National Association

For the sixth consecutive quarter, Kokomo, Ind., topped all metro areas as the most affordable housing market, according to the National Association of Home Builders' second-quarter 1998 Housing Opportunity Index.The index is a measure of the percentage of homes in a market that a family earning the median income in that market can afford to buy.Kokomo scored a 93.1, meaning a household earning the area's median income of $50,800 could afford to purchase 93.1 percent of the homes sold in the second quarter.

Their numbers are dwindling.As the 46th annual Maryland Association of Realtors Conference returns this week to Ocean City -- after two years in Atlantic City, N.J. -- Realtors may be noticing that their association is becoming a leaner outfit.According to MAR statistics, membership has dropped significantly, from about 29,000 at the beginning of the decade to less than 17,000, a drop of approximately 40 percent.That drop mirrors the overall decline in state licensees in the real estate field.

County Council member C. Vernon Gray became president-elect of the National Association of Counties at a conference in Portland, Ore., yesterday, continuing his expected rise through the organization's top ranks.Gray was assured of the job a year ago, when he won a bid to become vice president of the lobbying group. He is expected to testify on Capitol Hill and help lobby Congress and the Clinton administration on issues for the association, which represents county officials from across the nation.

IN THE remaining weeks before its annual convention, the National Bar Association ought to reconsider its decision to rescind Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas' invitation to speak. It would be a travesty if an organization created because black lawyers had no voice in what was at one time the all-white American Bar Association denied the nation's premier African-American jurist an opportunity to speak.Mr. Thomas has said he will give a July 29 speech despite the bar association's vote to withdraw its earlier invitation.

Greenbelt Lake Village is honored by builders groupGreenbelt Lake Village, one of the Maryland's fastest growing condominium communities, has been selected by National Association of Homebuilders as the "Best New Affordable Home Community in the United States."The developer, Greenbelt Properties LLC., of Timonium, was among 700 entrants vying for the honor. It also received a Silver Award for the "Best Interior Merchandising" for Greenbelt Lake Village.The Prince George's County village was recognized for its "designer" community atmosphere, while offering residences with prices beginning in the $90,000 range.

Hatch is president of Residential Sales CouncilThe Residential Sales Council, an affiliate of the National Association of Realtors, elected Ed Hatch president during its recent national convention in Chicago.Hatch is president of Ed Hatch Seminars of Greenbelt and a senior instructor for the council. He also teaches classes for the Maryland Graduate Realtors Institute.As president, Hatch is chairman of the RSC board of governors and executive committee. He also is a member of the Realtors National Marketing Institute board of directors.

Barbra Seravalli is a real chatterbox at third base. The receiver of her high-speed transmission this particular morning is Debbie Perkins, who stands astride a trench of a batter's box, cap backward, flitting her aluminum bat across the makeshift plate.Perkins has not had a good set of swings early in this Sunday batting practice, and Seravalli apparently has some clues as to why.But the morning in South Baltimore's Carroll Park is silent, except for the low hum of downtown a mile distant on the !

ALEXANDRIA, Va. -- Milwaukee has its beer; Seattle its decaf latte.And Alexandria?Interest groups.Alexandria (pop. 110,000) has its quaint historic area and lovely waterfront along the Potomac, but the city has come to stand for the proposition that if there is an interest in America, there is an interest group.Hardly any distinct idea, diversion, profession, passion or product goes unrepresented. Parachuting, boating, fishing all have headquarters in town. Police, district attorneys, veterans, postal workers -- each and every one has an organization here.

Hey, at least we beat New York in something this year -- we've got a better oldies radio station than they do.So says the National Association of Broadcasters, which recently honored WQSR-FM (105.7) with a Marconi Award as the oldies station of the year. Other finalists for the award were Chicago's WJMK, Los Angeles' KRTH, Philadelphia's WOGL and (hee, hee) New York's WCBS-FM.The awards, which are handed out annually in several categories, were presented during an awards dinner in Los Angeles Oct. 12. WQSR's Marconi was picked up by station Vice President and General Manager T. Alan Hay.The station, which has been broadcasting oldies for eight years (which means some songs that came out when it started could now qualify for its play list)

Photographs in the Real Estate section in last Sunday's editions of The Sun were credited incorrectly. The photos were provided by the National Association of Home Builders Research Center.The Sun regrets the error.Pub Date: 8/04/96