Kenneth Shall, a Registered Financial Planner with First Financial Group will show you how to invest effectively to ensure financial success during DAAR's free monthly Lunch and Learn on Friday,  December 5th, 12-1:30 p.m. Shall will discuss investment strategies, protecting your retirement account from dropping in value, creating a steady cash flow with fluctuating income, protecting your most valuable asset, avoiding retirement taxation traps and breaking down financial terminology.  Thank you to Farm Credit Country Mortgage  for sponsoring the event. For more information, download the flyer  Sign-up today!

DAAR's Education Department, led by Allan Marteney, Director of Professional Development and Standards, is committed to your education needs and mindful of your busy schedule. From this point forward, all of our Continuing Education and Post License classes will be held as scheduled regardless of the number of attendees. Whether we have one student or one hundred students, our classes will go on as planned EXCEPT for inclement weather precluding safe travel to class.

The Dulles Area Association of REALTORS® is pleased to introduce its new Director of Professional Services, Allan Marteney.  Allan has been an instructor with DAAR for over 10 years and we are please to bring him on to the staff.  Allan has plans to re-write much of our Education Curriculum and teach many if not all of our classes himself.  After appropriate training Allan will also take on the duties of Professional Standards and Arbitration for DAAR.  Please welcome Allan to the staff.  

Internet communications expert Tony Arko of Market Advantage Real Estate and author of www.realdiablog.com and www.loudounstats.com navigated members through a maze of the latest blogging, social media and social networking websites, such as Google Reader , TypePad, Wordpress, Facebook, Linkedin and Twitter, to help maximize communication with consumers about their real estate business during DAAR's September Lunch and Learn.  From blogging to social networking, Arko discussed how these sites enable REALTORS® to express who they are to consumers looking to buy and sell real estate.  "Blogging is another arrow in your quiver" said Arko who uses his blogs as a way to communicate with past and future clients and as a useful real estate resource for homebuyers and sellers.   To get started on this new trend in communications, visit http://varblogger.pbwiki.com/  For a list of resources on this subject visit
http://realdiablog.typepad.com/weblog/social-media-resource-gui.html 

Professional Development, aka Education, can be perceived as a "must do" or as an asset to REALTOR® success. This article discusses both sides of the equation with pointers for consideration.

Since 2004, Virginia REALTORS® have found themselves spending time and resources on Education mandated by the Commonwealth. For brand new licensees, the challenge has increased to thirty hours mandatory education. For experienced REALTORS® who have been licensed more than two years, now have sixteen hours to complete every two years. The purpose of the required real estate training is to supply all the necessary information that you need to "stay out of trouble", build new skills and learn more about the real estate profession. The question still remains "Is Real Estate training necessary?" Yes! Any person who is seeking for a successful real estate career knows that training is a must. Not only do you learn the basics - you will have the tools required to grow your business with confirmed results! You would not try to build a car with out having the facts and training to do so, right? Treat your real estate business with the same care and attention!

As Brain Tracy stated in 2001 in his book, Get Paid More and Promoted Faster, there have never been more opportunities and possibilities for ambitious people to achieve their career and life goals than today. That is a very encouraging statement, right? The most important point is this: Your responsibility to yourself, your family and friends is to take action when new opportunities arise. Look outside the box, past the "required" courses and the number of hours mandated. Establish a plan that focuses in the key areas you feel you need to strengthen. If you have concerns about your plan, by all means "seek wise counsel". Find an accountability partner or a coach!

A primary concern, especially with today's housing market conditions, you may have is less money available for you to spend on designation courses or other training programs that enhance your skills, knowledge and abilities. Before you say "Oh well, I'll just wait", consider that when the market picks up (and it will) you will reap the benefits of your training, planning and groundwork for a successful future if you concentrate on your development now. A number of highly successful REALTORS® have shared how they "maxed out" credit cards - not the best thing to do - to find programs and/or work on professional designation courses as new REALTORS® or when business slowed down.

REALTORS® will often question the validity of a designation - i.e. who cares? The designation is a small part of the total package. Your focus must be on the development of professionalism. While you need to watch the finances, think about the basics, such as a solid Business Plan that can help you ask the right questions, conduct your research and development a plan that is achievable and measurable. Make sure you have resources allocated to professional development. Statistics tell us that any business that doesn't have a plan will fail within 2 -3 years. Don't become a statistic - be a success and get started now!

Dr. Liz Minthorne is the Director, Professional Development and Standards at DAAR. Besides her real estate experience, Dr. Liz has over twenty years in the telecommunications business in marketing, business development and account management. Her doctorate is in Strategic Leadership with emphasis on Organizational Behavior.

Representatives from Edgemoor Real Estate Services discussed the proposed Loudoun Civic and Transit Center (LCTC) at Moorefield Station as one of three finalists for a new Loudoun County Government Administrative Center during a  presentation on the plan at DAAR's monthly Lunch and Learn in September. Supervisors are expected to make a decision on the new site in early 2009.

