Texas REALTORS® Leadership Program of CCAR

Dallas CRS Texas Hold'em Event

2010-06-08T08:34:00.000-07:00

Dallas CRS Texas Hold Em party
Benefitting My Friend's House & Promise House,
each of whom work with at-risk children

Friday, June 18th @ 7pm - 10 pm.
Collin County Association of Realtors - 6821 Coit Road, Plano

Join us for a great evening of poker and entertainment. Tickets will be on sale soon. All proceeds go to our two charites, My Friend's House and Promise House. Both serve children in crisis.

Where: Collin County Association of Realtors, 5821 Coit Road, Plano, Texas

Grand Prize: iPad

Prizes to be awarded for second and third place, too!
Player Tickets $40 -- Non-Player Tickets $10

Beverage Tickets $1.00 per Drink -- Beer, Wine, Water, Soft Drinks
_________________________________________________________

For tickets contact Jeannette Edwards - 214-455-2908 or Meredith Held 214-929-2601

LCAR Save the Dates........

2010-03-02T09:04:00.000-08:00

Howdy! Been a while since I made a post. I wanted to share some dates of our (Lake Cities Association of REALTORS - LCAR) 2010 events ....... Hope that some of you can attend at least ONE event in 2010....... I will in turn attend your events that you tell me about.......

March 19th Friday 8:30am - 11:00am Annual TREPAC Easter Basket Auction - Woodbridge Country Club in Sachse.

April 17th Saturday 8:00am - 12 noon Saving One Family At A Time - Smoke Detector Installation with Rowlett Fire Department.

May 10th Monday 12:30pm - 5:00pm Annual Golf Tournament at TopGolf of Dallas. Check out the latest craze in Golf at TopGolf. Any level of player from beginner to pro.

June 18th Friday 11:00am - 2:00pm TREPAC BBQ/Jail + Blood Drive. Location is LCAR 911 Main St in Downtown Garland.

I have flyers that I can email to you for any or all of these events....... thanks for reading my post and please pick at least one event to attend and mark your calendar. I hope your 2010 is off to a good start!

Dallas CRS January 2010 Lunch! This Friday -RSVP Today

2010-01-20T23:44:00.000-08:00

Dallas CRS January 2010 Lunch!
Guest Speaker Donna J. Merrill

RSVP by clicking http://www.bobmccranie.com/A55656/iamcrs.nsf/email?openform

Our first luncheon of 2010 will be Friday, January 22nd @ 11:30 am at Prestonwood Country Club

Our guest speaker will be Donna J. Merrill. As President and founder of Profitpointe Tax and Bookkeeping, Donna Merrill is excited to render her expertise to those who share her spirit and zest for achieving personal success.

Profitpointe Tax and Bookkeeping offers innovative ways to help you achieve your financial goals faster and to balance those goals with the enjoyment of life. Many small business people do not understand how to properly handle their record keeping so they can be legally compliant while paying the minimum amount of tax required by law. That's where Profitpointe is designed to help.

Profitpointe’s team of experts will take the time necessary to educate you to a new vision of choices attained through proper set-up and maintenance of your business entity structure, financial reporting, and tax reducing techniques.

Leadership --

2009-08-22T11:53:00.000-07:00

The key to successful leadership today is influence, not authority. ~ Kenneth Blanchard

Few people have influenced the day-to-day management of people and companies more than Ken Blanchard. A prominent, sought-after author, speaker, and business consultant, Blanchard is universally characterized by his friends, colleagues, and clients as one of the most insightful, powerful, and compassionate individuals in business today. Ken is one of the most influential leadership experts in the world and is respected for his years of groundbreaking work in the fields of leadership and management.

GREEN Realtors® - Environmental Real Estate Options for Existing Homes

2009-08-12T21:17:00.000-07:00

by Bob McCranie

I'm very happy to announce that I have been selected to teach a session at this year's Renewable Energy Roundup in Fredericksburg, TX this September. If things go as scheduled, my session will be on Saturday, Sept 26th at 5 pm.

GREEN Realtors® - Environmental Real Estate Options for Existing Homes

Building a green home is a dream of every environmentalist. But most of us live in existing homes that need improving. Over the last 6 years my partner and I have improved our home in Carrollton, TX adding a variety of green features to the property. By doing so, we have shaved 10,000 kwh off our annual electric usage, added 1200 gallons of rain water retention to property and recently installed solar water heating. We have had some experiments that haven’t worked and educated our city inspectors along the way. This presentation will share our successes and our failures in an interactive discussion.

Bob McCranie is a real estate broker in the Dallas area. He is one of the first 100 agents in Texas and one of the first 1,000 in the nation to earn the new GREEN Realtor Designation. As frequent participants at the Renewal Energy Roundup, Bob and his partner, Warren Sippel, have integrated green principles into our home, our businesses, and our family & friend’s homes and businesses. Bob McCranie has been a real estate agent since 2003 and have earned his Brokers license, and the GRI and CRS designations.

DFW HOMES UNDERVALUED

2009-06-05T23:16:00.001-07:00

DALLAS (Dallas Morning News) – Home prices in the Dallas area are almost 32 percent undervalued, according to an IHS Global Insight study.

The same study indicates that prices in DFW have remained virtually unchanged over the year ending with first quarter 2009.

Texas housing has traditionally been considered undervalued because of the ease of building in the state, said Jeannine Cataldi, senior economist with Global Insight.

Prices declined in 199 of the 300 markets surveyed.

SAT Smoke Detector Event CANCELLED

2009-04-17T12:41:00.000-07:00

Hello - rainy Friday afternoon! The LCAR / GFD / Habitat smoke detector event for SAT morning has been CANCELLED due to weather......RAIN date is not known at this time. Thank You and have a safe weekend. -rodney 214.597.5525

REMINDER

2009-04-13T15:26:00.000-07:00

Saving One Family At A Time (Community Service Project) is this SATURDAY - April 18th 8am - 12noon. Our group will meet at 1500 E. State HWY 66 Garland TX 75040 . T-Shirt & Lunch provided.

This is the event I volunteered us (TRLP3) for. The TRLP logo is on all the flyers and will be on 200 t-shirts. That costs $250. Several have commited $25. Some have sent $25(thank you Leisa & Mary N & Rodney). Please consider sending a check made to Habitat for Humanity today. And, join us if you have some free time SAT morning. NO physical labor involved - - we are working side-by-side with the Garland Fire Dept. and The Boy Scouts. I have the flyers IF you would like to see it. Email me for my address and I will send you the flyer. Thank you!

Class 1, 2, and 4 -- you are certainly welcome to attend as well. I just didn't want to ask you for $$$$$. : )

N.A.R. meetings in Washington DC

2009-03-23T14:19:00.000-07:00

Howdy! Anyone going to N.A.R. meetings in May in Washington DC?? I am going - looking for a male roommate. Thank you -Rodney 214.597.5525 or RodRowan@aol.com

New Incentives on Solar Water Heating!

2009-03-10T22:33:00.000-07:00

ONCOR ADDS INCENTIVE PROGRAM
DALLAS (Oncor) – Monday, Oncor expanded its solar energy initiatives to include the Take A Load Off, Texas Solar Water Heating Incentive Program.

Oncor’s Solar Water Heating Incentive Program offers cash incentives for the purchase and installation of qualifying residential solar water heating systems. Oncor expects to install about 1,100 new solar systems over the next four years through this $2 million program. Only homes served by Oncor and using electric water heating systems are eligible.

By preheating water with the sun’s energy, systems typically reduce the electricity required for hot water needs by 40 to 85 percent. Oncor will pay an incentive of $600 to $1,500 per installed system, based on the system’s predicted performance.
As a result of its 31 programs that encourage energy efficiency, Oncor will operate one of the largest energy efficiency initiatives sponsored by a regulated utility in Texas.

