the National Association of Realtors Sure Spends and Awful Lot of Money for WHAT IS BEST for You ???

NAR Spends Big Money, BIGTIME, Just to Get things to Go Their Way. Do not think for one minute that NAR spends this kind of money on what is of the Real Estate Consumers Best Interest. NO Way. The National Association of Realtors would not be spending this kind of money to Stomp their Feet and Get their Way if they were not Making Billions from the Decisions Your Government makes that is Supposedly in your Best Interest.

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Realtor, NAR is out for what Best Suits the Needs of the National Association of Realtors and what Keeps YOU having to Use them though they pretend it is a choice, while they lobby - lobby and keep forcing their way into your life.

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Everyone knows that you DO NOT need a Realtor
to Sell your Real Estate, but NAR Lobbys Constantly and with your Money
to make sure they stay in your life and that more and more LAWS are enacted to keep you needing them when in TRUTH you simply do not need a Realtor in your Real Estate Transaction. AND in FACT, - YES fact.. Challenge me If you Must.. I know many Of you Cannot Resist, But in Fact ... Using a Realtor can Harm you more then if YOU do Not Use a Realtor. A Realtor can NOT protect you in Your Real Estate Transaction, that is just the way it is. FACT..

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E and O insuarance Makes Sure of That.
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and NAR, on your Behalf of Course... NOT,
well They Push for Mandatory E and O insurance, they sit down at the State - Local and Federal level with the Big Wig from the Big E and O insurance Provider and they set our to sell your Govering Bodies over Real Estate on the LIE that Mandatory E and O insurance is Good for Consumers as well As Realtors, yet tell me a Real Estate Broker Owner that my E and O insurance is NOT intented to protect my clients.

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This Kind of Money at the Link Below is SICK
http://www.opensecrets.org/orgs/summary.php?id=D000000062

STOP Using Realtors, NAR members..
They are Using YOUR Money Against You.
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your Listing is more then Commission for the Local Agent..
It is also Big Content - Big Time on their Billion Dollar Websites
that they use to Sell everything to EVERYBODY..

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You LOSE
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STOP Using Realtors
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Boycot Realtors
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Keep in Mind that the Lobby Money above is Just Part,
NAR also works with insurance companies, banks and
have alot more Lobby Money out there then that.
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NAR is so Nicely Diversified that you will NEVER
Truly know where their Billions go.. and Keep the Real Estate Consumer in the Dark is the Real True Motto of The National Association of Realtors - they are NOT really the VOICE of Real Estate - they are NOT of a Higher Standards and NAR Does not Take Ethics Seriously - it is all to pull the wool over you, the real estate consumers Eyes and most just eat it up.

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Site Quote Below
"The National Association of Realtors represents the nation’s real estate industry. While the bulk of its issues tend to deal with property management and control, the group also lobbies members of Congress and the administration on virtually every issue facing business, including health care reform, bankruptcy legislation and tax cuts. One of its biggest issues in recent years has been a move toward deregulating the financial services industry. For years, real estate agents have successfully warded off attempts by banking interests to delve into the sale and management of property. One of the keys to the group’s success: It supports Democrats and Republicans almost equally."
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Yes Let's Let Realtors, NAR, the National Association of Realtors KEEP on KEEPING keeping Banks out of Real Estate, though the Banker Knows your Business anyway, lends you money to buy and though NAR's Reason which I have listed on OTHER Blogs are complete Nonsense, Bogus and Riddled with Flat Out Lies.
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Yes Let NAR Keep Banks Out of Real Estate (so Realtors can Stay in Business) but at the Same time stand By while the National Association of Realtors starts their Own Credit Union, sneekily, quitely, getting into the Banking Industry, the Lending Industry, and pulling the wool over the Department of Justice Every Day of the Week.

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Shhhhhh.. NAR - Realtors Violate Anti-Trust laws Daily and they Cannot be STOPPED - they have to much of your Money and they, NAR is Seriously Using it Against you.. The Real Estate Consumer.
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Related Link Below

http://www.opensecrets.org/orgs/list.php?order=A

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Check OUT this Link Below on Realtor Association Contributions

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&rlz=1R2GPEA_en&num=100&q=site%3A%2F%2Fwww.OpenSecrets.org+Realtor&aq=f&oq=&aqi=

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Coldwell Banker Lobby Link
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&rlz=1R2GPEA_en&num=100&q=site%3A%2F%2Fwww.OpenSecrets.org+ColdwellBanker&aq=f&oq=&aqi=

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Century 21

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&rlz=1R2GPEA_en&num=100&q=site%3A%2F%2Fwww.OpenSecrets.org+Century+21&aq=f&oq=&aqi=

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Cendant
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&rlz=1R2GPEA_en&num=100&q=site%3A%2F%2Fwww.OpenSecrets.org+Cendant&aq=f&oq=&aqi=

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Real Estate
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&rlz=1R2GPEA_en&num=100&q=site%3A%2F%2Fwww.OpenSecrets.org+Real+Estate&aq=f&oq=&aqi=

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Charles McMillan - Again the Point is..

Again point of Owning CharlesMcMillion.com is to Prove the Point that Internet Marketing is Not NAR's top priortiy, it is NOT taught to the Realtors in the field and the President does not even own his own dotcom. This is a BIG DEAL...

Charles McMillan "works with Congress" and pushes agendas for NAR but he does not get Internet Marketing and that is what consumer need NAR to bring to them.. Sellers want Buyers.. al lthe other Drama is to Benefit Realtors, and big money cronies that money from affliating with NAR...

www.CharlesMcMillan.com

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Todd Clemons and Associates - A Professional Law Corporation

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What is a Association Management Company - Who is Clemons and Associates ? Sounds Like an Illusion, a Made up Industry.. like well.. HOGWASH maybe ?

"Traditionally, associations have hired their own executive directors and staff, secured their own facilities, and managed their own assets. The trend today, however, is for trade and professional associations to engage an association management company (AMC). This trend reflects the growing need to cut costs, promote efficiency, share resources, and access expertise.
A 1995 study commissioned by the Association Management Company Education Foundation and the International Association of Association Management Companies took a close look at how elected leaders select and evaluate management.

When researchers assessed AMCs versus other management forms, they found that AMCs, in most instances, provided the greatest value to their client associations. In fact, AMCs were rated as equal to or superior to other management forms on more than 89 percent of the survey criteria. (Surveys were sent to the elected leaders of 1,962 associations; 440 leaders completed and returned the surveys. The study, Re-Assessing Effective Association Management: 1995 Survey of Elected Leaders, was conducted by Sumaria I. Mohan-Neill, Ph.D., and Alan G. Krabbenhoft, Ph.D., both of the Walter E. Heller College of Business Administration, Roosevelt University, Chicago.)

Although selecting a management company that is right for your association may seem overwhelming, it does not need to be an onerous task.

This document was developed to assist you in that process, particularly in regard to soliciting potential AMCs, evaluating management proposals, conducting interviews with firms, selecting the firm that's best for your organization, developing the contractual arrangement, and transitioning the activities of your association to its
new management. "

The Above Information is from http://www.clemonsmgmt.com/displaycommon.cfm?an=5 Clemons and Associates Website..

More on Clemons and Associates Coming Soon..

Services Provided by Clemons and Associates

"Strategic Planning and Leadership"

"We offer the full range of Strategic Planning and Leadership services. From a brainstorming session to a three-day outcome-based planning meeting, Clemons & Associates, Inc. can assist your organization or association in charting its future.

It is increasingly important for companies and associations to have a concrete idea of where they are headed. Our people can provide large and small organizations with the guidance to succeed in today's busy marketplace.
Planning is a process that often results in the wrong plan or a bad experience.

We make sure that organizations approach the process in a systematic, thought-out manner that yields a successful and useful strategic plan. We help you in identifying what your organization wants to accomplish and how it will be accomplished by corralling available resources.

