REMINDER: ALL FLYERS ARE INCLUDED IN THE WEEKLY BROKER FAX

Awards of Excellence Breakfast
The annual Awards of Excellence Breakfast will be held on Wednesday, February 13, at 9 a.m. at the Stowaway Grand Hotel, 2100 Baltimore Avenue, Ocean City, MD.  Please be sure to return your reservation flyer or register online if you plan on attending. It is FREE for those receiving an award certificate, but you must pre-register!

MAR Town Hall Meeting
Thursday, January 25, 2007, from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.—Kent Manor Inn, Kent Island. You know that question that you have been yearning to ask MAR leadership? Here’s your opportunity to do so! Join your colleagues for an informal complimentary lunch and meet the MAR Leadership and staff to find out the answers to those questions. RSVP to info@coastalassociationofrealtors.org.

MAR Legislative Day—Monday, January 29
Meet your state legislators, learn about legislation that may affect you and how MAR plans to support your interests. For more information and to RSVP, contact Sheryl Bergman at sheryl.bergman@mdrealtor.org or 1-800-638-6425.

Help A Family Recover From Disaster
Recently a Showell family lost two children and their home. The Community Service Committee will be collecting monetary donations, to help pay for funeral expenses, the surviving children, housing and other financial needs. Gifts of clothing (new or slightly used), local gift certificates for food or clothing are also welcome. Along with toiletries and childrens toys. Checks are to be payable to the: DUPONT CHILDREN’S FUND. All items may be dropped off at the Manklin Creek Coldwell Banker Office, 11001 Manklin Creek Meadows, Berlin, MD 21811. We will be faxing a flyer to all offices in the immediate area.

2007 Resort Symposium Registration Now Open
Space is limited for this 2 1/2 day networking and education symposium at the Vail Cascade Resort in Vail, CO on June 24-26. Read more>>>

Adjustable Rate Mortgages Decline
Adjustable Rate Mortgages (ARMs) accounted for just one-quarter of all mortgages late last year. As fixed-rate mortgages have become more popular, the adjustable mortgages that have continued to flourish have been hybrids, fixed-rate for the first few years which then become one-year adjustable rate mortgages after a set period of time. Click here to read more.

FTC Enforcing Prohibition on Recorded Sales Calls
In 2007, the Federal Trade Commission begins enforcement of its rules against prerecorded sales calls. The FTC’s rules prohibit prerecorded calls even if the caller has an "established business relationship" with the recipient, putting its rules in conflict with the Federal Communication Commission’s rules. To read more about the rules and FTC’s enforcement in the latest "Did You Know" memo from NAR Legal Affairs, click here.

Roll Up Your Sleeves for the Beach Blanket Blood Drive
The Ocean City Beach Blanket Blood Drive 2007 will take place January 31-February 1. Donors and volunteers are needed!

Registration Table Volunteers

Hours of operation for the Blood Drive are:

• January 31 from 9:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.
  • Shifts: 9:30 a.m. to Noon; Noon to 2 p.m., 2 to 4 p.m.; 4 to 6:30 p.m.
• February 1 from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
  • Shifts: 8:30 to 11 a.m.; 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.; 1 to 3 p.m.; 3 to 5:30 p.m.

Anyone can sign up. We welcome friends and family to volunteer. To volunteer, call Terry Testani at (443) 523-2966.

Flyers Need to be Distributed Around Town

Please call Shamrock Realty Group at (410) 641-3611 ext. 14, and leave a fax number for a flyer to be sent to your office.

There is also a contest going on for REALTORS®...

The Blood Bank has supplied cards for blood donors. Donors may write a real estate office’s name on them. The office that has the most donor cards returned by blood donors can win a FREE LUNCH FOR CARRABA’S ITALIAN GRILL! The only stipulations are:

• An office must have a minimum of 15 cards returned at the Blood Drive, and
• No donor cards may be given out at the event.

You may pick up donor cards from Community Service Committee Chair Terry Testani’s office at Shamrock Realty Group, 10776 Gray’s Corner Road,  Suite #7, Berlin, MD 21811.

		Make a Difference... Make Your 2007 RPAC Donation Today!   As members of the Coastal, Maryland, and National Associations of REALTORS®, we represent our profession, and more importantly, we represent America’s homebuyers and homeowners. No component of our nation’s economy is as important as homeownership, which we advocate tirelessly. Our National and Maryland Associations of REALTORS® go to bat for us every day, and our own Coastal Association serves an important “watchdog” function so our county governments will never lose sight of our contributions to our local economies and way of life. Although we’re sure you’re aware of RPAC’s accomplishments, we would like to take a moment to share with you some of the recent achievements that would not have taken place without your contributions. Stopped Worcester County from imposing a high impact fee on developers, thus saving money for homebuyers in our region Stopped State Legislature from taxing condo association management revenue Helped to keep taxes low on business telephone usage Prevented State Legislature from imposing countless taxes on REALTORS® and their commissions                         … and perhaps the MOST Important… Kept mortgage interest as a tax credit Without RPAC, our profession would function at the mercy of our legislators’ personal agendas, some of whom view our industry as a target for their own political gain. Our profession is difficult enough as it is, which is why support for RPAC has never been more important and is needed now more than ever. If you have not contributed to RPAC in the past let us ask you to contribute this year.  Our budget is based on yearly contributions of only $29 per member and of course more is always appreciated. Your contribution will make a big difference and help ensure the continued success of RPAC’s efforts. We are requesting donations by January 31, 2007! On behalf of the Coastal Association of REALTORS®, we want to thank you for your contributions to RPAC. We hope our association and the RPAC committee can count on your support and contribution for 2007. Sincerely, Ron Edelmann, Co-Chair, CAR/ RPAC Committee Sarah Martin, Co-Chair, CAR/ RPAC Committee Click here for a pledge form

REALTOR® Change Form Revised
The REALTOR® change form has been revised. Please use this form for any office or agent changes. The form is available on our Web site in REALTOR® Resources. We ask that you please make copies for your offices.

2007 Legislative Bill Preview
Several bills in the 2007 legislative session may affect your business. Find out what’s going on by clicking here.