Monday, April 16, 2012

GTAR Weekly Facts – April 16, 2012


NOTICES:                                                                             
Fusion is the Only MLS on April 24! Come to a Class!
Training classes started March 20, and every user is encouraged to attend! Classes are free, but pre-registration is required. Some of you may want to take the class more than once, so plan ahead!  Come to one of the first classes, then go home, apply what you’ve learned, and enroll again if needed; we have plenty of classes to select from. Register online at tulsarealtors.com (Education – Register for Classes). There are plenty of days and times to choose from; all classes will be in the GTAR Training Center, unless otherwise indicated.  Video help is available for Fusion at http://tulsarealtors.com/support. (Note: This site will be functional and working, but is being updated daily.)
Fusion Classes:
Tuesday, April 17, 1:00-4:00 p.m.
Thursday, April 19, 9:00 a.m. -12:00 p.m.
April 28-29
2012 Nationwide Open House Weekend
Mark your calendars for April 28 and 29, and plan to join REALTORS® and associations throughout the country, as well as outside the U.S. for an all-weekend open house. Last year’s Nationwide Open House was a huge success for GTAR members—over 800 open houses were listed! Let’s beat that number this year! Forgot how to list an open house on tulsarealtors.com? Follow these instructions: Go to www.tulsarealtors.com; Click NORES Member Login; Log in to the site; At the main menu, click on Open House/View Webstats; Select the property to add as an Open House; Pick the date and time; Click Save. A  PR campaign to promote the weekend is being planned. For 5 Ways to Increase Your Open House Traffic, check out the April 2012 issue of the GTAR World newsletter: http://tulsarealtors.com/newsletter/.
April 19
Free Open House Safety Webinar for REALTORS®
10:00 a.m. (CDT); safety expert Andrew Wooten will present "Every Agent's Five-Step Plan for Open Houses," which highlights steps and procedures to follow for a safe and successful open house. Start preparing for the 2012 Nationwide Open House Weekend, April 28 and 29, by registering today for this valuable webinar—space is limited. Read more > 
RESCHEDULED: REALTOR® Day at the Capitol
Originally scheduled for April 11; the new date is April 24. Please RSVP by April 20 to Stephanie Gaddy at stephanie@OklahomaRealtors.com. If you RSVP'd for April 11, you will need to re-RSVP for April 24.a fun and informative afternoon at the Capitol on its new day, April 24. REALTOR Day at the Capitol will kick off with a legislative update on all the issues affecting the real estate industry from OAR's Senior Vice President of Government Affairs Charla Slabotsky and Lobbyist Richard Phillips. Then, you'll watch the legislature in action and see what your Representatives and Senators do on behalf of your district. Next, you will be able to meet your legislators and personally thank them for their important work and take the time to share your views on the bills on which they will be voting. The afternoon will wrap up with an ice cream treat in the rotunda. Show the Political Power of Oklahoma REALTORS®! Bring some friends and we'll see you at the Capitol! 
April is Fair Housing Month
April 2012 marks the 44th anniversary of the 1968 landmark Fair Housing Act. Each year REALTORS® recognize the significance of this event and reconfirm our commitment to upholding fair housing law as well as our commitment to offering equal professional service to all in their search for real property. For more information and resources, click here.
EDUCATION:
April 17-18
Broker in Charge Course
A few seats are still available! If your license type is a Broker Manager (BM), Proprietor Broker (BP), or Branch Broker (BB) (even if only for ONE day during that license term) AND your real estate license expires on or after June 30, 2012, then you are required to complete an approved 15-hour Broker in Charge (BIC) class PLUS an additional 6 hours of required subject matter in at least two core courses (BRA, PSC, FHR or HOT) prior to your license renewal. Cost is $90. Class size is limited to 15. For more information and to register, go to tulsarealtors.com.

