MEMBER TYPE / COUNT
REALTOR® 1,201
Offices 133
Affiliate 245
Click here to see which RVAR members have switched firms, gone inactive, or joined recently.
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The Affiliates Committee has their game plan set for this year's Affiliate & REALTOR® Night at Hidden Valley Country Club on Tuesday, October 17th from 5pm-8pm. We are proud to announce that this year's theme is a Championship All-Star Night. Put on your favorite gear and show some team spirit! Make plans now to attend and be sure to bring lots of business cards for a chance to win some fantastic prizes!
Don't miss the excitement as we enjoy an evening of fun, 'stadium' inspired culinary treats and the opportunity to support our fantastic team of Affiliate members! Tickets are just $15 if purchased by October 12th ($20 between October 13-17) and includes 2 drink tickets.
Click here for all the details and to order your tickets now! Let's knock it out of the park!
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Interested in a leadership role in RVAR? Are you ready to give back to the REALTOR® community? Do you have fresh ideas for change?
RVAR's Board of Directors has announced the following leadership openings for 2018:
President-elect,
Vice President and
3 Director positions. Based on Bylaws revisions approved last year, the process for applying for a Director or Officer position has been streamlined:
* The application period began Tuesday, August 1st and ends on Monday, October 2nd.
* A period of RVAR membership is required: 2 years for Directors, 3 years for Vice President
and 4 years for President-elect.
* No more than 2 members from the same firm may serve at the same time on the Board of
Directors, with the exception of the Immediate Past President.
* All applicants must meet the following objective criteria:
o Must have served on an RVAR Committee, Task Force etc. within the previous 10 years;
o Must not have had a Virginia Real Estate Board violation within the previous 2 years;
o Must not have had a Code of Ethics violation within the previous 2 years.
To date, three Director candidate applications have been verified by the Credentials Committee:
Jerry Cohen of Park Place Realty,
Walter Grewe of Long & Foster, REALTORS® and
Meg Smith of RE/MAX Valley, REALTORS®. In addition, the President-elect application has been verified for
Neil Conner of The Real Estate Group.
If you are interested or have any questions about the requirements and benefits of serving on the Board of Directors, please contact President
Kathy Chandler or CEO
Laura Benjamin.
Click here for more information on the candidate application process, including the application form.
Continuing their service on the 2018 Board will be: President
Connie Hash (MKB); Immediate Past President
Kathy Chandler (MKB); and Directors
Bitsy Davis (Long & Foster),
Becky Fields (BHHS Premier),
Jeff Fletcher (BHHS Premier) and Renee Wiggins (RE/MAX All Stars).
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September Forms Update
Watch for two forms updates, currently scheduled to go live in zipForms on September 14th:
Exclusive Right to Represent Seller Agreement -
Click here for a summary of the revisions. Several of the revisions streamline existing paragraphs. Plus a new section has been added to alert the Seller to the potential and/or consequences of recordings within the property.
Summary of Rights - This document is being added to RVAR's library in zipForms. Though not required, this document discloses details of the Virginia Resident Property Disclosure Act, including exemptions and the list of items for which "owner makes no representations", with signature lines to acknowledge receipt of the information.
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Advocacy@ Work
Advocacy @ Work is an article aimed at updating members on what is happening in our region regarding Economic Development and/or Governmental Affairs.
Last month, I gave an update about the pending expiration of the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) on September 30th.
On Tuesday, August 22nd, the National Association of REALTORS® sent out a Call For Action to all its members targeting the United States House of Representatives.
You should have received an email asking for you to respond and take action. This Call For Action urges House members to support and pass H.R. 2874, "The 21st Century Flood Reform Act."
H.R. 2874 reauthorizes the NFIP and makes a number of critical improvements to the NFIP including increased funds for mitigation, caps on overall premium increases, improved claim and mapping processes, as well as removing hurdles for more private market participation in the flood insurance market.
