August 8, 2008
Association News
•
SREC Begins Audit of CE Compliance -
Deadline is August 26!
•
Annual HBA Summer Picnic - August 19!
•
2008 Annual Meeting and Trade Fair - September 11
•
Celebrate REALTOR®
Safety Week, September 14-20!
•
Technology Lunch and Learn - September 17
•
1-2 Club for New Agents - September 18
•
Management Issues Breakfast - October 3
•
Orientation
•
2008-2009 Relocation Guides Are In!
•
Try and Save on the Central Penn Business Journal!
Commercial News
•
SAVE-THE-DATE: ICI Regional Conference!
•
Submit Research Ideas to NAR Commercial Real Estate
Research Subcommittee
Greater
Harrisburg REALTORS®
Institute
• GHRI Email
is sent on the second Monday of the month during summer
•
NAR Quadrennial Ethics Deadline - December 31, 2008
Foundation News
•
Capital Campaign - Donate Today!
•
GHAR Foundation Walk-A-Thon!
•
Save the Date! It's Community Night at Isaac's Restaurant
& Deli!
CPML News and PARAGON Training
•
CPML Open House Website - Please share with All Agents!
•
Dick Betts is Returning!
•
CPML Elections!
•
PARAGON
Training Schedule
PAR
and NAR News
• PAR Commission and
Appraiser Board Forum
•
2009 Leadership PAR
Program Application Process Begins!
•
Complete the Cost Vs. Value Survey
•
PAR Announces a Free Webinar for PAR Members
•
Save the Date! It's Time for Triple Play!
•
REALTORS®
Conference and Expo - Registration is Now Open!
Government
Affairs News
•
Hot Topics
•
Phoneathon Raises $8,800.00 for RPAC!
•
President Bush Signs Housing Legislation
•
National
Government Affairs News
•
Complete NAR Political Involvement Online Survey
•
Local Government Affairs News
•
Complete Cumberland County Smart Growth Partnership Online
Survey!
•
Susquehanna Twp. to Make Change to PA Construction Code
Ordinance
•
Wheatfield Twp. to Consider Land Dedication Ordinance
•
Sign-up to be a Municipal Political Contact!
Courtesy
Announcements
• Condolences
SREC
BEGINS AUDIT OF CE COMPLIANCE - DEADLINE IS AUGUST 26!
The State Real Estate Commission has begun its audit of continuing
education compliance. Licensees, selected for the audit, should
have received a
letter from the State Real Estate Commission (SREC) this week. Letters were
mailed to the licensee’s office address.
Since letters were mailed to office addresses, office managers should track who in their office is being audited and when they have returned the required paperwork to the SREC. To comply with the audit, licensees must sign the form and attach transcripts totaling 14 hours of continuing education in approved courses from an approved school. The 14 hours must have been completed between June 1, 2006 and May 31, 2008. All documentation must be returned to the SREC by August 26, 2008.
Since the deadline is within 30 days, GHAR encourages licensees to act now. If you are being audited, collect your transcripts or make arrangements with the school(s) where you took your continuing education to get your transcripts. All real estate schools and education providers are required to produce the transcripts.
If you took a class at GHRI and are being audited, please
contact us at 364-3205 or 364-3200. We are committed to producing all transcript
requests within two to three business days of receiving the request. GHRI
will not charge for the transcripts.
GHRI can only produce transcripts for approved classes taken at GHRI between
June 1, 2006 and May 31, 2008.
If licensees took online courses through GHRI, you should contact us for your transcripts. If licensees took courses at other schools, they need to call those schools for those transcripts. For designation courses such as GRI and ABR held at GHRI, licensees must contact the Pennsylvania REALTORS® Institute at (717) 561-1303 for those transcripts.
Questions can be directed to Association staff at 364-3205 or 364-3200.
ANNUAL HBA SUMMER PICNIC - AUGUST 19!
