Meet Laurie MacDonald, who was recently elected to serve as your 2024 PSAR President.

“Serving as President-elect in support of our 2023 President Jason Lopez, I’m looking forward to growing our association, serving our members, and continuing the good fight for property rights and homeownership,” said Laurie. “I’m a big believer in giving back, no matter how busy you are. 

Laurie is a fourth-generation San Diegan. “My great-great grandparents arrived in San Diego from Halifax, Nova Scotia, sometime in the 1890s and my great-grandmother was born here in 1909.”

Real estate is part of her family history. “My great-grandmother, the same one born in 1909, bought a house in the Normal Heights area by herself in 1939. She was a widow at the time, but a female buying a home without the assistance of a man was rare in those days,” said Laurie. “Later, my grandparents owned and operated a real estate office, called Kelly and Associates, for many years on Parkway Drive in La Mesa.”

Laurie grew up in La Mesa. She attended Murray Manor Elementary School, Parkway Middle School, and Helix High School.

During and after high school for 12 years she sold and designed swimming pools, hardscapes, and landscapes mostly in the new homes developments of San Diego.

In 2009, she opened her own bridal boutique in La Mesa, which led her to become involved and serve on the boards of the La Mesa Village Merchants Association and the La Mesa Park & Recreation Foundation, a nonprofit that raises money to enhance the city’s parks and present community events such as Sundays at Six, a summer concert series. She is currently board president of the La Mesa Park & Recreation Foundation.

“I’m a helper at heart,” said Laurie. “I’ve been involved in my community and my kids’ schools. I live by a philosophy of giving back and serving my community.”

Laurie’s career in real estate began in September 2015. She served for several years on PSAR’s Government Affairs Committee and chaired PSAR’s YPN (Young Professional Network) group for two years. She has served on PSAR’s board of directors from 2020 to 2021.

“I wouldn’t be where I am today in real estate without my involvement in PSAR,” said Laurie. “Becoming an active volunteer with PSAR has propelled my career and helped me better serve my clients.”

Throughout her upcoming term as president, Laurie says she will continue to encourage PSAR members to get more involved with their association. “The best place to be in-the-know is at the table where decisions are made,” said Laurie. That’s because the more you know, the better you can serve your clients. Thanks to PSAR, the connections and relationships you make with other realtors and real estate professionals are simply invaluable.”

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PSAR's mission is to empower real estate professionals.

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.

Meet Valerie Gardner, who was recently elected to a two-year term (2023-2024) on the PSAR Board of Directors.

Valerie was born at Eglin Air Force Base located in the western Florida Panhandle. She is the middle child of seven in a family of four daughters and two brothers.

Valerie’s mom was a homemaker and her father served in the United States Air Force. Her father’s Air Force career took Valerie to live in Augsburg, Germany, for elementary school, Great Falls, Montana, for middle school, and Albany, Georgia, for high school.

In high school, Valerie excelled as an athlete and was a member of the school’s track team and women’s basketball team. “I received recognition for my abilities while in all these sports,” Valerie said.

After high school, Valerie attended Troy State University in Troy, Alabama, where she graduated with a bachelor’s of science degree. Her major was criminal justice and her minor was in business.

After college, Valerie joined the United States Navy and honorably served for nine years. She worked in the Navy as an electrician, repairing motors and controllers on submarines. “I lived on the ship and carried on with my fitness and received commendations for being the fittest female sailor on the ship,” said Valerie.

After her Navy career, Valerie worked in the insurance industry for 12 years. “I started working in the claims and worked my way up to branch claims manager,” she said.

According to Valerie, “I got into real estate because I had a goal to be self-employed before I turned 40, and I have not looked back.”

She began her real estate sales career in 2001 and was honored with the Rookie of the Year award in her first year.

“Over the course of my 20 years in real estate, I have learned that is my job to be an advocate for my clients,” said Valerie. “My job is to meet them where they are, to listen and deliver on their needs, and to keep them on course.”

Valerie’s approach to real estate is also her motivation for serving on the PSAR board of directors. A friend encouraged her to run for a seat on the board and she decided to submit her name for the board election.

“My job will be to stand up for ethical and fair real estate business practices and protect private property rights, and protect the monetary investment made by our members and their clients.”

According to Valerie, “I come from a place of love and understanding and this is why I have been a successful REALTOR® in one of the toughest markets in the country to succeed. Now, I’m ready to give back to our industry and help PSAR and our members in any way that I can. My friendships with other PSAR members, as well as the great educational and networking opportunities, have been an important part of my real estate business. I encourage all of our members to expand their participation and get involved with our Association because, with PSAR, you can make a difference.”

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PSAR's mission is to empower real estate professionals.

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.

DRE Commissioner Douglas McCauley releaseS the Summer DRE Bulletin.

