OC REALTOR® - January/February 2019

THE BASES ARE LOADED WITH YOUR BENEFITS

THE FIGHT FOR PROPERTY TAX FAIRNESS

HOUSING MARKET LEANS TOWARD THE BUYER

LAND BROKERAGE OFFERS NEW OPPORTUNITIES

on page 30

on page 34

on page 12

JANUARY | FEBRUARY 2019

on page 36

2019 President Matt Clements and His Team Take the Field on page 26

Batter up! With the bases loaded, it’s time to knock one out of the park. Watch for apps, benefits, classes, tips, and tools to help you win the game, bat a thousand, and be named to the Hall of Fame! on pages 30–32

CONTENTS p. 26

JANUARY | FEBRUARY 2019

22 Realty Reality: NAR 2018 Homebuyer Survey

Bob Hunt summarizes this report, which reveals the sources first-time homebuyers used for real estate information.

34 The Orange County Housing Update

Steven Thomas says that, for the first time since 2011, the Orange County housing market has tipped toward buyers.

36 Education: Land Brokerage Offers Opportunities

Aiming for a Home Run! 10 President’s Message: Meet Matt Clements

A champion surfer, he believes strongly in the power of selfmotivation and enjoys blazing trails and discovering new ways to do things.

John Kaye explains how scarce land and demand for building sites have created a new opportunity for REALTORS®.

42 V olunteers: Celebrating Some of Our Seldom-Sung Heroes

Sherri Butterfield profiles four REALTOR® and Affiliate members who are making a meaningful difference in Orange County and throughout the world.

Cover Story 26 2019 Installation

ee photos of the new Officers and Directors and of the REALTOR®, S Affiliates, and Volunteer of the Year.

Improving Your Game 30 The Bases Are Loaded with Your Benefits

Marissa Hughes describes a lineup of tools to help you get acquainted with tenants, gather statistics, capture leads, and more.

32 Making Your Pitch

Michelle McCann offers tips to improve your next listing presentation.

45 I t Bears Repeating: Casey at the Bat

This classic poem by Ernest Lawrence Thayer accurately captures the closing moments and mood of a baseball game.

46 M embership: Emeritus and Honorary

OC REALTORS® congratulates fourteen NAR Emeritus Members and twenty-two C.A.R. Honorary Members-for-Life.

State Update 12 Continuing the Fight for Property Tax Fairness

Jared Martin outlines C.A.R.’s legislative and election strategies to eliminate the “moving penalty” for seniors, the disabled, and victims of natural disasters.

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p. 12

p. 22

p. 34

p. 16

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CONTENTS

ORANGE COUNTY

® REALTOR MAGAZINE p. 32

25552 La Paz Road Laguna Hills, CA 92653

10540 Talbert Avenue, Ste. 225 West Fountain Valley, CA 92708

949.586.6800

714.375.9313

www.ocar.org 2019 OFFICERS Matt Clements President Danielle Corliss President-Elect Lisa Schulz Treasurer Tammy Newland-Shishido Immediate Past President Dave Stefanides Chief Executive Officer

2019 BOARD OF DIRECTORS Jost Atwood Joyce Endo Dorinda Francois Bob Hartman Tim Hayden Julie Hile Spencer Hoo Jeffrey Jackson Debra Krumboltz Liz Lewis

p. 30

Departments 14 Mentions 16

Names in the News

24

Education Central: Upcoming Classes by Track

38

Affiliate Appreciation Party—North

39

Affiliate Appreciation Party—South

MAGAZINE STAFF Sabrina Blair

40

Costume Bowl 2018

41

Turkey Bowl 2018

44

Affiliates in Action: New REALTOR® Orientations

Gary Ludwig Charleen Nagata-Newhouse Randy Rector Lacy Robertson Adam Rodell Aaron Rosen Scott White Michele Harrington Bob Wolff Eric Wu

Breanna Reed

Director of Communications sabrina@ocar.org

Accounting Assistant breanna@ocar.org

Sherri Butterfield

Albert Ornelas

Communications Specialist sherri@ocar.org

Multimedia Specialist albert@ocar.org

Online Magazine

Love the Orange County REALTOR®? Did you know that you can read it online, anytime? Read past issues at www.ocar.org/magazine.

Mission Statement

The mission of the Orange County REALTORS® is to promote the REALTOR® Code of Ethics; to provide education, services, and resources to our members; and to advocate the protection of real property rights.

Notice to All Members

p. 36

On the Cover

This photo of the 2019 Executive Team in game-day uniform, including (from left to right) Immediate Past President Tammy NewlandShishido, President Matt Clements, PresidentElect Danielle Corliss, and Treasurer Lisa Schulz, was taken by Albert Ornelas.

Follow us on social media facebook.com/theocrealtors twitter.com/the_ocrealtors

instagram.com/theocrealtors snapchat.com/add/ocrealtors

It is the long-established policy of this Association, the California Association of REALTORS®, and the National Association of REALTORS® to adhere to both the letter and spirit of the federal and state antitrust laws. For their own protection, members should be aware of the antitrust laws as they affect their specific business activities. Any illegal activity under the state and federal antitrust laws is not in compliance with Association policy, nor is it in the interests of the Association or its members. Participation in Association activities must occur only in harmony with these very important laws. Federal law prohibits discrimination based on race, color, sex, religion, or national origin in connection with the sale or rental of residential real estate, in advertising the sale or rental of housing, in the financing of housing, and the provision of real estate brokerage services. The Orange County REALTOR® editor reserves the right to review and edit all submissions.

Orange County REALTORS® makes no warranties and assumes no responsibility for the accuracy of the information contained herein. The opinions expressed in articles are not necessarily the opinions of the Orange County REALTORS®. Orange County REALTORS® does not necessarily endorse the companies, products, or services advertised in this magazine unless specifically stated.

The Orange County REALTOR® (USPS 025-445, ISSN 1945-2179) Volume 11, Issue 1, is published by the Orange County REALTORS®, 25552 La Paz Road, Laguna Hills, CA 92653. Periodicals postage paid at Laguna Beach, CA, and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Orange County REALTORS®, 25552 La Paz Road, Laguna Hills, CA 92653-5127. Annual membership dues include $3.13 for a one-year (6 issues) subscription to the Orange County REALTOR® magazine. The Orange County REALTOR® magazine cannot be responsible for unsolicited materials.

Publisher: Orange County REALTORS® Printer: The Monaco Group

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PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

Meet

Matt Clements,

2019 President of

Orange County

REALTORS® He will encourage members to have written goals and to understand their why, and he will champion a single statewide Multiple Listing Service.

By Sherri Butterfield WRITER AND EDITOR

“The key to leadership is three simple words: Find your passion!”

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Photo: www.istockphoto.com/Geoff Black

T

he American poet Ralph Waldo Emerson is often quoted as having said, “Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail”; and that is precisely what Matt Clements, the 2019 President of Orange County REALTORS®, plans to do. This fourth-generation REALTOR® enjoys blazing trails and discovering new ways to do things.

In 1976, Matt was the last child born on the old Moulton Ranch before development transformed those rolling hills into the cities of Laguna Niguel and Aliso Viejo. He has spent much of his life with his father Greg Clements, his mother Marilyn Clements, and two brothers in a house in Laguna Niguel, where baseball, bicycling, soccer, and surfing were household words.

During the Orange County REALTORS® Installation on December 5, 2018, former California Association of REALTORS® President Pat “Ziggy” Zicarelli declared, “The key to leadership is three simple words: Find your passion!” Matt found his passion twice—first in surfing and then in real estate.

