GHAR Weekly E-Mail

October 1, 2010


In this Email:

Association News
            Election Results!
            Real Estate Commission Begins Continuing Education Audit
            • Awards Applications - Deadline to Apply is Today!
            • REALTORS® Reach Out 2010!
           
                1, 2, 3 & More Club - Tuesday, October 19!
               
Information Session - October 27: Law and Ethics of Social Media           
            • Orientation For New Members
Commercial News
        
   • October ICI Breakfast - Thursday, October 7
        
   • Registration Open! Fall ICI Social Event - October 14
            • GHAR Hosting PAR CIE Demo Session - Tuesday, October 19
            • November ICI Breakfast - Thursday, November 4
Greater Harrisburg REALTORS® Institute
            • GHRI E-mail is sent on the second and fourth Monday's of the month.
            • Required course for new licensees
Foundation News
            • GHAR Foundation Walk! Walkers Still Being Accepted!
CPML News and PARAGON Training
            • Dick Betts Returns in October with CE Certified Classes!           
            • Free Webinar Training
            • Paragon Training Schedule
            • CPML Open House Web Site     

PAR and NAR News
           
Just Listed By PAR Celebrates Its First Anniversary with a Contest!
           
Triple Play Registration Now Open!
           
Join JustListed.com Today!
           
Join the PAR Young Professionals Network (YPN)
Government Affairs News
            •
Hot Topics
                    •
Prohibit Private Transfer Fees in Pennsylvania!
                    •
National Flood Insurance Program Extended!
                    • Harrisburg City Council Delays Consideration of Two Housing Bills
                    • REALTORS® Get Out the Vote! Voter Registration Deadline is October 4

                    • Contact GHAR to Schedule a Government Affairs Office Visit!
            • National Government Affairs News
                    •
NAR Asked FHA to Keep Seller Concessions at 6 Percent
            • Local Government Affairs News
   
                 • Brokers/Managers Can Request Office’s RPAC Contributions Report
   
                 • Sign-up to be a Municipal Political Contact!
Courtesy Announcements
                    • Condolences
                    • HBA Hosting Lunch N Learn on Solar Panels for New Homes


ASSOCIATION NEWS

ELECTION RESULTS - Congratulations to the following individuals who were elected to serve the Association in 2011!

PRESIDENT
Robert J. Hoobler,
Exit Platinum Plus Realty

VICE PRESIDENT
Marti S. Garrett
, Howard Hanna Real Estate Services 

SECRETARY/TREASURER
Michael Pion,
Keller Williams of Central PA

DIRECTORS
Dave Jones,
RE/MAX Realty Associates
Aaron D. Piscioneri, Century 21 Piscioneri
Kathleen Shannon, Jack Gaughen REALTOR®, ERA
Richard “Dick” Tucker, Jack Gaughen REALTOR®, ERA

REAL ESTATE COMMISSION BEGINS CONTINUING EDUCATION AUDIT
The State Real Estate Commission will begin sending out Audit of Continuing Education letters the week of August 30 - September 3, 2010. The audit letters are for the reporting period June 1, 2008 - May 31, 2010.

If you receive a letter of audit, you will be required to return the letter of audit with your signature, date and email address along with original transcripts no later than 30 days from the date of your audit notice to the State Real Estate Commission.

If selected in the audit process and you took continuing education courses through the Greater Harrisburg REALTORS Institute (GHRI), or through the GHRI online provider, please contact Lisa Aaron, Director of Professional Development or Liann Migash, Professional Development Coordinator at (717)364-3205 to request your original continuing education transcripts.

If you did not take your continuing education courses through GHRI, you will be responsible to contact each individual educational provider where you completed continuing education courses to request transcripts. GHRI can only provide transcripts for continuing education courses completed at GHRI.

The State Real Estate Commission does not accept faxes or emails in satisfaction of the audit process. To satisfy the audit requirements, you must submit your original audit letter with an original signature plus original transcripts/certificates. Failure to provide satisfactory proof of compliance within 30 days of your audit letter may result in a referral to the legal office of the Department of State for prosecution.

AWARD APPLICATIONS - DEADLINE TO APPLY IS TODAY!
Award applications Hall of Fame, REALTOR® of the Year, Professional Merit and Affiliate of the Year are now available and can be downloaded from the homepage of GHAR’s Web site, www.ghar.info. Please take the time to nominate a peer that you admire or complete the Professional Merit Award for yourself.

Hall of Fame – the Hall of Fame Award honors an individual who has made significant contributions to the real estate industry locally, statewide or nationally.

