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| April 16, 2012 | |
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David Maclin Memorial Scholarship 5K Fun Walk/Run Success! Thank you volunteers, sponsors, and participants for an AMAZING First Annual 5K Walk / Run. 5K PHOTOS will be released soon! Thanks for contributing to a bright future in Prince George's. Since the inception of the David Maclin Memorial Scholarship Fund, over $30,000 has been awarded to Prince George's County High School Seniors to further their education.
We had beautiful weather and a terrific time. Over sixty runners made their way through three miles of rolling paths in the Marlboro Ridge Community of Upper Marlboro. Valecia Maclin (David's daughter) said, "It is humbling to see the folks come out to participate in such a worthwhile cause. And I can't thank Toll Brothers and PGCAR enough for helping us to continue this legacy of scholarship and achievement." PGCAR thanks everyone who came out Saturday and supported this incredibly worthwhile event! To read the article in the Washington Running Report, click here >
Tolulope will be attending the University of Maryland, and Alleyah will be attending Lafayette University. Both will receive $2,500 toward their expenses.
Learn How to Use Homebuyer Savings Programs and Earn 6 CEU This Thursday! This Thursday, April 19 @ PGCAR, 9 am to 4 pm
Required for Workforce Housing Certification. Register at pgcar.com > FREE WEBINARS - Important Topics for All REALTORS®
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 38 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. Rally to Protect the American Dream! One Day to Protect Home Ownership! May 17  9:30 am - 11 am Capitol Hill
During the 2012 NAR Midyear Legislative Meetings, we are going to show that no one cares more about defending the benefits housing and real estate provide to our country than Prince George's County REALTORS®. NAR will be taking care of everything (the sign up, logistics, transportation, lunches, water, t-shirts, and more). All you have to do is register and show up. Let's journey together to protect home ownership and investment in real estate. Please share this information and link with your co-workers and make this Rally a top priority to attend! Details and RSVP at www.REALTORRALLY.org 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.
Midyear is FREE to all REALTOR® Members!
203K Training for Homebuyers This Saturday, April 21 at 10 am Spread the word to your customers and contacts who may benefit from My HOME, Buy Suitland or a 203K loan including renovation financing. This training is for buyers (not REALTORS® and Lenders) and will be at the CEO Cafe, 6305 Ivy Lane, Greenbelt, MD 20770. RSVP required, to hstokes@co.pg.md.us. Consumer Tip: Gardening Mistakes to Avoid 
Whether you're getting a property ready to sell, have just moved into a new house, or are happily settled in the home of your dreams, it's that time of the year; Time to get out, work in your yard and enjoy the sunshine. Here are a few tips to make sure you use your time and finances wisely - and get a beautiful, sustainable yard in return.
Wait a Year
People get excited, especially with a new house and the coming of spring, so they're apt to weed and plant the second the weather starts to get warm. By waiting and watching for a year, you can find out how many hours of sunlight each part of your yard gets, what month your lawn greens up and what month it becomes dormant, and what hidden treasures may already be buried on your property. What appears to be a weed in the spring may turn into a beautiful flowering vine in the fall.
Avoid Overcrowding
Plants that look properly spaced when you plant them will be close together in a few years, and will have to compete for sun, water and nutrients. Give trees plenty of space and stagger bushes to create rows. The results may look sparse at first, but in a few years they will fill in the space without suffocating each other.
Come up with a Long Term Plan
Draw a simple sketch of your yard - what is already there now and what you plan to add later. Look online for sites that help you pick plants and design beds. Planting without a design plan is like building a house without blueprints. Impatience and lack of planning will most likely result in a waste of time, money and energy.
Not Enough Sun
Many gardeners pick plants solely for how they look and do not consider the amount of sun they may need. Take a week and write down how much sun or shade an area gets, then pick the plant designed for those conditions. Full Sun is considered 6 hours or more; Partial Sun/Shade is considered 3 to 5 hours; and Full Shade is considered less than 3 hours.
Too Much Water
Automatic irrigation systems and water timers may be a luxury, but can waste a lot of water and cause root rot and other problems if you're using them for a few minutes every day. Instead, water for forty to sixty minutes, two to three times a week. A deeper, intermediate soak helps lawns and plants develop deeper root systems.