• Comments on the housing shortage and adaptive reuse or converting a building from one use to another.
• Senate Bill 263 (SB 263), amended the continuing education requirements for real estate licensees becomes effective January 1, 2023.
• DRE Survey, Realtors, please comment.  The Commissioner is looking for feedback.
• Continuing Education (CE) audits
• Trust Fund Signatories. Can a property owner sign on a real estate broker’s trust account? Can a real estate broker sign on the property owner’s general account?
• California’s Call to Action: Build 2.5 Million Homes in the Next Eight Years
• California Mortgage Relief Program
• Mortgage Loan Servicers and the Foreclosure Process
• Advertising Guidelines and the Use of Former Surnames and Nicknames

READ The Entire Bulletin Here

Links to virtual showings, tours, and open houses are no longer exempt 

Due to recent lifts to COVID restrictions in our service area, we have lifted the exceptions to CRMLS Rule 12.5 that we implemented in March 2020. These exceptions allowed listing agents and brokers to place links to virtual showings, virtual tours, and virtual open houses into public remarks fields.

CRMLS has returned to enforcing the original definition of the rule, which reads in part:

12.5 Misuse of Public Remarks.

Information in the public remarks shall only relate to the description, features, and condition of the property and related amenities. The following types of information may not be included in the public remarks:

• Contact information of any kind;
• Branded content;
• Links to external websites of any kind, including but not limited to, agent or broker sites, video tours, virtual showing or open house tools, vendor sites, or offer submission/application/auction platforms;
• Showing instructions or open house information;
• Information regarding lockboxes, alarms, gate or other security codes, or occupancy status of the property (a statement that the property shall be delivered vacant is not a violation of this section);
• Information deemed to create an unsafe or unsecure circumstance related to the listed property, property occupants, real estate practitioners, or the public;
• Information directed toward agents or brokers, including but not limited to, references to compensation or bonuses;
• Solicitations or invitations for the public to contact the listing agent or broker or any third parties affiliated with the listing agent or broker, and;
• Content that violates Fair Housing law or that is deemed discriminatory, illegal, defamatory, offensive, or otherwise inappropriate. CRMLS reserves the right to remove and issue citations for any inappropriate content.

Violations to this rule may result in a citation and associated fine. Visit https://go.crmls.org/crmls-rules-and-regulations/ to read the full text of Rule 12.5. For further information or to chat with a Compliance Analyst, please contact us via the Compliance page on CRMLS.org.

CRMLS offers a variety of resources to educate you on our products and services. Click above to visit the CRMLS training center.

If you need MLS support, please click above or call (800) 925-1525 to be assisted.

Your listing data is safe, clean, and accurate. Click above to chat live with a CRMLS Compliance representative.

The PSAR family wishes to extend its condolences, thoughts, and prayers following the passing of PSAR member Jibran Hannaney. He was 75.

Jibran was a frequent attendee at the PSAR East County Pitch Session regularly held on Thursday mornings at the PSAR East County Service Center in El Cajon. He also was active with the PSAR Global Real Estate Council (GREC).

His family said he had worked in real estate sales for the past 10 years and had lived in El Cajon for about 20 years.

Jibran Joseph Hannaney was born in Baghdad on Oct. 29, 1946, to a family with six children, including five daughters and Jibran. He passed on Jan. 26, 2022.

In his mid-30s, he came to the U.S. to attend graduate school as an engineering student at John Hopkins University in Baltimore. In about 1990, he opened his own engineering firm called HEMC Environmental Management Corp., based in El Cajon. He continued to operate the firm until his passing. The firm is multi-licensed in engineering, contracting, business management, and facilities management.

His family said that Mr. Hannaney loved music, life, and laughter, as well as being a father and grandfather. He also loved learning, which attracted him to the real estate profession. No matter what was happening to him in his life, he would never miss an opportunity to make someone else smile. To say that he was widely loved, admired, and cherished in the community is an understatement. Mr. Hannaney is survived by five sisters, two daughters, and two grandsons.

Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m., Thursday, Feb. 10, at St. Peter’s Chaldean Catholic Church, 1627 Jamacha Way, El Cajon.

Burial will take place at Holy Cross Cemetery, 4470 Hilltop Dr., San Diego. A luncheon reception, expected to begin at approximately 1:30 p.m., will be held following the burial at St. Peter’s Chaldean Catholic Church.

His family said memorial donations can be made to any nonprofit assisting Iraqi refugees. One such organization is www.Helpiraq.org, which is operated by Chaldean Catholic Charities.

Mr. Hanney is joined by members of the PSAR Global Real Estate Council

Why you may see 'SD' at the end of listing IDs and what you need to do 

Learn how to properly identify SDMLS listings below 

You may start noticing that certain listing IDs in your MLS have a new suffix: 'SD.' For example: 2200000582SD.

