Take Me Out to the Ballgame...

We don't typically use this blog to promote events, 

but this one is HUGE!

In celebration of our Centennial, we are bringing back REALTOR® Night with the Indians! In years past, REALTORS® would gather and nearly pack the old Busch Stadium for REALTOR® Night. 

We are bringing back the fun, the celebration and the camaraderie! - We need YOU to help us fill seats and participate in the first pitch and on field games!

July 26 is OUR Night!

BUY NOW! These tickets are not going to last long! At $5 each, you can easily buy in bulk and distribute them to your clients, families, friends and colleagues! Let's fill the stands and celebrate 100 years together!

Learn more about our 'First Pitch Auction' and how to get a chance to participate in the on field games by visiting our Centennial website - here. 

Purchase your tickets at the REALTOR® Store, online or in person!

Play Ball!!!

Moving Up, Moving Out...

Promotional photos like this one inspired 

U.S. military men and women returning home 

from Germany and Japan to invest in a new home 

with funds collected through the G.I. Bill.

"Celebrating the Good Times Finally. After a decade of economic turmoil, followed by years of dark and tense moments against the Axis Forces, U.S. citizens could breath a collective sigh of relief. In the days following World War II, residents in Indianapolis and around the country cheered and wept as they welcomed soldiers returning home and celebrated the return of economic stability. 
The changes to the economic and social climate were almost immediate at the conclusion of the War, and REALTORS® were among the first beneficiaries of this dramatic shift. One example was in new home construction. During the Great Depression, the creation of new homes in Indianapolis had virtually halted. In 1933, for instance, there were only 27 new homes build within the city limits. During the War, construction was limited by a lack of building supplies.

But shortly after the War, new neighborhoods, such as Eagledale, near 34th Street and Georgetown Road, erupted with 3,400 housing units completed by 1949 with more than 10,000 new residents."

-- Excerpt from REALTORS®: Opening Doors for 100 Years (pages 83-84)

Do you have YOUR copy yet? www.mibor100.com

Transformation in Action...

On June 7^th, we will be installing permanent medallions on the 32 homes in the Building a Living Legacy Project in St. Clair Place. A few days ago, I was out in the neighborhood marking the spot on each house where the medallions will be installed. As usual it was a beautiful day. I don’t know why it is, but most of the time I’m in St. Clair Place, the weather is incredible. Blue skies, puffy white clouds, bright green grass, a gentle breeze, you get the picture. Most of our volunteer days last year were blessed with equally fantastic weather. No need to discuss the snowy, icy bus tours in early 2011 or 95 plus degree groundbreaking ceremony last summer – let’s stay positive people. Anyway, the place puts me in a good mood.

I have to say though, the most delightful thing happened when I passed a certain house. On the corner of Eastern and St. Clair is the cutest arts and crafts style home. We’re talking adorable, magazine cover quality material. And what was else on the corner in the yard? One of the last remaining yard signs from the project – one of YOUR signs with the MIBOR centennial logo plastered front and center. I was so proud! 

Then it hit me. That was the exact corner where I went with Cabinet Chair Bill Hacker last year as he taped an interview for WFYI’s series More than a Game. That day with Bill, we had to keep stopping the taping because the construction noise on the house. You’ll have to take my word for it, but that house looked nothing like the beautiful piece of architecture I saw this time. Wow! It’s an amazing home that will bring new beginnings for a family. I could not have been proud or more convinced that this project was just the right fit for REALTORS®.

I hope I’ll see you on the 7^th. The party will be celebration; a toast to all the real estate community has accomplished through Building a Living Legacy. You just have to see it. 

Claire Belby

MIBOR Communications Director

Now I'm A Believer...

I’m not one to get too excited for rallies. I’ll don a rally cap at a ball game from time to time, but political rallies have never been my thing. I’m a political junkie and politics is a big part of my job, so I see the value and I recognize the impact, but I’m just not a true believer. They always seemed a little goofy – a little too “rah-rah” for my taste. 

