C.A.R.’s 2009 President brings experience to the office 
 

REALTOR® James Liptak, C.A.R.’s incoming 2009 President, begins his days at 4:30 a.m. in the gym pumping iron and logging miles on the treadmill. Typically the first in his Paso Robles office each morning, this self-described Type A personality loves the real estate business and a challenge. That’s good, because 2009 could prove to be another year dominated by sea changes in the lending arena and another challenging year for C.A.R. and its members. Liptak, who has served two terms as C.A.R. Treasurer, is well suited for this challenge and is prepared to begin his presidency.

A broker with Country Real Estate in Paso Robles, he also is President of James & Sydney Liptak Inc., which is wholly owned by Liptak and his wife, REALTOR®-broker Sydney Liptak. He has twice served as president of the Paso Robles Association of REALTORS® and been named REALTOR® of the Year five times by his peers. He was named Honorary Director for Life by C.A.R. in 1998, and has served on numerous C.A.R. task forces and as chair of nearly all of the Association's public policy committees.

Why do you want to be President?

It’s almost a natural progression. I’ve been a director since 1983. You reach a level where you want to be involved. This is the most successful real estate organization in the world. If you want to be involved in real estate, wouldn’t you want to be the president of the most innovative and successful real estate organization in the world? We’re the largest state trade association in the country, and we’re the best. It’s like standing on top of Mount Everest. You’re looking at the rest of the world, and you’re looking at it from a very advantageous viewpoint.

What can members expect from your leadership style?

They’re going to get what they see. I am not the type of person who is going to tell you what you want to hear. I’m honest. I’m open. I’m accessible. I’m straightforward. I’m not going to sugarcoat it. We may disagree. If we do, let’s debate and talk about it. Maybe you’ll change my mind; maybe I’ll change your mind.

What issue will dominate your term as president?

We are concerned about all the issues surrounding the third quarter of 2008: Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae in government conservatorship; the insolvency and illiquidity in the banking system; the ramifications of the $700 billion rescue plan on the economy in general, but specifically, on homeowners, the lending industry, and the real estate industry.

How will we deal with the legislative and regulatory changes that ultimately will result from this government intervention, the complete restructuring of our financial system, and the methods by which homes are financed? What will Freddie and Fannie look like when they come out of conservatorship? When they do come out of government conservatorship they will answer to the government, not shareholders—they’re gone. The question that concerns us is whether these agencies still will have the same mission of promoting loans to first-time home buyers. We will be following these events diligently.