Roger That Newsletter - February 2022 by Son Nguyen

A WORD FROM THE ASSOCIATION DIRECTOR PAGE 9

THE TOP 5 MONEY RESOLUTIONS TO IMPROVE FINANCIAL CAPACITY IN 2022 PAGE 12

SALUTE TO VETERAN PATIENTS PAGE 17

VAREP FACES IN THE CROWD

TO V E T

ER AN

PAT I E N T S

T IONAL S A NA

PAGE 29

FE B RUA RY 2 022 JUNE 26 - 28, 2022

GRAND HYAT T WASHINGTON WASHINGTON, D.C.

ROGER THAT FEB 2022

VAREP NATIONAL NEWS

A Letter From Our President

E D ITO R I A L

E-Zine Newsletter. This is the best way for

PUBLISHER USA Homeownership, Inc. DBA Veterans Association of Real Estate Professionals EDITOR Gretchen Mccroskey

VAREP National to communicate happenings

C R E ATI V E

within our organization to our membership.

SENIOR DESIGNER Jesus Lopez

Dear VAREP Members, I present you “RT – ROGER THAT – FEB 2022”

VAREP experienced tremendous growth and recognition in 2021 for the important work that we do. Each of you should be proud and stand tall knowing that your passion to empower veterans to realize the American Dream of homeownership has enabled VAREP to be recognized by key leaders in the real estate, financial, and government sectors as the authority on, and voice of, military and veteran financialliteracy and homeownership. VAREP ACCOMPLISHMENTS FROM 2014 - 2022 • 49 homes donated mortgage-free to deserving heroes across America. • 1,500 military and veteran families realized the American Dream of homeownership through our programs and services.

GRAPHIC DESIGNER Nick Preston GRAPHIC DESIGNER Jonathan Gifford SENIOR WEB DEVELOPER Francisco Labias WEB DEVELOPER David Santana CO NTAC T VA R E P HEADQUARTERS 951·444·7363 info@VAREP.net 495 E. Rincon St., Suite 110 Corona, CA 92879 w w w .V A R E P. n e t

• 20,000 real estate and lending professional were trained as a result of the 80 live events and online membership training. • 5,000 military and veteran families educated about homeownership, financial literacy, and

Son Nguyen is the founder and president of the

the VA loan program through the live Veteran Housing Summits events hosted by VAREP local

Veterans Association of Real Estate Professionals

chapters across the country.

(VAREP). Mr. Nguyen creates, implements, and

• 2,000+ military and veteran families were provided food, utilities payment, rent back payment, basic supplies, clothing, and blankets during the holiday season. This was made possible through our VAREP Cares program implemented by the VAREP local chapters. • $70,000 in the form of housing assistance grants for down-payment, closing costs, and adaptive needs. This was in partnership with the Asian Real Estate Association of America (AREAA). HOW TO EXPLAIN WHO WE ARE AND WHAT WE DO I frequently receive phone calls from our membership on how to explain VAREP as an organization. Depending on your audience, you may want to adapt the points listed below to introduce VAREP. • VAREP is a 501.c.3 nonprofit organization that was founded to directly educate the 1.4-plus million active military and 22-plus million veterans on sustainable homeownership, financialliteracy education, VA loan awareness, and economic opportunity. • VAREP is the only organization that educates military and veteran families on the importance of financial health on the road to homeownership. • VAREP is the only organization that educates the real estate practitioner on the important housing-policy and lending initiatives that affect the military and veteran communities. VAREP Comparison to Other Veteran Nonprofits The comparison chart to the right shows that we fill a much needed gap in financial-literacy and housing components that the other veteran service organizations simply do not offer…In other words: We complement them and do not compete with them.

overseas the programs within VAREP including working with government agencies and policy makers to create and reform veteran housing policy to remove barriers to homeownership. He is frequently called upon as a subject-matter expert by government agencies, the real estate industry, the lending industry, and real estate trade organizations to consult on a variety of veteran housing issues. Mr. Nguyen has more than 19 years’ experience in real estate, public speaking, supplier diversity, curriculum development, and non-profit management. His record demonstrates innovation and leadership at the highest level. Mr. Nguyen established VAREP as a housing nonprofit for vets, by vets. He believes VAREP’s proactive stance of providing financial-literacy education and advocating homeownership can greatly impact homelessness among the veteran community, by both reducing the current epidemic and preventing future occurrences, one veteran at a time. Mr. Nguyen entered the Navy in 1996 and served as a Radioman on the USS Vincennes (GC-49) and USS

Our organization has only scratched the surface of creating awareness and having people rethink

Constellation (CV-64). A proud service-connected

how to better serve underserved military and veteran housing needs. To a great 2021...Cheers!

disabled veteran, Mr. Nguyen holds a bachelor’s

degree in Public Relations from of the University of

Son Nguyen VAREP Founder and President

ABOUT SON

Florida and a Master’s in Organizational Management.

VETERAN NON-PROFIT COMPARISON CHART Target Audience

VAREP

MILITARY WARRIORS FOUNDATION

OPERATION HOMEFRONT

WOUNDED WARRIOR PROJECT

USA CARES

Veterans = 22+ Million Active Duty = 1.4+ Million

Wounded Warriors OEF, OIF, ND = 51,849

Active Duty Family of E1 - E6 = 1.1 Million

Wounded Warriors OEF, OIF, ND = 51,849

Post 9/11 Servicemembers & Family

Financial Assistance

Emergency Food

Emergency Home Repair

Critical Baby Items

Home and Appliance Repair

Furniture and Household Items

Local Moving Assistance

Apartment Transitional Housing

Permanent Housing Placement

Employment Job Board

Rehabilitation with Recreational Therapy

Peer-to-Peer Counseling

Family Support Retreats

Peer Mentoring

Information Technology Training Academy

X X

Community Outreach

Live Community Housing, Financial Literacy, and Employment Fair Outreach Events

REALTOR, Housing Professional, and Lender Military and Veteran Certification Course

Military and Veteran Friendly Database

Financial Literacy Education

VA Home Loan Program Education

Housing Education

Housing Counseling

Credit and Debt Management Education

Credit and Debt Management Counseling

Military and Veteran First Look Affordable Housing Purchase Program

Mortgage Free Donated Homes for Wounded Warrior and Spouses of Deceased Warriors

X Advocate with a Written Policy Plan

Military and Veteran Housing Lending Policy

Housing and Lending Policy Conference

Military and Veteran Financial Literacy, Housing, and Employment Resource Center

X Wounded Warriors

NOTE: The non-profit comparison chart does not list the national minority real estate trade organizations including AREAA, NAHREP, and NAREB because we are not structurally set up as a trade organization. We have our membership whom we educate to better serve the military housing needs, but ultimately we are all here to serve the military and veteran communities.

FEB

TABLE OF CONTENTS

2022 LETTER FROM OUR FOUNDERS............................ PAGE 2

SALUTE TO VETERAN PATIENTS.......................... PAGE 17

A WORD FROM THE ASSOCIATION DIRECTOR..................................... PAGE 9

LEGISLATIVE CORNER................. ....................... PAGE 20

DESIGN CORNER.................................................. PAGE 10

SDP UPDATE 2022..............................................

THE TOP 5 MONEY RESOLUTIONS TO IMPROVE FINANCIAL CAPACITY IN 2022..........................

PAGE 12

NEC UPDATE........................................................ PAGE 26

FORGET TIKTOK: LEARN TO MASTER VIDEO FOR GOOGLE BUSINESS PROFILES.............................. PAGE 14

FACES IN THE CROWD.......................................... PAGE 29

PAGE 23

2022 NATIONAL EVENTS POLICY CONFERENCE

VAREP 2022

JUNE 26TH - 28TH, 2022 GRAND HYATT WASHINGTON WASHINGTON, D.C.

POLICY CONFERENCE

STAY UPDATED AT:

JUNE 14, 2022 - VIRTUAL 9:30AM - 2:00PM PST

HTTPS:// W W W.VAREP.NET/POLICYCONFERENCE

SEE PAGE 17 FOR ARTICLE

VAREP 2022 NATIONAL CONVENTION

NATIONAL CONVENTION

OCTOBER 16TH - 18TH, 2022 SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS

STAY UPDATED AT:

HTTPS:// W W W.VAREP.NET/NATIONALCONVENTION

VE SA E TH ! TE DA

VAREP 2022 POLICY CONFERENCE

JUNE 26 - 28TH, 2022 WASHINGTON, D.C.

The conference is filled with educational sessions and town halls to educate attendees on important housing policy, lending initiatives, and economic development affecting the military and veteran communities. VAREP members have the opportunity to meet with members of Congress to advocate VAREP’s Policy Positions on issues that affect military and veteran homeownership.

REGISTRATION CO M I N G S O O N 5

VAREP CURRENTLY HAS

32 CHAPTERS LOCATED IN 18 STATES

ACROSS THE UNITED STATES

ACTIVE CHAPTERS Alaska

VAREP South Central Alaska - Founded on June 23, 2020

Arizona VAREP Phoenix Chapter - Founded on September 3, 2013 VAREP Prescott Chapter - Founded on June 27, 2019 VAREP Tucson Chapter - Founded on January 28, 2015

Illinois VAREP Chicago Chapter - Founded on June 21, 2016

Kentucky VAREP Louisville Chapter - Founded on June 14, 2018

Maryland

California

VAREP Annapolis / D.C. Chapter - Founded on August 23, 2018

VAREP East Bay Area Chapter - Founded on August 24, 2017 VAREP Fresno Chapter - Founded on January 30, 2019 VAREP Los Angeles Chapter - Founded on April 23, 2014 VAREP Orange County Chapter - Founded on March 11, 2013 VAREP Riverside Chapter - Founded on June 17, 2013 VAREP Sacramento Chapter - Founded on June 4, 2013 VAREP San Bernardino Chapter- Founded on August 14, 2014 VAREP San Diego Chapter - Founded on July 29, 2013

Minnesota

Colorado VAREP Denver Chapter - Founded on August 14, 2014

Florida

VAREP Twin Cities Chapter - Founded on March 11, 2018

Missouri VAREP St Louis Chapter - Founded on March 10, 2017

Nevada VAREP Las Vegas Chapter - Founded on August 30, 2013 VAREP Northern Nevada Chapter - Founded on March 4, 2015

Oregon VAREP Central Oregon Chapter - Founded on February 12, 2019

VAREP Central Florida Chapter - Founded on April 14, 2015 VAREP Miami Chapter - Founded on July 13, 2015

Texas

Georgia VAREP Atlanta Chapter - Founded on January 22, 2019

VAREP DFW Chapter - Founded on December, 2015 VAREP Houston Chapter - Founded on March 30, 2015 VAREP San Antonio Chapter - Founded on December 10, 2013

Hawaii

Virginia

VAREP Honolulu Chapter - Founded on April 04, 2014

Idaho VAREP Treasure Valley Chapter - Founded on May 17, 2018

VAREP Hampton Roads Chapter - Founded on September 5, 2018 VAREP Northern Virginia Chapter - Founded on May 30, 2018

Washington VAREP Tacoma South Sound Chapter - Founded on December 15, 2014

13 CHAPTERS IN FORMATION Arizona VAREP Kingman Chapter- Coming 2023

California

Georgia

Tennessee

VAREP Augusta Chapter - Coming 2023

VAREP Nashville Chapter - Coming 2022

New Jersey

VAREP San Gabriel Chapter - Coming 2023

VAREP North New Jersey Chapter - Coming 2023

Colorado

North Carolina

VAREP Colorado Springs – Coming 2022 VAREP Northern Colorado – Coming 2022

Florida VAREP Jacksonville Chapter - Coming 2023

VAREP Fayetteville Chapter - Coming 2022

Texas VAREP Austin Chapter - Coming 2023

Washington VAREP Seattle / Bremerton - Coming 2023

Pennsylvania VAREP Philadelphia Chapter - Coming 2023 VAREP Pittsburgh Chapter - Coming 2023

