Apella Real Estate Business Solutions is pleased to bring a new resource to real estate professionals of the world. Announcing the Grand Opening of Apella' Real Estate Business Supply Store in association with Amazon.

The concept of Apella's Real Estate Business Supply Store was born out of the realization that real estate professionals need a source to supply their small real estate businesses while saving them money and time. Apella Real Estate Business Solutions is pleased to have a supply store concept that joins the education concept that already offers real estate professionals a 10% savings on real estate courses via McKissock Real Estate and Appraisal School.

Apella's Real Estate Business Supply Store is an online store that provides any kind of item that a real estate professional or real estate business large or small may need. Products include office supplies, office equipment, office fixings, cameras, measuring devices, home and garden items, building supplies, business clothing and a wide assortment of items that can be provided as gifts while staying under the $25.00 limit.

Another feature with Apella's Real Estate Business Supply Store is that because it is in association with Amazon, customers can be assured it is a secure and reliable online shopping source.

Real estate professionals can now shop from the comfort of their home, while at the office, or on the go from their mobile phones. While the Apella's Real Estate Business Supply Store is designed for real estate professionals all shoppers will find items of interest while saving money and time.

Real estate professionals can now order any item of need for their small or large real estate business without having to go to several brick and mortar stores. From Apella's, online shopping experience is enhanced with Amazon's product review and customer feedback. Not sure what product that may be needed or what it is like? See what other consumers are saying about it.

 For larger brokerage companies or real estate related businesses you can now offer your purchasing staff a single location to satisfy all of the real estate business needs while paying prices that often is much more economical then the big box retailers. No need to send the staff to a store on the other side of town and cost your business labor resources, now the items are shipped directly to your office.

For those of us in the real estate industries we understand that the business operations do not end or close at 5:00 PM most of the time. Now real estate professionals can order supplies at anytime of the day or night. Up at 2:00 AM and remember that you have an open house on Sunday that needs presentation materials? No problem... now real estate professionals can get products they need and know and with Amazon they can have it shipped express.

Apella Real Estate Business Solutions is pleased to have the opportunity to offer real estate professionals yet another resource aimed at making the real estate business better. As a small real estate appraisal management company, Apella fully understands the needs of real estate businesses. That is why we developed Apella's Real Estate Business Supply Store, saving real estate professionals and others time and money.

Apella Real Estate Business Solutions hopes you enjoy our new online shopping center. Just click the Apella's logo and it will get you started on supplying your real estate business while making your business life just a little bit easier.

Thank you for shopping Apella's Real Estate Business Supply Store Online.

The Vendor Voice Post has been delayed this week and with good reason. The seriousness of the topic as it pertains to all of us in the appraisal business and more so as coming from an appraisal management company. This post has been worked with great care and with huge consideration before its actual posting.

This week the news steaming from the Attorney General of New York, Andrew Cuomo launching law suits two Wednesdays ago against eAppraisit and their parent company First American, did a fine job of hitting the main press boards. Even a couple of real estate blogs picked up on the item including the Matrix and Appraisal Scoop.

Table Talk With Apella is one of the main voice platforms for Apella Real Estate Business Solutions. Apella is an Appraisal Management Company and can be viewed as a competitor to eAppraiseit who is one of the parties named in the law suit. Granted while Apella is quite smaller to the likes of 180 million in gross revues volume It is not the intentions of this post to comment on eAppraiseit, its parent company or any part that they may have had in the Attorney General's claims.

Due to the current news items and events Apella does feel that a few items should be addressed in regards to Appraisal Management Companies or at least this one, Apella, on a public format. I or Apella can not deny the harm that the press coverage and claims have done to our part of the industry and the industry as a whole. At best we do offer some items for review and support the notion that perhaps the current developments will stress the need to address the appraiser pressure problem.

Much time has gone into compiling the following list of news and blog items for the readers to review and compile their own views. The list is being provided in efforts to communicate and educate the readers and to get them as current on the subject as possible.

Forbes.com - Associated Press Sector Snap: National Banks

Bakersfield Bubble Bakersfield's Official Real Estate And Economic Site - The whole system is corrupt

ABC News The Blotter - N.Y. Attorney General: Leading Bank Profits at Homeowners' Expense

New York Post - Mortgage-scam Suit Tars Big Bank WAMU

NY Daily News.com Daily News - Appraisal firm faces charge on inflating homes value

theithacajournal .com - Help urged for N.Y. residents facing foreclosure

KCBS All News 740 AM - CA Attorney General Investigating Mortgage Companies

The Business Review  - Real estate appraisal company eAppraiseIT sued by N.Y.