The Home Builders Association of Metro Harrisburg in conjunction the
Greater Harrisburg Association of REALTORS® will be hosting its
Annual Summer Picnic! The picnic will be held on Tuesday, August 19, from 3-8
p.m. (Rain or Shine) at the Harrisburg Postal Park (Roberts Valley Road). Early
Bird menu includes Hamburgers and Hot Dogs and the dinner menu will include a
Pig Roast, Potatoes, Stuffing with gravy, soda and beer. Cost is $20 per person
for Association Members and $35 per person for Non-Association Members.
Non-Members must please pay in advance by credit card, check or cash. No
credit cards will be accepted at the event.
Come join in the festivities and participate in the nail driving contest, horseshoe tournament, sand volleyball, softball and much more! Door prizes will also be given out during the picnic. Reserve your spot today by contacting Lee at 717-232-5595 or email at her at lee@harrisburgbuilders.com.
2008 ANNUAL
MEETING AND TRADE FAIR - SEPTEMBER 11
Mark your calendars for the GHAR Annual Meeting and Trade Fair on
Thursday, September 11 at the Radisson Penn Harris, Camp Hill from 4:00 – 7:00
p.m. REALTOR® Members are invited to cast your ballot for the Board
of Directors and Officers, visit over 45 exhibitors from 4:00 – 6:00 p.m.,
network, and enjoy free food and a cash bar. Entertainment, Door Prizes and
Raffles will also be held during this exciting event. The Annual meeting will
take place from 6:00 – 7:00 p.m. and will recognize 25 Year Members, conduct its
annual business meeting, announce raffle winners, vote on bylaw changes,
Election Results and much more.
This event is FREE to registered REALTOR® Members who vote!
If you would like to be an Exhibitor at the GHAR Annual Meeting and Trade Fair and you did not receive information in the mail you can contact Cindy at the Association office by calling (717) 364-3200.
CELEBRATE REALTOR®
SAFETY WEEK, SEPTEMBER 14 – 20!
This month REALTORS® across the country will once again be
celebrating REALTOR® Safety Week from September 14-20. Handouts and
articles are available to members for personal and business use. See below for
examples of Safety Handouts available.
For Brokers and Managers:
Brokers: Protect Your Office and Your Agents
Office Safety Action Plan Worksheet
Safety at the Office
For Agents:
Protect Your Personal and Electronic Information (Identity Theft)
Share Safety Tips with Your Clients
Cell Phone Safety
Protect Yourself with Smart Marketing
Safety at Property Showings
And much more!
If you are interested in reviewing these safety practices, procedures and tips with your agents/brokers or would like copies of them email Sara Bloss (sara@ghar.info).
TECHNOLOGY LUNCH AND
LEARN – SEPTEMBER 17
Technology Lunch and Learn will be held at the GHAR Office on
Wednesday, September 17 from 11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. Cost is only $7.00 and
lunch is included. Come learn about Search Engine Optimization with Jennifer
Sultzaberger, Find it Media and Digital Cameras: A Beginners Guide by Ron Strine
of Strine’s Photography and Computers. All attendees will receive a
coupon good for 10% off their entire purchase from the GHAR REALTOR®
Store!
Reservations are required by noon on Monday, September 15 and space is limited! Register by calling the Association at 717-364-3200 or email Sara@ghar.info.
1-2 CLUB FOR NEW AGENTS –
SEPTEMBER 18
If you have been a member of the Greater Harrisburg Association of
REALTORS® for 0-2 years, we have planned a special FREE education
program and social/networking hour just for you! Sponsored by A’n S Company,
Inc., sessions include: Sales Process Timeline with Dave Weaver from
3:00-3:45 p.m. and Legal Mishaps of New Agents with Doug Marsico from 3:45-4:30
p.m. All attendees will receive a coupon for 10% off their entire
purchase from the GHAR REALTOR®
Store!
Registration is at 2:45 p.m. The cost is free, but you must register. Please
remember that if you do not attend and do not cancel your reservation by
Tuesday, September 16 at 9:00 a.m., you will be charged a $5 fee. To
register, call 364-3200, register on-line in the MEMBERS ONLY section of our
website at
www.GHAR.info, or e-mail:
sara@ghar.info before September 16.
