2014 designation classes coming soon to ramc...
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August 2014August 2014
digest
digest
digest
In This Issue:
Membership 3
Online Listings 4‐5
RESPA 6
WCR 7
2015 Leadership Team 10
MLS Updates 11
Upcoming Designation Flyers 12‐13
Education Outlook 17
Ethics 18‐19
Government 20‐21
Statistics 22‐23
Designation Classes
Coming Soon to RAMC
MRP Certification— When military staff and their families relocate, the services of a real estate pro‐fessional who understands their needs and timetables makes the transfer easier, faster, and less stressful. This certification focuses on educating real estate professionals about working with current and former military service members to find the housing solutions that best suit their needs and take full advantage of military benefits and support.
Learn how to provide the real estate services—at any stage in the service member’s military career—that meet the needs of this niche market and win future referrals. Hone in your knowledge and skills for working with active duty military buyers and sellers, as well as veterans with the NAR's Military Relocation Professional Certification. One Day Certification Course; 8 CE Credits. Register online at ramcfl.org or call 772‐283‐1748
Monday, Sept. 15, 2014 8AM-6PM $129.00 8 CEUs
RSPS Certification – Be a part of this exciting opportunity to learn about the resort area and second‐
home specialty and fulfill one of the core certification requirements for the RSPS Certification!
This one‐day course from NAR focuses on the essentials of assisting customers and clients in tourist‐
driven areas and second‐home markets, including: How to take advantage of community resources
and tourism bureaus; How to prepare to act when laws that directly affect the resort business are
scheduled to change; How to handle the media—rather than being handled by it; The benefits and
challenges of second homeownership. The resort & Second‐Home markets course is one of the core
education requirements for the RSPS certification and fulfills the elective course requirement for the
ABR designation. 7 CE Credits. Register by calling IFREC at 888-647-7277
Thursday, October 23, 2014
8:30AM-5:30PM $169.00 7 CEUs
Now seeking volunteers for 2015 Committees! See page 8 to fill out & sub‐mit your Committee Volunteer application to [email protected] before August 31
Awards Nominations are now be‐ing accepted! Know of a fellow Realtor® or Business Partner who is making a difference ei‐ther in real estate or in the community at large? We want to know who they are so we can recog‐nize them for their actions! Nominate them us‐ing the form on page 9 and submit it to [email protected]
REALTOR®ASSOCIATIONOFMARTINCOUNTY43SWMontereyRoadStuart,Florida34994
Phone(772)283‐1748Fax(772)288‐0215
OFFICERSPresident
JENNIFERATKISSON‐LOVETT,CRS,[email protected]
President‐ElectDENNISFADDEN,CRS,GRI,SRES,[email protected]
VicePresidentBILLDEAN
Secretary‐TreasurerCHRISTYBEARSE,CPA
christy@florida‐homefinders.com
DIRECTORSTOMBAKER
DANBRADY,CCIM,[email protected]
DIANABRUTON,AHWD,CRB,LTG,[email protected]
ANNBUSBEE,CRS,GRI,[email protected]
BOBCASTELLANO,[email protected]
JEFFCLARK,[email protected]
STAFFJOYLANE
MARISAMOLEIROMLSDirector
MLS,Marketing,Newsletter,Email,[email protected]
RENEEJORDANEducationDirector
Classes,Seminars,[email protected]
VICKIHOUTRIDESAccounting&GovernmentAffairs
KIMARENASMembershipDirector
Sponsorship,Membership,[email protected]
Advertise in RAMC Digest!
Contact Marisa for information on advertising at [email protected]
Deadline for the September edition is August 22nd.
Page 2
National Association of REALTORS® 888‐874‐6500
Florida Association of REALTORS® 407‐438‐1400
Florida Legal Hotline 407‐438‐1409 Free advice from an Attorney for members of Flor‐ida Realtors®!
Florida Tech Helpline 407‐587‐1450 (M‐F 9am‐8pm / Sat 9am‐5pm) Free expert assistance and support for all your technical needs.
DBPR 850‐487‐1395 www.MyFloridaLicense.com/dbpr (FL Dept. of Business and Professional Regulation)
Check your CE credits and license renewal information at:
www.MyFloridaLicense.com
MLS Technical Help Desk & GoMLS Help 888‐825‐5472 M‐F 8:30am‐8:30pm / S‐S 8:30am‐3pm
Form Simplicity 407‐587‐1450
IMAPP 888‐462‐7701
IMPREV Marketing Center 800‐809‐3356
ListHub Support 877‐847‐3394 (press 2)
ListingBook 866‐353‐3456
RatePlug 877‐710‐0808
RealBiz 360 888‐732‐5249 (press 2)
Realtor.com 800‐878‐4166
RPR (24‐7 Support) 877‐977‐7576
ShowingTime 800‐379‐0057
Supra 877‐699‐6787
Important Phone Numbers and Web Sites
HowtotrackyourCECreditswithDBPRHowtotrackyourCECreditswithDBPRHowtotrackyourCECreditswithDBPRIt is very important to keep all your continuing education letters to validate your coursework. These letters will tell you the course names and how many credits you received. If the credits did not get transmitted successfully to DBPR, then you will be able to use the letters to verify your attendance.
For questions, please call the Customer Contact Center at 850.487.1395 Monday‐Friday, 8 a.m. ‐ 6 p.m. and Saturday 10 a.m. ‐ 2 p.m. EST.
>> Click here to Verify CE Credits at DBPR Online
>> Click here for Florida Realtors® Education Contacts
For more information about Florida Licensing requirements, you can visit the Florida Realtors® website by clicking here
Page 3
MembershipREALTOR® Member Office Transfers Christina Banks Keller Williams of Greater Martin Co.
Laurie Barfield Keyes Co. Stuart
Christopher Belanger Keyes Co. Hobe Sound
Connie Christensen Keyes Co. Hobe Sound
Kristen Clayton Keyes Co. Stuart
Michael Flynn Real Estate of Florida
Virginia Parmigiano Keyes Co. Hobe Sound
Arlene Seidenspinner Keyes Co. Hobe Sound
Nancy Taylor Keyes Co. Stuart
David Tewksbury Keyes Co. Stuart
David Williams Keller Williams of Greater Martin Co.
Returning REALTOR® Members Janice Gross Florida Living Realty
George Plitt Keyes Company
Pauline L. Thomas Reid Realty Inc.
Shela Villardi Keller Williams of Greater Martin Co.
New Business Partners Jack Albright Rainbow International of the Treasure Coast
Nancie Briggs Premium Painters
K.C. Daniel Associate Auctions
Denise Davine Trustco Bank
Bill Dwyer Comerica Bank
Jim Essig Redeemer Lutheran Church & School
Kelly Hunston Comerica Bank
Devin Spaulding Spaulding Home Inspections
New REALTOR® Members Carlos Arruza Jr. The Tucker Group
John DeLuca Keyes Co. Jensen Beach
David Fender Premier Realty Group
Gregory Fleming Coldwell Banker
Jane Harlan Olde Florida Realty
Christine Harry Berkshire Hathaway
Christine Naumann Keller Williams of Greater Martin Co.
George Plitt Keyes Co. Jensen Beach
Lori Watkins New Wave Realty, Inc.
Jennifer Lynn Zucker New Wave Realty, Inc.
New MLS-Only Members Renee Coley Atlantic Shores Realty Executives
Barbara Lang Keller Williams of Greater Martin Co.
Wendy Miller Keller Williams of Greater Martin Co.
Christine Naumann Keller Williams of Greater Martin Co.
Anna Sampaio Century 21 IRP Realty
Devan Wilson Keller Williams of Greater Martin Co.
New Realtor® Offices #1041—Keyes Company – Stuart 850 NW Federal Hwy, Suite 204 Stuart, FL 34994 772‐261‐8566 DR: Michael Pappas
#1043—Atlantic Shores Realty Executives 201 SW Port St Lucie Blvd Port St Lucie, FL 34952 772‐228‐2111 DR: Renee Coley
Battlecontinuesfordominanceinonlinelistings
WICHITA, Kans. – July 21, 2014 – In the battle for online real estate listings, two services have emerged in recent years as the dominant residential websites, surpassing even the National Association of Real‐tors' affiliated website and mobile service.
According to a report released earlier this month, Zillow and Trulia com‐bined accounted for twice as many unique visitors to their websites in May as the three other leading residential real estate listing websites combined.
The Beyond Syndication 2014 report by Arizona‐based Clareity Consult‐ing, a real estate industry information technology consulting firm, said that Zillow and Trulia's real estate networks' Web traffic totaled 84.6 million unique visitors in May.
