Arcadia REALTOR Magazine – January/February 2018

REALTOR®

OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE ARCADIA ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®

PROUDLY SERVING THE REALTORS® OF ARCADIA, BRADBURY, DUARTE, MONROVIA & SIERRA MADRE

2018 Annual Installation of Officers & Directors See page 16

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ARCADIA REALTOR® · JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2015 JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2018 · ARCADIA REALTOR®

Cooper’s Comments

REALTOR® 2018 ASSOCIATION OFFICERS Margaret Garemore 2018 PRESIDENT Kelvin Chang PRESIDENT-ELECT Frank Spencer TREASURER Sylvia Ramos IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT BOARD OF DIRECTORS Julie Bencosme Cecil Griffin James Maceo Joe Pacilio Yvonne Rosas-Petty May Rahmanian Mike Vachani

C.A.R. DIRECTORS Ryan Asao Andy Bencosme Julie Bencosme Roy Blume Kelvin Chang Margaret Garemore Joseph Pacilio Sylvia Ramos Matilde Gonzales Frank Spencer Kelvin Wong

ASSOCIATION STAFF

Robin Allen Ext. 307 Director of Finance / Office Manager Robin@TheAAR.com Michael Beltran Ext. 302 IT Director / Webmaster Michael@TheAAR.com Brenda Faltes Ext. 304 Director of Membership & Professional Standards Brenda@TheAAR.com Stephanie Maertens Ext. 303 Director of Education & Commercial Real Estate Stephanie@TheAAR.com Natasha Poon Ext. 301 Membership Services Manager Natasha@TheAAR.com Laura Thai Ext. 304 Director of Broker Compliance & Member Outreach Laura@TheAAR.com Andrew Cooper Ext. 308 Chief Executive Officer Andrew@TheAAR.com

ARCADIA ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® 601 South First Avenue Arcadia, California 91006 626.446.2115 PHONE · 626.446.4072 FAX www.TheAAR.com

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Dear valued Arcadia Association of REALTOR® members and affiliate partners, As we move further into this new year of 2018, we want to take a moment to extend our sincere gratitude to each of you for your ongoing commitment to our industry and for renewing your membership with the Arcadia Association of REALTORS®. We take all our new memberships and returning membership renewals seriously and we promise to deliver a world-class membership experience.

2017 was certainly a year to remember with many national and international events making the headlines, for better or for worse.

Not to be outdone last year, the housing sector was also a challenge with inventory, affordability and tax reform affecting our industry however you persevered and rose to the challenges! AAR members should take pride in knowing that through your efforts, countless clients and customers have found successful solutions to their real estate needs during these uncertain times. Undoubtedly, they will be loyal to you in the years ahead and for that outcome, you should be commended and applauded.

While there is still some uncertainty in our economy as well as in our national and local government offices and the real estate market, one thing remains certain: The commitment from the Arcadia Association of REALTORS® has never been stronger. Our focus will continue to be on helping your business grow by providing you with access to leading industry related tools, training, outstanding member support and technology that will better position your business for success. Stand by for an exciting announcement in mid-February! We will take this journey together, and by working together, we all will enjoy the mutual benefits of AAR membership for many years to come.

On behalf of the entire staff and Board of Directors at the Arcadia Association of REALTORS®, we wish you the best of success for a top-producing and healthy remainder of the year.

Yours in success,

Andrew Cooper Chief Executive Officer

ARCADIA REALTOR® · JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2018

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2018 | VOLUME 22 | NUMBER 1

Contents 11

12

On the Cover

Regular Features 2

Cooper’s Comments

4

Market Matters

5

Attorney Comments

6

Through the Lens

8

Affiliate Corner

14

16 2018 Annual Installation A recap of the 94th Annual Inaugural Celebration held on Friday, January 12th at the Altadena Town & Country Club.

Additional Content 7

Andrew Cooper, Chief Executive Officer

AAR New REALTOR® Members The AAR welcomes its newest REALTOR® Members of 2017 & 2018.

11 Tailor Your Sales Approach to Appeal to Millennials!

In the last four years, millennial buyers, age 36 years or younger, composed the largest share of recent homebuyers (34%).

Market Statistics for the San Gabriel Valley

12 Baby Boomers: One of America’s Most Lucrative Demographics Field Guide to Working with Baby Boomers Brings Insights to Serving One of America’s Most Lucrative Demographics.

Dave Freeman, AAR Legal Counsel

A Look at What’s Happening Around the AAR

13 Meet the 2018 AAR President Please help us welcome our 2018 AAR President, Margaret Garemore of Podley Properties.

“What Would Happen If You Helped Your Client (or Buyer) Get a Six Figure Scholarship or Grant to Pay for Their Kid to Attend College?”

Trevor Ramos, President of College Funding Remedies

14 President’s Farewell and Year in Review A look at all that has occured in the AAR this year and a farewell from 2017 AAR President, Sylvia Ramos.

