Post Convention Thoughts

Many of you contacted me with words of encouragement yesterday and today; I'd like to thank each of you for your friendship.


I would also like to extend special thanks to the Emerald Coast Association of Realtors for being so generous in their support of my campaigning activities. The entire staff has been a part of this effort, but most especially Barry Stafford and Michaela Benjamin, I could not have made this journey without them.


I was especially honored by the notice posted on our ECAR Home Page today:

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Bob Hudgens Wins Hearts of Many at FAR Convention
President Cliff Chaplin, CEO Barry Stafford, and the entire ECAR leadership team would like to thank Bob Hudgens for his tireless efforts to become the Florida Association of REALTORS® 2009 President-Elect. Bob’s level of professionalism, integrity, and dignity raised ECAR’s profile to Realtors® around the state. Despite Bob's hard work and personal sacrifice, the FAR Board of Directors selected Wendell Davis as 2009 President-Elect at its meeting September 28. Here are the 2009 officers of the Florida Association of REALTORS®:

President – Cynthia Shelton
President-Elect – Wendell Davis
Vice-President – Pat Fitzgerald
Treasurer – Summer Greene
Secretary – Dean Asher

ECAR is proud to announce that ECAR President Cliff Chaplin was elected as 2009 FAR District Vice President for District 9.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I started blogging in December to chronicle my year as Treasurer for the Florida Association of Realtors. I plan to continue posting blog entries through the end of the year. The calendar is still packed with activities that are important to members. Hopefully, a member of the 2009 LT will be able to pick up where I leave off by continuing this blog.

Some Thoughts on FAR's Election

Running From the Floor - I realize some may think that "Running From the Floor" (RFtF) is a bit unconventional for the Florida Association of Realtors, but this isn't the first time this has happened. We only have to look back one year to see that we not only had one candidate, but two RFtF; Cynthia Shelton, our current President-Elect and Wendell Davis, a current candidate for President-Elect. The fact that both chose to use the entirety of the election process and not just the Nominating Committee portion indicates that both were compelled to run because they did not agree with Nomination's recommendation and wanted to take their case to you, the directors. I'm sure they faced many obstacles on the path to that election. When all was said and done, you made it very clear that you wanted to be part of the process.

The Ballot - Some have been questioned whether or not I will be on the ballot. I received the following statement from FAR after asking that question:
“Since the candidate nominated by the Nominating Committee is known and since it is known that a qualified candidate plans to run from the floor, it would be proper to assure both candidates that both names will appear on the ballot”.

Your duty as FAR Director - I won't quote chapter and verse, however you can find reference to your duties as an FAR Director on pg. 128 of the 2008 LRG. In summary, it is your duty as director to act in the best interest of the corporation you represent (FAR) and not your local associations who elected or appointed you. I couldn't agree more! So your decision as to who you will vote for comes down to who is the best candidate to serve as FAR's leader in 2010, not who did Nominating Committee select to be on the ballot. The whole purpose of visiting with local associations and districts is to get candidates and members/directors to meet face to face. When boards endorse candidates, they are indicating they agree that their candidate of choice is the best choice for FAR. This is the only process before the NC interview that gives the associations input to the system.

The convention is days away, and I'm looking forward with great anticipation to seeing each and every one of you as we endeavor to strengthen our commitment to the Florida Realtors.

Nominating Committee recommendation

Quite a week, we started out by making storm preparations for Hurricane Gustav; checking generators, updating contact information, making sure the properties we are responsible for were ready. Even though the storm didn't hit us, we felt some impact from the outer rain bands, but more importantly, we put our storm preparation drill into action.


In the middle of all that, I was preparing myself for the Nominating Committee interview on Friday in Orlando. Just like preparing far in advance of a storm, I have been preparing far in advance for the opportunity to be the President-Elect of the Florida Association of Realtors. You can see through my many blog postings that I have travelled the state meeting our members face-to-face and finding out what their needs are and how those needs are changing in light of our current market. I have put forth huge efforts, first as Secretary in 2006 as we overhauled the Policies and By-Laws and then again this year as the Treasurer facing a $1.8 million shortfall. I've established new political relationships as well as built on previous relationships in Tallahassee and Washington. All this in an effort to be as effective for Florida Realtors as I can be.


The Nominating Committee met with both Wendell and myself on Friday morning and decided to put Wendell forth as their candidate for President-Elect. Needless to say, I was disappointed. But after the initial shock, I must say I'm excited to have an opportunity to "run from the floor" given the format of our new nominating procedure. As I travelled this year meeting with local Realtors, they had an opportunity to ask any questions they wanted to assure themselves that I am the person to take on the ultimate job of President. You can see from my endorsements that I have proudly posted, that I won the support of many associations; small, medium, large and mega. They stretch from one end of Florida to the other.


Now is your chance, as a Florida Director, to let your voice be heard. There will be an election on Sunday morning, Sept. 28th during the Board of Directors meeting. I need a commitment from every supporter to be there and cast your ballot for Bob Hudgens for President-Elect.