Clemons & Associates, Inc. assists in developing both the mission and vision of the organization. The steps along the way will be identified as well. These include an environmental scan, goals and objectives, resource analysis and implementation guide. We also assist in a follow-up guide that insures the organization stays the course.

Leadership and Governance training is essential in keeping leaders and workers informed and educated. Today's leaders require the ability to act and react more quickly than ever before. They need to know what are their responsibilities and duties.

They really have to be aware of the trends within their respective industries and how to cope within that environment. We bring the organized thought that explores issues of leadership and governance so that the group can assess and then choose its own style. There just is not one best leadership or governance style. "

From the Link Below

http://www.clemonsmgmt.com/displaycommon.cfm?an=2

These folks are looking at my sites, I wonder who has hired them and if they will be able to help the Realtors recognize the "new trend" of anti-Realtor website, this ring of blogs and sites EXPOSING the Realtors. Who NEEDs Clemons and Associates to HELP them deal with me.. We shall Soon See.

Time for Some "Organized Thought"...

Time to Train those Leaders to ACT and to REACT.. and Keep the Consumer DOWN... once and for all...

Who hired Clemons and Associates to "Tell them Where they are Headed".

Meeting Services, Financial Management Services, Government Affairs, Public Relations Services and More.

Other Links
http://asaebuyersguide.com/company.php?id=367641&company=Clemons+&+Associates+Inc

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May. 20, 2009 - Search Engines and the MLS Data Scraping Question

Folks MLS Data is Yours, you Created it.. you chose to work with a Realtor, it is your equity.. your loan.. All you need is Google... Buyers are looking for Real Estate to Buy and they do NOT need a Realtor ... unless you make them use one by listing with a Realtor... Here is the Article Below

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"Is Google a scraper?" That was the question at the center of news stories surrounding MIBOR's decision to tell a broker not to let Google index their site. The quick answer is "No" - there was no restrictive terms of service or limiting robots.txt file on the site, so technically Google did absolutely nothing wrong. But the question being asked ... that was the wrong question.Finally, after the hype died down, the 'real' question started to emerge: "Should or could MLSs require that brokers not allow individual listing pages be indexed by search engines".

Since listings are given to brokers for advertisement, unless the seller opts out of online advertisement, since most consumers are searching for property online and search engines are an important part of online marketing, search engines will be an important component of giving listings the proper exposure and should be leveraged as much as possible.

Also (and obviously) the MLS could probably make rules pertaining to an IDX feed but realistically not regarding the broker's own listings. But whether search engines should be allowed to index the sites is again the wrong question.What's the real concern here? We've had IDX for some time - was it really just okay when it was invisible to search engines? Of course not.

The real concern about 'data scraping' only comes from when the data is misused - that is, used for a purpose other than that intended by the homeowner when they provided the information to the real estate professional and by that professional when they added their own creative descriptions to the data to create the often copyrighted listing content. What kind of misuse has there traditionally been? When a site is easy to scrape someone can come along and grab the listings in an automated way for display in an unauthorized location.

Data can also be recompiled to create derivative products or to market back to the consumer. If the scraper adds an automated reverse telephone look up to scraped data, someone giving a real estate professional information to market their property one fine morning may find themselves called by moving companies and other service providers that very evening - and it reflects poorly on the real estate professional when that happens.

So, the real question we need to ask ourselves is, "How do we stop the misuse of data while not compromising the ability of the broker to market properties and promote the web sites on which the properties are located?

"Let's look at the type of requests consumers put into search engines. I believe that there has been a lot of hype about needing the whole address in the web page title and that individual addresses need their own website. Do consumers really expect to type in "100 Test Street in Testville, TN" and come back with a website?

I don't think so - not at this point. We all know how the traffic comes in via web site search terms: "houses in Testville, TN" ... "Testville Tennessee real estate" ... "homes in Testville" "Subdivision Name in Testville". So, city, state and neighborhood/subdivision are obvious candidates to allow a search engine to index. Key attributes might also be searched on - "lake view" etc. But the full address? Price? Bedrooms? Bathrooms? Square feet? Lot size? I say, "ridiculous!"

Are they needed for search engine optimization (SEO)? I believe the answer is an emphatic, "No". Since those bits of data don't help in the indexing of the listing by search engines for marketing of the property online BUT they are prone to misuse when programatically gathered (scraped) there is no reason why MLSs should not require that websites put anti-scraping mechanisms in place on those key items, while allowing search engines to programatically gather other information for the purpose of providing free links back to the web site.

But, anti-scraping begins at home. Less than 5% of MLS public sites have any anti-scraping in place to speak of - and good measures are far more rare. But, I digress - before we launch into a tangent of anti-scraping tactics, we need to agree on a strategy for the level of protection required for the data to balance marketing with information security and privacy, and we must set policy that is reflected in contract terms pertaining not only to industry sites but to syndication endpoints as well.

Article Source
http://www.realtown.com/mattcohen/blog/scraping-and-search-engines

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Realtors want a "protection strategy" - Consumers NEED one, this is Your Data, it should be searchable by the Masses.. Realtor - NAR wants buyers to only be able to find your Real Estate For Sale through them... that is very Cartel like.. Get Realtors OUT of your Real Estate Transaction... this Internet Thing knocked them for a loop.. but they are back up and coming for you... they will force you to use them whatever it takes.

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NAR lobbys and "works with" State, Local and Federal Government to make sure you have to use them, all the while you think your choosing... the above information is just one more way to control you. If NAR can make it so you have to USE a Realtor to Search for Real Estate for Sale... well you, the Real Estate Victim (consumer) you are in Big Trouble. STOP using a Realtor in Your Real Estate Transaction RIGHT NOW.

NAR does NOTHING to ensure the QUALITY of MLS data but will spend MILLIONS keep you out of it.. and keeping Google from Searching it... this is VERY anti-Consumer...

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Sign of the Times: Realtor Drums up Business on the Street

Buy - Buy - Buy.. it is just the National Market that is Bad.. here all is well.. this from March of 2008.. Shocking.. and NAR don't care.. they promoted this Buy - Buy - Buy Attack on you, the Real Estate Victim - AkA the Real Estate Consumer.

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Oliver Frascona - Folks I have a New Site about NAR education, Politics and other Yammerings

I have www.OliverFrascona.com to discuss NAR Continuing Education, NAR not listening to me talk about instructors teaching the wrong laws and more. I had done ONE simple post at www.RealEstateIndustryWhistleblower.com talking about my local association not hearing me on Agency classes taught by Oliver Frascona, for years the same information was taught and NO one listened to me telling them.

Come to find out, brought to my attention recently, Oliver was Teaching Colorado Agency Law in Montana which is why my agents were so confused, and it made me upset because I told the local NAR Executive Director at our local board of Realtors over and over of the problem. She ignored me.

So I used this example in my Real Estate Whistleblower blog, Oliver seen his name and he emailed me some childish remarks and so begun my Real Estate Expose' on Oliver Frascona in order to educate the Real Estate Victims, otherwise known as the Real Estate Consumer on issues of NAR politics, NAR continuing education and much.. much more so check out.. www.OliverFrascona.com - this blog is new so stay tuned for many - MANY more posts ...

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I just have to Show you Virginia Real Estate Consumers this one..

As of this Posting the link below is Seemingly Broken.. to me this is just to Terribly Funny..

Check Out this Page
http://vsbphp.vi.virginia.gov/site/main/404/

Why So funny because I got there from this Page
http://www.virginia.gov/cmsportal3/government_4096/forms.html from a Link Labeled - Consumer Real Estate Protection Act Forms - Sounds about Right to Me..
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David Bottenfield - Who is David Bottenfield

David Bottenfield is a Virgina Realtor. He is Above the Law. David Bottenfield and how he treats the real estate consumer will be Posted here. David Bottenfield is one of the Realtors that NAR does not care what he does. David Bottenfield is one of those Realtors that the State Real Estate Board is Afraid to actual make accountable for the Damage he does to the Real Estate Consumer. David Bottenfield seems to be a favorite of the VA Real Estate Board for reasons we will soon be discussing.

