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The Realtors® Association of Citrus County, Inc. exists to inform, educate and uphold the high standards set forth in the REALTOR® Code of Ethics enhancing our members professionalism and image while fostering cooperation among our members and serving our communities. We provide education and leading-edge technology to better safeguard private property rights and promote equal housing opportunity.

March, 2012 Realtors®Association of Citrus County Volume X , Issue 3

Greetings Everyone! I can't believe it is March already! We have a lot of things in the works so I will take this time to update you all. First, an appointed PAG (presidential advisory group) was set up to review our RACC policies and procedures and Bylaws. It has been a few years since they have been revised as a whole body. Bob Davis, Rob Tessmer Sr, Debbie Beltz, Gary Altman and last but not least Dawn Theroux are on the PAG. They have spent hours and hours going over every article making sure we are current and legal. If all goes as planned the membership will vote on these changes at the May General membership meeting so be sure you are there!

Cheryl Nadal RPAC (Realtor® Political Action Committee) chair and Debbie Scott vice-chair have been working diligently on the Chili cook-off. This will be April 12th mark your calendars!

Sarah Fitts, Isaac Baylon, Jack Schofield and I are working on re-organizing the Realtor store and enlarging the library. I will keep you updated as we go. Watch for our RACC sign blow-out for some great deals.

We also have a PAG looking into setting up rentals in our MLS!!! Director Sherri Orendorf, David Bramblett, Gary Altman, Dawn Regan, and Jen Tessmer are on this PAG. This would be up to rental agents whether they use it or not. We are trying to a every tool we have for the betterment of your business!

Of course we are constantly keeping our eyes on the budget! As we are on the "soon to be up" contract of our lockboxes.

orientation (and for those, who feel the need to refresh). These will be taught by our Business Partner Title companies arotated monthly. How exciting is that? These classes will begin in April.

These are only a few things going on. We are trying to help by giving you the tools to propel us all into the 21st century with the skills necessary to be successful. More updates next month! If you have a wish to be included in anything I am a phone call away 613-3538. Please call....

Yah00000 2012!!! Many Blessings to all..... Your Humble President- Sarah Spencer

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February General Membership Meeting

In February, the Board of Directors decided to try some new ideas regarding the General Membership Meetings. The first change offered members a dis-count price if they reserved a seat prior to the early bird deadline and most of the members took advantage of it! Another option was you could attend the meeting for free if you opted not to receive a meal and a few of our members did exercise this option. Finally, General Membership Meetings will now include short committee reports from the Chairmen; this is a great way to find out what is happening in your Association and maybe even help you decide to join a committee!

February welcomed 8 new members: Alfred Antoni~ ERA American BH, Terry Blanco~Century 21 JW Morton, Natalia Carey~ Coldwell Banker Next Generation, David Collins~ ERA American INV, Vincent McCrave~ ERA American INV, Andrea Migliaccio~ Sherri C Parker and Assoc., Theresa Paduano~ Realty Connect and Linda Trevor~ Coldwell Banker Next Generation, Congrats REALTORS®.

Members in attendance had the chance to hear from Florida Realtors® Vice President Sherri Meadows. Sherri

markets reported high sales compared to the previous year. It was the 3rd consecutive year for statewide sales activity to end on a positive upswing, what great news! Sherri also took some time to discuss membership benefits.

www.floridarealtors.org then you are truly missing a benefit designed

Simplicity, the Student Scholarship Program and Industry Data and Analysis. Other benefits available are the Legal Hotline and the Tech Helpline. For more info on any of these benefits please visit the website.

Jacque Dohmen of Score also addressed the members. Our local Score Chapter is one of 364 chapters. It has 30 Mentor Counselors and 400 active members. Score offers small local businesses face to face counselors and seminars for free. For more info on score please visit www.scorecitrus.org.

Past President Dennis Pilon presented Barbara Mills with the Good Neighbor Award for all her hard work and dedication to the Veterans. Cheryl Nadal presented Sherri Parker with a Capital Club RPAC award and reports on the Education and Tech Committees were presented as well. Debbie Scott, Afford-

with the other half going to Habitat for Humanity. Thanks John for donating your winnings back to RPAC!! Andrea Migliaccio won the $25 Sunoco Gift Card donated by the Business Partner of the Month, Suarez Home & Finance

worth $320.00.

