SPAAR Cares: sharing additional member support offered by NAR during COVID-19
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The National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) has taken steps to support its members, including those who are experiencing challenges as a result of the COVID-19 health crisis.
As shared in SPAAR’s Education & Events newsletter on March 26, NAR has launched
Right Tools, Right Now
, a program first activated in 2009 in the midst of the financial crisis.
Through
Right Tools, Right Now
, NAR is making new and existing products and services available for free or at significant discounts to REALTORS® and REALTOR® Associations, including SPAAR. The program includes products, resources and services from all areas of NAR, including:
- Webinars to help members manage their finances;
- Education courses to expand their skills; and
- Timely market reports to inform their business and clients.
For members needing help finding any resources, or having questions related to COVID-19 and real estate, NAR's Member Support Team is ready to help. Members can call NAR’s new hotline,
(800) 874-6500,
between 8am and 6pm CST, Monday through Friday.
Right Tools, Right Now
is one of many ways NAR is responding to the COVID-19 pandemic. NAR is also having an impact in the advocacy arena, working with Congress to ensure relief for the real estate industry during this unprecedented time.
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Governor Walz has fortunately deemed the real estate industry an essential service during the COVID-19 pandemic. SPAAR understands there are members adapting to the many challenges facing them and is concerned about the long-term health of the real estate industry as well the health and welfare of SPAAR members.
In response to inquiries from members, SPAAR’s Finance Committee, comprised of SPAAR REALTOR® members, held a special meeting on Friday, March 27, to discuss the second quarter MLS fee payment. The meeting resulted in the following decision:
The Finance Committee determined that the current MLS billing process will remain consistent with the plan, with one exception: suspension for non-payment of MLS fees will be delayed two weeks and begin April 13, not April 1. This provides additional time for members to pay second quarter MLS fees without a reinstatement fee.
SPAAR Leadership, made up of REALTOR® members, will continue to monitor developments daily to assess the situation and will keep SPAAR members updated.
To access your portal account, please
click here
.
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SPAAR Squad At Home: get started with C2EX this week
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Consider using this time of social distancing to strengthen your real estate expertise with Commitment to Excellence (C2EX). Join SPAAR's Mandy Boldt for a 30-minute webinar introduction of this free online tool provided by the National Association of REALTORS® to get started on your C2EX endorsement today.
When: Tuesday, March 31, 2020 at 2pm CST
Topic: SPAAR Squad At Home: Getting Started with C2EX
Register in advance for this webinar:
When: Wednesday, April 1, 2020 at 9am CST
Topic: SPAAR Squad At Home: Getting Started with C2EX
Register in advance for this webinar:
When: Thursday, April 2, 2020 at 11am CST
Topic: SPAAR Squad At Home: Getting Started with C2EX
Register in advance for this webinar:
Questions? Mandy can be reached at mboldt@spaar.com.
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In search of booties for facilities in need
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SPAAR is helping to fill a need by donating 350 pairs of shoe coverings, also known as booties, to local healthcare facilities in need to help protect their employees from the conoravirus/COVID-19.
Should you have a supply of booties you're willing to donate, please contact a local hospital or healthcare facility near you. Questions? Feel free to email spaar@spaar.com.
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REALTORS® Charitable Foundation now accepting grant applications
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The
REALTORS®
Charitable Foundation, affiliated with the Saint Paul Area Association of
REALTORS®
(SPAAR), is accepting applications for grants from qualifying internal and external groups.
Applications will be considered based on the criteria that it includes one or more of SPAAR’s four primary areas of focus, called Pillars, intended to create Better Agents and Better Communities. The Pillars are:
▪ Advocacy
▪ Community Engagement
▪ Professional Development
▪ Communications
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Weekly safety tips as provided by SPAAR and its members
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SPAARky says:
Use the CDC as a guide
You do not need to put yourself in harm's way. In fact, feel free to ask clients if they have traveled recently, or have any signs of respiratory illness.
You may also ask clients
or others about their recent travel, particularly to areas identified as having an increased risk of coronavirus. To avoid potential fair housing issues, be sure to ask all clients the same screening questions based on current, factual information from public health authorities. Keeping yourself, your clients and your business peers safe if the right thing to do.
We like hearing what tips SPAAR members have to share, too, such as:
As I'm practicing social distancing, I'm exploring different ways to connect with my clients. With some of them I've been doing face-to-face sessions online showing pictures of homes and walking through the possibilities to rule out homes so we can focus on their top choices. It's definitely different, but it's working!
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What is your #1 safety tip to share?
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Please share your safety tip and provide your name and email by sending an email to Jennifer at jkovacich@spaar.com. Member safety tips will be shared in future issues of eNews. Thank you to all who have submitted one or more safety tips. Keep them coming!
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SPAAR Advocacy provides COVID-19 update
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In good and challenging times, SPAAR is committed to helping members keep business moving forward. For those figuring out how to cope with the impacts of COVID-19, this 45-minute webinar will feature valuable information. Each session will also be followed by a Question & Answer segment.
Government Affairs Director Khayree Duckett will discuss how Association services are able to serve and connect with members remotely. Additionally, he will provide updates on assistance available to REALTORS® through the recently enacted CARES Act aswell as other available resources.
SPAAR encourages any and all who want to learn more about the options available by registering to join this call, which will feature useful information and hopefully answer any member questions.
Dates and times:
Tuesday, March 31, 2020 1pm
Wednesday, April 1, 2020 1pm
Thursday, Apr 2, 2020 1pm
Friday, Apr 3, 2020 1pm
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Applications now available for REALTORS® Charitable Foundation 2020 Scholarship Program
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Do you have a child or grandchild seeking a post high school education?
Students who are the children or grandchildren of current SPAAR members (including Affiliate Members) and who will be entering or continuing a degree or certificate program at a college or trade school in fall 2020 are invited to apply.
The deadline to apply is Friday, April 24, 2020. Questions? Email
spaar@spaar.com
or call Joe McKinley at (651) 772-6344.
The scholarship program is made possible through the generosity of SPAAR’s members, with support from SPAAR’s Affiliates Committee. Thank you!
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Housing Market Statistics
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Get up-to-date housing market information here. SPAAR provides four different types of reports so you can offer your clients the most accurate housing data available. Click below to see how the market is doing:
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SPAAR's New Member Orientation (NMO) in 2020 has changed to a two-day format so new members will be announced the last eNews of each month.
SPAAR's NMO has been postponed due to the coronavirus/COVID-19. SPAAR will look forward to sharing new member names and group photos when NMO resumes.
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See SPAAR in the news? We'd love to know about it! If you see articles in your local paper about SPAAR members, events or other news, please send an email to
jkovacich@spaar.com
or mail to Jennifer Kovacich at SPAAR (325 Roselawn Ave E, St. Paul, MN 55117) or simply call (651) 287-3922 with the station or publication information. Thank you!
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