Get Real Podcast

Property tax appraisals are here, and if you're not pleased with the number you see, you can choose to protest.

On this episode of Get Real, we're joined by President of SWBC Ad Valorem Tax Advisors Gary Rivas who offers professional insight on where to get started with protesting and what tax breaks may be available to you in the process. 

Gary Rivas has over three decades of property tax representation and real-world multi-angle experience from the taxpayer government and consultant perspective.

You don't want to miss this. It's time to 'Get Real'.

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As a REALTOR®, you can never deny the importance of data. It’s crucial to understand what is happening in the housing market so you can better serve your customers.

Guest Speaker: Dr. Jessica Lautz is Deputy Chief Economist and Vice President of Research at the National Association of REALTORS®. The core of her research focuses on analyzing trends for both NAR members and housing consumers. Through the management of surveys, focus groups, and data analysis, she presents new and innovative ways to showcase results. She effectively utilizes Research data to educate and impact policymakers on the state of the housing market and discusses research findings in major media outlets and international presentations.

On May 7, San Antonio voters approved the largest bond program in city history. The 2022-2027 Bond Program is focused on investing in the city's infrastructure including producing and preserving affordable housing and improvement to public facilities. In this episode of Get Real, Mike Carmona tells us more about this historic bond program.

Guest Speaker: Mark Carmona is currently the Chief Housing Officer for the City of San Antonio. In this position, he oversees the successful implementation of the housing and homeless strategic plans through the coordination of systems. Mark has worked in the human & behavioral health services fields for over 30 years and has served as the President & CEO at Haven for Hope of Bexar County, the Deputy CEO of The Center for Health Care Services, the Executive Director at ChildSafe, and Grants Manager at the Kronkosky Charitable Foundation.

 

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It's appraisal season -- you've probably already received your letter in the mail. The Bexar County Appraisal District, or BCAD, sends these notices out annually after proposing the value of your property or home. Listen to Bexar County Chief Appraiser Michael Amezquita talk about these appraisals, how to protest the value, and how they affect your property taxes.

Guest speaker: Michael Amezquita has served as Chief Appraiser of the Bexar Appraisal District since 2003. Before that, he was the Chief Appraiser of the Cameron Appraisal District for eight years. He has served as a Board Member of the Board of Tax Professional Examiners and he was the 2005 President of the Texas Association of Appraisal Districts, an organization with which he continues to be an active member.

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Guest Speaker: Verónica (Vero) R. Soto is the Director of the Neighborhood and Housing Services Department for the City of San Antonio. The Department administers the City’s housing policies and programs, neighborhood engagement, HUD grants, Tax Increment Financing, fair housing and emergency housing assistance. She served in executive roles in other Texas and New Mexico cities and held positions with the U.S. Commerce Department and the City of New York. Vero is a graduate of Harvard College and Princeton University. Her department created the COVID-19 Emergency Housing Assistance Program approved by Council in April 2020; now a $194.8 million dollar program, the program has kept thousands of families housed during the pandemic. Program funding sources include local funds, CDBG, CARES Act, and US Treasury Emergency Rental Assistance (ERA 1 and ERA 2) funding. The program was recognized as the state’s most effective program and has been recognized by the US Treasury and the White House as an exemplary program nationally. The program quickly provides funding to tenants, focuses on communities of color most impacted by the pandemic, provides more funding resources to those with lower income levels, and provides culturally appropriate outreach and intake activities through trusted non-profit community partners.

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It's tax season and that means small business owners, like REALTORS®, need to know how to properly file their taxes. Are meals tax deductible? What about mileage? How do you keep track? In this episode, we hear tax tips from CPA Michael Guertin that specifically relate to REALTORS® and their businesses.

Guest Speaker: Michael Guertin is a Certified Public Accountant and founder of Aperto; an accounting firm that is dedicated to helping small business owners achieve their long-term financial outcomes. He is a husband, father and small business romantic.

