The Arkansas Realtor - print edition category archive

And the new executive director of the AREC is … Gary Isom

March 10th, 2010 | Mar 2010, The Arkansas Realtor - print edition | No comments

Bill Williamson stepped down as executive director of the Arkansas Real Estate Commission (AREC) at the first of March and has been succeeded by his former deputy, Gary Isom.
“We’ve worked well together,” Isom said of Williamson. “Bill’s been a good teacher.”
Isom said he started at the AREC as an investigator in 1987 and was named [...]

How market reports can boost your business

March 5th, 2010 | Mar 2010, The Arkansas Realtor - print edition | No comments

Editor’s note: In the following article, Bob Corcoran makes a very good point about how providing good information — housing market reports in this case — to clients can help them make good decisions. If customer service does, indeed, lead to repeat business and referrals, then Corcoran’s on the right track. You can pick up [...]

ARPAC fundraising season in full swing.

March 2nd, 2010 | Feb 2010, The Arkansas Realtor - print edition | No comments

We are calling on all Realtors® to make a donation to the Arkansas Realtors® Political Action Committee (ARPAC) this year.
Arkansas is only one of a very few states that give back a tax credit for donations to a political action committee. If you file jointly, you can actually claim up to $100 on your state [...]

All things must pass…

March 1st, 2010 | Feb 2010, The Arkansas Realtor - print edition | No comments

All good things must come to an end. I will be retiring as executive director of the Arkansas Real Estate Commission (AREC) at the end of February.
My journey at the Commission began in March 1978 as an investigator. I have had the honor to work with knowledgeable and supportive commissioners and AREC staff throughout my [...]

Carroll says real estate agents need to pay attention to radical alterations to HUD’s GFE

February 26th, 2010 | Feb 2010, The Arkansas Realtor - print edition | 2 comments

Jim Carroll Sr. of the Carroll Mortgage Group in Little Rock said there are some major changes to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) Good Faith Estimate (GFE) and real estate agents who aren’t familiar with them need to learn about them in a hurry.
Carroll, speaking at a January meeting of the [...]

Protecting equity in your home

February 19th, 2010 | Feb 2010, The Arkansas Realtor - print edition | No comments

Homeowners throughout the nation have been concerned about declining values.
Here in Arkansas, the average sales price of a home through October was $144,476, down 4.1 percent from $150,650 through the first 10 months of 2008. Eric Hutchinson, president of Equity Protection, said the concern over home values – whether real or perceived – prompted the [...]

EPA repair and renovation rule effective in April

February 18th, 2010 | Feb 2010, The Arkansas Realtor - print edition | 1 comment

On April 22, a new Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rule written to reduce the amount of lead based paint on residences in the United States will be in place.
The new rule has to do impacts all residences – and facilities occupied by children – that were built prior to 1978. Commercial buildings are not impacted [...]

Arkansas housing markets finished strong in 2009

February 17th, 2010 | Feb 2010, The Arkansas Realtor - print edition | No comments

After a rough start, 2009 finished strong in terms of the numbers of homes sold.
How strong? Sales were up 9.85 percent in September compared to the same month in 2008, 24.11 percent in October, 54.08 percent in November and 12.21 percent in December. Due to the comparatively strong sales at the end of 2009, the [...]

Realtors® helping consumers yet again

February 12th, 2010 | Feb 2010, The Arkansas Realtor - print edition | No comments

We, as Realtors®, are clearly aware of the problems facing consumers.
While many groups and individuals are well aware of the foreclosure problems facing consumers, few groups have the resources and know-how to do something to combat them. The Arkansas Realtors® Association is large and has enough forward thinking individuals to both identify challenges facing consumers [...]

Quote of the month – Chuck Berry

February 12th, 2010 | Feb 2010, The Arkansas Realtor - print edition | 2 comments

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Williamson retiring at end of February

February 11th, 2010 | Feb 2010, The Arkansas Realtor - print edition | No comments

After 32 years at the Arkansas Real Estate Commission (AREC), Bill Williamson is retiring from the organization at the end of February.
Williamson started at the AREC in 1978 as investigator. He moved up to the position of chief investigator and then became deputy director in 1985. In 1996, he was named to his current job [...]

Say it ain’t so, Bill!

February 2nd, 2010 | The Arkansas Realtor - print edition, announcements | 4 comments

Arkansas Real Estate Commission Executive Director (AREC) Bill Williamson will retire at the end of February.
Williamson started at the AREC as an investigator in 1978. He became the deputy director at the AREC in in 1985 and was named executive director in 1996.
You’d better believe we’ll have a huge story about Williamson in February’s printed [...]

Political News – Stay Active in 2010

January 23rd, 2010 | Jan 2010, The Arkansas Realtor - print edition | No comments

Here we are ringing in a new year. Mullenix & Associates looks forward to another year of working with all of you to promote the Realtor® industry in Arkansas.
This year, undoubtedly, will have its share of challenges – let’s look at those as opportunities to accomplish more for the Arkansas Realtors® Association (ARA) than ever [...]

Update from the Arkansas Real Estate Commission — looking back on 2009

January 22nd, 2010 | Jan 2010, The Arkansas Realtor - print edition | No comments

Another year has flown by at the Commission.
As of December 2009 we have 11,292 licensees that have renewed their licenses for 2010. That total includes 9,145 active licensees and 2,147 inactive licensees. The 2010 licenses have been mailed so make sure that all active real estate agents in your office have a 2010 license. If [...]

What challenges face housing markets in 2010?

January 21st, 2010 | Jan 2010, The Arkansas Realtor - print edition | No comments

While housing markets remained volatile through 2009, a first-time home buyer tax credit, low mortgage rates and downward pressure on list prices combined to help convince some buyers that the time had come to purchase a home.
Kathy Deck, an economist and director of the University of Arkansas Center for Business and Economic Research, said she [...]