Agents laughed, drank, ate, joked and danced their way into a new year teaming with promise and challenges. Master of ceremonies, Aspen Realty agent Don Bosson - who could easily side as a stand-up comic - led a room full of about 90 people into a remake of the Ohio Players' "Fire," and changed the chorus to "Buyers." Outgoing board President Theresa Souers, who capped a full year by leaving Century 21 Tahoe Paradise to start Pinnacle Real Estate, passed out stirring spoons to illustrate the tools agents will need to move into 2007.
"Don't get complacent. Change is scary," Souers said before the grateful group providing a standing ovation. When outgoing California Association of Realtors President Vince Malta took the podium as guest speaker, he suggested the agents view change as a means to "prove what you can do.
" He stressed agents embrace the Internet since over half the buyers used Web tools in 2004 and 70 percent last year. Next year, the estimate is expected to climb to 75 percent, Malta pointed out. "Think of it as not your big gest challenge but your biggest tool," he said.
"We know it hasn't been an easy year. It's been a year in transition. And 2007 is going to be a fantastic year.
" With that, Souers passed her tiara to new board President Cheryl Murakami of Re/Max Realty - who carried the dominant theme. Souers later gained the title Realtor of the year during an off-the-cuff awards ceremony led by agents Molly Blann of Aspen Realty and Deb Howard. "Every trade and industry has experienced change," Murakami said, referring to the stock market as one of the most prevalent lines of work.
Further, she cited that only a few years ago e-commerce became a part of the real estate world - noting the Internet is here to stay for the industry. "Change - this is difficult for most people," she said.
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