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Greater Binghamton Association
of REALTORSŪ, Inc.
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August 15, 2013
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Greetings!
Welcome to the August 15, 2013 edition of the
REALTORŪ
Review!
Make sure you take a look at our lead article on the recent NAR Board of Directors vote regarding the future of realtor.com, as they look to compete with other on-line real estate websites in a rapidly changing competitive environment.
And if you haven't already, consider joining our GBAR Private Facebook Page - the Facebook article in this issue gives you a real life example as to how current members use it to get the information and guidance they need - fast!
Finally, do not miss the REALTOR Appreciation Event in the evening of August 22, brought to you by the GBAR Affiliate Council. Its FREE and its FUN! See more info and registration instructions in this issue of the REALTOR Review!
As always, if you have any comments or suggestions for future issues of the REALTORŪ Review , please feel free to email me by clicking here.
Enjoy!
Barry Arnold, Executive Officer
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NAR Decisions on realtor.com
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| NAR Board of Directors Vote on realtor.com - What Does it Mean?
On July 24, 2013, the NAR Board of Directors assembled for a special meeting in Chicago to talk about the future of realtor.comŪ. At the meeting, the board recommended several fundamental changes for the site. The association is gathering and responding to REALTORSŪ' questions about realtor.comŪ and the decisions made at that meeting.
NAR has published a summary of the decisions reached at this Board meeting, as well a Q&A to give REALTORŪ Members a better understanding of their reasoning and the expected impact of these decisions.
Comments? What's your take on these changes? Click here to submit your thoughts which we'll compile and publish in the next REALTORŪ Review.
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2014 Board of Directors Elections |
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2014 Board of Directors Nominees 
As you may know, we have 3 openings on the GBAR Board of Directors for the 4-year terms beginning in January, 2014. We have 3 nominees for these important positions, whose bios and thoughts regarding their candidacy are listed below.
Qualified candidates must be a GBAR REALTOR Member in good standing, have been a REALTOR for at least 3 years, and have served on 2 or more GBAR Committees. Finally, our Bylaws limit the number of Directors to a maximum of 3 from any given brokerage.
Ballots were mailed to GBAR REALTOR Members on August 8, and all ballots must be returned to the Association Offices by September 10. Election Results will be made public at the September 11 Monthly Business Luncheon, and in the September 15 REALTOR Review.
Here are the bios for our three candidates, Robert (Bob) Farrell, Rachel Sbarra and James (Jim) Trevitt:
Robert (Bob) Farrell
 At 10 years of age, I was the typical kid who participated in sports, played video games, BB gun wars in the woods, etc. And every now and then on a Sunday morning, (a regularly attended church day with the family), my dad would get me out of bed extra early and we would have breakfast together at a diner, drink black coffee, and maybe go to a baseball card show at the American Legion. Then...we would head to an activity that most children would not find very stimulating. . . the Sunday Open House.
Being raised in a Real Estate Family is much like being raised in any family where the breadwinner is a master at his craft. Many of my peers and closest friends are 2nd Generation in what they do to make a living and support their families. As an 18 year old high school graduate, I had a passion for music and theology. By 21, I traveled some of the country in a rock'n'roll band, received a Bachelor's Degree in Divinity, and quickly realized that the job market for a 21 year old Theologian with a guitar on his back was not a thriving one. Two weeks later, I walked into our board office on Crary St to start my real estate Career. For the past 9 years, I have immersed myself into my craft and I absolutely love it!
I am running for a Board of Director's position because I believe serving is our duty and goes hand in hand with the privilege of being a Realtor. I look forward to working together and helping the Greater Binghamton Board of Realtors achieve a new level of success and professionalism added to it already stellar reputation in the community.
Rachel Sbarra
 When people ask me how long I've been in the business, I tell them 'since birth!' Growing up with both parents in Real Estate, it was almost impossible to not gain an interest. While most 7 year olds did household chores or mowed lawns for 'spending' money, I earned an allowance by cleaning out the supply closet and shredding papers at the office.
My love for business grew as I studied Marketing and Management at St. John Fisher College. During my second year of school, I took night classes to get my Real Estate license. After graduating with my Bachelors, I did administrative work in our Penn Yan office and gained a whole different perspective of Real Estate and property management. After a year or so, I decided it was time to move back home and start selling. The past 3 years of sales have been thrilling, challenging and rewarding... I would not have it any other way!
