Start out 2010 with a Plan

In the last issue of the OKCMAR quarterly newsmagazine there was a feature regarding the seven essentials to REALTOR business success. If you are not regularly receiving the newsmagazine please contact Leslie Miller at lmiller@okcmar.org. One of the key steps is devoting at least 10% of your time to education relevant to increasing your expertise and your book of business.

I strongly urge all of you to start your 2010 with a tweaked business plan relevant to the economy and the changes in the market. One practice at OKCMAR, which has always surprised me, is the emphasis put on CE. CE is important and a necessary component of licensure. However, CE is designed to help you maintain your body of knowledge not necessarily expand it. When the OKCMAR professional development department (through its school and professional standards) looks to education, we are looking beyond the necessity of retaining one's license to the development of your business and business practices. CE can fulfill a small portion of this business building block if one utilizes tech courses as electives and takes Hot Topics throughout the year. However, to excel in this business (like any other) one must invest in their business.

NAR and many well-known coaches emphasize that a REALTOR should devote 10% of one's time in professional development and specifically recommend designations. While designations are humorously referred to as Alphabet Soup they have been statistically proven to increase annual income by as much as 50% over REALTORS without designations. The average designation course costs $295. NAR reports the average annual REALTOR income is $34,000 per year that means investing less than 1% of your business revenues in order to increase revenues.

The REALTOR industry is quite unique in that the seller carries the inventory not the REALTOR. In most small businesses carrying and maintaining inventory is a huge annual and ongoing business expense. When these business people look to increase their business and revenues it is typically through investing in additional inventory. I would suggest that your education, your knowledge and your expertise is in fact your inventory and those looking to secure their market share should consider investing in their inventory.

This year OKCMAR has committed, through its strategic plan to offer 3 designations locally. Designations are costly to put on but the board believes in investing in its membership. The first designation course will be the SRS, or Sellers Representative Specialist. For more information on this course visit the sellers representative council. This course will be held March 1st and 2nd and taught by the enormously popular, Adorna Carroll. To learn more about Adorna and her no-nonsense yet very entertaining approach visit Dynamic Directions.

OKCMAR also looks to offer both the GREEN designation and the ABR (Accredited Buyers Representative) this year. In addition to committing to your education don't forget the primary block of your real estate success: Your REALTOR membership and MLS subscription. Your leadership has worked diligently to reduce these costs for you and also to limit billing periods in order to relieve you of a "Constant Burden". In 2010 your REALTOR dues are due January 20th MLS fees will be due March 31st and September 30th. There only three times per year when you will be asked to pay for the services and products that support your business. Start 2010 right by ensuring you have adequate funds to keep your services uninterrupted.

If you utilize MLS discounts your total MLS fees for the year $486, Supra Key Fees $270 and your state, local and national dues $379. Your total investment in your business and all the tools and services of the MLS and the state, local and national associations is $1135 per year. Consider setting aside $100 per month in a special fund or account to assure you can meet this obligation.

Imagine $100 per month covers your basic requirements for retaining your license through free CE, markets your properties to over 4000 MLS subscribers and powers websites all over the world, brings you news and information, legislative advocacy, the state offers free legal assistance and affordable health care coverage, MLSOK offers a showing service, virtual tour creation, and online free forms and document manager. Imagine you were in any other kind of self-employed business- how far could you get with a $100 monthly investment? How much inventory could you buy? How much advertising could you purchase? How much legal counsel? What about technology- how much could you implement in your business? By banding together in an association each member receives approximately 8x the value of their investment in dues and fees. Start out 2010 right- invest in yourself and your business!

And please remember your OKCMAR staff is here to help. We want to know what assistance or education you believe would be valuable and offer it to you. As your CEO I always have an open door if you just want to discuss how you can best leverage your membership in the MLSOK and the associations in your business model. Have a very HAPPY & PROSPEROUS 2010!

Winter Wonderland

I feel right at home in this glorious winter wonderland that Oklahoma blessed us with just in time for Christmas. Actual fatalities were quite low according to the news and that is truly a blessing. The roads right now are typical of Wisconsin roads throughout the winter season (Nov- March/April). Most Mays are temperate but we wait anxiously for the remaining snowbanks to melt down. Take time to enjoy the beauty of the snowscapes- they really are quite spectacular against the bright blue OK sky.

I was very proud of our members who were out in the storm rescuing people stuck in their cars. My husband spent a few hours pushing cars out of heavy snow on Christmas Eve in the 50th and May area. I saw that one of our own OKCMAR Directors, Ryan Hukill was involved in the rescuing efforts (updates were being posted on the okcrealtors facebook site)- what a wonderful example you set for all of us Ryan!

I checked the weather in my home town this morning I found that the deepest snow accumulation that has remained so far is 20 inches- less than two feet which is very minimal for December, the temperature is 11 degrees and there is no windchill today. Windchill is the effect of the wind off the Great Lakes cooling the air temperature, which means that although the temperature is 11 it can feel like -10 below to the exposed skin. Living in these frigid conditions on a regular basis makes us very prepared for a blizzard.

Many postings on our Facebook were comments that local town governments and citizen drivers seemed very unprepared for the storm. While we all won't be rushing out buying 4 wheel drives for one or two days of snow there are some very inexpensive Wisconsin solutions that drivers should consider having in their trunk during the month of December.

1) Keep a bag of generic kitty litter or sand in your trunk. This serves two purposes- weight in your trunk will decrease your chance of fishtailing on ice and spreading out the sand or litter in front of your spinning tires will help your tires get traction on ice or packed snow so you can get on your way rather than abandoning your vehicle.

2) Keep an extra pair of gloves in your trunk. I saw so many people trying to push cars with bare exposed and wet hands. When your hands are cold you are a cold.

3) Keep a gallon of drinking water & some nuts/granola bars in your trunk. When you are stranded this little bit of life support can be invaluable.

4) Keep a flashlight and a blanket in your trunk.

These are extremely inexpensive items and could make a significant difference in your winter driving experience.

Finally, Merry Christmas to OKCMAR! Hope this posting finds you all enjoying the holiday season in comfort and joy!

Our Greatest Asset?

If you were to ask our incoming President, Dave Moeller, what is OKCMAR's greatest asset, he would most likely reply "the membership". I would say its our "human capital" which includes staff too. However, OKCMAR also has a tremendous asset in its holdings: our building and our reserves.

Due to the foresight of previous leaders, OKCMAR has invested in its physical assets. In addition to a wonderful building, OKCMAR also has invested wisely in its various reserve funds. One of the comments I often answer is why are we cutting back on spending (we have greatly reduced variable operating expenses), or not decreasing dues/fees if there is funding available to maintain and/or upgrade the building. OKCMAR has kept its dues at a minimum for decades. Members are still paying the same $125 in OKCMAR dues while receiving more services, even though the cost of fixed operating expenses have risen steadily. OKCMAR has kept its dues very low and stable for decades,while the state and national associations have had significant increases and additional assessments over the last 10 years.

