CAPITAL AREA
REALTOR
®®
Advocating for you Meet your Government Affairs team
Official publication of the Greater Capital Area Association of REALTORS®
Our top REALTOR® relations tips
March/April 2021
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CAPITAL AREA REALTOR • Sept/Oct 2016 ®
1636 R St NW, Washington, DC 20009
R E ALTOR
CAPITAL AREA
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REALTOR® Fest - p.6
March/April 2021
Advocating for you - p. 11
GCAAR Recognition Award Winners - p. 12
REALTOR®-to-REALTOR® relationships - p. 16
FEATURES
in every issue
8
How GCAAR’s Government Affairs team is advocating for you
4
A Letter from the President
6
Association News
11
Meet your Government Affairs team
10
RPAC investors
12
2021 GCAAR Recognition Award winners
18
From the GCAAR Classroom
22
Member Services Corner
24
Economic Outlook
26
Legal Hotline
29
State Association Updates
30
NAR Director’s Report
31
Bright MLS
33
Welcome, new REALTOR® members!
34
Welcome, new affiliate members!
16
Perfecting your REALTOR®-to-REALTOR® relationships
As we continue looking toward the future of our changing world, I applaud the resilience of our REALTOR® and affiliate community. You’ve worked so hard over the past year to make the most out of incredibly challenging circumstances.
President-Elect Harrison Beacher
President Jan Brito
As you’ll see in this issue of our magazine, this year we’ve celebrated the 2020 successes of more than 350 GCAAR Recognition Award winners, who have demonstrated just how driven and adaptable our members are. We are proud of your accomplishments and intend to do everything we can to support your goals to make the most out of this year as well.
Treasurer Samantha Damato
Secretary Avi Adler
One of the ways we’re doing this is through advocacy, which is at the heart of everything we do as your REALTOR® association. From the local council to the state house to the U.S. Capitol, our elected officials are making decisions that have a huge impact on your work and on your clients. At the local level, your GCAAR Government Affairs team is there to advocate for you and for our industry, every step of the way.
Chief Executive Officer Edward Krauze
Immediate Past President Danai Mattison Sky
Finally, in this magazine, you’ll also find another issue that’s very important to me: the subject of REALTOR®-to-REALTOR® relations. You know, we always hear that this business is all about relationships. That not only applies to our clients but to our fellow REALTORS® as well. We’ve included tips that are near and dear to me for how to provide excellent service to our colleagues. I can’t wait to share them with you.
Directors M. Jacqueline Bennett Russell Brazil Marilyn Emery Carlos Evans Marcus Jaffe James T. Kim
Craig Rosenfeld Daniel Schuler Sandra Stewart Dick Stoner Christopher Suranna Kirsten Williams
R E A LTOR
CAPITAL AREA
®
Managing Editor Rachel Cromidas
Advertising Representative Arlene Braithwaite
Design & Layout Sharon Thorpe 4 CAPITAL AREA REALTOR ® — March/April 2021
Jan Brito
R E ALTOR
CAPITAL AREA
®
Capital Area REALTOR® Volume 8, Issue 2, March/April 2021 (USPS 017-467) is published five times a year by the Greater Capital Area Association of REALTORS® (GCAAR), 15201 Diamondback Drive, Suite 100, Rockville, MD 20850-3779. Corrections can be sent to communications@gcaar.com. Periodicals postage paid at Gaithersburg, MD and additional mailing offices. Member subscriptions account for $10 of each member’s annual dues. Annual subscriptions are available to non-members for $25. Subscription inquiries may be sent to Capital Area REALTOR® at the above address. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Capital Area REALTOR®, ATTN: GCAAR, 15201 Diamondback Drive, Suite 100, Rockville, MD 20850-3779. The Greater Capital Area Association of REALTORS® makes no warranties and assumes no responsibility for the accuracy of the information contained herein. The opinions expressed herein do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the officers, directors, or staff of the Greater Capital Area Association of REALTORS®. The Greater Capital Area Association of REALTORS® accepts submissions of articles and photographs and the items become the property of the Greater Capital Area Association of REALTORS®. The publisher reserves the right of full editorial authority and to decline publication of any article not deemed proper. Reprint with permission only. Reprints may be obtained by contacting the Greater Capital Area Association of REALTORS® at 301-590-2000, or send an email to communications@gcaar.com. REALTOR® is a registered collective membership mark that identifies and may be used only by real estate professionals who are members of the National Association of REALTORS® and subscribe to its Code of Ethics. Copyright© 2021 by the Greater Capital Area Association of REALTORS®.
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GCAAR hopes you’re staying safe and well. Remember, we’re here if you need us. STAY IN TOUCH
Please reach out to Member Services at 301-590-8769 or MemberServices@GCAAR.com; we look forward to serving you!
CAPITAL AREA REALTOR ® — March/April 2021 5
Save the date for these April Profession Sessions Our Profession Sessions are virtual events designed to help you hone your craft and get your questions answered––right from your own living room, at no cost to you. Sign up now for our April sessions:
April 7: How The Pandemic Has—And Hasn’t—Changed How We Stage Homes (3:30 p.m.-4:15 p.m.) April 14: Tenant Opportunity to Purchase Act (TOPA) (1 p.m.-2 p.m.)
April 28: Recent Fair Housing Developments to Know (1 p.m.-2 p.m.) And don’t forget about our monthly Zoom training sessions! Since 2020, we’ve been offering training on the basics of how to use Zoom in your professional life, on the first Thursday of every month at 9 a.m. Learn more at gcaar.com/education-events/online-learning.
Registration for REALTOR® Fest starts in May Our annual summer REALTOR® Fest is taking place virtually again this year. REALTOR® Fest will run from July 12-17, and registration will open in May at a $30 members-only early-bird price. During the week-long event, you will have the opportunity to complete all necessary credits for your Maryland, District of Columbia and Virginia real estate licenses. Be on the lookout for registration information and sign up early: Last year’s event was the most highly attended REALTOR® Fest ever! Don’t miss this once-a-year member benefit.
6 CAPITAL AREA REALTOR ® — March/April 2021
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Final commitment is subject to verification of information, receipt of a satisfactory sales contract on the home you wish to purchase, appraisal and title report, and meeting our customary closing conditions. There is no charge to receive a SureStart Pre-approval. However, standard application and commitment fees will apply for the mortgage loan application. ©2020 Citibank, N.A. NMLS# 412915. Member FDIC and Equal Housing Lender. Citi, Citi and Arc Design and other marks used herein are service marks of Citigroup Inc. or its affiliates, used and registered throughout the world. CAPITAL AREA REALTOR ® — January/February 2021 7
GCAAR’s Government Affairs team:
Advocating for you You might not always see it, but GCAAR’s Government Affairs team is constantly working behind the scenes to advocate for our REALTOR® and affiliate members. Even under the challenging backdrop of the pandemic, they’re continuing to work in collaboration with our members to address and accomplish many advocacy goals, with your best interests in mind. The following is a deeper dive into some of the ways GCAAR looks out for you.
GCAAR’s 2020 accomplishments Successfully advocated for re-opening the Montgomery County Circuit Court Land Records Office At the beginning of the pandemic, the Circuit Court of Montgomery County shuttered the Land Records Office by designating its staff as non-essential. Working with our colleagues at the Maryland Land Title Association (MLTA), GCAAR’s Government Affairs team quickly sprang into action, resulting in the re-opening of the Land Records Office—and avoiding a potential multi-week delay in the recording of all documents tied to real estate transactions. Worked with District of Columbia and Maryland state associations to establish REALTORS® as “essential” GCAAR collaborated with Maryland REALTORS® and the District of Columbia Association of REALTORS® to stay in close contact with state and local leaders throughout the pandemic to keep the industry moving forward. While regulations varied between each jurisdiction, real estate work has remained essential throughout most of the pandemic. Defeated efforts on multiple fronts against raising property and recordation taxes As our country and region battled through the pandemic, Montgomery County’s budget draft included reconsidering its tax structure. GCAAR took the following steps to ensure a recordation tax rate increase would not happen: • Urged the county executive against increasing taxes during such a difficult time.