The Stree.com  - Friday's Financial Winners & Losers

SF Gate.com - California appraisers say they're pushed to inflate home prices

news day.com - Cuomo: E-mails tell tale of collusion

DS news.com - Updated: NY Attorney General Sues First American, eAppraiseIT Subsidiary

CNN Money.com - WaMu suspends eAppraiseIT relationship

Forbes .com - AFX News Limited WaMu suspends relationship w/ First American unit eAppraiseIT following NY suit

The Seattle Times - WaMu accused of pushing appraisers to inflate values

Builder Online - New York Attorney General Files Suit Against eAppraiseIT

LawyersandSettlements .com - WaMu Inflated Valuations Hurt Consumers

CNN Money.com - Law Firm: Washington Mutual Faces Purported Class Action Suit

Forbes .com - Associated Press Ahead of the Bell: Washington Mutual

Bloomberg .com - Cuomo Widens Investigation to Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac (Update 3)

Forbes .com - AFX News Limited WaMu says it will continue to investigate N.Y. Attorney General claims

The Street.com - Regulator Questions Cuomo Suit

Mercury News.com The Mercury News - Harney: Appraisers take heat for role in housing crisis

Welt Online - Hagens Berman Sobol Shapiro Announces Class Action Lawsuit Against Washington Mutual

LawyersandSettlements .com - WaMu: Shares Drop, Pressure Mounts Over Alleged Wrongdoing

The New York Times - New York Widens Inquiry on Mortgages

Mortgage News Daily - OFHEO Director Weighs In On Cuomo Probe

As mentioned above the current events do not put the appraisal industry or Appraisal Management Companies in a favorable light. I as many of my peers take our industry very serious and at the same time no one in the appraisal industry can deny that appraiser pressure is not a part of our business. To deny such a claim is beyond logic or respect.

For many of us and for a very long time appraisers have worked to counter such pressure to meet property values or conditions. For the most part those claims have gone unanswered by the government and lending industries. The Appraisal Institute holds much information on the subject and their multitude of attempts to have appraiser pressure addressed.  Like wise the Soapbox Blog a sister site to the Matrix has raised this concern for years.  It can only be said that it is sad that it takes an approaching 2 million foreclosures on top of an already existing 2 million foreclosures before action is taken.

As sad as it is... it is the case... and is life.

The best all and any of us can do now is work to fix the issues and to put into place safe guards ensuring that history does not repeat itself in the real estate industries and markets.

Just as underwriters, appraisers are policing elements in the lending process. Appraisal Management Companies are in fact there to support the cause and to counter the pressure issue.  As a third party buffer that holds the job of marketing and process management as well as invoicing.  Should the claims be true then it will no doubt show a clear breakdown in the system and a violation of what we as those policing elements stand for. This is a clear concern for me and Apella... a serious concern not to be taken lightly in the areas of industry trust and goodwill.

It should be noted that I have had experience with the above mentioned companies however have not been involved with them as of sometime or at least as of mid-2005 via previous companies. Upon the creation of more predominate and/or more pressing operations for Apella and as it is not in the nature of AMCs to issue work to other AMCs, relations were cut long before the time noted that the Attorney General claims stem from. Apella does not have nor has it had any business relationship with any of the noted.

It should be as well noted that at the same time I am not one to turn my back on my industry and therefore am open to offering what help I may should there be a need. Apella, while it would be a challenge of some substance, has the resources to step up and be of assistance in a process and/or appraisal product review stance.

However it may be a better place for Apella to offer what we can to  the appraisal industry in image damage control. Cover up and denial are not an option but education and communication is. Apella is the only Appraisal Management Company that does marketing on a regular basis to real estate sales professionals and homeowners as well Apella may be the only AMC to have an active Internet presents via a blog.

Apella markets to real estate professionals and homeowners. There were many reasons for our moving in that direction when most AMCs do work for lenders only.  One of those reasons being the lack of pressure, another reason, the opportunity to educate the general consumer/public about the appraisal industry. It seems to have been a wise decision.

