June 2010

Chairman’s Corner

Greetings!   Ombudsman might be hard to say; however, the ombudsman program at ABoR is easy to use! You last read about the ombudsman program in February, and I wanted to remind you about how the program can help you. In some cases, you may no longer need to file a formal ethics complaint against a fellow REALTOR®; rather, you could request to speak with an ABoR ombudsman for assistance when an issue arises. This call is informal, off-the-record and confidential; most of all, it’s effective and easy.

Abor.com has officially gained a new companion – a streaming feed of real estate news delivered directly from Inman News. Added in May and designed to complement the local industry updates that are currently featured on Abor.com, the Inman News feed provides you with a broader array of real estate news that would otherwise be available only to subscribers of Inman News. As an added benefit for ABoR members, the news feed can be found on the right-hand side of the homepage on Abor.com. Check out our latest addition and stay abreast of current real estate industry happenings.

The open call to fill spots on ABoR’s committees in 2011 is officially underway. Any member interested in volunteering for a committee is encouraged to apply. Participating on a committee can help you build connections for your business, in addition to allowing you the opportunity to leave your mark on the real estate industry. Click here for a list of committees and descriptions, along with details on meeting frequency.

New in 2010 are changes to how members of the ACTRIS Advisory Committee are selected. Individuals who have been MLS subscribers for at least three consecutive years are eligible to apply for one of the five open seats on the ACTRIS Advisory Committee. There is a separate application for this committee, and qualified applicants will be selected for interviews in August.

The deadline to apply for all committee assignments is July 15. We welcome you to submit your application today. For questions, contact  Vicki Harris in ABoR's Executive Department at 512-454-7636.

Are you pumped for the fast-approaching 2010 Realty Round Up (RRU)? We know we are, and in the spirit of our excitement, we are launching a “save the date” contest. As part of our contest, we are asking you to show us how you’re “saving the date” for Realty Round Up 2010. Themed stickers have been created and are available for pick-up at the ABoR offices in the Education Department and at the front desk. You can also download the sticker design online.

The rules are simple. Take a RRU sticker, find a clever place to stick it, snap a picture and send it to ABoR’s Marketing Department. The photos received will be featured on our Facebook page and ABoR fans, like you, will have the opportunity to vote for your favorites. The photos with the most "likes" on June 30 and July 30 will score two lucky individuals a free ticket to RRU. Go ahead, get started: Grab your camera, your RRU spirit and start saving the date!

If you are interested in being an exhibitor at this year’s trade show, don’t forget to reserve your booth by June 30 to ensure you receive the lowest price for exhibit space. Contact Gina Willemsen at 512-454-7636 for questions regarding RRU and booth space.

Follow RRU on Twitter for photos and event updates.

El Mundo Newspaper will host the fifth annual Expo Tu Casa on June 27 from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. at the Crowne Plaza Hotel located at 6121 N IH-35 in Austin. In partnership with the National Association of Hispanic Real Estate Professionals (NAHREP) and the Greater Austin Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (GAHCC), this free expo will provide bilingual information on buying a home, touching on subjects like affordable loans, down payment assistance, new home sales and more.

ABoR looks forward to participating in the homebuyer expo and helping support consumer education regarding the home buying process and market conditions. For additional details, visit El Mundo Newspaper online.

You should have received an e-mail last week requesting your vote on changes to ABoR’s Bylaws. As a friendly reminder, we ask that you cast your vote no later than 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday, June 15, so that your voice may be heard. Changes to the Association’s Bylaws do occur on occasion, and your opinion on the recommendations is important. If you haven’t had the opportunity to cast your ballot, please submit your vote today.

According to the Multiple Listing Service (MLS) report by the Austin Board of REALTORS®, the volume of Austin area home sales in April 2010 was 2,043, up 31 percent from the same month in 2009. In the same period, pending sales increased 47 percent to 2,813. The median price of real estate in the Austin area remained unchanged in the same time period at $190,700.

“The considerable increase in sales and pending sales indicates increased activity among buyers trying to beat the April 30 tax credit deadline,” said John Horton, Chairman of the Austin Board of REALTORS®. “Although the tax credit has expired, we are entering a growing economic, real estate and seasonal cycle which we hope will continue to provide momentum to carry our market upward.”

Sales of condos and townhouses remained strong in April 2010, increasing 63 percent to 213 sales as compared to April 2009. Also during the same period, pending sales for condos and townhouses increased 70 percent to 338.

View the complete Austin housing market report online.

In June’s Legal Topics column, John F.K. McGill, J.D., of Hancock and McGill, L.L.P., discusses abstracts of judgment and liens, explaining what the Property Code states and the relation to homestead property.

Do you want to help make the MLS system better? Consider applying to be a software tester and help evaluate the next generation MLS application from MarketLinx, the provider of MLXchange. Called Fusion MLS, MarketLinx’s latest application is being tested in only three markets: San Diego, Atlanta and Austin. The ACTRIS Advisory Committee lobbied for Austin to become a test market and is searching for a diverse group of volunteers to participate on the task force that will help test Fusion MLS.

A total of 30 individuals, who must be MLS subscribers, will be selected as testers. All MLS subscribers are encouraged to apply. The advisory committee is looking to find a well-rounded group of agents, spanning across ages and with varying technical abilities. If selected for the task force, individuals will be required to provide continuous feedback and attend all scheduled meetings. As a tester, you will have a unique opportunity to share your opinions and help play a pivotal role in making the Fusion MLS system more user-friendly for all.

Interested in applying? Complete this simple application and return it to the MLS support team. The deadline to apply has been extended to June 15. All applications must be received by June 15 for consideration. Whether you have basic computer skills or are tech-savvy, we hope you will consider applying.

ABoR has learned that Microsoft will no longer offer technical support for Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional beginning on July 13. Based on standard procedures, MarketLinx typically only offers technical support for the products that Microsoft is still servicing. Therefore, if MLXchange users experience technical difficulties with the 2000 version of Windows, support may no longer be available after July 13. The MLXchange technical support team always works diligently to provide MLS subscribers with quality assistance and aims to help you solve your problems. However, if your computer still runs on Windows 2000, you are encouraged to upgrade your system.

More information regarding Microsoft’s change in technical support offerings can be found online.

This August, ABoR is co-hosting the Bring Workers Home: 2010 Regional Forum on Workforce Housing and Employer Assisted Housing (EAH) Class on August 12 and 13. The forum and class look to increase attendees’ awareness of affordable housing and employer assisted housing benefits.

Sponsored by the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) and in partnership with the National Housing Conference, the two-day conference will be held at the Omni Hotel and Resort in Downtown Austin located at 700 San Jacinto at 8th Street. The regional forum will take place on August 12 from 9:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. and the EAH class will be held on August 13 from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

REALTORS® are invited to attend both events. For those attending both the regional forum and EAH class, the cost is $50. Taken separately, the forum is $45 and the class costs $15. Additional event details, including registration information, are available online.

Approximately 40 Austin REALTORS® traveled to Washington, DC in May to participate in the National Association of REALTORS®’ (NAR) Midyear meetings. These REALTORS® met with Congressmen Chet Edwards, Lloyd Doggett, John Carter, Michael McCaul and Lamar Smith, along with Senator John Cornyn. During the meetings, REALTORS® discussed issues regarding FHA reform, commercial mortgage market liquidity and affordable property insurance, among others, with the congressional members.

In addition, a Midyear Live blog was created by NAR members that provides details, including videos, photos and articles, about the happenings at the Midyear meetings. Visit the blog online.