CRS Certified Residential Specialists
Maryland / DC Chapter
May 2012
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MD/DC CRS Chapter
| 2012 Chapter Leadership
President
410-937-4707
President-Elect
443-676-1625
Secretary
301-646-5774
Treasurer
240-678-6279
Immediate Past President
410-262-2254
2012 Committee Chairs
Chapter With A Heart Committee
443-497-3128
Communications Committee
443-676-1625
Education Committee
410-937-4707
Membership Committee
302-373-4355
Public Relations Committee
443-794-4106
Sponsorshsip Committee
410-952-7102
AVP Coordinator
410-262-2254
2012 Area Vice Presidents
Howard/Carroll Counties
410-262-2254
Frederick/Washington Counties
301-631-0525
Harford/Cecil Counties
443-243-5216
Delaware
302-672-6016
Anne Arundel/Carroll Counties
443-278-3800
Washington DC
202-441-3982
Prince Georges/Montgomery
301-536-7971
Dorchester/Wicomico Counties
443-523-0023
Somerset/Worcester Counties
410-250-1919
Caroline/Talbot Counties
410-463-1730
Baltimore County/Baltimore City
410-627-5961
Helpful Links
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| TECH TIPS by Jan Brito |
Open Home Pro You can use this app to turn your iPad into a lead generating machine. When people come into your open house just hand them your iPad and watch them give you their contact information, at the end of the open house push 1 button to send them a friendly email. When you get home export your new leads into your CRM. Watch this corner all year for Jan's great Tech Tips - with a special tech emphasis on what we can do with our iPads! |
Local Trivia
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Local Trivia
The Bollman Truss Railroad Bridge in Savage is made of both cast iron and wrought iron. It is the only open railroad bridge of its type anywhere in the world
The Thrasher Carriage Museum in Frostburg houses a collection of early 19th- and 20th-century horse drawn conveyances. Formal closed carriages, milk wagons, open sleighs, funeral wagons, dog carts, and President Roosevelt's inaugural carriage are among the approximately 50 vehicles featured.
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Great Value!
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  In case you didn't get to attend this year's event, CRS is making over 25 hours of audio downloads from this year's 2012 Sell-a-bration available for purchase.
And naturally, if you're a CRS Designee, you get the very BEST prices! Only $10.00!
At www.CRS.com, naturally!
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Message From The President
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 Message From The President
Dear Fellow Agents,
Call for Volunteers!! To all members and soon to be members, we need your help...
Our goal is to continue growing our chapter. The best way to do that is to promote the privileges of membership, not just at the National level, but the Chapter level as well. The only way to accomplish goal is to have more people involved. To that end, we are making this "Call for Volunteers" to help with our cause.
Membership Committee -The Membership Committee is looking for individuals to work along with our Area Coordinators on local activities/events; to coordinate with other committees where appropriate to devise promotions and incentives to increase membership; and, to help with crafting newsletter articles and other communications as appropriate. Basically the membership committee wants to promote our chapter's value based programs to the CRS community and increase our chapter membership. Contact Deborah Harris (deborah.harris@remax.net) for more information.
Education Committee - Our Education committee is looking for help in setting up all classes (CRS and Pillar to Post classes) and establishing class locations. Volunteers will be expected to assist in signing in students and answering questions from students and instructors. This will be great training in preparation to take the reins on this position next year! Contact Sharron Dorsey (mddccrs2012@gmail.com) for more information.
Communication Committee - If you have a creative flare and want to get involved with helping to get our message out, you are perfect for this committee. The Communications Committee is looking for at least 2 people. Consider yourself "hired" if you have the desire and the ability to make a commitment of time to help produce our newsletter. The task consists of pulling information from various sources each month and inputting to an established format, and suggesting changes and improvements to increase effectiveness. Contact Gretchen Conley (gretchen@gretchenconley.com) for more information.
