Weekly Notices
April 21, 2017
 
Open House Weekend    



     
NEXT WEEKEND!  
  
 
Make plans now to participate in the 7th annual Spokane REALTORS® Open House Weekend - April 29th & 30th!

This event kicks off the new buying/selling season and offers a great opportunity to bring exposure to your listings and business.

Our event, this year, is generously sponsored by:

- and -



Download the event logo (pictured above), to help you promote the event with your clients, online here.




PRIZES!

               
Here's a look at all of the prizes in play:
 
1 - GRAND visitor prize - $1,000 VISA gift card!

1 - GRAND REALTOR® prize - $500 VISA gift card!

10 - REALTOR® participation prizes - there will be ten of these - a $100 gift card to spend at River Park Square in downtown Spokane - with complimentary parking pass included!



 
HEADQUARTER HOUSES


This year, we have two event headquarter houses:

 
4916 East 42nd Avenue  


2015 South Oneida Place


The headquarter houses will serve as our points-of-contact for members of the public and local media who are interested in connecting with us for the Open House Weekend event. 

The headquarter houses will also serve REALTORS® as field offices of the SAR, that weekend, with stocks of sign riders, REALTOR® balloons and printed contest entry forms.  


 

BEFORE THE EVENT . . .   
 
 
  

List your open house(s) on SpokaneOpen.com.  A house must be listed on SpokaneOpen.com to qualify for the prizes.

Don't know how to do this?  Download the instruction sheet online here, and/or watch this one-minute video tutorial:

How to list a property on SpokaneOpen.com 
How to list a property on SpokaneOpen.com
 
   


      

Promote your open house with SpokaneOpen sign riders (pictured above) and REALTOR® balloons (available at the SAR during office hours, then at the event headquarter houses over the event weekend).




Encourage your guests to complete the Spokane REALTORS® Open House Weekend contest entry form (pictured above), online here
.

This is the form your guests must complete, and you must submit, to be eligible for a prize.
 




 
AFTER THE EVENT . . .
 
Return your completed contest entry forms to the SAR by 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday, May 2nd.

All contest winners will be selected at the SAR Board of Directors' meeting on Wednesday, May 3rd.  Winners will be notified immediately following the meeting.



Best wishes for a successful Nationwide Open House weekend and good luck on the contest!
 
 
   
Meeting with Member of Congress


SAR photo



 
Members of the SAR Governmental Affairs committee visited with our Representative in Congress, Cathy McMorris Rodgers (WA-05), in the lobby of the Davenport Hotel in downtown Spokane this week.

Photo above (left to right): Marianne Bornhoft, Marilyn Amato, Terry Sullivan (SAR's Federal Personal Contact), Rep. McMorris Rodgers, Tom Hormel, Cynthia Gustafson (SAR Governmental Affairs committee chair), Nancy Jones, and Arne Woodard (not pictured).

The Congress member is in town, this week, for the April District Work Period. 

The informal discussion included tax reform, government sponsored enterprises reform (Fannie and Freddie), and other issues affecting real estate.

See NAR's 2017 Spring Break Report on the status of our federal issues in this session, online here.

 

   
Spokane REALTOR® Awards Luncheon 

 
   
Thursday, May 25th

It's time to mark your calendar and plan to attend the 2017 Spokane REALTOR® Awards Luncheon!

This is always such a fun event, when we award this year's awards for REALTOR® of the Year, REALTOR® Achievement, REALTOR® Community Service, Affiliate of the Year, Partner of the Year, Citizen of the Year, and the winners of this year's Third Grade Poster/Essay contest.

Download the event flyer, suitable for sharing and posting in your office (pictured above), online here.



   
    
RE Commission Opportunity

 

The Washington Real Estate Commission is looking for a new member to replace one leaving the commission this summer.

The commission works to "uphold, protect, and promote the public interest, which embraces both the interests of regulated licensees and entities and the interests of consumers, by the fair and impartial development and administration of the licensing laws and regulations."

Interested?  The application is online here.

A Washington REALTORS® Nominating Committee will conduct candidate interviews in early June.

For more information on how to apply, click here.
   
  
Broker Liability Series



NEW!
     

Washington REALTORS® Legal Hotline lawyer Annie Fitzsimmons continues her Broker Liability series this week with video #5: Listing Broker requiring Buyer's Financial Documents?

In this latest video, Annie explains why it's a risky practice where some listing brokers are requiring buyers to provide, with the offer, financial documents like credit reports, tax information, loan-to-debt ratios, etc.

