Commercial Properties See Rental Rate Increases

T H E P E N N S Y LV A N I A
REALTOR
W W W . P A R E A LT O R . O R G
D E C E M B E R 2 0 0 7 | V O L . 6 7, N O . 1 2 | U S P S 9 9 8 - 0 6 0
PAR Publications
Win Awards
Lessons
for the
New Real
Estate
Market
S
everal of PAR’s publications
received honors from the
International Association
of Business Communicators Harrisburg Chapter. The publications were highlighted during
the Harrisburg Chapter’s Capital
Awards last month.
PAR’s first Annual Report received the Silver Award in the Annual Report (four or more colors)
category. Judges said the annual
report strengths are "the layout, use
of images, simple color and crisp
writing."
The REALTORS® Political
Action Committee (RPAC) Toolkit
earned a Silver Award in the
Fundraising Campaigns category.
Judges commented, “The kit
package is a polished approach to
delivering the various contents.”
A Silver Award was also given
to The Pennsylvania REALTOR® in the
Newsletters, Newspapers and Tabloids (four or more colors) category.
The judges noted, “The diversity
of information in the newsletter
makes it a well-rounded publication.
Simple, concise stories make it easy
to read.”
®
A
fundamental shift is going on in the real estate industry. REALTORS®
and consumers alike need to adjust how they view the market.
According to PAR’s consulting economist Austin Jaffe,
Ph.D., chair of the Department of Insurance and Real Estate
at the Smeal College of Business at Penn State University, the
traditional way of thinking may not serve REALTORS® well in
the upcoming market.
“We’re at a turning point right now,” Jaffe says. “This is
not the end of the world for the real estate industry. It’s a return to basics that have served the industry for a long time.”
While the market will continue to adjust over the next
year, it’s not likely that the decline in house prices and dropoff in sales have reached the bottom yet, Jaffe says.
Jaffe believes that real estate markets will likely continue
to struggle well into 2008. “A reasonable guess is that real
estate markets may stabilize in late 2008 but much depends
on the overall economy and on demographics,” he says.
Since Pennsylvania housing markets are less volatile than
other markets, the impact of various shocks ranging from Federal
Reserve policy to national mortgage finance issues will likely be
considerably less.
“There is no reason to expect Pennsylvania housing
markets to behave like some declining-but-formerly-highlycharged-markets when they did not behave like them on the
incline,” he says. “Real estate in Pennsylvania will survive and
homeowners will prosper over time, especially as we return to
the view of housing as a long-term durable asset with moderate rates of appreciation potential,” he says.
Jaffe says these market shifts offer some important lessons:
CONT. PAGE 5
Top Agents Develop Winning Stategies for 2008
IN THIS ISSUE
BY WALTER SANFORD
President’s Letter
Highlighting 2007
Accomplishments
2
Feature
Deal with Clients'
Frustrations
8
Industry News
BPOs and CMAs
Clarified
9
Legal Update
Education Calendar
Technology
Government Affairs
3
6
11
12
G
reat agents are already thinking about business
planning for 2008. They are developing their
strategies for lead generation, marketing, human
resources and investing. I am involved in many of
these strategy meetings with some of the nation’s top agents. I
have found many exciting and wonderful trends are emerging to
make the top people in real estate even better in 2008.
1
Down payments are back!
It is time that we get back to working with buyers who
can qualify to get a Discover® card. The days of a real estate
transaction depending upon the creativity of a loose lender are
over. The days of having a decent price with a qualified buyer
who has money for a down payment are back again. Not only
do buyers appreciate the opportunities that American real
estate provides but they also end up being better neighbors
and citizens. Their longevity of ownership is not so dependent
upon the cyclical rates of appreciation and the cost of money.
They are more apt to improve their real estate and their
neighborhood.
2
Top agents are finally getting away from concentrating
on generating hundreds of leads and they are spending
more time figuring out how to put those leads into play.
Voice recognition systems, third-party web site referrals
and unqualified buyer web site leads have gone without
follow-up. The top agent is feeling guilty for spending money
on poor quality leads, especially buyer leads. Traditional
lead-generation systems are back in vogue using technology
to decrease their costs and increase their efficiency. Followup procedures for these leads include: live staff follow-up,
the “rainmaker's” personal follow-up, direct mail and more
personal closing sequences via the phone and personal visits.
CONT. PAGE 6
PRESIDENT’S LETTER
Year Marks Significant Achievements
BY DOMINIC J. CARDONE
T
his has been such an
outstanding year and
I am grateful for the
opportunity to have
served as president of this wonderful organization. I can’t help
but reflect about the year and
our accomplishments.
The efforts of your executive committee, board of directors and the staff have resulted
in a number of improved and
DOMINIC J. CARDONE
new benefits for our membership. Our association saw a modest growth in membership
totaling approximately 35,000.
The board approved a new member benefit at the September
Board of Directors meeting. This service, DNC QuickCheck, allows
members to screen telephone numbers against state and federal
Do-Not-Call registries and maintain internal DNC lists. I hope all of
our members are taking advantage of this free benefit.
We’ve added four new partners to PAR’s Preferred PARtner
program. These companies offer our members a discount for using
their services. The new partners include: Advanced Access web
site design, OneBigPlanet discount card, AnnounceMyMove.com
and Premiere Global Services multi-media communication services. Each of these can be accessed at www.parealtor.org.
In the legislative arena, we were thrilled to lead the campaign
to defeat any increase in the realty transfer tax. The statewide survey we conducted showed that there is no public support for raising this tax. It was an awesome victory to see that the increase was
not included in the 2007-2008 Commonwealth budget.
I’m also pleased that we have expanded our statewide legislative vigilance by adding staff dedicated to municipal issues affecting real estate.
As I write this column, RPAC has raised $708,023 toward its
$750,000 goal. This reflects an eight-percent increase over funds
raised last year. I commend each of you who continue to support
RPAC and encourage those of you who have not given to do so today to help us achieve our goal.
We have also worked with a coalition on housing for working
families to draft legislation on this issue. In our effort to be part of
the solutions, we adopted a Policy Statement for Education and
Economic Development Funding Options, as recommended by our
Property Tax Task Force.
We rolled out a new Professional Standards training program
with record turnout throughout the state. This new program
allows members to discuss and debate issues while using
specific examples.
We purchased an electronic Member Response System to
be used to instantaneously record votes during board of directors meetings. The system will also be used in PAR seminars
and educational programs.
PAR is re-evaluating the Homebuyer-Home Seller Dispute
Resolution System (DRS) in Pennsylvania and the staff participated in an NAR panel discussion at the May NAR meetings.
We are happy to announce that the most common PAR
Standard Forms have been translated into Spanish and are
available online, for reference only, to assist you in working
with clients who speak Spanish as their first language.
Our Marketing and Communications Department implemented a new corporate identity with the new PAR logo. This includes
the re-branding of the REALTORS® Political Action Committee
(RPAC), PA REALTORS® Institute (PRI), PA REALTORS® Education
Foundation (PREF) and the Preferred PARtner program. This effort
included various new brochures and other printed materials.
A redesigned Pennsylvania REALTOR® was introduced in February and the staff continues to bring you current industry information which is helpful to your business. The PAR web site was redesigned to improve usability and now includes a consumer portal.
Our Education Department continues to bring you the high
caliber courses you’ve come to expect. We delivered a special
education event featuring Karel Murray. The “Don’t Just Survive, Thrive!” program was brought to three locations across
the state. We are now offering the ABR and the ABRM designation courses and the new Eco-Broker course online.
The highlight of the year, demonstrating the REALTOR®
commitment to communities, homeownership and charities,
was PAR’s trip to Louisianna to participate in NAR’s Habitat for
Humanity build. Past PAR President Len Ferber led a team of
21 REALTORS® on the project. They survived the 100+ degree
temperatures and aided two families who survived Hurricane
Katrina.
A special thank you to Patrice Merzanis and her staff, your
2008 President Bob Hay and his wife Beverly, the other line
officers, district vice presidents, committee chairs and vice
chairs, committee members and all the REALTOR® volunteers
who contribute to PAR’s efforts. I’m not only grateful for
their professionalism but for their friendship as well. These
REALTORS® epitomize the lofty calling from the Preamble to
NAR’s Code of Ethics, sharing their talents for the benefit of all
REALTORS® in Pennsylvania.
I can’t tell you how much I’ve enjoyed traveling the state
and attending various local association and board meetings.
Betsy and I have been warmly welcomed by each of you and
you’ve truly made us feel at home.
January 2008 Business Meetings
General Session
ECONOMIC PREDICTIONS
FOR THE NEW YEAR
MONDAY, JANUARY 14, 11 a.m. – noon
Speaker: Austin Jaffe, Ph.D., Penn State
University
Austin Jaffe, PAR’s consulting economist, will provide an overview of the
housing market in the New Year. An
international authority on real estate
issues and finance, Dr. Jaffe is chair
of the Department of Insurance and
Real Estate at the Smeal College of
Business at Penn State University.
Members & Directors Forum
UBERTRENDS
MONDAY, JANUARY 14, 1 – 2:30 p.m.
Speaker: Michael Tchong, ubercool.com
Michael Tchong, founder of Ubercool.
com, tracks global trends and shows
how these “ubertrends” ripple through
society and affect the way REALTORS®
do business.
General Session
SHORT SALES
TUESDAY, JANUARY 15, 10 – 11:30 a.m.
Join attorney Jim Goldsmith as he
moderates a panel discussion on
best practices related to real estate
short sales. Panelists will include a
REALTOR®, an attorney, a lender and a
CPA.
General Session
EMPLOYER ASSISTED HOUSING
TUESDAY, JANUARY 15, 2-3:00 p.m.
2 | P E N N S Y LVA N I A A S S O C I AT I O N O F R E A LT O R S ‰
Speakers: Cathy Whatley, past-president,
National Association of REALTORS®; Clay
Lambert, Homeownership Programs, PA
Housing Finance Agency; and a Fine Line
Homes representative
This panel discussion on Employer
Assisted Housing Programs will feature Cathy Whatley, who will address
the NAR Home from Work program
and affordable housing efforts in
Jacksonville, FL that won the NAR
Ambassador for Cities Award. Clay
Lambert will speak about PHFA’s new
employer assisted housing program.
A Fine Line Homes representative will
speak from the employers’ perspective about putting the PHFA program
to practical use.
T H E P E N N S Y LVA N I A
REALTOR
®
PRESIDENT
DOMINIC J. CARDONE, ABR, CRS, GRI
EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT
PATRICE MERZANIS, CAE, RCE
CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER
JAMES ANTONIO, CPA
DIRECTOR, EDUCATION
ADRIENNE L. NICHOLS, M. Ed., e-PRO, RCE
DIRECTOR, GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS
DERENDA UPDEGRAVE
DIRECTOR, INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
MARTIN MANION, CAE, e-PRO, RCE
DIRECTOR, MARKETING &
COMMUNICATIONS
THEA HOCKER
DIRECTOR, MEMBER & LEGAL SERVICES
HENRY LERNER, ESQ.
MANAGING EDITOR
KIM SHINDLE
CONTRIBUTORS
DANIEL A. BRADLEY
JAMES GOLDSMITH, ESQ.
WALTER SANFORD
JENNIFER SHOCKLEY
KIM SMITH
BUCK WARGO
FOR ADVERTISING INFORMATION
WWW.PAREALTOR.ORG
The PENNSYLVANIA REALTOR‰
is a monthly publication of the
PA Association of REALTORS‰
4501 Chambers Hill Road
Harrisburg, PA 17111-2406
800.555.3390
717.561.8796 Fax
Advertisers can contact Kim Shindle at
717.561.1303. Permission to reprint articles
must be obtained from PAR.
ISSN 0889-3837
USPS 998-060
Subscription price is $18 per year included in
annual membership. Periodicals postage paid at
Harrisburg, PA.
Postmaster: Send changes to:
PA Association of REALTORS‰
4501 Chambers Hill Road
Harrisburg, PA 17111
The contents of the PA REALTOR‰ are the
opinions and products of the authors and not
necessarily endorsed by PAR.
