Louisiana REALTORS® Resource - January 3, 2018
Amy P. Fennell • January 3, 2018
THINGS TO HELP YOUR SUCCESS IN 2018
#1 CYBER SECURITY & WIRE FRAUD ALERT FORM
According to Cybersecurity Ventures, cyber crime damages will cost the world $6 trillion annually by 2021. This represents the greatest transfer of economic wealth in history, risks the incentives for innovation and investment, and will be more profitable than the global trade of all major illegal drugs combined.
The real estate industry is experiencing the dangers and risks associated with cyber security and wire fraud at alarming rates. Reports of these incidents are not only occurring around the country, but in Louisiana. Louisiana REALTORS® has created a Cyber Security Resource
page and sample Wire Fraud Alert form to assist REALTORS® and their clients with preventative measures and warns of the dangers and signs in real estate transactions. Information will be added to the resource page as this develops and as more resources become available.
#2 NEW MEMBER SERVICE: TECHHELPLINE
A new member service, Tech Helpline, began on January 2, 2018. The service provides U.S. based tech support to help REALTOR® members troubleshoot and resolve challenges with office and personal tech devices.
"LR recognizes that experiencing downtime with technology could keep REALTOR® members from being able to service their clients and hinder their productivity. Staying true to our mission to provide optimum member resources, we sought out this great service that supports nearly 600,000 practitioners and understands the unique needs of the real estate industry," said Norman Morris, CEO.
#3 CODE OF ETHICS & PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
January 22-26 & 29-30 -February 6 & 7
The 4 hour Professional Standards Training: Code of Ethics
class is being offered throughout Louisiana! The class taught by an industry practitioner and national instructors discusses common situations REALTORS® face in which it is easy to break the Code of Ethics while trying to do the right thing. Examine each article and discuss how it applies to the real estate business and professionalism. Attendees will also get a good understanding of how the Code is enforced.
4 hours of Louisiana CE credit and satisfy the 2.5 hour Code of Ethics training requirement
established by the National Association of REALTORS®.
NO CHARGE TO ATTEND. REGISTRATION REQUIRED. SEATING IS LIMITED
February 20-21 |Metairie
The 2-day Seller Representative Specialist (SRS)
Designation Course provides comprehensive training and resources to help real estate professionals represent the interests of sellers in today’s marketplace.
Students learn to:
· Increase listings and grow their business
· Demonstrate and communicate their value package to seller clients
· Understand and apply the Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice
· Understand and comply with state license laws when representing sellers
· Understand and apply methods, tools, and techniques to provide the support and services that sellers want and need
8 hours Louisiana CE credit, SRS Designation credit, and GRI Designation credit
#4 Know the Issues & Protect Homeownership
#5 How Tax Reform Affects Your Taxes & Changes to Residential Property Disclosure
January 4, 2018 at 1:00 pm Central
Evan Liddiard of the National Association of REALTORS® Government Affairs and Peter Baker, a CPA with Business Planning Group, will host a Facebook Live
session on How Tax Reform Will Affect Your Taxes
and walk you through provisions in the tax bill passed by Congress that affect you as a real estate practitioner.
If you are looking for a way to better track your business expenses and do a better job keeping records for your taxes, take advantage of a free trial of the Taxbot
app.
Coming March 2018 - New Property Disclosure Form
Louisiana REALTORS® has been working with the Louisiana Real Estate Commission (LREC) on some proposed changes to the Residential Property Disclosure form following a Louisiana court case. The revised form is being formatted and finalized and will be released for use in March 2018.
Be on the lookout for a full rundown on what led to the changes and what these changes mean for you and your clients!
2026 Louisiana housing market outlook for agents. Learn how local data, pricing strategy, and negotiation tactics shape success in a balanced market.
From the Louisiana Department of Insurance: Insurance Commissioner Tim Temple announced today that the Louisiana Department of Insurance (LDI) continues its work to develop a regulation creating benchmark discounts for Fortified roofs in Louisiana. The LDI is working with the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) to develop the benchmark discounts using Louisiana-specific data, hurricane modeling and actuarial considerations. “With over 11,000 Fortified roofs in Louisiana and two years-worth of insurer experience with rating for those roofs in our state, now is an appropriate time for the LDI to establish benchmark discounts for homeowners insurance companies operating in our market,” said Commissioner Temple. “These benchmarks are being thoughtfully developed to help consumers receive the discounts they deserve for fortifying their homes while making sure insurers know the benchmarks reflect how much Fortified roofs actually mitigate their exposure to risk across Louisiana.” Like in Alabama’s Fortified benchmark discount structure, the LDI regulation would require Louisiana insurance companies to either meet the minimum benchmark discount established by the LDI or provide actuarial justification for why the company’s discount does not meet the benchmark. Louisiana is the fastest growing state for Fortified roofs in America. To date, over 11,000 Fortified roofs have been installed in Louisiana, including over 4,100 through the Louisiana Fortify Homes Program.
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