GHAR Weekly E-mail

TECHNOLOGY LUNCH AND LEARN, TABLETS AND APPS – FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 9
Join us, Friday, September 9, 2011 for the Technology Lunch and Learn Seminar at the GHAR Office! Registration begins at 10:45 a.m. with the Session starting at 11:00 a.m. Cost is only $7.00 for members and includes a lunch. Thank you to our sponsor: A Plus Mortgage Solutions, Inc.

The Basics of Tablets and Apps and How to Utilize in your Real Estate Business!
Our speaker is John Henry. The following topics will be covered:
        What is a tablet and an app?
        What is the difference between an iPad and other tablets on the market?
        How can a tablet help my real estate business?
        The top ten real estate apps available today

Reservations are required by Friday, September 2, 2011. Space is limited. Register by calling the Association Office at (717) 364-3200 or online at www.ghar.info under Members Only! Please note: Reservations made and not canceled by 5:00 p.m. Friday, September 2 will be billed regardless of attendance. You may pay in advance or at the door. If you do not receive a confirmation, it is your responsibility to confirm your reservation by calling the Association Office at (717) 364-3200.

1, 2, 3 & MORE CLUB - SEPTEMBER 22
All members are invited to join us for a FREE discussion on Legal Concerns presented by Doug Marsico of Caldwell & Kearns. The Are You Legal? session will be held on September 22 from 3:00 - 4:30 p.m. (registration is at 2:45 p.m.) There is a Wine and Cheese Social immediately following the event. Members need to register by going online, www.ghar.info or by calling (717) 364-3200 before September 20. Registered attendees will receive a GHAR REALTOR^® Store coupon good for 10% off their entire purchase. This program is free. However, if you do not attend and do not cancel your reservation by September 20, you will be charged a $5.00 fee.

DISCOVERING YOUR MEMORY POWER - SEPTEMBER 28
Your profession demands that you remember a wealth of knowledge including, client information, market data, presentations...and most importantly names. A simple slip of the mind can result in lost sales or credibility. This program will demonstrate how to remember: Names and faces; Key client information; Presentations (without notes); Important details from meetings and conversations. What to expect: Less stress; Higher sales; A boost in confidence; Increased referrals and repeat business; Better time management. Cost: $5.00. Call (717) 364-3200 to register.

INFORMATION FROM PENN WASTE
GHAR has been asked by Penn Waste to share the following information with REALTORS^® listing and selling homes in Dauphin, Cumberland and York counties.

Penn Waste is contracted by 65 townships and boroughs to provide and bill for trash service. Most of these are mandatory trash areas requiring Penn Waste to bill all property owners whether or not the service is used. Penn Waste files many civil complaints in order to collect on the past due bills. Many times, they are awarded judgment. Many properties have outstanding balances or judgment at the time of settlement. When a judgment is entered at the county level, a judgment liability is imposed on the defendant. In addition, a judgment constitutes a judgment lien on real estate owned in the name of the defendant.

For better communication, Penn Waste has created an e-mail address, collections@pennwaste.com. REALTORS^® can submit inquiries of judgment or outstanding balances on any specific property in all of the municipalities Penn Waste services. In the e-mail subject line, please put the name of the township or borough. The property address should be noted in the body of the e-mail. For questions or more information, contact Sheila Beichner, Credit and Collections Supervisor at Penn Waste.

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.)

August 17, 2011 from 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. sponsored by Home Spec Inspection Protection
October 5, 2011 from 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. sponsored by Members 1st Federal Credit Union

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

SAVE THE DATE: SEPTEMBER ICI BREAKFAST
The September ICI Breakfast is sponsored by CAMPBELL Commercial Real Estate, and it is scheduled for Thursday, September 1. Please watch for more information about this breakfast later this summer.

GREATER HARRISBURG REALTORS^® INSTITUTE

GHRI E-MAIL IS SENT ONCE A MONTH DURING THE SUMMER
To help decrease the size and scope of the weekly e-mail, the Association has decided to send out a separate e-mail highlighting upcoming classes held at the Greater Harrisburg REALTORS^® Institute.

REQUIRED COURSE FOR NEW LICENSEES
In the fall, GHRI is offering both the General Module and the Residential Module, the courses required for new licensees.
For more information call (717) 364-3205.

