NCAR Down 12,000 Members Since High

NCAR membership since December 2010

31,522 March
32,146 February
33,070 January

Membership in NCAR peaked in November 2007 at 43,569. The current roll represents a loss of 12,047 members since then or 28%.

NCAR Down 11,000 Members Since High

NCAR membership since November 2010

32,146 February
33,070 January
33,951 December

Membership in NCAR peaked in November 2007 at 43,569. The current roll represents a loss of 11,423 members since then or 26%.

On the Radar

Though the 2010 NC legislative session ended in July and the 2011 starts up in January, state legislators are still busy with study committees. Among the issues being tracked by the NC Association of Realtors are:

• Consolidation of State Agencies and Departments
• Consolidation or Elimination of State Boards and Commissions
• Developer Responsibility for Street Construction
• Urban Growth and Infrastructure
• Legislative Study Commission on Public-Private Partnerships
• Joint Select Study Committee on Tort Reform
• Sustainable communities

Most of these meetings can be located at the NC General Assembly website. For others it may be necessary to drill down through State Board Notices at the NC Secretary of State's Office where you'll also find in lobbyist reports that NCAR's former executive Tim Kent is now a lobbyist for the NC Beer & Wine Wholesalers Association.

Numbers Update

NCAR membership for the year to date:

34,658 July
34,661 June
34,693 May
34,582 April
34,372 March
35,161 February
35,731 January

NC RPAC Individual Contributions

2010 Jan-Jun $175,173
2009 Jan-Jun $184,026
2008 Jan-Jun $283,652
2007 Jan-Jun $333,814
2006 Jan-Jun $302,600

Numbers

NCAR member numbers bottomed out in March at 34,372 and are creeping back up but still substantially lower than a year ago.

34,693 May 2010 [36,844 May 2009]
34,582 April
34,372 March
35,161 February

State Board of Elections Hearing

State Board Meeting Agenda

March 4, 2010

NOTICE OF MEETING

The State Board of Elections will meet in its boardroom located at 506 N. Harrington St., Raleigh, N.C. on March 4, 2010, at 1:00 p.m. For further information on this meeting please call (919) 715-5333.

TENTATIVE AGENDA

Call to order

Minutes approval

Appointing replacements for county board of elections vacancies

Certification of political party nominees

Candidate nickname matter

Appeal hearing of George Boggs protest (Cumberland County)

Hearing on complaint in regards to the N.C. Realtors Association

Other matters

How Low Can You Go?

The numbers keep dropping for the North Carolina Association of Realtors (NCAR). The January 2010 NCAR roll came in at 35,731 members which is the lowest in 4 years. That's a loss of 595 members in one month, a loss of 2,884 since January 2009 and a loss of 7,838 members, or 18%, since the all time high of 43,569 in November 2007.

Ringing In the NCAR Year

The next State legislative session doesn't officially start until May but the North Carolina General Assembly calendar is chock-a-block with study committees keeping legislators and lobbyists busy. From NCAR communications, the following is a list of issues being studied in 2010 that NCAR has declared of interest.

• Sanitary Districts
• Mountain Recourses/Steep Slope
• Disclosure of Coastal Hazards
• Public Participation In Setting Insurance Rates
• Mechanic’s Liens on Real Property
• Commercial Real Estate Broker Liens
• Ordinances Banning Clotheslines
• Green Building Code
• Property Tax Relief Programs and Exemptions
• Siting of Wind Energy Facilities
• Transfer Development Rights
• Changes to NC’s Banking Laws and the Consumer Finance Act
• Regional Economic Development
• Insurance Rate Filing Process Reformation
• Homeowners Associations
• Transportation Funding Distribution
• Water Allocation
• Water and Wastewater Infrastructure
• Sustainable Growth
• NC Saves Energy Program Creation
• Impact and Use of Temporary Erosion Control Structures
• NC’s Energy Future
• Consolidation of Environmental Policy and Rule-Making Functions into one Entity

Lobster Realtor

There are some things you can't make up. The propitiously named North Carolina Professional Lobbyists Association has an annual recognition event at its annual meeting called, I kid you not, the "Lobster Awards". In October 2007 the recipients included Tim Kent and Rick Zechini of the North Carolina Association of Realtors for the "Stop the Home Tax" campaign, the inspiration for this particular blog.


