REALTOR® Review by Raleigh Regional Association of REALTORS®

realtorreview 速

An e-publication of the Raleigh Regional Association of REALTORS速

autumn 2014

Proud member of RRARâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Community Service Committee

Serving the Triangle since 1980

919-669-3639 steve@stevesmallman.com www.stevesmallman.com

realtorreview ®

autumn 2014, Vol. 6, No. 3

Raleigh Regional Association of REALTORS® 111 Realtors Way, Cary, N.C. 27513 Phone: 919-654-5400; Fax: 919-654-5401 www.rrar.com RRAR Officers Mollie Owen, President Morty Jayson, Vice President Harriette Doggett, President-Elect Mark Parker, Secretary/Treasurer Asa Fleming, Immediate Past President

features

RRAR DIRECTORS

I am a realtor An interivew with Katyna Bunn ®

nominate the next realtor® of the year Dead line for nominations is October 31

David Anderson

Lewis Grubbs

Diana Braun

Becky Harper

Eddie Brown

Linda Bird Kolarov

Anne Cain

Tim McBrayer

Brenda Carroll

Gina Miller

Frank DeRonja

Mindy Oberhardt

Diane Donnelly

Renee Smith

Bill Fletcher

Tom Smith

Van Fletcher

Mark Parker

Marshall Gay

Margaret Sophie

Tom Gongaware

Josh Swindell

realtor® foundation of the triangle OFFICERS President: Morty Jayson President-Elect: Steina DeAndrade

Secretary/Treasurer: Jose Serrano Community Service Committee Chair: Dawn Nuzzi

4 tricks to blowing up your online presence Make sure house hunters find your website RRAR board elections October 6 12 begins officer and

board elections

NCAR Regional Vice Presidents Teresa Pitt and Jose Serrano

the safety talk you need to have with clients Keep all parties safe paragon Your new system is coming 24 MLS

departments

NAR Directors Linda Trevor and Asa Fleming triangle realtors® leadership academy dean Scott Hoyt Members are cautioned that the inclusion of a name, specific commercial product or service in an article, or in this publication does not imply endorsement by the Raleigh Regional Association of REALTORS®. All advertisers in this publication wholly support the Fair Housing Act and fully promote equal opportunity housing. Copyright 2014 by the Raleigh Regional Association of REALTORS®.

2 Member Services 3 President’s Message 4 Welcome New Members 11 RRAR Events 22 Local Market Update

rrar.com REALTOR Review ®

Preliminary Identity Colors

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autumn 2014

member services

2015 Dues Billing

Q&A

Q1 How will I receive my 2015 dues invoice? A1 Email billing has been used for a number

of years and will be used again for 2015 dues.

Q2 Does RRAR have my most current

Q7 What happens if I do not pay my

2015 dues?

BICs will be invoiced a non-member fee of $516.00 for each non-member affiliated with their office on January 16, 2015.

email address?

Q8 Are 2015 dues refundable if I put my

Click here to verify and update your member information including email address.

license on inactive status later in the year?

Membership dues are non-refundable.

Q3 What is the deadline for renewing members? A3 December 15, 2014. This date is two

weeks earlier than previous years in order to comply to the NAR dues deadlines.

Q4 When will I be assessed a late fee? A4 A $35 late fee will be applied on

January 16, 2015 for renewing members.

Q5 How much are the 2015 dues for RRAR,

NCAR and NAR?

The total 2015 renewing membership dues are $491 if paid on or before January 15, 2015. $155 will be sent to NAR, $165 will be sent to NCAR and $171 will be retained at RRAR to provide services and benefits at the local level.

Q6 Has the total amount changed? A6 Yes, NCAR dues have increased by $10

for 2015. As of 2015, RRAR dues have not increased in 14 years.

Q9 How can I pay my 2015 membership dues? A9 Dues can be paid online through the IMS system with a credit card or Tele Check. Both options are easy and secure.

Q10 Are membership dues tax deductible

as a business expense?

A10

Most of your membership dues can be deducted as a business expense. The portion that is non-deductible related to lobbying expenses at the local, state and national levels will be listed at the bottom of your membership dues invoice. Save a copy of your invoice for your records.

RRAR works to make it easy to receive notice of your membership dues by providing timely information at our website www.RRAR.com, direct member emails and publishing information in the bi-weekly RRAR Headlines enewsletter. Failure to receive notification does not relieve you of the requirement to meet the dues deadlines.

president’s message MISSION STATEMENT The Raleigh Regional Association of REALTORS®, the area’s voice of real estate, promotes the highest ethical and professional standards and cooperation among its members; provides products, programs and services to meet the evolving needs of the real estate industry and consumers; and serves as a leading advocate of private property rights and community involvement.

Dear REALTOR® Member,

Harriette H. Doggett

The year 2015 is fast approaching and it is time to renew your membership with the Raleigh Regional Association of REALTORS®. Renewing your commitment to your local Association also renews your membership at the state and national levels as well.

Member benefits include: • Being the voice of real estate in our area • Professional Standards Administration • Political advocacy for home ownership and private property rights through RPAC • Transaction forms • Free seminars and member programs • Discounted continuing education • State of the art website and qualification for an Internet-based MLS • Discounts on facility rentals at One Eleven Place • Membership discounts at participating stores through our REALTOR® Partner’s Program • Meetings, socials and networking opportunities • Triangle REALTORS® Leadership Academy • Computer training center with many courses to choose from With over one million REALTOR® members worldwide, the National Association of REALTORS® is the largest trade organization in the United States. An organization is only as strong as the commitment of its members, so by renewing your 2015 membership, you are insuring the continued success of your Association and your career. I am looking forward to serving you as your 2015 President and wish you the best of luck with your real estate career. Thank you in advance for your renewed commitment to the Raleigh Regional Association of REALTORS®. Sincerely,

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RRAR 2014 COMMITTEE CHAIRS Bylaws: Harriette Doggett Building: Harriette Doggett Communications & Public Relations: Kevin Woody Governmental Affairs Committee Chair: Mark Parker RPAC: Harriette Doggett Personnel: Linda Trevor Grievance: Teresa Pitt, Nancy Cashwell, Morty Jayson, Dayne Luck Hall of Fame: Ed Willer Nominating: Linda Trevor RRAR 2014 COUNCIL CHAIRS Women’s Council of REALTORS® Chair: Dianne Goode Triangle International Council of REALTORS® Chair: Ivana Hanacek The REALTOR® Foundation of the Triangle President: Morty Jayson Top Producers Council Co-Chairs: Janice Rosenberg and Mary Biathrow Property Management Council Chair: Debbie Henry Small Brokers Council Chair: Leslie Williams RRAR STAFF DIRECTORY Main Office (919) 654-5400 Fax (919) 654-5401 www.rrar.com RRAR Company Store, (919) 654-7253 Chief Executive Officer Tessa Hultz, Ext.1022 and tessah@rrar.com Association Services Director Betsy Ramsey, Ext. 1004, betsyr@rrar.com Association Services Associate Vicki Buckholtz, Ext. 1027, vickib@rrar.com Communications Director Patricia Gregory Rand, Ext. 1026, patriciar@rrar.com Communications Associate Sandee Washington, Ext. 1023, sandeew@rrar.com Education Director Cara Mottershead, Ext. 1006, caram@rrar.com Education Associate Sonya Yankoglu, Ext. 1024, sonyay@rrar.com Facilities Manager Mary Rachel Bowling, Ext. 1016, maryrachelb@rrar.com Governmental Affairs Director Christopher MacDonald, Ext. 1025, christopherm@rrar.com Information Associate Shelia Clark, Ext. 1001, sheliac@rrar.com Store Manager Yukari Powers, Ext. 1028, yukarip@rrar.com TMLS STAFF DIRECTORY Vice President of Operations Rachel Wiest, Ext. 1019, rachelw@trianglemls.com Communications/Data Asset Manager Christy New, Ext. 1008, christyn@trianglemls.com Compliance Director Letitia Pennington, Ext. 1014, letitiap@trianglemls.com Compliance Associate Raina Joyner, Ext. 1020, rainaj@trianglemls.com Data Distribution Director Carol Hamrick, Ext. 1007, carolh@trianglemls.com Membership Associate Kristina Faison, Ext. 1005, kristinaf@trianglemls.com MLS Systems Director Kathy Matheson, Ext. 1012, kathym@trianglemls.com MLS Technical Support Associate J Stepp, Ext. 1009, js@trianglemls.com MLS/Realist Support Associate Jennifer Horton, Ext. 1010, jenniferh@trianglemls.com Technical Operations Director Matt Nagy, Ext. 1017, mattn@trianglemls.com Training Development Manager Allan Nielsen, Ext. 1003, allann@trianglemls.com CTC/MLS Training Manager Lynne Brid, Ext. 1015, lynneb@trianglemls.com RRAR/TMLS MEMBERSHIP/ FINANCE DEPARTMENT Membership/Finance Director Randi Clodfelter, Ext. 1021, randic@trianglemls.com Finance Associate Pat Long, Ext. 1018, patl@trianglemls.com Finance Associate Jill Pressley, Ext. 1011, Jillp@rrar.com Membership Associate Kelly Hunsucker, Ext. 1013, kellyh@trianglemls.com

