Weekly Notices
January 7, 2022
SAR Closed Today:
Friday, January 7th.

Your Spokane Association of REALTORS® office will be closed today - Friday, January 7th - so that staff members may participate in an off-campus leadership retreat.
2022
SAR Officers and Directors Installed
Eric Etzel with Choice Realty is installed, this week, as the 111th president of the Spokane Association of REALTORS® at the DoubleTree by Hilton Spokane Hotel (photo above).

Eric's theme this year is "Together Stronger."

Eric was installed by Washington REALTORS® Immediate Past-president and SAR President-elect Tom Hormel (photo below)

Watch Eric's inaugural address and hear his goals for the year online here:
Here is your 2022 SAR Board of Directors (photo above, not all pictured), installed by SAR Past-president Tom Clark:

President, Eric Etzel, Choice Realty
President-elect: Tom Hormel, RE/MAX of Spokane
Secretary: Ron McIntire, Choice Realty
Treasurer: Kristy Hamby, Windermere West Plains

Directors:
Gwen Arrand, EXIT Real Estate Professionals
Jolene Baldwin, Windermere Cornerstone
Greg Barkley, Synergy Properties
Elizabeth Beatty, Professional Realty Services
Dezda Finn, Dezda Finn Properties LLC
Judy Flemmer, EXIT Real Estate Professionals
Lee McIntyre, 4 Degrees Real Estate
Barb Pielli, Professional Realty Services Matt Side, Realty One Group Eclipse.
Immediate Past-president Eric Johnson, Coldwell Banker Tomlinson N, is presented with a plaque and pin by SAR Executive Vice President Rob Higgins to thank him for his service (photo below).
2022
SAR Dues Due
Your 2022 SAR annual dues were due January 1st, 2022.
 
You should have received an email regarding this.  To avoid a 10% late penalty please pay by January 31, 2022. 
 
If you did not receive this email, please call the SAR at 326-9222 or continue with the online payment process here. 
 
To pay your 2022 SAR annual dues online, click on the graphic below, which will bring up the login screen for the SAR member portal:  
Once online, use the Review and Pay Balance section to make your payment online.   
 
Alternately, you may retrieve an invoice while online to pay by mail send to 1924 North Ash Street, Spokane WA 99205.
 
Thank you for your continuing membership in your SAR!  
2022
First Quarter MLS Fees Due
1st Quarter MLS Fees for 2022 have been invoiced and posted to the SAR Member Portal.  
 
Payment must be received on or before January 10, 2022.
To pay your 1st Quarter MLS Fees online, click on the button above, or go to the MLS Dashboard and click on the SAR Payments icon.  
 
When paying online, please do not combine your Annual SAR Dues with your Quarterly MLS Fees.  
 
These must be paid separately.
Spokane Poised to Maintain
Strong Market in New Year
Spokane County’s median closed home price was $375,000 in November, a 21.2% increase compared with the $309,500 median price in November 2020, according to data from the Spokane Association of Realtors. December housing data has not yet been released.

Spokane Association of Realtors Executive Officer Rob Higgins anticipates in-migration of remote workers to the Lilac City will persist into next year.
Washington REALTORS®
2022 Legislative Days
Registration Opens

Pre-register by noon on Thursday, January 13th - onsite registration will not be accepted!

We're excited to welcome WR members from all over Washington State back to Olympia for our annual event!

Due to Covid Safety Protocols, the event will look a little different this year.
Updates regarding this year’s Washington REALTOR® Legislative Days 2022
 
Be sure to register for this year’s event – either in-person or virtually.
  *There is no cost to register for the virtual events – a registration guarantees you access to online meeting links and materials.
 
Of note:

  • Lt. Governor Denny Heck will be this year’s keynote speaker
  • The RPAC Major Investor Event has been cancelled
  • Cutoff for registration is January 13th
  • You can attend either virtually or in-person
  • Legislative visits will be scheduled online only in the weeks following Legislative Days
Growth With A Purpose 2022

Thursday, February 17th
8:30 a.m. - 5 p.m.

Ruby River Hotel
700 North Division Street
Spokane REALTORS®
Young Professionals Network
Build Your Brand

Build Your Business

Build Your Wealth

Join Us for an all day IN PERSON business conference with Chelsea Peitz, Ruthy Taylor, Ray Ellen and many more!

You must purchase your tickets through the link in Eventbrite.

Tickets will increase to $75 on February 10th
NEXT WEEK!

Financial Wellness Webinar:
Wednesday, January 12th
11 a.m. Pacific Standard Time
Here’s a tremendous opportunity to learn about a strategy that can help you maximize your retirement savings.

