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October 2002 Newsletter
A Message from Your President
Can I Improve Myself? .... Should I? Have you heard the phrase "If you are not moving forward you are actually falling behind"? This is true in many aspects of our lives but I want to focus on your real estate training and education. When is the last time you took a course (not counting the mandatory CE class you may have slept through)? I'm talking about a class that inspired you or caused you to think creatively about how you can improve your business practices to better serve your clients! Excuses, excuses, excuses! Don't fall into the trap that you've "learned it all" or "don't have time" or that "there are no good classes available". Don't kid yourselves! Remember: 1. We all have plenty to learn. 2. We all can "make" the time if we make it a priority and 3. There are tons of opportunities out there if you just look! Excitement! Learning generates excitement as we see new possibilities and opportunities. I was reminded of this while attending the MAR Annual Convention in Ocean City in September where I saw a group of over 350 agents from the Rookie REALTORŪ Society meet together for lunch. This group, formed by MAR, has been getting together monthly to network, share stories and learn new ideas on improving the way they do the real estate business! That's a lot of excited agents that you are either already working and competing with, or will be soon! Danger, danger, danger! What's great about real estate is that it isn't boring! What's scary is that what you don't know can hurt you! There are always new laws, difficult situations and different people that keep us challenged, to say the least! However with these situations we need to be well armed to deal with the changes. If we aren't engaging in an effort to improve ourselves we will not be prepared to succeed! Of course, you don't have to take any classes other than what's mandated by the state but if you don't you'll soon be passed by and look as if you are going in reverse! Remember to ask yourself, how do I look in stripes?! Here are some suggestions for classes available that can be very helpful in advancing your career: CRS courses available throughout the state. Check CRS.com for dates and locations. Great source of referrals as well and the CRS designation stands out in the public as one of the best you can get! GRI available at MAR and through AACAR for all agents. Great designation counts towards getting your Associate Brokers license! Rookie REALTOR® Society for agents in the business from 0-4 years. For more information call MAR or visit their web page at http://www.mdrealtor.org. This group meets once a month, and there isn't even a charge for joining! I wish I would have had this available to me when I was new! Although there are still 10 months until it happens, AACAR's Annual "Real Estate Now" Convention is a great opportunity for networking and getting up to 6 hours of CE! Learn the secrets of working by referral through Joe Stumpf or Brian Buffini at half day seminars around the area. There are many, many more but you've got to search them out and not be afraid of trying something new. Find out what classes or training other agents in your office are taking and see if it might not be something you can or should be doing! So, in summary, can you improve yourself, or is it too late? I don't adhere to the adage that "You can't teach an old dog new tricks", - I believe it just depends on the dog! I have great confidence that all of us can still learn a "new trick" or two. By constantly doing so we can add years of life to that ol' puppy!
You Be The JudgeCase #2-5: Ascertainment and Disclosure of Pertinent Facts (Revised Case #9-11 May, 1988. Transferred to Article 2 November, 1994.) Mrs. A, a retired college professor, came to the office of REALTOR® B, a cooperating broker, in search of a large house in which she could occupy a small apartment, using the remainder of the building to operate a residential club for graduate students. What she had in mind was a deluxe "rooming house" in which the tenants would have use of a parlor, dining room, kitchen, and laundry. She felt confident, from previous experience in the community, that she could obtain from 10 to 16 "roomers", and indicated that she would be guided in her charges to the tenants by the amount of mortgage payments she would have to make. Most of the large houses on the market were inadequate. Finally, REALTOR® B located a massive old mansion listed