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 2008 President’s Message
Opening doors for 103 years and still going strong! The theme of the San Francisco Association of REALTORS® is “opening doors.” Through the Association, members are “opening doors” to higher professional standards, to homeownership, opportunities for the membership, as well as for our customers.
I am honored to be the 103rd President of the San Francisco Association of REALTORS®. Although we continually hear national headlines about the national real estate market, real estate has been and continues to be a very local marketplace. The San Francisco area is home to some of the most sought-after real estate in the entire world. I am a native San Franciscan, grew up in and went to schools all around the Bay Area. As a youngster attending schools in the area, I noticed that people were coming to this area from all over the United States. As I became an adult, this migration to the San Francisco area changed, and it became clear that people coming to the area were coming not just from around the United States, but from around the entire world. Last year, there was an article in the Chronicle that said that real estate in the San Francisco area had outperformed all other real estate markets in the country for the last 63 years. Information released by the National Association of REALTORS®, in 2007, showed that the average increase in the value of homes in the San Francisco area for the last 35 years was 7.8 percent! In 2008, our real estate market will remain a vibrant and unique market and may provide some wonderful opportunities for homeownership in one of the most sought after cities in the world.
Key to the San Francisco Association of REALTORS® is to be the voice and face of real estate in our local market. In 2007, the Association embarked on a consumer awareness program. We contracted with local news anchor, Tom Sinkovitz, to produce consumer awareness information about the home buying process, the role of a REALTOR® in transactions, as well as mortgage information. In 2008, we plan to enhance and continue this program and to promote the value of the use of REALTORS® in real property transactions.
The goal of the Association is to keep us, the members, in the center of real estate transactions. Through surveys and studies conducted by independent companies, it has become apparent that consumers prefer to go to an association-hosted web site to gather information about homes for sale. In 2008, the Association has selected a task force to work on the development of a dedicated web site that would allow members, through the use of the MLS, to post open home listings that would display on this dedicated site and allow consumers to search for open homes. Open home listings would link back to the host listing agents’ web sites. Such a dedicated site would also allow the Association to expose our public awareness campaign to a larger audience, and display information about the market and the use of REALTORS®.
In my 28 years as a REALTOR®, I have learned that the real estate market is in continual change. As individuals and as an association we need to be open to change and always to be ready to remake ourselves and adapt to changing times. I don’t believe that there are any “bad” markets. Homeownership is basic; because of life needs, people will always buy and sell real estate. Right now there are lots of choices for buyers as well as favorable rates. This is an opportune time to purchase real estate.
If you are not already involved, this is also an opportune time to get involved in the San Francisco Association of REALTORS®. This year will be a tremendous year of change. Of course we will see a changing market. However, as an association and members of an association, we also have a tremendous opportunity to influence political change in San Francisco. All of the odd numbered supervisorial districts are up for election. Because some of the incumbents have termed out, this is a year that with involvement we have an opportunity to make our voice—the voice of real estate—heard in San Francisco. So take advantage of the opportunities, take time to look at the committees and get involved in one. No matter what your experience and background, your involvement in the Association will help you grow to be a more professional REALTOR®, as well as help our Association remain the vibrant voice and face of real estate in San Francisco.
Chuck Colliver
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