That compares with the 40.2 million combined unique visitors in May of three other online real estate networks, the Clareity report said, includ‐ing Move Inc., which operates NAR's Realtor.com website.
Even with that dominance, not all local real estate brokers are con‐vinced of Zillow's, Trulia's and other benefits for their brokerages and agents. Some brokers reported instances where listings on those sites were incomplete, inaccurate or out of date.
"I think what's happening is the free market is at work," said John McKenzie, CEO of Coldwell Banker Plaza Real Estate, one of the area's three biggest residential real estate brokerages. "The question comes down to the reliability of the data."
Other real estate experts said what's happening is that potential and active homebuyers and sellers have voted their preferences for online house shopping, and the two dominant players are likely to grow even more market share and eyeballs – and additional services – in the longer term.
"They are just simply Amazon replacing Borders and Barnes and Noble," said Steve Murray, founder and editor of Real Trends, a Colorado‐based national real estate communications and consulting firm.
McKenzie thinks some of the information about homes on sites such as Zillow is not always accurate. He said he thinks sites such as the one run by his firm and Realtor.com are more accurate and timely because those sites are linked to Multiple Listing Services databases, which he said have "pretty strong and stringent" requirements about the data Realtors input into a home listing on the MLS database.
The National Association of Realtors announced this month that it and Move Inc. were launching national advertising and public relations cam‐paigns that would "showcase the value of the local knowledge and ac‐curate data available to consumers through Realtors and Realtor.com."
"This effort is critically important for our industry as we unite under a common goal of providing the most accurate market data available online along with the deep local knowledge and Realtor expertise that buyers and sellers need," NAR president Steve Brown said in the re‐lease.
Dwyn Thudium, the 2014 president of the Wichita Area Association of Realtors and broker and owner of Crown III Realty, said she recently was contacted by the seller of a property she was listing, who pointed her to a listing of the property on Zillow that said the property had a pond and a deck, which it didn't.
"It's not always accurate information," Thudium said. "Some of it's true. Other parts, it's not."
Katie Curnutte, a spokeswoman for Seattle‐based Zillow Inc., said her company's goal is to partner with as many agents, brokers and multiple listing services as it can. Curnutte said she would not disclose how many MLS partnerships Zillow has. She said the company recently surpassed 2,000 partnerships with brokers in the U.S. through the company's Zil‐
low Pro for Brokers program. Curnutte added that a partnership could constitute more than one broker or brokerage.
"So we're making a lot of progress," she said. "We're always trying to reach more partnerships with brokerages."
As for instances where information is inaccurate, she said the incorrect information could come from a variety of sources, including agents, homeowners and county records.
"When a brokerage partners with Zillow, its listings show up automati‐cally, it comes directly to Zillow," Curnutte said. "The best way to con‐trol the accuracy of information is to have a partnership with Zillow."
Thudium won't deny the influence of Zillow and Trulia on homebuyers and sellers – including her own family.
"We aren't going to fight these people," she said. "They aren't going anywhere. My daughter in Kansas City looks at Zillow all the time for homes."
In May, Zillow had 53.8 million unique visitors to its website via desktop computers and mobile apps. In June, that number was 83 million, Cur‐nutte said.
Murray, of Real Trends, said that Zillow's and Trulia's influence and breadth of services will only grow.
"Could they become more formidable?" he said. "Yes. Could they get to $2 billion in revenue in five years? Yes. Can they offer CRM (customer relationship management services)? Yes."
Companies such as Zillow and Trulia don't make such big money by actually selling homes, but through advertising on their sites and through financial partnerships with agents and brokerage firms.
Greg Fox, 2014 president of the South Central Kansas Multiple Listing Service and broker and owner of Realty World Alliance, said the local MLS does not have a partnership agreement with Zillow or Trulia. But he said through a separate service called ListHub, the data from homes listed on the local MLS can be passed through to Zillow and Trulia and other sites that compete with Realtor.com, if a broker or agent hasn't opted out of allowing their listings to be shared, or "syndicated" with those online real estate services.
"I would venture to say 80, probably 90 percent (of brokers) have not opted out of syndicating their listings," Fox said.
He added that some real estate brokerages refuse to syndicate their listings, insisting that the homes they handle remain only with an MLS and their own brokerage's website.
"It's a great debate," Fox said.
He said with the emergence of Zillow and other online listing sources, "I don't think it's made it worse. It's made a more informed buyer. … Com‐petition makes us good."
His only concern, he said, is the quality of listing information. "I want it to be accurate, timely," Fox said.
Fox added that in his opinion, the website statistics show that more people are going to places like Zillow and Trulia for information.
His industry needs to accept that, Fox said.
"I think we need to change our ways of doing business to what the pub‐lic is wanting," he said.
© 2014 The Wichita Eagle (Wichita, Kan.), Jerry Siebenmark. Distributed by MCT Information Services
⌂
ListHub, the nation's leading list‐ing syndicator and centralized intelligence platform for the real estate industry, today announces a new relationship with the Na‐
tional Association of REALTORS® (NAR) to guide Realtors® in maximizing their opportunities in the global real estate marketplace. The agree‐ment provides real estate professionals with best‐in‐class international listing distribution and global education as well as discounts for Real‐tors® to leverage worldwide advertising exposure available through ListHub Global.
"The prevalence of international investment in the United States pre‐sents a tremendous opportunity for Realtors® to expand their market and reach international buyers and investors, if they are prepared to do so," said Steve Brown, 2014 president of NAR. "This arrangement offers the education and tools to provide global real estate service, as well as an economic advantage for Realtors® to reach the international market‐place through ListHub Global."
The agreement provides discounts for NAR's Certified International Property Specialist (CIPS) curriculum, a series of global real estate courses that provide the knowledge, research, network and tools to help Realtors® globalize their business and acquire international clients, for ListHub Global customers. CIPS‐certified Realtors® have access to the CIPS Referral Network, comprised of 2,300 elite agents in 45 coun‐tries worldwide.
The agreement also provides CIPS designees with a 10 percent discount for the ListHub Global service. The ListHub Global network offers bro‐kers the opportunity to increase global exposure of their listings within a controlled platform, with ListHub's signature streamlined manage‐ment, comprehensive data protections and unmatched performance metrics. With the merger of ListHub Global network partners Eden‐Home and ListGlobally, the ListHub Global network includes more than 70 international property publishers in over 40 countries, reaching 60 million international customers.
Helping Realtors® Become Global Experts
The CIPS program helps Realtors® develop the specialized expertise required in an international transaction, from currency issues and fi‐nancing to visa and tax laws. The exclusive discounts available through the arrangement with ListHub Global empower Realtors® to invest in the combined resources for an unparalleled market advantage when working with international buyers.
The international market is at peak levels, reaching a record $92.2 bil‐lion in sales between April 2013 to March 2014 according to NAR's 2014 Profile of International Home Buying Activity, released this month. Sales to international clients have jumped 35 percent from the previous pe‐riod's level of $68.2 billion.
The report also highlights a substantial increase in sales to buyers from China, increasing from $12.8 billion in the prior period to $22 billion in the 12 months ending in March 2014, and now accounting for nearly 25 percent of total sales to international buyers. Buyers from China gener‐ally purchased in higher‐priced markets, and 76 percent of reported transactions were all‐cash purchases. Appreciation of the Chinese yuan and affordable property contributed to the appeal of the U.S market for many buyers from China, according to the report.
The ListHub Global network includes the leading real estate search web‐site in China, SouFun, which reports more than three million unique visitors each day. Among the site's 12 million SouFun members, 25 per‐cent have plans to invest in properties outside China within the next three years.
"Buyers from China are predicted to continue to grow in the coming years, yet China's rigorous Internet regulations limit opportunities to advertise listings in mainland China without working directly with China's property portals," said Celeste Starchild, vice president and general manager of ListHub. "ListHub Global allows Realtors® to reach buyers in China within the same secure platform they use for national advertising, in a seamless experience that ensures the data is Multiple Listing Service (MLS)‐accurate across the global network of real estate search websites."
ListHub will host a free, 30 minute webinar July 24 at 4 p.m. EDT. Global Perspectives ‐ Tips for Expanding Your Global Reach will be hosted by ListHub Global Team Leader Aldana Gentinetta and NAR's Director of Global Marketing and Business Development Katie Stouffs Grimes. The webinar will highlight the latest insights from NAR's international report and tips for reaching global buyers.
