Meet Amy Ruiz, who was recently elected to a two-year term (2021-2022) on the PSAR board of directors.

 

She was born in Monterrey, Mexico, grew up in Chicago and then moved at an early age with her mother and brothers to Sacramento. In kindergarten, she learned English and was helpful as a translator for family members. “Because I’m bilingual, I’ve always been involved in helping people my entire life,” said Amy. “That’s a big reason why I love real estate and why I ran for a seat on the PSAR board.”

 

In Sacramento, she graduated from Valley High School and learned professional office and technology skills while attending Heald Business College.

 

In 1986, she relocated to San Diego and began an 18-year career in the human resources (HR) field. She worked in HR at various sales training and hotels before joining Barona Casino for eight years in recruitment, on-boarding, information services, benefits training, staff retention and staff relations.

 

Then, in 2006, she left Barona and began full-time real estate sales with Keller Williams. Except for a few months, she has remained with KW throughout her entire real estate career. 

 

“After getting my license, I interviewed with 11 different brokerages before selecting KW because of their values and belief systems,” Amy said. “In my first year in real estate sales, I won the Rookie of the Year award.”

 

After earning her real estate sales license, Amy was a member of another real estate association for a short time. “Then I went to a PSAR property pitch meeting and I couldn’t believe the difference,” said Amy. “At PSAR, there’s a totally different environment. People are friendly. You get to know people and make new friends. When I’m doing deals with other agents, I want that agent to be a PSAR member, someone I can trust and do repeat business with.”

 

Amy served on the PSAR Budget and Finance Committee before entering her name for the board of directors.

 

“Our members need to realize how terrific their association is.  There is a huge difference,” Amy said. “The training and educational opportunities are the best. And, the staff is willing to answer your questions and follow-through. They are knowledgeable and eager to help you.”

 

Amy said she is looking forward to serving on the PSAR board. “All REALTORS® have an obligation to help other REALTORS®,” she said. “I encourage our members to expand their participation and volunteer with our Association. With PSAR, you can make a difference and be a change-maker.

 

“After all, the people you spend time with will shape who you are. So, when you surround yourself with people who adhere to high standards and strive to do better, then their motivation, dedication and energy are contagious and they will positively influence you. At PSAR, we have a group of high-quality people who have outstanding leadership skills, bold expectations and high ethical and moral standards. Their examples of excellence are encouraging to me and motivate me.”

 

Amy is continuing her trademark of helping others as a new productivity coach for newly licensed agents at the Keller Williams brokerage. “We offer support and encouragement to agents to have a positive mindset and assist with strategies in working with buyers, sellers, lead generation and objection handling,” said Amy. “We also role play with agents and guide them through the transaction process. I’m enjoying it because I’m dedicated to helping others, it’s part of who I am.”

_______________________________

Our Mission is to empower our members to flourish while being accountable to each other
our clients and our community.

Since 1928, the Pacific Southwest Association of REALTORS® has played a significant role in shaping the history, growth & development of the Real Estate industry in San Diego County. This program is only open to REALTORS® and PSAR Affiliate Members. There is no cost for attending this program.

COVID-19 has resulted in countless challenges for agents across California. Perhaps chief among them are the new compliance requirements for showings, namely the Coronavirus Property Entry Advisory and Declaration - Visitor (PEAD-V) form. Given that each visitor to a property must sign a PEAD-V form and deliver it electronically to the listing agent in advance of a visit, it creates a significant burden for agents on both sides of a transaction.
To help solve this problem, Glide has created the first-of-its-kind integrated system that allows you to create, send, and manage PEAD-V forms across all of your listings and clients in a single place. Key benefits of using this tool include:

• Save Time: Eliminate duplicate entry and and quickly generate new forms for reach property your clients want to visit.
• Reduce Errors: Automatically pull in all property info from our MLS partners and connect directly to your DocuSign and ZipForm accounts to send to clients.
• Protect Your Clients (and Yourself!): Don’t expose home sellers to unnecessary risk and ensure all visitors are free of COVID-19 symptoms. If an issue does arise, all of your forms are in a single location.
  

Zoom Class, Dates and Times

Classes are offered several times a week

Glide is developed based on feedback from agents across the state, Glide’s tool gives you access to a number of features that make your life easier while ensuring full compliance:

• Visitor Log: Share your personal PEAD-V listing URL with all visitors to generate and track forms for signature on-the-go without the hassle of manual coordination.
• Reusable Parties: Don’t waste time re-typing by reusing previously entered buyers, agents, or other visitors/vendors.
• Reduced Clutter in ZipForm: Keep your ZipForm account clean and uncluttered. Buyer Prospects and PEADs you create in Glide do not interfere with your transactions list in ZipForm.
• One-Click Creation from MLS: When you create a PEAD-V directly from an MLS listing page, Glide will automatically pull all of your listing information to the form - saving you time and hassle.
• Integration with DocuSign®: Send your PEAD-V forms using DocuSign and Digital Ink, complete with the signature and initial tabbing auto-placed for all visitors. Includes basic support for Digital Ink.