Furthermore I am, as many appraisers, committed to rejecting work in the event of lender pressure. It is simple in that if enough appraisers do not bend to pressure then the client base will become educated that this "pressure" is not a business option. The down side is that there are those that will give in and/or provide predetermined values/conditions and we must all work together to counter those that seek to harm our industries.

While I am not naive to the fact that appraisals for clients is where appraisers make their living and that turning down business is a direct effect on revenues, I can not stress the importance of appraisers making a stand regardless of the loss. Even though it is difficult to take the loss I do not see any other option should they hold a concern for their license and industry at this time. For the most part there are no true or strong laws working for the protection of the appraiser.

Apella seeks a client base that prefers to do business with businesses that are ethical, honest and professional. Apella will continue to provide superior customer service and resources to the best of the company's ability to that customer base.

While the current events may raise doubt, Apella does encourage lenders to step up and put in place the use of AMCs (complete with policy and procedures) to counter any possible pressure issues with in their operations.  The lending industry must put into practice items that counter these kinds of offences even if it means retiring the commission based incomes. Should the lending industries put a foot forward and show that they will not tolerate appraiser pressure much good is but only to follow.

Apella strives to work closely with our Vendors. This has been clearly stated on our web site, blog and over the phone when addressing items with current and new vendors. It is fact that when I or Apella state that we will not pressure the appraiser... just as it is fact that we will turn down work from those who insist on such tactics. It is vital for our own good and that of the industry that Apella is planning to be a part of for quite some time now to come.  The appraisal industry is one that Apella is proud to be a part of and the commitment to improve it stands.

Support for this claim can be found on our Lender page on the Apella web site were Appraisal Foundation issued Advisory Opinion AO-19 is stated.

Furthermore we have made great strides in ensuring proper pay, education and support.  Apella has done this by offering higher splits, real estate appraisal education at a savings as provided by McKissock Real Estate & Appraisal School and the providing of tools/links via our web site to vendors. Apella can not state how important our vendor base is to us and our desire to provide for them.  Apella will continue to do its best to support the vendor.

It is clear that when an Appraisal Management Company submits to lender or client pressure that Appraisal Management Company submits its vendors to risk and harm. I can not think of any appraiser that would want to do business with a company that may pose harm to them and their business and/or industry.

The recent news items join reports of some AMCs selling information as gathered by appraisers and their appraisal reports and the suits by eAppraiseit as filed against appraisers for web site postings.

Apella holds the strictest policy that appraisal information will not be altered, disclosed or sold. Apella requires our vendors to submit all appraisals with a tracking number and in a PDF format for security purposes.

PDFs will not be opened or altered nor will public record sections of the report be sold to AVMs or others. All changes to any appraisal will be done by the appraiser only and all changes are documented as to when and why. Apella clearly discloses this to the client/customer even if it means costing us business. We take this stance to clearly protect the appraiser, real estate industries, consumer and because it is law.

Furthermore Apella respects the right to free speech and accepts our exposure to the consumer. It is this that serves as a non forgiving reminder that we must always strive to do what is right and ethical. Rather it is wished or not the consumer will voice their views. Apella accepts the fact that some of our counterparts in the industry yet need to learn this lesson.

It should be clear from this post that for those of us in the appraisal industry that it is not "business as usual". Nor can we expect it to be for some time now.

Apella is currently looking into items that may be done by appraisers to deal with the current developments and events. Communications will be relayed to our vendors as needed. As appraisers in the industry should you have any comments or questions you are encouraged to contact Apella or do so on this blog.

For additional industry links please feel free to visit our Resource Page on the Apella web site.

As far as industry improvements those in the regulatory fields or government are free to contact Apella in relation to views and ideas for improvements and measures. It has been attempted by me and my peers to communicate these items in the past to governmental bodies with little acceptance or response. Things are now to a level of new acceptance or should be for those in the regulatory fields and/or government. I can not think of what more it will take for you to be interested in what we in the appraisal industry may have to offer and contribute.

This issue is sure to continue and Table Talk With Apella will do its part to keep its readers, clients and vendors aware.

Until the next post, thank you for reading and valued support.

I am proud to state that Active Rain is the first platform for this announcement as it shows great promise for the real estate blog and the benefits for the real estate professional both that blog and do not.  It is a great honor to be able to work with a national real estate school of McKissock's quality and customer service.