SA VE TH ED AT E

OCTOBER 16 - 18TH, 2022

The VAREP National Convention will educate, develop, and empower current and future leaders within the VAREP organization. VAREP leaders and members will be equipped with the necessary tools to serve the military and veteran housing needs. Attendees will participate in sessions to exchange chapter best practices and to explore new ones together. SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS

REGISTRATION CO M I N G S O O N

A WORD FROM THE A S S O C I AT I O N D I R E C TO R

Ernie Gonzales

GREETINGS VAREP NATION! As this year ends, it is my honor to talk of the great accomplishments that our chapters across the nation have done to help their local veteran community. This list will include VAREP Cares events, Military Veteran Housing Certification classes and fundraisers. All our chapters have done some amazing things in the past 365 days, and I wish I can call out every single one of you, however, we at VAREP National want you know how especially important all our chapters, members, local and national sponsors and all of our supporters are to moving the VAREP Mission forward. So here goes a recap of the fantastic and challenging year we have had. In 2021, there was a total of 28 Military Veteran Housing Certification classes performed live!!! Our amazing National Education Committee kicked the year off by hold both a nationally sanctioned MVHC class via zoom and then a Train the Trainer Instructor Workshop, also via zoom. From that, see chapters started hold live classes in their areas to education real estate agents and lenders on the use of the VA Home Loan. This past year was incredibly challenging in holding fundraisers; however, the chapters did not let stop them and in fact nationally there were 29 fundraisers performed in the form of Galas, zoom events, Poker Runs and Golf Tournaments. For those that were with us in October at the National Convention in San Diego, you saw that in just a couple of hours in a live setting, we can raise tens of thousands of dollars for a great cause.

All the efforts of the fundraisers are to fulfill the needs of our local veteran communities through our VAREP Cares events, SDP, and our newly launched Camp Cares. Closing out the year your chapters have been famous for out of the box events and lots of fun. Let’s not forget the remarkable impact your events have had on the local communities that you serve. Through the efforts of the chapters across the country there have been a total of 61 VAREP Cares events ranging from Veteran Christmas events to helping to build and open tiny house villages for local veterans. The massive time and energy by the chapters across the country have been amazing and we cannot be prouder to be in partnership with such selfless servant leaders. We all at VAREP National wish you an amazing holiday season and all the best in the coming year in your personal, business and VAREP Chapter lives. Thank you for all you do to help better serve our Veteran communities across the country and bringing awareness to our mission of improving the lives of servicemembers and veterans through education, housing, and philanthropy. Happy New Year VAREP Nation!!!

Ernie Gonzales, Association Director 9

Design Corner

lthough the design tips below are written specifically for the Real Estate industry, businesses in any industry can benefit from utilizing these tips.

Visually appealing marketing materials go a long way in gaining new customers, engagements and conversions. Good graphics create brand awareness for your business and you to reach a larger market. The goal of any real estate business is to capture the attention of a potential buyer immediately. To do this, your business must have a good stream of professionally created graphics that are appealing. That said, here are some tips to create appealing and irresistible graphics.

1 – ATTRACT THE RIGHT CUSTOMERS You want to increase the number of people viewing your content, and this means having some good graphics that promote your business or your listings. Having professionally designed graphics helps your customers to recognize your branding even when it does not have your logo or company name on it. For this reason, there is a need to create graphics that are similar in 10

mood, look and feel. This draws a connection between you and your potential clients. When your content is easily recognizable by your audience, then you become more trusted. The more popular you are as a brand and a business, the more customers you will gain. Good graphics are the only way the customers will continue recognizing your work; hence its importance is emphasized.

2 – ENGAGING YOUR AUDIENCE Engaging your audience goes beyond asking for the sale. Engaging an audience involves relating to them in an organic way. For instance, creating graphics that are tailored to your audience and their specific needs. if some of your customers are buyers, and some are sellers, you would create different marketing materials for each of those categories. Start by asking yourself, what kind of information or topics are each audience seeking. Also, think about how you can provide them with information that may benefit them. Engaging with your audience also involves going further with your relationship than just business.

Some of the ways that you could make your image more compelling include:

4 - PROVIDE ALL THE NECESSARY INFORMATION

• Sharing success stories

The goal of using the proper graphics to market your business is to ensure that the buying process is as smooth as possible for your clients. This involves ensuring the buyers have all the information and resources they need to make purchase decisions right away. Buyers know whether or not they like a house by its listing, the information it has on it and the photos that are shown even before visiting the house in person. Having good graphics and high quality photos that appeal to the buyer is key.

• Tips to aid new buyers • Provide information about the surrounding location of the property & More knowing your audience is the key objective of creating good graphics. For instance, you could not use the same graphics for rentals as you would use for luxury apartments or rural properties. Get to know your audience and then you'll know how to properly engage them.

3 - CREATE APPEALING LISTINGS These days the demand for web listings have grown exponentially, and a lot of buyers want to see a an online listing before they even visit a house in-person. For this reason, providing an easy and quick way to access your listing is crucial. You could use good graphics to create good listings. If the listing is visually appealing, then there is a high chance that the potential customer will want to visit the house to see it for themselves. Having several regular listings will have you known as an experienced professional in the business. This builds your reputation and attracts more customers to your doorstep.

Buyers also regularly ask questions about a property listings either by phone or by email. So putting together some quick graphics answering some of the most relevant questions is a great way to stand out. Creating attention-grabbing graphics for your business doesn't have to be hard. by following the tips this article, you'll enhance the look of your marketing materials, and possibly gain more interaction from your ideal market of clients. You can use these tips to create your marketing yourself, or you can make sure that any designer you hire uses these tips as well.

