Hampton Roads REALTOR®

VOLUME 42, ISSUE 6 • JUNE 2021

Shortages, delays impacting new-homes inventory, too8 41 Is there such a thing

as “having it all”? 26 Finding balance in the midst of our “hot” summer market

ALSO INSIDE:

IT ALL!Work Hard. Play Hard.

Having

(And how to juggle it all.)

2 Hampton Roads REALTOR® • June 2021

Wells Fargo Home Mortgage is a division of Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. © 2021 Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. All rights reserved. NMLSR ID 399801. AS5302579 Expires 01/2022

Dedicated to coming through for you and your buyers

We’re ready to help. Let’s connect.

Virginia Beach Oceanfront Branch300 32nd Street Suite 200 Virginia Beach, VA 23451757-372-9300 | www.wfhm.com/oceanfront

Hampton Roads REALTOR® • June 2021 3

REALTOR®CONTENTS Hampton Roads

FEATURES 7 It’s CRAZY out there! 4 tips

to get your offers accepted

8 Shortages, delays impacting new-homes inventory, too

10 A must read: the latest on second home and investment property financing

11 What’s next? Going beyond shopping from bed

12 Marketing for real estate agents: building your brand

16 Why YOU must contribute to RPAC

17 New Virginia laws impacting real estate beginning July 1

18 Where are you on your financial journey? REALTOR® resources can help

19 Property management is what you make of it

20 Meet Your HRRA Staff

24 How Diversity, Equity and Inclusion will spend its summer

25 IN BRIEF: Big news, small bites

26 Finding balance in the midst of our “hot” summer market

27 Member poll results and a look at the ever-changing topic of short-term rentals

28 Prepare now for busy hurricane season

29 Real estate photography, copyright and usage

30 5 tips for a real estate/personal life balance

31 Alpha College of Real Estate Third-Quarter Class Schedule

32 5 tips: managing risk in a hot market

33 Keep your cool as the weather gets hot

34 Student loans and their impact on home buying

35 That’s Who We R Ambassadors bring campaign messages right to your brokerage or office

36 What your clients need to know about condo living

38 Intentional self-care, having it all and pushing one’s personal limits

41 Is there such a thing as “having it all”?

44 Come Zoom (and play and learn) with HRRA!

IN EVERY ISSUE4 From the Chair

5 A Picture is Worth 1,000 Words

6 CEO Corner

9 That's Who We R REALTOR® Spotlight

13 Affiliate Spotlight

14 Motivational Corner

37 Thank you to our 2021 HRRA Partners

39 Legal Corner

47 Welcome New Members

ADVERTISERSWells Fargo Home Mortgage – 2

American Home Shield – 8

Sasser Construction – 11

Hanger Law – 12

Fulton Mortgage – 12

TowneBank Mortgage– 15

Taskativity – 23

CMS Mortgage – 25

Movement Mortgage – 26

Old Republic Home Protection – 26

AAFMA Mortgage Services – 30

Landmark Title – 48

Hampton Roads REALTORS® Association

Chairman of the Board: Tanya Monroe

Chairman-Elect: Barbara Sgueglia

Vice-Chairman Finance: Jeremy Caleb Johnson

Immediate Past Chair: Cindy Hawks White

Executive Committee: Margaret Richardson, Remona

Murmillo, Sherri Thaxton

DIRECTORS:

Hampton Roads REALTOR® Magazine

This magazine is published 11 times per year by the

Hampton Roads REALTORS® Association, Inc. (HRRA), 638

Independence Parkway, Suite 100, Chesapeake, VA 23320.

HRRA reserves the right to edit or refuse all submissions for

publication. HRRA reserves the right to receive royalties from

some programs and services. Views and advertising expressed

in this magazine are not necessarily those of, nor endorsed by,

HRRA. The Hampton Roads REALTOR® was created for the

members of HRRA by BIZPORT.

Editor: Victoria Hecht, vhecht@HRRA.com

Advertising Sales: Misty Pritchett, mpritchett@hrra.com

Design/Layout: BIZPORT

Copyright © Hampton Roads REALTORS® Association; all

rights reserved.

Leigh Anne Parks

Lee Cross

Ken Boyer

Jimmy Jackson

Emil Nazaryan

Jennifer Cool

Jon McAchran

Linda Harrison

Christie Woytowitz

Betsy Hughes

David Tunnicliffe

Monique McClellan

Nelene Gibbs

Lee Halyard

Alan Thompson

4 Hampton Roads REALTOR® • June 2021

FROM THE CHAIR

Our “WIGS” for critical growth

Tanya Monroe, CRB,

C-RETS, PMN, GRI,

ABR, PSA, ePRO,

AHWD, SFR, C2Ex

2021 HRRA

Chairman of the

Board

At the beginning of the year, I shared that our Association now has a three-year strategic plan. This plan includes specific strategies, objectives,

and important ideas for the future of HRRA. In addition, our leadership has identified three critical areas, known as WIGs (Wildly Important Goals) in developing our as-sociation strategic plan. I introduced our three WIGs to you in my January article, and I prom-ised that you would hear more about the rationale for these WIGs in the coming months. The following is informa-tion pertaining to our WIGS and the rationale for them:

WIG #1: Managing broker, firm owner and member engagement with associa-tion promotion Rationale: Our Association is not connecting well with the manag-ing brokers and/or firm owners, and as such, we are not capturing the opportunity to positively influence them and their agents toward in-volvement and engagement with the Association. It is critical we specifically target our communica-tions and engagement with these leaders and build on that relationship to encourage more participation and their involvement with the Association, as well as en-couraging them to volunteer for leadership roles and influence their agents to also engage and participate at the Association.

WIG #2: Education, training and engagement with/for current and new leadership, membership and staff Rationale: We MUST implement an ongoing lead-ership training system for new volunteer leaders, direc-tors, chairs/vice chairs and staff. This education needs to expand to communication to committees, broker/owners and members to further improve awareness and develop plans for success, which is a direct value to the members.

WIG #3 Use our values to define opportunities for our members and our community Rationale: We are our own best-kept secret. Be-tween our wins and successes, and what we take for granted, the opportunity to influence our members, our community, business partnerships, the state and even the

National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) is wide and deep. By focusing on who we are

and delivering this by way of value through our communications, con-

nection and activities, we can bet-ter influence members of HRRA. Also as part of the strategic planning we did an overview of the NAR-required Core Standards and how we will work with our new staff to ensure the following require-

ments are met. These are criti-cal functions of the Association,

and all areas are to be properly del-egated to leadership, committees, and/

or staff as needed. The change in staff overall created tremendous

opportunities to set new standards in both achieving higher levels of success and in better community WHY and how all these activities help our members and our Association to achieve its mission: 1. Code of Ethics a. Provide new and continuing education classes on the Code of Ethics b. Have a viable Professional Stan-dards process c. lnclude a link on our website to NAR Code of Ethics d. Understand and provide mediation and ombudsman services. 2. Advocacy a. We will expand and grow the results of above the line dues billing b. Lead and communicate the value of investing and promoting RPAC c. Promote participation in NAR Calls for Action d. Engage in calls from the RE-ALTOR® Party for action when applicable e. Provide a method for advocacy engagement for our Association. 3. Consumer outreach a. Continue to enhance opportunities as the Voice for Real Estate b. Promote our community involvement

I introduced our three WIGs to you in my January article, and I promised that

you would hear more about the rationale for these WIGs in the

coming months.

(continued on page 43)

Hampton Roads REALTOR® • June 2021 5

A Picture is Worth 1,000 Words RECENT PHOTOS OF HRRA MEMBERS AND EVENTS

Cheers to long-awaited networking, reconnecting

Rain? What rain? A little wet weather couldn’t dampen attendees’ enthusiasm for April’s “Who Do Know That Wants to Grow?”

networking event presented by the Affiliates Council. (Thank goodness for tents!) After being apart for so long due to the COVID-19

pandemic, REALTORS® and Affiliated alike gathered outside at Back Bay’s Farmhouse Brewing in Virginia Beach ready to reconnect,

build new relationships and share HRRA camaraderie with tradespersons interested in joining HRRA as Affiliate members. The smiles

say it all. Big thanks go to event sponsors Atlantic Bay Mortgage Group, loanDepot, SERVPRO of Virginia Beach, Beacon Property

Inspections, Achosa Home Warranty and Prosper Insurance. It was terrific seeing so many new people eager to learn about the benefits

of joining HRRA. (And, yes, the sun did finally come out!) Next up, the popular REALTORS® vs. Affiliates Kickball Tournament is back

after a year’s pandemic hiatus! The event, presented by the Affiliates Council, will be held from 3 to 5 p.m. June 17 at City View Park in

Virginia Beach, followed by the YPN After-Party from 5 to 7 p.m. at Back Bay’s Farmhouse Brewing. See your HRRA eREALTOR, social

media and website for more details, then join in the fun. – Victoria Hecht, Vice President of Communications, Public Relations and Media

Relations

6 Hampton Roads REALTOR® • June 2021

This month’s issue focuses on time management,

a very important facet of REALTOR® success.

Before I delve into my monthly article, I want

our membership to know that my wonderful, amazing

son followed in my footsteps and owns a real estate bro-

kerage.

I have been in his home when we all sit down to

dinner and one of his agents calls for help, and for the

next 30 to 90 minutes he is coaching his agent through

a problem until my wonderful daughter-in-law says, “We

should eat. This might be a while”. I under-

stand how both genders in this industry

face similar challenges. A few years

back I read an article in REAL-

TOR® magazine that stated

80% of our industry is now

female. So please forgive

me as this article is specifi-

cally focused on the HRRA

female demographic.

I want to address

the great myth and guilt-

inducing paradigm that, as

women, we can have it all. We

simply need to be better time

managers, and we, too, can become

“Super Women.” This article is meant to

dispel that myth.

We cannot juggle it all, do it all, have it all and be

successful in all arenas. I don’t know where this fal-

lacy started or how it was perpetuated. In the 1950s

and early ‘60s, a happy family life was defined by June

Cleaver and the stay-at-home mom. Even in the 1970s

Carol Brady, Samantha Stevens (“Bewitched”) and

Jeannie “(I Dream of Jeannie”) had beautifully main-

tained homes, did not work, and were there to provide a

perfect married and family life.

Then came the ‘80s. This decade put forth the mod-

el that exists today: A woman can have it all. She can

be a perfect wife, have a great marriage, be an amazing

and nurturing parent, be involved in school activities,

attend everything, keep an immaculate home and have

a skyrocketing career. As women we can do it all and

have it all, to which I respond a resounding “NOT”!

So much of what the media tells us is that we all

can have these phenomenal careers, these amazing

relationships/marriages, be astounding parents, have

beautiful homes and be in magazine-model physical

shape, if only we just tried a little harder.

I am here to tell our members we are all doing the

best that we can. As women we cannot simply have it

all; something has to give. It is a balance. We can-

not be 100% at everything, 100% of the time.

As women we need to stop beating our-

selves up.

Now that I have said that,

there are a few strategies that I

can share that have helped me

in the past and into today. Us-

ing the Pareto Principle, 80% of

our success comes from 20% of

our actions. Take time to evalu-

ate which of your actions are ac-

tually producing results and focus

on them.

Use President Dwight D. Eisenhow-

er’s method of time management: the pri-

ority grid. If any of you have been in my office,

you have seen this grid on my large whiteboard.

Can you have it all and be all? No. But…

Dr. Dawn Kennedy,

CAE, RCE, C2EX,

GREEN, ePRO

HRRA CEO

CEO CORNER

I want to address the great myth and guilt-inducing paradigm that,

as women, we can have it all. We simply need to be

better time managers, and we, too, can become “Super

Women.” This article is meant to dispel

that myth.

(continued on page 43)

Hampton Roads REALTOR® • June 2021 7

Is anybody else tired? Overworked? Losing your mind?

I have to say the lack of inventory, combined with the

low interest rates, the pandemic’s built-up demand

and increased price of building materials is making this

market crazy!

Yes, through a combination of a few years of low-in-

terest-rate refinances, delays in military moves,

the home-remodeling projects spurred by

stay-at-home time due to COVID-19,

and lack of desire by some to interact

during the pandemic, we have an

incredibly low inventory market.

What does this mean in

our daily business? It means

there are way more active

agents and buyers than there

are listings and sellers.

What can you do to assist

your buyer clients?

Let’s talk about a couple of

things that can help in getting your

offers accepted:

1. Connect with the listing agent be-

fore preparing the offer to see if there are

any specific seller needs or desires. This could

include a specific closing date, possession agreement

or other offer terms.

2. Make sure buyers are aware of the current

market status when preparing them for buy-

ing and putting in an offer. They need to know

that if a desirable property is priced right when it

goes into the MLS, it is often getting multiple offers,

often above the list price. You should also be adept

when advising your clients on the benefits and risks

involved when it comes to guaranteed appraisal val-

ues, offering above market purchase price, waiving

inspections, or other potential terms when they are

trying to improve their offer.

3. Put together a complete and professional of-

fer. I recommend putting all the contract documents

into one PDF to send over to the listing agent. You

want to make their life easier, and it just gives them

more work when they have to try and capture mul-

tiple documents and prepare them for signatures.

When sending over your offer, be cautious about

including what is commonly called “love letters,” or

letters from the buyers describing why the property

is the perfect home for them. The National Associa-

tion of REALTORS® has sent out a caution, espe-

cially for listing agents, on how these letters could

put them into a potential fair housing violation.

I handle this up front with my sellers

by asking them, “Do you want to make an

emotional decision or business decision

when looking at the offers?” I ex-

plain that some of the offers may

have a letter from the buyer at-

tached. Every time, they have

chosen to NOT see the letter,

and I then exclude it from the

package to them.

4. Make sure you

know when the listing agent

will be presenting offers and

are available to answer any spe-

cific questions the listing agent

or seller may have on your offer.

Be prepared to send over any additional re-

quest from the listing agent that could assist them

when making a decision on the offers.

Remember, the listing agent is going to carry great

influence with the sellers when it comes to selecting the

offer. The sellers hired their agent to assist with making

the transaction smoother and to take the stress out of the

transaction. The listing agent’s opinion of who they want

to work with starts before the offer came in.

Did you as the buyer’s agent follow the MLS instruc-

tions when booking the appointment? Were you on time?

If you got delayed or needed to reschedule, did you call, or

did you just no show/no call?

Even in today’s high-tech world, this is still a people

business. I have found it helps to be active in the REAL-

TOR community and active in our association. Nothing

builds rapport in a transaction like knowing the agent on

the other side of the transaction.

Whether you are a new agent on your first deal or a

highly experienced agent on your 1,000th, it is important

to remember that the goal is to get a win-win situation

and for all to walk away happy. ⌂⌂

Alan Thompson,

CRS, GRI

Chair, Resale Council

When sending over your offer, be

cautious about including what is commonly

called “love letters,” or letters from the buyers

describing why the property is the perfect

home for them.

It’s CRAZY out there! 4 tips to get your offers accepted

8 Hampton Roads REALTOR® • June 2021

Just like the resale market, the new homes mar-

ket is seeing increased demand, resulting in low

inventory.

With that increased demand, builders are experi-

encing supply chain issues, labor and material shortag-

es, rising material costs, and increased processing time

from the cities for plan approvals and permits.

As representatives of the builder, our

job is to set the expectation for the

buyer and the buyer's agent. Here

are two common questions in re-

lation to that issue.

1. Why is it taking so

long for my buyer's house

to be completed?

Pre-pandemic, produc-

tion builders might have of-

fered 120-day delivery time-

frames. Those timeframes have

increased to 210 days.

For one, the permitting and

plan approval process with the munici-

palities are taking longer. What used to be a

two- or three-day process is now a two-to-four-week

process at a minimum. Calling in an inspection for the

next day is no longer an option. Rather, plan for three to

nine days.

As if that isn't enough, it is taking longer to receive

the supplies and materials needed to build the house.

Here are just a few examples of increased lead times

for materials:

• Windows: 15 to 20 weeks

• Appliances: 16 weeks (One builder told me of a four-

month wait for Viking appliances!)

• Cabinets: Eight weeks

• Trusses: Five to six weeks

It might be frustrating for your buyer when the

builder requires them to make all their selections

before their house breaks ground or to

learn the builder has already made the

exterior color selections. We under-

stand making personalized selec-

tions is the fun part of building

a new home.

However, if the builders

wait for the buyers to make

the selections, it delays the

process. We understand your

buyer might want to make

changes during the construction

process. I've said this to buyers so

many times that I hear myself say

it in my sleep. Every time your buyer

wants to make a change, the process STOPS.

