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Destin MLS Tour Takes a Break in July |
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Destin’s MLS Tour of Main Area 14 listings will be taking a break in July. The next tour will be August 4. For complete information on MLS Tours including their dates, times, and locations, go to the ECAR MLS Tour webpage. |
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District 9 Hosts FAR Candidates at Annual Meeting |
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| Serving as the District Nine, Inc. annual meeting, Florida Association of REALTORS® (FAR) District 9 will meet on Tuesday, July 7, 2009, at the offices of the Emerald Coast Association of REALTORS®, 10 Hollywood Boulevard Southeast in Fort Walton Beach, at 10:00 a.m. Candidates running for FAR offices will attend via video teleconferencing to introduce themselves. |
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Correction: Christmas BBQ Planned for July 15 |
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Despite anything you might have read previously (like in the e-Briefs dated July 2), the Christmas in July Barbeque at Northstar Mortgage is on Wednesday, July 15! Please read below for the details.
Barbeques are meant for the summer, even when it’s to celebrate Christmas! Northstar Mortgage invites all members and affiliates to attend a Christmas in July Barbeque Wednesday, July 15, in the courtyard behind the Northstar Mortgage office on Park Circle in Fort Walton Beach (located right next to ECAR). Running from 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m., the event is part of the Realtor Outreach Committee’s Christmas in July fundraiser to collect donations and school supplies for area children in need. The only cost to attend the barbeque is a donation of school supplies to the fundraiser. To attend, please RSVP Northstar at 850-362-6901. |
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ECAR Drops Emerald Coast Real Estate Guide |
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An agreement between the Emerald Coast Association of REALTORS® and Scott Smith of Stingray Media to publish the Emerald Coast Real Estate Guide has been terminated. ECAR is no longer involved in the book in any way. ECAR’s Board of Directors voted to discontinue its association with the magazine at its meeting June 25, 2009. The initial agreement was to distribute the books to four cities, Memphis, Nashville, Birmingham, and Atlanta. After two issues, Scott Smith realized that participation was not going to be great enough to allow him to continue the regional distribution. The Board decided to sever the relationship when Scott chose to distribute the magazine locally, something the Board of Directors had specifically said it did not want to do. Because Scott Smith owns the name Emerald Coast Real Estate Guide, he may continue to publish the book. Members are notified that the Emerald Coast Association of REALTORS® does not sponsor or endorse the Emerald Coast Real Estate Guide. |
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MLS Rules Change; New Gulf Front Definition Added |
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| Broadening the meaning of “gulf front” as used by the Multiple Listing Service, the Emerald Coast Association of REALTORS® Board of Directors approved several changes to the MLS Rules at its meeting June 25, 2009. In addition to revising its gulf front policy, the Board approved changes to add the ability to identify VA Compromise Sales and to restrict references to open houses. A summary of each change is included below with links to detailed information.
Gulf Front Definition – The MLS Rules now include a specific definition for the gulf front designation. ECAR’s MLS Committee requested the change as part of a comprehensive plan to offer members a better opportunity to meet the needs and expectations of buyers and sellers. Before the change, property on the beach could not be called gulf front if the owners association owned any beach in front of the property.
Read more about the rules change to add a definition for Gulf Front.
Read the Gulf Front Recommendations approved by the MLS Committee.
References to Open Houses – MLS Rules were modified to prohibit references to open houses in the remarks or other public fields. Open houses may still be referenced in Agent Notes, and members are encouraged to use the Open House feature within the MLS system. Although open house information is available on ECAR’s Public Site, and on http://emeraldcoastopenhouse.com/, remarks are included on customer reports and are fed to Internet Data Exchange sites where a reference to an open houses could compromise a relationship between a buyer and his or her Realtor.
Read more about the rules change related to open houses.
VA Compromise Sales – When a seller is seeking help from the Veterans Administration through its Compromise Sale program, this information must be disclosed using a new selection in the Sale Type list. Although not a short sale, a compromise sale must be approved by the VA in order to close which should be disclosed to potential buyers. The MLS Rules were changed to add VA Compromise Sale to the list found in Section 1.2, Note 3.
Read more about the VA Compromise Sale rules change.
Read more about VA Compromise Sales |
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ECAR Closed July 3; Emergency Support Available |
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| Emerald Coast Association of REALTORS® offices will be closed Friday July 3, 2009, in observance of Independence Day. Emergency MLS and Supra support will be available by calling 850-244-2411. PLEASE NOTE: messages left using ECAR’s main phone number, 850-243-6145, will be returned when ECAR reopens on Monday. |
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Class on Tax Credit Highlights 'Welcome Home Week' |
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As part of a statewide campaign coordinated by the Florida Association of REALTORS® to educate its members and the public on the $8,000 first-time homebuyer tax credit, ECAR will offer a free public class Thursday, July 16, 2009, at 1:00 p.m. “The $8,000 Tax Incentive and How to Get It” features noted financial expert and author Ed Oneto. The FAR promotion designates July 12-18 as “Welcome Home Week” which focuses on the federal tax credit and foreclosure prevention and assistance. ECAR will be promoting Welcome Home Week and the free class as a public service through radio, television, and newspaper. |
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Upcoming MLS Training Class - Maintenance |
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Coming soon - MLS Listing Maintenance!