• Advocated firmly against a much more aggressive
measure a few months later by the Montgomery County Planning Board to raise recordation taxes yet again.
• Took a position on proposed ballot questions A and B for the November election when GCAAR knew it was time to work with the county on better alternatives for property taxes.
® ® 8 — —March/April 2021 2021 16 CAPITAL CAPITALAREA AREAREALTOR REALTOR January/February
• Leveraged your REALTOR® Party (also known as
the REALTOR® Political Action Committee, or RPAC) investments, in partnership with Maryland REALTORS® and NAR REALTOR® Party grants to mount a $200,000 ballot question campaign in favor of Question A and against Question B. Our efforts were dramatically successful.
• Vehemently voiced our opposition against any increases to the County Council.
In the end, thanks to GCAAR’s combined efforts, the council voted to postpone any movement on recordation tax changes. Advocated to Maryland’s real estate commission for online class accreditation Switching our classes to virtual due to the pandemic meant we also had to quickly adapt our largest event of the year, REALTOR® Fest, to a virtual format. Working with Maryland REALTORS® and other area associations, GCAAR successfully got the Maryland Real Estate Commission (MREC) to reconsider its guidance regarding live streaming/virtual distance learning for CE and limiting class size. This allowed for a highly successful REALTOR® Fest that included 48 CE classes and 6,285 continuing education hours reported. Hosted two primary election forums with the Board of Education candidates In 2020 there were open seats on the county’s Board of Education. GCAAR held two forums for the candidates running for the at-large seat, including the now-elected board member Lynne Harris. Hosted two DHCD Maryland Mortgage Program webinars for GCAAR members GCAAR connected with DHCD’s Maryland Mortgage Program (MMP) and, twice last year, teamed up with DHCD to host MMP webinars with over 300 members in attendance.
All of these accomplishments have been made possible by your investments in the REALTOR® Political Action Committee (also known as RPAC or the REALTOR® Party), which promotes the election of candidates who understand and support REALTOR® interests locally in Montgomery County, Maryland and the District of Columbia. To learn more about the REALTOR® Party, visit realtorparty.realtor/rpac.
2021 legislative priorities of your local, state and national REALTOR® associations GCAAR is closely following these important local, state and national issues to ensure the best outcomes for the real estate community this year. Here’s a rundown of those issues, plus our recommendations. LOCAL: MONTGOMERY COUNTY
Pushing back rent control expansion DCAR has formed a Rent Control Task Force and has already been successful against expanding rent control to under five units. They are now making preparations on exemptions from the Eviction Moratorium and other protections for small housing providers. STATE: MARYLAND REALTORS® Open Doors to Stronger Neighborhoods
The basis of much of Montgomery County’s budget is drawn from property and recordation taxes. Looking at the entire picture and working on reforms could deliver options for a more sustainable tax base.
GCAAR is closely working with Maryland REALTORS® on a campaign to raise the profile of housing issues, “Open Doors to Stronger Neighborhoods,” to expand housing opportunities for all Marylanders, complementing GCAAR’s own efforts to raise awareness of and to address fair housing issues.
Increasing housing affordability
Property management
Rising property values benefit home sellers but result in higher barriers to entry. Looking at ways to lower debt burdens or increase first-time homebuyer benefits could help lower those barriers.
Maryland REALTORS® is advocating for legislation that would require property managers who mostly work with single-family properties to register with the Maryland Real Estate Commission.
Exploring zoning reforms
Broadband access
Reviewing land use on a broader level could deliver the additional—and affordable—housing that our community needs as Montgomery County grows.
Maryland REALTORS® and GCAAR believe the state and the U.S. government must do more to lower cost barriers to extend high-speed internet to all Marylanders.
STATE: DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® (DCAR)
FEDERAL: NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® During the past year, the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) has kept tabs on the federal eviction moratorium—which has unfortunately crippled some small housing providers—and on the relief that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac have provided to federally backed mortgages with forbearance. NAR has also encouraged the government to quickly disburse relief funds to struggling renters via the latest stimulus package.
Tax policy and revenue base growth
Comprehensive Plan The DC Council is in the process of amending the Comprehensive Plan to provide new goals and strategies with stakeholder input, including creating more housing supply to meet growing demand. Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs (DCRA) The administration and the DC Council are taking steps to improve DCRA, but each have very different opinions. DCAR’s Public Policy Committee has created a DCRA Task Force to formulate proposals, from a consumer perspective, that will help improve department systems and processes.
CAPITAL AREA REALTOR ® — March/April 2021 9
Realtor Party ®
Thank you to our 2021 Major and Large RPAC investors
Golden “R“
Sterling “R“
Ed Krauze Carole Maclure Bonnie Roberts-Burke Christopher Suranna
Koki Adasi Avi Adler Frederic Bates Harrison Beacher Lisa Bosse Russell Brazil Jan Brito Catherine Czuba Thomas Daley Katherine Gordon Colin Johnson Anthony Mancuso Samuel Medvene Katalin Peter Philip Raskin Marjorie Rosner
Bradley Rothstein Rob Rothstein Dianah Shaw Danai Mattison Sky Brenda Small Marty Stanton Capital Club ($250-$999)
Wendy Banner Christine Barnhart Stacey Barton Conrad Bennett M. Jacqueline Bennett Mary Bowen Molly Branson Carolyn Burns Lori Connor
Samantha Damato Christopher Darby Suzanne Des Marais Joe Detrick Anthony DeVol Michael Fowler Jennifer Frewer Jeffrey Ganz Peter Locker Anthony Mancuso Barbara Nalls Betty Pair Arelis Perez Constance Rader Brian Smith J. D. Teitelman Seth Turner
RPAC INVESTOR TESTIMONIAL:
d
“I am a service-minded individual who gives back to her community, and I have been making voluntary contributions to RPAC since 1988. RPAC is a fair, bipartisan and legal way for REALTORS® to speak in a unified voice. Making a contribution to RPAC is an investment in your future. Some of the many initiatives that RPAC has worked to improve include reducing capital gains taxes, preserving the mortgage interest deduction, protecting private property rights, getting transfer taxes lowered for first-time Maryland homebuyers and defeating the tax increase on real estate commissions. RPAC supports legislators and candidates who support REALTOR® issues, ensuring an environment of opportunity and success.” — ARELIS PÉREZ, REALTOR®, SAMSON PROPERTIES BETHESDA 10 CAPITAL AREA REALTOR ® — March/April 2021
Meet your Government Affairs team GCAAR is proud to introduce you to the people who are constantly advocating for your interests at every level of government within GCAAR. They include:
Katalin Peter, Esq.
Evan Loukadakis
Zachary Trupp
Vice President of Public Policy and General Counsel
Associate Government Affairs and Political Director
Associate Government Affairs Director
Tell us about the scope of your work. What types of issues can you help members with? Katalin Peter (KP): I proactively work to foster relationships and advocate for policies and legislation in Montgomery County and the district that best serve the interests of REALTORS® and the REALTOR® community. We track and monitor every piece of legislation that is put out by the government and analyze its potential effect on the real estate industry. We work to either promote it or stop it from moving forward and engage our members when calls for action are needed for an even more powerful impact. Zachary Trupp (ZT): As the associate government affairs director for GCAAR, I focus on Montgomery County and the Maryland state legislature, along with our state government affairs directors at Maryland REALTORS®. We care about every issue that impacts our members and their day-to-day lives. Evan Loukadakis (EL): Zac and I share similar roles, and I serve as our members’ eyes and ears for the district. I sift through everything that’s shared by legislators to see what would be valuable to our members, and find out what they would need to know.
