1st Quarter | 2021 Edition

The REALTOR® Update
President’s Message
Elias Acuna, March 2021
Have You Checked Out Our New Website?
The new website has a fresh new look and user-friendly navigation, updated with the latest information, allowing our viewers to browse for information easily.

Some of the great new features of this site include:
Congratulations to our 2020 President's Award Recipients!
Tips to Navigate the Mortgage Process in 2021 
SPONSORED
Buying a house is one of the largest purchases your customers will ever make. Jim Sherbo, Senior Vice President of Consumer Lending at PeoplesBank, shares a few tips on the mortgage process.
The impacts of COVID-19 on Qualifying Buyers
Submitted by Affiliate-Realtor® Committee
With all the shutdowns and interruptions in businesses in 2020 and 2021, many buyers have had their incomes impacted in one way or another since March 16, 2020. For most of 2020 and now into at least the early part of 2021, this is how FNMA, FHLMC, FHA & VA are allowing the income to be counted when qualifying a buyer and determining their debt-to-income ratio (DTI).
C2EX Ambassador Program
The C2EX Committee introduces a peer-to-peer Ambassador program to encourage REALTORS® to help each other amp up their career, and take their professionalism to the next level.

Have you earned your C2EX Endorsement? Would you like to help others in your state complete the C2EX program? You should consider becoming a C2EX Ambassador! Ambassadors will give virtual and in-person C2EX presentations, and represent the C2EX program at the state and local level.
How A Commission Advance Can Help Your Business
SPONSORED
Commission Express helps smooth out inconsistent cash flow faced by realtors by offering the advance payment of commissions from pending sales. Here’s why a commission advance might be the right financial tool for your business.
Next Wave of NAR "That’s Who We R" 2021 Ad Campaign Live!
The series of television spots emphasize how Realtors® open doors to opportunity for their clients and the communities they serve.

View more at ThatsWhoWeR.realtor
Westfield Bank: Financing Home Ownership Since 1853
SPONSORED
Westfield Bank has closed on thousands of mortgages in its 168-year history, but each one is still special to the Residential Lending Team.
 
“Helping a customer buy, build, or refinance a home never gets old,” says Matthew Manganelli, Vice President and Retail Lending Sales Manager. “It’s an emotional experience because homes are where memories are made.”
From Our Annual Sponsors:
Mark Your Calendar!
Mission:
To advance professionalism within our real estate community and to protect private
property rights through education, advocacy and the REALTOR® Code of Ethics.
CONNECT WITH US
REALTOR® Association of Pioneer Valley
221 Industry Avenue, Springfield, MA 01104
(413) 785-1328 | www.rapv.com