| Weekly News Service
Providing the Latest Association and Local Real Estate
Information
The Weekly News
Service is an exclusive benefit available to members of the Suburban
West REALTORS Association. Featuring both Association news and local
real estate industry information, the Weekly News is a service meant
to benefit all members of the organization.
2006 Membership Dues Invoices Being Mailed Next Week
 All members of the Suburban West REALTORS Association will
receive a copy of the 2006 membership dues invoice next week. These
invoices will be mailed to members at the same address you receive
your copy of the REALTOR News. The 2006 membership dues for REALTOR
membership in the Suburban West REALTORS Association, Pennsylvania
Association of REALTORS and the National Association of REALTORS is
$302 A suggested volunteer contribution to RPAC is also included
with your billing. Affiliate member dues for 2006 are $195
Members are asked to remit payment by no later than December
31, 2005. If payment is received after that date, a 10% late fee
will be assessed. Payment can be made by check (made payable to
SWRA), money order, credit card (Visa or MasterCard), or cash.
Beginning November 1, members can also log on to the Online
Registration and Payment Center and pay via credit card.
Once logged in, members will click on the link “Click Here to
Pay Outstanding Invoices”. If you have any questions about the
membership dues or payment methods, please contact the Association
Staff at 610-560-4800 or email sfarace@suburbanwestrealtors.com.
Announcing the 2006 Board of Directors
 The Suburban West REALTORS Association is pleased to announce
results of the 2006 election to fill the open positions on the Board
of Directors. To recap, there were four REALTOR Director and one
Affiliate Director positions available. The membership was provided
a slate of 10 REALTOR candidates and 3 Affiliate candidates to which
they could cast ballots via mail, online or at last week’s Annual
Membership Meeting.
The five candidates that were chosen are as follows (listed
alphabetically):
- Heidi Reese (Prudential Fox & Roach REALTORS, Oxford)
- Dawn Day (Prudential Fox & Roach REALTORS, Collegeville)
- Jim Ryal (Prudential Fox & Roach REALTORS, Bryn Mawr)
- Carolyn Sabatelli (Weichert REALTORS, Media)
- Bill Worthington (Brandywine Springfield Waterproofing)
The following members remain on the Board for 2006 (listed
alphabetically):
- David Brant (Weichert REALTORS, West
Chester)—Secretary/Treasurer
- Jim Clarke (RE/MAX Professional)
- Brian Kane (RE/MAX Preferred)
- Tish Maloney (Century 21 Absolute Realty, Springfield)
- Matt Russo (Russo Real Estate, LLC)
- Harrison “Bud” Tyson (Prudential Fox & Roach REALTORS,
Malvern/Paoli)--Chairman
The Association would like to express its appreciation to all
the candidates who ran and congratulate the five who were selected.
And, finally, the Association would like to thank all the members
who voted.
Radnor Tax Hike
On Monday night (10/24/05), Radnor Township presented a
proposed 2006 budget that features a 15-percent real-estate tax
increase. The steep increase stems from increases in employee
health- care costs and a decrease in revenue as a result of the
continually high vacancy rate of the township's major office
buildings, according to township administrators. The budget calls
for a millage-rate increase of .42, from 2.79 to 3.21, which equates
to $2.23 more per week for "the average Radnor homeowner." The
"average" assessment used in the analysis is a house value of
$300,000, according to Chief Financial Officer David Fiorenza.
(Source: MainLineLife; 10/27/05)
Upcoming Classes Please mark your calendars and register today for these
quality education opportunities from the Association of REALTORS
School.
 State and Local Legislative Trends—With a constantly
changing political environment, it has become increasingly important
for agents to keep abreast of the latest legislative trends. Issues
such as Use & Occupancy Regulations, Real Estate Taxes and
Assessments are critical to your career in real estate as much as it
is to your clients. The State and Local Legislative Trends course
will examine various state and local legislative actions and
initiatives and how they affect real estate transaction, including:
identify the trends in the legislative agendas relating to
residential real estate; understand the background leading to the
various issues; and be able to explain or direct their client to an
explanation of how these issues affect residential Real Estate.
Approved for 3.5 hours Pennsylvania continuing education credit.
Next offering, Thursday, November 3, 2005, 9:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Register online by clicking
here or call 610-560-4900.
