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Please join us in welcoming the following new GBAR Members, as approved by the Board of Directors at their July 17 meeting:
New REALTOR® Agent Member:
- Zenaida Rosario, Exit Realty Front and Center
New MLS Only REALTOR® Agent Member:
- Matthew Congdon, Congdon Hynes Appraisal, LLC
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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 |
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| Don't Miss This Opportunity! Sign Up Now for Green Designation Courses in Binghamton at Drastically Reduced Prices!
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 29, 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! |
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President's Corner:
"Know Your Buyer"
My first thoughts when writing you are always how I can share information that will help you succeed in your real estate business. This year has turned the halfway point. So how is business? For some it's going quite well and for others it's still a struggle.
At the beginning of my term in January, you may recall I told you 2012 could be a "pivotal year," in our industry. I was and still am cautiously optimistic that we can and will see a definite upswing in future sales in 2013 and beyond. Continuing low interest rates provide plentiful mortgages to all who qualify.
Do you still have buyers sitting on the fence? Are you sitting on the fence with them? Have you encouraged sellers to price their homes to sell within in 30-60 days? Have you discussed what is motivating your buyers and sellers? Remember - buyers buy, they don't just look. Shoppers look (you all know how many of us just shop!), but we don't always buy. Are you working with a Shopper, or a Buyer?
Is it time to look at your marketing plan to track the direction your business is going. Are you keeping in touch with your "sphere of influence" - getting those recommendations you are looking for? You will always be talking with strangers, but those clients and customers to whom you already gave excellent service know and trust your work, and will continue to send those referrals.
Excellence in service is not always what you do, but how your customers and clients feel while you are caring for their real estate needs. Your enthusiasm and understanding for their special situations will go a long way in building a trust in your ability to get successful results.
In closing, two important thoughts: Find out your buyer's motivation, and don't work with shoppers. And as always, be a professional "Service" agent.
Best, Pat
Got a comment? Contact Pat at pkilts@stny.rr.com. |
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| 3.8% Real Estate Sales Tax - Fact or Myth?
Many of you have received alarming emails or other communications suggesting that beginning in 2013, a 3.8% "sales tax" will be imposed on the selling price of real estate in order to pay for "Obamacare". Click here for a quick summary that separates fact from myth! .
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| REALTOR® Review - Who's Reading What?
You know what you like about the REALTOR® Review. But did you ever wonder what other GBAR Members find most interesting in each issue? For you curious and statistics-hungry Members, click here for a rundown of what has most interested our Membership in the past three REALTOR® Review issues. |
| Nominations and Process for the Board of Directors Elections
The Nominating Committee presents the following candidates for the office of Director of the Greater Binghamton Association of REALTORS®, Inc.
- Roger Katchuk
- Patricia Kilts
- Dawn Roessing
- Karen Templeman
The Process
Ballots will be mailed to all voting members on August 8, 2012 with candidates' names placed in order by random draw. (Complete voting instructions will be included.) The results of the election will be announced at the September Association Business Meeting on September 12, 2012. Please take this opportunity to participate in the operation of YOUR ASSOCIATION.
Please keep in mind a few facts when you are preparing your ballot for Board of Directors Election, Budget Proposal, Etc:
· If you are mailing your ballot, be sure to allow enough mail time for the ballot to be received at the Association Office by the date indicated.
· Be sure to use the envelope provided and DO NOT remove your agent number from the back of the envelope. This information is used only to assure that a Member votes only once. If the number is removed it will void your vote.
· Do not sign your ballot. This also will void your vote.
· If you misplace your ballot, one can be completed at the Association Office.
The Candidates
 Roger Katchuk has been a member of the GBAR since 2005, has served on various committees and task forces and is the Broker/Owner of First American Realty .info. For 19 years he has also been an active real estate investor and property manager and currently operates residential and commercial properties in Broome and Tioga County. Building and construction have also been important parts of his career. Including flipping houses locally, Roger has consulted on projects ranging from condominium remodeling in the Dag Hammarskjold Plaza in NYC to designing the health club for the 5 star Golden Tulip Resort in Tunis, Tunisia.
