2005 Year in Review

2005 was a busy year for the Columbus Board of REALTORS®! The excellent activities planned and executed by CBR's leadership and 30 member committees are too numerous to mention. But we'll try to hit the highlights...

Membership
As of 10/31/05, CBR's membership was 7,331 (6,830 last year, same time) which includes 951 new members (928 last year). The Columbus Board of REALTORS® is the largest Board in Ohio and is the 33rd largest in the National Association of REALTORS® (of 1500 local Boards/Associations.)

Home Sales
We're well on our way to another record year in home sales. With 21,223 home sales at the end of September, we're about 3% ahead of last year. Home prices are up about 5% this year. The average price of a home in Central Ohio is $178,997. However, the real good and bad news is that our inventory level is the highest it's ever been. We had almost 24% more homes on the market in September than we did last year. So, even though sales were up almost 7%, there were still a number of homes sitting on the market. For this reason, homes are taking longer to sell - about 8-10% longer. A record breaking year - but a tough market.

2005 Budget, Finance & Investment Committee Summary
Through October this year CBR has taken in over 950 new members, and now has an all-time high of over 7,300 members. Following the recommendations of the Budget, Finance & Investment Committee, the Board of Directors to use the increased income to: fully fund the Board's long-term reserve goal; add to the special reserve for eventually-needed repairs to the parking lot and membership headquarters building; and to fund a reserve that will offset the need for any local dues increase in the near future. The committee also continued their watch over the long-term investments of the Board as well as the overall budgets of the Board and MLS.

CBR Web Site
Activity on ColumbusRealtors.com has grown exponentially over the last year. In comparing activity January through October, the site experienced 666,752 individual sessions - up 33 percent over last year. Visiters have viewed 1,622,237 pages so far this year - up 38 percent. And at 30,151,075, total hits are up 45 percent over last year!

Members generally view 2-3 pages when on the site and spend just over six minutes. Top requested pages include: the Events calendar, Find a REALTOR®, standard forms, MLS, TEMPOTM FAQs, site search, class list, `Contact Us', MLS data sheets/forms, and affordable housing.

Real Estate Weekly
The CBR owned Real Estate Weekly is the only publication that prints the entire list of new residential MLS listings in every issue and guarantees REALTOR®-friendly articles on buying and selling a home. Under the management of the Columbus Dispatch, there have been several visual improvements this year, including a brand new cover and free color given to contract advertisers.

In addition, a new feature was added to the MLS listing entry process to allow members to submit their new listing information directly to Real Estate Weekly where it appears on a special "New Listings" page in each issue.

Affordable Housing
The Affordable Housing Committee held its first Super Sunday Affordable Housing Open House on Sunday, June 12, 1-4 pm, which featured more than 100 homes priced $125,000 and below. REALTORS® all over Central Ohio and surrounding counties were on hand to showcase homes and discuss with prospective homebuyers their specific housing needs.

Also, new this year, is the partnership with the Columbus Public Schools to have REALTORS® go to PTA meetings to talk about homeownership opportunities. The committee offered two continuing education classes, three roundtables with continuing education credit; participated in the Minority Homeownership Expo; the Hilltop Bean Dinner and Festival Latino. Roundtables on Everything you need to know about MOLD!; Affordable Housing Programs; Neighborhod Gold Downpayment Assistance program; Nonconforming loans; Lender updates; Renovation Financing; Credit Scoring; Homes On The Hill and other financing sources; Radon Inspection and Mitigation were offered to members throughout the year.

Community Outreach Programs
This year, CBR continued its endeavor to reach out to the public with information on home buying with booths at the Historic Hilltop Bean Dinner and at Festival Latino, both drew several thousands of people to the celebrations. Home buying packets were provided at both events. We also have entered into a new endeavor with the Columbus Public Schools to provide homeownership information at PTA meetings.

During the kick-off of National Homeownership Month, we celebrated the ribbon cutting of the sixth house being constructed my Women Build for Habitat for Humanity. We also co-sponsored with Columbus Housing Partnership (CHP) and United Way our first REALTOR® Care Day where 100 REALTOR®, affiliate and community member volunteers helped spruce up Mwanza Place - a 24-unit apartment complex in the Linden area owned by CHP. The first ever Super Sunday Affordable Housing Open House was also held during National Homeownership Month and featured 100 homes priced $125,000 and below.

One of our most popular programs - the 1st Time Real Estate Investor's Seminar ? has been expanded to include Part I - The ABCs of Investing in Real Estate and Part II - How to Enhance your Real Estate Portfolio. Both were offered twice this year providing prospective real estate investors step-by-step instruction on finding, purchasing and maintaining investment property.

Three Real Estate Career Nights gave prospective new agents an opportunity to learn about the industry from people already in the industry. Those in attendance were provided information on opportunities, skills needed to be successful, licensing, testing requirements and the CBR post-licensing Grant Program.

CBR also participated in the Urban League's Minority Homeownership Expo and sponsored an Open House Sunday during American Home Week.

REALTOR® Foundation Fund
Established as a fund of the Columbus Foundation, the REALTOR® Foundation Fund mission is to support qualified real estate-related programs and entities whose goals are to improve the overall real estate environment in Central Ohio. Guided by the Advisory Board, and supported by several sub-committees, the fund has grown to almost $300,000 through continued support of many members and others in related fields, and has been able to provide important support to several entities.

Earlier this year the Scholarship Sub- Committee granted a significant scholarship to Timmy Ng, a graduate student at The Ohio State University Fisher College of Business, as well as two Hondros Scholarships- one to Bonnie Bloomfield and Alicia Carr, to pursue their sales license. Our REALTOR® Foundation was able to help some very worthy projects in Central Ohio this year, including the Coalition on Homelessness and Housing, Greater Columbus Habitat for Humanity, Greater Linden Community Development Corporation, Homes on the Hill Community Development Corporation, Take It To The Streets, Franklinton Development Association, Creative Housing Incorporated and The Homeless Families Foundation.

Growth in the fund was fostered through improved communications, and the hard work of the Annual Campaign Sub- Committee, who conducted the Third Annual Celebrity Waiters Luncheon and Live Auction, featuring quite a few local sports, TV and government leaders including emcee Kurt Ludlow from WBNS 10TV. All proceeds from the event benefited the REALTOR Foundation Fund.

New Member Mentoring Sessions
The Mentoring Sessions are designed to help our new members network with one another and with veteran REALTORS® on topics of interest. Discussions this year focused on: Tax Planning & Budgeting for Newly Licensed Agents; Prospecting: Innovative Ideas/Power of Networking; Negotiating/Conflict & Resolutions; Working the Investment Property Market; Working with Affiliates; Becoming Technically Competent; Legal issues/Fulfilling your Fiduciary Obligations; Introduction to Commercial Brokerage; Learning to live as a commission-based independent contractor; and Writing a Business Plan.

Kudos to our mentors for their commitment to sharing their expertise with new agents _ Rick Benjamin, Terry Bryant, Sean Carpenter, Bob Case, Dasaya Cates, Jim Coridan, Elton Davis, Jr., David Dikeman, Charlene Fairman, Patrick Florence, Greg Hrabcak, Darryl Isabel, Joe Jackson, Sondra Johnson, G. Terry Jordan, Brian Kemp, Sue Lusk-Gleich, Steve Mills, Sandy Schupp, Gail Tate-Johnson, Mike Troutman, Matt Warren, Beverly Woodford and Jamie Zitesman.

CORPAC Fundraising Committee Report
CORPAC's 2005 Fundraising Committee, over 70 members strong and co-chaired by Sandy Campbell, Kim McCutchen and Jay Zollars, 2005 Co-Chairs, had goals in 2005 to increase member participation, to work more closely with the area associations, and to raise $132,000. They once again used the spirit of our Ohio Association's theme - Protecting the American Dream.

The committee conducted two fundraising events - the May auction and the September golf outing - to augment the voluntary contributions members send in with their dues payments. Nearly 2,100 members included voluntary contributions of $41,810. The auction, held during May in the Grand Ballroom of the Hyatt Regency Hotel was the most successful ever with 500 in attendance, and raised over $61,000. The September golf outing, held at Foxfire Golf Club located south of Columbus, filled all 36 holes on the course for a shotgun start having at least two golfing foursomes on every hole, and raised over $21,000.

Overall, the committee not only exceeded their dollar goal for the year, but also brought the ten-year total raised for CORPAC to over $1,000,000 since it started late in 1994. The committee spread the word throughout the membership that CORPAC efforts are indeed important to everyone related to our industry, and that supporting CORPAC is one way that every member can help Protect the American Dream.

Builder/Realtor® Alliance
The BRAC had an active year as it explored the new home building process from start to finish. Each meeting featured speakers educating committee members on each phase of the new home construction. They also hosted a bus tour in the spring which visited 33 new home developments around the city. Due to its broad appeal, membership in this group grew to 350 and drew 87-157 builders and REALTORS® to each meeting.

Awards
This year's Broker of the Year Award went to Pat Kearns-Davis. Bill Clifford was honored as Salesperson of the Year. Bill Clifford and James Zitesman jointly received the Instructor of the Year award. And Bonnie Lustnauer was honored as Affiliate of the Year. Two members -David D. Dicken and Jerome J. Hacken - were recognized for 50 years of CBR membership and 65 others were recognized for 25 years of CBR membership.

CBR's Volunteer Service Award was presented to Jan Jedlinsky, Fil Line and Pilar Powell.