Or Get started today at glide.com/pead.

Best of all, it’s free to agents who belong to the Pacific Southwest Association of REALTORS^® and takes less than a minute to create your first form.  Glide is a PSAR member benefit. The program is usable now. It is also currently integrated with CRMLS Matrix.  Paragon integration is coming soon.  We are told it should be available within a week or so.

.

_______________________________________________

PSAR Mission is to empower Realtors to flourish while being accountable to
each other,our clients, and our community.

Since 1928, the Pacific Southwest Association of REALTORS® has played a significant role in shaping the history, growth & development of the Real Estate industry in San Diego County. Workshops are open to all REALTORS® and Affiliated Members. This class is free of charge.

 

The rebound happened over one month’s time.

In May of this year, the full impact of the coronavirus pandemic nosedived California’s home sales to their lowest level since the 2008 Great Recession.

By contrast, California’s housing market in June regained its footing with the largest month-over-month sales increase in nearly 40 years, according to the most recent monthly home sales and prices report from the California Association of REALTORS® (C.A.R.).

Statewide, June 2020 home sales were up a whopping 42.4 percent compared to May 2020. This month-over-month increase was the largest since C.A.R. began reporting monthly sales in January 1979. Closed escrow sales of existing single-family detached homes in California totaled a seasonally adjusted annualized rate of 339,910 units in June, compared to 238,740 in May. Compared to a year ago, statewide home sales were down 12.8 percent, when 389,730 homes were sold on an annualized basis.

In San Diego County, June 2020 homes sales were 58.1 percent higher when compared to May 2020, when home sales were down 14.6 percent in a comparison to April 2020. There was a nominal increase of 1.7 percent in home sales in June 2020 over June 2019.

Meanwhile, home prices remained strong in June 2020, setting another record high statewide, despite the Covid-impacted sales environment.

After dipping briefly below $600,000 in May, California’s median home price increased to $626,170 in June 2020, an improvement of 6.5 percent from $588,070 in May 2020 and 2.5 percent from $610,720 in June 2019. The monthly price increase was higher than the historical average price change from May to June and, in fact, was the highest ever recorded for a May-to-June comparison. 

A change in the mix of sales was a key factor that pushed the median price higher in June, as sales of higher-priced properties showed stronger than lower-priced homes. Homes priced below $500,000, which made up 48 percent of total sales in the California market in May 2020, only comprised 44 percent of all sales in June 2020. Sales of million-dollar and above properties, on the other hand, increased in market share to 18.1 percent in the most recent month compared with 15.6 percent in May 2020. 

In San Diego, the median price for a single-family home in San Diego County in June 2020 was $678,000, an increase of 3.5 percent from $655,000 in May 2020, and 2.0 percent higher than $665,000 in June 2019.

June 2020 County Sales and Price Activity
(Regional and condo sales data not seasonally adjusted)

“Home sales bounced back solidly in June after hitting a record bottom in May, as lockdown restrictions loosened and pent up demand driven by record-low interest rates roared back,” said 2020 C.A.R. President Jeanne Radsick, a second-generation REALTOR® from Bakersfield, California.

“A new record high in the statewide median price suggests that there is stronger housing demand from more qualified, affluent buyers in this extremely favorable lending environment,” said C.A.R. Senior Vice President and Chief Economist Leslie Appleton-Young. “It also highlights both the affordability and supply issues created by the uneven impact of the coronavirus pandemic as the more affordable segments of the state’s housing market are recovering at a slower pace.”

Reflecting growing confidence in market conditions, a monthly Google poll conducted by C.A.R. in early July found that 44 percent of consumer respondents stated it is a good time to sell, up from 40 percent a month ago, but down from 49 percent a year ago. Meanwhile, low interest rates continue to fuel the optimism for homebuying. 31 percent of the consumers who responded to the poll believe that now is a good time to buy a home, a sharply higher figure than last year’s 23 percent of respondents.

Other key points from the June 2020 resale housing report include:

-- Median prices increased in all regions in June, with the more affordable markets increasing year-over-year in the high-single digits. The Bay Area and the Central Coast regions, which experienced dips in price in May, bounced back in June with moderate increases of 4.2 percent and 5.4 percent, respectively. Median prices in the Central Valley and the Southern California continued to rise from last year by 7.4 percent and 3.3 percent, respectively, as pent-up demand returned to the market.

-- Housing supply continued to trend downward on a year-over-year basis, with active listings falling more than 25 percent for the seventh consecutive month. A sizable year-over-year drop in active listings of 43 percent, coupled with a robust gain in closed sales, led to a decline in C.A.R.’s Unsold Inventory Index (UII) in June. The Index dropped to 2.7 months in June from 4.3 months in May and was down from 3.4 months in June 2019. The index indicates the number of months it would take to sell the supply of homes on the market at the current rate of sales.

