MAY 2021
MEMBERS FIRST
NEWSLETTER
• 2021 Legislative Meetings • Mission Possible: Licensed To Tell • Global Alliance Committee • Broker’s Zone • Realtors® Care Committee • RPAC Committee • May NAR Benefits • RETI Partnership • Scholarship Recipients • March Market Statistics • May Class Calendar • Vital Industry Partner Directory • Welcome New Members
The National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) has been commited to protecting its members throughout the pandemic and will continue to do so by once again hosting its Legislative Meetings virtually this May. NAR members are invited to attend open meetings, sessions, forums and
the expo - all free of charge with a valid NRDS ID. Non-members can register for the sessions for $50. Several meetings are designated as invite-only or just for NAR members. Forums, general sessions and education sessions will be recorded and available for 30 days post event. (Cont’d on Page 2)
(407) 846-0117 | 1105 CROSS PRAIRIE PKWY, KISSIMMEE, FL 34744 | OSCEOLAREALTORS.ORG
President’s Message
Hello everyone, I’m Donnie Martinez, your 2021 President. This month, the National Association of REALTORS® will host their annual legislative meetings. These meetings are an opportunity for REALTORS® to learn more about the legislative process and connect with our representatives in Congress. Typically, these meetings would be held in Washington, DC, but for the second year in a row, this event is being held virtually - giving everyone a chance to participate. If you have not attended before, I encourage you to attend this year. The sessions are free, all you need to do is register on NAR’s website. OSCAR continues to promote Fair Housing. There are several educational training classes that will be held in May. Check our website to see the days and times. We also wish everyone a Happy Memorial Day!
DONNIE MARTINEZ 2021 PRESIDENT
And finally, here is this month’s joke: The other day I heard about this realtor team – husband and wife. They were doing an open house and found a magic lantern. So they rubbed it and out popped a Genie that said, “You each get one wish. The wife said, “I wish for a million new listings.” And poof, it was granted. The husband said, “I wish to be with a woman 30 years younger than me.” And poof, he was 90 years old. The moral of the joke is, be careful what you wish for!
- Donnie Martinez 2021 President
Join NAR for the 2021 REALTORS® Legislative Meetings taking place virtually May 3-14, 2021! We invite all of our members to register and join the National Association of REALTORS® Virtual Legislative Meetings beginning this week! Please register online at https://registration.experientevent. com/ShowNAR211 to ensure you receive all event communications and links. During the sessions, you will have the opportunity to hear about advancing issues important to the real estate profession and the livelihood of REALTORS®.
CEO Message
Be sure to stop by the “Exhibit Hall” section to view special offers and informative sessions from participating exhibitors. Don’t miss this opportunity to expand your knowledge, learn abour your rights and build your success! For a full list of sessions, visit https://www.legislative.realtor/event-type/ governance-meetings/. Please Note: All session times are listed as Central Daylight Time
TWIS LIZASUAIN CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
OSCAR’S GLOBAL ALLIANCE COMMITTEE MISSION POSSIBLE: LICENSED TO TELL
Committee
NICHOLAS SHROUDER RPAC COMMITTEE CHAIR Thank you to all of the participants and voters who helped make our first PAWSCARS a success! We celebrated our winners, both two-legged and four-legged, at our Tail-Gate Party in front of our beautiful new building. Thanks to your contributions , we are on our way to meeting our goal – but we still have a ways to go! We have some exciting events coming up, including our annual golf tournament. We encourage you to get involved and support our industry! Congratulations to our PAWSCAR’S winners, “Looks Most Like Owner” - Buddy, “Cutest Pet” - Rocky, “Coolest Mascot” - Coco Chanel, “Best Smile” - Bella Anne, “Best Dressed” - Aurora, and Honorable Mention - Remy & Roy.
Brokers’ Zone
ALEXANDRA ARENA-GIl
OSCEOLA BROKERS COMMITTEE CHAIR Welcome to the BROKERS’ ZONE, created by Brokers for Brokers. New Broker, Experienced Broker, Super Broker and more, this section is for you. You will find information about services, apps, news and more all related to our Broker’s world. Broker-to-Broker Tips for Success
• Delegate - you can’t do it all yourself.
• You will never know it all; always continue to educate yourself.
• Network with your peers. You can gain a lot of valuable information.
• Invest in technology.
While on the website, don’t forget to visit the Education section to see our classes designed for Brokers. Please see below the courses that we have right now.