After serving in the Army for nearly 9 years and another few years working for large corporations, Michael jumped into the world of small business accounting. For over 20 years, Michael has focused his energies helping small business owners thrive. After serving two terms as Treasurer for the Women’s Council of REALTORS® San Antonio network, Michael became convinced that too many REALTORS® were throwing away their hard earned money with bad financial habits. So for the past 8 years, he has been on a mission to speak directly to REALTORS® to remedy this problem, one REALTOR® at a time, and turn them into #smallbusinessrockstars.

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In this episode, we hear from NAR's Chief Economist Dr. Lawrence Yun on the housing market in 2021 and his predictions for the new year.

Guest Speaker: Lawrence Yun is Chief Economist and oversees the Research group at the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®. He supervises and is responsible for a wide range of research activity for the association including NAR’s Existing Home Sales statistics, Affordability Index, and Home Buyers and Sellers Profile Report. He regularly provides commentary on real estate market trends for its 1.4 million REALTORS®.

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There are many great resources and programs available to NAR members. Here’s an overview of some of those benefits that you might not know about.

Guest speaker: Cindy Fauth, Director of Member Experience with NAR – Cindy joined NAR in September 2009. Prior to NAR, Cindy served in various marketing capacities at Robert-Leslie Publishing and Smithbucklin Corporation. Her primary role at NAR is to lead the global marketing and public relations efforts for the department. She lends her expertise to the promotion and growth of the Certified International Property Specialist designation, Resort and Second Home, and At Home with Diversity certifications along with the many other programs NAR Global Business and Alliances offers. Cindy holds a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism from the University of Kentucky.

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In this episode, hear from guest host Janice Carpio-Hernandez, Vice President of Communications and Marketing at SABOR. She speaks with Hamza Mudassir, Lecturer in Strategy at the Cambridge Judge Business School on how to successfully manage your business.

Guest speaker: Hamza Mudassir is a Lecturer in Strategy at the Cambridge Judge Business School and the co-founder and CEO of ed tech platform, strategize.inc. Hamza teaches multisided platforms and digital disruption to MBAs and MPhils at Cambridge and frequently consults for boards on a variety of product, pricing, and strategy problems. He has an MBA from Judge and holds further specializations in areas of AI and Corporate Finance + M&A from MIT and INSEAD respectively. He writes a regular column on digital disruption in Fast Company and Entrepreneur and has a readership of over 3 Million.

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The Texas Legislature just ended their third and potentially final session of the year. To learn what will impact the real estate industry we hear from SABOR’s Government Affairs Director, Brett Finley.

Guest speaker: Brett Finley is the Governmental Affairs Director for the San Antonio Board of REALTORS® where he helps lead the organization’s advocacy efforts in promoting homeownership and protecting private property rights at all levels of government. Before joining SABOR in April 2018, Brett was the South Texas Field Representative for the Texas Association of REALTORS® where he served as a Governmental Affairs liaison between nineteen local REALTOR® trade associations and the state. Prior to joining the Realtor family, Brett served as a Legislative Director for two State Representatives in the Texas House and was responsible for drafting and monitoring legislation for each. Brett earned a Master of Arts degree in Political Science and a Bachelor of Science degree in Kinesiology from Texas State University.

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With September being REALTOR® Safety month, it’s a good time to bring awareness to safety when showing homes. Our guest is Janice Tisdale, a local REALTOR® who went through a terrifying experience and is here to share her story.

Guest speaker: Janice Tisdale has been a REALTOR® since 2002 and currently works for Phyllis Browning Company in San Antonio. Prior to becoming a REALTOR®, she was a flight attendant for Pan Am. She holds the ABR, CRS and GRI designations and stays involved in her community volunteering with organizations such as Meals on Wheels and SAMMinistries. In 2010, she experienced first-hand the dangers facing real estate agents when she was attacked while showing a home. Today, she is an outspoken advocate for REALTOR® safety issues and regularly shares her story of survival with REALTORS® around the country. She was also honored as SABOR’s REALTOR® of the Year in 2015.

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In this episode, we speak with April Gavin, NAR Senior Political Representative, about the CDC Eviction Moratorium that came out August 3, 2021, and how the new orders differ from the moratorium that expired on July 31, 2021.

