Announcements

Are you involved in your community?

The Spotlight on Community Service award recognizes four members quarterly for their community volunteerism. The award is not geared to honor only those `exceptional' volunteers, but our hundreds of members who are giving back every day in smaller, sometimes unnoticed ways. If you are volunteering or know of someone who is, please complete and submit the application included in this issue of the magazine.

Do you have a story to tell?

Any time we ask members what you would like to see in the magazine, we hear `funny stories' (or something to that affect.) Do you have a story to share about a real estate related event or adventure? We'd love to hear from you. Send your tale to MBressler@columbusrealtors.com. If it's appropriate, we'll try to include it.

Changes to the Area Realty Association Directory

Here are a couple changes/corrections to the Area Realty Association Directory since its publication in the last issue of In Contract. (The latest list can always be found at www.ColumbusRealtors.com/608.cfm)

ⁿ Bexley/Eastmoor-Berwick Realty Assn. -- President's email address changed to janet@janetzettler.com
ⁿ Hilliard Area Realty Assn. -- President's (Bonnie Nyikes) contact info changed to: (614) 778-8225; fax (614)
474-8035
ⁿ National Association of Hispanic Real Estate Professionals NAHREP ? President Cecilia Roman's e-mail
address changed to cecilia.roman@gmail.com
ⁿ Northeast/Westerville Area Realty Assn. -- website is www.newra.com
ⁿ Northwest Area Realty Association -- website is www.nwara.net
ⁿ Independent Broker's Association -- meetings have been changed from the 4th Tuesday to the 2nd Tuesday
of each month.
ⁿ South Area Realty Association -- 20 members (up from 15)
ⁿ Southern Delaware County Realty Assn. -- Tour Director changed to: Jodi Poliseno (740) 972-0065,
jodi@refineddesign.info
ⁿ West/Southwest Area Realty Association -- 137 members (up from 100)

Changes to the Million Dollar Club Reporting Requirements

Effective April 1, 2007, all Sales Certification Forms submitted with any Million Dollar Club application must have original signatures in blue ink. For complete reporting requirements and deadlines, please visit ColumbusRealtors.com.

March 9 -- Deadline to exchange KeyBoxes for free

March 9 is the deadline to exchange an old gray AEII keybox for new blue iBox. After that, the cost to purchase an iBox will be $88.00 ($93.94 with tax.) FYI -- the original deadline of Feb. 28 was extended due to the extreme weather conditions last month.

Fines possible for AEII keyboxes still in use The old gray AEII keyboxes will not work with the eKey, thus the reason for the KeyBox exchange in which members were provide with a brand new iBox for FREE!

Since the exchange, CBR has received numerous complaints from eKey users who are still encountering old keyboxes on listings. FYI -- Of our 5,985 key users, 470 are using eKeys.

As you can imagine, showing up at a listing (with buyers) and finding they can't access the home causes great inconvenience and embarrassment to members and, in turn, a disservice to sellers.

For this reason, the Board will be looking at a fine for every AEII KeyBox found on a home. Although no details are available as nothing has been approved, this posting serves as notice of the intent to fine users of AEII keyboxes this spring.

New rules effective Jan. 1

Home sewage treatment systems
Much to the dismay of Ohio REALTORS®, new and more stringent home sewage treatment system regulations went into affect at the beginning of this year. Although the new regulations do not affect existing, functioning systems, homeowners installing a new system will have to abide by the new rules. For details, see the article "Health Depts. Begin septic system enforcement"published in the February issue of Ohio REALTOR® newspaper (also available at OhioRealtors.org) or visit http://www.odh.ohio.gov/odhPrograms/eh/sewage/sewrules.aspx.

Ownership limitations in title companies

For years, the Department of Insurance has interpreted the insurance regulation to prohibit a real estate licensee from holding a fifty percent or greater ownership interest in a title company. The new rule codifies the ownership limitation and also prohibits a real estate licensee from serving as an officer of a title insurance company. Real estate licensees who have ownership interests or are officers of a title company may be affected by this new rule. For more information, see the article "Dept. of Insurance Adopts new ABA rule" in the February issue of Ohio REALTOR® newspaper.