march 2012

www.RARea l t o r s . c om

Volume 7, Issue 1

L ISTEDA M A G A Z I N E O F T H E R I C H M O N D A S S O C I AT I O N O F R E A L T O R S®

INSIDE:

• New Marketing Campaign

• RPAC Major Donors

• The New RARealtors.com

• CVR MLS Tech Fair

To Support and To Serve

“To protect and to serve” is the motto of many a police force, belonging originally and most notably to the Los

Angeles police department. Here at RAR, I would suggest that a slightly modified version of the motto succinctly

captures what we’re all about—to support and to serve.

The mission of the Richmond Association of REALTORS® is to “provide our members with the resources and

services they need to conduct ethical, professional, and profitable businesses.” In short, we want to support you in

your chosen profession, protect your ability to practice real estate, and on a daily basis provide excellent customer

service to you.

A number of initiatives are already underway to accomplish this mission. In February, we held a Tech Fair to

showcase the wide variety of technology tools at members’ disposal and to highlight a new version of Tempo™ MLS

which is cross-browser compatible and works on MACs. Additionally, the Tech Fair provided us with an opportuni-

ty to welcome members into the newly renovated headquarters, designed to make members feel more welcomed,

more comfortable.

Another exciting effort underway is the “We Are the R” marketing campaign that graces the cover of this edi-

tion of Listed and about which you can read more on page 12. With this marketing campaign, we hope to remind

consumers—in an exciting and energetic way—that real estate is a complex business and that REALTORS® are the

professionals best prepared to navigate these complexities. When you visit RAR, I hope you’ll pick up a “We Are

the R” reusable bag and a bumper sticker—show your REALTOR® pride and help spread the word about the value

of REALTORS®.

As always, we have a number of exciting events planned for the year. On May 2, RAR will host a joint appear-

ance between U.S. Senatorial candidates George Allen and Tim Kaine. And on October 23, REALTOR®fest returns,

featuring keynote speaker Mike London.

Finally, as professionals, each of us has a responsibility to stay abreast of what’s going on in our community as

well as the industry. RAR provides us with ample opportunities to do both. On page 16, learn about the “Selling

Richmond” series presented by YPN. Plan to take your continuing education classes at RAR this year, because we

have significantly reduced fees for all classes. And make sure you’re prepared for upcoming changes to the agency

law by taking the three hour mandatory agency course.

The year is already off to a whirlwind; it’s going to get busier and more exciting with each passing day. It’s a

great time to be in real estate and be involved at RAR. I look forward to working with my fellow leaders and the

staff as we seek to support and serve each of you.

1

Scott Ruth

www.RAReal tor s .com LISTED • 2012 ISSUE 1

From the President

L ISTEDContents Volume 7, Issue 12012

Listed Magazine is published quarterly

by the Richmond Association of REALTORS®,

8975 Three Chopt Road, Richmond, VA 23229

Editor-in-Chief

Kate Loveluck

Communications & Marketing Coordinator

Advertising & Sponsorship

Lisa Garcia

(804) 422-5009

[email protected]

Printing & Production

Proforma Graphic Information Services

Graphic Design

Sattler Creative

The publisher does not endorse advertised products

unless specifically stated and reserves the right to reject

any advertisements at any time. Any questions about

advertising policy should be directed to the Managing

Editor or the Director of Communications and Marketing.

REALTOR® members pay annual dues with a one-year

subscription included within their dues. Sponsor and

affiliate members receive a subscription to the magazine

as part of their member dues. Annual subscription rate

for non-members is $25.

Office: (804) 422-5000

Fax: (804) 422-5088

Web: www.RARealtors.com

Copyright 2012. Richmond Association of REALTORS®.

All Rights Reserved. Articles of information from the

magazine may not be reprinted without the permission

of the Richmond Association of REALTORS®.

Postmaster: Please send change of address to

Listed Magazine, Richmond Association of REALTORS®,

8975 Three Chopt Road, Richmond, VA 23229

L ISTED

2 LISTED • 2012 ISSUE 1 www.RAReal tor s .com

18

12F E A T U R E

New Marketing CampaignWe are the R . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

D E PA R T M E N T S

Association NewsUpcoming Events, Holiday Closings, Dues Deadlines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

CVR MLSInstanet Solutions - TASKS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6Lockbox Regulation Changes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8CVR MLS Training Schedule April - June . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8RE Stats Navigator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Government AffairsRPAC Last Year’s Major Donors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10Newly Elected Officials . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

SpecialRARealtors.com Gets an Overhaul . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14YPN/RVA RAR Young Professionals Network . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

Professional DevelopmentThe Dynamic REALTOR® . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18CVR MLS Tech Fair . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20Education Calendar April - June . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22Changes to VA Agency Law . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

Meet The BoardGary Duda and Carol Haley . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

6


2012 RAR Leadership

David AdamsDawn BradleyNancy Cheely Gary DudaAmy EnochJohn S. Finn, Jr.

