REALTOR® WEEKLY UPDATE
October 16th, 2008 To view archive editions click HERE
Checking this site on a weekly basis will keep you “in the know” on issues facing our community and membership. This page will also serve as an opportunity to explore the rest of the
pgpcnprealtors.com website and discover what
your association is doing to support and enhance
your business.
Breaking News!
The Mid Florida Public Website is now on-line. Please bookmark
www.myfloridahomesmls.com and check it out. This is a beautiful new site where the public can search for a property, value their home, and most importantly FIND AN AGENT (hopefully you!). This is also a great reminder to have your Mid Florida page up to date with a photo and as much information as possible.
Last Week’s Winner!!
Alicia Riedel -
$20 Gift Certificate – Wal-Mart
Lambert & O'Neill is a local Builder/Remodeler, with years of experience in Residential and Commercial, New and Remodeling Construction. They also specialize in Hurricane Shutter/Impact Window Protection, Mold Remediation with Clearance Certification, and Waterproofing for the aftermarket. They are a Registered Certifying Agent and Members of the Florida Green Building Coalition, emphasizing the practice of energy conservation as they build their final product.
Many of our Association Members are clients of Lambert & O'Neill both before and after Charley. Lambert & O'Neill restored the PG-PC-NP Association building and was the Contractor for the 2007 renovation of facilities on the building. The company has placed strong emphasis on a need by our REALTORS to prepare distressed and incomplete properties for the marketplace. Uncompromising quality, on time delivery, and attention to detail in all their projects has earned them the successful reputation they enjoy. Visit them at
www.lambertandoneill.com or call toll free
877-463-1640. No project is too small for their interest. Please click
HERE to be entered in a drawing to win a
$20 Gas Card compliments of Lambert & O’Neill.
From the President’s Desk
Bill Dryburgh, President
I am happy to report that Karen Rolland and I sat through and represented you at the Punta Gorda City Council yesterday. We were there regarding a change to the Land Development Regulations dealing with Open House Signs which we have been working on for over seven months.
The first thing that everyone needs to understand is that WE caused this problem in the first place, or at least a few of us did, while the rest of us went about our business in a professional manor. The few, knowing they were wrong, put out as many as 14 open house signs for one home and there was no way the City was going to let that continue, so for the past seven months we have not been allowed to use open house signs in the City of Punta Gorda.
What was passed today on first reading was to allow one sign at the open house and off-premises open house signs only on developed property with the owner’s permission.
Open houses can ONLY be held on Friday, Saturday or Sunday and holidays.
This is not the best I had hoped for but at least it's a start.
If you see the few trying to do this again please let us know so we can stop them before it goes back to City Council. If it does we won't be so lucky next time.
Remember our next general membership meeting October 31 at noon.
Be Happy…and Sell Something
Education Corner
Short Sale Essentials: 4 CE CREDITS.
"Short Sale Essentials" is the ONLY course on the subject approved by FAR at this time.This is a comprehensive, inclusive, REALTOR® to REALTOR® instruction NOT a teaser to buy expensive CD's and manuals. Taught to the highest standards of the Instructor Training Institute, this interactive workshop will prepare you to be successful in the "Short Sale" arena and avoid the many liabilities along the way. Email David Logan to register for this important class.
Tax Deferred Strategies OTHER than 1031 Exchange – 3 CE Credits $15: Highly rated NEW CE class. Defer capital gains tax without a TIC, 1031 or Triple Net Lease and receive an income stream for life! Don’t worry about Failed 1031’s again with the 1031 Rescue. November 11
th 2pm E-mail
David Logan to sign up for this unique opportunity. Click
HERE for more details.
International Seminar - FREE – Learn how to better serve International Clients with “Understanding FIRPTA" by local FARR LAW FIRM attorney
Dorothy Korszen and "Immigration Issues” presented by International Attorney
Donna Scarlatelli. November 3
rd, 9am – Noon. Click
HERE for more details.
Unlock the power of Microsoft Office. Classes on Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Publisher are taught by our very own Microsoft certified instructor Mary Gitzen. Visit the
Education Calendar for details.