June 9 – Reduce Risk & Remain Compliant for Brokers – 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Do you want to make a difference as a Broker? This is your opportunity. Contact our Committee; be part and enjoy the ride!
Realtors® Care Committee
Pictured: REALTORS® Care Committee members, Nick Shrouder, Justin Shrouder, Luis Vazquez, Shane Rampersaud, Rick Blodgett and Joe Johnson.
JUSTIN SHROUDER REALTORS® CARE COMMITTEE CHAIR
The Realtors® Care Committee remained active throughout the month of April. While maintaining our weekly Meals on Wheels route, a group of our members volunteered at Give Kids The World Village. We assisted the organization by landscaping various areas on their property that were impacted by recent storms. Volunteering at GKTW is always a very rewarding experience and we are proud of our members who participated. Thank you for your commitment to our community! If you’re ready to get involved, we would love to have you join us for our next community event!
Global Alliance Committee
Open to ALL members, the Global Alliance Committee encourages you to join us May 19 at 10 AM for MISSION POSSIBLE: LICENSED TO TELL, a Virtual Canadian Inbound Trade Mission event. This live webinar is an opportunity to help Canadian agents learn about investment properties in Central Florida. You won’t want to miss this fun and informative event. Register at http://bit.ly/mp519 Stay tuned for updates on other exciting events CHRISTINA DAUGHERTY coming soon. We invite our members to join us GLOBAL ALLIANCE COMMITTEE CHAIR and get involved in the Global Alliance Committee. Come have fun and grow your business!
MAY NAR Member Benefits Guide Health Insurance
Open Enrollment Is Open Again! A special enrollment period (SEP) for 2021 ACA-qualified major medical health plans is on now through May 15. During this time all Marketplace-eligible NAR members who live in states that use the Federal Exchanges and are submitting a new application or updating an existing application may obtain assistance in finding ACA coverage through services provided by REALTORS® Insurance Place. Members can research health insurance information, obtain quotes, compare plans and purchase directly online. All of the insurance plans offered in the Major Medical Health Insurance Exchange are Affordable Care Act qualified plans from top-rated insurance carriers. If you need coverage, REALTORS® Insurance Place can help. Licensed benefit specialists are available by phone to help you find coverage for yourself and your family. For more information, visit www.realtorsinsuranceplace.com or call 877-267-3752.
For A Full List of Benefits: nar.realtor/realtor-benefits-program
Stellar MLS Update
Saturday Morning Live! May 15 • 9 AM - 12PM ET Haven’t completed your required MLS Basic training yet? Or maybe you need a refresher? The Stellar MLS Saturday Morning Live class is exactly what you need! Expert instruction from a live Stellar MLS trainer who will guide you through the webinar content. This is not recorded eLearning, but a live, hands-on, interactive class. The only difference is that you and your instructor are not in the same room! This required class teaches every new Stellar MLS subscriber the basics of how to use the Matrix MLS System to power their real estate business. Topics include navigating the system, setting up a property search, direct and auto emails, managing contacts, and personalizing the Matrix system.
Register for the class, http://bit.ly/MLSZOOM
Member Added Value Coming Soon! We are pleased to announce a new partnership that gives our members FREE access to expand your education knowledge of technology! The Real Estate Technology Institute (RETI) is the premier online resource for today’s REALTOR® to learn about & how to utilize real estate technology. The site is a collaboration of a team of 5 of the top technology trainers in the industry, over 2,500 instructional videos, articles, product reviews, weekly webinars & workshops, the revolutionary CRM Generator, and more. RETI.us is the premier resource for a REALTOR®, broker or Team Leader/Trainer to learn about and how to use technology in their business. Look for your welcome email from RETI to access your new FREE account, compliments of OSCAR!
Scholarship Recipients
Annually, the Osceola County Association of REALTORS® awards local high school seniors with scholarships through the Association’s REALTORS® Care Committee. This year, the Association presented five $1,000 scholarships to students who plan on continuing their education at a college, university, technical school or other institution of higher learning. Applicants were evaluated on various categories including GPA, community service hours, and a 250-word essay. In their essays, participants were asked to explain the value that REALTOR® professionals contribute to our community. The committee reviewed nearly 100 applications that offered many insightful viewpoints on the topic, but ultimately only five were chosen. The committee is proud to announce the 2021 OSCAR scholarship winners are Alexandra Krist of Harmony High School, Aubrey Krist of Harmony High School, Ornella Vintimilla of Gateway High School, Paige Boone of Celebration High School, and Tatiana Trinidad of Gateway High School. Their excellent essays, grades, and commitment to our community made a strong impression on the committee. Congratulations to the winners!