with REALTOR® C that appealed to Buyer A. After repeated visits to the house and after discussing financing with a local lending institution, Buyer A said she was interested in the house if it could accommodate as many as 11 tenants. REALTOR® B accompanied her for another inspection to check on this point. By planning double occupancy of the large bedrooms she found she could accommodate eight roomers. In addition, there were three small rooms upstairs that had been used for storage which REALTORŪ B suggested might make acceptable single rooms. Buyer A agreed, and the sale was made. Two months later, the buyer filed a complaint with the local Board, charging REALTOR® B with failing to disclose pertinent facts. The complaint alleged that REALTOR® B knew the buyer was taking on a substantial obligation with the expectation of housing 11 persons in the structure; that REALTOR® B had suggested that three rooms might make acceptable single rooms; and that she had been subsequently advised by the building department that these rooms could not be used as dwelling rooms since the windows were too small to meet code requirements. She had been advised that it would cost $1,480 to replace the windows. She charged REALTOR® B with negligence in not advising her of this deficiency. After reviewing the complaint, the Grievance Committee referred it for hearing before a Hearing Panel of the Professional Standards Committee. At the hearing, REALTOR® B acknowledged the facts set out in Buyer A's complaint, but advised that the complaint did not state all of the relevant facts. With respect to the house in question, as with many other houses shown to Buyer A, he had made a special check at city hall as to zoning regulations to be sure that the kind of occupancy intended by the buyer would be lawful; that the buyer's specifications were unusual and that in attempting to meet them, he had devoted an unusual amount of time and effort to help her realize her objective; and that he had acted in good faith and had not deliberately failed to disclose any pertinent fact but had, in fact, urged the buyer to consult with an engineer and to check with the zoning authorities prior to making an offer to ensure that the property could be utilized as a residential club. The Hearing Panel found that REALTOR® B had satisfied his duty to the buyer by recommending that the advice of experts be sought out and considered by the buyer prior to making an offer to purchase. REALTOR® B was found not in violation of Article 2
MAR Conventionby Joel PautschFor those of you who didn't attend but want to live vicariously through the lives of others, here is a 30 second overview of what you would have learned or done had you been there! You missed an opportunity to participate in or have an influence on:
And that's about all. I'm sure I missed something but it was a great convention.
Permitted Temporary SignsDue to the number of complaints received concerning improper use of temporary signs in Anne Arundel County, we are re-printing the list of permitted signs:
For further information contact: Anne Arundel County Zoning Administration at 410-222-7437, or Zoning Enforcement at 410-222-7446.
URGENT - New Requirement Oct. 1, 2003Margaret Woda, Chairperson of the Forms Committee, wants to remind everyone that: A new disclosure notice MUST be included with every contract for single family residential dwellings in Anne Arundel County, effective October 1. This notice will be included in the next ProForms update as part of the Anne Arundel County Addendum which you already use with every contract (or should). Until that is available, you may pick up the form at the Association or simply add the following wording to your Contract of Sale: REQUIRED NOTICE - ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY LAND-USE PLANS. The buyer fully understands that in order to become more fully informed of the current and future land-use plans, facility plans, public works plans, school plans, or other plans affecting the property or area, the buyer should consult the appropriate County agency or County Internet web site for information regarding these plans. This notice is required under Section 10-703 of the Real Property Article, Annotated Code of Maryland, for any Contract of Sale for single family residential real property in Anne Arundel County which is improved by four or fewer single family units. Local laws requiring disclosure to home buyers of substantially similar information, if any, shall prevail over this notice requirement.
