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ROANOKE VALLEY REALTOR®
Online
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You are receiving this online newsletter as a benefit of being a member of the Roanoke Valley Association of REALTORS®.
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Member Type
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Count
--------------------------- REALTOR@ 1,175 Offices 130 Affiliate 230
Click here
to see which RVAR members have switched firms, gone inactive, or joined recently.
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Anyone who pays 2017 dues by Tuesday, November 1st (includes a November 1st postmark) can take advantage of a $50 discount. Simply go to www.RVAR.com and click on User Login (upper right hand corner). Follow the instructions to log in to access and pay your dues bill online. The final date to pay 2017 dues is Thursday, January 12th.
Dues bills were NOT mailed to offices this year. However, any member may contact Susan Edwards to request a dues bill via email or mail.
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Fall Election for RVAR Board of Directors
RVAR's 2017-2018 Board of Directors has 4 open Director positions. Five candidates have applied for these 4 positions:
Bitsy Davis, Long & Foster, REALTORS®
Veronica Faz, BHHS Premier, REALTORS®
Becky Fields, BHHS Premier, REALTORS®
Jeff Fletcher, BHHS Premier, REALTORS®
Renee Wiggins, RE/MAX All Stars
Electronic ballots will be used, delivered via email on Friday, October 28th. Voting will end at Midnight on Monday, November 14th.
Due to Bylaws requirements which limit members of the Board of Directors to a maximum of two per firm (with the exception of the Past President), the two BHHS Premier, REALTORS® candidates with the highest votes will be elected to serve on the 2017-2018 Board.
Congratulations to Connie Hash of MKB, REALTORS® who will serve as the 2017 President-elect, since no additional candidate applications were received. No applications were received for the 2017 Vice President position.
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2016 Affiliates of the Year Announced
Paula Brown,
Senior Vice President of the Mortgage Division of
Freedom First Credit Union, received RVAR's 2016 Affiliate Individual of the Year award. This award was presented on October 18th at RVAR's Affiliate and REALTOR® Night.
Virginia Varsity Transfer & Self Storage
was honored with RVAR's 2016 Affiliate Company of the Year award.
Both awards were given in recognition of outstanding support of RVAR, as exhibited by event attendance, sponsorships and volunteer efforts.
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Awards for Outstanding REALTORS®
Monday, November 21st
is the deadline for three important RVAR awards. All three awards have the same deadline - and will be presented at the December 9th Installation and Awards Breakfast.
REALTOR® of the Year
: If you can think of a fellow REALTOR® who is well respected, known for professionalism, volunteers time to RVAR and/or the community, then you should take a moment to nominate that deserving colleague for RVAR's most prestigious award. The nomination process is as simple as writing a letter to RVAR's CEO Laura Benjamin explaining whom you want to nominate and why. RVAR will contact all nominees to obtain their resumes. The winner will be selected by the past five recipients of this award. Click here to see who has already won this prestigious award.
Community Service Award
: RVAR created this award in 2005 to honor one REALTOR® each year who has contributed to improving our community by volunteer service to a local program or organization (not necessarily related to housing). The nomination process is simple - just write a letter to Joe Sutliff at RVAR explaining whom you want to nominate and why. RVAR will contact all nominees to collect the necessary information. RVAR will donate $1,000 to the award recipient's charity of choice. Click here to see who has already won this award.
Longevity Award: RVAR presents this award to REALTORS® who have served the real estate industry and RVAR for 50 or more years. Just send a letter to RVAR's CEO Laura Benjamin. The previous recipients of this award are: Luke Waldrop (Waldrop Realty), Elwood Norris (Long & Foster), Dewey Robertson (Dewey Robertson Realty), A. Byron Smith (A. Byron Smith Real Estate) and Dale Poe (Poe & Cronk Real Estate Group.)
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Brokers: Distinguished Service Awards
The Distinguished Service Award is presented each year by RVAR to those firms whose agents have demonstrated exceptional commitment to the Association through Committee service and attendance at RVAR classes and events. The deadline for Brokers to submit an award application is Monday, November 21st, for the award period November 1, 2015 through October 31, 2016.
Click here for the application form. RVAR will be able to provide firm attendance/Committee service/RPAC records during the award period by November 7th. Contact
Laura Benjamin at RVAR with any questions about this award.
