SCAAR Monthly Updates

Government Affairs Committee

Building on the success of our November Fireside Chat with St. Cloud’s Matt Glaesman, the Government Affairs Committee is excited to host another conversation on February 11, 2026.

February’s guest is Kari Haakonson, Director of Community and Economic Development for the City of Sartell. This is a great opportunity to hear firsthand about local housing initiatives and ask your questions.

Rally your office, grab a hot beverage, and join us for an engaging discussion you won’t want to miss.

Click here to register and submit questions.

President Trump Directs MBS Purchases to Lower Mortgage Rates: On Thursday, January 8, President Trump directed the Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to purchase $200 billion of their own mortgage-backed securities (MBS) in order to lower mortgage rates. Mortgages rates fell nearly 0.2% the subsequent day, ending the day at 5.99%. Click here to read more.

HUD launches fair housing investigation into Minneapolis: HUD’s Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity has launched an investigation into the city of Minneapolis’ housing plans, practices and policies, which it said in a Jan. 15 letter may violate the Fair Housing Act and Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Click here to read more.

Preferred Partner Committee

📣 Stay Connected on Facebook!

Be sure you’re following our Facebook page: St. Cloud Area Association of REALTORS® (SCAAR)

We are actively spotlighting our Preferred Partners and sharing timely, relevant, and educational content designed to help our REALTOR® members gain valuable insights they can confidently pass along to their clients. This is a great way for Preferred Partners to stay visible and for REALTORS® to stay informed.

🤝 Join the Preferred Partner Committee

We are currently looking for additional committee members who are interested in helping shape programming, marketing opportunities, and engagement for our Preferred Partner program.

📅 Next Preferred Partner Committee Meeting

February 16th | 10:00 AM

📍 SCAAR Office

If you’re interested in getting involved or would like more information, please contact Mary Ellen. We’d love to have you join us!

📢 Share Your Upcoming Events

If any of our Preferred Partners have upcoming events, webinars, classes, or educational opportunities, please let me know. We are happy to help share and promote these opportunities so our REALTOR® members can stay informed and pass along valuable information to their clients.

📄 Preferred Partner Resource

First American Title. We’re excited to announce a new free property title monitoring and fraud alert service for eligible customers—adding an extra layer of visibility for homeowners amid rising fraud risks.

Learn how this new service helps safeguard homeownership and gives customers greater peace of mind. Read the full press release: https://firstam.us/4jRHzuQ

As always, thank you to our Preferred Partners for your continued collaboration, education, and support of SCAAR and our REALTOR members.

Mary Ellen Richter, Chair

Preferred Partner Committee

612-532-7659

💙 Humanitarian Committee

We are excited to welcome Nia Castro as a new Humanitarian Committee member in 2026! If you are interested in joining the Humanitarian Committee in the coming year, we would love to have you. Please contact Mary Ellen Richter or Kelly Travis at the St. Cloud Area Association of REALTORS® (SCAAR) office for more information.

Our mission is simple and meaningful: to give back.

The Humanitarian Committee supports both local and national causes, including:

• REALTOR® Relief Foundation
• Scholarships
• This past year, we awarded three $1,000 scholarships.
  👉 For 2026, scholarship applications will be sent out in Feb. or early March, with selections made in April to allow students time to submit for high school recognition.
• Donations to local food shelves
• Funeral flowers and sympathy cards for the immediate family of a member
• $50 charitable donation when a member participates in a qualifying charity event
• Financial support for members facing crisis situations
• Adopt-a-Family Program
  Providing gifts and essential items for a family within our REALTOR® community or the greater community
• Project Connect
  Collecting and distributing coats, hats, mittens, scarves, and socks to community members in need

💝 Reminder: Charity Support

Participating in a charitable fundraiser? SCAAR will donate $50 to support your efforts!

👉 Click here for more information and to access the request form.

📅 Next Humanitarian Committee Meeting

March 16th | 10:00 AM

📍 SCAAR Office

We invite you to join us and be part of the incredible work happening through the Humanitarian Committee. Together, we can continue to make a meaningful difference in our REALTOR® community and beyond.