2015 President

REALTOR Review

VISION STATEMENT “Anticipating and meeting the opportunities and challenges of our industry.”

autumn 2014

w el c o m e N E W third Quarter 2014

Below are new third-quarter Raleigh Regional Association of REALTORS® members. George S. Abshire, Howard Perry & Walston Realtor Lorena N. Aguilar, Allen Tate Co. Inc Jemalia Akpele, Allen Tate Co. Inc. Angela S. Alcutt, Keller Williams Preferred Realty Amber Alexander, Fathom Realty NC, LLC Heather Alford, Allen Tate Co. Inc. Ruby E. Allen, Allen Tate Co. Inc. Geoffrey M. Alt, Howard Perry & Walston Realtor Julie Anderson, Howard Perry & Walston Realtor David E. Anson, Keller Williams Realty Cary Niall Archbold, Allen Tate Co. Inc Kristy Arnold, SECURE Danalis B. Arzola, Raleigh Cary Realty Inc. Adeola Ashiru, Keller Williams Preferred Realty Karen G. Audain Plummer, A. Morris Realty Constance B. Aull, Howard Perry & Walston Realtor Daysy A. Bahena Melo, Howard Perry & Walston Realtor Charles Bai, CHK Realty Robert Bailey, Allen Tate Co. Inc Dianne Baker, Skyview Realty, Inc. Melissa Barnes, Fonville Morisey/Vandora Sales Office Donald Baucom, Aimee Anderson & Associates Inc. Karen L. Bauer, Triangle Premier Properties Inc. Daryl B. Beasley, Fathom Realty NC, LLC Jonathan S. Beasley, Howard Perry & Walston Realtor Frances Beasley, Fonville Morisey/Stonehenge Sales Office Wendy Beauchaine, Fonville Morisey/Stonehenge Sales Office Justin Beers, Keller Williams Realty Meredith G. Bell, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices YSU Laura C. Bennett, RE/MAX Advantage Wendy Bennett, P&L Realty James Bernier Jr., Education Member Stephanie S Bertsche, Salem Street Realty Raymond J. Besch, Sunshine Real Estate, LLC Roman C. Best, Fonville Morisey/Vandora Sales Office Sarah S. Bilowus, Coldwell Banker Advantage Richard Birkholz, Oakwood Valuation Group LLC Brian Bishop, Allen Tate Co. Inc. Matthew Bivens, Re/Max Integrity Diane W. Blalock, Blalock Properties Dreama Blankenship, Simply Real Estate, Inc. Susan Blankenship, Allen Tate Co. Inc. Teresa A. Bordeaux, Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Go Realty Lauren Bostian, Triangle Specialist Stephanie C. Bowers, Bowers Realty Jennifer M. Boyd, Fonville Morisey/Preston Sales Office Leigh Brantley, Weekley Homes, LLC Holly M. Breault, Keller Williams Realty Cary Anna Bressi, ELC Realty, Inc. James E. Bridges, Education Member Jamie B. Buckley, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices YSU Josh Bunn, Manning Realty Brad Burch, Virtue Realty Craig Burcham, Streamline Home Inspections, LLC Bo W. Burgwyn, Hunter Rowe Real Estate Anna Burke, Fonville Morisey/Brier Creek Sales Office

Justin Burleson, Fonville Morisey/Highway 54 Sales Office Henry T. Burnett, Fonville Morisey/Stonehenge Sales Office Allison B. Burnett, Fonville Morisey/Stonehenge Sales Office Gene Call, Tommy Jordan Realty Ashley C. Campbell, Lennar Carolinas LLC Lori Carlyle, Phillips Properties Group LLC Kim Carman, Arrow Exterminators Brian Carr, Fathom Realty NC, LLC Jeff Carroll, Allen Tate Co. Inc. Brooke Carroll, Sunshine Real Estate, LLC Willis Jemar Carver, Coldwell Banker Advantage Jennifer L. Castro, Town & Country Realty, Inc. Nicholas A. Cato, Howard Perry & Walston Realtor Nancy Cauble, Insight Residential Realty LLC Leo Chan, Cary-Raleigh Realty, Inc. Ningqiang Cheng, CHK Realty Kristen Clark, Standard Pacific Carolinas LLC Helen Clark, Fonville Morisey/Vandora Sales Office Tiffany M. Clark, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices YSU Chelsea L. Clavelle, Drees Homes Richard R. Cobb, Howard Perry & Walston Realtor David Cochrane, Howard Perry & Walston Realtor Jennifer G. Coleman, Howard Perry & Walston Realtor Christopher Coley, Fonville Morisey/Falls Sales Office Darryl J. Cook, HGCM Properties Roy Cooper Jr, Century 21 Triangle Group Blair Coppedge, Centex Homes Joseph Wade Corbett, Keller Williams Realty Cary Walker F. Cowley, Allen Tate Co. Inc. Yvonne L. Creekmore, Keller Williams Preferred Realty Maggie Cromer, Howard Perry & Walston-Triangle at Southpoint Nora M. Cuadrado Stacey, Keller Williams Realty Ralph E. Cummings Jr., Capital Bank Maria J. Curtis, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices YSU Michael W. Dale, Deans Group Realty LLC Tommy E. Dalton, Keller Williams Preferred Realty Jennifer B. Daube, Fonville Morisey/Lochmere Sales Office Michelle Davis, Linda Craft & Team, REALTORS Laura Deans, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices YSU Jennifer Decourcy, Re/Max One Realty Matthew Demson, Allen Tate Co. Inc. Sona K. Desai, Stetten Realty Inc. Chetan V. Deshmukh, Zen Realty La-Tonia T. Diaz, Carolina MaxRealty, Inc. Mark E. Dickinson, Re/Max United Lisa Dismore, Block & Associates Rty/Relocation Dustin Doan, VNE Realty Madeliene H. Dobbins, Howard Perry & Walston Realtor Andrew S. Doherty, Education Member Christina M. Douglas, Douglas Real Estate Rebecca Duncan, Howard Perry & Walston Realtor Keith Duncan, Howard Perry & Walston Realtor Nathan A. Dunk, Coldwell Banker Advantage Andrew Duong, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices YSU Galen Durant, Icon Realty and Management Cora S. Durrette, Homeward Bound Realty Sean L. Dyson, Invitation Homes

Review Review REALTOR REALTOR l ®

Q. Monique Edwards, Keaton Barrow Realty Felix Q. Eleazer, Home Coach of the Triangle Shari L. Ellis, Howard Perry & Walston Realtor Diane Ellison, Fonville Morisey/Stonehenge Sales Office Adam Emanuels, ACES Cleaning Service Hyeyoung Ertman, Fonville Morisey/Stonehenge Sales Office Margaret Q. Etheridge, Glenwood Agency, LLC Robin W. Evans, Benchmark Communities Bradley Evers, Farrell’s 15-501 Realty Stephanie Falcone, Allen Tate Co. Inc. Richard C. Farago, Howard Perry & Walston Realtor Richard J. Farina, Howard Perry & Walston Melissa M. Farrell, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices YSU Deante A. Ferguson, A Dunn Deal Realty Arlette J. Fernandez, George Properties Justen T. Fetzer, Town & Country Realty, Inc. Leslie Fetzer, Town & Country Realty, Inc. Steve D. Fitzgerald, Keller Williams Realty Mario Fleitas, Weichert, Realtors - On The Move Jacquelyn M. Force, Keller Williams Preferred Realty Yexenia E. Forster, Education Member Amanda M. Fountain, Fountain Homes & Realty Lindsay Fox, Re/Max Preferred Associates Ada R. Francois, Smith Pearson Realty Sydney S. Frazier, Fonville Morisey/Brier Creek Sales Office Hubert Futrell, Powell Realty Bettina Galarneau, Weekley Homes, LLC Coey Gallimore, Coldwell Banker Advantage Maria Gambella, Coldwell Banker Advantage Shereen N. Gamil, Howard Perry & Walston Realtor Jacquelyn A. Garro, Keller Williams Realty Dennis L. Gaskins Jr, Icon Realty and Management Scott H. Gibson, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices YSU David L. Gillett, Fonville Morisey/Falls Sales Office Corey Gilliam, Carolina MaxRealty, Inc. Lila Gimenez, Keller Williams Preferred Realty Gwendolyn S. Glenn, Block & Associates Rty/Relocation Carrie M. Godwin, Howard Perry & Walston Realtor Cole Gonet, Howard Perry & Walston Realtor Charles Goodwin, Fonville Morisey/Brier Creek Sales Office Christy B. Goudy, Allen Tate Co. Inc. Corey A. Grant, Howard Perry & Walston Realtor Anthony J. Greco, Century 21 Triangle Group Joseph Green, Triangle Real Estate Group Kevin S. Griffin, Clean Slate Realty Charles A. Gross Jr., Raleigh Triangle Realty Inc. Ann V. Gross, Pulte Home Corporation Carol Ann Guarino, Century 21 Triangle Group Laura B. Guffey, Keller Williams Preferred Realty Jefferson M. Guilford, Coldwell Banker Advantage Barbara J. Gullatt, Fonville Morisey/Brier Creek Sales Office Melissa Gwathney, Keller Williams Preferred Realty Nicole Haggerty, Dan Ryan Builders North Carolina, LLC Alma E. Hairston, Keller Williams Realty Cary Danyelle Hall, Howard Perry & Walston Realtor Debbie R. Ham, SiteQuest Group Daniel N. Hamel, Howard Perry & Walston Realtor Tari Hamilton, Premier Properties Louie M. Hanks Jr., ForeverHome, LLC Eric S. Hardee, Northside Realty Inc. Ty Harrell, Primary Residential Mortgage,