Sharron Sharron Dorsey, MD/DC CRS President 2012 |
Chapter With A Heart Committee
March of Dimes, "Dress for Success", Heart Walk
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$100 was raised for the March of Dimes Walk on May 5, 2012!
Looking forward to the AVP's reaching out to all CRS members and having a huge involvement. It will be good to get more people involved and connected with the MD/DC Chapter.
Dress for Success - Donations will be taken up all year long! Contact me for more information or to answer any questions you may have!
Heart Walk - Team CRS will be walking again in Baltimore on Oct. 20th. Click HERE for more information.
Sincerely,
Lynette
Lynette Bridges-Catha, Chapter With A Heart Chair
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Communications Committee
Website Updates - Check them out! MDDCCRS.com
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LOOKING FOR VOLUNTEERS! Like Tech? Use Constant Contact? Want to learn it? We need you! - Give us a call; shoot us an email!
While you're looking over the website, please don't hesitate to share your comments. We're working hard, on your behalf, to make it as user-friendly and easy to move around in as possible, and hope you'll notice our progress!
Upcoming Education and Chapter Events are at the top of the home page, simplifying your search for courses. Look for the video links to the June classes and let us know what you think!
So do you have ideas and/or interest in your Chapter's monthly newsletter and website? We'd love to have your feedback and even more so, your involvement. Email me at Gretchen@GretchenConley.com and get your toes wet!
Sincerely,
Gretchen
Gretchen Conley, President Elect, Communications Chair
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Education Committee
Your Local Chapter News - MD/DC CRS Classes
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The Education Committee has scheduled one day classes with current topics to help you in this challenging market. These classes are focusing on helping you improve your skills and each only take one day away from your business.
Taking a class is a great to network in your State with agents not in your marketing area. Of course you know referrals can also come from county to county. Did you know in some of our classes we have agents from other States so that you can network with them as well?
Check the web site for the classes coming soon. We hope to see you in class!
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THREE CLASSES. ONE FANTASTIC OFFER - BUY ONE GET ONE 1/2 OFF
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REGISTER FOR ANY TWO OF THE THREE SCHEDULED CLASSES AND RECEIVE A 50% DISCOUNT ON THE SECOND CLASS.
Price War to the Door - June 8th
Social Media Marketing on/off line - June 27th
The Little EXTRAS... In EXTRAordinary Customer Service - October 23rd
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It's a Price War to the Door
by Jackie Leavenworth
June 8
Register HERE
Real Estate Social Marketing
by Gee Dunsten
June 27
Register HERE
The Little EXTRAS...
In EXTRAordinary Customer Service
by Ed Hatch
October 23
Looking forward to seeing you at class! Sincerely, Sharron Sharron Dorsey, Education Chair |
Program Committee
Event News
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There are plans to bring Steve Harney on July 27th to a luncheon. Plans are being made now and will be finalized shortly.
Ed Hatch will be our guest speaker at the OC Conference in September. He will talk about change being inevitable. and how to deal with the ever-changing market. There are 5 steps to successfully manage that change.
Sincerely,
Vivian
Vivian Feen
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Public Relations Committee
Event News
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Save the Date!!! May 18th 2012
In conjunction with the NAR Washington, DC meetings in May, our Chapter is
putting on a great cruise/dinner package. This was so popular last year that we are once again, throwing a party! This time, we've had to book two cruises!
Dinner at the Revolutionary-era Themed Restaurant "Chadwick's" - across the street from the dock! Two embarkations from the dock at 31st and K Streets, NW to choose from:
SOME EVENTS SOLD OUT! CONTACT VIVIAN DIRECTLY FOR AVAILABILITY!
STILL AVAILABLE AS OF TODAY:
5:30 PM - Potomac Cruise first;
then 7 PM dinner at Chadwick's!
