GHAR Weekly E-mail

ORIENTATION
Orientation is required for all new REALTOR^® members. You must meet this requirement within the first two offerings of applying for membership. Learn what it means to be a REALTOR^®, your obligation to abide by our Code of Ethics, and the many benefits and services that the Greater Harrisburg Association of REALTORS^®has to offer. A boxed meal is provided by the sponsor of the orientation. * Please note the time change.

Orientation will be held on the following dates and times: (Registration begins at 9:45 a.m.)
March 2, 2010 from 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. sponsored by Fulton Bank/Fulton Mortgage Company
April 12, 2010 from 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. sponsored by Wells Fargo Home Mortgage

Remember failure to attend orientation as required may result in paying an additional application fee.

MEMBERSHIP APPRECIATION RECEPTION - MARCH 10, 2010!
It's Fiesta Time! All REALTOR^® and affiliate members of GHAR are invited to attend the fiesta themed Membership Appreciation Reception on Wednesday, March 10 at the Greater Harrisburg Association of REALTORS^® Office on 424 N. Enola Drive. The reception will be from 4:00 - 7:00 p.m. At 5:30 p.m. there will be a brief program honoring our Association Board of Directors, Foundation Board of Directors and our Association Committee Chairs and Vice Chairs.

Mix, mingle and enjoy free hors d’oeuvres, soda, wine and beer. The reception is a great way to socialize and network with your fellow REALTORS^® and our affiliate members in a relaxed informal setting. Back by popular demand – the Association’s scrapbooks and photo albums will be available for viewing in the Cumberland Board Room. Offices are encouraged to participate in the Sombrero Decorating Contest. Contact Sara Bradnick at the Association Office for Details!

The cost is free to members who register by March 3. Please register on your office sign-up sheet, online through the Members Only Section of the Web site, www.ghar.info or by calling (717) 364-3200. Please join us!

TECHNOLOGY LUNCH AND LEARN - TUESDAY, MARCH 16, 2010!
Technology Lunch and Learn will be held at the GHAR Office on Tuesday, March 16, 2010 from 11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. (Registration begins at 10:45 a.m.) Cost is only $7.00 and lunch is included. Titled “Clean Up & Back Up”: Protecting Your Assets, this session will take a look at backing up your computer files and optimizing your systems performance.

Other questions and topics covered include:

External Hard Drives vs. Online Back Up Service?
Backing Up Outlook
“Back Up” Frequency
My Computer Crashed, Now What?
Why Should I Know what a De-Frag is?
Tips on Anti-Virus Programs

Reservations are required by noon on Friday, March 12 and space is limited! Register by calling the Association at (717) 364-3200 or online at www.ghar.info under Members Only!

JOIN US FOR REALTORS^® TAKE TIME "OUT"
Hosted at Duke’s Bar & Grille in Wormleysburg on Wednesday, April 21, 2010, this new event is geared towards GHAR REALTOR^® members as an after hours social. Network, mix, mingle and just “Take Time Out”!

A cash bar and light hors d’ oeuvres will be available from 5:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. REALTOR^® Members may register online at www.ghar.info through the Members Only section of call the Association Office at (717) 364-3200. Pre-Registration deadline is Friday, April 16, 2010. Only Pre-Registered REALTOR^® members are eligible for door prizes and must be present to win.

Thank you to the following sponsors of this event:
Charter Homes and Neighborhoods
Fulton Mortgage Company
Law Offices of Robert M. Walker

This event is brought to you by the Greater Harrisburg Association of REALTORS^®as a venue to meet and socialize with colleagues. Overt and direct recruiting practices during these events are not acceptable. The Association requests that all attendees drink responsibly. Payments to the Greater Harrisburg Association of REALTORS^® are not deductible as charitable contributions for Federal Tax purposes; however, such payments may be deductible as ordinary and necessary business expenses.

Sign up now for a House Cover Photo
The Association is now accepting reservations for the house cover photo in the electronic newsletter. If you would like to showcase a home or development in the electronic newsletter please contact Sara Bradnick for more information at sara@ghar.info or (717) 364-3200.

