IN THIS ISSUE
INDUSTRY NEWS AND EVENTS
- Headline News
- Have We Learned Lessons From Katrina?
- Commercial Member Named Good Neighbor Finalist
- CCIM & RCA - Building Relationships, Ideas & Awareness
PUBLIC POLICY UPDATES
- Urge the Senate to Pass Small Business Health Plans
- NAR Takes OCC Challenge To The Supreme Court
- September is National Preparedness Month
RESEARCH, RESOURCES, LEGAL
- Commercial Sectors Will Continue to Improve Into 2007
- Get Free Custom Forms from ZipForm®
- New Field Guide - Directory of Real Estate Research Centers
- Get 2007 Entertainment® books at Savings of Over 50%
- Ohio Supreme Court Overturns Property Seizure
- New Offer from REALTOR BenefitsSM Partner, SPRINT NEXTEL
- New Blog for Commercial Members
- Doing Business in Mexico
AFFILIATE NEWS
- CCIM & IREM Success Series 2006
INDUSTRY NEWS AND EVENTS
HEADLINE NEWS
HAVE WE LEARNED LESSONS FROM KATRINA?
Attend the Land Use, Property Rights and Environment Forum on November 10th during the NAR Annual Conference & Expo. The hurricanes of 2005 directly impacted the Gulf Coast, but every part of our country is faced with risks from natural disasters. Speakers will discuss the current status of recovery operations in the Gulf Coast, changes to the national disaster response plan, and how this disaster has affected land use planning and economic development in the
Gulf Coast. Learn more about this session and register for the conference November 10-13th in New Orleans, LA.
COMMERCIAL MEMBER NAMED GOOD NEIGHBOR FINALIST
Congratulations to David Sonenberg of The Sonenberg Co., in Roswell, Georgia. He is a member of the Atlanta Commercial Board of REALTORS®
and finalist in REALTOR® Magazine's Good Neighbor Awards. The award recognizes REALTORS® who are shining examples of the power of one person to improve the quality of life for others. There were more than 300 entries - an all-time high. For 23 years, Sonenberg has been president of North Fulton Community Charities, an organization he helped found, that assists families,
individuals and the elderly by fulfilling emergency needs for food, clothing, rent, utilities, medicine and other basic needs. Read more.
CCIM & RCA - BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS, IDEAS & AWARENESS
CCIM is proud to partner with the REALTORS® Commercial Alliance and the
Louisiana Association of REALTORS® for the first Commercial Networking Exchange (CoNEx) dinner on Thursday, November 9, 2006, in New Orleans during the NAR
Annual Conference & Expo. Enjoy dinner and networking, meet new people and connect with other commercial members. Come for dinner and stay for the conference! Read more.
Register for the
conference.
PUBLIC POLICY UPDATES
URGE THE SENATE TO PASS SMALL BUSINESS HEALTH PLANS
More than 65,000 letters to members of Congress have been sent since NAR President Thomas M. Stevens issued a Call for Action urging passage of small business heath plan legislation more than a week ago. "We simply can't leave the 335,000 REALTOR® members and 46 million other Americans without any health insurance waiting another year for Congress to act," says Stevens. This issue is vitally important and needs your support.
To send a letter to your Senator click here
To send a letter to your Representative click here.
NAR TAKES OCC CHALLENGE TO THE SUPREME COURT
NAR has filed a friend-of-the-court brief with the U.S. Supreme Court urging the court to overturn a decision by the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency that allows national bank operating subsidiaries to operate without having to comply with certain state laws, including licensing or registration obligations and even some state consumer protection statutes. The brief states that bank-operated subsidiaries would be given an unfair advantage over competing firms not owned by national banks if the OCC
decision is allowed to stand. Read more.
SEPTEMBER IS NATIONAL PREPAREDNESS MONTH
NAR is joining with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to launch National Preparedness Month 2006, which takes place throughout September. National Preparedness Month is a
nationwide effort that encourages Americans to prepare for emergencies of all kinds. Consider business continuity planning and how to plan in advance to manage any
emergency situation. In addition to emergency planning, there are steps you can take to both safeguard your company and secure your physical assets. A special web site, http://www.ready.gov has been created to share helpful and important information.
RESEARCH, RESOURCES, LEGAL
COMMERCIAL SECTORS WILL CONTINUE TO IMPROVE INTO 2007
NAR's Commercial Leading Indicator for Brokerage Activity was at an index of 119.4 during the second quarter of 2006, up 0.4 percent from a reading of 118.9 in the first quarter. The index is 2.5 percent above the second quarter of 2005 when it stood at 116.5. The second quarter index was the fifth straight quarter of growth. David Lereah, NAR's chief economist, says the improvement is long-term. "Our commercial leading indicator has risen in 11 out of the last 12 quarters, meaning the recovery in
commercial real estate will be sustained well into 2007," Lereah says. "However, we are seeing a deceleration in the rate of growth, apparently in response to higher oil prices and interest rates, so the expansion in net absorption and commercial construction should continue, but at a slower pace." Read more.
