CCAR Newsletter March 2008

Template

.:	Affiliate Holiday ...

.:	CCAR 50th Celebration

.:	HOLIDAY BREAKFAST

.:	SAE/MCE Cruise

.:	REALTOR® Store

.:	Networking

.:	COMMUNITY BOARD

.:	Find a REALTOR®

.:	Find an Affiliate

.:	Banquet Room Rental

Scrapbook


Monthly Newsletter March, 2008

Advertisement Republic Title Burgess Inspection Group Advertise With Us!
CCAR News From the President's Desk Gigi Loch Named Director of Administration CCAR Seeking Association Executive Agents Beware! Do You Need to File a Rendition Form? Pam Worsham Named January's CCAR Satisfaction Survey Winner Mortgage Changes from 2007 Bexar County FEMA Maps Updated CCAR on Facebook Monica Cella and John McIntosh Remembered
Upcoming Events TREPAC is Calling All Real Men!
Education Education Feature Classes
Government Affairs No Vote. No Voice. Texas Open Primary Causes Confusion
Meetings Plano Networking Allen Networking Meeting - March 6 Farmersville Networking Meeting - March 6 Frisco Networking Meeting - March 6 McKinney Networking Meeting - March 12 Wylie Networking Meeting - March 20 CCAR Commmittee Meetings
Member Benefits CCAR REALTOR® Store: Come See What We Have to Offer Take Advantage of Your Member Benefits
MLS News NTREIS Rules and Regulations Weekly Review MLS Top Tips and Reminders
TAR News Take Advantage of the Opportunity: Your Involvement in Opportunity Races Makes a Difference in Your Future
NAR News President Approves Two-year Ban on Banks in Real Estate Permanent No-call Registration Raises Concern

Advertisement
	Republic Title has several convenient locations to serve you better. Our commercial division is centrally located in downtown Dallas and Fort Worth, and our residential division has many offices within the core of the Dallas, North Dallas, Richardson, Plano, Frisco, Denton and Fort Worth areas. www.republictitle.com Top

	Burgess Inspection Group, Inc. is a leading provider of Real Estate Property Inspection Services in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area. Founded in 1969, the company is one of the largest inspection firms in the Southwest and produces more than 3,200 inspections per year. Over the 39 years that Burgess has been doing residential and commercial inspections, we have earned the reputation of performing quality inspections with consistency on every property. We provide a professional, comprehensive inspection and the very best in customer service. www.burgessinspection.com Read Our Article on the Top 10 Reasons to Use Burgess Top

	Advertise With Us! Did you know that you can advertise in the CCAR Monthly Newsletter for only $100 month? We offer a variety of advertising options and packages that reach over 5,000 members. Click here to learn more about advertising in our newsletter, on our Web site, during events and more! Top

CCAR News
	From the President’s Desk Your Board of Directors approved a motion at its January 31 meeting to notify the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) of CCAR’s support of the NAR Board of Choice policy, but to end the Random Branching of one board into the exclusive territory of another. This vote was based on the fact that these policies result in the loss of every board’s exclusive jurisdiction and fosters competition that is unbecoming of a professional organization. A letter describing CCAR’s position was sent to NAR President Richard Gaylord, NAR CEO Dale Stinton and was acknowledged by General Counsel Laurene Janik. As you may know, there have always been association jurisdictional boundaries, which at one time governed which board an individual had to belong to. However, with the implementation of the Board of Choice policy, individuals are now allowed to choose the association in which they want to belong. Today, jurisdictional boundaries are used to determine which association is responsible for contacting individuals in their area regarding policy violations. The implementation of Board of Choice and the softening of jurisdictional boundary enforcement have caused some associations to merge with others due to competition pressures. Yet, other associations, such as CCAR, maintain their independence. For CCAR, this independence means providing quality customer care and area-specific services such as our networking meetings in Allen, Farmersville, Frisco, McKinney and Plano. These services also extend to the cities, school districts and courts in Collin County who, through CCAR’s education courses and government affairs activities, we are able to provide a local connection for our members and promote property rights. In addition to promoting programs that are CCAR-specific, we also work with other associations in areas such as TREPAC, government affairs and marketing. When we work together, we all win for our members. Your President, Jacob Narisi, GRI Top