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When you volunteer for one of RVAR's Committees, you serve not only your Association but yourself as well! Research shows that members who work on Association committees are:
1. Better informed (that's good for business)
2. Better networked (ditto)
3. Better prepared to act on trends and regulations impacting their business
Join a Committee and let RVAR help improve your business! Both REALTORS® and Affiliate members are welcome to serve. Click here to volunteer for a Committee, plus review a description of each Committee's purpose and how often it meets. Please submit your request by Thursday, December 1st!
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NAR Profile of Real Estate Firms
NAR has just released its 2016 Profile of Real Estate Firms, based on a survey responses from over 4,500 firm executives who are NAR members. The vast majority of real estate firms have an optimistic outlook for the future of the industry's profitability and growth.
Highlights of the Profile include:
- Seventy-eight percent of real estate firms have a single office, typically with three full-time real estate licensees, up from two in 2015.
- Eighty-three percent of firms are independent non-franchised firms.
- Eight-five percent of firms specialize in residential brokerage.
- Forty-seven percent of firms reported actively recruiting sales agents in 2016, an increase over 2015.
- The typical residential firm has been operating for 13 years, while the typical commercial firm has been operating for 20 years.
- Eighty-two percent of firms encourage their agents to volunteer in their local community and 48% at their local Association of REALTORS®.
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Next Tech Lunch & Learn: Working Mobile -- Awesome Apps
Plan to attend the next Tech Lunch & Learn, Wednesday, October 26th, 11:30AM - 1:00PM at the RVAR Office. This FREE session will cover a variety of apps especially useful to REALTORS® in a variety of categories. The recommended apps are for both iPhones and Androids -- and most are FREE. Click here for more information and to register. And be prepared to share your favorite apps, too!
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Speakers Forum Presents!
The next Speaker's Forum will welcome a presentation by Ken McFadyen, Director of Economic Development for Botetourt County. Mr. McFadyen will give an update on the recent economic development successes in Botetourt and how this benefits the entire region.
The Forum will be held on Wednesday, November 9th at the RVAR office starting at 8:45AM with coffee, juice and pastries provided. From 9:00 - 9:45AM we will have a brief welcome followed by Ken McFadyen's presentation. There is NO CHARGE to attend this event, but seating is limited. Click here to register or contact the RVAR office.
The Speaker's Forum helps to provide local, informative presentations regarding topics that affect our businesses. The Forum welcomes all REALTOR® and Affiliate members and there is no charge to attend.
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2017 Awards & Installation Breakfast -- Save the Date!
Mark your calendar now and make plans to join us as we celebrate the many successes of 2016 and install our 2017 Officers and Directors including our 2017 RVAR President,
Kathy Chandler. Our Installation & Awards breakfast will be held on
Friday, December 9th at the
Sheraton Hotel Roanoke from
8:30 until 10:30 AM. The cost is $15 to attend which includes breakfast. We will also be giving special recognition to our REALTOR® of the Year, and the Community Service and Distinguished Service Award recipients. More details and online registration will be available soon.
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PET FOOD DRIVE -- Help Us Feed The Animals! 
The RVAR Pet Food Drive kicked off at last month's REALTOR® After Hours and continues until Howl-O-Ween on Monday, October 31st! ! The Pet Food Drive is a project of the Community Service Committee and supports RVSPCA and Angels of Assisi. You are encouraged to bring your donations to RVAR or drop off your donations at any collection box at area real estate offices. For a list of items most needed, click here. Bring your donations and help us feed the animals!
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CRS Professionalism and Networking Event
The Roanoke Valley CRS Local Networking Group is hosting a seminar on Professionalism followed by a Virginia CRS networking social event,
Thursday, October 27th, 3:00-5:00PM at the RVAR Office. Guest speaker will be RVAR's CEO
Laura Benjamin. This event is
FREE to all Virginia CRS members as well as REALTORS® interested in obtaining information on the CRS Designation.
Click here to register.
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VAR Property Management Conference
Property managers should make plans to attend VAR's Annual Property Management Conference, November 16 - 18, 2016 in Charlottesville. The schedule is packed with classes -- most of which qualify for CE / PL / Broker Management credit. Topics include: Code of Ethics for Property Managers, Fair Housing for Property Managers, The Eviction Process under Virginia Law, Tenant Screening and an 2016 VRLTA Update. Click here for more information or to register.