This will be open to all attendees; we sold out last year. Questions? Email: vivianfeen@mris.com or sharron@sharrondorsey.com Would you like to help with upcoming events? Give Vivian a call at 443-794-4106 or send her an email: VivianFeen@mris.com
Sincerely,
Vivian
Vivian Feen, Public Relations Chair
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Membership Committee
Welcome to our New Designees
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Please welcome any of these 11 new designees who may hail from your area or whom you may know for whatever reasons with a phone call or a personal card. They will receive a certificate from the Chapter congratulating them on earning their designation but they may not have received it yet.
| Kathleen Ryan | Long and Foster Real Estate | Washington | | Erik R Windrow | Prudential PenFed Realty | Ocean City | | Rona Weiner | Prudential Homesale YWGC Realty | Baltimore | | Susan H Pruden | Century 21 Home Center | Lanham | | Charles A Matthews | Heymann Realty LLC | Silver Spring | | Abigail Herl Hilliard | Keller Williams Realty | Rockville | | Carlyn M Lowery | Keller Williams Realty | Annapolis | | Ivana Pelikan | Long and Foster | Washington | | Gary Nelson | RE\MAX Comonents | Fallston | | Maria Weaver | Re/Max Advantage Realty | Columbia | | Evelyn Branic | Coldwell Banker Res. Brokerage | Washington |
Yes, you can become a member before you receive your designation. I did. I joined National and chose the Maryland/DC chapter mainly because this chapter offered the best training opportunities. Last year I earned my designation! Any questions? Call me, 302-373-4355. I'm here for you. Deborah Deborah Harris, Membership Chair |
Sponsorship Committee News
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Lakeside Title Company has become a diamond affiliate sponsor for our State Chapter! Welcome Lakeside! We look forward to working with you throughout the year -- Watch for classes in the future and be sure to welcome them at the next luncheon!
We're off to a great start with our new 2012 Sponsorship Committee, and are actively solicting YOUR HELP! What lenders, title companies, vendors, servicers, contractors, do you recommend/send business to/would like to help get the word out about to more of your Realtor friends?
This is a great opportunity for them to have more marketing time with us, promoting their services, while networking with the top 4% of Realtors in the area!
Please take a few moments to email me with their names and contact information, as I'm hard at work getting sponsorships for our Chapter, while helping your folks. Email me today at AbigailHilliard@mris.com!
Sincerely,
Abigail Herl-Hilliard
Abigail Herl-Hilliard, Sponsorship Chair
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March Luncheon Pics
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AVP - Area Vice Presidents Committee - Local Events
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Local events are being scheduled, and the ones already occurring were very well received. See what's been on the list so far; let your AVP's know what you'd like to see next! We're building up a great network and would love your input!Howard/Carroll Counties Linda Kangrga410-262-2254 Frederick/Washington Counties301-631-0525
Past Event: Arranged a CRS webinar "Becoming Tomorrow's Top Producer Today" at her local board with wine & cheese from sponsors  Harford/Cecil CountiesLouise Costello443-243-5216Past Event: Arranged a Pillar to Post class "Meth and Mold" which was very well received by the agents  Anne Arundel/Calvert Ellie Cerasuolo443-278-3800
Upcoming Event: May 24 - Lunch and Learn class "What You Can Do to be Successful in Short Sales" sponsored by ATC Financial -- Arnold MD
I am still looking for a few more Area Vice Presidents to work with me and other neighboring areas in Maryland and Washington, D.C. to participate in the Area Vice Presidents Committee. It's great for networking and increasing referral and educational opportunities.Sincerely, Linda Linda Kangrga, Area Vice Presidents Committee Chair
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Upcoming Events
