ReView 4th Quarter

real estate - benefits - foreclosure - banks - florida realtors - public policy

magazine 4th quarter oCTOBER/nOVEMBER/dECEMBER 2012

Osceola ReView

5 REASONS TO INCORPORATE PAGE14

& 10 REASONS GOOGLE IS

BETTER THAN FACEBOOK PAGE20

& gLOBAL INFLUENCE AND REAL ESTATE TRENDS

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OSCAR ANNOUNCES SCHOLARSHIP WINNERS THE TOP THREE ESSAYS ARE FEATURED HERE

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WELCOMECONTENTS

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WELCOME/ CONTENTS OCt/nov/dec 2012 news

04 OSCAR Receives National Benefits 12 Scholarship Winners 14 Reasons to Incorporate

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technology 10 Reasons Google+ is Better Than Facebook

events

local

trends

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Former OSCAR President Selected to Chair the Lake County Republican Party

10 October/November/December 2012 Calendar

7 OSCAR Election Coverage 28 OSCAR Professional Affiliations

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Market Dynamics

16 New Members and Sponsored Candidates for the 2012 Election Cycle

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Member Demographics

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Hello Everyone, I cannot believe this year is already coming to an end. We have had a wonderful year so far and I am sure that it is only going to get better. I hope that you had an opportunity to take advantage of some of the wonderful educational courses that we are offering at the Association. There are still quite a few courses that will be offered over the next three months. Please take time to look at the schedule and see what courses suit your needs. Also, please remember that you are required to take Quadrennial Code of Ethics training by the end of the year. We are offering several classes between now and the end of the year so that you can get your training completed.

We also have a wonderful advantage this year in that the National Association of REALTORS速 convention is going to be right in our back yard. The dates for the convention are November 7November 12, 2012. It is going to be at the Omni Rosen on International Drive. I have been to several national conventions over the years and they are interesting and fun. There are tons of education courses to attend. There is also a fabulous trade show. The trade show is generally enormous and it has just about every vendor selling real estate related services.

2012 OSCAR President, Renee Clark

Lastly I would like to thank everyone who attended and supported the RPAC auction that we had on September 15th. Kim Goodwin, chair, Daisy Lopez-Cid, vice chair and the entire committee did an amazing job and I know that everyone had a lot of fun. As you all may know, we use these funds that we raise for issues that affect the real estate industry. Amendment 4 is one of those issues that we are supporting in the November election. This amendment provides an additional homestead exemption for first time home buyers, reduces the homestead exemption cap on second home or investment properties from 10% to 5% and repeals the recapture tax ensuring that if property values go down your property taxes cannot go up. Please join me in voting YES on Amendment 4 this year to help the property owners in Florida.

It has truly been an honor to have been your President this year. I want to thank my entire Board of Directors for all of their support and help this year. They have all done a tremendous job and I am proud to be a part of the team. I would also like to thank everyone that participated in a committee as either a committee chair, vice chair or member. When I took my oath of office I asked members to get involved in some way in the Association. I thank all of you that have and I urge you to continue to do so in the future. Thank you as well to the Staff of the Association. You have done a terrific job for the members this year and I really appreciate you all. Finally, when Susie and her new directors take over in January, I wish them much luck. I know that they will do a fabulous job in the coming year and it has been wonderful working with all of you this year.

magazine contact Published by Osceola County Association of Realtors速, 1105 Shady Lane, Kissimmee, FL 34744

advocates team

contributing writers

association Executive/editor: Carol Platt, CRB, e-Pro T 4078460117 E ae@osceola-realtors.com SENIOR DESIGNER: Chris Florence, CCIM, e-Pro webmaster@osceola-realtors.com COMMUNICATIONS: Nannette Cherry communcations@osceola-realtors.com

Interested in contributing to our monthly publication? We would love to hear from you.

We require that all works be original, meaning written by you, and do not allow promotion of your business.

Membership SERVICES COORDINATOR: Eli Perez, e-Pro membership@osceola-realtors.com AE Assistant - professional development: Kim Wagar, e-Pro, AHWD aeassistant@osceola-realtors.com AE ASSiSTANT- EVENTS: Christina Barnhardt, e-Pro advocate319@osceola-realtors.com MEMBERSHIP SERVICES: Ally Vallecillo , e-Pro advocate617@osceola-realtors.com

advertising Digital or printed media packs available on request.

HEAD OF SALES: Chris Florence, CCIM, e-Pro webmaster@osceola-realtors.com ACCOUNTS: Bob St. Gordon, e-Pro accounts@osceola-realtors.com

distribution The ReView is printed monthly. To subscribe contact our subscriptions team below.

SUBSCRIPTIONS MANAGER: Chris Florence, CCIM, e-Pro webmaster@osceola-realtors.com

www.osceolarealtors.org

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OSCAR presents: Mary Jane Arrington On October 2nd, OSCAR will be hosting Mary Jane Arrington, the Osceola County Supervisor of Elections. Mary Jane will be presenting the topic: “2012 - Osceola County Voters, Voting, and Volunteering”. She will be generously donating her time to speak at our weekly MLS Learn & Earn, held on Tuesdays from 8:30am 9:30am.

Our Supervisor of Elections is one of our community partners in helping our members register and vote in elections and helping REALTORS® provide voting registration information to buyers and sellers who are moving to and from different precincts and states.

This is your chance to be “in the know” before you are asked at election time!

OSCAR RECEIVING

NATIONAL BENEFITS REPORTER: Wendi Jeannin EMAIL: wjeannin@earthlink.net

BLOG: www.osceolarealtors.org

The Osceola County Association of REALTORS® (OSCAR) is one of the top ranked associations in the nation who will benefit from a recent merge between the REALTORS® Federal Credit Union and Northwest Federal Credit Union.

Northwest Federal Credit Union is a $2.2 billion credit union, headquartered in Herndon, Virginia, with a 65-year history of financial strength and stability. The Credit Union is also a partner in NAR’s REALTOR Benefits® Program and now locally, through OSCAR. The launch date was August 1, 2012; eligible members include OSCAR members and employees, NAR members, NAR employees, state and local association staff and their immediate families.

“The benefits of the REALTORS® Federal Credit Union is an outstanding announcement and a wonderful addition to our membership benefits,” says Renee Clark, 2012 OSCAR President. “We are thrilled to be able to extend such excellent opportunities to our members, staff and affiliates, while branching out to a more National level,” Clark continues.

More information about REALTORS® Federal Credit Union: It’s a Division of Northwest Federal Credit Union and is a proud partner in NAR’s REALTOR Benefits® Program. For details, please visit www.REALTORSFCU.org. The mission of the Osceola County Association of REALTORS® is to provide a dedicated success to its membership consisting of real estate professionals and affiliates, while adding value to the community.

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OSCAR 4th Quarter Association Executive MESSAGE

2012 MEDIA CONTACT: Carol Platt

PHONE: 407-846-0117

EMAIL: ae@osceola-realtors.com

OSCAR’s Board of Director’s - On the Move!

As we approach the last quarter of 2012, it’s a great time to reflect on the achievements and actions of our fifteen member Board of Directors thus far. So often, members reap the benefits of many hours and positive decisions by their elected leadership without actually knowing when and where those efforts took place. 2012 President, Renee Clark is committed to transparency to our members so, take a look at the wonderful efforts of your elected leadership thus far.

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Successfully opposed a Name Change request by another Florida association that would have co-opted current member marketing and branding status as a Central Florida REALTOR®.

Voted to establish a relationship with the Osceola News Gazette for magazine publishing and Home Finder media exposure for the OSCAR brand, communicating important real estate industry information to consumers.

Approved all Presidential appointments for committee and task force assignments, plus Florida REALTORS® and My Florida Multiple Listing Service Directors Approved Facility Committee capital reserve expenditure requests for facility maintenance and operational remodeling needs.

Voted to provide the Osceola Women’s Council of REALTORS® and the National Association of Hispanic Real Estate Professions

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(approved affiliated real estate groups) with sponsorship funding to assist with their operations and special events.

Voted to fund community events as requested by the Community Involvement Committee including Kissimmee Relay for Life and the Osceola Education Foundation’s Back to School/Back to Business event.

Voted to contribute $1500 to Silent Angels in support of REALTORS® and their communities in Florida.

Voted to approve distribution of the event “2012 Fair Housing Summit” to membership and include OSCAR membership access to NAR’s Facebook App. Voted to approve REALTORS® Political Action Committee funding requests from the 2012 Candidate Screening Committee to support recommended candidates and issues.

