GSMAR Newsletter # 38
The Month of Love
Either a Catholic Saint or a Roman fertility holiday, which was replaced by a more Christian version, began this celebration of love centuries ago. Long before the halls of our stores were decorated in Pink and Red, long before heart shaped everything infiltrated our shopping bags and long before millions of boxes of candy and flowers were delivered, there was a simple gesture to honor the coming Spring and the final days of Winter. It was a day where we celebrated life and love and things that came after that. (Trying to keep it PG, use your imagination) So, there we were, humanity, locked in a constant experience with nature, weather, and seasons. However, we learned from them and learned to celebrate that moment when the sun starts sliding north and the days start to get longer. To us we know the movement of the stars and planets, the times and dates but to our ancestors, it was something magical and a reason to celebrate. So, they did as nature did and celebrated the coming Spring with, well, you know, the birds make the nests, the bees pollinate the flowers, type stuff. You get the gist. Anyway, coupled with a Saint that has a very mysterious and uncertain history, along with Christians trying to clean up all the Roman bird and bee activity and well you get St. Valentine’s Day. Today, it’s a celebration of showing love to one another by buying expensive gifts and going out to eat at Olive Garden or The Melting Pot (hint: get your reservations early guys). Of course we are ecstatic we don’t have to run our cars in the morning for 30 minutes to thaw them out. Also, we won’t have to endure the fight at the grocery store for the last carton of partially broken eggs or the last gallon of skim milk, because that’s all that’s left. Then we find out, the snowmagedon is canceled due to a faulty forecast. We look at our yards in disappointment as mom makes skim milk sandwiches for lunch. Yes, we celebrate the coming of Spring too, but in our time, Valentine’s is a time for reflection and affection. Should I tell her, should I give her this or that. Is this too much or not enough? Men become poets and romantic fools tripping over their emotions and their tongues as they vie for the attention of that one perfect mate. They spend way too much time at the card shelf looking for that right one. They weigh the options of the white teddy bear with the pink heart or the pink one with the red heart. This is traumatic stuff ladies, you have no idea. So, we fret, we ponder and we panic as we are at the store, after work, trying to get something before we go home on Valentine’s night. Whatever Valentine’s Day is to you and yours and no matter if he gets you something or not, remember, you are loved, you are precious and you are His. Happy Valentine’s Day Everyone!
Haskin’s Hall is getting a face lift!
One of the most complained about issues during classes and events in Haskins Hall is the sound. So we are doing something about that. Haskins Hall, for some of our new agents, is the area where we hold events and classes at the GSMAR building. It’s located downstairs and can hold about 100 people pre-Covid. So, Haskins now has new speakers, new lighting and new television monitors for a better all around experience during our live events and classes. It is also being fitted with technology to help us do hybrid classes, where we can do both live and Zoom at the same time. When will this be completed? We are not sure. We are working with several different companies to bring the best finished product possible but as you know already, good help is hard to find and so are supplies. We are hoping that once this new strain of Covid is gone and we pursue more live classes, that Haskins will be close to being done. Fingers crossed!
We wanted to inform you that Mbition Real Estate, American Home Inspectors Training (AHIT), and Stringham Schools have joined The CE Shop. With this deal, The CE Shop will become the largest provider of real estate education, with an unparalleled breadth of offerings to serve professionals across the entire real estate industry.
As a result, The CE Shop will expand its offerings into home inspection education, textbook publishing, and home appraisal education. In addition, its real estate courses will be bolstered by the excellent coursework created by the teams at Mbition, AHIT, and Stringham Schools. Each education provider will continue to operate separately.
This represents an exciting future for The CE Shop with new course offerings and the ability to serve additional professions within the industry. This will have no effect to our existing partnership or any in-progress coursework.
New Member Benefit!
Safe Showings
Another Benefit for our Members and the best part…..it’s free! Keeping you and your loved ones safe.