See the three-minute video online here:

Listing Broker requiring Buyer's Financial Documents?
Listing Broker requiring Buyer's Financial Documents?
 



   
WR Business Symposium                         

 
 
April 27th


The 2017 Washington REALTORS ® Business Symposium is proud to announce nationally recognized speaker Jackie Leavenworth will be spending the day with us and sharing her knowledge, energy, and passion for real estate.

Jackie will present two of her most-demanded classes:
Negotiations: The Games People Play, and It's a Price War to the Door.


Details on the Business Symposium are online here
     
    
Historic Preservation

 
 
Monday, May 22nd 

Enjoy a fun and informative Lunch & Learn event at your SAR with Megan Duvall, Historic Preservation Officer for Spokane city and county, on Monday, May 22nd.

Megan will present on what it means for a property to be listed on a historic register, what it takes to get a property listed on the national, county, and city historic registers, and how you do it.

Great information to have, and information that will make you more valuable to your clients.

See the event flyer online here.

     
    
WR Legal Symposium                         

 
 
 
May 24th


The 2017 Washington REALTORS® Legal Symposium
gathers leading real estate attorneys in Washington to share current legal issues affecting the industry & to help our members to stay out of trouble!

This year, we have; Annie Fitzsimmons, Justin Haag, Lars Neste, Doug Tingvall, Chris Osborn, Jeannie Simpson, and Mark Schedler.
 
7.5 clock hours. 

Details on the Legal Symposium are online here
     
    
E-sign with TransactionDesk®

 
 
Monday, June 5th 

Enjoy a fun and informative Lunch & Learn event at your SAR with Karene Loman on Monday, June 5th.

Karene will present on E-sign with TransactionDesk®, from creating templates, to filling out the paperwork, and signings.

Great information to learn, or add to what you already know, about this powerful software.

See the event flyer online here.

     
    
Spokane CRS Class                         

 
CRS is coming to town!

CRS 202: Sales Strategies will be taught at CenterPlace Event Center in Spokane Valley on Thursday and Friday, June 8th and 9th.

The Council of Residential Specialists is the largest not-for-profit affiliate of the National Association of REALTORS® -- a professional network of over 32,000 residential real estate professionals in the U.S. and overseas, with one common goal in mind...your success.  
 
 
See the event flyer, pictured above, online here.

If you have a question, please call Darlene at 360-901-0307
 
    
2017 REALTOR® Education

CONTINUING EDUCATION
 
Quality of Education 
through SAR/WR Education Instructors


Here is the latest class listing from your SAR - offering the best live and local continuing real estate education classes for 2017.

Click on each class title,  underlined in blue, to bring up a flyer for that class - suitable for posting in your office. 

Register for these classes online here: 

 
  


Please be in touch with Debbie at the SAR if you have any questions about these classes or your license education requirements, by phone at 326-9222 or by email.
  

 




Thursday, May 4 - Uncovering Coverage for Home Warranty - with Beale Luebben.

Check-in: 1:00 p.m.
Class: 1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
at the SAR

3.0 clock hours






Friday, May 5 - Home Inspections from the Ground Up - with Matthew Pedersen.

Check-in: 8:15 a.m.
Class: 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
at the SAR

7.5 clock hours





In This Issue
Open House Weekend
2017 Administrative Professionals Day
Spokane REALTOR® Awards Luncheon
RE Commission Opportunity
Broker Liability Series
WR Business Symposium
Historic Preservation
WR Legal Symposium
E-sign with TransAction Desk®
Spokane CRS Class
2017 REALTOR® Education
SAR CALENDAR
Competitive Spokane housing market
Condolences
2017 Administrative Professionals Day
Happy Retirement, Patt!
2017 SAR Awards
CCIM Luncheon
YPN May Event
Mother's Day Open House Tour
ListHub Report for March
Market Activity Report - March
Member Roster Update
Suggestion Box

SAR CALENDAR

 

Click on the calendar image below to see

the current SAR calendar showing dates and times

of classes, committees and events. 

 


Competitive Spokane housing market




Buyers looking for homes in the Spokane area face an increasingly competitive market.

Sales prices are up, and inventory is down.

Prospective buyers have to move quickly, and be prepared to top other offers, if they really want the home.

"When a house came on the market, it used to be common for the buyer to say, 'Let's go look at it over the weekend,'" said Jennifer Valerien, the owner/broker of Re/Max Inland Northwest and president of the Spokane Association of Realtors.