Famous moments in lobster history:

NCAR Numbers Keep Going South

NCAR membership numbers continue to drop. Membership for December 2009 stood at 36,326 - a loss of 569 members since November and, down 3,862 or 9.61% since the December 2008 roll of 40,188. Membership in NCAR peaked in November 2007 at 43,569. The current roll of 36,326 is the lowest since March 2006 when membership stood at 36,350.

NCAR Numbers Update

NCAR membership numbers are on the decline again after a brief but mediocre summer rally since the 2009 low of 36,696 in March. Membership for November stood at 36,895 down 194 since October and, down 4,149 since the November 2008 roll of 41,044. If the same monthly drop occurs in December the year-end membership will reach a new 2009 low of 36,701. Membership in NCAR peaked in November 2007 at 43,569 which is 6,674 higher than in November 2009.

NCAR had expected to shed some members in 2009 due to the imposition of a mandatory special assessment for its Issues Mobilization Fund. NCAR projected a leaner roll of about 39,000 members in early 2009 but did not anticipate a drop to below 37,000. NCAR responded to the revenue loss of approximately $200,000 earlier in the year with about $300,000 in budget cuts including a salary freeze and the elimination of 3.5 full time positions.

RPAC fundraising has been down, and not just because of the decline in membership. The mandatory assessment seems to have supressed the PAC revenue. The NC RPAC mid-year 2009 contribution rate averages about $4.99 per member compared to about $6.60 per member in the same period in 2007
The mid-year total for individual contributions in 2009 was $184,026
The mid-year total for individual contributions in 2007 was $280,788 (a comparable period)

By mid year 2009 RPAC had $598,570 cash on hand. Meanwhile other numbers for FY2008 gathered from various sources appear to be:

NC Homeowners Alliance (527) / Issues Mobilization Fund FY2008 report
$1,846,876 Special Assessment revenue
     $217,964 Issues Mobilization fee revenue
$2,064,840 Total Issues Mobilization Fund revenue
     $569,769 Total Expenses (includes apparent prior debt of $151,857))
$1,495,071 Seems to be the account balance for FY2008 for IMF

NCAR Governmental Affairs FY2008 report
$788,270 Total Expenses (includes $608,464 Lobbying Expense)

Realtors Gloat on Demise of Union County School Funding

The NC Court of Appeals ruled last week that Union County's Adequate Public Facilities Ordinance (APFO) was in effect imposing unauthorized Impact Fees.

Defendant may not use the APFO to obtain indirectly the payment of what amounts to an impact fee given that defendant lacks the authority to impose school impact fees directly. Therefore, because our Constitution places the duty to fund public schools on the General Assembly and local governments and because the General Assembly has neither expressly nor impliedly authorized defendant to shift that duty using subdivision ordinances that impose fees or use similar devices upon developers of new construction, we hold that defendant’s adoption of an APFO that includes a VMP and similar measures was in excess of its statutory authority.

NC Realtors are taking credit for a "great victory for the real estate community" but don't really have any better ways to fund the construction of schools to maintain and improve property values in the communities they serve.

Biting The Hand That Feeds

Not content with government help in the form of an $8,000 first-time homebuyers tax credit and a property tax break for homebuilders' unsold inventory which will have a negative impact of $40-45 million on local government revenues, the Triangle Community Coalition (an organization of realtors and homebuilders) is begging for funds in order to bite the hand that feeds, according to a recent letter to supporters:

Dear Friends of the Triangle Community Coalition,

I am coming to you today with hat in hand. The TCC is in great need. As our political environment is showing the need for our organization every single day, our reserves are dwindling. I do not want to waste your time with a recollection of how hard times are right now. As a business leader in this community, you know what it is like better than anyone. Unfortunately, politics carry on even in the most difficult of economic times and right now we need to be more vigilant than ever.

