Volume 2 • Issue 7 - March 2013From our President

F C B O R M o n t h l y N e w s l e t t e r

Gerry is the President ofThe Four Corners Board of

REALTORS® You can contact her at

970-565-8408

At last Spring has sprung! With Spring and new beginnings we have been very busy looking for a new AE. The Selection Committee has advertised for the job and is busy with interviews.

We want to say farewell and thanks to Howard for the work he has done for the Board. He has kept us going during some difficult times and we sincerely appreciate his efforts.

The Board will be hosting a booth at the Home and Garden Show May 3 and 4. We will be putting together a plan to have each brokerage work in the booth.

Nationwide Open House is coming April 20 and 21. If anyone has ideas on how we can participate, please let me know.

I would also like ideas on how to set up and manage a leadership recruitment and mentorship program. That is one of the goals for the first quarter of 2013 in our strategic plan. This is a real opportunity for those of us who have been in the business for a long time to share our knowledge and experience with newer REALTORS®. From a pool of newly mentored REALTORS come future Board leaders. We will all benefit from sharing our expertise with newer members.

As most of you know, I am retiring on 11 April as the Association Executive of the Four Corners Board of REAL-TORS®. I came to the Board in December 2008 and have enjoyed serving you for the past four plus years.My wife and I have decided to do a little traveling and doing some work around the ranch that has been calling to me for some time. Oh yes, there is some horseback riding that has also been calling me.

I believe my time with the Board has been productive. I am especially pleased with the Board’s efforts to update the Strategic Plan, Mission, and Vision. During my four years with the Board I represented the membership as a member of the Editorial Board of the REALTOR AE Magazine. I also had an article published in that magazine promoting mediation as the way to resolve disputes.

During my tenure we won a CAR Soaring Eagle award for our leadership in CARHOF. We have won numerous awards for PSF/RPAC. One of our biggest accomplishments was the transition from Paragon 4 to Paragon 5 in a timely manner.

The most rewarding part of the job was working with each of you on a daily basis. I hope that in a small way I have helped each of you become more effective in your profession as a REALTOR. I have made many lasting friendships and hope to see you all around town.

I know you will support your new AE and as the market comes back you see an increase in membership.Good luck and God bless you all. You have all been a blessing to me.Respectfully, Howard

Farewell

Howard G. Thomas, MPA, GRIAssociation ExecutiveFour Corners Board of REALTORS®925 S. Broadway, Suite 222 ~ Cortez, CO. 81321fourcornersboard@gmail.comwww.fourcornersboardofrealtors.comPhone: (970) 565-0112Fax: (970) 565-1777

MongoFax is Out of Business; CAR Searching for Replacement

As the word has spread that MongoFax is out of business, CAR has received many inquires about where can mem-bers turn to next for this under the radar valuable benefit. It has been suggested that MetroFax (www.metrofax.com) and MyFax.com (www.MyFax.com) are suitable replacements while CAR begins its research to replace Mon-goFax.

CAR Staff Changes-Updated

Johna Olio, has replaced Pamela Carpenter as Executive Assistant for CAR. Learn more about the current staff and who you should contact if you need assistance from CAR.

The 2012-2013 Four Corners Board of REALTORS Board of Directors:

President/ Gerry Parker / 565-8408 / gparker@fone.net President-Elect/ Robin Rice / 565-8408 / robinrice@fone.net

Past President / Ken Williamson / 565-2000 / kwilliamson@remax.netSecretary/Treasurer / Bob Toles / 946-1194 / BobToles@yahoo.com

Director/ Brenda K. Baates / 565-2000 / beebates@live.comDirector/ Jo Ann Cauley / 565-8408 / joannc21@fone.netDirector/ Preston Dillon / 560-9144 / psdillon@rmi.net

Director/ Dawn Utrup / 570-3110 / dawn.utrup@gmail.comCAR Director/ Carol Click / 565-2000 / carolclick@remax.net

Association Office StaffAssociation Executive / Howard Thomas / 565-0112/ fourcornersboard@gmail.com

