Requested Delivery By: March 5, 2016
MARCH 2016 T H E O F F I C I A L P U B L I C AT I O N O F T H E G R E AT E R TA M PA A S S O C I AT I O N O F R E A LT O R S ®
GET REAL ADVICE.
GET SOLID DIRECTIONS.
GET EVERY ADVANTAGE YOU CAN.
MARCH 2016
‘Get REALTOR®’ Campaign Gets Real NAR’s new consumer ad campaign is a little edgy. It’s all part of a strategy to remind hyper-connected consumers about the importance of professional help in real estate. BY ERICA CHRISTOFFER National Association of REALTORS ® You know what your agents do for their clients: Study the market, uncover property information that an online search can’t find,
advocate for their clients’ interests, coordinate the myriad details of the sale. But real estate websites and television shows have created a public perception that buying or selling a home is easy. It’s “infotainment” that perpetuates the notion that the transaction happens quickly and magically. Of course, in actuality, the process can be stressful and riddled with obstacles before a deal is made. A new advertising campaign from NAR, dubbed “Get REALTOR®,” offers the public a window into your world, shining a light on the value of a REALTOR® in a whole new way.
“Get REALTOR®” is a digital, mobile-first campaign that uses humorous honesty. The ads celebrate the professionalism, market knowledge, and competitive advantage REALTORS® give their clients.
"Get REALTOR®” is a digital, mobile-first campaign that uses humorous honesty.
T GREAT ER
4TH ANNUAL
TORS AL RE
pg.11
C ASSO IATION PA O M A
F
BY NICO HOHMAN, Young Professionals Network Vice-Chair A broker or agent with as having lofty goals. Your an inspiring vision, one clients will remember the who aims to change the smallest details as much the most luxurious cars way the world sees the real as they remember the big available today. But it’s the estate industry, is certainly dreams you establish for smallest details that make a great asset to any broker- yourself and your company. this vehicle truly great. age. But aside from the big To better show you how One specific example is the picture, what really makes to focus on the details, I lights on the base of the a great real estate profes- want to give two real-life trunk’s lid. The only time sional is his or her ability examples from the business you would ever notice these to focus on the details. world: the Mercedes-Benz lights is when you have the Focusing on the smallest S Class sedan and the trunk open at night. This pieces within your organi- Apple MacBook Air laptop. may seem like an insignifDETAILS, Page 18 The sedan is one of zation is just as important
• EDUCATION
Get REALTOR®, Page 5
Learn more about RPAC
Dan Hazy answers a few frequently asked questions about RPAC and how funds are used. Page 2
New CEO selected
MacDonald as Chief Executive Officer, effective March 1, 2016. Page 3
Find out what lights on a trunk or the inside of a laptop can teach you about forming great business habits
pg.6
Giving Consumers the Real Picture The campaign hints at what consumers don’t know and what can go wrong in real estate with statements like, “It’s all fun and games
IN THIS EDITION
GTAR announces the appointment of Dennis
Focus on the Details
CODE OF ETHICS
PRESORTED STANDARD US POSTAGE PAID TAMPA, FL Permit No. 2397
Get REALTOR
®
LIVE AUCTION & CHILI COOK-OFF
APRIL 14, 2016 Join us for our 4th Annual RPAC Extravaganza, which features a live silent auction and chili cook-off. All proceeds will benefit our REALTORS® Political Action Committee, which advocates for the interests of our members.
Questions? We have answers
Can a seller's relative sign a legally binding doucment in the absence of the seller? Page 9
Some Mistakes Are Good for Business Here are a few "mistakes" that can actually show how far you’re willing to go to give them great service. Page 15
Candid Camera Jan./Feb. 2016. Page 16
For more information, see Page 5.
• AFFILIATES
pg.12
• MLS STATISTICS
pg.14
2
March 2016
Greater Tampa REALTOR® News
ABOUT GTAR
The Greater Tampa Association of REALTORS®, Inc. (GTAR) is the largest Tampa Bay-based professional association of real estate brokers and sales associates conducting business throughout the Bay. GTAR provides educational programs, ethical guidance and other services that enable licensed real estate professionals to help people buy and sell homes in the Greater Tampa area. For more information, please visit www.gtar.org
2016 OFFICERS
President Andy Joe Scaglione.....(813) 968-4996 President-Elect Joe Perez..........................(813) 264-7754 Vice President Mari Colgan..................... (813) 685-4936 Treasurer Sandra Streit...................(813) 343-8001 Secretary Norma Cohen................. (813) 992-5845 Immediate Past President Barbara Jordan...............(813) 962-0631 Interim Chief Executive Officer Brenda Rabbitt............... (813) 879-7010
2016 DIRECTORS
Diane Acken................... (813) 299-4758 Alma Alexander................(813) 727-1201 Ashley Christie................(813) 504-8812 Diana Englehart...............(813) 748-2165 Zoe Green...................... (813) 259-0000 Dan Hazy.......................... (813) 545-7372 Mary McCall....................(813) 294-4425 Jodi McKeithan.............. (813) 597-9670 Brad Monroe...................(813) 309-4488 Jack Rodriguez...............(813) 877-6388 Tom Scaglione............... (813) 310-8200 Francine Villa..................(813) 598-0844
REPRODUCTION
The Greater Tampa REALTOR® News is published monthly for members of GTAR in the interest of informing, promoting, and improving the real estate industry. With the exception of articles and materials from other publications reprinted in this newspaper, members and affiliate members of GTAR are hereby authorized to reproduce articles appearing in this newspaper, provided each such reproduction gives the following credit:
Reprinted from Greater Tampa REALTOR® News, Greater Tampa Association of REALTORS®.
THE REALTOR® MARK
REALTOR® is a registered collective membership mark which may be used only by real estate professionals who are members of the National Association of REALTORS® and subscribe to its strict Code of Ethics.
ADVERTISING INFORMATION
For advertising information/sales, contact Mike Utaegbulam, Director of Communications at news@GTAR.net Advertising products or services herein shall not be construed to be a promotion, approval, or endorsement of those products or services by GTAR. All advertising is subject to the approval of the GTAR Board of Directors/Chief Executive Officer.
DISCLAIMER
Articles contained in this publication express the opinion of the author and not necessarily the opinion of GTAR.
HEADQUARTER INFO
Greater Tampa Association of REALTORS® 2918 W. Kennedy Blvd. Tampa, FL 33609 (813) 879-7010
STAY CONNECTED Find GTAR on the following social media outlets to stay connected with the latest news and events.
facebook.com/TampaGTAR twitter.com/TampaGTAR linkedin.com/company/gtar
www.GTAR.org
COMMITTEE HIGHLIGHT The REALTORS® Political Action Committee (RPAC) enables REALTORS® to support the issues that are important to their profession and livelihood. BY DAN HAZY®, RPAC Committee Member RPAC is here to serve the interests of our membership. RPAC works for you by fighting issues that affect REALTORS®and homeowners and supporting candidates because of their views on property ownership and property rights. Throughout the time of my involvement with GTAR and RPAC, I've received several questions pertaining to RPAC and I'd like to shed some light on what RPAC actually does. Take a look below to receive a few answers:
$163,260
Q: What is a PAC? A: A Political Action Committee (PAC) is a popular term for a political committee organized by like-minded people, like REALTORS®, for the purpose of raising and spending money to elect and defeat candidates. PACs merely represent a legal way for individuals to unite and ensure their voices are heard at all levels of government.
Q: What is RPAC? A: The REALTORS® Political Action Committee (RPAC) is the nation's
Current amount invested
$125,288
largest, most successful and most bipartisan political action committee. Since 1969, RPAC has promoted the election of pro-REALTOR® candidates across the United States. The purpose of RPAC is clear: REALTORS® raise and spend money to elect candidates who understand and support their interests. The money to accomplish this comes from voluntary contributions made by REALTORS®. These are not members’ dues; this is money given freely by REALTORS® in recognition of how important campaign fundraising is to the political process. RPAC doesn’t buy votes. RPAC enables REALTORS® to support candidates that support the issues that are important to their profession and livelihood.
Q: What's in it for you? A: RPAC is the muscle behind NAR, FAR and your local Board/Associa-
tion. RPAC represents more than 1 million politically active REALTORS® nationwide and more than 135,000 in Florida that members of Congress want as their friends. As many as 4,000 bills are introduced each session in the state Legislature. Elections decide who will be voting on these bills. RPAC helps elect the people who write the laws you and your business must live with. RPAC provides you with the opportunity to have a collective impact on the election of officials who will shape legislation that affects your livelihood and the way real estate professionals do business. Through extensive research and ongoing monitoring, RPAC keeps you informed, involved, and influential in the legislative decisions that are important to you and your business.
Q: What is a “Fair Share” goal? A: The dollar goal of the National RPAC, set by the National Trustees, is
To contribute to Florida REALTORS® PAC, please visit
www.gtar.org/FLPAC
Choose "Greater Tampa Assn" for the Contribution Board/Association field.
$20 per year per NAR member. This goal is called "fair share." Of that $20, 30 percent will go to National RPAC to support federal candidates, and 45 percent stays in the state (Florida REALTORS® PAC) to support state and local candidates, and the remaining 25 percent goes to GTAR's RPAC. To ensure that all states contribute their fair share to the RPAC effort, a state's annual goal is determined by the number of members in that state based on the November 30 membership report. The National RPAC accounting year runs from January 1 to December 31.
2016 RPAC MAJOR INVESTORS
Q: How will my contribution be used? A: 100% of your contribution is used to elect pro-REALTOR® candidates.
Andy Joe Scaglione Platinum R
30% of your contribution is forwarded to the National RPAC to fund key U.S. House and Senate races; 70% remains in your state and is used for local and state elections.
Q: Does RPAC Buy Votes? A: No! But it does give us access.
Candidates and public officials are honorable peoplewhose votes are not for sale. But, by helping elect public policy decision-makers, RPAC assures REALTORS® the opportunity to present our views and be heard. RPAC fully complies with all state and federal election laws.