** Please note, that while this event is geared towards agents who have been in the business for just 0-2 years all agents are welcomed to attend!
MANAGEMENT ISSUES BREAKFAST
- OCTOBER 3
The Management Issues Breakfast, featuring a panel discussion
on Buyer Agent Commission Issues, is scheduled on October 3. The
panelists include James Goldsmith, Esq., Caldwell & Kearns and Anne
Storms, Jack Gaughen REALTOR®
ERA. They will be discussing Cooperation Issues, Fees in Excess of those
offered in the MLS, Effectively Using the Compensation Addendum to Agreement of
Sale, Proper Use of Variable and Net Commissions and Broker's Fee Agreement.
The breakfast will be held in Keystone Room D of the Radisson Penn Harris Convention Center, Camp Hill. Registration opens at 8:15 am, breakfast and the program starts at 8:30 am. Cost is $20. Brokers and managers may register by contacting Cindy Cuddeford at cindy@ghar.info or by calling 364-3200. Reservation deadline is noon on Tuesday, September 30.
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.
Orientation will be held on
the following dates and times: (Registration begins at 10:45 a.m.)
September 16, 2008 from 11:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. sponsored by Commerce Bank
Remember failure to attend orientation as required may result in paying an additional application fee.
2008-2009 RELOCATION
MAGAZINES ARE IN!
The Association has
received copies of the 2008-2009 Relocating in Central Pennsylvania Guide. The
guides are helpful to individuals and families that are relocating to this part
of the state and cover Cumberland, Dauphin, Lancaster, Lebanon and York
Counties. These guides showcase education, health care, sports and recreation,
arts and entertainment, and are free to members of the Association. Stop by the
Association to pick up several copies.
TRY AND SAVE ON
THE CENTRAL PENN BUSINESS JOURNAL!
Get 12 issues of the Central Penn Business Journal FREE, compliments of the
Greater Harrisburg Association of REALTORS®! If you decide to subscribe you will
get the lowest subscription price ever of just $49.95 for 1 full year!
Visit
http://www.ghar.info/About_Us/About_Us.htm
SAVE-THE-DATE: ICI REGIONAL
CONFERENCE!
On Wednesday, October 15, the GHAR ICI Council will host the 2008 ICI
Regional Conference at the Radisson Penn Harris Hotel and Convention Center in
Camp Hill. In conjunction with the Lancaster County Association of
REALTORS® (LCAR) and the REALTORS® Association of the York
and Adams Counties (RAYAC), the event will feature noted speakers from around
the South Central Pennsylvania region, including Dr. G. Terry Madonna, Center
for Politics and Public Affairs, Franklin & Marshall College, as the luncheon
key-note speaker. Topics of other educational panels include Urban
Revitalization and the Chesapeake Bay Tributary Strategy, as well as a
presentation by Ronald M. Lucas, Esq., attorney with Stevens & Lee in
Harrisburg. The half-day program begins with a luncheon and ends with a
cocktail reception. The ICI Regional Steering Committee is expecting
attendance to be nearly 150 ICI members from GHAR, RAYAC, and LCAR.
Please watch for a formal invitation brochure in September. If you or your company are interested in sponsoring, please check with Sherri Pursel at the Association at 364-3200 or at sherri@ghar.info to see if sponsorships are still available.
SUBMIT RESEARCH IDEAS TO NAR COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE RESEARCH SUBCOMMITTEE
The NAR Commercial Real Estate Research Subcommittee has invited all
commercial members
to submit research ideas. The Subcommittee is in the process of setting
research priorities for the following year. If you are interested in
submitting an idea, please
click here to complete the NAR survey. The deadline for submitting
ideas is August 15.
GREATER HARRISBURG REALTORS® INSTITUTE
GHRI BI-WEEKLY EMAIL
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 email to be sent out the
second and fourth Mondays of each month.