FCBOR CALENDAR OF EVENTS

1 3/27/2013 11:19 AMstaff

Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa1 2 3 4 5 6

7 8 9 10 11 12 1314 15 16 17 18 19 2021 22 23 24 25 26 2728 29 30

April 2013Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa

1 2 3 45 6 7 8 9 10 11

12 13 14 15 16 17 1819 20 21 22 23 24 2526 27 28 29 30 31

May 2013

April 2013

Mar

31

- A

pr 6

Mar 31 Apr 1 2 3 4 5 6

Apr

7 -

13

7 8 9 10 11 12 13 Howard's Last Day as A

Apr

14

- 20

14 15 16 17 18 19 20

Apr

21

- 27

21 22 23 24 25 26 27

Apr

28

- M

ay 4

28 29 30 May 1 2 3 4

Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday

Dear FCBOR Members,We believe that REALTOR® associations need to get more members involved in our REALTOR® Party advocacy efforts. Be it at the local, state or the national level, we have a continuing need to bring additional voices of our members into the issues and legislative mix to demonstrate our united support of policies and regulations that promote home ownership and the real estate industry.

We just wrapped up the REALTOR® Party Awareness Campaign. Week six was the "Action Plan." We asked each member of the REALTOR® Party to commit to do each of the following:• First, VOTE. Make sure you register to vote. Be informed about the issues. And cast your vote for supporters of real estate. • Second, ACT. Know the issues, get involved, and, most importantly, respond promptly to Calls for Action. REAL-TORS® are strongest when we speak with one voice.• Third, INVEST. Invest in RPAC each year, even if it's just a little, every contribution helps. Attend local RPAC events—show your support. Recruit others to invest in RPAC. Tell a colleague how important it is to invest.I am here to assist you any way I can. I would love the opportunity to visit one of your state meetings to discuss current issues and engagement in the political process. Whether you have five minutes or five hours, I would re-ally enjoy sharing just how important the Realtor Party is to not only us as the real estate community but for all property owners nationwide.• If you have a meeting planned please complete this online meeting request form, http://www.realtoractioncenter.com/realtors/brokers/liaison, and NAR will schedule my visit (schedule permitting).• If you would like to discuss a possible date, my travel schedule or any ideas? Please contact Erin Murphy at 202.383.1079 or emurphy@realtors.org or contact me directly at Kenny@kennyparcell.com

I cannot thank you enough for all that you all do for the REALTOR® Family. I can only imagine how difficult it is to have a "new" boss with various personalities year in and year out. With that being said it is a true honor and blessing for me to serve with you as your REALTOR® Party Member Mobilization Liaison in 2013. This work is important! Thank you for being the "constant" in your state and for all that you are doing for the greater good. Please let me know if there is anything I can do for you! Wishing you the very best that life has to offer! REALTORS® must Vote, Act and Invest!Kenny ParcellREALTOR® Party Member Mobilization Liaison

________________________________________NAR maintains a separate email system to communicate our national news and programs. If you would like to manage those subscriptions and optin/optout of those communications please click here to login to www.Realtor.org

NEWS RELEASES

Media Contact: Walter Molony / 202-383-1177 / Email

WASHINGTON (March 27, 2013) - February pending home sales flattened with limited buyer choices, but remained at the secondhighest level in nearly three years, according to the National Association of Realtors®.

The Pending Home Sales Index,* a forward-looking indicator based on contract signings, slipped 0.4 percent to 104.8 in Februaryfrom a downwardly revised 105.2 in January, but is 8.4 percent higher than February 2012 when it was 96.6. Contract activity hasbeen above year-ago levels for the past 22 months; the data reflect contracts but not closings.

Before January, the last time the index showed a higher reading was in April 2010 when it was 110.9, shortly before the deadlinefor the home buyer tax credit.

Lawrence Yun , NAR chief economist, said limited inventory is holding back the market in many areas. "Only new homeconstruction can genuinely help relieve the inventory shortage, and housing starts need to rise at least 50 percent from currentlevels," he said. "Most local home builders are small businesses and simply don't have access to capital on Wall Street. Clearerregulatory rules, applied to construction loans for smaller community banks and credit unions, could bring many small-sizedbuilders back into the market."

The PHSI in the Northeast declined 2.5 percent to 82.8 in February but is 6.8 percent above February 2012. In the Midwest theindex rose 0.4 percent to 103.6 in February and is 13.2 percent higher than a year ago. Pending home sales in the South slipped0.3 percent to an index of 118.8 in February but are 12.1 percent above February 2012. In the West the index increased 0.1percent in February to 101.4 but is 0.8 percent below a year ago.

Yun projects existing-home sales to rise about 7 percent in 2013 to approximately 5 million sales, which is near the current levelof activity. "The volume of home sales appears to be leveling off with the constrained inventory conditions, and the leveling of theindex means little change is likely in the pace of sales over the next couple months," he said.