Guest speaker: April Gavin is the Senior Political Representative for the National Association of Realtors who has the pleasure of working with Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, Texas, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands. A native Texan, April has worked in the political realm for 16 years. Prior to coming to NAR, April was a Senior Political Manager for the Associated Builders and Contractors. Her experience also includes working as a policy analyst; working for a direct mail firm that specializes in GOTV and fundraising political mail; fundraising for non-profits; as well as coordinating grassroots efforts. April is a proud graduate of the University of Texas at Austin, and earned her Master’s degree in Political Management from The George Washington University. She lives in Alexandria, Virginia with her husband Brian and daughter Caroline.

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In this episode, we talk about professionalism in the real estate industry and what that means for REALTORS®. Our guest is Mark Mansour, 2021 Chair of NAR’s Professional Standards Committee.

Guest speaker: Mark Mansour has been in the real estate profession since 1999. He is the 2021 Chair of NAR’s Professional Standards Committee and will be the 2022 Chair of NAR’s Professional Standards Interpretations & Procedures Advisory Board. Mark is currently the West Virginia, Ohio and Kentucky Broker of Old Colony Company of Huntington, West Virginia. He was the 2007 President of the Huntington Board of REALTORS® and the 2012 President of the West Virginia Association of REALTORS®. In 2006 and 2012 Mark was named “REALTOR® of the Year” for HBOR and WVAR, respectively. Mark served as NAR’s 2018 Regional Vice President for Region 3 which presides over West Virginia, Virginia, Maryland, District of Columbia and Delaware.

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In this episode, we dive into “Housing Is Critical Infrastructure: Social and Economic Benefits of Building More Housing.” This report, released by the National Association of REALTORS® and authored by the Rosen Consulting Group, highlights the vast underbuilding gap in the U.S. and the consequences of underinvesting in housing.

Guest speaker: David A. Bank, Senior Vice President, joined Rosen Consulting Group (RCG) in 2013. Mr. Bank is responsible for directing RCG’ housing policy research, managing strategic consulting projects and supervising the research team. He is the team lead for single family and multifamily housing market consulting engagements and co-authored a series of white papers on Homeownership in America, written in collaboration with Kenneth T. Rosen and published by the UC Berkeley Fisher Center for Real Estate & Urban Economics. In addition, Mr. Bank has been the principal author and project manager on RCG reports and white papers across a broad spectrum of residential and commercial real estate topics. With more than a decade of experience in economic and housing market research and consulting services, Mr. Bank is often called upon to advise real estate clients and to provide research presentations to clients and industry groups.

Prior to joining RCG, Mr. Bank served as an Economist at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) in the Office of Policy Development and Research (PD&R), where he was responsible for analyzing regional economic and housing market conditions. Mr. Bank conducted market risk assessments for the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) multifamily insurance program and published numerous reports as part of the HUD Economic and Market Analysis Division. Before that, he worked as a research analyst for Cathy Minehan, Chairperson of the Massachusetts Council of Economic Advisors under Governor Deval Patrick. In addition, Mr. Bank worked for several years as a consultant in the market research and healthcare industries. Mr. Bank received an M.A. in International Finance and Development Economics from The Fletcher School at Tufts University and graduated summa cum laude with a B.A. in Economics from New York University. He is a member of Urban Land Institute.

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Real estate and probate go hand in hand. Listen as we get a crash course in probate and what REALTORS® can expect when taking on a transaction like this.

Guest speaker: Charlie Weisinger is Board Certified by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization in the specialty area of Estate Planning and Probate Law, and an ACCREDITED ESTATE PLANNER® with the National Association of Estate Planners & Councils. He received his law degree from St. Mary’s University School of Law.

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Listen as we speak with Pedro “Pete” Alanis, Executive Director of the San Antonio Housing Trust, about the housing opportunities they provide for low and moderate-income families in the community.

Guest speaker: Pedro “Pete” Alanis, Executive Director of the San Antonio Housing Trust

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An appraisal is a key component of many real estate transactions. But how does the process work and how does an appraiser determine worth? In this episode, we speak with Pamela Teel, 2021 Vice President of the Association of Texas Appraisers, on what you need to know about appraisals.