	Gigi Loch Named Director of Administration CCAR is proud to announce that Gigi Loch was recently promoted to the position of Director of Administration. As part of her duties, Gigi oversees the Texas REALTORS® Leadership Program, as well as the CCAR Leadership Retreat and travel budget. Top

	CCAR Seeking Association Executive The Collin County Association of REALTORS® (CCAR) is seeking an Association Executive (AE). Comprised of 5,000 members and a staff of 23, CCAR is the fifth largest REALTOR® association in the state of Texas. The AE is responsible for managing the day-to-day operations of the Association. The AE initiates policies and programs that mesh staff, committee volunteers, and financial resources to identify and effectively meet the needs of CCAR. The AE is accountable to the President of the Association, and the Board of Directors. The AE is charged with implementing the policies and programs adopted by the Board of Directors. Staff personnel report to the Association Executive. Individuals interested in applying for the position should have a firm understanding of the real estate industry and must meet the following competencies: • Manage the Association and its Business Operations • Understand the Structure of the REALTOR® Organization within the Context of the Evolving Real Estate Industry • Understand Real Estate Issues and Trends • Acquire and Communicate Valuable Information • Foster Effective Interpersonal Relationships APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS: Please visit: http://ccar.net/public/aeposition.aspx to view detailed explanations of the above required competencies needed to apply for this position. In addition, to view a detailed job description, please visit: http://ccar.net/public/aejobdescription.aspx. To apply for the Association Executive position, please forward your cover letter and resume detailing your experience and qualifications relative to the competencies and detailed in the job description to Patricia Webb at pwebb@texasrealtors.com, subject line “Collin County AE position.” Top

	Agents Beware! By Steve Haid, Member Services Director As real estate agents, does it seem that everyone wants to sell you something to “help” your business? While some of these products may indeed be very useful, others may bring little or no value. CCAR is frequently asked about companies selling agent lists for mass e-mail or direct mail marketing purposes. While some of these may be very good, our association has not yet found one that contains highly reliable information. A few of these vendors will allow you to download a free sample list, and CCAR has done this on occasion. Most recently, we checked the free sample list of one, and found that only 34 percent of the names on the list contained accurate information. There were errors in e-mail addresses, phone numbers, companies, and locations. In addition, some of the individuals listed were not licensed real estate agents, were inactive, expired licensees, or were licensed in another city or state than the one CCAR downloaded. Even though these ads may sound like they have official information, CCAR does not sell our database or otherwise provide our member contact information to vendors. We encourage you to use caution when purchasing lists. If the vendor offers a free download, check it for accuracy before buying. Remember, you work hard for your money. Top

	Do You Need to File a Rendition Form? While the passage of Proposition 6 exempted your personal/business vehicle from taxation, you still may need to submit a rendition form. The Collin County Appraisal District says that if you declare home equipment for your business (i.e. desk, fax machine, computer, etc.), then you also need to submit a rendition form for your vehicle. Otherwise, if you work in an office outside the home, and all you have to declare is your vehicle, you do not need to submit a rendition form. You can download the rendition form off of the Collin County Appraisal District’s Web site at www.collincad.org under the “Download Now” button. For more information on this, please contact the Collin County Appraisal District at 469-742-9200 or toll-free at 866-467-1110. In addition, you may also contact Diane Donley, Government Affairs Director, at diane@ccar.net. Top

	Pam Worsham Named January's CCAR Satisfaction Survey Winner Congratulations to Pam Worsham of Hansen Realty Group, January winner of our CCAR Satisfaction Survey drawing. Pam wins a $50 rebate of membership dues. If you would like to be eligible for upcoming Satisfaction Survey drawings, simply visit our Web site at 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

