Weekly Notices

Friday, February 27, 2015

Education Excellence/Quarterly Meeting

Mark your calendar now and plan to join us for the first SAR Education Excellence and Quarterly Membership Meeting of 2015:

Thursday, March 26th
CenterPlace Regional Events Center

Land and Acreage 200 with Jim Palmer, Jr.
8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
7.5 clock hours

SAR Quarterly Membership Meeting and Luncheon
Noon to 1:30 p.m.

Lunch and meeting included in class registration fee: $40 if registered by Friday, March 20th, $55 after this date.

If attending Meeting/Luncheon only, price is $20. Please RSVP to Debbie and either pay in advance at the SAR or pay at the door.

Download the event flyer online here.

James S. Black Memorial Scholarship

DEADLINE: MARCH 13TH

Your SAR offers the James S. Black Memorial Scholarship Fund to help members pay for tuition and expenses for classes leading to a professional designation offered by the National Association of REALTORS�.

Applications for the 2015 scholarship are now invited and must be submitted by close of business Friday, March 13th.

The Scholarship will be awarded at the SAR Quarterly Membership Meeting on March 26th.

The nomination form with more information is online here.

Gary Fox Memorial Award

DEADLINE: MARCH 16TH

Your SAR offers the Gary Fox Memorial Designated/Managing Broker Award to recognize a designated broker or managing broker who serves as an example of loyalty, ethical behavior and leadership in the real estate profession.

Applications for the 2014 award are now invited and must be submitted by close of business Monday, March 16th.

The award will be presented to its 2014 recipient at the SAR Quarterly Membership Meeting on March 26th.

The nomination form with more information is online here.

NAR Media Campaign

NAR has a new television campaign on the air!

Here's a video gives you a preview of the two ads and shows you how to share the ads in your own marketing efforts.

Watch the video first, then visit the NAR Consumer Advertising page, online here.

See the two minute Washington REALTORS� video online here:

NAR Media Campaign

REALTOR� Safety Apps

The market for safety apps has exploded with a slew of products now available to help practitioners stay safe on the job.

Some of these apps allow agents to enlist a "safety team" that can track their whereabouts as they tour homes. Others have the ability to instantly and discreetly send alerts when an agent feels threatened.

While installing an app is hardly a foolproof solution for managing risk on the job, it's important to know about technology advances that can help you stay safer.

Read about some of the mobile apps that real estate trainers have been touting in REALTOR� magazine, online here.

ListHub Update

Your SAR uses Listhub to provide offices with an option to syndicate their listings to third party websites, including Zillow and Trulia.

The agreement between Zillow and Listhub will expire April 7th.

Your SAR MLS Steering Committee is working to provide offices with a possible option to choose to feed Zillow from their MLS data after this date.

We expect to have this work completed and communicate to you the final arrangements prior to this deadline.

SpokaneOpen 2.0 Photo Contest

SpokaneOpen 2.0 uses a background photo that features the Riverfront Clock Tower and we think it looks great (see photo above). But, how would it look with one of your photos as the background?

Your SAR invites you to submit your Spokane area photos for a chance to be a featured as the background image on SpokaneOpen. All selected entries will feature the photographer's name and title, if applicable.

To submit your photo click here .

Deadline to submit your photo is March 13th, 2015.

Winning entries will be notified and featured in the Notices before appearing on SpokaneOpen!

SAR Launches SpokaneOpen.com 2.0

Your SAR is pleased to announce the launch of SpokaneOpen.com version 2.0!

Try it now - click on the logo above.

This is a complete update of the members-only open house marketing tool designed in-house by your SAR IT team. The new site uses up-to-date web design features and adds a mobile adaptive experience.

SpokaneOpen.com pulls information from your Paragon listings and allows consumers to search, view, map, and email your listings. Visitors are now able to to email listing agents directly from SpokaneOpen.com for more information on listed properties. For instructions on how to add your listing, click here.

SpokaneOpen.com now also displays your agent photo on your listings, if you have uploaded one to Paragon. For instructions on how to add your photo, click here.

Please note: New Open House fields have been added to the MLS in order to populate the new SpokaneOpen.com site. Make sure you have filled in all of these new fields so that your SpokaneOpen.com listings will display correctly.

Download the SpokaneOpen.com logo (pictured above) to use on your website and open house listings, online here.