REALTOR® of the Year – the REALTOR® of the Year is presented to a member who has made a variety of contributions to the Association, the community, and the real estate business and demonstrates the spirit of being a REALTOR®.

Professional Merit – the Professional Merit Award recognizes REALTOR® members that are active participants in the Association, further their professionalism through education and are active in their community.

Affiliate of the Year – the Affiliate of the Year honors an affiliate member who is supportive of the Association, the Foundation and their activities.

The Association will present the awards at the Holiday Lunch on Wednesday, December 1 at the West Shore Country Club. Watch for more details on the Holiday Lunch.

REALTORS® REACH OUT 2010!
Registration is now open to participate in GHAR's community service event to celebrate REALTORS® Reach Out. This month long celebration is a campaign that will showcase REALTORS® and the contributions they make to their local communities and is being held October 1 – 31, 2010. During this month, local REALTOR® associations across the state will take part in community outreach projects.

To celebrate this month, GHAR will be working with various local organizations to host a work day on Friday, October 22, 2010 beginning at 9:00 a.m. This work day will have volunteers helping complete home improvement projects, meal preparation and cooking for families in need, cleaning and organizing area organizations, and packing and delivering of care items to local shelters and individuals. GHAR is planning to work with the following organizations: Bethesda Mission (Harrisburg); Domestic Violence Services of Cumberland and Perry Counties (Carlisle); Downtown Daily Bread (Harrisburg); Ronald McDonald House (Hershey); and Safe Harbour (Carlisle).

In conjunction with celebrating REALTOR® REACH OUT Month, GHAR also will be hosting a “Fill the House” item collection drive beginning Wednesday, September 1 through Wednesday, October 20. Items will then be delivered as part of the REALTORS® Reach Out Work day on October 22. Click here to download the flyer with the list of needed items and additional details on this event.

If you are interested in volunteering for the work day, please download and complete the event flyer and sign-up form and return it to the Association. Click here to visit the REALTORS® Reach Out Web page on the GHAR Web site.  For more information, or questions about these events please contact Sherri Pursel or Sara Bradnick.

1, 2, 3 & MORE CLUB – TUESDAY, OCTOBER 19!
Whether you have been a member of the Greater Harrisburg Association of REALTORS® for 1-2 or 3 years or more, we have planned a special FREE educational program and social/networking hour for all REALTORS®!  

Join us, Tuesday, October 19, 2010 at GHAR for this session on Are You Legal Or Not? presented by Doug Marsico of Caldwell & Kearns. Registration begins at 2:45 p.m. with the program beginning at 3:00 p.m. Also stay with us for any questions and network with local agents at the Wine and Cheese Social hour beginning at 4:30 p.m. Register today by calling the Association office at (717) 364-3200 or register online at www.ghar.info under the members only section! Special thanks to Members 1st Federal Credit Union for their sponsorship of this great event!

Please remember while this program is free if you do not attend and do not cancel your reservation by Thursday, October 14 by 9:00 a.m., you will be charged a $5 fee. We need to have an accurate count for handouts and refreshments, so please assist us by complying with our policy.

INFORMATION SESSION: OCTOBER 27: LAW AND ETHICS OF SOCIAL MEDIA
As REALTORS® move more and more of their communications and marketing activities online in various formats, they still need to be legally and ethically complaint. Many members seem to believe that "the rules don't apply online," when in fact there are more rules that apply to online communications. Join Hank Lerner, Esq., as her reviews how certain laws, regulations, ethical provisions and MLS rules apply to the online activities of REALTORS®, and what you can to do help protect yourself...and even your clients.

This session will help answer the following: Are your social media profiles compliant with state laws and the Code of Ethics, Can you advertise listings on Facebook, What could go wrong with online photos, Am I responsible for comments posted there by others, What responsibilities do you have to clients.

The information session will be held in the GHAR classroom, Enola. Registration opens at 9:30 a.m. and the program starts at 10:00 a.m. Cost is $5.00 for members. Register online at www.ghar.info or call (717) 364-3200. Please remember, reservations not cancelled by Tuesday, October 26 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 lunch is provided by the sponsor of the orientation.

Orientation will be held on the following dates and times:  (Registration begins at 9:45 a.m.)

October 13, 2010 from 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. sponsored by EasyStreet Insurance Services
December 6, 2010 from 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. sponsored by Mid Penn Bank

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


COMMERCIAL NEWS

OCTOBER ICI BREAKFAST - THURSDAY, OCTOBER 7
The October ICI Breakfast is sponsored by NAI CIR. The breakfast will be held at 4000 Crums Mill Road, in Harrisburg. This breakfast will follow the networking format. Attendees are encouraged to bring marketing materials to the meeting and to utilize the Marketing Exchange Table. Registration is at 7:50 a.m. Breakfast begins at 8:00 a.m. Reservations are required by noon on Wednesday, October 6. Register online at www.ghar.info or call (717) 364-3200. Commercial REALTORS®: the deadline to submit PowerPoint slides for the ICI Listings Slideshow is Monday, October 4, at 4:00 p.m.

