We are officially in the last fiscal year of the licensing cycle. April 30, 2018 will be here before we know it. No worries: We will have many opportunities for you to take advantage of!
I have started to receive some concerns about the December 2018 NAR Ethics requirement. Please be advised if you take ethics from a provider other than SCAOR or DAR, you will need to forward a copy of the certificate of completion to SCAOR for the information to be uploaded to NAR. This is a membership requirement for all members.
Attention New Agents:
You receive New Salesperson Module 1 with New Member Orientation. Knock out New Licensee Modules 2 & 3 on June 15 and 4 on June 20.
Do you want to learn the latest and greatest new Tech Tools and have some fun? Join us on June 20 as Harry Wooding explores new tools that you can use to assist you with your business. This course is approved by the DREC for Module 7
Puerto Rico – Education Adventure: Have you heard? We only have a few rooms left. The week of October 15 SCAOR will be visiting Puerto Rico for the low price of $197 per person per night. This is an ALL INCLUSIVE opportunity. We will be offering DE, MD and PA credits! Bonus tax write off!
Online Education:
Yes, we do offer online education! Visit the SCAOR website for more information and receive a discount.
Why should you,as a REALTOR®, be interested in the internet of things and smart home technology?
Because by the year 2020, there will be 50 billion connected devices and 6.1 billion smart phone users. More and more smart home devices are being purchased and left in homes that are selling. With the proper knowledge and tips, you can improve the probability of closing a deal with any client.
One of the biggest devices that are remaining with a home are smart thermostats. The idea is nothing new: We have been programming temperatures for different times and days for years, but now we can adjust them from any mobile device or interact with a car pulling in the driveway. This opens up a whole new area of convenience and security. If I forget to reset a thermostat when I purchase a home, the previous owner could easily mess with my temperature at any given time.
The Online Trust Alliance has come up with a smart home checklist that can be used as a guide for checking smart home related devices in the home. It’s advised that you review this document and even supply a copy to any client you may have. CRT labs at NAR has also supplied an info sheet for the top thermostats on the market so you can be well-armed with the capabilities and cost of each.
The current push in the smart home industry is for more automation, air quality sensors and ease of use. With the ever changing market and availability we will do our best to make sure you are armed with the best information available to be on the cutting edge of Real Estate. Stay tuned for some big announcements about low cost and cheap sensors that could easily be used as closing gifts or proactive solutions to listing a home.
We’ve got a lot of exciting updates for our education section this month: Broker’s Courses, New Salesperson Mods, and the Education Adventure all await!
SCAOR Rental Affairs Committee and Coastal Municipalities gather for 3rd annual Pre-Season Meeting. Click to see pictures and more information about this great gathering!
Local real estate market enjoys continued gains over same period a year ago
Data released recently by the Sussex County Association of Realtors (SCAOR) reveals a steadily strengthening local real estate market, with nearly all sectors showing modest gains over the same period in 2016, and the highest residential sales volume in a first quarter within the last 10 years.
1,020 residential homes were sold thus far in Sussex County for a total of more than $338 million. This represents a 22% increase in the number of homes sold and a 10% increase in average sales price over the same period a year ago.
“There’s no questioning the fact that the first quarter of this year has been especially strong, with many more buyers entering the market,” says Brigit Taylor, SCAOR’s 2017 president. “With the highest first quarter residential sales volume in over a decade, we feel this market is only going to continue strengthening moving forward. As industry professionals, we’re definitely excited at what we’re seeing in Sussex County.”
Home sales for the months of January, February and March were especially strong in 2017. The average sale price of a residential home in Sussex County rose significantly compared to the first quarter of 2016. The average residential home price sold for $331,863 in the first quarter, compared to $300,638 last year.
As of March 31, there was also a 35% increase in total volume over the first quarter of 2016 – Sussex County’s highest level in 10 years. This means that homes for sale are returning to pre-recession levels.
“We always try to stay cautiously optimistic when it comes to the future, but the data continues to be strong and we look forward to a strong 2017 and beyond,” says Brigit.
Commercially speaking, the first quarter of 2017 saw an increase in units sold over the previous year, but a decline in average sales price. Additionally, more than $4 million has been generated in commercial sales, and more than $30 million in sales of land.
To view an extensive database of homes that are currently for sale in Sussex County, visit SCAOR’s Website at www.scaor.com.
The Sussex County Association of Realtors was chartered in 1949 and has steadily grown in size, scope, and mission during its more than 6 decades in Sussex County. It is a professional trade association with goals of carrying out a program of ethics, education, and advocacy for real estate in the county.
SCAOR is a resource for the public, as well as a recognized advocate for property rights and property owners in Sussex County. The association also monitors legislative issues on the local, state, and national levels that may impact home ownership in the area.
To read more about issues related to Sussex County’s real estate industry, visit SCAOR’s website at www.SCAOR.com.
Throwback Thursday #056 – Do You Recognize Any of These REALTORS®?
Throwback Thursday #055 – Do You Recognize Any of These REALTORS®?