Approved a membership survey and analysis contract with Melynn Sight, NAR approved consultant with NSightMarketing.

Supported and approved campaign funding for Veronica Malolos in her candidacy for Florida REALTORS® District 12 Vice President.

Approved sponsorship of the SunRail “Ride the Rails” regional event focused on real estate opportunities in keeping with the public policy

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issues Roadmap for Success.

Reviewed and approved a successful 2011 audit completed by independent audit firm, Clifton/ Larson/Allen.

“So often, members reap the benefits of many hours and positive decisions by t h e i r e l e c t e d leadership without actually knowing when and where those efforts took place.”

It’s evident that our 2012 Officers and Directors aggressively and progressively adhere to and advance our association vision, mission, and strategic plan with the success of our members and our community as their number one priority. They are open to your ideas, your suggestions, your concerns, and your involvement with our association. With your Officers and Directors as your Leadership and our association staff members as your Advocates, OSCAR members have a local team that they can count on!

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CODE OF ETHICS

The National Association of REALTORS®requires that every four (4) years all REALTORS®need to complete the Ethics Training. The National Association of REALTORS® current quadrennial period ends December 31, 2012.

Please keep in mind that failure to meet the requirement will result in suspension of membership until the requirement is met and that on March 1, 2013, the membership of any member who is still suspended as of that date will automatically be terminated.

Fortunately, taking an approved ethics class couldn’t be easier. You can complete your required Quadrennial Code of Ethics for existing members online and at no cost at www.realtors.org. The class is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, which allows you to complete your training on your current schedule. You can also register to any of our upcoming Code of Ethics classes offered at the Osceola County Association of REALTORS® at www.osceolarealtors.org.

OSCAR Upcoming Code of Ethics Training:

Code of Ethics Video Presentation Code of Ethics Video Presentation Code of Ethics Live Virtual Class

No CE No CE 3 CE

October 8, 2012 December 3, 2012 December 7, 2012

1 pm - 4 pm 1 pm - 4 pm 9 am - 12 pm

For further information or to find out if your Code of Ethics requirements have been met or are still due before December 31st, please feel free to contact us (407) 846 - 0117

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MESSAGE FROM

OSCAR

Vote YES on Amendment 4!

OSCAR is proud to join the broad coalition of groups voting YES on Amendment 4. Chambers of Commerce, trade associations, and lawmakers from both parties have announced their support of Amendment 4, which will create tens of thousands of jobs and promote a healthier Florida housing market.

Amendment 4, on this November’s ballot, does three basic things: 1.

Creates an additional homestead exemption for first-time homebuyers for 5 years.

2. Protects Floridians from increased property taxes when their home value has declined.

3. Lowers the assessment cap for non-homestead properties, including small businesses, from 10 percent to 5 percent.

I hope that you will join us in spreading the word about Amendment 4. If you would like more information about joining our movement, please visit www.taxyourassetsoff. com/volunteer and someone from the YES on Amendment 4 campaign will contact you directly.

Together, we can stop Sudden Posterior Reduction Syndrome, otherwise known as getting your assets taxed off.

Please join us in voting YES on Amendment 4.

Thank you so much for your kind donation in the name of Dr. Alex Pizzaro. We are grateful of your support of something Dr. Pizzaro believed in - Catholic Education.

- Connie Gainett Thank you so much for your gift. I promise you it will be put to good use. Thank you also for your continued support of the employees and children of the Osceola District Schools.

- Linda Kratzmeier Alternative Programs

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Election

2012

Oscar candidate RECOMMENDATIONs for THE 2012 GENERAL ELECTION

REPORTER: Wendi Jeannin EMAIL: wjeannin@earthlink.net

BLOG: www.osceolarealtors.org

The Osceola County Association of Realtors® (OSCAR) Board of Directors recently voted to support the following candidates for the 2012 election.

Osceola County Constitutional Officers

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Osceola County Clerk of Court - Rayelynn Ketchum Osceola County Tax Collector–- Patsy Heffner Osceola County Property Appraiser - Katrina Scarborough Osceola County Supervisor of Elections -– Mary Jane Arrington

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Osceola County Commissioner

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Osceola County Commissioner District 1 - Paul Owen Osceola County Commissioner District 3 Brandon Arrington Osceola County Commissioner District 5 Fred Hawkins, Jr. Osceola County School Board

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Kissimmee City Commissioner Seat 1–- Jose A. Alvarez Kissimmee City Commissioner Seat 3 - Mike DeLong State of Florida

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Candidates are recommended to the OSCAR Board of Directors by the OSCAR Candidate Screening Committee as a result of their voting record on issues important to REALTORS® and the real estate industry. New candidates are interviewed by the committee and recommended based on their electability, position on real estate issues, and their willingness to work with OSCAR on these issues.

The mission of the Osceola County Association of REALTORS® is to provide a dedicated success to its membership consisting of real estate professionals and affiliates, while adding value to the community.

“Thank you so much for your support. Having the endorsement of my peers, as well as your contribution means a great deal to me. I won’t let you down.”

Rayelynne Ketchum

for Clerk of the Court

Osceola County School Board Member District 2 –Kelvin Soto City of Kissimmee Commission

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Candidates that have been approved for support by the OSCAR Board of Directors and accept campaign contributions may have received funding from the Florida REALTORS® Political Action Committee.

Florida House of Representatives District 39 Neil Combee Florida House of Representatives District 42 Mike Horner Florida House of Representatives District 43 - Art Otera Florida Senate District 14 -– Darren Soto Florida Senate District 21 -– Denise Grimsley

“It has been a blessing, honor, and pleasure to represent you during the past four years as Commissioner for District 5.

Thank you for your support and contribution to my re-election campaign for 2012.”

Fred Hawkins, Jr. Candidate for Osceola County Commission District 5

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Former oscar president

selected as REPUBLICAN

PARTY CHAIRMAN REPORTER: Nannette Cherry EMAIL: communications@osceola-realtors.com

OSCAR would like to congratulate one of our own in his election to the position of Chair of the Lake County Republican Party. Michael Levine, former president of this association and current Vice Chair of the Global Alliance Committee has been granted the extreme honor of serving Lake County constituents and the Republican Party in this distinguished position. Michael brings to the job over 30 years of management experience from both the real estate and hospitality industries. During his tenure in these industries he implemented an inverted organizational chart methodology, which placed the client or consumer at the top and the manager at the bottom, in order to ensure customer satisfaction. This philosophy will no doubt serve his community well.

“Serving as the Lake County Republican Party’s Chairman is a tremendous honor, privilege and responsibility,” says Party Chairman Michael Levine, elected on July 24, 2012. “There is a huge demand for leadership in the world today. Busy people must carefully choose where their volunteer resources are allocated. The Lake County Republican Party is a highly relevant organization. Previous Chairmen, Alan Winslow, Orin Owen and Joe Rudderow have teed the organization up for continued success. I look forward to building on the foundation that these leaders built. Their counsel and continued support is critical to the future success of the Party. Together, we will make great things happen here. That’s the reason I sought the position.”

BLOG: www.osceolarealtors.org

Michael is an alumnus of Florida State University, where he received a Bachelor of Science after studying Business and majoring in Hotel and Restaurant Administration. Since 1993 he has been an active member of Florida REALTORS® and has held a multitude of Chairmanships over many different committees.

In addition to serving as President of the Osceola County Association of REALTORS® and acting as Vice Chair of the Global Alliance Committee at OSCAR, he has chaired the Grievance Committee for the REALTOR® Association of Lake and Sumpter Counties and is currently the Chairman of the Property Management Committee for Florida REALTORS®.

Michael has been serving on the East Central Florida regional Planning Council since early 2011 and has recently participated in round table discussions initiated by the Department of Economic Opportunity, an agency within the Florida Secretary of Commerce’s office.

Given his breadth of leadership experience, it is no wonder Michael has been selected to the post of Chair of the Lake County Republican Party. OSCAR is proud to have supported him in his candidacy and to have him as a member and chair.

Please join us in congratulating Michael on his election to this illustrious position. He has shown us that OSCAR leaders go on to great things, and we look forward to the positive action that his chairmanship will bring.

YOUR VOTE COUNTS!

Florida REALTORS® Chief Lobbyist, John Sebree, is shown speaking to OSCAR members during an August MLS “Learn and Earn” Marketing meeting to discuss the campaign to Vote YES on Amendment 4 this November, in addition to upcoming Florida legislative issues and NAR immigration legistlative positioning.

