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| May 28, 2012 | |
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GRI
200 @ PGCAR! - Starting Next Wednesday, June 6   Presented by the Maryland Association of REALTORS® andSponsored by the Prince George's County Association of REALTORS® PGCAR Association Office
Just need a few make-up classes, or want to learn in-depth
knowledge of specific topics? Hurry! Classes are limited to the first 40 registrants! PGCAR
Protecting the American Dream Thank You to Everyone Who Showed up for the REALTOR® Rally Thursday, May 17, was a beautiful day with a sea of blue standing in the shadow of the Washington Monument. Over 13,800 REALTORS® gathered to protect Home Ownership, and PGCAR made a great showing with a sold out bus and a vocal, ready-to-rally group. In addition, 12 members of Congress attended and 29 major media outlets were there, including CNN and CNBC. NAR President Moe Veissi recounted the success of the Rally and commented that it showed consumers when something as important as home ownership is on the table, REALTORS® are "...in it with them and for them. Whenever you do those things in life, you know you've accomplished something great." We appreciate PGCAR members doing their part to Protect the American Dream!
View the NAR photo gallery here > Join the Virtual Rally Virtual Rallies are the modern-day equivalent of signing a petition. So whether you made it to the Rally or not, you can continue to fight for Home Ownership Matters by adding your support in 4 easy steps:
Two
FREE Classes - Helping You Succeed! This Wednesday, May 30  10 am to 12 noon
The Road Map to Success - Join us to learn. This class is about growing you and your Business, reaching your goals, and getting to the next level. FREE to PGCAR members ~ RSVP today >
Finish 2012 as Successfully as You Started It - National real estate expert Steve Harney will give you a 3-step plan to guarantee that 2012 will be the best year of your career. In this webinar you will learn how to re-work your annual goals, uncover the hidden opportunities in an improving market, and ride the current momentum to an exceptional 2012 income. Don't
Miss the 2012 Housing Fair! Next Saturday, June 9  9 am to 3 pm Wayne K. Curry Sports and Learning Complex What a great opportunity to meet others in the real estate industry . . . and consumers! Please come, and invite all of your customers and prospective customers to come! The Housing Fair will allow you . . . and consumers to visit with mortgage lenders & bankers, housing counselors, rental property management, home developers and more! Attendees will learn how to avoid housing scams, prevent foreclosure, find affordable housing, and manage their money & credit. In addition, the Prince George's Housing Fair will have its first-time ever house lottery! One lucky winner will be drawn to purchase a single family home in Prince George's County at a substantially reduced price. Click here to download a Housing Fair Flyer
CRS
Training: Three Classes - One Great Offer Register for ANY ONE Class and Get a SECOND Class for 50% Off
CLASS CHOICES: Wednesday, June 27, 2012, 8:00 am - 5:00 pm Tuesday, October 23, 2012, 8:00 am - 5:00 pm Visit the CRS website for more details.
MAR'S
CARE and Special Project Awards Due June 15 Give 10 Minutes to Win $10,000 for Charity 
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 each year for their favorite charity, or they collect 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 an opportunity 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 increase sponsorship opportunities for our graduating students; we could give it to a food bank or numerous other charities - the possibilities are endless. Please take a few minutes to tell us how you help your community! Nominations are due to PGCAR by Friday, June 15. Click Here for the CARE / Special Project Nomination Form Positively No Late Submissions Will Be Accepted. My
Home and Buy Suitland Homebuyer Assistance Programs FREE Workshop for Homebuyers 
Saturday, June 16 Keller Williams Realty Homebuyers will learn about the My HOME and Buy Suitland loan programs. This workshop is for informational purposes only and does not substitute for the required 8 hours housing counseling class. RSVP required: LAJONES1@co.pg.md.us
