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June 2002 Newsletter
Ethics TrainingHave you taken your required Ethics training? If you were a member before January 1, 2001, the following applies to you:
Quadrennial REALTOR® ethics training Failure to complete the required periodic ethics training shall be considered a violation of a membership duty for which REALTOR® membership shall be suspended until such time as the required training is completed. Every Board and Association is required to provide access to necessary ethics training programs either locally, in conjunction with other Boards and Associations, or through other methods (including, but not limited to, home study, correspondence courses, or Internet-based instruction). Any training offered pursuant to this requirement must meet the learning objectives and minimum criteria established by the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® from time to time. (Adopted 11/99) If you became a member after January 1, 2001, the following applies to you:
New member orientation program You can take the required courses on-line at realtor.org – just follow the links to "Online REALTOR® Ethics Training."
A Message from Your President: June 2002Cooperationby Joel Pautsch Do you believe in cooperation? Can more be achieved by working together? Well, I'm sure that everyone would probably always answer a resounding YES, but do we really live it or are there barriers that can block effect cooperation? Cooperation has been, is and will always be a large part of the foundation of how we work in the real estate business. Therefore we must pay attention to actions that can affect good cooperation among agents. One key element is cooperation is the level of trust that exists between agents. Trust stems from past experience with an agent and sometimes from the reputation that agent has. I've always found that when I work with someone I know and trust, the transaction always seems to go so much smoother. I've also seen what can happen when I'm working with someone I don't trust and the problems that can lead to. There are not enough addendums in the world to cover the potential problems you can face when you can't have some element of trust as part of the deal. What builds trust? Well, the following things come to mind:
New MembersCompiled by Carole Davis, Membership Secretary(April 16, 2002 - May 14, 2002)
Affiliate Members
REALTOR® Members
ABR DesignationsThe Accredited Buyer Representative (ABR®) designation is the benchmark of excellence in buyer representation. The Real estate BUYER'S AGENT Council awards this coveted designation to real estate practitioners who meet the specified educational and practical experience criteria.The current criteria are:
The Anne Arundel County Association of REALTORS®is proud to announce that three members recently earned this prestigious designation. They are: Wanda Spikes of Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage, Annapolis SMAR Disaster ReliefAs you no doubt have heard, Charles and Calvert counties suffered unbelievable losses resulting from a tornado that devastated Southern Maryland recently.Two of our broker members were among the many businesses that lost their buildings to the storm. One member was trapped inside her collapsed office but was later removed from the site without injury, thank goodness. Four people lost their lives, dozens were injured, over 120 homes were completely destroyed and hundreds more were damaged. The Southern Maryland Association of REALTORS®(SMAR) scrambled to figure out what our organization could do to best help our neighbors. We have determined where and how our members can focus their time and energy to most help our communities in need. We are all very thanksful to our neighbors from other parts of Maryland and Virginia for the assistance they have offered and delivered. The current emergency situation seems in hand. It is obvious, however, that the victims of this terrible tragedy will need ongoing help for a long time to come. Housing will be a huge problem. Those without insurance will need long-term assistance. As a result, SMAR has decided to set up a SMAR disaster relief fund and is asking for donations from within our membership and from our REALTOR®family. We intend to donate funds to relief organizations that will distribute them directly to the Southern Maryland victims. The SMAR Board of Directors will make the final decision as to where and how the funds will be dispersed with the help of the officials coordinating the efforts in the two counties. For now, we are asking our members and our friends to donate to the SMAR Disaster Relief Fund by making checks payable to SMAR Relief Fund, P.O. Box 400, Hughesville, MD 20637. We feel that we have to do something to help those whose lives were so profoundly affected by this tragedy. If you have any questions, please contact Jan Clark, CEO, at 888-340-8727, or 301-870-2323. Any donation you can make, no matter how large or small, would be greatly appreciated by SMAR and, of course, by the victims of this terrible natural disaster. Sincerely,
Rose M. Crowley, GRI, CRB
GRI 200 Series to be held at AACARThe GRI (Graduate REALTOR®Institute) 200 Series will be held at AACAR on October 1, 8, 15, 22 and 29.The GRI designation is awarded to those members who successfully pass, within 5 years, Series 100, 200 and 300, totaling 90 hours. The series may be taken in any order. Series 400, open only to GRI graduates, meets the educational licensing requirements for broker/associated broker. Please contact MAR at 410-841-6080 for more information on the 400 series. Series 100 can be exempted by passing the "Challenge Exam", with an exam fee of $295.00. No credit will be given for licensing/continuing education if you take this exam. For more information, or to receive a registration form for the 200 Series being held at AACAR, please call Carole Davis at 410-544-4554.
GRI Designation AwardedAACAR is proud to announce that member Donna Webb Scott of Long & Foster in Baltimore has been awarded the GRI designation. Congratulations Donna!
Case #12-6: Misleading Advertising (Reaffirmed Case #19-8 May, 1988. Transferred to Article 12 November, 1994.)REALTOR® A's business included real estate brokerage, property management, and home building. In one of his newspaper advertisements of his home building activities, in which he identified himself as a REALTOR®, there was prominently featured the words, "Buy Direct and Save." REALTOR® B sent a copy of the advertisement to the Board of REALTORS® as the basis of a complaint that REALTOR® A in his advertising was, through use of the quoted phrase, seeking to take unfair advantage of other REALTORS®.At the hearing, it was brought out that REALTOR® A's properties had been listed with his real estate firm and processed through the MLS. He defended his advertising by asserting that it was no more than reasonable for him to seek the sale of houses in his subdivision through his own brokerage office to the greatest extent possible. He was not able to show the Hearing Panel any instances of reduced prices on direct sales even though several such sales had occurred. It was the conclusion of the panel that REALTOR® A had violated Article 12. The panel's decision indicated that just because he engaged in home building he could not be exempted from the standards that apply to REALTORS® generally; and that the phrase "Buy Direct and Save" in his advertising was an attempt to convince prospective buyers that a lower price would be offered those purchasing direct rather than through cooperating brokers when, in fact, he had maintained the same prices and there was no saving by buying direct.
Get to Know the AACAR Board of DirectorsNicki Kaukonen, TreasurerAACAR Treasurer, Nicki Kaukonen, of Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage in Annapolis, resides in the community of Riverdale Forest in Severna Park with her husband of 32 years, Gary. They have one son, Erik. Nicki has been a member of AACAR since 1995.
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