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Join Us
THIS FRIDAY MORNING, OCTOBER 12 ! |
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GENERAL MEMBERSHIP
BREAKFAST AND MEETING...
REALTORS® DO IT BY THE CODE
at La Fontaine Bleu, 7963 Annapolis Road
| 9:00 a.m. |
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Registration and networking |
| 9:30 a.m. |
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Breakfast |
| 10:00 a.m. |
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Meeting begins |
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The primary goal of Linda Simpson, for her term as President, is to stress the importance of the Code of Ethics in your every day business. Join us in learning how to conduct business in a professional and ethical way.
During this meeting, you will also be brought up to date on association activities, Legislative Issues and will meet the new Board of Directors, Committee Chairs and Vice Chairs.
Don't miss this very important opportunity.
FREE for PGCAR Members, but pre-registration is required to accommodate meals and seating for all. A $25 charge will be applied to anyone who makes a reservation and fails to attend without canceling.
See You There!
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| ONLINE DUES RENEWAL |  |  |
Membership renewals have been mailed and may be paid online quick, easy, and secure with a credit card. Dues must be received no later than November 30, 2007 in order to prevent a late charge.
Click here for online dues renewal! Pay online and enjoy the convenience of receiving an itemized receipt within a few minutes via e-mail.
 
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Classes include: Contracts "MAR", MD Code of Ethics, Flipping, Predatory Lending, REALTOR® Etiquette, MD Fair Housing Update, MD Legislative Update, DC Fair Housing & Predatory Lending, and Understanding Reverse Mortgages.
CLICK HERE TO REGISTER NOW.
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| CODE OF ETHICS: ARTICLE 15 |  |  |
Article 15 is easily and widely misunderstood to mean that REALTORS® ought not to disparage other real estate agents or to criticize their business practices. But that is not what the article says.
Full story >>
Also read this week's Code of Ethics Case Study below, for even greater understanding of your responsibilities under Article 15.
| TIME TO DISASTER-PROOF YOUR OFFICE |  |  |
| How do you feel about spending your upcoming nights sifting through piles of displaced paperwork? What about working through weekends to recover information lost from your client database? Or spending your hard-earned vacation money to redraft key legal documents?
Full story >> |
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| NEW CONTRACT FORMS AVAILABLE FOR MARYLAND | | |
The Residential Sales Contract along with 7 other forms have all been updated as of October 1, 2007. Replace your old forms with the updates! All new forms are available in the PGCAR.com Members Only section and on ZipForm.
Maryland (MAR) Contract Forms
Revised or New as of October 1, 2007 |
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| NAR ANNUAL CONFERENCE & EXPO | | |
You will be inspired by leadership, technology and market superstars and be entertained. Special guests:
James Taylor Lou Holtz Bill Cosby Doris Kearns
LIMITLESS Business Growth!
There's something for everyone at the 2007 REALTORS® Conference & Expo:
- Gain practical solutions and real business tips.
- Network with thousands of real estate professionals from around the world.
- Get valuable insights on leadership and marketing from product brand giants, sports, the Internet and history from this year's distinguished Entrepreneurial Excellence Series line up.
- Renew your technology skills and increase your productivity with hands-on training at the Technology Learning Center (TLC).
LIMITLESS Fun!
The Convention isn't all about work. Have the time of your life in the "City of Lights"!
It's the 2007 Conference & Expo, and what happens here, helps you everywhere!
| CONTINUING EDUCATION | | |
Sign up for multiple classes here!
You can earn ALL of Your Continuing Education requirements for both the Maryland and DC license renewals right here at PGCAR!
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Code of Ethics Case Study: Case #15-2:
Intentional Misrepresentation of a Competitor's Business Practice
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Following a round of golf early one morning, Homeowner A approached REALTOR® X. "We've outgrown our home and I want to list it with you," said Homeowner A. "I'm sorry," said REALTOR® X, "but I represent buyers exclusively." "Then how about REALTOR® Z?" asked Homeowner A, "I've heard good things about him." "I don't know if I would do that," said REALTOR® X, "while he does represent sellers, he doesn't cooperate with buyer brokers and, as a result, sellers don't get adequate market exposure for their properties."
Later that day, Homeowner A repeated REALTOR® X's remarks to his wife who happened to be a close friend of REALTOR® Z's wife. Within hours, REALTOR® Z had been made aware of REALTOR® X's remarks to Homeowner A earlier in the day. REALTOR® Z filed a complaint against REALTOR® X charging him with making false and misleading statements. REALTOR® Z's complaint was considered by the Grievance Committee, which determined that an ethics hearing should be held.
At the hearing REALTOR® Z stated, "I have no idea what REALTOR® X was thinking about when he made his comments to Homeowner A. I always cooperate with other REALTORS®." REALTOR® X replied, "That's not so. Last year you had a listing in the Multiple Listing Service and when I called to make an appointment to show the property to the buyer, you refused to agree to pay me." REALTOR® Z responded that he had made a formal offer of subagency through the MLS with respect to that property but had chosen not to offer compensation to buyer agents through the MLS. He noted, however, that the fact that he had not made a blanket offer of compensation to buyer agents should not be construed as a refusal to cooperate and that he had, in fact, cooperated with REALTOR® X in the sale of that very property.
In response to REALTOR® Z's questions, REALTOR® X acknowledged that he had shown his buyer-client REALTOR® Z's listing and that the buyer had purchased the property. Moreover, REALTOR® X said, upon questioning by the panel members, he had no personal knowledge of any instance in which REALTOR® Z had refused to cooperate with any other broker but had simply assumed that REALTOR® Z's refusal to pay the compensation REALTOR® X had asked for was representative of a general practice on the part of REALTOR® Z.
The Hearing Panel, in its deliberations, noted that cooperation and compensation are not synonymous and though formal, blanket offers of cooperation and compensation can be communicated through Multiple Listing Services, even where they are not, cooperation remains the norm expected of REALTORS®. However, to characterize REALTOR® Z's refusal to pay requested compensation as a "refusal to cooperate" and to make the assumption and subsequent statement that REALTOR® Z "did not cooperate with buyer agents" was false, misleading, and not based on factual information. Consequently, REALTOR® X was found in violation of Article 15 .
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SPOTLIGHT SPECIAL
**** CHOOSE YOUR SPECIAL ****
Sign up for the rest of the year and receive 20% OFF
— OR —
Buy a Full Page and get the Internet Ad FREE for 1 Month! — OR —
Buy the Front Cover and receive a full page ad inside.
BE IN THE SPOTLIGHT FOR FREE!
That's right - FREE! Write an article that would be of interest to real estate consumers and have it published in the Official Homes Section of The Prince George's County Association of REALTORS® brought to you by The Gazette. This is a special pullout FULL COLOR supplement reaching over 127,000 homes and businesses in Prince George's County.
| Article Deadline |
Monday,
Nov. 5 |
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Ad Copy
Deadline |
Tuesday,
Nov. 6 |
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Publication
Date |
Thursday,
Nov. 22 |
If you are interested in writing an article or placing an ad, please contact
Heidi Lamere at 301-731-2134, 240-888-7509 or hlamere@gazette.net.
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I HAVE MY LICENSE... NOW WHAT?