Carol HaleyWoody HoggTom Innes Lummie JonesMichael MaloneyScott ShaheenBill White

Directors

Scott Ruth 2012 President

Linda Staples Terry2012 President-Elect

Cheryl Hamm2012 Immediate Past President

Mark Joyner2012 Vice President

Use

ful U

RL’s

RAR Home Pagewww.RARealtors.com

Bill Pay Site www.RARealtors.com/members/default.aspx

CVR MLS Rules and Regulationshttp://cvrmls.myismart.com

RAR Government Affairswww.RARealtors.com/members/government/default.aspx

Grassroots Action Centerwww.RARealtors.com/members/government/votervoice.aspx

The Real Estate Schoolwww.RARealtors.com/members/education/default.aspx

Virginia Real Estate Boardwww.state.va.us/dpor/reb_main.htm

Virginia Association of REALTORS®

www.varealtor.com

Local Home Searchwww.Homes.Richmond.com

Upcoming Events

Affordable Housing Awareness WeekApril 23 – 28, 2012Join 15 local non-profit housing organizations to ensure that everyone in the Richmond area has a safe, affordable place to call home.We needyour help to build and repair homes foryour neighbors in need. Sign up to participate beginning March 7 atwww.AffordableHousingRichmond.com.

REALTOR® Day at HomearamaApril 26, 9:30a.m. – 12:30p.m., at Summer LakeJoin your fellow REALTORS® at SummerLake for REALTOR® Day at Homearama.REALTORS® will be admitted free with abusiness card and enjoy a breakfast from9:30a.m. to 11:30a.m.

YPN Selling Richmond Series:Richmond’s Past, Present and FutureMay 24, 8:30a.m. – 11:00a.m., at RARThis event will feature speakers Bill Martin,Executive Director of the ValentineRichmond History Center; Jane Ferrara,Deputy Director and Chief OperatingOfficer for the City of RichmondDepartment of Economic and CommunityDevelopment; and visionary leader andphilanthropist Jim Ukrop.

Joint Appearance with George Allen and Tim Kaine May 2, 2012, 9a.m. – 11a.m., at the Hilton Short PumpThe Richmond Association of REALTORS®,

in cooperation with the Charlottesville,Fredericksburg, Southside Virginia, andWilliamsburg Associations of REALTORS®,present a joint appearance with U.S. Senatorial Candidates and FormerGovernors George Allen and Tim Kaine.

October 23, 2012REALTOR®festMark your calendar for this year’s return of REALTOR®fest – a full day of continuingeducation, technology training, and interaction with industry professionals atthe Greater Richmond Convention Center.

Holiday ClosingsRAR and CVR MLS offices will be closedon the following holidays:

May 28 (Memorial Day)

July 4 (Independence Day)

September 3 (Labor Day)

November 22 and 23 (Thanksgiving)

December 24 and 25 (Christmas)

January 1 (New Year’s Day)

Dues ScheduleMarch 1 – Quarterly MLS Dues Posted(Due by 5pm March 30)

June 1 – Quarterly MLS Dues Posted (Due by 5pm June 29)

September 3 – Quarterly MLS Dues Posted(Due by 5pm September 28)

October 1 – REALTOR® Dues Posted (Due by 5pm October 31)

A S S O C I A T I O N N E W S

5www.RAReal tor s .com LISTED • 2012 ISSUE 1

C V R M L S


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Instanet™ Solutions has become a completely cloud-based realestate transaction system. From document creation and transactionmanagement, to complete online document storage and distribu-tion, as well as electronic signatures, Instanet™ Solutions does itall. And now a new component, called Tasks, adds features thatmake it even more effective.

The new Tasks feature is a simple tool, but it does a lot. Thinkof it as the ability to create a built in checklist of all the things thatneed to be done to successfully complete and process the market-ing of a listing or the closing of a sale. You probably have this on asheet of paper in your file or written on the outside of the folder, butnow you can build it into Instanet™ and manage your entire work-flow right on your PC.

Setting up a task for a transaction is easy. You might create atask called Final Walk Through. You schedule a due date and time,set up an email or text message reminder to yourself, and evenassign or share the task with another agent in your office, if they arepart of the transaction. You can even have Tasks notify participantsby email when the task is completed.

To make the feature even simpler to use, under Settings youcan create Task Templetes. These are common tasks that you use

repeatedly. Your Final Walk Through task template might be auto-matically set to occur 4 days before closing. When you add it toyour transaction, it will fill in the due date and email reminders foryou. For your convenience, Instanet™ Tasks comes with 69 built-intask templates for common items that are part of most transactions.