Representative Darren Soto, shown above, recently came to speak to OSCAR Brokers during the July roundtable discussion on best practices and management.

Representative Soto spoke about upcoming legislation and events of interest to small businesses and the real estate community. He is recommended by the Osceola County Association of REALTORS® Board of Directors in his bid for election as our Florida Senator from District 14. The Osceola Brokerage Committee is chaired by Veronica Malolos and Vice-Chaired by Daniel Hernandez.

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S E M I NAR

events THIS OCT/NOV/DEC

REGISTRATION CONTACT Kim Wagar

EMAIL aeassistant@ osceola-realtors.com

CALL 407.846.0117 Unless otherwise noted

OCTOBER 8TH

New Member Orientation TIME: 9:00aM - 12:30PM CONTACT: Eli Perez membership@osceola-realtors.com REGISTER CALL: 407 846 0117

OCTOBER 1ST

Toastmasters

Every Monday OSCAR hosts an hour of Toastmasters TIME: 5:30PM - 6:30PM OCTOBER 2ND

MLS Learn & Earn TIME: 8:30AM - 9:30AM SPEAKER: Osceola County Supervisor of Elections - Mary Jane Arrington TOPIC:“2012 - Osceola County Voters, Voting, and Volunteering!”

OCTOBER 3RD

MLS Statistics (Español) TIME: 9:00AM - 10:30AM

MLS Listing Tools (Español) TIME: 11:00AM - 12:30PM

MLS Creating a Professional CMA (Español) 3 CE Hours TIME: 1:30PM - 4:30PM

OCTOBER 11TH

OCTOBER 23RD

Roadmap to Successful Closing

MLS Learn & Earn

3 CE Hours TIME: 9:00AM - 12:00PM

TIME: 8:30AM - 9:30AM SPEAKER: Joel Davis of 20/20 Media

OCTOBER 15TH

OCTOBER 24TH

Quadrennial Code Toastmasters TIME: 5:30PM - 6:30PM of Ethics Video OCTOBER 16TH Class Meets Code of Ethics MLS Learn Requirements but attendee will not & Earn earn CE Credit TIME: 1:00 PM - 4:00 PM INFO: www.osceolarealtors.org REGISTER CALL: 407 846 0117

Toastmasters TIME: 5:30PM - 6:30PM OCTOBER 9TH

MLS Learn & Earn

TIME: 8:30AM - 9:30AM SPEAKER: Economic Development Director, City of Kissimmee, Belinda Ortiz Kirkegard, MPA OCTOBER 17TH

MLS Creating a Professional CMA 3 CE Hours TIME: 9:00AM - 12:00PM

TIME: 8:30AM - 9:30AM SPEAKER: Nannete Cherry, MFA Topic: Android Real Estate App Version 3.0

MLS Statistics

OCTOBER 10TH

TIME: 3:00PM - 4:30PM

MLXchange Basic TIME: 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM

MLS Compliance 101 TIME: 1:00PM - 2:30PM

TIME: 1:00PM - 2:30PM

MLS Quick CMAs OCTOBER 18TH

Completing an Effective Sales and Purchase Contract 4 CE Hours TIME: 1:00PM - 5:00PM

OCTOBER 22ND MLS Adding & Modifying Listings Toastmasters TIME: 3:00PM - 4:30PM

TIME: 5:30PM - 6:30PM

Google Real Estate Tools

TIME: 10:00AM - 12:00PM OCTOBER 26TH

Working With Senior Citizens (iCE) 3 CE Hours TIME: 10:00AM - 1:00PM OCTOBER 29TH

Toastmasters TIME: 5:30PM - 6:30PM OCTOBER 30TH

MLS Learn & Earn TIME: 8:30AM - 9:30AM OCTOBER 31ST

Global Real Estate Transaction Tools 7 CE Hours TIME: 8:30AM - 5:00PM COST: $99 members / non-members

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NOVEMBER 3RD

Global Alliance Central Florida Night at the OSCAR TIME: 6:00PM - 8:00PM

NOVEMBER 12TH

MLS Authentisign Toastmasters TIME: 9:00AM - 9:30AM

TIME: 5:30PM - 6:30PM

MLS Forms & Documents

NOVEMBER 27TH

TIME: 10:00AM - 11:30AM

NOVEMBER 5TH

Toastmasters TIME: 5:30PM - 6:30PM NOVEMBER 6TH

MLS Learn & Earn TIME: 8:30AM - 9:30AM

NOVEMBER 26TH

MLS Creating a Transaction From Start to Finish TIME: 12:30PM - 1:30PM

MLS Advanced Map Based Searches

MLS Learn & Earn TIME: 8:30AM - 9:30AM DECEMBER 3RD

New Member Orientation TIME: 9:00aM - 12:30PM CONTACT: Eli Perez membership@osceola-realtors.com REGISTER CALL: 407 846 0117

New Member & Quadrennial MLS Mobile Agent Code of Ethics Class Video Class TIME: 2:00PM - 3:00PM

TIME: 3:30PM - 4:30PM

Toastmasters TIME: 5:30PM - 6:30PM NOVEMBER 13TH NOVEMBER 7TH - 12TH

NAR Annual Convention INFO: www.realtor.org/ convention.nsf/ NOVEMBER 7TH

Complete Credit 3 CE Hours TIME: 9:00AM - 12:00PM

Advanced Financing 4 CE Hours TIME: 1:00PM - 5:00PM NOVEMBER 8TH

MLS Learn & Earn

TIME: 10:30AM - 11:30AM

MLS iMapp

TIME: 12:30PM - 3:30PM

Toastmasters

NOVEMBER 16TH

RPR: Real-Time Data, Market Knowledge, Informed Consumers (iCE)

TIME: 5:30PM - 6:30PM DECEMBER 11TH

MLS Learn & Earn

TIME: 8:30AM - 9:30AM

Professional Standards and AntiTrust Training

TIME: 10:00AM - 3:00PM All board members, professional standards, and grievance committee members must attend this training. It is also recommended training for committee chairs, vice chairs and any members wishing to serve as monitors for education classes.

Lunch provided.

DECEMBER 17TH

MLS Learn & Earn

MLS Learn & Earn

TIME: 8:30AM - 9:30AM TOPIC: Annual Membership Meeting

TIME: 8:30AM - 9:30AM

TIME: 5:30PM - 6:30PM

DECEMBER 5TH

TIME: 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM

NOVEMBER 20TH

MLS Compliance 101

TIME: 8:30AM - 9:30AM

MLS Adding & Modifying Listings

3 CE Hours TIME: 10:00AM - 1:00PM

Toastmasters

DECEMBER 18TH

NOVEMBER 19TH

Meeting the Needs of Challenging Clients

DECEMBER 10TH

DECEMBER 4TH

MLXchange Basic

TIME: 5:30PM - 6:30PM

TIME: 9:00AM - 12:00PM INFO: www.osceolarealtors.org REGISTER CALL: 407 846 0117

Toastmasters

4 CE Hours TIME: 9:00AM - 1:00PM

Toastmasters

Quadrennial Code of Ethics (iCE)

TIME: 5:30PM - 6:30PM

TIME: 8:30AM - 9:30AM

MLS Scheduling & Task Management MLS Learn & Earn TIME: 9:00AM - 10:00AM MLS Tools for Buyers & Sellers

Meets Code of Ethics Requirements but attendee will not earn CE Credit TIME: 1:00PM - 4:00PM INFO: www.osceolarealtors.org REGISTER CALL: 407 846 0117

DECEMBER 7TH

TIME: 1:00PM - 2:30PM

TIME: 3:00PM - 4:30PM DECEMBER 6TH

2012 Awards and 2013 Installation Luncheon TIME: 11:30AM - 2:00PM LOCATION: Osceola Heritage Park

*Offices will be closed November 22nd and 23rd, as well as December 24th and 25th 2012

C AN’T F I ND AN E V ENT YOU W I S H TO ATTEND ?

Your REALTOR® Advocates work hard at providing you with the most up to date info going on here at the association. We are still human and may miss something so, if you can’t find information that you need, let us know. We welcome your encouraging input.

Email: webmaster@osceolarealtors.com

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oscar Congratulates scholarship

Winners This past spring OSCAR Congratulations announced a scholarship competition to local high school seniors offering $1000 dollar awards to the three best essays to discuss the value REALTOR® Professionals contribute to our the winners of our community. These students were scholarship contest also judged based on scholastic merit. We would like to extend congratulations to the winners of this competition: Austin Baur, Heather Merritt and Tanner Mabry.

