National Association of REALTORS | Midyear meetings

NH Contingent at the REALTOR Rally

NAR Midyear Meetings

Jay and I just returned from attending the National Association of REALTORS annual Midyear meetings in Washington DC.

We’ve attended the Midyear meetings for years and always come home exhausted but with a feeling of having made a difference! This year was no exception, the meetings were informative and the time when members let their voices be heard in DC, with Hill visits, legislative activities, committee meetings like the one I serve on, Professional Standards and of course the Trade Show.  This year Jay and I stayed in Silver Springs with friends and took the Metro into the city for meetings. The days were long and jam packed and we got to know the Metro system real well!Keith Garner

NH REALTORS Rally to Protect the American Dream of Home ownership

(photo curtsey of Keith Garner NAR)

One of the highlights of the #Midyear meetings was the REALTOR Rally to protect the American Dream of home ownership. The Rally was held on May 17th with over 13,900 REALTORS taking part and what a sight it was to see!  13,900 REALTORS in blue t-shirts on the National Mall next to the Washington Monument. It was Incredible! #MidYear #NAR

REALTOR Rally Video

 

NH Real Estate Professionals Jay and Monika McGillicuddy


Jay and Monika McGillicuddy, covering southern NH and the Seacoast area. If you’re thinking of selling or buying a southern NH or Seacoast area home give us a call…we’d love to help make your home ownership dreams come true.

Jay and Monika McGillicuddy, NH REALTORS

603-944-9172 direct

E-mail Jay and Monika

Prudential Verani Realty

603-926-3648 office

The REALTOR® Party Political Survival Initiative

National Association of REALTORS announce a new initiative – The REALTOR® Party Political Survival Initiative

I am not a political person, in fact I have never ever except for this year allowed a town or any political sign to be put up in my yard. I don’t talk politics, I don’t put bumper stickers on my car and I don’t like taking part in the annual Hill Visits that my association does every May while at the REALTOR conference in DC. I really don’t like politics at all but every year I give to RPAC, The REALTOR PAC,  usually 99.00 dollars and have done so for a long time.  I believe in doing my part and realize that the money goes to protecting the interests of home ownership.

The REALTOR® Party Political Survival Initiative

This past week NAR announced it’s REALTOR Political Survival Initiative. The initiative proposes a dedicated dues increase of $40 per member and for us that means $80 since Jay is also a REALTOR.  I’m concerned about the amount of increase especially in what is still a weak real estate economy and many agents are still struggling.  I know $40.00 is small money to have a say at a very big table and as a NAR voting director for NH I will be voting on this in May, so it is important that I hear your voice!

NH REALTORS I want to hear your voice

I would love to have your opinion…to hear your voice on this very important issue.   Please read the article below which was taken from the NAR website and also these 3 excellent posts about the subject.

Rob Hahn BREAKING: NAR Launches a Political Party, Risks Its Future

Agent Genius  Breaking News NAR Dues going up %50

Phoenix Real Estate Guy   NAR Political Survival

Edit to add video message from NAR President Ron Phipps

Edited to add… Jay Thompson has some great article links and suggestions for NAR in this post…
http://www.phoenixrealestateguy.com/realtor-party-political-survival-initiative-how-the-nar-can-help/

Please be sure to leave me a comment and let me know your feelings about this issue.  As a voting director I want to hear your voice.

Below is NAR’s Position… Please be sure to read it

 

Why did NAR create the REALTOR® Party Political Survival Initiative?

