By Kathryn Reed

STATELINE — “Real estate was never intended to be an ATM machine.”

That’s what Jim Hamilton, 2005 president of the California Association of Realtors, told a group of nearly 90 people on Friday night during the annual South Tahoe Association of Realtors installation dinner.

Hamilton told those at Edgewood Tahoe, “This country was not founded on owning a home and making millions of dollars. Real estate should be about home ownership.”

Jim Hamilton gives the key note address Jan. 8 at the annual STAR installation dinner. Photo/Kathryn Reed

He talked about when he was president of the state organization five years ago it was a no brainer to be a leader with how the housing market was booming and how agents didn’t have to do much to get an escrow.

Now he believes the market is on the edge of change – with things looking better for 2010.

He also encouraged agents to get involved and not be afraid of disagreements, but to be able to shake hands at the end of the day no matter the differences.

“Disagreement creates awesome ideas,” he said.

Hamilton had high praise for outgoing President Barb Childs and incoming President Theresa Souers.

Souers, who was also president in 2006, carried on with some of Hamilton’s themes.

“The negativity of greed and fear is weighing us down,” Souers said. “We need to stop longing for the old days because they aren’t coming back.”

She also pointed out that the old days weren’t always so great. Agents were afraid to miss a call, to the leave the office and come back to a stack of pink “while you were out” notes.

Today cell phones allow agents to work in the field – or on the slopes.

Souers said how the top performers have the same problems as everyone else “the difference is how they tackle the problems.”

Education is going to be her emphasis in 2010. She wants to enrich the nearly 300 members with information about how they can better use technology, time management, have more effective negotiating techniques and to tap into what the state and national organizations can provide the South Tahoe group.