Ticket Sales Take Off for ABoR’s Superhero-themed Trade Show
It’s time to don your superhero cape and purchase tickets for the largest real estate trade show in Central Texas. Realty Round Up, hosted annually by the Austin Board of REALTORS, will be held on Wednesday, October 22 at the Austin Convention Center. Advance tickets are $20 and include meals, admission to all program offerings and entry into three cash drawings. Enjoy a continental breakfast beginning at 8:30 a.m. before Innovative Solutions, Inc. President Jim Sherry delivers his keynote address on the future of real estate and the Multiple Listing Service (MLS) at 9 a.m. Exhibit hours
are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., followed by an after party from 4 to 6 p.m. Brush up on the latest industry news and learn helpful business tips at free seminars offered throughout the day, including “Tax Strategies for Real Estate Professionals” from 10:30 - 11:30 a.m. and “Risk Reduction Task Force” from 3 - 4 p.m. Mark Dotzour, chief economist at the Texas A&M Real Estate Center, will offer an “Austin Economic Update” from 1:30 - 2:30 p.m. Purchase tickets at www.abor.com/events/roundup.cfm or at the ABoR REALTOR Store. For more information, contact tradeshow coordinator Gina Willemsen at roundup@abor.com or 454-7636, ext. 1601.
Upcoming Events: SEPTEMBER 17 3rd Annual BBQ Bash & Elected Officials Appreciation Night HBA on Exchange Dr. - 6 to 9 p.m.
SEPTEMBER 18-19 Introduction: Commercial Real Estate ABoR Auditorium - 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. www.ccimtexas.com
SEPTEMBER 22 ABoR’s Town Hall Meeting Omni Austin Hotel/Southpark 8:30 to 11 a.m.
SEPTEMBER 25 WCR Networking Luncheon ABoR auditorium - 11:30 a.m.
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o ci a t e s i n a s sprogress
SEPTEMBER 2008 • VOL. 13 • ISSUE 5
Enjoyable. Entertaining. It’s all About You.
There’s still time to leave your mark on WCAoR’s new offices participating in a live auction at 7 p.m. on Sept. 25 and networking. “We are an educational leader in this area,” she says. where they can place bids on plaques to be placed over CONTRIBUTING WRITER the entrance of 12 public rooms, with minimum bids “People come from Houston ranging from $1,500 to $10,000. As families grow, they often turn toward larger and Dallas for our classes. We “There has homes to meet their expanded needs and it is no dif- offer so many that we can’t been a lot ferent with the Williamson County Association of hold them all in one place. of interest REALTORS. That family of REALTORS included Right now we are spread in the about 600 or 700 members just six years ago and has among four different sites.” plaques The new building will since doubled in size to more than 1,300. So in a sense, for the the group is letting go of its starter home and is mov- include a state-of-the-art kitchen and education center with an ing up. the REALExcitement was in the air as more than 50 people auditorium that seats 120 TOR café witnessed the recent groundbreaking of the new and features flat-screen because they building on Old Settler’s Boulevard, which at 8,000 TVs, video links and all the know a lot of square feet will be more than twice the size of the old latest technology tools. people will be “It is designed to help facility on Sam Bass Road. Members hope to occupy it As s o c iat io in those rooms members move forward in January. n Exe c u t iv C o c a n o ug e M a rg e h e r P t h and see it,” technology,” “It was time to move to a larger facility,” says Marge with u r n dirt a il li p s a n d h e ld at t h t the o Pre s id e s ite o f t h e ne w W f f ic ia l g ro u n d b re e n t G a r y Phillips says. Phillips, association executive. “Parking was a big Phillips says. a CA oR o f f ic e at 123 k ing c e re mo ny O The associaREALTORS also have issue. We could have remodeled but parking would ld S e t t le r’ s Blv d . tion is offering have remained a problem. This will be a great visible tended to use the current office as a social gathermembers several ing place, so members will be pleased to see the new evidence of an exciting future.” President-elect Barbara Wigginton says she is also building will include a REALTOR café, where they can other ways as well to make a contribution that will looking forward to having plenty of space for training use wireless internet and other technology to tend to serve as a lasting reminder of their participation in the their client needs while real estate profession and the future of WCAoR. Members can have their name engraved on a small or they visit with colleagues. Presorted Standard large brick that will be placed in the brick courtyard. A “That way they don’t U.S. Postage PAID have to run back to their wall of thanks in the lobby will feature an engraved Austin, Texas office in Florence, Taylor or plaque with the names of those who have made conPaid Permit #715 Leander,” Wigginton says. tributions to the construction of the building, as well as P.O. Box 81366 “And it is important for us those who wish to be patrons by making a contribuAustin, Texas 78708-1366 to maintain the family cul- tion greater than $500. “We are giving members every opportunity to help ture. We want members to know that when they walk build this building and leave their mark,” Wigginton in we know who they are.” says. “Some are even donating labor and fixtures. Members will have an There is a lot of excitement because people want to be opportunity to help a part of it as they watch it go up. We would love to Don’t forget: You can visit us online 24/7 at www.realtylineonline.com finance the building by have every member’s name somewhere.”
By Linda McNabb