STOP CORONAVIRUS
WEAR YOUR MASK - WASH YOUR HANDS - STAY 6 FT. AWAY
MESSAGE FROM GMAR CHARIMAN - KEL SVOBODA
Hello Members,

This November we are seeing history being written as Election Day has come and gone. Whatever the outcome, we cannot forget the importance of our profession to the consumers. As REALTORS® we advocate for the rights of all people and the ability to own property. Our organization will continue to have an influence across both party lines.   

Congrats to our newly elected board members Jose Flores, Summer Hill, Jim Zarek and Jeremy Rynders. You are all examples of professionals and we are fortunate to have you serve. 

Due to the current pandemic restrictions we will not be having our normal Holiday Gala. We will still be announcing our award winners and inducting the new board members. More information to come. We all look forward to next year when we can hopefully get together and share our successes. 

Thank you for continuing to be the professionals you are. 

-Kel Svoboda
WRA'S THURSDAY TAKEAWAYS VIDEO SERIES
Check out the most recent edition of WRA's Thursday Takeaways Video Series!

"It's Time to Renew Your License!"
With Tracy Rucka
The Department of Safety and Professional Services is now accepting renewals for sales and broker licenses! The deadline to renew is December 14. WRA staff attorney Tracy Rucka goes over some important reminders to make sure you have everything you need to meet this deadline and avoid any last-minute hassles or panic.
'RE-ORIENT YOURSELF' : RPAC
Brush Up on What You Learned at Orientation
Whether you are a brand new REALTOR® just starting out or have been in the business for years, it never hurts to check back in on the basics and make sure you are taking full advantage of your membership.
The REALTORS® Political Action Committee (RPAC) is a committee of 18 trustees who interview
candidates for political office, follow voting records of elected officials and recommend support of
candidates during elections. The Greater Milwaukee Association of REALTORS® (GMAR) members and the RPAC are involved in political action through calls to action, attending fundraisers, attending REALTOR® & Government Day in Madison and supporting candidates running for public office. RPAC supports elected officials who support REALTOR® issues, regardless of their political party.

What has RPAC accomplished for homeowners and REALTORS®?
  • Rejected transfer tax increases
  • Kept banks out of real estate
  • Prevented the elimination of the Mortgage Interest Deduction for homeowners
  • Prevented new impact fees
  • Eliminated capital gains taxes on the sale of a principal residence

If you have questions, please contact Marne Stück at the GMAR.
CONTINUING EDUCATION DUE BY DECEMBER 14TH
To maintain real estate licenses in the state of Wisconsin, real estate licensees must complete 18 hours of continuing education (CE) every two years. The 18 hours must include completion of 3 hours for each of the 6 required course topics listed below. There are no longer elective courses as part of the 18 required hours.

Mandatory Courses (all six required)
  •  Course 1: Wisconsin Listing Contracts
  •  Course 2: Wisconsin Offers to Purchase
  •  Course 3: Wisconsin New Developments
  •  Course 4: Wisconsin Real Estate Ethics and Consumer Protection
  •  Course 5: Wisconsin Real Estate Law and Practice
  •  Course 6: Wisconsin Real Estate Transactions
 
REMINDER: FELXMLS WILL ELIMINATE FULL SEARCH NOV 18
As you likely already know, Flexmls® will permanently remove Full Search from its system and only offer Quick Search to its users starting Nov. 18.

If you haven't made the switch, Metro MLS encourages you to sign up for a free Quick Search webinar to ease the transition to the modern Flexmls® search function.

Metro MLS is holding 10 a.m. Quick Search Basics webinars and 1 p.m. Quick Search Advanced webinars on Nov. 5, Nov. 10, Nov. 11, Nov. 12, Nov. 18, and Nov. 19.
RESPONDING TO WISCONSIN'S WORKFORCE HOUSING SHORTAGE
The "Falling Behind" study by University of Wisconsin-Madison professor of urban and regional planning Dr. Kurt Paulsen, Ph.D., AICP, explored Wisconsin's workforce housing shortage. "Falling Behind" identified three primary reasons for the shortage:

1. Wisconsin has not built enough homes to keep up with population and income growth.
2. Construction costs are rising faster than inflation and income.
3. Outdated land-use regulations drive up the cost of housing.

These reasons are why the WRA is working with legislators from both sides to develop and support legislative proposals to increase the workforce housing supply.
MEMBERSHIP RENEWAL SCHEDULE
Thank you for your membership in the Greater Milwaukee Association of REALTORS® this past year.

To continue your membership with the GMAR, WRA & NAR, and to avoid any interruption in service, please note the following payment deadlines:

  • Pay between November 1 and 30, 2020 - Please pay the total shown on your invoice
  • Pay between December 1 and 31, 2020 - Please ADD $50 to the total shown on your invoice
  • Pay after January 1, 2021 - We must treat you as a new member, please ADD $225 to the total on your invoice (if you are a REALTOR® member) or $345 (if you are a Designated REALTOR® member). 

Nondeductible Dues for 2021

Under the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, local associations can no longer include local lobbying expenses in the deductible portion of a member’s annual dues. Local lobbying expenses must now be added to the non-deductible dues amount, along with state and national dues.

As a result, the GMAR calculated the nondeductible portion of your 2021 local Membership Dues as $1.00. This amount is in addition to the amounts stated on the back of your WRA dues statement which specifies the non-deductibility of WRA and NAR dues. 
LOOKING TO GROW YOUR NETWORK AND IMPACT?
Since 2010, members of Take Root Milwaukee have worked collectively to help thousands of individuals and families in the Milwaukee area obtain and maintain homeownership. Become a member today to belong to an established and dedicated network of lenders, neighborhood organizations, HUD-certified counseling agencies, Realtors, and City of Milwaukee housing departments who can assist with referrals, idea-sharing, brand promotion and more. Learn more here.  
COVID-19 RESOURCES AVAILABLE TO REALTORS®
REAL ESTATE SUPPLY STORE NOW AT
MINUTEMAN PRESS - BROOKFIELD
The real estate supply store is now located ONLY at Minuteman Press - Brookfield location (13680 W. Capitol Drive). The store is back open with COVID-19 protection measures in place. Online orders are still encouraged. Store hours are M-F between 8:30 AM and 5 PM.
Contact Minuteman Press-Brookfield for more info, (262) 781-9622!
Comments, Suggestions or Questions?...
Let us know how the GMAR can improve what we offer to you as members of our organization. Your feedback helps us to make quality improvements to our programs and benefits, so we appreciate it! Click here to e-mail your feedback to the GMAR.