Good Neighbor Award Nominations The National Association of REALTORS® seeks nominations for the 22nd annual Good Neighbor Awards, which recognizes REALTORS® who’ve made an extraordinary impact on their communities through volunteer work.
Five winners will be announced in the November/ December issue of REALTOR® magazine and honored during the 2021 REALTORS® Conference & Expo. The winners will receive a $10,000 grant for their community cause and national publicity. Five honorable mentions will receive $2,500 grants. Applications are due on May 7, 2021. Sumbit your application at https://www.nar.realtor/good-neighbor-awards.
.
All Properties Market Statistics
Check out more market statistics on our website! Visit: osceolarealtors.org/statistics/
ALL CLASSES HELD VIA PLEASE CHECK YOUR INBOX/SPAM/JUNK FOLDER FOR CLASS REMINDERS AND MESSAGES REGARDING THE CLASS. IMPORTANT: REGISTERING FOR CLASS These courses are available at no charge to OSCAR Members. Nonmembers must pay $35. If you have any questions, please contact our Education Department at education@osceola-realtors.com.
MAY CLASS CALENDAR
REDEEM YOUR EDUCATION VOUCHERS BEFORE 12/31/21
The Good, The Bad and The Ugly
5/4/2021
9:00 am-12:00 pm
3CE
Where do we go wrong? In the property management industry, there are a lot of mistakes that can be made. Some of those mistakes may be no big deal, and some of them may turn into a huge deal! Learn ways to keep out of trouble along with the bad, things that can potentially turn into trouble if not handled properly, and the ugly, those things that turn into huge problems and can potentially damage our reputation, bring reprimand against our license, and turn into fines.
Effective Risk Reduction
5/5/2021
9:00 am-12:00 pm
3CE
By its very definition, risk management assumes there is a risk or risks to be managed. In virtually every business endeavor, risk is a byproduct of existence. In the real estate profession, risk exists on several fronts. In fact we don’t even have to have a transaction in order to create risk. This course will speak to and help you avoid the most common risks associated with the practice of Real Estate sales and management.
Florida Housing Trust Funds - Ship or Sail
5/6/2021
1:00 pm-3:00 pm
2CE
When it comes to affordable housing, Florida enjoys access to the Sadowski State and Local Housing Trust Fund. The 2020 Florida Legislature is working to appropriate Housing Trust Funds for housing in Florida. Community leaders and residents have asked for help with soaring housing costs and the shrinking supply of affordable housing. The housing shortage has only been made worse by the 20182019 hurricane season.
Supplement Your Income With MLS Advantage
5/11/2021
9:00 am-12:00 pm
3CE
Want to be able to find all listings that match your search parameters? Take this course and learn how MLS Advantage allows participating boards and members to share available MLS listings across the state of Florida.
eSign & Close
5/11/2021
1:00 pm-3:00 pm
2CE
Form Simplicity is a paperless real estate forms management program designed to help you manage your transactions. Form Simplicity gives you the tools necessary to have your office “in the cloud.”The Form Simplicity products are available on all mobile devices, are accessible anytime, anywhere.
Probate 101
5/12/2021
1:00 pm-2:00 pm
0CE
This class is designed for attendees who would like to understand the technical information needed to sell a property under Probate. Exploring all factors involved in the probate process (including emotional understanding), this class will distinguish between various types of tenancies and the rights of surviving descendants, heirs, tenants, and trustees. This class will also explore probate as applied to homestead, corporations, life estates, and more.
Code of Ethics - Spanish
5/14/2021
9:00 am-12:00 pm
3CE
Mandatory ethics training requirements for new and continuing REALTOR® members was established by the National Association’s Board of Directors at the 1999 Annual Convention and went into effect for all active REALTOR® members January 1, 2001. The policy dictates that all active members must take a code of ethics class once every two years. The applicable dates are the same for all REALTORS® irrespective of when they join. The current cycle began January 1, 2019 and ends December 31, 2021.
Core Law - Avoiding the Danger Zone Spanish
5/14/2021
1:00 pm-4:00 pm
3CE
Understanding real estate law is part of every real estate licensee’s business. The more a licensee knows, the better he or she can work with customers and safeguard them from legal complications. Buying and selling property requires a lot of legal paperwork. Today, more than ever, it’s important to know the laws governing the practice of real estate. This material will provide a “red flag notice“ of when participants are potentially going into a danger zone—the unlicensed practice of law.