HOUSING COUNSELING CORNER

THE TOP 5 MONEY RESOLUTIONS TO IMPROVE FINANCIAL CAPACITY IN 2022 By HUD Housing Counseling Department, USA Homeownership Foundation

Get a head start on 2022 by setting highimpact and achievable money goals. These five simple money resolutions are accessible—and financially beneficial for everyone to improve their Financial Capacity in 2022. You can also work with our HUD Housing Counselors to implement these 5 money goals. 1. CREATE A BUDGET AND STICK TO IT For some, a budget can feel constricting, but tracking your spending can be a useful tool to help you understand where your money goes each month. A clear budget can help you set guidelines for what you can afford to spend and help you identify areas where you could cut back. Start by writing down all your fixed expenses, such as rent/mortgage, cell phone, groceries and savings. Then you can see how much money you have leftover for flexible expenses, such as restaurants, clothing and entertainment. Looking at your credit card statement can be an easy way to see all your 12

purchases in one place. And most cards let you review your total annual spending by category, which is very helpful when you’re setting up a budget for the new year. You can also work with our housing counselor to create and stick to a realistic spending plan to meet your goals. 2. GET A HIGHER-PAYING JOB AND INCREASE INCOME Job seekers in 2022 may enjoy more job opportunities than in prior years as the current job market experiences a "Great Resignation." However, take note that the situation is not the same everywhere; resumes should be customized, and the interview process this year may look a little different than what you're accustomed to. Also, it looks like remote work is here to stay – so don't be afraid to ask for a remote option if it interests you. If you are ready to look for a new job in 2022, you might brush up on your interview skills, update your LinkedIn profile, update your resume and connect with mentors and friends to find a new job. 3. BUILD AN EMERGENCY FUND & INCREASE SAVINGS If you haven’t already created an emergency fund, now may be a good time to start. Ideally, you’d like to have 3 to 6 months’ worth of living expenses in this fund, with the money kept in a low-risk, liquid account. (If you’re retired, you may want your emergency fund

to contain up to a year’s worth of living expenses.) Set up auto payments that go directly into your savings account with each paycheck to increase your savings. Also boost your savings when you come into additional funds like tax returns or cash gifts and set aside a portion of the funds to meet your saving goals. 4. INCREASE MY CREDIT SCORE If you have a less than stellar credit (scores below 700), make it a priority to raise it in 2022. You can improve your credit score in several ways, including paying your bills on time and in full (which may include setting up autopay), paying off debt, limiting how many new accounts you open and cutting back on spending. It]s also important to check your credit and ensure everything on your report is accurate. You can access one free credit report from each of the main credit bureaus at annualcreditreport.com at no cost. You can also work with our HUD housing counselor who can help you review and give you an action plan to improve your credit score. 5. REDUCE DEBTS OR BECOME DEBT-FREE Payment history is the most important factor of your credit score, which makes it essential to pay your balance on time and in full every month. Paying your whole balance not only helps improve your credit by reducing your utilization rate (the amount of credit you’re using compared to the amount of credit you have available), but it also reduces interest charges or fees that may result from carrying debt from month to month. You may not always be able to pay in full each month, so you should at least make your minimum payment on time. This helps you avoid late fees and penalty interest rates. If you’re struggling with credit card debt, you’re not alone. In fact, about 61% of Americans have a credit card and cardholders carry an average balance of $6,194, according to Experian. So, it’s not surprising that so many people are looking to pay off credit card debt in the new year. Work with our HUD housing counselor to go over your debts and develop an action plan to pay them down is one of the best ways to be accountable and meet your money goals this year.

We hope you found this information helpful for goal setting in 2022 and want you to know we are here to help. If VAREP members have Veterans, Service Members or Patriots that need any type of rental, foreclosure prevention, Home Buying, VA Loan, Credit, or Financial Literacy counseling to reach their goals, please refer them to our Housing Counseling Department. Housing Counselors.

GETTING HELP IS AS

EASY AS 1, 2, 3

1. Contact Contact our Housing Counseling Department by visiting our website at MyHomeOwnership.org click on counseling and complete the online intake forms. And view our short video on Housing Counseling services: myhomeownership.org/counseling/

2. Call Call our toll free number 888. 273.7267

3. Email Email your request to Gabriel Cornejo Housing Counseling Administrative Assistant, at gcornejo@varep.net. 13

IT Corner

FORGET TIKTOK:

LEARN TO MASTER VIDEO FOR GOOGLE BUSINESS PROFILES

Watching and sharing videos just might be the world’s favorite pastime. In fact, it’s a daily event for countless people of all ages. A video that goes viral can acquire millions of views by sharing through a wide variety of social media platforms, ranging from TikTok and Reels to YouTube and Twitter. But did you know that you can add a video to your Google Business Profile? Businesses of all sizes face an incredible amount of competition. Small businesses, in particular, are constantly being challenged to find new and creative ways to grab the attention of fickle consumers. Finding a cost-effective way to reach an audience and build interest in products and services can be the difference between success and failure.

One of the best ways to accomplish this is to seize on the public thirst for short videos. It’s easier than ever, now that Google allows

business owners to post video promotions on their business page. Here’s what you need to know about using video in Google Business Profiles (formerly known as Google My Business) to build your brand and help your company stand out and thrive among a sea of competitors.There are a variety of reasons why you might want to make use of the video marketing feature.

5 GREAT REASONS TO USE VIDEOS ON YOUR GOOGLE BUSINESS PROFILE 1. Stand Out From The Crowd When looking for a product or service online, it can be difficult to distinguish one brand from another. Buyers often make their choice based on factors such as user reviews and/or a company website. Adding video is an excellent way to demonstrate to prospective buyers how you differ from your competition.