	Mortgage Changes from 2007 By Scott Drescher, REALTOR®/Lender Committee There are a lot of words that could be used to describe the mortgage industry, but the most apt might be “volatile.” Few industries have ever been hit from so many directions in one year and survived. Many of the players in the field have not survived, or might not still; but those who survive will hopefully come out of the fray stronger and poised to help REALTORS® grow their business in 2008. Here are some of the major changes in the industry last year: Sub-prime has been pushed back to serve the market it was originally designed to serve: those borrowers who might have missed making prime by a little, but not so much as to make lending to them foolhardy. Thus, there is still sub-prime financing available for people who have one weakness in their profile, whether it be credit, income verification or no down payment, but not all three. While you will not find companies providing 100 percent financing with no income verification and poor credit anymore, there is still financing for sub-prime. One of the more unfortunate side effects of the credit crisis is that two prime markets were bloodied as well: Non- conforming and Second Lien. Non-conforming lending is literally the financing that is done when the loan is not fashioned as a government loan (FHA, VA or USDA) but also cannot be sold to the Agencies (Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac). For no other reason than fear that the mortgage-backed securities (MBS) contain an unknown quantity of sub-prime mixed in with the prime in a non-conforming pool of MBS, investors in the MBS debt are demanding a higher risk premium, making the rates on the paper as high as 1 percent over conforming rates. The investors have also tightened up on underwriting guidelines so that the risks are considerably lower than before. The other side effect directly affects both Agency loans as well as non-Agency. Second liens have been used liberally to allow borrowing as much as 100 percent of the sale price of a home without PMI. Since the credit crisis, however, institutional second liens have become scarce and rates have jumped as the risk of default sky-rockets. Furthermore, lenders have raised credit score requirements, especially for the highest loan to value loans. FHA has not been adversely impacted by the credit crisis, but HUD is attempting to limit seller-funded down payment assistance (DPA) programs. Although the first attempt was blocked by a temporary injunction, lenders are preparing for those programs to be permanently barred this spring. If Congress enacts higher loan to value limits in FHA reform, it would be the final nail in the DPA coffin. Finally, the last major system-wide change that has come as a result of the tightening in the credit markets comes directly from the Agencies, “Risk-Based Pricing.” In an attempt to put a mortgage cost to the risk inherent in weaker mortgage portfolios, the Agencies have recently rolled out pricing adjustments (think of them as “more points”) for loans above 70 percent loan to value and longer than 15 year terms with mediocre to good credit scores. The adjustments range from a half point with scores of 660-679 to two points for scores below 620. The lender is usually able to absorb extra points in the interest rate, but when adjusting away two points, it leaves little with which to absorb a loan origination point or any other closing costs, making it harder than ever to permit no closing cost loans. So the market is tighter, but there are stated income, no down payment, poor credit, investment, and niche lending programs available. Just don’t ask for a loan that offers them all at once anymore. Top

	Bexar County FEMA Maps Updated Bexar County, Texas FEMA flood plain maps are currently being reviewed and are up for public comment. If you have a client with property in Bexar County, please encourage them to review the new maps to ensure their correctness. These maps have not been updated since the late 1970's, and were created digitally using topographic maps, aerial photography and a geo-graphical information system. To view the maps, visit http://www.bexarfloodfacts.org/. Top

	CCAR on Facebook CCAR invites you to visit our Facebook page at: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Plano-TX/Collin-County-Association-of-REALTORS/7490807081. On our page, you can see the newest happenings, read our President’s Blog, and post on our discussion board. In addition, if you have a Facebook account we’d love to have you as one of our “Fans.” As part of our commitment to customer service, CCAR’s Facebook page is just another way for you to get the information that you want, when you want it, and how you want it. Top