Regular readers of Table Talk With Apella as well as blogs that Apella has made comments on can contest to our commitment in education and promoting the constant improvement of the real estate industries.  It is a major goal of the company and makes up a key part of Apella's mission statement.  More so it is a vital part of support for Apella's vendors who are appraisers and home inspectors.  Apella is also committed to providing resources and has worked very hard to do so for the current and future clients and customers being homeowners and real estate sales professionals.  It is with the highest hopes that they view this partnership as proof to that commitment. 

It is no light statement that all real estate bloggers world wide contribute to the improvement of the real estate industries in one way or another.  Consumer awareness and education, news, the sharing of ideas and ethics and/or improvements, bloggers contribute immensely.  Table Talk With Apella by far is not alone in this endeavor, not to say the least and we have some wonderful company.   The blog format has potential beyond measure for the real estate industries and its bloggers.

In keeping with blog standards of conduct Apella would like to cover the disclosure that it is compensated as a licensed distributor of McKissock Real Estate & Appraisal School.   While we had been working on the partnership forming and acceptance for close to two years now and long before Table Talk With Apella was created the finial agreement was approved last Friday.  The agreement allows for us to offer a discount and marketing cost as well as establish a future fund to contribute to community.  The later is still under development between Apella and McKissock.  McKissock will provide all education and education related services. 

Currently readers, vendors and real estate professionals can take advantage of a 10% discount on courses that they sign up for via the Apella Web Site.  McKissock also provides courses as available via the Internet and we would encourage the readers and real estate professionals to take a look into this course option.  It does not matter if you are current customer or vendor as this discount is open to the public via the Apella web site and the McKissock links on the Vendors, RE Sales Professionals and Resources Pages.  Likewise the discount is available nation wide where McKissock course are available and per McKissock schedules.   

Further Table Talk With Apella is pleased to state that it will host a blog post from McKissock and their guest writer in the future covering some of the course that they offer and the benefits as well as general information about McKissock Real Estate & Appraisal School.

This is an incredible day for Apella and all that have an interest or that are in real estate.  As the writer of this post I can contest to McKissock course quality and customer service as I am a customer of theirs  and have been for a few years now.  I can not speak high enough for the instructors and can only suggest that the readers visit the McKissock web site Instructors page. 

For future reference the Table Talk With Apella blog post will have a link for the readers to use that will take them to the web site where they can receive a 10% discount on their real estate educational needs.

Until the next post thank you for reading and looking forward to seeing you in class.

Homeowners have much on their plate these days to consider... their own assortment of real estate Boogie Men.

Real estate job reductions, falling house pricing, credit money dry ups, foreclosures, rising real estate inventories, equity robbing builder discounting on mass levels and now higher heating fuel cost.

So much for homeowners to ponder and worry over that one almost has to wonder; how one closet or below bed area can hold so many creatures. However homeowners are not the only ones in real estate that has their Boogie Men and more are peeking out of closets and from under beds every day.

Across the industries lenders and rating companies seem to be the newest witness to eyes peering at them from different corners and some even have good reason to pull the covers up just a little bit more.

Many of us in the real estate blog neighborhood are familiar with The Mortgage Fraud Blog who has been covering items for some time now and of which many are from the state of Ohio and for good reason. Not only is Ohio the leading state in the nation (or one of them depending on report and day) in foreclosures it is also home to Ohio State Attorney Marc Dann.

Yesterday the WSJ Real Estate Journal.com article A New Mortgage "Cop" Targets Wall Street addresses Mr. Dann's works in the state of Ohio and his campaign to clean up the states mortgage industry. Yes there really is a Mortgage Lending Boogie Man... at least in Ohio for bad lenders and others.

Mr. Dann has a clear view on the issue as quoted in the WSJ Real Estate Journal.com item "Everyone who helped create this crisis will be held accountable". The article then touches on how Mr. Dann is now targeting the rating companies that rated mortgage backed bonds and other investment vehicles. How's that for a Big Bad Boogie Man! But the question still remains are McGraw-Hill Cos', Standard & Poor's, Moody's Corp's Mood's Investors Service and Fimalac SA's Fitch Ratings really scared? Well they might be... that is depending on what the U.S. Supreme Court says.

