Boulder Real Estate Services

Six Ways to Make People Like You

Sat, 05 Nov 2005 17:45:11 GMT

The book, How to Win Friends & Influence People*, consistently makes the top five whenever there is a survey of most influential or inspiring books, and is often second only to the Bible. Dale Carnegie outlines - in very simple steps and examples - how to be nice without letting yourself get walked on.

The section titled, Six Ways to Make People Like You, reveals six traits kind people of the world share:

Become interested in other people. Note that he doesn't say “show interest,” but rather "become interested” - change yourself for real, rather than practicing handy habits. Especially in business, it's critical that we learn to see prospects as people rather than as sales.

Smile. There's probably nothing so positive and contagious as a simple smile. If you have trouble smiling sincerely, get your mind out of the dumps and think about something that will make you smile.

Remember that a person's name is to that person the sweetest and most important sound in any language. If you are not a pro at remembering people's names, become one. If your mind is dividing people into “important” and “not as important”, remembering only those names you value, you're at an enormous disadvantage - in addition to being a snob.

Be a good listener and encourage people to talk about themselves. Most folks don't need much encouragement, but those who do will likely thank you for such a great conversation.

Talk in terms of the other person's interests. Re-ignite your childhood curiosity, and ask questions! When possible, learn in advance what their interests are and spend a few minutes each day researching those topics so you have something to discuss the next time you chat.

Make the other person feel important - and do it sincerely. Notice the talents and abilities of others. Show gratitude to the grocer for not smashing your bread. Admire the speed of the clerk at the DMV. If you can't find something complimentary about another person, you're not looking hard enough.

I hope Carnegie's tips serve as a reminder for how you can make the world a better place.

compiled by Dale Finney

Trip Report

Sat, 05 Nov 2005 17:43:43 GMT

The purpose of this trip was to participate in the annual China/U.S./South Korea conference, meet with the U.S. Consulate in Hong Kong, attend FIABCI’s Asia-Pacific Real Estate Conference in Osaka and attend meetings with our Japanese bi-lateral partners in Tokyo .

China

Xianxian Ye, NAR staff, met me at the Beijing airport and we flew together to Nanchang , a smaller city in southeastern China of about one million. The annual three-way conferences have previously been held in Beijing but the China Real Estate Association (CREA) wanted to bring the conference to members outside the major metropolitan areas such as Beijing .

Following a lengthy history of Jiang Xi province by the Director of the Provisional Real Estate Department, I was given the honor of presenting the initial speech on a subject requested by CREA: Green Building . Using materials given to me by one of the major U.S. green builders, McStain, as well as information, photos the diagrams from various Internet sites, the hour long (including interpretation) Power Point presentation was filled with graphics. Beyond a description and illustration of Green Building , my emphasis was on its critical importance in building a sustainable environment planet-wide.

My audience consisted largely of developers and government officials; by show of hands, there were no builders or brokers. Based on questions and comments I received afterward, the presentation was very well received and could easily be used again by myself, PLs and others within the IOC “family”.

In addition to the conference, Xian reviewed with me the status of NAR’s real estate training in China . Not in any order of priority, the following is a description of the current state of the program:

1. Currently Xian is trying to determine the current status. Four or five training centers (connected to either the Ministry of Construction or the Ministry of Labor) have already signed agreements to present the training materials and several more are in negotiation to do so. I do not know the location of these centers but most/many are at local real estate associations.

2. The materials are based on the GRI with additional Chinese topics/information. However, at this time, students will not be granted the GRI designation. International membership in NAR will be available but will not be encouraged as the benefits of such membership require the ability to read English and use the Internet.

3. The training will be 10-12 days in length and be divided into basic sales training for students with no experience in real estate and advanced training for current agents. The basic portion is complete but the advanced materials are still being developed. I do not know who/what is preparing these curriculum materials but it will “take time” to complete.

