Builder and consumer adoption of environmental sustainability is rapidly growing.  Earn your Green Designation by taking all three courses which will be offered here in our GBAR Association Offices on August 22, 23 and 27, and instructed by Randy Templeman.  

These courses have been generously sponsored by Robert Laman Jr. Construction, Southern Tier Mortgage Company, the Law Offices of Frederick R. Xlander, Jim Rollo State Farm Insurance, and Professional Home Inspection Service.   These sponsorships have allowed us to reduce our prices considerably - pay only $245 for all three courses, or $150 each if taken individually.   Non-Members pay $175 per class.

Click here for a flyer and registration instructions.  Registration MUST be done through NYSAR to secure your discount!

We are saddened to advise you that AnnaBelle Brewer has tendered her resignation from her full time position at GBAR after 14 years of exceptional service to our Association and its Members.  AnnaBelle's last day will be July 18, 2012, although she has advised that she will be available on a part time basis should it be necessary.

 

 

In view of AnnaBelle's imminent departure, we will be seeking to secure a replacement staff member that can be trained well in advance of AnnaBelle's last day.  Click here for a job description.  Any thoughts regarding individuals who could be considered as candidates would be welcome - please email me at executive@gbingar.com .

 

In the meantime,  please join me in thanking AnnaBelle for her many years of service and outstanding contributions to the success of our Association.  We will be planning events so that Members can offer their thanks in person, and I will advise you when these plans become final. 

 

Barry Arnold, Executive Officer

 

Here at the Association we receive a number of calls and "police" emails regarding the concerns with how listing data is input and verified.  We thought we'd use this forum to mention the most common concerns, in with the intention of both educating our Members and improving the effectiveness of our listing content. 

 

Today's Topic:  "Buyer's Agent to Verify Taxes"

 

How many times have you  a pulled up a listing and noted in the Private Remarks that the "Buyer's Agent Must Verify Taxes"?

 

That's a complete cop-out by the Listing Agent.  It means that the Listing Agent is possibly misrepresenting his or her seller's property, takes no responsibility for the accuracy of their listing, and is potentially wasting the time of sellers, buyers and agents alike.

 

Sure, the Buyer's Agent should verify that taxes are stated accurately as a service to their buyer.  But the Listing Agent should also take the time to verify taxes, so that their seller's property and its value are not misrepresented to the public.

 

We often hear complaints about the accuracy of MLS data.  If both Listing and Buyer's Agents take responsibility for tax data, we move a huge step closer to a better MLS.

            

Comments?   Click here to email Barry Arnold, EO.

As a reminder, your Association Dues and Fees billing for the second half of 2012 will be e-mailed to you at the end of this month (May).  These dues and fees must be paid in order for you to remain an active Member of our Association and MLS and receive the Association services.

 

Please mark your calendar that by June 30, 2012, the following amounts must be paid either on-line or to your Principal Broker:

 

GBAR Dues           July-December           $173.50

GBAR MLS Fees   July-December            $295.00

 

Please Note:  You should have received your emailed  billing notice from me on May 30.  If you have not received your billing notice, please call the Association Offices at 729-6285.

 

Finally, now is the time to take care of any outstanding invoices that you have or your dues and fees payment cannot be accepted.

 

Thank you!

 

Barry Arnold, Executive Officer

Receive the recognition you have earned by applying for NYSAR Honor Society Recognition!  If you took part in your Association during 2011 (State & National Level also), you may be eligible! 

 

In addition to committees served, attendance at Monthly Association Business Meetings, CE Courses taken, Designations earned and RPAC contributions all earn points. A total of 100 points is needed to qualify.

Click here for an Application Form, which is also available from the Association Office. If you need assistance filling out the form, call the Association Office.

Wear the NYSAR Honor Society Pin that you have earned!  Return the completed form (both pages) to the Association Office by June 19, 2012.  No late entries - NYSAR does not make exceptions to the deadline.  If the form is faxed please verify receipt with the Association Office.

June's Association Business Meeting and Luncheon will be held Wednesday, June 13 from 11:30 to 1:30 at Texas Roadhouse at 4399 Vestal Parkway E.   The program will be an Appraisal Panel consisting of Beth Ryder, Mark Minoia, Marty Kane and Colleen Smey.   The Luncheon is generously sponsored by Tioga State Bank..  Please click here to view an event flyer. Click here to make your reservations on-line, or email your reservation to realtor@gbingar.com, or call the Association Offices at 729-6285.  PLEASE NOTE:  A MENU SELECTION IS REQUIRED!   Please make your reservations by Monday, June 11 at 2:00 pm.  We hope to see you there!

 

Looking to know more about RPR,  the REALTOR Property Resource product, which is a free NAR product for REALTORS only providing integrated tax, MLS data, foreclosure, flood maps, valuations, schools and virtually everything you need in one place to be a local market expert?

If so, sign up now for a 60-90 minutes session starting at 10:00 am on Friday, June 8 at the Association Offices.  Presenting will be Mr. Lee Neiman, our regional RPR representative.

To Sign-Up, click here to email Executive Officer Barry Arnold.

Click here for a session flyer and more information on RPR.

 

 

Click here for the April, 2012 edition of our Monthly Statistics from 10K Marketing.  Be sure to read the front page commentary, which contains some very positive perspectives on the Greater Binghamton market performance! 

 

If you're looking for CE Credit, there's no better place than The CE Shop!  All New York CE courses are now offered with a 20% discount by using promotional code 20MAY, and Pennsylvania courses are offered at a 25% discount using promotional code GBARINPA. 

 Click here to visit The CE Shop and sign-up now! 

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. 

 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.

 

• 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 at the Relief Pitcher.

 

 

• 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.