March 2010

At the Texas Association of REALTORS®’ (TAR) Winter Meeting, ABoR was honored with the 2009 Education Program of the Year Award in the Innovation category for our online Learning Communities. Launched less than a year ago, the Learning Communities provide ABoR members and MLS subscribers with a quick, easy way to engage with and learn from one another. The Learning Communities have exceeded ABoR’s goals in the first year with more than 1,000 community participants in 2009. We invite you to share your own insights on topics including short sales, professional practices and centralized showing services.

ABoR would like to thank everyone who has helped make this program a success, and we look forward to continued conversations with members in our online communities.

Reminisce on the accomplishments made by ABoR in 2009 by viewing our 2009 Annual Report. Throughout the year, ABoR worked hard to keep our members connected. The launch of the online Learning Communities gave members a new way to gather and share important information. MLXchange and Realist Tax made improvements to their offerings and increased usability for MLS subscribers. The ABoR Academy added new courses to help meet the needs of our members in an ever-changing marketplace. Our Government Affairs Department helped the voice of REALTORS® resonate throughout the Capitol during the 81st legislative session. View the annual report today and revisit the many ways ABoR worked hard to keep our members connected in 2009.

ABoR would like to gather your opinions on how we’re doing through a benchmark survey. Set for March 9-16, the survey is designed to provide guidance on how we can better serve members. The data will be used to help ABoR as we compare how our association is doing in relation to others. Take a few moments and complete the survey today.

The ABoR Academy is preparing to launch a new program this spring that will allow individuals, both ABoR members and non-members, to purchase passes to attend an unlimited number of mandatory continuing education (MCE) courses, excluding designation courses, for a fee of $99. A limited number of passes will be sold and will be valid during a specified time frame. Stay tuned to next month’s edition of Austin REALTOR® Online and check Abor.com for more information and updates on when these passes will be available for purchase. To learn more, contact ABoR’s Education Department.

TAR has implemented changes to some commercial forms. REALTORS® should start using the revised forms immediately. Blank copies of the new forms can be downloaded on TAR’s Web site.

The following commercial forms have been revised:

• 1301 Commercial Listing - Exclusive Rights to Sell
• 1302 Commercial Listing - Exclusive Rights to Lease
• 1303 Commercial Listing - Exclusive Rights to Sublease
• 1408 Commercial Property Condition Statement
• 1502 Commercial Buyer/Tenant Representative Agreement
• 1801 Commercial Contract - Improved Property
• 1802 Commercial Contract - Unimproved Property
• 1930 Commercial Contract Condominium Addendum
• 1931 Commercial Contract Financing Addendum
• 1932 Commercial Contract Amendment
• 1937 Commercial Contract Exhibit
• 1938 Commercial Tenant Estoppel Certificate
• 1939 Commercial Contract Termination Notice
• 1940 Commercial Contract Addendum for Special Provision
• 1942 Commercial Contract Critical Date List
• 2101 Commercial Lease
• 2102 Commercial Lease Addendum for Broker's Fee
• 2103 Commercial Lease Addendum for Expense Reimbursement
• 2104 Commercial Lease Addendum for Extension of Term
• 2105 Commercial Lease Addendum for Right of First Refusal
• 2106 Commercial Lease Addendum for Percentage Rent
• 2107 Commercial Lease Addendum for Parking
• 2108 Commercial Landlord's Rules and Regulations
• 2109 Commercial Lease Guaranty
• 2110 Commercial Lease Addendum for Optional Space
• 2111 Commercial Lease Addendum for Constructions (Landlord to Complete Construction)
• 2112 Commercial Lease Addendum for Constructions (Tenant to Complete Construction)
• 2113 Commercial Lease Acceptance Form
• 2114 Commercial Lease Amendment
• 2115 Commercial Lease Exhibit
• 2116 Commercial Sublease
• 2117 Commercial Landlord's Consent to Sublease
• 2118 Commercial Sublease Addendum for Broker's Fee
• 2119 Commercial Lease Addendum for Contingencies
• 2120 Commercial Lease Application
• 2121 Commercial Lease Inventory and Condition Form
• 2202 Commercial Property Management Agreement.