Perhaps the best feature of Instanet™ Tasks is the ability to cre-ate Activity Plans. These are collections of the Task Templates thatyou typically include in a particular type of transaction file. For

example, you could gath-er all the task templatesyou might use for a typi-cal new ResidentialSingle Family Listing fileinto an Activity Plan, andname it My New ListingPlan. When you open anew listing transaction inInstanet™, you can assignyour plan and it will auto-

matically set up all your tasks, dates and reminders. You can evenassign an Activity Plan to a Transaction Type so that the tasks areautomatically included every time you start a New ResidentialListing Transaction. You can still go in and add some tasks thatmight be unique to that file, or adjust some that might be a little dif-ferent; but what a time-saver!

Tasks can be used to manage your transaction workflow in twoways. You can simply go to Tasks and view all your task items fromall transactions, sorted by date or other filters. This allows you tosee what you have to do today, tomorrow, this week, or this month.Or you can work on your tasks within each individual transaction,on a client-specific basis. Either way, Tasks helps you manage andcomplete the myriad of steps that are needed to efficiently andeffectively serve your customers and complete your transactions.

For further instruction, Instanet™ has provided an easy tofollow 30-minute prerecorded webinar, called Activity Plans,Task Templates and To Do or Checklist Management. You can findit by logging into Instanet™ and clicking on Free Training on thebottom menu.

By John HicksTechnical Education Specialist

Instanet SolutionsTasks


APRIL

16 MLS for Appraisers 9 am – 12 pm

17 Instanet Workshop: The E-deal (2 hours CE/PL Electives) 9 am – 11 am

24 Doc Box (Credit Pending) 9 am – 10 am

24 Authentisign (Credit Pending) 10 am – 11 am

27 Instanet Forms (Credit Pending) 1 pm – 2 pm

27 Transaction Desk (Credit Pending) 2 pm – 3 pm

MAY

9 Tempo Digital Cameras (2 hours CE/PL Electives) 9 am – 11 am

23 Tempo MLS Rules & Regulations(1 hour CE Ethics, 1 Law/2 hours PL Electives) 1 pm – 3 pm

25 Instanet Workshop: The E-deal (2 hours CE/PL Elective) 9 am – 11 am

JUNE

5 Tempo iMapp (2 hours CE/PL Electives) 1 pm – 3 pm

25 Instanet Workshop: The E-deal (2 hours CE/PL Electives) 1 pm – 3 pm

To register, call the Education Department at 804-422-5016 or log onto www.RARealtors.com and click on "Education”

April – June 2012MLS Training Schedule

Lockbox and Lockbox KeyRegulation Changes

With the large number of available properties and

upsurge in market activity, the number of Lockbox

key violations has increased as well. The CVR MLS

rules and regulations provide that all property

showings must be arranged through the listing

agent. So unless the listing agent showing instruc-

tions indicate Lockbox go direct or Lockbox call

Seller directly, you must contact the listing agent

before using your lockbox key to access any listing.

This is required even in the case of vacant listings.

The fine for the first offense is $500.

In 2011, the CVR MLS Board of Directors

approved a revision to the Supra Lockbox and

Keyholder Rules. The rule was revised to require

that the Supra Lockbox serial number be entered

into a new Tempo™ field called Supra LB Serial #,

within 3 days of the entry date of the listing.

So, when a Seller requests that a lockbox be

installed on their property, the serial # must be

entered into Tempo™ within the required time

frame. Rentals, listings located outside the CVR

MLS Jurisdiction, and listings submitted to CVR

MLS under a reciprocal agreement with another

MLS are exempt from this requirement. The fine for

failing to enter the Supra lockbox serial # within

three days of listing entry is $250.

If you have any questions concerning lock-

box or MLS rules and regulations, please call

804.422.5004 to speak with an MLS representative.

By John HicksTechnical Education Specialist

RE Stats Navigator is a dynamic real estate market trends tool.It provides market information for every level real estate practition-er, from the novice to the highly sophisticated market analyst.Understanding how it is designed and what the purposes are of thedifferent components can go a long way toward making it bothpractical and profitable. Here are some tips to help.

There are essentially three components to RE Stats Navigator:The Key Dashboards, the Key Reports and the Summary.

1. The 6 Key Dashboards are tools to help bro-kers and agents research and track market infor-mation and the data that is compiled behindthe reports. Market Trends is by far the mostcommonly used of these dashboards.

2. The Key Reports in the lower left corner arethe simplest market-useable materials and theeasiest for the average customer or client tograsp. It provides market data in simple one-year Market Graphs or PerformanceDistribution spreadsheets; using a variety ofcommon indices such as Units, Average Price,Average Asking vs Sold Price, and DOM.When you create a search, these reports fill inbased on the search results. For example:Search area 22, Single Family, Resale for oneyear, then go to Market Graphs and select

Units. When you click on the Go button, you get a simple one-yeargraph that looks like this:

The graph produced will be simple to show, simple to read,and simple to discuss with a customer.

