Mayor Declares "Housing Emergency"
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"I think we need a catalyst to unblock us from this logjam."
- Council Member Betsy Wilkerson
NEW!
Spokane Mayor Nadine Woodward declared a housing emergency on Monday, while the Spokane City Council endorsed a series of policy changes meant to quickly spur housing development.
Woodward's declaration was intended as a means of kick-starting several proposed actions in response to the housing crisis.
"(The declaration) sends a strong statement to the community that we do understand that this is an emergency and that we need to act quickly," Woodward told The Spokesman-Review on Monday.
The article continues in The Spokesman-Review online here.
Read the full text of the mayor's Housing Emergency declaration (pictured above) online here.
Spokane REALTORS® Back Key Housing Solutions
Support Mayor's Declaration of "Housing Emergency"
Read the news release (pictured) transmitted from the SAR to local media and community partners in response to this week's events online here.
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REALTORS® Endorse Housing Advocates
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2021 Primary Election ballots
are due August 3rd!
The Spokane Association of REALTORS® (SAR) and the Washington REALTORS® Political Action Committee proudly endorse three Spokane City Council candidates, all of whom will advocate for housing and home ownership in the 2021 Elections:
Spokane City Council
Dist. 1 Jonathan Bingle
Dist. 2 Betsy Wilkerson (incumbent)
Dist. 3 Michael Lish
Each of the candidates met with a team of REALTOR® member volunteers, who made a unanimous choice of those selected. "There has never been a more critical time in our city's history for issues surrounding housing," said SAR President Eric Johnson. "We believe these candidates represent Spokane's best chance at repairing 10 years of under-building in our region."
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Document Recording Fees Increase
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Fees Increased July 26th
Buying a home is about to get a little bit more expensive.
On July 26, recording fees at the Spokane County Auditor's Office will increase $100.
It's a change brought on by House Bill 1277, which the state legislature passed this year.
The purpose of the bill, and the fee increase it requires, is to generate more money for affordable housing and ending homelessness.
Read this article in The Spokesman-Review, online here.
The county warns that documents received without the proper fee on and after July 26th will be returned to the submitter.
Read more about this on the Spokane County website, online here.
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Form 35 - Inspection Addendum
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Washington REALTORS® Legal Hotline lawyer Annie Fitzsimmons clears up some lingering confusion since the 2021 statewide forms revisions took effect about who is allowed to inspect buyer's property during the initial inspection period vs. the additional inspection period.
See Annie's new five-minute video online here:
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Legal Hotline: Form 35 - Inspection Addendum
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WR Fall Business Conference
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NEW! September 22-24 in Wenatchee
Washington REALTORS® will be holding its FIRST IN-PERSON business conference since COVID!
Registration opens on August 4th but information about hotel room blocks are available (until they fill up).
Check out the Conference Detail page for more information and mark your calendars to register on August 4th (at noon).
SEE YOU SOON!
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C2EX
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Washington REALTORS® challenge - Which Association Will Win?
C2EX Contest Runs Through August 31
The local association with the highest percentage of increase of C2EX completions based on the local association size by August 31 will win a FREE WR class!
This includes:
- Instructor fees
- Certificate fees
- Location fees
Commitment to Excellence empowers you to enhance and showcase your high level of professionalism.
It gives you an advantage in our highly competitive market and shows consumers you're committed to conducting business at the highest standard.
It looks like we have 147 SAR Members that have started their C2EX training, with 16 SAR Members that have completed their C2EX training.
Congrats to those 16 members!
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Anne
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Anderson
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Bree
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Campana
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Grace
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Chiquette
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Tom
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Clark
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Kim
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Cooper
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Julie
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Cope
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Cynthia
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Gustafson
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Steve
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Hagen
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Kristy
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Hamby
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Tom
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Hormel
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Eric
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Johnson
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Karene
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Loman
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Gina
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Mosey
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Miranda
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O'Callaghan
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Jennifer
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Shupe
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Lexi
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Witherwax
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We hope you'll be one of those who will complete your training by the end of August.
Bonus - WR will send a free lapel pin to all WR members who complete C2EX!
Download the poster (pictured above) online here.
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RPR: One Minute Mailing Labels
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For REALTORS®, mailing labels or mailing lists, play a crucial role in prospecting outreach in competitive markets.
You can create them or export owner information from your RPR search results.
- With RPR, you can produce up to 2K mailing labels per month-free!
- Conduct an area search, then use filters to narrow it down or use a previously saved area, such as a farm area
- Sort your results using the "List View" and click "Mailing Labels" once you have the right number of addresses
- A pop up window appears; then choose your label type or a CSV file
- Hit "print" and remember, you have 2,000 EACH MONTH to use
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SAR Professional Development
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SAR Professional Development
The SAR offers a full schedule of virtual classes to help members satisfy their professional development requirements to keep their REALTOR® status current.
Please be in touch with Tami at the SAR if you have any questions about classes or your license education requirements, by phone at 326-9222 or by email.
REALTORS® Code of Ethics that will help you . . .
Code of Ethics cycle ends
December 31, 2021
Check your Code of Ethics status online now:
Click on the GO button below - your Code of Ethics status will appear in the top-left corner on your home screen if you've completed the class.
All brokers must take this class once every three years. We're currently in the cycle 1/1/2019-12/31/2021. Please note for new agents, completing your first two-year renewal, you must first take the 7.5-hour Code of Ethics and Fair Housing class, within 3 months of joining the SAR, and then you will be eligible for ethics training of not less than three hours of instructional time during the next two-year cycle. The NAR Code of Ethics Class offered at the SAR is a 3.5-hour class called "Code of Ethics for Real Estate Professionals". Your membership will be suspended, until the class is completed, if this requirement is not met. Please call Tami at 326-9222 with any questions.
NEXT WEEK!
What Else do we need.. PSA Addenda with Sabrina Jones-Schroeder
Tuesday, August 3rd - 9 a.m. to noon
- and -
Thursday, August 5th - 9 a.m. to noon
6.0 clock hours
THIS CLASS REQUIRES A SPEAKER & YOU TO BE ON CAMERA. BE PREPARED!
Two day Zoom class - both days required.
This course focuses on the addenda which might be added to a Purchase & Sale Agreement - the foundation of the transaction between the buyers and sellers of real estate. Understand the importance of using our local forms including the Spokane Addendum & the Spokane Buyer Representation Agreement. Plus, much more.
NEW!
Code of Ethics & Fair Housing
(this is our first NEW Broker Code of Ethics class being offered since COVID)
Tues 8/10 8:30-12:30
&
Thurs 8/12 8:30-Noon
Instructor: Karene Loman
This class is required for all NEW Brokers.
Why Ethics?
Professionalism means conducting yourself ethically and with integrity and competence.
It results in satisfied clients and customers.
It's good business!
You will gain knowledge of the REALTOR® Code of
Ethics that will help you . . .
- Fulfill your essential responsibilities as a REALTOR®
- Enjoy a successful career based on the highest principles of your profession, and
- Develop appropriate responses and solutions to the most pressing dilemmas you will face as a REALTOR®.
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SAR CALENDAR
Click on the image below to see
the current SAR calendar showing dates and times
of classes, committees, and events.
Other regional calendars:
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SAR Leadership Nominations Open
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DUE BY FRIDAY, AUGUST 27th Nominations are open for directors to serve on your association board for 2022-2023. There are five, two-year terms available on the board.
Nominees for directorships must be REALTOR® members of the Association who have: -
served on a minimum of two (2) standing committees within the seven (7) years prior to the time of the election;
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served on one (1) standing committee within the three (3) years prior to the time of the election; or
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who are currently serving, or within the one (1) year prior to the time of the election have served, as President of the Young Professionals Network or President of the Women's Council of REALTORS®.
If a candidate has served on only one (1) standing committee within the three (3) years prior to the time of the election, that candidate must also attend two (2) Board of Directors meetings within the twelve (12) months prior to running for Director.
