the Bullet The Weekly Newsletter of the Silicon Valley Association of REALTORS® August 31, 2007
PRINTABLE VERSION
The SILVAR Office Will Be Closed on Monday, September 3, In Observance of the Labor Day Holiday (See Tour Schedule Below)
GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS NEWS Terrorism Insurance, New Mortgage Rules on Congressional Agenda for September REALTOR® legislative priorities are expected to get a boost when Congress returns from its summer recess next week. The House is scheduled to take up legislation that the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) says will help ensure the continued flow of commercial real estate deals by providing a federal terrorism insurance backstop. H.R. 2761, the Terrorism Risk Insurance Revision and Extension Act of 2007, introduced by Rep. Michael Capuano (D-MA-8) would help keep private insurers in the market by extending federal insurance involvement another 15 years. Be on the lookout for an NAR Call for Action asking you to contact our California Members of Congress in support of the bill. To address subprime mortgage woes, House Financial Services Committee Chairman Barney Frank (D-MA-4) is expected to put the finishing touches on legislation upping underwriting standards for all mortgages, prime and subprime. In a main focus, the bill would subject mortgage originators (lenders and brokers) to rules similar to those that apply to depository institutions. The new rules would subject originators to a licensing requirement and prohibit loans to consumers who have no reasonable ability to repay. NAR has been working with Banking Committee staff to incorporate its Responsible Lending Principles into the bill, among them a prohibition on prepayment penalties, which critics say can trap borrowers in loans they can't afford. To view NAR's eight Principles of Responsible Lending click here. (http://www.realtor.org/subprime_lending.nsf/pages/responsible_lending_principles) In addition, NAR will continue to tout FHA reform as a much-needed antidote to the abusive subprime loans that have rocked mortgage markets. The reforms have bipartisan support in the House and the Senate but progress is slowed as lawmakers look at whether a national housing trust fund should be passed as part of the bill. Along with FHA reform, NAR is calling for the federal government to let secondary mortgage market giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac temporarily hold more loans in their portfolios than they can currently. Such a move would help calm markets by signaling the companies' commitment to ensuring continued liquidity for lenders' mortgage businesses.
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MEMBER NEWS
			SAFETY ON THE ROAD REALTOR® SAFETY WEEK is September 9-15, 2007 As a REALTOR®, you spend a great deal of time in your car. These tips may help protect you from dangerous situations while in your car:
• Your office should keep a file on each agent’s vehicle, including the make, year, model, color and license plate number. Keep this confidential information in a secure place. • Always take your own car for showings. When you leave your car, lock it. • Wear a visible company identification card at all times. It is also best to drive a vehicle clearly marked with your company name. These will be invaluable for identification if you need to get assistance. • When you’re alone getting into your car, the first thing you should do is lock the doors. Be observant when approaching your car. Look underneath and in the back seat before entering. • Keep roadside breakdown essentials in the trunk, including flares, a tire inflation canister, basic hand tools, spare belts and hoses, water, a flashlight and a first-aid kit. Have your vehicle inspected regularly, keep it well maintained and learn how to change a flat tire. • Dress for the weather. If your car breaks down or you need to escape a dangerous situation on foot, you could find yourself exposed to harsh weather conditions for an extended period of time. In the winter, bring a coat with you and keep a blanket in the trunk of your car along with some spare warm clothes. • If you're driving at night and are approached by a vehicle with blue lights, exercise caution. Call 911 to identify the vehicle, turn on your flashers to acknowledge that you see the police car, and keep moving until you’re in a well-lit area. A legitimate law enforcement official will understand your caution. Parking Lot Safety: Don’t Become an Easy Target! • If you’re accosted in a parking lot and forced to drive, don’t leave the area. If you’re in a crowded area, run your vehicle into another one or into something else, such as a building or a tree. You’ll attract attention, and that’s the last thing a perpetrator wants. If you’re confronted at your car, throw your car key in one direction and run screaming in the opposite direction. For this reason, keep your car key separate from your other keys. • As you walk through the parking lot, observe those around you. Notice if there are strangers sitting in parked cars or standing in your pathway. If so, choose an alternate route and avoid them. • Always be alert and aware. Have your car keys in your hand and be ready to unlock the door without delay. • Don’t place your purse or package on the roof of the car while loading other items. AUTO ACCIDENT SCAMS An apparent auto accident may not be an accident at all, but rather a scam. Learn to recognize the following: Swoop and Squat - Two vehicles work as a team to set up an accident. One vehicle pulls in front of an innocent driver and the other alongside, blocking the victim in. The lead car stops short, causing the victim to rear-end him. The car that pulled up alongside serves as a block and prevents the victim from avoiding a collision. Drive Down - As an innocent driver tries to merge into traffic, the suspect driver yields, waving on the other driver. As this innocent driver merges, the suspect driver intentionally collides with the victim and denies giving him the right of way. Start and Stop - Stopped in the same lane of traffic, the suspect’s vehicle is positioned directly in front of the victim. The suspect starts to move forward as does the innocent driver. For no reason, the suspect vehicle suddenly stops short, causing the victim to rear-end him. Sideswiping in a Two-lane Turn - At an intersection that has two left turn lanes, the suspect crosses the centerline, intentionally sideswiping the victim’s car. The suspect then alleges that the victim caused the collision by entering his lane. ATM SAFETY • Try to plan your visits to an automatic teller during the day, rather than after dark. • Choose an ATM location in a busy public place. • If possible, take along a friend who can watch the surroundings while you are conducting your transaction. • Pre-plan your transaction carefully, and don’t spend too much time at the machine. • When you make a withdrawal, quickly place the money in your purse or wallet and leave as soon as you finish your transaction. • Watch out for suspicious-looking people waiting around an ATM - they may not really be customers. If someone offers to let you go ahead of them, decline politely and leave. • When visiting a drive-through ATM, keep your doors locked and be prepared to drive away quickly. If anyone approaches your car on foot, roll up your window and drive off. • If you have not finished your transaction, and a suspicious character approaches you, press the CANCEL button, receive your card and leave quickly. (Sources: REALTOR® Magazine, Georgia Real Estate Commission, Louisiana REALTORS®, National Safety Council, Pinehurst NC Police Department, City of Mesa, AZ)
REALTOR ALERT SILVAR Realtors are asked to exercise caution in view of recent news: A real estate agent in Alameda County reported being attacked, raped and robbed. A suspect was arrested on suspicion of rape. Morgan Hill police are seeking an arrest warrant for a registered sex offender who recently served five months in county jail before being released. Last March, Pleasanton police warned real estate agents and the public about the same person, identified as Daniel Duran. Duran, 42, had been frequenting real estate offices and homes for sale posing as a potential buyer. Although he had not committed an arrestable offense, his behavior, coupled with his criminal record, was enough to issue a public warning, police said. He was subsequently arrested in April for being a sex offender on school grounds in Morgan Hill, but was released on August 13. View these news articles: http://cbs5.com/local/local_story_239145507.html http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4176/is_20070327/ai_n18759731
Sept. 11 Luncheon to Recognize 44th CSA Recipient SILVAR’s Los Altos/Mountain View District will honor Ginny Lear, the District’s 44^th Community Service Award (CSA) recipient and her sponsor Roy Lave, past CSA recipient and member of the Rotary Club of Los Altos, at the annual CSA luncheon on Tuesday, September 11, 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Michaels at Shoreline in Mountain View. Lear, a longtime Los Altos resident and volunteer in the schools and community, was nominated by the Rotary Club of Los Altos for her many years of service and leadership roles in 17 community organizations. Cost for lunch is $25. To register, call (408) 200-0100, fax (408) 200-0101, or online: http://ims.silvar.org. Deadline to register is Wednesday, September 5. VIEW THE FLYER
First Place Winners				“Fun-raising” with Bocce Ball Known for their generosity in raising funds for the schools and community, last Wednesday, 140 Realtors and affiliates of SILVAR’s Los Gatos/Saratoga District took time off from business and fundraising and, instead, had some “fun-raising” of their own on the bocce ball courts at Campo Di Bocce in Los Gatos. The event also served as the District’s “thank you” to members and sponsors for their support during the year. The District thanks Platinum Sponsors ($1,000+): SILVAR and Fariba Lighvani of American First Realtors; Gold Sponsors ($500+): Alain Pinel Realtors, Chicago Title, Indymac - Sharon Butler, Intero Real Estate Services, Investment Property Exchange Services – Ron Richard, Sereno Group, Starker Services, Washington Mutual; Silver Sponsors ($300+) North American Title and Property I.D.; In-Kind Services: Steve Komplot – knew TV, Real Intelligence and Janelle Williams – Perfectly Staged. Many thanks to Sheri Wolfgram of Intero Real Estate Services who is always helping with District events, and to Janet Thompson of Intero Real Estate Services and Kathy Brown of Washington Mutual for helping with the bocce ball registration. “We had a great turn-out and a real fabulous time,” said Los Gatos/Saratoga District Chair Brian Crane. “Everybody had a great time. We were glad to have been able to get together and just have fun. It was a good way to show members and our sponsors our appreciation for their support.”
