|
 Foreclosures, Short Sales & 'REO' Properties: How to Save Your License and Sanity...
During last week's OAR Winter Conference the highly-attended Legal Issues Forum featured a panel discussion, "Foreclosures, Short Sales & 'REO' Properties: How to Save Your License & Your Sanity." Featured panelists were Tim Madison, Esq., Madison & Rosan, LLP, Mark Rodio, Esq., Frantz Ward LLP and Mike Gruber, Esq., Zollinger Gruber & Thomas.
For those unable to attend, the entire panelists' discussion was recorded. Hear: Disk 1 ... Disk 2
Note: You must have RealPlayer to hear the audio tapes. Get the free download....
Real Estate Market Outlook: Peering Through the Clouds...
Another highlight of last week's meetings was the Economics & Research Forum. The featured speaker was Paul Bishop, Ph.D., managing director for Market Research with the National Association of REALTORS who provided an overview (Power Point) of today's real estate market. Some of the highlights included research on:
The Market Setting...Sales are down and consumers are skittish
The Outlook...Partly cloudy
What do Buyers and Sellers Expect from YOU in this Market?...Expertise and guidance
District Vice President's Newsletter...
Read the latest DVP Newsletter for highlights and director actions taken during last week's Winter Conference.
back to top
Public Policy issues...
Federal & State Issues update...Bob Fletcher, OAR's Vice President of Public Policy spoke during last week's Enlarged Legislative Committee meeting. The following PowerPoint presentation highlights federal and state legislative issues that NAR and OAR are involved in such as banks in real estate, health insurance, FHA reform and much more.
Sewage System Rule update...Pursuant to House Bill 119--which made changes to Ohio’s recently enacted Household Sewage Treatment System rules--the Ohio Department of Health has released the first of two reports for the Ohio General Assembly. Contained in the report are the Department’s analyses of the current state of septic systems in Ohio, including cost and annualized operation and maintenance cost by type of system. They also report on installation cost broken out by the various regions of the state; by type of system installed; make comparisons to surrounding states; and report on the impact on lower income households. Most importantly the report contains the recommendations of the Ohio Department of Health for changes to the 2007 rules. Some of the recommendations are consistent with changes the Ohio Association of REALTORS has promoted, but certainly there remain areas that require additional amendments.
Ohio Department of Health Report (.pdf document) ... Sewage System Fact Sheet (.pdf document)
County Households & Poverty Statistics (Excel document) ... Local Health Department Rule Survey (Excel document)
back to top
NAR battles bad press with housing facts for consumers...
The National Association of REALTORS has complained for some time that the media is distorting the news about housing. Now NAR is directly reaching out to consumers with little-known facts about housing.
NAR's new Web site--housingmarketfacts.com--is designed to give homebuyers and sellers information that illustrates the value of real estate as a long-term investment.
Why do you need to be told the obvious?
NAR spends over $40 million annually on public service messages, but the news media typically turns a deaf ear. Real estate is local, but the media would have you believe that the losses of Detroit and San Diego are your losses, too.
The media sees NAR as self-serving and never gives the REALTORS credit for supporting and protecting many of the homeownership benefits that consumers enjoy today. For example, every year, someone in Congress proposes doing away with the mortgage interest rate deduction as a tax benefit, and every year NAR lobbyists battle back.
Here are some little known facts:
-- Home prices typically beat inflation by one or two percentage points.
-- Sixty percent of a homeowner's wealth comes from their home's equity.
-- The average homeowner's net worth is $171,000...nearly 46 times that of a renter's who has average net worth of $4,800.
Visit housingmarketfacts.com for more information..
back to top
Economic census forms due in February...
The federal government has been surveying businesses to get a detailed look at the state of U.S. commerce. You might have received in the mail the 2007 Economic Census Form. The forms were mailed in mid-December. The Census Bureau uses the data to report on the state of industries. The reports are available to the public for use in business planning. Visit the Census Bureau to learn more about this survey. Forms are due Feb. 12.
back to top
Debt cancellation tax relief resource now available...
Are you handling questions from your buyers and sellers on the recently passed Mortgage Debt Cancellation Relief Act? Information on how the IRS will apply the law and how it will affect those eligible to receive the benefits is now available.
In a nutshell: Individuals who are relieved of their obligation to pay some portion of a mortgage debt on a principal residence between Jan. 1, 2007 and Dec. 31, 2009 will not be required to pay income tax on any amount that is forgiven.
back to top
Save with UPS...
 Save up to 28% with UPS and 10% off business services
at The UPS Store. Click here to enroll.
You can now save up to 28% on UPS Express Shipping. Plus save 10% on Business Services like Copying, Binding, Laminating, Packaging and Mailbox Services at The UPS Store. Simple shipping! Special savings! It's that easy! For more information call (800)325-7000.
back to top
Tech Tips...
Use a hidden toolbar to select a chart in PowerPoint...When editing a chart in PowerPoint, you may have trouble selecting the exact portion of the chart you want to change. Instead of clicking around, simply double-click on the chart to activate it, close the datasheet if necessary and then use the Chart Objects dropdown list that now appears on your main toolbar. Select the chart element you want to work with from the dropdown list instead of trying to accurately click on it.
Start the year off with a new calendar...Visit Microsoft to download some great new 2008 Calendar templates!
Change the default font in Outlook...You can change the default font in Outlook 2003 using the steps listed below:
1. Within Outlook, click Options from the Tools menu.
2. Select the Mail Format tab.
3. Click the Fonts button.
4. Click the Choose Fonts button under “When composing a new message.”
5. Choose the font settings you want to use.
6. Click OK to save your settings.
7 Click OK to close each open dialog box.
Outlook will now use the font you specified when creating a new e-mail message.
back to top
Education...
CI 102: Market Analysis for Commercial Investment Real Estate...This course, to be held Mar. 3-7, will analyze historical trends and existing data to assess both current and future market conditions. Economic Base Analysis, an important starting point for forecasting the future of a market area, will be introduced. Learn how supply and demand factors impact a market forecast, as well as gain insight into site feasibility, market dynamics and market pricing. (Note: CI 101 is a prerequisite for this course.) Sign-up today...
ABR Designation program...Buyer agents need specialized training and knowledge to effectively service customers in today's market. The program, scheduled for Mar. 12-14, will help you gain a competitive edge in this growing market. Sign-up today...
30 hours online...Take your real estate continuing education hours online. You can take 3, 6 or all 30 hours in any combination...Sign-up today...
back to top
|
