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$18,000 In Combined Tax Credits For a Limited Time!

Californians have a brief window of opportunity to receive up to $18,000 in combined federal and state homebuyer tax credits. To take advantage of both tax credits, a first-time homebuyer must enter into a purchase contract for a principal residence before May 1, 2010, and close escrow between May 1, 2010 and June 30, [...]

Governor Signed New Homebuyer Tax Credit

Governor Schwarzenegger today signed AB 183 providing $200 million for home buyer tax credits. The bill allocates $100 million for qualified first-time home buyers who purchase existing homes and $100 million for purchasers of new, or previously unoccupied, homes.

Eligible taxpayers who close escrow on qualified principal residences between May 1, 2010 and [...]

Governor Expected to Sign State Homebuyer Tax Credit Bill

The California legislature on Monday passed AB 183, providing $200 million for home buyer tax credits. The Governor is expected to sign the bill into law this week. C.A.R. supported this important legislation since its inception. Part of a package of four bills passed at the request of the Governor, AB 183 is designed [...]

Your March Message from C.A.R. President Steve Goddard

Steve Goddard - 2010 C.A.R. President

Steve Goddard - 2010 C.A.R. President


Dear C.A.R. Member:

You’ve heard from me before about upgrading your WINForms® software to zipForm® 6, and nearly 100,000 of you have done so. Thanks! But if you haven’t, you must upgrade your WINForms® software by March 31 – WINForms® no longer will be available come April 1. March also is the month to renew your access to the software. If you upgraded to zipForm® 6 before March 1, you need to renew by logging in to your zipForm® account, where you’ll be prompted to “Renew Now.” For information on all things zipForm®, go to car.org and click on the “Learn More” link under the zipForm® 6 logo in Quick Links.

Also on the forms front, the final versions of C.A.R.’s new Residential Purchase Agreement (RPA), two related new forms, and one revised form now are available for you to preview at http://www.car.org/legal/standard-forms/rpa-study-group-input/. These forms, along with 16 additional revised forms, will be released April 28 in both zipForm® 6 and hard copy format.

C.A.R. is offering a variety of training opportunities related to the new RPA. REALTOR® S.W.A.T. (Special Weapons and Tactics) events are being held throughout the state and incorporate RPA training with continuing education credits, as well as market and legal updates, and more; go to www.realtorswat.com for information on an event near you. Additional training specific to the new RPA also is available. Visit www.car.org/education/calendar/CourseScheduleQ1/  for classes being offered. Free training is available through Forms Tutor®, an online service that explains the standard forms clause-by-clause, with audio and text instructions. Please visit http://www.car.org/tools/zipForm6/ft/  for Forms Tutor® information, which will be updated on April 28 to reflect the new RPA and related forms associated with the release.

Continue reading: Your March Message from C.A.R. President Steve Goddard

Masters Club Mixer is Coming Up

On Thursday March 11th there will be a Masters Club mixer for all Masters Club members and their guests, each member may bring up to 2 guests. Come and enjoy wine tasting, live music, and Hors D’oeuvres. We will gather at the listing of Marge Reid, 1424 38th Street in East Sacramento. Please RSVP [...]

NFIP Temporary Extension

A temporary extension of the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) was signed into law by President Obama on March 2. This will extend the NFIP through March 28 (it was originally scheduled to expire on February 28). The temporary extension will allow Congress to work on a longer extension, currently pending in the Senate, [...]

Earn Your SRES Designation! Classes Now Forming in Your Area

The CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® and the Sacramento Association of REALTORS® present

NAR’s Seniors Real Estate Specialist (SRES®) Designation

This course is Department of Real Estate accredited for 12 hours of Continuing Education (CE) in Consumer Service. (0001)
Click here to view the SRES® General Information Page

NAR Designations help the best and the most dedicated REALTORS® in the industry distinguish and brand themselves through specialized niche markets to nearly double their earning potential. Earn your SRES® designation to increase your revenue and further your career in real estate.

Enroll now and save $154 off the retail price of $399 for the Seniors Real Estate Specialist (SRES®) Designation!

The SRES® designation is the only real estate designation addressing the needs of today’s home buyers age 50-plus within your market. This unique designation is designed for the real estate agent who wants to focus on working with mature clients through major financial and lifestyle transitions. When you earn the SRES® designation you’ll learn how to:

  • Identify the power of generational demographics.
  • Develop and maintain marketing skills.
  • Counsel local seniors rather than selling the family home.
  • Use team-building skills with other SRES® professionals.
  • Understand the implications of tax laws, probate and estate planning.
  • Create a unique marketing opportunity that separates you from the competition.
  • You will also be listed online in the SRES® referral database which provides direct client contact and referrals from other SRES® designees.

To receive the SRES® designation, you must complete the two day core course and successfully pass the exam.

Click here for an overview of the SRES® designation, course objectives, and course outline.

Continue reading: Earn Your SRES Designation! Classes Now Forming in Your Area

RSA Tokens Due to MetroList by March 11 to Be Eligible For Great Prizes

Thank you for your help in collecting the RSA Secure Tokens in the MetroList transition from tokens to Adaptive Authentication sign-on. We are pleased with the smooth transition process.

With the transition now complete, all old RSA Secure Tokens are due into any MetroList Admin Center by Wednesday, March 11, 2010 to [...]

New Use Tax Registration Requirements for Qualified Purchasers

Linda Harris of the Board of Equalization reminds Members of the newly added section 6225 to the California Revenue and Taxation Code (RTC) that requires a qualified purchaser to register with the Board of Equalization (BOE) and report and pay use tax directly to the BOE by April 15th for the preceding calendar year [...]

Thoughts on Turning 75

Barbara HarschSome things change in life and some do not. I have been thinking of the changes I have seen in my life time.

When I was a little girl, I rode trolleys up and down J Street. When you called and the phone was busy, you called again. The answering machine was the mother at the other end of the line, who took a message. A long distance call was cause for alarm since one never called long distance unless it was an emergency. At school, if you got into trouble, you got into more trouble at home. All children had books and paper and pencils. There were lockers so kids did not have to lug all of the day’s books around with them and there were no back packs. I was forbidden to go into the park next to my Junior High School at lunch because kids were smoking there… cigarettes. Milk was delivered to the door and moms met in the street to gossip at the vegetable man’s truck.

Sacramento ended in East Sacramento on J Street at 57th. H Street went over the H Street bridge to become Fair Oaks Boulevard. The shopping mall was Town and Country, but it took too much gas to get there so we seldom went. In summer, we swam at Clunie Pool at McKinley Park unless it was closed for a polio scare. The library was a constant source of entertainment for me. We listened to the radio shows. We went to the State Fair at the old fairgrounds. We went to dances at Governor’s Hall. We took public transportation and did not worry about child abduction.

Continue reading: Thoughts on Turning 75