About Move, Inc. and Realtor.com®
Move, Inc. (NASDAQ: MOVE), a leading provider of online real estate services, operates realtor.com®, which connects people to the essen‐tial, accurate information needed to identify their perfect home and to the REALTORS® whose expertise guides consumers through buying and selling. As the official website for the National Association of REAL‐TORS®, realtor.com® empowers consumers to make smart home buy‐ing, selling and renting decisions by leveraging its direct, real‐time con‐nections with more than 800 multiple listing services (MLS) via all types of computers, tablets and smart telephones. Realtor.com® is where home happens. Move's network of websites provides consumers a wealth of innovative tools and accurate information including Door‐steps®, HomeInsightSM, SocialBiosSM, Moving.com™, SeniorHousing‐NetSM, homefairSM and Relocation.com. Move supports real estate agents and brokerages by providing many services to grow their busi‐nesses, including ListHub™, the nation's leading listing syndicator and centralized intelligence platform for the real estate industry; Tiger‐Lead®; Top Producer® Systems; and FiveStreetSM; as well as many free services. Move is based in the heart of the Silicon Valley — San Jose, CA.
REALTOR® and REALTOR.COM® are trademarks of the National Association of REALTORS® and are used with its permission. These and all other trade‐marks used in this work are the property of their respective owners.
Forward‐Looking Statements
This news release may contain forward‐looking statements, including information about management's view of Move's future expectations, plans and prospects, within the safe harbor provisions under The Pri‐vate Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, which may cause the results of Move, its subsidiaries, divisions and concepts to be materially different from those expressed or implied in such state‐ments. These risk factors and others are included from time to time in documents Move files with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including but not limited to, its Form 10‐Ks, Form 10‐Qs and Form 8‐Ks. Other unknown or unpredictable factors also could have material ad‐verse effects on Move's future results. The forward‐looking statements included in this press release are made only as of the date hereof. Move cannot guarantee future results, levels of activity, performance or achievements. Accordingly, you should not place undue reliance on these forward‐looking statements. Finally, Move expressly disclaims any intent or obligation to update any forward‐looking statements to reflect subsequent events or circumstances.
Media Contact: Christie Farrell, Move, Inc. 408‐558‐7115 [email protected]
SOURCE Move, Inc.
ListHubandNARAligntoGuideRealtors®inGlobalRealEstate
Read the full decision: CFPB in the matter of JRHBW Realty, Inc., d/b/a RealtySouth (RealtySouth), and TitleSouth, LLC (TitleSouth)
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau ("CFPB") determined in a recent administrative proceeding that RealtySouth ("Broker"), a large Alabama real estate broker, failed to comply with the Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act ("RESPA") through a number of referral activities, including improperly referring customers to its affiliate settlement companies ("Affiliated Companies").
Section 8(a) of RESPA prohibits giving or accepting a "fee, kick‐back, or thing of value" for business referrals to settlement services for federally‐related mortgage loans. A "thing of value" includes "increased equity in a parent or subsidiary entity." Nonetheless, Section 8(c)(4) of RESPA provides a "safe harbor" for affiliated businesses. This safe harbor consists of a three prong test, providing that referrals to affiliated businesses are permissible if all of the following requirements are met: (1) the client is provided a written disclosure ("Required Disclo‐sure") in a particular format, setting forth the affiliated nature of the businesses and a written estimate of the charge or charges generally made by the company to which the client is referred; (2) the client is not required to use the affiliated business; and (3) the only "thing of value" received under the arrangement are returns on ownership interest.
RESPA's implementing regulation provides precise requirements as to the form and scope of the Required Disclosure. Specifically, RESPA mandates that the Required Disclosure be set forth on a separate sheet of paper, provided to the client either at or be‐fore the time of referral, and include: (1) identification of the consumer and the entity making the referral, the property ad‐dress, and the date; (2) a description of the business relationship between the referring entity and the company to which the cli‐ent is being referred; (3) a signature line for the client to sign acknowledging their understanding; (4) the estimated charge or charges for the settlement service; and (5) a clear statement that the client is not required to use to affiliated company, and an explanation that the client has other choices in settlement service providers.
RESPA Appendix D to Part 1024 ("Appendix D") sets forth a model Required Disclosure that contains specific language and typography for the Required Disclosure, including the following language:
Set forth below is the estimated charge or range of charges for the settlement services listed. You are NOT required to use the listed provider(s) as a condition for [settlement of your loan on] [or] [purchase, sale, or refinance of] the subject property. THERE ARE FRE‐QUENTLY OTHER SETTLEMENT SERVICE PROVIDERS
AVAILABLE WITH SIMILAR SERVICES. YOU ARE FREE TO SHOP AROUND TO DETERMINE THAT YOU ARE RECEIV‐ING THE BEST SERVICES AND THE BEST RATE FOR THESE SERVICES.
In administrative proceedings, the CFPB found that Broker's re‐ferral activities had violated RESPA by:
Strongly encouraging its agents (and in some cases requiring its agents) to use Affiliated Companies;
For a period of over a year, using a preprinted purchase contract explicitly directing title and closing services to one of Affiliated Companies;
Later changing the language in the preprinted purchase contract regarding title and closing services, but continuing to steer cli‐ents to Affiliated Companies by requiring them to check off one of two boxes for title services, either an Affiliated Company or "Other"; and
Providing customers with an "Affiliated Business Arrangement Disclosure Statement" that did not comply with RESPA, as it did not use the format of Appendix D. Specifically, the CFPB pointed out that Broker's disclosure statement (a) did not use capital letters or other means of emphasizing to customers that they could obtain similar services from other providers, and that they were free to shop around, (b) incorporating the disclosure lan‐guage into a list of descriptions of Affiliated Companies, and (c) including overt marketing language in the disclosure statement "touting the benefit and value" of Affiliated Companies.
The CFPB concluded that Broker and Affiliated Companies vio‐lated RESPA by "giving and receiving a thing of value pursuant to an agreement or understanding" that Broker refer settlement services to Affiliated Companies by "affirmatively influencing the selection" of the Affiliated Companies, and that Broker's disclo‐sure did not satisfy RESPA's safe harbor provision for affiliated business relationships.
The CFPB ordered Broker to emphasize to its salespeople that they cannot require the use of any affiliate in real estate transac‐tions, to provide disclosure statements in the format provided in RESPA Appendix D, to cease from making any marketing state‐ments "or any other statement or content that materially inter‐feres with…the required disclosures.", and ordered Broker and its Affiliated Companies to cease all violations of RESPA.
Finally, the CFPB ordered Broker and Affiliated Companies to pay a civil penalty of $500,000.
In the Matter of: JRPBW Realty, Inc., doing business as Realty‐South; TitleSouth, LLC, File No. 2014‐CFPB‐0005 (May 28, 2014).
AffiliatedBusinessesLandinRESPAHotWater
THURSDAY AUGUST 21, 2014 COMMUNICATING ACROSS THE DISC
SPECTRUM OF PERSONALITIES
Speaker: Dr. Jack Mitchell of Personality Profiles Inc.
“Understanding your own personality, how you communicate and how you
receive communication are major steps in growing in “wisdom”. How you
understand and use the knowledge of other peoples’ personalities are major
steps in growing in friendship and in business.”— Dr. Jack Mitchell
Dr. Mitchell is a seasoned generalist with over 30 years of experience as an independent consultant and as a corporate executive. He is now focused on sharing his experience in training and coaching with other independent human resource consultants. Skilled in personality profiles, Jack is currently involved with individuals, teams and boards of directors in enhancing them individually and in groups to fulfill their personal and professional potentials. His goal is to develop independent consultants and empower them to enhance lives by helping people understand and maximize their personalities.
LET US KNOW YOU’RE
COMING!
WCR STUART-MARTIN CONTACT:
MARIE CAIAZZA
772-324-9254 OR
LUNCH SPONSOR:
RONISE TOLEDO
RESIDENTIAL LOAN OFFICER
HARBOR COMMUNITY BANK
2991 SW HIGH MEADOWS AVE
PALM CITY FL 34990
TEL: (772) 403-0261 | MOBILE: (772)
209-8569 | FAX: (772) 287-3578
EMAIL:
WEBSITE: WWW.HARBORCB.COM
2014 ANNUAL SPONSORS:
CHARLENE OAKOWSKY, OWNER
772-932-7056
RICHARD STRATMAN 772-708-2691 7777777
l
WCR STUART-MARTIN
Pipers Landing Yacht Country Club
6160 Thistle Terrace Palm City, FL 34990
Thursday August 21, 2014
11:30 AM- 1:00 PM
o Awards: Administers the Association’s awards program, i.e. REALTOR® of the Year, Affiliate Member of the Year; establishes guidelines, reviews applications/nominations, makes recommendations for Association awards, NAR, FAR and community awards Time commitment: 2‐3 meetings per year.
o Business Partner: Works to maximize bene‐fits and business relationships between Real‐tors and Affiliate members. Time commitment: Monthly meetings.
o Commercial: Encourage participation in Com‐mercial Committee by RAMC members. Iden‐tify other ways RAMC can provide support & service to commercial specialists.