3. The Summary may be the most useful of all the RE Stats compo-nents. This is the page that initially displays when you first open REStats. It is completely preformatted, and the report simply fills in theinformation that results from your search. (Remember that whenyou first go into RE Stats, it is looking at the entire MLS).

But perhaps the most practical of all the tools in the Summaryare the three automatic reports located at the bottom: Housing Stats,Inventory Analysis and Trend Metrics.

They are nicely designed in a quality presentation format. In fact,copies of some of these reports are placed on www.RARealtors.comevery month. The good news is that you can print the entire report,or just the pages you need. An easy way to learn how to use theseand add them to your client presentation is to run a search that cov-ers your basic market area, perhaps Chesterfield or Henrico - SingleFamily, and print all three reports. Look them over, select whichpages work for your customers, and from then on only print thosefew pages. Select pages by holding down the Ctrl key and clickingon the ones you want. Then, click Submit. If you keep your searchsimple and know which pages you want to use, you can be in andout of RE Stats with what you need in just a few minutes.

Here is a sample of the Trend Metrics Sold Price page:

4. For Windows 7 users, there is an excellent program calledSnipping Tool that allows you to easily capture a screen shot of anygraph or chart as an image that you can then use in any publication.

One final tip on searches: Keep them general. Single family inHanover or Henrico, or perhaps just area 22 or 44 is usuallyenough criteria. You can run searches with greater detail, but themore total numbers there are in your statistics, the more reliablethey are. L


G OV E R N M E N T A F FA I R S

To be recognized on this page as a member of the Real Estate

Elite, simply make a contribution of $250 or more to Richmond

RPAC. Log in to www.RARealtors.com and look for the RPAC

contribution link on your member profile page.

Join The Real Estate EliteMany Thanks To Last Year’s RPAC Major Donors

Tom Jefferson Jack Torza

Katy Allenbaugh-Richards Nathan Hughes Tom Innes

Jody Korman Karen Smith Bill White

RAR President Scott Ruth and Past President Karen Smith with Governor Bob McDonnell during VAR's RPAC major donor reception

ASSOCIATION OF REALTORSR I CHMOND

$5,000

Golden R $5,000

Sterling R $1,000

David Adams Jackie Atiyeh Bob Barton

John Farrell Kurt Negaard John O’Reilly

Governor’s Club $500


Delegate Peter FarrellDelegate Peter Farrell was elected to fill the seat vacated byDelegate Bill Janis. Delegate Farrell represents the 56thHouse of Delegates district. The district covers all of LouisaCounty and parts of Henrico, Goochland and SpotslyvaniaCounties. This is his first time holding elected office.

Experience: Vice-Chairman of the Henrico GOP Committeeand has served as a legislative aide to former SenatorKenneth Stolle.

Occupation: Business Development – Recast Energy

Education: University of Virginia, B.A. in Government

Originally From: Alexandria, VA

Currently Resides: Henrico, VA

For more information on Delegate Farrell visit his website athttp://delegatefarrell.com/.

Senator Tom GarrettSenator Tom Garret was elected to the newly created 22ndSenate district. The district covers all of Amherst,Appomattox, Buckingham, Cumberland, Fluvanna, PrinceEdward, and Goochland Counties and parts of the City ofLynchburg and Louisa County.

Experience: Served in the United States Army; formerCommonwealth’s Attorney

Occupation: Attorney

Education: University of Richmond, B.A., J.D.

Originally From: Atlanta, GA

Currently Resides: Louisa, VA

For more information on Senator Garrett visit his website athttp://votetom.net/.

Wes Atiyeh Richard Bower Dawn Bradley Nancy Cheely

Hank Cosby John Daylor Marianne Donahue Blake Eudailey

John Finn Larry Foster Nancy Frazier Dare Friedlander

Wayne Gauthier Eleanor Goode David Gould Cheryl Hamm

Woody Hogg Jeff Huff Anne Innes Philip Innes

Earl Jackson Neville Johnson Lummie Jones Jean Longest

Bill Mattox Mary K. McDonald Jim Napier Monica Rawles

Scott Ruth Cathy Saunders Paige Shaheen Scott Shaheen

Boyd Smith Karen Stephens Sue Tepper Larry Terry

Linda Staples Terry Not pictured: Gail Ailor and Leroy Vaughan

New Richmond Area Elected OfficialsCapitol Insider $250


In cooperation with the Southside Virginia Association ofREALTORS®, the Richmond Association of REALTORS® haskicked off a fresh marketing campaign for 2012 to strengthenthe REALTOR® brand and promote awareness among consumersregarding the important roles a REALTOR® plays throughout thehome buying and selling process.