MARCH ICI BREAKFAST AND MARKETING EXCHANGE - THURSDAY, MARCH 4
The March ICI Breakfast is sponsored by HBG Realty, Inc. The breakfast will be held at Strawberry Square, 2nd Level, Suite #261-263, in Harrisburg. Neal S. West, Esq., Senior Vice President, Real Estate, Harristown Development Corporation, will be speaking on the topic "Why Harrisburg?". Attendees are encouraged to bring marketing materials to the meeting and to utilize the Marketing Exchange Table. Registration for the breakfast is at 7:50 a.m. Breakfast begins at 8:00 a.m. Reservations are required by noon on Wednesday, March 3. Register online at www.ghar.info or call (717) 364-3200. Commercial REALTORS^®: the deadline to submit PowerPoint slides for the ICI Listings Slideshow was Monday, March 1.

GREATER HARRISBURG REALTORS^® INSTITUTE

GHRI BI-WEEKLY E-MAIL
To help decrease the size and scope of the weekly email, the Association has decided to send out a separate email highlighting upcoming classes held at the Greater Harrisburg REALTORS^® Institute. Look for the e-mail to be sent out the second and fourth Mondays of the month.

REQUIRED COURSE FOR NEW LICENSEES
If you were initially licensed on December 1, 2007 or later, to renew your license in May 2010 you will need to complete a required course for new licensees during the 2008-2010 renewal period. GHRI is offering the General Module and the Residential Module. Please call GHRI at (717) 364-3205 for dates .

2010 FOUNDATION COMEDY NIGHT! PURCHASE YOUR TICKETS TODAY!
Join us and support the Greater Harrisburg Association of REALTORS^® Foundation at the 2010 Comedy Night on Friday, February 19 featuring Wise Crackers Comedians! Show times include 7:00 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. (CALL FOR TICKET AVAILABILITY!) at Duke's Bar and Grille at 313 S. Front Street in Wormleysburg. Cost is $20 per ticket. Seating is limited so please call today! All proceeds from this event go to the Greater Harrisburg Association of REALTORS^® Foundation!

Thank you to the following Comedy Night Sponsors:

CAMPBELL Commercial Real Estate
Central Penn Multi-List, Inc.
Complete Closing Services
Fulton Bank/Fulton Mortgage Company
RE/MAX Delta Group
Wells Fargo Home Mortgage

Note: The official registration and financial information of the Greater Harrisburg Association of REALTORS^® Foundation may be obtained from the Pennsylvania Department of State by calling toll free, within Pennsylvania, 1-800-732-0999. Registration does not imply endorsement.

DICK BETTS RETURNS!!
Tuesday March 30, 2010    $35/Class or $60/Both
8:30 a.m. – Noon            Today's Top Technology Trends (CE CERTIFIED)
1:00 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.      Beyond the Fundamentals -Business Management and Your Smartphone^® (CE CERTIFIED)

Wednesday March 31, 2010   $35/Class or $60/Both
8:30 a.m. –Noon             Basic Social Networking
1:00 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.      "This is not your Teenager's Networking" Business Builder (CE CERTIFIED)

What a great way to earn your CE Credits! Seating is Limited so Make your Reservations Early!

To Register Call CPML at (717) 761-8440 or email rcrossley@cpml.com

SCHOOL INFORMATION ADDED TO PARAGON!
We have added Elementary, Middle and High Schools to the Paragon system. These are not required fields! After selecting your School District, you will only have the option of selecting schools in that district. Input sheets have been modified to allow for entry. I will be adding these fields on views where space allows. You can modify your spreadsheet to show these fields. These fields are also searchable.

FREE WEBINAR TRAINING

Do you want training on the Paragon system but just can't seem to make it to one of our monthly classes? Here is your chance to get training in the privacy of your home. Stay in your pajamas, grab a cup of coffee and learn the Paragon system!!

FREE Webinar Paragon Training presented by the Paragon Training Team at LPS!! Click Here for more information and the registration page.

Here are the upcoming topics:

February 23rd at 11:00 am and February 24th at 4:00 pm: PARAGON 5 OVERVIEW PHASE 1
See the first phase of Paragon 5 functionality. A one hour tour of some of the biggest improvements you have been asking for. Plus what you can expect to see coming and when.

If you are unable to attend these webinars, LPS offers other ways to get support and training on the Paragon System including Quick Start Guides, Training Videos and Pre-Recorded Training. Please check the home page in the Paragon system for links to these sites.