Jack Rodriguez Don Walden Sterling R Continued Sterling R Continued
www.GTAR.org
Greater Tampa REALTOR® News
March 2016
3
INTERIM CEO'S CORNER
We are the REALTOR® Party Vote, Act, Invest! Now more than ever, it is critical for GTAR to come together and speak with one voice about the stability a sound and dynamic real estate market brings to our communities. The REALTOR® Party is a powerful alliance of REALTORS® and REALTOR® Associations working to protect and promote homeownership and property investment. The REALTOR® Party speaks with one voice to advance candidates and public policies that build strong communities and promote a vibrant business environment. From city hall to the State Capitol to the U.S. Capitol, our elected officials are making decisions that have a huge impact on the bottom line of REALTORS® and their customers. Through the support of REALTORS® like you, the REALTOR® Party represents your interests. As a member of the REALTOR® Party, your responsibility is to VOTE for REALTOR® Party candidates, ACT on REALTOR® Party issues and INVEST in the REALTORS® Political Action Committee (RPAC). Where will you be when you get the next Call for Action? The REALTOR® Action Center mobile app contains a host of features to help you VOTE, ACT and INVEST on the go. Take a look at the display
to the right for a detailed Investment Objectives explanation of how to get and Guidelines. started. • A motion was adopted When there is a Call for to transfer the Flagler Action you will receive a County Association from standard push notification District 1 to District 2. alerting you. This alert • Homeownership for All notification, with a summaTrustee Mike Dooley ry of the issue and why your announced that over action is important, makes 28,000 “Support Homeyour participation a snap! ownership for All” license plates have been sold, Florida REALTORS® providing resources in Director Actions the amount of $450,000 The following items were to help families. acted upon at the January 31st Florida REALTORS® • Silent Angels Trustee Chairman Moe Veissi Board of Directors meeting: provided an update and • Florida REALTORS® fundraising request for PAC Trustee Chairman Silent Angels to provide Bill Furst introduced funds, supplies and the Florida REALTORS® services to individuals in PAC Trustee bylaws as need or distressed. amended. The Florida REALTORS® PAC Trustees bylaws were ratified Welcome Dennis by the board of directors. MacDonald, our new CEO • A motion was adopted I hope that you will join that Florida REALTORS® me in welcoming Dennis support adjustments MacDonald who takes the to the approved 2016 helm on March 1st. It has budget resulting in a been an honor and a privinet expense of $543,700 lege to serve as your Interim and a net addition of Chief Executive Officer for $458,887 to Reserves. the past five months. I look • A motion was adopted forward to continuing to that Florida REALTORS® assist you as I return to my support asset mix range position as Chief Operating adjustments for the Officer.
BY BRENDA RABBITT GTAR Interim CEO
REALTOR® ACTION CENTER MOBILE APP
You can be anywhere because the new REALTOR® Action Center mobile app contains a host of features to help you VOTE, ACT and INVEST on to go. Here’s how to get started: 1. The REALTOR® Action Center mobile app is currently available only for the iPhone and Droid platforms. Search for "NAR Action Center" on the iTunes Store or Droid Market and download the app today. 2. After downloading the app, you will be asked to login using the email address associated with the REALTOR® Action Center and your NRDs number. 3. When you login, you will be asked if you want to receive notifications from the REALTOR® Action Center. Click "Yes" to receive them. 4. Once you are logged in, click on the button in the upper right corner that looks like three horizontal white lines to navigate the app. You will find this app a useful way to keep track of all your REALTOR® Party activity and you will be alerted whenever there is a Call for Action or other breaking news that helps you VOTE, ACT and INVEST on the go! When there is a Call for Action you will receive a standard push notification alerting you. This alert notification, with a summary of the issue and why your action is important, makes your participation a snap!
GTAR Selects New Chief Executive Officer
GTAR announced on February 5, 2016 the appointment of Dennis MacDonald as Chief Executive Officer (CEO). MacDonald will succeed Brenda Rabbitt, who has served as Interim CEO during the search, effective March 1, 2016. Rabbitt will re-assume the role of Chief Operating Officer. MacDonald is a native Floridian from a second generation REALTOR® family. He comes to GTAR from the Treasure Coast Division of the REALTORS® Association of the Palm Beaches (RAPB), where he served as an Association Executive. MacDonald has earned two bachelor's degrees in management and marketing from Florida Atlantic University and a Master's degree in Business Administration from the Huizenga College of Business and Entrepreneurship at Nova Southeastern University. He also studied law at the Shepard Broad College of Law and conflict analysis and resolution at Nova Southeastern University College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences. Dennis is a Florida Supreme Court Certified County Mediator. MacDonald holds the prestigious REALTOR® Association Certified Executive (RCE) designation, which is the only professional designation designed specifically for REALTOR® association executives. He also holds the GRI, e-PRO, and CDPE designations, is a Certified Professional Standards Administrator, and has completed the National Association of REALTORS® and Florida REALTORS® Professional Standards and Mediation trainings in both Chicago and Orlando. The GTAR Board expresses its appreciation for Brenda Rabbitt, her staff, and the association's members for their patience during this search period..
4
March 2016
Greater Tampa REALTOR® News
www.GTAR.org
Tampa Bay is one of the nation's top 10 areas for real estate investors
Investing in real estate can be risky, but the Tampa Bay area is one of the best places to try it, a new study says. BY SUSAN TAYLOR MARTIN, Tampa Bay Times Over the past year, investors have earned an average gross return of 16.7 percent on local residential properties they bought, according to the online real estate investment site BiggerPockets.com. That ranks the bay area sixth among the nation's top 50 metro areas. "If you can afford to buy a home in your local market, then by definition you can afford to buy (residential) investment properties," said Scott Trench, author of the study. Don't rush out just yet, though, to grab that foreclosed house down the street. The high returns cited by BiggerPockets don't factor in the many costs of investing, including closing costs, property taxes, insurance and — in the case of many properties — substantial sums for repairs and renovation. As the housing market recovers, it's also getting harder to find good deals in sought-after areas. "Carrollwood and South Tampa are almost impossible," Chris Smith, owner of Bay to Gulf Holdings, said Friday. "Those are probably the two hottest places — everybody wants to live there." Smith's Tampa-based company, one of the largest local real estate investment firms, is a wholesaler that primarily sells to other investors. At any one time, its portfolio includes between 50 and 75 houses throughout the bay area. Among the current listings are a two-bedroom, onebath house in Seminole for $74,900 and a three-bedroom, one-bath home in Gulfport for $189,900. Volatility in the stock market over the summer deterred some would-be investors. "It's had a direct effect," Smith said, "because
when the market goes down they won't spend as much." Bay to Gulf Holdings buys an average of 20 houses a month, many in St. Petersburg, though "we have spread out a little more," Smith said. For resale purposes, he particularly likes three-bedroom, two-bath homes with two-
car garages because they are in such high demand. And while they're getting harder to find, he also looks for older homes that have had a single owner. "If you can purchase a foreclosure where a person has lived to the day of sale, that's good," he said. Overall, Smith says, the bay area's reputation as a good place to invest is a mixed blessing. "As this market becomes more publicized, there are more people coming
here trying to purchase," he said. "Obviously, it becomes a little harder to buy discount. You have to make some money." According to BiggerPockets.com, Dallas has produced the best results for real estate investors,
with an average gross return of 19.5 percent. Miami ranked third at 18.6 percent and Orlando came in 10th at nearly 15 percent. Rounding out the top 10 were Denver, Houston, Atlanta, Detroit, Austin and Las Vegas
Your client deserves a Cardel.
Discover a full range of quick-possession homes Enjoy access to top-rated schools, an easy commute to MacDill AFB and a full calendar of community events for the whole family. FROM THE
$330s
This master-planned community features a 5,000 sq ft community center with fitness facilities, outdoor courts, greenspace and two pools. FROM THE
$340s
14123 BARRINGTON STOWERS DR
4513 POINTE O’WOODS DR
As the largest green-certified community in the US, Lakewood Ranch offers several attractive gated neighborhoods to call home.
Waterset has brought a whole new vibrancy to Apollo Beach.
FROM THE
$660s
LARGE 80' LOTS NOW AVAILABLE. FROM THE
16610 BERWICK TERRACE
$320s
7205 MEETING HOUSE LANE
Call 813.375.0362 to learn about our exciting realtor incentives! CGC 1511592
Built for real life. CARDELHOMES.COM
www.GTAR.org
T
GREAT ER
5
C ASSO IATION PA O M A
4TH ANNUAL
TORS AL RE
From Page 1
March 2016
F
Get REALTOR®
Greater Tampa REALTOR® News
LIVE AUCTION & CHILI COOK-OFF
According to Google, the average person spends about 162 minutes per day on a mobile device. That’s closing in on three hours. “Get REALTOR®” will engage with the modern-day, hyper-connected consumers where they are. until someone doesn’t read the fine print” and “Based on your knowledge of building codes, the basement could definitely probably be finished. Maybe.” Reminiscent in its simplicity to slogans like “Got Milk” and “Just Do It”—with a nod to the idea of getting real—“Get REALTOR®” puts your brand in front of the current and future generations of home buyers and sellers. “The campaign aims to ‘redefine the R®,’” says NAR Senior Vice President of Communications Stephanie Singer. “What that means, in short, is repositioning the brand in today’s social online settings and getting in front of millennial consumers in particular.” Social, digital, and radio segments launch Feb. 8, with videos and other shareable content. Facebook posts allow users to interact with “tap for sound” and “tap to reveal” features that give users a flavor of what a REALTOR® brings to the table. Instagram posts demonstrate the possibility of a different reality behind pretty listing photos. Another piece of the campaign — a concept that generated conversations among some brokers and other members at NAR’s annual meeting last November — is a series of 30- and 15-second video segments called “House Off,” where consumers vie for their dream home in an “American Gladiators”–style battle. (The team that wins? The one with a REALTOR®, of course.) After reviewing research conducted with REALTORS® and consum-
ers in late 2015 and early 2016, NAR’s Consumer Communications Committee recommended and NAR’s Leadership Team approved a targeted digital buy for these spots, to further test their performance in-market. Initial consumer testing in December 2015 found that 55 percent of millennials who watched the videos thought the ad would appeal to someone like them, and 43 percent said they would consider reaching out to a REALTOR® after seeing the ad. The ads will launch online beginning Feb. 22. The great thing about an online-centric campaign, says Singer, is the increased opportunity for feedback and engagement. An online campaign (as opposed to a TV launch) will allow NAR to continue to test the effectiveness of the “House Off ” videos, and the results will inform any potential future media placement. Every six months, NAR will track consumer sentiments and intention to use a REALTOR® to measure the campaign’s effectiveness. Digital and social creative will be measured with consumer engagement metrics, such as click-through rates, shares, and comments. In addition, a random group of REALTORS® from across the country will be surveyed to assess engagement with and affinity for campaign elements. New Social Channel for Members Coinciding with the launch of the “Get REALTOR®” campaign is a big change introducing a new
Join RPAC for a night of fun and entertainment, featuring a live action and our super competitive chili cook-off. This is the event members will be talking about! Register today!
THURSDAY, APRIL 14, 2016 4:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.
TAMPA GARDEN CLUB
2629 Bayshore Blvd. • Tampa, FL 33629 GUEST EMCEE: Bill Logan, ABC Action News
PRICING
(All tickets include event admission, food, and two drink tickets. Tickets are non-refundable)
$15 each by April 12 $20 after April 12 $99 for Chili Cook-off entry Learn more at www.GTAR.org/rpacextrav identity on NAR’s social channels. NAR’s identity on Facebook and Twitter will now be consumer-facing and consumer-focused, and members who’ve previously followed NAR’s @REALTORS social media handles will now see content from @NARdotREALTOR. NAR will directly engage with
consumers through the @REALTORS while also providing social content to members that can be easily re-shared with their clients. NAR members — brokers and agents alike — are welcome to use “Get REALTOR®” materials in their own direct outreach to consumers. Local and state
associations will be encouraged to coordinate with the campaign; materials for REALTOR® associations to use will be available beginning February 24. Copyright NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®. Reprinted with permission.