Guest speaker: Pam is a State Certified General Real Estate Appraiser and an AQB Certified USPAP Instructor. She is Vice President of the Association of Texas Appraisers and a member of the National Association of Appraisers, holding designations from both associations. She has also been appointed by the State of Texas Appraiser Licensing Certification Board as a Mentor. She previously served as a Peer Investigative Committee member for TALCB. Currently her time in the appraisal realm is devoted to education, consulting, and reviewing. Pam has extensive experience in providing commercial, industrial, and residential appraisal services throughout the South Texas area. She previously was employed by a national lender in the real estate appraisal department where she was instrumental in standing up the appraisal operations and governance departments. Prior to becoming a real estate appraiser, Pam was the Vice President of Operations for a commercial property management company, managing office buildings, shopping centers, and apartment buildings.

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SAAREB, the San Antonio Association of Real Estate Brokers, focuses on helping African American and other minority families gain generational wealth through home ownership. In this episode, we speak with Brian Paris, President of SAAREB, on the history of the association, how they are helping local families, and what you can do to get involved. Learn more at saareb.com.

Guest speaker: Brian Paris is the President of SAAREB, the San Antonio Association of Real Estate Brokers. Originally raised in NYC, I moved to San Antonio in 1994. It was then that the spark for Real Estate was ignited. Helping others achieve their goal of home ownership and building generational wealth is what I find most rewarding about what I do. Being married with five, beautiful daughters reminds me daily that I need to raise the bar towards excellence; and set an example of what a father, husband, and man should be. I believe that one’s most valuable asset is time – it needs to be used wisely. Once spent, it is something you can’t get back. On a personal note, I absolutely love driving convertibles and will probably never own a solid top car.

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A few years ago, NAR commissioned the D.A.N.G.E.R. Report from real estate consultant Stefan Swanepoel which detailed 50 threats, risks, and challenges to the real estate industry. In this episode, we look back at the report with Clint Skutchan, VP of Organized Real Estate with T3 Sixty, to see which threats are still present and what opportunities are available moving forward. View the report here.

Guest speaker: Clint leads T3 Sixty’s Organized Real Estate consulting division and is responsible for all the company’s Realtor association and MLS activities. He has over a decade of real estate industry experience including as CEO of a Realtor association in Colorado. Clint helps Realtor association and MLS clients refine their organizational structure and execute more effective strategic planning. Clint is a self-defined workaholic and lover of all thing’s bikes, bands and beer. He holds a B.A. in Sociology from Colorado State University.

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Food for today. Food for tomorrow. Food for a lifetime. The San Antonio Food Bank takes pride in fighting hunger across South Texas, but they also educate and provide assistance in many other ways. In this episode, we hear about all the programs and resources available and how you can join in to help those in need.

Guest speaker: Eric Cooper is the President and CEO of the San Antonio Food Bank, the largest hunger-relief organization in Southwest Texas. Through a network of more than 530 nonprofit agencies and a myriad of distribution programs, the San Antonio Food Bank provides more than 61 million pounds of food and grocery items to needy Texans in a 16 county service area.

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We speak with Greg Jefferson, Business Editor of the San Antonio Express-News, on takeaways from the election and what we can look forward to in the future. Please note: The views expressed in this episode are those of the guest and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of SABOR.

Guest speaker: Greg Jefferson is business editor of the San Antonio Express-News. Previously, he covered the energy industry, City Hall and politics for the newspaper. Greg also edited the alternative newsweekly San Antonio Current, wrote for the San Antonio Business Journal and co-founded Plaza de Armas, a now-defunct website that covered San Antonio politics and culture.

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Is that building haunted? There are ways to tell, according to the Afterlife Paranormal Society. In this episode, we hear first-hand experiences of haunted places and paranormal spaces in and around San Antonio. Please note: The views expressed in this episode are those of the guest and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of SABOR. Listener discretion is advised.

Guest speaker: Veronica Bautista joins us to share first-hand accounts of paranormal activity and what the Afterlife Paranormal Society, a family non-profit organization in San Antonio and Kentucky, can do to help.

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September is REALTOR® Safety Month, and we recently had the chance to hear from Carl Carter, Founder and Executive Director of the Beverly Carter Foundation. Carl’s mom, Beverly Carter, was a REALTOR® who lost her life while doing the work she loved. Since losing his mother, Carl has dedicated his life to creating safety training and tools to make positive changes in agents’ lives and businesses.

