the Bullet The Weekly Newsletter of the Silicon Valley Association of REALTORS® August 24, 2007
PRINTABLE VERSION
The SILVAR Office Will Be Closed on Monday, September 3, In Observance of the Labor Day Holiday (See Tour Schedule Below)
	Cardus is SILVAR’s New Executive Officer The Silicon Valley Association of REALTORS® Board of Directors announces the appointment of Paul Cardus to the position of Executive Officer. Cardus has served as SILVAR's Government Affairs Director and more recently, as Interim Executive Officer, since the resignation of Janet Case in May. “SILVAR is pleased to have selected Paul Cardus as our Executive Officer. We are greatly privileged to have such a well-qualified and experienced individual to be able to take over the helm of our dynamic and growing Association," said SILVAR President Mark Burns.
Prior to his appointment as SILVAR's Government Affairs Director in 2005, Cardus served as press secretary and speechwriter for United States Senator Daniel K. Akaka (D-Hawaii) for eight years. Cardus first joined the senator's staff as a legislative assistant after graduation from the University of Hawaii, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in History, a Russian Area Studies Certificate and a Master of Arts degree. He also served as national finance director for the senator's first Senate campaign in 1990. In the past two years in his capacity as SILVAR’s Government Affairs Director, Cardus has strengthened the Department and helped SILVAR make great strides in championing REALTOR® initiatives supporting and protecting their business, advocating for homeowners and homeownership, and defending private property rights at the local, state and national levels. Last year, with the support of SILVAR’s Government Affairs staff, SILVAR was a leader in the effort to defeat Measure A, an anti-growth ballot initiative in Santa Clara County; successfully opposed BMR increases in Mountain View and Sunnyvale; and led the fight to protect the mortgage interest deduction. In December 2005, Cardus also assumed responsibility for Public Affairs at SILVAR and has worked with SILVAR’s Public Affairs Coordinator to increase community awareness of Realtor activities and community services and the experience and expertise Realtors bring to every transaction. More recently, Cardus and his Government Affairs staff have worked to educate Realtors and elected officials about the private transfer tax loophole in California and block the repeal of Proposition 90 in Santa Clara County. “I’m grateful for the confidence and support that the selection committee, personnel committee and Board of Directors have entrusted in me. SILVAR has had a long history of strong leadership and we have a great team in place. I’m excited by this opportunity and for the future of our Association,” said Cardus. Cardus will maintain the dual role of SILVAR Executive Officer and Government Affairs Director.
SILVAR LEADERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES SILVAR Now Accepting Applications for 2008 President-elect and Board of Director Positions SILVAR is now welcoming applications for those interested in serving on its Board of Directors in 2008. Positions available are President-elect (to serve as President in 2009) and three Directors-at-Large (two-year terms) and one Director-at-Large (one-year term). The deadline to submit applications is Monday, September 10, 2007. President-elect candidates must have served at least two of the past 10 years as either a Director of the Association or one of its subsidiaries, or as an Association Committee Chair. Directors-at-Large should be knowledgeable about the Association: its structure, governance, and core goals; as well as have experience relevant to the Association. Please read the full qualifications at this link. Only Members in good standing with the Association with no unfulfilled ethics sanctions pending are eligible to serve on the Board. Completed applications and any supporting documentation must be returned to Sarah Kishler at SILVAR no later than September 10, 2007. All candidates will be interviewed by the Nominating Committee. Interviews will be held during the week of September 11th – 14th. The application may be printed and downloaded by clicking here. SILVAR Accepting Applications for NAR Director SILVAR membership recently crossed the 4,000 member threshold for 2007. Accordingly, under the National Association of REALTORS® Constitution, SILVAR is entitled to a second NAR Director in 2008. SILVAR’s Board of Directors is seeking qualified applicants for this position. All interested members should fill out the application found here to indicate their interest and qualifications to serve in this important position. Completed applications must be returned no later than Monday, September 10, 2007.
GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS NEWS
Santa Clara County Assessor Larry Stone was the guest speaker at last week's Los Gatos/Saratoga Tour Meeting.			Cooling Period Doesn’t Signal Bubble Burst in Silicon Valley, Says County Assessor Even Santa Clara County Assessor Larry Stone doesn’t believe news reports that the bubble is bursting in the housing market - at least, not in Silicon Valley, he told Silicon Valley Association of REALTORS® members at the Aug. 15 Los Gatos/Saratoga Tour Meeting. In fact, he said, from his observations, real estate in the Valley is merely experiencing “a cooling period.” Stone described the present phase in real estate as “a market correction; not a disaster.” Santa Clara County’s assessor then traced assessment rolls and real estate in Silicon Valley over the last decade, beginning in 1990-94, when properties in Silicon Valley experienced a monumental decline in values due to the S & L debacle, with commercial property declining in value by 50 to 60 percent and residential property values declining by 20 to 25 percent. “Every type of property was impacted,” said Stone. As a result, he had to reduce the assessed value of 98,000 properties in the county, and consequently, over $5 million dollars worth of property disappeared from the rolls.
When the economy turned around in 1996 with the rise of Internet companies like Yahoo and Netscape, “the Valley unquestionably became the center of phenomenon,” and by 2001, Stone’s office by law was obligated to increase the values of all but 300 of the 98,000 properties that previously experienced a decline in assessed value. He explained similarly, when the economy failed in 2002, property values dropped and the assessment roll was reduced by $8 billion dollars. “Everything happens first in Silicon Valley - fast, fastest, good, bad or otherwise,” said Stone. Today’s market is once again experiencing change in the residential as well as the commercial market, according to Stone, but he stressed that the change “is a far cry from a widely reported bubble burst,” and assessment rolls have “grown to a more stable, balanced roll pattern.” Between January and March, the average market value of a single family home in Santa Clara County increased from $750,000 to $800,000, contrasting sharply to others around the state, and while there has been a cooling of residential property on the low end because of the subprime lending dilemma, the higher end of the market is doing well. He announced that the commercial property market, has especially picked up, with vacancies down 36 percent and rents for office space up 18 percent. Stone said investments have sustained the Valley during the cooling off period. “The trend is towards a healthier market, more than boom and bust, characterized by some decline in the residential sector and a boom in the commercial sector,” he observed. The county assessor pointed out that two benefits have slowed the demand for facilities: 1) the impact of the Internet and new technology on traditional warehousing – i.e., businesses like Wal-Mart no longer need large storage facilities or warehouses to store goods, since most goods go directly from the manufacturer to the shelf; and 2) outsourcing - goods are now manufactured elsewhere. Stone predicted even with the entry of other new forms of technology, i.e. biotechnology, it is likely R&D businesses would require even far less space. Stone then highlighted several initiatives that would impact real estate, particularly local efforts to repeal Proposition 90 as a possible savings measure. To-date only seven counties have kept Proposition 90 - Santa Clara, Ventura, Alameda, San Diego, San Mateo, Los Angeles. Stone declared he is against a proposal to charge a $30 fee to homeowners who file an assessment appeal, stating even his office can, and has made mistakes in assessing the value of a piece of property and he does not believe in penalizing a homeowner who appeals an assessment when the error could be on the part of the assessor’s office. “Real property appraisal is more of an art than a science. We are one of eight counties that mails homeowners a preliminary assessed value before the roll closes. Last year we reviewed 20,000 property values and reduced 17,000 of these properties. We still make mistakes and I don’t believe in charging homeowners for our mistakes,” said Stone. Stone invited Realtors and homeowners to visit his office Web site at www.scc-assessor.org for the latest news and information on property tax laws and regulations.
MEMBER NEWS
					Safety at Open Houses With the observance of REALTOR® Safety Week on September 9-15, it doesn’t hurt to review safety tips at work, particularly at open houses, when Realtors® find themselves at risk. Real estate professionals are not the only ones at risk when showing a property – your clients are at risk too. Practice the following guidelines when you conduct an open house.
