eNews
In this Issue   September 6, 2016

SPAAR Modified Office Hours

REALTOR® Day at the MN State Fair

Minnesota Sellabration: Networking and Education on Sept. 19

September 2016 RealTrends Now Available

Hot Topic Alert: Homeowner Associations

Have You Completed the Quadrennial Period Code of Ethics Training?

Consider Serving on the Minnesota Association of REALTORS® Board of Directors

School District 196 to Hold Informational Session for REALTORS®

REALTORS® Charitable Foundation announces grant opportunities

Bring in the SPAAR Squad for your Next Office Meeting

Twin Cities Housing Market Statistics

Welcome, New Members!

Connect with us!
 
 
 
 

 

 


 

SPAAR Modified Office Hours

SPAAR's Eagan and Coon Rapids offices will be opening at 11:30am on Tuesday, September 13, for staff training. SPAAR's Maplewood/St. Paul location will maintain regular office hours.

On Tuesday, September 20, SPAAR's remote office locations will be closed, and the Maplewood/St. Paul office will close at noon for staff training.

 
 

Thanks to Everyone Who Attended REALTOR® Day at the MN State Fair

Hundreds of REALTORS® and their families showed up for the First Annual REALTOR® Day at the Minnesota State Fair on Monday, August 29, 2016. The event was a collaboration between the Minnesota Association of REALTORS®, Saint Paul Area Association of REALTORS®, and the Minneapolis Association of REALTORS®. We thank everyone who attended, and look forward to the event next year.

VIEW MORE PHOTOS

 
 

Minnesota Sellabration: Networking and Education on Sept. 19

Attend the Minnesota Sellabration on September 19. Sponsored by Minnesota CRS, the Sellabration is an educational and networking event for all Minnesota Real Estate Agents. Featured Speaker Dave Beson will present "Real Estate Legends & How To Become One" and "How to Negotiate Anything, Anywhere"

Other topics by local experts:

  • Business Accounting and Business by Design � Paul Miller
  • Personal Safety � Gerry Gibbs, Brooklyn Park Police Department
  • Working with Seniors � Kris Pearson
  • Effective Systems and Tools for Realtors � Matt Brady
  • Baby Boomers Selling & Millennials Buying; The Market Shift- Judd Sampson
  • Use of Virtual Assistant � Steve Schneeberger
  • 15 Ways to Look Tech Savvy�� - Jeff Shuman
  • Where are We Now and Where Are We Headed As An Industry (featuring John Smaby (NAR), Gary WIlliams (CRS), Bill Wald (MAAR), and John Fridlington (SPAAR)

Register at community.crs.com/minnesota. Cost is $25 for CRS members, $30 for non-members, and $50 for CRS members who bring 1 non-member guest. Registration includes lunch, door prizes, and a chance to win one free registration for CRS Sellabration in Phoenix (February, 2017) - winner must be present to win.

For more information, please contact: Steve Stewart, CRS� at [email protected]�or Cindy Bramwell, CRS at [email protected]

 
 

September 2016 RealTrends Now Available

Your September 2016 issue of RealTrends is now available for viewing online.
In this month's issue:

  • The Market for Brokerage Firms
  • Creating the Value Driven Organization
  • Is the Market Ripe for New Online Models?
  • 60 Percent of Home Sellers Now Save Money on Commissions
  • Lone Wolf: Back to the Basics� Quality Vs. Quantity
  • Pam Liebman, CEO, The Corcoran Group, New York, NY
  • Is a Joint Venture a Viable Alternative to a Marketing Service Agreement?
  • Why the Bubbles Aren’t Bursting
  • Homeownership Rate and Demography
  • Labor Force Shortage Ahead
  • Shifting Dynamics of the Housing Market
  • Managing by the Numbers
  • Digital Marketing
  • The Importance of Adapting to the Future of our Industry

READ THE SEPTEMBER 2016 ISSUE OF RealTrends

 
 

Hot Topic Alert: Homeowner Associations

Over half owner occupied households in the U.S. are part of a homeowner association (HOA). One estimate says that there are 351,000 homeowners� or community associations, representing more than 40 million households.

HOAs can serve a variety of functions. In a condominium or cooperative, where the homes are all in the same building or complex, the association takes care of basic maintenance of the building and of the common areas or amenities, such as swimming pools or fitness centers. In a planned community of detached single-family homes, the HOA may act more like a city government than as a group of neighbors. An HOA may provide amenities such as parks or community swimming pools, but will also enforce a set of rules. These rules can cover everything from requirements that yards be kept up, to more particular restrictions on what color a house may be painted.

