Point2Point February 11

Point2Point Issue 15 January 2011

CEO PoV
Tad Zurlinden

The latter part of 2011 continued to see new membership applications and we have already received 3 this year and further applications to join the ARP are in process. Having reached our 25th anniversary in 2011, it’s very interesting to note that not only has our membership remained stable for the past 10 years, but we are still attracting new members, particularly from suppliers to the relocation industry.
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Hometrack Report
Camilla Stephens

The Relocation Company’s view that Mortgage approvals set to remain subdued over next 12 months as new norm in lending is set.  Increased regulatory pressures, lack of funds and a tough economic climate will make 2011 a challenging year for lenders and continue to restrict the availability of mortgage finance to borrowers.  Hometrack, the property analytics business, reports today that home buyers face a continued struggle to obtain mortgages in 2011, with approvals expected to remain flat over the next 12 months.
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Money Laundering
New Rules...

IF YOU HAVEN'T YET SIGNED UP TO THE SCHEME, WE URGE YOU TO DO SO IMMEDIATELY!  We wrote to every member with the details of how to register and it is now vital that you do as the Office of Fair Trading are now carrying out random compliance checks and the penalties can range from fines to imprisonment.  If you need any help, please contact us.The ARP has been working with the National Federation of Property Professionals, RICS and the Association of Residential Managing Agents to produce clear guidelines.
For more details, click here

Member Focus
Claire Pickles

"I don’t have the time, and I certainly don’t have the inclination, if you haven’t got the right property to rent for my guys, go out there and find it, name your price (well he didn’t actually say the last bit; but almost.) Said a very senior HR manager nearly thirty years ago. So I did go out there and I did find it. I had previously been involved in property but only for a few years, and the big smoke, held untold surprises. No Sat Nav’s, and certainly no mobile phones although they did come a little later in the form of brick like objects, which made you walk with a limp when you carried them. Then came the inauguration of the Association of Relocation Agents."
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25th Anniversary
Alison Van Dalen

2011 marks the 25th birthday of the ARP, and it’s a privilege and a thrill for me to be taking the association into this historic year.  Over the past quarter of a century we have seen our industry grow from a virtually unknown service to private and corporate clients, to a vibrant and growing service sector with its own unique identity.  The ARP has been at the forefront of that growth and change, and will continue to be the representative and regulatory body for our industry in the future.
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Doin' It For Ourselves
Women's Success in Relocation

In 2002 a survey of the ERC membership found that 75% of its 10,000 members were women. Is this predominance of women in the relocation industry still the case today, and what lies behind the statistics? Is there a relationship between certain skill sets and gender - and what are the skills required to deliver a valuable and professional service in these demanding recessionary times? By looking at women in business in a more general sense, it may be possible to place our particular industry in a wider context.
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Upcoming Events
Spring 2011

Upcoming Legal Seminars

Next seminar February 22nd
For full details, click here

25th Anniversary Dinner
Friday June 17th
For full details, click here

Webinar Programme
Next webinar March 2nd
For full details, click here

Affiliate Focus
Robertsons Languages

At Robertson Languages we understand the importance of managing cultural change positively, the stress involved and the complications that arise during and after a relocation abroad. Read More...

News Digest
Annie Panton

I’ve had writer’s block this month – what with Christmas and the New Year festivities and a rather long journey to South Africa – a wedding and a wonderful trip into the Kruger Park. I mention this as the bride is in the relocation industry in Johannesburg – what connections I have!I had hoped to interview Peter Bolton King of the ANEA, ARLA and the NFOPP this month but unfortunately he has not been available so I am afraid readers will have to wait a little longer for his opinions on the property industry in the UK.
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Social Networking
Webinar Training

Do you Twitter?  Are you on Facebook?  Do those invitations to Connect on LinkedIn leave you cold?  Maybe, we're all missing a trick here...  Social networking online is changing the nature of business communication and more and more people and companies are exchanging information using these new mediums.  Remember the days when we all said we would never have a mobile phone?  Well maybe that same mentality is at work here.  If you want to de-mystify the world of social networking, then this webinar, hosted by Nick Draycott, is for you.  As usual there is no charge for ARP members.For a booking form, click here.