Time commitment: Quarterly meetings.
o Election: Counts votes during the Election of RAMC Officers & Directors. Early vote counting the Friday before the annual meeting. Con‐trols the voting room during the annual meet‐ing, counts final ballots and presents count to the President. Time commitment: 2 meetings per year.
o Finance: Establishes/maintains fiscally re‐sponsible budgets and reserve accounts that are responsive to the Strategic Business Plan. Qualification: Financial experience preferred. Time commitment: Quarterly meetings.
o Government Affairs: Identifies, collects, ana‐lyzes and disseminates information concerning legislation and regulations that impact the business interests of members. Qualification: Interest in and knowledge of government af‐fairs including local, state & national issues that affect our members. Time commitment: Monthly meetings.
o Grievance: Reviews ethics complaints and arbitration requests to determine if a hearing is warranted in accordance with Code of Ethics and Arbitration Manual of NAR. Qualifications: Broker majority required, at least two years as a REALTOR®, mature, experienced, knowledge‐able common sense, open‐mindedness, judicial temperament, confidentiality, willingness to attend required training. Limited space avail‐able. Time commitment: As needed.
o Image & Public Relations: Promotes the im‐portance & roles of REALTORS® & RAMC, de‐signs marketing pieces to use in this promo‐tion, investigates other marketing avenues. Time commitment: 4‐6 meetings per year.
o Leadership Development: Works to culti‐vate future Directors and committee chairs and add new perspectives to RAMC’s leader‐ship. Time commitment: 6‐8 meetings per year.
o Membership: Coordinates various member networking activities, quarterly socials and will look at creating other social events to promote membership. Time commitment: Quarterly meetings.
o MLS: Maximizes property information sys‐tems including MLXChange. Qualification: Interested in improving and maximizing mem‐ber’s use of the MLS. Time commitment: Monthly meetings.
o Nominating: Screens candidates for local government offices that impact member’s business. Qualification: Knowledge of issues, respected by peers, experienced REALTOR®, no single issue focus, ability to conduct candi‐date interviews without partisanship. Time commitment: Election‐based.
o Professional Development: Based on mem‐ber needs, delivers on‐going education for all members, including technology updates, trends and information, provides monitors for all classes. This committee will work to en‐sure that our membership is as professional and ethical as possible. Time commitment: 4‐6 meetings per year.
o Residential Marketing: Conducts weekly Residential Marketing Sessions. Qualification: Should attend all possible marketing sessions; knows many members by name; outgoing personality. Time commitment: Marketing, Quarterly meetings, Moderates approxi‐mately 6 marketing sessions throughout the year.
o Professional Standards: Conducts hearings in matters of unethical conduct of, and dis‐putes involving, REALTOR® members. Qualifi‐cations: Same as Grievance Committee as above; Prior Grievance or Board of Directors experience a plus. Limited space available. Time commitment: As needed.
o YPN: Young Professionals Network: Helps Realtor professionals in becoming an expert in the real estate field. Networking, taking an active role in their association, attending con‐ferences, etc. Time commitment: At least Quarterly meetings.
PLEASE FILL OUT THIS SECTION WITH
YOUR INFORMATION:
Your Name:___________________________
Office:_______________________________
Email:_______________________________
Phone:_______________________________
COMMITTEES YOU ARE INTERESTED IN:
1st Choice____________________________
2nd_________________________________
3rd_________________________________
Please list any experience, education, inter‐ests, special skills or past volunteer work that you feel are relevant to the volunteer opportunities that you are interested in:
_____________________________________
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Please Fax to RAMC at 288‐0215
Please return by August 31st, 2014.
The best volunteers are usually the busiest people; The people we need involved in RAMC! Members who are active, successful professionals to guide the Association so that we are providing the programs, products and services that will help members be successful. We want the "best of the best" on our Team. Please indicate the commit‐tees on which you would like to serve based on your area of expertise or where your skills would be most beneficial.
Committee Volunteer Sheet
Association Awards It is time to think about nominees for 2014 RAMC Annual Awards!
We need your help to honor those who make a difference in our profession. Please take some time and nominate your choices for the Annual Awards.
REALTOR® of the Year Award
Purpose: Recognize the REALTOR® who has contributed the most to
the Association, the real estate profession, to fellow members and to
the community at large during the past year.
Distinguished Service Award
Purpose: Recognize REALTORS® who have shown exceptionally
meritorious service for at least five years with RAMC and whose
performance and involvement have been extraordinary, unselfish and
consistent in the areas of REALTOR® service, community service and
humanitarian service.
Community Service Award
Purpose: Recognize REALTORS® who are making an exceptional
contribution to improve the quality of life in our community. The RAMC
REALTORS® Make a Difference campaign recognizes members’
personal commitment to better our communities such as volunteers
with the PTA, soccer coach, big brother/sister, tutor, fundraiser, etc.
This award goes one step further looking at the level of personal
contribution and impact of that contribution.
Business Partner Member of the Year Award
Purpose: Recognize the individual Business Partner member who has
contributed the most to the Association, the real estate profession, to
fellow members and to the community at large during the past year.
We are seeking to honor the individual Business Partner Member who
has consistently offered support to guarantee the success of RAMC
programs, projects and goals.
Business Partner Company of the Year Award
Purpose: Recognize the Business Partner Company who has
contributed the most to the Association, the real estate profession, to
fellow members and to the community at large during the past year.
We are seeking to honor the Business Partner Company that has
consistently offered support to guarantee the success of RAMC
programs, projects and goals.
Other Special Awards
Purpose: Recognize members for something that just doesn’t fit into
any of the above categories. This is your opportunity to name the
category, as well as the recipient. Serious or funny – your
recommendations are appreciated. Also looks at excellence in our
specialty groups, i.e. property management, commercial, builder, etc.
Please nominate a member or company whom you feel has made a difference in our profession and community. List their accomplishments and the reasons why you feel they deserve recognition.
All members are encouraged to submit a nomination. Responsibility for final selection rests with the Awards Committee and the number of nominations a member receives does not necessarily determine the decision.
I hereby nominate: _________________________________________________________________________
For the _____________________________________________________________________________ Award
Nominated by: ____________________________________________________________________________
Reasons: _________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Please fax to (772) 288‐0215 or email to [email protected]
Page 10
Retiring Officers & Directors
IMMEDIATE PAST‐PRESIDENT
Jennifer Atkisson‐Lovett
CRS, GRI, CLHMS, SFR
RE/MAX of Stuart
Introducing... Your 2015 RAMC Leadership Team
PRESIDENT
Dennis Fadden
CRS, GRI, SRES, SFR
Coldwell Banker Residential Real Estate
PRESIDENT‐ELECT
Bill Dean
Century 21 IRP Realty
VICE PRESIDENT
Rick Boschen
SRES
Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Florida
SECRETARY‐TREASURER
Joan Rogers
Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Florida
DIRECTORS
OFFICERS
Ann Busbee
CRS, GRI, PMN
Dan Brady
CCIM, CRB
Diana Bruton
MBA, CRS, SRES, CRB,
CIPS, PMN, SFR, CDPE
Bob Castellano
GRI
Jeff Clark John Gonzalez
SRF
HB Warren
SRES, e‐Pro, CDPE
Tom Baker
SRES, ePRO
Christy Bearse
CPA
Page 11
MLSUpdates
Resolvedinv5.12.04
Resolvedinv5.12.05
ID Product Feature Description
D‐34802
61638
Fusion Email RAMC Only ‐ External images hosted on 3rd party servers do not display in email auto‐
notifications.
D‐18610 Fusion Saved
Search
Affects Non‐Pro Accounts Only. A warning messaged in the Saved Search Settings in‐
structions appears when user is non‐Pro that indicates "Notification cannot be sent via
the Contact Website because it has not been fully configured.". This message doesn’t
apply to non‐Pro users and should be removed.
D‐34831 Fusion Search Debug error is displayed in Listing Details screen if the Tax gadget doesn’t have a tax
record to display. It should display “No data found for this view”
D‐34783 Fusion Tax Search A debug error is displayed when user has two or more Tax search tasks loaded and
switched between those tasks and the screen can become distorted.