Stayed Tuned for More on David Bottenfield a Virginia Realtor. If you have anything to say about David Bottenfield you can email me at Crystal@CrystalCox.com .
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More Anti-Consumer Laws... State Real Estate Commissions and Boards DO protect NAR..

Laws such as the one I am about to Mention PROVES my POINT. State Governing Bodies Protect REALTOR big time.

Here it Is...

"County of Los Angeles Department of Consumer AffairsNew Consumer Laws 2007"

"Real Estate Agents: Can’t Lie About Qualifications

B&P Code Section 10177

Current law provides that willful misuse of trade names, including “realtor”, are subject to discipline by the Real Estate Commissioner by revoking, suspending or denying a license.
This new law strengthens prohibitions against real estate agents from falsely claiming membership in trade organizations or falsely claiming to have special designations or certifications.

This law prohibits knowingly authorizing, directing, or aiding in the publication, advertisement or distribution of any false statement or representation concerning a designation or a certification, including trade organization membership.

The Real Estate Commissioner is authorized to suspend or revoke a real estate sales license for this violation."

Link to Source Below

http://dca.lacounty.gov/law07REAgentsLie.html

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So this DUMB - Dispicable - Anti Consumer Law makes it so that Realtors cannot use TRADEMARKS of Realtor, makes it so Real Estate Brokers that are not REALTOR - NAR members cannot even use the Word Realtor on there website even if they are talking about a Realtor - an NAR member or they Will Lose their Real Estate License.

Laws Enacted CLEVERLY disguised as Consumer PROTECTION but are obviously one more way to Force you to USE a Realtor, NAR member and to Force Real Estate Brokers to be Realtors but then say it is a Choice to Join NAR - if they cannot in Good Faith make this claim then they are deliberately and obviously violating Anti-Trust Laws.

So If I were a Real Estate Broker in California and used the word Realtor I would be falsley claiming "special designations or certifications"? what a Crock...

Consumers wake Up, State Real Estate Commisisons are FORCING - NAR members on you at the same time NAR is saying it is a Choice for us as Real Estate Brokers to join their "association" - which I call a Real Estate Cartel. And this above information is from the Department of Consumer Affairs - are Governing Bodies really that clueless to the Anti-Consumer tactics of NAR?

So in Los Angeles, If I were licensed their and I said Confession of a Realtor, or Realtor ...., or talk to your Realtor about... , or Realtors are lying to you... well I would lose my Real Estate Brokers license... Tell me NAR does not control State Licensing boards and Real Estate Commissions - and I say that is a Flat Out Lie.
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Also NOTE that being a REALTOR is NOT a "Qualification" OF ANY KIND - you pay a fee to join, you Promise to uphold Ethics and Standards of Practice that no ones holds you accountable to - sure you have continuing Education so what you would have that if you were not a NAR member as well - you pay a monthly and yearly fee to be a "Realtor" - it is NOT a Qualification.... Crystal L. Cox .. Broker ..
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Key Largo, Florida

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Gaylord Entertainment Company

Is this a Nashville Vacation ?

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Check Out these Blogs...

http://housingpanic.blogspot.com/

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http://sootandashes.blogspot.com/

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http://lawrenceyunwatch.blogspot.com/

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2/08 NAR Ad says buying a home now is "making a good move"

Yeah NAR ... You Tell Em... BUY - Buy BUY.. and then when your Forclosed on We can Sell that Too.. your Lend loves Us.. Your FAMILY matters.. Buy Now.. NAR lies - You Lose - Realtor do Suck.. they are NOT the VOICE of Real Estate ... STOP Using Realtors...

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NAR Propaganda and LIES Posted By Charles McMillan - Crystal Cox Broker Owner Says Look Deeper - NAR does NOT want to Hear from you...

"Give Credit Where It’s Due, Posted By Charles

According to NAR research, the percentage of first-time homebuyers has risen from roughly one-third of all buyers in January to just under half in March and April. Why the sudden jump??
The answer is simple: those buyers have an $8,000 incentive, in the form of a tax credit, to buy now.

We’ve heard from a lot of members lately who would like to see the tax credit expanded.
I recently asked our Chief Economist Lawrence Yun what the impact on the market would be if Congress extended the credit through 2010 and offered it to all homebuyers. According to Lawrence, those changes could result in 800,000 additional home sales this year, raising the total from 5.4 million to 6.2 million. That would certainly take a big bite out of inventory and help stabilize prices.

And, that’s not all…
When you consider that for each home sold in the United States $62,000 is pumped into the national economy, the resulting impact of expanding the credit could be nearly $50 billion. That’s what I call a true economic stimulus!

NAR is working with members of Congress
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to introduce legislation
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that would expand and extend the credit. We will keep you posted on those efforts in the months ahead.

In the meantime, we would love to hear your stories about how the tax credit is helping consumers in your local markets. Post your experiences right here on the Voices of Real Estate blog, and we’ll share them with lawmakers. Help us tell Congress to give credit where it is due – to ALL homebuyers. – Charles McMillan, 2009 NAR President "

Link to Post Below
http://narblog1.realtors.org/mvtype/president/charles_mcmillan/

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What Do you Consumers Think?

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Do you think that this $8000 Credit for first time homeowners is a big deal? Well it sure did bump up SALES, according to Charles McMillan, so it MUST be good. Sure is a GOOD thing that NAR lobbyed / advises ... blah .. blah ... blah.. to get this one in to "stimulate the economy". Translation $8000 is NOTHING, seriously NOTHING, if a mortgage broker is involved that will barely pay the Lending and Mortgage Broker fees of a no money down loan. But that s the point right, just enough to get them in, to pay those PROFESSIONALS and too stimulate the Economy.
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$8000 will not make a down payment, but who cares it gets you in... then the Seller can pay the Realtors 6% so say around $18,000 on a $300,000 Home. Yee Haw, the Realtor gets a big fat pay check. The BUYER gets into another Greedy Grubbing Bad Loan where almost one hundred percent of their monthly mortgage payment goest toward interest and is money to the banker, to the mortgage broker, to the lender and this HUGE debt is an ASSET on the BOOKS of the lender and they can actually use this asset to trade, to get loans, to juggle really BIG money on your DIME... and for decades or until SORRY you lose your HOME.
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Don't let anyone kid you, Realtors want this CRAZY incentive to get them back in the full swing of Selling You Real Estate. You know as well as I do that $8000 won't get you far, but it sure does get a Cha - Ching for a Realtor somewhere.
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This is ONLY to benefit Realtors and buyers may feel great at first, wheeee WE got a home but that will wear off and you will have to sell and the Handy Dandy Realtor will be there to MAKE MONEY again and again off you SITUATION... they GOT YOU IN...
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The Cycle Continues.. this Year Charles McMillan at the Helm...
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NAR working with Congress to CREATE Legislations... Worry Folks, Real Estate Consumers Rise up and Tell NAR to get OUT of your Business. NAR "works" with Congress on what is Good for NAR not for you... unless you just happen to benefit from something they do, it is NOT the PRIMARY goal.... they are Realtors, they are an ASSOCIATION, me as a Real Estate Broker supposedly get to CHOOSE whether I am a Realtor or NOT ... yet NAR - gets to be the Voice Of Real Estate Lobbying, Working with, Advising your Government on what is best for you...

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mean while NAR has no accountability for the agents in your town who Fail to Disclose Known Defects, who committ deliberate and obvious fraud, who violate the Ethics and Standards that NAR so BRAGS about, NAR Fails to police MLS data for QUALITY, NAR does not listen to Honest Law Abiding Broker Owners who try and Really change the real estate industry for the better, NAR does NOT, Cannot or Will NOT do what they promise to do in ANY way, and yet their AGENDA is to "Work with Congress" to supposedly make things BETTER for Consumers ?????

