Weekly Facts Blog – August 11, 2008

This Week!
Early-Bird Savings Ends on SRES® Designation Course
Friday, August 15 is your last chance to save $70 on the cost of the two-day SRES® (Seniors Real Estate Specialist) Designation course being offered at GTAR on Monday and Tuesday, August 25 and 26 with national instructor Ruth Fennell. Cost for the course is currently $325, but will jump to $395 after August 15! (cost includes the first year’s dues of $99 in the SRES® Council). Don’t wait to register – space is limited to 50! Earning the SRES® Designation is easy—all you have to do is complete the two-day course and pass the exam—And, OREC has just approved the course for 16 hours of elective CE credit. For course details and online registration, log on to tulsarealtors.com; under Member Resources, click Education-Enroll in Classes, then click Register for Classes. For more detailed information about the SRES® Designation, including member benefits, visit www.SRES.org.

Just Approved for CE Credit!
HUD Internet Training – Tuesday, August 19
1:00 – 4:00 p.m. in the GTAR Training Center with instructor Mary Berry. This course is filling up – so don’t wait too long to register or you may miss out! Mary will teach you how to register with HUD in Bid Select yearly; how to sign up in Bid Select and maintain your profile; how to search for a HUD property; how to search the Bid Select site for HUD properties; how to submit a HUD bid; how to search the bids once they are open on the Bid Select site, and more. OREC approved for 3 hours elective CE credit. (NOTE: This is not the same HUD course that was offered at GTAR back in June.) For course details and online registration, log on to tulsarealtors.com; under Member Resources, click Education-Enroll in Classes, then click Register for Classes.

At Home with Diversity Certification Course – Wednesday, August 27
Offered for the first time at GTAR! 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. in the GTAR Training Center with national instructor Ruth Fennell. In today’s housing market, where client profiles are changing rapidly, earning the confidence of a potential homebuyer is more complex than it used to be. Real estate professionals who adapt to increasing cultural diversity in the market and who wisely plan to meet the needs of diverse clients gain a competitive edge and expand opportunities. At Home with Diversity® addresses issues of diversity, fair housing, and cultural differences. The course teaches you to transact business in culturally competent ways. Participation in the course earns you the NAR At Home with Diversity® certification and credit toward the CIPS, CRS, and PMN designations. OREC has just approved this course for 3 hours required fair housing (FHR) CE credit and 3 hours elective (6 hours of CE credit total). Cost for the course is $75. Don’t wait to register – space is limited to 75! For course details and online registration, log on to tulsarealtors.com; under Member Resources, click Education-Enroll in Classes, then click Register for Classes.

NAR Marks 6th Annual National REALTOR® Safety Week: September 14 – 20
The safety of our more than 1.2 million members is always a top priority for NAR. We are committed to helping our members stay safe while on the job, at home, and on the road. To raise awareness about this important issue, September 14–20, 2008 has been officially designated as the fifth annual REALTOR® Safety Week. Click on the following link to find great tools and resources on safety: http://www.realtor.org/about_nar/safety_week/index2008. Locally, GTAR will be recognizing National REALTOR® Safety Week by offering its now semi-annual Safety Seminar (see below for details). GTAR will also start including safety information from NAR in the Weekly Facts Blog, on tulsarealtors.com, and in the September GTAR World newsletter.

Safety Seminar: Scams, Shams & Shenanigans – Thursday, September 4
9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. in the GTAR Training Center with KOTV News at 5 Anchor, Lori Fullbright and CEO, Rick Brinkley of the Better Business Bureau of Eastern Oklahoma….and, safety skits by GTAR’s own Not Quite Ready for Prime Time REALTOR-ASSOCIATES®. Don’t miss one of GTAR’s most popular and important CE courses! OREC approved for 3 hours required (HOT) CE credit. (NOTE: If you took this course for CE credit when it was last offered in April 2007, and are still in the same licensing period, you cannot receive CE credit this time.) For more information and to register online: Log on to tulsarealtors.com; under Member Resources, click Education-Enroll for Classes, then click Register for Classes.

CRS 210 Course: Building an Exceptional Customer Referral Base
Early-Bird Registration Deadline is August 31
This two-day course is scheduled for Thursday and Friday, September 18 and 19, in the GTAR Training Center with national instructor Charles Bode. If you are planning on taking this course and register by August 31, the cost is $250; after August 31, the cost will be $275. This is a highly interactive course designed to deliver all the essentials for refocusing the student’s business plan to a customer service centered, repeat, and referral business. The information provided will help identify the expectations of the “new consumer,” the “new behaviors” necessary to meet those expectations, and specific systems to make the agent’s business more productive, more profitable, and more enjoyable. OREC approved for 16 hours elective CE credit. For more information and to register online: Log on to tulsamls.net; under Member Resources, click Education-Enroll for Classes, then click Register for Classes.

Summary of Key Provisions of H.R. 3221 – Housing Stimulus Bill
H.R. 3221, the “Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008,” passed the House on July 23, 2008, by a vote of 272-152. On Saturday, July 26, 2008, the Senate passed the bill by a vote of 72-13. The President signed the bill on July 30, 2008. NAR has provided a Summary of Key Provisions of H.R. 3221 on their website (REALTOR.org); you can access the summary by clicking on the following link: http://www.realtor.org/gapublic.nsf/pages/hr_3221_key_provisions?OpenDocument

Upcoming Computer Classes at GTAR
Pre-registration is required. For more information or to enroll, log on to tulsarealtors.com; under Member Resources, click Education-Enroll for Classes, then click Register in Classes. All classes are held in the GTAR Computer Lab.

CIE Manager: Tuesday, August 12, 2:00 – 4:00 p.m.
Realist Tax System: Monday, August 18, 10:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
MarketLinx 1: Wednesday, August 27, 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.