ID Product Feature Description
D‐34731
D‐35047
61626
Fusion Add/Edit In Add/Edit when a listing is set to 'Sold', all the required ‘sold’ fields are entered and
saved, but when the Listing Summary screen is displayed the report does not refresh to
show any of the Sold status information such as Selling Office, Selling Agent. It does re‐
D‐35052
61658
Fusion Agent
Web Page
REIN Only – Fusion Pro users whose Email Preferences has “Send to Agent Web Site” ,
but clients continue to receive reports outside the web site.
D‐34343
61597
Fusion
MLX Pro
Agent
Web Page
Golden Template Contact Me Form displays first letters incorrectly; the "T" from Thank
You and the "Y" from You will be Contacted Shortly display really big and all the way to
the left of the page while the rest of the text is centered on the page.
B‐125541 Fusion Images Improve scaling of images by applying a ‘smoothing’ algorithm. This will help reduce the
jagged appearance of diagonal lines when viewing images
B‐129323 Fusion Printing Add the text "Print" beside the existing printer icon in the Listing Detail gadget to make
this function more visible.
D‐35053
61660
Fusion Tools RAMC Only ‐ The system option that forces users to setup Password Reminder Ques‐
tions is not allowing users to save answers, functionality appears to be non‐operational
in Fusion.
D‐35292
61650
MLXchange
(not Fu‐
sion)
Printing Error when printing reports which included a map.
On Monday 8/4/14 RAMC will receive a patch to the MLS software which fixes the issues listed below. You will also notice that,
upon logging in, you will be prompted to answer your security questions if you haven’t already done so, so that if you were to ever
forget your password you can use the “Forgot Password” link on the MLS login screen to reset your access.
Coming Soon.... We will be getting an update to the RAMC GoMLS app which will include added features including but
not limited to: Search & Filter Improvements, Search Modes (toggle on/off), Help with Searching, Mortgage Calculator,
Thumbnail Photos for phone map, and more! Stay tuned for more information on the new features and release date!
Be a part of this exciting opportunity to learn about the resort
area and second-home specialty and fulfill one of the core
certification requirements for the RSPS Certification!
This one-day course from NAR focuses on the essentials of
assisting customers and clients in tourist-driven areas and
other second-home markets, including:
How to take advantage of community resources and
tourism bureaus
How to prepare to act when laws that directly affect
the resort business are scheduled to change
How to handle the media – rather than being
handled by it
The benefits and challenges of second homeownership
The Resort & Second-Home Markets course is one of the
core education requirements for the RSPS certification and
fulfills the elective course requirement for the ABR®
designation.
Realtor Association of Martin County 43 SW Monterey Road, Stuart, FL 34994 Thursday, October 23, 2014 8:30am- 5:30pm Cost: $169.00 Instructor: Dick Fryer, IFREC Real Estate Schools To Register: Call IFREC School at 888-647-7277
Realtor Association of Martin County 43 SW Monterey Road Stuart, FL 34994 Monday, September 15, 2014 8:00am to 6:00pm Cost: $129.00 Register online at ramcfl.org or call us at 772-283-1748 One Day Certification Course 8 CE Credits
Instructor
Eugene R Gibbins ABR, ABRM, AHWD, BPOR, CIPS, CSSN, CRB, CRS, e-PRO, FMS, GREEN, GRI, MRP, SFR, SRES, TRC
Page 14
What’s the secret to earning more money in real estate? Attending the 2014 REALTORS® Conference & Expo, Nov. 7-10 in New Orleans, LA. Attendees make two times the average real estate income, so you’ll have the chance to network with some of the most successful pros in the industry!
Register today at www.REALTOR.org/Conference to take advantage of hotel room rates starting at just $165 a night; hurry these rates won’t last long!
Page 14
Get on your bike or into your favorite ride and join our Road Rally October 16‐18. We’re on a mission to build participation in, and support of, Florida Realtors®
PAC.
Thursday, October 16, 2014
Realtors from across the state will join in organized Regional Rally groups that will end at the Mission Inn, in Tavares, FL.
Along each route, Regional Rally Groups will stop at local associations to facilitate local fundraising events and collect in‐
vestments in the PAC.
Friday, October 17, 2014
All Regional Rally Rides from the previous day will join together to form the State Rally Ride. Along their route, the State
Rally Ride will make stops at other local associations and predetermined checkpoints to build awareness of Realtor issues
and promote participation and investment in the PAC.
Saturday, October 18, 2014
Rally Groups and individuals are encouraged to stay for the Thank You breakfast and awards ceremony before heading
home.
Register online now!
Florida Realtors® PAC Inaugural Road Rally October 16-18, 2014
LIVE Listingbook Training is coming back to
RAMC this month!
Did you miss the classes in July? Listingbook will be back here on August 20th!
See below to learn which class is for you!
Lisa Turner, Listingbook’s Senior Trainer and licensed Florida Broker‐Associate, will back to RAMC to lead two
DIFFERENT classes at RAMC on August 20th to help you use Listingbook to sell more houses, get and retain more
listings, and make more money, while creating clients for life.
If you are a new agent at RAMC or are looking for a refresher course on the basics of
the Listingbook platform, join us at RAMC for our introductory class, “Welcome to
Listingbook—The Basics,” and find out why thousands of agents say Listingbook is the
only system you’ll ever need.
**You will also get a special sneak peak of the NEW Listingbook AI**
Wednesday, August 20th, 9:00amWednesday, August 20th, 9:00amWednesday, August 20th, 9:00am‐‐‐11:00am at RAMC11:00am at RAMC11:00am at RAMC
Click here to register for the Basic classClick here to register for the Basic classClick here to register for the Basic class
Did you know that:
Listingbook helps incubate, cultivate and qualify leads and convert them to real
CLIENTS
Listingbook agents average 5 more closed transactions per year
It will keep customers satisfied and loyal to you—they’ll have REAL TIME data, the
most advanced search and best data online.
If you are already a Listingbook user looking for more in‐depth understanding of our platform, join us for our advanced class,
“What’s New—Understanding and Working with Listingbook.” In this class you'll learn how to get the most out of the Listingbook
system, including pro tips for how Listingbook can help you improve your business that you won’t find anywhere else.
**You will also get a special sneak peak of the NEW Listingbook AI**
Wednesday, August 20th, 1:00pmWednesday, August 20th, 1:00pmWednesday, August 20th, 1:00pm‐‐‐3:00pm at RAMC3:00pm at RAMC3:00pm at RAMC
Click here to register for the Advanced classClick here to register for the Advanced classClick here to register for the Advanced class
By the end of the class, you’ll fully understand:
How to use your Communication and Collaboration Tools effectively, including Insight, Property Notes, Agent Picks and crea‐
tive Showing Packages and CMAs.
What the consumer’s experience is
The search feature in depth, including how to set up the best Homefinders for your clients.
Page 16
CurrentNARMVPProgramOffersValid from August 1 to 15, 2014
Your Action: Register for a FREE REALTOR® Safety Webinar
Your Reward: "Safety In Your Home" eProduct Bundle‐Download Click Here to View Reward You have until September 15, 2014 to order the "Safety In Your Home" eProduct Bundle‐Download product & claim your Reward from the
Realtor.org/Store before it expires.
The bundle includes:
A Guide to Mold, Moisture and Your Home ‐Download
Protect Your Family From Lead in Your Home ‐Download
Home Buyer’s and Seller’s Guide to Radon ‐Download
Details: On Tuesday September 9 at 1 pm CST, Police Officer and Safety Expert, Sergeant Preston Taylor will present “Safety Tips to Share
with Sellers." During this free NAR REALTOR® Safety webinar, we will discuss valuable advice and steps to share with your clients to help protect them against crime including:
• Items that need to be safely put away • How thieves are able to access personal information • What thieves target at open houses and how to be prepared • Safety tips to remember before and after showing a property
Registrants between August 1st and 15th get rewarded with a FREE "Safety in Your Home" eProduct Bundle. Click the Act Now Button above to register through REALTOR® University’s School of Professional Development and Continuing Education. Be sure to provide your NRDS ID number in order take advantage of the MVP Offer. It is recommended that you login before the scheduled webinar start time, as there is an attendee limit. Every registrant will receive a link to the recorded webinar after the live presentation from REALTOR® University’s technology partner, Learning Library. Only U.S. Members of the National Association of REALTORS® are eligible to receive this MVP offer. You must have a valid NRDS ID number and e‐mail address to participate.