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2018 · ARCADIA REALTOR®

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Market Matters Market Statistics for the San Gabriel Valley - November 2017 Single Family Homes

City

Arcadia Arcadia Duarte El Monte El Monte Glendora Glendora Monrovia San Gabriel San Gabriel San Marino Sierra Madre Temple City

Zip Code

91006 91007 91010 91731 91732 91740 91741 91016 91775 91776 91108 91024 91780

Condominiums

Sales of Price Price % Sales Single Family Median SFR Chg from Count Homes ($1,000) Nov. 2016 Condos

27 17 10 5 6 21 16 31 17 7 8 4 23

$1,260 $1,600 $503 $475 $521 $525 $700 $663 $950 $722 $1,710 $1,129 $759

10.5% 8.1% 3.6% 3.1% 6.2% 3.5% -6.4% 10.0% 13.1% 14.8% -25.3% 31.3% -2.8%

SFR Only

Price Median Price & Median Condo Chg from Home Price/ ($1,000) Nov. 2016 Sq. Ft.

4 11 7 1 5 3 1 5 n/a n/a n/a 2 3

$819 $610 $360 $736 $425 $366 $520 $472 n/a n/a n/a $883 $550

12.9% 15.1% 3.0% 71.2% -7.0% -23.9% 9.5% -15.0% n/a n/a n/a 32.7% -22.4%

$532 $648 $360 $442 $436 $396 $427 $506 $516 $488 $840 $598 $522

Market Statistics for the San Gabriel Valley - December 2017 Single Family Homes

City

Arcadia Arcadia Duarte El Monte El Monte Glendora Glendora Monrovia San Gabriel San Gabriel San Marino Sierra Madre Temple City 4

Zip Code

91006 91007 91010 91731 91732 91740 91741 91016 91775 91776 91108 91024 91780

Condominiums

Sales of Price Price % Sales Single Family Median SFR Chg from Count Homes ($1,000) Dec. 2016 Condos

22 10 14 3 11 16 18 24 15 9 14 10 14

$1,092 $1,499 $513 $485 $500 $525 $617 $715 $800 $588 $1,807 $848 $750

ARCADIA REALTORŽ ¡ JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2018 2016

-3.7% 29.0% 12.0% 7.8% 14.9% 10.8% -1.4% 7.2% -7.8% -7.8% -20.8% -10.5% 4.2%

4 8 8 1 6 3 2 12 0 0 0 4 11

SFR Only

Price Median Price & Median Condo Chg from Home Price/ ($1,000) Dec. 2016 Sq. Ft.

$829 $596 $436 $396 $510 $504 $515 $512 n/a n/a n/a $688 $852

4.2% 4.7% -8.7% -18.3% 20.4% 33.5% 0.0% 20.4% n/a n/a n/a 18.5% 29.0%

$572 $592 $415 $373 $379 $391 $394 $519 $496 $496 $857 $525 $470

Source: CoreLogic.com

Attorney Comments

By Dave Freeman, Association Counsel

Lis Pendens Although a Lis Pendens (LP) may complicate your transaction, it may also be a valuable tool in representing a Buyer against a recalcitrant Seller. In a time of strong property values, Sellers frequently back out of contracts, claiming one of many reasons.

But the real reason is usually that another potential Buyer has offered more money. When this situation arises, agents frequently request that we file a LP, which will effectively stop the Seller from closing with the new Buyer.

However, one cannot just file a LP. The LP is actually a notice that a lawsuit has been filed for title to, or an interest in, the property (usually a Specific Performance lawsuit for title to the property, or a suit to enforce an easement of some sort). The LP is recorded in the county recorder’s office, and gives constructive notice of the suit, and usually prevents close of escrow, until resolved.

Pre-Occupancy Storage Agreement (New) This is a new form from CAR that handles many of the issues that can come up, where the Buyer or Lessee wishes to store some items in the property (including the garage) until occupancy is transferred. It is a good agreement and discusses important topics, such as risk of loss or damage, and compensation for the storage.

However, DON’T DO IT!! One of the cardinal rules of real estate is: do not let the Buyer or Lessee have possession of the property (and this may be argued to be a form of possession) until close of escrow or the lease begins. There are too many problems that may come up, including failure to close, or failure of the Lessee to comply with pre-move-in conditions, such as agreed upon deposits. It is also possible that the Seller/Lessor may not have legitimate ownership of the property, or may have a lawsuit and lien (LP?) on the property and the stored items may be tied up for quite some time.

Service Animals and Comfort/Companion/Support Animals (SCA) Restaurants and Airlines have been in the news lately, concerning this topic. But it applies equally to landlords of apartments and single family houses. Even in a no-pet property these animals (SCA) cannot be prevented from being with the tenant, who has a proper purpose for the animal (not just dogs).