  • In January of 2010, the Supreme Court ruled in the case of Citizens United vs. the Federal Election Commission.
    • The ruling states that corporate dollars—so-called soft dollars—can be used to fund independent expenditure campaigns.
  • This not only changes the way elections are financed at the national level, but it also overturns restrictions that allowed only hard dollars—those funds contributed for political purposes by individuals, rather than corporations—to be used in 23 states.
    • This means political fund raising as we have known it for the past 100 years just shifted dramatically.
    • Corporate funds/dues can now be used to shape opinions about candidates in ALL 50 states.
  • It is a game changer of gigantic proportions.
    • It is as if the goal posts on a 100 yard football field were expanded to now cover 140 yards.
  • In order for “The Voice for Real Estate” to have the impact it has had for the past 100 years in terms of political advocacy, the REALTOR® organization is stepping up its game.
    • No one has spoken with more power or as passionately about protecting private property rights and fighting for opening the door to the American Dream of Home Ownership than the REALTOR® Family.
  • To maintain and grow our political power in this new landscape, NAR launched the REALTOR® Party Political Survival Initiative.
    • The REALTOR® Party Political Survival Initiative did not just happen overnight.
    • It was the result of nearly a year of careful study and consideration.

What does the REALTOR® Party Political Survival Initiative mean for members?

  • The proposal is for a dedicated dues increase of $40.00.
    • The increase would take effect in the 2012 budget year.
    • Because it is “dedicated” to this initiative, it would be used exclusively to fund political advocacy efforts.
  • In the past, NAR has already contributed funds to this initiative out of its operating budget.
    • But to undertake the initiative at this level and give it a best chance for success, greater additional funding is needed.
    • The increased dollars will be dedicated solely to advocacy purposes as outlined by the Political Survival Initiative.
    • If this dues increase is approved, over 50% of NAR budget would be devoted to political advocacy, which consistently ranks among members as the #1 benefit they receive from NAR.

What are the benefits of the Political Survival Initiative?

  • The most powerful benefit is it will keep the REALTOR® organization as one of the most influential advocacy groups in America.
    • There are monumental issues coming down the pike that will affect members in their daily businesses, such as the future of mortgage finance and keeping housing affordable in America.
    • We must have the power to shape this pivotal moment for the American Dream of Home Ownership.
  • Most importantly, these dollars will be available to state associations and local boards.
    • 2/3rds of the dollars raised will be returned back to states to be used in support of local candidates and issue campaigns, and for other political advocacy needs—to help shape the opinions of candidates on real estate-related issues as they work their way up as elected leaders.
    • It will combine NAR funds with state/local funds to increase our political power
    • It will create early relationships with state and local lawmakers/policymakers
    • It will shape the political make-up of state or local governing bodies.
  • NAR President Ron Phipps often comments that “now is our time.”
    • With this initiative, REALTORS® are seizing the moment for home ownership.
    • We are doing this NOT ONLY because of the Citizens United Supreme Court decision, but because our core competency is our grass roots advocacy; it’s where we need to be investing today so our future advocacy efforts will be successful tomorrow.
    • We need to be grooming our “REALTOR® Champions” at the state / local levels now, before some of them progress to become elected leaders at the federal level.
  • The political press in Washington has already noted the emerging clout of the REALTOR® Party.
    • A recent article in Politico said: “REALTORS®… are going to want to be politically effective, and a large measure of their influence is that they are present everywhere.”
  • Now is our time to seize the day.

 

#rppsi

NH Real Estate Professionals Jay and Monika McGillicuddy


Jay and Monika McGillicuddy, covering southern NH and the Seacoast area. If you’re thinking of selling or buying a southern NH or Seacoast area home give us a call…we’d love to help make your home ownership dreams come true.

Jay and Monika McGillicuddy, NH REALTORS

603-944-9172 direct

E-mail Jay and Monika

Prudential Verani Realty

603-926-3648 office

$8,000Tax Credit news and Google Scraping…what a week it was

jay-and-moniJay and I just got back home after a busy week in Washington DC where we attended the annual REALTOR midyear conference. It was a jam packed week for me as I pulled double duty, not only did I attend because it is something that I have done for many years and find of tremendous value but also because I am President Elect of the New Hampshire Association of REALTORS.

The week was full of educational sessions, business meetings and hill visits, some of which I needed to attend to fulfill my duties as President Elect but also many sessions that I wanted to attend because doing so benefited my business and added to my knowledge base.

