Posts - page 5

March is Women's History Month, a time to honor women's resilience, achievements, and contributions throughout history. We take this opportunity to remember SAMCAR's first woman president, Marianne Zanone Rush, and her enduring impact on the association through her leadership, mentorship, dedication and generosity.

SAMCAR Supra® EKEYS and iBox BT LE lockboxes may access and work automatically in the area known as the KIM Users Group (Bay East, Bridge, Contra Costa County, Delta, Monterey County, San Benito County, San Francisco, Santa Clara County, Santa Cruz County, Silicon Valley, Tuolumne) as well as associations that are members of CRMLS provided they are using Supra® (see chart), and may obtain cooperating key service with BAREIS and MetroList (additional action and fees may apply). Read more to view a map of Supra® EKEY coverage for SAMCAR members.

GUEST PERSPECTIVE: SAMCAR Diversity Equity Inclusion / Fair Housing Committee Chair, Michelle Velez, shares a guest perspective about why DEI matters in real estate and the work the committee focuses on in order to foster inclusivity and belonging in the association and real estate industry.

During Black History Month, SAMCAR joins the National Association of Realtors (NAR) and California Association of Realtors (C.A.R.) in commemorating African American achievements and contributions to U.S. history. We celebrate leaders and all those who worked to dismantle barriers to homeownership so everyone can achieve the American Dream. At SAMCAR, we take this opportunity to remember a remarkable Realtor member, Les Williams, a Tuskegee Airman and Congressional Gold Medal recipient. Read more to learn about Williams' impressive history and join us in taking action to support a more equitable industry and homeownership opportunities for all!

The 2025 President of the San Mateo County Association of REALTORS® (SAMCAR), Frank Vella, and Board of Directors were officially sworn into their term by Installation Officer, San Mateo County Supervisor Ray Mueller, at SAMCAR's 2025 Installation ceremony on Thursday, January 16, 2025 at the Oceano Hotel in Half Moon Bay. Also honored were SAMCAR's Past Presidents, Outgoing Directors and Committee Chairs, and award winners for 2024 REALTOR® of the Year, Affiliate of the Year, Community Service, Rising Star, Homeowner Hero and Lifetime Achievement Awards.

San Mateo County home sales reports and infographics (with data from MLSListings, Inc.) for all of 2024 are available for you to share on your social media, e-mail and other marketing (remember to use the hashtag #SAMCARStats when sharing on social media).

Starting this year, members of the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) are required to complete fair housing training with the Code of Ethics cycle. Fairhaven 2.0, NAR's updated online simulation where you tackle real-world fair housing challenges, makes it easy to meet this requirement—at no cost.

OnlineEd offers SAMCAR members a vast course catalog of all-online professional development training, from pre-license courses to license renewal, designations and education packages for upgrading from a salesperson to a broker license. Learn on your time with 24/7 access from your mobile or desktop!

Supra® offers broker and agent training on products including the eKEY app, iBox BT LE and SupraWEB. Read more for the Supra Agent/Broker Training Calendar

Real Estate Video Educational Institute, Inc. (Revei) is a provider of California real estate licensing education. We have been in business for over 40 years specializing in creating a great licensing experience. We can help you get a real estate license, renew your real estate, and pass the state exam. Read more for a schedule of upcoming seminars.

If you're asking yourself, "How do I get started and what do I need to know?" The answer is to take advantage of the professional development opportunities NAR offers for state and local volunteer leaders including REALTORS® Excelling in Association Leadership (REAL) — no-cost, self-guided online course that's available 24/7 through REALTOR® University.

It's almost a new year and with it an opportunity for you to support your association's vital advocacy work by contributing to the REALTOR® Action Fund (RAF) with your membership dues. Take it from SAMCAR Past President and RAF Fundraising Captain, Michael G. Verdone, "Our business — YOUR Business — depends on it!"