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Consumers NEED to "Work with Congress" and Get Realtors out of the Middle of Their Real Etsate Transaction.
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If NAR cannot even uphold the bylaws, member rules, codes, ethics, standard of practices and other Lying Promises they make to us as Realtors and we in turn Make to Real Estate Consumers then Fire NAR... don't let them work with congress on your behalf.
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Is Congress foolish, did they not see the mass NAR "Agenda" of Buy - Buy - Buy all the while media everywhere talked of an ecoonmy collapse, talked of the secondary market and how bad it really was and yet Realtors said to BUY.. now they are involved with, WORKING WITH CONGRESS, to see what else they can take from the Real Estate Consumer.... who Will STOP NAR ? My guess is no one.
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And you will continue to SUFFER every day for the NAR's lack of holding Realtors accountable for what they do that Takes Your Life as You know it Away Forever while they get to keep on making money at real estate, get away with fraud - lies and deception years on end and NO one is watching. Guess NAR is too busy WORKING WITH CONGRESS to give a Rats Patoot about what is Going on in the Real World of Real Estate that Really affects YOUR LIFE... whatever as long as NAR stays in Business and I mean VERY - very BIG Business.

Posted by the
Real Estate Industry Whistleblower
Crystal L. Cox
Broker Owner
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I am the Voice of The Real Estate Consumer.

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Lawrence Yun - National Association of Realtors Chief Economist

February 9th, 2009 ( Why is NAR not held accountable for convincing home owners to buy, buy, buy.. why does NAR get to be the White Knight.. rescuing the consumer now .. when the TRUTH is NAR is to Blame...)

National Association of Realtors Chief Economist Lawrence Yun said in Orange County this morning that his bosses at the real estate brokers’ trade group never pressured him to spin forecasts in a positive light, something his predecessor said happened when the housing boom began to falter a few years back.

“Whatever I say, I take full responsibility for everything I do,” Yun said moments before addressing more than 200 people at the Orange County Association of Realtors headquarters in Laguna Hills.

Yun’s predecessor, former NAR Chief Economist David Lereah, gave a different account about his own tenure in published comments recently. Lereah won recognition for a 2005 book titled, “Why the Real Estate Boom Will Not Bust.” Of course, starting in late 2005, that’s exactly what happened.

Last month, however, the Wall Street Journal quoted Lereah as saying he was pressured by executives to issue optimistic forecasts, then was left to shoulder the blame when things went sour. (See this blog’s reaction to Lereah’s comments HERE)

“I was there for seven years doing everything they wanted me to,” WSJ quoted him as saying.
Yun said that while he was working for Lereah, he had no inkling of such pressure, although he didn’t deny that it may have existed. Nor was he subjected to such pressure during the time he worked as a NAR “numbers cruncher” under Lereah, he said.

Full Article Click Below
http://lansner.freedomblogging.com/2009/02/09/nar-chief-economist-said-he-doesnt-publish-happy-news/14116/

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And Now is Now advising Your Government on How to Get out of the Mess they Got you Into. NAR should be Indicted, just my opinion... for the Serious CRIMES against the Real Estate Consumers. Crimes where by you lose everything and they still make money from it.

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Lawrence Yun takes full responsibility for everything he does. The Orange County Register reports:
“Whatever I say, I take full responsibility for everything I do,” Yun said moments before addressing more than 200 people at the Orange County Association of Realtors headquarters in Laguna Hills.Are you going to take responsibility and resign? You are a discredited shill for the Realtors and have been made many predictions that were way off. For example in July 2008 Yun stated "I think we are very near to the end of the housing downturn," Yun said

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FROM this Awesome Blog
http://lawrenceyunwatch.blogspot.com/

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READ the Above Blog - not Mine
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One REALLY Big Education Tip for the Realtors who Rant on Me..

One Big Education tip I am going to Give you all and for Free is this. Many Realtors, in many towns, your Competition own your Dot Com, they use this dot com to get your business. You need to own your Dot Com, for One.
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And if your going to Spar with, Engage with, Question or Challenge someone online who says something, anything about you, Sit back, breath - find out more about them first and For Goodness Sakes…. Buy Your Own Dot Com….. FIRST… or they certainly will and then it will be a blog about how you attacked them....
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Just Food for Thought..

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Attention Realtors, NAR does not Teach YOU What you Really Need to Know. And they Make Millions upon Millions off your Listings on their Website

This Secret Information so Don't Tell ... Ok !!!

I have been to NAR Internet Marketing Classes. A few of them, and they are ALL a Joke - a Big Fat Joke, an Illusion to Keep the NAR members, the Realtor in the Dark about REAL - Real Estate Marketing. NAR cannot have its Million Plus members in Direct Competition for the Same Ad Dollars as they are after, now Can They?
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The Internet Classes I took from NAR was not the Real Information, it was NOT the TRUE Secrets of Real Estate Marketing. It was a Scam to convince the Realtors to Use their Supposed state of the Art Technology and to pay to do it. When the Truth is You can do better then THOSE sites in your target market and pretty much for FREE... Shhhh..

NAR knows Internet Marketing, NAR gets Internet Marketing but they don’t want their members to know. Because if you, the Realtor in the Field found out, then you would STOP marketing on Homestore, Realtor.com , Move.com and other Online ASSETS owned by NAR and their Top Cronies. If you stop marketing on their Web Properties - Web Sites, then they lose Millions... upon Millions every Month.

So you, as a Realtor pay to be on those sites. But guess what even if they, NAR and those at the top of the Realtor food chain who own these sites, if they let you be there for FREE, they still win and big time.

But if you PAY, then NAR keeps up the illusion that they are actually providing a Real, Paid Real Estate Service to You. When Really their Real Cash Cow is YOU, you as a Realtor, your Name, your town, your listing, your photos, your write ups, all of this provides valuable and useful information for those who google anything related and end up at One of those Sites, this way NAR and other Site Owners (Cronies that make Billions from your Work), well the real money is selling advertising, and lots of other STUFF from the website.

And without your CONTENT, your listings and all you PAY to contribute there, The business model would fold and if NAR really get 16 million hit’s a month, which they brag to consumers but has nothing to do with them actually selling their real estate, anyway these 16 million hits… Cha CHING, NAR gets paid per website visit, per website impression, plus they sell flat fee advertising, books, magazines, insurance, mortgage, you name it.. And this to those who advertise there is worth a lot, and they pay a lot. So 16 million divided by 1500 which is approximately what google pays for impressions, is What?

Well this number is what NAR gets from one advertising source, and they have thousands of incoming sources. NAR needs YOU to stay in business, and not just your membership. NAR needs you to make their websites interesting and in the search engines for more search terms. NAR is in Big Business most of their incoming money is certainly not about your membership dues, your commission, marketing or franchise fees.

Add on Flat Fee Adverting and the many, many companies that pay to advertise on their Web Properties and well Millions of Dollars a month, possibly Millions of Dollar a day roll on into to NAR affiliated bank accounts around the world and all because you, the Realtors in the Field, you the Sellers - the Real Estate Consumers make their site relevant, you make it matter and of some sort of use to justify those MIGHTY Ad Dollars hand over Fist.

If NAR really taught you Internet Marketing, for REAL, then you would beat them in your Town, your State, your Target market and they would get less and less visitors to their WEBSITE. If NAR really taught you Internet Marketing instead of just how to give them more money you would truly succeed without them, and wonder even more then you do why you even need them at all. They Don't Want their Members as their Competition in a Global Online Market Place.
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So shhhhhh.. keep this on the Down Low.