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Serina Harris, Howard Perry & Walston Realtor Jason Harris, Dan Ryan Builders North Carolina, LLC Daniel Harris, Fonville Morisey/Stonehenge Sales Office William Hasse, LaChapelle Properties, LLC Kelly Hazard, Toll Brothers, Inc. Logan S. Heitzman, Keller Williams Preferred Realty Amy Henderson, Howard Perry & Walston Realtor Bruce J. Herbert, Sunshine Real Estate, LLC Deborah D. Hightower, Howard Perry & Walston Realtor Shannon J. Hime Bizzarro, Prime One Realty Ashley Hofer, Barker Realty Inc. Heather L. Holding, Keller Williams Preferred Realty Steven M. Holland, Hunter Rowe Real Estate Bailey Hollingsworth, Wilson West Agency Richard Hopper, Allen Tate Co. Inc. Ashkan Hosseini, Raleigh Cary Realty Inc. Ken House, Fathom Realty NC, LLC Wei Huang, CHK Realty Edward D. Hudson, Cambridge & Associates Real Estate Group Robert Huelle, The Virtual Realty Group John Huffstetler, Olde South Realty Freddie S. Hughes, Keller Williams Preferred Realty Kimberly T. Hunt, Fonville Morisey/Brier Creek Sales Office Danielle Hunt, WR Starkey Mortgage Gordon J. Hunt Jr., Howard Perry & Walston Realtor James Hurdis, Coldwell Banker Advantage Paula Ilissyn, Ideal Realty Group Lisa K. Jackson, Dan Ryan Builders North Carolina, LLC Lisa W. Jackson, Fonville Morisey/Inside the Beltline Office William August James, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices YSU Nilesh Jariwala, Howard Perry & Walston Realtor Peggy Jennings, Realty World Premier Properties Michael Jobe, Howard Perry & Walston Realtor Erin Johns, Re/Max United Cynthia Johnson, Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Go Realty Wes R. Johnson, Wes R. Johnson Joseph Johnson, Re/Max One Realty Deborah Johnson, Keller Williams Realty Cary Andrew G. Johnson, Champion Realty, Inc. Mary Rachel Jones, Spencer Properties Sandra B. Jones, ForeverHome, LLC Neil Jones, Fonville Morisey/Stonehenge Sales Office Angela Jordan, CAH Realty North Carolina LLC Shawna I. Joseph, Keller Williams Preferred Realty Jarrett Jost, Re/Max One Realty Nicole Kaghat, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices YSU Kali R. Kasprowicz, Keller Williams Realty Gregory Kelley, Keller Williams Realty Jessa Kellington, Dan Ryan Builders North Carolina, LLC Ana M. Kent, Selling Directly Brooke K. Kessing, ProTrust Realty, LLC Beatrice B. Kiluyi, Keller Williams Realty Nancy King, Sunshine Real Estate, LLC Amber King, Triangle Real Estate Group Jill Kirkland, Allen Tate Co. Inc. Pablo Koe-Krompecher, Premier Properties Kendra L. Kohut, Fonville Morisey/Falls Sales Office Srinivasa R. Kotha, Primus Realty LLC Sommer Kowalski, First Federal Bank Connie H. Kraft, Howard Perry & Walston Realtor

M E MB E R S ! Bridget Kramer, Fonville Morisey/Lochmere Sales Office Kira S. Krauss, Real Estate By Design Lindsey E. Krawczun, Keller Williams Preferred Realty Zvonko Kutle, Invitation Homes Jessica R. Lamarre, Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Go Realty Laurie E. Lambert, Allen Tate Co./Cary-Searstone Wes Lane, First Advantage Realty William Lanza- Church, Howard Perry & Walston Realtor Ben D. Lazer, Lazer Fast Appraisals, Inc Frank E. Leggett, Fonville Morisey/Brier Creek Sales Office Wendy Lewis, Fonville Morisey/Lochmere Sales Office Lindsey Lewis, Howard Perry & Walston Realtor Sheping Li, CHK Realty Hongbin Li, CHK Realty Miao Z. Li, W & G Properties Gabriel Liberty, The Virtual Realty Group Ellen Liggett, Hodge & Kittrell Sotheby’s International Realty Phillip S. Lin, First Triangle Realty, Inc. Elise Lippincott, Raleigh Cary Realty Inc. Shaun Livernois, Re/Max United Lorrin I. Lockwood, HOMEMAXX REALTY Richard H. Loor, RHL Appraisals Nora L Losada, Blue Endeavours Real Estate, LLC Lisa M. Lucius, Howard Perry & Walston Realtor Frank J. Lughes, Howard Perry & Walston Realtor Andrew P. MacNair, Re/Max United Tiffany Maddux, Howard Perry & Walston Realtor Anthony Magna, Snyder Properties Rajvinder S. Mann, Keller Williams Preferred Realty Deana Manning, Manning Realty Peter A. Markhard, NCG Real Estate LLC Kimberly Marshall, Ventura Realty William J. Martin, Fonville Morisey/Preston Sales Office John T. Martin, Howard Perry & Walston Ziethy Martin, Fonville Morisey/Preston Sales Office Corey Martin, Howard Perry & Walston Realtor Lynn Matheron, Howard Perry & Walston/WoodCreek Narain Mathur, Keller Williams Realty Kephas N. Matoke, Northside Realty Inc. Sharifa Mattis, Keller Williams Preferred Realty Carla E. McBynum, RE/MAX Advantage Maureen McHugh-Lewis, Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Go Realty Michael K. McKay, Pan Realty, LLC Brandon S. McLean, LaChapelle Properties, LLC Darlene McManus, Howard Perry & Walston Realtor Jonathan K. McNeal, Fonville Morisey/Falls Sales Office Cynthia McPherson, Realty World Carolina Props. David J. Meachem, Howard Perry & Walston Realtor Maureen Mead, Keller Williams Realty Cary Lori Meek, ERA Strother Real Estate Mahlet Mengesha, WSR Home Buyers, LLC Kim D. Meyer, Kim D. Meyer Cathy S. Michelena, Level Homes Realty Inc. Thomas R. Mills, Fonville Morisey/Stonehenge Sales Office Abhishek Mishra, Howard Perry & Walston Realtor Holly W. Mitchell, eRealty, Inc. Amanda Mitchell, Triangle Pros Realty, LLC Timothy Mock, Howard Perry & Walston Realtor Christopher W. Moore, Howard Perry & Walston Realtor

Jason A. Morgan, Keller Williams Preferred Realty David J. Moses, Fonville Morisey/Lochmere Sales Office Angela Mrazek, Allen Tate Co. Inc. Ke Mu, Keller Williams Realty Chapel Hill Jeffrey A. Mueller, Victorian Finance Sarah Munroe, Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Go Realty Aaron Murray, AH4R Management NC LLC Michael C. Murray, Fonville Morisey/Inside the Beltline Office Christopher Murray, Breeze Realty Network Laawanyaa Nadendla, Keller Williams Preferred Realty Lori Nance, Block & Associates Rty/Relocation Ryan L. Nelson, Howard Perry & Walston Realtor Ashley Nevis, Howard Perry & Walston Realtor Cynthia M. Newcomb, Howard Perry & Walston Realtor Deborah Niehaus, Hunter Rowe Real Estate Ann Norstog, Coldwell Banker Advantage Megan O’Connor, Lindsay Suchy & Associates, LLC Denis M. O’Connor, Keller Williams Preferred Realty Sam Ogranaja, Selling Directly Elizabeth Owens, Howard Perry & Walston Realtor Tristan Pan, Pan Realty, LLC Annamaria Papp, Northside Realty Inc. Bipin R. Parekh, Bipin Parekh Realty, LLC Melanie C. Parsons, Howard Perry & Walston Realtor Zaida Partin, Keller Williams Preferred Realty Stephanie Paster, Howard Perry & Walston Realtor Courtney K. Patricio, Dogwood Properties Jonathan P. Penn, Howard Perry & Walston Realtor William Pennington, Keller Williams Realty Gary Penny, Fonville Morisey/Lochmere Sales Office Kathleen Perazzo, Allen Tate Co. Inc Bennie Perry III, Perry Enterprises Patricia Perry, Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Go Realty Cara M. Petitt, Fonville Morisey/Lochmere Sales Office Stephen Pierce, Allen Tate Co. Inc Darrin J. Pikarsky, Standard Pacific Carolinas LLC Lisa McLendon, Ford Premier Properties, LLC Stephanie Porter, Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Go Realty James Pratt, Fonville Morisey/Brier Creek Sales Office Addie Price, Yolanda Martin Homes Shonte Proctor, Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Go Realty Louise Pruden, Allen Tate Co. Inc. J Marcus Purvis, Fonville Morisey/Falls Sales Office Julie W. Quinn, Lavrack Properties, Inc. Kevin Ramirez Nieto, Keller Williams Preferred Realty Alysia R. Randolph, Coldwell Banker Advantage Erik Raudsep, Iron Homes Inspections, LLC Jessica J. Redwine, DeRonja Real Estate Jason Reeves, Allen Tate Co. Inc David Requa, MarketLogic Heather Retzlaff, BB & T Home Mortgage Cathy Rice, Coldwell Banker Advantage Marvin T. Ridgeway, Fonville Morisey/Lochmere Sales Office Arthur Rietman, Howard Perry & Walston Realtor Robert Rikard, Coldwell Banker Advantage Suzanne Rios, List Assist Realty

