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Welcome to our Virtual Association Headquarters.
The Howard County Association of REALTORS® represents over 1700 REALTORS®
and we hope that you visit our web site often.


Click Here to Pay Your Dues Now

Dear REALTOR® Members:

If you have not paid your renewal fees for the year, please follow the link below to log in and pay your dues bill, then receive an immediate dues receipt. The deadline to avoid a late fee has been extended to December 11, 2009.

Click Here to Pay Your Dues Now

Thank you for your continued support of the Howard County Association
of REALTORS®. Please click here for some of the many highlights
from 2009.

 
We wish you a happy and safe Thanksgiving!

Bianca Smith
2009-10 President
   

 

at Slayton House, Wilde Lake Village Center

Meet your legislators at this exclusive HCAR Members event.
Only $10 per person.
Includes Breakfast by The Original Omelette Man!

Legislators and Council Members attending:
Senator Edward Kasemeyer   Senator Allan Kittleman
Senator Jim Robey   Delegate Gail Bates
Delegate Liz Bobo   Delegate Guy Guzzone
Delegate James Malone   Delegate Warren Miller
Councilman Calvin Ball   Councilwoman Mary Kay Sigaty
Councilwoman Jen Terrasa   Councilwoman Courtney Watson
Legislative Aide Ann Goldscher    

Please click here to RSVP >>

SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES:
$200 Gold Sponsorship >>
$100 Silver Sponsorship >>
$50 Bronze Sponsorship >>


At Home Countertops ~ SentriLock ~ Highland Home Inspections
HCAR - Food Drive
HCAR Honored with Community Service Award
Howard County Association of REALTORS® Awarded
2009 MAR Community Action and REALTOR® Excellence
2nd Honorable Mention


2009 President Mary Calder accepted the CARE 2nd Honorable Mention Award at the Maryland Association of REALTORS® Annual Conference, honoring the work that the HCAR Association and members do on behalf of the community. With the CARE award comes $1,000. HCAR is donating the $1,000 to the Willis McGahee Foundation. Thank you to everyone who contributes their time and money, and who submitted photographs and details of their volunteer work for the CARE award!

New and Updated Contract Forms as of October 1, 2009!
Available in Members Only >>
RPAC RENO Day Auction
Kudos to HCAR leadership and the HCAR YPN Chapter
for a very successful RPAC event.

Highlights included CE by MAR's Colette Massengale, Esq., a trade show, and a presentation by Kathy Connelly - Executive Director for the Maryland Real Estate Commission. Other presenters included Ilene Kessler, Mark Feinroth (MAR), Bill Castelli (MAR), Jamie Gregory (NAR) and Gloria Farrar, networking opportunities, a live auction, and a reception.

The well attended day raised over $10,000.

Congratulations! What a great job.

Gloria M. Farrar
MAR RPAC Fundraising Chair

Click here to view the event photos >>

VICTORY! Homebuyer Tax Credit Extended Until April 30, 2010
and Expanded to Current Home Owners

On November 5, Congress answered our call to extend and expand the homebuyer tax credit. Both the House and the Senate passed an unemployment insurance bill, which included an amendment to expand and extend the tax credit. The bill was then signed by President Obama.

Some new benefits under the Extended Home Buyer Tax Credit, which took effect Saturday, November 7:

  • Single buyers with incomes up to $125,000 and married couples with incomes up to $225,000 may receive the maximum tax credit (income limits are increased from the 2009 First-Time Home Buyer Tax Credit limits).
  • Current home owners who buy homes can now also apply, for a maximum credit of $6,500.
  • NAR Issue Brief Homebuyer Tax Credit Comparison Chart >>

If you or your client purchased a home between January 1, 2009 and November 6, 2009, please visit 2009 First-Time Home Buyer Tax Credit at Realtor.org for new homebuyer tax credit details. For those purchasing between November 7, 2009 and April 10, 2010, please visit The Basics: Extended Home Buyer Tax Credit 2009/2010 at Realtor.org. These helpful resources and the comparison chart can be used when working with buyers to take advantage of the credit in the months ahead.

Thank you for responding to the Tax Credit Calls for Action.
Once again, a victory for homeownership was achieved
because so many took action.

HCAR is proud to announce our 2009 award winners.
C O N G R A T U L A T I O N S !

REALTOR® of the Year Kenny Smallwood
Rookie of the Year Shannon Miller
Community Service Creig Northrop

Thank you for being role models in service and your
commitment to excellence, Kenny, Shannon and Creig!

Record Streak Continues for Pending Home Sales
October 1, 2009 - Pending home sales have increased for seven straight months, the longest streak since the index began in 2001. Lawrence Yun, NAR chief economist, said "The rise in pending home sales shows buyers are returning to the market and signing contracts. No doubt many first-time buyers are rushing to beat the deadline for the $8,000 tax credit, which expires at the end of next month." Yun said the forecast for home sales and prices depends very much on whether a tax credit is extended. "Extending and expanding the tax credit is the best tool in our arsenal to encourage financially qualified buyers to stimulate the economy and help reduce the budget deficit."

NAR President Charles McMillan, also noted "Each home sale pumps an additional $63,000 into the economy through related goods and services, so the benefits of extending and expanding the tax credit far outweigh the costs."

Full article . . .

Regional Conversion to SentriLock System Accomplished

SentriLock One Day Code

All surrounding Associations have now completed the conversion from the Supra lockbox system to the SentriLock system.

Those who wish to subscribe to the SentriLock system should call the HCAR office at (410) 715-1437 as soon as possible to schedule an appointment to obtain a SentriLock Smart Card.

Thank you for your participation!

 

Law & Ethics

Law_and Ethics

How to Reduce Your Risk of an IRS Audit

As a self-employed person, you are three times more likely than an employee who receives a
W-2 form to be audited by the Internal Revenue Service.

Full Article >>

 

 

 
Click here for the Howard County REALTORS® Events Calendar

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