GMAR Weekly Email Digest: 10/1/2018
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Fall is in the air... my personal favorite season of the year because my hometown, LaCrosse, hosts the best Oktoberfest anywhere. This is part of the reason I love Fall as this is a huge family tradition of ours. I also enjoy Fall because of the beautiful
changing
fall colors, cool-crisp evenings and a little more time to relax, reflect and enjoy things.
As the seasons show us,
change
is inevitable. We made a decision to
change
to electronic lock boxes with Sentrilock and we are now up and running. I just placed my first box on a new listing and without the help of my Assistant. If I can do it, anyone can. 😊 If you missed the training classes, please call the GMAR office: 414-778-4929.
Another
change
this year was the addition of Ethics Thursday’s. With the fast- paced Sellers' market and lack of inventory, we had more issues regarding Professional Standards and Ethics complaints. The messages the Board is sending out on Thursdays are good tips and reminders for all.
Last year we
changed
the venue of the
GMAR Holiday Gala
to the Hyatt Regency downtown. We had the largest attendance ever and are having it there again this year. November 29
th
is the date and it is fast approaching. I hope to see you all there as I hand the gavel over to Amy Curler.
As you can see, this month my message involved a lot about
change
. If you personally have a really hard time with change, I recommend the book
Who Moved My Cheese
by Spencer Johnson. It’s an amazing book to help you deal with
change
in your work and in your life.
Until next month…
Vickie Kelsall
2018 GMAR Chairwoman
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The GMAR is beginning a bi-monthly podcast to offer another format to deliver important industry news, GMAR programs and other real estate updates to keep you informed about the business of being a REALTOR®.
In this 12 minute podcast
, GMAR President, Mike Ruzicka, and Membership Director, Michelle Kohn, address why the GMAR is introducing SentriLock into the market and the number of boxes agents were given at the training sessions. Then, VP of Operations, Scott Bush, gives an Ethics Update specifically discussing agents allowing access to property and inconsiderate behavior of members.
We hope you find this first GMAR podcast informative. We promise future episodes will improve in quality and content.
If you have questions or topic ideas, please feel free to email
mike@gmar.ws
.
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THE REALTOR VETERANS' SUPPORT COMMITTEE NEEDS YOUR HELP
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The committee currently is working on the Milwaukee Homeless Veteran’s Initiative to provide much needed day-to-day household items for homeless veterans transitioning into homes. We are also working with the lending community to find out what we can do to facilitate homeownership opportunities for veterans.
If you are a Realtor® and a veteran, the committee is interested in learning the following:
Would you be interested in serving on the Realtors® Veterans’ Support committee?
If you’re not necessarily interested in serving on the committee, would you be interested in providing information that could include your thoughts on how we can further assist veterans in our community and where the committee should focus its efforts.
Also, if you are not a vet, and would like to serve on the committee, we would also like to hear from you.
Please provide your responses to Scott or Dave:
Scott Bush, GMAR Staff
414/778-4929
Dave Delahunt, Committee Chairman
262-241-8888
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Slate of Candidates for GMAR Director Election
The Nominating Committee has approved the following candidates to be placed on the ballot for the Greater Milwaukee Association of REALTORS® Board of Directors election. There will be four (4) Directors elected to serve three-year terms:
Amanda Baake, Kathleen Hansen & Associates
Kim Curtis, Shorewest Realtors
Ted Dentice, Shorewest Realtors
Judy Hearst, Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage
Angela Kallay, Benefit Realty
Mark Kivley, RE/MAX Lakeside
Kelly Leitner, Leitner Properties
Sonya Mays, Midwest Executive Realty
Kelly Sly, Exit Realty Horizons
Will Stalle, Keller Williams
Angela Walters, Realty Executives Integrity
The election will be held by electronic voting beginning October 14, 2018
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BUY REAL ESTATE SUPPLIES AT MINUTEMAN PRESS IN BROOKFIELD
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We still receive calls asking where the store is. The GMAR Realtor store is closed and
Minuteman Press in Brookfield
is now selling Real Estate Supplies! Visit them at 13680 W. Capitol Drive, M-F 8am-5pm. If you have any questions, feel free to contact them at 262-781-9622.
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Thank you for all who attended the Sentrilock training. If you were not able to attend, you can call the GMAR office: 414-778-4929 to schedule a time to pick up your credentials and any lockboxes that you are eligible for. We will also go over how to use the system at this time. Sentrilock is going live today, October 1st.
If you need additional lockboxes, you can come to the GMAR office: 12300 W. Center St., Wauwatosa, M-F 8:30am-5:00pm. We will need to verify that you have an
active listing
so please either bring your signed listing contract or make sure it is showing in the MLS. Lockboxes are only provided for active listings that we can verify (we will not be giving lockboxes for vacant land or commercial properties).
We have compiled a list of frequently asked questions on electronic lockboxes.
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The GMAR Holiday Party will be held on Thursday, November 29th at the Hyatt Regency Downtown.
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REALTOR
®
TRAINING | FIRST TIME HOMEBUYER - FOR REALTORS
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**Free Live Class for Real Estate Professionals** This exclusive Realtor-only event is designed to help you attract more first time homebuyers who are ready, willing and able to buy a home now. Envoy Mortgage is offering you this exclusive opportunity to learn the do’s and don’ts of marketing to, engaging and capturing the first time homebuyer.
This will be a live class taught by Jason Bower & Jim Ryan of Envoy Mortgage of Brookfield. You're not going to want to miss this!

Lunch will be served at 11:45 with the presentation starting promptly at 12 Noon with a Q & A to follow. You'll be out and on with your day by 1:00 PM at the latest; likely sooner!
Space is limited so sign up today!
Location:
GMAR - 12300 W Center St, Milwaukee, WI 53222
Date:
Wednesday, October 10
th
Time:
11:45 Lunch, class starts promptly at noon
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HOW REALTORS CAN CUT 2018 TAXES BY $2,500 OR MORE
*A program put on by Bradford and Company
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Friday, October 19 from 9:00 am-11:30 am at the GMAR: 12300 W. Center Street
(Please arrive at
8:45 am
for registration.
Seminar begins promptly at
9:00 am)
Discover simple legal tax-reduction strategies that most self-employed or solo business owners miss out on-plus learn how to audit-proof your return!
Here are just some of the safe, audit-proof tax-saving tips you will learn:
- How to deduct maximum entertainment expenses under the new tax law
- How to use a medical reimbursement plan that can save you and your family thousands of tax dollars every year
- Tips for maximizing your automobile deductions-including luxury autos-plus easy documentation strategies
- How to safely qualify your home office for big tax deductions, even if you spend most of your office time at another office
- How to audit-proof your tax records-so you reduce chances of an audit, but can stand confident if selected randomly
- Learn how to make the most of your new 20% 199A tax deductions
*Bradford and Company
is a non-biased educational firm.
This is not a tax-prep class. Since 1989 our seminars have specialized in
tax reduction strategies for the self-employed professional.
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Greater Milwaukee Association of Realtors | 414-778-4929 | 12300 W. Center St., Milwaukee, WI 53222 | GMAR.com
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