Read the winning essays here:

Austin Bauer Tanner Mabry and Heather Merritt

Austin Baur

REALTORS® bring a specialized skill set into society. They are able to use their valuable expertise of the market and insight into the industry to make buying houses, property, or storefronts easier for the general public. Having REALTORS® in our society is essential.

When I was younger, my family moved here to St. Cloud from England. That’s a big move, and finding a house seemed like an overwhelming task for my mom. My dad was still overseas, and my mom, sister, and I were back in the United States, but not living in Florida. My mom had only one week available to fly to St. Cloud and find a house. She contacted REALTORS® in advance to help her when she arrived. It was a fantastic experience! The REALTORS® drove my mom all around town, not only showing her house after house, but also familiarizing her with the community. The professionalism, skill, and efficiency of the REALTORS® helped her find the perfect house in less than a week! My mom would never have had such success and peace about her decision without the invaluable

Rebecca Chirillo presents winners Austin Baur and Heather Merritt with OSCAR Scholarship Awards..

help of her REALTORS®. After twelve years, my family still happily lives in that same house.

Without REALTORS®, buying and selling real estate could be a truly hectic experience, often resulting in bad financial decisions and legal headaches. Thankfully, REALTORS® most certainly provide a much-needed and trustworthy service to our community.

Tanner Mabry

If anyone has experience with the immense assistance given by realtors, it’s my family. We tend to have this odd habit of growing “bored” of our house so my parents call up our friendly, neighborhood realtor-man! My family has bought and sold seven pieces of real estate and through that we have realized that a realtor is in fact a hero, not to be taken lightly.

Whether buying or selling, realtors helped us find what

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In addition to helping buyers and sellers, REALTORS® help shape and promote community values, giving their time and effort to charitable causes we wanted at a cheaper price or helped us sell for more. It’s their duty to do so! And given their super powers, access to all properties for sale, and necessary information to come to their clients rescue, people should be running to realtors for safety from the evils of having to settle for real estate that doesn’t make them satisfied! Specific to my family, our most loyal hero (realtor) has saved us from the clutches of the short-sale serpent. In our last move we had looked at several houses and were fairly set on one in particular. However, before we had made any final decision we called our realtor. She swooped in just in the nick of time. She explained to us that the house was a short-sale which meant we may not take ownership for several months. Taking her advice we asked her for any better options for a new home. She daringly led us to our current home and within weeks we were able to move in.

Heather Merritt

The American Dream is a concept in which our freedom includes the opportunity for prosperity and success, and an upward social mobility achieved through hard work. Home ownership remains one of the signs of achievement of the American Dream. REALTORS® help families to find the right fit, show them options, answer their questions, and guide them home. REALTORS® can be counted upon to be honest and maintain high standards. They assist the family through the seemingly arduous process of loans, mortgages and title companies.

Studies have shown that home ownership can have a significant positive impact on educational achievement, civic participation, health and overall quality of life. Home is a place where memories are made, futures are planned and where we feel comfortable and secure. Home ownership not only benefits families, it also helps build strong communities and creates jobs.

Statistics show that for every two homes sold, one job is created; and that each home purchased pumps up to $60,000 into the economy.

In addition to helping buyers and sellers, REALTORS® help shape and promote community values, giving their time and effort to charitable causes such as the American Cancer Society’s Relay For Life. I met Ms. Marge Eddy, a local REALTOR®, through our mutual participation in the St. Cloud Relay For Life. Ms. Eddy has enjoyed being a REALTOR for nearly 30 years because...

“I contribute my success here at OSCAR to our company’s long standing commitment to service to REALTORS®! We offered OSCAR members $2000 in free accidental death insurance and a safe child kit at no cost for their family or their client.

We received over 300 responses from members in just two mailings. For us, that’s a number of leads to follow and a lot of people that we can help find security and protection for themselves, their families, and their clients!”

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5 TOP Reasons to

incorporate REPORTER: Peter Pappas

EMAIL: ppappas@pappaslaw.com

BLOG: www.pappastax.com

There’s been a lot of crazy talk lately among non-lawyer, non-CPA bloggers accusing lawyers and CPAs of advising their clients to incorporate merely to get additional fees.

These bloggers offer no evidence to support their claims and merely assume that because lawyers and CPAs sometimes incorporate their clients for a fee that they are advising them to incorporate for that reason alone.

This is a silly charge, of course, but it doesn’t stop these folks from spewing it. Let’s put this sucker to rest once and for all, shall we?

There are 5 indisputable advantages of the corporate or LLC form of business 1.

Credibility - Many vendors, customers and suppliers prefer to do business with entities that are incorporated or operating as LLCs. There is a good reason for this. Most legitimate and serious business entities operate as corporations or limited liability companies and there is a credibility gap in the marketplace between sole-proprietorships and corporations/LLCs.

2. Asset Protection - This is by far the most important reason why the small business owner should incorporate or form an LLC. Corporations and Limited Liability Companies are separate legal entities and, as such, the creditors of these companies can generally proceed only against the assets owned by them. In other words, the personal assets of the shareholders are insulated from liability for corporate debts.

3.

Tax advantages - IRS statistics show that it audits Schedule C businesses much more frequently than it does S Corporations and LLCs. This reason alone is sufficient to justify the additional costs and paperwork associated with forming a separate legal entity and filing its annual report and tax return. Also, operation as an S Corporation allows owners to distribute at least some of their business profits as non-self employment income thereby avoiding the 15.3% self-employment

tax to which all of the net income of a sole proprietor is subject.

4.

Insurance advantages - Because liability is limited only to corporate assets, insurance companies are able to insure incorporated businesses and LLCs at lower premium rates due to the lowered risk.

5.

Independent contractor status - Independent contractors who operate in the corporate or LLC form of business have a better chance of having their independent contractor status upheld by the IRS. Many independent contractors incorporate and then have

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“IRS statistics show that it audits Schedule C businesses much more frequently than it does S Corporations and LLCs. This reason alone is sufficient to justify the additional costs and paperwork associated with forming a separate legal entity and filing its annual report and tax return.” their businesses enter into written contracts with their customers. The corporation then pays the independent contractor some combination of wages subject to self-employment tax and distributions exempt from self-employment tax.

There is one dubious advantage of the sole proprietorship form of business: 1.

Short-term cost savings – The only advantage of operating a business as a sole proprietorship rather than a corporation or LLC is short-term cost savings.

And even this advantage is fleeting because failing to insulate yourself from personal liability by operating in the corporate or LLC form could in the long run end up costing the small business owner thousands , if not millions, of dollars and a destroyed credit rating. Failing to incorporate or operate as an LLC in order to save a few bucks is penny wise and pound foolish and many small business owners have been forced into personal bankruptcy because they did so.

Good lawyers/CPAs and un-enrolled preparers regularly give their clients advice in exchange for fees.

Here are some other things I advise my clients to do for which I obtain fees: 1.

Prepare a Will - Probably everyone in the work force should have a will, but definitely everyone with children should have one. We charge about $500 for a simple will, living will and durable power of attorney.

2. Reduce Agreements to Writing - The days of the handshake deal are long gone. I advise my clients to get their agreements in writing so that there can be no confusion about the obligations of the parties.

We get paid for drafting business sale contracts, employee and independent contractor agreements and covenants not to compete.

3.

Hire a Tax Preparer - If a taxpayer just has a W-2 and no other complicating transactions, I have no problem with them preparing their own tax returns. But if they itemize, have stock or asset sales or other items, I advise them to hire a qualified tax preparer to help them with tax planning and the preparation of their tax returns. Our tax preparation department charges anywhere from $150 for a simple return to several thousands of dollars for a complex return.

Incorporation/LLC fees do not convert good advice into bad advice.

I make my living giving people legal, accounting and tax advice.

When a person hires me to provide a professional service for them, the exchange can be summarized as follows: The client pays me a fee in exchange for my performance of a service.

Consequently, in much the same way an un-enrolled preparer benefits when a taxpayer hires him or her to prepare their tax return, I benefit every time a client hires me to provide a service.

I doubt that anyone would suggest that the un-enrolled tax preparer advises taxpayers to have a tax pro prepare their returns simply because he wants the fee.

There is a good reason for this: It is good advice to tell someone to have a tax professional prepare their tax return for them.

It is also good advice to tell small business owners not to operate their businesses as sole-proprietorships.

If it’s good advice, the fact that the attorney/CPA gets a fee for it is irrelevant.