This publication is designed to provide accurate
and authoritative information regarding the subjects covered. It is offered with the understanding
that the publisher is not engaged in or rendering
professional advice. If legal advice is required the
services of a professional should be sought.
www.parealtor.org
DECEMBER 2007
L E G A L U P D AT E
Warning: Proceed Cautiously with Short Sales
BY JAMES L. GOLDSMITH, ESQ.
T
here is no
wondering
why the “short
sale” is such
a hot topic these days.
Articles and courses
abound that entice the
sales agent to seize the
short sale as a new opportunity to increase
productivity and make
JAMES L. GOLDSMITH, ESQ.
money. For most of you,
though, this is not the
panacea that will restore your bottom line.
A short sale involves the sale of real estate, with
marketable title, for less than what is owed on mortgages
and the other encumbrances of record. Generally, a short
sale only occurs when a mortgage lender is willing to accept less than what is owed on the note in exchange for
a release of its mortgage. Lenders and other creditors are
willing to do this in lieu of foreclosing, or purchasing at a
sheriff’s sale, because it may be quicker, net as much money for the creditor and is less complicated. Lenders have
little interest in owning real estate and far more interest in
recouping as much money owed as quickly as is possible.
Those of you with experience selling repossessed
properties know there is money to be made in niche markets. You also know that without great knowledge and
expertise, you expose yourselves to hard work, little reward
and increased liability. This is not intended as a primer on
making money through short sales. Consider this a warning
designed to help you recognize the short sale so that you
can encounter it knowingly.
More than at any other time in recent history, a listing
agent has reason to explore the seller’s financial condition.
You have a right to be selective. Why take a listing when
the property cannot be sold at an amount that allows for
satisfaction of the encumbrances with enough left to pay a
commission?
Engage the sellers in a frank discussion as to the
existence and status of mortgages, loans and other
liens that have effect title. For a number of reasons
listing agents have in recent years shied away from
frank discussions with sellers about their financial
viability. Develop a protocol for dealing with these
sensitive issues. Certainly you will want to mention
at the outset of your discussion that the information
will be maintained in confidence. Ask to see monthly
statements or other documents that corroborate the
account balances. If written materials are not available,
gather loan numbers or other identifying information
that will enable the owner to obtain in your presence
the information necessary for your evaluation.
Too few licensees know how to search for mortgages
at the office of the recorder of deeds. The conversion to
computerized records makes this a much easier task in
many counties. Knowing how to determine whether the
property is encumbered is invaluable and may be considered as an important step to be taken before or shortly
after securing the listing.
If you’ve determined after accepting a listing that the
property is heavily encumbered, what do you do? If you
proceed with marketing the property, you may be disappointed that you were unable to sell the property for a sufficient amount to cover liens as well as your commission. If
you’ve made this discovery early enough, you at least have
the opportunity of working with the mortgage lender, the
seller and seller’s lawyer to reach an agreement with the
lender that will enable a sale of the property that allows a
reasonable commission. In the event that you determine
that a short sale cannot be accomplished, you at least have
the ability to terminate the listing agreement. Remember,
your agreement to market the property is contingent upon
the seller’s ability to convey marketable title when a buyer
is found.
To those of you who are familiar with negotiating a
short sale, more power to you. There will obviously be more
properties for you to list in the coming months. For those
of you who are tempted by the prospect, beware, proceed
cautiously, work with a mentor and educate yourself.
Mr. Goldsmith is an attorney with Caldwell & Kearn and serves
as general counsel to PAR. A substantial portion of his practice
is dedicated to providing advice and counsel to real estate
licensees and representing and defending real estate salespersons and brokers in civil lawsuits and licensing claims across the
Commonwealth. He routinely counsels employers on employee
relations issues as one of the voices of the PAR Legal Hotline.
He may be reached at www.realcompliance.com.
Best of the Hotline
The Raiding Party
BY JAMES L. GOLDSMITH, ESQ.
Q:
Marriott Marquis Times Square
January 9 –11, 2008
As I was leaving a recently concluded settlement, I gave the other salesperson
some promotional pieces about my own brokerage that I happened to have with
me. I was impressed with this salesperson’s professionalism and felt that if she was dissatisfied with her current position she would make an excellent addition to our company.
She was gracious and thanked me but said little to encourage me that she might seriously consider my invitation to talk.
About two hours later, I received a call from the salesperson’s broker. After making
sure it was me, the broker lashed out in a way I had never experienced. With liberal
profanity, he told me he was going to report me, have me thrown out of the association
and make sure I lost my license. With fingers still trembling, I called the PAR Hotline to
find out if I am truly “damned” and what I should do to make amends.
A:
Find Out What the Future of Real Estate Looks Like
Join Inman News and dozens of top-name speakers as we address:
s4HE(OUSING$EBATE"ULLVS"EAR
s7AYSTO7EB9OUR#OMPANY
s.AVIGATINGA$IFlCULT-ARKET
s4HE&UTUREOF-,3
s7INNINGIN4ODAYS2ENTAL-ARKET
s.9#7HERE2EAL%STATE-EETS7ALL3TREET
s4ECHNOLOGY/PPORTUNITIESFOR4OMORROW
s-UCH-ORE
2EGISTERTODAYATWWW2EAL%STATE#ONNECTCOM0!2
DECEMBER 2007
Competition can have its abrasive quality. Indeed, the offensive side of competition may broach
— or exceed — the ethical standards established by the NAR Code of Ethics (as
when one disparages another company).
As for soliciting competitors, welcome to
the American marketplace! Asking a competing licensee to jump ship is not, under
most circumstances, unethical or illegal.
There are several bounds to consider.
Decency and/or local association rules
may discourage direct solicitation at
board functions when this conduct would
be inappropriate. Participation at functions would dramatically decline should
these occasions be reduced to job fairs.
Recruiting a sales associate would
also be improper when you are aware that
the associate is a party to a covenant not-tocompete with her existing brokerage. These
covenants are the subject of much controversy and their enforceability is not always easily
determined. The better advice is to assume
that all covenants are enforceable unless you
have the written opinion of legal counsel to
the contrary. Approaching someone known
to be a party to a covenant not-to-compete
may constitute the intentional interference
with contractual relations, which can be redressed in a lawsuit.
Prospecting is less a matter of law than
image. One’s comportment earns a position
in the hierarchy of respect and this is important to some; for others, the thrill of the chase
is more important. Viva la difference!
P E N N S Y LVA N I A A S S O C I AT I O N O F R E A LT O R S ‰ | 3
The Best Value In Custom Homebuilding
INDUSTRY NEWS
Members Vote with a Click of a Mouse
BY KIM SHINDLE
V
oting just got easier for members of the Pocono Mountains
Association REALTORS®.
Members voted online for
local board of directors for the first time
in October.
Veronica “Vickie” Brockelman, Pocono
Mountains president and David Montgomery, Internet Voting Task Force chair, agreed
the online conversion was a success.
The association allowed members to
log on to their computers at work, home
or at the association office and cast their
votes within a 24-hour time frame. “It took
me all of 30 seconds to cast my vote,”
Brockelman said. “I love voting online. The
company we used made it very simple for
our members.”
Montgomery said the planning process took about a year to work out the
details with the Internet voting company
Big Pulse, review it with the association’s
legal counsel and amend bylaws to allow for the online voting. “We believe
that online voting gives every member
the opportunity to express himself in
the voting process. We even had one
member who voted online while on a
European vacation,” Montgomery says.
The association had 20 percent of its
members vote online. “This was a larger
number than we’ve had in the past,” Montgomery says. “From what we’ve learned
from other associations, the turnout will
continue to grow.”
Brockelman says the online voting also
changed the emphasis of the association’s
annual meeting. “We had a more powerful
meeting because we didn’t have to spend
time counting ballots and waiting for results. The candidates were able to stand
up at the meeting and speak about why
they were seeking office. We also had bios
online so our members could make an informed decision based on the candidates’
qualifications.”
The Bucks County Association of
REALTORS® has made online voting
available to its members for four years,
according to Jane Forth, association
executive vice president. Members are
able to vote online at any time within a
one-week time frame. “Most members
vote online but there are some members
who cast paper ballots in our association
office," Forth said.
“Online voting opens the process up
to members who can’t make it to the annual meeting,” Forth notes. “Our members
like being able to vote online at their convenience. They can vote in their bunny slippers at home, wherever they have access
to a computer. We want to make it as easy
as possible for members to vote.”
The Bucks County Association
integrated the online voting program into
its web site so it does not use an outside
vendor for voting. The association sees
about 10 percent of its membership voting
in an election.
Chief Executive Officer Anne Marie
Matteo with Suburban West REALTORS®
Association says online voting has been
available to its membership for five or six
years. “We try to provide this as a convenience to our members and to hopefully
spur more members to vote,” she says.
“Administratively, online voting saves a
significant amount of time.”
Suburban West members are given
a three-week window to vote online. The
outside voting service, Internet Crusade,
keeps a daily count of votes cast. A hard
paper ballot is mailed to all members and it
explains that members can cast their votes
online.
“We’ve seen a gradual increase in
the number of members voting,” she says.
“We have an average of 30 percent of our
members voting and of those, 30 percent
vote online. Many cast their ballots the day
of our annual meeting. They can also come
into the office and vote in person or mail in
their ballots. We provide as many options
as possible.”
The online service allows the association to have its candidates answer questions through audio clips that members
can access online.
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
Five Lessons for the New Real Estate Market
Real estate is a long-term,
consumer durable with unique
features and characteristics.
LESSON
"We have lived through a
period in which we forgot that housing provides shelter
and user benefits for households," Jaffe says. “Rampant
price appreciation caused us to think houses were investment commodities that continuously appreciated in
value at high rates of return,” he says, adding, “the next
several years suggest our concept of housing will return
to a more traditional view of housing as a consumer
good (with some investment characteristics) and not
solely as a vehicle for appreciation potential.”
There is an extremely important
link between housing markets and
mortgage finance.
LESSON
Housing and financing are
closely interwoven. As a result of the current financing crisis,
we need to have a better appreciation for this interrelationship, Jaffe says. While deregulation of the mortgage market
in 1981 opened up a variety of innovative mortgage instruments and led to the rise of mortgage-backed securities,
the market’s recent experience demonstrates the power of
financing and the possibilities of abuse and misunderstanding of financial instruments and investment strategies.
Jaffe believes the link between housing markets
and mortgage finance has traditionally been neglected
by the real estate brokerage industry and others. “The
brokerage business hasn’t focused nearly enough on
teaching real estate professionals about the variety of
new mortgage instruments. There’s an enormous need
for education on real estate finance for both REALTORS®
and consumers,” Jaffe says.
DECEMBER 2007
Real estate sales professionals
need to develop additional
expertise in real estate finance.
LESSON
The old days of going to the
broker to calculate a client’s standard mortgage payment are over, Jaffe believes. Today, REALTORS® need
to understand and manage financial transactions for
their clients and themselves.
“The real estate professional of the future will be
expected to be more in tune with modern real estate
finance as never before,” Jaffe says. “The real estate
profession needs to focus on educating the consumer
about the entire financial process of purchasing a
home.”
Jaffe says, “Consumers thought appreciation would
bail them out and greed took over. Now they are getting
caught with 100-percent financed loans and depreciating values. There’s a collision coming every month as
these adjustable-rate mortgages reset and their mortgage rates continue to rise.”
We may be at the beginning of
a special period in the history of
U.S. real estate markets.
LESSON
It appears we may be
entering an era where the financial returns on housing
are quite low, yet, after the fallout from the current
crisis settles, we will see new and innovative instruments available for mortgage finance. Real estate
professionals will operate in markets with considerably
more information and work with better-informed clients
who are in tune with market trends and information,
Jaffe says.
This kind of market may feel like real estate
markets felt 50 or more years ago, Jaffe says, with all
parties operating with an added benefit of a multitude
of data sources and greater knowledge on the part of
consumers.
“The strategy of consumers having hardly any savings, hardly any financial assets and a huge house is
foolish and vulnerable,” he notes. “The thinking that
more real estate is always better is not necessarily true
and people need to put their household portfolios and
budgets into proper perspective. Always assuming that
a larger house is better than a smaller one is a faulty
way of looking at things,” he adds.
The long-term future for the real
estate industry is very bright
and exciting.