4. Instructors are/will be Chinese. An initial Train-the-Trainer was presented by Mike Brodie of Texas earlier this year; there were eight graduates. A second group of 15 were trained by professors at a Beijing teacher’s college.

5. The trainers are required to pass the same exam as will their student. However the test is apparently too difficult based on the “high” failure rate among the prospective trainers. The test is currently being revised as a result.

6. For the first 500 students, NAR will receive $50 for each student that passes the exam. Between 501 and 2,000 (I do not know if this is per year or cumulative), the amount will be $40/student. Xian, conservatively, expects 1,000 students in the first six months, 2,000 in the first year of operation. China (who???) is estimating 20,000. Getting the money from the Chinese government to NAR presents some difficulties and Xian is working on finding an appropriate solution.

7. Each successful student will receive dual certificates: one from the Ministry of Labor which is effectively a license and one from the NAR. The Ministry of Construction currently requires four to five licenses to operate a company but some cities, mainly Shanghai , have their own licensing program and do not recognize the national licenses. This is a very confusing situation.

8. CREA’s role is to facilitate where possible/necessary. They have recently developed a new Institute of Appraisers and Agents (whose members will be graduates of the training???).

9. .The current training materials are for agents. There is no brokerage management training other than a few (how many?) CRB courses that have been offered in China . Xian and I discussed this issue and I have emailed him the training materials I developed for the two-day brokerage management course I taught in Georgia for IRPF in May, 2005.

10. Bottom line, training and brokerage in China have a “frontier” aspect…Xian says it’s like the wild, wild west.

Some comments about the current Chinese real estate market:

The “government” controls commission rates at a total of 2% resulting in graft by agents. However, the Ministry of Construction caps commissions at a total of 3%. In actuality, the rate paid is much lower because of rebates to sellers.
Some agents do take exclusive right-to-sell listings.
Even large firms have relatively few listings.
The government has a department that keeps tract of sales data. The information can be purchased but is not generally made available to the public.
To stem China ’s overheated market in which investors, not users were buying and flipping, the government has increased taxes on such transactions. As a result, the market in Shanghai has dropped by 70%-80% while that in Beijing has dropped by about 50%. CREA’s Mr. Gu believes that the overheated real estate market will soon be over.

During my “free” time on 9/25, Xian and I toured several sites in Nanchang . Historically this is a very interesting area as it is the birthplace of Mao’s Red Guard and site of fierce fighting between the Guard and Chiang Kai Shek’s Nationalist army. On 9/26, Xian arranged for me to take a tour (with interpreter) of the Luzon Mountain area, one of China ’s three major summer resorts. This is an incredibly beautiful area of far vistas, lakes, ancient trees and rocks. I enjoyed the trip a great deal.

Hong Kong

On September 27^th, Xian and I flew from Nanchang to Hong Kong then took a taxi to the U.S. Consulate in the Central business district for a meeting chaired by Sarah Kemp, the Consulate’s Commercial Consul (sarah.kemp@mail.doc.gov). Approximately 15 persons, including other U.S. Commercial Service staff, several state (Illinois , North Carolina , California ) Asia-Pacific economic development office heads, Xian and myself were in attendance. The purpose was to do the initial planning for a real estate expo to be sponsored by the Consulate.

Based on this meeting, several emails with Sarah Kemp since and discussions with Miriam, the following may be true of the Expo.

Although the Consulate initially planned to hold the Expo during September 2006, this date will have to be moved to winter or spring of 2007 since MIDEM Asia has scheduled a real estate expo in Hong Kong on 9/26-29/2006. (Miriam and I met with Christine Law, MIDEM’s Asia representative during the APREC meetings.)
The purpose of the Expo will be to highlight high-end investment opportunities in the U.S. The Consulate sees itself as the “investment manager for China and Asia ”. The Expo will therefore consist of American exhibitors and be attended largely by Asian investors, primarily Chinese and Hong Kongese. The current goal for the U.S. exhibits is 75% commercial, 25% residential with the addition of various service providers (banks, law firms, etc.).
This will be a three-day event (including 1 day of conference activities) which will begin with a “fancy” dinner before the opening at which major portfolios will be presented and major sponsors will speak. The remainder of the time will consist of the exhibitions, networking opportunities and presentations primarily by Expo sponsors.
Demographics of targeted consumers are:

