Weekly Facts Blog – December 28, 2009

HAPPY NEW YEAR!
Thursday, December 31: GTAR/NORES office will close at 12:00 p.m.
Friday, January 1: GTAR/NORES office will be closed all day.

Reminder: Board Store Closed for Inventory until January 4
The GTAR/NORES Board Store is closed for inventory until noon on Monday, January 4, 2010. This does not affect Key and KeyBox purchases.

2010 GTAR Annual Dues are LATE!
If dues are not paid by January 1, 2010, MLS services will be suspended and keys shut off. To reinstate will require a $40 reinstatement fee and new paperwork from the broker. You can pay by credit card online at tulsarealtors.com; on the main Member Services page, click on the yellow View/Pay Bill bar, then click GTAR–Accounts Receivables, and follow instructions to pay. Payment can also be made by calling the GTAR/NORES office at 918-663-7500 during business hours or by mailing a check, payable to GTAR, to P.O. Box 470603, Tulsa, OK 74147. After business hours you can drop payments in the mail slot located inside the front entrance foyer of the GTAR/NORES office.

Get Your Required CE Hours in January
Don’t wait until the end of your 3-year licensing period to get your CE hours! Take advantage of a slow month and knock out all 12 OREC required core CE hours; classes in all four categories (HOT, FHR, PSC, BRA) will be offered at GTAR in January. For details and online registration, log on to tulsarealtors.com; on the main Member Services page, click the red Education bar, then click Register for Classes. All classes are in the GTAR Training Center and cost $15 pre-registered or $20 the day of class, unless otherwise indicated.

Thursday, January 7: What the 2010 RESPA Changes Mean to Me and My Business (HOT)
9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. with instructor Attorney Monica Wittrock. The new RESPA changes become effective January 1, 2010. Think the changes won’t affect you as a real estate professional? Better think again! Click Here for Course Details

Thursday, January 14: Fair Housing and Ethical Practices (FHR)
1:00 – 4:00 p.m. with Kathryn Jones.

Thursday, January 21: REALTOR® Ethics (PSC)
1:00 – 4:00 p.m. instructor TBA; this class is free but space is limited and pre-registration is required.

Monday, January 25: OK Broker Relationships (BRA)
1:00 – 4:00 p.m. with instructor Ann Lloyd.

GTAR/NORES Inclement Weather Policy for Classes
We are entering that time of year when the weather does not always work in our favor; therefore, GTAR/NORES has established the following inclement weather policy for all education classes at GTAR (CE, Computer, New Member Orientation, etc.): If Tulsa Public Schools are closed the day of a scheduled class, the GTAR/NORES class is cancelled. It doesn’t matter if it’s a morning or afternoon class. Depending on the type of class being cancelled, the class will either be rescheduled for a future date or a full refund will be issued. Please be sure to check one of the local news channels the night before and/or morning of a scheduled class for school closings.

Remember: GTAR Also Offers CE Classes Online
Whether you’ve waited until the last minute to get your 21 hours of CE for license renewal or just prefer to take classes online on your schedule at your pace, you’re in luck. Through GTAR’s partnership with McKissock Education Online, all the classes you need to fulfill OREC’s CE requirements are available to you 24/7, 365 days a year from any computer with Internet Access. McKissock even offers approved classes for appraisers. All support is handled by McKissock–technical problems, course questions, CE processing with OREC, and certificate issuing. McKissock has an excellent reputation for their course quality and customer service. Check out McKissock by clicking on the following link: GTAR Online Education

REO Specialist Certification
Tuesday & Wednesday, February 23 & 24
9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. in the GTAR Training Center with Marlene Burkhart. In this two-day course you will learn how to become an REO listing agent, how to manage REO properties, how to work with the buyer purchasing an REO property, how to finance your REO property, and much more. Cost is $179. This course is currently pending 12 hours of CE credit with OREC. Click on the following link for detailed course information and registration: REO Specialist Course Details

Has Your Listing’s Flood Zone Changed?
FEMA updated their flood maps 08/03/2009. Click here to check your listings flood zone.

TulsaRealtors.com Web-Email Upgrade
GTAR/NORES is finalizing plans for a TulsaRealtors.com WebE-Mail upgrade. This upgrade should address the Web-Email issues some users have been encountering, and will allow for a more stable email environment and less problems for the user when using TulsaRealtors Web-Email at http://mail.tulsarealtors.com. These changes will not affect users of mail clients such as Outlook or Outlook Express. The current track for this upgrade to be released is early January 2010.