LESSON
The prospects for mediumand long-term economic growth throughout the U.S.
continue to be outstanding, Jaffe says. The demand for
housing will “remain strong and perhaps even increase”
as incomes rise and households seek better quality
housing in the future. As the country continues to grow,
so will its demand for housing.
“The demand for real estate in the long run, over
the next 10 to 15 years, looks like it will return to a normal pace,” Jaffe says. “The returns to the real estate
industry will be very positive in the long run and in the
future there will be a market for new, innovative, quality
construction. People who have been in the real estate
industry for a long time have seen this type of downturn
before. As long as we continue to see economic growth,
the demand for housing will remain strong.”
P E N N S Y LVA N I A A S S O C I AT I O N O F R E A LT O R S ‰ | 5
INDUSTRY NEWS
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
Top Agents Develop Winning Strategies for 2008
3
The pros are back!
Top real estate agents are actually
pricing their listings for their clients and
not fudging by giving them a value range.
They have run from pricing models that
turn real estate into a commodity and
they have gone back to pricing based
on individual property characteristics,
thus minimizing comparable sales and
emphasizing being below competing
listings. Real estate is being declassified as
a commodity by determining the client’s
needs first, then developing customized
marketing plans to achieve those goals.
4
The top buyer-brokerage companies
are actually starting to get paid by
buyers.
It has always been befuddling to me
how an agent represents a buyer yet is
paid by the seller. Top agents are showing
their buyers “for sale by owner” properties
and other off-market properties. When
these sales fail to compensate the agent
by a seller, the agent is looking to the
buyer for remuneration. The pros are
handling wavering buyers by having them
agree to representation contracts without
exception.
5
Short sales are being utilized as a
method to achieve a client’s goals but
only if it is profitable to the firm.
In many cases, a foreclosure is more
expedient and profitable for a seller than
a short sale. However, a short sale may
mitigate the credit damage to that seller.
A short sale can multiply the difficulty of
a regular transaction so top agents are
taking them with the following provisions:
• If the bank pays up front
• If the seller cares about his credit—
because if he doesn’t, why do a short
sale?
• If the client did not exaggerate on the
loan application
• If the agent is only dealing with short
sale lender. Multiple lenders on a
short sale make it nearly impossible
• If you receive an over-retail amount of
commission for the additional work
• If the seller agrees to add funding of
his own to help mitigate the damages
to the bank
• If there is no time or money spent
by the agent until a preliminary title
report is received.
6
Fewer buyers are being accepted and
more sellers are being obtained.
As markets become a little more
challenging, the prevailing wisdom has
been to increase buyer inventory when
exactly the opposite is required. The
business has always been about owning
inventory. At a time when buyers become
more anxious, they automatically require
more time of the agent to make a decision.
This is the time to increase your listing
inventory by multiples of the increase in
your MLS inventory.
Utilize the listing to attract more
buyers. Buyers are then put through
tighter pre-approval processes, requiring
them to not only answer numerous
counseling questions but also to indicate
their financial qualifications and prove
their sincerity by coming to a face-to-face
meeting. At this meeting, all buyers sign
an exclusive representation agreement.
Forms
Balloons
Bookmarks
Calendars
Desk Signs
Jar Openers
Key Rings
Letter Openers
JANUARY
9 – GRI 500
Greater Erie Board
(GRI, 7 elect CE)
$125 (Bruce Witt)
7
The race to see who has the lowest
commission is over with.
Sellers who need to have a job
done in a challenging market need a
professional. Professionals charge full
fees or more. My coaching clients are
all “over-retail” in their commissions.
My coaching clients determine a client’s
goals, design a customized marketing
plan, then implement that plan with
strategies to increase the client’s net.
When sellers are properly counseled,
they are more interested in what their
eventual net is and less interested in the
commission amount.
8
Teams and staff are being cut to
reduce overhead.
Managing a team and staff can
be an extremely draining process. Not
only is having a staff an expensive task
but also the staff members grow into
the jobs that are most pleasurable and
not necessarily the most profitable. All
assistants should be re-assigned jobs
that have a lead generation emphasis
rather than a maintenance emphasis.
No longer can a top agent afford to be
an order taker. Top real estate agents
are highly paid professional sales
people who need fresh amounts of
pre-approved, qualified and motivated
leads each day. A top agent’s staff helps
in fulfilling those goals because the
rainmaker finds that lead generation
day after day can be energy-zapping.
Assistants and team members now pay
for themselves through lead generation
assets they help produce.
9
Top agents, no matter their age,
are starting to understand that real
estate requires energy.
At some point, age is opposite of
energy. Then the mantra becomes, “I’d
like my money to work for me instead of
me working for my money.” Top agents
all over the country are developing
savings and investment plans.
Printing & Promotional Products for Realtors
Business Cards
Post Cards
Doorhangers
Folders
A COMPLETE LIST OF COURSES IS
ONLINE AT WWW.PAREALTOR.ORG
Magnets
Mugs
Name Badges
Night Lights
Pens
Portfolios
Pot Holders
Rain Gauges
Rubber Stamps
Signs
Thermometers
Whistles
Tel: (800)
www.damurphyco.com 920-2323
6 | P E N N S Y LVA N I A A S S O C I AT I O N O F R E A LT O R S ‰
WALTER SANFORD
10
The initial transition period of a
fast market to a slower market is
now over in most areas and the top people
have readjusted to add systems that were
not necessary before.
These systems include seller
maintenance, allowing sellers to be versed
on the competition so that price reductions
or value enhancements can be made every
ten days. In fast markets, seller maintenance
was reactive because of the amount of
activity on a property. Seller maintenance
is now pro-active with the goal of obtaining
a price reduction or value enhancement to
achieve the seller’s goals.
11
The quality of the agent pool is
improving.
In years past, a good living could be
made by being an opportunity order taker.
Finding that buyers and sellers are not
excited about the real estate market, these
agents are not surviving. The top agents do
not have to worry as much about the best
of the best being taken away by the closest
geographical agent to the transaction.
The public is seeking experienced and
successful real estate agents who know
how to cope and be successful in a more
normal market.
12
Agents are going back to the
“enhanced basics” that I have been
training top agents on for years.
Thirty percent of their day is being
spent on advanced seller lead generation.
Tighter contracts are being written. Fewer
buyers make the cut. Real estate investing
for agents has gone from speculation to
cash-flow investing.
10 – Common Mysteries (AM)
Uniontown Holiday Inn
(3.5 elect CE)
$50 (James Goldsmith)
10 – Professionalism in Real Estate (PM)
Uniontown Holiday Inn
(3.5 elect CE, NAR Ethics Req.)
$50 (James Goldsmith)
11 – GRI 504
Bucks County Association, Warminster
(GRI, 7 elect CE)
$125 (Courtney Franklin)
24 – Innovative Marketing
Days Inn Butler
(ABR, 7 elect CE)
$135 (Melanie McLane)
24 – Ethics & Laws of Multiple Offers
Celebration Hall, State College
(3.5 elect CE, NAR Ethics Req.)
$50 (Dominic Cardone)
FEBRUARY
20 – Flips, Frauds & Foreclosures
Celebration Hall, State College
(3.5 elect CE)
$50 (Melanie McLane)
register online at . . .
w w w . p a r e a l t o r. o r g
register by phone at . . .
1 . 8 0 0 . 74 5 . 5 5 2 7
This article appeared in Broker Agent News.
Walter Sanford was one of the top real estate
agents in North America for nearly 30 years
and is now one of the most requested speakers,
trainers and coaches. He has authored 12
systems and books on checklists, proactive
lead generation and affiliate lead generation.
Contact Walter at www.waltersanford.
com, 815.929.9258 or e-mailing walter@
waltersanford.com.
DECEMBER 2007
COMMERCIAL NEWS
Commercial Properties See Rental Rate Increases
BY BUCK WARGO
S
trip mall vacancy rates
nationwide hit a five-and-onehalf year high of 7.4 percent
in the third quarter of 2007,
another sign of the fallout from the
subprime home mortgage credit crisis
as it trickles over to the commercial
real estate market. The Wall Street
Journal reported that retail space rentals
in weak housing markets were hit
disproportionately hard. But experts say
much of Pennsylvania is seeing far less
fluctuation in commercial properties
than most of the rest of the country.
“Pittsburgh is somewhat insulated
from the rest of the market in America,”
says Paul Griffith, managing director
of Integra Realty Resources’ Pittsburgh
office. “It doesn’t heat up or slow down
as rapidly.”
Because his region, which includes
the state’s western counties, is a more
stable market, commercial vacancy
rates are not likely to see the significant
downturn the rest of the country may
experience, he says.
“In our market, across the board
we are steady,” Griffith says. “The
FIND OUT
WHAT TO DO
IF YOU ARE
FACING A CLAIM
BEFORE THE
REAL ESTATE
COMMISSION.
office market is actually improving.
The apartment market, in terms of
occupancy rates, is also improving.”
Griffith’s counterpart in Integra’s
Philadelphia office, Joe Pasquarella, also
sees reason for optimism in his region,
which extends from Harrisburg to south
New Jersey and may be a bit more in
flux.
Except for areas where there has
been a good deal of new construction,
“we really don’t see an up-tick in
vacancy,” Pasquarella says. In addition,
rents are starting to move up, he says.
Griffith says it’s harder to get
commercial real estate loans right now
because of tougher lending standards
and a shortage of available money.
“I think we’ll work through that in
a few months, though,” he says, as long
as employment holds steady and the
economy doesn’t move into recession.
It’s “more of a blip than a long-term
trend,” he says.
The long view can be important for
investors. Pasquarella points out that
real property doesn’t have the frequent
peaks and valleys of the stock market.
“Real estate is a long-term hold and
it doesn’t change by the day,” he says.
Both men say that multi-family
housing is a good investment now
because apartment occupancy rates are
going up as the credit crunch excludes
more people from buying homes. “We
see that as a pretty strong market,”
Pasquarella says.
In the Pittsburgh region, Griffith
says another smart investment is welllocated office buildings with credit
tenants and long-term leases.
Pasquarella suggests that
investors who are not risk averse look
at underperforming properties with
development potential, including
multifamily and retail that may need
rehabilitation.
And because Philadelphia’s city
center development is very strong, “I’d
be focused on lodging from luxury to
economy,” he says.
In central Pennsylvania, Pasquarella
says, office buildings, warehouse and
distribution facilities and multifamily
housing are good bets.
Coverage That’s
Right For You
Get an E&O Quote
^cB^cjiZh
And Buy Instant
Errors & Omissions
Coverage Online Today!
Visit RealCompliance.com for more information or
phone Caldwell & Kearns at 717-232-7661
(Sponsored Since 1997)
James L. Goldsmith
Stanley J. A. Laskowski
Douglas K. Marsico
Brett M. Woodburn
Elizabeth H. Feather
DECEMBER 2007
E&O program underwritten by the XL Insurance companies through Greenwich Insurance Company
and Indian Harbor Insurance Company. (Coverages not available in all jurisdictions.)
070966_02
www.pearlinsurance.com | Protect Yourself With Pearl
P E N N S Y LVA N I A A S S O C I AT I O N O F R E A LT O R S ‰ | 7
F E AT U R E
Deal with Clients' Frustrations Up Front
BY KIM SHINDLE
M
anaging expectations is a key to keeping
clients happy in today’s market.
Steve Harney, a residential real
estate and mortgage expert, says with
the changing real estate market, REALTORS® have an
obligation to explain the changes to clients up front.
“You need to handle their expectations,” Harney says.
“This helps avoid ‘road rage’ at the kitchen table.”
Harney says rapid acceleration in home prices in
the past has created a sense in clients that they can
get more for their homes. “We assume that houses are
going to continue to appreciate in value,” he says. “Now
you need to explain to homeowners why their homes
aren’t worth what they thought they were going to be.
You need to help them understand this at the beginning
of the transaction.”
Telling homeowners that their homes will sell for
less than they expected can create angry feelings. “If
you give someone bad news, you’ll see one of two
behaviors,” Harney says. “One has a tendency to vent
to someone who isn’t responsible for the news – the
REALTOR®. As REALTORS®, we have to recognize that
this is common behavior. No one’s going to be happy to
hear he lost 20 percent of the value of his home.