Promote your SpokaneOpen.com listings with sign riders! Stop in at your SAR (1924 North Ash Street) to pick up as many SpokaneOpen.com sign riders as you need (pictured above).

SpokaneOpen.com Radio Ads

Your SAR launched a pair of local radio ads last week to support your listings on SpokaneOpen.com. These ads were conceived and scripted by your colleagues on the Communications/Member Services Committee.

Listen to these ads now, online here:

RESPA-TILA Webinar

NAR invites you to participate in a RESPA/TILA webinar on Thursday, March 19th, at 11:00 a.m.

This one-hour long webinar will feature Ken Trepeta, NAR's Director of Real Estate Services, and RESPA attorney Phil Schulman for a discussion on the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's (CFPB) upcoming changes to the Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act (RESPA) and the Truth in Lending Act (TILA) under the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act.

The webinar is free but you must register in order to participate, online here.

Lunch & Learn

Join us for the next SAR Lunch & Learn: Sell more homes with 203K/USDA

Monday, March 30th
Noon to 1:30 p.m.
at your SAR

See the event flyer online here.

Fair Housing Conference

Mark your calendar now and plan to attend the 2015 Inland Northwest Fair Housing Conference:

Thursday, April 23rd
8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Spokane Convention Center

This year's keynote speaker is Gloria Ochoa, City of Spokane Local Government & Multi-Cultural
Affairs Director.

See the event flyer (pictured above) online here.

2015 REALTOR� Education

CONTINUING EDUCATION

Quality of Education

through SAR/WR Education Instructors

Here is the latest class listing of your SAR - offering the best live and local continuing real estate education classes for 2015.

Click on each class title, underlined in blue, to bring up a flyer for that class - suitable for posting in your office.

Register for these classes online here:

Please be in touch with Debbie at the SAR if you have any questions about these classes or your license education requirements, by phone at 326-9222 or by email.

Code of Ethics - Standards for Success

NEXT WEEK!

Thursday, March 5 - Code of Ethics - Standards for Success - with Linda Miller.

This class is required for our new members within 90 days of joining the SAR. Members past their first license renewal may also take it or they may take a 4.0 clock hour Code of Ethics class.

A Code of Ethics class must be taken once every four years. This four year cycle started January 1, 2013 through December 31, 2016.

Registration: 8:15 a.m.
Class: 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
at the SAR

7.5 clock hours

Current Issues in Washington Residential Real Estate

Tuesday, March 17 - Current Issues in Washington Residential Real Estate - with Sabrina Jones-Schroeder.

You must take this class ever two years for your renewal. See above for alternative offer of this class.

Registration: 8:15 a.m.
Class: 8:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
at the SAR

3.0 clock hours

Journey into Construction Designs and Styles

Friday, March 20th - Journey into Construction Designs and Styles - with Arne Woodard.

Class includes a terrific complimentary binder full of pictures/information on home styles that will prove valuable for years to come!

Registration: 8:15 a.m.
Class: 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
at the SAR

7.5 clock hours

Home Inspections - Red Flags and Proper Procedures

Home Inspections for REALTORS� and Appraisers

Tuesday, March 24 - Home Inspections for REALTORS� and Appraisers - with Matthew Pedersen.

This class is approved for both REALTORS� and Appraisers. Invite your favorite REALTOR�/appraiser to join you!

Registration: 8:15 a.m.
Class: 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
at the SAR

7.5 clock hours

SAR CALENDAR

Click on the image below to see the current SAR calendar

showing dates and times of classes, committees and events.

2015 SAR Dues Past Due

Your SAR dues for 2015 are now past due.

Thank you if you have already paid them!

Dues may still be paid until February 28th but must, now, include the 10% late penalty.

Click on the image above to pay your SAR dues for 2015 online now, print your invoice and pay by mail, or pay in person at the SAR: 1924 North Ash Street.

2015 SAR Special Events

Two of our annual signature special events are soon to be off and running in the planning stages: 2015 SAR Christmas Party and 2015 SAR Golf Tournament.

If you haven't signed up for either of these yet, just show up at the first planning meeting and engage with your colleagues to bring these great events to life:

NEXT WEEK!

2015 SAR Christmas Party committee kickoff: Monday, March 2nd, at 3:00 pm at the SAR.

2015 SAR Golf Tournament Committee kickoff: Tuesday, March 31st, at 2:00 p.m. at the SAR.

If you have any questions, please contact your 2015 SAR Special Events Committee Chair, Tanna St. Marie, Prime Real Estate Closing and Escrow, 466-9200.