This knowledge will empower yourself to work with confidence and will also help your clients protect themselves against crime: Remind clients who are selling their house that strangers will be walking through their home. Tell them to hide any valuables in a safe, secure place. This includes prescription drugs. If possible, always try to have at least one other person working with you at the open house. Call the local police department and ask them to have a squad care drive by during your open-house hours. Check your cell phone’s strength and signal prior to the open house. Have emergency numbers programmed on speed dial. Carry an extra, fully charged cell phone battery (if possible). Upon entering a house for the first time, check all rooms and determine several “escape” routes. Make sure all deadbolt locks are unlocked to facilitate a faster escape. Make sure that if you were to escape by the back door, you could escape from the backyard. Frequently, high fences surround yards that contain swimming pools or hot tubs. Place one of your business cards, with the date and time written on the back, in a kitchen cabinet. Note on it if you were the first to arrive or if clients were waiting. Have all open house visitors sign in. Ask for full name, address, phone number and e-mail address. At an open house, be alert to the pattern of visitors’ arrivals, especially near the end of showing hours. In some areas, a group of thieves will show up together near the end of the open house and, while a string of supposed potential buyers distracts the REALTOR®, the rest of the group walks through the house, stealing any valuables they come across. When showing the house, always walk behind the prospect. Direct them; don’t lead them. Say, for example, “The kitchen is on your left,” and gesture for them to go ahead of you. Avoid attics, basements, and getting trapped in small rooms. Notify someone in your office, your answering service, a friend or a relative that you will be calling in every hour on the hour. And if you don’t call, they are to call you. Inform a neighbor that you will be showing the house and ask if he or she would keep an eye and ear open for anything out of the ordinary. Don’t assume that everyone has left the premises at the end of an open house. Check all of the rooms and the backyard prior to locking the doors. Then make sure that all doors and windows are locked. Thieves commonly use open houses to scout for valuables and possible points of entry, then return after the agent leaves. Let your clients know that you will take all of the above safety precautions, but that when they return home, they should immediately verify that all doors are locked and all valuables accounted for. (Sources: Washington Real Estate Safety Council; City of Mesa, Arizona; Pinehurst North Carolina Police Department, Nevada County Board of REALTORS®; Georgia Real Estate Commission) This article is part of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®’ 2007 REALTOR® Safety Week Kit.
Emma Marriott and her teacher, Tracey Berliner, are pictured here with SILVAR EO and Government Affairs Director Paul Cardus.				Palo Alto District Recognizes HomeWords™ Essay Contest Winner Emma Marriott, the first place winner in the intermediate category of the “What is your American Dream” HomeWords™ Essay Contest, and her teacher, Tracey Berliner, were recognized at a recent Palo Alto Tour Meeting. SILVAR sponsors the essay contest in partnership with the California Association of REALTORS® and the San Jose Mercury News as part of the HomeWords™ program. Marriott received a $450 cash prize and Berliner received $250. Marriott was in the seventh grade last year at Terman Middle School when she joined the contest. In her essay entitled “The American Dream,” she writes about longing for a home, where she and her family can finally settle down.
“Having moved so many times can be exciting, but every time I leave, I leave a part of myself behind,” Marriott writes. She remains optimistic that her dream will come true someday and her family will no longer have to move again. Her dream is to have a “place where memories grow and dreams come true. Where friends and family gather to enjoy themselves. Which stays strong and sturdy and gives us comfort, even when we are disconsolate. …. No matter how many times we fail, we will keep trying and I know that one day, we will succeed.” Other winners in the intermediate category were Karen Camacho, also seventh grader at Terman Middle School, second prize of $250; Rebecca Moll of Cupertino Middle School, third prize of $150. Camacho’s teacher was also Tracey Berliner while Mollb’s teacher was Grace Hynes, who received $100. Click here to read Marriott’s essay.