For more information on the Solar Water Heating Incentive Program and other Oncor energy efficiency programs, visit http://www.oncor.com/electricity/teem/default.aspx.

GREEN Presentation Tomorrow - March 4th - WCR Dallas!

2009-03-03T18:11:00.000-08:00

Women's Council of REALTORS

Wednesday, March 4 2009 - 11:30am - 1:00pm
-----------
Dallas Athletic Club - 4111 LaPrada in Mesquite

Presenter: Bob McCranie
Let's All do our Share to Go Green!
*Tips on small steps to take
* What can we do in our own homes

NAR Launches 'Green Designation"

Realtors! Did you know that National Association of Realtors has launched a green designation? THis is a perfect opportunity to get a head start on what issues are at hand and how we can do our part to help. Many consumers are asking questions and now, you will be the expert.
Call or log on to NAR for more details.

Community Project---SMOKE ALARMS

2009-02-16T14:47:00.000-08:00

Howdy TRLP'ers ........ specifically TRLP 3........ but 1,2, and 4 are welcome to read this post as well. This is Rodney Rowan over here in the Lake Cities area of town (Garland,Rowlett,Rockwall)......I attended a meeting the other day concerning a public service project INSTALLING SMOKE ALARMS alongside the Garland Fire Department & the Boy Scouts........ they are asking for SIX different groups to sponsor a small portion of the costs. I VOLUNTEERED TRLP to $250. The date is April 18th and again in October. For the $250 we get 1) a chance to volunteer and walk the neighborhood - no hard work involved 2) the TRLP LOGO on 200 shirts and 3) a FREE lunch those 2 days. I hope that YOU will consider donating a small amount of money and maybe even some of your time in April & October. Email me direct at RodRowan@aol.com for questions/comments/concerns. Thank you for your kind consideration..............

On-Line News

2009-01-17T12:07:00.000-08:00

On this coming Tuesday at noon, the National Association of Property Managers will host their first on-line e-chapter meeting. We have at least three TRLPers that are members of NARPM and we have 100 folks signed up to be in this webinar (wow). I am Vice Chair of this new E-Chapter for the National organization, as well as serve on the National Professional Development Committee and I am excited about this prospect and the knowledge to bring these type meetings and the "webinar" to our organizations and groups.

I am your Chair of the Property Management Committee for CCAR and we will meet that same morning after the MLS networking meeting. Please join us.

You keep hearing about Facebook. My last post brought several more folks into facebook. Find some time and explore the communication of "now" and the "future". The networking, finding folks your connected to in all walks of life, and the opportunity to let folks know who are, and to build your business is huge.

Be Cnya Dave Christensen

SAVE THE DATE!

2009-01-16T12:50:00.000-08:00

Hi everyone,

SAVE THE DATE BELOW! I'll have more event details and ticket information in the coming weeks for those interested in attending.

Gigi

HIGH ROLLER CASINO PARTY FUNDRAISER

Benefitting the SPCA of Texas

Hosted by Titan Home Theater in Plano

Thursday, March 5
6:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.

Casino Tables
Hors d'oeuvres & Cocktails
Silent Auction
Art Gallery
Door Prizes
Movies & Games

CCAR Installation...............

2009-01-08T12:32:00.000-08:00

Thursday 236pm Just returned from the installation - congrats Dan Robertson 2009 CCAR President. TRLP III was mentioned a couple times...... for the GREEN Program (thanks BOB) ....... Coyle passed off his last year Affiliate of the year award to MARY NELSON..... congrats Mary ..... and, our very own Larry Millson WON the New Orleans trip !!!! Hope to see some of you Friday night at Poor David's to support Dave on the NEW CD release..... Rodney & Jill will be there.

Happy New Year

Time to sign up for TAR Winter Meeting if you're going!

2008-12-19T11:54:00.000-08:00

I just signed up to go back to the TAR Winter Meeting on February 20-24th. Is anyone else going? Winter Meeting is FREE to members of TAR and I also signed up for the additional Professional Standards meeting on Friday for $75.

Let me know if anyone else will be there. Sign up at http://www.texasrealtors.com/web/79/wter_09/

Facebook - You need to do it

2008-12-16T09:46:00.000-08:00

As we settle into the holidays and have some time for ourselves I highly recommend TRLP members who are the walking the walk of leaders get their facebook profile up. It is one of the things you need to do for your career and your self to get connected to the industry and friends. Here is my profile link to help you immediately find folks to add to your network and through them you find many others you know. I created a group today for TRLP members who are already there (quite a few). Search TRLP in groups and distinguish the CCAR one. You can also check the other groups I belong to. Have fun facebooking. Its cool.

Remember my CD Release Party is Fri Jan 9th at the Premier Dallas Club for Original Artists, Poor Davids Pub. I am the Songwriter and Singer for the band and hope you will come and support my music efforts. You will really enjoy this CD. It is another compilation of years worth of writing. All you folks have a great Holiday if if don't get to see you in pertzon before then.

Daves Profile on Facebook and also solepoets.com ("Place in the Sun" from the new CD is posted there, click listen)

Remembering Highland Homes During the Holidays

2008-12-11T14:53:00.001-08:00

Hi everyone,

Jean Ann Brock's office address is below. I would like to encourage all of your to send her a holiday/Christmas card thanking her and Highland for their support for the TRLP program.

We are hoping to plan some fun events with Highland during the month of February as a way to show our appreciation for their sponsorship of the TRLP program for the past 4 years.

Thank you in advance for your participation!

Gigi

Ms. Jean Ann Brock
Highland Homes
5601 Democracy Dr., Ste. 300
Plano, Texas 75024

I'll be home for Christmas...if you'll take me!

2008-12-04T12:37:00.000-08:00

Please pass this along to anyone you know who may be looking for a Christmas puppy.

From Tracie: Yesterday afternoon (12/01/08), around 5:00 PM, the children and I went to the park. There was no one else there, probably because it was rather chilly. We played around some trees, not yet going to the playground equipment. After about five minutes, a little puppy wandered over to us. As we picked it up and talked to it, another one wandered over! Then I saw a third! Which led me to walk around and see TWO MORE!!! FIVE PUPPIES shivering in the cold! There were six total, but one had already died. I looked around a bit for a mother dog, but I was pretty sure since one puppy had already died that these guys had been abandoned at the park. So. . .what to do but load them up into the car and bring them home! And now, I hope that anyone who can will take one, because we seriously can't keep five dogs! There are four females and one male. :-) If you can't take one (or two), then tell your friends, please! Thanks! Two of them look like they MIGHT grow up to be small-to-medium in size (their paws are bigger than the other dogs' paws). The other three look like they should be pretty small. They can call my cell number at 817-733-0270 (Tracie) . Please tell them to feel free to text and/or leave a message (if I don't answer when they call). Also, they can email me with any questions. . .if they want to know if one is reserved or outgoing, etc.

Thank you!

Awards and Accolades

2008-12-04T12:12:00.000-08:00

Hi everyone -

Congratulations are in order for Dave Goff and Sally Bartz from Class II, and Rodney Rowan from Class III

At the WCR Installation this morning, Dave was named WCR 2007 Affiliate of the Year, and Sally was named WCR 2007 REALTOR of the Year!!!

Rodney Rowan from Class III was named REALTOR of the Year at the WCR Metro East Installation last night!

Lake Cities Installation.............

2008-12-04T12:07:00.000-08:00

Not everyone received a personal invitation to our (LCAR) installation next week....... So, I wanted to post this for all to see....... hope you can make it....... The Special Events Center is a short hop from CCAR off 190 in Garland.

Lake Cities Association of REALTORS request the honor of your presence at the Installation of the 2009 Officers & Directors And the Presentation of the 2008 Awards.

