|
RELATED LINKS
|
Online Newsletter
September 2011
Did you know that in 1961 ...
The average income was $5,315. Average cost of a new car was $2,850. Gasoline cost 27 cents per gallon. A dozen eggs cost 30 cents. Nationwide, the average cost of a new house was $12,500. (It was $15,800 in Howard County.)
President Barack Obama was born August 4, 1961.
The most popular recorded song was Elvis Presley's Surrender, and Mister Ed was first broadcast in October 1961.
And the Howard County Association of REALTORS® was born! The Howard County Real Estate Board (now HCAR) was chartered on November 16, 1961. |
 |
| R.E.N.O. Day plus Legislative Update CE class |
|
RENO Day Returns!
Wednesday, October 5 • 1:00 - 7:00 pm
| 1:00 - 2:30 pm |
1.5 CE Legislative Update class (Category A)
Exhibits Open (Will stay open 1:00 - 7:00 pm) |
| 2:30 - 3:00 pm |
RPAC Update and NAR / MAR Special Guests Introductions |
| 3:00 - 4:30 pm |
Mix & Mingle, BINGO and Wine Tasting with HCAR Affiliate Exhibitors.
Have your BINGO card signed by all our Affiliate Exhibitors to be eligible to win a Tablet! |
| 4:30 pm |
Cocktail / Happy Hour Begins
(Appetizers & Light Bar Included) |
| 5:00 pm |
BINGO Winner of Tablet Announced
(must be present to win) |
| 5:30 pm |
Auction Begins - Proceeds are an RPAC* contribution. |
| 7:00 pm |
End of Event |
1.5 hours of CE credit and the best networking available.
Brought to you by the Howard County Association of REALTORS®
and Howard County Young Professionals Network.
Admission is $20 plus a $5 CE fee, and gains you access to the entire day's event, including exhibits, wine tasting and the cocktail party.
All RENO Day Exhibitors are also HCAR Affiliate Members
and RENO Day Sponsors.
Please visit their booths and say "Thanks!"
*CONTRIBUTIONS TO RPAC ARE NOT DEDUCTIBLE AS CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTIONS FOR FEDERAL INCOME TAX PURPOSES - Contributions to RPAC are voluntary and are used for political purposes. You may refuse to contribute without affecting your membership rights. 70% of each contribution is used by Maryland RPAC to support state and local candidates. 30% is sent to National RPAC to support federal candidates and is charged against your limits under 2 U.S.C. 441a.
This solicitation is intended for REALTORS® and REALTOR®-affiliates only. Nothing herein contained shall be construed as solicitation of contributions from non-members.
Personal contributions made by check must be on a personal check, not on a corporate check. Contributions made on a corporate check will be treated as a corporate contribution as permitted under the Maryland Campaign Finance Law.
For Contributions made by credit card: You acknowledge that all credit card contributions are subject to the usual requirements of law applicable to RPAC contributions. The charge applied to the account as a result of the contribution must be paid with the personal funds of the individual(s) by whom the contribution is made.
Authority: Billy Yerman, Treasurer
Back to Top >
|
50th Anniversary, Annual Meeting and Installation of
2012 Officers and Directors |
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
11:30 am - 2:30 pm
at the Turf Valley Resort
You are cordially invited to the 50th Anniversary, Annual Business Meeting and Installation of the
2011/ 2012 Howard County Association
of REALTORS® Officers and Directors.
Come celebrate our Association's 50th Anniversary
with your fellow REALTORS® and Affiliates, and special guests from MAR and neighboring Associations.
11:30 am - Reception
12 noon - Luncheon and Program
Hurry! Don't miss this special day.
Back to Top >
|
| 2011 - 2012 Slate of Officers and Directors |
|
The Howard County Association of REALTORS® is proud to announce
the slate of candidates for the 2011 - 2012 Board of Directors.
Officers and Directors Slate
| President |
David Vane, Weichert REALTORS® - New Colony |
| President-Elect |
Jim Hyatt, Exit Results Realty |
| Secretary |
Marilyn Rhodovi, Long & Foster Real Estate Inc. |
| Treasurer |
Kathy Malone, Franklin American Mortgage Company |
| Directors for Two-Year Terms |
Scott Berngartt, George Mason Mortgage, LLC
Renee Mankoff, Weichert REALTORS® - New Colony |
Electronic voting will commence on October 11 and end on October 18. All HCAR Primary REALTOR® members in good standing are eligible to vote.
Back to Top >
|
| 2011 Annual Award Recipients |
|
 |
|
REALTOR® of the Year
- Kenny Smallwood
Rookie REALTOR® of the Year
- Renee Mankoff
Community Service
- Julia Mattis
|
Congratulations and a heart-felt THANK YOU to our Award Winners.
We appreciate everything that you do for the Howard County community, our industry and HCAR!