One minor change causes a ripple effect scheduling

the trades, not to mention increasing delivery time.

If your buyer wants to change their cabinets, the

builder must place a new order, which means eight more

weeks added to the delivery date.

2. Why can't the site agent tell me a price today

for a house starting in three to six months?

Monique McClellan

Chair, New Homes

Council

I've said this to buyers so many times

that I hear myself say it in my sleep. Every time your buyer wants to make a

change, the process STOPS. One minor change causes a

ripple effect scheduling the trades, not to

mention increasing delivery time.

Shortages, delays impacting new-homes inventory, too

Account Manager Wanted: Are you someone who puts customers first and can build and foster relationships? Do you thrive handling key accounts and being on the front lines when it comes to communicating value and ensuring a seamless customer experience? Do you thrive in a fast-paced environment where you seek to drive growth by boosting sales and forging strong relationship with new/existing clients? AHS is looking for an Account Manager to join the Sales team! Contact Craig Wolf – craig.wolf@ahs.com or apply on-line!

https://frontdoor.wd1.myworkdayjobs.com/ahshield/job/Norfolk-Virginia/Account-Executive-Outside-Sales_R0015207-1

(continued on page 48)

Hampton Roads REALTOR® • June 2021 9

“That’s Who We R” REALTOR® Spotlight

WHO: Ken Boyer, REALTOR®, The Real Estate Group HRRA MEMBER SINCE: 2017

REALTOR® ACTIVITIES/ACCOLADES: Current HRRA Board of Directors Member and serve on the Nominating Committee

COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT: My wife, Teresa, and I our members of Saint Paul’s Catholic church in Portsmouth, and together we support a program called Unbound. Unbound is an international nonprofit Christian organization that supports families and children marginalized by poverty in 19 countries around the world. They do more than just provide money; they live side-by-side in the communities they serve, working with individuals on solutions to make their life better in all the meaningful ways. I would encourage everyone to take a closer look by going to www.unbound.org.

I CHOSE TO BECOME A REALTOR® BECAUSE: I wholeheartedly believe that, for our profession to remain relevant, respected, trusted and sought out, we have in place a set of standards that govern how we interact with our clients, customers and colleagues. Being a REALTOR® allows me to walk the talk with my clients. I feel secure knowing there is an association built solely to help me become better at what I do, and to provide me the education, training, resources and recognition to take my business as far as I am willing to take it.

FAVORITE REALTOR® BENEFIT: I have many favorites. I appreciate the advocacy that is constantly being done on our behalf with national, state and local government individuals

and committees. I appreciate the educational benefits that allows me to pursue a number of different designations to further hone my skills as a real estate agent. I love the annual Circle of Excellence and its recognition of the hard work and dedication of the membership in striving to be best at what they do. I love the community outreach programs and am so glad that we are able to “give back” in a number of different ways. I especially enjoy all of the training forums that allow us to stay on top of changes in our industry, and I really like the various ways our membership can come together at different networking events, like YPN (the Young Professionals Network).

FAVORITE HRRA ACTIVITY AND WHY: As a Board of Directors member, I enjoy the process of discussing and tackling issues that stand to have a substantial impact on the association and its members. Everyone on the board gets a vote, but not necessary their way. As a board, we often disagree with one another, but we listen to each other’s opinion and in the end, come together for the common good of the association and strive to make it better every day.

MOST MEMORABLE HRRA MOMENT: Towards the end of 2020 HRRA was faced with a decision to either continue being managed by an outside company as it had been for years or take on the task of becoming a self-managed association. It was not an easy decision, and I am proud to have been part of the leadership that decided that self-management was in the best interests of HRRA and its membership. The process reminded me that standing up for what you believe in is not always easy, but it is always fulfilling.

I AM PROUD TO CALL MYSELF A REALTOR® BECAUSE: I know I am part of an organization that figured out a long time ago that if you put your clients first, treat your colleagues and customers as you would like to be treated, that real estate will be a rewarding and honorable profession that will serve you well in your lifetime.

BEST PIECE OF ADVICE FOR FELLOW REALTORS®: Understand that real estate is larger than the transaction you are working on right now. We are all a part of a larger tea, and how we treat our clients and how we conduct ourselves every day has a lasting effect not only on your business, but on how your peers and customers look at you and our industry. “How you do anything is how you’ll do everything” is one of my favorite quotes. Make it yours as well!

KenBoyer

10 Hampton Roads REALTOR® • June 2021

It’s June. Summer has arrived. We’re experiencing a booming housing market. And a competitive sell-ing season is in full swing. With more people work-

ing remotely with greater job flexibility, there has been a paradigm shift in how many people are viewing work-life balance, and their lifestyles overall. With the weather heating up, interest rates re-maining relatively low, and vacation season right around the corner, the mortgage industry would typically be antici-pating an uptick in loan volume consisting of second homes and investment properties. With recent, impactful mortgage in-dustry changes affecting these types of loans, now it’s impor-tant, more than ever, to stay up to date on what’s happening – for you, your clients and your business overall. In January, the Preferred Stock Purchase Agreement, which provides Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae with finan-cial support from the U.S. Department of the Trea-sury, was amended. The recent changes include a new eli-gibility for investment home and second property loans. So, what does the new eligibility mean? Due to the chang-es, lenders cannot have more than a 7% share of their ac-quired loans be investment properties or second homes in any rolling 52-week period. Summed up, the 7% cap currently in place impacts lenders, real estate professionals, and homebuyers, be-cause: 1.) It limits the number of homebuyers for these property types. 2.) It limits a lender’s ability to offer these types of Conventional loans as lenders near the 7% cap. 3.) It limits real estate professionals on the number of poten-tial clients and home sales they can have moving forward. Now, you’re probably wondering what this means for your clients. While each borrower’s mortgage journey is dif-ferent based on their unique financial circumstances, it’s safe to assume that generally speaking: 1.) The pricing on loans is likely to increase as lenders manage their volume. 2.) The availability of loans may decrease as lenders reach the 7% cap.

As a mortgage expert navigating changes to the fi-nancing landscape, my goal is to help my clients evaluate everything that’s now required, carefully and upfront. For example, I recently purchased a second home, back when rates were at historic lows and lending requirements weren’t as strict.

If it had been today’s environment, I may not have gone through with the purchase, es-

pecially now that down payment re-quirements are higher, rates have

increased some, and so on. The bottom line is homebuyers need to be aware of current financ-ing requirements and how they may affect their home purchase decisions. On the other hand, while

the changes make financing second home and investment

property loans a little trickier than in years past, there are still

plenty of opportunities for homebuyers and real estate investors to achieve their

homeownership dreams. As real estate and mortgage professionals, we’re in a great position doing business and living in the Hampton Roads area. A coastal environment lends itself to a large pool of homebuyers interested in purchasing these types of homes. There are many people interested in moving outside of their current locations, especially now that going into a brick-and-mortar office isn’t as prevalent. In this area, compared to a large city or metro area, the cost of living is attractive, it’s more cost effective overall, and it offers a higher quality of life to potential buyers. So, as we head into peak selling season, let’s focus on doing all we can to ensure our clients are making in-formed decisions that make the most sense for their fami-lies and futures. When we’re reliable industry resources for our clients, we’re doing our jobs best. More than that, we’re paving the way for our clients to achieve their home-

ownership dreams, and that’s what it’s all about! ⌂⌂

Carrie Williams,

NMLS #448070

Senior Mortgage

Banker, Atlantic Bay

Mortgage Group

A must read: the latest on second home and investment property financing

Due to the changes, lenders cannot have more than a 7% share

of their acquired loans be investment properties or second

homes in anyrolling 52-week

period.

Hampton Roads REALTOR® • June 2021 11

Due to the changes, lenders cannot have more than a 7% share

of their acquired loans be investment properties or second homes in any rolling

52-week period.

Can’t sleep at night? What’s better than catch-ing up on the latest series on Netflix or ordering those things you don’t really need from Amazon,

Walmart.com or Wayfair? Over the last 12 months shopping habits have shift-ed, helping some industries in the commercial real estate world while hurting others. That leads us to ask, “Is com-mercial real estate dead?” The answer: absolutely not! But it needs to continu-ally change, and businesses, whether local or national, need to catch up to the new trends, adapt and figure out what’s coming next so they can be ready. Some recent results from a study from Slickdeals showed the following trends: • Two-thirds of impulse shopping takes place while in

bed using smartphones. • In 2020, 75% of Americans said they wouldn't go

through with their purchase if they had to pay for shipping. Only 67% feel that way this year.

• Nearly half (45%) said they'd be willing to spend their stimulus money on impulse purchases. When asked the same question last year, only 36% felt com-fortable using their stimulus in that way.

Consumers have adapted to new ways of spending and shopping and are continually looking for convenience and quality, and they want it now. This has really helped the industrial sector of the commercial real estate market with vacancy rates below 3% and expected to continue to get lower over the next 12 months. Rental rates are continuing to rise as available space is becoming more limited. That sounds familiar and similar to the residential market. The “shopping experience,” which was booming before

2020, almost collapsed last year. In 2014 Dave & Busters

What’s next? Going beyond shopping from bed

David Tunnicliffe

Chair, Commercial

Council

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(continued on page 42)

12 Hampton Roads REALTOR® • June 2021

Sheryll Pyle

Vice Chair, Affiliates

Council

“Building your brand” has been a popular phrase in marketing for a while. What does it mean, why does it matter, and how can you do it?

What does “building your brand” mean? Simply, “building your brand” means raising aware-ness about who you are, what you do and why the value you provide matters. That last part is the most impor-tant part of building a brand. Consumers don’t just buy things or work with people “just because” any-more. Many people want to know the brands they work with inti-mately, and they want to know how those brands make their lives more fulfilling. You need to show them not just how you provide value but also why it matters to them. Why is building your brand important? Foremost, your prospects de-mand it. It’s not enough for you to know how to find or sell a house. Buy-ers and Sellers expect you to understand their individual needs, even if they aren’t en-tirely clear on what they want or need. This can make building your brand challenging but not impossible. One good way to understand why a brand is important relates to how you’ll find business in the first place. In essence, your brand is what people say about you when you aren’t around. In other words, your brand is crucial to your ability to get referrals. How to build a strong brand There are tons of ways to build your brand. But let’s focus

on the core of building a strong brand. By implementing these ideas, you’ll have a solid foundation for your brand. You can then fine-tune how you build your brand to am-plify your strengths and shore up your weaknesses. Here are the steps: • Know your audience: If you don’t know your audi-ence, it’s impossible to connect with them authentically.

If you’re brand new to real estate, start by determining whom you’re trying to help.

For example, first-time buyers likely have different needs and wants

than someone who’s purchasing their third home. When in doubt, don’t hesitate to see how other successful agents in your company tar-get their prospects. Addition-ally, you can use social media to see what your competitors

are doing. That can give you an idea about the kinds of homeown-

ers you want to target, and how to target them differently (and more ef-

fectively) than your competitors. • Be consistent in your communications:

It’s important to stay true to your identity, and that starts by being consistent in your communications. In many cases, the online ads, direct mail pieces, blog posts, and social media posts you craft will be the first things your prospects see when learning about you. If you use too many different tones or voices, it’ll be impossible for them to figure out what you’re trying to tell them. Worse still, they might assume you don’t know what you’re doing at all.

Marketing for real estate agents: building your brand

Simply, “building your brand” means

raising awareness about who you are, what you do and why the value

you provide matters. That last part is the most

important part of building a brand.

Trusted Real Estate AttorneysReal Estate ClosingsLoan RefinancingShort Sale NegotiationLandlord/Tenant Disputes

www.hangerlaw.com 757-351-1510

Title IssuesInvestorsContractsZoning and Land Use

Fulton BankFulton Bank

fultonbank.com/mortgageFulton Bank, N.A. Member FDIC. Subject to credit approval.

Matt DesRochesNMLS #: 659388757.651.6288

Marion UzzleNMLS #: 211283

757.729.7373

Kimberly VapNMLS #: 796166

757.544.8934

Housing Assistance Programs Available

(continued on page 45)

Hampton Roads REALTOR® • June 2021 13

Company: Prosper Insurance, as answered by Sarah Dodson

Territory: Southside Hampton Roads

Company: www.prosper.insurance; 757-248-5973 or

info@prosper.insurance

Year company established: 2007

HRRA Affiliate member since: 2011

Company specialties: Personal lines insurance, commercial

insurance and life insurance

Why we joined HRRA: I was not with Prosper when they

initially joined, but I understand the value in being an Affiliate

member. I’m honored to have the privilege to serve as a

committee member with YPN and enjoy being a part of the

Affiliates Council to help plan events for all HRRA members.

Why we got into this business: To educate and guide our

customers so they can feel good about their insurance.

Why we love doing what we do: Insurance is an essential and

necessary part of the home-buying process. Not only do we have

the opportunity to assist purchasers with their insurance needs,

we are helping the REALTORS® and mortgage lenders by taking

the insurance piece off of their plate, and doing our part to create

the ultimate client experience.

Most memorable HRRA moment: The Circle of Excellencesm

Awards ceremony in 2019. It was the first event I attended after

joining Prosper. I literally went to the office for the first time the

following Monday, and I met so many people! It was a great, and

perhaps slightly overwhelming, introduction to one aspect of my

job and the folks I would be interacting with. I had a blast!

Best piece of advice to REALTORS®: There’s no such thing as

a no flood zone!

The one thing we want REALTORS® to know about our

industry is: to know about our industry is: We believe you

deserve an insurance agency that cares about your business. You

have a lot on your plate and insurance is one of the many factors

that impact closing. Our goal is to be your reliable insurance

partner and a part of your process in helping with your clients.

Affiliate Spotlight: Prosper InsuranceGET TO KNOW YOUR HRRA AFFILIATE MEMBERS

HRRA’s Affiliate Spotlight is a monthly feature offering a closer look at the association’s Affiliate members.

14 Hampton Roads REALTOR® • June 2021

Emil Nazaryan

At-Large Member,

HRRA Board of

Directors

How often do you hear of someone complaining

about their relationship? “He did this, or she

didn’t do that, he was being a jerk, or she just

likes to boss me around…”

Sound familiar? We hear these kinds of stories all

the time. Perhaps we are one of these stories. But is

this the norm? It might be a statistical norm,

but it doesn’t have to be your norm.

We all know some couples that

we totally admire. Somehow they

always feel harmonious, full

of love and respect for each

other. There seems to be a

subtle, undivided connection

between them. Frequent

laughs, hugs and other

demonstrations of affection

surround them. We crave to be

in their presence because it just

feels good to be around that kind

of energy.

So, what is the difference between

the two? What sets these couples apart? If our

relationship is not of the second type, why not? How

can we transform our relationships into happy, loving

and harmonious ones?

Before we get the answer, here is a quick caveat! While

this article is mainly about the relationships between

couples, the same principles apply to all human

relationships.

Here goes the frank truth. An imperfect relationship

is a battle of two egos. A perfect relationship is a selfless

love shared by two people.

Before attempting to start the relationship

makeover you must really get to know the person that

holds the key to your happiness. That person is you.

Start observing yourself. Take an account of the

actions and attitudes you bring into this relationship.

What motives are your actions based on? The desire

to be “first, or more important”, the fear of being

unnoticed, unappreciated and hurt?

As I’m sure you can sense by now, these motives

are potential troublemakers.

The beautiful part is, once you become conscious of

your motives and your actions, you are in the driver's

seat, ready to turn the wheel to a more desirable

destination. Now let’s see what avenues we have to

cross in order to get there.

• Forgive. Ruth Graham once said,

“A happy marriage is the union of

two good forgivers.” I couldn’t

agree more. Arguably, this is

the most difficult step for most

people to take. Forgiving

would feel like dropping a

defense mechanism. It would

mean you could no longer be

the victim. You couldn’t tell

stories about how “he or she

did this or that to hurt me”.

You couldn’t secretly feel

good by soliciting empathy from

others. And perhaps most importantly,

it would feel like a huge blow to the ego. All

fair points. But what you don’t know is that with

forgiveness, a whole new dimension opens up.

You get access to a source of unlimited courage.

You will no longer depend one someone else for

your happiness. Without true, unconditional and

ongoing forgiveness you can’t move on to the next

step of relationship makeover.

• Give. This step is a true paradigm shift. Most

of us are programmed “to want, to expect from

others, to feel entitled to receive”. This is one

of the main sources of disappointment for an

obvious reason: we cannot control the actions

of others. Consequently, we feel unappreciated

and upset when our expectations are not met.