Wednesday, the 10th Day of December, 2008

Special Events Center - 4999 Naaman Forest Blvd. Garland TX 75040

11:30 Luncheon

$35.00 Per Person/Business Attire

RSVP - LCAR 972.276.1139 credit cards accepted over the phone.....

Thank You
Rodney Rowan, REALTOR
Coldwell Banker Apex
214.597.5525
TRLP III Graduate

TRLP Alumni Recap

2008-11-03T17:45:00.000-08:00

I have been hearing about an Alumni group being needed for 3 years and we had the initial meeting of current and past TRLP participants at the Titan Home Theatre facility which was an excellent venue to watch a pathetic Dallas Cowboy effort...it will take more than Romo to make the playoffs this year !
We had plenty of food and not enough people but then again it was another beautiful fall day in Texas.
Would anyone be interested in a Spring Potluck at my Ranch ? We can ride horses or just brush 'em and feed 'em if that is more enjoyable for you. We can fish in the stock tank, mess with the cows and donkey....or just relax in the peace and quiet of the country, tell stories, drink wine, beer, iced tea or cold drinks and feel the sun on our faces or sit in the shade of the pecan or mesquite trees.
You can come naked or in your overalls...but if you're over 40, I'm really thinkin' you oughta wear something so we can all maintain our appetites !! Nah, I reckon everybody needs to be dressed cuz I don't want to scare the animals !!
Anyway, something to think about and we can RECYCLE all of our stuff to maintain the integrity of Class III's project and to keep my ranch clean too !!
I hope everyone is doing well and Class IV just had their retreat at Spirit of the West in Tioga,Texas with TRLP Grads Tim Lansford, Sally Bartz and Dave Christiansen leading work sessions and I facilitated the first day...so if you have the desire to continue to participate in TRLP, give me a call and we will fit you in to a session when possible !
Take care and enjoy the Fall season.

Bob's Renewal Energy Roundup Update

2008-09-30T00:47:00.000-07:00

Renewable Energy Roundup September 2008

We went to the Texas Renewal Energy Roundup in Fredericksburg, TX this September and I wanted to give everyone a chance to see what was there. This information is not presented in any order of importance. I simply wanted to document as much as I could.

Texas-Wide Projects & Information

Texas has the most wind-produced energy in the United States and is far outpacing the rest of the nation. Pretty soon Texas will generate 15% of its electrical needs from wind alone. The state is building transmission lines to West Texas to get this power to the grid. We are on a good path to be a leader for wind energy.

As for Plug-In Hybrids and Electric Cars -- 2010 should be the year of the electric car and plug-in hybrids. You drive the car as usual, but when you get home, you plug your car into a standard 110 outlet and give it 3 or 4 hours to recharge. There is a small gas recharging engine allows the car limitless range, but the plug-in feature allows for rapid recharging at low electric rates. "Smart Chargers" will be available for home installation which will allow utility companies to limit when cars can be charged on the grid. There is a lot of extra capacity in the evenings and nights. It's estimated that the current electrical grid could accomidate 115 million cars at off peak times.

A standard gas cars produces lots of CO2, about 275 parts per million. Hybrids produce about 170 ppm. Plug in hybrids recharged using electricity from a coal-fired power plant equates to 190 ppm. But Plug-in Hybrids recharged on natural gas powered electrical plants only equate to 65ppm. So the coal fired plants are a necessity but they still have a ways to go to help the air quality. If we get the wind plants up and going at full speed, we can drive that down to zero.

Projects For Your Home

Solar Water Heating

A solar water heater has two basic elements. The Solar Collector which heats up the water and a holding Tank that holds it. The Solar Collector can heat the water directly or it can heat a water & anti-freeze mixture that is then used to heat the water. These are very efficient systems and they are used all over Europe and the Middle East. According the one of the speakers, similar systems were used up until the early 1900's when electric companies gave away free water heaters so that families would use electricity.

There are two versions of the Solar Collector that are popular. One is a flat panel, the other is vacuum tubes.

Flat panels are dark glass panels with copper tubes running through them. The disadvantages are that the panel is less effective when it's not aimed directly at the sun. As the sun travels across the sky, the panel loses effectiveness. Plus, if there's a hail storm, one hit to the panel will take down the system. (both systems are designed to take a 1" hail storm hit).

Sunrise Solar

www.SolarTexas.com

The Vacuum Tube system has 10, 20, or 30 vacuum tubes each with a metal rod that heats up and then transfers that heat to the top of the rod and heats the water. The advantages are that no matter where the sun is, the tube is just as effective and even if one tube gets broken, the rest of them stay active. Both of these systems are around $6000. But with the 1/3 tax credit you get for renewable energy options, the cost is reduced to around $4,000.

Clean Energy

www.CleanEnergyServicesLLC.com

Home Wind Solutions

	This is a vertical axis wind system. The advantages are that they work in lower wind speeds and they catch the wind from any direction. They are also very quiet compared to standard turbines. You can also put 2 or 3 on the same tower which can be a great cost savings. We will be getting a bid on this system for our home in a few months.
	This is a new system called a wind ball. Again, because the fan blades are folded back, they are very quiet. We will consider this one but we like the idea of being able to mount several turbines on one pole.

Rain Water Reclamation

This is a project we completed this year. In essence you gutter your roof line and divert all water into tanks & barrels, saving that water for yards, pools, and outdoor use. Or you add purification and pumps and you use it for potable uses.

In a 1 inch rain, a 1000 square foot house can gather around 600 gallons of water. If you have a one story home with 2000 square feet of living space, you would get 1200 gallons in a 1 inch rain.

	If you're using the water for outdoor uses, you can get by with rain barrels. There are many to choose from or you can even build your own with some screens and hoses. This barrel is one of the most expensive I've seen but it has large capacity. It's available from www.RainFilters.com.
	This is a 300 gallon "Ong Jar" that is a beautiful way to hold water on your property. They are much more expensive than most but they are pretty. There are much cheaper ways to do this. Rain water reclamation is something city folks can do easily.

A Different Water Fountain

This water cooler requires not water hookup or tanks. This is a dehumidifier with

at special coil that keeps the water from tasting metallic. This system only

requires a little electricity and provides cool water in return.

Solar Ovens

Basically, these are Crock-pots powered by the sun.

Solar ovens use the sun to cook food at temperatures over 200 degrees. There are several varieties and options...you can even make one yourself out of your windshield sun screen. I purchased one made of recycled water bottles and I'll let you know how it does. Basically you load it with your cooking pots in the morning and face it towards the sun. About 4 or 5 hours later things are done.

Hydrogen Fuel Cells

This is a small Hydrogen Fuel Cell experiment put on by the Texas State Technical College of Waco. They had this same exhibit last year but it's interesting to watch a working fuel cell. We are not expecting to see production fuel cells for several years unfortunately.

Counter Tops & Floors

Flooring made of Cork and Bamboo are popular in the renewable community. Both are easily available. Cork is made from tree bark and bamboo grows like mad so it's easy to harvest and replant. This vendor also had American Hardwoods. When I asked him about these he said that since the American furniture industry has collapsed, there's no use for the timber. So consider that too. I personally love the bamboo product which looks so much like traditional hardwood. I just don't know if today's consumer is ready to see cork floors. You decide.

	Eco-Wise Environmental Remodeling & Construction www.EcoWise.com Counter tops made of recycled glass Natural Formica...no oil or plastic products

Concrete Counter tops

contact www.element7concretedesigns.com

Building Supplies

	This is an aerated concrete product. They pump oxygen into the concrete making it lighter and using less for the same space, but it's incredibly strong. See pictures of nails in the blocks. Xella- Charles J Smith www.xellatexas.com Charles.Smith@xella.com
This is a different construction method where Styrofoam forms are set with rebar and then concrete is poured into the form. These walls are very well insulated and extremely strong.