A service animal is an animal specifically trained to assist his owner, who has a disability (i.e., a Seeing Eye dog). A companion/ comfort/emotional support animal is used to help a person with an emotional, anxiety, psychological disability. We are limited to the questions we may ask, as a potential landlord:

A. Is your dog a service animal? If so, is your dog required because of a disability you have? If so, what work or tasks has your animal been trained to perform? Has the training been completed?

B. Is your dog (or other animal) a support animal? If so, do you have a disability that limits one or more of your major life activities? If so, does the disability create a need for you to have your dog (or other animal) live with you?

Bear in mind, however, the housing provider may not inquire of the tenant or applicant about the nature of the disability. You may ask for documentation from a qualified health provider that the person has a disability and the animal is necessary to help with the disability. You may not charge additional security deposits for these animals.

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2018 · ARCADIA REALTOR®

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THROUGH THE LENS A Look at What’s Happening Around the AAR

2018 Annual Installation of Officers & Directors

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ARCADIA REALTOR® · JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2018

Welcome, New Members!

DECEMBER 2017 Avila, William N, Keller Williams Realty; Bezaire Lewis, Naomi, Kingston Realty; Chang, Jyh C, Grandmark Realty Inc.; Diep, Timothy T, Dilbeck Real Estate; Fu, Jie, Coldwell Banker George Realty; Gao, Xinrong, U-Click Realty Inc.; Grogan, Kyla, HomeSmart Realty; Guerra, Matthew W, Growth Investment Group, Inc.; Guo, Lin, Supreme Investment Corp.; Gutierrez, Boris, Century 21 Masters; Han, Meng, IRN Realty; Hao, Fei, Treeline Realty & Investment; Hsu, Kai C, Coldwell Banker Dynasty T.C.; Huang, Evelyn H, Keller Williams Executive; Huang, Semira, Coldwell Banker George Realty;

Jiang, Regina Y, Highland Real Estate; Kang, Samuel, Supreme Investment Corp.; Kim, Alexis, Moon Realty; Kim, Yumi, Century 21 West Coast Brokers; Kuo, Yu-Chin Jean, IRN Realty; La, Marcia, Century 21 Ludecke Inc.; Liu, Jim J, IRN Realty; Mar, Marshall K, Coldwell Banker Dynasty Arcadia; Marchese, Trini L, Berkshire Hathaway HomeService; Mountford, Jeanelle A, Growth Investment Group, Inc. OuYang, Guo W, Moon Realty; Parrott, Timothy, Berkshire Hathaway HomeService; Perez, Gabriel C, Keller Williams Realty; Situ, Suqiong, Re/Max 888; Sun, Yadong, IRN Realty;

Tao, Xiaofei, Rega Realty Services; Tao, Yin, Highland Real Estate; Thai, Joshua J, Moon Realty; Valdivieso, Mauricio, Grandmark Realty Inc.; Velasco Arias, Alejandro, Podley Properties; Wang, Guodong, Treeline Realty & Investment; Watanabe, Brent T, Keller Williams Executive; White, Pauline, Pauline White, Broker; Wibowo, Timothy H, Coldwell Banker Dynasty T.C.; Wong, Cyrus, IRN Realty; Xu, Kun, IRN Realty; Yang, Ting, Keller Williams Realty; Yu, Yingwei, Coldwell Banker Dynasty Arcadia; Yu, Zhuming, IRN Realty; Zheng, Sisi, Supreme Investment Corp.

Also shown: Julie Bencosme, Director; Margaret Garemore, 2018 AAR President; Julie Tran, Government Affairs Representative, CAR®; Shirley Chen, 2018 Membership Committee Chair and Sylvia Ramos, Director, Immed. Past-President

FEBRUARY 2018 Astorga, Frank A, Moon Realty; Chan, Dorothy K, Re/Max Omega; Chen, Alexandra, Grandmark Realty Inc.; Cheng, Xiaowen, HomeSmart Realty; Chong, Olivia, Transglobal Realty; Chu, Steve, Supreme Investment Corp.; Chuang, Ya-Hsiang, Tendwell Realty & Invest.; Dang, Samantha C, Coldwell Banker George Realty; Dang, Tiffany Y, Coldwell Banker George Realty; Dills, Shannon P, Dilbeck Real Estate; Du, Jiayu, Alliance Realty Corporation; Fresquez, Robert, California Homes Associates; Gajaseni, Preenida, Grandmark Realty Inc.; Gong, Shangyan, Re/Max 888;

Gui, Yaming, Re/Max 888; Hawkins, Ginny J, Berkshire Hathaway Home Service; Jeon, Chong I, Moon Realty; Kreeck, Shu Yun Didi, Berkshire Hathaway HomeService; Li, Jinglei, IRN Realty; Li, Leslie D, Highland Real Estate; Li, You, Coldwell Banker Arcadia; Lin, Sue Y, Supreme Investment Corp.; Luu, Lan Man, Han Realty; Marsafawy, Ahmed K, ADHI Real Estate Incorporated; Meng, Cynthia Z, Highland Real Estate; Milligin, Julie A, Art Del Rey Realty, Inc.; Muller, Adam J, Keller Williams Realty; Nichols, Anita, Keller Williams Realty;