Moorefield Station is located about halfway between Leesburg and Dulles Airport at the site of the Loudoun's first planned Metro Rail station. Moorefield Station will combine housing, offices, shops, galleries, museums, restaurants, and hotels with public services, educational facilities, and a recreation center to create an urban neighborhood with multi-story buildings and open green space throughout. 

By Liz Minthorne, Director, Professional Development

So what does this have to do with Professional Development? Please read on...

Recently, DAAR CEO, Jeanette Newton, has included the phrase "Carpe Diem" or "Seize the Day" on her e-mail signature. Not unlike the phrase "When the going gets tough, the tough get going" (or shopping), as REALTORS®, let's look at where we are and where we're going with our profession, so we can seize the day. Roberta Ross, national speaker and REALTOR® recently posted a blog on "Activerain" that I think is relevant to what we're facing  - her motto is "When the going gets tough, the tough dig deeper." We have to "dig deeper" if we're going to move forward, overcome the tough market and then be perceived by consumers as seasoned real estate professionals. We have to seize the day.

Here's three main points from Roberta that I'll address from a professional development, educational perspective:

1. Turn challenges into opportunities. Adversity can be an anchor or a rocket booster, depending on your attitude and your actions. Challenges force us to examine what we are doing. Look to the agents who have successfully navigated tough markets and real adversity in their careers. You'll discover that many of them developed some of their sharpest skills as salespeople and negotiators during down economic times. Why? Simple: Timing is everything. When you look around and see 80% or better of your colleagues in the industry going into FEAR mode or leaving the business altogether, recognize the opportunity to you're your career to the next level. Ignite your career and your opportunities by looking at DAAR's Professional REALTOR® Series.

2. Clean house. In a changing market, you need to tidy up your thought processes, habits and priorities. Having these three things at the top of your spring cleaning list sets the stage for a fresher outlook, a streamlined business plan and a clearer sense of direction. Remember False Expectations Appearing Real can stop you from developing yourself and your business.

A. Thought processes. Your thoughts are the springboard for your actions, and your actions determine your direction. There's enough negative news out there to go around; leave your share on someplace other than your office, appointments and educational opportunities each day. Your brain is still the best computer in the world and it is susceptible to what we used to call "garbage in, garbage out." Feed your mind with knowledge that builds your career for success and viable information that helps you help your clients. Signing up for educational and developmental opportunities with DAAR ahead of when you need to have them done will take the negative pressure off you.

B. Habits. Old habits do indeed die hard, but kicking those unproductive habits off of our daily to-do lists is critical to building momentum. Roberta's example: Many of you are willing to spend hours designing marketing pieces, newsletters, postcards and business letters or redecorating your office space - I'm guilty of this one. While that's all wonderful, it doesn't make you money. Challenge yourself to focus on building GOOD habits such as committing at least an "Hour of Power" each day that focuses on developing your abilities.

3. Priorities. Understanding and IMPLEMENTING basics such as smart budgeting, measurability and consistency is a must. One of Roberta's favorite foundation cornerstones is "work high-priority activities first." Professionals and entrepreneurs who are looking to put themselves ahead of the competition and achieve repeatable, sustainable success in ANY market stay true to the items closest to their revenue line. As a REALTOR®, you get paid to serve home buyers and sellers today and in the future.  Shouldn't your education be part of your high-priority activities? A DAAR member and Broker licensing student has made education a top priority this year, shifting marketing dollars to education dollars.

A.   Raise your standards. Shed the negative influences, thoughts and habits that tether weaker agents to mediocre income levels. Toughen up, get back to basics and dig deep when it comes to the core activities that will help you weather any market.

B. Put systems in place that allows you to pursue your career development.  We all know that profit and productivity in a challenging market is no small thing and not easily achieved by those who "fly by their seat."

C. Systemize your professional development AND your personal development. The right goals, mindset and attitude coupled with a fierce determination to control YOUR economy regardless of THE economy will win results and instill not only survival skills, but also the kind of spark and staying power that most entrepreneurs strive for.

Go ahead and get tough - seize the day! DAAR is right here with you.

 

Between January 1, 2005 and December 31, 2008, every REALTOR® is required to complete 2 1/2 hours of Code of Ethics training. Associations are required to provide access to such training. Any member who fails to complete the required training will have their membership suspended by their primary association until training is complete. REALTORS® who have completed this training as a requirement of membership in another association are not required to complete additional ethics training until the next four-year cycle.

Since in Virginia you are required to complete 6 hours of training in ethics, every 4 years, DAAR has deemed that you have met your requirement provided you have completed your CE in a REALTOR® school and the course was on the Code of Ethics and not jus "Ethics". The courses offered at any of our Association proprietary schools and by most large firm schools such as L & F and Weichert are all acceptable to meet this requirement. Any new members must also meet this requirement which is fulfilled during your New Member Orientation Program.

VAR's Code is Good Business campaign makes it easier to understand NAR's Code of Ethics and demonstrates how adhering to the Code helps REALTORS® earn the trust of their colleagues and clients. Not to mention make more money. Now, all 17 articles of the REALTOR® Code of Ethics are in easy to read layman's language.  We call it StraightTalk . If you need a refresher on the Code, or if you've ever felt confused by it, have a look.