something technology can never do,” Wasserman said.

“No matter how it’s presented or dressed up, there is an inherent conflict of interest when a real estate professional is expected to act as a ‘fiduciary agent’ — providing objective, unbiased counsel to clients while at the same time being paid by commission,” Wasserman said. She advocates a paradigm shift.

“It means a whole new way of thinking and acting: developing a whole new model in real estate — one of a consultant that provides choices in the services that can be procured and how those services can be paid for,” she said.

Allan agrees with Wasserman that the real estate culture must change.

“The thing is, historically, as Mollie has described, we’ve promoted our value in the ‘functionary’ tasks that 26 SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2011

we perform as real estate agents — creating brochures, putting up for sale signs, taking pictures, providing lock boxes, setting showings, holding open houses, and writing up and delivering offers,” Allan said.

Today, she said, the general public “no longer needs us to perform many of these functionary tasks.” Instead, they seek consultation about proper pricing, expert negotiating, creative problem-solving and the like. They seek professionals with good connections and resources, who understand the nuances of contracts, who know whom to call if disaster threatens, she said.

“I knew an agent once who was fired by a seller client because the seller wasn’t happy with the agent’s service,” Allan recalled. “The agent angrily protested his firing with something along the lines of, ‘How dare he question my value. I’ve kept that brochure box full for the last five months’.”

Matchmaker, mediator, researcher, hand-holder, deal-maker — where is this person going to come from?

SUPPLIES ARE LIMITED At the end of 2006, the National Association of Realtors® counted 1.35 million members. Six months later, 340,000 were gone. In Virginia, in the five years from July 2006 to July 2011, licensed active real estate individuals dropped almost 20% — from 57,358 to 46,055.

Fewer competitors can be a good thing for real estate agents, but it’s a drag for brokers looking for solid help, especially because the same factors driving existing Realtors® from the profession are also shying newcomers away.

Safire, who has been teaching real WWW.VAREALTOR.COM

estate since 1978, remembers the days before the bottom dropped out, when principles classes generally stayed full, day and night, with more than 50 students per class.

But then, “about three years ago it was like somebody turned a switch,” he said.

The bottom line, at least from a broker’s point of view, is that existing agents are leaving and replacements are limited. To borrow a metaphor from baseball, injuries are mounting, and the farm system is weak.

One solution is to go after the people who you’re sure already know their stuff.

Todd Shyiak is president of Cogent Step Recruiting, a Canadian company that offers recruiting services to brokers.

“Brokers have, for years, relied on new agents coming into the business to grow their brokerages — advertising on Craigslist, attending new agent registration/training/ licensing, and literally waiting for new agents to walk through the front door,” Shyiak said. New agents tended to be hungry, eager, enthusiastic, and teachable.

But even in the boom years most of those new agents flamed out. Still, Shyiak said, “It was worth the brokers’ time and money to invest in new agents — hiring 20 with the hope that five or six would eventually succeed and make them money.”

Today, he said, options are shrinking.

New agents are few and far between.

Thousands of experienced agents are leaving the field each month for varied reasons. Many in the Baby Boom generation are reaching retirement age.

Brokers determined to grow have one option left, Shyiak said, although it’s one that can be tough and time-consuming: VOLUME 18 ● ISSUE 5

“Recruit experienced agents who are committed to their career and who will have an immediate impact on the brokers’ bottom line,” he said.

That’s the strategy taken by Charlottesville-based Roy Wheeler Realty.

“We really focus on recruiting experienced people,” said Michael Guthrie, CEO and principal broker. “We’re not bringing in new people.”

The company works hard to keep its existing agents and Realtors® happy. Not only does that entice experienced agents to join and stay, but their well-established networks are a source of yet more pros. And even some up-and-comers.

“In that process, there is, from time to time, a new person who shows promise,” Guthrie agreed. “Should they decide to come with us, I’m up front about our emphasis on working with experienced people.”

MKB’s Dykstra agreed that recruitment of seasoned pros can be challenging, but she, like Ailor, believes brokers ought to recruit from the ranks of both the experienced and the newly minted.