Guest speaker: Carl Carter, Jr. is a REALTOR® and the founder of the Beverly Carter Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to improving safety for all real estate agents. Carl’s mom, Beverly Carter, was a REALTOR® who lost her life while doing the work she loved. Since losing his precious mom, Carl has dedicated his life to creating safety training and tools to make positive changes in agents’ lives and business.

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With a pandemic and need for social distancing, REALTORS® are having to get creative in how they communicate and engage with clients. In this episode, we dive into social media and how to use the various platforms to stay connected.

Guest speaker: Harrison Beacher has worked as a full-time REALTOR® since 2008. He was named to the prestigious National Association of REALTORS® and REALTOR® magazine’s “30 under 30” list for 2016. Harrison is also currently a NAR YPN Advisory Board Member.

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Obtaining a surveillance system for a property is far easier now than in the past, but what happens when the cameras for security are used during the home selling process to get leverage during negotiations? We speak with Donna Coltharp, Assistant Professor of Law at St. Mary’s University, about common scenarios real estate agents or homeowners may face in regards to wiretapping.

The information in this episode is not intended to be legal advice and should not be relied on for specific circumstances listeners may be facing, always consult with your attorney and your broker for how to handle the issue of recording conversations on a property.

Guest speaker: Donna Coltharp (J.D. ’97) is an Assistant Professor of Law at St. Mary’s University School of Law. Before coming to St. Mary’s, Coltharp served as a law clerk to Chief Justice Phil Hardberger, of the Texas Fourth Court of Appeals, and then to United States District Court Judge Edward Prado. She then moved to the Federal Public Defender’s Office, where she worked as appellate counsel and eventually became First Assistant Federal Public Defender for the Western District of Texas. She served on the National Defenders’ Supreme Court Advocacy Assistance Program and was co-chair of the National Association of Defender Services Amicus Committee. In both capacities, she has drafted briefs and contributed substantial work to many significant cases argued in the Supreme Court.

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COVID-19 has placed unprecedented pressures on everyone, including property owners and tenants. With unemployment rising to historic numbers, many Bexar County residents are concerned about their ability to pay rent or mortgage. In this episode, we speak with Lori Houston, Assistant City Manager, on the programs and resources available for tenants and landlords, and the need for better communication between them.

Guest speaker: Lori Houston was appointed Assistant City Manager in July of 2015. Prior to her arrival to the City Manager’s Office she served as the Director of the Center City Development & Operations Department. Ms. Houston was essential in bringing a grocery store to downtown. Through her leadership, the City has facilitated the development of an additional 49 housing projects that will ultimately yield 6,275 housing units in the downtown area. These projects represent an investment of over $1 billion in downtown San Antonio.

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You’ve heard it before; there’s no place like home. But have you dug into data on homebuyers? Who is buying? Where? What do they want? In this episode, we speak with Dr. Jessica Lautz, NAR’s VP of Demographics and Behavioral Insights, on types of research data available to members, and how it can help you improve your business.

Guest speaker: Dr. Jessica Lautz is Vice President of Demographics and Behavioral Insights at the National Association of REALTORS®. The core of her research focuses on analyzing demographic trends for both NAR members and housing consumers. Through management of predictive analytics, surveys, focus groups and data analysis, she presents new and innovative ways to showcase results. Jessica discusses research findings in major media outlets and international presentations.

Dr. Lautz received her Doctorate of Real Estate from Nottingham Trent University. She also has a Master’s in Public Policy from American University and undergraduate degrees in Political Science and Law and Justice from Central Washington University.

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April 2020 marks the 52nd anniversary of the Fair Housing Act, which protects people from discrimination when they are renting or buying a home, or engaging in other housing-related activities. In this episode, we speak with an expert on the subject, Verónica Soto, Director of the Neighborhood and Housing Services Department for the City of San Antonio.

