GHAR Weekly E-mail

2010 DUES STATEMENTS – PAST DUE – PLEASE PAY IMMEDIATELY
If the Association did not receive your dues payment by Sunday, January 3 your dues were considered late and your account was assessed a $50 late fee. To avoid an additional $50 late fee, please remit payment by January 10.

Please note the following dues payment policies:

Payment of dues is non-refundable.
Dues may be paid by cash, check, VISA, MasterCard, or American Express
The $35 NAR Public Awareness Assessment is required.
The $49.50 RPAC contribution is encouraged but voluntary.
RPAC contributions, in any amount, may be made when paying dues either by credit card, check or online through our website, www.ghar.info.
REALTOR^® dues are due and paid in full on or before January 3 and are considered past due after that date.
Payment must be received by the Association - not postmarked to be considered paid by a certain date.
After January 3, you will be assessed a $50 late fee.
If not paid by January 10, you will be assessed an additional $50 late fee.
If paying by check or credit card, please mail to GHAR, P.O. Box 244, Elizabethtown, PA 17022-0244 - this is our bookkeeping service - please do not mail payment to the Association office.
You may pay online at www.ghar.info with VISA, MasterCard, or American Express. Go to Members Only section. Paying online is EASY; however, you must know your password to sign on to the Members Only section. Call the Association if you do not know your password.
Brokers are notified of all past due accounts.

INFORMATION SESSION: FEBRUARY 3 - HOW DO THE RECENT CHANGES TO RESPA THE GFE AND HUD-1 AFFECT ME AS A REALTOR^®
Brett Woodburn, Esq., Caldwell and Kearns will be here to discuss how the recent changes to RESPA will affect REALTORS^®. The session will highlight the following: What Type of Transaction Does RESPA Apply To, What Areas of Real Estate Are Not Governed by RESPA, What Precipitated the New RESPA Revisions, What Are The Changes In The Good Faith Estimate (GFE), How Has The HUD-1 Changed.

The information session will be held in the GHAR classroom, Enola. Registration opens at 12:30 p.m. and the program starts at 1:00 p.m. Cost is $5.00 for members. Call (717) 364-3200 to register. Please remember, reservations not cancelled by Tuesday, February 2 at 5:00 p.m. will be billed.

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.)
January 20, 2010 from 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. sponsored by SunTrust Mortgage, Inc.
March 2, 2010 from 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. sponsored by Fulton Bank/Fulton Mortgage Company

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!

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

SAVE THE DATE - FEBRUARY ICI BREAKFAST AND MARKETING EXCHANGE - THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 4
The February ICI Breakfast is sponsored by Commonwealth Commercial Partners of PA, LLC. Please watch for more information in future Commercial E-News issues. Commercial REALTORS^®: the deadline to submit PowerPoint slides for the ICI Listings Slideshow is Monday, February 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. at Duke's Bar and Grille at 313 S. Front Street in Wormleysburg. Tickets are now available, 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
RE/MAX Delta Group
Wells Fargo Home Mortgage

Interested in being a sponsor? A $250 sponsorship gives your company event promotions, recognized at the event and you may submit a company banner to be displayed at each show. Contact Sara Bradnick at the Association office by calling (717) 364-3200!

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.

PLEASE NOTE: If you have not received a new Active Key from SUPRA, please check the serial number on our key. If it begins with a “7”, please call the CPML office at 761-8440. If you have received a new Active Key, make sure that you have switched to the new key and have returned the old key.

If you have any questions, please call the CPML office.

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:

January 12th at 11:00 am and January 13th 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.
January 19th at 11:00 and January 20th at 4:00 pm: PARAGON 5 OVERVIEW PHASE 1
January 27th at 11:00 and January 27th at 4:00 pm: PARAGON 5 OVERVIEW PHASE 1

Please call the CPML office at (717) 761-8440 to register.

IBOX LEASE PRICE SALE!
The CPML board of Directors has announced another iBOX lease price sale. From now through the end of December 2009, or while supplies last, the lease price on the iBox will be $42.40 (including tax).

UPDATE ON CPML OPEN HOUSE WEB SITE
Realtor.com will soon be showing four photos with their free listings on their site. CPML will provide the first 4 photos of the 25 allowed in our system. If you have more than four photos in Paragon, you have the ability to rearrange them.

REALTOR.COM UPDATE!
Realtor.com will soon be showing four photos with their free listings on their site. CPML will provide the first 4 photos of the 12 allowed in our system. If you have more than four photos in Paragon, you have the ability to rearrange them.

PARAGON TRAINING SCHEDULE
Training classes have been scheduled on the following dates for the PARAGON system:
                           January 21, 2010
                           February 11, 2010
                           March 4, 2010
                           April 8, 2010

Basic class will be held at 9:00 a.m. 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 p.m. 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
(717) 761-8440 to reserve a time. Classes are held at the GHAR Office at 424 N. Enola Drive, Enola, PA 17025.

PAR LAUNCHES PARJUSTLISTED.COM
On September 23, the Pennsylvania Association of REALTORS^® launched PARJustListed.com. This new site is easily accessible and contains the latest on real estate issues that affect your business. PARJustListed.com also features daily news and weekly podcasts on industry topics that will keep you on the cutting edge of the real estate market. With this new site, PAR will provide you with more timely information on a daily basis. PARJustListed.com is the one stop news source for REALTORS^® on the move and is also available on your mobile phone at m.parjustlisted.com. Check out this great new site from PAR!

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 YOUNG PROFESSIONALS NETWORK!
Interested in networking with local professionals in Central PA? Then join the Young Professionals Network!
Email Adrienne Loughery at adrienne.loughery@verizon.net if you would like to join this social networking group.

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!

U.S. GENERAL SERVICES ADMINISTRATION CONFIRMS NEW COURTHOUSE AT 6^TH AND REILY STREETS
On December 18, Harrisburg Mayor Stephen Reed announced that the new Harrisburg City Federal Courthouse will be built at 6^th and Reily Streets. This midtown location has been the preferred site of many local elected officials and community groups. GHAR announced its support for the 6^th and Reily location in 2007. Click here to read more on the Central Penn Business Journal Web site.

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.

PA HOUSING FINANCE AGENCY RESTARTS TAX CREDIT ADVANCE LOANS
The Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency announced that it will use an additional $5 million to fund its Tax Credit Advance (TCA) loan program. The TCA program provides interest-free loans to use towards down payment and/or closing costs. If the TCA loan is repaid by June 30, 2010, the loan is completely interest-free. Click here to read more about this issue on PARJustListed.com.

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.

CONDOLENCES
Condolences go out to the friends and family of Ruth Myers, who was previously broker of Keystone Commercial Realty and owner and broker of Valley Green Real Estate for many years. In addition, Ruth owned the Allied School of Real Estate in Etters and was the first recipient of the Hall of Fame award given by the Greater Harrisburg Association of REALTORS^®.

Viewing will be from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., Saturday, January 9, 2010 at Myers-Harner Funeral Home in Camp Hill.

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