“In our local markets, it’s more difficult to make experienced Realtors® move,” she said, “because they are hunkered down — they know what their expenses are.” Besides, “Everybody wants to recruit a superstar. But there aren’t that many superstars out there.

My philosophy is we’re going to have to grow some superstars.”

Initial schooling helps rookies pass the state exam, and that’s about it.

FRESH BLOOD Recruiting a seasoned pro has its advantages, of course. But there are also benefits to bringing on some rookies — the 20-somethings who enter the profession with just the right mix of smarts, tenacity, and youthful optimism.

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2011 27

“We need to develop some younger Realtors®,” Dykstra explained. “Quite frankly, we’re aging out of the profession and, as we age, it can make it harder to relate to younger clients.”

But it ain’t easy. Dykstra believes many young people, especially during a down market, give little thought to a real estate career. “I don’t think the profession has done a good job of marketing itself to that generation,” she said.

The story that needs telling is that real estate agents and brokers are entrepreneurs, and “in many cases, entrepreneurs have done well during the recession.”

The younger set “is one of the demographics we have specifically targeted,” said Ailor, in part because they tend to be “completely comfortable with social media and technology and have a lot of enthusiasm and energy.”

One advantage they may bring to the table is that innate connection with, well, connecting — something many new prospective home buyers are looking for. Dykstra, for example, has found that clients younger than 50 often expect quick and easy access to their Realtor® through texting, e-mail, Facebook, Google+, Twitter, and the like — and rapid results.

For rookies, that’s often dyed in their wool. For the more-seasoned agent… “We have a pretty large divide between our generation and the 20-somethings,” Dykstra said. “For one thing, when you think about it, we are immigrants, really, to the world of technology. And they are native born.”

A PLACE FOR EVERYTHING Much has been written about the relative utility of social media for real estate professionals. Guthrie is 28 SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2011

a believer. Roy Wheeler Realty regularly offers its agents training in how to understand social media and “how they can use it to increase their presence on the Internet.”

Opportunities don’t take long to appear. “Just this morning I was on Twitter and a person asked for advice on how to market a house on social media,” he said.

But while there’s certainly value in texts, tweets, likes, and +1s, the trap that younger agents must avoid is thinking of social media as the be-all, end-all way to communicate. For all their technology smarts, too often they neglect the interactions that don’t involve a screen.

Guthrie, like many others, sees social media as one of the tools Realtors® have to begin, establish, and continue relationships. But, he points out, “It’s just part of what you need to do. At some point, you’ve got to get on the phone with them and have time face-to-face.”

Ailor agreed.

“Social media is just an everyday means of staying in touch with people and building relationships — and building relationships is primary in our business,” she said. “Being able to master technology goes a long way toward being more efficient and effective. Most of our agents are texting.”

That’s great, as long as it’s a means to an end. For her part, said Ann Palmateer, “I also try to instill relationship building. Technology is wonderful but I still think there is a basic need for one-on-one, face-to-face conversations with people.”

Although she teaches both in-person and online courses, Palmateer sees tremendous value — and importance — in traditional classes.

WWW.VAREALTOR.COM

“They come and converse and network,” she said. “They can ask questions. Or someone else can ask a question and they’ll learn something from the answer. I think there’s still a need for class interaction.”

And Dykstra sees that kind of classroom interaction making its way onto the street. A successful real estate professional, she said, “needs to be a student of human nature.”

SECOND WINDS Tomorrow’s Realtors® aren’t all joining the ranks right out of college; newbies need not be young. They might have entered the field during a challenging market because they’ve lost a job, because they’re ready for a second career, because they were “encouraged” to take early retirement or retired from the military, and for many reasons more.

Take 49-year-old Marisol Alers, who came in with eyes wide open.

“I was a paralegal for 23 years and I wanted to do something different,” Alers said. “During a down market can be a great time to learn, when it’s not as absolutely crazy as it was a few years ago,” she said.

Alers, widowed within the past two years, said her children encouraged her to try real estate, saying, “You just love meeting people.” And her paralegal experience helped her comprehend some of the profession’s thorny contract issues.

“After talking to Gail [Ailor], and being recruited by Long & Foster, I knew I wanted a change, and I knew I’d be good at it,” Alers said.

