Community Service Update

• The association is collecting coats for the needy. Please bring your coats to the Coldwell Banker 120th St. office no later than November 14. Coats will not be accepted after November 14. If you cannot get your coats to that office, you can take your coats to the Harley Davidson Store on Route 50 through December 15. Thank you for your response.
• The schedule for the annual "Winterfest of Lights" hot cocoa stand is now out. Slots are filling up quickly. Please call Terry Testani @ 443-523-2966 or Pat Terrill @ 443-497-2332 to volunteer.
• The Community Service Committee will be collecting donations for our annual Thanksgiving food drive this month and coats for the less fortunate. More details to follow via fax and/or e-mail.
• Mark your calendars for the "Toys for Tots" drive. December 6 from 5 to 7 p.m. at "Castaways" in Ocean City. Admission-an un-wrapped toy or a $10 donation. For your pleasure and donation "happy hour prices and bar munchies." Remember the more the merrier-so bring a friend.
• December 13: Christmas caroling. This is an event you won’t want to miss. We’ll meet at the Steer Inn in Berlin. Car pool from there and visit the local nursing/assisted homes in the area then return to the Steer Inn for some Christmas cheer. John LeMere (a local musician favorite) and Jerry Richards (the realtor with a heart) will accompany us with music. All are welcome. Times to be announced.

Remember what you do counts. If you do any community service on your own. Let us know about it.

REALTORS^® Rally Against Real Property Management Tax!
Over 300 REALTORS^® attended the MAR REALTOR^® Rally in Annapolis on November 1 to oppose the “Real Property Management Tax” that was included in the Governors Tax Package. After demonstrating on Lawyer’s Mall the REALTORS^® broke into teams to visit all of the delegates and senators and distribute flyers stating our position. Our presence was well noted and as a result of the grassroots campaign we have been conducting since March, the Senate Budget and Tax Committee removed “Real Property Management Tax” from their bill. The bill, with the amendment to remove “Real Property Management” was approved in the Senate. The bill will now pass over to the House Ways and Means Committee and than on to the House Floor for approval. We expect several changes to the bill before it receives final approval. We will keep you posted on the results!

I would like to thank everyone who responded to our CALL TO ACTION by other e-mailing, writing, or calling your delegates and senators. I would especially like to thank the following people who took the time to journey to Annapolis to participate in the Rally: Gail Dieman, Joan Ferger, Shirley O’Neil, Pat Terrill, Katie Weisner, Scott Guay, Clark Kline, Terry Looney, Terry McGowan, and Jay Wise.

Renters Get a Breather
Renters may have a small window of opportunity to negotiate a better rental contract—if the window is still open. Full story>>

Cities Having Growing Pains
A survey shows that most Americans don’t believe their communities are managing growth satisfactorily. Full story>>

The Mortgage Meltdown: What’s the President Doing?
The administration is reaching out. Realty Times columnist Ralph Roberts reports on the latest steps to help American families keep their homes. Full story>>

It’s Here!
As promised, the Workforce Housing Seminar and Certification will be held on January 10^th and 11^th. Look for more information as we approach the dates. Joan Strang and Cindy will be coordinating this great event.

CCIM is a Designation worthy of note.
CCIM^® stands for Certified Commercial Investment Member. CCIM’s are recognized experts in commercial real estate brokerage leasing, valuation, and investment analysis. The CCIM business includes more than 7,500 designees principally in North America, but also in Asia and Europe. CCIM’s are backed by a respected education program, as well as superior products and business resources. Contact the CCIM Institute at 1-800-621-7027, or visit the CCIM website.

Did you Know?
One way to make your buyers happy is to inform them that if the sellers can track down their Title Insurance Certificate issued when they purchased the home, you can present that to your title company and receive a discount on your purchase of title insurance.

Did you also know that there is an "Enhanced" version of Title Insurance that greatly expands the coverage? Ask your title producer for more information.

Here is what we are working on:
Coming in January, as a part of the New Member Orientation, will be an afternoon 3 hour CE opportunity on Code of Ethics. Stay tuned for date and time!