WAOR NEWS

2227 Santiam HWY SE Albany, OR 97322

May 2009
Phone: 541-924-9267 Fax: 5419924-9268 Email: realtors@waor.org

REALTOR® Of The Year 2009 Inside this issue:

Linda Long
Town & Country Realty Corvallis WAOR NEWS

2009 Board of Directors President GENERAL

MEMBERSHIP 2
MEETING

WCR MEETING 2

Oregon Real Estate 2

Agency

Marketing Made 2
Simple
Fair Housing Council 3
Click link below to view presentation
http://www.youtube.com/watch? OAR NEWS
v=z4WdlOUBtQI&feature=player_embedded What is an EcoBroker 4
Take Action Today 4

TOOLS YOU CAN USE 5

NAR NEWS
Letter From
6
Charles McMillan
A simple low cost way to let Soldiers serving overseas
Internet Marketing 7
know that they are not forgotten!

Foreclosure Help 7
Over 3,000
Oregon National Guard Troops are being deployed
to Iraq in July

Click here
to view the love box video
and frequently asked questions
 W A O R NEWS Page 2

May General Membership Meeting WCR May Meeting

May 19th,,2009 May 21st 2009

Adair Village Club House 11:30 AM—1:00 PM
Cost $10.00 Allied Waste Boardroom
Time: 11:15 to 1:00 PM 1214 Montgomery St. SE
Bob Keith Albany, OR
Oregon Appraiser Topic
Certification & Licensure Board Professional Staging Tips
1 Credit Hour ASP Designation
RSVP by email before May 15, 2009 Please RSVP
realtors@waor.org Heidi Wills
541-924-9267 541-704-3450

Marketing and Branding Made Simple

There has been no change to the status of the Marketing and Branding
two Agency bills, Senate Bill (SB) 140 and SB
141, since the March 2009 edition of the
Made Simple‖
―Commissioner’s Bulletin.‖ Both bills modify
ORS chapter 696. At this writing, both bills have
passed the Senate and have been assigned to Holiday Inn Express on May
House committees but no meetings have been 22nd from 9:30-11:00.
scheduled.
These two bills are the result of collaboration
We will be demo’ing the
with the Real Estate Board and the rule review WVMLS marketing software.
work groups convened last year. The bills can be
viewed here and here.Two other bills of interest RSVP
that modify ORS chapter 696 are SB 640
(sponsored by Senator Courtney) and HB 2910
Marnie Zoa
(sponsored by Representative Schaufler). Both Marnie@FNF.com
bills were at the request of the Oregon Associa-
tion of Realtors®. SB 640 proposes new educa- 541-924-0767
tional requirements for license applicants and
new continuing education requirements for licen-
sees and Agency certification of continuing edu-
cation providers. HB 2910 proposes eliminating
the sole practitioner broker license category from
conducting professional real estate activity that
is licensed by the Agency. These bills can be
viewed at here and here.
 HOW WELL DO YOU KNOW THE FAIR HOUSING COUNCIL? Page 3
By Jo Becker, Education/Outreach Specialist, Fair Housing Council of Oregon

Who is the Fair Housing Council (FHCO)?

We are a private non-profit organization. We promote equal access to housing by providing education, outreach, technical assistance,
and access to enforcement related to federal, state, and local fair housing laws.
We are not a government agency, although we receive some of our funding from federal, state, and local jurisdictions. We are not a
housing authority and do not administer Section 8 or other housing assistance programs. We are not a housing provider and do not
have units available for rent or for sale; nor do we have shelter services or provide crisis housing.
What is the Fair Housing Council’s Service Area?
We serve the entire state of Oregon and Clark County, Washington.
What is the History of the FHCO?
The FHCO was founded in 1990 as the first, and only, organization dedicated solely to furthering and enforcing the Fair Housing Act’s
protections across Oregon.

What Services Does the Fair Housing Council offer?

Through comprehensive community education and individual counseling, the Fair Housing Council works to eliminate housing dis-
crimination across Oregon and SW Washington and to guarantee the rights of all people to freely chose housing in the area they de-
sire to live and for which they are financially qualified. Services provided by the Fair Housing Council include access to fair housing
enforcement, and education and outreach about federal, state, and local fair housing laws.
How can I contact the Fair Housing Council?
Anyone with a fair housing question may contact us at:
The Fair Housing Hotline
503/223-8197 Ext. 2
800/424-3247 Ext. 2 (outside Portland metro area), or
information@FHCO.org
www.FHCO.org

This is a toll-free call and there is no fee associated with the Hotline service, nor is there any income qualification for Hotline assis-
tance. If a staff member is not immediately available to assist by phone, please leave a message and your call with be returned as
soon as possible.
Does the Fair Housing Council offer assistance in languages other than English?
Yes, for any languages we can’t accommodate with bilingual staff, we utilize the services of the AT&T Language Line or similar ser-
vice. The AT&T Language Line makes translators available to us in over 160 languages. Historically, 4% of the calls to our Fair Hous-
ing Hotline have come from non-English speakers.
Does the Fair Housing Council offer assistance to those with limited vision or hearing abilities?
Yes, our Fair Housing Hotline staff can assist callers with a hearing impairment. In addition, upon request, we can provide literature and materials
in Braille.