Magali Rivera, Fonville Morisey/Lochmere Sales Office Erin W. Roberts, Coldwell Banker Advantage Angela Roehl, Keller Williams Realty Cary Amy B. Rogers, Howard Perry & Walston Realtor Jeffrey Roike, Howard Perry & Walston Realtor Michael E. Rowe Jr., Century 21 Triangle Group Mark F. Rowe, Century 21 Triangle Group Cheryl L. Samstag Bryan, Triangle Midtown Realty Amanda Sanchez, Valor Realty Lynne Sarella, ForeverHome, LLC Robert Sargent, SECURE Christopher T. Savarimuthu, Coldwell Banker Advantage Maura E. Sawyer, Fonville Morisey/Lochmere Sales Office Angelica J. Scarzafava, Keller Williams Preferred Realty Abigail L. Schaeffer, CAH Realty North Carolina LLC Bruce T. Schluchter, Parrish Realty Company of Knightdale, Inc. Jere Schramm, New Beginnings Home Inspections Anne F. Scott, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices YSU Andrew E. Sentgeorge, Keller Williams Realty Stuart Shearin, Dallas Pearce Realty Richard Shepard, Advocates Realty Group, LLC Elizabeth B. Shook, Keller Williams Realty Cary Rina Shterenberg, Champion Realty, Inc. Michael D. Siderio, Fonville Morisey/Falls Sales Office Laura R. Siegmund, Raleigh Custom Realty, LLC Tomorrow Simon, Howard Perry & Walston Realtor Kenneth Simons, Howard Perry & Walston Realtor Leila Sinclair, Allen Tate Co. Inc. Nathan H. Singerman, 320 Properties, LLC Traci Skorupski, Hunter Rowe Real Estate Amy M. Slone, M/I Homes of Raleigh LLC Shaun Smith, Ashton Woods Homes Dennis Smith, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices YSU William Smith, Adams Homes Realty, Inc Varaprasad N. Sompalli, Flat Fee Realty LLC Isaac D. Sosa, Safe Harbour Properties, LLC Amy Carden, ProTrust Realty, LLC Tyler Southern, Southern Group Property Management Kathryn Spalding, Builders of Hope Steven Spencer, Team Joel Sullivan Realty Michael R. Spencer, Century 21 Triangle Group Christy P. Spratt, Howard Perry & Walston Realtor Ryan Springer, Keller Williams Realty Cary William Spurr, Howard Perry & Walston Realtor Clara A. Stallings, Keller Williams Realty Jennifer L. Stark, Keller Williams Realty Cary Meredith M. Stewart, Oak City Realty Group, LLC Jennifer L. Stinson, Hunter Rowe Real Estate Sarah L. Stoeffels, Triangle Midtown Realty Gregory Stout, Howard Perry & Walston Realtor Lauren M. Stratton, Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Go Realty Jordan Strobo, Allen Tate Co. Inc. Thomas A. Strother, Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Go Realty Jianwei Sun, Carolina Hope Realty, LLC Debra D. Tabon, Parler Properties, LLC Jenna Taylor, Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Go Realty Tammy Theall, Keller Williams Preferred Realty

Annie Therrien, Keller Williams Realty Laura N. Thomas, Fonville Morisey/Brier Creek Sales Office Tiffany J. Thompson, Robinson Realty Group, LLC Christina Thompson, Highgarden Real Estate North Carolina Chris Thompson, Arrow Exterminators Peyton Thorp, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices YSU Brady S. Tillerson, Block & Associates Rty/Relocation Wendy Tingen, Tingen Realty Ashley E. Toler, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices YSU Keaonda L. Totten, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices YSU Marie Townley, Keller Williams Realty Cary Jenna P. Tracy, Fonville Morisey/Inside the Beltline Office Lela Traynor, Keller Williams Realty Britt Treece, Confident Home Inspection David S. Trevor, Dave Trevor Realty Jennifer Troch, Howard Perry & Walston Realtor James Turcotte, Keller Williams Realty Cary Derin Vacca, Howard Perry & Walston Realtor Ellis Van Kaauwen, Howard Perry & Walston Realtor Justin M. Vance, Howard Perry & Walston Realtor Radha Ravi Varma, Bipin Parekh Realty, LLC Vikas Vashisht, Smart Property Group, LLC Olga Velchinskaya Baker, Intrust Realty, Inc. James Vernon, Allen Tate Co. Inc. Emily C. Walker, Rachel Kendall Team, LLC Qing Wang, Keller Williams Preferred Realty Kathleen L. Ward, ForeverHome, LLC Laurie Ward, Fonville Morisey/Stonehenge Sales Office Jesse Ward, Howard Perry & Walston Realtor Hadon E. Ware, Howard Perry & Walston Realtor Parks Warren, Allen Tate Co. Inc. Drew Weigand, Ismay Realty Group Casey D. Weigel, Howard Perry & Walston Realtor Jamie Welch, Re/Max Preferred Associates Jamie Werkman, M/I Homes of Raleigh LLC Jennifer Werner, Keller Williams Preferred Realty Jeffrey White, Allen Tate Co. Inc. Dean E. Whitney, Keller Williams Preferred Realty Glendalen Williams, Howard Perry & Walston Realtor Lorine C. Wilson, Lorine Carr Wilson Realty Michell Wilson, Premier Properties Amy Womack, Bank of NC Karen S. Woodard, Fonville Morisey/Vandora Sales Office Marilyn Worthington, Fonville Morisey/Stonehenge Sales Office Elizabeth A. York, Wieland Properties, Inc. Roger D. Young, A Dunn Deal Realty Victoria Zeck, Raleigh Custom Realty, LLC Hong Zhan, First Triangle Realty, Inc. Xiang Y. Zhong, DZ Resources, Inc. Mark C. Zofrea, Raleigh Triangle Realty Inc.

If you would like to sponsor a new member orientation, contact Betsy Ramsey at (919) 654-4500.

REALTOR Review ®

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autumn 2014

REAL ESTATE TRENDS October 23, 2014

Wake County Development

Adrienne Cole, Executive Director, Wake County Economic Development

As the lead economic development agency for Wake County, Adrienne and her team work with the county’s 12 municipalities, local leaders, and state and regional partners to recruit new business, support existing industries, and help companies attract new talent. Hydraulic Fracturing in NC

Ray Covington, NC Mining and Energy Commission

The Raleigh Regional Association of REALTORS® is proud to present the 7th Annual Real Estate Trends. This highly anticipated event will include an update on market performance for the first three quarters of 2014 and a discussion of current and future trends in the industry.

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Ray’s has built a reputation for building partnerships and collaborating to establish new businesses and nonprofits in central North Carolina. He will share insights on hydraulic fracturing from his unique Beyond the Recovery

Stacey P. Anfindsen, TARR Report Market Update

Find out the very latest in Triangle residential real estate. What’s next for our area, our region, and the nation? Stacey will present an update on market performance during the first three quarters of 2014, and will discuss the outlook for 2015.

I am a REALTOR

An interview with RRAR member Katyna Bunn How did you decide to become a REALTOR®?

What is your relationship with your Association?

I have been married almost 15 years to my college sweetheart, Garion! We have two sons, 11 and 7 years old, Noah and Isaiah. I used to work as a financial recruiter, analyst and auditor. With children I needed more flexibility. Real estate combined my financial background with my love for people.

My relationship with the Association is new even though I have been in the business for 12 years. I regret that I didn’t get involved a lot sooner. My involvement helps me stay on track. It helps me stay focused. It is making me a better REALTOR®.

What is it like to help people buy and sell homes in your own home town? It’s wonderful to be a REALTOR® and live in the town I grew up in. I feel like I have a lot to offer my clients looking to buy here. I know and love this place… It is my home town! Having been raised in Fuquay Varina I have seen a lot of change. But it is still a place for people who like a small town, people who like a slower pace. And we are close to everything. Fuquay is a place for people who want to have their kids play soccer, go to church, go to a small local restaurant rather than a big chain. But, we’ve got more cultural and recreational resources now. It’s a place that has grown but you are still going to run into someone you know when you go grocery shopping!

