Don't let your pocket card look like this!

Drop by the Association Office anytime and get your card laminated. 

State of the Community

To register online go to www.carolinachamber.org/events

or contact Laura Morrison at lmorrison@carolinachamber.org

Let in some air.

Open some windows for at least 10 minutes. There is nothing worse than walking into a stuffy house or one that smells of smoke and pet odors.

Let in some light.

It might be mood lighting to you, but if you're trying to sell your home, keep it bright! Dimly lit rooms tend to look small and dingy- especially during the day.

If your walls are so dark that they're sucking up all the light, consider repainting. You can even buy a small can of a lighter shade of your wall color, mix it with glaze and rub it onto the wall. It will reflect light and give the room a more open feeling. This approach saves much of the preparation and clean up involved in repainting.  

If you have a particularly dark room, consider investing in a floor lamp that will bounce light off the ceiling.

 2011 CONTINUING EDUCATION CLASSES

• August 11th - Mandatory Update CE Class Taught by Debbie Long

Mandatory Update (9:00am to 1:00pm) * Free to GCHAR members! Class will be held at ExtraOrindary Ventures, across from Whole Foods on Elliott Road.  

• August 19th - BIC Annual Review, Taught by Debbie Long

• September 1st (Thursday) - Mandatory Update CE Class Taught by Debbie Long

Mandatory Update (8:00am to 12:00pm) * Free to GCHAR members! Class will be held at Farrington Road Baptist Church - at the intersection of Highway 54 and Farrington Road, across from Nantucket Restaurant.   

• September 1st (Thursday) - Demographics, Divesity and Fair Housing Elective Class, Taught by Debbie Long

Dramatic social and demographic changes in the U.S. have made fair housing a "front burner" issues for real estate practitioners. For example, Hispanics, African-Americans and other minorities continue to report discrimination in housing and lending. The "age wave" has also created new problems (as well as new opportunities) for real estate practitioners who help elderly real estate consumers. Finally, immigration trends also indicate that real estate licensees will need to become more cultural proficient in their daily practice.Class will be held from 1pm to 5pm at Farrington Road Baptist Church - at the intersection of Highway 54 and Farrington Road, across from Nantucket Restaurant.   

SIGN UP Today! CLICK HERE and complete the registration proces

 CLICK HERE to see the August to December 2011 Continuing Education calendar  

CE Classes for 2011 are brought to you through the generosity of our Partner        

Upcoming Events

• August 17th - The BUZZ

The August BUZZ (Brokers Unwinding with Zest and Zeal) will be held at the Top of the Hill Back Bar from 5 to 7pm. No need to register or sign up - Just come on out and network with your fellow agents and have some great appetizers!  

• August 25th, 10am to 12pm - Successfully Selling HUD Homes Workshop

The following topics will be covered in this valuable workshop. Submitting Bids - HUD Sales Procedures and Requirements - Completing the Sales Contract - Brokerage Commissions - and MORE! The workshop will take place from 10am to 12pm at the GCHAR office and space is limited!  

• August 31st, 12pm to 1pm -  Lunch 'n Learn featuring George Smart - Director of Triangle Modernist Houses - Currently full and on a "wait list"

Health Insurance Open Enrollment has Begun.
 Enroll August 1-15 for coverage effective September 1 

NCAR members have access to the following plans: 

• HealthSelect Medical Plans
• CriticalMed Catastrophic Coverage
• Medicare Supplemental and Medicare Advantage Plans
• Solo(k) Retirement Plans for Individuals

To enroll or speak to a Benefit Specialist, call: 888-SBUA-INS (888-728-2467) To view plans and search providers online, visit: 

www.sbua.org/ncar 

"We tailored this program to meet the unique needs of real estate professionals. We are excited to offer this targeted coverage to NCAR members." 

Tom Newby 

President and Co-Founder
ETMG, LLC and SBU 

Help Raise Money for Fix-A-Home!

Realfast, Inc., the Frisco, Colorado-based real estate forms company owned by the NC Association of REALTORS®' for-profit Service Corporation since 2003, has been acquired by zipLogix of Fraser, Mich., creator of zipForm®, the official forms software of the National Association of REALTORS®.

While the sale closed last Monday, all current NC REALTORS® members using Realfast should continue using the Realfast product through this transition period. No later than Oct. 1, 2011, N.C. REALTORS® members will be able to access the offered zipForm® products via a link on the NCAR website (www.ncrealtors.org).