RLI News Brief From National

Hello Everyone! It is hard to believe the year that 2020 has been so far. What started off pretty normal quickly turned, with the country and world coming to a screeching halt because of COVID-19, and then, just as we began to emerge from our mandated self-isolation, the death of George Floyd brought to focus the often over-looked issues of race and disparity in America. With the country still reeling yet attempting to return to normal, the only certainty is that whatever the new normal will be, it will be very different from the normal we were used to before COVID-19 and before nationwide protests forced us to look in the mirror. Despite COVID, we have all found a way to connect and do business differently. And because of George Floyd, we have an opportunity to fully realize the intent of the Declaration of Independence proclamation that ALL men are created equal.

Here at National RLI, we have been working hard to ensure you have access to valuable information and tools to help make the most of the downtime and prepare you for success. While we unfortunately had to cancel our conference in San Antonio, we were able to shift gears and hold our first-ever Virtual National Land Conference, reaching over 600 registrants! We have also debuted free monthly webinars, a new podcast series called The Voices of Land, and several virtual roundtables on hot topics like The Impact of COVID-19 on the Land Market and Industrial Hemp. All of these resources are available in the new Land Expertise Hub through the member portal of rliland.com

One of the tenets that RLI is built upon is camaraderie. While this year has brought us all many firsts, one thing that has not surprised me at all is how RLI members have supported each other and their communities during this time. This has been and will continue to be a trying time for many Americans who have lost so much: loved ones, jobs, financial security, and much more. RLI members are there for them – not only helping sellers sell distressed properties and helping investors buy at the right time, but also donating masks and meals to front-line workers, supporting local food banks, and going above and beyond to help wherever needed regardless of race, color, nationality, religion, gender, sexual orientation, or disability. That is the essence of what RLI members stand for. Those who know me know that I am one to always look for the silver lining. I am thankful that these last few months have allowed me an opportunity to slow down a bit, look in the mirror, and focus on the most important things to me. I am healthy. I have a healthy, loving family. We are happy. I have a wonderful job where I work with wonderful people (you!). I thank God every day for these blessings, for truly nothing else matters. I am now more aware than ever before that it is up to each of us, including myself, to actively create a world where everyone has the same right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. What are the most important things in your life that are being brought to the forefront as we face the challenges this year has brought to us all? How will you grow as a person and a land agent with this heightened awareness?

As we all re-emerge to face the new normal, life will start to get busy and hectic again. When it does, don’t forget what is most important to you. And don’t forget that RLI is right here with information, tools, and resources to help you now and in the future.

Sincerely,

Aubrie Kobernus, MBA, RCE RLI Chief Executive Officer

Aubrie Kobernus, MBA, RCE Chief Executive Officer 312-329-8837 | akobernus@realtors.org

As the CEO, Aubrie is responsible for the overall management of RLI. This includes working together with the Board of Directors to develop and implement the vision, goals, objectives, and related policies for the organization. Within that framework, Aubrie organizes and directs the staff, programs, financial performance, and activities of the organization. In 2017, Aubrie achieved the REALTOR ® Certified Executive Designation conferred by NAR. Members may contact her with any questions or concerns about RLI. Aubrie has been with RLI since March 2016.

Gerry Berish, CAE Chapter & Membership Relations Manager 312-329-8519 | gberish@realtors.org

Gerry manages the relationships between RLI National and its chapter organizations as well as serves as the main point of contact for RLI members. In his role, Gerry also serves as the Chapter Leadership Council liaison. Members may contact him with general inquiries about RLI or about starting or joining an RLI chapter. RLI chapter leaders and administrators are encouraged to use Gerry as their main point of contact at RLI National with any inquiries related to managing or developing their chapter and its programs. Gerry has been with RLI since September 2019.

Karen Calarco Operations Manager 312-329-8287 | kcalarco@realtors.org

Karen manages RLI’s expenditures within the budget, member records, and billing. Members may contact her for assistance changing their profile information, paying membership dues, and answering financial inquiries about their account. Karen has been with RLI since September 2007. Jessa Friedrich, MBA Marketing Manager 312-329-8353 | jfriedrich@realtors.org

Jessa manages all aspects of RLI’s communications, branding, and marketing efforts; including for events, courses, the designation, and the organization as a whole. She also serves as the staff liaison for the Future Leaders and Government Affairs committees. Members may contact her with any member or chapter news for recognition, for contributing to Terra Firma magazine or the RLI Blog, or with questions about logo use. Jessa has been with RLI since March 2015.

Amanda Morrone, MSHC Education Manager 312-329-8441 | amorrone@realtors.org

As the Education Manager, Amanda oversees all matters pertaining to RLI’s LANDU Education Program. She is responsible for scheduling courses and webinars as well as managing instructor relationships. She also serves as the staff liaison for the Education Committee. Members may contact her with any questions about the LANDU Education Program. Amanda has been with RLI since March 2019.

