INDUSTRY ANNOUNCEMENTS

SDAR OFFERS PREVIEW OF NEW RESIDENTIAL PURCHASE AGREEMENT

REALTORS® are faced with countless contracts throughout the course of their career. The cornerstone of every successful real estate transaction in California is the Residential Purchase Agreement (RPA). The RPA is undergoing revisions and the Greater San Diego Association of Realtors (SDAR) is keeping you updated with trainings to inform, prepare and hone your skills to help you better serve and protect yourself and your clients. Kevin M. Burke, JD, will provide a “sneak peek” of the new RPA in a webinar on Wednesday, March 17 at 11:00 a.m. Find this and other SDAR courses being offered online at www.sdar. com/education or call (858) 7158000.

SDAR REALTORS ARE CERTIFIED TO ASSIST MILITARY HOMEBUYERS

Military personnel or veterans should know that if they decide that buying a home makes sense for them, the next step is to choose a Realtor. An agent is going to be a key player in helping you find and negotiate the purchase of the home that best meets your needs. When searching for a Realtor with experience working with military buyers and sellers, look for those with the Military Relocation Professional (MRP) certification. Realtors with the MRP have taken the coursework to better understand the unique needs of active and retired military personnel and made a commitment to serving this community. Recently, more than 50 Greater San Diego Association of Realtors (SDAR) members earned their MRP certification and have the tools and resources to help you meet the homeownership goals. Contact SDAR at (858) 715-8000 to learn more about how Mrp-certified agents can get military personnel or veterans into a new home.

MANAGE LISTINGS IN PARAGON

The Pacific Southwest Association of Realtors (PSAR) will present a free webinar for realtors on how to manage listings using the California Regional Multiple Listing Service (CRMLS) Paragon platform starting at 11 a.m., Wednesday, March 17 over Zoom. Topics will include how to input, modify and maintain listings, add photos and advertising remarks, reverse prospecting and including properties to a caravan or open house lists. Also discussed will be the latest CRMLS rules and regulations and tips on avoiding violations. All San Diego-area realtors, regardless of association membership, are invited to participate in the webinar. For registration information, call PSAR at (619) 421-7811, or visit www.psar.org.

AVOID LITIGATION WITH DUE DILIGENCE

The Pacific Southwest Association of Realtors (PSAR) will present a free, online webinar for realtors on the importance of due diligence and natural hazard disclosure statements (NHDS) from 1 to 2 p.m., Thursday, March 18, over Zoom. Presenter will be Chuck Piro with Disclosure Source, a San Diego hazard disclosure company. Topics will include fine print disclaimers, home hardening and tips on risk management and liability protection, as well as revealing special taxes and direct assessments information. Risk management and NHDS are the best litigation avoidance against real estate claims, according to Piro. All San Diego-area realtors, regardless of association membership, are invited to participate in the free webinar. For more event information, call PSAR at (619) 4217811 or visit www.psar.org.

SURVEY: A GOOD TIME TO SELL

The Pacific Southwest Association of Realtors (PSAR) reports a housing sentiment survey of 1,000 Californians conducted in February revealed that 60 percent of California consumers believe it’s a good time to sell a home, which was up from 59 percent in January. The survey from the California Association of Realtors (CAR) also said only 28 percent of respondents said it was a good time to buy a home, which was an improvement from 25 percent in January. When asked if economic conditions will improve in the next 12 months, 40 percent responded “yes,” a jump from 32 percent for positive responses in January. Also, home prices will rise over the next 12 months, according to 55 percent of respondents in February, an increase of 51 percent from the previous month.

CREATE COMPELLING CMAS: LEARN HOW IN THIS SDAR WEBINAR

A comparative market analysis (CMA) is an estimate of a home’s value based on recently sold, similar properties in the immediate area. Real estate agents and brokers create CMA reports to help sellers set listing prices for their homes and, less commonly, to help buyers make competitive offers. In a one-hour webinar on Tuesday, March 16, Kevin M. Burke, JD, walks attendees through the essential task of creating CMAS for clients and potential clients. The session is presented by the Greater San Diego Association of Realtors (SDAR). Find this and other SDAR courses being offered online at www.sdar. com/education or call (858) 7158000.

HOME PRICES STEADY IN JANUARY

The Pacific Southwest Association of Realtors (PSAR) reports the median price for a single-family home in San Diego County was the same amount, $730,000, for both January 2021 and December 2020. Citing the most recent statistics from the California Association of Realtors, the statewide median home price in January 2021 dipped below the $700,000 benchmark after hitting a record high in December 2020. The statewide median home price declined 2.5 percent on a month-to-month basis to $699,890 in January 2021, down from $717,930 in December 2020. In contrast, the median home price in January 2021 was 21.7 percent higher compared to the $575,160 priced recorded in January 2020. Low rates and tight supply are continuing to push up home prices, said PSAR.

COMMERCIAL LEASING IS TOPIC PRESENTED IN SDAR WEBINARS

Commercial real estate is another option for Realtors who want to branch out in their business. The Commercial Real Estate Alliance of San Diego (CRASD), a subsidiary of the Greater San Diego Association of Realtors, has joined with the Commercial Brokers Association (CBA) of California to provide a series of educational programs to SDAR members. On Wednesday, March 17, the CBA is hosting two courses as an introduction to commercial leasing, one at 10:00 a.m. and one at 12:30 p.m. Both courses are presented as webinars and taught by Paul Mader. Learn more about the topics covered and register at www.cbassn. org. Click on the Calendar tab.

COVID RELIEF GRANTS FOR REALTORS

The Pacific Southwest Association of Realtors (PSAR) is offering free information about assistance with the process of applying for Covid-19-related government grants for realtors and other independent contractors, including sole proprietors and small business owners, who have been affected by the coronavirus pandemic. An informational webinar will be held on Monday March 15 over Zoom from noon to 1 p.m. in English and from 1 to 2 p.m. in Spanish. The free webinar will cover the application process, who qualifies and how to apply. Funding is still available to help realtors and other independent contractors, according to PSAR. Grant amounts will be based on annual revenue as documented in recent tax returns. For more information, visit www. psar.org.

WHAT MAKES A GREAT AGENT WEBSITE? SDAR HAS THE TOOLS TO HELP

In today’s market it is important for a real estate agent to have a website that caters to the needs of their clients. This means that a website needs to go beyond the old rule of providing just the pictures, size, style, and price of a home. An agent website should have more information and links to the communities they serve. It should have information about the city/ town, local newspapers, libraries, schools, public transportation, and shopping centers. For more help with your website, visit the Greater San Diego Association of Realtors (SDAR) Member Benefits webpage at www.sdar.com/tools, or call (858) 715-8000.

CELEBRATE WITH PSAR R.E.A.L. WINNERS

The Pacific Southwest Association of Realtors’ (PSAR) Young Professional Network (YPN) group will host an online party celebration starting at 4 p.m., Thursday, March 18 in honor of the more than 300 PSAR realtor members who recently received a Real Estate Achievement and Leadership (R.E.A.L.) award. All PSAR realtors, brokers and office personnel are invited to attend. The R.E.A.L. awards program recognized PSAR’S top producing agents and brokers based on sales volume dollars or units sold, including listings or sales units entered into the MLS and closed in 2020. Names of R.E.A.L. award recipients recently appeared in full-page ads in The San Diego Union-tribune’s “Hot Property” section. For more event information, call PSAR at (619) 4217811 or visit www.psar.org.