	Monica Cella and John McIntosh Remembered The association would like to extend its condolences to the friends and family of CCAR members Monica Cella and John McIntosh. Both members passed away in February, and will be remembered for their love of life and contributions to CCAR. Top

Upcoming Events
	TREPAC is Calling All Real Men! Men: If you would like a shot at being crowned “Miss TREPAC” (and we do mean “Miss”), then consider participating in CCAR’s 2008 Miss TREPAC Pageant on April 3. An informational meeting will be held on March 3 at 4 p.m. to fill you in on all of the pageant details and answer any questions. Please RSVP for the informational meeting by February 29, by contacting Diane Donley at diane@ccar.net or calling 972-618-3800. Click here for more information about this exciting event. Top

Education
	Education Feature Classes Look for the Education Newsletter that is e-mailed to you each month. Click here to read the current issue of the Education Newsletter. To register for classes, go to online services at: https://ecom.director.firstamericanmls.com/collinss. CCAR Offers ABR® and SRES® Designation Courses CCAR’s Education Department is offering two designation courses in March and May designed to help you better serve your clients: The Real Estate Buyer’s Agent Council (REBAC) of the National Association of REALTORS® awards the coveted ABR® Designation, the benchmark of excellence in the buyer representation, to real estate practitioners who meet specified educational and practical experience criteria. The two-day ABR® core course runs March 5-6. Click here for information and registration instructions. SRES® is the only designation and marketing program specifically designed to serve senior property owners ages 55 and older. By earning the SRES® designation, a REALTOR® has demonstrated the necessary knowledge and expertise needed to counsel senior clients through major financial and lifestyle transitions. The two-day SRES® core course runs May 21-22. Click here for information and registration instructions Top

Government Affairs
	No Vote. No Voice. Early voting is going on now through February 29. Aside from the presidential primary, there are several other important local elections going on. CCAR’s Government Affairs Committee has spent many hours previewing information, comparing candidate questionnaires and meeting personally with incumbents and challengers. Through these many hours, four candidates have been identified as having views best aligned with the interests of our members: State Representative Jerry Madden (District 67), County Commissioners Phyllis Cole (Precinct 1) and Joe Jaynes (Precinct 3), as well as Justice of the Peace John Lewis (Precinct 3, Place 1). In addition to CCAR’s endorsement of these candidates, The Dallas Morning News has also offered its endorsement. To read the News’ editorial endorsements, click on the story links below: Jerry Madden: We Recommend: Jerry Madden - Conservative incumbent is smart on crime, good at building consensus (click here for editorial link) Phyllis Cole: We Recommend: Phyllis Cole - Precinct 1 incumbent has county moving in right direction on health care (click here for editorial link) Joe Jaynes: We Recommend: Joe Jaynes - Incumbent's knowledge and support needed on transportation issue (click here for editorial link) CCAR encourages you to support the four CCAR-endorsed candidates by making your voice heard now through February 29 or on Election Day, March 4. For a list of early voting locations, click here. Top

	Texas Open Primary Causes Confusion The state of Texas has an “open primary,” which may leave you wondering if you can vote in both the Democrat and Republican races. Because voters in Texas are not required to declare a party when they register to vote, you may vote in either the Democrat or the Republican primary. However, you can only vote in one! Once you vote in a particular party's primary, you are affiliated with that party for the next two years. This prohibits you from voting in run-off elections for any party other than the one with which you are affiliated. This does not, however, affect your ability to vote for candidates of either party in a general or special election. Here is a crucial point to consider: In the primary, you cannot vote for a presidential candidate from one party and for local candidates from another. This year in particular, some voters will have to make some difficult choices in deciding which primary to cast their vote. At 7 p.m. on Election Day, March 4, you are encouraged to participate in your precinct’s convention. For more information about voting in the primary or precinct conventions, please contact Diane Donley, Government Affairs Director, at diane@ccar.net. Top