MLS in 2007 increased its MLS fees by $20 monthly and kept its lockbox Supra Key fee the same. This increase went directly towards implementing technology, systems and tech personnel to bring MLS to not only a functioning level but to put its users at the forefront of technology-positioning our members in the center of the real estate transaction. Also the tools net each brokerage a significant savings through replacing tools that many were paying for directly which are now included in the basic MLS package.

Last year MLSOK reduced its MLS fees 10% for those members using MLS and the MLSOK lockbox service. MLS then reduced its Supra Key Fees by 10%. MLSOK continued to reduce its fees by another 10% through its early payment plan. While other associations are raising their dues or cutting services, your association and MLS are increasing services while reducing fees and keeping dues the same.

However, back to the burning question, why is OKCMAR choosing to upgrade and maintain its building when potentially fees or dues could be decreased. Well, that itsn't exactly the case! As a corporate association we have a Financial Legal Responsibility to PROTECT the assets of the corporation and a fiscal responsibility to ensure the continuance of the corporation in down times. Our corporation bylaws, as well as board policies, put controls over how the reserves may be used.

OKCMAR & MLS has several reserve funds designated for certain uses. First both corporations have an operating reserve. This reserve is 6 months operating expenses for OKCMAR and 12 months operating expenses for MLS. This makes sure that in the event of a major catastrophe or cataclysmic shift in the economy both the association and its MLS can continue to operate long enough to wrap up business and pay off contractual obligations should the corporations be required to dissolve.

The association and MLSOK both have a small research and development restricted reserve fund. These funds may only be used for research and development of programs, services and technologies and the request for use of the funds must be submitted by a committee and be approved by both the Executive Committee and the full Board of Directors.

Finally OKCMAR has a building reserve and MLSOK a leasehold improvement reserve. These funds may only be spent on maintaining/updating/upgrading the building. Being in the real estate industry, this probably doesn't need to be stated but I will do so for those non-industry readers, in order for a building to hold its value it must not only be maintained but periodically updated.

The building maintenance activity you may have recently witnessed is not being accomplished or paid for with current dues and fees. OKCMAR and MLSOK are both operating at "to the bone " expense and income levels. The maintenance and updates are being paid for out of the building reserve funds- exactly what these funds were set aside for so many years ago and which a very small portion of current fees are applied to. In the last few years, OKCMAR has operated at a deficit tapping into the operating reserve. $0 of your current dues dollars are being allocated to the building fund. In MLS $7.50 of your annual fees (less than 1%) is allocated to the leasehold improvement fund.

The MLSOK operates the R-Store due to IRS constraints on Unrelated Business Income Activity. MLSOK is expanding its R-Store, using a small portion of the reserve, for two reasons: The R-Store has been generating a profit which has been used to help pay for the early payment discounts and to give even more of the building back to its members- making the R-Store a networking spot for its members. By focusing on an area where we are collecting NON-DUES revenue and revenue from Non-Members and other associations we can continue to generate profits which hold MLS fees down. The expansion will allow OKCMAR & MLSOK to open up its building complete with a cyber-cafe to members. Members will soon be able to meet clients at the store for coffee on a Saturday, sit down and access wireless from their laptop, print out a contract (or buy one off the shelf) have it signed, pick up a few open house signs and be off to the next deal.

We have worked very hard on giving members as much access as possible to their greatest asset: YOUR BUILDING. Members can use the computer labs on the third floor or rent the large classrooms for events. On the first floor we have an entire office off the lobby which is specifically for member use; As a meeting room/office space if a member wishes to meet a client/customer in the middle of our sales market territory, and this office also holds two computer and printer stations for members to use. Soon we will have a weekend facility for members to work and enjoy a snack or to meet clients, check email etc.

Please be watching in February for our Annual Report which will give great detail into how your dues and fees are spent by program cost center.

Working on the Puzzle

I would like to thank all who attended the Inaugural Luncheon on December 9th at the Oklahoma City Country Club. I hope you all had a good time and enjoyed the program.

During my speech, I spoke about the Association’s Strategic Plan for 2010. It involves many parts of a vision that will require the help of fellow Association Members, who all contribute to the success of the Organization. I spoke about how our Association has changed over the last few years and how we are now evolving into what we all expect and desire to assist us all in our business efforts.

It is not necessary for us to evolve; but it is mandatory for our success and survival.

Positive results normally are the result of hard work. That is why I ask each of you to help in any way you can by assisting on a committee, or future task force. We all have to be part of the solutions that assist our evolution to insure our future success.

A Quote from Robert F. Kennedy:

Few will have the greatness to bend history itself; but each of us can work to change a small portion of events, and in the total; of all those acts will be written the history of this generation.

A Comment to the Pulled Post-Titled: July 15, 1982

Why I am for MAPS,

There are some dates that are etched in our memory. We know exactly where we were, who we were with, and what the day was like such as Nov. 22nd, 1963, July 20th, 1969, January 28th, 1986, September 11th, 2001, and July 5th, 1982.

One such date I was on a Southwest Airline flight to Dallas. I sat next to a lady and started a conversation with her. She said she was on her way back to Dallas and was a bank examiner with the FDIC. She mentioned casually "we closed down Penn Square Bank this morning". I had no idea what the consequences of that statement would be. I would find out.

From 1971 to 1990 I partnered with my dad and owned [two corporations]. 1973, '74, '75, and '76 were challenging years. In 1977 things changed with the beginning of the Oil Boom. It was amazing; it seemed so easy to make money. It was like a golfer going out one day and shooting an eagle on every hole. During that period from 1977 to 1983 Oklahoma had a booming economy; it seemed everyone was doing well. Jackie Cooper was the number one Rolls Royce Dealer in the world. Companies were flying in Hollywood Entertainers for their Christmas Parties. Two years in a row, I took my entire company to Breckenridge Colorado snow skiing.

1982 was one of my best years financially; however, by January of 1983 I realized the impact of what the lady said that July day. As a result of decisions I made during the boom, I could not downsize. I built, with two partners, an office warehouse on S.E. 18th and Eastern in 1981 which we promptly rented to oil field service companies. By the end of 1983 they were gone, but not the mortgage payment. Due to the location and the economic conditions we were not able to rent or lease the vacant spaces. One either pays or goes broke paying.

During the boom I made a sizeable sum of money and I felt that I could weather two years of a downturn, but not 10. We hit bottom economically in 1986. In January of 1986 oil was below $10 per barrel. Oklahoma was losing population at the rate of a city the size of Shawnee per year and as a result we lost a congressional seat.

