T he value of using a REALTOR is being challenged on three fronts — by the government, by the media and by technology — making the profes- sion an increasingly more difficult one, says the president and CEO of the Texas Association of REALTORS. TAR’s Travis Kessler discussed these and other issues that are having an impact on the real estate industry during an update to members and guests at a recent Certified Res- idential Specialists meeting. “The number one issue is that the national attention on real estate, especially in areas not doing well, has shaped and undermined consumer confidence,” Kessler says. “The expectations of agents, buyers and sellers have changed.” To increase consumer confidence, REALTORS should underscore that the volatility of the market will be over- come and that the value of real estate is always based on the local, not national, market and that Austin is faring much better than average. “Flat is the new up,” he says with a smile. “There is nothing wrong with stability.” Another concern is that while brokers keep investing in the infrastructure of operations the cost of doing business is rising, resulting in declining profits, he says. Marketing dol- lars are still being spent with traditional media outlets but the effectiveness of online sources should also be evaluated. Another finding in Kessler’s industry update is that there is a need for generational and cul- tural diversity. “The average age of REALTORS is 53 while the average buyer is 15 to 20 years younger which makes their preferences and ex- pectations different,” Kessler says. The image of the REALTOR is also an im- portant concern and Kessler says professionals should recognize the importance of strength- ening the relationship with the consumer. TAR’s multi-million dollar public relations campaign on the value of using a REALTOR is one of the efforts that should help with this. Another concern is that there is no comprehensive re- source for real estate, which can confuse consumers as they get information from a variety of sometimes contradicting sources. “There should be a single, definitive, unbiased source for information about real estate,” Kessler says. In the current economic outlook, there are several is- sues that concern consumers that REALTORS can help them overcome, Kessler says. Among their top five concerns are being able to afford the cost of living, having enough to retire, uncertainty about things that could affect the family budget, health care and long-term care. “What we can do is focus on what we do best engage the consumer and let them know that we are local experts and trusted advisors,” Kessler says. Other statistics Kessler shared included facts on buyers and sellers. Almost half (47 percent) of buyers were first- time buyers. The top reasons they cited for buying were a desire to own, current af- fordability, change in family situation and the tax credit. A healthy per- centage of buyers (77 percent) used an agent or broker while 85 percent of sellers did. Some eight percent of all sales were cash and 60 percent of sellers reduced their listing price at least once. Some 10 percent of buyers purchased a home in foreclo- sure but thankfully there were not as many foreclosures in our area as in others. “We need to kiss the ground we live on,” Kessler says, as he shared a chart of monthly foreclosure filings that compared Texas to the rest of the United States. “We are truly blessed to see that difference.” Strengths of the Texas housing market include job growth, interest rates, first-time homebuyers, price stability, housing affordability and cost of living in Texas. The number of home sales is up 4 percent, the median price is up 3.1 per- cent and there is a six to eight month supply of housing. “Texas has avoided a major overhang of unsold properties, keeping supply and demand in relative balance,” he says. Sales in 2009 were down about 8 percent from 2008 lev- els but 2010 should be relatively flat or about equal to 2001- 2003 levels. Current prices are about 7 percent below trend. “This year will continue to present opportunities and chal- lenges,” Kessler says. RL Build consumer confidence by stressing local strengths, TAR expert says — A s s o c i a t e s — I n P r o g r e s s U p c o m i n g E v e n t s : July 28 WCAoR Rookie Club Meeting WCAoR Office - 11:30 a.m. July 29 WCR Luncheon/Elections/Fashion Show ABoR Auditorium - 11 a.m. August 4 AMBA Monthly Luncheon Austin Country Club - 11:30 a.m. August 10 NAPMW General Membership Luncheon Norris Conference Center - 11:30 a.m. August 18 NAHREP Monthly Luncheon Cool River Cafe - 11:30 a.m. August 19 ABoR TREPAC Wine Tasting Central Market - 6 to 8 p.m. Check out Savvy Inspections Commentary on page 17 Enjoyable. Entertaining. It’s all about you. JULY 2010 • VOL. 15 • ISSUE 3 P. O. Box 81366 Austin, Texas 78708-1366 You can visit us online 24/7 at www.realtylineonline.com Presorted Standard U.S. Postage PAID Austin, Texas Paid Permit #715 Annual event to be held at HEB Central Market at 4001 N. Lamar Blvd., upstairs above the Cafe C alling all REALTORS®! Mark your calendars for a night of fine wine, delicious treats and live music on Aug. 19, as you join your fellow real estate pro- fessionals for the annual TREPAC Wine Tasting. This fundrais- ing event will help support the Texas Real Estate Political Action Committee (TREPAC) and its efforts to provide legisla- tive representation and support to the real estate community and private property owners. One of the Austin Board of REALTORS®’ (ABoR) most pop- ular fundraising events, the wine tasting will take place from 6 to 8 p.m. at Central Market located at 4001 N. Lamar, upstairs above the cafe. In addition to the smooth libations, the event is a great networking opportunity for you to mix and mingle with real es- tate professionals. A selection of silent auction items, which atten- dees may browse and bid on, will also be featured at the event. Tickets to this year’s wine tasting event are $35 each and can be purchased online at www.abor.com/events/wine.cfm. For more event information, including details on the available adver- tising opportunities, contact Christina Ortiz in ABoR’s Govern- ment Affairs Department at 454-7636, ext. 1501 or [email protected]. RL n Pop The Cork at the Annual TREPAC Wine Tasting Event on Aug. 19
Transcript
The value of using a REALTOR is being challenged
on three fronts — by the government, by the
media and by technology — making the profes-
sion an increasingly more difficult one, says the president
and CEO of the Texas Association of REALTORS.
TAR’s Travis Kessler discussed these and other issues
that are having an impact on the real estate industry during
an update to members and guests at a recent Certified Res-
idential Specialists meeting.
“The number one issue is that the national attention on
real estate, especially in areas not doing well, has shaped
and undermined consumer confidence,” Kessler says. “The
expectations of agents, buyers and sellers have changed.”
To increase consumer confidence, REALTORS should
underscore that the volatility of the market will be over-
come and that the value of real estate is always based on
the local, not national, market and that Austin is faring
much better than average.
“Flat is the new up,” he says with a smile. “There is
nothing wrong with stability.”
Another concern is that while brokers keep investing in
the infrastructure of operations the cost of doing business is
rising, resulting in declining profits, he says. Marketing dol-
lars are still being spent with traditional media outlets but
the effectiveness of online sources should also be
evaluated.
Another finding in Kessler’s industry update
is that there is a need for generational and cul-
tural diversity. “The average age of REALTORS
is 53 while the average buyer is 15 to 20 years
younger which makes their preferences and ex-
pectations different,” Kessler says.
The image of the REALTOR is also an im-
portant concern and Kessler says professionals
should recognize the importance of strength-
ening the relationship with the consumer.
TAR’s multi-million dollar public relations
campaign on the value of using a REALTOR
is one of the efforts that should help with this.
