CHAIRWOMAN'S MESSAGE
As we are winding up the month of June and heading into the 4th of July weekend, I am reflecting on the many things I am grateful for, including Our Freedom! Beautiful Summer time, family, friends and this wonderful, fast, ever changing career called real estate! I'm grateful for the opportunity to help our customers and clients in their life moves, and also grateful for all of you!

Hoping to see many of you at the GMAR Golf Outing July 9th, and don't forget to sign up for the Foundation Wine Tasting, as well as the WRA Convention.

I liked this article from the WRA. It's true to our ever changing shoes and, well, I also like shoes!

NEW SENTRIKEY APP IS HERE
GMAR has received notice that the new SentriLock App - SentriKey was launched on Thursday, June 27 and has officially replaced the app known as SentriSmart. If your app has not updated automatically, you can perform a force update by following the instructions below:

Android Users:
  • Go to Play Store
  • Click on the icon on the top left: 
  • Click My apps & games

You will then see your apps that need to be updated and SentriKey should appear. If you don’t see SentriKey, you will need to hit the refresh button on your phone.
 
iPhone Users:
  • Go to the App Store
  • Select the update button on the bottom of the screen

You should then see the SentriKey app and you can update it. If you do not see it, refresh the screen.
 
Please  click here  to watch a video on the new app.

SENTRILOCK CUSTOMER CARE INFORMATION -
Please be aware that for technical and other questions/concerns, you have access to SentriLock Customer Care by phone. They are available 7 days a week from 7:00 am to 11:00 pm Central Time (On July 4th - 7:00 am to 5:00 pm). Please contact them by phone at (513) 618-5800 or (877) 736-8745 for assistance. Due to the changeover in applications, they are currently experiencing a higher call volume than normal, so patience is appreciated.
 
IMPORTANT NOTE TO GMAR MEMBERS : If you have not picked up your credentials at the GMAR, please sign-up for a  training session  with the GMAR staff. You will not be able to log in to the app if you have not completed the training. Please call the GMAR office for questions or more information, 414-778-4929. The GMAR offices are open Monday through Friday from 8:30 am to 5:00 pm.
FOCUS ON ENERGY REAL ESTATE AGENT AMBASSADOR PROGRAM
- GIVE YOUR HOME BUYERS AN ENERGY EFFICIENT START
New homeowners are often ready to start making energy efficiency improvements to their homes but don’t know where to begin. That’s where Focus on Energy comes in, offering home energy assessments, incentives and other services that help improve comfort, save energy and add value to their homes. Sign up as a Real Estate Energy Ambassador and you’ll have the tools to bring these opportunities straight to your clients.

Benefits for you
  • No cost opportunity to support your clients
  • Provide exclusive opportunities and offers to your clients, including a $125 voucher off a clean and tune
  • Learn more about energy efficiency and its benefits
  • Support Wisconsin’s state-wide effort to save energy
  • Stand out from your competition

 Benefits for your clients
  • Develop a clear home improvement path
  • Gain access to incentives for energy upgrades
  • Connect with certified contractors
  • Enjoy a more comfortable, energy-efficient home

For more information, click on the Focus on Energy logo above.
WE'RE LOOKING FOR A FEW GOOD REALTORS ®
The GMAR Board of Directors will have four positions to fill on this Fall’s ballot. If you would like to run for one of these positions, please complete the application and return it to the GMAR by September 1, 2019.

 
The Board of Directors election will be held electronically from October 13 th  – 19 th , 2019.
 
Questions, feel free to contact the GMAR at 414-778-4929.
NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS -
INDUSTRY HOT TOPICS AND NEWS
The GMAR has hand picked the following articles put out by the National Association of REALTORS as items of interest to all of our association members.

 


Please contact the National Association of REALTORS office with questions, or visit them online at www.nar.com for more information and additional articles of interest. 
ASSOCIATION HEALTH PLANS
NAR remains invested in protecting access to Association Health Plans (AHPs) and supporting state and local associations’ pursuit of these plans as an affordable and comprehensive health insurance benefit for REALTORS® and their families.
 
Read more about NAR’s work for an Association Health Plan.  

SentriLock Tips

1. If the SentriSmart App is spinning when trying to access a Lockbox, you can force close the App and reopen it. With an iPhone, double click the home button and swipe up to get out of the App. With an Android phone, in order to force close the App use the following instructions:
  • Open the Settings App
  • Choose Apps
  • On some Samsung phones, touch the General tab atop the Settings app screen, and then choose the Application Manager item.
  • Touch the Running tab to view only active or running apps.
  • Choose the app that’s causing you distress.
  • Touch the Stop or Force Stop button.