About 8,500 REALTORS from all over the country attended the conference and it was also a great opportunity for us to connect up with many of our  Blogger and Twitter friends from around the country.

HUDThe midyear meeting this year held the first  Real Estate Summit: Advancing the U.S. Economy, which was a special day long session and one of the real interesting things that happened during the summit was that Shaun Donovan, secretary of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, announced Federal Housing Administration is going to permit its lenders to allow homeowners (I’m assuming they mean home buyers) to use the $8,000 tax credit as a down payment. That really shook up the crowd of at least a few thousand REALTORS attending the summit meeting.  Using the tax credit as part of closing costs will make a huge  difference to many buyers and I was pretty excited to hear him say that!

You can read the official report/summery at REALTOR.org Updated…there may be some flip flopping going on about whether or not one can use the 8k as down payment.  Stay tuned as I am sure there will be some breaking news on it soon. Updated…Using the tax credit as down payment is now officially off the table.

One other event that really meant a lot to us personally involved a REALTOR/MLS IDX issue that we first heard about when Paula Henry a fellow real estate blogger wrote about her site being targeted because of a so called “google scraping” charge levied against her by her board of  REALTORS.   So,  Paula Henry and fellow Blogger Jay Thompson, flew in to address the MLS committee in DC regarding Google being considered a scraping site.

img_12481Paula  talked about the interpretation of the antiquated MLS rule impacting her life and business and Jay spoke passionately on behalf of all real estate bloggers everywhere and more importantly the impact that this rule will have on sellers and buyers! It looked like a viable compromise was reached with the full support of the MLS committee to be presented to the NAR board of directors for final vote on Saturday.   As real estate bloggers this is something that will effect us and our sellers so we were very happy with the outcome of the MLS meeting.

Because I am President Elect of the New Hampshire Association I also serve as an NAR director and my vote would count…or so I thought.

Ultimately a director  of the Indianapolis Metropolitan Board of Realtors (MIBOR) made a motion to table or send the changes back to the MLS Committee for further study. Once a motion is made “To Table” there is no further discussion on the issue. The vote was close but ultimately it was sent back. To say I was disappointed would be an understatement. It will be interesting to see how this plays out in the Blogosphere and what comes forward in November when The NAR Board of Directors meet again.

You can read more on the REALTOR.org Blog

Did I say it’s nice to be home?

It is nice to be home and if any of you are ready to take advantage of that $8,000 tax credit/down payment please  give me a call I’d love to help you find a home.

NH Real Estate Professionals Jay and Monika McGillicuddy


Jay and Monika McGillicuddy, covering southern NH and the Seacoast area. If you’re thinking of selling or buying a southern NH or Seacoast area home give us a call…we’d love to help make your home ownership dreams come true.

Jay and Monika McGillicuddy, NH REALTORS

603-944-9172 direct

E-mail Jay and Monika

Prudential Verani Realty

603-926-3648 office

NAR…Will they be looking at your digital pictures?

Sometimes the best thing about the house is the picture…Is that not true?

 At the National Association of REALTORS convention in Vegas I attended the professional standards forum and committee meeting where among other things we talked about digital enhancements to listing photos.

I am on my second 3 year term as a State Representative serving on the committee and as a blogger I’ve been particularly interested in all the proposed changes to Article 12.

In DC this past May we talked about Blogs and including them in the scope of Article 12.  I wasn’t too excited about the potential of NAR touching my blog.

All spring and summer members participated via e-mail…comments for and against making changes were carefully considered by the working group.

We didn’t know what the recommendations would be and eagerly awaited the working group’s findings. [Read more...]

NH Real Estate Professionals Jay and Monika McGillicuddy


Jay and Monika McGillicuddy, covering southern NH and the Seacoast area. If you’re thinking of selling or buying a southern NH or Seacoast area home give us a call…we’d love to help make your home ownership dreams come true.