Another concern is that there is no comprehensive re-
source for real estate, which can confuse consumers as they
get information from a variety of sometimes contradicting
sources. “There should be a single, definitive, unbiased
source for information about real estate,” Kessler says.
In the current economic
outlook, there are several is-
sues that concern consumers
that REALTORS can help
them overcome, Kessler says.
Among their top five concerns
are being able to afford the
cost of living, having enough
to retire, uncertainty about
things that could affect the
family budget, health care and
long-term care.
“What we can do is focus
on what we do best engage the
consumer and let them know
that we are local experts and trusted advisors,” Kessler says.
Other statistics Kessler shared included facts on buyers
and sellers. Almost half (47 percent) of buyers were first-
time buyers. The top
reasons they
cited for buying
were a desire to
own, current af-
f o r d a b i l i t y ,
change in family
situation and the
tax credit.
A healthy per-
centage of buyers
(77 percent) used an
agent or broker
while 85 percent of
sellers did. Some eight percent of all sales were cash and 60
percent of sellers reduced their listing price at least once.
Some 10 percent of buyers purchased a home in foreclo-
sure but thankfully there were not as many foreclosures in
our area as in others. “We need to kiss the ground we live
on,” Kessler says, as he shared a chart of monthly foreclosure
filings that compared Texas to the rest of the United States.
Pop The Cork at the Annual TREPAC Wine Tasting Event on Aug. 19
www.realtylineonline.com Realty Line of Austin July 20102
Keri Anthony andCharla Housson,both of RealtyAustin, find it mighttake two to knockdown all the pins atthe company’smixer at The High-ball.
PAC chair SusanHorton of John Hor-ton Realty raises herrolling pin, sending asubtle message toget the bids higherat the WCR bakeoff, which helpedraise funds for thespecial interestgroup that lobbiesfor REALTORS.
Greg Smith ofAustin Propertiesand Lori Wakefieldof Keller WilliamsRealty join LynnRobbin and DianaThomas, both ofCapital CitySotheby’s, on theLakeway LuxuryBoat Tour hosted byMission Mortgage.
Ashley Richter andJared West, both ofTeam West Real Es-tate, get NayeliGarza of KB Hometo give them a sneakpreview of themodel at ShadowGlen.
KATHY KELLYLENDER BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT | 512.213.7098
Check out our NEW SITE!
Our financial strength gives you one less thing to worry about. Not only do we have more than $5 billion in assets, we also have the strongest premiums-to-surplus and debt-to-capital ratios in the industry. This means that we set aside more capital for every dollar in premiums we write than any other major underwriter and that our company is conservatively capitalized. And that all adds up to strong claims-paying ability, solid financial strength, and—most of all—peace of mind for you.
www.realtylineonline.com Realty Line of Austin July 20104
Graduates of theLeader’s Choiceprogram at theAustin Board of RE-ALTORS are allsmiles after gainingnew skills throughthe valuable pro-gram.
Kyle Grace of Par-rish and Associates,AYREP presidentSumina Bhatti,Faith Laciste ofTexas Discount Re-alty and AYREPtreasurer HectorZuniga enjoy a wa-terfront view atAbel’s on the Lake,where AYREP held arecent happy hour.
J.B. Goodwin, cen-ter, welcomes mem-bers of his teamfrom San Antonio tothe annual companypicnic at his homeon the lake. Fromleft: Michael Coley,Connie Coley, M.J.Cunningham andSusan Jones.
Sales agent Afshin Motalebi of Buffington Homes presents Carolyn Bridgeforth an iPad thatshe won by earning Buffington Bucks.
July 2010 Realty Line of Austin www.realtylineonline.com 5
The KB KronicleJULY 9, 2010 KBHOME.COM 512-651-8059
ShadowGlen in Manor - Now Open!
Spot
ligh
t Co
mm
unit
y of
the
Mon
th
From the $120s• 1,315~2,038 sq. ft. • 2 model homes • 10 floor plans • 1~and 2~story homes • 3~6 bedrooms • 2~4 baths• ENERGY STAR qualified homes• Community park with playscape and pool• Manor ISD
ShadowGlen is conveniently located off Hwy. 290 east of SH-130. The community recreation area features a 4-acre water park with a junior Olympic-size swimming pool, a splash pool, a giant slide pool with dual shoot slides, playscape and 4,300-sq. ft. air conditioned amenity center with fitness facility.
The community is adjacent to the ShadowGlen 18-hole public golf course which winds its way through the community.
Need a sponsor for an upcoming meeting or event? Need a space to hold your next meeting, class, or event? KB Home is always looking for opportunities to work together with our local Realtor partners. Please contact Colette Fitzgerald, KB Home Broker/Realtor
Liaison at cfi [email protected], 512-651-8059, for more information!
(Right) Henry Ir-vin, with Century 21 HSK, enjoys some refresh-ments at the KB Home Design Studio with Jew-Don Priestly, with
KB Home.
(Left) Yvonne Esparza, Casa Grande Realty, en-joyed a tour of the KB Home Circle C Fairway Estates model home given by Colette Fitzgerald, KB Home Realtor Liaison.
KB Home Appreciates YOU!(Right) Amanda Ar-guello, KB Home, poses for a photo op witih Su-san Horton, John Hor-ton Realty, and Mike Foster, KB Home, at the Austin Board of Real-tors. KB Home was the lunch sponsor for a GRI class held at ABOR.
To Visit KB Home at ShadowGlen:Take Hwy. 290 East from Austin and pass SH-130 to community en-trance 3 mi. ahead on left. Turn left on Shadow Glen Blvd. and right on Shadowglen Terrace to model homes on left. 888-KB-HOMES
(Above) KB Home had a booth display at the Expo Tu Casa 2010, organized by El Mundo and NAHREP to promote home owner-ship to the Spanish-speaking population in the Austin area.
www.realtylineonline.com Realty Line of Austin July 20106
Wendy Wilson of Keller Williams Realty clears some brush at Zach Scott Theater during theRED Day event.
Ernie Hernandez ofKeller Williams Re-alty stays ahead ofthe game by finish-ing his homeworkfor the BOLDcourse, which ad-dressed businessobjectives.
Ginger Auel of Aueland Associates,Ann McKinley ofNetwork Fundingand BeataZadrozna of KellerWilliams Realty getready to check out10 homes on theCedar Park propertytour.
North American Title’s North Branch Team
Your Closing Professionals.We are your escrow team in the closing process, providing solutions to the complicated procedure of buying and selling real estate. We go above and beyond to provide peace of mind to all parties involved.
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823 Congress Ave., #1400Austin, TX 78701512.482.0851
NORTH AUSTIN5608 Parkcrest DriveSuite 150Austin, TX 78731 512.302.3892www.nat.com
July 2010 Realty Line of Austin www.realtylineonline.com 7
"Texas has the best large-state economy in
the country right now," says Mark Zandi, chief
economist for Moody's Economy.com. "Em-
ployment is slowing, but it’s still growing.”