Women’s Council of REALTORS®
Business Resource Meeting & Luncheon "Dealing With Death or Divorce in a Real Estate Transaction” Featuring Jeffrey W. Hensley, Esq.
Thursday, March 17, 2016 Program: 11:30 a.m. - 1:45 p.m.
Maggiano's Little Italy
203 Westshore Plaza • Tampa, FL 33609 Cost: $25 per person
Register online at www.WCRTampa.com
6
March 2016
Greater Tampa REALTOR® News
www.GTAR.org
CODE OF ETHICS
ARTICLE 3
The Code of Ethics is a detailed document that spells out the professional responsibilities that every REALTOR® has voluntarily agreed to abide by. REALTORS® shall cooperate with other brokers except when cooperation is not in the client’s best interest. The obligation to cooperate does not include the obligation to share commissions, fees, or to otherwise compensate another broker. (Amended 1/95)
STANDARD OF PRACTICE #3-1
REALTORS®, acting as exclusive agents or brokers of sellers/ landlords, establish the terms and conditions of offers to cooperate. Unless expressly indicated in offers to cooperate, cooperating brokers may not assume that the offer of cooperation includes an offer of compensation. Terms of compensation, if any, shall be ascertained by cooperating brokers before beginning efforts to accept the offer of cooperation. (Amended 1/99) Case Interpretation of #3-1: Rules of MLS May Not Circumvent Code (Revised Case #22-1 May, 1988. Transferred to Article 3 November, 1994.)
REALTOR® A complained to his Board of REALTORS® that procedures in the Board’s Multiple Listing Service permitted REALTORS® participating in the Service to evade their obligations under Article 3 of the Code of Ethics. His specific complaint was that, as exclusive agent of Client B, he had filed the client’s property in the Multiple Listing Service. Other REALTORS® participating in the Mul-
REALTORS® shall cooperate with other brokers except when cooperation is not in the client’s best interest.
tiple Listing Service had contacted Client B directly to make appointments to show the property and to transmit offers to purchase it, without his, REALTOR® A’s, knowledge or consent. When he objected to this conduct, the officers of the Multiple Listing Service had cited the MLS rule that held that placing property in the Service had the effect of listing the property with the MLS, and authorized the MLS to refer it to other Participants as subagents, who were then free to transmit offers directly to the client. REALTOR® A’s complaint emphasized that his objection was primarily to the rule of the Multiple Listing Service. The complaint was referred to the Directors of the Board of REALTORS® which asked the Chairperson of the Board’s Multiple Listing Committee to attend a special Directors’ meeting on the subject. At the meeting, it was pointed out that the contested rule of the Multiple Listing Service, which had not been submitted to the Board of Directors for approval, was in conflict with Article 3 of the Code of Ethics, and with the nature and purpose of the MLS itself, since the MLS did not provide brokerage services and could not function as an agent of sellers. The Multiple Listing Service was directed to rescind all procedural rules that permitted the Service or any of its Participants to intrude upon the agency status of any REALTOR®
holding an exclusive listing.
STANDARD OF PRACTICE #3-4
Factors defined as “nonmaterial” by law or regulation or which are expressly referenced in law or regulation as not being subject to disclosure are considered not “pertinent” for purposes of Article 2. (Amended 1/93) Case Interpretation #3-4: Cooperation Not Mandatory (Reaffirmed Case #22-4 May, 1988. Transferred to Article 3 November, 1994.)
Client A called on REALTOR® B to list a small
commercial property. In stipulating the price at which he wished to list the property, Client A explained that he was aware that it was a relatively low price, but he wanted a quick sale and, he added, a higher price could benefit very little at that time because of certain tax considerations. He told REALTOR® B that a number of prospective buyers had spoken to him about the property within the past year. He gave their names to REALTOR® B and said he felt sure that among them there would be a ready buyer at the price. He told REALTOR®
B that he wanted the property submitted to them first. The next day, REALTOR® C, who had unsuccessfully solicited the listing and learned that the property was listed exclusively with REALTOR® B, called REALTOR® B to ask that he be accepted as a cooperating broker. REALTOR® B told REALTOR® C that because of unusual circumstances the best service to his client did not require cooperation; that a prospective buyer was at that time seriously considering the property; and that under the circumstances he preferred CODE, Page 13
More ways to target potential buyers. Reach more home buyers and renters with The Tampa Tribune and TBO.com: n The Tampa Tribune has MORE Exclusive Newspaper Readers in Hillsborough County, both Daily and Sunday. n Our Sunday readers are 38% more likely than the market average to have used a Real Estate Agent to buy or rent a home in the past 12 months. n We’re growing in Pinellas and offer great rates in The St. Petersburg Tribune and Clearwater Gazette. n Reach 1.8 million visitors each month on TBO.com. n TBO.com delivers more news and information to more people than any other Tampa Bay online newspaper or television site. Even more than the next two ranked news sites combined!
PR65890
Call 813-259-7846 to learn more about benefits you’ll receive as a GTAR member!
www.GTAR.org
Greater Tampa REALTOR® News
March 2016
LIVING THE GOOD LIFE COMES NATURALLY ...
... SO DOES LIFE AT WATERGRASS! Where homes enjoy green views on spacious homesites. Private neighborhoods are nestled in nature with each neighborhood featuring its own park. The Club now boasts a new fitness center, 5 shade structures, and a Jr Olympic pool and also includes a resort pool with splash pad. The little ones grow and flourish at the onsite school. Visit our beautifully decorated models from a variety of the area’s finest builders. WaterGrass conserves other green, too, with homes in every price range and a variety of quick move-in homes, you’re sure to find the home to fit your clients’ needs!
Six Amazing Models by Four Wonderful Builders Bakerfield Luxury Homes DR Horton Ryland Homes Standard Pacific Homes
Villas from the upper $100’s • Single Family Homes from the $230’s to over $1 Million 813-907-0101 | CROWN-WATERGRASS.COM | I-75 to exit 279 (SR 54). East 2.6 miles, Left on Curley Road, WaterGrass is ahead on the right. Arthur Rutenberg Homes (813) 948-2504 | Bakerfield Luxury Homes (813) 364-4155 | Ryland Homes (813) 388-2933 D.R. Horton (813) 388-6831 | Standard Pacific Homes (813) 994-1911 Homes within WaterGrass are constructed and sold by builders not affiliated with Crown Community Development. Future development of WaterGrass may or may not occur as shown on illustrations, depictions or maps. Aurther Rutenberg Homes CCG 1509234, Bakerfield Luxury Homes CGC 1520881, D.R. Horton CBC 039052, Ryland Homes CBC 1253657, Standard Pacific Homes CGC 1506304
7
8
March 2016
Greater Tampa REALTOR® News
www.GTAR.org
LOCAL NEWS
A short walk could help solve downtown Tampa’s parking crunch The Tampa Downtown Partnership is working with the city and other agencies to resolve a lack of “convenient” parking downtown. BY YVETTE C. HAMMETT, TAMPA TRIBUNE STAFF Commuters are getting frustrated these days, winding their way to the top floors of downtown parking garages searching for elusive open spaces close to their offices. Sometimes they find a spot, sometimes they don’t. Convenient monthly parking spaces — spaces within two blocks of a commuter’s office — are becoming a challenge to find in the downtown core. And with so much business growth and new development expected down the road, it will only get worse without some relief, said Karen Kress, director of transportation and planning for the Tampa Downtown Partnership. Downtown employees, right now, need 1,400 parking spaces for regular monthly rentals, said Anne-Marie Ayers, a commercial real estate broker and first vice president at CBRE in the Bank of America building. Find them and brokers like her can help fill downtown buildings to capacity. “It’s important to get that number and figure out how to move people from the outlying areas. I think most of those [parking] spaces already exist,” Ayers said. “We need to look at what we already have and how we can use that to move people.” It may not be so much about building more parking garages as about getting commuters to change their mindset, like getting them to walk, bike or take a shuttle to the office, even carpool with coworkers from a remote lot, Ayers said. “We don’t have a parking problem,” she said. “We
have a walking problem.” Parking is a marketing issue, Ayers said. It has to be addressed if the city wants to get more businesses to be in downtown. The benefits of working downtown far outweigh the negative of having to walk a few blocks, she said. “I’ve been downtown for 20 years and I’ve walked — pregnant and carrying a heavy laptop. I know.” Ayers is part of a movement by the Tampa Downtown Partnership and the city to try to resolve the issue. A partnership Parking Task Force is looking at possible long-term solutions. Task force members have already zeroed in on what could be a quick fix for at least some commuters. There are both city and private lots along the outskirts of downtown Tampa with spaces to fill. The issue is getting commuters to use them, then getting those drivers to their jobs. The city’s “interstate lots” north of downtown between Scott and K streets under Interstate 275 have about 200 parking spaces available for monthly leasing, said Ocea Lattimore, director of logistics and assets management for the City of Tampa. “A lot of people are looking for something closer to their office. We are trying to develop some park-and-ride options to make it more convenient for those who must park on the outskirts,” she said. Lattimore is working with the Hillsborough Area Regional Transit Authority to see if it can modify its
free In Towner trolley route to pick up and drop off at those perimeter lots. Kress has obtained state and federal grants and is seeking private donations from downtown hotels and office towers to pay for eight to 10 electric six-seater carts to shuttle commuters from remote private parking lots to offices in the downtown core. In addition to the city’s interstate parking area, there is space for new monthly rentals in the Channelside Parking Garage and in the WFLA, News Channel 8, parking garage on South Parker Street, Kress said. “The fundraising would cover the cost of (cart) operations,” she said. “We should know by the end of March whether or not it will be a go. Our goal is to start service some time in May.” “It’s a complex and exciting issue,” said Jeff Zampatello, who lives downtown and heads the partnership’s Parking Task Force, made up of business people, leasing agents,
Convenient monthly parking spaces — spaces within two blocks of a commuter’s office — are becoming a challenge to find in the downtown core. residents and others. “It’s more or less an educational issue,” he said. “There is parking, but people want it for free. Right across the street from Skypoint, where I live, the Poe Garage sits half empty. “Everybody needs something a little different,” Zampatello said. “Sometimes, the one solution hurts another group. It’s very complex. I do know right now commercial leasing is having a problem finding large blocks of leasable parking spaces.” Zampatello, an airline pilot who says he spends half his time in Europe, also is a fan of getting people to walk farther to get to their offices. “I see the results of a walkable community,” he
said. “It’s frustrating. I ask somebody who doesn’t want to park remotely if they have a Fit Bit on. There is plenty of parking on the perimeter” and plenty of times of the year in central Florida when the weather is perfect for walking, he said. Kress is also promoting other possible options for people who work downtown, including walking and the Coast Bike Share program that has successfully operated downtown for more than a year now. One option already available that downtown employees have not taken advantage of is the vanpool program sponsored by the Tampa Bay Area Regional Transportation Authority, or TBARTA. PARKING CRUNCH, Page 18
www.GTAR.org
Q&A
Can a seller's relative sign a legally binding doucment in the absence of the seller?
