Do you know a super REALTOR®, Affiliate, or Volunteer? Each year, at the Annual Installation of Officers and Directors, we recognize one REALTOR® and two Affiliate members who exemplify professional excellence and service to the real estate community.

In addition, we will be honoring one member for exceptional volunteer service to the local community. This honoree also will be recognized at the installation on Wednesday, December 5 at Angels Stadium in Anaheim and will receive $250 for the community organization he or she designates.

Do you know someone—including yourself—who deserves to be honored in one of these ways?  

Download and submit a form:

REALTOR of the Year Nomination Form

Affiliates of the Year Nomination Form

Volunteer of the Year Nomination Form

Completed forms may be emailed, faxed or mailed to either Orange County REALTORS® office. A single nomination ensures consideration. All nominations must be received by Monday, October 22, at 5:00 p.m.

Orange County REALTORS® is dedicated to providing members with valuable market data to utilize in the business. In order to provide a quick glance at the housing market, an OC Market Snapshot for both detached and attached homes will be posted online each month. Members can use these graphics for marketing materials and listing presentations. Be sure to also review the Monthly Housing Summary for a more comprehensive look at the County. For a detailed look at over 180 neighborhoods throughout Orange County, use OC FastStats.

  

The average of inventory for detached homes was 3.8 months. That is up from last year when it was 3.2 months of supply. Attached homes inventory has increased to 3.2 months compared to 2.1 months in August of last year.

The median sales price continues to rise for detached homes at $840,000, up from $795,000 last year and $832,000 just last month. Attached homes are up from last year with a median sales price of $507,900 which is an increase of 6.9% from $475,000 last year.

• Value of a Name
• Property Taxes: What Is Prop 13 Doing for California Homeowners These Days?
• REALTOR® Safety Month: 13 Ways to Stay Safe
• How To Stay Cyber Safe In The Digital Age
• Protect Your Home From Wildland Fires
• Gadgetry: Apps Designed for Safety and Community Awareness
• Real Estate OC: Making Sense of 11 Propositions on the Ballot
• Conversations: Bob Wolff’s Dilemma—To Be a Priest or To Be a REALTOR®
• OC Housing Update: No Longer a Seller’s Market

Below are copies of the presentation slides from Nerd Fest.

 Blockchain in Real Estate by Mark Lesswing

 When Artificial Intelligence Meets Blockchain by Aleksandar Veloski

Watch Video: Blockchain in Real Estate + When Artificial Intelligence Meets Blockchain

Watch Video: Panel Discussion and Q&A Session

By Tammy Newland-Shishido
2018 PRESIDENT, ORANGE COUNTY REALTORS®

As you may already be aware, the Orange County REALTORS® Board of Directors voted to change our official name from Orange County Association of REALTORS®—or OCAR, as we often were called—to Orange County REALTORS®. The Directors made this change primarily to emphasize the REALTOR® brand and all of us as members.

The National Association of REALTORS® estimates that the REALTOR® brand is worth $6 billion dollars, and we wanted to leverage it. By moving away from an acronym and using a name that places greater emphasis on the word REALTORS®, we will make the community more aware of who we are, where we live, and what we do.

We are Orange County REALTORS®!

Any major change requires time, dedication, and a vetting process. We started this process last year when we heard from branding experts about updating our image, logo, and name. We talked with many other Associations that have gone through rebranding at both the state and the national level. We had a task force whose members debated both sides of making a change and who gave direction to form another task force of leaders who had experience in rebranding.

Then, your Directors worked with our Management Team members and marketing consultants to design a new logo that would be both inclusive and reflective of our members. We also changed our tag line from “A Step Ahead” to “Association of Professionals” because that is who and what we are.

In our new logo, the orange represents the history of Orange County with its orange groves while paying homage to the sun shape that was part of our previous logo. The blue reflects professionalism and represents both the ocean and the sky. The buildings represent the various forms of real estate, including single-family, multi-family, and commercial. These forms move from small to large to signify our hope for continuing beneficial growth throughout Orange County. Finally, a single line connects all these elements to illustrate how real estate unifies the community.

We believe that this new logo says community and that we as REALTORS® are the ones who build communities. We hope you are as excited as we are about the new logo design and our fresh image. These changes were made to better represent and promote us all.

We are neither OCAR nor OCR; we are Orange County REALTORS®!

