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| March 19, 2012 | |
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David Maclin Memorial Scholarship Fund First Annual 5K Fun Walk/Run - Saturday, April 14 Besides having fun and enjoying a beautiful day together, why are we meeting on April 14?
Erika * Carl * Jasmin * Amanda * Shayla
Every person that walks or runs with us, or contributes, helps local high school graduates Commit to helping more students reach their dreams by joining us now! Click here to register online TODAY! Sponsor the 5K Walk/Run by March 31 to be listed on the t-shirts and event banners >
Please post this flyer in your office lobby and share the event link from facebook.com/pgcar. Flyer & Printable Registration > Better yet - print out some copies and ask to post them at the next five places you visit. Office Lobby * Coffee Shop * Sporting Goods Merchandiser * Book Store * Community Mail Box Let's post the David Maclin 5K Scholarship Fun Walk/Run all over Prince George's County and change the lives of deserving local high school graduates! Printable Sponsorship Contribution Form > Runner Sponsor Form > Luxury Home Marketing Designation - This Week 
Time is Running Out! Reserve Your Space Today to
Earn the Coveted CLHMS Designation! In addition, you will discover how to:
This Thursday, March 22 and Friday, March 23
8:30 am - 5:00 pm at PGCAR 9200 Basil Court, Suite 400, Largo, MD
Earns 2 CRS Elective Units • Lunch Provided Both Days
Sponsored by the Women's Council of REALTORS® Maryland and DC Primary Elections - Two Weeks Away 
Early Voting Opens THIS Saturday! Maryland Primary Election Early Voting DC Primary Election Early Voting Tuesday, March 27 View all the important MD and DC election dates on www.pgcar.com > 2013 NAR Leadership Academy - Develop Your Knowledge and Skills Applications for 2013 Graduating Class Due by Saturday, March 31 To our many members already actively involved, with a passion for the industry and a vision for the future of real estate, applications for the 2013 graduating class of the National Association of REALTORS® Leadership Academy are due by Saturday, March 31. The Leadership Academy is an exclusive nine-month, five-stage training and development program to nurture future NAR leaders. Training will be structured around NAR national meetings, where you'll experience stimulating discussions with NAR leaders, access to powerful resources, insights into different world views - just to name a few. You are Invited to the Women's Council of REALTORS® 34th Annual Prayer Breakfast All Things are Possible!
Good Friday, April 6 Guest Speaker: Pastor William A. Spence, II of Harvest Life Fellowship Invite your family and friends to join us as we meet and fellowship with co-workers and associates to give thanks together on Good Friday. All REALTORS®, Affiliates and Guests are Welcome!
$25.00 Donation
$150 Donation Don't Be an April Fool, Get Credit Smart! In Just Two Days of Training Become WHC Certified
Workforce Housing Certification
Become WHC certified - Only 2 days of training required.
Thursday, April 12 — CreditSmartTM
Thursday, April 19 — Bridging the Gap from Availability to Affordability, State and Local Programs, and Federal Programs and National Initiatives
MAR Presents: Bio Sciences in MD and the Impact on Commercial Real Estate Earn 3.0 CE Hours (1.5 Professional Enhancement, 1.5 Legal/Legislative) Thursday, May 3 8 am - 12:15 pm Four Points by Sheraton BWI 7032 Elm Road, Baltimore, MD
Open to All Real Estate Practitioners Learn about emerging trends in employment in Bio Sciences and the 2012 Legislative Session, and their impact on Commercial Real Estate. WANTED: 2012 - 2013 MAR Committee Volunteers Committee descriptions and a volunteer form are now online at www.mdrealtor.org. All MAR members are encouraged to apply for 2 but no more than 3 preferred committee choices. Some committees have specific requirements; however, every attempt will be made to accommodate your request for at least one committee assignment. Committee selections are prioritized by qualifications and date received. Reminder: Current MAR committee members must re-apply for 2012 - 2013 MAR Committee Memberships. Applications Due By Wednesday, May 9 > 2012 NAR Midyear Legislative Meetings & Trade Expo 
The REALTORS® Midyear Meetings & Trade Expo is where NAR members come together to take an active role in advancing the real estate industry, public policy, and the association. There will be a variety of meetings and events including: special issues forums, committee meetings, legislative activities, the industry trade show, and a Rally on Capitol Hill.
For more information, to plan your Midyear Schedule, and to register click here.
Rally to Protect the American Dream Mark Your Calendars - May 17, 9:30 am - 11 am
“Never before has housing and real estate been forced to defend the benefits they provide our country.