ACT NOW—CLICK HERE
A $14.85 Value
District 2 – Stacey Hetherington
District 4 – Barbara Clowdus
RAMC Supports
Don’t forget to vote in the Primary Election on or before:
TUESDAY AUGUST 26TH
education outlookoutlook
Page 17
August 2014 August 2014 August 2014 14‐Hour Continuing Education (2‐Day Course)
Thursday, August 7th 9:00am‐5:00pm $50.00 14 CEUs
Friday, August 8th 8:00am‐ 4:00pm
14‐hour Continuing Education consists of 11 hours of specialty credit and 3‐hours of Core Law. Instructor: Don Widmayer, All Flor‐ida Real Estate Schools.
Core Law Only Class
Thursday, August 7th 9:00am‐12:00pm $25.00 3 CEUs
Registrants can sign up for the first three hours of the 14‐Hour Continuing Education class for Core Law Only. Instructor: Don Wid‐mayer, All Florida Real Estate Schools. Note: Core Law does NOT satisfy the RAMC Legal Liability requirement.
New Member Orientation
Friday, August 15th 9:00am‐ 3:00pm FREE No CEUs
Member Orientation and Code of Ethics, for new RAMC members. Breakfast provided by Nannette Walsh of Seacoast Inspections. Lunch provided by Laura Heins of Infiniti Title Insurance Agency
Code of Ethics‐ for Members Renewing Association Requirements
Friday, August 15th 1:00‐3:00pm $15.00 No CEUs
Members can attend the afternoon session of New Member Orien‐tation to satisfy their biennial requirements for Code of Ethics; this is a non credited class.
Basic MLS
Thursday, August 21st 9am‐ 12:30pm FREE 3 CEUs
Learn the rules and regulations, MLS overview, client set up, listing input, search & maintenance, add photos, print reports & add a listing to open house tour.
Advanced (FUSION) MLS
Thursday, August 21st 1:30pm‐ 4:30pm FREE 3 CEUs
Listing search review, customizing search templates, exporting, customizing grids, custom reports & agent web page set‐up.
GoMLSApp Training
Thursday, August 28th FREE
Session for Android: 9:00am‐ 10:30am
Session for Apple/iOS: 11:00am‐ 12:30pm
Join us for this class to learn how to use the new “RAMC GoMLS” app to view listings on the go. The RAMC GoMLS app can be in‐stalled and used on any iOS or Android device. Register NOW‐ Seating is limited to 25 participants due to use of the Wi‐Fi.
Realist (Tax) Training
Thursday, August 28th 1:30pm‐ 4:30pm FREE
Realist is the public records/tax roll information service provider for RAMC MLS. Learn how to run searches for mailing lists, exports, and create mailing labels among other functions. Limited to 20.
RAMC GoMLSApp Training
Monday, June 30th FREE No CEUs
Session for Android: 1:30pm‐3:00pm
Session for Apple/ iOS: 3:30pm‐5:00pm
Join us for this class to learn how to use the new "RAMC GoMLS" app to view listings on the go. Bring your tablet or smartphone with you! Limited to 20 participants due to use of the WiFi.
HOW TO REGISTER
Log on to http://www.RAMCFL.org
Click on “Calendar” and search for the class you want to reg‐ister for.
Click on the Class
Click on “Register”
Enter Credit Card information if there is a fee
Click on “Register” again
Click on “Print Receipt” on Confirmation Page to save a copy of the class info for your records. A class registration confir‐mation will also be emailed to your email address on file with RAMC.
Or you can call RAMC at 772‐283‐1748 to register.
No refunds or credits for no‐shows. Cancel 48 hours in advance if neces‐sary.
Page 18
Article 2 of the Realtor® Code of Ethics states: Realtors® shall avoid exaggeration, misrepresentation, or concealment of pertinent facts relating to the prop‐erty or the transaction. Realtors® shall not, however, be obligated to discover latent defects in the property, to advise on matters outside the scope of their real estate license, or to disclose facts which are confidential under the scope of agency or non‐agency relationships as defined by state law. (Amended 1/00)
Ethics Review
Case #2‐1: REALTORS® Buying and Selling to One Another are Still Considered REALTORS®
REALTOR® A owned a home which he listed through his own brokerage firm. The property listing was filed with the Multiple List‐
ing Service of the Board. REALTOR® B called REALTOR® A and told him of his interest in purchasing the home for himself. REAL‐
TOR® A suggested a meeting to discuss the matter. The two agreed upon terms and conditions and the property was sold by REAL‐
TOR® A to REALTOR® B.
A few months later during hard rains, leakage of the roof occurred with resultant water damage to the interior ceilings and side
walls. REALTOR ® B had a roofing contractor inspect the roof. The roofing contractor advised REALTOR® B that the roof was defec‐
tive and advised that only a new roof would prevent future water damage.
REALTOR® B then contacted REALTOR® A and requested that he pay for the new roof. REALTOR® A refused, stating that REALTOR®
B had a full opportunity to look at it and inspect it. REALTOR® B then charged REALTOR® A with violation of Articles 1 and 2 of the
Code of Ethics by not having disclosed that the roof had defects known to REALTOR® A prior to the time the purchase agreement
was executed.
At the subsequent hearing, REALTOR® B outlined his complaint and told the Hearing Panel that at no time during the inspection of
the property, or during the negotiations which followed, did REALTOR® A disclose any defect in the roof. REALTOR® B acknowl‐
edged that he had walked around the property and had looked at the roof. He had commented to REALTOR® A that the roof
looked reasonably good, and REALTOR® A made no comment. The roofing contractor, REALTOR® B had employed after the leak
occurred told him that there was a basic defect in the way the shingles were laid in the cap of the roof and in the manner in which
the metal flashing on the roof had been installed. It was the roofing contractor’s opinion that the home’s former occupant could
not have been unaware of the defective roof or the leakage that would occur during hard rains.
REALTOR® A told the panel that he was participating only to prove that he was not subject to the Code of Ethics while acting as a
principal as compared with his acts as an agent on behalf of others. He pointed out that he owned the property and was a principal
and that REALTOR® B had purchased the property for himself as a principal. The panel concluded that the facts showed clearly that
REALTOR® A, the seller, did have knowledge that the roof was defective, and had not disclosed it to REALTOR® B, the buyer. Even
though a REALTOR® is the owner of a property, when he undertakes to sell that property he accepts the same obligation to prop‐
erly represent its condition to members of the public, including REALTORS® who are purchasers in their own name, as he would
have if he were acting as the agent of a seller. The panel concluded that REALTOR® A was in violation of Articles 1 and 2 of the
Code.
Case #2‐2: Time at Which Modification to Offer of Subagency is communicated is a Determining Factor
REALTOR® A listed Seller X’s home and filed the listing with the MLS. The property data sheet indicated the compensation REAL‐
TOR® A was offering to the other Participants if they were successful in finding a buyer for Seller X’s home.
During the next few weeks, REALTOR® A authorized several Participants of the Multiple Listing Service, including REALTOR® C, to
show Seller X’s home to potential buyers. Although several showings were made, no offers to purchase were forthcoming. REAL‐
TOR® A and Seller X, in discussing possible means of making the property more salable, agreed to reduce the listed price. REAL‐
TOR® A also agreed to lower his commission. REALTOR® A changed his compensation offer in the MLS and then called the MLS
Participants who had shown Seller X’s property to advise them that he was modifying his offer of compensation to cooperating
brokers. Upon receiving the call, REALTOR® C responded that he was working with Prospect Z who appeared to be very interested
in purchasing the property and who would probably make an offer to purchase in the next day or two. REALTOR® C indicated that
he would expect to receive the compensation that had been published originally in the MLS and not the reduced amount now be‐
Page 19
ing offered to him, since he had already shown the property to Prospect Z and expected an offer to purchase would be made
shortly. REALTOR® A responded that since Prospect Z had not signed an offer to purchase and no offer had been submitted the
modified offer of compensation would be applicable.
The following day, REALTOR® C wrote an offer to purchase for Prospect Z. The offer was submitted to the Seller by REALTOR® A
and was accepted. At the closing, REALTOR® A gave REALTOR® C a check for services in an amount reflecting the modified offer
communicated to REALTOR® C by phone. REALTOR® C refused to accept the check indicating that he felt REALTOR® A’s actions
were in violation of the Code of Ethics, REALTOR® C filed a complaint with the Board’s Grievance Committee alleging violation of
Articles 2 and 3 on the part of REALTOR® A citing Standard of Practice 3‐2 in support of the charge.
