Bellevue’s RE(mini)Barcamp’s a Wrap

I have to say as one of the lead organizers instigators, I’m pretty pleased with how the half-day REBarcamp turned out in Bellevue on Tuesday.    The Meydenbauer made it pretty easy on us with a great conference friendly space, free wi-fi and staff to help move tables around, add chairs–whatever!   A big thank you to the Washington Association of Mortgage Professionals (WAMP) for being a sponsor and allowing the event to take place during their annual Connect. 

I would also like to thank Diverse Solutions who sponsored our name tags (band passes) and all our other sponsors who  you see listed on the side-bar.  

Another huge thank you to all of the volunteers

The cool thing about doing a half day event is that the planning is cut in half too.  We didn’t have to plan a lunch and we didn’t do t-shirts or other gimmee’s.    

Please continue to use #rebcbell when posting photos or tweeting about the event.   I have uploaded photos from the event on Facebook  my profile and on the FB Group and we also have a group on Flickr.

What are your thoughts or take-aways from Bellevue’s RE*mini*Barcamp?

Bellevue’s RE(mini)Barcamp is tomorrow morning!

I’m really looking forward to Bellevue’s first REBarcamp (and I believe the first “mini”barcamp) tomorrow morning at the Meydenbauer. I was actually at Meydenbauer today to attend WAMP’s continuing education course taught by none other than Jillayne Schlicke (who did a great job btw). It was great to be able to check out the space again where this will all take place.

I’m thinking we can actually easily hold four sessions at a time with the space we have. One area will have better odds of wi-fi than the others (conference rooms on the fourth floor are spotty).

Do show up by 8:30 to sign in and get your REBC badge, please. Jim Reppond will be providing a quick 4-1-1 on what to expect and how this event works for the rookies. What is discussed at this event will be primarily determined by what you–the participants want to learn. So when you show up tomorrow morning, please be thinking of this–WHAT DO YOU WANT TO LEARN?

Each session will end at 10 minutes to the next hour so you have time to visit the schedule to select your next session. Scheduled sessions are very impromptu. Don’t freak if things seem a bit unplanned–they are! Go with it and be prepared to learn and share what you know. I can’t wait!

Thanks to RE*mini*Barcamp Sponsor IMOS

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by Adam L. Stein, President of IMOS Home Loans

 

What’s After the RE*mini*Barcamp? How about a Mini-Bar!

Well…not quite so fast!   Here’s what’s taking place at the Meydenbauer when the mini-REBarcamp wraps up at noon…

WAMP will be having their annual awards luncheon where they pay tribute to fellow mortgage professionals.   I just learned yesterday that Spencer Rascoff, COO of Zillow, will be the keynote speaker for this event!   If you would like to attend, please RSVP by 10:00 a.m. tomorrow October 1, 2009 (sorry for the short notice).   Lunch is $30 per person.

Following lunch will be WAMP’s Connect Expo and as the evening approaches, yes…there will be a cash bar (unless we have a sponsor for the bar between now and October 6).   

Whether you chose to stay longer for the mini-bar or just get your brain filled at the barcamp–we look forward to seeing you!

Wendy Hughes-Jelen explains What RE Barcamp Means to Her and Her Business

Wendy is a Seattle area real estate agent who recently wrote a note on Facebook discussing her goals and some of the things she’s learned at the two RE Barcamps in Seattle…she’s also planning on coming to the Bellevue “mini” RE Barcamp which is taking place next Tuesday, October 6, 2009.   

Wendy’s video is fantastic–I hope you’ll check it out and be inspired to join us.   Be sure to RSVP on the tab above.

Parking for RE *mini* Barcamp

With this event taking place at the Meydenbauer in the heart of downtown Bellevue, you have many options for parking including parking at the Meydenbauer garage.    It looks like $13-$14 will cover the half day event (and maybe long enough for you to stay for WAMP’s Annual Awards Luncheon, which immediately follows REBC).   The Meydenbauer garage does not accomodate vehicles over 6′9″ tall.

Here are some other nearby lots that the Meydenbauer recommends for parking:

No Specators — Only Participants

This video that Brad Coy created regarding RE Barcamps resonates with me.

And my personal goal with the RE*mini*Barcamp that is taking place in just a couple weeks in Bellevue to is to be “old school” REBC.   

With Bellevue’s event on October 6, 2009; we have a mere three hours to be together to share and participate.  There is no room for vendor prepared or professional presentations that have been fine-tuned over and over again.  My hope is that this will be very ”peer to peer”.   

