NARPM National Convention 2010

Wow, what an October! I have been so very excited to share some news of NARPM’s annual convention in downtown Seattle, but we have been busy getting lots of residents moved into their new homes. I’m sorry for the delay.

For those of you who don’t know, we have had a very exciting year here at Bell-Anderson. First of all, our broker (and my aunt) Vickie kicked breast cancer to the curb, all while running Bell-Anderson and leading the National Association of Residential Property Managers (NARPM from here on out) as the 2010 National President. NARPM is an organization of over 3,400 residential property managers nationwide, so this is quite the accomplishment for Vickie. This year, our annual convention happened to be in our own backyard: at the Sheraton in downtown Seattle. Carrie Fjeld, residential property manager, co-chaired the entire event with over 500 attendees. Needless to say, we have been busy, but it was a blast!

Our week started off with the Leadership Seminar given by Dr. Joseph Michelli. He has written several books studying successful organizations: two from our hometown. We learned how the Pike Place Fish Market went from last in sales to first by deciding to treat their customer’s like rockstars, and how Starbucks has created the “third place,” a café that is more than just a coffee shop. What struck me was one of the mottos of the Ritz-Carlton, namely “Ladies and gentlemen serving ladies and gentleman.” This type of attitude creates a culture of mutual respect, something everyone could use more of. We rounded off Tuesday evening with a beautiful cruise around the Puget Sound for the President’s Tour.

On Wednesday Morning, 22 golf teams headed out to China Creek at Newcastle for the first annual Past President’s Charity Golf Tournament. Bell-Anderson had four players in the tournament sporting pink polos and matching socks, and we also sponsored the 6th hole. While the majority of the players who men who maybe weren’t big Twilight fans, they were all good sports about our Forks-themed hole run by Debi and Maria. Overall, the tournament raised over $30,000 for Creative Living Services and was a great success and a lot of fun

Wednesday afternoon, Thursday and Friday were a series of workshops and business meetings. My favorites were an economic forecast from local researcher Jim Hebert, and a hilariously entertaining presentation from Bill Stainton (Almost Live) about the best decisions the Beatles made that led to their success. On a more embarrassing note, four audience members including myself were called onstage for a live performance, black bowl wigs and all. (I played George Harrison).

The most exciting part of the convention came Friday at lunch during the award ceremonies. First of all, Vickie passed the baton to the next National President, Tony Drost. I know that Vickie thoroughly enjoyed her time working with NARPM, but we are all excited to get to see her around the office more. Also, all three residential managers in our department earned professional designations this year. Carrie was awarded her Master Property Manager (MPM) designation, and Dawn and I (Kasey) earned our Residential Management Professional (RMP) designations. Also, Bell-Anderson as a whole was awarded our Certified Residential Management Company (CRMC) designation. Yes, this is a lot of letters! What this means is that we have been working hard to educate ourselves so our clients can rest assured that they are getting property management professionals who value education and are very active in the industry as a whole. Finally, I was humbled to receive the Rocky Maxwell award for volunteerism in a new member of NARPM.

The convention closed with a gala and “NARPM’s Got Talent” show hosted by Vickie in her tiara where the membership showed off their skills. Stefanie Octave, Condo AR Bookkeeper played the bassoon, and she was AWESOME!

The entire Bell-Anderson crew was on hand for the dinner gala and then spent the night in the hotel for our annual retreat.

In an effort to not hog the keyboard, here is what a few of the other gals said about the convention:

“I think that it's important to share the fact that we were one of four companies in the state of Washington to receive our Certified Residential Management Company (CRMC) designation. Along with our AMO (Accredited Management Organization) from the Institute of Real Estate Management that makes us, to my knowledge, the only company in the entire US with both designations, signifying our dedication to professionalism and integrity. Also at the awards celebration Carrie Fjeld received her Master Property Manager (MPM) designation and Kasey Medina along with Dawn Hardley were awarded their Residential Management Professional (RMP) designation. This just demonstrates how the Bell-Anderson crew is dedicated to real estate management education as well as maintaining integrity at all times.” ~ Vickie Gaskill

