East and South County Realtor Groups OK Merger by Wide Margins

After months of meetings on the proposed merger of East San Diego County Association of Realtors, the Pacific Southwest Association of Realtors and the North San Diego County Association of Realtors, all three groups agreed to take the merger to their members for a vote. 

Voting took place online over two weeks.

In the end, East San Diego County and the Pacific Southwest Association of Realtors agreed to merge—by votes of 273-14 and 221-33 by the respective groups.   

The proposed merger failed by a vote of 618-588 among members of the North County Association of Realtors.

In a statement posted Feb. 29 on the ESDCAR website, association President Peg Tischer-Keeley and CEO R. Alan Smith said:

A merger of ESDCAR and PSAR will proceed. Look for additional announcements over the next few months as the leaders of ESDCAR and PSAR complete the transition from two associations to one. The merger will accommodate new efficiencies and cost saving measures in an effort to keep membership dues low while potentially adding new services and expanding existing services.

We will continue to support your business as we always have. You will continue to receive services in the same place and you may continue to participate in the association in the same manner. You will receive additional information as services and programs are made available to you in additional locations.

Attorney General Tells $18 Billion Bank Settlement

In early February, 49 state attorneys general and the federal government accepted a settlement in the suit brought against the major banks for flawed and fraudulent practices in the mortgage meltdown. 

Kamala Harris, our California attorney general, pulled out of talks with the banks last fall, stating that the amount being offered to California was “grossly insufficient.”

California had originally been offered about $2 billion. On Feb. 8, she held a press conference to announce that California will receive about $18 billion from the expected $40 billion in total benefits expected from the settlement.

Charlotte Reed is a Realtor with Windermere SoCal Real Estate in La Mesa.  She can be reached at CharlotteReed@Cox.net or 619-997-7333.