I am a part of the Diversity Committee, Small Broker’s Council, Government Affairs Committee and I am a student in the 2014 Class of the Triangle REALTORS® Leadership Academy (TRLA). Small Brokers Council gives me fellowship time with people like me. It is so encouraging to be with people with the same struggles, the same level of motivation. We have a lot in common in how we want to conduct business. I like that! TRLA has helped me step out of my box. Sometimes in our jobs we don’t have time for extracurricular activities. TRLA is forcing me to be an active learner. I am enjoying it. It takes me out of my comfort zone. It makes me focus on myself. It is making me a better REALTOR®. You are a former financial analyst and auditor… What technology do you use to stay organized in your real estate business? I REALTOR Review ®

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organize my data with a CRM REALTOR® Juggler. This helps me keep things simple. And… I can’t live without my Google Drive and DocuSign apps. I do most of my work on my android phone, Galaxy Note, because it is big enough for me to work on and I don’t have to carry my tablet around as much. What is your favorite and least favorite part of your job? My favorite part of my job is having the satisfaction of getting to help people achieve their goals. I love working with people who have to move. I love helping people get to the next chapter of their lives! I welcome the unique challenges of each move. The hardest part of my job is saying ‘no’. This is hard because I like to help people and get things done quickly. I always want to say ‘yes’. However, I am learning to say ‘later’. What are you looking forward to? I am looking forward to raising two strong men. I look forward to visiting them in college and going to their weddings… like most mothers. I also look forward to continually helping people with their goals. Real Estate has been good to us.

Blowing Up With the vast majority of house hunters researching homes for sale online, here’s how to make sure they get to your website.

By Jona Jone

If you’re trying to recognize the value of putting in the time and effort to optimize your website for Google search results, consider this: A joint study by Google and the National Association of REALTORS® in January 2013 found that 90 percent of home buyers search for homes online, with real estate–related searches on Google up 253 percent in the four years prior to the study. You can bet there are even more people combing the Internet for homes since this study was done. Overall, pending home sales surged 6.1 percent in May of this year, the largest month-over-month gain since April 2010, according to NAR. At the same time, new-home sales shot up 18.6 percent to its highest rate since May 2008. REALTOR Review ®

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What all this means is that, with sales activity rebounding at a healthy pace as the market continues its recovery, there are a lot of people surfing the Web for your services. With home shoppers performing an average of 11 searches before taking action on a real estate site, the NAR/ Google study found, it’s important that you get yourself front-andcenter on the Internet. Here are five things you should be doing to get your website at the top of Google search results and win the digital marketing game.

Use Local Terms in Your Marketing House hunters are searching for local terms when they’re perusing the Web for a property for sale. Sixty-nine percent of shoppers who took action on a real estate site began their search with a local term, such as “Houston homes for sale,” according to the NAR/ Google study. Furthermore, 52 percent of actions taken on a real estate site came directly from a local search on a search engine. This should tell you that you need to make as many local references as possible on your website and in your marketing. This will improve the search engine optimization (SEO) of your website, and your brand will appear higher in the

results when people search for those terms.

clever headlines, and good photos with witty captions.

Provide Relevant Content

If you want to write a post about condos — maybe that’s your specialty — then write about interesting data, research, tips, or related features that speak to the experience of living in a condo. Don’t just write about the features of your listings over and over again.

Once someone lands on your website from a search engine, you want to give them a reason to come back. This is where quality content comes in. Link to your favorite magazine articles and news websites. Make your website visitors want to come back because they know they will find fresh and relevant content there. “Deep linking” is also a solid SEO technique and a way to add more content. For example, if you’re blogging about houses for sale in Houston, you can link to other blogs talking about related topics, such as shopping malls or events in the area. In addition, consider using internal links and site maps for more activity on your website.

Make Your Blog Say More Stop posting blog entries on your website that say “Buy a condo now. Limited promo.” Your blog shouldn’t be an advertisement. (You already have a section for your listings, right?) It should be a source of relevant and interesting information. Publish articles and blog posts with a unique angle,

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Be Mobile Eighty-nine percent of new home shoppers use a mobile search engine when house hunting on the Internet, and 68 percent use mobile apps, according to the NAR/Google study. That’s why it’s necessary to have a mobile presence for your business. Does that mean you should have your own app or a mobile-optimized website? Here’s a guide on how to choose one or the other. Because consumers are increasingly turning to their mobile devices, it also makes sense for you to operate with more mobility. Try these apps designed for the real estate business as a starter (see below). They’ll help you manage documents and keep in contact with your customers no matter where you are. These items will help you to conduct business in the digital age and better market yourself to more mobile and techsavvy clients.

REALTORS

rs at the ex ito p ib

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IN FULL SWING! sio s se

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NEW ORLEANS

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RRAR events october

4 Election Day 5 Women’s Council of REALTORS® (8:45am) 5-10 NAR Conference & Expo - New Orleans 6 New Member Orientation (9am-3pm) 11 Veteran’s Day 14 Leadership Academy Financial Programs (9am-5:30pm) 19 Triangle International Council of REALTORS® (TICOR) (11:30am-1:30pm) 17 REALTOR® Foundation of the Triangle BOD (12:30-3pm)

1 Women’s Council of REALTORS® (8:45am) Top Producers Council (11:30pm)

18 Community Service Committee (11:30pm)

1-23 Paragon (multiple training times)

19 *RRAR BOD – Delayed because of NAR Conference (9-11am)

2 New Member Orientation (9am-3pm)

Small Broker’s Council (8:45am)

5 Yom Kippur

Government Affairs Committee TBD

6-10 RRAR BOD Elections

20 New Member Orientation (9am-3pm)

8 RRAR BOD (9-11am)

Property Management Council (11:30pm)

TICOR International Day (8:30am – 3:00pm)

27 Thanksgiving Day (Office Closed)

9 Diversity Committee (11:30am -1pm)

29 Office Closed

YPN Hosts Keith Garner, NAR IT Director (9:30-11:00am)

december

10 REALTOR® Safety Seminar (9am – 10:30am)

3 Women’s Council of REALTORS® (8:45am)

14 TMLS BOD (1pm)

Top Producers Council (11:30pm)

15 Small Broker’s Council (8:45am)

Angel Tree: Deadline for Delivery of Gifts to RRAR

Government Affairs Committee (11:30am)

4 New Member Orientation (9am-3pm)

16 New Member Orientation (9am-3pm)

9 TMLS BOD (1-3pm)

16-17 Leadership Academy Media Relations (9am-5:30pm)

10 RRAR BOD (9:00-11:00am)

21 Community Service Committee (11:30pm)

16 Hanukkah Begins

23 Real Estate Trends (8:30am-11:30am)

17 Small Brokers (11:30am)

27 TMLS switches from TEMPO/Fusion to Paragon

GAC Annual Holiday Luncheon (11:30am) 18 New Member Orientation (9am-3pm)

31 Halloween

23 Office Closed at 1pm

Angel Tree: Deadline for Angel Adoption

24 Christmas Eve – (Office Closed) 25 Christmas Day – (Office Closed)

november

For more information, visit www.rrar.com

3 Selling HUD Homes (9am-11:30am) REALTOR Review ®

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R A RR The RRAR Officers and Board of Directors Election begins Monday, October 6, at 8 am and will end Friday, October 10, at 4 pm

n o i t c e l E d r a Bo RRAR

All members will receive an email with ballot link information on October 6. Please review the statements of candidates for BOD Officer positions followed by the statments of BOD Director candidates which appear in alphabetical order by last name. (Diana Braun, Eddie Brown, Anne Cain, Deb Carpenter, Jamie Dawson, Diane Donnelly, Van Fletcher, Tom Gongaware, Linda Bird Kolarov, Tim McBrayer, Bob McKeel, Gina Miller, Mark Parker, Tom Smith, Glenn Weeks)

Visit www.rrar.com for more details on each candidate and to read their full statements.

2015 Candidate for President: Harriette Doggett

2015 Candidate for President Elect: Mark Parker

Company: Fonville Morisey Realty

I am very proud to be your 2015 President. Membership involvement in our Association is so vital to our organization and I invite you to find the spot that you might become involved. Being volunteer leaders allows us to be responsible to our organization and find solutions to increasing challenges that face our industry. I have always felt very strongly that the only way that you can affect change is by being informed and involved. Be proud to be a REALTOR® and be involved!

It is my honor to have served as 2014 Secretary Treasurer and Board of Director. While serving I have gained a deep appreciation and knowledge of all that our association does for its members and the welfare of homeowners’ rights. I respectfully ask for your vote for the Office of President Elect. If elected, I pledge to continue to work diligently on behalf of all our members. I feel it is important to give back to an organization and profession that has been good to me. The experience and knowledge I have learned makes me the ideal candidate.

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ns 2015 Officer candidates

2015 Candidate for President Elect: Teresa Pitt

2015 Candidate for Secretary/ Treasurer: Brenda Carroll

2015 Candidate for Secretary/ Treasurer: Tom Gongaware

Company: Coldwell Banker Howard Perry & Walston

Company: Just Call Brenda Team/Total Source Realty

Company: Allen Tate Company

Service, loyalty, passion and focus characterize my 20 year real estate career. Our family relocated to Raleigh in June of 1997, because of my husband’s military career and I joined the Association in August of that year.

I have been honored to serve on our Board of Directors for 2 years. Today, I ask for your continued support and vote as I run for both re-election to our Board and for Office of Secretary/Treasurer.

