PROView - March 2008 - (Page 2)

Chairman’s Notes A Strong Force, Working on Your Behalf by Pat Ivers, Chairman of the Board Wouldn’t it be nice to have someone on your side to promote the value of REALTORS®, educate consumers about the market and protect your business? Actually, you do. Being a member of PRO includes being part of an active campaign to promote the value you provide consumers in your marketplace. Through billboards, full page newspaper ads, participation in a local Home EXPO three times annually, and educational seminars, consumers are learning about the value of your role in the real estate transaction. media campaign to educate prospective homebuyers that now is the best time to buy. Billboards around Tampa Bay currently display the Best Time 2 Buy message, enticing the public to go online to www.besttime2buy.org to find out more. Visitors to the joint website who provide a Pinellas County zip code are redirected to PRO’s own Buy Now web page at www.tampabayrealtor.com/buynow where consumers can find a Realtor®, search for homes and open houses, read helpful home buying and selling tips, take a tour of Pinellas County and find out the value of their homes. PRO also works closely with the news media. Your PRO leadership often requests the opportunity to participate in news interviews in order to ensure more fair and you can focus on the continued Many Small Investments Make For objective news reporting. Huge Impact Recognizing that most media success of your business.” representatives often lack As you are aware, our industry is detailed knowledge about facing some enormous challenges. the real estate marketplace, Whether we like it or not, politics and governmental PRO provides insightful commentary beyond the data affairs directly affect our livelihood in some very dramatic of monthly marketplace statistics to media outlets in ways. We have two choices: we can sit idly by and do order to ensure a more accurate depiction of trends and nothing, or we can work together to combat these market information. Beyond challenges. By contributing to the release of monthly RPAC, you take an important marketplace information, first step towards fighting back. PRO staff identifies trends, develops stories likely to • A political movement be selected by media, and deceptively referred to as pitches these story ideas to “Hometown Democracy” appropriate news media. could have a devastating impact on the real estate Best Time 2 Buy Campaign industry by requiring voter Now “On the Air” approval of all future landuse and comprehensive plan Now is a great time to buy amendments. a home and we’re getting the word out! PRO, GTAR and the West Pasco Board of REALTORS® have joined forces for a joint venture 2 Radio commercials are currently airing on WSJT 94.1, WMTX 100.7, WXGL 107.3, WPOI 101.5, WFLA 970 AM, and WFUS “Rest assured – your PRO 103.5. Want to hear the commercial? Go to www.besttime2buy.org. The leadership is committed to campaign will run until June this year. working on your behalf so that • • March 2008 PINELLAS REALTOR® ORGANIZATION http://www.besttime2buy.org http://www.tampabayrealtor.com/buynow http://www.besttime2buy.org http://www.besttime2buy.org

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of PROView - March 2008

PROView - March 2008 Contents Chairman's Notes - A Strong Force, Working on Your Behalf Feature - Going Back to Basics: Are You Generating Leads ProActive - Amendment 1 Passes: What Now? What's Next? Finance - How Your Customers Can Find Home Loans Brokerage Design - Reject the Blindfold; Enlightenment is the Way to Go Marketplace Analysis - The Opportunity Market Home Sales Report MLS Update - Changes to Rules & Regulations Now in Effect MLS Mind Your Manners Education - Don't Let Time Run Out: Complete Mandatory Code of Ethics Training Now Calendar of Events & Programs PROBiz - FREE Real Estate Websites! New PRO Members

PROView - March 2008

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