To place a name in nomination with the Nominating Committee, please complete the application, offered below. You may Email your completed form to Sharon@SpokaneRealtor.com, FAX to the SAR at 324-8650 ormail to: SAR, 1924 N Ash, Spokane, WA 99205, by Friday, August 27th. If you have questions, please contact Eric Johnson at 951-9331 or Sharon Houston at 326-9222. Thank you for participating in the leadership of your association!
Download the 2022-2023 SAR Director nomination form (pictured above), online here .
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COE Class and SAR Awards Luncheon
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Thursday, August 19th
Join your friends and colleagues
for the SAR's Education Excellence featuring the Code of Ethics class
followed by the SAR Awards
and Quarterly Membership Meeting
Thursday, August 19th
at Centerplace in Spokane Valley
Registration accepted through August 12th!
This event is bundled with three main events:
Code of Ethics (required for all REALTORS® before the end of the cycle this year)
in the morning 8:30-Noon
Buffet Lunch starting @ noon
Quarterly Membership Meeting & SAR Awards Presentations
Come honor the 2021 Award Recipients:
- Steve Flinn REALTOR® Achievement
- REALTOR® Community Service
- REALTOR® of the Year
- Affiliate of the Year
- Partner of the Year
- Citizen of the Year
- Legacy of Service
- Gary Fox Award
Attend the day and go home with 3.5 clock hours!
Attendance for clock hours will be proctored - extended absence from class will disqualify you from credit.
Or, if you need any help, call Tami at the SAR @ 326-9222.
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"Once in a Generation Response"
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NEW!
Spokane is one of "20 Cities With the Most Severe Housing Shortages"
The inventory shortage, which has been a nuisance for years now, is causing even greater disruption since the pandemic began.
Fueling intense buyer competition and sky-high home prices, the historic supply crunch requires a "once in a generation" federal response to address decades of underinvestment and underbuilding, argues the National Association of REALTORS®.
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Spokane Home Prices Outpace U.S. Rate
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NEW!
While home prices are rising at a record-breaking pace nationwide, Spokane is outpacing that trend as demand continues to outstrip supply of available properties on the market.
DeedClaim, an online deed preparation service, recently ranked Spokane 20th out of cities nationwide for the greatest housing shortage.
The article continues in The Spokesman-Review online here.
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Op-ed on Industry's Compensation Model
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The pro-consumer benefits of the industry's compensation model and MLS are the focus of a new national op-ed by by NAR President Charlie Oppler (pictured) after the Department of Justice reneged on its settlement with NAR:
As a small business owner and president of the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR), I want to set the record straight on misconceptions by some about the real estate industry.
Commissions for real estate agents and brokers are negotiable. Always have been. Always will be. Let's put that on the table right now.
Like most transactions in the American economy, market forces set individual commission rates to provide for competition among brokers, increase efficiency for consumers and ensure we are providing the most market-driven and best possible service to our clients.
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SAR Partners with Habitat for Humanity
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 Wednesday, August 18th
The SAR is partnering with Spokane's Habitat for Humanity for the first time in a long time.
Join your colleagues and friends (family members welcome, too) one Wednesday a month through the summer - August 18, and September 15.
No experience necessary; all abilities welcome!
This effort will help build decent and affordable homes for those in need.
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Supra Training Resource Page
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Supra - our lockbox vendor - offers an online resource page brim-full of tips, videos, training sessions, and information to help keep you and your business humming along.
Check it out now, then save the link for future reference.
It's like keeping a Supra tutor in your computer.
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SAR Member Roster Update - June
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Updated for June
Click here to view the latest Member Roster Update (pictured above) - approved by the SAR Board of Directors at its most recent meeting.
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SAR Market Activity Report - June
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The SAR Market Activity Report for June is now online.
See the latest full report - a member-exclusive product
See the June 2021 Market Snapshot Report
See the 2021 Year to Date Market Snapshot Report (pictured above), online here.
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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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2021 SAR Leadership
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|  | 2021 SAR PRESIDENT
Eric Johnson | |
Coldwell Banker Tomlinson
PRESIDENT ELECT:
Choice Realty
995-2833
IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT:
Kestell Company
499-9999
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