What are some of the ways that members reach out and get help from your team? KP: If there are members running into challenges, roadblocks, any sort of obstacles when it comes to their work with government agencies, we can serve as liaisons for them. If there are laws being proposed that would have a negative impact on the industry, we can be responsive for them.
For forms issues, information about a bill, confusion about taxes or other questions, reach out to GCAAR at advocacy@gcaar.com and we can help.
How do you work with government officials? ZT: The same way you would keep in contact with any of your colleagues, we’re making sure that we’re in communication with legislators and that we’re working with them even on issues that we may disagree with. We keep the lines of communication open. EL: I’m attending every webinar, everything in [legislators’] virtual worlds, including council members’ informal Zoom meetups with constituents. I always have my notepad next to me just in case something comes up. KP: Evan was recently on a call with a council member, and they brought up potentially rolling back the exemption to the single-family Tenant Opportunity to Purchase Act (TOPA). This was the biggest issue to our members, and it was mentioned just in passing. When we hear about something like that at a community meeting, that gives me the immediate trigger to call my other council colleagues and say, “Hey, what’s up with this?” So if something does come up, it’s coming up before an idea even becomes a seed, and we’re paying attention to it.
What's your passion for serving members? What drives you? ZT: It’s government policy. The crafting, amending and changing of policy and the effects it has on the real world. EL: My father has always owned residential properties and commercial properties. So being able to represent members who are the little guy, small housing providers, and making sure they’re treated fairly is very personal for me. KP: I’d say, as an attorney, shaping the law leads to better practice of the law, and if you can shape legislation before it ends up in litigation—and before members have to deal with litigation—it makes for a better environment. To reach out to GCAAR’s Government Affairs team, please email advocacy@gcaar.com. CAPITAL AREA REALTOR ® — March/April 2021 11
2021 GCAAR Recognition Awards
Celebrating our REALTORS for an outstanding year of sales in 2020 ®
T
he Greater Capital Area Association of REALTORS®’ annual Recognition Awards put the spotlight on individual GCAAR members and teams based on their sales and transaction volume in the previous year. During our 2021 event on March 1, we awarded more than 350 individuals and teams for their hard work in 2020—despite the unprecedented challenges the past year brought to our field. Applications for the Recognition Awards open in January each year for current members holding a broker or salesperson’s license who were GCAAR primary members in good standing in the previous year. The awards are based on tallies of sales and listings settled, as noted in Bright MLS. The categories are as follows:
Individual award categories ✪ Bronze Award - At least $5,000,000 in volume or 12 transactions. ✪ Silver Award - At least $10,000,000 in volume or 40 transactions. ✪ Gold Award - At least $20,000,000 in volume or 60 transactions. ✪ Platinum Award - At least $50,000,000 in volume or 100 transactions.
Team award categories ✪ Bronze Award - At least $10,000,000 in volume or 40 transactions. ✪ Silver Award - At least $20,000,000 in volume or 80 transactions. ✪ Gold Award - At least $30,000,000 in volume or 120 transactions. ✪ Platinum Award - At least $50,000,000 in volume or 180 transactions.
Congratulations to our 2021 GCAAR Recognition Award winners!
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CAPITAL AREA REALTOR ® — March/April 2021
Sarah Funt Toni Ghazi Charles Gilroy
Silver (At least $10,000,000 in volume or 40 transactions)
Kelly Garrett Katie Geffken Omar Gonzalez
Andrew Goodman
Lou Ann Armstrong
Marta Granados
Lisa Greaves
David Abramson
Sherri Anne Green
Carly Guirola
Akinremi Akinsanya
Karen Greenzaid
Ellie Hitt
Brett Alan Rubin
Jacque Grenning
Katri Hunter
Andy Alderdice
Jose Guzman
Sharif Ibrahim
Kathryn Ann Snyder
Amber Harris
Robert Jenets
Alana Aschenbach
David Hatef
Cari Jordan
André Asselin
Stacie Hatziyannis
Gitika Kaul
Nader Bagheri
Cornelius Henderson
Bryan Kerrigan
Sunita Bali
Steven Henry
Jack Kort
Suzanne Barry
Lynn Holland
Cheryl Kurss
Christine Basso Fitzgerald
Vincent Hurteau
Traudel Lange
Lydia Benson
Maya Hyman
Donna Mank
Katie Bocock
Mary Illes
Marlena McWilliams
Anthony Bolling
Emily Jackson
Samuel Medvene
Russell Brazil
Kara Johnson
Megan Meekin
Joe Buffington
Kam Kang
Dan Metcalf
Don Bunuan
Masiray Kanneh-Peart
Rachel Miller
Taylor Carney
Robert Kerxton
Anne Killeen
Aya Netanel
Yiqun Cen
James Kim
Karen Rollings
John Pruski
Joaquin Cerritos
Judith Kogod Colwell
Andrés Serafini
Lenore Rubino
Nicola Chandon Taylor
Maria Kolick
Will Thomas
Catalina Sandoval
Pierre Chauvet
Paulette Ladas
Juan Umanzor, Jr.
Katrina Schymik Abjornson
Jordan Chronopoulos
Litsa Laddbush
David Shotwell
Eunice Chu
Jonathan Layne
Lyndsi Sitcov
Emily Cottone
Rachel Levey
Laura Steuart
Lorin Culver
Tiffany Lewis
Marco Stilli
Thomas Daley
Todd Litchfield
Ruby Styslinger
Monir Dellawar
Bonnie Mack Barker
Simon Timm
Phil Di Ruggiero
Judy Martin
Nazir Ullah
Darnell Eaton
Matthew Maury
David Wagner
Themis Economos Johnson
Jennie McDonnell
Maureen Weaver
Page Eisinger
D'Ann Melnick
Phyllis Wiesenfelder
Mark Ellington
Joyce Meyerdirk-McKenzie
Bill Xuri Wang
Sonya Estevez
Sherine Monir
Erik Evans
Nadia Moreira
Omar Flores
Paul Nalabandian
Brooke Fox
Jesse Oakley
Michael Gailey
Orla O'Callaghan
Individual Awards Platinum At least $50,000,000 in volume or 100 transactions
Gold At least $20,000,000 in volume or 60 transactions
Lee Arrowood Ericka Black Sarah Brown Cassidy Burns Teresa Burton Russell Chandler Ellen Coleman Brian Cusick Amy Embrey Christine Fischer
Jeffrey Ganz Turn the page to see more of our impressive list of winners! ➲ CAPITAL AREA REALTOR ® — March/April 2021 13
Mario Padilla
Helen Trybus
Martin Conroy
Josue Pinto
Karen Parnes
Lynne Tucker
Garrett Cottrell
Brad Pitt
Cathy Paulos
Daniel Ungar Susan Van Nostrand
Fruzsina Csaszar Di Ruggiero
Paul Pultar
Linda Pettie Donna Pfeiffer
Simone Velvel
Samantha Damato
Bruce Robinson
Philip Piantone
Denise Verburg
Pamela Potolicchio
Tony Villeda
Josh Pratt
Terring Wang
Amanda Provost
Andrea Washington
Missy Raffa
Marci Wasserman
Natalie Ramirez
Joshua Waxman
Jonathan Reff
Bruce Werber
Vicki Reyes
Nancy Wert
Allen Reynolds
Kathy Whalen
Darin Rich
John Williams
Pam Ryan-Brye
Tracey Williams Barnett
Lavina Samtani
Gregg Zeiler
Gali Sapir
Majida Zouine
Mary Schroth Jill Schwartz Kate Slawta, J.D. Rachel Smith Ravijit Soni
Bronze (At least $5,000,000 in volume or 12 transactions)
Tom Spier
Sebrin Adem
Trish Stovall
Jill Aharon
Stacey Styslinger
Waqar Ahmed
Jenna Taheri
Lorielle Akintunde
Kenita Tang
Joanna Argenio Anna-Marie Ashe Joie Ashworth Jonathan Bartlett Adam Bashein Jamal Bell Cecilia Beltran Evelyn Branic Denise Briggs Kwame Browner Dustin Cabrera Tony Calkins Diana Carrasco Joanna Chacon Molina Linda Chaletzky Rabih Chamas Brittney Childress Bridgette Cline Ellen Cohen Elizabeth Coleridge-Taylor
CAPITAL AREA REALTOR ® — March/April 2021
