Passaic County Board of REALTORS®
Views & News 
Friday, November 10, 2017





  
  
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Realtors ®  Agree on Tax Reform
 

This is why REALTORS® who are conservatives, liberals, and moderates support NAR's  position  on the current tax reform plan.

Consumer Call for Action on Tax Reform

2018 NAR President Elizabeth Mendenhall: "While we are still reviewing the outlines of this proposal, we are watching closely for changes to current law that might leave middle-class homeowners - and homeownership broadly - in a worse place than it is today. We've already seen that a near-doubling of the standard deduction, combined with the elimination of other deductions like the state-and-local tax deduction, can turn the American Dream into a nightmare for families, as the rug is pulled out from under them. Simply preserving the mortgage interest deduction in name only isn't enough to protect homeownership.

"America still believes in the promise of homeownership. Tax reform should reflect that belief, and as we continue to examine this proposal, that's exactly what we'll look to see."

Final Opportunity- Early Bird Pricing
Expert Tips on How to Avoid Falling Victim to Scams in the Marketplace

Jon Goodman, real estate attorney at Frascona, Joiner, Goodman and Greenstein, P.C., shared information with Realtors® and other attendees today at the 2017 REALTORS® Conference & Expo about the risks of real estate fraud and how to avoid falling victim to scams in the marketplace.

During the session, Goodman said that real estate transactions are often complicated and tedious dealings and demand close attention from the agent, buyer and seller. He said many times real estate professionals and consumers do not consider the risks of fraud in real estate, even when wiring large sums of money. Goodman said that
real estate brokers are especially vulnerable to becoming victims of wire fraud.

"You cannot be a successful real estate broker unless you are an optimist and open with your clients. I don't want you to change that professional quality, which is so crucial to success in real estate, but your relationship with clients makes you susceptible to fraud schemes," he said.
Goodman shared several red flags real estate professionals should keep in mind during a transaction and the steps agents can take to ensure transactions are secure:
  • Seek to work with people you know. Ensure you can recognize their voice and know something personal about them that you can ask to confirm their identity.
  • Do not be the direct source of wire instructions to clients, and let clients know that you will not be the source of those instructions.
  • Educate clients to not rely on wiring instructions that come through e-mail or from a website. Wiring instructions should come from a secured system or confirmed verbally from a voice the buyer knows.
Goodman went on to say that if agents are included on wire instructions to their clients, it is crucial to do the following:
  • Let clients know that you will not be e-mailing the wiring instructions, and only give clients the phone number to the wiring recipient verbally.
  • Also, verbally give clients some information to qualify the source of the wire instructions. Do not put the qualifying information in an e-mail.
Habitat for Humanity- Come Build with Us!

 
PCBOR will be working with Habitat for Humanity of Paterson from Tuesday, November 2
8th through Friday, December 1st.  If you are interested in joining us, please complete this required form  and return to Denise Ricciotti, Education and Event Coordinator.  All are welcome, no special skills needed! 
NAR's Strategic Priorities and Key Messages for 2018
Details about NAR's Strategic Priorities and Key Messages for 2018 are now available.
Team Legal Issues

NAR Senior Counsel Finley Maxson discusses the legal risks that brokers may need to address when real estate teams are working within their brokerage in the latest Window to the Law video from NAR Legal Affairs. 


2018 REALTOR® Dues

Please be advised that the 2018 REALTOR® Dues have been mailed to each Designated  REALTOR (USPS). Dues are due by J anuary 1st, 2018 and are considered late after January 10,  2018.  Please obtain a paper copy of your bill from your Broker/Manager.  A $50.00 late fee will be assessed after this date without exception.  A dues e-mail will be sent to each Member next week.  If you do not receive this e-mail, contact Lisa Lombardo to ensure we have the correct e-mail address.  Should you have any questions regarding your 2018 dues payment, please contact the Board office, 973.305.1100. 

2018 Committees - Get Involved!
Great Exposure - Networking -Enhances Cooperation

This organization has been built by Members like YOU. One thing we all have in common is our  dedication to change and make OUR ORGANIZATION and OUR BUSINESS, BETTER!  The more volunteers we have, the bigger impact we can all make...TOGETHER!
 
Join a Committee Here
Trust Stamp- New Free Realtor® Safety Benefit

Trust Stamp, an identity authentication startup that leverages artificial intelligence and blockchain technologies to verify strangers' identities and provide a trust score, will make its tool available for free to all REALTORS®. NAR is an investor  in the company, which was part of the association's REach® accelerator program in 2016.   

More
RPR® Shortcuts

A post on the RPR® blog describes shortcuts in the RPR® app that enable users to gain quick access to information about nearby properties, an agent's current listings, recent reports, and saved searches right from the app icon
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