Brad Chase, 31, became an agent in Roanoke in 2007 after previously managing a home furnishings store with a friend.

VOLUME 18 ● ISSUE 5

He said he had always thought he might like being in real estate and was encouraged by Realtor® Dianne Zeigler in Roanoke to give it a try. But even a “try” involves a commitment — and some stretching.

Many people new to real estate hold second jobs or have another income source. In Alers’s case, her late husband’s life insurance has provided the latter. It can support her for another six months, after which she might have to consider alternative or part-time employment.

And while for a time Chase escaped the worst fallout of the housing crisis, things slowed. He began working parttime in wireless sales for nTelos, a job he still holds and plans to hang on to in the years ahead.

But hope still burns in the breasts of both rookies and successful real estate professionals. Chase and Alers are hanging in there, as are thousands of others. But the going is tough.

As of mid-August, Alers has not yet nailed a sale.

“I have a few leads I’m working on,” Alers said. “I never expected it would happen overnight. You have to be patient. It’s just getting that first one.”

Chase has sold but a single house in 2011, but said he thoroughly enjoys the work. “I’ve actually found a career that I love. If we can survive this time, then when the market does turn around everybody should be in good shape,” he said.

Roy Wheeler’s Guthrie understands, but he has a different perspective. “In my company, I don’t look at it as parttime or full-time,” he said. “I see it as dual-careered.” In the ideal world, he said, real estate is a full-time job.

“In fact, I don’t even call it a job,” he said. “I call it a lifestyle.” ●

As a consultant, we’re no longer paid to provide information but to interpret it.

That’s something technology can never do.

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2011 29

accessibletech ANDREW KANTOR

It’s the little things I think the true beauty of smartphones isn’t the obvious stuff — e-mail, Web browsing, and of course making calls. The more I explore, the more I think that it’s the little things that really make them blossom.

Yes, it’s cool that you can use your “phone” as a GPS, but everyone knows about that. And there are plenty of office type apps that get lots of press — things to let you read documents, or share things you find, or upload your photos and videos to wherever. I found, though, that the things that really impressed me were the little apps — the tools and gizmos that come in handy at specific time, and that you don’t think of when you think of “phone.”

In the interest of keeping this manageable, I’m going to focus on the two big guns of the smartphone market: Android (52% of smartphones) and iPhone (29%). There may be similar apps for Blackberries and Windows Phones — check your respective apps stores.

And speaking of app stores, I’m not going to give links to all the apps here. The name is all you should need; just look for them on the Android Market or iTunes (or AppBrain or Amazon, or wherever you shop).

Light the way Your phone probably has a flash for taking photos, so why not use it as a flashlight, too?

For Android phones, there are a few choices: My favorite is Tiny Flashlight + LED, but there’s also Color Flashlight, Droidlight LED, and more (all free). For the iPhone, grab the nifty iHandy Flashlight Free.

On the level The same technology that lets your phone flip its screen from horizontal to vertical can also be used as a much more mundane tool: a level. Does the floor tilt one way or the other? Are the pictures hanging straight? Little things make a difference!

Android users will find Bubble Level, Spirit Level Plus, Ultimate Spirit Level, and several more (these are free, others are paid) that have both bubble and floor levels, which are used to make sure a flat surface isn’t tilted.

For the iPhone, there’s the iHandy Level Free bubble level; for flat surfaces check out Multi Surface Level (99 cents) or A Level (also 99 cents).

Dude, where’s my phone?

Your phone isn’t much use if you can’t find it, is it?

Androids and iPhones each have an app for that.

Find My iPhone (free) lets you use another iPhone or iPad to locate yours on a map or by playing a ringtone at full volume. You can also lock your phone with it, or — if it’s been stolen — wipe the data.

To use Where’s My Droid (free), you send a e-mail to your phone (from anywhere) with one of several “attention words.” Depending on the word you send, the phone can play a ringtone at full volume, sound a siren, or reply to your message with a map of its current location. And if someone steals your phone and tries to activate it on another plan, the phone will text you with the new phone number so you can use Where’s My Droid to find it.

Dude, how about my car?

How simple is this: Park your car, activate one of these apps, and it will direct you back to it — great for strange neighborhoods and crowded malls.

