Louisiana REALTORS® Resource (02- 19-2018)
Amy P. Fennell • February 19, 2018
#1 Legislative Special Session Begins Monday
Norman Morris, CEO along with 2018 LR President, Pam Testroet and Director of Legal & Government Affairs, Kim Callaway take a quick minute to discuss why REALTORS® need to ENGAGE and be READY to ACT as the state legislature convenes for a Special Session beginning Monday, February 19 to address the state's $1B budget deficit.
Members can track the happenings and issues throughout the 2018 Legislative Session online.
#2 Input & Feedback on Purchase Agreement
Louisiana REALTORS® along with the Louisiana Real Estate Commission will convene a group to review the Residential Agreement to Buy or Sell and address revisions or additions to the form. In preparation for the meeting and discussions, REALTOR® members are encouraged to submit comments, suggestions or concerns as it relates to the document and any ideas on ways to improve it for the real estate practitioner as well as for the consumers.
DON'T FORGET: The revised Property Disclosure Document will be required for use starting on March 1, 2018. A letter size version is now available on the LREC website
#3 Real Estate Technology in 2018
Every year there are new technological developments that change how we live and work. Today these developments are happening more quickly than ever before, and they are having sweeping changes how real estate is bought and sold.
2018 will be no different. In addition to taking steps to protect your information technology impacts every part of your business. <<Read More>> on the 3 big trends for 2018 and 5 Apps Every REALTOR Should Use
#4 Education Opportunities
WORK BETTER WITH SELLERS
The Seller Representative Specialist (SRS) class starts Tuesday. Join national instructor Adorna Carroll at NOMAR in Metairie on Tuesday, February 20 & Wednesday, February 21 and you will walk away better equipped to win more listings and work with sellers!
This is the ONLY opportunity to take this course this year through Louisiana REALTORS and pick up 8 hours of Louisiana CE credit.
SAVE WITH OFFICE DEPOT/OFFICE MAX
Join us for a FREE 15-minute educational webinar on Tuesday, February 27 at 9:00 am CST to learn about the advantages of buying your office supplies through the Louisiana Realtors Office Depot/ Office Max member benefit program.
WEBINAR | Getting Started with RPR: Tools for Building Your Business
March 1, 2018; 11:00 AM CST
REALTORS® across the country are enhancing their business by using Realtors Property Resource® (RPR®’s) extensive database.
In this introductory class, you’ll learn how agents use RPR as their all-in-one data and information source to build their business and impress clients. You will learn how to generate property reports, conduct a detailed CMA in minutes, research schools and neighborhoods, and get a sneak peak into RPR Mobile™. RPR access is included in your annual National Association of REALTORS dues.
#5 REALTOR® Day at the Capitol - April 24th
This year's Spring Into Action Conference schedule includes CE education offerings for appraisers, commercial and residential practitioners. We have secured an impressive line up of guest speakers including Don Pierson with Louisiana Economic Development and journalist for LaPolitics, Jeremy Alford.
REALTORS® in attendance will gain a competitive edge by getting the latest in regulatory changes and knowledge on what issues will have an impact in your markets and on your business. There will be ample time for talking with legislators, networking, and the chance to meet with a select group of vendors showcasing their tools and services for the expo.
There are a limited number of sponsorship and expo opportunities that will be available. If you know of a company that may be interested, please have them contact Amy P. Fennell, Director of Communications & Member Services.
2025 Regular Legislative Session Wrap-up
The National Association of REALTORS® Board of Directors approved a 2026 budget with no dues increase and passed a Professional Standards Recommendation to clarify language in NAR Code of Ethics Standard of Practice 10-5, which prohibits harassment of any person or persons protected under Article 10 of the Code. A day earlier, the Executive Committee approved another Professional Standards change, revising language for Policy Statement 29 designed to ensure state and local associations can fairly and consistently enforce the Code of Ethics. Learn more about the changes. Read the revised Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice. Board members also approved a consent agenda to elect the 2026 officers and regional vice presidents . Christine Hansen of Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., was elected 2026 President-Elect, and Colin Mullane of Ashland, Ore. was elected 2026 First Vice President. The meeting opened with a video message from President Donald Trump, who welcomed REALTORS® to Washington and thanked them for support of the House-passed tax reform. NAR routinely invites the U.S. president to address REALTORS® at the Washington meetings. Over NAR's history, nine sitting presidents have addressed the association. Board Actions Approved a series of Finance Committee recommendations, accepting the association’s financial statement, approving the 2026 operating and advocacy budgets, and keeping dues at $156. The board actions also redirect $35 of the $45 Consumer Advertising Campaign assessment to operating funds. This change positions NAR to make its next settlement payment in February 2026 and maintain a balanced budget without raising total dues. The remaining $10 for the Consumer Advertising Campaign will fund optimized, metrics-driven activities that reach and engage consumers in critical markets. NAR CEO Nykia Wright and President Kevin Sears explained the shift at the opening session of the conference . Amended Standard of Practice 10-5 to give state and local associations greater clarity in how to fairly and consistently enforce Article 10 of the Code of Ethics. The amended Standard of Practice says that REALTORS®, in their capacity as real estate professionals, in association with their real estate businesses, or in their real estate-related activities, shall not harass any person or persons based on race, color, religion, sex, disability, familial status, national origin, sexual orientation, or gender identity. Made a series of recommendations to the Standards of Practice to bring the language in line with the terms of NAR’s 2024 settlement. Approved a motion to make one member of the Executive Committee a commercial practitioner who has served as chair, vice chair or liaison of an NAR commercial-related committee or forum to serve a two-year term and be independent of the 10% commercial representation requirement outlined in the NAR Constitution. Approved a recommendation from the Credentials and Campaign Rules Committee to amend qualifications for president-elect, first vice president and treasurer effective Jan. 1, 2026. Qualifications for top-line officers are now aligned with those already in place for regional vice presidents. Approved recommendations from the Member Accountability Committee related to applications for volunteer leadership and the Statement of Appropriate Event Conduct. The goal of the recommendations is to ensure members found in violation of the NAR Member Code of Conduct are properly disclosed. Award Winners NAR President Kevin Sears announced the 2025 Distinguished Service Award winners James P. Cormier , AHWD, C2EX, of Minneapolis-St. Paul, and Brooke S. Hunt , AHWD, E-PRO, SFR, SRS, C2EX , of Flower Mound, Texas. In addition, the group recognized the winner of the 2024 William R. Magel Award, Anne Marie DeCatsye , CEO of the Canopy REALTOR® Association and Canopy MLS in the Charlotte, N.C., metro area. REALTORS® Relief Foundation During the meeting, REALTORS® Relief Foundation President Greg Hrabcak appealed to board members to make a tax-deductible donation. The fund provides housing assistance to victims in the immediate aftermath of a disaster; 100% of funds donated go to disaster relief. “We’ve had devastating wildfires in California, tornadoes in Missouri and Kentucky and flooding in West Virginia, and we’re still in the first half of this year,” Hrabcak said. Before the meeting ended, directors had donated more than $41,000.
Whether you’re working in Baton Rouge, Shreveport, Lafayette, or anywhere in between, here’s how you can use Homeownership Month to elevate your real estate marketing and better serve your community.