REGISTRATION OPEN! FALL ICI SOCIAL EVENT - OCTOBER 14
Registration now is open for the 2010 fall ICI Social Event. This event will take place on Thursday, October 14, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., at the West Shore Country Club in Camp Hill. The event is free to GHAR members, however, members must register as space is limited. Please register through the Members Only section, or by calling the Association at (717) 364-3200. Click here to view a copy of the event flyer.  

Special thank you to our sponsors:
·       
Alpha Consulting Engineers, Inc.
·       
BL Companies
·       
Carrow Real Estate Services, PA
·       
Herbert, Rowland & Grubic, Inc.
·       
Landmark Homes
·       
Law Offices of Robert M. Walker
·   Rhoads & Sinon LLP 

GHAR HOSTING PAR CIE DEMO SESSION - TUESDAY, OCTOBER 19
GHAR will be hosting a FREE demonstration session for the PAR Commercial Information Exchange. PAR CIE is a new online listing service designed specifically for commercial real estate professionals throughout Pennsylvania. Representatives will be on hand to demo the product and answer any of your questions. This session will show you how to enter your current listings, either as a guest or a member to better serve your clients, locally and nationally. The session will take place on Tuesday, October 19, from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., at the Association. Click here to view a copy of the event flyer. Pre-registration is required. Please contact the Association at (717) 364-3200 to register, or register online through the Members Only section of the GHAR Web site.

NOVEMBER ICI BREAKFAST - THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 4
The November ICI Breakfast is sponsored by High Associates Ltd. The breakfast will be held at 5040 Louise Drive, Suite 106, in Mechanicsburg (Rossmoyne Business Center). A speaker from Dale Carnegie Training will be speaking on the topic: “The Importance of Enthusiasm to Accomplish Your Goals and Vision.” Attendees are encouraged to bring marketing materials to the meeting and to utilize the Marketing Exchange Table. Registration is at 7:50 a.m. Breakfast begins at 8:00 a.m. Reservations are required by noon on Wednesday, November 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 is Monday, November 1, at 4:00 p.m.


GREATER HARRISBURG REALTORS® INSTITUTE

GHRI BI-WEEKLY E-MAIL MOVES TO ONCE A MONTH IN THE SUMMER
To help decrease the size and scope of the weekly email, the Association has decided to send out a separate e-mail highlighting upcoming classes held at the Greater Harrisburg REALTORS® Institute. During the summer months, the GHRI E-mail will only be sent once a month.

REQUIRED COURSE FOR NEW LICENSEES
GHRI will offer the General Module, Commercial Module and the Residential Module, the courses required for new licensees, again in the fall. Watch for more details.


Foundation news

GHAR FOUNDATION WALK! - REGISTRATION DEADLINE TODAY!

Step by Step, REALTORS® Sheltering the Community! 

Join the Greater Harrisburg Association of REALTORS® Foundation, Saturday October 16 in Camp Hill Borough for a Walk! Registration will begin at Help-U-Sell Detwiler Realty (2163 Market Street, Camp Hill) at 8:30 a.m. and the Walk will begin at 9:15 a.m. All proceeds from the Walk 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 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, September 24, 2010!! 

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.


CPML NEWS AND PARAGON TRAINING

DICK BETTS RETURNS IN OCTOBER WITH CE CERTIFIED CLASSES!
PLEASE NOTE: ALL CLASSES ARE Continuing Education (CE) Certified!

Monday, October 11th
    
8:30 a.m. – Noon          Today’s Top Technology Trends  
(CE Certified)                                                          
1:00 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.    Warp Speed Warrior-Arming REALTORS® with Mobile Cloud 
(CE Certified)

Tuesday, October 12th                             
8:30 a.m. – Noon          Become a “HIT” and Become a “CLICK”
(CE Certified)
1 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.         Realistic Contact and Time Management for the Real Estate Professional
  (CE Certified)

 Classes are $35.00 each or any two for $60.00.

 To Register, Call: (717)761-8440 or e-mail: rcrossley@cpml.com.
*Cancellation fee of $25 within 48 hours.

FREE WEBINAR TRAINING
Webinars have started for training on P5 (Paragon 5). For a short period of time the webinars will be held 3 times a week and twice a day. The topics will include:

P5 Essentials-Learn Navigation, Multi-Tasking, Inline Auto Complete. Customizing Searches, Emailing, Printing, Customizing Reports, Mailing Labels and Browsers.