“Others may not see themselves getting angry but
will react if you get defensive,” he continues. “You need
to recognize this and don’t get defensive. It’s better
to say, ‘I know how you feel and I would feel the same
way.' You need to let them vent; then try to calm them
down so you can continue.”
Harney says REALTORS® should expect these
reactions. “We have to deal with these situations in our
business and we can’t allow their frustrations to get in
the way. Often times we’re working with people who
have lost jobs or have divorced and their spirits are
broken. We have to treat people with care, like they’re
our family. If we deal with our clients properly, we’ll
have friends for rest of our lives.”
Harney urges REALTORS® to educate themselves
on today’s market, including pricing and mortgages.
“Everyone fought giving consumers information but
that’s what consumers want. WebMD didn’t put
doctors out of business. Web sites like Zillow.com are
not going to put REALTORS® out of business.
“Now consumers have a multitude of Internet
resources and they can get ‘information overload.'
They need a professional. They need REALTORS® to
go through the information with them and help them
through the homebuying and mortgage process,” he
adds.
He suggests REALTORS® learn about these factors
and take them into consideration when pricing listings:
Increased Inventory
There are more houses for sale now than in recent
years but that means buyers have more choices and
negotiating room. There is an increased inventory
because so many sellers waited to hit the high price in
the market and now the market is declining.
Increased Mortgage Rates
While mortgage rates are at an all-time low, they
have been increasing in the last several months. Each time
the mortgage rates go up, even a quarter of a percent, a
large number of potential buyers are disqualified from
the marketplace. Additionally, a number of mortgage
companies are going out of business. Money is tighter and
sellers are affected because buyers have less buying power.
Increased Mortgage Restrictions
With foreclosures climbing steadily, almost all
mortgage companies have re-enacted the tight lending
restrictions that were common decades ago. Buyers
need down payments; a co-signer may not be enough
and credit scores need to be high. Each of these factors
may disqualify people from buying.
Increased Vacancy Rates
Spec homes bought with the hopes of flipping are
now over 50 percent vacant. Since most people don’t
want to be landlords, they are selling these investment
properties at rock-bottom prices. This greatly affects
other sellers in the neighborhoods because once one
home sells for a low price, it sets a precedent for
other sales.
Increased Foreclosures
Statistics from First American
Real Estate Solution show
that if one house forecloses
in a neighborhood, the
average house in that
neighborhood loses five
percent of its value.
If eight percent
of the houses in
a neighborhood
foreclose, the
value in that
neighborhood goes
down 20 percent.
No neighborhood,
no matter what the
geographical location, is
immune from the foreclosure
fact. Log on to realestate.yahoo.
com/foreclosures to see the
foreclosures in your city or area.
The New Era of Real Estate Sales
The bottom line is if
8 | P E N N S Y LVA N I A A S S O C I AT I O N O F R E A LT O R S ‰
someone wants to sell his home for a decent price, he has
to list it now, not three months from now and certainly not
a year from now. No one is predicting the market will be
back before the end of 2009, Harney says.
“When you conduct your next listing presentation,”
Harney says, “be sure to prepare by educating yourself on
these five factors and explain to your client how the factors
impact your client’s selling decision. Let clients know their
options, the realities of the market and what their homes
will likely sell for given these five considerations. This will
help your clients price their home correctly so it doesn’t sit
on the market for years. By doing this, you’ll become known
as a trustworthy and reliable REALTOR® who delivers
results, even in a tough market.”
Steve Harney, who has been in
the industry for 20 years, specializes
in negotiation and sales training.
Harney will speak on “Implementing
Profit-Driving Initiatives”at TriplePlay
in December.
DECEMBER 2007
INDUSTRY NEWS
BPOs: Ending the Confusion
BY DANIEL A. BRADLEY
M
PAR
DATEBOOK
December
4-6
TriplePlay Convention,
Atlantic City Convention
Center, Atlantic City
6 Appraiser Board Meeting
12-13
State Real Estate
Commission Meetng
January
10 Appraiser Board Meeting
13-16
PAR Business Meetings,
Hilton Harrisburg &
Towers
15-16
State Real Estate
Commission Meetng
February
12-13 State Real Estate
Commission Meetng
14 Appraiser Board Meeting
any companies
have recently been
asking licensed
Pennsylvania real
estate brokers and salespersons
to provide what are called “broker price opinions” for a variety
of purposes, including mortgage
lending, pre-foreclosure and litigation. These assignments typically
involve researching comparable
DANIEL A. BRADLEY
sales and listings and developing a value opinion, which is then
reported on a form provided by the requesting company. Many real
estate licensees are asking, “Can I complete BPO assignments?”
and “If so, may I charge a fee?”
The term “broker price opinion,” or BPO, is not referenced in
the Real Estate Licensing and Registration Act (RELRA), the Real
Estate Appraisers Certification Act (REACA) or the rules and regulations of the State Real Estate Commission and the State Board of
Certified Real Estate Appraisers. Depending on its purpose, a BPO
assignment requires either a comparative market analysis (CMA)
under RELRA or a real estate appraisal under REACA.
RELRA defines “comparative market analysis” as:
“A written analysis, opinion or conclusion by a contracted buyer’s agent, transactional licensee, or an actual or potential seller’s
agent relating to the probable sale price of a specified piece of real
estate in an identified real estate market at a specified time, offered
either for the purpose of determining the asking/offering price for
the property by a specific actual or potential consumer or for the
purpose of securing a listing agreement with a seller.”
REACA defines “appraisal” as:
“A written analysis, opinion or conclusion relating to the nature, quality, value or utility of specified interests in, or aspects of,
identified real property, for or in expectation of compensation.”
If a licensed real estate broker or salesperson who is not a
certified real estate appraiser receives a request for a BPO, she may
lawfully perform the assignment only if it requires a service that
qualifies as a comparative market analysis (CMA). The only acceptable purposes of a comparable market analysis are to secure
a listing agreement or to determine an asking or offering price
for a client. If the BPO assignment is for other purposes such as
mortgage lending, litigation or private mortgage insurance (PMI)
removal, then the assignment requires an appraisal, which can only
be performed by a certified real estate appraiser and must be in
compliance with the Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal
Practice (USPAP).
Practically speaking, when a real estate licensee receives a
request for a BPO, he should ask two questions: first, “What is the
intended use of the assignment?” As stated previously, if it is to
be used for mortgage lending, litigation or PMI removal, then the
assignment cannot be completed as a CMA; it is an appraisal. But
if the requestor is an actual owner or potential purchaser making
a purchase or sale decision, this may be a situation where a CMA
would be appropriate. The second question should be asked at
this point: “Is there a possibility that I may obtain a listing or service
from a buyer/client as a result of completing this assignment?” If
the answer to this second question is an honest “yes,” then the
assignment could be considered a CMA and could legally be completed by a licensed broker or salesperson.
A licensed real estate broker or salesperson who performs a
comparative market analysis is required by RELRA to include the
following verbatim statement in a conspicuous manner on the
first page of the analysis: “This analysis has not been performed in
accordance with the Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal
Practice which require valuers to act as unbiased, disinterested
third parties with impartiality, objectivity and independence and
without accommodation of personal interest. It is not to be construed as an appraisal and may not be used as such for any purpose.”
Most of the pre-printed forms used by requestors of BPO
services do not contain this disclosure and many do not allow the
form to be modified to include this statement. If the form cannot
be modified to include the required CMA disclosure on the first
page, the assignment should not be completed by a sales agent
or broker. A licensee who completes a CMA report without the
required disclosure statement may be subject to disciplinary action
by the Real Estate Commission.
A real estate licensee may charge a fee for a comparative
market analysis, however, a licensed associate real estate broker or
salesperson may not receive compensation for performing a comparative market analysis directly from the client; rather, the compensation must be paid through the employing real estate broker.
Real estate licensees who complete BPOs or CMAs for
lending, litigation or PMI removal may be subject to charges of
unlicensed appraisal practice. During the last few years, several
individuals have been disciplined by the State Board of Certified
Real Estate Appraisers for unlicensed practice. Real estate licensees who are aware of illegal or unlicensed activity are encouraged
to contact the PA Department of State at www.dos.state.pa.us or
800-822-2113.
In summary, if a BPO assignment is not for an actual or potential consumer for the purposes of obtaining a listing or establishing
an offering price for a buyer client, then the assignment is considered an appraisal. It does not matter what name the client uses
for the service. Companies and others that engage the services
of real estate licensees may not be familiar with the requirements
of RELRA and the commission’s rules and regulations because
they are not subject to these requirements. Real estate licensees,
on the other hand, are subject to these requirements and it is the
licensees’ responsibility to be aware of and comply with them. Just
because a potential client requests a service does not mean that it
is legal or ethical for a real estate licensee to provide it.
Daniel A. Bradley is the vice chairman of the PA Board of Certified Real
Estate Appraisers. He has been a certified general appraiser for 20 years
and works for Czekalski Real Estate Inc., Natrona Heights, PA.
Attention
Independent Contractors/ REALTORS®
Are you aware of the specialized programs in your area?
Comprehensive Major Medical Health Insurance
Now accepting applications
To see if you qualify call Chris Mangold
1-866-788-8020 www.shopinsurancenow.com
DECEMBER 2007
P E N N S Y LVA N I A A S S O C I AT I O N O F R E A LT O R S ‰ | 9
A
C
C
E
S
S
t
bou ount
A
c
Ask R Dis
!
r PA DAY
u
o
Y
TO
TECHNOLOGY
Search Engine Success Requires a 'Yellow Brick Road'
BY KIM SHINDLE
A
web site is no longer enough to
keep up with the competition.
The key to drawing clients to a
web site is making the site attractive to search engines like Google.
“Search engines have become very advanced,” explains Audrey Seiberling, web site
marketing manager for Advanced Access, a
web site design company. “Search engines
scan web sites to see if there is similar content. If the search engine recognizes copy
that is the same as another site, it assumes
you are not an authority on this topic because your site is the same as others.”
REALTORS® using web sites provided
by their broker companies or information
provided by site hosts will find their sites
are not ranked very high on a list when they
do an Internet search.
“You need original content on your
web site,” Seiberling says. “Cookie cutter
sites that are provided free from your company won’t fare well on search engines.
Taking the time to customize these sites
will result in higher ranking on search engines.
“Search engines don’t want to go
through and kick sites out,” she says.
“However, they do want to make the best
recommendations to someone searching.
If you don’t have useful, unique information on your web site, Google doesn’t want
DECEMBER 2007
to give your site to consumers because it
makes Google look bad.”
To test a web site, Seiberling advises
using www.copyscape.com. “This site
reviews a site’s content and will highlight
copy that is the same as other sites,”
she adds.
“Search engine criteria is constantly
changing and advancing,” Seiberling
says. “If you have someone working on
your web site, make sure he knows the
latest information.”
For example, Seiberling says in the
past, REALTORS® were told that they
should have links to other REALTORS®
across the country. “This reciprocal linking
to other agents can now cause your web
site to be kicked out of the search results,”
she explains. “The links on your web
site have to make sense to your users,
otherwise the search engine will read this
as a way to ‘trick’ the system. Links to
school districts, local utility companies,
municipalities make sense to have; links
to REALTORS® in other states do not.”
To help your web site become more
search-engine friendly, Seiberling suggests
using the “Yellow Brick Road Theory.” “You
need to provide a direct path from your
web site’s home page that forces the user
to do something else on your web site. Organize your information in a user friendly
manner and give a direct path to the most
important information on the web site.
Dorothy couldn’t have found her way to Oz
without the yellow brick road. That’s what
you need to give your customers.
“The more information you give consumers, the less likely they are to go to
another site,” Seiberling adds.
Additional personalized information is
important to include on web sites. “Information about school districts, local municipalities and local events enable users to get
more information on your web site so they
are less likely to go to another site,” Seiberling says. “Some web sites sell the community and that encourages a homebuyer to
look at the listings and check out homes in
their price range. It’s one-stop shopping for
consumers.
“REALTORS® are becoming more
aware of what it takes to compete in the
market,” Seiberling says. “This is a good
time to focus on Internet marketing. You
need to be educating yourself about the
changes in the Internet everyday. If you
don’t have time to stay on top of Internet
changes, hire someone who can keep your
web site fresh.”