New Members
Compiled by Carole Davis, Membership Secretary Affiliate Members
REALTOR® Members
Ballas, Jessica L — Re/Max Innovations 01, Gambrills Bernard, Brad S — Anne Arundel Properties Inc.01, Annapolis Brunt, Cynthia S — Champion Realty 01 SP (RES), Severna Park Burns Manuel, Kippy — Coldwell Banker Red. Brk Anna, Annapolis Carcillo, Tina — Coldwell Banker Red. Brk Anna, Annapolis Carnes, Kevin C — Long & Foster R.E. 12 S.P., Severna Park Chochos, Tammy — Long & Foster R.E. 12 S.P., Severna Park Crockett, Yvonne T — Homefinders.Com, Inc., Columbia Cymek, Rebecca A — Champion Realty 06 Glen Burnie, Glen Burnie Deck, Marion E — Champion Realty 08 College Pkw, Annapolis Downs, Anika — Long & Foster R.E. 12 S.P., Severna Park Fakinlede, Solomon A — Long & Foster R.E. 02 Crofton, Crofton Fitzgerald, II, Garrett — W.F. Chesley Real Estate, Inc., Crofton Gibson, Beverly J — Long & Foster R.E. 02 Crofton, Crofton Goodnight, Kevin R — Choice Properties. Inc., Crofton Groves, Maria — Re/Max Ideal Properties, Annapolis Habermehl, James — Homefinders.Com, Inc., Columbia Hargett, Christine M — Champion Moss Realty Odenton Harris, Marcus R — Long & Foster Real Estate, Baltimore Hastings, Dawn A — Coldwell Banker Res. Brk. Pasa, Pasadena Hay, James A — Home Professionals, Inc., Annapolis Henderson, Michael — Fairfax Realty, Silver Spring Jan, Sara — Champion Realty 08 College Pkw, Annapolis Kraus, Frances R — C21/Results, Baltimore Littleton, John E — Homebuyer Solutions, Inc., Annapolis Martel, Kim M — Coldwell Banker Res. Brk. Ctn., Catonsville Martin, IV, John H — Re/Max Exclusive, Hanover Nichols, Dawn M — Long & Foster R.E. 32 Pasadena, Pasadena Orebamjo, Ayodeji O — Long & Foster R.E. 40 Catonvle, Elkridge Pearson, Paula M — Champion Realty 03 Annapolis, Annapolis Quigley, Ronald E — C21/Anthony Gavern Realtors, Glen Burnie Rice, Eric W — Ricker Brothers Realty, Chestertown Ricker, Mark S — Ricker Brothers Realty, Chestertown Riggleman, David — Long & Foster R.E. 12 S.P., Severna Park Salkeld, Jonathan — Re/Max Classic, Pasadena Schragger, Louis M — Prudential Carruthers Realtors, Annapolis Scott, William J — Mona Group, Annapolis Sears, David E — C21/Schwartz,H.T. Brown, Deale Severin, Robert — Champion Realty 03 Annapolis, Annapolis Smith, Richard D — Coldwell Banker Res. Brk. Lin., Linthicum Smith, Lynda — Champion Realty 08 College Pkw, Annapolis Strange, Bruce L — Long & Foster R.E. 40 Catonvle, Elkridge Trumbull, III, Jack — Champion Realty 09 Crofton, Crofton Verdugo, Dawn H — Long & Foster R.E. 02 Crofton, Crofton Waltrip, Yvonda R — Long & Foster R.E. 02 Crofton, Crofton Ward, Richard — Bernie Schultz Realty, Annapolis Webb, Tyler G — Champion Realty 03 Annapolis, Annapolis Weiskerger, James — Re/Max Acclaimed, Timonium Wells, Dottie — Long & Foster Real Estate, Mt. Airy Woods, Sheryl Y — Coldwell Banker Red. Brk Hano, Hanover Young-Espeut, Judith — Coldwell Banker Red. Brk Anna, Annapolis
Polybutylene Plumbing ReplacementHomeowner with polybutylene (PB) plumbing either inside their homes, or outside for yard service lines, may qualify for a free replacement of their plumbing system, advises the Consumer Plumbing Recovery Center. Under the terms of a class action settlement between consumers and PB pipe manufacturers and raw material suppliers, systems that qualify for replacement must have been installed between January 1, 1978, and July 31, 1995. PB systems are distinguished by flexible, gray plastic pipes joined by plastic or metal insert fittings held in place by small aluminum or copper bands. PB pipe should also not be confused with PVC or CPVC products that are rigid and white or off-white plastic. For photos, and more information, go to Consumer Plumbing Recovery Center (CPRC) - www.pbpipe.com.
AACAR Annual Membership MeetingThe annual membership meeting and officer election will be held with the Distinguished Sales Achievement Club at Chartwell Country Club, on November 15, 2002. It will include breakfast, and the guest speaker will be Bill Barrett "How to Live and Breathe Real Estate, and Still Live and Breathe". Cost is $20 to AACAR members, free to paid DSAC members. Reserve your space now at rsvp@dsac.org or call Thomas Hough to rsvp at 410-544-5005.
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