Contact Manager and Client Connect - Learn Contact manager Wizard, Saving Searches to Client, Client Connect Customer View, Client Connect Set-up, Agent Notification.

CMA - Learn CMA Wizard, New Themes, CMA Setup and Navigation.

Listing Input - Learn Bulk Photo Upload, Inline Auto Complete, Features and Geo Coding

Preferences - Learn how to Upload Photos and Logos, Client Connect Preferences, E-card, Market Monitor Customization and CMA Customization.  

For complete schedule and registration, please see link on home page in Paragon.

PARAGON TRAINING SCHEDULE
Training classes have been scheduled on the following dates for the PARAGON system:
           October 10, 2010     
November 18, 2010    December 9, 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.

CPML OPEN HOUSE WEB SITE
Are you advertising your open houses on the web site? Are you advertising the Open House web site on your web sites?
Consider adding the Open House web site to your ads when you advertise the open house. The consumers are using this web site; don’t let your Open House be missed because you are not on our site.  

Open Houses on the Centralpennopenhouse.com web site now appear on an interactive map. The home page of the web site shows all available open houses marked by a balloon. Click on the balloon and see the property information. Zoom-in, Zoom-out or change area of map you wish to view. Consumers can still enter search parameters and the map will show only the properties that belong to the search. The map will then display the 8 properties on each page.

It is important now that your Open House information be entered into the Paragon system. You can find instructions on entering your open house data under MLS DOCS in the Paragon System. Open Houses entered into the Paragon system will appear on the web site in about 4 hours. 

We are promoting the site with radio and newspaper ads; we need you to promote this site to your clients and potential clients through your web sites.

We have added our affiliate members to the Open House site. Our affiliate members have the ability to add a link to their name; this will allow the consumer to learn more about their company. Do you use a particular home inspector, lender or pest control company? Encourage them to add their link to our site.


PAR AND NAR NEWS

JUST LISTED BY PAR CELEBRATES ITS FIRST ANNIVERSARY WITH A CONTEST!
PAR will be celebrating its first anniversary with a contest just for you! All REALTORS® are invited to enter the “Your Funniest REALTOR Store Even” contest in 300 words or less. The first place winner will receive a $100 Visa gift card and the second place winner will receive a $50 Visa gift card. All contest entries are due by Friday, October 15. Entries received will be evaluated by three judges including: Don Roth, PAR President; Jim Goldsmith, PAR legal counsel; and Melanie McLane, real estate instructor. The winners will be announced on Monday, November 1 and the winning entries will be published on
PAR Just Listed.

TRIPLE PLAY REGISTRATION NOW OPEN
Real estate professionals from New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania and surrounding states attend the annual Triple Play REALTOR® Convention & Trade Expo in Atlantic City for a unique opportunity to attend professional development courses presented by nationally recognized speakers and maximize their business potential through networking with colleagues from across the tri-state area and beyond.

This year's Triple Play will be held from December 7-9, 2010 and will feature a variety of quality workshops, keynote speeches, exciting social events and more. For details on how you can register, click here.

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 

 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:

Benefits of Membership

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.

JOIN THE REAL ESTATE CELEBRATION AT NARdiGRAS!
The 2010 REALTORS® Conference & Expo is back in New Orleans (November 5-8) and you won’t want to miss this party. NAR has planned another great event for REALTORS® and guests, including over 125 education sessions, the largest real estate expo, and lots of opportunities to expand your network. This year’s program highlights include: Mary Lou Retton, Earth Wind & Fire, Rich Karlgaard. 

More Value for Your Money in 2010!
Now you can attend education sessions of your choice at the conference and download the rest of the programs at home for continued learning throughout the year. That’s double your registration value for nearly 100 sessions, and it’s a great way to make sure you don’t miss a thing. Just be sure to register for a full conference pass ($350 before August 15, $380 after August 15).Thanks to sponsor Bank of America for making this possible.

Come make the good times roll for your business at NARdiGras 2010, November 5-8. Registration is Now Open!

 Visit: http://www.realtor.org/convention.nsf/


GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS NEWS 

HOT TOPICS 

PROHIBIT PRIVATE TRANSFER FEES IN PENNSYLVANIA!
On September 23, the Pennsylvania Association of REALTORS® announced that it was working on efforts to ban private transfer fees (PTF) in Pennsylvania. A PTF is a covenant attached to the deed that forces the seller to pay 1% of the purchase price to a private third party corporation for 99 years. PAR is working with state Senator Wayne Fontana (D-Allegheny) on Senate Bill 1481, which would prohibit all future PTFs in Pennsylvania. REALTORS® should expect several Call-to-Action e-mails over the next few weeks. The Calls-to-Action will give you the opportunity to contact you state Senator and Representative and to ask him/her to support this legislation.