The REALTORS ® Land Institute (RLI) and National Association of REALTORS ® Research Group released the results of their latest Land Markets Survey in January. While the market conditions have changed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, much of the information captured in the survey is still beneficial for benchmarking.

The 2019 Land Markets Survey showed sustainable growth in both national land sales and land prices between October 2018 and September 2019 compared to the previous period. Survey respondents reported a rise in sales for all types of land, led by residential and recreational land. The median price per acre of land transactions during that period also increased to $5,500 from $4,500 compared to the prior twelve-month period. The increase was attributed to a higher price per acre of residential land as demand for single family homes, and the land it is built on, continued to increase. View the full 2019 Land Markets Survey at rliland.com

The REALTORS ® Land Institute and CCIM Institute, both commercial affiliates of the National Association of REALTORS ® , are working together to elevate the prestige of their designees with the approval of the Accredited Land Consultant (ALC) Designation into the CCIM Fast Track criteria.

With its approval, real estate professionals who hold RLI’s elite ALC Designation can now earn the esteemed CCIM designation at an accelerated pace as a Fast Track Institute Candidate member. Given their proven expertise and experience in commercial transactions, an ALC can now earn the CCIM designation without needing to meet the traditional elective credit and portfolio requirements. Learn more in our Press Room at rliland.com

Miss networking in-person this year at the National Land Conference? Get your fix at the 2020 ALC Networking Retreat! All ALCs are encouraged to join us in Kansas City, KS, from October 7-9 for a few days of educational and networking sessions that will allow attendees to build relationships with fellow ALCs from across the country. We hope to see all of our elite ALCs there! Keep an eye out in your email for more information coming soon about the event schedule and registration.

In the first four months of 2020, the ALC Designation Committee has approved 18 new ALCs. At their last meeting, the ALC Designation Committee revised the ALC application process for appraiser applicants. They retained the criteria that appraiser applicants must be licensed state-certified general appraisers with a portfolio of at least 30 land appraisals in the previous three years totaling at least $10M in value. The portfolio requirements for appraiser applicants has been revised with an updated appraisal log sheet and a new appraisal narrative form that must be submitted for each appraisal submitted.

The 2020 RLI Education Committee has taken on a new function now that our LANDU Education Program courses are all updated. The committee will now be responsible for working with staff to regularly review, update, and enhance all of our courses. The committee has also been extremely involved with the process of recruiting and approving new LANDU Instructors. In the first quarter, they approved, for both the in-classroom and VILT-Online formats, one instructor to teach the Subdivision Development course and another to teach the Transitional Land Real Estate course.

As another initiative, the committee continues to make recommendations and revisions of the current policies and procedures in place for making course updates and enhancing instructor development. These changes will help ensure the LANDU Education Program continues to provide the most relevant and up-to-date content to course attendees.

The RLI 2020 Future Leaders Committee is busy implementing their initiative to increase recognition of the ALC Designation in the industry while also investigating ways to better educate and mentor young agents in the industry. So far, the committee has released a virtual round table titled COVID-19 Impacts on the Land Market, featuring a panel of ALC experts. They also hosted a well-attended RLI Hot Topic Webinar titled COVID-19: Impacts on the Residential Land Market. The committee plans to release additional virtual round tables throughout the year and also provide ALCs and RLI members with respective marketing templates in various formats to help them promote their affiliation with our organization.

The RLI 2020 Government Affairs Committee signed on to a letter with NAR to advocate for an extension on 1031 Tax Deferred Exchange deadlines in light of the recent COVID-19 pandemic. The extension was granted, extending the deadline to July 15. The committee continues monitoring numerous other federal issues such as Opportunity Zones, the new version of Waters of the US (WOTUS), issues related to the Endangered Species Act, and the legislative developments impacting land agents related to the pandemic.

The best in the business follow RLI on their social media pages for the latest updates and educational blog posts relevant to the industry. Stay at the top of your game by following RLI on social media and further positioning yourself as a land expert by sharing our posts.

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rliland.com/blog

Follow us on Instagram at realtors_land_institute Date Posted: 2/11/2020

Post Title: Buyer Beware: Five Myths About Purchasing Hunting Land.

Post Content: Prospective land buyers purchasing hunting land will want to see through common myths that many firsttime buyers fall prey to during the process. A diligent, fact-based approach with the assistance of a qualified land expert is always best. Read the full post on the RLI Blog at rliland.com

Follow us on Facebook at facebook.com/RLILand Date Posted: 1/22/2020

Post Title: Newly Released Report Shows Slow But Steady Growth In Land Market

Post Content: The newly released Land Markets Survey from RLI and NAR Research shows sustainable growth in both national land sales and land prices. Read the full report today!

