Nominations Sought for Recognition
Please take a moment to nominate RASCW members for the 2008 REALTOR® of Distinction award and the 2008 Affiliate of Distinction award.

Criteria for the REALTOR® of Distinction award include service to the local real estate industry/market, actively working in real estate, contribution to RASCW, respected by peers and has exhibited something extraordinary during the past 12 months. Nominees must have been a REALTOR® for at least 5 years.

Criteria for the Affiliate of Distinction award include exhibiting excellence in his or her field and contributing to the Association. Nominees must have been a RASCW Affiliate member for at least 2 years.

The Recognition Selection Committee will select both award recipients. This Committee is comprised of the RASCW President, one RASCW Director, one past REALTOR® award recipient, one current RASCW Committee Chair, the SCWMLS President or a SCWMLS Director and two RASCW members at large.

+ REALTOR® of Distinction Nomination Form (PDF Format)
+ Affiliate of Distinction Nomination Form (PDF Format)

Nomination forms are also included as an insert in the latest issue of the REALTOR® Review. Nomination deadline is September 30, 2008. Award recipients will be honored at the January RASCW Membership meeting.

Please contact Janine Smith at the RASCW office at (608) 240-2800 or jsmith@wisre.com if you have any questions.

RPAC Auction
The RPAC auction will be held on September 18th at The Legends at Bergamont clubhouse. Be one of the first to see the newly constructed facility and enjoy the sunset looking down the 18th fairway!

The donation of items and your successful bids are critical to the preservation of our industry. Whether we're dealing with local issues such as Shoreland Zoning or Inclusionary Zoning; State and National issues, such as increases in the Transfer Tax or support for Fanny Mae or Freddy Mac; the money raised at the auction enables us to make sure that private property rights are maintained and our ability to assist clients is not jeopardized. Please contact Governmental Affairs Director Phil Salkin at psalkin@wra.org or John Deininger at johnd@wisre.com if you have any questions or would like to donate an item(s) to the auction. We need your support to make this event a success.

You may also bring in your donated items to any of the following drop off points:

STARK
Kellie Unke – Central – 443.4822
Jennifer Utter – Middleton – 831.3234
Christine Bedner - Sun Prairie – 229.5019
Stan Hill – Stoughton - 873-8181

FIRST WEBER
Tommy Weber - East Towne Office - 225.8638
Paul Brown - Cottage Grove Road – 223.6002
Dan Lee – West Towne – 829.7124

RESTAINO
Kathy Zastrow – West – 395.3019

BUNBURY - FITCHBURG
Mary Anderson – 310.8464
Flo Roth – 310.8450
Jason Geiger – 576.1068

KELLER WILLIAMS (Both East and West Offices)
Jayne Katers – 662.9620

COLDWELL BANKER - STOUGHTON
Phil – 276.3161

Remember, your contributions are necessary for a successful event, and the continued fight for passing good legislation. We need your items as soon as possible, as they need to be entered, processed and advertised prior to the event on September 18th.

Direct Giver
This year, please consider becoming a "Direct Giver" at the RPAC auction. By donating a minimum of $100, or purchasing an item for $100 or more, you can control exactly where your dollars get spent. You pick and choose only those candidates that you approve and support with your dollars. Each candidate will be aware of your personal gift, and the contributions are handled for you. You choose when, and to whom a check is made.

You're going to buy something at the Auction anyway, so make sure you have a minimum $100 bid, and write the check out to "RPAC Direct Giver". Protecting your business and improving your community has never been this much fun!

President's Message: By Paula Schmelzer
t is hard to believe that it is August and fall is just around the corner. Summer seems like it just got here and is almost gone. The kids are getting ready to go back to school and we have two fantastic events that are coming up. [ FULL STORY ]

14th Annual Home Run and Irv Stein Memorial Walk
Mark your calendar for the 14th Annual Home Run and Irv Stein Memorial Walk on Saturday, October 18, 2008 at McKee Farms Park. Again this year, we have tech shirts for our adult runners and a free kid's race. The kid's race consists of a 10 yard run for ages 4 and under and a lap around the park (approx. 1 mile) for kids 10 and under. For more information and registration form please see our website at: www.rascwhomerun.com.

New Senior and Elder Members
Are you eligible to be a Senior Member? You are if, on January 1, 2009 you are 60 years of age or older and have been a continuous Member of RASCW for at least 20 years. This means that you can reduce your local RASCW dues by 1/3 for 2009. [ FULL STORY ]

First-Time Homebuyer Tax Credit
On July 30, President Bush signed a major housing bill into law. As part of the housing bill, congress has created a new, temporary tax credit to provide an incentive for first time homebuyers. The $7,500 credit will be available for the purchase of a principal residence on or after April 9, 2008 and before July 1, 2009. First time buyers provide the stimulus for our market, since sellers of those houses typically move up to the mid price homes, and the mid price sellers move up to the more expensive homes. If you are not currently aware of how the tax credit works, you need to find out some of the basics. A summary of the program can be found here. Informing your clients of the credit and encouraging them to contact their tax advisors just may be the ticket to another sale, and another reason why a REALTOR® brings value to the transaction.

Continuing Education & Quadrennial Ethics Training Deadlines
Remember that the deadline for real estate continuing education (CE) and license renewal this year is December 14, 2008, not December 31 as it would have been on the old renewal schedules. The Department of Regulation and Licensing has implemented staggered renewal dates among the various professions that it regulates, which is why this date has been changed.

Also please be reminded that REALTORS® need to complete Quadrennial Ethics Training by December 31, 2008. The quadrennial ethics training requirements are incorporated in the 2007-2008 CE Course 4 offered by the WRA. A free online quadrennial ethics course also is available online here.

State Convention
The annual WRA state convention will be coming up on September 7-9 at the Kalahari Resort and Convention Center in Wisconsin Dells. If you haven't been to a convention before, you may qualify for a "two-fer" rate with someone else from your office. Working toward a professional designation, completing your continuing education requirements, attending seminars and workshops, socializing with your peers, and letting your hair down at the Prohibition Party and Casino Night are just some of the reasons for attending this year's event. You can still register at: www.wra.org/convinfo

Home Inspector Corner: Trees and Landscaping
Whether purchasing a home with mature trees and shrubs or starting from scratch, caring for shrubs and trees should be a priority to keep them healthy. Neglect of vegetation can lead to property damage and unhappy neighbors, while proper maintenance can make a statement about a home and add to its value. [ FULL STORY ]

A Call to Action on Shoreland Zoning!
Our Members lead busy lives between their families, their practice of real estate and the many obligations they undertake for their communities, churches, and other causes. They have the right to expect that their Association will represent their interests when it comes to local and regional government. However, there are times when we need your help to get things done ­ and this is one of those times. THIS IS A CALL TO ACTION ON SHORELAND ZONING! This call relates to Ordinance Amendment 2 before the Dane County Board. [ FULL STORY ]

REALTORS® Make a Difference Day -- September 23rd
The REALTORS® Association of South Central Wisconsin would like to challenge all of our members in helping our clients, neighbors and friends that have recently been affected by the floods throughout the region. Local food pantries, the Salvation Army, and Red Cross have all found themselves in dire need of food, clothing and money after assisting with the massive amount of aid needed this summer. Our hope is to encourage all offices to create their own project, and pick their own beneficiary. The goal will be to "energize" our industry on one day, September 23rd, to make a difference in our communities. We encourage you to create office challenges, possibly involve community and neighborhood support, document what has been done, and let your Association know of your success. We would like to get as much media coverage as possible, and acknowledge the efforts of your individual offices. Together, we can make a difference, and we can let the world know that REALTORS® care about their communities.

Mallards Outing
On July 29th, the Affordable Housing/Equal Opportunity committee hosted the fourth annual "Night at the Mallards". The event was a great success, with 300 tickets sold, and a good time had by all. Movin' Out, a non-profit created to assist families with disabilities was again this year's benefactor. If you weren't there to hear Television's "Here and Now" songwriter Peter Leidy¹s creative rendition of "Take Me Out To The Ball Game", then you missed one of the most enjoyable celebrations of the real estate industry. [ FULL STORY ]

Online Ethics Course Now Available for Commercial Practitioners
A new National Association of REALTORS® Ethics Training course for commercial practitioners, featuring commercial case studies, instead of residential case studies, is now available to commercial Members on REALTOR.org. Click on Education in the left hand column and then click on Ethics Training. After you register, you may choose the commercial track. This course meets the quadrennial ethics training requirements for individuals who are currently REALTORS®.