By Dianna Kawell
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For NAR's 2010 National President Vicki Cox Golder, CRB, there is never a moment to sit still, but this expert time-manager is ready for her hectic year ahead.

She's called, with just a couple days' notice, to Washington, D.C., to testify before Congress about the latest policy changes proposed by the FHA. It's one of many political issues NAR will have to address in the new year.

"After the tax credit expires in April, we know it will not be renewed," she says. "We hope that the market will be strong enough, but we have to make sure it is strong enough by addressing all the issues that also impact the market before it expires." These issues include everything from keeping FHA stable as its market share has drastically increased, to current issues with poor appraisals.

Learn more about Vicki's inspiring background in this Official NAR Video:

"MID (the home mortgage interest deduction) is also of great concern," Cox Golder says. "Also, liquidity to commercial real estate needs to be enhanced. Banks are leery to loan to commercial right now, and that could be the next shoe to drop."

And don't forget the importance of the health care debate to the real estate industry, where NAR reports that 27 percent of members currently do not have health insurance. "We want our members to have the opportunity to join a group policy to have a lower cost than their private policies," according to Cox Golder.

Even in light of her installation as NAR's president, Cox Golder acknowledges that she hasn't let go of the reigns with her extensive community involvement. "I’ve heard other presidents say they dropped everything else the year they were president, and I didn’t want to do that." Over the years, Cox Golder has contributed time and resources to the school board and fire department board in her community of 12,000 outside of Tucson, AZ, as well as an organization she founded to assist senior citizens in need.

Also, when a lot of builders slow down in a market such as this, Cox Golder's real estate business is moving full steam ahead with residential development. "Not many builders are building and you can get really good deals because engineering and other costs are down. We think it's a great time to be working," she says. "The last market lasted a long time. You never know how long a market will last, so you need to be ready for it."

And, if all that weren't enough, Cox Golder actually lives on a working cattle ranch that requires its own set of responsibilities. So how does this "wonder woman" maintain that life balance that so many successful women find to be a constant struggle? We covered that and much more when we recently spoke with her before the holidays.

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