Meetings
	Plano Networking CCAR, 6821 Coit Rd, Plano. Breakfast and networking start at 8:30 a.m. Host office for March is RE/MAX Dallas Suburbs March 4 Speaker: Judge Charles Sandoval Advertiser: Highland Homes March 11 WCR EASTER BASKET AUCTION! Advertiser: Wellstone Homes March 18 Speaker: Children's Miracle Network-Children's Hospital Advertiser: Prestonwood Country Club March 25 Speaker: Edra Anderson, TAR General Counsel Topic: Arbitration Issues Advertiser: David Weekley Homes Top

	Allen Networking Meeting - March 6 Location: Chase Oaks Golf Club, 7201 Chase Oaks Dr., Plano 75025 (owned by the City of Allen). Host Office: Ebby Halliday Allen Speaker: Mayor Steve Terrell Topic: The State of Affairs in Allen Networking - 8:30 a.m. Meeting - 9 a.m. Top

	Farmersville Networking Meeting - March 6 Location: The O.E. Carlisle Center at the corner of Hill St. and Orange St., Downtown Farmersville. Speaker and advertiser: To be announced. Top

	Frisco Networking Meeting - March 6 Host Office: Ebby Halliday Frisco Location: CCCC in Frisco, Events Building Speaker: Frisco ISD Advertiser: LandAmerica Commonwealth Title Builder Drawing by Grand Homes Networking - 8:30 a.m. Meeting - 8:45 a.m. Top

	McKinney Networking Meeting - March 12 Host Office: Keller Williams North Collin County Location: Eldorado Country Club, 2604 Country Club Dr. McKinney 75070 Speaker: Mayor Bill Whitfield Topic: Update on the State of the City Advertiser: Meritage Homes Networking - 8:30 a.m. Meeting - 9 a.m. Top

	Wylie Networking Meeting - March 20 Location: Woodbridge Golf and Country Club, 7400 Woodbridge Club Dr., Wylie 75098 Speaker: To be announced. Meeting time: 8:30-10 a.m. Tour time: 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Top

	CCAR Committee Meetings Monthly calendar of committee meetings located at CCAR. March 3 - Monday, 2 p.m. Affiliate Subcommittee March 4 - Tuesday, 9:45 a.m. REALTOR®/Lender Committee March 4 - Tuesday, TREPAC Committee March 6 - Thursday, 11 a.m. Education Committee March 17 - Monday, 11:30 a.m. Housing Opportunity Committee March 18 - Tuesday, 9:45 a.m. Affiliate Committeecombined with Membership Development Committee March 18 - Tuesday, 9:45 a.m. MLS Committee March 24 - Tuesday, noon Budget and Finance Committee March 24 - Tuesday, 1:15 p.m. Executive Committee March 25 - Tuesday, 9:45 a.m. REALTOR®/Inspector Committee March 25 - Tuesday, 10 a.m. Broker/Manager Committee March 27 - Thursday, 9 a.m. Board of Directors Top TIP: did you know that you can view CCAR's Calendar of events, meetings and classes by going to: http://www.ccar.net/public/pubcalmonthview.aspx

Member Benefits
	CCAR REALTOR® Store: Come See What We Have to Offer The CCAR REALTOR® Store has a wide variety of merchandise to fit all of your real estate needs: The REALTOR® Store sells the following items and replacement pieces separately: Stakes at $2 and $5.25 each, brochure lids in white or black for $3.95, and logo face plates are $4. The large-print Texas Farm and Ranch Road Mapsco will be available in April for $16.95. The smaller print version is currently available. A small amount of jewelry remains 75 percent off. Purse camera bags are on sale for $11.95. Brass key holders are currently marked down to $8.95. One-size-fits-all shoe covers are sold in five pair packages for $4.95. Get them now before the spring rains arrive! The REALTOR® Store sells the following stickers in a roll of 1,000 for $11.95: “Customer Satisfaction is my #1 Goal,” “I Value Your Referrals,” and “I Love Referrals.” 3” x 15” removable stickers sell for $2 each with the following phrases: “Under Contract,” “Sale Pending,” “SOLD,” “Reduced Price,” “Open House,” “For Sale,” “For Rent,” “For Lease,” and an arrow. 30-foot strings of open house pennants sell for $30 each. “Agent’s Friend,” the calculator that helps to determine monthly payments sells for $19.95, including a case. We sell REALTOR® stick pins for $2 and REALTOR® magnetic pins in silver or gold for $8.95 (small) or $9.95 (large). Anti-static cling REALTOR® logo decals are 25 cents. The REALTOR® Store offers a 50-pack of business card magnets for $9. We invite you to come and see what is new in CCAR’s REALTOR® Store. We appreciate the opportunity to serve you, and we thank you for your business. Prices listed above are for CCAR members. Top