-- Housing supply continued to decline significantly across the state, with all areas falling more than 30 percent in active listings from last year. Southern California had the biggest drop in supply, with for-sale properties plunging 47.3 percent year-over-year.  While all counties in the region dropped at least 40 percent from a year ago, both Riverside and San Bernardino plummeted more than 50 percent in active listings.

-- The median number of days it took to sell a California single-family home was 19 days in June 2020, equal to that of June 2019. June 2020’s 19-day figure compares to 17 days in May 2020, 13 days in April 2020, 15 days in March 2020 and 23 days in February 2020.

June 2020 County Unsold Inventory and Days on Market
(Regional and condo sales data not seasonally adjusted)

-- In San Diego County, the median number of days an existing single-family home remained unsold on the market was 12 days in June 2020, which compares to 11 days in May 2020, eight days in April 2020, 10 days in March 2020, 12 days in February 2020, 23 days in January 2020 and 13 days in June 2019.

-- The 30-year, fixed-mortgage interest rate averaged 3.16 percent in June, down from 3.80 percent in June 2019, according to Freddie Mac. The five-year, adjustable mortgage interest rate averaged 3.09 percent, compared to 3.48 percent in June 2019.

In other recent real estate and economic news, according to news reports:

-- According to CoreLogic, the median home price in San Diego reached a new high of $600,250 in June, indicating that COVID-19 has not stopped the upward pressure on home prices. San Diego was not alone in this trend, with three of the six Southern California counties reaching record price peaks in June.

-- According to Zillow, the median price of a single-family home in San Diego County rose 5 percent year-over-year in June to $636,815 while inventory experienced a 27.6 percent year-over-year decline. Nationally, home values continued their steady, upward trajectory in June, growing 4.3 percent year-over-year to $252,178. Phoenix is the hottest top-50 market, reported Zillow. Home values in the Arizona city rose 9.6 percent year-over-year in June, followed by Birmingham, Ala. (up 7.6 percent) and Memphis, Tenn. (up 7.5 percent).

-- Home prices are expected to increase through the summer, including in San Diego County, which has the second-highest year-over-year price increase behind New York City, according to First American Financial Corp. The five markets with the greatest year-over-year increase based on First American’s Real House Price Index include New York (14.8 percent), San Diego (10.1 percent), Pittsburgh (8.8 percent), Orlando (6.3 percent), and St. Louis (5.4 percent).

-- The Covid pandemic is not affecting home sales, according to Realtor.com, which said monthly traffic hit an all-time high of 86 million unique users in June, breaking May’s record of 85 million users. Supply still remains the biggest factor slowing the recovery, however, as total listings remain 31 percent lower than last year.

-- Although buyers appeared to regain confidence in June, sellers lagged behind as new listings slumped during the month, according to Realtor.com’s June Monthly Housing Trends report. In the San Diego-Carlsbad market, new listings dropped by 21 percent in June 2020, compared to June 2019, and the year-over-year, “active listing count” decreased by 36.6 percent. Nationally, housing inventory across the U.S. was down 27.4 percent year over year in June. The national volume of new listings was down by 19.3 percent from last year, which actually represented an improvement from declines of 44.1 percent in April and 29.4 percent in May.

-- Bidding wars for homes are increasing in San Diego. According to Redfin, 65.7 percent of home offers in June faced multiple competitive offers. San Diego was the second most competitive market in the country in June, trailing only Boston, which had 72.4 percent of homes fielding multiple bids.

-- The total value of residential real estate in San Diego County is $564 billion, according to a recent LendingTree report. For perspective, this figure is comparable to the value of Warren Buffet’s Berkshire Hathaway firm or the GDP of Poland., San Diego’s total is the 12th highest in the U.S.New York City is top-rated at $2.8 trillion, which is more than the GDP of the United Kingdom in 2019. Los Angeles, with $2.3 trillion, has the second-highest residential real estate value in the U.S. nearly the GDP of Italy and the combined value of Amazon and Google’s parent company Alphabet. San Francisco is third at $1.3 trillion, the equivalent of Mexico’s GDP or the value of Microsoft.  

All PSAR members throughout San Diego County are invited to participate in an online mayoral candidate forum over the Zoom meeting platform with Barbara Bry and Todd Gloria, two candidates running for San Diego mayor in the November general election. The forum will be held from 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm, this Friday, July 31st.

The candidates are expected to discuss their positions on real estate and homeownership. Questions for the candidates can be submitted in advance to George Ching, PSAR Staff Member, at george@psar.org. There is no cost for joining the forum, which is available only to PSAR members. Here is the link to join the discussion.

Meet Max Zaker, who was recently elected to serve as 2021 PSAR President-Elect.

Max was born in Iran, grew up in Great Britain and arrived in the U.S. in 1986 at age 26. “My first eight years in America I spent opening and operating small businesses, including a restaurant, bar, print shop, dry cleaners and even a small community newspaper,” he said.

