Your GCAAR membership: What’s in it for you?

Everything you need to know about your member benefits

GCAAR’s greatest asset is you—our members. And we’re always looking for ways to give back, support your professional goals and connect with you.

From awards and recognition to continuing education courses, as well as our volunteer opportunities and Emergency Relief Program, we are here to celebrate your achievements and help you reach further as REALTORS®, community members and individuals. Because of how much we value our members, we wanted to remind you about the perks and benefits your GCAAR membership has to offer you.

Advancing your career

Education

As a member, you receive discounted rates for various continuing education and professional designation courses that can help further your real estate career. Due to the pandemic, GCAAR is live-streaming its continuing education courses on many topics. You can look forward to upcoming classes that meet your required and elective credit needs, including the ins and outs of using Zoom and the Military Relocation Professional (MRP) certification program on Nov. 6. The MRP certification is one of several certification and designation courses GCAAR offers members, in addition to other online continuing education opportunities to help you advance your career in specific areas.

Professional development

We know many members are at home more than usual, so we're offering a series of professional development webinars, virtual events and classes known as Profession Sessions, in addition to a new webinar series on the history of racism in real estate, part of our anti-racism educational initiative.

REALTOR® tools & resources

Contract form services

Not only does GCAAR house our Montgomery County and District of Columbia contracts on gcaar.com, but GCAAR’s contract form services for members include access through zipForm®, Dotloop and Docusign.

SentriLock

SentriLock’s services include the SentriKey app and Bluetooth lockboxes that can help REALTORS® access listings and showings.

Bright MLS

GCAAR members get a discounted rate on Bright MLS, which averages to $216 a year in savings.

REALTOR® Store

GCAAR’s store sells REALTOR® branded promotional items, brochures and clothing. Currently the store provides no-contact curbside pickup by appointment, as well as UPS shipping on products.

Industry-related materials

GCAAR produces several regular publications that inform and support members, including Capital Area REALTOR® magazine, our weekly newsletter, Newsline, our broker/office manager newsletter, Broker Beat and Real Advocacy, our monthly legislative update. We also offer members a free subscription to the real estate journal Inman Select, and monthly housing statistics reports. Protecting your interests

Political advocacy

GCAAR’s political advocacy staff works on your behalf to make sure the interests of REALTORS® are represented in the region’s policy decision-making.

Professional standards support

We offer support around the National Association of REALTORS®’ Code of Ethics and Professional Standards, by offering help with filing ethics complaints and help with mediating and arbitrating disputes.

Legal Hotline

We also have our direct, toll-free Legal Hotline, which gives members access to qualified attorneys who can answer l egal questions on real estate law, contracts and forms specific to Montgomery County and the District of Columbia. The hotline is intended to provide legal risk management (although it is not authoritative legal advice), and GCAAR REALTORS®, brokers and office managers may call the hotline an unlimited number of times.

Networking & events

Events

GCAAR hosts a number of annual, members-only events— virtually, for the time being—including our annual board installation this December. And over the summer, we held our largest yearly event, REALTOR® Fest, via Zoom. This year’s event attracted almost 1,000 of your colleagues, offering 48 CE classes and 12 professional development webinars—so you definitely won’t want to miss it next year.

Involvement opportunities

Members have many opportunities to get more deeply involved in GCAAR and support other professionals in their community, primarily through volunteering on committees and participating in town halls and Broker/Manager Forums. GCAAR has committees on grievances, professional standards, property management, Montgomery County public policy and political campaigns and affairs, as well as a Young Professionals Network that sponsors a variety of events.

Marketing opportunities

Marketing your real estate business can feel like a full-time job in and of itself, so GCAAR offers marketing opportunities to help ease some of that work. Members have an opportunity to advertise in this magazine, Capital Area REALTOR®, and in our email publication Newsline. We also offer member-discounted rates for event sponsorship opportunities that can help you get the word out about your work.

Behind each of these benefits and services is GCAAR’s mission to help every member thrive in the field. Through this changing world that we are all navigating together, GCAAR delivers the advocacy, education, resources and services you need to build your career, enhance your network and excel in the local, state and national real estate industries.