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Don't wake the Sleeping Giant feeding off of your Blood, Sweat and Tears... and Keeping you in the Dark.
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Attention Realtors who Want to Know - About Real Estate Marketing, the "Gurus" Selling You stuff and...

Realtors, You do not Need to Spend your Money, which inturn is your Clients money in the Big Picture. Just think about this, Buyers are Googling, Buyers want to Buy. Sellers are googling, Sellers want to Sell. If they find you, you impress them, they choose you. Period. All the lead generation companies, books, the "cruise", ther Realtor Sponsored SUPPOSED marketing classes, ... all of that is a Waste of Money.. Buyers are looking for Real Estate, It is that Simple. Be What they Find and Your In...
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There are Too Many Houses, Empty Houses, People Out of their Homes...

Builders and Realtors Unite to Lobby for laws that Force them in your life. Tons of foreclosures, and empty houses and they demand that money be let loose so that buyers can buy their new construction. Now the STANDARDS of that construction, well that is whole other topic for another day.

STOP overbuilding towns just to make developers and Realtors more money while at the same time directly attacking the Real Estate Consumer....

Builder Article... Below

"Builders Converge On Capitol Hill To Urge Housing Stimulus

January 8, 2009 - Less than 24 hours after members of the 111th Congress were sworn into office, the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) launched an all-out effort to make housing a centerpiece of the massive economic stimulus package that lawmakers are expected to complete by mid-February.

More than 80 builders from across the country converged on Capitol Hill yesterday to meet with the congressional leadership and key members of the banking and tax writing committees to convey the message that a housing stimulus is urgently needed and that restoring demand for housing is the fastest and most effective way of reviving the economy.

The key ingredients to the recovery plan call for Congress to support enhancements to the home buyer tax credit, to provide below-market interest rates on 30-year fixed-rate mortgages and to continue foreclosure prevention measures such as those advocated by Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Chairman Sheila Bair.

Underscoring the urgency of the situation, in a briefing to builders before their meetings with lawmakers, NAHB Chairman Sandy Dunn said: “Our industry stands at a crossroads and our efforts here today are vital to the housing industry’s ability to weather this storm and come out the other side healthy and in a position to grow.”

“Congress must understand that housing is central to the economic crisis, that housing has led our nation out of past recessions and that it can do so again,” she added.

NAHB President and CEO Jerry Howard stressed that NAHB, as leader of the Fix Housing First coalition — which consists of more than 600 organizations, home building companies and manufacturers — was marching to Capitol Hill to show a united front.

“The message we are sending to Congress — there are no large builders, no small builders, no low-income builders, no suppliers and no manufacturers,” he said. “We’re all in this together and we are all focused on the stimulus package. We are talking to our members of Congress about a proposal crafted over the past several months that will fix both the supply and demand side of housing.”

“Over the next year, the stimulus plan will increase economic activity in every state as vacant homes are absorbed, households are able to relocate to new jobs, home values are stabilized and local property tax revenues return to their pre-recessionary levels,” said NAHB Chief Economist David Crowe.

This year alone, Crowe said the plan would result in 200,000 additional new home sales, 1 million more existing home sales and a boost in expected housing starts from 649,000 to 908,000, on par with last year’s level.

In addition, the plan this year would create more than 539,000 jobs, generating $26 billion in wages and salaries, $21 billion in business income and $28 billion in federal, state and local tax revenues.

“The excess housing inventory in today’s market is the result of unprecedented foreclosures, not overbuilding. That’s why we support Sheila Bair’s foreclosure relief plan and any common-sense proposal to alleviate the foreclosure problem,” Howard said.

To underscore this point, single-family housing starts as of November 2008 were at 441,000, the lowest level on record and a decline of 76 percent from the peak in January of 2006. In addition, an increasing share of new single-family homes were being built under contract for the owner and not speculatively.

Under Bair’s plan, the federal government would provide $24 billion in loan guarantees that could help as many as 1.5 million home owners modify their existing mortgages and avoid foreclosure.

Putting the situation in starker terms, Crowe said that barring any significant federal action, 4 million strapped borrowers could lose their homes this year. “There are at least 1.5 million excess empty homes on the market today. That does not include homes people live in and want to sell,” he said.

In order to stabilize the marketplace and put a floor under declining home values, NAHB and the Fix Housing First coalition are calling on Congress to pass short-term, targeted incentives that spur demand and encourage Americans to buy homes.

Specifically, a temporary, expanded home buyer tax credit is needed to reduce excess inventory and encourage fence sitters to enter the market. The Fix Housing First legislative proposal calls on Congress to enact a stimulus plan that would reduces mortgage interest rates to as low as 2.99 percent on 30-year fixed-rate conventional loans purchased between Jan. 1, 2009 and June 30, 2009. The interest rate would be 3.99 percent for contracts that close between July 1, 2009 and Dec. 31, 2009.

At the same time, lawmakers need to make the current $7,500 home buyer tax credit much bigger and better, eliminating its current recapture provision and making it available to all purchasers. The coalition is calling for a credit amounting to 10 percent of the home’s price, capped at 3.5 percent of local FHA loan limits. This would range between $10,000 and $22,000.

The key is basing the credit amount on prices in each locality.

“Obviously, you don’t need a $22,000 credit in Bozeman, Mont. but a $22,000 credit will just get you into the marketplace in California,” said Howard.

The tax credit and interest rate buy-down are not new ideas, Howard added. “Congress enacted a similar housing solution in the mid-1970s when the nation was in recession. The plan led us out of recession then, and it can do it again.”

Bolstering the visits to Capitol Hill, more than 17,000 telephone calls and e-mails in support of the Fix Housing First proposal were received by the Congress from members of NAHB and the coalition.

To learn more about the coalition, go to http://www.fixhousingfirst.com/ . "

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Under The Influence of the Realtors - Not in YOUR best Interest.. no way..

Are Tax incentives that Realtors brag about Lobbying for Homeowners - Are they Really that Big Of A Deal? I think it is just a way to get more people into more homes, to make more money for the builders and the REALTORS but they ACT LIKE they rode in a white horse and are here to save the day for the homeown. Look Deeper... Buyers and Sellers - know that Realtors would not spend $100,000 a day to lobby to push something as small as YOUR TAX INCENTIVE, it is about their big commission, big developers and big home builders being able to get BIG MONEY..

The National Association of Realtors and the National Association of Homebuilders lobby for what is in their Best Interest, never let them tell you any different...

Article of Interest to Topic..

"Realtors, Homebuilders Score a Stimulus Coup

The National Association of Realtors and the National Association of Homebuilders of the U.S. scored a lobbying coup when an amendment was added this evening to the Senate stimulus bill that doubles the maximum size of the homebuyer tax credit from $7,500 to $15,000 on all purchases of principal residences.

The existing credit is scheduled to expire at the end of June, but the measure cosponsored by Sens. Johnny Isakson, R-Ga., and Joseph Lieberman, ID-Conn., would extend the credit for one full year from the date the bill is enacted. It adds an estimated $19 billion to the stimulus package. The amendment was approved by the Senate without dissent after Banking Committee Chairman Chris Dodd D-Ct. signed onto the provision. "It's a recognition that housing has to be fixed if the economy is going to recover," said one industry lobbyist.

-- Peter H. Stone
http://undertheinfluence.nationaljournal.com/2009/02/the-national-association-of-re.php

yes This is All about the Consuemer, NOT...
Crystal L. Cox Broker Owner....

One Interesting Comment on the Above Topic

"Here's a press release from the National Association of Home Builders from early January 2009 laying out just what they wanted. You can see it pretty much made it into legislation untouched in the US Senate.

And here's economics blog Calculated Risk explaining why juicing new homebuilding when there is already too much unused housing inventory is just plain wrong.

Lieberman and Isakson are increasing supply and demand and the only people who benefit will be homebuilders and people who use the program. Existing home owners will see the value of their home decrease because of increased supply of housing, but Lieberman and Isakson don't care about that, just pandering and handing out checks to a broken industry.

