April 7 8:30 am Senator Carper Breakfast at DAR Office - Dover April 8 MLS Meeting April 10 RCS Meeting April 17 9 am - 3 pm Fair Housing Conference April 23 4 pm Rental Affairs Committee Meeting April 23 5 pm - 7 pm Annual Rental Party at Bethany Blues April 24 9 am - Noon MLS Orientation April 24 11:30 am - 2 pm Women's Council Luncheon at Georgia House - Millsboro April 30 LICENSES EXPIRE - credits due

President Bill Lucks President Elect Steve Alexander 1st Vice President Judy Dean 2nd Vice President Susan Mills Treasurer Sue Bramhall Past President Rob Harman D I R E C T O R S Lit Dryden Bruce Plummer Andrew Ratner Trina Joyner Sharon Palmer

COMP BOOKS FOR SALE Click Here to Buy & Print Immediately

 

ONLY 25 DAYS Before Licenses EXPIRE!
Last Chance to Meet Your CEU Requirements – Please Register Now!

ALL remaining open classes between now and April 30 license renewal deadline are listed here.
If you need them, please register now. A few classes just sold out today - more will sell out soon.

DATE	TIME	CLASS	LOCATION
Thursday, April 10	9 am - 4 pm	Broker's Core LAST PRE-DEADLINE OFFERING OF BROKER'S CORE 6 CE hours - approved DREC mandatory course	SCAOR
Tuesday, April 15	9 am - Noon	Land Use Planning 3 CE hours	CHEER CENTER
Thursday, April 17	9 am - Noon	Helping Rental Agents / Brokerages Collect on Judgments 3 CE hours	SCAOR
Saturday, April 19	9 am - Noon	Real Estate Concepts LAST CHANCE OFFERING OF REAL ESTATE CONCEPTS 3 CE hours - approved DREC mandatory course (Agent's Core)	SCAOR
Saturday, April 19	1 pm - 4 pm	Legislative Update LAST CHANCE OFFERING OF LEGISLATIVE UPDATE 3 CE hours - Legislative Update	SCAOR

Click Here to Register for Multiple Classes >>

 

The bid process for our new construction is now in progress. We are soliciting proposals for our building project. Interested contractors should contact Dwain Moyer at Whayland Construction, 302-846-2100. SCAOR's building committee will review all bids.

 
 

DO YOU WANT TO EARN YOUR BROKER'S LICENSE?

If you are interested in attending a broker's pre-licensing course, please contact tracylee@scaor.com. A minimum of 25 members would need to attend this 99 hour course, so we need to know if there is any interest out there. There is no date set yet.

 
 

Waited until the last minute?

Need mandatory classes for Delaware
Real Estate License Renewal?

The Education Committee is offering a "last chance" class on Saturday, April 19, 2008 for Real Estate Concepts and Legislative Update. Real Estate Concepts will start at 9am and Legislative Update a 1pm. Log on to www.scaorstore.com to register.

As you may know, the other mandatory classes are "sold out"... don't miss out!

Please join the Delaware Association of REALTORS^® at a breakfast honoring the Honorable Thomas R. Carper this Monday morning, April 7 at 8:30 a.m. at the DAR office.

Click Here for Flyer >>

Robin Masland of RE/MAX Realty – Lewes has earned the prestigious Accredited Buyer Representative accreditation. When you see Robin, please extend your congratulations.

Last week a house fire devastated the Milton Home of member Sharon Palmer where her daughter lived. Those interested in lending a helping hand may send a donation to the Red Cross in the name of Lauren Palmer. For information on how to contribute, visit www.redcrossdelmarva.org.

Please join us in welcoming the return of Crystal Passwaters to SCAOR. She will be assisting you in membership and other services. A new face and voice at SCAOR is Gail Shields, a temporary assignment. As we determine our needs and job requirements, we will post a job opening in At A Glance for members' consideration. We take this opportunity to wish Barbara Mitchell and Kristi Idnurm well in their future endeavors.