The national median existing-home price is forecast to rise nearly 7 percent this year, while mortgage interest rates should remainhistorically low, but trend up slowly and reach 4 percent in the fourth quarter.

The National Association of Realtors®, "The Voice for Real Estate," is America's largest trade association, representing 1 millionmembers involved in all aspects of the residential and commercial real estate industries. For additional commentary andconsumer information, visit www.houselogic.com and http://retradio.com.

# # #

* The Pending Home Sales Index is a leading indicator for the housing sector, based on pending sales of existing homes. A sale islisted as pending when the contract has been signed but the transaction has not closed, though the sale usually is finalized withinone or two months of signing.

The index is based on a large national sample, typically representing about 20 percent of transactions for existing-home sales. Indeveloping the model for the index, it was demonstrated that the level of monthly sales-contract activity parallels the level ofclosed existing-home sales in the following two months.

An index of 100 is equal to the average level of contract activity during 2001, which was the first year to be examined. Bycoincidence, the volume of existing-home sales in 2001 fell within the range of 5.0 to 5.5 million, which is considered normal forthe current U.S. population.

NOTE: Existing-home sales for March will be reported April 22 and the next Pending Home Sales Index will be on April 29.The Investment and Vacation Home Buyers Survey, covering transactions in 2012, is scheduled for April 2; all release times are10:00 a.m. EDT.

E-PRO® BlogThe Best Ways to Get Unfriended and Unfollowed on Facebook,Twitter and LinkedInPosted on March 4, 2013 by Bill Lublin

I guess it had to happen.

People heard that there were a lot of consumers using social me-dia, and perceived that those consumers had gotten together for the sole purpose of moving forward the business agendas of any-one with a computer or smartphone. Sadly for those of us who were exploring this new frontier, a whole new raft of socially unacceptable behavior was about to be born.

Using social media for business purposes is a balancing act, trying to increase your acceptance and build trust with an online community while advancing your legitimate business purpose. Like anything worth doing, its worth doing well, but if it isn’t done well, it can boomerang and actually decrease your stand-ing with your community or their desire to listen to any of your

communications. Here are a couple of things that tend ot drive people crazy online

Automated responses - When people tweet or connect with others online they aren’t looking to connect with an automation – they are looking for a real personal connection. A response that is obviously an auto-responder causes an almost immediate disconnect – leading may people to block, unfollow or unfriend the person who thought they were acknowledging the new connection. When people take the 2nd day of the e-Pro course, at one point the tweet out to the e-Pro team. We will respond personally, because that’s what there effort was a personal effort. Its no a lot of effort for the positive responses it brings us.

Thoughtless Broadcasting - I get a lot of unsolicited requests on LinkedIn, a network that I keep the closest watch on and am most protective of. For example, I rencently got a request from someone in my marketplace that said “Find out why I use LinkedIn. Stay in touch and build your professional network. - (Name Redacted) .” Seriously? I don’t even know you. Why would I care what motivates you? Even in this smaller social space, we constantly get messages from people promising us things we don’t want or need, indicating they have no idea who we are or what we are interested in. These folks don’t take the time to cull their list and be sure that the message they were sending is at least potentially appropriate for the recipient. Direct mail marketers are more considerate than that – but then again they have to pay for stamps.

Careless Commenting - I’ve always felt that we have two reasons and one mouth for a reason – listening is at least twice as important as speaking, and thoughtful speaking is far more important than speaking at all. People often feel the need to speak first and think later – but when they do that online, they create a permanent record of their thoughtlessness. Just as people need to wait before they send an emotion filled email, they should wait before posting an emotion filled response on Facebook or on a blog post. And if you are the target of such a response, remember that there are those online who live for the contro-versy. They make themselves appear larger by being the center of controversy because they have little or nothing of value to add to the conversation.

Interested in building a network online? Its very simple and can be explained in just a few words. Be Transparent, Be Genu-ine, Be Consistent. When people know who you are, know what you care about, and know that they can rely on you, they want you as part of their network. Upon reflection, it seems so simple, and yet, for many its so hard. I hope that it isn’t hard for you.

Reprinted from the SMMI BlogThis entry was posted in reputation management, social media and tagged bill lublin, billlublin, facebook, linkedin, Online Communities, Professional network service, SMMI, social media, Social network, Social networking service, twitter. Bookmark the permalink.