Disclaimer: Orange County REALTORS®' logo (or a derivative of its logo), appearing on www.OCAR.org and on its social networking pages, may not be used in any advertising, promotional material or to indicate endorsement or sponsorship without Orange County REALTORS®' written permission.

Orange County REALTORS® hosts seven weekly marketing meetings throughout Orange County for members to promote their listings and network. Recently our Huntington Beach meeting, led by facilitator Lori Jones with Central Escrow Group, raised money for another great cause. 

“At our annual review to discuss the Preview Meeting, our group voted on numerous non-profits in our community [to contribute to] which included the Huntington Beach Council on Aging,” said Lori Jones. The Huntington Beach meeting previously raised money for donation to the HB Tree Society. 

Huntington Beach Council on Aging gladly accepted their donation of $2,000. Ed Pinchiff, president of Huntington Beach Council on Aging, expressed his gratitude for the "kind donation." He offered an explanation of what HBCOA does for the community. "The Huntington Beach Council on Aging (HBCOA) is a non-profit 501 (c) 3 organization which seeks to enhance the dignity and quality of life of seniors.  HBCOA supports local seniors and their families through many beneficial programs including those offered at the Senior Center in Central Park.  HBCOA support includes a wide variety of services, classes, activities, and clubs designed to help seniors stay healthy and active.  Our goal is to assist seniors with maintaining self-sufficiency and independence with dignity." 

When asked what organization would be next up for donations, Jones said “We are now raising money for Catarina’s Club which serves meals and housing assistance to underprivileged children.”

To learn more about Orange County REALTORS® weekly marketing meetings, visit the webpage.

Orange County REALTORS® is dedicated to providing members with valuable market data to utilize in the business. In order to provide a quick glance at the housing market, an OC Market Snapshot for both detached and attached homes will be posted online each month. Members can use these graphics for marketing materials and listing presentations. Be sure to also review the Monthly Housing Summary for a more comprehensive look at the County. For a detailed look at over 180 neighborhoods throughout Orange County, use OC FastStats.

   

The average of inventory for detached homes was 3.7 months. That is up from last year when it was 3.3 months of supply. Attached homes inventory has increased to 3.0 months compared to 2.2 months in July of last year.

The median sales price has risen since last year for detached homes at $832,000 but is slightly lower than last month ($841,000). Attached homes continue to rise with a median sales price of $515,000 which is up 7.8% from $477,700 last year.

Orange County REALTORS® is dedicated to providing members with valuable market data to utilize in the business. In order to provide a quick glance at the housing market, an OC Market Snapshot for both detached and attached homes will be posted online each month. Members can use these graphics for marketing materials and listing presentations. Be sure to also review the Monthly Housing Summary for a more comprehensive look at the County. For a detailed look at over 180 neighborhoods throughout Orange County, use OC FastStats.

   

The average of inventory for detached homes was 3.6 months. That is up slightly from last year when it was 3.3 months of supply. Attached homes inventory has increased to 2.8 months compared to 2.2 months in June of last year.

The median sales price has risen since last year for detached homes at $841,000 but is slightly lower than last month ($849,450). Attached homes continue to rise with a median sales price of $517,000 which is up 7.9% from $479,000 last year.

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

By John Kaye
ARGUS COLLEGE

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

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

Why is the opportunity for REALTORS® greater today?
During the late 1990s, multiple master-planned communities provided a plethora of vacant lots for homebuilders. Today, most of these master plans are completely built out and very few lots are available. Nonetheless, the demand for new homes in Orange County is strong, and homebuilders want to construct as many as four hundred homes a year. In the absence of large vacant parcels, these builders are turning to infill sites. During the late 1990s, they would have wanted a minimum of sixty to seventy-five lots for a viable project. Today, a major homebuilder will buy a two-acre parcel that provides as few as twenty lots. 

Aren’t there experienced land brokers who can fill this role?
In the Southern California residential development industry, six or seven boutique land brokerage firms dominate the transactions between land buyers and sellers; however, these firms tend to focus on the obvious larger parcels in Orange County or the Inland Empire. Finding smaller parcels in built-out submarkets is a bit more difficult because (1) they are small and (2) another use already exists on the parcel. Thus, local REALTORS® have an opportunity to broker these smaller parcels if they are able to recognize their potential. 

How much does a land broker need to know about development?
Just enough to recognize whether a parcel has development potential. Developers and homebuilders have land-acquisition experts who thoroughly analyze and vet potential land opportunities. Even with the most seasoned land brokers, I have found that these acquisition managers prefer to do their own analysis after receiving the basic information from a broker.  