Consumer
Tip: Be Prepared for an Emergency  Putting together an emergency preparedness kit
for your home may seem like a waste of time and money - until disaster
strikes. While the government has protocols and procedures in place to
respond as quickly as possible, it still may take them some time to come
to your aid. Preparing and keeping a fully-stocked home emergency kit
could be the key to your family's safety. Here are the essentials
recommended by FEMA:
Water (Drinking and Sanitation) At least one gallon per person per day for at least three days - if you have pets, factor in their needs as well. Bottled water is best, but you can also store tap water in containers that have been sanitized. Food & Can Opener At least a three-day supply of a variety of non-perishables (protein, fruits and vegetables). Include treats and snacks like cereal bars, trail mix and candy. Food should be kept in a cool, dry place and stored in pest-proof containers. Flashlights Because they are a fire hazard, candles should never be used. Make sure to keep the flashlight charged and/or extra batteries on hand. First-aid Kit Sterile gloves, band-aids, sterile dressings, cleanser, antibiotic ointment and wipes, eye wash, thermometer, scissors, tweezers, petroleum jelly, aspirin or non-aspirin pain reliever and stomach analgesics should all be kept together for easy access. Hygiene Supplies Make sure to stock up on toiletries (toothpaste, soap, shampoo, etc.), paper towels, toilet paper and garbage bags. Radio or TV In case you lose power, make sure you have a battery- or crank-operated radio or television and extra batteries, along with a cell phone charger. Extras Toys for children and pets, prescription medication, plastic sheeting, duct tape and cash are also good to have on hand. Check and replace supplies before their expiration date, and update your kit at least once a year as your needs change. Go to houselogic.com for more tips on how to prepare for an emergency. Council
Passes Budget with Reduced Recordation Fee Increase Thank You for Responding to this Call to Action Well over 4,300 opposition emails were sent to the County Council and the County Executive by PGCAR members, along with the opposition voices from another 2,145 concerned citizen voters who phoned their Council representatives through "robo call pass-throughs" hosted by NAR. In addition, the Maryland Association of REALTORS® generously contributed to the cause, allowing us to run two full-page advocacy advertisements in the Prince George's Gazette. And PGCAR representatives spent countless hours meeting with public officials to plead our case. Thank you to everyone who contributed! Because of PGCAR lobbying efforts, we were successful in forcing a compromise between the County Council and the County Executive that resulted in a "reduced increase" from the original proposal of $.50 (per $500 in home sale price) to a more reasonable $.25. We were also successful in bringing this issue to the attention of the membership and the general public, and in lessening the impact of the fee increase. The new
recordation fee of $2.75 per $500 in home sale price Market
Sen$e: Historic Lows Hold Steady for Fixed Mortgage
Rates  Results released last Thursday, May 24 show average fixed
mortgages rates are still holding at record lows (30-year fixed-rate was
down slightly to 3.78 percent while the 15-year fixed-rate remained
unchanged from last week). Frank Nothaft, vice president and chief
economist of Freddie Mac, states, "Mortgage rates were virtually unchanged
this week with fixed-rate loans remaining at record lows and helping to
drive homebuyer affordability. The National Association of REALTOR®'s Housing Affordability Index reached an
all-time record high in the first quarter of this year since records began
in 1970. In April, existing home sales rose to the highest
rate since January with an annualized rate of 4.62 million homes with
purchases increasing in all four Census Regions. Similarly, sales of new homes also rose last month, beating
the market consensus forecast. In addition, the Federal Housing Finance
Agency purchase-only house price index rose 0.4
between the first quarter of 2011 and 2012 and represented the first
4-quarter increase since the first quarter of 2007."
