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

October is here and you can feel it in air. Fall is here.

Business has been steady with more agents seeing record sales this year. Heading into to a new season, we are faced with just how we are going to stay “top of mind” to consumers with social distancing restrictions still in effect.

Agents can take advantage of technology for a virtual experience. This year has pushed our industry into the digital era regardless of competency. Visit NAR for tips and tricks on how to use digital platforms to get your message across. Additionally, NAR has other resources to help your business.

Our business tends to go in 90-day cycles, meaning most efforts are seen 90 days later in the number of sold units. I am business planning and preparing for next year already. It’s recommended we take this time to plan, prepare and reestablish the relationships that provide opportunities for success. The plan for success in 2021 starts now. I hope you can take the time to prepare. Please reach out to GMAR if there are education opportunities you'd like us to host for our members to prepare! 

'Our goals can only be reached through the vehicle of a plan. There is no other route to success' - Pable Picasso 

Make it a great Month!

Kel Svoboda 
GMAR DIRECTOR ELECTION VOTING
The GMAR Director Election will start Sunday, October 11th. A link and directions to vote online will be emailed to all eligible GMAR members on Sunday. You will be able to vote from Sunday, October 11 through Saturday, October 19. You will be asked to vote for four (4) Directors, who will fill a three-year term.

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
  • Between November 1 and 30, 2020 - Please pay the total shown on your invoice
  • Between December 1 and 31, 2020 - Please ADD $50 to the total shown on your invoice
  • 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, Congress changed federal tax law so that local associations can no longer include local lobbying expenses in the deductible portion of a member’s annual dues. Instead, these local lobbying expenses must now be calculated into the non-deductible dues amount, along with state and national dues. 

As a result of this federal tax law change, the GMAR calculated the nondeductible portion of your 2021 local Membership Dues. The amount of your GMAR local Realtor and Affiliate dues is $1.00 per member; 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.  
INTERESTED IN GETTING MORE INVOLVED IN THE GMAR?
If you’d like to get involved in the GMAR and offer your expertise, thoughts, and opinions on issues that interest you, check out the various committees and task forces the GMAR currently utilizes.

  • Community Outreach Committee
  • Equal Opportunity/Fair Housing Committee
  • Kettle Moraine Council
  • Public Policy Task Force
  • REALTORS® Political Action Committee (RPAC)
  • REALTOR® Safety Task Force
  • Statistics Task Force
  • Veterans Task Force
  • Young Professional Network (YPN)
  • Youth Foundation

Please complete an application and the GMAR Executive Committee will review your application to see if there is room on your preferred committee or task force (The size of committees or task forces may be limited).
'RE-ORIENT YOURSELF' : SENTRILOCK
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.

SentriLock is the electronic lockbox system that is provided to you as members. It is a benefit that you have the option to take advantage of at no additional cost. To get your account set up you can email Emily Simonelli. Once you have an account, you are welcome to pick up lockboxes from our office anytime you need them for your listings. You may hold onto your lockboxes as long as you are in the association and plan to use them. If you ever leave the business or have an excess amount of lockboxes that are not being used, they must be returned to our GMAR office.
 
If you already have your account set up and just need a quick refresher on the system and its functions, click here to view some short 'how-to' videos.
REAL TRENDS OCTOBER 2020 NEWSLETTER
  • Brokerage Benchmarking: Interesting Productivity Figures
  • iBuyers to Offer Broader Services
  • Technology, Change and Inclusion
  • The Need for Human Connection
WRA'S THURSDAY TAKEAWAYS VIDEO SERIES
Check out the most recent edition of WRA's Thursday Takeaways Video Series!

"Contingency for Additional Condominium Information"
With Jennifer Lindsley
Wondering what to do with the Contingency for Additional Condominium Information in the WB-14 Residential Condominium Offer to Purchase? Review how a buyer can use this to get information beyond the Condominium Documents. Consider how a seller can respond if the information is not available or not easily available.

REALTORS® AND REAL ESTATE ARE ESSENTIAL
Watch the WRA's Cori Lamont and Tom Larson explain the significance of real estate services being deemed "essential" under the "Safer at Home" order.

We will continue to work behind the scenes with Gov. Evers, the Wisconsin Legislature and community leaders to ensure a vibrant and functioning real estate market for our members.

We hope we can count on you to keep real estate "essential" in Wisconsin now and in the future. Please donate anything you can to the REALTORS® Political Action Committee to support our work.
UPCOMING CRS DESIGNATION COURSES
The CRS is the highest designation awarded to sales associates in the residential sales field and is awarded based on professional experience and education.

Virtual courses through the Residential Real Estate Council are coming up.

October 9th & October 16th
7 Thing Successful Agents Do Differently: A Proven Business System

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.
METRO MLS UPDATE REGARDING FULL SEARCH VS QUICK SEARCH IN FLEXMLS
Full search will be going away in November of this year. MLS is providing weekly Wednesday webinars to get members familiar with the power of Quick Search. If you or your staff are not currently using Quick Search, please take the time to sign up for a webinar and prepare for the upcoming transition.
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.