We cannot afford to ignore politics while we try and stay in business. If we do, then we are increasing our chances of being out of business tomorrow. Every governmental agency is out there is looking for ways to raise revenues while we spend countless nights trying to figure out where to put the few dollars we have to spend.

I'd like you to add the TCC as one of your choices for advertising. Sponsorship of one of the upcoming TCC programs will help your business in more ways than one. You will get all the advertising we can possibly get for your money and it will help our organization help take care of the politics, while you take care of your business.

With sponsorship money tight for everyone, TCC has taken a huge hit. We are committed to being relevant to your business and politics in the Triangle. We are planning on holding our two signature events: the Candidate School (July 30) and the Political Pig Pickin'(August 27). We also have a strong programs committee that has been coordinating well attended Lunch & Learn events.

If you can commit to a sponsorship for any of these events, please contact Charlene at ********@tricc.org or visit our website at www.tricc.org for more information. Some events are time sensitive, so please pledge a sponsorship as soon as possible so that we can provide you maximum exposure.

Thank you for your time and considerations,

Laurie Donofrio
2009 TCC Chairman

Update: The sponsorship solicitation email was sent to multiple TCC Members and "Triangle Business Leaders". The email was shared by a non-member "Triangle Business Leader" recipient.

To: undisclosed-recipients
Subject: TCC- Request to Members/Triangle Business Leaders

NCAR Loses 6,873 Members Since 2007

Enrollment in the North Carolina Association of Realtors (NCAR) continued to dive in March 2009, as 1,062 members dropped out during the month, according to data from the National Association of Realtors (NAR). 23 states/territories saw a slight increase in membership. While five of the 10 largest chapters saw an increase in membership, North Carolina, eight in size, saw a decrease of 2.81% in March

Virginia, Georgia and South Carolina all added members in January 2009. The NCAR membership roll as of 2/28/2009, is 36,696 - the lowest since April 2006. This is 2.81% below the February enrollment of 37,758 and 11.67% below the 2/29/2008 enrollment of 41,542 making for a 12 month loss of 4,846 members.

Membership in NCAR peaked in November 2007 at 43,569 and the current roll of 36,696 represents a loss of 6,873 members or a 15.77% decline since then.

NCAR Loses 857 Members in February

Enrollment in the North Carolina Association of Realtors (NCAR) took another dive in February 2009, shedding 857 members, according to data from the National Association of Realtors (NAR). Virginia, Georgia and South Carolina all added members in January 2009. The NCAR membership roll of 37,758 as of 2/28/2009, is the lowest since June 2006. This is 2.22% below the January enrollment of 38,615 and 10.04% below the 2/29/2008 enrollment of 41,970 making for a 12 month loss of 4,212 members. Membership in NCAR peaked in November 2007 at 43,569 and the current roll of 37,758 represents a loss of 5,811 members or a 13.34% decline since then.

Gimme Gimme Gimme

In a letter last month to the Raleigh News & Observer, Julie Woodson of the NC Association of Realtors comes with Lexus cupholder in hand for a government handout of $15,000 per home sale which, by strange coincidence, is also the amount of a 6.0% commission on an average home price of $250,000.

NC Realtors have spent millions to stop a 0.4% transfer tax which would help local governments deal with growth by providing communities with services that add real value to real property, not the Ponzi style value of the housing bubble that got us into this economic mess.

It takes some nerve to ask for 15 times more than you’re willing to concede. If NC Realtors want government assistance and for "all parties to work together" they might stop wasting their members’ money attacking government in the first place.

NCAR Loses 1,573 Members in January

Enrollment in the North Carolina Association of Realtors (NCAR) took a steep dive in January 2009, shedding 1,573 members, according to data from the National Association of Realtors (NAR). The membership roll of 38,615 as of 1/31/2009, is the lowest since June 2006. This is 3.91% below the 2008 year end enrollment of 40,188 and 9.7% below the 1/31/2008 enrollment of 42,765 making for a 12 month loss of 4,150 members. Membership in NCAR peaked in November 2007 at 43,569 and the current roll of 38,615 represents a loss of 4,954 members or an 11.37% decline since then.