Matt’s father Greg, an avid surfer, put Matt’s feet in the ocean when he was only three days old; and Matt began surfing at Doheny Beach at the tender age of nine. After graduating from Dana Hills High School, Matt joined the Professional Surfing Tour. By the time Matt was nineteen, he was ranked among the top 150 surfers in the world; and for eight years, surfing was his profession.

The life of chasing perfect waves seemed endless until Matt’s Surfing Tour travel partner was fired abruptly at the age of thirtyone. “I didn’t think he had any alternative to work except be a slave to his existing sponsors or become a sales representative, with earnings capped at $40,000 a year,” says Matt. Because, in addition to surfing, Matt loved school, he decided to return to the classroom.

At Saddleback College, Matt took a macroeconomics course and was encouraged by his professor to take a microeconomics course the following semester. Eventually, Matt entered the University of California, Irvine, where he first earned a Bachelor of Arts in International Business with a focus on the Pacific Rim—China, Japan, South Korea, and California—and then earned a Certificate of Management from the Graduate School of Management.

Photos for OC REALTORS®: Marion Butterfield and Albert Ornelas

Installing Officer Pat “Ziggy” Zicarelli (on the left), who served as 2016 President of the California Association of REALTORS®, places the President’s Commemorative Pin on Matt Clements.

Orange County REALTORS Immediate Past President Tammy Newland-Shishido congratulates 2019 President Matt Clements following his installation.

Matt’s parents, Marilyn and Greg Clements, attended their son’s installation and took part in the program.

Matt Clements (center front) is surrounded by family members, who attended his installation at the Angels Lexus Diamond Club in Anaheim.

Matt chose to have his Installation be a Night at the Ballpark held at the Angels Lexus Diamond Club in Anaheim. He explains that he wanted the event to be in North Orange County and that nothing he does is ever “cookie cutter.” Then, almost as an afterthought, he confesses, “I’m a baseball nut.”

It seems that, in addition to surfing, Matt enjoyed playing baseball with his brother Jeremy and became an outstanding player who could have gone pro as a lefthander with what he describes as “a lot of pitches in my bag.”

In choosing real estate as his profession, Matt followed a family tradition. His Grandpa Jack was a REALTOR® for fifty-three years, a Director for twenty-five years, and served as President of his Association. But Matt had another reason for his choice. He says the flexible schedules real estate offers will enable him to surf, travel, and spend time with his two-year-old son Noah.

Matt has been a REALTOR® for almost fifteen years.

He teaches a class for new REALTORS® in which he tells them, “Working only with buyers will help you go out of business over time; but if you list, you will last.” Matt adds, “The secret is to see the people. Be honest, be nice, listen, and ask great questions. Remember, it’s not about you; it’s all about them.”

Driven to succeed in a demanding industry, Matt admits that, for him, the challenge is finding ways to put down his business when he goes home. He says that the answer—if there is one—lies in “being organized, having strict schedules, understanding the difference between temptation and opportunity, and saying no graciously.”

Now that Matt has been installed as the 2019 President of Orange County REALTORS®, he has several goals for the Association and for himself. For example, he believes strongly in the power of self-motivation and selfdirection and wants all members to have written goals and to fully understand their why.

As CEO of the Clements Group Real Estate in Laguna Niguel, Harcourts Prime Properties, Matt is setting out to have his “personal biggest year in total sales” and to “debunk the myth that being President of an Association necessarily cuts into your business.”

In addition, Matt wants “to be a great dad and to have fun, share, inspire, surf, and travel.” He plans to champion the idea of a single statewide Multiple Listing Service and points out that a unified system would benefit consumers through increased speed and improved accuracy.

So, batter up! With the bases loaded, Matt and his team are ready to hit one out of the park!

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THE STATE UPDATE

Continuing the

Fight for

Property Tax Fairness

C.A.R. was successful in defeating Proposition 10 (rent control) during the recent General Election and is continuing its effort to eliminate the “moving penalty” and enact property tax protections for seniors, the disabled, and victims of natural disasters.

F

or the better part of 2018, we embarked on a historic and comprehensive effort to pass Proposition 5, C.A.R.’s own Property Tax Fairness Initiative, which would eliminate the “moving penalty” for seniors fifty-five and older, the disabled, and victims of natural disasters, allowing them to carry their current Proposition 13–protected property tax assessment level to another home of any price, anywhere in the state, any number of times.

At the same time, we also worked to defeat Proposition 10, which would have repealed the Costa-Hawkins Rental Housing Act and allowed for the dramatic expansion of rent control. Thank you to everyone who joined in these efforts.

You worked to gather nearly one million signatures to qualify Proposition 5 for this year’s General Election ballot and helped in our grassroots campaign to improve housing opportunities for all Californians.

While our opponents were successful in stopping Proposition 5 this time, our resolve on this issue is firm, and we are committed to this effort for the long haul. In fact, we are pursuing a revised initiative for the November 2020 ballot. This new initiative provides for property tax base portability, reforms intergenerational transfer laws, and addresses the true ‘split roll’ problem:

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THE STATE UPDATE

By Jared Martin C.A.R. PRESIDENT

corporations gaming the current property tax reassessment system. And it will raise money for schools and local governments.

In addition, C.A.R. is planning to pursue the issue through a legislative alternative in the state Legislature to achieve its goals and reinforce our commitment to making property tax fairness a reality. Ideally, we can get the Legislature to place the alternative on the March 2020 ballot so that we do not have to pursue the November 2020 initiative.

We are pleased that we were successful in helping to defeat Proposition 10, an initiative that would have repealed protections homeowners have enjoyed for more than twenty years and worsened the housing crisis by making it more expensive and harder for renters to find affordable housing.

C.A.R. worked more than ten years to pass the Costa-Hawkins Act, which Proposition 10 would have repealed. It may ultimately take longer than a couple of years to achieve our property tax fairness goals. Put simply, achieving big public policy goals takes time, but we will not be deterred!

Photos: www.istockphoto.com/ EHStock

REALTOR® investment of time and resources as part of these grassroots efforts will benefit clients, homeownership, and California. We know that when REALTORS® lead, California wins.

Thank you for all you do as proud members of California’s REALTOR® Party.

This column is based on and has been excerpted from the Monthly Message by C.A.R. President Jared Martin that was distributed via email on November 7, 2018. It is being reprinted here with permission.

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MENTIONS

He Gets My Five-Star Review!

Thank You, OC REALTOR®!

In this day and age when “please,” “thank you,” and “you’re welcome” are so often overlooked, I wish to thank Dave Stefanides, Sabrina Blair, and Sherri Butterfield for the opportunity of having my article about voice mail messages published in the November/December 2018 issue of OC REALTOR ® and also to thank Albert Ornelas for a page design that really made the article pop! Every step of the publication process was professional, easy, and —best of all—fun!

Nancy Friedman President, Telephone Doctor Customer Service Training Editor’s Note: Nancy Friedman is writing about her article titled “The Five Most Frustrating Voice Mail Phrases— And How to Fix Them,” which appeared on pages 42–43 in the November/December 2018 issue of OC REALTOR ®.

Often a featured speaker at National Association of REALTORS® (NAR), franchise, and corporate conferences, Nancy helps companies improve communication among co-workers and with customers.

Our Orange County REALTORS® Risk Management Forum was well attended and successful. More than one hundred agents and brokers came and were engaged from beginning to end—and some stayed afterward to ask questions and to offer positive comments.

