FEBRUARY NEWSLETTER ••••••••••
MEMBERS FIRST!
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
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INTRODUCING THE 2018
Welcome to our new monthly newsletter. We will now be sharing association information and happenings each month instead of via quarterly magazine to keep you more informed and up-to-date!
PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE 2 0 1 8 PRESIDENT
BECKY CHIRILLO
Hello, and welcome to a new year! A new year with new hopes, new goals, new challenges, and new SUCCESSES! As we think back on 2017, there were many accomplishments throughout the year. A big thank you to our 2017 President, Wanda Linscott, and to all of the 2017 OSCAR Board of Directors for the many hours of dedicated service to our association! As we look ahead at the 2018 year, I would like to encourage each of you to think about all of the “Give and Take” opportunities provided by your association. First, lets consider the “give”. Your association is just that, YOUR association! The ideas, the platforms, the education, the bylaws, the leadership, the community involvement, the political actions, all of these come from you, the member! When you take the time, and make the commitment, you “give” of yourself to shape and form an association that works to benefit the entire membership. OSCAR we have committees pertaining to all of the topics above, and more! I encourage you to take a look. Find something you feel is a good fit and get plugged in, and “give” it your best! There are many opportunities for you to make a difference. Next, lets take a look at the “Take”. With your annual OSCAR membership dues you become a part of the largest professional association in America, the National Association of REALTORS®! Along with your membership comes a plethora of benefits for you to “take” advantage of. Here are just a few…
• Education - The potential for at least 90 credit hours of FREE education towards designations and certification courses. • Realtors Federal Credit Union - Great rates, low fees, and access to in depth financial education resources and money management solutions. • Point 2 Agent - Complimentary webinars with valuable insight on how to drive more traffic to your website listings, gain more exposure, and increase your leads. • Legal Hotline - The REALTORS® Hotline is a FREE benefit to all members. • Affiliate Partners - An assortment of local businesses whose support and partnerships in our association provides opportunities for a greater understanding of the products and services offered. • Global Alliance Committee - As a member of this award winning committee you will find opportunities for exposure within the international arena and opportunities to be a part of an international network that will generate business and contacts. These are just a few of the many benefits available for your “taking” to streamline and enhance your REALTOR® experience. The sky is the limit as we forge our way into the new year. I am very much looking forward to serving as your 2018 President, and working with you to achieve great success! So, “give” all you’ve got, and “take” all you can to benefit both your business AND your Association. With your own personal “give” and “take”, “there ain’t no stopping us now!” - Be blessed.
OSCAR EARNS GOLD LEVEL MAJOR INVESTOR AWARD ••••••••••
OSCAR members showed their appreciation for the REALTORS® Political Action Committee by stepping up in 2017 to meet and exceed the fundraising goals set by the National Association of REALTORS®. Through events like our RPAC Bingo Night and our RPAC Auction, members enthusiastically showed their support for a PAC that supports them and the industry they work in. We are proud to say that with the help of members like you we were able to exceed the fundraising goal of $52,500, bringing in $58,491. And with the help of our generous Major Investors, we exceeded the major investor goal by 40%, earning us the distinction of a Gold Level Major Investor Award! Why are REALTORS® giving to RPAC? Because RPAC looks out for us. Our PAC is a force on Capitol Hill that advocates on behalf of REALTORS® to ensure legislators understand that homeownership is central to the American Dream and a driver of growth for the economy. RPAC promotes private property rights and looks out for your bottom line. It’s your business insurance policy. Be sure to watch for RPAC events in 2018. They are a great way to build your network while helping the industry. And, if you would like to make your fair share contribution of $20 or become a major investor, please call us at 407-846-0117.
GREAT AMERICAN REALTOR® DAYS TWIS LIZASUAIN CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
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This past January I, along with a delegation of politically-minded members, went to Tallahassee to meet with Florida representatives during our annual Great American REALTOR® Days event. This event is our opportunity to engage with legislators on real estate-related legislation that may benefit our hinder our industry. Homeownership matters, and as REALTORS® we’re in a position to advocate for buyers and owners to ensure that Americans have access to that all-important dream of owning a home.
