LETTER FROM THE PUBLISHER

Happy May, Readers,

Recently I attended the best personal development and business related function of my career. During one session of this two-day event we were all given a piece of paper that asked us to list our heroes, and beside them we were to list the attributes of those people that we most admired. Now I am not going to divulge all my heroes, but one group I listed that I will share were single parents. As one parent of a two-parent household to a toddler, I have a deep appreciation for those who do it alone. It is a tireless and selfless job. So I would like to dedicate my Publisher Letter this month to not only all the mothers celebrating Mother’s Day this year, but also the single parents and caregivers of all children.

My friend passed on this little message to moms that I thought was great. Some of this could apply to dads and caregivers too. Happy Mother’s Day to my mom and to all of you who are celebrating.

The beauty of a woman is not in the clothes she wears, the figure that she carries, or the way she combs her hair. The beauty of a woman must be seen from in her eyes, because that is the doorway to her heart, the place where love resides. The beauty of a woman is not in a facial mole, but true beauty in a woman is reflected in her soul. It is the caring that she lovingly gives, the passion that she shows, and the beauty of a woman with passing years only grows!

And with that tribute, on to the articles for May.

One of the disturbing trends that went hand-in-hand with the housing boom of a few years ago is now popping up in the news. Mortgage fraud is a problem that is becoming more apparent now that many of the properties involved are facing foreclosure. This is a problem that affects not only the mortgage companies, but trickles all the way down to the neighboring homeowners in the form of inflated property values resulting in increased property taxes. In our May National article, “FBI Ramps Up Efforts to Fight Mortgage Fraud,” Michelle Savage talks about what government agencies across the country are doing to combat the problem, and to bring those involved to justice.

Our Feature article for May focuses on an organization in the Las Vegas community that is helping to make the lives of the disabled more productive. Opportunity Village provides jobs to 750 disabled individuals in our Valley who might not otherwise have the opportunity to earn their own living. But what many people don’t know is that we as businesspeople have the opportunity to benefit from the services they provide. Opportunity Village offers services such as printing, mailing, document shredding and more, and their rates are competitive and the work is high-quality. It is important to make business choices in a way that benefit the community as a whole, whenever possible. Read more about how you can be a part of the solution in Doug Shields’ article, “Opportunity Village: Good for the Community, Good for Business.”

Brian Burns, our Local Profile REALTOR^® for May, is one of those people who have perfected the art of listening. He has utilized this invaluable skill in building a successful career in Real Estate and turning clients into friends along the way. As a REALTOR^® for Dyson & Dyson Sotheby’s International Realty, Brian enjoys the lifestyle that Real Estate affords him as well as meeting and helping new clients. Read more about Brian in “Inspiring the Satisfaction of Homebuyers” by Doug Shields.

“Renaissance Man” by Cathie C. Hulen introduces Wayne Fabiano of Fabiano Painting and More. Wayne is a deeply creative and spiritual person who has found a way to translate his strengths into a successful contracting business. A poet, painter, artist and more, his approach to business is unique and his relationships with his clients are deepened by authenticity and respect. Read more about Wayne and sample some of his poetry in our May Profile 2 article.

Many of us can’t imagine conducting a Real Estate transaction without using paper, but if we are to work toward sustainability, it’s something we should start considering—and it can be done. In the May Beyond Green column, Dale Rowse shows us some minor adjustments—as well as some larger changes—that we can implement in an effort to cut down on our daily use of paper in the workplace, and save money in the process. Read “How the Paperless Office Pays the Bills,” online now.

As we all know, the U.S. dollar has been weaker than usual, but the upside to this is that it makes it more tempting for people from other economies to invest in American Real Estate. In our May Urban Update column, Gary Fisher writes about the impact foreign investors have had on the downtown area. “Foreign Investors Stimulate Downtown Economy” discusses just how this is happening.

Many of us wish we were more confident than we really are, and we often feel that if we could only get out of our own way, we could be much more successful and accomplish more on a daily basis. It’s quite normal to feel shy at times, but chronic self-consciousness can be a problem, especially in a social business like Real Estate. In “From Self-Consciousness to Self-Confident: Overcoming Insecurities,” Rita Templeton gives us some very useful tips on how to approach situations that might otherwise make us uncomfortable or insecure.

In addition to the rebate checks we’re all anticipating, there are some important changes that are taking place as a result of the Economic Stimulus Package. One of these is the change in the limit on conforming loans. In “New Home Loan Changes Bring Relief,” John Benedict deciphers these changes and the new limits, and explains what this all means for you and your clients in the months to come.

We’ve all been blown around by the wind in recent weeks, but perhaps we don’t even think about the way the wind affects the buildings in our community. In our May Vertical Update column, Brenda Calvin discusses how wind testing is utilized when planning new buildings—especially high-rise buildings. In her article, “Shape Shifters—Wind Testing for High-Rise Structures,” she also shows how some builders are harnessing the wind in order to generate energy in an effort toward sustainability.

In our May Design Connection column, Stephen Leon introduces us to the EQ3 showroom at Town Square. This showroom’s philosophies are unique and intriguing, as is its furniture. From practical beds with storage underneath, to whimsical curtains used as room dividers, there’s a lot of design potential with just a little imagination. Read more about this fascinating showroom and its owners in Stephen’s column, online now.

If you are thinking about using this time to build or upgrade your Web site, take a look at our Technology article with some great tips on what to look for when hiring a Web developer or designer.

Have a wonderful, May, and you mothers and you children have a splendid Mother's Day.

Lee Papa, Publisher