Washington Ready
|
NEW!
From the governor's office Wednesday:
Today is a monumental day for Washington.
The last year has been one of the most difficult in our state's history, but because of the tireless effort and sacrifice of so many Washingtonians we can now start the next chapter in our state's response to COVID-19.
We're ready because of you. I hope you can take time today to celebrate that.
This doesn't mean the pandemic is over- facial coverings will still be required in some situations, especially if you're not vaccinated.
If you haven't been vaccinated yet it's not too late, it may save your life or lives of friends & family.
Washington REALTORS® and the Northwest Multiple Listing Service have provided a Revised FAQ Guidance document to help you comply with the new rules.
Please review the downloadable PDF (pictured above, link below) for clarification on which activities are permitted for REALTORS® and the protocols required for permitted activities.
|
SAR Returns to In-person Operation
|
NEW!
Signs are up in the front doors - the SAR will be re-opening on July 6th - Tuesday, next week!
This marks the return to in-person operation at your association for the first time since offices were closed by state order from the global pandemic a year-and-a-half ago.
We appreciate your patience and cooperation as we invented new processes and systems by which to deliver virtual services to members and the public during the shut-down.
2021 President Eric Johnson announces the re-opening and a few details in a short video.
Watch the new two-minute video online here:
|
| |
Mid-year message from 2021 SAR President Eric Johnson
|
When you return to the SAR for in-person board meetings, committee meetings, etc., your meeting chair may choose to use a new piece of video conferencing technology called the Owl (pictured below) to deliver an enhanced virtual experience to participants connecting remotely via Zoom.
We expect to offer a hybrid in-person/virtual experience for most meetings for the foreseeable future.
The Owl camera sees a complete 360-degree view of the room and automatically switches its camera to the person speaking - it's almost like being there.
The Owl won't require any behavior changes for in-person attendees at meetings, but will allow virtual attendees to see who is speaking and switch video capture in real time as discussion happens.
|
REALTORS® Endorse Housing Advocates
|
The Spokane Association of REALTORS® (SAR) and the Washington REALTORS® Political Action Committee proudly endorse three Spokane City Council candidates, all of whom will advocate for housing and home ownership in the 2021 Elections:
Spokane City Council
Dist. 1 Jonathan Bingle
Dist. 2 Betsy Wilkerson (incumbent)
Dist. 3 Michael Lish
Each of the candidates met with a team of REALTOR® member volunteers, who made a unanimous choice of those selected. "There has never been a more critical time in our city's history for issues surrounding housing," said SAR President Eric Johnson. "We believe these candidates represent Spokane's best chance at repairing 10 years of under-building in our region."
|
Real Estate Market Update
|
The Spokane-Kootenai Real Estate Research Committee (the good people behind the wildly popular Real Estate Market Forum) are pivoting during this pandemic time to
offer a fully virtual real estate market update.
This year's event features the usual top-quality speakers:
Steve Scranton, Washington Trust Bank - national and regional economics
Jim Frank, Greenstone - development opportunities and challenges in Spokane and North Idaho
Jennifer Smock, Windermere Post Falls - housing market in North Idaho
Dave Black with Jeff Johnson, NAI Black - commercial market in Spokane
Chris Schreiber, Kiemle Hagood - commercial market in North Idaho
All of this real estate goodness is packed into a 99-minute streaming video!
This event is proudly made possible by Presenting Sponsor: Bank of America; Major Sponsors: Spokane Association of REALTORS® and STCU.
The modest $20 fee goes to support this and future real estate market forum events.
|
Advertising Guidelines
|
NEW!
Washington REALTORS® Legal Hotline lawyer Annie Fitzsimmons has received several inquiries through the Hotline recently about advertising requirements for real estate brokers.
So, she's here to give us the details.
Watch Annie's newest video online here - it runs about eight minutes:
|
| |
Legal Hotline: Real Estate Advertising Guidelines
|
|
SAR Delivers Advocacy Success
|
70-percent of RPAC funding goes to support state and local candidates.
Your local RPAC team is among the best in the nation at supporting you and your business through your RPAC investments.
