How RPAC Works For You

The REALTORS Political Action Committee (RPAC) is the best way a REALTOR® can protect his or her business. RPAC is the only grassroots and issues mobilizing force that exists to protect and promote the tradition of home ownership and real estate investment in Michigan.

To help REALTORS® better understand the value of their RPAC investment, MAR has created a video entitled “How RPAC Works For You”.

View the video

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Attend Convention for only $99

If you want to “Tame the Change” at MAR’s Annual Convention & Expo, mark your calendars for July 1st, and register for only $99! MAR is offering this member exclusive summer savings, from July 1st to July 31st, for one day registrations. Attend Convention on September 18, 2008 for a packed day of CE approved knowledge sessions, nationally recognized speakers, expo browsing and a variety of networking opportunities to boost your business.

This is the perfect year to attend Convention, and the perfect time to save. Visit the MAR Web site for program schedule, special event information, speaker descriptions and more. Don’t miss your opportunity to attend the largest real estate event in Michigan, for only $99!

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REALTORS® Required to Complete Ethics Training for Second Cycle

Between January 1, 2005 and December 31, 2008, every REALTOR® is required to complete 2 1/2 hours of Code of Ethics training. REALTORS® who have completed this training as a requirement of membership in another association are not required to complete additional ethics training until the next four year cycle. To verify that you have met this requirement contact your local association.

To access the on-line Quadrennial REALTOR® Ethics Training course developed by the National Association of REALTORS® click on the link below. The course meets all learning objectives and criteria for the Quadrennial Ethics Training Policy (Policy Statement 48, NAR Code of Ethics and Arbitration Manual).

http://www.realtor.org/mempolweb.nsf/pages/COEtraining

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Apply Now for MARST Scholarship

The MARST Scholarship deadline is fast approaching, all applications must be submitted by July 1, 2008. If you know a full-time college junior or senior whose academic major is related to real estate, suggest that they apply for the Michigan Association of REALTORS® Scholarship Trust (MARST). Students can earn up to $2000 per year.

MARST administers two scholarship programs, the Russel A. Pointer and the Barney Harkins Scholarship and Educational Fund. Scholarships are awarded annually to undergraduate students whose academic major is related to real estate, and are aimed at encouraging and supporting outstanding, highly-motivated students to specialize in the study of real estate.

Applications must be completed and submitted by July 1, 2008 for the following academic year. Incomplete applications will not be considered. MARST does not discriminate for or against any applicant on the basis of race, creed, religion, national origin, age, sex, handicap or employment status. Visit the MARST Web site for more information.

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Legal Lines

With the help of McClelland & Anderson, we are taking the most commonly asked questions from our legal hotline and putting them in e-news. We will be featuring a different question each issue.

QUESTION: My Seller’s purchase agreement contained an inspection contingency. After having the home inspected, the Buyer sent over an addendum which would require the Seller to make certain repairs. Can the Seller terminate the purchase agreement or does the Buyer have the right to withdraw his request and force the Seller to close on the original contract?

ANSWER: The answer to the question depends on the wording of the original contract as well as the wording of the proposed addendum. There are a number of different inspection contingency clauses used around the state, some of which do permit the Seller to terminate the purchase agreement if the buyer even asks the seller to make repairs.

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More powerful mobile tools; voice-activated devices; and a whole lot of video will make real estate practitioners better connected with customers in coming years, predicted a panel of technology experts at NAR's Midyear Meetings.

Most of the new technology will follow the mantra: “I think, I get,” said panel member J. Lennox Scott, chairman and CEO of John L. Scott Real Estate in Seattle.

Some of the panel’s predictions:

• Many more mobiles. The real estate industry is already ahead of the curve when it comes to smart phone usage. Currently, 11 percent of the population in the United States has smart phones, while 28 percent in real estate own one. And within the next 12 to 24 months, another 30 percent of real estate pros are expected to buy some form of handheld device, said Errol Samuelson, president of REALTOR.com. In surveys, real estate professionals say they use handhelds because the devices present a more professional image, enable them to be more responsive to buyers, and help them secure and serve clients. Samuelson predicted that in the next decade, more people will access the Internet via mobile devices than through their PCs. To spur this increased usage, Samuelson expects an explosion in smart phone application software, battery life, screen size, and easier interfaces such as touch screens.

• Widespread video use. More than 141 million viewers watch 3.3 billion videos on You Tube a month, which is more than double the 65.6 million who subscribe to cable TV, Samuelson said. Yet real estate practitioners have been slow to adopt video in their business, despite the fact that 74 percent of consumers say they would be more inclined to list with a salesperson who puts a video of their home on the Web, said Samuelson.

• Customized content. Consumers will be able to set more of personalized parameters for the real estate information they want, creating more individualized and customized content as part of their real estate searches.

• Voice command technology. No more looking down and hunting for information on your mobile devices while you’re driving. More technology will incorporate voice command options that let you call up information with just the sound of your voice, Scott said.

• High-speed wireless networks. The recent emergence of 3G cellular networks gives mobile devices Web access at close to cable modem speeds. Some companies are even promising networks that will work at four times these speeds by 2010. Networks are also expanding their capacities so customers can connect at longer distances from towers.

• More ads on mobile devices. Soon you’ll be able to promote your property listings and market your services more quickly than ever before, all over a mobile device.

-REALTOR® Magazine Online

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• July 4, 2008: MAR Offices will be closed for the Holiday.
• July 4, 2008: Deadline to file for MAR Director Candidate
• July 30, 2008: REALTOR® Active in Politics Award Nominations Due
• August 1, 2008: REALTOR® of The Year Nominations Due
• August 3, 2008: Deadline to file for NAR Director Candidate
• August 20, 2008: 2008 MAR Online Director Election - Online Voting Begins
• September 17-19, 2008: MAR Convention & Expo - Marriott Detroit at the Renaissance Center, Detroit
• September 18, 2008: 2008 MAR Online Director Election - Online Voting Ends

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