"If they're truly interested, they don't have that luxury right now," she said. "They need to go look at it right away."



Read the rest of this article in Tuesday's edition of The Spokesman-Review, online here.

 

   
Condolences




The SAR shares condolences with the family, colleagues, and friends of Harry Wacker who passed away on April 13, 2017.

Friends say Harry was "one of the best title officers in Spokane for over 25 years. A kind and humble man admired by his peers." 

Many knew him only by his voice on the phone, but he was helpful and knowledgeable, and someone you could always count on. We will miss his dedication and loyalty to the real estate industry.

Funeral services will be held today - Friday, April 21st - at 11 o'clock at Heritage Funeral Home on Government Way.
 
 



 

   
2017 Administrative Professionals Day




 
Your SAR will be closed from 11: 30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on Wednesday, April 26th, to allow our front office staff time to enjoy lunch away from the phones on Administrative Professionals Day.

Administrative Professionals Day recognizes and celebrates the work of secretaries, administrative assistants, and other office professionals for their contributions to the workplace.

More than 4 million secretaries/administrative assistants are part of the U.S. workforce. (Source: U.S. Department of Labor, 2010)

 
Hallmark photo


They say the best part of a company is its people.

That's certainly the case when it comes to you!

Thanks for all you do.



 

   
Happy Retirement, Patt!




 
SAR photo
Patt Donovan (photo, left) has been the Controller with the Spokane Association of REALTORS ® for 20+ years. 

She is retiring and her last day is April 28, 2017

Please join us on Friday, April 28th, to wish her all the best in her retirement.

Friday, April 28th
1:00 - 3:00 p.m.
SAR Office






 

   
2017 SAR Awards                            





DEADLINE TODAY!

Nominations close today - Friday, April 21st - for the 2017 Spokane Association of REALTORS® annual awards.

Awards available for nomination are: REALTOR® of the Year; Steve Flinn REALTOR® Achievement; REALTOR® Community Service; Affiliate of the Year; Partner of the Year; and Spokane's Citizen of the Year.

Winners will be announced at the annual SAR Spring Awards Luncheon on May 25 at the Hotel RL River Inn .

Download the 2017 SAR Awards nomination form, pictured above, online here.
      

   
CCIM Luncheon

 
 
 

Certified Commercial Investment Members (CCIM-WA) invites you to its May luncheon for an opportunity to network with chapter leadership, industry peers, and learn more about CCIM in a casual environment.

Wednesday, May 3rd
11:45 a.m. 
Tamarack Public House

Guest speaker will be Jeff K. Johnson, CCIM, SIOR, and President of NAI Black Commercial, Inc., one of Spokane's largest property management and commercial real estate companies.

For more information and registration, click here
 

YPN May Event 


 


        
The Spokane Young Professionals Network invites you to hear some fresh and frank assessments on the condition of our city at its next event on Tuesday, May 9th.




See the event flyer (pictured above) for list of guest speakers and location details, online here
 

Mother's Day Open House Tour

MAC photo
 
     
The Museum of Arts & Culture (MAC) announces details for its 28th annual Mother's Day Open House Tour, the weekend of May 13-14.

This year's tour highlights some of Spokane's historic native rock structures: Glover Mansion, Westminster Congregational Church, C.C. Koerner House, Ralston & Sarah Wilbur House, Vera Water and Power Well House, Blakely Gardens, and Royal Riblet Mansion Grounds (now Arbor Crest Winery).

More details and tickets are online here.
 
   
  

ListHub Report for March                       



         
See the March ListHub report, online here.
     
  

Market Activity Report - March    

 




The SAR Market Activity Report for March is now online.
 


See the latest full report - a member-exclusive product - and archived full reports - online here.



 
    

 
      

See the March 2017 Snapshot Report (pictured above) online here.

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

See the 2017 Year-to-date Snapshot Report (pictured above),  online here.

 

 

 

   

   

 

Member Roster Update  
 
 
Updated 4/6

Click here to view the latest Member Roster Update - approved by the Board of Directors.


Click here to view the latest list of MLS Subscription Waivers - approved by the Board of Directors.  


   
Send a message to Angie at the SAR with any changes.  


Suggestion Box

 

  

 


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Quick Information
2017 SAR Leadership


This weekly newsletter is a member benefit of the

SPOKANE ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®
  1924 North Ash Street 
Spokane, Washington 99205
T: 509. 326.9222
F: 509. 324.8650

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