NAR
QUADRENNIAL ETHICS DEADLINE - DECEMBER 31, 2008
All REALTORS® are required to take 2 1/2 hours of ethics training
between January 1, 2005 and December 31, 2008. GHAR will be tracking that
everyone meets the deadline. For more information on the quadrennial ethics
deadline and which classes are approved, please see the GHRI Bi-Weekly Email or
call the Association at 364-3200.
CAPITAL CAMPAIGN - DONATE
TODAY!
Since 1993, the Greater
Harrisburg Association of REALTORS®
Foundation has donated a total of over $480,000 to housing and shelter
related organizations in the greater Harrisburg area. To help raise the
money, the Foundation holds various
fundraising events. In addition to these events the Foundation holds an
annual Capital Campaign.
During the Capital Campaign, the Foundation
asks each REALTOR®
to give a minimum contribution of $10. All funds go back to the communities
in which we live. Our 2008 Capital Campaign goal is $20,000.
To date
the Capital Campaign has collected $10,912! Thank you
to the following companies and offices who have contributed to the Capital
Campaign so far:
Brownstone Real Estate Company, Hershey
Campbell Commercial Real Estate Company
Central Penn Appraisals
Cody Financial Mortgage Services
Gateway Construction
George Ebener and Associates, Carlisle and Shippensburg
Grandon Real Estate
Homestead Group Inc., REALTOR®
HouseMaster
J.F. McGraw
Jack Gaughen, REALTOR® ERA, Dillsburg
John Glise, Inc, REALTOR®, Camp Hill
Lawyers Realty LLC
NAI/CIR
PennLive.com
Prudential Thompson Wood
RE/MAX Realty Associates
RE/MAX Realty Professionals
RVG Management & Development
Weichert REALTORS® First Choice
Contributions may be mailed to the GHAR Foundation, 424 N. Enola Drive, Suite 1, Enola, PA 17025 by May 31st. If you have any questions on the Capital Campaign, please contact the Association at 717-364-3200. Thank you for making our community better!
GHAR
FOUNDATION WALK-A-THON! SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2008
Step by Step, REALTORS®
Sheltering the Community!
Join the Greater Harrisburg Association of
REALTORS® Foundation, Saturday September 13 at Shank Park in Hershey
for a Walk-A-Thon! All proceeds from the Walk-A-Thon will benefit shelter and
housing related charities in the Central Pennsylvania area. Walk as a team or
as an individual! Registration is $10 per walker, plus a minimum of $25 in
pledges. Walk-A-Thon T-Shirts will be given to all walkers registered by the
deadline!
Prizes will be awarded to the Top Fundraising Team and Top Individual Fundraiser
with additional door prizes given away at the end of the walk!
Sponsorship opportunities are available. Walker Registration/Pledge Forms and
Sponsorship Forms are available at
http://www.ghar.info/About_Us/Meetings_Events.htm or by calling the
Association at (717) 364-3200.
Registration deadline is Friday, August 29.
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.
SAVE THE DATE! IT'S COMMUNITY NIGHT AT ISAAC'S RESTAURANT & DELI!
On
Wednesday, September 24, 2008 Isaac’s Restaurant & Deli (Oakhurst Shopping
Center or West Shore Plaza locations) will host a fundraiser to benefit The
Greater Harrisburg Association of REALTORS® Foundation. Bring your
friends and family to enjoy great food and great company while supporting us.
Twenty-five percent (25%) of the total cost of your meal will go directly to
GHAR Foundation.
Please remember that this fundraiser applies to dine in and take out orders and must be used at either the Oakhurst Shopping Center (Linglestown Road) or the West Shore Plaza (Market Street, Lemoyne) location!
To download a copy of the flyer for this event please visit: http://www.ghar.info/About_Us/Meetings_Events.htm
CPML NEWS AND PARAGON TRAINING
CPML OPEN HOUSE WEBSITE - PLEASE SHARE WITH ALL AGENTS
The CPML Open House website is almost complete! We are excited to be
offering this service to our members as well as the public. Imagine a
website where the consumer can search for open houses in the School
District they want to live, or check on a listing you may have sent them
to see if it has an open house. The consumer will be able to search by
a variety of fields including number of bedrooms or baths and Broker
Office name. And for those that just want to visit any open house, they
will be able to search by date.
