MSBR Newsletter October 1, 2024

Check out the article that appeared in the September 27, 2024 Star Democrat regarding the changes in the way agents work with buyers and sellers. Spoiler alert- there is not much that has changed.

Shore United Bank & MSBR are inviting you to a

Love Down Payment Grant fundraiser

Wednesday, October 9th from 5:30-7:30pm

Miles River Yacht Club in St. Michaels

Incredible Silent Auction Items

and you can bid on them NOW!

Click here to check out the items and start bidding!

The cost is $50.00 per person and 100% of the proceeds will go to the Grant program. Shore United Bank is picking up the tab for the venue, food, bar, live music, and silent auction items!

As of October 1st, MSBR will have given out 30 grants, that’s $30,000 and with the increase in interest, these funds will run out soon.

This is open to everyone, not just the REALTOR community, so bring friends and neighbors.

Please join us for a fun night, at a lovely venue for a great cause.

If you cannot attend, but want to contribute, you can contribute through the Mid-Shore Community Foundation/Mid-Shore REALTORS Down Payment Grant.

2- Day Marathon starts In a few hours.

Still time to attend, be at the Chesapeake College Higher Education Center by 8:30am

October 1 & October 10th

Higher Education Center at Chesapeake College,

1000 College Circle, Wye Mills.

To Register: email Chris at chris@msbrmd.com

or call 410-822-8767

No cost for MSBR members-

Reminder: CE classes are included in your annual dues.

Thank you to the MSBR Affiliate Sponsorships

Mike Steinhice, M &T Bank sponsoring Lunch Oct 1st
Denise Hering, Evans Title sponsoring Lunch Oct 10st
Coffee & Donuts sponsored by Tidewater Cleaning

Congratulations Mid-Shore Board of REALTORS

for being named Habitat for Humanity Choptank's

2024 Community Volunteer of the year.

Shandell Green, MSBR Secretary, accepted the award

of behalf of MSBR on Sept. 17th.

Join us for the Awards & Installation of Officers

Oct 22, 2024 10:30am-12:30pm

Temple B'Nai Israel

Sponsors to Date:

Platinum

McAllister, DeTar, Showalter & Walker and Tidemark Title Co.

Gold

Blackwater Home Inspections

Tom Draper - First Home Mortgage

Silver

Tammy Andrews - Shore United Bank

Lori McDonald - Eastern Shore Title

Ryan Eber - The Atlantic Title Group

Friends

Jenn Dudley - Title Excellence

William McCormick - CK Capital Management

Chesapeake Environmental Lab, Inc.

Past Presidents & Board of Directors no cost

All Others $10.00

To sign up or sponsor Register Here

EARN YOUR GRI:

Maryland REALTORS Registration for

GRI Accelerated Courses

First Class starts Oct 8th - Don't Miss OUT

This Fall/Winter GRI 100 through GRI 400 is being offered at an accelerated pace. Get enough hours to prep your brokers exam by end of year or credit hours to add to your total annual CE obligation.

For more information and to sign up click here

REALTOR & Affiliate Dues

Invoice will be e-mailed on November 1, 2024.
Due date is December 1, 2024.
REALTORS please pay by Jan. 2, 2025 to avoid the $100 late fee.
E-mail notices go out every 10 days. Once paid you no longer receive the notices.
REALTOR dues are $845-
Affiliate dues are $300-

The PRE-Payment plan has been in effect for years,

members can pre-pay their 2025 or 2026 dues.

The MSBR Board of Directors does not take raising dues lightly. They realize this has been a tough year for agents.

When the budget committee met, they looked at all expenses. There was lots of discussion. Business expenses, like personal expenses are increasing. This is especially true with technology, holding events, utilities, insurance, and services. The Board believes it is important to the agents to not cut services, so the decision was made to slightly increase dues versus decreasing services.

MSBR does not raise dues every year. MSBR is increasing $7 and Maryland REALTORS increasing $5, a $12 increase from 2023.

MSBR has a dues savings plan. Several times a year, this information is included in the newsletter, send out to the Brokers, and each new agent is told at orientation about this program- consider taking advantage of this program for your 2026 dues.

Hope each of you will help support MSBR when this conversation comes up and note all the resources MSBR provides.

Lock Boxes at no additional cost, ZipForms at Zero cost, Continuing Education Zero cost, most events and programs Zero cost, an association that is active with advocacy, the office is available for meetings and settlement Zero Cost, a $1,000 grant program to new home buyers; and a competent staff that helps agents with their problems and concerns.

SAVE $357- for 2025 REALTOR Dues

or $300- for Affiliate Dues!

All you need to do is buy a RPAC Raffle ticket(s)

$25 per ticket/ 3-tickets for $50

Drawing is Oct. 22nd

Purchase a MSBR RPAC raffle ticket today

AND have a chance to WIN your

2025 MSBR dues!

Open to agents and affiliates only

Call 410-822-8767 or stop by the MSBR office

TODAY - look for your electronic ballot and

Vote for the 2024-2025 Leadership.