Guest speaker: Verónica (Vero) R. Soto joined the City of San Antonio, Texas in July 2017 as Director of the newly created Neighborhood and Housing Services Department. Vero administers the City’s housing policies and programs, HUD entitlement grants, and Tax Increment Finance program and oversees housing production programs, neighborhood engagement, Neighborhood Improvement Bond program implementation, fair housing and leads housing policy development. Vero has over 20 years of experience in planning, housing and neighborhood development.

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In this episode, we talk about the economic impact of COVID-19 on our local, state, and national economies, and what we can expect in the coming year.

Guest speaker: Keith Phillips joined the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas in January 1984.  His areas of concentration include regional economics and economic forecasting. Research Papers in Economics, which tracks publications in economics, ranks Phillips in the top five percent of economists across the world in terms of the number of distinct publications. Over the past sixteen years he has been the most accurate forecaster for Texas job growth in the Western Blue Chip Economic Forecast.

In August 1996, Phillips was transferred to the San Antonio Branch in an effort to improve the regional economic coverage of the Dallas office and to better serve the needs of the South Texas community. He teaches courses in managerial economics and quantitative analysis in the executive MBA program at UTSA. He obtained his PhD in economics from Southern Methodist University and holds a BA and MA in economics and a bachelor of journalism degree in news/editorial from the University of Missouri at Columbia.

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Do you need a permit for that renovation? Probably. Here’s what you need to know about building permits for homeowners and contractors.

Guest speaker: Michael Shannon, PE, CBO was appointed Director of the Development Services Department for the City of San Antonio in May 2017. Mr. Shannon, the City’s Building Official, oversees over 430 employees with a budget of approximately $34M for the Development Services Enterprise Fund and more than $15M from the General Fund in FY 2019. The Enterprise Fund supports land development, plan review, permitting, and building inspections, while Code Enforcement and graffiti abatement is supported by the General Fund. Shannon grew up in Worcester, Massachusetts, and is married to Veronica Contreras-Shannon. The couple has two children.

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In 1946, Guy Chipman began a career in real estate and was active in the industry for over 50 years. We spoke with Guy about how things have changed over the years and what the industry was like back then. This year, Guy celebrated his 100th birthday. 

Guest speaker: Guy Chipman, Jr. was President of the San Antonio Board of REALTORS® in 1962 and 1963, and Chairman of Texas REALTORS® in 1983. He began his career in real estate in 1946, after serving seven years in active military service including time in World War II. He soon became a broker and founded the Guy Chipman Company. He was named SABOR’s REALTOR® of the Year in 1964 and received SABOR’s first Distinguished Service Award in 1990. He was a trailblazer in our industry, fighting for equality at the Board, taking an active role in creating the MLS and using his expertise to improve the forms that members still use today. He celebrated his 100th birthday in 2019 and continues to be an asset to the association with his experience and guidance.

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NAR is back with a brand new edition. In this episode, we talk to NAR staff on the recently passed Clear Cooperation Policy, their national media campaign and changes to your Code of Ethics requirement.

Guest speaker: Rene Galicia is NAR’s Director of MLS Engagement based in Washington, D.C. He has worked in the real estate industry since the early 2000’s, with experiences at various levels including a residential brokerage, an affiliate business and in a multiple listing service.

Guest speaker: Katie Johnson is the General Counsel and Chief Member Experience Officer at the National Association of REALTORS®. As General Counsel, she is responsible for assuring that the programs, policies, and activities of NAR are in compliance with the law. She also is responsible for defending the association against legal challenges and initiating litigation to protect and preserve association assets and policies. As NAR’s Chief Member Experience Officer, she leads initiatives to enhance member engagement and satisfaction through delivery of trusted knowledge, resources and experiences that elevate member success and professionalism.

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Texas is a non-disclosure state when it comes to sharing the sales price of a home. But what does that mean? Hear from Michael Amezquita, Chief Appraiser for the Bexar County Appraisal District, on the process of collecting data, how it’s used, and what rights you have as a homeowner.

Guest speaker: Michael Amezquita has served as Chief Appraiser of the Bexar Appraisal District since 2003. Before that, he was the Chief Appraiser of the Cameron Appraisal District for eight years. He has served as a Board Member of the Board of Tax Professional Examiners and he was the 2005 President of the Texas Association of Appraisal Districts, an organization with which he continues to be an active member.

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