During the hearing, REALTOR® C stated that REALTOR® A’s modification of the compensation constituted a misrepresentation
through concealment of pertinent facts since he had not provided REALTOR® C with specific written notification of the modifica‐
tion prior to the time REALTOR® C began his efforts to interest the purchaser in the listed property. REALTOR® A defended his ac‐
tions by indicating that timely notice of the modification of compensation offered had been provided to REALTOR® C by telephone
prior to REALTOR® C submitting a signed offer to purchase. REALTOR® A also indicated that his modified offer of compensation
had been bulletined to all Participants, including REALTOR® C, through the MLS in accordance with Standard of Practice 3‐2 prior
to the time that REALTOR® C had submitted the signed offer to purchase.
REALTOR® A also commented that had REALTOR® C submitted the signed offer to purchase prior to REALTOR® A communicating
the modified offer, then REALTOR® A would have willingly paid the amount originally offered.
Based on the evidence presented to it, the Hearing Panel concluded that REALTOR® A had acted in accordance with the obligation
expressed in Standard of Practice 3‐2 based on changing the offer of cooperative compensation in the MLS alone, even without the
courtesy phone calls, and consequently was not in violation of Articles 2 or 3.
Page 19
2014 RPAC Members2014 RPAC Members2014 RPAC Members
$99 Club Members
Diane Asker
W. Thomas Aydelotte
Elias Azzi
Thomas Baker
Bobby Barfield
Peggy Batch‐Gattone
Diana Bloom
Stephen Bohner
Rick Boschen
Boyd Bradfield
Diana Bruton
Marty Carmody
Ronald Caruthers
Joan Cass
Robert Castellano
Jeff Clark
Christopher Clifford
Katherine Coury
Christopher Dalfo
Steven Day
William Dean
David Derrenbacker
Todd Doss
Stephen Dutcher
Mary Dwan
Margaret Dyer
Dennis Fadden
Melody Fortier
Elmira Gainey
James Gallagher
Cheryl Giannunzio
Ricou Hartman
Marion Jones
Carolyn Knight
Carol Kucharski
M. Joy Lane
Angie Laviano
Vincent Laviano
Edward Long
Sean Mann
Joseph Martin
Sandy McAlister
Gail McCallum
John McGhee
Patricia McGhee
Stephen Osburn
W Ronald Paradise
Drew Pittman
Paula Police
David Powers
Kevin Powers
Anne Schmidt
Ronald Schmidt
Gary Scott
Randolph Segal
Richard Sheehan
Russell Sites
Gayle Sokoloff
Christine Solimine
Patrick Stracuzzi
Ryan Strom
William Vanderwerff
Mary Ann Villalva
Frank Wacha
H B Warren
Randy Wisniewski
Dorothy Yatsko
Capitol Club Jennifer Atkisson‐Lovett Beverly Bray Nancy Burnopp Sandy Burton Carolyn “Ann” Busbee Deb Duvall Cheryl Gaydos John Gonzalez Joan Rogers Diane Romer Colleen Sample Joanne Zarro President’s Circle Golden “R”
Maria Wells
*Names in red denote a new donor status since last month
Ethics (continued from previous page)
Eye on Government
Page 20
“TheWashingtonReport”fromNAR
HUD to Allow Dual Agency Agreements in FHA
Pre‐foreclosure Transactions
On Friday, July 14, 2014, the US Department of Housing and Urban
Development (HUD) issued Mortgagee Letter 2014‐15 allowing dual
agency agreements in FHA pre‐foreclosure transactions. Dual agency
includes transactions in which two agents are working for the same
broker and one agent represents the seller and the other agent repre‐
sents the buyer. Dual agency also applies to a single agent who repre‐
sents both the buyer and the seller in a short sale transaction.
Last summer, HUD issued a policy to exclude dual agency agreements
in FHA short sale transactions starting October 1, 2013. NAR President
Gary Thomas and NAR legal counsel met with HUD staff to express
NAR’s concerns about
the policy and the
disruptive effect its
implementation would
have on communities
across the nation. As a
result, HUD agreed to
work with NAR to
arrive at a policy that
better addresses con‐
cerns that pre‐
foreclosure sales are
not meeting HUD’s
minimum net sales
proceeds require‐
ments.
The new guidance will preserve dual agency agreements in FHA short
sales, but require the properties to be listed for at least 15 calendar
days before any offers are evaluated. After the 15‐day period, offers
may be evaluated as they are received. If multiple offers are received,
the listing agent or broker must forward the offer that provides the
highest net return to HUD and meets HUD's criteria for bid require‐
ments.
The sample pre‐foreclosure sale addendum has been revised to: (1)
add the name of the listing broker and the buyer's broker; (2) permit
the real estate agent and/or broker to represent both parties; (3) have
the listing agent and listing broker certify compliance with the 15‐day
minimum listing period; and (4) have the listing agent and listing bro‐
ker certify that in the event of multiple offers, they submitted the one
with the highest net return that met HUD's criteria.
These requirements must be implemented for all "New Approvals to
Participate" no later than October 1, 2014.
NAR's Letter to Commissioner Galante Mortgagee Letter 2014‐15
FEMA Releases Refund Guidance
On June 26, FEMA released guidance related to providing refunds to
property owners to overpaid for flood insurance. Pursuant to Section 3
of the Homeowners Flood Insurance Affordability Act (HFIAA), refund
amounts will be determined using rates made available in Bulletin W‐
14026 issued on May 29, 2014. Section 3 of HFIAA requires FEMA to
restore Pre‐Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM) subsidized rates and
issue refunds of excess premiums collected above the subsidized rate
for:
Pre‐FIRM properties not insured when the Biggert‐Waters Flood
Insurance Act of 2012(Biggert‐Waters) was enacted;
Pre‐FIRM properties purchased after Biggert‐Waters was enacted;
and
Policies for Pre‐FIRM properties that were rated full‐risk under Biggert‐Waters due to a lapse in coverage, but only for policies where the lapse was due to a property owner no longer being required to pur‐chase flood insurance. The issuance of refunds will begin on Oct. 1, 2014, and must be com‐
pleted by Dec. 31, 2014.
NAR Testifies Against Expanded Clean Water Act
Regulations
In the House, several committees are holding oversight hearings on the “Waters of the U.S.” proposed rule by the Environmental Protec‐tion Agency and the Army Corps of Engineers. On July 10, 2014, NAR provided a written statement on the proposal focusing on the existing homeowner and small business concerns. Also, NAR has worked with a coalition of real estate groups to concentrate on the commercial and home buyer impacts. A central issue of the proposed rule is whether federal agencies must
continue to physically visit and collect data before issuing wetlands
determinations restricting land use on private property. However,
because the agencies complain it’s too hard to prove the Clean Water
Act applies, they want property owners to either a) do the analysis
themselves and prove otherwise or b) go through a broken permit
process in order to make routine land improvements like clearing
brush or planting trees.
NAR believes that data and analysis leads to better regulatory deci‐
sions, and we point to an Inspector General report showing the cur‐
rent approach is working to limit unjustified regulation and also pro‐
tect oceans, lakes or rivers that are navigable. We also provide the
testimony of scientists that a literature review won’t provide a sound
scientific basis for regulation, but that wetlands letters will complicate
home buying decisions where there is fear and uncertainty. We urge
Congress to stop these agencies from moving forward until they pro‐
vide base regulation and sound science and fix the wetlands permit
program which is creating only confusion and uncertainty.
Download NAR's Statement
TALKING POINT
Congressional Action Needed:Lawmakers must remember the vital role that real estate tax provisions play in the nation’s housing markets and economy. Several tax provisions vital to distressed homeowners and commercial real estate have expired and need to be extended. Tax reform is important but should first do no harm.
Congressional Actions to Date:• No viable comprehensive tax reform legislation has been introduced,
but draft House (Camp) and Senate (Baucus) reform proposals are circulating.
• Though tax reform is unlikely to move in 2014, the ideas presented in these draft plans could end up in feasible bills in the future, unless discredited now.
• Several important temporary tax provisions expired in 2013. The Senate Finance Committee has passed a bill to retroactively restore them. Full Senate and House approval is expected but is not likely until the “lame duck” session after the November elections.
What to Tell Your Representatives and Senators:• Mortgage Debt Forgiveness Tax Relief: A provision that waives income
tax on mortgage debt forgiven in a short sale or a workout for principal residences expired at the end of 2013. If distressed homeowners have to pay tax on “phantom income” from forgiven debt, many will not go through with short sales or workouts and will go into foreclosure. This is not only unfair but harms families, neighborhoods and com-munities. Co-Sponsor H.R 2994 (House) or S. 1187 (Senate) and ask Congressional Leaders to move the bill quickly.