CONTINUE READING

 
 

Have You Completed the Quadrennial Period Code of Ethics Training?

The mandated four-year cycle to meet the Code of Ethics Training for The National Association of REALTORS� membership requirement ends December 31, 2016. If you do not have the NAR Code of Ethics completed by December 31, 2016 your membership will be suspended per the NAR bylaws. If your name is not on the LIST (Updated 9/06/16) then you need to complete the NAR Code of Ethics. If you have taken an approved NAR Code of Ethics training class please be sure to submit proof of completion to SPAAR at [email protected].

CLICK HERE to view options for enrolling in an NAR approved Code of Ethics class. To check if you have completed the Code of Ethics training in this quadrennial period, CLICK HERE or call SPAAR at 651-776-6000.

 
 

Consider Serving on the Minnesota Association of REALTORS® Board of Directors

Are you interested in serving as a St Paul Area Association of Realtors representative on the Minnesota Association of Realtors Board of Directors? There are currently two available positions, each is a three year term. You must be an association member for at least one year and a member in good standing. These positions will be filled by Presidential appointment and confirmed by the SPAAR Board of Directors per the Association bylaws. If you are interested or have questions please contact Tracey Douglas at [email protected]

 
 

School District 196 to Hold Informational Session for REALTORS®

The Rosemount High School District 196 is holding an informational session for REALTORS® who sell properties in the south metro in and around the district. There are many existing neighborhoods in the Rosemount High School attendance area and many new homes being built.

The informational session will be held on Tuesday, September 27, at 9am, which will include a brief video, information about Rosemount High School, a brief tour, and Q&A session. The session should be finished by 10am.

Please RSVP to [email protected] if you plan to attend.

 
  REALTORS® Charitable Foundation announces grant opportunities

SPAAR and the REALTORS® Charitable Foundation is accepting applications for grants from nonprofit, community organizations with missions related to housing or homelessness. Organizations are asked to submit a letter of inquiry, including a summary of mission, proposed purpose of grant, opportunities for partnership with SPAAR members and proof of nonprofit status. The deadline for applications is October 15. For more information on the application process, please contact Joe McKinley, Director of Community Engagement, at 651-772-6344 or [email protected].

Do you work with or know about an organization that may be interested in applying for a grant from the REALTORS® Charitable Foundation? Please share this information, or contact SPAAR.
 
 

Bring in the SPAAR Squad for your Next Office Meeting

Looking for useful content for upcoming office meetings? SPAAR Squad is here to help! Our staff members are available to attend your meeting and speak about a variety of relevant topics. We also provide onsite training (some with free CE) for groups of 25 or more.

SPAAR SQUAD TOPIC LIST | SPAAR SQUAD REQUEST FORM

 
 

Housing Market Statistics

Get up-to-date housing market information here! SPAAR provides four different types of reports so you can offer your clients the most accurate housing data available. Click below to see how the market's doing.

Local Market Updates | Weekly Market Activity Report | Housing Supply Overview | Monthly Market Indicators

 
 

Welcome, New Members!

SPAAR would like to welcome all our new members! Thank you joining, and we look forward to helping you be successful in your business.

Member Name Company Name
Williams, Dawn Coldwell Banker Burnet
Watkins, Rosalind Mingo Realty, Inc.
Thrun, Cindy RE/MAX Northland
Priebe, Heidi National Realty Guild
Moriarty, Marco Keller Williams Integrity RE
Moe, Vicki National Realty Guild
McClary, Jessica River Dog Realty
Marquis, Sheila Keller Williams Classic Realty
Loonan, Benjamin RE/MAX Advantage Plus
Krueger, Noel Edina Realty, Inc.
Klimek, James Re/Max Results
Kirchert, Joshua RE/MAX Results
Kaiser, Allison Keller Williams Preferred Rlty
Johnson, Michelle Coldwell Banker Burnet
Hussein, Enal Vibrant Realty
Hinderer, Jeanna Coldwell Banker Burnet
Doll, Terri RE/MAX Advantage Plus
DeFouw, Kimberly Keller Williams Integrity RE
Bonin, Yelena Keller Williams Integrity NW
Batista, Julio Edina Realty, Inc.
Barnes, Joseph Fish MLS Realty