Please, let me hear from you. BobHudgens@c21coastal.com

Greater Tampa Assoc of Realtors endorsement

It's been several weeks since the candidates meet the leaders of District 6 so I was pleasantly surprised today when I received a phone call from President Deborah Farmer of the Greater Tampa Association of Realtors congratulating me on receiving their endorsement. GTAR has always been active with the FAR.

Orlando Regional RA endorsement

Last Tuesday, the candidates had an opportunity to meet with leaders from District 2, 10 and 12. The venue was the top of the new Plaza in downtown Orlando with a 360 degree view. As usual, each candidate was able to describe their own goals and aspirations for the Florida Association of Realtors. Pres-Elect Cynthia gave an FAR update including our progress on Amendment 5 and a brief look at the 2009 budget. We also spent a lot of time discussing the needs of members during this challenging business market.

After leaving the event, I received a call from Lydia Pisano advising me that the Orlando Regional Realtors Association voted to endorse my candidacy for President-Elect. I'm very excited to receive their endorsement as we head into the final two weeks of campaigning before the Nominating Committee interviews for officers on Aug. 29th. It has been a pleasure travelling the state and meeting leaders of the local associations in this effort to learn more about their needs from FAR.

District 7 - Meet the Candidates

DVP Harry Willett hosted the candidates for lunch at the new Hernando County Association of Realtors office in Brooksville. The members from District 7 were there in the morning for an education program led by Oliver Frascona. After our informal lunch, we each took turns presenting our goals and visions for the Florida Association of Realtors. We finished up with a Town Hall style discussion of the major issues that our top priorities: combatting the media's constant barrage of bad news and the passage of Amendment 5 in November.

District 4 Education Summit - Key Largo

July was such a busy month, I just realized that I hadn't posted about the District 4 Education Summit in Key Largo. District 4 stretches from Key West to Miami, a distance of nearly 250 miles! Dead center is Key Largo; what an incredible location to have an education event. This picture is of the sunrise (yes, I was up at sunrise) from the balcony at the resort.DVP Renate Smith put together a great program with wide range of presenters. She also included a trade show. Late Friday afternoon, the attendees had a chance to hear from each of us candidates about our goals for FAR. They had some great questions. Saturday morning, somewhere around 8:45 (time doesn't matter in the Keys); President Chuck and his LT presented an FAR update and spent a lot of time on the benefits of Amendment 5.


I couldn't go that far without spending some time in Key West with Terri, Luke and Steve. The boys enjoyed renting a scooter and "touring" the island for 24 hours. Grace stayed in Navarre with the Grandparents.

PAR Members Luncheon - Amendment 5

On July 28th, I delivered what we call an "FAR Update" to the Pensacola Association of Realtors membership luncheon. The purpose of the update is to let members know what the Florida Association of Realtors is doing on their behalf; i.e. the latest in member services, any changes or enhancements, and also what is happening on the political front. Our incredible Public Policy staff led by John Sebree is tasked with being knowledgeable and current on ALL things that relate to private property rights and license law. The most important issue is passage of Amendment 5, reducing our property taxes across the board by 25 to 40%! Last week FAR rolled out a new informational website to promote this effort: http://www.giveme5florida.com/. When I mentioned this in my update, I received a lot of blank stares; then when asked if anyone even knew about A5 only a few raised their hands. Looks like we have our work cut out for us. Fortunately, their were a lot of RPAC endorsed local candidates who did not know either, but after hearing the positive benefits seemed to embrace the idea of lower property taxes. You'll be hearing a lot more about A5 over the coming weeks. The opposition has a pending lawsuit challenging the language, but we hope that lawsuit will be defeated quickly and we can go all out to ensure passage.

Habitat for Humanity Wall Raising - Orlando

Meet Martina Dunston, the proud new (future) Homeowner of the NAR sponsored Habitat house in Orlando. The dedication will take place the week of the NAR convention in November. Martina's children are James age 7 yrs, Amy age 4 and Destini 18 mo. She is a single mother holding down a full time job. She has also put in 300 hours of sweat equity time to qualify for ownership.

Summer, Cynthia and I were joined by over 40 volunteers including from ORRA, Bob Caldwell, Pres-Elect Les Simmonds, AE Belton Jennings and Greg Rokeh to raise the walls last Saturday. It was truly an emotional experience to witness and be a part of something as special as this event. Dee Danmeyer, Executive Director for Habitat for Humanity Orlando and Jennifer Gallagher Volunteer Coordinator coordinated all of the FAR and NAR volunteers along with other HFH homeowners working on their sweat equity. We arrived at the job site (a concrete foundation) by 8:30 and by noon had the walls up and the first roof truss in place. If you are coming to the NAR convention, set aside some time to volunteer for Habitat for Humanity.

Navarre Area Board members luncheon

I had the opportunity the other day to deliver an FAR update to the membership of the Navarre Area Board of Realtors. President Tara is on the left and Tammy Pahl Morgan is on the right. Tammy is currently enrolled in the FAR Leadership Development Academy. We talked about the efforts that FAR is promoting to help our members to get through this tough economy. Most members may not be aware but our award winning Communications Department published a website that containing testimonials, ideas and step by step how-to's about making the most out of the tough times we're all facing. Check it out to see if you can find some information that you can put to work for you and your office: http://buynow.floridarealtors.org

RAGFL Meet Your Mayors Breakfast

Last Friday (July 11th) the Leadership Team met in Fort Lauderdale for the annual Meet Your Mayors breakfast. This has become the largest gathering of mayors and commissioners in the area. Twenty-six cities and municipalities were represented; mostly by the mayors, but some commissioners attended. The event is sponsored by the Realtor Association of Greater Fort Lauderdale; President Randy Bates led off with introductions and 2004 National WCR President Brenda Ghibaudi followed with an inspirational message. Rick Barkett, CEO then emceed the rest of the meeting. That took strong will and an easy going style to keep 26 politicians brief and on point; which Rick did very well.


The biggest issue that came up was when Sec. Summer Greene asked them to indicate their support for Amendment 5 by standing up; only 5 stood. The others gave varying reasons for not supporting the amendment. The primary reason was cutting school funding; however President Chuck rose to the occasion to clarify the concerns and to speak directly to the funding sources outlined in the amendment. Great job Chuck and very passionate.

Realtor Assoc of Martin County endorsement

I've got a lot of blogging to do and I'm going to break this down into several posts. I've been quite busy since my last post. As always, I'm posting the endorsement letters as I receive them. I received the posted letter from President David Derrenbacker and EVP Dawn Mitchell informing me that the Realtor Association of Martin County (District 3) are supporting and endorsing my candidacy for President Elect of the FAR 2009. I had a chance to spend some time with them at the NAR Midwinter meetings in May. The District 3 Meet the Candidates was one of the most attended events so far this season. It's good to see the high level of involvement that their members have in the political process of both FAR and the government.

Thanks again President Dave and EVP Dawn.

Happy Fourth of July

Finance Committee meets for 2009 Budget

The Finance Committee met for two days making some very tough decisions concerning the 2009 budget. The fact is that we have fewer members now than last year and we are projecting a further decrease of 15% fewer members renewing in 2009 and a 10% reduction in new members joining the association for the first time. Foremost in the minds of everyone on the committee as well as the Management Team was keeping the services funded that most members use and pulling back the least used services. The budget won't be finalized until September during the Board of Director's meeting. That will also give us a few more months to gauge the membership levels reported from the local associations.

District 6 Candidate Event in Clearwater

It's been a busy week beginning Tuesday morning @ 5:30 CST. I picked up Ben Anderson and headed to Pensacola to catch the 8:30 flight to Orlando. On the way, the automated Delta attendant let us know that the flight was delayed until 11:30, not a good option. Fortunately, Continental had a flight leaving at 8:30 also but to Tampa instead. Fortune was in my favor since that was were I needed to be anyway for the District 6 candidate event. Isn't it funny how somethings work out?

Being fast, fluid and flexible as we are; Wendell picked all of us (Pat, Summer and myself) and we headed to the Pinellas Realtor Organization building. But first we stopped at Tina Harris' office to gather our thoughts. We had a good turnout from the District 6 leadership and fielded some good questions about the FAR's future. Afterwards, we headed to Orlando aboard the Wendell Davis express, making the trip in record time.

Lakeland Association of Realtors Endorsement

I'm very happy to announce that the Lakeland Association of REALTORS has endorsed my candidacy for FAR President-Elect

President Arthur Mattson is spearheading one of the FAR Leadership Academy teams and is literally in a different world; Second Life that is. If you haven't checked out the progress that REIS is making in SL, then do yourself a favor and download SL, begin a free account and dress-up your avatar. My avatar's name is RS Halderman. With Arthur's help he took me on a tour of the REIS headquarter, complete with Chairman Joe Ballarino's portrait hanging above the fireplace in the boardroom. I also flew over to John Clare's office for a look around. This is truly a cool experience and I'm looking forward to seeing the new and innovative ideas that Team DNA is working on to enhance our member services.

RPAC in the Heartland

Terri and I took a quick trip to Sebring/Avon Park on Friday to represent the LT and to have some fun at the same time. The Heartland Association had over 250 members and guests in attendance at an RPAC fund raising event at the High Ridge Country Club; Casino Night was the theme. President Gayle and AE Arrianna were terrific hosts and literally rolled out the red carpet. We flew to Orlando Friday morning where I was able to spend several hours with Dave Garrison preparing for this week's Finance Committee meeting. We will be working on the 2009 budget on Wednesday and Thursday.

On Tuesday, the candidates will be speaking to the members of District 6. We'll be headed to the Pinellas Realtor Association in Clearwater. DVP Alan Riley will be heading up the program.

RA of Greater Fort Lauderdale supports Bob

The candidates met with the members of District 11 on Monday for lunch and had a chance to speak about our goals and visions for the FAR. We each took questions from the attendees about issues ranging from how we can be more involved in politics to what are the biggest challenges facing FAR. As I've experienced every time during my past visits, they are very thorough and detailed. I'm happy to say that at 4pm I received a phone call from Pres. Randy Bates, Pres-Elect Jesse Acevedo and AE Rick Barkett informing me that their directors voted to support me as President-Elect for 2009.

Learning About the Everglades

Thought we'd take some time between the events on the west coast on Friday and the east coast on Monday by taking an airboat ride through the Everglades. Capt. Carl did a good job of not only driving the boat but also explaining the history and the current eco system of the Everglades. We did the whole combo package the swamp buggy ride and kissing the alligator.

President Elect application

I want to share my application with all of the subscribers of this blog. If you've ever been a candidate for an FAR office, then you know how much thought goes in to completing the application for office. Normally, only a few people actually see the application or for that matter even care about the candidates and their thoughtful responses to the questions. However, since I'm blogging, I'm hoping that there may be more interest in the process. The application contains the normal qualifying questions about leadership positions, attendance at FAR meetings and community involvement. There are three questions requiring narrative responses that tend to be the most revealing about the candidates concerns, goals and objectives. Please refer to the above link to my application; I would love to hear your comments.

The next step in the process is attending "Meet the Candidate" district events and getting to know the current and upcoming leaders in the local associations. This is a chance for candidates to give a speech and answer questions. This Friday, we begin in District 13 with a visit to Venice for lunch, hosted by DVP Tom Sponaugle. The next stop is 90 miles south in Naples at the District 5 dinner event hosted by DVP Spencer Haynes. Next, we visit with District 11 for lunch on Monday, hosted by DVP Dorine L. Longhini. Then we move up A1A to District 3 for a late afternoon event hosted by DVP Maria Wells.

I'll also be attending an NAR Strategy meeting on Thursday, an LT meeting on Tuesday and then finishing this trip with a visit with the AE's on Tuesday evening. I'll try to blog while I'm on the road; maybe even a few blogs with photos via my smartphone. It'll be fun.

NAR Mid-Year Meetings

I'm just now catching my breath. Great meetings last week in Washington DC. I was trying to figure out the best way to summarize what happened last week, but I better leave that to our professional NAR staff. Go to this hyperlink, Realtor.org ,to find a daily summary of the meetings. If I had to pick one thing that was the most inspirational event of the week, I'd have to go with Ebby Halliday during the 59 1/2 Minutes updates. I must admit that I've never met Ebby before and never knew of her impact on the NAR and our real estate profession. She's 97 years old and still goes to the office nearly every day; and even opened 4 new offices last year. Doesn't sound like she's too worried about the housing slow down.

The NAR Library/Archive concept was approved by the BOD on Saturday. This initiative has the able to transform our profession to be not just a listing information provider, but a source of all property information; MLS and public. We have always been the source of information relevant to listings and sales; information that we more or less had to dig for and verify. Unfortunately, the exclusivity of that information is slipping through our fingers like sand on the beach. In order to stay relevant to the transaction we need to have as much information as possible on all property. It's a tall order, but we must be at the forefront or we'll be lost in Google dust. (Refer to the above link for details)

Last week of the Legislative Session

I wanted to pass on the latest from Trey Price, one of our Public Policy representatives in the FAR Tallahassee office. He attended every single TBRC committee meeting, diligently reviewing and analyzing each proposal coming forward. During GARD, I had the opportunity to visit one of their meetings and listen to some testimony about school vouchers so had a small glimpse at the patience required to do his job. Our entire Public Policy team is always on full alert for legal and legislative issues that directly affect members and our customers and clients. Thanks for all you do.

The TBRC finished their work and has seven amendments heading for the November ballot. You can check them all out at http://www.floridatbrc.org/. The FAR has already voted to support CP002: major property tax reform. We'll need every member working diligently to get that and several other key real estate related amendments passed. I'll have more about that effort next week.

Executive Committee responds

Major action was taken last week by the Executive Committee to respond to the lower than expected membership of the Florida Association of Realtors. While the FAR is in a strong financial position with well over $10,000,000 in reserves, it was necessary to trim our budget nearly two million dollars to stay that way and to properly manage the members assets. As I've always said, Member Services are the most important way that serve our members; we did not cut back on these tools. If you notice anything it will be that one issue of the Florida Realtor will not be published sometime in the Fall. Our incredible staff in Orlando and Tallahassee have done an incredible job in making sure that every dollar our members pay in dues is used as efficiently as possible. As we look forward to beginning work on the 2009, we'll continue to strive for better and more efficient ways to deliver our products and services. We all want to be successful.

A Message from NAR President Gaylord

NAR Raises Concerns about Fannie and Freddie Policies
On April 11, 2008, NAR President Dick Gaylord wrote letters to Fannie Mae CEO Dan Mudd and Freddie Mac CEO Dick Syron to raise serious concerns about a range of Fannie and Freddie policies that, taken as a whole, are hurting the entire national economy, not just the housing and mortgage markets. Realtors think there has been an overreaction by the GSEs and others in the housing finance industry that, even in the short term and certainly in the long term, will cause harm to the organizations involved by delaying recovery of the housing and mortgage markets. Many small individual policy decisions designed to keep the enterprises financially sound, when layered one upon another, have created major impediments to healthy mortgage and housing markets. The letters address three main areas of concern:

1. A wide variety of higher fees and other underwriting standards that make mortgages much less affordable.

2. Policies reducing maximum loan-to-value ratios (LTVs) by five percentage points for homes in declining markets.

3. Extremely tight underwriting standards for jumbo conforming loans authorized by the Economic Stimulus Act.

Lloyd's of London is worried!

Here's a story from The Guardian UK that caught my eye. Lloyd's of London is actually worried that there have been two calm hurricane seasons. Their worry is that they may need to reduce premiums!? What a problem. Let me know what you think.

A Responsive Leadership Team

I take very seriously my duties as the Treasurer of the FAR. At the January meetings I asked the local Treasurers how their renewal rates were looking. In an unscientific sampling we determined that the average rate was around 20%. The 2008 FAR budget (based on the best information at the time) reflects a renewal rate of 11% and new FAR members of around 2,000 per month. Without getting in to all of the detail of the numbers, the Finance Committee felt it a prudent idea to meet during GARD for an update and to be prepared to respond as appropriate. President Chuck appointed a PAG to prioritize all of our activity packages in a manner that would least affect our members. These areas, while important to the overall FAR mission statement would least impact the services that we provide to our members. John Fridlington tasked the VP's to identify these areas and the expenses that could be saved.

The PAG met in Orlando on March 20th and discussed each and every activity package with the Management Team. The result of an independent ranking on each item produced a prioritized list that the LT reviewed and tweaked. The Finance Committee then met on March 25th and agreed with the LT that FAR should not use any reserves other than what the approved budget requires. The Executive Committee is scheduled to meet on April 24th to address this issue.

My point in going to such detail to explain this matter is to show exactly how proactive and responsible this Leadership Team is to the needs of the member.

Great American Realtor Days

I couldn't be more proud to be a Realtor than I am right now. One theme I heard repeated was that if it weren't for Florida Realtors Amendment One would not have passed. It was a combination of dollars from our Advocacy Fund, the Public Policy Team in Tallahassee and "Boots on the Ground" Realtors getting the message out that we are tired of business as usual and the citizens wanted a change. It wasn't everything we wanted, but it did mark a turning point for much needed tax reform.


I mentioned last week about the incredible proposal that will be on November's ballot; CP02, the Tax and Budget Reform Commission amendment to 25% of ad valorem taxes that fund public schools. The FAR Public Policy Committee voted to support this amendment because of its positive affect on the cost of property ownership. Once the final language is approved, we will do everything we can; including those famous "Boots on the Ground" to get this amendment passed.

In our discussions with Speaker Designate Ray Sansom, I emphasized the importance of holding the line on government spending. In my next post, I will detail what FAR is doing proactively to do just that.
It was great to see so many friends this taking a major role in shaping our political landscape

Osceola Cnty Assn of Realtors announcement

It's with great pleasure that I announce that President Hope Andrews and her board of directors have endorsed my candidacy for President-Elect. I met with the OSCAR board last month during a trip to Orlando. We discussed many issues that are important to our members including how best to communicate and involve them. We also discussed being proactive to market trends and how the FAR can meet these needs. If you'll remember in an earlier post, I attended the installation banquet in January and discussed some of the great leaders this association is developing: keep up the great work.

Thanks for the endorsement Hope! Click on this link for a copy of their endorsement.

How About Some Good News?

We are overwhelmed by negative press so much these days we begin to believe it. I wanted to share an e-mail that the LT received last week from John Sebree. You can read it for yourself, but we are getting positive market statistics from one end of the state to the other.

TBRC - Real Property Tax Reform

Now that's what I'm talking about - major property tax reform. A great big Thank You to 2007 FAR President Nancy Riley for the many many hours of service on the TBRC. The proposal passed yesterday by the Taxation and Budget Reform Commission will be on the ballot in November. Here's Trey Price's email detailing the two amendments. I've also included the article from my local newspaper, the Northwest Florida Daily News, summarizng the proposals. The best news is that the legislature will not have a chance to water it down or kill it! The second proposal passed would limit property assessments increases on non-homestead property to a maximum of 5%; Amendment One limited this increase to 10%.

I hope to see you all next week in Tallahassee during Great American Realtor Days. We must continue to be the Voice of Real Estate!

President Chuck Bonfiglio - Standing Strong

I guess everybody who received President Chuck's email yesterday is probably still absorbing the news, I know I am. In case you are not an FAR director or didn't receive the email, President Chuck was diagnosed with lung cancer last week. He explains in his email that it is treatable with chemo and that the doctors give him a very good prognosis to overcome the disease. He broke the news to the LT yesterday morning via conference call. He sounded very confident and strong as he and Roberta face new and unexpected health challenges. Cynthia, Summer and myself have pledged to do whatever needs to be done to see that all is "situation normal" during the next few challenging months. Chuck also pledged to be at Great American Realtor Days. If you haven't already registered to attend and let your Realtor voice be heard loud and clear, then do so now.

Realtors Association of St. Lucie Endorsement

President Scott Wingfield of the Realtors Association of St. Lucie, notified me today with a letter of endorsement. I blogged earlier in January about the installation activities of RASL; they are an incredibly active association. I'm very honored to have their endorsement.

Emerald Coast Association of Realtors endorsement

It's official, I'm endorsed by my home association; the Emerald Coast Association of Realtors! (They better support me, right?) That's President Cliff Chaplin on the left and President Elect Anita Williams in the center and Grayton Beach in the background. If you've ever been to sleepy 'ole Grayton Beach, then you've heard of the Red Bar. We just finished having lunch with several dozen Realtors; Cliff has made a priority of getting out to the members to hear their concerns and suggestions F2F (face to face). One priority I heard loud and clear was that they look to the association to provide education for the members. Education is necessary to be the professionals that we claim to be. I'm not just talking about the minimum levels of continuing education to keep your license current, I'm talking about education in specific areas such as designations, niche marketing, fair housing. Most is attendance agreed that they are taking this time to educate themselves and the agents in their offices. ECAR has a calendar full of opportunities to earn designations, learn about new marketing opportunities, get quadrennial Ethics courses, etc. ECAR even has a education cruise leaving this weekend from Mobile. In these times of trimming budgets, we must remember to keep the members front and center.

Thanks again ECAR for all you do!

I'm learning...

Just a quick post to let you know that you can now "subscribe" to my blog. It's over there on the right hand side; just put in your email address, confirm the subscription a few seconds later and your a subscriber. Don't worry, I won't SPAM you, you'll just be notified of any new posts within 24 hours.

NAR Committee Leadership Training

Wow, it's cold in Chicago in February; so what was I doing there instead of in sunny Florida? Attending the annual NAR Committee Leadership Training for a day and half, that's what. Cathy Whatley was among the presenters going over the intricasies of the NAR governance. Others in attendance from Florida included Tony Macaluso, Maggie Morris, Mike Owen, Judy Schomaker, Moe Veissi and Tom Salamone. Chairs and Vice-chairs from across the country met to plan their year and to see how that plan advances the NAR Strategic Plan. This is also the perfect networking opportunity and to meet NAR staff such as Russell Riggs, the "Master of Disaster Insurance" who is working hard to make a National Disaster Insurance plan a reality. My only suggestion is to have the training next year somewhere where it's a few degrees warmer!

Endorsement - R.A. Franklin and Sthrn Gulf County

Yes, another board endorsement! My neighbors 125 miles to the east, the Realtor Association of Franklin and Southern Gulf Counties have honored me by endorsing my campaign for President Elect. President Joan, her directors and Association Executive Gloria Salinard are facing the same challenges that we all are; a large inventory and fewer buyers. My pledge is to use our combined resources to turn this market around. One way to do this will be to greatly enhance the public website that buyers go to when they want to buy Florida Real Estate: i.e. the Florida Living Network. It's due for a major overhaul.

Navarre Area Board of Realtors endorsement

It is my privilege to announce the endorsement for my candidacy from the Navarre Area Board of Realtors. A very young and energetic association led by Tara Capron. They also have a very active Leadership Development program that is reaching out to encourage members to be involved both at the local and state levels.

Extreme Friday - Mobile, AL

Okay, I'll admit it, I'm a little star struck sometimes. When I heard about the Extreme Home Makeover Team being in Mobile this week, I knew I wanted some first hand information. I'm fortunate because my very good friend, Bill Dillman is the VP of Goodwill Easter Seals of the Gulf Coast and they in turn employ the receipient of the home that was chosen for a "makeover." Lydia has 6 sons living at home, the youngest of which has Down's Syndrome. Lydia and her husband were chosen because they always put others first before themselves. Their "old" house was never adequately repaired after Hurricane Ivan struck in 2005. Instead they helped others repair their homes. Ty Pennington knocked on their door last Saturday morning and announced to them that they had been chosen to have an Extreme Makeover. They were whisked off to Phoenix and attended the Super Bowl in First Class treatment while Heritage Home of Mobile went to work. The house was razed on Sunday and by Monday night they had a roof on. So yes, they really can build a house in 4 days.