Max has spent the past 30 years as a business executive growing companies and helping small business communities compete and thrive in an ever-changing economy. He has held positions in commercial real estate development, real estate portfolio acquisitions and mergers, small business startups, and is currently operating a network of real estate-related companies in Chula Vista.

He has a passion to create economic opportunities and help others build successful businesses. He wants to help PSAR members use innovative technologies and resources that will help them grow their businesses.

In his capacity as business owner and director of several publicly-funded, social enterprise programs, he has been involved in the creation of hundreds of local jobs.

His problem-solving nature and personal journey as an immigrant have taught him the value of hard work and a strong sense of responsibility to care for each other and our communities.

Max has is no stranger to public service as well. He currently serves on the City of Chula Vista Planning Commission and Envision Broadway Advisory Group. He has been a PSAR Board member and is serving as a C.A.R. Director.

In 2015, he joined PSAR’s South County Government Affairs Committee and chaired the Committee in 2016 and 2017. This committee is focused on all things governmental, including public policy positioning and development and emerging trends that may impact the professional interests of homeowners and small businesses.

His leadership experience includes a prior role as Director of the Downtown San Diego Partnership (DSDP), a non-profit business organization that assists with the revitalization of downtown San Diego. In 2000, he joined DSDP and oversaw the implementation of San Diego’s first property-based business improvement district (PBID). At DSDP he was involved with the “Clean and Safe” program, designed to improve San Diego’s downtown appearance and enhance public safety. He also was involved in the initial development of Petco Park, which opened in 2004.

Zaker co-authored the City of San Diego's first micro-lending program. As a result, in 2000, Zaker was awarded with a special designation from the U.S. Department of Justice. He was recognized as a “Person of Special Interest” by the U.S. Government’s Executive Office for Immigration Review for meritorious contribution to the national interests of the United States and for significant public or private endeavors. Max said the award is a designation given to immigrants who work as scientists, physicians and other highly skilled professionals. Max was recognized for creating a loan program to help small businesses, funded by large banks who typically would extend loans to small businesses.

“It took me 12 years to acquire that designation, 12 years of a legal entanglement battle, it was a very challenging journey” said Max. “Initially, the government opposed me. They fought against me in lower courts. But I appealed my case all the way to the 9th Circuit Court, which reversed the denial from a lower court. I wanted that designation because it affirmed to me that America is a country of opportunity. If you persevere, you can accomplish great things. You have to follow your dream and work hard. I still live by those values today.”

Zaker has served on the leadership team at the Jacobs Center for Neighborhood Innovation, a San Diego non-profit that partnered with residents in Southeastern San Diego for community change. He joined the Jacobs Center in 2003. As the Jacobs Center’s business development director, he was part of San Diego’s largest social enterprise whose mission is to create jobs for local residents and serve as a destination business model. He was involved with the development of several office, retail and industrial properties, including Market Creek Plaza commercial center, which created local business, jobs and 

resident ownership opportunities. He also served on the board of the Southeastern Diamond Business District, serving as 2011-2012 chair.

In 2011, Max formed the Zaker Group, a consulting business. At the time, he considered himself semi-retired. But, then, he was hired to consult with Keller Williams as a team leader involved with entrepreneurship development, coaching and training, business planning, growth management, profit sharing strategies and real estate sales training. Max ended up acquiring the very franchise he was working with as a consultant.

In January 2015, Max and wife Claudia became the new owners of the Keller Williams Realty franchise in Chula Vista. Today, their office, KW GOLD, at 2371 Fenton St., has 115 agents and continues to grow. They recently opened an escrow company titled Marina Vista Escrow. Max and Claudia are also partners at Secure Funding Group.

Max loves riding his Harley Davidson motorcycle. He said, “Growing up, I wanted to be like James Dean. He was my idol as a teenager. I wanted to ride a motorcycle like James Dean. Today, I’m probably one of the few Harley riders without a tattoo.”

Max and Claudia, have lived in Chula Vista for over 20 years, where they have raised their three children. Claudia is a Chula Vista native and former San Diego County Deputy Sheriff.

Max is supportive of PSAR because of the association’s professionalism and integrity. “Our Association is outstanding at encouraging business ethics and best practices,” he said. “We need to raise the bar and teach the next generation the importance of following your dream. A collective group like PSAR is an excellent way to work for the interests of small business owners. As a stake holder in the community, I’m proud to support and help advance PSAR. PSAR has a solid foundation upon which we will continue to build an even stronger organization to serve its members. Your association has a long history of promoting ethical and fair real estate business practices and protecting private property rights, I will work diligently to preserve these values.”

_______________________________

Our Mission is to empower our members to flourish while being accountable to each other
our clients and our community.

Since 1928, the Pacific Southwest Association of REALTORS® has played a significant role in shaping the history, growth & development of the Real Estate industry in San Diego County. This program is only open to REALTORS® and PSAR Affiliate Members. There is no cost for attending this program.

