There are 35 NAR Boards or Associations of REALTORS® in New York State.  The largest is the Long Island Board of REALTORS®, with 19,163 Members as of March 31, 2012.  The smallest is the Western Steuben-Allegany Association, with 49 Members.

GBAR has 354 Members.  Here's your quiz question:  "Amongst all New York State Boards or Associations, in what percentile does GBAR lie?"  Bottom 20%?  Top 20%?  Somewhere in between?  Test your knowledge by clicking here to submit your answer (in survey form), along with your name and email address. 

At the August 21, 2012 Board of Directors meeting, the proposed 2013 Budget was accepted.  A copy of this proposed budget, together with a written overview and definitions of each line item, is now available to GBAR REALTOR® Members via:

• PDF on the GBAR Members-Only Website under Member Forms, Miscellaneous (click here, but you must  log-in to the site)
• Picked up at the Association Office
• From your Principal Broker
• Fax (upon request)

A Budget Forum for voting GBAR Members will be held at 1:30 pm (approx.) on Wednesday September 12, 2012, immediately after the GBAR Luncheon/Business Meeting being held at DeGennaro's in Endicott, where Diane White, GBAR Treasurer and Chair of the Finance Committee, Executive Officer Barry Arnold and Finance Coordinator Martha Tubaugh will be available to answer your questions. If you have questions beforehand, please call Treasurer Diane White at 760-4774.

Please take this opportunity to participate in the operation of your Association.

Ballots (only) will be mailed with complete voting instructions to voting GBAR Members on Friday, September 14, 2012.  Ballots are due back at the Association Office no later than 5:00pm on Tuesday, October 9, 2012 and the results of the vote will be announced at the October Association Business Meeting/Luncheon on Wednesday, October 10, 2012. The results will also appear on Hot Topics on the GBAR Website, Board News on the MLS, and in the October 15 issue of the REALTOR® Review.

Be Sure Your Vote Counts!

Please keep in mind these facts when you are preparing your ballot for the Budget Proposal:

·         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.  Ballots received late are not included in the count.

·         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.

Please join us in welcoming the following New GBAR Members approved at the August 21, 2012 Board of Directors Meeting:

New REALTOR® Agent Members:

• Kerry Springer, Realty USA
   
• Gregg Cordero, Century 21 /Sbarra & Wells
   
• Weslie Van Voorhis, ERA Decker Real Estate
   
• Robert Rabuttinio, Century 21/ Sbarra & Wells
   

New Primary Affiliate Members::

• James Carter. Jimanda's
   
• Kent Sisco, First Niagara
   

New Affiliate Representatives: 

• Amanda Gaudette, Jjimanda's
   
• Nancy Enright, First Niagara
   
• Ellen Correll, First Niagara
   
• Ronald Klein, First Niagara
   

Each year at our September Luncheon, we recognize those GBAR Members who have taken steps to improve their knowledge of the real estate market by earning REALTOR® Designations and Certifications.  Click here for an updated list of  GBAR Members and their Designations and Certifications which we have in our records.  If the Designations and Certifications listed next to your name agree with your records, there is no need to do anything (except register for and show up at the luncheon to receive your accolades!).  However, if you believe you hold one or more up-to-date Designations or Certifications and your name is not shown, or if you think there has been an error on the current list, please click here to send me an email so we can validate our records.  Please note:  Only NAR-conferred/endorsed Designations and Certifications can be counted and listed.

Thank you.

Barry Arnold, Executive Officer 

• 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. 
  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 START to get an instant 20% off on Ethics and other CE Courses through the end of September.

• 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.

• Roger Katchuk
• Patricia Kilts
• Dawn Roessing
• Karen Templeman    

The Process

Ballots were mailed to all voting members on August 8, 2012 with candidates' names placed in order by random draw (complete voting instructions were 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.

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.