By Matt Clements

I love January. It’s the time when everything seems possible and the new year opens up new opportunity.

I’m especially excited because my baby boy turned 1-year-old this week! He’s the light of anyone’s day, and the poop diapers mean nothing when I see that wonderful smile. Truly, I “replaced myself.”

You’ll often hear me say, “Replace yo’ self,” because that’s the goal of YPN—to bring on new leaders and for each of us to continue growing. We recently witnessed our first YPN member become president of the National Association of REALTORS®, Elizabeth Mendenhall, and that’s a perfect example of growth through YPN.

When it comes to California YPN, I’m an “OG,” but I’m a new YPN advisory board member for NAR. One of the major outreach efforts we have recently started is the leadership travel fund. This is allowing us to send advisory board members across the country to speak about YPN and share ways to boost local networks. Any YPN can request that an advisory board member visit their group for a one-day event funded by NAR (capped at $1,000 per event). It’s a super exciting opportunity, so let me know if you’d like to arrange for a national YPN advisory board member to visit your local network.

@geralt, 2017. pixabay.com

This past week, the California Association of REALTORS® Board of Directors met in Monterey, Calif., to discuss and vote on historically important real estate topics—and our YPN was in full-force. We have a measure going on the 2018 ballot to extend Proposition 90, which would allow any homeowner age 55 and over to transfer the tax value of their current property to a new property. This would eliminate the financial burden of increased property taxes for potential sellers on fixed incomes. It’s a $30 million to $50 million effort led by C.A.R. and its members.

We, in California, are also looking at major holes in real estate sales, and we’ve identified three:

1. The disclosure process – messy, unorganized, and rarely completed on time. The business technology forum at C.A.R. is tackling this aggressively.

2. No accountability or tracking system for submitting offers – The first step in many steps to solving this issue is to implement a professional standards policy, which was completed this past week. Agents who submit offers and do not receive a reply (written) by the listing agent may now require that the agent supply written verification that the offer was presented. This request can be made by either the agent or seller.

3. HOAs – There’s no control over excessive and disorganized HOA documents, and no central database for managing contact information, correct phone numbers, reserve amounts, pending litigation, and of course, certifications and documents. We’re seeking to change that and improve the ability for our members to conduct business.

Meanwhile, if I’m not working on these issues, you’ll find me surfing before sunset at Salt Creek to remind me of “why” I work.

By the way, my recommended reading in January is “Think & Grow Rich” by Napoleon Hill.

Matt Clements, CEO of the Clements Group at Harcorts Prime Properties in Monarch Beach, Calif., is the author of the YPN Playbook and was chair of the California Association of REALTORS® in 2016 when the group won the YPN State Network of the Year. Matt is on the board of director for C.A.R. and NAR, and sits on NAR’s YPN advisory board. He is also the 2018 president-elect for the Orange County Association of REALTORS®. Connect with Matt at mattclements.com.