The reddish-brown lodgepole pine tree makes up about 8 percent of the 22 million acres of forest found in the state of Colorado. In fact, just last year alone, the state lost 374,000 acres of lodgepole trees. Sadly, it doesn’t look like things are going to get any better any time soon.

“In the next two to three years, areas of lodgepole pine along the Front Range and south of Leadville are expected to see an increase in mountain pine beetle activity,” said Ryan Lockwood of the Colorado State Forest Service. “An infestation of this magnitude is unprecedented in our recorded history.”

Although beetle infestations are hardly anything new, as they have been a problem for pine forests for thousands of years, the milder winters and the drier summers the state has been enjoying over the last couple years has allowed them to significantly increase their numbers. Since the beetles tend to target those trees that are old and stressed, there is one positive side-effect to these infestations: they kill off those trees that are weaker, which allows more nutrients, sunlight and water to reach the smaller trees that will eventually grow into a new forest. In the meantime, however, these dead trees serve as fuel for forest fires.

According to Marion Murphy, who is a founding member of the Sustainable Forests Trade Association, the increased potential for forest fires may also have an effect on the state’s water supply. In fact, she reports that around two million people in the Denver metro area are dependent upon water that comes from areas that are affected by mountain pine beetles.

“Most of Denver’s water comes from a watershed around Grand Lake, which is one of the epicenters of the pine beetle infestation,” continued Murphy. “Losing this has enormous repercussions: no water, no farms, no food.”

Despite the concerns surrounding the infestation, other Coloradans are looking for creative ways to make use out of the fallen trees. For example, Gilpin County Commissioner Jeanne Nicholson lives in a log cabin that was built from beetle-kill wood. Drew Witmer, who owns J+Clay Environments based in Grand Junction, has also been experimenting with ways to use the wood in custom light fixtures and furniture for the past couple of years.

“It’s so visually appealing. It refines the traditional rustic look of pine,” said Witmer. “Using MPB creates industry locally and furniture made with it has a much lower carbon footprint because it isn’t traveling great distances.”

The Breckenridge-based Full Circle Design Group is also looking for creative ways to use the wood in cabinetry, flooring and custom furniture.

“The customer response [to products made from MPB wood] has been fantastic,” said Charise Buckley, who is the owner of Full Circle and who donates a percentage of sales toward reforesting efforts. “Plus, people are glad to see us doing something with wood that’s dead on the side of the road.”

* Above photo taken by my dear friend, Pahmela Lovel Udick, on the Western Slope near Rand, CO.

The FIABCI-USA Fall Business Conference “Connecting Continents” is coming up quickly.  The 2010 gathering of  local, national and international professionals is to be held in Seattle, WA, September 23-26, at the Edgewater Hotel located right on the water.  Last years conference was a great success and was held in my hometown, Denver, CO.

Why should you invest your time and money to attend the upcoming national meeting?  From my experience, in additional to receiving referral business, I have gained many new friends and expanded my opportunities well beyond my dreams.  Here are some additional reasons why you should consider joining us in Seattle:

1. To expand your business network and make connections around the world
2. To learn new ideas and best practices from speakers and colleagues
3. To set yourself apart from your competition
4. To take advantage of the membership benefit and make a marketing presentation
5. To show your clients and prospective clients how much broader your reach and knowledge are because of your FIABCI-USA involvement
6. To share your expertise, listings/services, challenges, and successes
7. To learn about Asian markets, international market risks and opportunities, foreign investment in Seattle, and to gain practical tips you can apply to your business right away
8. To make friends for life who will help you when you need it most
9. To enjoy camaraderie in our special, internationally-focused group that is small enough so you can get to know most people yet large enough so you’ll be sure of meeting new colleagues
10. Because you are invited and will be warmly welcomed!

FIABCI-USA is a chapter member of FIABCI, the International Real Estate Federation which is a non-political entity whose objective is to help its members add an international dimension to their businesses. With representation by chapters in 48 countries, with five official languages: English, French, German, Japanese, and Spanish, the professional organization represents all real estate disciplines for all properties including brokerages, property management, valuation/appraisers, property development and consulting, lawyers, insurers, architects, and urban planners.

