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Louisiana REALTORS® Resource - January 3, 2018
Amy P. Fennell • January 3, 2018
THINGS TO HELP YOUR SUCCESS IN 2018
#1 CYBER SECURITY & WIRE FRAUD ALERT FORM
According to Cybersecurity Ventures, cyber crime damages will cost the world $6 trillion annually by 2021. This represents the greatest transfer of economic wealth in history, risks the incentives for innovation and investment, and will be more profitable than the global trade of all major illegal drugs combined.
The real estate industry is experiencing the dangers and risks associated with cyber security and wire fraud at alarming rates. Reports of these incidents are not only occurring around the country, but in Louisiana. Louisiana REALTORS® has created a Cyber Security Resource
page and sample Wire Fraud Alert form to assist REALTORS® and their clients with preventative measures and warns of the dangers and signs in real estate transactions. Information will be added to the resource page as this develops and as more resources become available.
#2 NEW MEMBER SERVICE: TECHHELPLINE
A new member service, Tech Helpline, began on January 2, 2018. The service provides U.S. based tech support to help REALTOR® members troubleshoot and resolve challenges with office and personal tech devices.
"LR recognizes that experiencing downtime with technology could keep REALTOR® members from being able to service their clients and hinder their productivity. Staying true to our mission to provide optimum member resources, we sought out this great service that supports nearly 600,000 practitioners and understands the unique needs of the real estate industry," said Norman Morris, CEO.
#3 CODE OF ETHICS & PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
January 22-26 & 29-30 -February 6 & 7
The 4 hour Professional Standards Training: Code of Ethics
class is being offered throughout Louisiana! The class taught by an industry practitioner and national instructors discusses common situations REALTORS® face in which it is easy to break the Code of Ethics while trying to do the right thing. Examine each article and discuss how it applies to the real estate business and professionalism. Attendees will also get a good understanding of how the Code is enforced.
4 hours of Louisiana CE credit and satisfy the 2.5 hour Code of Ethics training requirement
established by the National Association of REALTORS®.
NO CHARGE TO ATTEND. REGISTRATION REQUIRED. SEATING IS LIMITED
February 20-21 |Metairie
The 2-day Seller Representative Specialist (SRS)
Designation Course provides comprehensive training and resources to help real estate professionals represent the interests of sellers in today’s marketplace.
Students learn to:
· Increase listings and grow their business
· Demonstrate and communicate their value package to seller clients
· Understand and apply the Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice
· Understand and comply with state license laws when representing sellers
· Understand and apply methods, tools, and techniques to provide the support and services that sellers want and need
8 hours Louisiana CE credit, SRS Designation credit, and GRI Designation credit
#4 Know the Issues & Protect Homeownership
#5 How Tax Reform Affects Your Taxes & Changes to Residential Property Disclosure
January 4, 2018 at 1:00 pm Central
Evan Liddiard of the National Association of REALTORS® Government Affairs and Peter Baker, a CPA with Business Planning Group, will host a Facebook Live
session on How Tax Reform Will Affect Your Taxes
and walk you through provisions in the tax bill passed by Congress that affect you as a real estate practitioner.
If you are looking for a way to better track your business expenses and do a better job keeping records for your taxes, take advantage of a free trial of the Taxbot
app.
Coming March 2018 - New Property Disclosure Form
Louisiana REALTORS® has been working with the Louisiana Real Estate Commission (LREC) on some proposed changes to the Residential Property Disclosure form following a Louisiana court case. The revised form is being formatted and finalized and will be released for use in March 2018.
Be on the lookout for a full rundown on what led to the changes and what these changes mean for you and your clients!
As previewed last week, NAR is pleased to share the latest consumer guide focused on preparing for homeownership. This guide covers what prospective buyers should consider as they kick off the home purchase process, including the importance of credit scores, mortgage pre-approval, down payments, budgeting, and educational resources. As a reminder, all guides in this series are available for download—in both English and Spanish—on facts.realtor . Please allow a few days for the Spanish version of the latest resource to be translated and uploaded. For ease of reference, below is a list of the most recent guides: NEW: Preparing for Homeownership Escrow and Earnest Money Pricing Your Home Preparing to Sell Your Home Fire Damage and Policy Coverage Thank you for your continued engagement with the “Consumer Guide” series and for sharing the resources with potential clients to ensure they have the information they need to be successful in their homebuying or selling journey. Remember that these guides are for informational purposes only and are not meant to enact or change any existing NAR policy. Be on the lookout for next week’s guide on Wednesday, which will cover property taxes.
As previewed last week, NAR is pleased to share the latest consumer guide focused on escrow. This guide covers what homebuyers should know about earnest money deposits, including the general terms and use cases in real estate transactions. As a reminder, all guides in this series are available for download—in both English and Spanish—on facts.realtor . Please allow a few days for the Spanish version of the latest resource to be translated and uploaded. For ease of reference, below is a list of the most recent guides: NEW: Escrow and Earnest Money Pricing Your Home Preparing to Sell Your Home Fire Damage and Policy Coverage Flood Insurance Thank you for your continued engagement with the “Consumer Guide” series and for sharing the resources with prospective clients to ensure they have the information they need to find success in their homebuying or selling journey. Remember that these guides are for informational purposes only and are not meant to enact or change any existing NAR policy. Be on the lookout for next week’s guide on Wednesday, which will cover preparing prospective buyers for homeownership.
The Louisiana REALTORS® Board of Directors will conduct several elections this Spring. Interested candidates that meet the qualification who are looking to serve at either the state association level or the national association level are encouraged to view the criteria and submit an application. An application that is not submitted on the appropriate form or not submitted pursuant to the instructions shall not be considered as submitted timely.
821 Main StreetBaton Rouge, LA 70802
821 Main Street
Baton Rouge, LA 70802