The New Year is already underway if you are a Realtor on the Kenai Peninsula. At an early morning breakfast held at the Kenai Visitor & Convention Center the Kenai Peninsula Association of Realtors (KPAR) gathered for their traditional award ceremony and installation of officers.
2016 KPAR president Marti Pepper honored Mark White, Ron Moore Realty as the 2016 Realtor of the Year and passed the gavel to Lyndy Wackler of Jack White Realty who will serve as the 2017 KPAR president.
“I’m very excited to serve as president. We have a lot coming up this year. It feels really good to be elected by my peers,” Wackler said.
Looking at the real estate market on the Peninsula for the coming year Wackler added, “It’s been good and I see it remaining stable. We’ve had a small increase in interest rates, but historically speaking they are still low, so it’ll remain steady and a good time to buy or move up in the market.”
Wackler started her real estate career just four years ago.
“I’m a newbie! I got right into it jumping in with both feet and haven’t looked back. I’m loving every second of it,” said Wackler.
According to Wackler there are many advantages to owning your own home.
“Instead of paying for a landlord’s mortgage you are building equity for yourself and your family. My background is in lending so I am experienced in the benefits home ownership or investment properties. It’s a great way of building wealth.”
Regarding the benefits of using a professional Realtor versus doing it yourself Wackler said, “Liability! There is so much that goes on in the market place and having someone with a clear code of ethics behind them as well as being licensed and working for your best interest at heart is huge factor. Also our negotiation abilities is where we earn our value.”
KPAR is actively involved with their political action committee through the Alaska Association of Realtors (AAR). Present at the breakfast to officially issue the oath of office to the new KPAR board of directors was AAR president elect Devon Thomas.
“When an action alert goes out, we encourage each member to respond so that we have a strong united voice in Juneau and Washington, D.C.,” encouraged Thomas.
Being named as the KPAR Affiliate of the Year was Stephanie Davidson of Kenai Business Connection.
The new KPAR chief executive officer Kelly Martin praised the members for their support of the Toys for Tots campaign this year, collecting a record number of new toys for kids on the Peninsula. Toy for Tots is just one of the community support projects that KPAR raises funds for throughout the year according to Martin.
The Realtors Pledge is something KPAR members take seriously and was repeated by all: “I am a Realtor. I pledge myself to strive to be honorable and to abide by the Golden Rule; To strive to serve well my community, and through it, my country; To abide by the Realtors Code of Ethics and to strive to conform to my conduct to its aspirational ideals; To act honestly in all real estate dealings; To protect the individual right of real estate ownership and to widen the opportunity to enjoy it; To seek better represent my clients by building my knowledge and competence.”
Kenai Peninsula Association of Realtors president Marti Pepper congratulates Mark White, 2016 Realtor of the Year.
Devon Thomas of the Alaska Association of Realtors addresses Kenai Peninsula Association of Realtors members.
KPAR 2017 president Lyndy Wackler.