Back to Top >
|
| September is REALTOR® Safety Month |
 
REALTORS® need to be extra aware of safety at work and on the road. For example, if you will be on the road today, does someone know that? Always let someone know where you are going and when you plan to return. Leave the name and phone number of the client you are meeting, and schedule a time for your office to call you to check in.
Please visit www.realtor.org/safety for a wealth of safety tips for home, office and on the road.
For online safety, register for next Monday's FREE webinar:
REALTOR® Safety Series: Social Media and Cyber Safety
Monday, September 12, 11:30 am - 12:30 pm
Today's environment includes social networking, smart phones, email and online everything. But how safe are you when using all this technology?
- Learn how today's criminals are using your social media information for illegal activities.
- Identify the pitfalls and rewards of social media and other cyber tools.
- Learn what your tweets and posts could be telling the world.
- Discover how you could be tracked through geotags.
- Decrease the opportunities of criminals to hack your laptops, smart phones and office systems and files.
- Identify what you need in your safety plan to reduce cyber attacks.
Register today >
Back to Top >
|
| MRIS Training @ HCAR |
|
Join MRIS trainers at the HCAR Office for FREE hands-on training.
Getting Started with MRIS
Covers all the information new agents should learn about our MLS system.
Monday, September 19 • 9:30 am - 12:30 pm
Matrix
Covers how to use Matrix, with a featured section on all the new Matrix changes.
Monday, September 19 • 1:30 pm - 4:30 pm
To register, go to www.mris.com/training, select the desired classes, and click "go". You will then see the link to register. For MRIS training questions or inquiries, please email training@mris.net.
Back to Top >
|
| 2012 HCAR Membership Dues |
|
HCAR dues billing will once again be paperless and green. You'll receive an email notice in October and be able to make your payment using our secure and easy online payment system.
The 2012 local, state and national dues are:
| Howard County Association of REALTORS® |
|
$223 |
| Maryland Association of REALTORS® |
|
$170 |
| National Association of REALTORS® |
|
$155 |
| Voluntary RPAC Contribution |
|
$25 |
| Total |
|
$573 |
We appreciate your continued support of HCAR, and look forward to
continuing to serve you and our industry well throughout 2012!
Billing details: Dues invoicing will be online at www.hcar.org in October, and announced by email.
Dues will be due November 1, 2011.
A $50 late fee will be added to non-paid dues December 1, 2011. An additional $100 reinstatement fee will be assessed on non-paid dues January 1, 2012. (Total past due fees as of 1/1/12 will be $150 = $50 late fee + $100 reinstatement fee.) But we are giving you plenty of notice, so it's easy to pay on time and avoid the late fees!
Back to Top >
|
| REALTOR® Emeritus Honor - Applications Due September 30 |
Have you been a REALTOR® for 40 or more years?
Anyone who has held membership in the National Association as a REALTOR®, REALTOR-ASSOCIATE®, or a combination of both, for a cumulative period of 40 years in one or more Associations of REALTORS®, is eligible for REALTOR® Emeritus status.
How do I submit an application?
Complete this short online application by Friday, September 30, 2011. HCAR will review your form, provide the appropriate confirmations, and submit it to NAR.
In short: If you've been a REALTOR® for 40 or more years, apply by September 30 in order to have your NAR dues waived, beginning this year!
Back to Top >
|
| 2011 MAR Annual Conference & Tradeshow - Next Week in Ocean City! |
September 12th - 14th
Ocean City, Maryland
- Up to 15 hours of premier Continuing Education (CE)
- Monday Keynote & light lunch with Steve Harney, Keeping Current Matters
- FREE Conference Gift - ABS flashlight with auto tool kit
- Rookies (up to 4 years since licensed) can receive $50 off 3-day registration
- YPN event ($10), more "Learning Labs", more grand prize winners!
More Value–National Speakers–Networking–Exciting Tradeshow
You may still register by fax or onsite.
Onsite registration opens at the Convention Center on Sunday, September 11 at 4 pm.
Conference Homepage
Hotel Information
Schedule (PDF)
Back to Top >
|
| NAR Workforce Housing Forum in DC |
Join Your Colleagues from the Mid-Atlantic Region for a
One-Day Forum on Workforce Housing
Bring Workers Home will explore the nature of the workforce housing challenge and highlight some of the successful housing programs and best practices in the Mid-Atlantic region.
The day's agenda will include:
- Remarks from Kit Hale, NAR Regional Vice President and a state or local public official
- Two panels featuring regional speakers discussing: Why Workforce Housing Matters; Workforce Housing in Action; and Advancing Workforce Housing Through Partnership
- An employer keynote discussing how an employer-assisted housing program benefits employers and their employees
Registration Information
Forum registration is $45 (includes breakfast, lunch and a networking reception).
Click here to register >
Back to Top >
|
When Bad Things Happen at Good Properties:
Know Your Legal Disclosure Requirements |
|
Recently, a number of licensees have asked questions about deaths or felonies occurring on a property.
