Louisiana REALTORS® Resource (02- 19-2018)
Amy P. Fennell • February 19, 2018
#1 Legislative Special Session Begins Monday
Norman Morris, CEO along with 2018 LR President, Pam Testroet and Director of Legal & Government Affairs, Kim Callaway take a quick minute to discuss why REALTORS® need to ENGAGE and be READY to ACT as the state legislature convenes for a Special Session beginning Monday, February 19 to address the state's $1B budget deficit.
Members can track the happenings and issues throughout the 2018 Legislative Session online.
#2 Input & Feedback on Purchase Agreement
Louisiana REALTORS® along with the Louisiana Real Estate Commission will convene a group to review the Residential Agreement to Buy or Sell and address revisions or additions to the form. In preparation for the meeting and discussions, REALTOR® members are encouraged to submit comments, suggestions or concerns as it relates to the document and any ideas on ways to improve it for the real estate practitioner as well as for the consumers.
DON'T FORGET: The revised Property Disclosure Document will be required for use starting on March 1, 2018. A letter size version is now available on the LREC website
#3 Real Estate Technology in 2018
Every year there are new technological developments that change how we live and work. Today these developments are happening more quickly than ever before, and they are having sweeping changes how real estate is bought and sold.
2018 will be no different. In addition to taking steps to protect your information technology impacts every part of your business. <<Read More>> on the 3 big trends for 2018 and 5 Apps Every REALTOR Should Use
#4 Education Opportunities
WORK BETTER WITH SELLERS
The Seller Representative Specialist (SRS) class starts Tuesday. Join national instructor Adorna Carroll at NOMAR in Metairie on Tuesday, February 20 & Wednesday, February 21 and you will walk away better equipped to win more listings and work with sellers!
This is the ONLY opportunity to take this course this year through Louisiana REALTORS and pick up 8 hours of Louisiana CE credit.
SAVE WITH OFFICE DEPOT/OFFICE MAX
Join us for a FREE 15-minute educational webinar on Tuesday, February 27 at 9:00 am CST to learn about the advantages of buying your office supplies through the Louisiana Realtors Office Depot/ Office Max member benefit program.
WEBINAR | Getting Started with RPR: Tools for Building Your Business
March 1, 2018; 11:00 AM CST
REALTORS® across the country are enhancing their business by using Realtors Property Resource® (RPR®’s) extensive database.
In this introductory class, you’ll learn how agents use RPR as their all-in-one data and information source to build their business and impress clients. You will learn how to generate property reports, conduct a detailed CMA in minutes, research schools and neighborhoods, and get a sneak peak into RPR Mobile™. RPR access is included in your annual National Association of REALTORS dues.
#5 REALTOR® Day at the Capitol - April 24th
This year's Spring Into Action Conference schedule includes CE education offerings for appraisers, commercial and residential practitioners. We have secured an impressive line up of guest speakers including Don Pierson with Louisiana Economic Development and journalist for LaPolitics, Jeremy Alford.
REALTORS® in attendance will gain a competitive edge by getting the latest in regulatory changes and knowledge on what issues will have an impact in your markets and on your business. There will be ample time for talking with legislators, networking, and the chance to meet with a select group of vendors showcasing their tools and services for the expo.
There are a limited number of sponsorship and expo opportunities that will be available. If you know of a company that may be interested, please have them contact Amy P. Fennell, Director of Communications & Member Services.
NAR’s latest consumer guide, “10 Tips for Unpacking Smartly After a Move,” was developed to help ease the burden buyers may feel when surrounded by boxes. For your clients on the cusp of a move, the guide suggests establishing a priority unpacking order, wiping down each room before unpacking, discarding boxes quickly, having garbage and donation bags at the ready, and more. Share the new guide along with the companion guide “10 Tips for Packing Smartly for a Move.” As a reminder, all guides in this series are available for download—in both English and Spanish—on facts.realtor . Please allow up to two weeks 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: 10 Tips For Unpacking Smartly After A Move UPDATED : Multiple Listing Services Overcoming Roadblocks to a Sale or Purchase How Solar Impacts a Real Estate Transaction Navigating Interest Rate Shifts 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 home buying or selling journey. Remember that these guides are for informational purposes only and are not meant to enact or change any existing NAR policy. Check out the next consumer guide on identifying homebuying wants vs. needs.
