REALTOR ® Association of Central Massachusetts 1 www.cmarealtors.org President’s Message 1 Month at a Glance 2 Featured Affiliate: Bill Murphy of Fairway Mortgage 3 Membership News 4-5 CREST Classes 4 REALTORS® Commercial Alliance Training 6 Code of Ethics Training 7 MAR News 8 Golf Tournament 9-11 Government Affairs 12-13 Local Market Update 14 Legal Hotline 15 Community Action 16 RACM Mission Statement The purpose of the REALTOR ® Association of Central Massachu- setts is to: Provide REALTOR ® members with the resources that enable them to serve the public in an ethical and professional manner Take an active role regarding issues affecting sellers, buyers, tenants and landlords. Inside this Issue: PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE Happy Summer Fellow REALTORS! I hope you all had a great holiday weekend. I saw a lot of posts on social media showing fun filled 4ths! I cannot believe half of 2016 is complete. It has been a successful market to say the least for home buying and selling. It has been a successful half of the year for our board as well. First off, we are having a new website designed to enhance our presence as a local board and to increase our capability as a resource for our current members. We are very excited about the company that is working on this for us, Envision Digital, and we should be up and running with it by the end of the year. As a result of analyzing our current name, "Central Massachusetts Association of REAL- TORS®," Envision thought having "REALTOR®" as the first word in our name would be a wise choice to enhance our online presence. Since we just wanted to rearrange the current words that were approved last year by NAR, we were approved to have the name "REALTOR® As- sociation of Central Massachusetts." This will be implemented more once our new website is live. We are still in a competing market with our clients. So, remember to be kind to everyone. Communication with all parties in a transaction is key for a successful and smooth closing! Have a great July! Kris Kris Koliss 2016 RACM President REALTOR ® Association of Central Massachusetts Connections July/August 2016
Monthly newsletter for the members of the REALTOR® Association of Central Massachusetts.
Welcome message from author
This document is posted to help you gain knowledge. Please leave a comment to let me know what you think about it! Share it to your friends and learn new things together.
Transcript
REALTORreg Association of Central Massachusetts 1 wwwcmarealtorsorg
Presidentrsquos Message 1
Month at a Glance 2
Featured Affiliate Bill Murphy of Fairway Mortgage
3
Membership News 4-5CREST Classes 4REALTORSreg Commercial Alliance Training 6
Code of Ethics Training 7MAR News 8Golf Tournament 9-11Government Affairs 12-13Local Market Update 14Legal Hotline 15Community Action 16
RACM Mission Statement
The purpose of the REALTORreg Association of Central Massachu-setts is to
Provide REALTORreg members with the resources that enable them to serve the public in an ethical and professional manner
Take an active role regarding issues affecting sellers buyers tenants and landlords
Inside this IssueJuly August 2016
PRESIDENTrsquoS MESSAGEHappy Summer Fellow REALTORSI hope you all had a great holiday weekend I saw a lot of posts on social media showing fun filled 4ths I cannot believe half of 2016 is complete It has been a successful market to say the least for home buying and selling It has been a successful half of the year for our board as well
First off we are having a new website designed to enhance our presence as a local board and to increase our capability as a resource for our current members We are very excited about the company that is working on this for us Envision Digital and we should be up and
running with it by the end of the year
As a result of analyzing our current name Central Massachusetts Association of REAL-TORSreg Envision thought having REALTORreg as the first word in our name would be a wise choice to enhance our online presence Since we just wanted to rearrange the current words that were approved last year by NAR we were approved to have the name REALTORreg As-sociation of Central Massachusetts This will be implemented more once our new website is live
We are still in a competing market with our clients So remember to be kind to everyone Communication with all parties in a transaction is key for a successful and smooth closing
Have a great July
KrisKris Koliss2016 RACM President
REALTORreg Association of Central Massachusetts
ConnectionsJulyAugust 2016
REALTORreg Association of Central Massachusetts 2 wwwcmarealtorsorg
July 2016Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday
1 2
3 4 5 6 7 8930-330 MLS PIN Training
9
10 11530-930 Pre-License Class
12800-200 CEU Classes CREST
13 14 15 16
17 18 19930-330 MLS PIN Training
20 21 22 23
24 25 26800-1200 CEU Classes CREST
27930-1200 Finance Mtg
28 29 30
RACM MONTH-AT-A-GLANCE
Upcoming EventsSeptember 21 - New Member Orientation at RACM September 23 - Legislative Breakfast at the Worcester Technical High SchoolSeptember 27 amp 28 - New England REALTORSreg Committee Conference in Newport RI October 5 amp 6 - MAR Conference amp Trade Show at Foxwoods - Book now - Hotel rooms selling quicklyOctober 27 - Annual Meeting at the Botanical GardensDecember 1 - Installation of 2017 Officers amp Directors
August 2016Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday
1 2 3 4 5 6
7 8 9 10 11 12 13
14 15 16 178000-200 CEU Classes CREST200-500 Back Pack Sorting
18900-500 Back Pack Sort amp Shop
19Back Back Distribution
20
21 22 23 24 25 26 27
28 29 30 21930-12 Code of Ethics Training
REALTORreg Association of Central Massachusetts 3 wwwcmarealtorsorg
FEATURED AFFILIATE BILL MURPHY OF FAIRWAY MORTGAGEBanker amp Tradesman Recognizes Bill Murphy of Fairway Independent MortgageBill Murphy Branch Manager of Fairway Independent Mortgage Corporationrsquos Auburn MA branch has been recognized for a second year in a row by Banker amp Trades-man as the number one loan originator based on volume and the number two loan originator based on units in CentralWestern MA The annual ldquoTop Loan Originatorsrdquo list is published each June and recognizes top mortgage originators throughout the state by both number of units and total dollar amount
Bill Murphy has a history of high performance having received top sales awards from Fairway Independent Mortgage Corporation and been recognized by Mort-gage Executive Magazine as part of the top 1 of Loan Originators nationwide for the last four years Murphy a Worcester State University graduate was awarded the 2008 Worcester State Distinguished Alumni award in addition to funding six scholarships at the University In 2007 Murphy was given the Affiliate of the Year award by the Worcester Regional Association of Realtors Bill has also been a long-time supporter of the Make-a-Wish Foun-dation having donated over $120000 and granted 17 wishes over the past nine years
ldquoIrsquom honored that my clients and referral partners feel confident in my ability and have continued to work with me over the yearsrdquo said Murphy ldquoIrsquom humbled by this recognition and proud of the service I provide to each and every one of my clientsrdquo
Fairway Independent Mortgage Corporation has eleven locations in Massachusetts including the Auburn branch Fairway Independent Mortgage Corporation is among the top 10 lenders in the country and is the number eight lender for residential purchases in MA Working with the top national and regional investors Fairway is committed to providing customers with the best rates and programs available while also offering personal care to meet indi-vidual needs To reach Bill Murphy in Auburn call 508-407-8300 or email wmurphyfairwaymccom For more information visit wwwfairwaymortgagenecom
SUMMER HOURS
Please note that RACMs summer hours for July amp August will be 900 am - 400 pm
REALTORreg Association of Central Massachusetts 4 wwwcmarealtorsorg
MEMBERSHIP NEWSNew Applicants Emily Anderson Harwick Petersham Properties PetershamJaime Aviles Keller Williams Realty WorcesterHans Berg Exit Beacon Pointe Realty NorthboroSamantha Choate Keller Williams NCentral LeominsterDeanna Faucher Lamacchia Realty WalthamMelissa Greska REMAX Professional Assoc AuburnThomas Krumsick Keller Williams Realty WorcesterMark Lawton ERA Key Realty Services AuburnMardek Mardirossian Keller Williams Realty WorcesterPaulette McKenzie Keller Williams Realty WestboroJohn Millen Lamacchia Realty WalthamKeith Seymour Keller Williams Realty WorcesterMichelle Vecchio-Gangel Keller Williams Realty Worcester
New AffiliateAshley Slusser Quicken Loans 1050 Woodward Avenue Detroit MI
Agents Transferred to New OfficeNicholas Baniukiewicz Exit Realty Partners ShrewsburyLeonidas Dosreis LAER Realty Partners NorthboroStephanie Dupuis Waterwheel Realty BarreMatthew Jette Keller Williams Realty WorcesterBrittnay LaFleche LAER Realty Partners NorthboroPamela Mills Red Door Realty SturbridgeMorgan Nordby LAER Realty Partners NorthboroJasmine Randhawa Keller Williams Realty WorcesterPatrick Sullivan LAER Realty Partners NorthboroMegan Winslow LAER Realty Partners Northboro Ryan Winslow LAER Realty Partners Northboro
Affiliates Transferred to New OfficePaul Nocivelli Residential Mortgage Services 193 West Boylston Street W Boylston
George Simone Movement Mortgage 179 Shrewsbury Street Worcester MA
Time InstructorCourse Code
Course TitleTuesday July 12 - Auburn
800 am Brad Roberts RE22RC13 Title V1000 am Brad Roberts RE57R07 Brokerage Relationships1200 pm Brad Roberts RE73R11 VA Loans
Tuesday July 26 - Auburn800 am Brad Roberts RE34RC03 National Economic Trends amp the Real Estate Professional1000 am Brad Roberts RE59R09 Smart Growth Smart Energy
Wednesday August 17 - Auburn800 am Gary Bourque RE26RC07 Appraisal Process1000 am Gary Bourque RE51R06 Faciliator1200 pm Gary Bourque RE83C13 EscrowEscrow AgentsEscrow Accounts in Real Estate
Wednesday August 31 - Auburn930 am Paula Savard REALTORreg Code of Ethics Training
CENTER FOR REAL ESTATE STUDIES amp TRAININGUpcoming CEU Courses for July amp August
All classes are held at the RACM CREST School 492 Washington Street Auburn MA 01501 unless otherwise noted RACM Members in good standing receive FREE LOCAL CEUrsquos Tuition for non-members is $20 for each 2-hour CEU You may register for classes online at wwwcmarealtorsorg or by calling the RACM office at 508-832-6600
REALTORreg Association of Central Massachusetts 5 wwwcmarealtorsorg
JULY amp AUGUST BIRTHDAYSWishing a very happy birthday to those celebrating this month May your year ahead be filled with health happiness love and friendship
REALTORreg Association of Central Massachusetts 6 wwwcmarealtorsorg
Marketing SessionDATE Thursday July 14 2016PLACE REALTORreg Association of Central Mass 492 Washington Street AuburnTime 1000 am - 300 pmFREE CEU Class Join us from 10 am - 1200 pm for RE66C11 Anatomy of Commercial Building The Basics
REALTORSregCommercial Alliance
Benefits from attending this marketing session The Generation of Potential Transactions for Buyer amp Seller Clients or YOURSELF Possible Earned Commissions Networking with other Brokers Investors from the local market as well as Regional and National Players Creative transactions amp solutions Find Investor Cash for you or your clients
For more info contact Colleen Pappas at 508-832-6600 x 106
or cpappasrcamaorg
Peter West has been a REALTORreg since 1984 He is licensed in MA NY VT and FL Peter has been awarded the prestigious SEC designation from the Society of Exchange Counselors He also has the CCIM ABR and CRS designations A former National Sales Trainer for Century 21 Real Estate Corp Peter now trains real estate agents throughout all of North America He is a frequent presenter of NARrsquos buyer agency programs In 2007 Peter was inducted into the Buyer Agent Hall of FameHe is also a National Moderator for Commercial Equity marketing sessions Peter is a popular and frequent presenter at state and national conventions
Presented by Peter West
Herersquos one reason why you will want to plan to attend all 12 Sessions
5050Raffle
We will offer a 5050 Raffle at every sessionwith proceeds to benefit the MAR Charitable
Foundation Bring your checkbooks
100 of my 2016 Commercial Sales and Leases were a direct result of RCA-MA Marketing Sessions
Barb Davis-Hassan CCIM2016 RCA-MA President
Thank you to our sponsors
CEU Sponsor
REALTORSreg COMMERCIAL ALLIANCE TRAINING
REALTORreg Association of Central Massachusetts 7 wwwcmarealtorsorg
CODE OF ETHICS TRAINING
Code of Ethics Training
The National Association of REALTORSreg requires all REALTORreg members tocomplete a REALTORreg Code of Ethics course during the four year period that ends December 31 2016
Learn the role the Code should play in your business Enhance professionalism and competency Learn how to use the Code as a viable guide Learn the benefits of Arbitration vs Litigation
Learn the role the Code should play in your business Enhance professionalism and competency Learn how to use the Code as a viable guide Learn the benefits of Arbitration vs Litigation
You may register online at wwwcmarealtorsorg or call the office at 508-832-6600The REALTORreg Association of Central Massachusetts
492 Washington Street Auburn MA 01501
For your convenience RACM will hold classes on the following datesAll classes are FREE for RACM members and 2 CEUrsquos will be awarded
Weds August 31 930 am - 1200 pmWeds October 12 100 - 330 pmSat November 19 19 1230 - 300 pmWeds November 30 930 am - 1200 pmSat December 10 1230 - 300 pmWeds December 14 100 - 330 pmWeds December 28 930 am - 1200 pm
Alternately you may take online training on the NAR website athttpwwwrealtororgcode-of-ethicstrainingNO CEUrsquos are awarded for these online classes
Donrsquot wait until the last minute Fulfill your requirements early
REALTORreg Association of Central Massachusetts 8 wwwcmarealtorsorg
MAR NEWSInstructor Training Institute ITI
This is a program designed to prepare instructors of real estate education to develop course content organize course layout practice various instructional methods and deliver courses effectively to maximize adult learning
When July 27-28Prerequisite There is a 10 hour prerequisite for this course (information will be sent went registered)Where MAR HQ 1400 Main Street WalthamInstructor Paul ChassePrice $600 Course Outline
10 Online pre-req hours
bull e-Learning Educationbull Drafting a lesson plan that works onlinebull Distance educationbull Web-sessions webinars bull Live vs recordedbull Exploring platformsbull (Individual Project) Watch two MAR webinars and email
DropBox comparison questionnairebull Power Point Beginnerbull Power Point Advancedbull Use of presentation softwarebull Positives and negative of presentation software usebull Review the most popular free and web based toolsbull (Individual Project) Create a 10 minute presentation with
presentation softwarebull Review Live Course Syllabusbull Insight into the 2 day live training
Day One 830am-630pm
bull Review the course syllabusbull BiosIntroductionsbull Introduction vs Biobull Single project Write a speaker introduction about yourselfbull Class introductionsbull (Group project split into 2 or 3 groups) Create and record
a 10 minute presentation based on your presentation software project
bull Understanding the learning styles spectrum bull What are your natural training strengthsbull The four learning stylesbull The four steps of the learning stylesbull Group ProjectReview each 10 minute presentation re-
corded at the beginning of the day and discuss based on the days lesson plan
Day Two 830am-630pm
bull Preparing for the lessonbull Having the proper equipmentbull Effective time managementbull Drafting a lesson plan that worksbull Props games and funbull Gage success through effective evaluationsbull Group project (split into 2 or 3 groups) Create and record
a new 10 minute presentation and review with the class
Course syllabus subject to change Times may vary slightly due to class size
MAR CommitteesAre you or someone you know interested in serving on an MAR committee in 2017 Make your requests now The online Committee Request Form is now open on wwwmarealtorcom
bull Login to the MAR website bull Click on ldquoProfilerdquo bull Click the ldquoCommitteesrdquo tab and finally bull Click on the link to volunteer for a 2017 commit-
tee bullbull The deadline for submitting committee requests
is July 31 2016 All requests must be submit-ted online through the MAR Portal Contact Kara Morgan MAR Executive Assistant (kmorganmarealtorcom) with additional questions
MAR Good Neighbor AwardIn 2004 the Massachusetts Association of REALTORSreg (MAR) estab-lished the Good Neighbor Awards program to recognize real estate professionals for their community activism The award is to be pre-sented annually to REALTORSreg who demonstrate an extraordinary commitment to community service through volunteerism and civic and charitable contributions that improve the lives of local residents and make their community a better place to live
Entrants for the award may engage in a broad range of eligible activi-ties that might include but may not be limited to volunteer work in-volving affordable housing issues educational programs youth-related activities or any other civic or charitable activity that improves the lives of local residents or the community at-large
To Apply visit httpswwwmarealtorcommembersgovernanceabout-mar-awardsgood-neighbor-award
REALTORreg Association of Central Massachusetts 9 wwwcmarealtorsorg
RACM 18th ANNUAL GOLF TOURNAMENTJune 23 saw us with another sold out tourna-ment and an absolutely beautiful day on the course Thank you to all of our sponsors and our participants for making this a success We were able to donate $2000 to our 2016 Charities of Choice The Bridge of Central Mass and the Worcester Boys amp Girls Club
Thank you to our professional photographer Tony Chabot of Pro RE Photography and to Gretchen Antonelli of Forward Financial for all of these great shots
Congratulations to our winning teams FIRST PLACE Jo-Ann Szymczak Chuck Szymczak Ron Gagner amp Jan GagnerSECOND PLACE Steve Cavallo Andrew Burton Mark McCabe amp Aram Kalashian THIRD PLACE Kevin Holloway Lisa Shaw Nancy Shaw-Morley amp Anne Marie Rafferty
Big thanks to all of our major sponsors of this event as well as the greens amp tees sponsors
PLATINUM SPONSORSThe Law Office of Jessica AlbinoCahn amp Barron LLC Attorneys at LawFairway MortgageMovement MortgageNorcom MortgagePeoples Home LoansPrestige Home MortgageResidential Mortgage ServicesSouthbridge SavingsWintrust Mortgage
GOLD SPONSORSBank of CantonFidelity BankMLS PINSecurity First Mortgage The Law Offices of Scott Wrenn PC
SILVER SPONSORSCommonwealth Environmental ServicesLaw Office of Harry P Kotseas Peoples United Bank
BRONZE SPONSORSCountry BankForward Financial Services IncThe Law Office of David R Rocheford Jr PC
DRINK TICKET SPONSORSOpen Door Real Estate and Simonian and Murray Attorneys at Law
Longest Drive Sponsor Pam Crawford amp Lorraine Herbert of REMAX Professional As-sociates
Golf Committee Chair Judy Patterson presents the 1st Place Awards to Jo-Ann Szymczak and her team comprised of Chuck Szymczak Ron Gagner and Jan Gagner
REALTORreg Association of Central Massachusetts 10 wwwcmarealtorsorg
RACM 18th ANNUAL GOLF TOURNAMENT
Second Place Team Third Place Team
REALTORreg Association of Central Massachusetts 11 wwwcmarealtorsorg
RACM 18th ANNUAL GOLF TOURNAMENT
REALTORreg Association of Central Massachusetts 12 wwwcmarealtorsorg
FALL MAR CHARITABLE GRANTSOur Community Action Committee was proud to be able to do-nate Golf Tournament Proceeds in the amount of $1000 to each of our 2016 Charities of Choice The Boys and Girls Club and The Bridge of Central Massachusetts
Each year our committee partners with two local charities and then we focus our committee efforts and fundraising towards their goals We are pleased to say that with our combined efforts with the MAR Charitable Foundation to date we have contributed over $5000 in dollars and donations
We also treated the charities to a Red Sox game on June 16 when we donated 10 tickets to the REALTORreg Day at Fenway
Thank you to all who helped make this yearrsquos tournament a re-sounding success especially Committee Chair Judy Patterson
The fall grant applications are due August 31 so if you are involved with a local charity that deals with homelessness please contact Colleen to see how your charity can be nominated for the grant You can download the grant application on our website at httpwwwcmarealtorsorgdocuments-library2016-housing-grant-application-mar-charitable-foundationpdf
Ken Bates from the Bridge of Central Mass
Ellin Terrill of the Worcester Boys amp Girls Club
Do you work in a community that needs some TLCThe Government Affairs Committee is looking for projects for NARrsquos Place-making Grant Program If you are a local community leader please let us know how we can help with beautifying a spot within your town Project ideas range from Little League signage to dog parks to beau-tifying a local monument NAR is ready to partner with us to help make your dream a reality
Contact Nathan Stewart head of the grant task force NathanStewartNEMovescom
Backpack DriveCan you help out with this years Backpack Drive The Commu-nity Action Committee welcomes donations of backpacks and sup-plies (see the full list of needs items on our flyer on the last page of this newsletter) or cash to help purchase items
Help is also need in packing and delivering the items on August 17 18 or 19
If you can help in any way items can be dropped of here at RACM or at any of the offices listed on the flyer Or give us a call and let us know your availability for packingdelivery - 508-832-6600
REALTORreg Association of Central Massachusetts 13 wwwcmarealtorsorg
COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENT amp LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS
Over 45 RACM members joined more than 500 REALTORSreg to advocate for home ownership and private property rights at the State House on June 12 at the annual Day on Beacon Hill Keynote speaker was Lieutenant Governor of Massachu-setts Karen Polito
REALTORSreg Fighting the Fight on Beacon HillThe saying ldquoIf Real Estate is your profession then politics is your businessrdquo has never been more true than in this political cycle In a two-year session of the Legislature thousands of bills are filed some of which result in legislation producing the laws of our Commonwealth
There are many bills filed with well-intentioned measures that are in direct conflict with an opposing concern Having trusted advocates help to discern the layers within the bills is extremely beneficial to our state representatives and senators That is why each June REALTORSreg are welcomed with open arms at the State House at our Day on Beacon Hill This year we cel-ebrated 31 years of coming together for this powerful day The relationships we have made with our local representatives is paramount in our efforts to protect and promote home owner-ship
How Can You Help
There are several ways you can become more involved
bull Calls to Action - We are so fortunate that our state associa-tion stays on top of the issues and keeps us informed and makes it easy for us to take action MAR will issue an email Call to Action to alert us to pending legislaton that will ei-ther help our industry or hurt us
Calls for Action are only issued in extreme circumstances so when you see one you can trust that it is important With this 2 year cycle ending July 31 there is much happening on Beacon Hill which is why we had 2 Calls to Action in June that are still pending resolution One bill pertains to energy scoring and the other concerns zoning Both issues are still in play and you may see more Calls to Action before the end of July Please take a moment and educate yourself on the issues by visiting httpswwwmarealtorcommembersgovernment-affairs
bull SPC (State Political Coordinator) ndash We have a program where members are assigned to their local senator or representa-tive and become a liason to help communicate our mes-sage If you would like more information please contact Erika Hall ceshall07gmailcom chairperson of the task force
bull Invest in RPAC When you see that amount on your annual dues invoice please be sure to check YES
bull Volunteer to be on the Government Affairs Committee and let your voice be heard 2017 appointments will be made this fall
Remember ndash we are the only association that lobbies on behalf of homeowners in America Be proud of your REALTORreg membership and communicate your value to your clients and customers
REALTORreg Association of Central Massachusetts 14 wwwcmarealtorsorg
Inventory of Homes for Sale 498 371 - 255 -- -- --
Months Supply of Inventory 48 30 - 374 -- -- --
Cumulative Days on Market Until Sale 86 78 - 84 106 104 - 20
Percent of Original List Price Received 955 966 + 12 957 962 + 05
New Listings 246 190 - 228 892 903 + 12
- 326
Local Market Update ndash May 2016A RESEARCH TOOL PROVIDED BY THE MASSACHUSETTS ASSOCIATION OF REALTORSreg
Central Massachusetts Association of REALTORSreg
+ 97 - 20Year-Over-Year
Change inClosed SalesAll Properties
Year-Over-YearChange in
Median Sales PriceAll Properties
Year-Over-YearChange in
Inventory of HomesAll Properties
Does not account for seller concessions | Activity for one month can sometimes look extreme due to small sample size
Single-Family Properties
Condominium Properties
May Year to Date
May Year to Date
All data from the Berkshire County Multiple Listing Service Cape Cod amp Islands Association of REALTORSreg Inc and MLS Property Information Network Inc Provided by MAR Report copy 2016 ShowingTime
Median Sales Price BASED ON A ROLLING 12-MONTH AVERAGE
Entire State Entire State
Central Massachusetts Association of REALTORSreg Central Massachusetts Association of REALTORSreg
A rolling 12-month calculation represents the current month and the 11 months prior in a single data point If no activity occurred during a month the line extends to the next available data point
REALTORreg Association of Central Massachusetts 15 wwwcmarealtorsorg
LEGAL HOTLINEMichael McDonagh MAR General CounselAshley Stolba MAR Associate Counsel Justin Davidson MAR Legislative amp Regulatory Counsel
Shining the Light on SolarAre you representing a client who is selling a home with solar panels on the roof Is your buyer looking to make an offer on a house with solar panels If so here is what you need to know to better prepare your client in advanceOWNED PANELS Are the panels leased or owned
Are the panels owned by the seller Or is the seller leasing them from the solar company If the panels are owned by the seller then they should be factored into the price of the home just as any other asset would be It would be prudent to search for comparable homes with owned solar panels as well
A Solar Renewable Energy Credit (SREC)
An SREC is created for every megawatt hour (MWh) of elec-tricity produced by a solar generator SRECs allow a seller with a solar array to use electricity that is produced by the panels and then separately sell the SREC to a utility com-pany You should factor in an SREC when valuing the asset Some solar owners use SREC brokers to handle the sale so if you have a seller who is part of a ten-year SREC program they may consider selling their future credits through such a broker If a seller does this they would then value their solar panels based on the energy savings that they provideBuyers need to ask sellers if they are part of an SREC pro-gram and whether the SRECs will be transferred with the panels If they are a buyer would also want to know what the average annual output of the panels has been so that they can properly value them
Leased Panels
If the panels are leased it can be a bit more omplicated When representing a seller with leased solar panels agents should recommend that the seller contact the leasing com-pany right away to let them know that they are planning to sell the home In fact some solar companies have set up departments specifically to work on lease transfers Whatrsquos a UCC-1
The solar company may reference a UCC-1 (Uniform Com-mercial Code ndash 1) that has been recorded with the property A UCC-1 is a legal form that acts as a lien against the solar equipment on the property and is used by the solar com-panies to protect their interest in the leased panels These finds should be recorded at your local registry of deeds
It is important to know whether or not a UCC-1 has been recorded with the property because some lenders may have concerns that the UCC-1 will take priority over the mortgage in the event of a bankruptcy Some companies will remove the UCC-1 filing and then replace it when the new mortgage is recorded
Buyer Clients
If your buyers are interested in a home with leased solar panels you may want to remind them to factor the monthly lease cost when determining whether or not they can afford the home The buyerrsquos lender is likely to consider this when making a determination on their loan Also buyers should review their credit scores because the solar leasing com-panies are going to ensure that the buyer can assume the costs of the lease before they approve a transfer
Seller Clients
Your seller clients have three options when dealing with leased solar panels 1 They can buy out the lease2 Transfer the lease to the new buyer or3 Attempt to transfer the panels to their new home al-though this option may only be available in rare occasions
Remember to always use caution when advising clients about solar panels The Attorney General published the fol-lowing helpful informational sheet on solar panels httpwwwmass govagonews-and-updatespress-releases2016advice-to-homeowners-considering-solar-panelshtml
You can always contact the MAR Legal Hotline if you have any questions at legalhotlinemarealtorcom or (800)-370-LEGAL
Please note a version of this article originally ran in The MAR Report the official blog of the Massachusetts Asso-ciation of Realtorsreg
REALTORreg Association of Central Massachusetts 16 wwwcmarealtorsorg
COMMUNITY ACTION COMMITTEE
RACM office hours are 900 ammdash400 pm during July amp August For assistance with the MLS Lockbox system please make an appointment with Lisa Sprague at 508-832-6600
Please LIKE our facebook page at httpswwwfacebookcomCentralMasslAssociationo-fREALTORS By doing so you will not only get up-to-the-minute information on everything
going on at RACM but you will help us to increase our visibility while growing your own busi-ness network
2016 BOARD OF DIRECTORS
President Kris Koliss
President Elect Sarah GustafsonVice-President Judy Patterson
Secretary Tracey Fiorelli
Treasurer Michael Meurant
Immediate Past President Brad Roberts
Diane Dabrowski DirectorMike DeLuca DirectorErika Hall DirectorLorraine Herbert DirectorLee Joseph DirectorKathy McSweeney DirectorLeslie Storrs DirectorJohn Vaillancourt DirectorAndrew Abu AlternateLeif Rosseland AlternateNathan Stewart Alternate
RACM STAFFExecutive VP
Colleen PappasOffice Manager Lisa Sprague
Marketing Manager Jacki DrsquoInnocenzo
to benefit the elementary and middle school children of Central Mass
We are looking to fill backpacks with the following supplies for elementary and middle school childrenAge-appropriate backpacks are needed as wellAnything you can contribute is greatly appreciated
Items may be dropped at RACM492 Washington StreetAuburn MA or at the followingmember offices
Cash donations gladly accepted
In order to assist our volunteers please do not put supplies inside of backpacks
If you can help pack or deliver items to schoolsplease let us know Help is ALWAYS welcome
REALTORreg Association of Central Massachusetts 492 Washington Street Auburn MA 01501 508-832-6600
Items Needed for each Backpack6 Pens6 Pencils2 Pkg of Lined Paper3 Highlighters1 Binder3 Notebooks3 Two-Pocket Folders1 Ruler1 Pencil Case1 Pkg of 8 Markers1 Pkg of Erasers1 Box of 24 Crayons1 Pkg of 12 Colored Pencils1 Bottle of Glue or Pkg of Glue Sticks
Drive runs from June 1 - August 12Packing days are August 17 amp 18Delivery day is August 19
Central MassachusettsREALTORreg Association of
REALTORreg Association of Central Massachusetts 2 wwwcmarealtorsorg
July 2016Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday
1 2
3 4 5 6 7 8930-330 MLS PIN Training
9
10 11530-930 Pre-License Class
12800-200 CEU Classes CREST
13 14 15 16
17 18 19930-330 MLS PIN Training
20 21 22 23
24 25 26800-1200 CEU Classes CREST
27930-1200 Finance Mtg
28 29 30
RACM MONTH-AT-A-GLANCE
Upcoming EventsSeptember 21 - New Member Orientation at RACM September 23 - Legislative Breakfast at the Worcester Technical High SchoolSeptember 27 amp 28 - New England REALTORSreg Committee Conference in Newport RI October 5 amp 6 - MAR Conference amp Trade Show at Foxwoods - Book now - Hotel rooms selling quicklyOctober 27 - Annual Meeting at the Botanical GardensDecember 1 - Installation of 2017 Officers amp Directors
August 2016Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday
1 2 3 4 5 6
7 8 9 10 11 12 13
14 15 16 178000-200 CEU Classes CREST200-500 Back Pack Sorting
18900-500 Back Pack Sort amp Shop
19Back Back Distribution
20
21 22 23 24 25 26 27
28 29 30 21930-12 Code of Ethics Training
REALTORreg Association of Central Massachusetts 3 wwwcmarealtorsorg
FEATURED AFFILIATE BILL MURPHY OF FAIRWAY MORTGAGEBanker amp Tradesman Recognizes Bill Murphy of Fairway Independent MortgageBill Murphy Branch Manager of Fairway Independent Mortgage Corporationrsquos Auburn MA branch has been recognized for a second year in a row by Banker amp Trades-man as the number one loan originator based on volume and the number two loan originator based on units in CentralWestern MA The annual ldquoTop Loan Originatorsrdquo list is published each June and recognizes top mortgage originators throughout the state by both number of units and total dollar amount