REALTOR® 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.

Steven R. Ball, Legacy Real Estate, LLC. (First Publication)

Weekly Facts Blog – December 21, 2009

Merry Christmas & Happy Holidays!
Thursday, December 24: GTAR/NORES Office will close at 12:00 p.m.
Friday, December 25: GTAR/NORES Office will be closed all day
Thursday, December 31: Office will close at 12:00 p.m.
Friday, January 1: Office will be closed all day

December 24 to January 4 — Board Store Closed for Inventory
The GTAR/NORES Board Store will be closed for inventory from noon Thursday, December 24 until noon on Monday, January 4, 2010, so please plan ahead. This will not affect Key and KeyBox purchases.

LATE: 2010 GTAR Annual Dues
The deadline to pay your 2010 GTAR annual dues without penalty was November 30, 2009; a $20 late payment fee has now been added to your account. You can pay by credit card online at tulsarealtors.com; on the main Member Services page, click on the yellow View/Pay Bill bar, then click GTAR–Accounts Receivables, and follow instructions to pay. Payment can also be made by calling the GTAR/NORES office at 918-663-7500 during business hours or by mailing a check, payable to GTAR, to P.O. Box 470603, Tulsa, OK 74147. After business hours you can drop payments in the mail slot located inside the front entrance foyer of the GTAR/NORES office.

Get Your Required CE Hours in January
Don’t wait until the end of your 3-year licensing period to get your CE hours! Take advantage of a slow month and knock out all 12 OREC required core CE hours; classes in all four categories (HOT, FHR, PSC, BRA) will be offered at GTAR in January. For details and online registration, log on to tulsarealtors.com; on the main Member Services page, click the red Education bar, then click Register for Classes. All classes are in the GTAR Training Center and cost $15 pre-registered or $20 the day of class, unless otherwise indicated.

Thursday, January 7: What the 2010 RESPA Changes Mean to Me and My Business (HOT)
9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. with instructor Attorney Monica Wittrock. The new RESPA changes become effective January 1, 2010. Think the changes won’t affect you as a real estate professional? Better think again! Click Here for Course Details

Thursday, January 14: Fair Housing and Ethical Practices (FHR)
1:00 – 4:00 p.m. with Kathryn Jones. (Please note: This is a new date.)

Thursday, January 21: REALTOR® Ethics (PSC)
1:00 – 4:00 p.m. instructor TBA; this class is free but space is limited and pre-registration is required.

Monday, January 25: OK Broker Relationships (BRA)
1:00 – 4:00 p.m. with instructor Ann Lloyd.

GTAR/NORES Inclement Weather Policy for Classes
We are entering that time of year when the weather does not always work in our favor; therefore, GTAR/NORES has established the following inclement weather policy for all education classes at GTAR (CE, Computer, New Member Orientation, etc.): If Tulsa Public Schools are closed the day of a scheduled class, the GTAR/NORES class is cancelled. It doesn’t matter if it’s a morning or afternoon class. Depending on the type of class being cancelled, the class will either be rescheduled for a future date or a full refund will be issued. Please be sure to check one of the local news channels the night before and/or morning of a scheduled class for school closings.

Remember: GTAR Also Offers CE Classes Online
Whether you’ve waited until the last minute to get your 21 hours of CE for license renewal or just prefer to take classes online on your schedule at your pace, you’re in luck. Through GTAR’s partnership with McKissock Education Online, all the classes you need to fulfill OREC’s CE requirements are available to you 24/7, 365 days a year from any computer with Internet Access. McKissock even offers approved classes for appraisers. All support is handled by McKissock–technical problems, course questions, CE processing with OREC, and certificate issuing. McKissock has an excellent reputation for their course quality and customer service. Check out McKissock by clicking on the following link: GTAR Online Education

NEW! REO Specialist Certification
Tuesday & Wednesday, February 23 & 24
9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. in the GTAR Training Center with Marlene Burkhart. In this two-day course you will learn how to become an REO listing agent, how to manage REO properties, how to work with the buyer purchasing an REO property, how to finance your REO property, and much more. Cost is $179. This course is currently pending 12 hours of CE credit with OREC. Click on the following link for detailed course information and registration: REO Specialist Course Details

Has Your Listing’s Flood Zone Changed?
FEMA updated their flood maps 08/03/2009. Click here to check your listings flood zone.