Thanks to Bob Hunt, Sandra Deering, Martha Mosier, Michael Obrand, Don Readinger, and Lisa Schulz for their excellent presentations and to Lisa Dunn and other members of the Risk Management Committee for helping to make this forum a positive experience for REALTOR® members.

We recognized former Risk Management Committee Chair Bob Hunt and his wife Nancy for their years of special service to the Association and to the real estate community.

I am grateful to Orange County REALTORS® for hosting and providing the food and beverage. Connor O’Neill did a great job as our OC REALTORS® staff representative and helped everyone have a good experience. He gets my five-star review!

Harrison K. Long REALTOR® and Broker Associate, HomeSmart Evergreen Realty Editor’s Note: Harrison K. Long, who chaired the Risk Management Committee during 2018, is writing about the Orange County REALTORS® Risk Management Forum that was held on October 25.

Thank You for the Invitation to the Global Forum Dave, it was wonderful seeing you at Orange County REALTORS®! Thank you so much for the invitation to the Global Forum. It was great, and the time and effort you put into it were apparent. Also, Lawrence Yun is so knowledgeable and kind. Cheryl and I plan to send him a thank-you letter.

Natalie Duthoy REALTOR®, Harcourts Prime Properties Editor’s Note: Natalie Duthoy is writing about the 2018 End-of-Year Global Forum hosted by the Orange County REALTORS® Global Business Alliance in conjunction with the OC REALTORS® Independent Broker Alliance on November 4 at the Irvine Improv. The forum featured Moneycorp Business Development Manager Andrew Graziani and NAR Chief Economist and Senior Vice President Lawrence Yun.

CALL FOR MENTIONS Media postings and emails intended for possible publication in this magazine should be sent either to Director of Communications Sabrina Blair at Sabrina@ocar.org or to Writer and Editor Sherri Butterfield at Sherri@ocar.org. All written material may be edited for content, length, or style and may appear either online or in print. Emails become the property of Orange County REALTORS®. Although some may be answered, none will be returned.

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NAMES IN THE NEWS

Photo by Marion Butterfield

Savoring OCBC’s Election Day Luncheon

It would not be Election Day in Orange County without the Orange County Business Council’s Election Day Luncheon! Here to enjoy good food while “formers” on the program poke fun at the political process are (from left to right), in the back row, Michelle Schuetz, Jeff Jackson, Barbara Delgleize, Matt Cortez, Paula Cosenza, and Rick Cosenza and, in the front row, Candice Burroughs, Dennis O’Connor, and Joyce Endo. Featured speakers included Former Costa Mesa Mayor Peter Buffa, Former Huntington Beach Mayor Don Hansen, Former Anaheim Mayor Curt Pringle, and Former Orange County Register Opinion Page Editor Brian Calle.

Mayor Don Wagner Sworn In for Second Term On December 11, Donald P. Wagner was sworn in for a second term as Mayor of Irvine. Sworn in at the same time were newly elected Council Members Farrah N. Khan and Anthony Kuo. Members of the Irvine City Council once again selected Christina Shea to serve as Mayor Pro Tem.

Congratulations to the Greater Irvine Chamber!

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce recently awarded the Greater Irvine Chamber a five-star accreditation for its sound policies, effective organizational procedures, and positive impact on the community. “Receiving the highest honor in the chamber industry is a testament to our tremendous Board of Directors, dedicated volunteers, and exceptional professional staff,” said Bryan Starr, president and chief executive officer of the Irvine Chamber.

This Names in the News column is intended to be primarily a place where Orange County REALTORS® and Affiliate members can share both personal and professional news—about births (of children or grandchildren), graduations, weddings, anniversaries, accomplishments, awards, and other milestones—with one another. If you have news to share, email it to OC REALTOR ® Writer and Editor Sherri Butterfield at Sherri@ocar.org.

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NAMES IN THE NEWS

Who Will Represent the Third District?

The November election of Third District Supervisor Todd Spitzer to the position of Orange County District Attorney has created a vacancy on the fivemember Board of Supervisors, which will likely be filled by a special election in March. Among those who have indicated an interest in running for the seat is Anaheim Council Member Kris Murray, who has been endorsed by the California Woman’s Leadership Association (CWLA) PAC and by Congresswoman Mimi Walters. Also considering entering the race are Yorba Linda City Council Member Peggy Huang, Orange Mayor Pro Tem Mark Murphy, and Irvine Mayor Don Wagner. The Third District includes the cities of Anaheim, Irvine, Tustin, Orange, Villa Park, and Yorba Linda.

Supervisor Lisa Bartlett Named Woman of the Year Orange County Supervisor Lisa Bartlett, who represents the Fifth District, was recently named 2018 Woman of the Year by the Women in Transportation Seminar–Orange County Chapter (WTS) at its Thirtieth Annual Awards and Scholarships Gala. In honoring Supervisor Bartlett, WTS highlighted her dedication to responsibly funding future Orange County transportation projects while ensuring the safe and efficient completion of current projects.

Photo by Marion Butterfield

WTS is an international organization that was founded in 1977 to expand women’s careers in transportation through professional development, encouragement, and recognition. Today, it has more than 6,500 members, 79 chapters, and a network of 40,000 transportation professionals worldwide.

Assembly Member Bill Brough Recognized When the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association (HJTA) announced the names of the thirteen California legislators to whom it had given a perfect score on its 2018 report card, Orange County’s own Bill Brough, who represents the 73rd District, was among them. HJTA President Jon Coupal wrote in his December 4 newsletter, “Lawmakers tend to hide behind statements, sometimes of questionable truth, to justify their votes. The report card sets aside motives, backroom deal negotiations, and party affiliations to focus on the one question that matters: did legislators stand up for the interest of the taxpayers? While politicians may waver in their allegiance, the numbers don’t lie.”

Todd Spitzer Elected OC District Attorney On November 6, Third District Supervisor Todd Spitzer defeated incumbent Tony Rackauckas to become Orange County District Attorney. Spitzer joined the Orange County DA’s office in 1990 and was voted Outstanding Prosecutor in 1994. Throughout his career, he has been a champion for victims’ rights. Spitzer, who was elected to the Orange County Board of Supervisors in 2012, is shown here in a photo that was taken on January 7, 2013, in front of the Old Courthouse in Santa Ana, shortly after he had been sworn in.

Continued on Page 18

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NAMES IN THE NEWS

Continued from Page 17

Celebrating Their Reelection On Election Night, Mission Viejo City Council Members gathered at the home of Paul and Wendy Bucknum to celebrate the reelection of Mayor Ed Sachs, Council Member Wendy Bucknum, and Mayor Pro Tem Greg Raths. Shown with the candidates are Council Members Brian Goodell (second from left) and Trish Kelley (second from right). When Ed, Wendy, and Greg were sworn in on December 11, Greg was selected as Mayor and Brian, as Mayor Pro Tem, for 2019. Brian, an Olympic gold medalist, has been in real estate for thirty years and, with his wife Vicki, owns the Gold Medal Group.

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2019 Housing Market Forecast On November 27, Orange County REALTORS® hosted a 2019 Housing Market Forecast at the Old Ranch Country Club in Seal Beach, featuring special guest star Leslie Appleton-Young, vice president and chief economist for the California Association of REALTORS®. Pictured with Leslie (center) are (left to right, Dave Stefanides, Brian Genovese, Tammy Newland-Shishido, and Joyce Endo.