Yesterday NPR Morning Edition covered Supreme Court Weighs Third Parties' Fraud Liability where communication company Charter Communications is alleged to have deceived investors by conspiring with vendors to make the Charter books pretty for investors. Where the two tie in is in the third party part and the involvement of wanting to appease investors.

With in the last week Mortgage News Daily items MBA Advises Against Broadening Fraud Laws and MBA Proposals For Mortgage Fraud Legislation cover the attempts of the Mortgage Bankers Association to throw some light on the closet, or at least remove some teeth from their own little Boogie Man (new (proposed) mortgage fraud legislation).

For most homeowners that are spending their resources on meeting basic survival demands and fending off their own real estate related concerns, they can at least take to heart that there are others with their own real estate related concerns.

At least trial lawyers all over the U.S. are not suffering.

Until the next post, thanks for reading and forget the night light... cost too much to keep it lit.

In light of today being Columbus Day and with many in banks and government jobs having the day off, Table Talk With Apella too is taking it lite with some Halloween fun. 

Of course any of us that are in real estate long enough have a horror story or two about a house or listing.  Some might be less than clean, less then in perfect condition or maybe... shiver... even haunted.

The following are ten houses or properties from various scary movies that as a real estate sales professional you may not want to have to deal with.  Then again maybe you are fearless!  If you are up to the challenge and think you can survive long enough to collect the listing information on the property, then feel free to submit your Hollywood scary movie home MLS sheet complete with Halloween spoofing features.  Have a torture rack to go with the sale, how about a butcher's block?  Go a head and have some fun!  Apella is.  If you like you can submit your Halloween Hollywood scary movie home MLS in a blog post and we will link to your blog for the readers to see it before October 31^st.

Hollywood scary movie home tour:

Somewhere CA Bates Motel 12 cabins with mansion

0001 Cemetery Ridge or better known as the Addams Family residence

112 Ocean Avenue or better known as the Lutz residence of Amityville

123 Elm Street or better know as the Krueger residence

123 Haunted Hill or better known as the Loren House

Address Unknown Haddonfield IL or better known as home to Michael Myers and late sister(s)

1313 Mockingbird Lane in Mockingbird Heights or better known as the Munsters residence

The Overlook Hotel Rocky Mountains Oregon managed by Jack Torrance and family

Spring Street Seattle Rimbauer mansion Rose Red

Hardesty farm located in Rural Texas

So until the next post, thanks for reading and remember that the real estate may be worth a million bones but staying alive long enough to sell it is priceless. 

Last week The Apella's Friday Community Connection post was not made due to schedules and Internet down times. This week the post is delayed one day also due to schedules however it does not take away from how important this weekly post is.

This week Table Talk With Apella would like to take some time and do what we can to help raise awareness of our real estate blog neighbor that has suffered and is dealing with trying times. Her work is moving and honorable and deserving month long mention.

The purpose of the Community Connection is to raise awareness among other things for those groups or people that seek to improve our communities.

The real estate blog neighborhood is a community in its own right and we are pleased to be a part of it. While Table Talk With Apella is not the oldest or most read real estate blog we are still a part of the community and therefore are committed to do our part to offer support and awareness when needed. It is a complete honor to be included in the real estate blog neighborhood with the many fine contributors.

One of these contributors has suffered loss, pain and personal illness with humble dignity. Her support in the blog neighborhood includes Jay Thomas author of the Phoenix Real Estate Guy Blog and countless other Active Rain bloggers.

Karen George of Arizona Home Loan, active blogger on Active Rain and author of the Fighting Breast Cancer Blog has gone above and beyond in raising awareness to this disease. Table Talk With Apella is honored to do its part in raising awareness to the fine works of Karen George and request the readers to visit Karen's blog and learn more about her work and how all of us can work together to beat Breast Cancer.

One more way readers can contribute to beating this monster is to visit the breast cancer site and Click to Give FREE Mammograms! More information and links can be viewed and visited from Karen's Fighting Breast Cancer Blog.

Furthermore every post made in the month of October on Table Talk With Apella will have links to both Karen's Fighting Breast Cancer Blog and Click to Give Free Mammograms!

Table Talk With Apella encourages our readers and those in the real estate blog neighborhood to use the links and spread the word. Together we can help Karen and the countless other women and families defeat this disease.