Only 44 free seats are available for the May 14 bus trip to NAR Midyear in Washington, D.C. SCAOR and KCAR are jointly offering this bus for interested REALTORS^® to travel to Midyear. The bus departs from ERA Harrington in Dover, on Jefferic Boulevard at 7 a.m. It will then travel down to the SCAOR office in Georgetown, and will depart the SCAOR building at 8 a.m. We will arrive in D.C. at 10 a.m. You will be able to visit many vendors at the NAR convention, have lunch, then we will travel via the bus to Capitol hill to meet your elected representatives. Bus will depart D.C. at 6 p.m. There are no planned dinner stops. We will return to Georgetown by 8 p.m. and Dover by 9 p.m.

Register online here, and please indicate at which location you will meet the bus.

Rick Allamong, Bill Lucks, Phil Fleming, Shirley Kalvinsky, and Debbie Costello. . .

What do these SCAOR REALTORS^® have in common? They are past REALTORS^® of the YEAR (ROTY) from SCAOR. Perhaps you know someone who deserves recognition for their participation and commitment to REALTORS^®. Consider nominating someone, or yourself, for this special recognition.

Click Here for the Nomination Form >>

 
 

NETWORK AND LUNCH - WOMENS COUNCIL OF REALTORS® Thursday, April 24

Join us at Georgia House restaurant in Millsboro on April 24th. Meet other REALTORS®, and have a great meal too! Our guest speaker is Lucia Campos, a trained housing counselor from NCALL in Georgetown. She will speak on selling houses in a challenging market. Networking begins at 11:30, luncheon from Noon to 2 pm.

Click Here to Register >>

Come Join Us at the Delaware General Assembly on
Thursday, May 8th
AND SHOW OUR REALTOR^® COMMITMENT!!
11:30 AM - 3:30 PM

Sign Up Here >>

 

Once again the Rental Affairs Committee met on March 12, 2008. We enjoyed a very informative presentation by Mr. Chris Whaley, the Housing Management Program Administrator for the Housing Choice Voucher Program provided in Kent and Sussex Counties by DSHA. The purpose of this program is to provide assistance for low income families. One benefit of Landlords using this program would be guaranteed payment each month. Gee, how many of our owners would like that guarantee! Chris also provided us with a packet of useful information (to numerous to include in this article) covering tenant screening, eviction notice, lead base paint info etc. However, if you would like to obtain a packet for yourself please feel free to contact Chris by email. SAVE THE DATE! The Committee decided that the Annual Spring Rental Party will be held at the Bethany Blues Restaurant on Wednesday, April 23rd from 5-7 pm. Hors d'oeuvres will be served and a cash bar will be available. So, mark your calendars and plan to meet us there. I'm looking forward to seeing all of you! RSVP Here or contact Gini Shaw with any questions. The next Rental Affairs Committee meeting will be held on April 23rd beginning at 4 pm at the Bethany Blues Restaurant. If you haven't had the opportunity to attend a meeting, this might just be the perfect time to join us and let us hear what you have to say. On another note, with the summer season approaching some of our guests may have an issue or two. Remember: Kind words are like honey - enjoyable and healthful! Chrissy Hitchens Rental Affairs Committee Chairman

The Education Committee encourages you to nominate a SCAOR Instructor who provides outstanding instruction. We are certain you can think of an instructor who is always prepared, provides quality material and instruction, and is a valued resource to REALTORS^®; therefore, recognize this individual by completing the nomination form.

