Week of Feb. 8, 2010
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News and Updates As winter continues its streak of cold and snow, sales activity in the Twin Cities housing market is moving along at a pace you'd expect for the season and at about the same pace as a year ago. Pending sales for the week ending January 30 came in at 650, down very slightly from the mark of 673 seen during the same week last year. Over the last three months, there have been 7,038 signed purchase agreements, up a sliver-sized 0.7 percent from a year ago. Despite the tax credit being made available to current homeowners, new listing activity has yet to show any noticeable jump. The 1,584 new listings for the most recent reporting week represent a dip of 3.1 percent from a year ago. Total inventory of available homes is still down from last year by 16.5 percent. In related news, Days on Market Until Sale is still dropping while the Percent of Original List Price Received at Sale is still growing. While that's good news on both fronts for home sellers in general, different price points and neighborhoods are experiencing dramatically different market conditions. VIEW FULL REPORT | VIEW MORE RESEARCH REPORTS |
2009 Residential Real Estate Activity Report (a.k.a., "The Ruh-REAR")
This online version includes "Historical Average Sales Price by Area" along with the stronger metric "Historical Median Sales Price by Area." The "Average" tables won't be in the print edition. Did we just say something about a print edition? Yes. You told us in the member survey that this is one of the most important things we produce for you, so we will make it available as part of the Spring 2010 issue of The REALTOR®. Thanks to those of you who took the time to opt-in and those of you who were prepared to go electronic-only.
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NEW! Direct Agent MLS Billing is Here! Beginning April 1, the Minneapolis Area Association of REALTORS® will be implementing Direct Agent MLS billing. Agents with access to the MLS will receive their first-ever "individual" statement on April 1. Agents are now responsible for paying their individual MLS bill directly to MAAR. To ensure that you receive your bill, please verify that the address we have on file is correct:
Brokers: A letter with detailed information will be sent to you this week. |
Sign Up Now to Attend Real Estate BarCamp Minneapolis / Saint Paul RE Barcamp MSP is actively looking for sponsors starting at $150, $250, and $500. | SPONSOR INFO The Twin Cities is hosting its first Real Estate BarCamp on Tuesday, April 6. Be part of the impromptu, freeform learning trend sweeping the industry. The agenda will be set the morning of the event—by you for you. Real Estate BarCamp is open to anyone wanting to learn about topics in social media, technology, branding, marketing, and what's happening now and next in the industry. The learning focus will lean particularly toward real estate professionals such as REALTORS®, brokers, lenders, title pros and the like. This is a can't lose event! It's free, you will learn things and you will be surrounded by a hive of forward thinkers in your industry. Registration is now open and limited to 400 registrants. Come. Engage. Learn. Share. Date: Tuesday, April 6 It's gonna be live, y'all. Check out this video from a similar event in Phoenix, AZ. Register Online | View Website | View Informational Flyer | Facebook Page |
SAVE THE DATE KEYNOTE SPEAKER
MORE DETAILS NEXT WEEK! SAVE THE DATE! THE BOOK IS OUT NOW! |
Scholarship Recipients for NAR Midyear Legislative Meetings in Washington, DC
Emerging Markets Services Congratulations! Now go make us proud!
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Some of us made the cover of the Star Tribune's Business section. Maybe you saw us in the paper or online. Maybe you even read the online comments (our favorite is the one about us being J.Crew models). All goofing aside, we wanted to thank you, our members, for goading us to provide honest, current reports and information that you can use as sales tools and for educating yourselves and clients. You have repeatedly told us that the market reports are some of the best things we do for you, so we keep doing them and we keep trying to make them more intuitive, more useful, and always more of what you want. We produce reports first and foremost for the Twin Cities housing market. We know where we sit, and we're honored to serve your needs—both with the kinds of products that 10K Research and Marketing has become known for and for the services the entire MAAR staff provides. We're here however you need us. We're compiling the results of the 2009 member survey and will again react accordingly based on what the data you provided tells us. Thanks, again. |
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NATIONAL BENEFITS | LOCAL BENEFITS |
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Using the eKEY software on non-infrared Windows Mobile phones requires a fob. FOB ORDER FORM | MAAR eKEY PROGRAM | LIST OF CERTIFIED eKEY DEVICES
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We are working through some technical details and a plan to rollout this Secure Login and will keep you posted as we get closer to implementation. Until then, the SafeMLS key fobs are still required for NorthstarMLS access and must be replaced if broken or lost. If you are a new member, we will issue you a temporary password that you can use until the new system is up and working. Please contact Aubray Erhardt for your temporary password at aubraye@mplsrealtor.com. |
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Public Affairs MAAR Membership Meeting