I am excited to be nominated for the Board of Directors! I look forward to working with the other experienced and knowledgeable directors to enhance GBAR for its members and our community.
James R. (Jim) Trevitt
 Reasons for becoming a Director of GBAR:
Recent company consolidations have limited the diversity of thought necessary to an effective BOD. That's not meant to be a slight of any Member company, but a reality imposed by our current by-laws, limiting the number of directors from any one company.
Our industry is undergoing substantial changes in how we do business. Change is inevitable, but not every new idea is a good idea. Careful consideration and investigation in a timely manner of proposed changes will save our Members and Association money while increasing productivity.
I believe it's important to give back to the industry and people that provide me a good living.
Our job as Directors is to fulfill the needs of our Members in a cost-efficient manner, protect the public interest and promote the highest ideals and professionalism of REALTORSŪ.
Personal History
Married with two grown daughters, one grandson
Graduate of Vestal HS 1972
Hartwick College 1976, BA Russian Language/Teaching
Professional History
Licensed in NY & PA
April 2011 - Present, Associate Broker @ Keller Williams Realty - STFL
October 1987 - April 2011, Principal Broker & Owner, Trevitt Realtors
1977-1987 - Associate Broker @ Philip smith RE & Smith & O'Hara RE
GBAR Participation
2005 - 2008 - GBAR Board of Directors
2006 - GBAR President
1992 - 1998 - GBAR Board of Directors
1996 - GBAR Vice-President
1996 - REALTORŪ-Broker-of-the-Year.
1980 - 1983 - GBAR Board of Directors
1980 - REALTORŪ-Associate-of-the-Year
Past Chair of GBAR Committees:
Grievance
Professional Standards
REALTORŪ/Builder
Past Member of GBAR Committees:
Grievance
Professional Standards
Finance
Staff Review
Information Management
Education
Multiple Listing Service
Realtor/Lawyer
REALTORŪ Designations: GRI, SRES, ePro
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Private GBAR Facebook Page - A Great Way to Get Your Questions Answered - FAST!
GBAR has a Members-Only GBAR Facebook Page, and it's a great way to get your real estate-related questions answered - FAST!
Currently, 208 GBAR Members are members of this Group, but our goal is to sign-up every GBAR REALTORŪ and Affiliate Member!
This page has been a great discussion and problem-resolution tool for those of us using it - just ask a question or make a suggestion and you'll get answers and feedback almost immediately! For a terrific example of how this works, click here for a questions posed by GBAR Member Karen Sharkey, and the immediate responses she received.
If you are not already a Group Member, shoot me an email by clicking here, and I'll send you an invite right away. Please note - we can only sign you up using your personal page, not a business page, so please send your request from the email address attached to your personal page only.
We look forward to welcoming you aboard!
Barry
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Register NOW! The 10th Annual
REALTORŪ Appreciation Event is August 22, 2013
FREE to All REALTOR Members!
The 10th Annual REALTORŪ Appreciation Event, sponsored by the GBAR Affiliate Council, will be held August 22 at the Mountain Top View, and is FREE to all GBAR REALTORSŪ!
For more information and registration instructions, click here. We hope to see you all there!
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Sign-Up Now for the September
Monthly Business Luncheon!
Sign up now for the September Monthly Business Luncheon, which will be held on Wednesday, September 11, 2013 at The Mad Moose in Binghamton, from 11:30 am to 1:30 pm.
Our program will be a presentation on REALTOR Safety by Tommy Reid and Recognition of all GBAR Designation holders by Barry Arnold. The luncheon is generously sponsored by Professional Home Inspection Service.
Please don't forget to bring a non-perishable item for the GBAR Canned Food Drive!
To view a flyer and registration instructions, click here . We hope to see you there!
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| GBAR Community Service Committee (and the Girl Scouts!) Pack Care Packages for our Troops Overseas
On Tuesday, August 13, Members of the GBAR Community Service Committee, led by Chair Sandi Stebelton, and 8 Members of Girl Scout Troop 30245 met at the Association Offices to pack 8 enormous Care Packages destined for our local Service Men and Women serving their country overseas. This effort, organized by the GBAR Community Service Committee twice a year, was enhanced by Troop 30245's contribution of their time, energy and 270 boxes of Girl Scout Cookies, which will be a welcome treat for our dedicated service personnel!
