Saturday, November 28, 2009

New from NAR- To Your Good Health

Special Offer -REALTORS® CORE HEALTH INSURANCE: New NAR member benefit The National Association of REALTORS® is pleased to introduce REALTORS® Core Health Insurance (RCHI) - an affordable and guaranteed-acceptance limited medical indemnity insurance program designed exclusively for REALTORS® under 65. Protect yourself and your family from unexpected illnesses or accidents. A simple accident like a broken bone or torn muscle can cost thousands of dollars. Plans start as low as $70.69 a month. Visit www.REALTORSCoreHealthInsurance.com or call 877-CORE-PLAN for no-obligation quote.

Wednesday, November 25, 2009

Penny For Your Thoughts

It is amazing what a penny can do! In the small town of Minocqua-Woodruff, WI, where my prior board office was located, the value of a penny was a source of pride. The small town was the home of respected hospital, Howard Young. Howard Young was the great-uncle of the academy award winning actress and icon, Elizabeth Taylor. He loved the Northwoods and bequeathed $20 million to the town of Woodruff for a first class medical center.

But the children of Minocqua-Woodruff were also heroes in the building of a new hospital. In 1953 the school children of the area began their parade of pennies. The schoolchildren raised 1.7 million dollars in pennies to build a new hospital and received national recognition. To commemorate this outstanding fundraising effort Woodruff became the home of the world's largest penny.

It is truly miraculous to see the power of a penny; We have that proof of its power right here in Oklahoma City. The one penny sales tax has revitalized downtown and our schools. One more time the City of Oklahoma City has asked its citizens to put the power of a penny to work to continue the revitalization of the "front door" of the downtown area. These pennies will be spent to build a world class park and recreation center as other large cities in the USA enjoy. A new convention center will bring untold out of state dollars into our community, a new transit system will help the environment as well as enable citizens to travel easily and economically. Sidewalks will increase walkability and safety downtown. Senior citizen wellness centers will position OKC as a desired retirement market. The park will draw new urban housing and commercial development.

There has been resistance by various groups to deter the passage of MAPS. But I ask all of you will their objectives be realized with the defeat of MAPS? Of course not. The dollars generated by commerce through MAPS will increase the city budget. The one penny tax is not a tax increase, just an extension of a current one penny tax.

Help the city realize the power of a penny and vote YES FOR MAPS on December 8th.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Many of us are already travelling to be with family and friends for Thanksgiving, but I hope this message reaches all. As the Holiday Season is now officially upon us, we all have our private thoughts for thanks.

Ours is a profession where we deal with the emotions of our clients and it is good to some times take a deep breath and to shake somebody's hand or give a gentle hug. It seems like days like today (Wednesday) become a struggle to get through so we can "relax" tomorrow. The struggles of the world are not our personal tasks to handle, but the serenity of being with family and loved ones is a memory we all cherish.

So Happy Thanksgiving to all members and staff and remember to enjoy the next cross sale with a new friend.

Tuesday, November 24, 2009

What I brought back from NAR Convention

I am sure all have read my Content-Poor No More post where I learned about a fantastic new service and product from NAR, House Logic. One of the areas I always focus on when traveling for the board is technology. I am always looking for means to bring you value and new technologies. I especially try to find you products and services that are free. This year I found many, many new technologies and tech tips. We implemented a new section to the left of the OKCMAR newsblast called "Tech Tips". It debuted last week. Make sure you read your eblasts each week to gather these little free gems!

Also remember to take advantage of our newest free offering, our own social media university, DomusU. This free service of OKCMAR takes you from beginning to end in setting up and using social media to build your business. Once you have completed the tutorials, I urge you to consider investing in yourself and your business, sign up for the $3 weekly live webinars and learn how to leverage this new medium to build a massive referral base.

This year at NAR I met with AnnounceMyListing representatives and am very pleased to bring this free service to OKCMAR. We are currently working on implementation and will launch this new service very soon. Please read your eblasts and the MLS message of the day for upcoming details on this exciting new social media tool.

Sunday, November 22, 2009

Bacon Frying in a Black Cast Iron Skillet

We had another successful sleepover with the two year old grandchild. The reason we are doing this is to prepare for grandson #2 in March (Yes we know it is another little boy). This morning went much better than the first. It made me think of how much I loved staying overnight at my grandma's. As the oldest of 5 it was wonderful to be the only child in the house and to have so much attention focused on me. Perhaps that is why to this day I love a stage.

Staying at Grandma's was an adventure! My grandparents owned a large dairy farm (From Wisconsin, remember? LOL) although it was pretty much just for them by the time I came around. My grandpa worked as a construction engineer for Boldt and my grandma was the dietician for a nursing home. The farm was mostly empty save for a few cows and pigs and several gardens. The old farmhouse was full of secret hiding places and tunnels and grandma boasted that John Dillinger hid out in the tunnels for several weeks. I think he was considered more of a celebrity up north rather than a fugitive from the law.

