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Realtors® Advocate for New Laws to Protect Private Property Rights
Virginia Realtors® fought for several news laws during the 2017 General Assembly session to protect private property rights that will go into effect on July 1, 2017. Each year, the Realtor® organization advocates for legislation at the General Assembly to support the real estate industry, protect private property rights, and encourage homeownership.
In the 2017 General Assembly session, Realtors® helped enact laws that impact property management. New laws provide for a smoother transition for an existing tenant in the event of a property foreclosure by allowing the property management agreement to continue in place on a month-to-month basis and clarifying to whom the tenant pays their monthly rent. In addition, a new law also allows for an easier process for a property manager to transfer a security deposit to the owner and codifies in statute the common practice of a lease continuing month-to-month after a foreclosure.
In addition, Realtors® advocated for the passage of a new law that prohibits a homeowners’ association from restricting for lease and for signs unless that provision is included in the association’s covenants and restrictions. The new law also prevents an association from requiring a formal power of attorney from a real estate licensee to represent their client before the association. The bill also imposes a fine of up to $1,000 for associations failing to provide the association disclosure packet within the 14-day requirement stipulated by law.
Finally, Virginia Realtors® fought for a law that changes the name of the “red-flag” disclosure statement to the “buyer to beware” statement. This is more representative of what the statement actually is in practice, since the onus is on the buyer to investigate whether the issues raised in the buyer to beware statement are actually applicable to the property in question.
The Fredericksburg Area Association of Realtors® is already working on assembling a packet of issues for consideration in next year’s General Assembly session that will support the real industry and protect private property rights.
FAAR Spearheads Regional Housing Study
After attending NAR’s Midyear Meeting in 2016, FAAR 2016 President Christine Singhass and CEO Pat Breme returned to FAAR energized about the possibility of FAAR seeking a grant to engage even deeper into our local community. Christine and Pat sat through a session about Smart Growth grants and learned about all of the good work that other associations were doing and decided it was time to bring some of that money back to Fredericksburg.
Working with Public Policy Director Kim McClellan, Christine delivered presentations to the George Washington Regional Commission detailing the idea of a housing study for our region. Working with economic development directors, local elected officials, and Fredericksburg’s City Manager, FAAR was able to put together a robust grant application for a $14,500 Smart Growth grant to conduct a comprehensive housing stock assessment of the entire region complete with predictions about the future. FAAR contracted with Dr. Lisa Sturtevant, a researcher formerly with the George Mason University who established her own research firm, to conduct the study.
The study is broken into individual reports for each jurisdiction in the FAAR footprint: covered by the report are the counties of Caroline, King George, Stafford and Spotsylvania and the City of Fredericksburg. The study is currently being finalized and FAAR will deliver each piece to its respective jurisdiction when it’s complete. The goal of this study is to provide the localities with some solid data to guide their future land use decisions. What do we currently have in place? Is it enough to sustain future population growth? Do we have the right mix of housing types to encourage affordability and entice millennials and retiring baby boomers? These are the kinds of questions this study is seeking to answer. Be on the lookout for an official rollout from FAAR sometime this summer!
June 2017 Committee, Task Force, and External Group Reports
2017 is flying by! These committees have been hard at work the last six months to continue to bring you the best services and benefits in the business. See a group that interests you? Learn more about the groups below at faarmembers.com/committees.
Education | Professional Development Committee
The committee has guided the FAAR Academy class schedule, to include a diverse line-up of classes for March is For Members, Summer Lawyer Series, and FAAR EXPO. They will begin planning the 2018 class schedule next month.
Public Policy | RPAC Committee
The Committee has been hard at work engaging on continued sign issues with local elected officials, developing a 2018 Legislative Agenda, and interviewing candidates for the 2018 election cycle.
Communication and Technology Committee
The new FAARmembers.com website will launch in June and will be responsive, ADA accessible, and include an avenue for feedback/improvements to the site. The new RAMCO database will allow members to manage their news preferences and how they receive information.
Awards Committee
There was an organized effort last fall to increase the number of award applications, comments Chair Bonnie Ramey. The marketing push was successful because the number of award applications increased. This year for the spring awards cycle, a record number of Rookie of the Year, as well as Manager of the Year, applications were submitted.
Community Service Committee
This group has had a very busy year, including homeless shelter dinners, Ride Virginia, and clothes for a cause. Be on the look-out for Cereal Drive details coming soon!
Events Committee
Three very successful events have been held so far in 2017 (Bowling Mixer, Bingo and Awards). There are five more events for 2017 so make sure and save the following dates: Renovation Open House July 14th, Family Fun Day July 22nd, FAAR Expo September 13th, Halloween Mixer October 26th, and Installation of 2018 President Kevin McGrath and his Leadership Team December 7th.