” I always come back to work with a head full of great ideas and a bucket load of new contacts and friends around the country, both property managers and vendors! I am doing my best to treat all of my contacts like "rockstars" (from Dr. Michellis's Leadership course) if even for just a moment, and it has paid great dividends so far, I have picked up 3 news houses in just two weeks!!!” ~Dawn Hardley
“This year was a really special year at convention for me, with my mom, Vickie being the national president this year of NARPM. It was such a joy to watch my mom shine and shine she did at one point even wearing a tiara for our last night. We had a great year and it finally paid off when 3 people in our office, one of which included me, received professional designations. Our office also received the only company designation offered by NARPM that only 5 companies in the King County hold. The designation that I received is the highest professional designation that you can get and that is a MPM, Master Property Manager and the one that Bell-Anderson received is CRMC, Certified Residential Management Company. I am very proud of both of those accomplishments and also my co-workers, Kasey and Dawn who received their RMP, Residential Management Professional designations. The national convention in Seattle was one of the best I have been to and I have been to 6 of them all together. I am not even being biased it was truly a great year. I met some great people and got to catch up with friends that I haven’t seen in a while. Every time we get together it’s like a big extended family reunion along with great education to help us become better property managers. Our business is forever evolving with new laws and new ways of managing property more effectively and efficiently so it is nice to have these conferences so we can catch up. I am looking forward to Dallas in 2011 already.” ~ Carrie Fjeld


“Awesome experience! You should attend if you are a new member!” ~ Maria Garcia


Overall, the convention was fabulous! The hotel was beautiful, the turnout and the network opportunities were amazing. The speakers and classes were helpful and relevant to our business. I can tell that Carrie and the rest of the convention crew put a lot of work into it. Congrats again to everyone who made the week a success!

Foreclosure Process in Washington

By: Rebekah Near, ORCA Information, Inc.
www.orcainformation.com

This report is to provide you with the information on how the foreclosure process works in Washington State and how long it takes for a bank for a bank or mortgage company to foreclose on your property under Washington’s deed of trust act (RCW Chapter 61.24).

The foreclosure process set out in the legal statue is known as a nonjudicial foreclosure, meaning it is a foreclosure conducted without having to go to court and have a judge order a sheriff’s sale of your property. Instead of a judge, the foreclosure is handled by a trustee who is appointed by the lender. The entire process is basically a series of notices given by a trustee to the borrower and anyone else who has an interest in the property, followed by a public auction (also known as a trustee’s sale). The highest bidder at the trustee’s sale is entitled to a trustee’s deed to the property and to possession of the property 20 days after the sale.

The first step in the process is usually to name a new trustee, since most of the deed of trust forms name a title insurance company as trustee and the title companies in this state do not do the foreclosures. The trustee named can be an attorney or a corporation, but cannot be the same person or company as the beneficiary under the deed of trust (the beneficiary is the lender).

The trustee must follow exactly the procedures set out in the deed of trust act. The basic steps are listed below. There are specific requirements in the law covering what must be included in each notice sent to the property owner.

STEP ONE
Notice of Default
The Notice of Default must be mailed by first class and certified mail to the borrower and must also be personally served on the borrower or posted at the property. The Notice of Default must tell the borrower what the default is (usually failure to make payments), how much is owed for the delinquent payments, trustee/attorney’s fees and other costs that would have to be paid to bring the loan current. It must also advise the borrower that if the default is not cured in 30 days, the property will be scheduled for sale at an auction by the trustee.

The Notice of Default must be mailed/served on the borrower at least 30 days before the Notice of Trustee’s Sale.