TulsaRealtors.com Web-Email Upgrade
GTAR/NORES is finalizing plans for a TulsaRealtors.com WebE-Mail upgrade. This upgrade should address the Web-Email issues some users have been encountering, and will allow for a more stable email environment and less problems for the user when using TulsaRealtors Web-Email at http://mail.tulsarealtors.com. These changes will not affect users of mail clients such as Outlook or Outlook Express. The current track for this upgrade to be released is early January 2010.

REALTOR® 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.

Tomas Barrientos, TuCasa Realty, LLC (Second Publication)

Weekly Facts Blog – December 14, 2009

GTAR/NORES HOLIDAY SCHEDULE
Tuesday, December 15: Office closes at 3:00 p.m.
Thursday, December 24: Office closes at 12:00 p.m.
Friday, December 25: Office is closed all day
Thursday, December 31: Office closes at 12:00 p.m.
Friday, January 1: Office is closed all day

December 24 to January 4 — Board Store Closed for Inventory
The GTAR/NORES Board Store will be closed for inventory from noon Thursday, December 24 until noon on Monday, January 4, 2010, so please plan ahead. This will not affect Key and KeyBox purchases.

LATE: 2010 GTAR Annual Dues
The deadline to pay your 2010 GTAR annual dues without penalty was November 30, 2009; a $20 late payment fee has now been added to your account. You can pay by credit card online at tulsarealtors.com; on the main Member Services page, click on the yellow View/Pay Bill bar, then click GTAR–Accounts Receivables, and follow instructions to pay. Payment can also be made by calling the GTAR/NORES office at 918-663-7500 during business hours or by mailing a check, payable to GTAR, to P.O. Box 470603, Tulsa, OK 74147. After business hours you can drop payments in the mail slot located inside the front entrance foyer of the GTAR/NORES office.

CANCELLED!
If you are scheduled for one of the classes below, please go online and enroll for a future class. Log in to tulsarealtors.com and click the red Education bar on the main page. All classes are held in the GTAR Computer Lab.

CANCELLED:MarketLinx 2: Monday, December 14, 1:00 – 4:00 p.m.
CANCELLED: MarketLinx 3 (Prospect Gateway): Wednesday, December 16, 2:00 – 4:00 p.m.

Get Your Required CE Hours in January
Don’t wait until the end of your 3-year licensing period to get your CE hours! Take advantage of a slow month and knock out all 12 OREC required core CE hours; classes in all four categories (HOT, FHR, PSC, BRA) will be offered at GTAR in January. For details and online registration, log on to tulsarealtors.com; on the main Member Services page, click the red Education bar, then click Register for Classes. All classes are in the GTAR Training Center and cost $15 pre-registered or $20 the day of class, unless otherwise indicated.

Thursday, January 7: What the 2010 RESPA Changes Mean to Me and My Business (HOT)
9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. with instructor Attorney Monica Wittrock. The new RESPA changes become effective January 1, 2010. Think the changes won’t affect you as a real estate professional? Better think again! Click Here for Course Details

Tuesday, January 12: Fair Housing and Ethical Practices (FHR)
1:00 – 4:00 p.m. with instructor Kathryn Jones.

Thursday, January 21: REALTOR® Ethics (PSC)
1:00 – 4:00 p.m. instructor TBA; this class is free but space is limited and pre-registration is required.

Monday, January 25: OK Broker Relationships (BRA)
1:00 – 4:00 p.m. with instructor Ann Lloyd.

GTAR/NORES Inclement Weather Policy for Classes
We are entering that time of year when the weather does not always work in our favor; therefore, GTAR/NORES has established the following inclement weather policy for all education classes at GTAR (CE, Computer, New Member Orientation, etc.): If Tulsa Public Schools are closed the day of a scheduled class, the GTAR/NORES class is cancelled. It doesn’t matter if it’s a morning or afternoon class. Depending on the type of class being cancelled, the class will either be rescheduled for a future date or a full refund will be issued. Please be sure to check one of the local news channels the night before and/or morning of a scheduled class for school closings.

