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CCAR NewsCCAR Closed for the HolidaysBernice Maez Named November's CCAR Satisfaction Survey WinnerSUPRA Updates its List of eKEY Compatible Devices REALTOR®/Lender Committee: Your Source for Vital Information REALTORS® for the ReStore
EducationEducation Feature Classes
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If you would like to be eligible for upcoming Satisfaction Survey drawings, simply visit our Web site at http://www.ccar.net/ and click on "How Are We Doing?" under the "Hot Topics" section. In addition, at the bottom of every e-mail you receive from CCAR, there is an opportunity to complete the survey to inform us of how we did during your most recent contact with us.
Please feel free to complete the Satisfaction Survey every time you have contact with CCAR. In return, you will be entered into a monthly drawing for a $50 rebate of your membership dues. We want to provide the best possible service to our members, and your feedback allows us to do that.Top
AT&TTreo 750 (WinMo 6)
AlltelTreo 755pTreo 650PPC6800 (WinMo 6)
VerizonXV6800Treo 755p
Qwest Any device that is currently supported on Sprint is also supported on Qwest (they share the same network).
For a current list of all eKEY certified devices, please visit our Web site, http://www.ccar.net/, and click on “SUPRA” under the “Membership” tab. If you have any questions, please contact our CCAR Member Services Specialists at 972-618-3800.Top
What a difference one year can make! A little over a year ago when Jacob Narisi invited me to be the 2008 Chair of the REALTOR®/Lender Committee, I had no idea what was in store for me. At that time, the real estate market and mortgage industry were, for the most part, running on auto pilot. Although investors frequently made small adjustments to loan products and rates, the changes were minimal and easy to digest.
As we move into 2008, I dare to say there is not a program, product or lender that has not been impacted by what the media is calling the “mortgage meltdown.” What started as a problem that impacted only subprime borrowers and investors, has since permeated our business creating havoc along the way. Now, borrowers who have traditionally been considered average credit risks are facing penalties as both Fannie and Freddie are moving toward “risk based pricing.”
Unfortunately, the restructuring of mortgage pricing and programs continue and loan officers are pounded on a daily basis with changes throughout the industry. We are having a hard time keeping up; which is why I feel the mission of the REALTOR®/Lender Committee is more important than ever. Our focus in 2008 will be to dissect the information we receive and try to figure out what is most relevant to you, our REALTOR® partners, and share it in a concise and easy to understand format.
I urge you to take advantage of the information in our REALTOR®/Lender Minute each Tuesday, attend our quarterly presentations, pay attention to any special e-mail alerts sent on the behalf of the committee, and join us at our monthly committee meetings. I also encourage you to take time from your busy schedule and attend our education program planned for February. If you have additional questions or suggestions for the committee please let us know and we’ll do our best to address them. We are here to assist you!
I look forward to working with each of you and extend my wishes for a prosperous 2008.
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REALTORS® for the ReStoreBy Celeste Kennedy
When South Collin County Habitat for Humanity builds homes in low-income areas, it raises the value of neighborhoods. It brings hope to people who, with their shelter and energy efficiency needs under control, can use their income to meet their children’s needs. Families who receive Habitat homes must put in 400 “sweat-equity” hours of volunteer work with Habitat or at the Habitat ReStore.
The Habitat ReStore in Plano serves as a fund-raising mechanism for Habitat for Humanity and it can help meet your needs and those of your clients. When it comes to staging a home, the Habitat ReStore is an ideal place to find furniture and appliances. In addition, the ReStore also has decorative items such as art closeouts from Robb and Stucky and Minka-Lavery fixtures.
If your buyers are planning to remodel their house after closing, they can donate the carpet, appliances and other fixtures that already exist in the home to the ReStore. In addition, they can visit the ReStore for great deals on building materials, carpeting, tile, marble/granite countertops, sinks, kitchen appliances, lighting fixtures, furniture and other quality decorative and practical items.
Because the ReStore receives tax-deductible donations from the community, local builders, home remodeling companies, home furnishing stores, local craftsmen, plumbers, and electricians, it’s able to sell the donated items at a price that enables everyone to keep their home in good repair. The proceeds from the ReStore’s sales benefit South Collin County Habitat for Humanity.
In addition to shopping at the ReStore, there are other ways to support its efforts. Some brokers and title companies have placed an option box on closing forms allowing for a donation to Habitat or to the Habitat ReStore. Others support Habitat by attending the Habitat Gala Fund-raiser every February. “Building Foundations and Building Lives” is the theme of the upcoming gala, which will be held on February 16, at the Marriott Legacy Town Center in Plano.
The Habitat ReStore is located at 1400 Summit Ave. in Plano. For more information on what products the ReStore carries, the upcoming gala fund-raiser, or how you can donate your time or services to help the organization, visit Habitat’s Web site at http://www.habitat-scc.org/.Top
“One County, One Voice” – CCAR 2008 Installation of Officers The Collin County Association of REALTORS® 2008 Installation of Officers will be held on January 26, 2008 at Plano Centre located at 2000 E. Spring Creek Parkway in Plano. The formal banquet is black tie optional, and promises to be a night of great food, music and ballroom dancing. The evening will begin with registration at 6 p.m. and dinner at 7 p.m.
We hope that you will join us, along with 2008 NAR President-Elect, Charles McMillan, as we celebrate the installation of CCAR’s 2008 officers and directors:
Jacob Narisi, President Kay Wright, President-Elect Dan Robertson, Secretary/Treasurer Bob Baker, Immediate Past President
Tickets for the Installation dinner are $45 per person, or $500 for a table of ten. To purchase tickets or for information on how you can become an advertiser, contact Pam Tidwell, Government Affairs Assistant, at pam@ccar.net or 972-618-3800. Top
CCIM Institute Offers Course on Commercial InvestmentIf you’re interested in learning more about commercial investment, mark your calendar for the CCIM Institute’s upcoming course, “Introduction to Commercial Investment Real Estate Analysis.” Below are the details regarding this course:
Introduction to Commercial Investment Real Estate Analysis Jan. 14–15, 2008
North Texas CCIM Addison Conference Center 15650 Addison Rd. Addison , TX 75001
Course content will include:
Course attendees will receive credit:
There are no prerequisites to attend this class; however participants will need a Hewlett-Packard financial calculator (HP-10BII model highly recommended). The Cost for this course is $375. For more information, or to register for this course call 1-800-621-7027 or visit the CCIM Web site at www.ccim.com/education.Top
Candidate Interviews: The Key to REALTOR® Political Success By Mike Barnett, North Texas Field Representative for the Texas Association of REALTORS®
The Texas Association of REALTORS® (TAR) is one of the most respected and influential trade groups in Texas. Local, state and federal officials know that Texas REALTORS® vet candidates through a fair, non-partisan process. The most important step in this process is the candidate interview.During an election cycle, a local association selects a panel of REALTORS® to meet with candidates seeking elected office. The panel, usually comprised of members with experience on the association’s Governmental Affairs or TREPAC committee, meets with all candidates running for a particular seat. If multiple REALTOR® associations are located within a particular district, their members work together to form a single panel.
Candidates fill out a questionnaire in advance of the interview, and the panel asks them questions based on those responses. Candidates get a chance to clarify their positions, and the panel is able to explain what types of issues are important to REALTORS® and private-property owners. After all candidates for an office have been interviewed, the panel recommends one who has a strong grasp of REALTOR® issues. An incumbent with a history of voting for REALTOR® issues is typically given stronger consideration than a challenger.
TREPAC trustees and the Texas Association of REALTORS® Governmental Affairs staff rely heavily on these recommendations, which influence how to disperse TREPAC investments. Texas has a short primary season; the filing deadline for the March 2008 primary is Jan. 2, 2008. That means that office seekers have a short time to meet with community groups, deliver their messages and shore up support. In the next few weeks, REALTOR® groups across the state will be conducting candidate interviews for the March 2008 primary.