When Kiplinger added Austin-Round
Rock to their Best Places to Live list, they said:
“Austin and the surrounding region offer a
strong economy, a solid, moderately priced
housing market, a growing population and
enough natural beauty to justify staying out-
side even if the weather weren’t great—
which, by the way, it is!
Already home to the University of Texas,
the state capital and a bustling music scene,
Austin has lately expanded its economy to in-
clude digital media, green energy and biotech,
creating 114,000 in the area in the last five
years. City life not to your liking? Head north
to Round Rock, an 18.5 mile hike up I-35. This
family-oriented suburb boasts topnotch pub-
lic schools along with a local economy that in-
cludes Dell, three hospitals and a brisk
business in sports tourism thanks to the play-
ing fields it rents out for tournaments. As for
housing, it’s a deal: For $270,000 you can buy
a four-bedroom, three-bathroom house in the
Teravista community and enjoy its rolling
hills, 18-hole golf course, clubhouse and a
pool.”
You can’t pay for advertising like that!
Now add to that the following:
• No state income tax;
• Mortgages are cheaper today than
they’ve been in a half-century;
• In most of our area, it’s a buyer’s mar-
ket, with supply increasing daily. (More sup-
ply means better selections.);
• Today, you have the best marketing
tools to market yourself, your services and
your products; and
• You have fellow REALTORS at the
Williamson County Association of REAL-
TORS that will share their time, knowledge
and experiences with you.
Yes—we are blessed to be a part of the
Texas REALTOR family and for that I am
thankful.
So do I moan and groan as I write my dues
check out in December? Yep, I do—but I really
wouldn't have it any other way. I want to be a
REALTOR and if membership were truly op-
tional—I'd still be a member of the Williamson
County Association of REALTORS and
proudly call myself a Texas REALTOR!
Coming Events at WCAoR
• Fundamentals of Foreclosure Auctions:
Monday, July 19; 1 to 5 p.m.; 4 MCE hours;
$30; Course #8324
• Comparative Market Analysis (CMA)
Adjustments & Theory: Tuesday, July 20; 1 to
4 p.m.; 3 MCE hours; $30; Course #9225
• Home Valuation Code of Conduct
(HVCC): Tuesday, July 27; 1 to 4 p.m.; 3 MCE
hours; $30; Course #8388
• Staging Certification; Tuesday, Aug. 3
and Wednesday, Aug. 4; 8 to 5 p.m.; 16 MCE
hours; $295
Visit our Web site at www.wcaor.org to
register for these and other classes! RL
J. Rene Ward n 2010 President
Ilove the quality of life here in Austin
and the diverse opinions and cul-
tures. I love the small town feel in a
“big” city. I love the range of entertainment
and educational options. I love the fact that
if I chose, I could be really physically fit and
comfortably “green.” I love that real estate
in Texas has afforded me a comfortable liv-
ing and a community of colleagues that I
can call friends.
Recently you may have heard or read some
bleak reports regarding the “struggling” real
estate market. The latest forecasts regarding
national home sales, new home construction,
home prices, loan modifications, foreclosures,
etc. may be enough to make you (or your
spouse) re-evaluate your career decision and
ask “Why did I become a REALTOR?”
Well—before you change your passion,
and start running to the classified ads, let me
reassure you that you’ve made the right
choice, at the right time and you’re in THE
RIGHT PLACE!
Some states like Arizona, California,
Florida, Michigan and Nevada have experi-
enced at least a 20 percent decline in home
prices. Many of our fellow REALTORS across
the nation have had a few miserable years.
Some couldn’t hold on until a change came.
And my heart goes out to all of them. While
many states are on the road to recovery the
Lonestar state is shining bright!
Over the past several years our area has
been recognized for our quality of life:
• Best place to live (Kiplinger, May 2008);
• Fastest growing (Austin Business Jour-
nal, July 2009);
• One of the smartest cities in the nation
(Biz Journal, July 2006);
• Most innovative (Forbes, May 2010);
• Best place to raise a family (Farmer In-
surance, Dec. 2008);
• Best place for singles (Travel and
Leisure, May 2010);
• A “green” city (Popular Science, Feb.
2008); and
• Most affordable places to live (Forbes,
June 2009)
Williamson County Assoc. of REALTORS®
THANK GOODNESS I LIVEIN TEXAS!
President’s Column
remaxtexas.com/esource
LEADS ALL BRANDSIN ADVANCED DESIGNATIONS
02. 03.
21.2 Million
Keller Williams
Century 21Coldwell Banker
PrudentialERA
25,000,000
5,000,000
10,000,000
15,000,000
20,000,000
Source: www.compete.com (Nov. ‘08 to Oct ’09)
*87% figure is from the National Association of Realtors
01. MoreMarketing
MoreEducation
MoreTechnology
1st Quarter, 2010
Total Share ofNational TV Voice
RE/MAX® has an overwhelming advantage in the 3 things agents vitally need in order to be profitable.
Find out HOW YOU CAN EARN more at:
www.joinremax.com
EQUALS
More Transactions
Source: Nielsen Monitor-Plus
EQUA
ALS
rr
www.realtylineonline.com Realty Line of Austin July 20108
Patrick Vaughnasks Stefanie Field-camp, Eric Copperand Diane Johnsonto serve up tastytreats at the KellerWilliams Fourth ofJuly ice cream so-cial.
Katie Osborne ofFull Moon Design,Linda Knowles-Katz of Land Mort-gage and FaithLaciste of TexasDiscount Realtyshare a laugh atAYREP’s waterfrontparty at Abel’s onthe Lake.
Terry Milligan andKay Milligan joinRichard Ethridgeand Amy Kobza atthe WCAoR golftournament at TwinCreeks Golf Club.Terry and Richardare with Lone StarLand Sales and Kayand Amy are withAustin Title.
Hillbilli chili from Vogel Construction wows the judges in a blind tasting to take second place atthe HBA chili cook off at the Travis County Expo Center.
Looking to hang your hat elsewhere?
Supreme Lending of Austin is looking forwell-qualified Mortgage Professionals.
Supreme Lending has all the tools that you will need
to be successful in today’s changing market place.
Estate Zone” everySunday 11 to Noon onNews Radio 590 KLBJ
and 99.7 FM
F H A • V A • C o n v e n t i o n a l • U S D A
July 2010 Realty Line of Austin www.realtylineonline.com 9
Xuan Le of JB Goodwin REALTORS shares a spot on the breezy deck with Rich Redding atJ.B. Goodwin’s home, where employees gathered for a fun summer picnic.
WCR membersAnita Ferrell, cen-ter, of Keller WilliamsRealty, tells GlennAllen and LizanneMcDaniel, both ofMcDaniel Proper-ties, how the cakeauction is con-ducted to raisefunds for TREPAC.
Mike Coy of Refer-ral Training Centerconducts a two-dayreferral boot camp.
Rock Star REAL-TORS graduatefrom the BOLDtraining seminar atKeller Williams Re-alty.