We must have a sustainable, durable housing economy for generations to come. We are going to defend the American Dream from the doubters who say home ownership and real estate have run their course. We are going to show Congress that no one cares more about revitalizing real estate for future generations than REALTORS® do.” Quotes from Moe Veissi about the Rally to Protect the American Dream
On May 17th at 9:30 am, join us in Washington during the NAR Legislative Midyear Meetings Details and RSVP at www.REALTORRALLY.org REALTOR® MAGAZINE SEEKS GOOD NEIGHBOR NOMINATIONS Five Winners will Receive $10,000 Grants and National Publicity
If a REALTOR® you know is putting forth the effort to make a difference in the community, help their cause by nominating them today! Deadline for entry is Friday, May 18. Click here for more details. Click here for rules and an entry form. MY HOME AND BUY SUITLAND ANNOUNCE 2012 INCOME QUALIFICATION LEVELS Homebuyers Can Now Qualify at Higher Income Levels See the newly effective maximum Area Median Income levels at www.pgcar.com for the My HOME program and Buy Suitland Initiative. Homebuyers earning up to 80% AMI can be eligible for the My HOME program, which will grant up to 5% towards the purchase of any buyer-occupied residential property in Prince George's County. Homebuyers earning up to 120% AMI can be eligible for the Buy Suitland Initiative, which will grant up to 7% towards purchases within Suitland of foreclosures, short sales or a residence where the seller is 60 days delinquent on mortgage payments. Also see a copy of the Income Calculation chart, needed for submission to My HOME >
KEEP THE SAVE THE MID MOMENTUM GOING! The Outcome is Far From Certain If you have not already done so, please take 5 minutes to contact your State Delegate, Senator and Governor today, and post this link on your Facebook page. Let's keep getting this message out to our family, friends and neighbors, as we continue the fight to save the MID! Our efforts are making a difference, but the outcome is still uncertain. We are clearly not out of the woods yet. Do Your Part to Protect this Important Tax Benefit! Rally Photo Gallery Video - Save MD's Mortgage Interest Deduction MID IN THE NEWS! Articles on the Status of the Fight to Protect the MID
NEW FHA ANNUAL AND UPFRONT PREMIUMS ANNOUNCED! FHA has published ML 2012-04 detailing annual and up-front mortgage insurance premium changes. Changes are applicable to all single family forward mortgage programs (except those noted in the memo), and are effective on or after 4/9/12 (some loans on or after 6/11/2012). PGCAR REALTORS® - Get Connected Today! Sign Up for the Real Estate Agent Directory at www.facebook/pgcar 
PGCAR's Facebook page has a new feature highlighting our REALTOR® members! The www.pgcar.com Find a REALTOR® Directory is used by a number of homebuyers. Now there's an additional, new Find a REALTOR® added to www.facebook.com/pgcar.
Facebook users can search for REALTORS® via this link, based on location and area of expertise. Before connecting to a REALTORS®' page, consumers can view your profile snapshot. So increase your visibility. Add yourself to the Facebook REALTORS® Directory! This is another FREE service! Sign up today at www.facebook.com/pgcar!
Explaining the 3.8% Health Care Tax A 3.8 percent levy on certain investment income will be taking effect in 2013. Although many were concerned about this tax - because of misinformation passed over the internet and through email - in reality, very few home owners will be affected. Individuals who make more than $200,000 a year (married $250,000) whose home sale proceeds exceed $250,000 (married $500,000) may be affected; however, there are still other income and tax particulars that are considered before the 3.8% levy is applied. NAR advises members become familiar with the tax, but they caution against REALTORS® counseling their clients because the amount will vary from individual to individual. NAR Brochure on How the Tax Works > Read the entire article at REALTOR.org > Market Sen$e: Mortgage Rates on the Rise 
Results released on March 15 are showing mortgage rates are moving higher along with the positive jobs data and increasing bond yields; however the 30-year fixed rate is still below 4.00 percent - helping to keep homebuyer affordability high. Frank Nothaft, vice president and chief economist of Freddie Mac, states, "An upbeat employment report for February caused U.S. Treasury bond yields to increase over the week and mortgage rates followed. The economy gained 227,000 jobs, above the market consensus forecast, and revisions added another 61,000 to January and December. Job growth over the last six months was the strongest since 2006."
