New Homesnap Pro MLS App
|
Your SAR, this week, deployed a new MLS mobile application (app) - Homesnap Pro.
This exciting new tool
offers you real-time MLS data in the field whether you use an Android or iOS smartphone or tablet.
Homesnap Pro gives you the flexibility to research homes, contact brokers, and communicate instantly with your clients from your mobile device to theirs - anywhere you are, anywhere they are.
Brokers and consumers can use Homesnap Pro to seamlessly share real-estate information and communicate directly.
Take advantage of the first Homesnap Pro training sessions in-person at your SAR or online at your desk - same content either way:
IN PERSON at the SAR:
Homesnap Pro 101 : Spokane Agent Launch
Thursday, May 31, at 11:00 A.M.
Thursday, May 31, at 12:15 P.M.
ONLINE WEBINAR:
Homesnap Pro 101 : Spokane Agent Launch
Get your Homesnap Pro App online here:
The old Homespotter app will remain functional for the next few weeks as you become comfortable with this new platform.
You'll want to re-enter your existing clients into Homesnap Pro in order to stay in touch with them after this transition phase.
|
NAR Legislative Meetings
|
Some 9,000 REALTORS® and state and local association executives convened in Washington, D.C., last week, to promote key policy issues that affect the real estate industry and their markets.
The Spokane Association of REALTORS® was well-represented in a personal meeting with our Representative in Congress,
Cathy McMorris Rodgers.
Pictured above in her Longworth House Office Building office (left to right):
Lee McIntyre, 2018 SAR Governmental Affairs Committee chair;
Terry Sullivan, NAR Federal Political Coordinator; Rep.
Cathy McMorris Rodgers, U.S. Representative (WA-05);
Ken Sax, 2018 SAR President;
Cynthia Gustafson, 2018 Washington REALTORS® RPAC Trustee;
Tom Hormel, NAR Director
; and
Tom McArthur, SAR Public Affairs Director.
The 2018 REALTORS® Legislative Meetings & Trade Expo represents an important opportunity for REALTORS® to meet with their U.S. Senators and Representatives and communicate the issues critical to their businesses, communities and the consumers they represent.
See NAR's
Legislative Talking Points that members shared with our elected representatives
online here.
NAR created custom reports on home ownership for every Congressional District especially for our Hill visits.
These reports present the most recent and relevant data at the district and state levels in support of the goal of the National Association of REALTORS® to sustain and strengthen homeownership.
See the
Congressional District Report for the 115th Congress (WA-05) that we presented to Rep. McMorris Rodgers (pictured above),
online here.
Real estate is the foundation of wealth building for the middle class and a critical link in the flow of goods, services and income for millions of Americans.
Accounting for 19 percent of the GDP, real estate is clearly a major driver of the U.S. economy.
Download NAR's
Real Estate and the Economy - May 2018 infographic (pictured above),
online here.
|
Ethics Enforcement, Dues Increase
|
The NAR Board of Directors, at its meeting in Washington, last week (May 19th), took a major step toward increasing professionalism in real estate by giving associations new teeth for enforcing Code of Ethics violations, and it also positioned REALTORS® for the future by adopting the association's first dues increase in eight years.
Read about these developments and others in an
Internal News Service Special Report,
online here.
|
Legal Hotline: Winning the Offer Battle |
NEW!
Washington REALTORS® Legal Hotline lawyer
Annie Fitzsimmons is back with
Part 7 of her new video series:
Winning the Offer Battle Without Losing the War.
This week, Annie discusses why you want to warn your buyers before they abandon reviewing the HOA Docs.
Watch the five-minute video online here:
|
Buyer choosing not to review HOA documents?
Part 7
|
PART 6:
In this episode, Annie talks about instances of the misuse of Form 22AD by Buyer's Broker.
Watch the eight-minute video online here:
|
Misuse of Form 22AD Part #6
|
Part 5:
Buyer wants to make an offer more attractive to the Seller by waiving inspection contingencies.
Annie explains the extraordinary risks to buyer and also answers the question: "Does a buyer, who does not include an Inspection Contingency, still have the right to conduct an 'Information Only' inspection?"