2. Inform Your Prospects The purpose of a marketing video doesn’t have to be to sell your product. Video gives you an opportunity to educate your audience and explain to them why they should choose your product over competitors, as well. If your product or service is not fully understood, then providing answers to frequently asked questions can help to create trust and eventually convert that relationship into sales.

3. Demonstrate Your Product Or Service Features People are bound to be more comfortable with a product or service after seeing it in use. A photo is great but has its limitations. Video provides users a more detailed introduction to a product, making it easier to understand the size, scope, and functionality.

4. The Potency Of Virality We live in an era of information overload, where people do not have the time or patience to research extensively for a product or service. An image is easy to skip over. A video, on the other hand, has the ability to grab attention and hold it for the time required to deliver your message. Viral videos can absolutely solidify your business in the public eye.

GBP limits videos to 30 seconds or less, so you have a small window in which to create a powerful message or funny video that makes people want to share it on their social media. The advantage for small businesses is that, unlike with commercial video, there is no expectation of a large budget promotion. Most viral videos are recorded on a cell phone rather than a professional kit. What is important is your creativity and content.

DEMONSTRATING UNIQUE WAYS TO USE YOUR PRODUCT IS ANOTHER WAY TO DRAW IN PEOPLE WHO PERHAPS DIDN’T KNOW THEY NEEDED IT. 5. You Can Toot Your Own Horn Renowned business consultant Ken Blanchard once said, “If you don’t toot your own horn, someone else will use it as a spittoon.” Using video is a great way to show off your achievements, whether showcasing a product or highlighting awards or nominations your company has received.

This is a great way to build trust in your brand. Demonstrating unique ways to use your product is another way to draw in people who perhaps didn’t know they needed it. Suggesting product “hacks” can entice a whole new audience to give your product a shot. Video is highly effective in doing this, considering consumers’ ever-diminishing attention span.

IDEAS FOR LEVELING UP YOUR GOOGLE BUSINESS PROFILE VIDEOS

SUGGESTING PRODUCT “HACKS” CAN ENTICE A WHOLE NEW AUDIENCE TO GIVE YOUR PRODUCT A SHOT.

Here are a few ideas to help start the creative juices flowing! Create a great jingle or music to go along with your video. Show how you are following current trends in safety and business. Introduce your customer base to your business and products with a preliminary video to start the process. Answer frequently asked questions. Design “How-to” videos that show fun ways to use your product. Make a “challenge” video related to your product so everyone can get involved. Provide customer testimonials. Show your team working hard and introduce some members. Add humor to make your product memorable. Thank you, videos, to clients and organizations.

Ready To Get Started? Research shows that a video can give you a competitive edge and get your brand noticed. If you have creative people on your team, give them a chance to make something memorable. It just might spread like wildfire across the internet. Take advantage of this opportunity to create a bond between your company and your clientele by sharing what makes you and your products or services so special. And remember – as you gain experience, you’ll learn more and better ways to appeal to your audience. Continue to adapt and evolve until each video becomes more successful than the last!

TO V E T

ER PAT I E N T S

T IONAL S A NA

The week of February 14 is well know for Valentine’s Day, but there is another important observance during this week for anyone with a veteran family member receiving medical care. The National Salute To Veteran Patients honors just under 100,000 patients a day that receive medical treatment in VA medical facilities as well as around nine million U.S. veterans who receive care every year. This year, it will be observed Sunday, February 13 to Saturday, February 19, 2022.

WHAT'S THE PURPOSE OF THIS OBSERVANCE? According to the Department of Veterans Affairs, this week-long tribute to veteran patients was created to: Pay tribute to veterans Increase community awareness “of the role of the VA medical center” Encourage visits to hospitalized veterans To encourage volunteerism with the VA Where Veteran Patients Get Care This national observance is meant for some nine million veterans getting care in VA medical centers, VA outpatient clinics, Those receiving VA domiciliary care, and Veterans in nursing homes.

if you did Google search on military observation you won’t find much information about the history of this event. It’s not a federal holiday and schools don’t close to observe it. But every year the events are scheduled to help bring the VA, patients, and the community closer together.

WHO PARTICIPATES IN THE NATIONAL SALUTE TO VETERAN PATIENTS? Many veteran-focused organizations take part in the Salute by arranging local drives in support of this observance. The VA’s online Vantage Point Blog mentions a variety of past events including a National Salute to Veterans Dinner. There are also Non-VA groups who have participated in past Salutes as well. Even if you're not a veteran you can still participate and help with the observance. There have been celebrities, politicians, and school groups that have teamed up to do veteran outreach with Valentines’ cards, letters, and other personal touches.

To volunteer you can contact your local VA facility or go to https://www.volunteer.va.gov/ Your local VA facility should have a VA voluntary service representative that can help you learn about what's happening in your area. 17

THE PATH TO SUSTAINABLE HOMEOWNERSHIP VAREP’s Housing Counseling Department is a HUD Approved Housing Counseling Agency providing home buying, credit, budget, post purchase and foreclosure prevention counseling services to Veterans, Active Military and the community nationwide. Over the past year, from January to December 2021, we provided the following housing counseling services:

2022 COUNSELING & OUTREACH STATISTICS

688

INQUIRIES FOR SERVICES

482 112 370

GROUP WORKSHOP PARTICIPANTS FROM VHS CHAPTER EVENTS

CLIENTS

COUNSELED

1 ON 1 HOUSING COUNSELING CLIENTS

TYPES OF COUNSELING PROVIDED

106 37 144 27 PRE-PURCHASE

HOMEOWNERSHIP

POST PURCHASE

FORECLOSURE

FINANCIAL

PREVENTION

HOMEOWNERSHIP

56 CREDIT

COUNSELING

SUSTAINABILITY COUNSELING

VISIT W W W.VETHOMEOWNERSHIP.COM OR CALL: 888.273.7267

6,280 LMI HOUSING INQUIRIES INTERNET, TELEPHONE & COMMUNITY EVENTS

2,611 LMI FAMILIES RECEIVED PRE-PURCHASE, CREDIT & HOUSING COUNSELING

850 VETERAN FAMILIES SUCCESSFULLY PLACED IN HOMES THROUGH OUR PROGRAMS

472 VETERANS WERE REFERRED TO HUD VASH PROGRAM

983 VETERANS ENGAGED IN CREDIT COUNSELING TO IMPROVE FINANCIAL READINESS

4,611 VETERANS & SERVICEMEMBERS

* S t at i s t i c s f r o m 2 0 14 -2 0 2 2

EDUCATED ON VA HOME LOAN BENEFIT, IMPORTANCE OF GOOD CREDIT & HOME BUYING PROCESS THROUGH COUNSELING & OUTREACH EVENTS

VISIT W W W.VETHOMEOWNERSHIP.COM OR CALL: 888.273.7267

“To maintain the momentum from the Policy Conference, I have appointed G-II Varrato, Yeimalis Acevedo-Rasmussen, Robbie Grossman, Lynn Jabs, Nacho Castro, Dex Cajigal, Victoria Blass and Michael Hamilton to form VAREP’s National Legislative Committee (NLC). The NLC’s task is to do the background and heavy-lifting work necessary to move our mission and the bill forward.” - Son Nguyen, VAREP Founder & President

G-II VARRATO NLC Chairman U.S. Air Force

NACHO CASTRO NLC Member U.S. Army

YEIMALIS ACEVEDO-RASMUSSEN

ROBBIE GROSSMAN

VICTORIA BLASS

MICHAEL HAMILTON

NLC Member Patriot

LYNN JABS

NLC Member Patriot

VAREP NLC HAS BEEN SETTING UP FOR 2022 The primary VAREP NLC legislative mission

for 2021 is for VAREP was to become a congressionally chartered VSO (Veterans Service Organization), this did not mean that VAREP set aside other, especially important legislative initiatives and efforts, and we remain committed to those as well.

This past year has been a complicated legislative year. We are all keenly aware of the challenges that COVID-19 trust into the fabric of the entire world. The same has been true in the legislative space. Face to Face meetings were relegated to virtual ZOOM calls for our NLC Team. The warmth of a smile was replaced with a hand drawn smile on a face mask. Nevertheless, the NLC Team continued to press forward with virtual meetings and toward the end of 2021 a few truly Face to Face meeting occurred. Our lofty goal to secure a congressionally chartered VSO (Veterans Service Organization), by the end of 2021 was challenged by all of the obstacles placed in our paths by COVID-19, the Alpha variant, the Beta variant and of course the Delta variant.

Nevertheless, the NLC Team of Chapter GADs continued to press forward on our main goal to become a congressionally chartered VSO (Veterans Service Organization). At the early part of 2021, our very first piece of legislation came from the state of Maine. The state of Maine legislature passed a joint resolution urging the congress of the united states to pass legislation establishing a veterans service organization for housing. This piece of legislation has been given to all of the Chapter GADs with instructions to approach their state legislators to craft, advocate and pass a similar piece of legislation in each state with VAREP has active chapters. While it is very true that the VAREP NLC Team did not cross the finish line to become congressionally chartered VSO (Veterans Service Organization) in 2021, we believe this is still an achievable goal for the 117th Congress that ends on 3 January 2023. Sooooo… watch this space. On two other fronts, two that VAREP has been focused on since 2014, is some news about the URLA (Uniform Residential Loan Application) battle and changes to the law to make it legally required to offer a veteran mortgage loan applicant a written, side-by-side comparison of a VA Loan to a Conventional Loan to a FHA Loan.

THE URLA: About the middle of 2021, Congressman Al Green, (TX-D) introduced an amendment to the 2021 NDAA (National Defense Authorization Act) that would require the distributers of the URLA software to move the Military Question back above the signature line, where it belongs. As of the writing of this report, Congressman Green’s amendment has not been cleared for the NCAA by the House Parliamentarian. The Parliamentarian is a nonpartisan official appointed by the Speaker of the House to render objective assistance on legislative and parliamentary procedure to the House of Representatives. The role of the parliamentary staff is advisory, and the Presiding Officer may overrule the advice of the parliamentarian. In practice, this is rare; the most recent example of a Vice President (as President of the Senate) overruling the parliamentarian was Nelson Rockefeller in 1975. So, the long and short of this is, we don’t know and will not know, until the 2021 NDAA is passed in late December, Congressman Green’s URLA addendum made it to the finish line. Watch this space… INFORMED CONSUMER CHOICE Finally, to the Informed Consumer Choice law. The NLC Team had some substantive conversations with Senator Kyrsten Sinema’s office late in October 2021 about putting a bill on the floor of the Senate to change/improve the law about mortgage loan disclosure rules. VAREP crafted the language and included examples of what the current law says and what our proposed changes would look like when added to the current law.

I have included a copy of that legislation for you to review and download by Clicking This Link. You, as a VAREP member can help champion this law change and be well read into the law and the need for the change. Remember, now that the ‘Military Question’ is legitimately an integrated part of the home mortgage loan application (URLA) the disclosure loop must be closed by improving the existing law to include the sideby-side written disclosure of the difference between the FHF Loan to the Conventional Loan with a VA Loan. It simply makes sense and VAREP is the organization to push this one over the finish line. Hopefully, Senator Sinema’s plan to load the law change/improvement of the Informed Consumer Choice into the 2021 NDAA will make it past any objections by the Parlmentarian. Again, we’ll know for sure once the 2021 NDAA is passed at the end December 2021 Stay tuned and watch this space.

G-II Varrato II

VAREP National Legislative Committee Director

STOP, DROP & PUSH

CAMPAIGN How wonderful was it just being together again and reconnecting, catching up, letting your hair down all while still being able to help build something incrediable within VAREP. Kudos to you all.

