PALM DESERT (Calif.) — Sue McCollum, president of the California Desert Association of REALTORSÆ , president-elect John Young, and several other local Coachella Valley REALTORÆ members were among the more than 20,000 RealtorsÆ attending the 2008 REALTORSÆ Conference & Expo, “Destination Success ñ Full Speed Ahead,” recently held in Orlando, Fla.

RealtorsÆ attended the National Association of RealtorsÆ annual conference to learn about how the changing political and economic landscapes are likely to affect the real estate industry, networking with colleagues from across the United States and around the world.
Also representing the California Desert Association of Realtors were national directors Heath Hilgenberg, Leslie Munger, Judy Ziegler and Greg Berkemer, executive director of the California Desert Association of REALTORSÆ.
Richard F. Gaylord, NAR's 2008 president, urged RealtorsÆ to help restore confidence in the real estate market by educating the public about the value of housing as a good long-term investment. “Homeownership offers immediate benefits and long-term value,” said Gaylord. “The opportunities for today's home
buyers are many and varied ñ interest rates are low, the supply of homes for sale is plentiful and prices are more affordable than they have been in several years.”
“To encourage more buyers into the housing market, NAR has proposed that the government buy down mortgage interest rates to ensure fixed low rates for home buyers,” Young said.
In October, NAR presented a four-point plan to Congress recommending that the repayment feature be removed from the first-time home buyer tax credit, that the tax credit be extended to all buyers, that higher FHA and conventional loan limits be made permanent ñ up to $729,000 in high-cost areas ñ to give buyers in these areas access to safer, more affordable mortgages, and that the ban on large banks entering real estate brokerage and management be made permanent.
During the conference, RealtorsÆ were encouraged to contact their members in the U.S. House and Senate to press for this four-point plan.
McCollum noted that “RealtorsÆ have a unique opportunity to encourage Congress to enact a stimulus plan. The overall economy cannot turn around without a housing recovery, and we need to emphasize this to Congress as our lawmakers grapple with the economic challenges faced across America.”
Federal Housing Finance Agency Director James B. Lockhardt III and Fannie Mae Chief Economist Doug Duncan were among the public policy and industry leaders who addressed conference attendees. Lockhardt and Duncan assured attendees that Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and the Federal Home Loan Banks will continue to play a critical role in the country's economic recovery.
A highlight of the conference was an address by Lance Armstrong, seven-time Tour de France winner and cancer survivor, who promoted his message, “Choose to Be a Champion in Life,” which set the tone for the week, inspiring and motivating attendees to new heights.
RealtorsÆ are known for their commitment to building strong communities, and hundreds of them contributed their time and efforts to the Orlando community while attending the conference by helping to build a house for a deserving family. The keys to a home RealtorsÆ built through Habitat for Humanity International were presented to Martina Dunston, a single mother, and her three children in a dedication ceremony on the eve of the conference.
During the conference, Charles McMillan, from Fort Worth, Texas, was installed as the first African American president in NAR's 100-year history. Touting his theme, “United Toward Tomorrow,” McMillan called on all members to work together to renew, revitalize and reinvigorate the real estate market.
More than 500 exhibitors displayed the latest in real estate-related hardware, software and other state-of-the-art industry tools at the conference expo.
The National Association of RealtorsÆ, “The Voice for Real Estate,” is America's largest trade association, representing 1.2 million members involved in all aspects of the residential and commercial real estate industries.
The California Desert Association of REALTORSÆ, The Voice for Real EstateÆ for the Coachella Valley, represents more than 4,000 estate professionals from Palm Springs to Coachella.
For more information, please call (760) 346-5637 or visit online at www.CalDesertRealtors.com