Jason LaVanture {{Virtual Tours}}

From: TAAR [kim@taar.com]

Sent: Monday, March 30, 2009 6:06 AM
To: jason@bluelavamedia.com
Subject: News from TAAR

March 30, 2009 TAAR Newsletter

TAAR NEWS
TRAVERSE AREA ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®

March 30, 2009

THOUGHTS
Dear Jason,
"The difference between
school and life? In school, you're
Well I have just returned from the NAR 2009 Association Executive taught a lesson and then given a
Institute and am delighted to report that many of my peers feel that the test. In life, you're given a test that
market is finally gaining ground again and they are optimistic about teaches you a lesson."
the forecast for the next several months. There was discussion that
the interest rates could hit 4% to 4.5% and hold there for a while. We Tom Bodett
heard from NAR President Charles McMillan about the rise in real
estate sales in February according to NAR data. President McMillan
also discussed the Right Tools - Right Now campaign designed to put QUICK LINKS
materials, education and training and other services in the hands of
the membership at no additional cost or a drastically reduced cost, as NAR Press Room
in the case of CIPS training. I'll be bringing you more about this event REALTOR® Benefits
in future TAAR News releases. TAAR Staff and Board
Check Your Education
Speaking of CIPS training, the TAAR will experience its own bit of
international exposure in the coming months. Simon Thiry a native of
Belgium will be joining the TAAR staff as an intern next week. As part
of an international student exchange program the TAAR gets the SPRING CLEANING
opportunity to work with Simon at no additional cost to the association.
Simon is fluent in French and German with a pretty good handle on
English. Simon will be helping us with our communication and Now that spring has officially
arrived please check the signs on
outreach program as he is a marketing student. One of the areas that your listings and make sure they
he can help us with will be CIPS training by putting the potential local are upright and in good shape. And
market interests from his homeland into perspective for our members. please remove them on properties
I look forward to working with Simon, understanding his culture and that sold or the listing expired
during the winter and the sign was
assessing how a GenY from Europe views the world compared to a buried under the snow. Also
GenY here. I hope that you will stop in and meet Simon. He wants to remember to update photos in your
engage in conversations that will help him understand our market and listings to reflect the season-
in doing so practice his English. hopefully photos with spring
flowers and no snow!

All the best,

Kim MEMBER UPDATES

Kim Pontius
MOVES:

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Executive Vice President
REALTOR® MEMBERS:
852 South Garfield Avenue
Traverse City, MI 49686
Sue Vowels is now at
p: (231) 947-2050 Coldwell Banker Schmidt-Kalkaska
Kalkaska, MI 49646
f: (231) 947-1919 sue@suevowels.com
Traverse Area Association of REALTORS® Office: 231-258-8611
Other: 231-564-0783

IN THIS ISSUE Billie Ketchum is now at:

Exit Home Town Realty
SOCIAL IGNITION WEBINAR Kalkaska, MI 49646
Office: 231-258-0927
A RENAISSANCE IN DETROIT Other: 231-258-8140

HOUSEHOLDS SAY NOW GOOD TIME TO BUY

SORRY TO SEE YOU GO:

CORRECT YOUR LISTING ON REALTOR.COM

REALTOR® MEMBERS:
SPRING CLEANING
Anne Petrosky Gutherie
MEMBER UPDATES Previously at RE/MAX Harmony
Kalkaska, MI 49646
SAVE THE DATES
MLS SUBSCRIPTION:
FEATURED LISTING SPECIAL

GREEN OPEN HOUSE Gary R Schwaiger

Manistee, MI 49660

NEW MEMBERSHIP ROSTER

WELCOME BACK:
SOCIAL IGNITION WEBINAR
AFFILIATE MEMBERS:

Antrim County Title, Inc.

Kathleen M. Kitchen
504 S Williams
Mancelona, MI 49659
Phn: 231-587-4833
Fax: 231-587-4851
Email:
kathleen@antrimcountytitleinc.com

Inactivated in error

If you would like to find out how you can start to leverage the power of SAVE THE DATES
social networking, blogging, and social bookmarking please attend the
BlueLaVaMedia Social Ignition Webinar on Tuesday, April 28th at 7:00
PM. (Watch from the comfort of your home via the web.) April 24th

The webinar is absolutely FREE to all TAAR members. Yes, I said

RPAC Chili Cook-off
FREE. The only thing that the program will require is a bit of your time
and willingness to make some small changes in the way you conduct
April 28th
business online. A webinar is an interactive presentation that you
participate in on your computer Social Ignition Webinar
This really is just as easy as sending email...I promise. See you online
May 1, 2009
To register for this webinar click here : Last Realtor Standing
http://www.bluelavamedia.com/socialignition
May 11th

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 A RENAISSANCE IN DETROIT Green Today, Jobs Tomorrow -
State Conference
As many know I have spent most of my career in manufacturing and for
May 11th to 15th
this reason I still read many of those trade journals to gain perspective
of how others see the economy and the market. This latest release
comes from a source that I highly value and have found to be most NAR Midyear in Washington D.C.
credible. I hope you will take a moment to read this unusual story.
May 20th

