Homes Sales for August

September's RVAR's President Update

Click on President Walter Grewe's photo to watch the latest video update from the Board of Directors September Meeting.

Openings on RVAR's BOD in 2022

There is still time to apply for one of 5 openings on the 2022 Board of Directors: President-elect, Vice President and 3 Director positions. The requirements and process for applying for a Director or Officer position are simple.

The application period ends on Friday, October 1st. All applicants must meet the following objective criteria:

Must have served on an RVAR Committee, Work Group etc. within the previous 10 years;

• No Virginia Real Estate Board violation within the previous 2 years;
• No Code of Ethics violation within the previous 2 years;
• No more than 2 members from the same firm may serve at the same time on the Board of Directors, within the exception of the Immediate Past President.

To date, the Credentials Committee has verified the applications filed by Meg Smith (MKB, REALTORS®) for President-elect and Jay Kilby (RE/MAX All Stars) for Vice President. Two Director candidate applications have also been verified by the Credentials Committee: Shannon Hines (Long & Foster) and Rob Logan (The Real Estate Group).

Simply complete the BOD application form (see link below) and submit it to CEO Laura Benjamin.

If you are interested or have any questions about the requirements and benefits of serving on the Board of Directors, please contact President Walter Grewe or CEO Laura Benjamin.

Renew Your RVAR Membership: 2022 Dues

The 2022 dues amount has been set at $635:

   NAR   $185 (no increase)  

   VAR    $180 (a $5 increase) 

   RVAR  $270 (no increase) 

Anyone who pays dues by Monday, November 1st (includes a November 1st postmark) can take advantage of a $50 discount provided by RVAR. By taking advantage of the $50 discount, you will pay $585. The final date to pay 2022 dues is Wednesday, January 12th. 

The dues bill will include a request for a voluntary contribution of $30 to RPAC (REALTORS® Political Action Committee.) 

Watch your inbox on September 30th for an email with instructions on how to access and pay your dues bill online. Dues bills will NOT be mailed. However, any member may request to receive a hard copy invoice by mail. Questions? Contact Susan Edwards at the RVAR office.  

For your convenience, there are four ways to pay:

(1) Pay online at RVAR.com. Credit cards accepted are: VISA, MasterCard, Discover and American Express.

(2) Mail an invoice with your check or credit card information to RVAR, 4358 Starkey Rd., Roanoke VA 24018.

(3) Fax a printed copy of your invoice with your credit card information to RVAR at (540) 772-8058.

(4) Drop off a printed copy of your invoice with your check or credit card information to RVAR between 9AM-4PM OR use the drop box outside RVAR's front door during or after hours.

RVAR 100th Anniversary Series

Over the years, the RVAR has supported many charities in our area. As we continue to celebrate our 100th Anniversary, this month Janie Whitlow and Jerry Cohen discuss the backbone of the RVAR…Community Service.

CANCELLED

It is with deep regret that we announce the cancellation of the 2021 REALTOR® & Affiliate Night. We are very disappointed but feel it’s the best decision based on the present public health information. Please stay tuned for updates on the 2022 REALTOR® & Affiliate Night.

It will be a blast!

Advocacy @ Work

Advocacy @ Work is an article aimed at updating members on what is happening in our region regarding Economic Development and/or Governmental Affairs.

Virginia’s Rent Relief Program is #1 in the Nation

Thanks to the efforts of Virginia REALTORS®, Virginia has been recognized by the U.S. Department of Treasury as the top state for distributing rent relief payments to landlords and tenants. Virginia was one of the first states to establish a rent relief program in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic. According to the U.S. Treasury, as of June 2021, Virginia had distributed 43% of its total funding, amounting to more than $250 million.

Since June 2020, Virginia REALTORS® Government Relations team has worked closely with Governor Northam’s administration, the Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD), and Virginia Housing (formerly VHDA) to establish and continue to streamline the Virginia Rent Relief Program.

Housing providers can find more information about the program and set up a profile to apply for funds on Virginia Housing’s website.

National Flood Insurance Program Set to Expire

The current National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) is scheduled to expire on September 30th. Our NAR representative anticipates Congress will pass an extension and does not foresee the need for a Call for Action to Congress. NAR continues to push for improvements to the NFIP including enhancing mitigation investments and removing the barriers for private flood insurance options.

We will continue to monitor this program and alert members if a Call for Action is needed. Please stay tuned!