Carlos Evans Bryant Ferreira Anna Ganev Deb Gartner Lindy Gelb Nicholas Gerhardt Toya Giacomini Dara Gilman-Murphy Dorie Glass Lorraine Gottlieb Bob Graves Valerie Greene Tammy Gruner Durbin Becky Harris
Katy Argueta
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Leif Eric
Angie Hashempour Andrea Jenkins Kimberly Jones Ajay Kapur Dr. Barbara W. King Lauren W. Kline Jessica Kreiser Anastasiia Kulin Christine Langford-Dixon Richard Lee Nancy Lee Meyerdirk Ross Levin Rebecca Lewis Lance Macon Wayne Mann Maria Mantzouranis Giannina Marin-Malaver Laurinda Massey Ebony McArthur Marie McCormack Lacey McGrew Maurice Mckinney II, MBA Andrés Morejon Alethea Morris Nicole Neale Nadia Nejaime Patricia Okolo Penine Orao Felipe Perez
Elber Ramirez Olivo Lissette Rodriguez-Hasna Loretta Saba Sunno Sahani-Jhangiani Juan Santos Jenn Schneider KaTrina Scott Bindu Sethi Cheryl Shaw Jessica Sidar Patty Sieber Anjolene Smack-Whaley Holly Smith Sabrina Solis Cristina Sousa Deidra Stubbs Tracy Tkac Catherine Triantis Jose-Leonel Turcios Africano Turyahikayo E. Gabriela Vasco Ricardo Vasquez Susan Verner Ressie Wallace Wilson Robert Whaley Jeff Wheatley John Williams Rebecca Williams Natalia Winffel Jay Yu Juan Zamora Anne Zawwin
Team Award Winners
The Balow Band Olinger Group of Greystone Realty
Platinum
The Laura Steuart Real Estate Group
(At least $50,000,000 in volume or 180 transactions)
AUBREY | KOSEIAN Group Banner Team Bediz Group, LLC
The Carolyn Homes Team The Kensington Group
The Llerena Group The Navigate Group The Ron Sitrin Team Will Stein Group of Compass
Capital Estate Group Coalition Properties Group Dana Rice Group
Silver
Ferris Levin Collaborative
(At least $20,000,000 in volume or 80 transactions)
Fulcrum Properties Group Hagen-Bergstrom
Brito Associates
Heller Coley Reed
Clark and Carle Group at Compass
Margie Halem Group McCormick Gregory Team McFadden Partners Pennye Green Team Sabelhaus Team Scott Team International Team Koki The Agency DC
Thanks to our GCAAR Recognition Award sponsors:
DOMO Ferguson Group Michael Seay Homes
Gold
Richard Martinez Realtor Rudden | Bobruska Team Susan Romm Team The Abrams Group
The Bowers Group
The Dana Global Advantage Team
The Burr Group
The Denny & Leyla Team
The Cara Pearlman Group
The Mortensen Team
The Friedson Group The Ken Abramowitz Group The Lahey Group The Myers Team at RE/MAX Realty Services The Synergy Vassar Broermann Group
Gold
Bronze (At least $10,000,000 in volume or 40 transactions)
Gail Lee Homes BergerSandler Beyond The Sale Carp & Son
(At least $30,000,000 in volume or 120 transactions)
EZ RE Group
Andy Werner & Associates
Kore Property Group
Barbara Ciment Team
Metro DC Houses
Best Address® Group
Stacy and Kathleen Team
Charbonneau Group
Team Mannix
Czuba Group
The Cahill Tully Crossland Group
Finnell Lee Homes Jennifer Chow Group MG Residential Mynor & Associates Ross|Residential
GO2Realtors
The Gibbons Group The Maplesden Group
Silver
Jill Pogach Michaels Law Michaels Title & Escrow
Bronze Donofrio & Associates Property Inspections, LLC
The Pair Parker and Downing Group CAPITAL AREA REALTOR ® — March/April 2021 15
REALTOR® relations
Perfecting your REALTOR®-to-REALTOR® relationships With 2021 GCAAR President Jan Brito
O
n a particularly windy day in December, Jan Brito was showing buyers a home in Gaithersburg, MD when she noticed something no REALTOR® wants to see: a name rider sign hanging by a single twist tie and blowing wildly in the wind. Brito, a REALTOR® and GCAAR’s current president, didn’t have a hook on hand, or she would have fixed it herself; instead, she stopped, took a photo of it with her phone, and quickly texted the listing agent. “She was grateful, because it looked bad,” Brito says. “What we do for each other matters, and we must treat each other as well as we treat our clients.” We all know the real estate business is about relationships—and that showing courtesy, trust and respect to our colleagues (and their clients’ property) is expected of us as REALTORS®. Not only that, but how we treat others today may affect our reputation—and business—for years to come. That’s why we’re sharing some of our favorite tips, collected over years in the industry, for how to foster the best professional relationships we can. Whether you’re brand new to the field and just learning the basics or simply appreciate a refresher after many years in the business, the tips on this page can help you establish yourself as a trustworthy connection within your REALTOR® network. Be on the lookout; we’ll share more of these tips in future issues of our magazine!
16 CAPITAL AREA REALTOR ® — March/April 2021
Call ahead if plans change.
If you’re running late or need to cancel a showing appointment for whatever reason, contact the listing office right away.
Always use sidewalks and driveways to enter into a home instead of cutting across the grass. There may be times where you or the client has accidentally stepped in something in the yard, and you do not want to track it into the seller’s home.
Keep the air conditioning or heat in a home as you found it. By adjusting or tweaking a system, you might be launching a problem that you are unaware of, such as a leaky system.
Respect sellers’ belongings as off limits, including furniture. While it’s acceptable to sit in the entertaining areas (kitchen, living room, on barstools) to discuss offer terms, furniture placement, changes the buyer would make, etc., it’s never okay to sit on the seller’s bed or to allow children to play with the seller’s children's toys.
If you see something, say something. If you see an issue in a property during a showing, i.e. water in the basement, shoot a quick text to the agent to let them know. Whether you’ve simply found a door left open upon arrival, or something more serious that seems amiss, it’s always a good idea to let your fellow REALTOR® know, so they can address any issues promptly.
CAPITAL AREA REALTOR ® — March/April 2021 17
From the gcaar classroom Save the date for ‘Converting Leads into Closings’ Want to learn more about converting leads into closings? GCAAR is holding the Certified Residential Specialist (CRS) course, Converting Leads into Closings on April 15 and 16. Whether you are a new agent building your business or an established agent keeping your database fresh, maintaining a flow of potential customers is crucial to your success. Attracting leads is key, but if you don’t have effective systems for converting them into closings, you’re leaving money on the table. This new Residential Real Estate Council course highlights traditional and digital approaches to identifying and closing more customers. Instruction and activities cover all aspects of a successful customer interaction experience—attraction, first contact, needs analysis, incubation, conversion, closing and beyond. Upon the successful completion of this course, students will be able to: • Develop systems for capturing, converting and tracking leads • Implement customer-focused campaigns that highlight consistent touches via various channels • Integrate technical tools to enhance the efficiency and responsiveness of your lead management • Set priorities for lead conversion and create an action plan for achieving them The course will meet virtually from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. each day and costs $125 for GCAAR members, $135 for non-members.