The concept of the campaign is a series ofrole-descriptive words, all ending in the let-ter “R” – the letter spotlighted in the offi-cial REALTOR® trademark. The three wordsinitially featured are: “advisoR,”“navigatoR,” and “supporteR.” In each ad,the copy spotlights one of these specific roles aREALTOR® plays, and explains some ways in which aREALTOR® fulfills this role.

Although this campaign will include print ads, electronicbillboards, and online banner ads, it will also depend heavilyon the involvement of members. Throughout the year, reusable

tote bags and bumper stickers with the campaign’s catchphrase,“We are the R,” will be distributed for member use. Electronicmarketing materials-- email signature banners and logos, willalso be available for members to download from the Tempo™sidebar. These materials will help point consumers to the cam-

paign website, WeAreTheR.com, where they can findinformation on the buying and selling process,

learn how a REALTOR® can help them throughthe process, watch candid video testimonialsfrom REALTOR® clients, and find links tothe Central Virginia Regional MLS listings

and agent roster on Homes.Richmond.com.Additional items featuring campaign artwork are avail-

able for purchase online at cafepress.com/WeAreTheR.Please help invigorate this campaign by spreading the word andpointing clients to its website. In turn, it will remind them ofwhat you have to offer as their greatest asset in a home buyingor selling transaction. L

Marketing Campaign

Richmond Association of REALTORS® 8975 Three Chopt Road • Richmond, Virginia 23229 • Ph 804.422.5000

Every year, there are legislative proposals that place the realestate industry at risk. Whether it means increased government reg-ulation of your business, decreased housing opportunities for potentialbuyers or expanding local governments’ authority to constrain new con-struction, the threats are real. Only because of past RPAC investmentshave the REALTORS® been able to successfully fight off these attacks onyour livelihood. But we can only fight with your help.

Make your RPAC investment now to ensure our continued success. Go to www.RARealtors.com today!

Now More Than Ever

What’s Missing?

You.


L ISTED • 2012 ISSUE 1 www.RAReal tor s .com14

he Richmond Association of REALTORS® is pleased tointroduce its newly updated website, with a fresh newlook, updated content, and intuitive, user-friendlysite mapping. To better serve its members, RAR has

redoubled its efforts to provide content on the new websitethat is current, informative, and simple to navigate. One of thefirst changes you will notice is that the site is no longer divided

into password protected and non-password protected sections.No login is necessary to browse through the new site. Asyou will see on the homepage, current news and events areorganized in a cleaner, more attractive fashion. Information isclearly divided by topics of interest. Courses are simple tobrowse and register for. Resources and archives are fresh, andbest of all, there is now a built-in site search function to helpyou find exactly what you’re looking for.

By Kate Loveluck, Communications & Marketing Coordinator

T

www.RARealtors.com Gets an Overhaul

One important feature that has changed on the new website iscourse information and registration. Rather than coursesappearing in a calendar form, they are now listed on theRegister for a Course page, with additional information anddirect links to register.

Association news and publication archives will be readilyavailable and up-to-date under News & Events. A new featurethat has been added is the News Room, where members areencouraged to submit newsworthy stories and events theywould like to share with other members or the public. Thisincludes special events, awards/achievements, notableREALTOR® civic engagement stories, and other topics ofinterest to REALTORS® and homebuyers/sellers.

While the new site is a significant upgrade and RAR staff hasworked diligently toward its overhaul, it is RAR’s goal tocontinue to enrich its members’ website and ensure that itremains an easily navigated source of current Associationand industry information.


Q: Where are the RAR and CVR MLS membershipforms located?

A: All RAR and CVR MLS membership forms arelocated on RARealtors.com. From the RAR homepage, hover over the top menu item “About RAR,” andclick on the link labeled, “How to Join.” CVR MLS membership forms are also located onRARealtors.com. From the home page, hover over thetop menu item “CVR MLS,” and click on the linklabeled, “How to Join.”

Q: How do I receive notifications that my lockboxhas been opened?

A: Whenever a key container is opened on a lockbox,the key records the showing information and sends itto the Supra network. In order to have the Suprasystem send you an email when someone opens upone of your lockboxes, it is necessary to manageyour lockbox inventory at the Supra websitewww.supraekey.com. After you have created a userID and password for your Supra account, you will beready to add your lockboxes to your Supra inventoryby including the lockbox serial number, shackle code,and the MLS number where the lockbox is located. Inaddition to receiving emails when another agentshows your listings, you can also select to receiveemails when another agent sends feedback on any ofyour listings. Detailed instructions are available atwww.RARealtors.com. Under the homepage menuitem “CVR MLS,” click on “Lockbox & Key Info.”

Q: How do I check how many credits I have?

A: You can check your credits by going to DPOR’swebsite: http://dpor.state.va.us/regulantlookup andsearching by name or license number.