But the mornings were the best. Grandma and Grandpa never got out of the habit of rising at 4am to start their day. By 5am I was awakened to the wonderful smell of coffee perking on the stove and bacon frying in a black cast iron skillet. Grandma always made me pancakes with real maple syrup they had tapped and ice cold milk from the cows with the cream rising to the top. I still love the smell of coffee!

I guess that is really what owning a piece of ground and a home is all about, whether you live in Oklahoma City or Sugar Camp, Wisconsin. It is about a sense of belonging. A place to build memories for your children and grandchildren. It is about community. The best place in the world to start that journey is Oklahoma City. The REALTOR public sided site, www.centraloklahomaproperties.com , is a great place to start looking for that home. It is updated every 20 minutes with all the available real estate in the central Oklahoma area.

Home truly is where the heart is and thank you dear readers for allowing me the indulgence of a trip down memory lane.

Wednesday, November 18, 2009

Back Home in Oklahoma

If you have never been to a NAR Convention, I would certainly recommend it. There were bunches of class and information sessions available. Two that I attended will have an affect on all of us. One session that was definately a heated debate was the session on HVCC.

Another seminar of interest is the new GFE/HUD1 that will be effective on January 1st. Make sure you are aware of the changes. All Brokers, Title Companies, Mortgage Brokers, and Direct Lenders will have to make changes in their current way of doing business.

All in all, there were over 20,000 Realtors in attendance. One of the best parts of the conferance was being able to chat with Realtors from around the nation. I was very glad to be from Oklahoma. Most other Realtors are forced to belong to multiple MLS's with multiple fees and don't even begin to approach the services that we have on MLSOK & OKCMAR.

In short, it was great information that will reinforce the 2010 Strategic Plan of the OKCMAR Board.

If you would like me to email you some of the information packets from the seminars I attended, please contact me and I will be very happy to send them to you. I have packets on "Short Sales from a Buyers Perspective" and "New GFE/HUD1."

Monday, November 16, 2009

Will You Change the Game?

Well the convention is over and my head is swimming with thoughts. Sad to say OKCMAR did not win any of the Game Changer grants BUT now that I know what NAR is looking for (we got to hear about the programs that won) if they offer this program again next year I am certain we will have great odds towards winning the grant.

Oklahoma also was the only state in our region that did not reach the RPAC triple crown. Again we will need to look to next year to meet this benchmark. RPAC is so vitally important to the health of our industry; nowhere else was that greater proven than in the passage of the homebuyer tax credit extension and expansion. It is a little humbling to realize that it was our Kansas, Missouri and Arkansas neighbors that contributed to the passage of this credit and had to make up for us Okies who did not contribute our fair share ($15 per member) to RPAC. I sincerely hope that next year OKCMAR members will do their part and more, rather than count on our neighbors to make up the difference. Why not give yourself and early Christmas present? Invest in your 2010 earnings and donate to RPAC Right Now by clicking this link. Remember that $99 and up givers will be allowed to participate in the special by-invite only RPAC reception at our Spring Technology Conference.

My direct learning from the conference was the introduction of more tech tools, knowing that others across the nation are also experiencing some lean times, a few excellent ideas about affiliate benefits, ways to use the new Houselogic site, and a few new programs we could implement. There was not a great deal of good information about the new RPR, the national real estate database. All we really heard is that it is not a National MLS although it looks and will function like one. We will be introducing some tech tools over the next few weeks as a direct result of the conference, stay tuned....

BUT why wait for social media tools when they are available through OKCMAR right now through DomusU- just click on the DomusU Ride the Wave Icon on the board website education page .

Saturday, November 14, 2009

National Association of REALTORS Convention

This convention has certainly been action packed with information and more than enough knowledge that any Realtor would ever want.

Years ago, my family and I actually lived just north of San Diego, the site of this years convention, and I remembered the soft ocean breezes and warm temperatures. Having gone through quite a few earthquakes, as well, I also have memories of them, as I write this from my 26th floor hotel room.

Across the nation, I would say that the mood is very optimistic with the Realtors in attendance. There is also quite an International group here and I spent time with a couple from Australia and met a nice Realtor from Peru. Their moods were not as optimistic as our American friends. It is not that their business is bad, it is just different from our way of doing things.

I also learned that even though the sands of San Diego may have the yellow brick road, there is really no place like home. The strategic plan developed by our 2010 OKCMAR Board and MLS Board will continue to show that our section of the world will continue to be one of the best in the nation.

The Trade Show Exhibition takes hours to see what is offered to Realtors and Brokerages, but again, with all that is available, our MLS has it in one form or another.

In short, I think our Association has a bright future. Please take the time to volunteer next year. It is the membership that makes us strong.