2. If you are in an area with bad cell service, your phone may be spinning trying to find service. You can put your phone in airplane mode to make it stop searching, and make sure your Bluetooth is turned on. Then you can open the App and connect to the Lockbox. You do not need cell service to open up a Lockbox, just Bluetooth.

3. If you are going to a closing, you can have the buyers agent bring the Lockbox to the closing (if they are doing a final walk through). You go to Lockbox tools, select the property, click get shackle release code. You can then text or email this code to the buyers agent so they can release the shackle.

4. SentriLock has a great set of "How To" videos which are good refreshers if you need them. Click here to view SentriLock how-to videos .

Click here t o sign-up for a time to pick up your credentials along with any lockboxes that you are eligible for. GMAR Staff will also go over instructions on how to use the system at that time.

One Additional Note from SentriLock...
Beginning summer 2019, SentriLock no longer plans to support Contractor Codes for our Bluetooth ® REALTOR ® lockbox. While a convenient service in the past, the introduction of the One Day Code and more recently, SentriConnect ® for non-agent access, Contractor Codes have fulfilled their usefulness and will be turned off for all Bluetooth ® REALTOR ® lockboxes.

Need additional lockboxes? Stop by the GMAR Office located at 12300 W. Center Street, Wauwatosa, during business hours of Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. GMAR Staff will verify that you have an active listing, so please bring your signed listing contract OR be certain the listing appears in the MLS. Lockboxes will only be provided for active listings that we are able to verify. GMAR will not provide lockboxes for vacant land, rentals or commercial properties.

A list of frequently asked electronic lockbox questions have been compiled and can be viewed by clicking on the box below.
GMAR YOUTH FOUNDATION
ANNUAL WINE & BEER TASTING FUNDRAISER
SPONSORED BY THE KETTLE MORAINE COUNCIL
THURSDAY, SEPT. 19, 2019 | 5:00 PM TO 7:30 PM
TERRACE 167 (RICHFIELD)
Join the Kettle Moraine Council for the 2 nd  Annual Wine & Beer Tasting Event to benefit GMAR's Youth Foundation
 
Date: Thursday, September 19, 2019
Time: 5:00 p.m - 7:30 p.m.  
Location: Terrace 167 in Richfield
Cost of Tickets: $25/person (tickets will be available in August)
                       
Click on the link below for information on sponsorship for this event.

LEADERONE REALTOR® TRAINING
LISTINGBOOSTER USER GROUP - MOBILE MARKETING MADNESS
WEDNESDAY, JULY 10 | 9:45 AM TO 11:00 AM
Location:  
LeaderOne Financial Corporation
20300 Water Tower Blvd, Ste 215, Brookfield, WI 53045

Date:  Wednesday, July 10th, 2019

Time:  Open House 9:45am-11:00am


This exclusive Realtor®-only event is designed to help you learn how to use your Listing Booster account to its fullest.

Everybody knows you need mobile and you need marketing, but what you need most is conversion! This month you'll learn how to turn mobile and marketing into closed transactions.

We'll start promptly at 10 AM; feel free to arrive early to networking and refreshments.
 

For all details and to register (required) Click Here
FACEBOOK BOOTCAMP FOR REALTORS SESSIONS
Brought to you by HomesighT, Inc.
Tues, July 30-  Facebook Bootcamp for Realtors I
10am-2pm Lunch Included
*Learn how to set up a business Facebook page, maintain it, complete a marketing plan, and stick to it!
Facebook marketing for FREE 101.
E-mail Laura@Myhsight.com to register
(In order to provide individual help, we will only be accepting 10 Realtors for this workshop date)
 
Thursday, August 1st-  Facebook Bootcamp for Realtors II
10am-2pm Lunch Included
*Learn how to get MORE likes/follows on your business page, create posts and schedule them, how to use the insights, and how to increase your Facebook reach!
Facebook marketing for FREE Level II.
E-mail  Laura@myhsight.com  to register
(In order to provide individual help, we will only be accepting 10 Realtors for this workshop date)  
 
Wednesday, August 14th-  Facebook Bootcamp for Realtors III
10am-2pm Lunch Included
*Learn how to use Crello, a free service, to create marketing posts, multi-platform cross posting, a social media growth tracking plan, mastering facebook insights, how to create branded content, and more!
Facebook Marketing for FREE Level III.
E-mail Laura@Myhsight.com to register

(In order to provide individual help, we will only be accepting 10 Realtors for this workshop date.)