2003 - Year in Review

The year 2003 has been active to say the least.  Hundreds of members have participated in events, programs and committees which have helped to shape and enhance the benefits of membership.  Space does not allow a comprehensive review, however, here’s a brief summary of the year’s activities.

Membership
The membership of the Columbus Board of REALTORS® has grown dramatically over the last couple years reaching a number not seen since the late 70’s, early 80’s. 

As of 10/31/03, CBR’s membership was 6,340 (5,684 last year, same time) which includes 902 new members (707 last year).  CBR was pleased to welcome REALTORS® from Fayette and Madison counties who have chosen to become part of our Board this year. 

Combined membership for our 27 committees was 1063. (This compares to 799 last year.)

CBR is the largest Board in Ohio and is the 28th largest in the National Association of REALTORS®.

Multiple Listing Service
CBR TEMPO MLS system enhancements continued this year as we:  included addition of a photo copyright logo; revised the 30-day listing resubmission policy; required identification of the type of listing agreement existing with the seller; expanded parcel links to county auditor sites; updated TEMPO user manual; created an advanced amortization schedule; identified listings with virtual tours; updated school districts; created the option for negative subdivision searches; added the MLS number as an option for quick search; and made changes to sellers’ net sheet, just to name a few.

The MLS also made several changes to MLS Rules and Regulations, subscribed to NAR’s statistical data (coming soon) that provides detailed marketing information reports, made several listing worksheet revisions, created guidelines for determining number of listings allowed in MLS from new developments, made MLS publication revisions that will serve to maintain existing costs, created MLS VOW (Virtual Office Website) guidelines, placed more MLS information on CBR’s web site, approved more revisions for new residential and commercial worksheets that you’ll see soon, and created a third-party vendor contract agreement that will serve to protect your MLS data being used to provide members with advanced technology services.

For 2004, your MLS is exploring the option for a web-based link to several auditor’s web sites that would interact with the data on your CBR TEMPO MLS system and there is a proposal for creating a new downtown area to reflect the housing growth. 

The MLS Committee has a full agenda of discussion items each month and will continue to work to bring you the best from the world of technology and place it in the CBR TEMPO arena in an effort to provide better services for you and your clients.

Member Service Center
On May 8, we concluded the renovation of our CBR Member Service Center with a Grand Re-Opening celebration which included vendor displays, food, prizes, and a good time for all.  The renovation included a new look, purging the store of unrequested items and stocking it with those items you’ve been asking for.  Currently we are working on getting new web pages completed so that you can order items securely online.

REALTOR® Foundation Fund
What a phenomenal year it’s been for the Columbus Board of REALTORS® Foundation Fund!  The committee kicked off a “Re-Launch” campaign to increase member awareness of the fund. Our mission - to support real estate related programs whose goals are to improve the real estate environment in our community.

This year’s launch campaign kicked off at Sales Associates Day in October, focusing on our contributors and getting the word out about the Foundation. We’ve had two exciting fundraisers this year - the Holiday Card Promotion and the Celebrity Waiter Luncheon held at the Westin Great Southern Hotel on November 14, which was a huge success. 

Because of the contributions from our members, we have been able to continue funding our core programs such as scholarship awards, and a recent grant provided to Homes on the Hill.

We are looking forward to growing even more in 2004, with your help. Thank you for “Helping Housing Happen.”

2003 Financial Summary
The combined effect of having more than 900 new members and a high level of member retention may be the most remarkable aspect of the board’s overall finances this year. 

With dues revenues from a membership that has grown to well over 6,000 members, while at the same time keeping operating expenses within the approved annual budget, leadership has been able to use the added net revenue to pay down on both the mortgage for the membership headquarters building, and some of the member bonds that are due next June.  The increase in membership has also permitted the MLS to provide better services without the need to increase member fees.

CBR has also been able to continue to support local community development programs such as the Chamber of Commerce’s Columbus America program and the Columbus Housing Partnership; and to designate board resources to the further development of our own REALTOR® Foundation Fund.

Affordable Housing
The Affordable Housing Committee’s most exciting event this year was having Affordable Housing Committee Co-Chair Barbara Lowry chosen as the 2003 recipient of the OAR Excellence in Community Service award for her and the committee’s work with the local office of HUD, the city of Columbus and Habitat for Humanity on the National Homeownership Month activities: Habitat for Humanity Cul-de-sac Street Opening, Rhema Christian Center Home Buyer Info Night and the CBR booth at the Historic Hilltop Bean Dinner.  As only one of these awards is given each year, this was quite an honor for Barbara, the Affordable Housing Committee and for the Columbus Board of REALTORS®. 