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Thursday, May 17 thru Sunday, May 20, 2012 2012 Mid Year National Meetings Washington Hilton (near Dupont Circle) 1919 Connecticut Avenue, NW, Washington DC 20009 hotel phone: 202-483-3000; hotel fax: 202-232-0438 Tentative Meeting Schedule, click here NAR (May 14-19) Information, Scheduling & Online Registration, click here * * * * * * Friday, May 18, 2012, 5:30 - 9 pm CRS is Cruising the Potomac Chadwick's Tavern in Georgetown & Georgetown Washington Harbor 31sts & K Streets Washington, DC SOME EVENTS SOLD OUT! CONTACT VIVIAN DIRECTLY FOR AVAILABILITY! STILL AVAILABLE AS OF TODAY: 5:30 PM - Potomac Cruise first; then 7 PM dinner at Chadwick's! * * * * * * 
Friday, June 8, 2012, 8:00am - 5:00pm It's a Price War to the Door Instructor: Jackie Leavenworth Location: TBD Registration form here * * * * * * 
CLICK HERE for Gee's preview of this amazing course Wednesday, June 27, 2012, 8:00am - 5:00pm Real Estate Social Marketing Instructor: Gee Dunsten Maryland Association of REALTORS® 200 Harry S Truman Pkwy Annapolis, MD 21407 Registration form here * * * * * * Monday, September 10, 2012, 12:15pm Annual General Meeting and Luncheon Maryland Association of REALTORS® Annual Conference and Expo Roland E. Powell Convention Center Ocean City, Maryland Registration form here * * * * * * Tuesday, October 23, 2012, 8 am - 5:00 pm
The Little EXTRAS... In EXTRAordinary Customer Service
Instructor: Ed Hatch
Maryland Association of REALTORS®
200 Harry S Truman Pkwy
Annapolis, MD 21407
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MD/DC Chapter Consumer Booklets TERRIFIC HANDOUT FOR YOUR BUYERS & SELLERS!  If you have your CRS Designation and are a member of your Maryland State Chapter, please stop by at our next event and pick up FIVE copies of our Chapter's Consumer Booklet for distribution to your clients. Buyers and Sellers alike will truly appreciate the value you're bringing them when they choose you as their Realtor. Having the value of being a CRS clearly outlined in this high-quality handout is just one more reason to become and remain a Maryland DC CRS Designee. We plan to have the booklets available to hand out to qualified CRSers again at our upcoming events, so use up your FIVE and keep coming back for FIVE MORE!
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Member Connect - The Residential Specialist Magazine is looking for Sources
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Member Connect News
Home Price Declines Are Slowing
February home prices continued to fall, but the rate of decline appears to be slowing, according to the latest home price index by CoreLogic. U.S. home prices, including distressed sales, fell 2.0 percent in February compared to February 2011 and they slipped 0.8 percent compared to January 2012, the seventh consecutive monthly decline. Excluding distressed sales, national home prices increased 0.7 percent in February from January, but they declined 0.8 percent from a year earlier.
Including distressed sales, the states with the highest home price depreciation during the month were Delaware, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Illinois and Georgia, while West Virginia, Michigan, Florida, Arizona and South Dakota posted the highest appreciation rates.
"The continued strength of sales activity and tightening inventories in many markets are early and hopeful signs that prices will continue to stabilize and improve in the coming months. In fact, non-distressed sale prices, which represent two-thirds of all sales, have appreciated by just over 1.0 percent since the beginning of the year," says CoreLogic CEO and President Anand Nallathambi. Wed, Apr 4, 2012 |
Your Home - CRS Newsletter Article available to you for your SOI Newsletters - go online!
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Have you seen this article at www.crs.com? As a Certified Residential Specialist, are you making use of the magazine articles readily available for you to share with your clients? Each month, there's a new two page newsletter full of timely information, waiting for you, one more way CRS is providing value to you, and you can provide value to your clients.
Inside Out
Four walls and a roof don't necessarily make a home. The new trend is for homeowners to take advantage of the great outdoors - building an outdoor living space was No. 4 among the top remodeling trends last year, according to the National Association of the Remodeling Industry. Extensive work might be best left to the professionals, but you can create a scenic outdoor setting in your own backyard with a do-it-yourself mentality and tips from Better Homes & Gardens.