Does the Fair Housing Council offer further accommodations?

Yes. If you need assistance utilizing our services (the Hotline, our website, our literature, the classes we offer, etc.) based on a physi-
cal or mental disability, please let us know how we can be of help.
Who Governs the Fair Council?
The Fair Housing Council is governed by a volunteer Board of Directors, which establishes and oversees all policies. The back-
ground of the Board is broad and diverse providing guidance and perspective from attorneys, leaders in the real estate
industry and varied housing providers, business professionals, and individuals from the non-profit sector. Get to know
our Board at FHCO.org/bod.htm. You can also get to know our staff better at FHCO.org/staff.htm and read our mission
at FHCO.org/mission.htm.
This article brought to you by the Fair Housing Council; a non-profit serving the state of Oregon and SW Washington. Learn more
and / or sign up for our free, periodic newsletter at FHCO.org.

Qs about your rights and responsibilities under fair housing laws?

Visit FHCO.org or call 1-800-424-3247 Ext. 2.
 OAR NEWS Page 4

What is EcoBroker®?
The Green Designations TAKE ACTION TODAY

EcoBroker is the premiere green designation

program for real estate professionals.
EcoBroker Certified® professionals help clients
market properties with green features, save
money, and live comfortably, through energy ef-
ficiency and environmentally-sensitive choices.
Founded in 2002, EcoBroker is the first and largest
green real estate training and communications pro-
gram in the world. With members in all 50 United
States, Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, Central Amer-
ica, and New Zealand, EcoBroker and its members
serve real estate consumers, communities, and the
environment with an unparalleled level of care, com-
mitment, and follow-up. With the benefit of oversight
from the Association of Energy and Environmental
Real Estate Professionals (www.aeerep.org), EcoBro-
ker's green designation training and communications
provide professionals with the resources to be con-
structive green ambassadors in an ever-changing
business and consumer world.
Being smart, politically. In the fast pace of the
political arena, issues are constantly changing.
As grassroots advocates, member volunteers
need to be up to speed on issues that impact
REALTORS®.
Take action. In today’s political atmosphere,
there are numerous competing ideologies. To
ensure our priorities are shared by elected offi-
cials we need to build the local pressure neces-
sary for political success. As issues of signifi-
cance to your business emerge, the association
will issue calls-to-action to present a strong,
unified voice on behalf of Oregon’s REAL-
TORS®.
To get involved and learn about statewide po-
litical activities, visit the Oregon REALTOR®
Action Center!

EcoBroker offers education and tools to real estate

professionals that in turn help consumers take ad-
vantage of energy efficiency and environmentally
sensitive design in real estate properties. Through
EcoBroker’s unique energy and environmental cur-
riculum, real estate professionals acquire the knowl-
edge and resources to become Certified EcoBrokers.
These real estate professionals assist clients in their
pursuit of properties that provide affordability, com-
fort and a healthier environment (reducing carbon
footprints).
In order to earn the EcoBroker Designation, licensed
real estate agents must fulfill a straight-forward set
of requirements. The most important requirement of
EcoBroker Certification is that you complete our en-
ergy, environmental, and marketing training pro-
gram. See the introduction to education courses.
 TOOLS YOU CAN USE Page 5

It Pays to Work with a REALTOR® OAR Short Sale Addendum

Let your clients know the importance of

working with a REALTOR®. Short Sale Addendum Revised Click here for
Order your copy now for FREE. (member more information
login required, see below for additional
information and instructions)

Why Rent When You Can Buy WHAT IF THE BUYER DOESN’T QUALIFY?

Show first time buyers the true value in Web Seminar

owning a home with this updated bro- What if the Buyer Doesn’t Qualify?
chure. Alternatives to Conventional Financing

Presented by:
Order your copy now for FREE. (member
login required, see below for additional Joel Grayson and Janet Grayson,
information and instructions) Attorneys at Law