Jay and Monika McGillicuddy, NH REALTORS

603-944-9172 direct

E-mail Jay and Monika

Prudential Verani Realty

603-926-3648 office

Don’t touch my blog!!!

I posted this article yesterday on Active Rain a social real estate blogging site. So far there are 89 comments on the post. My first post back in June on the topic had 129 comments on it. So you can tell Blogging or anything to do with curtailing it is a hot topic for many agents.I love blogging and I was very interested, when this past May blogging was brought up at my National Association of REALTORS Professional Standards committee meeting in DC. My ears perked up and I watched and listened closely wondering where this was going. I was relieved when the topic was referred back to sub-committee for further study. This Nov 14th my committee meets again in Vegas and I’m sure the sub committee report will be interesting.

My article as it appeared on Active Rain yesterday….

[Read more...]

NH Real Estate Professionals Jay and Monika McGillicuddy


Jay and Monika McGillicuddy, covering southern NH and the Seacoast area. If you’re thinking of selling or buying a southern NH or Seacoast area home give us a call…we’d love to help make your home ownership dreams come true.

Jay and Monika McGillicuddy, NH REALTORS

603-944-9172 direct

E-mail Jay and Monika

Prudential Verani Realty

603-926-3648 office

NAR Looking at Blogs

NAR looking at Blogs…what say you??

 After a few mishaps getting to DC I’m happy that I can report that on Thursday May 17th I attended my NAR Professional Standards committee meeting.

I love being on this committee and am in the second year of my second 3 year term. After 4 years the newness has worn off but this year I was really looking forward to this meeting as I knew Blogs would be discussed.

The first part of the meeting is the Professional Standards Forum, the forum allows all REALTOR members to bring up their concerns about the code and the enforcement process as well as sharing of ideas.

As we entered the ballroom this funky looking tall guy in a white suit greeted people, congratulating them on being ethical and then poking fun at them! It was funny to see and I knew immediately who he was thanks to AR member Mariana Wagner who posted about how to be a slimy real estate agent, I think the majority of the attendees had no idea who Ted Truitt was. I could hardly contain myself as I watched their reactions!

We spent about an hour and half doing the open forum and then the committee meeting started.

First off…We passed a new Standard of Practice prohibiting members from misrepresenting their status as members or designees of NAR’s Institutes, Societies and Councils. This is a good thing in my opinion.

Then we tabled the Internet-related issues…blogs to name a few until November.  The sub committee will be be looking at Article 12 to see if we need a broader more encompassing ethical direction guiding all forms of communication. They will also be looking at

1. A clearer definition of communications

2. REALTOR making anonymous comments on other REALTORS Blogs

3. REALTORS responsibility for monitoring/editing their own Blogs

4. REALTORS responsibility for Blogs run by licensees affiliated with them

5. Disclosure of time lag (hours or days) in posting comments to Blogs. Must the fact that a Blog is not run in “live time” be disclosed?

6. Posting unfavorable/unflattering (but truthful) comments to Blogs

I can’t wait till November to see what the sub committee comes back with. It should be very interesting and being a blogger I have very mixed feelings about some of this.

One thing I learned while in DC is that there are many-many people who have no clue what blogging is and surprisingly people in important positions who do not see any merit in blogging and will not encourage their sales associates to blog!

What do you think? Should NAR dip it’s fingers inside our blogs? Do we need NAR policing blogs? I think it’s going to happen no matter what but am curious as to my fellow bloggers feelings about this.


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NH Real Estate Professionals Jay and Monika McGillicuddy


Jay and Monika McGillicuddy, covering southern NH and the Seacoast area. If you’re thinking of selling or buying a southern NH or Seacoast area home give us a call…we’d love to help make your home ownership dreams come true.

Jay and Monika McGillicuddy, NH REALTORS

603-944-9172 direct

E-mail Jay and Monika

Prudential Verani Realty

603-926-3648 office