Some of them let you take quick notes about the location, or even snap a photo. For Android phones there’s MyCar Locator Free, Find My Car, and a few others others (all free); iPhone users can get G-Park for 99 cents.

30 September/october 2011

www.VARealtor.com

How much is that doggie in the window?

Spirit Level

Find My Car

Plenty has been written about QR codes — those funky square boxes you can scan for all sorts of information.

But what about the ubiquitous UPC that’s on every product you can name?

Check out RedLaser (Android or iPhone; free) or ShopSavvy (Android or iPhone; also free). They let you scan a product and not only tell you what it is, but what it sells for elsewhere. And by “elsewhere” I mean “at stores near where you’re standing” as well as online. So if you think Kroger is overpriced on that tomato soup, a quick click can confirm or deny.

Get what’s coming to you

Key Ring Reward Cards

By any wild stretch, do you have a keyring or wallet full of those supermarket rewards cards?

Your phone can help with that — specifically Key Ring Reward Cards (Android and iPhone, free). Choose the store, scan the card, and it stores your code. When you’re shopping, whip out your phone, tap the store’s name, and let the cashier scan your screen. Just make sure it’s clean.

GasBuddy

More power to ya MagicPlan

VOLUME 18 ● ISSUE 5

Lots of apps mean lots of battery usage.

The more things are running, and the more you use your phone or Wi-Fi connection, the faster your battery will drain. Android users can turn to apps like JuiceDefender or Green Power Battery Saver (both free; JuiceDefender versions with more options cost $1.99 and $4.99 but aren’t necessary). They automatically shut down unnecessary background programs and turn off your phone’s connections when they’re not needed. And yes, they work; doubling battery life isn’t unheard of.

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2011 31

accessibletech Scanners Need to make a copy of a document? You can go all James Bond by just taking a picture, or you can use an app like Genius Scan (iPhone; basic version free, plus version $2.99) or CamScanner (Android or iPhone; limited version free, $4.99 for the full app).

These apps will recognize a page and correct the perspective, clean the image, store it as a JPEG or PDF, and let you save or share it. You can even scan multipage documents into a single PDF. Yes, you can do all that manually, but these tools make it quick and easy.

On the road again Drive a lot? Save some cash with a couple of apps that will find the cheapest gas around you. GasBuddy (Android, free) uses user-supplied information for its database; you can sort stations by price or distance.

The iPhone version (also free) is called, for some reason, U.S. Gas Price Look-Up.

From the Desk of

How do we continue to excel in all market conditions? How have we obtained #1 market share in most of our markets? Stay on the cutting-edge of technology? Consistently attract top producers? Continue as the #1 independently-owned real estate Company in the nation?

My answer across the board has always been — “It’s our people! For 40+ years we’ve put our people first — they’re who make Long & Foster who we are.”

When you’re ready to partner with a team that puts you first, give us a call.

You’ll be glad you did.

32 SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2011

View with a room Stand in a room. Point your phone at the corners and other features around you. Repeat throughout the building. When you’re finished, you’ll get a disturbingly accurate floor plan. The secret? MagicPlan for the iPhone.

It uses your phone’s gyroscope and other wizardry to construct a floor plan, and output the finished version as an image or PDF. The caveat?

The image contains a watermark and is only for non-commercial use. If you want to use it for your site, it’s $4.99 per plan. Still, five bucks is a lot less than a professional would charge to draw it.

Online Dominance?

Wes Foster People ask me all the time what makes Long & Foster different.

In a similar vein, the iExit Interstate Exit Guide (iPhone, $1.99; free for Android) will tell you what kinds of gas, food, and lodging are available near the next off-ramp. ●

YES! • Over 8 million unique visitors start their home search at www.LongandFoster.com each year and conduct over 85 million property searches!

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Join the company that puts their agents first.

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Realtors® who hold a designation like GRI typically earn more than twice as much as those who don’t. All it takes is 12 classes — and a commitment to your career.

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Another great member service brought to you by the Virginia Association of REALTORS®

WHO’S GOT YOUR BACK? This November 8, support the candidates who support your business:

Visit RealtorsChoose.com

Martin Luther King, Jr. National Memorial

Dr. King’s message of equality must continue to enlighten future generations, and the Washington, DC Martin Luther King, Jr. National Memorial will see that it does.

The NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® is proud to be involved with this important memorial, dedicated August 28, 2011.

To learn more visit www.DEDICATETHEDREAM.org

Proud Supporter of the Washington, D.C. Martin Luther King, Jr. National Memorial Project Foundation, Inc

rpacreport As of August 25, 2011, the following REALTORS® and local associations have joined RPAC of Virginia as Major Investors. For more information on the value of RPAC and how your investment works to protect your business, contact Meredith Cox at mcox@VARealtor.com or (804) 264-5033.

Or, if you want to get invested today, please visit rpacofva.com.

Golden R Investors ($5,000)

Linda BelcherBrown Coldwell Banker Residential, Manassas

Charles Burnette

Billy Chorey, Sr.

Dennis Cronk

John Dickinson

Burnette Real Estate Sales, Blacksburg

Chorey & Associates Realty, Suffolk

Poe & Cronk Real Estate Group, Roanoke

Hall Associates, Inc. Union Hall

Re/Max Allegiance Tom Stevens

Steve Hoover

Thomas Jefferson, III John McEnearney

John Powell

MKB, Realtors® Roanoke

Joyner Fine Properties, Richmond

Long & Foster Real Estate, Alexandria Inc., Colonial Heights

McEnearney Associates, Inc., Alexandria

Dorcas HelfantBrowning Coldwell Banker Professional, Virginia Beach

Coldwell Banker Residential, Vienna

Golden R Associations ($5,000) Fredericksburg Area Association of Realtors®, Fredericksburg Northern Virginia Association of Realtors®, Fairfax Richmond Association of Realtors®, Richmond Roanoke Valley Association of Realtors®, Roanoke Williamsburg Area Association of Realtors®, Williamsburg Melanie Thompson Century 21 AdVenture Realty, Fredericksburg

Jack Torza Long & Foster Realtors® Mechanicsville Hall of Famers have contributed a cumulative amount of at least $25,000 to RPAC.

36 SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2011

www.VARealtor.com

Crystal R Investors ($2,500)

2011 fair share goal

$579,600 Mike Minnery

James Nellis

Jane Quill

RE/MAX Allegiance Woodbridge

Nellis Properties Fairfax Station

Re/Max Presidential Fairfax

Trish Szego

Connie Vanderpool

ERA-Elite Group, RealtorsÂŽ, Fairfax

RE/MAX Gateway Chantilly

84%

Sterling R Investors ($1,000)

Bob Adamson

Guy Allen

McEnearney Associates, Inc., McLean

One Stop Realty Woodbridge

Katy Allenbaugh -Richards First American Home Buyers Protection, Midlothian

Betsy Atkinson ERA Atkinson Realty Virginia Beach

$490,000 Julia Avent

Tammy Bagnato

Sherry Bailey

Deborah Baisden

Re/Max Allegiance Arlington

Coldwell Banker Residential, Springfield

Century 21 New Millennium, Stafford

Prudential Towne Realty, Virginia Beach

Volume 18 â—? Issue 5

investment Figures through July 30, 2011.

Campaign year ends September 30, 2011.

July/August 2011 37

rpacreport Sterling R Investors ($1,000)

CC Bartholomew

Mary Bayat

Lee Beaver

Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc., Manassas

Bayat Realty, Inc. Alexandria

Keller Williams Realty Manassas

Brad Boland

Candice Bower

Jobin Realty Reston

McEnearney Associates, Inc., Leesburg

Joe Carney William E. Wood & Associates Virginia Beach

Mary Ann Bendinelli

Laura Benjamin

Karen Bohlke Enriquez

Weichert REALTORS速 Manassas

Roanoke Valley Association of Realtors速, Roanoke

Kevin Breen

R. Scott Brunner

Robyn Burdett

Peggy Burke

Coldwell Banker Elite, Fredericksburg

Virginia Association of Realtors速, Glen Allen

Re/Max Allegiance Reston

Long & Foster Real Estate, Dumfries

Dale Chandler

David Charron

Vic Coffey

MRIS Rockville, MD

Re/Max All Stars Realty, Daleville

Commission Express

Billy Coons

Greg Garrett Realty Newport News

John Daly

Benton Downer

Mary Dykstra

Rose & Womble Realty Company, Newport News

Downer & Associates Charlottesville

MKB, Realtors Roanoke

38 SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2011

Re/Max Select Hampton

Fairfax

Olde Virginia Realty Suffolk

Ekko Title

Sandee Ferebee

Claire Forcier-Rowe

Reston

Prudential Towne Realty Virginia Beach

Coldwell Banker Elite Fredericksburg

www.VARealtor.com

Sterling R Investors ($1,000)