	Take Advantage of Your Member Benefits CCAR has a number of area companies that offer discounts and deals exclusively to our members. Click here to visit our Member Benefits page and learn how you can take advantage of these great offers. In addition, if you know of a company that may be interested in offering a benefit to our members, please contact Arlene Hunt at arlene@ccar.net. CCAR is always looking to add to the benefits our members receive, and Member Benefit Vendors have the free opportunity to gain access to over 5,000 potential customers. Top

MLS News
	NTREIS Rules and Regulations Weekly Review Section 8 – Selling Procedures 8.07 –A Listing Participant must report to the MLS any change in the status of Listed Property within three (3) days after such change of status occurs. A Participant who fails to comply with this requirement will be fined by such Participant’s MLS Provider not less than $50 per day nor more than $100 per day so long as such failure continues after notice from the MLS Provider to the Listing Participant. Upon receipt of a written complaint alleging a violation of this policy, MLS Staff shall notify the accused Participant by telephone, email, and/or by facsimile transmission of the alleged violation. The accused Participant must respond by mail, email, or facsimile transmission not later then the close of business on the next succeeding business day either (a) admitting a violation of said policy or (b) denying a violation of said policy. If the accused Participant admits a violation of said policy, the accused Participant shall either (i) confirm that the alleged violation has been corrected, waive a hearing before the MLS Committee and agree to pay a fine of $50 within ten (10) days after receipt of invoice or (ii) request a hearing before the MLS Committee on the alleged violation. If the accused Participant fails to respond as set forth herein, or denies the alleged violation of said policy, then in either event, the MLS Staff shall refer the alleged violation to the MLS Committee for hearing in accordance with Section 12.02 of the Rules at a meeting of the MLS Committee at the earliest scheduled meeting date, provided that the accused Participant receives at least twenty-one (21) days prior written notice of the date, time and place of the scheduled hearing. The accused Participant may appear at such hearing in person or by duly authorized representative. Don’t forget to change the status of your listings three days from the actual “status change” date. The MLS Department receives numerous calls about agents who do not change these within the correct timeframes. Please let your sellers know that you are subject to a $50 a day fine if you do not change these, should they encourage you to leave their property Active during an Option Period, etc. 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

	MLS Top Tips and Reminders By CCAR’s MLS Department Welcome to CCAR’s new monthly MLS tips and reminders section! The tips and reminders that appear in this section are based on call volume regarding specific issues. CCAR’s MLS Department encourages you to use this section as a reminder regarding the hot topics surrounding MLS usage. 1. CDOM – Cumulative Days On The Market: Anyone caught cheating by changing the address of a currently listed or previously listed property is subject to a fine of $50 per day from the date of notification. You will be notified that we are aware of the address change and that the MLS Department will change it for you, as you will not have access to do so once the property is marked ACTIVE. Our department will watch for repeat offenders. 2. STATUS CHANGES: Status changes must occur within three days of the change on all of your listings. 3. DRIVING DIRECTIONS: Do yourself and your fellow agents a favor by putting driving directions in the “Driving Directions” field. This field was made mandatory so that other agents can more easily locate and show your listing. Don’t simply put the MAPSCO page in or go to mapquest.com – the more information you can provide, the better. We do encourage you to send any listings that might be in violation of the Rules and Regulations to the MLS Department for enforcement. Please send these listings to Steve Haid, Member Services Director, at steve@ccar.net. Remember, this is your system and therefore everyone is responsible for playing by the rules. Top

