TheREALTYgram Blogger

Calling All Real Estate Bloggers! Let's CoverThe NAR Convention In San Francisco Together

Let's get the real estate blogging community together in San Francisco to cover the The National Assn. of REALTORS^® annual convention October 28-31, 2005 and show the mainstream press a thing or two about what really makes this industry tick! Let's get behind the scenes with our laptops, cameras, and camcorders and put together a NAR Blogger Convention Daily consortium. We can do a little planning and divvy up some of the topics, issues, and noteworthy personalities. There was a last-minute effort to put together a group at the mid-year meetings that did not pan out. Let's make this happen. I wonder if we can get press passes?

What's With All These Smiles & Handshakes?

I'm looking at my posting options and smiling a lot more than usual. We're overdue for more serious talk about predatory lenders, fair housing issues, and other polemics, so what's going on? I think I must be sipping too much Goji Juice. I've even stopped snoring! It's taking the sting our of my keyboard strokes. I have to work on that ;-)

I Found A Golden Nugget In An E-Mail Signature Line

I found this book in an e-mail signature line from John Reilly, my e-PRO cyber professor. After clicking the link and reading the description I ordered it immediately. It looks like a winner and I can hardly wait for delivery. Check out the review on Amazon.com: 

From Library Journal "Sophisticated real estate players will appreciate the revisions made to this highly comprehensive dictionary of terms. All of the entries are brought into conformity with the 1986 Tax Reform Act. Controversial topics that have resulted from this legislation, such as the IRS definition of a dealer in real estate, are treated well. ... a section containing over 300 abbreviations is a helpful touch."

"From abandonment to zoning, and over 2,800 terms in between, The Language of Real Estate has every term that real estate professionals need. this industry best seller is a must have for all students, practitioners, and educators. Highlights include:
* Appendix boasts over 350 commonly used abbreviations.
* Subject classification index lists terms by topic.
* Spanish key terms help both ESL students and those who will be working with ESL customers."

Internet Crusader Signs Blogger For Popular NAR e-PRO Course

Saul Klein brought his e-PRO Internet Crusade to the Christmas City today and offered his informative, energetic, and powerful 90-minute presentation on the National Assn. of REALTORS^® e-PRO course to local Lehigh Valley (PA) REALTORS^®. First in line with her enrollment form was Klein's favorite blogger (he didn't say as much, but I know it must be true). One of the draws for e-PRO membership is the chance to participate in e-PROTalk, an exclusive listserv for e-PRO candidates and designees. And, no, he is not hiding a saber behind his back. That is just Saul's polite photo op posture.

Time For A Name Change At Denver's 'Swastika Acres'

What's in a name? When the neighborhood is called "Swastika Acres", one would think that the residents would start a petition to change the name. How could 57 families live in an upscale neighborhood in Denver with this moniker and not petition to change the name?

Financial Thrill Seekers EyeReal Estate Derivatives Market

This may be the finance junkie/couch potato's version of virtual bungee jumping. The National Assn. of REALTORS^®  reports that there is a new derivatives market in the offing:

"The National Council of Real Estate Investment Funds has teamed up with Credit Suisse First Boston LLC to establish a real estate derivatives market, providing new opportunities to institutional investors interested in real estate investments.

" 'This could be an effective way of investing in different sectors of real estate in the private marketplace as an alternative to owning the underlying real estate, and also providing some degree of liquidity,' says Gumbiner Savett Inc. managing principal Scott Farb. 'This could be an effective way to hedge long positions in the ownership of properties.'

"Among the institutional investors keeping an eye on developments are the California State Teachers' Retirement System, the Public School Employees Retirement System of Pennsylvania, and the Los Angeles City Employees' Retirement System."

Pension plan administrators may want to read a New York University Study of Derivatives and Risk Management Practices by Institutional Investors.

Career Transition To Real Estate?There's A New Blog Even For That

Many people who enter the real estate business arrive from other industries. Some are looking for a career change. Others have been downsized. Some are just tired of corporate life. There's a baby blog just launched by Gailann Bruen, LCSW, called Reinvent Yourself NOW! Gailann is a self-described "career change maven" who loves her job. Her first post, Tips to Survive Downsizing contains "Do's" and "Don'ts" that we should all consider regardless of where we stand in the employment picture. Gailann has an extensive background in mental health, stress management, trauma, as well as vast financial expertise. (Gailann taught graduate level financial courses at New York University some years ago.) I'm looking forward to more posts in the days ahead. This is one blog to watch!

Popular Real Estate List Serv Will CeasePosting Comments On Gay Rights Issues

The moderator of a 13,000-member real estate list serv told subscribers last night that it will no longer post messages relating to gay issues in the real estate community. "...If anyone else wants to post one more time on the subject, feel free...but after tomorrow, I think we need to give it a rest for awhile. There is plenty we can find to talk about," said Saul Klein to RealTalk list serv members last night. Klein's post followed a week of impassioned posts about gay rights and associated issues. Klein is president of InternetCrusade, the e-PRO creator, author and instructor, and a partner in Real Estate Electronic Publishing Co.