ACE Business Building & Time Managment: 5/18/2021 10:00 am-12:00 pm How to Plan, Manage & Advertise a Strong Real Estate Business
2CE
ACE Business Building & Time Management is a course designed to help you to build a strong and flourishing real estate business. Agents will learn how to set their business up for success, how to set systems up to keep them accountable, and how to be more efficient with their time. We will also address goals, how to break those goals down, make them measurable, and how to stay on track when things don’t go as projected. Agents will also learn some tricks to excellence in advertising and staying motivated when this business gets them down.
Explaining the FR/BAR AS-IS and the FR/Bar
5/18/2021
1:00 pm-5:00 pm
4CE
Contracts are the heart and soul of the real estate business. Agents need to have a deep knowledge of these critical forms in order to serve their customer well. This class focuses specifically on the FAR/ BAR As-is and FAR/Bar contracts to teach agents how to fill them out correctly, how the timelines work, what their customer’s rights are, and how to protect their customer’s interests. At the same time we will look at the tricks and tips to writing offers that are more likely to actually get signed.
RENE Real Estate Negotiation Expert
5/20-5/21/2021 9:00 am-5:00 pm Members $60 Non-Members $95
7CE
The 2-day RENE Certification Course is an interactive experience to help negotiators elevate their game! The course examines all types of negotiation formats and methods so that today’s negotiators can play the game to win. A full spectrum of tips, tools, techniques and advantages will be provided so that negotiators can provide effective results for their client.
Understanding Section 8 Housing
5/25/2021
1:00 pm-4:00 pm
3CE
Many landlords have difficulty collecting the rent due to them. Many tenants have circumstances that happen to them that are not always in their control. Landlords can become frustrated if they’ve experienced a situation where they couldn’t collect rent from the tenant. Take this course and learn how there is an alternative to the stress: subsidized housing. A portion or all of the rent could be paid by HUD, in essence, “guaranteeing” the rent.
REALTOR® Professionalism and Follow-Thru
5/27/2021
1:00 pm-5:00 pm
4CE
Whether you are brand new to real estate, or a veteran, if you want to grow your business to unprecedented heights then you need to be savvy in interpersonal communication. Today’s technology is impeding the finesse of communicating effectively with all types of individuals. This course will provide a guide on how to influence prospects and win in every crucial conversation.
Expanding Housing Opportunities
5/28/2021
1:00 pm-5:00 pm
4CE
You have chosen to participate in a movement that is reshaping homeownership in America. The ability to purchase affordable housing is a critical stumbling block for families who want to share in the American Dream. Homeownership represents the single most critical step in wealth creation. For individuals and their families, it all starts with the ability to purchase an affordable home. And that’s where you come in.
VITAL INDUSTRY PARTNERS 2020 Inspection Solutions A&P Inspection Solutions LLC A Clear Choice Title & Escrow A.C.F. Home Inspections, Inc. Acosta, Moore & Shrader, PLLC Advertising Mania American Ad Specialties, Inc. Americas Homes Inc. ANB Inspection Services, Inc. ARB Home Inspections, Inc. Atlantic Bay Mortgage Group A-Z Team Title, LLC BPG Inspection, LLC Budget Professional Services Butler Mortgage Celebration Title Group Champion Bin Cleaning, LLC Chief Inspection Services Choice Home Warranty Closer Look Inspections, Inc. Cunningham’s Inc. Cutco Closing Gifts Dirk Webb and Friends Double S Home Inspection Excellence at Cleaning First American Title Frank’s Home Inspection, LLC Gold Coast Schools Hamilton Group Funding Hanover Family Builders Homebridge Financial Services, Inc. Housemaster Home Inspections Infill Consulting Integrity First Title Land Title Professionals, LLC Luis A Martin’s Home Inspections Moneycorp, Inc.
