STOP CORONAVIRUS
WEAR YOUR MASK - WASH YOUR HANDS - STAY 6 FT. AWAY
GMAR DIRECTORS ELECTION VOTING
The GMAR Directors Election will close on Saturday, October 17th. A link and directions to vote online have been emailed to all eligible GMAR members on Sunday October 11th. You will be asked to vote for four (4) Directors, who will fill a three-year term.


Voting Credentials:
Member ID:
Email:

*If you have trouble logging into the voting site please contact Michelle.
*Affiliate members are not eligible to vote.
GMAR 2020 AWARD NOMINATIONS
The GMAR is now accepting nominations for the 2020 award categories:
 
REALTOR of the Year
Dedicated Service
Affiliate of the Year
 
Q3 HOUSING STATISTICS REPORT
September Home Sales Up 28.2%
Up 0.3% Through 3rd Quarter

Market Highlights
-Market made up for lost time in September
-Prices were strong throughout SE Wisconsin
-Listings continue to be anemic
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 by October 31, 2020 - You can DEDUCT $25 from the total on your invoice
  • 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. 
'RE-ORIENT YOURSELF' : ZIPFORM & DOCUSIGN
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.

NAR provides all members with FREE access to zipForm® Plus. The benefit is available through 2021 and includes Transactions, unlimited zipVault® document storage, an exclusive NAR library of REALTOR® Forms & Templates, and access to the industry-standard forms engine where you can add and manage your own custom documents.


NAR also provides members with a three month FREE trial of DocuSign. This service enables you to remotely send and sign contracts and agreements with your clients on just about any device, anywhere, at any time.
PROTECTING YOUR WATERFRONT PROPERTY RIGHTS
WRA is working on legislation to protect the right to place a pier. This legislation is critical for affected property owners, including homeowners and waterfront businesses, such as marinas and gas stations. 
 
Watch this video to learn more. 
 
Please consider a contribution to RPAC or becoming a Direct Giver. It is more important than ever to elect pro-REALTOR® candidates this November.  
CAPITOL INSIGHTS PODCAST SERIES

Do you ever wonder which programs your state association dues pay for? Listen to WRA attorneys Tom Larson and Cori Lamont as they provide a brief overview of the WRA’s advocacy within the judiciary branch of government, the Legal Action Program. Local, state and federal cases involving commissions, short-term rentals, moratoria on local development, wind siting rules, shoreland zoning and more are just some of the issues the program has been involved in. The Legal Action Program has the backs of REALTORS®, homeowners and property owners. It’s worth every penny and more!
WRA'S THURSDAY TAKEAWAYS VIDEO SERIES
Check out the most recent edition of WRA's Thursday Takeaways Video Series!

"What is a Bedroom?"
With Jennifer Lindsley
Explore how local ordinances affect what can be considered a bedroom either in a basement or above ground. Review ways to accurately market a property that has a room that might not be a legal bedroom but is currently used that way by the seller.
CONCEALED CARRY COURSE AT THE GMAR
Due to popular demand, MPD Training, LLC, will be providing another Concealed Carry Firearms Safety Course at the GMAR office in October. No previous experience is necessary.
 
OCTOBER 28, 2020 | 12:00 NOON - 4:00 PM
Cost - $50/person
 
 Lunch will be provided by Waterstone Mortgage
 
Due to COVID-19 social distancing regulations, each class will be limited to 9 people.
STAND OUT AS A FOCUS ON ENERGY AMBASSADOR
Looking for new ways to bring added value to your clients? Consider becoming a FOCUS ON ENERGY® Ambassador. Focus on Energy partners with utilities across Wisconsin to provide resources and incentives for energy efficient home products, equipment and improvement projects.
 
Once you complete a digital 45 minute Workshop and enroll as an Ambassador, you can start offering your clients access to new energy efficiency expertise and exclusive perks, including a Welcome Kit with a $125 heating and cooling tune-up voucher and a helpful Home Energy & Maintenance Guide. The kit is co-branded with your business information and sent to your clients on your behalf, at no cost to you, providing an extra touch and added value.
 
Join the 700+ Wisconsin real estate professionals already offering these informational resources and exclusive perks to their clients. For more information, visit focusonenergy.com/ambassador or email ambassador@focusonenergy.com. You can also call Nancy Alberte, local Focus on Energy representative, at 608.358.8212 with questions.
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!
In addition to our weekly eNewsletter, the GMAR will be utilizing its social media pages to keep members informed and up-to-date during the rapidly evolving COVID-19 situation. Please connect with us through the links to our social platforms below.
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.