Watch her nine-minute video online here:
|
Waiving Inspection Contingencies Part #5 |
Annie discusses buyers who need financing but don't want to include a financing contingency in their offer in order to make the offer more attractive.
What are the risks to buyer and buyer's broker?
Annie gives points to consider before proceeding in this manner.
Her nine-minute video is online here:
|
The Risks of Not Including Financing Contingency when Buyer is Reliant Upon Financing
Part #4
|
PART 3:
Brokers have been writing some pretty unrealistic closing dates (a "fast" closing) on their Buyer's offers in the hopes of making their offer stand out to the Seller.
In this episode, Annie goes over potential risks for the Buyer.
Watch the six-minute video online here:
|
Brokers Writing Unrealistic Closing Dates on Buyers' Offers
Part #3
|
PART 2:
In this video, Annie talks about which line on Page 6 of Form 17 buyer should sign.
Watch the 10-minute video online here:
|
Winning the Offer Battle without Loosing the War
Part #2
|
PART 1:
In
part 1 of this series, imagine that your buyer cast too much caution to the wind and found themselves forfeiting earnest money, or maybe regretting having paid too much for the property, or possibly found that the property was riddled with conditions that they weren't aware of.
If your buyer loses that battle, you as the agent could be the collateral damage in the loss of that war.
Buyer might be likely to blame you saying that you failed to caution them sufficiently about the risk they were undertaking.
Annie wants to talk about some of the standards that are considered to be buyer protections.
See Annie's new seven-minute video online here:
|
Winning the Offer Battle without Losing the War Part #1
|
|
Lunch & Learn: Manufactured Homes
|
Brokering the purchase and sale of a manufactured homes puts you in a different world than traditional site-built homes.
Find out more about manufactured homes with
Angie DeArth at our next Lunch & Learn at the SAR on
Monday, June 4th.
Find out more
online here.
|
Lunch & Learn: Speaking "Investor"
|
This fast-paced, information-packed class will give you a working knowledge of the benefits of investing in rental real estate.
Gain more business by speaking "investor" with
Eric Bessett and
Tara Ostlind from Madison Real Estate and Property Management with this Lunch & Learn event on
Monday, June 11th.
Find out more
online here.
|
New Top-level Domain: .realestate
|
The National Association of Realtors® will be launching a new
top-level domain,
.realestate, later this year.
The new domain extension is scheduled to be available in September for members of NAR, with a late November release to the general public.
The .realestate web addresses will be free of restrictions from NAR affiliation and will allow real estate entities and professionals to creatively market properties, geographic areas served, or their personal brands and specialties.
The domain leverages real estate as a descriptive and internationally known term.
|
2018 REALTOR® Education |
CONTINUING EDUCATION
Quality of Education
through SAR/WR Education Instructors
Here is the latest class listing from your SAR - offering the best live and local continuing real estate education classes for 2018.
Click on each class title,
underlined in blue, to bring up a flyer for that class - suitable for posting in your office.
Register for these classes
online here:
Please be in touch with
Debbie at the SAR if you have any questions about these classes or your license education requirements, by phone at
326-9222 or by
email.
|
|
 |
|
SAR CALENDAR
Click on the calendar image below to see
the current SAR calendar showing dates and times
of classes, committees and events.
Other regional calendars:
|
Condolences
|
The SAR extends its condolences and sympathy to the friends and family of
Paul Wilkening, formerly of John L. Scott Spokane, Inc.
Paul passed away on
May 5, 2018.
A celebration of life service was held on
Thursday, May 24th, at 4 p.m. at Hennessey Funeral Home, 2203 N. Division Street.
|
SAR Closed Monday - Memorial Day
|
Your SAR will be closed
Monday, May 28th, to keep the Memorial Day holiday.
Schools, government offices, and many businesses will also be closed on Monday.
|
Open House Weekend Prize Winners
|
We have winners!
The prizes from our 2018 Spokane REALTOR Open House Weekend were awarded this past week to the public grand prize, listing broker grand prize, and public general prize winners.
