Kary Oncu

Wow, every now and again you just know you are in the right place at the right time.

Each year Don Tarbell treats his agents to an extravaganza. He brings in Broadway stars and gives a full blown show all morning, lunch, and then gives awards to agents reaching a series of sales goals for the past year.

This year's awards were at the OC Performing Arts Center, Segerstrom Hall. Stars performed a series of Rodgers & Hammerstein musicals. Stars such as Shirley Jones, Brian Stokes Mitchell, Hugh Panaro, Laura Bell Bundy, Susan Egan, Nita Whitaker, Roy Leake Jr. (My personal favorite), and Mark Watters, producer/musical director, and the Young Americans.

Shirley Jones sang for us and introduced each segment of the acts. She is elegant. What a lifetime of entertainment she has provided when you look at all of her credits.

The music, the acting, the setting, wow, Segerstrom Hall was a building built to enhance the performance. The main act was the full concert version of Rodgers & Hammerstein's South Pacific. With period costumes and quality acting you felt like you were back in WWII. Laura Bell Bundy performed Nellie Forbush flawlessly, and Roy Leake Jr. provided a comedic relief, playing Luther Billis.

Mark Watters, with a full ochestra compliment, played the music of Rodgers & Hammerstein marvelously. Of course most of Rodgers & Hammerstein's music is so uplifting, you find yourself singing along, and feeling somewhat empowered to be larger than life yourself. Who can singing "the hills are alive" without feeling yourself running through the Alps yourself. (In your mind of course).

In a year with so much economical blues, The Tarbell's could have easily downsized the extravaganza, but instead turn it up and treated their agents to an inspiring show and another reason to strive to be the best of the best.

Thank you Don and Betsy, and Tarbell Corporate for the great show.

A shout out goes to Roula Fawaz for being the No. 1 Tarbell agent in the company!

Working with buyer's presents challenges. As Realtors we have our own expectations for our yearly production. As buyers reach out for our services Realtors have the ethical obligation of caring for our clients interests above and beyond our own.

In this world of instant gratification it is easy to see why agents take the path of least resistence. Loan officers are telling our clients that they can qualify for homes that are still at the top of their affordibiity level. Clients want to get the biggest house they can with their money. Now just because a buyer can doesn't mean he should. It is a delicate balance to counsel our clients to look in a lower price range than they qualify for vs. getting the most house for their dollar, then becoming a slave to the house down the road.

In the recent environment where voters continue to vote for every tax increase presented them on the ballot, potential homeowners need to take into consideration future costs that could impact their quality of life. Current home values are still declining albeit at a slower rate, since sales numbers are up from last year at this time. Buyers who have been sitting on the sidelines are now recognizing it's a good time to buy. If the number of sales continue to rise, it will act as a brake on the price decline. Because of the number of short sales soon to become foreclosures the market will still see a flucuation in prices. More and more buyers will recognize now is the time to purchase.

Realtors who are making a career of real estate, will continue to watch out for their clients because clients interests are the first priority of a career Realtor. I am a career-minded Realtor. My clients can rest assured their interest will come before mine.