Get Involved
Events and opportunities you can get involved inFAAR Hosts Taste of Fredericksburg to Benefit RPAC
On Thursday, May 3, FAAR hosted the Taste of Fredericksburg fundraiser to benefit RPAC. Over $2,000 was raised in support of RPAC and members enjoyed a lovely evening at Braehead Manor. The event featured wine tasting by Chateau MerrillAnne, beer tasting by Maltese Brewing, and food by UFO. Tours of the manor were also provided and Taste of Fredericksburg sponsor, Embrace Home Loans, raffled off Realtor corn hole boards.
#MemberMonday | Meet Tina Keene
Name
Tina M. Keene
Hometown
Montross, Virginia
Current Location
Exit Elite Realty, Fredericksburg, Va
Title
Realtor, MRP, PSA, ABR
Number of Years in the Industry
3
Why do you love working in real estate?
I worked in a Customer Service Industry for 40 years and love helping and creating Happy Buyers and Sellers. To me, it’s always been about focusing on serving others- not Selling. With this continued mindset, everything continues to fall into place, and I’m very grateful.
What are you most proud of in your career?
I was raised in a Military Family, I’m very proud of that Heritage, and how the Military served my family. Earning my 1st. Designation with my MRP Certification at FAAR will always mean so much and a way of giving back to those that serve our great Country.
Do you have a special cause or volunteer your time?
I’m an animal lover and involved in contributing to various Rescues.
Fun Fact
I will be assisting my Husband “Smurf” this Summer in Colonial Beach with our “Hot Dog Cart” Business “Dogs And Hogs Gone Wild”
Excel in the Virginia Leadership Academy
Influence. Innovate. Connect.
The state association, Virginia REALTORS®, is encouraging members who want to build their leadership skills to apply for a slot in the 2019 Virginia Leadership Academy (VLA) program.
It is composed of four retreats from February through September 2019. FAAR boasts of many graduates of VLA- Suzanne Brady, Sherry Bailey, Chip Taylor, Sarah Stelmok, Drew Fristoe, Arlene Mason and many more.
Two, $1000 scholarship are available to FAAR members to defray the cost of the program. A member may request FAAR funding after their acceptance into the program. The VR application deadline is June 29, 2018. Call Pat Breme for more information, pbreme@faarmembers.com.
Interested members should complete the application by Friday, June 29, 2018. Applications must be completed in their entirety to be considered. Tuition is $1,750; limited financial aid is available.
June 29, 2018 All applications due
July-September 2018 Application Review/Selection Process
October 2018 Applicant Notification & Billing
February 5, 2019 Retreat 1- Orientation (Richmond)
April 9-11, 2019 Retreat 2- (Richmond)
July 16-18, 2019 Retreat 3- (Northern Virginia)
September 17-19, 2019 Retreat 4 and Graduation- (Annual Convention in Williamsburg)
For any questions, please contact Cailin Richardson or Lili Paulk.
The Virginia Leadership Academy will prepare emerging REALTOR® leaders from all around the Commonwealth to excel at the local and state associations and to become model REALTOR® experts in the field. Participants will build their leadership skills through a series of retreats and a major class project.
Sentrilock 3-year Locksmith Agreement Ending
The 2016 contract FAAR signed with Sentrilock stated that locksmith fees, caused by faulty lockboxes, would be paid by Sentrilock for the first three years of box ownership. The three year coverage begins when the box is purchased/leased (even from another association), which may be before the March 2016 conversion date. The coverages end for most FAAR members March of next year. However, for those who have transferred from other associations, that coverage may be ending sooner depending on when they purchased their Sentrilock boxes.
Claim your free Placester site
Fredericksburg Area Association of REALTORS® is proud to share that all Realtors have access to a free Placester IDX website through the NAR Realtor Benefits Program!
Your free website includes a mobile-ready design, IDX listing integration, custom domain mapping, editable “About” and “Testimonial” pages, mortgage calculator widget, and social media icons to highlight your social profiles.
