3rd Quarter COMP Books Now on Sale

3rd quarter COMP e-books are now available at www.theSCAORstore.com. The cost is only $25 for SCAOR members and $75 for non-members. You may download the COMP book immediately, view it by sections or in its entirety, print it and have it available on your computer. Members! Once you buy a COMP book, it also stays available in your Members Only area of www.theSCAORstore.com. Click here to download your copy >>

Sussex County Association of REALTORS® 2010 Leadership Team

Back Row (left to right): Andrew Ratner, Nora Martin, Sharon Palmer, Sandy Greene, Brad Riedle, Steve Alexander. Front Row (left to right): Trina Joyner, Donna Neithardt, Judy Dean, Sue Bramhall, Bruce Plummer and EVP Ruth Briggs-King.

The Sussex County Association of REALTORS® installed our 2010 leadership team, with President Judy Dean from Georgetown leading the Board of Directors. Joining her on the Board are: President Elect Sandy Greene, 1st Vice President Trina Joyner, 2nd Vice President Sharon Palmer, Treasurer Donna Neithardt, Past President Steve Alexander, and Directors Sue Bramhall, Nora Martin, Bruce Plummer, Andrew Ratner, and Brad Riedle. Committtee Chairs for 2010 include: Jeanine O'Donnell, Affiliate; Kevin Barrett, Education/Professional Development; Sue Bramhall, Government Affairs and Public Policy; Dennis Barnes, Grievance; Betty Kasperski, Housing Opportunities; Bill Lucks, Multiple Listing Service; Bob McVey, Professional Standards; Cindy Wolfe, Rental Affairs; Public Awareness, Sean Steward; Jim Meo, Rookies; and Brad Riedle, Bylaws. Special Awards Presentations 2009 Affiliate of the Year: Jeanine O'Donnell    State Farm Insurance    2009 Rookie of the Year: Ashley Brosnahan  Long & Foster, Rehoboth Beach  2009 Rental Agent of the Year: Crystal Serman Wilgus Associates 2009 Educator of the Year: Bruce Plummer - Coldwell Banker, Rehoboth Beach

It's Education Time! Resident Licenses Will Renew April 30, 2010 More ways SCAOR is helping members obtain their CE? Check out the 2010 On-site Education classes being held at SCAOR. Register online at www.scaorstore.com Four brand NEW courses Day and evening classes Variety of instructors, dates and times for courses Flood demonstration, reverse mortgages, marketing and more!   You're Invited ... To the Sussex County Chapter of the Women's Council of REALTORS® General Membership Meeting, Program and Luncheon When: Tuesday, January 19, 2010 Time: 11:30 am - 2:00 pm Place: Cottage Cafè, 33034 Coastal Highway, Bethany Beach Program: "Planning for a Profitable Year" Speaker: Margaret Iiori, Merrill Lynch Cost: $20 per person Register at scaorstore.com   Condolences We extend our deep sympathy to Pat Campbell-White upon the death of her father, and to Pat and her daughter Carla Miller upon the death of Carla's husband. In lieu of flowers, the family requests contributions be made in the names of Carla's children, Luke and Grace Miller. Checks can be sent payable to: Merrill Lynch FBO Luke & Grace Miller 529 Mailing Address: Merrill Lynch 19535 Camelot Dr. Rehoboth Beach, DE 19971   2010 DUES WERE DUE OCT. 31st Go to www.realtor.org to pay your dues. A second late fee has been added as of Dec. 1, 2009 at 12:01 a.m. Pay your dues ONLINE at www.realtor.org >> 2010 Dues are past due. If you are planning on going inactive as of 12/30/09, please complete appropriate paperwork and submit to SCAOR with notation that it will be effective 12/30/09. If your inactive paperwork is not submitted and dues are not paid, your membership will be terminated and your office will be on the January Board of Directors agenda, which could cause your office's membership to be suspended. Please don't allow this to happen. Please contact Crystal with any question or concerns at Crystal@scaor.com.     ETHICALLY SPEAKING... Our Duties to the Public How do you think the Professional Standards Panel ruled in last week's Case Study? Below is the Hearing Panel's decision. Case #12-12: Advertising in the Guise of News After hearing from the complainants and the respondent, and after reviewing the content of the newsletter, the Hearing Panel concluded that it did, in fact, violate Article 12 since, while the information regarding the properties themselves was accurate, its cumulative effect was to convey the impression that REALTOR® B had listed and/or sold the properties when he had not. The fact that he had been the cooperating broker in one of the transactions did not give him the right to claim, directly or indirectly, that he had "sold" any of the other properties because in no instance had he been the listing broker. The Hearing Panel did not accept REALTOR® B's claim that his newsletter was exempt from scrutiny under Article 12 in that he was disseminating news and not engaging in advertising. They noted that the name, address, and phone number of REALTOR® B's firm appeared prominently in several places; that a considerable portion of the newsletter was devoted to services available from REALTOR® B's firm and the advantages of doing business with REALTOR® B; and concluded that while the newsletter might, in fact, include an element of "news" a primary purpose of it was to advertise REALTOR® B and his firm and, consequently, that it was subject to scrutiny under Article 12.     Broker's Breakfast Friday, January 15, 2010 Brokers, please plan to attend our Broker Breakfast being held at SCAOR on Friday, January 15 at 8 a.m. We will feed you and fill you with helpful and useful information. If you are unable to attend, please send one representative from your office. Email Gail at gail@scaor.com to RSVP.