Today is

Very few know how Apella came about, that is the juicy details... the real deal... the story behind the story. There are a few reasons for that and one being because most of the times there is so much more to address then to cover water under the bridge. In all fairness though a company's history has so much to do with what it is in the present, what it stands for and how it is ran.

For our age Apella has had quite the real estate war-torn history and was in a lot of ways born from the Devil's hellish appraisal company and baptized by the fires of trials... actual trials. Perhaps the story will come out in an E-Book someday. In the mean time I am quite grateful that we have had such a hard time in our development... for it builds character and instills so much more like purpose and values.

However every super hero has their nemesis, an arch rival the one creature that they seek to put away to protect the public, and in a way Apella is no different.

This week we had the pleasure to be made aware of the public hazard that is an appraiser that holds no known morals. Yet at the same time, we in some sick kind of way, hold much gratitude to this vermin who is sucking the life out of the industry that we care so much for and doing so on a daily basis. If it was not for their example then we would have never gauged what is really important for the appraisal industry or the good appraisers that work hard every day and also make up our vendor network. From our history we have come to truly value our peers who are appraisers.

In light of these things we have worked very hard to do things for our vendors to help them and their business. These very things make up one of the corner stone of our business.

So how do you beat the Devil when he is so slick, cunning or arrogantly defiant and when the State Appraisal Board will do little or nothing to stop the evil that gives all of us in the appraisal industry a bad name? I tell you for the longest time I and others who stood up to this low life appraisal company were at a lost. Yet hold no fear you who are known as The General Public for every dog has it day, and maybe even an early birthday present too. We know that you are back to your tricks Diablo.

In the mean time we enjoy our birthday and look back on some of our achievements all the while looking forward to future growth and our newest business plan/marketing plan. So much work ahead of us that it reinsures that there is no time to get big headed or above our selves.

Yet to share some of the things that we are proud to state and are clearly noted on our web site. Our appraiser vendor network has grown from eight appraisers covering 17 counties in two states to over 30 appraisers in 19 states serving over 99 counties. We are pleased that we have appraisers in our vendor network that service Detroit, Toledo, Chicago, Phoenix, Los Angeles, Kansas City, Houston and all major cities in Florida and Virginia.

Also in the last year we have;

1. Established operations in our second state

2. Launched the company blog Table Talk With Apella and Active Rain Apella blog with over 60 post for real estate professionals, homeowners and vendors

3. Developed a very informative web site

4. Entered talks (In Process) with major real estate educational providers for very hopeful future access and use for and by our vendors and clients

5. Designed a method where our clients can order, pay for and receive the finished appraisal all from their desk using the Internet

6. Further developed our Community Outreach Program

7. Furthered our goal of making the appraisal industry and real estate professionals more accessible to the general consumer.

8. Made countless new friends and contacts nation wide

9. Established our company on professional networks.

10. Still have 3 months to use to improve on

Yes it has been quite the year and we will continue to do our best to grow and improve all the while defending the world from those who would seek to do our industry and customers harm.

It would not be possible to share this information with out those who have helped us along the way, real estate agents, brokers, appraisers, homeowners, lenders and fellow bloggers. To all of you thank you for your support and input... thank you for so much more then can be mentioned in just a blog post.

Until the next post thank you for reading and keep looking up and beyond my fellow do-gooders... oh and please enjoy some cake too - its fat free.

Well Michigan has gone above and beyond in disappointment and did a great job holding true to the past trend of being non-business friendly.  Of course most of us in business knew what the results would be coming from the perfectly timed financial fiasco put together by Michigan's joke of a government!

I want to make a couple of things clear here, first I was born in Michigan, raised in Michigan, started my business in Michigan and love my home state of Michigan.  Family and friends, co-workers and business owners that I have done business with all my life are important to me.  This is one of the reasons that I have found the tactics and antics that the current State Government and its members have pulled to be so completely outrageous.  In fact a move that now moves the former first place outrageous move being the requiring of new license plates to replace the old and still usable ones costing taxpayer money to a close second.     

I have had my own fair share of problems with the State of Michigan and its government when attempting to improve my industry and no I will not let that rest in my heart and soul because my industry is very important to me too.  However that topic will be put on the back burner for now as I address the very obvious failure that has taken place last night in Lansing.

