2014 Annual Installation & Awards Dinner Recap

South Tahoe Association of REALTORS®  Annual Installation of Officers & Directors & Awards Dinner, Friday, December 5, 2014

Natalie Yanish, South Tahoe Association of REALTORS® 2014 President, passed the gavel to Brooke Hernandez, incoming President for 2015 at an Installation and Awards Dinner on Friday, December 5, 2014 at Edgewood Tahoe.

Sue Lowe, Broker for Chase International Realty was the Installing Officer and Ken Daley (of Re/Max Realty Today) expertly MC’d the event.

Ginger Nicolay-Davis (of Help U Sell Lake Tahoe Properties) and Theresa Souers (of Pinnacle Real Estate Group of Lake Tahoe) honored outstanding members for their contributions to the association this year:

Ellen Camacho (Deb Howard & Co) was honored with one of STAR’s Community Service Awards for her tireless efforts with multiple organizations in the South Lake Tahoe community, including Soroptimist International of South Lake Tahoe and St. Theresa’s Church, as well as with STAR’s Community Service Committee.

Colleen Manzer (Re/Max Realty Today) received a Community Service Award for her efforts throughout the community, especially her incredible commitment as Chair of Soroptimist International of South Lake Tahoe’s Annual Wine Tasting and Silent Auction fundraiser, which directly benefits women and youth in South Lake Tahoe.

Joe Filipko (Chase International South Tahoe Realty) was presented with the Distinguished Service Award, and thanked for dedicating multiple years as STAR’s Multiple Listing Service Committee Chair.  He guided this committee through a lockbox exchange using new blue tooth technology, and has embarked on MLS data share discussions with neighboring organizations.  Joe dedicates valuable time attending conferences at the state and national level exploring cutting edge technologies that members might benefit from, as well as stays abreast of current issues and trends effecting MLSs throughout the nation.

New REALTOR® member Rhonda Keen (of Help U Sell Lake Tahoe Properties) was recognized as the “Rookie of the Year” for jumping in as Scholarship Chair in 2014 after having been a member for less than a year!  She launched STAR’s first ever Silent Auction fundraiser at this event, which raised $875 for future scholarships.

Finally, the REALTOR® of the Year Award was given to Craig Woodward (of Deb Howard & Co), with gracious thanks for dedicating multiple years as Local Government Relations Chair.  He was praised for his tireless efforts attending local government agency meetings on STAR’s behalf, working with the Lake Tahoe South Shore Chamber of Commerce’s Government Affairs Committee, and especially on their new Independent Expenditure Committee which identified business friendly candidates in the local election and encouraged local constituents’ votes.

The members installed on the new Board of Directors for 2015 are:

• Brooke Hernandez, 2015 President (Chase International South Tahoe Realty)
• Ellen Camacho, 2015 President-Elect (Deb Howard & Co)
• Jim Wire, 2015 Vice President (Chase International South Tahoe Realty)
• Michelle Benedict, 2015 Secretary/Treasurer (Pinnacle Real Estate Group of Lake Tahoe)
• Natalie Yanish, 2015 Immediate Past President (Deb Howard & Co)
• Amanda Adams, Director (Re/Max Realty Today)
• Sheila Edner, Director (Chase International South Tahoe Realty)
• Jill Moffett, Director (Sierra Sotheby’s International Realty)
• Jessica Seifert, Director (C21 At Tahoe Paradise)
• Dan Spano, Director (Paradise Real Estate)
• Flip Walker, Director (Pinnacle Real Estate Group of Lake Tahoe)
• Craig Woodward, Director (Deb Howard & Co)
• Jesse Yohnka, Director (Re/Max Realty Today)

EDUCATION: Training on MLS Tech Tools

DATE: June 10, 2014
TIME: 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM
LOCATION: Mont Bleu Resort & Casino, Convention Room
COST: FREE!
*Complimentary coffee & pastries provided

You won’t want to miss this education & training event that only comes around once every other year.  Hear presentations directly from our MLS Vendors!  This is your opportunity to ask all of your questions and learn the ins & outs, tips & tricks and shortcuts for the systems available.  Many new features have recently been added to make your job easier.  Come learn & improve your ability to use all that the MLS has to offer, and increase your efficiency & your bottom line.