PARAGON TRAINING SCHEDULE
Training classes have been scheduled on the following dates for the PARAGON system:
                        March 4, 2010
                        April 8, 2010
                        May 13, 2010
                        June 10, 2010

JOIN JUSTLISTED.COM TODAY!
PARJustListed.com from the PA Association of REALTORS^® has all the news you need to get your day started, with economic and industry news and weekly podcasts. This is such a great source of industry information and we hope you are taking advantage of it. If you haven’t registered for PARJustListed.com’s free daily e-news, visit the link below to register. Each weekday morning you will get updated real estate industry news in your inbox or mobile phone.

http://tinyurl.com/parjl-email

FAQS OF ACT 14 OF 2009
For the past several years, PAR has been working to amend the Real Estate Licensing and Registration Act (RELRA) in two key areas. In early July we helped to pass what is now Act 14 of 2009, which takes effect on September 4, 2009.

The first change allows licensees to be paid through "qualified associations" that are established by one or more licensees affiliated with the same broker. Up until this change, the law required that brokers pay licensees directly and not through any sort of a corporate entity. Now, brokers can pay to (and licensees can be paid as) certain entities as laid out in the law.

There are a number of issues to be considered when deciding whether or not to establish a qualified association. These include:

whether the broker allows them as a brokerage practice
what tax or business benefits may be gained from setting up such an entity
whether you are willing and able to maintain the entity in compliance with RELRA and relevant state/federal laws that apply to the entity.

The second change clarifies a number of issues relating to escrow requirements. The biggest change to the escrow rules now permits brokers to release escrow where there is a dispute between the parties if the parties agreed in advance how the money should be distributed in the event of an unresolved dispute. The PAR Standard Forms Oversight Committee will be working on appropriate forms language to assist members in handling this issue.

Direct links:
Blog post - http://blog.parealtor.org/Lists/Posts/Post.aspx?ID=163
Resource Page - http://www.parealtor.org/content/RELRA2009.htm
Issues Resource Center - http://www.parealtor.org/content/IssuesResourceCenter_main.htm (use link for “2009 RELRA Amendments”)

JOIN THE PAR YOUNG PROFESSIONALS NETWORK (YPN)
We are looking for members who would like to join as Charter Members of the PA chapter of the Young Professionals Network! REALTOR^® Magazine launched the Young Professional Network in 2006 as a way to help the younger generation of REALTORS^® build a stronger link with the magazine and the real estate industry, in general. There is a lively blog, YPN website and social events that are designed to give its members the tools they need to advance their careers – and have fun in the process!

NAR approved Pennsylvania's Chapter on October 19, 2009. YPN is a member-driven organization that helps young real estate professionals excel in their careers by giving them the tools and encouragement to become involved in four core areas:

REALTOR^® Associations. Attend REALTOR^® conferences and pursue leadership roles with their local, state and national associations.
Real estate industry. Take an active role in policy discussions and advocacy issues; be informed about the latest industry news and trends.
Peers. Network and learn from one another by attending events, participating in online communication and seeking out mentoring opportunities.

Benefits of Membership

Exclusive invitations to YPN events.
Stay abreast of industry happenings. Through the blog on the YPN national site members stay in the loop on hot issues. YPN also has special educational sessions at REALTOR^® conferences that address strategies for success in real estate. The PA chapter has a group on Facebook.
Get involved. Many people who are new to the industry want to get involved with their local, state or national association but either don’t know how to go about it or they find it too intimidating. YPN encourages members to explore leadership opportunities at all levels.

How to Become a Member
Contact Adrienne Loughery (E-mail | Facebook) or PAR staff liaison to YPN, Brenda Florida, if you are interested in being a member or if you have any questions.

DNCQUICKCHECK PROGRAM AVAILABLE AT A DISCOUNTED PRICE
DNCQuickcheck, is the easy-to-use Do Not Call compliance solution for real estate professionals. If you call or e-mail prospects - referrals, expired listings, FSBOs - you need to complete protection against Do Not Contact laws. With DNCQuickcheck, you can take a proactive approach for your marketing campaigns. And only DNCQuickcheck includes everything you need in one quick, easy-to-use Internet-based service.

Get the protection you need now! Call PossibleNOW at (800) 585-4888 or (770) 255-1020 or visit www.dncquickcheck.com.

Are you a member of PAR? Use the discount code of sc0986pr to receive special rates for real estate professionals!

REGISTER TO ATTEND THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS BREAKFAST - MARCH 31
Please sign up to attend GHAR’s second annual County Commissioners Breakfast! Association members will have the opportunity to interact with our county commissioners and hear about important issues in the tri-county area. The event is being held on Wednesday, March 31, at the Radisson Penn Harris Hotel and Convention Center, from 8:00 to 9:30 a.m. The cost to attend is $15.00. Click here to view the event flyer. If you are interested in attending, please contact Cindy at the Association at (717) 364-3200.