Virgil Frizzell

Bev Frowen

Karen Gaskins

Bill Gearhart

Art Grace

Suzanne Granoski

Long & Foster Real Estate, Herndon

Long & Foster Real Estate, Manassas

Rose & Womble Realty Chesapeake

Coldwell Banker Townside, Roanoke

Hunzeker & Lyon, PC Manassas

Keller Williams Realty, Alexandria

Lynn Grimsley

Thomas Groves

George Grundy

Kit Hale

Margaret Handley

Lizzie Hernandez

RE/MAX Peninsula Newport News

ERA Real Estate Professionals Virginia Beach

George Grundy & Associates Realty Petersburg

MKB, Realtors® Roanoke

M.C. Handley, Ltd. McLean

Keller Williams Realty Manassas

Jeanne Hockaday

Nathan Hughes

Tom Innes

Donn Irby

Jo Anne Johnson

Randy Jones

Virginia Country Real Estate, Ordinary

Bandazian & Holden Richmond

Re/Max Commonwealth Richmond

Rose & Womble Realty Chesapeake

Westgate Realty Group, Inc., Falls Church

Monarch Mortgage Manassas

Sita Kapur

Kathleen Kennedy

Betty Kingery

Pat Kline

Jody Korman

Vonda Lacey

Arlington Premier Realty Arlington

Long & Foster Real Estate, Vienna

Mountain to Lake Realty Rocky Mount

Avery Hess Realtors® Springfield

Re/Max Commonwealth, Richmond

Lacey Real Estate Group Fishersville

Volume 18 ● Issue 5 SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 39

rpacreport Sterling R Investors ($1,000)

Richard Limroth

George Lyons

Scott MacDonald

Andy Mason

Shane McCullar

Rivah Realty, Montross

Re/Max Valley Realtors® Roanoke

Long & Foster Real Estate Woodbridge

Re/Max Gateway Chantilly

Weichert REALTORS® Mason-Davis, Onancock

Keller Williams Realty Alexandria

Susan Mekenney

Tina Merritt

Tom Meyer

Jay Mitchell

Percy Montague

Fred Morgan

Re/Max Allegiance Alexandria

Nest Realty Group Blacksburg

Condo 1, Inc. Arlington

Prudential Towne Realty Virginia Beach

Montague, Miller & Co., Charlottesville

1st Choice Real Estate, Staunton

Vinh Nguyen

Lee Odems

Forrest Odend’hal

Susan Oh

Gwen Pangle

Gail Penman

Westgate Realty Group, Inc., Falls Church

Buyer’s Advantage Real Estate, Woodbridge

Long & Foster Real Estate, Gainesville

New Star Realty & Investment, Fairfax

Ashby Hall Real Estate Gallery, Leesburg

William E. Wood & Associates, Virginia Beach

Tracy Pless

Anne Rector

Peter Rickert

Thomas Rickert

Long & Foster Real Estate, Alexandria

Coldwell Banker Residential, Alexandria

Coldwell Banker Residential, Alexandria

Zinta RodgersRickert

Mario Rubio

Long & Foster Real Estate, Reston

Barbara Jean LeFon

40 SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2011

Re/Max Allegiance Fairfax

Rubio Real Estate Annandale

www.VARealtor.com

Sterling R Investors ($1,000)

Fetneh Schacht

Henry Scholz

Trudy Severa

Karen Smith

Kimber Smith

Susan Spellman

Long & Foster Real Estate, Vienna

Hall Associates, Inc. Roanoke

Long & Foster Real Estate, Reston

Re/Max Commonwealth, Richmond

Prudential Towne Realty Williamsburg

Long & Foster Realtors®, Williamsburg

Cindy Stackhouse

Wes Stearns

Suzy Stone

Lawanda Swope

MO Wilson Properties, Inc., Woodbridge

Century 21 AdVenture Realty, Fredericksburg

Thomas “Mack” Strickland, Jr.