NAR Code of Ethics Training 3 CE Credits: Two dates to choose from -
October 29th OR
November 13th. All REALTORS® must take required Code of Ethics training between January 1
st 2005 and December 31
st 2008.
Contract Class: Learn the "why's" of Contract Law; Comparison and Contrasts of the FAR-9 and FAR/BAR Contracts; Step by Step instruction in Completing Contact Forms. Instructor: Bill Perrault.
November 20th 9am – 2pm
Making the most of your Mid-Florida Membership? Sign up for additional training and unlock the tools to help you succeed! See the list of FREE Mid-Florida
educational opportunities.
Check your CE credits online: Visit Florida’s
DBPR website to check the status of your CE credits.
Congratulations
Please help us congratulate
Phil Wilson who was recognized at the 2008 FAR convention for chairing the 2008 FAR Auction Committee. Please click
HERE to see pictures of Phil with his award.
The following members completed the twenty-one hour Success Series Institute for Excellence in Real Estate.
Carol Bartlett; Susan Briggs; Melissa Chambers; Mike Collands; John Cristina; Dan Curry; Sharon Ebert; Craig Havemeyer; Terri Heitzenrater; Stephen Jones; Lori Ann Mertens; Iliana Parra; Norm Purdy; Darleen Rains; Ken Rolland; Karen Rolland; Sue Rueckel; Carol Schunk; Valeria Thompson; Robin Vitali; Kim Weger; Kristina Winters; Maurice Woosley; Bob Soloduk
A very special thanks to our very own Success Series Institute Instructors:
Nancy Bell; Bob Gray; Cynthia Logan; RosemaryMahoney;
Vicky McPhee; Rick Page; Bill Perrault; Debbie Williams.
Business Partners
Local Lenders are ready to lend! The national news is filled with stories about the credit crisis and financial meltdown, but local lenders are ready to help your clients finance their purchases. We are privileged to have over 23 business partners in the banking/mortgage industry, please click
HERE to find a business partner and call them today. Never make the mistake of letting NATIONAL news take charge of your LOCAL business. Contact a business partner to get the full story and let them help grow your business. Remember, we are all in this TOGETHER!
Where in the World is……
Michael Matthews Century 21 Sunbelt Realty
Mike Kissinger Florida Heritage Realty
Monica Palanza Five Star Realty
Edward Gallio Re/Max Palm Realty
Lauren Knox Thomas Ryan Real Estate
Sue Ann Meyer Re/Max Anchor Realty
Saturday,October 25th 6:30pm – 10:00pm – PGPCNP Association Auditorium
Tickets $15/each$25/couple available at the Association Office. Call 629-8261.
Lite Fare…Cash Bar…Dancing
General Membership Meeting: October 31 at noon
*FREE*. Lou Albert will explain to us what the 700 billion dollar bail out means to us on the local level, it's something you do not want to miss! Also, Frank Desquin will bring us up to date on the Property Appraiser's Office, so lets all be there and if nothing else get to know each other and enjoy lunch....A FREE LUNCH!! Click
HERE to RSVP.
2008 REALTORS® Conference & Expo in Orlando, Florida! Nov 7-10th
All Florida REALTORS® are entitled to
FREE ADMISSION TO NAR’S EXPO ($25 value). Download the following
VIP INVITATION to take advantage of this free offer.
Expo features: Unlimited opportunities to shop, compare, and save on the best tools on the market. More than 600 exhibitors and the opportunity to talk directly with product experts. Second home and resort properties around the world from nearly 100 exhibitors. Win $1,000 in daily drawings or a new Cadillac CTS!
Women’s Council of REALTORS®
Meetings 1st Wednesday of each month 11:30am
Next meeting Wednesday November, 12th 11:30am – Mark Martella of the Martella Law Firm will speak on how to structure your business – what are the pros and cons of various corporate structures for real estate professionals? Guests Welcome, please RSVP to
Sharon Neuhofer to take advantage of this opportunity.
