Briefly... Inside... - Chattanooga Bar Association

28 Friday, May 13, 2011 www.hamiltoncountyherald.com
HAMILTON COUNTY HERALD
(423) 698-8001
Fax: (423) 698-8004
Founded in 1912
Realtors report mixed first quarter results
Sales down slightly for period,
but year-to-year values rise
The local real estate market
presented a varied set of quarterly
results, according to data released
by the Multiple Listing Service
(MLS) of the Greater Chattanooga
Association of Realtors.
In the first three-month
period of 2011, the Southeast
Tennessee and Northwest
Georgia area saw the sale of
1,195 residential units, an 8.7
percent decrease over the same
quarter’s sales in 2010, and a
drop of 5.5 percent over the
October through December sales
Monday – May 16
9 a.m. – noon
MLS Rules & Regs for Dummies
FREE NO CE
Instructor: Pam Duffy
All licensees who have joined the Association in
2010 and 2011 and have not taken this course
MUST attend this course!
Monday - May 16
3 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Basic Solid Earth Training
FREE, NO CE
Instructor: Bonnie Rogers
Tuesday – May 17
9 a.m. – noon
Understanding Finance
$30
3 hours TN & GA CE
Instructor: Jeff Elias
Wednesday – May 18
8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
New Member Orientation
FREE for new members –
CE for Quad Ethics portion only
Various Instructors
All licensees who have joined the Association
in 2011 and have not completed New Member
Orientation MUST attend this course!
of last year. However, Realtors
are not greatly troubled by that
aspect, since it has already been
established that adverse weather
during the earliest part of the
period skewed sales results that
might have been healthier in
more temperate conditions.
Median price figures for the
period witnessed a decrease to
$125,000 – a drop of 5.9 percent
from the fourth quarter of
2010 – but showed a respectable
gain of 4.2 percent over the first
quarter of last year. While a
positive sign, in terms of affordability,
the price drop is often
Upcoming knowledge opportunities for Realtors!
Now is a great time to enhance your Realtor knowledge and skills
through the many professional development courses offered at
Greater Chattanooga Association of Realtors.
w w w . g c A R . n e t
interpreted by some authorities
as a sign of a continuing sluggish
economic outlook. However, the
index indicating the number of
days on the market has increased
by only a single week during the
period – from 136 days three
months ago, to 143 days in the
first quarter of 2011.
“As always, there are many
significant forces that challenge
our industry,” said Jennifer
Grayson, president of GCAR.
“In the present case, unemployment
and tax policy on the
national level will dictate the
nature of the debate for the rest
HOW TO REGISTER FOR A CLASS
You may register online for a class (or just check out what is coming up) by going to our Web
site at www.GCAR.net. At the top of the new Web site, click on the Calendar. The classes will be
listed by date. Follow the onscreen direction to get more info, Register or Add to your calendar!
All regular CE costs are $10 per credit hour for Realtors. Designation courses are priced differently.
See online registration for the prices of designation courses.
You may also contact the association office for a printed form that can be filled out and faxed
or emailed at your convenience.
If you are having trouble registering for a class, please contact Susan at the association office,
423-698-8001.
For all LUNCH & LEARN seminars, please grab some lunch before you come!
Unless otherwise noted, all of the following classes will take place in the GCAR Knowledge
Services Department.
To cancel a class, you must submit an email or fax, written notice required. If no cancellation is
received, cost of class is forfeited. If class is FREE a $30 “No Show” fee will be assessed/charged.
Thursday – May 19
9 a.m. – noon
Quadrennial Code of Ethics
$30
3 hours TN & GA CE
Instructor: Susan Barnette
This course is required for all Realtors.
If you have not taken it between January 1, 2009
and this date – you must take it.
Thursday – May 19
1:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Enhancing Customer Service
Using Public Records
(Courthouse Retrieval Program)
$30
3 hours TN & GA CE
Instructor: Katy England
Friday – May 20
9 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.
TN Form Friday
FREE, NO CE
Instructor: Pam Duffy
Wednesday – May 25
8:30 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.
The GIG
Thursday – May 26
Noon – 4 p.m.
TAR Forms 101
$40
4 hours TN & GA CE
Instructor: Susan Barnette
of this year. The next few months
might give us stronger indicators
of where the market will have
taken us by year’s end.”
She added, “Like most in
our business, I prefer optimism,
but I plan to maintain a watchful
eye on all of the statistical indicators.”
Grayson further pointed
out: “With the homebuyers’ tax
credit, we artificially stimulated
sales in the first six months of
last year, which we are not doing
this year.”
Chattanooga MLS President
Dan Griess agreed saying,
“Without question, last year’s
homebuyer’s tax credit had its
benefits. But there remains a
level of uncertainty about the
pace of sales going forward.” He
added, “Looking back on historical
results is useful in benchmarking
performance, but how
2963 AmnicolA
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the stats might help us to predict
where we’ll be in six to 12
months is problematic.”
Griess added, “To be sure,
our unemployment rate in the
Greater Chattanooga market is
now at 8.2 percent, considerably
below national numbers, but it
still indicates well over 21,000
people in our area who are out
of work. That simple fact places
added stress on all of our efforts”
Grayson concurred. “We are
closely monitoring the activities
of regional and national policymakers
who will ultimately
impact tax decisions. Our leadership
has made our voices heard
recently in our State capital, and
this week, we will also visit with
national leaders in Washington,
DC to speak on behalf of those
still believing in the American
Dream of home ownership.” v
Association Officers
Jennifer Grayson, President; Mark Hite, President-Elect; Becky Cope-English, Secretary/Treasurer; Randy Durham, Immediate Past President
Association Directors
Mark Blazek, Julie Chamberlain, Travis Close, Jay Craig, Chris Davis, Russ Elliot, Fidel Fonseca, Dan Griess, John Healy, Byron Kelly, Bobby Teems, Vicki Trapp, Nathan Walldorf
MLS Officers
Dan Griess, President; Russ Elliot, President-Elect; Bobby Teems, Past President
MLS Directors
Mark Blazek, Julie Chamberlain, Jennifer Grayson, Becky Cope-English, Randy Durham, Mark Hite, Myra Cochran, Ben Pitts, Tab Tollett, Kathy Tucker