In order for the accusation to stick that lawyers and CPAs advise their clients to incorporate because of greed, it must be proven that it is bad advice and not merely that the attorney or CPA gets a fee for it.

If this is all that were required to be shown, then we should also assign greedy motives to the surgeon who advises his patient to undergo surgery and the stockbroker who advises his client to have a diversified portfolio.

I have yet to hear a single compelling reason on why it is bad advice to tell small business owners to incorporate their businesses or form LLCs. It is wise to incorporate even if you do it yourself, which many of our clients do.

Florida, the state in which I practice, has an online incorporation website that allows most individuals to easily incorporate their own businesses.

For this reason many if not most of our clients now choose to incorporate or form an LLC themselves. We or an outside CPA are hired merely to make the appropriate tax filings and elections.

We are sometimes hired to do the corporation or LLC tax return; however, the preparation of those returns does not create a significant amount of additional work compared to the preparation of Schedules C (returns of sole proprietorships).

Regardless of whether we are hired to form the corporation or LLC, we advise our small business clients not to operate as sole-proprietorships.

“I have yet to hear a single

compelling reason on why it is

bad advice to tell small business owners to incorporate their businesses or form LLCs.”

Author Bio: Peter Pappas is a tax attorney and Certified Public Accountant. He and his firm, The Pappas Group, have been assisting both federal and state taxpayers with their tax problems for more than 25 years.

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OSCAR NEW MEMBERS AND SUPPORTED

New Member Orientation August 6th

The REALTOR Oath - I pledge myself to protect the individual rights of real estate ownership and to widen the opportunity to enjoy it.

School Board Member W

Clerk of Cou Rayelynn

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ORTED CANDIDATES FOR 2012 Election

Winner - Tim Weisheyer

urt Candidate n Ketchum

Osceola County Commissioner, District 5 Fred Hawkins

Florida House District 43 Candidate Art Otera

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Osceola Expressway Authority Presentation by Atlee Mercer

Kissimmee Commission Candidate and 2009 OSCAR President Jose Alvarez

City of Kissimmee Seat 3 Candidate Mike DeLong

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2012 Florida RPAC Trustee and CCIM President - Elect Ben Crosby

Osceola County Property Appraiser Katrina Scarborough

Osceola County Tax Collector Patsy Hefner

Osceola County Commission Candidate - Paul Owen

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TOP 10 Reasons

Google+ is better than facebook

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REPORTER: Kemp Howland, GRI

EMAIL: kemp.howland@gmail.com

When I joined OSCAR in 2002, AOL was the biggest thing on the internet. It had nearly 28,000,000 users, most of whom were paying a monthly subscription fee. Today, AOL has fewer than 4,000,000 users, with a large percentage of those paying for dial-up service. If you had dared to suggest in 2003 that AOL would be virtually dead in less than ten years, it would have been considered technological blasphemy. But here we are, and AOL is all but dead.

In August, 2003, the internet portal MYSPACE began accepting membership accounts. The 100 millionth MySpace account was created on August 9, 2006. In 2006, anyone suggesting that MySpace would become irrelevant would have been laughed out of the room. However, in 2008 Facebook surpassed MySpace’s 100,000,000 subscribers, and never looked back. By 2011, MySpace had dwindled to less than 30,000,000 users. So, here we are again, and MySpace is now a joke.

FaceBook was started in 2003 as FaceMash by Mark Zuckerberg and three fellow Harvard classmates. By 2008 it had eclipsed every internet site, and in 2012 Facebook has 845,000,000 million users, closing in on one billion! Facebook is now a publicly traded corporation, and the IPO made gazillionaires out of the founders and early supporters.

If we have learned anything in the past decade, it is this: the technology gets better over time, people’s habits change in a predictable timeframe, and something is out there, boiling and churning, waiting to take Facebook’s place.

to segregate your viewers by any imaginable criteria: business associates, buyers, sellers, family, friends, acquaintances, ex-wives and husbands, and on and on. You choose who sees what (and more important, who doesn’t!)

5.

With Google+ you can teach a class or have a social get-together via video. Google+ users who want to hold a mini-webinar with video can do so with very little effort.

Google+ calls these sessions ‘hang outs’, and they are super simple to initiate. As with all Google+ features, you control who is invited and their level of participation.

6.

Google owns YouTube®, which guarantees seamless integration of video for Google+ users. If you are not now using video in your practice of real estate, you will soon (or you will not have much of a business.) Postings on YouTube® are indexed by Google. So they show up in Google searches.

7.

Google+ encourages the posting of photos, audio podcasts, and the afore-mentioned videos. It functions like an über-blog. In fact, Google+ may be the next great blogging platform. It is especially well-suited to internal communication for the real estate broker. It is equally well-suited to dialogs with prospects and customers.

8.

Google+ is totally portable, and functions equally well on PC’s, notebooks, iPads, Droids, iPhones and whatever else may come along. Google+ is extraordinarily versatile.

9.

Google+ can easily integrate GoogleVoice, which offers (at no charge) a single telephone number which will screen your calls, let you know who is calling, and will automatically ring any or all of your telephones whenever you get a call. Google Voice is an amazing accessory for the working REALTOR®.

I’m betting it’s Google+.

1.

Google+ is owned and operated by Google, which is the de facto standard in web search and web indexing. The indexing is what determines where you rank in the searches. The more you are indexed, the higher your rankings.

2.

Posts on Facebook are not indexed by any search engine.

Posts on Google+ are indexed by Google. Posts are what you write. On Facebook posts are usually inane comments about someone’s new baby or a change in their dating status. On Google+ you will write about what you know. I’m thinking maybe your postings will be about real estate-related topics.

Can you see why this might help your business?

3.

Links on Facebook are not followed or categorized by Google, or any other indexing service. Links on Google+ are followed and indexed by Google. Every link you put in your posts gives you increased credibility with the search engines.

You are totally in charge of your own search engine optimization.

And it’s organic, so there are no fees. Put links in your posts and watch your search engine rankings go up.

4.

Facebook is sort of all-or-nothing in terms of who (‘friends’) can see your posts, photos, videos, etc. Google+ allows you

“Google+ is owned and operated

by Google, w hic h is t he d e fac t o standard in web search and web i n d e xi n g . T h e i n d e xi n g is w h at determines where you rank in the searches. The more you are indexed, the higher your rankings.”

10. There are very few ways to waste your time on Google+. There is no Farmville®, no Mafia Wars®, and no Zynga®. So far, Google+ is refreshingly devoid of mind-numbing, timewasting, moronic activities that keep REALTORS® from doing what they need to do: interacting with people who need to buy or sell real estate. As of now, Google+ is a fantastic tool which can help serious real estate professionals get the exposure they need with the people they choose.

Early adopters and visionary types are already joining Google+ by the millions. It’s just a matter of time before Google+ reaches critical mass and the inevitable tipping point, which will signal the preordained downward movement of Facebook. There is simply too much free stuff on Google+ for a conscientious business person to ignore.

The meteoric rise of Facebook is a precursor to its eventual demise. Nobody thought AOL would all but disappear. Nobody could have predicted how quickly MySpace would fall from favor. And forget about Delphi, Prodigy, Juno and PeoplePC. What goes up will come down. As sure as the seasons change, something will take the place of Facebook. For the foreseeable future, Google+ is the heir apparent.

Kemp Howland is a career-long member and former Director of OSCAR. He is the owner of Concordia Studios and is a managing partner at Abbey Road Realty, LLC.

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Global Influence

and real estate trends MEDIA CONTACT: Imran Mohamed

EMAIL: imrobin@earthlink.net

BLOG: www.osceolarealtors.org

To stay a step ahead of the competition in the global marketplace real estate professionals must keep abreast of changes taking place across world markets. In short; Sell locally,…Think Globally.

into a single global network, which - if politics and terrorism do not get in the way - could usher in an amazing era of prosperity, innovation, and collaboration, by companies, communities, and individuals.”

More than ever information technology, air travel, news reports, social media, etc. have enabled rapid and real time collaboration of global markets. Our world has shrunk tremendously and events that occur thousands of miles away can have immediate, significant impact on the viability of the market that you may be focusing on.

Take for example the “BRIC Countries” (a term coined

by Jim O’Neill, the Chairman of Goldman Sachs Asset Management); their recent economic growth is transforming their middle class and creating an upward mobility with an increasing appetite for U.S. real estate.

