CCAR NEWS
Early Voting Going on Now
Early Voting for the Republican Primary Runoff Election is going on now through April 9. Election Day is Tuesday, April 13. To view early voting locations in Collin County, please click here.

CCAR and TAR strongly urge you to go to the polls and cast ballots in the races for House District 66 and Texas Supreme Court. In addition, CCAR urges you to also cast your ballot for the Collin County Commissioner's runoff. Below are write-ups regarding our endorsed candidates: Mabrie Jackson, Debra Lehrmann, and Jerry Hoagland.

Mabrie Jackson - Texas House District 66
Mabrie Jackson has proven through the candidate interview process and through her past public service to the citizens of Plano that she is a strong supporter of reducing the barriers to homeownership and protecting private-property rights and will work tirelessly to champion REALTOR® issues in the Texas Legislature. For more information about Mabrie Jackson, visit www.mabriejackson.com.

Judge Debra Lehrmann - Texas Supreme Court, Place 3
Debra Lehrmann brings 22 years of award-winning judicial experience to the race for Texas Supreme Court, Place 3. She faces an opponent who, while he does have a significant political following, has no experience as a judge and has admittedly spent very little time in the courtroom. Texas REALTORS® will also remember her opponent as the ex-state legislator who aggressively pushed for a real estate transfer tax during the 2001 session that would have severely harmed the real estate market and cost homebuyers an additional $14 billion. For more information about Judge Debra Lehrmann, visit www.judgedebralehrmann.com.

Jerry Hoagland - Collin County Commissioner
Jerry Hoagland has voted against excessive spending more than any current member of the Commissioners Court. A member of the Collin County Commissioners Court since 1980, his emphasis has been on long-range planning and transportation issues. Jerry has supported well over $4 billion in road improvements, including the President George Bush Toll Road and the Sam Rayburn Toll Road. For more information about Jerry Hoagland, visit www.jerryhoagland.com.

Tickets Now Available: CCAR's Got Talent...or Not! April 23
Come join us for a night of lighthearted fun as we learn if "CCAR's Got Talent...or Not!" Individual and group acts will compete in this one-of-a-kind talent show. The cost is $20 for dinner and the show (all other event proceeds will go directly to your TREPAC investment). Water and soda will be provided, but please provide your own alcoholic beverages. For more information or to register, click here or contact Diane Donley at 972-618-3800 or diane@ccar.net.

April is Fair Housing Month
April 2010 marks the 42nd anniversary of the 1968 landmark Fair Housing Act. Each year REALTORS® recognize the significance of this event and reconfirm our commitment to upholding fair housing law as well as our commitment to offering equal professional service to all in their search for real property.

Signed into law in 1968 and amended in 1988, the Fair Housing Act prohibits housing discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, disability, familial status and national origin. Realtors® work tirelessly to support this law, as well as ensure the benefits of homeownership are available to everyone. To read the remainder of this story, please click here.

TREC Warns of Real Estate Brokerage Scams in Dallas-Fort Worth Area
The TREC Standards and Enforcement Services Division has received complaints against a group of individuals and companies that have been doing business in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. The individuals and companies named in the complaints represent themselves as real estate agents and real estate brokerage companies but do not hold Texas real estate licenses. The public should be aware, owners of real property, tenants, buyers, and investors claim to have lost large sums of money related to the group's real estate schemes. To read the official press release from TREC, please click here.

Short Sale Rules Take Effect Today
The federal government's standardized rules and forms for short sales take effect today, April 5. The servicing arms of lenders who are participating in the government's loan modification program, known as HAMP, have to participate in the standardized short sale procedures, because those procedures are considered a subset of the modification program. To learn about the rules, including changes announced just two weeks ago, watch this 14-minute video walk-through with Jeff Lischer, NAR managing director of regulatory policy. Lischer also discusses the rules in an hour-long webinar.

UPCOMING CCAR EDUCATION CLASSES
NEW CLASS: Microsoft Word "Nuts and Bolts"
Learn the key components of Microsoft Word in this basic to intermediate introduction to Microsoft Word. This class is one in a series of Microsoft 2007 hands-on training classes being offered at CCAR in 2010.

Date and time: Wednesday, April 7, 1-4 p.m. Cost: $25 for CCAR members, $35 for non-members. MCE: Three hours (no legal). Instructor: Republic Title. To register for this class, please click here.

NEW CLASS: Evictions - Laws & Procedures
Judge Al Cercone will instruct this two-hour MCE class regarding valuable information on the eviction process. The following topics will be covered in the class:

• Forcible Detainer
• Jurisdiction
• Notice to Vacate
• Notice of Termination
• Eviction suits
• Default Judgment
• Appeal

Date and time: Friday, April 9, 2-4 p.m. Cost: $25 for CCAR members, $35 for non-members. MCE: Two hours (no legal). Instructor: Judge Al Cercone. To register for this class, please click here.

Graduate REALTOR® Institute, GRI-1 Finance
Graduate REALTOR® Institute designees have made the commitment to provide a high level of professional services to their clients. The GRI curriculum incorporates a common body of knowledge for progressive real estate professionals. A REALTOR® who possesses the GRI designation has not only completed a course of study required by the program, but also subscribes to the Code of Ethics of the National Association of REALTORS®. GRI-1 includes instruction on contract forms, contract procedures, finance and Fair Housing.

Date: Monday-Thursday, April 12-15, 8:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Cost: $260 (If this is your first GRI course, click here and log-in for a GRI discount coupon). SAE: 30 hours. MCE: Nine hours (no legal). Instructors: Bob Baker, Scott Drescher and Peggy Santmyer. To register for this class, please click here.

THIS WEEK'S CCAR NETWORKING MEETINGS
Plano - April 6, Networking - 8:30 a.m., Meeting - 9 a.m.
Location: CCAR - 6821 Coit Rd., Plano 75024
Host: Prudential Texas Properties
Speaker: Kay Shelton, DART Rail Planning Project Manager
Topic: Economic Impact of Collin County Transportation Expansion
Advertiser: OneGuard Home Warranties, Tom Westhora

UPCOMING CCAR EVENTS
CCAR's Got Talent...or Not! April 23
Come join us for a night of lighthearted fun as we learn if "CCAR's Got Talent...or Not!"

What: CCAR's Got Talent...or Not!
When: Friday, April 23 - 7 p.m.
Where: CCAR Banquet Room
Information: Individual and group acts will compete in this one-of-a-kind talent show. For more information, please click here.
Cost: $20 for dinner and the show (all other event proceeds will go directly to your TREPAC investment). Please RSVP to Diane Donley at 972-618-3800 or diane@ccar.net.

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