After trying everyway I could think of to stay in business, I finally called it quits on June 15th, 1990. On September 13th, 1990 Dakil auctioned off everything and the proceeds went to pay creditors. I was 46 years old and broke. Twenty years of hard work gone.

The only people interested in talking to me were life insurance companies. And why not? No sales, no payroll. I could have relocated, but after reading Grapes of Wrath, decided to stay in Oklahoma City. In retrospect, it has turned out to be a very good business.

I was, in the beginning, like a pampered house cat that lost favor with my keeper and was thrown out of the house. I had to learn to hunt or starve. It was not easy; it meant calling people on the phone. Cold Calling. :-( There were no options, I would call and make 15 to 20 appointment per week with business owners to buy life insurance. Almost immediately they would talk about how difficult business was and had been for years. This feeling seemed to be pervasive, we were down on ourselves, on Oklahoma, and Oklahoma City. We were a backwater state and city devoid of opportunity and short on hope.

In 1991, Oklahoma City, in order to lure a United Airlines Maintance facility here, voted to spend $125 million on an incentive package as an enticement to locate the maintenance facility here and the 1,000 jobs it would bring. United chose Indianapolis instead. Mayor Norick had developed a close relationship with the United people so he asked "why did you not choose Oklahoma City"? They were blunt and straight forward in their answer. They said "Mayor you have no quality of life in Oklahoma City our people would not be happy there".

Afterward at a Chamber of Commerce Annual Retreat, the concept of MAPS begin to take shape realizing that Oklahoma City citizens had been willing to spend $125 million on United. The Chamber and Mayor Norick decided to go to the people with the idea of spending the money on ourselves. As a result, we voted on MAPS December 13th, 1993. There were detractors then as now; it passed by slightly more than 53%. The naysaying continued until the Ball Park was completed. When the canal was completed in 1998, it was difficult to find anyone who would confess to voting against MAPS. We the people along with the Chamber and our City Officials had created a miracle. We had pulled ourselves up by our boot straps. We did it without a bailout from the Federal Government or State Government. Our City is now a more dynamic place to live and work. Our whole attitude about our City and ourselves has changed. Our young people now see opportunity in staying here and not going to Dallas or some other "hip city". Without MAPS there would be no Dell, no Quad Graphics, no Thunder, no Devon, no 750 million dollar 50 story office tower Larry Nichols and Devon are building in the heart of Oklahoma City. A No vote can be devastating!

Times are indeed tough, they were in 1993 too. Good times like bad times don't last. To take advantage when the good times return we must prepare in the bad times. I am 66 years old. Most of us here in Brookwood are seniors or close. I may or may not be here to see how this MAPS works out, but it’s not about me, it is about our children and grand children. It’s about the kids you see on the playgrounds, in our schools, the infants in stollers, and those not yet born. They will not vote on December 8th. We will; we will determine their future.

We know what the original MAPS produced. We have every reason to expect the same success as before.

Weigh carefully your decision, citizen. Much is at stake here.

A concerned citizen grateful the OKCMAR is supporting MAPS.

Pulling my Post

CEO Viewpoint:

Yesterday after several tries I finally posted a comment regarding a newsbroadcast that implied OKCMAR does not ask members their opinion about issues. I have also been asking members to link to this blog from their website. After careful consideration I pulled my post. OKCMAR asks members to serve on the committees making decisions about board strategies and advocacy. OKCMAR also surveys its members often. Members elect directors to speak for them and their answers are to be representative of the membership's choices. Members should be proud of the OKCMAR process. There are very few areas in life where we have direct control over our future; becoming involved in the association gives each member the ability to have direct input into the actions of the association. As a member of the leadership team, I am very proud of our members, our association, and our decision-making process.

New from NAR- To Your Good Health

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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.

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.

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.

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."

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 .

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

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!

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!

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!

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!

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

Speaking about Voting Yes for MAPS...

This December 8, each and every OKC citizen has the opportunity to shape the future of generations to come. We can ensure jobs and a quality of life that will keep our children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren here in our wonderful state. Voting YES for MAPS is essential to the economic and housing growth in OKC. But you must do more than just voting Yes for MAPS; this is the first time MAPS has faced any substantial opposition. You need to be talking to your neighbors, friends and clients about how essential this legislation is to not just increasing their property values but protecting them.

When the jobs left Detroit, Michigan inner city homes were dropping to $4000 market value (I actually couldn't believe this was really true so I asked the Michigan MLS staff and they confirmed) and when I attended a conference in April the Michigan people told me it was spreading to the bedroom communities surrounding the city and values were plummeting to well below the $100,000 mark, homes that were averaging $250,000 sales price two years earlier. The viability of a commercial market is the foundation of a healthy residential market. We have a responsibility to ourselves and every homeowner in the city and beyond to protect our homes' value.

As REALTORS and members of an organized association, we have strength in numbers and marketing reach that is unparalleled. We Can Make A Difference- Vote Yes for Maps!

For more information visit our legislative affairs page on our website http://okcrealtors.com/maps-3 or http://www.yesformaps.com.

Resurgence of the Mealmoth

We are still fighting the mealmoth! I am heartbroken over the idea of losing my piano. The county extension agent indicated that they may actually be eating the felt. We have the piano outside because a good frost should exterminate them but it doesn't seem to be getting cold enough and the weather report indicates next week will be sunny and warm.

Oklahoma has undoubtedly the best weather in the USA! Four full distinct seasons but the majority of the year is sunny, warm & dry. I attended several YESforMAPS events yesterday and I cannot think of city more well-suited for its proposed park system. The park can easily be used year-round. Yesterday we heard about a proposed ice rink for the winter months and I had seen an earlier presentation where a rock wall was proposed for our older kids. Rock climbing is a great fall/spring sport.

When MAPS passes, OKC will easily be one of the top cities to relocate. Hopefully most of the readership has heard the great news that came out last month- OKC the top city in the USA to start a business and now yesterday, OKC Number #1 city in the entire US for employment rates. We have the lowest unemployment in the nation! These two factors combined with MAPS3 will keep everyone busy selling homes for years to come.

New OKCMAR Website

I just spent some time searching the new OKCMAR website over the lunch hour, and every time I go to it, I am amazed at the useful information that we, as Realtors, have at the click of our mouse, available to us. It is easy and fun to use.

I spent most of my time searching the Affiliate Pages to see just who is aiding us in our efforts in the Housing Industry. We now have an easy to find list of folks who want to help us in our efforts. Want a good Home Inspector, Termite Inspector, or Mortgage Company? How about a great list to direct your client to and help support our vendors.

Please check out the OKCMAR site. It is there for you.