A hands-on experience for you and your clients.
Now more than ever, MileStone Communities offer a personal touch sure to impress you and your clients. Every time you bring a new client to see a MileStone Community, you’ll each receive a gift card for a free massage. Treat your clients to a preview of the best new homes on the market, and MileStone will treat you both to a relaxing massage at Massage Envy. Now that’s guaranteed to rub you the right way! Helping your clients find the perfect home in the perfect community never felt better. So what are you waiting for? Visit a MileStone Community TODAY!
Limited time offer. One offer per qualified customer, please. Other restrictions apply. See sales consultant for details.
Single Family Homes from the low $200’s 512-264-0900
Mark Lee 512-567-36695200 Cypress Ranch Boulevard, Spicewood
www.MyMileStone.com
Townhomes from the $130’s 512-215-5220
Katie Flansburg 661-674-54031900 Little Elm Trail, Cedar Park
Garden Homes from the $160’s 512-215-3424
11400 West Parmer Lane, Cedar Park
Free Massageat
Massage Envy®
www.realtylineonline.com Realty Line of Austin July 201010
Lori Goto of Realty Austin keeps score for the team the old fashioned way—with paper andpencil—at the company’s bowling tournament held at The Highball.
A M B A m e m b e r sCarol Drolette, AnnCarson of Inde-pendence Title andDiana St. Charlesattend the recentmonthly luncheonso they could hearabout the latesthousing forecastfrom Eldon Rude.
Susan Spence sitswith Charlie Hen-son of HighlandLakes Real Estate atthe CRS luncheon.
Power Lunch at Sente MortgageAugust 18th – 12 noon“Service Second to None”
The Sente Business Building Tip of the Month:
To register, go to
www.SenteLearning.comand click on Austin Power Lunches
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July 2010 Realty Line of Austin www.realtylineonline.com 11
It’s Time to get Connected with new Technology in the Real Estate Industry
The Williamson County Association of Realtors fourth annual Tech Tune Up is an educational convention centered on technology for ALL Real Estate Professionals. Tickets for the event are $20 in advance and $30 at the door. Admission includes lunch, FREE MCE hours and an entry in the door prizes. Come get connected with the new technology available to help you amplify your Real Estate business.
Throughout the day Gracy Title will be offering free courses to advance technological skills as applied to the Real Estate Industry.
advance in $20 e ardoor the in y entrour Rou amplify yy
ealtRof ssociation Ay ountCilliamson ALL orffoechnology ton ed ercentA. doorthe at $30 and advance
connecget ome C. esizprdoor .e businesseal Estatour R
une TechTTeannual th ourffoors ealt. essionalsofrPe Estateal RALL
FREE lunch, includes dmission echnology tw nethe with ed tconnec
educational an is Up une ent vethe orffoets ickTan and hours MCE FREE
help o tvailable aechnology
www.realtylineonline.com Realty Line of Austin July 201012
Joe Roquemore ofPrestige Realty andRudy Jennings ofKeller Williams Re-alty sit with Joe BobEverett at the recentCertified ResidentialSpecialists (CRS)meeting at West-wood Country Club.
Justin Rourke,Chris Gunn,Matthew Romero,Erica Dillard, Victo-ria Wilson andDonna Goode, all ofKeller Williams Re-alty participate inRED Day, a volun-teer effort at ZachScott Theatre.
Lisa Mazzarella ofBuffington Homespresents an iPad toNicky Popov, whichshe won by earning-Buffington Bucks.Sarah Jacobs alsoattended the lunch-eon.
Tommy Cain and Cheryl Fowlkes, both of Keller Williams Realty, set team goals for the BOLDcourse at the company’s north office.
July 2010 Realty Line of Austin www.realtylineonline.com 13
w w w. r e a l t y l i n e o n l i n e . c o m
Subscribe to ourCalendar of Events
today.
Steve Zbranek n 2009-10 President
Not just a Parade of Homes™, but a pa-
rade of ideas. You’re invited to get a sneak
peek at seven custom homes now taking
shape at the site of the 2010 Parade of
Homes™ hosted by Rough Hollow Lakeway
in the Bluffs neighborhood on Thursday, July
22 from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
Four of the seven homes are listed and
available for sale. REALTORS can attend the
July 22 event to learn more about the homes
on the tour, the builders and additional op-
portunities for lot purchases and to-be-built
homes. Any REALTOR who attends the July
22 event and previews all seven homes will
be eligible to win these seven fantastic prizes:
• Apple IPad
• $500 in cash
• 2-night getaway at the Lakeway Re-
sort/Spa
• Spa package at the Lakeway Resort/Spa
• Spa/Golf package at the Hills
• $300 Rough Hollow Grill gift card
• 4-day Freedom Boat Club rental
Plus, REALTORS who attend the preview
event, register a buyer for any of the avail-
able Parade homes or to-be-built homes with
any of the seven Parade builders by Oct. 31
and contract by Dec. 31 will be eligible for a
$10,000 REALTOR bonus (see builder for de-
tails).
This is your opportunity to see these spec-
tacular homes in different construction
stages built by award winning builders:
• Jenkins Custom Homes
• Masters Touch Custom Homes
• Rostrata Builders, Inc.
• Stonewood Homes, Ltd.
• Triton Custom Homes
• VII Custom Homes
• Zbranek Custom Homes
Join us at the Rough Hollow Lakeway
Welcome Center at 5:30 p.m. and you’ll enjoy
great food, beer, wine, margaritas and live
music while you get the first look at trends
other builders will be copying for years to
come. There is no cost to attend, but please
visit www.roughhollowlakeway.com/july 22
for details and to RSVP. RL
HBA of Greater Austin
GET A PEEK AT THE 2010 PARADE OFHOMES JULY 22; ATTEND TO REGISTERFOR A $10K REALTOR BONUS ANDOTHER PRIZES
President’s Column
Helen Frazier of JB Goodwin REALTORS is pleased to welcome Tom Thornton of Realty Austin as anew CRS member at a recent meeting.
Carol BellomyBranch Manager/Escrow Officer
Sarah ScholwinskiEscrow Officer
Sarah RooneyBusiness Development
www.realtylineonline.com Realty Line of Austin July 201014
Ramsey Mudgettof Turnquist Part-ners REALTORStalks to the mediaabout the BlackStallion literacy proj-ect which helps chil-dren discover thejoys of reading.
HBA member RussPetersen comes upthrough the losersbracket to competein the horseshoepitching finals at theHBA chili cook off.He and his partnerRob Ellis won theevent.
Rose Krumnow ofKeller Williams Re-alty, Jeff Woodleyof National Develop-ment, AYREP’sAlisa LeBlanc ofNorth American Titleand Barry Wheelerof Wells Fargo gettogether at theAustin Young RealEstate Professionalsnetworking event atAbel’s on the Lake. CRS director Kay DaSilva wins a door prize at the CRS luncheon, which she said would come in
handy for a closing later that afternoon. President Fred Norton congratulates her on the impec-cable timing.
