WHAT: 2007 REALTORS(R) Conference & Expo
WHEN: November 13-16, 2007
WHERE: Las Vegas
More than 30,000 Realtors and guests — a record attendance — are expected at the 2007 REALTORS Conference & Expo at the Venetian Resort Hotel & Casino, Nov. 13-16 in Las Vegas.
There is still time to register online by visiting http://www.realtor.org, clicking on “Meetings & Expo” and selecting “For the Press.” To register onsite, come to the Press Registration Office at the Venetian Hotel, Bassano Hall, Room 2605. Both the Press Registration Office and the Public Affairs Staff Office will open Monday, Nov. 12, 8 a.m.-5 p.m., and continue through Friday, Nov. 16, 8 a.m.-noon.
The event, titled “No Limits,” will feature industry experts, lawmakers, federal agency officials and other guests in programs that address the many issues facing today’s residential and commercial real estate markets. Conference sessions will include the very latest information about home buying and selling trends, economic predictions, public policy developments and environmental issues. Bill Cosby heads the list of speakers. Cosby is an educator, comedian and one of the most influential people in America today. Cosby will address conference attendees at the general session on Wednesday, Nov. 14, at 4 p.m. in the Venetian Ballroom.
NAR will also kick off a yearlong centennial celebration at the conference, marking 100 years of bringing America home. A new book, The National Association of Realtors: 100 Years in Celebration of the American Dream, which provides an historical account of the real estate industry over the past 100 years and NAR’s involvement in shaping and transforming that industry, will be made available for the first time, and a retrospective video will premiere during Wednesday’s general session.
Again this year, the Entrepreneurial Excellence Series will feature noted personalities in leadership and marketing, including award-winning historian Doris Kearns Goodwin, author of the best-selling book Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln; advertising author Seth Godlin, of Permission Marketing, Unleashing the Ideavirus, Survival Is Not Enough and Purple Cow; legendary college football coach and popular ESPN personality, Lou Holtz, author of Winning Every Day: A Game Plan for Success; and Scott Bedbury, who helped Starbucks reinvent the coffee industry and made Nike a household name with his marketing slogan, “Just Do It.”
Members of the media are invited to visit the REALTORS Expo, which will feature a record 744 exhibitors demonstrating real estate products and innovations across various fields, including technology, data communications and financial programs and services. The Expo also includes a new International Second Home and Resort Pavilion that premieres this year. Expo hours are Tuesday, Nov. 13, 5-8 p.m.; Wednesday, Nov. 14, 9 a.m.-4 p.m.; Thursday, Nov. 15, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; and Friday, Nov. 16, 9 a.m.-2 p.m.
This year’s featured entertainer is musician James Taylor, whose 1970s song “Sweet Baby James” made triple platinum. He has had many hits since then, including “Fire and Rain,” “You’ve Got a Friend,” and “October Road.” Taylor will be performing on Thursday, Nov. 15, 9-10:30 p.m.
The National Association of Real Estate Editors (NAREE) will hold its principal annual session in Las Vegas in conjunction with NAR’s annual conference.
NAR’s Public Affairs staff has planned media briefings throughout the meetings that offer reporters and editors an opportunity to meet with industry specialists. Public Affairs media staff will be available to help the media coordinate interviews with NAR leadership and conference speakers.
Media highlights:
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 11
Habitat for Humanity Dedication
12:45-2 p.m., 1933 Gregory St., Las Vegas
Dedication begins at 12:45 p.m.; Press interviews/photo opportunities at 1:45 p.m.
Realtors and Habitat for Humanity will help the Parker family of Las Vegas realize the dream of homeownership during the dedication ceremony.
Volunteer Activities
9:30 a.m.-3 p.m., 1933 and 1937 Gregory St. (Habitat homes); Children’s Service Guild
Volunteers will help complete two new Habitat for Humanity homes and work on renovation projects for the Children’s Service Guild in Las Vegas.
MONDAY, NOVEMBER 12
591/2 Minutes: A Member and Director Update
4-4:59 p.m., Venetian Ballroom Level 2
Hear updates from elected leaders and others on key issues.