Oklahoma City Metro Home Searching Made Simple

OKCMAR & MLSOK have launched their billboard campaign promoting the new public-sided website: http://www.centraloklahomaproperties.com/ This new site is rich with information the consumer may use when looking for a home in the Oklahoma City Metro area. OKCMAR is very proud to offer this exceptional tool for people looking to buy a home in the Oklahoma City area.

There is something in it for the agents too! On the home page, at the very bottom is a members only link. Clicking on that link will give the agent and the broker in depth reporting on the number of hits a particular property (which they have listed) has received. This ia a great method to keep in contact with your sellers! Send them the report every week via email.

Brokers, while your at it, take advantage of MLSOK's free website syndication to the major search engines by registering with ListHub. Go to wwww.listhub.com and click create account. Fill out the fields- make sure you choose Oklahoma City as the MLS/Association you are affiliated with and then choose all or pick and choose the search engines you want utilized.

MLS is on your side- working for you!

Indianmeal Moth: Who Knew?

Well you all have a lot of bugs here in Oklahoma! But at least your mosquitos aren't the size of hummingbirds like they are in Wisconsin (I am exaggerating a little). Any way we kept having these little caterpillar like creatures coming out of our piano. They also seemed to appear on the molding above the stove where we keep flour and spices.

My husband, the avid Northwoods hunter, would spend hours at night waiting for them to crawl out of the piano so he could dispose of them but he knew he was rapidly losing the fight. Yesterday he trapped several and took them to Oklahoma County Extension office by OSU. The entomologist took one look and said "Indianmeal Moth" better known as the pantry moth. He instructed us how to eliminate them and in less than 24 hours we have only had one sighting.

I think we often forget about all the great resources right around us that are free to us as OKC residents. Their site is also a great resource to give to new homeowners as they have an entire family and consumer sciences department. To access the extension click here to access the family and home sciences section click here.

Brokers, Brags, Bravado & Bruce

The Brokers' Quarterly Dinner last night was so enjoyable! We had over 100 members in attendance and several special guests. I appreciated being able to speak with so many of our brokers in such a relaxed setting. Dinner at the Marriott was surprisingly good (typically hotel dinners are not my favorite). I want to extend a special thank you to the Norman AE, Shirley Holland and Norman Director, Tom McAuliffe for making the drive to North OKC to participate. This type of support and camaraderie is what makes me love being in the REALTOR association business! Don and Susanna Lorg treated us to a beautiful rendition of The Lord's Prayer and it started out the evening in a wonderful spirit. The night had more than just brokers... it had brags!

The OKCMAR Board of Directors and several other committee members surprised Lanny Gardner with a presentation to celebrate his 50 year anniversary as a REALTOR! The presentation was filled with bragging rights to have this wonderful person and professional as a member of OKCMAR. Lanny received not only a proclamation from the board he received a citation from the Oklahoma State Senate listing all of his service activity to the state of Oklahoma and Oklahoma City. Just when we thought the program couldn't get any better... we saw the bravado of Oklahoma City.

Brokers were asked to become engaged in one of the city's biggest projects by Councilwoman, Meg Sylar. The project that is visionary and far-reaching, which shows the confidence and bravery of our citizens: MAPS3. MAPS3 is critical to the continuation of our robust residential and commercial real estate market, go to yesformaps.com for detailed information. To see what MAPS has accomplished so far check out this great video: OKC - A Great Place to Live!

Our evening ended with Bruce Aydt, one of the nation's recognized leading experts in professional standards and arbitration. An attorney and real estate broker out of Kansas, Bruce and OKCMAR have forged a long standing relationship geared towards raising the professionalism of our industry and assisting in educating our REALTORS. OKCMAR REALTORS are offered wonderful educational opportunities that are not typical in the industry.

Although this sounds like a long program we ended at 7:35pm just 5 minutes over the two hours promised and enjoyed a great meal in between! The leadership encourages every member to participate in OKCMAR events- there is always something new to learn and a take-away to increase your productivity as a real estate professional! Thanks all to everyone who attended!

N.A.R. Call to Action

Many of you should have received an email from the 2009 NAR President Charles McMillan that had his podcast about the Legislative activities of NAR with regards to the extension and expansion of the Home Buyer Credit and NAR's position on the Health Care debate before Congress.

The Real Estate Industry is playing major roles in the outcome of these two important issues before us. While listening to the Podcast, it really hit home to me about the importance that we, as individual Realtors, play by our participation by being proactive with over 400,000 messages being sent to Congress, from Realtors, like you and me, about these issues. If you never knew why before, I want you to know that this is the kind of stuff that your RPAC donation goes towards. So that $25 that you are asked to give, may just help you sell that one extra house, as a result on NAR's efforts.

We need to stay proactive!

Generation Gap?

Recently, I sat in on a meeting where the "grown-ups" complained about the current generation of young adults- mainly the apathy and the sense of entitlement. I remembered thinking of how those same things were said about my generation. I am a teenager of the 70's who did not quite have the political and cultural influence of the 60's youth.

Then the other day I sat in on a meeting with a great group of business women and learned that we were all within a few years of age of each other. Yes, I was the old lady of the group but we won't go there. As I sat in that meeting, I thought these are 4 incredibly hard-working but family focused women. This group is a group of achievers, working relentlessly to make a difference in the communities in which we live and the members of whom we serve. This is not the generation that was tagged as apathetic all those years ago.

Tonight my graduation classmate from high school posted a great video on my Facebook site (by the way we found each other and several other grads through Facebook). She posted it as a love letter to her teenage daughters. It was somewhat an affirmation that the newest generation of young adults were not apathetic or entitled but shared the same values as their parents. Take a moment to watch the video and hopefully be inspired.

Mirror, Mirror on the Wall

Who is the fairest of them all? Do you like what you see when you look at your professional associations: OKCMAR, OAR & NAR? The associations, are only a reflection of their members desires, needs and participation. Yesterday, a member expressed to me displeasure with the state and national assessments in the dues billing. Inherent in the letter was the sentiment that somehow OKCMAR had some level of control over the state and national billing. OKCMAR does not BUT he does as do you!

Dues and any assessments as well as investments and expenses are not driven or decided by the respective association staff. Each year the Boards of Directors create, review and approve budgets and dues. To affect change one must become actively involved in the associations- become a part of the governance process by serving on committees and ultimately by holding a seat on the Board of Directors. The reflection in the mirror that you see is the reflection of the memberships' participation in the association. To change the reflection involvement in the associations is a necessary step.

For more information about the NAR assessment click here

Oh What a Night!