Seiberling suggests updating web
site copy at least every other week. “You
should be spending at least an hour a week
reviewing your content and updating information and listings,” she adds.
“The Internet is only going to get more
sophisticated and so are the consumers,”
she continues. “The Internet is a blessing
and a curse. The blessing is that consumers can look up houses in their pajamas at
home; the curse is that another real estate
agent is working harder on his web site and
you have to constantly be on your game.”
Audrey Seiberling is the web site marketing
manager for Advanced Access. Advanced
Access, one of PAR’s Preferred PARtners,
offers member discounts on web site design
and other web services. For information go
to www.parealtor.org and click on Member
Benefits.
P E N N S Y LVA N I A A S S O C I AT I O N O F R E A LT O R S ‰ | 1 1
G OV E R N M E N T A F FA I R S
Property Tax Proposals Hit PA Legislature
BY JENNIFER SHOCKLEY
E
arlier this year, voters resoundingly rejected the Act 1 ballot
question, which would have
shifted the primary vehicle of
funding schools from the property tax to
either the personal income tax or earned
income tax. Only nine school districts in
the state voted to approve the reduction
in exchange for an increased PIT/EIT.
With the failure of Act 1, legislators
were left scrambling to find solutions to
a problem that continually ranks as the
number one concern among voters.
Finally a few plans are beginning to
take shape.
Rep. Dave Levdansky (D-Allegheny)
has proposed raising the state personal
income tax from 3.07 percent to 3.29
percent and raising the state sales tax
from 6 percent to 6.5 percent. The sales
tax in Philadelphia and Allegheny counties would increase from 7 percent to
7.5 percent. According to Levdansky, the
measure would cut the property taxes
paid by a homeowner in most districts
by more than 45 percent.
A similar proposal introduced by
Majority Floor Leader Bill DeWeese (DGreene) would raise the sales tax to the
same levels as the Levdansky proposal
but sustain the personal income tax rate
at the current level. Both bills have been
passed by the House Finance Committee and sent to the full House for debate.
On the opposite side of the aisle,
Rep. Sam Rohrer (R-Berks) has re-tooled
the School Property Tax Elimination Act
in order to completely eliminate school
property taxes. His plan would broaden
the current 6 percent sales tax (exempting
items such as clothing, footwear, food, water, residential utilities, firewood and coal)
and increase the personal income tax by
0.85 percent. Unlike previous incarnations
of the plan, this version does not include
an increase in the realty transfer tax. The
plan would freeze school property taxes
at 2007 levels for 2008-09. According to
Rohrer, taxes would be reduced 25 percent
in 2009-10, 50 percent in 2010-11, 75
percent in 2011-12 and be completely eliminated in 2012-2013.
In the Senate, Sen. Jim Rhoades
(R-Schuylkill) would like voters approve
via statewide referendum a sales tax
increase from 6 percent to 9.19 percent
and a personal income tax increase from
3.07 percent to 4.36 percent. According
to Rhoades, school property taxes would
be reduced dollar for dollar, totaling $9
billion in total relief, an amount equal to
96 percent of all school property taxes.
It is clear that many legislators have
focused their attention on increasing the
sales tax as a way to shift the funding
vehicle for schools away from the
property tax. With the elections of ’08
looming, just how large of an increase
legislators are willing to approve
remains to be seen.
It’s Showtime!
When it’s listing appointment time are you
adequately prepared to steal the show… and get
the listing? Or is your marketing proposal just
mediocre, lackluster? If you are using the same
MLS CMA reports as everyone else, what will
distinguish you from all of the others? Will you be
asked for an encore?
When it comes down to it, in over 20 years of providing marketing
solutions for real estate professionals, we have never found an MLS
provided presentation with CMA that will out shine or out perform what
ToolkitCMA offers our customers – and we’re all over North America. Our
Web-based presentation with CMAs with mapping software enables you to
create stellar presentations and property flyers quickly and easily.
ToolkitCMA also includes an MLS interface that automatically merges
downloaded property data and photos right into CMA documents. The
distinctive ToolkitCMA presentations and property flyers blends together
your personal profile and company identity. Branded custom packages
are already available for all major franchises and many independents.
ToolkitCMA is available on an individual subscription basis and for entire
companies.
ToolkitCMA – a winning performer! Visit www.realtytools.com
or call Realty Tools, Inc. sales toll-free at 1-800-828-0970 or send email to
sales@realtytools.com.
ToolkitCMA.com™
Innovative Marketing Solutions for Real Estate Professionals Since 1988
You
show
them
where.
DEP's Proposed Sewage Changes Could
Burden Private Property Owners
P
roposed changes to the PA
Sewage Facility Act could have
serious impacts on homeowners, sellers and ultimately closings if enacted by the Department of
Environmental Protection.
According to Robert T. Wood, PAR
representative to the PA Sewage Advisory
Committee, the changes could mean
considerable additional costs to property
owners who are using onsite sewage
systems.
“Many people believe the changes
will simply mean more mandated pumping of sewage tanks in identified problem
areas of various townships throughout
the state,” he says. “However, it appears that the department would like to
implement mandated tests of individual
components of onsite sewage systems
for a fee basis every one to three years in
every municipality.”
Wood says some of the proposed tests include: pressure testing
of onsite sewage tanks every three
years; excavating distribution boxes
for inspection every three years; and
mandated testing and pumping of camp
privy tanks every three years.
Homeowners would be faced with
these additional fees, Wood says.
The sewage problems are primarily
with existing homes that have outdated,
malfunctioning or non-existent sewage
systems. “This problem has been improving dramatically due in large part to
seller disclosure,” Wood adds. “Home inspections and the threat of post-closing
litigation against homeowners who have
tried to hide defects have also improved
the situation.”
In addition, newly constructed
homes have highly effective sewage systems which address many concerns.
PAR’s Legislative Committee has sent
a letter addressing some of these concerns
to DEP Secretary Kathleen McGinty.
“I would urge REALTORS® to be
aware of these issues and contact
DEP with their concerns when the
final changes are available for public
comment,” Wood adds.
For more information go to:
www.parealtor.org/content/OnLotSewageSystems.htm
1 2 | P E N N S Y LVA N I A A S S O C I AT I O N O F R E A LT O R S ‰
We’ll
show
you how.
At PHFA, we’re committed to helping Realtors® turn home seekers into home
buyers. It’s why we offer downpayment and closing
cost assistance (with higher maximum income
limits), flexible terms, free client counseling, and
rates that are easier to live with. Working together,
we can make “dream homes” a reality for more
Pennsylvanians than ever. For more information,
call 1.800.822.1174 or visit www.phfa.org.
•
•
•
•
Great rates
Flexible terms
Lower fees
Downpayment and
closing cost assistance
• Special programs for
persons with disabilities
Edward G. Rendell, Governor • Brian A. Hudson, Sr., Executive Director
DECEMBER 2007
R PA C
2007
Investors
RPAC
FundRaising
2007
Goal
$750,000
$750,000
$708,023
as of November 1, 2007
* RPAC Trustee
Hall of Fame
$25,000+
* Stanley J Lesniak
$20,000
Allan Domb
James L Helsel Jr
Henry P Jacquelin
* Ellen B Renish
$10,000 - $19,000
Kit Anstey
Harry C Caparo Jr
* Ronald F Croushore
Lawrence F Flick IV
Angelo D Guerra
Sally G Heimbrook
* Victoria M Lowry
William H Lublin
Charles G Roach Jr
Janice C Smarto
Conrad Vanino Jr
Golden “R”
$5,000 ($2,000
to Sustain)
* Ronald F Croushore
Allan Domb
Angelo D Guerra
James L Helsel Jr
* Stanley J Lesniak
* Ellen B Renish
Charles G Roach Jr
$400,000
Crystal “R”
$200,000
$2,500 ($1,500 to Sustain)
Kit Anstey
Harry C Caparo Jr
* Suzette Colvin
Diane S DeBaise
* Victoria M Lowry
Mary Beth McDermott
* George E Raad
Robert T Ramagli
Douglas W Rebert
Dale R Sadler
Paul H Slaugh
Janice C Smarto
Sterling “R”
$100,000
DECEMBER 2007
$1,000
Paul D Allen
Gina M Barbine
James E Bindschadler
Shirley J Booth
David I Brant
Eileen T Campbell
* John F Capers
Dominic J Cardone
Andre B Collins
Robert Colvin
Louise E D’Alessandro
Gary A DeMedio
Paul J DiCicco
Robert J Fleck
Lawrence F Flick IV
Richard D Foley
Robin R Gordon
Annie Hanna Cestra
Sally G Heimbrook
Gregory S Herb
Frank J Jacovini
Henry P Jacquelin
Dennis Manley
Guy A Matteo
Anne M Matyjasik
Michael R McCann
Joseph M McGavin
Joseph J McGettigan
Kathy McQuilkin
Bette R McTamney
Patrice Merzanis
Kim E Moyer
Kathryn A Opperman
Richard A Opperman Jr
Jonathan M Orens
* Albert Perry
F Todd Polinchock
* Donald D Roth
Carolyn L Sabatelli
Rosemary Scardina
* Melissa A Sieg
Thomas E Skiffington
* Kimberly G Skumanick
Jerry Y Speer
Anne Standing
* Theodore Stefan Jr
Anthony J Stipa Jr
Joseph Tarantino Jr
Harrison S Tyson
* Robert O Williams
Governor’s Club
$500-999
Mark A Barone
David L Bershad
Charles E Boland Jr
Michelle C Bradley
Jeffrey R Brode
Edwin J Brooks Jr
Kenneth L Carper Sr
Anthony J Cimino
Jeffrey J Crosby
Kerry Engle
William Festa
Deborah P Grasso
Craig G Hartranft
Larry L Hatter
Dina Holt
Linda S Honeywill
Valerie J Hudson
Patricia J Long
Jane M Maslowski
Michael R Mastros
Dennis McCarthy
Harry R McCarty
William McFalls Jr
Marie A Miller
Dwight A Musselman
Randy L Myer
Brian Nelson
Carol C Palomera
Chris Panarello
Linda A Peters
Maggie E Pollich
Patricia A Rossman
Steven R Rothenberger
James P Ryal
Joseph E Sindoni
Viola E Thompson
James Thornton
Todd H Umbenhauer
Dennis P Unger
Chuong Van Tran
Conrad Vanino Jr
Robert W Wagner
Hugo C Weber
Robert T Wood
Capitol Club
$200-499
May Acker
Robert E Aldinger
Frank A Alexander
Gayle Arbogast
Dominic J Arcuri
Eric J Aronson
Valerie Ashbrook
Geoffrey R Baker
Michael S Beer
Daniel M Belsky Jr
Leslie D Berger
Mark C Bigatel
Cynthia A Bishop
Jeffrey B Block
Willard Bowen
Frederick L Briggs
Leon J Brisson
James G Brophy
Rita Brown
Danielle Bunting
Michael D Burgoon
Mary Louise Butler
J Drew Bycoskie
J Douglas Byler
Lisa Y Calhoun
Arthur D Campbell
Barton Caprario
Anthony Caracausa
David J Caracausa
Elizabeth Cardone
Kenneth L Carper Jr
Mark A Carr
Paul Carr
James A Cassidy Jr
Michael C Chaknos
Denise Chapline
Shelby P Charles
Frank A Christoffel III
Evelyn H Cohen
Michael P Cohen
Michael E Cole
Jane E Compagnone
H Vance Coulston Jr
Brenda Crosby
Zeta Cross
Paul F Culley
Robert T Curran
Ernest D’Achille
Joseph A D’Alonzo
Gregory J Damis
Joanne Davidow
E Franklin Deisher
Jack Depew
John P Derham
Robert J DiBenedetto
Cynthia Dickerman
Lawrence P DiFranco
Robert J Elfant
Robert B Epps
Frederick Evans
Cynthia T Evans-Herr
Jules Falcone
Diana Farmer
Pamela S Fehling
Angela S Felver-Duffin
Ian R Figueroa
William E Finigan
Margaret E Fink
Barbara Fitzgerald
Ronald A Fitzgerald
Maggie Flartey-Kaminski
Paul A Fleck
Joseph C Fluehr
Donald L Forrey
Jane G Forth
Donna Freda-Hertzog
Charlene A Friedman
Toby M Froehlich
Wallace H Fry
Jeffrey R Funk
Scott D Furman
Jin G Gao
Paul G Garvey
Robert F Garvin Jr
Curt Gasper
John R Geisler
Blair A Gilbert
Charles W Gilmore
Richard Gisondi
Selma S Glanzberg
Fred Glick
Edward M Goldston
Joseph L Goldston
James E Grandon Jr
Michael J Greene
John A Gross
Suzanne Gruneberg
Jeralyn S Gutner
Mark Haban
Robert S Hamilton
Helen Hanna Casey
Dale L Hart
Daniel W Hartman
Susan M Hartman
Stephen M Hawbecker
James D Hay Jr
Melissa Healy
Kathryn S Helfer
Richard A Heller
Amanda M Helwig
Daniel J Helwig
Bonnie L Henderson
Amy Herrmann
William L Hess
Mark A Hilts
Barbara A Hodick
Patricia M Hogan
Sandra G Hollenbach
Michael Holoka
Robert L Hopkins
Steven E Huber
Teresa A Huhn
Frederick D Humphrey
Kraig D Hursh
Paul R Hurst
Frank Iafrate
Maureen C Ingelsby
Denise Johnson
Jeffrey J Johnson
Jackie Jorgensen
Deborah L Journey
Michael Julian
Charles Kahn Jr
Marisa L Kaneda
Theresa A Kelley
LouAnn Kenney
Randal V Kline
Theodore F Knowlton
Kathleen G Kolarz
Neil G Kugelman
William Kuklinski
Frederick Laudenslager
Dennis R Lawrence
Jeffrey N LeFevre
David Lichtenwalner
Angela S Long
Scott Loper
Deborah B Lowry
Anne M Lusk
James T Madl
Litizia M Maloney
Patricia Manalli-Seitz
Donna M Marinelli
Nicholas A Marziani
Barbara Mastronardo
Sherry Mattei
Anne Marie Matteo
James Mazzarelli
Paul G Mazzochetti
Priscilla N McDonald
John J McFadden
Thomas F McFarland
Patrick A McGee
Bruce W McIlrath
Raymond M McKinney
Thomas J McQuilkin
Roger Meacham Jr.