However, the National Association of REALTORS® Rally to Protect the American Dream on May 17th was not one of those rallies. I showed up a skeptic but I left impressed.

There I was, front and center. About 50 feet from the stage, the Washington Monument directly behind it and the White House right behind us. Amidst all of that: 15,000 blue t-shirts emblazoned with the REALTOR® “R” logo. NAR notes this was the largest gathering of REALTORS® ever recorded.

The location and numbers were impressive. So were the logistics organized by NAR. Getting 15,000 non-local people into and out of a location safely, timely and effectively shouldn’t be overlooked. The staff and volunteers did a phenomenal job planning and executing.

But again, that alone isn’t going to get me excited about a rally.

So what did? I don’t really know. It’s the aggregate of everything involved. 

The excitement of the week. Nearly everyone at The Monument in their blue t-shirt had been on Capitol Hill in a suit the day before. All of us meeting with our Members of Congress and sharing our viewpoints on some issues critical to our industry. (Read more on those Hill visits here.) We met with our Representatives and Senators and told them our stories, made our points and asked for their support. It is a personal and effective way to get things done in Washington. But now, we were putting an emphatic exclamation point on the end of those visits with this rally. Each member of Congress saw that the 20 or so REALTORS® that were in their office yesterday are part of the 15,000 energized voices they’re hearing coming from the National Mall. 

The message. During the course of the rally, we heard from some great speakers including Georgia Senator (and REALTOR®) Johnny Isakson, Congressman Steny Hoyer, NAR Chief Economist Lawrence Yun and several more. We heard from REALTORS®, association leaders, immigrants, minority leaders, elected officials and more. Each of them articulated it a different way, but their message was clear – homeownership matters. 

The impact. Helicopters, TV cameras & reporters were all on site. Twitter was blowing up with people who were participating in the rally or people who were hearing about it. Later, news articles were popping up all over the place – and in the right places right there in The Beltway.  For a city that has thousands of rallies and demonstrations each year, Washington took notice of us. Our message was delivered and in the days after we left we have already seen movement on some of the issues we were talking about.

RPAC. As a staff member tasked with promoting RPAC to the membership, it was exciting to see so much enthusiasm from REALTORS® from all 50 states for RPAC. The crowd was alive, it was energetic and it was passionate. RPAC was like a rock-star that day and the RPAC Pig was in hog-heaven.

I’m being honest when I say this. I was blown away at how drastically my expectations were exceeded. The Rally to Protect Homeownership met all of the objectives NAR aimed at and more. The influence of REALTORS® and RPAC was apparent that day. I left proud and feeling very fortunate to be on staff at MIBOR and to be able to represent such an important and influential group of professionals.

Pat Cline

Political Affairs Liaison

Click here for more pictures!

Reflections on My First Day...

June 7, 1990 was my first day affiliated with a real estate firm. I recall when I walked in the door that morning, there were butterflies in my stomach. I felt as though the world had opened its doors to me and it was my destiny to open “real doors” for others. There was much to learn and understand. I wanted to be a sponge and work aggressively to take in as much as I could. 

Looking back on that day – and all those early days for me – it’s easy to see how much has changed. Just think about technology alone. We are light years ahead of where we were in those days. I remember processes being slow and far less efficient than we have now become accustomed to. I recall a contraption sitting by a computer that we placed the telephone handset into.  After several, very slow, clicks on the DOS based system, the regular phone line would eventually connect to the MLS (now our BLC® listing service). Funny enough, at the time this seemed very sophisticated compared to trading information about listings on 3x5 cards with fellow REALTORS®, it really wasn’t. We had miles to go!

I remember listing sheets had no photos and the printing quality was poor. Remember those dot matrix prints outs? Not always easy to read to say the least. We had no ink cartridges, only printer ribbons that didn’t provide clarity or sharpness. Very boring to say the least! 

