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TODAY - FRIDAY, MAY 1st!
1:30 p.m.
LIVE on Zoom
Join 2020 SAR President
Tom Clark and his guest,
James Young - director of the Washington Center for Real Estate Research - as they meet at the virtual round-table this
Friday, May 1st, to talk about
New Normals for Real Estate.
To join the round-table, click on the Zoom button below and enter password
451312.
Or, go to Zoom and enter these credentials:
Webinar ID: 865 7536 0944
Password: 451312
Or, copy and paste this link in your browser, then enter password
451312.
The event will be recorded and posted to the SAR YouTube page. You can watch it online here any time after the event concludes:
LAST WEEK'S ROUND-TABLE
The photo above shows a view of our administrator's screen during last week's round-table event - with about 200 live visitors, four panelists, a chat room manager and presenter's slides. Another 100 visitors have watched the video since the event ended.
Thank you SAR IT Director
Edward Chovgan for conducting our event like a virtual symphony, and sharing this photo of his desk during the event (above)!
2020 SAR President
Tom Clark convened his fifth President's Roundable discussion, last week, with a Q&A session on Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA), and a presentation on how the pandemic has impacted local businesses.
Tom's guests were:
- Suzan "Suze" LeVine
Commissioner, Washington State Employment Security Department
- Steve Scranton
Senior Vice President, Chief Investment Officer & Economist, Washington Trust Bank
- Mike Crowley
Owner/broker, Spokane Home Buyers
The video of that conversation is online here - it's about 1-hour and 20-minutes long
:
All Spokane Association of REALTORS® COVID-19 resources are
online here.
Your SAR Governmental Affairs Committee shares these important updates:
- Spokane County has agreed to resume Building and Sewer Inspections following the Governor's agreement to restart construction.
- This after Governor Inslee has lifted the quarantine order for some Residential Construction projects.
MANAGING BROKERS:
Have you received a government loan/grant to help keep your business going during the COVID-19 shut-down?
If so, we invite you to be a guest on next week's President's Round-table to share how this is working for you.
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NEW!
Filing for Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) opened last week, which allows independent contractors and self employed individuals to qualify for a claim.
The Washington Employment Security Department (ESD) expects as many as one-million claims to be filed this week alone.
ESD hosted an explainer webinar for Washington REALTORS®, last week.
We offer the webinar recording, webinar slides, and an FAQ document online below:
(Contact the SAR if you wish this presentation in a different format)
Watch the webinar video here (it runs about an hour):
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Webinar 4/23/20
How to Apply for Pandemic Unemployment Assistance
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Updated March 30th
Washington REALTORS
® makes it easy for you to share with your clients what you can and cannot do as a real estate professional under the governor's "Stay Home, Stay Healthy" order.
If you need something to help you and your team comply with the rule, this is it.
If you need something to help you push back against a colleague or client who asks you to do more than you should, this is it.
Download your copy of this document (pictured above), online here.
Updated April 1
Professional photographers and staging professionals were added to the list of essential workers, this week. Still, these, too, have restrictions of what they can and cannot do for you.
How do you keep track of who can do what?
No single document can answer every question when it comes to how you should conduct yourself as a real estate broker in Washington State right now.
Washington REALTORS® Legal Hotline attorney Annie Fitzsimmons does a great job in sharing the Frequently Asked Questions she's getting - and her answers to them - in this single document.
Download your copy of the latest version (pictured above) - updated April 1st - online here.
All Washington REALTORS® COVID-19 resources are
online here.
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NEW!
Millions of independent contractors and other self-employed individuals, including a large share of the nation's 1.4 million REALTORS®, may now be eligible for unemployment benefits under the recently passed CARES Act.
Through the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance program, you may now qualify for unemployment benefits for up to 39 weeks if you've suffered a loss of income, either completely or partially, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Learn more in REALTOR® magazine,
online here.
This article links back to the same information provided above, but it is interesting to see it from a national perspective.
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2020 SAR REALTOR® Award Nominations
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NEW DEADLINE:
Sunday, May 17th
Applications are now being accepted for all 2020 SAR REALTOR® Awards!
You and your REALTOR® colleagues will decide who will be our honorees for:
2020 REALTOR
® of the Year
Steve Flinn REALTOR
® Achievement
REALTOR
® Community Service
Affiliate of the Year
Partner of the Year
Spokane's Citizen of the Year
The deadline by which you must submit nominations to the SAR for them to be considered is Sunday, May 17th.
The 2020 SAR REALTOR® Awards will be announced and presented
at the SAR's annual REALTOR® Awards Luncheon at Ruby River Hotel (formerly Red Lion River Hotel) -
date to be announced after we are allowed to gather in person again.