Register today at gcaar.com/calendar!
CRS: Converting Leads into Closings Date: April 15 & 16 Time: 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. each day Price: Member: $125.00 Non-member: $135.00
Look out for our new class on real estate negotiation On May 5, 6 and 7, GCAAR is hosting a course to help you earn the National Association of REALTORS®’ Real Estate Negotiation Expert (RENE) certification, which provides REALTORS® with negotiation skills so you have the tips and tools you need to be skillful advocates for your clients. Bonus? This course is also an elective for both the Seller Representative Specialist (SRS) and Accredited Buyer’s Representative (ABR®) designations, which GCAAR will also offer later this year. The course takes place from 9 a.m.–1:30 p.m. each day. The cost is $149 for GCAAR members and $179 for non-members before April 28. (NAR requires a one-time application fee of $159.) Register at gcaar.com/calendar.
District of Columbia license expiration dates extended Professional licenses are valid during the public health emergency and will remain valid until 45 days after it ends. Renewal notices will be sent at that time. For additional details and to verify your licensee status, use the look-up tool available on the DC Real Estate Commission website, dcra.dc.gov/node/1438121. 18 CAPITAL AREA REALTOR ® — March/April 2021
Don't forget: NAR's Code of Ethics training cycle now ends Dec. 31 NAR's Board of Directors approved a change to the Code of Ethics training requirement, extending it from every two years to every three years. This extends the current cycle deadline from Dec. 31, 2020, to Dec. 31, 2021. REALTORS® are required to complete ethics training of not less than 2 hours, 30 minutes of instructional time. The training must meet specific learning objectives and criteria established by the National Association of REALTORS®. GCCAR’s Maryland or District of Columbia Code of Ethics classes and NAR’s online courses are both options—you may choose to take either class to fulfill the requirement. If you choose to take Code of Ethics from The CE Shop or another education provider, you must submit your certification to education@gcaar.com so that it may be uploaded to NAR. Below are the cycle dates for the Code of Ethics Training Requirement. Training must be completed at any time during these established cycles. Failure to complete training during this cycle will lead to suspension of membership for the January and February immediately following the cycle deadline, with termination of membership starting March 1 after the cycle deadline.
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2021 GCAAR Recognition Member services cornerAwards
GCAAR video series highlights your member benefits GCAAR brings you the advocacy, education, resources and services you need to build your career, enhance your network and excel in real estate at the local, state and national level. To help you understand the breadth of member benefits available to you as a GCAAR member, we’ve launched a video series titled "The More You Know... about GCAAR." We kicked off our series with 2020 GCAAR President Danai Mattison Sky describing REALTOR® Fest and what's in it for you to attend our 2021 event (which is scheduled for July 12-17). 2021 GCAAR President Jan Brito joined Danai in a subsequent video all about the benefits of attending GCAAR’s events year-round. Future videos will focus on REALTOR® resources & tools, such as forms, lockbox services and multi-channel communications, advancing your REALTOR® career through education, professional designations and our Profession Sessions, and protecting your interests as REALTORS® through GCAAR’s Legal Hotline, professional standards and advocacy teams. Watch them on GCAAR’s YouTube channel or visit gcaar.com/memberservices/ member-benefits. Stay tuned for more of these GCAAR "commercials" coming soon!
Working on taxes? Need receipts? Visit ‘My Account’ Last year, GCAAR upgraded its website to allow members access to their receipts. To see your paid and unpaid invoices, visit My Account at gcaar. com and click on Invoices & Receipts in the menu options. If you are unable to access your receipts, please email our Member & Billing Services team at membershiprecords@gcaar.com.
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CAPITAL AREA REALTOR ® — March/April 2021
Important! Remember to customize your SentriLock lockbox We are hearing that agents are not customizing their lockboxes for the area in which their listing is located. By customizing your lockbox to that particular jurisdiction, you can ensure that only agents who are licensed in that area have access to your lockbox. For assistance on customizing your lockbox, please contact your friendly SentriLock customer service representatives at 513-618-5800.
SentriLock is going cardless in 2022— Have you started using the SentriKey app? If you are currently using the SentriCard and have never used SentriLock’s app, now is a great time to download the SentriKey app and get familiar with it–before SentriLock goes cardless in 2022! Simply download the “SentriKey Real Estate” app in the app store on your phone. To log in, please use the same credentials you use to log into SentriLock’s website. If you have forgotten your login credentials, please contact GCAAR’s Member Services team at 301-590-8769. Some of the benefits of using the SentriKey app are: • Immediate notification when someone enters and leaves a property. • The ability to use Touch ID or Facial Recognition to streamline the access process. (No more card renewals!) • Features such as schedule showings, report key missing, assigning/ unassigning lockboxes to listings and Agent Safety Need help learning how to use the app? SentriLock has you covered. Visit their YouTube channel, SentriLock, LLC (youtube.com/SentriLock1) Or, register for the SentriKey App School at www.sentrilock.com/sentrikey-real-estate-app-school. Please note: As with the SentriCard, do not provide your SentriKey app login credentials to anyone else—not your assistant, a contractor or a client. If you do, you will be violating SentriLock’s Terms of Use, and your SentriLock services will be terminated.
CAPITAL AREA REALTOR ® — March/April 2021 23
Nadia Evangelou, NAR Research
Homeownership trends for minority groups this year
D
uring the pandemic, a booming housing market has contributed significantly to the recovery of the U.S. economy. Home sales activity rose to its highest level in 14 years in 2020. And with an uptick in home sales came other economic boosts: with each home sale, there are expenditures related to lawn care, home remodeling, new furniture, mortgage origination, moving and an inducement to build new homes. The National Association of REALTORS® estimates that every home sale generates $89,000 in the national and local economy. The impact is even stronger in the District of Columbia, with every home sale contributing $185,000 to its economy. (For more context on our region: the economic impact of a home sale in Maryland is $97,000.) Nevertheless, not all families have the same opportunities to own a home, with many facing additional hurdles. Indeed, there are sizable differences in the homeownership rate among minorities, with the rate of homeownership for minority families lagging behind the national average. As a result, the net worth for minority families is also lower. At $188,200, the net worth of a typical White family was nearly eight times greater than that of a Black family ($24,100) in 2019.
Specifically, the homeownership rate for White Americans has consistently been nearly 70% since 2017. In the same period, the homeownership rate for Black Americans has been nearly 30 percentage points lower than that of White Americans—a few points above 41% from 2017 on. For Hispanic Americans, the homeownership rate has held at a few points above 47%, and for Asian Americans it has Homeownership rates by race (2009-2019) been above 59% over the 69.8% 71.0% same time period. Moreover, in the last 10 years, 60.7% while the homeownership 59.5% rate fell for all races, except for Asian Americans, Black Americans still experienced the largest decline in home48.1% 48.1% ownership. 44.5% 42.0%
2009 Race
2010 White
2011
2012
Black
Source: NAR calculations of ACS PUMS data
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CAPITAL AREA REALTOR ® — March/April 2021
2013 Asian
2014 Hispanic
2015
2016
2017
2018
2019
Homeownership trends in Montgomery County and the District of Columbia In the District of Columbia, fewer Americans own a home than nationwide. There, homeownership across all races lags significantly behind the national level: 49% of White, 40.3% of Asian, 40.3% of Hispanic and 34.2% of Black Americans own a home. High housing costs may be one reason that homeownership is lower in the area. Specifically, as of December 2020, the median home price ($639,500) was twice the national median home price ($309,800). Comparing the homeownership rates among races, the gap of homeownership between White and Black Americans is significantly smaller, at 15%, than it is nationwide. Nevertheless, in Montgomery County––with the exception of Black Americans––homeownership outpaces that at the national level. In this area, 72.8% of White, 49.0% District of Colum bia 73.4% of Asian, 49.3% of Hispanic and 41.3% White Montgom ery County 72.8% of Black Americans are 69.8% U.S. homeowners. Asian home34.2% District of Colum bia ownership is very strong in Black Montgom ery County 41.3% Montgomery County since 42.0% U.S. Asian Americans have the 40.3% District of Colum bia highest homeownership Asian Montgom ery County 73.4% rate in the area, outpacing White Americans. Still, the 60.7% U.S. gap of homeownership 40.3% District of Colum bia between White and Black Hispanic Montgom ery County 49.3% Americans is bigger than 48.1% U.S. Calculations of ACS PUMS data nationwide.