ASSOCIATION OF REALTORSR I CHMOND FAQ’s

Member Services

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The Richmond Association of REALTORS®

Young Professionals Network About YPNIn 2011, RAR established its Young Professionals Network. YPN helps young real estate professionals excel in their careers by givingthem the tools and encouragement to become involved in four core areas:

• REALTOR® associations – Attend REALTOR® conferences and pursue leadership roles with their local, state, and national association;

• Real estate industry – Take an active role in policy discussions and advocacy issues; be informed about the latest industry news and trends;

• Peers – Network and learn from one another by attending events, participating in online communication, and seeking out mentoring opportunities;

• Community – Become exceptional members of their community by demonstrating a high level of REALTOR® professionalism and volunteering for causes they feel passionate about

2012 RAR YPN “Selling Richmond” SeriesOn March 22, YPN kicked off the 2012 “Selling Richmond” series – a series of events featuring prominent Richmond professionals with pre-sentations on excellent selling points of Richmond as a hometown, what’s going on in the area now, and what’s to come. The first event ofthe series was “The Top Five Coolest Things About Living in Richmond”, featuring guest speakers Peter Farrell (Virginia House of Delegates,56th District), Susan Winiecki (Editor-in-Chief of Richmond Magazine), Frazier Millner (Director of Advancement & Patron Communicationsfor The Richmond Symphony), and Megan Schultz (Event Director for Richmond Sportsbackers).

The next event, “Richmond’s Past, Present and Future”, will take place on May 24th, from 8:30a.m. to 11a.m. at RAR. This event will fea-ture speakers Bill Martin, Executive Director of the Valentine Richmond History Center; Jane Ferrara, Deputy Director and Chief OperatingOfficer for the City of Richmond Department of Economic and Community Development; and visionary leader and philanthropist Jim Ukrop.To join the RAR YPN and stay in the loop on future events and activities, sign up at RARealtors.wufoo.com/forms/join-rarypn. L


P R O F E S S I O N A L D E V E L O P M E N T

By Peggy Lynch, GRI

Director of Professional Development and Broker Services

hange can happen abruptly or gradually over time.Regardless of the speed with which it happens, changeis a constant in our lives. Thirty years ago, REALTORS®

had almost exclusive access to information concern-ing market value and property availability. The home buyingand selling public sought out real estate agents and brokersto gain access to that information. Today, technology and theproliferation of the Internet provide the public with almostlimitless access to current listings and market data. This has

CThe Dynamic Role ofthe REALTOR®


resulted in a profound shift in the habits of the home buyingpublic. According to the 2010 NAR Survey of Home Buyers andSellers, ninety percent of home buyers used the Internet in theirhome search. Thirty six percent of home buyers looked onlinefor properties for sale as their first step, compared to nineteenper cent who started the process by talking to an agent.Although many buyers now start their home search without aREALTOR®, ninety percent of buyers who used the Internet tosearch for a home used the services of an agent when they ini-tiated the purchase process. While the Internet can provide thepublic with copious amounts of property related information, theone thing it cannot do is interpret that data. Today’s REALTOR®

serves as an educator and professional consultant performingthe pivotal task of analyzing not only the market data but thepersonal information and facts unique to each buyer and seller.

Technology has enhanced the REALTOR’S® ability to quicklyand accurately aggregate, filter, evaluate, post and disseminatelarge amounts of information. The challenge over the lastdecade has been to keep up with all of the new and differentsoftware, services, and devices. CVR MLS users have access toa wide range of services and tools that increase the REALTOR’S®

ability to perform detailed research and analysis of marketinformation. IMAPP, RE STATS, rbiSTATS, and TEMPO™tools, such as the CMA Wizard, can produce precise reportswhich enable the home buying and selling public to makewell supported decisions.

Home buyers and sellers turn to REALTORS® for their spe-cialized knowledge and expertise. Complex legal and regulatoryrequirements, mortgage reform, market uncertainty and aplethora of short sales and foreclosures are the backdrop in ourcurrent marketplace. A REALTOR’S® experience and knowledgeenables them to:

• educate the client/consumer concerning the intricacies andpotential risks inherent in their purchase or sale;

• provide the client/customer with all of the facts and informa-tion resources necessary to make an informed decision

• ensure that all contract documents are prepared in compliancewith state and federal laws and regulations, and are a true and

accurate reflection of their client/customer’s instructions

Educators are always learning. For REALTORS®, ongoing

professional development is essential to provide timely and

quality advice and assistance in this challenging market. “If

more education isn’t in your plans, it should be," according to

“How to Work Smart” author Melinda Howard Erickson.

Professional designations are one way REALTORS® can differen-

tiate themselves and expand their spheres of knowledge.

A combination of experience and certification courses has been

proven to increase professionalism, as well as income potential.

The Richmond Association of REALTORS® offers a number

of designation courses for the residential sales professional.

Among them:

ABR®, Accredited Buyer Representative –The mark of excellence

in comprehensive buyer representation services and expertise.