First, identify what function you want the new outdoor space to serve. Do you want a kitchen, a living room or an extra dining room? Once the room has a label, narrow down the necessary features the room needs. For instance, if you're looking for an outdoor living room, weather-resistant couches, coffee tables and perhaps a fire pit are good starting points. Need a tranquil place to get away from the hustle and bustle? Serene add-ons such as a fountain or hanging plants that offer seclusion from the street might be on your short list.
Don't forget about roofing options for your outdoor space. Weather-resistant fabric canopies or composite roof structures provide shade and shelter from the elements while maintaining an outdoorsy feel.
After completing a basic structure of the "room," add decorative touches, just like you would indoors. Experts suggest potted plants that are easy to maintain, framed artwork and coffee table books.
PLEASE NOTE: The images featured in the Your Home newsletter may only be used within the context of the original article. These images may not be reproduced or republished elsewhere outside of this newsletter format. CRS Members are free to re-use the text of the articles contained in this newsletter, however. |
Pillar-to-Post -- Please support our 2011 MD DC CRS Platinum Sponsor!
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Complimentary Resource from
Pillar to Post
for YOU to USE in your Client Newsletters/Communications:
HOME SWEET HOME SECURITY
We all love going home at the end of the day to a place we feel safe. There are a number of measures you can use to keep your property protected for peace of mind when you are at home or away. Here are some considerations for keeping your home and valuables secure.
Secure Yard: Prevent your home from seeming like a simple target by using a fence and locked gate. These tactical deterrents add an important obstacle for thieves to overcome; the gate is often located at the front of the house, and burglars will tend to avoid homes with these basic security features. Fences can also add privacy to your backyard, and keep children and pets in one place as they play. Many attractive yet secure fencing options are available, so you don't need to worry about creating a "fortress" appearance around your home.
Secure Lighting: Lighting is a basic but important burglar deterrent. Indoor and outdoor lights can thwart burglars by creating the appearance that the house is occupied when you are not home, and minimize the places burglars can hide at night. Keep your yard well lit with motion-detecting lights and put several interior lights on programmable timers when you are away.
Secure Garage: Garages are a favorite target for thieves because they contain easy to sell valuables like bicycles, tools and your car. Garages can also provide easy access into the home unless precautions are taken. Installing garage door openers will make access much more difficult. Keep all garage windows and access doors securely locked. Look into installing tempered glass in windows, or cover the inside of the windows with a sheet of durable Plexiglas. Consider fastening a padlock and hasp on the interior access door when you leave for extended periods of time.
Secure Entrances: Make a thorough evaluation of the entry points to your home. Make sure all doors have a secure lock and reinforce the door frames. Windows should be closed and locked at all times when you are away. You can also consider glass alternatives that are more difficult to break or cut.
Alarm Systems that Work: There are numerous options available for those homeowners who want to take this extra precaution. Choices include monitored systems, where an alarm company's central station receives signals from the home's alarm system and automatically notifies police of a problem. Fees are usually charged monthly. The system can be professionally installed or installed yourself. A monitored system can often qualify you for a discount on homeowner's insurance. Unmonitored alarms will emit a loud sound when breached, but there is no automatic calling feature to the police department. If no one is home and a neighbor does not hear the alarm, no action will be taken. It's best to research the various options before deciding on what type of system best suits your needs and budget.
Article courtesy of Pillar To Post Home Inspection - www.pillartopost.com
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| Chapter Member Referral Ads |  Want to advertise in our newsletter? We'd love to have you here, and love for you to get terrific CRS referrals! For the Newsletter Referral Advertising Form, click here.
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MISSION STATEMENT:
The MD/DC CRS Chapter will provide its Chapter members superior benefits, to include education and current tools of the industry, to maximize their professional performance
and maintain the highest standards of the NAR Code of Ethics, as well as be a trusted source for the real estate community and the general public.
www.MDDCCRS.com
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