I am grateful for the tools that we now have, and I have embraced the use of them in my business. Thank you MIBOR for being an ever-evolving organization that has helped REALTORS® stay – and become – more professional. 

Pam Aguirre, CRB, CRS, GRI

RE/MAX Legends Group

It's YOUR turn! What changes have you seen since you entered the business? What was your first day like? Post your thoughts in our comments section!

REALTORS® Make It Personal On Capitol Hill

REALTORS® have always made their voice 
heard on Capitol Hill. Here is a group gathered
in D.C. in the late 1990s.

For more than 20 years, MIBOR has participated in the National Association of REALTORS® Midyear Meetings in Washington D.C. Below is a recap of the Capitol Hill visits during this year's trip. Stay tuned for additional recaps and photos that we'll post in the coming weeks! 

Last week, thousands of REALTORS® attended the National Association of REALTORS® Midyear Meetings in Washington D.C. The week included many excellent governance meetings, forums on hot topics, and an energized rally of over 13,000 REALTORS® at the Washington Monument. But by far, the most important part of the week were the visits to Capitol Hill to meet one on one with Members of Congress to address issues important to homeowners and the real estate industry.

While the REALTOR® Association prides itself on having an effective lobbying team in Washington, I can tell you that nothing is more effective than having Members of Congress hear directly from REALTOR® constituents. As Congressman Steny Hoyer from Maryland commented in a speech last week, REALTORS® are the experts when it comes to issues pertaining to real estate and he depends on their insight. Hearing firsthand from folks back home on how decisions they make are impacting their constituents is invaluable.

MIBOR leaders meet with Senator Richard Lugar.
Click here to see additional photos from the Hill visits!

MIBOR Leaders meet with Congressman
Andre Carson on Capitol Hill.

REALTORS® carried their messages to each visit talking about important issues of the day including things like reauthorizing the national flood insurance program that expires in a few day, bolstering commercial  lending, and protecting home ownership tax benefits to name a few. (click here for a full list of issues) But what caught the attention of our Congressmen were the personal stories shared by these REALTORS® - real life experiences with things like the  lengthy short sales process, prohibitive FHA condominium rules, continued appraisal frustrations, difficulty securing credit, and so on. 

Sharing these personal experiences made it clear that these issues don’t just impact REALTORS®, but also buyers, sellers, property values, neighborhoods, and communities.

We’ve already seen results. Since those visits, several of our Congressmen have signed on as co-sponsors of legislation that will address some of these important issues. And just this week came word from HUD that they plan to announce changes soon to some of their FHA regulations. So despite what we see on the front page, or on television, know that change is still possible!

Chris Pryor,

MIBOR Government Affairs Director 

Follow me on Twitter! @cpryor1912

MIBOR YPN is Energized...

Looking back over 100 years also gives us an opportunity to look forward. What will the next 100 years bring? We're excited about the great potential and energy that exists within our membership. Here is a post from a member sharing his excitement about the MIBOR Young Professionals Network (MIBORYPN):


I’m excited? How about you? I am energized about the MIBOR Young Professionals Network (YPN) and to be writing to you about the new and reinvented MIBOR YPN group.

Just recently, YPN took on a new approach, and just this week the group re-launched the chapter with new leadership, new goals and new events all aimed at the next generation of REALTORS®.  

So, what does this mean? As, always our goal is to inform, empower and mastermind young professional REALTORS®, and those young at heart, in the MIBOR service area. YPN’s goal is to help you navigate the real estate profession with ease, network with the industry leaders and have a good time while doing all of this. Who doesn’t want to be a part of a winning team? I know I do. 

After the success of this week’s Top Producer round table discussion, we are looking forward to a summer filled with networking opportunities for people like you. 


And the best part of it all - you cannot buy your way in our group!  You can only try it for FREE!

If you haven’t already, explore MIBOR YPN! Join Us! 


John Murphy
Main Street Financial
YPN Committee Member
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