The solution is giving, becoming the giver in

the relationship. The satisfaction now comes from

giving and this has two obvious benefits: 1. When

you give, you feel good. 2. You don’t have to depend

An imperfect relationship is a

battle of two egos. A perfect relationship

is a selfless love shared by two

people.

Happiness in relationships

(continued on next page...)

MOTIVATIONAL CORNER

Hampton Roads REALTOR® • June 2021 15

on someone else to feel good. So, become the giver in the

relationship. Give care, give love, give encouragement, give

appreciation. Appreciate every little good thing about your

partner a 100 fold and diminish their shortcomings a 100 fold.

Show your appreciation through little daily acts. Do this

consistently, without any anticipation and expectations. By

doing this you keep watering a flower, a flower that’s called

relationship.

• Receive. Deep, deep down in their heart everyone is a

good person. Some people have thicker shells covering this

goodness than others. By being forgiving and caring we are

like woodpeckers breaking into the shell. Depending on the

thickness, it may crack open quickly or it may take some time.

But when it cracks, you will know. You will start noticing

changes in your partner. Listen, listen with your heart.

It may be as simple as a kind word that you couldn’t

squeeze out of them before, or it may manifest in other forms.

But it’s so important to notice, embrace and appreciate this

reciprocation. When a person feels appreciated, they want to

do more! By the way, the shell you’re trying to break in your

partner is the same shell that you had. Only you broke it from

the inside by learning to forgive. When both shells get removed

you find yourself in a selfless love shared by two people.

Are all relationships destined to blossom through this

approach? Probably not. Is it possible that the person you’re with

now is not the right one? Is it possible that some shells will not

crack?

Let’s be realistic. Of course, all of the above are possible.

But before deciding to abandon your efforts and breaking up the

relationship you know is not the right one for you, observe how

you feel. If you are still holding grudges, feeling like a victim then

there is a chance that you still contribute to the unhealthiness of

this relationship.

The next one will probably still be similar to the previous one

because of your contribution. However, if you are self-content,

peaceful and in a position to wish your partner well, the breakup

may be the right choice. And you may be sure that the next

relationship you attract will be of a different quality because of

who you have become.

I do believe to my core that most flowers will bloom with

enough watering. Drop off the heavy chains of the ego and start

selflessly watering your flower. In the process of watering you will

also find the source of the water. And that is the greatest gift! ⌂⌂

(Motivational Corner, continued from previous page)

16 Hampton Roads REALTOR® • June 2021

The past year has had its ups and downs, but for

REALTORS® the market has kept busier than

ever. Part of why were able to have a busy year

was due to our advocacy team in Richmond that fought to

keep us classified as essential workers.

Part of how they can achieve this success for us is

through supporting candidates that listen to our advo-

cates when making laws that will impact

the real estate industry.

The Virginia REALTORS® Po-

litical Action Committee (RPAC)

supports candidates at the

state level who support the

real estate industry and pri-

vate property rights.

I have been a partici-

pant with our fundrais-

ing campaigns for years,

serving twice as the chair-

woman of the committee. As

I call people and ask them to

contribute to RPAC I often get

the same questions, so I thought I

would take this month to answer them

in the article.

I don’t have the money.

You cannot afford not to have the money, our advoca-

cy helped keep us in business in 2020. A $35 contribution

to RPAC breaks down to 10 cents a day. A $100 contribu-

tion breaks down to 25 cents a day to keep us in business!

Is the daily investment of a quarter not worth the money

you made in 2020 as a result of RPAC’s successful efforts

to keep us essential?

I’m a Democrat/Republican, and RPAC has

supported candidates of the other party.

RPAC supports candidates in both parties. Decisions

on which candidates to support are made by a committee

of members from around the state. Both Democrats and

Republicans receives support from RPAC, and contribu-

tions typically are balanced between both political par-

ties. The voting record and views of the candidate on is-

sues that affect REALTORS® are the deciding factors for

the committee when determining to support a candidate.

Virginia REALTORS® PAC supports state can-

didates, I’m more interested in local candidates.

A small portion of your contribution goes to support

state candidates, but the larger portion is used locally

to support candidates for city councils or boards of

supervisors. In addition, of the 140 members of the

Virginia General Assembly, 25% represent Hampton

Roads, meaning that even the portion that goes to the

state benefits us locally.

RPAC already has enough; they don’t need

my contribution.

Virginia REALTORS® PAC has been

successful in representing REAL-

TORS® in Richmond, but with

each election cycle there are new

candidates and new legislation

introduced. To remain strong

and able to help elect candi-

dates that understand REAL-

TOR® issues, we must continue

to build the PAC.

I’m not full time. Why

should I contribute?

Whether you are a full-time

or part-time REALTOR®, you benefit

from the representation of the state and local

advocacy departments. You have a vested interest in

the laws that are passed that impact real estate transac-

tions and property rights.

PACs are just in the business of buying votes.

RPAC does not “buy” votes from elected officials. It

does help elect candidates who either share our positions

or are willing to listen and work with our advocacy teams

to understand the impacts of the laws they write.

While we don’t win every time, sometimes we can

work to get the language in a better place for our indus-

try than it may have originally been. Candidates that

we support also can be helpful in legislation that we ask

them to introduce. Such as legislation passed this year

regarding flood disclosures and electronic meetings for

home and condo associations.

In conclusion, I and other members from HRRA will

be reaching out to you for contributions to RPAC this year

and hopefully this will answer some of your questions.

If you want to contribute, you don’t have to wait

for us to reach out to you. You can call our Government

Affairs Department at HRRA 757-473-9700, Ext. 1008,

and they will process your payment. ⌂⌂

Why YOU must contribute to RPAC

Whether you are a full-time or part-time

REALTOR®, you benefit from the representation of the

state and local advocacy departments. You have a vested interest in the laws

that are passed that impact real estate transactions

and property rights.

Mary Ross Ellsworth

Chair, HRRPAC

Fundraising

Committee

Hampton Roads REALTOR® • June 2021 17

Kimberly Plourde

Chair, Government

Affairs CommitteeFor purposes of this bill,

“repetitive risk loss” means that two or more

claims of more than $1,000 were paid by the National Flood Insurance

Program within any rolling 10-year period

since 1978.

In Virginia, the laws passed by the Virginia General

Assembly take effect on July 1. This year there are

several bills that will impact our industry, and I

want to share these with you.

Please keep in mind that this is not a comprehensive

list of changes, just some that I thought I would highlight

for you. I would encourage you to contact the staff

at HRRA if you have questions on specific

legislative changes.

To start we worked with Sen.

Lynwood Lewis on his flood-

risk legislation. This bill went

through a variety of iterations

in the House of Delegates,

but by the time the bill got

to the governor to sign into

legislation, our advocacy

team at Virginia REALTORS®

had worked with the patron to

ensure it was written in a way to

provide potential buyers with the

information they need.

This legislation has a delayed effective

date of Jan. 1, 2022, and it requires the Virginia Real

Estate Board to make available on its website a flood risk

information form. The bill also provides that an owner of

residential real property in Virginia who is aware that

the property has experienced flooding in the past or is a

“repetitive risk loss” disclose this fact to the purchaser on

a form provided by the Real Estate Board.

For purposes of this bill, “repetitive risk loss” means

that two or more claims of more than $1,000 were paid

by the National Flood Insurance Program within any

rolling 10-year period since 1978.

Virginia RELATORS® worked with members of the

Common Interest Community groups to pass legislation

that will allow property owners associations and condo

owners associations to conduct regular and annual

meetings electronically, such as via Zoom. While there

was an allowance for this as we went into the COVID-19

pandemic, our members thought it would be good to have

it officially added to the Code of Virginia.

The federal Protecting Tenants at Foreclosure Act

(PTFA) was re-enacted in 2018. The PTFA requires that

a purchaser at foreclosure allow a tenant to continue to

occupy the rental dwelling unit for up to 90 days if the

purchaser is buying the house as their home and up to

the end of the existing lease if the purchaser is buying

the house for investment. Virginia REALTORS® worked

to conform Virginia law to match the federal law.

Another change to the Virginia Residential Property

Disclosure Act was legislation from Del. Alex

Askew, that adds a provision advising a

buyer to obtain a mold assessment

conducted by a business that follows

the guidelines provided by the

U.S. Environmental Protection

Agency.

During the Special Session

of the Virginia General

Assembly in 2020 to address

managing the coronavirus

pandemic, Del. Marcia Price

passed legislation that altered

the Virginia Residential Landlord

and Tenant Act to extend protections

for renters experiencing financial

hardship due to the pandemic.

These provisions included changing the period of

time from five days to 14 days for a landlord who owns

four or fewer rental dwelling units must wait after

serving written notice on a tenant notifying the tenant

of his nonpayment of rent and the landlord’s intention to

terminate the rental agreement if rent is not paid.

Additionally, it outlined remedies for the landlord if

the tenant fails to pay as well as language that clarified

that a tenant is not precluded from participating in

any other rent relief programs available to the tenant

through a nonprofit organization or under the provisions

of a federal, state, or local law, regulation, or action.

This legislation was originally scheduled to expire

on July 1; it has now been extended to July 1, 2022. ⌂⌂

New Virginia laws impacting real estate beginning July 1

18 Hampton Roads REALTOR® • June 2021

Jeremy Caleb

Johnson

Vice Chairman of

Finance

Did you know more than 40% of REALTORS® are

not saving for retirement? A similar percentage

are not prepared for a financial emergency.

With more than 90% of REALTORS® are

independent contractors, we comprise a very special

class of worker in the United States, and many of us

have no safety net or plan for the future.

In 2018, the National Association of REALTORS®

(NAR) launched the Center for REALTOR® Financial

Wellness (CRFW). It’s a starting point and guide

for NAR members to learn about financial issues

specifically related to REALTORS® and to help us better

understand ways to harness the awesome power of

entrepreneurship.

Check out the website at www.FinancialWellness.

realtor.

From the CRFW site, you can wade into the waters

of a financial Wellness Checkup, or you can dive deeper

into questions of “What should I know before investing

in my first rental property?” or “What are the best

practices for succession planning?”

From the basics of tax deductions to in-depth

evaluations of life insurance with extended-care riders,

the CRFW offers a series of on-demand learning as live

virtual events to help put you on the right financial

path. Check it out! ⌂⌂

Where are you on your financial journey? REALTOR® resources can help

Does working with dough make you nuts? We can help.

Visit FinancialWellness.realtor today!

Hampton Roads REALTOR® • June 2021 19

I’ve heard it all before: “I would never do property

management.” “Do you get time off?” “How do you

take vacations?” “Do you get any sleep with your

phone ringing at all hours of the night?”

Now I can sit back and laugh, but when I started in

property management all of the above questions were a

challenge. But I wasn’t going to let a job run my life.

Property management is exactly what you make

of it. If you want tenants and owners plus contractors,

employees and prospective tenants calling you

24/7, that’s certainly your prerogative.

But I think we can all agree that no one

wants that. They just sometimes

don’t know how to get away from

it.

Below are a few simple

rules that can change your life:

Rule 1: If you are looking

to reclaim your life, the first

thing you need to do is set

boundaries. An example of

standard work hours in property

management is 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Monday through Friday. If those are

the hours you choose to operate, those are

the only times you should respond to anyone.

Working outside those hours by responding to texts

or calls shows people you work all the time and gives

them an excuse to contact you at their convenience,

disregarding yours. While we all work beyond the regular

scope of business hours, that time should be on internal

tasks.

After-hours companies or remote employees can

provide the 24/7 service you need to provide and your

clients expect. You deserve to have a life outside of work.

Rule 2: Document everything. And I do mean

everything. Your attorney will thank you. All contact with

tenants, owners and vendors should be via email without

exception.

The first change I made when I started in property

management in 2015 was to stop accepting calls, and this

is by far the most beneficial change as it has allowed us to

scale our processes and grow.

When I hire new employees they are shocked by

the amount of time they have to focus on their actual job

instead of having to stop every few seconds to answer the

phone. By only allowing electronic communication, you

are able to most efficiently maximize your time.

If you are tied to a landline, switch to a VoIP as soon as

possible. This will allow you to work remotely seamlessly.

No one needs to know exactly where you are when

you are responding to them. Because we were already

operating for a digital world, the COVID-19

pandemic didn’t have any type of effect

on the operation of our business and

no one knew whether we were in

the office or at home.

Rule 3: Never give out your

personal cell phone number

to property management

clients or tenants. I know

this is a struggle for real

estate agents who also do

property management, but

it’s imperative to keep the two

businesses separate. This is the

main reason property managers get

burnt out. See Rule 1.

Implementing Rule 2 was by far the

hardest. But as soon as existing tenants realize that

you aren’t responding to their voicemail under any

circumstance, they will email you if they want something

done. It’s imperative that you set the standard and do not

negotiate away your time.

New tenants will think this is just the way it is and

adapt very quickly.

Finally, use common sense when it comes to Fair

Housing laws. Exceptions to some of the above should be

made for reasonable accommodation.

If you follow these simple three rules, you will

reclaim your life and start to enjoy your job again. Your

family will thank you and wonder why you didn’t make

these changes sooner. ⌂⌂

Property management is what you make of it

Phil Kazmierczak

Vice Chair, Property

Management and

Leasing Council Working outside those hours by responding to

texts or calls shows people you work all the time and gives them an excuse to contact you at their convenience,

disregarding yours. While we all work beyond the regular scope

of business hours, that time should be on

internal tasks.

20 Hampton Roads REALTOR® • June 2021

Meet Your HRRA Staff

(continued on next page...)

Adam Tysor Education Specialist

A little about me: I was born and raised in Hampton Roads and obtained my bachelor’s degree from Old Dominion University in 2012. In my free time I enjoy watching movies and completing puzzles with my girlfriend. I’m excited to be a part of HRRA! One thing people don’t know about me is: I’m a history buff and love to learn new and interesting facts.

Alicia Brown-Farrison Executive Administrator A little about me: I am the executive administrator to the CEO of HRRA, Dr. Dawn Kennedy. I also have the task of property

and facilities manager. I am the liaison between HRRA and the accounting company [that our company uses], requesting accounts

disbursements and receivables for vendors, members, teachers and associates. My tasks also include the handling of in-house IT issues and vendor management. While I wear many hats for HRRA, I enjoy each task allotted to me. I love to be challenged. My 20 years in facilities management started in New York City working for a few Fortune 500 companies. I also had many years working as an executive administrator. I am grateful to find a position that allowed me to utilize my current skills as well as acquire new skills. My position at HRRA offers this. One thing people don’t know about me is: I’m the mother of triplets and two older children.

Connie Lewis Membership Specialist

A little about me: I’m proud to be a fourth-generation native of Hampton Roads. I have raised a fifth generation here and am now seeing them raise a sixth, my precious grandchildren. I love the diversity and progression this area offers, but also the strong sense of family roots. How fitting that I am working for the “Hampton Roads’” REALTORS® Association. One thing people don’t know about me is: I LOVE roller coasters.

Dr. Dawn Kennedy Chief Executive Officer A little about me: What I said my first day on the job as a

brand-new REALTOR® association executive in 2004, “I found my dream job!” What I love about my job is that it is always different,

always a new challenge, and I am always learning. I love learning and have a PhD in organization and management. I have three amazing adult children, six beautiful grandchildren and one very naughty dog, Harper Lee. Members can call or email me with just about any question. If I don’t know the answer, I will find it. I am the liaison to several committees: Executive, Bylaws & Policies, Budget & Finance, Nominating and, of course, the Board of Directors and the Foundation Board. I am excited about what HRRA can bring to its members. One thing people don’t know about me is: I am a medical miracle. I had two brain surgeries before I was 2 years old and turned out just fine!

Denise Barnes Education Specialist A little about me: I started working as a temp for Alpha College

of Real Estate in 2018 and signed on with HRRA in 2021. As an education specialist, I have the pleasure of meeting new agents in

the infancy stage of their careers, pre-licensing. I enroll them in classes, schedule them for testing, as well as enroll seasoned agents and brokers for exams, and Continuing Education classes, designation courses and events. I was born and raised in Norfolk. I have lived here all my life but started traveling at age 18. My dream is to visit all seven continents one day. I have four to go. While on my travels, I will carry my paint, my brushes and my sketchpads in my backpack and paint the world through my lens. I promise you, it will be a much more beautiful place. One thing people don’t know about me is: I plan to obtain my law degree to become a civil rights attorney.

(In alphabetical order by first name.)

