Looking back, 1996 was a very good year.

Traditionally, the New Year is a time to pause, reflect and evaluate the past and present thus creating the feeling of opportunity, if not resolve, to bring about needed or desired changes for the future. And so it goes with organizations as well as with individuals.

Many people connected to the real estate industry would agree that 1996 was a very good year. The economy was clearly on the rebound and the business climate continued to improve throughout the year. The total repeal of the Real Property Gains Tax was a significant accomplishment for Realtors and added to the surge of optimism felt by many. We are gratified that members of the Bronx Board helped to bring about the elimination of broker registration with the Department of Law for the sale of securities (coops) - another important Realtor achievement.

Of course not all the legislation passed this year was entirely welcome. The Federal Law imposes more burdens, requires more paperwork and creates serious potential liability for real estate professionals. The Bronx Board of Realtors was one of the first Boards in New York State to offer a Lead Compliance course to educate and protect its members. The lead course also counted toward continuing education credit for licensees with the Department of State and doubled as a course acceptable for the GRI designation (Graduate Realtor Institute). This past year, we added the prestigious Gill courses to our education program, expanding the courses made available to members. The GRI designation is one of the advanced designations recognized by the National Association of Realtors and the 760,000 Realtors that belong to NAIl nationally.

The Bronx Board of Realtors joined the "Information Highway" with a fully integrated communication system offering access to the NYSAR Bulletin Board and the Internet for our members. This instant access further improved The Professional Edge, our superb monthly newsletter, by including the most timely articles relative to current trends and developments within the real estate industry, how they effect our members' careers and our association's future.

Attendance at our monthly informational seminars and other major events was greater than ever before, demonstrating over and over the value of networking. The highlight of our banquet was the keynote address given by Mayor Rudolph Giuliani.

The most significant change for our Board has been the design and implementation of a formidable state-of-the art MLS system. It has the capabilities to list residential properties (houses, townhouses, condos, co-ops), commercial properties, land and even rentals.

1997 will bring even more exciting challenges and changes to the Board. Our services will expand to meet the needs of Realtors within the Bronx and in adjacent areas too. The uniqueness of being a Realtor (holding to a higher standard of ethics) will continue to be upheld as more of our members and the public sector utilize the due process of Professional Standards Hearings offered at our Board to resolve ethics and arbitration disputes, and avoid expensive legal fees.

For those seeking expertise in their fields, there will be more diverse educational opportunities available in the classroom, while our Board will still maintain our well attended monthly seminars with invited experts speaking on "cutting edge" issues. In February, we will be starting a Consumer TV series on Bronx Net (the Bronx' cable access channels) with panelists discussing real estate in the Bronx and also emphasizing why the public should seek to do business with Realtors.

We look forward to our Annual Banquet Dinner on April 16th with Alexander Treadwell, the Secretary of State, as our Keynote Speaker. Our Sports and Real Estate Exposition will be held on June 16th at the Brae Burn Country Club and is always a fun-filled day, which also leads to more business for many of the attendees and exhibitors.

I feel very fortunate to have the opportunity to contribute to the changes and continued growth of our Realtor association. Any organization must serve its members first and serve its members well in order to thrive and grow; it must not rest on past achievements but continually and aggressively seek new ways to be of value.

Realtor membership is important to provide professional support to practitioners who face many challenges daily. For more information on accessing the many programs, services or networking opportunities available, call [phone].