Solar Attic Fans

Solar Attic Fans can be installed on your roof and then they cost you nothing to run for the life of the fan. There were two vendors selling products at the Roundup.

www.air-streamservices.com

www.Solatube.com

Residential Photovoltaic Packages

This is what everyone thinks of with solar energy. The sun hits the panels, releases electrons and they flow down and provide energy to your home. Okay, there's a bit more to it but that's the overview. These cells are still very expensive and will most likely only provide a portion of your electric needs. Your first job should be to reduce your needs by doing an energy audit and taking steps to conserve. Solar works well in combination with wind energy so that both can work together. We're hoping that in the next few years cells will be reduced. Also, tax credits for solar and wind are available but only cover 1/3rd of the costs.

BioDiesel

Laugh all you want, this is a growing market. Many people are running their large trucks on used cooking oil. People at the fair were selling stills you could use to clean and convert the oil in two or three simple steps. Getting the oil for little cost, if any, and then putting it in your tank is a big cost savings. Old Volvo and BMW diesels are being sold for good money these days. Check out www.BioDiesel.org

Home Builders

Solluna Builders - www.SollunaBuilders.com

Afordable Steel Home Builders - www.AlfordSteelHomes.com

Earth Sheltered Homes - www.EarthShelteredHome.com

Energy Audits of your home

www.SRE3.com They will help you determine what elements of your

Electric Inverters and Meters

ExelTech - www.Excltech.com

Paints

Green Coat Interior Paint Systems has Zero VOC (volatile organic compounds) by Kelly Moore Paints

Congratulations from Kay

2008-08-26T08:13:00.000-07:00

TRLP III Class, Legacy Project Chairperson, SHELLY ROGERS, & BOB MCCRANIE, Green Project Chairperson:

Congratulations to ALL for winning an award that ultimately affects everyone's environment and for planting the seeds for futuristic thinking for efficiency and improvement of everyone's quality of life, for today and tomorrow.

Thank you for embracing the project as a Team effort and for implementing the details.

And to MARY LEIDY, thank you for entering CCAR for the award. The recognition for our Association sends a positive, pro-active message to our communities/clients that we serve.

Together, we make a difference!

Kay Wright
President Elect

Green Contest Winners

2008-08-26T08:11:00.000-07:00

Hi All,

I entered CCAR in the North Texas Corporate Recycling Association 2008 Green
Award. Celebrating efforts to reduce, reuse, and recycle.

We won for Sustainability!! :)

* Sustainability is an approach to decision-making that integrates
environmental and social concerns into business and economic decisions;
considering more than cost, performance and aesthetics. Distilled to
its very essence, the core issues are long term durability, increased
utilization of limited resources and waste reduction.

Congrats to the TRLP Class III for an outstanding Legacy Project!!

"Helping to provide the tools and resources for our Members to
succeed"

Mary Leidy, e-PRO
Chief Operating Officer/Acting CEO
Collin County Association of REALTORS, Inc.

REALTOR Rodeo.............

2008-07-17T07:33:00.000-07:00

2008 Best of the West REALTOR Rodeo - Family/Kid Friendly Event

August 16, 2008 (Saturday ) 4p - 10p

Ft. Worth Stockyards

Adults $35 (parking, dinner, Rodeo). After-Party at Billy Bob's $10.
Rodney has TICKETS & information IF you know someone that would like to advertise....... 4 Levels of advertising - $2500 to $250.

This is a public Rodeo with bull riding, roping, calf scramble for the kids and approximately 50 REALTORS will be the intermission entertainment. Rodney Rowan 214.597.5525

Red, White & Green!!! Update on the Green Project

2008-07-04T12:32:00.001-07:00

Hello TRLP folks

Well, I did another presentation, this time out at the Lake Cities Association of Realtors. It went really well thanks to Rodney's planning. I am still willing and happy to do more of these presentations so please help me book places.

We got our rain water reclamation project nearly finished. We guttered the whole house and we went from one rain barrel to three barrels and two 330 gallon tanks (they were formerly Hawaian Punch Fruit Box juice holders that we found at a feed store.

I'm still working on the micro-turbine electric generators. I've spoken to two electricians who think it's not a serious system so I'm still considering what to do.

Hope you are all doing well. Sorry I missed the graduation. I hope you guys can come to lunch on the fourth Thursday of each month at Cantina Laredo (Tollway & Trinity Mills).

IRS Increases Mileage Rates through 12/31/08

2008-06-26T12:47:00.000-07:00

IR-2008-82, June 23, 2008

WASHINGTON — The Internal Revenue Service today announced an increase in the optional standard mileage rates for the final six months of 2008. Taxpayers may use the optional standard rates to calculate the deductible costs of operating an automobile for business, charitable, medical or moving purposes.

The rate will increase to 58.5 cents a mile for all business miles driven from July 1, 2008, through Dec. 31, 2008. This is an increase of eight (8) cents from the 50.5 cent rate in effect for the first six months of 2008, as set forth in Rev. Proc. 2007-70.
In recognition of recent gasoline price increases, the IRS made this special adjustment for the final months of 2008. The IRS normally updates the mileage rates once a year in the fall for the next calendar year.

"Rising gas prices are having a major impact on individual Americans. Given the increase in prices, the IRS is adjusting the standard mileage rates to better reflect the real cost of operating an automobile," said IRS Commissioner Doug Shulman. "We want the reimbursement rate to be fair to taxpayers."

While gasoline is a significant factor in the mileage figure, other items enter into the calculation of mileage rates, such as depreciation and insurance and other fixed and variable costs.

The optional business standard mileage rate is used to compute the deductible costs of operating an automobile for business use in lieu of tracking actual costs. This rate is also used as a benchmark by the federal government and many businesses to reimburse their employees for mileage.

The new six-month rate for computing deductible medical or moving expenses will also increase by eight (8) cents to 27 cents a mile, up from 19 cents for the first six months of 2008. The rate for providing services for charitable organizations is set by statute, not the IRS, and remains at 14 cents a mile.

The new rates are contained in Announcement 2008-63 on the optional standard mileage rates.
Taxpayers always have the option of calculating the actual costs of using their vehicle rather than using the standard mileage rates.

Call for TRLP Graduates to Respond

2008-06-26T10:56:00.000-07:00

Please this is a call for testimonials for the Texas Realtors Leadership Program, and a call for you to recruit new candidates for "Class IV". Please send your summary, testimonial, statements, memories, recommendations, thoughts and praises, so they can be collected into a promotional presentation in the interest of new candidates for Class IV. Your contributions will be greatly appreciated by the program, and time is of the essence. The deadline for new applications is July 31st, so each of you please find a recommended candidate. Please send your contributions to the webmaster and please send your candidates here to get an application and to view the presentation.

The link for the application is in the link list on this blog or on the Home site

On May 27, 2008, NAR and the U.S. Department of Justice......

2008-06-26T10:49:00.000-07:00

On May 27, 2008, NAR and the U.S. Department of Justice reached a favorable settlement concluding a two-year DOJ investigation (followed by two and a half years of litigation) regarding NAR's multiple listing policy as it pertained to the display of listings from the MLS on brokers' virtual office Web sites, or VOWs. A brief settlement summary

NAR/DOJ Settlement - A conversation with Saul Klein and John Reilly.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3F7L8gtujCw

U.S. Department of Justice's decision to sue NAR

2008-06-26T10:47:00.001-07:00

U.S. Department of Justice's decision to sue NAR over its new policy governing the display of multiple listing service data on Internet Web sites - a brief history of the NAR/ DOJ lawsuit by Saul Klein and John Reilly.

Lawsuit History - Part 1

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wPTV5SAat6A

Lawsuit History - Part 2

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mi6D7Xg0jhk

SAVE THE DATES.........

2008-06-10T12:42:00.001-07:00

Congrats Coyle, Dave, Diane, Joey, Matt, Leisa, Tony, Mary, Bob, Larry, MaryN, Cheryl, Wade, Russ, Susan, Shelly, Cheryl S, Bob S, Marybeth, & June ! ! ! ! !

