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The National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) is asking members for help in urging members of Congress to reform the tax code AND protect middle class homeowners.
The current tax reform proposal from Washington, D.C. will become a tax increase for middle class homeowners because the plan threatens homeownership tax incentives, like the mortgage interest deduction and the state and local property tax deduction. These incentives are critical for a strong housing market that creates jobs and builds stable communities. Home-owning families with incomes from $50,000 to $200,000 could face average tax hikes of $815 in the year after enactment.
Take action now and tell Congress – Do not raise taxes on middle class homeowners in order to cut taxes for corporations!
For the fifth straight year, the Silicon Valley Association of REALTORS® (SILVAR) Global Business Council (GBC) has earned the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) Platinum Award for Global Achievement. The platinum award is the highest distinction presented by NAR to an association for having demonstrated through its global business council exceptional commitment to building member awareness of global and multicultural business opportunities in their local markets.
SILVAR is the only association in Northern California to achieve platinum council status since the program’s inception in 2011. NAR stated SILVAR’s global council “has shown the highest level of service to its global members by consistently providing them with the tools they need to handle international real estate in addition to connecting your council to the global community in your area.”
Under the leadership of 2017 Global Business Council chair Tess Crescini, a broker with Heritage Homes & Investments, SILVAR GBC this year presented two programs on immigration and types of visas for foreign buyers and investors, the “Learning from Leaders” program in partnership with Silicon Valley YPN, and the “Learn to be a Leader” workshop. Both leadership programs were made possible in part by a NAR Diversity Initiative grant.
The GBC helped promote NAR’s At Home with Diversity certification course and SILVAR’s sixth Certified International Property Specialist (CIPS) Institute. The GBC also coordinated a visit to SILVAR by young professionals from Secovi, a Brazilian real estate organization. The trade mission included engineers, real estate attorneys, developers, property managers, economists and real estate agents.
SILVAR partners with other real estate associations throughout the year to promote awareness and education in global real estate. As NAR Ambassador Association to the Philippines, SILVAR partners with the Chamber of Real Estate and Builders’ Associations Inc., the largest real estate umbrella organization in that country. SILVAR member and past GBC chair Jennifer Tasto is NAR’s President Liaison to the Philippines.
SILVAR GBC is one of a select few Platinum Councils in the country in 2017. Reaching the Platinum award level places SILVAR in the top 11 percent of councils operating nationwide. The prestigious award will be presented at the Nov. 3-6 NAR Conference & Expo in Chicago.

SILVAR President Denise Welsh and President-elect Bill Moody congratulate 2017-2018 CAREA President Jennifer Chen and other members of CAREA’s leadership team.
SILVAR and other members of Silicon Valley’s real estate community congratulated the 2017-2018 president, officers and board directors of the Chinese American Real Estate Association (CAREA) at the association’s installation dinner last Friday. The event, which was also a celebration of CAREA’s 30th anniversary, was held at the Dynasty Chinese Seafood Restaurant in Cupertino.
SILVAR President Denise Welsh administered the oath of office to the 2017-2018 CAREA officers and board directors. The officers include Jennifer Chen (JC Investment), president; Yuan Chang (Intero Real Estate), vice president; Wilson Chai (Bank of America), vice president; Shen Li (GD Commercial), secretary); and Kenny Tang (East West Bank), treasurer.
The 2017-2018 board directors are Mattie Wei (Re/Max Accord), David Wang (Century 21 Realty Alliance), Doris Chen (JC Investment), Dexter Lat (Realty World One Alliance), Joyce Sun (GD Commercial, Inc.), John Luk (GD Commercial, Inc.), Leslie Chao (GD Commercial), Michelle M. Song (GD Commercial), Barbara Kuang (Allstate-BnW Associates, LLC), and advisors David Bonaccorsi, Esq. (Law Offices of Bernard, Bagley & Bonaccorsi, LLP), Jimmy Chen (CTBC Bank), John Wong (Wong & Chin CPAs) and Sheena Chong (Vantec USA), advisor.