WEEKLY NEWS SERVICE
June 16, 2005

NEW INFORMATION

• Interested In Enhancing Your Sales Meetings?— The Suburban West REALTORS Association staff are available to present at sales meetings for member offices. This value-added service allows for you and your colleagues to gain free in-depth information on a variety of topics that will assist in the professional development of attendees. The Association has already presented at more than 20 offices and is excited about the opportunity to present to more. The following is the list of topics that can be addressed for any where from 15 minutes to an hour:

  Standard Forms
  DRS/Mediation
  Association Resources
  Electronic Key and Lockbox System
  Energizing Your Employees
  Property and Self Marketing Tools
  RPAC
  Use and Occupancy Inspection Criteria
  Legislative Update with Q & A
  Equal Opportunity Housing Rules and Regulations
  Code of Ethics Q & A
  Technology Tips
  Safety

For more information or to reserve a staff member to present at an upcoming sales meeting, please contact Steve Farace at 610-560-4800 or sfarace@suburbanwestrealtors.com.

Please note that offices or firms may also request a class be conducted by the Association of REALTORS ® School at location to be determined. The basic requirements are; a guaranteed minimum of 15 students and a facility that can be approved by the State Real Estate Commission as a satellite locations. An entity wishing to bring ARS courses to its location, or a location of its choice, should contact Gail Parke at gparke@suburbanwestrealtors.com or call 610-560-4900 for details.

• DuPont Property Proposal Gets A Low Grade— The Newtown Planning Commission (NPC) listened to a Rouse Group Development Company presentation last week, which proposed the construction of 212 new single-family detached homes on the former John DuPont estate. The development plan was not well received by members of the packed-house audience. Planners suggested holding future discussions of an alternative plan for the sprawling 416-acre development, even though the applicant presented a by-right plan that met all township ordinances and required no waivers. A better plan would include cluster housing, to increase the percentage of open space, and the preservation of the existing buildings on the site, according to NPC Chairman Eugene Capaldi. No vote was taken to approve or disapprove the proposed Ashford development, as the applicant has named it. At the end of a contentious hour and a half session, a special NPC meeting was tentatively slated for June 23 to discuss sketch plans of alternative development concepts. Rouse Group Attorney Tina Makoulian indicated that other alternative plans could be considered, but the applicant wants the 90-day clock to keep running on the proposed by-right plan. That means if no viable alternative is found, township officials will be forced to vote on the original plan in August. (Source: Town Talk: 06/15/05)  

• Sign Up Today And Make The 5K Run For Home A Success— The 3 rd Annual 5K Run for Home is quickly approaching and we need your help to make it a success. The event is scheduled for Saturday, August 13 at the Eagleview Corporate Center in Uwchlan and all proceeds will again support Habitat for Humanity of Chester County. To ensure that the event attracts more participants than last year and, subsequently, improves upon the $10,000 we raised for Habitat, we need the help of our members in a number of ways. Whether you can volunteer your time, run or walk, or even become a sponsor; your assistance will help provide housing to local deserving families. For more information, contact Mary Lim at 610-560-4800 or mlim@suburbanwestrealtors.com. Or access a flyer for the event by clicking here or the registration brochure by clicking here.

• Employment Opportunity— Small real estate office in West Chester, established over 35 years, dealing in commercial, residential and management is seeking Administrative Assistant. Computer skills necessary, and detail oriented. Real estate license and bookkeeping a plus. Flexible hours. Please call Tom Spackman at 610-692-2424 or fax resume to 610-692-2718.

• Wanted: Buyers, Sellers With “Extreme Design Tastes”— The Learning Channel (TLC) is currently looking for homebuyers and sellers in the Philadelphia-area to feature on its television program, “Moving Up.” REALTORS who assist TLC with identifying families who are selected for the show will receive $100 and on-air promotion. According to junior association producer Liz Alderman, the show is looking for people from all walks of life who are buying or selling any category of housing. The buyer must be planning to move into their new home before August 1 and the candidates must have outgoing personalities or unique, extreme taste in design. For more information or to provide information on a potential candidate, please contact Liz Alderman at 212-974-9050 ext. 200.