Pat Sury

Century 21 Stackhouse & Associates, Dumfries

Strickland Realty, Chester

Montague, Miller & Co., Charlottesville

Weichert Realtors®, Arlington

Christine Todd

Karen Trainor

Sandra Wagner

William A. White

Shanna Wiseman

Jon Wolford

Northern Virginia Association of Realtors®, Fairfax

Weichert REALTORS® Fairfax

William E. Wood & Associates, Poquoson

Joyner Fine Properties Richmond

Parr & Abernathy Hopewell

Long & Foster Real Estate, Springfield

Sterling R Associations ($1,000) Greater Augusta Association of Realtors®, Staunton Harrisonburg-Rockingham Association of Realtors®, Harrisonburg Lynchburg Association of Realtors®, Lynchburg Southside Virginia Association of Realtors®, Colonial Heights Virginia Peninsula Association of Realtors®, Hampton Contributions are not deductible for income tax purposes. Contributions to RPAC are voluntary and are used for political purposes. The amount suggested is merely a guideline and you may contribute more or less than the suggested amount. You may refuse to contribute without reprisal and the National Association of Realtors® or any of its state associations or local boards will not favor or disfavor any member because of the amount contributed. 70% of each contribution is used by your state PAC to support state and local political candidates. Until your state PAC reaches its RPAC goal 30% is sent to National RPAC to support federal candidates and is charged against your limits.

Volume 18 ● Issue 5 SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 41

Get what’s coming to you

You pay for your VAR membership, so make it pay you back. Take advantage of our long list of member benefits — low-cost life, health, and E&O insurance; discounts on shipping and wireless services; free sales tools and forms, and a lot more. A lot.

How much?

Visit VARealtor.com/discounts and see for yourself.

VAR: Take us for all we’re worth

contactvar

WE’D LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU

We’re online at www.VARealtor.com Our official blog is VARbuzz, at www.VARbuzz.com If you have questions, we’re ready to help. During normal business days, our receptionist is available from 9:30 a.m. to 3:45 p.m.

Our phone number is

(804) 264 -5033 For membership and dues questions Ask for Amy Hafer Membership Records Manager amy@VARealtor.com

For questions about professional standards and the Code of Ethics Ask for Blake Hegeman Legal Counsel blake@VARealtor.com

If you’re interested in marketing or advertising opportunities Ask for Steve Daley Director of Sales & Marketing steve@VARealtor.com

To reach our Legal Hotline Call (804) 622-7955* *You must register first at VARealtor.com/LegalHotline

If you’d like to have someone speak at your association or brokerage

To find out about conferences, seminars, and professional education

Ask for Lynne Wherry Director of Member Outreach lynne@VARealtor.com

Ask for Glenda Puryear Conferences Specialist or Lili Paulk, Director of Education glenda or lili @VARealtor.com

If you need to know about professional designations Ask for Kim Martin, Specialties and Chapter Manager kim@VARealtor.com

If you have comments or questions about Commonwealth magazine or our Web sites Ask for Andrew Kantor, Editor & Information Manager andrew@VARealtor.com

See your member discounts at www.VARealtor.com/ discounts Liberty Mutual, home, auto, and renters insurance Outstaffing, staffing and payroll Pearl Insurance, E&O, medical, life, and dental insurance Phone Tag, voice to e-mail transcription Realtors Federal Credit Union

UPS, shipping and more

(804) 249-5702 scott@VARealtor.com

VOLUME 18 ● ISSUE 5

Ask for Meredith Cox Director of Political Communications meredith@VARealtor.com VAR 2011 Leadership Team

John Dickinson, CCIM, GRI President Hall Associates, Inc., Union Hall (540) 982-0011 jrdickinson@cs.com