If Congress fails to take action to reauthorize the National Flood Insurance Program, it will expire on September 30, 2017. We need your help! Please respond to the NAR Call for Action!
Please support your colleagues across the nation and send a strong, loud message to support and pass H.R. 2874.
It is a very quick an easy process. Either respond to the email you received from NAR or simply click here for a link to respond.
Article provided by Joe Sutliff, RVAR Director of Economic & Governmental Affairs.
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Speakers Forum Presents!
 Our next Speakers Forum
will welcome Vinton Mayor Brad Grose and Pete Peters - Assistant Town Manager / Economic Development Director. Vinton has made many improvements over the last few years in preparation for the growth the town has been experiencing recently. Mayor Grose and Mr. Peters will highlight some of those exciting achievements as well as give us a glimpse of what is on the horizon for Vinton. Are you in?
The Forum will be held on Wednesday, September 13th at the RVAR office. We will start at 8:30AM with coffee, juice and pastries provided. From 8:45 - 9:45AM we will have a brief welcome followed by
Mayor Grose's and Mr. Peters
' presentation with time for questions. There is NO CHARGE to attend this event, but seating is limited. Click here to register or contact the RVAR office.
The Speakers Forum helps to provide local, informative presentations regarding topics that affect our businesses. The Forum welcomes all REALTOR® and Affiliate members and there is no charge to attend.
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2017 RVAR Annual Golf Tournament
The 2017 RVAR Golf Tournament will be returning to
Roanoke Country Club on Friday,
September 8th. The day will start with check-in and a box lunch at 11:00AM and shotgun start at 12:00. Roanoke Country Club does an outstanding job hosting this event and this should be a fantastic tournament. Plus, what better way to start your weekend!
The price is still just $60 per player / $240 per team which includes box lunch, range balls, golf and a reception with some great prizes. The Community Service Committee will again be holding a 50/50 raffle to benefit some of the RVAR charities, so bring some extra cash.
Start putting your team together and come play for $1,000 in
CASH prizes (plus annual braggin' rights!) to the top two Net and Gross scoring teams. We will again have a
Hole in One contest with a chance at $20,000.
We expect this Tournament to be sold out, so register early!
Click here for all the details and the registration form.
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NAR Profile of Commercial Members
Commercial real estate markets continue to improve, with REALTORS® specializing in commercial real estate reporting both an increase in member's gross income and sales volume, according to the National Association of REALTORS®
2017 Commercial Member Profile.
The annual study's results represent REALTORS® who conduct all or part of their business in commercial sales, leasing, brokerage and development for land, office and industrial space, multifamily and retail buildings, as well as property management.
The median gross annual income for commercial members in 2016 was $120,800, an 11% increase over 2015. They completed a median of eight sales transactions in 2016, a decrease of one since 2015. Though the number of transactions decreased slightly in 2016, the sales volume increased 19% over 2015.
The median age of commercial members is 60 years old, with almost 75% male. The median years of experience in real estate increased to 24 years in 2017, with 15 of those years focused on commercial real estate.
Commercial members who manage properties typically managed 82,000 total square feet, representing 15 total spaces. Thirty-three percent of commercial members were involved in international transactions in 2016.
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VR Convention in Roanoke 
Virginia REALTORS® Convention comes to
The Hotel Roanoke, October 3-5, 2017. Plan to attend and welcome fellow REALTORS® from across Virginia.
The Convention is a must-attend opportunity to grow your business through powerful education from the nation's real estate stars and relationship building with successful members. Attending the Convention gets you 'in the know' about Virginia real estate and puts you in the mix with industry leaders from the state and nation.
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Virginia REALTORS Offer New Benefits
All Virginia REALTOR® members now have access to two new member benefits. (For new REALTORS®, these benefits will be activated for you within the first month of your membership.)
A Tech Helpline is now available to all Virginia REALTOR® members. Simply call 1-800-276-4216 for FREE assistance with personal and professional devices, hardware and software. (Or send an email to
support@techhelpline.com.