The sale is important, but your safety should come first. Learn more about how quick and easy it is to get started with SafeShowings! Watch the video, then download the app by clicking this link http://www.safeshowings.com/free4me. Don’t download through your app store on your phone or it will charge you. This is a FREE Member Benefit!
In case you missed our forms class, below are the links from TNREALTORS for the form change packet and their recorded form change video.
2022 Forms Changes (effective Jan. 1) —Packet (here) Video (here)
or you can go to the Forms on the Fly website here-https://tnrealtors.com/forms-on-the-fly/
TNREALTORS requires members to login.
If you do not have a login, go to TNREALTORS.com and create a profile under Member Login, then click register. You'll need your NAR M1 number (formally NRDS) to do so. If you don't know this number contact us at the GSMAR office, joshua@gsmar.org or 865-453-1248
Did You Know….During these uncertain and unprecedented times, nothing is more important than the health of our members and their families. REALTORS® Insurance Place, a NAR REALTOR Benefits® Program Partner, is helping to support our members by funding two months of Members TeleHealth*.
Members TeleHealth provides access to a network of more than 2,300 board-certified and U.S. state licensed physicians who are specially trained to address non-emergency medical issues via smartphone, tablet or computer. To further support members, NAR has negotiated to provide effective virtual healthcare for members and their families with unlimited visits and no co-pays. As an additional benefit, the prior activation fee has also been waived.
Learn more about Members Telehealth and this limited time offer below.
Did You Know…..NAR Academy is an exciting, exclusive partnership between the National Association of REALTORS® and Columbia College. Developed by industry leaders and subject matter experts, NAR Academy’s innovative, stackable curriculum includes certificates, associate degrees, bachelor’s, and master’s programs that balance relevant content, practical skills, and cutting-edge information.
At NAR Academy, you’ll acquire the knowledge, skills, and confidence to take control of your future, grow your business, and elevate your real estate career—all on your own time, at your own pace.
Spring into the New Year with Half-off Per Course with NAR Academy!
Advance your career with an MBA in Real Estate Management this year. At NAR Academy, NAR Members receive 50% off the tuition rate for each eligible course taken during the Spring 2022 semester. Learn more!
Did you know that the CE Shop has more to offer than just CE Classes? When you go to https://gsmar.theceshop.com/ look at the top of the page and find the section called Agent Essentials. When you hover over it a drop down menu will appear with these subjects:
Get Started
Have a question about how to get started on your licensing journey? We answer all your questions about passing your exam and launching your new career in real estate.
Grow Your Business
Our team of industry experts dive deep and discuss insider tips, tricks, and proven advice for growing your real estate career and business for the long haul.
Hot Topics
A knowledgeable agent is the best agent. Keep in the know when it comes to learning about and understanding current trending topics influencing the industry across the nation.
Industry News
One of the best ways to get and retain clients is to know more than the competition. Stay up to date with national and local industry news and be the agent your clients can depend on.
Agent Encyclopedia
As you prepare for a career in real estate, you no doubt have more questions than answers. Is an online real estate school right for me? How do I become a real estate agent? What is a real estate broker? How long should I study for my real estate exam? We know the decision to enter the real estate industry is a big one, so we want to answer any questions you may have to make that decision just a little bit easier. The CE Shop takes pride in being your one-stop shop for real estate education resources. Our Agent Encyclopedia has every stage of the real estate life cycle covered.
Technology
Discover the technology tools and current brands helping thousands of real estate agents like yourself expand their business and reach their short-term and long-term goals.
In each of these categories you’ll find Blogs, Ebooks, Podcasts and Videos to help you and your career. The best part of it, it’s free. So go to https://gsmar.theceshop.com and start investing in your future today.
Here is a picture of the website as an example. The area circled in red and the arrow, highlight the sections discussed.