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BUSINESS PARTNER SPOTLIGHT OF THE MONTH Ali Endicott, Express Title One of the reasons we started these monthly interviews was to high-

light those Business Partners that support the Association and also partake of the meetings and activities. Express Title is one such Business Partner. Some of their past employees, Trish Antonetti (now a Realtor® with EXIT) and Susan Gatto (now with First International Title) became part of the monthly attendees. Ali Endicott, Ex-

Ali came to Citrus County with her husband and baby girl, Madison, from Long Island, NY back in 1999. (A few years previous to that her parents had moved to Citrus County and her father opened up All Prestige Motors.) Shortly thereafter their son

condition. It was a shocking event leaving Ali to raise her two small children. Ali now

wander on down and check it out!

real estate bottomed out, Ali took a 3 year sabbatical and started her balloon business. Not sure how many of you are aware that Ali has a booming business decorating events like weddings, birthdays etc. and even recently

to say, Ali is one very creative girl. If you are in need of some fantastic and clever balloon creations, call Ali. You

them for an hour but they are all interesting. I enjoy the challenge of issues on property and getting them resolved.

conduct closings in offices other than hers.

youngest one, a year old now, appeared at their front door. The old kitty Dwayne brought with him. Daughter

think Madison should have the snake so one Christmas she received the cage and a gift certificate to purchase

Who would have guessed Ali has a snake in her home?

Ali is a member of the ROCC committee for the association and also Express Title, along with Regions Bank, is sponsoring the upcoming Chili Cook-Off. I think it is terrific how involved our many Business Partners are in our association. We are truly blessed to have so many committed people supporting us .

They were nominated by a teacher for the People to People Ambassador program. They went through two interviews with the People to People Ambassador program and both boys were chosen. They are going to England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales. It is quite the honor to be chosen. They are the only two children from Citrus County chosen with a total of 20 from central Florida. The boys will meet with the Parliament, among other events, and have had to complete several assignments to prepare them for this wonderful educational opportunity.

is a very costly affair so both Ali and Melonie have been busy with fundraising and that will continue until May 1st

Ali is a very dedicated mom and a very dedicated employee of Express Title. As always, I am so impressed with the quality of our Business Partners. With her big smile and polished demeanor, you can rest assured closing at Express Title will only be a pleasant experience no matter the issues.

Written by Marvia Korol

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nd Annual Great American Realtor Days. The event kicked off with a Public Policy meeting where committee members and guest were updated on issues the Florida Realtors® are following (to track these issues, visit http://www.floridarealtors.org/LegislativeCenter/LegislativeTracker/index.cfm ). Governor Rick Scott also stopped by the meeting to update everyone on what his office is working on. Gov. Scott stated that education and reducing fraud are two of the most important issues he is currently working on. He also said that unemployment is down for the first time in 15 months, which is a great sign for you state. His office is currently

Although it was raining, many members from across the state turned out for the Block Party to enjoy networking,

stop by and chat.

Wednesday morning was filled with office visits. Although we did not have an appointment with Rep. Jimmie Smith, we did run into him outside the elevators and were able to speak to him for a few minutes. Rep. Smith had just finished presenting two of his bills and was on his way to other meetings but hopes to be able to make

assured us that Senator Dean knows our concerns and is working hard to get them addressed. A copy of the

AE Bonnie Rosenberger was invited to attend the RPAC Major Donor luncheon on the 22nd floor of the Capital Building. While there, the Major Donors heard from Agricultural Commissioner Adam Putman, Attorney General Pam Bondi and Florida CFO Jeff Atwater. The rest of the members enjoyed a boxed lunch on the square while discussing the morning events.

Great American Realtor Days is an awesome event, plan to attend in 2013!!

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WANT TO WIN A FREE MEMBERSHIP MEETING MEAL?

To the first member to email bonnie@raccfl.com the answer to question below.

What Percentage of computer hard drives fail every year?

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Pathways to Professionalism

While the Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice of the National Association establishes objective, enforceable ethical standards governing the professional conduct of REALTORSÒ, it does not address issues of courtesy or etiquette. Based on input from many sources, the Professional Conduct Working Group of the Professional Standards Committee developed the following list of professional courtesies for use by REALTORSÒ on a voluntary basis. This list is not all-inclusive, and may be supplemented by local custom and practice.

I. Respect for the Public

Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. 2. Respond promptly to inquiries and requests for information. 3. Schedule appointments and showings as far in advance as possible. 4. Call if you are delayed or must cancel an appointment or showing. 5. If a prospective buyer decides not to view an occupied home, promptly explain the situation to the listing broker or the occupant. 6. Communicate with all parties in a timely fashion. 7. When entering a property, ensure that unexpected situations, such as pets, are handled appropriately. 8. Leave your business card if not prohibited by local rules. 9. Never criticize property in the presence of the occupant. 10. Inform occupants that you are leaving after showings. 11. When showing an occupied home, always ring the doorbell or knock and announce yourself loudly before entering. Knock and announce yourself loudly before entering any closed room. 12. Present a professional appearance at all times; dress appropriately and drive a clean car. 13. If occupants are home during showings, ask their permission before using the telephone or bathroom. 14. Encourage the clients of other brokers to direct questions to their agent or representative.

16. Be aware of and respect cultural differences. 17. Show courtesy and respect to everyone. 18. Be aware of and meet all deadlines. 19. Promise only what you can deliver and keep your promises. 20. Identify your REALTOR® and your professional status in contacts with the public. 21. Do not tell people what you think tell them what you know.