Michael G Merin
I. Marvin Miller
Wayne Edwin Miller
Robert J Minnis
Mark Molchany
Clay S Mumma Sr
Beata Murray
Jane A Murray
George A Naylor Jr
Michael G Netzel
Jeffrey Nider
Donald L Noll
Lynne Norris
Edward J O’Hanlon Sr
Patricia C Olenick
Jerrod Paterson
Neil F Perate
Jeanette M Perruso
John Petrack
Heather A Petrone
Michael E Pion
Alvin H Plumer
Mary J Potts
Christopher G Raad
Gregory T Raad
Peter Ramos Sr
Mark R Ratti Sr
Gerard Raus
Frank Renaldi Jr
Frank Renaldi Sr
Judy Renaldi
John N Rettger
David R Rickert
C Thomas Risser
Anita Robbins
Nathan Robinson
Travis Rodgers
Elaine S Rodman
Gerald E Romanik
William F Rothman
Dina D Rovner
Anne M Rubin
Lee B Rubin
Jacqueline A Ruddy
David Ruffini
Salvatore R Ruta
Ray C Sabatowski
Sandra D Saitz
Fady Salloum
Sharon Scheidemantle
Heather Schultheis
Keith A Sealover
Jeffery J Seibert
Susan E Seidel
Robert Shaffer
Elaine F Shepard
Patricia K Sherlock
Claire Shockey
Timothy K Shreiner
William W Sieg
Brian Slater
Lena M Sloyer
Patrick M Smith Sr
Carol Snyder-Hare
Peter C Soens
James M Spagnolo
George G Spahr
Phyllis L Spiegel
Mike Spillane
Patricia Springer
Larry M Starkman
Louis Starkman
Violet Stefani
Kate Steffy
Edward R Stellato
Jan J Stephano
Theresa S Stigale
David L Stinson
Linda L Stocklas
Timothy F Straub
Dene D Swartley
Theresa Tarquinio
Sofia Thom
Charles C Thompson Jr
Richard L Tickner
Thomas Toole
Joseph F Tornetta
Janet Townsend
Lee O Trite
P E N N S Y LVA N I A A S S O C I AT I O N O F R E A LT O R S ‰ | 1 3
R PA C
Eddie Tully Jr
Joseph F Tursi
J Scott Ulrich
Joseph Volpe
Cynthia L Wadsworth
A. Graham Wagner
Dwight E Wagner
E. Ann Warner
Charles R Weber
Nancy A Weigandt
Thomas G Weik
John N Weiss Jr
Jane Wells Schooley
Paul W Wenger
Steven L Westbrook
Norma J Wintermyer
William J Worthington III
Nancy R Wright
Susan M Yannessa
Glenn M Yoder
Cynthia A Young
Christopher J Zajacek
L. Richard Zalek
$99 Club
Members
Abraham V Abraham
Terry E Abramson
Maria Accardo
Rinaldo A Acri
Robert M Acuff
Carl R Adams
Donald H Adams
Colleen A Addleman
Mr. Charles Adonizio III
Jack Aezen
Nicholas M Albanese
Carol E Albert
Debra S Alberti
Judith E Alignan
Mary V Allen
Wendy C Allen
Mark D Allison
Sandra L Almgren
Catherine Amant
Rudy Amelio Jr
Sebastian J Amico
Linda Amsterdam
David Anderson
Kevin W Anderson
Timothy Anderson
George Andralis
Lisa A Andrus
Beth Ann Angelos
Barry R Angely
Lois M Antell
Donna Antolick
Pamela V Armento
Robert P Arnold
Sharon L Arnold
Frank N Arnoldy Jr
Christopher C Artur
Connie M Arturet
Barbara S Averell
Leslie A Avery
Joseph S Azar
Raul A Azpiazu
Sherie E Babb
Diana L Backinoff
Albert G Baerenklau
Joanne M Baggott
John M Bahn
Dolores K Bailey
Louise Bair
Anne S Baker
Laura S Baker
Woody J Barefoot
Edward D Barket
Rebecca J Barlow
Paul W Barndt Jr
Maryanne Barnes
Ted C Barnhart
Alvin J Barone Jr
Stephen J Barr
Martha A Barrick
Lydia Bartholomew
Edward S Bartlett
Cynthia A Barton
Robert A Basco
Rita D Bass
Susan H Bayus
Carl J Becht
Dennis E Beck
Barri L Beckman-Baurer
Timothy A Beers
Patricia A Beharry
Julie Behl
Sandra J Behm
Jean Bell
Susan Bell
Thomas J Bellairs
Dino D Bello
Geraldine M Bello
Brett Bender
Edward M Bender
William M Bender
Darwyn W Benedict
Mary Lou Bennett
Raymond P Berdiner
Charlotte Bergdoll
Jacqueline E Berkstresser
Wayne R Berkstresser
Jamie B Berrier
Diane M Berzowski
Alexander Betances
Vincent A Bevivino
Michael Biafore
Ellen Biesecker
Barbara Bird
Norma J Bishop
Hillary A Bitting
Durwin L Bixler
Kelley Bjorkland
Marc K Blau
Thomas N Blefko
Colleen F Blythe
Richard W Boas Jr
Sally A Boberski
Marice B Bock
Gary R Bodnar
Brian P Bohanan
David M Bohning
Patricia Z Bonsall
Charline B Bookmiller
Robert Booth
Daniel Borowiec
Barbara Borra
Sheena W Bowa
Arthur Bowen
Karen B Bowen
Jeremy Bowers
Barbara A Boyer
Eileen A Brady
Jeannie Brady
Bryan R Brainard
Mariann Brand
Dennis Brandt
Richard E Brandt
Thomas F Breese
Faith Brenneisen
Joseph A Bressi
Michael F Brett
W. Patrick Brewer
Terese E Brittingham
John C Brogan Jr
Helene Bronstein
Susan C Brooks
Candace C Brosnan
Frederick Brouse
Sandra A Brown
Walter E Brown Jr
Timothy A Browning
Philip H Brubaker
Ruth A Bruestle
Ron Bruno
Renee C Bryant
Domnick J Bucci
William Buchanan
James G Buckler
Darlene R Buick
Karyn L Bunting
Georgine E Burg
A Mark Burghezi
John J Burns Jr
Yvonne C Burns
Robert P Bustamante
Mary Ann Butts
R Darlene Byler
Kristina E Bzura
Judith A Cadigan
Susan Cahill
Thomas V Calaman
Pauletta A Caldwell
Jill Callahan-Beiler
Blaze Cambruzzi
Bernard J Campanella
Saverio J Campano
Elizabeth G Campbell
Lori J Campbell
Luis Campos
Valton L Canada
Joseph Capellupo
Kim Capers
Ann E Cappellini
Christina A Cardone
Patricia J Carey
Barbara Cartwright
Rhea P Case
Shirley L Cassedy
Gary L Cassel
Steven N Cassotis
Jan B Castner
Laura Caterson
Philip R Cavalcanto Jr
David P Cavalier
Barbara M Cavanaugh
Scott E Cavinee
Alison Centrone
John W Ceranic III
June Cestone
Peter J Champagne
David L Charles
Catherine A Chies
Carol L Chisdak
Steven Christie
Gail A Christman
Frank A Christoffel IV
Coleen Christy
Stephen W Chupinka
Nicholas F Ciccone
Martin E Clayton
Cheryl A Clearwater
Delphine T Clemens
Douglas Clemens
James R Clements
Chalina Y Clemons
Mary L Clinton
Scott A Clinton
Alexander H Coates
Catherine A Coleman
Jennifer M Collins
Carolyn P Colon
Julie Combs
Albert M Comly
Denise J Commings
Ryan T Conrad
Lawrence A Conte
Lisa Cooper-Cotter
Patricia L Copeland
Trina Coppick
Joseph Corcoran
Grace K Cortellini
Charles V Cosgrove
Christine Cosimano
Carol Costenbader
Richard E Coup
James Courtney
Cheryl Covi-Stephan
Andrew S Craig
Sara M Cramer
Sherry S Cramer
Denise M Crawford
Mary A Crawford
Richard E Creo
Janet W Cribbins
Amy Croce
Amelia Cromarty
Della D Csehoski
Ann C Cusumano
Michael E Cutler
Paul Cuttic
Janet Czekalski
Ross D’Allura
Derek F D’Angiolini
Anthony D’Anna
Janet C Daniele
Patricia Dantis
Libbie A David
1 4 | P E N N S Y LVA N I A A S S O C I AT I O N O F R E A LT O R S ‰
Henry C Davis Sr
Marilyn Davis
Michelle Davis
Stephen C Davis
Daniel J Dean
Barbara A Deardorff
Mary Ellen Decker
Lewin M Deery
Edward J Deisher
Michael F Delaney
Christine Dell
Nancy Della Vecchio
Robin A DellaFranzia
Vincent G DeLuca
Thomas S Demshock
Barbara U DePietro
Deborah L DeRemer
Terry Derstine
Gayle Despard
Thomas E Despard
Carol A DeStefano
David M DeTurck
Katrina M DeVito
Marilyn Diana-Groteke
Frank V DiBella
Rocco DiDomenico
Anthony S DiDonato
Christine S DiDonato
Jodi F Diego
Gabrielle J Dietrich
James A Dietrich
Joan L DiFabio
Nicholas P DiFilippo
A Jerome A DiGiacobbe
Robert C Diliberto
Deborah L DiLorenzo
Lawrence H Ditty
Theresa Ditty
Marjorie J Doak
Joan Docktor
Eileen Dodsworth
Lynda P Donahue
Andrew J Donohue
Helene M Donohue
Charles E Dorkey Jr
Rosemarie Dorris
Kathleen Dougherty
Lisa M Dowling
H Frances W Doyle
Brenda J Drawbaugh
Elizabeth A Drennan
Janice Drury
Catherine M DuBosque
Elizabeth A Duffy
John Duggan
Spurgeon S Dunbar
Douglas D Dunsmore
Jimmy H Duong
David M. Dursa
Carolyn C Eagan
Sheryl R Eagle
Billie Jo Easterlin
John L Ebeling
Diane Ebersole
Geraldine K Edwards
Rosemary E Egan
John R Ehrhart
Nancy G Ehrlich
Charlene Eichman
Carol A Elkind
Phyllis H Engart
Robert English
Robina R English
D Andy A Esbenshade
Tamila J Eshbaugh
Arlene Esposito
William R Esposito
Gerald Euker
Gregory C Evans
John H Evans
Aaron R Eyer
Dorothy Faber
Charles P Falcone
Chris M Fanto
Alan G Fastman
Bruce A Faust Jr.