This post is in response to the late night/early morning passing of the budget that averted the shut down of the state government and/or services.  The shut down should have taken place over the passing of this budget that increased income taxes and wrought a service tax of 6%.  This was a last minute coming to the table by both sides and a farce of sticking to the good fight... I almost think the populace got played... sure feels that way.

Michigan business first took a hit in July of this year with a change in the business tax.  In August LLC structured business that fell into a certain classification of profession again took a hit with rulings that all owners had to be licensed in the field of interest.  Now in this budget for all there is an income tax increase and a 6% service tax is added.  It should be noted that the service tax does not affect golf green fees, legal fees, accounting fees or hair cuts among a couple of others.  Please see the list here as supplied by Freep.com.  It should also be noted that the budget allows for a 10% increase in the government size and list no pay cuts for those in state government such as the Governor, Congress or Senate.

This budget has more holes in the State's favor then Swiss cheese!  Plus the budget still falls short by 400 million!    

So what are our options?  Is an Orange Revolution at hand? 

Perhaps a total recall of all and any political officials regardless of office, party or rank hereby a complete start over. 

Perhaps a mass exiting of service business from the state so that to follow the 65,000 people that left in the 2005-2006 year.

Perhaps a class action law suit by service business owners, but then what judge would rule against the state?

 Or as a start, requiring all in government regardless of rank or office to make a flat fee of $10.00 per hour up to 40 hours a week and paid every two weeks and by direct deposit only!

Recently the Governor took the stance that if you are a business you are with us or against us and if you are against us we don't want you in Michigan! 

I say to you Governor, I was with you for years.  When you said that you would not help fund my business because it was real estate related or when the agency that monitors my industry saw fit to rake in 1,000s in fees and fines.  Instead of cleaning up the profession all in the face of the disgusted appraisers who stood up for what was right.  I and my business was there when we looked to become a Michigan based LLC until you took our ability to bring in investors with out an act of God taking place.  I and my business was there until your congress people and senators would not return my calls when I had an idea that could help the state, its real estate business and citizens all because I was not the Big Three.  I and countless other small business people were there for years only to be treated as second hand business citizens behind the Big Three and now that the Big Three are dead or dying you turn to us this way.  With more income tax, requiring us to charge higher prices to our customers and limiting us in the amount of people we can hire due to the higher cost of living wages that the first two will bring on.

So to you and those in the government that would say "What would you do?" I have only but one question in return.  Why ask me or my small business/service business peers now, as you did not see fit to ask us before this huge slap in our faces was dealt.

Thank you Governor, but I do not need to be with you, I have a service business that can move to any State in the Country, I can offer my services world wide. 

Today I have put into place the actions to do just that.  I encourage all service business in Michigan to do the same! Move to Wisconsin, Ohio, Indiana or Canada... move south or west.  The stay has been fun but it is time to move on Governor and with that I will take my tax money too.

It will join the 300,000 Michigan jobs lost as of your office time, further support the 7% unemployment rate in Michigan, and allow you and your administration to focus on your love for the Unions who too have lost more in the last three years then at any other time in their history.  This move will further help keep Michigan ranking in the top five states for foreclosures.  I would also say that it would hurt your personal income, the congress persons own take home pay or the senate pay check but that among all things is the one thing that it will not do.  The Michigan Government as taken steps to ensure that never happens.

But before I and my business leaves, we will hang an orange item in the window and wonder who will join in the protest.   

Until the next post, thanks for reading and remember the power of the people is the people.

Most know that Custer made his home in Monroe Michigan and why he is famous and for those who need a refresher course or memory check please see here.  The UAW too has made its home in Michigan and done two things well... failed history and in my opinion failed their membership.

Of course there are those who disagree with me.  I can only offer two things and that is that I have studied them my whole life and/or personal experience and these links here, here, here and here.  It should be noted that these links do not point out the big history over the last 30 years nor do they explain my personal experience that is the basis of my views. 

The above mentioned links also do not show the other side of the coin and that being that at one time in this country's history that there was a real need for organized labor or the miss management by the corporate world compiling to the current events.  

Growing up in Michigan with most of my family members making their living in factories and even my self at one time, the UAW has always been present in my life.  For any of us Michiganders there is hardly any way of escaping this fact.