Feb. 22nd- 4 classes
Safety 1st Managing Your Buyer’s Expectations 11a-12p 1hr. CE
THDA 101 Basics 1p-2p 1hr. CE
Freddie Mac HFA Advantage GC97 Conventional Mortgage 2p-4p 2hrs. CE
Increasing Minority Homeownership 4p-5p 1hr. CE
Feb. 8th-10th TNEX
Feb. 10th Day on the Hill
Feb. 14th Valentine’s Day
Feb. 15th Residential Core Course 9a-4p @GSMAR 6hrs. CE
Feb. 16th Home Inspection Class 9a-12p @GSMAR 3hrs. CE
Feb. 21st Presidents Day- GSMAR Office Closed
To see more detailed information on any of our classes, go to our calendar page on this website.
We want to Welcome our New Affiliates to GSMAR. Please check out their websites and make sure to use their services. We have such great affiliates and they always take care of sponsoring classes and events with great food, snacks, drinks and prizes. They are a part of the GSMAR family. In this month of Love, let’s show our Love for these New Affiliates and all of our wonderful Affiliates.
Aaron Brown
865-224-3917
https://silvertonmortgage.com/aaronbrown/
We manage your loan process in-house, from application to closing, to help your loan close faster. We also consider all the financial factors affecting your mortgage to help you strike the right balance between product and pricing. Our competitive mortgage rates, low closing costs, and wide array of mortgage products have been backed by top-rated industry professionals for more than 20 years.
Because we value constant communication, we will keep you in the loop every step of the way. In fact, we consider ourselves a communications company that happens to be really good at mortgages!
Sidney Jessee
865-523-6200
https://www.npiweb.com/knoxville
National Property Inspections Knoxville is the first name in home and commercial property inspections. Our professionally trained inspectors have years of experience identifying the condition of hundreds of your home’s most vital systems. With fast turnaround, comprehensive, easy-to-understand reports and friendly service, our team is here to answer all of your questions any time in the inspection process.
Our goal is simple—to give you the information you need when you need it, so you can make the right decision with your investment. Whether you’re buying your family’s new home or renting a commercial building for your growing business, NPI Knoxville gives you peace of mind.
Our office is a locally owned franchise, part of the NPI organization of nearly 300 inspectors. Every inspection is different. All NPI inspectors have access to technical support seven days a week. This means questions are answered in a timely manner, which means you receive complete results when you need them.
Ken King
865-266-9566
Hello, my name is Ken King. I’m the owner of King Pure Water. I’ve been in the water industry since 1997. I have treated a lot of horrible wells in the past 17 years, wells that run orange and smell so strong of rotten eggs it will make you sick. I’ve treated hard water that exceeded 100 grains hard, which is 10 times the normal average of city water. I enjoy helping people fix their water problems without breaking the bank. I decided to start my own company because I was tired of seeing companies taking advantage of their customers by charging too much and then not honoring their warranties or servicing the equipment that they install.
So I wanted to make water treatment affordable to everyone and provide clean, refreshing water for every household. Regardless, if you have city water or well water, I can make your water the best tasting water you’ve ever had. Honesty is our number one policy!
As a Christian family and businessman, my word is my honor. I promise to treat your family with dignity and honesty.
Owner,
Ken King
Matt Hearn
865-535-5572
"Prestige Vacation Rentals is a full-service property management company specializing in premium properties in the Gatlinburg & Cosby areas. Our emphasis on quality, the attention we give to property maintenance, and our deep understanding of marketing makes us different from the norm. We coach our property owners on how to maximize their ROI and how to deliver a product that they and guests will enjoy for years to come!"
Let’s Hear from one of our long standing Affiliates…
What’s New from Team 22 Studios in ‘22!
Team 22 Studios is not only recognized for their amazing headshots, but they are NOW offering
REALTORS their award-winning talents in cabin and home photography, video, and drone images!
You MUST check out their website, Team22Studios.com, to see the quality of work they are
producing for their customers!