David S Feaver
Kate Federico
Kathleen M Federico
Robert F Felte Jr
Darlene G Fenstermacher
E Leonard Ferber Jr
Edward J Ferguson Jr
Douglas S Fero
Armand N Ferrara Jr
Jeffrey Ferretti
Cheryl A Ferri
Dillwyn L Ferris Jr
Mitchell J Finkelstein
Steve D Finney
Elaine J Fioravanti
Lillian F Fiorelli
Sheila L Firor
Deborah J Firth
Jerry K Fisher
Michele C Fitterer
John Fitzgerald
Mary Fitzgerald
James Fizzano
Mary Ann Fleck
Karen S Fleisher
Richard S Fleming
Rosemary E Fluehr
Thomas J Fogarty
Wayne D Fontana
William P Fonzone II
Darlene Fox
Nancy J Fox
Peter R Fox
Robert D Fox
Virginia M Frank
M L Freda
Thomas J Freda
Douglas A Freeman
Mary R. Freeman
Robert P Freeman
Jo Anne Freidly
Dianne French
Kurt Fretz
Lisa D Frey
Cynthia S Frick
Marcy D Friedland
Norma Jean Fritz
Harry K Fry Jr
Joseph M Fryz Jr
Rufus A Fulton III
Carole M. Fussell
Diana M Gabardi
Tara Gabardi-Grochowsk
Jean A Gadra
Barbara S Gaffney
Bruce L Gage III
Michele M Galati
Kevin P Gallagher
Joseph J Gallo
Mark E Gamba
Joseph W Gaul
Josepha Gayer
Jonathan F Gayl
Nancy J. Gearing
Sandra E Geary
Lawrence L Geesaman
Ken R Gehris
Raymond C Geiger Jr
Irving Geller
Robert B Gelman
Jeffrey George
Suzi K Gerber
John H Gerhard
William R Gibson Jr
David V Gilbert
Dorothy P Gilbert
Terence W Gill
Mary R Gilligan
Larry W Ginsburg
Constance Glagola
Helen Mc E Gleason
Robert B Glendinning
Ruth Ann Gochnauer
Brenda L Godown
Timothy R Goetz
Burton Gold
Lynda A Goldberg
Maxine Goldberg
Stanley Goldberg
Kenneth Goldsmith
Victoria J Gomez
Allen J Gordon
Gary S Gordon
Robert C Gordon
Alanda C Goshert
Eric E Gossard
Michele M Gould
Janice M Graci
Lois C Graham
Marcia Graham
Mary Louise Graham
Timothy C Graham
Lynn M Gratta
David M Gratz
John L Graver
Constance H Gravina
Howard A Greenberg
Judy Greene
Barbara L Greenfield
Lee B Greenwood
Harry W Griesser
Vincent J. Grogan
Nicola Y Grogan
Kelly L Grogg
Jean L Gross
JoAnn Gross
Frank H Grossman
Cindi Grove
Robert L Gruber
Hilda M Guerra
Paul D Gunder
Frank W Gustine Jr
Joda Gutt
Gregory R Guydish
George A Hackett
Elise L Haferl-Lykins
Marilouise W Hagerty
Jane Hall
C Rick R Hallgren Jr
Kenneth S Halverson
Rita Halverson
Gregory F Hammill
James J Hanley Jr
Howard W Hanna III
W. Franklin Hansen
Amy Harasyn
George F Harlan
Emery C Harper
John W Harper Jr
Barbara Hartman
Richard E Hartung
Glen D Hauck
Angela M Haug
G Louise Haugh
Grace S Hawbaker
Samuel H Hawbaker
Kenneth E Hawk
Cheryl Hawn
Kathleen B Hayes
Carl R Heintzelman
Nancy M Heller
Susan C Helm
Alice Henley
Ian F Henline
John M Herman
Donald E Herr
Kate L Herr
John Herreid
Hiram R Hershey
James L Hershey
Richard A Heslin
Curtis L Hess
Jack M Hess
Jeremy Hess
Randall L Hess
Robert D Hess
Wendy O Hess
Laura A Hill
Marcia G Hill
Dale C Hinkle
Joan B Hirst
Kay Hock
Jennifer Hohenberger
Michael J Holland
Joan B Holloway
James A Holtzman
Erin K Hoobler
Robert J Hoobler
L Eugene Hoover
Katie R Horne
Leslie A Horne
Gary J Horowitz
Tracy L Horst
Leslie M Hosack
Beverly A Hosler
David Hourigan
Michael F Howell
John B Hoy
Shirley K Hsi
Jacqueline C Hunt
Lalonnie C Huratiak
Matthew Hurley
Karen Hutman
Elizabeth L Hutra
Jo Ann Iacoviello
Louis A Iatarola
Galina Imms
Joseph Ippolito
John E Isselmann
Jon Ivins
Kym Y Jackson
Oliver T Jackson
Gayle Jacobs
Michael J Jacobs
Deborah James
Robert James
Steven Jamison
Kimberly Jamison-Galli
Philip R Janke
Arthur R Jenkins
Carol Jenkins
Edward S Jenkins
Owen M Jennings
Yvonne Jewell
Harold A John
Cathy J Johnson
Gary R Johnson
William Johnson
Louise R Johnston
Monti D Joines
Marie A Jones
Richard Jones
William H Joos
David F Joslin Jr.
Kathleen M Kahl
David Kahn
Vernon J Kaiser Jr
Brian M Kane
Glenda M Kane
Susan M Kanterman
Stanley A Kaplan
Georgejenna P Katsaros
Betty J Kauffman
Kathleen R Keener
Sharon M Kehres
William Kellam
David P Keller
Scott W Kelley
Robert E Kelly Jr
Michael Kennedy
Mary C Kern
Joseph N Kessler
Nancy F Kessler
Headley K Killian
Matthew B Killian
Ruth A Killian
Yong H Kim
Pamela A Kimbrell
Jennifer King
Jacqueline A Kirby Hensel
Richard C Kirk Jr
Diane B Kirkland
James N Kirkner
Jennifer M Kirkpatrick
Terry L Kirkwood
Kathleen M Kiser
Brian Kissinger
Frederick Kissinger
Dan A Kite
Seymour Kivitz
Stephen R Kladakis
Barbara A Kleppick
Marlyn Kline
Roger S Kline
Ellen Klinginsmith
Timothy L. Klotz
Donald S Kluge
Rose Y Knepp
Wendy E Knorr
Elizabeth P Knouse
William L Knox
Mary M Koch
Cathleen Kocsis
Angeline Kontur
DECEMBER 2007
R PA C
Greg Kopenhaver
Michael J Korkus
Carol A Kortanek
Mary Beth Koser
Ayse Kouroutzh
James R Koury
Elaine Kowalski
Kimberly W Kozelsky
Diane W Krause
Gay L Krauss
Kenneth B Krauter
Douglas A Kriebel
James M Kriebel Jr.
William E Kristoff Jr
Elva J Kroeger
Dawn A Kummerer
Hedy B Kurland
Jong H Kwon
Maryanne Lachman
Robert A Lancia
Richard C Landis Jr
Sandra Lare
Paul R Laskey
Ted B Laskowski
James D Laudone
Liane M Laughlin
Nancy Lauro
Pamela Laws
Linda E Lazur
James H Leary Jr
Susan Lease
John W LeCates
Bob Leiphart
Judy A Leonard
Craig A Lerch Sr
Arthur L Lerner
Francis J Lewandowski
Barry Lhormer
Charles J Liedike
Catherine J Linck
Arthur Lindquist Jr
Amy Y Ling
Emilia Lisowski
John C Locher
Arne Loevlie
Judy Logan
Kathy J Logan
JoHanna A Loke
Diane T Longacre
Donald R Longacre
Lisa A Longenbach
Shirley L Lord
Francis J Lorine
Timothy C Louder
Kathy M Louis
John A Lounder Sr
Johnny A Lounder
Linda A Lowe
Randy Lowe
F Edward F Lowry
Kimberly A LucasMantz
John Luciano
Diane Lucidi
Kathleen S Ludwig
Kristine C Lundquist
C Scott Lupold
John Lute
Shirley M Lyden
Earl MacIlwain III
Mitchell T Maday
Jose L Madrigal
Patricia L Magie
Ronald E Mahoney
Thomas J Mallios
John F Malloy
Douglas Maluchnik
John F Mancini
Frank M Mancuso
Robert P Manna
Ted G Manna
Louis A Marchegiano
John V Marchese
Sandy Mariani
Walter L Marple
Dean Marsden
Karen A Marshall
Nicholas V Martell
Christopher Martin
Helen L Martin
DECEMBER 2007
J Dwight Martin
Joan A Martin
Richard S Martin
Ronald B Martin
Kathryn Masser
Robert H Mathers Sr
Robert H Mathers Jr.
Kenneth L Mathys
Angelo M Mattei
David M Mattes
Donald N Mattia
John Mattilio
William J Matyger Jr
Frank E May Jr.
