As many of you already know, the Home Valuation Code of Conduct (HVCC) came out of an agreement between New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo and Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. The HVCC provides a code of conduct for appraisals used in Fannie and Freddie loans and sets up an Independent Valuation Protection Institute to monitor the appraisal business. The institute will accept complaints from consumers and appraisers regarding the conduct of appraiser professionals. The largest concern stemming from the proposed HVCC dealt with Appraisal Management companies.
On the federal level, HR 3126 was introduced to create the Consumer Financial Protection Act. The bill cleared the House Financial Services committee with an amendment that would sunset the HVCC. The amendment requires the new Consumer Financial Protection Agency to come up with rules on appraisal independence within 60 days of passage. The HVCC would sunset at the adoption of this rule. We continue to monitor the progress of this legislation, and will keep you informed of any new updates.
Below, please click on the link from the National Association of REALTORS® for more information on the HVCC issue and legislative developments.
HVCC Talking Points HVCC Myths vs. Facts HVCC FAQ's
Along with the ever-popular Association Legal Issues with Greg McClelland, and Public Policy Update with MAR’s own Rob Campau, MAR is pleased to present Marcus Wally, and social media speaker Chris Newell to the Achieve speaker lineup.
Marcus Wally will be presenting his two-part session, “Prepare to Lead 2010!” This session covers important strategies to become a better leader in the upcoming year. This is a must see session for any leader, looking to increase their success.
Chris Newell is a licensed REALTOR®, whose online presence has been his backbone since the beginning of his real estate career. His session “
Social Media for Leadership” will leave attendees with the understanding of the power of Social Media in connecting with their customers, the decisions they face in determining a Social Media strategy and the process of creating their Social Media presence.
Register for Achieve today for only $149!
Should you be spending more time crafting your member e-newsletter or posting announcements to your Facebook page? Many AEs struggle to find the right balance of print, electronic, and social media communication vehicles to reach members today.
The perfect mix of avenues, of course, depends on your member needs and staff capabilities. But as a recent survey of communications directors shows, one thing is for sure: You need to employ a growing variety of communication methods to reach your -diverse REALTOR® audience.
Here are some of the ways associations are trying to strike the right balance as their communication strategies evolve:
Keep testing the waters: The only way to really know what your members want is to survey them at least once a year. Find out how many want a traditional newsletter, an electronic newsletter, or prefer to get their information from your Web site. Then build the results into an annual communications plan. Rather than jumping in with both feet, most associations are gradually placing more focus on digital communications.
Don’t fall into the ROI trap: Even though most social media vehicles offer free participation, don’t forget the cost of your staff’s time and energy. The justification for this expenditure is the return of increased engagement with your members, more member participation in the organization, and potentially more members. Stacey Schick from the Orange County Association says, “Facebook has probably been one of the most successful tools in engaging our membership. Of course, we are not reaching them all, but we have identified with a group that we previously had not been capturing.”
Build slowly but surely: As you transition toward more electronic means of communication, add one new tool at a time. For example, continue with your monthly e-newsletter, then add a Facebook page. If you engage in too many online platforms at a time (Facebook, ActiveRain, MySpace, YouTube, SecondLife, LinkedIn, blogs), you risk not being able to update and monitor them all, which has the potential to alienate, rather than engage, members. If finding the time to monitor even one social platform is a challenge, look to an enthusiastic volunteer.
Keep an eye toward greater integration: When adding more electronic media to your communication strategy, make sure to coordinate the efforts of various departments. For example, don’t have your political action team start a blog while your educational staff promotes classes through Facebook. The goal isn’t to increase the number of messages, but to increase their effectiveness through a variety of vehicles
2009 Member Tech Survey: More than half of REALTORS® are comfortable or somewhat comfortable with using social media tools, according to a survey conducted by NAR’s Center for REALTOR® Technology in June. The survey found 76 percent of REALTORS® use Facebook and 58 percent use LinkedIn. More than 60 percent say social networking is effective or somewhat effective for business purposes. Of all respondents, 16 percent do not use any social media sites.
Source: REALTOR® AE Magazine
In last week's MAR E-news there was an error in the DELEG Contact E-mail for License Renewal questions. The correct E-mail address is
RE_Brokers@michigan.gov. The article has been corrected, please update any personal contacts accordingly.
The Michigan Association of REALTORS® stocks a wide variety of standard real estate forms and publications for members real estate transaction needs. MAR’s real estate forms library contains disclosure statements; agency forms; lead based paint forms; listing agreements; sales contracts; closing statements; and sample language for miscellaneous transactions.
MAR also stocks brochures and publication to keep you and your customers in the know with informative brochures and guides. To view samples or place an order, visit the real estate forms and publication library online at:
http://www.mirealtors.com/content/forms.htm.
What’s Hot!
Form H Seller’s Disclosure Statements
Form I Sales Contract
Form K Disclosure Regarding Real Estate Agency Relationships
Form L-3 Lead Based Paint Seller’s Disclosure Form
Form X Lead Based Paint Pamphlet
MAR’s real estate forms are available in electronic format through ZipLogix. To order electronic versions, please visit:
http://www.zipform.com/ ; or call 866-MY FORMS (866-693-6767).