Weekly Notices

Friday, May 1, 2015

Spokane REALTORSŽ Open House Weekend

THANK YOU!

The 2015 Spokane REALTORSŽ 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 REALTORSŽ 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 REALTORSŽ Open House Weekend - Headquarter house
SAR photo

The public and REALTORŽ 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 REALTORŽ winner will receive first choice of one of these prizes, total value more than $500. Additional REALTORSŽ 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

NEXT WEEK!

It's soon time to celebrate our 2015 SAR REALTORŽ Award winners: REALTORŽ of the Year, Steve Flinn REALTORŽ Achievement, REALTORŽ 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

NEXT WEEK!

Our colleagues at the Tricity Association of REALTORSŽ 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

See the event flyer, pictured above, online here.

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

See the event flyer, pictured above, online here.

2015 REALTORŽ 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

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 Real Estate Professionals

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

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.

REALTORSŽ 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 REALTORSŽ 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 REALTORŽ magazine, online here.

Buyer Concessions

Washington REALTORSŽ 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 Marketplace
Part 4: Buyer Concessions

Women's Council of REALTORSŽ

NEXT WEEK!

The local Women's Council of REALTORSŽ 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.

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:

debbie@spokanerealtor.com

ListHub Report for March

See the March ListHub report, online here.

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

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 Anne-Marie Ophus, Exit Real Estate Professionals, our April Starbucks card winner!

APRIL ANSWER
The 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 REALTORŽ B conceded was apparent to him, it was REALTORŽ 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 REALTORŽ B in violation of Article 1.

Case #1-15: Obligation to Advise Client on Market Value

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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