President’s Corner – Third Quarter Recap
Third Quarter Recap
Greetings!
2020 continues to surprise us all, doesn’t it? I hope you and your family are well and have bounced back from Hurricane Sally.
For all who were affected by the hurricane, please know we are here for you. If you are in need, do not hesitate to reach out for assistance from your Realtor® community. There will soon be a link available for the Realtor® Relief Fund, for these types of tragedies. This will be shared as soon as it is available.
Here is an update on what your Association has been up to for Q3 of 2020.
Thank all of you who participated in the most recent MAAR survey regarding a possible BR-MAAR merger. Your response rate was excellent. The results should be completed and available soon. I will share these with you in a follow-up news update.
The biggest and most asked question is When will our Association building be re-opened for our Members?
Due to pandemic precautions in place by Gov Kay Ivey and Mayor Sandy Stimpson, there are still guidelines we must adhere to, however, we recently began opening to small committee meetings and will continue to expand as local restrictions allow.
We apologize ahead of time for the inconvenience of online AUCTION shopping this year for those who look forward to toe-to-toe bidding wars and friendly banter as well as in-person networking we all love but know you will understand and will support the ARPAC efforts, as you always have. We look forward to going back to in-building activities as soon as possible!
REALTOR Party / ARPAC:
Exciting! The 2020 ARPAC Auction TALK DERBY TO ME is scheduled online for the week of October 5-9. Your auction chair Angela Locklier and committee Members and Bill Robbins and Affiliate Council have spent countless hours putting together an incredible listing of items for you to shop from. There will be an online preview to get a sneak-peek then the bidding will begin on Monday the 5th. Happy bidding!
How does ARPAC benefit you?
Because of your investments, we can pursue election, and re-election, of candidates who support REALTORS® and Real Estate related services on important key issues critical to homeownership. Be sure to thank your local and state legislators for their support.
Click here to see the local levels developed to help us all meet our 2020 donor goals. Thanks to Don Mayes for his ARPAC committee work.
Governmental Affairs:
Your chair, John Delchamps, has done a great job bringing in speakers important to our local area, most recently Police Chief Lawrence Battiste and for the upcoming meeting Brandon Van Hook, Mayor-Elect of Semmes.
Gulf Coast MLS:
Our MLS service continues to evolve. Please note the new rule change concerning Coming Soon. This notice will be shared with you officially from the GCMLS.
Don’t forget to familiarize yourself with MLS 8.0, NAR Clear Cooperation policy and if you have any questions about it, be sure to reach out. Remember, advertised listings should be in MLS.
Community Relations:
Thanks to Tonyea Webber and the Community Relations Committee for responding quickly to the needs of Baldwin Realtors following Hurricane Sally and for all their wonderful work throughout this year supplying our community with school supplies and other much-needed drives.
Education:
Chair, Doug Adams, Vice-Chair, Cindy Campbell, and MAAR have continued to offer online courses and CE classes regularly.
Congrats to our newest C2EX certified members!
Association:
During the temporary closure of your Association building these past few months, the small kitchen has undergone a nice renovation and a new roof was installed just before Hurricane Sally. Can’t wait for you to see it!
This fall, NAR, and AAR will host annual conventions online.
Help me congratulate Sam Winter as our 2020 Realtor of the Year and Melanie Bunting Seymour as 2020 Jamie Praytor Humanitarian of the Year award recipient.
MAAR elections are right around the corner. Be watching for the slate of candidates offered by your nominating committee.
Your Executive Committee, Boards of Directors, and staff are here to serve you, our most valuable asset. Please let us know how we can best do this. Despite the challenges this year has offered, we continue to move forward.
Blessings,
Michelle Talbott Rogers
Mobile Area Association of Realtors® President 2020