Darcy Luoma: Solve Your People Problems With Confidence

This year’s WRA REALTOR® & Government Day was a success, as members gathered in Madison and at the Wisconsin Capitol to learn about pending laws related to real estate and meet with lawmakers to discuss that legislation. Thank you to those who attended this important event. Your presence, voice, and active support are vital to our ability to successfully shape and advocate for laws that will positively impact the real estate industry in Wisconsin. Click here to view the information presented during REALTOR® & Government Day, covering topics such as workforce housing, homeowners’ associations, access easements, and foreclosure equity theft. Click here to view a video recap from WRA.

The REALTORS® Association of South Central Wisconsin is proud to announce its endorsement of several prominent community leaders running for local office. The full list of those individuals is:

The candidates come from diverse backgrounds with varying motivations for running for office, but all had a number of attributes in common that earned RASCW’s endorsement. The Government Affairs Committee was impressed with the dedication to public service and thoughtfulness of the candidates, and each ranked housing as one of the most important issues facing us today. Most importantly, they all expressed a willingness to work with REALTORS® and listen to our ideas. As a group, the Government Affairs Committee was extremely happy with the interviews, and enjoyed discussing housing issues with each candidate. We look forward to their success and working with each one of them in the future!

In February, NAR kicked off its fourth "That's Who We R" national advertising campaign, which aims to communicate to consumers the value of working with a REALTOR® member versus a non-member real estate practitioner or do-it-yourself platforms in today's competitive and complex market. The message of the 2022 campaign is "the Difference is Real", and works to demonstrate the unique industry expertise and high professional standards of REALTORS® due to their guidance by NAR's Code of Ethics. NAR encourages you to utilize the resources provided by this campaign to help educate local consumers about the benefits of working with you, a REALTOR® member. Click here to access all of those available resources, including advertising and social media assets.

In conjunction with National Women's History Month, NAR has designated March as Women in Real Estate month to help recognize and honor the history, role, and accomplishments of women in the industry, and to find ways to support women in their pursuit of a career and advancement within real estate. Check out these links for related information and resources:

Home Buyers Round Table Down Payment Assistance REALTOR® Training

The Home Buyers Round Table (HBRT) of Dane County is offering their annual FREE training for Realtors® online this year. Join this free webinar to receive updates about the current state of housing in Dane County, an overview on down payment assistance options available to your buyers, and how to use Addendum DPA and the Housing Quality Standards (HQS) inspection. You’ll come away with valuable information to share with homebuyers and sellers. Click here to register for the session being held on March 24.

If you missed it live, click here to view the recording of the recent Home Buyers Round Table (HBRT) Down Payment Assistance Lender Training, which provides information on the various products available to help your buyers overcome challenges with down payments, including city, state, and other assistance programs. You'll also hear from Linette Rhodes from the City of Madison about the current state of housing in Dane County.

The Madison Chapter of the Wisconsin Mortgage Bankers Association (WMBA) has started a new local scholarship program to help encourage individuals to join our industries. The scholarship is open to anyone furthering their education at a state-accredited institution with career goals in the financial, construction management/trades, and real estate industries. Three $1,000 scholarships will be awarded through this program. Click here for more details and the scholarship application.

Once you complete the online Ambassador Workshop and enroll as an Ambassador, you can start offering your clients access to new energy efficiency expertise and exclusive perks, including a Welcome Kit with a $125 heating and cooling tune-up voucher and a helpful Home Energy & Maintenance Guide. The kit is co-branded with your business information and sent to your clients on your behalf, at no cost to you, providing an extra touch and added value. Click here to register for an upcoming Ambassador workshop. For more information, visit focusonenergy.com/ambassador, or email Nancy Alberte.

Our sincere condolences go out to the family and friends of Astor Garcia of Bunbury & Associates, REALTORS® who passed away on March 2, 2022. Astor was a member since 2018. Click here to view his obituary.

Click here to learn more about each of our committees. By joining one, your industry knowledge will increase, your networking skills and connections will grow, and you'll have the opportunity to make a real and positive impact on the area real estate community.

If you'd like more information about getting involved with RASCW, please email Erin Volland, RASCW Communication & Engagement Director, at erin@wisre.com.