Dec 
2017

I SSUE
No. 12
 The Mid-Fairfield Record

 Click to  Visit MFCAR.COM

MFCAR Upcoming Events
JANUARY:
1 & 2 Board Office Closed - New Year's Holiday

10 - Smart Energy Solutions - Elective CE Class - Instructed by Tiger 
9:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. Saugatuck Congregational Church

15 - Board Office Closed - Martin Luther King Jr. Day

19 -  MFCAR Board of Directors Meeting - 9:00 a.m.

24 - Fair Housing - Mandatory CE Class - Instructed by Terry Hastings
9:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. Saugatuck Congregational Church


THE 2018 MFCAR YEARLY MEMBERSHIP DUES WERE EMAILED OUT BETWEEN DECEMBER 6th-12th. THEY WERE EMAILED TO YOU FROM ANISSA@MFCAR.COM.
 
CASH & CHECK PAYMENTS SHOULD BE MAILED/DROPPED OFF TO MFCAR.  YOU MUST INCLUDE YOUR INVOICE NUMBER ON THE CHECK.

IMPORTANT NOTE:  YOUR OPTION TO PAY YOUR DUES ONLINE IS EFFECTIVE STARTING  JANUARY 2ND, 2018 FOR BUDGET & SYSTEM REASONS. 
 
IF YOU TRY TO PAY PRIOR TO JANUARY 2ND YOU WILL RECEIVE A MESSAGE STATING YOUR PASSWORD IS INCORRECT.  IN ESSENCE YOU PASSWORD IS CORRECT - IT'S SIMPLY THAT NO PAYMENTS CAN BE PROCESSED UNTIL THE NEW YEAR.
 
IT IS PREFERRED THAT YOU PROCESS YOUR ONLINE CREDIT CARD PAYMENTS ON YOUR OWN BY COMPUTER. PLEASE DO NOT ATTEMPT TO PROCESS YOUR PAYMENT ON A CELL PHONE.

PLEASE REMEMBER ONLINE PAYMENTS WILL NOT AUTOMATICALLY GENERATE A PAYMENT RECEIPT.  YOU CAN PRINT YOUR RECEIPT WHEN YOU COMPLETE YOUR PAYMENT OR RETRIEVE IT ANYTIME BY LOGGING INTO:  www.navicamls.net.
 
IF YOU ARE UNABLE TO PROCESS YOUR CREDIT CARD PAYMENT ONLINE, YOU MUST SUBMIT YOUR COMPLETELY FILLED OUT INVOICE  BY EMAIL, FAX OR MAIL. BE SURE TO INDICATE THE AMOUNT YOU'RE PAYING BECAUSE OF THE VOLUNTARY FEES, OTHERWISE $565 WILL BE CHARGED. 
 
THANK YOU



A Very Special Thank You to our Generous Holiday Party Sponsors

Pillar To Post

Citizens Bank

Staging Sells

  
2017 REALTOR® of the Year

 Local REALTOR® of the Year Announced

Congratulations to Elizabeth Kamar of William Raveis, Norwalk named Mid-Fairfield County Association of REALTORS® 
2017 Local REALTOR® of the Year.


Pictured from left Nancy Manby, MFCAR 2016 REALTOR® of the Year and Elizabeth Kamar MFCAR 2017 REALTOR® of the Year.


MID-FAIRFIELD COUNTY ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® DELIVERS PADDINGTON BEARS AND BOOKS TO CHILDREN IN LOCAL SHELTERS

The bears and books were "raised" to help local families remain in their homes.
 
More than 200 children in Fairfield County will spend the holidays in shelters this season including Homes with Hope, Malta House and Open Door Shelter.  Bears and books were "raised" as part of the Connecticut Coalition to End Homelessness's be homeful for the holidays promotion through which people could donate Paddington gifts to children in shelters with the money raised going to the be homeful fund thanks to generous support from the CT REALTORS® Foundation, Citizens Bank and United Way.  The be homeful funds provide emergency assistance that frontline workers can access to help local families remain in their homes rather than enter the shelter system.  More than 300 children in Connecticut have remained housed thanks to be homeful funds.
   
It's not too late to donate a Paddington bear or book to a child in shelter.  Visit  www.behomeful.org/give to donate today.



