This year, April marks the 45th anniversary of the 1968 landmark Fair Housing Act. Each year Realtors recognize the significance of this event and reconfirm their commitment to upholding the fair housing law as well as committing to offer equal professional service to all in their search for real property. As the leading advocate for home ownership, Realtor Associations, like the Jefferson-Lewis Board of Realtors and the St. Lawrence County Board of Realtors, strongly support the Fair Housing Act and believe that anyone who is able and willing to assume the responsibilities of owning a home should have the opportunity to pursue that dream. [Read more...]
Enforcing the NAR code of ethics
March 5, 2013 By
In January, I wrote about the centennial anniversary of the Realtor code of ethics in 2013. As William D. North, former National Association of Realtors executive vice president and general counsel, noted in the August 1978 edition of “The Executive Officer,” the code is “a great deal more than simply a set of rules for the conduct of real estate transactions.” It is “a guide to measure professional conduct, while at the same time representing the furthest reach of professional aspiration.”
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A good year for NNY real estate
February 4, 2013 By
Realtor members of the Jefferson-Lewis and St. Lawrence County boards of Realtors enjoyed a busy and productive year in 2012. Property sales were higher than the previous few years. While many sales in the area are residential, there also was an increase in the number of other types of properties like multi-family, commercial and land that changed hands. [Read more...]
Code of ethics: a century at work
January 7, 2013 By
One difference between a real estate licensee who is a Realtor and other licensees is that Realtors subscribe to a strict code of ethics. Adopted in 1913, the code turns 100 this year. While it has evolved with the industry during the past century, it still contains the core values and commitments to excellence that all Realtors aspire to meet.
We’re No. 1, but do we want to be?
December 16, 2012 By
New York State leads the nation in the tax burden its citizens bear. According to the latest report from the Tax Foundation, a nonpartisan tax research group, the total state and local tax burden in 2010 was 12.77 percent of per capita income. The average tax burden in the United States was 9.86 percent. Included in the report, the Tax Foundation published a chart stretching back to 1977 that shows New York led the nation in every year except for 1984 when it was second.
The role of a Multiple Listing Service
November 12, 2012 By
More than a century ago, real estate brokers created the concept of a Multiple Listing Service to share listings with other brokers and help seller clients find property buyers. It was felt then, and still is today, that as each property is unique, a centralized system was more efficient and effective to find buyers.
So, how is the real estate market?
October 13, 2012 By
Of all the questions I get, this is probably the one I am asked most often: “So, how is the real estate market?” While the questioner, or someone they know, may be selling or buying a property, the question they might actually be asking is, “how will my business be affected by the real estate market?”
What you should know about agency
September 9, 2012 By
When buyers or sellers begin to work with a real estate agent, they are given the New York State Disclosure Form for Buyers and Sellers, also known as the agency form. According to state law, this must be given at the first substantive contact. It is not a contract, but an information piece that tells whether the agent is working for the buyer or seller. Depending on what is noted, the person receiving it either is a client or a customer and the agent has different duties based on that. During a transaction, the buyer or seller may receive multiples of these forms as they interact with different agents.
Jefferson, Lewis sales outpace state
August 11, 2012 By
We are now more than six months through the year and it is time to look at how residential real estate in the tri-county area, made up of Jefferson, Lewis and St. Lawrence counties, has fared in the first half of the year and compare that to the state and national picture.
Realtors bring knowledge, expertise
July 11, 2012 By Leave a Comment
One of the questions people ask when they decide to buy or sell a property is, “Why should I use a Realtor?” In other words, what value does a Realtor bring to a transaction?