Hong Kong and Asian residents with incomes over U.S. $12,000/month
Developers
Manufacturers expanding into the U.S.
Investment funds
Two commercial tracks: U.S. $0-10 million and $10 million and above

Sponsorship levels will be $50,000 and at least five $10,000 sponsors.

Benefits to the $50,000 “partner” will include invitations to exclusive dinners with top developers & investors, speaking spot at dinners, 2 speaking slots at the conference, main signage and media exposure, materials distributed to all visitors and copy of the attendee list.
Benefits to the $10,000 sponsors include 1 speaking slot at the conference, signage and media exposure, materials handed out to all visitors and copy of the attendees list.

The remainder of the income side of the budget will be consisting of booth rentals.

The Expo will probably be held at the new (currently under construction) Four Seasons Hotel (five star quality) which will emphasize the high-end nature of the products exhibited.
Recruitment of exhibitors will include: U.S. Consul General letter to U.S. Governors, state agencies that promote investment & economic development, property and investment agents, banks, law firms and other service providers.
Marketing to prospective visitors will include attendance at the China Real Estate Entrepreneurs Association in Beijing , mailings (email & snail) of brochures/packets, magazine and newspaper promotions.
In terms of the U.S. real estate market, Foreign investment rose by 59% in 2003 and is expected to increase by another 11.9% in 2004. Commercial real estate had a 4% growth rate and 2.4% ROI in 2005. For residential real estate, there was a 6% growth rate and 8.8% ROI in 2005. These numbers are from the Association of Foreign Investors in Real Estate and represent numbers that are very attractive to foreign investors relative to most other countries.

Japan

In Japan , I joined Miriam Lowe, Al & Marguerite Mansell, Annie & Andrew Adams (Mansell’s daughter) and Takashi Misawa. September 27-30 was spent in Osaka at the FIABCI APREC conference, October 1-2 we were in Kyoto for R&R and October 2-3 we were in Tokyo for additional meetings capped by the 2^nd Japan-U.S. Summit. With the exception of Takashi, we all returned to the U.S. on October 4^th.

FIABCI ASIA PACIFIC REAL ESTATE CONGRESS

The Congress was well attended by approximately 500 real estate professionals. By far the majority was Japanese but many were from other countries in Asia-Pacific as well as the United Kingdom , Nigeria and a few other countries.

We met with the entire leadership team of Zen Ichi (both the local Osaka group and several from their national headquarters in Tokyo ) at their Osaka office building. After this Zen Ichi hosted us at a 9+ course dinner that resulted in excellent networking opportunities as well as being delightful.

During the Friday conference representative of eight countries, including the U.S. , made 20-30 minute presentations about the state of the real estate market in their country. This was most interesting and some of the materials can easily be incorporated into our some of our CIPS courses, especially some of the summary charts and graphs.

While we were at the APREC meetings, we took the opportunity to meet with Christine Lam, Asia Pacific Regional Director of MIDEM to discuss MIDEM’s first annual Hong Kong Expo. She told us the following:

Their marketing plan is region specific with 60% of the exhibitors/participants coming from Asia and 40% from the rest of the world. They’re especially focused on Asia ’s key developers (about 20) and will be quite selective in their invitations.
It will be held September 27-29/2006 at the Hong Kong Convention Center .
Because of their view of the Asians, they will have a lot of structure, especially in the conference portion.
They’ve booked 1,400-1,500 square meters of floor space for the exhibitions.
Christine recently attended an Expo in Beijing ; they charged a $1,000 entrance fee and didn’t produce many of the exhibitors they had advertised.
They’re confident that GIC, ING and other big investors will attend.
The Asian Wall Street Journal has already contacted her for an interview.
The other international trade shows are: MIPEM/Cannes in March, Global City in May, Gropa Planning in April and now MIDEM-Asia in September,
Christine would like to have NAR involved in hosting a cocktail party, participating in a panel or two, etc.

KYOTO

We traveled by bus to Kyoto and stopped at several temples and gardens upon arrival. That night we stayed at the Sumiya Hotel, a traditional Japanese Inn…a marvelous .experience! Perhaps the most interesting part of the Kyoto trip was going to a geisha house that does the initial training of girls 15-20. Marguerite, Annie, Miriam and I just couldn’t get our heads around the concept…just ask us!

TOKYO

We took the bullet train to Tokyo , arriving late afternoon at the wonderful Hotel Okura. Takashi had arranged for the red carpet (literally!) treatment which including flying of the American flag. Throughout our stay, we were treated so very well.

Yukio Yamaoka of Rancho PalasVerdes, California, the new PL to FRK and RECAJ met us at the Okura on the 2^nd, joined us for dinner, sat in on Al’s three interviews with Japanese media the morning of the 3^rd (and assisted occasionally in the interpretation) and attended the Japan-U.S. Summit on the night of the 3^rd. He was briefly introduced at this last event but will need to be more completely introduced to FRK/RECAJ leadership at another time. I’ve asked Takashi to be sure this happens.

During the afternoon of the 3^rd, we visited Recruit, the securitization association, three professors from Meikai University and the national headquarters of Zen Ichi.

Recruit is a very large organization that provides support, especially media support, to a number of industries, including real estate. They print seven or eight real estate (for sale, for rent, second home/resort properties, etc.) large catalogs every other week. Some are free to the public, others can be bought on the newsstand. They also have a national web site and a mobile phone data download facility. They’ve attended NAR conventions for several years and will be in San Francisco . As they’re now interested in providing NAR designation education, they’d like us to arrange several meetings for them. I’ll contact CRS, Miriam will contact REBAC as well as have International staff discuss an international GRI with them. Recruit works closely with several of the Japanese real estate associations and, as a result, seems to be a good match. Any education presented in Japan would need to be taught in Japanese which means any of NAR’s institutes, societies and councils would need to develop a train-the-trainer plan.

Regarding securitization, this has become a major financing tool for major commercial projects very similar to U.S. REITs.

The Meikai professors wanted to discuss how the U.S. provides sales data as the Japanese government has decided that publicly available sales data could prevent a future bubble like the one that happened 15 years ago. Our answers obviously were that there are many ways this is done as it varies from state to state. Al stressed the MLS as the most accurate source, especially NAR’s new Pending Sales Data Index.

Our meeting at Zen Ichi’s headquarters was a courtesy call with photographs and gift giving.

The Japan-U.S. Summit was a meeting of the top leadership of Japan ’s four major real estate associations and the NAR. After introductions, each organization described their association and outlook for the future. As most of them had attended APREC, Al spent his time explaining in a very clear fashion why he/NAR believes that there is no real estate bubble that will break. The Japanese were quite appreciative of his remarks.

After the Summit , we had a most elegant and delightful dinner with a great deal of discussion both business and fun; it was one of the best networking events in my experience.

Bottom line, I was able to cover a great deal of territory both in terms of land and people.
Although initially I was somewhat reluctant to attend the APREC meeting, coming to Osaka provided me with the opportunity for many other meetings that proved most valuable.

Broker Open

Mon, 08 Aug 2005 21:01:27 GMT

BRS moves downtown

Thu, 04 Aug 2005 16:04:41 GMT

Boulder Real Estate Services is proud to announce we've moved to Downtown Boulder. You can find us at the corner of Broadway and Pearl, just above Abercrombie on the Pearl Street Mall. Conveniently only our address has changed. You may reach us at the same phone number 303-442-3335 or fax at 303-442-3925.

By mail our address is

Boulder Real Estate Services

1942 Broadway Suite 314

Boulder, Colorado 80302

In person we can be found in Suite 210, just one flight up from street level. Enter on Broadway or Pearl.

OPEN HOUSE this Sunday 5/14

Thu, 12 May 2005 21:44:20 GMT

Looking for the perfect plains home with spectacular 360' views of snow-caps, plains & city, privacy, spacious rooms, wrap-around covered porch, 3 acres, basement mother-in-law suite with outside entrance-this is it! Easy to show. 3 fireplaces. Bordered by 27 acres of ag.conservation easement. Mature landscaping. Sun room with spa. Shop with power. Many flex rooms. Buyer to verify all measurements including sq. ft. Landscaping to be completed before close.

Spring Cleaning Part 2

Fri, 06 May 2005 15:48:28 GMT

Spring is traditionally the time to open the windows and clean out the cobwebs. Although it may seem like a daunting task, it doesn't have to be. Real Simple magazine’s Elizabeth Mayhew was invited on the "Today" show for a three-day series to talk about easy ways to break big chores down into simple steps, as detailed in the May issue. Here is the first excerpt:

DAY 1: GENERAL LIVING AREAS

General dirt
Take off your shoes when you enter the house. Eighty-seven percent of the dirt in our homes is basic tracked-in soil and dust.

Keep an assortment of comfortable house slippers by the front door to encourage family members and guests to take their shoes off. Of course, if you’re entertaining a large group of people in your home, this isn’t always possible. You have to expect a certain amount of mess in these situations — just dust and vacuum after everyone’s gone, just as you clean up dishes.

Tracked-in dirt can almost always be removed dry, so you can put off the need for professional cleaning as long as you vacuum and dust regularly.

Dusting
At Real Simple, we love microfiber cloths, the no-chemical alternative to dusting. They’re great for the environment, just throw them in the wash and re-use.

When you dust, let gravity work for you. Start up high, and work your way down, saving vacuuming for last. This is the most efficient way to clean.

The Starmop ($17, www.starfibers.com) is a good tool for cleaning dirt off the floor. Its microfiber cleaning pad attracts dirt without leaving a dusty trail. For really dirty floors, combine it with a floor cleaner, like Earth Friendly Products Floor Cleaner, or Murphy’s Oil Soap.

Upholstery
If there’s a W on the care tag, you can clean the piece yourself. We recommend doing it once or twice a year. If there’s no W on the tag, play it safe and consult a pro, getting it professionally cleaned about once every two years.

1. Add two capfuls of Woolite to a bucket of cool water. Dip in a sponge and wring it out well, then rub a thin layer of the solution onto each cushion, starting with the dirtiest side.
2. Balance the cushions against one another or the wall to dry. Put colorfast towels or white paper towels between points where pieces touch, leaving as much surface area as possible exposed to the air.
3. Clean the body of the sofa or chair, wringing the sponge out well so you’re using as little liquid as possible. Let all pieces air-dry before reassembling to prevent mildew.

Super Sponge – This dry-cleaning sponge is a cellulose foam-latex pad that cleans without water or any harsh chemicals. When we consulted cleaning experts for this story, this was the one product that won unanimous praise. The foam-latex attracts particles of soot, dust and pet hair from upholstery, fabric shades and lampshades. It’s like an eraser, and best of all, there’s absolutely no toxicity associated with this product. But don’t expect it to remove stains.

After vacuuming the fabric, run the sponge across it in short, even strokes, being particularly gentle with delicate silks and wools, which can stretch if pulled. When the sponge starts to show dirt, wash it with soap and water, wring it out, and let it air-dry. (Ace Professional Soot & Dirt Remover Sponge, $4 at Ace Hardware stores)

Drapes
It’s a good idea to have your drapes professionally cleaned once every couple years. Giving them a regular, thorough dusting will limit expensive trips to the dry cleaner.
1. Gently tug drapes to open pleats. Vacuum each panel, using a low setting and the brush attachment. Hold the brush an inch away to avoid pulling on delicate or loosely-woven fabrics.
2. Pay extra-attention to the lower foot of the drapes, where dust and dirt accumulate close to the floor.
3. To remove smudges, apply a bit of baby powder to a clean toothbrush and gently brush the spot. The powder protects the fabric and helps lift dirt.

Rugs
You should have area rugs professionally cleaned once a year, but to minimize dirt buildup in between cleanings, here are three easy steps.
1. Place the rug facedown on an old, but clean sheet, and vacuum it thoroughly. Turn it over, and vacuum the other side.
2. Using a sponge or a clean, damp towel, gently blot dirty areas several times. Alternate with a dry towel to keep the moisture to a minimum.
3. Work carefully over the damp areas with a soft, clean carpet brush to raise the pile and expose the fibers to the air. The agitation will dry the fibers and lift any remaining dirt.

Gail is on her way to Washington!

Thu, 05 May 2005 21:46:18 GMT

RISMEDIA, May 5 – More than 8,500 Realtors will be in Washington, D.C., next week to take their legislative concerns to Congress, to find out more about the real estate boom and to tour the National Association of Realtors new building.

Realtors coming to NAR’s six-day Midyear Legislative Meetings & Trade Expo will attend a series of political forums on federal issues which will provide members with insights and information regarding important legislative and regulatory issues facing the industry.

Chief among their concerns is the real estate market outlook—that is, will the real estate boom, which has buoyed the economy for the past five years, continue? Realtors also will want to impress upon their congressional leaders the importance of passing legislation that would allow small businesses to enroll in the same kind of health care plans enjoyed by large corporations and unions.

Key legislators, federal agency representatives and top industry executives will address attendees at this year’s meetings on issues that impact real estate. Of special interest to Realtors is how proposed reforms to mortgage giants Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae will affect the real estate boom and their businesses, and programs to increase minority home ownership.

On Wednesday and Thursday, May 11-12, members and guests will have opportunities to tour the new NAR headquarters building, at 500 New Jersey Avenue, N.W.

Some key events include:

The Regulatory Issues Forum, Tuesday, May 10, 9:30–11 a.m., at the Marriott Wardman Park Hotel, will focus on proposed reforms of government-sponsored enterprises Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, and their impact on the real estate industry. Several experts, including Kent Colton, principal of K. Colton, LLC, and fellow of the Harvard University Joint Center for Housing Studies, and Richard K. Green, professor of real estate and finance, George Washington University, will review the proposed regulatory reforms and their possible effects.

The Land Use, Property Rights and Environment Forum, Tuesday, May 10, 11 a.m.–12:30 p.m., at the Omni Shoreham Hotel will feature Rep. Richard Pombo (R-Calif.), chair of the House Resources Committee (invited), and Assistant Secretary Craig Manson, of the Fish, Wildlife and Parks Service, Department of Interior; Keiran Suckling, senior policy analyst, Center for Biological Diversity, and Jim Sims, executive director, Partnership for the West. Speakers will focus on the Endangered Species Act – current status of the act, how it works to protect species, and proposals to reform the act to make it more protective of both species and property rights.

At the Equal Opportunity-Cultural Diversity Forum, Tuesday, May 10, 1-3 p.m., Marriott Wardman Park Hotel, corporate leaders will speak frankly about their views for the future and whether diversity may be corporate America’s greatest strength. Invited speakers include Luke Visconti, founder of Diversity Inc.; Jose Menendez, director of emerging markets for Stewart Title Co., and corporate representatives from Hewlett Packard and Marriott.