Fewer housing opportunities for minority groups With homes selling within a month, it’s no surprise that home prices are continuing to rise. In fact, home prices have risen more than 13% since 2017. Meanwhile, mortgage rates are hovering into record lows, with significantly lower borrowing costs. But fast-rising home prices seem to be eroding the benefits of the current low rates in the area, making it more difficult for some Americans to accomplish their home-buying dreams. Although housing is more affordable for Black Americans in 2019 compared to 2009, only 14% of Black Americans can afford to buy the typical home compared to 56% of White, 39% of Asian and 36% of Hispanic Americans.
Recommendations to combat racial inequality With the nation’s attention focused on shrinking racial inequality, particularly as it relates to Black Americans, the National Association of REALTORS® released a five-point plan last year that would help close the persistent gap in homeownership rates between White and Black Americans, including building more homes, building more homes in opportunity zones, increasing access to down payment assistance, strengthening the Federal Housing Administration’s loan program and expanding alternative credit score models. While saving for a down payment can be the biggest hurdle for Americans to become homeowners, increased access to federal down-payment assistance based on a certain income threshold is vital to ease the homeownership gap between White and Black Americans. The proposed tax credit of $15,000 for first-time homebuyers could help more Black Americans to achieve their homeownership dream.
CAPITAL AREA REALTOR ® — March/April 2021 25
Legal Hotline
By Chris Darby, Tom Muldoon and John Nalls of Counselors Title, LLC, and Pardo & Drazin, LLC, General Counsel
QUESTION: Does my role or responsibility
as a listing agent change if my client will be using a 1031 Exchange when selling their investment property?
ANSWER: Your role in the transaction does not
change. You will want to ensure that your client is using a Qualified Intermediate to properly handle the 1031 Exchange and complying with the requirements of the IRS Tax Code.
QUESTION: If you have a seller with a security
camera all around his house, do you need to disclose that to the visitors, agents or buyers?
ANSWER: This is a complicated issue for which
some, but not all, jurisdictions have laws regarding required disclosures and/or the disconnection of audio recordings during showings or open houses. GCAAR has attempted to address the matter of making buyers aware that surveillance systems may record conversations in sellers’ homes in GCAAR Form 1318, Important Information for the Purchase of Real Estate: 18. SECURITY SYSTEMS/ELECTRONIC DEVICES: Buyer is advised that Seller may have a system 26
CAPITAL AREA REALTOR ® — March/April 2021
on Seller’s property that records audio and/or video. If so, Buyer’s actions and/or conversations could be heard, recorded and/or seen. The Montgomery County Jurisdictional Addendum to the Listing Agreement (GCAAR Form #909) also has a paragraph notifying sellers of Maryland’s law on this topic: 7. HOME SECURITY SYSTEMS THAT MONITOR OR RECORD AUDIO: Seller is advised that Maryland law prohibits audio recording and/ or monitoring of private conversations without the consent of all parties. NAR has also published a survey of various jurisdictions’ laws on this subject that can be found at: bit.ly/2OYlaSf. The short answer is that, while technology seems to increasingly create an environment where recordings are regularly taking place in many people’s homes, it would be a good idea for sellers to affirmatively disclose this possibility. That means disclosing where they know recordings are taking place. And in places like Maryland, where the law actually requires consent for audio recordings, such devices should be disconnected during open houses and showings.
QUESTION: I am in the process of destroying
real estate transaction files I no longer need to store. I want to make certain I understand the requirements for keeping these files.
ANSWER: Both the State of Maryland and the
District of Columbia have laws regarding how long real estate documents must be maintained and for what period of time they must be kept. District of Columbia Law Section 42-2853.197(22) of District of Columbia real estate law outlines the requirement of real estate documents: 1. Question: Must a real estate broker keep an escrow or trustee accounting of funds deposited relating to a real estate transaction? Answer: Yes. Brokers must keep an escrow or trustee accounting of all funds that are deposited with him or her relating to real estate and business transactions. 2. Question: How long must real estate transaction records be maintained? Answer: Three years. 3. Question: What information must the real estate records contain that are maintained? Answer: The records must show to whom the money belongs, the date of deposit, the date of withdrawal, to whom paid, and other pertinent information as the Board may require by regulation. 4. Question: Is the DC Real Estate Board allowed to inspect a broker’s records? Answer: Yes. The records must be made available to the Board on demand or upon written notice given to the depository. Maryland Law Section 17-507 of Maryland real estate law outlines the requirement of real estate documents: 1. Question: Where must a real estate broker maintain records of trust money? Answer: Each real estate broker shall maintain all records of trust money in a secured area within the office of the broker. 2. Question: What is a real estate licensee responsible for keeping copies of? Answer: Each licensee shall keep copies of the following items: a) listings; and b) any other document executed or obtained by the licensee in connection with a transaction involving the provision of real estate brokerage services, including any electronic signature contained on a document.
3. Question: How long shall the real estate transaction records be held for? Answer: five years starting on the date of the closing of a real estate transaction, or, if the transaction is not closed, five years after the date of the listing. 4. Question: How long shall property management service records be kept? Answer: Five years after the termination of the management agreement. 5. Question: Is a licensee allowed to keep records and store them in an electronic method? Answer: Yes if, a) the stored record cannot be erased or edited; b) the stored record is made or preserved as part of, and in the regular course of, the licensee’s business; c) the original record from which the stored record was copied was made or prepared by the licensee or the licensee’s employees at or near the time of the activity described in the record; d) the custodian of the record is able to identify the stored record, the mode of its preparation, and the mode of storage; and e) the electronic storage system contains a reliable indexing system that provides: i. convenient access to the document or record; ii. appropriate quality control of the storage process; and iii. chronological arrangement of stored documents or records.
6. Question: Is the Maryland Real Estate Commission allowed to inspect a licensee’s records? Answer: Yes. On reasonable notice from the Commission, a licensee shall allow a representative of the Commission to enter the licensee’s place of business during business hours to inspect a record required to be kept. And the licensee shall provide, at the licensee’s expense, a paper copy of any document or record requested by the Commission. A licensee shall display to the Commission on demand all records, books, and accounts of any money held in trust.
DISCLAIMER: The answers provided here are the opinion of the authors, are for informational purposes and are only for GCAAR members. Neither Counselors Title, LLC, nor Pardo & Drazin, LLC, is providing legal advice, but rather providing a general statement of law. No lawyer/client relationship is–or will be–established as a result of this material. Readers are encouraged to retain their own counsel for their specific questions. Answers may have been edited for formatting purposes.
CAPITAL AREA REALTOR ® — March/April 2021 27
Legal Hotline, continued
QUESTION: Prior to becoming a REALTOR®,
I was a consultant. I do understand that the real estate sales commission (buying, selling, leasing properties) needs to be processed through my brokerage. Before engaging in consulting, I'd like to make certain I am following the guidelines concerning compensation. Please clarify what streams of income must be processed through the brokerage and what streams of income do not need to be processed through the brokerage (e.g. consulting fees, government contracts related to services outside of sales and leasing, etc.).
ANSWER: Below is the Maryland statutory definition for providing real estate brokerage services, which must be processed through the brokerage.
