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 LeFrancis Arnold  Tuesday, December 20th, 2011  Dear Member,
I’m excited to begin my term as your 2012 President, but I first want to thank our outgoing C.A.R. President Beth L. Peerce for serving this organization so well over the past year. She helped keep you, the REALTOR®, at the center of the real estate transaction during this challenging time. Thank you Beth for your service to organized real estate!
Like Beth, I also am a second-generation REALTOR®. I followed my mother into the real estate business in 1976 and became a broker a year later. I have served as a C.A.R. director since 1994. I’m going to continue serving the organization this year by helping you get through the tough economic times and be successful in your business.
But I won’t be doing it alone. I’ll be joined by a very capable 2012 Leadership Team comprised of President-Elect Don Faught, Treasurer Chris Kutzkey, and C.A.R. Executive Vice President Joel Singer. I’m excited to serve with this incredible team.
As one of my first duties, I’m pleased to share with you the good news that the FHA loan limit was reinstated last month so that middle-class home buyers have access to affordable home financing. The higher loan limit expired on Oct. 1, 2011, when it was reduced to $625,500, but now has been restored to $729,750 for an additional two years, through Dec. 31, 2013. However, the higher loan limits for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac loans were not reinstated. C.A.R. and NAR both have long advocated for making higher loan limits permanent.
Continue reading: C.A.R. Monthly Message from President LeFrancis Arnold
Beth L. Peerce Tuesday, November 8th, 2011
 Dear Member,
Last month I informed you that Congress failed to extend the Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, and FHA conforming loan limits and allowed them to expire Sept. 30. Since then, the Senate passed an amendment to an appropriation bill that would restore the $729,750 loan limits through December 2013. The Senate and House are now working out the differences between the Senate bill and the House bill, which the House passed earlier this year, but it did not reinstate the higher loan limits. If the House and Senate agree on a final bill, we will have a two-year extension to the conforming loan limits. C.A.R. is also working with the California Congressional Delegation to ensure this provision is included in the final bill.
C.A.R. and NAR are now working to get support for the extension in the House, but we need your help also. Please look for a Call for Action email from NAR asking you to call Sen. Dianne Feinstein and possibly other members of Congress. Please act now and urge your representative to extend the higher loan limits for GSEs and FHA. Well-qualified buyers don’t need another hurdle to access affordable mortgage financing.
Big changes on the way to help millions of distressed borrowers. Late October, the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) announced important changes to the Home Affordable Refinance Program (HARP) to help millions of underwater borrowers whose mortgages are backed by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. The changes will allow borrowers who are current on their mortgage payments to save an average of $2,500 a year by refinancing their mortgages, regardless of what their homes are worth. The revamped HARP Program will also streamline the refinancing process, eliminating certain types of appraisals and underwriting requirements, and reducing or eliminating fees that prevented homeowners from refinancing in the past.
The FHFA is working on details of the new rules, which should be finalized by Nov. 15. Banks may be able to start issuing refinanced loans by Dec. 1. We’ll continue to keep you updated on this issue.
Continue reading: C.A.R. Monthly Message from President Beth L. Peerce – November 2011
Beth L. Peerce Monday, October 10th, 2011
October 10, 2011
Dear REALTORS®,
Important news on the housing policy front. Despite efforts by C.A.R. and NAR to fight for an extension of Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, and FHA conforming loan limits, Congress failed to extend the $729,750 loan limits and allowed them to expire Sept. 30. This means the maximum loan amount that Fannie, Freddie, and FHA will buy or guarantee is $625,500, and anything above that amount will be non-conforming and will require a jumbo loan. These loans typically carry a higher mortgage interest rate and require a higher down payment, increasing the monthly payment, which will particularly be hard on middle-class buyers and sellers.
However, I’d like to applaud Rep. Gary Miller (R-Calif.) and Brad Sherman (D-Calif.) for jointly introducing a bill that would have made the current loan limits permanent, and Congressman John Campbell (R-Calif.), who introduced a bill that would have extended the current loan limits. And of course, California Senator Dianne Feinstein, who introduced a bill in the Senate that would have extended the conforming loan limits.
C.A.R. and NAR will continue to work with Congress to attempt to restore the higher limits as quickly as possible.
View the new loan limits.