TAR News
	Take Advantage of the Opportunity: Your Involvement in Opportunity Races Makes a Difference in Your Future By Mike Barnett, North Texas Field Representative for the Texas Association of REALTORS® Do you want your voice to be heard when decisions that affect your business are being made? Then you must get involved in your association and your industry. Your participation is key to ensuring that elected officials will protect your pocket book, your business and the rights of private-property owners. With your vote this past November 2007 for Proposition 6, Texas REALTORS® saved roughly $51 million annually in potential taxes to their personal vehicles. As the new year begins, it also signals the start of Texas primary election season. Voters across the state will go to the polls Tuesday, March 4 to select their parties’ candidates for the general election in November. All 150 members of the Texas House and 15 of the 31 Texas senators will be up for election. I encourage you to vote early now through February 29. Help your friends It’s important for the voices of Texas REALTORS® to be heard during this process. How important? During the past legislative session, approximately 4,000 bills filed affected your business. Having elected officials friendly to REALTOR® issues is vital to the success of your business and the industry. Some current officials who’ve shown past support for REALTOR® issues need our help to stay in office. These “friendly incumbents” as well as other REALTOR®-friendly candidates can benefit from the Texas Association of REALTORS® (TAR) Opportunity Race Program. This program channels the combined resources of state and local associations to help elect candidates for state office who are supportive of real estate interests. Opportunity races The Opportunity Race Program enables local associations to participate in a candidate’s race through direct mail, phone calls, road signs, promotion in association publications, and personal promotion to clients, friends, and family of Texas REALTORS®. Below are some activities that TAR field representatives are working on for opportunity races in their areas: • Encouraging Texas REALTORS® to register to vote by February 4. • Creating “Texas REALTORS® for [candidate name]” steering committees. • Organizing events within legislative districts for Texas REALTORS® to meet and learn more about candidates. • Distributing press releases to local media. • Posting yard signs for candidates, block walking and phone banking. • Assisting candidates’ campaign teams with any get-out-the-vote activities. For a complete list of Opportunity Races candidates check out TexasREALTORS.com It won’t happen without you Get involved and let your voice be heard. Contact your association executive or TAR field representative to find out how you can help with opportunity races in your area. Make sure elected officials whose decisions affect your business, industry and community support the real estate industry and private-property rights. Top

NAR News
	President Approves Two-year Ban on Banks in Real Estate In a victory for REALTORS®, the fiscal year 2008 omnibus appropriations act recently signed by President Bush includes a two-year provision prohibiting banks from entering the real estate brokerage, property leasing and management business. This year, NAR will seek from Congress a permanent ban on banks in real estate through passage of the Community Choice in Real Estate Act (H.R.111/S.413). Top

	Permanent No-call Registration Raises Concern Making Do-Not-Call registration "indefinite" could compromise the Federal Communication Commission's goal of maintaining a high level of accuracy of phone numbers on the list, NAR says in comments to a proposed rule. Currently, phone numbers are scheduled to drop off the registry after five years. This automatic drop-off serves as an efficient means to eliminate numbers that have changed hands, been disconnected or reassigned. Real estate practitioners are subject to the Do-Not-Call law as telemarketers and have an interest in the efficient removal of non-valid numbers on the government-maintained registry. The proposed rule would amend FCC rules under the Telephone Consumer Protection Act. Top

©2008 by the Collin County Association of REALTORS® All rights reserved. CCAR, 6821 Coit Rd., Plano, TX 75024, 972-618-3800, Fax: 972-491-3180, www.ccar.net

Site Map