Patten Law FirmA Closing Office for Texas American Title Company
Raising the Bar for Closing Services
VISIT WWW.PATTENTITLE.COM/SPOTLIGHTAUSTIN TO VIEW PHOTOS FROM PAST EVENTS.
Multi-FamilyLight Industrial
OfficeRetail
Multi-LevelLight Medical
RestaurantRepair Cost Estimates
Inspection Services For Many Needs
COMMERCIAL
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From foundations to attic spaces…We bring light to dark places.
CALL (512) 573-8303TREC #8213
July 2010 Realty Line of Austin www.realtylineonline.com 15
Whether you’re a renewing mem-
ber or a newcomer, the Women's
Council of REALTORS (WCR),
is ready to open up a whole world of opportu-
nity to you. That's because your WCR member-
ship is better than ever, with more of the tools,
training and personal support you need to plug
into the power of your profession.
Our focus on local meetings is to bring you
up-to-the minute information that you can use
immediately. Education is our number one
goal at local meetings and on a national level
by offering Performance Management Net-
work courses. WCR's huge referral network is
another great aspect of WCR!
Now, it's your turn. To get the most out of your
membership, we encourage you to get involved.
Attend a local or state meeting and network with
other members. Attend one of two national meet-
ings. Take a Performance Management Network
(PMN) course. Tap into the referral network. It's all
there for you to use and grow your business.
To learn more about WCR, check out the
national Web site at www.wcr.org. If you are
interested in becoming involved in WCR or
have questions about membership, contact
me by phone or e-mail. I look forward to
hearing from many of you and seeing you at
our upcoming meetings and events.
Win a Free Tech Audit: Women's Council (Na-
tional) is awarding a private consulting session
with the incomparable Matthew Ferrara & Com-
pany to evaluate the effectiveness of your online
presence. Better still, the results of your "tech
audit" will appear in a future issue of the eCon-
nect newsletter, giving you free exposure to more
than 12,000 top real estate professionals across the
country. Visit the National Women’s Council of
REALTORS® Facebook page to enter today.
Speaking of Facebook…This is an article I read
on Active Rain and found very helpful…it was a
blog written by Robert Rauf, Mortgage banker.
“Facebook is the world's largest social network.
Disregarding this, people share all kinds of infor-
mation on Facebook without thinking about who's
seeing it or what effect their comments and pic-
tures might have on them in the future. One study
revealed 30% of employers use Facebook to vet job
DISCOVER THE WCR DIFFERENCE!
Susanna Boyer n 2010 President
Women’s Council of REALTORS® President’s Column applicants. Those goofy party pictures could cost
you more than your dignity! So what can you do
to protect your privacy on Facebook? The site itself
offers lots of privacy controls and security features.
Here are five steps to take to activate them:
1. Create Friend Lists: Make a work list for busi-
ness, an acquaintances list, and a family list for rel-
atives and close friends. Click Friends on the
Facebook homepage; click Friends under Lists,
then Create New List, and type in your members.
2. Set Up Who Sees What on Your Profile:
Mouse over Settings on the Facebook home-
page and click Privacy Settings. Click Profile
Privacy. Beneath each section — basic info,
personal info, status, etc. — specify who gets
to see it. This is where Friend lists come in
handy. Enter Only Friends to block out the rest
of the world (like employers). Edit Custom
Settings lets you block specific people or lists.
3. Restrict access to your Address and phone
number: As above, go from Settings to Privacy
Settings to the Profile Privacy page. Click Contact
Information tab at the top. Use the drop-down
lists to determine who sees or doesn't see things
like IM Screen Name, Mobile Phone, Other
Phone, Current Address, Web site, or e-mail.
4. Set Up Who Can Find You on a Facebook
Search: This stops all those friend requests from
old buddies. Click on Settings, then Search,
which takes you to Search Privacy, where you
can specify who can find you. Under Search Vis-
ibility you can choose Everyone, My Networks
and Friends, Friends of Friends, or My Net-
works and Friends of Friends. To keep strangers
from finding you, choose Only Friends. You can
also specify what info displays in your search re-
sult...profile picture, friend list, etc.
5. Block personal info from unknown applica-
tions: Without knowing it, you could be sharing
personal information with various Facebook ap-
plications and their developers. To block them,
mouse over Settings, choose Privacy Settings, click
Applications, then click the Settings tab next to the
Overview tab. Check and uncheck boxes next to
your personal info — picture, education, religious
views, etc. This determines what your friends' ap-
plications can see about you.
This is not a complete guide to privacy and
security on Facebook. But these five steps will
start to create a more private and secure environ-
www.realtylineonline.com Realty Line of Austin July 201016
Diane Christy and Art Christy, both of Diane Christy REALTORS, find a place in the unfinishedKB Home model at Shadow Glen to relax before it is open to the public.
Jim Halvorsen,right, of MilestoneCommunities wel-comes Phil Hutsonof Showcase ofHomes and Sum-mer Pavliska ofTexas American Titleto the Cedar ParkProperty Tour. Jimsponsored thebreakfast tour.
Bonita Burrowsand Winona Barronof The North AustinAnnihilators showthe strength theyhave to knock downtheir bowling pinsand anything else intheir way at the Re-alty Austin social atThe Highball.
John SimpsonTREC InstructorProvider: Mortgage AcuityProvider No. [email protected] Direct
The Inside Line To Clear Buying Power
EARN 3-HOURS MCE CREDIT AT AN UPCOMING SEMINAR • ALL SEMINARS ARE FREE
August 10th
August 12th
August 17th
August 19th
9:00am to 12:00pm
9:00am to 12:00pm
1:00pm to 4:00pm
1:00pm to 4:00pm
July 2010 Realty Line of Austin www.realtylineonline.com 17
Betty Saenz of Sky Realty cheerfully holds up a sign at the blood drive where 121 units of blood wascollected.
ASBESTOS... A KILLER PRODUCT
15 to 30 years. Asbestos doesn't "radiate" danger and its mere existence in low levels in your
environment is not automatically cause for alarm.
Before tearing out walls and spending thousands of dollars for asbestos removal, check
out the information at www.nationalcenter.org/P21NVMartinAsbestos1102.html or
www.claremont.org/projects/pageid.1864/default.asp, for opposing opinions. RL
The feeling I had after completing
an asbestos inspection course was
similar to the feeling I had during
the movie “The Empire Strikes Back” when
Darth Vader tells Luke Skywalker he was his
father. The enlightening course left me feel-
ing both educated and cheated that this in-
formation was passed up by news reporters
and educators for so many years.
The fact that asbestos has tragically killed
many people who worked in factories and
mines has been stamped in our brains by the
internet and news reports of suffering fami-
lies and the tort lawyer suing the evil corpo-
rations for knowingly poisoning their
workers for the almighty dollar. Although
this is true, the other side of the coin is hardly
revealed; how asbestos, if used correctly and
manufactured safely, is a wonderous and in-
expensive natural product with many uses
including fire safety.