Here are some dates to remember......... please feel free to share your important dates with me ........ hope to see you soon .......and/or see you in San Antonio in September.

June 11th Ft.Worth AOR 90th Birthday w/Charles McMillan in attendance. 5pm

June 20th Lake Cities AOR TREPAC Jail/BarBQue Downtown Garland 11a-2p. I need your support.....cost is $25 .....IF you cannot attend, please consider mailing in BAILMONEY to bail ME out of JAIL. You get TREPAC credit just include your license number on your check. THANK YOU!

June 25th Lake Cities AOR Going GREEN with Bob McCranie presentation at MLS meeting Downtown Garland at 830am

July 2nd WCR Metroeast presents PAT ZABY luncheon $20 11:30 at D.A.C.

August 16th REALTOR NIGHT at Ft Worth Stockyards **RODEO** Join CCAR, LCAR, and other associations for a great night of FUN. This is a TREPAC event. Ticket includes parking, dinner, auction, and RODEO. 5pm - midnight

September 6th - 11th TEXAS REALTORS Convention and Trade Expo In San Antonio. TexasRealtors.com

Press Training Pays Off

2008-05-11T17:22:00.001-07:00

Many of you know I have volunteered my time night & day to work on the campaign of Mayor Becky Miller of Carrollton. I love this lady and believe in her completely. Last night she lost her re-election bid, due in large part to the inability to handle the press.

Her opponent thought she was lying about elements of her personal life that had nothing to do with her time in office. She didn't feel it was his business at all. But he's a smug, arrogant man who wasn't going to be denied, so he got the Dallas Morning News interested in the story. When the reporter called and asked her for specific details, she knew Ron Branson was behind it and refused to work with the reporter and instead told the reporter to go find the information herself. Major mistake. Obviously you want to work with the press, not against them. She was simply trying to not give Branson the information he wanted but instead gave the reporter a reason to dig in deep.

The article that was written did not have any supporting documentation and input from the Mayor's daughter that verified her story did not appear. The article was completely one-sided and made the mayor look horrible. The afternoon that the article hit, her team got together and that's where the TRLP training paid off. In two hours we had a statement written, four news networks on her front yard with cameras and mics, and a candidate dressed, prepped and ready. We held the Mayor to the statement and didn't allow probbing, invasive quesions and passed out copies of the statement to the press. That evening the only thing the reporters could quote was what we gave them. We controlled the message.

For the next 4 days between the inaccurate article and the end of the election we worked with the press, wrote releases, wrote calling scripts and monitored election results. The final act was to write the concession speech and release it to the press.

I'm really sad because 1) Becky Miller is not the liar the DMN made her out to be and 2) a really bad candidate got elected Mayor. But in the end, the training I received in TRLP helped pull a campaign in crisis back up to only a 400 vote lost. It could have been signifigantly worse if the article had been left unanswered or had be answered poorly.

Thank you TRLP. I'm really glad to have had this training!

TAR....Reserve the date.......

2008-04-24T09:38:00.000-07:00

Reserve this date—
May 22
It's your regional meeting. Download the registration form and return it by May 15.
Your Texas Association of REALTORS® Region 4 Meeting, hosted by the Lake Cities Association of REALTORS®, is a great opportunity to learn about the latest state and national issues affecting your livelihood—and share your ideas and concerns with local and state leaders in the REALTOR® organization.
This meeting will be held at The Branding Iron at Firewheel in Garland. Download the registration form and return it before the May 15 deadline.
Contact Augie Plunk at 972/276-1139 with any questions

WCR LuncheonSave The Date

2008-04-24T09:11:00.000-07:00

Greetings. . . . our very own, Diane Donley, will be the guest speaker at the WCR Metro East Chapter in May. Save the date, May 7th, 2008 Wednesday LUNCHEON 11:30am at the Dallas Athletic Club (DAC). Address is 4111 LaPrada Mapsco 39.G Cost is $20 with a reservation. Email reservation to teresa@txpcc.com Pay at the door with cash, check, or credit card.

IF several in our class plan to go, we could ask for a RESERVED table....... I hope to see some of you there....... Rodney Rowan 972.278.0404

Green Presentation Wednesday April 23rd 9 am

2008-04-22T16:25:00.000-07:00

Don't forget there's a TRPL Green Committee Presentation on Wednesday April 23rd at 9 am at the Ebby Halliday office located at Coit & McDermott.

Hope to see you there! And Happy Earth Day.

Inspiration

2008-04-18T07:14:00.000-07:00

Sometimes the most powerful learning can come from validating what you know through affirmation by peers. I personally see the hard work that has been put into cultivating leaders through this program and the high quality of all the speakers and presentations in their own way. As a participant in National education committees for NARPM I know the challenges. Naturally actually doing things is where you hone those skills but lets refer to our mantra "Leadership is inspiring others to accomplish goals and objectives." -Class III- ..........Inspiration...... that's what its about. ..........Maybe we inspired one of our own to step up and work to bring even more powerful education topics and speakers into the program.

A few points about TRLP Sessions...please comment back

2008-04-11T21:21:00.000-07:00

I had a conversation with Gigi at Cantina Laredo and she encouraged me to post the summary here. Basically, several of us felt underwelmed by todays sessions and the sessions from the diversity training and it lead to a series of conversations that I'm going to sum up this way:

1. We **love** TRLP and the people in the group we're working beside, and we **really** appreciate with work Gigi, Diane and the others put into this.
2. We seem most impressed with the community, city, county, industry and association leaders who spend their time helping us, along with activities that let us interact and work together.
3. We learn more about true diversity in our discussions of each other's individual backgrounds and experiences rather than sophomoric exercises and watching videos that sugarcoat the issue.
4. We learn more about efficient meetings by having them, instead of running well over time while lecturing us about staying on point. A thirty minute video on bad meetings seemed like a odd and ineffective choice.
5. We learn more about our association and our ability to be leaders within it by discussing the interworkings, the challenges & successes of our organization instead of learning how to apply for a business loan.
6. Those of us in this class are not at a 101 level. We want sessions that make us stretch and grow, not sessions that slow-pitch to us. We're asking to have the bar raised.

With great respect for our times together and for everyone who believes in TRLP.

Bob

Dallas City Council ratifies green building codes for new construction

2008-04-11T19:29:00.000-07:00

Dallas City Council ratifies green building codes for new construction

The Dallas City Council adopted a resolution for the implementation of the citywide green building program and an ordinance establishing the green building program on April 9, 2008.

The proposed ordinance incorporates the recommendations of the task force into the Dallas Development Code. The program will consist of two phases (summary of program below). The long term vision for the program is for Dallas to be carbon neutral by 2030 and for it to be the greenest city in the U.S.

If you are a builder, land developer, general contractor, remodeler, realtor, architect, designer, or any way connected to the construction industry, you will have to learn about and implement the City of Dallas’s new green building codes.

If you require more information on the City of Dallas’s new green building codes and how they affect you, or need education on green building practices, or if you need help in developing a green program, we are available for individual consultations or group seminars.

RC3D offers:
Consultancy in green building and sustainable design.
Educational seminars.
Energy modeling.
Document review for LEED compliance (or any other rating system).
LEED Project Management (or any other rating system), i.e. liaison with LEED for Homes Provider, coordination with verifiers/raters, filing of documents and submissions for certification, etc...
Meet with our consultants to find out how you can build green without incurring huge costs.

Go to our web site for more information and news on green building and sustainable design.

A summary of the Task Force Recommendations and Ordinance Requirements can be downloaded from Dallas City Hall
Summary of the City of Dallas's Citywide Green Building Program

Phase 1 becomes effective October 1, 2009, and includes requirements for energy efficiency, water conservation, cool roofs, and outdoor light restrictions for new residential projects and new proposed commercial projects affecting less than 50,000 square feet of floor area in a single 12 month period. Builders must use 15 percent less energy and 20 percent less water than current Dallas code standards mandate.

