Commercial RE Not as Bad as Predicted, Zell Says

"Everyone is waiting for the grave dancer to come and exercise his magic potion," Sam Zell said, drawing laughter from a crowd at "Invest for Kids" a Chicago fund raising event yesterday. The moniker is one he took for himself as a buyer of distressed real estate. "But you need two to tango," he added.

http://www.realtor.org/narlservredirect.nsf/pages/NT0000151A?OpenDocument&WT.mc_id=LS111809&CAT=Comm

Chris Rhodes
Professional Development Director
crhodes@ncrealtors.org

RPAC INFORMATION AND TRAINING WORKSHOP

When: Tuesday, January 19, 2010, 3:00 pm - 5:00 pm
Where: Raleigh Marriott City Center, Room State C

NC Association of REALTORS® RPAC Trustees and Legislative Department staff will discuss strategies for increasing your RPAC fundraising success and current Legislative Issues. Learn about the many resources available to assist you and how to turn your ideas into dollars.

This session is ideal for local RPAC Chairs, Presidents, Presidents-Elect, Executive Officers, Fundraising Committee members and any other members who are interested in learning more about RPAC.

Make your plans now to attend! The session is free of charge, but please register so we will have ample supplies available for all participants. Please contact me at mcgreen@ncrealtors.org or 800-443-9956 to reserve your space.

Mary Catherine Green
RPAC Manager
mcgreen@ncrealtors.org

Why a FaceBook Fan Page May be a Life Vest to Your Small Business

Read this article on using fan pages to grow your business.

http://esbjournal.com/2009/07/why-a-facebook-fan-page-may-be-a-life-vest-to-your-small-business/

Samantha Ashburn
Website Coordinator
sashburn@ncrealtors.org

Code of Ethics - REALTORS® Pathway to Professionalism

What’s the fastest and newest way to learn about the NAR Code of Ethics? The “NAR Code of Ethics Video Series.” And best of all, it’s free!

The Code of Ethics is your pathway to professionalism. Make sure you understand what separates you, as a REALTOR®, from other real estate professionals, and get your office talking about and living by the Code.

There are fifteen short video segments covering the Preamble, Articles, and Standards of Practice. Included are support material and questions to stimulate discussion. Each segment is five to seven minutes long, available 24/7, and free of charge.

Use these videos as a start to your weekly office meetings or as part of other training. The videos can be viewed directly from Realtor.org or can be downloaded in a high-resolution version to be used when an Internet connection is not available or when you want to use the capabilities of your own media player to view them in a larger format.

Videos Will Help In-Office Ethics Training, from RealtyTimes.com

Monica Huckaby, e-PRO
Legal Programs Coordinator
mhuckaby@ncrealtors.org

GIVE the GIFT of CHOICE!

Save 5% on all gift card purchases with REALTOR® Partner, Sears Commercial and enjoy a Holiday Bonus now through December 13th. Buy a $100 gift card, get a $10 gift card free. Buy a $50 gift card, get a $5 gift card free. Click here for more information.

Kristin Miller
Partner Program Manager
kmiller@ncrealtors.org

What is NAR’s yearly $35 Image Campaign Assessment Doing For You As a Member?

NAR established the Public Awareness Campaign more than a decade ago to convince home buyers, sellers and investors about the value of working with a REALTOR®. Last year, the campaign expanded its messages to educate consumers about the benefits of homeownership and buying opportunities in a changing real estate market.

The 2009 Public Awareness Campaign commercials focus on motivating buyers into the market. New TV ads, in tandem with new radio spots and print materials, explain the buyer opportunities available in many of today’s real estate markets, convey the financial and social benefits of owning a home, and continue to emphasize the importance of working with a REALTOR®.

And in an ongoing effort to educate buyers about the opportunities in today's market, the campaign is running new TV and radio ads that reinforce messages about the temporary $8,000 tax credit, and urges them to contact a REALTOR® to help them realize their dreams of homeownership.

Denise Daly, e-PRO
Membership Records Coordinator/Bookkeeper
ddaly@ncrealtors.org

Regulatory Agencies Are Making Changes

Many of the regulatory agencies which affect the real estate industry are active this fall making rule changes. Whether it is in response to legislation passed by the General Assembly or items the agencies have been looking into for some time, there is a lot happening. Here are just a few of the rules changes our Government Affairs staff will be actively engaged in monitoring, reviewing and negotiating over the next few months:

• Home Inspector Licensure Board – the NC Assn. of REALTORS® crafted and successfully sought the enactment of legislation that will improve home inspection reporting, raise the general liability insurance requirements for inspectors and increase the professionalism and educational standards of the home inspection industry.
• Real Estate Commission – at the request of Sen. Tony Rand (D-Cumberland), the NC Assn. of REALTORS® will work with the Real Estate Commission and other interested parties to determine the best way to disclose the proximity of a military installation during a sales transaction.
• Appraisal Board – the most significant rule changes would be to allow some precertification courses to be taken online rather than requiring them all to be taken in person.
• Commissioner of Banks – in response to Federal and State legislation, the Commissioner of Banks is conforming its rules to meet the requirements of the S.A.F.E. Act.
• Department of Environment and Natural Resources – the Environmental Management Commission is considering rules that will affect the Randleman Lake Watershed.

Cady Thomas
Director of Regulatory Affairs
cthomas@ncrealtors.org