Asbestos is not a single, easily categorized
substance such as carbon monoxide or
radon. It comes in a number of different
forms and the risks posed by them vary con-
siderably... from minimal to severe.
Crocidolite and amosite asbestos, known
as amphibole asbestos, are the most danger-
ous forms. Their fibers cling to lung tissue
while resisting the body's natural self-clean-
ing processes. This long-term irritation to
body tissue can lead to disease and death.
Fortunately, these forms of asbestos have
been banned for years though some still
exist, such as the brittle siding on older
homes.
Chrysotile asbestos, a less toxic form,
comprises over 90% of all the asbestos used
in the U.S. This form of asbestos is not nearly
as persistent in lung tissue and low level ex-
posure is not considered to be a health risk
to a healthy person.
In fact, both OSHA and the EPA, concur
that asbestos is not dangerous unless air-
borne. Even if airborne, many studies of as-
bestos workers indicate that it takes more
than a casual exposure to asbestos dust to
cause disease... even over periods as long as
Steve Medina n Savvy Inspections
Experts Speak Out Commentary
w w w. r e a l t y l i n e o n l i n e . c o m
Subscribe to ourCalendar of Events today.
http://www.austintitle.com/ Central Texas Title Companies
Devona Groneck
Angela Hruska
SOUTH 360 ROUND ROCK
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www.realtylineonline.com Realty Line of Austin July 201018
Bill Flood of Stan-berry and Associ-ates checks in at theCRS luncheon atWestwood CountryClub, where he gotfirsthand industry in-formation from thepresident and CEOof the Texas Associ-ation of REALTORS.
J.B. Goodwin stirsup some action byspraying somewhipped cream onthe ice cream — andunsuspecting by-standers — at theJB Goodwin REAL-TORS picnic at hishome.
Jodi Sieracki,Shannon Smith ofCornerstone Mort-gage and EduardoMagaloni of KellerWilliams Realtytrade businesscards at Abel’s onthe Lake, whereAYREP held a wa-terfront party.
While attending a business objective course, Kevin Ginsburg of United Lending listens to GeneFrederick of Keller Williams Realty tell about the listing that got away.
We’re local, we get it. We’re a mortgage banker with
in-house processing, underwriting,and closing. At United Lendingyou’ll always talk to someone
right here in Austin.
July 2010 Realty Line of Austin www.realtylineonline.com 19
www.realtylineonline.com Realty Line of Austin July 201020
Lynda Conway of JB Goodwin REALTORS and Jay Gohil of Jay Gohil Realty discuss sum-mer plans at the Certified Residential Specialists meeting at Westwood Country Club.
Brittanie Flegle,James Deloneyand Steve Bellcheck out eachother’s team T-shirtsas they enjoy somebowling fun at Re-alty Austin’s gather-ing at The Highball.
Former HBA presi-dents Gary Henleyand Wes Peoplesencourage mem-bers to bid in thesilent auction, whichincluded an oppor-tunity to have lunchwith area builders.The auction waspart of the HomeBuilders Associationof Greater Austin’schili cook off at theTravis County ExpoCenter.
• Adding a staging consultation as part of your marketing services is a
win-win for you and your selling clients. Less tim
e on market and better
offers are the norm after staging.
Ellen’s Marketing Tip:
• Did you know that your buying clients also appreciate Move-in Service
for their new home? Move-in consultations given as your closing thank
you gift is extended marketing that gains referrals over and over again.
You’ll be referred to as “the REALTOR” that not only helped find their
new home, but also sent professional help to make it shine.
• Staging By Design also offers Interior and Exterior Color
Consultations at a discounted rate to your client base. I k
eep in
mind the colors that will m
ost likely be appropriate for showing
the property within the next 5 to 7 years and that will work with
the homeowners color favorites.
• Re-Design Services are available, again with a re-sale
perspective, so that the property wows the homeowners and
will wow future potential buyers.
• Marketing is so much more than flyers now with the
web photo galleries stepping forward as vital to
visibility. Bringing a talented stager/decorator to your
marketing team assures the best presentations and
lots of return/referral clients.
Do your sellersneed professionalstaging?
Ellen is ready to helpyou set the stage forprofessional results.
July 2010 Realty Line of Austin www.realtylineonline.com 21
8300 N. MOPAC • Suite 225 • Austin, TX • 78759 • 512.335.5300 • Mortgage Banker No. 43954
A New Era In Mortgage Bankingwww.landmtg.com
The Right Lending PartnerEvery business is unique and to have your business grow you need a strategic partner who can handle any situation. Since 2003 our award winning team has grown the right way - great people, sound principles. We execute the fundamentals and exceed expectations everyday. By simply doing what we do best - close & fund loans - our experienced team ensures your business can succeed. To learn more call today.
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In Austin we are known as Land Mortgage, everywhere else in Texas we are Ameripro Funding. We offer an incredible mortgage banking platform with the capital, technology, and operational capacity to deliver the best quality to clients and referral partners. Every month originators decide to move their businesses to not only the best mortgage bank in Austin but in Texas. To learn more visit our website: www.ameriprofunding.com.
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www.realtylineonline.com Realty Line of Austin July 201022
Jenny Newman of Austin Title, Sheri Brummett of Coldwell Banker United REALTORS and ShaadiOreyzi catch up on industry news at the Austin Mortgage Banker’s Association’s monthly meeting atthe Austin Country Club.
More than 100 volunteers helped with the clean up at the Zach Scott Theater during the Keller WilliamsRealty RED Day event.
Travis Kessler addresses CRS members at a recent luncheon, where he shared insights as CEO andpresident of the Texas Association of REALTORS.
Lauren Timberlake, Jacqui Banks of Coldwell Banker United, Sherry Ellenbogen of Sellstate Realty,Dee Shultz and Joe Longton of Keller Williams, Keri Chemlik of Realty Austin, Lisa Foster and NickSpiropoulos enjoy the Lakeway Luxury Boat Tour.
SHOW OUR NEW HOMES AND YOU’LLHAVE SOMETHING TO SHOW FOR IT.
Now, each time you register a new, qualified prospect at theSteiner Ranch Welcome Center, you will receive a $20 Gift Card
to Nordstrom.
The more you show, the more you collect! And the best part ofall, these cards never expire. Call or visit the Welcome Centerfor details and start eyeing that new pair of shoes! Showing your
clients new construction in Steiner Ranch is always in style.
Homes from the $250’s to $3+ millionWelcome Center: 512-266-5833 or 800-783-4640
For more information, visit www.steinerranch.com
Builders: Taylor Morrison, Drees Custom Homes, Highland Homes, Monterey Homes, Sendero Homes, Partners In BuildingCustom Homes: Affinity Homes, Randy Rollo Homes, Echelon Homes. Information contained within this advertisementis correct at the time of publication and subject to change. In order to receive gift card, Realtor must accompanyprospect into the Welcome Center on first visit.