Register by August 31st to save the most money.  Open the attachment or click here for everything you need: http://www.fiabci-usa.com/fallmeeting2010.html.

See you in September – in Seattle!

“We wish Tom well in his desire to relocate to New Jersey where his wife, Diane, has just assumed a great CEO opportunity herself. In two very short years Tom grew our fledgling enterprise to over $70mm in assets, making it one of the fastest growing credit unions in the country. Tom left us with an excellent team and because of his leadership we are very excited about the future of REALTORS® FCU.”

Jane Pannier, the credit union’s Executive Vice President and General Counsel, has been named the new acting President and CEO. Jane says “I’m so honored to be following in Tom’s footsteps and I’m very excited about the opportunities that lie ahead for REALTORS® FCU.”

The Real Estate Jobs and Investment Act (H.R. 5901), which easily passed through the House of Representatives on July 30 of this year, will effectively make U.S. real estate trusts a more attractive investment for foreign investors. How? Simply put, the new act will double the amount that a foreign citizen can invest in a Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT) before getting hit by the costly capital gains tax.

A REIT is a specific tax designation provided to corporations that are investing in real estate. The designation helps to reduce or even eliminate the company’s corporate income taxes. In return for this perk, the REITs must distribute 90% of their income, all of which is taxable, among investors. As such, REITs were designed to have a structure for investing in real estate that is similar to the way mutual funds are used to invest in stocks. REITs may be publicly or privately held, with public REITs being listed on the public stock exchange in the same was common stock is shared.

As it stands right now, only those foreign investors who own five percent or less of a REIT are exempt from being taxed. Obviously, this cap has long stood as a bit of a deterrent for those investors who might be interested in investing more than 5%, as making a larger investment will result in a loss of money in the form of taxes.

“Under current U.S. tax law, foreign investors generally do not pay capital gains taxes when they sell stock in a U.S. corporation,” states the executive summary of the notes for the Real Estate Jobs and Investment Act. “Foreign investors with a stake in [REITs]…are taxed more heavily.”

The new bill, which was originally introduced by Rep. Joseph Crowley (D-NY), hopes to bring more equality to how taxes are charged against foreign investors. It passed in the House by a wide margin of 402-11, but it still needs to be approved by the Senate before it will go before the President for his final approval.

The primary goal of this webinar was to help determine how the Federation would go about assisting worldwide real estate markets with overcoming the devastating effects of the recession while also developing ways to prevent such a financial disaster from occurring again.

This webinar was somewhat of a follow up to an initiative that took place in June in the Ukraine, at which a number of real estate representatives met with government officials in order to determine ways to reform the real estate market on a national level. At this meeting, representatives decided to adhere to the principles that had been developed by the FIABCI in collaboration with the United Nations. A party consisting of members of the private sector as well as high-level members of the Ukraine government was developed after this meeting with the goal of developing practical reformation matters.

At the FIABCI webinar, which largely focused on the Ukraine initiative, a number of conclusions were reached. First, it was determined that the FIABCI, along with the United Nations, would take on a leadership role in terms of promotion essential regulations, global standards, economic stability, sustainable development, efficient markets and best practice. It was also agreed that maintaining an open dialogue between local and national governments was mutually beneficial. While FIABCI members will work toward improving business conditions while also gaining recognition in the industry, government bodies would benefit from the market experience and professional expertise the members have to offer.

It was also determined that the process could be expanded through the various FIABCI national chapters located around the world and that progress reports would be delivered to the members in December 2010 at the FIABCI Business Meetings in Brussels as well as in May 2011 at the FIABCI World Congress in Cyprus. Furthermore, it was determined that FIABCI-Ukraine as well as officials from the United Nations will provide assistance to the other FIABCI Chapters that are interested in establishing a similar dialogue with their government officials.

“Today’s event was a first for FIABCI with members from many of our Chapters working together towards making the international marketplace more efficient, transparent and stable,” said Enrico Campagnoli, who is the World President of the FIABCI. “The process is directly relevant to the creation of business opportunities. Meeting regularly with government at the highest level while comparing experiences with FIABCI colleagues will inevitably lead to an improved network and more transactions for those involved. At the same time, we will be making an important contribution to the long term economic health of the communities we serve.”