NAMES IN THE NEWS

Photo by Marion Butterfield

OC REALTORS® Veterans Raise the Flag in Honor of Those Who served

On November 8, REALTOR® and Affiliate members of Orange County REALTORS® who are military veterans gathered to honor those who have served by raising the flag at the OC REALTORS® office in Laguna Hills.

Helping to plan and stage the event were Roy Fussell, Fred-Otto Egeler, and Bob Dickie. Via email, they invited all OC REALTORS® to attend. Also taking part in the ceremony was Mission Viejo Mayor Pro Tem Greg Raths, who is a Marine colonel. Once the flag had been raised, participants and attendees gathered for a group photo and were given certificates of appreciation.

Long-time Affiliate Sandy Dow Retires On December 18, friends gathered at the Laguna Hills Office of Orange County REALTORS ® to send long-time Affiliate Sandy Dow into blissful retirement.

Brandon Urrutia (from the office of Supervisor Lisa Bartlett)

presented Sandy with a Proclamation of Appreciation for the many years she has unselfishly devoted to furthering the real estate industry by helping to plan and facilitate events for Orange County REALTORS ® and by guiding REALTORS ® and their clients through the home warranty process. Sandy, who was honored as Affiliate of the Year in 1992 and named the first Affiliate Lifetime Honoree in 2017, says that her retirement plans include spending time with children and grandchildren and trailer traveling with her new husband of eighteen months, whom she met at their fiftieth high school reunion.

OC REALTOR®

Thank You for Your Service The name of Patti Lemieux, who served six years in the U.S. Navy, was inadvertently omitted from the Not Pictured list that appeared on page 29 in the Veterans Tribute in the November/December 2018 issue of OC REALTOR. We apologize to Patti for the omission and express our sincere gratitude for her service.

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NAMES IN THE NEWS

Continued from Page 19

Laguna Niguel Chamber Honors OC REALTORS®

Attending the HB Mayor’s Ball

In late November, the Laguna Niguel Chamber of Commerce named Orange County REALTORS® its NonProfit of the Year. Terming this honor “not easily earned but well deserved,” the Chamber cited as the reasons for its choice the Association’s outstanding commitment to the Laguna Niguel Chamber, unrivaled dedication to the well-being of people and businesses, and many valuable contributions to the wider community.

In early December, Brian Genovese, Ron Pascual, Joyce Endo, and 2018 President Tammy NewlandShishido attended the Huntington Beach Mayor’s Ball.

They are shown here with Huntington Beach Mayor Mike Posey (second from right). This annual gala honors community leaders and raises money to support nonprofit organizations.

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REALTY REALITY

The Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers published annually by the National Association of REALTORS® reveals what sources buyers use to find their new homes and whose help they seek when making that all-important purchase.

O

ne of the most useful research projects of the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) is the annual survey of homebuyers and sellers. It is particularly useful because it shows sellers and their agents what works and what sources buyers use to find their new homes.

This is the thirty-seventh year that NAR has conducted an annual survey of those who have purchased and sold homes. The most recent version (2018 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers) became available in November 2018. The information is based on answers to a 129-question survey mailed to a random sample of 155,250 consumers who purchased a home between July 2017 and June 2018. (Names and addresses were provided by Experian, a company that maintains an extensive database of recent homebuyers derived from county records.) After accounting for undeliverable surveys, there was a 4.6 percent response rate.

In 2017, first-time homebuyers constituted 34 percent of the market. In 2018, the first-time buyer rate was 33 percent. Geographically, the highest percentage of first-time buyers was in the northeast at 45 percent; the lowest was in the west at 29 percent. Over the years the historic norms for the country have been in the 40 percent range.

As interest rates continue to crank up, it may be a while until we see such numbers again.

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Photos: www.istockphoto.com/ Filip_Krstic

The most useful information for sellers and their agents is to be found in the section on the home search process. While the survey results are not significantly different from those of recent years, the trends continue. For example, this year 83 percent of buyers said that they used the internet frequently during the search process. In 2003, that number was only 42 percent. This past year, 57 percent of buyers said that they frequently used a mobile or tablet application. That is a newer and growing phenomenon.

(Three years ago, it was 41 percent.) Sixty-three percent of buyers said that they frequently relied on a real estate agent for information.

Forty-four percent of buyers went to the internet as the first step in the home search process, 17 percent contacted a real estate agent first, and 6 percent began by driving through neighborhoods looking for homes for sale. How can driving around be an option? Half the homes purchased were within 15 miles of the buyers’ previous residence. Interestingly, 7 percent of home buyers began the process by going to a bank or mortgage company.

Buyers use multiple sources of information in the process of looking for a home. Far and away the most-used sources are online websites (93 percent) and real estate agents (86 percent). Mobile or tablet applications (73 percent) have replaced yard signs as the third most-used source of information. Still though, 46 percent of buyers indicate that yard signs are one of their sources of information. Only 13 percent of buyers indicate that they used newspaper ads as an information source. A mere 3 percent said that they garnered information from television.

While there are a lot of intriguing data about the sources of information used by prospective homebuyers, certainly the most relevant has to do with where they actually found the home that they ultimately purchased. This year the information source that was highest in that category (50 percent) was the internet. Agents are second at 28 percent. Note that this is not to say that buyers bought their home through the internet. The typical scenario would be that a consumer sees the home on the internet, and then contacts his or her agent. Eighty-nine percent of those who used the internet to search purchased their home through an agent.

The differences in a little more than a decade are fascinating.

In 2001, 48 percent of buyers learned about their home through a real estate agent, and only 8 percent found their home on the internet. The times they have changed.

Some things, though, remain persistently the same—or close to it. In 2001, a yard sign was the third most likely source of information leading to the home that was purchased (15 percent).

And this year? It is still the third leading source at 7 percent, but this is now the sixth consecutive year in the survey history that it has been lower than double digits. Print media may not be dead, but it has shrunk to insignificance in this arena. In 2001, 7 percent of homebuyers found the home they ultimately purchased through a newspaper ad; in 2018, it was only 1 percent. It has been that way for seven years now. As has been the case for the past ten years, fewer than 1 percent found their home through a home book or magazine.

The 2018 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers shows what works.

It is a valuable resource.

OC REALTOR®

By Bob Hunt FORMER NAR DIRECTOR

Bob Hunt is a former director of the National Association of REALTORS® and is the author of both Ethics at Work and Real Estate the Ethical Way. His email address is scbhunt@aol.com.

“This is the thirty-seventh year that NAR has conducted an annual survey of those who have purchased and sold homes.”

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The Installation of Matt Clements and the 2019 Board of Directors

Because Matt Clements never does anything “cookie-cutter” and confesses to being something of a “baseball nut,” his installation on Wednesday, December 5, was staged as a Night at the Ballpark. Although rain forced the festivities off the field and into the clubhouse, the Angels Lexus Diamond Club proved to be the perfect setting for a grand gathering in honor of Orange County REALTORS® 2019 Officers and Directors.

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Photos for OC REALTORS速: Marion Butterfield and Albert Ornelas

COVER STORY

Michele Harrington and Tim Hayden, 2017 Co-REALTORS速 of the Year, announced that Adam Rodell (center), RE/MAX Select One, had been named 2018 REALTOR速 of the Year.

2017 Affiliate of the Year North Dolores White (left) honored Josh Atwood, Finance of America Mortgage, as the 2018 Affiliate of the Year North.

2017 Affiliate of the Year South Eric Wu (right) honored Kevin Kaltenbach, Senior Financial Group, as the 2018 Affiliate of the Year South.

