KAR is teaming up with associations across the country for one weekend of Nationwide Open Houses for the second consecutive year. The purpose is to encourage those who are thinking of buying a home to take advantage of unique home market factors and the affordability that Kentucky offers.

Be sure to include your open houses for that weekend on the MLS and in other promotions you are putting together! We'll be directing the public to our website and you can direct them to your listings on the MLS or personal sites as well. This is at no cost to you! KAR will be sending free balloons to your local association, available for you to tie to your open house signs as well as providing free graphics, flyers and ads to use in your marketing efforts.

Learn More

Holding a Successful Open House

KAR sent out a survey recently concerning the initiative and the results are in. The national directors for KAR were given the results and will be taking them to DC where the vote on the proposal will be held this week. Once the decision is final on the proposal, KAR will notify the membership. To see the results of the survey, click here.

with Terry Watson

 

This course will familiarize today's agents with the latest technology and social media tools to enhance business and help engage with customers and other real estate professionals.

2 locations: Madisonville (May 23) and Elizabethtown (May 24)

 Group pricing is available for as low as $75 per person.
Already have e-PRO? Refresh your skills for $75.

Approved as 3 hour CE elective credit and elective credit for CRS, ABR, GRI, CIPS and RSPS. Call KAR (800.264.2185) for more info.

Register or Learn More Here

Banking regulators' proposed rule requiring 20 percent down for lenders to be exempted from a risk-retention provision in last year's banking reform law will devastate the home sale market, NAR and five other groups say based on a white paper the groups produced jointly. The risk-retention provision requires lenders to retain 5 percent of the value of the loans they make for securitization, a requirement expected to raise mortgage costs for borrowers by an estimated 300 basis points. The law exempts lenders from the 5 percent hold-back for loans that are considered safe, but NAR and the other groups say the proposed rule would needlessly hurt the housing recovery by defining "safe" as those loans with at least 20 percent down. 

Visit the webpage and read the white paper

In a little-noticed but important victory for REALTORS®, particularly those who help households and mom-and-pop owners of small rental properties, Congress this week passed legislation to repeal a short-sighted provision in small business legislation enacted last year (and a similar provision in the big health care reform law) that imposed onerous reporting requirements on small landlords and the real estate practitioners who work with them.  

Read More

A Chicago-based real estate brokerage became the first brokerage in the country to offer a deal through Groupon. And, although this is a clever marketing tactic, brokers need to take note: there are many ways to craft a Groupon offer, but real estate brokers operating in states that don't allow rebates won't be able to employ the same model that was used first. In fact, days later, another brokerage was set to offer a similar deal and Groupon cancelled the offer over "legal reasons."

Read More

The Kentucky Unemployment Bridge Program (UBP) is a new loan option, available through the Kentucky Housing Corporation, for eligible homeowners to assist them in making their mortgage payments. To be eligible, the homeowner must have experienced a job loss or reduction in income due to changing economic conditions, through no fault of their own, and demonstrate a need for assistance. Participants must meet specific guidelines and the mortgage must be with a participating servicer.

Learn More

Free registration for all KAR members
Register Here

This meeting is a great chance to network with colleagues from across the state in a relaxed, casual atmosphere while learning more about the current real estate market and what the state association is doing for you. This meeting will be the most fun you'll have all year!

Room rates are $109.95/night, cottages are $219.95/night. Call 800.325.1708 or 270.924.1131 for reservations. Reference the KAR Summer Business Meeting.

For those attending - help raise RPAC funds by showcasing your talent at the REALTOR talent show on Thursday night. Sing, juggle, bust-a-move, etc. - top vote getter is the champ.

 

The at-large director vacancy is due to Linda Gibson Cecil resigning due to her accepting appointment with KREC. The remaining term runs through December 31, 2013. Interested candidates should complete a nomination form and return it to KAR by May 31, 2011. The delegate body will vote to fill this vacancy at the delegate body meeting on June 17, 2011 in Cadiz, Kentucky. If you have any questions or need additional information, please feel free to contact Susie Helm or Julie Johnson at KAR.

Read More

Deadline: May 20, 2011 

The awards recognize REALTORS® who impact their communities through volunteer work. Five winners will be recognized at the 2011 REALTORS® Conference & Expo in Anaheim and will receive travel expenses to attend the show and a $10,000 grant for their community cause. To apply, click here.