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. |
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In this issue of SPAAR's eNews:
- Spotlight on SPAAR: What to Expect from a Realtor® -- Fair Housing
- SPAAR announces Fair Housing coloring contest winners
- REALTORS® Charitable Foundation welcomes grant applications through May 14
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SPAAR's book series discussion on The Color of Law is May 6
- Become C2EX endorsed and you may receive free local dues
- Applications due this Friday, May 7, for NAR's 2022 Committees
- Sharing about the Fair Housing Act with local communities
- Rent control: seeking Realtor® input and involvement
- Call for Action: say "no!" to new fees on the mortgage registry and deed taxes
- MN-RPAC to host phone bank this week
- Lone Wolf maintenance scheduled for May 5
- Housing Market Statistics
- Join SPAAR's Facebook group for members only
- Welcome, new members!
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Spotlight on SPAAR: What to Expect from a Realtor® -- Fair Housing
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As part of SPAAR's focus on Fair Housing, a CE class will soon be offered to members and will feature this video as a part of the education. Take a sneak peek below.
SPAAR's weekly videos highlight timely news, events, member features 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.
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SPAAR announces Fair Housing coloring contest winners |
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Fifty coloring contest entries blanketed the windows in SPAAR’s lobby that showed off the creativity of those who helped promote Fair Housing through the contest, which was promoted online and in community newspapers throughout SPAAR’s area. Click here to read the names of the 12 winners from four age categories, and congratulations to all!
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REALTORS® Charitable Foundation welcomes grant applications through May 14 |
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Applications are now being accepted for the annual REALTORS® Charitable Foundation grant, which will be awarded to the selected recipient(s) from those who qualify.
SPAAR has awarded more than $300,000 to seven recipients in the past three years.
Applications will be considered based on the criteria that it includes one or more of 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
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SPAAR's book series discussion on The Color of Law is May 6
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SPAAR’s Professionalism Committee on May 6 will kick-off a four-part morning discussion series on The Color of Law by Richard Rothstein, which investigates how federal policy imposed racial segregation on metropolitan areas nationwide and restricted homeownership and wealth building.
Sign up for the book series through your member portal under the events tab, upcoming meetings here.
Discussions will be led by SPAAR Realtor® member Anita Hill. A limited number of shared copies of The Color of Law are available. To borrow a copy, email spaar@spaar.com.
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Become C2EX endorsed and you may receive free local dues |
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SPAAR is offering members the opportunity to become endorsed in NAR's Commitment to Excellence (C2EX) program with an added incentive. Become endorsed on or before November 1, 2021, and your name will go into a drawing for the SPAAR local annual dues portion of membership dues for 2022. Already C2EX endorsed? That's ok. Your name will be entered retroactively, as well.
This incentive is made possible thanks to SPAAR's Professionalism Committee.
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Applications due this Friday, May 7, for NAR's 2022 Committees |
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It's that time of year again! NAR's 2022 Committee Application Process is open now through May 7, 2021. NAR leaders are excited to see passionate members apply for and serve on the national committees. Please consider applying for a 2022 committee and encourage other members to do the same.
Below are some helpful resources for the 2022 process:
Questions? Call Member Support at (800) 874-6500.
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Sharing about the Fair Housing Act with local communities |
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SPAAR 2021 President-Elect Mark Mason and Government Affairs Director Simon Opatz presented on the importance of the Fair Housing Act to Ramsey County on April 27.
As part of their presentation, Mark noted that “as an organization we have made an effort to promote Fair Housing and contribute to organizations that further the goals of the Fair Housing Act. Among those are contributions to the Mapping Prejudice project, sponsorship of the Rondo Commemorative Plaza and grants for the acquisition and development of the Center for Diverse Expression in the Rondo community.”
SPAAR’s Government Affairs Directors contacted each community in SPAAR’s territory to proclaim Fair Housing and have worked closely with Burnsville, Fridley, Oak Park Heights, Stillwater, and Saint Paul, in addition to Ramsey County.
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Rent control: seeking Realtor® input and involvement |
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A coalition of community groups has announced a petition to put Rent Control on the ballot in Saint Paul this November. The group, Housing Equity Now St. Paul, is proposing to cap rent increases on all residential properties in the City to three percent each year.
Rent Control has been tried around the U.S. and economists agree it produces a net negative for the cities where it has been implemented. Rent Control reduces the supply of adequate rental housing, investment in new rental housing development plummets, and maintenance deteriorates because the financial incentives to maintain a quality property are no longer present.
If you or a Realtor® you know would be willing to assist SPAAR in efforts to gather information on Rent Control in Saint Paul, please contact either of SPAAR's Government Affairs Directors:
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Call for Action: say "no!" to new fees on the mortgage registry and deed taxes |
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MN-RPAC to host phone bank this week |
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MN-RPAC will be hosting a phone bank to raise funds on May 3-6. This will be a Saint Paul Area Association of REALTORS® vs Minneapolis Area REALTORS® phone bank. Contact Megan Rossbach, the MN-RPAC Coordinator, at mrossbach@mnrealtor.com with questions or for more information.
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Lone Wolf maintenance scheduled for May 5 |
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Lone Wolf will be performing scheduled maintenance on Wednesday, May 5, from 1-5am. Members may not be able to access their TransactionDesk and Authentisign platforms during this time. |
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Housing Market Statistics |
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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:
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Join SPAAR's Facebook group for members only |
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Check out the SPAAR Facebook page created specifically for members here.
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