Well it wasn't late December back in '63 but it was a fabulous night in October of '09. The Affiliate Table Top and Expo was an incredibly fun evening. The affiliate sponsors really pulled out all the stops and we were able to give away great prizes about every 15 minutes! The winner of the 2010 Association Dues and MLS Fees was Ronda Hall. We were very excited to have the MAPS3 booth- we need to get this legislation passed! We had 25 booths and 27 sponsors. We had several new booths this year and the Marriott was just a great facility- lots of room, great food and beverage!

Congrats to my staff for pulling off this expanded and upgraded event. OVER 200 members were in attendance! Kelli McNeal, your Marketing & Communications Director, said she would do a dance if we hit over 200. I think I missed the dance but the entire staff was smiling from ear to ear to be able to offer a benefit to our REALTOR and Affiliate members that was so well received. We also raised awareness and money for RPAC and one of our signature charities, Heartline/211. We hope next year to increase by 10 more booths and at least 100 more members.

Thank you to all the participants- you brought so much value to the event!

I realize I have far over-used the exclamation point in this posting but I can't help but exclaim about this event. Thank you to the OKCMAR Board of DIrectors & RCA executive board for your fabulous attendance rate. It was wonderful to have such a strong leadership presence there.

We will be sending out an online evaluation form in the next day or so to those who participated. Please take a minute to fill it out so that we can have an even better event next year.

Back to the Real World

I, too, participated in the OKCMAR strategic planning retreat and echo our President-Elect's sentiments. I was in some ways suprised at a few of the outcomes, but nonetheless incredibly proud of this group. As I left for the weekend in a state of euphoria about all the amazing things we will accomplish, my mind could not help but think of the real world in which we live and how much work it will take to accomplish what was set before us.

So as I sit in my office on this gloomy Monday I say to myself, "Wow, where will you start?" I was given qreat book, Now, Discover Your Strengths! written by Buckingham and Clifton in which I learned my primary trait was that of achiever. I encourage all broker-managers to read the book if they can- This is a link to the book summary. The book pokes gentle fun of people like me. Achievers live their life through a self-imposed point system. For example, I give myself a point for sending my daughter off to school with a hot breakfast, another point for being on time, points for finishing projects and bonus points if one of the members writes me to say we are doing a good job. I live my life to rack up as many points as I can in a day. Pathetic, I know, but it gives me so much pleasure! I also deduct points for things undone.

It is this very point system that leaves me a little ovewhelmed by the 2010 strategic plan but then I remember that I am not in this alone. I have a huge membership, a strong board and a great staff to help me! This year I will be making weekly brokerage visits to discuss the plan once it has been officially approved at this month's board meeting. If you are interested in an office visit or would just like to meet with me to review the plan I would greatly look forward to the opportunity. Please email me at dkennedy@okcmar.org to arrange a time.

Remember- You get the most out of your membership and dues investment if you are involved in the association's mission. Are you a member or are you just paying dues? That is a question only each of us can answer.

2010 Director's Strategic Plan Retreat

Last Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday the OKCMAR Board & the MLSOK Board had its' 2010 Planning Retreat. I must say that I was so extremely impressed with the dedicated effort and enthusiasm of all the attendees. This coming year we have a broad spectrum of experience and knowledge. Additionally, we are extremely fortunate to have the OKCMAR staff that we have who embrace the very same enthusiasm and dedicated effort that the Realtor Board Members demonstrated. Every step of the T.E.A.M. effort was discussed -- Technology, Education, Advocacy, and Marketing.

You will see a very busy agenda this coming year to enhance the positive image of OKCMAR in the marketplace through active community involvement and to work with political officials who believe in and have a track record with the REALTOR Party.

The members of the Board cannot do this without the active involvement of the individual Board Member. I can't say it enough that this is the Member's Board, and each of us has an equal share in the prosperity and longevity of our organization. Without Involvement, there is no Existence. I will repeat that, because it is important and I will be saying it quite a few times -- Without Involvement, there is no Existence.

The first thing I would emphasize is our upcoming Affiliate Table Top show at the Marriott on October 15th from 4:30 to 7:00pm. This is a show where our Affiliate Members, who pay dues, like you and I, display their services, and show you how they can assist you in your success. I cannot urge you enough to meet with all these businesses to learn about their services. The Affiliates have proven that they believe in OKCMAR and many of them have time and time again volunteered their services, time and additional dollars in support of OKCMAR. We need and must support our Affiliate members. They are part of our T.E.A.M.

Please make sure you attend the Table Top. All the 2010 Directors and Staff will be there. Come share your ideas!

2010 Board of Directors Planning

This week the 2010 Board of Directors will be planning for next years plans and goals. This is the planning for our 2010 Strategic Plan for the REALTOR and Affiliate membership. I am extremely interested in any ideas that come from the membership and any ideas that you feel the Board should entertain and develop for the coming year.

We have all received the "Calls for Action" from NAR, but we must also remember that all Real Estate is local. That is why good ideas will always be needed and well received to make sure that OKCMAR will always work to better our member base and to maintain a strong and viable market.

Your REALTOR Ways

As I was driving back to the office from Edmond today I happened to think about why I always take the 63rd St. exit. The late great Jean Thornton taught me all about what her husband referred to as "Your REALTOR ways". He was referring to all the navigational short cuts Jean had learned over a life time working in the OKC real estate industry. I smiled when I heard Jean's voice in my head. I miss her as I am certain the entire real estate community does.

But that phrase continued like a mantra in my head and I realized it is part of what draws me to and keeps me in this wonderful industry we call real estate. REALTOR ways means much more than side street shortcuts throughout the city it is how REALTORS quickly become the hubs of their communities, experts in the neighborhood. As the REALTOR becomes the expert in the community they serve, they also become its heart.

REALTOR ways means going the extra mile, having tact and discretion, a true desire to help families, a quick and adaptive mind and flexibility. This is why REALTORS have quickly become a large segment of the social media community. WIthin the next week OKCMAR will be launching its broker support program and a key component will be a social media university. I am saving the details for the launch of our exciting new and interactive website. This is what I believe they call a tickler....check this blog often for the latest breaking news at OKCMAR.

Are You Working As Hard As Charles?

It is not uncommon to feel far-removed from the National Association of REALTORS due to geopgraphic distances. However, we must not forget that these REALTORS working on our behalf ARE UNPAID VOLUNTEERS JUST LIKE YOU!. We have REALTORS out there every day working for us, taking time away from their personal business to better our profession and our industry.

President McMillan has been relentless in his efforts to try and protect and build on the housing recovery. Please take a moment to listen to his message to us as to what he has been doing to help us this week: Click Here

After you have listened to the message go to the REALTOR Action Center and click on the call to action

I can personally attest that the legislators are listening. I answered Charles' call to action last week and have already received a personal letter from Congresswoman Mary Fallin.

I am not asking the membership to work as hard as Charles McMillan- I am asking the membership to take 30 seconds to send a call to action email.