An additional legislative priority that was discussed during our visit was Assignment of Benefits (AOB), in which insurance policyholders assign post-loss benefits to a contractor so that the contractor may charge the insurance company directly for services. AOB abuses have been increasing dramatically over the last decade with a growing number of contractors inflating costs. These costs ultimately get passed on to consumers. As such, we requested lawmakers to intervene with legislation that will stop AOB abuse and protect consumers from increasing rates.
During our time at the capitol, we were able to hold meetings with Representatives Mike LaRosa, John Cortes, and Senator Torres. We discussed a range of topics that were of importance to our industry, including further reductions in the business tax rent in our state, an issue we successfully lobbied on last year, resulting in business savings of more than $60 million. As Florida is the only state in the nation to require a business tax - which adversely impacts small businesses, we urged lawmakers to consider further reduction to ease the financial strain felt by business owners. We also discussed prohibitive new ordinances being proposed throughout the state that seek to restrict the private property rights of homeowners wishing to rent their properties through platforms like Airbnb, VRBO, and HomeAway.
And affordable housing was on our agenda as well. A devastatingly tight inventory is reducing the supply of affordable homes, making homeownership to entry level buyers a difficult prospect. During our meetings, we urged legislators to increase funding for housing trust funds. These funds make homeownership a possibility for thousands of families while also providing housing rehabilitation and rental assistance to veterans, seniors, the disabled, and the homeless. I would like to thank all the impassioned members who went on this trip to share our REALTOR® values with our congressional representatives, and I encourage other members to stay engaged in our political process. Please watch for and participate in calls for action, so that legislators here can hear from you, too!
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FEBRUARY CALENDAR
PROPERTY MANAGEMENT FOR THE REAL ESTATE PRACTITIONER
02/06/18
9:00AM-12:00PM 3CEs
MLS CMA TOOLS
02/07/18
9:00AM-12:00PM
0CEs
MLS REALIST
02/07/18
1:00PM-3:00PM
0CEs
02/08/18
9:00AM-12:00PM 3CEs
02/08/18
1:00PM-4:00PM
3CEs
5:00PM-8:00PM
3CEs
02/09/18
9:00AM-11:00PM
2CEs
02/12/18
9:00AM-12:00PM
3CEs
fessional (CRP) program.
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This class will prepare the student for times when they must act as a property manager. It will walk you through the reasons you are needed, what you need to do, and what you can expect from a legal standpoint.
You have lots of tools available to help you prepare accurate and impressive market analyses, and this class will introduce you to them! We’ll explore: Researching subject properties; Market trends; Strategies for searching for comparable properties; and Building CMA reports and listing presentations. REGISTER: MFRMLS.COM
In this class, learn how to use REALIST: Research any property in Florida; Find owner information, property characteristics, FEMA ble tax, MLS sales, demographics and more; Create highly targeted farm lists and print mailing labels. REGISTER: MFRMLS.COM
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CORE LAW
Florida brokers and salespersons are required to take Core Law for a min imum of 3 hours of their 14 hour CE requirements to renew their license. A licensee who takes the 3-hour Core Law course in each year of- the re newal period is allowed a total of 6 hours toward the 14-hour requirement.
CODE OF ETHICS
REALTORS® strive to become and remain informed on issues
ment of this Code of Ethics and by assisting appropriate regulatory bodies, to eliminate practices which may damage the public or which might discredit the real estate profession.
CORE LAW
Florida brokers and salespersons are required to take Core Law for 02/08/18 a minimum of 3 hours of their 14 hour CE requirements to renew their li¬cense. A licensee who takes the 3-hour Core Law course in each year of the renewal period is allowed a total of 6 hours toward the 14-hour requirement.
ICE TOPIC: WHO OWNS THAT PROPERTY? A GUIDE TO WILLS, PROBATES & TRUSTS
If you haven’t experienced a seller who is getting a divorce, recently passed away, or has their ownership in a trust, you will soon. Who really owns the house, and what rights do the survivors and spouses have? Let’s dive deeper and explore!