Did you get a citation notice about a problem on one of your listings in the last month? If you did, and you're not sure why or even more important, how to avoid get these in the future, come to the MLS Training - Maintenance class. We'll go over how to enter listings, and how to avoid the citation system (as much as possible).
This FREE class will be held on Thursday, July 9 from 9am until noon, in the Kathy Sublett Education Building (next door to the main ECAR building). Class size is limited so sign up soon. If you have a laptop with wireless internet access, you are welcome to bring it, but please arrive a few minutes early so that you can get connected to our open wireless router. Please register for this "watch and learn" class by clicking here, or send an email to susan@ecaor.com. Call 850-244-2411 if you have any questions about the class. |
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Attending FAR Convention? Need a room? |
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Planning on attending FAR Convention August 19-23? Need a room? ECAR has a few rooms left in our group block at the convention hotel, Rosen Shingle Creek. Rooms are $139.00 per night (plus applicable taxes) and are available on a first-come, first-served basis. To make it even more affordable, find a roommate and split the cost of the hotel! Contact Michaela at michaela@ecaor.com or 243-6145 for more information about room availability. Click here to check out the schedule or register for the FAR Convention. |
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ECAR Elections Approaching |
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The ECAR Elections are fast approaching, and there are several vacancies on the Board of Directors. There is no limit to how many people can apply for a vacancy, but you do have to apply! This is your opportunity to help guide your Association into the future. Applications are being accepted through August 9 for the following positions:
President-Elect – 1 application received (Jean Floyd)
Assistant Treasurer
At-large Director – 1 application received (Jan Hooks)
Crestview Chapter Director
Destin Chapter Directors (2 positions) – 1 application received (Robbie Fenn)
Fort Walton Beach Chapter Director
Navarre Chapter Director
Niceville Chapter Director – 1 application received (Cathy Alley)
The Emerald Coast Association of Realtors® Board of Directors is elected by the members and sets the direction ECAR will take through policies and strategic planning. The Board of Directors currently has 19 members with 9 seats becoming available in this year’s election. To apply for a specific director position, you must be a member of that chapter. Anyone meeting the qualifications may apply for the At-large Director, Assistant Treasurer, and President-Elect positions.
To apply, click on the position above, fill out the application, attach a photo, and submit the application electronically or by printing it. Qualifications, a description of the position, and complete instructions are included in each application. Contact us with questions about chapter affiliation, the election process, or anything else at michaela@ecaor.com or 850-243-6145. Voting will begin in September, and the winners will be announced at the Annual Membership Meeting on October 9. |
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Sign up today for the July Membership Breakfast |
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Sign up today! The annual Summer Membership Breakfast will be held Friday, July 17, 2009 at the Hilton Sandestin. Col. Bruce McClintock, Commander of the 96th Air Base Wing, Air Armament Center, Air Force Material Command at Eglin AFB will be the featured speaker and will update everyone on the F35s and other information related to the Eglin Mission. ECAR’s Realtor Outreach Committee will hold another fun and sugar-filled dessert auction again this year in its effort to support the Condos for Kids Foundation. The meeting will begin at 8:30 a.m. Members may sign up online, or they may contact Michaela Benjamin at ECAR (850-243-6145). The cost to attend will be $20.00. |
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Christmas in July |
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The ECAR Realtor Outreach Committee is holding a Christmas in July fundraiser for Destiny Worship Centers to benefit their back-to-school drive. Destiny Worship Center provides needy children in Okaloosa and Walton counties from kindergarten through high school with school supplies, a backpack, a pair of shoes, and a haircut. To donate, come by the ECAR office or call Michaela at 243-6145 and purchase a star to hang on the Christmas tree. Silver stars are $10, blue stars are $15, and red stars are $20. Donations can be charged to your ECAR account. You can also donate school supplies and drop them off at the ECAR office or the Summer Membership Breakfast July 17 at the Hilton Sandestin. Contact Christa Merrifield Mitchell for 892-9650 for more information. |
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NAR Creates 'Right Tools Right Now' Program |
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To help Realtors meet their clients’ needs and succeed in today’s economic climate, the National Association of REALTORS® is offering its roster of business-building resources to members for free or at significantly reduced costs through the association’s new “Right Tools, Right Now” initiative. “NAR is the most trusted resource for real estate information, and we want to ensure that Realtors have easy access to these powerful resources in today’s market,” said NAR President Charles McMillan. “Every NAR division is contributing to this initiative so that Realtors can better service their clients and enhance their business.”
More than 300 resources are being offered through “Right Tools, Right Now.” Realtors can take advantage of education and online training opportunities, access NAR publications and research, attend conventions and events, and obtain technology services for free or at a discount. Local and state associations and boards also have access to resources and materials through the initiative. Among the many useful tools available to Realtors at no cost are eProduct versions of the 2007 and 2008 NAR Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers and the 2007 Profile of Buyer’s Home Feature Preferences, as well as valuable information on short sales, foreclosures, business tips and marketing.
For more information on the products, publications, services and enhancements available through the “Right Tools, Right Now” initiative, visit http://www.REALTOR.org/RightTools.
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