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 13
Economic Issues & Residential Real Estate Business Trends Forum
9-11 a.m., Venetian Hotel, Blue Man Group Theater, Level 2
Speakers: Lawrence Yun Ph.D., NAR chief economist, and John Tuccillo Ph.D., John Tuccillo and Associates
Discover the impact and outlook of emerging trends on the residential real estate business. Learn about recent trends in the economy, the latest performance of the residential real estate market, and major business trends affecting residential real estate.
MEDIA BRIEFING – Incoming NAR President
10:15-11 a.m., Venetian Hotel, Bassano Hall, Room 2701
Speaker: 2008 NAR President Dick Gaylord
Meet NAR’s 2008 president and hear his priorities for the coming year
Land Use, Property Rights and Environment Forum
11 a.m.-12:30 p.m., Venetian Hotel, Venetian Ballroom H, Level 2
“Water, Water Everywhere? Water Resources and Development in the West”
Speakers: Robert Johnson, commissioner, U.S. Bureau of Reclamation; Patricia Mulroy, executive director, Southern Nevada Water Authority; and Terry Anderson, executive director, Property and Environment Research Center
Learn how the availability or scarcity of water resources is impacting housing markets and development in the West.
MEDIA BRIEFING – Economic Forecast and Pending Home Sales Index
11:30 a.m.-12:15 p.m., Venetian Hotel, Bassano Hall, Room 2701
Speaker: NAR Chief Economist Lawrence Yun
November NAR Forecast and Pending Home Sales Index
Real Estate Services Forum
11:15 a.m.-12:45 p.m., Venetian Hotel, Titian 2201AB-2202/2301AB-2302, Level 2
“Successful Business in the Current Regulatory and Business Climate”
Speakers: Erin Toll, Director, Colorado Division of Real Estate; Harley Rouda, Jr., CEO and Managing Partner, Real Living;
Phil Schulman, Esq., Attorney, K&L Gates; and Mark Meyer, President, MLinc Solutions
Topics to be discussed include regulatory issues affecting real estate practitioners, affiliated businesses and current trends in enforcement at the federal and state levels.
Economic Commercial Business Trends Forum
1-3 p.m., Venetian Hotel, Venetian Ballroom H, Level 2
Speakers: NAR Chief Economist Lawrence Yun, Ph.D.; Stan Millin, Grubbs Ellis; and John Tuccillo Ph.D., John Tuccillo and Associates
Speakers will provide a national commercial real estate overview, including how the subprime fallout will affect commercial financing; the international appetite for construction materials, especially steel, and its impact on commercial construction in the U.S.; and the hot job growth markets of today and tomorrow.
International Forum
1-3 p.m., Venetian Hotel, Venetian Ballroom G, Level 2
Key skills and knowledge required to effectively serve the growing market of buyers seeking to invest in property abroad will be discussed. Additional topics include legal issues like tax implications for outbound international clients and the importance of qualified referrals to assisting locally-based clients purchasing real estate in other countries.
Auction Forum
1-3 p.m., Veronese 2501 B, Level 2
“Auction Strategies: Tools for Selling and Purchasing Property”
Learn the benefits of using auction as a marketing tool for selling and purchasing property. Current research and statistics on the auction market will be discussed.
MEDIA BRIEFING – NAR Consumer Research Results
3:15-4 p.m., Venetian Hotel, Bassano Room 2701
“2007 NAR Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers”
Learn recent trends in home buying and selling, as identified through a nationwide survey of recent home buyers and sellers.
Regulatory Issues Forum
3:30-4:30 p.m., Venetian Hotel, Titian 2203-2206 / 2303-2306, Level 2
“Mortgage Lending Issues: Subprime Mess and What’s Next”
Guest speakers Brian Montgomery, assistant secretary, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and FHA commissioner; and Daniel Mudd, president and CEO of Fannie Mae, will discuss mortgage lending issues in today’s market.
