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Director for Life is one of the most prestigious awards that California Association of REALTORS® (C.A.R.) can bestow on a member. To be considered, a member must have years of outstanding performance and dedicated service to the Association, including a minimum of ten years of active service to C.A.R. and at least five years as a C.A.R. Director. We are pleased to announce that Michael G. Verdone received this honor at the California Association of REALTORS® (C.A.R.) Spring Business Meetings on May 2, 2024. Congratulations, Michael!

The NEW California Rental Listing Service is free for all C.A.R. members: get the listings, leads, and tools you need to conquer the rental market. Together with the CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®, Rental Beast is proud to provide C.A.R. members with a new member benefit: the California Rental Listing Service, the first statewide source of residential rental listings in California. (Read more to learn about this member benefit, including a link to register for upcoming introductory webinars)

The California State Assembly passed Assembly Bill fourteen eighty-two and the bill has been signed into law by Governor Gavin Newsom. SAMCAR and the Coalition for Housing Equality, with the support of the California Association of REALTORS® (C.A.R.), is providing information to REALTORS® and property owners about the implications of this new state law and how to comply. For questions, please contact the C.A.R. Legal Hotline at (213) 739-8282 or legalhotline@car.org

On Thursday, July 18, SAMCAR's second quarterly membership meeting was held at Long Branch Farms in Half Moon Bay featuring real estate industry update presentations from 2020 NAR President, Vince Malta, and California DRE Auditor Cecilia Yan, along with welcoming remarks from Long Branch Farms owner, and SAMCAR Affiliate member, Kevin Palmer, an update from refreshments sponsor MLSListings, Inc., and closing remarks from candidate for 2021 C.A.R. President, Otto Catrina. Read more for a recap of theses presentations.

At the recent California Association of REALTORS® (C.A.R.) Spring 2019 meetings in Sacramento, SAMCAR was presented with an award for Outstanding Member Mobilization based on the number and percentage of SAMCAR members who responded to the National Association of REALTORS® "Call for Action" in 2018 asking Congress to extend the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP).Thanks to all the SAMCAR members who took the time to respond to NAR's Call for Action urging Congress to extend the NFIP. When you take part in association efforts like that call for action, you are helping demonstrate the collective voice of organized real estate in service of protecting homeowners and your profession. Congratulations!

Director for Life is one of the most prestigious awards that C.A.R. can bestow on a member. To be considered, a member must have years of outstanding performance and dedicated service to the Association, including a minimum of ten years of active service to C.A.R. and at least five years as a C.A.R. Director. We are pleased to announce that Sue Walsh received this honor at the California Association of REALTORS® (C.A.R.) Winter Business Meetings on February 1, 2019. Congratulations, Sue!

The C.A.R. Education Foundation works in conjunction with the C.A.R. Scholarship Foundation, which provides scholarships to students pursuing real estate-related degrees at California colleges and universities. Are you a Realtor furthering your education through a C.A.R. or N.A.R. approved designation? You may be eligible to apply for a C.A.R. Education Foundation grant!

C.A.R.'s Housing Affordability Fund's Homeowners Association Grant Program will provide qualified first-time California homebuyers up to six months of HOA dues, not to exceed $2,500. Due to limited availability, funds will be distributed on a first come/first served basis. Program start date: December 2016. For additional program details and requirements please visit: http://on.car.org/CARHAFHOAGRANT

Real estate professionals must materially participate in their rental activities in order to deduct rental losses according to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals which interpreted Internal Revenue Code § 469 in Gragg v. United States of America; Internal Revenue Service, No.14-16053, August 4, 2016. (Copyright (C)2016 CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®, republished with permission from the CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®.)

Thank you to our members who contributed to the C.A.R. Housing Affordability Fund (HAF) this year. Take a look at how important your contributions are at http://bcove.me/5c66urxn. Even if you have not contributed this year, you can still do so at any time at CARHAF.ORG

The introduction of the Loan Estimate and the Closing Disclosure forms is right around the corner. The new forms are designed to aid the consumer in comparison shopping, improve consumer understanding and prevent surprises at the closing table, but it's possible that the new forms may initially create delays in closing.