Mary Sue May
Frank A Mayer
Patricia A Mayo
Larena E Mazurek
Salvatore Mazzocchi Jr
Linda L McBeth
Shannon McBride Zeller
Joanne E McBride
Kurt McCadden
Thomas J McCaffrey
James A McCall
Ellen M McCarthy-Kline
Valencia M McClatchey
Mary J McCleary
Rosemarie A McCloy
Anne B McConnel
Raymond R McCool
Allen McCormack
Thomas M McDermott
Heather K McFadden
Joseph W McGinnis Jr
Eva K McKendrick
Stephen P McKenna
Thomas F. McKernan
Linda McKissick
Robert W McMahon
Shirley Boyd McNamara
Ronald McPeek
Quentin J McQuaid
Hugh F McShane
Paul Meagher
Timothy Meagher
Edward G Meakim Jr
Gretchen Means
Theresa Meehan-Huddell
Patricia A Meinhart
Junnie L. Mendelowski
Gary Mercer
John M Messner
Anthony J Mete
Matthew Meyers
Tracy B Meyers
Damon Michels
Susan J. Miele
Helen M Miernicki
Kevin P Mihm
Kristin M Mikita
Daryl N Mikolay
April Miller Crance
Diane Miller
J Wallis Miller
Nancy J Miller
Nancy S Miller
Quentin L Miller
Steven T Miller
Angela M Miller-Devers
Gloria J Minnich
Sharron Minnich
Clay R Mitman
Joan T Mitro
Patricia D Mlynek
Jane M Moffet
Raymond J Moise
Charles L Moles
Frank R Monaghan
Patricia A Monaghan
Virginia F Monaghan
Robert G Moncavage
Kathleen L Moore
Maria S Moore
Joseph W C Morgan Jr
Dennis Morgan
Frances M Morrione
Gregory J Morris
Neil R Morrow
Joyce Moser
Lynne M Moskol
Anna C Motichka
Richard T Moxley Jr
Charles Moyer
Patricia W Moyer
Gary J Muccio
Charles Muchnick
Don J Mueller
Theresa V Muntz
Joyce S Murphy
Eileen Muse
Gloria J Mushinski
Frederic Musilli
Carol A Musser
Eileen Musser
Brian E Myers
Charles R Myers
Darnell E Myers
Don C Myers
Donald Myers
Eileen C Myers
Jerry Myers
Kelly Ann Myers
Lethea M Myers
Constantinos Nazaridis
J Gary Neff
Donald B Neill
Robert B Nell Jr
Gary W Nese
Jennifer D Nevin
Robert Newcomb
Gary Nichols
Michael B Nicolella
Theodore A Noethling III
James Norris
Suzanne Norris
T Barry Norton
Charles Nowicki
Joseph S O’Connor
Patricia O’Donnell
Katherine F O’Donovan
Rebecca A O’Hanlon
Bethany L O’Neill
William P O’Neill
Daniel P O’Toole
Andrea E Odell
Carol Ogelsby
John E Ohler Sr
Stanley F Olanin Jr
Chris A Olds
Sandra Ongaro
Shirley A Orfanella
Martha Osborn
David R Oser
Elizabeth J Otto
Larry Ozer
Armand C Pace
Daniel C Paciello
Marianne R Pack
Dale Paffie
Linda B Page
Glen R Paisley
Betty Palmer
Laura Palmer
Elaine Panarello
Joseph E Pascucci
Anthony J Pastore
Usha Patel
D. Brad Patt
Donald C Patt
Douglas C Patt
Susan Patton
Joseph Pavlovich
Jean L Pecknoe
Linda J Pelkofer
Marjorie L Pendergast
Linda S Perin
Mark Persia
Jeffrey Peters
Laurel Lynn T Petolicchio
Trent Pettus
Robert C Pfeilsticker Jr
Frank Phifer
William R Phillips
R Carl Pickel
Joan D Pierce
Samuel J Pilotti
Susan H Pindle
Joan B Pirain
P Erik Pogwist
Chris A Popko
Anthony Porreca
Thomas J Porrecca Jr
Jan Portwood
Carol Powell
William T Powell
John P Price
Mary W Price
Mark A Prokay
Francis J Puleo
Sherri Pursel
Marva R Purvis
Anne D Pyle
Tracey J Quarles-Ford
Pamela G Quattrone
Terrence P Quinn
Arlene Quirk
Nelis Raffetto
Anthony R Ramos
Althea Ramsay
James M Raub
Cheryl F Rawlings
Jack L Rawlings
Barry L Ray
Edward Rayburg
Anita M Reber
Deborah Redding
Martin J Reddington
Heidi L Reese
Carol L Reider
Fern M Reiker
Janice K Reiser
Emily Y Resko
Susan G Reuter
Zoila C Reyes
Jacqueline M Rhoades
Kevin E Rhude
Denise Rich
Beth A Richards
Claire A Richards
Russell Richardson
Dulce Ridder
James S Ridge
William W Rielly Sr
Edith Riggs
C Pat Riley
Nancy L Ring
Thomas G Ring
Phyllis M Rittel,
David S Rittenhouse
James Ritter
Andrea Robbins
Harold E Roberts
Keith Robertson
Rickie Robertson
Janice L Robinson
Nicole de Bo D Robinson
Anthony Rocchino
Karl G Rohrbach
Robert Romich
David J Rooney
David W Rosania
Robert Rose
Jean A Rosenberger
Kelly Rosenberger
William S Rothermel
Sally Rothstein
Phyllis Rothweiler
Michael Rotto
Flora K Rubin
Janet Rubino
Staci L Rullo
Charles G Rumpf
Agnes Rundle
Robert L Rundle
Mary A Rushanan
Shirley M Rust
Marian H Rutt
Philip M Rutt
Barbara L Ruttenberg
William A Ryan Jr
Richard F Ryon
Deanne K Saab
Michael A Sabo
Amy Sackrison-Wagner
Brenda Sacks
Nicholas A Salamone
Harvey I Salwen
Barbara G Samet
Ronald A Samsel
Donald Sanders
Gayle K Sanders
Robert L Santangelo
Michael J Santoleri
Faith Sarisky
Nancy Sarley
Cynthia S Saxe Schmidt
Maureen M Scanlin
Judith A Schaeffer
Beth Scheid
C Edward Scheivert
John L Schilling
Albert S Schmidt Jr
Jeffrey L Schnars
Lisa A Schroeder
Gloria J Schucolsky
Craig C Scott
Joanne V Scotti
Christine S Segal
Gary L Segal
Eric R Seitzinger
George W Semencar
Rosemarie V Seminara
Joan A Sendall
Linda E Sergio
Maurice F Serret
Jeff Shaffer
Mary Jo Shaffer
William Shanbarger
Susan Sharp
Joseph Sheehan
Alice M Shetrom
George Sheypuk
Mary L Shipe
Lee F Shlifer
Vallee Shore
Susan J Shortell
J Matthew Shuffelbottom
Jeffrey T Sicher
Izzy L Sigman
Ferne M Silberman
Arthur C Silcox
Barbara Silcox
Craig S Silverman
Susie T Silversmith
John G Silvidio
Shirley J Simpson
Jacob A Singer
Marjorie A Singmaster
Natalie M Sitsis
John J Skaro
Joyce A Skillman
James J Skindzier
Harvey B Sklaroff
Barbara A Slade
Ann Slaymaker
Jo Ann Slomine
Samuel C Small
Steven Smaracko
Georgie A Smigel
Andrew Smith
Dawn M Smith
Deborah J Smith
David B Smolizer
Dennis Snell
Stephen Snell
James M Snyder Jr
Kenneth A Snyder
Richard J Snyder
Joseph R Sofranko
J Merle Sollenberger
Valentine W Spanier Jr
Michael C Spearing
David L Specht
Bonnie Y Spetzer
Patricia Spitzer
I Linda Sposato
Steven B Spray
James V St. Hilaire
John J Stachel
Joanne C Stahl
Peggy P Stamos
Karen L Starr
Alan Stasson
Maureen T States
Barry L Stein
Gary Steinberg
Kimberly A. Stevens
Robert H Stevens
David J Stilwell
Bruce C Stimmel
Nancy M Stine
Carla Stinnette
Wendell B Stockdale
Marguerite Stokes
C Ivan Stoltzfus
Camille L Stolz
Charlotte A Stoudt
Jeffrey Stout
Paul K Stout
Milton Strahl
Emily S Strausser
Debora A Stresky
Bonnie L Stright
Blake Strine
William B Strine Sr
Robert J Stuart
J. Michael Stum
Kenneth Styer
Marisol I Suarez
Neil B Sukonik
Paul J Suleski
Amy G Sullivan
Katrina Sullivan
Janet E Sulzer
Laura C. Summers
Susan N Sutto
Barbara Sutton
Elizabeth Swanson
Robert R Swayne Jr
Victoria Sweitzer
John H Swords Jr
Marie Szczesniak
Edie Szczypiorski
Andrea L Szlavik
Marie Sztubinski
Richard Taitt
Sharon M Talys
Stacy Tarantino Bishop
Sandrina J Taraszki
Janet Tarity
Arthur D Tarquinio
Terry L Teel
Carol S Thacher
Dori L Thaner
Richard A Thoman
Russell Thomas
Susan H Thomas
Mark S Thudium
Patricia A Tiehel
Christine M Tobelmann
Daniel J Tocci
Carol A Tomayko
Jasper A Torchia
Anthony Tosco
Gladys G. Trexler
Renee D Trinchere
Salvatore Triolo
Linda M Troop
R Scott Troxel
Bonnie M Trump
Ming Kwan Tse
Helene Tyndall
Laura J Tysiachney
Liz Unger
Carl E Unruh
Rudy A Usic
Joanne Vandegrift
Nicholas Vandekar
Jason VanDyke
Nancy E VanLandingham
Robert Vanover
Alice L Vanston
Gail M Vasquez
Coy C Vickers
Nick Vlahos
Edward F Voelker Jr
Brent Vullings
Adrienne B Wagner
Erik C Wagner
James D Wagner
Marilyn Wainwright
Stephen N Walden
Donna Walker
Lawrence P Walker
Matthew M Wall
James M Walsh
Thomas M Walsh
Dorothy Walsko
Linda L Walters
Seet P Wang
Alan K Warfield
Malcolm Waring
Marge Warner
Barbara Warren
Cynthia Warring
Bobbi Wasserman
Kenny R Watson
Linda Watson
Linda J Watt
David E Weaver
Harold W Weaver
Debora Weidman-Phillips
Cindy Weimer
Samuel Weiner
H. Wayne Weinstein
Morton Weinstock
Brad S Weisman
James A Weiss
Louis J Wells
Marilyn P Wells
David P Welsh Jr
Margaret M Welsh
William E Welsh
Clarence R Wenger
Steven S Werley
Deborah A West
James A West
Michael D West
Jerry Wettstone
Andrew Wetzel
Lynne E White
Mary W White
Lori Widders
Jordan Wiener
Shanna Wiest
Terry N Wiley
Conway S Williams Jr
Calvin W Williams
Diane Williams
Glenn L Williams
Wendell L Williams
Janis Williams-Shepherd
J. Anderson Wilson
Lisa B Wimmer
Jennifer D Winston
Sally A Winters
Paul A Witmer Jr
Glenn R Witmer
Karen Ann Wolf
Richard N Woodard
Kenneth M Worley
Paula Worsley
Barry D Wright
Linda Yaley
Michael J Yannes
Shannan J Yarnick
Joseph M Yates
Julie R Yeager
Scott L Yocum
David W Yoder
Gary Yost
Steven S Yost
Daniel E Young
Marion Young
Mary Young
Sylvia S Younkin
Abdul R Yusuf
Ann M Zajac
Colleen G Zajacek
Frank Zajacek
Alan S Zavacky Al
D Martin Zawarski
Edward F Zehfuss
JoAnne Zidock
Clayton R Zimmerman
Karen L Zimmerman
Lynn R Zimmerman
Ruth Ann Zimmerman
Sandy Zook
Bette A Zrimsek
Richard A Zuber
Linda B Zylberdrut
P E N N S Y LVA N I A A S S O C I AT I O N O F R E A LT O R S ‰ | 1 5
Visit Our Booth
Atlantic City
December 4th - 6th
Over 1,238 Franchises Sold
Over 42,335 Agents Recruited
Now in PA - 31 Locations and more coming soon!!!
Offices Listed Alphabetically
EXIT 1st Choice Realty
Bensalem, PA 19020
P-215.638.8214
EXIT Platinum Plus Realty
Camp Hill, PA 17011
P-717.920.2900
EXIT Realty Associates
Milford, PA 18337
P-570.296.8888
EXIT Realty John Hill
Altoona, PA 16602
P-814.944.9377
EXIT American Eagle Realty
York, PA 17402
P-717.757.7667
EXIT Preferred Realty
Waynesboro, PA 17201
P-717.762.8000
EXIT Realty Associates
Hawley, PA 18428
P-570.775.1888
EXIT Realty Pennsylvania
Regional Office
P-215.396.3948
EXIT Benchmark Realty
Philadelphia, PA 19125
P-215.427.2870
EXIT Preferred Realty
Chambersburg, PA 17201
P-717.263.3555
EXIT Realty Capital Area
Harrisburg, PA 17109
P-717.920.3948
EXIT Realty Professionals
Prospect Park, PA 19076
P-610.532.2500
EXIT Diamond Realty
Wyomissing, PA 19610
EXIT Preferred Realty
Greencastle, PA 17225
P-717.597.7333
EXIT Realty Capital Area
Halifax, PA 17032
P-717.896.3948
EXIT Realty of Reading
Reading, PA 19601
P-610.372.3322
EXIT Premier Realty
Philadelphia, PA 19149
P-215.533.4550
EXIT Realty Customer's First
Hanover, PA 17331
P-717.637.4444
EXIT Realty The Waterfront Group
Philadelphia, PA 19125
P-215.425.2200
EXIT Pro Realty
Phoenixville, PA 19460
P-610.933.1500
EXIT Realty Group
Mechanicsburg, PA 17055
P-717.591.1500
EXIT Supreme Realty
Blue Bell, PA 19422
P-215.591.3500
EXIT Realty Advantage
Allentown, PA 18102
P-610.628.3040
EXIT Realty Innovations
Hershey, PA 17033
P-717.533.7410
EXIT Team Realty
Newtown, PA 18940
P-215.860.1007
EXIT Elite Realty
Exton, PA 19341
P-610.363.1600
EXIT Executive Real Estate
Bensalem, PA 19020
P-215.633.0102
EXIT Fast Track Realty
Easton, PA 18042
P-610.253.7100
EXIT Four Star Realty
Mount Joy, PA 17552
P-717.653.0144
EXIT Keystone Realty
Doylestown, PA 18910
EXIT Realty Advantage
Hazleton, PA 18201
P-570.501.9372
Lancaster and Other Locations
Coming Soon!
Not intended to solicit Broker/Owners that are currently under contract with other Franchisors. Each office independently owned and operated.