The Legislative & Political Forum, Tuesday, May 10, 7:30–9 a.m., Marriot Wardman Park Hotel, is a two-part event. The first will focus on Small Business Health Plan (HR 525 and S 406) legislation, one of NAR’s top priorities to address the health concerns of the significant number of NAR members and other small businesspersons who are uninsured due to high costs. The second part will feature an insider’s perspective of the congressional political landscape. Invited speakers include Sen. Jim Talent (R-Mo.), speaking on small business health plans; Rep. Tom Reynolds (R-New York), speaking on the political landscape; and Reps. Sam Johnson (R-Tex) and Steny Hoyer (D-Md.), minority whip of the House of Representatives.

During the first part of the Economic Issues and Residential Real Estate Business Trends Forum, Thursday, May 12, 8–10 a.m., Marriott Wardman Park Hotel, NAR’s Chief Economist David Lereah will discuss recent trends in the economy, with emphasis on the roles of job growth, consumer spending and interest rates on the prospects for the continued expansion of the real estate boom. In the second part, a panel of experts including international real estate executive and author Stefan Swanepoel will discuss industry trends, including the evolution of new business models, the role of the Internet and electronic commerce, as well as factors important for real estate agents to be successful in the future.

The Economic Issues and Commercial Business Real Estate Trends Forum will take place Thursday, May 12, 1-3 p.m., at the Omni Shoreham. In the first part of the meeting, NAR’s Chief Economist David Lereah will provide a review and forecast of each sector of the commercial real estate market on a national basis. Later, a panel of experts will provide an in-depth analysis of tenants-in-common issues from the commercial perspective. The panel will include Lereah; Richard W. Brown, CCIM, senior vice president, Scheer Partners; Daniel S. Rosefelt, JD, CPA, 1031Law.com; and Robert M. White Jr., CRE, president, Real Capital Analytics.

The Realtors Real Estate Related Services Forum, on Thursday, May 12, 1–3 p.m., Marriott Wardman Park Hotel, will focus on issues arising from activities of real estate firms in mortgage lending markets. Speakers are Brian Chappelle, partner, Potomac Partners and consultant for America’s Mortgage Cooperative; Scott Stern, chief executive officer, Lenders One, a St. Louis, Mo., mortgage cooperative; and Ron McGuire, vice president, Tucker Mortgage Co.

The Housing Opportunities Workshop on Thursday, May 12, 3 – 5 p.m., at the Marriott Wardman Park Hotel, with the theme “Maximizing Business Opportunities through Counseling Partnerships,” will provide an overview of how educating and counseling consumers will result in more qualified homebuyers, helping turn prospective buyers into real ones, and assisting consumers enter the first rung of the homeownership ladder. The session will be presented by Cora Fulmore, president of the Mortgage and Credit Center, Orlando, Fla.

The International Forum, Friday, Friday, May 13, 10 a.m.–12 p.m., will feature business planning for international real estate, with a presentation by CIPS instructor Ed Hatch on business planning and an overview of global real estate markets by NAR Chief Economist David Lereah.

The Center for REALTOR Technology, Thursday, May 12, 1–3 p.m., will present a briefing, “Information Security – It’s Everyone’s Business,” at which a panel of information security specialists will provide an overview of the REALTOR Secure program.

The NAR Board of Directors convenes on Saturday, May 14, from 8 a.m.-1 p.m.

The 2005 HOPE Awards: The HOPE Awards (Home Ownership Participation for Everyone), which are awarded every other year, recognizes up to seven organizations and individuals who are making outstanding contributions to the cause of increasing minority homeownership. Rep. Michael Honda (D-Calif.) will deliver the keynote luncheon address honoring the 2005 winners at noon on Tuesday, May 10, at the National Press Club. That will be followed by panel discussions of the winners and their programs conducted at a symposium moderated by nationally syndicated real estate columnist Ken Harney at 1:15 p.m. The Gala will take place that evening at the National Building Museum beginning at 6:30 p.m. and hosted bys Ray Suarez, senior correspondent for the PBS daily news program, The News Hour with Jim Lehrer.