A total of 144 members were awarded the $1 (61), $5 (32), $10 (34) or $25 (17) million dollar club award. In addition, 55 charter members were honored with the first-ever Lifetime Achievement award for their outstanding sales production as well as the their long-time commitment to the Columbus Board of REALTORS®.

The Spotlight on Community Service award is given to members throughout the year who are volunteering their time to benefit the community. In 2005, this award was bestowed on: Sue Berg, Sarah Eagleson, Cynthia Gatewood, Michael Gencur, Bessie Harper, Mary Lynn Hohman, Brian Kemp, Al Leckrone, Barbara Lowry, Ted Oatts, Dot Pasden, William "Bill" Potter, Kathy Schwant, John Watkins, Skip Weiler, and Al Wilderman.

Multiple Listing Service
Through your recommendations and comments have come this year's changes to your MLS for 2005 and 2006. While some system enhancements currently are implemented, others are planned for completion by March 2006

• Improved data integrity by having TEMPOTM system automatically notify Realtors to review and update status of property in contract for 6 months.
• Improved data integrity by allowing only one entry for each listing thereby encouraging the use of the alternate use data field
• Expanded short report formats to include one with directions and one with remarks
• Approved the addition of new features garden/soaking tub and hot tub
• Approved development of new area ILR (Indian Lake Region) for Logan County
• Approved development of five new areas for Pickaway County, PNE, PNW, PSE, PSW and PCI (Pickaway County Circleville corp limits)
• Approved Fines for Violation of MLS Rules and Regulations and Policies
• Added a new data field Variable Rate Commission with Y/N required entry
• Added the option for Realtors to include Unbranded Virtual Tours to Buyer Full and Buyer Short Reports
• Approved WolfNet as MLS Vendor for Web Site Developer for Brokers where MLS data does not reside on their servers
• Approved month-to-month extension for Interealty MLS publication contract in 2006
• Approved new data field for Agent Remarks for Realtors only to view comments about the property separate from existing Remarks data field
• Revised the IDX Web Site Guidelines to conform to NAR recommendations.

Suggestions and comments concerning your CBR TEMPOTM system are welcome and encouraged to be submitted to your MLS Committee as many of the enhancements are a direct result of such input. Others such as the Client Listing Site (interactive customizable prospecting) and the selection of an IDX vendor (WolfNet) to help maintain data security are two others that will be presented yet this year.

Thanks for sharing your ideas and we hope the results have served to make the system more useful for you and your clients. Please know those efforts will continue in 2006.

Commercial Section
Early in the year, Commercial Awards were presented to: Wayne Harer, Top Producer and Largest C/I Transaction; Tony Yacoub for Most Unique C/I Transaction; Hamish Williams for 1031 Exchange Transaction; and Greg Weber, Rookie of the Year. The Erika Blumenstein Memorial Award for outstanding community service went to George `Sandy' Simpson. Wayne Harer for Largest C/I Transaction; David Lukacsko for Rookie of the Year; Greg Hrabcak and Doug McCloud for 1031 Exchange; Greg Weber and Chris Miller for Most Unique C/I Transaction; and Henry Coridan for the Erika Blumenstein Memorial Award. In addition, the following ten commercial members were recognized as Top Producers: John Boll, Doug Goddard, Jeff Gregg, John Hall, Wayne Harer, Steve Kuhr, Laura Miller, Michael Linder, Randy Stephens, Richard Trott, and Skip Weiler.

The most exciting addition in the commercial section in 2005 was the creation of the Central Ohio Commercial Information Exchange (CIE) which was up and running under the management of Xceligent in 2005 and will switch to CBR ownership on January 1, 2006. The new Central Ohio CIE consolidated the CBR C/I listings and CCIIR listings with the current Xceligent web based property database.

The C/I Education Committee offered 69 credit hours of education focused on commercial real estate this year. Nine C/I Luncheons provided 1-2 hours of continuing education credit on topics such as: the Commercial Purchase Contract, Property and Environmental Inspections, as well as commercial development updates in Hilliard, Canal Winchester, Southern Delaware County, New Albany, Polaris, and the OSU Campus area. The 5th Annual Halloween C/I Forecast Luncheon offered insight into retail, office and industrial real estate.

In addition, there were nine 3-hour continuing education courses that concentrated on commercial issues including an introduction to buyer brokerage, appraisal, historic restoration, investment and development analysis, issues regarding procuring cause, legal issues (core law), ADA (civil rights) and community taxing authorities. Once again, there was a successful partnership with CCIIR and CREW on a 3-hour course, entitled, Outlook for Commercial Real Estate 2006 and Beyond.

In preparation for the Central Ohio Commercial Data Exchange launching in January 2006, nine 3-hour training courses (with continuing education credit) were offered from the middle of October through December.