Industry News and Trends
 Round 2: IAR at the National Political Conventions
IAR President Loretta Alonzo is attending the Democratic National Convention this week in Charlotte to ensure REALTOR® issues are a focus on the political agenda. Says Alonzo, “Housing is one of the big issues facing the country, and it is important that we are able to share our concerns and opinions.” IAR leadership was in Tampa last week for the Republican National Convention. Like IAR's Facebook page for event highlights and follow IAR lobbyist Julie Sullivan (@jsullyirish) who will be posting updates on Twitter while in Charlotte. Pictured here: IAR President Loretta Alonzo with Gov. Quinn and Illinois delegation leaders.
Best Rate for IAR Fall Conference Ends Tomorrow
Register by Sept. 5 and you'll pay just $125 for the IAR Fall Conference & Expo, Oct. 2-4 in St. Charles, featuring two hot-topic CE classes (up to 6 Hours of CE credit!), plus great educational sessions, networking and the business Expo. Follow #iarcon on Twitter for updates.
 REALTOR® Charlene M. Brennan a Good Neighbor Award Finalist
Congratulations to Charlene M. Brennan of Strano & Associates Real Estate in Fairview Heights, Ill. She is among 10 finalists chosen by NAR for REALTOR® Magazine’s 2012 Good Neighbor Awards. For 17 years, Brennan has served the Rotary District 6510′s Belizean Children’s Program, which coordinates and brings Belize children in need of orthopedic surgery to the U.S. for treatment. Five winners will be chosen in October. Read more in the IARbuzz blog.
Market Stats and Research
Pending Home Sales Rebound in July; Hit Highest Level in Two Years
NAR's Pending Home Sales Index climbed 2.4 percent in July compared to June and was 12.4 percent higher than a year ago. In the Midwest region, which includes Illinois, the pending index in July rose 3.4 percent month-over-month and was 20.2 percent higher than a year ago.
NAR: Distressed Properties Decline in Market Share
Twenty-four percent of respondents in the July REALTORS® Confidence Index report selling distressed property compared to 31 percent last year, NAR reports.
Sales and Marketing
Keep You and Your Data Safe
Register for a Sept. 17 webinar, "REALTOR® Safety Series: Are You & Your Data an Easy Target?" Safety expert Andrew Wooten will share tips and tools for workplace, personal and data safety in this free NAR webinar.
GRI Grad Course Schedule and Registration Live
Grads, here's your 2012 GRI line-up: Taking your career to the next level with coach Patti Kouri, elective risk management CE with Bruce Aydt, core agency/license law/escrow CE with IAR's Steve Bochenek and Betsy Urbance, plus the latest tax update for Illinois REALTORS® by Chris Bird.
Stand Out from the Crowd with a Master of Real Estate Degree
Differentiate yourself by earning an online master's degree from REALTOR® University. This 36 credit hour, 12 course (minimum) graduate level program will give you skills that you can immediately apply to your day-to-day career. Learn more about the Master of Real Estate program and scholarship assistance.
Legislative & Advocacy
Skokie Proposal Forces Landlords, Tenants to MakeTough Choice
A city proposal would put landlords and the people who rent from them in a position to either follow a local ordinance or state law. Howard Handler, an IAR governmental affairs director, explains why this is bad policy.
Spring Legislative Scorecard: IAR Sees Key Bills Signed into Law
Association advocates have been tracking legislation that affects REALTORS® through the session and into the bill-signing period. Find an End of Session Report and Issues Tracker.
Give $20 to Help Elect Pro-REALTOR® Candidates
Any amount can make a difference this election season. RPAC is bipartisan and funds candidates who are chosen by Illinois REALTORS® and who have your business interests in mind. Click here to donate. Disclaimer: The Illinois REALTORS® Political Action Committee (RPAC) solicits contributions from IAR members only.)
Illinois Leads Nation in Number of Local Governments
Illinois tops the list with 6,968 units of local government, according to a U.S. Census report. The number of local governments is a reminder of why the Illinois Association of REALTORS® local Government Affairs Director (GAD) program is so important.
Events
September 5
Act now! Tomorrow is the last day to get best rate - just $125 - for the IAR Fall Conference & Expo when you register by Sept 5.
October 2
Commercial Training Opportunity in St. Charles. This special program at Pheasant Run Resort features sessions on identifying value and return on investment, key points to look for in commercial contracts and legal analysis and due diligence recommended in commercial real estate. Register now, the cost is $15.
October 8-12
CIPS Institute in Chicago. Register for this Certified International Property Specialist (CIPS) designation course and learn more about global markets and transactions. Taking the full Institute fulfills the classroom requirements for the CIPS designation.
October 10-11
National Forum on Workforce Housing: Bring Workers Home in Chicago. This two-day event features a workforce housing forum and an employer-assisted housing class. Learn more and register.
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