Bowling with WCR – November 1
st 6pm – 8pm Treasure Lanes. Click
HERE for more information and sponsorship opportunities. Contact
Rose or
Odette for additional information.
Don’t miss the Caravan.
A Caravan is a great opportunity to showcase your listing, network with fellow REALTORS®, get pricing opinions, and have a good time. No listing to show…just come along for the ride!
Punta Gorda Caravan – 1st Thursday every month – 8:15am – Home Choice Real Estate - 6101 Duncan Rd. To have your listing included contact
Mike no later than noon on the Tuesday prior to the caravan.
Port Charlotte Caravan – 3rd Thursday every month – 8:15am - PGPCNP Association Office. E-mail
Karen Martin two days prior to the caravan date to have your listing included. Listings can also be faxed to Karen at 941-743-9023.
Commercial Real Estate
All Real Estate Agents are invited to the commercial brokers meeting. This is a great opportunity to see what is going on in the commercial market and meet fellow REALTORS®. October 17
th 8am click for
directions and details.
Legislative Update
Increasingly, foreign investors find Florida an attractive bargain, and local real estate professionals are working to establish more international relationships. "The past couple of years with the declining dollar, Florida has become a magnet to international investors," says Ivo Travnicek, of Sarasota-based Florida Venture Partners LLC.Read the full story
HERE.
Visit FAR’s Legislative Center to stay up-to-date on political issues which impact your business. From the Capitol steps to yours: FAR reports from Tallahassee daily during the legislative session and throughout the year. If the issues relate to real estate, you'll hear about it here.
MLS Tips of the Week
Do you have an assistant? Make sure that your assistant is registered with Mid Florida and is using their own personal MLS login. No one else should be using your MLS login to access the database . According to MLS Rules and Regulations “a fine of up to $2,500 as determined by the Board of Directors for each occurrence will be assessed to any Participant/User that allows access to MFRMLS to an unauthorized person”. If you have any questions, please email
Sonya Shatney.
Are you still using the Alliance? The Florida Gulf Coast Real Estate Alliance provides you access to MLS for 8 Southwest Florida Regions from here to Naples. You can access the Alliance by clicking
HERE. Login using your regular MLS username and password. Keep in mind that many Charlotte County and North Port properties may be listed by Fort Myers, Cape Coral, or other MLS boards and can easly be accessed by using the Alliance.
Do you know the Short Sale Rules? In a May, 2008 email Newsletter an article describing the MFRMLS policy regarding compensation for Short Sales was published (“MFRMLS Short Sale Policy”). The National Association of REALTORS®, Inc.(“NAR”)has recently made changes to its model short sales rule (the “Model Short Sale Rule”) to be used by multiple listing services (“MLSs”). Click
HERE to see further details.
Real Estate Trivia
This Weeks’s Question
Question: A “toponym” is defined as the name of a place or region. What is the most common U.S. toponym (city, town, village, etc…)?
Answer: See next week’s edition of PG-PC-NP Weekly Update!
Last Week’s Question
Question:During what great land boom (1919) did investors pay up to $25,000 for lots that had not yet been dredged up from the ocean?
Answer: According to Wikipedia, The Florida land boom of the 1920s was Florida's first real estate bubble, which burst in 1925, leaving behind entire new cities and the remains of failed development projects such as Isola di Lolando in north Biscayne Bay. The preceding land boom shaped Florida's future for decades and created entire new cities out of virgin swamp land that remain today. The story includes many parallels to the modern real estate boom, including the forces of outside speculators, hurricanes, easy credit access for buyers, and rapidly-appreciating property values.
By the 1920s, its economic prosperity had set the conditions for a real estate bubble in Florida. Miami had an image as a tropical paradise and outside investors across the United States began taking an interest in Miami real estate. Due in part to the publicity talents of audacious developers like Carl G. Fisher of Miami Beach, famous for purchasing a huge lighted billboard in New York's Times Square proclaiming "It's June In Miami", property prices rose rapidly on speculation and a land and development boom ensued.