Other CE in April
(FHR) Fair Housing and Ethical Practices: Wednesday, April 18, 1:00-4:00 p.m. (Class Pass Eligible! email education@tulsarealtors.com to register or call 918-663-7500.)
(BRA) OK Broker Relationships: Monday, April 23, 1:00-4:00 p.m. (Class Pass Eligible! email education@tulsarealtors.com to register or call 918-663-7500.)
April 19
Avoid Costly Discrimination Lawsuits and Unwanted Investigations
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) is sponsoring a “Disability Rights Awareness Training” class on Thursday, April 19, 8:30 a.m.-4:00 p.m. at Langston University-OKC Campus, 4205 N. Lincoln Blvd. This training is designed to provide attorneys, REALTORS®, landlords, property managers, architects, builders and/or housing authority staff, guidance on the rights of those with disability. Topics of discussion will include: Fair Housing Law and What It Means, Housing Needs for People with Disabilities and Promoting Integrated Housing, Section 504, Reasonable Accommodation, Design and Construction, Accessibility/ADA and Disability Etiquette. Register early—seating is limited to the first 100 registered! Register online at http://www.hud.gov/oklahoma.  For further information, please contact Gayla Evans, Equal Opportunity Assistant, at 405-609-8441.  (This is not a GTAR event.)
Upcoming Computer Classes at GTAR
Pre-registration is required; space is limited to 14 per class. For more information and to enroll: log on to tulsarealtors.com, click the red Education bar on the Member Services page, then click Register for Classes. All classes are held in the GTAR Computer Lab, unless otherwise stated.
Realist: Thursday, April 19, 2:00-4:00 p.m. (Class is FULL)
COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE:
April 26
Oklahoma RCA Presents: 2012 State of the Market
This event will feature national speaker Mark Dotzour, chief economist of the Real Estate Center at Texas A&M University, as well as an Oklahoma commercial market update from local panelists. Lunch is included, and a cocktail reception will follow the event. Cost is $50 early-bird through April 19, and $60 after. Event will be held at the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum. For more information and to register, go to www.oklahomarca.com . (This is not a GTAR event.)
GOVERNMENT ISSUES/LEGAL:
Federal Judge Agrees with NAR on EPA Overreach
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency overstepped its authority last year when it vetoed a Clean Water Act permit for a mountaintop-removal coal mining project in West Virginia, U.S. District Court Judge Amy Berman has ruled. The ruling is consistent with the view of NAR, which joined other groups in an amicus brief saying EPA doesn’t have authority to veto a permit  issued by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and that its own analysts had previously reviewed.
Rentals OK Given Market Conditions, Fed Says
Banks should strive to sell their REO properties on their books as quickly and smoothly as possible and use qualified, experienced professionals with local market knowledge in that process but it’s also okay to use some of the properties as rentals given today’s extraordinary market conditions, the Federal Reserve says in a policy statement it’s just released. NAR has said in statements to banking regulators that REO-to-rental programs should proceed only with caution to enable markets to recover appropriately, and also to help ensure the focus remains on keeping households in their homes as homeowners.
FCC Adopts ‘Robocall’ Rules
The Federal Communications Commission has synchronized its rules on “robocalls” with those of the Federal Trade Commission. "Robocalls" are autodialed and prerecorded calls. And the synchronized rules prohibit telemarketing, or sales, robocalls to residential subscribers without first obtaining the express written consent of the recipient. More.
April 19
Webinar: 6 Cases and What They Mean for Your Business
REALTOR® Magazine will be hosting NAR Associate General Counsel Ralph Holmen and Senior Counsel Finley Maxson as they walk you through six significant cases last year and how they impact the practice of real estate for those in the impacted state. Although the state cases impact only what goes on within their borders, knowing what’s happening in other states can give you a head’s up on issues that may impact your state soon. The U.S. Supreme Court’s EPA permitting case, which was just decided in favor of home owners trying to build a house in a developed subdivision, will also be looked at. The webinar is Thursday, April 19, at 2:00 p.m. (CDT). Registration link
INFORMATION TO USE:
Tax Benefits of Owning on HouseLogic
HouseLogic, NAR’s consumer-facing website, is reminding households of the tax benefits of home ownership with a special tax section as April 15 nears.
Free Consumer Content: Avoiding Gardening Mistakes
The latest free content for your websites, blogs, social media pages, and print resources from HouseLogic’s REALTOR® Content Resource looks at avoiding seven gardening mistakes.
MEMBERSHIP APPLICATIONS:
Comments on the following REALTOR® applicants should be submitted by REALTOR® members to the Membership Committee, c/o GTAR, PO Box 470603, Tulsa, OK 74147.
REALTOR®:
Darryl Baskin, associated with McGraw, REALTORS® (First Publication)
Stephen Dixon, d/b/a Dixon Real Estate (First Publication)
Kathy Findahl, associated with Keller Williams Realty (First Publication)
Firm Affiliate:
David Gibson, Inc., Designated Individual, Robert Blaine (First Publication)


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