We caught up with Carolyn at an industry seminar and interviewed her for Real Estate Industry Watch.

EB: Hi Carolyn, you have started a bit of “buzz” in the real estate community as you work to reclaim your name when another “Carolyn Capalbo” became infamous. How is it going so far?

Carolyn Capalbo: The outpouring of support from the Realtor community has been amazing. Agents that I have not met personally have reached out to me and taken time out of their busy schedules to help me reclaim my name. It has been very heartwarming and humbling experience.

EB: Most REALTORS cannot imagine having their name overrun as you did. Can you tell us a little bit about what it was like?

Carolyn Capalbo: When the story first broke, I really did not recognize the long term impact that this could have. I thought that the other Carolyn would enjoy her 15 minutes of fame and be out of the limelight once the story died down. I also was amazed that the mother of this girl would garner so much attention. The initial burst of phone calls surprised me. Reporters were calling me directly looking for information regarding Ashley. Reporters were also contacting my Broker’s office looking for information. My own buyer’s agents asked me if I had another child from a previous relationship. My children were also questioned at school if they had an older sister or half sister. What I didn’t recognize was the long term retention of this information via the search engines. Pictures of me were merged into the pictures of the other Carolyn Capalbo. Since our basic coloring is the same, even I can understand why some people might think that we are one and the same person. I also know that I can’t control the images out there on line. It is frustrating to not have control over your image.

EB: Tell us a little bit about the REAL Carolyn Capalbo.

Carolyn Capalbo: My motto is Service, Knowledge, and Integrity. I am very driven to offer my customers the highest level of service, expertise and excellence. Family is extremely important to me. I recently celebrated my 20th Wedding anniversary and am a very proud Mom of 3 amazing children (triplets). While being a Realtor, we have to be out there in the public; however, I have a very private side that I also enjoy. I love the water and love to be out on a sailboat as often as possible. I love to spend as much time with my family as possible.

EB: How did you get into the real estate business?

Carolyn Capalbo: I have always been excited about real estate. Timing was everything for me, my husband served over 20 years in the US Army. We move frequently and I stayed home full time to raise my children. On his final tour, we relocated to the Washington DC Metropolitan area and I re-entered the workplace. I utilized my background in economics and worked for a large bank in the area. When my husband retired and embarked on a second career, it was time for me to follow my dream and give real estate a try. My first full year in real estate I closed 64 transaction sides and knew that this was my calling!

EB: So now for some fun..what are your predictions for the top finishers in the contest? Who do you think will end up at the top?

Carolyn Capalbo: At this moment in time, when you Google my name, Lisa Udy, has the second position. But it is still early in the contest!

I am thrilled and grateful that Morgan Carey and Real Estate Webmasters has taken up my cause. I appreciate your support and generous donation of your time and prizes for my cause as well. Who do you think will win?

EB: (grin) As long as the winners are REALTORS who are helping you get your name back, we all win. Final Question. What have you learned from this experience that you would pass on to other REALTORs?

Carolyn Capalbo: You can’t control what is out there on line. The implications could be both positive or negative depending upon the situation. While I can’t remove the images of the other Carolyn Capalbo hanging out in a bikini on the beach, I can blog and provide testimonial proof that we are not one and the same. If this happens to you, get the word out that you are not one and the same person.

I still have no way to quantify how many potential clients have not called me because of that initial bikini impression. I believe that I must work harder to get past the on-line images.

Carolyn – we wish you the best in your business and efforts.

• The strength of the U.S. dollar
• The overall value and level of desirability of real estate in the United States
• The apparent emergence of an economic recovery

“While all real estate in the U.S. is local, the same is not true for property owners,” said Vicki Cox Golder, who is the President of the NAR as well as the owner of Vicki L. Cox Real Estate in Tucson, Arizona, in a REALTOR®Mag article. “The. U.S. continues to be a top destination for international buyers from all over the world. Foreign buyers understand the value of owning a home in this country and can rely on REALTORS® to help guide them through the complex process of buying property in the U.S. With expertise, knowledge and experience, REALTORS® have a global perspective.”