CRS®, Certified Residential Specialist® – The Certified

Residential Specialist (CRS) is the highest Designation awarded

to sales associates in the residential sales field. It recognizes

professional accomplishments in both experience and edu-

cation. CRS® Designees are experienced REALTORS® who

complete advanced training in listing and selling, and meet

rigorous production requirements.

GRI®, Graduate Realtor® Institute – Members primarily involved

in residential real estate who want to increase their knowledge

and skills in a broad array of technical subjects and the funda-

mentals of real estate should participate in the Graduate REAL-

TOR® Institute program. The program also provides opportunities

to develop important business contacts. The GRI® is a nationally

recognized designation of the National Association of Realtors®.

SFR®, Short Sales and Foreclosure Resource Certification –

Agents and brokers with the SFR certification have obtained the

knowledge to help buyers and sellers maneuver the complexities

of distressed property transactions.

To find out more about the wide range of classroom and

online educational opportunities available to you as an RAR

member, visit www.RARealtors.com, or call 804.422.5000. L

Technology has enhanced the REALTOR’S® abilityto quickly and accurately aggregate, filter, evaluate, post

and disseminate large amounts of information.


n February 23, CVR MLS hosted a technology fair, whichdrew about 500 RAR and SVAR members. The event offereda full day of technology information sessions and demon-

strations, technology and sponsor vendor visits, networking,refreshments, and prize drawings. Upon entering the building,each member was presented with a schedule of sessions for theday, a map of the building indicating where each vendor waslocated, and a stamp card to fill with stamps from each vendor inorder to enter into prize drawings for technology gadgets, sub-scriptions, and various gift cards. Members entered the event inawe, as it was the first time many had seen the RAR building afterit underwent some dramatic improvements and modernizationsthis winter. The event concluded with an ‘Appy Hour,’ whichintroduced members to useful apps they could download ontotheir smartphones, while the RAR Young Professionals Networkconducted wine and craft beer tastings. The Tech Fair offered CVRMLS members a fun and engaging way to learn more about themany technology products available to them as benefits, and thenewly renovated RAR headquarters, with its opened up spaces,proved to now be an optimal environment for hosting memberevents of this nature.

The Central Virginia Regional MLS Tech Fair

O

'Appy Hour' in full swing

Attorney Tim Freshly, with Shaheen Law Firm, P.C., greets members in the Atrium

Members attent an Instanet™ Solutions demonstration

Members enjoy a break at noon to grab a bite to eat and chat with vendors

Rocketts Landing presents their available properties

L


Members eagerly fill the Atrium for a preview of the new Tempo Fusion™

Friends enjoy 'Appy Hour' together A member consults his map of the newly renovated RAR building to find vendors

Barbara Woodburn, with Franklin Federal, chats with a member

RAR's new Communications staff member Bethany Cleveland hands out bags at the door

promoting the new marketing campaign

Representatives from RE STATS give demonstrations in the Computer Lab

(L to R) RAR member Mark Joyner uses his new tote bag while shopping in the REALTOR® Store, RAR President Scott Ruth shows off his new tote bag, RAR member Blake Eudailey carries his new “We Are the R” bag into the Tech Fair, Rachael Joyner gets a stamp on her vendor card before exiting a RE STATS demo.

Members sport their new “We Are The R” bags.


For more information or to register, please contact: The Real Estate School / Tel: (804) 422-5016 E-mail: [email protected] or log onto www.RARealtors.com and click “Education”

APRIL

4 New Member Orientation MLS (3 hours CE/PL Electives) 9 am – 12 pm

5 CE/PL Mandatory (3 hours CE/PL Law, Agency, Ethics) 8:30 am – 5 pm

11 GRI 414 – Negotiation (optional) (7 hours CE Electives/4 hours PL Electives) 8 am – 5 pm

17 HAFA – Home Affordable Foreclosure Alternatives Program (ABR Elective) 9 am – 5 pm(CE-3 Legal Updates, 1 Agency, 3 Elective; PL-3 Law, 4 Finance)

