IN THIS ISSUE
INDUSTRY NEWS AND EVENTS
- Momentum Building for Commercial Source.com – RCA’s On-line Convention
- NAR Field Guide to Investing in Real Estate
- What Can a Personal Assistant Do For You?
PUBLIC POLICY UPDATES
- Complying With the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA)
- Voters Overwhelmingly Favor Small Business Health Plans
- NAR Submits Written Testimony on Wal-Mart--ILC Application
- TIC Association Conference: Real Estate Fundamentals Matter
RESEARCH, RESOURCES, LEGAL
- New Hot Topic Report on BRAC Delivered Next Month
- Commercial Real Estate Outlook from NAR Research
- Real Estate: Commercial vs. Financial
AFFILIATE NEWS
- CCIM Partners: Let’s Do Business in 2006
- NAR, IREM Participate in Lead Paint Renovation Hearings
INDUSTRY NEWS AND EVENTS
MOMENTUM BUILDING FOR COMMERCIAL SOURCE.COM – RCA’S ON-LINE CONVENTION
Mark your calendar and register now for the first RCA-sponsored, no-cost, virtual convention taking place online June 6–12, 2006. Hear from commercial real estate trainer Mike Lipsey of the Lipsey Company on negotiating for win-win results. Join Peter Pike of PikeNet, for his unique perspectives on the real estate industry, and listen in when Whitney Peyton from CB Richard Ellis shares his expertise in "How to use the Internet to Powerfully Position Yourself in the Market". Visit vendor booths and network with industry professionals from the comfort of your home or office.
To learn more and register for your complimentary pass, go to: www.commercialsource.com/register.cfm.
NAR FIELD GUIDE TO INVESTING IN REAL ESTATE
Why not invest in what you know best--real estate? NAR’s new Field Guide is loaded with information to help you or your clients learn more about how to get started, investing with IRAs, tips from NAR, real estate as a retirement tool, information on rental homes, buying tax liens, real estate partnerships and much more. http://www.realtor.org/libweb.nsf/pages/fg319
WHAT CAN A PERSONAL ASSISTANT DO FOR YOU?
Need to expand your office work force, but only for a project? Project-based virtual service providers, sometimes called virtual consultants, are the perfect resource. Find the specific talent you need by posting to appropriate sites. You can go from being short staffed to having people bid on the privilege of working for you. Michael Russer, Mr. Internet discussed this service provider network in the Technology & Intelligence Briefing Q1 2006 . Find out more information from Information Central Field Guide on Virtual Assistants; the articles, books, and audio-visual materials may help to clarify some of these issues for you.
PUBLIC POLICY UPDATES
COMPLYING WITH THE AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT (ADA)
The purpose of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), enacted in 1992, is to assure equal access and services to disabled individuals. The ADA makes it unlawful to discriminate against people with disabilities. Title III of the Act prohibits entities that own, lease, lease to or operate a place of public accommodation from discriminating against the disabled. How does this impact public building? This page includes articles, books, videos and websites relating to the Americans with Disabilities Act. For more information, click here.
VOTERS OVERWHELMINGLY FAVOR SMALL BUSINESS HEALTH PLANS
An overwhelming majority of voters -- 89 percent, including 93 percent of Republicans and 86 percent of Democrats -- favor legislation that would allow self-employed workers and small business employees to band together through a trade or professional association to negotiate lower health insurance costs. That was the finding of a new survey recently released by Senator Michael B. Enzi (R-Wyo.), chairman of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions, and sponsored by the National Association of Realtors®. NAR is fighting hard on your behalf to pass this legislation that will make health care insurance more affordable. View the small business health plan survey.
NAR SUBMITS WRITTEN TESTIMONY ON WAL-MART--ILC APPLICATION
On March 28, NAR submitted a written statement to the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) urging the FDIC not to approve the application filed by Wal-Mart Stores for federal deposit insurance for Wal-Mart Bank because it represents improper mixing of banking and commerce. The Wal-Mart Bank would be a Utah-chartered state bank, commonly referred to as an industrial loan company or ILC.
