| | Spokane REALTORS® Open House Weekend  |  | 
     THANK YOU!
 
 The 2015 Spokane REALTORS® Open House Weekend, this past weekend, was a grand success!  Thank you to all who sponsored, supported, volunteered and staffed this fifth annual event!
 SpokaneOpen.com reports there were a total of 226 open houses included in the event (Saturday and Sunday).
 
 Before the event was promoted, Spokaneopen.com shows we had 3,437 page views and 450 sessions on Friday, April 17th.
 
 As the event was being promoted, SpokaneOpen.com shows we had 9,790 page views and 898 sessions on Friday, April 24th.
 
 The event more than doubled our community exposure!
 
   
Our contest entry forms (pictured above) returned some interesting information about those who participated in the 2015 Spokane REALTORS® Open House Weekend. Total Open Houses - 226   Entries Received - 271
 
 How did people hear about the event?  
Spokesman                   14.4%
 Television                      .4%
 Drive/Walk By                48.2%
 Inlander                         2.2%
 Radio                             1.8%
 Exchange                      0%
 Other                             33%
 
 Of the people who indicated what they meant by other, the responses were agent, Facebook, internet, email, friend, Craig's List and Zillow.
 |  |  | Spokane REALTORS® Open House Weekend - Headquarter houseSAR photo
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 The public and REALTOR® prize winners will be drawn at the SAR Board of Directors' meeting next week.  Watch for the announcement of who they are here in the Weekly Notices next Friday. The guest winner will receive  over $3,000 in gift certificates and be drawn from eligible entries collected from all participating open houses: - a $3,000 gift certificate from Sullivan Homes, good for any home design and/or remodel services - a $450 gift certificate from HouseMaster, good for a complete home inspection - including radon test  The REALTOR® winner will receive  first choice of one of these prizes, total value more than $500.  Additional  REALTORS®  will be drawn until all prizes are claimed (one pick each): - $250 cash - $150 gift certificate from the Davenport Hotel - $50 gas card - $122 (two tickets) to see Nickelback at the Gorge Amphitheater on June 20th          | 
 | SAR 2015 Awards Luncheon    |  | 
It's soon time to celebrate our 2015 SAR REALTOR® Award winners: REALTOR® of the Year, Steve Flinn REALTOR® Achievement, REALTOR® Community Service, Affiliate of the Year, Media of the Year, and Citizen of the Year - and the winners of this year's SAR 3rd Grade Essay/Poster Contest!Thursday, May 7th, at Red Lion River Inn . See the event flyer (pictured above, suitable for posting in your office), with more information, online here .  | 
 | Economic Revenue Forecast   |  | 
  The Washington State Economic Revenue Forecast Council is offering an encouraging economic picture for our state - its track record for being accurate is remarkably good.
 
 Inexpensive  gas and other energy prices, increased consumer confidence, and an  all-time high in exports in the fourth quarter of 2014 leads the Council  to believe that the economy should continue to improve and employment  numbers should continue to get better, albeit at a moderate rate.   While  there is always the possibility of outside factors pushing our economy  into another downturn, the numbers that the Economic and Revenue  Forecast Council look at tell us that the economy should continue to  strengthen in 2015.   Read more about the Council's report online here.  | 
 | NAR Member Guide App   |  | 
  NAR announces a new, free Member Guide app, now available for download in the App Store for your  iPhone/iPad or on Google Play for your Android device.  Log-in to the app  to review your benefits; read the latest information from your local,  state and national associations; customize and display your membership  card, and more. Find the download links online here . | 
 | Marijuana and Real Estate  |  | 
Our colleagues at the Tricity Association of REALTORS® invite us to a new class, "Marijuana and the Practice of Real Estate," Thursday, May 7th , in Kennewick. This 4.0 credit hour class will go over the seller disclosure form regarding the cultivation of marijuana, talk about banking and lending concerns, cover consent and liability issues if your client is high - and other important topics in this new area of practice. See the class flyer (pictured above), online here .NOTE: Your SAR offers this information as a courtesy to its members only and is not responsible for any product or service offered by an outside party. | 
 | Lunch & Learn - Identity Theft   |  | 
Learn how to defend yourself against identity theft at your SAR's May Lunch & Learn:
 Monday, May 18th
 Noon to 1:30 p.m.
 at your SAR
 See the event flyer, pictured above, online here .      | 
 | Lunch & Learn - Auctions & Real Estate     |  | 
Learn the good, the bad and the ugly in real estate sales by auction at your SAR:
 Monday, June 8th
 Noon to 1:30 p.m.
 at your SAR
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 | Lunch & Learn - Safety    |  | 
Learn how to reduce opportunities that make you a target - from a retired deputy sheriff - at this valuable, new Lunch & Learn at your SAR:
 Monday, June 15th
 Noon to 1:30 p.m.
 at your SAR
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 | 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  | 
 Thursday, May 14 - 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 a.m. at the SAR 
 7.5 clock hours
 
 
 
 
 
 |  |  | Core Curriculum:Current Issues in Washington Residential Real Estate
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 Tuesday, May 19 - Core Curriculum: Current Issues in Washington Residential Real Estate - with Sabrina Jones-Schroeder.
 