Photography Link: https://team22studios.myportfolio.com/real-estate-photography
Video & Drone Link: https://team22studios.myportfolio.com/real-estate-videography
Contact Team 22 Studios: info@team22studios.com
Ph: 865-280-2030
Our 2022 Committees have their first meeting in the bag and only 11 more to go. In their first meeting, some set goals for this year, some just got familiar with their duties and some are off and running making plans already for some great events. Obviously, those plans will be fine tuned and made into reality in the coming months, so keep an eye out for what they are cooking up for 2022.
The Education Committee will be setting in place the 2022 education calendar. As of the writing of this article, their first meeting has not taken place yet. However, as soon as they make a decision on any education and the Board of Directors approves it, we will post it on our calendar page here on this website. So, come back and check often for new updates. Also, the education calendar is fluid. We often run into a unique class that we’ve never had before and will add it to the calendar any time during the year. Also, we may find that one of the classes we have scheduled cannot be done or that it was changed from Live to Zoom or vice versa. So, we ask you to check the calendar often to stay up to date on all our education offerings.
One more thing: If you have a request for a particular class and it isn’t on the schedule, please contact the education chair, Sandra Brown, sandra@dreamcatcherrealtytn to let her know you’d like to see it offered. We can’t get every class suggested but those asked for the most will be looked at.
Education Contest:
The Education Committee will be giving out awards and prizes at the end of 2022 for the GSMAR Member that has the highest amount of CE credits they received in 2022. This excludes any CE from previous years. Our CE is free to all members and we are trying to match or top our 200 hours of CE we had scheduled last year. So to make this a year to remember, we wanted to reward the most studious member for taking the most CE this year. Stay tuned for future information about this fun way to celebrate CE.
How to join a committee:
We have selected the 2022 committees already and are not taking any more this year but you can get your eyes focused on next year. Selection for committees takes place at the end of the year so make sure to get your 2023 committee form when they come out. Also, talk to the committee chairs and ask questions so you can choose the committee that is a right fit for you. All the Committee chairs are listed on the Committee pages here on our website.
The GSMAR Trademark Committee
They have had their first meeting and will be sending out notices to members who are improperly using the word REALTOR® in their email and web addresses, advertisement, social media, etc. This is part of what we are charged to do by NAR—to protect the REALTOR® mark.
Here are the 3 main Trademark Rules:
The meaning of REALTOR® is supported by three main rules:
1. The REALTOR® Marks must be formatted properly.
2. Descriptive wording may not be used with the REALTOR® Marks.
3. All contextual uses of the REALTOR® Marks must tie back to membership in NAR.
To read the full Membership Marks manual and understand the proper and improper use of the term, click the following link:
We just finished the NAR 2019-2021 Code of Ethics Cycle 6 and have now entered the 2022-2024 Code of Ethics Cycle 7. Which means, you have till Dec. 31st, 2024 to take Code of Ethics again. We will have 35 more opportunities for you to take it live in this period during our New Member Orientations. You can also take it for free on NAR.REALTOR or for a fee they will send CE credit to your license. You can also take it through the CE Shop. If you take it through an online source other than NAR, please send us the completion certificate so we can add it to your NAR profile.
Enough about COE, what about my license you say. As we discussed in the Committee Corner, the education for this year will be set soon. Part of that is four Residential Core Classes set for each quarter of the year. Our first one will be on Feb.15th. These classes are 6 hours and are mandatory for license renewal. Do not confuse Code of Ethics with Residential Core Course. Yes they both begin with C but that’s where the similarities end. COE is for NAR and Core is for TREC. If you look at it like I wrote it, COE is three letters like NAR and Core is four letters like TREC.
We are not using Eventbrite for class and event registrations anymore. You can sign up for classes and events through Navica. On the home page of Navica, there is a small calendar. Above that is a link that says “Register for Association Event”. Click on that link and a larger calendar will appear. From here, you can click on any event or class listed and register for it and check them out for more details.
Thanks for reading this month's Newsletter. Go out and give some Love to someone who needs it!