It's disgusting and 180 degrees wrong for the current economic crisis .."

http://undertheinfluence.nationaljournal.com/2009/02/the-national-association-of-re.php

http://www.nahb.org/news_details.aspx?sectionID=0&newsID=8469

http://www.ajc.com/services/content/printedition/2009/01/08/obama.html

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from an NAR Lobbyist - How do you tell a good politician from a bad one?

My Words are in Blue...

Talk to him or her.
Yes that ought to be able to tell ya (wink - wink)

It seems like common sense, but who has the time to talk to the politicians when these elections come up? By the time a normal person has time to focus on the election, they are standing in the voting booth.
What is a Normal Person, is it the Voting, taxing paying, Real Estate Consumer public that are clueless about what laws and agendas NAR are pushing on them without their VOTE or their consent in any way.

As a REALTOR®, you have us to help inform your decision. Here are a few highlights of our Candidate Interview Program:
yes Good Thing we have the Relator to help "inform" our decision. Or does this mean push their decisions and agenda on us.

REALTORS® have a business interest in who wins an election. Your business can fail due to government action or inaction; you must take an interest or lose.
Hmmm... We Need to Push our Political Clout so that Realtors can stay in Business.

A thoughtful official who is at least willing to have a rational conversation about housing issues is always preferred.
What is a "Thoughtful Official" is that one whereby the Realtor can easily get their way?

Candidates are real people, often-real people who have not bought or sold a home in years. Politicians need REALTOR® expertise to make good decisions.
Hogwash Plain and Simple, People, Consumers - the Public needs to be informed and needs to be a Part of the decisions that affect them. Supposed Realtor Experts telling politicians what needs to be done while contributing to "their campaign" is as Anti-Consumer as it gets.

Politicians who raise money are heard, get votes, and are elected. If politicians do not have enough money to run an effective campaign, they lose.
In walks NAR - the Realtors to FUND their Candidate... there Agenda...

Politicians who have bad policies are still raising money and getting votes while a politician who can defend your business languishes because his message is not heard.

REALTORS® on MORe’s interview panel will ask questions about transfer taxes, onerous inspections, any issue that will affect your ability to do business.

REALTORS® on MORe’s interview panel will also ask questions that protect your client. Issues like privacy, the right to freely sell property without government interference, or just keeping the cost down (in the case of impact fees or transfer taxes)

REALTORS® do not buy votes by participating in elections. To the contrary, REALTORS® are participating in our democracy just as the founding fathers planned, just read the Federalist Papers to see how.

REALTORS® only support Republicans, or Democrats. REALTORS® across the nation support candidates across the political spectrum. The point that binds all REALTORS® together is their need for a healthy, open business climate.

REALTOR® issues are your issues. While we all have political interests in other areas, all

REALTORS® have an interest in keeping homeownership a thriving business.
Yes Realtors have an interest in staying in business and the Consumers DO NOT need a Realtor to Buy and Sell and if the Consumer uses a REALTOR they have, in FACT less protection in their real estate transaction then if they Did NOT use a Realtor. Thanks to NAR Forms, E and O insurance and a whole lot more...

REALTORS® are really the only group that advocates for homeowners. There is not other group that takes positions on Mortgage Interest Deduction, privacy, and Fourth Amendment Rights like REALTORS® do.

REALTORS®, be proud of your political program.
Yes Realtors Be Proud of this Consumer Stomping "political program" brought to you by NAR the Real Estate Cartel.

Link to Source
http://activerain.com/blogs/merrinette

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Some tidbits Lobbyists Say Realtor need to know - I Say NAR needs to Sit Down and Shut up.. and Stop throwing their CLOUT around..

Fighting Fannie/Freddie’s Declining Markets Policies

MORe staff worked closely with NAR Financial Services Manager Jeff Lischer earlier this month urging an NAR response to several recent policies enacted by Fannie/Freddie. Policies which, when taken as a whole, are crippling our local marketplace. Today, NAR released the following statement in a Government Affairs Directors newsletter. MORe will continue to advocate on your behalf to roll back Fannie/Freddie policies to encourage a healthy housing market.

NAR RAISES CONCERNS ABOUT FANNIE AND FREDDIE POLICIES

On April 11, 2008,

NAR President Dick Gaylord wrote letters to Fannie Mae CEO Dan Mudd and Freddie Mac CEO Dick Syron to raise serious concerns about a range of Fannie and Freddie policies that, taken as a whole, are hurting the entire national economy, not just the housing and mortgage markets.

REALTORS® think there has been an overreaction by the GSEs and others in the housing finance industry that, even in the short term and certainly in the long term, will cause harm to the organizations involved by delaying recovery of the housing and mortgage markets.

Many small individual policy decisions designed to keep the enterprises financially sound, when layered one upon another, have created major impediments to healthy mortgage and housing markets.

The letters address three main areas of concern:

1. A wide variety of higher fees and other underwriting standards that make mortgages much less affordable.

2. Policies reducing maximum loan-to-value ratios (LTVs) by five percentage points for homes in declining markets.

3. Extremely tight underwriting standards for jumbo conforming loans authorized by the Economic Stimulus Act.

To view the NAR Letter to Fannie Mae, please click here: http://fedistrk.nsf/files/Letter_Fannie_Policies_ 04112008.pdf/ $FILE/Letter_Fannie_Policies_ 04112008.pdf

To view the NAR Letter to Freddie Mac, please click here:
http://fedistrk.nsf/files/Letter_Freddie_Policies_ 04112008.pdf/

$FILE/Letter_Freddie_Policies_ 04112008.pdf

http://activerain.com/blogs/merrinette

Get NAR out of your Business, out of your Governing Bodies... Sell without an NAR member.. they are NOT of a Higher Standard, They are NOT really the voice of Real Estate. They are just bullys with billions.
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In my Home State, I see that the Governing Affairs members from my local MLS are for ONE I know for sure is a Liar, committs fraud on consumers and does not have any accountability, the MLS - the local association protects him as he owns a C21 Franchise.. and this is the kind of guy that is out there supposedly getting things done for consumers or on behalf of any sense of morals and decency - Ethics or Standards of Practice of any Kind.

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NAR - You Do Not Get to Be the Voice of Real Estate...

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Joel Blackwell - Realtor RPAC information - Realtor Politics, Lobbying, NAR Politics, and other Tidbits..

The Association of Realtors Does Not Exist to Protect You.

Just Like any Publicly Traded Company REALTOR and all their associated Companies, Websites and Associates - are about making money, volumes and volumes of money. This is based on a whole lot of people and and a whole lot of income streams, however, the National Association of Realtors needs you to Keep on Using Realtors at the Local Level or the Whole Illusion Breaks Down. Realtors Use the Laws meant to Protect you against you.

Realtors lobby in large numbers, send mass amounts of letter and emails to to Government agencies such as the Department of Justice to STOP you from Selling by Owner Effectively, they Stop other Realtors from giving you discounts and helping you to win for a change, they lobby to keep banks out of real estate and for any little thing that will keep them in business and Will NOT benefit you or any REALTOR - ex-Realtor - Real Estate Broker or Real Estate Marketing Company.

The Folks, that try and help you to get a better deal with less drama are shut out, boycotted or getting policies and laws put into place by NAR and their troops that stop them.

When a Legislative Issue Comes Up that May Hurt Realtors but Benefit the Real Estate Consumer, they - the National Association of Realtors, the Local and State Association of Realtors put out the Call to Get all the REALTOR, NAR members to Fight for whatever it is that NAR wants, oftentimes NAR does this in the Name of what is Best for the Real Estate Consumer, however this NOT likely to Be True.