Click here to register online

Click here for registration form

 Page 6

From: Charles McMillan, 2009 NAR President

Re: NAR pushes for stronger FHA, mortgage reform
Big names to headline Midyear Real Estate Summit
Dear Fellow REALTOR® ,
With Congress back in session, and the Midyear Legislative Meetings & Expo just a
few weeks away, I wanted to provide you with three quick updates from your Na-
tional Association of REALTORS®.
First, in the latest NAR President’s Podcast, 2009 President-Elect Vicki Cox Golder
provides the latest news on NAR’s legislative efforts. The new video provides in-
sights on the effects of the stimulus, NAR’s efforts to strengthen the FHA program,
and our push to get financial regulators to resolve persistent problems on the mort-
gage front.
http://www.realtor.org/about_nar/presidents_report/_podcast_archive/
mcmillangolder_legislativeupdate_20090421
Second, last week, I testified before the House Financial Service Committee on the
"Mortgage Reform and Anti-Predatory Lending Act of 2009." You can read my testi-
mony on the Government Affairs section of REALTOR.org.
http://www.realtor.org/government_affairs

\Last, but not least, I am excited to share the growing list of confirmed speakers for
our Real Estate Summit: Advancing the U.S. Economy on May 12, 2009. The all-day
event features two panels with expert moderators – Ron Insana of CNBC and Jane
Bryant Quinn of Newsweek. Keynote speakers include former U.S. Rep. Harold Ford,
Jr., conservative commentator Pat Buchanan, former Secretary of Labor and Public
Policy professor at Berkeley Robert Reich, and former Federal Reserve Chairman
Alan Greenspan. FDIC Chairman Sheila Bair also will close out the day at a very spe-
cial 59 and ½ Minutes: A Member & Director Forum. For more information visit the
Meetings and Expo page on Realtor.org.
http://www.realtor.org/midyear.nsf
Once again, I thank you all for your continued support of NAR’s advocacy efforts. I
will continue to update you on our progress, and I hope to see all of you in Washing-
ton, D.C., in just a few weeks.
Sincerely,
 NAR NEWS
Old-style marketing won't cut it in the brave
new world of real estate
NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- Home buyers
and sellers have already seized much of the
power once in the hands of exclusively of real
estate professionals. But they're about to get
stronger still.
The changes to the real estate industry have
come fast, with listings and valuations tools
widely available for free on the Internet.
Now, according to many of the participants of
Real Estate Connect NYC 2007, a conference de-
voted to outlining the changes facing the indus-
try, the industry is on the cusp of another tech-
nical revolution, one that revolves around that
Time Magazine person of the year - YOU!
Real estate blogs, which have been around for a
few years, exploded in popularity during 2006.
These sites provide a wealth of unvarnished
opinion, truths and half-truths about towns and
neighborhoods all over the country -
the inside dirt on restaurants, schools and
crime.
"The rules have fundamentally changed," said
Brad Inman, the host of Real Estate Connect and
publisher of Inman News. "Social networking is
lifting real estate and in the next 12 months it's
going to overwhelm real estate. It's been hap-
pening since Craig's List started but it's only
now coming to a head."
In the past, the real estate industry always had
a pubs/consumer/homes/rea04.shtm
gate-keeper mentality.
"Brokers prospered by not giving out informa-
tion," says Dottie Herman, CEO of New York
based broker, Prudential Douglas Elliman.
"Clients came to them for information. This
takes the industry
to a whole different model."
Technology has made it very simple to start up,
run and contribute to Web sites and that has let
loose a flood of information that's increasingly
well organized.
Page 7
Where to Get Foreclosure Help
With all the dubious assistance programs and out-
right scams preying on home owners facing foreclo-
sure, it can be difficult to find legitimate help.
Here’s a list of programs that are either operated by
the U.S. government or have its seal of approval:
To find a counselor, contact the U.S. Department of
Housing and Urban Development (HUD) at (800) 569
-4287 or (877) 483-1515, or go to www.hud.gov/
offices/hsg/sfh/hcc/hccprof14.cfm
 Call (888) 995-HOPE, the Homeowner’s HOPE
Hotline to reach a nonprofit, HUD-approved coun-
selor through HOPE NOW, a cooperative effort of
mortgage counselors and lenders to assist home-
owners.
Visit NeighborWorks America’s Web site at
www.nw.org/network/home.asp
Go to this Web site for information on federal mort-
gage modification and refinancing programs:
www.makinghomeaffordable.gov
The Controller of the Currency’s consumer informa-
tion site for banking-related questions is
www.helpwithmybank.gov
OCC Customer Assistance Group and consumer assis-
tance site: www.occ.gov/customer.htm
Federal Trade Commission:
Federal Trade Commission: www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/
Federal Reserve Board: www.federalreserve.gov/
pubs/foreclosurescamtips/default.htm
NeighborWorks America: http://www.nw.org
HOPE NOW: www.hopenow.com
www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/pubs/consumer/homes/rea0
4.shtm
Federal Reserve Board:
www.federalreserve.gov/pubs/foreclosurescamtips/default.ht
m
NeighborWorks America: http://www.nw.org
HOPE NOW: www.hopenow.com