Proposed projects affecting 50,000 or more square feet of floor area, or more than 50 dwelling units, in a single 12 month period will have to achieve 85% LEED certified level compliance under any of the applicable LEED rating systems or equivalent (e.g. must achieve at least 22 LEED NC v2.2 points), although formal certification by the USGBC or an equivalent entity is not required and equivalent green building standards may be used.

Phase 2 becomes effective October 1, 2011. Phase 2 applies to all new proposed projects, residential and commercial. Proposed projects must be LEED certifiable or certifiable under an equivalent green building standard.

All new proposed residential projects must be LEED certifiable under either the LEED for homes standard, or meet the Green Built North Texas standard, or an equivalent minimum green building standard certification level as determined by the building official, although formal certification by the USGBC or an equivalent entity is not required.

Each proposed commercial project may apply for compliance under any of the following LEED rating system products: LEED NC (new construction), LEED for schools, LEED for retail, LEED for healthcare, LEED CS (core and shell), or LEED for homes.

RC3D Visualisation Design
Contact us at:

Tel: 972-247-1869
Fax: 972-241-7447
email: marketing

Two Green Updates

2008-04-10T22:50:00.000-07:00

I have two updates for the GREEN TEAM.

1. The Green Presentation originally scheduled for April 29th is now scheduled for April 23rd at Ebby Halliday Realtors (Coit & McDermott)

2. The City of Plano is holding their LIVE GREEN FESTIVAL Saturday at the Plano Centre • 2000 E. Spring Creek Parkway • Plano.
Find out more at http://www.plano.gov/Departments/Environmental+Services/livegreenexpo/
I am trying to make it there but I have clients Saturday to take around.

See everyone Friday!!

We Are The Champions!!

2008-04-10T07:54:00.000-07:00

Congratulations TRLP III for coming in first place on the TREPAC Challenge. TRLP III exceeded the total dollars goal and 100% participation on Wednesday, April 9, 2008. Class I is close behind.

City Council Endorsements

2008-04-07T16:02:00.001-07:00

I wanted to let Class III know that CCAR is endorsing one of your own for Allen City Council, Joey Herald. Joey has already been hard at work attending TAR Candidate school last week. I hope everyone is ready to work hard for Joey!

Here are the endorsements for all the other city council races in Plano, Allen, McKinney and Frisco.

Plano City Council Candidates
Pat Miner, Place 1
Loretta Ellerbe, Place 3
Harry LaRosiliere, Place 5
Jean Callison, Place 7

Frisco City Council Candidates
Maher Maso, Mayor
Bart Crowder, Place 5
Scott Johnson, Place 6

Allen City Council Candidates
Steve Terrell, Mayor
Ross Obermeyer, Place 2
Joey Herald, Place 3

McKinney City Council Candidates
Geralyn Kever – Place 2
Ray Ricchi, Place 4
Sherry Tucker David, At-Large Member

Let me know if you are interested in working on any of these campaigns and we will get you plugged into the right place.

Linda Taylor
Chair, Gov't Affairs Committee
TRLP Class I Graduate

Two more Green Committee Presentations!

2008-04-01T19:46:00.001-07:00

We're been invited to present at the Ebby Halliday office at Coit & McDermott on April 29th at 9 am (thank you Shelly!!!)

We've also been invited to present at the Greater Texoma Board of Realtors at noon on the 14th of May (thank you Larry!!!)

If anyone else has other locations we can do, let me know!

Also, I was selected as a delegate to the Texas Democratic Convention in June. Is there anyone else going for either party?

Session 5 is now April 30th

2008-03-12T08:25:00.000-07:00

We have a new date for Session 5 at the heard Museum April 30th. see the website for details......

Heard Museum Link

CCAR goes GREEN

2008-02-27T00:07:00.000-08:00

Well, I could not imaging the presentation going any better. I have uploaded the video of the presentation to YouTube.com. The video is 30 minutes in length so I had to divide the presentation into 3 files. The linkes are:

Part 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AdLmeoQ9Dv0

Part 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mACCXZoT-us

Part 3: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AlV4qh7IkAc

I'll be sending out an email to each of the attendees thanking them and offering to help them with recycling and perhaps doing the presenation for their local office.

THANK YOU to everyone who helped out!

Bob

PS. Mary issued a TREPAC challenge to TRLP Classes I & II. She'll post more on that later.

WOW!! Bob McCranie Presentation at CCAR MLS

2008-02-26T09:23:00.000-08:00

Hats off to Mister Bob McCranie for a wonderful GO GREEN Presentation this morning at CCAR MLS meeting. . . . . WOW!! I had NO idea how well versed this guy is!! Congrats to the whole GO GREEN committee within our TRLP 3 group. -rodney

TRLP in Austin.......

2008-02-26T09:05:00.000-08:00

thank you to everyone who wished me a HAPPY BIRTHDAY in Austin!! What a great time, a great group, and a great learning experience. All most information overload by midday.

Sad news

2008-02-19T14:33:00.000-08:00

Hello All,

This is to inform you that I have to drop out of the Texas Realtor Leadership Program. I have had to give this a great deal of thought and it has been a very tough decision. As you all know, I applied to this program when I was employed for Chicago Title. My branch manager thought it would be a great opportunity for me to gain leadership skills and grow my place in this business. Prematurely in my opinion, Chicago Title let me go due to corporate downsizing and I feared the worst, that I would not find another title job and would have to get out of the business altogether, with all the prediction of gloom and doom. Thank God that was not the case!

Since I took the job in Dallas at Ticor, now Alamo, it has become increasingly difficult for me to attend CCAR meetings, and I am finding it even harder to take the one day each month to meet with all of you for our classes. The office I work in is a smaller office and it is difficult for me to get away for an entire work day when everyone has to cover for me. My business is growing, which is another blessing!

Anyway, it is with great sorrow that I have to drop out but I hope to keep in touch with you all. Bob, I would like to continue meeting with your group each month for lunch....I really enjoyed that. I hope you all will keep me in your email lists because if I can attend a meeting, I would like to....maybe just not an all day event. I am still planning to come to Austin this weekend so let me know where you are all going to meet on Saturday night....I would love to meet up for a little while....but I probably won't be attending class on Sunday.

Best wishes to you all and I hope to see you soon!

Kay

Craig Moves on...

2008-02-06T04:19:00.000-08:00

I was recently hired as senior property manager for AmREIT, a Houston based firm. I am reponsible for all Dallas properties. As such, I regret to tell you all I have resigned from my position as chair of TRLP, along with TREPAC and CCAR and TAR Boards. I will retain my license with KW and continue to complete transactions with my existing clients. As vice-chair, Michael Elliott will assume my responsibilities. I presume President Narisi will appoint Michael to the chair position. I am sorry I must step down, but know the program is in good hands. I look forward to seeing all of you in the near future. Best wishes in completing this great program!

SuperBowl Football Pot

2008-01-21T11:35:00.000-08:00

well, even though the Cowboys/Packers did NOT make it!!! The SuperBowl will go on. February 3rd, 2008. We are having our 3rd annual SuperBowl Football Pot. $50 per square. Pays $1250 per quarter ($750 forwards / $500 backwards). Anyone can play. IF interested - - please send me an email. RodRowan@aol.com thank you, have a good week! RR

CCAR Installation.....

2008-01-21T11:31:00.000-08:00

Hello. . . .Rodney Rowan here. . . . I am looking forward to seeing all of you this SATURDAY night at CCAR Installation......

