NYSCAR Annual Conference to be held June 14-16

By: Joseph Rowley, Jr. As I write this column, we are preparing to attend the 9th Annual NYS Commercial Real Estate Conference being held June 14-16 at the Turning Stone Resort and Casino in Verona, hosted by the NYS Commercial Association of Realtors (NYSCAR), the NYS chapters of CCIM/SIOR and the Society of Exchange Counselors. We are looking forward to a very successful conference and want to again thank our sponsors for their support: * Diamond sponsor: Pyramid Brokerage Co. * Platinum sponsors: CB Richard Ellis Upstate offices, New York Real Estate Journal. * Gold sponsor: Upstate SIOR chapter. * Silver sponsors: Business and Commercial LSG, Exchange Authority, Keller Williams Commercial, Key Bank, LaBella Associates, PC, RISCO, Saratoga Economic Development Corp., Synapse Partners, Turner Construction Co., and Douglas Whitaker & Associates, Inc. We are looking forward to an economic update by Dr. Mark Dotzour, chief economist, Real Estate Center at Texas A&M University in College Station, Tex. Attendees are also able to participate in the 1 ½ day marketing session (moderators: Jim Wilson, CCIM, SEC and Chuck Sutherland, SEC) and Leasing Roundtable: "Blend and Extend" with Maureen Wilson, CCIM, SIOR, president Pyramid Brokerage and Peter Vergis, executive director, Pyramid Brokerage Co. On the 16th, attendees will have a choice of five education programs as follows: "Utilizing Self Directed IRAs for Real Estate Investment...Tax Enhanced Programs for Companies and Individuals," by Steve Moran, Entrust Northeast; "Yesterday's Business-VANISHED-Transform Today or Be Left Behind" by Tim Conley, CCIM, SIOR, Conley Associates; "Effective Counseling and Representation of Real Estate Clients," by Jim Wilson, CCIM, SEC and Bob Giniecki, CCIM, SEC; "Discrimination Issues in Commercial Brokerage," by Edward Smith, Jr., ITI; and "Analysis and Financing of Owner/User Commercial & Business Property," by Tony Saya, Key Bank. If you have not signed up for the conference, we invite you to join us for this great annual event! Go to www.nyscar.org and download a registration form. Creative Real Estate Formulas NYSCAR in cooperation with the Hudson Valley chapter held a class on April 21, entitled "Creative Real Estate Formulas," instructed by Sutherland. The class was a great success with 41 attendees! Sutherland will be a moderator at the marketing session June 14-15 at the annual conference at the Turning Stone Resort and Casino. Washington Meetings During my visit to Washington, D.C. for the National Association of Realtors Mid-Year Meetings in May, I was greatly impressed at how coordinated and professional the Legislative Lobbyists for Realtors are. Talking Points were prepared in a convenient packet for all that went to Capitol Hill for meetings with senate and house of representative leaders. Regional Caucuses were held before and after these meetings, and reports were shared by the NAR staff of recent accomplishments and setbacks, and set out our agenda moving forward. One of the four talking points was on Commercial Mortgage Market Liquidity. It is essential for the lending climate to improve dramatically to help our economy pick up out of this Great Recession. The Realtors Commercial Alliance assembled a Commercial Information Pack that included the Commercial Priorities, Framework for a Sustainable Commercial Real Estate Recovery, additional Legislative Talking Points and an explanation of the new Medicare Tax on "Unearned" Net Investment Income. Please be sure to respond to the Calls for Action from the NAR on important legislative issues. I look forward to seeing you at the annual conference in June! Joseph Rowley, Jr. is the 2010 president of NYSCAR and is a VP at CBRE/Rochester, Rochester, N.Y.