Hampton Roads REALTOR® • June 2021 21

(Meet Your HRRA Staff, continued from previous page)

Gretchen Heal Government Affairs Director A little about me: I am a native of Hampton Roads. I have worked in the hospitality and tourism industry as well as being a reporter.

I briefly worked as a manager for Smithfield Foods before moving to Omaha, where I worked as a private contractor for Con Agra Foods and

First National Bank of Omaha. I spent the past decade working as a chief of staff for a member of the General Assembly. In this position I was involved in the transportation legislation that led to what is now one of the largest road construction projects in the country. It has been one of the greatest learning experiences of my career. I attended Christopher Newport University and the University of Nebraska at Omaha. I have two master’s degrees, one of which is an MBA in International Business and included classes at institutions in India and China. This is my second year with HRRA, and I enjoy being able to share information about your industry with our elected officials as they make decisions that will impact your business. One thing people don’t know about me is: I have taken classes in the art of Hawaiian quilting.

Jamie Stump Special Programs Administrator

A little about me: I come to HRRA with over a decade of experience in nonprofit events and fundraising having worked at Norfolk Collegiate, American Red Cross and March of Dimes. I am very passionate about giving back to my community and have volunteered with many charities, including the Miss America Organization, Roc Solid Foundation, Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia and Junior League of Norfolk-Virginia Beach, to name a few. In my spare time, I enjoy going to concerts, traveling and spending time at the beach. One thing people don’t know about me is: I love the Minions movies.

Harper Lee Kennedy HRRA Mascot A little about me: I am a Huntsville, Alabama, native. I was born

and abandoned as a newborn pup during a cold February night. I was left in a box on the doorstep of a veterinarian’s office with my

siblings. Not all of us made it through the night, but I am very strong and determined. I am a Ratcha, half Rat Terrier (which is actually ½ beagle and ½ Jack Russell terrier) and half Chihuahua, and I weigh 20 pounds although they told my dog mom, Dr. Kennedy, I would be 12 pounds max. I can jump over 6 feet and run like the wind. I sometimes visit HRRA when I have a vet appointment or am going to the kennel. Everyone seems very happy to see me when I visit. One thing people don’t know about me is: I love Paul Newman’s beef jerky for dogs and my Greenies, an edible doggie toothbrush.

Khedejah Been Marketing and Communications Coordinator A little about me: My name is Khedejah (ked-EE-jah). I am a first-generation American and daughter of a U.S. postal worker. I

am originally from Connecticut, and I moved to Virginia to attend Virginia Wesleyan College (now, University). After receiving my

bachelor’s degree in communication and theater, I went on to get my masters in lifespan and digital communications from Old Dominion University. I absolutely love it in Virginia and decided to stay. I have two dogs (Kooper Bradley and Bassett Angela). I collect houseplants, and one of my goals is to have my house resemble a rainforest. At HRRA, I plan and coordinate marketing activities and initiatives in the association. I assist all departments with their events as needed. When I’m not planning, designing, and executing promotions and campaigns, I like to debate about the correct way to make a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.

One thing people don’t know about me is: I am obsessed with boy bands, from The Beatles to One Direction. My biggest pet peeve is when people mix up The Backstreet Boys and *NSYNC.

Linda LouisMember Support Specialist

A little about me: I came to work at HRRA as member support specialist because I do like to help people. I get to help agents in many ways, from putting in the applications to helping get into their HRRA accounts to add credit cards or giving agents their login information or signing up for orientation. I will explain why it is important to become a member or explain what HRRA really does for them and sometimes I even listen when they are seconding guessing if they really want to be a REALTOR®. Sometimes I do not know the answer to a question, but you can be sure I am going to find the answer and let the agent know. One thing people don’t know about me is: I want to swim with sharks.

(continued on page 22)

22 Hampton Roads REALTOR® • June 2021

Tanya J. Sekhon Senior Vice President of School Administration

A little about me: I'm a career educator, having taught in public schools

as both a teacher and later as an education administrator, where I became involved in adult

education and online education. My area of expertise is in creating curriculum and aligning instruction to outcomes on state exams (student achievement). Nothing makes me happier than to hear my students say, "I passed!" We have two wonderful children, ages 9 and 12, and enjoy spending time with them in our backyard, either paddling around in our pool or puttering in our garden. I am excited to be a part of HRRA and Alpha College and look forward to helping our members achieve their professional goals! One thing people don’t know about me is: I served in the Navy for eight years. In fact, my last duty station was Sewells Point Clinic in Norfolk. It's been like coming home to be back in Virginia, and we are looking forward to our future here.

Victoria Hecht Vice President of Communications, Public Relations and Media Relations

A little about me: After two decades in journalism, including 13 years editing

several sections of The Virginian-Pilot (the real estate/home section included), I came to HRRA to serve in communication and PR. Today, my skills are utilized in the fast-changing worlds of social media, print, digital, video, email, you name it. (That’s me you see snapping photos and videos at HRRA events!) Among other things, I edit HRRA’s online and print magazines, am the person behind HRRA’s many social media accounts, work with the media, and am staff liaison to six groups: Community Involvement Advisory Group (i.e. REALTORS® Have a Heart), Young Professionals Network, That’s Who We R Advisory Group, Resale Council, Common Interest Community Advisory Group and Communications/PR Advisory Group. I’m team #kindnessmatters and adore HRRA’s REALTORS® Have a Heart volunteer events. A Norfolk native, I earned my Bachelor of Arts degree in communications at Campbell University. (Go, Camels!) My high school sweetheart and I are parents to a newly minted University of Virginia grad and George Washington University junior, plus an Australian shepherd and three cats. I pine for Ireland and relish travel, photography and decorating.

One thing people don’t know about me is: I’ve dreamed of opening a bed and breakfast since age 16. It will happen…one day, some day.

Misty Pritchett Senior Vice President of Marketing and Communications

A little about me: I graduated with a Bachelor of Science in

marketing from George Mason University. My first experience with HRRA

was back in 2014 when I became an Affiliate member. I then was contracted as an independent sales executive for HRRA from 2016 to 2020. One thing people don’t know about me is: I am terrified of frogs.

William Baylor Vice President of Public and Community Affairs

A little about me: I work with REALTORS® and homeownership

champions to amplify their voice, vision and value so they can make a successful impact on the real estate industry, their communities and the world. With more than a decade of experience in the government and nonprofit sector, a passion for making meaningful connections with others and an insatiable appetite for helping others maximize their potential, I feel that homeownership advocacy isn't just an occupation but also a vocation. I am a graduate of Auburn University with a personal certification in economic and community development. I am the chairman of the Jefferson County (Alabama) Affordable Housing Taskforce, a coalition of community stakeholders who have joined together to create affordable housing in Jefferson County and all of Alabama. As HRRA’s vice president of public and community affairs, I advocate for private property rights, touching all industry matters from strategizing local legislative efforts and activations on behalf of the association to community development. My days are filled with letter writing, consensus building, and conversations with stakeholders, partners and leaders across the country, telling our story and fighting for the future of our businesses, industry and REALTOR® values.

One thing people don’t know about me is: I am a lover of Surrealism, particularly the works of artist Salvador Dalí.

(Meet Your HRRA Staff, continued from page 21)

Hampton Roads REALTOR® • June 2021 23

children and my clients know this because I set the expectations

up front and explain it to them.

Since I started doing this with clients, they are so

understanding when I have an event I cannot miss for my kids.

I strongly suggest you have the same conversations with your

family and your clients and set the expectations upfront of your

reasons and “why,” and I know it will ease a lot of stress for you.

Now, how do you take a proper vacation so you can relax and

unwind? I have no clue on how to do this yet. I get a ton of stress

and anxiety before I leave town. After some research, I still didn’t

find any helpful advice.

The best thing to do is plan ahead and get another agent to

help you. Talk to your clients and then go somewhere without cell

service or Internet. If you are super OCD like I am, this means

nothing. If you have had success in taking a successful, relaxing

vacation, please call me and help me out with advice!

My last tip for juggling our crazy life and “having it all” is

giving back to your community. Find a purpose bigger than you

and your problems. I promise that it will put your “problems” into

perspective.

If I didn’t do all charity work and giving back to my community,

I could never “have it all.” It is what feeds my soul. It teaches my

children to always give to others and that life is pretty darn good.

If you are missing that outlet, please consider going our next

REALTORS® Have a Heart volunteer event and try it out! See

what a difference that can do for you and your dreams of “having

it all.” ⌂⌂

Nevermind asking for recommendations on social media...Your search ends here! “Find an Affiliate” at HRRA.com

(Is there such a thing as “having it all”?, continued from page 41)

24 Hampton Roads REALTOR® • June 2021

Louis Eisenberg

Vice Chair, Diversity,

Equity and Inclusion

Committee

Summer is upon us. It’s the season in which we

try to balance the responsibilities of our job and

spend quality time with our families. Summer

also brings with it many personal growth opportunities,

not only for us, but also for our families.

As REALTORS®, we can be proud of being members

of an organization that has embraced diversity, equity

and inclusion. In the last year, we would have had to be

living under a rock not to have noticed all the articles

and resources made available to us on Fair

Housing.

Why suddenly the big push on

Fair Housing? Is it that we as a

nation are more willing to deal

with the causes of racial un-

rest, income inequality, racial

gaps in generational wealth

and other outcomes of dis-

crimination?

We can be proud of the

leadership of the National As-

sociation of REALTORS®. They

had the courage to acknowledge

that, in our past, our industry played

a part in causing some of the problems

that we face as a nation. Redlining, blockbusting,

and steering are some of our industry’s past sins.

Today, 1.4 million REALTORS® are positioning

themselves to lead our nation to a more equitable future

for all our citizens. Our Code of Ethics demands it.

The National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) has

made available to us a toolbox full of useful tools to

help us strengthen our commitment to Fair Housing.

This summer let us make the commitment to personal

growth by taking NAR’s Fair Housing Challenge as well

as:

• Confronting and check biases;

• Honoring the Fair Housing Act; and,

• Working to end Discrimination one interaction

at a time.

A good guide to meet this challenge will be a four-step

exercise that should not only benefit us but should be

used as conversation starters this summer between us,

our families, and friends both old and new. Many of us

already have a good start on this challenge. Please make

the commitment to complete the 4-Step Summertime

Exercise before Labor Day:

1. Fairhaven: Take the Fairhaven Simulation.

Fairhaven is an online, immersive simulation that

uses the power of storytelling to make us confront

fair housing discrimination in scenarios that are

based on real fair housing case studies. We are in

the fictional town of Fairhaven playing the

role of an agent. We will interact with

clients and colleagues in each sce-

nario, we will confront some form

of discrimination based on race,

national origin, disability, fa-

milial status, sexual orienta-

tion, gender identity. Go to

https://fairhaven.realtor/.

2. Implicit bias

training: Take time to watch

an approximately 54-minute

video. This online workshop helps

REALTORS® understand how our

unconscious brains categorize infor-

mation and stereotypes and offers practi-

cal tools to override hidden biases. The workshop

offers many "de-biasing" practices that not only

help to reduce bias, but also improve our relation-

ships with all the people we encounter—being more

responsive, growing our networks, and generat-

ing more business. Go to https://www.nar.realtor/

videos/bias-override-overcoming-barriers-to-fair-

housing%23rtrn2021.

3. At Home With Diversity® (AWHD) Course: Get

the certification. The AHWD certification course

teaches us how to work effectively with diverse

populations so we can build business success in

today’s multicultural real estate market. We know

the importance of adapting and remaining relevant

in today’s marketplace. By developing a business

practice rooted in inclusion and equality, we can

help buyers of all cultural backgrounds achieve

the dream of homeownership. AHWD certification

How Diversity, Equity and Inclusion will spend its summer

Today, 1.4 million REALTORS® are

positioning themselves to lead our nation to a more equitable future for all our citizens. Our

Code of Ethics demands it.

(continued on next page...)

Hampton Roads REALTOR® • June 2021 25

course covers how to work effectively with diverse popula-

tions so that you can build business success in today’s multi-

cultural real estate market. Visit https://www.onlinelearning.

realtor/A/Product/Details/4984/.

4. Intergroup contact: This summertime exercise will be the

most challenging and beneficial to you and your family’s per-

sonal growth. We and our families should expand our social

interactions with people who do not look like us or think like

us. Most of us have all heard and used the phrase, “Some of

my best friends are … .” Well, when was the last time one of

these “some of my best friends” was invited over to your home

for dinner or an outdoor barbecue?

A lot of times when the “some of my best friends” phrase is used,

aren’t we really talking about an acquaintance? It is time that we

get out of our social bubbles. Many times, our social bubble is an

echo chamber that reinforces our biases. As much as we would

like to be, we are not colorblind. That is not a bad thing, if we see

people for the unique human beings that they are.

This summer let our conversations begin with diverse groups

of people. Kindness, empathy, respect and belonging that we show

to others will go a long way to understanding our differences so we

can become better REALTORS®. ⌂⌂

June and the real estate market

Brenda Tokarz

REALTOR®/Lawyer

Committee Chair

When I think of June, I think of school

being out for the summer, graduations,

weddings and the kickoff to summer fun!

In our real estate world, each of those

milestones affects our business.

If you think about school being out

for summer, how many families choose to

move in June when classes end?

Then we have graduations, depending

on who's graduating and from where. Then

there are the graduating high schoolers

looking for rentals close to universities or

those graduating from college (or the “just

married” couples) looking for their very

first home!

We are so closely entangled in our

client's milestones that we should be

cultivating these relationships while

helping them celebrate the big stages in

their lives.

I've often found that I'm asked to

help generations of a family through

these beautiful cycles of life. We as real

estate professionals should never take

for granted how important our role is

in helping people through some of the

stressful times, too, like divorce or the

death of a parent or spouse, too, because

that is truly when our education and

knowledge of legal rights and obligations

in real estate is necessary.

But our role as an agent isn't just

contractual. It's relational, and we need

to follow through long after the sale with

continuous contacts that keep our clients

feeling important and covered if they have

any future real estate needs.

Your relationship shouldn't end when

the closing happens. That should be just

the beginning!

June is a great time to reconnect with

past clients, whether by a pop-by, gift

card or a summer trinket. Maybe water

balloons!

For many it has been a rough year,

and it’s time to celebrate being at the

end of a pandemic and the beginning

of summer. Congratulations to all the

graduates, brides, grooms and parents

who survived having to home school

during this pandemic while still working

and keeping up with housework! ⌂⌂

IN BRIEF: Big news, small bites

(How Diversity, Equity and Inclusion will spend its summer, continued from previous page)

26 Hampton Roads REALTOR® • June 2021

We all want it all. As real estate brokers/

owners/ managers and agents, it is in our

DNA to want to have it all and do it all.

This industry attracts many professionals with Type A

personalities who are go-getters with the best intentions

to conquer the world.

We survive and excel in a very competitive

market. We compete with each other, but

we also compete with ourselves. Every

area of our lives seems to be some

kind of competition. If we stop

and reflect on our schedules,

we will realize there are many

things competing for our time

as well. Business, agents,

clients, family, friends, gym

time, paperwork, recreation,

meal prep and sleep are all

competing for our time every

day!

How do we have it all and find

balance in our lives? How do we avoid

burn out? How do we stay fresh and on top of

our game? How do we continue to do our best and be the

best?

Having it all means great success in areas of your

life while still taking care of yourself.

You are not Superman or Superwoman. I know we

all think we are, but that is just not reality. We think we

can do it all in a 24-hour period and, at the end of the

day, find ourselves exhausted and stressed out with a

pile of paperwork still calling our names.

We work late, get up early and do it all again the

next day. The real estate market has never been more

demanding than it is right now, so it’s important

we find ways to take the pressure off

ourselves in order to be ours best!

Here’s how to get started:

Ask for help. Whether that

is from a teammate, a broker,

a friend, spouse, children or

an assistant, it’s important to

have a strong support network

around you in this business.

Each day brings its own set of

challenges and having someone

to lean on during those crunch times

will pay great dividends in both our

ability to complete tasks accurately and timely

and to maintain your sanity! If you don’t have a team,

form one. If you need an assistant, get one. We all need

a great support network.

You are not Superman or Superwoman. I know we all

think we are, but that is just not

reality.

