November 2022 - VOLUME 27 - NUMBER 11

UPCOMING EVENTS

Membership Networking Holiday Party 

Tuesday, December 6

4:00-6:00pm

Bonfyre Grille, Madison

Register Now

Sauk Columbia Chapter Holiday Party

Tuesday, December 6

6:00-8:00pm

Field's at the Wilderness

Register Now

Southwest Chapter

Holiday Party

Wednesday, December 7

5:00-8:00pm

Crossroads Supper Club

Register Now

RECENT EVENT HIGHLIGHTS

Bags Tournament

Thanks to our sponsors and everyone who came out for last month's sold out Bags Tournament at The Oaks Golf Course in Cottage Grove. Food and drink, good company, and some friendly competition were enjoyed by all!

Sauk Columbia Euchre Tournament

Thank you to our sponsors and all who attended last month's Sauk Columbia Chapter Euchre Tournament in Baraboo. Beginner players through the professionals all had a great time reconnecting and playing some cards. We hope to see everyone at the Holiday Party on December 6!

Annual Meeting & 2023 Board Installation

Thank you to everyone who attended last week's Annual Meeting & 2023 Board Installation, to our outgoing Directors, and to our current RASCW and SCWMLS Presidents, Jean Armendariz-Kerr and Dan Bertelson, for their service and presenting the State of the Association and MLS. Congratulations to all those recognized and those who were installed into leadership positions for next year. We're looking forward to a great 2023!

2023 RASCW Officers Elected

The RASCW Board of Directors elected Ben Oblizajek, Century 21 Affiliated, President-elect, and Tony Keuntjes, Oakbrook Corporation, Treasurer. Ben and Tony, along with 2023 President Melissa Bjerke Markgraf were installed at the Annual Meeting & Installation held on November 2. Melissa, Ben, Tony, and Jean Armendariz-Kerr as the Immediate Past President will make up your Officer Team for 2023.

Melissa Bjerke Markgraf,

2023 President

Ben Oblizajek,

2023 President-elect

Tony Keuntjes,

2023 Treasurer

RASCW Good Neighbor Award - Deadline Extended to November 11!

RASCW knows community is everything to our members, and that as a REALTOR® or Affiliate, everyday acts of kindness are part of who you are. To shine the spotlight on our members' commitment to service, we're bringing the NAR Good Neighbor Award local for a second year and are collecting stories of what you, colleagues, or your office are doing to make a difference. The award will be a donation to a local nonprofit organization of choice - a total of $15,000 will be awarded to recipients and their organizations!

Click here or the image to the right for complete award criteria and nomination instructions. You are welcome to nominate a single person or a group of individuals. Click here (and scroll down a bit) for information on last year's award recipients.

Please help us spread the word about this opportunity within your office and with other colleagues. Nominate yourself or someone else by November 11, and please reach out to Erin Volland (erin@wisre.com) with any questions.

2023 RASCW Membership Renewal

Thank you in advance for renewing your Membership in the REALTORS® Association of South Central Wisconsin. The 2023 Membership Renewal invoices were mailed to your preferred address a few weeks ago.

Click here or the image on the left for renewal and member benefits information, including a link to pay your dues online. Renew your dues by December 1, 2022 to avoid an interruption of your services, including MLS access, ZipForms, and the Legal Hotline.

Please feel free to contact us at rascw@wisre.com or 608-240-2800 (press 4) if you have any questions. We're looking forward to another year of serving and supporting our members!

November Member Spotlight

Through our Member Spotlight Series, RASCW highlights members and shares their real estate stories to help empower others to successfully pursue a real estate career, and be an engaged member of our industry and communities.

Our November Spotlight is Mary Kruschek, a Realtor® with EXIT Realty HGM. Mary has been in real estate five years after working 31 years in the banking industry. Mary is an active member of RASCW as a member of the Professional Development Committee, and loves the opportunity her job provides for meeting and working with new people. Click here or the image above for Mary's complete spotlight!

If you'd like to be considered for our Member Spotlight, click here to access an online form to complete. Please contact Erin Volland (erin@wisre.com) with any questions.

RASCW Celebrates Native American Heritage Month

As National Native American Heritage Month, November is dedicated to learning about and celebrating the contributions of Native Americans, as well as recognizing the unique barriers and challenges they have faced, and continue to face, including in the areas of housing, land, and infrastructure access. Here are a number of ways you can educate yourself about Native American history, as well as continue to help work toward positive change, equality, and inclusion in our industry and communities, now and every day:

• Read about the history of Native American Heritage Month
• Learn about the contributions, accomplishments, and experiences of Native Americans
• Learn about the unique challenges Native Americans face with housing and infrastructure access: from the National Congress of American Indians and the National Low Income Housing Coalition
• Learn about the Housing Improvement Program offered through the U.S. Department of the Interior's Bureau of Indian Affairs
• Learn about the National American Indian Housing Council (NAIHC), an organization that works to improve the lives of Native American individuals and communities through access to culturally relevant and quality affordable housing
• Learn about three financial assistance programs available to help Native Americans achieve homeownership
• Learn about the RASCW Minority Scholarship, which aims to help increase diversity amongst area real estate professionals
• Get involved with the RASCW Affordable Housing & Equal Opportunities or Diversity & Inclusion Committees, which work to promote fair housing locally and diversity in our industry and association
• Complete the NAR Fairhaven Housing Discrimination Simulation
• Watch this NAR video: Bias Override: Overcoming Barriers to Fair Housing

Wisconsin License Renewal Deadline is December 14

Wisconsin real estate licenses will expire on December 14, 2022. Don't forget to complete your state-required 18 hours of continuing education and renew your license with the Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services (DSPS) by that date. Click here for information on how you can still complete your continuing education through the Wisconsin REALTORS® Association (WRA), either through on-demand, self-study, in-person, or virtual classes. Click here for a video from WRA on commonly asked questions about license renewal.

NAR Designation Month - 20% Off Online Courses in November!

November has been identified as Designation Awareness Month by the National Association of REALTORS®, which means now is the perfect time to grow your industry expertise and marketability through the completion of a REALTOR® Designation or Certification program. Here are some resources to get you started:

• General information on Designations and Certifications, as well as a list of all available REALTOR® programs and courses.
• NAR Center for REALTOR® Development Online Learning - online course options, all of which are 20% off in November!

Home Buyers Round Table Homebuyer Education Workshops

Are you working with buyers you think would benefit from learning more about the homebuying process? Click here to read about the Home Buyers Round Table (HBRT), which provides expert information and resources to help individuals successfully navigate the Road to Home Ownership. Participation in one of their free Homebuyer Education Workshops also qualifies attendees for available Down Payment Assistance programs. Please reach out to HBRT with any questions!

October 2022 Membership Updates

Click Image Above for Asking Lease Rates