June 7, 2021
Contact-less merchandise pick up is available at SPAAR during office business hours. Due to Covid, the SPAAR building is closed to members through June 30, 2021. Email spaar@spaar.com or call (651) 776-6000 with any questions.
In this issue of SPAAR's eNews:
  • Realtors® give back and their generosity has a great impact
  • Connie Bossard has been named SPAAR Hero
  • Don’t delay on maintaining your COE compliance
  • Video addresses COE changes and finding your digital voice
  • Two weeks remaining to apply for 2022 Board of Director spots
  • Third quarter MLS invoices are due June 30
  • Support this year's We Care collection drive and tell others, too!
  • Housing Market Statistics
  • Join SPAAR's Facebook group for members only
  • Welcome, new members!
Realtors® give back and their generosity has a great impact
SPAAR was a founder of the MN REALTORS® Rebuilding Community Giving Campaign, along with Minneapolis Area REALTORS® and Minnesota Realtors®, that with great support from Realtors® and many others, donated more than $250,000 to the Greater Twin Cities United Way, Longfellow Community Council, the Upper Northside Business Association and Minneapolis Foundation. The Minneapolis Foundation gave their portion to support organizations such as Friends of Midtown Global Market. Check out this video shared by the Minneapolis Foundation.
Connie Bossard has been named SPAAR Hero
Connie Bossard has been a resident of White Bear Lake for more than 10 years and is the broker at Keller Williams Premier Realty. Recently, Connie was nominated for the SPAAR Hero award due to her leadership with the White Bear Lake Rotary, which is responsible for many local projects including the clean-up of Rotary Park, Flag Parades, The Bearly Open and The Taste of White Bear Lake to name a few. The Taste of White Bear Lake fundraiser brings local foods and shops together and typically raises more than $50,000 for the Rotary, which in turn supports local projects. The reach of the White Bear Lake Rotary goes far and wide into an international branch responsible for digging wells in Africa and building schools in Costa Rica, according to Connie.
 
Connie loves White Bear Lake and wants to give back to create a better community. She also prefers to support local businesses by shopping locally. A few of her favorite places include Revive Salon, Good Style Clothing and the new Brick House Restaurant.
 
Congratulations to Connie! SPAAR has donated to the White Bear Lake Rotary in recognition of her efforts. 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; thank you to Chelsea Erickson who interviewed and wrote the article on Connie. If you think someone should be named a SPAAR Hero, contact Joe McKinley at jmckinley@spaar.com.
Don’t delay on maintaining your COE compliance
The Code of Ethics compliance period for 2019-2021 ends on December 31, 2021.

Are you finished? If not, don’t delay. 

Click here for guidance about Code of Ethics (COE), and what you need to know. You’ll learn:
  • how to tell if you’re compliant
  • what Code of Ethics classes to take
  • how to provide proof of completion

COE is mandatory to maintain your Association membership. Thirty-six percent of SPAAR members are currently compliant.
Video addresses COE changes and finding your digital voice
Interested to hear discussion on NAR Code of Ethics changes and finding your digital voice? Then tune into this video session of the same name to learn more. Full disclosure: there are a few swear words tossed in from time to time along with the informational content about COE Article 10.5.
Two weeks remaining to apply for 2022 Board of Director spots
SPAAR's 2021 Nominating Committee is looking to fill three director positions for 2022. The position is a three-year term and directors are asked to make attendance a priority for all Board meetings, which typically occur once a month.
 
SPAAR is also accepting applications for its three officer positions: treasurer, president-elect and president.
  
Benefits of serving on the Board of Directors include:
  • Opportunities to both learn from and teach others
  • Direct involvement in decisions that impact the Association
  • A broader professional network of members as well as community and civic leaders
  • New experiences that develop professional and personal skills
  • Social opportunities that often lead to lasting friendships
 
All candidates must have been a member of the Association for one year prior to the date of the nomination and must be a Realtor® member in good standing with no ethics violations within the past year.

Interested members may apply here for a director or officer position. This year's application deadline is Friday, June 18.
 
Contact Tracey Douglas at tdouglas@spaar.com with any questions.
Third quarter MLS invoices are due June 30
Third quarter MLS billing notices were sent to members via email on June 2 from billing@spaar.com. As a reminder, payment must be received on or before June 30 to avoid suspension of MLS access. If not paid on or before June 30, you will incur a $25 reinstatement fee. Click here to access your portal account.
 
Remember to check spam or junk folders if the email isn't found in your inbox. Questions regarding your third quarter MLS fees? Contact the Association at (651) 776-6000.
Support this year's We Care collection drive and tell others, too!
SPAAR has been supporting the Blue Star Mothers program, which puts together the We Care packages, for a number of years. Learn more about Blue Star Mothers and the We Care collection drive here.

A We Care package recipient shared the following heartfelt comment: “I wanted to reach out and say thank you from the bottom of my heart for all of the care packages that you recently sent the soldiers. There is nothing more uplifting than receiving a package of love from back home! Thank you for all that you do to support the troops. From this side we appreciate it greatly. God bless you and your team.”

Consider promoting the We Care collection opportunity with your clients, real estate professionals and others in your network or sphere.
Minnesota Housing seeks input from SPAAR members
Minnesota Housing knows homeownership is important and wants to learn from SPAAR members' experience in regard to its programs. Minnesota Housing is asking members to take a few minutes to share your thoughts about its programs and services. Responses are anonymous and feedback will be used to help improve programs and experiences with Minnesota Housing. This survey is taking place during June, which is also National Homeownership Month.
 
The survey will close on June 30, 2021.
Housing Market Statistics
Get up-to-date Twin Cities 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:
Connect with SPAAR
Join SPAAR's Facebook group for members only
Check out the SPAAR Facebook page created specifically for members here.
Welcome, new members!
Introducing SPAAR's newest members. Welcome, all! We're glad you're here.