PRESIDENT MESSAGE FOR MARCH

After the lovely Installation luncheon, I must give a big thank you to Marilyn Ralston, Mark Peterson, Karyn Gerwien, Eleanor English and the entire staff of Citrus Valley Association of REALTORS® for bringing this wonderful event to life. It was an honor to ask Marilyn to swear in our Board of Directors and myself as your President this year. Marilyn was President of the Azusa Glendora Board of REALTORS® when I joined the Board in 1988-89. Mark Peterson and Steve Yeager, both my Masters of Ceremony, have been very supportive of me in my early Board years. Mark is a dear friend, as is Steve, who is my Broker. These three people are the perfect example of the wonderful relationships built in our real estate family community and how important those relationships become. In 1985 when I started as a REALTOR®, I immediately got involved with the Pomona Valley Board of REALTORS® and from that experience to now I have met so many wonderful people.

The path to Presidency only happens when you start to volunteer. From serving on a committee to chairing a committee to getting elected to Board of Directors to President, it all begins with your involvement. The Vision adopted this year was the growth of member participation. Encouraging members to get involved in their association begins with an invitation and I am extending that invitation to all of you. Join a committee, help out at fundraisers with your presence, and attend the functions held for your benefit. We all have busy lives, especially since real estate is not a 9 to 5 job, many of us with families, commitments in many directions, but the balance is friends and a time out now and then to do something different. We have a charity golf tournament coming up April 19th. This is a great time to get out and enjoy the fellowship and networking with other REALTORS®, and at the same time, helping the San Dimas Search and Rescue Team of the Sheriff’s department. Read your bulletin for all the events planned for this year and join in!

I have to do a “shout out” to the tremendous team built this year through the Directors, Chairs and Committees. They are the left hand to the president, Eleanor is the right hand, the heart is our staff, and they are there for us always. No matter who is President the lifeblood of this organization is our staff. They steadfastly serve our members day after day keeping us informed and enlightened so we can work with confidence and knowledge to serve our clients and our communities. Eleanor is highly regarded in our State and National Associations as an Association Executive. In training for this position for over a year, I have learned why she is regarded as such, she is truly dedicated to her profession. Eleanor makes it all so easy and smooth Thank you, Eleanor, for all the years of dedicated service to the REALTOR® community.

Update on the proposed new Association building. . . we will be having a membership meeting March 28^th where you will be asked to approve the purchase of 504 E. Route 66 in Glendora. The property has two buildings, one containing 6,984 sq. feet and the other has 2,300 sq. feet, and there are 93 parking spaces. The smaller building will be used as a meeting room and can be rented out as a source of non-dues revenue for the Association. The property is listed for $2,250,000. Two information meetings are planned, the first on March

President’s Message/March 14^th and again on March 21^st. CVAR leadership will be present to answer any and all of your questions. We have an online voting service on our website, www.cvar.net, called Vote Net and you will have the ability to vote online or at the Association office and at the March 28^th Membership meeting. On-line voting and absentee ballots will be available in late March. We will be asking you to vote to approve the purchase. We have accepted an offer on our Rowland Building to exchange into this new building and can close as early as April 1. Plans will be posted on the website for your perusal. Construction costs for the build out will also be posted as soon as they are available. We are in the process of gathering bids now. This is all very exciting to finally have a permanent home for Citrus Valley. . . we have been leasing for 10 years now!

News on the C.A.R. business meetings recently held in Monterey . . . Controversy came about when the C.A.R. MLS Working Group proposed developing a detailed business plan to create an aggregated statewide listing database. After much debate, the directors voted for the working group to proceed with a plan for review and discussion at our June Business meeting in Sacramento. C.A.R. Standard Forms group is drafting another form (AVID) or Agent’s Visual Inspection Disclosure. It is intended to be used by an agent when a Transfer Disclosure Statement is required or when a seller is exempt from completing a (TDS) Transfer Disclosure Statement. This form is designed to reduce our risk and provide more standard of care in our practice. It leads an agent through a typical visual inspection with each room in a house listed for comment; then outside the house for comment with a section for special notations. It’s 3-pages in length. There were some questions raised regarding how to handle a foreclosure sale. On C.A.R.’s website there is a Q & A, “Home Equity Sales Law” which is very important to know before becoming involved in a foreclosure situation. I encourage all members to read this. Common Interest Development was another hot issue at the business meetings. They are in the process of drafting a booklet on Common Interest.

We attended the Installation of our new C.A.R. President Colleen Badagliacco from Santa Clara it was a beautiful event. She is a delightful lady and we are certainly in good hands.

Leslie Appleton Young, our C.A.R. economist, reported that we are still in a great market as the adjustments in pricing last year have already happened and in some cases, the prices are still going up. We are moving into a “normal market”. Houses are staying on the market longer now so open houses, flyers, advertisements and knowing your inventory are important. Caravan is a great way to get out and see inventory and enjoy the communality of fellow REALTORS®. The Affiliate Committee has caravan at the Association office each Wednesday morning, 8:30, with a virtual tour, pitching your listings and then actual visiting the properties. This is just another tool the Association provides to its members. There is also a caravan in Rancho Cucamonga on Friday mornings at the Lions Center on Baseline. This group of dedicated individuals, Kevi and Rick, Mike, Ryan and Donavan also have a support drive for our troops overseas providing care packages. Come out and support their efforts. Remember this is ALL VOLUNTEER and free so take advantage of it. They do have a raffle that costs but the prizes are well worth the cost of the tickets.

Have a great March - a reminder to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day at a party put on by the Real Estate Professionals Committee. Look for the announcements in the flyers and online at our website. See you next month.