Rogers's pre-Realtor career was in sports and coaching. He has a Masters Degree in Sports Management from Marshall University and earned the rank of Assistant Professor with the United States Sports Academy. Internationally he was the Director of the Asian Sports Education Center for the USSA in Brunei. As a coach he has directed national sport programs in the countries of Brunei and Saudi Arabia and has been a head coach at the collegiate level in the United States. He coaches springboard diving locally at Owego Free Academy.
Roger returned to his home in the Southern Tier in 2001 and with his wife Ji has been raising his 5 year old daughter Kaelyn.
Patricia (Pat) Kilts has been a REALTOR® for nearly 30 years, first with Farrell Better Homes and Gardens, then Coldwell Banker, and more recently Realty USA.
An active member of the Greater Binghamton Association of REALTORS®, she has served on a number of Association Committees, including Education, Bylaws, Finance, and Government Affairs. In 2009, she was elected to the Association Board of Directors, in 2011 to the office of President-Elect, and in 2012 to the office of President. Her focus has been the provision of excellent service to Association Members, and to ensure the Association is prepared to meet the challenges of a rapidly evolving Real Estate industry.
Pat's business background has served her well in her many years in voluntary service. As a strong advocate for children and education, she held many positions with the New York State and National Associations of Parents and Teachers, while also serving her local school district, Chenango Forks.
Pat was born, raised and presently resides in Broome County. She is married with 4 grown children, 9 beautiful grandchildren and 2˝ adorable great grandchildren.
Hi, I am Dawn Roessing, am born and raised in Broome County. I have been licensed since 1987, am an Associate Broker, GRI, Green designation. Currently I am Chair of the Trade Show Committee, active on Community Service Committee. I participate in the Toastmasters Chapter. I am also a Wish grantor for Make A Wish of Central New York. I am looking forward to serving the Greater Binghamton Association of REALTORS, Inc. in moving forward. I currently reside in Hillcrest with husband Bob, we have a daughter Renea and son in law Jeff and 3 very active grandchildren.
Karen Templeman
- Specializing in Residential sales and works at RealtyUSA.com
- Director for 4.5 years, currently chairperson for CPR.
- Served on and Chaired many committees over the past years.
- Designations: ABR, CRS, GRI, e-PRO, GREEN, SRES.
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| June 2012 Monthly Statistics
Click here for the June, 2012 edition of our Monthly Statistics from 10K Marketing. |
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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. If NAR's records show you haven't yet satisfied this requirement, we have sent you an email last week as a reminder. But don't worry! You can meet your requirement in two ways:
- CLASSROOM: We've scheduled 2 more classroom Ethics courses in the coming months, to be instructed by Anne Schoonover. The dates are October 9 and December 4, all at the Association Offices from 5:30 pm to 8:30 pm.
- ON-LINE: Click here to visit our on-line CE provider, the CE Shop, and sign up! Be sure to use Promotion Code August12 to get an instant 20% off on Ethics and other CE Courses through the end of August.
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| Community Service Corner
Please note this upcoming GBAR Community Service Event:
- Team Trivia for the benefit of Lucy Singleton: October 27 at the Relief Pitcher.
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Save the Date: The REALTOR® Appreciation Event is August 23!
For the 9th consecutive year, the GBAR Affiliate Council invites GBAR REALTOR® Members to the Annual REALTOR® Appreciation Event, to be held at the Mountain Top View on Thursday, August 23, from 5 to 8 PM. This event never fails to be a good time had by all in attendance. Please click here for a flyer and RSVP instructions. |
| Key Boxes Needed!!
We are running low on keyboxes at the Association Office and they are expensive to purchase. Please bring in any boxes that you are not using so that others may benefit from them. |
| Big Discounts on Online CE Courses Available!
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 AUGUST12 through the end of August, and Pennsylvania courses are offered at a 25% discount using promotional code GBARINPA.
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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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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. |
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Members Who Have Left the Association as of June 29, 2012
Click here for a list of Members who are no longer with our Association, have gone on Leave of Absence or are MLS Waived as of 6/29/12. |
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