June 2021 - VOLUME 26 - NUMBER 6 |
|
RASCW Sauk Columbia Chapter
Bags Tournament
Thursday, June 24, 2021
2:00-4:00 pm
Balanced Rock Winery
|
|
Focus on Energy®
Virtual Pop-up Shop Event
Going on now!
June 7-21, 2021
|
|
Cindy Strange Memorial
Golf Outing
Monday, July 19, 2021
|
|
We are excited to announce that our office is now open to our membership. We ask that visitors wear a mask while not seated and in common areas. In the interest of meeting our members where they are, we will continue to offer services and support virtually and via curbside pickup. Please don’t hesitate to reach out with your questions.
Office hours: 9am-5pm
Phone: 608-240-2800
|
|
New Communication & Engagement Director Joins RASCW |
|
Greetings, RASCW members! My name is Erin Volland, and I am the Association’s new Communication & Engagement Director. I come to RASCW with an academic background in English and Counseling Psychology, and fifteen years of experience in higher education spanning admissions and recruitment, counseling, disability resources, and academic and career advising. Through these roles I also gained significant experience in marketing and communications, and I’m excited to build upon all these skills and interests in this position.
As Communication & Engagement Director, my goal is to help RASCW continue to grow and engage its members in relevant and meaningful professional development and networking opportunities to both aid them in achieving their personal career and business goals and assist those in our communities achieve homeownership and thrive. The key to all of this will be the gathering and sharing of members’ stories – YOUR stories. Your voices are the ones we need to hear to identify how RASCW can best use our platform to support members and promote the real estate industry. Please feel free to reach out to me (erin@wisre.com) to share any ideas you have on how we might be able to do that moving forward. (Or to swap favorite area food and beverage spots or travel destinations, which I always love doing!) I plan to listen and ask a lot of questions in the coming months, and I look forward to learning more about the great work all of you do daily for individuals and your communities.
Have a great summer!
|
|
Communication is STILL Key |
|
As a real estate agent, you simply cannot overdo communication with your clients. Period.
Your client is involved in one of the most significant financial commitments of a lifetime and it is vital that you express your value through communications. The moment your client is left wondering about any detail, you open the door to a change of heart that can materially impact their success and your business.
Moreover, in a market like this one, it is not just first-time home buyers feeling stressed and uneasy. Start early, talk with your clients about what expectations they should have for this experience. In addition, as opportunities can come and go with little time to react, be sure to identify early with them your communications expectations, when you will be returning emails or calls, what their communication preferences are, etc.
Communication breakdowns sometimes occur during the negotiation process, especially between the offer submission and acceptance. Many buyers don’t understand the process, so explaining it from the start and then communicating updates (or lack of updates) often throughout is important.
It’s also important to remember that communication between agents is vital. When an offer to purchase is rejected, simply signing the WB-11 (lines 587-589) and sending it back can reassure buyers that their offer was considered. It may seem daunting, but per the Code of Ethics, buyers have the right to ask for written affirmation that an offer was submitted.
“Upon the written request of a cooperating broker who submits an offer to the listing broker, the listing broker shall provide, as soon as practical, a written affirmation to the cooperating broker stating that the offer has been submitted to the seller/landlord, or a written notification that the seller/ landlord has waived the obligation to have the offer presented.”
Tips for Effective Communications:
1. Listen. Allow your clients to share their concerns and questions without interruption. Make
sure your clients feel comfortable speaking to you.
2. Ask questions. Your clients are not as well versed as you in a real estate transaction, so
sometimes it will be important for you to ask the right questions in order to understand their needs, their motivation, and their ultimate goals.
3. Stay focused. Remain present when you’re speaking to your client. It not only helps you to
understand their needs, but also to build trust.
4. Be direct and assertive. Clients need their agent to be upfront and honest so that they are
not left in the dark during the property transaction. Being direct can help ensure that the
information is delivered without confusion, reassuring the client that they’re in good hands.
5. Express patience. Patience in this market is important for both agent and client. Transactions can be highly stressful, so its important for agents to remain calm and optimistic so that their client feels the same. When it’s time to close the deal, work with an attitude of conflict resolution to help minimize any risk of not making it to the finish line.
6. Be timely and consistent. You’ve already established you and your clients’ expectations when
it comes to communication, so now its time to execute the plan. Be proactive in your updates to them and respond to questions in a timely manner.
|
|
The 2021 Madison Area Parade of Homes is June 18-27th
Broker’s Open – June 22-24th
For the first time, the Parade of Homes will feature both Parade-site and scattered-site homes. As tradition, the eighteen Parade-site homes are located next to each other in five must-see neighborhoods: Fahey Fields in Fitchburg, Savannah Brooks in DeForest, The Reserve in Sun Prairie, Westbridge in Waunakee, and Windsor Gardens in Windsor. The twenty-two scattered-site homes are individually located in distinct neighborhoods across the capital region.
Prepare to be inspired as you visit this year’s collection of 40 homes. Tour the most exclusive homes, gather new ideas, and experience trending innovations in the home building industry. Many featured homes are custom-built and open exclusively during the Parade of Homes!
|
|
In Remembrance-Norman Flynn
Longtime leader of the REALTOR® Organization, Norman Flynn passed away on Friday, June 4th, 2021. Norm was passionate about making his association and his colleagues the best they could be. He chose to, “have a hand in shaping the future, rather than having the future shape the Association.”
Norm was President of the Greater Madison Board of REALTORS® in 1976, the Wisconsin Association of REALTORS® in 1983, and the National Association of REALTORS® in 1990. Norm's actions and leadership on behalf of his state and local board were honored with both organizations' "REALTOR® of the Year" awards.
A former teacher of speech, forensics, and English, Norm began his career as a licensed real estate broker in 1970, and continued to attain the professional designations of Counselor of Real Estate (CRE®) and Certified Real Estate Brokerage Manager (CRB®). He was founder and president of Norman D. Flynn Assoc. Inc., a Madison, Wisconsin investment firm specializing in selling income properties, land, and business opportunities to individuals and companies.
|
|
Not All Lakes Are Created Equal
by Robert Procter, RASCW Government Affairs Director
|
|
Recently some members have questioned a notice received by owners on Lake Wisconsin from Alliant Energy regarding its new “Shoreline Authorization Program”. The program requires owners to obtain approval from Alliant Energy of all new structures and facilities (e.g., piers, decks, and boathouses), shoreland vegetation management, and erosion control measures located within its dam’s project boundary. The boundary includes most of the frontage on Lake Wisconsin.
This notice and others that people may be receiving around the state raises a complicated issue—not all waterfront property is the same. For example, many beds of flowages are owned by hydroelectric utilities that operate the dam that created the “lake.” The hydroelectric utilities are regulated by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, and they have the right and often the obligation to manage the structures and facilities, vegetation, and erosion control measures within their project boundaries. A FERC license to a hydroelectric utility balances various public interests to ensure the best comprehensive use of the waterway including utilization of the hydroelectric potential, protection of fish and wildlife, and other beneficial uses such as flood control, water supply, and recreational opportunities. In other words, Alliant Energy must manage its dam, safety, the environment, and the public’s use of the flowage within its project boundary.
This became much more complicated in 2018 when the Wisconsin Supreme Court held that the owners of waterfront property along flowages (lakes that are formed by upstream dams) and artificial waterways do not have the right to place a pier because the beds of flowages and artificial waterways are privately owned. This ruling was contrary to the long held belief by many that if you owned up to the flowage or artificial waterway you had riparian rights. According to the Wisconsin Supreme Court, the hydroelectric utility could require waterfront owners to remove their piers.
In response, the Wisconsin REALTORS® Association pursued legislation to restore the rights of waterfront owners. Senate Bill 46 / Assembly Bill 37 has been passed by both the Wisconsin Assembly and Senate, and only needs to be signed by Governor Evers to become law. The WRA expects that the Governor will sign it in the near future. This new law will restore the presumption of riparian rights for waterfront property owners unless those rights are specifically prohibited by the deed to the land, a written agreement, or other recorded instrument. The new law will grandfather all existing piers and structures. New piers and structures will require authorization from hydroelectric utilities, but that authorization may only be denied if the structure will violate federal or state law, or invalidate a FERC license. A reasonable fee may be charged by the utility to administer the FERC license program.
Most importantly for licensees, new disclosures were added to the Real Estate Condition Report / Vacant Land Condition report to make buyers aware of the limitations possessed by waterfront property owners along flowages.
|
|
May 2021 Membership Updates
|
(Click Image for Larger View) |
|
RASCW Membership Networking Committee
The Membership Networking Committee is busy planning events for the balance of the year!
Please mark your calendar and follow us on social media and here in the Newsletter to stay up-to-date on these UPCOMING EVENTS*:
July 19: Cindy Strange Memorial Golf Outing
August 18: Bocce Ball Tournament
October TBD: Trivia Extravaganza
December 7: Holiday Party
We can't wait to see you!
*All Events and Dates are subject to change
|
|
In Memoriam
Our sincere condolences go out to the family and friends of:
Jan Haak, Haak Realty, who passed away on May 28, 2021. Jan was a member since 2004.
Paul Anderson, Madison Buyer Agency, who passed away on May 31, 2021. Paul was a member since 2003.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