The El Cajon City Council is once again attempting an action that is detrimental to ratepayers and potential buyers trying to qualify for home loans in El Cajon.

In February of this year, the El Cajon City Council attempted to add sewer charges to homeowners’ semi-annual property tax bills.

This might seem like an innocuous proposal. In reality, adding any fee to property taxes because higher property taxes always result in lower borrowing ability.

Adding sewer charges to property taxes translates to a loss in buying power for homebuyers. It means future homebuyers will need more money to qualify for a mortgage. It means lower housing values, including lost equity because a higher property tax bill can shrink a homebuyer’s available pool of money for purchasing a home. PSAR has always supported alternate methods of collecting fees for public services instead of inclusion with parcel taxes.

Back in February, PSAR members joined numerous seniors and other community members in testifying at the El Cajon City Council meeting. As a result, a majority of the council members voted “no” on the proposal to add sewer charges to homeowners’ property tax bills.

Now, the El Cajon City Council has scheduled a public hearing to discuss the same harmful proposal . The meeting is scheduled for 3 p.m., Tuesday, July 14. The meeting will be held online via live video streaming.

Some residents became aware of the July 14 public hearing only after receiving a city notice of a sewer rate change and the shift to property taxes effective July 1.

PSAR members also learned that the city was adding the May and June 2020 billing, in addition to the July 1, 2020 through June 30, 2021 fiscal year sewer bills, to the property tax bills. This means a a much higher tax bill will be due this Fall.

In a recent meeting, the PSAR Government Affairs Committee voted unanimously to oppose the El Cajon sewer tax proposal. The Committee is encouraging PSAR members and property owners to voice their concerns about this pending action.

All PSAR members and El Cajon property owners are encouraged to send an e-mail to the City of El Cajon stating your opposition. In your e-mail, refer to the “Sewer Billing System Change to the Property Tax Roll.” Protest emails must be sent prior to 2 p.m. on July 14. Any written objection or protest must include your name, Assessor Parcel Number (APN), sewer service address and a statement of your opposition to the placement of sewer charges on the property tax bill. Protest emails can be sent to City Clerk Angela Cortez at cityclerk@cityofelcajon.us or City Manager Graham Mitchell at gmitchell@cityofelcajon.us.  We also urge El Cajon residents and property owners to reach out to their councilmembers and the Mayor to express your thoughts on this matter. 

Councilmember Bob McClellan- bmcclellan@cityofelcajon.us     

Councilmember Steve Goble- sgoble@cityofelcajon.us  

Councilmember Gary Kendrick- gkendrick@cityofelcajon.us   

Councilmember Phil Ortiz- portiz@cityofelcajon.us          

Mayor Bill Wells- bwells@cityofelcajon.us   

There are many factors related to the El Cajon sewer tax proposal of which residents should be concerned. Seniors and individuals on a fixed income will be hit by a large bill at the end of the year. Who will ratepayers contact if there is an error on their sewer bill if those fees are added to their annual tax payments? Any small savings realized from billing through the property tax roll is more than offset by incorrect bills and the expense of correcting them. The city is going to defer income from sewer ratepayers until the end of the year. How is that money financed? Isn’t it better for the city to collect this money upfront rather than waiting to year’s to bill? What additional cost will result from this approach?

In a noteworthy oversight, a member of the City Council suggested that the city t offer property owners the ability to pay a bi-monthly sewer bill, but there was no mention of that suggestion in the city notice.

In 2019, El Cajon approved higher sewer rates for the next five years. A typical customer paying $48.31 each month for sewer services will see their bill increase to $55.09 in 2020, $61.22 in 2021, $69.70 in 2022, $77.35 in 2023 and $88.76 in 2024.

The city’s 17,000 residential customers haven’t seen a rate increase since 2011. Before then, the last adjustment to sewer rates in El Cajon was in 1999. Wastewater in El Cajon is piped to San Diego’s Point Loma treatment plant where it is treated and then released into the ocean.

Ratepayers—voters-- deserve to know why this proposal has resurfaced and to receive answers to related questions and issues that it generates. Stand up and be counted at the City Council hearing on Tuesday, July 14, at 3:00 pm.

___________________________________

Our Mission is to empower our members to flourish while being accountable to each other
our clients and our community.

Since 1928, the Pacific Southwest Association of REALTORS® has played a significant role in shaping the history, growth & development of the Real Estate industry in San Diego County. This program is only open to REALTORS® and PSAR Affiliate Members. There is no cost for attending this program.

I

Congratulations to a group of PSAR members who recently completed the Certified International Property Specialist (CIPS) Institute.

The CIPS Institute, from the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR), provides REALTORS® with knowledge, tools and a worldwide network helping in serving international clients.