"WHAT LIES BEHIND US, & WHAT LIES BEFORE US ARE TINY MATTERS COMPARED TO WHAT LIES WITHIN US" -RALPH WALDO EMERSON Happy New Year! This is a powerful statement when you stop to think about it, because what lies within each one of us is PASSION. Passion to help our American Heros, our Mlitary and our Veteran communities. So lets let what is within us, lead us. As for SDP, we are looking forward to what the New Year brings and really being able to take our gloves off to help all those that have done so much for us. This is a unified success that comes from us all working collectively across the country. We are all truly making a difference from State to State, so we applaud every single member of this amazing organization. SDP would like to thank all the chapters that participated in the pilot “Annual Stop Drop Push National Fundraising Campaign” in September for Suicide Prevention month. You really stepped up, got involved and made an impactful difference not only on a National level but within your own communities. Some of the events held was an auction of a guitar by Arizona’s own Esteban, a beautiful Gala in an Air Force hanger, an online awareness event and so many more. Great job and THANK YOU!! We know 2022 is going to be even better, as we all work together towards Sucide Awareness and ending the 22 a day veteran suicide statistics. We would also thank to thank all the devoted members of VAREP who donated during the National Conference at the Shout House event.

There are some exciting things happening within VAREP this coming year. In case you haven’t heard VAREP will be starting it’s philatropic entity called VetCares, Inc. VetCares (VC) will house all the philatropic arms of VAREP which include: Stop Drop Push Campaign (SDP), Calloway Closing Cost Grant (CCCG), Military and Veteran Emergency Grant (MVEG) and Camp Cares. Additionally VetCares will be opening it’s first retail store “ VetCares Furnishings and More”. Here they will accept gently used and new home goods to resale which will then go to help in providing grants and more to each of our charitable arms. VC is still looking to secure a location in Las Vegas, NV but we can tell you the community is eager and excited to have a place to donate gentely used home furnishings knowing it will be used to support our mission. In closing, if you come across a veteran in need please reach out to us to see how we can help. You can also send them to our website so they may apply for alternative therapy and receive a grant to help with the gap funding to attend their therapy. Additionally if you come across an alternative therapy provider that you feel may be a good fit for our veteran and military community, encourage them to also sign up as a preferred provider on the StopDropPush.org website. Working together and spreading the word is how we will all continue to make an impact to several lives across the country. Thank you for all you do and here is looking forward to another more impactfull & healthy 2022. If you have an event coming up and would like to turn it into a fundraiser in honor of our initiative, then please contact Tamra Coulter or Dex Cajigal to discuss. Together we can make a difference helping, one veteran at a time. TCoulter@varep.net / DCajigal@stopdroppush.net

Media Corner

MARKETING

TIPS FOR REAL ESTATE AGENTS

With smartphones and social media platforms being so ubiquitous, you need to shoot a ton of engaging footage to stand out and connect with your audience. But what is the right formula to keep your audience engaged and subscribed? We’re glad you asked. Read on for XX tips on Marketing for Real Estate Agents.

FIND YOUR AUDIENCE. You want your videos to be seen by people buying or selling a home. With millions of videos on platforms like Facebook, Instagram and YouTube, your videos will need to stand out because most people will stop watching after a few seconds if they’re uninterested. To do this, make your videos engaging by putting the most interesting content, images, and hooks at the beginning of your video. For videos uploaded to Facebook and Instagram, create your videos to be watchable without audio. Since audio will most likely be turned off by the viewer, make use of Facebook’s auto-caption feature. In addition, research has shown that users engage more with videos using captions. With YouTube, you’ll want to create longer videos with wording optimized for searches. Use specific hashtags to direct people to your content. To do this, refrain from using broad generic searches such as #RealEstate. Instead, be more specific by including your county, city, neighborhood, etc. This may diminish your viewers in numbers, but the ones who do view your videos are more likely to engage with it. Additionally, more likes, comments, replies and shares will trigger YouTube’s algorithms into sharing it to more potential viewers.

REAL ESTATE VIDEO IDEAS Good videos begin with good ideas, which can be approached from different angles and repurposed to get the most content. Below are some good ideas to help get you started. 1. INTRODUCTION. Introduce yourself to your audience. 2. FAQ. Answer frequently asked questions regarding real estate. 3. NEIGHBORHOOD TOURS. Have your camera tag along as give a tour to “potential clients” of a local neighborhood. 4. HOME/PROPERTY TOUR Showcase a property for sale.

5. ASK ME ANYTHING. Go live on Facebook, YouTube and/or Instagram for an AMA session and answer questions from your followers. 6. DAY IN THE LIFE. Create a video showing the amount of work you put in to earn your commission. 7. TESTIMONIALS. Create a compilation of your happy clients praising your services.

TIPS TO MAKE VIDEOS STAND OUT Since there are endless amounts of content online, it is imperative that your videos stand out. Follow these tips to ensure they do. 1. MAKE A PLAN. Draw up a content calendar a month or so in advance to plan a concept of content. Write a script, rehearse, film, edit, upload. 2. GET THE RIGHT EQUIPMENT (AND LEARN HOW TO USE IT). You’ll need to make a few purchases to make your videos pop. Below is a list of things to consider buying: i. Tripod (with smartphone attachment). ii. Ring light. iii. Microphone. iv. Editing software. v. Lighting kit. vi. DSLR Camera. The costs can add up and gear does not matter. There are plenty of low production videos out there that have gone viral. However, the better produced your videos are, the less likely a viewer will skip to the next. Use your platform to show your viewers who you are. Showcase your real estate knowledge and build trust. Be personable and engage with them. Show your viewers why your content is unique, informative, and most importantly, relevant. Give your viewers every reason to become your client.