I would like anyone and everyone to join in on sharing their knowledge and learning from each other.   Show up to the event with an open mind willing to learn and share.  

Speaking of participating…. if you would like to be involved in the next planning session, here’s the 4-1-1:

When:   Friday, September 18, 2009 at 10:30 am - noon (at the latest!)

Where:  The Talon Group/Training Room at 11400 S.E. 8th Street, Suite 250, Bellevue, WA 98004  

See you then!  

If You’ve Never Attended an RE Barcamp Before…

Check out this slideshow and  you’ll get an excellent visual of how the Seattle event went on Tuesday.

There is one BIG difference between Seattle’s event and the event in Bellevue taking place in less than a month:  Bellevue is a “mini” RE Barcamp.  :)  

• Just a half day!  Registration begins at 8:30 a.m. and sessions will end at noon.  You can start implementing what you’ve learned during the first half of the day OR attend WAMP’s Expo Connect that follow’s the second half of the day at the Meydenbauer.
• We have a smaller space designated for REBC at the Meydenbauer–3 good sized rooms.  
• At this point, we’re planning on having 3 sesssions run at a time…possibly 4 depending on how many RSVP’s we receive.
• Participants at the Bellevue event will be limited–as I said above, our space is limited.  We’re not going for the record of most attendees–WE’RE A MINI-REBC! 
• Our sponsorship fee’s are mini too!  Just $175 allows you these fine benefits. 
• Unlike Seattle, you will not see sponsors lined up in tables around the room.   (Sorry fellas…if you want more exposure, take part in WAMP’s expo…what do ya expect for $175 bucks?  LOL  Or step up and sponsor the badges!).

Seattle’s event was a great success and Bellevue’s RE “mini”-Barcamp will be too.  Even if you participated at Seattle’s REBC on Tuesday, you may want to consider coming to the mini REBC–each RE Barcamp has their own unique personality.  This is especially true since the schedule is not decided until the morning of the event after hearing what YOU want to learn more about.   

I hope to see you then!

WAMP’s Lender Conference & Expo: Connect

Note from Rhonda:  Thanks to Craig Goebbel, President Elect of the Washington Association of Mortgage Professionals (aka WAMP) for writing this article on behalf of WAMP.   WAMP is an official sponsor of Bellevue’s RE *mini* Barcamp taking place in just barely over a month.   WAMP will be holding events before and after the Bellevue RE Barcamp, So without further ado, a word from our sponsor: 

The mini-Barcamp in Bellevue on the morning of Tuesday, October 6th is shaping up nicely.  We have an array of new sponsors and new campers mixing in with our experienced campers.  It should be the start of a very productive day.

Did you know another conference follows the mini-Barcamp?  It is a conference with 18 years of history called Connect and it is the premier mortgage lending conference in the Pacific Northwest.

At the Connect conference, you will have the opportunity to mix with over 400 real estate, lending and industry professionals including loan originators, mortgage brokers, wholesale lenders and real estate agents.   It is a chance to learn directly from the source within many segments of our industry.

There will be over 40 exhibitors; including technology vendors, wholesale lenders, credit scoring companies and other industry related business services.  It is a great opportunty to learn direclty from the people who directly impact your success.

The Connect Conference is a great fit with RE Barcamp as it’s another way to make new connections, learn and position yourself as the resource of choice for your network.

Take a look and make it a day with mini-REBarcamp in the morning and the Connect Expo in the afternoon.  Oh yes, there is a no-host Happy Hour at the end of the afternoon.  Enjoy!

For more information about Connect, which includes continuing education courses on Monday, October 5, 2009 with WAMP’s Awards Luncheon and the Expo following the RE mini-Barcamp on Tuesday, please click here.   There’s still time to get a booth, if you’d like to participate in the Expo!

Get Involved: Planning Session for *mini* RE Barcamp Bellevue

We will be holding our first planning session for RE Barcamp Bellevue this Thursday, August 27, 2009.   We’ll be meeting at Starbucks in Bellevue Square (by Crate and Barrel) located at 545 Bellevue Square.   Since it’s a “mini” event, I’m planning on keeping our planning session short and sweet beginning at 10:30 a.m.   

If you’re interested in being involved with planning this fun event, I encourage you to attend.  

PS:  Don’t forget that Seattle’s RE Barcamp is coming up on September 8–you don’t want to miss either event.