Please complete and return.

New Concessions Resource for Sellers

What are concessions and how can they help sellers potentially secure a better offer or faster sale of their property?

NAR has created a dedicated resource to educate sellers on this process and explain how concessions may help facilitate transactions for both buyers and sellers.

Download and share the resource, give to your clients.

Consumer guides also are available in Spanish at facts.realtor.

Troy Blades, Safe and Secure Enterprises, Inc. provided agents with tips to keep then safe.

Great information and those who attend can feel more empowered.

Safety Nuances for Commercial Pros: Safety in the real estate profession is often framed around the perspective of residential agents. But commercial agents, who deal with different kinds of clients, properties and transactions, also need to think about their well-being in the field. Share the latest episode of the “Drive With NAR” podcast to help commercial members understand the risks particular to their market.

Tips on REALTOR Safety

MSBR Continuing Education October - November

MSBR does not have the records for all of your CE credits and courses. Please visit the Maryland Department of Labor's website to view your CE status and view which courses are required to renew your license.

Like taking classes on your time?

Use The CE Shop.

CE Shop Classes available 24/7

30% MSBR Discount Code: Elevate

28th Down Payment Grant Distributed Sept. 18th

Michael and Michelle Fox are first time homebuyers now in their Sudlersville home thanks to MSBR.

Tom Draper noted, without this grant they would not have been able to get the loan and are grateful to MSBR for this program.

Pictures from left to right:

Ryan Eber, The Atlantic Title Group handled the settlement.

Tom Draper, First Home Mortgage, provided the mortgage.

Michael & Michelle Fox, are the buyers.

Erin Anderson with Chesapeake Real Estate Association was the buyers agent.

For more information on the grant program visit www.midshoreboardofrealtors.com

29th Down Payment Grant Distributed Sept. 18th

Mikayla Van Gorder is another first time homebuyer thanks to MSBR.

Pictured from left to right:

Peter Stark, Benson & Mangold was the selling agent.

Gwen Eskridge, Coldwell Banker Chesapeake, was the buyers agent.

Mikayla Van Gorder is the buyer.

Shelby Roney, MSBR President.

Candi Harrison handles the settlement with Eastern Shore Title.

Jacob Bryan with Freedmont Mortgage handled the loan.

30th Down Payment Grant Distributed Sept. 30th

Douglas Schultz is another first time homebuyer thanks to MSBR.

Pictured from left to right:

Ryan Eber, The Atlantic Title Group handled the settlement.

Douglas Schultz is the home buyer.

Shelby Roney, MSBR President.

Bev Sloane, was the buyers agent with Benson and Mangold.

Are you Ready for the October 1st Changes?

In case you missed this last newsletter.

Maryland REALTORS General Lease Template Contract Changes effective Oct 1st:
- Superfund Site Addendum: Required sellers of a property located within one mile of a National Priorities List (NPL) to include an addendum to the contract. To determine if the property is located with in 1 mile click here.
- Water Quality Test Addendum: Requires a contact of sale for a property with a private or domestic water supply well to allow the buyers to test the water quality of the well. This now requires both the buyer and the seller to be provided with the test results.
- Property Managers: Can only charge one months security deposit, including the pet deposit.
- Condominium Resale Disclosure Certificate: Requires Unit owner to provide a statement no later than 15 days to closing, on their knowledge of the presence of asbestos in the unit and whether abatement has been preformed.
- General Residential Dwelling Lease Template: Requires a landlord to provide a copy of the utility bill to the tenant if the tenant pays the landlord directly for the cost of the utilities.
List of passed legislation affecting real estate There was to much to list out, but all new legislation listed here.
Maryland Real Estate Commission
- Need all 15- CE hours 30 days before your renewal date. If you renew during the month of Oct. and are fined you will be reimbursed. This is ONLY for agents who renew in October.
- A licensed real estate broker can now designate himself or herself as the manager of a branch office maintained by the licensed real estate broker.
- Complaints filed with the commission alleging an advertising violation may be made anonymously and not under oath, but must be accompanied by documentary or other evidence.

Habitat Choptank's third annual Hard Hats and High Heels fundraising event is back again this year on October 19th at 6pm at the Waterfowl Building in Easton!

It will be a fun evening of cocktails, heavy hors d’oeuvres by The Ivy, dancing and fun with the band, Saved by Zero, and live and silent auctions. It promises to be the best yet!

Tickets are on sale now—$125/ticket or $1,200 for a table of 8 with a wristband for drinks all night! Purchase your tickets using this link: https://habitatchoptank.ejoinme.org/hardhatstickets

If you want more information, contact Jenny Schmidt at 410-476-3204 ext. 308 or email at development@habitatchoptank.org.

There was a lot to read over so grab that pumpkin spiced drink and celebrate that you got to the end!

Next Newsletter is October 15, 2024

Our mailing address is:
Mid-Shore Board of REALTORS
8615 Commerce Drive, Suite 2

Easton, MD 21601
410-822-8767

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