Young Professionals Network (YPN)
The Committee has completed their first fund raiser of the year (school supplies at the Bingo Mixer) and are working on the second one, The Annual Pub Crawl. scheduled for October 14th. They are also trying a new networking time on the evening of orientation to get new members involved.
Property Management Working Group
The Committee has held several successful roundtable discussions and one class. The roundtables give property managers a forum to discuss issues they are facing and share best practices.
Commercial
Currently, in the building stages. Contact Barbara Castillo for more information
(bcastillo@faarmembers.com)
Fredericksburg Realtors® Foundation
The Foundation has raised approximately $5,000 so far this year and is working with several charities to submit grant requests for suitable projects. Their biggest fundraising is a golf tournament scheduled for October 13th so mark your calendar!
Town Hall Revamp Task Force
Chair Kevin McGrath and his group have overhauled the meeting format to focus on issues/challenges that agents face in today’s market. A lively discussion will be generated by the audience and a panel of experts. The new format begins with the June 14 event.
Strategic Planning Task Force
The Association will hold a strat planning session in the fall. In preparation, a membership survey and a focus night are planned to determine the concerns/issues of the members that should be part of future planning for FAAR.
Meetup
The Meet Up Networking group is bridging new and experienced members together in a fun, engaging format. Out of the box events include playing Jeopardy, Family Feud or unique networking like tubing the Rappahannock and Scavenger Hunts in downtown Fredericksburg.
Women’s Council of Realtors® (WCR)
The Women’s Council of Fredericksburg has had the pleasure of supporting the following non-profits; Habitat for Humanity, Loisann’s Hope House, The 514 Construction Ministry, Mental Health America-Fredericksburg and the Rappahannock United Way. During monthly meetings, WCR has hosted a photography panel, a home staging showcase, and a regional transportation forum.
Ombudsman | Grievance | Professional Standards
There was one failed effort in the Ombudsman program, The Grievance Committee, chaired by Dave Moberly, reviewed one ethics complaint which was resolved before a hearing. The Committee also reviewed a request for arbitration and a counter request involving the same transaction. Members of the Professional Standards Committee, chaired by Lynn Lenahan, held a hearing and the non-prevailing party requested a procedural review.
Nominating
The group, chaired by Christine Singhass, will review leadership applications this month and after interviews will formulate a slate for September election. The Board of Directors will approve the slate at its July meeting.
Leadership Development Committee (LDC)
Chaired by 2016 President Christine Singhass , LDC is tasked with seeking out and nurturing members to take on leadership role in the Association, The group will identify recruiters, prepare a “why lead” marketing piece, host at least one meet & greet event and look for advice from graduates of the Virginia Leadership Academy.
Summer Lawyer Series Kicks off July 11
The FAAR Academy is excited to kick off the Summer Lawyer’s Series on July 11 with an exciting new class from Barry Clark and Ali Lambo Newkirk of RGS Title, E-Communications & Cyber Fraud: Do We Worry Too Much? Electronic communication has become the preferred method of conducting business in today’s real estate world. E-communication comes with a high level of risk and responsibility for all parties involved in a real estate transaction. As technology evolves, so do the criminals. What information is at risk? What are the criminals doing with this information? What can a real estate professional do to best protect their clients and themselves? Topics covered in this class include NPI, wire fraud, spoofing, and e-mail best practices. Upon completion of this class, REALTORS® will not only have a greater appreciation for the risks associated with e-communication, but they will hopefully understand the need to implement a more rigorous set of best practices.
Other highlights for the 2017 Summer Lawyers Series include an in depth look at the VAR Purchase Contract with Laura Farley, Vice President of Legal Operations/Deputy General Counsel with the Virginia Realtors on August 15 from 9-12. Also Michele Freemyers of EKKO Title will be giving 2 great classes: Deconstructing the New Home Contract on July 18 from 9-11, and Distressed Properties August 22 from 9-11.
VDOT Courthouse Road Update
Big changes are coming to Courthouse Road, how will they impact you and your clients? Review VDOT’s latest project update to be able to educate your clients and yourself about the construction impact and final project improvements.
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Welcome to the New Faarmembers.com!
FAAR staff and the technology committee are excited to unveil the new website that has been in the works over the past 6 months. Launching a new database and website is a massive undertaking for the association and you may notice some of the features of the new website are still under development. Due to the nature of the database installation taking place June 14-15, you may not see full functionality of the website for a couple of days. This will primarily affect the following sections of the website: Calendar/Events, Login/My account, Educational/Account History, and Directory.