On 1/1/2022, San Diego MLS changed its listing ID conventions. This change meant that some new SDMLS listings now use duplicate IDs. The new listing ID numbers are the same as IDs of older listings from our data share partners. Using the same listing ID for multiple listings causes data collisions in the MLS and confusion for real estate professionals who want to find specific listings.

To avoid these issues, CRMLS updated IDs for the listings. These listings and all SDMLS listings will appear with the letters 'SD' at the end of their ID numbers.

This change will impact your MLS ID searches in all MLS platforms. See below:

If you are using Power Search…

Searching for a 2022 SDMLS listing ID without the 'SD' suffix in Power Search will return all listings that begin with that listing ID, including the SDMLS listing and an older listing ID from a data share partner. The listing ending in 'SD' is an SDMLS listing from 2022.

If you are using Quick Search…

If you don't include the 'SD' suffix in Quick Search, Paragon will only return the listing that exactly matches the number you enter. To ensure you find the right listing, make sure you include the 'SD' ending.

             
               Doesn't show the newer listing                             Now shows both but must add suffix 'sd'

On third-party sites…

Depending on the site, you and your clients may see either the listing ID ending in 'SD' or the listing ID without 'SD.' When you're unsure which ID the site will use, it's best to reference other details for the listing, as its Active date or address.

Meet Camille Bruno, who was recently elected to a two-year term (2022-2023) on the PSAR board of directors.

Camille grew up in San Diego. She graduated from Madison High School in Clairemont (class of 1981). Prior to selling real estate, she worked for 10 years with Campbell Soup Co. as the San Diego representative serving all major grocery stores. Camille and her husband recently celebrated their 32nd-year wedding anniversary.

Camille and her family have lived in Chula Vista’s Eastlake community since 1988. “It is a wonderful area for families,” she said. “We raised our own family here. All three of our children, Bianca, Dominic, and Bella, have attended EastLake schools. I know the area very well.”

She began her real estate sales career in January 2000. “I love serving my clients and helping people with the dream of homeownership,” Camille said. “I’m now serving some of my clients’ children who have grown up.

“Real estate is a demanding job and it takes a lot of patience and understanding,” said Camille. “But, if you love what you do then it’s not a job.”

This is Camille’s second time serving on the PSAR board. She previously served from 2006 to 2009, including the roles of treasurer and secretary.

Since 2017, Camille has served on the PSAR Grievance Committee. She explained her reasons for returning to the PSAR board.

“When you’re involved with the association, then you learn more and become informed about what’s going on,” said Camille. “Our business is changing on a daily basis. And, you can better serve your clients by becoming as informed as possible. If you’re involved, then you’re better informed.

“Also, I’m serving on the board because I have more available time since our children are grown and out on their own (Bianca is a courthouse journalist, Dominic is a financial planner for a bank, Bella is a nursing student). When the kids were small, it was difficult to juggle both family and work.”

Camille believes REALTORS® can benefit from serving. “It’s good business to give back to the community and our association. Sure, you can just pay your dues and do nothing. But, it’s better to be involved. It helps with networking with other real estate professionals.

“I would encourage every PSAR member to get involved and serve with the association. There are many benefits of thinking more about other people instead of yourself and giving your life away. You will find satisfaction and significance by using your expertise, knowledge, gifts, talents, and abilities to serve other people.”

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PSAR's mission is to empower REALTORS®.

REALTOR® Paula Gonzalez was recently elected to a two-year term (2022-2023) on the PSAR board of directors.

Paula is a California native, born in Granada Hills, in Los Angeles’ San Fernando Valley. She graduated from Canoga Park High School (class of 1994).

“Growing up, I always wanted to live in San Diego,” said Paula. “We would visit my mom’s side of the family who lived in Chula Vista, and I thought it was such a nice place.”

After high school, Paula got a job at a call center that processed orders for products advertised on infomercials. She was eventually promoted as supervisor of the call center. When her call center was sold to another company, resulting in layoffs of nearly every employee except Paula, she negotiated with her new boss to work from home.

“That’s when I saw my chance to move to San Diego, and I took it,” said Paula.

Paula purchased a condo in Otay Ranch and had a pleasurable experience with her real estate agent.

“I could see myself being successful in real estate as a career. So, I studied and passed the test the first time,” said Paula, who began selling on a part-time basis. “After only a few deals, I was hooked. I loved everything about the transaction process and decided to devote full time to real estate.”

Paula has been a full-time REALTOR® since mid-2006.

“The market began crashing during my early days in real estate, but I didn’t know any better because nearly every month saw more income than the previous one,” Paula said. “I learned the REO market and stayed busy with short sales and cash-for-keys deals.

“Over the years, I’ve adjusted well to changing market conditions, thanks to the educational classes offered by PSAR. PSAR has always been there in good times and bad with training opportunities so we can take advantage of the current market conditions.”