VAR Member Service Partners

T-Mobile, wireless service

Our CEO is Scott Brunner

For information about RPAC

Zipform, electronic forms solutions Roost, social media management platform

Trish Szego, CRB, CRS President-Elect ERA-Elite Group, Haymarket (703) 359-7800; trishelite@aol.com Mary Victoria Dykstra, ABR, CRS Vice President MKB REALTORS®, Roanoke (540) 989-4555 mvdrltr@aol.com John Daly, SFR Treasurer Rose & Womble, Virginia Beach (757) 486-8800 jdaly@roseandwomble.com Cindy Stackhouse, GRI Immediate Past President Century 21 Stackhouse and Associates Prince William (703) 580-0880; c21cindys@aol.com R. Scott Brunner, CAE Chief Executive Officer (804) 264-5033; scott@VARealtor.com

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2011 43

lastword SCOTT BRUNNER

The yeast rolls of autumn

How the start of school brings back tasty memories If you live long enough, months can come to be defined by particular foods. For me, January is dried limas and turnip greens. Late May is fresh pole beans and new potatoes. July is cobbler, blackberry usually, or maybe peach. And cooler November demands cornbread dressing.

Without its signature comfort dish, the month wouldn’t seem quite right. I’ve learned over the years to plan my cravings accordingly.

But not all my gastronomic yearnings fit so neatly onto a calendar. The ones that haunt me most are those that somehow, for whatever reason, have come to define not months, but particular passages of life. They are dishes long-gone mostly, but also long remembered: the thick tea-cake cookies, slightly burned around the edges, my grandmother would bake when I was a kid; the corn muffins at the family restaurant where I waited tables in high school; my usual lunch-hour vegetable plate of beans, greens and cinnamon apples from a local cafeteria during my bachelor days.

And while most days I’d not pass up a chance to sit again before a serving of any one of those mouth-watering memories,

44 September/october 2011

there’s one I miss most when school begins each autumn: Mrs. Roy’s lunchroom yeast rolls, McAdory High School, McCalla, Ala., circa 1974-1982. There was nothing else like them — or like her, either.

She was a legend in school lunchroom management circles, a culinary samurai known for spinning out nutritious meals from the unlikeliest of freezer-burned and government-subsidized ingredients.

Sturdy, silver-haired, and plain-faced, Mrs. Roy’s everyday expression was a tight-lipped grimace, all jaw, a look of worried pre-occupation that belied the merriness of her blue eyes. She ran the lunchroom like an Army general, both beloved and feared, an Eisenhower in white, rubbersoled shoes, except that for her and the platoon of helmet-headed, hair-netted ladies she supervised, D-Day came five days a week and consisted of 1,200 loud-mouthed, ill-mannered K-through-12 invaders to whom “nutritious” was a synonym for “nasty.” Mrs. Roy rose to that daily challenge with abundant resolve, more than an ounce of creativity, and plenty of yeast rolls.

The baking began early on weekday mornings as a skeleton crew of women — the lunchroom ladies, we called them — would assemble in the lunchroom kitchen to mix and knead and lay out rolls for baking.

By second period, an intoxicating, doughy aroma would have wafted

across campus and into classroom doorways and opened windows, setting adolescent stomachs to growling, dreaming of lunchtime.

We weren’t alone in dreaming.

The thought of those rolls was enough to seduce otherwise torpid school administrators from their offices downtown for regular lunchtime site visits to our school.

We kids, on the other hand, didn’t quite know how good a thing we had in that daily bread.

And daily it certainly was. Mrs. Roy partnered those rolls with practically everything. They were the piece de resistance on those days when she served the eponymous “McAdory Steak,” euphemism for mystery meat — a square of processed animal substance slathered in enough gravy to cover the taste and ease most doubts about its origin. Likewise, the complement of a yeast roll made pizza-and-turnip-greens bearable as an odd (but-regular) end-of-themonth-freezer-clearing combination.

That’s why, when autumn leaves start to fall and the kids settle into the routine of a new school year, I remember my own school days, and I’d trade every country club business lunch I’ve ever eaten to have just one more of Mrs. Roy’s heavenly lunchtime yeast rolls. l When he’s not daydreaming about carbohydrates (and sometimes when he is), Scott Brunner, CAE, works as VAR’s chief executive officer. www.VARealtor.com

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