Phan, John, Moon Realty; Shen, Liangyu, Highland Real Estate; Shih, Joey, IRN Realty; Si, ZhaoLing, Transglobal Realty; So, Tsz Allison L, Moon Realty; Tao, Yin, Highland Real Estate; Truong, Derek, eXp Realty of CA Inc; Tung, Chien Chung, Long Dragon Realty Group, Inc.; Wendt, Mark E, Berkshire Hathaway Home Service; Wu, Ruiyun, IRN Realty; Wu, Xian, Masters Realty; Wu, Yen, Re/Max Premier Prop Arcadia; Young, Luis J, Long Dragon Realty Group, Inc.; Zheng, Qiao, Transglobal Realty;

Also shown: Charles Swanberg, 2018 Membership Committee Vice-Chair; Shirley Chen, 2018 Membership Committee Chair; Margaret Garemore, 2018 AAR President; Matilde Gonzalez, 2018 Membership Committee Vice-Chair and Julie Tran, Government Affairs Representative, CAR®

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2018 · ARCADIA REALTOR®

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AFFILIATE Corner

“What Would Happen If You Helped Your Client (or Buyer) Get a Six Figure Scholarship or Grant to Pay for Their Kid to Attend College?”

By Trevor Ramos, President of College Funding Remedies For many parents, next to buying their home, an expensive divorce, or getting into an accident without insurance, paying for all their children to attend college will be one of the most expensive purchases they will make in their lifetime. Right now, it cost $23,000 per year to send a child to a California State or Polytechnic University with room and board included. University of California schools cost $35,000 per year. Private colleges and universities like Azusa Pacific University or University of Southern California cost $45,000-$75,000 per year with everything included. This means that over a 4-year period, college can easily cost a family $92,000 to $300,000. And if the family has 2 or 3 kids, just imagine doubling or tripling those numbers.

These numbers are before including the origination fees and interest the family may have to pay if they borrow the money using student loans that currently charge 7-13% interest on a 10-year amortization schedule. The average parent of a child 14-18 years old has $52,300 saved for college. Many do not have any money set aside specifically for college expenses.

Parents need professionals who can see beyond the job they were hired for, and alert them of the cost of college, along with what they can do, without using all the equity they’ve built in their homes and rental properties, liquidating their investments or cashing in their 401(k)’s and IRAs. There are many ways to pay for top 4-year colleges like USC, UCLA, or Cornell U, but the three most common ways to get free money are to:

1. Get grants based on the family’s financial need 2. Get scholarships based on the child’s academic merit 3. Get a private scholarship from a foundation, non-profit or corporation

How To Get Grants Based On Your Financial Need To maximize grants from 4-year colleges, there are three concepts a family must understand. The first concept is Cost of Attendance (COA). Cost of attendance (COA) is the yearly cost to attend college. It includes tuition, books, room, board, fees and personal expenses. The second concept is Expected Family Contribution (or EFC). When a family applies for financial aid, they complete college financial aid forms (like FAFSA and CSS Profile). These forms are used to calculate what they are expected to pay each year for college. The number is known as their Expected Family Contribution (or EFC). The EFC is the minimum your client is expected to pay out-of-pocket for each year of college.

A family can find out what they are expected to pay per year by doing a google search for “EFC Calculator.” The third concept any family who will send their child to college must know is Need. The following equation is the foundation behind how almost all U.S. colleges determine a family’s eligibility for need-based grants and financial aid: Cost of Attendance (minus) Expected Family Contribution (equals) Need In other words, total what the school costs per year and subtract what the family is expected to pay. The results will equal their Need (or their eligibility for financial aid).

(Continued on page 11) 8

ARCADIA REALTOR® · JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2018

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ARCADIA REALTOR® · JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2015

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ARCADIA REALTOR® · JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2015

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(Continued from page 8)

If a college or university costs $75,000 per year and the family is expected to pay $10,000 per year (EFC), the math looks like this: $75,000 (Cost of Attendance) - $10,000 (Expected Family Contribution) = $65,000 (Need) In this example, this family is eligible for up to $65,000 in financial aid. Not all schools will give the family $65,000, but many can and will. There is an easy way to estimate what you will receive in financial aid from colleges.

Simply search the name of all the colleges your client is considering along with “Net Price Calculator.” For example: “UCLA Net Price Calculator”, “Claremont Mckenna College Net Price Calculator”, “Occidental College Net Price Calculator”. This search will take you to pages where they can estimate what they can receive in financial aid. You can suggest your client run this calculation even if their child is in middle school.