A strong commitment to customer service contributes to my ability in building extensive client and business relationships. As rewarding as it is to help families realize their dream of one day owning a home; it is even more so when that same family recommends my services to their friends or relatives.

Secretary/Treasurer is an important role that helps RRAR protect and maintain a balanced and solid financial position. I have served on both our 2013 and 2014 Finance Committees, actively participating in decisions and Board recommendations. I hope you will agree that this is a strong foundation for this position. REALTOR Review ®

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As an Association Director, I’ve been clear as to what I believe our Association should be doing. As your candidate for Secretary/ Treasurer, allow me to reiterate. My interest is in our future as an industry and as practitioners. Social media; demographic changes; new business models; empowered consumers… these are challenging and exciting times for REALTORS®. The Association should be our partner as we seek to build deeper connections with our customers and clients and refine our true value proposition. See board elections on page 14

board elections continued from page 13

RRAR 2015 Board of Directors candidates (alphabetical order) Elizabeth Allardice, David Anderson, Diana Braun, Brenda Carroll, Steina DeAndrade, Frank DeRonja, Laurie Donofrio, Bobby Elkins, Bill Fletcher, Lewis Grubbs, Grayson Hodge, Morty Jayson, Player Murray, Steven Norris, Mindy Oberhardt, Mark Parker, Teresa Pitt, Zack Schabot, Margaret Sophie, Kevin Starkey, Denise Stevenson, Leslie Williams. For complete details from each candidate, please visit rrar.com

Elizabeth Allardice

David Anderson

Diana Braun

Brenda Carroll

Steina DeAndrade

Frank DeRonja

Laurie Donofrio

Bobby Elkins

Bill Fletcher

Lewis Grubbs

Grayson Hodge

Morty Jayson

Player Murray

Steven Norris

Mindy Oberhardt

Mark Parker

Teresa Pitt

Zack Schabot

Margaret Sophie

Kevin Starkey

Denise Stevenson

Leslie Williams

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Nominate The Next

REALTOR Of The Year! ®

Effective immediately, the REALTOR® OF THE YEAR committee is seeking nominations from all our members. We ask that you please share this information with your agents. Nomination forms should be completed in full. If you should have in questions please call Betsy Ramsey 654-5411. For those of you that might be interested here is a brief summary of the Nomination Form: There are five categories, each holds a certain percentage for the judging. • First category is BUSINESS ACCOMPLISHMENTS (5%): Year you entered real estate, number of years a REALTOR®, year joined RRAR, nature of business activities and professional development – list professional designations and any courses other than CE requirements. • Second category is LOCAL BOARD/ASSOCIATION ACTIVITIES (40%): Participation in local board/association sponsored activities, committee service, offices held and achievements/awards. • Third category is PROFESSIONAL, POLITICAL & CIVIC ORGANIZATIONS (40%) With this category you would list participation in local, state and national civic and service groups, charitable organizations, political action, etc. • Fourth category is OTHER RECOGNIZED ACHIEVEMENTS/AWARDS (10%). • And the Fifth category is STATE/NATIONAL ASSOCIATION ACTIVITIES (5%): Offices held, committee service, involvement in State Chapters, institutes & societies and activities in other association sponsored programs. We end the nomination form asking for a statement in support of the nominee. This is to be completed by a REALTOR® member, other than the nominee. For more information on the REALTOR® OF THE YEAR, or a Nomination Form, please email BetsyR@rrar.com. The form must be completed in full by October 31st. REALTOR Review ®

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Keep all parties safe in a transaction by offering buyers and sellers these important tips. By Melissa Dittmann Tracey

Have you had the safety talk with your clients yet? It’s not only for their safety but for yours too. It’s a conversation far too many real estate professionals omit from their discussions with home sellers and buyers. September is REALTOR® Safety Month, and most

real estate safety information mostly centers on how to keep you safe when meeting new clients during showings or at open houses. But safety from your clients’ perspective presents an entirely new set of issues. “When you go to listing appointments, do a security survey REALTOR Review ®

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with your clients,” suggests safety specialist Tracey Hawkins, founder of Safety and Security Source and a former real estate professional. “Discuss with them how to make their home burglarproof when it’s on the market and how to keep their belongings safe. No other real estate agent is talking about

that. This can be a way to distinguish yourself in a listing presentation. They may have already met with four or five other agents, but when you provide them with something different — a handout for a seller safety plan — you help set yourself apart.”

Learn More Safety Tips Glean more tips to share with your clients to protect them against a crime. In conjunction with REALTOR® Safety Month, the National Association of REALTORS® will be hosting a free webinar at 1 p.m. CDT on Sept. 9, featuring Sgt. Preston Taylor on “Safety Tips to Share With Sellers.” Register for the webinar at REALTOR.org. Also, view more safety tips on keeping you and your clients safe at REALTOR.org. Hawkins provides a checklist for agents to use as they walk through homes with sellers, looking for items to tuck away during showings like those prescription medications and gaming systems and checking the adequacy of the home’s lighting and door locks. She also says safety is an important conversation to have with home buyers prior to viewing homes for sale, particularly vacant homes like distressed properties where squatters could be present or maintenance issues may pose added dangers.

Safety Tips for Sellers: 6 Talking Points to Cover Safety experts offer the following tips on the safety topics you should discuss with home sellers. 1. Prescription drugs: Remove or lock them up prior to showings.

A growing number of real estate professionals are reporting theft of prescription drugs from sellers’ homes during open houses. Indeed, nearly half of 164 real estate professionals recently surveyed at the Greater San Diego Association of REALTORS® Expo reported knowledge of prescription drug theft taking place at open houses. As such, SDAR has led a charge in raising awareness among the REALTOR® community about the dangers of leaving

when holding open houses, this is another key item to protect that we want our REALTORS® to advise their clients on,” says Leslie Kilpatrick, president of SDAR. “It’s a safety issue for clients and real estate professionals. We don’t want to be confronting someone taking this in a home. We also want our sellers to be protected and to keep their medications safe.” 2. Stow away valuables: Remind clients that you can’t be responsible for thefts. Valuables include everything from the mail left on the countertops (which may contain personal information and bank statements) to such items as jewelry, artwork, cellphones, and gaming systems.

prescription drugs out or in unlocked cabinets during showings. Earlier this year, SDAR teamed up with the law enforcement and medical communities to create the Safe Homes Coalition. The team created a public service announcement, airing on local television and radio stations, and has also been raising awareness by distributing more than 8,000 plastic prescription drug collection bags since March. Real estate professionals are being encouraged to have their home sellers use the bags to remove prescription drugs from the homes prior to showings or to properly dispose of expired prescription drugs (the bags include a list of dropoff centers for safely disposing of expired medications). “Similar to asking our clients to remove clutter and valuables REALTOR Review ®

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Agents need to do their part, too. In capturing virtual tours or photographs of the home for marketing purposes, make sure such valuables are not photographed, like a seller’s priceless coin collection, wine cellar, or equipment in a fully outfitted media room.

“Too many people fail to consider that criminals nowadays can case houses from the comfort of their computer,” says Hawkins, who offers safety training for real estate professionals through her Consumer Safety and Security See the safety talk on page 18

the safety talk continued from page 17

Specialist program. “They can see all the person’s valuables when you put them in fliers and on a website. If the valuables are not being sold with the house, why do they need to be shown anyway?” Also, Hawkins urges agents to tell their clients at the forefront of their relationship: “I can’t protect your valuables.” Remind them that as a seller’s agent you won’t often be present at home showings, and if you are, you likely won’t be following prospective buyers all around the house, particularly if you’re hosting an open house. “Before sellers leave the house for a showing, they need to be responsible for walking through the house and making sure everything of value is out of sight,” Hawkins says. “Then, if that antique ring or camera ever goes missing, you won’t get that angry phone call from your client. You already warned them. But if you didn’t say anything to them, they may assume you’re responsible.” 3. Remove family photos: It’s for your clients’ safety. Many real estate professionals advise sellers to remove family photos from their home. But the conversations are often framed around staging and making it so prospective buyers can imagine themselves living there. Instead, Hawkins says, focus on the safety of their family. “Clients may be reluctant to remove their family photos just because you say it will help new owners envision it becoming their

house,” Hawkins says. “I tell agents to tell sellers: You don’t know who’s walking through the house. You have photos of your wife, teenage daughter, children displayed, and you could have a pedophile or stalker walking through your home. Who would leave their family photos up after you say that?”

5. Keep the house locked: Consider extra monitoring. Another safety reminder for your clients: Doors need to be kept locked at all times. A home is being presented to the public, and it may attract intruders. Hawkins tells real estate professionals to talk to their home sellers about deadbolt locks and explain to them why they’re safer. Also, sliding glass doors can be secured with bars and extra locks. Motion-sensor lights can be a good option for outdoor areas for added security. Windows should be checked to make sure they are locked securely.