The committee was also quite busy with other projects as well as they awarded a new Certified Affordable Housing REALTOR® Certification, offered six continuing education classes; participated in the Minority Homeownership Expo; and held roundtables on taxes, Columbus City Schools with Superintendent Gene Harris, Section 8 Mortgage Program, Hispanic Cultural Differences and government and non-profit housing programs.

In addition, committee member Carol Prigan represented CBR at the National Housing Conference Roundtable on Affordable Housing and traveled to the Lorain County Association of REALTORS® to participate in a discussion on how they could start an affordable housing opportunities programs.

In lieu of a holiday party this year, the committee is adopting a family for the holidays.

www.ColumbusRealtors.com
CBR debuted a new and improved web site last spring which provides members with better and faster access to information on the Board and the industry. 

A comprehensive search function was added allowing members to search the site for information.  The Affordable Housing pages were modified to allow easier access to necessary information on affordable housing programs.  The MLS pages were also enhanced to provide more Tips & Tricks, and Tempo FAQs.  In addition, committee minutes were added, as well as information on safety, many of the member services, advertising guidelines, Code of Ethics and Professional Standards inforamtion including the ethics complaint and arbitration request processes.

CORPAC
The Central Ohio REALTORS® Political Action Committee was created to support those issues and candidates in Central Ohio who support the promotion and preservation of private property rights to thereby create a favorable real estate environment for the members of the Columbus Board of REALTORS®.  Two-thirds of all funds raised by CORPAC are forwarded to the Ohio and the National REALTORS® Political Action Committees to support those industry-friendly candidates running for state and national offices.

There were many important and critical reasons members needed to support CORPAC this year including:  mortgage interest deductibility; increases in the FHA loan limits (to increase your bottom line because of higher sales prices); local moratoriums on growth and new housing definitely affect the bottom line for REALTORS®; as well as new taxes on capital gains, even at our city level, that surface unless the real estate industry is on watch. 

Ohio Governor Taft’s proposed taxes on the industry would have affected the bottom line for anyone in real estate; and Ohio’s Department of Administrative Services attempt to commandeer real estate commissions on commercial leases involving the state offices would have cost our commercial members dearly.

CBR members had several opportunities this year to support CORPAC and to help protect the American dream including sending a voluntary contribution with their dues payment, or by attending one of the fun CORPAC member events held this year. 

The CORPAC Auction, held in May at the Hilton Inn Columbus (Easton) and the September golf scramble at Foxfire were both record-breaking events with more in attendance and more dollars raised than ever before. 

This year’s CORPAC Fundraising Committee, co-chaired by Chuck Johnson of Carey Falor Realty Partners and Bob McCarthy of HER Real Living, has goals to gain the support of 68% of CBR’s members and to raise $110,000. So far this year, 42% of CBR’s members have participated in CORPAC by contributing over $104,000.  Bob and Chuck urge all members to support CORPAC thereby protecting the American dream.

Builder/Realtor® Alliance Committee
BRAC membership this year exceeded 250 with meetings seeing 75-95 builders and REALTORS® in attendance. This group hosted the annual Builders’ Preview and two classes on new construction - one on building and one on selling. 

Additionally, the committee meetings included presentations on new build materials (plumbing, countertops, roofing and basements), property insurance, the Parade of Homes, feng shui, new home warranties, building restrictions, and earning a commission selling new builds.

Real Estate Weekly
Our board owned publication, the Real Estate Weekly, is now in its 5th year of partnering with the Columbus Dispatch.  The objective of the Real Estate Weekly is and always has been, to provide an economical advertising vehicle for members to promote their listings.  We’ve achieved this objective as the Real Estate Weekly has the lowest cost per inch of any of the homes publications in our area.  In addition, advertisers receive discounts on classified ads placed in the Dispatch.  Further proof is that contract advertising is at an all time high.

As a special feature this year, the Real Estate Weekly was inserted in issues of the Columbus Dispatch in five different zones.  Member response was overwhelming as we saw increases of up to 72 percent in those five particular issues.  The Real Estate Weekly was also distributed at the 2003 Home and Garden show and Parade of Homes.

