Member & Affiliate Newsletter
January 2010

Message From SVBR President Donna Roemmelt

Happy New Year to all!

Welcome to the first newsletter of the Southern Vermont Board of Realtors.

I’m excited to have this new avenue available to keep you, our members updated on what’s going on with your board. A big “Thank You” to Troy Richardson for putting this together for us. Thanks also to our Board of Directors for their support and who have volunteered hours of their time on our behalf. 

This year has been one of many changes, both in our business and with our board. Our new administrative executive has made great progress keeping us on track and relocating our office to Wilmington. It is my hope that this central location will be convenient for everyone.  We will continue to rotate our meeting locations to accommodate members in Bennington, Brattleboro & Wilmington. Our goal is to bring interesting speakers, education & useful information that will help you in our changing world.

We are dealing with, tax credits, appraisal & financing issues, unrealistic sellers expectations and unsure buyers. Many of us are working with foreclosures & short sales for the first time. We’re using social & business networks, blogs, tweets and the like. If we could only get reliable cell phone coverage.

I welcome your input & suggestions. We will continue to need officers, directors, committee members & chairs. I encourage you to get involved & volunteer.  

As an eternal optimist, I’m confident our business will improve.

Best wishes for a healthy & prosperous year.

Donna Lizza Roemmelt

In This Issue

1. myREconnection Updates and Information
2. Houselogic.com a Resource for Consumers and Realtors
3. Member Meeetings for January and February
4. Upcoming Education and Classes
5. Upcoming Member Events
6. Event Email Reminder Policy
7. New England REALTORS® Conference
8. Summary of December Member Meeting at The Hermitage
9. VAR Annual Conference, September 14-16, 2010

1. myREconnection Updates and Information 

myREconnection is a new web based software being implemented by VAR which will provide members with the ability to manage contacts, print forms and manage the entire transaction process from within a single interface.  It also will connect with your Outlook database, eliminating the need to enter buyer and seller data a second time.

If you have not signed up for the training class on January 21 in Chester, Vermont there is still time.  If you are not able to attend this session there will be web based training available or you may attend a live class at another location.  See the SVBR Events Calendar for a complete list of classes.

VAR has created a Technology Committee which will be Chaired by Troy Richardson.  The exact responsibilities of this committee are being determined over the course of the next month.

2. HouseLogic.com a Resource for Consumers and Realtors®

NAR’s new consumer-focused web site – www.HouseLogic.com is a resource for consumers and has a special members-only section to help you with your business.  

NAR will be doing a major marketing push to consumers, beginning February 15th.  Please take time to visit the site, and help spread the word to consumers in your local markets. 

HouseLogic is just one more way NAR is proving to consumers that REALTORS® are their best resource for buying, owning and selling a home.

3. Member Meeting for January and February 

Our January member meeting will not be held so that everyone has an opportunity to attend Legislative Day on Thursday, January 28.  For complete information on Legislative Day, see the Invite Flyer and Schedule of Events.

This day is our annual show of force for the REALTOR® community to interact with our legislators.  It is critical that we make a good showing.  VAR has invited the entire Vermont Legislature for lunch.  Every table without a REALTOR® present will be a wasted opportunity to speak directly to the people who enact laws that directly affect us and our profession.

 

Our February member meeting will be held in Bennington on February 18.

4. Upcoming Education and Classes

A complete schedule of education can be found on our website Education & Classes Page

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5. Upcoming Member Events

A full calendar of events for members can be found on our website's Events Calendar.

6. Event Reminder Policy 

Our new website system has the ability to send out automatic reminders of items on our Events Calendar.  It will be our policy to send out an announcement when the event is first posted to the site, and then again shortly before the event.  If the event is a class with a registration deadline, this second reminder will be a couple days before the registration deadline.  If the event does not have a specific deadline this second reminder will be sent a few days before the event.

You may check the website at any time for a complete and up to date events and class calendar, and we will also be listing upcoming events in our newsletter which will be emailed and will be available on the website.

7. New England REALTORS® Conference

The New England REALTORS® Conference will take place in Connecticut on February 2-3, 2010.

Please note that the hotel at Foxwoods has changed from the MGM Grand to the Grand Pequot.  This change lowers the overnight room rate from $150 to just $89 and the registration fee from $125 to only $100!  For anyone already registered, room reservations will automatically transfer to the Grand Pequot and they will be refunded $25 if their registration payment has been processed.

The registration deadline (January 8) is fast approaching!  If you have not already registered, please do so before the group hotel rate expires as well (January 10)! 

Full Conference program/registration information is available at www.ctrealtor.com/nerc.

8. December Member Meeting and Holiday Party Summary

SVBR had the Annual Holiday Party and Lunch on Thursday, December 17.  At the meeting SVBR President Donna Roemmelt and VAR President Leslee MacKenzie spoke to the group.  It was an excellent gathering of over 90 members.  We look forward to this kind of great turnout at future meetings!

Years of Service Pins Awarded

The following members received pins for their Years of Service as a Realtor®:

20 Year: Ken Spicer; Linda Brophy; Jennifer Densmore

30 Year: Janet Walkiewicz; Dave Berrie; Pamela Long 

40 Year: Penny Arms; Fred Jenness; Erich Hoyer

Members who have acheived any of these milestones that have not been recognized should contact Barbara in order to ensure that SVBR records are up to date and that your Years of Service are recognized at a future meeting.

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 9. VAR Annual Convention & Expo, September 14-16, 2010

The Vermont Association of Realtors® will be hosting the annual Convention & Expo at Stratton Mountain Resort on September 14-16, 2010.  This is a great opportunity for those Realtors® in Southern Vermont to attend and get a majority of the Continuing Education credits required to renew your license.

Please stay tuned for additional information and mark these dates on your calendar.  We will want a strong showing from Southern Vermont in order to prove to VAR tha the convention should be in the Southern portion of the state every other year.