II. Respect for Property

1. Be responsible for everyone you allow to enter listed property. 2. Never allow buyers to enter listed property unaccompanied. 3. When showing property, keep all members of the group together. 4. Never allow unaccompanied access to property without permission. 5. Enter property only with permission even if you have a lockbox key or combination. 6. When the occupant is absent, leave the property as you found it (lights, heating, cooling, drapes, etc). If you think something is amiss (e.g. vandalism) contact the listing broker immediately.

bathing or sleeping facilities, or bring pets. Leave the house as you found it unless instructed otherwise. 8. Use sidewalks; if weather is bad, take off shoes and boots inside property.

III. Respect for Peers

1. Identify your REALTORÒ and professional status in all contacts with other REALTORSÒ. -mails promptly and courteously.

3. Be aware that large electronic files with attachments or lengthy faxes may be a burden on recipients. 4. Notify the listing broker if there appears to be inaccurate information on the listing. 5. Share important information about a property, including the presence of pets; security systems; and whether sellers will be present during the showing. 6. Show courtesy, trust and respect to other real estate professionals. 7. Avoid the inappropriate use of endearments or other denigrating language. 8. Do not prospect at other REALTORS®

9. Return keys promptly. 10. Carefully replace keys in the lockbox after showings. 11. To be successful in the business, mutual respect is essential. 12. Real estate is a reputation business. What you do today may affect your reputation and business for years to come.

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Reaching out and helping people in dire need. That's what Silent Angels is all about. It's also about bringing joy, touching hearts and improving lives. So why are we silent? Because doing the right thing is all that really matters.

About us: Founded in 2002, Silent Angels is a charitable organization composed of Realtors® for the purpose of providing funds, supplies and services to individuals who are making a determined effort yet are financially needy or otherwise distressed.

Make a difference: Contribute to the Silent Angels fund: To make a credit card, tax-deductible contribution online to the Silent Angels Fund, please click on the link below.

https://www.paypal.com/us/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_flow&SESSION=9azMMBw7sPgeVr22hsh3tBoEzcy1Lv0tAch4d79S2mlMlWOpsvQPvFt6xM4&dispatch=5885d80a13c0db1f8e263663d3faee8d43b1bb6ca6ed6d454adc375ba2d28b99 If you prefer to contribute by check, please make checks payable to Florida Realtors Silent Angels Fund. Send the check to: Florida Realtors Silent Angels Fund 7025 Augusta National Drive Orlando, FL 32822 In the memo line, please write your local board name.

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BUSINESS PARTNERS

NEW MEMBERS

Alfred Antoni ERA American, BH

Justin Monohan ERA American, INV

Linda Trevor CB Next Generation Realty

AGENTS No Longer With Now With Bonita Amonte Plantation Realty Trotter Realty David Boatwright Inactive Plantation Realty Justin Monahan Century 21 JW Morton ERA, American Inv Patricia Sargent Plantation Realty Trotter Realty Anne Wright RE/MAX Realty One Tropic Shores Realty Mary Waddington Tropic Shores ERA, American Inv.

NEW MEMBER OFFICES None this Month

Inactives with REALTORS® ASSOCIATION OF CITRUS COUNTY Roger Carlson Greg Damato David Dyke Maxine Hellmers Harley Hough Michelle Parker Joe Ponds Michael Smallridge

831 NE Hwy 19 Crystal River FL 34429

(352) 563-0749 oagency@tampabay.rr.com

www.obrieninsuranceinc.com

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MARCH 2012

March 201

Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat

1 Bd of Directors 8:30am ROCC 10:30am

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4 5 Bus Planning for Market Res 9 - 12 Real World

Short Sales 1 - 5

6 7 Legislative at EXIT Realty Beverly Hills 11:30am

8 9 Save Crystal River 9:00am

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11 Daylight Saving s Time Begins

12 13 Education Committee 8:30am

14 Technology Committee 1:30pm

15 Million $$ Breakfast 8:00am Black Diamond $9.00 Property Management 10:00am

16 Meeting needs of Challenging Clients 1 - 4pm

17 St . Patricks Day

18 19 20 Tech Talk MLS Advantage 1-3pm

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These statistics were taken from the MLS on These statistics were taken from the MLS on

January 31, 2012 February 29, 2012

RESIDENTIAL VACANT LAND RESIDENTIAL VACANT LAND

Active 1787 Active 2015 Active 1731 Active 1983

New 339 New 104 New 322 New 116

Closed 109 Closed 33 Closed 137 Closed 37

Pending 228 Pending 48 Pending 243 Pending 59

BOM 141 BOM 96 BOM 127 BOM 63

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1st Qtr 2nd Qtr 3rd Qtr 4th Qtr

Single FamilyCondoMobileVacant

Realtors Association of Citrus County 714 S Scarboro Ave Lecanto, FL 34461 Phone: 352-746-7550 Fax: 352-746-3223 email: bonnie@raccfl.com Web: http://www.raccfl.com

Chart displays Closed listings

Sincere Sympathy

Our condolences and deepest sympathy are extended to the family of long time REALTOR® Ruth Fredrick on loss of her son, Douglas.