Content-Poor No More!

NAR has just launched an incredible free member service and a tool that we put the REALTOR not just in the center of the transaction but in the center of the real estate conversation! I am simply amazed at the value of this service- not just on the high level of building and promoting the REALTOR brand but on the street level of content REALTORS can use and customize to become the trusted advisor of all things real estate.

This service has two sides- a consumer facing website that you can refer clients, customers and friends to BUT ALSO a a member side with a deep well of real estate related content you can use as is or customize for your blogs, mailed newsletters, e-blasts etc. It is a ready made and valuable connection piece to unobtrusively remain in the forefront of your sphere of influence and book of business. The public-sided site is just phenomenal; very sticky, very integrated and incorporates social media with badges homeowners can win to interact with the homeowners' facebook sites. You just need to see it to believe it: http://www.houselogic.com/

But here is the really great part- the members only side has a well of content that you can export to various formats to incorporate in your personal branding. The members only site is http://www.houselogic.com/members. No longer will you have to struggle to find useful and informative content for your personal website, blogs or newsletters. Its all here, free for your use and because it is third party content prevents you from becoming entangled in liability issues. NAR estimates the member value of this tool to be $6000-8000 per year per member, all for your $80 dollars in NAR dues!

Plane Thinking

Am here in sunny San Diego attending the National Association of REALTORS annual convention and my mind is swimming with all that I need to take back to OKCMAR and implement. I found the build of new ideas and motivation started on the plane ride here. There is something about the captivity (and boredom) of being at the airport and then on the plane for several hours that really sets my mind to thinking. I believe it the quiet and the long hours of nothing to do that gives one's mind a rest, without the cacophony of email, employees, texts and phone calls, I can fully develop ideas that have been rattling around in my head for months. There is so much we can do as an association to further our industry. Stay tuned for NAR updates...

Put Your Toe in the Water

If your not sure about joining a committee but want to take advantage of the networking and/or increase the public awareness of your value to the community, consider our 30 Ways to Serve program. These items are one time commitments and many are an hour or less. To sign up to share your talent with the association just click here

Thursday, November 12, 2009

He has a right to criticize, who has a heart to help.

There's never a shortage of people to complain about a government, an association, an economy, or the way things are managed, but a couple of things there's always a shortage of are help and direction.
He has a right to criticize, who has a heart to help. --Abraham Lincoln
People often ask why I take the time to get involved at our local association and, quite frankly, it's difficult for me to explain. I do it because I was asked to help, but more importantly, I do it because I have a sincere love for this business and a deep belief that we all have a better chance at success when we work together.

If you have complaints about the way things are done or don't understand where your dues are going, I'd have to ask you:
  • What committee are you serving on?
  • What are you doing to impose change?
If your answer is 'nothing,' or worse, just more complaining, then I'd encourage you to take the leap. The association currently has openings on the following committees:
  • Brokers Quarterly
  • Bylaws
  • Contracts & Forms
  • Education
  • Green Resource Panel
  • Grievance
  • Membership
  • Professional Standards
  • RPAC - Legislative
  • RPIC - Legislative
Stop thinking about it and just do it. You might be amazed at what you learn and what you can contribute; I know I was.

Deadline for committee signup is November 15th, so GO SIGN UP NOW!

Sunday, November 8, 2009

Glorious Winds of Autumn!

I hope everyone had the opportunity to enjoy the gentle warm winds of autumn this weekend. This is my third November in Oklahoma City and I still cannot believe the exceptional weather we enjoy. Although the tug of work did win me over for a few hours on Saturday (Found out I was not the only employee at the office- I was greeted by most of the MLS tech staff: Adam, Bobby & Regina were all in as well) I spent most of the day enjoying the sound of my grandson crunching fall leaves. For the life of me I cannot understand why the whole US doesn't want to live and buy a home in Oklahoma City. We have the lowest unemployment rate in the entire US, we have been deemed the best place to start or move a business, our home values are spectacular and one can run around barefooted in November!

Last night we had our first sleepover with our little pumpkin and he did very well. For several weeks now, whenever my daughter comes over for a visit and it is time to leave he says, "No Momma, 'morrow" and "I be alright" so we thought we would give it a try. All went well until about 6 am this morning when he awoke and realized his Mommy was nowhere to be found. After a quick fumbling for the phone and an emergency speaker phone call to my daughter, he calmed down. I said to him "Dresden, you did it- it is tomorrow- you stayed until tomorrow". He broke out in giggles and a smile of self pride from ear to ear. How rewarding it is to be a grandmother and watch your baby grow.

In many ways that is how I feel about our MLS. I came to OKCMAR just weeks before Dresden was born and I see so many parallels. I have the enviable position of watching two fruits of one's labor grow and develop into something/someone really special. I have the treasured position of being able to sit back and see so much strategy and hard work come into play, to watch the employees of MLSOK & OKCMAR catch the passion of the real estate industry and the best part, I get to travel the city talking about it.