Markets are experiencing a phenomenon called Globalization which has brought about an increase in the flow of goods, service, capital, knowledge and people. According to Thomas L. Friedman, Author of The World is Flat, “It is now possible for more people than ever to collaborate and compete in real time with more other people on more different kinds of work from more different corners of the planet and on a more equal footing than at any previous time in history of the world.… We are now connecting all the knowledge centers on the planet together

Drawing from recent articles on Realtor.org: According to the 2011 NAR Profile of International Home Buying Activity, the Chinese were the second largest group of foreign purchasers of U.S. residential real estate in 2010, following Canadians, up from the fifth largest in 2007. They accounted for nine percent of total international sales of U.S. properties in 2010, or almost $7.4 billion. Working with Chinese buyers will be a new experience for many agents. But if Chinese interest in the U.S. market continues to grow exponentially, it could be the biggest opportunity of this decade.

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The value of the yuan has appreciated s t e e ply a g a i n s t t h e U . S . D o ll a r , gaining four percent in the last year, and over 20 percent in the past five years.

What are some of the issues that are driving this demand for US real estate?

•

Private property ownership is highly valued because in China, real estate is leased to the individual by the government through 50-year leases, which can be renewed, sold or passed down, but are ultimately still government property. Also, as of fall 2011, in an effort to cool the market and prevent a bubble, the Chinese government has put restrictions on buying real estate in country, accelerating overseas investment. The U.S. is especially attractive because our government protects individual property rights, and our political and economic environment is relatively stable. Other factors have come together to make U.S. property more desirable at this time:

•

Currency rates. The value of the Yuan has appreciated steeply against the U.S. dollar, gaining four percent in the last year, and over 20 percent in the past five years.

•

Inflation. The wealthy are keeping less cash on hand, and investing more overseas. Inflation has also pushed up prices for Chinese real estate.

•

Bargain shopping. Significant depreciation in U.S. properties translates into good values for Chinese investors. They expect the U.S. market to bounce back in the medium term, yielding high ROIs.

•

College. More and more wealthy Chinese are sending their children to universities in the U.S. They can buy property here to house their children and flip it later.

•

Status. Wealthy Chinese feel they are now “players” in the world economy. Owning luxury property in New York or Los Angeles is symbolic of this status.

•

•

Due to price appreciation in other high-end markets, including Canada, the Chinese see good value in the U.S., lower risk, and greater chance of higher returns.

Another example; for people of India’s richly complex culture, entrepreneurship has long been an important facet of upward mobility. Traditionally India’s tiny middle class was rooted in small business - solo or family operations in the trades or markets. Savings were scraped together to send family members to other parts of the globe where they often restarted their lives as entrepreneurs. Indian immigrants have flourished in the U.S. and Canada. Today they are the youngest, fastest growing, most highly educated and highly paid ethnic group. Meanwhile, back in India, the newly booming middle class have been saving at a staggering average rate of 35 percent of household income. Increasingly they invest abroad, and U.S. properties are attracting their attention.

As Indian investors flex their financial muscle globally, U.S. properties are coming into their headlights for a number of reasons: •

ROI: Prices have bottomed out in certain markets and offer a good probable return over the next five to seven years.

•

Safety: U.S. properties tend to have stable yields that should provide a hedge against inflation during global economic uncertainty.

•

Value: Residential and commercial properties in major U.S. cities.

Be it for the BRIC markets or other emerging economies such as Indonesia, Turkey, South Africa; by understanding and monitoring the forces that are driving these markets you can develop your own strategic plan to carve out your share of the market and grow or readjust your approach as needed.

How will your real estate business be affected if you knew that the Indian economy was slowing or if you knew that the Turkish economy is on the rise? As stated in a report dated 08/28/12 in emergingmarkets.org, Gross domestic product figures for India are likely to show more doom and gloom and a ratings downgrade is possible, economists say. Analysts’ expectations for India’s GDP for the second quarter, due to be released on Friday, do not paint “How will your an optimistic picture, with real estate business everything from exports to be affected if you knew domestic demand dragging the Indian Economy growth down. The forecast in a was slowing or the Reuters poll of economists was Turkish economy for 5.3 percent year-on-year GDP is on the rise?” growth for the second quarter in India, the same figure as in the first quarter, but many analysts are even more pessimistic.

Here are some great resources to help keep track of the global market.

• www.realtor.org/global • https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world- factbook/ • http://www.emergingmarkets.org/ • http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/ • http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/ • http://www.topix.com/world/brazil • http://riotimesonline.com/brazil-news/tag/brazil- news/# • http://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica

Become a CIPS (Certified International Property Specialist NAR Designation) and learn about the tools to help you become more proficient– Register at http://osceolarealtors.org/.

Next class to be held on October 31st, 2012 – Global Real Estate: Transaction Tools.

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OSCAR Member

demographics

OSCAR Members come from a diverse cultural background, representing countries from all over the world. The graphics shown here illustrate the demographical breakdown of our membership in terms of country of origin and native language.

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ABOUT THE GLOBAL ALLIANCE COMMITTEE Mission •

•

• •

•

To position Osceola County Association of REALTORS® members internationally as the most influential and authoritative representative of the Florida real estate business and profession.

To provide members with exposure within the international arena as well as an opportunity to be part of an international network that will generate business and contacts.

To open new international real estate markets for members.

To raise awareness among new members of the impact and opportunity of international real estate within local domestic markets and of the tools available to them to support this business while helping them recongize risk.

To minimize barriers to U.S. REALTORS® operating abroad and foreign investment in Florida real estate.

AT THE FLORIDA REALTOR CONVENTION

Global View • • • • •

From March 2010 to March 2011, International buyers made up $66.4 Billion in U.S. real estate sales.

From March 2011 to March 2012 that increased to over $82.5 Billion!

International clients accounted for 4.8% of total U.S. real estate sales.

62% of international buyers use cash to cover the full purchase price.

In 2011 the median price paid by international buyers was $315,000. This is $100,000 higher than the overall median sale price of existing homes.

The Florida Connection • • • •

25% of all sales in Florida are to foreigners.

19% of Florida residents are foreign born.

Florida is the most popular state for international students.

Why Florida? To be near popular vacation destinations, the weather, & the current prices all attract international buyers.

Osceola County & OSCAR • • • • •

Kissimmee is the 2nd most popular location searched on realtor.com by people in the U.K. and Puerto Rico.

Orlando/Kissimmee make up 14% of the Florida market for international home buyers.

45% of Osceola County households primarily use a non-English language.

Osceola County is the 17th fastest growing county in the U.S. Why OSCAR? Because our association has members from 54 different countres and speak over 30 different languages. We are proud of our diversity and can help you succeed on a global level.

Member Jason Daughtery Mans the OSCAR Trade Booth at the Florida Realtors Convention This Past August

OSCAR was proud to participate at the Global Alliance Committee during the 2012 Florida Realtors Convention in August. Jason Daughtery is shown here representing our committee during the conference. Also present were members: Imran Mohamed, Christina Daughtery, Pablo Campos, Olga Rocio Forero, Sylvia Trujilo, and Shelly Freeman. Thanks to all these outstanding members for representing our Association and helping make the event a resounding success!

The Global Alliance Committee brings together REALTORS® from all over the world to discuss pertinent Real Estate related matters, giving REALTORS® confidence in working with professionals that abide by a code of ethics. These bilateral partnerships exist in nearly 60 countries to help you establish business partnerships and referral opportunities.

OSCAR and the Global Alliance Committee are working to educate our members so they stand out on a global level.

That’s why we are working to bring the Certified International Property Specialist Designation classes to our members.

Why get the CIPS? So you can not only learn how to tap into this market, but instantly align yourself with the most influential network of international professionals.

Based on a 2008 member survey, on average, CIPS designees earn $50,000 more than members without it.

For info on CIPS classes, see page 31.

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MARKET

OSCEOLA COUNTY

DYNAMICS 2 years (monthly) - 7.1.10 to 7.31.12 key information Construction Type All

Osceola SFH Distressed vs.

Total Sales Units Sold

Bedrooms All

Bathrooms All

Lot Size All

Property Types Residential (Single Family Home)

Sq Ft All

This data is dependent upon timeliness of sales and totality of information reported by participants.

The data reflects only the sales published through the Mid-Florida Regional Multiple Listing Service (MFRMLS) and does not include all sales in reported areas.

Neither the Association nor the MFRMLS is in any way responsible for its accuracy.

Data: Total Sales = all MFRMLS Osceola Single Family Housing (SFH) & Planned Unit Development (PUD).

(SFH), (PUD)-REO/Bank Owned/Short Sale from Special Sale Provision.