New Year's Resolution: Stop Procrastinating and Save Money Too on Online CE! Dear Member, Did you know that studies show the top three resolutions made each year are to lose weight, stop procrastinating, and to get organized? We want to help you do two of the three by enrolling in online CE today! The losing weight part...well that's up to you! As a valued member of our association, we would like to offer you a special promotion on your continuing education this January. "2010 Resolutions" gives you the opportunity to enjoy a 10% discount on any online CE course taken through our branded site! Visit our course catalog: http://scaor.theceshop.com Enter the promotional code upon checkout: RES10. Receive your 10% discount! IT'S EASY! This promotion expires January 31, 2010! Happy Holidays! Very limited time offer -- if you register today using promotional code "PRESENT" you will receive 20% off.   Committee Quiz Match the committee! Name changed to Public Policy? Beginners, experienced and seasoned REALTORS® are welcome? Monitors CE classes, suggests new classes for REALTORS®? Non REALTOR® members who support REALTOR® events and outreach? Specializes in property management? Reviews By-Laws of the Association for compliance with National Association of REALTORS®? Liason between REALTORS®, public and county/state homebuyer programs? Responsible for website content, public information and media? Reviews Multiple Listing Service complaints, suggestions and changes? Committee that hears an Arbitration complaint? Ethics complaints forwarded by this committee? Answers: 1. Government Affairs, 2. Rookies, 3. Professional Development - BONUS - old name: Education, 4. Affiliate, 5. Rental, 6. Risk Reduction - BONUS - old name: By-Laws, 7. Housing Opportunities Partners, 8. Public Awareness - BONUS - old name: Public Relations, 9. MLS, 10. Professional Standards, 11. Grievance BONUS: How many committees have revised their name for 2010 to match NAR? Bonus Answer is 4: Education, By-Laws, PR, and Government Affairs Our Triple Bonus Question is: Which 3 committees are still open for new members? HOP - Contact Betty Kasperski (bestepx@yahoo.com) Rookies - Contact Jim Meo (james.meo@longandfoster.com) PR - Contact Sean Steward (sean@seansteward.com)   Legislative Watchdog   Short Sales Program Guidelines Issued The long awaited guidelines for Short Sales have been released by the Treasury Department. Below is a summary of the provisions. On November 30, 2009, the Treasury Department released guidelines and forms for its new Home Affordable Foreclosure Alternatives Program (HAFA). HAFA is part of the Home Affordable Modification Program (HAMP). HAFA provides incentives in connection with a short sale or a deed-in-lieu of foreclosure (DIL) used to avoid foreclosure on a loan eligible for modification under the HAMP program. HAFA applies to loans not owned or guaranteed by Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac, which will issue their own versions of HAFA in coming weeks. HAFA is a complex program, with 43 pages of guidelines and forms, designed to simplify and streamline use of short sales and deeds-in-lieu of foreclosure. Provisions of the Home Affordable Modification Program (HAFA) include: Complements HAMP by providing a viable alternative for borrowers (the current homeowners) who are HAMP eligible but nevertheless unable to keep their home. Uses borrower financial and hardship information already collected in connection with consideration of a loan modification. Allows borrowers to receive pre-approved short sales terms before listing the property (including the minimum acceptable net proceeds). Prohibits the servicers from requiring a reduction in the real estate commission agreed upon in the listing agreement (up to 6 percent). Requires borrowers to be fully released from future liability for the first mortgage debt (no cash contribution, promissory note, or deficiency judgment is allowed). Uses standard processes, documents, and timeframes/deadlines. Provides financial incentives: $1,500 for borrower relocation assistance; $1,000 for servicers to cover administrative and processing costs; and up to $1,000 for investors for allowing a total of up to $3,000 in short sale proceeds to be distributed to subordinate lien holders (on a one-for-three matching basis). The program does not take effect until April 5, 2010, but servicers may implement it before then if they meet certain requirements. The program sunsets on December 31, 2012. More details and informational links are available at www.realtor.org/shortsales. Full Listing of Delaware Planning News & Meetings >>

 
 

Rebar Camp What's a Rebar Camp? I had never heard of this term until I attended the DAR State Convention in Dover. I monitored a Social Media class so I could learn all the things I didn't know about blogging and twittering, Facebook, Linked In, Active Rain and the list goes on. I joined a small group of attendees at break time, and I was asked, "Are you going to the Rebar Camp?" So this is what I found out >>