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COVER STORY

2017 Volunteer of the Year Mary Visconte (left) announced that Jessica Siguenza, Finance of America Mortgage, was a 2018 Volunteer of the Year.

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Mary Visconte also honored Nestor Herrera, RE/MAX Premier Realty, as a 2018 Volunteer of the Year.

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2018 President Tammy NewlandShishido named the Political Affairs and Elections Committee as the 2018 Committee of the Year and recognized its chair, Jeff Jackson.

Photos: www.istockphoto.com/ peepo

IMPROVING YOUR GAME

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IMPROVING YOUR GAME

By Marissa Hughes COMMUNICATIONS COORDINATOR

Orange County REALTORS® has the perfect lineup of tools to help you get acquainted with tenants, gather real estate statistics, capture leads, create websites, send followup emails, prepare disclosure forms, and more.

In

baseball, having the right people on your team—from athletes and coaches in the dugout to fans in the stands—can make the difference between going to the World Series and going home to wait until next year. Similarly, in real estate, you need the right resources in your hands and the right people on your team.

Orange County REALTORS® provides its members with the resources they need to take their business to the next level.

A REALTOR® must cover several positions, from capturing leads, creating attractive and effective collateral, gathering analytics, and getting documents in order to collecting testimonials from clients. Sound overwhelming? Well, don’t worry! Orange County REALTORS® has recruited the perfect lineup of tools to help you become an all-star REALTOR®. Batter up! It’s time to step up to the plate and load the bases with your OC REALTORS® member benefits!

1.

RentSpree. In the world of property management, it’s crucial to know your tenants!

Let RentSpree help you get to know prospective tenants with screening services provided to you at no cost.

RentSpree allows you to receive quickly and easily a comprehensive application package for each applicant, including credit report and scores, criminal background checks, fiftystate eviction history, and a completed rental application with tenant identity verification. Learn more at www.ocar.org/rentspree.

2.

Remine. In baseball, stats from

batting averages and runs batted in to the number of bases stolen and errors made provide an overview of an individual game and of the entire season. Remine is like that, but for real estate! This platform provides you with a wealth of real estate data. Remine is a powerful tool that combines in-depth property data with predictive analytics which can be utilized for lead generation.

California Regional Multiple Listing Service (CRMLS) users can make the most of Remine’s billions of property records, map visualization, and tracking features at no additional charge. Learn more at www.ocar.org/remine.

3.

Elevated Network. Teamwork makes the dream work.

REALTORS® must cover all the bases to meet their client’s expectations.

Don’t try to figure out everything on your own. Instead, hire a real-life marketing assistant. “Ema,” your Elevated Marketing Assistant, can help with many tedious tasks, such as creating websites and flyers, capturing leads, sending follow-up emails, sending out birthday and anniversary texts, and much more. You can hire “Ema” for only $59 per month (regularly $99/month) at www.ocar.org/ema.

4.

Glide Forms. Glide into home plate with the ease of Glide Forms! Glide Forms is a platform that allows buyers and sellers to complete required disclosure documents, such as the Transfer Disclosure Statement (TDS), Seller Property Questionnaire (SPQ), and the Agent Visual Inspection Disclosure (AVID), online. Glide Forms replaces today’s dense PDF and paper forms with an easy-to-use online wizard experience that offers several benefits to agents and clients. Get started by registering at www.ocar.org/glide.

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IMPROVING YOUR GAME

Making Your Pitch: Tips for Improving Your Next Listing Presentation

By Michelle McCann COMMUNICATIONS SPECIALIST

W

hether you are a newbie or a seasoned REALTOR®, you should always be prepared with a listing presentation that will wow your prospects. You have only one chance to make a solid first impression (no pressure). A lackluster PowerPoint presentation and a dry, rehearsed speech aren’t going to impress today’s savvy seller.

Here are four tips for winning over prospective clients with your sales pitch.

1.

Get to Know Your Clients Before the Presentation

In today’s age of information and social media, it is easy to become acquainted with clients even before you meet them. Check out your prospects on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and the like. Get to know who they are and what they are interested in, and then use this information to personalize your presentation and build rapport. The more information you can learn and use effectively, the more likely you are to win the listing.

2.

Become an Expert in Local Housing Market Data

Show your prospects that you have a keen sense of the market by providing current market data, including buying and selling trends and insights into the community they are thinking about joining. Your future clients should trust that you know their local market like the back of your hand. Think of market reports as one way to emphasize your worth as a local market expert.

Members of Orange County REALTORS® have access to OC Market Snapshots for both detached and attached

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www.istockphoto.com/bernardbodo

To win that listing, use social media to become better acquainted with prospective clients, personalize your presentation to suit their needs, offer a testimonial or two to establish your credibility, and suggest a marketing strategy that is unique.

homes that can be downloaded at www.ocar.org/snapshot. In addition, our Monthly Housing Summary offers a more comprehensive look at Orange County and is available at www.ocar.org/monthly-summary.

For a detailed look at local communities, you can use OC FastStats at www.ocar.org/ ocfaststats.

Make sure that the data you are sharing with your clients applies to their home-selling situation. The last thing you want to do is bore potential clients with irrelevant numbers and charts.

3.

Establish Your Credibility

Testimonials from past clients can be an important part of a successful listing presentation and help you win the listing over a competitor. A well-written customer

IMPROVING YOUR GAME

testimonial assures potential clients that other homeowners have hired you and have been pleased with the results.

Customer satisfaction platforms like RealSatisfied, a free OC REALTORS® member benefit, can help you collect client feedback to use in listing presentations. You can learn more at www.ocar.org/realsatisfied.

4.

beyond a few photos to market their listings.

You can download and try Matterport 3D technology at www.matterport.com.

After your presentation, your prospects should believe they absolutely need to list their home with you because you are the best!

Communicate Your Marketing Strategy

Your marketing plan should reinforce your strengths as a REALTOR® and show sellers the unique ways in which you will showcase their home to buyers. Let potential clients know that you are skilled in using up-to-date marketing technology to maximize the exposure of their home.

The best way to prove to your clients that your marketing strategy is stellar is to show them. Bring examples of flyers, brochures, and social media posts you have used with other listings. Utilize the tools to which you have free access as a REALTOR® like Rela at www.ocar.org/rela to generate single-property websites or give your clients a tour of your own website where their home will be showcased.

Adding technology like three-dimensional home tours to your marketing package will set you apart from the competition. Three-dimensional (3D) tours provided by Matterport show your prospects that you are thinking

“The more information you can learn and use effectively, the more likely you are to win the listing.”

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THE ORANGE COUNTY HOUSING UPDATE

Leaning Toward the Buyer

For the first time since 2011, the Orange County housing market has tipped slightly in favor of buyers and now offers them a smorgasbord of choices.

By Steven Thomas REPORTSONHOUSING.COM

D

ecember is about gathering with the people you love: family, friends, neighbors, and co-workers. We bounce from gathering to gathering to share gifts, raise glasses, and eat to our heart’s content. We load our plates with cheese blintzes, Swedish meatballs, baked brie, spinach artichoke dip, stuffed mushrooms, and plenty of dessert. It’s all about a smorgasbord of choices.

Today’s housing market is shaping up to give buyers a smorgasbord of choices. Many believe the market has slowed because of the holidays or the winter season. Yes, there are a lot of distractions during the holidays, but the housing market had begun to shift gears back in March 2018, and it continued to evolve through the rest of the year.

Typically, during the Autumn Market, both supply and demand drop. The peak in the housing inventory predictably occurs between July and August, and then drops once the kids go back to school. In 2018, the peak occurred in midOctober at 7,292 homes and remained elevated until Thanksgiving (see Figure 1).