CONTACT GHAR TO SCHEDULE A GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS OFFICE VISIT!
Is your office interested in a government affairs update during one of your sales meetings? Are you looking for more information about what is going on at the local, state, and national level? If so, please contact Sherri Pursel at the Association to schedule a Government Affairs Office Visit. Sherri will come to your office during one of your sales meetings and make a 15 to 20 minutes presentation about government affairs and the important issues facing REALTORS^® at all three levels of government. It is a great opportunity to learn more about legislative “hot topics” and what is happening in government affairs! Feel free to contact Sherri at sherri@ghar.info or by calling (717) 364-3200.

FHA ANNOUNCES MAJOR CHANGES
On January 20, the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) announced major changes to its underwriting standards in order to strengthen the Administration’s reserves. Some of the changes include: (1) an increase in the up-front mortgage insurance premium by 50 bps to 2.25 percent; (2) a FICO credit score floor of 580 for borrowers to qualify for the agency's 3.5 percent minimum down payment (other borrowers must put down a 10 percent minimum); and (3) a reduction in seller concessions from 6 percent to 3 percent of the mortgage amount. Click here to read more about this issue on the NAR Web site.

CALL-TO-ACTION: CONTACT STATE REPRESENTATIVE ABOUT HOUSE BILL 60
On February 4, the Pennsylvania Association of REALTORS^® sent a Call-to-Action to all Pennsylvania REALTORS^® asking them to contact their state representatives regarding House Bill 60. This legislation would create a Housing Trust Fund in Pennsylvania. The Housing Trust Fund would be used to address affordable housing issues across the Commonwealth, and it would be funded through money from federal stimulus dollars (not additional taxes). Click here to learn more about the issue and to take action by contacting your state representative!

GOV. RENDELL PRESENTS BUDGET; PROPOSAL INCLUDES TAX ON SERVICES
On February 9, Governor Ed Rendell presented his 2010-2011 budget proposal to the Pennsylvania General Assembly. Included in his proposal is a plan to reduce the state sales tax from 6 percent to 4 percent and to expand the tax base. Under his proposed plan, REALTORS^® fees would be subject to the 4 percent sales tax. Click here to read more about this issue on PAR JustListed.com.

SUSQUEHANNA TWP. DELAYS CONSIDERATION OF CHANGES TO SIGN ORDINANCE
On February 11, the Susquehanna Township Board of Commissioners was scheduled to consider an ordinance amending the Township’s existing sign regulations. In particular, the proposed amendments include the elimination of all real estate directional signs (including open house signs), and changes to the maximum size of commercial real estate and new construction signs (shrinking the maximum size). GHAR is opposed to these changes and we submitted comments to the Township highlighting our concerns. Following receipt of our comments and concerns, the Township’s Board of Commissioner notified GHAR that it will table consideration of the ordinance. The Board of Commissioners intends to continuing working on these sign revisions and to reach out to GHAR for additional comments. Please watch for more information on this issue in future Weekly E-mails. If you would like a copy of the proposed ordinance, or if you have any questions, please contact Sherri Pursel.

BROKERS/MANAGERS CAN REQUEST OFFICE’S RPAC CONTRIBUTIONS REPORT
Attention brokers and office managers: If you are interested in learning who in your office has invested in RPAC, GHAR can provide you a report listing all your agents and their contributions to RPAC. Please feel free to contact Sherri Pursel at the Association for this report.

SIGN-UP to be a MUNICIPAL Political CONTACT!
GHAR is still searching for volunteers to be Municipal Political Contacts. As a Political Contact, GHAR will work with you when issues impacting REALTORS^® and the real estate industry arise in your municipality. GHAR’s goal is to identify REALTORS^® from each municipality in our tri-county area to be Political Contacts. We are still in need of contacts for the following municipalities:

If you are interested in participating in this vital program, please contact Sherri Pursel.

WEST SHORE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE LAND DEVELOPMENT SEMINAR (NEW DATE!)
REALTORS^® and Affiliate Members are invited to attend the West Shore Chamber of Commerce's Land Development Seminar on Wednesday, March 17, from 7:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m., at the Holiday Inn Harrisburg West. This "Getting to Shovel Ready" Seminar will cover everything you need to know about getting past the difficulties of land development projects. Click here for more information on the West Shore Chamber of Commerce Web site.

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