GET FREE CUSTOM FORMS FROM
ZIPFORM®
Now through October 31, 2006, purchase a 5 or more multi-user software license and for
each
page of forms design purchased, you receive one page free (limit 5). That's a potential savings of $825. ZipForm®, a REALTOR Benefits(sm) Program Partner and the Official Forms Software of the National Association of REALTORS, makes it easier than ever for you to create custom office forms. ZipForm® has a full suite of special broker services as well as the ability to send documents for electronic signatures from within its programs. For details, call 1-866-627-4729 or visit
www.zipform.com/freeforms/.
Mention promo code N38.
NEW FIELD GUIDE - DIRECTORY OF REAL ESTATE RESEARCH CENTERS
Various academic institutions and independent organizations around the U.S. have established research centers to study real estate-related issues and trends. These resources include state and local association library/research sources, as well as Internet sites. The following directory includes contact information for many of these research centers.
Read more.
GET 2007 ENTERTAINMENT® BOOKS AT SAVINGS OF OVER 50%
NAR members can now purchase 2007 Entertainment books at a savings of over 50% off the retail price from REALTOR Benefits(sm) Program Partner Entertainment Publications. The Entertainment® book contains $1000s in savings on the things you and your staff do every day at some of the biggest local and national names in entertainment. Each book purchased includes a business card holder on the front cover. Order by November 15 to receive your books between December 1 and 8, in time for holiday
giving. Visit the NAR login page or call 1-800-672-3053 and mention promo code RE7NAR and your 9-digit NRDS number. Entertainment® books may not be available in all areas.
OHIO SUPREME COURT OVERTURNS PROPERTY SEIZURE
Ohio's highest court has considered whether it was permissible for a city to use its eminent domain powers to seize private property when the only public purpose
identified in support of the taking was the economic benefits to be gained by the property
seizure. Over the past 40 years, the city has had its tax base erode as many of the manufacturing plants in the area closed. Based on these developments, a developer entered into discussion with the city about redeveloping a portion of the city with new apartments and retail space, part of which would be owned by the developer and part of which would be owned by the city. In this case, the city's decision to exercise its eminent domain powers solely for the city's economic benefit was not a valid public purpose. The court determined that the Ohio constitution does not permit such takings
unless they are intertwined with other valid public purposes, such as slum clearance. Read more.
NEW OFFER FROM REALTOR BENEFITSSM PARTNER, SPRINT NEXTEL
NAR has negotiated a robust new program for members and association staff, available to new and existing Sprint & Nextel customers who sign a new 2-year wireless service agreement.
Both Sprint and Nextel offer NAR members a 5% discount on monthly wireless service. NAR members also receive a
special offer on Sprint Vision Service Packs and Nextel GPS audible driving directions - first month free plus 10% off for the next twenty-three months. NAR members have the unique benefit of combining certain general promotions with these member benefits, including up to $150 in savings and current phone equipment discounts and Smart device offers in the market. Visit http://www.sprint.com/nar, call 1-888-503-3069 (to activate new Sprint Nextel
service) or 1-888-788-4727 (to convert your current Sprint Nextel service to this program),
or visit a Sprint-owned store. Be sure to provide your 9-digit NRDS I.D number.
NEW BLOG FOR COMMERCIAL MEMBERS
Power Tools for Commercial-Investment Practitioners, from NAR's Information Central, provides information on research studies, websites, books, news, tips, and other resources for real estate professionals specializing in commercial and investment properties. Think of a blog as an interactive online newsletter. It's made up of short bits of information and is arranged chronologically with the most recent entries at the top of the page.
To stay up-to-date on new resources for commercial practitioners, check back frequently or subscribe to the blog from this page.
DOING BUSINESS IN MEXICO
Capitalize on the joint venture recently announced between NAR and the Mexican real estate association, Association Mexicana de Professionales Immobilarios (AMPI), by joining NAR in Mexico City, Oct. 4-7, 2006,
for the International Real Estate Conference.
Mexico City is a true gathering place and your "one stop shop" for Mexico contacts both in the international second home market and commercial real estate. This is the only event of its kind that will draw such a large and diverse group of Mexico professionals. Read more.
As part of the new venture, a four-hour course titled "Doing Business in Mexico" will be launched at the NAR annual conference in New Orleans in November. The course will teach REALTORS® in the United States about business opportunities in Mexico.
AFFILIATE NEWS
CCIM & IREM SUCCESS SERIES 2006
Make plans now to attend a joint symposium "CCIM & IREM Success Series 2006," October 20-21 at the Tampa Convention Center in Tampa, Florida. The core of the series is a program of sessions designed by practitioners for practitioners. Attend sessions on solutions, trends, professional development, best practices and analysis in commercial real estate. The RCA is a proud sponsor of this event; it's a great opportunity to meet with representatives from two of our commercial affiliates; CCIM and IREM.
For more information and to register.
Report compiled by Bobbie Albrecht, balbrecht@realtors.org, 312/329-8464.
QUESTIONS on this report? Visit the INS FAQ and online feedback area on REALTOR.org. Click here.
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