Grand Opening of Realtors Expo
5-8 p.m., Sands Hotel and Exhibit Hall
The Expo will feature more than 744 exhibitors in a showroom of more than 400,000 square feet, demonstrating real estate products and innovations across various fields, including technology, data communications and financial programs and services.
News Maker Reception (advance RSVP required – send an e-mail to wharper (at) realtors (dot) org)
6-7 p.m., Venetian Hotel, Delfinio, 41101AB
NAR’s Public Affairs staff will host a Newsmaker reception for members of the media.
National Association of Real Estate Editors Dinner and Installation (NAREE) 7:30 p.m., Venetian Hotel, Morano Room
RSVP to NAREE Executive Director Mary Doyle Kimball.
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 14
Housing Opportunities Workshop
9-11 a.m., Venetian Hotel,
Marco Polo 701, Level 1
“Identifying and Building Partnerships for Increase Housing Opportunities”
Moderator: Julie Bornstein, President of the Campaign for Affordable Housing
Speakers: Cheryl Nelson, CEO, Iowa Association of Realtors; David Stark, government affairs director, Bay East Association of Realtors; Ken Hotard, senior vice president of Public Affairs, Boulder Area Association of Realtors, and Mark Jellison, executive director, Boulder Affordable Housing Alliance.
The discussion will focus on building partnerships to address housing opportunity issues on the local level.
Resort and Second Home Forum
11 a.m.-12:30 p.m., Sands Expo & Convention Center, Hall G, Level 1
Emerging Domestic and International Resort & Second-Home Markets
Identify emerging markets internationally and domestically using current market data, understand the unique characteristics of emerging markets to better serve the second-home client, and implement tools to maximize referrals for your U.S. clients looking for second-home properties in some of the hottest real estate markets in the world.
MEDIA BRIEFING – Competition in Real Estate
1:15-2 p.m., Venetian Hotel, Bassano Hall, Room 2701
Speaker: Ann Schnare, Criterion Economics
Learn the results of a comprehensive new study, “Competition in the Real Estate Industry.”
Legislative and Political Forum
1:30-3:30 p.m., Venetian Hotel, Titian 2204-2206/2304-2306, Level 2
Speakers: Neil Newhouse, partner and founder, Public Opinion Strategies; and Dawn Laguens, founder and president, Laguens Hamburger Kully Klose
Forum will focus on the outlook of the elections as well as a debate on the issues of importance to Realtors and how those issues will affect the future from the political parties’ perspectives.
General Session
4-6 p.m., Venetian Ballroom
Speaker: Bill Cosby, educator, comedian, and one of the most influential people in America today will address the general session.
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 15
Greening for Dollars: The Business Benefits of Green Building
11 a.m.-12:30 p.m., Marco Polo 801, Level 1
A panel of greening advocates will lead a discussion on how to implement a green building-oriented real estate practice. The true meaning of green building, the value of green, energy efficiency and its link to greenhouse gas, and the top ten ways to go green will be discussed.
Building Bridges to Today’s Hispanic Market
3-4:30 p.m., Venetian, Marco Polo 803, Level 1
Learn Hispanic population growth statistics, how this growth relates to homeownership and purchasing power, and Hispanic community cultural and generational nuances.
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 16
Board of Directors Meeting
8:30-11:30 a.m., Venetian Hotel, Venetian Ballroom A-E/L, Level 2
NAR leadership will discuss issues facing the real estate industry today.
The National Association of Realtors, “The Voice for Real Estate,” is America’s largest trade association, representing more than 1.3 million members involved in all aspects of the residential and commercial real estate industries.
REALTOR(R) is a registered collective membership mark which may be used only by real estate professionals who are members of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS and subscribe to its strict Code of Ethics. Not all real estate agents are REALTORS. All REALTORS are members of NAR.
CONTACT: Wendy Harper of National Association of Realtors, +1-202-383-1192, wharper (at) realtors (dot) org
/PRNewswire-USNewswire – Nov. 5/
SOURCE National Association of Realtors
© 2007 PR Newswire. All Rights Reserved.