Keep in mind that these land-acquisition managers are very busy. They may be actively pursuing as many as ten parcels and have another forty opportunities on their watch list. They will consider the process successful if they close two or three of these transactions. Developers and builders will look at many, many land opportunities just to find one transaction that is economically viable. 

When I say that a land broker should know “just enough,” I mean that he or she should be sufficiently familiar with the basic characteristics of the parcel to provide essential information quickly and not waste anyone’s time, particularly that of the land-acquisition manager. A land buyer will gladly look through ten to twenty prospective parcels if there is some semblance of potential.  

Are land transactions similar to home sales?
Yes, but only in the sense that you have a buyer, seller, and an escrow process. Beyond that, the land brokerage game tends to be played in a much different manner. Typically, land brokers do not cooperate with one another in any type of Multiple Listing Service (MLS) system. All seasoned land brokers know most of the potential land buyers in their market. And, while some land sellers will have a formal listing with a land broker, many land commissions are paid by the buyers without any land listing agreement. 

How much are land brokerage commissions?
Commissions are negotiable. As an example, for a $5 million land transaction, a 3 percent commission would be right in the ballpark. I have seen aggressive land buyers offer higher commissions to land brokers to ensure that they get first shot at an opportunity. I have also seen what I would consider more narrow-minded land buyers who try to gouge or stiff a land broker.  Once a land broker understands the market and the value of a potential land parcel, commissions can to be protected with written agreements. 

Land brokerage commissions can widely vary. I have seen commissions in the seven-figure range for huge land transactions, or as low as $10,000 for a small parcel. But for the most part, land commissions can be quite substantial. I would not count on closing a land transaction every month; however, closing one or two a year can be quite rewarding. 

How would a REALTOR® get started in the land brokerage business?
For the most part, all you need is a computer, telephone, and persistence; but some knowledge of development will help a land broker be more time efficient and get the attention of land buyers. Argus College has been providing some land brokerage courses at Orange County REALTORS®, including a free session titled Intro to Land Brokerage. We have a five-course online certification program for land brokerage, which provides much of the essential training and knowledge you need to get started in land brokerage. The idea is that you, as the land broker, know what you are looking for and that you also have a sense of what developers and builders want.

Land Brokerage Training

Live Classes:
EXCLUSIVE OFFER: Intro to Land Brokerage - July 30, 10:00 A.M. - 12:00 P.M. in Laguna Hills office (FREE for Members)

Online On-Demand Courses:
Overview of Home Building - FREE
Intro to Land Brokerage - $95
Intro to Land Development - $95
Intro to Entitlements - $95
Intro to Land Acquisition - $95
Intro to Pro Formas (Land Valuation) - $95
Land Brokerage Certification (5 Courses) - $375

Glide, a provider of real estate software solutions that empower agents with easy-to-use, secure, and convenient new ways to complete real estate transactions online, today announced a partnership with the Orange County REALTORS® that immediately enables Orange County REALTORS® members to use the company’s popular Glide Forms application. Glide Forms is distributed through a partnership with zipLogix™ and is embedded within the zipForm® Plus transaction management system. Beginning today, agents who are Orange County REALTORS® members can access Glide Forms free of charge via zipForm® Plus. 

When a real estate agent’s client sells their home, the owner is required to accurately complete and submit a number of deal-critical disclosure forms. As agents know, this means that sellers are presented with forms containing complex legal language that often proves confusing and challenging to complete. As a result, these documents are commonly submitted with incomplete or inaccurate information, causing frustration and needless delays in the transaction process. 

Glide Forms addresses these legacy issues through its TurboTax-style wizard that home sellers can use to accurately, quickly, and painlessly complete required paperwork – such as the Transfer Disclosure Statement and other California disclosure forms – through an intuitive all-digital interface. The wizard asks home sellers questions about their properties in plain language, making it clear how to disclose important details through user-friendly, conversational interactions. In addition to eliminating the frustration of often-confusing forms and delays due to missed questions, unreadable handwriting, and other common issues, Glide Forms allows agents to track their clients’ progress and digitally receive the finished forms as soon as they are completed. The purpose-built solution is also optimized for mobile use. 

“I tried Glide Forms and it was so easy!” said Rita Tayenaka, REALTOR® at Coast to Canyon Real Estate. “I notified my client that she would be getting an email and to complete the forms when she had time. She had previously filled out the paper form but mistakenly answered some questions incorrectly and her writing was hard to read. With Glide Forms the process was much smoother for both her and me.” 