FORM SIMPLICITY
In today’s get it done now society electronic forms, signatures and storage are a must have. Florida Realtors Form Simplicity program meets all these. Form Simplicity will accom¬plish this via print, email, faxing, sharing and electronic signatures. Go from Blank agreements to signed contracts!
REGISTER FOR OSCAR CLASSES AT OSCEOLAREALTORS.ORG & MLS CLASSES AT MFRMLS.COM
FEBRUARY CALENDAR
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LEVERAGING FORM SIMPLICITY TOOLS FOR BROKERS
02/12/18
1:00PM-2:00PM
0CEs
MLS ADVANTAGE
02/12/18
2:30PM-4:30PM
2CEs
02/13/18
8:30AM-4:30PM
7CEs
MLS BASIC
02/14/18
9:00AM-12:00PM
0CEs
MLS COMPLIANCE
02/14/18
1:00PM-2:15PM
0CEs
MLS ADDING & EDITING LISTINGS
02/14/18
2:30PM-3:45PM
0CEs
GRI 102: STARTING YOUR BUSINESS
02/15/18 02/16/18
8:00AM-5:00PM 8:00AM-5:00PM
11CEs
HOW TO BUILD A NEW HOMES NICHE
02/20/18
9:00AM-12:00PM
3CEs
ker Authority Only - Will cover Form Management, Agent Management, Brokerage Wide packages, Brokerage with Clauses, Broker Review and checklist, and Assistants Account.
MLSAdvantage allows participating boards and members to share searches from participating MLS boards. Listing details can be populated from MLSAdvantage to contracts in Form Simplicity. Available to members of subscribing boards and MLSs.
CHOOSING AND WRITING A SUCCESSFUL CONTRACT fessional (CRP) program.
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Students will gain fundamental understanding of the FAR/BAR and AS-IS Con¬tracts, contract riders and disclosures, and much more. Students will participate in group activities and case studies during this live workshop, and leave at the end of the day with a completed contract along with every rider
This class introduces you to the Matrix MLS system and shows you how to use it for your business. Learn about: Personalizing your settings in Matrix; Exploring market areas; Searching by criteria and location; Commu-nicating search results. Managing the emails your contacts receive from you. REGISTER: MFRMLS.COM
To ensure the integrity of listing information and to protect the cooperative nature of the MLS, Rules and Regulations are in place for how to enter listings and use MLS information. REGISTER: MFRMLS.COM
This class walks you through the process of entering listings into the MLS. Topics include: Types of listings; Required paperwork for photos and attachments; Listing remarks; Sending listings to portals and websites; Making changes to a listing. REGISTER: MFRMLS.COM You will learn to: • Apply the elements of a professional image and marketing strategy to contacting potential clients. • Apply methods to identify, capture, and qualify buyer clients. • Prepare accurate, lawful contracts or documents related to the transaction while avoiding the unauthorized practice of law. • Prepare clear, concise, and attainable written goals • Illustrate the importance of a business plan
Located: Providence Golf Club, 1518 Clubhouse Blvd, Davenport, FL 33837 REALTORS will learn to grow their resale listings and sales inventory “on demand”, be able to provide a price baseline for remore! You can earn the New Home Co-Broker Designation.
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FEBRUARY CALENDAR
MLS BASIC (SPANISH)
02/21/18
9:00AM-12:00PM
0CEs
MLS COMPLIANCE (SPANISH)
02/21/18
1:00PM-2:15PM
0CEs
MLS ADDING & EDITING LISTINGS (SPANISH)
02/21/18
2:30PM-3:45PM
0CEs
02/27/18
9:00AM-12:00PM
3CEs
This class introduces you to the Matrix MLS system and shows you how to use it for your business. Learn about: Personalizing your settings in Matrix; Exploring market areas; Searching by criteria and location; Commu-nicating search results. Managing the emails your contacts receive from you. REGISTER: MFRMLS.COM
To ensure the integrity of listing information and to protect the cooperative nature of the MLS, Rules and Regulations are in place for how to enter listings and use MLS information. REGISTER: MFRMLS.COM
This class walks you through the process of entering listings into the MLS. Topics include: Types of listings; Required paperwork for photos and attachments; Listing remarks; Sending listings to portals and websites; Making changes to a listing. REGISTER: MFRMLS.COM
PRICING STRATEGIES: MASTERING THE CMA (CRP) program.
rofessional
designed to enhance your skills in pricing properties, creating CMAs, working with appraisers, and guiding clients through the anxieties and misperceptions they often have about home values.