FAREPA Presidents Mae Perez (SF/Peninsula Chapter), Dexter Lat (Alameda County Chapter) and Judy Lamar (Santa Clara Chapter) thanked SILVAR and other sponsors for supporting the FAREPA - Gawad Kalinga Benefit.						FAREPA Raises $31,000 for Homeless Abroad In an effort to reach out to their homeland and build a community for the impoverished and homeless in the Philippines, members of three chapters of the Filipino American Real Estate Professionals Association (FAREPA) rallied the support of their peers in the real estate industry and were able to raise $31,000 in donations and pledges at a recent benefit held in Burlingame. SILVAR supports FAREPA in its efforts to build homes for the poor in the Philippines and was a Silver Sponsor of the event. The benefit was hosted by FAREPA San Francisco/Peninsula, Santa Clara County and Alameda County at the Embassy Suites and attended by over 200 representatives of the real estate industry. Funds raised will go to Answering the Cry of the Poor (ANCOP) Foundation, USA, Inc., an international network that supports the Gawad Kalinga (“to give care”) project. Gawad Kalinga seeks to transform poverty stricken areas by building 700,000 homes in 7,000 communities, in seven years (2003-2010).
It takes approximately $1,500 to build one house in the Philippines. Donations, pledges and silent and live auction bids enabled FAREPA members to reach two-thirds of their $56,000 goal to build 30 homes, along with essential services needed by a community, such as a community center and health center. “What makes Gawad Kalinga special is the project’s inherent goal to tackle the roots of poverty – the absence of shared values, a sense of community and higher purpose,” said Theresa Dwyer, a major organizer of the FAREPA - GK benefit. Dwyer is a Realtor with Landmark Properties and vice president of FAREPA – Santa Clara Chapter. “Volunteers use their talents and experience to work together and build a community. Architects and engineers design houses, doctors and nurses tend to community health care, teachers share their knowledge and business leaders become mentors for economic enterprises,” Dwyer added. At the benefit, after Gawad Kalinga International Director Dylan Wilk spoke and showed slides of homes being built and villages created in the Philippines, the following 23 individuals/companies stepped up to the plate and pledged $1,000 or more to the project: Wilma Baltar, Judy Lamar, Edelith Obas, Amy Cardoway, Marilyn Becklehimer, Neria Canonizado, Theresa Dwyer, Tess Crescini, Olivia Cunningham, Green Heights Investment, Michael Macapagal, Robert Concepcion, Thez Santos, Corrie Budnik, Norita Rich, Hank Rosendin, Manny Antipuesto, Mario Vista, Joe Salcedo, Ric Bareng, Jr., Dexter Lat, Merle Laurel and Fely Santiago. The Filipino American Realtors and affiliates plan to conduct small fundraisers throughout the year to raise the remaining funds needed to complete their goal. To donate to GK, contact Dwyer at (408) 221-5380.
Longtime Los Altos Resident and Volunteer named Community Service Award Recipient The Silicon Valley Association of Realtors® has selected a longtime Los Altos resident and volunteer in the schools and community, as the recipient of the prestigious Community Service Award. Katherine Frey, chairperson of Los Altos/Mountain View District’s Community Service Award Committee, proudly announced on Wednesday, Aug. 22, that Ginny Lear has been chosen as the recipient of the district’s 44th Annual Silicon Valley Association of REALTORS® Community Service Award. Lear, a resident of Los Altos, was nominated by the Rotary Club of Los Altos. The Community Service Award is presented each year to an individual whose service exemplifies the spirit of volunteerism in Los Altos, Los Altos Hills or Mountain View. Lear, who served as artist coordinator of the Los Altos Fine Art Show for eight years, has held leadership roles in 17 community organizations like the League of Women Voters, Rotary Club, Los Altos Community Foundation, Chamber of Commerce, YMCA, City Parks & Recreation Commission, in the elementary and high schools, Foothills Community College, to mention but a few, along with numerous “invisible jobs.” “Ginny’s service to the community is unsurpassed in scope, intensity and longevity,” said Sam Pesner, past president of the Rotary Club of Los Altos. “Her list of leadership service is unparalleled in the community.” Lear received the John W. Gardner Community Building Award in 2003; the Foothill College President’s “OWL” award, 1977; California 21st Assembly District’s “Woman of the Year,” 1997; and the City of Los Altos/Town of Los Altos Hills Joint Community Volunteer Service Award, 1988. “We are very proud to have selected Ginny Lear as this year’s recipient of the 44th Annual Silicon Valley Association of REALTORS® Community Service Award,” Frey said. “She is very deserving of this honor and our community would like to thank her for all the volunteer service she has rendered through the years.” Lear and her sponsor, Sam Pesner, will be honored at the annual awards luncheon, which will be held 11:30 a.m. – 2 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 11, 2007 at Michael’s at Shoreline in Mountain View. For reservations to the CSA luncheon, please call SILVAR at (408) 200-0100, no later than Friday, Sept. 7.
