FAIR HOUSING AND 'LOVE LETTERS'
You know those ‘Love Letters’ that buyers submit with their Offer to Purchase? Don’t let them inadvertently violate Fair Housing when they do.

While they may seem harmless, these letters can actually pose fair housing risks because they often contain personal information and reveal characteristics of the buyer, such as race, religion, or familial status, which could then be used, knowingly or through unconscious bias, as an unlawful basis for a seller’s decision to accept or reject an offer.
 
Consider where a potential buyer writes to the seller that they can picture their children running down the stairs on Christmas morning for years to come in the house. This statement not only reveals the potential buyer’s familial status, but also their religion, both of which are protected characteristics under fair housing laws. Using protected characteristics as a basis to accept or reject an offer, as opposed to price and terms, would violate the Fair Housing Act.

Before your buyer sits down to write their love letter, consider these best practices to protect yourselves and your clients from fair housing liability:

  • Educate your clients about the fair housing laws and the pitfalls of buyer love letters.
  • Inform your clients that you will not deliver buyer love letters, and advise others that no buyer love letters will be accepted as part of the MLS listing.
  • Remind your clients that their decision to accept or reject an offer should be based on objective criteria only.
  • If your client insists on drafting a buyer love letter, do not help your client draft or deliver it.
  • Avoid reading any love letter drafted or received by your client.
  • Document all offers received and the seller’s objective reason for accepting an offer.

Most buyers are completely unaware they could unknowingly violate federal law when they write those letters, but that's why you’re their trusted source!
JOIN OUR MEMBERS ONLY FACEBOOK GROUP
In effort to expand our communications with the membership, we have created a 'members only' Facebook group. In this group we will share the latest news and events going on in the association. Please request access to join and share with your teams so that we can get as many members on there as possible.
CAPITAL INSIGHTS PODCAST SERIES
Take a detailed look at the American Rescue Plan’s funding assistance for landlords and tenants. Heiner Giese with the Apartment Association of Southeast Wisconsin discusses the new COVID-19 relief legislation with the WRA’s EVP Tom Larson.
JOIN US FOR REALTOR® & GOVERNMENT DAY 2021
On April 14, join us virtually for FREE to advocate for issues that matter to you and your clients. View the video below where fellow Wisconsin REALTOR® Brad Lois talks about what workforce housing means to Wisconsin.
MILITARY RELOCATION PROFESSIONAL CERTIFICATION COURSES AT THE GMAR
This certification focuses on educating real estate professionals about working with current and former military service members to find the housing solutions that best suit their needs and take full advantage of military benefits and support. 

This course will be held in person at the GMAR office on April 21st from 9:00am - 4:00pm.

In order to keep everyone socially distant we will only be allowing eight (8) attendees and masks will be required.

GMAR YOUTH FOUNDATION PAINT AND SIP
VIRTUAL EVENT
The GMAR's Youth Foundation is hosting a virtual paint and sip event with step by step instructions from VIBEZ Creative Art Space.

DATE: Thursday, April 22nd from 6:00 - 8:00PM
COST: $40/person

The cost includes your canvas, paints and brushes, along with a bottle of wine and a raffle ticket for a prize drawing. We will be painting the Milwaukee Skyline (image below).
Thank you to Milwaukee HomesighT Inc., Land Title Services, Merit Title and Scott & Sandra Bush for sponsoring this event. More sponsors are welcome if interested!

REGISTER FOR GMAR'S SPRING SHREDFEST
Shredfest has been scheduled for Thursday, May 13th with the following regulations:

  • Anyone dropping off boxes must stay in their car
  • The GMAR staff will unload your boxes and will be masked
 
For more information and to sign up for a time slot please click here
AFFILIATE EVENTS
TAX-REDUCTION STRATEGIES FOR THE REAL ESTATE PROFESSIONAL
Get a fresh start and keep more of your income in 2021!

Friday April 2, 2021
9:30am - 12:00pm via Zoom

Topics to be discussed:
  • How to power boost and optimize your 2021 tax deductions
  • Why new COVID-19 Law reinforces the need to claim all business tax deductions
  • Why you may want to buy a new or pre-owned car sooner than you think
  • How to deduct all of your family's medical costs as a real estate business expense
  • How to safely quality your home office for big tax deductions
  • The new and improved food and beverage deductions for real estate professionals that you probably don't know about

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.

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!
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.
Greater Milwaukee Association of REALTORS®
12300 W. Center Street Milwaukee, WI 53222
414-778-4929 | www.GMAR.com