Community Outreach Programs
CBR reached out to the home buying public with several programs this year.  A free Home Buying Info Night gave participants an opportunity to talk one-on-one with REALTORS®, lenders, credit counseling representatives and HUD representatives about their specific homebuyer needs. 

The kick-off of the Habitat for Humanity Cul-de-sac Street Opening, located on Hanford Street on Columbus’ Southside, will provide 11 new builds (5 homes built by Habitat for Humanity and 6 by Wake Forest Builders), with prices ranging from $83,000-$160,000.

A booth at the Historic Hilltop Bean Dinner, which drew more than 30,000 people to the daylong celebration, provided home buying packets.

One of our most popular programs – the 1st Time Real Estate Investor’s Seminar was offered twice this year providing prospective real estate investors step-by-step instruction on finding, purchasing and maintaining investment property.

Six Real Estate Career Nights (some with standing room only) gave prospective new agents an opportunity to learn about the industry from people already in the industry who 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.

Awards
This year’s Broker of the Year Award went to Sam Calhoon.  Mar’ Hartley was honored as Salesperson of the Year.  Belinda Ohlinger received the Instructor of the Year award.  Joe Testa received the Citizen of the Year award.  And Jon Sadler was honored as Affiliate of the Year.

Four members (Harley E. Rouda, Sr., Ted Sayer, Donald Borror and Jacob Will) were recognized for 50 years of CBR membership and 97 REALTORS® were recognized for reaching 25 years of CBR membership.

CBR’s Volunteer Service Award was presented to Tom Calhoon, Paul Love, Bob McCarthy, Jeff Murray and George Van Lent.

A total of 199 members will be receiving CBR’s Million Dollar Club Award at the upcoming President’s Ball - $1 million (70), $5 million (53), $10 million (47) and $25 (29). 

New Member Mentoring Sessions
The Mentoring Sessions continued to be popular with those attending. Topics offered this year included: Balancing Work, Family and the Rest of Life, Effective Prospecting/Power of Networking, Learning to Live as a Commission-Based Independent Contractor, Finding monies to Promote Yourself, Becoming Technically Competent, Negotiating, Fulfilling Your Fiduciary Obligations and Starting Your Own Business. New this year and our most popular topic was Working the Investment Market.

Kudos to our mentors - Tracy Chambers, Juanita Daniel, Darryl Isabel, Terry Jordan, Sue Lusk-Gleich, Sandy Schupp, Melissa Thompson and Beverly Woodford  - for their commitment to sharing their expertise with new agents.

Commercial Section
In January, commercial awards were presented to:  Mike Grenert for Rookie of the Year and Most C/I Transactions; Wayne Harer for Largest Transaction and Top Producer; Greg Hrabcak, Scott Hrabcak and Jim Wootton for the Most Unique Commercial Transaction; and Larry Hoyt received the Erika Blumenstein Memorial Award (posthumously).

The C/I Standard Forms committee reviewed and revised documents.  The C/I Membership Committee produced and distributed the 2003 version of the C/I Quick Reference Manual.

While serving their commercial clients in various technology arenas, the CI MLS Committee continues to make progress in combining similarities of services such as forms and data display and reviewed the products available from two vendors. Their belief is that by creating a common language in listing data fields, it will work to provide practitioners a better understanding of the technology in MLS and encourage more commercial membership. They continue to work toward creating the education classes needed to help support this belief.

The C/I Education Committee offered 8 C/I Luncheons, all programs approved for 1 hour of continuing education credit.  Topics included updates on Port Columbus, Campus Partners, as well as, legal issues involving electronic signatures, property and zoning information on the Web, insurance issues, mold issues, real estate tax valuations and appeals, and the 3rd Annual Halloween C/I Forecast.  In addition, there were 8 (3-hour) courses that concentrated on commercial issues including development in downtown Columbus, environmental issues, an introduction to C/I real estate and an advanced C/I real estate course, 1031 tax-deferred exchanges, ADA for the commercial practitioner, Core Law for the commercial agent, and the Community Development & Commercial Site Selection course co-sponsored with CCIIR and CREW.  This year, there were 31 credit hours offered that focused on commercial subjects.

Plans are underway for the 2004 CI Awards Recognition Ceremony to take place January 21, 2004 during CBR’s Forecast Night.  Recipients of the awards will be determined by the CI Recognition Committee in early January.