It was a great opportunity for me to take in sessions covering the latest real estate property processing methods and vendor regulations.

I attend these real estate/REO conferences because they offer a great opportunity to network with my peers and clients. I always enjoy an opportunity to meet up with people in person and chat about business.

This year’s conference included three education tracks covering valuations Broker Price Opinions (BPO), REO servicing, and field services.

Most sessions were designed to help real estate agents increase business using CoreLogic. The secondary focus was helping attendees understand expectations from our clients and federal agencies and learn real estate best practices.

Some of the sessions offered this year included:

• Valuation technology and trends
• Insights into working with asset managers
• Eviction and property preservation best practices
• Quality improvement solutions
• How scorecard ratings work and how they can lead to more broker /vendor business

The keynote speaker was James “The Ragin’ Cajun” Carville, Author, Political Consultant, and Commentator.  His keynote was an analysis of past and present politics and he shared his thoughts on current events, the administration of Barack Obama, the 2010 mid-term elections and the challenges facing the major political parties.

Unfortunately, I had to leave the conference early because of a random emergency.  I actually slipped at the event and blew my left knee out. This resulted in a night in the ER and an earlier than expected departure.  The good news is I was extremely well taken care of at the event hotel and the hospital.  Everyone was so amazingly caring and considerate, which made a major injury easier to bear.

Now, I have about eight weeks of crutches to look forward to–at least my upper body will get a good work out.

If you have any questions or feedback, feel free to contact me @ 562-364-9505 or mark@shandrowgroup.com

One Less Foreclosure.

Sincerely,

Mark Shandrow
Real Estate Broker
office 562-364-9505 ext 100
mark@shandrowgroup.com
Shandrow Group
3970 Atlantic Ave., 210
Long Beach, CA  90807
follow my story at http://markshandrow.com

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Overall, the Five Star Conference seemed much more organized than it was last year.  I personally think Dallas is more metro feeling than Fort Worth, and the conference was definitely less hectic. The fact that they sent out the registration badges before the event instead of having attendees pick them up at registration saved a lot of time and eliminated the usual long lines to get into the event.

I had the best intentions before I arrived in Dallas. I compiled a long list of seminars and panels I wanted to attend, but I didn’t get a chance because I was meeting with clients. Don’t get me wrong, I prefer meeting with clients and catching up with contacts, but I had hoped to catch at least 50% of my seminar list. I would have loved to tell you what I thought about the sessions, but I can’t really say either way.

Oh well. There’s always next year.

Luckily, I was able to meet with many of my clients from Nationstar, Single Source Properties, First American REO and Bank of America.  That alone made the trip worthwhile. It truly was a great opportunity to strengthen relationships and look for more opportunities in the future.

The biggest take away from the event is the news that more and more short sales are being accepted and banks are gearing up so they are more prepared to pass the properties on to the real estate firms that are prepared to sell them quickly and for the highest price.

I’m really looking forward to attending again next year.

Sincerely,

Mark Shandrow
REO Broker-Associate
Shandrow Group
shandrowgroup.com

I wanted to post this quick video in the lobby of the Westin Diplomat Resort before they wrap things up and I get ready to head back to Bixby Knolls, CA.

I’m exhausted, but it’s been a great experience.

Sincerely,

Mark Shandrow
REO Broker-Associate
Shandrow Group
shandrowgroup.com

Check out the room and the view:

I’m just about to head out to the day’s events, but I wanted to give you a quick peek at the resort and pool I’m about to enjoy.

Now I’m off to get some East Coast sun.

I’ll keep you posted,

Mark Shandrow
REO Broker-Associate
Shandrow Group
markshandrow.com

I’m really looking forward to the educational and networking opportunities that this conference offers. I just got back from the 5 Star Conference in Fort Worth, Texas and I want to keep up the momentum from my client meetings in Dallas.

They’ve booked over 60 exhibitors this year, and are expecting approximately 1,200 individuals representing every aspect of the REO industry to attend the educational sessions and speaker presentations. It’s one of the best conferences to attend to meet a diverse array of industry professionals from all over the country. Though it’s not as large as REOMAC’s Spring Conference, it’s still a great place to meet with client and other professionals who impact the Foreclosure and Asset Management industry.

I’m looking forward to the presentations by keynote speakers such as Bill Rancic, Richard Bitner and Don Reynolds. I’m also interested in discussing some of the issues they touched on at the REOMAC Spring Conference back in April. some of the sessions will cover REO Closing Strategies, Loss Mitigation, Code Violations, and Legislative/Case Law.

I can’t wait to get the latest insider news on future short sales, foreclosure inventory, lender relations and a host of other hot real estate topics that we can use to strengthen the Shandrow Group’s future in LA County Short Sales & REO Asset management.

I’ll also be staying at The Westin Diplomat Resort and Spa, which is hosting the event. The hotel/resort is located on the beach in Hollywood, Florida and it has spectacular views of the ocean and surrounding area.

I’m not sure if I’ll get a chance to check out some of the local spots. The conference is packed with great sessions and keynote speakers that I don’t want to miss, but I’m sure I’ll get an opportunity to find some great restaurants for client meetings.

Check back to read my update on the conference. I’ll be posting my Five Star Conference update as promised as well.

If you’re attending and would like to meet up somewhere, just drop me a line, send me an email or look for me at the conference.

Sincerely,

Mark Shandrow
REO Broker-Associate
Shandrow Group
markshandrow.com

The Five Star Default Servicing Conference and Expo brings together a vast network of government, lending and service providers in the real estate industry. The annual conference gives us an opportunity to discuss every aspect of the industry, including where it’s been, where it is now, and where it might be headed.

It’s the largest conference in the foreclosure and REO industry and it offers networking opportunities designed to help us build new client relationships and strengthen our growing market presence.

Sessions of interest to Shandrow Group include:

• Real Estate and the Government: Making It Work for You
• Marketing REO Properties
• The Psychology of the Borrower
• Steve Forbes Featured Address: America’s Housing Crisis
• Financing Options for Your REO Buyers
• Advanced REO: Marketing Large-Volume REO Portfolios and High-Dollar Properties
• Speeding Up Short Sales
• Streamlining Servicing Workflow
• REO 2.0: Cutting-Edge and Innovative Technology for Real Estate Professionals
• Letting It Go: Outsourcing Strategies for Developing a Vendor Management System
• Freddie Mac Economic Outlook
• The New Landlord: What You Need to Know About REO Rental Programs
• Advanced REO: Solidifying Client Relationships
• The Next Big Wave: Commercial REO Roundtable

There are too many great sessions to mention, and I’m sure there won’t be enough time to attend them all. I’m really looking forward to learning from the keynote speakers and networking with brokers and asset managers that I’ve built relationships with over the years.

This year, the Five Star Conference will host 5,000 default servicing pros, including lenders, servicers, agents, brokers, attorneys, title companies, service providers, investors, vendors, and anyone else who’s interested in how our industry work and how we’ll cope with the recent industry changes.

With foreclosures hitting a record high and prices hitting a record low, it’s one of the most challenging years we’ve experienced here a Shandrow Group. I’m hoping that the conference will stir up some new ideas for business streamlining and innovation and get people pumped about the future of the foreclosure industry and help us to rehabilitate our market.

When I return from the conference, I’ll post an update about my experience and share the latest industry news.

If you want to read more about the conference, visit http://www.fivestarconference.com/index.htm

All the best,

Mark Shandrow,
Real Estate Broker
ShandrowGroup.com