Metro Brokers TV is metro brokers real estate

MetroBrokersTV : Welcome to Metro Brokers TV and today we are speaking with Ted Bryant and Ted is a Metro Brokers member. His company name is Ted Bryant Inc. and welcome Ted.

Ted Bryant: Thank you Mark. Thank you and I am honored to be here.

MetroBrokersTV : Ted, we are really honored as Metro Brokers organization to have you involved as a director for the Colorado Association of REALTORS®, the director for the National Association of REALTORS®, former chairman for the Real Estate Commission. I mean it is a huge pedigree for any individual working for any company and I would just like to go over some... maybe some conceptions and misconceptions that maybe a lot of our members have about being a realtor. I mean a lot of people think we are forced to be a realtor. <watch video>

Ted Bryant: I don't think our members really take the time to realize what is available to them and also what the organization does really on all three levels. First of all you have and as far as somebody being a member, you really don't have to. You have heard in the past that I have to be because I want to be part of the MLS; that's not true anymore. We've separated that. You can join MLS by yourself, but the benefits for the realtor organization alone are well worth the money and let's talk about money for just a minute. You have three different organizations in the National Association of REALTORS®. Now, the total dues there are $115 dollars and $80 dollars of that goes directly to programs, $35 dollars of that money that you gave NAR goes into our public awareness program. In the public awareness program, we have gauged it very successfully. We had member feedback that they wanted to be recognized as professionals, they wanted public to appreciate what they did and how much effort that it took and you remember that program we had "This is my life" and it was tremendously effective. So, what we decided to do is to increase that public awareness campaign and hence we have gone from $20 to $30 and now next year we will be going to $35 dollars. So, the other $80 dollars actually goes to programs, because with non-dues income we can run... they can run NAR administratively. So, then we have the state association, CAR, and their dues are currently $130 dollars...

MetroBrokersTV : So, CAR is at $130...

Ted Bryant: They were at $110, we are going to go $130 next year and again, that money we pay for our staff education that is available, we have activities and meetings that that pays for where we get together and make decisions on what our priorities are and where we want to be with the organization and to serve the members and the public and also to do our lobbying at the State House when the session is in. We have a committee called the Legislative Policy Committee, LPC, and they are in session when the legislation is in session. So, any bill that comes up, we will view it, decide whether it affects our customer or us and we either monitor it, oppose it or we... and support it. So, being on top of that alone makes a lot of difference. So, the transfer tax issue for instance, we were able to defeat that. There was an additional tax on commercial property that was proposed in legislature. We were able to convince the folks down there that was a negative thing and then the transfer tax people were going to come to the ballot. So, we put up a block of our money and said, "We're going to form a committee and oppose that and do everything we can to kill it" and the reason being, the main reason being, it didn't... isn't starting off with that big a number, but the reason being is in every... almost every other state in the country, that starts off at a low number and then that is where the tax man goes to get increase.

MetroBrokersTV : So how much do you think most people are going to pay into their local boards, like your Denver or Jeffco? What does that number come to?

Ted Bryant: It varies from board to board and that is somewhere around $200 dollars. So, if you put them altogether Mark and I round it up, I would say your annual dues probably are not more than $450 dollars. If you break that down monthly, that is about $37 dollars a month; for your vehicle, that's a tank of gas.

MetroBrokersTV : Yeah, for my vehicle that's a quarter tank of gas, because it just costs me $85 dollars.

Ted Bryant: A little more than a dollar a day, I can't imagine how anybody who considers this business as their profession wouldn't want to not only pay their dues, but to give some of the their time and to also participate with this on our voluntary program called Political Survival Fund.

MetroBrokersTV : Yeah and that is something that I was kind of surprised to hear that there is a difference in the Political Survival Fund and how the money is collected, a lot of these initiatives that we spoke of are fought with dues money, however, the Political Survival Fund is used exclusively to support candidates that carry our, this Is A Personal Property rights torch.

Ted Bryant: We do the... the last amendment, we split that PSF up into several different areas, but primarily, candidates. A part of it goes to NAR for national candidates, a part of it goes to the state for state candidates, a part of it goes to the local association for local candidates. For instance, Colorado Springs City Council or any city council, Denver for that matter, Lakewood, those councilmen and women are really important. Our politics is local really and so those folks have to understand or we hope they do. What it takes to have a vital ingredient to have a good community that supports quality of life and then also is a good place to live and educate your children. So, the local level decisions are really important. That's why some of that money goes to that level.

MetroBrokersTV : Yeah, just issues like there is some heated discussions going on right now in Denver about down zoning, right?

Ted Bryant: Yeah.

MetroBrokersTV : What you can and can't do with a house that you own, that you bought.

Ted Bryant: I think in this area that we are in generally right now, there is some question as to changing the rules from this point forward what people can do and I... eminent domain is another area that is a pretty hot topic with us. So, there just always seems to be something that we need to be aware of.

MetroBrokersTV : Well, I just think our members really need to look at the fact that for the money we pay for our profession and we have the ability in this profession to make as much or more than a lot of...let's say more educated professions, people that went to school a lot longer, lawyers, doctors, I mean there are people making good salaries in our profession, they don't realize that for a measly sub $500 bucks a year, all the benefits that allow us to kind of make the money we want to make.

Ted Bryant: And PSF (Political Survival Fund) is a voluntary contribution and what we like to have is at least a minimum of 25 dollars from every member. Of course not every member does that and nor do they have to, but it in their best interest; it is an investment, not an expense.

MetroBrokersTV : Right. Right. Ted, well, super information and we are glad to have you here on Metro Brokers TV. Thank you.

Ted Bryant: Thank you Mark, it is my pleasure.

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