The Only Reason a Multi-Billion Dollar Company like NAR would Put out a Call would be to Save their Billion Dollar Income Stream from Shrinking.

rIf it was in the Best interst of the Consumer and this was Really What NAR was Fighing for the Real Estate Consumer then they would spend these millions that they spend on Lobbying on TV ads, Newspaper Ads and ways to Reach the Consumer and have them Stand up - Write Letters and emails with the Realtors, but that is NOT what the Call to Action is About... it is About NAR Staying in Control of You, and the Realtors on the Ground in Your Town want to Keep their jobs so they Stand Up and Do what NAR tells them to do.

How do They "Put out a Call" they send ALL Realtors Emails - Newletters - Association tell all the Members they have access to - they even give you form letters to email or send ( talk about anti-trust issues) and they Stand United to KNOCK you DOWN.

I have gotten emails that explain how the local association proudly went to Washington DC to fight to keep banks out of real estate, they fight to keep the MLS Data exclusively yours even though it is Your Data - it is Public Data Controlled by the Realtors... they lobby to keep it this way.

They sent us emails to fight against buyers rebates, and then newletters to scare us into NOT giving rebates and then they pushed for laws in our STATE to make Buyers Rebates even more legal then they were with the Previous Laws. And then a few months later when NAR loses its battle with the Department of Justice our State Laws Change and WOW Now all of the Sudden it is Legal for Me to DO what I want with my Paycheck.

Funny all these years they Kept Realtors from helping the Real Estate Consumer but Could not, or did not put a whole lot - if any effort into Checking MLS data for Quality Control, Stopping Mortgage Brokers from getting and giving kick back, stopping appraisers from having a copy of a signed by sell before their unbiased appraisal, Stoping Realtors from control markets - entering false data - stop fake sales .. so much goes on that they WILL not look at because NAR needs Realtors..

Why Not Lobby to Change the Laws that Are in Place that Really Do hurt the Consumer? Well There is No Money in that, STOP using Realtors.

Common Sense tells us that REALTORS are Advocates for their own industry, however, who has got your back in all this? Not Politicians.. I mean Realtors make BIG money. I sell One Large Ranch I make well over $100,000 dollars, I can afford - a REALTOR can afford to keep you in your place, and they use your own legislation and system of laws to do it.

They Know the Laws and Loopholes to get their way, they take classes on this stuff. They know the Protocol and they Know Just What to do in Order To get Things done to benefit them and their agenda which is making sure you believe that you need a Realtor when you Do Not.

They have meetings and trainings to teach REALTORS, and local association directors how to better Fight for What they want within the United States Justice System that is suppose to be there to protect you the Real Estate Consumer.

You are Not Taught how to protect yourself from the Realtors activities, there are no Consumer Classes to Train you on how to get things done on your own behalf.

Training Realtors to Fight - to Lobby to Stand
against Consumer Rights SHOULD be an Anti-Trust Violation.

I mean they all get together and conspire, they plan letters together - get their story strait - is this NOT violating public trust. Do you Know that the Realtors Unite against you like this, one issue over a million Realtors and You..

NAR and the Realtors in your Town Have more Political Power than you or ANY consumer rights advocate group could ever have and they are getting stronger. Realtors, some are quitting - New ones will join and through it all REALTOR will get bigger with online sites, stocks, Internet Marketing and Ad Revenue - selling books and classes - selling useless accreditations and making more money from YOU..
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Check out the Following Link and Resources http://www.joelblackwell.com/Lobbying_RPAC_Realtor_Advocacy_Form.html

Search Terms for you to Learn More about All This
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Personal Political Power, Realtor Association Executive Directors, Motivate Real Estate Agents to Write Letters, a Realtors Call to Action, Consulting Training Political Action Realtor, REALTORS® Political Action Committee (RPAC), RPAC Trustees: Provides political education training and fundraising programs for political action, Political Education Realtor, Political Fundraising Realtor, RPAC fundraising efforts, RPAC lobbyist
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Search for more on these Topics and find out what REALTORS do to actively change laws and policies to work against you. Realtors work hard
every day to Keep you Out of the Loop but Paying their Bills.

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The NAR is a HUGE Corporation and they have
a Constant Political Agenda to Keep REALTORS
in Business and to Keep you Down.

What Should You Do About this ?

STOP using Realtors, Complain to your Local Political Figure Heads, Email The Department of Justice, Email your Governor, Demand that there be More Protection in Real Estate for You, the People Who Matter Most in the Real Estate Transaction - The Real Estate Consumer.

rCrystal L. Cox Broker
I am YOUR Consumer Advocate in Real Estate.
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rrConsumer Protection, Politics of Real Estate, Real Estate Consumer, Real Estate Rants, NAR Lobbyist, Realtor Lobbyist, Realtors Lobby, NAR Politics, RPAC, RPAC Trustee, Realtor Association Executive Directors, RPAC Lobbyist

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When NAR Lobbys - You, the real estate Consumer, You lose

April 29, 2009

" The National Association of Realtors (NAR) has dramatically increased its lobbying expenditures (and influence) in Washington in the wake of the bursting of the housing bubble. The first chart shows the lobbying expenditures of the NAR over the past five quarters. As you can see the NAR has greatly ramped up its lobbying expenditures in the past couple of quarters. The Q1′09 expenditures represent an increase of more than 82% over Q1′08 expenditures. In the past two quarters the NAR has spent $12.25 million on lobbying in Washington."

http://ChartingTheEconomy.com/?p=839

The purpose of the next two charts is to give you some perspective on the amount of money that NAR / the National Association of Realtors is spending on lobbying. The second chart shows how much that NAR spent per business day on lobbying during each of the past five quarters. During the past couple of quarters on average the NAR has spent roughly $100,000 per business day on lobbying expenditures. This is a mind numbing number.

$100,000 A Day ~ Anti-Consumer Lobbying in My Opinion.

This is YOUR money, you the Realtors in the Field - you the Real Estate Consumer and I am Highly Doubtful that it is really in ANY best interest of the Public.

So NAR can Seemingly justify their expenditures by saying it was (is) necessary to help educate public officals on the complex issues facing the nation during the housing crisis.

This is a ridiculous argument. Having educational meetings with policy makers is important, but it doesn’t need to be an expensive process. How do I know this? Because I was a corporate lobbyist in Washington years ago.

I had many meetings on Capitol Hill, and it just doesn’t cost much. How much does it cost to meet over a cup of coffee and exchange some ideas? My expenses were always small (a few bucks). As a former lobbyist it blows my mind to think of spending $100,000 every business day on expenses. It would be work just trying to spend the money.

As far as having the NAR educating our public officals, that scares me too. The forth chart (below) shows what the NAR was saying about housing during the past few years as the housing market was collapsing. I took the quotes directly from the titles of NAR press releases. Is this the organization that we want educating our public officals on how to fix the housing crisis?
.... it serves an important part in the American political process. The problem is the excessive amounts of money that have become commonplace in Washington lobbying circles. Excessive levels of lobbying expenditures serve to distort politics and not to advance the political process.

On a positive note the disclosure and reporting on lobbying has become better. The next step is to put controls in place on lobbying expenditures.

Note: The lobbying expenditures covered in this report are from U.S. Congress disclosures (and cover just the federal government). It should be noted that there are many state and local realtor associations in the U.S. that also lobby state and local officals. Those expenditures are not included in this report.

Data Source: U.S. Congress
Various National Association of Realtors Press Releases

Link to Source: Check It Out
http://chartingtheeconomy.com/?p=839

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This is VERY, Very bad for the Real Estate Consumer. Realtors, NAR - lobbying your government why ? Sure must be on behalf of the Realtor. Why Not Just Get Back to Buyers Buying and Sellers Selling and Get Rid of all the Mumbo Jumbo.
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Lobbying is a way to FORCE Realtors into Consumers lives on as many levels as they can. Money Talks, the Realtors Lobby about an Issue that you, the Real Estate Consumer don't even know about. So you don't get a vote, but you get to Pay for It... for the Realtors, and for the Politicians they lobby and "Contribute" to. In the Real World of Real Estate, you, the Real Estate Consumer - You Lose.
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Did lobbyist offer cash for regulator's vote?

