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Please note: There will be no Monthy Business Meeting/Luncheon in May in view of our Annual Trade Show on May 2. |
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April 2012 GBAR Sales Volume and Units
Sold Match 2011 Pace
As this writing, Residential $ Sales Volume for April was up 1%, and Closed Units Sold were up 12% versus April 2011 . This strong performance in the GreaterBinghamton marketplace continues an optimistic trend - April could possibly be the 10th consecutive month of positive growth which began in July, 2011.
This is great news for our market and for our REALTORSŪ.
Keep up the great work! |
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Please join us in welcoming the following new GBAR Members, as approved by the Board of Directors at their April 17 meeting:
New REALTORŪ Agent Member:
- Michael Hammond, Exit Realty Front and Center
New Primary Affiliate Members:
- Joseph Ligouri, General Property Services, LLC
New Affiliate Representative:
- Patricia Gilbride, M&T Bank
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Contact Us:
Greater Binghamton Association of REALTORS
19 Jennison Avenue
Johnson City, NY 13790
607-729-6285
607-798-8246 (Fax)
executive@gbingar.com :: 607-729-6295 |
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| GBAR Agent Day and Trade Show is Wednesday, May 2!
The GBAR 2012 Agent Day and Trade Show will be held on Wednesday, May 2, 2012 at the Binghamton Riverwalk! In keeping with an election year, our theme will be "Vote for Home Ownership" and focus on providing our Members with the tools and resources to be successful in today's challenging marketplace.
As of this writing, we will be hosting 45 Vendors and welcoming over 150 GBAR Members and guests - over 270 attendees in all. See you there! |
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President's Corner - Pat Kilts
Here's a question for you: Are your clients happy with your Marketing? Do you keep the conversation going with them regularly? One of the first things clients always talk about after the listing expires with one agent, and they are looking for a new one is, "My Agent Never Called Me", and "there was no communication unless they wanted to do a price reduction, an open house, or extend the listing".
We have all been guilty of being too busy to schedule talks with our sellers, which is so important to building a trusting relationship. You want to be remembered, so those referrals will keep coming long after the house has sold and closed. Up close and personal with your clients is really what works - calls, emails, information about market changes, and engaging with them weekly.
Many agents end their Voice Message with, and by the way," I am never too busy to receive your referrals." Do your sellers know you are never too busy to "call" them? Communication should be #1 on your Marketing List, so do it, and you will reap the rewards. Don't lose another listing because you failed to make your client feel he or she was #1. I hope this little reminder will help as you work to give the best customer and client service possible.
Best always,
Pat
Care to respond to Pat? Click here to send her your comments.
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Give Us Your Ideas for a New GBAR Advertising Tag Line!
The GBAR Advertising Task Group, led by Chair Jessica Dillenbeck, is looking for your ideas for a new GBAR Advertising Tag Line. We need something short but meaningful which speaks to our optimism for the Greater Binghamton Real Estate market, portrays Binghamton as a great place to live, and underscores our support for the economic and social well-being of our community. Got any ideas? Please post your thoughts here and/or forward your thoughts to Jess at successwithjess@gmail.com by Friday, May 4.
Thanks for your creative input! |
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| Lobby Day is June 12!
Lobby Day in Albany is June 12, 2012! Come join us for this FREE trip to Albany to let our legislators hear REALTOR voice! RSVP now to realtor@gbingar.com. |
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Binghamton Real Estate Market Ranked #4 Nationally by Inman News
Check It Out! Following up on their ranking of Binghamton as the #8 real estate market to watch in the country, Inman News has ranked Binghamton the #4 metropolitan area nationally for appreciating real estate values - up 4.4% versus last year.
