WRAR Broker Briefing Weekly Email Newsletter

MONDAY, APRIL 7, 2014

 TOP NEWS 

Twitter Call for Action Kick Patent Trolls to the Curb Twitter Call for Action
Patent trolls are a threat to America's economy and have increasingly become a financial and legal burden on individual REALTORS�, MLSs, and our state and local REALTOR� associations. Patent trolls are companies that use patents as legal weapons rather than to produce products or create new innovations. These trolls send threatening demand letters, seeking payment from small businesses like REALTOR�, for using common business technologies like scanner-copiers; drop-down website menus; or even mapping features. Please click the link above to learn more about this issue and connect with @SenatorBurr and @SenatorHagan on Twitter!

REQUEST: Tag @WRAR at the end of your tweets to help us gauge local participation.

 LOCAL & STATE

Study: Not Extending NC Film Incentives Could Cost 4,000 Jobs

$9 Return for Every Dollar Spent on N.C. Film Tax Incentive

Wilmington Area to See Positive Economic, Job Growth

NC REALTOR� Earns 30 Under 30 Honor
Ginger Vereen from the Raleigh Regional Association of REALTORS� has made the cut for this year's REALTOR� Magazine 30 Under 30. Click link above to learn more.

Supra Maintenance Scheduled for Tomorrow
Periodically, Supra runs routine maintenance on its data center. The next maintenance is scheduled for Tuesday, April 8. Note that the following services will be unavailable to Supra users:
  • Key Syncs and Wireless Updates
  • SupraNET
  • SupraWEB (available for update codes only)
Supra keyholders in need of an update code during a planned maintenance may get one from:
2014 NCAR Award Nominations
Click the link above to review all awards and nomination guidelines. Submissions are due by Noon on May 5, 2014.

 UPCOMING EVENTS

Lunch and Learn
HITTIN' THE PAVEMENT
with NCDOT Engineer  
Karen Fussell 

ATTENTION BROKERS: FREE RISK REDUCTION CLASS!
If you have not registered, do not miss this upcoming Lunch and Learn called "Hittin' the Pavement." You have a responsibility as a broker under NC law to divulge all materials facts about a property to buyers. This includes major road, bridge, and construction projects.
Karen Fussell

Register today and provide yourself with the benefit of valuable information that could limit your future liability. Plus, get lunch!

 

Thursday, April 10, 2014 - 11:00AM to 12:30PM
WRAR 3rd Floor Ballroom, FREE for Members, Boxed lunch included 

Hosted by WRAR Professional Development Committee 

Sponsored by Alpha Mortgage    

 

Are you looking to rebrand yourself? Do you want to freshen up your image? Join Zach Schabot, founder of Go Realty and GoConnect in Cary, to discover innovative marketing strategies and techniques. He'll teach you how to write a great bio and will also share some creative uses for social media and video - all centered on branding yourself as a REALTOR�. NCAR is hosting this next WEBINAR WEDNESDAY on April 9 - 10AM to 11AM EST. Click the link above to learn more about the topics that will be cover and to register!

WDI's The Downtown Lifestyle Tour WRAR is Proud to Sponsor
Downtown Lifestyle Tour
Presented by Wilmington Downtown Inc (WDI)
Come tour 12 of downtown Wilmington's coolest lofts, condos and "above the shop" living spaces!  From the classic loft space to the modern condo, this year's tour has it all.  

Saturday, April 26, 2014 - 11:00AM to 4:00PM
Tickets for the self-guided tour are $15.  They can be purchased in advance at the WDI office located at 221 North Front Street, Suite 102 or online at www.wilmingtondowtown.com.  They will also be available at Finkelstein's Music located at 6 South Front Street the day of the event.

In addition, this year's tour will also offer a guided tour leaving at 11AM and 2PM.  Space is limited and reservations are required.  
Wrist bands and tour guides will be available for pick-up on Friday, April 25th from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM at the WDI Office.  Tickets will be available on Saturday, April 26th from 10:30 AM- 3:30 PM at Finkelstein's Music. For more information, contact WDI at [email protected].

 GOV AFFAIRS

Sandman Cometh 2
Last week, the Tourism Development Authority (TDA) met to discuss whether the funding distribution recipe for room occupancy tax proceeds should be changed. The TDA voted 9-6 to leave the distribution as is. Click link above for full details.
BUNDLE UP for the RPAC Technology Raffle!
Make a $25 investment to RPAC for your chance to win this incredible iPad Bundle! Limit 10 entries or $250 per person. Ends April 25, 2014. Click the link above for full details and to INVEST!

TOP ISSUES
The following issues are top priority for your Gov Affairs Department. Please click the links below to find out the latest on each topic:
Do you have a passion for local politics? Enjoy developing relationships with people? WE NEED YOU! Click the link above to learn more and submit your questionnaire.

