00If this newsletter does not load on your screen, click here.
|
| Senate Introduces Legislation to Combat Copper Theft Copper theft has been on the rise at an alarming pace in recent years. Given the value copper fetches, buildings and homes have been ravaged, costing owners and landlords thousands of dollars. Copper theft has been devastating on the real estate community, especially in this time of rising foreclosures. Copper pipes and wire are being stripped from vacant homes and buildings on the market, leaving behind extensive damage and costly repairs. Recently, legislation has been introduced in the Senate taking aim at regulating and licensing second hand dealers who buy copper. Senate Bills 1113, 888, 720, and 1089 contain provisions and requirements of secondhand and junk dealers. Among the legislative provisions are:
Currently, these bills are in the Senate Economic Development and Regulatory Reform Committee. The Senate sponsors would like our official support of these bills. The MAR Public Policy Committee is scheduled to meet early next month to analyze the legislation. Media Kits Help Promote Broker Summit By now, you should have received your Broker Summit Media Kit. They were passed out at last week’s On the MARk meeting and mailed to association executives who could not attend. These kits are put together to make getting information about MAR events to your members and boards easy. They contain many helpful tools such as print and Web ads, press releases and important event information. Please display the laminated poster in the kit in an area that members will frequent. If you did not receive your kit, or would like an additional kit, please email Joe Kras at jkras@mirealtors.com. To view details of the Broker Summit right now and to register visit the MAR Web site. Prepare for Fair Housing Month April is fair housing month. MAR embraces fair housing by recognizing the activities, courses and initiatives held across Michigan by local associations and other organizations. These initiatives inform real estate professionals and consumers about requirements, rights and responsibilities under fair housing laws. MAR has developed a special section on our Web site to acknowledge these special initiatives and to increase the awareness of the range and scope of fair housing programs held across our state. To see your fair housing program or event on mirealtors.com, email details about the program to Joe Kras at jkras@mirealtors.com. Learn more about fair housing at the MAR Web site or the NAR Web site. Local Executives Get a Healthy Dose of MAR
Last week MAR hosted an On the MARk meeting in Lansing for all local association executives. On the MARk meetings are designed for AE’s to receive direct access to MAR senior staff, such as CEO Bill Martin to have dialogue about what is happening at the state level. The meetings also focus on topics that make your job as an AE easier and provide networking opportunities amongst AE's. The meetings are free of charge and are generally held bi-annually. Many AE’s braved the snowy weather to be treated to a dose of healthy living combined with important industry information. Highlights from the meeting include pilot partnership programs for RPAC including new software receipts, use of large brokers and an under 30 program. MAR is a pilot state for the new NAR PAC Solution Pilot Program. The purpose of the NAR PAC Solution project is to create a fully integrated, real-time, comprehensive solution for RPAC data with grassroots data for national, state and local levels of RPAC. Representatives from NAR and its software vendors will be at the MAR offices on March 10 and 11 to unveil the program and train MAR staff on implementation and operations. The large broker RPAC pilot will solicit funds through a firm rather than a local association. The brokers will be involved in determining the types of recognition and solicitation pieces that will work best for their firm. The third program, involved trying to determine how many members are under 30. This will allow MAR to send targeted messages to this group. MAR realizes that not all association executives were able to attend the meeting, but the association and its senior staff does want to thank those that took time out of their already busy schedules to attend. Everyone in attendance had great ideas to share. Please mark your calendars to join MAR for the next On the MARk Meeting on May 29 from 10 am to 2 pm at MAR headquarters in Lansing. See some healthy living tips featuring CEO, Bill Martin. Homeownership Protection for Older Americans The National Association of REALTORS® testified that foreclosure rescue scams have caused major problems for many Americans and that older Americans and other vulnerable borrowers are frequently targets. NAR called for increased funding for programs that provide financial assistance, counseling and consumer education to borrowers to help them avoid foreclosures and foreclosure rescue scams. John W. Anderson, past NAR chair of the Federal Housing Policy Committee and Regulatory Issues Forum, spoke at a hearing before the Senate Special Committee on Aging. “I know firsthand that foreclosure rescue scams rarely turn out with a happy ending,” said Anderson, a REALTOR® broker-owner from Minneapolis. “REALTORS® are not only in the business of helping people into homes, but also making sure they keep their homes. Abusive lending and foreclosure rescue scams erode confidence in the nation’s housing system and destroy families and communities. Many older Americans rely on their home as the foundation of their net worth and for security in their old age. For them, a foreclosure is emotionally and financially crippling.” NAR research shows that the foundation of many older Americans’ net worth is in their home equity. NAR’s study found that half of older baby boomers are concerned about their financial security, given rising medical costs, increased monthly household bills and other age-related expenses. “Abusive lenders and foreclosure scammers are on the lookout for older boomers who encounter unexpected expenses; these lenders then swoop in to ‘save the day.’ We must all work together to make sure all consumers know they have some place to go for information and counsel, and that they can take steps to prevent foreclosures,” Anderson said. NAR supports the HOPE NOW alliance, which brings homeowners together with homeownership counselors, lenders, investors and others. NAR also promotes FHASecure, a Federal Housing Administration program that offers foreclosure mitigation options. Working with the Center for Responsible Lending, FHA and NeighborWorks, NAR has produced a series of educational brochures designed to educate consumers about different types of loans and provide information on various financing and refinancing options available to them. “REALTORS® help families achieve the dream of homeownership, and we believe that consumer protections should be in place to ensure that the dream does not turn into a family’s worst nightmare. We stand ready to work with Congress on the important issue of foreclosure rescue scams and on eliminating other predatory lending practices,” said Anderson.
MAR Calendar of Events
|
` |
||
720 North Washington Avenue • P.O. Box 40725 • Lansing,
Michigan 48901-7925 Copyright © 2005 Michigan Association of REALTORS® |