For more information on how to help your clients get free money for college, you can purchase a copy of How To Get Free Money For College available on Amazon. You can read the book yourself or hand it to your clients, contact Trevor at: 626-657-7887 or trevor@collegefundingremedies.com.

Tailor Your Sales Approach to Appeal to Millennials!

By Michelle Alvarado, Home Lending Officer, Citibank - NMLS ID: 726593 In the last four years, millennial buyers, age 36 years or younger, composed the largest share of recent homebuyers (34%). Of those Millennials, 66% were first-time homebuyers (per the National Association of REALTORS® 2017 Home Buyer and Seller Generational Trends Study).

Did You Know?

• Collaboration is a big part of how millennials communicate. It’s important to millennials that they partner with businesses that appreciate their opinion.

• The majority of millennials “resist the Millennial label”, according to the Pew Research Center and tend to refer to themselves positively as “idealistic, entrepreneurial and environmentally conscious”.

• Your online reputation matters to millennials. According to Adweek, 93% of millennials say they rely on consumer reviews and 77% trust the reviews they read on brand websites.

Are You Prepared?

Here are some suggestions to help connect with millennials and build rapport which have proven to be successful for me. Try these tips:

• Listen! Stay focused during the conversation; show them you understand by responding to them and remembering details of your conversations. Active listening builds trust!

• Consult and investigate, but do not interrogate. Work with them at their pace and provide any needed guidance. Focus on building long-term relationships - not just closing a transaction! Your entrepreneurial spirit will attract millennials.

• Limit confusion. Take time to inform and educate your customers. Though speed is important, clear and effective communication can be more impactful.

• Make your online presence known and share relevant success stories that will help your millennial clients understand you and your brand.

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2018 · ARCADIA REALTOR®

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Baby Boomers: One of America’s Most Lucrative Demographics Article submitted on National Association of REALTORS® The Members Edge NAR Blog With more than 75 million people fitting into the American Baby Boomer demographic, it is easy to understand why this group would be important for REALTORS® to understand. Even more eye-popping to REALTORS® is the fact that more than 70 percent of Baby Boomers own homes and will be looking to homeownership changes really soon.

to those who grew up in the Great Depression, Baby Boomers are quite affluent. According to a Nielsen report, they account for $230 billion in sales of consumer packaged goods like coffee, diet soda and magazines, and make up 70% of the nation’s disposable income. Baby Boomers will also inherit $13 trillion in the next 20 years.

This spells big opportunities for REALTORS® looking to serve the burgeoning Baby Boomer market over the next 10-15 years. It is also one of the reasons why the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® updated its “Field Guide to Working with Baby Boomers” resource earlier this year.

2. Baby Boomers invented the suburbs—suburban

Marketing to Baby Boomers is an important area of emphasis in this field guide, which features an article from Forbes Magazine entitled “7 Reasons Why Marketing to Baby Boomers is Unique”, which include the following:

1. Baby Boomers have money to spend—as opposed 12

home development occurred simultaneously with Baby Boomers’ ability to make down payments on a mortgage and their desire to leave urban marketplaces. They still live in the suburbs, where many now own 100% of their own homes.

3. They plan on living in a better house as they grow older—70 % of Baby Boomers

think their current house is not the best they can get and they are looking to upgrade. Baby Boomers are setting new trends that defy traditional definitions of a “relaxed” retirement.

Instead, they are diligently looking

ARCADIA REALTOR® · JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2018

for newly constructed homes where they can continue to pursue an active lifestyle surrounded by the latest amenities.

4. Their brand loyalty is tenacious—once they find a brand they like, one they grew up with, they stick with it. Volkswagen cars. Levi jeans. Harley Davidson motorcycles.

Club Med. Noxzema. L’eggs. This means that finding out what your Baby Boomer client’s interests are will help guide you toward homes that best meet these trends and, ultimately, increase the chances of closing a deal.

5. Remembering Woodstock—the famous music

festival was a countercultural event which symbolized that the Baby Boomers were not going to be defined by their parent’s morals and lifestyle.

They were going to think and act for they themselves – and they still want to be thought of that way. The least hint of patronizing the Baby Boomers will flatten any marketing campaign.

(Continued on page 13)

(Continued from page 12)

6. Baby boomers do use social media, but in a different way—as you develop your

social media strategy for Baby Boomers, be aware that while a 20-year old is posting photos of their night out on Instagram or Snapchat, a Baby Boomer is more likely to post a photograph of a new grandbaby or the new RV they just purchased on Facebook. It’s the more ‘traditional’ venues such as Facebook and Twitter that are used by Baby Boomers; so keep your focus there.

7. Baby boomers are not ‘old’—Baby Boomers do not want to be reminded of their age or be considered as old; rather, they want to be encouraged about their accomplishments and their future. They want to hear about the opportunities that reside before them to experience new chapters in their life.

In addition to marketing resources for the Baby Boomer market, this field guide also provides tips on reverse mortgage basics, housing trends for the over-50 demographic, related websites relevant to this audience and links to eBooks & other resources.

Meet the 2018 AAR President!

MARGARET

GAREMORE

I am honored to be the 2018 President of the Arcadia Association of REALTORS®. I came into real estate and joined the AAR in 1997, not really knowing what I was getting into. I had been working in a law firm as a paralegal, and, after buying a house, I said to myself, “I think I’d like to get into real estate.” And now, 21 years later, here I am. I’ve been thinking about what’s important to our members, and about how to integrate that into my goals and plans as this year’s Association President. One of my goals for 2018 is to help increase our public visibility, with a focus on the value of our Association and the REALTOR® brand as a whole. I hope we will continue to work together on building a cohesive and united front in the face of many industry obstacles coming our way.

To that end, my motto for 2018 is “Know Us and Trust Us”. I believe we should always be in the forefront of the minds of local buyers and sellers. Our real advantage as AAR REALTORS® continues to be in building strong relationships and keeping a personal “touch” with our clients and the broader public. I believe this is our foundation for success in the local real estate market. I look forward to seeing all of you in the coming year. Let’s get to know each other better. If you see me at caravan or out in the field, please introduce yourself and say hello. If you have some concerns or ideas to better the Association, feel free to give me a call at (626) 483-4611 or send me an email at margaret.garemore@gmail. com. Best wishes, and let’s make this a great year in real estate.

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2018 · ARCADIA REALTOR®

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FAREWELL MESSAGE & YEAR IN REVIEW

By Sylvia Ramos, 2017 Arcadia Association of REALTORS® President I am not a minimalist. I owe it to all of you. As your outgoing 2017 President, I am reflecting on the many achievements of our Association this past year, made possible by the efforts of volunteer leaders and committee members who sacrificed their time and energy to improve members services, support the rights of homeowners, and to serve our community. It is almost time for me to turn over my gavel (and my designated parking space) as your Chief Commanding Officer here at the Arcadia Association of REALTORS®.

This past year I traveled to Sacramento for Legislative Day and I became really concerned about our industry. I chose Kelvin Wong to shadow throughout that event. He was patient and willing to share his knowledge. I followed Richard Stone and Randall Traw and learned the political ropes. Andy Bencosme walked me through the political wind. I met Laura O’lhasso, our Governments Affairs Director, who was at the time representing Pasadena Association of REALTORS®, but we belonged to the same Region 13. I admired her strength and knowledge especially dealing with politics in a man’s world. She commanded respect. I then knew I was on a long committed journey with the AAR. Many of the people who I look up to for advice and with admiration include some of our Past Presidents that have been very supportive and unselfishly willing to lend their ear and offer me their insight. These human - kind mentors are Kelvin Wong, George Monte, Andy Bencosme, the late Richard Stone, and Randall Traw.

Because of my passion for human kindness and working toward the greatness of the greater cause of our Association, I made these my personal goals to you at the beginning of the year; 1. Transparency, in everything that we do as human beings and as REALTORS®. My role as your President has granted me the full spectrum of the whole operation of the Association including new member orientations, Committee and Task Force discussions and decisions, and by serving as a Presiding Officer on a consumer complaint and internal human relations.

2. Membership Development, we owe it to ourselves and the future of our Association to set in place a succession plan and fully execute it with talent and qualities that are necessary for the greater cause. I am a passionate human being with a set of goals that I set forth and must achieve. It is all of our due diligence to keep an open-eye at all times for hidden talent.

I believe in everyone. Everyone matters!!! We had our very first “AAR Leadership Academy” this past year. There were six graduates. This was a mentor / mentee program. The idea was to introduce members to learn to communicate, run a portion of a committee meeting, learn Robert’s Rules of Order, be accountable, lead a meeting, develop and advance the strategic plan and learn the 5 levels of leadership. This helped our members to gain a stronger level of leadership. The idea is to encourage these graduates to get more involved in Committees and work their way to a Vice-Chair position, a Chair position, and eventually, apply for a Board of Director position.

3. More awareness for Local Government, we are in a huge battle to protect our industry and our home-ownership property rights. My communication tool, the blue button “Thoughts, Opinions and Comments (T.O.C.)” helped to promote conversation. I have an ear for you, if you have a voice. I am always approachable for you. I respect everyone’s time and your needs to achieve a common goal in relation to our mission and vision statement. I have had the opportunity to nurture many relationships with our members regarding issues, concerns, suggestions, complaints, and much more. I have been very busy representing from the day I was installed as your President. Sometimes it’s the little things that matter to our members.

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(Continued on page 15)

4. Building Broker Office Relationships, this consisted of engaging with our Brokers and building stronger relationships. I set in place several Broker office appointments to foster and nourish relationships. At these appointments, we were very well received. We engaged by sharing information and planning for a successful future together. Visiting the Brokers, their staff, and agents has been authentically genuine and reciprocal. I have conducted “Thank you calls,” to all of our Brokers offices. I have personally met some pretty amazing people in our industry by serving as your President.