STEP TWO
Notice of Trustee’s Sale
If the default is not cured, the trustee schedules the property for a sale at a public auction. The Notice must be given at least 90 days before the sale. The notice must be mailed first class and certified and served on the borrower, the occupant of the property and on anyone else who holds a recorded interest in the property. The trustee must order a title report (Trustee’s Sale Guarantee) from a title insurance company to find out who holds a recorded interest so the trustee can give notice to all parties entitled to receive a notice. The notice must also be published twice in the newspaper (a month before and a week before the scheduled sale). The Notice advises the borrower and anyone else that the loan is in default and if the default is not cured the property will be sold to the highest bidder at the time and place set out in the Notice. In Skagit County, the sale must be held on a Friday at the court house.

STEP THREE
Notice of Foreclosure
This step occurs simultaneously with Step Two since the Notice of Foreclosure is sent to the borrower along with the Notice of Trustee’s Sale. This Notice gives the borrower the amount necessary to reinstate the loan and also an estimate of how much will be owed 11 days before the sale. The 11th day before the sale is the borrower’s last chance to reinstate the loan by making up back payments and any additional costs. After that date, the lender does not have to accept anything less than full payment of the entire loan balance, plus costs.

STEP FOUR
Trustee’s Sale
The trustee’s sale is a public auction held at the court house, with the sale to the highest bidder. Only cash, cashier’s check or a combination of cash and cashier’s check are accepted. Usually the sale is to the lender for the amount owed to the lender at the time of the sale.

STEP FIVE
Trustee’s Deed and Possession
Following the sale, the trustee issues a trustee’s deed to the highest bidder. The new owner is entitled to possession of the property 20 days after the sale. If the borrower does not move out by then, the new owner can evict them using the same procedure a landlord would use to evict a tenant.

7 Easy Steps for Email Etiquette

by Jennifer Corp, Condo AP Bookkeeper

We write emails every day, probably more than we talk on the phone. Since emailing has become a part of our daily work routine it is always good to get an etiquette refresher. Listed below are the top 7 important etiquette tips (taken from www.ehow.com):

1. Begin each email with a greeting. No matter how pressed for time you are, a simple greeting such as "Hi," "Hello," or "Dear X" is good etiquette. Otherwise, if you launch into your email without a greeting or introduction you run the risk of seeming impolite or impatient.
2. Take the time to ensure your subject line accurately reflects the contents and nature of your email. This will go a long way to ensure that your email gets the attention and consideration it deserves.
3. Be as concise as possible. Your recipients will appreciate it if you keep your email short, sweet and to the point, and you'll also increase your chance of getting a timely reply.
4. Ask permission before forwarding another person's email correspondence. Even if you're confident that the other person wouldn't mind if you forward their email to someone else, it's good etiquette to check first so you don't risk violating their trust.
5. Reply to emails in a timely fashion. If you know in advance that you can't give an email the attention it deserves at the moment, give the sender a quick heads-up that you have received their email but haven't had time to review it yet.
6. Send personal emails from your non-work account. Sending personal emails from work is generally "frowned upon" in business, but occasionally we all need to send a personal email during working hours. In this instance, use a web-based email account such as Yahoo or Hotmail.
7. Remember that your work email, both the address and all correspondence, is the property of the company you work for. Anything you've ever sent or received--even if you've deleted it--could potentially be retrieved from the system by a database administrator at any time.

Office Closure

The Bell-Anderson office will be closed on Friday, October 15th. The company will be attending the NARPM National Conference in Seattle. If you have an emergency, meaning fire, flood or blood, please call our office at 253-852-8195 and you will be directed to the emergency pager. Thank you in advance for your patience!

60 Mile Breast Cancer Walk

by Vickie Gaskill, CPM®, MPM@, Owner/Broker

Many of you have very generously supported two of our colleagues (who just so happen to be my daughters) in their quest to raise funds for the Susan G. Komen 60 mile Walk for the Cure. As most of our friends and associates know, I was diagnosed with breast cancer last December and underwent a bilateral mastectomy on Jan. 12th. In my case, the girls saw how much breast cancer research has improved over just the past couple of years. They wanted to do something to give back to that research. I sincerely thank all of you for the support that you extended to them.