Freddie Mac reports the following averages for the week ending March 15, 2012:
The numbers for the single family market increased from January to February (listings +8.2%, contracts +18.1% and settlements +4.8%), while the co-op/condo market decreased slightly or stayed virtually the same (listings -3.2%, contracts -0.1%, and settlements -6.2%). Year-to-Date Comparisons Single family and condo/co-op listings 2012 year-to-date are only about half of what they were at the end of February 2011 (both down by approximately 43%) which bodes well for stabilizing or improving home prices. Contracts are on the rise for both single family homes and condos/co-ops (both up by about 20% over 2011). Single family home settlements are only slightly below what they were in 2011 at this time (-1.6%), while condo/co-op settlements rose by 12.5%. Settlements are lagging contracts by a longer time period in 2012 than in 2011, which makes this number also somewhat favorable. The numbers appear that buyers may be experiencing early "spring fever", but it is taking most homebuyers longer to finalize mortgages. Visit www.pgcar.com/stats for detailed Prince George's County home sales statistics. Like us at facebook.com/pgcar for regular market news and updates! Foreclosure to Rental Pilot Program NAR Urges the FHA to Proceed Cautiously with its REO Initiative A government pilot program to turn bank-owned properties into rentals could be disruptive and counterproductive to some markets. According to recent NAR analyses, even though the inventory of foreclosure properties is decreasing across the country, there is a noticeable difference in numbers between states that require judicial proceedings and those that do not. Inventories in the judicial states are 2.5 times higher than non-judicial states. In addition, the disposition is considerably faster in non-judicial states, where sales rates are four times higher than judicial states. Instead of this program, NAR has repeatedly asked for improved lending to creditworthy home buyers and has urged lenders to make more loan modifications, mortgage refinancings, and short sales to help stabilize struggling housing markets. "While REO-to-rental programs could be successful in a few communities, we believe that doing more to ensure mortgage availability for qualified home buyers and investors could be even more beneficial in helping absorb excess foreclosure inventories across the country," said Veissi. NAR strongly suggests that a national advisory board be created to ensure that the program truly benefits the local community, minimizes taxpayer losses, and stabilizes home values. In addition, NAR urges substantial participation of local market experts, especially licensed real estate professionals, who have unparalleled knowledge of local market conditions. Consumer Tip: Save Energy and Money in the Kitchen 
In the last issue of REALTOR® Connection we gave you tips on how to Spring Clean in ways that are both easy on the environment and your wallet. Now let's break it down by focusing on the rooms where the most energy and money are likely being thrown away. Maintaining your kitchen (especially the appliances) is part of a smart home energy efficiency plan. With these 10 helpful tips, you can save over $100 a year in the kitchen alone, and be kinder to the planet.
Refrigerator / Freezer
For more useful tips, go to houselogic.com. Women's Council of REALTORS® Prince George's Chapter - Join Today We are a network of successful REALTORS® empowering women to exercise their potential as entrepreneurs and industry leaders. Through our influence as successful business professionals, the women and men who are members of WCR will effect positive change in the profession and in the broader community. Join the Prince George's Chapter by signing up today! Click Here for More Information > Sales Coach: Steps to Build Your Best Business Plan 
In any business, the work is usually not the hard part, the self-discipline is. That is why it's important to have a workable strategy in place that you will stick to until your goals are met. Here are some steps that will ensure your plan works for your career and your life. Most can be completed in 15 minutes or less, none should take more than one hour. Complete this plan over the next month (this will allow time for your anxiety to fall and your creativity to rise), and you'll have the most productive year ever.
Remember: The person who has the best plan is not the winner. For More Details and to Read All 16 Steps, Click Here. Earn All MD and DC Required CEU at PGCAR All classes are held at PGCAR offices, just off the Route 202 / Landover Road exit of I-495. Find our NEW association office at 9200 Basil Court, Suite 400, Largo, MD 20774. There's plenty of parking.
Free Hands-On MRIS Tools Training at PGCAR Offered Two Times in One Day for Your Convenience!
Next Tuesday, March 27 Visit www.mris.com/training for details and registration. Advance registration with MRIS is required. REALTORS® Federal Credit Union Need a New Car? Hurry! Get the Special Auto Loan Rate Before March 31! Are you a member of the REALTORS® Federal Credit Union? Do you, or a member of your immediate family, need a new car? Then do we have a deal for you! NAR and Chrysler Group have partnered up to offer members an amazing purchase package, which includes:
Hurry though! Special new auto loan rates are good through March 31, 2012!! For more information, visit NAR's REALTOR® Benefits Program Partner Chrysler Group LLC. Join the REALTOR® FCU Online > Membership Renewals Past Due Brokers and non-paid Agents - January 31 was the deadline to pay 2011 - 2012 dues or remove any unpaid agents from your office roster. All new, licensed agents in your office were also required to join by January 31. Renew Online, or please call the office at 301-306-7900 to renew.
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