The recent CIPS graduates include: 

Jackie Beltran

David Cardenas

Edith Cortez-Hernandez

Robert Cromer

Michael Dullea

Deborah Ferrari

Araceli Gonzalez

Nicolas Iniguez

Trinidelita Lao

Steven Lewis

Elva Luna

Angela Nugent

Dante Pamintuan

Diana Phan

Myrna Reyes

Patricia Ruesga

Yolanda Rosario

Maria Elena Sexsion

Rhiza Trinidad

Mary Beth Viruete

Ditas Yamane

These new CIPS graduates gained the knowledge needed to present investment information to international clients in their currency and area. They are now eligible to apply for NAR's CIPS Designation.  Once NAR accepts their applications, NAR will recognize them as expert resources in the international real estate market. They will have access to the information, research, network and tools to globalize their business. They now understand the financial, legal and cultural differences for real estate transactions in various countries.

CIPS graduates receive a variety of benefits, including a listing in the “Find a CIPS” online directory, customizable print postcards, customizable web banner ads and customizable press release. Technology tools include a CIPS app that provides translation, area and currency conversion, time zone calculation and international holidays, along with a CIPS resource browser toolbar. They also will receive a “Global Perspectives” print newsletter, access to webinars and networking opportunities, including access to CIPS member-only online communities and invitations to exclusive events at NAR meetings.

The CIPS class was an intensive program of study focusing on critical aspects of trans-national transactions, including currency and exchange rate issues, cross-cultural relationships, regional market conditions, investment performance, tax issues and more. Four-hour classes were held at various times June 15-19 and June 23-26.

The first class included an overview of the international real estate business environment, including capital flow, currencies, government regulations and culture. Topics included international brokerage, networking, marketing and selling.

Other classes featured the tools needed to present investment information to international clients. Students learned how to measure investment performance, prepare financial projections and understand the effects of taxes and exchange rates on investment.

Classes focused on real estate in Europe, Asia-Pacific and the Americas. Topics included the European Union and its impact on international real estate, as well as selling practices. Another class emphasized the cultural influences and economic trends in Japan and Asia. Another class included practical information on working with clients from the Caribbean and North, Central and South America, along with historical and cultural influences.

The instructor was Furhad Waquad, a NAR director since 2004. Furhad also is a past president of the Michigan Association of REALTORS®, a past NAR Regional Vice President and leader in NAR international leadership positions, including as a member of the NAR International Faculty. He has been recognized as Michigan’s REALTOR® of the Year and Michigan’s REALTOR® Active in Politics. 

Furhad is actively involved in REALTOR® organizations across the country. He is serving as NAR Federal Political Coordinator to U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.) and 2019-2020 NAR REALTOR Party Trustee for Campaign Services. He previously served as the 2013 Chairman of the National Association of REALTORS’® Global Business Alliances Committee and the 2009 NAR President’s Liaison to International Operations.

Several PSAR members who are now CIPS graduates are actively involved with the PSAR Global Real Estate Council (GREC). Many PSAR members who are interested in cross-border opportunities and who want to network with other international real estate practitioners are involved with GREC.

PSAR’s GREC is dedicated to assist the needs of PSAR members who desire to expand their international outreach and help international capital investment clients make informed transactions with effective counsel across multiple jurisdictions. The vision of the Council is to provide and facilitate educational opportunities to enable PSAR members to expand their practice and organize global-themed events.

GREC can provide you with a platform to connect with individuals internationally. GREC offers PSAR members the opportunity to learn and expand their niche market in real estate internationally.

Formed in 2013, PSAR’s GREC has hosted several educational events in recent years designed to assist PSAR members in helping international capital investment clients to make informed transactions with effective counsel across multiple jurisdictions. The training sessions have focused on cultural customs and diversity, as well as panel discussions and forums with international partners.

The Pacific Southwest Association of Realtors membership have elected a new slate who will join the 2021 leadership team.  The following leaders were elected as Officers and Directors to serve in 2021.

2021 Election Results
Max Zaker, President-Elect
Sam Calvano Secretary / Treasurer
Mike Anderson Director
Merrie Espina Director
Rafael Perez Director
Amy Ruiz Director
Amber Tannehill Director
Andrea Martino Affiliate Director

These elected leaders will join current board members to form the 2021 leadership team.

The 2021 Officers: 
Ditas Yamane  President
Max Zaker President-Elect
Robert Cromer Immediate Past President
Sam Calvano Treasurer

The 2021 Directors
Peter Mendiola 2020-2021
Jason Lopez 2020-2021
Yvonne Cromer 2020-2021
Mike White 2020-2021
Laurie MacDonald 2020-2021
Mike Anderson 2021-2022 
Merrie Espina 2021-2022 
Rafael Perez 2021-2022 
Amy Ruiz 2021-2022 
Amber Tannehill 2021-2022 
Andrea Martino 2021-2022 Affiliate Director

PSAR is a 501C6 Non-Profit founded in 1928. The organization is led by volunteers who establish the policies that govern our organization. Our mission is to empower REALTORS® to flourish while being accountable to each other, our clients, and our community. We are thankful to all who were nominated to lead PSAR and we are looking forward to great things from both the elected candidates and those who will continue to serve in our committee leadership.

