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

Can you believe we are past Labor Day? As the seasons change, I hope all of you are able to admire the beauty of the Fall colors. Then remember to complete your CE! The deadline is Dec 14th .

Our ability to adapt to the times and enhance our services starts with education and will continue with our motivation to succeed. As REALTORS® the landscape constantly changes with every new client/customer. One way to stay ahead of our changing world is to attend the WRA Convention (virtual this year, of course!), coming up September 14th . CE and other great learning opportunities will be available. 
REAL ESTATE, SAFETY, AND YOU
REALTORS AND HUMAN TRAFFICKING
Join us on September 21st at 10:00am for a live webinar to learn more about REALTORS and Human Trafficking.

This training is for everyone because no one is excluded from the fight against child trafficking! During this presentation, our speaking team covers the definition of human trafficking, breaks down what child sex trafficking looks like in our area, and equips the audience with the tools to get involved in the fight to end child sexual exploitation.

This presentation will be tailored to the audience's level of knowledge on the issue of human trafficking as well as where they might see signs of trafficking happening with in their communities or work place. 
FORUM FRIDAY WITH THE WISCONSIN POLICY FORUM
Is Southeast Wisconsin Ready to Confront its Affordable Housing Challenges?

Join us on September 25 from 12:30 - 1:30 pm for the next installment of our virtual event series, Forum Friday, where we'll explore the depth of the problem and potential solutions. Senior Researcher Joe Peterangelo will discuss our recent report on the city of Milwaukee’s affordable housing efforts. Then, we'll invite Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Ideas Lab reporter James Causey to discuss his recent reporting on metro Milwaukee’s troubled history with this issue; and Racine County Executive Jonathan Delagrave to explain his county's efforts to address this challenge, including its efforts to expand housing options to accommodate new economic growth. 

GMAR MEMBERS FEATURED ON WISN12
Coronavirus pandemic doesn't seem to affect home sales.
Home sales surged nesarly 25% from June to July, according to the National Association of Realtors.
There are some steps buyers can take to improve their chances of getting a home during this sellers' market.
REAL TRENDS SEPTEMBER 2020 NEWSLETTER
COVID-19, working from home mandates and civil unrest have created a perfect storm for our nation's major urban areas.

-Steve Murray, REAL Trends President

RE-ORIENT YOURSELF : FAIR HOUSING
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 your education.

With respect to real estate advertising, § 3604(c) of the Fair Housing Act of 1968 provides that “It shall be unlawful . . . [t]o make, print, or publish, or cause to be made, printed or published any notice, statement, or advertisement, with respect to the sale or rental of a dwelling that indicates any preference, limitation, or discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, or national origin, or an intention to make any such preference, limitation, or discrimination.”

View the video below to 're-orient' yourself on this topic.
SLATE OF CANDIDATES FOR GMAR DIRECTOR ELECTION
The Nominating Committee has selected the following candidates to be placed on the ballot for the Greater Milwaukee Association of REALTORS® Board of Directors election. There will be four (4) Directors elected to serve three-year terms:
 
  • Robyn Booth, Badger Realty Team 
  • Jose Flores, RE/MAX Lakeside
  • Summer Hill, Shorewest Realtors
  • Sonya Mays, Midwest Executive Realty
  • Mike Polega, RE/MAX Realty 100
  • Jeremy Rynders, Keller Williams
  • Jim Zarek, First Weber Inc.
 
Additional candidates may be placed on the ballot by a petition signed by at least 5% of GMAR members eligible to vote by September 25, 2020.
 
The election will be held by electronic voting in October 11-17, 2020.
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 September. No previous experience is necessary.
 
SEPTEMBER 22, 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.
IT HAS NEVER BEEN MORE IMPORTANT TO SUPPORT RPAC
Real estate was considered essential because our voice was heard. 
 
What would our business look like today if your lobby team didn’t work diligently behind the scenes to make sure real estate was included on the list of “essential” services?”  
 
On March 24th, 2020, the State of Wisconsin imposed a “Safer At Home Order,” requiring Wisconsin residents to “stay at home or a place of residence” unless they met one of the few exceptions. Many businesses were required to discontinue operations or operate remotely, without meeting in person. Fortunately, real estate services were among the businesses considered to be “essential” and allowed to continue to operate.
 
This was arguably the single biggest “win” of the year for real estate professionals and the industry as a whole.
 
We hope we can count on you to keep real estate “essential” in Wisconsin now and in the future. Please consider keeping your RPAC donation on your dues statement.
 
Any questions, contact Marne Stuck, GMAR’s Government Affairs Director at 414-778-4929 or marne@gmar.com.
WRA THURSDAY TAKEAWAYS VIDEO SERIES
Check out the most recent edition of WRA's Thursday Takeaway Video Series!
 
"Implicit Bias"
With Deb Conrad
It is important that real estate professionals treat people fairly and avoid biases that lead to agents treating different groups of people differently. Hear the confessions of a WRA attorney about her implicit biases after taking the Harvard Implicit Bias test. You may have implicit biases and not even realize it!
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.