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ROANOKE VALLEY REALTOR®
Online
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You are receiving this online newsletter as a benefit of being a member of the Roanoke Valley Association of REALTORS®.
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Member Type
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Count
--------------------------- REALTOR@ 1,170 Offices 130 Affiliate 230
Click here
to see which RVAR members have switched firms, gone inactive, or joined recently.
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September is REALTOR® Safety Month
Did you know that:
- 39% of REALTORS® have experienced a situation that made them fear for their personal safety. The most common situations that caused fear: open houses, vacant or model homes, unlocked properties and properties in remote areas.
- 42% of members use a smart phone app to track their whereabouts in order to alert colleagues in case of an emergency. (The Find My iPhone app is the most widely used app.)
- 40% of members have participated in a self-defense class; 19% have attended a REALTOR® safety class.
These statistics come from NAR's recent REALTOR® Safety survey.
REALTORS® interact with strangers for a living. Make safety a priority in all of your interactions.
Click here for a collection of RVAR's safety tips - ranging from open houses to showing rural properties.
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Openings on 2017 RVAR BOD -- Four Candidates Already Verified
RVAR's Board of Directors has announced the following leadership openings for 2017:
President-elect, Vice President and
4 Director positions. Based on Bylaws revisions approved at the July 14th Membership Meeting, the process for applying for a Director or Officer position has been streamlined.
The deadline for candidate applications is
Monday, October 3rd. To date, three Director candidate applications have been verified by the Credentials Committee:
Becky Fields of BHHS Premier, REALTORS®,
Renee Wiggins of RE/MAX All Stars and
Bitsy Davis of Long & Foster, REALTORS®. In addition, the President-elect application has been verified for
Connie Hash of MKB, REALTORS®.
If you are interested or have questions about the requirements of serving on the Board of Directors, click here for a description of the duties for each position on the Board, as well as instructions to apply.
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2017 Dues Confirmed
The 2017 dues amount has been set at $545 -- the same amount as for 2016:
NAR $155
VAR $120
RVAR $270
Anyone who pays dues by Tuesday, November 1st (includes a November 1st postmark) can take advantage of a $50 discount.
The dues bill will include a request for a voluntary contribution of $30 to RPAC (REALTORS® Political Action Committee.)
The final date to pay 2017 dues is Thursday, January 12th.
Watch your inbox the last week of September for an email with instructions on how to access and pay your dues bill online. Dues bills will NOT be mailed to offices this year. However, any member may request to receive a hard copy invoice via mail.
Questions? Contact Susan Edwards at the RVAR Office.
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What has the REALTOR® Political Action Committee Done For Me Lately?
 The REALTORS® Political Action Committee (
RPAC) is a vital aspect to our industry and to the future of your business. RPAC focuses on supporting issues that are important to REALTORS®, private property rights and candidates who understand your business. When you invest in RPAC,
you are investing in:
| * Your Business * Your Neighborhood * Your Schools * Your Clients * Your Fellow REALTORS® * Your Community * Our Future! |
Did you know that there are currently
640 uncertified home inspectors in Virginia that will now be required to have a license by July 1, 2017? RPAC made the difference!
Did you know that the Virginia Real Estate Board now has the authority to waive real estate CE requirements in cases of illness or hardship? That
Peace of Mind has tremendous value! RPAC made the difference!
Want to see more of what RPAC has done for you lately?
Click here.
Haven't made an investment in RPAC lately? You can easily make your contribution to RPAC with your dues bill next month or
Click here to login & contribute now!
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Seeking Volunteers for November Presidential Election
As the November 8th Presidential Election approaches, REALTORS® are invited to serve as Officers of Election to ensure smooth election operations throughout Virginia's voting precincts. Because voter turnout is projected to be high in this Presidential Election year, many localities have already expressed the need for additional poll workers. For example, Roanoke City needs 50 more.
Officers of Election are stationed in polling places on Election Day and have two primary jobs - to help citizens vote and to make sure all votes are properly counted. Officers of Election are paid both for attending the required training before the election and for working on Election Day. (Payment varies from locality to locality.) Officers of Election must be registered voters in Virginia - but may volunteer to work at any voting precinct in Virginia.
If you are interested in volunteering to work in Roanoke City, please contact the city's Deputy Registrar
Deirdre Martin (853-2283). If you are interested in volunteering for any other municipality, please complete this
online sign-up form.
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REALTOR® After Hours at RVAR
Come and "Celebrate Fall" at REALTOR® After Hours on
Thursday, September 29th from
5:00 until 7:00PM at the RVAR office! We will have great food from Baum's BBQ Food Truck, lively conversation, corn hole games, assorted beverages and ... prizes!
 Bring a donation of pet food! The Community Service Committee will be collecting pet food to benefit the RV-SPCA and Angels of Assisi! The Committee Service Committee will also be holding a 50/50 drawing that evening to benefit our other charities.
REALTORS® --
Bring a Business Card for a
chance at 4 Cash Door Prizes
$100 -- $50 -- $25 -- $25
Gather your REALTOR® friends for a good time and join us at RVAR! Thanks to our fantastic 2016 Partner / Sponsors for making this event possible!
Click here to register.
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PET FOOD DRIVE -- Help Us Feed The Animals!
The RVAR Pet Food Drive will kick off at the REALTOR® After Hours on Thursday, September 29th at RVAR! The Pet Food Drive is a project of the Community Service Committee and supports RVSPCA and Angels of Assisi. You are encouraged to bring your donations to the REALTOR® After Hours or drop off your donations at any collection box at area real estate offices and the RVAR until Howl-O-Ween on Monday, October 31! For a list of items most needed, click here. Bring your donations and help us feed the animals!
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Affiliate & REALTOR® Night 2016
The Affiliates Committee is making plans for this year's Affiliate & REALTOR® Night at Hidden Valley Country Club on
Tuesday, October 18th
(Please note - this is a change from originally advertised). This year's theme of "Passport to Partnerships" will focus on various European countries and landmarks.
Mark your calendar now and plan to join the European journey with the many sights and culinary delights while talking to some of our fantastic Affiliate members! Tickets are just $15 If purchased by October 13th ($20 between October 14-18) and includes 2 drink tickets.
Click here to reserve your ticket!
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REALTORS®: Do You Know How to Use This Trademark?
Which of the following are
incorrect uses of the term REALTOR® (answers appear below):
Jones REALTORS® Inc.
Realtor
Franklin County REALTOR®
@botetourtrealtor
Trademarks are unique terms and/or symbols that communicate a specific message to the public. The term "COKE", for example, is a trademark which identifies a specific soft drink produced by The Coca-Cola Company. History teaches that trademarks not properly protected can be lost forever. The words "escalator" and "aspirin" were once trademarks, but for lack of protection and promotion are now words of ordinary use.
The National Association of REALTORS® aggressively protects and promotes the REALTOR® trademark, first coined in 1916, which signifies membership in the National Association. NAR requires the following when using the REALTOR® trademark: (1) all capital letters, (2) separating punctuation where necessary and (3) the use of the federal registration symbol "®".
NAR has adopted two exceptions for use of the REALTOR® marks on the Internet. First, because the public has adopted the use of all lower-case letters in domain names and email addresses, the requirements to use capitalization and the registration symbol are relaxed. And second, no punctuation is required to separate the member or firm name from the term REALTOR® in a domain name or email address.
As for the examples above,
all are incorrect.
- Jones, Inc., REALTORS® is an example of proper usage. The terms REALTOR® or REALTORS® can not be incorporated within a firm name, but may appear adjacent to a firm name, separated by punctuation.
- REALTOR® is proper usage of the term.
- No descriptive words may be used with the term REALTOR®. This applies to website addresses, email addresses, twitter accounts etc.
Click here for an NAR brochure for more guidelines on using the REALTOR® trademark.
Test your knowledge by taking
NAR's quiz.
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VAR Broker Day
Brokers, Managers and those who aspire to be a Broker in the future -- plan to attend VAR's Fall Broker Day 2016 on Thursday, October 20th, 9AM - 4PM in Richmond VA. Sessions include a presentation by Steve Murray, President and Owner of REAL Trends, who will address Industry Trends and Best Broker Practices. VAR Deputy General Counsel Blake Hegeman will focus on Broker Supervision the Right Way. (These sessions will qualify for broker CE credits.) Cost to attend is $125 by September 22nd; then $145 until October 16th; then $160. Click here for more information or to register.
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VAR Property Management Conference
Property managers should make plans to attend VAR's Annual Property Management Conference, November 16 - 18, 2016 in Charlottesville. The schedule is packed with classes -- most of which qualify for CE / PL / Broker Management credit. Topics include: Code of Ethics for Property Managers, Fair Housing for Property Managers, The Eviction Process under Virginia Law, Tenant Screening and an 2016 VRLTA Update. Click here for more information or to register.
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Next Tech Lunch & Learn: Working Mobile -- Awesome Apps
Mark your calendar for the next Tech Lunch & Learn, Wednesday, October 26th, 11:30AM - 1:00PM at the RVAR Office. This FREE session will cover a variety of apps especially useful to REALTORS® in a variety of categories. Registration will open soon.
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GRI 505: Working with Sellers --
This Thursday, September 22nd (9AM - 4:30PM) class, taught by LeRoy Houser, will teach you proven strategies for lead generation for Sellers. The class will also provide tips for listing presentations and a 'how to' for pricing and marketing listings. This class qualifies for 2 hours of Current Industry Issues/Trends PL credit. Click here to register.
Already have your GRI designation?
Contact Louann@rvar.com to register for this class at a reduced rate of $45. No test required!
Annual Legal Update --
VAR Deputy Counsel Blake Hegeman returns for this annual class, Wednesday, October 12th, 9AM - Noon at the South Roanoke County Library. Specific topics will be: Real Estate Laws You Need to Know (2 hours) and Scams: If It Seems Too Good to be True (1 hour). The Legal Update provides 3 hours of CE credit (1 hour Real Estate Related, 2 hours Legal Updates with Flood or 2 hours Broker Management) and 2 hours of PL (Current Industry)
. Click here to register.
Roanoke City Fair Housing Seminar -- The City of Roanoke is sponsoring its semi-annual Fair Housing Seminar on Thursday, October 13th (10AM - 1PM) at the Jefferson Center, Fitzpatrick Hall. (2 hours CE credit; no PL credit). This class is FREE, though registration is required. To register, email fairhousing@roanokeva.gov with your name, firm name and real estate license number. Registration closes on October 11th.
Fair Housing
-- RVAR's Education Committee presents this class in conjunction with the Moseley Dickinson Academy of Real Estate, Thursday, November 10th, 2-4PM at the RVAR Office.
New members
: This class is free -- earn 2 hours PL or CE credit.
Existing members: Pay $10 at the door for 2 hours CE credit.
Click here to register.
Taking Your Business to the Next Level -- Learn from a panel of your peers, at this Wednesday, November 16th (10AM - Noon) class. Topics will include: Succeeding Solo, Transitioning from Solo to Assistant, How an Assistant Can Help You Succeed and Cementing Relationships (aka client follow up). RVAR's Education Committee thanks the panel members: REALTORS® Joan Turner (BHHS Premier), Vickie Clarke (Long & Foster) and Karl Ford (MKB), plus assistant Chris Hartness (Long & Foster). Click here to register for this FREE class.
GRI 504: Working with Buyers --
This Thursday, November 17th (9AM - 4:30PM) class, taught by LeRoy Houser, will offer tips used by top agents to gain new clients and new sales. The class will cover categories of active buyers, techniques for lead generation, components of the home showing process and negotiation strategies. Plus teach you how to market to younger buyers. This class qualifies for 6 hours of Real Estate Related and 2 hours of Current Industry Issues/Trends PL credit. Click here to register.
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Our RVAR Family
Congratulations
RVAR congratulates
Vic Coffey of RE/MAX All Stars upon his appointment to serve as Chair of VAR's Risk Management Committee in 2017 and
Bitsy Davis of Long & Foster, REALTORS® upon her appointment to serve as Vice Chair of VAR's Information Management Committee in 2017.
Sympathy
RVAR expresses sympathy to the friends and colleagues of
REALTOR® Rand Salyer of Long & Foster, REALTORS® upon his recent passing. RVAR also expresses condolences to
Roberta Taliaferro of The Real Estate Group upon the death of her brother.
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Upcoming Events
& Deadlines
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September 22nd
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GRI 505 - Working with Sellers
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September 29th
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REALTOR® After Hours at RVAR
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October 3rd
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Final date for BOD Candidate Applications
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October 12th
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Annual Legal Update
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October 13th
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City Fair Housing Class
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October 18th
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REALTOR® and Affiliate Expo
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October 26th
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Tech Lunch & Learn
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November 10th
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Fair Housing
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November 16th
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Taking Your Business to the Next Level
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GRI 504: Working With Buyers
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December 9th
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Installation and Awards Breakfast
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Roanoke Valley Association of REALTORS®
Proudly Recognizes Our 2016 Partner / Sponsors
Platinum Level Partner / Sponsor
Diamond Level Partner / Sponsor
Lawrence Companies
Member One Federal Credit Union
Union Mortgage Group
Gold Level Partner / Sponsor
Acquisition Title & Settlement Agency, Inc
Allied Termite & Pest Control
BB&T Home Mortgage
Bill Meador Insurance Agency
Blue Eagle Credit Union
Bug Man Exterminating, Inc
Colonial Mortgage Co.
Consolidated Construction Services, Inc
First Choice Title & Settlement
Integrity Home Mortgage Corporation
Virginia Mountain Mortgage
Virginia Title Center, LLC
Virginia's All-American Movers
Silver Level Partner / Sponsor
Bank of Floyd
First Citizens Bank
HMS Home Warranty
HomeTown Mortgage
Seal-Tite Basement Waterproofing Co.
The Roanoke Times
THANK YOU!
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Roanoke Valley Association of REALTORS
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