 
 You must take this class every two years for your renewal.  Registration: 8:15 a.m.
 
 Class: 8:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
 at the SAR
 
 3.0 clock hours
 
 
 
 
 |  |  | Code of Ethics for the Real Estate Professional | 
 Tuesday, May 19 - Code of Ethics for the Real Estate Professional - with Linda Miller.
 
 
 This Code of Ethics class is for you if you are past your first license renewal.  You are required to take a Code of Ethics class once between January 2013 and December 2016.Registration: Noon
 
 Class: 12:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
 at the SAR
 
 4.0 clock hours
 
 
 
 
 Thursday, May 28 - The Nekkid Truth: Six Principles of Building a Real Estate Business - with Linda Miller.
 
 
 By popular demand - this all-new class is especially helpful for those just getting their real estate license and asking the question, "What now?"Registration: 8:15 a.m.
 
 Class: 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
 at the SAR
 
 4.0 clock hours
 
 
 
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SAR CALENDAR   Click on the image below to see the current SAR calendar showing dates and times of classes, committees and events.    | 
 | Bloomsday this Weekend  |  | 
Much of downtown Spokane will be closed this weekend as the Lilac City hosts the 39th running of the Bloomsday road race.   Some 50,000 people registered for the race last year. Hundreds more turned out to staff, support and cheer the event along the way.     The economic impact of the one-day event on the Spokane area is estimated to be more than $15 million.    See more about the race - including a map of the route - online here.   | 
 | Special Session   |  | 
 
 
The 2015 session of the Washington State legislature ended this past weekend. REALTORS® priority bills have all passed the Legislature:  SB 5288  (extending funding for the WA Center for Real Estate Research); HB 1309  (Sale of floating homes by real estate brokers); and HB 1730 (Procedures  for return of earnest money).  A final budget remains undone, however, so at least one  special session will be necessary.  Read the Washington REALTORS® update from Olympia online here .  | 
 | Agent Escapes Kidnapping  |  | 
 
 An Arkansas real estate professional, whose name has not been  publicly released, told police she had an appointment on April 24 to  show a home to a woman named Makayla.     The agent says she was preparing  paperwork when "Makayla" pulled a gun out of a diaper bag and demanded  the agent tie herself up with zip tie restraints and withdraw money from  the ATM.          Read more in REALTOR® magazine, online here.      | 
 | Buyer Concessions   |  | 
Washington REALTORS® Legal Hotline lawyer Annie Fitzsimmons returns this week with a fresh video in her continuing series on Strategies for a Competitive Marketplace.
 If the Buyer you represent wants to offer the seller free rent as an  incentive, you need to watch this video first!  There are pitfalls and solutions to this concession.
 
 
 Learn more in this eight-minute video: |  |  | Strategies for a Competitive MarketplacePart 4: Buyer Concessions
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 | Women's Council of REALTORS®     |  | 
 The local Women's Council of REALTORS® invites you to its May program: Don't let Homeowner's Insurance Delay your Deal!
 
 Tuesday, May 5th, at the WSU Extension Office
 
 See event flyer (pictured above) with more details, online here .
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 | Member 2 Member     |  | 
Stuart Title of Spokane shares word that it is moving on May 18th to its new offices at 908 North Howard Street, Suite #200. See the Stuart Title Moving flyer (pictured above), online here .
 
Member 2 Member is a member benefit of the SAR.  It is intended to announce a new product, service, location or affiliate event.  If you are a member who wishes to share a message with your fellow members, please email it to Debbie at the SAR:   | 
 | Market Activity Report - March |  | 

 
The SAR Market Activity Report for March  is now online. See the latest report - and archived reports - online here . See the March 2015 summary report (pictured above) online here.                 See the 2015 year-to-date summary report (pictured above) online here.            | 
 | You Be The Judge - May          |  | 
NEW!
 
 
Here is You Be The Judge for May: 
 Case #1-5: Promotion of Client's Interests
 
   Those who decide correctly will be entered in a drawing for a Starbucks coffee card!  
 
 
Winner to be announced next month.
 
 
 
 Congratulations Anne-Marie Ophus, Exit Real Estate Professionals, our April Starbucks card winner!
 
Case #1-15: Obligation to Advise Client on Market Value
   
APRIL ANSWERThe Hearing Panel pointed out that brokers have no hesitation in  advising clients that properties are overpriced when this is the case,  and they are obligated to be equally candid in providing their best  judgment to clients when properties being offered for sale are obviously  underpriced.
 
 The panel concluded that in view of the wide discrepancy between the  owner's asking price and the property's market value, which REALTOR® B  conceded was apparent to him, it was REALTOR® B's obligation as an agent to advise his client that the house was worth  considerably more, especially since it was apparent that Client A had  been away from the community for years and was out of touch with local  values.  The Hearing Panel found REALTOR® B in violation of Article 1.
     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.           | 
 | Suggestion Box |  |    
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See what's NEW atPresented by your Spokane Association of REALTORS®      
   
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 | 2015 Officers & Directors |  | 
     
993-1003 SECRETARY:
 Century 21 Beutler & Associates 323-2100 
 TREASURER:
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