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| March 17, 2014 | |
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Earn the Maryland Short Sale Certification This Thursday Early Bird Pricing Ends Today This one-day program gives you the knowledge to successfully navigate short sales while staying compliant with new regulations including the MARS Act. ALL real estate licensees involved in any aspect of short sales MUST COMPLY with the Act. How do you know if you're in compliance? How do you protect yourself and avoid penalties of up to $5,000 and/or imprisonment? PGCAR is here to help! Join us this Thursday, March 20 9 am - 3 pm at PGCAR Only $195 through TODAY, March 17 / $225 after today Register now at www.pgcar.com > GRI 100 Series Begins April 9  
Improve your industry knowledge and your income! Earn your GRI by taking the GRI 100, 200 and 300 Series in any order.
Register for the entire GRI 100 or individual classes at www.pgcar.com.
Click here to register for the full series >
Also earn 3 MD Ethics hours, 3 MD Fair Housing hours and 10.5 MD elective hours with GRI 100.
Commit to helping more students reach their dreams by joining us now!
Register or Donate > Become a Sponsor >
Senate and House Pass the Flood Insurance Affordability Act President Obama Expected to Sign Quickly On Tuesday, March 4, an amended Homeowner Flood Insurance Affordability Act (H.R. 3370) was passed by the House with a vote of 306 - 91. Last Thursday, March 13, the Senate also approved H.R. 3370, with a vote of 72 - 22. The Senate acted quickly to pass the bill as amended by the House to avoid the need for a conference committee to reconcile any differences. The amended bill further corrects issues with implementation of the Biggert-Waters Flood Insurance Reform Act of 2012. Some of the changes in the House bill include:
Top 10 Things for REALTORS® to Know About Tax Reform Proposal REALTORS® Oppose Plan to Limit MID 
On Wednesday, February 26, House of Representatives Ways and Means Committee Chairman Dave Camp (R-MI) released his long-awaited plan to reform the federal tax system. NAR president Steve Brown expressed the association's strong opposition and extreme disappointment in a statement released shortly after the proposal was unveiled. . .
"NAR supports reforms that promote economic growth, but we strongly oppose severely altering the rules that govern ownership and investment in real estate. Real estate powers almost one-fifth of the U.S. economy, employs more than 17 million Americans, and contributes a quarter of all federal and state tax revenue and as much as 70 percent of local taxes."NAR's Legislative Policy Team has reviewed the 2,000+ page document to evaluate the potential impact on real estate, both on residential and commercial, contained in the "discussion draft." Maryland Senate Unanimously Passes Bill to Overturn 2012 "Pit Bull Legislation" 
The Maryland Senate unanimously passed S.B 247 that overturns the 2012 ruling that deemed pit bulls to be "inherently dangerous."
S.B. 247 passed by a 45-0 vote. On Friday, February 28, the Senate unanimously approved a bill to hold dog owners liable if their pet (regardless of breed) bites someone, unless they can prove they did not know it could happen. Similar legislation (H.B. 73, introduced by Del. Luiz Simmons, D-17) is awaiting action by the House of Delegates. Humane Society, February 28: MD Senate Praised for Passage of Compromise Legislation for Maryland Dogs >
Consumer Tip: Make the Grass Greener on YOUR Side of the Fence Leave the Envy to Your Neighbor 
If this winter's polar vortex has noticeably shocked the cortex of your grass, you'll need to take action to ensure that your lawn is lush and verdant, come summer. Ice, salt, and sub-zero temperatures can all take a toll on greenery; damage will become evident when temperatures warm, as patches you expect to turn green in spring, well... don't.
First, test to see whether the grass is dead or simply dormant by tugging on the brown areas. If they resist your tug, they're likely to revive, but if they pull up easily, you've got dead grass in (and on) your hands. Try these tips for restoring verdancy to your winter-worn turf:
For more information about caring for your lawn and landscape, please visit Houselogic.com > Earn All MD and DC Required CEU at PGCAR All classes are held at PGCAR offices. There's plenty of parking!
 INCLEMENT WEATHER / SNOW POLICY:
SNOW POLICY: PGCAR classes will be conducted as scheduled unless the Prince George's County Government offices are closed. If you are registered for a class and it is cancelled, your registration fee will be returned or transferred to a future class.
Please be safe and use your best judgment with regards to driving. If unable to attend due to weather, please e-mail Scott Miller or call Scott at 301-306-7961 and you will not be charged. If you will not be attending class, please indicate whether you would like to reschedule or if you would like a refund. PGCAR committee meetings: If Prince George's County Public Schools are CLOSED, all PGCAR committee meetings will be cancelled. If Prince George's County Public Schools are on a delayed schedule, committee meetings will be held as scheduled. PGCAR offices will be open unless the Prince George's County Government is closed. Remember! Enjoy Savings on CEU at PGCAR! 