The full impact of the coronavirus pandemic was felt in the local and statewide housing market in May, as revealed by the most recent monthly home sales and prices report from the California Association of REALTORS® (C.A.R.).

California home sales in May fell to their lowest level since the 2008 Great Recession with closed escrow sales of existing, single-family detached homes totaling a seasonally adjusted annualized rate of 238,740 units, according to information collected by C.A.R. from more than 90 local REALTOR® associations and MLSs statewide.

Statewide, May 2020 home sales were down 13.9 percent from the 277,440 units sold in April, and down 41.4 percent from a year ago, when 407,330 homes were sold in May 2019. Statewide year-to-date home sales are down 12.9 percent, the largest drop since November 2007.

In San Diego county, homes sales in May 2020 were down 14.6 percent, compared to April 2020, and 42.3 percent, compared to May 2019.

San Diego county’s year-over-year decrease of 42.3 percent in home sales in May compares to these Southern California counties: 53.3 percent in Orange, 52.0 percent in Ventura, 47.5 percent in Los Angeles, 43.0 percent in Riverside and 37.6 percent in San Bernardino .

The statewide median home price in May 2020 fell below last year’s price for the first time since February 2012 and breaking the state’s 98-month, year-over-year price-gain streak. The May 2020 statewide median price of $588,070 for existing single-family homes was down 3.0 percent from April 2020’s $606,410 figure and down 3.7 percent from May 2019, when the median price was a revised $610,940.

In San Diego, the median price for a single-family home in San Diego County in May 2020 was $655,000, down 2.4 percent from $671,000 in April 2020, with only a 0.8 percent difference from the $650,000 figure for May 2019.

May 2020 County Sales and Price Activity
(Regional and condo sales data not seasonally adjusted)

“The sharp sales drop in May was the steepest we’ve seen in some time, but there are encouraging signs that show the market is recovering and should continue to improve over the next few months,” said 2020 C.A.R. President Jeanne Radsick, a second-generation REALTOR® from Bakersfield, Calif. “With pending home sales up a stunning 67 percent in May, buyer demand is on the upswing amid record-low rates that are making monthly mortgage payments $300 less than a year ago.”

“As we predicted, May home sales took the full impact of the coronavirus pandemic as much of the state remained in lockdown during the past few months and caused three straight months of double-digit sales declines, which we haven’t experienced since the Association began reporting monthly home sales in 1979,” said C.A.R. Senior Vice President and Chief Economist Leslie Appleton-Young. “While we expect sales activity to remain below pre-COVID-19 levels, closed sales will improve markedly as the phased reopening of the economy continues and consumers feel more confident returning to the market.”

Reflecting the dramatic change in market conditions, a monthly Google poll conducted by C.A.R. in early June found 40 percent of consumers said it is a good time to sell, up from 29 percent a month ago, but down from 51 percent a year ago. The market uncertainty has not curbed the optimism for homebuying as much; as 32 percent of the consumers who responded to the poll believed that now is a good time to buy a home, sharply higher than last year, when 26 percent said it was a good time to buy.

Other key points from the May 2020 resale housing report included:

•  At the regional level, all major regions dipped in sales by more than 35 percent from last year, with the Bay Area and Central Coast dropping the most at -51.1 percent each, followed by Southern California (-45.6 percent), and the Central Valley (-36.6 percent).

•  Fifty of the 51 counties tracked by C.A.R. experienced a year-over-year loss in sales, with Monterey declining the most from last year at -63.0 percent, followed by Mendocino (-59.7 percent), and San Benito (-59.2 percent). Counties that experienced a sales decline compared to last year averaged a loss of 42.2 percent. Del Norte was the only county with an increase over last year.

•  Median prices continued to dip in May versus last year in the Central Coast and the Bay Area but inched up slightly in the Central Valley region. The median home price was virtually unchanged in Southern California. 

• Thirty-one of the 51 counties tracked by C.A.R. reported a year-over-year price gain in May, with Glenn County leading the way at 31.9 percent. Of the 19 counties that experienced a price drop over last May, Plumas showed the biggest decline at 23.3 percent. 

• The Unsold inventory Index jumped to 4.3 months in May, up from 3.4 months in April and 3.2 months in May 2019. The index calculates the number of months needed sell the supply of homes on the market at the current rate of sales.

• Total active listings continued to decline on an annual basis for the 11th consecutive month; the 34 percent year-over-year decrease in listings was the biggest drop since March 2013.

• All major regions recorded a decrease in housing supply of more than 25 percent, with both the Southern California and the Central Valley regions falling by more than 33 percent. All counties in Southern California, except Ventura, declined 36 percent or more from last year, with San Diego dropping the most at 42.7 percent.

• The median number of days needed sell a California single-family home increased to 17 days in May 2020 compared to 13 days in April 2020 but was lower than the 18 days in May 2019. to the figure in March 2020 was 15 days, with a 23 day figure in February 2020.

