The condensed version of the outline for the Avoiding Closing Killers course

1. GA 101 – Avoiding Closing Killers:
The Top 10 Things Government Can Do That Will
Affect Your Ability to Represent Your Clients
Course Outline
HOUR 1 – Instructional Minutes – 50; Individual Q&A / Break Minutes – 10
I. Introduction (5 minutes) – Page 3
a. Overview of the purpose of the Course (3 minutes)
i. To discuss the issues in contemporary government as they apply to
real estate transactions
ii. To discuss the history, dynamics and effects of regulations on real
estate transactions, and homeownership
iii. To discuss what level of government is responsible for applying
these regulations
iv. To discuss alternative solutions that meet the goals of the
community while protecting the rights of clients
b. Introduction to additional reference materials (1 minute)
i. Explanation of resources available through the bibliography
ii. Explanation of resources available through the course citations
c. Course Introduction (1 minute)
II. Rent & Price Controls (15 minutes) – Pages 4 & 5
a. History of Rent and Price Controls (2 minutes)
b. Goals of Rent and Price Controls (2 minutes)
c. Failures of Rent Control Policies (3 minutes)
d. Lack of Service to Those in Need (3 minutes)
e. Study of Professionals & Experts (2 minutes)
f. Rent and Price Controls Today (3 minutes)
III. Property Restrictions (15 minutes) – Pages 6 – 9
a. Introduction to Property Restrictions (<1 minute)
b. Environmental Restrictions (6 minutes)
c. Community Efforts (8 minutes)
i. Floor Area Ratios
ii. Historical Districts
iii. Lot Coverage Limits
iv. Set Backs
v. Volumetrics
d. Conclusion of the issue (<1 minute)
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2. IV. Growth Controls (15 minutes) – Pages 10 & 11
a. Introduction (<1 minute)
b. Spawl Concept (<1 minute)
c. Methodology (3 minutes)
i. Urban Growth Boundaries
ii. Rezoning
iii. Agricultural Preservation
d. Concept of Policy (3 minutes)
i. Control speed of growth
ii. Control location of growth
iii. Sustainable Communities
e. Effects on Property Ownership & Rights (3 minutes)
i. Disconnect on “open space”
ii. Takings
iii. Variety of living options and standards
iv. Limitations vs. Personal Choice
v. Stigmatizing of Properties
vi. Diminished Value without Compensation for Loss
f. Effects on Community (2 minutes)
i. Cost of lost revenues
ii. Cost of piecemeal infrastructure planning
iii. Impact on long term visions
g. Developer Choice (3 minutes)
i. Application of growth control laws
ii. Response from development community
iii. Lowered Impact Fee & future value of additional tax / fee revenue
iv. Choice of lowered service or increased taxes
h. Conclusion (<1 minute)
i. Preservation of “Open Space” vs. Property Rights
V. Wrap up & Group Q&A
<<10 Minute Individual Question and Answer Session / Break>>
HOUR 2 – Instructional Minutes – 50; Q&A / Break Minutes – 10
VI. Assessment Districts (10 minutes) – Pages 12 & 13
a. Background on Need for Assessment Districts
b. Quality of Life vs. Cost of Service
c. Purpose of Assessment Districts
d. Applications of Assessment District Types
e. Authorization of Assessment Districts
f. Challenge of different district applications
g. Implications for Tax Assessment Appeals
h. Ad Valorem vs. Administrative Review
i. Effects on Salability of Property
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3. i. Impacts on Investors
ii. Impacts on new owners
iii. Impacts on owners looking to sell
j. Conclusion on issues of Assessment Districts
i. Discussion on appropriate application of Assessment District
Policies and Procedures
ii. Opportunities for real estate professionals to advocate for
responsible application of this process
VII. “Right to Vote” Initiatives (15 minutes) – Pages 14 – 16
a. Background of the “Right to Vote” concept (3 minutes)
b. Electoral Rights vs. Responsible Planning (>1 minute)
c. Common Land Use Planning processes (1 minute)
d. Reasons for Land Use Planning (1 minute)
e. Expertise vs. Popularity in Land Use Planning (2 minutes)