Second Place Winners
Pictured left to right are Los Altos/Mountain View Chair Toby Vanderbeek, Silicon Valley Realtors® Charitable Foundation President Cindy Luedtke and CHAC Executive Director Monique Kane.				$3,000 to Community Health Awareness Council The Silicon Valley Realtors® Charitable Foundation presented the Community Health Awareness Council (CHAC) with a grant for $3,000 at last week’s Los Altos/Mountain View District Tour Meeting. Silicon Valley Realtors® Charitable Foundation President Cindy Luedtke presented the check to Monique Kane, executive director of CHAC. CHAC was created due to concern about the growing problem of adolescent alcohol and drug abuse. CHAC seeks to provide alternatives to such self-destructive behavior and to help create healthy lives for the children and families of Mountain View, Los Altos and Los Altos Hills. Kane said SILVAR's Charitable Foundation grant will help support CHAC's Prevention Plus school-based counseling program, which is designed to protect students in these communities them from future high-risk behaviors, while promoting positive attitudes, skills and behaviors that will help insure their personal and academic success.
Of the 1,200 at-risk students, CHAC expects to serve this year, approximately 756 come from low and very low income families who live in these communities. The grant will be used for stipends for over 55 graduate intern volunteers who work at the CHAC counseling center in Mountain View and are assigned to one of 23 local schools CHAC serves. Kane thanked the Silicon Valley Realtors® Charitable Foundation for its ongoing support. The Charitable Foundation has provided CHAC’s Prevention Plus program with financial support annually since 2003. Luedtke also thanked SILVAR Realtors and affiliates for their generous donations and for supporting their communities through the Silicon Valley Realtors® Charitable Foundation.
Sign-up Now for Wine Tasting Bus Tour for Charity Have some fun and do it for charity. Join the Cupertino/Sunnyvale District’s Wine Tasting Bus Tour on Thursday, September 6, 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Pick-up and drop-off will be at SILVAR, 19400 Stevens Creek Blvd. We will visit the following wineries in Saratoga: Cooper Garrod Estate Vineyards, Picchetti Winery and Savannah Chanelle Vineyards. We will have fun! Join us! Cost is $40 for members and $45 for non-members. Price includes a picnic lunch, snacks and wine tasting fees. Sponsors of this event are Finet of Saratoga, Holmes & Watson Real Estate Inspection and Referral Realty- Cupertino Office. Register online before Tuesday, September 4, at http://ims.silvar.org, or fax registration form to (408) 200-0101. For more information, contact Lucy McGuire at (408) 309-1658. VIEW THE FLYER
SILVAR’s 9th Annual Charity Golf Tournament Fast Approaching Tickets to SILVAR’s Ninth Annual Charity Foundation Golf Tournament are selling quickly, so if you haven’t already signed up, please do so. There is limited seating available and tickets will NOT be sold at the door. SILVAR’s Ninth Annual Charity Foundation Golf Tournament will be held Monday, September 24, at the Palo Alto Hills Golf & Country Club, 3000 Alexis Drive, Palo Alto. Members are invited to spend the entire day enjoying golfing, lunch, a banquet dinner, awards, raffle and live and silent auctions. The fun-filled day begins with a Shotgun Start (Scramble Format) at 11:30 a.m. A no host cocktail reception will begin at 5 p.m., followed by a buffet dinner at 6 p.m. and awards ceremony and auction. Cost is $275 per participant, which includes golf, lunch, the awards ceremony, banquet dinner and auction. It’s $60 per person for dinner-only guests. All proceeds from the event will go to the Silicon Valley REALTORS® Charitable Foundation. Support SILVAR’s big summer annual event. It’s one way you can give back to the communities SILVAR serves. Support the event as a sponsor and participant. Auction items are still being accepted. Call SILVAR at (408) 200-0100 for questions or to register, or fax the registration form to (408) 200-0101. Contact SILVAR Development Director Kelly Dadsetan at (408) 200-0117 if you would like to donate items which will make this year’s live and silent auctions even more exciting! SPONSORSHIP INFORMATION AND FORM DINNER AND GOLF REGISTRATION DINNER ONLY REGISTRATION
Left to right: SILVAR Director and past Los Gatos/Saratoga Chair Dave Tonna, SILVAR EO Paul Cardus, Los Gatos/Saratoga District Chair Brian Crane and Intero Real Estate Services CEO Gino Blefari.				Intero Real Estate Services CEO Shares Tips Amid these challenging times in real estate, what does it take to be a successful Realtor®? Gino Blefari put it succinctly: recognize the dynamics of the market; provide yourself with tools and vision; and most important of all, believe in yourself. A guest speaker at this week’s Los Gatos/Saratoga District Tour Meeting, the founder and CEO of Intero Real Estate Services told SILVAR Realtors and affiliates, “Success does not depend on market conditions; it depends on you. You need to think and take action … We are only the ones who can make the market.” Blefari then listed a number of areas in which agents should exercise discipline: have specific production goals; be efficient in planning and laser focused on leads; follow-up on leads; increase your work and the intensity of that work; make decisions; create a professional image physically and mentally; constantly improve on yourself; be an expert on market statistics; be in constant communication with your clients and don’t be afraid to tell them the truth; improve on your mindset daily – read, go to real estate events; be optimistic; and last, but not least, NEVER QUIT.
Blefari has more than 23 years of experience in real estate sales, development and management, from branch offices to regional and national operations. In addition to his on-the-job mentoring, Blefari is a faculty member at De Anza Community College, where he teaches real estate courses, and is a former director of the National Association of REALTORS®.
Learn About the Asian American Home Buyer The U.S. minority buying power stands in excess of $1.9 trillion dollars and it is projected that 60 percent of all first time home buyers will come from this emerging market. The Asian American population is among the fastest growing in Silicon Valley. The homeownership rate among the Asian American population is about 60 percent. Asian Americans also have the highest income per capita, and like the Hispanic population in the U.S., their population is growing by double digits. Many Asians are settling in the counties of San Francisco, Santa Clara, San Mateo and Alameda. In fact, recent news reports have disclosed Santa Clara County gained more Asians than any other county in the nation. There were nearly 18,000 new Asian residents in Santa Clara County between July 2005 to July 2006, bringing to the county’s Asian population to over 550,000. For all the above reasons, SILVAR’s Cultural Diversity & Equal Opportunity Committee is hosting “Emerging Sunrise,” a presentation by Jenevene Gular, Multicultural Marketing Manager of Fidelity National Financial, on Thursday, September 27, 2 – 3:30 p.m. at SILVAR. Gular will discuss the role culture plays for Asian customers. She will give SILVAR members an overview of demographics and business opportunities in the Asian American culture, popular tips, and dos and don’ts when dealing with Asian American clients. Cost is $10. Limited seating is available, so register now by calling SILVAR at (408) 200-0100, or register online at http://ims.silvar.org. VIEW FLYER
NOW IN THE SILVAR STORE: 2008 ENTERTAINMENT BOOKS $25.00 each SILVAR Weekly Store Specials!: San Mateo County Barclay Locaide $38.00 (Normally $40.95) Menlo Park and Saratoga/Los Gatos Barclay Maps 5 for $10.00 or 10 for $15.00
	EDUCATION AT SILVAR Featured Classes: September 5: Professional Standards Training. 2 – 5 pm. Free. Adherence to the Code of Ethics and the Standard of Practices used to interpret the Code is the foundation of all of organized real estate. To ensure the process and procedures are equitable and fairly administered to all, it is essential that we refresh our skills and knowledge periodically as required by both the National Association of REALTORS® and California Association of REALTORS®. This exceptional opportunity will enable us to accomplish that requirement and enable us to better understand the new changes and interpretations occurring in today's real estate environment. Instructors: Sue Walsh, CRB, CRS, GRI, and Alane Gilbrech, Certified Professional Standards Coordinators. FREE REIL TRAINING @ SILVAR: September 10: Listing Management Version 3.0 An overview of the new version of Listing Management, scheduled for release in late September. Choose from one of three sessions: 9:00 - 10:30 am OR 11:30 am - 1:00 pm OR 2:30 - 4:00 pm September 11, 2007: WINForms Training 9:00 - 12:15 pm. $10.00. VIEW FLYER 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  September 15: Palo Alto District: Stanford vs. San Jose State Football Game, Stanford University 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