REALTORS^®

Home & Garden Show

Events

Ethics Exchange

GMAR Brewers Bash - April 14

The Women's Council of REALTORS^®

Wine Tasting Meet & Greet- February 7



Order VIP Tickets For The

REALTORS^® Home & Garden Show Today!

REALTORS^® Home & Garden Show

GMAR Brewers Bash

REALTOR^® &

Government Day

Dear GMAR Members,

It’s February, and we all know that now is when our spring market starts to take shape! The mild weather and continued buyer demand seems to be setting the perfect stage for seller engagement as well. If you haven't done so already, start working your spheres of influence and capitalizing on those conversations with your soon-to-be sellers. Lord knows the market needs them!

This month we are also celebrating Black History Month. 49 years ago President Gerald Ford officially recognized February as Black History Month, stating, we need to “seize the opportunity to honor the too-often neglected accomplishments of Black Americans in every area of endeavor throughout our history.” As REALTORS^® his words are a reminder that we have to uphold the REALTOR^® Code of Ethics (COE) and Fair Housing laws every day.

In the spirit of the COE and fair housing, I would encourage everyone to check out NAR’s updated fair housing simulation training for REALTORS^®, Fairhaven. It’s inspired by real stories, and compels members to confront discrimination in the homebuying process as well as walk in the shoes of a homebuyer facing discrimination. The training also provides customized feedback that learners can apply to daily business interactions. It’s free for members ($50 for non-members). Check out https://fairhaven.realtor/.

I know it’s two months out, but REALTOR^® and Government Day is coming up on Thursday, April 17^th in Madison. Join me and other GMAR leaders at the State Capitol to advocate for your business, clients, and customers. Connect with REALTORS^® from across Wisconsin to engage with state lawmakers and champion key priorities for the real estate industry and property rights in Wisconsin. The afternoon ends with a cocktail reception at the Monona Terrance, overlooking Lake Monona. There is even a coach bus that will take you there. To sign up, click here to email Marne Stück.

Thank you for being a GMAR member.

Sincerely,

Abby Hauke

Chairwoman Of The Board

Gather your friends, clients, and colleagues for a fun-filled night at American Family Field!

Your registration includes:

• Game Ticket
• All-You-Can-Eat Buffet
• Two Free Drink Tickets + Unlimited Soft Drinks
• A Special Gift from A+ Mortgage
• A Chance to Win One of Twelve $100 Gift Cards (Courtesy of Waukesha State Bank)
• Peanuts & Cracker Jacks

Tickets: $55 each (Limited supply - reserve yours today!)

Don't miss out on this annual GMAR tradition! Secure your spot today by emailing your registration to Michelle Kohn at michelle@gmar.com.

📩 Tickets will be mailed around March 31.

Let's expand your professional knowledge and how to best serve your clients!

1. How we can help you pre-review a condo complex ahead of an upcoming listing so you can advise your client best strategies
2. What to consider when an FHA or VA buyer is applying for financing on a condo
3. What does it mean if a condo is "non-warrantable"?
4. A condo project is under construction, how should I write my contract to protect my buyer regarding their financing? How complete does the project need to be?
5. How does it work financing a 2-4 unit project?
6. What are the most common issues lenders have with condos and how to avoid them (limited review vs. full review and pitfalls you can avoid by going limited)

We will start promptly at 10:35 once we all settle in. (Food and refreshments provided)

Date: February 20

Time: 10:30am - 12:30pm

Unlock Homeownership for Your Clients with Down Payment Assistance! 🏡



Calling all Wisconsin Real Estate Pros!  AREAA Greater Milwaukee invites you to an exclusive Zoom with Guest Speakers from Wisconsin’s top Down Payment Assistance (DPA) programs that can help your clients achieve their dream of homeownership.