) The Helpline is available Monday - Friday 9AM - 8PM; Saturday 9AM - 5PM Eastern time. You will be asked to provide your First Name, Last Name and Email address.
Click here
for more information.
Inman Select
is now an all-member benefit. Simply log in at
inman.com
(top right corner) with your username (the email address associated with your NRDS number). Enter temporary password: welcome. That's it! Once you're in, you can change your password under Account Settings. If you need assistance, contact Inman Select directly at
customerservice@inman.com
or call 1-800-775-4662 and press 1 to reach Customer Service.
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Pets Drive Millennials' Decision to Buy
Marriage and having children may be the life events that traditionally have prompted people to transition into homeownership. But for some millennials, the need for more space is particularly tied to their furry friends.
A third of recent home buyers ages 18 to 36 say their decision to purchase was based on the desire for a larger property with a yard for their dog, according to a survey conducted by Harris Poll on behalf of SunTrust Mortgage. While 33 percent surveyed listed their pet as their top homebuyer motivation, 25% listed marriage and 19% listed the birth of a child. The only factors ranked higher than dogs are the desire for more overall living space (66%) and the opportunity to build equity (36%).
Forty-two percent of millennial prospective homeowners say their dog - or their desire to adopt one - is a key factor in their desire to purchase a home in the future, according to the survey.
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VR Broker Day 
Brokers, Managers and those who aspire to be a Broker in the future -- plan to attend VR's Fall Broker Day 2017 on
Thursday, September 14th,
9AM - 4:30PM in Richmond VA. Sessions include a keynote presentation by Steve Murray, REAL Trends founder and industry icon, plus a session on broker supervision requirements and best practices. The Virginia REALTORS® legal team will present case studies on 'failure to supervise' violations. (Approval is pending for 3 hours Broker CE.) Cost to attend is $125 by July 31st; then the fee increases to $150.
Click here for more information or to register.
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"My RVAR Commitment Matters": Bryan Musselwhite
 Bryan Musselwhite, CCIM, a Senior Vice President with Poe & Cronk Real Estate Group says that "time is an investment. You need to make the investment of time in your career. Time does pay off, but as with a lot of investments, it may not be immediately."
Bryan easily makes the connection of investing his time and being involved with RVAR. "Being involved increases your knowledge base about our industry. You need to be involved on committees and in our trade organization to understand what is happening in the industry."
Bryan believes there are rewards for being involved. "Sometimes you don't fully understand or know what tools are available for your business until you get involved. Also, you get to know others in the industry. As you become involved in the RVAR, Virginia REALTORS®, and NAR -- through the CCIM (Certified Commercial Investment Member) designation for me, it helped me build a network of people that can continue to grow my business. Networking is one of the most important things we can do as REALTORS®. It helps us to generate future business."
Bryan adds that contributing to RPAC (REALTORS® Political Action Committee) is another important part of being involved. He recalls how getting the agency disclosure law amended for commercial transactions in 2016 was so important to him as a commercial agent. "It is important to be involved in the governance of our business. Getting the disclosure law changed highlights for me one example of why I consistently contribute to RPAC."
Bryan currently serves on the RVAR Governmental Affairs Committee. He holds the CCIM designation and serves nationally on their Governmental Affairs Sub-Committee and also serves on the Public Policy Committee for Virginia REALTORS®. He previously served on the RVAR Board of Directors.
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Broken Lockboxes
Ever wondered "Where do I take a broken lockbox to have my key removed?" or "Who can I call to have a broken lockbox removed from a door?" RVAR has contracted with the following area locksmiths, who will remove the key or box and invoice RVAR for the service.
In the Roanoke area, Security Lock & Key
343-7600, 3736 Franklin Rd., SW, Roanoke
In the Rocky Mount area, Virginia Shoe & Lock Services (ask for Kevin)
483-5435, 143 Franklin St., Rocky Mount
In the SML area, Bill's Lock & Key
297-2946, 2532 Radford Church Rd., Moneta
Return your broken lockbox to the RVAR office for replacement, at no charge.