TulsaRealtors.com Web-Email Upgrade
GTAR/NORES is finalizing plans for a TulsaRealtors.com WebE-Mail upgrade. This upgrade should address the Web-Email issues some users have been encountering, and will allow for a more stable email environment and less problems for the user when using TulsaRealtors Web-Email at http://mail.tulsarealtors.com. These changes will not affect users of mail clients such as Outlook or Outlook Express. The current track for this upgrade to be released is early January 2010.

KIMVoice
GE Security just released a new version of KIMVoice. This upgrade provides new features and the framework for future improvements. The new version required a few minor changes to the way DisplayKey and eKey users log in to the system and get update codes: 1) After logging into KIMvoice with their key and pin, the user will be sent directly to their primary board; the keyholder, after selecting option 1 for update code, then needs to select the appropriate board to get an update code; their primary board will always be the first selection followed by their cooperating board names. 2) ActiveKEY users after logging in with their key and pin will appreciate the new feature of only needing to enter 1 update code to update their key for all boards they have access to open keyboxes.

OREC Commissioner Nominations Sought
OAR is asking for input on possible nominees for two positions on the Oklahoma Real Estate Commission (OREC): One position is a Broker position and the other is the School Representative position. Nominees will be considered from Congressional Districts One, Two, Three, and Four. If you are interested, please contact Janie Bays at jbays@tulsarealtors.com or 918-663-7500, to request the criteria and application.

REALTOR® 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.

Tomas Barrientos, TuCasa Realty, LLC (First Publication)
Valorie Farley, Farley Realty, LLC (Second Publication)
Gary Willis, associated with United Country – Willis Realty (Second Publication)

MLS Waiver Request:
Angela O’Malley, Vicki Berg Property Manager (Second Publication)
Ryan Hoskin, Vicki Berg Property Manager (Second Publication)

Weekly Facts Blog – December 7, 2009

Are Your Yard Signs Being Stolen?
GTAR would like to know if any associates are having problems with their yard signs being stolen. We have heard reports that signs, including sign riders and information boxes, have been stolen over the last several weeks—4 from the same property! As you know, these items are expensive to you—it interferes in the marketing of a seller’s property and can be very time consuming to replace. If you are having the same difficulty, please email GTAR at yardsigns@tulsarealtors.com.

THIS WEEK!
Thursday, December 10
RCA “Holiday” Insight Social
You are invited to attend a special GTAR REALTORS® Commercial Alliance (RCA) “Holiday” Insight Social starting at 4:00 p.m. with a private tour of ONEOK Field—the new home of the Drillers, followed by complimentary appetizers and cash bar at 5:00 at James E. McNellie’s Pub. There is no cost for this event but an RSVP is required by December 8. For more information and to RSVP, email commercial@tulsarealtors.com or Click Here or call 918-663-7500.

THIS WEEK!
Nominations Deadline is Friday, December 11
GTAR 2009 Sales Associate and REALTOR® of the Year
Do you know a Sales Associate who shows true REALTOR® spirit within the Association and in the community? Then, don’t miss the chance to nominate them for Sales Associate of the Year! It’s easy to do and anyone can do it (and yes, you can nominate yourself) in just three easy steps: 1) Complete a Sales Associate of the Year Nomination form, Click Here; 2) Give the completed form to the nominee’s Broker/Manager for verification of production; and 3) Submit the completed form to GTAR by December 11, 2009.The winner will be announced at the GTAR/NORES Installation & Awards Banquet February 5, 2010.

THIS WEEK!
Nominations Deadline is Friday, December 11
GTAR 2009 REALTOR® of the Year
Do you know a REALTOR® member (broker or manager) who makes an outstanding contribution to the community and the real estate profession through their activities? Then, don’t miss the chance to nominate them for REALTOR® of the Year! It’s easy to do and anyone can do it (and yes, you can nominate yourself) in just two easy steps: 1) Complete a REALTOR® of the Year Nomination form Click Here, and 2) Submit the completed form to GTAR by December 11, 2009.The winners will be announced at the GTAR/NORES Installation & Awards Banquet February 5, 2010.

THIS WEEK!
Nominations Deadline is Friday, December 11
GTAR’s 2009 Commercial REALTOR® of the Year
Do you know a Commercial REALTOR® or REALTOR-ASSOCIATE® member who promotes the interest of the commercial real estate profession, the community, and their clients and customers? Then don’t miss the chance to nominate them for Commercial REALTOR® of the Year! It’s easy and almost anyone can do it (no self nominations are allowed). The winner will be announced at the GTAR REALTORS® Commercial Alliance (RCA) Celebration January 22, 2010. Nomination forms are available online at tulsarealtors.com or Click Here. Submit the completed form to GTAR by December 11.