• In San Diego County, the median number of days an existing, single-family home remained unsold was 11 days in May 2020, compared to eight days in April 2020, 10 days in March 2020, 12 days in February 2020, 23 days in January 2020 and 14 days in May 2019.

 

May 2020 County Unsold Inventory and Days on Market
(Regional and condo sales data not seasonally adjusted)

• The 30-year, fixed-mortgage interest rate averaged 3.23 percent in May, down from 4.07 percent in May 2019, according to Freddie Mac. The five-year, adjustable mortgage interest rate averaged 3.16 percent, compared to 3.65 percent in May 2019.

 

In other recent real estate and economic news, according to news reports:

• Nationwide sales of new single-family homes in May continued to rebound from a COVID-19-influenced low in April, according to the U.S. Census Bureau and the Department of Housing and Urban Development. Sales of new single-family homes in May were up 12.7 percent in a year-over-year comparison.

• There were fewer bidding wars for homes in May in San Diego. According to Redfin, 49.1 percent of homes for sale drew multiple offers, a decrease from April’s 53.4 percent figure. Nationwide, Redfin found that 49.4 percent of U.S. home offers in May faced competition, compared to 43.9 percent of offers in April. Of the 24 metros in the Redfin analysis, 11 saw a majority of Redfin offers facing competition in May. That's up from eight metros in April.

• CoreLogic said home sales in May had their biggest drop in nearly 30 years because COVID-19 held the market to a crawl. The home sales total of 2,327 in May was 40.7 percent down from the same month last year. It was the biggest drop in home sales since January 1991, when sales were down by 41.5 percent. Despite fewer sales, average home prices were largely unchanged, said CoreLogic.

• Small business owners turned more optimistic in May about an economic rebound and are expecting the coronavirus-induced recession will be short lived. The National Federation of Independent Business said its optimism index rose 3.5 percent in May to 94.4, an increase that was twice the Wall Street forecast.

• San Diego’s economy in dealing with COVID-19 will fare better than that of other parts of California because of a higher number of essential workers. Roughly 67 percent of workers in San Diego County are considered essential and less likely to have suffered furloughs, according to Beacon Economics. That’s a higher percentage than Silicon Valley, Los Angeles and San Francisco.

•  Who says you can't go home again? According to Zillow, about 2.7 million adults moved back home in March and April. Over 32 million adults were living with a parent or grandparent as of April 2020, up 9.7 percent from the same time the year before and is the highest number on record.

• The moving industry could potentially use up to $2.5 billion in revenue because of the coronavirus, according to HireAHelper.com, a moving website. During the 2008 recession, the moving industry lost about 16.5 percent of its revenue. This time around, revenues could decline between 12.2 and 19.9 percent.

The Department of Real Estate (DRE) updated a number of its publications.

• Spring Bulletin
• Fraud Warnings
• New License Applicants
• Loan Modifications
• 2020 REAL ESTATE Law Book

Updates from the Spring 2020 Real Estate Bulletin

• Governor Newsom's Real Estate Commissioner appointee Doug McCauley was appointed on April 2nd.

• Learn about the difference between citations and formal discipline and the programs progress after six years.  How do citations work? How can they be contested?  What happens if the citation has not been satisfied?

• Developers are required to obtain a public report from the DRE prior to marketing homes in a common interest development (CID). Learn more about  Informing the DRE About Material Changes in Subdivision Public Reports.  

• The California Franchise Tax Board also includes an interesting write up about Property Managers and California Withholding. 

• The DRE may audit continuing education records of licensees. When requested applicants need to submit certificates of attendance or certified copies from sponsors of approved offerings as proof of training.  A licensee who fails to provide DRE with course completion certificates, as required, may be subject to a fine or potential disciplinary action.

DRE Flyer for Consumers: Fraud Warnings for California Homeowners in Financial Distress Provides an overview of home loan modifications and where to find free foreclosure avoidance counseling.

 

Instructions to License Applicants Provides information about how to obtain and maintain a California Real Estate License, a Prepaid Rental Listing Service License, and a Mortgage Loan Originator License Endorsement.

 

Loan Modification Self-Help Guide  The DRE has produced a self help guide for individuals to obtain their own loan modification.  Review this step by step guide to doing your own loan modification. 

The 2020 Real Estate Law Book Statutes and regulations with which real estate practitioners should be familiar. It is divided into four parts by subject matter as follows: Real Estate Law and Subdivided Lands Law, Business and Professions Code Sections 10000 through 11288 Regulations of the Real Estate Commissioner, Title 10 of the California Code of Regulations Administrative Procedure Act, Government Code Sections 11500 through 11528 Pertinent Excerpts from the California Codes, Various other code sections applicable to real estate including additional sections of the Business and Professions Code and Government Code.  Please note, the 2020 Real Estate Law does not contain all laws relevant to real estate. The 29 Codes which comprise California law are available in their entirety at the official website for California legislative information.