I would then ask EACH & EVERY REALTOR MEMBER to make another $35 RPAC contribution to assist President Charles in this mission to protect our business and the ability to make a living here in OKC doing what we love- real estate. Click Here to Contribute NOW!

When is it time to say goodbye?

CEO Viewpoint:

I attended the AE session of the OAR conference facilitated by NAR Past President Richard Mendenhall and I really connected to two of his points. One of the slides that I found particularly thought provoking was "Is our association programming decaying or developing?". This may seem an easy answer on the surface but when I thought about some of the examples on the slide I thought that the answers may not be as obvious as they seem.

The first bullet point on the slide with the above title question was Going Paperless. At first, the immediate thought is that this is a developing trend and programming and services should be geared towards that. Then I remembered our 4 generations in membership and remembered that Gen Y LOVES to get mail. As the mom of two Gen Yers I can attest to the validity of that statement. I also thought about the success of our recently launched newsmagazine. There is something to be said about holding something tangible in one's hand. At the end of the session, Carolyn House, AE of the Enid Association of REALTORS distributed their new Enid REALTORS magazine. It too appears to have met with rave reviews. I personally thought it was incredibly well done but I would expect nothing less from this talented colleague.

Carolyn had explained that this was a mission of sorts of one of her board members. One of the reasons OKCMAR launched its magazine was at the request of two directors. I loved that our magazines were so incredibly different- it speaks to the drive and creativity of association staff. So while it appears that going paperless is a developing trend- returning to paper for some things also appears to be a growing trend. Again that multi-generational facet of our membership cannot be ignored.

On our break, I was speaking with a REALTOR who expressed frustration at the low registration of an event that seemed to have high support and a lot of excitement. They ended up canceling the event. I commiserated with our cancelled REALTOR follies. I thought of events I have attended recently (many non-REALTOR). It seems that we are willing to agree their are 4 generations in the marketplace with needs, but have we really accepted it and then the next step, embraced it.

I believe we need to look at (and not be disappointed with) smaller turnouts and smaller groups and perhaps tailor our event programming to these small-scale events. The next step make the event count! Knowing that numbers may be smaller, using our time, talent and resources to make them WOW happenings. A great example of this was the NAR RCA event. I believe there was about 50 of us who participated and NAR pulled out all the stops. I loved how they connected with their demographic- we had a custom tour (our tour guide was fantastic and a REALTOR) of Wrigley Stadium and then we ended the evening with "REAL" Chicago food- sliders and deep-fried Mac & Cheese in a newly opened sports tavern. We had a singing contest with baseball teams (we had to run around and find our teammates which forced us to meet and talk with our RCA counterparts across the nation). It was so much fun and I left with contacts and education about how other RCA's are operating.

My point is that there was no feeling of disappointment in the small crowd instead there was the mindset that with a small crowd they could do something very fun, very unique and have a WOW effect on all who attended. I challenge the committee members of 2010 (and hope you challenge staff right back) to embrace the 4 segments of our membership and tailor events and programming to each segment. Focus on the end result not the number count. How can we WOW you in 2010?

Disclosure Still Applies

Bloggers and Facebook Members-

Remember that you still need to disclose to the public your REALTOR status when advertising properties on Facebook or your blogs! Online advertising is still advertising subject to the REALTOR Code of Ethics and state law.

Show our REALTOR Strength in Numbers- Take Action

NAR has reformatted its REALTOR Action Center and it is fantastic! As an Association Exec I love the new format that has a specific section for staff. There are also sections specific to brokers and specific to sales associates. You all need to check this site out:

www.realtoractioncenter.com

I strongly encourage every OKCMAR member to answer the Call to Action on the home page to personally deliver (through NAR software- super easy!) a message to our legislators asking for extension and expansion of the homebuyers credit.

We represent OVER ONE MILLION US CITIZENS- would it not be amazing (and could congress ignore) for congress to hear all 1.1 million REALTOR voices. Our strength is in our numbers and in our organization. Flex our proverbial muscle and TAKE ACTION- TODAY!

Have You Checked Your Profile Lately?

CEO VIEWPOINT:

As I have dived head first into the social media world, I have come accross an interesting problem. I believe it is important that as the CEO of one of the best trade associations in the US that I am always a step ahead, being able from a vantage point to offer guidance to the membership. Here is my concern: In a virtual world the only means by which the public knows you is through your profile. I question the wisdom of blending the "Two Yous" (public and private) in the virtual reality.

Recently, what has come to my attention is that members use the same facebook site and profile for their professional life as they do for their personal life. When a profile is checked, information that family members may consider clever or endearing can be quite off-putting to a potential client or customer. Please check the profile picture to which you are posting to the OKCMAR facebook, a professional site. What message are you sending to the public? If you were searching for a physician or other professional, what picture would you expect to see and what would her profile look like?

Also, knowing that the world has access to public sites, what do your postings say about you? I would caution against too much private information. I strongly advise you to review your public profile and to have two facebook sites. One for your professional life with your professional email and one for your family and friends with a personal email address- and keep your personal site private. Email addresses are free through many online providers, google, yahoo, msn and aol. Just visit any of their websites and click on email for a free account.

To keep your personal facebook site private go into your facebook site and in the upper right corner click on the link entitled "Settings". Here you will be led to privacy settings where you can control who has access to your site and also who can search for you through your site. You also have the option of blocking people who you inadvertently allowed on your site. Protect your privacy and the reputation of professionalism you have worked so hard to build by creating two virtual world profiles.

Affiliate Trade Show & Expo is One of the Best Events of the Year

AFFILIATE TABLE TOP

Here at OKCMAR we are always looking for channels to bring value to the membership. This year we have amped up our table top by expanding space and keeping all tables on the same floor.

If you have yet to attend an affiliate table top you have missed one of the key benefits of your membership" networking with service providers in the real estate industry. OKCMAR affiliate members are deeply involved in the association and have a tremendous volume of information
to share with the REALTOR membership.

There may be ideas you wanted to explore but didn't know how, you maybe looking for member discounts, perhaps you have questions about a process but are reluctant to ask in a formal setting. This is the opportunity to ask questions in depth about the products and services provided by the OKCMAR affiliates.

The tabletop expo is a great place for affiliates to share new programs and new information with the OKCMAR membership. In addition to a comfortable walk through including demonstrations OKCMAR is providing beer & wine and heavy Hors D'oeuvres. So after a hard day of pounding the pavement, come to the Marriot, Thursday, October 15th 4pm-7:30pm and enjoy a relaxing drink, delicious snack and GREAT OKCMAR COMPANY! The expo is free to attend for information on becoming an exhibitor click here.