The Realtors Trade Expo is located in Marriott Wardman Park Hotel and will showcase new ideas about products and services to increase productivity. Exhibits from 210 companies in 30,500 square feet of displays will show the newest real estate products and services, ranging from Personal Digital Assistants to lead generation systems, Internet prospecting solutions, Multiple Listing System providers, 360-degree virtual tours, technology and financial services.

Expo hours are Wednesday, May 11, from 10 a.m.-6.p.m.; Thursday, May 12, from 9 a.m.-5 p.m., and Friday, May 13, from 9 a.m.-2 p.m.

RISMedia welcomes your questions and comments. Send your e-mail to: editorial@rismedia.com

I'm Looking for Another Good Broker!

Thu, 21 Apr 2005 17:18:20 GMT

Due to the recent retirements of Don Harlan and Helen Wachendorfer , Boulder Real Estate Services, Ltd. has openings for experienced brokers. Work from home (conference room for meeting clients) or lease a spacious, private office in our charming yet high tech and conveniently located Victorian house. Generous commission splits or 100% plus fees. For a confidential interview and summary of services and benefits, call 303-442-3335 or email gail@boulder-realestate.com.

Boulder Real Estate Services, Ltd. is a full service real estate brokerage firm providing individualized service to our clients, both sellers and buyers. We specialize in residential properties, hobby and horse farms as well as lots, acreage, small commercial real estate properties and multi-family properties in one of the nation's most beautiful, affluent and educated communities. Each agent holds a broker's license from the Colorado Real Estate Commission while our senior broker has earned numerous designations.

Spring Cleaning Checklist

Thu, 21 Apr 2005 16:02:04 GMT

Spring Cleaning Checklist
Clean out the garage. Get rid of tools you don't use or that are rusted or beyond repair.
Inspect the roof and gutter.
Examine exterior and touch up if needed. Power wash the outside of the house, including windows.
Drain all sediment from your hot water heater.
Perform maintenance on home cooling systems.
Donate clothing that has not been worn for more than two years.
Using a telescoping vacuum extension, sweep away all cobwebs and dust near the ceilings.
Wash the walls throughout the house using 1/2 cup ammonia, 1/4 cup white vinegar and 1/4 cup baking soda to 1 gallon of warm water.
Wash all inside windows. Vacuum out the tracks.
Vacuum/wash/dry clean all window coverings.
Dust and wash light fixtures and chandeliers.
Wash all knickknacks.
Vacuum lampshades. Replace light bulbs.
Clean out and reorganize the linen closet..
With a vacuum brush, remove hair stuck to walls and ceiling by hair dryers and hair spray.
Deep clean shower, toilet, floor and sink.
Inventory the medicine cabinet and toss expired medicines.
Defrost freezer (if needed) and wash out refrigerator. Toss out expired foods.
Remove screen on stove fan and wash.
Clean oven and soak stove rings and drip pans.
Go through your kitchen appliances, clean thoroughly and get rid of ones you no longer use regularly.
Use your vacuum on the front of the coils and motor to remove dust and dirt.
Vacuum books and bookshelves.
Launder all quilts, blankets, comforters and bedspreads. Turn mattresses.
Move all furniture to the center of each room and vacuum thoroughly.
Rent a carpet cleaner or hire a company to clean your carpets.
Inventory the contents of each room. Force yourself to get rid of the things you don't need.
Have a garage sale.
Put the proceeds toward a family vacation, or visit a local amusement park, water park or favorite restaurant to celebrate the beginning of summer.

Gail and Harley Lyons set to open Yatahai Gardens

Wed, 13 Apr 2005 22:51:05 GMT

Please join Gail and Harley Lyons for their opening reception of Yatahai Gardens this Friday, April 22 from 4-7. Yatahai Gardens is located in Longmont at 6860 Nelson Road. After 15 years of infastructure work the opening will kick off the spring season. For more information please call Gail at 303-442-3335 or email Gail@boulder-realestate.com