Most of yesterday involved standing around rehearsing (with stand-ins) for the big unveiling. If you're a fan of the show then you know the crowd yells, "Bus driver, move that bus" after the family arrives in a limosine. The crowd included children from Camp Smile, a day camp for children with disabilities. What a great community wide effort that included over 3,000 volunteers that came together to make this dream home a realty.

Bay County Association of Realtors endorsement

Another endorsement of my candidacy for President-Elect from 2008 President Jan Cox and her board of directors at the Bay County Association of Realtors. Thanks to Jan for her encouragement and support.

Pensacola Association of Realtors endorsement

As most of you know, I'm campaigning to be President-Elect of the Florida Association of Realtors. It is my honor and priviledge to meet so many members in my travels as a Leadership Team member and candidate. I am beginning to receive written endorsements from Boards and Associations from one end of the state to the other. As I receive written endorsements, I will share them on this blog. I've heard from many, but this is the first letter. Pensacola Association of Realtors. Thank you to President Diane Toepfer and her board of directors for this important vote of confidence.

Patti Ketcham - To Tell the Truth

One of the great things about being on the FAR Leadership Team is being including on local board mailing lists. This usually includes receiving the monthly publication. This gives me a chance to see what's happening across the state from a local association's point of view. It also reveals the deepth of leadership talent. Such is the case of the February issue of the Tallahassee Board of Realtors magazine. Here's my email this morning to Patti and then a link to the full article:

Patti,

I just received my TBR magazine. The cover caught my eye, “To Tell the Truth”. I turned right to your article about being honest with sellers. You captured the essence of our job as Realtors perfectly. Telling sellers what they need to hear and not just what they want to hear is one of the biggest impediments to a good and healthy Realtor / Client relationship. Being honest with ourselves (to me) means that we treat others how we want to be treated which is of course the basis of our Code of Ethics. Isn’t it amazing that when we follow a Standard like the Golden Rule how things fall into place.

I would love to share your article with your permission on my blog.

With the permission of the Tallahassee Board of Realtors here's Patti's article

Two Political Victories in One Week

We didn't just have one political victory last week, we had two major victories. The first and most visible victory was the passage of Amendment One. We talk so much about being a force to reckon with in local, state and national politics; well we certainly proved it this time. Amendment One was the first step toward major property tax reform. It was a hard fought battle, but when President Nancy took the fight to the streets, Realtor Members were right beside her with signs, phone calls and visits declaring that this was the necessary thing to do to get the sluggish real estate market going again. Our incredible Tallahassee Team headed by John Sebree put more miles on their cars and in the air to get the positive message to the members who then in turn took it to the streets. Watch very carefully what is going to be proposed from the Florida Taxation and Budget Reform Commission. Their next meeting is February 12th in Tallahassee. Go to their website for up to the minute information.

The second victory from last week is the failure of the "Hometown Democracy" effort to secure enough signatures for an amendment in the November. This battle will more likely be fought in 2010. With your help as the FAR President in 2010, I will lead the membership to a victory over this very real threat to property rights.

Carolyn Gardner - We're gonna miss you

Carolyn Gardner, the GoTo person for so many members and association staff alike. I attended our associations annual Ethics Training for Greivance, Professional Standards and Directors and Officers today and realized just how much we're going to miss her when she retires later this year. She has been working for FAR for 25 years! Can you imagine how many people she has helped over the years. We're not just talking about little problems either; she deals with major issues affecting people's livlihood. I've told her she should write a book about her experiences. Carolyn, you mean so much to so many Realtor members. We'll never be able to replace you.

Realtor Association of St. Lucie Installation

I arrived early yesterday for the RASL Installation and had a chance to drive around the St. Lucie / Martin County area. I was impressed with the commercial activity up and down Highway 1. Maria Wells, DVP for District 3 has been mustering the Realtor members to do the grassroots work necessary to get Amendment 1 passed. Testimony to that fact were the signs placed in strategic locations by Realtor members. There were also articles in the paper discussing the meeting with local Realtor associations and elected officials.

The Boys and Girls Club Drumline

The RASL installation was held at the PGA Education Center. The theme of the evening was football related since President Scott Wingfield played for Vanderbilt during his college career. The local Boys and Girls Club drumline greeted attendees at the front door just past the tailgate tent. Scott's very talented daughters both emceed and sang the national anthem. Scott's old teammates surprised him with a little bit of "This Is Your Life." What a great tribute to Scott. Scott then gave a very encouraging and motivational speech that reflected on the tough market but at the same time but everything in perspective by looking forward. He also honored his parents and broker who have been so influential in his life. Stacy Storms and her staff did an excellent job with the decorations, program and auction of sports memoriblia, the proceeds of which went to attainable housing in the St. Lucie area. Many of the local association presidents were also in attendance.

I'm really looking forward to the FAR meetings next week as the chairs and vice-chairs chart their course for 2008 and beyond.