(l) “Provide real estate brokerage services” means to engage in any of the following activities: (1) for consideration, providing any of the following services for another person:
(i) selling, buying, exchanging, or leasing any real estate; or
(ii) collecting rent for the use of any real estate;
(2) for consideration, assisting another person to locate or obtain for purchase or lease any residential real estate;
(3) engaging regularly in a business of dealing in real estate or leases or options on real estate; (4) engaging in a business the primary purpose of which is promoting the sale of real estate through a listing in a publication issued primarily for the promotion of real estate sales; (5) engaging in a business that subdivides land that is located in any state and sells the divided lots; or (6) for consideration, serving as a consultant regarding any activity set forth in items (1) through (5) of this subsection.
QUESTION: Can the seller who is occupying
pursuant to a Post-Settlement Occupancy Agreement, giving notice, vacate the property prior to the "Specified Date" without penalty?
ANSWER: There is no penalty for the seller
vacating the property prior to the “Specified Date” in the Post-Settlement Occupancy Addendum (GCAAR Form 1309). However, Paragraph 1 specifically provides that “The amount paid for this license is non-refundable in the event Seller vacates the Property prior to the end of the Occupancy Period.” Accordingly, the seller may not seek a refund of any previous amounts paid for leaving early.
Michael J. Bramnick, Esquire
Mike is an experienced litigator regularly handling real estate disputes in Maryland, Virginia, and the District of Columbia between residential buyers, sellers, real estate brokers, and agents, including matters involving:
v Real estate contract disputes and breach of contract claims v Buyer or seller refusing to close on a transaction
v Disputes involving the release of an earnest money deposit v Commission and fee disputes
v Homeowner/contractor disputes v Mechanic’s liens
v General civil litigation v Construction defects
v Claims for fraud and property condition disclosure issues Mike has been repeatedly recognized by Super Lawyer Magazine in the area of civil litigation.
Bramnick Creed, LLC 4520 East West Hwy • Suite 700 Bethesda, MD 20814
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CAPITAL AREA REALTOR ® — March/April 2021
BramnickCreed.com Phone: 301.547.3647 • Fax: 301.951.8631 Email: Mike@BramnickCreed.com
District of Columbia Save the dates for these 2021 District of Columbia Association of REALTORS® Speaker Series webinars DCAR’s 2021 Speaker Series is in full swing! So far this year, they hosted Dean Hunter, CEO of the Small Multifamily Owners Association, who discussed rent control and housing affordability in the district, and Andrew Trueblood, director of the D.C. Office of Planning, who covered the District of Columbia Comprehensive Plan. Be sure to save these dates for the rest of DCAR’s 2021 Speaker Series events:
April 8: Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs (DCRA) June 10: Education and schools Sept. 9: The district’s Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) Be on the lookout for more details and registration information for these upcoming events at dcrealtors.org.
Maryland Maryland REALTORS®: How the Legal Hotline can help you If you’re a Maryland REALTORS® member, you have access to a Legal Hotline, where you can get general legal information and answers to your specific questions. The Hotline is accessible at 443-716-3502 on Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 10 a.m.-noon and 2-4 p.m. If you prefer to submit your question online, visit bit.ly/MDRLegal. Whether you’re an agent, a broker or office manager, the Legal Hotline is open to you. There are no limits to usage for this service. Common types of questions include topics such as contracts, addenda and inspections, forms, licensing and real estate transactions. Got a question? Reach out to the Maryland REALTORS® Legal Hotline at 443-716-3502!
CAPITAL AREA REALTOR ® — March/April 2021 29
NAR director's report
Report from the National Association of REALTORS® Bonnie Roberts-Burke, NAR Region 3 Vice President
Fairhaven is a town every REALTOR® should visit. Online, that is. April is Fair Housing Month, and it’s a great time to take advantage of the National Association of REALTORS®’ recently launched Fairhaven training. The new fair housing simulation for REALTORS® uses the power of storytelling to help members identify, prevent and address discriminatory practices in real estate. Inspired by real stories, this innovative online experience has agents work against the clock to sell homes in the fictional town of Fairhaven, while confronting discrimination in the homebuying process. Learners will also walk in the shoes of a homebuyer facing discrimination. The training provides customized feedback that learners can apply to daily business interactions. This innovative training platform is available to all 1.4 million NAR members at no additional cost. Be an advocate for fair housing and the future of our industry. Commit to combating discrimination in real estate. Get started by logging in to fairhaven.realtor to explore Fairhaven and assess how well you are adhering to fair housing principles.
NAR’s 2021 volunteer challenge: We need your help! As part of NAR's efforts to highlight how REALTOR® volunteer activity strengthens communities, President Charlie Oppler has challenged NAR members to log 5 million volunteer hours in 2021. With 72% of REALTORS® volunteering, that means each active volunteer would only need to log five hours for the entire year. We need your help to bring attention to this initiative! Please share your volunteer story with NAR. Do you volunteer for a favorite local charity? Have you participated in your state or local association's virtual fundraiser? Tell us about it so we can share it on our "REALTORS® Are Good Neighbors" Facebook page, facebook.com/realtorsaregoodneighbors. Please send a brief description of your volunteer work and a photo to Sara Geimer at sgeimer@nar.realtor. And don't forget to go to nar. realtor/rgn to record your volunteer hours and help us hit the 5 million hour goal!
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CAPITAL AREA REALTOR ® — March/April 2021
bright mls Bright MLS wants to get you ready for the spring market By Debbie Freer, Bright MLS Director, Marketing & Communications
If 2020 taught us anything, it was that your business is always changing. You need your Multiple Listing Service to anticipate and provide solutions ahead of these changes. Bright understands this important task, and is here with enhancements to our service that can drive your business forward and help you best serve your clients in 2021 and beyond. Here are some changes we’ve already made this year that we hope will make your life easier:
1 2 3
The BrightMLS.com Workspace offers a new way to move quickly on critical tasks. Your Workspace on the new BrightMLS.com helps organize and share the most important tasks you need to take on every time you log into Bright. The “Quick MLS” number search is always at the top of the screen, and your critical alerts are available front and center. The buttons for Widgets for Hot Sheets, My Listings, Concierge and Market Watch can help you start viewing listings and take on other to-dos quickly and efficiently. Updates to Listing Management are expected to help you work more efficiently and collaborate more easily. Throughout the year you’ll see exciting updates to Listing Management, including Listing Assistant, which will help you more easily complete and enter listing information, give your teams more collaboration options, and even give you the ability to collaborate with your photographer in the new Media Center. Watch for more information on these updates soon. Bright statistics shed light on demand and give you actionable information to share with your clients. Bright offers a variety of statistical solutions to help you stay up-to-date on the latest movement in your market and guide your current and potential clients in their home buying and selling process. When you log into Bright, visit the Market tab in the navigation to see all of the current and recently added solutions, and make sure you’re taking advantage of this valuable market intelligence. You can learn about these and other system updates by attending an upcoming training. Bright’s Customer Success Coaches offer regular training opportunities to help you make the most of your Multiple Listing Service. Register for a class at BrightMLS.com/Training.
CAPITAL AREA REALTOR ® — March/April 2021 31
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Welcome, new REALTOR® members! 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 industry. We hope you’ll enjoy the range of benefits we offer and maximize your membership this year and beyond. Be sure to read our newsletters and visit our website, gcaar.com, for the latest updates.
JANUARY
Georgia Chasen
Ivan Georgiev
Troi Jones
Bradley Martin
Compass
Keller Williams Realty Reston
RLAH Real Estate
Weichert REALTORS®
Shannon Ables
Kong Chhour
Racheal Gerred
Loren Jones
Kiara Martinez
Keller Williams Realty Falls
Weichert REALTORS®
Compass
Nieva Deausen Realty
Rachel Clark
Sanja Gomez
Chantel Jordan
Rosenda McCook
RE/MAX Realty Centre, Inc.