In addition to the free website, Fredericksburg Area Association of REALTORS® has partnered with Placester to provide you access to a vast library of educational resources, webinars and podcasts about how to brand yourself online and grow your business.
Please visit https://learn.placester.com/fredericksburg-area-association-realtors/ to claim your FREE site today. Participation is completely optional.
We hope you enjoy this member benefit!
I aspire to be like Chick-fil-A
by C. Lynn Lenahan, Associate Broker
1st Choice Better Homes and Land, LLC
Hey everyone, it’s Lynn Lenahan, Assoc. Broker/REALTOR® of 1st Choice Better Homes & Land. I am honored to also vice-chair the 2018 Professional Standards Committee.
I am very passionate about Professionalism and what it means for us as REALTORS®. I’m so passionate, it put me in the hot seat to write a brief article on Professionalism. Wow, to me that’s like saying, write a brief about the United States. Really?? Professionalism…brief… the word brief and Professionalism shouldn’t EVEN be allowed in the same sentence.
Ok, where to start…
For a topic so broad, I thought, get to the basics Lynn…definition. The dictionary (on line) should cut to the chase. So…according to Oxford Dictionaries, “Professionalism is the competence or skill expected of a professional.”
I really wish they hadn’t used “professional” in the definition of professionalism, it kind of defeats the purpose to me. Ok, let’s see if we can make it more specific to real estate and see what might jump out.
Re-Phrase: A REALTOR® is a professional who is expected to be competent and skilled at their craft. Boom! Hmmmmmm…. Expected. Ah—ha! That’s the key word, expected. It isn’t hoped or wished, it’s expected. It is EXPECTED of us to be competent and skilled.
So, we have the Code of Ethics which is a clear guide of do’s and don’ts. I think you’d agree, it’s very clear and concrete. That’s not saying some of the scenarios we find ourselves in don’t get us unintentionally tangled up.
But what is expected of us is clear.
We will often hear, above all else, follow “The Golden Rule”. Treat others the way you want to be treated. If you follow the Golden Rule, you can’t lose. Professionalism definitely includes the Golden Rule.
But…Professionalism also includes the Code of Ethics and highlighted in that is respect. That’s right, R-E-S-P-E-C-T…or the public, property, and peers. It’s paramount. Again, stay with me. Let’s put this all together and step out of the box for an example.
Consider with me a very successful and relevant business model: Chic Fil A. No, I’m not off my rocker. Come on…admit it. Wouldn’t you agree: Chic Fil A’s got it going on! They are somehow able to be closed on Sundays, and still, the consumer is loyal and supportive…returning with business time and time again.
What? With all the restaurants out there, closed Sundays yet a smashing success! When I consider my own personal experience, I can say the following: I can count on them, I always know what to expect, they don’t disappoint. I know when they will be there and when they will not. Their stores are clean and tidy, the associates always ask how they can serve me.
My order is accurate and consistent. They say to me it was a pleasure serving me. They are confident; they are accommodating to special requests and needs. They are timely. On the rare occasion they are delayed, be it because of me or someone else (usually me), I am sure to receive a gift card in appreciation of my wait.
They are kind to each other. They work together like a well-oiled machine, looking to make my time with them as special as possible. This model embodies a thoroughly thought out process, a model and people working that model who are confident in their craft and skilled from start to finish. It’s a perfect working example of Professionalism. E…VER…Y…TIME.
I know, we are Real-Estate-Long-Major-Life-Decision not Chic-Fil-A-Fast-Food. Either way though, isn’t it still all about the art of being Professional? Professionalism…one who is expected to be competent and skilled at their craft, with all that it embodies.
Food for thought (no pun intended but it happened and I like it so, yes, intended). Pathways to Professionalism https://faarmembers.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Pathways-to-Professionalism.pdf. Bookmark it. Follow it. Embrace it. Good things are sure to happen on the flip side!