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Community Service Committee Members Diana Nogaret, Derek Schoenfeldt, Rhonda Schulte, Dawn Roessing and Jim Hall. Not pictured: Community Service Chair Sandi Stebelton, Karen Templeman, Rose Pelino, Melanie Price, Michelle Shine and Karen Dirado-Dellacorino.
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 | | Girl Scout Troop 30245 Lend a Helping Hand (and some Cookies!) |
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REGISTER NOW!! Google Bootcamp Course to be Held in Binghamton September 24, 2013.
On Tuesday, September 24, 2013 Google Universe Boot Camp comes back to Binghamton! Following the success of the course held in March, we are bringing back G. William James, presenter and author of "The Google Universe", who is internationally known as one of the leading training professionals for handheld computing and mobile technology for real estate.
This full-day, get-it-done workshop will empower each attendee with the comprehensive knowledge of Google Cloud Apps, and a complete mobile office solution. Learn all the ins and outs of Gmail, Google Voice, Google Calendar, Google Documents, Google Picasa, YouTube, Google Analytics, Google+. and how to integrate them all into a powerful mobile office solution.
Click here for an in-depth flyer outlining the course and what you'll learn.
For this session, a comprehensive guide to prepare your laptop tops, tablets and mobile phones will be distributed well in advance to ensure that attendees are prepared to get the maximum benefit for this course.
To purchase ($75) and register for this class, click here.
We hope to see you there! |
Register Now for Pennsylvania Contracts and Sellers Disclosure Course - September 27, 2013Registration is now open for a PA Contracts and Seller Disclosures course to be conducted by Bob Walker of Vintage Real Estate Academy on Friday, September 27, 2013 at our GBAR Association Offices. The Course will consist of a thorough review of the PA Real Estate Sellers Disclosure, listing agreement and sales contract requirements, some of which have changed recently. The course will earn students 4 PA CE credits. For more information and a registration form, click here.
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Register Now for 2013 GRI and ABR
Designation Courses in Binghamton!
For those of you interested in taking Designation Courses in Binghamton in 2013, I am pleased to confirm the following courses, instructors and dates:
To register, click on the course you wish to take to access course information and registration instructions, which is done directly through NYSAR.
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Big Discounts on Online CE Courses Available!
If you're looking for CE Credit, there's no better place than The CE Shop! All New York CE courses are now offered with a 20% discount by using promotional code AUG20 through the end of August. And Pennsylvania courses are offered at a 25% discount using promotional code GBARINPA.
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Martha's MLS Tip
Warning: MLS Use is for MLS Subscribers ONLY
As a clear reminder, NO ONE may access or make changes to our MLS system unless they are a registered and paid MLS Subscriber. That means, unless you have your own, distinct Log In ID and Password, YOU MAY NOT ACCESS the system, nor may you access the system using a Subscriber's Log In credentials.
We have recently seen cases where non-Subscriber interns are inputting and updating MLS listings. Obviously, this is a violation of our MLS Rules and Regulations. Please be advised that such violations will be subject to fines and other penalties.
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The Member Minute
Property Security, Liability and Lock Box Procedures
Recently, there have been a number of reports of break-ins and properties left unlocked. This brings up three issues for our Members both regarding property security.
The first is that when using a lock box, make sure you assign that lockbox to a specific property. When a lockbox is assigned in this way, the listing agent can pull a time stamped report for each time that lockbox was opened, thereby assigning responsibility to the person who opened the box.
Second, as a buyer agent opening a box it is your responsibility to notify the listing agent immediately if the house was not secure when you arrived and to secure the house when you leave. If a house is accessed illegally we, as agents, can possibly be held liable if we do not secure the house when we left.
Finally, we need to make our sellers aware that a vacant house needs to be monitored. Sellers need to know that insurance companies may not pay on a claim that happens when the house has been vacant for a period of time. We cannot remove all risk from our profession, but must be vigilant about protecting your seller's property and reducing your liability as much as possible.
Brought to you by your friends on the GBAR Membership Committee. Comments? Got some tips for the rest of us? Click here to email them to the Membership Committee for inclusion in the next issue of the REALTOR Review!