THIS WEEK!
Friday, December 11
RESPA Reform Class
The National Association of Professional Mortgage Women (NAPMW) is offering a RESPA Reform class at Tulsa Tech (Broken Arrow campus, 4600 S. Olive) from 8:30 to 11:30 a.m. (registrations starts at 8:00 a.m.). Monica Wittrock, vice president of First American Title will be the instructor. Cost is $15 for NAPMW members and $20 for non-NAPMW members. Class is OREC approved for 3 hours elective CE credit. For class details and to register, please call Kim Morrow at 918-615-6801 or Click Here

NOW LATE
2010 GTAR Annual Dues
The deadline to pay your 2010 GTAR annual dues without penalty was November 30, 2009; a $20 late payment fee has now been added to your account. You can pay by credit card online at tulsarealtors.com; on the main Member Services page, click on the yellow View/Pay Bill bar, then click GTAR–Accounts Receivables, and follow instructions to pay. Payment can also be made by calling the GTAR/NORES office at 918-663-7500 during business hours or by mailing a check, payable to GTAR, to P.O. Box 470603, Tulsa, OK 74147. After business hours you can drop payments in the mail slot located inside the front entrance foyer of the GTAR/NORES office.

KIMVoice
GE Security just released a new version of KIMVoice. This upgrade provides new features and the framework for future improvements. The new version required a few minor changes to the way DisplayKey and eKey users log in to the system and get update codes: 1) After logging into KIMvoice with their key and pin, the user will be sent directly to their primary board; the keyholder, after selecting option 1 for update code, then needs to select the appropriate board to get an update code; their primary board will always be the first selection followed by their cooperating board names. 2) ActiveKEY users after logging in with their key and pin will appreciate the new feature of only needing to enter 1 update code to update their key for all boards they have access to open keyboxes.

TulsaRealtors.com Web-Email Upgrade
GTAR/NORES is finalizing plans for a TulsaRealtors.com WebE-Mail upgrade. This upgrade should address the Web-Email issues some users have been encountering, and will allow for a more stable email environment and less problems for the user when using TulsaRealtors Web-Email at http://mail.tulsarealtors.com. These changes will not affect users of mail clients such as Outlook or Outlook Express. The current track for this upgrade to be released is early January 2010.

Upcoming Computer Classes at GTAR
Pre-registration is required. For more information or to enroll, log in to tulsarealtors.com and click the red Education bar on the main page. All classes are held in the GTAR Computer Lab.

CIE-Xceligent: Wednesday, December 9, 2:00 – 4:00 p.m.
MarketLinx 1: Thursday, December 10, 1:00 – 4:00 p.m.
MarketLinx 2: Monday, December 14, 1:00 – 4:00 p.m.
MarketLinx 3 (Prospect Gateway): Wednesday, December 16, 2:00 – 4:00 p.m.

GTAR/NORES HOLIDAY SCHEDULE
Tuesday, December 15: Office closes at 3:00 p.m.
Thursday, December 24: Office closes at 12:00 p.m.
Friday, December 25: Office is closed all day
Thursday, December 31: Office closes at 12:00 p.m.
Friday, January 1: Office is closed all day

December 24 to January 4 — Board Store Closed for Inventory
The GTAR/NORES Board Store will be closed for inventory from noon Thursday, December 24 until noon on Monday, January 4, 2010, so please plan ahead. This will not affect Key and KeyBox purchases.

OREC Commissioner Nominations Sought
OAR is asking for input on possible nominees for two positions on the Oklahoma Real Estate Commission (OREC): One position is a Broker position and the other is the School Representative position. Nominees will be considered from Congressional Districts One, Two, Three, and Four. If you are interested, please contact Janie Bays at jbays@tulsarealtors.com or 918-663-7500, to request the criteria and application.

REALTOR® 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.

Valorie Farley, Farley Realty, LLC (First Publication)
Gary Willis, associated with United Country – Willis Realty (First Publication)

MLS Waiver Request:
Angela O’Malley, Vicki Berg Property Manager (First Publication)
Ryan Hoskin, Vicki Berg Property Manager (First Publication)

Firm Affiliate:
PODS, Designated Individual Donny Martin (Second Publication)