Download the 2020 SAR REALTOR® Award Nomination Form (pictured above)
online here.
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2019 Gary Fox Memorial Award
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NEW DEADLINE:
May 17th
Nominations are now being accepted for the
2019 Gary Fox Memorial Designated/Managing Broker Award.
This award recognizes a Designated Broker or Managing Broker who serves as an example of loyalty, ethical behavior, and leadership in the real estate profession.
The deadline to submit applications to the SAR is Sunday, May 17th.
The 2019 Gary Fox Memorial Designated/Managing Broker Award honree will be announced and presented at the SAR's annual REALTOR® Awards Luncheon at Ruby River Hotel (formerly Red Lion River Hotel) - date to be announced after we are allowed to gather in person again.
Download the award information/application packet (pictured above)
online here.
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2020 James S. Black Memorial Scholarship
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NEW DEADLINE:
May 17th
Applications are now being accepted for the
2020 James S. Black Memorial Scholarship.
This scholarship helps members pay for tuition and expenses leading to professional designations such as GRI, CRS, CPM, SIR, or MAI.
The deadline to submit applications to the SAR is Sunday, May 17th.
The 2020 James S. Black Memorial Scholarship will be announced and presented at the SAR's annual REALTOR® Awards Luncheon at Ruby River Hotel (formerly Red Lion River Hotel) - date to be announced after we are allowed to gather in person again.
Download the scholarship information/application packet (pictured above)
online here.
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2020 SAR Legacy of Service Award
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NEW DEADLINE:
May 17th
Your SAR is now accepting nominations for its
2020 SAR Legacy of Service Award.
This award is created as a "Lifetime Achievement" award to honor those REALTOR® members who are respected in our profession by colleagues and serve our profession through various Association committees.
Additionally, this award honors those who spend the majority of their years as active REALTORS® mentoring newer members, helping to define regulations within our field, all the while giving back to the community.
Nominations are due Sunday, May 17th.
The
2019 SAR Legacy of Service Award will be presented at the SAR Awards Luncheon -
date to be announced after we are allowed to gather in person again.
Download the information/nomination form (pictured above) online here .
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SAR Professional Development
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SAR Professional Development
SAR Professional Development is temporarily being offered in the SAR Virtual Classroom.
The instructors are the same trusted, knowledgeable, and friendly individuals you've come to know and enjoy.
Your business continues so your association's business of supporting you continues, as well.
The classroom will be virtual for as long as the governor's "Stay Home, Stay Healthy" order remains in effect (at least through May 4th).
Please be in touch with
Tami at the SAR if you have any questions about these classes or your license education requirements, by phone at
326-9222 or by
email.
NEW SAR MEMBERS may take the first Code of Ethics training at no charge on the NAR website during the governor's "Stay Home, Stay Well" order.
New members are normally required to take their first Code of Ethics class in person at the SAR.
All Members are required to take a Code of Ethics class once in a three-year cycle; the current cycle ends
December 31, 2021
.
Do you know if you're current?
You can check your status and take the class online right now.
See what's available
online here.
All SAR professional development is cancelled until further notice.
To stay current with your continuing education requirements, please visit The CE Shop - Washington REALTORS®' preferred vendor for online continuing education.
These are state-approved, self-paced courses that you can take in the comfort of your own home or anywhere you have internet access.
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SAR CALENDAR
Click on the calendar image below to see
the current SAR calendar showing dates and times
of classes, committees, and events.
Other regional calendars:
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Paragon Adds Live Stream Open House
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NEW!
Itching to hold an open house this spring but holding off until it's safe to do so?
You can go ahead and do that today - if you hold a Live Streaming Open House or a Live Steaming Tour!
Live streaming is sharing video to a live audience through the internet. This is different from uploading the video to the web and the viewers downloading a full video's data before watching it (e.g. YouTube, Vimeo).
Use this new feature to host a Live Stream Open House for the Public or to schedule a Live Stream Tour (Broker Open) for a group of agents in your area.
Homebuyers or agents can join your Live Stream Open House/Tour and view video via the camera on your phone, or via a shared presentation.
Anyone who joins will generally be able to ask you questions in real time.
Your SAR has prepared a resource page to help you get started on your first Live Stream Open House:
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NEW!
'It'll bounce back."
Experts predict Spokane housing market will recover following corona virus pandemic
Experts predict Spokane housing market will become resilient after going through periods like 9/11 and the 2008 recession.
NAR is calling the Housing Market Slump Temporary.
"As consumers become more accustomed to social distancing protocols, and with the economy slowly and safely reopening, listings and buying activity will resume, especially given the record low mortgage rates," said
Lawrence Yun, NAR's chief economist (pictured left).