Thanks for the support..doing better

2008-01-17T12:31:00.000-08:00

I went into the emergency room on Sunday with sharp pain under the lowest rib on the left side. After an XRay and an ultrasound the ER doctor said it was gas and to go home and wait for it to pass. Then a new doctor came on shift and suggested I do a CAT scan which I did. They found 3 blood clots, one in each lung and one in the right leg. I was immediately admitted put on two blood thinners and pain killers. I'm doing MUCH better. I have to get the anti-clotting drug levels up to a 3 in my blood, right now they're at a 1.4. I should be out by Sunday or Monday. They want me to stay in the room and not move around much. The ones in the lungs are stable and not going to go anywhere. The one in the leg could move but they think it will dissolve in place.
I don't mean to scare anyone but I wanted to let you guys know. I have my cell phone with me so call if you want. I'm really doing a lot better. The pain is pretty much gone and the blood work is looking really good. I don't have any reason as to why this would happen...no long flights, previous injuries, family history, etc. I'll be on anti-clotting drugs for at least a year. The nurses and doctors have been GREAT and the hospital is first class. Warren and mom are staying with me 24/7 pretty much so I'm not lacking for comfort or visitors.

I understand they cancelled the Green Presentation on Tuesday but hopefully we can make it even that much better next time.

Keep yourselves Healthy!
Bob

Ticor Title is now Alamo Title

2008-01-16T14:49:00.001-08:00

Hello all,

Just wanted to let you know that our company is now called Alamo Title. We will offer the same great service and dedication to excellence. I will email new info email and web addresses as they come. Hope you all are well and I'm looking forward to seeing you all in February in Austin!

Take care,
Kay

Friday, January 11th session

2008-01-10T19:22:00.000-08:00

Hi all:

Regrettably, I will not be able to attend tomorrows session. I have been in the hospital with my son, Brett, since Tuesday afternoon. We thought it was his appendix and had scheduled surgery for today but a repeat CT scan showed no evidence of appendicitis. He continues to be in pain and we are scheduled to see a specialist tomorrow morning at 10:00 am. I am disappointed that I will not be able to attend....have a great session and see you all soon.

Take care,

Shelly

Dallas Goes Green Special Report

2008-01-07T16:31:00.000-08:00

Here is a really good special report done by "D" Magazine. It has some great stuff in it. See if you folks can get a hold of your own copy.

Diversity Session-Friday, January 11

2008-01-06T10:16:00.000-08:00

Friday, January 11, is the TRLP Session 3, At Home With Diversity, located the Collin County Justice Center in McKinney. From 75 north, exit and turn left onto Bloomdale Drive. Pass the new courthouse and turn right at the stop sign. You will meet in the first building to your right. Please park in "visitor" parking.

PLEASE plan to be at the facility at 7:30 for security check in and breakfast. As this is a 9-hour MCE course, the session will start promptly at 8:00 a.m. We will conclude at 5:00 p.m.

We ask that you dress conservatively - business casual is fine.

More Green Stuff

2008-01-01T11:54:00.000-08:00

GREENER HOMES
Enviormentally friendly homes are finally finding favor with mainstream Americans.

High energy costs for heating and cooling mean that energy-efficient homes make even better financial sense than before...and Americans are increasingly interested in protecting the enviorment even when it doesn't lower their bills.
Among the popular green-home design features...
Bamboo floors. Home owners who select bamboo can have the look and durability of traditional hardwood flooring without contributing to deforestation.
Most hardwood floors come from forests that take decades to regrow once cut down. But bamboo is not a tree at all--it's a type of grass that regrows very quickly.
Triple-glazed windows. Three panes of glass can add $4 to $7 per square foot to the price of a new window but can cut energy consumption by an extra 10% to 11% compared with typical double-paned windows.
Reduced home size in the high-end market. Luxury homes have grown steadily larger in recent decades--until last year, when the biggest high-end homes suddenly lost much of their allure, in part because of the high cost of heating and cooling massive residences. Should this trend persist, 3,500- to 4,500- square foot homes might hold their value better than huge 6,000- square foot mansions.
Smaller is not better at the lower end of the housing market, however--most people living in homes with less than 3,000 square feet still would like to live in largere spaces.
On The Decline...
Two-story entrance foyers. With more houses being built with nine-foot-high or even 10-foot-high first-floor ceilings, the energy-and-space-hogging two-story- entrance foyer is not seen as the necessity it once was in mid-level and upper-end homes.

The author of this article is Kermit Baker, PhD-American Institute of Architects.
Article found in Bottom Line (January 1, 2008 issue), Home Improvements That Pay Off Big Now And When You Sell Your House.

CCAR Holiday Breakfast

2007-12-19T03:36:00.000-08:00

Good Production Class III

2007-12-18T13:45:00.000-08:00

I would like to extend my appreciation to y'all for creating a plan and taking the action needed in getting your task accomplished...actually 2 plans with your blog and the "green theme".
Just enjoy your time in class and remember your involvement and actions taken within your time with TRLP will be a benefit to yourself and your peers...and more importantly to our profession.
Remember to always give the 1 degree of extra effort in all you do...especially when you don't feel like it and you will amaze yourselves when you measure the successes it will create.
First time I have ever blogged and it took y'all in Class III for me to consider such a thing !!
I look forward to seeing all of you again and to all a very relaxing and Merry Christmas !!
MJE

New Address for Soldier Cards

2007-12-13T14:57:00.000-08:00

The address in Marys post below has decided that they cannot accept mail not addressed to a specific soldier, its a security issue. This address will work for those cards and notes you'd like to send to a recovering soldier.

Operation Holiday Thanks c/o E.D. Hill
FOX News Channel 1211 6th Ave. 17th floor
New York, NY 10036

Material World - National Green Building Program

2007-12-06T12:20:00.000-08:00

As Green Building continues to gain momentum, the National Association of Home Builders recognized a need to establish a new program to meet the varying needs of builders and new home buyers nationwide. To read more follow this link:
http://www.sellnewhomes.com/remax/Newsletter/MaterialWorldGreenBuilding.htm

Green Committee Update

2007-12-05T18:33:00.000-08:00

Yesterday the Green Committee met with Paul Le Roy who is the Commercial Recycling Coordinator for the City of Plano. Eight members of the committee were in attendance. We went over the program that Plano has and what materials we could contribute. We talked about how to implement the plan with CCAR personnel and guests. We also talked about where to place the dumpster, whether or not a screening structure would be needed and how quickly we could implement the program.

Tasks:
1. Mary Leidy is checking with our builder friends to see who would be willing to contribute the bricks and labor to put up the screening wall around the new dumpster.
2. Shelly is pricing "recycle" themed cans for the office workers and for the common rooms.
3. Bob will schedule a follow up meeting, probably after the holiday, to confirm the details of this program element which we want to have implemented by Jan 31, 2008. We will als discuss low-flow water solutions, rain-water capturing, and scheduling the realtor hybrid vehicles auto show at CCAR.

TRLP GRADUATION DATE-CORRECTION

2007-12-05T16:08:00.000-08:00

The TRLP Committee met today and in the process of reviewing the 2008 calendar noted the date for Session 8 (Graduation) is in error. Graduation will occur on Friday, June 6. Please make note of this correction.

Christmas Party at Poor Davids

2007-12-04T18:44:00.000-08:00

Dave Christensen of Class III and his Sole Poets will be performing their Christmas Party Holiday show, Saturday December the 22nd, at the Legendary Poor Davids Pub with 2 other Local Hero Bands. On Stage at 10 PM will be the Dead Pyrates with Joe Kennedy. At 11:15, Dave and his Sole Poets will take the Stage, and at 12:3o the Critically acclaimed local hero Donny Ray Ford will entertain. The new Poor Davids is located in the South Lamar revitalized Dowtown Arts district next to Gilley's and other music venues. If you have not been to the New Poor Davids you are in for dejavu. It is so eerily authentic to the Lower Greenville version it will amaze you, just bigger and nicer.

