Your Membership, Your Way

SAVING YOU TIME

With our new My C.A.R. mobile application, the information you need is at your fingertips. The My C.A.R. mobile application is the first iPhone application for use by a REALTOR^® association. Designed for the iPhone/iPod touch, with a companion version available for Blackberry® and other Web-enabled mobile devices, the My C.A.R. mobile application features: Inman News stories, market data for 21 California regions, current loan information, highlights from C.A.R.’s Market Matters newsletter, C.A.R. resources, license renewal and continuing education search functionalities, hot issue news alerts, and links to information that may be of interest to C.A.R. directors. Plus, it’s FREE for C.A.R. members to download directly from the Apple iTunes store. Click here for more information and download directions.

Wishing you had instant access to Your Membership, Your Way content? Your Membership, Your Way is now available via RSS feed. Now you can have this important news and information delivered to your inbox in real time. The feed is available at: www.car.org/media/rss/ymyw.xml. Simply follow the link and click “subscribe to this feed.”

SAVING YOU MONEY

Big win for REALTORS^® – independent contractor withholding not in the state budget. C.A.R. aggressively opposed the 3 percent independent contractor withholding proposal on the table during recent state budget discussions. We want to thank you for reaching out to your legislators. As a result of our joint efforts, the over withholding scheme was not included in the agreement. More than 8,000 REALTORS^® used C.A.R.’s mobilization hotline to voice their opposition to this proposal. Countless others e-mailed, wrote, faxed, or called their legislators directly. Your actions sent a clear message to our elected officials: Even when the odds are stacked against us, we will not give up quietly, and will continue to fight for REALTORS^®’ rights. Click here to learn more about C.A.R.’s Member Mobilization efforts.

FREE webinar alert: Member Benefits 101: Make the Most of Your C.A.R. Membership. In this informative webinar, you’ll learn how to fully utilize your C.A.R. membership to save you time and money. Topics covered include C.A.R. Legal Services, WINForms^®, Communication Tools, and Member Advantage Program partners TransUnion/Smart Move and Mobile Real Estate ID™. You’ll leave the session with tips and tools ranging from how to be smart about screening your rental applicants to how, for less than $100 a year, you can allow buyers to access property information, pictures, and your customized contact info right on their cell phone. Join us for an overview of your C.A.R. Member Benefits and Member Advantage Program partners on Aug. 27 from 10 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. Maximize your membership—click here to register today!

For the first time ever, the Trends In California Real Estate newsletter is FREE for members as part of our SMART program initiative. Success in today’s market depends on people, technology, and a competitive edge. Our Trends In California Real Estate newsletter arms you with that competitive edge with the latest information on California’s housing market. Click here to download the latest issue and visit us online to see what else is SMART – www.car.org/tools/smart/free.

SAVING YOUR SANITY

CALIFORNIA REALTOR® EXPO 2009 takes the guesswork out of identifying today’s hot issues in real estate.We’ve planned more than 50 free sessions just for you on timely topics such as REOs, short sales, foreclosures, loan modifications, social networking, and more. You don’t want to miss out. If you pre-register by Oct. 5, you get the added benefit of saving money. What are you waiting for? This year’s REALTOR® EXPO takes place Oct. 6-8 at the San Jose Convention Center. Admission to the exhibit hall is free for C.A.R. members, but registration is required. Visit www.realtorexpo.org or call (800) 242-2732 to register today

SAVING YOUR TRANSACTION

Our new “Red Flags for Foreclosure Scams” document is now available in Spanish. With the latest wave of foreclosures, foreclosure-related scams have exploded onto the real estate scene.  The “Foreclosure Scams” document describes the warning signs of foreclosure scams and the different resources available to homeowners who have been victimized by such scams. This document is designed for REALTORS^® to give to consumers and raise awareness about this important issue.  REALTORS^® can customize these documents with personal contact information. Click here to access both customizable forms.

Back by popular demand – master the FHA transaction with C.A.R.’s free “Think FHA” webinar series. We’ve partnered with the Dept. of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to offer a series of free webinars covering everything you need to know about FHA transactions. HUD’s Nancy West will walk you through topics ranging from how recent Mortgagee Letters affect you as a REALTOR^® to how the FHA rehabilitation programs work with REOs and distressed properties, as well as for homes your buyers purchase and want to renovate. The next two webinar sessions are scheduled for Aug. 26 and Sept. 9, from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. Space is limited, so click here to register now and reserve your spot.

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