Nelene Mayo Gibbs

Chair, Owners/

Managers Council

Finding balance in the midst of our “hot” summer market

Mary Garner DeVoeAccount Executive

T: 800.282.7131 Ext. 1296C: 804.453.8757MaryGarnerD@orhp.commy.orhp.com/marygarnerdevoewww.orhp.com

(continued on page 46)

Hampton Roads REALTOR® • June 2021 27

For residents of Virginia Beach who have lived there for the past 20 years, or even their entire life, they are seeing changes in their community,

particularly at the oceanfront as it grows to accommodate the tourism industry. Hotels and motels have been a staple of the oceanfront for decades, but now they are shifting to meet the needs of consumers and to compete with the popularity of short-term rental proper-ties made popular through websites such as Airbnb or VRBO. While hotel chains are adapting their offerings to consumers to accommodate this new type of competition within the more commercial areas of the city, private homeowners are also adapting their properties to participate in the short-term rental market. This shift in a home being used as a business periodically throughout the year has been a source of controversy among neighbors. Some say it destroys their neighborhood, and others say it is their right to do as they wish with their property. A few years ago, the Virginia Beach City Council passed policies to govern the operation of short-term rentals. These policies require conditional use permits for properties that were not grandfathered in under the new ordinance. This applied to all areas of the city except for Sand-bridge, which was taken out of the policy discussion when legislation was passed to make it a special service district, thereby making short-term rentals in that area allowed as a principal use of the property. Since that time council has been inundated with hun-dreds of conditional use permit applications for short-term rental properties. As a result, they are looking at changing the policy to permit a limited number of short-term rentals in overlay districts that geographically follow the shorelines of the city along Shore Drive and down to the Oceanfront. They would not be permitted anywhere else in the city. Under the guidance of your leadership at HRRA and

the Government Affairs Committee, a statement reflect-ing the need to structure an environment that supports private property rights, while maintaining the character of a residential neighborhood, and provide public safety services has been the message we are sharing with elected officials.

To further support HRRA’s position we have con-ducted a poll in the City of Virginia Beach as

well as an internal survey of members. The poll conducted among voters

in Virginia Beach identified that they are familiar with the con-cept of short-term rentals, but they are not closely following the news about the regulation proposals being made by the city. When informed of the pro-posal to limit short-term rent-

als to three overlay districts near the ocean and bay shorelines, vot-

ers are overwhelmingly opposed. Most see this as a property

rights issue, but they are also sensitive to the economic impact of limiting short term

rentals on businesses, tourists, and property owners. De-spite strong opposition to limiting short-term rentals, they agreed that they can be a nuisance to neighbors and occa-sionally create a public safety issue. Our internal survey that was sent to all members in early May had a total of 194 responses. Of these responses, 80% of members believe short-term rentals should be permit-ted by right for property owners. Nearly 90 percent of the 194 responses favor short-term rentals in general, whether the member had this as part of their business or not. On the question of whether they should be prohibited in certain neighborhoods, 64% said no, while 36% thought they should be prohibited in certain neighborhoods. Overall, these data sets show that voters in Virginia Beach and members of HRRA support personal property rights and are opposed to a limit on who can and who can-not rent their home as a short-term rental. The Virginia Beach City Council will be holding a public hearing on the proposed changes in June. ⌂⌂

Gretchen Heal

Government Affairs

Director

Member poll results and a look at the ever-changing topic of short-term rentals

Our internal survey that was sent to all

members in early May had a total of 194 responses. Of these responses, 80%

of members believe short-term rentals should be permitted by right for

property owners.

28 Hampton Roads REALTOR® • June 2021

Hurricane season 2021 is predicted to be busier than normal, according to a forecast released recently from Colorado State University

(CSU). CSU predicts 17 named storms, eight hurricanes and four major hurricanes for the 2021 Atlantic season. This would be above the normal of 12 named storms, six hurricanes and three major hurricanes. We are urg-ing everyone to “Resolve to be Ready” in 2021. Hur-ricane season starts June 1 and runs through Nov. 30. Now is the perfect time to think about mak-ing some preparations. Preparing in advance to deal with the unexpected can make a world of difference in how quickly and completely we can put the pieces of their lives back together. All REALTORS®, association managers and property owners are urged to take advantage of the no-cost emergency planning tools available from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Learn more at www.ready.gov/publications. Flood insurance The most important thing to consider for your home is flood insurance. A common misconception is that homes that are not in a flood zone are not eligible for such coverage. That is not the case. Any home can have a flood insurance policy. Insur-ance is sold through local agents as part of the National Flood Insurance Program, or NFIP. Homeowners can take out separate polices to insure the structure and any contents inside. Homes that are in a designated flood zone are required to have flood insurance, and it is typically a stipulation during the sale of a house. In fact, it is recommended that homes outside of a flood zone also have coverage, especially in coastal communities, like Hampton Roads. Nationally, about 30 % of flood insurance claims come from homes that are not in a flood zone. Premiums vary by numerous factors such as location, age of the dwelling and value of insured contents inside the home. For more informa-tion about the NFIP, visit FEMA.gov/NFIP.

“Know Your Zone” The state introduced “Know Your Zone” to simplify evacuation processes when it becomes necessary. There are four zones, lettered A-D, that specify your evacu-ation zone based on your address and nature of the emergency event. State and local agencies will alert residents by their zones if there is a need to evacuate or shelter in place. While not every neighborhood is in a zone, that does not mean you will never have to evacuate, so

you’ll still need to pay attention to official an-nouncements and news.

To find your zone, go to KnowYourZoneVA.org . Once there,

follow the on-screen instructions to enter your address and determine where you fall on the map. Know your way out Have an evacuation plan, become familiar with it, and make sure your family is aware

of it as well. The most common routes:

If you live north of I-264, head north and west along I-64 and across

the HRBT and move inland. If you live south of I-264, head south and

west on I-64 towards Suffolk and Route 460. Continue to head inland and away from the coast to lessen the impact of a storm. Keep in mind that the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel will likely be closed if an incoming storm has high winds. Avoid going north on Route 13 and opt for the other routes. If you choose to shelter in place • Have a cache of supplies that will last each member

of your household, including any pets or infants, at least three days. Some of the basic supplies are:

• One gallon of water per person, per day; • Nonperishable food/canned goods; • Medications and first-aid supplies; • Portable lights and batteries; • Portable radio; • Personal hygiene supplies; • Toilet paper; and, • Cash to purchase one week’s worth of supplies for

your household. ⌂⌂

Prepare now for busy hurricane season

Angela Meyer

SERVPRO of Virginia

Beach

All REALTORS®, association managers and

property owners are urged to take advantage of the no-cost

emergency planning tools available from the Federal Emergency Management

Agency (FEMA). Learn more at www.ready.gov/

publications.

Hampton Roads REALTOR® • June 2021 29

Copyright law and fair use of photos or other in-tellectual property is an always-evolving and sometimes-complicated topic. Because real estate

moves so quickly you may not have stopped to consider copyright and ownership of listing photos. Although typically done with the best of intentions, copyright infringements are common due to a lack of understanding on the topic. In the United States, copyright law dictates that the photographer is the copyright holder and owner of the photos. A copyright infringement occurs when those photos are used without the permission of the photographer. When you hire a photog-rapher, you are essentially paying for a license to use those photos. That license should be discussed ahead of time to avoid potential copyright violations, but often license agreements and use ex-pectations are not laid out clearly. Think of the license this way: When you are hired to list someone’s home, you both sign a standard list-ing agreement that clearly lays out the services you will provide for that specific property. Anything beyond the scope of that agreement would be discussed. Another helpful analogy for understanding copyright and usage is music and movies. When you purchase a song or movie from Apple Music, you are purchasing a license to listen or watch on your personal device. Remember Limewire and the crackdown during the early 2000s to catch pirated media sellers? People were prosecuted for those violations! Photography is no different. I have found that a brief terms-of-service agreement helps lay out expectations for current and potential clients. Though everything in my terms is standard practice for photography, I find it still helps to be transparent. I outline everything from delivery of photos, travel, day of shoot pro-cedures to a brief sentence on rights and usage of images. It states, “All images produced for a Client may be used by the Client and Client’s parent company for any and all marketing materials and campaigns associated

the property.” This means that use of the photos unrelated to the specific property I have been hired to photograph should be discussed. Here are a few scenarios to consider: 1. You represent a builder on his listing of a new con-

struction home. He asks you to send him the photos. While simply sending the photos isn’t necessarily a

violation, how the builder uses them could be. If the builder uses the photos in print

advertising for a new community un-related to the property you listed,

this is an absolute copyright in-fringement. The photographer and builder do not have an agreement about the use of those photos. 2. I would suggest hav-ing the builder reach out direct-

ly to the photographer to discuss use of the photos before sending

them his way. If that may be detri-mental to your relationship with the

builder, then you could facilitate that con-versation. Beg for forgiveness, not for permission

in this case could lead to a copyright case in court be-tween the photographer and the builder which hurts your relationship with both parties.

3. You would like to use a few photos from a recent listing on a postcard to market your services in your neigh-borhood. Can you use them? Not without permission. Again, the photos are being used outside the scope of the agreement. Most photographers in the area would not have an issue with you using the photos this way but would appreciate being notified first.

4. Your new listing is hitting the market today and you want to share the photos on social media to promote it. This is a completely acceptable use of the photos and you would not need any additional communica-tion with the photographer. In fact, I encourage you to do this (and tag your photographer!).

Copyright is complicated, but it doesn’t have to be scary or get ugly. When in doubt, ask your photographer. The old adage “beg for forgiveness, not for permission” could lead to a copyright case in court and irreparable damage financially and to your relationships. ⌂⌂

Stephanie White

Mango Drive

Photography

Real estate photography, copyright and usage

The old adage “beg for forgiveness, not for permission”

could lead to a copyright case in

court and irreparable damage financially

and to your relationships.

30 Hampton Roads REALTOR® • June 2021

In this ever-changing and hectic market, real

estate professionals are in the midst of uncharted

territory that will no doubt test their grit. Day

in and day out, we are faced with the challenges of

multiple offers, negotiating offers, playing counselor,

advisor, mitigator, setting up showings, prospecting,

marketing, closings, etc. All of this is while

also simultaneously being mom, dad,

significant other and nowadays

teacher.

We are basically on

call when it comes to new

listings and responding to

clients.

With all the different

responsibilities and roles

amplified due to the current

climate of our market, it can

be difficult to find a sense of

balance between our professional

life and our personal life. When we

are devoting so much time and energy

into real estate, other aspects in our life have

the tendency to suffer.

How do we find a sense of balance in our

professional and personal life?

Here are a few tips to help you!

Make a schedule. For example, set aside a couple

hours in the morning from 8 to 10 a.m. where you will

respond to emails and calls as well as prospecting… a

set time where there are no distractions. I like to call

it my “Power Hour.”

During this time period, turn your phone on silent

while you are doing proactive tasks to improve your

business. Then later in the day 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., for

example, you can set your appointments for showings,

listing appointments, meeting contractors and

inspections. Don’t let your day run you. It’s your time

and your business.

Block out time. Be just as diligent

about prioritizing family or personal

time. Treat those activities the

same way you treat your work

appointments and devote

that time to helping with

homework, going to your

child’s baseball game, going to

the gym, or quality time with

your significant other. This

will help you not feel guilty

when you are working so much

because you know you have set

time aside for activities and those who

mean the most to you.

Write it down. Make sure you are making a

daily “to-do” list. I write a list daily to help me keep

track of transactions, emails, CMAs, scheduling

appointments, etc. It can all become so cumbersome

and overwhelming especially when you have so much

going on.

Help yourself from losing your mind and forgetting

things by writing it down. And it’s very gratifying to

check items off. Prioritize what is of high importance

so you know what needs to be done right away. As

an agent, your to-do list will be on going so don’t

beat yourself up if you don’t get everything done. In

addition, writing down your goals both professional

and personal is very empowering. And will help you

keep them top of mind.

Take 5. In this fast-paced market it can be easy

to find ourselves feeling overwhelmed by unforeseen

hiccups in a transactions, multiple offers, low

appraisals, just to name a few. We unfortunately don’t

have the luxury of clocking out and leaving it at work

like a 9 to 5.

Tracy Mosley

Chair, Young

Professionals Network

5 tips for a real estate/personal life balance

Balance doesn’t mean taking on

everything. Some days you will have to devote more time into your real estate career and other times your personal life

may need to take a front seat.

(continued on page 43)

Hampton Roads REALTOR® • June 2021 31

THIRD-QUARTER CLASS SCHEDULEAlpha College of Real Estate has released a full schedule of classes for Third-Quarter 2021. Register today by call Alpha at 757-427-1740 or visit alphacollegeofrealestate.com. The upcoming classes include:

• Principles of Real Estate 3-Week Classes ((Chesapeake campus; Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.-1:15 p.m.)

July 12-30 Instructor: Lisa Moore Aug. 9-30 Instructor: Lisa Moore Sept. 12-27 Instructor: Lisa Moore

• Eight-Week Principles of Real Estate (Chesapeake campus; Tuesday-Thursday, 6:15-10:30 p.m.)June 8- July 27 Instructor: Jim Williams The cost for Principles classes is $350 plus $47.70 for the textbook. *Students who take Principles and are recommended by an agent receive $10 off their book.

• Broker Licensing Brokerage Class (virtual) 6-10 p.m. Aug. 16-20 Instructor: Doug Wolfe • Broker Licensing Law Class (virtual) 6-10 p.m. Sept. 13-17 Instructor: William Brown

Students will need to visit the Chesapeake office to purchase book and study materials. The cost is $250 for each Broker Licensing module.

• Continuing Education: 8:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. July 15: 8-Hours Broker Management with 2 Hours Broker Supervision, $60 July 20: 8-Hours Related Topics (4 Hours Real Estate Pitfalls and 4 Hours Contract Pitfalls), $30 each July 22: 8-Hours Required Topics, $60 Aug. 24: 8 Hours Related Topics (4 Hours Real Estate Pitfalls and 4 Hours Contract Pitfalls) $30 each Aug. 26: 8-Hours Required Topics, $60 Sept. 21: 8-Hours: Related Topics (4 Hours Real Estate Pitfalls and 4 Hours Contract Pitfalls), $30 each Sept. 23 8-Hour Required Topics, $60

• Post-Licensing:June 14-18; $295 with Ethics class, $265 without Ethics class. Times will vary from day to day; students will need to call office if they don’t need the full week of classes.

Alpha has configured its classrooms for more space between students. Students should continue to social distance and wear a mask while in the building. Sanitizing stations are available in the classrooms and elsewhere.

32 Hampton Roads REALTOR® • June 2021

We are living and actively participating in the one of hottest real estate markets of our lifetime. Perhaps the briskest in history.

Studies have shown that one in five real estate professionals will be involved in a lawsuit during their career. Some experts believe that this number could go up because of the speed at which we are all conducting business and the lengths buyers are going to in order to “win” the bidding war. How do you minimize your risk while racing through your day? Here are five tips for running a less risky business:

1. Recommend, in writing, that your buyer get a home inspection. Even if the offer isn’t contingent upon the inspection, the information the buyer will gain about the house will help them to be a better homeowner. A recent Virginia REALTORS® Flash Survey indicated that about 87% of Virginia REALTORS® said it was “very common” or “somewhat common” for buyers to waive the home inspection. Some REALTORS® commented that buyers were having an inspection done for information purposes only, but not making the offer contingent on the home inspection results.

2. Recommend that your buyer get home warranty coverage. Why? • 68% of homes will experience a system or

appliance failure in the next 12 months. • More than half of Americans say they only have

$3,000 or less combined in their savings and checking accounts. (LendingTree Nov 2020)

• Many buyers are exhausting their savings to buy a home in a competitive market. If they choose not to get a warranty, have them sign a waiver on a Home Warranty Brochure. Having this documentation in your file could be critical if they have post-closing issues that would have been covered by the warranty. Here’s sample waiver language from a warranty contract:

I DECLINE the benefits of this coverage. I agree not to hold the above real estate company, broker and/or agents liable for the repair or replacement of a system or appliance that would otherwise have been covered by this plan. Signature__________________________________

Date___________________________________

3. Frank Laisch, Errors and Omissions Insurance expert

and national sales director for Avanze Business Solutions Inc., suggests that REALTORS® “stay in their lane.” Focus on what you do best, list and sell! Also, assemble a team of go-to professionals that includes: • A real estate attorney;

• A title expert; • An insurance professional;

• A home inspector; • A mortgage professional;

• A flood mitigation professional; and, • A home warranty professional.

Once you have your team of pros, connect your buyers and sellers with them for expert advice. Even if you know the answer, always allow the right professional to give the right guidance.

4. We have all heard the “3 L’s of Real Estate: Location, Location, Location.” When it comes to risk management, it’s the “3 D’s: Document, Document, Document.” Email more, text less. And when you do text, email it to yourself and keep for your file. When you’ve communicated with a phone call, follow up with an email: As a follow up to our call, here’s a recap of what we discussed…

5. Having misgivings as to what you should do? When in doubt, always contact your Broker! You may get reassurance that you were on the right track or a much-needed course-correction. Either way, you’ll be glad that you called your biggest ally for advice.

Remember, “Working safely may get old, but so do those who practice it.” – Unknown

Here’s to long, prosperous and less-risky real estate

careers! ⌂⌂

Carolyn Ricketts

Choice Home

Warranty “Opportunity and risk come in pairs”

—Bangambiki Habyarimana

5 tips: managing risk in a hot market

Hampton Roads REALTOR® • June 2021 33

We’ve been fortunate this year since the tem-perature outside has not been too hot. How-ever, what about our temperaments? From

COVID-19 to low inventory, multiple offers to low ap-praisals, frustrated clients to heated competition for list-ings, keep your cool as the weather gets hot! There are such things as protocol, courtesy, communication and cooperation. Let’s look at each one: Protocol: Wikipedia defines protocol as “a rule which describes how an activity should be performed, especially in the field of diplomacy. In diplomatic services and government fields of endeavor, protocols are often unwritten guidelines. Protocol is commonly described as a set of international courtesy rules.” Another word they give is “civilities.” So, we are not a governmental organization, but we do have courtesy rules, some of which are in our Code of Ethics, some in our MLS rules, and some are just plain humane. What’s an example of not using protocol? Calling the owner/seller of a property to show it because the listing agent has not been as responsive as you would like. We are all busy and under pressure and it is against Article 1 SOP 1-16 of the Code of Ethics to go behind the listing agent, unless authorized to do so, and call a seller to get an appointment to show EVEN if you know the seller! Courtesy: Dictionary.com explains courtesy by “1. Excellence of manners or social conduct; polite behavior. 2. A courteous, respectful or considerate act or expression…” This does not mean hanging up on an agent because you didn’t get the sale or yelling obscenities at another agent, and please don’t express your discontent of another agent on social media. That would be against Article 15 of the Code of Ethics.

Communication: Oxford Dictionary says, “the imparting or exchanging of information or news, a letter or message containing information or news, the successful conveying or sharing of ideas and feelings, means of sending or receiving information, such as phone lines or computers.”

Fellow REALTORS®, be careful with this one. If you are not actually talking with some-

one where they can hear the nuances in your voice to get the gist of what

you are saying, the percentage of miscommunication grows exponentially. Your “tone” car-ries more weight than word. For example, it’s not what you say but how you say it. Texts and emails can eas-

ily be misinterpreted, so be careful. As an ombudsman

for HRRA, I can tell you that the biggest complaint can often

be dispelled by opening real commu-nication between the parties involved.

Cooperation: I love this definition by Wikipedia: “Cooperation is the process of groups or organisms working or acting together for common, mutual, or some underlying benefit, as opposed to working in competition for a selfish benefit…” When buyer brokering was a new concept for us in the mid- to late-1980s (previously we all worked for the seller), buyer brokers had an attitude that they had to fight for their clients in an adversarial way; after all, they were not representing the seller anymore. Yes, this is true, but the goal is to have a satisfactory transaction. Once your contract is accepted, it is not a competition of who’s right or wrong. All that is often perception anyway. In reality, we are working for an underlying benefit, a common good for the buyer and seller to get to closing in a mutually satisfying manner. Which brings in another word “manners,” but I won’t go there right now. Let me close with a piece of the Preamble of our

If you are not actually talking

with someone where they can hear the nuances

in your voice to get the gist of what you are

saying, the percentage of miscommunication grows

exponentially.

Keep your cool as the weather gets hot

Elaine Griffin, SRES

Vice Chair,

Professional

Standards Committee

(continued on page 43)

34 Hampton Roads REALTOR® • June 2021

Junior Gunter,

NMLS# 883774

Mortgage Loan

Consultant, Caliber

Home Loans

Student loans are in the news again. From pro-posals forgiving up to $50,000 in debt to free community college, higher education and how

degrees are paid for is a hot topic right now. But while speculation may help us prepare for what’s ahead, we currently need to deal with the rules and regulations your buyers will see today. As many of you may be aware, all Federal student loans have been placed into forbearance, meaning no payment is currently due. This was first imple-mented under Trump in March of 2020 through the CARES Act and further extended by Biden through Sep-tember 2021. (Contrary to what you may have heard, the inter-est has also been suspended, so not paying does not affect your balance.) However, much like rental and mortgage forbear-ance we spoke on last month, these loans will eventually come due. It may be October of this year. It may be extended again, or it may be forgiven entirely. We honestly don’t know, and if there is one thing people who deal in money loathe, it is uncer-tainty. In order to meet and adhere to Ability to Repay regulations, lenders cannot ignore an eventual pay-ment as part of the credit profile. Plus. it makes no sense in protecting our client to ignore an upcoming debt, which could cause financial strain a few months down the road. Since a large part of the mortgage approval process is reliant upon debt-to-income ratios (and residuals for VA financing), the impending debt needs to be address for the eventual payment, but what? As with all things in real estate, it depends. Are you using a conventional loan, FHA, VA or USDA? For conventional, are you better suited to go with Fannie Mae regulations or Freddie Mac? Are you making pay-ments even though you’re in a federally mandated for-

bearance? Since I could write a book on the quirks, and I only have 600 words in this article, let’s focus on some common themes across each program: • If you’re currently in forbearance and not making any payments, regulations require some payment to be factored into the overall debt profile. Typically, this is going to be based on the outstanding loan balance and the calculated payment depends on the loan program. For instance, the VA requires us to take the balance, ap-

ply 0.5% annual interest and divide that by 12 to get your monthly payment. FNMA and

FHA simply use 1% of the outstand-ing loan balance, while FHLMC is

.5%. Easy enough and straight forward. • In forbearance but still making payments? First, speak to your financial advi-sor. Are you sure that is the best use of your money? Also,

keep in mind that if the pay-ment you’re making is larger

than the above calculation, lend-ers are still required to follow the

regulations set by the loan param-eters and guidelines. (As an aside, same

thing for credit cards and installment loans - if you pay over the minimum payment, guidelines re-quire lenders only count what you are required to pay per the creditor). So, are student loans the evil preventing younger buyers from owning a home? Hardly, but they are a very real debt owned by nearly 45 million Americans. Loan officers are happy to help people who aren’t quite ready to purchase because we know that teaming with a good agent and financial advisor will strengthen their portfolio and will make for a stronger buyer when the time is right. ⌂⌂

Student loans and their impact on home buying

In order to meet and adhere to Ability to Repay regulations, lenders cannot ignore an eventual payment as part of the credit profile. Plus. it makes no sense in

protecting our client to ignore an upcoming debt, which

could cause financial strain a few months

down the road.

Hampton Roads REALTOR® • June 2021 35

Source: The Wolf Report, March 2021 © 2021 The Wolf Report., All rights reserved.

Cue the confetti! This month, the That’s Who We R Advisory Group is excited to announce the official launch of the Hampton Roads REAL-

TORS® Association’s “That’s Who We R” Ambassador Program! The objective of this new program is to attach a representative from each of HRRA’s real estate brokerages to the national That’s Who We R campaign. By creating this new program, we hope to be able to strengthen our REALTOR® com-munity while promoting the importance of our roles in the real estate industry. The Ambassador Pro-gram follows the directive of That’s Who We R to focus on how REALTORS® are local real estate experts and abide by the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) Code of Eth-ics to fight for consumers’ property rights. That’s Who We R Ambassadors will be vital in spreading awareness about the essential job of REALTORS® in the communi-ty. Using the materials provided by the That’s Who We R campaign as well as the advisory group, each Ambas-sador will educate their office on the tools, resources, and talking points of this campaign. There are three main goals of the national That’s Who We R campaign: 1. Demonstrate the value of a REALTOR® to consumers; 2.) Distinguish REALTORS® from other real estate agents and listing apps; and 3.) Deliver members a sense of pride in being a REALTOR®. To learn more about this campaign and access marketing materials, go to http://www.ThatsWhoWeR.realtor. Why do we need this campaign? According to NAR, “As the communications environment becomes ever more cluttered, NAR’s Consumer Advertising Campaign ensures that the REALTOR® brand remains front-and-center with consumers through a compre-hensive, multichannel strategy to reach consumers and REALTORS® wherever they are, including online platforms such as YouTube, Facebook and Instagram; digital channels like Hulu, Amazon, and Roku; and tra-

ditional channels like television, radio, and print.” Keep your eyes open for the That’s Who We R video series! The advisory group will be creating informative video content to make easily sharable campaign ma-terials to pass along to your brokerage and to use for your own marketing too.

Another great marketing tool to help spread some REALTOR® pride is HRRA’s photo-op

frame. You are encouraged to borrow the frame to use at your office or

events. It makes a fun prop and helps promote the message of That’s Who We R. Remember to hashtag your social media posts with #ThatsWhoW-eR757. Each quarter, HRRA’s That’s Who We R Ambassadors will

attend a short 30-minute meeting with That’s Who We

R leadership. Meetings in 2021 will be virtual and will likely re-

main virtual in the future as well. The meetings will equip Ambassadors with

sharable materials at their fingertips as well as help to maintain a strong link between the program participants. As a bonus to being an active Ambassador, meet-ing attendees will be entered to win prizes provided by HRRA’s Affiliates! The That’s Who We R Ambassador Program pro-vides a great opportunity for REALTORS® to get in-volved with Hampton Roads REALTORS® Association and to shine a spotlight on our profession. It is also a chance for some fun networking with other Ambassa-dors as well as REALTORS® in your brokerage. We are proud to share that we already have quite a few REALTORS® stepping up to take on the Ambassador role for their brokerage. To find out more about what it takes to be a That’s Who We R Ambassador, contact That’s Who We R Advisory Group Chair Katie Verhalen (katie@judyreedteam.com), Vice Chair Jessica Riegel (Jessica.riegel@kw.com) or HRRA Vice President of Communications, PR and Media Relations Victoria Hecht (vhecht@hrra.com). ⌂⌂

Jessica Riegel

Vice Chair, That’s

Who We R Advisory

Group

That’s Who We R Ambassadors will be vital

in spreading awareness about the essential job of REALTORS®

in the community. Using the materials provided by the

That’s Who We R campaign as well as the advisory group,

each Ambassador will educate their office on the tools, resources, and talking

points of this campaign.

That’s Who We R Ambassadors bring campaign messages right to your brokerage or office

36 Hampton Roads REALTOR® • June 2021

I’ve served on my condo board for several years, have

a background of working in luxury high-rise condo-

miniums, and often have conversations with other

board members and management. From that perspec-

tive, there are some things we wish people knew and un-

derstood before they joined the “condo living club.”

The most important things your clients need to know

about condo living:

1. Condo living is not for everyone. This is No. 1

for a reason. Many people jump into condo living

because the price was right or the ame-

nities and low-maintenance living

were attractive. Once they sign

the loan docs and move in, it

quickly becomes apparent

they didn’t read the rules

and regulations before-

hand, or they didn’t stop

to really consider what it

would be like to live the

condo lifestyle. Then we

start hearing complaints

such as “This is America” or

“It’s my house, I should be able

to do what I want. I’m calling my

attorney.”

2. The declaration and bylaws. These are

the governing documents of the community. From

lease restrictions to the definition of a unit and re-

sponsibility of unit owners versus responsibilities of

the association, to insurance requirements and the

authority of the board of directors; the information

found in these documents is key. Any amendments to

the Declaration require two-thirds of the votes in the

unit owner’s association.

3. The “players.” They are:

• The condo association: The governing body of

the community, run and funded by unit own-

ers. All unit owners are members of the as-

sociation. Think of it as joining a club.

The Board of Directors: Elected by the unit owners

and authorized by law to enforce rules and restric-

tions and to collect mandatory assessments to pay

for maintenance and improvements to common

elements. They are ultimately responsible for en-

suring adequate policies, practices and procedures

are in place to safeguard assets. Board positions

are volunteer.

• The management: A common misconception is

that the management company makes the rules.

As explained above, that is not the case. Manage-

ment does not make the rules, they manage the

day-to-day operations of the association; col-

lect assessments, perform accounting,

and enforce the rules and regulations

of the association. Most often,

the board contracts a commu-

nity management company, al-

though some associations are

self-managed.

4. Assessments. It

is impossible to compare

assessments between two

condo communities without

having the knowledge of what

components are covered by the

association. I often hear people com-

plain about their association that doesn’t

have a pool having higher assessments than

“XYZ” community that has a pool and clubhouse.

It’s fairly basic math when it comes down to

it. The community has expenses for ongoing main-

tenance, landscaping, legal & accounting fees, man-

agement fees, and reserves (which is for repair and

replacement of the common elements). Add all of

that up and divide by the number of units. A smaller

community of 50 units with a pool and clubhouse, for

example, will most likely pay a much higher assess-

ment than a larger community that shares the cost

of the pool and clubhouse among 125 units.

5. Rules and regulations. Read the rules. Read them

again. The rules and regulations are not included

in the declaration and bylaws. However, they are

legal documents used to address parking and pet

Julie Ulrich

Vice Chair, Common

Interest Community

Advisory Group

What your clients need to know about condo living

Condo living is not for everyone. This is No. 1 for a reason.

Many people jump into condo living because the price was right or

the amenities and low-maintenance living

were attractive.

(continued on page 45)

Hampton Roads REALTOR® • June 2021 37

Thank You to our 2021 HRRA Partners

GOLD SILVER

BRONZE

COPPER

AMBASSADOR

Morgan Stanley

38 Hampton Roads REALTOR® • June 2021

I am planning to swim across the Chesapeake Bay

Channel on June 5. I will swim from Willoughby

Beach in Norfolk, along the Hampton Roads

Bridge-Tunnel, and to the Paradise Ocean Club at

Fort Monroe. I will do this so I can be the best version

of myself and so I can balance my work, interior and

social life.

Under the Professional Rules of

Ethics, attorneys must withdraw

from representation of a client if

the attorney’s physical, mental

or psychological condition

materially impairs his or her

fitness to represent the client.

From this obligation for

fitness to represent a client,

we infer the duty to be the

best versions of ourselves.

Such best versions of ourselves

require some level of intentional

and planned “self-care.”

Self-care for me includes exercise

as a remedy for the day-to-day stresses in the

profession.

The real estate industry inherently challenges

all professionals involved, whether the professional is

an agent, loan officer, attorney, settlement agent, etc.

Challenges vary from day to day. Stress becomes a

factor to be managed.

A successful real estate professional needs to ensure

the proper balance between business productivity,

relationships, zeal for life and self-care. My strategy

for such balance has succeeded through an annual

revolving plan to attempt a new sport every year, a

sport for which I have limited experience and

limited proficiency. I find learning new

skills more exhilarating.

Starting in 2017, I performed

a marathon preparation,

running up to 40 miles a

week. In 2018, I focused on

kayaking our local waters,

where I paddled a train of

kayaks carrying my kids

up to 6 miles a day. In 2019,

I focused on body shaping

where I focused on the “golden

ratio”: increasing muscle mass

across the chest and shoulders as I

minimized the waist measurement. I

reached a ratio above 1.8.

The 2020 challenge was boxing, were one

the biggest challenges was finding a match during

COVID-19 restrictions. Eventually, fighting under the

name “The Judge” I had two matches with the backyard

boxing league of Street Beefs Pound4Pound. Both

matches ended by knockout with me losing one match

and winning the other.

For my 2021 swim, I received a permit (“Marine

Event”) from the U.S. Coast Guard to solo swim across

the Chesapeake Bay Channel. This will be a solo swim

accompanied by one to three support boats providing

supplies, safety and shark-watch. Hopefully, this 3.5-

mile swim will take me less than four hours. I look

forward to the friends and family party I have set up at

the Paradise Ocean Club. I am considering the frozen

mile challenge: swimming a mile, without a wetsuit, on

New Year’s Day 2022.

By selecting an annual challenge, I am able to make

new friends, regulate my emotions, stay motivated to

exercise, and be the best version of myself so I can better

serve my clients. If I can accomplish such goal, I know

you can, too. ⌂⌂

John Wilson, Esq.,

and Brandon Akers

Priority Title &

Escrow

Intentional self-care, having it all and pushing one’s personal limits

The real estate industry inherently

challenges all professionals involved, whether the

professional is an agent, loan officer, attorney, settlement agent, etc.

Challenges vary from day to day. Stress becomes

a factor to be managed.

Hampton Roads REALTOR® • June 2021 39

The Hampton Roads REALTORS® Association promotes and provides extensive training on Fair Housing matters, so members of the

association should be familiar with the federal Fair Housing Act and the Virginia Fair Housing Law. In general, those laws prohibit discrimination in the sale or rental of housing based on a person’s protected class, such as race, color, religion, sex, disability, familial status and others. On July 1, 2020, Virginia add-ed a new protected class to the list, prohibiting discrimination against citizens who use a particular “source of funds” in the purchase or rental of property. The Virginia Real Estate Board and the Virginia Fair Housing Board are jointly responsible for enforcing the Virginia Fair Housing Law, including its new prohibition on discrimination based on source of funds. In order to address the many questions about the new source of funds protected class, the Real Estate and Fair Housing Boards together published a guidance document entitled “Housing Discrimination on the Basis of Source of Funds,” with an effective date of April 16, 2021. The stated purpose of this guidance document is to provide technical assistance concerning what actions, behaviors, policies and procedures likely do and do not violate the prohibition on discrimination based on source of funds. However, before providing the “dos” and “don’ts” the document addresses the origin of the source of funds discrimination prohibition. It explains that “source of funds” means any source that lawfully provides funds to or on behalf of a renter or buyer of housing, including any assistance, benefit, or subsidy program, whether such program is administered by a governmental or non-governmental entity. The primary impetus of the source of funds discrimination prohibition was the protection of renters and buyers who pay for housing with the assistance of a Housing Choice Voucher (commonly known as

Section 8), but the discrimination prohibition applies to all lawful sources of funds. As to the actions, behaviors, policies and procedures that may violate the source of funds discrimination prohibition, the guidance document divides its analysis between sales and rentals.

The analysis pertaining to sales is short, covering roughly three quarters of a page. It

emphasizes that the policy behind the prohibition is to prevent

discriminatory practices with respect to residential housing on the basis of source of funds, not to prevent non-discriminatory consideration of financing during housing transactions. It recognizes that in order to

decide between two or more offers to purchase a home, a

seller will review and weigh the financial terms of each offer.

According to the guidance document, it is not unlawful under the Virginia Fair

Housing Law for a seller of a property to consider the financial terms and conditions, including the loan amount, loan program or type of loan of a real estate purchase contract from a prospective buyer. To illustrate that concept, the guidance document gives the example of a seller who receives three offers on her home. The first is a full price offer with a 20% down payment, a conventional loan for the balance and closing within 60 days contingent on the buyer selling her current home. The second offer is for $10,000 more than the asking price, with a 10% down payment, a VA loan for the balance, and closing in 45 days. The third is $10,000 lower than the asking price, but all cash with closing within 21 days. The seller discusses all three offers with her real estate agent, and the guidance document concludes that the seller does not violate the prohibition on source of funds discrimination by taking into consideration how each offeror will pay to buy her home. After explaining what behavior likely does not constitute discrimination in the sale context, the guidance document spends the next several pages

John Faber, Esq.

Williams Mullen

On July 1, 2020, Virginia added a

new protected class to the list, prohibiting

discrimination against citizens who use a

particular “source of funds” in the purchase

or rental of property.

Protection of landlords against common law negligence claims

LEGAL CORNER

(continued on next page...)

40 Hampton Roads REALTOR® • June 2021

analyzing actions that likely do and do not violate that prohibition in the rental context. First, merely asking a prospective tenant about income on a rental application and verifying that income likely does not violate the prohibition on source of funds discrimination, as long as it is not done in a discriminatory manner. The guidance document specifically states that the regulation against source of funds discrimination does not prohibit a landlord from determining the ability of a potential tenant to pay rent by verifying, in a commercially reasonable manner, the source and amount of income of the potential tenant, including any payments or portions of payments that will be made by other indi-viduals, organizations, or voucher and rental assistance payment programs, such as Sec-tion 8. The guidance document cautions landlords, however, that they may not refuse sources of funds based on the duration of those funds without potentially violating the Virginia Fair Housing law. Even one-time assistance grants or other temporary subsidies like unemployment benefits are covered by the source of funds discrimination prohibition. The guidance document goes into further detail with respect to the practice of some landlords of requiring tenants to meet a minimum income threshold in order to qualify for housing. The document acknowledges that landlords have a strong interest in assuring that their tenants can afford to pay the rent, but it emphasizes that it must be done in the right way. In determining whether a tenant can afford the rent, the relevant factor for a landlord to consider is the tenant’s portion of the rent, not the total rent. Under the Section 8 program, a local public housing agency pays the landlord di-rectly on behalf of the participating tenant. The tenant pays the difference between the actual rent charged by the landlord and the amount subsidized by the program. Accord-ing to the guidance document, the landlord’s focus should be on whether the tenant can afford the tenant’s share of the rent. That is the figure against which the tenant’s mini-

mum income threshold should be measured. It provides two detailed examples of how a minimum income threshold should be properly calculated based on the assistance received by the tenant, and how not to figure that assistance into the minimum income threshold. Landlords and their management agents should study those examples carefully. Next, the guidance document turns to a justification that landlords sometimes use for refusing to rent to Section 8 tenants, namely the “administrative burdens” of com-plying with Section 8 requirements. The document cites several court decisions from other states in source of funds discrimina-tion cases to indicate that increased admin-istrative burdens likely will not be a valid defense to a source of funds discrimination claim. Housing providers that refuse to rent to tenants based on additional administrative burdens associated with the Section 8 or other assistance programs risk liability for source of funds discrimination. Finally, the new guidance document discusses two specific exemptions from the source of funds discrimination prohibition that are set forth in the Virginia Fair Housing Law. The first exemption states that an owner or an owner’s managing agent is not prohibited from denying or limiting the rental of a dwelling to a person because of that person’s source of funds, provided that the owner does not own more than four rental dwelling units in Virginia at the time of the alleged discriminatory housing practice. That exemption is subject to the proviso that if the owner, whether individually or through a business entity, owns more than a 10% interest in more than four rental dwelling units in Virginia at the time of the alleged discrimination, the exemption does not apply. Under the second exemption provided by statute, it is not unlawful for an owner or an owner’s managing agent to deny rental of a dwelling based on a tenant’s source of funds for that dwelling if the source is not approved within 15 days of the tenant’s submission of the request for tenancy approval. The

guidance document goes into significant detail about this second exemption. Again, it applies primarily to the Section 8 source of funds and notes that before a Section 8 housing voucher can be approved, the rental unit must pass inspection. The 15-day time period referenced in the exemption begins on the date on which a complete request for tenancy approval is mailed, emailed or delivered to the voucher administrator either by the landlord or the prospective tenant. If the dwelling does not pass an inspection arranged by the voucher administrator within 15 days after that beginning date, the exemption applies and the landlord and the managing agent will not be deemed to have discriminated based on source of funds for refusal to rent to that tenant. The guidance document emphasizes, however, that any attempt to hinder or delay the process or refusal to cooperate by the landlord will nullify the exemption. If the landlord fails to supply all the information necessary to complete the request for tenancy approval, then the 15-day clock does not begin until all of the required information has been submitted. If the landlord does not cooperate with or delays, hinders or postpones inspections beyond the 15-day period after submittal, the exemption does not apply. In short, only when the landlord cooperates with the process in good faith but the failure to meet the 15-day deadline is the fault of the tenant, the housing voucher administrator or third party (such as an inspector who doesn’t show up as scheduled) can the landlord or the property manager take advantage of this exemption. The addition to the Virginia Fair Housing Law of a new protected class likely means that a flurry of claims of discrimination based on source of funds will be forthcoming. Landlords and their property managers should study the guidance document carefully to avoid running afoul of the source of funds discrimination prohibition. ⌂⌂

(Legal Corner, continued from page 39)

Hampton Roads REALTOR® • June 2021 41

The theme for the issue is “Having it all: How to

juggle career, family and vacation in the busy

season (and during a pandemic!).” Is there such

a thing as “having it all”?

We are all in different stages in our lives and

careers, and I believe “having it all” means something

different for everyone. However, I believe the

stress and challenges are very similar for

us in the toll it takes on us personally.

We all must make sacrifices in

our personal life to achieve

career goals and sacrifice in

our careers as well for our

personal life to succeed.

I know sometimes the

choice is easy, and sometimes

it can be incredibly difficult to

make. When I sat down years

ago with my real estate mentor

in Arizona, she said, “You are

going to get busy. You are going to

start making a lot of money, and you

will lose sight of your ‘why’ if you are not

aware.” She had my write a list of my most important

things in life and what I need to have a complete and full

life.

Every year I look at the list. Sometimes I rewrite

it because life evolves as you grow and age. I strongly

recommend, if you are having a hard time and feel like

you are drowning and not doing your best at anything,

sit down and create a list of your most important things

in life that you need to be happy and fulfilled.

After you have created your list of what you need

to be fulfilled and “have it all,” talk with your spouse,

broker, family, mentor or colleague and come up with

a plan to achieving that. Have them help you set your

goals AND your boundaries with work life vs. personal

life.

As a single mother to two amazing kids, ages 8 and

11, my kids need me in more of an emotional level than

they did as babies. They notice if I am not picking them

up from school. They notice if I am not at the soccer

game. They notice if I am not home for dinner at night.

They notice the phone always ringing and stresses I feel.

However, they also notice me set down my phone

and close my computer to enjoy the quality of time I can

spend versus the quantity of time I spend with them.

Almost three years ago, my son, who was 5 at the

time, told me, “Mom, it really makes me sad

when you are on your phone and computer

all the time when we get home from

school and don’t spend time with

me”. Seriously, a 5-year-old said

that. Of course, I immediately

started crying and made a

decision that, for at least a

couple hours when I am able

to, I am going to be present

and do something fun every

evening with my kids.

I do have to stay up later

and work after they go to bed, but

that is a sacrifice I make to make

sure I can be a good mom, and being

a good mom is the most important thing for

me. If I fail as a parent there is no way I could have it

all!

However, my kids understand that “Mommy has to

work in order for us to live the great life we get to live.”

So, they know if I am working during the few hours we

have in the evening/afternoons together, it is because I

need to.

For my career and selling real estate, there is no

way I could live a fulfilled life not being there for my

clients. Thus, I do work crazy hours. I do miss some of my

kids’ events, but I find this 100% necessary for “having

it all.” I want to be wanted and needed by my clients,

but I will not take my time being taken advantage of

by them. I want to help them achieve their dreams of

homeownership and financially making money off real

estate.

However, my clients understand that if I can’t be

somewhere at a certain time because of my children,

they know I must be a mom at that moment. Both my

Alexandra Serrano

Community

Involvement Advisory

Group

Is there such a thing as “having it all”?

I strongly recommend, if you are having a hard

time and feel like you are drowning and not doing your best at anything, sit down and create a list of

your most important things in life that you need to be

happy and fulfilled.

(continued on page 23)

42 Hampton Roads REALTOR® • June 2021

Working from home was always “the dream,”

but few got to experience. Up until 2020, office

managers were saying that employees had to come into the office to work. There was no way that their employees could work from home and

be effective.

was one of the companies leading the way for what the consumer

was looking for: an “experience.” Even though Dave & Busters was

founded in 1982, it didn’t start to expand until 2014 upon launch of

their second initial public offerings. Other companies followed suit,

giving people an experience that kept consumers in shopping malls

and retail centers longer than before, which typically led to more

money spent.

The goal over the subsequent years was for retail centers and

malls to capture this experiential concept from food courts to brew-

eries to axe throwing halls to what we now have at Virginia Town

Center, Apex.

Apex is a combination of experiences tied together

with quality food. Last year was devastating to

this “experiential retail.” However, as social

distancing and mask restrictions are

lifted, I think people will be quick to get

back out to socialize frequenting these

establishments and the surrounding

restaurants and retailers.

Working from home was always

“the dream,” but few got to experience.

Up until 2020, office managers were

saying that employees had to come into

the office to work. There was no way that

their employees could work from home and

be effective. Well, now we know that it is pos-

sible.

The pandemic forced a lot of employers to figure out a

way to keep their employees safe and are now using these newly

learned practices to allow employees a hybrid schedule of splitting

time between the office and home/remote location.

Other employees are working full-time remotely, so they are

now able to have the “New York City job” while relocating to more

exciting places like Virginia Beach. The result is that these new

residents are paying well above the appraised value, in cash, for

residential properties, which has been tough on the locals.

With these hybrid office solutions, employers are now needing

to consider how much office space they actually need. From talk-

ing with property managers around the Hampton Roads’ market

a good number of the office leases have been getting short-term

renewals of one to years, giving the tenants the option to plan for

the future.

Things will improve; markets will rebound. As we continue

to see restrictions lifted, vaccine doses administered, and creativ-

ity from local and national businesses, we will continue to see

strengthened sales, increased capacity in the ports and last mile

delivery locations.

Shoppers will get out of bed and put on clothing other than pa-

jamas, and retailers will continue to see increased foot traffic and

sales throughout their stores. However, retailers should not rest on

their laurels; they will need to continue to adapt and provide solu-

tions to attract consumers in order to survive and grow.

Over this past year I have been able to talk with various cli-

ents about their future plans. Some restaurants are go-

ing to be focusing on smaller footprints and just

focus more on the carryout options, while other

service-based businesses will be expanding

their offerings to be more versatile.

As Amazon was starting to make an im-

pact on retail shopping five or more years

ago, we were talking about how to make

businesses “Amazon-proof.” Now, on top

of being able to provide products and ser-

vices online and get it to the consumer

quickly, businesses are having to adjust

to be “pandemic proof.” Can the business

model survive if there are no customers com-

ing through the front door? What other ways are

there to reach the customer?

Brainstorm with your business owner friends to help them

see outside of the box to provide better services and/or products.

Share your experiences online (Google and Yelp reviews are read).

For all you REALTORS® out there, partner with some local shops

to help promote their business while getting more potential buyers

and sellers for your own business.

Bottom line: If you are going to shop online from your bed,

consider buying something from a local shop. Help them, help you,

help them.

If you’d like to discuss ideas or ways to help businesses around

you, feel free to reach out to Commercial Council vice chair Rob

Waring (robwaring1@gmail.com) or me (david@aforealty.com.) ⌂⌂

(What’s next? Going beyond shopping from bed, continued from page 11)

Education, virtual networking and more in 2021.Zoom with us! Learn more at HRRA.com

Hampton Roads REALTOR® • June 2021 43

It’s more like a 24/7 at times especially

when we are working weekends. And let’s

be honest, we are all guilty of taking out

stress on our loved ones. This is why it is

so important in those stressful moments

where we are feeling overwhelmed to take

a quick five-minute break.

Go for a walk, put your feet in the

sand, take deep breaths and meditate.

Read something funny or call your friend

or loved one. Anything to lift up your

spirits so you can tackle the day and tasks.

Your mental health is just as important as

your physical health. We can serve our

clients better and take care our personal

lives better when we are in the right state

of mind.

Be thankful. Last but not least,

always remember to be thankful. It’s

easy to lose sight of being thankful. But

gratitude opens up and abundance of

Code of Ethics: “The term REALTOR® has come to

connote competency, fairness, and high

integrity resulting in adherence to a lofty

ideal of moral conduct in business relations.

No inducement of profit and no instruction

from clients ever can justify departure from

this ideal.

In the interpretation of this obligation,

Realtors can take no safer guide than that

which has been handed down through the

centuries, embodied in the Golden Rule,

‘Whatsoever ye would that others should do

to you, do ye even so to them.’” ⌂⌂

activities throughout the year c. Engage the public in legislative issues d. Expand promotion of our role in community pro-grams including fundraising. 4. Unification efforts a. Have our bylaws reviewed every year b. Provide access to legal counsel c. Policies and procedures in place including filings as required by state laws d. Strate-gic and Business plans include an advocacy component e. Association Executive com-pletes more than 6 hours of CE/year. 5. Technology a. Have an interactive website b. Have multiple Association email accounts and ac-cess. 6. Financial solvency a. Have strong policies in place to en-sure integrity of our operations b. Complete an annual audit and review. Our leadership is applying the ideals of Franklin Covey’s “The 4 Disciplines of Ex-ecution” as our guidebook. We started with establishing our WIGs, and now we are fo-cusing on lead measures, not lag measures, i.e. what you can change vs. what you can not change. In addition, creating a culture of ac-countability is also important in achieving our WIGs. Also, we are developing a simple way to track our progress as well. Lastly, I am delighted to report to you that our Association is moving forward in the right direction. Thanks to everyone for your continued support of our Association! ⌂⌂

Why is it important to use this tool? Because

it is human nature to focus on the most ur-

gent of tasks, even though they may have

very little importance or add very little to

our productivity. Keeping a visual reminder

of what is actually important to our success

5 tips for a real estate/personal life balance(continued from page 30)

Our “WIGS” for critical growth(continued from page 4)

Keep your cool as the weather gets hot(continued from page 33)

Can you have it all and be all? (continued from page 6)

helps us to stay on track.