Rockin' Round the Clock in Sebring

Heartland Association of Realtors Sock Hop installation - I don't think I've ever laughed so hard at an installation before. The emcee, 6' 8" Don Elwell, local manager of the Historic Kenilworth Lodge and Realtor husband had a quick wit about everything. Nothing was sacred, even the Rookie of the Year took it all in stride as he commented about her selling over $7M while growing her family. ... I guess it's one of those "you had to be there moments." FAR veteran Gayle Labonowitz is the 2008 President and newly selected Realtor of the Year Alan Harmon is the HAR President Elect. AE Arianna Burke and "Social" Chair Linda Boring had the Sebring Conference Center looking very festive. Past FAR President Chip Boring made me feel right at home introducing me to many of the members.


I found a quote by Woodrow Wilson that I shared tonight that I thought was appropriate for the event, see how you like it:

You are not here merely to make a living. You are here in order to enable the world to live more amply, with greater vision, with a finer spirit of hope and achievement. You are here to enrich the world, and you impoverish yourself if you forget the errand.

NW Florida Legislative Delegation

I just got back from a public forum of the Northwest Florida Legislative delegation held at Sandestin this afternoon. Featured panelists included Speaker Desinate Ray Sansom and Sen. Don Gaetz among others. Public comments included questions about federal intervention in fishing regulation to questions about DOT jurisdiction over farmers moving their equipment from one field to another over county roads and issuing tickets. There was also much discussion about our number one issue; reforming property taxes. Spkr Sansom pointed out that government budgets based primarily on property taxes do not respond quick enough to a down market, such as the market we're experiencing. Municipalities don't cut back on expenses because revenue continues at a pace unrelated to the economic condition of the area. All of the panelists committed to continuing property tax reform whether or not the amendment passes.

Osceola County Association of Realtors Gala

Hope Andrews took the oath of office as the 2008 President of the Osceola County Association of Realtors. It was a truly black tie affair with well over 175 attending. The event was held in the convention center at the Gaylord Palms Resort in Kissimmee. The theme of the evening was Realtor member involvement in local charities; just a few of the many included K-9 donations for the local sheriff and Angler's for cancer research. Hope sets the mark high for her association by maintaining a Golden R for RPAC. Sean Ferguson will be watching closely and learning as he serves as the OSCAR President-Elect. Talk about young and energetic, they both epitomize the new generation of Realtor. Sean, expect to be asked to share your enthusiasm with FAR.

David Bennett and his staff outdid themselves with a first class installation. Something I've never seen before, much less, at an association installation was ballroom dancing. A Russian couple performed 4 dances, complete with costume changes beginning with a waltz. I took some video which I hope will post easily on this blog. It's about a minute and a half of tango. Unfortunately, my camera didn't work when Pres. Chuck and Roberta took to the floor. jk (just kidding).

I'm looking forward to two installations next week; the Heartland Association of Realtors in Sebring and the Realtor Association of St. Lucie.

Space Coast Association of Realtors Installation

This is Cindy Kelley, the 2008 President of the Space Coast Association of Realtors. She is ready to get down to business and lead her association through the changing market of upcoming year. Brevard County is preparing for the final launch of the Space Shuttle just 2 short years from now. That doesn't mean Cape Canaveral is shutting down, quite the opposite. Their focus is shifting from low Earth orbit to manned planetary exploration. This is what should be happening in the FAR; let's shift our focus from low orbit to planetary exploration. What that means depends our leadership at all levels of association governance.

Whoops, got off on a tangent. Let me thank Leah Selig and her excellent staff for rolling out the red carpet for my visit. DVP Sandy Miller installed the Board of Directors and I installed Cindy. Melbourne Area Association President Dale Young and his wife Beth also attended. 2007 President Lance VandeBerg presented awards to many dedicated Realtor members.

I'll be attending the Osceola Association Installation Gala tonight at the Gaylord Palms Resort in Orlando. Until then, keep on blogging...

Meet Mr. Al Trafford

Meet Mr. Al Trafford. A second generation Realtor like myself. After graduating from the University of Florida in 1938, he returned home and immediately got his real estate license and went to work for his dad. After accepting a Lifetime Achievement award, he said "This is the best career in the world if you're in it for your lifetime, however its the worst if you're in for just a few short years." He and his family had much to do with the development of Brevard County over the last century. He asked me to check to see if there is a family real estate brokerage that has been in business longer than Trafford Realty...91 years! So if anybody knows of one let me know. He helped to found the original Brevard County Boards of Realtors, now the Space Coast Association of Realtor. He's still dancing after all these years.

Family Trip

My family and I made a quick trip last week to Missouri to visit Terri's 92 year-old grandfather, Clell Pruett. We stopped in St. Louis on the return trip and ate dinner with an old friend, Steve Tigner and visited a well known landmark. You may not be able to recognize it from the first picture; this is the viewing room at the top of the St. Louis Arch, 643 feet above the ground. Not for the acrophobics amongst us. That's Grace in front of Terri and the back of Luke's camo jacket on the right and Steve's jacket on the left (they don't like pictures.)