It is time to start entering your open house information in the Paragon system. It is simple and your agents can enter this information even if they do not maintain their own listings.
Follow these simple steps in Paragon:
Listings/Maintain Listings
Select Listing
Select an Action/Open House
Complete Data:
Date of Open House
Start Time and End Time
Comments
The comments do not currently show in the Open House View in Paragon; however they will be visible on our Open House Website. We will be sending more information as we get closer to the date the site goes live. It will be helpful if you start entering your open house data now so we have more data to work with as we test the site.
DICK BETTS IS RETURNING!
October 7 & 8, Dick Betts will again show you how to work smarter and not
harder. We are working with GHRI to have Dick Betts and these courses CE
Certified in PA. Class topics are: Latest/Greatest Technology, Real Estate
Fundamentals, Beyond Fundamentals and Smartphones for Realtors. Cost for
each 3 1/2 hr session is $45, 2 classes for $80, $125 for 3 classes and $150
for all classes.
If you own a PDA or are thinking about purchasing one, these classes are a
must. If you have attended his classes you know there is always something
new to learn. If you have not attended a class, you owe it to yourself to
take some time and learn how to make your PDA work for you. Please see flyer
under MLS Documents for course description.
Please call the CPML office at 761-8440 to register.
CPML ELECTIONS!
Are you interested in serving on the CPML Board of Directors? Are you
interested in giving a little of your time to help CPML keep moving in a
direction to best serve our members and participants? If you answered yes,
consider running for the CPML Board of Directors. All directors serve a
three year term. The only requirement is that you must be a participant of
CPML. If you would like more information on what is involved in being a CPML Director, please call Chuck Gilmore, Linda Melham, Jerrod Paterson or
Robbin Crossley. You can find a ”Candidate for Director Application” under
MLS Docs in the Paragon System, or call the CPML office at 761-8440 for a
copy.
PARAGON TRAINING SCHEDULE
Training classes have been scheduled on the following dates for the PARAGON
system:
September 9
October 16
Basic class will be held at 9:00 am. The Basic Class covers simple searches, descriptions of terms used in the PARAGON system, introduction to input sheets, CPML input rules for paragon as well as system requirements. The Basic Class also provides a brief look at the financial program.
Advanced class will be held at 1:00 pm. The Advanced Class covers creating CMA's and using the Contact Manager to manage clients as well as send automatic emails.
You need only attend one day, but you may attend more than one class if you choose. Please call the CPML office at 761-8440 to reserve a time. Classes are held at the new GHAR Office at 424 N. Enola Drive, Enola, PA 17025.
PAR COMMISSION AND
APPRAISER BOARD FORUM
During the September Business Meetings, PAR will hold a forum with
representatives of the State Real Estate Commission and State Board of Certified
Real Estate Appraisers to answer questions from REALTORS®.
If you have a question that you would like answered by either the Commission or Board, please submit it to PAR using the Q&A form, no later than Friday, August 29, 2008. Questions are limited to 500 characters. Please note that due to time constraints and the large number of questions received, not every question can be forwarded for a Commission or Board response. PAR reserves the right to use its discretion to edit questions for clarity and to select which questions are ultimately submitted to the Commission and Board.
Please contact Jennifer Shockley at jshockley@parealtor.org with any questions.
2009
LEADERSHIP PAR PROGRAM APPLICATION PROCESS BEGINS!
Recognizing that leadership development is an essential element in
the process of improving our Association and profession, the Pennsylvania
Association of REALTORS® offers its LeadershipPAR
Program. Through this program, the Pennsylvania Association of REALTORS®
identifies emerging REALTOR® leaders throughout the state, encourages
them with timely, meaningful instruction and activities, and assists in
developing their leadership skills in the hope they will exert a strong,
positive influence on the future of the Association and profession.