1313 S Lamar StDallas, TX 75215
(214) 565-1295
solepoets.com

poordavids.com

Adopt A Soldier

2007-12-03T08:09:00.000-08:00

This is a very important subject to me and I am going to get my account set up immediately. I know someone who has done this and is very excited about it. I am also working with the USO with my NARPM organization to help the soldiers coming home. Please consider finding about about adopting a soldier. The support for things like this has waned as the War has drug on. Please think about it.

http://asoldierswishlist.org/index.php

Green Committee

2007-11-30T23:37:00.000-08:00

Our first get-together will be at CCAR on Tuesday, December 4th at 10 am. We can look not only at the recycling, but also the lighting, plumbing, HVAC and other possible ideas. Also we can talk to CCAR about the best meeting to set up for the hybrid auto show for agents.

I also talked to Randy tonight at the mixer and he's said that the new building will have green elements like solar and wind energy. We can also look at rain water recapture systems for landscaping.

If anyone wants more information on any of these items just let me know. My partner and I go to the Texas Renewable Energy Roundup every year in Fredericksburg. The last roundup was in September and there's new information on hybrids, small wind turbines, micro hydro energy and lots of other topics. There's also a new energy company for solar that's unique called ReImagine where you let the company use your roof for solar and you just agree to buy the electricity produced. Lots of options.

Austin Trip in February

2007-11-30T23:31:00.000-08:00

After our meeting today we sat around and talked about our upcoming trip to Austin. Gigi and Diane will probably post official information soon but many of us are planning on having our own rides down to Austin and going earlier than Sunday morning.

For anyone who needs it, the TAR Convention is being held at the Hyatt Hotel on Congress. Three groups of us have rooms at the EMBASSY SUITES right across the street.

The number for EMBASSY SUITES is 512-469-9000. Some of us are arriving Friday, Feb 22nd, others are arriving Saturday, Feb 23rd. Our day in Austin is supposed to be Sunday, Feb 24th.

Oh, rates for the rooms are $179 for two doubles, $189 for a king, and $149 for a small double room (??). If you're a member of AAA or AARP (as someone mentioned) you might get a discount. There are apparently no discounts for TAR Convention member.

More as the trip approaches.

Election Committee

2007-11-30T19:14:00.000-08:00

Matt & Joey:

The election committee needs to set the calendar for group "booth" activities and determine where they will be held. Diane Donley handed out a calendar today that will help with important dates/deadlines in terms of the 2008 election. I will forward the demographics of population versus registered voters by city to you via email.

Let me know if you have any questions -

Thanks!

Legacy Project Committees

2007-11-30T19:01:00.000-08:00

Hey Guys:

Thanks for a great session today - here is a list of the committee members. I will see the Green members at CCAR on Tuesday, December 4th @10:00 am for the meeting with Paul Le Roy, City of Plano Commerical Recycling Coordinator.

Election Committee

Matt Hilton - Co Chair
Joey Herald - Co Chair
Susan Quante
Diane Hausler
Andrea Cusey
Larry Millson
June West
Rodney Rowan
Kay Alton
Marybeth Tiemeyer
Dave Christensen
Shelly Rogers

Green Committee

Bob McCranie - Chair
Russ Parker
Wade Oehler
Joey Herald
Coyle Beard
Leisa Kiper
Bob Shaw
Cheryl O'Hagan
Mary Leidy
Tony Kukreti
Dave Christensen
Shelly Rogers

Borrowing Costs Increase

2007-11-26T09:42:00.000-08:00

Borrowing cost increase in 2008
I have spent a long Thanksgiving weekend reading emails as to the increased cost to consumers for mortgage loans. It seems as the public will have increased costs to borrow as the transaction relates to down payment and credit scores.

Three of the "agencies" involved in the securitizing and insuring of single family home loans are going to institute risked based pricing into the lending models. Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and FHA announced this month that to deliver loans with lower credit scores and smaller down payments will increase to required LLPA's (LOAN LEVEL PRICING ADJUSTMENTS) and /or Risked based premiums.Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac increases will go into effect 3/01/08 and FHA risked based premiums are effective 1/1/08.

It seems that the new benchmark for credit scoring will now be a representative score( middle score of the lowest of 2 borrowers) of 680 and with a down payment of 10%. Any transaction with criteria less than this will have adjustments. Try to educate some of your fence sitters as to the need to get that transaction underway prior to these increases.

Chistmas Cards to Soldiers

2007-11-21T08:14:00.000-08:00

The following is an address to mail cards to recovering soldiers:

A Recovering American Soldier
c/o Walter Reed Army Medical Center
6900 Georgia Avenue, NW
Washington, D.C. 20307-5001

Wouldn't it be great to share our blessings and spirit with a soldier.

Thanks, Mary

Title Info

2007-11-20T14:47:00.000-08:00

Hello TRLP3....I had lunch today with Dave Christensen and Bob McCranie....and Bob asked me if we had any new title insurance rate cards. The title insurance rates changed this year in February so if any of you are still carrying around old ones, please let me know so I can give you the new one. I also have calculars, key chains, pens, etc......if you need them. We should be getting 2008 calendars soon but I don't know exactly when. Hope you all have a Happy Thanksgiving with your families and friends. God Bless....

Green "Stuff"

2007-11-16T13:48:00.000-08:00

Minimizing the FUEL Crunch...

The busy summer travel season may be over, but for REALTORS, maximizing fuel economy is important year round. Fortunately, AAA has some tips for conserving gas and making your car more fuel-efficient.
SLOW DOWN. Every vehicle burns more fuel the faster it travels.
EASE OFF THE BRAKES. Sudden stops and starts burn fuel and take on vehicle components. Maintain a steady speed.
GO EASY ON THE A/C. Most vehicles have recirculation or economy settings that reduce the amount of air that needs to be cooled, using these will save energy and gas.
CHECK AIR AND FUEL FILTERS. Dirty filters increase fuel consumption.
INFLATE YOUR TIRES. Underinflated tires are a safety hazard and they cut fuel economy by 2 percent.
KEEP TRACK OF YOUR GAS MILEAGE. If you notice a decrease in fuel economy, your vehicle may not be operating at its peak. Get it serviced.

WCR Speakers Wanted---2008 Calendar

2007-11-08T14:12:00.000-08:00

Hello TRLP3...... Rodney Rowan here.... I am the Program Chair for WCR Metro East Chapter for 2008. These luncheons have been known for having GREAT speakers..... I wanted to ask IF you had a contact with any local --or-- national talented speaker(s). Our class has so much experience, I thought I would ask for your input. Thank You....... the DATES have been set - - just need speakers to fill the dates......

Walk and Talk Chat Room

2007-11-06T20:00:00.000-08:00

Hello all. This is good place to set some rendezvous with the your fellow scholars. I have one set for the 20th. They may not mind some more Company........ I am looking forward to getting with you all.

e-PRO is a great designation

2007-11-05T14:49:00.000-08:00

Through 11/30 e-PRO® Offers Course Discount and 2-month Extension
In honor of NAR's Designation Awareness Month, REALTORS® are invited to take advantage of a special $25 discount offer if they enroll in the e-PRO® course by November 30. These registrants can also take up to 8 months to complete the course, providing an additional two months over the regular completion requirements. The e-PRO® certification provides REALTORS® with the tools necessary to effectively assist consumers in the purchase or sale of real estate using technology and the Internet. Join the over 50,000 real estate professionals who have already registered for the only technology and internet certification course recognized nationwide and offered by NAR. To register at the discounted rate of $334, REALTORS® must register at: Read more...
http://www.realtor.org/realtor_benefits/benefits_partners/e_pro.html?&WT.mc_t=LS110707&WT.mc_n=Educ

Time Management

2007-11-03T13:46:00.000-07:00

Who can recommend a course or books that are very effective Time Management sources?