Last week, close to 200 REALTORS from across the Commonwealth packed the Capitol to discuss issues important to moving housing forward and not putting harmful barriers on homeownership. Many of our regions hadrepresentation during the Hill Visits meeting with legislators and making sure the REALTOR voice was heard. To view a list of legislative issues, click here.

Action Items:

- Approved the Economic Development Committee and Local Issues sub-committee be combined to form one committee: Economic & Local Issues Committee.

- Appointed a task force to work on the creation and implementation of a statewide database, in lieu of a statewide MLS, as specified in the KAR 2011-13 Strategic Plan.

- Approved that KAR staff develop a webinar for Delegate Body training to be made available to Delegates via the KAR website to replace classroom delegate body training.  

- Approved the 2014 Summer Business Meeting be held at the Lake Barkley State Park and the 2014 KAR Convention be held at the University Plaza in Bowling Green.

- Approved a change to the policies & procedures that minutes of any meeting of the Board of Directors held as a conference call shall be sent to the members of the Delegate Body within seven days of the date of the meeting.

- Approved changes to the 2012 professional standards agreement to reflect the KAR policy mandating mediation before arbitration in disputes arising out of real estate transactions.

- Approved a name change to the pension subcommittee to the employee retirement plan subcommittee along with structure changes.

- Approved proceeding with the sale of the KAR building to one client and authorized the appointment of a building search committee with representation from each region.

Other items of interest:

- KAR presented the Jess and Carolyn Kinman Award to Representative Tommy Thompson of Owensboro. The award is given to an outstanding Kentuckian whose involvement in the legislative and political arenas have left an indelible mark on all those who have known or worked with them.

- A special thanks to the Kentucky Housing Corporation, sponsors of the refreshments for the BOD meeting. KHC briefed attendees about their products and services including their low interest rates as well as the mortgage credit certificate program. 

- KREEF is offering a scholarship to the new REALTOR University Graduate Program. If you are interested in learning more, please contact Hunt Cooper at hcooper@kar.com.

- KAR staff and the member services committee will continue to research and explore the feasibility of offering a REALTOR license plate in the state of Kentucky.

- A working group was formed to review the KAR Legal Action Fund Task Force policies and the NAR Legal Action Program model policies & procedures.

- A task force was approved to evaluate the professional standards and mediation trainings for recommendations on the most cost effective delivery method for 2013.

- RPAC raised $6,605 throughout the meeting including $2,690 from the fund raising event "Rings for RPAC" and another $3,915 from an auction including beer cheese, brownies and a dinner for 10 at KAR President Ann McDonald's house. RPAC also presented its 2011 awards during the BOD meeting. Here are the winners: 

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KAR is teaming up with associations across the country for the third annual Nationwide Open House weekend. The purpose is to encourage those who are thinking of buying a home to take advantage of unique home market factors including low interest rates, good selection of inventory and Kentucky's low cost of homeownership. REALTORS® should also take this opportunity to educate potential home buyers on the benefits of homeownership.

Look for more information in the next issue of the newsletter and check the website for updates and additional promotional materials.

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Kentucky Housing Corporation (KHC) is now offering the lowest rates ever in its 40-year history.

For a limited time, rates are as low as 3.375 percent, with a 30-year, fixed-rate term. KHC also has a program for down payment and closing costs assistance with a special first mortgage rate of 3.625 percent. All KHC loans start at KHC and end at KHC. Your clients can feel comfortable knowing they are working with fellow Kentuckians in managing their payments throughout the life of their loan.

To find out if your client is eligible for these great rates, contact a