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>> expanding into Europe, Asia and Latin America. Local Upstate members? There are 72 members in South Carolina. Upstate members include Elizabeth Belenchia, Robert Benedict, Kevin Bentley, P. Randall Bentley, Ford Borders, Bill Burgess, Terrence Farris, J. Earle Furman, Hunter Garrett, Jonathan Good, Charles Gouch, Michael Greer, Grice Hunt, Scott Jones, John Perry Major, Robert Shaw, Stephen Smith, Tom Springer, Givens Stewart, Stuart Wyeth and Brian Young.
What does it take to get? Prospective members can go online to sior.com to fill out an application. Applicants must also have recommendations from current SIOR members. Applications are reviewed by the local chapter, which also conducts an ethics review.
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cialist with the Realtors Land Institute. Noble says the organization has a strenuous education program and accredited members must have a proven track record of performance and commitment to the profession. RLI has approximately 1,000 members, with 415 of those accredited land consultants. Members range from land specialists involved in brokerage, sales, consulting, appraisal, development, site selection, marketing, and management of a large range of land property, such as agricultural land, ranches, recreational land, hunting property, timberland, underdeveloped tracts of land, and special purpose properties.
Local Upstate members? Upstate members include Bob King, Matthew Holiday, Rob Metcalf, Rod Rogers and Steven Smith.
What does it take to get? What is the cost? There is an application fee of $175. If accepted, there is a one-time initiation fee of $725 which includes cost of the first conference. First-year dues are prorated. Active members have an annual fee of $1,280 per year. SIOR holds two conferences per year, in the spring and fall.
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‘Banner Year’ for Housing in SC By Sherry Jackson | staff | sjackson@communityjournals.com
“It was a banner year,” according to the 2013 annual housing market report released last week from the South Carolina Realtors Association. According to the report, nearly every metropolitan housing market embarked upon or continued along the road to recovery. Local and regional markets once burdened by excessive supply levels and heavy foreclosure loads have given way to multiple-offer situations, homes selling in record-low market times and prices rallying to multi-year highs. Many local markets transitioned from
buyers’ markets to sellers’ markets. The Greenville area “remained pretty steady,” said Nick Sabatine, president of the Greater Greenville Association of Realtors. New listings in the Greater Greenville area were up 10.5 percent and closed sales were up 23 percent at 9,463 units. Of those 9,463, 7.6 percent were condos, 10.5 percent were two bedrooms or fewer, and 23.5 percent were in the $100,000 or less range. Inventory increased to 3.6 percent while the days on market decreased 11.9 percent to 89 days.
There are three required courses that total 56 hours, says Noble. Applicants are also required to take 48 elective course hours. RLI also offers a fast-track program for those with other designations or a degree in real estate that eliminates the elective coursework. In order to apply for a designation, applicants must be a member in good standing for at least six months.
Is it worth it? Relationships developed have led to lifelong friendships, says Hollander. There is also “an enormous amount of referral business” generated by the connections made through the organization.
Designation: ALC – Accredited Land Consultant
What is the cost? For new members there is an application fee of $75. Annual dues are $445. Course fees vary and the exam fee is $100. There is a one-time initiation fee of $350 once designation requirements are met. The organization holds an annual conference each year – in 2014, it will be held in Charleston, S.C.
What does it mean?
Is it worth it?
The Realtors Land Institute offers an Accredited Land Consultant (ALC) designation to “the most accomplished and the most experienced in the business,” says Kate Noble, communications and membership development spe-
Noble says that networking is the biggest benefit, citing an example of two ALC candidates in Colorado who just closed a $17 million deal through RLI member referrals. “The connections are invaluable,” she says.
January 31, 2014
UPSTATE BUSINESS JOURNAL 17