Since 2012, the inventory, on average, has dropped from the end of August to midNovember by 17 percent. From the end of August

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to mid-November 2018, the inventory increased by 3 percent. Similarly, demand, on average, has dropped by 14 percent since 2012. In 2018, it dropped by an astonishing 24 percent.

With a much larger supply of homes (53 percent more than one year ago) and muted demand (24 percent less than one year ago), the Expected Market Time (the amount of time it would take to place a home on the market today and open escrow down the road) has been climbing since August. Typically, it remains flat through the end of the year.

The Expected Market Time eclipsed the 120day mark in mid-November, signaling a slight move into buyer’s market territory (see Figure 2).

We have not experienced this kind of a market in nearly eight years.

What does it mean to be in a slight buyer’s market? First, home values are not dropping like a rock. As a matter of fact, homes that are highly upgraded, in great condition, show like a model, and are priced right will fly off the market within the first few weeks. All the others will sit and wait because there are not enough buyers looking to purchase.

Now, more than ever, price is the most important ingredient in finding sales success.

THE ORANGE COUNTY HOUSING UPDATE Homes that back to busy streets, need a lot of work, have not been well maintained, or lack updates or upgrades will sit for a very long time unless they are priced appropriately. No longer can sellers simply price a home to equal the price of the last comparable sale.

Adjusting for location, view, condition, and upgrades is crucial.

One of every four homes on the market today will not find success. Many sellers simply do not have the stomach for doing what it takes to be successful today, and it all boils down to price.

The days of instant multiple offers with buyers tripping over themselves to purchase are quickly becoming a distant memory.

Attention Would-Be Sellers: Figure 1. The peak in the housing market inventory

predictably occurs between July and August, and then drops once the kids go back to school. In 2018, the peak occurred in mid-October at 7,292 homes and remained elevated until Thanksgiving.

Today, you must price your home with extreme care and then pack your patience. If your home has been exposed to the market for forty-five days with no sales success, sit with your REALTOR® to analyze all current data and statistics, review buyer-showing and real-estate feedback, and consider adjusting your price considerably to entice a buyer to purchase.

Attention Buyers: It is finally your

turn! That does not mean you are able to write offers to purchase that are $50,000 below the last comparable sale.

Values are not falling like a rock. It is not 2007 or 2008. The slight buyer’s market simply means that buyers have the upper hand at last. There are a lot more choices, and buyers do not have to feel rushed.

Figure 2. In mid-November, the Expected Market Time eclipsed the 120-day mark, signaling a move into buyer’s market territory.

Arriving at a price, considering all comparable pending and closed sales, is crucial so that a buyer can find success and secure a home. Because interest rates are higher, many sellers are willing to pay points and buy down the interest rate, reducing the monthly payment.

Yes, buyers, it is your turn, but you must be realistic and approach the market with a sound strategy. n

Steven Thomas has a degree in quantitative economics and decision sciences from the University of California, San Diego, and more than twenty years of experience in real estate. His bimonthly Orange County Housing Report is available by subscription and provides housing market analysis that is easy to understand and useful in setting the expectations of both buyers and sellers.

His website is www.ReportsOnHousing.com.

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EDUCATION

Land Brokerage Offers Opportunities for Knowledgeable REALTORS® The demand for homes in Orange County is strong, and homebuilders are eager to construct; but available land is scarce. Knowledgeable REALTORS® can supplement their income by locating parcels with potential and making builders or developers aware of them.

By John Kaye ARGUS COLLEGE

What is land brokerage?

Land brokerage is a highly specialized niche in the real estate business which involves locating and marketing parcels of raw land so that they can be developed for residential or commercial use.

Can REALTORS® be land brokers?

Absolutely! Fifteen to twenty years ago, the opportunities for REALTORS® to broker land were scarce; but today, because there is so little vacant land in California’s coastal counties, developers and builders welcome the opportunity to learn about available land from REALTORS®.

Why is the opportunity for REALTORS® greater today?

During the late 1990s, multiple master-planned communities provided a plethora of vacant lots for homebuilders. Today, most of these master plans are

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completely built out and very few lots are available.

Nonetheless, the demand for new homes in Orange County is strong, and homebuilders want to construct as many as four hundred homes a year. In the absence of large vacant parcels, these builders are turning to infill sites. During the late 1990s, they would have wanted a minimum of sixty to seventy-five lots for a viable project.

Today, a major homebuilder will buy a two-acre parcel that provides as few as twenty lots.

Aren’t there experienced land brokers who can fill this role?

In the Southern California residential development industry, six or seven boutique land brokerage firms dominate the transactions between land buyers and sellers; however, these firms tend to focus on the obvious larger parcels in Orange County or the Inland Empire.

Finding smaller parcels in built-out submarkets is a bit more difficult because (1) they are small and (2) another use already exists on the parcel. Thus, local REALTORS®

EDUCATION

www.istockphoto.com/ PapaBear

have an opportunity to broker these smaller parcels if they are able to recognize their potential.

How much are land brokerage commissions?

Commissions are negotiable. As an example, for a $5 million land transaction, a 3 percent commission would be right in the ballpark. I have seen aggressive How much does a land broker need to know land buyers offer higher commissions to land brokers to about development? ensure that they get first shot at an opportunity. I have Just enough to recognize whether a parcel has also seen what I would consider more narrow-minded development potential. Developers and homebuilders land buyers who try to gouge or stiff a land broker. Once have land-acquisition experts who thoroughly analyze a land broker understands the market and the value of a and vet potential land opportunities. Even with the most seasoned land brokers, I have found that these acquisition potential land parcel, commissions can be protected with written agreements. managers prefer to do their own analysis after receiving Land brokerage commissions the basic information from a broker. can widely vary. I have seen Keep in mind that these landcommissions in the seven-figure NEW acquisition managers are very busy. range for huge land transactions, They may be actively pursuing Live Training or as low as $10,000 for a small as many as ten parcels and have Program! parcel.

But for the most part, another forty opportunities on land commissions can be quite their watch list. They will consider substantial.

I would not count on the process successful if they close closing a land transaction every two or three of these transactions. month; however, closing one or two Developers and builders will look a year can be quite rewarding. at many, many land opportunities

Residential Development & Land Use Series

just to find one transaction that is Beginning January 31 How would a REALTOR® economically viable.

Through When I say that a land broker get started in the land February 7, 14, 21, and 28 should know “just enough,” I brokerage business? mean that he or she should be For the most part, all you need For class descriptions and to register: sufficiently familiar with the basic is a computer, a telephone, and www.ocar.org/land-development characteristics of the parcel to persistence; but some knowledge provide essential information of development will help a land quickly and not waste anyone’s broker be more time efficient and time, particularly that of the land-acquisition manager. get the attention of land buyers. Argus College is offering A land buyer will gladly look through ten to twenty some of its land brokerage courses at Orange County prospective parcels if there is some semblance of REALTORS®, including a free session titled Intro to Land potential.

Brokerage. We have a five-course online certification

Are land transactions similar to home sales?

Yes, but only in the sense that you have a buyer, seller, and an escrow process. Beyond that, the land brokerage game tends to be played in a much different manner.

Typically, land brokers do not cooperate with one another in any type of Multiple Listing Service (MLS) system. All seasoned land brokers know most of the potential land buyers in their market. And, while some land sellers will have a formal listing with a land broker, many land commissions are paid by the buyers without any land listing agreement.

program for land brokerage, which provides much of the essential training and knowledge you need to get started in land brokerage. The idea is that you, as the land broker, know what you are looking for and that you also have a sense of what developers and builders want.