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NAR Real Estate Investing Course
Investors represent 20% of all real estate transactions, according to NAR. NAR's Center for REALTOR® Development has just launched a new six-hour online course called Real Estate Investing: Build Wealth Representing Investors and Becoming One Yourself. This course will teach the skills needed to work with investors, including financing options and tax issues, plus teach you how to become an investor.
Click here to learn more about this course. The price of the online course is $115, which provides access to the course for a 12 month period.
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Upcoming Education
Safety Class - September is REALTOR® Safety month. Join us on
Tuesday, September 19th (10AM - Noon) for this class. Learn how to increase your safety - before trouble occurs! The speakers all have previous law enforcement experience - and two are current REALTORS®!
Click here to register for this
free class.
Annual Legal Update - Join us on
Thursday, September 21st (9AM-Noon) for this annual event at the South Roanoke County Library. The cost is
$10 in advance and $15 at the door.
Topics to be covered this year by Virginia REALTORS® Associate General Counsel
Erin Barton will be:
* Good Intentions but Risky Results: Balancing Client Interests and Legal / Ethical
Obligations - CE 2 hours Legal Update with Flood or 2 hours PL Current Industry
Issues/Trends
* Agency: A Complicated Relationship - CE 1 Hour Agency - No PL
Click here to register.
CRS 121: Win-Win Negotiation Techniques - RVAR's Education Committee, in partnership with the Virginia CRS Chapter, is pleased to bring this new CRS one-day course to Roanoke on
Thursday, October 19th, 8:30AM-5:00PM at the RVAR Office. Well known CRS instructor
Mark Given will provide negotiation strategies to enable you to achieve successful results. Learn how to prepare effectively for negotiations and respond more effectively to the most common issues that arise during transactions. This class is offered at the special low rate of $99.
Click here to register.
Want to learn more about earning the CRS designation? Contact Kim Martin, liaison to the Virginia CRS Chapter (804-249-5722).
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Our RVAR Family
Sympathy
RVAR expresses sympathy to Robbin Whitley of Homestead Settlement Service upon the death of her mother and to Brenda Shively of Century 21-All Service upon the death of her son. RVAR also expresses condolences to Marie Greene of Greene Real Estate Center upon the death of her mother Opal, former broker for Greene Real Estate Center.
Congratulations
RVAR congratulates Michael Waldvogel of Waldvogel Commercial Properties, Inc. upon his election to the Virginia State Bar, Eighth District Committee.
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Upcoming Events
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September 4th
September 8th
September 13th
September 19th
September 21st
October 3rd-5th
October 17th
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Office Closed for Holiday
Annual Golf Tournament
Speakers Forum
Safety Class
Legal Update
VR Convention, Hotel Roanoke
Affiliate & REALTOR® Night
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Roanoke Valley Association of REALTORS®
Proudly Recognizes Our 2017 Partner / Sponsors
Platinum Level Partner / Sponsor
Diamond Level Partner / Sponsor
BB&T Home Mortgage
The Roanoke Times
Virginia Mountain Mortgage
Gold Level Partner / Sponsor
Acquisition Title & Settlement Agency, Inc.
Bill Meador Insurance Agency
Blue Eagle Credit Union
Colonial Mortgage Company
Consolidated Construction Services, Inc.
Integrity Home Mortgage Corporation
Southwest Virginia Moving & Storage
Virginia Title Center, LLC
Virginia's All-American Movers
Silver Partner / Sponsor
Bug Man Exterminating, Inc.
Colonial Title & Settlement Agency, LLC
First American Home Buyers Protection
First Citizens Bank
HMS National Home Warranty
HWA (Home Warranty of America)
Seal-Tite Basement Waterproofing Co.
VIA Insurance Agency, LLC
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