Bill Murphy has a history of high performance having received top sales awards from Fairway Independent Mortgage Corporation and been recognized by Mort-gage Executive Magazine as part of the top 1 of Loan Originators nationwide for the last four years Murphy a Worcester State University graduate was awarded the 2008 Worcester State Distinguished Alumni award in addition to funding six scholarships at the University In 2007 Murphy was given the Affiliate of the Year award by the Worcester Regional Association of Realtors Bill has also been a long-time supporter of the Make-a-Wish Foun-dation having donated over $120000 and granted 17 wishes over the past nine years
ldquoIrsquom honored that my clients and referral partners feel confident in my ability and have continued to work with me over the yearsrdquo said Murphy ldquoIrsquom humbled by this recognition and proud of the service I provide to each and every one of my clientsrdquo
Fairway Independent Mortgage Corporation has eleven locations in Massachusetts including the Auburn branch Fairway Independent Mortgage Corporation is among the top 10 lenders in the country and is the number eight lender for residential purchases in MA Working with the top national and regional investors Fairway is committed to providing customers with the best rates and programs available while also offering personal care to meet indi-vidual needs To reach Bill Murphy in Auburn call 508-407-8300 or email wmurphyfairwaymccom For more information visit wwwfairwaymortgagenecom
SUMMER HOURS
Please note that RACMs summer hours for July amp August will be 900 am - 400 pm
REALTORreg Association of Central Massachusetts 4 wwwcmarealtorsorg
MEMBERSHIP NEWSNew Applicants Emily Anderson Harwick Petersham Properties PetershamJaime Aviles Keller Williams Realty WorcesterHans Berg Exit Beacon Pointe Realty NorthboroSamantha Choate Keller Williams NCentral LeominsterDeanna Faucher Lamacchia Realty WalthamMelissa Greska REMAX Professional Assoc AuburnThomas Krumsick Keller Williams Realty WorcesterMark Lawton ERA Key Realty Services AuburnMardek Mardirossian Keller Williams Realty WorcesterPaulette McKenzie Keller Williams Realty WestboroJohn Millen Lamacchia Realty WalthamKeith Seymour Keller Williams Realty WorcesterMichelle Vecchio-Gangel Keller Williams Realty Worcester
New AffiliateAshley Slusser Quicken Loans 1050 Woodward Avenue Detroit MI
Agents Transferred to New OfficeNicholas Baniukiewicz Exit Realty Partners ShrewsburyLeonidas Dosreis LAER Realty Partners NorthboroStephanie Dupuis Waterwheel Realty BarreMatthew Jette Keller Williams Realty WorcesterBrittnay LaFleche LAER Realty Partners NorthboroPamela Mills Red Door Realty SturbridgeMorgan Nordby LAER Realty Partners NorthboroJasmine Randhawa Keller Williams Realty WorcesterPatrick Sullivan LAER Realty Partners NorthboroMegan Winslow LAER Realty Partners Northboro Ryan Winslow LAER Realty Partners Northboro
Affiliates Transferred to New OfficePaul Nocivelli Residential Mortgage Services 193 West Boylston Street W Boylston
George Simone Movement Mortgage 179 Shrewsbury Street Worcester MA
Time InstructorCourse Code
Course TitleTuesday July 12 - Auburn
800 am Brad Roberts RE22RC13 Title V1000 am Brad Roberts RE57R07 Brokerage Relationships1200 pm Brad Roberts RE73R11 VA Loans
Tuesday July 26 - Auburn800 am Brad Roberts RE34RC03 National Economic Trends amp the Real Estate Professional1000 am Brad Roberts RE59R09 Smart Growth Smart Energy
Wednesday August 17 - Auburn800 am Gary Bourque RE26RC07 Appraisal Process1000 am Gary Bourque RE51R06 Faciliator1200 pm Gary Bourque RE83C13 EscrowEscrow AgentsEscrow Accounts in Real Estate
Wednesday August 31 - Auburn930 am Paula Savard REALTORreg Code of Ethics Training
CENTER FOR REAL ESTATE STUDIES amp TRAININGUpcoming CEU Courses for July amp August
All classes are held at the RACM CREST School 492 Washington Street Auburn MA 01501 unless otherwise noted RACM Members in good standing receive FREE LOCAL CEUrsquos Tuition for non-members is $20 for each 2-hour CEU You may register for classes online at wwwcmarealtorsorg or by calling the RACM office at 508-832-6600
REALTORreg Association of Central Massachusetts 5 wwwcmarealtorsorg
JULY amp AUGUST BIRTHDAYSWishing a very happy birthday to those celebrating this month May your year ahead be filled with health happiness love and friendship
REALTORreg Association of Central Massachusetts 6 wwwcmarealtorsorg
Marketing SessionDATE Thursday July 14 2016PLACE REALTORreg Association of Central Mass 492 Washington Street AuburnTime 1000 am - 300 pmFREE CEU Class Join us from 10 am - 1200 pm for RE66C11 Anatomy of Commercial Building The Basics
REALTORSregCommercial Alliance
Benefits from attending this marketing session The Generation of Potential Transactions for Buyer amp Seller Clients or YOURSELF Possible Earned Commissions Networking with other Brokers Investors from the local market as well as Regional and National Players Creative transactions amp solutions Find Investor Cash for you or your clients
For more info contact Colleen Pappas at 508-832-6600 x 106
or cpappasrcamaorg
Peter West has been a REALTORreg since 1984 He is licensed in MA NY VT and FL Peter has been awarded the prestigious SEC designation from the Society of Exchange Counselors He also has the CCIM ABR and CRS designations A former National Sales Trainer for Century 21 Real Estate Corp Peter now trains real estate agents throughout all of North America He is a frequent presenter of NARrsquos buyer agency programs In 2007 Peter was inducted into the Buyer Agent Hall of FameHe is also a National Moderator for Commercial Equity marketing sessions Peter is a popular and frequent presenter at state and national conventions
Presented by Peter West
Herersquos one reason why you will want to plan to attend all 12 Sessions
5050Raffle
We will offer a 5050 Raffle at every sessionwith proceeds to benefit the MAR Charitable
Foundation Bring your checkbooks
100 of my 2016 Commercial Sales and Leases were a direct result of RCA-MA Marketing Sessions
Barb Davis-Hassan CCIM2016 RCA-MA President
Thank you to our sponsors
CEU Sponsor
REALTORSreg COMMERCIAL ALLIANCE TRAINING
REALTORreg Association of Central Massachusetts 7 wwwcmarealtorsorg
CODE OF ETHICS TRAINING
Code of Ethics Training
The National Association of REALTORSreg requires all REALTORreg members tocomplete a REALTORreg Code of Ethics course during the four year period that ends December 31 2016
Learn the role the Code should play in your business Enhance professionalism and competency Learn how to use the Code as a viable guide Learn the benefits of Arbitration vs Litigation
Learn the role the Code should play in your business Enhance professionalism and competency Learn how to use the Code as a viable guide Learn the benefits of Arbitration vs Litigation
You may register online at wwwcmarealtorsorg or call the office at 508-832-6600The REALTORreg Association of Central Massachusetts
492 Washington Street Auburn MA 01501
For your convenience RACM will hold classes on the following datesAll classes are FREE for RACM members and 2 CEUrsquos will be awarded
Weds August 31 930 am - 1200 pmWeds October 12 100 - 330 pmSat November 19 19 1230 - 300 pmWeds November 30 930 am - 1200 pmSat December 10 1230 - 300 pmWeds December 14 100 - 330 pmWeds December 28 930 am - 1200 pm
Alternately you may take online training on the NAR website athttpwwwrealtororgcode-of-ethicstrainingNO CEUrsquos are awarded for these online classes
Donrsquot wait until the last minute Fulfill your requirements early
REALTORreg Association of Central Massachusetts 8 wwwcmarealtorsorg
MAR NEWSInstructor Training Institute ITI
This is a program designed to prepare instructors of real estate education to develop course content organize course layout practice various instructional methods and deliver courses effectively to maximize adult learning
When July 27-28Prerequisite There is a 10 hour prerequisite for this course (information will be sent went registered)Where MAR HQ 1400 Main Street WalthamInstructor Paul ChassePrice $600 Course Outline
10 Online pre-req hours
bull e-Learning Educationbull Drafting a lesson plan that works onlinebull Distance educationbull Web-sessions webinars bull Live vs recordedbull Exploring platformsbull (Individual Project) Watch two MAR webinars and email
DropBox comparison questionnairebull Power Point Beginnerbull Power Point Advancedbull Use of presentation softwarebull Positives and negative of presentation software usebull Review the most popular free and web based toolsbull (Individual Project) Create a 10 minute presentation with
presentation softwarebull Review Live Course Syllabusbull Insight into the 2 day live training
Day One 830am-630pm
bull Review the course syllabusbull BiosIntroductionsbull Introduction vs Biobull Single project Write a speaker introduction about yourselfbull Class introductionsbull (Group project split into 2 or 3 groups) Create and record
a 10 minute presentation based on your presentation software project
bull Understanding the learning styles spectrum bull What are your natural training strengthsbull The four learning stylesbull The four steps of the learning stylesbull Group ProjectReview each 10 minute presentation re-
corded at the beginning of the day and discuss based on the days lesson plan
Day Two 830am-630pm
bull Preparing for the lessonbull Having the proper equipmentbull Effective time managementbull Drafting a lesson plan that worksbull Props games and funbull Gage success through effective evaluationsbull Group project (split into 2 or 3 groups) Create and record
a new 10 minute presentation and review with the class
Course syllabus subject to change Times may vary slightly due to class size
MAR CommitteesAre you or someone you know interested in serving on an MAR committee in 2017 Make your requests now The online Committee Request Form is now open on wwwmarealtorcom
bull Login to the MAR website bull Click on ldquoProfilerdquo bull Click the ldquoCommitteesrdquo tab and finally bull Click on the link to volunteer for a 2017 commit-
tee bullbull The deadline for submitting committee requests
is July 31 2016 All requests must be submit-ted online through the MAR Portal Contact Kara Morgan MAR Executive Assistant (kmorganmarealtorcom) with additional questions
MAR Good Neighbor AwardIn 2004 the Massachusetts Association of REALTORSreg (MAR) estab-lished the Good Neighbor Awards program to recognize real estate professionals for their community activism The award is to be pre-sented annually to REALTORSreg who demonstrate an extraordinary commitment to community service through volunteerism and civic and charitable contributions that improve the lives of local residents and make their community a better place to live
Entrants for the award may engage in a broad range of eligible activi-ties that might include but may not be limited to volunteer work in-volving affordable housing issues educational programs youth-related activities or any other civic or charitable activity that improves the lives of local residents or the community at-large
To Apply visit httpswwwmarealtorcommembersgovernanceabout-mar-awardsgood-neighbor-award
REALTORreg Association of Central Massachusetts 9 wwwcmarealtorsorg
RACM 18th ANNUAL GOLF TOURNAMENTJune 23 saw us with another sold out tourna-ment and an absolutely beautiful day on the course Thank you to all of our sponsors and our participants for making this a success We were able to donate $2000 to our 2016 Charities of Choice The Bridge of Central Mass and the Worcester Boys amp Girls Club
Thank you to our professional photographer Tony Chabot of Pro RE Photography and to Gretchen Antonelli of Forward Financial for all of these great shots
Congratulations to our winning teams FIRST PLACE Jo-Ann Szymczak Chuck Szymczak Ron Gagner amp Jan GagnerSECOND PLACE Steve Cavallo Andrew Burton Mark McCabe amp Aram Kalashian THIRD PLACE Kevin Holloway Lisa Shaw Nancy Shaw-Morley amp Anne Marie Rafferty
Big thanks to all of our major sponsors of this event as well as the greens amp tees sponsors
PLATINUM SPONSORSThe Law Office of Jessica AlbinoCahn amp Barron LLC Attorneys at LawFairway MortgageMovement MortgageNorcom MortgagePeoples Home LoansPrestige Home MortgageResidential Mortgage ServicesSouthbridge SavingsWintrust Mortgage
GOLD SPONSORSBank of CantonFidelity BankMLS PINSecurity First Mortgage The Law Offices of Scott Wrenn PC
SILVER SPONSORSCommonwealth Environmental ServicesLaw Office of Harry P Kotseas Peoples United Bank
BRONZE SPONSORSCountry BankForward Financial Services IncThe Law Office of David R Rocheford Jr PC
DRINK TICKET SPONSORSOpen Door Real Estate and Simonian and Murray Attorneys at Law
Longest Drive Sponsor Pam Crawford amp Lorraine Herbert of REMAX Professional As-sociates
Golf Committee Chair Judy Patterson presents the 1st Place Awards to Jo-Ann Szymczak and her team comprised of Chuck Szymczak Ron Gagner and Jan Gagner
REALTORreg Association of Central Massachusetts 10 wwwcmarealtorsorg
RACM 18th ANNUAL GOLF TOURNAMENT
Second Place Team Third Place Team
REALTORreg Association of Central Massachusetts 11 wwwcmarealtorsorg
RACM 18th ANNUAL GOLF TOURNAMENT
REALTORreg Association of Central Massachusetts 12 wwwcmarealtorsorg
FALL MAR CHARITABLE GRANTSOur Community Action Committee was proud to be able to do-nate Golf Tournament Proceeds in the amount of $1000 to each of our 2016 Charities of Choice The Boys and Girls Club and The Bridge of Central Massachusetts
Each year our committee partners with two local charities and then we focus our committee efforts and fundraising towards their goals We are pleased to say that with our combined efforts with the MAR Charitable Foundation to date we have contributed over $5000 in dollars and donations
We also treated the charities to a Red Sox game on June 16 when we donated 10 tickets to the REALTORreg Day at Fenway
Thank you to all who helped make this yearrsquos tournament a re-sounding success especially Committee Chair Judy Patterson
The fall grant applications are due August 31 so if you are involved with a local charity that deals with homelessness please contact Colleen to see how your charity can be nominated for the grant You can download the grant application on our website at httpwwwcmarealtorsorgdocuments-library2016-housing-grant-application-mar-charitable-foundationpdf
Ken Bates from the Bridge of Central Mass
Ellin Terrill of the Worcester Boys amp Girls Club
Do you work in a community that needs some TLCThe Government Affairs Committee is looking for projects for NARrsquos Place-making Grant Program If you are a local community leader please let us know how we can help with beautifying a spot within your town Project ideas range from Little League signage to dog parks to beau-tifying a local monument NAR is ready to partner with us to help make your dream a reality
Contact Nathan Stewart head of the grant task force NathanStewartNEMovescom
Backpack DriveCan you help out with this years Backpack Drive The Commu-nity Action Committee welcomes donations of backpacks and sup-plies (see the full list of needs items on our flyer on the last page of this newsletter) or cash to help purchase items
Help is also need in packing and delivering the items on August 17 18 or 19
If you can help in any way items can be dropped of here at RACM or at any of the offices listed on the flyer Or give us a call and let us know your availability for packingdelivery - 508-832-6600
REALTORreg Association of Central Massachusetts 13 wwwcmarealtorsorg
COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENT amp LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS
Over 45 RACM members joined more than 500 REALTORSreg to advocate for home ownership and private property rights at the State House on June 12 at the annual Day on Beacon Hill Keynote speaker was Lieutenant Governor of Massachu-setts Karen Polito
REALTORSreg Fighting the Fight on Beacon HillThe saying ldquoIf Real Estate is your profession then politics is your businessrdquo has never been more true than in this political cycle In a two-year session of the Legislature thousands of bills are filed some of which result in legislation producing the laws of our Commonwealth
There are many bills filed with well-intentioned measures that are in direct conflict with an opposing concern Having trusted advocates help to discern the layers within the bills is extremely beneficial to our state representatives and senators That is why each June REALTORSreg are welcomed with open arms at the State House at our Day on Beacon Hill This year we cel-ebrated 31 years of coming together for this powerful day The relationships we have made with our local representatives is paramount in our efforts to protect and promote home owner-ship
How Can You Help
There are several ways you can become more involved
bull Calls to Action - We are so fortunate that our state associa-tion stays on top of the issues and keeps us informed and makes it easy for us to take action MAR will issue an email Call to Action to alert us to pending legislaton that will ei-ther help our industry or hurt us
Calls for Action are only issued in extreme circumstances so when you see one you can trust that it is important With this 2 year cycle ending July 31 there is much happening on Beacon Hill which is why we had 2 Calls to Action in June that are still pending resolution One bill pertains to energy scoring and the other concerns zoning Both issues are still in play and you may see more Calls to Action before the end of July Please take a moment and educate yourself on the issues by visiting httpswwwmarealtorcommembersgovernment-affairs
bull SPC (State Political Coordinator) ndash We have a program where members are assigned to their local senator or representa-tive and become a liason to help communicate our mes-sage If you would like more information please contact Erika Hall ceshall07gmailcom chairperson of the task force
bull Invest in RPAC When you see that amount on your annual dues invoice please be sure to check YES
bull Volunteer to be on the Government Affairs Committee and let your voice be heard 2017 appointments will be made this fall
Remember ndash we are the only association that lobbies on behalf of homeowners in America Be proud of your REALTORreg membership and communicate your value to your clients and customers
REALTORreg Association of Central Massachusetts 14 wwwcmarealtorsorg
Inventory of Homes for Sale 498 371 - 255 -- -- --
Months Supply of Inventory 48 30 - 374 -- -- --
Cumulative Days on Market Until Sale 86 78 - 84 106 104 - 20
Percent of Original List Price Received 955 966 + 12 957 962 + 05
New Listings 246 190 - 228 892 903 + 12
- 326
Local Market Update ndash May 2016A RESEARCH TOOL PROVIDED BY THE MASSACHUSETTS ASSOCIATION OF REALTORSreg
Central Massachusetts Association of REALTORSreg
+ 97 - 20Year-Over-Year
Change inClosed SalesAll Properties
Year-Over-YearChange in
Median Sales PriceAll Properties
Year-Over-YearChange in
Inventory of HomesAll Properties
Does not account for seller concessions | Activity for one month can sometimes look extreme due to small sample size
Single-Family Properties
Condominium Properties
May Year to Date
May Year to Date
All data from the Berkshire County Multiple Listing Service Cape Cod amp Islands Association of REALTORSreg Inc and MLS Property Information Network Inc Provided by MAR Report copy 2016 ShowingTime
Median Sales Price BASED ON A ROLLING 12-MONTH AVERAGE
Entire State Entire State
Central Massachusetts Association of REALTORSreg Central Massachusetts Association of REALTORSreg
A rolling 12-month calculation represents the current month and the 11 months prior in a single data point If no activity occurred during a month the line extends to the next available data point
REALTORreg Association of Central Massachusetts 15 wwwcmarealtorsorg
LEGAL HOTLINEMichael McDonagh MAR General CounselAshley Stolba MAR Associate Counsel Justin Davidson MAR Legislative amp Regulatory Counsel
Shining the Light on SolarAre you representing a client who is selling a home with solar panels on the roof Is your buyer looking to make an offer on a house with solar panels If so here is what you need to know to better prepare your client in advanceOWNED PANELS Are the panels leased or owned
Are the panels owned by the seller Or is the seller leasing them from the solar company If the panels are owned by the seller then they should be factored into the price of the home just as any other asset would be It would be prudent to search for comparable homes with owned solar panels as well
A Solar Renewable Energy Credit (SREC)
An SREC is created for every megawatt hour (MWh) of elec-tricity produced by a solar generator SRECs allow a seller with a solar array to use electricity that is produced by the panels and then separately sell the SREC to a utility com-pany You should factor in an SREC when valuing the asset Some solar owners use SREC brokers to handle the sale so if you have a seller who is part of a ten-year SREC program they may consider selling their future credits through such a broker If a seller does this they would then value their solar panels based on the energy savings that they provideBuyers need to ask sellers if they are part of an SREC pro-gram and whether the SRECs will be transferred with the panels If they are a buyer would also want to know what the average annual output of the panels has been so that they can properly value them
Leased Panels
If the panels are leased it can be a bit more omplicated When representing a seller with leased solar panels agents should recommend that the seller contact the leasing com-pany right away to let them know that they are planning to sell the home In fact some solar companies have set up departments specifically to work on lease transfers Whatrsquos a UCC-1
The solar company may reference a UCC-1 (Uniform Com-mercial Code ndash 1) that has been recorded with the property A UCC-1 is a legal form that acts as a lien against the solar equipment on the property and is used by the solar com-panies to protect their interest in the leased panels These finds should be recorded at your local registry of deeds
It is important to know whether or not a UCC-1 has been recorded with the property because some lenders may have concerns that the UCC-1 will take priority over the mortgage in the event of a bankruptcy Some companies will remove the UCC-1 filing and then replace it when the new mortgage is recorded
Buyer Clients
If your buyers are interested in a home with leased solar panels you may want to remind them to factor the monthly lease cost when determining whether or not they can afford the home The buyerrsquos lender is likely to consider this when making a determination on their loan Also buyers should review their credit scores because the solar leasing com-panies are going to ensure that the buyer can assume the costs of the lease before they approve a transfer
Seller Clients
Your seller clients have three options when dealing with leased solar panels 1 They can buy out the lease2 Transfer the lease to the new buyer or3 Attempt to transfer the panels to their new home al-though this option may only be available in rare occasions
Remember to always use caution when advising clients about solar panels The Attorney General published the fol-lowing helpful informational sheet on solar panels httpwwwmass govagonews-and-updatespress-releases2016advice-to-homeowners-considering-solar-panelshtml
You can always contact the MAR Legal Hotline if you have any questions at legalhotlinemarealtorcom or (800)-370-LEGAL
Please note a version of this article originally ran in The MAR Report the official blog of the Massachusetts Asso-ciation of Realtorsreg
REALTORreg Association of Central Massachusetts 16 wwwcmarealtorsorg
COMMUNITY ACTION COMMITTEE
RACM office hours are 900 ammdash400 pm during July amp August For assistance with the MLS Lockbox system please make an appointment with Lisa Sprague at 508-832-6600
Please LIKE our facebook page at httpswwwfacebookcomCentralMasslAssociationo-fREALTORS By doing so you will not only get up-to-the-minute information on everything
going on at RACM but you will help us to increase our visibility while growing your own busi-ness network
2016 BOARD OF DIRECTORS
President Kris Koliss
President Elect Sarah GustafsonVice-President Judy Patterson
Secretary Tracey Fiorelli
Treasurer Michael Meurant
Immediate Past President Brad Roberts
Diane Dabrowski DirectorMike DeLuca DirectorErika Hall DirectorLorraine Herbert DirectorLee Joseph DirectorKathy McSweeney DirectorLeslie Storrs DirectorJohn Vaillancourt DirectorAndrew Abu AlternateLeif Rosseland AlternateNathan Stewart Alternate
RACM STAFFExecutive VP
Colleen PappasOffice Manager Lisa Sprague
Marketing Manager Jacki DrsquoInnocenzo
to benefit the elementary and middle school children of Central Mass
We are looking to fill backpacks with the following supplies for elementary and middle school childrenAge-appropriate backpacks are needed as wellAnything you can contribute is greatly appreciated
Items may be dropped at RACM492 Washington StreetAuburn MA or at the followingmember offices
Cash donations gladly accepted
In order to assist our volunteers please do not put supplies inside of backpacks
If you can help pack or deliver items to schoolsplease let us know Help is ALWAYS welcome
REALTORreg Association of Central Massachusetts 492 Washington Street Auburn MA 01501 508-832-6600
Items Needed for each Backpack6 Pens6 Pencils2 Pkg of Lined Paper3 Highlighters1 Binder3 Notebooks3 Two-Pocket Folders1 Ruler1 Pencil Case1 Pkg of 8 Markers1 Pkg of Erasers1 Box of 24 Crayons1 Pkg of 12 Colored Pencils1 Bottle of Glue or Pkg of Glue Sticks
Drive runs from June 1 - August 12Packing days are August 17 amp 18Delivery day is August 19
Central MassachusettsREALTORreg Association of
REALTORreg Association of Central Massachusetts 3 wwwcmarealtorsorg
FEATURED AFFILIATE BILL MURPHY OF FAIRWAY MORTGAGEBanker amp Tradesman Recognizes Bill Murphy of Fairway Independent MortgageBill Murphy Branch Manager of Fairway Independent Mortgage Corporationrsquos Auburn MA branch has been recognized for a second year in a row by Banker amp Trades-man as the number one loan originator based on volume and the number two loan originator based on units in CentralWestern MA The annual ldquoTop Loan Originatorsrdquo list is published each June and recognizes top mortgage originators throughout the state by both number of units and total dollar amount
Bill Murphy has a history of high performance having received top sales awards from Fairway Independent Mortgage Corporation and been recognized by Mort-gage Executive Magazine as part of the top 1 of Loan Originators nationwide for the last four years Murphy a Worcester State University graduate was awarded the 2008 Worcester State Distinguished Alumni award in addition to funding six scholarships at the University In 2007 Murphy was given the Affiliate of the Year award by the Worcester Regional Association of Realtors Bill has also been a long-time supporter of the Make-a-Wish Foun-dation having donated over $120000 and granted 17 wishes over the past nine years
ldquoIrsquom honored that my clients and referral partners feel confident in my ability and have continued to work with me over the yearsrdquo said Murphy ldquoIrsquom humbled by this recognition and proud of the service I provide to each and every one of my clientsrdquo
Fairway Independent Mortgage Corporation has eleven locations in Massachusetts including the Auburn branch Fairway Independent Mortgage Corporation is among the top 10 lenders in the country and is the number eight lender for residential purchases in MA Working with the top national and regional investors Fairway is committed to providing customers with the best rates and programs available while also offering personal care to meet indi-vidual needs To reach Bill Murphy in Auburn call 508-407-8300 or email wmurphyfairwaymccom For more information visit wwwfairwaymortgagenecom
SUMMER HOURS
Please note that RACMs summer hours for July amp August will be 900 am - 400 pm
REALTORreg Association of Central Massachusetts 4 wwwcmarealtorsorg
MEMBERSHIP NEWSNew Applicants Emily Anderson Harwick Petersham Properties PetershamJaime Aviles Keller Williams Realty WorcesterHans Berg Exit Beacon Pointe Realty NorthboroSamantha Choate Keller Williams NCentral LeominsterDeanna Faucher Lamacchia Realty WalthamMelissa Greska REMAX Professional Assoc AuburnThomas Krumsick Keller Williams Realty WorcesterMark Lawton ERA Key Realty Services AuburnMardek Mardirossian Keller Williams Realty WorcesterPaulette McKenzie Keller Williams Realty WestboroJohn Millen Lamacchia Realty WalthamKeith Seymour Keller Williams Realty WorcesterMichelle Vecchio-Gangel Keller Williams Realty Worcester
New AffiliateAshley Slusser Quicken Loans 1050 Woodward Avenue Detroit MI
Agents Transferred to New OfficeNicholas Baniukiewicz Exit Realty Partners ShrewsburyLeonidas Dosreis LAER Realty Partners NorthboroStephanie Dupuis Waterwheel Realty BarreMatthew Jette Keller Williams Realty WorcesterBrittnay LaFleche LAER Realty Partners NorthboroPamela Mills Red Door Realty SturbridgeMorgan Nordby LAER Realty Partners NorthboroJasmine Randhawa Keller Williams Realty WorcesterPatrick Sullivan LAER Realty Partners NorthboroMegan Winslow LAER Realty Partners Northboro Ryan Winslow LAER Realty Partners Northboro
Affiliates Transferred to New OfficePaul Nocivelli Residential Mortgage Services 193 West Boylston Street W Boylston
George Simone Movement Mortgage 179 Shrewsbury Street Worcester MA
Time InstructorCourse Code
Course TitleTuesday July 12 - Auburn
800 am Brad Roberts RE22RC13 Title V1000 am Brad Roberts RE57R07 Brokerage Relationships1200 pm Brad Roberts RE73R11 VA Loans
Tuesday July 26 - Auburn800 am Brad Roberts RE34RC03 National Economic Trends amp the Real Estate Professional1000 am Brad Roberts RE59R09 Smart Growth Smart Energy
Wednesday August 17 - Auburn800 am Gary Bourque RE26RC07 Appraisal Process1000 am Gary Bourque RE51R06 Faciliator1200 pm Gary Bourque RE83C13 EscrowEscrow AgentsEscrow Accounts in Real Estate
Wednesday August 31 - Auburn930 am Paula Savard REALTORreg Code of Ethics Training
CENTER FOR REAL ESTATE STUDIES amp TRAININGUpcoming CEU Courses for July amp August
All classes are held at the RACM CREST School 492 Washington Street Auburn MA 01501 unless otherwise noted RACM Members in good standing receive FREE LOCAL CEUrsquos Tuition for non-members is $20 for each 2-hour CEU You may register for classes online at wwwcmarealtorsorg or by calling the RACM office at 508-832-6600
REALTORreg Association of Central Massachusetts 5 wwwcmarealtorsorg
JULY amp AUGUST BIRTHDAYSWishing a very happy birthday to those celebrating this month May your year ahead be filled with health happiness love and friendship
REALTORreg Association of Central Massachusetts 6 wwwcmarealtorsorg
Marketing SessionDATE Thursday July 14 2016PLACE REALTORreg Association of Central Mass 492 Washington Street AuburnTime 1000 am - 300 pmFREE CEU Class Join us from 10 am - 1200 pm for RE66C11 Anatomy of Commercial Building The Basics
REALTORSregCommercial Alliance
Benefits from attending this marketing session The Generation of Potential Transactions for Buyer amp Seller Clients or YOURSELF Possible Earned Commissions Networking with other Brokers Investors from the local market as well as Regional and National Players Creative transactions amp solutions Find Investor Cash for you or your clients
For more info contact Colleen Pappas at 508-832-6600 x 106
or cpappasrcamaorg
Peter West has been a REALTORreg since 1984 He is licensed in MA NY VT and FL Peter has been awarded the prestigious SEC designation from the Society of Exchange Counselors He also has the CCIM ABR and CRS designations A former National Sales Trainer for Century 21 Real Estate Corp Peter now trains real estate agents throughout all of North America He is a frequent presenter of NARrsquos buyer agency programs In 2007 Peter was inducted into the Buyer Agent Hall of FameHe is also a National Moderator for Commercial Equity marketing sessions Peter is a popular and frequent presenter at state and national conventions
Presented by Peter West
Herersquos one reason why you will want to plan to attend all 12 Sessions
5050Raffle
We will offer a 5050 Raffle at every sessionwith proceeds to benefit the MAR Charitable
Foundation Bring your checkbooks
100 of my 2016 Commercial Sales and Leases were a direct result of RCA-MA Marketing Sessions
Barb Davis-Hassan CCIM2016 RCA-MA President
Thank you to our sponsors
CEU Sponsor
REALTORSreg COMMERCIAL ALLIANCE TRAINING
REALTORreg Association of Central Massachusetts 7 wwwcmarealtorsorg
CODE OF ETHICS TRAINING
Code of Ethics Training
The National Association of REALTORSreg requires all REALTORreg members tocomplete a REALTORreg Code of Ethics course during the four year period that ends December 31 2016
Learn the role the Code should play in your business Enhance professionalism and competency Learn how to use the Code as a viable guide Learn the benefits of Arbitration vs Litigation
Learn the role the Code should play in your business Enhance professionalism and competency Learn how to use the Code as a viable guide Learn the benefits of Arbitration vs Litigation
You may register online at wwwcmarealtorsorg or call the office at 508-832-6600The REALTORreg Association of Central Massachusetts
492 Washington Street Auburn MA 01501
For your convenience RACM will hold classes on the following datesAll classes are FREE for RACM members and 2 CEUrsquos will be awarded
Weds August 31 930 am - 1200 pmWeds October 12 100 - 330 pmSat November 19 19 1230 - 300 pmWeds November 30 930 am - 1200 pmSat December 10 1230 - 300 pmWeds December 14 100 - 330 pmWeds December 28 930 am - 1200 pm