2021 Washington REALTORS® President Tom Hormel (a Spokane broker) and SAR Governmental Affairs Director Darin Watkins were guest speakers on local advocacy at this year's REALTORS® Legislative Meetings.
They shared what Spokane did in a recent election cycle as a model for what other association across the country can do.
The video is about an hour long - see it online here:
|
| |
The Nuts and Bolts of Advocacy
Getting Involved and Building Strong Communities
|
|
|
Retirement Summit
|
THIS MONTH! Every Wednesday in July
Are you set for retirement? Each REALTOR® has a unique vision for retirement. Proactive planning is the first step towards bringing that vision to life. Register now to attend NAR's Center for REALTOR® Financial Wellness Retirement Summit, featuring Morgan Stanley® experts. This four-part virtual series in July will help you shape your vision for retirement and develop steps to ensure your finances are set for the long-term. Join Mike Engel, Institutional Consulting Director and Director of Corporate Retirement, and Jim Phillips, SVP Wealth Management Financial Advisor and Senior Investment Management Consultant, as they talk about retirement basics, tips for pre-retirees, and investment strategies for independent contractors. The event consists of four one-hour webinars, every Wednesday in July. The first session:
Wednesday, July 7th, at 11 a.m.
Retirement Planning Basics
(Targeted for New Agents)
Saving enough for a comfortable retirement is one of most people's greatest financial goals-and challenges. This session covers the basics, such as planning ahead, learning the essential tenets of investing and understanding popular retirement accounts.
|
|
SAR Professional Development
| |
SAR Professional Development
The SAR offers a full schedule of virtual classes to help members satisfy their professional development requirements to keep their REALTOR® status current.
Please be in touch with Tami at the SAR if you have any questions about classes or your license education requirements, by phone at 326-9222 or by email.
Code of Ethics cycle ends
December 31, 2021
Check your Code of Ethics status online now:
Click on the GO button below - your Code of Ethics status will appear in the top-left corner on your home screen if you've completed the class.
All brokers must take this class once every three years.
We're currently in the cycle 1/1/2019-12/31/2021.
Please note for new agents, completing your first two-year renewal, you must first take the 7.5-hour Code of Ethics and Fair Housing class, within 3 months of joining the SAR, and then you will be eligible for ethics training of not less than three hours of instructional time during the next two-year cycle.
The NAR Code of Ethics Class offered at the SAR is a 3.5-hour class called "Code of Ethics for Real Estate Professionals".
Your membership will be suspended, until the class is completed, if this requirement is not met.
Please call Tami at 326-9222 with any questions.
NEXT WEEK!
Your Code of Ethics & Fair Housing Intro
THIS CLASS REQUIRES A SPEAKER & YOU TO BE ON CAMERA. BE PREPARED!
Two-day class (via Zoom)
Tuesday, July 6th; 8:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
- and -
Thursday, July 8th; 8:30 a.m. - noon
7.5 clock hours
Instructor: Mike Crowley
This class is required for all NEW Brokers.
Why Ethics?
Professionalism means conducting yourself ethically and with integrity and competence. It results in satisfied clients and customers. It's good business!
Course Goal -You will gain knowledge of the REALTORS® Code of Ethics that will help you . . .
Fulfill your essential responsibilities as a REALTOR®,
Enjoy a successful career based on the highest principles of your profession, and develop appropriate responses and solutions to the most pressing dilemmas you will face as a REALTOR®
NEW!
Loving on Listings: A Guide to Listing Paperwork
THIS CLASS REQUIRES A SPEAKER & YOU TO BE ON CAMERA. BE PREPARED!
Tuesday, July 13th; 1 p.m. - 4 p.m.
3.0 clock hours
Instructor: Karene Loman
You won't want to miss this very informative class on your guide to listings. Some of the items she'll be covering will include: Pre-listing, Pre-title, CC&R's, HOA's, Flood Zones, Condos, ResaleCertificate, FHA Approved and so much more.
|
|
 |
|
|
SAR CALENDAR
Click on the image below to see
the current SAR calendar showing dates and times
of classes, committees, and events.