Continue reading: C.A.R. Monthly Message from President Beth L. Peerce
Beth L. Peerce Friday, May 13th, 2011
Dear C.A.R. Member,
Greetings from Washington, D.C.! This week, your Leadership Team and I are in our nation’s capital, meeting with California’s congressional delegates and representatives from leading housing industry groups, including Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, Federal Housing Finance Agency, and others.
This is a busy time of year in the legislative arena, on both the national front and in California. Last week, nearly 2,000 members of the REALTOR® Party of California were out in full force in Sacramento for the Association’s annual Legislative Day activities, which included a march to the Capitol. Many of you met face-to-face with your state legislators to discuss the issues that affect our industry — and your livelihood. I want to thank you for participating in Legislative Day because it’s more important than ever to make certain our interests are represented and that our voices are heard before elected officials craft legislation that impacts our industry.
For example, one impending issue that will significantly impact our industry is the future of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, the government sponsored enterprises (GSEs) that purchase or guarantee mortgage-backed securities on the secondary mortgage market. Congress has been debating changes to the GSEs. Proposals for “reform” include legislation to phase out and eventually eliminate Fannie and Freddie altogether. Elimination of the GSEs, which purchased or securitized two out of every three loans written in 2010, would have grave consequences for home buyers and sellers, the real estate market, and the economy as a whole. Almost overnight, financing would dry up. Interest rates would increase, and borrowers would be forced into the exotic loan products that helped create the current financial climate. These are scenarios the struggling housing market can ill afford now.
It’s important that REALTORS® understand the potential damaging effects of phasing out Fannie and Freddie. For more details about the GSEs and their importance to real estate housing finance.
Continue reading: C.A.R. Monthly Message May 2011
Beth L. Peerce Wednesday, March 9th, 2011
Dear REALTORS®,
As you may know, C.A.R. has been working on numerous efforts to address your concerns about the difficulty of working with short sales.
To that end, I want to give you advance notice of perhaps one of our most visible activities to date, and one that may be a first in C.A.R.’s 100-plus-year history.
Tomorrow, C.A.R. is placing an open letter advertisement in California’s seven largest daily newspapers, calling on lenders and industry regulators to streamline and improve the short sale process. C.A.R. is taking a leadership role in this effort by getting this letter published and pointing out lenders’ and servicers’ unworkable short sale processes. We’re also appealing to various constituencies, such as regulators, elected officials, nonprofits, business organizations, companies, and individuals to join us so that more families are able to arrange a short sale, rather than lose their homes.
In the letter, I write, “With the number of homeowners who owe more than their mortgage is worth hovering at 30 percent, experts predict there will be many more foreclosures in 2011 and 2012. Unless we take immediate, aggressive action to assist these homeowners, any meaningful recovery in the housing market and overall economy will continue to be delayed.”
Continue reading: C.A.R. Short Sale Update
Beth L. Peerce Tuesday, January 11th, 2011
Dear C.A.R. Member,
A new year, and with it, new beginnings and new opportunities. I’m looking forward to meeting the challenges that invariably present themselves as the new year gets underway.
One of the challenges I know many of you have been dealing with is working with short sale transactions, and I promised last month to keep you informed on C.A.R.’s efforts to address your concerns.
First, just last week I, and other C.A.R. officers, met with officials at Bank of America to ask for their commitment in streamlining and improving their short sale process. The bank has agreed to meet with our Distressed Properties task force in the very near future to discuss ways to ensure a smoother short sales process. We’ll also be meeting with the other major lenders over the next several weeks and will share any outcome with you.
Additionally, C.A.R. recently sent letters to officials at the U.S. Treasury Dept., Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, and the Federal Housing Finance Agency requesting immediate changes to the HAFA program and recommending solutions so the program can succeed. The letter attracted the attention of the banking trade American Banker, which ran an article last Thursday noting C.A.R.’s concerns about the dearth of HAFA short sale closures. The article is sure to be noticed by the lenders and servicers who greatly need to make immediate changes. Read the letter to industry regulators.
We will continue to remain vigilant in the area of short sales, so stay tuned for further updates.
Continue reading: C.A.R. Monthly Message January 2011
Beth L. Peerce Tuesday, December 14th, 2010
Dear C.A.R. Member,
It’s hard to believe this year is soon coming to a close. We’ve accomplished a lot over the past year, but we still have much to do in 2011.