This week the UAW completed labor contract negotiations with General Motors and with the use of a short strike done so 9 days after the old contract had expired.  In doing so they agreed to a major change that will have impending effects for all labor in the United States rather in a union or not.  That change was the UAW taking over control and management of the heath care funds that pay for health care benefits for both active and retired workers - about 51 billion.  Of the 51 billion GM is funding 70% in a trust.  Details were not given fully but this was done once before with Caterpillar.  The Caterpillar fund went dry leaving the bag to be held by the retirees.

More so is the affect that this will have on service business and real estate service business in Michigan and nation wide.

With in the next coming year GM is looking to shave the work force by another 30,000 jobs or so.  With the use of buyouts and early retirements the theory"Trickle down Economics" holds weight. 

Furthermore one can only wonder what the additional cost to the current 73,000 GM workers will be and in turn the effects that additional cost will have on community.  Will business suffer due to reduced spending on services?  Will this bring forth more foreclosures due to less money being able to go to the rising mortgage cost most homeowners are facing right now?  While these are just a couple of questions right now one also needs to keep in mind that the UAW will be entering talks with the other two automotive manufactures soon and they have already made it clear that they will be looking to do the same with them when it comes to health care.  Someone is going to have to pay for the remaining 30% and that in no doubt is the union member in the form of higher dues or something else.  

Right now it is very early in the game and one can only guess what will conspire from this monumental change.  I can only begin to speculate what is to come for company supplied benefits.

Michigan service business already has a huge amount of challenges in front of them.  A few have been discussed here on this blog such as the state wanting to charge a 6% service tax and the State Court of Appeals ruling on ownership of a professional business and how the licensing board has hampered the involvements of investors.  Now a new chapter in the saga of Michigan's biggest non government related labor base.

Over the next couple of weeks I can see a plan being put into place for this Michigan based service business.  One that will direct the path for changes that will or may take place along with what we will need to do to counter them.  If one is in real estate in Michigan I would encourage them to do the same.  For more information on the subject NPR has a couple of reports that may be of interest to the readers. 

Until the next post, thanks for reading.

I love the topic of this post and that being the old story of the nimble small business vs. the slow hunkering big business.  Big business being big slow and in a state of confusion caused by the collective/drone communication system.  Small business having the ability to make a decision quickly and act on it in turn making it flexible and quick to show up to the newest trends.  How it is oh so true. 

Of course big business has much going for it such as money, labor resources and exposure.  However it is usually small business that inspires big business to act.  Like a pesky black fly in the ear of a moose.   One swat will kill the fly but the trick is to get the swat to work faster then the fly wings.  So the moose just gives up trying to avoid the bites and ends up moving to deep water or higher in the cool parts of the mountains.  All thanks to the little black fly.  What does the fly care when there is still elk and deer? 

Just today I had the pleasure of being exposed twice to big business and its ability to make a decision with two different companies.  The first required a form filled out, then manager approval, then a corporate approval, then an e-mail to someone then another e-mail to me, which I am sure I will not get.  The second was getting an answer where the answer was not known, would have to go to the VP of operations, who would cover it with the president of operations and would have to give a call back (again I am sure I will not get) sometime late next week.  The frustrating part was that they were rather simple questions based on policy already put into place.   Uuuuggggggg Eeeerrrrrrr........ (Sound of hair being pulled out).

I am sure that many of us are faced with this very corporate bog down daily.  It is also a major factor in other things that as a blogger one notices about big business.  Such as the lack of blogs by the bigger real estate related companies out there in the world, too bad for them. 

If there is one thing that a small business must consider is the flexibility of its company as it grows.  Even the most dictated to the cause will state that it is easier said then done, no doubt.  Flexibility being in all areas and with a huge importance being communication related.  However thought needs to be put into play on the subject and even so should the small business still like to remain small.  Learn lessons from the big hunkers. 

Technology (and I am not referring to touch tone phone answer systems) can help greatly in this area.  For example, I will be following the new Google Doc's closely and giving a few tests runs here in the near future.   Phone plans also need to be studied to ensure that company members can contact each other both readily and economically.  And who can forget the ever problematic data storage and access problems.  The last item is also something that Google Doc's may be able to help with.

Some of the other issues where small business holds advantages over big business will be covered in next weeks Apella Vendor Voice Post.

Until the next post, thanks for reading and keep the candle burning.