In 2024, the SAMCAR Foundation awarded $27,000 in grants and donations to numerous charities in San Mateo County thanks in large part to the generous support of SAMCAR members and sponsors. Read more for a detailed report of 2024 charitable giving.

The ADU Resource Center of San Mateo County launched at www.smcadu.org to help homeowners and jurisdictions build more Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) and accelerate housing development in the county. The center provides tools, educational materials and expert staff to streamline ADU development.

The Department of Real Estate (DRE) is alerting consumers that the rules around buyer representation and agent compensation in real estate purchase transactions is changing.

To help empower members to act consistently with the settlement, NAR has developed two new resources that provide clarity on what is—and is not—permissible under the proposed settlement. These resources help to define the responsibilities and limitations for real estate agents by outlining the "dos" and "don'ts" of supporting homebuyers and home sellers during the transaction process.

The SAMCAR Best of Tour award draws attention to the outstanding homes for sale in San Mateo County with a special yard sign and announcement on the following week's Marketing Meeting. To be considered, please submit a sign-in sheet to SAMCAR Staff from your Tuesday property tour listing before 4:30 PM (PT) on the tour date.

In a time of severe and more frequent natural disasters, the REALTORS® Relief Foundation enables communities to rebuild, recover and rebound. But RRF needs members' support to meet the increasing demand. Become a hero for hope: Text TEAMRRF to 71777 or visit nar.realtor/rrf to donate now. One hundred percent of donations go directly to victims.

The CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® (C.A.R.) issued the following statement on the passage of C.A.R.-sponsored bill AB 2992 (Nguyen):

"The California Association of REALTORS® applauds Gov. Newsom for signing C.A.R.-sponsored bill AB 2992 (Nguyen) into law as part of a package of bills that will strengthen protections for California consumers," said C.A.R. President Melanie Barker, a Yosemite REALTOR®. "By mandating buyer broker representation agreements, consumers will have more choice and more clarity about the services they are getting from the REALTOR® they choose to help them through a complex transaction.

We commend Assemblymember Nguyen for her commitment to safeguarding consumers and upholding the integrity of our industry."

On Thursday, September 19, 2024, the San Mateo County REALTORS® Foundation hosted a Casino Night fundraiser event at Par 3 at Poplar Creek in San Mateo, bringing together SAMCAR members, staff, and friends for food and drink, games, prizes, and a live auction, raising over $4,000 to benefit housing-related charities in San Mateo County.

The National Association of Realtors (NAR) announced a new series of consumer resources designed to help agents who are Realtors empower home buyers and sellers following recent practice changes. Read more to access these digestible, one-page resources that provide clear guidance on key topics for home buyers and sellers working with agents who are Realtors.

On Thursday, August 8, SAMCAR members and friends gathered at Long Branch Saloon & Farms in Half Moon Bay for the annual Member Appreciation BBQ. Guests were invited to explore the unique Old West Town at — and enjoy Texas-style BBQ prepared by — Long Branch Farms in Half Moon Bay, owned by Affiliate member Kevin Palmer. Photography of the event was provided by Affiliate member Craig Burleigh. Many thanks to SAMCAR members and friends for joining us for the BBQ and to our 2024 Corporate Sponsors for making this event possible. (READ MORE FOR PHOTOS)

On Thursday, June 13, 2024 the San Mateo County REALTORS® Foundation returned to Bel Mateo Bowl for its popular Bowl-o-Rama fundraiser event bringing together around two hundred SAMCAR members, staff, and friends for an energetic evening of bowling, prizes and fun, raising more than $7,500 to benefit housing-related charities in San Mateo County.

When your clients ask you about affordability, or if your sellers want to know what buyers will have to pay for their home, you can use the Purchasing Power Calculator from the CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® (C.A.R.), to answer questions about affordability. This tool, offered by the California Association of Realtors, is regularly updated by the third week of each month with data from the previous month. This clip is of Jordan Levine, Senior Vice President and Chief Economist of C.A.R., demonstrating how to use this tool during our latest episode of Statistically Speaking.