Follow us on Twitter at @rliland

Date Posted: 1/22/2020

Post Title: RLI Land Markets Survey

Post Content: The newly released Land Markets Survey from @RLILand and @NAR_Research showed sustainable growth in both national land sales and land prices. Read the full report! #realestate #land #landvalues #realtor #landmarket #landvalues

Follow us on LinkedIn at linkedin.com/company/realtors-landinstitute Date Posted: 5/4/2020

Post Title: Will Americans Trade-In Their Urban Lifestyles For Rural Ones In The Wake Of COVID-19?

Post Content: Will Americans move to greener pastures (literally) with the realization that we now live in a time when social distancing and self-reliance play a more crucial role than ever in staying healthy?

If the recent Coronavirus pandemic has you more seriously looking to relocate to a rural area where you can live on a few acres and produce your own food, make sure to use a qualified land expert to assist with your search!

Top RLI Blog Post Date Posted: 4/29/2020

Post Title: Will Americans Trade-In Their Urban Lifestyles For Rural Ones In The Wake Of COVID-19?

Post Author: REALTORS ® Land Institute

Post Content: The COVID-19 pandemic will encourage a lot of people to rethink their urban lifestyles. In a time when social distancing and self-isolating play crucial roles in health, consumers living in urban centers find it nearly impossible to follow the rules for safety and are realizing they are at a much greater risk of being impacted by such an outbreak. Read the full post at rliland.com/blog

The Land Connections is the official members’ only listing site of the REALTORS ® Land Institute. The page has a robust mapping feature which makes searching for properties on-the-go easier than ever. With prime property listings from best in the business land professionals, this is the place to find and post properties. RLI members are able to post listings to this page at no cost as a member benefit thanks to our partners at Lands of America and LandBrokerWebsites.com

To add your properties, please contact RLI at 800-441-5263. Thank you to Lands of America for providing the information for our top properties. Learn more about these properties and others on the Land Connections at rliland.com/the-land-connections

1 Bull Springs Skyline Forest | $127,000,000 | 33,000 Acres | Bend, OR

Listing Agent: Robb Van Pelt, Mason & Morse Ranch Company | robb@ranchland.com

Bull Springs Skyline Forest, located just minutes west of Bend, OR, is an active tree farm and recreational property that covers 32,995+/- contiguous, deeded acres and borders the Deschutes National Forest. The property has significant longterm appreciation potential with opportunity for sustainable timber management, and abundant recreation in combination with residential and mixed-use development. 2 Sunbreak Farms | $79,500,000 | 10,331 Acres | Fort Pierce, FL

Listing Agent: Dean Saunders, ALC, SVN Saunders Ralston Dantzler Real Estate | dean@saundersrealestate.com

This is an exceptional opportunity to purchase fully-improved land that has been laser-leveled and prepared for farming a variety of crops. The property includes a 1,440 +/- SF office building, 4,400 +/- SF maintenance facility, pumps, reservoirs, a shell-based road system, and holds valid water permits through 2025. Currently operating as corn silage, this site has tremendous potential for a variety of very viable uses including hemp production, farming, water farming or storage, residential development, and conservation. A complete inventory of equipment is available from the broker. This property is available for sale or lease.

3 Listing Agent: Dean Saunders, ALC, SVN Saunders Ralston Dantzler Real Estate | dean@saundersrealestate.com The Florida Agricultural Portfolio offering is a unique opportunity to acquire large-scale agricultural landholdings with significant appreciation potential in one of the fastest-growing areas of the United States. The 11,100-acre collection of 13 parcels spans Indian River, St. Lucie, and Desoto Counties with contiguous tracts as large as 2,622 acres. Many of these parcels are in a developmental phase with a significant upside. They include a diversified portfolio of income-producing fresh and processed citrus groves, farms, and agricultural properties in warm, easily accessed locations. Each property is institutionally managed. The facilities are well maintained and include fixed assets such as barns, pumps, irrigation, and drainage systems.

Florida Agricultural Portfolio | $ 72,383,275 | 11,100 Acres | Indian River City, FL

4 N3 Cattle Company | $68,000,000 | 50,500 Acre |

Livermore, CA Listing Agent: Listing Agent: Todd Renfrew, ALC, California Outdoor Properties, Inc. | info@caoutdoorproperties.com

The iconic N3 Cattle Company is on the market for the first time in 85 years. This beautiful and expansive California property spans 50,500 acres through four counties, making it the largest land offering in the State of California. Located just south of Livermore, and east of Oakland and San Jose, it is easily accessed from San Francisco, the Peninsula, and the East Bay. The Ranch is completely private and uniquely preserved, healthy and wild as it has been for hundreds of years. It is a vital and rare haven of original California landscape and wildlife. The property encompasses 80 square miles of diverse terrains, flora, fauna, and important watersheds and creeks. The N3 Cattle Company has been a working cattle ranch for 85 years.