PGCAR Members and REALTORS® - Enjoy steep discounts on ALL classes held at PGCAR!Register for ANY 3 CE class for $18 early bird, $33 regular. Register for ANY 1.5 CE class for $11 early bird, $26 regular. Hurry to www.pgcar.com/real-estate-ceu today > Obama FY 2015 Budget Includes $100 Million for Purple Line Proposed 16-Mile New Carrollton-to-Bethesda Light Rail Line Receives FTA Nod of Approval The proposed FY 2015 federal budget released March 4 by President Obama includes funding of 7 Federal Transit Administration "New Starts" projects, including $100M for the proposed Purple Line which would extend from New Carrollton in Prince George's County to Bethesda in Montgomery County. While the proposed budget will undergo extensive review and negotiations within Congress, it shows FTA's prioritization of public transportation initiatives. Keep up with the Purple Line project at www.purplelinemd.com. Read more at The Washington Post. Market Sen$e: Fixed Mortgage Rates Change Course Again, Edge Back Up 
Last Thursday, March 13, Freddie Mac released results that showed fixed mortgage rates inching up again after last week's mild decline.
Freddie Mac's Vice President and Chief Economist, Frank Nothaft, noted that mortgage rates rose ever-so-slightly amid the week's light economic reports. "Of the few releases, the economy added 175,000 jobs [PDF] in February, which was above the market consensus forecast and followed an upward revision of 25,000 jobs for the prior two months," observed Nothaft. "Meanwhile, the unemployment rate nudged up to 6.7 percent, the first rate increase in over a year." Freddie Mac reports the following averages for the week ending March 13, 2014:
Commercial Real Estate Investors Cautiously Optimistic for 2014 Commercial real estate investments are expected to produce generally solid returns in 2014, according to the authors of Expectations & Market Realities in Real Estate 2014 - The Future Unfolds, an annual forecast report released by Deloitte, NAR, and the Real Estate Research Corporation (RERC). Research findings indicate that although uncertainties remain, the economy is expected to continue to grow slowly and improve modestly in 2014. Ample liquidity is creating investment potential. Furthermore, commercial real estate investment has expanded beyond the primary markets (big cities such as New York, DC and San Francisco) to the secondary and tertiary markets (suburban areas and inland cities). In addition, the report carefully analyzes and offers a research-based assessment of the office, industrial, apartment, retail, and hotel property sectors. The report also provides an outlook for the three most likely economic and investment scenarios for 2014 and beyond. Download the full report > Read the news release > Read a short intro > Sales Coach: Who's Defeating You? You! 10 Things You Should Stop Saying to Yourself 
Words matter. Despite what we said about sticks and stones as kids, what we hear and what we say can make a big difference to ourselves and others. Words can inspire, empower, encourage, or... they can cut us down. And it's what we say to ourselves that matters most.
There are 10 common phrases that we REALTORS® use to defeat ourselves. Take these out of your vernacular now, and see what a difference it makes:
For more information about why you should avoid these, please visit Realtor.org >
HANDS-ON MRIS TRAINING FREE at PGCAR Tomorrow, March 18 @ 9:30 am MATRIX 301: Success with Stats Tomorrow, March 18 @ 1:00 pm MATRIX 102: CMA's, Present Listings with Confidence Tomorrow, March 18 @ 3:00 pm MRIS 301: What's New & What's Coming MRIS reports that agents who take advantage of their FREE workshops, also tend to seldom receive complaints and fines for misuse of the MLS. Visit www.mris.com/training for details and registration. Advance registration with MRIS is required. Leveraging Your Credit Union Free Webinar Next Thursday, March 27 at 10 am Join Victoria Gillespie, National Director of Business Development of REALTORS® Federal Credit Union, as she walks you through the many free products and services available to maximize your financial planning, as a licensed REALTOR®. Just to name a few:
Register for the webinar here > Join the REALTORS® Federal Credit Union here > 2015 NAR Leadership Academy Applications Accepted Through March 31 
Are you already actively involved, have a passion for the industry and a vision for the future of real estate? If this describes you, consider applying for the 2015 graduating class of the National Association of REALTORS® Leadership Academy.
Details and application > November 2014 - May 2015 Academy Sessions > Application deadline is Monday, March 31, 2014 Some people dream of great accomplishments, while others stay awake and do them. - Author Unknown REALTOR® Party Convention & Trade Expo is May 12th - 17th Register Today! 
The REALTOR® Party Convention & Trade Expo (renamed from NAR Midyear Legislative Meetings and Trade Expo) will be Monday through Saturday, May 12th through 17th in Washington, DC. The Trade Expo will be open Wednesday and Thursday, 10 am to 6 pm both days. Come together and take an active role to advance the real estate industry, public policy, and the association. Join fellow REALTORS® for a variety of meetings and events including: special issues forums, committee meetings, legislative activities, and the industry trade show. Registration is still FREE to REALTOR® members. For more information, to plan your Convention Schedule, and to register, click here. REALTOR® Magazine Seeks Good Neighbor Nominations Five Winners will Receive $10,000 Grants and National Publicity 
REALTOR® Magazine is seeking nominees for the 2014 Good Neighbor Awards. The program recognizes REALTORS® whose extraordinary commitment to community service has helped make their communities better places to live.
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 16. Click here for details, rules and an entry form. PGCAR and WCR Membership Applications for 2014 New Agents? Looking for a PGCAR or Local WCR Membership Application? Download the New 2014 PGCAR Membership Application from www.pgcar.com > Women's Council of REALTORS® Prince George's Chapter Membership Application > Membership Renewals Past Due Brokers and non-paid Agents - January 31 was the deadline to pay 2013 - 2014 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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