SPAAR offices will be closed the morning of Tuesday, March 10, for a staff training. The Saint Paul office will open at 10:30am and the Coon Rapids office will open at 11am. Sorry for any inconvenience.
|
|
Spotlight on SPAAR: Take part in Housing Day at the Capitol
|
|
SPAAR's weekly videos highlight timely news, events and key information to help benefit members in their business. As such, these videos complement content also shared in SPAAR's newsletters, on its website and on social media.
Have a video idea? Email spaar@spaar.com with the subject: SPAAR video idea.
|
|
Kevin O'Brien is SPAAR Hero!
|
|
Kevin O’Brien may not be one to jump into the spotlight, but his REALTOR® colleagues wanted to be sure he received the attention he deserved. For the past 10 years he’s been the Foundation representative of Edina Realty’s Highland Park office, yet his volunteer work has been going strong for many years, leading to his being nominated and named the SPAAR Hero for February 2020.
“Kevin lives community involvement,” said Bill Burg, a REALTOR® colleague at Edina Realty in Highland Park. “Whether it’s serving on Thursday evenings with the Safe Summer Nights in conjunction with the St. Paul Police Department or wearing a costume on Halloween at Hallie Q. Brown, Kevin epitomizes engagement. He is a valued member of our office community.”
Kevin has volunteered with many organizations over the years, including Loaves and Fishes, the Hallie Q. Brown Community Center, the Ramsey Hill Association and the Summit University Planning Council District 8. In addition, he volunteers with Meals on Wheels at Thanksgiving and takes part in the Shop with Cops program in St. Paul during the holidays.
A graduate of St. Thomas Academy and the University of St. Thomas, he continues to make an impact in the community where he lives, works and went to school.
Congratulations, Kevin!
SPAAR Hero is a program of SPAAR’s Community Engagement Committee, sponsored by SPAAR’s REALTORS® Charitable Foundation. Members of SPAAR’s Communications Committee interview and write the SPAAR Hero articles. If you think someone should be named a SPAAR Hero, contact Joe McKinley at jmckinley@spaar.com.
|
|
REALTORS® Charitable Foundation now accepting grant applications
|
|
The
REALTORS®
Charitable Foundation, affiliated with the Saint Paul Area Association of
REALTORS®
(SPAAR), has a grant program set up to designate funds to qualifying internal and external groups as chosen through an application process.
An applicant’s request will be considered based on the criteria that it includes one or more components from 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
|
|
NAR offers new cyber liability insurance member benefit
|
|
Malware, hacks and data loss are real threats in the real estate industry where high value transactions and sensitive customer information make real estate professionals a prime target for hackers. NAR partnered with CyberPolicy® to create a customized and comprehensive cyber liability insurance program for REALTOR®-owned brokerages.
|
|
Weekly safety tips as provided by SPAAR and its members
|
SPAARky says:
Know your safe place
Spring in Minnesota can welcome a range of weather including storms. Knowing your safe place can be key in saving your life from severe weather. No matter where you are, know where to go if severe weather approaches. Sharing your plan with others is an added step in having a good, safe plan in place.
We like hearing what tips SPAAR members have to share, too, such as:
I recommend the Noonlight safety app that allows me to contact emergency services within the hassle of a call. The app will contact local police is a dangerous occurrence arises, yet it’s easy to disable the alert button if not needed.
|
|
|
|
What is your #1 safety tip to share?
|
|
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!
|
|
Applications now available for REALTORS® Charitable Foundation 2020 Scholarship Program
|
|
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!
|
|
Fifth annual Blue Star Mothers Collection Drive
|
|
Now through April 3, SPAAR’s Community Engagement Committee is partnering with Blue Star Mothers of America to collect donations for We Care Packages. These are care packages sent to men and women from SPAAR’s area serving active duty. Drop off donations at SPAAR (Coon Rapids or Saint Paul) or consider hosting a collection box in your office.
Items to donate:
Snacks: granola bars, oatmeal, drink mix, single servings of coffee or tea, jerky and more!
Toiletries: deodorant, baby powder, unscented wipes and more!
Activities: note cards, colored pencils, adult color, puzzle books and more!
Donations: to defray shipping costs are also welcome.
|
|
NAR Midyear scholarships now being accepted
|
|
SPAAR Toastmasters is a chartered club with 21 official members
|
|
Since its first meeting in January 2019, SPAAR Toastmasters is officially a chartered club with 21 members fulfilling the minimum 20-member requirement to start a club. SPAAR Toastmasters meets the first and third Tuesday of each month, with its next meeting on Tuesday, March 3, from 1-2pm at SPAAR's 325 Roselawn Avenue East location.
"Toastmasters has been a great place to meet all kinds of new professionals in the real estate field and together hone our leadership and communication skills," said Bill Schwietz, SPAAR member and president of SPAAR's Toastmasters chapter.
All members are welcome. Toastmasters is a great opportunity to hone speaking skills, gain confidence and learn meeting management.
Click here to learn more about Toastmasters
or contact Jennifer at jkovacich@spaar.com.
|
|
Government Affairs update from committee chair
|
|
Housing Market Statistics
|
|
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:
|
|
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. Read the February names:
|
|
|
Habitat for Humanity provides first-time home-buying program
|
|
Twin Cities Habitat for Humanity has an innovative program to help first-time homebuyers overcome barriers they may have faced going a more traditional route.
Qualifying homebuyers can work with a St. Paul area Realtor
®
to find a home on the open market, then use a low-interest Habitat mortgage to make it affordable. Habitat homebuyers receive monthly mortgage payments capped at 30 percent of income; assistance with down payment and closing costs and guidance each step of the way.
Habitat has been a partner to more than 1,300 successful homeowners in the metro area and buyers earning $40,000 to $80,000 have qualified for the new program.
Interested Realtors
®
can learn more and join the Habitat Realtor Network at
BuyWithHabitat.org
/realtor
|
|
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!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