“In our digital age, there shouldn’t be any reason for agents and home sellers to be slowed down by the difficulties of complex and cumbersome forms,” said Sebastian Tonkin, CEO, Glide. “We’re proud of our partnership with Orange County REALTORS® and look forward to its members seeing what Glide Forms has to offer them and their clients.” 

Learn more about Glide Forms

About Glide
Glide provides software solutions that helps real estate agents simplify their transaction process, reduce risk, and close more deals with less effort. The company’s first release, Glide Forms, is integrated into zipForm® Plus and allows California home sellers to complete required disclosure forms electronically for the first time ever.

Come on in—the water’s fine; but take a tip or two about how to make your swimming season safer and how to use your member benefits to stretch your dollars and increase your enjoyment, whether you are at work or at play, at home or away.

• President’s Message: Summer Survival Guide
• Real Estate OC: REALTORS® Are the Only Guardians of Homeownership
• OC REALTORS® Committees: Risk Management Forum
• Cover Story: The Vote Is In
• Survive Summer and Soak Up Your Benefits
• Pool Safety
• The Orange County Housing Update: Cracks in the Housing Run
• Leadership Academy: Leaders Are Made, Not Born!
• Real Estate Analysis: Dave’s Top 10
• Gadgetry: The Foobot Indoor Air Quality Monitor
• Twelve-Month Payment Plan—Our Most Affordable Dues-Payment Option

Orange County REALTORS® 2018 President, Tammy Newland-Shishido is pleased to announce the election results of the 2019 Officer positions of President-Elect and Treasurer held at the June 27, 2018, Orange County REALTORS^®’ Board of Directors meeting. 

Board member Danielle Corliss will serve as President-Elect in 2019, President in 2020 and Immediate Past President in 2021 and Lisa Schulz will serve a one-year term as Treasurer in 2019.  

Danielle Corliss: Danielle has been a REALTOR^® since 1997.  She is Broker/Owner of Corliss Realty Inc. in Dove Canyon.

Lisa Schulz: Lisa has been a REALTOR^® since 1998, and she is currently Chief Operating Officer of HomeSmart, Evergreen Realty in Irvine.

Dave Girling is back with his latest Top 10 Economic and Other Factors That May Affect Real Estate! Familiarity with these ten factors will enable you to address questions about the real estate market, especially about real estate values and where they may be headed. 

Read Article

Members of Orange County REALTORS® are entitled to receive a three-month subscription to Dave Girling’s Real Estate Blog as a free member benefit. Click below to subscribe and use the code OCRFree.

Subscribe for Free

NEW MEMBER BENEFIT!

Want to screen a prospective tenant?  OC REALTORS® provides screening services through RentSpree at no cost and allows you to quickly and easily receive a comprehensive application package for each applicant.  With RentSpree, you will be able to receive the following for each applicant:

1. Credit report and score
2. Criminal background check
3. Fifty state eviction history
4. Completed rental application
5. Tenant identity verification

To screen a new tenant, all you need is the applicant’s email address.  Simply enter the email address into your RentSpree account and the applicant will automatically receive an email invitation to complete the application process.  You can also distribute a handout during showings to get screening reports back on the spot.

Applicants complete the process and authorize their screening reports in minutes using any computer or mobile device.

Request your personal demo today to learn more by visiting http://ocrealtors.rentspree.com/. 

Applicants pay only a $30 fee to apply and there are no additional costs for you to use the service.

You can visit http://ocrealtors.rentspree.com/ to either request a demo or get started today!  Or, to learn more, you can always call RentSpree at (323) 515-7757.

ONLINE TRAINING AVAILABLE
View On-Demand Webinar

Orange County REALTORS® is dedicated to providing members with valuable market data to utilize in the business. In order to provide a quick glance at the housing market, an OC Market Snapshot for both detached and attached homes will be posted online each month. Members can use these graphics for marketing materials and listing presentations. Be sure to also review the Monthly Housing Summary for a more comprehensive look at the County. For a detailed look at over 180 neighborhoods throughout Orange County, use OC FastStats.

       

The average of inventory for detached homes was 3.4 months. That is up slightly from last year when it was 3.2 months of supply. Attached homes inventory has increased to 2.5 months compared to 2.1 months in May of last year.