Well, the girls did it. They walked all 60 miles this past Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. It was probably on of the most emotional events of theirs as well as my life. I was out of town and had to miss the first day. But Tim and I found where they were on Saturday and Sunday and cheered them on every chance we got. They call people like us “walker stalkers” and I don’t mind the title one bit. Now if you know anything at all about the greater Seattle area, they walked from Bothell to Everett, all around Everett, and then were bused into Seattle, walking all over Capital Hill and down to the Seattle Center. A good visual would be walking from Seattle to Olympia. That’s a heck of a long way.


The men and women who participated in this event were absolutely inspiring. Firemen in full gear were walking for the loved ones in their lives who died of this dreadful disease. One lady pushed an empty wheelchair the entire way for a special friend of hers. I saw women on canes and crutches. I saw tears and a whole bunch of cheers. If you ever have the opportunity to volunteer, walk, or finance a 60 mile walk in the future, I encourage you to do so. You will be totally moved by doing so.

Help is on the way; stay prepared this flood season!

September 3, 2010

Dear Floodplain Property Owner,

I’m pleased to share good news with you – President Obama recently signed legislation that funds improvements to strengthen the Howard Hanson Dam, reducing the risk of flooding to the Green River Valley. The funding allows the dam’s operator, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, to complete repairs by the 2011/2012 flood season. Once these measures are in place, the Corps believes that the dam could be operated at full flood-control capacity for decades.

Storms in January 2009 weakened the dam, causing the Corps to restrict the water level in the reservoir behind the dam and increasing the risk of flooding in the valley. Given the significant public safety and economic threat that a weakened Howard Hanson Dam would cause, the King County Flood Control District, along with the Corps, Governor Gregoire, King County and valley city elected officials, quickly came together to prepare for the potential impacts of flooding and to advocate for emergency repairs.

Our local congressional delegation responded and we are very appreciative of their efforts to secure the necessary funds to provide additional repairs. The repairs will provide critically needed protection and time for the Corps to evaluate whether additional long-term repairs are necessary. We must all continue to be diligent to protect the people, businesses and infrastructure of the Green River Valley and to minimize devastating economic impacts from potential floods.

What does this mean for you?

While last year’s temporary improvements were successful at lowering the risk of flooding in the Green River Valley, the dam will continue to operate at a limited capacity during the upcoming 2010/2011 flood season. Therefore there is still a heightened risk of flooding. It is important for you to get ready and stay ready.

• Buy flood insurance, if you have not already done so;
• Establish or update an emergency plan for your family, business, pets or livestock; and
• Have emergency supplies on hand.

Please help us spread the word about the continued risk of flooding during the 2010/2011 flood season and the importance of being prepared. Share this information with your family, neighbors, friends and coworkers.

For more flood preparedness information, please go to www.kingcounty.gov/floodplans. If you have questions or comments please contact info@kingcountyfloodcontrol.org. For information about the King County Flood Control District please go to www.kingcountyfloodcontrol.org.

Sincerely,

Julia Patterson, Chair
Board of Supervisors
King County Flood Control District


The King County Flood Control District is a special purpose government created to provide funding and policy oversight for flood protection projects and programs in King County. The Flood Control District’s Board is composed of the members of the King County Council. The Water and Land Resources Division of the King County Department of Natural Resources and Parks develops and implements the approved flood protection projects and programs. Information is available at www.kingcountyfloodcontrol.org.

Tacoma Concert Band Fundraiser at Joseppi's in Tacoma

Stefanie Octave, our Condo AR Bookkeeper, has been invited to play bassoon with the Tacoma Concert Band for their summer series, and hopefully more performances in the future! All of the band members are volunteers for this non-profit group, and to raise money, there will be a special evening at Joeseppi's Italian Ristorante in Tacoma.

On Tuesday, October 12th, from 4-8pm, if diners say they are there to support the Tacoma Concert Band (and 100 diners show up throughout the evening), the group will receive 20% of the entire night’s proceeds. There will also be a silent auction at the restaurant. Take your family out to dinner for a great cause! For more information on the band or the event, click here.