While closing land transactions every month is probably optimistic, REALTORS® only need one good land closing a year to provide a substantial supplement to both their business and their income.

John Kaye has been a licensed real estate broker since 1986 and has thirty years of experience in real estate development, having held senior management positions with the Irvine Company, Koll Company, and Brookfield Homes. In 2015, he founded Argus College with the goal of conveying this development knowledge to younger generations.

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Thursday, December 6 • Seacliff Country Club

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Monday, December 10 • Mission Viejo Country Club

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Photography by Antis Real Estate Photography

Highest Men’s Game: Anthony Jimenez Highest Men’s Series: Tony Brunning Highest Women’s Game: Sherrie LeVan Highest Women’s Series: Krissy Adamczyk 1st Place Team: Skull-tors Tim Hayden, Sherrie LeVan, Tony Brunning, Whitney Hayden Sponsored by:

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2nd Place Team: Bocce Ballers Aaron Rosen, Bryn Hutchinson, Jesse Olson, Andrew Howard Best Costume - Women: Christy Coffey Best Costume - Men: Jon Ettelson Best Team Costume: John Mellencamp Pink Houses Dominica Fusaro, Kristen Robertson, Pete Lopresti, John Salamy

Highest Team Score: Melissa Chelius, David Lee, Jessica Siguenza, Daniel Wu & Eric Wu

Photography by Michelle Fairless Photography OC REALTOR®

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By Sherri Butterfield WRITER AND EDITOR

T

he English word volunteer comes from the Latin verb volo, meaning “to be willing, to wish.” Thus, a volunteer is a person who is willing to undertake a task or to provide a service, usually without any thought of compensation or remuneration. Where resources are inadequate, volunteering is one way to close the gap between what is and what can be, thereby, turning today’s wishes into tomorrow’s reality.

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In ways to many to mention and in places too numerous to count, Orange County REALTORS® Affiliate and REALTOR® members quietly go about volunteering their time and donating products and services to make a meaningful difference throughout Orange County—and the world. The purpose of this magazine feature is to celebrate some of these very important but too-seldom-sung heroes.

Alisa Bates

Nancy Feathers

Broker Associate, Plan A Real Estate

Director of Marketing and Business Development, Mission Country Escrow, Mission Viejo

Volunteer Service: Because Alisa loves babies, she spent two days a week folding blankets, stocking the nurses’ carts, and snuggling the premature infants in a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. She also provided comfort and reassurance to parents facing the daunting prospect of caring for a preemie at home.

Although family responsibilities have forced Alisa to cut back on her volunteering temporarily, she plans to return as soon as her schedule permits.

Volunteer Service: For the past six years, Nancy has helped John Hacker, who is the Orange County organizer for the Veterans StandUp. The purpose of the StandUp is to connect veterans with special services to help them find housing, meet medical needs, and get their lives back on track. Nancy spearheads a committee that provides monthly dinners for a veterans home and is helping John plan the next StandUp.

Recipient Organization: Neonatal Intensive Care Unit of CHOC Children’s at Mission Hospital in Mission Viejo

Recipient Organizations: OneOC, a Veterans Home in Fullerton, and the Veterans StandUp

In Her Own Words: “I think it is important for us to give back, especially to the community in which we live. We are so blessed in so many ways, and to be able to take some of your time and do something for someone else is just the best feeling ever! I hope that I can put a smile on someone’s face and, more important, in their heart.”

Jessica M. Siguenza Business Development/Strategic Initiatives Executive, Finance of America Mortgage, and Regional Impact Committee Chair West, Finance of America Cares Volunteer Service: Jessica serves on the Board of Directors as the Regional Impact Chair for Finance of America Cares, where she oversees two thousand employees in the largest region of this nationwide nonprofit.

Since helping her company open this nonprofit in February 2018, she has raised more than $170,000.

Recipient Organizations: Orange County Rescue Mission, South County Outreach, OliveCrest, Project Night-Night, Me-One Foundation, Allegiant Giving, and the Young Professionals Network (YPN) during its Month of Giving (August) In Her Own Words: “I believe in the far-reaching power of empathy. If I don’t step up to help, who will? As soon as I became a mom, my mission to give back became even deeper because I started to care about the world I would leave for my son, and I wanted to do what I could to make it a better place.”

In Her Own Words: “My heart feels the needs of others.

I come from a military family. When my brother (a Marine) died as the result of Agent Orange seven years ago, my heart felt the need to help other veterans.

Many veterans get lost after being discharged from the service. My dad was in the military for thirty-three years.

Upon retirement, he ran a very successful business; but not everyone is that fortunate or that focused.”

Stuart Thomas CEO/Broker/Owner, RE/MAX Select One Volunteer Service: In every year since 2009, Stuart’s RE/MAX office has been a Miracle Office for CHOC Children’s Hospital, which means that its agents have donated a portion of their commissions to the hospital. In addition, Stuart came up with the idea of bringing real estate offices, Affiliate partners, and local businesses together once a year to raise funds for a variety of nonprofit organizations in the community.

Recipient Organizations: CHOC Children’s Hospital, Colette’s Children’s Home, Habitat for Humanity, Project Self Sufficiency, Make-A-Wish Foundation, and the Huntington Beach Police and Community Foundation In His Own Words: “In early 2009, I had lunch with the president of RE/MAX worldwide, and we got to talking about the Children’s Miracle Network. In 1992, he had facilitated the relationship between RE/MAX and the Children’s Miracle Network, which gives money to local children’s hospitals. I decided that our focus at RE/MAX Select One would be on doing as much as possible to help kids in the community.”

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AFFILIATES IN ACTION

Affiliates Assist at New REALTOR® Orientations in October and November Orange County REALTORS® thanks the Affiliates and others who assisted at the New REALTOR® Orientations on October 16, November 3, and November 14, and congratulates the new REALTOR® members who joined Orange County REALTORS® on these occasions.

October 16 w

Laguna Hills

Affiliates who helped Orange County REALTORS® welcome new REALTOR® members on October 16 in Laguna Hills were (from left to right) 2018 Affiliate South Co-Chair Peter “G” Giammarinaro, The Termite Guy; Bill Senteno, Ticor Title; Sabrina Preston, Escrow Experts; Mike Ashraft, Royalty Tax Services; Van Gordon, Farmers Insurance; 2018 Affiliate South Chair Ellie Tipton-Ortiz, Laguna Legal; and Michael Kies, AdvantageFirst Lending.

November 14 w

November 3 w

Fountain Valley

Affiliates who helped Orange County REALTORS® welcome new REALTOR® members on November 3 in Fountain Valley were (from left to right) Hamid Parsa, Carpet Depot; Bill Reese, Reese Mobil Locksmith; Valerie Acevez, Everest Escrow; 2019 Affiliate North Co-Chair Kerri Finch, J&J Coastal Lending; and Mike Grambow, American Pacific Mortgage.

Laguna Hills

Affiliates who helped Orange County REALTORS® welcome new REALTOR® members on November 14 in Laguna Hills were (from left to right) Eric Enriquez, Rescue Roofer; Kristine Holliday, WFG Title Co.; Reem K. Misto, National Pacific Lending; 2018 Affiliate South Chair Ellie Tipton-Ortiz, Laguna Legal; Leigh Ann Rowe, LAR Photography; 2019 Affiliate South Chair Joe Pierce, Iron Key Escrow, Inc.; and Orville Wright, CCW Permit Instruction.

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IT BEARS REPEATING

www.istockphoto.com

By Ernest Lawrence Thayer

Abner Doubleday is credited with having invented baseball in Cooperstown, New York, in 1839. Nearly fifty years later, Ernest Lawrence Thayer captured the appeal of the game in a poem titled “Casey at the Bat: A Ballad of the Republic Sung in the Year 1888.” Thayer’s poem was first published in the San Francisco Examiner (then called the Daily Examiner) on June 3, 1888. After it appeared, versions containing minor word changes were printed elsewhere; however, the version reprinted below is faithful to the original Daily Examiner text.

Although towns in both Massachusetts and California have laid claim to the Mudville moniker, Thayer once assured the Syracuse Post-Standard that his poem had “no basis in fact.”

Ten thousand eyes were on him as he rubbed his hands with dirt; five thousand tongues applauded when he wiped them on his shirt.

Then while the writhing pitcher ground the ball into his hip, defiance gleamed in Casey’s eye, a sneer curled Casey’s lip.

The outlook wasn’t brilliant for the Mudville nine that day; the score stood four to two, with but one inning more to play.

And then when Cooney died at first, and Barrows did the same, a sickly silence fell upon the patrons of the game.

And now the leather-covered sphere came hurtling through the air, and Casey stood a-watching it in haughty grandeur there.

Close by the sturdy batsman the ball unheeded sped— “That ain’t my style,” said Casey. “Strike one,” the umpire said.

A straggling few got up to go in deep despair. The rest clung to that hope which springs eternal in the human breast; they thought, if only Casey could get but a whack at that— they’d put up even money, now, with Casey at the bat.

From the benches, black with people, there went up a muffled roar, like the beating of the storm-waves on a stern and distant shore.

“Kill him! Kill the umpire!” shouted someone on the stand; and it’s likely they’d have killed him had not Casey raised his hand.

But Flynn preceded Casey, as did also Jimmy Blake, and the former was a lulu and the latter was a cake, so upon that stricken multitude grim melancholy sat, for there seemed but little chance of Casey’s getting to the bat.

With a smile of Christian charity great Casey’s visage shone; he stilled the rising tumult; he bade the game go on; he signaled to the pitcher, and once more the spheroid flew; but Casey still ignored it, and the umpire said: “Strike two.”

But Flynn let drive a single, to the wonderment of all, and Blake, the much despised, tore the cover off the ball; and when the dust had lifted, and the men saw what had occurred, there was Jimmy safe at second and Flynn a-hugging third.

“Fraud!” cried the maddened thousands, and the Echo answer fraud; but one scornful look from Casey and the audience was awed.

They saw his face grow stern and cold, they saw his muscles strain, and they knew that Casey wouldn’t let that ball go by again.

Then from five thousand throats and more there rose a lusty yell; it rumbled through the valley, it rattled in the dell; it knocked upon the mountains and recoiled upon the flat, for Casey, might Casey, was advancing to the bat.

The sneer is gone from Casey’s lip, his teeth are clenched in hate; he pounds with cruel violence his bat upon the plate.

And now the pitcher holds the ball, and now he lets it go, and now the air is shattered by the force of Casey’s blow.

There was ease in Casey’s manner as he stepped into his place; there was pride in Casey’s bearing and a smile on Casey’s face.

And when, responding to the cheers, he lightly doffed his hat, no stranger in the crowd could doubt ’twas Casey at the bat.

Oh, somewhere in this favored land the sun is shining bright; the band is playing somewhere, and somewhere hearts are light, and somewhere men are laughing, and somewhere children shout; but there is no joy in Mudville—mighty Casey has struck out.

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MEMBERSHIP

Members of Orange County REALTORS® Who Have Achieved ®

NAR REALTOR Emeritus Status T

o be eligible for National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) Emeritus Status, a person must have held continuous membership as a REALTOR® or REALTOR® Associate in one or more Associations of REALTORS® for a cumulative period of forty years and must have completed at least one year of service at the National Association level.

In this context, the term service is defined as “serving as an officer, director, committee member, federal political coordinator, president’s liaison, or regional coordinator to a country with which NAR holds a reciprocal agreement.”

For applications filed through 2019, the one-year service requirement may be met through service at either the state or the local level; however, the provision that allows credit for service at the state or local level will sunset at the end of 2019.

REALTOR® Emeritus Members are exempt from paying dues to the National Association of REALTORS® (commencing with the dues year immediately following approval) and from the Code of Ethics Training requirement.

Orange County REALTORS® congratulates the following fourteen REALTOR®

Emeritus Members:

Dorothy Mosher, Harcourts Prime Properties Pamela Pedego, Regency Real Estate Brokers Donald Pfaff, Coldwell Banker Residential Sheneau Stanley, First Team Real Estate Elaine Steinhoff, HomeSmart Evergreen Realty Michael Troyer, EHM Real Estate, Inc. Patricia “Patti” Winter, Patricia Winter, Broker

LeeAnn Canaday, RE/MAX Fine Homes Austin Chiles, Chiles Realty Jan Herkelrath, J Group, Inc. Anne Pappas-Hipp, Pappas & Hipp REALTORS® Barbara Holland, HomeSmart Evergreen Realty Martha Karelius, @Vantage Real Estate Joseph Lovullo, Lantern Bay Realty

Members of Orange County REALTORS® Who Have Been Elected

C.A.R. Honorary Members-for-Life

R

EALTOR® and REALTOR®-Associate members of the California Association of REALTORS®(C.A.R.) who have served the Association for a minimum of twenty-five years and who have attained the age of seventy-five are eligible to be elected Honorary Members-for-Life.

Upon election, an Honorary Member-for-Life is exempt from paying annual dues to the California Association of REALTORS® (commencing with the year following election) and is entitled to all the rights and privileges of C.A.R. membership.

Orange County REALTORS® congratulates the following twenty-two members, each of whom has been elected a C.A.R. Honorary Member-for-Life: Joanne Alexander, RE/MAX Coastal Home Sidney Alpert, Century 21 Rainbow Realty Mary Ann Anderson, Coldwell Banker Platinum Properties Jerry Beusee, First Team Real Estate Robert Bochniarz, Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage Marthanne Esthridge, RE/MAX Select One Marcel Fernandez, Regency Real Estate Brokers Patrick Gallagher, Century 21 Rainbow Realty Diane Geraud, Windem Real Estate Elizabeth Koren, Elizabeth Koren, Broker Gary Ludwig, Gary Ludwig, Broker

Are You Eligible?

Mary McGee, Mary McGee, Broker Doug McKee, HomeSmart Evergreen Realty Rosemarie McKowen-Miller, Seven Gables Real Estate M. Jane Olinger, RE/MAX Premier Realty Adrienne Oranges, First Team Real Estate Dianne Rector, Keller Williams Realty Rhoda Rosen, HomeSmart Evergreen Realty Marty Samuel, Realty One Group, Inc. Patrick Scott, Shoreline Investment Group Penny Smith, Realty One Group, Inc. Michael Troyer, EHM Real Estate, Inc.

REALTOR® and REALTOR®-Associate members of Orange County REALTORS® who wish to be considered by NAR for REALTOR® Emeritus Status or by C.A.R. as possible Honorary Members-for-Life must submit an application. Although the deadlines for applying have not yet been announced, they are usually in the fall. As soon as specific deadlines are announced, updated information will be posted at www.ocar.org/honorary.

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JANUARY | FEBRUARY 2019

OC REALTOR®