Achievements, big or small, all have meaning to our memberships best interest. These are a few mentioned below:

• Events 4 Charity 501c(3) status - E4C raised close to $30,000 for local charities

• Leadership Academy - 6 Graduates

• Pepsters name change to REALTORS® Champion Roundtable (RCR)

• Bylaws Committee has Vice Chairperson. Bylaws reviewed and revised for the Nominating Committee

selection review process. We now have an Organization Chart and a Staff flow chart

• Fano Project - Task Force for two years

• NAR Platinum Award for Global Associations - received 4 year consecutive years

• Presidents Leadership 90 second video - Southern California. The AAR won 1st place, $500

• U.S. Flag in our Board of Director’s Room and honor the Pledge of Allegiance before every Board meeting

• Leadership group photos

• Leadership ice cream socials with the President

• Broaden the sponsor relationships outside of real estate affiliates

• Hired a new Government Affairs Director

• I addressed our congresswoman in Washington D.C.

• The year of the most N.A.R. committee appointments In closing, I would like to sincerely thank my Board of Directors for having faith in my ability to fulfill my responsibilities after my husband was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer. I am passionate of all of my Board of Directors talents, abilities, capabilities, and willingness to serve so much of their time to the Association. I would also like to thank all of my Committee Chairpersons and Vice Chairpersons, C.A.R. Directors, N.A.R. Directors, President Liaisons, and our AAR Staff (Robin, Michael, Laura, Natasha, Brenda, and Stephanie, you make us all look pristine). I would also like to acknowledge all of our Affiliates for their passion and dedication in serving on Committees. All the Committees were successful in pulling their weight. Most of our signature events have been so successful because of your dedication; we all come together and make a greater difference. It was a personal goal and commitment for I and the First Man (my husband, Mark Ramos) to attend almost every function. I tried my best to lead by example.

I would also like to thank the following Past Presidents Kelvin Wong, Ryan Asao, and Mike Vachani for our intimate talk dinner evening in Orlando, Florida. I would like to thank Andrew Cooper for our one-on-one meeting in Chicago. I would like to thank Mike Vachani for including the whole group for a treat to breakfast in San Diego. I would also like to thank Nick Zigic for coordinating a night bike tour for the Monument Mall in Washington D.C., I finally had a bit of fun!

To our incoming 2018 President Margaret Garemore, President-Elect Kelvin Chang, Treasurer Frank Spencer, Secretary Andrew Cooper, and our legal counsel Dave Freeman. I have no doubt in my mind that you will continue to lead this Association to greater things. I look forward to serve as your past president.

This is not farewell! It is instead “I’ll see you later!”

Sylvia Ramos

2017 President of The Arcadia Association of REALTORS®

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2018 · ARCADIA REALTOR®

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2018 ANNUAL INSTALLATION OF OFFICERS & DIRECTORS JANUARY 12, 2018 The Arcadia Association of REALTORS® recently installed the new 2018 Officers and Directors at the 94th Annual Inaugural Celebration held on Friday, January 12, 2018 at the Altadena Town and Country Club. More than 200 REALTORS®, Affiliates and guests attended the “Champagne Brunch” themed event.

Master of Ceremonies for the afternoon was Ryan Asao with Keller Williams Executive. The Installation ceremony was conducted by Art Carter, CEO, CRMLS. The Officers installed were: Margaret Garemore, President; Kelvin Chang, President-Elect; and Frank Spencer, Treasurer.

The 2018 Directors are: Julie Bencosme; Cecil Griffin; James Maceo; Joe Pacilio; Sylvia Ramos, Immed. Past-President; Yvonne Rosas-Petty; May Rahmanian;W and Mike Vachani.

The Installation ceremony of 2018 President, Margaret Garemore and Officers and Directors was followed by the presentation of the coveted “REALTOR® of the Year” award presented to Roy Blume, Century 21 Village Realty and the “Affiliate of the Year” award presented to Chris Shevlin, Chicago Title.

Other special recognitions included presentation of the “Lifetime Achievement” award to Irene Yamagata-Bermudez, Re/Max Premier Property Arcadia; presentation of the “Community Service” award was given to Carol Canterbury, Berkshire Hathaway Home Service. Presentations of the AAR’s two newest awards. The “AAR Rising Star” award was presented to Jessica Soo, Pacific Union International and the “AAR Volunteer of the Year” award was presented to Julie Bencosme, Century 21 Village Realty.