If you are attempting to register for an upcoming class or event, please check back in a couple days for calendar functionality. In the meantime, please feel free to tell us about any website issues by clicking on “website accessibility” in the footer of this page or via email at webmaster@faarmembers.com.
In anticipation of this installation, staff availability will be limited from June 14 through June 16 due to training. There will be no store sales or Sentrilock transactions during this time. Please plan accordingly and thank you for your patience!
May 2017 FAARside Quarterly Newsletter
Fredericksburg Realtors® Foundation to Host Donna Tyson
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Are you ready to give back to the Realtor community?
Does a leadership role in FAAR interest you? Would you like to see the Association approach member services differently? Are you ready to give back to the Realtor community?
by: Pat Breme, CIPS, RCE
CEO
If you have answered yes to one or more of the questions than you might be interested in running for the 2018 FAAR Board of Directors. The Nominating Committee is accepting applications until close of business on May 31. The Board is a hard working body of 12 people who set policy for the entire association. The group meets monthly to ponder issues, solve problems and keep the association financially solvent by carefully managing funds and investments. A new Director commented, “ I had no idea the Board did so much.” A lot of deliberation is given to each topic on the agenda. The reoccurring question asked? “Is this good for the membership?”
New this year, an affiliate member position
The members voted last year to add an affiliate member position on the Board of Directors. Affiliate members are welcome to submit an application. The Affiliate Director has full voting rights, serves no longer than a two-year term and may not serve as an Officer. Affiliate members applying for consideration follow the same application and vetting process (interviewed by the Nominating Committee) as an agent member would follow in applying to run for the Board of Directors.
Affiliate applications are reviewed by the Nominating Committee and those persons who meet the basic requirements of service to the Association, exhibit leadership characteristics and a willingness to dedicate time and energy will be considered for an interview by the Committee. The Committee can recommend all the applicants, one or none, but not more than three may be placed on the ballot. The affiliate candidate getting the highest number of votes receives the position.
I have attached the application for a new director and the Leadership Code of Conduct forms. Return the completed forms to me by May 31. Selected applicants will be notified of an interview time. Please contact me, pbreme@faarmembers.com, or Chair Christine Singhass, housingopps@gmail.com with questions you might have. I have also attached the list of the 2017 Leadership Team. Each would be happy to answer any questions you might have about serving.
The election is September 13. The Ballot goes live on August 16. The terms are either for 2 or 3 years. Is the Board a clique? Yes, if you define the word as a group of people with common interest. The common interest is YOU!
Download the application here.
2017 Leadership Team
President Linda Fosdick, ABR, CRS, GRI- Dockside Realty
President-Elect Kevin McGrath- Long & Foster, Inc.- Fredericksburg
Vice President Arlene Mason, Coldwell Banker Carriage House Realty,
Secretary Mark Geslock, Century 21 Redwood- Spotsylvania
Treasurer Drew Fristoe, Coldwell Banker Elite- Massaponax
Immediate Past President Christine Singhass, Caroline’s Realty
Directors
Carrie Danko, 1st Choice Better Homes & Land
Ben Keddie, CCIM, CIPS, Colwell Baker Commercial
Laura Fangman, Nest Realty Group
Pam Kuper, e-Pro, Century 21 New Millennium, Fredericksburg
Sandra Pearce, ABR, Coldwell Banker Elite- Spotsylvania
Chip Taylor, Century 21 Battlefield, King George
FAAR works with Stafford County to Rewrite Sign Ordinance
It was recently brought to FAAR’s attention that Stafford County was looking to rewrite their sign ordinance to comply with a 2015 Supreme Court decision. The court case affirmed that local government cannot regulate signs on content, the words on the sign. Stafford’s sign ordinance is all about what’s on the sign so they need to revise the ordinance or else they are open to potential litigation. The first draft of the proposed ordinance would require a permit for any temporary sign with an installed duration of longer than 60 days. That obviously doesn’t work for real estate and FAAR immediately engaged members of Stafford’s Planning Commission and Board of Supervisors to negotiate a fix.
After considerable research and negotiation with the County, FAAR has developed a set of recommendations that would accomplish Stafford’s need to revise their sign ordinance to be content-neutral while also preserving the exemption for real estate. Please click here to read the letter that FAAR has sent to each member of the Board of Supervisors. This issue is not settled yet, but FAAR and officials from Stafford continue to work together to reach a solution. The relationships that FAAR has been able to establish through campaign support from RPAC, the Realtors® Political Action Committee, absolutely ensured that we were involved in this process at the beginning and not fighting an expensive and onerous sign regulation after it was in effect.
Press Releases
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