Download the May 2018 FAARside Newsletter
Your copy of the May Newsletter, the FAARside is here! Crack open a copy to learn all about the most recent projects at the Association, a sneak peak of the expo, and more!
This edition includes
- New Member Welcome
- A special gift from the Fredericksburg Area Museum
- An update on DPOR credit status
- General Assembly Session wrap-up
- 2019 Board of Directors Candidate Application
- REALTOR Code of Ethics Campaign Overview — Are you living up to the promise?
- Member Monday Features —Recognize these REALTORS®?
- Affiliate Marketing Partners
and more!
Right click here or the image and click “Save as” to download
#MemberMonday | Meet Sandi Hamill
The Fredericksburg Area Association of REALTORS® Member Spotlight feature allows members of the community to get to know each other before working with each other in a transaction. Each member answers a series of questions to reveal more about themselves as people. It is FAAR’s hope that learning about an individual may spark connections that blossom via email, phone conversations or in-person meetings at events and classes.
Name
Sandra Hamill
Hometown
Florence, OR
Current Location
Fredericksburg
Title
REALTOR® at Nest Realty Group
Number of Years in the Industry
almost 7
Why do you love working in real estate?
The joy that someone feels when they get a home especially a first time buyer is beyond compare, I know I remember my first home. Helping people get to that goal no matter what the circumstance is what keeps me going every day.
Favorite Work Story
Actually it is a FAAR Meetup story. I have developed somewhat of a reputation with my gifts to clients and at gift exchanges at the Christmas Meetup- I love Glitter. I remember one year everyone was fighting or my gift, cause it had fabulous truffles in it, and in the end they were all covered in glitter if they touched the box or ribbon. Barry Moore said he had glitter in places it should never be for days!!
What are you most proud of in your career?
I am most proud of being able to help young people realize the goal of getting their credit right and being able to buy a house. No transaction is too small if it makes someone happy. Especially when they thought they could never achieve the dream of owning a home.
Do you have a special cause or volunteer your time?
I love going to Habitat Events. I have worked the Women’s Build and other things throughout my years here. My favorite cause though to donate to attend events for is Domestic Violence. I have worked to end this for 20 yrs.
Fun Fact
As a member of Toastmasters a few years ago I won so many trophies my husband thought he was going to have build a seperate room for them. I guess it pays to get a BS in BS!!!
FAAR Holds Annual Awards and Fundraising Event
Fredericksburg, VA—(April 25, 2018) The Fredericksburg Area Association of REALTORS® (FAAR) held its annual Awards Gala on April 18, 2018 at Stevenson Ridge. Approximately 150 members were in attendance for the festivities, which included an awards ceremony and fundraiser.
Proceeds from the fundraiser benefitted the Fredericksburg REALTORS® Foundation, whose efforts go to support local non-profit organizations that help individuals and families secure and retain shelter. Thanks to donations from FAAR’s REALTOR® and affiliate members, the Foundation was able to raise over $800.
In addition to the Foundation fundraiser, awards were handed out for Rookie Salesperson of the Year, Manager of the Year, REALTORS® Choice, REALTOR® of the Year, Educator of the Year, and Melanie Thompson Award. In addition, 28 members were recognized for achieving the Professional Honor Role for 2017. The Honor “Role” award spotlights members who have made contributions to the real estate industry, the Association, and the community.
