Spring Travel Season officially set to open February 2nd!

Next week I’ll be in South Dakota for the SDAR business meetings and then flying directly to Denver for the Colorado Association of REALTORS® winter meetings. Then it’s off to RAPDD in Wichita the very next week. No complaints, just sayin’ – the Spring Travel Season has officially begun!

After all the business meetings come some excellent opportunities to network and learn. One such event will be RealEstate WordCamp on April 12th in Denver, held one day prior to the REALTOR® Rally. There are also a couple of REBar Camps taking place that look like they will be great events (Austin, Phoenix, and my favorite…St. Louis in June (I want to go to this one, even if it is in the summer!)). Throw in ARELLO meetings and NAR meetings and Local Association meetings and Commission meetings and I’ve got enough going on that I don’t think I can add any more Spring fun! (Did I even mention the Credit Union yet? No? Oh my!)

But alas – I shall! I’m also going to go skiing with my kids, and hopefully enjoy a day or two off before I get into the Summer Travel Season.

Previewing the upcoming events, some of the most interesting will be the CAR business meetings and the ARELLO Mid-Year meetings. These groups are doing excellent work for their members and I am privileged to be involved with each of them. I’ll share any reports after the meetings. And for all of you who are also traveling soon – may you have safe and enjoyable travels!

Published in: on January 28, 2010 at 10:38 am  Leave a Comment  

Reports from NAR

In my ever increasing attempts at getting updates and information posted before I forget, I finally asked for help. In getting to all of the critical meetings I had to enlist Burton Lee as a fellow attendee. He went to the key appraisal meetings in San Diego while I attended the education meetings. Worked great, but his reports are better than mine. We’ll start with his and then close with my report from the Professional Development meeting.

NAR National Conference – HVCC Session – November 13, 2009

A panel discussion that included FHFA, FHA, Freddie Mac, Fannie Mae, and LSI (an appraisal management company) left the audience with a clear understanding that they like the HVCC. The perception is that complaints about pressure on appraisers has been reduced and the overall level of risk associated with faulty appraisals has been reduced.

NAR representatives from the Risk Management & license Law Forum and the Appraisal Committee highlighted the unintended consequences of the HVCC which include,

  1. Lack of geographic competency associated with some AMC ordered appraisals, and
  2. Appraisers fee reductions which have resulted in the more competent appraisers being unwilling to perform appraisals for AMC’s leaving the less experienced appraisers to do the work.

Since the HVCC is scheduled to sunset in one more year, does not appear to be actively pursuing legislation to suspend enforcement of the HVCC for 18 months. Most people in attendance were frustrated about the prospects for the future associated with HVCC related issues.

NAR National Conference – Appraisal Committee Meeting – November 13, 2009

The Good News – Mr. Thomas Strickland reported that HUD will be requiring appraiser fees to be separately identified on the HUD-1 and that AMC’s will be required to be required to compensate appraisers based on the customary fees for the region. Timing and details were not otherwise presented.

FHA will accept appraisals for a period of 4 months instead of the previously acceptable 6 months. Additionally two unit condominium units will now be eligible for FHA financing.

The Not So Good News – NAR has developed the REALTORS Property ResourceTM which will include a comprehensive, catalogued database of real estate information on every parcel of property in the United States. Part of this resource will include a REALTOR Valuation Model (“RVM”). The RVM will be used to produce a best-in-class automated valuation product. Most of the appraisers in attendance at the meeting posed the question, why are appraiser members of NAR funding a product that will compete with the services that the appraiser members provide and why weren’t appraisers included in the development of this product? The concerns of the committee were to be presented to the Executive Committee.

NAR National Conference – Professional Development Committee – November 14th, 2009

The PDC had a presentation of “The Shift” as well as covered the written reports from the family of designations. After which, I had no choice but to mention that there seemed to be a lack of committee business on the agenda and that the presentation should probably have been delivered to the General membership. That statement got a lot of positive response from fellow committee members.

Want more information? Visit www.realtor.org/conferencelive for all of the updates and information from NAR in San Diego.

Published in: on November 23, 2009 at 12:10 pm  Leave a Comment  
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September is awesome!

Fall colors, cool Rocky Mountain air… There is nothing like Fall in Colorado. I do enjoy living here. I just wish I had more time to see it!

Turns out my schedule filled up pretty quickly this month, so I wanted to share just a couple of events that are coming up for me.

Next Wednesday, September 16th I will be presenting to the Wyoming Association of REALTORS® regarding the GRI, Graduate REALTOR® Institute Program. They were kind enough to schedule me to speak during the event.

Also upcoming is an e-PRO event being hosted by the Jefferson Going Association of REALTORS. That event will be taking place at JCAR September 23rd. I am looking forward to all of my other events, but these are a couple where I will actually have a chance to meet with and share stories and information with fellow Real Estate professionals in very comfortable settings. I hope to meet lots of new friends along the way.

For more information, or to register for these events, please follow the links below:

Wyoming Annual Conferencee-PRO Certification Training event

Published in: on September 11, 2009 at 2:31 pm  Comments (1)  

New committee appointment

This past week I received a letter from CAR President Amy Dorsey informing me that I have been appointed to the CAR Political Survival Committee. Just moments ago I affixed my signature to the document accepting this appointment.

I make special note of this because I believe that this committee is vital to the REALTOR organization in Colorado, and I want to send special thanks to the Transition Team, Co-Chaired by Chris McElroy and Kay Watson, and to Amy Dorsey for this honor. While my primary focus in REALTOR organizations has been serving on the Education committees at the local (BARA), state or national level, I have also served on regulatory committees and task forces. My involvement with the regulators has led to a heightened awareness of what legislative processes and political interests are involved in all facets of the real estate industry. I hope to bring that perspective to this new committee, and I look forward to serving.