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| Join the "REALTORŪ Rally to Preserve the American Dream"
As you know, NAR President Moe Veissi has called for all REALTORSŪ to attend the "REALTORŪ Rally to Preserve the American Dream" on May 17 in Washington, DC. The Greater Rochester Association of REALTORSŪ (GRAR) is organizing a bus down to DC on May 16 and returning ay 17, and would be willing to pick up GBAR Members who would like to attend. If you are interested, click here for more information. |
| Upgraded Monthly Statistics
Our Monthly Statistics have been dramatically improved! Through a brand new service provided by 10K Marketing to all NYSAR Associations, our Monthly Statistics now provide GBAR-specific market commentary and easy to read graphics for all you favorite market indicators. Click here for the March, 2012 Edition. |
| Now: Pennsylvania On-line CE Courses through the GBAR Website!
Through a new arrangement with The CE Shop, our contracted on-line CE Course provider, you can now earn CE Credits towards your Pennsylvania License through the GBAR Website, at a steeply discounted price! Simply follow these instructions:
· Go to our website: www.greaterbinghamtonmls.com
· Click on Real Estate School.
· Under School Menu, click Online Providers.
· Under "The CE Shop", click on "Visit the CE Shop".
· You'll see the regular list of NY CE Courses available. Scroll down to the map of the United States, and click on the State of Pennsylvania. The list will change to Pennsylvania-valid CE Courses.
· Purchase and take the courses as usual!
And, if you use promotion code GBARINPA, you will receive a 25% discount on any Pennsylvania CE course through our Website!
By the way, you can take CE Courses not only for NY and PA, but for any state in the union! |
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One More GRI Course This Year
Following the success of the GRI 401 "Get it Listed, Get it Sold" and GRI 409 "Equal and Ethical Service" courses held here in Binghamton , we are offering one more of these excellent courses in 2012:
- Click here for information and to register for GRI 405 - Construction & Environmental Issues - October 23, conducted by Russ Romano.
For a full list of classroom offerings and registration instructions, click here. |
| Register Now for the CIPS Course - September 13, 2012 in Binghamton
On September 13, Roseann Farrow will be instructing the CIPS course, "Global Real Estate; Local Markets" at our Association Offices in Johnson City. Last year, foreign buyers invested more the $82 billion in U.S. residential real estate, paid $100,000 more on average than the overall U.S. median price, and over half paid all cash. Want a piece of that? Click here for more information and to register. |
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Got Ethics? We've Got Classroom and On-Line Courses to Meet Your Requirements and Preferences!
The Quadrennial Ethics period expires at the end of 2012 - each REALTOR must have taken a 3-hour Ethics course by then. But don't worry! If you have yet to satisfy this requirement, you can meet your requirement in two ways:
- CLASSROOM: We've scheduled 3 more classroom Ethics courses in the coming months, to be instructed by Anne Schoonover. The dates are August 1, October 9 and December 4, all at the Association Offices from 5:30 pm to 8:30 pm. For more information and to register, click here.
- ON-LINE: Click here to visit our on-line CE provider, the CE Shop, and sign up! Be sure to use Promotion Code 20MAY to get an instant 20% off on Ethics and other CE Courses through the end of May.
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| Community Service Corner
Please note these important dates for upcoming GBAR Community Service Events:
- Red Cross Blood Drive at the Oakdale Mall : June 8 - 11.
- J.S. Elliott Tournament of Love: June 20 at Genegantslet.
- Team Trivia for the benefit of Lucy Singleton: October 27 (TBD) at the Relief Pitcher.
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The Conservation Group has made available their new "Energy Efficient Data Form" to GBAR Members. This new form allows you to showcase the energy efficient investments your clients may have made in their homes, and post it with other listing documents to the MLS listing. You can find the form under in Member Forms on the GBAR Website under Miscellaneous Documents. Or, click here for the form, and click here for a Power Point presentation explaining the form and its use. |
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Energy Assessments and Home Energy Upgrades Available Free or at Reduced Cost
For those of you who missed Wednesday's Association Business Meeting and Luncheon, the speaker was Adam Flint of the Cornell Cooperative Extension, who presented New York State programs which provide free or subsidized low cost home energy assessments and home energy-saving upgrades.
To get more information and applications for these programs, click here.
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