Average Days on Market is: Days to Closed

supply & demand number of units (FS) Monthly Change -83.36 Monthly % -2.19 Total Change -2,000.73 Total % Change -52.54

FOR SALE -52.5%

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month’s supply of inventory (sold calculation) Monthly Change -0.19 Monthly % -2.25 Total Change -4.63 Total % Change -54.00

MSI SALE -54.0%

median price (sold) low, high, average, median Monthly Change 406.14 Monthly % .39 Total Change 9,747.38 Total % Change 9.33

FOR SALE 9.3%

OSCARAFFILIATES

028

professional

affiliates ADVERTISING/ PUBLICATIONS 20/20 Media Joel C. Davis 215 W. Donegan Avenue Kissimmee, FL 34741 T 407-908-3467 F 407-933-6488 Joel.Davis@2020mediaholdings.com

Guide To Homes, Inc. Rhonda Rogers 8297 Champions Gate Blvd # 381 Champions Gate, FL 33896 T 407-508-9899 guidetohomes@gmail.com HarmonHomes.com Pamela Cameron 4501 Hill & Dales Road NW Canton, OH 44708 T 813-681-5117 F 813-661-9036 harmonhomes.com PIP printing & Marketing Dale Bohman 929 W. Oak Street Kissimmee, FL 34741 T 407-847-5565 F 407-847-2698 dale@pipmarketing.com pipmarketinggroup.com The Real Estate Book Tammy Birchler 2305 New Point Parkway Laurenceville, GA 30043 T 407-581-1490 F 407-581-1491 tbirchler@nci.com

AGENT MARKETING SERVICES Concordia Film Studios Div. of Howland International, Inc. Kemp Howland 355 Falling Waters Drive Kissimmee, FL 34759 T 407-222-4847 kemp.howland@gmail.com concordiastudios.com

PIP Printing & Marketing Dale Bohman 929 W. Oak Street Kissimmee, FL 34741 T 407-847-5565 F 407-847-2698 dale@pipmarketing.com

Roland H. Acosta & Associates Roland H. Acosta

ATTORNEYS

CONSTRUCTION/REPAIR/ RENOVATIONS

Charles P. Castellon, P.A. Law Charles Castellon 14129 Town Loop Blvd, Suite 200 Orlando, FL 32837 T 407-851-0201 F 407-851-9411 ccastellon@centralflattorney.com

399 Carolina Avenue, Suite 210 Winter Park,, FL 32789 T 407-644-2531 F 407-628-9289 racosta@acostaatlaw.com

Property Preservation Experts John Canonico 1809 E. Broadway Avenue Oviedo, FL 32765 T 407-588-7443 ppexperts@gmail.com

Jose G. Oliveira, P.A. Law Office Jose G. Oliveira 121 S. Orange Ave Suite 1130 Orlando, FL 32801 T 321-445-9458 F 321-275-5054 jose@oliveiralawfirm.com

Servpro of Osceola County Dan Hougaard 1710 Kelley Avenue Kissimmee, FL 34744 T 407-933-0707 F 407-933-5014 dhougaard@servprooc.com

Law Office of Daniel Villazon, P.A. 1420 Celebration Blvd.

Celebration, FL 34747 T 407-483-0041 dvillazon@yahoo.com frecattorney.com

FINANCIAL SERVICES/ INSTITUTIONS

The Pappas Group Peter Pappas 4798 New Broad Street Suite #210 Orlando, FL 32814 T 407-648-2555 ppappas@pappaslaw.com Patricia L. Daugherty, Attorney at Law Patricia L. Daugherty 11 North Vernon Avenue Kissimmee, FL 34741 T 407-518-7674 F 407-932-4387 pld@daughertyyatlaw.com www.daughertyatlaw.com

Butler Mortgage Harry Urban 1012 W. Emmett Street, Suite B Kissimmee, FL 34741 T 407-931-3800 F 407-931-3801 hurban@butlermortgage.com Center State Bank Scott Johnson 920 North John Young Parkway Kissimmee, FL 34746 T 407-847-3800 F 407-847-8482 sjohnson@centerstatebank.com iCredit Solutions Ivette E. Olivo 1010 Plaza Drive Kissimmee, FL 34743 T 407-350-5177 F 866-466-2305 ivettecreditrepair@gmail.com

MoneyCorp, Inc Kelly Cutchin 7380 W. Sand Lake Road Suite 410 Orlando, FL 32819 T 407-352-5893 F 407-352-5893 kelly.cutchin@moneycorp.com

Qubty Financial Group David Qubty 7680 Universal Blvd., Suite 405 Orlando, FL 32819-8998 T 407-370-3030 F 407-370-2040 dqubty@qubtyfinancialgroup.com Qubty Financial Group Sami D. Qubty 7680 Universal Blvd., Suite 405 Orlando, FL 32819-8998 T 407-370-3030 F 407-370-2040 dqubty@qubtyfinancialgroup.com Trustco Bank Patricia Del Bagno 2300 Deer Creek Commercial Lane Davenport, FL 33837 T 863-424-9493 F 863-424-1449 pdelbagno@ branch.trustcobank.com trustcobank.com Trustco Bank Sarah Near 1525 East Osceola Pkwy Kissimmee, FL 34746 T 407-932-0398 F 407-932-0719 snear@branch.trustcobank.com trustcobank.com

HOME BUILDERS/ DEVELOPERS Harmony Development Tim Hultgren 3500 Harmony Square Drive West Harmony, FL 34773 T 407-891-2605 F 407-891-0459 thultgren@harmonyfl.com

OSCARAFFILIATES

029

Pilar Home Service Inc Peter Boorman 106 Haversham Way Davenport, FL 33897 T 863-420-3596

HOME WARRANTY First American Home Warranty Corp Leslie Zimmerly 3281 Settlers Trail St Cloud, FL 34772 T 407-902-5237 lesliez@firstam.com

INSPECTION SERVICES A.C.F. Home Inspections, Inc. Luis A. Figueroa 509 S. Chickasaw Trail Suite 118 Orlando, FL 32825 T 407-466-8921 F 407-381-5556 acfinspection@aol.com Amerispec Home Inspection Services Melinda Kalogridis P.O. Box 233 Eagle Lake, FL 33839 T 407-607-4302 mkalogridis@amerispec.net Amerispec Home Inspection Services Michael Woodard P.O. Box 233 Eagle Lake, FL 33839 T 863-287-6065 mkalogridis@amerispec.net Budget Services, Inc. Ed Hogan 3617 Crosley Avenue St Cloud, FL 34772 T 407-892-8811 F 407-892-8516 budgettermite@earthlink.net budgetservicesfl.com Chief Inspection Services, Inc Jeff Clair P.O. Box 700937 Saint Cloud, FL 34770 T 407-383-7241 F 407-891-7410 jclair@chiefinspections.com

Housemaster Home Inspections 527 Brack Street Kissimmee, FL 34744 T 407-343-4677 F 407-947-5354 cawilliams@housemaster.com osceola.housemaster.com Pilar Home Inspector Peter Boorman 106 Havensham Way Davenport, FL 33897 T 863-420-3596 Wayne Home Inspections Wayne C. Glover 1533 Trumbull Street Kissimmee, FL 34744 T 407-935-1127 F 407-935-1483 wayne.glover@netzero.net wayneshomeinspection.com ZAP Home Inspections Adrian Colon 1006 Eiffel Lane Kissimmee, FL 34759 T 407-870-2630 zap9@juno.com

PROPERTY MANAGEMENT Wayne Home Inspections Wayne E. Glover 1533 Trumbull Street Kissimmee, FL 34744 T 407-935-1127 F 407-935-1483 wayne.glover@netzero.net wayneshomeinspections.com

REAL ESTATE SCHOOLS/ EDUCATION

TITLE/ESCROW/INSURANCE SERVICES A-Z Team Title, LLC Bernard S. Edwards 102 Park Place Blvd.