The participants work together in a training course that combines individual study, group sessions, and actual project experience in using leadership skills. Training sessions include identification of leadership skills, team-building exercises, procedures for goal setting, personal profile analysis, network building, and improving communication skills.
To obtain an application for Leadership PAR 2009 please visit www.ghar.info and click on the link on the right hand side of the page. Please remember that in order to be considered for participation in the 2009 program, your application must be returned to PAR no later than November 15, 2008.
Questions about Leadership PAR, email Adrienne L. Nichols at anichols@parealtor.org
COMPLETE THE COST VS. VALUE
SURVEY!
REALTOR® magazine, in cooperation with Remodeling magazine, is
surveying NAR members for our annual Cost vs. Value report. The survey asks
information about the returns that sellers can expect on a wide range of home
remodeling projects. All responses must be received by August 15 and all survey
respondents will be entered into a drawing to win on of four $500 prizes!
Click on the link below to take the survey! http://www.specpan.com/CostValue/
PAR ANNOUNCES A FREE WEBINAR FOR PAR MEMBERS
“PREPARING FOR THE CHANGING TIDE OF REAL ESTATE TECHNOLOGY AND TODAY’S
CONSUMER!”
If you need a hand reaching out to the current generation of home buyers and
sellers, this presentation is a must for you to attend! This Webinar is a
beginner’s guide to reaching today’s technology savvy consumer through a
successful Internet presence. This presentation will start with the basics and
review the most innovative marketing strategies including blogging, social
media, and search engine placement. Learn how these changing platforms of real
estate technology can actually help you achieve more leads and more
clients…..TODAY!
Thursday, August 14, 2008
at 2 p.m.
Presenter: Tricia Colagrossi, National Sales Manager, Advanced Access/Dominion
Enterprises. At
the conclusion of the webinar, Advanced Access websites will be offered to
participants at a
SIGNIFICANTLY
DISCOUNTED PRICE!
Webinar is presented by our Preferred PARtner Advanced Access.
For more
information, or to sign-up for this exciting WEBINAR,
CLICK
HERE
SAVE THE DATE! IT'S TIME
FOR TRIPLE PLAY!
Save the Date! It's time for Triple Play once again from
December 9-11 at the Atlantic City Convention Center in Atlantic City, New
Jersey. More details will follow so keep an eye out by reading the GHAR
Weekly Email and upcoming newsletters!
REALTORS®
CONFERENCE AND EXPO - REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN!
REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN – NOW is the time to make your
plans and hotel reservations for the most important real estate event of the
year! At the 2008 REALTORS® Conference & Expo in Orlando, November
7-10, you'll find the right ideas and tools to go full speed ahead in growing
your business. Now, more than ever, the Conference & Expo is your BEST
INVESTMENT:
REGISTER NOW!
There's no better time than now to discover for yourself why 25,000 real
estate professionals will make the REALTORS® Conference & Expo a MUST
ATTEND for those who want to succeed in any market.
http://registration.expoexchange.com/ShowNAR082/Default.aspx?link=5HTMLEMI
QUESTIONS? Contact us convinfo@realtors.org
See You In Orlando!
PHONEATHON
RAISES $8,800.00 FOR RPAC!
On July 31, members of the GHAR Government Affairs Committee and Board of
Directors held a Phoneathon to raise money for the REALTORS®
Political Action Committee (RPAC). Thanks to the generous contributions of over
60 GHAR members, and thanks to the volunteers who made the calls, GHAR raised
$8,800.00 for RPAC 2008. With these contributions, GHAR now has raised over
$42,000.00 for RPAC this year – more than any other year! Thank you very
much to all of you who have supported the REALTORS® government
affairs programs by investing in RPAC. If you are interested in make a
contribution, please
click here to visit the GHAR Web site.
PRESIDENT BUSH SIGNS HOUSING
LEGISLATION
On July 30, President George Bush signed legislation addressing a
number of housing-related initiatives, including permanent changes to the
Federal Housing Administration (FHA), Fannie Mae, and Freddie Mac and
development of a homeownership tax credit. The bill was strongly supported
by NAR. According to NAR President Richard F. Gaylord, the “legislation will go
a long way to help stabilize the housing market and make the dream of
homeownership more attainable for many Americans…[and] more families will be
able to refinance into safer, more affordable mortgages, in many cases helping
those families avoid a devastating foreclosure”.