4. Make a house safe for the buyers and the agent. Turn on the lights prior to showings — whether it’s daytime or evening — so that agents and buyers can move safely through the home and not have to face any dark unknowns. (During the initial safety check of a listing, practitioners should ensure all rooms have adequate lighting as well.) Also, sellers should make sure there are no potential hazards in their home, like loose floorboards or carpets. They don’t want to risk someone tripping and falling in their home and potentially open themselves up to liability. Hawkins says it’s important to tell sellers to remove not only weapons like guns before showings but also not-so-obvious weapons too. For example, many home owners may have a block of knives on their kitchen countertops; remove these for the agent’s safety as well, Hawkins says. REALTOR Review ®

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Some real estate professionals are taking an extra step with some of their properties, particularly vacant ones, and talking to sellers about installing a wireless security system. A company called Presence allows you to turn your old smartphone device into a home security system, for free. By uploading the video-monitoring app, you can use your old smartphone to feed videos remotely to your current phone to keep an eye on the listing. You can also use a motion-detection sensitivity feature to alert you to any detected movements in front of the camera and send a video clip to you via e-mail.

6. Beware of unexpected visitors coming to your doorstep. You may need to warn your clients that when their house is for sale, they may also get some unexpected visitors who ask to see their home.

SDAR. The association has distributed red and black stickers to its members, which can be placed in the windows of vacant for-sale homes announcing that the home is “Not for Rent.” “The stickers will make it clear to anybody viewing the outside of the home that it is a for-sale home only,” Kilpatrick says. “The stickers include a phone number for the listing agent and the district attorney’s office, and also a link to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center.”

“I’ve heard agents talk about clients who have had homes on the market, and a couple may knock on the door and just hand them a business card and ask to see the house, and the seller lets them in,” Hawkins says.

Some real estate professionals provide a list of third-party resources for their buyers to check on crime statistics in an area, such as Family Watchdog to locate registered sex offenders in an area; CrimeMapping.com’s mobile app to uncover crime activity near your current location; and sites like DiedInHouse.com that reveal if any deaths occurred at the property in the past.

Instruct your clients of the proper procedures for showings: Only real estate professionals using the lockbox should gain access to their home. What’s more, a growing rental fraud scam is causing more home sellers to report renters who are showing up at their doorsteps, too, ready to move in. Real estate professionals say their for-sale listings are getting scraped from websites by scammers who then place them as a rental listing on sites like Craigslist. Besides their efforts with the Safe Homes Coalition, SDAR also has recently launched a fraud awareness campaign aimed at countering such real estate rental fraud. San Diego had the sixth highest level of rental fraud in the country for 2012, according to

neighborhood, and your buyers might express concerns of their own. As a real estate professional, you can’t be viewed as steering them to avoid certain communities. But you can tell them the importance of educating themselves about neighborhoods. For example, you might advise them to drive by the property at different times of the day to get a better sense of the neighborhood for themselves and to talk to neighbors.

2. Take extra precautions in distressed, vacant homes.

For Your Buyers: 3 Safety Lessons for Home Shoppers Safety needs to be an added component in your discussions with buyers, too. 1. Educate yourself on the safety of an area. You may quietly have some concerns over the safety of a REALTOR Review ®

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As real estate practitioner, you’ve been told to take extra precautions in viewing distressed properties, but you may need to warn your buyers too. First, when showing an REO, make sure it’s safe to go in, Hawkins says. Do a perimeter search around the property before entering. Do you see broken See the safety talk on page 20

the safety talk continued from page 19

windows, a kicked-in door, or any signs of someone living there through the windows (such as a sleeping bag on the floor or food left out)? If you see such signs that a squatter may be present, don’t go inside. Also, homes that have been vacant may have maintenance issues. Buyers and agents may need to watch their footing as they tour the house, navigating away from any loose floorboards, steering clear of a rotted deck, and avoiding loose railings. Loose gutters or lighting fixtures may pose added dangers. Abandoned animals might be inside too. In an REO, pets can sometimes be left by the previous owner, or wild animals may find a way in. Never approach an animal. It can become hostile. Contact your local humane society or shelter. “These are not things you usually need to worry about in a home,” Hawkins says. “But in a distressed home that may have sat vacant, you need to be careful and prepare your clients to be more careful too.” 3. Prevent buyer regret — and illness. Another growing concern reported with REOs: drug contamination, and how a home’s tainted history can get lost if it sits in foreclosure limbo. The number of meth- or clandestine drug-contaminated homes is growing, according to the Drug Enforcement Agency. These drugs can seep into a home’s surfaces, and unsuspecting buyers who move in

may face not only a range of respiratory illnesses or neurological problems but also a costly decontamination process of the home.

sometimes may feel some of the signs when they step inside the property, such as a burning sensation in the eyes or throat.

The risk from meth and clandestine contamination in homes is a rising concern that has prompted more real estate professionals to raise the issue to their clients. For example, homes where marijuana was produced may be more prone to mold damage. Rewired electrical work also can present fire dangers too.

Buyers can be encouraged to check the Drug Enforcement Agency’s National Clandestine Laboratory Register, a searchable database of addresses that have been uncovered by law enforcement agencies to have clandestine chemicals or drug labs. Some counties and states also have databases to track such homes. They can also purchase meth-testing kits or have a professional test for contamination.

Remember, It’s For Your Safety Too

No federal disclosure law exists for meth or marijuana grow houses, and the disclosure regulations vary greatly by state. Oftentimes, standard home inspections won’t turn up drug contamination problems either, but requires extra testing by specialists. Some real estate professionals have been trained to look for the signs, like the strong smell of urine or chemical smells like ammonia or acetone; trash filled with products like paint thinner, lighter fluid, drain cleaners, and cold tablet containers; and chemical stains on the toilets and bathtubs. Or, buyers and agents

Having a safety talk with your clients is an important element in REALTOR® safety too. If sellers keep valuables out and prescription medications out in the open during showings, you may find yourself in that potentially dangerous situation of having a criminal in your midst and being unsure what to do. In those cases, do nothing, Hawkins says. “The person is a criminal and they could attack or assault you if you confront them,” Hawkins says. “That puts you in a bad situation.” Let law enforcement later handle it. Educating buyers and sellers about safety issues helps avoid trouble and, in the end, keeps everyone safer in a transaction.

“When you provide them with something different — a handout for a seller safety plan — you help set yourself apart.” REALTOR Review ®

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Project

Tree The REALTOR® Foundation of the Triangle Community Service Committee is proud to sponsor Project Angel Tree 2014. More than 16,000 gifts have been distributed to deserving children in the past and in order to reach our goal of 800 angels, your support for this year is needed more than ever.

Steps to Adopt

The deadline to adopt angels is Friday, October 31st, 2014. 1. Please designate one contact person for your office. 2. Email your office contact information, including the correct mailing address to vickib@rrar.com (Subject Line: Angel Tree), along with the requested number of angels. NOTE: All requests must include the correct USPS mailing address. Please Note: • Angels will begin mailing out during the week of November 3rd. Each angel will have written on it a code number, age, sex and a desired gift from their wish list. Size information may be listed even if the gift requested is not clothing or shoes. In that case, just disregard the sizing info. IMPORTANT: You are not required to purchase the requested gift if it is unobtainable or too expensive. In that case, please purchase an alternate gift or a gift card. For larger items, such as bicycles, please try to partner with other donors to fulfill the request. You are only asked to spend $25-$30 per angel. • Each angel will have a self-adhesive backing and MUST BE attached to the wrapped gift. • All gifts must be new purchases. • Please deliver your wrapped gifts with angels attached to RRAR by Wednesday, December 3, 2014 (the Wednesday after Thanksgiving). You can take advantage of Black Friday sales, or you may wish to drop your gifts off before the holiday. Questions? Contact Vicki Buckholz at 919-654-5400, ext. 1027.

REALTOR Review ®

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Local Market Update – August 2014 A RESEARCH TOOL PROVIDED BY TRIANGLE MLS

Wake County

- 4.2%

+ 0.3%

- 2.6%

Change in New Listings

Change in Closed Sales

Change in Median Sales Price

August

Year to Date

2013

2014

+/–

2013

2014

+/–

New Listings

1,954

1,872

- 4.2%

16,227

16,453

+ 1.4%

Closed Sales

1,645

1,650

+ 0.3%

11,491

11,811

+ 2.8%

Median Sales Price*

$237,825

$231,670

- 2.6%

$220,000

$231,000

+ 5.0%

Average Sales Price*

$272,133

$274,964

+ 1.0%

$258,653

$272,933

+ 5.5%

Total Dollar Volume (in millions)*

$447.7

$453.7

+ 1.3%

$2,972.2

$3,223.5

+ 8.5%

Percent of Original List Price Received*

97.1%

96.9%

- 0.2%

96.4%

96.8%

+ 0.4%

Percent of List Price Received*

98.2%

98.1%

- 0.1%

97.8%

98.1%

+ 0.3%

0.0%

- 8.6%

Inventory of Homes for Sale

6,290

6,114

- 2.8%

Months Supply of Inventory

4.7

4.3

- 8.8%

Days on Market Until Sale

* Does not account for seller concessions. | Activity for one month can sometimes look extreme due to small sample size.