Kissimmee, FL 34743 T 407-932-0529 F 407-932-1587 bernie@azteamtitle.com American Income Life Tracy Little 1200 Wooded Acres Drive Waco, TX 76797 T 321-436-1596 tlittle@ailife.com First American Title Deborah Dudley 1101 Miranda Lane, Suite 101 Kissimmee, FL 34741 T 877-833-1731 F 866-722-5957 ddudley@firstam.com Premier Title Services Eva Gordon 13538 Village Pk Drive, #170 Orlando, FL 32837 T 407-854-2115 / F 321-250-7857 Primerica Daniel Blackford 8803 Futures Drive Suite 6-A Orlando, FL 32819 T 407-585-0500 F 866-728-0293 drblackford@gmail.com

Quality Title & Escrow LLC Lisa Bennett 1801 Lee Road, Suite 205 Winter Park, FL 32789 T 321-304-3906 F 321-304-3009 lisa@qtefl.com Real Estate Closing Solutions Heidi Foster 7575 Dr. Phillips Blvd., Suite 140 Orlando, FL 32819 T 407-615-8550 F 407-615-8555 hfoster@recsfl.com Stewart Approved Title, Inc. Becky Sheive 1201 Emmett Street Kissimmee, FL 34741 T 407-846-7477 F 407-846-6573 bsheive@stewart.com Stewart Approved Title, Inc. Rayelynne Ketchum 1401 Budinger Avenue St Cloud, FL 34769 T 407-957-9000 F 407-957-8055 rwoeste@stewart.com

ADDITIONAL AFFILIATES B&W Mobile Auto Detailing, Inc Buster Lafauvre 564 Bitterwood Court Kissimmee, FL 34743 T 407-729-1378 F 407-348-4973 bwautodetail@aol.com

IFREC Real Estate Schools Richard Fryer 5029 Edgewater Drive Orlando, FL 32810 T 407-644-7277 F 407-647-5227 robin@ifrec.com

Integrity First Title Betty M. Dobbie 908 Mabbette Street Kissimmee, FL 34741 T 407-343-15600 F 407-343-1561 bdovvie@integrityft.com

ADT Security Services Kevin Maclean 6830 Shadow Ridge Drive Orlando, FL 32812 T 407-367-9223 kevinmaclean@adt.com

REALTOR速 SERVICES

First International Title Shelly Dukes 1101 Miranda Lane, Suite 113 Kissimmee, FL 34741 T 321-443-6901 F 866-326-2097 skiker@masontitle.com

Florida Cut Landscape Services Lisa Sweeney 5421 Harmony Lane Kissimmee, FL 34758 PH: 407-931-0912 Fax: 407-931-0912 lisasweeney@floridacut.com

Creating Wealth USA, LLC August Byllot P.O. Box 470654 Celebration, FL 34747 T 863-255-5858 augie@creatingwealthusa.com creatingwealthusa.com

REVIEWOSCAR

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NFERENCE & O C EX S PO R O T

2, 20 12

RE AL

®

OR ER LAN B DO • NOVEM

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Imagine what you can do.

Abracadabra!

Come unleash your real estate power at the 2012 REALTORS® Conference & Expo, where everything you need to succeed is right before your eyes.

Orlando is surprisingly affordable…

• Join 20,000 REALTORS® and guests in Orlando for the biggest real estate networking event in the U.S. • Learn new tricks to boost your business from 100 education sessions and 400+ exhibitors all under one roof.

• Spark your success and discover industry experts’ secret sales tips for today’s market.

• Turn your business trip into a family vacation—Orlando’s the city of fun and home to famous theme parks!

Connect with us and thousands of REALTORS® who will be in Orlando at:

twitter.com/narannual

facebook.com/narannual

Hotels start at just $69 a night. NAR offers discounted airfare for attendees. Plus, it’s a tax deductible investment in your career. And, four great registration options are available to fit your needs, schedule and budget: Full Conference, One-Day, Session Plus Expo or Expo-Only.

Sign up today at

www.REALTOR.org/Conference Register before August 15 to take advantage of early bird savings!

REVIEWOSCAR

031

International real estate opportunities are everywhere.

New people move to the U.S. from other countries every day and foreign-born individuals residing in the U.S. move to new markets. Americans in your current market invest in property overseas. No matter which international audience you cater to, the Certified International Property Specialist (CIPS) Designation will provide you with the knowledge, research, network and tools to globalize your business.

February 20, 2013

Asia/Pacific and International Real Estate

In this new world of globalized business, we are in contact with people from Australia, China, Indonesia, Japan, Taiwan, Korea and the Philippines. Their economies count on countries of the Americas and the Pacific Rim to provide access for their goods to our markets. We count on them supplying us with quality merchandise at reasonable prices and providing new markets for the products of the Americas. One such product is real estate. This course provides information, insights, and skills for working with Asian investors seeking overseas properties and for investors from the Americas seeking investments in Asia.

August 7, 2013

The Americas and International Real Estate

The Americas have experienced dramatic changes within the last few years. This course is designed to introduce real estate professionals to the basic skills and knowledge necessary to facilitate real estate transactions within the Americas by understanding regional differences.

As we explore the Americas, statistics will be used to compare individual countries, examine their patterns of growth and determine their investment potential.

Time

Each class will be scheduled from 8:30am-5:00pm and will earn students 7CEs

Where

1105 Shady Lane, Kissimmee, FL 34744

Cost

$99 for members and non-members, $50 re-audit Continental breakfast and lunch provided

Instructor

David E. Wyant Across Borders School of Real Estate CIPS, TRC, ABR, GRI, AHWD, e-Pro, SFR, CDEI™ Arello Certified Distance Education Courses David has represented multiple international corporations on every continent. He has lived, bought, sold property and operated his own company internationally. He is able to communicate his experiences effectively and welcomes the opportunity to share his knowledge with other professionals.

www.osceolarealtors.org

Real estate buyers or sellers from other parts of the world rely on the real estate professional’s guidance and market knowledge to make decisions. When distance, language, and culture figure into the transaction, the real estate professional’s guidance gains even more importance.

Conducting foreign transactions requires a real estate professional with a unique knowledge base and skill set. Knowledge of foreign markets, the metric system of measurement, varying tax laws, visa regulations, currency fluctuations from offer to closing, value concepts and compiling property data for decision making are all key pieces of an international transaction.

®

Global Real Estate: Transaction Tools

R

October 31, 2012

7ce ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS INC.

CIPS Certification Courses

OSCEOLA COUNTY ,

About CIPS

About CIPS

PRSRT STD U S POSTAGE PAID MID-FL FL PERMIT NO. 581

Osceola County Association of Realtors® 1105 Shady Lane • Kissimmee, FL 34744

welcome new

members Dulce Almanzar - Top Saving Realty Michael Amrich - Exit Realty Access Renato Andrade - One Way Realty, Inc. Claudia Arbelaez - Luxury Realty, Inc. Marcela Arbelaez - M Duran Homes, LLC Sandra Baker - Watson Realty, Corp.

Lauren Baptiste - La Rosa Realty, LLC Juan Carvajal - Urban Square Realty, Inc. Enaud Celestin - People’s Investment Realty, LLC Idarousse Charif - MCO Realty Lorraine Clouser - Weichert Realty Hallmark Pro Nora Colon - 365 Realty Inc. Allen Connell - Live Oak Realty, Inc. Don Desir - People’s Investment Realty, LLC Clermond Febe - Weichert Realty Hallmark Pro JoAnn Gonzalez - Weichert Realty Hallmark Pro Christine Herbert - Century 21 Lifestyles Julian Hernandez - Overton Realty, Inc. Edward Hodnovich - Watson Realty Corp Michael Levine - Certified Real Estate Investments Shelly Linder - La Rosa Realty, LLC Roberta Maia Pereira - Luxury Team of Florida Real Estate Brenda Moncada - Watson Realty Corp Richard O’Dea - Luxury Realty Inc. John Olivares - Sweet Homes Realty, LLC. Ygor Parades - Agent Trust Realty Zachary Parsons - Latitutde 28 Real Estate Broker Jaytik Patel - Keller Williams Classic II Realty Renee Perez - Exit Realty Access, LLC Eddie Ramos - WF Realty Corp Jacqueline Rocha - Overton Realty Inc. Nelson Roque - 365 Realty Inc. Linda Schindele - Zip Realty, Inc. John Smoley - Changing Latitudes Real Estate Services, LLC Jacob Sobelman - Prudential Results Realty Sharon Sobelman - Prudential Results Realty Caroline Taylor - Florida Horizons Real Estate, LLC German Uribe - Sweet Homes Realty, LLC Kristin Vander Snel - Live Oaks Realty, Inc. Gerald Zipp - Homestead Realty, Inc.

AFFILIATE

offices 20/20 Media ADT Security Services Amerispec Home Inspection Services B&W Mobile Auto Detailing, Inc. iCredit Solutions The Pappas Group, CPAs and Tax Attorneys Patricia L. Daugherty, Attorney at Law Roland H. Acosta & Associates, P.A.