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Fair Housing
-- RVAR's Education Committee presents this class in conjunction with the Moseley Dickinson Academy of Real Estate, Thursday, November 10th, 2-4PM at the RVAR Office.
New members
: This class is free -- earn 2 hours PL or CE credit.
Existing members: Pay $10 at the door for 2 hours CE credit.
Click here to register.
Taking Your Business to the Next Level -- Learn from a panel of your peers, at this Wednesday, November 16th (10AM - Noon) class. Topics will include: Succeeding Solo, Transitioning from Solo to Assistant, How an Assistant Can Help You Succeed and Cementing Relationships (aka client follow up). RVAR's Education Committee thanks the panel members: REALTORS® Joan Turner (BHHS Premier), and Karl Ford (MKB), plus assistant Chris Hartness (Long & Foster). Click here to register for this FREE class.
GRI 504: Working with Buyers --
This Thursday, November 17th (9AM - 4:30PM) class, taught by LeRoy Houser, will offer tips used by top agents to gain new clients and new sales. The class will cover categories of active buyers, techniques for lead generation, components of the home showing process and negotiation strategies. Plus teach you how to market to younger buyers. This class qualifies for 6 hours of Real Estate Related and 2 hours of Current Industry Issues/Trends PL credit. Click here to register.
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Our RVAR Family
Congratulations
RVAR congratulates Betty Kingery of RE/MAX Mountain to Lake Realty upon her recent election to the Board of Directors of the Virginia Association of REALTORS®.
RVAR congratulates Michelle Dykstra of Hall Associates upon her appointment by Governor Terry McAuliffe to the Board of Directors of the Virginia Recreational Facilities Authority.
Congratulations to those REALTORS® who have been appointed to serve on an NAR Committee in 2017:
Bitsy Davis
(Long & Foster) - Risk Management Issues Committee
John Dickinson
(Hall Associates) - Legal Action Committee
Mary Dykstra
(MKB, REALTORS®) - Executive Committee as Region 3 Vice President
Kit Hale
(MKB, REALTORS®) - Executive Committee, RPAC Major Investor Council, Corporate Investor Council
Steve Hoover
(MKB, REALTORS®) - Professional Standards Committee, Professional Standards Interpretations & Procedures Advisory Board, Commitment to Excellence Advisory Board
RVAR also congratulates the winners of the Roanoke Regional Chamber of Commerce Small Business Awards -- Blue Ridge Wildlife and Pest Management (Micro-business category with 5 or fewer employees) and HomeTown Bank (business-to-business category.)
Sympathy
RVAR expresses sympathy to Richard Wellford of Poe & Cronk Real Estate Group upon the death of his mother.
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Upcoming Events
& Deadlines
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October 26th
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Tech Lunch & Learn
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November 1st
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Dues Discount Deadline
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November 10th
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Fair Housing
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November 11th
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RVAR Office Closed for Veterans Day
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November 14th
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Final Day to Vote in Board of Directors Election
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November 16th
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Taking Your Business to the Next Level
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GRI 504: Working With Buyers
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November 21st
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Awards Deadline
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November 24th-25th
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RVAR Office Closed for Holiday
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December 1st
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Committee Appointment Deadline
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December 9th
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Installation and Awards Breakfast
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Roanoke Valley Association of REALTORS®
Proudly Recognizes Our 2016 Partner / Sponsors
Platinum Level Partner / Sponsor
Diamond Level Partner / Sponsor
Lawrence Companies
Member One Federal Credit Union
Union Mortgage Group
Gold Level Partner / Sponsor
Acquisition Title & Settlement Agency, Inc
Allied Termite & Pest Control
BB&T Home Mortgage
Bill Meador Insurance Agency
Blue Eagle Credit Union
Bug Man Exterminating, Inc
Colonial Mortgage Co.
Consolidated Construction Services, Inc
First Choice Title & Settlement
Integrity Home Mortgage Corporation
Virginia Mountain Mortgage
Virginia Title Center, LLC
Virginia's All-American Movers
Silver Level Partner / Sponsor
Bank of Floyd
First Citizens Bank
HMS Home Warranty
HomeTown Mortgage
Seal-Tite Basement Waterproofing Co.
The Roanoke Times
THANK YOU!
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Roanoke Valley Association of REALTORS
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