REMINDERS

• RPAC Telethon Exceeds Goal — On Friday, June 3, 19 members volunteered two hours of their time to assist in raising money for the REALTOR Political Action Committee. We are pleased to report that their efforts coupled with the generous contributions of 307 member contributors raised more than $37,000 that day alone. The goal for this year’s Annual RPAC Telethon day was $35,000. As of today (Thursday, June 16), the total contributions have risen to more than $43,600. These contributions will assist with both the REALTORS Legislative Alliance and Pennsylvania Association of REALTORS efforts to: oppose a transfer tax increase; enact legislation to allow for association health plans; oppose point of sale reassessment; maintain reasonable point of sale inspection requirements; keep banks out of real estate; and preserve mortgage interest deductions.

The Association is very appreciative of the contributions made by members as well as the following volunteers: Marice Bock, Dave Brant, Dominic Cardone, Shelby Charles, Jim Clarke, Jan Drury, Ken Enochs, Alan Fastman (Helpful Home Inspectors), Dennis Hallett, John Herreid, Brian Kane, Tish Maloney, Dyan Nelson Blass, Patricia Nicolas (Nicolas Building Inspection Services), Jim Ryal, Brian Slater, Mike Spillane, Dene Swartley, and Bud Tyson. To view pictures of the volunteers, please click here.

It’s not too late to contribute to RPAC as we accept contributions throughout the year.  Not only would your contribution go to furthering the legislative agenda of REALTORS, it also ensures that REALTORS opinions are heard locally, in Harrisburg and in Washington DC.  To contribute, please contact the Association’s office at 610-560-4800 or email Vinnie Pagnini at vpagnini@suburbanwestrealtors.com.

• Delaware County Bar Association Real Estate Practices Committee June 23, 2005— The committee will convene its popular breakfast meeting this month on Thursday, June 23rd at the Little Inn, Media, PA. This month’s topic is “Landlords Relief from Tenant’s Bankruptcy under Amendments to Bankruptcy Code” Speaker – Scott Waterman, Esquire. Cost for this event is $13.00 payable at the door. The fee covers the cost of breakfast and room expenses and will be charged to all attendees. Breakfast is served at 8:15 a.m., the session will begin at 8:45 a.m. Advance Reservation is required. Call Vince Mancini, Esquire at 610-566-8064 to reserve your spot.

• Register Your SUPRA Lockbox — As part of our continuing efforts to ensure that members are using all of the SUPRA resources to the fullest extent, we encourage you to register your assigned lockboxes on the SUPRA website. Registering lockboxes allows you to track who has been in your listings and when they accessed them. This is also a great tool when you are notifying your clients about the number of prospective buyers looking at their listing.

Registering the lockbox is easy. After leasing the box from the Association office, log on to www.supraekey.com. Click on “Log On to KIM” on the right, select the board name and log in with your keypad serial and PIN number. Under Keybox Inventory, click on “Add New Keybox” and enter the serial number and shackle code of the box. You can then view the settings and the keypad and lockbox activity reports. Information updates after the keypads receive updates. If you have any questions, please contact Andrea Bonacquisti Vaughn at 610-560-4800 or email avaughni@suburbanwestrealtors.com.

OTHER IMPORTANT NUMBERS:

• Suburban West REALTORS Association TECH HOTLINE:
  800-704-7240 (email: techhotline@att.net)
  (8:30 am to 8 pm, Monday to Friday)
  
• PAR Legal Hot Line: 800-727-5345
  (9 a.m. to 10 am & 1 pm to 3 pm, Monday to Friday)
  
• Suburban West REALTORS Association:
  http://www.suburbanwestrealtors.com
  
• SUPRA Support: 877-699-6787 (8 am to 10 pm, Everyday)