LAS VEGAS — The American Credit Union Mortgage Association will be presenting a credit union-related breakout session to some 30,000-expected attendees to the Annual Convention of the National Association of Realtors taking place here Nov. 13-16.

ACUMA President Bob Dorsa said, "This is exciting news, not just for ACUMA, but for all credit unions dedicated to real estate lending. This will be the first time that a presentation will be offered to realtors that exclusively presents the credit union brand of mortgage lending."

ACUMA has been diligently pursuing an active relationship with the NAR for several years, he added, because realtors are the first line of contact with potential homebuyers. "While there are some individual credit unions and several CU real estate CUSOs that have created networking arrangements with realtors, there has never been a national awareness of credit unions on their radar. That has to change," said Dorsa. He noted that the attention now being paid to the pull back of the real estate market in the mainstream press, although losses may be highly regionalized, creates a powerful perception in the minds of consumers. "That negative perception may be just the opportunity the credit union industry needs to catapult it into public awareness in a positive way. Credit unions can help homeowners threatened by foreclosure, and they are making mortgage loans that do not gouge consumers. Credit unions need to be seen as 'the good guys' and the time is right, because the public sure wants to hear that there are good guys out there."