f. Failures of Electoral Planning Process (4 minutes)
g. Implications on Developers (>1 minute)
h. Implications on Projects (>1 minute)
i. Implications on Land Owners (>1 minute)
j. Implications on the Community (>1 minute)
k. Conclusion (1 minute)
i. Voting Rights vs. Community Needs
ii. Expertise vs. Popularity
iii. Cohesive planning vs. Divisive campaigns
iv. Adverse affects on the community
VIII. Tenancy and Residency Restrictions (10 minutes) – Pages 17 – 19
a. Background of Tenancy and Residency Restrictions Issues (3 minutes)
i. How restrictions came about
ii. Vacation Rental Ordinances
iii. Other categories
iv. HUD Guidelines
v. Term rental Ordinances
vi. Demand for local control
b. Types of Ordinances (5 minutes)
c. Conclusion (2 minute)
i. Effectiveness & legal right of issues
ii. Solutions for communities
IX. Restrictive Sign Ordinances (10 minutes) – Pages 20 & 21
a. Background of Sign Ordinances (3 minutes)
i. Frequency of attention
ii. Supreme Court Decisions
iii. Problems with businesses in communities
iv. Central Hudson vs. Public Services Committee
b. Issues for cities (2 minutes)
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4. c. Purpose of Open House Related Signs (2 minutes)
d. Conclusion (3 minutes)
X. Wrap Up, Q&A (5 minutes)
<<10 Minute Individual Question and Answer Session / Break>>
HOUR 3 – Instructional Minutes – 50; Testing Minutes - 20
XI. Transfer Taxes & Private Transfer Taxes ( 15 minutes) – Pages 22 & 23
a. Introduction to the Transfer Issues (3 minutes)
i. Impact of Costs
ii. Buyer’s connection to costs
iii. Regressive Nature of Transfer Taxes
b. Private Transfer Taxes (5 minutes)
c. Taxes vs. Fees (4 minutes)
d. Conclusion & Solution (3 minutes)
i. Keep apprised of these issues
ii. Check for these fees in your transactions (not just those in HOAs
either)
iii. Advise clients of these issues
iv. Make the community leaders aware of the real impact of this issue
so that they look at alternative measures.
XII. Point of Sale & Pre-Listing Mandates (15 minutes) – Pages 24 & 25
a. Typical point of sale mandates
i. Conservation – to reduce energy or water use
ii. Safety – for fire, police, and other concerns
iii. Retrofitting – appliances, or other items that new standards have
been set for
iv. Code Compliance – to ensure that the property meets current code
regulations
b. Inspections
c. Reasons for popularity
d. Failures of these policies
e. Expense of point of sale mandate
f. Reality of cost to implement
g. Conclusion and Solutions
i. Area implemented regulations
ii. Citywide implemented regulations
iii. Point of permit & Voluntary @ point of sale
iv. Exchange and discount programs to offset costs
v. Use of home inspector reports
vi. Inspections can be set to specific areas that need special attention
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5. XIII. Predatory Lending Restrictions (15 minutes) – Pages 26 – 28
a. Introduction to Predatory Lending (>1 minutes)
i. Controversy & Ethics
ii. Lack of definitions
b. Concerns of Predatory Lending (>1 minute)
c. Risk assessment (2 minutes)
d. Options in lending (2 minutes)
e. Applications of lending products (1 minute)
f. Abuses of lending products (1 minute)
g. Lack of financial sophistication (1 minute)
h. Exotic loans (1 minute)
i. Government regulation (1 minute)
j. Government solutions (2 minutes)
k. Results of government action (2 minutes)
l. Conclusion & Solutions (1 minute)
i. Encouraging regulatory agencies responsible for monitoring lending
practices to compare rates across demographics and release
findings
ii. Requiring standardized practices for investment from the borrowers
iii. Extending GSE loan programs to make them more available to
more borrowers
iv. Creating more localized lending options for alternative sources of
financial support
v. Spending more time educating borrowers on the real terms of
borrowing money for home purchases
XIV. Wrap Up & Group Q&A (5 minutes)
XV. Conclusion & Test (40 minutes)
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