Stocks, bonds, and mutual funds are NOT the only assets allowed in retirement plans.

Retirement accounts can also invest in residential, commercial, and other real estate assets—tax-free, penalty-free.

During this educational webinar you will learn how a self-directed IRA (or real estate IRA) helps you take full control of your retirement savings to invest in real estate.

Many successful REALTORS® like yourself are using their expertise and taking advantage of this strategy to build and pass down retirement wealth, lower their taxable income, and fully diversify their portfolio with the asset REALTORS® understand well—real estate.
Here’s what you’ll learn:
  • See how self-directed IRAs work and accounts available to REALTORS®.
  • Avoid tax penalties keeping your IRA real estate assets in a tax-free environment.
  • Explore creative strategies for small and big IRAs to invest in real estate.
BONUS TIP: How to tap into this booming IRA Investor market with new and existing clients.
NEW!

2022
Code of Ethics and
Standards of Practice of the
National Association of REALTORS®
NAR's Code of Ethics, adopted in 1913, was one of the first codifications of ethical duties adopted by any business group.

The Code ensures that consumers are served by requiring REALTORS® to cooperate with each other in furthering clients' best interests.

Here is the new document, updated for 2022.
Updated Rules for Using
the REALTOR® Trademark

The National Association of REALTORS® is just out with an updated Membership Marks Manual.

This manual sets forth NAR’s Trademark Rules in detail to help members understand how to properly use the marks.

Please download and keep a copy with your important business documents.

It will prove valuable as you create marketing pieces for your real estate business.
NAR’s new Membership Marks Manual is specifically geared towards members and more clearly and concisely explains NAR’s REALTOR® trademark rules.

Review NAR’s main trademark rules and learn how to avoid common misuses, including use in business names, domain names and social media usernames.

NAR has created a new video to go with the release of its new Membership Marks Manual.

See the new four-minute video online here:
The requirements of lawful advertising obligate
and regulate every real estate licensee, regardless of
the license that is held. Brokers, managing brokers,
licensed assistants and firms are all accountable
for compliance with advertising requirements.
Therefore, it is critical that all licensees understand
the requirements of lawful advertising within the
real estate industry. This guide will provide the
fundamental advertising requirements for real estate
professionals in Washington State.

From Real Estate Advertising Guidelines (DoL)
NEW!

Stuff you have to do, so you might as well know how to do it well!
Part 5: Advertising

In part 5 of the series, Washington REALTORS® Legal Hotline attorney Annie Fitzsimmons and guest host/Spokane Broker Sabrina Jones-Schroeder, talk about advertising guidelines established by the Department of Licensing.

Don't miss out on these important details!

This video runs 13-minutes.
Professional Development

The SAR offers a full schedule of virtual classes to help members satisfy their professional development requirements to keep their REALTOR® status current.
 
Please be in touch with Tami at the SAR if you have any questions about classes or your license education requirements, by phone at 326-9222 or by email.
NEXT WEEK!

Code of Ethics -
Our Promise to Professionalism with Mike Crowley
(Zoom class) 
 
Monday, Jan. 10th 
1 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. 
3.5 clock hours
 
This half-day Ethics class is for those that are past their first license renewal. 
 
Remember, you must take a Code of Ethics class once between January 1, 2022 and December 31, 2024. 
This class meets those requirements.
 
New members must first take a 7.5 hour Code of Ethics class before taking this 3.5 hr class.
NEXT WEEK!

Purchase & Sale with Sabrina Jones Schroeder 
 
THIS CLASS REQUIRES A SPEAKER & YOU TO BE ON CAMERA. BE PREPARED!
 
Two day Zoom class - both days required
 
Tuesday, Jan. 11th 
8:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
- and -  
Thursday, Jan. 13th            
8:30 a.m. - Noon
 
This mandatory course will include: An introduction and discussion of intentions, goals, and purposes in properly completing the new Purchase & Sale Agreement; the deposit, parties and property; financing and the financing contingencies, title insurance and transfer and inspections; representations and disclosure; and remaining provisions.
 
This class must be taken once every four years.
Class Cancellation Policy:

A refund will be granted until 3:30 p.m. three days prior to the class, after which time there will be a 50% refund.

Anyone not showing up for class will not be given a refund.
MLS Weekly News and Information
Keep up with rule changes, get tips and tricks and see the monthly MLS totals. 

Don’t forget to check this valuable resource!
Current Market and Membership Information from your Association:
November 2021
Market Snapshot Report
Year-to-date
Market Snapshot Report
November
Member Roster Update
See the full member-exclusive Market Activity Report online here.
SAR and Community Calendars: