Your Membership, Your Way - February 2009

SAVING YOU TIME

We’ve enhanced our C.A.R. Member Legal Services to help you find answers to your legal questions as quickly as possible.

• Updated Legal Blog: The C.A.R. Legal Blog is a forum where you can have your legal questions answered by C.A.R. attorneys. Submit questions by clicking on the “Ask New Legal Question” link on the blog and submit your question as a comment. Answers to questions on the blog are provided in the comment section below the question. You even can submit follow-up questions or comments to the answers if desired. Click here to access the newly revised Legal Blog.
• C.A.R. Legal Webinars and Videos: We do our best to keep you informed about the legal issues that impact your business. In case you missed a recent legal webinar, or want to see what new legal videos we have to offer, click here.
• Automated Legal Hotline: E-mailing your legal questions is now even simpler! You can submit your Legal Hotline questions easily with our new automated Legal Hotline service. You no longer have to wait on hold–simply fill out the form and one of our attorneys will call you back to discuss your question in more detail.

Don’t spend your time searching for market trend statistics. We’ve put all the data in one place for you. Click here to find out what we learned from the 2009 housing market by reading our most recent TRENDS in California Real Estate newsletter. It’s free for members.

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SAVING YOU MONEY

The 2009 Survey of California Home Sellers is available now and FREE for C.A.R. members. Help provide your clients with the best service by getting the inside information on what home sellers are thinking—download our 2009 Survey of California Home Sellers at no cost.

The 2010 A REALTOR®’S Guide: Finance Programs for First-time Home Buyers is now updated and available free of charge from C.A.R. Today’s market holds tremendous opportunities for first-time buyers. Housing affordability is at historic highs in many areas as low mortgage rates, government tax credits, and lower home prices have continued to make the goal of homeownership within reach for many California households.

Prospective buyers need your help and expertise to navigate through the often convoluted process of purchasing a home. We have developed and updated this guide as an introduction to the programs currently available to potential California home buyers from local, state, and federal agencies. A REALTOR®’s Guide: Finance Programs for First-time Home Buyers offers the basics of working with these programs, as well as practical tips to help avoid common pitfalls.

Click here to download the updated guide and share this valuable information with your clients.

Time to print new business cards or newsletters? Use your C.A.R. membership and save 10 percent on all orders from PrintingForLess.com. Upload your brochures, letters, envelopes, and other marketing materials in any MAC or PC format and receive instant quotes and proofs online. If you don’t have your own artwork, the site can take care of that for you, too.

SAVING YOUR SANITY

Reminder – zipForm® 6 will be mandatory beginning March 31. If you haven’t yet made the switch, sign up for a free webinar today to learn how the new user-friendly software can make completing your transactions easier.

And don’t forget that you can now access ePUBS™ for zipForm® 6 as a free member benefit. Click here to access our ePUBS™ frequently asked questions.

Screening potential renters has never been easier. TransUnion SmartMove gives you instant access to background data on more than 500 million people. Renters can provide their information directly to the site, ensuring extra privacy for them and fewer headaches for you. Plus, C.A.R. members receive a 20-percent discount. Click here for more details.

SAVING YOUR TRANSACTION

Don’t forget – our REALTOR® S.W.A.T. events are coming to a location near you! The full-day event includes a local economic and market update by a C.A.R. economist; panel discussion with legal and finance experts to help you navigate the new laws; four hours of continuing education credits on the new Residential Purchase Agreement and Joint Escrow Instructions (RPA-CA Form); an overview of how to use the Treasury Department’s Home Affordable Foreclosure Alternatives program; and includes continental breakfast and lunch. Click here for more information, updated schedules, and to register.

Keep abreast of the latest foreclosure information in your area by visiting a foreclosure prevention community workshop. The workshops describe the foreclosure process, short sales, and government programs that help keep residents in their homes. To see a list of workshops in your area, click here. For its members, C.A.R. also offers a customizable, bilingual brochure to hand out to consumers that warns against foreclosure rescue scams.

Refresh your FHA knowledge with our free webinar series. The series consists of one-hour sessions presented by HUD and cover everything you need to know about FHA. Click here for details about upcoming session topics, schedules, and to reserve your spot.