To read the article in its entirety, go to houselogic.com >
Give 10 Minutes to Win $10,000 for Charity Along with a chance to win a $250 gas card! The PGCAR Community Service Committee realizes that Prince George's County REALTORS® give back to their communities every day in a number of different ways. You are coaches, mentors and scout leaders. You deliver Meals on Wheels, work on Habitat and Christmas in April Homes. You create March of Dimes walk teams and Scholarship Fun Walk/Run events. So many of our offices raise money every year for a favorite charity, collecting food, coats and toys. And because you don't do it for the recognition, sometimes we aren't aware of ALL of the wonderful things you are doing. Well now is your chance! PGCAR has a chance to win MAR's CARE Award, which gives us $10,000 to use for whatever charity we select. We could use it for another Habitat House; we could sponsor another Fun Run for scholarships to our graduating students; we could give it to a food bank or numerous other charities - the possibilities are endless. But we can't win if you don't let us know what you're doing! To be eligible for the $250 gas card drawing, please complete the survey by midnight April 26, 2012. You must fully complete the survey to be eligible. MREC's Spring 2012 Commission Check Need to Know Information for all REALTORS® This issue contains useful topics and practice issues that come up frequently for real estate professionals. Some of the subjects covered are:
Stay up-to-date and informed by reading The Commission Check > REALTOR® Safety Tips Information to Keep You Protected The mere nature of the real estate business puts REALTORS® at risk on a daily basis. Unfortunately, when agents are rushing to get ready for a showing or if they get overly excited about a new lead, safety tends to take a back seat.
PGCAR is so dedicated to the importance of this issue that we now have a REALTOR® Safety Page. Market Sen$e: 15-Year Fixed Rate Reaches All-Time Record Low, County Home Sales Surge with Early Spring 
Results released on April 12 are showing fixed mortgages declining for the third consecutive week in line with a weak employment report. Frank Nothaft, vice president and chief economist of Freddie Mac, states, "Fixed mortgage rates eased for the third consecutive week following long-term Treasury bond yields lower after a weaker than expected employment report for March. Although the unemployment rate fell to the lowest reading since January 2009, the overall economy added just 120,000 new jobs in March, nearly half that of the market consensus forecast. On a more positive note, the Federal Reserve reported hiring was steady, or showed a modest increase, across many of its Districts in its April 11th Beige Book of regional economic conditions."
Freddie Mac reports the following averages for the week ending April 12, 2012:
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - County Home Sales are Enjoying Spring Surge! March 2012 home sales show across-the-board improvements in contract signings and settlements, in both the single family and condo/coop markets. In Prince George's County single family home sales, new contracts increased 4.8% from February to March, and settlements increased an amazing 23%. Condo/coop home sales, new contracts increased a dramatic 23.3%, and settlements increased 1.6% from February to March. Home prices are also showing a stabilizing trend. The positive trends are encouraging more home sellers and buyers into the market. See detailed statistics for March 2012 at www.pgcar.com/stats > To be the first to see home sale statistics when they're released, like us at www.facebook/pgcar. While you're there, add yourself to the Find a REALTOR® Directoy. 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.
Sales Coach: Tips for the Perfect Home Showing 
Because of the abundance of houses listed online, buyers have more choices and are more informed than ever. Unfortunately, until they actually see the house in person, it is hard to find out what they really want. Here are some useful tips to make sure the home-showing process goes as smoothly as possible.
Be Prepared Before you even begin looking for the perfect home, make sure they understand how the home-buying process works. Things such as how much the buyer can afford as a down-payment, do they have a prequalification letter, and are they prepared to make a competitive offer should all be discussed prior to showing them a prospective property. Do a Drive-By When you're working with buyers who are not quite sure of what they want, take some time to drive-by the homes they saw in a photo or found online that they think they'd be interested in. Buyers will often be able to say just from the curb if they like the house or not. You'll also be able to narrow down preferred house styles and neighborhoods. Give Them Space When showing the property, let the buyers freely walk around as much as possible and discuss pros and cons without you being in earshot. If they feel they're being shadowed, they may give you the impression they're more interested than they really are, and this could lead to confusion later. Be a Caretaker Before you leave the property, make sure the lights are off, curtains are back in original position and everything is locked. In addition, leave your business card with the date and time of the showing and a 'Thank You!' as a friendly gesture to the sellers and listing agent. Safety First! Showing properties is risky. Although many buyers you work with you know, sometimes they can be total strangers. Always err on the side of caution. Get a copy of their driver license(s), never walk in front of them, never show a home alone, and always let someone at the office know where you are and when you plan to return. Click here to read all 10 Tips for the Perfect Home Showing!
REALTORS® Federal Credit Union Personal and Professional Lines of Credit Whether you're consolidating higher interest debt, investing in home or business improvements, spreading tuition or annual dues payments, or simply opening a line of credit "just in case", you can cover it with a REALTORS® Federal Credit Union line of credit or personal loan.
Apply for personal or professional loans and find out more about great offers here >
WANTED: MAR and NAR 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. MAR Applications Due By Wednesday, May 9 > 2013 NAR Committee Recommendations NAR committee recommendations are also open (login required). NAR Committee Details and Nomination Form > 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.
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