The Rent Relief Program and the NFIP are both prime examples of why the REALTOR® Political Action Committee (RPAC) is so important. RPAC is your defense to protect your business and our industry.

Article provided by Joe Sutliff, RVAR Director of Economic & Governmental Affairs.

Housing Provided Nearly $52 billion to Virginia’s Economy

Throughout 2020, Virginia’s housing industry was incredibly resilient and innovative, even as other parts of the economy struggled. The housing sector contributed nearly $52 billion to Virginia’s economy in 2020 and supported more than 325,000 jobs in the Commonwealth. Members of the Roanoke Valley Association of REALTORS® are major contributors to the area economy as well, facilitating well over $1.8 billion annually in residential and commercial real estate transactions on behalf of buyers and sellers.

Dr. Lisa Sturtevant, Chief Economist for Virginia REALTORS®, commissioned George Mason University to quantify the economic impacts of Virginia’s housing industry and demonstrate the vital role the housing sector played during the COVID-19 pandemic and economic recession.

Click here here to read this short report of how residential real estate led the economy during this pandemic in Virginia. Keeping the real estate industry vibrant during COVID was the right decision.

"Your Vote is Your Voice! Register to Vote!"

Election day is Tuesday, November 2nd! Early voting has already begun. Are you registered to vote? Do you have clients that might need help registering?

Registering to vote or updating your address is quick and easy! The deadline for registering / address changes is Tuesday, October 12th. Click here to check your voting information today! You can also submit for an absentee ballot from this site. You can even send the link to your clients!

Every election is important. This year the Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Attorney General and all 100 General Assembly House of Delegate seats are up for election, plus many local election races. When REALTORS® vote, our elected leaders notice. As a REALTOR® member, make certain your voice is heard before decisions are made that affect your business. To see who is on the ballot in your area, click here to view the list of candidates by localities.

Remember to VOTE this election season!

REALTORS® Relief Foundation: 20th Anniversary

The REALTORS® Relief Foundation is celebrating its 20th anniversary in September, 2021. Founded by NAR shortly after the September 11th terrorist attack, the Foundation has distributed over $33 million in housing assistance to 17,000 families in the wake of disasters. 100% of all funds donated to the Foundation go directly to disaster relief causes.

RVAR’s Board of Directors contributed $1,000 earlier this month. Click here to donate to the Foundation to provide housing assistance to those across the country recovering from disasters.

Save The Date

This holiday season the RVAR will again partner with the Boys & Girls Club of SW Virginia for a Virtual Angel Tree. The Virtual Angel Tree will run from November 1 thru December 3. More information will be published in the October newsletter.

Good Neighbor Award

Each year the RVAR, in association with its Community Service Committee, accepts applications for our Good Neighbor Award, presented to a REALTOR® and an Affiliate for their charitable work in our community. We are excited to offer these awards again for 2021!

The recipient will receive recognition for their efforts as well as $1,000 for their respective charity.

If you know someone that has made a difference in our community and you would like to nominate them for these awards, please contact Jim Sweetwood or 540-772-0526 for more information on the nominating process. Deadline for nominations is Friday, November 12. 

REALTOR® of the Year Award

Do you know a REALTOR® who is well respected, known for professionalism and volunteers time to RVAR and / or the community? If you do, then you should take a moment to nominate that deserving REALTOR® for RVAR’s most prestigious award. The nomination process is as simple as sending an email to RVAR’s CEO Laura Benjamin explaining who you want to nominate and why. RVAR will contact all nominees to obtain their resumes. The nomination deadline is Friday, November 12th. The winner will be selected by the past five recipients of this award. Click here to see who has already won this prestigious award.

September is REALTOR® Safety Month

REALTORS® interact with strangers for a living. Make safety a priority in all of your interactions. Did you know that:

• 31% of REALTORS® have felt unsafe during an open house or showing;
• 27% of REALTORS® have felt unsafe while meeting a new client for the first time at a secluded location / property;
• 27% of REALTORS® have felt unsafe after receiving a threatening or inappropriate email, text message or phone call;
• 58% of REALTORS® use a smart phone app to track their whereabouts in order to alert colleagues and/or family in case of an emergency. (The Find My iPhone app is the most widely used app.)

These statistics come from NAR’s 2020 REALTOR® Safety survey.

Click here for NAR’s list of 56 safety tips.