For instance, we know we will have to defend changes to the mortgage interest deduction (MID). In late November, President Obama’s Deficit Reduction Commission released its preliminary recommendations, and one of the provisions called for dramatically limiting the MID. Since then, the commission failed to win enough votes to approve the recommendations. However, it is very likely that legislation will be introduced next year to curtail the MID. Few issues are more important to homeownership than the mortgage interest deduction, and while the housing market continues to recover, any change that reduces the ability of the market to heal is misguided and must be rejected.
I want to thank everyone who responded to NAR’s Call for Action and urged their member of Congress to preserve the MID. Last week, NAR issued a new Call for Action asking all REALTORS® to call their state senators and ask them to defend the MID. I urge you to contact Sens. Dianne Feinstein and Barbara Boxer to voice your concerns today about limiting the MID.
In my first message to you last month, I mentioned that one of my goals this year as C.A.R. President is to help you, the REALTOR®, earn a living. I know many of us have been having a very difficult time working with lenders on short sales. Please be assured that C.A.R. has been working on several fronts to help you more easily deal with short sales and distressed properties.
Continue reading: December Message from C.A.R. President Beth L. Peerce
Daniel Allen Friday, November 12th, 2010
 LOS ANGELES, CA–(Marketwire – November 12, 2010) – The CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® (C.A.R.) Leadership Team for 2011 is now in place. REALTOR® Beth L. Peerce is the Association’s 2011 president; REALTOR® LeFrancis Arnold is president-elect; REALTOR® Don Faught is treasurer; and Joel Singer is state secretary. The officers for 2011 began their official term earlier this week at the close of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® (NAR) Conference and Expo in New Orleans, La.
Beth L Peerce REALTOR® Beth L. Peerce is the broker-owner of Prime Time Properties in Studio City, Calif. A REALTOR® since 1976, Peerce has been an active C.A.R. Director since 1982 and has served as chair or vice chair of numerous C.A.R. committees. Most recently, she served as Treasurer in 2008 and 2009 and President-Elect in 2010. She was elected Honorary Director for Life in 2006 in recognition of her commitment to the industry. She was selected REALTOR® of the Year by the Southland Regional Association of REALTORS® in 2005. Peerce also has played an active role on the NAR board of directors since 2001, and has been a member of the Executive Committee since 2009.
 LeFrancis Arnold New to C.A.R.’s leadership team is LeFrancis Arnold. He has been a licensed real estate broker for 34 years and has been involved with organized real estate for 35 years. Arnold was president of the Los Angeles County Board of REALTORS® (LACBOR) in 2008, and was the first appointed large Board NAR representative for Rancho Southeast Association of REALTORS® in 2006. He was first appointed C.A.R director in 1994 and was named REALTOR® of the Year by his local association in 1979 and 2008. Arnold has served on numerous C.A.R. committees at the leadership level including the Executive Committee, Strategic Planning and Finance, Housing Opportunity, Housing Affordability Fund, Real Estate Finance, Equal Opportunity and Cultural Diversity, and CREPAC. Active in his community, Arnold has served as chairman of the Lynwood Economic Development Committee and currently is Executive Director of Southeast Los Angeles County Community Development Corp. (SELAC).
Continue reading: Southern California REALTOR® Beth L. Peerce to Head CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® 2011 Leadership Team
Steve Goddard Tuesday, November 17th, 2009
Manhattan Beach REALTOR® Steve Goddard to head 2010 C.A.R. Leadership Team
LOS ANGELES (Nov. 17) – REALTOR® Steve Goddard will head the CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®’ (C.A.R.) 2010 Leadership Team, C.A.R. announced today. REALTOR® Beth L. Peerce will serve as the Association’s president-elect, REALTOR® Don Faught as treasurer, and Joel Singer as state secretary. C.A.R.’s 2010 Leadership Team began their official term this week at the close of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® (NAR) Conference and Expo in San Diego, Calif.
REALTOR® Steve Goddard is a broker and manager at RE/MAX Marquee Partners in Manhattan Beach, Calif. He began selling real estate 35 years ago, specializing in selling and leasing residential real estate, residential income properties, and commercial buildings. Goddard also is a developer and a licensed general contractor. During the past 28 years, he has consistently ranked among the top 10 agents in his company’s group of more than 400 agents. Over the past 17 years, he has chaired or served on myriad committees and forums at the local, state, and national association level. As president of C.A.R., one of Goddard’s goals is to shed light on housing-related issues, including the rights of private-property owners, and housing affordability at the local, state, and national levels.
Continue reading: C.A.R.’s 2010 Leadership Team
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