Contact your local association if you would like to participate in the candidate interview process or join your local association’s Governmental Affairs or TREPAC committee. Visit TAR’s Web site at http://www.texasrealtors.com/ to read more about candidate interviews and other TAR Political Affairs programs.Top
Plano Networking CCAR, 6821 Coit Rd, Plano. Breakfast and networking start at 8:45 a.m. Host office for January is Park One Property Management (Dan Robertson 214-618-4636). January 8 Speaker: Billy Vaugh, Land America FinancialTopic: Forecast for 2008Advertiser: K. Hovnanian HomesJanuary 15Speaker:Shelly Rogers,TRLP, and others re Green/RecyclingAdvertiser: To be announcedJanuary 22 Speaker:TREPAC PresentationAdvertiser: To be announcedJanuary 29 Speaker: Dan RobertsonTopic: Back To Basics Advertiser: Tucker HillTop
CCAR Committee Meetings Monthly calendar of committee meetings located at CCAR.12/18 - Tuesday, 9:45 a.m. MLS Committee 1/3 - Thursday, 11:00 a.m. Education Committee1/4 - Friday, 3:30 p.m. Installation Committee1/8 - Tuesday, 9:45 a.m. Government Affairs Committee1/8 - Tuesday, 9:45 a.m. REALTOR®/Lender Committee1/15 - Tuesday, 9:45 a.m. Affiliate Committee1/21 - Monday, 11:30 a.m. Housing Opportunity Committee1/21 - Monday, 12:00 p.m. B&F and Executive Committee1/22 - Tuesday, 9:45 a.m. MLS Committee1/22 - Tuesday, 9:45 a.m. Membership Development Committee 1/24 - Thursday, 11:30 a.m. Broker/Manager Committee1/31 - Thursday, 9:00 a.m. Board of Directors Top
CCAR REALTOR® Store: Come See What We Have to OfferThe CCAR REALTOR® Store has a wide variety of merchandise to fit all of your real estate needs:
The CCAR REALTOR® Store ap preciates the opportunity to serve you, and we thank you for your business.
Prices listed above are for CCAR members.Top
NTREIS Rules and Regulations Weekly ReviewSection 8 – Selling Procedures 8.06 – The Other Participant or his/her representative has the right to accompany the Listing Participant or his/her representative when the offer procured by such Other Participant is presented to the owner(s), unless the owner(s) instructs the Listing Participant to the contrary. The Other Participant shall have no right to attend any subsequent discussions or evaluations of such offer by the Listing Participant and owner(s), or to accompany the Listing Participant to the owner(s) for submission of subsequent offers or counteroffers unless the owner(s) so requests or consents. The Listing Broker retains the right to control the time of any appointments for presentation of offers or counteroffers.
The Buyer’s Agent can accompany the Listing Agent when the initial offer is presented unless otherwise notified by the Seller. However, they do not have the right to participate in any discussions with the Listing Agent and Seller after the initial offer is presented unless otherwise directed by the Seller.
If you have questions regarding this rule, please feel free to contact Judy Kresich, MLS Team Leader, at judy@ccar.net or at 972-618-3800.Top
Volunteer for 2008 TAR Task Forces Although the Texas Legislature won’t convene until January 2009, now is the time for the Texas Association of REALTORS® (TAR) to develop its objectives for that session. You can be a part of determining the association’s legislative priorities by volunteering for one of six task forces created by TAR’s leadership team:
Banking and Mortgage Finance
Visit TAR’s Web site at http://www.texasrealtors.com/ to volunteer and learn more about each task force’s charge. The deadline to sign up for a task force is January 10.Top
Fingerprints Required for License RenewalThe Collin County Association of REALTORS® would like to remind you that beginning Jan. 1, 2008, all licensees must be fingerprinted when they renew their license. If you renew your broker or salesperson license on or after January 1, your fingerprints will be required.
For information on where to get fingerprinted please click on or paste the following link into your Internet browser: http://www.trec.state.tx.us/FASTPrintPass/FASTPrintPass_locations.asp#IBT.
You must go online and schedule an appointment to be fingerprinted – walk-ins are not accepted. You can schedule your fingerprinting appointment at this link, beginning on January 1: http://www.trec.state.tx.us/FASTPrintPass/FAST_Form/default.asp
This new procedure for renewals and new license applications, mandated by the Texas Legislature, gives the Texas Department of Public Safety the ability to perform a national criminal history check on every licensee. For more information on the fingerprinting requirement, please visit TREC’s Web site at: http://www.trec.state.tx.us/FASTPrintPass/.Top
Senate Passes FHA Modernization BillBy Dick Gaylord, 2008 NAR President
Recently, REALTORS® met with senators in Washington, D.C. and in their home states, as well as generated thousands of letters, e-mail messages and phone calls urging the Senate to take action on the vitally important FHA Modernization Bill. I am pleased to report that our grassroots efforts worked and that the Senate passed the FHA Modernization Bill. The bill now goes to a conference committee where it will be reconciled with a version passed by the U.S. House of Representatives earlier this year.
I want to recognize the extraordinary efforts of our state association partners in Oklahoma and South Carolina. Senators Tom Coburn (Oklahoma) and Jim DeMint (South Carolina) had been using Senate rules to block consideration of the FHA Modernization Bill. Our state and local association partners in Oklahoma and South Carolina impressed upon their Senators the need to consider and pass the FHA Modernization Bill as an essential component of a comprehensive real estate recovery program.
Again, thank you for your successful efforts!Top