^{Upcoming Education}

Legal Update: This annual session, offered by RVAR’s Education Committee in conjunction with VAR, will be offered via Zoom on Tuesday, October 19th, 10AM-Noon. Virginia REALTORS® General Counsel Laura Farley will cover the following topics:

• Social Media Advertising: Get answers to the most common questions related to online advertising and social media posts, based on laws, regulations and Articles of the Code of Ethics related to online advertising. 1 hour Legal Update CE / 1 hour Broker Management CE.
• Good Intentions but Risky Results – Balancing Client Interest and Legal and Ethical Obligations: This course will provide substantive guidance on how to minimize your risk while preserving duties to your clients, based on real-life scenarios. 1 hour Legal Update CE.

Cost to attend this class is $10. Click here to register. Class attendance is limited to 95.  

To Build or Not to Build: This class, Thursday, October 21st (11AM-12:30PM), will help you guide your buyer clients when they are considering a custom build job or a spec house. Learn about the timeline, contract, choices, change orders, inspections, closing

and the new construction warranty. Also learn about financing options for custom and spec homes. Presenters include: Alexander Boone (ABoone Homes, LLC); Lynne Boone (MKB, REALTORS®); Thomas Fellers (MKB, REALTORS®); and David Hipes (BB&T Now Truist). This FREE class is offered by RVAR’s Education Committee.

This class provides two options to attend: (1) Attend class in person (limit of 14) click here for this option or (2) attend via Zoom, click here for this option. 

Virtual GRI Classes: RVAR has partnered with Virginia REALTORS® to offer virtual GRI classes throughout 2021. Each class is offered in two half-day sessions. Below are the classes offered through the end of November. Click here for the complete 2021 GRI calendar.

GRI 504 Working with Buyers

September 29th 9AM-12:30PM

September 30th 9AM-12:30PM

Instructor:    Nancy Pav

Students will learn the categories of active buyers, techniques for lead generation, components of the home showing process and negotiation strategies. The class will also review the mortgage process and financing options, including options for first time buyers.

CE Approved = 6 hours Real Estate Related; PL Approved = 2 hours Real Estate Finance. Click here to register.

GRI 501: Agency in Virginia

October 20th 8:30-11:30AM

October 21st 8:30-11:30AM

Instructor:    Jeff Wu

This course will provide a detailed guide on important issues dealing with agency. Topics include brokerage relationships, agency disclosure, confidentiality and Code of Ethics requirements. 

CE Approved = 3 hours Real Estate Agency; 3 hours Real Estate Related; PL Approved - 3 hours VA Agency Law. Click here to register.

GRI 507 Ethics & Professional Responsibility

November 3rd 9AM-12:30PM

November 4th 9AM-12:30PM

Instructor: Tim Vohar & Donna Austin

This course provides a hands-on opportunity for learning how to apply the Code of Ethics in business everyday. CE Approved = 4 hours Ethics / 2 hours Fair Housing; PL Approved = 3 hours Ethics & Standards of Conduct / 2 hours Fair Housing. Click here to register.

GRI 503 Business Planning

November 16th 9AM-12:30PM

November 17th 9AM-12:30PM

Instructor: Jeff Wu

This course covers the foundational skills for establishing a successful business, including developing your personal brand and setting goals for the future. No CE approved; PL Approved = 2 hours Current Industry Trends. Click here to register.

GRI 502 Sales Contracts

November 30th 9AM-12:30PM

December 1st 9AM-12:30PM

Instructor: Michael Guthrie

Students will receive guidance and tactical skills for writing and presenting a variety of real estate agreements, such as disclosure forms and sales contracts, including contingencies. CE Approved = 6 hours Real Estate Contracts; PL Approved = 6 hours Contract Writing. Click here to register.

Our RVAR Family

Congratulations

RVAR congratulates Mary Dykstra of MKB, REALTORS® upon her election by the Virginia REALTORS® Board of Directors to serve another term on NAR's Board of Directors.

Sympathy

RVAR offers its sympathy to the friends, family and agents of Viola Campbell of Campbell Realty upon her recent passing.

RVAR offers its condolences to the friends, family and colleagues of Pete Wood of RE/MAX All Stars upon his passing. RVAR also offers its sympathy to Kandi Elliott of MKB, REALTORS® upon the death of her mother.

Upcoming Events and Deadlines

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