The decline in membership also represents a shrinking of the market for the products of NCAR's for-profit subsidiaries RealFast and RealServ.

NCAR Loses 3,154 Members in 2008

Membership in the North Carolina Association of Realtors (NCAR) continued to decline through the end of 2008, having peaked in 2007, according to data from the National Association of Realtors (NAR). The current membership roll of 40,188 as of 12/31/2008, is the lowest since October 2006. This is 7.28% below the 2007 year end enrollment of 43,342 and shows a loss of 3,154 members.

This is reflects a national decline in NAR membership which saw an average drop of 10.50% from 1,338,001 members to 1,197,529 being the lowest since July 2005 and showing a loss of 140,472 members since 12/31/2007. Membership in NAR peaked in October 2006 at 1,370,758. The only three territories that saw an increase in membership since 12/31/2007 were South Dakota (+2 members), North Dakota (+50) and Guam (+17).

The rate of growth in NCAR membership peaked in 2006 at 17% slowing to 5% in 2007 before turning negative for the first time in about 15 years. NCAR's membership decline of 7.28% closely matches Virginia's membership decline of 7.84%, and outperforms neighboring states: Tennessee declined 10.63%, South Carolina 10.72%, Georgia 20.06% (the greatest of any state) and Florida membership declined 15.14% since 12/31/2007.

Alt-A and Option ARM Meltdown Coming

A Second Mortgage Disaster On The Horizon?
A Sixty Minutes story explains that the housing bubble is not finished bursting by a long shot.

As correspondent Scott Pelley reports, it turns out the abyss is deeper than most people think because there is a second mortgage shock heading for the economy. In the executive suites of Wall Street and Washington, you're beginning to hear alarm about a new wave of mortgages with strange names that are about to become all too familiar. If you thought sub-primes were insanely reckless wait until you hear what's coming.

Learn how Alt-A and Option ARM mortgage defaults are leading a second wave of foreclosures.

Cornerstone Solutions & Communications, LLC

From the Florida Department of State, Division of Corporations, regarding Cornerstone Solutions & Communications, LLC, which has been the recipient of $156,915 reported to the State Board of Elections so far in Disbursements for Electioneering Communications by the North Carolina Homeowners Alliance, funded by $880,457 in contributions from the North Carolina Association of Realtors.

Florida Limited Liability Company
CORNERSTONE SOLUTIONS & COMMUNICATIONS, LLC
Filing Information
Document Number L08000061354
FEI Number NONE
Date Filed 06/23/2008
State FL
Status ACTIVE
Principal Address
6917 VISTA PARKWAY NORTH
SUITE 1
WEST PALM BEACH FL 33411
Mailing Address
6917 VISTA PARKWAY NORTH
SUITE 1
WEST PALM BEACH FL 33411
Registered Agent Name & Address
WASCH, JOSEPH C
1900 CORPORATE BOULEVARD, NW
SUITE 400 EAST
BOCA RATON FL 33431 US
Manager/Member Detail
Name & Address
Title MGRM
ASNANI, PRADEEP B
6917 VISTA PARKWAY NORTH
WEST PALM BEACH FL 33411
Title MGRM
SINCLAIR, ROBERT C
6917 VISTA PARKWAY NORTH
WEST PALM BEACH FL 33411
Title MGRM
MACAULAY, ALASTAIR L
6917 VISTA PARKWAY NORTH
WEST PALM BEACH FL 33411
Annual Reports
No Annual Reports Filed

Cornestone Solutions & Communications, Inc., dba Cornerstone Solutions, a North Carolina corporation, was dissolved effective 11:59pm on June 30th, 2008. Articles of dissolution dated June 18th, 2008 were filed June 19th, 2008.

Cornerstone Solutions & Communications, LLC dba Cornerstone Solutions was formed as a Florida Limited Liability Company on June 23rd, 2008 with the same Principals, Rick Asnani, Chris Sinclair and, Alistair Macaulay.