This Wednesday, April 28
5 - 10 p.m.

Come out to Irish Eyes in Lewes
this Wednesday and
mention the SCAOR Community
Service Foundation Fundraiser —
10% of all food proceeds
plus 50/50 raffle drawing proceeds
will be donated to the Foundation

Next Saturday, May 8^th
8 am - 12 noon
Rain or Shine!
At SCAOR

There's 3 Ways to Help!

1. Start cleaning out that attic and garage. You need to do it anyway and this is for a great cause! Then bring those gently used items to the SCAOR office during business hours May 3 - 7th for donation to the Yard Sale.

2. Volunteer on Friday, May 7th starting 1 pm at the SCAOR office to organize and price donated items.

3. Rent a table for $20 to sell your own junk! Or baked goods, crafts, etc.

Contact Tammy Hadder at 302-541-5982 or thadder@resortquest.com, or Cyndi Marsh at 302-363-5734 or Cyndi@debbiereed.com to volunteer or rent a table.

100% of Yard Sale proceeds will be used towards a brick and mortar foundation for a Habitat for Humanity Home. Construction begins May 2010 in Cave Colony, Milton!

Click here for flyer >>

SCAOR, The SCAOR Community Service Foundation, and Habitat for Humanity are teaming up to build a home in Milton. The "Women's Build" will begin in May. We are currently seeking women volunteers (sorry men) to take part in the Leadership Team. All positions are posted on the website: www.sussexcountyhabitat.org.

Click on Women Build and this will connect you to the link that describes the Leadership Volunteer positions that need to be filled prior to the Build beginning. We will soon announce the actual May start date and then it will be open for any volunteers to sign up (including men). Special days will be held for the Sussex County REALTORS^® to come out and work during the regular work week.

We have a great start towards this project. SCAOR received a grant from NAR for $5,500 for the Foundation, but we still need to raise approximately $1,500 toward the project. So, if you can't do the time on the project, please consider a donation to the project or contributing through one of the above fundraisers. Just a dollar makes a difference!

For more information, contact Kathy Goodman at kgbeach81@aol.com.

All Proceeds of Both Events
Benefit Easter Seals of Delmarva

Next Friday, May 7^th
Dinner Dance & Silent / Live Auctions
at Heritage Shores, Bridgeville
6 pm - midnight
$50 per ticket
Please call 302-629-5575 for reservations
or to make an auction donation.

Also Friday, May 7^th
2010 Easter Seals Golf Tournament
10 am Shotgun Start
Prizes, Lunch, 4-Man Scramble/Better Ball
$100 per Golfer
Please register
by this Wednesday, April 28.

Details, registration &
sponsorship information >>

Thank you for supporting Easter Seals!

Join the Midyear bus trip to visit the trade expo in DC and YOUR elected officials on Capitol Hill.

For a $15 RPAC contribution, you can share the ride, skip the parking fees and driving, visit the Expo, and express your most pressing REALTOR^® concerns to your legislators.

Details & registration at scaorstore.com >

Share the flyer >>

Save time and register in advance for the Expo, online at realtor.org. It's free!

The SCAOR office will be lightly staffed for the week of May 10th - 14th. Staff will be attending NAR training and the Expo in Washington, D.C. Please limit phone calls during this week. Thank you for your understanding.

Take the day to
tour New York City or
see a Broadway musical.
Your choice!

Register by emailing Crystal@scaor.com
or faxing your form to SCAOR.

Details & registration flyer >>

Honor the many SCAOR members who exemplify the REALTOR^® image and go beyond the call of duty. Nominate one today.

Hurry!  Nominations are due
next Monday, May 3 >

Every year, DAR and NAR recognize REALTORS^® who are making an exceptional impact on their communities through volunteer work. NAR awards five $10,000 grants! Please share the Good Neighbor Awards information, and submit nominations to SCAOR by Friday, May 14, 2010 so your nominations can be considered at the state and national levels.

Budget now so you are ready. MLS dues bills will be sent in mid May, with a payment due date of July 1st. Contact Crystal@scaor.com with questions.

9:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
6 CEU,
CRS and SFR
Certification Course
at SCAOR
Lunch included.

Limited to 70 attendees

Register online at www.scaorstore.com!

Broker Licensing is coming to SCAOR in August. This will be fast track instruction, with multiple days of instruction per week, including day and evening class times. Contact TracyLee@scaor.com or 855-2300 ext 205 for details and to be put on a contact list.

New Lead Paint Renovation Rule to Affect REALTORS^® and Property Managers - Now in Effect
Use of lead-safe practices and certification are now required for renovation work. Under the rule, contractors performing renovation, repair and painting projects that disturb lead-based paint in homes built before 1978 and certain other properties, must be certified and must follow specific work practices including testing, to prevent lead contamination. To learn more about these regulations and how they will affect real estate transactions, click here to access short webcasts offered by NAR. Information, including a compliance guide, is also available through the Environmental Protection Agency at epa.gov.

Full Listing of Delaware Planning
News & Meetings >>

April 23 Government Affairs Update from Delaware Association of REALTORS^® >>

Case #1-26: Subordination of Client's Interests to REALTORS^®'s Personal Gain

REALTOR^® B was a sales associate with XYZ, REALTORS^®. To promote XYZ's in-house listings, the firm's principals offered $1,000 bonuses to the company's sales associates at time of closing on each of XYZ's listings they sold.

Dr. Z, a recent transferee to the town, entered into a buyer representation agreement with XYZ through REALTOR^® B.

Dr. Z explained he had specific needs, foremost of which was any home he purchased be convenient for and readily accessible by Dr. Z's spouse who was physically challenged. "Part of my wife's physical conditioning program is swimming," said Dr. Z, "so in addition to everything else, I am looking for a home with a pool or room to build a pool."

REALTOR^® B knew there were a number of homes for sale meeting most of Dr. Z's general specifications, several of which were listed with XYZ.

Over the next few days, REALTOR^® B showed Dr. Z several properties in the Blackacre subdivision, all of which were listed with XYZ, including one with an outdoor swimming pool. Not included among the properties shown to Dr. Z were several similar properties in Blackacre listed with other firms, including one with an indoor pool.

After considering the properties shown to him by REALTOR^® B, Dr. Z made an offer on the home with the outdoor pool. His offer was accepted and the transaction closed shortly thereafter.

Several months later, REALTOR^® B received notice of an ethics complaint filed against him by Dr. Z. Dr. Z had learned about the home with the indoor pool from a colleague at the hospital who lived on the same block. The complaint alleged that REALTOR^® B had put his interests, and those of his firm, ahead of Dr. Z's by promoting XYZ's listings exclusively and by not telling Dr. Z about a similarly-priced property with an indoor pool, which suited his family's needs better than the property he had purchased. The complaint went on to indicate that REALTOR^® B had received a bonus for selling one of XYZ's listings and that Dr. Z suspected that REALTOR^® B's failure to tell him about the home with the indoor pool was motivated by the opportunity to receive a bonus.

At the hearing, REALTOR^® B defended his actions stating that properties rarely meet all of potential purchasers desires; that he had made Dr. Z aware of several properties that met most of his requirements, including one with an outdoor pool; and that Dr. Z must have been satisfied with REALTOR^® B's service since he had purchased a home.

Based upon your interpretation of Article 1, what do you think the hearing panel concluded?  Click here to find out >>