Click here to read more about this issue on the NAR Web site.
Click here to review a detailed summary of the bill on the NAR Web site.
Click here to view a chart prepared by NAR detailing the first-time
homebuyer tax credit. GHAR will continue to update the membership regarding
the changes stemming from this comprehensive legislation. Please check the
Weekly E-mail for updates.
National GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS NEWS
COMPLETE NAR
POLITICAL INVOLVEMENT ONLINE SURVEY
NAR is trying to identify REALTORS® who are involved in
politics at the local, state, and federal levels. Specifically, it is
searching for members who have run for office or are current office holders, as
well as members who have experience working for or running political campaigns.
NAR has created an online survey to identify REALTORS® involved in
politics.
Click here to take the NAR Survey. For more information, please contact
Sherri Pursel.
COMPLETE CUMBERLAND COUNTY SMART GROWTH PARTNERSHIP ONLINE SURVEY!
Earlier this year, Cumberland County formed a public/private partnership of
organizations to discuss planning and growth in the County. This partnership,
called the Cumberland County Smart Growth Partnership, is made up of a
wide variety of organizations, individuals, and agencies, including two
representatives from GHAR. The group is tasked with examining planning and
growth issues within Cumberland County and making recommendations to the County
Commissioners. There is a specific emphasis placed on “smart growth” policies
and planning. As part of the Partnership’s review process, the County has
posted an online survey on the Planning Web site. The survey is very important
so that the Partnership can get a sense of the thoughts and feelings of those
who live and/or work in the County. GHAR is encouraging all members to take 5
minutes and complete the survey.
Click here to go to the Cumberland County Planning Commission Web site to
take the survey (on the page, click on “Click here to Take the Online Survey”).
For more information, please contact
Sherri Pursel.
SUSQUEHANNA TWP. TO MAKE CHANGE TO CONSTRUCTION CODE ORDINANCE
On August 14, the Susquehanna Township Board of Commissioners will
consider an Ordinance repealing Ordinance 08-10, relating to the Pennsylvania
Construction Code as it is applied in Susquehanna Township. The original
Ordinance, adopted in May 2008, required inspections for accessory buildings of
more than 200 square feet and for decks less than 30 inches above grade, among
other provisions. This proposed Ordinance would repeal the existing Ordinance
08-10 in its entirety. The Commissioners intend to consider this Ordinance at
their meeting on August 14, which begins at 7:30 p.m. at the Susquehanna
Municipal Building, 1900 Linglestown Road, Harrisburg. Please contact
Sherri Pursel for more information.
WHEATFIELD TWP. TO CONSIDER LAND DEDICATION ORDINANCE
On September 2, the Wheatfield Township Board of Supervisors will
hold a public hearing on an Ordinance amending the Township’s Subdivision and
Land Development Ordinance (SALDO) relating to public dedication of park and
recreational land. The proposed Ordinances provides regulations on
dedicating land, and also provides for a fee to be paid in lieu of dedicating
land. The Board of Supervisors intends to consider enactment of the Ordinance
immediately following the public hearing set for September 2, at 7:00 p.m., at
the Wheatfield Township Building, 1280 New Bloomfield Road, New Bloomfield. For
more information, including a copy of the public notice, please contact
Sherri Pursel.
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.
Questions? Comments? E-mail Sherri Pursel or visit the GHAR Government Affairs Web site.
Condolences to the family and friends of Ray Thorn, RE/Max Realty Professionals. Ray died earlier this week. Ray, joined the Association in 2002, was an active member. In lieu of flowers donations may be made to the Thorn Memorial Fund, c/o Citizens Bank, 2005 Linglestown Road, Harrisburg PA 17110.
Feel free to visit the GHAR web site by going to the HOME page. Back to Top