Thanks,
Affiliate Breakfast Expo @ Hagerty
Kim Center

May 28th

Affiliate Wine & Cheese Happy

Hour

July 23rd

Affiliate Wine & Cheese Happy

Hour

August 24th & 25th

NAR Leadership Summit

September 24th
Last week I went to Detroit to shoot a video spot for an advertiser of Today's Machining
World. A melancholy vibe permeated the city that I can only compare with the one I felt Affiliate Wine & Cheese Happy
when I was last in New Orleans. When I arrived there were only three taxies and two Hour
limos sitting outside. Five vehicles to serve the entire Detroit Metro airport? I decided to
query the empty rental car buses driving by to see if they had any cars available. I asked October 3rd
Hertz, Avis, and Budget, and every driver claimed that there weren't any cars. Evidently
so few people are traveling to Detroit Metro that the rental car companies have GS4 @ Hagerty Center
transferred their fleets to other more bustling cities.
October 7th to 9th
Yet amidst all of its depression and desperation, Detroit now has an unexpected
grassroots movement attempting to revitalize the city's housing market. At this moment
artists from around the world are buying houses in the Detroit ghetto for a few hundred MAR Statewide REALTOR ®
dollars each. Conference in TC

Go to www.todaysmachiningworld.com to read the full story. November 12th to 16th

HOUSEHOLDS SAY NOW GOOD TIME TO BUY
NAR National Meeting and
Conference in San Diego, CA
More than three-quarters (78 percent) of
potential first-time home buyers say that now November 19th
is a good time to buy a home, despite
widespread concern about the economy. Affiliate Wine & Cheese Happy
Hour
Out of the 1,000 prospective U.S. first-time
home buyers surveyed in early March for the December 4th
CENTURY 21 First-Time Home Buyer
Survey, 68 percent think now is a better time
to buy than six months ago. TAAR Holiday Party

Prices are the driving motivation for potential

FEATURED LISTING
first-time home buyers with more than eight
of ten first-time home buyers (85 percent) SPECIAL
saying they consider current home prices affordable and 73 percent citing that taking
advantage of current prices is a major factor in their decision to buy. Running a Featured Listings Spring
Special - $10 per listing to show on
Interestingly, potential first-time buyers are still split between "being willing to consider an the TAAR website April 1 through
offer now" (42 percent) and "waiting for prices to go down before they seriously consider April 30.
making a purchase" (48 percent).

"Current pricing, rates and incentives, such as the First Time Homebuyer Tax Credit, GREEN OPEN HOUSE
provide tremendous opportunities for first-time home buyers to get into the market," said

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Tom Kunz, Century 21 Real Estate president and CEO. "Our research shows that while If your open house has any green
consumers still have concerns about the future of the economy, many are actively certifications or green features, it
considering their options as we move into the spring selling season." can be designated as a green
home on the TAAR Open House
read more>> list. When submitting the open
house, please mark it as green. If
you have any questions please
CORRECT YOUR LISTING ON REALTOR.COM contact Sharon.

Many organizations have membership levels based on financial contribution. Be sure to NEW MEMBERSHIP
include the various benefits of each level and suggest membership upgrades. Add a ROSTER
"Find out more..." link to additional information on your website.
The new Roster is on line. Go to
If your listing information or photo is incorrect or missing in realtor.com, below is member Resources on the TAAR
information to correct the problem: Members page and look under
Online Publications. Look for the
Company/Title: Membership Roster 2009. If you
Listings REALTOR.COM want a printed copy you can print
your own or you can order one
Contact Name: individually by calling the TAAR
REALTOR.com MEMBER SERVICES office; first one per member will be
no charge, $5.00 for any more than
Telephone Number: one. (To save trees and excess
800-878-4166, FAX: 805-557-2332 printing costs, an office cannot call
and ask for a copy for each of their
Listing Description: members; the agent needs to
Listings on REALTOR.COM order).

Website:
www.realtor.com

Additional Information:
REALTOR.COM's listings are provided and downloaded to the site by the participating
Multiple Listing Service (MLS). To correct missing or incorrect data, the listing agent
should first review the data information sheet (MLS printout) for any details that may
need to be corrected or updated, as all changes must be referred through the MLS first.

If further assistance is needed from the site, the agent will need to fax a copy of this MLS
printout to REALTOR.COM Customer Care Team at 805-557-2332, along with notes
indicating the issue to be addressed.

A representative will be assigned to review the raw data within this form and the fields of
data coded for the site and will return any follow-up information to the listing agent
directly. If any changes need to be made through the MLS, the next download of data
information to our site should then reflect these changes.

If a picture needs to be deleted and replaced, the same contact with Customer Care
should be initially followed.

TOP

Thank you for being a part of the Traverse Area Association of REALTORS® !

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 Sincerely,

Kimberly Pontius
Executive Vice President
Traverse Area Association of REALTORS®

and the

TAAR Board of Directors and Staff

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Traverse Area Association of REALTORS® | 852 South Garfield Ave | Traverse City | MI | 49686