Thursday, July 17, 2008
REALTOR Rodeo.............
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
Friday, July 4, 2008
Red, White & Green!!! Update on the Green Project
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).
Thursday, June 26, 2008
IRS Increases Mileage Rates through 12/31/08
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
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......
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.
U.S. Department of Justice's decision to sue NAR
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
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
SAVE THE DATES.........
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
Sunday, May 11, 2008
Press Training Pays Off
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!
Thursday, April 24, 2008
TAR....Reserve the date.......


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 Luncheon**Save The Date**
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
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
Green Presentation Wednesday April 23rd 9 am
Hope to see you there! And Happy Earth Day.
Friday, April 18, 2008
Inspiration
Friday, April 11, 2008
A few points about TRLP Sessions...please comment back
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
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
Thursday, April 10, 2008
Two Green Updates
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!!
Monday, April 7, 2008
City Council Endorsements
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
Tuesday, April 1, 2008
Two more Green Committee Presentations!
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?
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
Session 5 is now April 30th

We have a new date for Session 5 at the heard Museum April 30th. see the website for details......
Heard Museum Link
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
CCAR goes GREEN
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.