Thinking about buying a home? Discover how homeownership can help build wealth, increase financial stability, and create lasting value.
From the Louisiana Department of Insurance: During a press conference today with Governor Jeff Landry, Insurance Commissioner Tim Temple announced that registration for the next round of the Louisiana Fortify Homes Program (LFHP) will open at 8 a.m. on Monday, June 1, and will include 3,000 grants. The registration period for this lottery will be open for three weeks, closing at 5 p.m. on Friday, June 19. During the press conference, Gov. Landry signed HB 1187 by Rep. Paul Sawyer, which will allow Louisiana Citizens Property Insurance Corporation to transfer $50 million in additional Katrina bond assessment funds to the LFHP. Combined with the $30 million in funding the program will receive through taxes and fees on insurance entities, the LFHP will receive a total of $80 million this year. “By lowering overall losses, we can reduce insurance and reinsurance costs, draw more insurers into the market, motivate existing companies to write additional policies and lower insurance premiums,” said Commissioner Temple. “That is exactly what the Louisiana Fortify Homes Program is designed to do.” The list of coastal parishes that are eligible to participate is expanding to include Acadia, Jefferson Davis and Lafayette parishes. Additionally, homeowners who live in the portions of Ascension, Calcasieu, Iberia, Livingston, St. Martin, St. Tammany, Tangipahoa and Vermilion parishes that were previously not included in the program will now be eligible to participate. A map showing the full list of eligible parishes is available on FortifyHomes.La.Gov . “Louisiana is the fastest growing state in the country for Fortified roofs, and that growth is not by accident—it is the result of strong support from Governor Landry and legislators like Chairman Talbot, Chairman Firment and Representative Sawyer, targeted program design, and a clear recognition that strengthening homes is one of the most effective ways to reduce insurance losses,” said Commissioner Temple. “At the end of the day, this program is about more than just roofs. It is about protecting families, it is about strengthening communities, and it is about putting Louisiana in a stronger position—both physically and economically—to face the challenges ahead.” To participate in the lottery, homeowners must register during the June registration period. Homeowners who registered for a previous round but were not selected must register again to participate. People who register on the last day of the registration period have the same chance of being selected as those who register on the first day, so there is no need to rush to register as soon as the period opens. When registering, homeowners will need to upload their homestead exemption, insurance policy declarations page that includes wind coverage, and flood insurance declarations page if the residence is in a flood zone. Homeowners who need assistance obtaining a copy of their homestead exemption should contact their parish tax assessor. Homeowners can contact their homeowners and flood insurance companies or agents for a copy of their policy declarations page. Homeowners are required to create a profile in the LFHP system before registering for the lottery and may do so by visiting the LFHP website and clicking the Login button. Homeowners who previously created a profile may use the same one for this and future rounds. Once the lottery registration period closes, the LFHP will randomly select 3,000 participants and send email notifications to registrants about whether they were selected to participate. These selection notices will be sent via email beginning on Monday, June 22. There are several program requirements that homeowners should be aware of before registering. Those interested in the program are encouraged to review eligibility information and frequently asked questions at FortifyHomes.La.Gov to determine whether their home meets the requirements for the program. If selected to participate in the grant program, homeowners will be financially responsible for having the home evaluated by a FORTIFIED-certified Evaluator as well as costs for the roof upgrade including permits, inspections and construction costs beyond the amount of the grant The LFHP provides grants of up to $10,000 for homeowners to upgrade their roofs to standards set by the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety. The program helps Louisiana homeowners strengthen their roofs to better withstand hurricane-force winds.
