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, [email protected]
Advertising Sales: Misty Pritchett, [email protected]
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
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(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
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: [email protected]/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 ([email protected]), Vice Chair Jessica Riegel ([email protected]) or HRRA Vice President of Communications, PR and Media Relations Victoria Hecht ([email protected]). ⌂⌂
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 ([email protected]) or me ([email protected].) ⌂⌂
(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. ⌂⌂