One of My Favorite Subjects- Trumping

My family loves to play cards! I cannot tell you how many nights we sit around the table playing sheepshead for hours. When we owned our own restaurant (we lived in the attached housing) we were closed on Mondays in the winter off season. Every Monday we would load up the kids and the cards and go to a little hole in the wall resort, where often we were the only people there, eat dinner and then play cards until 9pm. On New Years Day, the Kennedy family holds a large family gathering where cards rule the day. It was a common site to see several groups of Kennedys playing sheepshead. When I got married to my husband over a quarter of a century ago it was a pre-requisite that I liked to play cards (my family played pinochle with the same fervor the Kennedys play sheepshead) and that I learned the game- every Kennedy learns the game with the average player starting in earnest around 8 years of age. It was through cards that I learned the concept of trumping.

Trumping allows one card to override the other and hence takes the "trick" or all the cards played. I think that because I am such an avid card player I was able to easily wrap my mind around procuring cause. As REALTORS you have all agreed to abide by the Code of Ethics where procuring cause trumps every other card played in the transaction. Procuring cause can even trump a contract because as REALTORS you have agreed through your membership that you will concede a commission to the member who has procuring cause.

While the concept of trumping helps us to understand how one can lose a commission the definition of what constitutes procuring cause can be a little murky. Procuring cause is conceptual which means that each situation must be reviewed individually by a panel of your peers. Your OKCMAR Board of Directors is committed to educating the membership in professional standards. Twice per year, spring and fall, we bring in national speakers (both attorneys) who take us through the procuring cause concept. This Octber 22, Bruce Aydt will host the procuring cause session for brokers and their associates. I especially like the format of this session.

During the day Bruce will offer two Professional Standards Core Courses. This is a great opportunity to complete your required CE with instruction from a national instructor. Again, OKCMAR is offering this wonderful educational opportunity to its members at no cost! That evening OKCMAR's Broker's Quarterly Committee hosts a dinner at the Marriot (this year they have opened up the event to REALTOR-Associates as guests of the broker for $10) where Bruce will present an overview of procuring cause followed by an open question & answer discussion period. This session is not a CE course but the chance to ask those nagging questions about procuring cause and receive an answer from a national expert. I encourage all to attend. To register click here

OKCMAR Board Votes in New Officers

OKCMAR bylaws require that the board of directors (and incoming directors) hold an election for the officers of the Board. Your 2010 officers are:

President:Dave Moeller
President Elect: Steve Mann
Vice-President: Chuck Harris
Secretary/Treasurer: Lorna Koeninger
Past President: Judy Lindsay

Congrats to all!

THANK YOU VOLUNTEERS!

This has been a week that has warmed my heart! Just now I received the news that Don & Susanna Lorg will be blessing our Brokers Quarterly dinner with a duet during our invocation. I hear their harmony is just spectacular. We had many, many new volunteers (as well as those we can always count on) as electoral judges and auction workers, & the Call for Volunteers for the COBHA Home & Garden booth workers filled up within days- the fastest and best response I have received since my two year tenure! THANK YOU, THANK YOU OKCMAR MEMBERS FOR MAKING A DIFFERENCE IN OUR ASSOCIATION!!!!!!

Every time we band together as a united front for a greater cause- be it through involvement in leadership, raising funds to continue to lobby for private property rights and home ownership incentives and support positive legislation, presenting information the consumers need to know about REALTOR services we raise and protect the professionalism of our industry. An association only has as much value as members are willing to contribute. We could have all the money and technology in the world but that doesn't give the association value. ONLY YOU, the member can give and take value to and from the association.

For many years outside forces have sought to devalue the REALTORS' importance in the real estate transaction and to devalue our professionalism. We are licensed, educated professionals but most importantly we are organized professionals through our association. It is our duty and obligation to maintain the integrity of our profession. I am so proud of all of you who stepped forward this month with RPAC contributions and contributions of your time and talent. It makes me so proud to be affiliated with OKCMAR. Thank you again.

Voting Results

By now you have seen the results of the election. Yesterday, Wednesday, we had our first Board meeting with the newly elected Directors present.

This was the first election that we used the Online Voting process that is now available through the OKCMAR site. The majority of the voting took place online making the program a great success. We will see many items of concern to the General Membership utilize this process in the future.

Please help to get the word out to your fellow Realtors about utilizing the Blogs and websites that are available to all of us through OKCMAR.

The Results Are In...

Welcome, Welcome New OKCMAR 2010 Directors! If you missed the e-blast your new 2010 OKCMAR Directors are: Bill Bateman, Gigi Faulkner, Barbara Harris, Ryan Hukill, Jennifer Johnson, & Mike Malone. I ncourage all our members to get to know your incoming leadership. We have such a diverse group this year!

Time Flies When You're Having Fun!

CEO Viewpoint:

The reason they call old adages, an old adage, is because they generally are true. Tomorrow marks the end of my second year with OKCMAR and the beginning of my third year. I wish to thank all of the membership and especially the current and past directors for this wonderful journey they have walked with me. Just like in a marriage, learning to live together has its ups and downs, but I sincerely hope you are as committed to OKCMAR as I am to you. Thank you again for a wonderful and challenging two years and.... Happy Anniversary to Us!

Oh yes, remember to VOTE-VOTE- VOTE !

Remember To Vote!

As our illustrious President-Elect, Dave Moeller, says VOTE-VOTE-VOTE. See his blog below. You can make a difference! Remember if you vote electronically you may not vote in person tomorrow- I hope to see many, many members participating in the RPAC auction. We need to support RPAC because it directly supports our ability to sell homes.

The Housing Market is Not A Stock Market Ticker Tape

CEO Viewpoint

Today I was interviewed by the local press to see if I had an answer as to why a neighboring city's closed home sales decreased this month while OKCMAR's closed home sales went up.

I think it is very important that as professionals we educate the public that real estate is a LONG TERM investment. The average consumer should anticipate investing in his home for 10-30 years. Slight monthly fluctuations in the housing market are normal- just as grocery and consumer goods fluctuate in price. Since the inception of the stock market, real estate has out performed the stock market over time without fail.It is the BEST investment a person can make. This investment is more than financial it is in investment in our community and society as whole. Neighborhoods with strong home ownership rates tend to be low in crime, support their local schools and support the bonds of human friendship- something we all need.

NAR has great talking points to use when speaking of the value of home ownership- they can be linked to here...TALKING POINTS

NAR also offered the following when we analyze rate of return,"When considering the investment value of a home, think about this: Dollar for dollar, the rate of return on an individual’s cash downpayment on a house is substantial. Buyers typically use their own money to cover only a small portion of the purchase price, but the home appreciation they realize is based on the total value of the property.