Does a licensee have a duty under the law to disclose deaths or felonies to a prospective buyer or tenant of that property? Two laws in Maryland address this. An article in www.hcar.org Members Only details both the legal and practical issues to be considered when confronted with this.
"A Homicide, Suicide, Accidental Death, Natural Death or Felony Occurs on the Property - Must a Licensee Disclose Such Fact to a Buyer?" Login to read >
Back to Top >
|
SAFE Act Final Rule
Effective as of August 29, 2011 |
On June 30, 2011, the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) published a final rule under the Secure and Fair Enforcement Mortgage Licensing Act of 2008 (SAFE Act). The rule is now in effect. The SAFE Act requires states to establish loan originator licensing requirements that meet minimum federal standards. HUD had overall responsibility for interpretation, implementation, and compliance until July 21 when the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) officially took over these responsibilities.
NAR urged HUD to exempt all seller financing from the licensing requirements or at least exempt some categories of seller financing, and also asked HUD to clarify that payment of a real estate commission by a lender for the sale of a lender-owned property (REO) does not require the real estate agent to be licensed. In the preamble to the rule, HUD states that it lacks statutory authority to grant exemptions to licensing under the SAFE Act. The final rule requires licensing of individuals who engage in the business of a loan originator.
HUD chose not to decide how frequently an individual may provide financing, but NAR expects the CFPB to defer to reasonable state laws on the number of seller financing transactions that would trigger licensing. Sellers financing the sale of their own property would completely avoid the issue of licensing by retaining the services of a licensed loan originator.
SAFE Act Final Rule >
More details and FAQs >
Back to Top >
|
Time is Running Short
FHA Loan Limits and NFIP expire September 30, 2011 |
|
From 1990 to 2005, flood disasters were declared in every state. The last few months have reminded us floods can strike anywhere, yet Americans in over 21,000 communities are about to have their access to flood insurance severed. Congress reconvened this week in Washington, DC. Today, send a message to Congress, urging them to reauthorize the
National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). A lapse of the NFIP will affect thousands of closings as of October 1, 2011. Even the uncertainty of its near-term availability, is already causing delay or cancellation of home contracts.
Current FHA loan limits are also set to expire September 30, 2011. Unless Congress acts, these loan limits will drop from their current limit of $560,000 in Howard County, to a maximum of $494,500 in Howard County. REALTORS® from our nation have been reporting contract cancellations to NAR due to banks denying applications for amounts above the upcoming October 1, 2011 FHA limits.
With both of these key provisions expiring in less than 25 days, we must act now.
Visit the hcar.org Legislative Update Center to learn more about county, state and federal issues.
Back to Top >
|
Contract Change Alert:
New MAR Residential Contract of Sale Coming October 1 |
|
Currently, a broker must return deposit monies to the buyer who rescinds the Contract of Sale in a timely manner based upon HOA or condominium disclosures. This is required unless, in the good faith opinion of the broker, there is a bona fide dispute between the buyer and the seller as to the timeliness of the written rescission.
Effective October 1, 2011, brokers will be required to maintain trust monies (i.e., earnest money deposits) in an account authorized by the Maryland Real Estate Commission until:
- the real estate transaction for which the trust money was entrusted is consummated or terminated;
- the real estate broker receives proper written instructions from the buyer and seller directing withdrawal or other disposition of the trust money;
- on an interpleader filed by the real estate broker, a court orders a different disposition; or
- the buyer and seller fail to complete the real estate transaction for which the trust money was entrusted and the real estate broker, in the real estate broker's sole discretion, elects in good faith to distribute the trust money upon thirty (30) days prior written notice to buyer and seller pursuant to Section 17-505(b) of the Maryland Real Estate Brokers Act.
Login to www.hcar.org Members Only for complete details >
When the newly effective MAR Residential Contract of Sale form is available, it will be added to Members Only (linked from the www.hcar.org home page), and announced by email.
Back to Top >
|
| Food Donations and Help Needed Monthly |
HCAR Members prepare dinner for the 51 residents of the Howard County Grassroots Crisis Intervention Center on the 2nd Thursday of each month.
Our next dinners are today, September 8, and Thursday, October 13!
If you're interested in donating food or helping with preparation, please email deb@thecampinscompany.com.
Back to Top >
|
| HCAR Bowling Night FUNdraiser |
| The HCAR Bowling Night FUNdraiser held on July 12 was a wonderful success. Members bowled from 4 pm to 6 pm at Brunswick Normandy Lanes in Ellicott City in the cool indoors while raising money for Gilchrist Hospice. It was a great time for all. |
| |
 |
|
 |
| |
| Also, posted below, are pictures from our recent visit to Gilchrist Hospice Care in Columbia. HCAR was able to give a $500 donation to Gilchrist Hospice Care because of the funds raised at the July 12 bowling event organized by the HCAR YPN. |
| |
 |
|
 |
To view larger photos click here >
Back to Top >
|
|
