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57 » VISIT US ONLINE @ DSNEWS.COM LRES APPOINTS VP OF NATIONAL SALES LRES, a national residential and commercial real estate services company providing valuations, REO asset management, HOA and technology solutions for the mortgage and real estate industry, has announced the appointment of Diane Valadez as Vice President of National Sales. In her new role, Valadez will be responsible for managing LRES' sales and business development operations, identifying prospective clients and potential opportunities to generate new business, and cultivating client relationships across the United States, according to a press release from the company. "Diane's extensive history of leadership and her proven abilities to successfully generate sales ensure LRES will continue to grow nationally," said Roger Beane, CEO of LRES. Valadez spent more than 16 years in leadership positions at CoreLogic/First American before serving as Director of Sales at Exact Bid, where she closed several million dollars in revenue, including two of the top 10 and seven of the top 100 commercial banks. She then served as Senior Vice President of Sales, Client Relations and Marketing at InsideValuation, a provider of commercial and residential evaluations, managing sales and client relations departments as well as developing the company's business plan and directing the vales of valuations to top residential and commercial lenders and servicers. InsideValuation was later acquired by LRES in March 2016. NEIGHBORWORKS AMERICA ELECTS NEW BOARD CHAIRMAN NeighborWorks America elected Grovetta Gardineer as their Board Chairman. Gardineer is the successor to Comptroller of the Currency omas J. Curry, who had been the Chairman since March 2014. During his tenure, Curry led the corporation as it managed and invested stakeholder funds that resulted in more than $27 billion of investment over the past five years in communities across the United States by the NeighborWorks network. Before being elected as Board Chairman, Gardineer served as Vice Chairman of the Board from December 2013 through March 2014 and Chairman from June 2005 to April 2012. NeighborWorks America's board consists of the heads of the financial regulatory agencies and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development or their statutorily designated representatives. "All of us at NeighborWorks are honored and excited to have Grovetta lead the board of directors and help guide the organization as it begins a new five-year strategic plan," said Paul Weech, NeighborWorks America President and CEO. "Her experience and commitment to community development and operational excellence will enhance the corporation's ability to meet its mission and help every community be a place of opportunity." In this role, Gardineer will provide strategic leadership and oversight in support of NeighborWorks America's mission to create economic opportunities, further the ability of people to live in affordable homes, improve their lives, and strengthen communities. "It is a tremendous honor to chair an organization with such an important mission of enabling quality and affordable rental housing and homeownership," Gardineer said. "rough education, access and empowerment, NeighborWorks strengthens the foundations of communities and enriches individuals' lives throughout our nation." IS THE LABOR MARKET IMPEDING HOUSING GROWTH? In June, employers created 287,000 jobs, making this the greatest improvement seen in eight months. e U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics released their monthly employment report measuring what was happening in the job market a week after Britain voted to withdraw from the European Union. e report findings supported the idea that currently the U.S. economy remains resilient in the face of global controversy. According to Lorraine Woellert, Senior Managing Editor for Redfin, "while job creation is moving in the right direction, progress is slow and big challenges remain." Woellert states that workers are currently in higher demand although they currently failing to increase their earnings. She also states that wage growth is still lacking and she feels not everyone is benefitting from low unemployment. "e job market's stubborn refusal to heal despite a big pickup in employment makes it a lot harder for the economy to create future homebuyers," Redfin Chief Economist Nela Richardson said. In accordance to Woellert's post as well as commentary from Fannie Mae, concerns about job security and income growth may have been the catalyst for why home buying decreased for the previous month. Less of the population reported a strong increase in income and according to Fannie Mae nearly 60 percent of those surveyed stated that they felt the economy is on the wrong track. "Growing pessimism about the overall direction of the economy gives us further pause as it now stands at the highest level we've seen in our National Housing Survey in the last two years," Fannie Mae Chief Economist Doug Duncan wrote. Woellert states that "the economy probably isn't as strong as June's outsized 287,000 jobs suggest," but "Nor is it as weak as May's really low report of 11,000 jobs." She believes that "[e economy is] still moving in the right direction, just too slowly." In regards to the progression of the housing market, according to Fannie Mae's Home Purchase Sentiment Index those surveyed who shared that they feel now is a good time to sell a home and now is a good time to buy a home each respectively increased, showing a potential for a continued positive increase.

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