National Anthem sung by Talia Ali Kasten

Mike Eng, Former Assemblyman with Sylvia Ramos

Peter Amundson, Mayor of Arcadia with Sylvia Ramos

Master of Ceremonies, Ryan Asao

Swearing-in Directors Cecil Griffin and James Maceo

Carol Quan, LA County Tax Assessors Office with Sylvia Ramos

2017 President, Sylvia Ramos with AAR President’s Award Winner, Kelvin Wong

Sylvia Ramos accepting award with husband Mark Ramos

Outgoing President, Slyvia Ramos, received special honorariums and recognition from the Cities of Arcadia, Monrovia and Temple City. U.S. Representative for California’s 49th Congressional District Assemblyman Ed Chau. Acknowledgement of special guests included Arcadia Association Past Presidents along with Presidents and Association Executives from several neighboring Associations.

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ARCADIA REALTOR® · JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2018

ANNUAL AWARD WINNERS REALTOR® of the Year Award, Roy

Blume

The “REALTOR® of the Year” award is given to someone who has had business success, who is advanced in their real estate education and designations, who participates in their local Association and protects and promotes organized real estate, among other things. We would like to congratulate Roy Blume, Century 21 Village Realty for being this year’s REALTOR® of the Year award winner!

Affiliate of the Year Award,

Chris Shevlin

Presenter Joe Pacilio with award winner Roy Blume

The Affiliate of the Year Award was established in 1980. Selection is based on the following criteria: Organizational activities and involvement in the Affiliate Committee, MLS participant work and participation in other Association activities, positive attitude, service, business proficiency and other exemplary conduct. Our winner this year currently serves on the Events for Charity Committee. Welldone and congratulations to Chris Shevlin of Chicago Title!

Award winner Chris Shevlin

Lifetime Achievement Award,

Irene Yamagata-Bermudez

The Lifetime Achievement Award is meant to recognize REALTORS® who have given so much of their time and effort over the course of their membership to the Arcadia Association of REALTORS® and their involvement with organized real estate as a whole. Qualifications to receive the award are as follows: 25 or more years of service as an active participant in organized real estate, Participation in Association leadership with no less than five years of that leadership at the Arcadia Association, Community Involvement and High Ethical Standards. This year, the Lifetime Achievement Award was presented to Irene Yamagata-Bermudez, Re/Max Premier Property Arcadia!

Community Service Award,

Award winner Carol Canterbury

AAR Rising Star,

Carol Canterbury

Award winner Irene Yamagata-Bermudez

This award is not an annual AAR award. Rather it is a special award given to a very deserving AAR member who has demonstrated outstanding achievement in servicing the outside community through great volunteerism, acts of kindness, selfless giving and in making a significant difference to those in need. Our winner is recognised for their outstanding volunteerism internally and are also very deserving of the AAR Community Service Award. We would like to congratulate Carol Canterbury of Berkshire Hathaway Home Service!

Jessica Soo

The purpose of this award is to recognize an active AAR REALTOR® who has been a member of the Association for 3 years or less. Additional traits that the Rising Star honoree should have include involvement with AAR committees, be an inspiration to other REALTORS®, works well with other industry colleagues and displays strong leadership qualities. Congratulations to Jessica Soo, Pacific Union International for receiving the Rising Star Award!

AAR Volunteer of the Year,

Award winner Julie Bencosme

Julie Bencosme

Presenter Patrick Law with award winner Jessica Soo

The second new award created by the Arcadia Association of REALTORS® this year is the “AAR Volunteer of the Year” Award. This award recognizes an active AAR REALTOR® who volunteers their time within the Association in some manner. Additional qualifications that the honoree should have include having the AAR as their Primary Association, 5 years of continuous membership, committee leadership experience, participation in AAR events as well as working well with other REALTORS®, Affiliates and AAR Staff. The Volunteer of the Year Award winner is Julie Bencosme of Century 21 Village Realty!

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2018 · ARCADIA REALTOR®

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Arcadia Association of REALTORS® 601 South First Avenue Arcadia, California 91006

Presented by: Arcadia Association of REALTORS® & REALTORS E4C, Inc.

MARCH 23, 2018 / 6:00PM

ARCADIA COMMUNITY CENTER | 356 CAMPUS DR. ARCADIA, CA 91007

$30 SINGLE - $100 VALUE PACK

SINGLE INCLUDES:

VALUE PACK INCLUDES:

- 1 Dinner Plate

- 4 Dinner Plates

- 1 Drink (non-alcohol)

- 4 Drinks (non-alcohol)

- 1 Bingo Card

- 4 Bingo Cards

- 1 Raffle Ticket

- 4 Raffle Tickets

Dinner Catered by:

*100% of the event profits will go to Local Charities!*

Tax ID: 47-5634281 | IRS 501(c)(3) Public Charity Status (Donation to Realtors E4C, Inc. are tax deductable. Donors should consult their tax advisor for questions regarding deductibility.)

www.TheAAR.com ~ 601 S. First Ave. Arcadia, CA 91006 ~ 626-446-2115 ~ Fx. 626-446-4072

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