The week-long discussion thread about gay issues began as an energetic fair housing exchange, generated heated posts about "protected classes" and drew impassioned responses from both gay-friendly and gay-unfriendly REALTORS^®.  Most of the responses, in fact, were highly supportive of individual rights across the board. It seems that the repetetive use of the "G" word inflamed some of the subscribers, who likened the discussion to a frank talk about sex and called for a cessation to the topic altogether. Here are excerpts from some of those posts:

The New Mexico legislature amended the Human Rights Act, making it unlawful to discriminate in New Mexico based on sexual orientation or gender identity...California has added marital status, sexual orientation, age, ancestry, and source of income, while other states have added military status, Section 8 and other groups. Some cities have added their own classes, such as the recent inclusion of "size" in San Francisco. ..The point is that no one should be hindered because of who or what they are. "Fair Housing" means without regard to...who they are, period. What language they speak, who they sleep with, which God they worship, the color of their skin...none of these should affect anyone's free right to housing. ...Why all this attention to the 'protected classes', if we use the GOLDEN RULE? It is easier to be deaf, dumb and blind to differences if we just use the 'RULE', IMHO....Here in good ole Massachusetts it is a protected class...in fact with same sex marriage being legal, we are seeing a boom in the number of new gay and lesbian couples from all over the US buying homes in Western MA...First of all, it's sexual orientation, not sexual "preference." Think about  it...Secondly, at the present time the federal government does not consider gays to  be a protected group. Heck, the federal government openly discriminates against gays. Gays are only protected by some local jurisdictions. ...I've never had anyone say to me "we're gay, you know" or words to that effect and I've certainly NEVER asked anyone if they are gay. I would think those kinds of questions would be impolite...When I'm selling real estate brokerage services-- working the real estate transaction cycle-- I ask questions about real estate needs not what people do when they're naked....Well, I advertise that I am "GLBT friendly" on my site and in gay-oriented  directories. Those in the know, know what I mean. Because they know this, they are very open with me from the get go. That's usually why they chose me  ...I have friends, colleagues, neighbors who are gay.. .SO WHAT? I don't have to be gay, or justify that I'm not , to support EQUAL treatment for all human beings...If it's actually recognized anywhere as such, sexual preference is not a "protected class" in the majority of the United States, is not yet recognized in the eyes of NAR, and thank the Lord, I doubt God will EVER accept it...it's [disappointingly] an option to engage in a sexual relationship with a partner of the same sex. ...I find it embarrassing that NAR and the federal government does not recognize  sexual orientation as a protected class....MINNESOTA LAW includes the protection from discrimination of  individuals because of age, source of income, martial status and  sexual preference. Individuals believing they have been discriminated  against may seek relief through the Minnesota Human Rights  Commission, HUD and the Attorney Generals Office. ...This thread is becoming offensive and is certainly out of context for the  venue. I literally cringed when I read some of these posts. It has gone from discussing protected classes in different areas to judgment, religious preaching etc. I invite those who made posts about GOD and gays reread what you wrote, to even make the statements made you have passed and professed judgment which, from my understanding of Christian based religions is to be left to GOD. Let's get back to real estate discussions."

Most of the posts sound like legitimate real estate discussion to me.

Cro-Magnon Brain Waves Detected On National Real Estate List Serv

The thoughts contained in the previous post were addressed on a national real estate list serv today by Pennsylvania REALTOR^®  Art Houston, who made no attempt to conceal a contemptuous view of the matter of  legislative weight discrimination remedies :

"The Lear cockpit...Most heavy people could not step over the control pedestal, much less fit into the seat. ..It takes twice the fuel to move their mass...if an [acting] part calls for a slim girl, must you substitute a fat man?...can SI be sued to have a fat model on the cover?...the road to hell is indeed paved with good intentions...most weight is the direct result of choices made by the individual...If I stain my own skin, can I call myself black?..if I eat too much (and I do) can I ask, in good conscience, for special accommodation for my overeating?"

I think that legislative outreach in behalf of overweight persons in some areas is an appropriate response to a terrible lack of sensitivity and utter ignorance that exists in some quarters. The preceding post is evidence of that type of sectarianism.

Portly Citizenry Enjoys Equal Rights By StatuteIn Michigan, California, District of Columbia

I have been a REALTOR^®  in Bethlehem, PA for some 21 years. I have worked on local and state committees dealing with Fair Housing and I have been an outspoken advocate of fair housing and civil rights for many years. Do you know that Weight is a "protected class" in certain areas of the country? The following are Discrimination Factoids:

• Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 declares that all persons within the United States have a right to employment free from discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin. It has been used in weight discrimination cases where weight standards are applied differently to different protected classes (e.g. women and men), and where weight standards have an adverse impact on a protected class.
• The Rehabilitation Act of 1973 prohibits discrimination against an otherwise qualified individual with handicaps, solely on the basis of that handicap, in any program which receives federal assistance.
• The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) extends the protection against discrimination on the basis of disability to the private sector.
• State of Michigan: Elliot Larsen Civil Rights Act, Act 453 of 1976, Sec. 209, bans discrimination in employment based on race, color, religion, national origin, age sex, height, weight, or marital status. (Mich. Comp. Laws Ann. § 37.2102 (1985 & Supp. 1993).
• Santa Cruz, CA (July 1992), defines unlawful discrimination as "differential treatment as a result of that person's race, color, creed, religion, national origin, ancestry, disability, marital status, sex gender, sexual orientation, height, weight, or physical characteristic".
• District of Columbia, Human Rights Law Subchapter II, Sec. 1-2512, outlaws discrimination in employment based upon "race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, marital status, personal appearance, sexual orientation, family responsibilities, physical handicap, matriculation, or political affiliation". (D.C. Code Ann. § 1-2501 (1987 & Supp. 1993).
• San Francisco, CA (June, 2000) passed a law specifically outlawing discrimination against people based on their weight.