From left to right: Los Gatos/Saratoga District Chair Brian Crane, Larry Knapp, Past District Chair Dave Tonna, and SILVAR E.O. Paul Cardus.						Larry Knapp at Los Gatos/Saratoga Tour Meeting Larry Knapp, President/COO, Alain Pinel Realtors, was the guest speaker at the Los Gatos/Saratoga Tour Meeting this week. Knapp outlined some major events in the real estate industry since he started 38 years ago. He said, “The tough survive, those who work hard and stick to it as a profession and not as a hobby, will make it.” Knapp said despite the slowdown in sales, he remains positive about the future of the industry. He noted in the last two years, four million jobs have been added nationwide, income has increased by 8 percent, giving the economy a $700 billion boost.  “It isn’t going to be easy, but the current market situation is not going to kill us,” Knapp told SILVAR members.
NOW THE SILVAR STORE: 2008 ENTERTAINMENT BOOKS $25.00 each St. Joseph’s Statues $4.95 SILVAR Weekly Store Special!: Menlo Park and Saratoga/Los Gatos Barclay Maps 5 for $10.00 or 10 for $15.00
		EDUCATION AT SILVAR Featured Classes: September 11, 2007: WINForms Training 9:00 - 12:15 pm. $10.00. VIEW FLYER September 19, 2007:“Seller Mastery: Working With Sellers in a Buyer’s Market” 1:00 – 4:00 pm. There are more listings on the market and the days on the market are increasing. This market requires more skills and knowledge. Learn how to maximize your seller business in any market. Instructor: Chris Alston. $10.00 Call SILVAR at 408-200-0100 or go to http://ims.silvar.org to sign up for classes unless otherwise indicated. SEE FULL SCHEDULE OF UPCOMING CLASSES
		UPCOMING EVENT SCHEDULE Featured Events: September 6: Cupertino/Sunnyvale Wine Tasting Bus Tour - Bus Leaves at 11:00 am VIEW THE FLYER September 11: LA/MV District Community Service Award Luncheon- Michaels’ at Shoreline. $25.00 per person. VIEW THE FLYER  Call SILVAR at 408-200-0100 to or go to http://ims.silvar.org to sign up for events. SEE FULL SCHEDULE OF UPCOMING EVENTS
		UPCOMING TOUR AND DISTRICT MEETING SCHEDULE HERE Due to the Labor Day weekend, SILVAR’s Palo Alto District and Los Altos/Mountain View Districts will not hold tours or meetings on Friday, August 31. The Los Altos/Mountain View District’s monthly meeting at Oregano’s Pizza will be moved up a week earlier and will be on August 24.   The SILVAR office will be closed on Monday, September 3 for Labor Day. The Menlo Park/Atherton District tour will be moved from Tuesday, September 4, to Wednesday, September 5. The computer deadline will be moved from Monday, September 3, to Tuesday, September 4 at noon. The Cupertino/Sunnyvale District will not hold a tour or meeting on Thursday, September 6. © SILICON VALLEY ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®. 19400 Stevens Creek Blvd., #100.  Cupertino, CA. 95014. 408-200-0100.  We thrive on your feedback! Send us a note at bullet@silvar.org PRINT THIS PAGE