The grand prize certificates were delivered to the winners at the prize sponsor,
The Tin Roof.
Pictured above, left to right:
Leslie Mitchell,
The Tin Roof;
Michelle Doughty, public grand prize winner;
Cathy Thomas,
Exit Real Estate Professionals, listing broker grand prize winner;
Jennifer Gerstner,
The Tin Roof.
The public general prize certificate was delivered to the winner at the prize sponsor,
Spokane Federal Credit Union.
Pictured above, left to right:
Susan Cerutti-Jensen,
Spokane Federal Credit Union;
Matha Thornton, public general prize winner;
Marianne Bornhoft, SAR Open House Weekend committee.
CONGRATULATIONS to our prize winners and
THANK YOU to our generous sponsors,
The Tin Roof,
Spokane Federal Credit Union, and
Villages at Stone Hill!
|
The Question #2
|
NEW!
QUESTION #2
 2018 SAR President
Ken Sax (pictured at left) and his Discovery Team PAG (Presidential Advisory Group) are back with Question #2 in their continuing effort to improve your association:
Please prioritize the following by naming #1 as being most important to you and #7 as being least important to you.
There is a separate line for questions, comments, and thoughts.
One member will be drawn from survey participants to receive complimentary MLS fees for one quarter.
Ready?
This question will remain active until
May 31st.
THANK YOU!
|
Code of Ethics
|
You have until the end of the year to comply with the NAR requirement for Code of Ethics class once every two years.
The current cycle ends
December 31.
Take your required Code of Ethics class in person, locally, here at your SAR, or visit the NAR Code of Ethics resource page for other options,
online here.
|
Annie's Coming to Town!
|
SAVE THE DATE!
Thursday, August 6th
Annie's coming to town this summer!
Annie Fitzsimmons, Washington REALTORS® Legal Hotline attorney (pictured above) is coming to Spokane with her new class "The Hotline vs. The Bottom Line."
You won't want to miss this interactive and energetic class with Annie and a panel of Spokane Association of REALTORS® Designated Brokers.
Register online through the Member Portal, here:
|
Fair Housing: Veterans/Active/Reserve
|
This year - 2018 - marks the 50th anniversary of the federal Fair Housing Act that prohibits discrimination based on race, color, national origin, sex, disability, and
familial status.
Washington State law goes further to include the following protected classes: Creed, Marital Status, Sexual Orientation, Military or
Honorably Discharged
Veteran Status.
The Northwest Fair Housing Alliance has created a handy brochure to remind us that Fair Housing for Veterans and Active/Reserve Military is the law in Washington State.
|
Marketing in Our Market Today
|
Thursday, June 7th!
The Spokane-Eastern Washington Women's Council of REALTORS® invites all SAR members to attend its June program:
Marketing in Our Market Today!
Download the event flyer for more information (pictured above),
online here.
|
Member 2 Member
|
Our friends at
Inland Professional Title share word that they have a new name:
WFG National Title Company of Eastern WA.
Or, by a shorter name, WFG.
If you'd like to download WFG's name change flyer (pictured above), it is
online here.
|
Member Roster Update - April
|
Click here to view the latest list of
MLS Subscription Waivers - approved by the Board of Directors.
|
Market Activity Report - APRIL
|
Updated for April
The SAR Market Activity Report for
APRIL
is now online.
See the latest full report -
a member-exclusive product
See the
APRIL
2018 Market Snapshot Report (pictured above)
online here.
See the 2018 YEAR-TO-DATE Market Snapshot Report (pictured above), online here.
|
Presented by your Spokane Association of REALTORS® 
See what's NEW at
|
Quick Information
|
Tech Helpline: 866-610-8939
Legal Hotline: 800-562-6027
Washington State Legislature Hotline: 800-562-6000
|
2018 NAR New Member Orientation
|
|
2018 SAR Leadership
|
|
 |
Ken Sax
2018 SAR President
|
 |
Keller Williams Realty 879-1636
SECRETARY:
Kestell Company
|
|