Pictured from left to right are Deb Alderson of Berkshire Hathaway, Carol Heins, MFCAR Associate Executive, Dianne deWitt of Berkshire Hathaway, Jeff Wieser, President Homes with Hope, Liz  Tardif of Coldwell Banker and Viveka Kjellgren of William Raveis delivering gifts for children.


2018 Slate of Officers and Directors


MID-FAIRFIELD COUNTY ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®, INC.
   
PRESIDENT:                        Deb Alderson/BHHSNE - Westport
PRESIDENT/ELECT:             Elizabeth Tardif/Coldwell Banker - Westport
TREASURER:                       Viveka Kjellgren/William Raveis - Westport
PAST PRESIDENT:                Peg Koellmer/Realty Seven - Wilton
 
 
ONE YEAR DIRECTORS:
Donna Karnes/ William Pitt Sotheby's - Wilton
Kevin Hickey/ William Pitt Sotheby's - Wilton
Paul Thury/BHHSNE - Norwalk
 
TWO YEAR DIRECTORS:
LeeAnn DeLeo/Higgins Group - Westport
Elizabeth Steffen/Higgins Group - Westport
Mark Gilrain/Halstead Property - Westport
 
THREE YEAR DIRECTORS:
Tanya Nagyhetenyi/Coldwell Banker - Wilton
Tina Ciufo/William Raveis - Norwalk
Carrie Shea/Camelot Real Estate - Weston
 
STATE DIRECTORS:
Deb Alderson/BHHSNE - Westport
Peg Koellmer/Realty Seven - Wilton
Cheryl Scott-Daniels/CSD Select Homes - Westport
Michael Pavlicin/Coldwell Banker - Westport
Bunny Mostad/BHHSNE - Westport
Paul Thury/BHHSNE - Norwalk
Liz Tardif/Coldwell Banker - Westport
Bill Karchere/Platinum Property - Norwalk
Donna Karnes/ William Pitt Sotheby's - Wilton
Barbara Schmerzler/U.S. Homefinders - Westport
Carol Heins/MFCAR - Westport


2018 MFCAR Committees

Are you interested in volunteering for one of the committee's below? If so, please download our  2018 committee sign up form and email it to carolheins@mfcar.com or  fax it to 203-226-7390.
 
 Membership
 Education
 RPAC (Political Fundraising)
 Program/Hospitality
 Grievance
 Legislative/Political
 Affiliate
 Risk Reduction
 Giving Back
 Building Maintenance
 Marketing/Communications
 Technology/Website
 MLS

Questions... please contact Carol @ 203-227-4418 or email her @ carolheins@mfcar.com.

ETHICS CORNER

Code of Ethics and 
Arbitration Manual  2016

Case #3-5: Refusal to Extend Cooperation in Sale of New Homes (Reaffirmed Case #22-5 May, 1988. Transferred to Article 3 November, 1994. Revised November, 2001.) 

REALTOR® A, who operated a brokerage business in many areas of the city, was also a home builder. For the homes he built, he maintained a separate sales force and consistently refused to permit other REALTORS® to show his new homes. 

This practice came to the attention of an officer of the Board of REALTORS® who made a complaint which was referred to the Professional Standards Committee by the Grievance Committee.

At the hearing, the Hearing Panel asked REALTOR® A to answer charges that his policy violated Article 3 of the Code of Ethics.

REALTOR® A's defense was that Article 3 requires REALTORS® to cooperate with other brokers "except when cooperation is not in the client's best interest." He contended that in selling his own new homes there was no client; that he was not acting in the capacity of a broker, but as owner-seller; and that, under the circumstances, Article 3 did not apply to his marketing the houses he built.

The Hearing Panel concluded REALTOR® A's defense was valid; that he was a principal; that Article 3 permitted him, as the builder-owner, to decide what marketing procedure would be in his best interest; and that although other REALTORS® might disagree with his decision, he was not in violation of Article 3.

New Members
NOVEMBER 2017

Affiliate Members
Total Affiliate Members - 40

LAFLAMME, RAYMOND
CROSS COUNTRY MTG
NORWALK
TOLISANO, JAY
CROSS COUNTRY MTG
NORWALK


New REALTOR® Members
Total REALTOR® Membership - 1088
                               
CHILDS, DEIRDRE
 WM .PITT
 WESTPORT
LASKO, STEPHEN/DR
 LASKO R.E
 STAMFORD
VISSER, SANDRA
 EXP REALTY OF CT
 W.HARTFORD
   
                                                               
Press Release




Single-Family Home Sales Drop Slightly in December

Connecticut REALTORS® reports that the single-family residential home median sales price is $247,500 which reflects a 0.5 percent decrease from $248,750 in that same time period last year. Median indicates that half the homes sold for more and half for less. Single-family residential home sales in Connecticut decreased 0.9 percent comparing November 2017 to November 2016. The total units of homes sold were 2,781 in November 2017 and 2,805 in November 2016.

Townhouses and condominiums median sales price is $159,999 representing a 6.7 percent increase from $150,000 in that same time period in 2016. Sales in Connecticut increased 5.3 percent comparing November 2017 to November 2016. Total units sold were 679 in October 2017 and 645 in October 2016. 

Contact:
Lisa Governale
VP of Communications
Direct: 860/566-8717
lisa@ctrealtors.com

 ###  
CE Connection

Here's our 2018 CE Class schedule. For quick online registration click here.  To register by fax or mail print  this registration form . Reminder registration is not complete until payment is received. 
 
Elective CE Class
Instructed by Tiger
January 10, 2018
9:30 AM - 12:30 PM
Fair Housing
Mandatory CE Class
Instructed by Terry Hastings		 January 24, 2018
9:30 AM - 12:30 PM
Environmental Issues - Evolution
to Resolution
Elective CE Class
Instructed by Tiger		 February 7, 2018
9:30 AM - 12:30 PM
Ethics
Mandatory CE Class
Instructed by Terry Hastings		 February 14, 2018
9:30 AM - 12:30 PM
This Old Connecticut House
Elective CE Class
Instructed by Tiger		 March 14, 2018
9:30 AM - 12:30 PM
Mandatory CE Class
Instructed by Terry Hastings
March 19, 2018
9:30 AM - 12:30 PM
Ethics
Mandatory CE Class
Instructed by Terry Hastings
 April 18, 2018
9:30 AM - 12:30 PM
Residential Construction Practices
Elective CE Class
Instructed by Tiger		 April 25, 2018
9:30 AM - 12:30 PM
Fair Housing
Mandatory CE Class
Instructed by Terry Hastings
May 16, 2018
9:30 AM - 12:30 PM



A new two-year cycle began January 1, 2017. The deadline for this cycle is December 31, 2018.
  •  Brokers - If you passed the CT Broker full licensing examination between 4/1/2016 - 3/31/2018, you do not need to take continuing education for 2018.
  • Salespersons - If you passed the CT Salesperson full licensing examination  between 6/1/2016 - 5/31/2018, you do not need to take continuing education for 2018.

Online Classes

 Sign up for online classes through the CE SHOP. Not only will you get a discount but you'll also support MFCAR. 
 
December 20% off! Enter December20 at checkout to 
receive discount (runs 12/1/17 - 12/31/17)

January: 20% off! Enter January20 at checkout to receive 
discount (runs 1/1/18 - 1/31/18)

 
FOR YOUR INFORMATION

On December 31, NAR will no longer support or maintain the REALTOR® Action Center App.  Due to the redesign, rebranding and scheduled launch of the new www.RealtorParty.com website on December 29, the current version of our mobile app will no longer function properly and must be discontinued.  We recommend that if you still have the app installed on your phone that you delete it by the end of the year.

Here are five things to do before the end of 2017.
  1. Sign up for REALTOR® Party Mobile Alerts and easily take action from your phone on national Calls for Action. Simply text the word REALTOR to 30644 and when we have a CFA we will text you and you can take action from the link we provide.
  2. Bookmark the new www.Realtorparty.com website.  All the functions that were on the app are available on the new mobile responsive website.
  3. Investments in RPAC are still easy from your mobile device.  The investment form is on the new RealtorParty.com website beginning on January 1.
  4. Since the REALTOR® Action Center Mobile App will no longer work correctly once we move to a new website we recommend that you delete it from your phone. 
  5. Remember your NRDS number can be found by logging onto www.nar.realtor.
Next year, NAR will be working on a replacement mobile app that will complement the new website and provide new functionality.  Information on the new app will be posted to RealtorParty.com as it becomes available. 
Thank you for being a great advocate for the REALTOR® Party.
If you have any questions, please email action@realtors.org.