Paula survived a diagnosis of uterine cancer in 2014. “As a result, my philosophy of life is to live life to the fullest. Life is short and I believe you should do what you can to enjoy it and be happy. To find joy, give your life away. Ongoing happiness only comes when you give your life away in service. The truth is, the most helpful people are the happiest people. It feels good to use your gifts to help others. Happiness comes from serving. You never know what will happen in life, so don’t waste a moment being unhappy,” recalls Paula.

“I love to meet people, which is one of the reasons I wanted to serve on the board of directors,” said Paula, who has been a member of the PSAR Grievance Committee for about six years. “PSAR has helped me so much in my career. Serving on the board is my way of making a contribution and giving back.”

“I would encourage every PSAR member to serve and give back to the profession in some way through PSAR. There are no insignificant ways to serve. Some are visible, while others are behind the scenes, but all are valuable. When it comes to serving at PSAR, there is no correlation between size and significance. That’s because every act of service matters because we are all dependent on each other to have a successful association.”

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PSAR's mission is to empower REALTORS®.

Meet Dylan Graham, who was recently elected to a two-year term (2022-2023) on the PSAR board of directors.

Dylan, a San Diego native, graduated from St. Augustine High School (2006) and San Diego State University (2011) with a Bachelor’s degree in International Economics and Spanish. He grew up in East County and played in youth baseball leagues with real estate veteran Steve Wilson as his baseball manager. Later, Dylan played on his high school team, and then he played for the SDSU Aztecs under head coach Tony Gwynn.

Dylan, 34, said, “When I started my real estate career in 2017, Steve was my mentor. I’m very grateful for his time and continued guidance as I grow my business.”

Prior to real estate, Dylan returned to his high school to serve for a couple of years as a baseball coach. At a private batting practice session with one of his high school players, Dylan’s life was threatened in an incident that he will remember forever.

It was a couple of days before Christmas in 2015, when Dylan was pitching to Jack, a high school sophomore, at Hickman Field in Clairemont. A stranger approached and asked for a cigarette. Dylan replied that he didn’t smoke. Then, the stranger pulled out a .357-caliber Magnum handgun.

The man forced Dylan and the 16-year-old student into Dylan’s car. The gunman ordered Dylan to drive while the weapon was pointed at Dylan’s head. The ride from Highway 52 to Highway 67 toward Ramona stretched more than 30 miles over 40 minutes.

“I had a lot of time to think about my girlfriend Kristina, my life, and Jack’s life,” Dylan said. “I was thinking, ‘Am I going to crash the car here, are we just gonna jump out?’ But the whole way, he had the gun pointed to my head, so I couldn’t do much. I offered him money, my phone, and the car, all of which were ignored. As we started to get to the middle of nowhere, it was apparent it wasn’t going to end well.”

The kidnapper said his plan was to meet up with friends in the woods. With a gun still pointed at Dylan from behind and the student next to him in the front seat, Dylan made a decision and made his move at a construction zone near Dye Road and Wildcat Canyon Road.

“When he wasn’t paying attention,” Dylan said, “I let go of the wheel, jumped in the back seat, got my hands around his wrist, and just started fighting for the gun. I was in survival mode. I was enraged and screaming, trying to get the gun. I was fighting for my life.”

The student jumped out of the moving car. Dylan and the kidnapper struggled over the weapon. The kidnapper got off three shots, with one of those bullets going through the seat where the student had sat moments earlier.

The car crashed. The kidnapper ran from the crash, then carjacked a 79-year-old woman in Ramona. Later, he later robbed a Lemon Grove gas station. More crimes followed in Orange County. The one-man crime spree that included kidnapping and multiple robberies ended with the man’s arrest in a Riverside SWAT standoff. Later, the kidnapper was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

Dylan said recently, “It was a pretty crazy incident, one of those weird things. It happened a while ago, but it still sticks with you. I’m still close to Jack’s family. You never know ahead of time what will happen. It makes you appreciate life.”

Dylan and Kristina were married in March of 2018. They live in the Rolando Village community, near SDSU. In 2019, Dylan was selected for a Citizens of Courage award from the San Diego County District Attorney’s Office. The DA’s Office said, “This high school coach acted with bravery and quick thinking to disarm a kidnapper and allow both to escape safely.”

With PSAR, Dylan has served the past couple of years on the Government Affairs Committee.

“I decided to serve on the board because homeownership and fighting for property rights is a passion of mine,” said Dylan. “We need to help the younger generation share in the American dream of homeownership. We need to support and empower REALTORS® who will be there to help future generations.”

Dylan believes all PSAR members should become involved with the association. “I think it’s important to get involved because REALTORS® are professionals who will help our communities. When you get involved, then you’re helping to shape the future and make a stronger, more effective association. In the end, PSAR provides an opportunity to help everyone in the community and our businesses.”

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PSAR's mission is to empower REALTORS®.