Announcements

Deadline is November 3 for: Million Dollar Club Award

If you are planning to apply for the CBR $1, $5, $10 or $25 Million Dollar Club award, the deadline of November 3 is fast approaching. The sales award year is November 1, 2005 through October 31, 2006.

The Rules & Regulations were reformatted and revised for 2006. You can find them on CBR's web site ColumbusRealtors.com. Mouse over `Services', click on `Awards', then `Million Dollar Sales Club'.

Remember, in order to qualify, you must have fulfilled the service requirement which includes serving on a CBR committee (and meeting its attendance requirement) or serving as an officer in an area association.

When submitting your application...

Closings PRIOR to Sept. 1, 2000 . . . 1) HUD/closing statement with applicant's signature, date, address, price and commission highlighted, 2) Listing contract (worksheet & contract) [if taking credit for the listing] 3) Purchase agreement [if taking credit for the sale]
Closings AFTER Sept. 1, 2000 . . . 1) HUD/closing statement with applicant's signature, date, address, price and commission highlighted, 2) Sales Certification Form - signed by you and the Settlement Agent (in lieu of purchase contract or listing contract), 3) MLS Agent Full Report (with "SOLD" status) with name of applicant, date, address, and sold price highlighted.

It makes no difference if the listing agent(s) and selling agent(s) use the same form! You can use separate forms if you wish! Rules and application forms are available at the CBR office and under `Services - Awards Programs' on the CBR website at www.ColumbusRealtors.com.

Lifetime Achievement Award

The Lifetime Achievement Award was created in 2005 to recognize members for their outstanding sales production as well as their long time commitment to the Columbus Board of REALTORS®. To qualify for this prestigious award, current member applicants:

ⁿ Must have received CBR's 25 Million Dollar Sales Award
ⁿ Must have held membership in CBR for a minimum of 15 consecutive years
ⁿ Must obtain a minimum of 10 points* for CBR participation in the last 10 years:

ⁿ Serve as CBR Officer - 7 points (for all years in chairs)
ⁿ Serve as CBR Director - 5 points (for each 3-year term)
ⁿ Serve as CBR Committee Chair - 3 points (for each term)
ⁿ Serve as CBR Committee Vice Chair - 2 points (for each term) Serve as CBR Committee member - 1 point
(for each year served)
ⁿ Serve as an Officer in Area Association - 1 point (for each year served)

ⁿ Must earn a minimum of 2 points through CBR committee participation for the calendar year in which this award is
applied for meeting the attendance requirement established by the committee on which they serve (*7 of the 10
points must be derived specifically from CBR participation)

Members can only receive the Lifetime Achievement award once. The deadline for submitting the application for the award would be the same as the CBR sales awards. Awardees will be recognized with a special gift during the annual President's Ball. Establishing this award eliminates any need in the in the future to develop an award with a higher sales volume level.

Do Not Call Registry fee increase

Fees for access to the Do Not Call Registry will increase September 1, 2006. For individual area codes in excess of the five free codes, the fee will jump from $56 to $62. For access to the entire registry, the fee will increase from $15,400 to $17,050. Step by step instructions on how to access the registry are available at ColumbusRealtors.com. Or visit the telemarketers section of the official web site at www.telemarketing.donotcall.gov.

Agents Advertising Their Own Property

Revised Code 4735.16(B)(1) requires that licensed brokers and salespersons identify themselves by name and indicate that they are licensed in any advertising to sell, lease, exchange or buy any real estate that they own -- whether it is listed or not.

If listed, advertisements must include the name of the broker in equal prominence with the salesperson's name.

If not listed, the name of the broker must not be displayed. However the agent must still identify themselves as licensed.

In all cases in which a licensee is the owner of the offered property the fact that they are an agent or broker must be included.

Agents advertising their own property as FSBO

Recently enacted Revised Code 4735.16(B)(2) provides "A real estate broker who is representing a seller under an exclusive right to sell or lease listing agreement shall not advertise such property to the public as "for sale by owner" or otherwise mislead the public to believe that the seller is not represented by a real estate broker." This applies to licensed salespersons and unlicensed laypersons.

Therefore, a licensed salesperson can represent their own property (if unlisted) as being "for sale by owner" but must still identify themselves as licensed. Wording such as "For Sale by Owner, John Smith Agent/Owner" would be acceptable.