RVAR - The Roanoke Valley REALTOR Online

December 14, 2016

                              
                                ROANOKE VALLEY REALTOR®                 
                                        Online

You are receiving this online newsletter as a benefit of being a member of the Roanoke Valley Association of REALTORS®.

CONTACT RVAR

Member Type | Count

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REALTOR@ 1,172

Offices 130

Affiliate 233

Click here to see which RVAR members have switched firms, gone inactive, or joined recently.

IN THIS ISSUE

Coffey Named REALTOR® of the Year

Chandler Installed as RVAR President

Eight Firms Win Distingished Service Awards

2017 Dues Reminder

RPAC Exceeds Goals for 2016

2017 RVAR & MLS Budgets

Upcoming Education

Our RVAR Family

Coffey Named REALTOR® of the Year

Vic Coffey, Broker/Owner of RE/MAX All Stars Realty, received RVAR's REALTOR® of the Year award at RVAR's December 9th Installation and Awards Breakfast.

Coffey has been a REALTOR® for 31 years, serving in many volunteer capacities for RVAR and VAR. He served as RVAR's President in 2015 and continues to serve, chairing a VAR Committee in 2017.

The REALTOR® of the Year award is RVAR's highest honor, recognizing a local REALTOR® who demonstrates outstanding REALTOR® spirit, business accomplishments and community involvement.

Chandler Installed as RVAR President

Kathy Chandler of MKB, REALTORS® was installed as RVAR's President on December 9th at RVAR's Installation and Awards Breakfast. Also installed were Connie Hash of MKB, REALTORS® as President-elect.

Five Directors were also installed: Bitsy Davis of Long & Foster, REALTORS®; Ashley Donahue of Wainwright & Co.; Becky Fields of BHHS Premier, REALTORS®; Jeff Fletcher of BHHS Premier, REALTORS®; and Renee Wiggins of RE/MAX All Stars. Donahue serves on the Board as a Broker representative appointed by the Broker Council. Your 2017 Board of Directors stands ready to serve you!

2016 President Donna Marie Harris recognized Ann Thompson of BHHS Premier, REALTORS® with the President's Meritorious Service Award for her years of volunteer service, most recently as Chair of RVAR's Technology Committee. Harris also recognized Vic Coffey of RE/MAX All Stars Realty and Joe Sutliff of the RVAR Staff for their extra support during her year as President.

Eight Firms Win Distingished Service Awards

Each year, RVAR recognizes those firms whose agents have demonstrated exceptional commitment to the real estate profession by attending RVAR educational classes, serving on RVAR/VAR/NAR Committees, earning professional designations, contributing to RPAC and attending RVAR/VAR/NAR events. The Distinguished Service Awards were presented to the following firms at the December 9th RVAR Installation and Awards Breakfast:

Small Firms (1-15 agents)

Park Place Realty, LLC

RE/MAX Mountain to Lake Realty

Medium Firms (16-35 agents)

RE/MAX All Points

RE/MAX All Stars

The Real Estate Group

Large Firms (36 or more agents)

BHHS Premier, REALTORS®

Long & Foster, REALTORS®

MKB, REALTORS®

2017 Dues Reminder

To date, 718 members have already paid their 2017 dues (which includes dues to RVAR, VAR and NAR.) The final date to pay 2017 dues is Thursday, January 12th.

Simply go to www.RVAR.com and click on User Login (upper right hand corner). Follow the instructions to log in to access and pay your dues bill online.

Dues bills were NOT mailed to offices this year. However, any member may contact Susan Edwards to request a dues bill via email or mail.

RPAC Exceeds Goals for 2016

Thank you to the 422 REALTORS®, Affiliates and RVAR staff who contributed to the 2016 RPAC fundraising campaign. RVAR exceeded all of the goals set for us by VAR, raising over $39,750, including 19 Major Investors (contributions of $1,000 or more.) Click here to see those who contributed more than their fair share.

2017 RVAR and MLS Budgets: No increase in dues or fees

The RVAR Board of Directors recently approved the 2017 budgets for RVAR and MLS, which reflect no increase in dues or fees. Summaries of the RVAR budget and MLS budget are provided.

Upcoming Education

Preparing 1st Time Homebuyers: RVAR's Education Committee kicks off the new year with a two-part series focused on 1st time homebuyers on Wednesday, January 25th, 10AM-Noon. The panelists and topics will be:

Doug Trexell (Long & Foster): Attracting 1st Time Homebuyers

Christy Crouch (RE/MAX All Points): Educating 1st Time Homebuyers

(. . . and their parents)

Rita Joyce (BB&T): Finding the $ for 1st Time Homebuyers

Click here to register for this FREE class. And mark your calendar for part two -- The Key to Serving 1st Time Homebuyers, taught by VHDA, on February 23rd, 1:30-3:30PM.

Code of Ethics Training: This Wednesday, January 18th (1:00-4:00PM) class, taught by John Dickinson, not only provides 3 hours of CE credit for license renewal, but also meets NAR's ethics training requirement. NAR requires all REALTORS® to complete 3 hours of Code of Ethics training every two years. (The change to a two-year cycle takes effect in 2017.) Click here to register.

2017 Designation Classes: RVAR's Education Committee is bringing four designation classes to the Roanoke Valley in 2017:

GRI 506, Risk Management, April 20th

Instructor: Donna Austin

GRI 508, Real Estate Law / VA Regulations, June 20th

Instructor: Donna Austin

GRI 503, Business Planning, November 9th

Instructor: LeRoy Houser

CRS 121, Win Win Negotiation, October 19th

Instructor: Mark Given

Watch this e-newsletter for further details!

Our RVAR Family

Sympathy

RVAR expresses sympathy to the friends and colleagues of REALTOR® George Akers of Gwyn & Harmon, REALTORS® upon his recent death. RVAR also offers sympathy to Walt Turner of RE/MAX Lakefront upon the death of his mother and to Carol Ellis of Wainwright & Co. Lake upon the death of her father.

Let RVAR know if you have news to share.

Upcoming Events & Deadlines

December 23rd	RVAR Office Closed for Holiday
December 26th	RVAR Office Closed for Holiday
December 30th	RVAR Office Closes at Noon
January 2nd	RVAR Office Closed for Holiday
January 12th	Final Date to Pay 2017 Dues
January 16th	RVAR Office Closed for Holiday
January 18th	Code of Ethics Training
January 25th	Preparing 1st Time Homebuyers