December Publisher's Letter
Dear Readers,
Another December has rolled around. Of course, this is a very different December from the ones that I can remember of late. However, in many ways it will be a far more precious holiday season than I have experienced when things were economically thriving.
I believe that it make take some soul searching, but when we do the deep thinking of why we feel so badly about not having the extra cash to spend on massive amounts of presents and holiday cheer, we may realize that the real gift is of ourselves and the love you can share with your friends and family and even perfect strangers with a smile and greeting. It feels awesome.
This economically challenged time is bringing people together. Neighbors are talking, feuds are being dissolved, friends and family are spending time together and people are getting back to basics. There is joy in all of that, and this holiday season can be one of the best ever. Embrace it and get creative—or just create simply. The best memories I have growing up are of the simple and creative things my parents did for the holidays when times were tough—like wrapping our presents in brown paper bags and twine “because Santa Claus could not afford fancy wrapping for all those children.”
Everyone involved in E RealEstateExec wishes you and your family a simply wonderful holiday. We hope you enjoy your December issue to start off the month.
In our National article, Michelle Savage looks at the trend of home raffles. While there are rules and regulations that must be followed depending on the state the raffle is being held in, this is becoming an increasingly popular option for those who would otherwise have trouble selling their home for full market value. Read more about folks who are giving this option a try in “Home Raffles: A Creative Trend.”
Our December Feature article is on the Las Vegas International Alliance, headed by Tamara Tyrbouslu. You may already be familiar with Tamara due to her extensive involvement in the Real Estate community, and with this fairly new and already successful endeavor, she hopes to create relationships with Real Estate professionals from around the world. Read more about this new alliance in Cathie C. Hulen’s article, “LVIA: Synergizing the Global Market.”
For our Profile 1 we focus on Sharon Exarhos of Realty Executives. Sharon is one of those people who seems to always be on the move, and her positive attitude and work ethic are things that she inherited as a third-generation REALTOR®. Read all about Sharon in Cathie C. Hulen’s article, “Endless Energy in a ‘We’ Business.”
In our December Profile 2, again Cathie C. Hulen takes the reins and talks with Steffen Bandilla, a local Real Estate professional and entrepreneur. Always being open to new opportunities has led him to his involvement with MonaVie nutritional juices, and he talks about what a great partnership it is. Read more in “Steffen Bandilla: A Natural Entrepreneur.”
With the economy uncertain, it is often tempting to look only at the immediate future and to ignore long-term plans. Our Beyond Green article for December focuses on how we can still make important changes in these economic times, and often to the benefit of the bottom line. Read more about it in Cliff Korman’s article, “Going Green During Tough Times.”
Neonopolis has been mocked and ridiculed for its failure to thrive—almost since the doors opened. However, there are plans in the works to revamp the downtown attraction into something that has the potential to be much more successful. Read all about this in Downtown Steve’s article, “Plans Are in Place to Transform Epicenter of Fremont Street.”
For some, the holiday blues are a common occurrence under normal circumstances, and it’s not hard to get down in the dumps when the holidays are coming and the coffers are low. In our December Lifestyle article, Rita Templeton shows us a simple way to cheer ourselves up—the Happy Box. It’s something that’s easy to do and that will come in handy when you really need it most. Read more about it in Rita’s article, “Bliss… in a Box?”
We have a new president. How ever you may feel about who that president is, the fact that he is “new” fosters a sense of change, and therefore, hope. We can agree that the economy needs to change, especially if we are to thrive as Real Estate professionals, but what specifically will those changes be? Read more about what we can expect from our new president in John Benedict’s Legal Notes article, “Can a New President Boost the Real Estate Market?”
With the holidays here, it’s time to surround ourselves with friends and family and appreciate what we have, and that often means entertaining. And in a high-rise environment, that can take on a whole different twist. In Brenda Calvin’s December Vertical Update article, “Hearth & Home: Enjoying Guests in a High-Rise Abode,” read about how high-rise entertaining can offer your guests the best of what high-rise living and the holidays have to offer.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of our writers, photographers, staff, supporters, advertisers and readers that have made this year successful for E RealEstateExec. Also, I want to thank all of those people for making the year an interesting and fun-filled 12 months of fabulous friends—new and old. I could not be more grateful at this time for the relationships I have developed around this publication.
On a sad note, my partner Rebecca has been dealing with the situation of her mother being gravely ill. Her mom is in the hospital and I wanted to humbly ask you all to send thoughts of love and peace to Rebecca and her family during this challenging and emotional time. Rebecca is not just my partner but she is my friend. My heart is with you, Rebecca.
My wish for all of our readers is to have a peaceful, love-filled holiday season that is not based on the amount of cash you spend but on the amount of love you share and can show to others without spending a cent.
Until 2009!
Lee Papa
Publisher
E RealEstateExec
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http://www.erealestateexec.com