The 2010 strategic plan is innovative and far-reaching and I want every OKCMAR REALTOR to understand the value of the association and why they are paying the dues and fees they do. If you would like to have me speak at your brokerage firm please email: dkennedy@okcmar.org to set up a time. Happy Autumn!

Friday, November 6, 2009

Tax Credit Passes! You did it OKCMAR!

A Message from NAR President Charles.....

You did it. You’ve succeeded in achieving a huge victory for real estate. Congress heard you on the need to both extend and expand the homebuyer tax credit to continue stimulating the housing sector of the economy. The Senate voted 98-0 on Wednesday and yesterday the House voted 403-12 on legislation that includes the extension and expansion of the credit. President Obama is expected to sign the legislation, perhaps as early as today.

Thank you for making this victory happen. Your letters in response to our Call for Action made a very big difference, as did the thousands of REALTOR® phone calls, visits by Federal Political Coordinators—all members of NAR—in getting this legislation passed. This is a great victory for the economy, for homebuyers, and for all of you in real estate. You made your case to Congress. We deeply appreciate your commitment and involvement on this issue and trust your continued support will follow in the weeks ahead on all our future Calls for Action.

More information on the tax credit and what it means to you please visit the REALTOR Action Center!

Thursday, November 5, 2009

KUDOS to the RPIC Committee

Great News OKCMAR! Your legislative RPIC (REALTORS Political Involvement Committee) Committee has secured $10,000 from the state association to support MAPS. Your state association, OAR, sets aside funds each year to assist local associations in issues mobilization (in plainspeak- promoting good laws that benefit homeowners and REALTORS or defeating bad laws that seek to strip property owners of their current rights or results in harm to the real estate industry). These funds are given very judiciously and their use should impact all Oklahoma REALTORS.

MAPS is a great example of how economic development in the heart of our capital city can impact our entire state through dollars and visitors brought into our state. This legislation will ripple through all of Oklahoma and will not only maintain our vibrant real estate industry but open up even more opportunities for growth in both the commercial and residential segments.

A special thank you to RPIC Chair, Lorna Koeninger, of Paradigm Realty, whose passionate and informed testimony in front of the state committee secured the maximum available funding. Thank you Lorna on behalf of all of OKCMAR and the OKC REALTOR citizens!

Seats at the Table

OKCMAR you should be proud! This week I got the news that OKCMAR will fill three seats on the National Association of REALTORS 2010 committees. Now, OKC will have an active voice in the national leadership that defines us all. Mike Cassidy, of Paradigm Realty, has been selected to serve on the national Land Use & Private Property Rights Committee. Bart Binning of Prudential Alliance Real Estate has been selected to serve on the national REALTORS Commercial Alliance Committee and I, Dawn Kennedy, will be a member of the AE group.

When one joins the local association there is an opportunity to be a part of a national force that affects policy and legislation for our society as a whole. No more is this proven than when our association is asked to have a seat at the table and be a voice in national policy. This is only accomplished through dedicated leadership,vision and the member committment to the growth and development of a local association. Your efforts have been recognized!

Tuesday, November 3, 2009

Yukon Oklahoma- My New "Favorite" Place

I spend my life getting lost and have never been able to effectively navigate Edmond. I belive I have been lost in Edmond about 12 times this year. It is not my fault that the road ends in construction when Mapquest tells me to take it. Imagine my surprise to find out how easy it is to get to Yukon! Even I cannot get lost on this straight shot down 66. I was so relieved when I got off the freeway and I came out at the 66 Bowl. My family loves bowling and I have been there often- it was such a relief to come off the freeway and know where I was.

Yukon is now my new favorite place! It was easy to get to and easy to navigate around and the lady at the Circle K was super friendly. I was in Yukon to present the 2010 strategic plan to the Prudential Alliance -Yukon members. Spending the morning with this incredible group of people reminds me of how much I love being with the members. REALTORS without a doubt are the friendliest group of folks one would ever care to meet. This morning I remembered how incredibly fortunate I am to be in the real estate industry.

I was so happy to see the nodding heads and smiles when I explained the OKCMAR plan and strategy for 2010. This tells me our surveys are on the money and have value. Your leadership is listening OKCMAR- We're in it for you!

Thank you to all the Prudential Alliance Yukon REALTORS for giving up your morning and participating in shaping the future of your association! And if you are reading... I was the county child support coordinator in the years before I found this wonderful industry. I collected child support on behalf of the children of Oneida County and took delinquent payers to court. I also found a lot of missing in action parents. I did enjoy that part of my job; it was like being a private detective. I find working for REALTORS to be far more psychologically rewarding.

If you would like to have me come out to your brokerage to review the 2010 strategic plan please contact me at dkennedy@okcmar.org