Properties subject to the program are located in three districts that were identified as the major Inflow & Infiltration problem areas. Roughly 2,600 properties will be subject to these inspections which the city expects will be completed within one year. The sewer service inspection itself will not have a cost to the property owner. However, if the inspection identifies any issues, a follow up "Corrective Work Order" will be sent to the property owner requiring repair to be completed within 60 days. If the property owner does not schedule an inspection upon receiving a letter from the city to do so, or if the property owner does not complete the necessary repairs within 60 days of receiving the Corrective Work Order, the property owner's utility bill will have a $150 surcharge per month of noncompliance until a Certificate of Compliance is issued by the City of Eagan. In the case of noncompliance, the property owner will be responsible for paying for 50 percent of the corrective work in addition to the City Permit fee of $50.50. The City of Eagan will pay for the remaining 50 percent of the cost of repair. For property owners who need financing, the city will spread the cost of repair as a special assessment on the property tax for up to five years at 4 percent interest. | MORE INFO Source: Saint Paul Area Association of REALTORS®
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Education and Professional Development
REALTORS® can still earn the SFR Certification without paying extra bucks for it! NAR has extended the time period for waiving the $175 application fee for the SFR certification to March 31. So, watch those webinars, sign up for class, and get your application turned in soon! MAAR will be holding more classes to allow our members to earn this certification and learn about this oh-so-relevant topic in a very inexpensive manner. Class is still only $69 for 6 hours of CE. Two classes to choose from:
We will be adding one to two more classes in March. Keep checking mplsrealtor.com or call 952.908.2602 to have your name put on a waiting list. We are currently trying to reserve locations for the course(s). Earn NAR's Short Sales & Foreclosure Resource certification in just four simple steps:
Do all this prior to March 31, 2010 and you don't have to pay the $175 application fee. It's all part of NAR's "Right Tools Right Now" program. There are no other courses or designations focused on short sales or foreclosures that are recognized by the National Association of REALTORS®.| LEARN MORE NEW Courses in the Spotlight Reach Them Where They Are: Online!, Thursday March 4, 9 a.m.–noon MLS Matrix Classes Scheduled for March! 2010 Courses Revealed!
Only once your education card or credit card has been charged will you be registered for the class or classes. You will automatically be emailed a receipt for your classes. If you don't receive a receipt, you did not complete the registration process.
Please be aware of the most important change in terms for the 2010 Unlimited CE Pass: After three course "no shows" (not attending a class for which you are registered), your CE pass will be terminated. As always, please call or cancel your registration online if you know you won't be able to attend a class.
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e-PRO® Workshop – February 10 – Earn 1 CE Credit Just for Attending! Attend the InternetCrusade® Technology Workshop featuring the e-PRO® Certification course, the only technology course offered and endorsed by NAR. You don't have to be a technology expert to attend this program. Get in tune with the wants and needs of today's Internet-empowered buyers and sellers. Start working smarter. Click the link below to sign up today! e-PRO® Workshop at MAAR's Office: Wednesday, February 10, 2010, 9:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.
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Yo Pro Squaretables – Speed Learning at the MAAR Office – February 11
Squaretable Facilitators and Topics:
"Squaretables" is the name of our quick-hit information and networking event geared toward young professionals (and welcome to all). The format is fast and fun. Check out one table for about 20 minutes, take what you need, ask what you want, move to next table, take more, and so on. Why Squaretables? Because our tables aren't round. Attendance is limited by the size of our room. Register early with Aubray Erhardt at aubraye@mplsrealtor.com or 952.988.3120 or find us on Facebook. This free event tends to fill up fast. |
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MAAR is pleased to host this series of broker monthly meetings on managing your broker business. This free event will be held at the MAAR office. Register with Linda Stoeckicht at lindas@mplsrealtor.com or 952.988.3157. |
Legislative Impact Day – Thursday, March 18
The Minnesota Association of REALTORS® is packing another valuable day of activity into Saint Paul's Crowne Plaza and under the Capitol dome. You will receive great education at the hotel, be part of a rally at the Capitol and get an opportunity to spend time with your legislators to discuss the issues affecting your real estate business. The association will provide you with key talking points and the information you need to make the most of your meeting. The measure of success for this event is YOUR attendance! In order to raise the bar in real estate, we need active involvement, and we're counting on you! The event is FREE again this year, but you do need to register to attend at www.mnrealtor.com. 2.0 hours of CE (approval pending)
(schedule is subject to change) |
Maureen Tubbs
Greg Sax
Mark Allen
Ann Brockhouse Scholarship
The Supra eKEY program is now available on more Windows Mobile supported smart phones:
Questions about the Supra system? 
Friday, February 12, 9:30 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.
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