Homeowners benefit from the power of leverage. Over 10 years, a $10,000 investment in the stock market at a normal 10 percent market rate of return would yield $23,600. The same investment as a down payment on a $200,000 home at a normal appreciation rate of 5 percent would return nearly five times the average stock market return, at $110,300...."

Now, add to that rate of return the ability to deduct your mortgage interest and property tax from your federal tax return and calculate the savings in income tax paid over the life of a 30 year mortgage and the return is even greater. This year add another $8000 in one's pocket if one is a first time homebuyer and the yield on investment expands even more!

Just something to think about....

A Picture is Worth a 1000 Words!

Become a part of the movement to extend (maybe even expand) the homebuyers' tax credit.

NAR's 2009 REALTOR® Party Video Contest challenges REALTORS® to make a short, personal video explaining how the Home Buyer Tax Credit has helped their clients buy their first home.

The contest will run until September 30. The winning entry will receive a $500 American Express gift card and be shown at the Annual Convention in San Diego in November. Two runners-up will receive Flip UltraHD Camcorders.

During the contest, please help us get as many REALTORS® involved as possible by encouraging your fellow REALTOR® Family members to enter and letting them know how important it is that Congress expands and extends the tax credit (From OAR).

VOTE - VOTE - VOTE

Hi Everybody –

I just wanted to remind everybody to vote in the Board of Directors Election this coming week. I would love to see maximum participation at the Luncheon on Wednesday at the Skirvin, but remember that you can also vote online through the OKCMAR website for the Board of Directors.

I have been very pleased this year in seeing the participation of the nominated slate in active canvassing of votes on Facebook and other social media. This is the age of Technology as was evidenced at the NAR Leadership Summit I recently attended in Chicago. I think the Nominating Committee did a fine job in their selection, and I want to thank all of the selected slate for their participation and desire to serve.

As President Elect, I look forward to working with the incoming Board & Staff next year in promoting OKCMAR and moving towards our continued success in the marketplace. Our success can only be achieved by the support of our members and the dedicated hard work of all committees, and the Staff. Vote for the Board that will work for you, and be part of the process of continued growth. Our opportunity is only limited by the support from the membership. Please VOTE!

Nobody Asked Me

Tne ASAE Report, The Decision to Join, (called "Impetus to Join" in a prior post), was based on a survey that had over 16,000 association member respondents. When polled about why they did not serve the association, the hands down answer was: NOBODY ASKED ME. OKCMAR is asking- Will you answer the call?

Another analysis of the ASAE findings was level of involvement. Many members would like to participate on some level but cannot commit to committee membership.The report suggested developing a database of one-time, short term "ad hoc" involvement tasks to allow members to particpate at a level they were comfortable with.

Completely understanding that OKCMAR members may get involved if asked and if given the opportunity to serve in an ad hoc manner, a list has been compiled of ad hoc activities and OKCMAR is asking for your help. Click Here to access the form and please become a part of the ad hoc database of volunteers. OKCMAR exists for you and because of you- won't you answer the call to serve?

Do you have time to serve on a committee? Click here to access the 2010 Committee sign up form.

Participation Versus Involvement- I Think I Found My Answer

CEO Viewpoint:

I received the ASAE report today, Impetus to Join, and had my AHA! moment. It clarified the quandary I had in my mind about weighting participation regarding my Warm Bodies post. I knew I was getting at something, I just couldn't figure out exactly what it was. The turning question in my mind was "Why does a body count have so much import?" I just really couldn't pinpoint a value to that. The question came about after participating in several meetings regarding the proposed OKCMAR budget. Each year we invest substantial resources (time, money, staff) in the Inaugural Celebration. The overwhelming sentiment appeared to be (of course this is just my perception and my opinion) ... This event is so successful we have close to 500 members attending. Which led to my question, What is the value of that participation- why is this considered a success?

It seemed that many were very impressed by the turnout but as the CEO I didn't see the perceived Return on Investment (ROI) considering resources consumed. The ROI has to be more than an attendance count. We have 500 people in a room for a few hours- what is the benefit to the membership as a whole and is the greater good of the membership served? Do these 500 go back to their offices and talk about OKCMAR, promote OKCMAR's purpose, recruit committee members, get interested in serving, donate to RPAC,become our future leaders? We have over 500 members contributing to our Facebook and Facebook is free - So if participation is measured by count then Facebook is a far greater ROI because it is free!

Anyway, now that the readers have the background, I can go back to my AHA! moment. The report basically said we need to move from Participation as the performance metric for the association and replace the metric with Involvement. There is a huge difference in participating in OKCMAR events/offerings (attendance) and becoming INVOLVED in the association. Participating is attending a luncheon- Involvement is greeting REALTORS as they walk in the door for the luncheon- forcing one's self to actively promote and embody the association and its purpose. Network with all the members attending versus sitting with those REALTORS in your office.

I realized I was trying to grasp the difference of physical versus online attendance and the difference really is moot- the only real measure of success is involvement. Involvement doesn't mean attending everything and sitting in a committee meeting. Involvement is the understanding that one is working with and for the association to further the "greater good". OKCMAR DOES NOT EXIST MERELY TO PROVIDE SERVICES although that is why many join. OKCMAR exists to assist its members in fulfilling an obligation to advance the common good and professionalism of the real estate industry.

So I have my answer- I need to track not just attendance but involvement. Another spreadsheet- my staff will be so happy- LOL!

To Blog or Not To Blog; That is the Question

CEO Viewpoint:



I received a very interesting comment regarding the benefits of blogging. A blog is meant to start a dialogue but also to serve as an information source. I look at this blog as just one more communication channel. I particularly like blogging because it allows me to expand on messages OKCMAR sends through other channels. I also think it is somewhat like FDR's fireside chats. I hope that through blogging members will get to know OKCMAR, myself, the President & the President-Elect a little better and in turn assist them in feeling connected to the association.



The one comment I received was that to date there have only been 12 comments posted on the blogs (MLS has a tech blog) and was this a good return on investment. Well, the blogs started in earnest about two weeks ago and just as we wouldn't expect a new REALTOR to have a fully developed book of business in two weeks, we shouldn't expect a large readership in two weeks. Ideally I hope this blog will reach about 20% of our membership- realizing it is just another communication channel - one of many.



The second question regarding time spent versus return. Actually I spend very little time producing the blogs and tend to blog on my mythical "off time". However I thought about how much staff and committee time is spent putting together one event. I would like to measure that time against attendance and then measure the time I spend on this versus comments. I will keep you posted as to how this pans out! It will be interesting to see and I sincerely thank the member who took the time to respond to my Warm Bodies post for giving me this very valuable measuring tool.

The same reader also suggested that online presence should not be weighted as heavily as physical presence. So perhaps we measure the online participation as 50%?

HAVE A GREAT DAY READERS!