July 2010 Realty Line of Austin www.realtylineonline.com 23
Carrie Weikert of Keller Williams Realty, with her beach-themed cake at the WCR bake off,makes David Burton of Austin Suburban Properties think about putting his toes in the sand.
Derek Clarkson ofSky Realty talks withGwen Johansen ofNorth American Titleabout her upcominghiking trip. Theywere at AYREP’snetworking event atAbel’s on the Lake.
Enjoying a beautifulsunset and goodtimes at MountainTrail by the Oasis onLake Travis are KyleNunnallee, LaurieNunnallee, FirstAmerican Title Com-pany, Paula Green-field, ColdwellBanker United andMindy Bakker.
Nianne VanBibberof Buffington Homespresents a Wii andan iPod Nano toHolly Rivers of JBGoodwin REAL-TORS. She earnedthe gifts with herBuffington Bucks.
www.realtylineonline.com Realty Line of Austin July 201024
Colette Fitzgerald of KB Home and Will Mannis of Century 21 First Place Realty get a littledust on their shoes as they tour the KB Home model at Shadow Glen before it was open tothe public.
Mark Blackburngets ready to enjoya cold treat at theKeller Williams icecream social.
HBA members takehome awards forhorseshoe pitchingand booth show-manship at the HBAchili cookoff. Fromleft: Rob Ellis, RussPetersen, Kim Pe-tersen and AmyEllis.
FIXED & ADJUSTABLE RATE FHA & VA - JUMBO - PERMANENT CONSTRUCTION - REFINANCE - RELOCATION -- JUST TO NAME A FEW.
Capital City PrimeLending is dedicated to making your homebuying or selling experience as seamless as possible. We are friendly, communicate effectively, and we consider you a client for life.T 512.238.7888 810 Hester’s Crossing, Suite 150 | Round Rock, Texas 78681
T 512.238.7888 810 Hester’s Crossing, Suite 150 | Round Rock, T
, and we consider you a client for life.fectively, communicate efe are friendlyCapital City PrimeLending is dedicated to making your homebuying or selling experience as seamless as
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an 179412, Leaman 151263, Nield. PrimeLending, a PlainsCapital Company (NMLS #: 13649) is a who
. NMLS #: Buzp y ( )179412 L 151263 Ni lg Opportunity Lender
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, and we consider you a client for life.Capital City PrimeLending is dedicated to making your homebuying or selling experience as seamless as
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July 2010 Realty Line of Austin www.realtylineonline.com 25
stock options in a diversified real estate holding company
www.realtylineonline.com Realty Line of Austin July 201026
Debbie Kelsey andCindy Reeder, bothof RE/MAX CapitalCity, round up dona-tions for Any BabyCan at the CRSmeeting.
Tony Ewing of JBGoodwin REAL-TORS and BarbaraEwing enjoy thelovely shade in thebackyard of J.B.Goodwin’s homeduring the com-pany’s annual pic-nic.
Christy Gessler ofRE/MAX Capital Cityand ElizabethYoung of TAR cometo bid on cakes atthe Women’s Coun-cil of REALTORSbakeoff, whichhelped raise fundsfor TREPAC.
Jona Tabriz Ten Eyck of Highland Lakes Real Estate learns inventive ways to market her listing(such as putting it all over her face) at the BOLD course at Keller Williams Realty.
July 2010 Realty Line of Austin www.realtylineonline.com 27
Insurance is probably one of the most regu-
lated industries in the State of Texas and we
must continue to adapt to the many changes
that face our profession as we have done so
for many years. As reflected by our past
adaptations, we are strongly prepared to
quickly embrace whatever the future holds
for our industry.
What can help real estate agents evalu-
ate title companies when they are choosing
where to take their clients for closings?
They should look for testimonials and ex-
periences on how the title company has han-
dled things when something went wrong.
The truth remains that anyone should be
able to handle a normal transaction without
issue, but a better measure for weighing the
strengths of your preferred closing office is
how the leadership and staff responds in the
face of an unpredictable or otherwise unpleasant
event or problem. When a transaction is chal-
lenging, did the title company’s staff go the extra
mile? Did they offer solutions? Or did they take
the attitude that it wasn’t their problem and be-
came difficult to reach? One of the things I am
most impressed with our staff at the Patten Law
Firm is the solutions-oriented attitude of our
team.
To many people, the title industry would
seem like a lot of paperwork. What keeps it
fresh for your employees?
It is a lot of paperwork but each transaction
is unique and different and the people involved
in the transaction (buyers, sellers, agents, lenders,
etc) are what keep it fresh for the escrow staff.
Considering the axiom that a person’s home is
generally the largest investment they will make,
what we do is so much more than a clerical or
ministerial profession. The paperwork becomes
less obtrusive when we are able to coordinate a
fluid transaction for all of the parties and every-
one cooperates.
All companies say they offer the best cus-
tomer service. What can truly set one apart?
When the cost of the service is regulated,
service becomes the battle cry and everyone cries
(loudly) that theirs is the best. When the title
company staff truly takes on a partnership role
and considers themselves a team member to the
agents, lenders, developers and buyers/sellers is
when a company sets itself apart. One of our
philosophies at Patten Law Firm is that we are
not a success if our partners do not succeed. If
the transaction does not close, everyone loses. RL
When people think of Patten Law Firm
they often think of Spotlight Austin,
the company’s signature event that
has become recognized as a first-class networking
event. Patten Law Firm created the much anticipated
series to provide education and information to the Cen-
tral Texas Real Estate community on relevant current
events and news. But there is much more to this well
respected company, so Realty Line recently visited
with Ashley Patten, who leads the dynamic and inno-
vative team at Patten Law Firm, to find out a little
more behind-the-scenes information to share with our
readers.
What do people think of first when they
think of your company?
When people hear the name Patten Law
Firm, a Closing Office for Texas American Title
Company, their focus often shifts to the “law
firm” in the nomenclature rather than the more
proficiently described title of being a “Closing
Office for Texas American Title Company.”
Nearly 100 percent of our attention remains fo-
cused on closing real estate transactions that re-
quire the issue of title insurance regardless of
whether that transaction is classified as commer-
cial, residential, purchase, refinance, construc-
tion, home equity or reverse mortgage.
What is your company most proud of?
There are a lot of things that we are proud of
in our company such as our expertise in escrow
and the way we conduct ourselves above the let-
ter-of-the-law. If I were to narrow it down to the
most significant achievement for our company,
all awards would be tendered to the longevity of
our outstanding staff who have embraced team
playing and taken it to the next level by applying
our Company Commitment to serve our cus-
tomers and clients as our friends which is some-
thing that seems to have been forgotten by many
of our profession. A low turnover rate amongst
the employees in the company speaks volumes
to the dedication we have as a company for what
we do and the synergy and atmosphere that is
found in our Austin office on Great Hills Trail
and other offices located throughout Texas. A
staff like ours is sought after by other title com-
panies and we are proud that we have a great
group that sticks together to provide an excep-
tional experience in all areas.
Do you see any changes in the title industry
in the next five to 10 years?