According to the Multiple Listing Service report by the Austin Board of REALTORS®, the volume of Austin area home sales in January 2010 was 884, up five percent from the same month in 2009. The median price of real estate in the Austin area remained stable in the same time period, up one percent to $179,250.

“At this point, we can look back and see that January 2009 was the low point of this cycle. With steady improvement throughout 2009 that continued in January 2010, we can see that we’re one year into the recovery in Austin,” said John Horton, Chairman of the Austin Board of REALTORS®. “What’s most important about this is that it’s the kind of recovery we want: one that is steady, stable and consistent.”

Throughout 2009, the volume of single-family home sales in Austin improved steadily. View the complete Austin housing market report online. Don’t forget to check out the latest edition of ABoR’s video podcast, AustinHomeSearch Live, for the fourth quarter report on Austin real estate.  

Stopping or Mitigating the Effects of Foreclosure

In March’s “Legal Topics” column, Don R. Hancock, J.D., of Hancock and McGill, L.L.P., discusses the options homeowners have to help stop or mitigate the effects of foreclosure. View the complete article here.

In the coming weeks, ABoR will be conducting a survey to gather MLS Subscribers’ input on the MLS system. Focused specifically on the MLXchange MLS software, the survey looks to further investigate the strengths and weaknesses the software presents. The survey, which will take less than 10 minutes to complete, will be distributed to MLS subscribers on March 30 by Loyalty Research Center and be open for participation for two weeks. Individuals who complete the survey will be entered for a chance to win one of two $100 gift cards.

Look to your e-mail inbox for the request to participate. ABoR thanks you in advance for taking the time to complete the survey. Your feedback is invaluable to us as an association.

The deadline to pay your MLS fees is fast approaching. Due March 15, your MLS fees ensure your access to the MLS system. Don’t miss a moment of your service by submitting your MLS fees today. Payments can be made online by visiting the “My Account” section of Abor.com, in-person at the ABoR offices located at 10900 Stonelake Blvd., Suite A-100, Austin, TX 78759-5826, by standard mail or by phone at 512-454-7636.

Contact ABoR’s Membership Department with questions regarding your MLS fees.

Pack up your golf clubs and join ABoR at the Avery Ranch Golf Club on May 3 for the annual Texas Real Estate Political Action Committee (TREPAC) Golf Tournament. A great place for a round of golf and to catch up with your fellow REALTORS®, the Avery Ranch Golf Club is located at 10500 Avery Club Drive, Austin, TX 78717.

Registration is only $99 per player and includes 18 holes of golf, lunch and a ticket to the awards dinner. Check-in will begin at 11:00 a.m. with a shotgun start at 1:00 p.m. Registration is currently open and runs through April 25. Late registration begins on April 26 and closes on April 30. The late registration fee is $110 per person.

For those TREPAC investors and supporters who aren’t interested in golfing, join the fun by purchasing a ticket to attend the awards dinner. Ticket prices for the awards dinner have changed since the March/April edition of Austin REALTOR® was printed. The corrected price of an individual ticket to the awards dinner is $20. All tickets will be sold at this price. We apologize for any inconvenience and hope you will join ABoR at the annual golf tournament to help TREPAC on the green as money is raised to protect REALTOR® interests.

Last year’s golf tournament was a huge success – raising more than $12,000 for TREPAC. Don’t miss out on your chance to be a part of this year’s event by registering to participate today. Click here for a registration form.

Advertising opportunities ranging from $200 to $1,000 are also available.

Contact Christina Ortiz in the Government Affairs Department at 512-454-7636, ext. 1501 for more information.

The annual TREPAC chili cook-off on February 17 raised $6,600 for TREPAC. Individuals enjoyed both meat and vegetarian entries and voted for their favorites. The judges awarded Central Metro Realty with the honor of Best Overall Chili. Terry Godbold of RPM Reliable Property Management was selected as the runner-up in the Best Overall Chili category.

The People’s Choice Award for Best Meat Chili went to Sandy Bednar of Distinct Austin Properties. Jim Smith of the Property Management Company took home the People’s Choice Awards for both the Best Vegetarian Chili and Best Theme Award. Sytha Minter of Horizon Realty won the People’s Choice Award for Best Pants.

Missed the cook-off? View photos from the fun-filled evening on ABoR’s Facebook page.