The survey analyses investor interest from April 1, 2009 through March 31, 2010, during which time foreign investors purchased an estimated $66 billion worth of residential property in the United States, representing 7% of the residential market. Those included in the “foreign investors” category include those who remain residents outside of the United States as well as recent immigrants and temporary visa holders. Furthermore, 28% of REALTORS® report having worked with at least one international client over the past year, representing a significant increase from the 23% reporting to do the same in the June report. Furthermore, the report estimates that 18% of REALTORS® completed at least one sale with a foreign buyer, compared to 12% last year.

“Several factors have contributed to an increase in international buyer interest in the U.S.,” continued Golder. “A larger majority of REALTORS® report the changes in value of the U.S. dollar have had a strong impact on the international real estate business. In addition, perceptions abroad about trends in the U.S. real estate market have led many international clients to believe purchasing a home in the U.S. is more affordable than in their country and holds more value.”

Although international buyers during the period analyzed came from 53 different countries, Canada, the U.K., Mexico and China/Hong Kong were the top four investors. In fact, 23% of foreign investors came from Canada, which has been the largest foreign investor over the past three years. Mexican investors have been on the rise, however, having replaced the U.K. as the second largest group of buyers in 2010 and holding 10% of the market. While buyers from the U.K. dropped from representing 10.5% to 9% of the market, its investors still held a strong showing. Investors from China/Hong Kong, on the other hand, represented 8% of the foreign investment market.

According to the report, there were two factors that were particularly important to international buyers who were interested in purchasing property in the United States. One factor was the proximity of the property to their home country, while the other was the convenience of air transportation. In general, Canadians, South Americans and Europeans were interested in Florida, while Europeans showed interest in the East Coast. Asian buyers were most interested in the West Coast, while Mexican buyers were primarily interested in the Southwest. While international buyers expressed interest in a total of 39 different states in 2010, the majority of interest was expressed in Arizona, California, Florida and Texas. In fact, 53% of foreign purchases took place in these states, with California and Florida being the top two destinations.

While the median price paid by foreign buyers dropped from $247,100 to $219,400, these figures are still much higher than the overall median price within the market. In fact, foreign buyers tended to purchase at the higher end of the market, with 16% of purchases being properties priced at $500,000 or more. Furthermore, while 66% of foreign investors did purchase single-family detached homes, 23% purchased condos compared to 7% of domestic buyers. Similarly, only 44% of international buyers purchased their homes with a mortgage, compared to 92% of American buyers. REALTORS® reports that the majority of foreign buyers choose to pay with cash due to the difficulties associated with establishing international credit in the states. This is illustrated by the fact that 34% of potential foreign buyers were unable to complete their purchases because they were unable to obtain the financing they needed in the United States.

While this deal is interesting from the Yahoo side of the deal, as they move out of search and look to cut costs and raise revenue by becoming more of a “virtual portal”, the implications for the real estate industry may be big.

With the traffic of Yahoo Real Estate and Zillow combined, Zillow is now poised to take the #1 spot away from REALTOR.com and move into the position of being the #1 Real Estate 3rd Party lead syndicator.

Peru, Panama and Brazil lead the next wave of residential growth in Latin America. Factors such as rapid GDP growth, good yields, relatively low taxes, reasonably priced real estate, and reasonable round-trip costs put Panama on Global Property Guides’ list of recommended locations to buy property, despite its history of corrupt government. Even countries like Chile and Colombia provide better odds for appreciation than more established markets, the report concludes.

Overall, the report sees stronger markets around the world. Nineteen out of the 36 countries tracked posted gains in the first quarter of 2010, led by Hong Kong, Singapore and cities in Australia. In most countries experiencing declines, the pace is slowing. Notable exceptions are Ireland, Bulgaria and Thailand.

Although Asia’s valuations are skyrocketing, GPG considers the region as over-valued. In Europe, property markets have not sufficiently adjusted from their 15-year rise. The United States offers opportunities, but deals might be limited to the areas hardest hit by the financial crisis, such as Florida, Las Vegas and California.

Let this serve as a reminder how important our online reputation is.  If you don’t own your own name.com, do it now.  You don’t have to use it, just don’t let anyone else have it.  Also, be sure to set Google alerts for your name.