2013

August

2014

16,227

1,954

1,872

1,645

- 4.2% New Listings

2013

Year to Date 16,453

1,650

11,491

+ 1.4% New Listings

+ 0.3% Closed Sales

2014

11,811

+ 2.8% Closed Sales

Change in Median Sales Price from Prior Year (6-Month Average)**

All MLS

Wake County

+ 15%

+ 10%

+ 5%

- 5%

- 10% 1-2008

7-2008

1-2009

7-2009

1-2010

7-2010

1-2011

7-2011

1-2012

7-2012

1-2013

7-2013

1-2014

7-2014

** Each dot represents the change in median sales price from the prior year using a 6-month weighted average. This means that each of the 6 months used in a dot are proportioned according to their share of sales during that period. | Current as of September 10, 2014. All data from Triangle Multiple Listing Service, Inc.. | Powered by 10K Research and Marketing.

For further information regarding TMLS Market Trends and Analysis please visit: www.TriangleMLS.com

REALTOR Review ®

l 22 l autumn 2014

Local Market Update – August 2014 A RESEARCH TOOL PROVIDED BY TRIANGLE MLS

Entire Triangle Region

- 4.8%

+ 1.0%

- 0.4%

Change in New Listings

Change in Closed Sales

Change in Median Sales Price

August

New Listings Closed Sales

Year to Date

2013

2014

+/–

2013

2014

+/–

3,758

3,579

- 4.8%

31,070

31,559

+ 1.6%

2,918

2,947

+ 1.0%

20,363

21,008

+ 3.2%

Median Sales Price*

$208,000

$207,205

- 0.4%

$197,500

$205,950

+ 4.3%

Average Sales Price*

$244,448

$249,323

+ 2.0%

$236,120

$245,279

+ 3.9%

$712.1

$733.6

+ 3.0%

$4,804.0

$5,146.3

+ 7.1%

Percent of Original List Price Received*

95.9%

96.1%

+ 0.2%

95.4%

95.9%

+ 0.5%

Percent of List Price Received*

97.4%

97.7%

+ 0.3%

97.3%

97.5%

+ 0.3%

+ 2.2%

102

- 5.9%

Inventory of Homes for Sale

14,300

14,029

- 1.9%

Months Supply of Inventory

6.1

5.6

- 8.4%

Total Dollar Volume (in millions)*

Days on Market Until Sale

* Does not account for seller concessions. | Activity for one month can sometimes look extreme due to small sample size.

2013

August 3,758

2014

3,579

31,070 2,918

2013

Year to Date 31,559

2,947 20,363

- 4.8% New Listings

2014

+ 1.6% New Listings

+ 1.0% Closed Sales

21,008

+ 3.2% Closed Sales

Change in Median Sales Price from Prior Year (6-Month Average)** Entire Triangle Region

+ 10% + 8% + 6% + 4% + 2% 0% - 2% - 4% - 6% - 8% 1-2008

7-2008

1-2009

7-2009

1-2010

7-2010

1-2011

7-2011

1-2012

7-2012

1-2013

7-2013

1-2014

7-2014

For further information regarding TMLS Market Trends and Analysis please visit: www.TriangleMLS.com

REALTOR Review ®

l 23 l

autumn 2014

REALTOR Review 速

l 24 l autumn 2014

Get Started in Paragon! Steps to Access Paragon: 1. Log in to www.TriangleMLS.com with your MLS ID and password. 2. Click on the Paragon tab in the upper right corner. 3. Enter Your MLS ID and password on the Paragon login page. 4. Click “Enter”. MLS IDs and passwords are case sensitive with Paragon. Any letters in your MLS ID must be capitalized. Passwords must be entered exactly as you created them.

Steps to Get Started in Paragon: 1. Take some training • Register to attend a Paragon Essentials class. Click here to register. • Online Training is available in the “Help” section of Paragon. Click on “Help” in the upper right corner of the home page. The “Help” section gives you access to: Paragon Online Academy I Training Videos FAQs

Quick Start Guides

2. Search your inventory – Do an Inventory Search in Paragon to ensure your listings are in Paragon. 3. Pull up the Full Detail Report for your listings – Check to make sure your listing data is accurate in Paragon by comparing it to the full detail report in TEMPO or Fusion. Click on the “Feedback” link on the home page of Paragon to report any inaccuracies. 4. Compare your contacts – Any contacts you entered in TEMPO/Fusion prior to August 11, 2014 should have transferred to Paragon. All contacts you entered or changed in TEMPO/Fusion since August 11th will need to be added to Paragon. 5. Enter Your Prospect Settings from TEMPO/Fusion in Paragon and any notes assigned to your prospects. 6. Transfer Your Customized Settings for Saved Searches, Custom Grids, CMAs, and any reports you have created in TEMPO/Fusion. Visit www.TriangleMLS.com/Paragon for step-by-step instructions and videos on how to save your important TEMPO/Fusion items so you can recreate them in Paragon. Need more help? We are here for you! Every Friday in October during the hours of 1:003:00pm, subscribers can drop by the Computer Training Center at the Triangle MLS office for help. One of our friendly staff will show you how to save your important TEMPO/Fusion items. No appointment is necessary. We will give you a flash drive to save your important items, so there is no need to bring your computer. 7. Send an email out of Paragon to yourself to verify your email address. 8. Set-up your Prospect Settings with auto notification using the Client Connect (Client Gateway) web site. Don’t forget to turn off the auto notification setting for your clients in TEMPO/Fusion. For more information, visit www.TriangleMLS.com/Paragon. If you have any questions, please contact the Triangle MLS Help Desk at (919)654-5419 or helpdesk@TriangleMLS.com. REALTOR Review ®

l 25 l

autumn 2014

Photo of home in Historic Oakwood courtesy of IIan Shields

Everyone benefits when you give these beautiful cards to clients, friends, and people you work with and want to honor! Your donation of $5 per card goes directly to the many charitable projects conducted by the REALTOR® Foundation of the Triangle (RFT), helping those most in need in our community.

Realtorfoundationofthetriangle.org

DONATION CARDS

Holiday Card 1

The cards also honor those who receive them, and help build a positive identity of the real estate community as a force for good in the Triangle. Inside Text:

Or:

Happy Holidays! A GIFT Has been given in your honor to The REALTOR® Foundation of the Triangle by:

A GIFT Has been given in your honor to The REALTOR® Foundation of the Triangle by:

The REALTOR® Foundation of the Triangle (RFT) is a non-profit, community service subsidiary of the Raleigh Regional Board of REALTORS® dedicated to improving homes and improving lives in the Triangle. RFT supports Triangle residents through scholarships, donations, and most of all through volunteerism. Our volunteers provide disaster relief; organize USO, food, diaper and holiday gift drives; install access ramps for seniors; work on home and neighborhood improvement projects; promote affordable housing, and partner with other local charities to strengthen our communities.

Holiday Card 2

Realtorfoundationofthetriangle.org

How to Order 1890’s home in Historic Oakwood, downtown Raleigh Photo courtesy of Jerry Blow Architectural Photography http://www.jerryblowphotos.com

Oil painting of NC State Capitol courtesy of Steve Filarsky www.smfilarsky.com

• The cards are available at the Realtor Store at RRAR, 111 Realtor Way, Cary. Stop by or call the store to order, 919-654-7253. • Email RFTCards@RRAR.com and we will contact you to complete the order.

Realtorfoundationofthetriangle.org

State Capitol painting card

Orders will be processed within 10 days and ready for pickup at the Reception Desk at RRAR. If you prefer that they be mailed, there is a $5 shipping charge. Orders of 30 or more cards will be delivered to you at no charge. If you have questions about the cards or your order, please email RFTCards@rrar.com. Thank you for your support.

The REALTOR® Foundation of the Triangle is a non-profit, 501(c)(3) organization, and your contribution may be tax deductible. Please consult your tax advisor. Thank you for your support.

REALTOR Review ®

Historic Oakwood house card l 26 l autumn 2014

NEW! Medical Mortgage Program Capital Bank values our customer relationships! Our Medical Mortgage Program is designed to provide more flexible home financing solutions for new and existing customers in today’s busy and sometimes complicated financial world. Capital Bank is one of the most well capitalized banks in the country, allowing our expansion of this valuable home mortgage line of products to Licensed Medical Professionals including: • Medical Doctors (MD, DO, OD, DP, etc…) • Doctor of Dental Surgery or Dental Medicine (DDS, DMD) • Current Medical Resident The program features: Up to 100% Loan to Value (LTV) for loans up to $500,000. Up to 90% Loan to Value (LTV) for loans up to $650,000. Service Value Promise to close your qualifying mortgage loan by a guaranteed Closing Date. Competitive rates and closing costs.

Contact me today: Ralph E. Cummings, Jr. JD Sr. Mortgage Loan Consultant 919-645-0860 Direct 919-889-6299 Cell 3100 Edwards Mill Road Raleigh NC 27612 ralph.cummings@capitalbank-us.com http://rcummings.capitalbankmortgage-us.com NMLS# 1184434

Other restrictions may apply and all applications are subject to credit approval. Please contact a Capital Bank Mortgage Consultant for additional information. Loan To Value (LTV) and loan amounts assume well qualiﬁed borrower(s) with Debt to Income (DTI) of 43% or less. 12-months of reserves required. Primary residences only, Escrows are required. See Service Value Promise guidelines for speciﬁcs.

capitalbank-us.com | 800.639.5111