"The usual Spring buying season will be missed, however, so a bounce-back later in the year will be insufficient to make up for the loss of sales in the second quarter," he said. "Overall, home sales are projected to have declined 14% for the year."
 The most recent REALTORS® Confidence Index Survey for March shows many real estate professionals don't foresee a significant drop in home prices from the COVID-19 pandemic, and certainly not to the degree of the Great Recession's impact on the housing market.
For residential property prices over the next 12 months, 38% of more than 4,000 REALTORS® say they expect prices to increase and 23% expect prices to remain stable.
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NEW FORM: COVID-19 Notice
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IMPORTANT!
The SAR Board of Directors just approved a new COVID-19 Notice form to be used. It is being added to TransactionDesk and ZipForm platforms but in the interim we have a fillable pdf so you can start using it until the electronic forms are posted.
Please read the Memo from
Brian Balch, Layman Law Firm, PLLP and legal counsel on the SAR Forms Committee, explaining the Notice.
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Second-quarter MLS Fee Relief
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FEE RELIEF
Your second-quarter MLS Fee was due at the end of March .
HOWEVER
- your SAR Board of Directors, meeting in emergency session, last week, approved one-time fee relief because of the ongoing COVID-19 situation.
This gives all members a 60 day extension on this deadline.
While MLS Fees remain due and payable now, no one will be cut off for non-payment until after May 31st.
If you'd like to take care of this now, click on the button below:
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EXTENDED
through May 31st
In the initial weeks of its introduction, more than 25,000 members and their families are receiving coverage through Members TeleHealthSM.
Because of the tremendous response, NAR leaders have decided to extend the offer through May 31.
The Leadership Team cited their strong feeling that REALTORS® and their families should have access to telemedicine at this time.
Their message to members: "Stay home, stay safe. Nothing is more important than your health and welfare."
The National Association of REALTORS® has relaunched its
Right Tools, Right Now program, which offers several business resources-many of which are free-to members to help them in their business.
Right Tools, Right Now offers access to webinars, tips for managing finances, educational resources, and more.
All National Association of REALTORS® COVID-19 resources are
online here.
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Legal Hotline: Showing Protocol
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NEW!
Washington REALTORS Legal Hotline attorney
Annie Fitzsimmons just posted a video to answer a common question regarding how many people can access a property at one time during the Covid-19 Stay Healthy, Stay Home order.
How many do you think is appropriate?
Watch the video to learn the correct and legal answer - it's about six-minutes long:
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Legal Hotline: Showing Protocol April 24, 2020
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NAR: REALTORS® Legislative Meetings
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NOW!
NAR's 2020 Legislative Meetings began with virtual committee meetings this week; virtual conference sessions begin May 12th.
If time or cost have prevented you from participating in the past, perhaps this year's virtual sessions will be to your advantage for exploring what NAR is doing for your business on the national level.
REALTORS
® Legislative Meetings
Virtual Committee Meetings: April 27-May 15
Virtual Conference Sessions: May 12-14
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Member Roster Update - March
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Updated for March
Click here to view the latest Member Roster Update (pictured above) - approved by the Board of Directors at its February meeting.
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Market Activity Report - March
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The SAR Market Activity Report for
March is now online.
See the latest full report -
a member-exclusive product
See the
March 2020
Market Snapshot Report
See the
2020 Year to Date Market Snapshot Report (pictured above),
online here.
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Presented by your Spokane Association of REALTORS® 
See what's NEW at
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Quick Information
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Tech Helpline: 866-610-8939
Legal Hotline: 800-562-6027
Washington State Legislature Hotline: 800-562-6000
MLS Weekly News & Info
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2020 SAR Leadership
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2020 SAR PRESIDENT
Tom Clark
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PRESIDENT ELECT
Coldwell Banker Tomlinson N
951-9331
IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT:
Gina Mosey
RE/MAX Inland Empire
953-3410
SECRETARY:
John L. Scott, Inc.
280-8595
TREASURER:
Windermere Airway Heights
688-4151
Executive Vice President
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2020 SAR Committee Chairs
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BUDGET/FINANCE:
688-4151
COMMUNICATIONS:
954-5647
FORMS:
999-7488
GOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS:
218-8062
GRIEVANCE:
703-0385
MEMBERSHIP:
879-1636
MLS STEERING:
953-1666
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT:
951-9710
PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS:
994-0359
SERVING OUR SPOKANE:
879-5092
SPECIAL EVENTS:
953-3410
TECHNOLOGY:
342-0406
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BREAKING NEWS: GOVERNOR INSLEE TO HOLD PRESS CONFERENCE AT 2:30 p.m. TODAY
