Have you ever dreamed of playing in the NCAA’s “Sweet Sixteen” tournament? Now is your chance to shine! New to Convention this year is the RPAC “Pop-A-Shot” Basketball Tournament! The tournament replaces the putting challenge this year. It offers a new, but fun challenge to get members involved in RPAC!
Stop by the RPAC Booth anytime during the Expo to try your luck for a chance to advance to the “Sweet Sixteen” championship for a chance to win diamond jewelry! The “Sweet Sixteen” championship will be held during the Royale on Thursday evening starting at 8:00 pm.
Member participation in the MAR RPAC Silent Auction and the new Basketball Tournament are key to helping RPAC succeed in protecting the real estate industry. Each contribution goes to fighting for REALTOR® causes at the federal, state, and local levels of government. It also helps to secure those in the legislature who will fight for real estate industry concerns and continue to support REALTOR® initiatives. In addition, it’s an easy way to get involved in RPAC and your shooting skills may reap a fantastic reward in the process! If you still need to register for this year’s convention, please visit the
2009 MAR Convention & Expo Web site.
Listen to the latest MAR Public Policy Podcast
Get the latest budget updates from your MAR top lobbyists Rob Campau and Brad Ward. Hear what’s going on under the Capitol Dome that could affect the real estate industry.
http://www.mirealtors.com/content/podcast.htm
There is just one week left until the 2009 MAR Convention & Expo! Being held October 7-9 at the Grand Traverse Resort & Spa, this year’s Convention is the largest real estate event in Michigan. This Friday, October 2
nd, is the last day to pre-register, and registration fees are as low as $159. Clear your schedule, register today, and boost your business by attending one of the following sessions;
5 Social Media Tools for Building a Solid Business Foundation, Daniel Rothamel
Social Media is having a dramatic impact on the way real estate professionals manage their business and communicate with clients and prospects. In this session, you'll learn about 5 tools you can use to take advantage of the opportunity that social media provides to increase your effectiveness and ramp up your business.
Coaching Sellers for Success, Jackie LeavenworthThe game has changed!!!! Today's economic climate calls for a different style of counseling. Learn to bring sellers' expectations closer to reality while earning their business and loyalty. When the game changes, we must change the game plan!
Keeping Current Matters in Today's Market,
Steve HarneyIn this course you will learn how to use current trends and the media to your advantage in diminishing buyer uncertainty and educating uniformed sellers on pricing strategy. Learn how the top professionals help their clients understand the information and translate that into ACTION.
New Financing Realities for a New Market,
Chandra HallThis course will reflect new guidelines and realities in FHA, VA, HUD, RESPA, and conventional financing, including the impact of credit scores. Other topics being discussed include: current changes in finance and the economy, the current state of affairs with Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, and statistics and legislative events in the area of foreclosure and short sales. There will also be information on programs and resources (and how to access them) about foreclosure available to those in need.
Legal UpdateA member favorite, with MAR's very own legal counsels Greg McClelland & Gail Anderson, this update will cover a variety of seller financing tools, current contract issues in a foreclosure or bank owned property environment, DELEG complaints, foreclosure & short sale issues, and a legal liability update.
Why REALTORS® Can't Survive Without A Smartphone, G. William JamesAre you looking for solid information on compatible technologies? Then this session is for you, not only will we break down the differences in devices, their pros and cons, but discuss what to look for and what to consider when purchasing technology devices for real estate. Learn how you can use smartphones and mobile devices to maximize on business success.
Revive your business today, and follow the changing leaves up north with YOUR real estate industry!
Register today!
MAR would like to congratulate The Cultural Diversity Committee of the North Oakland County Board of REALTORS®, Joyce Ann Beverly, a real estate agent since 1985 and principal of Joyce, Inc. who were the recipients of the Fair Housing Center’s 2009 Fair Housing Leadership Awards at the Awards Reception on September 24, 2009. The Reception was held at The Renaissance Club located on the 36
th floor of the 200 Tower at the Renaissance Center in downtown Detroit.
Read More...
The Michigan Association of REALTORS® has launched its first issue of what will be a series of online video magazines promoting the many tools and resources available to MAR members through membership. The debut issue features an association overview, RPAC, MAR events, as well as an industry & legal issues update. Find out where to go on Mirealtors.com for the latest information on developing issues in the real estate industry. View the first online video magazine below and stay tuned as the series continues.
Watch now!
With the help of McClelland & Anderson, we are taking the most commonly asked questions from our legal hotline and putting them in E-news. We will be featuring a different question each issue.
QUESTION: I am a REALTOR® representing a seller of a home that is in foreclosure. We are attempting to arrange a short sale. It is my understanding that a seller disclosure statement must be provided despite it being a short sale. Is this true?
ANSWER: YES. There is no exception in the Seller Disclosure Statement Act for short sales.
WASHINGTON- With the deadline quickly approaching, the Internal Revenue Service today reminded potential homebuyers they must complete their first-time home purchases before Dec. 1 to qualify for the special first-time homebuyer credit. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act extended the tax credit, which has provided a tax benefit to more than 1.4 million taxpayers so far.
The credit of up to $8,000 is generally available to homebuyers with qualifying income levels who have never owned a home or have not owned one in the past three years. The IRS has
other resources that explain the credit in detail.
The IRS encouraged all eligible homebuyers to take advantage of the first-time homebuyer credit but at the same time cautioned taxpayers to avoid schemes that help ineligible people file false claims for the credit. Currently, the agency is investigating a number of cases of potential fraud and is using computer screening tools to identify questionable claims for the credit.
Because the credit is only in effect for a limited time, those considering buying a home must act soon to qualify for the
credit. Under the Recovery Act, an eligible home purchase must be completed before Dec. 1, 2009. This means that the last day to close on a home is Nov. 30.
The credit cannot be claimed until after the purchase is completed. For purchases made this year before Dec. 1, taxpayers have the option of claiming the credit on their 2008 returns or waiting until next year and claiming it on their 2009 returns.
For details on claiming the credit, see
Form 5405, First-Time Homebuyer Credit.
IRS National Phone Forum
Participate in a free IRS National Phone Forum regarding the First-Time Homebuyer Credit, on October 21, 2009.
The phone forum is free and being held at 10 am, 1 pm and 4 pm, on October 21, 2009. You will learn about:
Download the IRS National Phone Forum Flyer to Attend
Take 10% off your entire order at the Realtor.org Store!
The Realtor.org Store has everything you need to enhance your knowledge of the real estate industry. From DVD's to books and brochures, The National Association of REALTORS® provides you with a plethora of resources that cannot be found anywhere else. Above all, the store provides convenient ways to place orders. Visit the store online and make your purchases with the click of a mouse, or simply call and order your product over the phone. Both ways will result in fast shipping, and the option to return.
The Michigan Association of REALTORS® wants to help you save money on the tools you need. As a MAR member, you are entitled to 10 percent off your entire REALTOR.org Store purchase. Simple type in the promotional code
Mi2 and the amount will automatically will be discounted. You can also apply the promotional code to phone and fax orders. It really is that easy to save money, and with this simplicity, there is no reason not to use the code and save!
Visit the REALTOR.org Store at
www.realtor.org/store to view available products. DonÍt forget to use your discount by typing in
Mi2 at checkout!