A canceled campaign contribution from Idaho's most generous lobbying group is prompting calls to toughen the state bribery law.

A $500 contribution was promised in October to House Republican candidate Joan Cloonan of Garden City. But it was withdrawn hours later after Cloonan, who sits on the Department of Environmental Quality board, voted for a rule on septic systems that was opposed by the Idaho Association of Realtors.

Cloonan is a Ph.D. chemist, lawyer and former environmental officer at J.R. Simplot Co. During a break in the board's Oct. 8 meeting, Realtors lobbyist John Eaton told Cloonan he would give her a check at a fund-raiser later that day hosted by Gov. Butch Otter.

Eaton then testified against the septic rule, saying it would make it more expensive and in some cases impossible to build on some already platted lots. But Cloonan voted for the rule, which passed 6-1. The Realtors are now leading the effort at the Legislature to have the rule overturned on grounds that it is scientifically unfounded and a threat to property rights.

On Election Day, Eaton told Cloonan that her vote was a factor in withholding the $500. She responded in a Nov. 14 letter, writing that she was "disappointed and insulted" by his statement. She also complained to the secretary of state, attorney general and some legislators.

Eaton said he regrets the way he handled the incident but said he never tried trading money for a vote. The Realtors PAC gave more than $490,000 to candidates in 2008, about three times the total contributed by the next largest group.

Eaton is government affairs director for the 9,000-member association. A veteran lobbyist, he represents the Realtors exclusively. Earlier in his career, he lobbied for the Idaho Building Contractors Association. His testimony two weeks ago was part of the record that prompted lawmakers to cut Otter's revenue projection by $101 million last week.

Both the secretary of state and attorney general investigated Cloonan's account but found no legal recourse. "It's a very serious thing because we don't like people trying to buy votes," said Chief Deputy Secretary of State Tim Hurst.

"We regarded it as serious, and we examined the statutes," said Bill von Tagen, who heads the attorney general's intergovernmental law division. "We didn't find an unlawful act."

One of the legislators Cloonan spoke with, Rep. Raul Labrador, R-Eagle, wants to change that. He's drafting a bill to expand the bribery statute that makes it a felony to offer a public official a benefit in exchange for an official action.

"I don't see any difference between offering a benefit in exchange for a vote and withdrawing a benefit if you don't get the vote," said Labrador, who commends Cloonan for coming forward. "We have great public officials in the state of Idaho, and I don't think that one person should taint everybody else. I think that's evidenced by the way Joan reacted. She's a person of integrity."

Senate Assistant Minority Leader Kate Kelly, D-Boise, who advocates optional public financing of state campaigns, called Idaho's bribery law "pretty toothless."

Kelly said the Realtors' legislative strategy is typical of groups across the spectrum in a system where lawmakers rely heavily on PAC contributions to fund their campaigns. Trade associations, unions and other interest groups fund candidates that are friendly to their aims and attempt to unseat those who generally don't agree.

"It's ugly, but that's the way our law works," Kelly said. "In my experience, you vote for the Realtors' bill, they give money to your campaign. You vote against the Realtors' bill, they give your opponent money."

What's unusual about the Realtors dealings with Cloonan is that the group directly tied a vote to a contribution at the peak of an election campaign.

In Cloonan's case, the Realtors had already contributed $1,000 for the May primary. She still had the group's endorsement in the November general election but went without the additional $500 in her race against Democrat Grant Burgoyne, which she lost, 56 percent to 44 percent.
Cloonan said she became concerned she was being punished for her vote when she attended the fundraiser at Leku Ona, a Basque restaurant in Boise, after the DEQ board meeting on the evening of Oct. 8. Both Cloonan and Eaton were there, but they didn't speak, and she didn't get a check.

Eaton, however, did report a $500 contribution to Cloonan to the secretary of state, along with 39 other checks to legislative candidates dated Oct. 8. He now calls that a "regrettable accounting oversight on my part." He corrected the error after Cloonan pointed it out.
Eaton said he was not attempting to buy Cloonan's vote. He expected to lose at the DEQ board, but to win in the Legislature, where he has twice helped overturn rules requiring more space for septic drain fields.

On Election Night, as she watched returns at the GOP party at the DoubleTree Riverside, Cloonan confronted Eaton about the missing contribution.

"He says, 'Well, you didn't vote for me,'" Cloonan told the Idaho Statesman. "I didn't vote for him - that's the bottom line. I think it was a little test."

In the Nov. 14 letter to Eaton, Cloonan wrote: "The juxtaposition of the comment that there was a check for me with the vote and the subsequent failure to produce the check and then your barefaced statement that the vote was the reason for withholding the check is disturbing. It suggests there was a quid pro quo expectation tied to contributions. ... If not illegal, that is unethical and contributes to the low reputation of lobbyists in general."

Eaton responded to questions from the Statesman by e-mail. He wrote that he remembers "mentioning the septic issue as a concern" on Election Night. But he added that "there was never any expectation on my part of any kind of quid quo pro ... we do not tie campaign contributions to votes. Obviously, I wish I would have handled this better, and certainly I could have, but I have made every attempt to discuss the issue with Joan, and I have not been afforded that opportunity."

Cloonan said she called Eaton before the election to ask about the missing $500, which she reported as "pledged" on her finance report. Cloonan said Eaton did not reply to her message; Eaton says he didn't get it.

After Cloonan's Nov. 14 letter, she and Eaton corresponded by e-mail. But she refused Eaton's invitation to meet, writing, "Not sure what there is to talk about. I'm not running for office. I'm not looking for contributions. I'm not looking for explanations."

The Statesman contacted the president, past president and legislative committee chairman of the Realtors for comment. Eaton wrote that all three asked him to speak on the association's behalf.

Source Click Below..

http://www.idahostatesman.com/102/story/639063.html

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Foreclosure Laws to Benefit Realtors - Imagine Laws passing that are Realtor Friendly...

Just Things to Think About:

Jon Goodman Warns Don't Be Naive To New Foreclosure Laws

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REALTOR - NAR, did they Lobby for Laws that helped them make money easier from Foreclosures while at the same time saying Buy Buy Buy? Did NAR lobby for laws to make short sales easier and did this happen way before the economic collapse you are witnessing. In my area Coldwell Banker and other are Realtors were saying it is a Good Time to Buy, yet somewhere - a Realtor representative was quite possibly lobbying and spending millions to do so in order to FORCE, suggest, Encourage the Enactment of Laws that would help Realtors make more money when these same Real Estate Consumers starting losing their homes (the ones where the Realtors said it was a Good time to Buy)
Realtor Has More Time To Sell, Laws enacted To benefited Realtors.
Also Not this Video Violates NAR trademark law in that it says Realtor in Place of Real Estate Agent at least once - Give Em' a Call Mary Newill.....

Helps Realtor With Foreclosure Sales.

This will “Help the Real Estate Broker Get Commissions”

Taking Away Owners Redemption Rights...

Real Estate Agents Jumping on the Foreclosure Bandwagon… You Loser
Just Food for Thought Folks...
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Don't Listen To Me.. Just Look Deeper.

Much More Will Be Posted About The Kind of Money Spent by NAR to Lobby and for What.
There is much more in my blogs and sites, I encourage you, as a Real Estate Consumer to know more of what NAR is Pulling over ON you.

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Realtor Affilitions - Bad For Consumers.. It is a Good Time to Buy

Folks Get back to the basics.. Seller Want to Sell.. buyers want to buy.. Keep it Simple..

Do Realtor Affiliations Hurt Real Estate Consumers ?
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I think Realtors Affiliations with All these Different Companies is
bad for the consumer and good for those at the top of the NAR food chain.

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