President's Perspective

You say goodbye... and I say hello

Brad Bennett
President

Hello and welcome to our CBR 2007 Directors, committee chairs & vice-chairs and all of you who will be participating this year. You all have my sincere thanks for stepping up to the plate to better our board and industry.

What a celebration we had at the Cirque des le Président Ball. Congratulations to all of our sales award winners. We all owe a great debt of gratitude to all of the 2006 leadership. I truly believe we will all look back at 2006 as a crucial year in the operation of CBR. With President Chris Reese at the helm we survived many tough issues that will result in higher professionalism and much more data security protecting the future of our industry.

Not only are we saying goodbye to ouroutgoing leadership and hello to our new, we're saying goodbye to four amazing years of industry prosperity, and `hello' to a different and much more challenging market.

Although all of the economic indicators point toward sound real estate investment, we may not see an upturn for some months to come. With the shift in our national and state political leadership, we are likely to see buyers still waiting on the sidelines before returning to the marketplace.

Not only do we have to be poised and ready to capitalize on a market upswing, we must be avid spokespersons telling the public that this is the best time to buy property. We must convey a very positive attitude since it seems that the media continually points to negativity in the real estate marketplace.

While in the public eye, I will be doing all in my power to project the positive aspects of buying real estate, but I will not attempt to `sugar coat' information to you.

Nationally many markets are projecting a 10 to 20% decline in REALTOR® membership. Our 2007 CBR budget committee has based our income on a 5% decrease in membership. If the downturn is greater, or lasts longer than expected, this could have an effect on services provided at the current dues level.

The good news is that CBR and MLS were able to reserve some funds during the last several years when membership was growing at a greater rate than projected. Hopefully, this downturn will correct in a matter of months, not years, and we will be able to continue to fund the extensive services that CBR and MLS provide to all the membership without a dues increase.

You can be certain that our leadership and staff will continually monitor our fiscal condition on a regular basis and keep you all apprised.

Often it seems that we REALTORS® are the only voice to motivate buyers. WE must ALL get on the bandwagon and tell the marketplace the truth, "With low interest rates, great loan programs, and an ample selection from which to choose, this IS the best time to buy real estate".

We CAN make a difference in the marketplace. Go Buckeyes and Go REALTORS®!