The following individuals received awards for 2017:
REALTOR® of the Year
Linda Fosdick, Dockside Realty
Rookie Sales Person of the Year
Ruth Campbell, 1st Choice Better Homes and Land
Manager of the Year
Kevin McGrath, Long & Foster
REALTORS® Choice
Clay Murray, Coldwell Banker Elite
Educator of the Year
Michele Freemyers, Ekko Title
Melanie Thompson Award
Clay Murray, Coldwell Banker Elite
2017 Professional Honor “Role”
Tricia Barnes, ABR, GRI, CRB, ABRM
1st Choice Better Homes & Land
Milton Branch, GRI
1st Choice Better Homes & Land
Suzanne Brady, ABR, SRS
Century 21 Redwood
Jennifer Caison
Coldwell Banker Elite- Massaponax
Jennifer Church, ABR, SRS
Holt for Homes
Carrie Danko
1st Choice Better Homes & Land
Valerie Dellandre, SRS
Virginia C.U. Realty
Linda Fosdick, CRS, GRI, ABR, SRS
Dockside Realty
Drew Fristoe, ABR
Coldwell Banker Elite- Massaponax
Janet Holt
Holt for Homes
Natalie Holt
Century 21 New Millennium- Fredericksburg
Linda Laub-Canty, ABR, GRI, CRS, SRES
1st Choice Better Homes & Land
Cindy LeBrun, ABR, CRS, SRS, SRES
Exit Realty Expertise
Lynn Lenahan, ABR, GRI
1st Choice Better Homes & Land
Erin Lewis
Nest Realty Group
Andrea Maitland, CRB, CRS, GRI
Century 21 Redwood- Spotsylvania
Brooke Miller, GRI, CRS
Long & Foster- Fredericksburg
Sandy Pearce, ABR, SRES, PMN
Coldwell Banker Elite- Spots.
Bonnie Ramey, GRI
Nest Realty Group
Mary Beth Rich, ABR
Century 21 New Millennium- Fredericksburg
Anthony “Tony” Shade, ABR
RE/MAX Allegiance
Sharon Shade, ABR, ABRM
RE/MAX Allegiance
Christine Singhass
United Real Estate Premier
Sarah Stelmok, GRI
Nest Realty Group
Chip Taylor
Long & Foster- Fredericksburg
Penny Traber, ABR, GRI, CRS, SRS
1st Choice Better Homes & Land
Ginny Vickers, ABR, SRS
1st Choice Better Homes & Land
Sha Williams- Hinnant, ABR, CRS, GRI, CIPS, PMN, SRES
1st Choice Better Homes & Land
Ethics Training FAQ
REALTOR® Ethics
REALTORS® are required to complete ethics training of not less than 2 hours, 30 minutes of instructional time within two-year cycles.
What is the goal of this requirement?
Mandatory ethics training requirements for new and continuing REALTOR® members was established by the National Association’s Board of Directors at the 1999 Annual Convention with the following goals:
- to heighten member awareness of the key tenets of the Code of Ethics;
- to create an awareness of and appreciation for the role the Code can and should play in their professional lives;
- to enhance professionalism and competency; and
- to encourage REALTORS® to view their Code of Ethics as a living, viable guide in their daily dealings with clients, customers, and the public.
Am I in compliance? Here’s how to check.
Check your ethics date by logging in to your account at faarmembers.com/myaccount and look for the two fields called “Code of Ethics Cycle End Date” and “Current Code of Ethics Cycle Complete”. The first field will tell you the last day of the current cycle and the second field will display “yes” if you have completed the training within the listed cycle and “no” if you have not completed the training.
Where can I take Ethics courses?
An NAR-approved ethics course can be taken online or in the FAAR classroom—If taken online, please forward your completed class certificate to Membership Services Director, Lori at lhillardwehr@faarmembers.com. Ethics in the classroom is held every other month as part of the CE/PL seminars and also at the beginning of those months in conjunction with new member orientation (not advertised).
NOTE: DPOR, the state licensing board, does not require any specific ethics for an agent to renew their license. NAR and FAAR require the NAR code of ethics which is a specific ethics training geared towards Realtors®. Please check when selecting an ethics class that it includes the NAR code of ethics and when you get your certificate after completing the class, forward it to FAAR so that your record can be updated.
This short article describes what happens to your membership when your ethics date is out of compliance.
Register for FAAR classes including Ethics at faarmembers.com/calendar