WCR March Event

NEXT WEEK!

Professions for $500, Alex.

A member of the largest trade association in North America.

What is a REALTOR�?

Come play the real estate version of the popular game show Jeopardy at the March meeting of your Women's Council of REALTORS�!

Thursday, March 5th

11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

at the WSU Extension Office

See the event flyer online here.

Old House Workshop

Have a client who is in, or wants to get in to, an Arts & Crafts style house?

Share word that the Northwest Museum of Art and Culture and Spokane Preservation Advocates are joining to offer a three part Old House Workshop.

The three programs will be offered on Wednesday evenings, March 11th, 18th, and 25th, and will focus on the theme: "Spokane's Arts & Crafts Homes: Knowing Them, Loving Them, Restoring Them."

Find more information and register online here.

Hart-Collins House

Photo: The Spokesman-Review/Dan Pelle

The story begins with a house that had a lot of potential:

"It was a wreck when she bought it, just before foreclosure. Seven layers of wallpaper had been covered with orange paint. Chickens lived in an upstairs bedroom and ducks had been swimming in the bathtub. The floors were in terrible shape."

The story ends with a listing on the Spokane Register of Historic Places and an article in Thursday's edition of The Spokesman-Review online here.

See the Hart-Collins House application to, and listing on, the Spokane Register of Historic Places online here.

Home Ownership at Tax Time

Remind your clients that there are several reasons to be happy about home ownership at tax time. 2015 SAR President Jack Kestell writes about these in his monthly guest column for The Spokesman-Review.

Read the complete article from Sunday's Real Estate section of The Spokesman-Review, online here.

Promote your SAR Membership

Promote your membership in your SAR by displaying the association logo on your website and in your listings. Members - and only members - may use the Spokane Association of REALTORS� logo in the promotion of their businesses.

Both banner and medallion logos (pictured above) are available online here.

Member 2 Member

Inland Professional Title shares word that it has received a notice from the Washington State Insurance Commissioner which requires it to modify procedure concerning your listing preliminary title report with "Exhibit A."

IPT shares a bulletin about the new policy, now required, when you request a legal description of a property PRIOR to the listing preliminary title report being completed (pictured above), online here.

ListHub Report for January

See the January ListHub report, online here.

Market Activity Report - January

The SAR Market Activity Report for January is now online.

See the latest report - and archived reports - online here.

See the January 2015 summary report (pictured above) online here.

See the 2014 year-to-date summary report (pictured above) online here.

You Be The Judge - February

Here is You Be The Judge for February:

Case #6-6: Disclose Affiliated Business Relationships Prior to Recommending Real Estate-Related Products or Services.

Read the case and submit your judgement online here.

Those who decide correctly will be entered in a drawing for a Starbucks coffee card!

Winner to be announced next month.

Congratulations Jen Clemens, Keller Williams Spokane - Main, our January Starbuck's card winner!

JANUARY ANSWER
After all of the evidence and testimony was heard, the Hearing Panel went into executive session and concluded that while the Code of Ethics did not prohibit REALTOR� B's offering to purchase property listed by him, REALTOR� B had stepped out of his role as agent and had become a principal in the transaction.

Article 1 of the Code of Ethics requires the REALTOR� to "protect and promote the interests of the client." Once REALTOR� B expressed his interest in purchasing the property, he could no longer act as Doctor A's agent except with Doctor A's knowledgeable consent. This consent had not been granted by Doctor A. Further, REALTOR� B's advice that Doctor A had no choice but to view REALTOR� B as his agent and to compensate him accordingly had been incorrect and had been a decisive factor in Doctor A's decision to sell to REALTOR� B.

The Hearing Panel also found that REALTOR� B had significantly influenced Doctor A's decision as to the listing price with knowledge that he (REALTOR� B) would like to purchase the property for himself.

Consequently, the Hearing Panel found REALTOR� B in violation of Article 1.

From Case #1-22: REALTOR�'S Offer to Buy Property He has Listed.

See the full text of last month's case, online here.

Member Roster Update

Click here to view the latest Roster Update - listing new and resigned members and companies.

Click here to view the latest list of MLS Subscription Waivers approved by the SAR Board of Directors.

Send a message to Angie at the SAR with any changes.

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