LETTER FROM THE PUBLISHER

Hello Readers!

Welcome to November’s issue of
E RealEstateExec. There are so many things that we could discuss this month from Thanksgiving coming upon us to the upcoming election, the financial debacle to installing the new officers for the Women’s Council of REALTORS® Las Vegas Chapter. There are positive good discussion topics and there are challenging ones. So why rehash and regurgitate the challenging ones? It only brings us more of the same, right? Let’s focus on bringing more of what we want to this world and our lives by staying focused on what is good.

In that light, I was introduced by one of our esteemed writers to a fabulous experience that I want to share. It was an online Global Peace Meditation through the Deepak Chopra Center (http://chopra.com). Apparently there were 80 million of us worldwide participating in this hour-long session for the collective intent of peace in the world. I could have found a thousand other things to do with this hour and truly, right up until the moment it began, I was not sure this was the best use of my time. Seriously! What could be a better use of time than coming together for the purpose of world peace! It was a fleeting negative thought—that voice in your head (ego) or the devil on your shoulder—whatever it was I happily sent it on its way and began to have a profound experience with 79,999,999 others who desire the same world that embraces peace.

I encourage all of you to stay present in your thoughts daily in a positive way. I recently read an interesting approach to little prayers in daily life. Whenever you see the prefix to a Web site www or World Wide Web, use it as a little prayer and say World Without War. I usually try to stay focused on the positive, meaning wanting and promoting peace—not being against war—but this was an interesting approach to a small daily activity that would raise consciousness and in turn promote peace.

With that being shared, let me tell you what interesting articles we have in store for you.

In these tough economic times it’s more important than ever that we take full advantage of every opportunity to save money. In this month’s National article, “Tax Tips to Survive the Economic Downturn,” Michelle Savage reminds us of the potential savings that can be had by utilizing the write-offs that are a part of our business—from travel to home office equipment, and even money spent toward marketing in print and on the Web. Now is the time to make sure you’re doing all that you can to maximize your bottom line.

Our Feature article for November is on Baby’s Bounty, a nonprofit organization created by Kim Amato. The goal of Baby’s Bounty is to provide for the needs of newborns and their mothers who may not otherwise have necessities such as clothing, strollers and cribs, among other things. Kim is recognized as a driving force in Las Vegas charities, and this relatively new endeavor of hers is a beautiful idea from the heart of a woman who truly cares for the least fortunate among us. We congratulate Kim on the success of this project so far, and encourage our readers to help out in any way they can. You can read all about Kim and Baby’s Bounty in Debbie Sklar’s article, “Baby’s Bounty: Nonprofit Organization Benefits Newborns and Mothers.”

Debbie has recently joined the EREE team and we are thrilled to have her. With more than 20 years of journalism experience, she is a great fit and we look forward to working with her for a long time to come.

In our Profile 1 article Cathie C. Hulen talks to Carlos Silva of Century 21 Advantage Gold. Carlos is an investments specialist who works nationally and internationally with investors and deals primarily in resort hotels and bulk packages. He is optimistic about the future of investing and credits the quality of the products he offers for that optimism. Read more about Carlos and his team in “Earning Trust Helps Develop Global Markets.”

REALTORS® are always looking for new and inventive ways to market themselves, and our Profile 2 for November offers a service that does just that. Jeanne Caligiuri created Idiooz as a way to help businesspeople keep themselves in front of clients and potential clients in a way that is organized and doesn’t take up too much of their precious time. As a Real Estate professional herself, you can read all about how she saw a need and filled it in Cathie C. Hulen’s article, “Keeping Your Image Out There.”

In our Beyond Green Column for November, Cliff Korman takes a look at a groundbreaking resort in Vail, CO. “Ever Vail” is a $1-billion project that aims to be the second-largest to obtain the LEED Neighborhood Development certification. You can read all about what goes into such an undertaking in “Ever Vail: Billion-Dollar Green Project is Off and Running.”

We are pleased to announce a new contributor for our Urban Update column, Downtown Steve. Downtown Steve has been a downtown Las Vegas resident for eight years and a REALTOR® for five, and he truly has a passion for all the happenings and developments in the downtown area. Drawn by its charm and distinct homes, he has become somewhat of an expert on what makes the downtown area so unique. You can get to know Steve a little better in his first column, “An Insider Perspective on Downtown Real Estate.”

In a continuing effort to help you make your money stretch while still enjoying the festiveness of the upcoming holiday season, Rita Templeton’s Lifestyle article offers tips and tricks for decorating on a budget. From swapping decorations with friends and family to “shopping” for your decorations in the great outdoors, there are many things you can do to spruce up the place without breaking the bank. Read all Rita’s great tips in her article, “Deck Your Halls—For Less!”

In our November Legal Notes column, John Benedict talks about the recent “bailout” by the government and how it will—and will not—affect the Real Estate market. There is definitely a lot of adjustment going on in the market these days, and we are all affected by it. Read more about what the bailout means for our business in John’s article, “The Bailout’s Impact on Las Vegas Real Estate.”

In Brenda Calvin’s Vertical Update column, we take a look at a new building straight out of a sci-fi novel. The Rotating Tower in Dubai is designed to optimize residents’ views by letting each floor rotate 360 degrees. Brenda sits down with David Fisher, the architect of this mind-boggling project, to talk about the logistics of such a thing, as well as the effect such architecture will have on the surrounding community. You can read all about it and see a video of the Rotating Tower in Brenda’s article, “Upwardly Mobile: Rotating Towers Becoming a Reality.”

In our Technology column, Rebecca Ragland talks about some of the specific language you will need to know in order to have a conversation with a Web developer about the kind of Web site you want to build. Even if you already have a Web site up and running, there are things that need to be considered on an ongoing basis in order to maximize its benefit. Read all about these important terms in Rebecca’s article, “Learning the Lingo: How to Talk to a Webmaster About the Site You Have or the One You Want to Build.”

With Thanksgiving approaching, it gives us another opportunity to be with family and friends. And instead of the same old discussions and arguments relating to football and politics, how about being the beacon of change and start a discussion on Peace, Love, Harmony and Laughter. I am sure your loved ones will feel a lot lighter when they head home.

Namasté

Lee Papa, Publisher