 NATIONAL  

Vacation Home Sales Surge in 2013; Investment Sales Decline

Low Down Payments for Fewer First-Time Buyers

CoreLogic: Home Prices Likely to Moderate Soon

Distressed Sales Continue to Tumble

Will Twitter Ditch #, @ Symbols?

REALTOR� Magazine: March/April 2014 Edition

2014 NAR Good Neighbor Award
Are you or someone you know doing great work serving the community? NAR wants to hear about it! The Good Neighbor Award recognize REALTORS� for extraordinary accomplishments in community service. Click the link above to learn more and submit your entry by May 16, 2014 at 6:00PM EDT. Please also make sure to send a copy/notice of your entry to Lois Petelinkar.

 VIDEO: Syndication Webinar from March 12, 2014  

Missed the recent webinars called WRAR - Helping Agents to Reclaim Their Listing Data? Click the image below to watch the recorded version of this webinar to gain a better understanding about listing syndication and why your Association elected to discontinue publishing listings to third party sites on behalf of their brokers beginning on May 9, 2014.

Webinar Recording from March 12, 2014: WRAR - Helping Brokers Reclaim their Listing Data
Like us on Facebook  Follow us on Twitter  Linkedin - WRAR  View our photos on flickr  Visit our blog  Vimeo - WRAR - vimeo.com/wilmington  View our videos on YouTube  Instagram - WRAR - wilmingtonrealtors  Pinterest - WRAR - pinterest.com/wrar

EDUCATION COURSES

COMMITTEES & COUNCILS

BROKER LUNCHEONS

THOUGHTS & PRAYERS

CALENDAR

WRAR STAFF

 NEW WRAR PARTNERS  

Do you have a client visiting Wilmington that needs a place to stay while searching for their new home, second home or investment property?
Hilton Garden Inn & Courtyard by Marriott
10% off Prevailing Retail Rate at either hotel when you mention Wilmington Regional Association of REALTORS� (WRAR)! Click the link above to learn more.

 BIZ & TECH TIPS

BEST PRACTICES 
Selling Brokers: When Showing a Home - If the property is unsecured when you arrive (windows open, doors unlocked, etc.) remember, safety first! Notify the listing company about any unusual situation. Check carefully to be certain that doors and windows are locked when you leave the property.
Read More Best Practices

 

SAFETY

Carry a cell phone and program it so that the police emergency number is on speed dial.

 

MLS DEFINITIONS
Did You Know... That there are three DINING ROOM TYPES? When entering a listing, please choose a value that describes the location of the dining room:  
  • FORMAL - Indicates that it is a separate room with at least three walls
  • KITCHEN - Indicates that there is no formal dining room, and the area informally considered a dining room is adjoined to the kitchen
  • COMBINATION - Indicates that there is no formal dining room, this room is adjoined any other room and has direct access to the kitchen whose purpose is for dining. 
To review all definitions: Login into WRAR.com, then go to Departments >
Technology & MLS > MLS Definitions (Click Here if already logged in.) 

  

TECHNOLOGY
Can't find a subdivision in the MLS? All that is needed is a quick email to [email protected] and include a copy of the plat map. Once received, the community will appear in the MLS in one business day.
 
RPR 
RPR can be a wealth of information and tools that it can be difficult to know where to start. On April 9th, at 10 am EDT RPR will be hosting "10 Powerful Ways to Use RPR". This extremely useful webinar will break down the most common and easy ways to utilize RPR. This one hour webinar is suggested for all agents, brokers, commercial MLS members and appraisers.

SUPRA

Charging Your ActiveKEY
Use only the provided wall charger or optional car charger. Using any other charger may damage your ActiveKEY. NOTE: Connecting your ActiveKEY to your computer with the USB cable will not adequately charge your key. Most computers do not pass enough charge through the USB cable to offset a cellular radio's consumption.

Allied Member Referral Program: Earn $25!
Click link above for full details.

 NAR MVP OFFER  

NAR's MVP Member Offer
April 1-15           
 
YOUR REWARD:   Fair Housing Bundle-Download and a chance to win a $100 Gift Card  

REWARD VALUE:
EProduct Value $23.85, Gift Card $100


3 Months Free on DocuSign for REALTORS� PLUS for new customers on an annual plan - Promo code: FREE3
Try Constant Contact FREE for 60 days!

IMPORTANT NOTICE
:
Prior to selecting SafeUnsubscribe below, please be advised that by doing so you will
instantly stop receiving a majority of the regular WRAR email communications that all members receive.
Unsubscribing via this link does not solely remove you from receiving emails pertaining to just the specific topics
displayed above, but all future WRAR email communications. Please only proceed with caution.