Click here to respond to the Senate Call-to-Action!

Click here to read more about this issue on PARJustListed.com. For additional information, please contact Sherri Pursel.

NATIONAL FLOOD INSURANCE PROGRAM EXTENDED!
On September 24, the U.S. Congress approved a one-year extension for the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). The NFIP was set to expire on September 30, 2010. With the passage of S. 3814, the National Flood Insurance Program Re-extension Act, the program now is extended through September 30, 2011. NAR strongly advocated for this program’s extension, and, in the coming months, NAR intends to continue lobbying Congress for reforms to the NFIP and a long-term extension. Click here to read more about this issue on the NAR Web site.

HARRISBURG CITY COUNCIL DELAYS CONSIDERATION OF TWO HOUSING BILLS
On September 28, the Harrisburg City Council delayed consideration of two bills making changes to the City’s buyer notification inspection program and the rental licensing program. Council cited a need for “further discussion” prior to taking a final vote on the two bills.

As proposed, Bill No. 13 of 2010 would make significant changes to the City’s rental licensing and inspection program. Among other requirements, the bill would mandate all rental units be inspected once every five years, and property owners not living or working in Cumberland, Dauphin, or Perry Counties would be required to designate an “agent” for their property. In general, GHAR opposes rental licensing and inspection programs, and we are especially concerned with the residency requirement in the Bill, as currently drafted.

Bill No. 14 of 2010 would eliminate the buyer notification inspection for most property transfers in the City of Harrisburg. However, Bill No. 14 would impose some liability on REALTORS® - something GHAR strongly opposes.

At this point, it is unclear when these Bills will be considered again. GHAR intends to continue reaching out to Council to encourage them to amend the Bills before final passage.

Please watch for additional information on this issue in future Weekly E-mails. If you would like more information, please contact Sherri Pursel.

REALTORS® GET OUT THE VOTE! VOTER REGISTRATION DEADLINE IS OCTOBER 4
The 2010 Mid-term Election is rapidly approaching. GHAR encourages REALTORS® to register to vote. If you are a first time voter, have recently moved or changed your name, you may need to register or re-register to vote. The deadline to register is Monday, Oct. 4. Citizens will be going to the polls on Tuesday, November 2, to vote for a variety of offices including United States Senator and Congressmen, Pennsylvania Governor, and Pennsylvania House of Representatives and Senate members. Click here to learn more about voting and the candidates on the GHAR 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.

NATIONAL GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS NEWS

NAR ASKED FHA TO KEEP SELLER CONCESSIONS AT 6 PERCENT
The National Association of REALTORS® has asked the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) NOT to change its rules on seller concessions. Currently, FHA allows seller concessions of up to 6 percent. However, a new proposed rule would cap seller concessions at 3 percent. NAR President Vicki Cox Golder has sent a letter to FHA opposing this proposed change. According to Golder, "In states where closing costs are high our members report that seller concessions are often higher than 3 percent and are critical to allowing borrowers to purchase their home without depleting their savings.” Click here to read more about this issue on the NAR Web site.

LOCAL GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS NEWS

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.

Questions?  Comments?  E-mail Sherri Pursel  or visit the GHAR Government Affairs Web site.


COURTESY ANNOUNCEMENTS

CONDOLENCES
Condolences go out to the family and friends of William "Russ" Goodrich of RE/MAX Delta Group on their recent loss. In lieu of flowers, Donations may be made to the Hospice of Central PA, 1320 Linglestown Road, Harrisburg, PA 17110.

Our Condolences go to Cathie Heika of Exit Realty Capital Area on the recent loss of her father, Stanley T. Heika.

HBA HOSTING LUNCH N LEARN ON SOLAR PANELS FOR NEW HOMES
On Wednesday, October 13, the Home Builders Association of Metropolitan Harrisburg will be hosting a Lunch N Learn session about installing solar panels on new homes and in renovation projects. Len Biko, owner of Green Energy Construction & Consulting will be speaking on this topic. The session will run from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., at HBA's headquarters, 2416 Park Drive, Harrisburg. Lunch will be provided. The cost to attend is $10.00. For more information and to register, please contact Keith Ashley at HBA at (717) 232-5595 or at kashley@harrisburgbuilders.com.


Feel free to visit the GHAR Web site by going to the HOME page.                                  Back to Top