This AMAZING educational event is being provided to you FREE as an MLS subscriber benefit.

PRESENTATIONS ON:

• Rapattoni MLS – Desktop AND mobile!

• Realist Tax Program – Core Logic

• “The Thing” Statistics Program – 10K

• RPR (REALTORS Property Resource) – N.A.R.

To learn more, click here: http://www.staor.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/06-10-14-MLS-TrainingFlyer-V7.pdf

REALTORS submit public comment to TRPA on Regional Plan Update

The following are the comments made by South Tahoe Association of REALTORS® Government Affairs Director Hayley Williamson at the TRPA Governing Board meeting on May 24th, 2012.  She highlights REALTORS®’ concerns that the TRPA is considering implementing a point-of-sale mandate for the installation of Best Management Practices (BMPs).  BMPs are landscaping requirements by the TRPA to eliminate runoff of water into Lake Tahoe to protect its water clarity.

Public Comment for the South Tahoe Association of REALTORS®
by Hayley Williamson, Government Affairs Director (GAD)
TRPA Governing Board meeting, May 24, 2012

“Hello, my name is Hayley Williamson; I am the Government Affairs Director for the South Tahoe Association of REALTORS®.  As Supervisor Santiago said, we as a community have a unique opportunity with the new Regional Plan.  The South Tahoe Association of REALTORS® would like to applaud the TRPA and all stakeholders in moving forward with this new Regional Plan toward effective environmental planning in the Tahoe Basin.  

TRPA did a great job taking into account many different points of view and came up with a preferred Alternative 3.  The South Tahoe Association of REALTORS® really applauds many aspects of Alternative 3.  The fact that there are more opportunities in land coverage transfers and the fact that there is more flexibility between hydrologic zones seems to go toward smart growth planning, which is something that TRPA has identified as one of their main goals. REALTORS®, home buyers and home owners are very excited to see more flexibility in the ability to build decks without having to get more coverage, which is something that allows people who live in Lake Tahoe to really get out and enjoy Lake Tahoe and the beautiful scenery that we live in.  

The South Tahoe Association of REALTORS® would also like to comment on Alternatives 2 & 5 in the form of a very strong caution against any point of sale mandate for BMPs.  One of the things TRPA did recommend in Alternative 3 is region-wide planning.  The South Tahoe Association of REALTORS® supports region-wide planning.   

BMP compliance at point of sale would be disastrous for REALTORS®, homebuyers and home sellers.  It would be close to impossible to implement in the winter with snow on the ground.  TRPA has mandates against moving dirt between November and March–how do you implement Best Management Practices at that point?  Some TRPA members have suggested we hold money in escrow for BMPs at point of sale.  Escrow companies are very unwilling to hold money right now, and furthermore how much do you know to hold if you can’t do an evaluation in the winter on the BMPs going in?  It puts a market that is very fragile right now at a disadvantage.  It makes it really hard for people to try to live and sell their home in Lake Tahoe, something that all of us have enjoyed.  Furthermore, BMPs at point of sale would not be environmentally effective.  If you look at the number of homes changing hands in the Basin, many times it is the same home changing hands, which means that if you are trying to do BMPs on every property, that is just not an effective way to do it.  

TRPA has come up with an effective way to implement BMPs, which is on a region-wide level.  The South Tahoe Association of REALTORS® thinks this is a way forward towards smart growth and a way for our community to do effective environmental planning.  

All of the REALTORS® here in this room make their living here in Tahoe, work here, and play here.  REALTORS® have a lot at stake with this new Regional Plan Update.  As an industry, we are really the front line to the person who is just being introduced to Lake Tahoe.  We support Alternative Plan 3.  Thank you.”

http://www.staor.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/WilliamsonPublicComments2TRPA.pdf