Alternately you may take online training on the NAR website athttpwwwrealtororgcode-of-ethicstrainingNO CEUrsquos are awarded for these online classes
Donrsquot wait until the last minute Fulfill your requirements early
REALTORreg Association of Central Massachusetts 8 wwwcmarealtorsorg
MAR NEWSInstructor Training Institute ITI
This is a program designed to prepare instructors of real estate education to develop course content organize course layout practice various instructional methods and deliver courses effectively to maximize adult learning
When July 27-28Prerequisite There is a 10 hour prerequisite for this course (information will be sent went registered)Where MAR HQ 1400 Main Street WalthamInstructor Paul ChassePrice $600 Course Outline
10 Online pre-req hours
bull e-Learning Educationbull Drafting a lesson plan that works onlinebull Distance educationbull Web-sessions webinars bull Live vs recordedbull Exploring platformsbull (Individual Project) Watch two MAR webinars and email
DropBox comparison questionnairebull Power Point Beginnerbull Power Point Advancedbull Use of presentation softwarebull Positives and negative of presentation software usebull Review the most popular free and web based toolsbull (Individual Project) Create a 10 minute presentation with
presentation softwarebull Review Live Course Syllabusbull Insight into the 2 day live training
Day One 830am-630pm
bull Review the course syllabusbull BiosIntroductionsbull Introduction vs Biobull Single project Write a speaker introduction about yourselfbull Class introductionsbull (Group project split into 2 or 3 groups) Create and record
a 10 minute presentation based on your presentation software project
bull Understanding the learning styles spectrum bull What are your natural training strengthsbull The four learning stylesbull The four steps of the learning stylesbull Group ProjectReview each 10 minute presentation re-
corded at the beginning of the day and discuss based on the days lesson plan
Day Two 830am-630pm
bull Preparing for the lessonbull Having the proper equipmentbull Effective time managementbull Drafting a lesson plan that worksbull Props games and funbull Gage success through effective evaluationsbull Group project (split into 2 or 3 groups) Create and record
a new 10 minute presentation and review with the class
Course syllabus subject to change Times may vary slightly due to class size
MAR CommitteesAre you or someone you know interested in serving on an MAR committee in 2017 Make your requests now The online Committee Request Form is now open on wwwmarealtorcom
bull Login to the MAR website bull Click on ldquoProfilerdquo bull Click the ldquoCommitteesrdquo tab and finally bull Click on the link to volunteer for a 2017 commit-
tee bullbull The deadline for submitting committee requests
is July 31 2016 All requests must be submit-ted online through the MAR Portal Contact Kara Morgan MAR Executive Assistant (kmorganmarealtorcom) with additional questions
MAR Good Neighbor AwardIn 2004 the Massachusetts Association of REALTORSreg (MAR) estab-lished the Good Neighbor Awards program to recognize real estate professionals for their community activism The award is to be pre-sented annually to REALTORSreg who demonstrate an extraordinary commitment to community service through volunteerism and civic and charitable contributions that improve the lives of local residents and make their community a better place to live
Entrants for the award may engage in a broad range of eligible activi-ties that might include but may not be limited to volunteer work in-volving affordable housing issues educational programs youth-related activities or any other civic or charitable activity that improves the lives of local residents or the community at-large
To Apply visit httpswwwmarealtorcommembersgovernanceabout-mar-awardsgood-neighbor-award
REALTORreg Association of Central Massachusetts 9 wwwcmarealtorsorg
RACM 18th ANNUAL GOLF TOURNAMENTJune 23 saw us with another sold out tourna-ment and an absolutely beautiful day on the course Thank you to all of our sponsors and our participants for making this a success We were able to donate $2000 to our 2016 Charities of Choice The Bridge of Central Mass and the Worcester Boys amp Girls Club
Thank you to our professional photographer Tony Chabot of Pro RE Photography and to Gretchen Antonelli of Forward Financial for all of these great shots
Congratulations to our winning teams FIRST PLACE Jo-Ann Szymczak Chuck Szymczak Ron Gagner amp Jan GagnerSECOND PLACE Steve Cavallo Andrew Burton Mark McCabe amp Aram Kalashian THIRD PLACE Kevin Holloway Lisa Shaw Nancy Shaw-Morley amp Anne Marie Rafferty
Big thanks to all of our major sponsors of this event as well as the greens amp tees sponsors
PLATINUM SPONSORSThe Law Office of Jessica AlbinoCahn amp Barron LLC Attorneys at LawFairway MortgageMovement MortgageNorcom MortgagePeoples Home LoansPrestige Home MortgageResidential Mortgage ServicesSouthbridge SavingsWintrust Mortgage
GOLD SPONSORSBank of CantonFidelity BankMLS PINSecurity First Mortgage The Law Offices of Scott Wrenn PC
SILVER SPONSORSCommonwealth Environmental ServicesLaw Office of Harry P Kotseas Peoples United Bank
BRONZE SPONSORSCountry BankForward Financial Services IncThe Law Office of David R Rocheford Jr PC
DRINK TICKET SPONSORSOpen Door Real Estate and Simonian and Murray Attorneys at Law
Longest Drive Sponsor Pam Crawford amp Lorraine Herbert of REMAX Professional As-sociates
Golf Committee Chair Judy Patterson presents the 1st Place Awards to Jo-Ann Szymczak and her team comprised of Chuck Szymczak Ron Gagner and Jan Gagner
REALTORreg Association of Central Massachusetts 10 wwwcmarealtorsorg
RACM 18th ANNUAL GOLF TOURNAMENT
Second Place Team Third Place Team
REALTORreg Association of Central Massachusetts 11 wwwcmarealtorsorg
RACM 18th ANNUAL GOLF TOURNAMENT
REALTORreg Association of Central Massachusetts 12 wwwcmarealtorsorg
FALL MAR CHARITABLE GRANTSOur Community Action Committee was proud to be able to do-nate Golf Tournament Proceeds in the amount of $1000 to each of our 2016 Charities of Choice The Boys and Girls Club and The Bridge of Central Massachusetts
Each year our committee partners with two local charities and then we focus our committee efforts and fundraising towards their goals We are pleased to say that with our combined efforts with the MAR Charitable Foundation to date we have contributed over $5000 in dollars and donations
We also treated the charities to a Red Sox game on June 16 when we donated 10 tickets to the REALTORreg Day at Fenway
Thank you to all who helped make this yearrsquos tournament a re-sounding success especially Committee Chair Judy Patterson
The fall grant applications are due August 31 so if you are involved with a local charity that deals with homelessness please contact Colleen to see how your charity can be nominated for the grant You can download the grant application on our website at httpwwwcmarealtorsorgdocuments-library2016-housing-grant-application-mar-charitable-foundationpdf
Ken Bates from the Bridge of Central Mass
Ellin Terrill of the Worcester Boys amp Girls Club
Do you work in a community that needs some TLCThe Government Affairs Committee is looking for projects for NARrsquos Place-making Grant Program If you are a local community leader please let us know how we can help with beautifying a spot within your town Project ideas range from Little League signage to dog parks to beau-tifying a local monument NAR is ready to partner with us to help make your dream a reality
Contact Nathan Stewart head of the grant task force NathanStewartNEMovescom
Backpack DriveCan you help out with this years Backpack Drive The Commu-nity Action Committee welcomes donations of backpacks and sup-plies (see the full list of needs items on our flyer on the last page of this newsletter) or cash to help purchase items
Help is also need in packing and delivering the items on August 17 18 or 19
If you can help in any way items can be dropped of here at RACM or at any of the offices listed on the flyer Or give us a call and let us know your availability for packingdelivery - 508-832-6600
REALTORreg Association of Central Massachusetts 13 wwwcmarealtorsorg
COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENT amp LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS
Over 45 RACM members joined more than 500 REALTORSreg to advocate for home ownership and private property rights at the State House on June 12 at the annual Day on Beacon Hill Keynote speaker was Lieutenant Governor of Massachu-setts Karen Polito
REALTORSreg Fighting the Fight on Beacon HillThe saying ldquoIf Real Estate is your profession then politics is your businessrdquo has never been more true than in this political cycle In a two-year session of the Legislature thousands of bills are filed some of which result in legislation producing the laws of our Commonwealth
There are many bills filed with well-intentioned measures that are in direct conflict with an opposing concern Having trusted advocates help to discern the layers within the bills is extremely beneficial to our state representatives and senators That is why each June REALTORSreg are welcomed with open arms at the State House at our Day on Beacon Hill This year we cel-ebrated 31 years of coming together for this powerful day The relationships we have made with our local representatives is paramount in our efforts to protect and promote home owner-ship
How Can You Help
There are several ways you can become more involved
bull Calls to Action - We are so fortunate that our state associa-tion stays on top of the issues and keeps us informed and makes it easy for us to take action MAR will issue an email Call to Action to alert us to pending legislaton that will ei-ther help our industry or hurt us
Calls for Action are only issued in extreme circumstances so when you see one you can trust that it is important With this 2 year cycle ending July 31 there is much happening on Beacon Hill which is why we had 2 Calls to Action in June that are still pending resolution One bill pertains to energy scoring and the other concerns zoning Both issues are still in play and you may see more Calls to Action before the end of July Please take a moment and educate yourself on the issues by visiting httpswwwmarealtorcommembersgovernment-affairs
bull SPC (State Political Coordinator) ndash We have a program where members are assigned to their local senator or representa-tive and become a liason to help communicate our mes-sage If you would like more information please contact Erika Hall ceshall07gmailcom chairperson of the task force
bull Invest in RPAC When you see that amount on your annual dues invoice please be sure to check YES
bull Volunteer to be on the Government Affairs Committee and let your voice be heard 2017 appointments will be made this fall
Remember ndash we are the only association that lobbies on behalf of homeowners in America Be proud of your REALTORreg membership and communicate your value to your clients and customers
REALTORreg Association of Central Massachusetts 14 wwwcmarealtorsorg
Inventory of Homes for Sale 498 371 - 255 -- -- --
Months Supply of Inventory 48 30 - 374 -- -- --
Cumulative Days on Market Until Sale 86 78 - 84 106 104 - 20
Percent of Original List Price Received 955 966 + 12 957 962 + 05
New Listings 246 190 - 228 892 903 + 12
- 326
Local Market Update ndash May 2016A RESEARCH TOOL PROVIDED BY THE MASSACHUSETTS ASSOCIATION OF REALTORSreg
Central Massachusetts Association of REALTORSreg
+ 97 - 20Year-Over-Year
Change inClosed SalesAll Properties
Year-Over-YearChange in
Median Sales PriceAll Properties
Year-Over-YearChange in
Inventory of HomesAll Properties
Does not account for seller concessions | Activity for one month can sometimes look extreme due to small sample size
Single-Family Properties
Condominium Properties
May Year to Date
May Year to Date
All data from the Berkshire County Multiple Listing Service Cape Cod amp Islands Association of REALTORSreg Inc and MLS Property Information Network Inc Provided by MAR Report copy 2016 ShowingTime
Median Sales Price BASED ON A ROLLING 12-MONTH AVERAGE
Entire State Entire State
Central Massachusetts Association of REALTORSreg Central Massachusetts Association of REALTORSreg
A rolling 12-month calculation represents the current month and the 11 months prior in a single data point If no activity occurred during a month the line extends to the next available data point
REALTORreg Association of Central Massachusetts 15 wwwcmarealtorsorg
LEGAL HOTLINEMichael McDonagh MAR General CounselAshley Stolba MAR Associate Counsel Justin Davidson MAR Legislative amp Regulatory Counsel
Shining the Light on SolarAre you representing a client who is selling a home with solar panels on the roof Is your buyer looking to make an offer on a house with solar panels If so here is what you need to know to better prepare your client in advanceOWNED PANELS Are the panels leased or owned
Are the panels owned by the seller Or is the seller leasing them from the solar company If the panels are owned by the seller then they should be factored into the price of the home just as any other asset would be It would be prudent to search for comparable homes with owned solar panels as well
A Solar Renewable Energy Credit (SREC)
An SREC is created for every megawatt hour (MWh) of elec-tricity produced by a solar generator SRECs allow a seller with a solar array to use electricity that is produced by the panels and then separately sell the SREC to a utility com-pany You should factor in an SREC when valuing the asset Some solar owners use SREC brokers to handle the sale so if you have a seller who is part of a ten-year SREC program they may consider selling their future credits through such a broker If a seller does this they would then value their solar panels based on the energy savings that they provideBuyers need to ask sellers if they are part of an SREC pro-gram and whether the SRECs will be transferred with the panels If they are a buyer would also want to know what the average annual output of the panels has been so that they can properly value them
Leased Panels
If the panels are leased it can be a bit more omplicated When representing a seller with leased solar panels agents should recommend that the seller contact the leasing com-pany right away to let them know that they are planning to sell the home In fact some solar companies have set up departments specifically to work on lease transfers Whatrsquos a UCC-1
The solar company may reference a UCC-1 (Uniform Com-mercial Code ndash 1) that has been recorded with the property A UCC-1 is a legal form that acts as a lien against the solar equipment on the property and is used by the solar com-panies to protect their interest in the leased panels These finds should be recorded at your local registry of deeds
It is important to know whether or not a UCC-1 has been recorded with the property because some lenders may have concerns that the UCC-1 will take priority over the mortgage in the event of a bankruptcy Some companies will remove the UCC-1 filing and then replace it when the new mortgage is recorded
Buyer Clients
If your buyers are interested in a home with leased solar panels you may want to remind them to factor the monthly lease cost when determining whether or not they can afford the home The buyerrsquos lender is likely to consider this when making a determination on their loan Also buyers should review their credit scores because the solar leasing com-panies are going to ensure that the buyer can assume the costs of the lease before they approve a transfer
Seller Clients
Your seller clients have three options when dealing with leased solar panels 1 They can buy out the lease2 Transfer the lease to the new buyer or3 Attempt to transfer the panels to their new home al-though this option may only be available in rare occasions
Remember to always use caution when advising clients about solar panels The Attorney General published the fol-lowing helpful informational sheet on solar panels httpwwwmass govagonews-and-updatespress-releases2016advice-to-homeowners-considering-solar-panelshtml
You can always contact the MAR Legal Hotline if you have any questions at legalhotlinemarealtorcom or (800)-370-LEGAL
Please note a version of this article originally ran in The MAR Report the official blog of the Massachusetts Asso-ciation of Realtorsreg
REALTORreg Association of Central Massachusetts 16 wwwcmarealtorsorg
COMMUNITY ACTION COMMITTEE
RACM office hours are 900 ammdash400 pm during July amp August For assistance with the MLS Lockbox system please make an appointment with Lisa Sprague at 508-832-6600
Please LIKE our facebook page at httpswwwfacebookcomCentralMasslAssociationo-fREALTORS By doing so you will not only get up-to-the-minute information on everything
going on at RACM but you will help us to increase our visibility while growing your own busi-ness network
2016 BOARD OF DIRECTORS
President Kris Koliss
President Elect Sarah GustafsonVice-President Judy Patterson
Secretary Tracey Fiorelli
Treasurer Michael Meurant
Immediate Past President Brad Roberts
Diane Dabrowski DirectorMike DeLuca DirectorErika Hall DirectorLorraine Herbert DirectorLee Joseph DirectorKathy McSweeney DirectorLeslie Storrs DirectorJohn Vaillancourt DirectorAndrew Abu AlternateLeif Rosseland AlternateNathan Stewart Alternate
RACM STAFFExecutive VP
Colleen PappasOffice Manager Lisa Sprague
Marketing Manager Jacki DrsquoInnocenzo
to benefit the elementary and middle school children of Central Mass
We are looking to fill backpacks with the following supplies for elementary and middle school childrenAge-appropriate backpacks are needed as wellAnything you can contribute is greatly appreciated
Items may be dropped at RACM492 Washington StreetAuburn MA or at the followingmember offices
Cash donations gladly accepted
In order to assist our volunteers please do not put supplies inside of backpacks
If you can help pack or deliver items to schoolsplease let us know Help is ALWAYS welcome
REALTORreg Association of Central Massachusetts 492 Washington Street Auburn MA 01501 508-832-6600
Items Needed for each Backpack6 Pens6 Pencils2 Pkg of Lined Paper3 Highlighters1 Binder3 Notebooks3 Two-Pocket Folders1 Ruler1 Pencil Case1 Pkg of 8 Markers1 Pkg of Erasers1 Box of 24 Crayons1 Pkg of 12 Colored Pencils1 Bottle of Glue or Pkg of Glue Sticks
Drive runs from June 1 - August 12Packing days are August 17 amp 18Delivery day is August 19
Central MassachusettsREALTORreg Association of
REALTORreg Association of Central Massachusetts 4 wwwcmarealtorsorg
MEMBERSHIP NEWSNew Applicants Emily Anderson Harwick Petersham Properties PetershamJaime Aviles Keller Williams Realty WorcesterHans Berg Exit Beacon Pointe Realty NorthboroSamantha Choate Keller Williams NCentral LeominsterDeanna Faucher Lamacchia Realty WalthamMelissa Greska REMAX Professional Assoc AuburnThomas Krumsick Keller Williams Realty WorcesterMark Lawton ERA Key Realty Services AuburnMardek Mardirossian Keller Williams Realty WorcesterPaulette McKenzie Keller Williams Realty WestboroJohn Millen Lamacchia Realty WalthamKeith Seymour Keller Williams Realty WorcesterMichelle Vecchio-Gangel Keller Williams Realty Worcester
New AffiliateAshley Slusser Quicken Loans 1050 Woodward Avenue Detroit MI
Agents Transferred to New OfficeNicholas Baniukiewicz Exit Realty Partners ShrewsburyLeonidas Dosreis LAER Realty Partners NorthboroStephanie Dupuis Waterwheel Realty BarreMatthew Jette Keller Williams Realty WorcesterBrittnay LaFleche LAER Realty Partners NorthboroPamela Mills Red Door Realty SturbridgeMorgan Nordby LAER Realty Partners NorthboroJasmine Randhawa Keller Williams Realty WorcesterPatrick Sullivan LAER Realty Partners NorthboroMegan Winslow LAER Realty Partners Northboro Ryan Winslow LAER Realty Partners Northboro
Affiliates Transferred to New OfficePaul Nocivelli Residential Mortgage Services 193 West Boylston Street W Boylston
George Simone Movement Mortgage 179 Shrewsbury Street Worcester MA
Time InstructorCourse Code
Course TitleTuesday July 12 - Auburn
800 am Brad Roberts RE22RC13 Title V1000 am Brad Roberts RE57R07 Brokerage Relationships1200 pm Brad Roberts RE73R11 VA Loans
Tuesday July 26 - Auburn800 am Brad Roberts RE34RC03 National Economic Trends amp the Real Estate Professional1000 am Brad Roberts RE59R09 Smart Growth Smart Energy
Wednesday August 17 - Auburn800 am Gary Bourque RE26RC07 Appraisal Process1000 am Gary Bourque RE51R06 Faciliator1200 pm Gary Bourque RE83C13 EscrowEscrow AgentsEscrow Accounts in Real Estate
Wednesday August 31 - Auburn930 am Paula Savard REALTORreg Code of Ethics Training
CENTER FOR REAL ESTATE STUDIES amp TRAININGUpcoming CEU Courses for July amp August
All classes are held at the RACM CREST School 492 Washington Street Auburn MA 01501 unless otherwise noted RACM Members in good standing receive FREE LOCAL CEUrsquos Tuition for non-members is $20 for each 2-hour CEU You may register for classes online at wwwcmarealtorsorg or by calling the RACM office at 508-832-6600
REALTORreg Association of Central Massachusetts 5 wwwcmarealtorsorg
JULY amp AUGUST BIRTHDAYSWishing a very happy birthday to those celebrating this month May your year ahead be filled with health happiness love and friendship
REALTORreg Association of Central Massachusetts 6 wwwcmarealtorsorg
Marketing SessionDATE Thursday July 14 2016PLACE REALTORreg Association of Central Mass 492 Washington Street AuburnTime 1000 am - 300 pmFREE CEU Class Join us from 10 am - 1200 pm for RE66C11 Anatomy of Commercial Building The Basics
REALTORSregCommercial Alliance
Benefits from attending this marketing session The Generation of Potential Transactions for Buyer amp Seller Clients or YOURSELF Possible Earned Commissions Networking with other Brokers Investors from the local market as well as Regional and National Players Creative transactions amp solutions Find Investor Cash for you or your clients
For more info contact Colleen Pappas at 508-832-6600 x 106
or cpappasrcamaorg
Peter West has been a REALTORreg since 1984 He is licensed in MA NY VT and FL Peter has been awarded the prestigious SEC designation from the Society of Exchange Counselors He also has the CCIM ABR and CRS designations A former National Sales Trainer for Century 21 Real Estate Corp Peter now trains real estate agents throughout all of North America He is a frequent presenter of NARrsquos buyer agency programs In 2007 Peter was inducted into the Buyer Agent Hall of FameHe is also a National Moderator for Commercial Equity marketing sessions Peter is a popular and frequent presenter at state and national conventions
Presented by Peter West
Herersquos one reason why you will want to plan to attend all 12 Sessions
5050Raffle
We will offer a 5050 Raffle at every sessionwith proceeds to benefit the MAR Charitable
Foundation Bring your checkbooks
100 of my 2016 Commercial Sales and Leases were a direct result of RCA-MA Marketing Sessions
Barb Davis-Hassan CCIM2016 RCA-MA President
Thank you to our sponsors
CEU Sponsor
REALTORSreg COMMERCIAL ALLIANCE TRAINING
REALTORreg Association of Central Massachusetts 7 wwwcmarealtorsorg
CODE OF ETHICS TRAINING
Code of Ethics Training
The National Association of REALTORSreg requires all REALTORreg members tocomplete a REALTORreg Code of Ethics course during the four year period that ends December 31 2016
Learn the role the Code should play in your business Enhance professionalism and competency Learn how to use the Code as a viable guide Learn the benefits of Arbitration vs Litigation
Learn the role the Code should play in your business Enhance professionalism and competency Learn how to use the Code as a viable guide Learn the benefits of Arbitration vs Litigation
You may register online at wwwcmarealtorsorg or call the office at 508-832-6600The REALTORreg Association of Central Massachusetts
492 Washington Street Auburn MA 01501
For your convenience RACM will hold classes on the following datesAll classes are FREE for RACM members and 2 CEUrsquos will be awarded
Weds August 31 930 am - 1200 pmWeds October 12 100 - 330 pmSat November 19 19 1230 - 300 pmWeds November 30 930 am - 1200 pmSat December 10 1230 - 300 pmWeds December 14 100 - 330 pmWeds December 28 930 am - 1200 pm
Alternately you may take online training on the NAR website athttpwwwrealtororgcode-of-ethicstrainingNO CEUrsquos are awarded for these online classes
Donrsquot wait until the last minute Fulfill your requirements early
REALTORreg Association of Central Massachusetts 8 wwwcmarealtorsorg
MAR NEWSInstructor Training Institute ITI
This is a program designed to prepare instructors of real estate education to develop course content organize course layout practice various instructional methods and deliver courses effectively to maximize adult learning
When July 27-28Prerequisite There is a 10 hour prerequisite for this course (information will be sent went registered)Where MAR HQ 1400 Main Street WalthamInstructor Paul ChassePrice $600 Course Outline
10 Online pre-req hours
bull e-Learning Educationbull Drafting a lesson plan that works onlinebull Distance educationbull Web-sessions webinars bull Live vs recordedbull Exploring platformsbull (Individual Project) Watch two MAR webinars and email
DropBox comparison questionnairebull Power Point Beginnerbull Power Point Advancedbull Use of presentation softwarebull Positives and negative of presentation software usebull Review the most popular free and web based toolsbull (Individual Project) Create a 10 minute presentation with
presentation softwarebull Review Live Course Syllabusbull Insight into the 2 day live training
Day One 830am-630pm
bull Review the course syllabusbull BiosIntroductionsbull Introduction vs Biobull Single project Write a speaker introduction about yourselfbull Class introductionsbull (Group project split into 2 or 3 groups) Create and record
a 10 minute presentation based on your presentation software project
bull Understanding the learning styles spectrum bull What are your natural training strengthsbull The four learning stylesbull The four steps of the learning stylesbull Group ProjectReview each 10 minute presentation re-
corded at the beginning of the day and discuss based on the days lesson plan
Day Two 830am-630pm
bull Preparing for the lessonbull Having the proper equipmentbull Effective time managementbull Drafting a lesson plan that worksbull Props games and funbull Gage success through effective evaluationsbull Group project (split into 2 or 3 groups) Create and record
a new 10 minute presentation and review with the class
Course syllabus subject to change Times may vary slightly due to class size
MAR CommitteesAre you or someone you know interested in serving on an MAR committee in 2017 Make your requests now The online Committee Request Form is now open on wwwmarealtorcom
bull Login to the MAR website bull Click on ldquoProfilerdquo bull Click the ldquoCommitteesrdquo tab and finally bull Click on the link to volunteer for a 2017 commit-
tee bullbull The deadline for submitting committee requests
is July 31 2016 All requests must be submit-ted online through the MAR Portal Contact Kara Morgan MAR Executive Assistant (kmorganmarealtorcom) with additional questions
MAR Good Neighbor AwardIn 2004 the Massachusetts Association of REALTORSreg (MAR) estab-lished the Good Neighbor Awards program to recognize real estate professionals for their community activism The award is to be pre-sented annually to REALTORSreg who demonstrate an extraordinary commitment to community service through volunteerism and civic and charitable contributions that improve the lives of local residents and make their community a better place to live
Entrants for the award may engage in a broad range of eligible activi-ties that might include but may not be limited to volunteer work in-volving affordable housing issues educational programs youth-related activities or any other civic or charitable activity that improves the lives of local residents or the community at-large
To Apply visit httpswwwmarealtorcommembersgovernanceabout-mar-awardsgood-neighbor-award
REALTORreg Association of Central Massachusetts 9 wwwcmarealtorsorg
RACM 18th ANNUAL GOLF TOURNAMENTJune 23 saw us with another sold out tourna-ment and an absolutely beautiful day on the course Thank you to all of our sponsors and our participants for making this a success We were able to donate $2000 to our 2016 Charities of Choice The Bridge of Central Mass and the Worcester Boys amp Girls Club
Thank you to our professional photographer Tony Chabot of Pro RE Photography and to Gretchen Antonelli of Forward Financial for all of these great shots
Congratulations to our winning teams FIRST PLACE Jo-Ann Szymczak Chuck Szymczak Ron Gagner amp Jan GagnerSECOND PLACE Steve Cavallo Andrew Burton Mark McCabe amp Aram Kalashian THIRD PLACE Kevin Holloway Lisa Shaw Nancy Shaw-Morley amp Anne Marie Rafferty
Big thanks to all of our major sponsors of this event as well as the greens amp tees sponsors
PLATINUM SPONSORSThe Law Office of Jessica AlbinoCahn amp Barron LLC Attorneys at LawFairway MortgageMovement MortgageNorcom MortgagePeoples Home LoansPrestige Home MortgageResidential Mortgage ServicesSouthbridge SavingsWintrust Mortgage
GOLD SPONSORSBank of CantonFidelity BankMLS PINSecurity First Mortgage The Law Offices of Scott Wrenn PC
SILVER SPONSORSCommonwealth Environmental ServicesLaw Office of Harry P Kotseas Peoples United Bank
BRONZE SPONSORSCountry BankForward Financial Services IncThe Law Office of David R Rocheford Jr PC
DRINK TICKET SPONSORSOpen Door Real Estate and Simonian and Murray Attorneys at Law
Longest Drive Sponsor Pam Crawford amp Lorraine Herbert of REMAX Professional As-sociates
Golf Committee Chair Judy Patterson presents the 1st Place Awards to Jo-Ann Szymczak and her team comprised of Chuck Szymczak Ron Gagner and Jan Gagner
REALTORreg Association of Central Massachusetts 10 wwwcmarealtorsorg
RACM 18th ANNUAL GOLF TOURNAMENT
Second Place Team Third Place Team
REALTORreg Association of Central Massachusetts 11 wwwcmarealtorsorg
RACM 18th ANNUAL GOLF TOURNAMENT
REALTORreg Association of Central Massachusetts 12 wwwcmarealtorsorg
FALL MAR CHARITABLE GRANTSOur Community Action Committee was proud to be able to do-nate Golf Tournament Proceeds in the amount of $1000 to each of our 2016 Charities of Choice The Boys and Girls Club and The Bridge of Central Massachusetts
Each year our committee partners with two local charities and then we focus our committee efforts and fundraising towards their goals We are pleased to say that with our combined efforts with the MAR Charitable Foundation to date we have contributed over $5000 in dollars and donations
We also treated the charities to a Red Sox game on June 16 when we donated 10 tickets to the REALTORreg Day at Fenway
Thank you to all who helped make this yearrsquos tournament a re-sounding success especially Committee Chair Judy Patterson
The fall grant applications are due August 31 so if you are involved with a local charity that deals with homelessness please contact Colleen to see how your charity can be nominated for the grant You can download the grant application on our website at httpwwwcmarealtorsorgdocuments-library2016-housing-grant-application-mar-charitable-foundationpdf
Ken Bates from the Bridge of Central Mass
Ellin Terrill of the Worcester Boys amp Girls Club
Do you work in a community that needs some TLCThe Government Affairs Committee is looking for projects for NARrsquos Place-making Grant Program If you are a local community leader please let us know how we can help with beautifying a spot within your town Project ideas range from Little League signage to dog parks to beau-tifying a local monument NAR is ready to partner with us to help make your dream a reality
Contact Nathan Stewart head of the grant task force NathanStewartNEMovescom
Backpack DriveCan you help out with this years Backpack Drive The Commu-nity Action Committee welcomes donations of backpacks and sup-plies (see the full list of needs items on our flyer on the last page of this newsletter) or cash to help purchase items
Help is also need in packing and delivering the items on August 17 18 or 19
If you can help in any way items can be dropped of here at RACM or at any of the offices listed on the flyer Or give us a call and let us know your availability for packingdelivery - 508-832-6600
REALTORreg Association of Central Massachusetts 13 wwwcmarealtorsorg
COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENT amp LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS
Over 45 RACM members joined more than 500 REALTORSreg to advocate for home ownership and private property rights at the State House on June 12 at the annual Day on Beacon Hill Keynote speaker was Lieutenant Governor of Massachu-setts Karen Polito
REALTORSreg Fighting the Fight on Beacon HillThe saying ldquoIf Real Estate is your profession then politics is your businessrdquo has never been more true than in this political cycle In a two-year session of the Legislature thousands of bills are filed some of which result in legislation producing the laws of our Commonwealth
There are many bills filed with well-intentioned measures that are in direct conflict with an opposing concern Having trusted advocates help to discern the layers within the bills is extremely beneficial to our state representatives and senators That is why each June REALTORSreg are welcomed with open arms at the State House at our Day on Beacon Hill This year we cel-ebrated 31 years of coming together for this powerful day The relationships we have made with our local representatives is paramount in our efforts to protect and promote home owner-ship
How Can You Help
There are several ways you can become more involved
bull Calls to Action - We are so fortunate that our state associa-tion stays on top of the issues and keeps us informed and makes it easy for us to take action MAR will issue an email Call to Action to alert us to pending legislaton that will ei-ther help our industry or hurt us
Calls for Action are only issued in extreme circumstances so when you see one you can trust that it is important With this 2 year cycle ending July 31 there is much happening on Beacon Hill which is why we had 2 Calls to Action in June that are still pending resolution One bill pertains to energy scoring and the other concerns zoning Both issues are still in play and you may see more Calls to Action before the end of July Please take a moment and educate yourself on the issues by visiting httpswwwmarealtorcommembersgovernment-affairs
bull SPC (State Political Coordinator) ndash We have a program where members are assigned to their local senator or representa-tive and become a liason to help communicate our mes-sage If you would like more information please contact Erika Hall ceshall07gmailcom chairperson of the task force
bull Invest in RPAC When you see that amount on your annual dues invoice please be sure to check YES
bull Volunteer to be on the Government Affairs Committee and let your voice be heard 2017 appointments will be made this fall
Remember ndash we are the only association that lobbies on behalf of homeowners in America Be proud of your REALTORreg membership and communicate your value to your clients and customers
REALTORreg Association of Central Massachusetts 14 wwwcmarealtorsorg
Inventory of Homes for Sale 498 371 - 255 -- -- --
Months Supply of Inventory 48 30 - 374 -- -- --
Cumulative Days on Market Until Sale 86 78 - 84 106 104 - 20
Percent of Original List Price Received 955 966 + 12 957 962 + 05
New Listings 246 190 - 228 892 903 + 12
- 326
Local Market Update ndash May 2016A RESEARCH TOOL PROVIDED BY THE MASSACHUSETTS ASSOCIATION OF REALTORSreg
Central Massachusetts Association of REALTORSreg
+ 97 - 20Year-Over-Year
Change inClosed SalesAll Properties
Year-Over-YearChange in
Median Sales PriceAll Properties
Year-Over-YearChange in
Inventory of HomesAll Properties
Does not account for seller concessions | Activity for one month can sometimes look extreme due to small sample size
Single-Family Properties
Condominium Properties
May Year to Date
May Year to Date
All data from the Berkshire County Multiple Listing Service Cape Cod amp Islands Association of REALTORSreg Inc and MLS Property Information Network Inc Provided by MAR Report copy 2016 ShowingTime
Median Sales Price BASED ON A ROLLING 12-MONTH AVERAGE
Entire State Entire State
Central Massachusetts Association of REALTORSreg Central Massachusetts Association of REALTORSreg
A rolling 12-month calculation represents the current month and the 11 months prior in a single data point If no activity occurred during a month the line extends to the next available data point
REALTORreg Association of Central Massachusetts 15 wwwcmarealtorsorg
LEGAL HOTLINEMichael McDonagh MAR General CounselAshley Stolba MAR Associate Counsel Justin Davidson MAR Legislative amp Regulatory Counsel
Shining the Light on SolarAre you representing a client who is selling a home with solar panels on the roof Is your buyer looking to make an offer on a house with solar panels If so here is what you need to know to better prepare your client in advanceOWNED PANELS Are the panels leased or owned
Are the panels owned by the seller Or is the seller leasing them from the solar company If the panels are owned by the seller then they should be factored into the price of the home just as any other asset would be It would be prudent to search for comparable homes with owned solar panels as well
A Solar Renewable Energy Credit (SREC)
An SREC is created for every megawatt hour (MWh) of elec-tricity produced by a solar generator SRECs allow a seller with a solar array to use electricity that is produced by the panels and then separately sell the SREC to a utility com-pany You should factor in an SREC when valuing the asset Some solar owners use SREC brokers to handle the sale so if you have a seller who is part of a ten-year SREC program they may consider selling their future credits through such a broker If a seller does this they would then value their solar panels based on the energy savings that they provideBuyers need to ask sellers if they are part of an SREC pro-gram and whether the SRECs will be transferred with the panels If they are a buyer would also want to know what the average annual output of the panels has been so that they can properly value them
Leased Panels
If the panels are leased it can be a bit more omplicated When representing a seller with leased solar panels agents should recommend that the seller contact the leasing com-pany right away to let them know that they are planning to sell the home In fact some solar companies have set up departments specifically to work on lease transfers Whatrsquos a UCC-1
The solar company may reference a UCC-1 (Uniform Com-mercial Code ndash 1) that has been recorded with the property A UCC-1 is a legal form that acts as a lien against the solar equipment on the property and is used by the solar com-panies to protect their interest in the leased panels These finds should be recorded at your local registry of deeds
It is important to know whether or not a UCC-1 has been recorded with the property because some lenders may have concerns that the UCC-1 will take priority over the mortgage in the event of a bankruptcy Some companies will remove the UCC-1 filing and then replace it when the new mortgage is recorded
Buyer Clients
If your buyers are interested in a home with leased solar panels you may want to remind them to factor the monthly lease cost when determining whether or not they can afford the home The buyerrsquos lender is likely to consider this when making a determination on their loan Also buyers should review their credit scores because the solar leasing com-panies are going to ensure that the buyer can assume the costs of the lease before they approve a transfer
Seller Clients
Your seller clients have three options when dealing with leased solar panels 1 They can buy out the lease2 Transfer the lease to the new buyer or3 Attempt to transfer the panels to their new home al-though this option may only be available in rare occasions
Remember to always use caution when advising clients about solar panels The Attorney General published the fol-lowing helpful informational sheet on solar panels httpwwwmass govagonews-and-updatespress-releases2016advice-to-homeowners-considering-solar-panelshtml
You can always contact the MAR Legal Hotline if you have any questions at legalhotlinemarealtorcom or (800)-370-LEGAL
Please note a version of this article originally ran in The MAR Report the official blog of the Massachusetts Asso-ciation of Realtorsreg
REALTORreg Association of Central Massachusetts 16 wwwcmarealtorsorg
COMMUNITY ACTION COMMITTEE
RACM office hours are 900 ammdash400 pm during July amp August For assistance with the MLS Lockbox system please make an appointment with Lisa Sprague at 508-832-6600
Please LIKE our facebook page at httpswwwfacebookcomCentralMasslAssociationo-fREALTORS By doing so you will not only get up-to-the-minute information on everything
going on at RACM but you will help us to increase our visibility while growing your own busi-ness network
2016 BOARD OF DIRECTORS
President Kris Koliss
President Elect Sarah GustafsonVice-President Judy Patterson
Secretary Tracey Fiorelli
Treasurer Michael Meurant
Immediate Past President Brad Roberts
Diane Dabrowski DirectorMike DeLuca DirectorErika Hall DirectorLorraine Herbert DirectorLee Joseph DirectorKathy McSweeney DirectorLeslie Storrs DirectorJohn Vaillancourt DirectorAndrew Abu AlternateLeif Rosseland AlternateNathan Stewart Alternate
RACM STAFFExecutive VP
Colleen PappasOffice Manager Lisa Sprague
Marketing Manager Jacki DrsquoInnocenzo
to benefit the elementary and middle school children of Central Mass
We are looking to fill backpacks with the following supplies for elementary and middle school childrenAge-appropriate backpacks are needed as wellAnything you can contribute is greatly appreciated
Items may be dropped at RACM492 Washington StreetAuburn MA or at the followingmember offices
Cash donations gladly accepted
In order to assist our volunteers please do not put supplies inside of backpacks
If you can help pack or deliver items to schoolsplease let us know Help is ALWAYS welcome
REALTORreg Association of Central Massachusetts 492 Washington Street Auburn MA 01501 508-832-6600
Items Needed for each Backpack6 Pens6 Pencils2 Pkg of Lined Paper3 Highlighters1 Binder3 Notebooks3 Two-Pocket Folders1 Ruler1 Pencil Case1 Pkg of 8 Markers1 Pkg of Erasers1 Box of 24 Crayons1 Pkg of 12 Colored Pencils1 Bottle of Glue or Pkg of Glue Sticks
Drive runs from June 1 - August 12Packing days are August 17 amp 18Delivery day is August 19
Central MassachusettsREALTORreg Association of
REALTORreg Association of Central Massachusetts 5 wwwcmarealtorsorg
JULY amp AUGUST BIRTHDAYSWishing a very happy birthday to those celebrating this month May your year ahead be filled with health happiness love and friendship
REALTORreg Association of Central Massachusetts 6 wwwcmarealtorsorg
Marketing SessionDATE Thursday July 14 2016PLACE REALTORreg Association of Central Mass 492 Washington Street AuburnTime 1000 am - 300 pmFREE CEU Class Join us from 10 am - 1200 pm for RE66C11 Anatomy of Commercial Building The Basics
REALTORSregCommercial Alliance
Benefits from attending this marketing session The Generation of Potential Transactions for Buyer amp Seller Clients or YOURSELF Possible Earned Commissions Networking with other Brokers Investors from the local market as well as Regional and National Players Creative transactions amp solutions Find Investor Cash for you or your clients
For more info contact Colleen Pappas at 508-832-6600 x 106
or cpappasrcamaorg
Peter West has been a REALTORreg since 1984 He is licensed in MA NY VT and FL Peter has been awarded the prestigious SEC designation from the Society of Exchange Counselors He also has the CCIM ABR and CRS designations A former National Sales Trainer for Century 21 Real Estate Corp Peter now trains real estate agents throughout all of North America He is a frequent presenter of NARrsquos buyer agency programs In 2007 Peter was inducted into the Buyer Agent Hall of FameHe is also a National Moderator for Commercial Equity marketing sessions Peter is a popular and frequent presenter at state and national conventions
Presented by Peter West
Herersquos one reason why you will want to plan to attend all 12 Sessions
5050Raffle
We will offer a 5050 Raffle at every sessionwith proceeds to benefit the MAR Charitable
Foundation Bring your checkbooks
100 of my 2016 Commercial Sales and Leases were a direct result of RCA-MA Marketing Sessions
Barb Davis-Hassan CCIM2016 RCA-MA President
Thank you to our sponsors
CEU Sponsor
REALTORSreg COMMERCIAL ALLIANCE TRAINING
REALTORreg Association of Central Massachusetts 7 wwwcmarealtorsorg
CODE OF ETHICS TRAINING
Code of Ethics Training
The National Association of REALTORSreg requires all REALTORreg members tocomplete a REALTORreg Code of Ethics course during the four year period that ends December 31 2016
Learn the role the Code should play in your business Enhance professionalism and competency Learn how to use the Code as a viable guide Learn the benefits of Arbitration vs Litigation
Learn the role the Code should play in your business Enhance professionalism and competency Learn how to use the Code as a viable guide Learn the benefits of Arbitration vs Litigation
You may register online at wwwcmarealtorsorg or call the office at 508-832-6600The REALTORreg Association of Central Massachusetts
492 Washington Street Auburn MA 01501
For your convenience RACM will hold classes on the following datesAll classes are FREE for RACM members and 2 CEUrsquos will be awarded
Weds August 31 930 am - 1200 pmWeds October 12 100 - 330 pmSat November 19 19 1230 - 300 pmWeds November 30 930 am - 1200 pmSat December 10 1230 - 300 pmWeds December 14 100 - 330 pmWeds December 28 930 am - 1200 pm
Alternately you may take online training on the NAR website athttpwwwrealtororgcode-of-ethicstrainingNO CEUrsquos are awarded for these online classes
Donrsquot wait until the last minute Fulfill your requirements early
REALTORreg Association of Central Massachusetts 8 wwwcmarealtorsorg
MAR NEWSInstructor Training Institute ITI
This is a program designed to prepare instructors of real estate education to develop course content organize course layout practice various instructional methods and deliver courses effectively to maximize adult learning
When July 27-28Prerequisite There is a 10 hour prerequisite for this course (information will be sent went registered)Where MAR HQ 1400 Main Street WalthamInstructor Paul ChassePrice $600 Course Outline
10 Online pre-req hours
bull e-Learning Educationbull Drafting a lesson plan that works onlinebull Distance educationbull Web-sessions webinars bull Live vs recordedbull Exploring platformsbull (Individual Project) Watch two MAR webinars and email
DropBox comparison questionnairebull Power Point Beginnerbull Power Point Advancedbull Use of presentation softwarebull Positives and negative of presentation software usebull Review the most popular free and web based toolsbull (Individual Project) Create a 10 minute presentation with
presentation softwarebull Review Live Course Syllabusbull Insight into the 2 day live training
Day One 830am-630pm
bull Review the course syllabusbull BiosIntroductionsbull Introduction vs Biobull Single project Write a speaker introduction about yourselfbull Class introductionsbull (Group project split into 2 or 3 groups) Create and record
a 10 minute presentation based on your presentation software project
bull Understanding the learning styles spectrum bull What are your natural training strengthsbull The four learning stylesbull The four steps of the learning stylesbull Group ProjectReview each 10 minute presentation re-
corded at the beginning of the day and discuss based on the days lesson plan
Day Two 830am-630pm
bull Preparing for the lessonbull Having the proper equipmentbull Effective time managementbull Drafting a lesson plan that worksbull Props games and funbull Gage success through effective evaluationsbull Group project (split into 2 or 3 groups) Create and record
a new 10 minute presentation and review with the class
Course syllabus subject to change Times may vary slightly due to class size
MAR CommitteesAre you or someone you know interested in serving on an MAR committee in 2017 Make your requests now The online Committee Request Form is now open on wwwmarealtorcom
bull Login to the MAR website bull Click on ldquoProfilerdquo bull Click the ldquoCommitteesrdquo tab and finally bull Click on the link to volunteer for a 2017 commit-
tee bullbull The deadline for submitting committee requests
is July 31 2016 All requests must be submit-ted online through the MAR Portal Contact Kara Morgan MAR Executive Assistant (kmorganmarealtorcom) with additional questions
MAR Good Neighbor AwardIn 2004 the Massachusetts Association of REALTORSreg (MAR) estab-lished the Good Neighbor Awards program to recognize real estate professionals for their community activism The award is to be pre-sented annually to REALTORSreg who demonstrate an extraordinary commitment to community service through volunteerism and civic and charitable contributions that improve the lives of local residents and make their community a better place to live
Entrants for the award may engage in a broad range of eligible activi-ties that might include but may not be limited to volunteer work in-volving affordable housing issues educational programs youth-related activities or any other civic or charitable activity that improves the lives of local residents or the community at-large
To Apply visit httpswwwmarealtorcommembersgovernanceabout-mar-awardsgood-neighbor-award
REALTORreg Association of Central Massachusetts 9 wwwcmarealtorsorg
RACM 18th ANNUAL GOLF TOURNAMENTJune 23 saw us with another sold out tourna-ment and an absolutely beautiful day on the course Thank you to all of our sponsors and our participants for making this a success We were able to donate $2000 to our 2016 Charities of Choice The Bridge of Central Mass and the Worcester Boys amp Girls Club
Thank you to our professional photographer Tony Chabot of Pro RE Photography and to Gretchen Antonelli of Forward Financial for all of these great shots
Congratulations to our winning teams FIRST PLACE Jo-Ann Szymczak Chuck Szymczak Ron Gagner amp Jan GagnerSECOND PLACE Steve Cavallo Andrew Burton Mark McCabe amp Aram Kalashian THIRD PLACE Kevin Holloway Lisa Shaw Nancy Shaw-Morley amp Anne Marie Rafferty
Big thanks to all of our major sponsors of this event as well as the greens amp tees sponsors
PLATINUM SPONSORSThe Law Office of Jessica AlbinoCahn amp Barron LLC Attorneys at LawFairway MortgageMovement MortgageNorcom MortgagePeoples Home LoansPrestige Home MortgageResidential Mortgage ServicesSouthbridge SavingsWintrust Mortgage
GOLD SPONSORSBank of CantonFidelity BankMLS PINSecurity First Mortgage The Law Offices of Scott Wrenn PC
SILVER SPONSORSCommonwealth Environmental ServicesLaw Office of Harry P Kotseas Peoples United Bank
BRONZE SPONSORSCountry BankForward Financial Services IncThe Law Office of David R Rocheford Jr PC
DRINK TICKET SPONSORSOpen Door Real Estate and Simonian and Murray Attorneys at Law
Longest Drive Sponsor Pam Crawford amp Lorraine Herbert of REMAX Professional As-sociates
Golf Committee Chair Judy Patterson presents the 1st Place Awards to Jo-Ann Szymczak and her team comprised of Chuck Szymczak Ron Gagner and Jan Gagner
REALTORreg Association of Central Massachusetts 10 wwwcmarealtorsorg
RACM 18th ANNUAL GOLF TOURNAMENT
Second Place Team Third Place Team
REALTORreg Association of Central Massachusetts 11 wwwcmarealtorsorg
RACM 18th ANNUAL GOLF TOURNAMENT
REALTORreg Association of Central Massachusetts 12 wwwcmarealtorsorg
FALL MAR CHARITABLE GRANTSOur Community Action Committee was proud to be able to do-nate Golf Tournament Proceeds in the amount of $1000 to each of our 2016 Charities of Choice The Boys and Girls Club and The Bridge of Central Massachusetts
Each year our committee partners with two local charities and then we focus our committee efforts and fundraising towards their goals We are pleased to say that with our combined efforts with the MAR Charitable Foundation to date we have contributed over $5000 in dollars and donations
We also treated the charities to a Red Sox game on June 16 when we donated 10 tickets to the REALTORreg Day at Fenway
Thank you to all who helped make this yearrsquos tournament a re-sounding success especially Committee Chair Judy Patterson
The fall grant applications are due August 31 so if you are involved with a local charity that deals with homelessness please contact Colleen to see how your charity can be nominated for the grant You can download the grant application on our website at httpwwwcmarealtorsorgdocuments-library2016-housing-grant-application-mar-charitable-foundationpdf
Ken Bates from the Bridge of Central Mass
Ellin Terrill of the Worcester Boys amp Girls Club
Do you work in a community that needs some TLCThe Government Affairs Committee is looking for projects for NARrsquos Place-making Grant Program If you are a local community leader please let us know how we can help with beautifying a spot within your town Project ideas range from Little League signage to dog parks to beau-tifying a local monument NAR is ready to partner with us to help make your dream a reality
Contact Nathan Stewart head of the grant task force NathanStewartNEMovescom
Backpack DriveCan you help out with this years Backpack Drive The Commu-nity Action Committee welcomes donations of backpacks and sup-plies (see the full list of needs items on our flyer on the last page of this newsletter) or cash to help purchase items
Help is also need in packing and delivering the items on August 17 18 or 19
If you can help in any way items can be dropped of here at RACM or at any of the offices listed on the flyer Or give us a call and let us know your availability for packingdelivery - 508-832-6600
REALTORreg Association of Central Massachusetts 13 wwwcmarealtorsorg
COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENT amp LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS
Over 45 RACM members joined more than 500 REALTORSreg to advocate for home ownership and private property rights at the State House on June 12 at the annual Day on Beacon Hill Keynote speaker was Lieutenant Governor of Massachu-setts Karen Polito
REALTORSreg Fighting the Fight on Beacon HillThe saying ldquoIf Real Estate is your profession then politics is your businessrdquo has never been more true than in this political cycle In a two-year session of the Legislature thousands of bills are filed some of which result in legislation producing the laws of our Commonwealth
There are many bills filed with well-intentioned measures that are in direct conflict with an opposing concern Having trusted advocates help to discern the layers within the bills is extremely beneficial to our state representatives and senators That is why each June REALTORSreg are welcomed with open arms at the State House at our Day on Beacon Hill This year we cel-ebrated 31 years of coming together for this powerful day The relationships we have made with our local representatives is paramount in our efforts to protect and promote home owner-ship
How Can You Help
There are several ways you can become more involved
bull Calls to Action - We are so fortunate that our state associa-tion stays on top of the issues and keeps us informed and makes it easy for us to take action MAR will issue an email Call to Action to alert us to pending legislaton that will ei-ther help our industry or hurt us
Calls for Action are only issued in extreme circumstances so when you see one you can trust that it is important With this 2 year cycle ending July 31 there is much happening on Beacon Hill which is why we had 2 Calls to Action in June that are still pending resolution One bill pertains to energy scoring and the other concerns zoning Both issues are still in play and you may see more Calls to Action before the end of July Please take a moment and educate yourself on the issues by visiting httpswwwmarealtorcommembersgovernment-affairs
bull SPC (State Political Coordinator) ndash We have a program where members are assigned to their local senator or representa-tive and become a liason to help communicate our mes-sage If you would like more information please contact Erika Hall ceshall07gmailcom chairperson of the task force
bull Invest in RPAC When you see that amount on your annual dues invoice please be sure to check YES
bull Volunteer to be on the Government Affairs Committee and let your voice be heard 2017 appointments will be made this fall
Remember ndash we are the only association that lobbies on behalf of homeowners in America Be proud of your REALTORreg membership and communicate your value to your clients and customers
REALTORreg Association of Central Massachusetts 14 wwwcmarealtorsorg
Inventory of Homes for Sale 498 371 - 255 -- -- --
Months Supply of Inventory 48 30 - 374 -- -- --
Cumulative Days on Market Until Sale 86 78 - 84 106 104 - 20
Percent of Original List Price Received 955 966 + 12 957 962 + 05
New Listings 246 190 - 228 892 903 + 12
- 326
Local Market Update ndash May 2016A RESEARCH TOOL PROVIDED BY THE MASSACHUSETTS ASSOCIATION OF REALTORSreg
Central Massachusetts Association of REALTORSreg
+ 97 - 20Year-Over-Year
Change inClosed SalesAll Properties
Year-Over-YearChange in
Median Sales PriceAll Properties
Year-Over-YearChange in
Inventory of HomesAll Properties
Does not account for seller concessions | Activity for one month can sometimes look extreme due to small sample size
Single-Family Properties
Condominium Properties
May Year to Date
May Year to Date
All data from the Berkshire County Multiple Listing Service Cape Cod amp Islands Association of REALTORSreg Inc and MLS Property Information Network Inc Provided by MAR Report copy 2016 ShowingTime
Median Sales Price BASED ON A ROLLING 12-MONTH AVERAGE
Entire State Entire State
Central Massachusetts Association of REALTORSreg Central Massachusetts Association of REALTORSreg
A rolling 12-month calculation represents the current month and the 11 months prior in a single data point If no activity occurred during a month the line extends to the next available data point
REALTORreg Association of Central Massachusetts 15 wwwcmarealtorsorg
LEGAL HOTLINEMichael McDonagh MAR General CounselAshley Stolba MAR Associate Counsel Justin Davidson MAR Legislative amp Regulatory Counsel
Shining the Light on SolarAre you representing a client who is selling a home with solar panels on the roof Is your buyer looking to make an offer on a house with solar panels If so here is what you need to know to better prepare your client in advanceOWNED PANELS Are the panels leased or owned
Are the panels owned by the seller Or is the seller leasing them from the solar company If the panels are owned by the seller then they should be factored into the price of the home just as any other asset would be It would be prudent to search for comparable homes with owned solar panels as well
A Solar Renewable Energy Credit (SREC)
An SREC is created for every megawatt hour (MWh) of elec-tricity produced by a solar generator SRECs allow a seller with a solar array to use electricity that is produced by the panels and then separately sell the SREC to a utility com-pany You should factor in an SREC when valuing the asset Some solar owners use SREC brokers to handle the sale so if you have a seller who is part of a ten-year SREC program they may consider selling their future credits through such a broker If a seller does this they would then value their solar panels based on the energy savings that they provideBuyers need to ask sellers if they are part of an SREC pro-gram and whether the SRECs will be transferred with the panels If they are a buyer would also want to know what the average annual output of the panels has been so that they can properly value them
Leased Panels
If the panels are leased it can be a bit more omplicated When representing a seller with leased solar panels agents should recommend that the seller contact the leasing com-pany right away to let them know that they are planning to sell the home In fact some solar companies have set up departments specifically to work on lease transfers Whatrsquos a UCC-1
The solar company may reference a UCC-1 (Uniform Com-mercial Code ndash 1) that has been recorded with the property A UCC-1 is a legal form that acts as a lien against the solar equipment on the property and is used by the solar com-panies to protect their interest in the leased panels These finds should be recorded at your local registry of deeds
It is important to know whether or not a UCC-1 has been recorded with the property because some lenders may have concerns that the UCC-1 will take priority over the mortgage in the event of a bankruptcy Some companies will remove the UCC-1 filing and then replace it when the new mortgage is recorded
Buyer Clients
If your buyers are interested in a home with leased solar panels you may want to remind them to factor the monthly lease cost when determining whether or not they can afford the home The buyerrsquos lender is likely to consider this when making a determination on their loan Also buyers should review their credit scores because the solar leasing com-panies are going to ensure that the buyer can assume the costs of the lease before they approve a transfer
Seller Clients
Your seller clients have three options when dealing with leased solar panels 1 They can buy out the lease2 Transfer the lease to the new buyer or3 Attempt to transfer the panels to their new home al-though this option may only be available in rare occasions
Remember to always use caution when advising clients about solar panels The Attorney General published the fol-lowing helpful informational sheet on solar panels httpwwwmass govagonews-and-updatespress-releases2016advice-to-homeowners-considering-solar-panelshtml
You can always contact the MAR Legal Hotline if you have any questions at legalhotlinemarealtorcom or (800)-370-LEGAL
Please note a version of this article originally ran in The MAR Report the official blog of the Massachusetts Asso-ciation of Realtorsreg
REALTORreg Association of Central Massachusetts 16 wwwcmarealtorsorg
COMMUNITY ACTION COMMITTEE
RACM office hours are 900 ammdash400 pm during July amp August For assistance with the MLS Lockbox system please make an appointment with Lisa Sprague at 508-832-6600
Please LIKE our facebook page at httpswwwfacebookcomCentralMasslAssociationo-fREALTORS By doing so you will not only get up-to-the-minute information on everything
going on at RACM but you will help us to increase our visibility while growing your own busi-ness network
2016 BOARD OF DIRECTORS
President Kris Koliss
President Elect Sarah GustafsonVice-President Judy Patterson
Secretary Tracey Fiorelli
Treasurer Michael Meurant
Immediate Past President Brad Roberts
Diane Dabrowski DirectorMike DeLuca DirectorErika Hall DirectorLorraine Herbert DirectorLee Joseph DirectorKathy McSweeney DirectorLeslie Storrs DirectorJohn Vaillancourt DirectorAndrew Abu AlternateLeif Rosseland AlternateNathan Stewart Alternate
RACM STAFFExecutive VP
Colleen PappasOffice Manager Lisa Sprague
Marketing Manager Jacki DrsquoInnocenzo
to benefit the elementary and middle school children of Central Mass
We are looking to fill backpacks with the following supplies for elementary and middle school childrenAge-appropriate backpacks are needed as wellAnything you can contribute is greatly appreciated
Items may be dropped at RACM492 Washington StreetAuburn MA or at the followingmember offices
Cash donations gladly accepted
In order to assist our volunteers please do not put supplies inside of backpacks
If you can help pack or deliver items to schoolsplease let us know Help is ALWAYS welcome
REALTORreg Association of Central Massachusetts 492 Washington Street Auburn MA 01501 508-832-6600
Items Needed for each Backpack6 Pens6 Pencils2 Pkg of Lined Paper3 Highlighters1 Binder3 Notebooks3 Two-Pocket Folders1 Ruler1 Pencil Case1 Pkg of 8 Markers1 Pkg of Erasers1 Box of 24 Crayons1 Pkg of 12 Colored Pencils1 Bottle of Glue or Pkg of Glue Sticks
Drive runs from June 1 - August 12Packing days are August 17 amp 18Delivery day is August 19
Central MassachusettsREALTORreg Association of
REALTORreg Association of Central Massachusetts 6 wwwcmarealtorsorg
Marketing SessionDATE Thursday July 14 2016PLACE REALTORreg Association of Central Mass 492 Washington Street AuburnTime 1000 am - 300 pmFREE CEU Class Join us from 10 am - 1200 pm for RE66C11 Anatomy of Commercial Building The Basics
REALTORSregCommercial Alliance
Benefits from attending this marketing session The Generation of Potential Transactions for Buyer amp Seller Clients or YOURSELF Possible Earned Commissions Networking with other Brokers Investors from the local market as well as Regional and National Players Creative transactions amp solutions Find Investor Cash for you or your clients
For more info contact Colleen Pappas at 508-832-6600 x 106
or cpappasrcamaorg
Peter West has been a REALTORreg since 1984 He is licensed in MA NY VT and FL Peter has been awarded the prestigious SEC designation from the Society of Exchange Counselors He also has the CCIM ABR and CRS designations A former National Sales Trainer for Century 21 Real Estate Corp Peter now trains real estate agents throughout all of North America He is a frequent presenter of NARrsquos buyer agency programs In 2007 Peter was inducted into the Buyer Agent Hall of FameHe is also a National Moderator for Commercial Equity marketing sessions Peter is a popular and frequent presenter at state and national conventions
Presented by Peter West
Herersquos one reason why you will want to plan to attend all 12 Sessions
5050Raffle
We will offer a 5050 Raffle at every sessionwith proceeds to benefit the MAR Charitable
Foundation Bring your checkbooks
100 of my 2016 Commercial Sales and Leases were a direct result of RCA-MA Marketing Sessions
Barb Davis-Hassan CCIM2016 RCA-MA President
Thank you to our sponsors
CEU Sponsor
REALTORSreg COMMERCIAL ALLIANCE TRAINING
REALTORreg Association of Central Massachusetts 7 wwwcmarealtorsorg
CODE OF ETHICS TRAINING
Code of Ethics Training
The National Association of REALTORSreg requires all REALTORreg members tocomplete a REALTORreg Code of Ethics course during the four year period that ends December 31 2016
Learn the role the Code should play in your business Enhance professionalism and competency Learn how to use the Code as a viable guide Learn the benefits of Arbitration vs Litigation
Learn the role the Code should play in your business Enhance professionalism and competency Learn how to use the Code as a viable guide Learn the benefits of Arbitration vs Litigation
You may register online at wwwcmarealtorsorg or call the office at 508-832-6600The REALTORreg Association of Central Massachusetts
492 Washington Street Auburn MA 01501
For your convenience RACM will hold classes on the following datesAll classes are FREE for RACM members and 2 CEUrsquos will be awarded
Weds August 31 930 am - 1200 pmWeds October 12 100 - 330 pmSat November 19 19 1230 - 300 pmWeds November 30 930 am - 1200 pmSat December 10 1230 - 300 pmWeds December 14 100 - 330 pmWeds December 28 930 am - 1200 pm
Alternately you may take online training on the NAR website athttpwwwrealtororgcode-of-ethicstrainingNO CEUrsquos are awarded for these online classes
Donrsquot wait until the last minute Fulfill your requirements early
REALTORreg Association of Central Massachusetts 8 wwwcmarealtorsorg
MAR NEWSInstructor Training Institute ITI
This is a program designed to prepare instructors of real estate education to develop course content organize course layout practice various instructional methods and deliver courses effectively to maximize adult learning
When July 27-28Prerequisite There is a 10 hour prerequisite for this course (information will be sent went registered)Where MAR HQ 1400 Main Street WalthamInstructor Paul ChassePrice $600 Course Outline
10 Online pre-req hours
bull e-Learning Educationbull Drafting a lesson plan that works onlinebull Distance educationbull Web-sessions webinars bull Live vs recordedbull Exploring platformsbull (Individual Project) Watch two MAR webinars and email
DropBox comparison questionnairebull Power Point Beginnerbull Power Point Advancedbull Use of presentation softwarebull Positives and negative of presentation software usebull Review the most popular free and web based toolsbull (Individual Project) Create a 10 minute presentation with
presentation softwarebull Review Live Course Syllabusbull Insight into the 2 day live training
Day One 830am-630pm
bull Review the course syllabusbull BiosIntroductionsbull Introduction vs Biobull Single project Write a speaker introduction about yourselfbull Class introductionsbull (Group project split into 2 or 3 groups) Create and record
a 10 minute presentation based on your presentation software project
bull Understanding the learning styles spectrum bull What are your natural training strengthsbull The four learning stylesbull The four steps of the learning stylesbull Group ProjectReview each 10 minute presentation re-
corded at the beginning of the day and discuss based on the days lesson plan
Day Two 830am-630pm
bull Preparing for the lessonbull Having the proper equipmentbull Effective time managementbull Drafting a lesson plan that worksbull Props games and funbull Gage success through effective evaluationsbull Group project (split into 2 or 3 groups) Create and record
a new 10 minute presentation and review with the class
Course syllabus subject to change Times may vary slightly due to class size
MAR CommitteesAre you or someone you know interested in serving on an MAR committee in 2017 Make your requests now The online Committee Request Form is now open on wwwmarealtorcom
bull Login to the MAR website bull Click on ldquoProfilerdquo bull Click the ldquoCommitteesrdquo tab and finally bull Click on the link to volunteer for a 2017 commit-
tee bullbull The deadline for submitting committee requests
is July 31 2016 All requests must be submit-ted online through the MAR Portal Contact Kara Morgan MAR Executive Assistant (kmorganmarealtorcom) with additional questions
MAR Good Neighbor AwardIn 2004 the Massachusetts Association of REALTORSreg (MAR) estab-lished the Good Neighbor Awards program to recognize real estate professionals for their community activism The award is to be pre-sented annually to REALTORSreg who demonstrate an extraordinary commitment to community service through volunteerism and civic and charitable contributions that improve the lives of local residents and make their community a better place to live
Entrants for the award may engage in a broad range of eligible activi-ties that might include but may not be limited to volunteer work in-volving affordable housing issues educational programs youth-related activities or any other civic or charitable activity that improves the lives of local residents or the community at-large
To Apply visit httpswwwmarealtorcommembersgovernanceabout-mar-awardsgood-neighbor-award
REALTORreg Association of Central Massachusetts 9 wwwcmarealtorsorg
RACM 18th ANNUAL GOLF TOURNAMENTJune 23 saw us with another sold out tourna-ment and an absolutely beautiful day on the course Thank you to all of our sponsors and our participants for making this a success We were able to donate $2000 to our 2016 Charities of Choice The Bridge of Central Mass and the Worcester Boys amp Girls Club
Thank you to our professional photographer Tony Chabot of Pro RE Photography and to Gretchen Antonelli of Forward Financial for all of these great shots
Congratulations to our winning teams FIRST PLACE Jo-Ann Szymczak Chuck Szymczak Ron Gagner amp Jan GagnerSECOND PLACE Steve Cavallo Andrew Burton Mark McCabe amp Aram Kalashian THIRD PLACE Kevin Holloway Lisa Shaw Nancy Shaw-Morley amp Anne Marie Rafferty
Big thanks to all of our major sponsors of this event as well as the greens amp tees sponsors
PLATINUM SPONSORSThe Law Office of Jessica AlbinoCahn amp Barron LLC Attorneys at LawFairway MortgageMovement MortgageNorcom MortgagePeoples Home LoansPrestige Home MortgageResidential Mortgage ServicesSouthbridge SavingsWintrust Mortgage
GOLD SPONSORSBank of CantonFidelity BankMLS PINSecurity First Mortgage The Law Offices of Scott Wrenn PC
SILVER SPONSORSCommonwealth Environmental ServicesLaw Office of Harry P Kotseas Peoples United Bank
BRONZE SPONSORSCountry BankForward Financial Services IncThe Law Office of David R Rocheford Jr PC
DRINK TICKET SPONSORSOpen Door Real Estate and Simonian and Murray Attorneys at Law
Longest Drive Sponsor Pam Crawford amp Lorraine Herbert of REMAX Professional As-sociates
Golf Committee Chair Judy Patterson presents the 1st Place Awards to Jo-Ann Szymczak and her team comprised of Chuck Szymczak Ron Gagner and Jan Gagner
REALTORreg Association of Central Massachusetts 10 wwwcmarealtorsorg
RACM 18th ANNUAL GOLF TOURNAMENT
Second Place Team Third Place Team
REALTORreg Association of Central Massachusetts 11 wwwcmarealtorsorg
RACM 18th ANNUAL GOLF TOURNAMENT
REALTORreg Association of Central Massachusetts 12 wwwcmarealtorsorg
FALL MAR CHARITABLE GRANTSOur Community Action Committee was proud to be able to do-nate Golf Tournament Proceeds in the amount of $1000 to each of our 2016 Charities of Choice The Boys and Girls Club and The Bridge of Central Massachusetts
Each year our committee partners with two local charities and then we focus our committee efforts and fundraising towards their goals We are pleased to say that with our combined efforts with the MAR Charitable Foundation to date we have contributed over $5000 in dollars and donations
We also treated the charities to a Red Sox game on June 16 when we donated 10 tickets to the REALTORreg Day at Fenway
Thank you to all who helped make this yearrsquos tournament a re-sounding success especially Committee Chair Judy Patterson
The fall grant applications are due August 31 so if you are involved with a local charity that deals with homelessness please contact Colleen to see how your charity can be nominated for the grant You can download the grant application on our website at httpwwwcmarealtorsorgdocuments-library2016-housing-grant-application-mar-charitable-foundationpdf
Ken Bates from the Bridge of Central Mass
Ellin Terrill of the Worcester Boys amp Girls Club
Do you work in a community that needs some TLCThe Government Affairs Committee is looking for projects for NARrsquos Place-making Grant Program If you are a local community leader please let us know how we can help with beautifying a spot within your town Project ideas range from Little League signage to dog parks to beau-tifying a local monument NAR is ready to partner with us to help make your dream a reality
Contact Nathan Stewart head of the grant task force NathanStewartNEMovescom
Backpack DriveCan you help out with this years Backpack Drive The Commu-nity Action Committee welcomes donations of backpacks and sup-plies (see the full list of needs items on our flyer on the last page of this newsletter) or cash to help purchase items
Help is also need in packing and delivering the items on August 17 18 or 19
If you can help in any way items can be dropped of here at RACM or at any of the offices listed on the flyer Or give us a call and let us know your availability for packingdelivery - 508-832-6600
REALTORreg Association of Central Massachusetts 13 wwwcmarealtorsorg
COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENT amp LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS
Over 45 RACM members joined more than 500 REALTORSreg to advocate for home ownership and private property rights at the State House on June 12 at the annual Day on Beacon Hill Keynote speaker was Lieutenant Governor of Massachu-setts Karen Polito
REALTORSreg Fighting the Fight on Beacon HillThe saying ldquoIf Real Estate is your profession then politics is your businessrdquo has never been more true than in this political cycle In a two-year session of the Legislature thousands of bills are filed some of which result in legislation producing the laws of our Commonwealth
There are many bills filed with well-intentioned measures that are in direct conflict with an opposing concern Having trusted advocates help to discern the layers within the bills is extremely beneficial to our state representatives and senators That is why each June REALTORSreg are welcomed with open arms at the State House at our Day on Beacon Hill This year we cel-ebrated 31 years of coming together for this powerful day The relationships we have made with our local representatives is paramount in our efforts to protect and promote home owner-ship
How Can You Help
There are several ways you can become more involved
bull Calls to Action - We are so fortunate that our state associa-tion stays on top of the issues and keeps us informed and makes it easy for us to take action MAR will issue an email Call to Action to alert us to pending legislaton that will ei-ther help our industry or hurt us
Calls for Action are only issued in extreme circumstances so when you see one you can trust that it is important With this 2 year cycle ending July 31 there is much happening on Beacon Hill which is why we had 2 Calls to Action in June that are still pending resolution One bill pertains to energy scoring and the other concerns zoning Both issues are still in play and you may see more Calls to Action before the end of July Please take a moment and educate yourself on the issues by visiting httpswwwmarealtorcommembersgovernment-affairs
bull SPC (State Political Coordinator) ndash We have a program where members are assigned to their local senator or representa-tive and become a liason to help communicate our mes-sage If you would like more information please contact Erika Hall ceshall07gmailcom chairperson of the task force
bull Invest in RPAC When you see that amount on your annual dues invoice please be sure to check YES
bull Volunteer to be on the Government Affairs Committee and let your voice be heard 2017 appointments will be made this fall
Remember ndash we are the only association that lobbies on behalf of homeowners in America Be proud of your REALTORreg membership and communicate your value to your clients and customers
REALTORreg Association of Central Massachusetts 14 wwwcmarealtorsorg
Inventory of Homes for Sale 498 371 - 255 -- -- --
Months Supply of Inventory 48 30 - 374 -- -- --
Cumulative Days on Market Until Sale 86 78 - 84 106 104 - 20
Percent of Original List Price Received 955 966 + 12 957 962 + 05
New Listings 246 190 - 228 892 903 + 12
- 326
Local Market Update ndash May 2016A RESEARCH TOOL PROVIDED BY THE MASSACHUSETTS ASSOCIATION OF REALTORSreg
Central Massachusetts Association of REALTORSreg
+ 97 - 20Year-Over-Year
Change inClosed SalesAll Properties
Year-Over-YearChange in
Median Sales PriceAll Properties
Year-Over-YearChange in
Inventory of HomesAll Properties
Does not account for seller concessions | Activity for one month can sometimes look extreme due to small sample size
Single-Family Properties
Condominium Properties
May Year to Date
May Year to Date
All data from the Berkshire County Multiple Listing Service Cape Cod amp Islands Association of REALTORSreg Inc and MLS Property Information Network Inc Provided by MAR Report copy 2016 ShowingTime
Median Sales Price BASED ON A ROLLING 12-MONTH AVERAGE
Entire State Entire State
Central Massachusetts Association of REALTORSreg Central Massachusetts Association of REALTORSreg
A rolling 12-month calculation represents the current month and the 11 months prior in a single data point If no activity occurred during a month the line extends to the next available data point
REALTORreg Association of Central Massachusetts 15 wwwcmarealtorsorg
LEGAL HOTLINEMichael McDonagh MAR General CounselAshley Stolba MAR Associate Counsel Justin Davidson MAR Legislative amp Regulatory Counsel
Shining the Light on SolarAre you representing a client who is selling a home with solar panels on the roof Is your buyer looking to make an offer on a house with solar panels If so here is what you need to know to better prepare your client in advanceOWNED PANELS Are the panels leased or owned
Are the panels owned by the seller Or is the seller leasing them from the solar company If the panels are owned by the seller then they should be factored into the price of the home just as any other asset would be It would be prudent to search for comparable homes with owned solar panels as well
A Solar Renewable Energy Credit (SREC)
An SREC is created for every megawatt hour (MWh) of elec-tricity produced by a solar generator SRECs allow a seller with a solar array to use electricity that is produced by the panels and then separately sell the SREC to a utility com-pany You should factor in an SREC when valuing the asset Some solar owners use SREC brokers to handle the sale so if you have a seller who is part of a ten-year SREC program they may consider selling their future credits through such a broker If a seller does this they would then value their solar panels based on the energy savings that they provideBuyers need to ask sellers if they are part of an SREC pro-gram and whether the SRECs will be transferred with the panels If they are a buyer would also want to know what the average annual output of the panels has been so that they can properly value them
Leased Panels
If the panels are leased it can be a bit more omplicated When representing a seller with leased solar panels agents should recommend that the seller contact the leasing com-pany right away to let them know that they are planning to sell the home In fact some solar companies have set up departments specifically to work on lease transfers Whatrsquos a UCC-1
The solar company may reference a UCC-1 (Uniform Com-mercial Code ndash 1) that has been recorded with the property A UCC-1 is a legal form that acts as a lien against the solar equipment on the property and is used by the solar com-panies to protect their interest in the leased panels These finds should be recorded at your local registry of deeds
It is important to know whether or not a UCC-1 has been recorded with the property because some lenders may have concerns that the UCC-1 will take priority over the mortgage in the event of a bankruptcy Some companies will remove the UCC-1 filing and then replace it when the new mortgage is recorded
Buyer Clients
If your buyers are interested in a home with leased solar panels you may want to remind them to factor the monthly lease cost when determining whether or not they can afford the home The buyerrsquos lender is likely to consider this when making a determination on their loan Also buyers should review their credit scores because the solar leasing com-panies are going to ensure that the buyer can assume the costs of the lease before they approve a transfer
Seller Clients
Your seller clients have three options when dealing with leased solar panels 1 They can buy out the lease2 Transfer the lease to the new buyer or3 Attempt to transfer the panels to their new home al-though this option may only be available in rare occasions
Remember to always use caution when advising clients about solar panels The Attorney General published the fol-lowing helpful informational sheet on solar panels httpwwwmass govagonews-and-updatespress-releases2016advice-to-homeowners-considering-solar-panelshtml
You can always contact the MAR Legal Hotline if you have any questions at legalhotlinemarealtorcom or (800)-370-LEGAL
Please note a version of this article originally ran in The MAR Report the official blog of the Massachusetts Asso-ciation of Realtorsreg
REALTORreg Association of Central Massachusetts 16 wwwcmarealtorsorg
COMMUNITY ACTION COMMITTEE
RACM office hours are 900 ammdash400 pm during July amp August For assistance with the MLS Lockbox system please make an appointment with Lisa Sprague at 508-832-6600
Please LIKE our facebook page at httpswwwfacebookcomCentralMasslAssociationo-fREALTORS By doing so you will not only get up-to-the-minute information on everything
going on at RACM but you will help us to increase our visibility while growing your own busi-ness network
2016 BOARD OF DIRECTORS
President Kris Koliss
President Elect Sarah GustafsonVice-President Judy Patterson
Secretary Tracey Fiorelli
Treasurer Michael Meurant
Immediate Past President Brad Roberts
Diane Dabrowski DirectorMike DeLuca DirectorErika Hall DirectorLorraine Herbert DirectorLee Joseph DirectorKathy McSweeney DirectorLeslie Storrs DirectorJohn Vaillancourt DirectorAndrew Abu AlternateLeif Rosseland AlternateNathan Stewart Alternate
RACM STAFFExecutive VP
Colleen PappasOffice Manager Lisa Sprague
Marketing Manager Jacki DrsquoInnocenzo
to benefit the elementary and middle school children of Central Mass
We are looking to fill backpacks with the following supplies for elementary and middle school childrenAge-appropriate backpacks are needed as wellAnything you can contribute is greatly appreciated
Items may be dropped at RACM492 Washington StreetAuburn MA or at the followingmember offices
Cash donations gladly accepted
In order to assist our volunteers please do not put supplies inside of backpacks
If you can help pack or deliver items to schoolsplease let us know Help is ALWAYS welcome
REALTORreg Association of Central Massachusetts 492 Washington Street Auburn MA 01501 508-832-6600
Items Needed for each Backpack6 Pens6 Pencils2 Pkg of Lined Paper3 Highlighters1 Binder3 Notebooks3 Two-Pocket Folders1 Ruler1 Pencil Case1 Pkg of 8 Markers1 Pkg of Erasers1 Box of 24 Crayons1 Pkg of 12 Colored Pencils1 Bottle of Glue or Pkg of Glue Sticks
Drive runs from June 1 - August 12Packing days are August 17 amp 18Delivery day is August 19
Central MassachusettsREALTORreg Association of
REALTORreg Association of Central Massachusetts 7 wwwcmarealtorsorg
CODE OF ETHICS TRAINING
Code of Ethics Training
The National Association of REALTORSreg requires all REALTORreg members tocomplete a REALTORreg Code of Ethics course during the four year period that ends December 31 2016
Learn the role the Code should play in your business Enhance professionalism and competency Learn how to use the Code as a viable guide Learn the benefits of Arbitration vs Litigation
Learn the role the Code should play in your business Enhance professionalism and competency Learn how to use the Code as a viable guide Learn the benefits of Arbitration vs Litigation
You may register online at wwwcmarealtorsorg or call the office at 508-832-6600The REALTORreg Association of Central Massachusetts
492 Washington Street Auburn MA 01501
For your convenience RACM will hold classes on the following datesAll classes are FREE for RACM members and 2 CEUrsquos will be awarded
Weds August 31 930 am - 1200 pmWeds October 12 100 - 330 pmSat November 19 19 1230 - 300 pmWeds November 30 930 am - 1200 pmSat December 10 1230 - 300 pmWeds December 14 100 - 330 pmWeds December 28 930 am - 1200 pm
Alternately you may take online training on the NAR website athttpwwwrealtororgcode-of-ethicstrainingNO CEUrsquos are awarded for these online classes
Donrsquot wait until the last minute Fulfill your requirements early
REALTORreg Association of Central Massachusetts 8 wwwcmarealtorsorg
MAR NEWSInstructor Training Institute ITI
This is a program designed to prepare instructors of real estate education to develop course content organize course layout practice various instructional methods and deliver courses effectively to maximize adult learning
When July 27-28Prerequisite There is a 10 hour prerequisite for this course (information will be sent went registered)Where MAR HQ 1400 Main Street WalthamInstructor Paul ChassePrice $600 Course Outline
10 Online pre-req hours
bull e-Learning Educationbull Drafting a lesson plan that works onlinebull Distance educationbull Web-sessions webinars bull Live vs recordedbull Exploring platformsbull (Individual Project) Watch two MAR webinars and email
DropBox comparison questionnairebull Power Point Beginnerbull Power Point Advancedbull Use of presentation softwarebull Positives and negative of presentation software usebull Review the most popular free and web based toolsbull (Individual Project) Create a 10 minute presentation with
presentation softwarebull Review Live Course Syllabusbull Insight into the 2 day live training
Day One 830am-630pm
bull Review the course syllabusbull BiosIntroductionsbull Introduction vs Biobull Single project Write a speaker introduction about yourselfbull Class introductionsbull (Group project split into 2 or 3 groups) Create and record
a 10 minute presentation based on your presentation software project
bull Understanding the learning styles spectrum bull What are your natural training strengthsbull The four learning stylesbull The four steps of the learning stylesbull Group ProjectReview each 10 minute presentation re-
corded at the beginning of the day and discuss based on the days lesson plan
Day Two 830am-630pm
bull Preparing for the lessonbull Having the proper equipmentbull Effective time managementbull Drafting a lesson plan that worksbull Props games and funbull Gage success through effective evaluationsbull Group project (split into 2 or 3 groups) Create and record
a new 10 minute presentation and review with the class
Course syllabus subject to change Times may vary slightly due to class size
MAR CommitteesAre you or someone you know interested in serving on an MAR committee in 2017 Make your requests now The online Committee Request Form is now open on wwwmarealtorcom
bull Login to the MAR website bull Click on ldquoProfilerdquo bull Click the ldquoCommitteesrdquo tab and finally bull Click on the link to volunteer for a 2017 commit-
tee bullbull The deadline for submitting committee requests
is July 31 2016 All requests must be submit-ted online through the MAR Portal Contact Kara Morgan MAR Executive Assistant (kmorganmarealtorcom) with additional questions
MAR Good Neighbor AwardIn 2004 the Massachusetts Association of REALTORSreg (MAR) estab-lished the Good Neighbor Awards program to recognize real estate professionals for their community activism The award is to be pre-sented annually to REALTORSreg who demonstrate an extraordinary commitment to community service through volunteerism and civic and charitable contributions that improve the lives of local residents and make their community a better place to live
Entrants for the award may engage in a broad range of eligible activi-ties that might include but may not be limited to volunteer work in-volving affordable housing issues educational programs youth-related activities or any other civic or charitable activity that improves the lives of local residents or the community at-large
To Apply visit httpswwwmarealtorcommembersgovernanceabout-mar-awardsgood-neighbor-award
REALTORreg Association of Central Massachusetts 9 wwwcmarealtorsorg
RACM 18th ANNUAL GOLF TOURNAMENTJune 23 saw us with another sold out tourna-ment and an absolutely beautiful day on the course Thank you to all of our sponsors and our participants for making this a success We were able to donate $2000 to our 2016 Charities of Choice The Bridge of Central Mass and the Worcester Boys amp Girls Club
Thank you to our professional photographer Tony Chabot of Pro RE Photography and to Gretchen Antonelli of Forward Financial for all of these great shots
Congratulations to our winning teams FIRST PLACE Jo-Ann Szymczak Chuck Szymczak Ron Gagner amp Jan GagnerSECOND PLACE Steve Cavallo Andrew Burton Mark McCabe amp Aram Kalashian THIRD PLACE Kevin Holloway Lisa Shaw Nancy Shaw-Morley amp Anne Marie Rafferty
Big thanks to all of our major sponsors of this event as well as the greens amp tees sponsors
PLATINUM SPONSORSThe Law Office of Jessica AlbinoCahn amp Barron LLC Attorneys at LawFairway MortgageMovement MortgageNorcom MortgagePeoples Home LoansPrestige Home MortgageResidential Mortgage ServicesSouthbridge SavingsWintrust Mortgage
GOLD SPONSORSBank of CantonFidelity BankMLS PINSecurity First Mortgage The Law Offices of Scott Wrenn PC
SILVER SPONSORSCommonwealth Environmental ServicesLaw Office of Harry P Kotseas Peoples United Bank
BRONZE SPONSORSCountry BankForward Financial Services IncThe Law Office of David R Rocheford Jr PC
DRINK TICKET SPONSORSOpen Door Real Estate and Simonian and Murray Attorneys at Law
Longest Drive Sponsor Pam Crawford amp Lorraine Herbert of REMAX Professional As-sociates
Golf Committee Chair Judy Patterson presents the 1st Place Awards to Jo-Ann Szymczak and her team comprised of Chuck Szymczak Ron Gagner and Jan Gagner
REALTORreg Association of Central Massachusetts 10 wwwcmarealtorsorg
RACM 18th ANNUAL GOLF TOURNAMENT
Second Place Team Third Place Team
REALTORreg Association of Central Massachusetts 11 wwwcmarealtorsorg
RACM 18th ANNUAL GOLF TOURNAMENT
REALTORreg Association of Central Massachusetts 12 wwwcmarealtorsorg
FALL MAR CHARITABLE GRANTSOur Community Action Committee was proud to be able to do-nate Golf Tournament Proceeds in the amount of $1000 to each of our 2016 Charities of Choice The Boys and Girls Club and The Bridge of Central Massachusetts
Each year our committee partners with two local charities and then we focus our committee efforts and fundraising towards their goals We are pleased to say that with our combined efforts with the MAR Charitable Foundation to date we have contributed over $5000 in dollars and donations
We also treated the charities to a Red Sox game on June 16 when we donated 10 tickets to the REALTORreg Day at Fenway
Thank you to all who helped make this yearrsquos tournament a re-sounding success especially Committee Chair Judy Patterson
The fall grant applications are due August 31 so if you are involved with a local charity that deals with homelessness please contact Colleen to see how your charity can be nominated for the grant You can download the grant application on our website at httpwwwcmarealtorsorgdocuments-library2016-housing-grant-application-mar-charitable-foundationpdf
Ken Bates from the Bridge of Central Mass
Ellin Terrill of the Worcester Boys amp Girls Club
Do you work in a community that needs some TLCThe Government Affairs Committee is looking for projects for NARrsquos Place-making Grant Program If you are a local community leader please let us know how we can help with beautifying a spot within your town Project ideas range from Little League signage to dog parks to beau-tifying a local monument NAR is ready to partner with us to help make your dream a reality
Contact Nathan Stewart head of the grant task force NathanStewartNEMovescom
Backpack DriveCan you help out with this years Backpack Drive The Commu-nity Action Committee welcomes donations of backpacks and sup-plies (see the full list of needs items on our flyer on the last page of this newsletter) or cash to help purchase items
Help is also need in packing and delivering the items on August 17 18 or 19
If you can help in any way items can be dropped of here at RACM or at any of the offices listed on the flyer Or give us a call and let us know your availability for packingdelivery - 508-832-6600
REALTORreg Association of Central Massachusetts 13 wwwcmarealtorsorg
COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENT amp LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS
Over 45 RACM members joined more than 500 REALTORSreg to advocate for home ownership and private property rights at the State House on June 12 at the annual Day on Beacon Hill Keynote speaker was Lieutenant Governor of Massachu-setts Karen Polito
REALTORSreg Fighting the Fight on Beacon HillThe saying ldquoIf Real Estate is your profession then politics is your businessrdquo has never been more true than in this political cycle In a two-year session of the Legislature thousands of bills are filed some of which result in legislation producing the laws of our Commonwealth
There are many bills filed with well-intentioned measures that are in direct conflict with an opposing concern Having trusted advocates help to discern the layers within the bills is extremely beneficial to our state representatives and senators That is why each June REALTORSreg are welcomed with open arms at the State House at our Day on Beacon Hill This year we cel-ebrated 31 years of coming together for this powerful day The relationships we have made with our local representatives is paramount in our efforts to protect and promote home owner-ship
How Can You Help
There are several ways you can become more involved
bull Calls to Action - We are so fortunate that our state associa-tion stays on top of the issues and keeps us informed and makes it easy for us to take action MAR will issue an email Call to Action to alert us to pending legislaton that will ei-ther help our industry or hurt us
Calls for Action are only issued in extreme circumstances so when you see one you can trust that it is important With this 2 year cycle ending July 31 there is much happening on Beacon Hill which is why we had 2 Calls to Action in June that are still pending resolution One bill pertains to energy scoring and the other concerns zoning Both issues are still in play and you may see more Calls to Action before the end of July Please take a moment and educate yourself on the issues by visiting httpswwwmarealtorcommembersgovernment-affairs
bull SPC (State Political Coordinator) ndash We have a program where members are assigned to their local senator or representa-tive and become a liason to help communicate our mes-sage If you would like more information please contact Erika Hall ceshall07gmailcom chairperson of the task force
bull Invest in RPAC When you see that amount on your annual dues invoice please be sure to check YES
bull Volunteer to be on the Government Affairs Committee and let your voice be heard 2017 appointments will be made this fall
Remember ndash we are the only association that lobbies on behalf of homeowners in America Be proud of your REALTORreg membership and communicate your value to your clients and customers
REALTORreg Association of Central Massachusetts 14 wwwcmarealtorsorg
Inventory of Homes for Sale 498 371 - 255 -- -- --
Months Supply of Inventory 48 30 - 374 -- -- --
Cumulative Days on Market Until Sale 86 78 - 84 106 104 - 20
Percent of Original List Price Received 955 966 + 12 957 962 + 05
New Listings 246 190 - 228 892 903 + 12
- 326
Local Market Update ndash May 2016A RESEARCH TOOL PROVIDED BY THE MASSACHUSETTS ASSOCIATION OF REALTORSreg
Central Massachusetts Association of REALTORSreg
+ 97 - 20Year-Over-Year
Change inClosed SalesAll Properties
Year-Over-YearChange in
Median Sales PriceAll Properties
Year-Over-YearChange in
Inventory of HomesAll Properties
Does not account for seller concessions | Activity for one month can sometimes look extreme due to small sample size
Single-Family Properties
Condominium Properties
May Year to Date
May Year to Date
All data from the Berkshire County Multiple Listing Service Cape Cod amp Islands Association of REALTORSreg Inc and MLS Property Information Network Inc Provided by MAR Report copy 2016 ShowingTime
Median Sales Price BASED ON A ROLLING 12-MONTH AVERAGE
Entire State Entire State
Central Massachusetts Association of REALTORSreg Central Massachusetts Association of REALTORSreg
A rolling 12-month calculation represents the current month and the 11 months prior in a single data point If no activity occurred during a month the line extends to the next available data point
REALTORreg Association of Central Massachusetts 15 wwwcmarealtorsorg
LEGAL HOTLINEMichael McDonagh MAR General CounselAshley Stolba MAR Associate Counsel Justin Davidson MAR Legislative amp Regulatory Counsel
Shining the Light on SolarAre you representing a client who is selling a home with solar panels on the roof Is your buyer looking to make an offer on a house with solar panels If so here is what you need to know to better prepare your client in advanceOWNED PANELS Are the panels leased or owned
Are the panels owned by the seller Or is the seller leasing them from the solar company If the panels are owned by the seller then they should be factored into the price of the home just as any other asset would be It would be prudent to search for comparable homes with owned solar panels as well
A Solar Renewable Energy Credit (SREC)
An SREC is created for every megawatt hour (MWh) of elec-tricity produced by a solar generator SRECs allow a seller with a solar array to use electricity that is produced by the panels and then separately sell the SREC to a utility com-pany You should factor in an SREC when valuing the asset Some solar owners use SREC brokers to handle the sale so if you have a seller who is part of a ten-year SREC program they may consider selling their future credits through such a broker If a seller does this they would then value their solar panels based on the energy savings that they provideBuyers need to ask sellers if they are part of an SREC pro-gram and whether the SRECs will be transferred with the panels If they are a buyer would also want to know what the average annual output of the panels has been so that they can properly value them
Leased Panels
If the panels are leased it can be a bit more omplicated When representing a seller with leased solar panels agents should recommend that the seller contact the leasing com-pany right away to let them know that they are planning to sell the home In fact some solar companies have set up departments specifically to work on lease transfers Whatrsquos a UCC-1
The solar company may reference a UCC-1 (Uniform Com-mercial Code ndash 1) that has been recorded with the property A UCC-1 is a legal form that acts as a lien against the solar equipment on the property and is used by the solar com-panies to protect their interest in the leased panels These finds should be recorded at your local registry of deeds
It is important to know whether or not a UCC-1 has been recorded with the property because some lenders may have concerns that the UCC-1 will take priority over the mortgage in the event of a bankruptcy Some companies will remove the UCC-1 filing and then replace it when the new mortgage is recorded
Buyer Clients
If your buyers are interested in a home with leased solar panels you may want to remind them to factor the monthly lease cost when determining whether or not they can afford the home The buyerrsquos lender is likely to consider this when making a determination on their loan Also buyers should review their credit scores because the solar leasing com-panies are going to ensure that the buyer can assume the costs of the lease before they approve a transfer
Seller Clients
Your seller clients have three options when dealing with leased solar panels 1 They can buy out the lease2 Transfer the lease to the new buyer or3 Attempt to transfer the panels to their new home al-though this option may only be available in rare occasions
Remember to always use caution when advising clients about solar panels The Attorney General published the fol-lowing helpful informational sheet on solar panels httpwwwmass govagonews-and-updatespress-releases2016advice-to-homeowners-considering-solar-panelshtml
You can always contact the MAR Legal Hotline if you have any questions at legalhotlinemarealtorcom or (800)-370-LEGAL
Please note a version of this article originally ran in The MAR Report the official blog of the Massachusetts Asso-ciation of Realtorsreg
REALTORreg Association of Central Massachusetts 16 wwwcmarealtorsorg
COMMUNITY ACTION COMMITTEE
RACM office hours are 900 ammdash400 pm during July amp August For assistance with the MLS Lockbox system please make an appointment with Lisa Sprague at 508-832-6600
Please LIKE our facebook page at httpswwwfacebookcomCentralMasslAssociationo-fREALTORS By doing so you will not only get up-to-the-minute information on everything
going on at RACM but you will help us to increase our visibility while growing your own busi-ness network
2016 BOARD OF DIRECTORS
President Kris Koliss
President Elect Sarah GustafsonVice-President Judy Patterson
Secretary Tracey Fiorelli
Treasurer Michael Meurant
Immediate Past President Brad Roberts
Diane Dabrowski DirectorMike DeLuca DirectorErika Hall DirectorLorraine Herbert DirectorLee Joseph DirectorKathy McSweeney DirectorLeslie Storrs DirectorJohn Vaillancourt DirectorAndrew Abu AlternateLeif Rosseland AlternateNathan Stewart Alternate
RACM STAFFExecutive VP
Colleen PappasOffice Manager Lisa Sprague
Marketing Manager Jacki DrsquoInnocenzo
to benefit the elementary and middle school children of Central Mass
We are looking to fill backpacks with the following supplies for elementary and middle school childrenAge-appropriate backpacks are needed as wellAnything you can contribute is greatly appreciated
Items may be dropped at RACM492 Washington StreetAuburn MA or at the followingmember offices
Cash donations gladly accepted
In order to assist our volunteers please do not put supplies inside of backpacks
If you can help pack or deliver items to schoolsplease let us know Help is ALWAYS welcome
REALTORreg Association of Central Massachusetts 492 Washington Street Auburn MA 01501 508-832-6600
Items Needed for each Backpack6 Pens6 Pencils2 Pkg of Lined Paper3 Highlighters1 Binder3 Notebooks3 Two-Pocket Folders1 Ruler1 Pencil Case1 Pkg of 8 Markers1 Pkg of Erasers1 Box of 24 Crayons1 Pkg of 12 Colored Pencils1 Bottle of Glue or Pkg of Glue Sticks
Drive runs from June 1 - August 12Packing days are August 17 amp 18Delivery day is August 19
Central MassachusettsREALTORreg Association of
REALTORreg Association of Central Massachusetts 8 wwwcmarealtorsorg
MAR NEWSInstructor Training Institute ITI
This is a program designed to prepare instructors of real estate education to develop course content organize course layout practice various instructional methods and deliver courses effectively to maximize adult learning
When July 27-28Prerequisite There is a 10 hour prerequisite for this course (information will be sent went registered)Where MAR HQ 1400 Main Street WalthamInstructor Paul ChassePrice $600 Course Outline
10 Online pre-req hours
bull e-Learning Educationbull Drafting a lesson plan that works onlinebull Distance educationbull Web-sessions webinars bull Live vs recordedbull Exploring platformsbull (Individual Project) Watch two MAR webinars and email
DropBox comparison questionnairebull Power Point Beginnerbull Power Point Advancedbull Use of presentation softwarebull Positives and negative of presentation software usebull Review the most popular free and web based toolsbull (Individual Project) Create a 10 minute presentation with
presentation softwarebull Review Live Course Syllabusbull Insight into the 2 day live training
Day One 830am-630pm
bull Review the course syllabusbull BiosIntroductionsbull Introduction vs Biobull Single project Write a speaker introduction about yourselfbull Class introductionsbull (Group project split into 2 or 3 groups) Create and record
a 10 minute presentation based on your presentation software project
bull Understanding the learning styles spectrum bull What are your natural training strengthsbull The four learning stylesbull The four steps of the learning stylesbull Group ProjectReview each 10 minute presentation re-
corded at the beginning of the day and discuss based on the days lesson plan
Day Two 830am-630pm
bull Preparing for the lessonbull Having the proper equipmentbull Effective time managementbull Drafting a lesson plan that worksbull Props games and funbull Gage success through effective evaluationsbull Group project (split into 2 or 3 groups) Create and record
a new 10 minute presentation and review with the class
Course syllabus subject to change Times may vary slightly due to class size
MAR CommitteesAre you or someone you know interested in serving on an MAR committee in 2017 Make your requests now The online Committee Request Form is now open on wwwmarealtorcom
bull Login to the MAR website bull Click on ldquoProfilerdquo bull Click the ldquoCommitteesrdquo tab and finally bull Click on the link to volunteer for a 2017 commit-
tee bullbull The deadline for submitting committee requests
is July 31 2016 All requests must be submit-ted online through the MAR Portal Contact Kara Morgan MAR Executive Assistant (kmorganmarealtorcom) with additional questions
MAR Good Neighbor AwardIn 2004 the Massachusetts Association of REALTORSreg (MAR) estab-lished the Good Neighbor Awards program to recognize real estate professionals for their community activism The award is to be pre-sented annually to REALTORSreg who demonstrate an extraordinary commitment to community service through volunteerism and civic and charitable contributions that improve the lives of local residents and make their community a better place to live
Entrants for the award may engage in a broad range of eligible activi-ties that might include but may not be limited to volunteer work in-volving affordable housing issues educational programs youth-related activities or any other civic or charitable activity that improves the lives of local residents or the community at-large
To Apply visit httpswwwmarealtorcommembersgovernanceabout-mar-awardsgood-neighbor-award
REALTORreg Association of Central Massachusetts 9 wwwcmarealtorsorg
RACM 18th ANNUAL GOLF TOURNAMENTJune 23 saw us with another sold out tourna-ment and an absolutely beautiful day on the course Thank you to all of our sponsors and our participants for making this a success We were able to donate $2000 to our 2016 Charities of Choice The Bridge of Central Mass and the Worcester Boys amp Girls Club
Thank you to our professional photographer Tony Chabot of Pro RE Photography and to Gretchen Antonelli of Forward Financial for all of these great shots
Congratulations to our winning teams FIRST PLACE Jo-Ann Szymczak Chuck Szymczak Ron Gagner amp Jan GagnerSECOND PLACE Steve Cavallo Andrew Burton Mark McCabe amp Aram Kalashian THIRD PLACE Kevin Holloway Lisa Shaw Nancy Shaw-Morley amp Anne Marie Rafferty
Big thanks to all of our major sponsors of this event as well as the greens amp tees sponsors
PLATINUM SPONSORSThe Law Office of Jessica AlbinoCahn amp Barron LLC Attorneys at LawFairway MortgageMovement MortgageNorcom MortgagePeoples Home LoansPrestige Home MortgageResidential Mortgage ServicesSouthbridge SavingsWintrust Mortgage
GOLD SPONSORSBank of CantonFidelity BankMLS PINSecurity First Mortgage The Law Offices of Scott Wrenn PC
SILVER SPONSORSCommonwealth Environmental ServicesLaw Office of Harry P Kotseas Peoples United Bank
BRONZE SPONSORSCountry BankForward Financial Services IncThe Law Office of David R Rocheford Jr PC
DRINK TICKET SPONSORSOpen Door Real Estate and Simonian and Murray Attorneys at Law
Longest Drive Sponsor Pam Crawford amp Lorraine Herbert of REMAX Professional As-sociates
Golf Committee Chair Judy Patterson presents the 1st Place Awards to Jo-Ann Szymczak and her team comprised of Chuck Szymczak Ron Gagner and Jan Gagner
REALTORreg Association of Central Massachusetts 10 wwwcmarealtorsorg
RACM 18th ANNUAL GOLF TOURNAMENT
Second Place Team Third Place Team
REALTORreg Association of Central Massachusetts 11 wwwcmarealtorsorg
RACM 18th ANNUAL GOLF TOURNAMENT
REALTORreg Association of Central Massachusetts 12 wwwcmarealtorsorg
FALL MAR CHARITABLE GRANTSOur Community Action Committee was proud to be able to do-nate Golf Tournament Proceeds in the amount of $1000 to each of our 2016 Charities of Choice The Boys and Girls Club and The Bridge of Central Massachusetts
Each year our committee partners with two local charities and then we focus our committee efforts and fundraising towards their goals We are pleased to say that with our combined efforts with the MAR Charitable Foundation to date we have contributed over $5000 in dollars and donations
We also treated the charities to a Red Sox game on June 16 when we donated 10 tickets to the REALTORreg Day at Fenway
Thank you to all who helped make this yearrsquos tournament a re-sounding success especially Committee Chair Judy Patterson
The fall grant applications are due August 31 so if you are involved with a local charity that deals with homelessness please contact Colleen to see how your charity can be nominated for the grant You can download the grant application on our website at httpwwwcmarealtorsorgdocuments-library2016-housing-grant-application-mar-charitable-foundationpdf
Ken Bates from the Bridge of Central Mass
Ellin Terrill of the Worcester Boys amp Girls Club
Do you work in a community that needs some TLCThe Government Affairs Committee is looking for projects for NARrsquos Place-making Grant Program If you are a local community leader please let us know how we can help with beautifying a spot within your town Project ideas range from Little League signage to dog parks to beau-tifying a local monument NAR is ready to partner with us to help make your dream a reality
Contact Nathan Stewart head of the grant task force NathanStewartNEMovescom
Backpack DriveCan you help out with this years Backpack Drive The Commu-nity Action Committee welcomes donations of backpacks and sup-plies (see the full list of needs items on our flyer on the last page of this newsletter) or cash to help purchase items
Help is also need in packing and delivering the items on August 17 18 or 19
If you can help in any way items can be dropped of here at RACM or at any of the offices listed on the flyer Or give us a call and let us know your availability for packingdelivery - 508-832-6600
REALTORreg Association of Central Massachusetts 13 wwwcmarealtorsorg
COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENT amp LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS
Over 45 RACM members joined more than 500 REALTORSreg to advocate for home ownership and private property rights at the State House on June 12 at the annual Day on Beacon Hill Keynote speaker was Lieutenant Governor of Massachu-setts Karen Polito
REALTORSreg Fighting the Fight on Beacon HillThe saying ldquoIf Real Estate is your profession then politics is your businessrdquo has never been more true than in this political cycle In a two-year session of the Legislature thousands of bills are filed some of which result in legislation producing the laws of our Commonwealth
There are many bills filed with well-intentioned measures that are in direct conflict with an opposing concern Having trusted advocates help to discern the layers within the bills is extremely beneficial to our state representatives and senators That is why each June REALTORSreg are welcomed with open arms at the State House at our Day on Beacon Hill This year we cel-ebrated 31 years of coming together for this powerful day The relationships we have made with our local representatives is paramount in our efforts to protect and promote home owner-ship
How Can You Help
There are several ways you can become more involved
bull Calls to Action - We are so fortunate that our state associa-tion stays on top of the issues and keeps us informed and makes it easy for us to take action MAR will issue an email Call to Action to alert us to pending legislaton that will ei-ther help our industry or hurt us
Calls for Action are only issued in extreme circumstances so when you see one you can trust that it is important With this 2 year cycle ending July 31 there is much happening on Beacon Hill which is why we had 2 Calls to Action in June that are still pending resolution One bill pertains to energy scoring and the other concerns zoning Both issues are still in play and you may see more Calls to Action before the end of July Please take a moment and educate yourself on the issues by visiting httpswwwmarealtorcommembersgovernment-affairs
bull SPC (State Political Coordinator) ndash We have a program where members are assigned to their local senator or representa-tive and become a liason to help communicate our mes-sage If you would like more information please contact Erika Hall ceshall07gmailcom chairperson of the task force
bull Invest in RPAC When you see that amount on your annual dues invoice please be sure to check YES
bull Volunteer to be on the Government Affairs Committee and let your voice be heard 2017 appointments will be made this fall
Remember ndash we are the only association that lobbies on behalf of homeowners in America Be proud of your REALTORreg membership and communicate your value to your clients and customers
REALTORreg Association of Central Massachusetts 14 wwwcmarealtorsorg
Inventory of Homes for Sale 498 371 - 255 -- -- --
Months Supply of Inventory 48 30 - 374 -- -- --
Cumulative Days on Market Until Sale 86 78 - 84 106 104 - 20
Percent of Original List Price Received 955 966 + 12 957 962 + 05
New Listings 246 190 - 228 892 903 + 12
- 326
Local Market Update ndash May 2016A RESEARCH TOOL PROVIDED BY THE MASSACHUSETTS ASSOCIATION OF REALTORSreg
Central Massachusetts Association of REALTORSreg
+ 97 - 20Year-Over-Year
Change inClosed SalesAll Properties
Year-Over-YearChange in
Median Sales PriceAll Properties
Year-Over-YearChange in
Inventory of HomesAll Properties
Does not account for seller concessions | Activity for one month can sometimes look extreme due to small sample size
Single-Family Properties
Condominium Properties
May Year to Date
May Year to Date
All data from the Berkshire County Multiple Listing Service Cape Cod amp Islands Association of REALTORSreg Inc and MLS Property Information Network Inc Provided by MAR Report copy 2016 ShowingTime
Median Sales Price BASED ON A ROLLING 12-MONTH AVERAGE
Entire State Entire State
Central Massachusetts Association of REALTORSreg Central Massachusetts Association of REALTORSreg
A rolling 12-month calculation represents the current month and the 11 months prior in a single data point If no activity occurred during a month the line extends to the next available data point
REALTORreg Association of Central Massachusetts 15 wwwcmarealtorsorg
LEGAL HOTLINEMichael McDonagh MAR General CounselAshley Stolba MAR Associate Counsel Justin Davidson MAR Legislative amp Regulatory Counsel
Shining the Light on SolarAre you representing a client who is selling a home with solar panels on the roof Is your buyer looking to make an offer on a house with solar panels If so here is what you need to know to better prepare your client in advanceOWNED PANELS Are the panels leased or owned
Are the panels owned by the seller Or is the seller leasing them from the solar company If the panels are owned by the seller then they should be factored into the price of the home just as any other asset would be It would be prudent to search for comparable homes with owned solar panels as well
A Solar Renewable Energy Credit (SREC)
An SREC is created for every megawatt hour (MWh) of elec-tricity produced by a solar generator SRECs allow a seller with a solar array to use electricity that is produced by the panels and then separately sell the SREC to a utility com-pany You should factor in an SREC when valuing the asset Some solar owners use SREC brokers to handle the sale so if you have a seller who is part of a ten-year SREC program they may consider selling their future credits through such a broker If a seller does this they would then value their solar panels based on the energy savings that they provideBuyers need to ask sellers if they are part of an SREC pro-gram and whether the SRECs will be transferred with the panels If they are a buyer would also want to know what the average annual output of the panels has been so that they can properly value them
Leased Panels
If the panels are leased it can be a bit more omplicated When representing a seller with leased solar panels agents should recommend that the seller contact the leasing com-pany right away to let them know that they are planning to sell the home In fact some solar companies have set up departments specifically to work on lease transfers Whatrsquos a UCC-1
The solar company may reference a UCC-1 (Uniform Com-mercial Code ndash 1) that has been recorded with the property A UCC-1 is a legal form that acts as a lien against the solar equipment on the property and is used by the solar com-panies to protect their interest in the leased panels These finds should be recorded at your local registry of deeds
It is important to know whether or not a UCC-1 has been recorded with the property because some lenders may have concerns that the UCC-1 will take priority over the mortgage in the event of a bankruptcy Some companies will remove the UCC-1 filing and then replace it when the new mortgage is recorded
Buyer Clients
If your buyers are interested in a home with leased solar panels you may want to remind them to factor the monthly lease cost when determining whether or not they can afford the home The buyerrsquos lender is likely to consider this when making a determination on their loan Also buyers should review their credit scores because the solar leasing com-panies are going to ensure that the buyer can assume the costs of the lease before they approve a transfer
Seller Clients
Your seller clients have three options when dealing with leased solar panels 1 They can buy out the lease2 Transfer the lease to the new buyer or3 Attempt to transfer the panels to their new home al-though this option may only be available in rare occasions
Remember to always use caution when advising clients about solar panels The Attorney General published the fol-lowing helpful informational sheet on solar panels httpwwwmass govagonews-and-updatespress-releases2016advice-to-homeowners-considering-solar-panelshtml
You can always contact the MAR Legal Hotline if you have any questions at legalhotlinemarealtorcom or (800)-370-LEGAL
Please note a version of this article originally ran in The MAR Report the official blog of the Massachusetts Asso-ciation of Realtorsreg
REALTORreg Association of Central Massachusetts 16 wwwcmarealtorsorg
COMMUNITY ACTION COMMITTEE
RACM office hours are 900 ammdash400 pm during July amp August For assistance with the MLS Lockbox system please make an appointment with Lisa Sprague at 508-832-6600
Please LIKE our facebook page at httpswwwfacebookcomCentralMasslAssociationo-fREALTORS By doing so you will not only get up-to-the-minute information on everything
going on at RACM but you will help us to increase our visibility while growing your own busi-ness network
2016 BOARD OF DIRECTORS
President Kris Koliss
President Elect Sarah GustafsonVice-President Judy Patterson
Secretary Tracey Fiorelli
Treasurer Michael Meurant
Immediate Past President Brad Roberts
Diane Dabrowski DirectorMike DeLuca DirectorErika Hall DirectorLorraine Herbert DirectorLee Joseph DirectorKathy McSweeney DirectorLeslie Storrs DirectorJohn Vaillancourt DirectorAndrew Abu AlternateLeif Rosseland AlternateNathan Stewart Alternate
RACM STAFFExecutive VP
Colleen PappasOffice Manager Lisa Sprague
Marketing Manager Jacki DrsquoInnocenzo
to benefit the elementary and middle school children of Central Mass
We are looking to fill backpacks with the following supplies for elementary and middle school childrenAge-appropriate backpacks are needed as wellAnything you can contribute is greatly appreciated
Items may be dropped at RACM492 Washington StreetAuburn MA or at the followingmember offices
Cash donations gladly accepted
In order to assist our volunteers please do not put supplies inside of backpacks
If you can help pack or deliver items to schoolsplease let us know Help is ALWAYS welcome
REALTORreg Association of Central Massachusetts 492 Washington Street Auburn MA 01501 508-832-6600
Items Needed for each Backpack6 Pens6 Pencils2 Pkg of Lined Paper3 Highlighters1 Binder3 Notebooks3 Two-Pocket Folders1 Ruler1 Pencil Case1 Pkg of 8 Markers1 Pkg of Erasers1 Box of 24 Crayons1 Pkg of 12 Colored Pencils1 Bottle of Glue or Pkg of Glue Sticks
Drive runs from June 1 - August 12Packing days are August 17 amp 18Delivery day is August 19
Central MassachusettsREALTORreg Association of
REALTORreg Association of Central Massachusetts 9 wwwcmarealtorsorg
RACM 18th ANNUAL GOLF TOURNAMENTJune 23 saw us with another sold out tourna-ment and an absolutely beautiful day on the course Thank you to all of our sponsors and our participants for making this a success We were able to donate $2000 to our 2016 Charities of Choice The Bridge of Central Mass and the Worcester Boys amp Girls Club
Thank you to our professional photographer Tony Chabot of Pro RE Photography and to Gretchen Antonelli of Forward Financial for all of these great shots
Congratulations to our winning teams FIRST PLACE Jo-Ann Szymczak Chuck Szymczak Ron Gagner amp Jan GagnerSECOND PLACE Steve Cavallo Andrew Burton Mark McCabe amp Aram Kalashian THIRD PLACE Kevin Holloway Lisa Shaw Nancy Shaw-Morley amp Anne Marie Rafferty
Big thanks to all of our major sponsors of this event as well as the greens amp tees sponsors
PLATINUM SPONSORSThe Law Office of Jessica AlbinoCahn amp Barron LLC Attorneys at LawFairway MortgageMovement MortgageNorcom MortgagePeoples Home LoansPrestige Home MortgageResidential Mortgage ServicesSouthbridge SavingsWintrust Mortgage
GOLD SPONSORSBank of CantonFidelity BankMLS PINSecurity First Mortgage The Law Offices of Scott Wrenn PC
SILVER SPONSORSCommonwealth Environmental ServicesLaw Office of Harry P Kotseas Peoples United Bank
BRONZE SPONSORSCountry BankForward Financial Services IncThe Law Office of David R Rocheford Jr PC
DRINK TICKET SPONSORSOpen Door Real Estate and Simonian and Murray Attorneys at Law
Longest Drive Sponsor Pam Crawford amp Lorraine Herbert of REMAX Professional As-sociates
Golf Committee Chair Judy Patterson presents the 1st Place Awards to Jo-Ann Szymczak and her team comprised of Chuck Szymczak Ron Gagner and Jan Gagner
REALTORreg Association of Central Massachusetts 10 wwwcmarealtorsorg
RACM 18th ANNUAL GOLF TOURNAMENT
Second Place Team Third Place Team
REALTORreg Association of Central Massachusetts 11 wwwcmarealtorsorg
RACM 18th ANNUAL GOLF TOURNAMENT
REALTORreg Association of Central Massachusetts 12 wwwcmarealtorsorg
FALL MAR CHARITABLE GRANTSOur Community Action Committee was proud to be able to do-nate Golf Tournament Proceeds in the amount of $1000 to each of our 2016 Charities of Choice The Boys and Girls Club and The Bridge of Central Massachusetts
Each year our committee partners with two local charities and then we focus our committee efforts and fundraising towards their goals We are pleased to say that with our combined efforts with the MAR Charitable Foundation to date we have contributed over $5000 in dollars and donations
We also treated the charities to a Red Sox game on June 16 when we donated 10 tickets to the REALTORreg Day at Fenway
Thank you to all who helped make this yearrsquos tournament a re-sounding success especially Committee Chair Judy Patterson
The fall grant applications are due August 31 so if you are involved with a local charity that deals with homelessness please contact Colleen to see how your charity can be nominated for the grant You can download the grant application on our website at httpwwwcmarealtorsorgdocuments-library2016-housing-grant-application-mar-charitable-foundationpdf
Ken Bates from the Bridge of Central Mass
Ellin Terrill of the Worcester Boys amp Girls Club
Do you work in a community that needs some TLCThe Government Affairs Committee is looking for projects for NARrsquos Place-making Grant Program If you are a local community leader please let us know how we can help with beautifying a spot within your town Project ideas range from Little League signage to dog parks to beau-tifying a local monument NAR is ready to partner with us to help make your dream a reality
Contact Nathan Stewart head of the grant task force NathanStewartNEMovescom
Backpack DriveCan you help out with this years Backpack Drive The Commu-nity Action Committee welcomes donations of backpacks and sup-plies (see the full list of needs items on our flyer on the last page of this newsletter) or cash to help purchase items
Help is also need in packing and delivering the items on August 17 18 or 19
If you can help in any way items can be dropped of here at RACM or at any of the offices listed on the flyer Or give us a call and let us know your availability for packingdelivery - 508-832-6600
REALTORreg Association of Central Massachusetts 13 wwwcmarealtorsorg
COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENT amp LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS
Over 45 RACM members joined more than 500 REALTORSreg to advocate for home ownership and private property rights at the State House on June 12 at the annual Day on Beacon Hill Keynote speaker was Lieutenant Governor of Massachu-setts Karen Polito
REALTORSreg Fighting the Fight on Beacon HillThe saying ldquoIf Real Estate is your profession then politics is your businessrdquo has never been more true than in this political cycle In a two-year session of the Legislature thousands of bills are filed some of which result in legislation producing the laws of our Commonwealth
There are many bills filed with well-intentioned measures that are in direct conflict with an opposing concern Having trusted advocates help to discern the layers within the bills is extremely beneficial to our state representatives and senators That is why each June REALTORSreg are welcomed with open arms at the State House at our Day on Beacon Hill This year we cel-ebrated 31 years of coming together for this powerful day The relationships we have made with our local representatives is paramount in our efforts to protect and promote home owner-ship
How Can You Help
There are several ways you can become more involved
bull Calls to Action - We are so fortunate that our state associa-tion stays on top of the issues and keeps us informed and makes it easy for us to take action MAR will issue an email Call to Action to alert us to pending legislaton that will ei-ther help our industry or hurt us
Calls for Action are only issued in extreme circumstances so when you see one you can trust that it is important With this 2 year cycle ending July 31 there is much happening on Beacon Hill which is why we had 2 Calls to Action in June that are still pending resolution One bill pertains to energy scoring and the other concerns zoning Both issues are still in play and you may see more Calls to Action before the end of July Please take a moment and educate yourself on the issues by visiting httpswwwmarealtorcommembersgovernment-affairs
bull SPC (State Political Coordinator) ndash We have a program where members are assigned to their local senator or representa-tive and become a liason to help communicate our mes-sage If you would like more information please contact Erika Hall ceshall07gmailcom chairperson of the task force
bull Invest in RPAC When you see that amount on your annual dues invoice please be sure to check YES
bull Volunteer to be on the Government Affairs Committee and let your voice be heard 2017 appointments will be made this fall
Remember ndash we are the only association that lobbies on behalf of homeowners in America Be proud of your REALTORreg membership and communicate your value to your clients and customers
REALTORreg Association of Central Massachusetts 14 wwwcmarealtorsorg
Inventory of Homes for Sale 498 371 - 255 -- -- --
Months Supply of Inventory 48 30 - 374 -- -- --
Cumulative Days on Market Until Sale 86 78 - 84 106 104 - 20
Percent of Original List Price Received 955 966 + 12 957 962 + 05
New Listings 246 190 - 228 892 903 + 12
- 326
Local Market Update ndash May 2016A RESEARCH TOOL PROVIDED BY THE MASSACHUSETTS ASSOCIATION OF REALTORSreg
Central Massachusetts Association of REALTORSreg
+ 97 - 20Year-Over-Year
Change inClosed SalesAll Properties
Year-Over-YearChange in
Median Sales PriceAll Properties
Year-Over-YearChange in
Inventory of HomesAll Properties
Does not account for seller concessions | Activity for one month can sometimes look extreme due to small sample size
Single-Family Properties
Condominium Properties
May Year to Date
May Year to Date
All data from the Berkshire County Multiple Listing Service Cape Cod amp Islands Association of REALTORSreg Inc and MLS Property Information Network Inc Provided by MAR Report copy 2016 ShowingTime
Median Sales Price BASED ON A ROLLING 12-MONTH AVERAGE
Entire State Entire State
Central Massachusetts Association of REALTORSreg Central Massachusetts Association of REALTORSreg
A rolling 12-month calculation represents the current month and the 11 months prior in a single data point If no activity occurred during a month the line extends to the next available data point
REALTORreg Association of Central Massachusetts 15 wwwcmarealtorsorg
LEGAL HOTLINEMichael McDonagh MAR General CounselAshley Stolba MAR Associate Counsel Justin Davidson MAR Legislative amp Regulatory Counsel
Shining the Light on SolarAre you representing a client who is selling a home with solar panels on the roof Is your buyer looking to make an offer on a house with solar panels If so here is what you need to know to better prepare your client in advanceOWNED PANELS Are the panels leased or owned
Are the panels owned by the seller Or is the seller leasing them from the solar company If the panels are owned by the seller then they should be factored into the price of the home just as any other asset would be It would be prudent to search for comparable homes with owned solar panels as well
A Solar Renewable Energy Credit (SREC)
An SREC is created for every megawatt hour (MWh) of elec-tricity produced by a solar generator SRECs allow a seller with a solar array to use electricity that is produced by the panels and then separately sell the SREC to a utility com-pany You should factor in an SREC when valuing the asset Some solar owners use SREC brokers to handle the sale so if you have a seller who is part of a ten-year SREC program they may consider selling their future credits through such a broker If a seller does this they would then value their solar panels based on the energy savings that they provideBuyers need to ask sellers if they are part of an SREC pro-gram and whether the SRECs will be transferred with the panels If they are a buyer would also want to know what the average annual output of the panels has been so that they can properly value them
Leased Panels
If the panels are leased it can be a bit more omplicated When representing a seller with leased solar panels agents should recommend that the seller contact the leasing com-pany right away to let them know that they are planning to sell the home In fact some solar companies have set up departments specifically to work on lease transfers Whatrsquos a UCC-1
The solar company may reference a UCC-1 (Uniform Com-mercial Code ndash 1) that has been recorded with the property A UCC-1 is a legal form that acts as a lien against the solar equipment on the property and is used by the solar com-panies to protect their interest in the leased panels These finds should be recorded at your local registry of deeds
It is important to know whether or not a UCC-1 has been recorded with the property because some lenders may have concerns that the UCC-1 will take priority over the mortgage in the event of a bankruptcy Some companies will remove the UCC-1 filing and then replace it when the new mortgage is recorded
Buyer Clients
If your buyers are interested in a home with leased solar panels you may want to remind them to factor the monthly lease cost when determining whether or not they can afford the home The buyerrsquos lender is likely to consider this when making a determination on their loan Also buyers should review their credit scores because the solar leasing com-panies are going to ensure that the buyer can assume the costs of the lease before they approve a transfer
Seller Clients
Your seller clients have three options when dealing with leased solar panels 1 They can buy out the lease2 Transfer the lease to the new buyer or3 Attempt to transfer the panels to their new home al-though this option may only be available in rare occasions
Remember to always use caution when advising clients about solar panels The Attorney General published the fol-lowing helpful informational sheet on solar panels httpwwwmass govagonews-and-updatespress-releases2016advice-to-homeowners-considering-solar-panelshtml
You can always contact the MAR Legal Hotline if you have any questions at legalhotlinemarealtorcom or (800)-370-LEGAL
Please note a version of this article originally ran in The MAR Report the official blog of the Massachusetts Asso-ciation of Realtorsreg
REALTORreg Association of Central Massachusetts 16 wwwcmarealtorsorg
COMMUNITY ACTION COMMITTEE
RACM office hours are 900 ammdash400 pm during July amp August For assistance with the MLS Lockbox system please make an appointment with Lisa Sprague at 508-832-6600
Please LIKE our facebook page at httpswwwfacebookcomCentralMasslAssociationo-fREALTORS By doing so you will not only get up-to-the-minute information on everything
going on at RACM but you will help us to increase our visibility while growing your own busi-ness network
2016 BOARD OF DIRECTORS
President Kris Koliss
President Elect Sarah GustafsonVice-President Judy Patterson
Secretary Tracey Fiorelli
Treasurer Michael Meurant
Immediate Past President Brad Roberts
Diane Dabrowski DirectorMike DeLuca DirectorErika Hall DirectorLorraine Herbert DirectorLee Joseph DirectorKathy McSweeney DirectorLeslie Storrs DirectorJohn Vaillancourt DirectorAndrew Abu AlternateLeif Rosseland AlternateNathan Stewart Alternate
RACM STAFFExecutive VP
Colleen PappasOffice Manager Lisa Sprague
Marketing Manager Jacki DrsquoInnocenzo
to benefit the elementary and middle school children of Central Mass
We are looking to fill backpacks with the following supplies for elementary and middle school childrenAge-appropriate backpacks are needed as wellAnything you can contribute is greatly appreciated
Items may be dropped at RACM492 Washington StreetAuburn MA or at the followingmember offices
Cash donations gladly accepted
In order to assist our volunteers please do not put supplies inside of backpacks
If you can help pack or deliver items to schoolsplease let us know Help is ALWAYS welcome
REALTORreg Association of Central Massachusetts 492 Washington Street Auburn MA 01501 508-832-6600
Items Needed for each Backpack6 Pens6 Pencils2 Pkg of Lined Paper3 Highlighters1 Binder3 Notebooks3 Two-Pocket Folders1 Ruler1 Pencil Case1 Pkg of 8 Markers1 Pkg of Erasers1 Box of 24 Crayons1 Pkg of 12 Colored Pencils1 Bottle of Glue or Pkg of Glue Sticks
Drive runs from June 1 - August 12Packing days are August 17 amp 18Delivery day is August 19
Central MassachusettsREALTORreg Association of
REALTORreg Association of Central Massachusetts 10 wwwcmarealtorsorg
RACM 18th ANNUAL GOLF TOURNAMENT
Second Place Team Third Place Team
REALTORreg Association of Central Massachusetts 11 wwwcmarealtorsorg
RACM 18th ANNUAL GOLF TOURNAMENT
REALTORreg Association of Central Massachusetts 12 wwwcmarealtorsorg
FALL MAR CHARITABLE GRANTSOur Community Action Committee was proud to be able to do-nate Golf Tournament Proceeds in the amount of $1000 to each of our 2016 Charities of Choice The Boys and Girls Club and The Bridge of Central Massachusetts
Each year our committee partners with two local charities and then we focus our committee efforts and fundraising towards their goals We are pleased to say that with our combined efforts with the MAR Charitable Foundation to date we have contributed over $5000 in dollars and donations
We also treated the charities to a Red Sox game on June 16 when we donated 10 tickets to the REALTORreg Day at Fenway
Thank you to all who helped make this yearrsquos tournament a re-sounding success especially Committee Chair Judy Patterson
The fall grant applications are due August 31 so if you are involved with a local charity that deals with homelessness please contact Colleen to see how your charity can be nominated for the grant You can download the grant application on our website at httpwwwcmarealtorsorgdocuments-library2016-housing-grant-application-mar-charitable-foundationpdf
Ken Bates from the Bridge of Central Mass
Ellin Terrill of the Worcester Boys amp Girls Club
Do you work in a community that needs some TLCThe Government Affairs Committee is looking for projects for NARrsquos Place-making Grant Program If you are a local community leader please let us know how we can help with beautifying a spot within your town Project ideas range from Little League signage to dog parks to beau-tifying a local monument NAR is ready to partner with us to help make your dream a reality
Contact Nathan Stewart head of the grant task force NathanStewartNEMovescom
Backpack DriveCan you help out with this years Backpack Drive The Commu-nity Action Committee welcomes donations of backpacks and sup-plies (see the full list of needs items on our flyer on the last page of this newsletter) or cash to help purchase items
Help is also need in packing and delivering the items on August 17 18 or 19
If you can help in any way items can be dropped of here at RACM or at any of the offices listed on the flyer Or give us a call and let us know your availability for packingdelivery - 508-832-6600
REALTORreg Association of Central Massachusetts 13 wwwcmarealtorsorg
COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENT amp LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS
Over 45 RACM members joined more than 500 REALTORSreg to advocate for home ownership and private property rights at the State House on June 12 at the annual Day on Beacon Hill Keynote speaker was Lieutenant Governor of Massachu-setts Karen Polito
REALTORSreg Fighting the Fight on Beacon HillThe saying ldquoIf Real Estate is your profession then politics is your businessrdquo has never been more true than in this political cycle In a two-year session of the Legislature thousands of bills are filed some of which result in legislation producing the laws of our Commonwealth
There are many bills filed with well-intentioned measures that are in direct conflict with an opposing concern Having trusted advocates help to discern the layers within the bills is extremely beneficial to our state representatives and senators That is why each June REALTORSreg are welcomed with open arms at the State House at our Day on Beacon Hill This year we cel-ebrated 31 years of coming together for this powerful day The relationships we have made with our local representatives is paramount in our efforts to protect and promote home owner-ship
How Can You Help
There are several ways you can become more involved
bull Calls to Action - We are so fortunate that our state associa-tion stays on top of the issues and keeps us informed and makes it easy for us to take action MAR will issue an email Call to Action to alert us to pending legislaton that will ei-ther help our industry or hurt us
Calls for Action are only issued in extreme circumstances so when you see one you can trust that it is important With this 2 year cycle ending July 31 there is much happening on Beacon Hill which is why we had 2 Calls to Action in June that are still pending resolution One bill pertains to energy scoring and the other concerns zoning Both issues are still in play and you may see more Calls to Action before the end of July Please take a moment and educate yourself on the issues by visiting httpswwwmarealtorcommembersgovernment-affairs
bull SPC (State Political Coordinator) ndash We have a program where members are assigned to their local senator or representa-tive and become a liason to help communicate our mes-sage If you would like more information please contact Erika Hall ceshall07gmailcom chairperson of the task force
bull Invest in RPAC When you see that amount on your annual dues invoice please be sure to check YES
bull Volunteer to be on the Government Affairs Committee and let your voice be heard 2017 appointments will be made this fall
Remember ndash we are the only association that lobbies on behalf of homeowners in America Be proud of your REALTORreg membership and communicate your value to your clients and customers
REALTORreg Association of Central Massachusetts 14 wwwcmarealtorsorg
Inventory of Homes for Sale 498 371 - 255 -- -- --
Months Supply of Inventory 48 30 - 374 -- -- --
Cumulative Days on Market Until Sale 86 78 - 84 106 104 - 20
Percent of Original List Price Received 955 966 + 12 957 962 + 05
New Listings 246 190 - 228 892 903 + 12
- 326
Local Market Update ndash May 2016A RESEARCH TOOL PROVIDED BY THE MASSACHUSETTS ASSOCIATION OF REALTORSreg
Central Massachusetts Association of REALTORSreg
+ 97 - 20Year-Over-Year
Change inClosed SalesAll Properties
Year-Over-YearChange in
Median Sales PriceAll Properties
Year-Over-YearChange in
Inventory of HomesAll Properties
Does not account for seller concessions | Activity for one month can sometimes look extreme due to small sample size
Single-Family Properties
Condominium Properties
May Year to Date
May Year to Date
All data from the Berkshire County Multiple Listing Service Cape Cod amp Islands Association of REALTORSreg Inc and MLS Property Information Network Inc Provided by MAR Report copy 2016 ShowingTime
Median Sales Price BASED ON A ROLLING 12-MONTH AVERAGE
Entire State Entire State
Central Massachusetts Association of REALTORSreg Central Massachusetts Association of REALTORSreg
A rolling 12-month calculation represents the current month and the 11 months prior in a single data point If no activity occurred during a month the line extends to the next available data point
REALTORreg Association of Central Massachusetts 15 wwwcmarealtorsorg
LEGAL HOTLINEMichael McDonagh MAR General CounselAshley Stolba MAR Associate Counsel Justin Davidson MAR Legislative amp Regulatory Counsel
Shining the Light on SolarAre you representing a client who is selling a home with solar panels on the roof Is your buyer looking to make an offer on a house with solar panels If so here is what you need to know to better prepare your client in advanceOWNED PANELS Are the panels leased or owned
Are the panels owned by the seller Or is the seller leasing them from the solar company If the panels are owned by the seller then they should be factored into the price of the home just as any other asset would be It would be prudent to search for comparable homes with owned solar panels as well
A Solar Renewable Energy Credit (SREC)
An SREC is created for every megawatt hour (MWh) of elec-tricity produced by a solar generator SRECs allow a seller with a solar array to use electricity that is produced by the panels and then separately sell the SREC to a utility com-pany You should factor in an SREC when valuing the asset Some solar owners use SREC brokers to handle the sale so if you have a seller who is part of a ten-year SREC program they may consider selling their future credits through such a broker If a seller does this they would then value their solar panels based on the energy savings that they provideBuyers need to ask sellers if they are part of an SREC pro-gram and whether the SRECs will be transferred with the panels If they are a buyer would also want to know what the average annual output of the panels has been so that they can properly value them
Leased Panels
If the panels are leased it can be a bit more omplicated When representing a seller with leased solar panels agents should recommend that the seller contact the leasing com-pany right away to let them know that they are planning to sell the home In fact some solar companies have set up departments specifically to work on lease transfers Whatrsquos a UCC-1
The solar company may reference a UCC-1 (Uniform Com-mercial Code ndash 1) that has been recorded with the property A UCC-1 is a legal form that acts as a lien against the solar equipment on the property and is used by the solar com-panies to protect their interest in the leased panels These finds should be recorded at your local registry of deeds
It is important to know whether or not a UCC-1 has been recorded with the property because some lenders may have concerns that the UCC-1 will take priority over the mortgage in the event of a bankruptcy Some companies will remove the UCC-1 filing and then replace it when the new mortgage is recorded
Buyer Clients
If your buyers are interested in a home with leased solar panels you may want to remind them to factor the monthly lease cost when determining whether or not they can afford the home The buyerrsquos lender is likely to consider this when making a determination on their loan Also buyers should review their credit scores because the solar leasing com-panies are going to ensure that the buyer can assume the costs of the lease before they approve a transfer
Seller Clients
Your seller clients have three options when dealing with leased solar panels 1 They can buy out the lease2 Transfer the lease to the new buyer or3 Attempt to transfer the panels to their new home al-though this option may only be available in rare occasions
Remember to always use caution when advising clients about solar panels The Attorney General published the fol-lowing helpful informational sheet on solar panels httpwwwmass govagonews-and-updatespress-releases2016advice-to-homeowners-considering-solar-panelshtml
You can always contact the MAR Legal Hotline if you have any questions at legalhotlinemarealtorcom or (800)-370-LEGAL
Please note a version of this article originally ran in The MAR Report the official blog of the Massachusetts Asso-ciation of Realtorsreg
REALTORreg Association of Central Massachusetts 16 wwwcmarealtorsorg
COMMUNITY ACTION COMMITTEE
RACM office hours are 900 ammdash400 pm during July amp August For assistance with the MLS Lockbox system please make an appointment with Lisa Sprague at 508-832-6600
Please LIKE our facebook page at httpswwwfacebookcomCentralMasslAssociationo-fREALTORS By doing so you will not only get up-to-the-minute information on everything
going on at RACM but you will help us to increase our visibility while growing your own busi-ness network
2016 BOARD OF DIRECTORS
President Kris Koliss
President Elect Sarah GustafsonVice-President Judy Patterson
Secretary Tracey Fiorelli
Treasurer Michael Meurant
Immediate Past President Brad Roberts
Diane Dabrowski DirectorMike DeLuca DirectorErika Hall DirectorLorraine Herbert DirectorLee Joseph DirectorKathy McSweeney DirectorLeslie Storrs DirectorJohn Vaillancourt DirectorAndrew Abu AlternateLeif Rosseland AlternateNathan Stewart Alternate
RACM STAFFExecutive VP
Colleen PappasOffice Manager Lisa Sprague
Marketing Manager Jacki DrsquoInnocenzo
to benefit the elementary and middle school children of Central Mass
We are looking to fill backpacks with the following supplies for elementary and middle school childrenAge-appropriate backpacks are needed as wellAnything you can contribute is greatly appreciated
Items may be dropped at RACM492 Washington StreetAuburn MA or at the followingmember offices
Cash donations gladly accepted
In order to assist our volunteers please do not put supplies inside of backpacks
If you can help pack or deliver items to schoolsplease let us know Help is ALWAYS welcome
REALTORreg Association of Central Massachusetts 492 Washington Street Auburn MA 01501 508-832-6600
Items Needed for each Backpack6 Pens6 Pencils2 Pkg of Lined Paper3 Highlighters1 Binder3 Notebooks3 Two-Pocket Folders1 Ruler1 Pencil Case1 Pkg of 8 Markers1 Pkg of Erasers1 Box of 24 Crayons1 Pkg of 12 Colored Pencils1 Bottle of Glue or Pkg of Glue Sticks
Drive runs from June 1 - August 12Packing days are August 17 amp 18Delivery day is August 19
Central MassachusettsREALTORreg Association of
REALTORreg Association of Central Massachusetts 11 wwwcmarealtorsorg
RACM 18th ANNUAL GOLF TOURNAMENT
REALTORreg Association of Central Massachusetts 12 wwwcmarealtorsorg
FALL MAR CHARITABLE GRANTSOur Community Action Committee was proud to be able to do-nate Golf Tournament Proceeds in the amount of $1000 to each of our 2016 Charities of Choice The Boys and Girls Club and The Bridge of Central Massachusetts
Each year our committee partners with two local charities and then we focus our committee efforts and fundraising towards their goals We are pleased to say that with our combined efforts with the MAR Charitable Foundation to date we have contributed over $5000 in dollars and donations
We also treated the charities to a Red Sox game on June 16 when we donated 10 tickets to the REALTORreg Day at Fenway
Thank you to all who helped make this yearrsquos tournament a re-sounding success especially Committee Chair Judy Patterson
The fall grant applications are due August 31 so if you are involved with a local charity that deals with homelessness please contact Colleen to see how your charity can be nominated for the grant You can download the grant application on our website at httpwwwcmarealtorsorgdocuments-library2016-housing-grant-application-mar-charitable-foundationpdf
Ken Bates from the Bridge of Central Mass
Ellin Terrill of the Worcester Boys amp Girls Club
Do you work in a community that needs some TLCThe Government Affairs Committee is looking for projects for NARrsquos Place-making Grant Program If you are a local community leader please let us know how we can help with beautifying a spot within your town Project ideas range from Little League signage to dog parks to beau-tifying a local monument NAR is ready to partner with us to help make your dream a reality
Contact Nathan Stewart head of the grant task force NathanStewartNEMovescom
Backpack DriveCan you help out with this years Backpack Drive The Commu-nity Action Committee welcomes donations of backpacks and sup-plies (see the full list of needs items on our flyer on the last page of this newsletter) or cash to help purchase items
Help is also need in packing and delivering the items on August 17 18 or 19
If you can help in any way items can be dropped of here at RACM or at any of the offices listed on the flyer Or give us a call and let us know your availability for packingdelivery - 508-832-6600
REALTORreg Association of Central Massachusetts 13 wwwcmarealtorsorg
COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENT amp LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS
Over 45 RACM members joined more than 500 REALTORSreg to advocate for home ownership and private property rights at the State House on June 12 at the annual Day on Beacon Hill Keynote speaker was Lieutenant Governor of Massachu-setts Karen Polito
REALTORSreg Fighting the Fight on Beacon HillThe saying ldquoIf Real Estate is your profession then politics is your businessrdquo has never been more true than in this political cycle In a two-year session of the Legislature thousands of bills are filed some of which result in legislation producing the laws of our Commonwealth
There are many bills filed with well-intentioned measures that are in direct conflict with an opposing concern Having trusted advocates help to discern the layers within the bills is extremely beneficial to our state representatives and senators That is why each June REALTORSreg are welcomed with open arms at the State House at our Day on Beacon Hill This year we cel-ebrated 31 years of coming together for this powerful day The relationships we have made with our local representatives is paramount in our efforts to protect and promote home owner-ship
How Can You Help
There are several ways you can become more involved
bull Calls to Action - We are so fortunate that our state associa-tion stays on top of the issues and keeps us informed and makes it easy for us to take action MAR will issue an email Call to Action to alert us to pending legislaton that will ei-ther help our industry or hurt us
Calls for Action are only issued in extreme circumstances so when you see one you can trust that it is important With this 2 year cycle ending July 31 there is much happening on Beacon Hill which is why we had 2 Calls to Action in June that are still pending resolution One bill pertains to energy scoring and the other concerns zoning Both issues are still in play and you may see more Calls to Action before the end of July Please take a moment and educate yourself on the issues by visiting httpswwwmarealtorcommembersgovernment-affairs
bull SPC (State Political Coordinator) ndash We have a program where members are assigned to their local senator or representa-tive and become a liason to help communicate our mes-sage If you would like more information please contact Erika Hall ceshall07gmailcom chairperson of the task force
bull Invest in RPAC When you see that amount on your annual dues invoice please be sure to check YES
bull Volunteer to be on the Government Affairs Committee and let your voice be heard 2017 appointments will be made this fall
Remember ndash we are the only association that lobbies on behalf of homeowners in America Be proud of your REALTORreg membership and communicate your value to your clients and customers
REALTORreg Association of Central Massachusetts 14 wwwcmarealtorsorg
Inventory of Homes for Sale 498 371 - 255 -- -- --
Months Supply of Inventory 48 30 - 374 -- -- --
Cumulative Days on Market Until Sale 86 78 - 84 106 104 - 20
Percent of Original List Price Received 955 966 + 12 957 962 + 05
New Listings 246 190 - 228 892 903 + 12
- 326
Local Market Update ndash May 2016A RESEARCH TOOL PROVIDED BY THE MASSACHUSETTS ASSOCIATION OF REALTORSreg
Central Massachusetts Association of REALTORSreg
+ 97 - 20Year-Over-Year
Change inClosed SalesAll Properties
Year-Over-YearChange in
Median Sales PriceAll Properties
Year-Over-YearChange in
Inventory of HomesAll Properties
Does not account for seller concessions | Activity for one month can sometimes look extreme due to small sample size
Single-Family Properties
Condominium Properties
May Year to Date
May Year to Date
All data from the Berkshire County Multiple Listing Service Cape Cod amp Islands Association of REALTORSreg Inc and MLS Property Information Network Inc Provided by MAR Report copy 2016 ShowingTime
Median Sales Price BASED ON A ROLLING 12-MONTH AVERAGE
Entire State Entire State
Central Massachusetts Association of REALTORSreg Central Massachusetts Association of REALTORSreg
A rolling 12-month calculation represents the current month and the 11 months prior in a single data point If no activity occurred during a month the line extends to the next available data point
REALTORreg Association of Central Massachusetts 15 wwwcmarealtorsorg
LEGAL HOTLINEMichael McDonagh MAR General CounselAshley Stolba MAR Associate Counsel Justin Davidson MAR Legislative amp Regulatory Counsel
Shining the Light on SolarAre you representing a client who is selling a home with solar panels on the roof Is your buyer looking to make an offer on a house with solar panels If so here is what you need to know to better prepare your client in advanceOWNED PANELS Are the panels leased or owned
Are the panels owned by the seller Or is the seller leasing them from the solar company If the panels are owned by the seller then they should be factored into the price of the home just as any other asset would be It would be prudent to search for comparable homes with owned solar panels as well
A Solar Renewable Energy Credit (SREC)
An SREC is created for every megawatt hour (MWh) of elec-tricity produced by a solar generator SRECs allow a seller with a solar array to use electricity that is produced by the panels and then separately sell the SREC to a utility com-pany You should factor in an SREC when valuing the asset Some solar owners use SREC brokers to handle the sale so if you have a seller who is part of a ten-year SREC program they may consider selling their future credits through such a broker If a seller does this they would then value their solar panels based on the energy savings that they provideBuyers need to ask sellers if they are part of an SREC pro-gram and whether the SRECs will be transferred with the panels If they are a buyer would also want to know what the average annual output of the panels has been so that they can properly value them
Leased Panels
If the panels are leased it can be a bit more omplicated When representing a seller with leased solar panels agents should recommend that the seller contact the leasing com-pany right away to let them know that they are planning to sell the home In fact some solar companies have set up departments specifically to work on lease transfers Whatrsquos a UCC-1
The solar company may reference a UCC-1 (Uniform Com-mercial Code ndash 1) that has been recorded with the property A UCC-1 is a legal form that acts as a lien against the solar equipment on the property and is used by the solar com-panies to protect their interest in the leased panels These finds should be recorded at your local registry of deeds
It is important to know whether or not a UCC-1 has been recorded with the property because some lenders may have concerns that the UCC-1 will take priority over the mortgage in the event of a bankruptcy Some companies will remove the UCC-1 filing and then replace it when the new mortgage is recorded
Buyer Clients
If your buyers are interested in a home with leased solar panels you may want to remind them to factor the monthly lease cost when determining whether or not they can afford the home The buyerrsquos lender is likely to consider this when making a determination on their loan Also buyers should review their credit scores because the solar leasing com-panies are going to ensure that the buyer can assume the costs of the lease before they approve a transfer
Seller Clients
Your seller clients have three options when dealing with leased solar panels 1 They can buy out the lease2 Transfer the lease to the new buyer or3 Attempt to transfer the panels to their new home al-though this option may only be available in rare occasions
Remember to always use caution when advising clients about solar panels The Attorney General published the fol-lowing helpful informational sheet on solar panels httpwwwmass govagonews-and-updatespress-releases2016advice-to-homeowners-considering-solar-panelshtml
You can always contact the MAR Legal Hotline if you have any questions at legalhotlinemarealtorcom or (800)-370-LEGAL
Please note a version of this article originally ran in The MAR Report the official blog of the Massachusetts Asso-ciation of Realtorsreg
REALTORreg Association of Central Massachusetts 16 wwwcmarealtorsorg
COMMUNITY ACTION COMMITTEE
RACM office hours are 900 ammdash400 pm during July amp August For assistance with the MLS Lockbox system please make an appointment with Lisa Sprague at 508-832-6600
Please LIKE our facebook page at httpswwwfacebookcomCentralMasslAssociationo-fREALTORS By doing so you will not only get up-to-the-minute information on everything
going on at RACM but you will help us to increase our visibility while growing your own busi-ness network
2016 BOARD OF DIRECTORS
President Kris Koliss
President Elect Sarah GustafsonVice-President Judy Patterson
Secretary Tracey Fiorelli
Treasurer Michael Meurant
Immediate Past President Brad Roberts
Diane Dabrowski DirectorMike DeLuca DirectorErika Hall DirectorLorraine Herbert DirectorLee Joseph DirectorKathy McSweeney DirectorLeslie Storrs DirectorJohn Vaillancourt DirectorAndrew Abu AlternateLeif Rosseland AlternateNathan Stewart Alternate
RACM STAFFExecutive VP
Colleen PappasOffice Manager Lisa Sprague
Marketing Manager Jacki DrsquoInnocenzo
to benefit the elementary and middle school children of Central Mass
We are looking to fill backpacks with the following supplies for elementary and middle school childrenAge-appropriate backpacks are needed as wellAnything you can contribute is greatly appreciated
Items may be dropped at RACM492 Washington StreetAuburn MA or at the followingmember offices
Cash donations gladly accepted
In order to assist our volunteers please do not put supplies inside of backpacks
If you can help pack or deliver items to schoolsplease let us know Help is ALWAYS welcome
REALTORreg Association of Central Massachusetts 492 Washington Street Auburn MA 01501 508-832-6600
Items Needed for each Backpack6 Pens6 Pencils2 Pkg of Lined Paper3 Highlighters1 Binder3 Notebooks3 Two-Pocket Folders1 Ruler1 Pencil Case1 Pkg of 8 Markers1 Pkg of Erasers1 Box of 24 Crayons1 Pkg of 12 Colored Pencils1 Bottle of Glue or Pkg of Glue Sticks
Drive runs from June 1 - August 12Packing days are August 17 amp 18Delivery day is August 19
Central MassachusettsREALTORreg Association of
REALTORreg Association of Central Massachusetts 12 wwwcmarealtorsorg
FALL MAR CHARITABLE GRANTSOur Community Action Committee was proud to be able to do-nate Golf Tournament Proceeds in the amount of $1000 to each of our 2016 Charities of Choice The Boys and Girls Club and The Bridge of Central Massachusetts
Each year our committee partners with two local charities and then we focus our committee efforts and fundraising towards their goals We are pleased to say that with our combined efforts with the MAR Charitable Foundation to date we have contributed over $5000 in dollars and donations
We also treated the charities to a Red Sox game on June 16 when we donated 10 tickets to the REALTORreg Day at Fenway
Thank you to all who helped make this yearrsquos tournament a re-sounding success especially Committee Chair Judy Patterson
The fall grant applications are due August 31 so if you are involved with a local charity that deals with homelessness please contact Colleen to see how your charity can be nominated for the grant You can download the grant application on our website at httpwwwcmarealtorsorgdocuments-library2016-housing-grant-application-mar-charitable-foundationpdf
Ken Bates from the Bridge of Central Mass
Ellin Terrill of the Worcester Boys amp Girls Club
Do you work in a community that needs some TLCThe Government Affairs Committee is looking for projects for NARrsquos Place-making Grant Program If you are a local community leader please let us know how we can help with beautifying a spot within your town Project ideas range from Little League signage to dog parks to beau-tifying a local monument NAR is ready to partner with us to help make your dream a reality
Contact Nathan Stewart head of the grant task force NathanStewartNEMovescom
Backpack DriveCan you help out with this years Backpack Drive The Commu-nity Action Committee welcomes donations of backpacks and sup-plies (see the full list of needs items on our flyer on the last page of this newsletter) or cash to help purchase items
Help is also need in packing and delivering the items on August 17 18 or 19
If you can help in any way items can be dropped of here at RACM or at any of the offices listed on the flyer Or give us a call and let us know your availability for packingdelivery - 508-832-6600
REALTORreg Association of Central Massachusetts 13 wwwcmarealtorsorg
COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENT amp LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS
Over 45 RACM members joined more than 500 REALTORSreg to advocate for home ownership and private property rights at the State House on June 12 at the annual Day on Beacon Hill Keynote speaker was Lieutenant Governor of Massachu-setts Karen Polito
REALTORSreg Fighting the Fight on Beacon HillThe saying ldquoIf Real Estate is your profession then politics is your businessrdquo has never been more true than in this political cycle In a two-year session of the Legislature thousands of bills are filed some of which result in legislation producing the laws of our Commonwealth
There are many bills filed with well-intentioned measures that are in direct conflict with an opposing concern Having trusted advocates help to discern the layers within the bills is extremely beneficial to our state representatives and senators That is why each June REALTORSreg are welcomed with open arms at the State House at our Day on Beacon Hill This year we cel-ebrated 31 years of coming together for this powerful day The relationships we have made with our local representatives is paramount in our efforts to protect and promote home owner-ship
How Can You Help
There are several ways you can become more involved
bull Calls to Action - We are so fortunate that our state associa-tion stays on top of the issues and keeps us informed and makes it easy for us to take action MAR will issue an email Call to Action to alert us to pending legislaton that will ei-ther help our industry or hurt us
Calls for Action are only issued in extreme circumstances so when you see one you can trust that it is important With this 2 year cycle ending July 31 there is much happening on Beacon Hill which is why we had 2 Calls to Action in June that are still pending resolution One bill pertains to energy scoring and the other concerns zoning Both issues are still in play and you may see more Calls to Action before the end of July Please take a moment and educate yourself on the issues by visiting httpswwwmarealtorcommembersgovernment-affairs
bull SPC (State Political Coordinator) ndash We have a program where members are assigned to their local senator or representa-tive and become a liason to help communicate our mes-sage If you would like more information please contact Erika Hall ceshall07gmailcom chairperson of the task force
bull Invest in RPAC When you see that amount on your annual dues invoice please be sure to check YES