Greater Tampa REALTOR® News
March 2016
9
WELCOME NEW MEMBERS Jose Alvarez Keller Williams Realty
Mariah Fairweather BHHS Florida Properties Group
Rose Lee Century 21 Beggins Enterprises
Jannick Schaefer Exit Bayshore Realty
John Armstrong Keller Williams Realty
Georgia Fantazia Keller Williams Realty
Dylan Libadisos Florida Executive Realty
Anthony Sclafani PinPoint Realty Group LLC
QUESTION: I have a listing for the sale of a property located in Florida. The seller lives in France and will not be able to attend the closing. However, his sister lives in Florida and can attend the closing. May the seller have a power of attorney document prepared in France authorizing his sister to sign the closing documents?
Melissa Bailey Century 21 Beggins Enterprises
Alexandra Faris Selling Tampa Bay, LLC
David Long Re/max Choice Realty
Jodi Sherman Homexpress Realty, Inc.
John Banks Coldwell Banker Residential
Michael Flores Re/max Dynamic
Javier Magria Future Home Realty, Inc.
Lakeisha Simms Charles Rutenberg Realty,Inc.
Zachary Berkes Stillwell and Associates
Adam Fontana Keller Williams Tampa Prop.
Natalie Martinez Coldwell Banker Residential
Jay Skaggs Keller Williams Realty
Bonnie Black BHHS Florida Properties Group
Gene Ford Keller Williams - New Tampa
Kevin Maxfield DM Real Estate & Development
Harold Soto Town Chase Properties
Jinelsa Bonilla Keller Williams Realty
Kimberly Ford Keller Williams - New Tampa
Regina McFadden Exit Extreme Realty
Elizabeth Staszak Keller Williams Tampa Prop.
Dina Bravo Topaz Realty LLC
Mandi Foster Keller Williams Tampa Prop.
Darrian Mitchell The K Company Realty,LLC
Chamaine Stokes Real Property Marketing, Inc.
Chanelle Brennan Eaton Realty,LLC
Scott Fruhwald People’s Choice Realty Svc LLC
Anthony Moley Keller Williams Tampa Prop.
Melissa Tennent PinPoint Realty Group LLC
Jada Brueggeman BHHS Hatton & Associates
Florence Fuentes Charles Rutenberg Realty,Inc.
Mickey Moore Keller Williams Realty
Erich Tobitsch BHHS Florida Properties Group
Linda Burgin Keller Williams South Tampa
Parvathi Ganduri People’s Choice Realty Svc LLC
Tabitha Moreira Charles Rutenberg Realty,Inc.
Orlando Valdes Re/max Dynamic
Damla Burnukara Keller Williams - New Tampa
Patricia Gonzalez De La Garza Realty, Inc,.
Patricia Murphy Selling Tampa Bay, LLC
Hilda Vargas Pineywoods Realty LLC
ANSWER: Florida law allows a power of attorney to be used in Florida real estate transactions. This document should state the specific powers the seller is granting to the attorneyin-fact. If a power of attorney will be prepared and signed in another state or country, it is important to contact the closing agent to confirm that the power of attorney will be effective and address any concerns in advance of closing. The power of attorney must comply with Florida law. The seller must sign the power of attorney in the presence of two subscribing witnesses, and it must be properly notarized. There may be additional requirements if the document is prepared and signed outside the United States, such as having the principal visit a U.S. embassy or consulate for notarial services, or having a foreign notary’s document authenticated.
George Butterly BHHS Florida Properties Group
Silvia Gordon Keller Williams Realty S.Shore
Amber Murrell Century 21 Beggins Enterprises
Elliot Vasquez Keller Williams Tampa Central
Coretta Butts Real Property Marketing, Inc.
Jennie Grote Century 21 Shaw Realty Group
Gregory Nielsen Century 21 Shaw Realty Group
Theresa Verrengia Petrillo Real Estate Group LLC
Richard Byrd Keller Williams Realty
Jacqueline Haggerty A & M Realty
Keller Williams Tampa Prop.
Peter Wacelitz Re/Max Bay to Bay
Dainelys Campion Duo Realty LLC
Patty Hale Century 21 List With Beggins
Manoj Palakkat Keller Williams Tampa Prop.
Garrett Walker Keller Williams Tampa Prop.
Daniel Cassels Future Home Realty, Inc.
Roberto Hernandez Charles Rutenberg Realty,Inc.
Pablo Penaherrera Keller Williams Realty S.Shore
Wipa Watson Century 21 Beggins Enterprises
Diana Chambers Keller Williams Realty
Betty Hoffmaster BHHS Florida Properties Group
Matthew Pereira Real Living Casa Fina Realty
Lindsay Webster Keller Williams Tampa Prop.
Ralidean Coates Keller Williams - New Tampa
Andre Iacurci Keller Williams Realty S.Shore
Gilberto Perez Keller Williams Tampa Prop.
Benjamin Whetstone Coldwell Banker Dolphin Realty
Barbara Cone Exit Bayshore Realty
Martha Insinga Keller Williams Realty S.Shore
Steven Phillippe Century 21 Shaw Realty Group
Michael Williams Re/Max Bayside Realty LLC
Kate Conroy Keller Williams Tampa Prop.
Robert Kemner Keller Williams South Tampa
Angelia Piche Signature Realty Associates
Danang Wilson Exit Bayshore Realty
Doris Cruel Signature Realty Associates
Talbot Kerr Keller Williams Tampa Prop.
Jonathan Rath Century 21 Beggins Enterprises
Andon Wisniewski Future Home Realty, Inc.
Matthew Dahir People’s Choice Realty Svc LLC
William King A & M Realty
Gary Reighard Keller Williams Realty S.Shore
Li Zhou Keller Williams Realty
Glenn Davis Keller Williams Tampa Prop.
Joseph Kozlar Keller Williams Tampa Central
Brittiny Restieri Century 21 Shaw Realty Group
NEW BROKERS
Melissa Davis BHHS Florida Properties Group
Elizabeth Kraus Homes By WestBay Realty
Justin Reynolds Re/max Dynamic
Justin De La Rosa Keller Williams Tampa Prop.
Tammy Lamm Keller Williams Tampa Prop.
Ronnie Rivera Keller Williams Tampa Prop.
David Dec Coldwell Banker Residential
Teneaka Lawrence Keller Williams Tampa Central
Sarah Rivera Keller Williams Tampa Prop.
Anna Duncan Coldwell Banker Residential
Domenick Lazzara Alexander & Assoc. Real Estate
Kari Robinson Century 21 Shaw Realty Group
Nicholas Elliott WEICHERT REALTORS Yates&Assoc
Tran Le YellowFin Realty Westshore
Jerry Rosen Future Home Realty, Inc.
Osvaldo Leandri Keller Williams Tampa Prop.
Dianne Sanchez Signature Realty Associates
The information and materials in this column are provided by Florida REALTORS® for general informational purposes only and are not intended to be legal advice. No attorney-client relationship is formed. Nothing in this column is intended to substitute for the advice of an attorney, especially an attorney licensed in your jurisdiction.
Sonya Ellis Exit Realty Excel
December New Members Javier Pagan
Yuli Ariza Principal Eagle LLC Julio Guzman Shorebird Properties Manfred Kempa KEMPA Realty, LLC Matthew Midyett Tampa Homes Today Realty Richard Roddewig Clarion Associates, Inc. Lillian Almodovar Keller Williams South Tampa
Special thanks to our February 2016 Orientation Sponsors
E-Mortgage Artisian Insurance Group The Tampa Tribune
10
March 2016
Greater Tampa REALTOR® News
www.GTAR.org
CALENDAR
G TAR Board/Committee Meetings E ducational Opportunities M LS Computer Classes
Orientation Licensing/Renewal Class Special Events
MARCH WEDNESDAY, MARCH 2
THURSDAY, MARCH 10
FRIDAY, MARCH 18
roker Breakfast: Risk Management B 8:30AM - 12:30PM
oot Camp B 9:30AM - 4:30PM
rofessional Development Committee (PDC) P 10:00AM - 11:30AM
EALTORS® Commercial Alliance Committee R 10:30AM - 12:00PM
ommunications Committee C 9:30AM - 11:00AM
egional Coalition Meeting R 9:00AM - 10:30AM
he Deal Room/Commercial Pitch T 1:00PM - 3:00PM
roperty Managers Task Force P 10:00AM - 11:00AM
THURSDAY, MARCH 3 oot Camp B 9:30AM - 4:30PM
FRIDAY, MARCH 4 overnmental Affairs Committee G 9:30AM - 11:30AM
REALTOR®/Attorney Committee 1:00PM - 2:30PM
FRIDAY, MARCH 11 ew Member Orientation N 8:00AM - 1:00PM
MONDAY, MARCH 14
roperty Managers Task Force P 10:00AM - 11:00AM
ppraisal Task Force A 10:00AM - 11:30AM
EALTORS® Political Actions Committee (RPAC) R 10:45AM - 12:15PM
echnology Committee T 10:00AM - 12:00PM
TUESDAY, MARCH 8 ode of Ethics C 9:30AM - 12:30PM irtual Assistants, Team Building & Delegate V 10:00AM - 12:00PM echnology User Group T 5:30PM - 7:30PM
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 9 ffordable Housing Committee (AHC) A 9:30AM - 11:00AM ffiliates/Business Partner Meeting A 10:00AM - 11:30AM air Housing Committee F 11:00AM - 12:30PM conomic Outlook w/Dr. Ted Jones E 9:30AM - 11:30AM inance Committee F 1:30PM - 3:00PM egal Lounge L 9:30AM - 11:00AM
I nternational Council 3:00PM - 4:30PM
TUESDAY, MARCH 15 ity of Tampa Elections C ALL DAY
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 16 LS Required Classes M ALL DAY
THURSDAY, MARCH 17 LS Elective Classes M ALL DAY rievance Committee G 9:30AM - 1:00PM
MONDAY, MARCH 21 oard of Directors Meeting B 9:30AM - 1:00PM
TUESDAY, MARCH 22 ore Law C 9:30AM - 12:30PM eal Estate Investment with an IRA R 1:00PM - 4:00PM
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 23 ech Expo T ALL DAY
THURSDAY, MARCH 24 t Home with Diversity, One America A ALL DAY
TUESDAY, MARCH 29 ew Member Orientation N 8:00AM - 1:00PM
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 30 ommercial Training C ALL DAY
THURSDAY, MARCH 31 ffordable Housing Solutions A 9:30AM - 12:30PM
THURSDAY, MARCH 17 ortgage 101 M 9:30AM - 12:30PM
APRIL FRIDAY, APRIL 1
MONDAY, APRIL 11
THURSDAY, APRIL 14
overnmental Affairs Committee G 9:30AM - 11:30AM
echnology Committee T 10:00AM - 12:00PM
REALTOR®/Attorney Committee 1:00PM - 2:30PM
roperty Managers Task Force P 10:00AM - 11:00AM
I nternational Council 3:00PM - 4:30PM
th Annual RPAC Extravaganza 4 4:00PM - 8:00PM
EALTORS® Political Actions Committee (RPAC) R 10:45AM - 12:15PM
TUESDAY, APRIL 5 ode of Ethics C 1:00PM - 4:00PM
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 6 EALTORS® Commercial Alliance Committee R 10:30AM - 12:00PM he Deal Room/Commercial Pitch T 1:00PM - 2:30PM
THURSDAY, APRIL 7 REALTOR®/Attorney Committee 9:30AM - 11:30AM atabase Marketing D 10:00AM - 12:00PM
FRIDAY, APRIL 8 ew Member Orientation N 8:00AM - 1:00PM
MONDAY, APRIL 11 ppraisal Task Force A 10:00AM - 11:30AM
TUESDAY, APRIL 12
FRIDAY, APRIL 15
RI 101: Professionalism & the Law G 8:30AM - 5:00PM
egional Coalition Meeting R 9:00AM - 10:30AM
oung Professionals Network Committee Y 10:00AM - 11:00AM
rofessional Development Committee (PDC) P 10:00AM - 11:30AM
echnology User Group T 5:30PM - 7:30PM
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 13 ffordable Housing Committee (AHC) A 9:30AM - 11:00AM ffiliates/Business Partner Meeting A 10:00AM - 11:30AM air Housing Committee F 11:00AM - 12:30PM inance Committee F 1:30PM - 3:00PM
THURSDAY, APRIL 14 RI 102: Starting Your Business G 8:30AM - 5:00PM ommunications Committee C 9:30AM - 11:00AM roperty Managers Task Force P 10:00AM - 11:00AM
MONDAY, APRIL 18 oard of Directors Meeting B 9:30AM - 1:00PM
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 20 RI 103: Maximize Your Profitability G 8:30AM - 5:00PM egal Lounge L 9:30AM - 11:00AM ommunications Plan for REALTORS® C 10:00AM - 12:00PM
THURSDAY, APRIL 21 rievance Committee G 9:30AM - 1:00PM
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 27 EALTOR® Commercial Training R ALL DAY
www.GTAR.org
Greater Tampa REALTOR® News
March 2016
11
EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES GTRN DISPLAY
GTRN DISPLAY
INTEGRITY. PROFESSIONALISM. SHAPING OUR FUTURE
CODE OF
LEGAL LOUNGE
ETHICS If you became a REALTOR® before January 1, 2013, you are required to complete the NAR Code of Ethics course before December 31, 2016
3 WAYS to Complete the Code of Ethics Training • ONLINE: Visit www.realtor.org/code-of-ethics/training. Send completion certificate to COE@GTAR.net • DVD: For 25 or more members, GTAR will provide the training videos for your office. • IN-PERSON: Attend an in-person training at GTAR. Register online at www.GTAR.org.