Smart Realty LLC
RE/MAX Allegiance
eXp Realty LLC
Brendan Clark
Susan Gordon
Jennifer Jordan
Keagon McDearmon
Old Line Properties LLC
eXp Realty LLC
eXp Realty LLC
Redfin Corporation
Tyrantia Cook
Octavia Gould
Raphael Joyner
Solomia Meklysh
Execuhome Realty
Keller Williams Capital Properties
TTR Sothebys International Realty
TTR Sothebys International Realty
Kristy Davies
Lauren Haberman
Faisal Khan
Jonathan Milstein
Coldwell Banker Realty
Compass
Fathom Realty
Keller Williams Capital Properties
Joseph Dean
Salim Haddad
Patience Kplivi
Jordan Mirgon
Samson Properties
Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc.
Diligence Real Estate LLC
Compass
Alexandra Draiman
Mark Haile
Evangeline Labador
Michael Moeller
eXp Realty LLC
Heymann Realty LLC
Keller Williams Realty McLean
Buy & Save REALTORS®
Fabiola Dumas
Henry Harries
Jeremy Lassiter
Sean Monaghan
Exit Deluxe Realty
Compass
Samson Properties
Compass
Christopher Duplisea
Walter Haselrig
Thien-Kim Le
Kimberly Moton
Weichert REALTORS®
Compass
Pearson Smith Realty
Keller Williams Capital Properties
Alexandra Eldredge
Harriet Hawkins
Sean Ledbetter
Cassandra Nesmith
Century 21 New Millennium
IGOLDENONE Realty & Concierge LLC
SRG National Harbor LLC
Compass
Ahmad Maseeh Exeer
Dana Herson
Seul Lee
Yessenia Nieves
eXp Realty LLC
RE/MAX Town Center
Independent Realty, Inc.
Keller Williams Realty Reston
Emmanuel Fasaye
Jayson Hirschman
Elliot Lee
Judson Nirenberg
Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc.
Pioneer Realty Inc.
Bennett Realty Solutions
Keller Williams Capital Properties
Madeleine Feldman
Jasper Hney
Dorina Lipovanciuc
Brianna Nunes
Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc.
Redfin Corporation
American Homes Realty Group LLC
Taylor Properties
Edgar Ferrufino
Wendy Holterman
Bei Ma
Thomas O'Neil
Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc.
Keller Williams Capital Properties
The ONE Street Company
Compass
Kenneth Ford
Marc Hyman
Griffin MacDonald
Aneka Osakwe
IGOLDENONE Realty & Concierge LLC
Keller Williams Capital Properties
Redfin Corporation
Weichert REALTORS®
Gianni Ford Fields
Linetta Jackson
Tristan Magee
Christopher Pace
Samson Properties
Keller Williams Capital Properties
Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc.
eXp Realty LLC
Dustin Fox
Bryan Jacobs
Sunny Makoge
Taverick Parker
Pearson Smith Realty
Redfin Corporation
Samson Properties
Redfin Corporation
Ana Garcia
Fang Jiang
Nicolas Makris
Ava Parker Preston
Keller Williams Capital Properties
Real Broker LLC
GreenLine Real Estate, LLC
Coldwell Banker Realty
Gaelle Garraway
JackieJohnson
Melanie Malbroue
Jemma Parsons
DC Urban Living LLC
eXp Realty LLC
Century 21 The Real Estate Centre
Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc.
Roy Gattuso
Aliya Johnson
Marlon Marshall
Ashish Patel
Keller Williams Capital Properties
SRG National Harbor LLC
Scout Properties
Realty Advantage
Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc.
Samin Alam Taylor Properties
Yonas Asrat Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc.
Jaspreet Attariwala Keller Williams Capital Properties
Christiana Ayoade HomeSmart
Mehdi Baftechi Keller Williams Realty McLean
Camron Barghi Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc.
Joseph Barlia Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc.
James Bartnik Redfin Corporation
Rashaun Bass Express Broker Realty, LLC
Gaudy Baxter Coldwell Banker Realty
Chad Becker Showcase Real Estate, LLC
Katina Benenate Donna Kerr Group
TaWanna Berry Century 21 New Millennium
Michael Birch KW Metro Center
Taurean Blake RE/MAX United Real Estate
Najeejaras Bothdamrih TTR Sothebys International Realty
Ayana Brickhouse McEnearney Associates, Inc.
Jamie Brogan Redfin Corporation
Franco Castillon Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc.
CAPITAL AREA REALTOR ® — March/April 2021 33
Welcome, New Members, continued
Karan Patney
Gabriel Seife
Serif Soydan
Helen Vassila
Mina Yoo
KW Metro Center
ERA Realty Group
KW Metro Center
Forum Properties, Inc.
Top Pro REALTORS®
Dwayne Patrick
Adrienne Sesay
Andrew Spagnolo
Olivia Veale
Jia Yuan
Coldwell Banker Realty
Keller Williams Capital Properties
Samson Properties
Compass
Alphonso Post
William Shanklin
Andrew Stephens
Anup Vij
Berkshire Hathaway Home Services PenFed Realty
eXp Realty LLC
Murrell Inc. REALTORS®
Keller Williams Realty Falls
Fairfax Realty Select
Jolie Yun-McGann
Yuriy Pylpchuk
Sarah Shojinaga
Darcia Stewart
Caroline Volz
New Star First Realty LLC
Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc.
United Real Estate
Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc.
Yixuan Zhai-Brown
Andrea Ramirez
Michael Simmons
Keller Williams Capital Properties
Coldwell Banker Realty
Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc.
Samson Properties
Bomin Sun
Michele Weisz Compass
Kevin Riley
Gary Simpson
Evergreen Properties
KW Metro Center
Taylor Properties
Patricia Sweeney
Carlos Rodriguez
Andrea Singal
The Calkins Group
Living In Style Real Estate
Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc.
Stanya Taylor
Jorge Roldan
Mark Smith
Coldwell Banker Realty
Fairfax Realty Premier
Keller Williams Capital Properties
Berhane Tebebe
Carlos Romero
Tiffany Smith
Keller Williams Capital Properties
Taylor Properties
Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc.
Briana Thomas
Albert Saenz
Audrey Snow
Highview Real Estate
Keller Williams Capital Properties
Urban Pace
Anchaleeya Thompson
Andrea Samborn
Jennifer Solomon
Keller Williams Realty Centre
Compass
Pearson Smith Realty
Christelle Tonfack Zeutsa
Robel Segu
Jon Solovey
Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc.
Redfin Corporation
Redfin Corporation
Justin Tungol TTR Sothebys International Realty
Welcome, new affiliate members! Patrick Casey Fulton Mortgage Company Seth Harvey Radon Defense Steven Mikula Accurate Appraisal Services LLC
34
CAPITAL AREA REALTOR ® — March/April 2021
Portia Wenze-Danley Redfin Corporation
Alexeus Whitted Taylor Properties
Edward Williams Samson Properties
Veronica Wilson RE/MAX Advantage Realty
Diamond Womack Keller Williams Capital Properties
Petina Wright eXp Realty LLC
Bassem Yamak Coldwell Banker Realty
NAR’s PSA Certification is the key to mastering the CMA. Regardless of your experience in the real estate industry, you know that properties don’t come with a sticker price — that’s where your professional expertise and commitment to accurate pricing comes into play. NAR’s Pricing Strategy Advisor (PSA) Certification prepares you to: • Select appropriate comparables and make accurate adjustments • Guide buyers and sellers through the details of comparative marketing analyses (CMAs) and the underlying pricing principles that comprise the real estate transaction • Collaborate effectively with appraisers Get started at pricingstrategyadvisor.org
OFFICIAL CERTIFICATION
CAPITAL AREA REALTOR ® — January/February 2021 35