At Home With Diversity Course—More and more, the
Delaware Valley is becoming a diverse region of individuals and
families seeking homes. This is your best chance to learn powerful
strategies in dealing with changing demographic patterns within your
market area quickly and effectively. And you will learn in a way
that will arouse your interest and keep your attention. Created by
the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) and approved by the U.S.
Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), "At Home with
Diversity" is an enlightening diversity certification course for the
real estate professional that gives participants both insight and
power: insight into patterns of thought and behavior - and the power
to change patterns that can hinder potential business relationships.
Approved for 3.5 hours Pennsylvania continuing education credit.
Submitted for 6 hours Delaware continuing education credit.
Applicable for elective credit for the CIPS, CRS, and PMN
Designations. Next offering, Wednesday, November 9, 2005, 9:00
a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Register online by clicking
here or call 610-560-4900.
Phoenixville Project Whittled
A developer withdrew its bids to build apartments and retail
at the former steel company property. Phoenix Property Group told
the Borough of Phoenixville earlier this week that it was
withdrawing applications to build apartments and stores, key
elements of the long-awaited redevelopment of the former Phoenix
Steel mill site. Commission members questioned the amount of open
space involved in the project and contended that the Phoenix
property was straying from its master plan. Yesterday's announcement
does not affect the rest of the French Creek Center development,
which Phoenixville has eagerly awaited. The apartments and stores
were envisioned to be part of the company's project to transform the
123-acre site with office buildings, townhouses and a
senior-citizens center. Work continues on the $5 million,
35,000-square-foot office building. The townhouses and senior center
also are under construction. (Source: Philadelphia Inquirer;
10/24/05)
Commercial/Investment Marketing Exchange Meeting on November
11
 The C/I Marketing Exchange will next convene at the
Association’s office in Malvern from 8:30 a.m. to 10 a.m. on Friday,
November 11. This month’s presentation will be a “Grocery Store
Trends” by Jeffrey Metzger, co-owner and publisher of Best-Met
Publishing Co. The meeting will also feature an opportunity to
network with upwards of 30 other members and discuss any “haves” and
“wants” of your clients.
The C/I Marketing Exchange meetings are open to all members
of the Association. Thus, if you are actively involved in this
unique area of the industry or want to get involved, please plan on
attending the next meeting. Please contact Steve Farace at 610-560-
4800 or email Steve Farace at sfarace@suburbanwestrealtors.com
if you have any questions or would like to be added to the C/I
Marketing Exchange email list.
Reminders
REALTORS New Home Tour of Chester & Delaware Counties
(10/31 through 11/4)--A great opportunity awaits REALTORS to see
up close and personal some of the newest home communities underway
in our area. Here is your chance to become familiar with the top
builders and the exciting designs, styles and price ranges available
to your buyers. And you can win cash prizes too! The “self guided”
New Homes Tour for REALTORS is sponsored by the Home Builders
Association of Chester and Delaware Counties and gets underway
October 31 and runs through November 4. For more information, please
contact the Home Builders Association at 610-692-7733 or access the
flyer by clicking
here.
Employment Opportunity—In-House Mortgage Counselor
Position Available- First American Mortgage is looking for the right
person to fill a position handling residential mortgage originations
in one of Delaware Counties premiere Real Estate Offices. The
appropriate candidate will be responsive, customer oriented and
obsessed with service. Our compensation plan is competitive with an
outstanding benefits package and a team oriented work environment.
Don’t let your market continue to shrink. If you believe you have
what it takes, expand your opportunities by forwarding your resume’
to G. Mark Metaxas, President, 2400 Bristol Road Bensalem, Pa 19020
or call Mark at 866-744-1776.
Important Phone Numbers & Websites
- Association of REALTORS School: 610- 560-4900 (www.realtors-school.com)
- REALTORS Legislative Alliance: 610-981- 9000 (www.rladirect.com)
- Suburban West REALTORS Association TECH HOTLINE:
800-704-7240 (email: techhotline@att.net) (8:30 am to 8
pm, Monday to Friday)
- PAR Legal Hotline: 800-727-5345 (9 am to 10 am &
1 pm to 3 pm, Monday to Friday)
- Suburban West REALTORS Association Website: www.suburbanwestrealtors.com
- SUPRA Support:877-699-6787 (8 am to 10 pm,
Everyday)
- Trend: 610-783-4650 (www.trendmls.com)
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