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| NAR Issues Legal Guidance on Flood Insurance Disclosures
The Biggert-Waters Flood Insurance Reform Act of 2012 reauthorized the National Flood Insurance Program for an additional 5 years. The act also implements changes to the federal subsidy of flood insurance, resulting in increases in the premiums to be charged for flood insurance coverage, as determined by FEMA. Because those rate increases may be significant, brokers and agents have expressed concern about their exposure to misrepresentation claims by property purchasers who acquire property before such increases take effect and are later subject to substantial increases in their flood insurance premiums.
To assist brokers and agents in connection with marketing and sale of property for which flood insurance may be required, or that is located in areas where the purchase of flood insurance may be prudent NAR has created a comprehensive legal guide to what is recommended. To view the full flood insurance legal guide, click here.
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New Advertising Regulations Text Released -
Effective January 2, 2014. Click Below for a Recorded Webinar Outlining the Changes.
The text of the new advertising regulations has been released. The New York State Real Estate Board gave final approval to the revised advertising regulations at a meeting on April 24, 2013. A culmination of five years of work by NYSAR and other interested parties, the new regulations still need to go through the regulatory public notice process, including publication in the New York Register. Following publication, the new regulations are set to become effective on January 2, 2014.
As a part of NYSAR's ongoing effort to educate our members about the changes to the advertising regulations, NYSAR Legal Counsel Anthony Gatto, Esq. will host a live webinar on Thursday, June 20, at 2:30 p.m. To attend this webinar, you must first register for it.
For the full text of the new regulations, click here. To view a recorded Webinar discussing the new regulations, click here.
We have also scheduled NYSAR Director of Legal Affairs Anthony Gatto to brief our Membership on the implications of these new regulations on Monday, October 21, 2013, in Binghamton. Watch this space for more information and registration Instructions.
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NAR Code of Ethics Centennial Celebration
2013 marks the 100th Anniversary of the REALTOR Code of Ethics, the document which guides the ethical duty of all REALTORS toward their clients and customers, the public and their fellow REALTORS.
At GBAR, we'll be commemorating the Centennial in a number of ways, including full page ads in the Press & Sun-Bulletin Home Marketplace Section ( click here for a sneak preview), the purchase of commemorative posters for all our Broker Members, as well as periodic historical tid-bits in the REALTOR Review.
In the meantime, click here to view an NAR Video commemorating the COE Centennial.
Or, how would you like to see the original Code of Ethics from 1913? You'll find its quite a bit different from today's version - Click Here! |
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New Members - July, 2013
Please join us in welcoming the following New GBAR Members approved at the July 16, 2013 Board of Directors Meeting:
New Primary Affiliates:
- James Hall, Jr., Twin Tiers Inspections, LLC
- Carol Newman, Peoples Neighborhood Bank
New Affiliate Representative:
- Debbie Thomas, Peoples Neighborhood Bank
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Join a GBAR Committee!
Thank you to the following GBAR members who have volunteered their time to Chair GBAR Committees and Sub-Committees in 2013. If you'd like to join a Committee, click on the relevant Chair name(s) below to send them an email and volunteer!
Thank you to all our Volunteer Leaders. They look forward to welcoming you to GBAR Committee Membership and Service. |
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Condolences - AnnMarie Horvath
We regret to advise you of the passing of AnnMarie Horvath, sister of GBAR Affiliate Member Donna Ciancio (STHBRA), on August 8. Please join us in conveying our sincere sympathies to Donna and her family during this difficult time. Click here for a full obituary.
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10K Marketing GBAR Monthly Statistics - July, 2013
Click here to review the July, 2013 10K Marketing Monthly Statistics for GBAR.
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10K Marketing NYSAR Monthly Statistics - June, 2013
Click here to review the June, 2013 10K Marketing Monthly Statistics for NYSAR.
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"The Skinny"
NYSAR's Monthly Housing Market Video for June, 2013
Click here to view "The Skinny", NYSAR's Monthly Housing Market Video for June, 2013. You must be logged in to the NYSAR Website to view!
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Contact Us:
Greater Binghamton Association of REALTORSŪ
19 Jennison Avenue
Johnson City, NY 13790
607-729-6285
607-798-8246 (Fax)
executive@gbingar.com |
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