GLOBAL ALLIANCE COMMITTEE: RECEIVES NAR PLATINUM AWARD Members of our Global Alliance Committee have been busy making a difference in recent months, showing our commitment to our community, our commitment to professional development, and our commitment to excellence. In 2017, the Global Alliance Committee led by Chair Imran Mohamed demonstrated excellence and received NAR’s Platinum Award for the fourth consecutive year. Our Global Alliance Committee is demonstrating their excellence through their receipt of NAR’s Platinum Achievement Award for their fourth consecutive year. Our Committee was one of only 15 selected to receive this award in November, six of which were awarded in this state. If they continue to reach the same standard of excellence this year, they will qualify for the highest honor awarded by NAR to Global Committees – the Diamond Achievement
Award, a new honor only granted to 5-time consecutive Platinum Awardees.– the Diamond Achievement Award, a new honor only granted to 5-time consecutive Platinum Awardees. 2017 Chair Imran Mohamed offered praise for his fellow committee members by saying, “Our committee, much like our association is committed to excellence. Through our outreach and events over the past year, we have strived to connect experts in international real estate with members seeking to glean from their experience. Florida is a hot spot destination for many foreign investors, and with roughly 20% of residential sales in Central Florida going to international buyers, it’s important for us to be a resource for OSCAR members to be able to effectively serve this market niche.”
The Committee’s efforts to engage with OSCAR’s membership on international real estate business topics include a recent hosting of a wine and cheese social event with Lennar Homes, the focus of which was “Increasing Earnings with International Buyers”. The evenBuyers”. The event was catered to members seeking to be more knowledgeable about foreign buyer transactions and featured guest speakers who could share their expertise. This is just one of several events the committee has hosted in the past year in effort to educate REALTORS® on how to be an asset to the many international buyers in Central Florida. If you are interested in learning more about the Global Alliance Committee, please visit their page on our website at OsceolaRealtors.org/global-alliance/ or contact Chair, Teresa Reilly-O’Daugherty at teresa@homesbyteresa.com • • • • • • • • • •
WELCOME
NEW MEMBERS
Maurice Adams - La Rosa Realty LLC Adalberto Alvarado - Keller Williams Advantage III Neyla Alvarez - Odry Vargas Realty Group Gabriel Arguello - La Rosa Realty LLC Atef Awad - Ghali Realty, INC Zidnia Ayala - Premium Properties Real Estate Services Maximiliano Bellomo - First Pro Realty Adriana Beltre - Agent Trust Realty Corporation Kerry Benoit - Keller Williams at The Lakes Shekinah Brazzle-Green - Coldwell Banker Ackley Realty Shekeda Brown - A2Z Realty Group Cathy Butler - Premier Neighborhood Realty LLC Ivan Caro - Watson Realty Corp Heather Carr- Keller Williams Advantage III Paul Chisholm - Cameron Realty Group LLC Kendrick Clark - Weichert Realtors Hallmark Pro Glenn Collins - Prestige Realty Professionals LLC Ollie Crump - Coldwell Banker Ackley Realty Evelyn Cruz Aponte - Resource One Realty Lori Darin - Clear Point Realty LLC Jose Davila - La Rosa Realty LLC Carmen Delatorre - Roman’s Pro Realty LLC Fabiana Di Blasio - Invest Realty Group, LLC Damaris Diaz - GPS Property Group Inc. Carlos Diaz - Luxury Realty, Inc. Piedad Donado Bula - Empire Network Realty Inc. Lei Dong- Platinum Realty International Thomas Donahoe - C21 Blue Sky Realty Group Lucy Doyan - Keller Williams Advantage III Luz Duran - Florida Real Estate Group, Inc Reem Elkoussa - Crespo Realty Leopold Evariste - Leo Realty INC Alicia Fernandez - La Rosa Realty LLC Jose Ferreira - Trimarchi Realty CORP Ashley Fogleman - LeMay Properties LLC Victor Guzman - Coldwell Banker Solomon Margaret Hennen - Dream Builders Realty Nelda Hernandez - Re/Max Marketplace II LLC Paolo Hernandez - Florida Real Estate Group, Inc Daniela Hernandez Camaran - Keller Williams Classic II Realty Patricia Herodier- La Rosa Realty LLC Gui Huang - Multi Choice Realty LLC Carolina Izquierdo - ABEX Realty Catherine Jensen - Keller Williams Classic II Realty Jennifer Johnson - Real Estate Pros Anisha Kandhai- Sunquest Investment Realty LLC Janice Kerr Breiner - Davis Real Estate Group Adele Lambrides - Fairway Realty of Solivita Joseph LaRosa - La Rosa Realty LLC Leonardo Level - A & V Florida Realty Group LLC Matthew Levin - The Anderson Group & Co Pl Azalia Lopez - La Rosa Realty LLC Ludy Lopez Gomez - La Rosa Realty LLC Rafael Lopez Gonzalez - Gilvan Realty Corp. Ping Ma - Coldwell Banker Ackley Realty Charles Maligaya - Century 21 Homs Realty Venisia Mancell - Keller Williams Classic II Realty Diannet Marrero - Goodwin Realty & Associates, Inc Luz Martinez - La Rosa Realty LLC Holly McCann - Re/Max Market Place
Jairo Mejia - Agent Trust Realty Corporation Miguel Mendez - Odry Vargas Realty Group Dayana Merced - Paradise Property Group Realty INC Alvaro Molina- MD3 Homes LLC Hugo Morones - Urban Square Realty Inc Angelina Morrone - Coldwell Banker Ackley Realty Andrew Neal - ODN Realty LLC Min Ng Aviles - The Experts Team Realty Inc. Berlitz Noziere - A2Z Realty Group Victor Pacheco - Olympus Executive Realty, Inc Ysabel Paez Beltran - Agent Trust Realty Corporation Olga Parraga - Robert Slack Fine Homes LLC Darcy Perez - Odry Vargas Realty Group Troy Peterson - Coldwell Banker Residential Real Estate Joshua Phillips - Rental and Realty Group Michael Phillips - Watson Realty Corp. Denise Plavetsky - Prestige Realty Professionals LLC Rachel Pruitt - CGY Realty Jean Puleo - Realstock Realty Dianibel Rodriguez - Century 21 Homs Realty Antonio Rodriguez - Homepride Realty Services, Inc Francisco Rodriguez - ABEX Realty Gisela Rojas - Gilvan Realty Corp. Marcos Romero - HomeStar Realty LLC Elizabeth Ronk - Prestige Realty Professionals LLC Yasmin Sanchez - La Rosa Realty LLC Renata Santos - La Rosa Realty LLC Pramode Seth - Charles Rutenberg Realty Rebecca Shearn - Keller Williams Classic III Realty Ashley Sims - Exit Realty Champions Claudia Solarte - G World Properties Erin Soltys - Preferred Real Estate Brokers II David Spala - Weichert Realtors Hallmark Pro Nadia Talhi - Resident Team Realty, LLC Ian Tomlinson - Coldwell Banker Ackley Realty Amber Tompkins - REMAX Premier Properties Linda Toro - Re/Max Marketplace II LLC Gustavo Torres - La Rosa Realty LLC Amanda Torres - Keller Williams Classic II Realty Jean Toussiant - Weichert Realtors Hallmark Pro Joseph Townsend - La Rosa Realty LLC Steven Trowsdale - Go Florida Realty, Inc. Linda Underwood - La Rosa Realty LLC Susan Volquez Herrera - La Rosa Realty LLC
AND AFFILIATES • • • • • • • • • •
American Ad Specialities, Inc. ANB Inspection Services, Inc. Atlantic Bay Mortgage Group Carpet Clearners USA, Inc. Chief Inspection Services Cunningham, Inc. Design2Live Lennar Homes at Story Lakes Photography by Skip Stowers Smart International Title, LLC.