For a very long time (decades!) I had

trouble saying the word “no” from the PTO

to the trade associations and charitable

groups I belonged to, to my co-workers and

just about everybody but my family. Find

strategic alternatives to “no.” For example,

“I don’t have time today, but I could sched-

ule it in for tomorrow morning.”

Finally, try using a method I learned

at the National Association of REALTORS®

Association Executives Institute: “Chunk,

Block and Tackle.” Chunk large projects

into 15-minute specific tasks. Block (don’t

try to do multiple chunks at one sitting).

Instead, block out time for working on the

chunks. Finally, Tackle, (take on one chunk,

finish it and reward yourself). Even a cup of

hot coffee can be a reward.

Happy selling! ⌂⌂

doors. Be thankful that your clients look

to you for advice in real estate and trust

you to help them with such a huge aspect

of their life.

Be thankful for the time that this

career allows you to spend quality time

with your loved ones and while also

achieving your goals. A thankful heart

leads to a positive mindset.

Balance doesn’t mean taking on

everything. Some days you will have to

devote more time into your real estate

career and other times your personal life

may need to take a front seat. These tips

will certainly help you focus and help

keep you on track in your personal and

professional life. And remember to “take

5!” ⌂⌂

44 Hampton Roads REALTOR® • June 2021

Victoria Hecht

Vice President of

Communications,

Public Relations and

Media Relations

Come Zoom (and play and learn) with HRRA!

• HRRA’s first HRRA Green Up Day cleanup event, 10 a.m.-noon Tuesday, June 1, in YOUR neighborhood.

Visit HERE for full details, then post your photos to social media with the hashtag #HRRAGreenUpDay2021.

• Government Affairs Committee by Zoom, 1 p.m. Thursday, June 3. Topic: “Affordable Housing and How

Government Can Respond.” Register HERE.

• REALTOR®/Lawyer Committee by Zoom, 1 p.m. Thursday, June 10. Topic: “Foreclosures.” Register HERE.

• Affiliates Council by Zoom, 9:30 a.m. Friday, June 11. Help plan the upcoming kickball tourney and other

activities. Register: HERE.

• Property Management and Leasing Council by Zoom, 11 a.m. Tuesday, June 15. Topic: TBD.

Register: HERE.

• Common Interest Community Advisory Group by Zoom, 1 p.m. Thursday, June 17. Topic: “Property

Manager Panel.” Register: HERE.

• REALTORS® vs. Affiliates Kickball Tournament (3-5 p.m.) Thursday, June 17, presented by the Affiliates

Council at City View Park (2073 Kempsville Road, Virginia Beach ) Virginia Beach, followed by the After-Party

(5-7 p.m.), presented by YPN at Back Bay's Farmhouse Brewery (1805 Kempsville Road, Virginia Beach). Visit

HERE for full details, them just show up and play!

As a reminder, to register for events see your weekly eREALTOR newsletter, delivered Tuesdays, or visit HRRA’s

“Events” tab (and/or watch postings) on the Facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/hrrarealtors, or see the

calendar at HRRA.com for registrations. See you on Zoom (and in person), HRRA! – Victoria Hecht, Vice President

of Communications, Public Relations and Media Relations

We’re not quite out of the pandemic woods yet, but we’re edging closer to normalcy and look forward to seeing

YOU at HRRA activities, whether virtually or in person. Here’s what is planned so far for HRRA’s June Zoom

and in-person gatherings as summer heats up:

Hampton Roads REALTOR® • June 2021 45

While it’s OK to test different

messaging, once you’ve found a voice and

tone that work, stick with them across

your communications. One of the goals

of building a brand is to make how you

communicate authentic to you. That way,

when people see or read something from

you, they immediately think, “I know this

person and I like them.”

An often-overlooked aspect of consistent

communication is being technically sound

in your communications. This means

minimizing things like typos and grammar

errors, and knowing which words to use,

when to use them, and why. Prospects and

clients will not do the work of trying to figure

out what you want to tell them for you. You

must make it as easy as possible for them to

understand your point.

• Show what makes you different:

Differentiating yourself is the hardest part

of building a brand. But taking the two prior

steps can make it easier.

When you know your audience, it helps

shave away at the things you need to say and

do to appease them. When you’re consistent

in your communications, it makes prospects

more likely to engage with you. These facts

can give you in-depth information about

what your audience wants, needs, and isn’t

getting elsewhere.

With this information in hand, you can

begin to show prospects and clients how you

fulfill their wants and needs in ways no one

else does.

• Stay in front of your audience: It’s

not enough to reach out to prospects every

once in a while. You need to stay in front of

them without being overbearing. There are

several ways to do this.

1. Create content — such as blog posts

or newsletters — for your audience

regularly (weekly, every other week,

monthly) and stick to a schedule.

2. Invite people to join your emailing

list for things like tips, discounts, and

prizes.

3. Set up a social media account for

yourself that accentuates your brand.

If you’re funny, be funny. If you have

expert knowledge in a niche area, use

that uniqueness to set yourself apart.

Always be trying to help your audience do

something. Even if they aren’t interested in

buying or selling right now, you can provide

value by staying in front of them with useful

materials. ⌂⌂

(Marketing for real estate agents: building your brand, continued from page 12)

restrictions, holiday decorations,

window treatments, common areas

and amenities, etc. Depending on the

authority of the board, rules can change

as the board sees fit for the community,

so be sure to keep up with the latest

changes the board has made through

resolutions.

6. Be involved. So, you’re all in on condo

living? Great! Now be sure you stay

involved and serve on committees and

attend board meetings. Report things

you see that could be of concern such as

streetlights out, or a broken pipe. When

applicable, pay a compliment to your

board for a job well done. Board mem-

bers don’t always receive the appre-

ciation they deserve for the hard work

they put in to protect the investment of

all the owners in the community.

Strongly urge your clients to read the

resale documents package in its entirety,

and maybe even talk with other condo own-

ers. Make sure your clients go into condo

ownership with realistic expectations and

most likely they will thank you for it later.

⌂⌂

(What your clients need to know about condo living, continued from page 36)

46 Hampton Roads REALTOR® • June 2021

Work smarter, not harder: We have so many tools available

to help us work smarter. Technology has certainly eased the

burden of our paperwork in many cases. However, it can be a large

consumer of our time. It is easy to get caught up on social media

or just trail off from one spot to the next online. With technology,

there are no longer copies to be made, faxes to fax, or contracts to

deliver. Everything can be done with the click of a mouse.

If you are not up to speed on and knowledgeable of the tools

available to you every day to operate efficiently, take some time to

get there.

Learn a new program. Consider investing in a software

program that will provide efficiencies. Sign up for training in any

area you feel weak. Timeblock your days, and don’t get caught up

on Facebook or Instagram and let them be a time suck! It’s easy to

spend too many hours doing unnecessary tasks.

Family time. It seems our family always gets the

crumbs left over at the end of a busy day or busy week.

Be intentional and make time for special family activities.

Plan a weekly dinner event. Either cook at home or go out

for a weekly family meal. Make Monday Burger Night or

Taco Night or Veggie Night, but be intentional to make one

night a week a special "family time.”

I like Mondays because in our industry we all know

the weekends get consumed with buyers who are off work

and demand our time, After a busy week, it’s great to have

a plan for a designed “Family Night”.

Vacation. If you have not done so already, plan a summer

vacation. Rent a house by the shore, a cottage in the mountains or

a campground in the valley. Just find a place to spend some time

disconnected from work, unplug from electronics, and the hustle

bustle of our jobs. Reconnect with family and friends. Plan it. Take

it. Enjoy it. You will return a better version of yourself!

Exercise. Find time each day to get in some type of

exercise. Even if it’s only a 20-minute walk at lunch,

exercise is great for our health and wellbeing. Exercise can

give you an emotional boost!

Eat a well-balanced diet. Eating a healthy diet can be a

natural antidepressant.

Review your goals. Summertime is a great time of the year

to take a look to see where you are and what adjustments you need

to make. Many in our industry have probably already exceeded

their goals for the entire year due to the volume of business we are

all doing. If that’s the case, regroup, reevaluate and push those

goals out for the remainder of the year.

Make it a great 2021 and remember to live your best life today.

Don’t put it off until tomorrow. Make today your best day, be kind,

spread joy, and spend time with those you love! Work on being the

best version of yourself you can be while having it all.

May the best of your todays be the worst of your tomorrows! ⌂⌂

(Finding balance in the midst of our “hot” summer market, continued from page 26)

Hampton Roads REALTOR® • June 2021 47

Welcome, New HRRA Members!

Active REALTORS®: 3,923

REALTOR® Life: 44

REALTOR® Emeritus: 101

Affiliate Members: 751

Affiliate Offices: 192

HRRA MEMBERSHIP AS OF APRIL 30, 2021

PROSPECTIVE REALTOR® MEMBERSTahni Akarsu The Bryant Group Antone Aku eXp Realty Miriam (Lily) Almonte Keller Williams Realty John Anthony The Bryant Group Richmond Asante Redfin Corp. Brett Ballard Keller Williams Coastal Virginia Hugo Daniel Barrera RE/WARD Real Estate LLC Lars Blomdahl The Real Estate Group Dawn J Boyer Paragon Real Estate Group Nahjmah Brooks Canzell Realty Patrick Brophy Rose & Womble Realty David Brown IV Keller Williams Coastal Virginia Iris B Brown Fit Real Estate Javon Burden Triumph Realty Corp. Christopher M Carbaugh Keller Williams Town Center Wellyn Chase The Real Estate Group Korinna R Curling Judy Reed Realty Dominic DeLeo Rose & Womble Realty Carletta Demery eXp Realty Ashley Dudley Onyx Realty Professional Vernita Foster The Real Estate Group Carolyn Fox RE/WARD Real Estate Michael Gainey Keller Williams Town Center Daphne F. Gamba Triumph Realty Corp. Patricia Gibson Keller Williams Coastal Virginia Monique Glover Keller Williams Town Center Jordan C Green Rose & Womble Omar Hamilton Keller Williams Town Center Darlene D. Harrell FIT Real Estate LLC Tamyra Harris NextHome Tidewater Realty Jennifer C. Hazer Reese Legacy Group LLC Margaret Herr Keller Williams Coastal Virginia Shawn Hoecker The Bryant Group Real Estate Carolyn Jean Ivey The Bryant Group Talisa L. Jenkins Canzell Realty Kristian Johnson James & Lee Realty Khwan Jolly Iron Valley Real Estate Callie Morgan Jones Howard Hanna Deanna Jones Rose & Womble Realty Monica Karafotis Inlet Properties Inc. Valerie Kelly Rose & Womble Realty Kenneth J. Kievit II Vertical Real Estate Eden J. Klinedinst Long & Foster Real Estate Tara Kowasic eXp Realty Kimberly Krasinski RE/WARD Real Estate LLC Amber Levinson Howard Hanna Darvelle Levy Keller Williams Coastal Virginia Christopher Loboda Savage Three Inc. Jennifer Long Crescas Real Estate Steven V Long The Real Restate Group Christopher J. Longmire Keller Williams Town Center Christina LoNigro Re/Max Alliance Minh Thanh Ly Coldwell Banker Now Vickie Lyons eXp Realty Lauren M. Magaletti Keller Williams Realty Sommer Manganaro Howard Hanna Real Estate Caitlin Ann Martin The Real Estate Group Sharon McCord Century 21 Nachman Realty Bryce McVey Keller Williams Coastal Virginia Kristina Miklos Judy Reed Team and Associates David R Miller Swell Real Estate Co. Patricia Miller Chorey & Associates Realty Marissa A McMillian Century 21 Nachman Realty Tiffany Mosby eXp Realty Alysia Mulkey Howard Hanna Ivelise Muniz Rose & Womble Joslyn Noonan World Class Realty and Associates Christine E. Odenwald Redfin Corp. Segun A. Ogbeta Century 21 Nachman Realty Joni Orme eXp Realty Jimmy Phillips The Bryant Group Elizabeth Precise eXp Realty

Justin Pulliam Keller Williams Town Center Njeri Purvis Better Homes and Gardens Native American Group Nathan Pyle Pyle Realty Inc. Cullen Rafferty Keller Williams Coastal Virginia Jonathan Rhodes The Bryant Group Tiffany Riley Century 21 Nachman Realty Melissa Rogers-Smith Keller Williams Coastal Virginia Abigail D. Royce Greater Atlantic Shores Properties LLC Marlon Sammy Rodney Fentress Real Estate Chas Sampson Atkinson Realty Mehri Sarajzadeh Century 21 Nachman Realty Guy H. Saucier Rose & Womble Realty Brooke Schara Swell Real Estate Co. Caronne Sease Century 21 Nachman Realty Lee Ann Shelton-Matthews Fathom Realty Dalton Schwartz Rock Steady Group Steve Schweizer Keller Williams Coastal Kathleen Scott Exit Realty Central Alyson Sisman The Real Estate Group Veronica Smith Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Jenifer Spratley Swell Real Estate Co. Diamond Stansell Canzell Realty Inc. Randall Stevens Long & Foster Real Estate Amelia Swilley eXp Realty Kristine A Tardy Seaside Realty Stacey Ann Taylor Howard Hanna Abnet B. Tekola Keller Williams Town Center Catherine M Thompson Keller Williams Coastal Virginia Rachel C Thompson The Bryant Group Sharmane A Torres Keller Williams Elite Keisha Trask Keller Williams Town Center Vanessa Trujillo Keller Williams Town Center Jennifer N. Vaid Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Michelle Ventura eXp Realty Tania Walker eXp Realty Amanda Jo Whitney Iron Valley Real Estate Leshawn Wilks Keller Williams Coastal Virginia Beverly Yoakum eXp Realty Samuel M Yusufov Long & Foster Oceanfront Benjamin A. Zeller Century 21 Nachman Realty

NEW AFFILIATE MEMBERSGoosehead Insurance-Torcia Agency Kevin Torcia American Home Shield Craig Wolf Process Mortgage James Loney Coastal Closings LLC Heather Lenihan Goosehead Insurance Monica Savino Rachel Inman Success Rachel InmanMortgage Partners Inc.

NEW SECONDARY MEMBERS Adam T. Chubbuck Douglas Realty

NEW BROKER FIRM Dragas Companies Realty Inc. Anita D. Weaver eXp Realty 575 Lynnhaven Christine Singhass Reese Legacy Group LLC LaShaunda Reese Kay

48 Hampton Roads REALTOR® • June 2021

Closings Made Simple

Serving the 757 (757) 410-8077 • landmarktitleva.com

(Shortages, delays impacting new-homes inventory, too, continued from page 8)

According to a recent article published by the National Association

of Home Builders NAHB), the cost of lumber is up more than 300%

since April 2020: “A year later, based on random Lengths prices

reported on April 23, 2021, the fully phased-in costs have risen to

$48,136 for the softwood lumber products in an average single-fam-

ily, and $17,220 for the products in an average multifamily, home.”

Lumber supply levels fell as a result of COVID-19 restrictions

limiting production from the sawmills. Meanwhile, home renova-

tions and increased builder production from a lack of available home

inventory raised the demand for lumber.

If your buyer's house was already under contract last spring

and under construction, there's a good chance the builder "ate" that

cost increase. Builders are adjusting their pricing to stay in line with

the rising material costs. If they don't, they will be out of business.

The site agents would love to nail down pricing for your buyer,

but their builders might not be in a position to give them pricing.

Some of the builders I've spoken with have said they would not re-

lease pricing until they are ready to order lumber and know their

lumber costs.

NAHB is urging the Biden administration and lawmakers to

find remedies to boost production and end the tariffs on Canadian

lumber imports.

Lumber isn’t the only supply issue. Builders are feeling price

increases from window, appliance and plumbing suppliers as well.

An April 2021 Zelman & Associates homebuilder survey report-

ed nationally, “64% of communities now limiting sales” while build-

ers “regain more visibility into costs and margins while preventing

backlogs from getting too far extended.”

We are in this together. We’re adjusting to the new cycle times

and rapid price increases. It is our job to set the expectation with

you, our much- valued buyer’s agents, and your buyer. At some

point, things will settle down and we’ll be bugging you to bring your

buyers to our sites. ⌂⌂