Click Here for the Nomination Form >>

 

Fair Housing: Keepers of the American Dream in the Face of Mortgage Foreclosures
Division of Human Relations/Commission and the Office of the State Bank Commissioner Present: 15th Annual Fair Housing Thursday, April 17, 2008 Training Conference Dover Downs Conference Center 1131 N. DuPont Highway Dover, Delaware 19901	Click Here for Flyer >>

 

If you have any suggestions for future articles you would like to see, click on the question mark or here . . . Have a Question for Ronnie? This week's topic is What's a Short Sale?. With the sluggish real estate market we are experiencing, I have now heard of several properties that are being sold on "short sales". Never heard of it? Click Here to Read More >>

Below is a case interpretation related to Article 8. Please read the complaint and make a judgment on how the Professional Standards Panel should rule. The Hearing Panel's decision will be published in next week's newsletter.

Case #8-1: Failure to Put Deposit in Separate Account

REALTOR^® A, a listing broker, obtained a signed offer to purchase, together with Buyer C's check for $5,000 as an earnest money deposit. Buyer C's offer was subject to the sale of his current residence. REALTOR^® A presented the offer to Seller B who accepted it. REALTOR^® A then inadvertently deposited the earnest money check in his personal checking account. Since Buyer C's offer was contingent on the sale of his current home, Seller B's house remained on the market. A week later, REALTOR^® A received another offer to purchase Seller B's house from another broker and presented it to the seller as a back-up offer. Buyer C was informed about this new offer and reluctantly concluded that he would be unable to waive the sale contingency or proceed with the purchase of Seller B's house. He then asked REALTOR^® A for his $5,000 check back. REALTOR^® A explained that he had mistakenly deposited Buyer C's check in his personal bank account which had been attached since he received Buyer C's offer, and he was temporarily unable to refund the deposit to Buyer C.

Buyer C filed a complaint with the Board of REALTORS^®, which was received by the Grievance Committee. The Grievance Committee concluded that the complaint warranted a hearing and referred it to the Professional Standards Committee. At hearing, REALTOR^® A explained that his bank account had been unexpectedly attached following the loss of a civil suit which he was appealing; that his deposit of Buyer C's check in his personal account was a simple error in handling deposit slips; that he was arranging for the prompt release of his account; and that everything would be straightened out in three or four days, which should not be of great inconvenience to Buyer C.

How do you think the Professional Standards Panel ruled?
Find out in next week's At a Glance.

 

The Coastal Association of REALTORS® and the Women's Council of REALTORS® are presenting DARRYL DAVIS, a nationally known real estate speaker to show us "How To Be Great In 2008." Don't miss this rare opportunity! The seminar will be held Monday, April 28, from 9 a.m. to Noon at the Holiday Inn on 66th Street in Ocean City. Networking and Breakfast 8 a.m. to 9 a.m. COST: $50; unless you are a WCR member (only $25 for WCR members)

Register Now >> or see the Attached Flyer for more information. If you have questions, please contact Cassie Mead, President - Coastal Association of REALTORS® mcmead@mchsi.com or at (410) 524-7000.

 
Listing of April 4, 2008 through May 6, 2008
Delaware News & Meetings

 
 
 

M A Y
1	Education Committee Meeting
6	Delaware Housing Coalition in Dover	All Day
7	Affiliate Meeting	4 pm
8	DAR Legislative Action Day!	11:30 am - 3:30 pm
9	Credit Repair for REALTORS®	9 am
12-16	NAR Midyear Legislative Meetings in D.C.	All Day
13	MLS Meeting	9 am
14	Rental Affairs Committee Meeting	4 pm
14-16	NAR Midyear Convention in Washington, D.C.	All Day
19-20	GRI 101: Planning and Developing a Real Estate Business at DAR	8 am - 5 pm
20	New Member Orientation	9 am - 4 pm
22	Board of Directors Meeting	9 am
26	MEMORIAL DAY - DAR and SCAOR offices closed
31	MLS fees 12 month billing mailed
J U N E
9-10	CIPS Designation Training: International Real Estate for Local Markets at DAR	8:30 am - 5 pm
10	MLS Meeting	9 am
26	MLS Training	9 am
S E P T E M B E R
5	RPAC Duck Race and Family Event
O C T O B E R
1 - 3	DAR Annual Convention at Dover Downs