19 CE Mandatory 8 hours (2 Fair Housing, 3 Ethics, 1 Law, 1 Agency, 1 Contracts) 9 am – 5 pm

20 CE/PL Electives 8 hours (CE-1 Law, 1 Agency, 2 Contracts, 4 Electives; PL-8 Electives) 9 am – 5 pm


23 Broker Office Policy (4 hours Legal Updates or Broker Management) 8 am – 12 pm

24 Agency (3 hours RSA Agency) 1 pm – 4 pm

26 Marketing Reboot – ABR Elective (7 hours CE/PL Real Estate Related) 9 am – 5 pm

27 Smart Phones (2 hours CE/PL Electives) 9 am – 11 am

30 Effective Contract Writing (3 hours CE Contracts/3 hours PL Offer to Purchase) 9 am – 12 pm

MAY



4 Agency (3 hours RSA Agency) 9 am – 12 pm

7 VRLTA – 2012 VA Residential Landlord Tenant Act Update (6 hrs. CE/PL, credit pending) 9 am – 4 pm



14 Broker CE 8 hours (8 hours Broker Management) 9 am – 5 pm

14 Broker Pre-Licensing and Finance (Continued on: May 16, 18, 21, 23) 9 am – 5 pm

16 GRI 405 – Pricing, Listing, Marketing (7 hours CE/PL Electives) 8 am – 5 pm


17 Broker Town Hall 9 am – 12 pm


22 Leasing Basics (3 hours CE Legal Updates/3 hours PL Law) 9 am – 12 pm

30 Agency (3 hours RSA Agency) 9 am – 12 pm

31 Advanced Contract Writing (3 hours CE Contracts/3 hours PL Offer to Purchase) 9 am – 12 pm

JUNE




11 Fair Housing (3 hours CE/PL Fair Housing) 9 am – 12 pm



20 GRI 406 – What Did I Agree To? (CE-3 Law, 3 Contracts, 1 Electives; PL-3 Law, 3 Offer to Purchase) 8 am – 5 pm



20 Broker Pre-Licensing Real Estate Brokerage (Continued on: June 22, 25, 27, 29) 9 am – 5 pmRA

REd

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Apri

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June

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This legislation includes the following provisions:a. All brokerage agreements must be in writing;b. Dual agency will be permitted only after an enhanced disclo-sure is given to both partiesc. Effective July 1, 2012 all Virginia real estate licensees mustcomplete a three (3) hour course covering Residential StandardAgency (RSA) during their license renewal cycle. There is no cor-respondence or online version of this required training. All train-ing must be approved by DPOR and taken in a classroom setting.

Education requirements for license renewalAs of July 1st, if you have been licensed:Less than 2 years, you will need 30 hours PL education plus 3hour RSA course.More than 2 years (Salesperson license) , you will need 16hours CE education plus 3 hour RSA course.More than 2 years (Broker license), you will need 16 hours CE,8 hours Broker Mgmt education plus 3 hours RSA course.

Mandatory RSA Education CourseIf your license renews PRIOR to July 1, 2012 you should planto take the required RSA course after your upcoming licenserenewal date.

If your license renews AFTER July 1, 2012 you should register foran upcoming course at your earliest opportunity. Reminder: thistraining course is only available in a classroom setting, so oppor-tunities to satisfy this license renewal requirement are limited.

Effective July 1, 2012, all licensees must comply with the newwritten brokerage agreement and disclosure requirements, regard-less of whether or not you have completed the RSA training.

Upcoming RSA Training Dates at the Richmond Association ofREALTORS® Fee $15 for RAR members, $30 for non-RAR members.Call 804.422.5000 to register.

April 24 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1-4pmMay 4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9-NoonMay 17 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1-4pmMay 30 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9-NoonJune 6 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1-4pmJune 13 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9-NoonJune 21 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1-4pmJuly 9 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9-NoonJuly 17 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9-NoonJuly 27 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9-NoonAugust 6 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9-NoonAugust 30 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9-Noon

If you have questions concerning the changes to VirginiaAgency law, you can call Peggy Lynch, Director of ProfessionalDevelopment 804.422.5006 or email [email protected].

!New Changes to Virginia Agency Law and MandatoryEducation Requirement

Gary Duda

Firm & Years in Real EstateRE/MAX Action Real Estate; 17 years in real estate

Experience at RARInstructor; Grievance Committee Chairman

How did you get involved in real estate?I needed a career that let me spend more time with family.I had worked in sales prior to real estate and traveled exten-sively but when my first daughter was born, I wanted to behome every night. Real estate was very accidental; but aftera few months, I knew I had made the right career choice.

Favorite Regional TraditionTacky Christmas lights tour - I love the holidays!

Favorite Vacation Spot Antigua with my wife and Disney with the whole family.

Hobbies/Activities outside the officeCoaching and being involved with my children's activi-ties/sports. I really love golf, but it just takes too much timeand it's tough to text and putt at the same time.

Meet the Board of Directors

Carol Haley

Firm & Years in Real EstateCentury 21 Signature Realty; 29 years in real estate

Experience at RARServed several years on the Professional Standards andGrievance Committees

How did you get involved in real estate?I am a Registered Nurse, and when my family moved backto Richmond the only nursing shift I could get was from3pm-11pm. My son was only seven and I did not want to beaway for that time period. My best friend, who was in thebusiness, suggested that I get a real estate license; I did, andthe rest is history.

Favorite Regional TraditionAll the festivals, plays and concerts for the community.

Favorite Vacation Spot I adore the beach. After living on Hatteras Island for several years,I now choose to vacation in Nags Head.

Hobbies/Activities outside the officeGoing to the beach, going to the movies, and reading.


march 2012

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