The median sales price continue to rise with detached homes coming in at $849,450 which is up 6.2% from 2017. Attached homes rose 4.7% to a median sales price of $501,000 from $478,500 last year.

Orange County REALTORS® is dedicated to providing members with valuable market data to utilize in the business. In order to provide a quick glance at the housing market, an OC Market Snapshot for both detached and attached homes will be posted online each month. Members can use these graphics for marketing materials and listing presentations. Be sure to also review the Monthly Housing Summary for a more comprehensive look at the County. For a detailed look at over 180 neighborhoods throughout Orange County, use OC FastStats.

   

The average of days on market for detached homes was 35 days. That is a drop from last year when it was 46 days. Attached homes sold in an average of 27 days compared to 38 days in April of last year.

The median sales prices in April for detached was $830,000 which is up 6.5% from 2017. Attached homes rose 10.2% to a median sales price of $512,250 from $465,000 last year.

Articles in this issue examine the value of owning a home, debunk myths about homeownership, and suggest some ways to make that American Dream come true.

• Is Owning a Home Important?
• 2018 Housing Market Forecast, Annual Membership Meeting, and Partner Expo
• The Value of Homeownership
• 5 Things to Do Before You Buy
• Are Your Buyers in the Know?
• Homeownership Matters Summit
• Gadgetry: Philips Hue Smart Lighting for the Modern Smart Home
• Crumbling Purchase Power
• Leonard Newman Talks About the New Orange County REALTORS® Real Estate Mediation Center
• The Potentially Dire Consequences of Orange County’s Homeownership Decline

The twenty applicants accepted for the Orange County REALTORS® 2^nd Annual Leadership Academy in September 2017, have now graduated from the intensive eight-month leadership program, and have just returned from joining more than 2,000 REALTORS® in Sacramento for the California Association of REALTORS®’ Legislative Day on May 2, 2018. 

Rita Tayenaka, 2017-2018 Academy Chair and 2015 President of the Orange County REALTORS^© said, “It is the goal of the academy to give participants the confidence to embrace the responsibility to serve as a leader in the real estate industry and the community.”  

She noted, “Several of our alumni and participants have already stepped up to leadership roles not only within Orange County REALTORS^© but at the state level of other real estate industry organizations such as the Women’s Council of REALTORS^© (WCR).  Locally as President of the Aliso Viejo Chamber of Commerce, and in leadership roles for the Orange County Chapters of the National Association of Hispanic Real Estate Professionals (NAHREP), the Asian American Real Estate Association (AAREA) and Young Professionals Network (YPN). 

“We are proud to acknowledge our Leadership Academy graduates," stated Tammy Newland-Shishido, 2018 President of Orange County REALTORS^©.  "They have completed the program and a legislative visit to the State Capitol. Some have already accepted leadership roles within our association, and our Credentials Committee has approved several applications from graduates as candidates for the election of the Association’s 2019 Board of Directors.”  

Graduates are:  
Cassandra Amos – Nova Real Estate Inc.
Edward Arce – Intero Home Services a Berkshire Hathaway Affiliate
Matt Cortez - First Team Real Estate
Olesya Drozdova – HomeSmart Evergreen Realty, Irvine
Leslie Eskildsen – Realty One Group Inc.
Spencer Hoo – RE/MAX Premier Realty
Laurie Johnson – Bullock Russell Real Estate Services
Sherrie LeVan – Prime OC Properties, Inc.
Jonathan Leonhardt – Team Laguna Real Estate
Yami Martinez – Altamar Real Estate
Larry Paul – C2/Thrive Financial Lawrence D. Paul, Broker
Joyce Purvis – Coldwell Banker Mission Viejo
Hanz Radlein – Berkshire Hathaway Home Services
Mary Rampone – Regency Real Estate Brokers
Tamara Romano – Home Point Financial
Jessica Siguenza – Finance of America Mortgage
Kevin Smith – First Team Real Estate
Lynne Suzanski – Coast to Canyon Real Estate
Tina Vo – Realty One Group Inc.
Lisa Yi – NextHome Coastal 

Dave Stefanides, CEO of Orange County REALTORS^© is delighted that many of the graduates have already demonstrated their willingness to serve the Real Estate industry, and their communities in a leadership role. 

Local and national instructors lead the monthly training programs. The 2018-2019 Leadership Academy is now accepting applications. The deadline to apply is 5 p.m. July 16, 2018. For more information, visit www.ocar.org/leadership-academy.