On April 11, 2006, NAR President Tom Stevens will present oral testimony at the FDIC hearing on this subject. Read the two page summary.
TIC ASSOCIATION CONFERENCE: REAL ESTATE FUNDAMENTALS MATTER
At the recent Tenant in Common Association meetings in San Diego, NAR stressed the importance of real estate professionals’ participation in securitized TIC transactions. Speaker after speaker at the conference, dominated by broker dealers and sponsors, stressed the importance of understanding the real estate aspects of the TIC offering. Furthermore, the conference planners made sure to caution that exuberance in the TIC marketplace may lead to conditions that facilitated the limited liability partnership scandals of the mid 1980s.
NAR continues its dialogue with the SEC, and recently stressed the importance of allowing real estate professionals serving as buyers agents to derive compensation from the sale of a securitized TIC interest. The process by which the SEC evaluates this issue is a lengthy one. However, NAR hopes to have a resolution by the end of the year.
Contact Tom Heinemann, 202-383-1090.
RESEARCH, RESOURCES, LEGAL
NEW HOT TOPIC REPORT ON BRAC DELIVERED NEXT MONTH
The second RCA Hot Topic Report series will feature valuable information on the military Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) process. Learn how commercial real estate professionals can participate in redevelopment opportunities associated with the closure, reduction, or expansion of military installations throughout the U.S. REALTOR® members involved in past BRAC efforts offer valuable advice and numerous additional resources on BRAC are identified. The BRAC Hot Topic Report will be delivered to you along with the Spring Edition of the RCA Report newsletter and T&I Briefing CD. Go to the NAR Info Central’s Field Guide to Military Base Closings for more information on BRAC.
COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE OUTLOOK FROM NAR RESEARCH
A new name and a new look for the publication from NAR Research. In this edition commercial real estate transaction volume was up 44 percent in 2005. Check out the new format and great market insights. Commercial Real Estate Outlook, first quarter 2006.
REAL ESTATE: COMMERCIAL VS. FINANCIAL
There is one question in this debate that has not often been asked that must be answered: is real estate brokerage a financial activity or incidental to a financial activity; or is real estate brokerage a commercial activity?: If real estate brokerage is a financial activity or incidental to a financial activity, then under the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act, banks are permitted to engage in this activity. If real estate brokerage is a commercial activity, then banks are clearly not permitted to engage in this activity. NAR Chief Economist, David Lereah calls for a "defining moment".
AFFILIATE NEWS
CCIM PARTNERS: LET’S DO BUSINESS IN 2006
Following the successful 2005 CCIM Partners deal-making events at which nearly $1 billion in property and equity was presented, two similar events have already taken place in 2006 in Atlanta and San Diego. Additional deal-making events are scheduled for Vancouver (April 28-29), New Orleans (June 8-9), and Providence (Sept 7-8). Register now. Nearly 4,700 designees have become CCIM Partners, taking advantage of the bold initiative that is elevating networking to new levels for CCIM designees.
NAR, IREM PARTICIPATE IN LEAD PAINT RENOVATION HEARINGS
NAR and IREM members have testified at three EPA-sponsored public hearings in Chicago, New York City and Washington, DC, on an EPA-proposed rule to eliminate lead hazards during property renovations and repair. The proposed rule would require renovators to implement additional lead-safe work practices to protect occupants from lead paint dust, plus additional occupant notification procedures and renovator education and certification requirements. NAR and IREM testified that these additional requirements will result in onerous administrative and paperwork burdens, increase liability, and increase the costs of affordable housing. NAR and IREM will also testify at future hearings in Atlanta and San Francisco. The public comment period on the proposed rule ends on Monday, April 10. NAR will file extensive written comments.
Contacts: Russell Riggs, 202-383-1259, Megan Booth, 202-383-1222
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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