• Mortgage Interest Deduction (MID): For more than a century, the MID has helped make homeownership more affordable for families of moderate means, strengthening our communities. Oppose efforts to eliminate or weaken the mortgage interest deduction for primary and second homes. The House draft would eliminate the MID for 95% of homeowners.
• Property Tax Deduction: Property taxes paid are not properly consid-ered “income” for income tax purposes. Eliminating the deduction would result in double taxation. Oppose eliminating property tax deductions. The House draft would eliminate the property tax deduc-tion for ALL homeowners.
• Like-Kind Exchanges: This longstanding provision allows investment real estate to be exchanged for property of a like-kind on a tax-deferred basis. Exchanges are a key part of a high percentage of investment real estate transactions; if repealed, fewer redevelopment projects will go forward, resulting in fewer new jobs. The like-kind exchange provi-sion provides liquidity to an illiquid asset, and repealing it would harm economic growth. The House and Senate drafts would both eliminate Like-Kind Exchanges.
Issue Background:While tax reform is on the “back burner” now, the ideas introduced by the House and Senate tax reform draft plans will be reconsidered when Congress gets serious about moving tax reform. It is important Congress understands now that reforms that harm real estate are nonstarters. In the meantime, there also are urgent provisions that have expired that Congress should extend now.
Expired Provisions Must Be Reinstated• Despite significant market recovery, more than 6 million homeowners
(13 percent of all homeowners with a mortgage) are still “under water.”• There are still 1.1 million homes in the process of foreclosure. This is
down from the peak of just over 2 million, but way above the average of 430,000 from the pre-housing crisis period of between 2000 and 2006.
• Mortgage debt forgiveness tax relief is vital for these families. Failure to act will force more homeowners into foreclosure, destabilizing com-munities and housing values.
Real Estate-Related Provisions Must Be Preserved• More than 75 percent of homeowners utilize the mortgage interest
deduction at some point over the period they own a home.• For many homeowners, property tax paid is their largest deduction —
one that continues long after a mortgage is paid off.• The value of both mortgage interest and property tax deductions is cap-
italized into house prices. Eliminating the MID would cause on average a 15 percent drop in home values; decreasing the deductions, even for a limited group, would compress the value of all homes
• Repealing the like-kind exchange provision would be counterproduc-tive and result in the loss of jobs and economic growth and very little gain in revenue.
Opposing Viewpoints• Critics will argue that a simpler tax code with lower rates is better for
housing than the current system, and the mortgage interest deduction most benefits high-income homeowners who do not need help buying a home.
• Deductions for property taxes subsidize high taxes and encourage bloated governments.
• The mortgage debt forgiveness tax relief provision was to be a tempo-rary provision and has outlived its purpose.
• The like-kind exchange provision is a loophole that needlessly benefits those fortunate enough to own investment property.
PRESERVE REAL ESTATE-RELATED TAX POLICIES
Closed Sales
Cash Sales
New Pending Sales
New Listings
Median Sale Price
Average Sale Price
Median Days on Market
Avg. Percent of Original List Price Received
Pending Inventory
A
S
O
N
D
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
Produced by Florida REALTORS® with data provided by Florida's multiple listing services. Statistics for each month compiled from MLS feeds on the 15th day of the following month.
Data released on Tuesday, July 22, 2014. Next data release is Thursday, August 21, 2014.
Months Supply of Inventory 7.2 6.2 15.8%
June 2014 June 2013Percent Change
Year-over-Year
250 209 19.6%
103 79 30.4%
280 242 15.7%
330 243 35.8%
$315,000 $277,000 13.7%
$457,788 $419,184 9.2%
61 60 1.7%
1,391 1,081 28.7% Inventory (Active Listings)
91.8% 91.9% -0.1%
426 471 -9.6%
$180K
$200K
$220K
$240K
$260K
$280K
$300K
$320K
$340K
Me
dia
n S
ale
Pri
ce
1,000
1,200
1,400
1,600
1,800
2,000
2,200
2,400
Tota
l In
ven
tory
0
50
100
150
200
250
300
Clo
sed
Sal
es
Monthly Market Summary - June 2014
J F M A M J J A S O N D J F M A M J J A S O N D J F M A M J J A S O N D J F M A M J J A S O N D J F M A M J
2010 2011 2012 2013
J F M A M J J A S O N D J F M A M J J A S O N D J F M A M J J A S O N D J F M A M J J A S O N D J F M A M J
J F M A M J J A S O N D J F M A M J J A S O N D J F M A M J J A S O N D J F M A M J J A S O N D J F M A M J
2010 2011 2012 2013
Martin County Single Family Homes
Closed Sales
Cash Sales
New Pending Sales
New Listings
Median Sale Price
Average Sale Price
Median Days on Market
Avg. Percent of Original List Price Received
Pending Inventory
A
S
O
N
D
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
Produced by Florida REALTORS® with data provided by Florida's multiple listing services. Statistics for each month compiled from MLS feeds on the 15th day of the following month.
Data released on Tuesday, July 22, 2014. Next data release is Thursday, August 21, 2014.
558 568 -1.8% Inventory (Active Listings)
90.0% 90.6% -0.7%
157 223 -29.6%
$150,281 $158,090 -4.9%
73 77 -5.2%
132 143 -7.7%
$115,500 $112,000 3.1%
Months Supply of Inventory 5.6 5.8 -4.0%
June 2014 June 2013Percent Change
Year-over-Year
97 87 11.5%
66 52 26.9%
104 129 -19.4%
$70K
$80K
$90K
$100K
$110K
$120K
$130K
$140K
Me
dia
n S
ale
Pri
ce
0
200
400
600
800
1,000
1,200
1,400
Tota
l In
ven
tory
0
50
100
150
200
Clo
sed
Sal
es
Monthly Market Summary - June 2014
J F M A M J J A S O N D J F M A M J J A S O N D J F M A M J J A S O N D J F M A M J J A S O N D J F M A M J
2010 2011 2012 2013
J F M A M J J A S O N D J F M A M J J A S O N D J F M A M J J A S O N D J F M A M J J A S O N D J F M A M J
J F M A M J J A S O N D J F M A M J J A S O N D J F M A M J J A S O N D J F M A M J J A S O N D J F M A M J
2010 2011 2012 2013
Martin County Townhouses and Condos
August2014August2014August2014MONDAYMONDAYMONDAY TUESDAYTUESDAYTUESDAY WEDNESDAYWEDNESDAYWEDNESDAY THURSDAYTHURSDAYTHURSDAY FRIDAYFRIDAYFRIDAY
19am—Congressional Candidate Forum
49am—Senate Candidate Forum
58:30am—Residential Marketing, Area 1, Map Y
61pm—Form Simplicity Training
79am—Core Law (3 CEUs)
8
11
128:30am—Residential Marketing, Area 3, Maps B & C
13
14
159am—New Member Orientation
1pm—Code of Ethics (no CEUs)
18
198:30am—Residential Marketing, Areas 3 & 7180, Maps D & PSL
209am—Listingbook Basics
1pm—Listingbook Advanced
219am—Basic MLS
1:30pm—Advanced MLS
229am—Self‐Directed IRA w/Chelsea Title Company
25
268:30am—Residential Marketing, Area 5, Map E
27
289am—GoMLS Training for Android
11am—GoMLS Training for iOS
1:30pm—Realist Hands‐On Training
29
“Thank You” to our July Program Sponsors!!!“Thank You” to our July Program Sponsors!!!“Thank You” to our July Program Sponsors!!! 7/1/14 Marketing Regina Karner Karner Surveying
7/8/14 Marketing Mike Searle Searle and Associates
7/9/14 Basic MLS John Uhle John Uhle and Associates
7/11/14 Contract to Commission I Anita Errico‐Smith Chelsea Title Company
7/15/14 Marketing Karen Gilmore Big Heart Brigade
7/17/14 Contract to Commission II Anita Errico‐Smith Chelsea Title Company
7/18/14 Orientation Michael McNicholas McCarthy, Summers, Bobko, et al
7/22/14 Marketing Regina Karner Karner Surveying
7/24/14 Realist Training Jacqui Brock PrimeLending
7/24/14 Fusion Training Peggy Hornick East Coast Mortgage Lenders
7/29/14 Annual Meeting/Marketing Tara Biek of The Real Estate Book of Martin County & Kurt Lewis of Handyman Matters
7/30/14 Listingbook Training Gail Kleeman Group One Mortgage
14‐Hr. Continuing Education Course, Th. 9am‐5pm & Fri. 8am‐4pm
Florida Realtors® Conference & Expo—Rosen Shingle Creek, Orlando, FL
If you are interested in sponsoring an upcoming program, please contact Kim at [email protected]