Published in: on September 7, 2009 at 10:34 pm  Leave a Comment  

REEA Conference in Portland

The 2009 Real Estate Educators Association Conference was held in Portland, Oregon in June. Education Directors, regulators and Instructors from across the country met to share ideas, show off new products and services and to learn about new programs being offered. This year’s event, however, was highlighted by some of the challenges that the organization has faced over the last year. Outgoing President Sylvia Shelnutt discussed openly the dramatic efforts undertaken by the Board of Directors to correct issues related to the organization. (Sylvia also graciously signed my program and wrote a very lovely note to Caroline who works at VanEd and sets up my trips for me) After being installed, incoming President Philip Schoewe talked about how REEA is coming together to move towards an exciting future and a fantastic 2010 conference.

Highlights included meeting up with old friends, making new contacts and learning what new options there were in real estate education around the country. I was also able to connect with our affiliates and education partners to see what they were looking for and how we could help each other. But it wasn’t all work! We even had the opportunity to get out and about! Doug Devitre posted this video from the conference:

With ever-changing laws and regulations, a conference like this is sometimes the only way for me to keep up on what is happening throughout our marketplace. I did learn a lot and I did make some great contacts. With a little work and a little but of luck, next years conference will be even better!

Published in: on July 3, 2009 at 11:41 am  Comments (1)  
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A Million Dollar home or a million dollars? hmmmm

So another home raffle is taking place, this one in Colorado. This time it benefits the Boys & Girls Clubs, and tickets are $100 a piece. You can win a ski home, a Denver loft or you can choose to take the $1 Million dollars in cash.

So my question is which would you choose? Take the chance that the loft is really worth it? Or that you will have enough money to pay the taxes on the Ski home? Or do you take the cash and pay the taxes on that???

It just seems like a million dollars ain’t what it used to be, so I need to jump all over this drawing and win now before it’s too late!

Click Here to find out more, of visit http://www.rockymountainhomeraffle.com/ to purchase your chance at……like, $586,983 or whatever it comes to when you win. And don’t forget to send me my 10%!!!!!

Published in: on June 8, 2009 at 6:06 pm  Leave a Comment  
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Next stop ~ Crested Butte

Each June the Colorado Association of REALTORS® holds annual Summer business meetings. This year those meetings are being held in Crested Butte, and I’m excited to go! It will be the first time I’ve been able to get back to this part of the state in many years, and I’ll be able to enjoy the trip knowing that I’m not missing any work ~ that’s why I’m there!

Most of the excitement I feel is towards the PSF Fundraising event where last year I won the Diamond! Each year your contribution enters you into a drawing for a diamond, and this time I’m looking for the match to my set! I’ll be hoping to win for the second year.

The meetings themselves will also be interesting. I’ll be attending the PDC meeting as well as some of the events. Learn more about the event on the VanEd Newslog, and I hope to see you there!

Published in: on May 29, 2009 at 3:34 pm  Leave a Comment  
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Conference Season Rolls On

After some time in North Carolina visiting with the regulators at ARELLO, I had very little time between trips. I ended up leaving for Washington, DC and the NAR Mid-year meetings without ever feeling like I was home!

Quick recap on both conferences – the ARELLO Education Committee changed what delivery methods would be allowable. Any “enhanced” product, i.e. web enhanced, will no longer be certifiable by ARELLO. This means that the delivery of a book where only the exams are completed online is no longer an acceptable distance education delivery method. At VanEd we don’t use this method so we will not be affected by the new rules. And while some providers in real estate education will be forced to adapt their delivery to meet a different set of guidelines, this now brings ARELLO in line with IDECC (who approves appraisal education).

Along with delivery method changes, higher educational standards will also need to be met that also match the IDECC requirements. Again, this is not an issue for VanEd but may require other providers to make some changes to the delivery methods that they use.

At the NAR meetings there of course was lots of talk of economy, but for educators the biggest changes (as always) come out of the Professional Standards Committee. A long review of standards of practices that related to Article 12 took place, and we can all look for more changes and approvals at the Annual Meetings in San Diego. This means that any courses out there may need to again be updated later this year. VanEd will be making changes as soon as possible to make sure that the new SOP’s are all included in our Ethics courses. And yes, that means more work for me. Love it.

Next up? REBarCamp in Denver followed by State Association business meetings in Crested Butte and then REEA. If you have yet to decide on attending the Real Estate Educators Conference in Portland in June, take a look at this video to help you decide if there is anything of interest for you. And if you do decide to attend, let me know! I’d be happy to talk with you about all VanEd has to offer. (If you have trouble seeing the video, visit http://www.reea.org for more information)

more about "Conference Season Rolls On", posted with vodpod

Published in: on May 21, 2009 at 11:29 am  Leave a Comment  
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Don’t Forget ~ I’m Going Behind Bars!

I Need Your Help! I will be locked up April 16!

I thought I would send you a friendly reminder that I really need your help raising bail to send 2 kids to the Colorado MDA summer camp. Please click on or copy and paste this link in your BROWSER https://www.joinmda.org/2009boulderlockup/curt

It only takes a second to help out.
These kids are looking forward to the best day of their lives. You can make a difference! mda1

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Thank you again for you help.

Published in: on April 10, 2009 at 1:41 pm  Leave a Comment  
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