Freddie Mac reports the following averages for the week ending May 24, 2012:
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - April National Existing-Home Sales
Up, Prices Rise Again Lawrence Yun, NAR chief economist, said the housing recovery is underway. "It is no longer just the investors who are taking advantage of high affordability conditions. A return of normal home buying for occupancy is helping home sales across all price points, and now the recovery appears to be extending to home prices," he said. "The general downtrend in both listed and shadow inventory has shifted from a buyers' market to one that is much more balanced, but in some areas it has become a seller's market." A diminishing share of foreclosed property sales is helping home values. Moreover, an acute shortage of inventory in certain markets is leading to multiple biddings and escalating price conditions," Yun said. He notes some areas with tight supply include the Washington, D.C., area; Miami; Naples, Fla.; North Dakota; Phoenix; Orange County, Calif.; and Seattle. "We expect stronger price increases in most of these areas." To be the first to see Prince George's May home sale statistics when they're released, like us at www.facebook/pgcar. Commercial
Real Estate Market Improving Multifamily Sector Strong Shaking off a prolonged impact from the recession, fundamentals are gradually improving in all of the major commercial real estate sectors, according to NAR's quarterly commercial real estate forecast and the May 2012 quarterly Commercial Real Estate Market Survey, which collects data from members about market activity. The apartment rental market has fully recovered and is growing. Lawrence Yun, NAR chief economist, said new jobs are the key. "Ongoing job creation, which is at a higher level this year, is fueling an underlying demand for commercial real estate space, assisted by a steady increase in consumer spending," he said. "The pattern shows gradually declining commercial vacancy rates, with consequential but generally modest rent growth. Although we need even stronger job growth, by far the greatest impact of job creation is in multifamily housing, where newly formed households striking out on their own have increased demand for apartment rentals - this is the sector with the lowest vacancy rates and strongest rent growth, which is attracting many investors." Rising apartment rents also are having a positive impact on home sales because many long-time renters now view homeownership as a better long-term option, Yun noted. Senate
Passes 60-Day NFIP Extension On May 24, the Senate approved a 60-day extension of the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) under an agreement between Senators Reid and Vitter. Because the Senate amended H.R. 5470 to include 60 rather than 30 days, the House will again have to pass the extension bill, which is expected early this week. Currently, program authority is set to expire this Thursday, May 31. Under the terms of this agreement, in early June, the Senate will also bring up and vote on the 5-year Flood Insurance Reform Act (which has already passed the House). Several hurdles remain before a bill can become law, but these are positive steps toward the long-term solution NAR continues to advocate for. Learn more > 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: How to Sweep Prospects Off of Their Feet  The secret to pleasing prospects, turning referrals into
clients, and getting repeat business is to use the same interpersonal
skills that one would use on a first date. To improve your chances, pay
attention to the small - often overlooked - details that can make or break
the relationship. Here are some tips to get you started on building your
interaction skills so you can land the client and close the deal.
DON'T APPEAR DESPERATE Approaching the client as if you don't need the business, but would like their business, is a sure way to make them feel special. DO APPEAR CONFIDENT If you feel confident with your abilities, your clients will pick up on it and will want to work with you. Just be careful that you don't cross the line from confidence to arrogance. DO MAKE THEM FEEL SPECIAL Show your prospect that you're interested in working with them. Make the extra effort to pursue them and follow up, then let them know it's time for a commitment - in the form of a contract. DON'T TALK MORE THAN YOU LISTEN No one wants to spend time with someone so self-absorbed that they can't get a word in edgewise. To establish a good connection with a prospect, ask a lot of questions, wait until they are finished speaking, and give them time to open up. DO TAKE TIME TO GET READY First impressions are important. Don't go to showings in jeans and a t-shirt; do brush your teeth after lunch; and do clean out your car before volunteering to drive. These things only take a few minutes to do, but can have lasting effects (positive or negative) with a potential client. DON'T WHINE Complaining is off-limits - even if your client is venting their frustrations. Remember, you're being paid to listen and respond to their concerns. So show up in a good mood and keep any problems to yourself. DO CALL When you've just listed new clients, always call the next day. Don't be rude by keeping them waiting. Prospects sometimes fear that you'll sign them and then disappear. Put them at ease by proving that you'll keep in touch. ALWAYS BE YOURSELF Just like the best relationships, the best clients are the people who like you just the way you are. If you're pretending to be somebody else, the charade can only last so long. So be yourself and do your job extremely well. Those are the two things that will help you get, build and maintain great relationships! For more details and all 10 Dating Rules, click here >
REALTORS® Federal Credit Union Why Join REALTORS® FCU? It's the 24/7 credit union designed for your unique needs as a REALTOR®!
Join Online > It only takes 15 minutes! Free
Hands-On MRIS Tools Training at PGCAR MRIS 201: Maximize Your Productivity with
MRIS Visit www.mris.com/training for details and registration. Advance registration with MRIS is required. PGCAR
Membership Application - for New or Returning Agents For new agents, please download, print and use the 2012 membership application at www.pgcar.com > For any returning agents who did not pay 2012 dues, you will need to Renew Online and pay the reinstatement and late fees to regain SentriLock access. If your online access is no longer active, please call the office at 301-306-7900 to renew. 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.
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