SPAAR will be closed on Monday, May 25,
for Memorial Day. May you have a safe and enjoyable holiday!
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SPAAR's in-person closure is through June 30 for the safety of all
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To protect the health and safety of SPAAR members, visitors and staff, SPAAR’s Executive Committee, comprised of Realtor® members, voted to suspend all in-person classes, events and meetings through June 30.
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SPAAR continues to follow the orders issued by Minnesota Governor Tim Walz. SPAAR staff members continue to work remotely to serve members Monday through Friday from 8:30am to 4:45pm. Need an item from SPAAR's store? Call SPAAR at (651) 776-6000 to place your order and pay online for a no-contact pick up.
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SPAAR Cares: NAR provides member access to TeleHealth at no cost. Members must register before new deadline of May 31
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The National Association of REALTORS
®
(NAR) has expanded access to Members TeleHealth
SM
at no cost to members who register by May 31. The program comes as part of NAR’s larger
Right Tools, Right Now
(RTRN) initiative, making numerous valuable resources available to its 1.4 million members at reduced or no cost.
Members TeleHealth
SM
provides around-the-clock access to non-emergency healthcare from more than 2,300 board-certified U.S. physicians including common issues such as allergies, asthma, rashes, joint aches, flu and nausea, among others.
NAR is funding two months of services for members who lack access to telemedicine and enroll in this program by May 31. For more information, including the TeleHealth application,
click here.
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Looking for continuing education or networking opportunities? Check out all of SPAAR's upcoming events!
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Virtual education offered through SPAAR in place of in-person classes, meetings and events, which are cancelled through June 30
SPAAR's in-person education offerings have been cancelled through June 30 in an effort to keep members, instructors and staff safe. This decision is based on recent developments with the coronavirus (COVID-19) in an effort to stop its spread and keep everyone healthy. In this current ever-changing environment, SPAAR will continue to provide updates as they are known. See below for virtual education offerings.
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SPAAR new members in 2020. Welcome, all!
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Take part in free CE and non-CE classes for SPAAR members
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SPAAR is offering the following education classes, including many with free CE. You may click on the highlighted link to register.
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SPAAR's New Member Orientation is currently offered online
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SPAAR has resumed its New Member Orientation (NMO) in an online format during the COVID-19 pandemic in order for new members to receive partial completion and a jump start with some great information about the Association, their membership, safety and other resources such as RPR that can be put to use immediately. New SPAAR members will be contacted via email to register for an upcoming “Day 1” online session; the remainder of SPAAR's original orientation 2-day program continues to be postponed until in-person classes resume at a later date. Contact SPAAR at spaar@spaar.com with any questions.
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Pearson Vue testing centers are now open
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The Department of Commerce reported that the Pearson Vue testing centers are now open as of May 19 and operating at 50 percent capacity. Pearson Vue centers are located in Eagan, Brooklyn Park, Bloomington, St. Paul, Hermantown and Rochester, as well as Fargo and Sioux Falls.
Pearson Vue conducts tests for many different clients in addition to the Minnesota Department of Commerce and reports it will take time to get through the backlog of tests. As reported previously, there were 187 tests cancelled during the last couple of months; Pearson Vue will be running at 50 percent capacity indefinitely in accordance to the health and safety guidelines that are in place.
Additionally, the Department of Commerce shared a reminder that if an individual takes a test and earns his or her license in May or June 2020, they will need to renew their license again on June 30, 2021; however, if he or she takes the test and earns a license in July 2020 or later, a renewal isn’t necessary until June 30, 2022.
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Take the At Home With Diversity® course on scholarship
SPAAR’s Diversity Committee promotes homeownership to diverse groups and one REALTOR
®
certification that recognizes expertise in working with emerging markets is At Home With Diversity (AHWD).
A NAR certification program, AHWD was designed to present a picture of the changing face of the real estate industry. Since 1998, the program has prepared more than 20,000 REALTORS® to work effectively with and within today’s increasingly diverse pool of homebuyers.
AHWD is a 6 to 7-hour online course addressing the topics of diversity, fair housing and business planning development. Upon course completion, REALTORS® are eligible to apply for the official AHWD certification that conveys to clients they’re working with a real estate professional with expertise that transcends cultural barriers. Note the one-time $75 fee to apply for and use the AHWD certification is not covered by SPAAR’s scholarship.
Through June 30, 2020, the AHWD course is $49; however, SPAAR’s Diversity Committee has approved up to 50 scholarships to cover the fee. Submit proof of course completion and SPAAR members will receive a check to reimburse the course price.
*CE is
not
available for this course; however,
the AHWD certification counts as the Accredited Buyer’s Representative (ABR®) Designation elective, the C2EX Endorsement and one elective credit towards the CIPS Designation.
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NAR offers sitewide promotions for REALTORS
® now through May 31
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The National Association of REALTORS
®
(NAR) is offering a sitewide promotion for its Right Tools Right Now through Sunday, May 31.
NAR CEO Bob Goldberg reported recently that 108,000 members have taken advantage of the Right Tools, Right Now program for a total of $12 million in value.
Additional topics offered through Right Tools, Right Now include managing finances, market reports to inform your clients and education opportunities to expand your skills.
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Brush up on RPR and the many resources available
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Interested in a refresher on RPR knowledge and skills? This link is a main dashboard for pre-recorded and live webinars for all sorts of RPR functions from beginner to advanced.
https://blog.narrpr.com/workshops/
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The CE Shop offers a 40 percent discount through May
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In need of a few more CE credits? Have you completed your Code of Ethics requirement? Now is the time to complete requirements and use a discount through The CE Shop.
Use promo code SUPPORT40 at
spaar.theceshop.com
for 40 percent off your order through the end of May.
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REALTOR® Store Offers Free Tool
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Members can download a free copy of
Social Media for REALTORS®: Digital Marketing
, which is part of the
National Association of REALTORS
®
(NAR)
Social Media for REALTORS® series. This easy-to-understand guide shows members how to use the power of social media to save time, money and effort while effectively marketing themselves and their businesses online.
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SPAAR is grateful to its premier sponsors
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