bull Volunteer to be on the Government Affairs Committee and let your voice be heard 2017 appointments will be made this fall
Remember ndash we are the only association that lobbies on behalf of homeowners in America Be proud of your REALTORreg membership and communicate your value to your clients and customers
REALTORreg Association of Central Massachusetts 14 wwwcmarealtorsorg
Inventory of Homes for Sale 498 371 - 255 -- -- --
Months Supply of Inventory 48 30 - 374 -- -- --
Cumulative Days on Market Until Sale 86 78 - 84 106 104 - 20
Percent of Original List Price Received 955 966 + 12 957 962 + 05
New Listings 246 190 - 228 892 903 + 12
- 326
Local Market Update ndash May 2016A RESEARCH TOOL PROVIDED BY THE MASSACHUSETTS ASSOCIATION OF REALTORSreg
Central Massachusetts Association of REALTORSreg
+ 97 - 20Year-Over-Year
Change inClosed SalesAll Properties
Year-Over-YearChange in
Median Sales PriceAll Properties
Year-Over-YearChange in
Inventory of HomesAll Properties
Does not account for seller concessions | Activity for one month can sometimes look extreme due to small sample size
Single-Family Properties
Condominium Properties
May Year to Date
May Year to Date
All data from the Berkshire County Multiple Listing Service Cape Cod amp Islands Association of REALTORSreg Inc and MLS Property Information Network Inc Provided by MAR Report copy 2016 ShowingTime
Median Sales Price BASED ON A ROLLING 12-MONTH AVERAGE
Entire State Entire State
Central Massachusetts Association of REALTORSreg Central Massachusetts Association of REALTORSreg
A rolling 12-month calculation represents the current month and the 11 months prior in a single data point If no activity occurred during a month the line extends to the next available data point
REALTORreg Association of Central Massachusetts 15 wwwcmarealtorsorg
LEGAL HOTLINEMichael McDonagh MAR General CounselAshley Stolba MAR Associate Counsel Justin Davidson MAR Legislative amp Regulatory Counsel
Shining the Light on SolarAre you representing a client who is selling a home with solar panels on the roof Is your buyer looking to make an offer on a house with solar panels If so here is what you need to know to better prepare your client in advanceOWNED PANELS Are the panels leased or owned
Are the panels owned by the seller Or is the seller leasing them from the solar company If the panels are owned by the seller then they should be factored into the price of the home just as any other asset would be It would be prudent to search for comparable homes with owned solar panels as well
A Solar Renewable Energy Credit (SREC)
An SREC is created for every megawatt hour (MWh) of elec-tricity produced by a solar generator SRECs allow a seller with a solar array to use electricity that is produced by the panels and then separately sell the SREC to a utility com-pany You should factor in an SREC when valuing the asset Some solar owners use SREC brokers to handle the sale so if you have a seller who is part of a ten-year SREC program they may consider selling their future credits through such a broker If a seller does this they would then value their solar panels based on the energy savings that they provideBuyers need to ask sellers if they are part of an SREC pro-gram and whether the SRECs will be transferred with the panels If they are a buyer would also want to know what the average annual output of the panels has been so that they can properly value them
Leased Panels
If the panels are leased it can be a bit more omplicated When representing a seller with leased solar panels agents should recommend that the seller contact the leasing com-pany right away to let them know that they are planning to sell the home In fact some solar companies have set up departments specifically to work on lease transfers Whatrsquos a UCC-1
The solar company may reference a UCC-1 (Uniform Com-mercial Code ndash 1) that has been recorded with the property A UCC-1 is a legal form that acts as a lien against the solar equipment on the property and is used by the solar com-panies to protect their interest in the leased panels These finds should be recorded at your local registry of deeds
It is important to know whether or not a UCC-1 has been recorded with the property because some lenders may have concerns that the UCC-1 will take priority over the mortgage in the event of a bankruptcy Some companies will remove the UCC-1 filing and then replace it when the new mortgage is recorded
Buyer Clients
If your buyers are interested in a home with leased solar panels you may want to remind them to factor the monthly lease cost when determining whether or not they can afford the home The buyerrsquos lender is likely to consider this when making a determination on their loan Also buyers should review their credit scores because the solar leasing com-panies are going to ensure that the buyer can assume the costs of the lease before they approve a transfer
Seller Clients
Your seller clients have three options when dealing with leased solar panels 1 They can buy out the lease2 Transfer the lease to the new buyer or3 Attempt to transfer the panels to their new home al-though this option may only be available in rare occasions
Remember to always use caution when advising clients about solar panels The Attorney General published the fol-lowing helpful informational sheet on solar panels httpwwwmass govagonews-and-updatespress-releases2016advice-to-homeowners-considering-solar-panelshtml
You can always contact the MAR Legal Hotline if you have any questions at legalhotlinemarealtorcom or (800)-370-LEGAL
Please note a version of this article originally ran in The MAR Report the official blog of the Massachusetts Asso-ciation of Realtorsreg
REALTORreg Association of Central Massachusetts 16 wwwcmarealtorsorg
COMMUNITY ACTION COMMITTEE
RACM office hours are 900 ammdash400 pm during July amp August For assistance with the MLS Lockbox system please make an appointment with Lisa Sprague at 508-832-6600
Please LIKE our facebook page at httpswwwfacebookcomCentralMasslAssociationo-fREALTORS By doing so you will not only get up-to-the-minute information on everything
going on at RACM but you will help us to increase our visibility while growing your own busi-ness network
2016 BOARD OF DIRECTORS
President Kris Koliss
President Elect Sarah GustafsonVice-President Judy Patterson
Secretary Tracey Fiorelli
Treasurer Michael Meurant
Immediate Past President Brad Roberts
Diane Dabrowski DirectorMike DeLuca DirectorErika Hall DirectorLorraine Herbert DirectorLee Joseph DirectorKathy McSweeney DirectorLeslie Storrs DirectorJohn Vaillancourt DirectorAndrew Abu AlternateLeif Rosseland AlternateNathan Stewart Alternate
RACM STAFFExecutive VP
Colleen PappasOffice Manager Lisa Sprague
Marketing Manager Jacki DrsquoInnocenzo
to benefit the elementary and middle school children of Central Mass
We are looking to fill backpacks with the following supplies for elementary and middle school childrenAge-appropriate backpacks are needed as wellAnything you can contribute is greatly appreciated
Items may be dropped at RACM492 Washington StreetAuburn MA or at the followingmember offices
Cash donations gladly accepted
In order to assist our volunteers please do not put supplies inside of backpacks
If you can help pack or deliver items to schoolsplease let us know Help is ALWAYS welcome
REALTORreg Association of Central Massachusetts 492 Washington Street Auburn MA 01501 508-832-6600
Items Needed for each Backpack6 Pens6 Pencils2 Pkg of Lined Paper3 Highlighters1 Binder3 Notebooks3 Two-Pocket Folders1 Ruler1 Pencil Case1 Pkg of 8 Markers1 Pkg of Erasers1 Box of 24 Crayons1 Pkg of 12 Colored Pencils1 Bottle of Glue or Pkg of Glue Sticks
Drive runs from June 1 - August 12Packing days are August 17 amp 18Delivery day is August 19
Central MassachusettsREALTORreg Association of
REALTORreg Association of Central Massachusetts 13 wwwcmarealtorsorg
COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENT amp LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS
Over 45 RACM members joined more than 500 REALTORSreg to advocate for home ownership and private property rights at the State House on June 12 at the annual Day on Beacon Hill Keynote speaker was Lieutenant Governor of Massachu-setts Karen Polito
REALTORSreg Fighting the Fight on Beacon HillThe saying ldquoIf Real Estate is your profession then politics is your businessrdquo has never been more true than in this political cycle In a two-year session of the Legislature thousands of bills are filed some of which result in legislation producing the laws of our Commonwealth
There are many bills filed with well-intentioned measures that are in direct conflict with an opposing concern Having trusted advocates help to discern the layers within the bills is extremely beneficial to our state representatives and senators That is why each June REALTORSreg are welcomed with open arms at the State House at our Day on Beacon Hill This year we cel-ebrated 31 years of coming together for this powerful day The relationships we have made with our local representatives is paramount in our efforts to protect and promote home owner-ship
How Can You Help
There are several ways you can become more involved
bull Calls to Action - We are so fortunate that our state associa-tion stays on top of the issues and keeps us informed and makes it easy for us to take action MAR will issue an email Call to Action to alert us to pending legislaton that will ei-ther help our industry or hurt us
Calls for Action are only issued in extreme circumstances so when you see one you can trust that it is important With this 2 year cycle ending July 31 there is much happening on Beacon Hill which is why we had 2 Calls to Action in June that are still pending resolution One bill pertains to energy scoring and the other concerns zoning Both issues are still in play and you may see more Calls to Action before the end of July Please take a moment and educate yourself on the issues by visiting httpswwwmarealtorcommembersgovernment-affairs
bull SPC (State Political Coordinator) ndash We have a program where members are assigned to their local senator or representa-tive and become a liason to help communicate our mes-sage If you would like more information please contact Erika Hall ceshall07gmailcom chairperson of the task force
bull Invest in RPAC When you see that amount on your annual dues invoice please be sure to check YES
bull Volunteer to be on the Government Affairs Committee and let your voice be heard 2017 appointments will be made this fall
Remember ndash we are the only association that lobbies on behalf of homeowners in America Be proud of your REALTORreg membership and communicate your value to your clients and customers
REALTORreg Association of Central Massachusetts 14 wwwcmarealtorsorg
Inventory of Homes for Sale 498 371 - 255 -- -- --
Months Supply of Inventory 48 30 - 374 -- -- --
Cumulative Days on Market Until Sale 86 78 - 84 106 104 - 20
Percent of Original List Price Received 955 966 + 12 957 962 + 05
New Listings 246 190 - 228 892 903 + 12
- 326
Local Market Update ndash May 2016A RESEARCH TOOL PROVIDED BY THE MASSACHUSETTS ASSOCIATION OF REALTORSreg
Central Massachusetts Association of REALTORSreg
+ 97 - 20Year-Over-Year
Change inClosed SalesAll Properties
Year-Over-YearChange in
Median Sales PriceAll Properties
Year-Over-YearChange in
Inventory of HomesAll Properties
Does not account for seller concessions | Activity for one month can sometimes look extreme due to small sample size
Single-Family Properties
Condominium Properties
May Year to Date
May Year to Date
All data from the Berkshire County Multiple Listing Service Cape Cod amp Islands Association of REALTORSreg Inc and MLS Property Information Network Inc Provided by MAR Report copy 2016 ShowingTime
Median Sales Price BASED ON A ROLLING 12-MONTH AVERAGE
Entire State Entire State
Central Massachusetts Association of REALTORSreg Central Massachusetts Association of REALTORSreg
A rolling 12-month calculation represents the current month and the 11 months prior in a single data point If no activity occurred during a month the line extends to the next available data point
REALTORreg Association of Central Massachusetts 15 wwwcmarealtorsorg
LEGAL HOTLINEMichael McDonagh MAR General CounselAshley Stolba MAR Associate Counsel Justin Davidson MAR Legislative amp Regulatory Counsel
Shining the Light on SolarAre you representing a client who is selling a home with solar panels on the roof Is your buyer looking to make an offer on a house with solar panels If so here is what you need to know to better prepare your client in advanceOWNED PANELS Are the panels leased or owned
Are the panels owned by the seller Or is the seller leasing them from the solar company If the panels are owned by the seller then they should be factored into the price of the home just as any other asset would be It would be prudent to search for comparable homes with owned solar panels as well
A Solar Renewable Energy Credit (SREC)
An SREC is created for every megawatt hour (MWh) of elec-tricity produced by a solar generator SRECs allow a seller with a solar array to use electricity that is produced by the panels and then separately sell the SREC to a utility com-pany You should factor in an SREC when valuing the asset Some solar owners use SREC brokers to handle the sale so if you have a seller who is part of a ten-year SREC program they may consider selling their future credits through such a broker If a seller does this they would then value their solar panels based on the energy savings that they provideBuyers need to ask sellers if they are part of an SREC pro-gram and whether the SRECs will be transferred with the panels If they are a buyer would also want to know what the average annual output of the panels has been so that they can properly value them
Leased Panels
If the panels are leased it can be a bit more omplicated When representing a seller with leased solar panels agents should recommend that the seller contact the leasing com-pany right away to let them know that they are planning to sell the home In fact some solar companies have set up departments specifically to work on lease transfers Whatrsquos a UCC-1
The solar company may reference a UCC-1 (Uniform Com-mercial Code ndash 1) that has been recorded with the property A UCC-1 is a legal form that acts as a lien against the solar equipment on the property and is used by the solar com-panies to protect their interest in the leased panels These finds should be recorded at your local registry of deeds
It is important to know whether or not a UCC-1 has been recorded with the property because some lenders may have concerns that the UCC-1 will take priority over the mortgage in the event of a bankruptcy Some companies will remove the UCC-1 filing and then replace it when the new mortgage is recorded
Buyer Clients
If your buyers are interested in a home with leased solar panels you may want to remind them to factor the monthly lease cost when determining whether or not they can afford the home The buyerrsquos lender is likely to consider this when making a determination on their loan Also buyers should review their credit scores because the solar leasing com-panies are going to ensure that the buyer can assume the costs of the lease before they approve a transfer
Seller Clients
Your seller clients have three options when dealing with leased solar panels 1 They can buy out the lease2 Transfer the lease to the new buyer or3 Attempt to transfer the panels to their new home al-though this option may only be available in rare occasions
Remember to always use caution when advising clients about solar panels The Attorney General published the fol-lowing helpful informational sheet on solar panels httpwwwmass govagonews-and-updatespress-releases2016advice-to-homeowners-considering-solar-panelshtml
You can always contact the MAR Legal Hotline if you have any questions at legalhotlinemarealtorcom or (800)-370-LEGAL
Please note a version of this article originally ran in The MAR Report the official blog of the Massachusetts Asso-ciation of Realtorsreg
REALTORreg Association of Central Massachusetts 16 wwwcmarealtorsorg
COMMUNITY ACTION COMMITTEE
RACM office hours are 900 ammdash400 pm during July amp August For assistance with the MLS Lockbox system please make an appointment with Lisa Sprague at 508-832-6600
Please LIKE our facebook page at httpswwwfacebookcomCentralMasslAssociationo-fREALTORS By doing so you will not only get up-to-the-minute information on everything
going on at RACM but you will help us to increase our visibility while growing your own busi-ness network
2016 BOARD OF DIRECTORS
President Kris Koliss
President Elect Sarah GustafsonVice-President Judy Patterson
Secretary Tracey Fiorelli
Treasurer Michael Meurant
Immediate Past President Brad Roberts
Diane Dabrowski DirectorMike DeLuca DirectorErika Hall DirectorLorraine Herbert DirectorLee Joseph DirectorKathy McSweeney DirectorLeslie Storrs DirectorJohn Vaillancourt DirectorAndrew Abu AlternateLeif Rosseland AlternateNathan Stewart Alternate
RACM STAFFExecutive VP
Colleen PappasOffice Manager Lisa Sprague
Marketing Manager Jacki DrsquoInnocenzo
to benefit the elementary and middle school children of Central Mass
We are looking to fill backpacks with the following supplies for elementary and middle school childrenAge-appropriate backpacks are needed as wellAnything you can contribute is greatly appreciated
Items may be dropped at RACM492 Washington StreetAuburn MA or at the followingmember offices
Cash donations gladly accepted
In order to assist our volunteers please do not put supplies inside of backpacks
If you can help pack or deliver items to schoolsplease let us know Help is ALWAYS welcome
REALTORreg Association of Central Massachusetts 492 Washington Street Auburn MA 01501 508-832-6600
Items Needed for each Backpack6 Pens6 Pencils2 Pkg of Lined Paper3 Highlighters1 Binder3 Notebooks3 Two-Pocket Folders1 Ruler1 Pencil Case1 Pkg of 8 Markers1 Pkg of Erasers1 Box of 24 Crayons1 Pkg of 12 Colored Pencils1 Bottle of Glue or Pkg of Glue Sticks
Drive runs from June 1 - August 12Packing days are August 17 amp 18Delivery day is August 19
Central MassachusettsREALTORreg Association of
REALTORreg Association of Central Massachusetts 14 wwwcmarealtorsorg
Inventory of Homes for Sale 498 371 - 255 -- -- --
Months Supply of Inventory 48 30 - 374 -- -- --
Cumulative Days on Market Until Sale 86 78 - 84 106 104 - 20
Percent of Original List Price Received 955 966 + 12 957 962 + 05
New Listings 246 190 - 228 892 903 + 12
- 326
Local Market Update ndash May 2016A RESEARCH TOOL PROVIDED BY THE MASSACHUSETTS ASSOCIATION OF REALTORSreg
Central Massachusetts Association of REALTORSreg
+ 97 - 20Year-Over-Year
Change inClosed SalesAll Properties
Year-Over-YearChange in
Median Sales PriceAll Properties
Year-Over-YearChange in
Inventory of HomesAll Properties
Does not account for seller concessions | Activity for one month can sometimes look extreme due to small sample size
Single-Family Properties
Condominium Properties
May Year to Date
May Year to Date
All data from the Berkshire County Multiple Listing Service Cape Cod amp Islands Association of REALTORSreg Inc and MLS Property Information Network Inc Provided by MAR Report copy 2016 ShowingTime
Median Sales Price BASED ON A ROLLING 12-MONTH AVERAGE
Entire State Entire State
Central Massachusetts Association of REALTORSreg Central Massachusetts Association of REALTORSreg
A rolling 12-month calculation represents the current month and the 11 months prior in a single data point If no activity occurred during a month the line extends to the next available data point
REALTORreg Association of Central Massachusetts 15 wwwcmarealtorsorg
LEGAL HOTLINEMichael McDonagh MAR General CounselAshley Stolba MAR Associate Counsel Justin Davidson MAR Legislative amp Regulatory Counsel
Shining the Light on SolarAre you representing a client who is selling a home with solar panels on the roof Is your buyer looking to make an offer on a house with solar panels If so here is what you need to know to better prepare your client in advanceOWNED PANELS Are the panels leased or owned
Are the panels owned by the seller Or is the seller leasing them from the solar company If the panels are owned by the seller then they should be factored into the price of the home just as any other asset would be It would be prudent to search for comparable homes with owned solar panels as well
A Solar Renewable Energy Credit (SREC)
An SREC is created for every megawatt hour (MWh) of elec-tricity produced by a solar generator SRECs allow a seller with a solar array to use electricity that is produced by the panels and then separately sell the SREC to a utility com-pany You should factor in an SREC when valuing the asset Some solar owners use SREC brokers to handle the sale so if you have a seller who is part of a ten-year SREC program they may consider selling their future credits through such a broker If a seller does this they would then value their solar panels based on the energy savings that they provideBuyers need to ask sellers if they are part of an SREC pro-gram and whether the SRECs will be transferred with the panels If they are a buyer would also want to know what the average annual output of the panels has been so that they can properly value them
Leased Panels
If the panels are leased it can be a bit more omplicated When representing a seller with leased solar panels agents should recommend that the seller contact the leasing com-pany right away to let them know that they are planning to sell the home In fact some solar companies have set up departments specifically to work on lease transfers Whatrsquos a UCC-1
The solar company may reference a UCC-1 (Uniform Com-mercial Code ndash 1) that has been recorded with the property A UCC-1 is a legal form that acts as a lien against the solar equipment on the property and is used by the solar com-panies to protect their interest in the leased panels These finds should be recorded at your local registry of deeds
It is important to know whether or not a UCC-1 has been recorded with the property because some lenders may have concerns that the UCC-1 will take priority over the mortgage in the event of a bankruptcy Some companies will remove the UCC-1 filing and then replace it when the new mortgage is recorded
Buyer Clients
If your buyers are interested in a home with leased solar panels you may want to remind them to factor the monthly lease cost when determining whether or not they can afford the home The buyerrsquos lender is likely to consider this when making a determination on their loan Also buyers should review their credit scores because the solar leasing com-panies are going to ensure that the buyer can assume the costs of the lease before they approve a transfer
Seller Clients
Your seller clients have three options when dealing with leased solar panels 1 They can buy out the lease2 Transfer the lease to the new buyer or3 Attempt to transfer the panels to their new home al-though this option may only be available in rare occasions
Remember to always use caution when advising clients about solar panels The Attorney General published the fol-lowing helpful informational sheet on solar panels httpwwwmass govagonews-and-updatespress-releases2016advice-to-homeowners-considering-solar-panelshtml
You can always contact the MAR Legal Hotline if you have any questions at legalhotlinemarealtorcom or (800)-370-LEGAL
Please note a version of this article originally ran in The MAR Report the official blog of the Massachusetts Asso-ciation of Realtorsreg
REALTORreg Association of Central Massachusetts 16 wwwcmarealtorsorg
COMMUNITY ACTION COMMITTEE
RACM office hours are 900 ammdash400 pm during July amp August For assistance with the MLS Lockbox system please make an appointment with Lisa Sprague at 508-832-6600
Please LIKE our facebook page at httpswwwfacebookcomCentralMasslAssociationo-fREALTORS By doing so you will not only get up-to-the-minute information on everything
going on at RACM but you will help us to increase our visibility while growing your own busi-ness network
2016 BOARD OF DIRECTORS
President Kris Koliss
President Elect Sarah GustafsonVice-President Judy Patterson
Secretary Tracey Fiorelli
Treasurer Michael Meurant
Immediate Past President Brad Roberts
Diane Dabrowski DirectorMike DeLuca DirectorErika Hall DirectorLorraine Herbert DirectorLee Joseph DirectorKathy McSweeney DirectorLeslie Storrs DirectorJohn Vaillancourt DirectorAndrew Abu AlternateLeif Rosseland AlternateNathan Stewart Alternate
RACM STAFFExecutive VP
Colleen PappasOffice Manager Lisa Sprague
Marketing Manager Jacki DrsquoInnocenzo
to benefit the elementary and middle school children of Central Mass
We are looking to fill backpacks with the following supplies for elementary and middle school childrenAge-appropriate backpacks are needed as wellAnything you can contribute is greatly appreciated
Items may be dropped at RACM492 Washington StreetAuburn MA or at the followingmember offices
Cash donations gladly accepted
In order to assist our volunteers please do not put supplies inside of backpacks
If you can help pack or deliver items to schoolsplease let us know Help is ALWAYS welcome
REALTORreg Association of Central Massachusetts 492 Washington Street Auburn MA 01501 508-832-6600
Items Needed for each Backpack6 Pens6 Pencils2 Pkg of Lined Paper3 Highlighters1 Binder3 Notebooks3 Two-Pocket Folders1 Ruler1 Pencil Case1 Pkg of 8 Markers1 Pkg of Erasers1 Box of 24 Crayons1 Pkg of 12 Colored Pencils1 Bottle of Glue or Pkg of Glue Sticks
Drive runs from June 1 - August 12Packing days are August 17 amp 18Delivery day is August 19
Central MassachusettsREALTORreg Association of
REALTORreg Association of Central Massachusetts 15 wwwcmarealtorsorg
LEGAL HOTLINEMichael McDonagh MAR General CounselAshley Stolba MAR Associate Counsel Justin Davidson MAR Legislative amp Regulatory Counsel
Shining the Light on SolarAre you representing a client who is selling a home with solar panels on the roof Is your buyer looking to make an offer on a house with solar panels If so here is what you need to know to better prepare your client in advanceOWNED PANELS Are the panels leased or owned
Are the panels owned by the seller Or is the seller leasing them from the solar company If the panels are owned by the seller then they should be factored into the price of the home just as any other asset would be It would be prudent to search for comparable homes with owned solar panels as well
A Solar Renewable Energy Credit (SREC)
An SREC is created for every megawatt hour (MWh) of elec-tricity produced by a solar generator SRECs allow a seller with a solar array to use electricity that is produced by the panels and then separately sell the SREC to a utility com-pany You should factor in an SREC when valuing the asset Some solar owners use SREC brokers to handle the sale so if you have a seller who is part of a ten-year SREC program they may consider selling their future credits through such a broker If a seller does this they would then value their solar panels based on the energy savings that they provideBuyers need to ask sellers if they are part of an SREC pro-gram and whether the SRECs will be transferred with the panels If they are a buyer would also want to know what the average annual output of the panels has been so that they can properly value them
Leased Panels
If the panels are leased it can be a bit more omplicated When representing a seller with leased solar panels agents should recommend that the seller contact the leasing com-pany right away to let them know that they are planning to sell the home In fact some solar companies have set up departments specifically to work on lease transfers Whatrsquos a UCC-1
The solar company may reference a UCC-1 (Uniform Com-mercial Code ndash 1) that has been recorded with the property A UCC-1 is a legal form that acts as a lien against the solar equipment on the property and is used by the solar com-panies to protect their interest in the leased panels These finds should be recorded at your local registry of deeds
It is important to know whether or not a UCC-1 has been recorded with the property because some lenders may have concerns that the UCC-1 will take priority over the mortgage in the event of a bankruptcy Some companies will remove the UCC-1 filing and then replace it when the new mortgage is recorded
Buyer Clients
If your buyers are interested in a home with leased solar panels you may want to remind them to factor the monthly lease cost when determining whether or not they can afford the home The buyerrsquos lender is likely to consider this when making a determination on their loan Also buyers should review their credit scores because the solar leasing com-panies are going to ensure that the buyer can assume the costs of the lease before they approve a transfer
Seller Clients
Your seller clients have three options when dealing with leased solar panels 1 They can buy out the lease2 Transfer the lease to the new buyer or3 Attempt to transfer the panels to their new home al-though this option may only be available in rare occasions
Remember to always use caution when advising clients about solar panels The Attorney General published the fol-lowing helpful informational sheet on solar panels httpwwwmass govagonews-and-updatespress-releases2016advice-to-homeowners-considering-solar-panelshtml
You can always contact the MAR Legal Hotline if you have any questions at legalhotlinemarealtorcom or (800)-370-LEGAL
Please note a version of this article originally ran in The MAR Report the official blog of the Massachusetts Asso-ciation of Realtorsreg
REALTORreg Association of Central Massachusetts 16 wwwcmarealtorsorg
COMMUNITY ACTION COMMITTEE
RACM office hours are 900 ammdash400 pm during July amp August For assistance with the MLS Lockbox system please make an appointment with Lisa Sprague at 508-832-6600
Please LIKE our facebook page at httpswwwfacebookcomCentralMasslAssociationo-fREALTORS By doing so you will not only get up-to-the-minute information on everything
going on at RACM but you will help us to increase our visibility while growing your own busi-ness network
2016 BOARD OF DIRECTORS
President Kris Koliss
President Elect Sarah GustafsonVice-President Judy Patterson
Secretary Tracey Fiorelli
Treasurer Michael Meurant
Immediate Past President Brad Roberts
Diane Dabrowski DirectorMike DeLuca DirectorErika Hall DirectorLorraine Herbert DirectorLee Joseph DirectorKathy McSweeney DirectorLeslie Storrs DirectorJohn Vaillancourt DirectorAndrew Abu AlternateLeif Rosseland AlternateNathan Stewart Alternate
RACM STAFFExecutive VP
Colleen PappasOffice Manager Lisa Sprague
Marketing Manager Jacki DrsquoInnocenzo
to benefit the elementary and middle school children of Central Mass
We are looking to fill backpacks with the following supplies for elementary and middle school childrenAge-appropriate backpacks are needed as wellAnything you can contribute is greatly appreciated
Items may be dropped at RACM492 Washington StreetAuburn MA or at the followingmember offices
Cash donations gladly accepted
In order to assist our volunteers please do not put supplies inside of backpacks
If you can help pack or deliver items to schoolsplease let us know Help is ALWAYS welcome
REALTORreg Association of Central Massachusetts 492 Washington Street Auburn MA 01501 508-832-6600
Items Needed for each Backpack6 Pens6 Pencils2 Pkg of Lined Paper3 Highlighters1 Binder3 Notebooks3 Two-Pocket Folders1 Ruler1 Pencil Case1 Pkg of 8 Markers1 Pkg of Erasers1 Box of 24 Crayons1 Pkg of 12 Colored Pencils1 Bottle of Glue or Pkg of Glue Sticks
Drive runs from June 1 - August 12Packing days are August 17 amp 18Delivery day is August 19
Central MassachusettsREALTORreg Association of
REALTORreg Association of Central Massachusetts 16 wwwcmarealtorsorg
COMMUNITY ACTION COMMITTEE
RACM office hours are 900 ammdash400 pm during July amp August For assistance with the MLS Lockbox system please make an appointment with Lisa Sprague at 508-832-6600
Please LIKE our facebook page at httpswwwfacebookcomCentralMasslAssociationo-fREALTORS By doing so you will not only get up-to-the-minute information on everything
going on at RACM but you will help us to increase our visibility while growing your own busi-ness network
2016 BOARD OF DIRECTORS
President Kris Koliss
President Elect Sarah GustafsonVice-President Judy Patterson
Secretary Tracey Fiorelli
Treasurer Michael Meurant
Immediate Past President Brad Roberts
Diane Dabrowski DirectorMike DeLuca DirectorErika Hall DirectorLorraine Herbert DirectorLee Joseph DirectorKathy McSweeney DirectorLeslie Storrs DirectorJohn Vaillancourt DirectorAndrew Abu AlternateLeif Rosseland AlternateNathan Stewart Alternate
RACM STAFFExecutive VP
Colleen PappasOffice Manager Lisa Sprague
Marketing Manager Jacki DrsquoInnocenzo
to benefit the elementary and middle school children of Central Mass
We are looking to fill backpacks with the following supplies for elementary and middle school childrenAge-appropriate backpacks are needed as wellAnything you can contribute is greatly appreciated
Items may be dropped at RACM492 Washington StreetAuburn MA or at the followingmember offices
Cash donations gladly accepted
In order to assist our volunteers please do not put supplies inside of backpacks
If you can help pack or deliver items to schoolsplease let us know Help is ALWAYS welcome
REALTORreg Association of Central Massachusetts 492 Washington Street Auburn MA 01501 508-832-6600
Items Needed for each Backpack6 Pens6 Pencils2 Pkg of Lined Paper3 Highlighters1 Binder3 Notebooks3 Two-Pocket Folders1 Ruler1 Pencil Case1 Pkg of 8 Markers1 Pkg of Erasers1 Box of 24 Crayons1 Pkg of 12 Colored Pencils1 Bottle of Glue or Pkg of Glue Sticks
Drive runs from June 1 - August 12Packing days are August 17 amp 18Delivery day is August 19