💡What You’ll Learn:

✅ Key DPA programs available across areas of Wisconsin

✅ Eligibility requirements and how your clients can qualify

✅ Add these loan programs to your tool belt to provide more solutions to your clients’ homeownership goal

📅 Date: 2/27/2025

⏰ Time: 1 - 4 PM CST

📍 Location: Zoom (link provided upon registration)

🎫NON-MEMBERS Ticket Cost: $20 per ticket

🎫AREAA Members Ticket Cost: FREE, please email areaa.greatermke@gmail.com for promo code.

Don’t miss this valuable opportunity to gain expert knowledge and provide life-changing solutions for your buyers! Sign up today! 🚀

Attention members who are both REALTORS^® and photographers! 📷 As we renovate our space, we want to showcase your talents in the final design! We're looking for photographs of homes - whether it's a show-stopping property, a charming historical house, a sleek modern build, or a cozy cottage-style home.

All submissions are welcome! 📷🏡

If you have any photos of homes that you'd like to share, please submit high resolution photos to sharon@gmar.com for a chance to have your work featured as part of the new GMAR office décor! 🖼️

Deadline - March 1.

Welcome to the Wine Tasting Meet & Join The Women's Council of REALTORS^® at Chiselled Grape Winery for an evening of delicious wines and great company.

The Women's Council of REALTORS^® is growing our reach to Ozaukee County and is excited to meet people who are looking to network and develop leadership skills in our profession! Don't miss out on this fantastic opportunity to discover new flavors and make new friends. See you there! 

Date: February 7

Time: 5pm - 7pm

Location: Chiselled Grape Winery

Frontier Title & Closing Services LLC 

Frontier Title offers full-service commercial and residential title products, and we are an industry leader in new construction, offering personal and professional service with excellent turnaround times to leading builders. With our experienced team of professionals, you’ll receive the assistance you deserve and the coverage you need.

We have five office locations servicing nine counties from Milwaukee to Madison. If you live in the counties of Milwaukee, Waukesha, Ozaukee, Washington, Racine, Kenosha, Jefferson, Dodge, Walworth, or Dane, our friendly staff can help satisfy your needs by providing a quality product in a timely manner at a reasonable price.

What’s one thing about your company that you’d like REALTORS^® to know?

We proudly provide an in-house attorney and 1031 Starker Exchanges. For your convenience, we offer closing with DocuSign and a remote online notary, in addition to an electronic trust fund for earnest money. In addition, all of our closers are cross-trained for seller-side or

buyer-side and new construction.

What’s your go-to productivity tip or tool that keeps you successful?

At Frontier, we are always trying to be at the front lines of technology and different software integrations. One thing we keep top of mind is making sure all our tools are mobile friendly – we need to be able to keep up with our customers that are always on the go at all hours of the day, so communication tools need to be able to work remote or in the office! With our five office locations, it’s also important that we work as a unified team to get transactions to the closing table and we wouldn’t be able to do that as efficiently without virtual tools!

What’s your favorite local spot to visit and why do you love it?

Valentine Coffee – it’s locally owned and right by our Third Ward office,

which makes it the perfect spot to build relationships!

Join the GMAR YPN for an exclusive panel discussion designed to help you better serve your clients and grow your expertise. Learn what to look for during showings to avoid headaches and surprises. Network with industry professionals while enjoying coffee and light breakfast snacks.

Event Details:

📅 Date: Thursday, February 20

📍 Location: RE/MAX Forward: 5000 S Towne Dr, Ste 110, New Berlin, WI 53151

⏰ Doors Open: 8:30am (Networking)

🎤 Panel: 9:00am – 11:00am

• Expert insights from a home inspector, foundation specialist, and roofer.
• Dave Lehman - DL Inspection and Home Services 
• Dave Graf - GSI Foundations 
• Patrick Rogo - BSI Exteriors 

Reserve your spot today:

We can’t wait to see you there!

GMAR YPN 

Join Hartford Area School District & City Leaders For Lunch & Discussion

Date: Friday, February 21, 2025

Time: 11:00am - 1:00pm

Location: HJT1 District Administration Building

402 W. Sumner Street. Hartford

To view the flyer click here.

The REALTORS^® Home & Garden Show, presented by Unilock, is scheduled for March 21-30, 2025, at Wisconsin State Fair Park. Providing your client base with a free ticket will allow you a valuable opportunity to maintain that important personal connection. 

How VIP Tickets Work:

1. Tickets are $28 per pack of 100.
2. Select an option to either pick up your tickets at the GMAR office or have them mailed to you (for a fee).
3. Customize your VIP tickets with up to 4 lines of personalized information. (Please note rack cards are not available this year.)
4. You may pay with check or MasterCard/Visa (credit card service charge applies).
5. A list of names, addresses, emails and phone numbers of those using your tickets will be emailed to you approximately 4 weeks following completion of the show.
6. You will only be charged for VIP tickets that are redeemed. You will be invoiced $5 for each ticket used, up to a maximum of 25% of the total number of tickets ordered. 

Click Here to Place your Custom VIP Ticket Order Online

Click here to download the VIP Ticket Order Form

Orders placed by the end of the day each Wednesday will be mailed or available for pick-up the following Thursday. We will continue to submit orders to the printing company each Wednesday through February 19^th.

Thank you to Allrite Home & Remodeling and S&E Insulation for sponsoring the VIP ticket program.

Please contact Joanna Tusing at joanna@gmar.com or (414) 778-4929 with any questions.

REALTOR^® & Government Day registration is now open!

Join us to amplify your voice and advocate for your business, industry and clients. 

Would you like to ride the bus?

Contact Marne Stuck if you are interested in reserving a spot on the bus to Madison.

The bus is free again this year thanks to our sponsors:

Landmark Credit Union, Land Title Services and Metro MLS

Milwaukee Habitat's current build season is drawing to a close, with many of this year's 32 homes now in their final stages.

Current volunteer opportunities are below:

Finishing Tasks (Max 6 Volunteers) - One day - February 19th

Volunteer opportunities are Wednesday - Saturday ONLY. Volunteer times are always from 8am-3pm.

To learn more about the tasks above, view this link.

Email Caroline Martini at cmartini@milwaukeehabitat.org to volunteer.

The GMAR office is undergoing renovations, which may limit access to our building. If you plan to visit, please call ahead so we can assist with any necessary accommodations.

Thank you for your patience and understanding as we work to enhance our space!

– The GMAR Team

Click the button below to check out events happening in Milwaukee this weekend! Whether you're a fan of professional sports, city festivals, or local hotspots, there's always something happening in our vibrant city. Explore the top concerts, nightlife options, museum exhibits, and family-friendly activities, and share them with your clients!

Join our members-only Facebook group! This group was created for our members to connect with each other and discuss industry-related questions/concerns as well as to keep you informed on association news and updates. If there are any specific topics you would like to see more of, please let us know!

The GMAR is once again sponsoring the Discover Milwaukee Relocation Guide. Covering Milwaukee, Waukesha, Ozaukee, Washington, and Racine counties. It is the Greater Milwaukee region’s #1 source for anyone looking to move or relocate to Wisconsin’s largest metro area.

Limited quantities of the publication are available at the GMAR office, or by contacting Metro Business Publications at pcanon@discovermilwaukee.com.

The real estate supply store is now located ONLY at Minuteman Press - Brookfield location (13680 W. Capitol Drive). Store hours are M-F between 8:30 am and 5 pm. Contact Minuteman Press-Brookfield for more info at (262) 781-9622!

Comments, Suggestions, or Questions?...

Please share your thoughts on how GMAR can enhance the services we provide to you as valued members of our organization. Your input is invaluable in guiding us towards making meaningful enhancements to our programs and benefits.

Thank you for your feedback! Click here to e-mail feedback to the GMAR.