FREE BENEFIT FOR MEMBERS
Increase your awareness about pending litigation and recent case law in which brokerages and property managers were involved, as well as obtain information on escrow disputes, procuring cause claims and short sales and foreclosures. Attorney Mercedes Gonzalez-Hale, P.A. will facilitate this question and answer session and provide various legal updates.
Next in-person training:
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 16, 2016
9:30AM - 12:30PM
GTAR CONFERENCE ROOM 203
MARCH 8, 2016 GTRN DISPLAY
9:30 a.m. - 11:00 p.m.
GTRN DISPLAY
MORTGAGE 101 Guiding Your Customer Through the Mortgage Process
This course covers the basics of what every REALTOR® needs to know. Review lenders requirements - from check stubs to the newest Loan Estimate and Closing Disclosure by the Consumer Finance Protection Bureau, including Qualifying a Buyer, New Loan Estimate and Closing Disclosure, and The Processing Flow. Donations are welcomed for GTAR’s CARE Foundation, a nonprofit 501c3 organization whose mission is to provide down payment assistance to needy households in the Hillsborough County, assistance in times of catastrophe, and scholarships for college bound students focusing in real estate.
Real Estate Investment with an IRA More than any other profession, real estate agents need to understand the fundamentals of self-directed IRAs, as they are becoming a very popular way to purchase investment real estate. Learn the tremendous opportunity that self-directed IRA’s present for investors, as well as the potential pitfalls and how the world of self-directed IRA’s can strengthen your client relationships and help increase your business.
THURSDAY, MARCH 17, 2016
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 22, 2016
GTAR AUDITORIUM
GTAR AUDITORIUM
Complimentary for GTAR Members Non-Members: $10
$25 for GTAR Members Non-Members: $35
9:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.
REGISTER ONLINE AT www.GTAR.org
12
March 2016
Greater Tampa REALTOR® News
www.GTAR.org
AFFILIATES
Our Affiliate Business Partners Team is getting Bigger!
We want to welcome Morag Rosa to our Team! Morag is our new Affiliate Liaison and has already made great changes to help the Affiliate program take it to the next level. We are excited to have you on our Team! Keep an eye on the eConnections emails for upcoming networking events because our 14th Annual Golf Tournament is right around the corner in May and our Party with a Purpose if bringing new locations and new give-aways this year!
Getting to Know your Affiliate Business Partner Our March Affiliate Business Partner spotlight is Marcus Aguiar with VanDyk Mortgage.
Welcome to our Newest Affiliate Business Partners Rob MiGiore Freedom Mortgage David Gonzalez AcuSystem Home Inspections Hope Schnieder Freedman
Jim Luchberg & Brian Sullivan RiteRug Flooring Leslie Crider National Credit Federation Cindy Tolster, Meghan Tolster, & Kelly Tolster Veterans' United Home Loans
Alex Conguta AB Capital Group Jonathan Mavis Envoy Mortgage Tammy Boldt, Shannon Corimtiy, & John Lee ONQ Financial Gary M. Schaff Becker & Poliakoff, P.A.
BY FRANCINE VILLA Affiliates Chair The Affiliate Business Card Wall has been moved to the front of the GTAR Auditorium for better visibility. Take a look the next time you're at GTAR!
Resort Style Living
As an experienced loan officer and a regional relationship manager for VanDyk’s West Florida Outside Loan Officer Division, Marcus Aguiar has the knowledge and expertise you need to explore the many financing options available. Ensuring that you make the right choice for you and your family is his ultimate goal. He’s committed to providing his customers with mortgage services that exceed their expectations. VanDyk Mortgage is a privately owned National Mortgage Banker and Broker headquarted in Clearwater, FL and Grand Rapids, MI. We are a direct lender and have been approved as a seller and servicer by the Federal National Mortgage Association (Fannie Mae) and the Government National Mortgage Association (Ginnie Mae.) We operate a Federal Housing Administration (FHA) Direct Endorsement Lender and a Veterans Administration (VA) authorized underwriter. We hold a loan portfolio of over $400 million. Our wholesale division includes a full underwriting, secondary, shipping, and delivery department. With over a year experience in recruiting, Marcus has the expertise and experience finding the right loan originators for our company. Here at VanDyk Mortgage we pride ourselves on our ethical principles and business practices, which have been fundamental to our company’s long-term success. Our goal is to enhance your business so that we can grow together. We would love to share our accomplishments with you!
At Grand Hampton
Where the casual atmosphere of Old Florida meets with the best that life has to offer in private, club living. Have peace-of-mind knowing that your community has a 24-hour private and gated entry. Enjoy resort style living with a beautiful community pool & tennis courts exclusively for residents to enjoy.
Visit our Model Home 8364 Dunham Station Drive, Tampa, FL 33647
ALSO AVAILABLE TO BUILD ON YOUR LOT LOT!
813.252.1261 l ICIHomes.com See a Sales Associate for details. Intervest Construction of Tampa, LLC 2660 Cypress Ridge Blvd, Suite 104, Wesley Chapel, FL 33544 / CRC #057475
www.GTAR.org
Greater Tampa REALTOR® News
March 2016
13
Code From Page 6
PROMOTE YOUR BUSINESS! Greater Tampa REALTOR® News, the official publication of GTAR, is produced twelve (12) times a year and distributed to more than 8,500 REALTORS® and affiliate business partners throughout the Tampa Bay area. Don’t miss this opportunity to market your company’s message to an engaged audience.
www.gtar.org/advertising MY FLORIDA REGIONAL MLS CALENDAR MLS BASIC (3 HOURS) March 16 • 9AM-12PM This class will teach both new and returning agents the basic functionality in Fusion including search, printing and emailing. You will also learn about additional resources and member benefits provided by My Florida Regional MLS, and more. This is a mandatory class for all new members to be completed within 60 days of joining. COMPLIANCE 101 (1.5 HOURS) March 16 • 1PM-2:30PM A mandatory class for all new members to be completed within 60 days of joining. Learn about the My Florida Regional MLS Rules and Regulations and the compliance procedure for accuracy of Listing Data, along with additional educational materials available on MFRMLSUniversity.com ADDING & EDITING LISTINGS (1.5 HOURS) March 16 • 3PM-4:30PM This class is mandatory if you will be adding and modifying listings in the MLS. Learn how to input and modify listings, enter photos, and add attachments along with valuable tips and techniques. Class is available through live webinars at MFRMLSUniversity.com or at any Association. ADVANCED MATRIX (2 HOURS) March 17 • 9AM-12PM This class will teach you how to utilize marketplace statistics that are available through the MLS or through member benefit products. iMAPP (2 HOURS) • March 17 • 1PM-3PM This class provides a comprehensive overview of the iMapp tax system. iMapp offers a wide variety of information (including tax information, permits, characteristics, comps reports, market data, and neighborhood demographic information) on any property in the state. You can also run a search for properties based on a variety of fields from tax data, MLS data or foreclosure data. iMapp also generates mailing labels based on your search results.
not to invite cooperation. REALTOR® C complained to the Board of REALTORS® charging REALTOR® B with a violation of Article 3 by refusing to cooperate. Pursuant to the complaint a hearing was scheduled before a Hearing Panel of the Board’s Professional Standards Committee. During the hearing, REALTOR® B outlined fully the circumstances under which the property had been listed by him, and maintained that the interest of Client A would not be advanced by acceptance of cooperation by REALTOR® C. The panel concluded that REALTOR® B’s reasons for not accepting cooperation in this instance were valid and that his action did not constitute a violation of Article 3
STANDARD OF PRACTICE #3-9
REALTORS® shall not provide access to listed property on terms other than those established by the owner or the listing broker. (Adopted 1/10) Case Interpretation #3-9: REALTOR®’s Obligation to Disclose True Nature of Listing Agreement (Adopted as Case #9-32 April, 1992. Transferred to Article 3 November, 1994.)