We have to change as the market changes. As
a privately held professional corporation with
deep roots in Texas, we possess that ability. Title
www.realtylineonline.com Realty Line of Austin July 201028
NAPMW President Laura De Rosales, Linda Preece of WR Starkey Mortgage, Becky Hopkinsof Austin Title and Diana Taber of Keller Williams Realty kick it up for TREPAC at the ABoR golftournament at Avery Ranch Golf Club.
Wanda Stewart, bytradition, got to takethe first bite of themassive bananasplit at the JB Good-win REALTORScompany picnic.With her wereJuanita Jacksonand CynthiaDelacruz.
Sherry Ellenbogenof Sellstate Realtyand Cindy Fenley ofMission Mortgageget ready to enjoytouring propertiesand the lake duringthe Lakeway LuxuryBoat Tour.
July 2010 Realty Line of Austin www.realtylineonline.com 2929
Here is your chance to be inspired.
Thursday, July 22, 2010, 5:30 – 8:30 pmYou are invited to a sneak preview of the 2010 Parade of Homes at The Bluffs at Rough Hollow.
Join us for fun, food, music, margaritas and seven amazing homes each with a great prize.
Apple iPad™ $500 in cash $300 gift card to The Grille at Rough Hollow Two night Getaway package at the Lakeway Resort and Spa Golf and Spa package at the Hills of Lakeway
Spa package at the Lakeway Resort and Spa Four-day boat rental at the Freedom Boat Club
Just by coming, you will also be eligible for a $10,000 Buyer’s Agent Bonus.* (*See builders for details.)
Must tour all seven homes to be eligible for prizes and bonus, so please be at The Bluffs at Rough Hollow by 5:30 pm.
VII Custom Homes
Jenkins Custom Homes
Master’s Touch Custom Homes
Stonewood Custom Homes
Rostrata Builders
TritonCustom Homes
Zbranek Custom Homes
RSVP at www.RoughHollowLakeway.com/July22
www.realtylineonline.com Realty Line of Austin July 201030
Joe Foster and Lil-lie Foster claimtheir usual spot onthe deck overlook-ing the lake, wherethey can relax withErhard Sudermannand Sylvia Suder-mann at the JBGoodwin REAL-TORS company pic-nic.
Matt Pyle tells Re-alty Line’s LindaMcNabb the chiliwas so good at theHBA cook off thathe left some on hisshirt for later.
Rene Salazar, Co-lette Fitzgerald ofKB Home, LauraAnn Castleberry,Mike Coy of Refer-ral Training Center,Laura Stephensand Jim Stricklandattend Mike Coy’stwo-day referralboot camp.
Ryan Carsson bowls with style in his hot rod shirt at The Highball, where Realty Austin hosteda fun social as a reward for all of hard work company employees have put in so far this year.
This is a proven, successful and FREE service that helped thousands of customers prepare for successful homeownership. Contact me today to get started!
HOME BUYERS CLUB
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If so, this is less likely to be considered fair
use. The notion is that you can use the origi-
nal to further your own analysis or to explain
your analysis or to criticize or parody, but
you can’t pass it off as your own or substitute
your own work for the original.
Note that the concept of fair use is an af-
firmative defense. This is lawyer talk for a
position you take to defend a lawsuit that has
been filed against you. So what steps are rec-
ommended to avoid litigation in the first
place? Focus on four things:
1. Don’t include the entire document, pic-
ture, film, etc. Instead use short quotes and
excerpts. Focus on what you need and leave
the rest.
2. Provide the reader with direction to the
original. Attribute the work to the original
author — again and again. In a blog meant
for the internet provide a link to the original.
3. Talk about the original in a way that
clearly separates it from your own work.
4. Expand upon the original. Think about
whether after reading your comments your
readers would want to view the original. If
not, you may have a problem.
Remember that this is not an intuitive
area of law still as it relies on a case decided
in 1841 for 21st century circumstances. Some
of the old principles still apply: don’t quote
(copy) without attribution and you are al-
ways better off expressing ideas in your own
words. RL
July 2010 Realty Line of Austin www.realtylineonline.com 31
w w w . r e a l t y l i n e o n l i n e . c o m
Subscribe to ourCalendar of Events
Today.
BLOGGING
Bill Bradshaw n Gracy Title Company
Experts Speak Out Commentary
Blogging is subject to the same rules re-
garding plagiarism and copyright infringe-
ment as any other form of publication,
promulgation or dissemination of ideas. Our
system protects the free dissemination of the
speaker’s ideas, not the speaker’s publishing
the ideas of another and certainly not the
ideas of another when claimed as your own.
Additionally, much information is copy-
righted or otherwise protected from plagia-
rism and infringement. However, some
allegations are commonplace. The 2 Live
Crew parody of Roy Orbison’s “Pretty
Woman” and Marcel DuChamps’ “Mona
Lisa with a Mustache” are examples.
With the internet and its ever increasing
number of uses and users there have been
more and more reported “violations.” In fact,
some watchdog groups have become ex-
tremely active in the prosecution of plagia-
rism or infringement cases. Realtors and real
estate companies who blog for a business
purpose have been targets. So an analysis of
the rules relating to Blogs and Bloggers is
topical.
The Copyright Act provides that fair use
for purposes of comment, parody, criticism,
reporting, teaching or research does not con-
stitute copyright infringement. It is interest-
ing to note that this portion of the act was
taken from the seminal U.S. Case in this area,
Folsom v. Marsh decided in 1841.
The doctrine of fair use includes consid-
eration of 4 factors:
1. The purpose and character of the use,
including whether such use is of a commer-
cial nature or is for nonprofit or educational
purposes. Transformative uses are favored
over copying. (see below #4)
2. The nature of the copyrighted work;
factual material is more commonly ap-
proved. Note that it is not the facts that are
protected but the arrangement of words to
describe those facts.
3. The extent of the copying. All or most
less likely to be safe.
4. Have you copied the original in a way
that substitutes your work for the original?
www.realtylineonline.com Realty Line of Austin July 201032
Dylan , son of JB Goodwin agent Linda Godinez, enjoys a challenge at theJB Goodwin REALTORS company picnic on the lake.
Teammates PeggyD u k e - S a r g e n t ,Brian Collins andG w e n d o l y nWatkins brainstormideas at a businessobjective trainingseminar at KellerWilliams Realty.
Josh Schenck,center, helps keepthe peace betweenYvette Boatwrightof the West LakeHigh Rollers andRomeo Manzihallaof the WilliamsonCounty Wranglers.All are with RealtyAustin enjoying abowling social atThe Highball.
Mike Carroll, Ken-ton Brown of SenteMortgage, Bob Al-mand and SteveBuilta of HometrustMortgage take turnstrying to figure outhow to operate thecredit card machineat the Austin Mort-gage Bankers Asso-ciation meeting.
Chris Ott and Nicole Cooper, both of Keller Williams Realty, enjoy networking and stayingpositive at the company’s BOLD training seminar.