The Purpose of the National Education Committee (NEC) is to assist with empowering and preparing all communities for sustainable homeownership through the advancement of knowledge and financial literacy. JAIMIE GARRETT

STEPHEN DEMUTH

JOHN MILLER

SEAN SELTERS

NEC Chair Patriot

NEC Chair U.S. Air Force

EDDIE DE LEON NEC Member Patriot

NEC Member Patriot

NLC Member U.S. Army

KIMBERLY LARKIN RITTER NEC Member Patriot

JEFF WILSON NLC Chairman U.S. Army

MICHELLE CRUMLEY NEC Member Patriot

2021 was a busy year for the NEC and 2022 is looking to be a busy and fun year too! The NEC supported local chapters, worked on new Lunch and Learn courses for the upcoming year, updated existing educational materials, had many successful classes and programs attended at the in-person, 2021 National Convention in San Diego which was a huge success! It was wonderful to see so many familiar faces and friends in person, as well as meeting so many new people that are working hard at the local chapter level to educate their communities about the VA Home Loan. Keep up the great work!

A few highlights from the Convention were the live MVHC Program for CA clock hours; the MVHC program for our new VAREPers’ to learn about the importance of this program followed by Train-the-Trainer course and PCS Know Your Orders. In addition to the many break-out sessions and guest speakers, the convention was a HUGE success! For those of you that completed the MVHC and Trainthe-Trainer courses, please be sure to get your videos in to finish up your certification so you can finish the approval process of becoming a MVHC instructor. The NEC and VAREP in partnership with Freddie Mac held many successful educational webinars. Check out the website for the list as well as future events to attend. We look forward to 2022 with Freddie Mac hosting many more. We would be remiss to not thank Caliber Home Loans for sponsoring the six, PCS Know Your Orders class. This class really helps educate the civilian world on what a military family goes through starting months prior to their transfer. A must for everyone. Watch for future opportunities to attend this class, it’s one you won’t want to miss.

VA appraisal update. As of Dec. 1st, the VA appraisal fees have increased across the country. Due to unprecedented demand for appraisal services, some market areas have seen dramatic increases in appraisal fees. VA is aware of this and considers some fees and timeliness to be a temporary reaction caused by market demand. As a result, VA has increases appraisal fees and extended timeliness requirements in some markets facing a high demand for appraisal services. These changes may not be permanent, and VA will continue to assess the market’s demand and will adjust appraisal fees and timeliness requirements accordingly. On behalf of the NEC, we want to wish all of you a healthy and happy 2022 filled with much success! Thank you to all the local chapters, communities, sponsors, and industry leaders for your continued support. YOU make the difference one Veteran at a time.

Jaimie Garrett, National Education Committee, Chair HUD Certified Educator, Patriot 253-224-8906

PROMOTING VETERAN STABILITY TO PREVENT VETERAN SUICIDE WHO WE ARE The Stop, Drop and Push Campaign (SDPC) is part of the Veterans Association of Real Estate Professionals’ (VAREP) philanthropic platform of giving back (VAREP is a 501c.3 non-profit focused on housing for veterans). Although our focus may be on veteran housing, we cannot stand idle while our brothers and sisters are part of the 22 veteran suicide statistic.

HISTORY OF THE NUMBER 22

STOP, DROP & PUSH MISSION

In 2012 the Department of Veterans Affairs

To lower the 22 veteran lives lost each day due

released a 59-page report outlining veteran

to suicide by educating the public about veteran

suicide. The report states the numbers of Veterans

reintegration issues; connecting alternative veteran

who die from suicide each day has remained

therapy providers to those who need treatment; and

relatively stable over the past 12 years (varying

provide the necessary funding to ensure treatment

from 18 -22 per day).

is possible so our heroes will rediscover purpose and lead productive lives.

ALTERNATIVE THERAPY Research has determined in addition to medication and traditional therapy, a holistic approach including alternatives therapies such as existential/transpersonal, animal-assisted psychotherapy and play therapy (examples include martial arts, fly fishing, mountain climbing and rafting) are important as part of the road to recovery for many veterans.

951-963-9386 | info@stopdroppush.org

WWW.STOPDROPPUSH.ORG

FACES IN THE CROWD “Faces in the Crowd” is a handful of responses to an intriguing question... VAREP Members share their stories of all things VAREP related!

P E R A V #IAM Why do you give your money, time, & energy to VAREP and its mission? My husband served in the Military and having personal experiences with the VA Loan. Really wanting to make things better and fight for change. Really caring about our Veterans and their families...I don't do this to increase my business.

I do it because I care deep in my soul for others and wish that I could win the lottery so I could give my time and money fighting 100% of the time. I think that we need to be on our elected officials 365 days per year...we can't let them just use this for re-election or to make themselves look good in the media. We need to fight for real change!

WHY I’m VAREP What is unique about VAREP?

VAREP has a philanthropy aspect to it, and it's not just focused on the real estate industry.

WHY I’m VAREP What would go undone if VAREP closed tomorrow?

Outreach activities to military activities; Lunch&Learns for our real estate professionals. 31

P E R A V M A #I What would go undone if VAREP closed tomorrow? Our current bills on the floor, an advocate for veterans in the real estate/lending industry, our influence (education & philanthropic) in the local community, and our “team” of professionals supporting local vets.

WHY I’m VAREP Why do you give your money, time, & energy to VAREP and its mission?

WHY I’m VAREP What is unique about VAREP?

We have a good presence on Capital Hill, fighting for change.

After becoming a Member I have witnessed how veterans are treated by Realtors and Loan officers, and being a veteran myself who was not given the best loan for me by lenders also. The more you are involved and being with other Veterans, gives you the energy to fight for more rights.

“The willingness with which our young people are likely to serve in any war, no matter how justified, shall be directly proportional to how they perceive veterans of early wars were treated and appreciated by our nation.” - George Washington

VETERANS ASSOCIATION OF REAL ESTATE PROFESSIONALS info@VAREP.net

w w w . V A R E P. n e t

951- 444 -7363