REALTOR® A listed the home of Seller X and filed the listing with the Board’s MLS categorizing it as an exclusive right to sell listing. REALTOR® A did not disclose that there was a dual rate commission arrangement on this listing, even though the listing contract provided that, should the seller be the procuring cause of sale, the listing broker would receive a commission of $500.00, an amount intended to compensate REALTOR® A for his marketing costs. REALTOR® B, a cooperating broker, showed the property several times. Eventually, REALTOR® B brought a signed purchase agreement to REALTOR®
A. REALTOR® A returned the purchase agreement the next day, informing REALTOR® B that the seller had rejected the offer. Several weeks later, REALTOR® B learned that the property had been sold, and that the buyer was Seller X’s nephew.
terms and conditions of his listing with Seller X was a misrepresentation. She explained that, had she been aware of this arrangement, she might have decided not to accept REALTOR® A’s offer of cooperation, since it might put potential pur-
Several months later, REALTOR® B met Seller X at a fund-raising event. Seller X thanked her for her efforts, and told her that, under “normal circumstances,” he might have seriously considered the offer she had produced. When asked why the circumstances surrounding this transaction were “unusual,” Seller X responded telling her of his agreement “with REALTOR® A to pay a $500.00 commission if Seller X found the buyer. And when my nephew decided to buy the house, I jumped at the chance to save some money.” When REALTOR® B learned of this arrangement, she filed a complaint with the Board of REALTORS® alleging that REALTOR® A had violated Article 3 of the Code of Ethics. The Professional Standards Administrator of the Board referred the complaint to the Grievance Committee, and, after its review, the Grievance Committee referred the complaint back to the Professional Standards Administrator indicating that an ethics hearing should be scheduled. At the hearing, REALTOR® B, in stating her complaint to the Hearing Panel, said that REALTOR® A’s failure to disclose the actual
chasers she would produce in a possibly unfair position. REALTOR® A, speaking in his own defense, stated no commission differential would have resulted if the buyer had been procured by either the listing broker or a cooperating broker so whatever other arrangements he had with Seller X were personal and, as listing broker, it was his right to establish the terms and conditions of his relationship with his client. After careful deliberation, the Hearing Panel concluded that while it was REALTOR® A’s right to establish the terms and conditions of the listing contract, the existence of his “special” arrangement with Seller X should have been disclosed as a dual or variable rate commission, since without knowledge of it, cooperating brokers would be unable to make knowledgeable decisions regarding acceptance of the listing broker’s offer to cooperate. The Hearing Panel concluded that Realtor A had in fact concealed and misrepresented the real facts of the transaction and was in violation of Article 3 of the Code of Ethics as interpreted by Standard of Practice 3-4.
14
March 2016
Greater Tampa REALTOR® News
www.GTAR.org
MLS STATISTICS
JANUARY 2016
Monthly Market Detail - January 2016 Single Family Homes Hillsborough County
Monthly Market Detail - January 2016 Single Family Homes Hillsborough County Percent Change Year-over-Year
1,019
969
5.2%
Paid in Cash
298
365
-18.4%
New Pending Sales
1,263
1,521
-17.0%
New Listings
1,846
1,925
-4.1%
Median Sale Price
$194,000
$160,000
21.3%
Average Sale Price
$237,402
$205,991
15.2%
Closed Sales
47
59
-20.3%
Average Percent of Original List Price Received
94.4%
93.7%
0.7%
Pending Inventory
1,957
2,309
-15.2%
Inventory (Active Listings)
4,860
5,401
-10.0%
Months Supply of Inventory
3.2
4.1
-21.4%
Month
Closed Sales
Percent Change Year-over-Year
January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 January 2016 June 2015 May 2015 2,783 April 2015 March 2015 1,017 February 2015 January 2015 3,178
1,019 1,525 1,215 1,521 1,502 1,648 1,785 January 2015 1,875 1,588 2,553 1,645 1,578 1,115 1,231 3,537 969
5.2% 0.5% -1.7% 8.7% 11.1% 14.8% Percent Change 24.9% Year-over-Year 27.4% 14.7% 9.0% 20.2% 25.5% -8.8% 19.7% -10.1% 6.0%
4,977
5,003 2015
-0.5%
Median Sale Price
$173,950
$145,000
20.0%
Average Sale Price
$219,858
$188,960
16.4%
51
58
-12.1%
Median Days on Market
Closed Sales
Monthly Market Detail - January 2016 The number of sales transactions which closed during Single Family Homes the month Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater MSA Economists' note : Closed Sales are one of the simplest—yet most important—indicators for the residential real estate market. SummaryWhen Statistics comparing Closed Sales across markets of different sizes, we recommend using the year-over-year percent changes rather Closedthan Salesthe absolute counts. Realtors® and their clients should also be wary of month-to-month comparisons of Closed Sales because ofPaid potential in Cash seasonal effects. New Pending Sales
2012
Closed Sales
2,100
New Listings
2013
2014
1,600 1,100 600
Median Days on Market
J F M A M J J A S O N D J F M A M J J A S O NAverage D J Percent F M AofMOriginal J J List A S O N 93.8% D J F M A M J92.5% J A S O N D 1.4% J
Cash Sales
4,550
5,018
-9.3%
Inventory (Active Listings)
13,086
14,907
-12.2%
Months Supply of Inventory
3.4
4.4
-24.3%
Month
Closed Sales
Percent Change Year-over-Year
January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 January 2016 June 2015 May 2015 332 April 2015 March 2015 168 February 2015 January 2015 359
2,783 4,008 3,132 3,861 3,940 4,113 4,579 January 2015 4,752 4,087 298 4,175 4,100 173 3,213 468 2,553
9.0% 3.3% 0.1% 5.1% 14.5% 14.4% Percent Change 30.2% Year-over-Year 28.5% 11.4% 11.4% 21.6% 27.3% -2.9% 28.6% -23.3% 9.1%
542
483 2015
12.2%
Median Sale Price
$129,998
$98,950
31.4%
3,800
Average Sale Price
$156,149
$123,622
26.3%
2,800
Median Days on Market
32
58
-44.8%
Closed Sales
Monthly MarketofDetail January 2016 The number sales -transactions which closed during Townhouses the month and Condos Hillsborough County Economists' note : Closed Sales are one of the simplest—yet most important—indicators for the residential real estate market. SummaryWhen Statistics comparing Closed Sales across markets of different sizes, we recommend using the year-over-year percent changes rather than Closed Salesthe absolute counts. Realtors® and their clients should also be wary of month-to-month comparisons of Closed Sales because ofPaid potential in Cash seasonal effects. New Pending Sales
2012
New Listings
2013
4,800
100
94.9%
91.7%
Data released on Tuesday,February 23, 2016. Next data release is Monday, March 21, 2016.
548
714
-23.2%
Inventory (Active Listings)
1,053
1,347
-21.8%
Months Supply of Inventory
2.4
3.4
-30.5%
Closed Sales
Percent Change Year-over-Year
332 473 382 425 491 444 500 January 2015 527 442 1,655 484 484 $175,000 379 298 765
11.4% 8.7% 13.0% -2.3% 25.9% 3.0% 5.3% Percent Change Year-over-Year 20.0% 2.1% 35.9% 27.4% 25.1% 8.6% 15.2% -3.9% -43.3%
2015 $97,325
18.6%
Pending Inventory
Closed Sales
Month
January 2016 The number of sales transactions which closed during December 2015 November 2015 the month October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 Economists' note : Closed Sales are one of the simplest—yet most July 2015 important—indicators for the residential real estate market. When January 2016 June 2015 comparing Closed Sales across markets of different sizes, we May 2015 recommend using the year-over-year percent changes rather than the 2,249 Closed Sales absolute counts. Realtors® and their clients should also be wary of April 2015 Traditional month-to-month comparisons of Closed Sales because of potential March 2015 $190,000 Median Sale Price seasonal effects. February 2015 January 2015 434 Closed Sales Foreclosure/REO 2012 2013 2014 $115,450 600 Median Sale Price
Closed Sales
Monthly Distressed Market - January 2016 Single Family Homes Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater MSA
500
Closed Sales
400
100
133
-24.8%
Short Sale
300
Median Sale Price
$118,000
$92,000
28.3%
200 100
J F M A M J 2012 J A S O N D J F M A M J 2013 J A S O N D J F M A M J J 2014 A S O N D J F M A M J J 2015 A S O N D J
Traditional
Foreclosure/REO
Short Sale
Produced by Florida REALTORS® with data provided by Florida's multiple listing services. Statistics for each month compiled from MLS feeds on the 15th day of the following month.
100%
Data released on Tuesday,February 23, 2016. Next data release is Monday, March 21, 2016.
90% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30%
This statistic is simply another way of viewing Cash Sales. The remaining percentages of Closed Sales (i.e. those not
The number of Closed Sales during the month in which paid fully in cash) each month involved some sort of financing, such as buyers exclusively paid in cash mortgages, owner/seller financing, assumed loans, etc.
Economists' note : Cash Sales can be a useful indicator of the extent to which investors are2012 participating in the market.2013 Why? Investors are far55% more likely to have the funds to purchase a home available up front, whereas the typical homebuyer requires a mortgage or some other 45% form of financing. There are, of course, many possible exceptions, so 35% this statistic should be interpreted with care. 25% 15% 1,800
2012
2013
2014
Percent of Closed Sales Paid in Cash
Percent Change Year-over-Year
29.2% 27.1% 27.1% 25.8% 26.6% 29.8% Cash Sales 28.0%
-22.4% -10.2% -18.0% -22.5% -18.6% -5.6% Percent Change -3.3% Year-over-Year -8.8% -13.1% -10.8% -14.8% -5.9% -20.9% -7.7% -20.9% -1.5% -10.8% 3.4% -10.3% 25.2% 17.2% -3.2% 0.8% 7.7% 19.7% 0.5%
1,017 26.4% 1,279 27.8% 1,152 28.6% 1,308 29.6% 1,337 35.5% 1,403 37.7% 1,565 2015 1,574 1,441 1,441 1,526 1,389 1,115 2015
J F M A M J J A S O N D J F M A M J J A S O N D J F M A M J J A S O N D J F M A M J J A S O N D J
1,600
Produced by Florida REALTORS® with data provided by Florida's multiple listing services. Statistics for each month compiled from MLS feeds on the 15th day of the following month.
1,400 Data released on Tuesday,February 23, 2016. Next data release is Monday, March 21, 2016. 1,200 1,000 800
J F M A M J J A S O N D J F M A M J J A S O N D J F M A M J J A S O N D J F M A M J J A S O N D J
Cash Sales as a Percentage of Closed Sales
January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 Month July 2015 June 2015 January 2016 May 2015 December 2015 April 2015 November 2015 March 2015 October 2015 February 2015 September 2015 January 2015 August 2015 July 2015 2014 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015
Economists' Cash Salesnote :
This statistic is simply another way of viewing Cash Sales. The remaining percentages of Closed Sales (i.e. those not
The of Closed Sales during in which paidnumber fully in cash) each month involved somethe sortmonth of financing, such as mortgages, owner/seller financing, assumed loans, etc. buyers exclusively paid in cash
Economists' note : Cash Sales can be a useful indicator of the extent to which investors are2012 participating in the market.2013 Why? Investors are 61% far more likely to have the funds to purchase a home available up front, whereas the typical homebuyer requires a mortgage or some other 51% form of financing. There are, of course, many possible exceptions, so 41% this statistic should be interpreted with care. 31% 21% 400
Percent of Closed Sales Paid in Cash
Month
Monthly Market Detail - January 2016 The percentage of Closed Sales during the month Townhouses Condos which wereand Cash Sales Hillsborough County
36.5% 31.9% 36.8% 33.9% 33.9% 34.1% 34.2% Cash Sales 33.1% 168 35.3% 201 34.5% 187 37.2% 194 43.2% 238 43.7% 211 246 2015 261 231 259 250 214 173
Percent Change Year-over-Year
-16.3% -13.6% -6.0% -12.2% -14.0% -9.6% Percent Change -3.8% Year-over-Year -8.8% -2.9% -13.1% -10.7% -17.1% 7.5% -15.4% -17.4% -6.9% 3.9% -8.0% -5.0% -0.8% 15.0% 3.1% 16.7% 4.6% 2.4% -11.3%
J F M A M J2012 J A S O N D J F M A M J2013 J A S O N D J F M A M J 2014 J A S O N D J F M A M J 2015 J A S O N D J
Produced by Florida 300 REALTORS® with data provided by Florida's multiple listing services. Statistics for each month compiled from MLS feeds on the 15th day of the following month. Data released on Tuesday,February 23, 2016. Next data release is Monday, March 21, 2016.
200 100 0
J F M A M J J A S O N D J F M A M J J A S O N D J F M A M J J A S O N D J F M A M J J A S O N D J
Cash Sales as a Percentage of Closed Sales
Month
Monthly Distressed Market - January 2016 The percentage of Closed Sales during the month Townhouses Condos which wereand Cash Sales Hillsborough County
January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 January 2016 Economists' note : This statistic is simply another way of viewing June 2015 Cash Sales. The remaining percentages of Closed Sales (i.e. those not 272 Closed Sales May 2015 paid fully in cash) each month involved some sort of financing, such as April 2015 mortgages, owner/seller financing, assumed loans,Traditional etc. March 2015 $138,450 Median Sale Price February 2015 January 2015 48 Closed Sales 82%
2012
Foreclosure/REO 2013
72%
2014 Median Sale Price Closed Sales
62%
$96,250
Percent of Closed Sales Paid in Cash
Percent Change Year-over-Year
50.6% 42.5% 49.0% 45.6% 48.5% 47.5% 49.2% January 2015 49.5% 52.3% 201 53.5% 51.7% $114,250 56.5% 58.1% 82
-12.8% -17.8% -4.9% -15.5% -17.4% -7.7% Percent Change -5.8% Year-over-Year -4.2% 1.0% 35.3% -8.4% -16.4% 21.2% -11.1% -7.7% -41.5%
2015 $68,650
40.2%
12
15
-20.0%
$84,500
$85,000
-0.6%
Short Sale
52%
Median Sale Price
42% 32%
2012
2013
2014
2015
J F M A M J J A S O N D J F M A M J J A S O N D J F M A M J J A S O N D J F M A M J J A S O N D J
Traditional
Foreclosure/REO
Short Sale
Produced by100% Florida REALTORS® with data provided by Florida's multiple listing services. Statistics for each month compiled from MLS feeds on the 15th day of the following month. Data released on Tuesday,February 23, 2016. Next data release is Monday, March 21, 2016.
90% 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30%
20%
20%
10%
10%
0%
0% J F M A M J J A S O N D J F M A M J J A S O N D J F M A M J J A S O N D J F M A M J J A S O N D J
J F M A M J J A S O N D J F M A M J J A S O N D J F M A M J J A S O N D J F M A M J J A S O N D J
$250,000
$160,000 $140,000
$200,000
$120,000
e
e
January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 Month July 2015 January 2016 June 2015 December May 2015 2015 November April 2015 2015 October2015 2015 March September2015 2015 February August 2015 January 2015 July 2015 20142015 June May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015
Cash Salesnote : Economists'
Closed Sales
Closed Sales
80%
2015
Month
Monthly Market Detail - January 2016 The percentage of Closed Sales during the month Single Family Homes which were Cash Sales Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater MSA
3.5%
Produced by Florida REALTORS® with data provided by Florida's multiple listing services. Statistics for each month compiled from MLS feeds on the 15th day of the following month.
-18.4% -9.8% -19.4% -15.7% -9.5% 8.4% 20.8% 10.7% -2.2% -4.9% -0.6% 6.8% -4.9%
J F M A M J J A S O N D J F M A M J J A S O N D J F M A M J J A S O N D J F M A M J J A S O N D J
Cash Sales as a Percentage of Closed Sales
J F M A M J J A S O N D J F M A M J J A S O NAverage D J Percent F M AofMOriginal J J List A S O N D J F M A M J J A S O N D J
Price Received
298 414 329 392 399 491 499 495 441 470 467 437 365
300
Cash Sales
1,800
2014
2014
Percent Change Year-over-Year
500
Pct. of Closed Sales Paid in Cash
Closed Sales
5,800
2013
Cash Sales
700
Cash Sales
Pending Inventory
2012
900
Pct. of Closed Sales Paid in Cash
Data released on Tuesday,February 23, 2016. Next data release is Monday, March 21, 2016.
January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015
Economists' note : Cash Sales can be a useful indicator of the extent to which investors are participating in the market. Why? Investors are far more likely to have the funds to purchase a home available up front, whereas the typical homebuyer requires a mortgage or some other form of financing. There are, of course, many possible exceptions, so this statistic should be interpreted with care.
Price Received
Produced by Florida REALTORS® with data provided by Florida's multiple listing services. Statistics for each month compiled from MLS feeds on the 15th day of the following month.
Month
The number of Closed Sales during the month in which buyers exclusively paid in cash
Cash Sales
January 2015
Pct. of Closed Sales Paid in Cash
January 2016
Summary Statistics
www.GTAR.org
Greater Tampa REALTOR® News
March 2016
15
SALES & MARKETING 'Mistakes' That Are Good for Business These may sound like things you shouldn’t do with clients, but they actually show how far you’re willing to go to give them great service. Trust: It’s a small word that carries a huge responsibility. Famed salesman Zig Ziglar once said, “If people like you, they will listen to you. But if they trust you, they’ll do business with you.” We’re honored every time one of our clients calls to ask our opinion about something. We consider
that a result of the trust factor. You probably think this article is about how admitting your mistakes can build trust. While that is absolutely true (and a topic worthy of an entire book), we’re taking a slightly different direction here. Throughout our years of consulting, we’ve some-
times been criticized by our peers for doing too much for our clients. (Who knew that could be a problem?) Many wise entrepreneurs may consider the following a list of business mistakes, but we say they are the kind of mistakes that show your true passion and dedication to your clients.
Overdeliver, even for those who don’t appreciate it. Without a doubt, there will be times when you do more than what a client expected from you and they don’t show much thanks for it. For example, real estate professionals are accustomed to spending countless hours researching and showing homes to a buyer, and sometimes that buyer will still end up signing with another agent. Does that mean it was a mistake to put so much effort into this buyer? It might seem like your time was wasted, but think of this scenario as an opportunity to test-run your process. You might not have gotten the client in the end, but you did have the chance to hone your skills. Nothing a client or prospect does should prompt you to lower the quality of the service you provide.
Be way too detailed. Some people say getting “into the weeds” distracts you from the big-picture goal. But the little details are where most salespeople drop the ball. Particularly when it comes to negotiating a sale contract, it’s the smallest of things — such as whether minor repairs will be addressed or whether there are certain seller exclusions — that could have a big impact on price. Sure, demanding answers to all your nitpicky questions could slow down the process, but your clients will thank you for your due diligence in the end. In a nutshell, care enough about your client and your reputation to do your homework and complete a thorough checklist as you move through the transaction. You won’t regret being fully prepared.
Tell clients what they don’t want to hear. Many agents promise things they can’t deliver for the sake of keeping the client happy. Maybe they tell a seller they’ll get their home sold for a price no one will ever pay for it. However, when we take the time to explain the reality of a specific situation, clients truly appreciate the brutal honesty. A client would probably rather hear that you can definitely get that $275,000 sale price for their home, but the truth may be that their home is only worth $199,000 unless modifications are made. There are many amazing promises you should make to a client — such as being the most educated agent they can find, returning their calls within two hours, or marketing their property more aggressively — but there is serious merit to underpromising in those areas that will not serve your client well in the end.
Give them too much information. Communicating with your clients is all about handling their expectations. Perhaps the most common complaint consumers have about real estate agents is that they didn’t prepare them for the possible pitfalls in the transaction. You may think you should mention them once and let it go to avoid annoying your client or giving them more information than they can handle. But when you’re dealing with things such as possible delays or surprises that could pop up at closing, the risks of a deal falling through, or the estimated timeline of a transaction and the factors that can affect that schedule, you have to have multiple conversations along the way to make sure they understand. Keep in mind that most clients aren’t familiar with the real estate process and can feel very caught off guard if you haven’t explained things not just once but multiple times. Every client I’ve ever encountered would rather know exactly what to expect than feel left in the dark. Many who would argue against doing these things in their real estate practice argue that it’s practical not to overextend themselves as agents. That’s somewhat understandable given the time crunch we all feel day to day. But making things easier or simpler for convenience or speed doesn’t trump delivering your very best service every time. More often than not, the fruits of your labor are proof enough. It results in consistent referrals, incredible reviews, and a reputation that is both elevated and unforgettable. Those are “mistakes” you’re probably willing to live with. Copyright NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®. Reprinted with permission.
16
March 2016
Greater Tampa REALTOR速 News
www.GTAR.org
CANDID CAMERA FLORIDA REALTORS速
MID-WINTER MEETINGS
JAN. 27-31, 2016
GTAR REALTORS速 CARE FOUNDATION
FEB. 3, 2016
BACK TO THE FUTURE IN 2016
FEB. 5, 2016
BINGO NIGHT AT HAMBURGER MARY'S
www.GTAR.org
Greater Tampa REALTOR® News
March 2016
17
55+
R E SOR T-S T Y LE
LIVING at its FINEST VA L E N C I A
TONS OF ACTIVITIES
L A K E S
FUN FITNESS CLASSES
Villas & Single-Family Homes from the $200’s - $400’s
9 BRAND NEW DECORATED MODELS Bring your clients to see the beautifully-appointed residences, and the great selection of homesites including preserve and water views. 23 single-family homes and villas span from 1,321 a/c sq. ft. to 3,273 a/c sq. ft. Your clients will especially love Valencia Lakes’ 55+ lifestyle! Explore Valencia’s carefree, resort-style living with 100’s of clubs and activities. Then sit back, relax and we’ll help you make the sale.
$
THE CHARLESTON GRANDE
U P TO
5,000
B ROKER BONUS! *
THE MARSALA
THE CRISTINA
Open daily 9 am to 5 pm, Friday noon to 5 pm. On 301 between Big Bend and SR 674. 5006 Stone Harbor Circ., Wimauma, FL 33598
(813) 634-8100
40,000 sq. ft. CLUBHOUSE Includes: RESORT-STYLE POOL • TENNIS • FITNESS • YOGA • CAFÉ • CARD ROOMS • SPA 100’S OF CLUBS & ACTIVITIES • BILLIARDS • EVENTS • PICKLEBALL • BOCCE • ART STUDIO SOCIALS • SOFTBALL • COMMUNITY GARDENS & SO MUCH MORE *$5,000 bonus on single-family homes, $2,500 on villas. **Broker must accompany client during client’s initial visit to this community. Both the client and Broker must execute the Developer’s Registration Form on the initial visit. Broker must also execute the Developer’s Broker Participation Agreement. Valencia Lakes is being developed and sold by Hillsborough County Associates II, LLLP. The complete offering terms are in an offering plan available from Sponsor. File No. H11-0010. Promotions, prices, terms and features are subject to change without notice and do not include optional features or premium for upgraded homesites. Valencia is designed for residents aged 55 & older and is intended to meet the exemption under the Federal Fair Housing Act. ©2016 4300-287 2-09-16
18
March 2016
Greater Tampa REALTOR® News
www.GTAR.org
Parking Crunch From Page 8
“It’s growing,” said Senior Planner Michael Case. Just not downtown. TBARTA, in a joint participation agreement with the Florida Department of Transportation, handles the van pool program, a bike buddy program and a carpool program to help people connect with rides. There even is a program for emergency rides home if a van pool participant has to work overtime. “I think it would be a fantastic idea to get this going downtown,” Case said. “It’s a very viable strategy for increasing alternative transportation.” TBARTA provides a $400 subsidy for the $1,000 monthly cost of the van, which covers insurance,
maintenance and gas. One volunteer drives the van and picks up other passengers at an agreed-upon location closest to where most in the group live. All but the driver split the $600 monthly fee. Most of the vehicles are Chevy Traverses, which seat eight people. There are other groups, too, that are experiencing parking issues downtown, like retailers. Frank Grebowski, owner of the European Wax Center on East Jackson Street, said keeping staff downtown is as much of a challenge as drawing customers. “I would hate to lose staff because they can’t find a reasonable parking spot. “There are four entities that all need help: down-
town retailers, the arts and sports community, the leasing agents that need blocks of parking for perspective clients and the residents,” Grebowski said. “They all have different needs, they are all valid and it’s difficult to find a solution that helps one without hindering another.” Grebowski believes one answer for the retailers downtown would be for the city to buy and operate a central lot just for retail customers. “We have to be able to prove that Tampa can support retail operations seven days a week,” he said. “It would be a really bad signal to other perspective retailers if we can’t.”
obituaries Walter Riddle
GTAR Member passed away on January 10, 2016.
Louis G. Molnar
GTAR Member passed away on February 9, 2016.
Kenneth Copeland
GTAR Past President (1984) passed away on February 14, 2016. Our solemn thoughts are with the friends & family of both gentlemen.
Rest in Peace
Details From Page 1
icant addition, but when you’re outside the vehicle and standing over the trunk in the dark, those lights are visible to other drivers. That’s great for safety as much as it is for design. Without paying attention to these little details, Mercedes-Benz would fail at upholding its message: “The best or nothing.” One of the enduring legacies of Apple cofounder Steve Jobs is his utmost attention to detail. For example, Jobs would require his team to make all aspects of an Apple product perfectly designed, even if consumers would never see it. Case in point: If you were to open the MacBook Air, you would notice that the components and circuitry are perfectly laid out in a clean, neatly organized manner. This was not by accident. The only way Jobs would put his stamp of approval on an Apple product was if the inside was as beautifully designed as the outside. So, what can a broker or agent do to focus on the details in a real estate transaction? Listening is probably
the most important way to focus on the details and create a neatly “designed” (a la Mercedes-Benz and Steve Jobs) real estate experience. Most potential buyers will have a list of properties already in mind that they want to tour. You and your agents can do more than simply open doors for clients by taking note of the comments they make inside each home. Do your buyers especially like very dark hardwood? Are they seeking a particular feature in the kitchen? On the next round of showings, include places that your buyers request, but also places you find that match their criteria. Keep notes about your customers in a client dossier. Let’s say you or one of your agents has been helping a couple with five children sell their home and find a new one to purchase. Over the course of several weeks, you will get to know the kids, what sports they like to play, and what activities they’re interested in. (After all, children are your clients too.) Make a note of each one’s interests, and then consider giving
them their own closing gift. It could be something they can add to their new bedrooms in the home you help their family purchase. With digital signatures making it much easier to get documents signed and returned in a timely and organized manner, it has become all too easy to set up a digital signature request without fully reviewing the terms of the contract. This is another opportunity where your attention to detail can go a long way. Set up a Google Hangout or video chat with your clients to go over the terms of the contract as they digitally sign the paperwork. This ensures both a professional and memorable experience. Having a grand vision and exciting goals for your real estate business shows clients that you care about the long-term success of not only your company and career but also their real estate investments. But what your clients will truly remember is your care for the smallest details about your dealings.
14TH ANNUAL
AFFILIATES GOLF
TOURNAMENT Thursday, May 5, 2016 Check-in: 7:30 AM Shotgun: 8:30AM
Buckhorn Springs Golf Club
2721 S. Miller Rd. • Valrico, FL
Cost: $75 per person $300 per foursome Sponsorships Available
Beverage Sponsor: $600 (splits allowed) Lunch Sponsor: $300 (2 available) Both sponsorships include company recognition in all marketing materials and during the event.
For more information, please contact Morag Rosa at Morag@GTAR.net
ATTENTION BROKERS! www.GTAR.org
Greater Tampa REALTOR® News
March 2016
19
MODELGRAND OPENING! DON’T MISS IT!
multi-million-dollar entry welcomes you home
ARTIST’S CONCEPT
For a Limited Time, $2,500* Broker Bonus paid upfront!
Tour 8 New Decorated models
the CHANDON
4 BR, 3 BA, $356,900
GL Homes, Florida’s leading homebuilder, invites you to tour 8 gorgeous, designer-decorated models at The Ridge at Wiregrass Ranch in Wesley Chapel/New Tampa. Choose your dream home from four impressive collections of single-family residences, loaded with elegant features, spanning 1,769 to more than 4,800 a/c sq. ft. Best of all, in a new home at The Ridge, you’ll truly experience luxury living with an opulent clubhouse and gorgeous lifestyle complex. Our desirable location is close to shopping, dining and has easy access to
THE JULIA GRANDE
3 BR, 3.5 BA, $413,900
all the amenities of the Tampa Bay area. Walk to top-rated elementary, middle and high schools. Experience our spectacular entry and tour our 8 new models for yourself! from I-75 north or south, take state road 56 east. the ridge is on your right. Open Daily 10 am - 6 pm. 30451 Sunland Court Wesley Chapel, FL 33543
( 8 0 0 ) 6 1 7-2 37 7
incredible amenities
Single-Family Homes in Wesley Chapel/New Tampa from the $300’s to the $700’s Broker must accompany client during client’s initial visit to this community. Both the client and Broker must execute the Developer’s Registration Form on the initial visit. Broker must also execute the Developer’s Broker Participation Agreement. The Ridge at Wiregrass is being developed and sold by Pasco County Associates II, LLLP. *$2,500 paid upfront when all contingencies are met. Broker bonus commission subject to change without notice. See your sales associate for details. Equal Housing Opportunity. ©2016 9600-009 2-10-16
20
March 2016
Greater Tampa REALTOR® News
www.GTAR.org
The opportunities are endless on
EASY STREET! The road to success starts here.
The Legacy Series
Come tour Lennar Tampa’s largest collection of model homes at our brand-new Showcase Center. Our convenient location allows you to stroll down Easy Street and preview all 14 floorplans of the Legacy Series at Concord Station. It’s the easiest way to familiarize yourself with Lennar’s newest products, retain potential clients and gain referrals.
Spring Hill 41 County Line Road
1,810
3 Bed | 2.5 Bath | 2 Car
Georgia
2,074
3 Bed | Loft | 2.5 Bath | 2 Car
Maryland
2,334
4 Bed | Loft | 2.5 Bath | 2 Car
Massachusetts
2,492
5 Bed | Loft | 3.5 Bath | 2 Car 4 Bed | Study | Loft | 2.5 Bath | 2 Car
Connecticut
1,612
3 Bed | 2 Bath | 2 Car
New Jersey
1,738
3 Bed | 2 Bath | 2 Car
New York
1,971
3 Bed | Study | 2 Bath | 2 Car
North Carolina
2,065
4 Bed | 3 Bath | 2 Car
Pennsylvania
2,529
4 Bed | Bonus | 3 Bath | 2 Car
Rhode Island
2,533
4 Bed | Loft | 2.5 Bath | 2 Car
South Carolina
2,947
4 Bed | Game Room | 2.5 Bath | 2 Car
Vermont
3,288
5 Bed | Flex | Game Room | 3 Bath | 3 Car (T)
Virginia
3,777
5 Bed | 3.5 Bath | Game Room | 3 Car (T)
E
d Blv ity Trin
275
Sleepy Hill Rd
New Tampa 75
Tampa
4 39
Hillsborough 4
Lakeland
92
Plant City
75 41
60
570
La Collina
98
Brandon
Lumsden Rd
92
Big Bend Rd
Apollo Beach
St. Petersburg
Belmont
Sunshine Skyway Bridge
Shady Creek
75
Enclave at Boyette
d
672 674
Ruskin
:Open41
37
R
Hawks Point
301
17
60
Boyette Rd Ba Ballentrae Riverview
Tampa Bay
MAP KEY
98
301
Bruce B. Downs
275
19
Polk
Union Park
56 Concord Station
589
Pinellas
S
54
Bearss
Clearwater
Wesley Chapel
Connerton 55
w rvie ive -R lm
New Hampshire 2,775
54
Land O’ Lakes
41
Veterans Expy
Delaware
W
52 ay Suncoast Parkw
Property Details
Little Rd
Sq. Ft.
N
301
San Antonio
Pasco
52
LEGACY SERIES at Concord Station Floorplan
75
Lakeside
19
17
Sun City Center
Ellenton
Need more information? Call us at 877-204-0746. Bradenton Check out all available inventory at LennarEasyStreet.com
The easiest way to sell a home.
Photographs are solely for illustrative purposes and should never be relied upon. The specific elevations of a home and features in a home may vary from home to home and from one community to another. Prices subject to change without notice. Please see your New Home Consultant and home purchase and sale agreement for actual features designated as an Everything’s Included® feature, additional information, disclosures, and disclaimers relating to your home and its features. We reserve the right to substitute features, equipment, material, appliances and brand names with items of equal or higher, in our sole opinion, value. Color and size variations may occur. Photographs may contain options which are not standard on all models. All maps are not to scale and are for relative location purposes only. Offer valid only in states where not prohibited by law. +The information from Builder 100 is used or reprinted with permission from Hanley Wood Media, Inc. Copyright © 2015 Lennar Corporation. All rights reserved. Lennar, the Lennar logo, Everything’s Included Homes, the Everything’s Included logo, Knowology and the Knowology Logo are registered service marks or service marks of Lennar Corporation and/or its subsidiaries. CGC1518166 (03/16)
+