Other regional calendars:
|
Condolences
|
The SAR extends its condolences to friends and family of Robert Gilles, a long-time member of the SAR, who passed away June 24th.
Gilles was a longtime Spokane REALTOR®, former Owner/Broker of Gilles Realty, and most recently with G K Hansen Real Estate.
More information concerning services will be forthcoming.
|
SAR Closed Monday
|
The SAR will be closed Monday, July 5th, to keep the Independence Day holiday.
|
|
SAR Golf Tournament
|
SOLD OUT!
Thursday, July 15th
Down River Golf Course
The annual SAR Golf Tournament is coming soon!
Teams of four will shotgun start at 7:30 a.m. on Thursday, July 15th, at Down River Golf Course.
NEW this year!
Get a Hole in One and win $10,000
We have specific holes marked for your chance to win.
Additional holes will be marked for these Hole in One prizes:
- Set of Callaway Irons (3-PW)
- Roundtrip Domestic Airfare for (2)
- LED Flat-screen TV
|
Sign the letter!
|
Tell Spokane city leaders
to allow more homes...now!"
SIGN THE LETTER
by July 12th!
Tell the City of Spokane to allow more homes...now!
For more than a decade, Spokane has failed to build enough homes to meet the demands of our growing community.
As a result, housing prices are increasing at a never-before-seen pace.
On July 12th, the Spokane City Council will vote on its Housing Action Plan - one we believe is based on out-of-date housing information and will NOT adequately address the severe housing shortage we now face.
Sign the letter. Tell our city leaders their Spokane Housing Action Plan fails to address our immediate housing crisis.
Ask your clients and business associates to sign the letter, too! Forward this link so they may be included in our Call for Action:
|
|
Supra Training Resource Page
|
NEW!
Supra - our lockbox vendor - offers an online resource page brim-full of tips, videos, training sessions, and information to help keep you and your business humming along.
Check it out now, then save the link for future reference.
It's like keeping a Supra tutor in your computer.
|
WCR & YPN Boat Cruise
|
NEXT WEEK!
Thursday, July 8th
2 p.m.
It is time for the 3rd Annual Sip & Sail hosted by the The Realtor YPNs and WCRs in Spokane and Coeur d' Alene.
Join us for a cruise around the lake.
Have a few drinks and get re-acquainted with your colleagues in the industry.
Hosted By:
The Women's Council of REALTORS® Networks of North Idaho & Spokane Eastern Washington,
the YPN (Young Professionsal Network) of the Coeur d'Alene Association of REALTORS® and the Spokane Association of REALTORS®.
Thank you to our major sponsors:
Payne West Insurance
Title One
STCU
Counter Column Accounting
Inland Mortgage Home Loans
Mountain West Bank
State Farm - Tammy Rigsby Agency
Highlands Residential Mortgage
|
SAR Partners with Habitat for Humanity
|
 NEW!
The SAR is partnering with Spokane's Habitat for Humanity for the first time in a long time.
Join your colleagues and friends (family members welcome, too) one Wednesday a month through the summer - July 21, August 18, and September 15.
No experience necessary; all abilities welcome!
This effort will help build decent and affordable homes for those in need.
|
SAR Member Roster Update - May
|
Updated for May
Click here to view the latest Member Roster Update (pictured above) - approved by the SAR Board of Directors at its most recent meeting.
|
|
SAR Market Activity Report - May
|
The SAR Market Activity Report for May is now online.
See the latest full report - a member-exclusive product
See the May 2021 Market Snapshot Report
See the 2021 Year to Date Market Snapshot Report (pictured above), online here.
|
|
Quick Information
|
Tech Helpline: 866-610-8939
Legal Hotline: 800-562-6027
Washington State Legislature Hotline: 800-562-6000
MLS Weekly News & Info
|
|
2021 SAR Leadership
|
|
|  | 2021 SAR PRESIDENT
Eric Johnson | |
Coldwell Banker Tomlinson
PRESIDENT ELECT:
Choice Realty
995-2833
IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT:
Kestell Company
499-9999
|
|
