NAR RECOMMENDS FAIR HOUSING LAW CHANGES

                     REALTORS TAKE DECISIVE ACTION IN ORLANDO!


I am so honored to have served as 2016 Chair of the National Association of Realtors (NAR) Diversity Committee.

Thank you 2016 President Tom Salomone for the opportunity to serve on your team!!!   You are a true and inspirational leader and you know how to bring out the best from all of your fellow Realtors and others.

Our meeting in Orlando, FL was very productive!

However, this meeting was totally different for so many of our fellow Realtors and others who will benefit from the work done in Orlando, FL.  Our 2016 Diversity Committee with so much help from our Multicultural Advisory Committee wanted to correct some long overdue protection for the LGBT and other communities who have been harmed for far too many years.

Our NAR Staff Executive Frederick Dexter Underwood provided skilled leadership to our committee. We were also truly Blessed to have Linda Rheinberger, a very supportive Committee Liaison and our very able Vice Chair Genie Birch.  Genie will be the 2017 Diversity Committee Chair with Tim Hur, Vice Chair and Wendell Bullard as the 2017 Committee Liaison.

These dedicated Realtors chose the Recommendation below and gave me the honor of presenting the committee's Recommendation to our 2016 NAR Board of Directors for approval.

" That NAR support legislative and regulatory efforts in support of equal housing opportunity on the bases of sexual orientation and gender identity" was the 2016 NAR Diversity Committee original motion.  We presented the above Recommendation to the NAR Executive Committee the day before the Board of Directors meeting.  Our Recommendation was amended to include  "and/or initiate"  by the Executive Committee and both the original motion and amendment were approved unanimously by the Board of Directors on Monday, November 7, 2016.

Fellow Realtors we made history in Orlando!

2016 CAR Sacramento Meeting

Gearing Up for Sacramento!

The past few days have been so educational and well appreciated as I and others get ready for our California Association of Realtors (CAR) Sacramento Board of Directors meeting.  Our CAR committees are packed with enthusiastic & well informed Realtor members from all across California.  Describing the range of committees and the skills of committee volunteers and staff would be in itself a major task!  CAR Staff members are the very best!  Their dedication to our industry is lauded regularly by CAR volunteers and a multitude of others in trade associations nationwide.

The Sacramento meeting is always filled with excitement.  Our Realtor members receive the latest information regarding legislation, tools of the trade and the networking opportunities are super charged.   It's a "family reunion" in it's own right.  Seeing fellow Realtors, staff and other industry members is something to look forward to by all.  I have been fortunate to attend both our CAR and our National Association of Realtor (NAR) meetings since 1994.  You learn a lot of useful Real Estate related information by attending and interacting with peers.

Meeting with elected officials in their Sacramento office is an opportunity to discuss issues impacting our industry.  Our Real Estate clients (Buyers, Renters, Sellers & others) are effectively represented by well prepared and informed Realtor members attending the Sacramento meeting and sharing opinions regarding legislation.   Proposed legislation that is beneficial and/or harmful to home ownership will be discussed/debated in our sessions and with our elected officials.  Our CAR Staff helps us prepare arguments in support of and/or against all proposed legislation that might impact housing in California.  This meeting is also an opportunity to thank those legislators who have stood up with Realtor members fighting for the best possible answers for our housing needs.

Realtors who volunteer as Key Contacts for California elected officials are extra special.  The Key Contacts often work behind the scenes before and after meetings to keep our elected officials informed on our industry needs.  Key Contacts are the advanced team in many instances and they make the Sacramento meetings move more smoothly by taking the lead in the meetings with their assigned legislator.

"Money is the mother's milk of politics" is a simile well worth remembering!   Our major donors are truly to be appreciated by everyone in our industry.  Major donors pay the toll for our journey.  Our Real Estate industry would be so very different if there were not major donors.  Please consider making a commitment to yourself and our industry by signing up to be a major donor in Sacramento.

The 2016 CAR Realtor Action Fund (RAF) committee Tamara Suminski, Chair and our 2016 CAR President Pat "Ziggy" Zicarelli requests and should receive support from all of us.   Moneys donated by Realtor members provide much needed resources.  Our 2015 RAF Chair Winnie Davis broke records for monies raised and participation by Realtor members.  We can repeat these triumphs in 2016 with your help.  Our Region 23 (Pacific West & Tri Counties AORs) won the 2015 Jumbo award for biggest increase in participation and monies raised.  Phil Hawkins, CEO constantly promotes Region 23 involvement in paying our fair share and more.

Prepared by:

Michael Teer, Broker
Teer One Properties, Inc.
www.miketeer.com
teer1broker@gmail.com
951-313-5168

                                    "For Tier One Service - Call Teer One Properties"

OUR VETERANS NEED A FULL RANGE OF ASSISTANCE

OUR VETERANS NEED A FULL RANGE OF ASSISTANCE!

I spent a few hours yesterday at a Veterans Homelessness Field Hearing conducted in Riverside, CA. The committee was chaired by well meaning members of Congress and several presentations were made by service providers.

I raised my hand to speak a few times before accepting the fact that the "hearing" was not inclusive of the audience.  We were basically there to "hear" and not provide opinions, etc.

We heard that Veterans were provided housing assistance or other needs from service provider A, B or C.  Concern was mentioned that there needed to be a way that Veterans could be made aware of their "benefits" prior to being discharged.  One speaker mentioned that Veterans might have to wait several months for their DD 214 or other documentation proving their service before they could receive help.

I found myself wondering if any of the presenters had served in the military or if they had forgotten some of the real world experiences of military service?  I was ordered to report for basic training at Fort Leonard Wood, MO on June 12,1964.  When I arrived I was given an orientation which made it clear that I was the property of the U. S. Army - period!

I also received the following and more:

1). Barracks (housing) assignment
2). Uniforms
3). Mess Hall (food) Privileges 
4). Medical & Dental Care
5). Physical Training
6). M-16 Rifle
7). Range time

Having only a barracks assignment without the others would have been a disaster!

My time was managed by skilled commissioned and non commissioned officers from sun up to sun down and sometimes in between the two.
We were trained to defend our country and to operate as an effective unit for the next 8 weeks.  We were all equal in the eyes of the Drill Instructor and the mess hall team.  Eggs were prepared "over easy" for every body - no exceptions!

My enlistment was for 3 years. When my enlistment ended I just wanted to go home.  I think a lot of others felt the same.

Sitting quietly and listening to the presenters yesterday, I could not help but wonder which of the 7 items noted above could I have not had and still have been a good soldier during my tours of duty in Germany, Vietnam and stateside.

I wondered if it would help if Veterans returning home from serving our country had the option of being assigned to an organization that could serve as a sounding board for their needs?  What if there was a "half way house" available for housing, clothing, food , medical and dental care?  The options provided by a lot of different organizations are worthy but do not cover or provide connections to many of the other critical needs for our returning heroes.

Let's pledge to work together to better coordinate and provide the needs of our returning defenders.

Respectfully,

Michael Teer, Broker
Teer One Properties Inc.
951-313-5168
teer1broker@gmail.com
www.miketeer.com