My Florida Mortgage Solutions NorthPoint Mortgage, Inc. Nu World Title, LLC Old Republic Home Protection Oliver Title Law Osceola County Property Appraiser Paramount Residential Mortgage Group, Inc. Patricia L. Daugherty, Atty. At Law Photography by Skip Stowers Pillar to Post Home Inspections Platinum Title of Central Florida Positive Edge Real Estate Academy of Learning Prodigal Homes Inspection & Consulting Pro-Master Home Inspection RBC Bank USA Real Estate Photography Specialists RiteStart Home Inspections, Inc. SBC–CPA Seibane Doyle, PLLC Snap Air Photo Solano Home Inspections Inc. South State Bank Stewart Title Company Systeco Services, Inc. The AlfaOmega Financial Group The Grove Resort & Water Park TREI - The Real Estate Institute TrustCo Bank Two Men and a Truck ValueCast, Inc. Victoria Real Estate Academy Wayne’s Home Inspections, LLC Widerman Malek PL
VITAL INDUSTRY PARTNERS
WELCOME NEW MEMBERS
Alicia Allen Nabinett - Watson Realty Corppration
Matthew Medling - V Properties, Inc
Lidia Baberini - Agent Trust Realty Corporation
Julie Meneses - EXP Realty, LLC
Deborah Bishop - Keller Williams Legacy Realty
Nancy Michel de Urraca - Athens Realty Professionals, Inc
Zane Boyd - Keller Williams at the Lakes
Elizabeth Morales Cruz - Empire Network Realty
Robert Cadet - Global Vision Realty, Inc.
Luis Muniz Delgado - Luxury Realty, Inc.
Laurel Cebrian - Top Agency Realty, Inc.
Ivan Muniz Otero - Rainforest FL, LLC
Joao Chaves - EXP Realtt, LLC
Edanny Nava Colina - Roman’s Pro Realty, LLC
Ahmed Choayb - LoKation
Keila Negron Pedroza - HomeStar Realty, LLC
Carmen Colon - Centruy 21 Four Corners Realty
Marcia Oberlaender - Agent Trust Realty Corporation
Jimmy Diaz - Keller Williams Legacy Realty
Victor Ortega - La Rosa Realty Orlando, LLC
Briana Eberenz - Royal Realty Real Estate, LLC
Jo Ann Ortiz - La Rosa Realty Lake Nona, Inc
Angel Edie - EXP Realty, LLC
Jannette Padron Porras - Century 21 Four Corners Realty
Nicole Souffront Escobar - REMAX Premier Properties
Sahyris Reynoso - EXP Realty, LLC
Maria Flacon - La Rosa Realty, LLC
Jorge Rios Rosario - HomeTrust Realty Group
Maria Rivas Figueroa - La Rosa Realty Orlando, LLC
Karinalyz Rivera-Rivera - Orca Homes, LLC
Karen Ginorio - EXP Realty, LLC
Bulbio Rodriguez Ramirez - Watson Realty Corporation
Jeisier Gonzalez - La Rosa Realty Kissimmee
Martha Rodriguez - HomeStar Realty, LLC
David Good II - Royal Realty Real Estate, LLC
Juan Rojas Portillo - Premium International Realty
Angela Guerrero - Odry Vargas Realty Group, LLC
Mariana Rondon - Athens Realty Professionals, Inc
Shazeena Hamid - La Rosa Realty, LLC
Brandon Rosario Maldonado - Florida Property Homes
Chandler Harvey - Freedom Realty Source, Inc
Blanca Ruiz Garcia - Agent Trust Realty Corporation
Yaritza Hernandez De Jesus - HomeTrust Realty Group
Jennifer Ruiz Landura - The Landrua Group Real Estate, Inc
Beridania Jorge Gomez - My Real Estate Group CFL, LLC
Pouchon Savion - The Property Pros Real Estate, Inc
Nadejda Kourinskaia - Empire Network Realty
Nirka Soto Rodriguez - Century 21 Four Corners Realty
Erika Lebron Sanchez - HomeTrust Realty Group
Maria Stivala de Torres - MBT Realty, LLC
Odreimy Lizardo Henriquez - Agent Trust Realty Corporation
Valeria Stivala - MBT Realty, LLC
Natally Loaiza - V Properties, Inc
Francy Tannoux - Premium International Realty
Rafael Lopez Colon - Keller Williams at The Lakes
Rodney Thomas - Watson Realty Corporation
Iuvelise Lopez - Exit Realty Champions
Lakeshia Troutman - Keller Williams Legacy Realty
Mirabel Maldonado - Mi Casita Realty
Carlomango Valencia - Agent Trust Realty Corporation
Rosbelia Martinez - La Rosa Realty Lake Nona, Inc.
Nuris Vanderhorst - Showplace Realty, Inc.