ACTIVE KEY REMINDER
Do not leave your Active Key any place that is exposed to the heat for long periods of time - this includes your car. The Active Key, like your cell phone can be affected by the extreme heat.

AUGUST 1, 2011 IS THE CUT-OFF DAY FOR PARAGON 4
Over the last few weeks there have been major updates to P5 and I encourage you to work in it as much as possible. If you have not looked at any of the webinars or Quick Start Guides available, now would be a great time to do this. If you are having trouble doing any function in P5 that you could do in P4, please let me know. You can e-mail me at rcrossley@cpml.com. Please try and be specific in your issue so that I can work on it.

PARAGON TRAINING SCHEDULE
CPML is now offering four different classes on P5. You may come to any or all, and you may come as often as you feel is necessary. For new agents, the two Basic Classes are required.

PARAGON 5 WEBINAR TRAINING
Webinars are available for P5. You have a choice of live or prerecorded webinars. The topics will include:

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

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 Web site 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.

PAR ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS FOR PENNSYLVANIA BOARDS
PAR currently is taking applications for vacancies on several Pennsylvania Boards including the State Real Estate Commission, the Housing Alliance of PA, and the Federal Home Loan Bank. Members interested in serving on these Boards should apply to PAR. PAR then will select applicants to "recommend" to serve on these boards. Click here for a complete overview of the process and a list of Pennsylvania Boards. Click here to submit an application.

SAVE ON THESE NAR MARKETING MATERIALS TODAY!
We wanted to inform you first about some exciting new offerings at the completely redesigned online store, (www.REALTOR.org/Store), for the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS^® (NAR). They’re offering the latest must have products to help you take advantage of the changing market. They’re also giving you 10% off your next purchase when you use promotional code GH2 at checkout.

The newly designed online store has everything you need to be a successful REALTOR^® from products on:

sales and marketing
commercial
investment
home buying and selling
technology
mortgages

Visit the site often, as it is constantly updated, with offerings based on member feedback and changes in the market. Included in this special offer are items printed using the new Print on Demand Program.

Help turn a “changing” market into a marketing opportunity by visiting www.REALTOR.org/Store and take advantage of your special 10% discount today when you use code GH2 at checkout.

FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION CHANGES MARS ENFORCEMENT RULES
On July 15, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) announced a new policy to suspend enforcement of nearly all the Mortgage Assistance Relief Services (MARS) rules against real estate licensees working with short sales. Over the last several months, the National Association of REALTORS^® has been working with the FTC to address how real estate licensees may be impacted by the MARS rules. Concerns were raised about REALTORS^® who negotiate short sale terms with a lender, advertise their experience with short sales, or accept upfront fees from short sale sellers. After all of these negotiations, the FTC formally has stopped enforcement of most rules against REALTORS^®. Click here to read more about this issue on PARJustListed.com.

GHAR LAUNCHES RPAC CAMPAIGN!
On June 13, GHAR kicked off its annual campaign for the REALTORS^® Political Action Committee, better known as RPAC. The theme of the campaign is “OUR PAC is YOUR PAC”. The campaign will run through August 5. Click here for more information on the GHAR Web site.

NAR LAUNCHES CALL-FOR-ACTION! TELL CONGRESS TO REAUTHORIZE NATIONAL FLOOD INSURANCE PROGRAM!
On June 29, the National Association of REALTORS^® issued another member-wide Call-for-Action regarding the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). REALTORS^® are asked to contact their Congressmen urging them to pass legislation in the House to reform and reauthorize the NFIP. The program, which faces expiration at the end of the federal fiscal year, September 30, is critical for home buyers to obtain financing in areas where flood insurance is required. The bill would authorize the program for another five years and make long-sought reforms to put the program on a more fiscally sound footing. Click here to take action on the NAR Web site and to learn more about this critical issue!

NAR LAUNCHES CALL-FOR-ACTION! CONTACT YOUR CONGRESSMAN ABOUT EXTENDING LOAN LIMITS!
On June 21, the National Association of REALTORS^® issued a member-wide Call-for-Action asking REALTORS^® to contact their Congressmen about extending the loan limits on Federal Housing Administration (FHA) loans and Fannie Mae/Freddie Mac (GSEs) loans. The loan limits are set to expire on September 30. More than 669 counties in 42 states and the territories would be negatively impacted by the loan limit expiration. Click here to participate in the Call-for-Action and to read more about this issue on the NAR Web site.

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.

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.

In this Email: