Capital Area REALTOR® Nov/Dec 2020 by GCAAR

CAPITAL AREA

REALTOR

GCAAR affiliates:

With you every step of the way

Official publication of the Greater Capital Area Association of REALTORS®

November/December 2020

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R E ALTOR

CAPITAL AREA

GCAAR affiliate members–p. 6

From the GCAAR Classroom–p.14

GCAAR Affiliate of the Year–p. 10

Looking back at 2020–p.30

FEATURES

in every issue

Get to know GCAAR’s affiliate members

A Letter from the President

Meet GCAAR’s 2020 Affiliate of the Year: Dan Cumberland Jr.

Welcome, new affiliate members!

Association News

Affiliate Member Toolbox

Member Services Corner

From the GCAAR Classroom

REALTOR® Toolbox

Legal Hotline

NAR Director’s Report

State Association Updates

Bright MLS

Economic Outlook

Welcome, new REALTOR® members!

RPAC investors

Empower your future with C2EX

NAR Good Neighbor Award winner: GCAAR member Greg Masucci

30 Looking back on 2020

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What a year … and where to even begin?

President Danai Mattison Sky

Secretary Harrison Beacher

Immediate Past President Koki Adasi

President-Elect Jan Brito

Treasurer Frank Snodgrass

Chief Executive Officer Edward Krauze

Directors Avi Adler Thom Brockett Samantha Damato Carlos Evans Jody Goren Gwen Henderson

Marcus Jaffe Daniel Schuler Andres Serafini Sandra Stewart Christopher Suranna Kirsten Williams

R E A LTOR

CAPITAL AREA

Managing Editor Rachel Cromidas

Advertising Representative Arlene Braithwaite

Design & Layout Sharon Thorpe 4 CAPITAL AREA REALTOR ® — November/December 2020

Looking back, 2019 was a year of what we thought was tremendous change in our industry. And then came 2020—a year that yielded what I’d call a massive shift in perspective and growth in our industry and beyond. We’ve certainly navigated our share of disruptions, but what I know for sure is that we’ve had our eyes opened. We’ve rallied around each other. We’ve successfully pivoted—and we’ve grown together in many ways.  Our world was rocked in March 2020. But GCAAR adjusted to our virtual world, and we accomplished quite a bit, from hosting our first-ever virtual, record-breaking REALTOR® Fest, to advocating against recordation tax increases and in favor of Tenant Opportunity to Purchase Act (TOPA) adjustments—and so much more!  There are two accomplishments, in particular, that I’m especially proud of leaving as a legacy for our association: the GCAAR Cares Emergency Relief Program and the History & Power of Real Estate webinar series. As I said earlier this year, “May all of us make leading with compassion and empathy a priority.” These initiatives are a testament to that goal. See our “Looking back on 2020” article in this issue for details about how these programs are making a difference.  I am hopeful that my year as your GCAAR president will be remembered not just for the challenges we faced, but for all that we have achieved together in spite of them. I’m forever grateful for the tireless efforts of our incredible GCAAR staff, and for our amazing executive team and Board of Directors, who rallied and supported our goals. While 2020 certainly wasn’t what any of us expected, it was a great ride nonetheless! It has been an honor to serve you.

Danai Mattison Sky

R E ALTOR

CAPITAL AREA

Capital Area REALTOR® Volume 7, Issue 5, November/December 2020 (USPS 017-467) is published five times a year by the Greater Capital Area Association of REALTORS® (GCAAR), 15201 Diamondback Drive, Suite 100, Rockville, MD 20850-3779. Corrections can be sent to communications@gcaar.com. Periodicals postage paid at Gaithersburg, MD and additional mailing offices. Member subscriptions account for $10 of each member’s annual dues. Annual subscriptions are available to non-members for $25. Subscription inquiries may be sent to Capital Area REALTOR® at the above address. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Capital Area REALTOR®, ATTN: GCAAR, 15201 Diamondback Drive, Suite 100, Rockville, MD 20850-3779. The Greater Capital Area Association of REALTORS® makes no warranties and assumes no responsibility for the accuracy of the information contained herein. The opinions expressed herein do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the officers, directors, or staff of the Greater Capital Area Association of REALTORS®.

Since 1990 the Preferred Qualified Intermediary for 1031 Exchanges!

Your Preferred Local Qualified Intermediary for 1031 Exchanges Contact us for free consultations & information Bill Horan, CES® bill@1031.us

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The Greater Capital Area Association of REALTORS® accepts submissions of articles and photographs and the items become the property of the Greater Capital Area Association of REALTORS®. The publisher reserves the right of full editorial authority and to decline publication of any article not deemed proper. Reprint with permission only. Reprints may be obtained by contacting the Greater Capital Area Association of REALTORS® at 301-590-2000, or send an email to communications@gcaar.com. REALTOR® is a registered collective membership mark that identifies and may be used only by real estate professionals who are members of the National Association of REALTORS® and subscribe to its Code of Ethics. Copyright© 2020 by the Greater Capital Area Association of REALTORS®. All rights reserved.

STAY IN TOUCH

CAPITAL AREA REALTOR ® — November/December 2020 5

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Get to know GCAAR’s affiliate members When you need real estate services, please use our GCAAR affiliate members. They're part of our GCAAR family! GCAAR’s affiliate members represent every element of a real estate transaction. From providing loan estimates to conducting home inspections to moving the buyer’s items into the new home, you can always find a GCAAR affiliate nearby over the course of the home-buying process. Likewise, when a homeowner is looking to sell, there is a GCAAR affiliate there at every step, from staging the house to creating virtual video tours to conducting settlement negotiations and more. GCAAR affiliate members are vital to ensuring a seamless process in every real estate transaction, and we thank them for all their contributions to our community and beyond. In this issue, you’ll find our full affiliate member directory*, and also learn about some of the ways they’re striving to meet the needs of their clients and our community during these unusual times. *Directory is accurate as of Nov. 9, 2020

6 CAPITAL AREA REALTOR ® — November/December 2020

GCAAR affiliate members Bradly B. Adams

Shawn Barsness

Michael J. Bramnick

Bryan J. Catalano

Daniel F. Cumberland Jr.

Stewart Title & Escrow

Embrace Home Loans

Bramnick Law LLC

Paragon Title & Escrow Co.

Moyer & Sons Moving & Storage

Michelle J. Adams

Mark A. Bayer

Melissa G. Brault

Leslie O. Childs

Jonathan R. Dailey

Adams, Morris & Sessing

Bayer & Kaufman LLP

KVS Title LLC

Village Settlements, Inc.

Prosperity Home Mortgage

James Addy

Kevin L. Bayly, Jr.

Elliott Bresler

Jessica K. Chipoco

Helen A. Dankos

Fidelity Direct Mortgage

Community Title Network

M&T Bank

Blue Note Title, Inc.

RGS Title LLC

Bryan Aguirre

Alan A. Beal

Stephanie .S Brewer

Casey L. Cirner

Christopher B. Darby

Capital Insurance Partners

Mid-Atlantic Inspection Services

Classic Settlements

Miles & Stockbridge P.C.

Counselors Title LLC

Michael Ahearn

James G. Becci

Craig Bricker

Loretta F. Clark

John Daroff

Citizens One

Avanti Inspections

SunTrust Mortgage

The Law Offices of Jill Pogach

Jonathan R. Bromberg

Henry C. Clarke, Jr.

Christopher J. David

Bromberg Rosenthal LLP

Clarke Title LLC

Champion Title & Settlements

Lexus Broussard

Walter H. Clews

Michelle M. Davis

ProTec Inspection Services

AmeriSpec

Prosperity Home Mortgage

Jamica N. Browne

Georgina B. Clough

Ray Dayhoff

Caliber Home Loans

Double Eagle Title

Prime Property Inspectors LLC

Guy D. Brunetto

Robert L. Cockerille

Linda de Marlor

Carol Brunetto State Farm

HD Bros

Tax-Masters, Inc.

James S. Bubar

John M. Coester

David A. Deckelbaum

James S. Bubar Attorney

CLA Title & Escrow

Settlementcorp

Steven M. Buckman

Sean Coleman, Esq.

Todd Deckelbaum

Palisades Title Company

Settlement Ink

Settlementcorp

John E. Burkinshaw

Cassandra Compton

Daniel A. Deist

Womack Pest Control

Fairway Mortgage Corp.

Top to Bottom Services

Carolyn P. Burns

Spencer Crawley

Tina L. Del Casale

KVS Title LLC

Counselors Title LLC

Sandy Spring Bank

Diann G. Burns

Josh Crockett

Joe Detrick

Double Eagle Title

Super Home, Inc.

Classic Settlements

Gregg M. Busch

Chris A. Crummitt

Anthony R. DeVol

First Savings Mortgage

Picture Perfect LLC

RGS Title/Traditional Title

Gregory P. Butler

Melissa Cruz

Andrew C. DiPaola

Top to Bottom Services

Covenant Title & Escrow LLC

KVS Title LLC

Laura M. Caceres

Spencer Cullen

Shannon C. Doyle

Titan Title

MortgageStar LLC

MBH Settlement Group LLC

THIN LINE HOME INSPECTIONS Thin Line Home Inspections gives back to the community by donating a portion of every home inspection to the non-profit charities Platoon 22, Nourish Now and the National Organization for Victim Assistance. Its employees also volunteer at Nourish Now, a local food bank. Syed M. Ahmad

John J. Becci

Fidelity Direct Mortgage

Avanti Inspections

Karen H. Alegi

Folusho J. Bello

Covenant Title & Escrow LLC

Foremost Appraisals & Realty

Matthew D. Alegi

Deborah L. Benkert

Shulman Rogers Gandal Pordy

First Savings Mortgage

Gary L. Anderson

Melissa Berkowitz

Anderson Inspection Consultant

Curbio Inc.

Kevin D. Anderson

Brett Bessell

Standard Title Group LLC

Brett Bessell

Sarah M. Anderson, Esq.

Tom Biegler

Universal Title/Mason Law Firm

SunTrust Mortgage

Jonathan Asfour

Andrew Blate

Super Home Inc.

Beautiful Home Services LLC

Joel S. Bailey

Scott Bloom

Caliber Home Loans

Columbia Property Management

Stephen M. Ballard

Zachary G. Bodine

Avenue Settlement Corporation

Fairway Mortgage Corp.

Kevin Barnabas

Lisa S. Bosse

Home Land Environmental

Paragon Title & Escrow Co.

Shari C. Barnes

Andrea Bournias

S.C. Herman & Associates Inc.

Counselors Title LLC

Mark Baron

Pat Bowman

Mortgage Link

Wells Fargo Home Mortgage

Ruben G. Barrios

Lynn C. Boynton

Von Paris Moving & Storage

Lynn Candle Boynton Esq.

Kelly L. Calamitsis Community Title Network

Carol L. Calomiris RGS Title

Joseph Campagna Freedom Mortgage

Noah D. Cantor KVS Title LLC

Eric L. Carpenter US Inspect LLC

Patrick J, Casey Fulton Mortgage Company

MILES & STOCKBRIDGE This legal firm launched a new initiative in July, the Miles & Stockbridge Black Business & Start-Up Initiative, to support Black entrepreneurs and businesses by providing introductory legal counsel at no cost or a reduced cost. As they told us: “We focus on helping to eliminate or temper some of the barriers uniquely experienced by Black entrepreneurs and businesses, such as a lack of funding (particularly as it relates to legal expenses) and a lack of access to a network experienced in the challenges confronting all businesses.” CAPITAL AREA REALTOR ® — November/December 2020 7

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Michael M. DuFour

Ben Goldman

Elby Hernandez

Roy L. Kaufmann

Elliot Liss

First Savings Mortgage Corp

Eastern Title & Settlement

Titan Title

Jackson & Campbell P.C.

Capitol Title Insurance Agency

Susan L. Eleff

Scott B. Goldschein

D. Leigh Hewartson

Chris J. Kearney

Bruce F. Lowrey

Susan Eleff Attorney at Law

Pinnacle Settlement Services

Pride Settlement & Escrow LLC

Intercoastal Mortgage LLC

Pacemaker Development

Antonio R. Fabrizi

Amy M. Goldstein

Michael Hollman

CJ Kemp

Richard W. Luchs

JK Moving Services

BMIC Mortgage, Inc.

Village Settlements, Inc.

SunTrust Mortgage

Greenstein DeLorme & Luchs P.C.

Suzanne Feinstein, Esq.

Stanley H. Goldstein

Michael C. Hollman

Monica Kenny

Chris Lunn

RGS Title

Capitol Title Insurance Agency

Hollman & Flynn Title LLC

Perry Moving & Storage

Chase

John J. Ferguson

Julio Gonzalez Del Solar

Michelle M. Hopkin

Billy Kinberg

Adam D. MacBride

Main Street Settlements, Inc.

The Greentree Group

ProTec Inspection Services

Intercoastal Mortgage LLC

First Savings Mortgage

William V. Horan

Robert W. Kirchner

David Maged

Realty Exchange Corporation

Caliber Home Loans

Pinnacle Title & Escrow, Inc.

Min Hu

Morgane R. Klareich

Marci L. Maged

Eastern Title & Settlement

Masters Title & Escrow

Pinnacle Title & Escrow, Inc.

John W. Hutton

Arthur F. Konopka

Diana L. Magee

Hutton Patt Title LLC

Law Office of Arthur Konopka

Magee Appraisal Service

Beth Irving

Daniel J. Kotz

Ayda Makou

Stein Sperling Bennett De Jong Driscoll P.C.

First Class Title, Inc.

CLA Title & Escrow

Charles M. Itte

Lisa C. Lamphier

Beth F. Malakoff

KVS Title LLC

Lakeside Title Co.

Matthew E. Landsberg

Marc T. Malakoff

CLA Title & Escrow

Lakeside Title Co.

Ricardo A. Lasso

Ryan D. Malet

Lasso & Lasso P.C.

Shulman Rogers Gandal Pordy

Tony C. Launi

Bryan S. Malickson

Capital Area Realtors FCU

Capitol Title Insurance Agency

Kimberly Lawson

Joseph E. Martin

Capitol Title Insurance Agency

Keller Williams Capital Prop

Bobby Y. Lee

Andrea Martinez-Conte

Sage Title Group LLC

Classic Settlements

Sara G. Lenes

Michelle Mathews

Corridor Mortgage Group, Inc.

Movement Mortgage

Alvin C. Lewis

Nicolas Matsangakis

Perry Moving & Storage

First Home Mortgage

Rhonda M. Lewis

Paul Maysak

Prime Lending

PNC Bank

Peter D. Lim

Janet J. McIntosh

Thin Line Home Inspections

Stewart Title & Escrow

Irene M. Lindner

Michael P. McNamara

Lindner & Associates, P.C.

Southern Trust Mortgage

Marc Lipman

Ann Marie Mehlert

Shulman Rogers Gandal Pordy

Lerch Early & Brewer

JUNK UNLIMITED LLC This year, Junk Unlimited recycled more than 12,000 pounds of recyclable material as part of its work as a junk removal service. Junk Unlimited also donated more than $20,000 worth of goods to veteran-friendly charities, and helped clean up the community by removing illegally dumped bulk trash from Maryland's wooded areas.

Itte Associates, Inc.

David Jacobin Andrew FitzGerald

Todd I. Greenbaum

Citizens One

Law Office of Andrew FitzGerald

Title Town Settlements

Harvey S. Jacobs

Gregory E. Flynn

Josh Greene

Jacobs & Associates

Hollman & Flynn Title LLC

Eastern Title & Settlement

Alexander M. Jaffe

Samantha J. Foti

James M. Griffin

First Home Mortgage

Curbio Inc.

Counselors Title LLC

Hasan Jamil

Nicholas Framarini

Alan C. Grubb

Chase

MortgageStar LLC

4U Inspection Services

Debbie P. Jensen-Grubb

Eugene Frazier

Willie Gunn

4U Inspection Services

Prime Lending

HomeTeam Inspection Service

James S. Johnston

Michael S. Frissell

David C. Hahn

All Around Inspections

Law Offices of Michael Frissel

Village Settlements, Inc.

George Joseph

Eric K. Garrett

John C. Hansen

Movement Mortgage

Home Land Environmental

J Hansen Appraisal Assc LLC

Michael C. Joseph

William J. Gessner

Joseph E. Hansen

Prosperity Home Mortgage

Exchange Solutions Group LLC

Sage Title Group LLC

Patti Kalamets

Vivian Gilbert

Derek C. Harman

Village Settlements, Inc.

Home Staging by Vivian LLC

Fairway Mortgage Co.

David B. Kanstoroom

Jordan N. Giles

William C. Harris

KVS Title LLC

SunTrust Mortgage

Fulton Mortgage Company

Vimal Kapoor

Patricia Gillis

Noreen Hathaway

Prime Property Inspectors LLC

Wells Fargo Home Mortgage

Counselors Title LLC

Thomas J. Karras

Mallory E. Gladding

Teola Hawes, Esq.

Seneca Realty

Curbio Inc.

Mid-Atlantic Settlement Services

Brian L. Kass, Esq.

George P. Glekas

Rick Hearn

Kass Mitek & Kass PLLC

GPN Title, Inc.

Mid-Atlantic Settlement Services

Bradley A. Katzen

Frank Goldenberg

Thomas E. Helf

Prosperity Home Mortgage LLC

Village Settlements, Inc.

Shaner & Helf LLC

8 CAPITAL AREA REALTOR ® — November/December 2020

SANDY SPRING BANK Employees representing this personal and business banking company have logged more than 2,100 volunteer hours in the district metropolitan area since January. Even through COVID, the company says it’s been able to encourage employees to volunteer in the community, and has donated to Habitat for Humanity Metro Maryland, Toys for Tots, Capital Area Food Bank and the Alzheimer's Association.

CAPITOL TITLE INSURANCE AGENCY

Rob Mercer

Brendan O'Conor

Gus Rose

First Home Mortgage

MBH Settlement Group LLC

Beautiful Home Services LLC

Jill Michaels

Moira B. Olevsky

Sabrina M. Rosenberg-David

Michaels Title & Escrow LLC

MBO Settlements, Inc.

Mike's Locksmith LLC

Jill P. Michaels

Olympia Overton

Robert N. Ross

The Law Offices of Jill Pogach

Capital Area Realtors FCU

Intercoastal Mortgage LLC

Elif S. Michalski

Matthew L. Palmer

Bradley M. Rothstein

Realty Title Services, Inc.

Caliber Home Loans

Paragon Title & Escrow Co.

William P. Minturn

Katherine Palumbo

Randy M. Rothstein

MortgageStar LLC

Paley Rothman

Paragon Title & Escrow Co.

Roland L. Mitchell

David Parker

Rob Rothstein

Bulwark Home Inspection LLC

Village Settlements, Inc.

Paragon Title & Escrow Co.

David P. Modell

Louis J. Patierno

Russell A. Rothstein

Law Offices of David P. Modell

PNC Bank

SunTrust Mortgage

Bryan Moran

Tiffany Perry

Vaughn W. Royal

Fairway Mortgage Corp.

Pride Settlement & Escrow LLC

Vaughn W. Royal Attorney at Law

Elizabeth L. Morris

Louis S. Pettey

Nicholas W. Rozek

Adams, Morris & Sessing

Fenton Title Co.

Embrace Home Loans

Robert W. Moses

Alex Phillips

William E. Rozek

Moses & Aiken, LLC/Home Team

Beautiful Home Services LLC

Embrace Home Loans

Thomas W. Muldoon

Beau R. Pichon

Michael N. Russo

Counselors Title LLC

Lakeside Title Co.

Council Baradel

Cherise Mullen

Vincent Mark Policy, Esq.

Jacob A. Ryon

Pinnacle Settlement Services

Greenstein DeLorme & Luchs P.C.

First Home Mortgage Corp.

Timothy Mullin

Wendy D. Pullano

Christopher T. Saabye

Counselors Title LLC

Bregman Berbert Schwartz Gilda

Logan Title

David J. Munson

Paul Pykosh

Sadaf Saberi

David Munson Insurance

Embrace Home Loans

Kase & Associates

Monica P. Murphy

Philip S. Raskin

Michael W. Sacks

Preferred Staging LLC

Paragon Title & Escrow Co.

The Sacks Law Firm PLLC

Vittorio N. Muzzatti

Deise A. Rezende

Ralph Sampson

RGS Title

Smart Home Inspects

Junk Unlimited LLC

John G. Nalls

Barbara Rhodes

Kenneth L. Samuelson

Counselors Title LLC

Double Eagle Title

Laura L. Nash

Employees of Capitol Title Insurance Agency have been active volunteers and financial supporters of the following local organizations this year: The Veterans Airlift Command, Stepping Stones Shelter, Operation No Person Left Behind, the Montgomery County Police and Fire Departments, the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, and the University of Maryland Athletics Internship and Mentor Programs. Brendon M. Shepard

Scott T. Sweitzer

District Title A Corp.

Prime Settlement

Noel A. Shepherd

Richard R. Switalski

Fulton Mortgage Company

Pinnacle Settlement Services

Jennifer L. Sherwood

Patrick Tangney

Green Home Solutions of MD

Logan Title

Shawn Shomali

J. D. Teitelman

Movement Mortgage

First Savings Mortgage Corp.

Tim M. Shotzberger

Clinton Thompson

Home Land Environmental

Interstate Moving & Storage

P. Joy Siegel

David Toaff

Settlement Ink

First Home Mortgage

Alexei Silverman

Carol E. Toeller

The Law Offices of Jill Pogach

Prime Property Inspectors LLC

Sherry Skinner

Lisa Tyler

Interstate Moving & Storage

PNC Bank

Colleen C. Smith

Anya M. Walker

TruPlace

David Munson Insurance

Stephanie Smith

Elizabeth L. Walker

Mid-Atlantic Settlement Services

KVS Title LLC

Timothy Smith

Brian Washington

Freedom Mortgage

Prime Lending

Colleen Smyth Cogan

Ryan A. Waters

Counselors Title LLC

First Home Mortgage

Bari Solomon

Sandra L. Watkins

Pinnacle Title & Escrow, Inc.

Alban Home Inspection Services, Inc.

Donald N. Sperling

Anthony D. Webber

Stein Sperling Bennett De Jong Driscoll P.C.

Ikon Home Inspections

Kimberly D. Sperling

MD Dept. of Housing & Community

Samuelson Law LLC

Stein Sperling Bennett De Jong Driscoll P.C.

Fred Westerlund

Joyce A. Rhodes

James E. Savitz

Arnold D. Spevack

Edward Jones

Edmund J. Flynn Company

CLA Title & Escrow

Lerch Early & Brewer

Glenda M. Wheeler Allen

Phil A. Newman

Michael C. Ridgway

Erika B. Schiller

Marty Stanton

SunTrust Mortgage

Community Title Network

Monarch Title, Inc.

KVS Title LLC

Roxann Novel

Allyson Riggs

Eric Schneider

Danielle Steele

Roxann Novel Appraiser

Wells Fargo Home Mortgage

Covenant Title & Escrow LLC

4U Inspection Services

Paul B. Nowacek

Alison W. Rind

Donna L. Seeker

Joel L. Steinberg

Wells Fargo Home Mortgage

Lerch Early & Brewer

Donofrio Property Inspections

CLA Title & Escrow

Quinn O'Connell Jr.

Claudia I Roca

Kaitlyn Seger

Jeffrey Stempler

Law Offices of Quinn O'Connell

Monarch Title, Inc.

CLA Title & Escrow

First Home Mortgage

Matthew O'Connor

Thomas R. Rodden

James M. Semeyn

Marc A, Sushner

Caliber Home Loans

RGS Title

Wells Fargo Private Mortgage

Certified Title Corporation

Patti O'Connor

Lee Anne T. Rodriguez

Timothy J. Sessing

Steven M. Sushner

SunTrust Mortgage

Pride Settlement & Escrow LLC

Adams, Morris & Sessing

District Title A Corp.

Stephen O'Connor

Sara M. Rodriguez

Daniel Shea

Jason A. Sutton

SunTrust Mortgage

Titan Title

Chase

Certified Home Specialists

Cecilia Weller

MBH Settlement Group LLC Law Office Glenda M. Wheeler

Kevin M. Wheeler 123 Junk

John B. Willingham Citizens One

Donald R. Wilson Transwestern

Chanin Wisler First Washington Mortgage

Peter Yanni Freedom Mortgage

David H. Yi Providence Mortgage, Inc.

CAPITAL AREA REALTOR ÂŽ â&#x20AC;&#x201D; November/December 2020 9

new affiliate members!

<xx< Congratulations to winner Dan Cumberland Jr.!

s a kid growing up in Germantown, Dan Cumberland Jr. used to watch the big blue Moyer & Sons Moving & Storage trucks pass in front of his house, and as a teenager, he spent his summers doing volunteer work with the Montgomery County Recreation Department. Years later, these two life experiences would come together when Dan joined Moyer & Sons Moving & Storage as the marketing director, and took over the Moyer & Sons Community Partners Program, which has focused on helping eliminate homelessness in Maryland, the District of Columbia and Virginia. While working with partners such as the Montgomery County Coalition for the Homeless, Interfaith, KindWorks, Homes Not Borders, and A Wider Circle, Dan has been able to assist in food and clothing drives throughout the region, help move a few hundred pounds of mulch to beautify shelters, move furniture into a new home for refugee families, and take time to talk with individuals experiencing homelessness to find new ways to work together as a community. As a member of GCAAR’s Community Service Committee, Dan has assisted in providing volunteer opportunities for all members of GCAAR. Dan directly supported REALTOR® Fest’s silent auction in 2019, has given thousands of dollars in grants to community partners, has helped prepare Stepping Stones Shelter for displaced families, and regularly drops off Moyer boxes to GCAAR members for many of its food and clothing drives. In fact, Dan recently picked up thousands of items for the committee as part of its 2020 Shoebox Drive, getting essential items to individuals experiencing homelessness within Montgomery County. Dan has served as a presenter at several GCAAR seminars on topics involving safety, regulations and the future of the moving industry. Dan was born and raised in Montgomery County and attended Seneca Valley High School and the University of Maryland. He lives with his family in Gaithersburg. In his free time, Dan enjoys hiking, watching the Baltimore Orioles play, and participating in the non-profit haunted attraction, Markoff’s Haunted Forest. In its Affiliate of the Year, GCAAR looks for a member who is actively involved in sponsoring and volunteering at events yearround, participating in a committee and going above and beyond to help the community.

Welcome, new affiliate members! Andrew Blate Beautiful Home Services LLC

Kimberly Lawson Capitol Title Insurance Agency

Gus Rose Beautiful Home Services LLC

Antonio R. Fabrizi JK Moving Services

Janet J. McIntosh Stewart Title & Escrow

Michael N. Russo Council Barade

Alex Phillips Beautiful Home Services LLC

Elizabeth L. Walker KVS Title LLC

Willie Gunn HomeTeam Inspection Service

Deise A. Rezende Smart Home Inspects 10 CAPITAL AREA REALTOR ® — November/December 2020

Explore next year’s economic forecast in an upcoming webinar Kick off the new year and find out what it may have in store for the real estate community with the help of GCAAR’s upcoming webinar on 2021’s economic outlook. We are hosting the webinar featuring Dr. Lawrence Yun, chief economist and senior vice president of research at the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR), and Dr. Jessica Lautz, vice president of demographics and behavioral insights at NAR, on Monday, Jan. 25. You will be able to hear these two experts discuss the financial forecast for 2021 and how buyer and seller behaviors have changed as they adapt to COVID-19. Register at gcaar.com/calendar.

Learning more together about the “History & Power of Real Estate” In August, GCAAR and the District of Columbia Association of REALTORS® (DCAR) launched the “History & Power of Real Estate” webinar series. In an effort to keep the conversation about racism at the forefront and advocate for positive change, GCAAR and DCAR are focusing on educating members about the context and history around race and real estate in Montgomery County, MD and the district. So far, we have had experts present on the history of Lincoln Park and redlining in the district. GCAAR and DCAR are proud to continue to host these webinars in 2021.

Profession Sessions Starting in the spring, GCAAR launched a series of webinars, “Profession Sessions,” to provide more valuable, career-building content to our members. We will continue to offer these free sessions monthly to give you a variety of options to enhance your career. A few popular sessions have covered topics such as the Maryland Mortgage Program, the ins and outs of online notarization and how to use SentriLock products.

Monthly Zoom trainings Do you have questions on how to use Zoom for your GCAAR continuing education classes or webinars? We're here for you! On the first Thursday of every month, GCAAR offers an opportunity for you to ask questions on how to successfully operate Zoom in the context of GCAAR classes and webinars. Interested in joining? Visit gcaar.com/calendar to sign up for the next session.

Affiliate Member Toolbox As a GCAAR affiliate member, one of the many benefits you receive is discounted sponsorships throughout the year. Not only do you receive a 20% discounted rate, you also receive sponsorship exclusivity for our Profession Sessions, New Member Orientation and Broker/Manager Forums. To learn more about how you can sponsor these affordable sessions, visit gcaar.com/sponsorship or email events@gcaar.com.

CAPITAL AREA REALTOR ® — November/December 2020

<xx< Earn NAR’s C2EX endorsement C2EX is a program designed to help REALTORS® showcase their professionalism and gain a competitive edge. Since the National Association of REALTORS® launched the program in 2018, it has served more than 60,000 NAR members. Earning and maintaining the C2EX endorsement fulfills NAR’s Code of Ethics training requirement. Visit C2EX.realtor for more information.

Congratulations to GCAAR's C2EX-endorsed members! Koki Adasi

Thai-Hung Nguyen

Jan Brito*

Jessica Olevsky

Thomas Brockett*

Shameeka Price*

LaCrisha Butler

Matthew Rathbun*

Jonathan Coles

Bonnie Roberts-Burke

Harold Huggins

Betty Spradley*

Kevin Hughes

Christopher Suranna

Tatianna Jackson*

Kevin Turner

Tammy Locher

John Young * Newly endorsed C2EX members

C2EX testimonials “The role of a REALTOR® is so unique; we hold everyone’s hands through transactions and major life events. It is thus imperative that we strive to provide the best services to all parties in the transaction and build goodwill in every interaction. The National Association of REALTORS®' C2EX program provides the perfect developmental step for REALTORS® in their continuous education toward becoming the best they can be. All REALTORS® would benefit from the thorough review of ethics, advocacy and regulations that C2EX provides. I found this course to be not only a great reminder of our Code of Ethics, but also a resource for new tools.” —Jessica Olevsky, Concierge Home Team of JPAR Preferred Properties

“I began my C2EX journey in September 2020, and it has been a wonderful experience— particularly its learning platforms, where you can touch up on your knowledge as a REALTOR® in so many categories. The category that stuck out to me the most was the Code of Ethics and the ‘pledge of performance and service,’ in which the REALTOR® agrees to abide by the Code of Conduct. C2EX is a great tool for all levels of REALTORS®, whether you are new or

well-seasoned, and I would recommend C2EX to any real estate professional.” —Tatianna Jackson, eXp Realty LLC

12 CAPITAL AREA REALTOR ® — November/December 2020

OWN YOUR PRESENT. EMPOWER YOUR FUTURE. You can lead the way. Commitment to Excellence empowers you to enhance and showcase your high level of professionalism. It gives you an advantage in an increasingly competitive market and shows consumers you’re committed to conducting business at the highest standard. Be committed to excellence.

Get started with this award winning program today at C2EX.realtor.

CAPITAL AREA REALTOR ® — September/October 2020 13

<xx< GCAAR REALTOR® Greg Masucci named national Good Neighbor Award winner

he National Association of REALTORS® has named GCAAR member Greg Masucci as one of its five 2020 Good Neighbor Award winners. NAR recognized Masucci for his work with A Farm Less Ordinary, an organization he and his wife co-founded in 2016 to employ young adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Massucci is a REALTOR® with Coldwell Banker Residential in Washington, D.C. and Atoka Properties in Purcellville, Va. At A Farm Less Ordinary, based in Bluemont, Va., young men and women learn to grow produce from seed to harvest, attend farmers’ markets as ambassadors for people with disabilities, and build their skills and confidence in a supportive environment. You can read more at magazine.realtor/GregMasucci. NAR’s Good Neighbor Awards honor 10 REALTORS® annually for making an extraordinary impact on their communities through volunteer work. Nominees are judged on their personal investment of time along with their financial and material contributions to benefit their cause. To be eligible, nominees must be NAR members in good standing. With the award, Masucci received a $10,000 grant for his charity and is being featured in NAR’s REALTOR® Magazine.

“I am proud to honor Greg Masucci for dedicating so much time and passion to providing opportunities for people with disabilities,” says NAR President Vince Malta. More information about the Good Neighbor Awards is available at www.realtor.org/gna.

14 CAPITAL AREA REALTOR ® — November/December 2020

SentriLock 2021 billing begins in January Plan ahead! Payment is due in February 2021 On Jan. 5, 2021, SentriLock will begin billing for its 2021 SentriLock annual service fee. Your GCAAR annual dues do not cover this fee—this is a separate expense. The cost is $135 for 2021, and payment is due by Sunday, Feb. 28, 2020. You will receive email notifications about your invoice, so please make sure SentriLock has the correct email address on file for you. For your security, SentriLock does not store your credit card information, which means you need to provide your payment information each year. You can pay your SentriLock fee in one of the following ways: • Online: Log on to lb.sentrilock.com/lbs and click on the gear icon next to your name in the top right corner. Then click on “SentriLock Cart” in the drop-down, and click the credit card button. Here you will be able to securely pay through SentriLock’s e-commerce network using a credit card. • Phone: To pay via phone, call SentriLock at 513-618-5800, or its toll-free number at 1-877-327-9606. Please make sure to have your SentriLock External ID ready. • Mail: You may pay by a check made out to SentriLock and mail it to the following address. With check payments, please include your SentriLock External ID on the payment. SentriLock LLC Attn: Agent Billing 7701 Service Center Dr. West Chester, OH 45069 As of 12:01 a.m. on Tuesday, March 2, 2021, SentriLock will suspend outstanding accounts and assess a $50 reinstatement fee to the account. Suspended accounts can be immediately reactivated via full payment to SentriLock.

SentriLock is going cardless in 2022: Are you ready? SentriLock will be going cardless in 2022. If you haven’t done so yet, please make sure to download the SentriKey app and familiarize yourself with it before SentriCards are discontinued. If you are having any difficulties with the SentriKey app that SentriLock has not yet been able to resolve, or you have other questions or concerns, please reach out to us by emailing MemberServices@gcaar.com. We always welcome your feedback and want to make sure you receive the assistance you need.

CAPITAL AREA REALTOR ® — November/December 2020

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<xx< Save the date for District of Columbia license renewals! As you’re making plans for 2021, don’t forget when broker and salesperson licenses are up for renewal in the district. • For brokers: Feb. 28, 2021 • For salespersons: Aug. 31, 2021 Be sure to regularly check GCAAR’s Class & Events Calendar, gcaar.com/calendar, for the most up-to-date listing of GCAAR’s upcoming CE, designation and certification classes!

How to navigate licensing reciprocity in the D.C. metropolitan area In the D.C. metropolitan area, it is very easy for potential clients and customers to cross over into Maryland, the District of Columbia and Virginia for their buying and selling needs. That means multiple licenses may be necessary for your business. Here are some reciprocity tips for members licensed in Maryland, the district and Virginia. Maryland only provides reciprocity with Pennsylvania & Oklahoma, but you can request an Out of State License Recognition from the Maryland Real Estate Commission. You will need an original letter of license certification showing your full licensing history from the state where you were first licensed and the state where you are currently licensed.

18 CAPITAL AREA REALTOR ® — November/December 2020

Send the original document to the MD Real Estate Commission within 30 days of the issue date, along with a personally signed cover letter, your mailing address and complete contact information, including an email address.

Send this information to: The Education Administrator Maryland Real Estate Commission 500 N. Calvert St. Baltimore, MD 21202-3651 The MD Real Estate Commission will let you know whether you qualify to register for the exam: “Education and experience from a home state are reviewed for transferability, individually for each applicant. Waivers may be offered only to active licensees.” How to obtain District of Columbia reciprocity, if you are licensed in MD and VA: • Complete a 3-hour DC Real Estate Commission-approved Fair Housing course before taking the district portion of the Salesperson exam. • Pass the district portion of the Salesperson exam. • Obtain an original letter of license certification from your original jurisdiction. The certification letter must be dated within 90 days of receipt and contain an official seal. • Submit an application for a license, along with the original letter of license certification, to the DC Real Estate Commission with the required fees within six months of passing the examination.

How to obtain VA reciprocity, if you are licensed in the district and MD: • You must have an active VA license. • Get fingerprinted for a background check. • Pass the VA portion of the Salesperson exam. • Obtain an original letter of license certification from your original jurisdiction. The certification letter must be dated within 60 days of receipt and contain an official seal. • Submit an application for a license, along with the original letter of license certification, to the VA Real Estate Commission.

Application must be received within 45 calendar days of the time the board receives the fingerprinting results.

For more information on reciprocity in each of these states, you can visit the following state licensing websites: Maryland: dllr.state.md.us/license/mrec/mrecout.shtml District of Columbia: dcopla.com/realestate/wp-content/uploads/sites/25/2019/04/DC-Salesperson-Guidelines-v2.pdf Virginia: dpor.virginia.gov/Boards/Real-Estate/How_to_Apply_Individual/

CAPITAL AREA REALTOR ® — November/December 2020

<xx< Understanding your REALTOR® insurance options The National Association of REALTORS® offers a plethora of insurance plans that can benefit you and your family.

he REALTORS® Insurance Place platform, formerly known as the REALTORS® Insurance Marketplace, provides plans for members that include health, dental and vision insurance coverage as well as telemedicine. They also have benefits specialists available to explain different options and discuss how to save on some of the costs of healthcare. You can find the following options among the available plans, though eligibility and availability vary by state:

• A private Major Medical Health Insurance Exchange, offering qualified health plans that meet the mandates of the Affordable Care Act. • A private Members Medicare Exchange. Medicare-eligible NAR members may use this exchange to explore supplemental Medicare insurance options and access an online resource center containing a variety of educational tools. • Flexible Term Health Insurance, designed to be an affordable temporary medical policy with a limited coverage period (up to 364 days in a calendar year). • Members TeleHealth, which provides access to licensed physicians through telephone, smartphone app, web chat or email, and offers a convenient and cost-effective way to get a diagnosis and treatment for non-emergency medical conditions. • Members Supplemental Health Plans, which is designed to be combined with major medical health insurance plans to help pay for services and out-of-pocket expenses that your regular insurance may not cover. Plans available include Accident Deductible Protection and REALTORS® Core Health Insurance.

20 CAPITAL AREA REALTOR ® — November/December 2020

• REALTORS® Dental Insurance, which is an exclusive group plan just for NAR members and their families, providing coverage for preventive, basic and major dental expenses with the dentist of your choice. • REALTORS® Vision Insurance, an exclusive group plan just for NAR members and their families. There are two guarantee-issue group plans available: a PPO option and a non-PPO option. Both provide great, competitive rates and include annual eye exam benefits and savings on frames, lenses and contact lenses. • For Pet Insurance, there are two plans available to choose from that provide reimbursement for covered pet healthcare costs. The plans offer varying levels of coverage for cats and dogs. • Drug Card America, a free discount pharmacy drug card that offers savings on select generic and name brand prescription drugs. • REALTORS® Group Life Insurance, an exclusive NAR member benefit with specially negotiated competitive rates. Your spouse or domestic partner is also eligible for this coverage. You can take this coverage with you if you switch your brokerages or job as long as your premiums are paid when due.

Various enrollment options are available for the District of Columbia, Virginia and Maryland.

The district allows for enrollment in the following plans: • REALTORS® Core Health Insurance • Members' Accident Protection

“We love helping NAR members get the coverage they need, in a timely way, for a price they can afford.” SHANNON KENNEDY, PRESIDENT AND CEO OF SASID

• REALTORS® Dental Insurance • REALTORS® Vision Insurance • Short Term Medical (Flexible Term Health) • Members TeleHealth

Maryland allows for enrollment in: • REALTORS® Core Health Insurance • Members' Accident Protection • REALTORS® Dental Insurance • REALTORS® Vision Insurance • Short Term Medical (Flexible Term Health) • Members TeleHealth

Virginia allows for enrollment in: • Short Term Medical (Flexible Term Health) • Members TeleHealth • Vision Insurance • Pet Health Insurance REALTOR® members may enroll in a plan through the REALTORS® Insurance Place website (nar.realtor/realtor-benefits-program) or by calling 877.267.3752. Members may also call for complimentary consultations and assistance with enrollment by phone. You can follow the REALTORS® Insurance Place on Facebook (facebook.com/REALTORSInsurancePlace) and Twitter (@realtorsinsura1) for daily updates on the types of coverage and special offers. “We love helping NAR members get the coverage they need, in a timely way, for a price they can afford,” says Shannon Kennedy, president and CEO of SASid, which administers the REALTORS® Insurance Place. “Member value is our mission with every plan and product that we offer through REALTORS® Insurance Place. We work with carriers and the NAR to provide offers designed to be cost-effective, and easy to obtain online or through a complimentary consultation with one of our licensed benefits specialists by phone at 877.267.3752.”

CAPITAL AREA REALTOR ® — November/December 2020

<xx<

Legal Hotline

By Chris Darby, Tom Muldoon and John Nalls of Counselors Title, LLC, and Pardo & Drazin, LLC, General Counsel

DISCLAIMER: The answers provided here are the opinion of the authors, are for informational purposes and are only for GCAAR members. Neither Counselors Title, LLC, nor Pardo & Drazin, LLC, is providing legal advice, but rather providing a general statement of law. No lawyer/client relationship is–or will be–established as a result of this material. Readers are encouraged to retain their own counsel for their specific questions. Answers may have been edited for formatting purposes. 22 CAPITAL AREA REALTOR ® — November/December 2020

QUESTION: I just ratified a contract for a client and used the GCAAR Montgomery County

Jurisdictional Addendum. My client is a first-time Maryland homebuyer and we clicked the box saying such, which also states the seller will pay all the taxes unless expressly stated otherwise. The title company is saying that, because we didn't write in explicitly that the seller pays the closing costs, then the costs are split 50-50. Could you please help in providing clarity as to how the language of that addendum is to be interpreted?

ANSWER:

Maryland law does provide that, unless agreed otherwise, the seller shall pay all local transfer and recordation taxes (as well as half of the state transfer tax). However, if the buyer is a first time Maryland homebuyer, the last sentence of Paragraph 3B2 (“TRANSFER AND RECORDATION TAXES”) of the Montgomery County Jurisdictional Addendum (GCAAR Form 1312) specifically provides: Buyer and Seller hereby expressly agree that payment of the recordation and local (county) transfer tax shall be shared equally between Buyer and Seller unless the space provided above in this subparagraph is completed specifying a different express agreement. (Note: In the event Buyer elects to pay all of state recordation tax and local county transfer tax, Seller must still pay the non-waived portion of the state transfer tax.) This language changes the presumption set up in the statute. Accordingly, the taxes should be shared equally based upon the language shown and the failure of the parties to specify how transfer and recordation taxes are to be paid.

QUESTION: How do I get an interpleader filed?

My seller client is requesting the Earnest Money Deposit (EMD) for a deal that failed to close, and the buyer’s broker and agent have not been responding. The EMD is held by the buyer’s broker.

ANSWER:

An interpleader action needs to be filed by the escrow agent identified in Paragraph 4 (“DEPOSIT”) of the GCAAR Sales Contract (GCAAR Form 1301), which is typically either the title company or one of the brokers involved in the transaction. While the contract allows the escrow agent the option to file an interpleader, it is usually a means of last resort, when all other efforts to get the parties to agree to a disposition have been exhausted. There is really no mechanism in place to force the escrow agent to file an interpleader, other than continuing to request that they do so because the parties will not be able to agree. If that doesn’t work, one of the parties could file an action seeking return of the deposit to try to force the issue. All of these are time-consuming and expensive options that should be avoided if possible. The contract does allow the escrow agent to request reimbursement for their cost and attorney’s fees in filing the interpleader action.

QUESTION: We need to serve the Tenant Opportunity to Purchase Act (TOPA) in connection with the sale of a single family property, but the purchasers will also be occupying and need to serve a 90-day notice to quit. How are the two related?

ANSWER: While these subjects are definitely intertwined, they are separate legal concepts and should

really be viewed as such. A current or former tenant may have rights as it relates to TOPA that would not necessarily be dependent upon their current or continued occupancy in a property. Contract purchasers, in conjunction with the seller, can provide tenants (after expiration of a lease term or for month-to-month tenancies) with a 90-day notice to vacate (see Form 13: https://dhcd.dc.gov/service/rent-control), should the buyer plan on occupying the property. The timeframes for these different notices may have a significant impact on closing, and the buyer’s occupancy dates should be considered.

CAPITAL AREA REALTOR ® — November/December 2020 23

<xx<

OWN YOUR PRESENT. EMPOWER YOUR FUTURE.

NAR responds to White House eviction moratorium The National Association of REALTORS® responded swiftly to administration efforts to universally prohibit evictions without considering the impact on America’s housing providers. REALTORS® understand the economic distress that families are feeling during this pandemic, and we applaud the effort to keep families in their homes. But while this eviction moratorium provides temporary relief to families, it places huge burdens on housing providers. NAR President Vince Malta met with Trump administration officials in mid-September to highlight our concerns and stress the need for a more sustainable long-term solution.

NAR research found 38% of REALTORS® own at least one rental property, and more than 40% of rental units nationally are owned by “mom-and-pop” owners who will struggle to pay bills in light of this decision. Without a sustainable solution, this executive orYou can lead the way. Commitment to Excellence you to enhance andcome showcase der could createempowers an eviction avalanche January, with effects across the American your high level of professionalism. It gives you an advantage in an increasingly competitive economy. market and shows consumers you’re committed to conducting business at the highest standard. Be committed to excellence. NAR continues to press Congress to enact legislation

that would instead provide emergency rental assistance programs directly to housing providers, and believes the best— Get started with this awand ard w inning pronly—way ogram todato y atbring C2EXrelief .realtoto r. America’s renter households without creating perhaps another crisis for property owners is through rental assistance.

Commitment to Excellence (C2EX) program celebrated with international awards NAR’s C2EX program has earned international recognition in the form of two Brandon Hall Group Awards in the “Excellence in Learning” category. This program, which was designed to help REALTORS® enhance and showcase their professionalism, is built around 10 competency areas (with a bonus 11th area for brokers), ranging from data privacy to customer service. Since its launch in 2018, C2EX has made a significant impact on our industry by helping more than 60,000 members build professionalism and gain a competitive edge in their field. C2EX offers a completely customized path to success based on your existing level of skill in each competency. Once you have completed each competency area, we’ll provide marketing materials, including a personalized endorsement certificate and social media messaging. Earning and maintaining the C2EX endorsement also fulfills NAR’s Code of Ethics training requirement. Visit C2EX.realtor from any device to get started. 24 CAPITAL AREA REALTOR ® — November/December 2020

Update on NAR’s fair housing efforts NAR believes fair housing protections are vital for creating thriving and inclusive communities across the U.S., and NAR is working to acknowledge and redress the harms caused by discrimination in American real estate. NAR created a Fair Housing Policy Committee and a Director of Fair Housing position, and promoted Andrea Moore to the newly created role of Vice President of Diversity, Inclusion & Talent Opportunity. Moore will work on initiatives to improve diversity and inclusion throughout NAR and across the industry. Bryan Greene, who spent 29 years with HUD and was its top official overseeing Fair Housing Act enforcement, will serve as the director of fair housing. As REALTORS®, we follow a strict Code of Ethics that defines us as professionals and explicitly prohibits any type of discrimination. And, as the largest trade association in the country, NAR pledges to continue to use its powerful voice to champion efforts that build more inclusive communities and encourage diversity within our industry.

Protecting the Qualified Opportunity Zones (“QOZ”) program NAR is focused on defending the QOZ program, which provides tax incentives for investing in underserved communities, known as “Opportunity Zones.” One of the few bipartisan tax initiatives in recent memory, the OZ program attracts new capital by allowing those with unrealized capital gains to roll such gains into an investment in an Opportunity Fund (i.e. a business operating in an Opportunity Zone). If the new investment is held for at least five years, capital gains taxes owed on the prior investment are reduced by 10%. If the investment is held for at least 10 years, any capital gains on the new investment become fully tax-free. NAR has supported legislation that would require a comprehensive, data-driven analysis of the OZ program, and continues to argue that the program benefits low-income communities. CAPITAL AREA REALTOR ® — November/December 2020 25

<xx< Announcing DCAR’s REALTOR® of the Year award winner:

Christopher Suranna

The District of Columbia Association of REALTORS® is proud to announce that Christopher Suranna is the recipient of the 2020 DCAR REALTOR® of the Year award. Licensed in the District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia, Chris, of RLAH Real Estate, has been selling real estate since 2004. He was the 2018 President of DCAR and currently sits on the GCAAR Board of Directors. Always seeking out new opportunities to grow, Chris has held volunteer positions on many committees at the local, state and national level. Chris most recently received his CIPS (Certified International Property Specialist) designation with NAR. As a REALTOR® Party major investor and President’s Circle member, he was also inducted into the National Association of REALTORS® RPAC Hall of Fame in 2019. He has been a top producer every year since entering the real estate profession. Working almost 100% by referral, he enjoys working with first-time homebuyers and clients relocating to the D.C. metropolitan area. Chris is the chairperson of the Advocacy and Public Policy Committee of the newly created national organization, the LGBTQ+ Real Estate Alliance. In his spare time, he enjoys traveling around the world exploring new cultures and cuisines.

Congratulations, Chris, on this monumental achievement!

Save the date for next year’s Maryland REALTORS® Annual Conference & Expo Maryland REALTORS® has announced its annual conference will return to Ocean City, MD, in 2021. Please save the dates of Oct. 12-14, 2021. The Clarion Fontainebleau will host the conference, and courses are being developed for educational tracks for newer agents, seasoned agents, brokers/managers, commercial/property management and more. Make sure to check the Maryland REALTORS® website (mdrealtor.org), social media and Maryland REALTOR® Magazine for more information on this event and other 2021 news.

26 CAPITAL AREA REALTOR ® — November/December 2020

5 Bright MLS tools

and tips to help you this winter As we all look toward 2021, the start of a new year can be the perfect time to get organized, streamline your work and take your prospecting to the next level. This may include exploring some of the features you haven’t used in Bright MLS before. Here are five Bright MLS tools and tips to help you in the coming months.

Take advantage of listing statuses: If your client plans to take their listing off the market this winter, there are two statuses you’ll want to consider. • Temporarily Off Market allows you to halt showings for a limited time while still marketing the property. During this time, days on market (DOM) and cumulative days on market (CDOM) will be paused, and it will not reset. • For sellers who may want to take their property off the market for a longer period of time, the Withdrawn status is your best choice. After 60 days have passed it can be entered as a new listing (don’t forget to set the old listing to Canceled), and the DOM/CDOM will be reset to zero.

2. Bright contacts: Not sure which clients you should target next? Your saved contacts should be your first

stop for prospecting. Log into Bright and from the “Clients” menu, select “Contacts” under “Email.” You can filter by “Last Use” or “Last Portal Visit” and find clients you worked with at any point in the past four-plus years. You’ll be able to glance through and create a list of leads to reach out to in the months ahead.

Sell score with Remine Pro: Knowing who your contacts are is just the first step. Once you have your contact list, how can you determine who might be financially ready to sell? Visit bright.remine. com and search for your clients’ properties. View their sell score and mortgage information to help identify those who may be in a financial position to sell and those who may be waiting a few more years.

4. Add mortgage information with RatePlug: Get a head start on potential home financing concerns by giving your clients accurate monthly home payment estimates up front. Included as part of your Bright subscription, RatePlug allows you to add mortgage information from your trusted lenders to any of your client automated emails, and it features an interactive mortgage calculator right within the email. From the “Clients” menu in Bright, click the RatePlug link under “Email.” 5. Screen prospective tenants online with RentSpree: If you work with rental properties, RentSpree can help you manage the tenant application and screening process all together—which means you won’t have to gather paper lease applications or wait to receive credit scores, background checks and eviction reports by mail. It’s free to use and returns results within minutes. Learn more at brightmls.rentspree.com.

CAPITAL AREA REALTOR ® — November/December 2020 27

<xx< Nadia Evangelou, NAR Research

Wrapping up 2020: The state of housing and the economy in the District of Columbia metropolitan area

his year, amidst the previously unimaginable pandemic that we’re living through, one in three adults substituted some or all of their typical in-person work for telework, compared to one in 20 adults who worked remotely before the pandemic, according to U.S. Census data.

With many people adjusting to the “new norm” and 2020 coming to an end, let’s take a look at the conditions of the economic market and the housing market––in the District of Columbia metropolitan area and beyond.

Employment Because millions of people lost their jobs as a result of emergency shutdown orders, unemployment was undoubtedly one of this year’s biggest challenges for the economy. In the beginning of April, when most states were under stay-at-home orders, more than 6 million people filed for unemployment benefits, and the nation’s unemployment rate rose to 14.4% from a pre-pandemic rate of less than 3.5%, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Six months later, both the number of new filers for unemployment and the unemployment rate has dropped substantially: The number of new filers dropped below 800,000, while the unemployment rate fell below 8% in September. In the DC metropolitan area, employment grew 2.2% in September compared to May, recovering 22% of the jobs lost due to the pandemic.

Housing market The housing market’s recent recovery is truly remarkable. While activity paused for the first couple of months when the pandemic started, home-buying activity increased continuously from June through October. Both existing and new-home sales have already risen to higher than pre-pandemic levels. Specifically, existing home sales rose by 21% in September compared to a year prior, to 6.54 million, according to NAR. This is the highest level of sales activity since the end of 2006. In the meantime, the strong momentum in the housing market is expected to continue for the rest of the year. Data shows there is a very strong pent-up demand, as contract signings were up 21% from a year earlier in the second week of October. 28 CAPITAL AREA REALTOR ® — November/December 2020

At the local level, the housing market is also outperforming itself compared to previous months, with home-buying activity that is higher than in pre-pandemic months in both the district and Montgomery County. Home sales rose 56% in the district and 42% in Montgomery County while home prices increased 11% and 14% in the district and Montgomery County, respectively, according to Bright MLS. Inventory is more limited than ever in much of the country, Montgomery County included, pushing prices up, but in the district housing inventory increased 31% in September compared to a year earlier.

Source: Bright MLS

Mortgage rates Mortgage rates

Mortgage rates have reached a new record low 11 times this year, and stabilized near record lows below 3% for more than rates four months. a result, a the 30-year fixed low rate 11 times this year, and Mortgage have As reached new record declined more than 80 basis points from the first week of 2020 to the present. But 3% for more than fouryear. months. a result, the rates could fall even further before the end of the With theAs Federal Reserve to 30-year fixed rate decl hold interest rates steady at near-0% through 2023, mortgage rates are expected from the first week of 2020 to the present. But rates could fall even fu to continue to hover near record lows. This significant change can keep interest rates low for longer periods, translate into both of cheaper Withwhich the could Federal Reserve to long holdperiods interest rates steady at near-0% thro mortgages and a stronger housing market.

expected to continue to hover near record lows. This significant chang

These ultra-low mortgage rates make home-buying more attractive, lowering the borrowing cost for many homebuyers. For which instance, although median home longer periods, could translate into prices both long periods of cheape rose to $640,000 by 11% in the district, the qualifying income is still lower than a year earlier when mortgagehousing rates weremarket. 80 basis points higher. The qualifying income to buy a typical home in the district was $100,000 in September, compared to $101,000 a year earlier. These ultra-low mortgage rates make home-buying more attractive, lo

many homebuyers. For instance, although median home prices rose to CAPITAL AREA REALTOR â&#x20AC;&#x201D; November/December 2020 29 the qualifying income is still lower than a year earlier when mortgage ÂŽ

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Thank you, GCAAR President Danai Mattison Sky and 2020 board leadership!

Looking back on 2020 A

s the year winds down, we’re taking a look back at the accomplishments that we’re most proud of this year. Our GCAAR leadership, staff—and you, our members—have all worked together to make this a successful year for our association, which is all the more incredible given the unprecedented restrictions that came into play in response to the global pandemic. Some of this year’s highlights include: • Creating a COVID-19 Addendum to the GCAAR Sales Contract to further protect our clients, thanks to the swift efforts of our Forms Committee. • Providing access to GCAAR store inventory through UPS shipping and curbside pickups in our District of Columbia and Rockville offices. • Putting together a COVID FAQs Leadership Video Series, with the help of our GCAAR Executive Committee and Board of Directors. • Re-imagining the New Member Orientation and transitioning all of our classes to a virtual format.

We also kept up with our regular work and met our goals, undeterred by the pandemic: • With the help of our Government Affairs team, we advocated for Tenant Opportunity to Purchase Act (TOPA) adjustments and ensured documents could still be filed in Montgomery County; we also testified and advocated to prevent recordation tax increases. • We launched the first annual GCAAR Good Neighbor Award to recognize GCAAR members for their commitment to community service. • We hosted our first-ever, virtual, five-day REALTOR® Fest––a record-breaking event complete with continuing education classes, panel discussions, professional development webinars and a happy hour— organized and marketed in less than three months.

30 CAPITAL AREA REALTOR ® — November/December 2020

Two of our other major accomplishments, thanks to our GCAAR leadership and staff, were the launch of the GCAAR Cares Emergency Relief Program and the History & Power of Real Estate webinar series. • The GCAAR Cares Emergency Relief Program was created to support members who have been personally impacted by COVID-19. We’ve already been able to help close to a dozen members in need, as of this publication. • We established the History & Power of Real Estate webinar series to educate our membership about the history of racism in U.S. housing policy and how we can use that knowledge to further anti-racism efforts in our industry. As our 2020 president Danai Mattison Sky noted in her letter at the beginning of this issue, these initiatives are both an essential part of making sure GCAAR is “leading with compassion and empathy,” and giving back to our REALTOR® community. Through all of this, we can’t thank Danai and our 2020 GCAAR Board leadership enough for their excellent leadership and hard work to bring all of us together to continue serving you in the best ways that we can. Here are some other ways GCAAR is reflecting on what we’ve all accomplished together this year.

Looking back at GCAAR’s public advocacy amid the pandemic While you were hard at work finding the best ways to maintain and adapt your business operations this year, GCAAR’s Government Affairs team worked with local and state officials to ensure you could do so safely and securely. We successfully advocated for the reopening of the Montgomery County Circuit Court Land Records Office to keep real estate transactions running smoothly, and we ensured Maryland and the District of Columbia kept key real estate-related activities classified as essential activities and/or allowed with new precautions. The pandemic brought with it an unprecedented need to move our educational courses online, particularly as we planned our first-ever virtual REALTOR® Fest. With the help of other local Maryland associations, as well as Maryland REALTORS®, GCAAR lobbied the Maryland Real Estate Commission to increase the limits on virtual class attendance and ease overly restrictive regulations. This allowed us to offer not just a full schedule of classes to our members, but more classes and credits than ever before. On the local legislative front, GCAAR has been working tirelessly to oppose tax increases in Montgomery County. GCAAR leadership testified at the Planning Board as well as at the County Council hearings on the matter, and we’ve met with all county councilmember offices on the issue. And with the help of NAR’s Advocacy Everywhere team, we launched successful Call For Action campaigns to help drive the message home for our councilmembers. Stay tuned for updates in the new year, as our efforts to protect your businesses during the pandemic and the industry from higher taxes continue.

Looking back and celebrating GCAAR members’ community spirit GCAAR was forced to pause volunteer efforts when the COVID-19 pandemic hit the D.C. metropolitan region in March, but those efforts resumed in July and continued through Thanksgiving. GCAAR members sorted and packed food at Martha’s Table in July, then packaged food for distribution to those in need at the Capital Area Food Bank in September. In October, volunteers prepared and packaged food at Food & Friends. GCAAR members also contributed to a Thanksgiving Food Drive hosted by Horton’s Kids throughout October and November. While that drive continued, volunteers worked with Comfort Cases to pack backpacks of essential and comfort items for children entering the foster care system. In total, GCAAR volunteered with five different nonprofit organizations from July through November, working to provide food and goods to adults and children in need throughout the region.

We’re proud of the services and support we’ve been able to provide and the innovations we’ve shared with our GCAAR community this year. We look forward to continuing to serve you in 2021! CAPITAL AREA REALTOR ® — November/December 2020 31

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August

Welcome, new REALTOR® members! We are pleased that you have chosen to join our association. GCAAR is your voice for real estate issues in Montgomery County, Maryland and the District of Columbia. We offer venues for networking to enable you to connect with your peers and exchange best practices. We invite you to take full advantage of your benefits as a member.

Patrick Cornelius

Danielle Y. Herrera-Edwards

William M. Medley

Juana I. Sanchez

Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc.

Samson Properties

Heymann Realty, LLC

Craig R. Abney

Keller Williams Realty Chantilly Ventures, LLC

Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc.

Emillie DeBoissiere

Elrita R. Houston

Juan A. Mercedes

Leslie Y. Sanchez

Bennett Realty Solutions

eXp Realty, LLC

Fairfax Realty Premier

Michael A. Adeshoga

Compass

Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc.

Chris M. Dorsey

Connie Y. Hu

Jane J. Morrison

Manjit Singh

Prestige Realty LLC

Keller Williams Realty McLean

Independent Realty, Inc.

Cheryl A. Aiello

Century 21 New Millennium

Keller Williams Capital Properties

Danielle A. Dycks

Gregory A. Jackson

Juan M. Munoz

Insuk Sung

Keller Williams Capital Properties

Taylor Properties

New Star First Realty, LLC

Nicole L. Andrews

Samson Properties

Compass

Shaun E. Ferrari

Abdolreza Jahanbani

Andrew C. Murray

TTR Sotheby’s International Realty

Amina K. Sylla

Dawn J. Armstrong

Samson Properties

Douglas Realty LLC

Shade R. Fleming

Jeffrey A. Johnson

Robert L. Nelson, Jr. Keller Williams Realty Reston

Tiffany N. Bailey-Washington

Compass

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices PenFed Realty

Fairfax Realty Premier

Michael Fortune

Uros Joksimovic

Keller Williams Capital Properties

Betty J. Baron

Source One Realty LLC

Samson Properties

Lauren E. Fox

Suhair H. Judi

RE/MAX Realty Services

Smart Realty, LLC

Terrence D. Gadson

Gilbert R. Kall

Coldwell Banker Realty

eXp Realty, LLC

Richard D. Garcia

Mai R. Karadsheh

Keller Williams Capital Properties

Weichert REALTORS®

Javier E. Garza

Arshia S. Kia

Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc.

KW Metro Center

Shatra M. Gholson

Alicia Kihlander

Samson Properties

TTR Sotheby’s International Realty

Sharon K. Gilbert

Michelle Kim

Sharon K. Gilbert

Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc.

Adelina Gilmanova

Jeannie J. Kim

Douglas Realty, LLC

Keller Williams Capital Properties

Matthew P. Gorman

Richard F. Kramer

RE/MAX Professionals

Rick Kramer Real Estate

Martha I. Gozalo

Frank Mangum

Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc.

Frank Mangum Realty, Inc.

Thea C. Graham

Larry P. Mark

Coldwell Banker Realty

G&G Group, LLC

Jesse R. Greaves

Agustin S. Martinez

Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc.

Spring Hill Real Estate

Christopher K. Harold

Michele L. McCarty

Chambers Theory, LLC

Redfin Corporation

Jessica L. Hastings

Collin W. McKinstrie

Weichert REALTORS®

Samson Properties

Yessenia D. Herrera

Brandon L. McLaughlin

Smart Realty, LLC

Pearson Smith Realty

KW Metro Center

Max Bennink Compass

Samuel D. Blesi Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc.

Leanne C. Bonter The ONE Street Company

David M. Buckley Keller Williams Realty McLean

Tekla Bucur Urban Igloo, LLC

Samantha A. Carter Coldwell Banker Realty

Rickeeda L. Carter Bennett Realty Solutions

Katie R. Cawood Keller Williams Capital Properties

Jon J. Chamberlain Old Line Properties LLC

Beverly P. Chang Coldwell Banker Realty

Gabriele Ciner Keller Williams Capital Properties

George R. Connor Ten Thousand Realty

Carla C. Cornejo Smart Realty, LLC

32 CAPITAL AREA REALTOR ® — November/December 2020

Steve M. Noumbissi Richard O. Nyachiro Weichert REALTORS®

Richard O'Brien Keller Williams Capital Properties

Jessica F. Odrich TTR Sotheby's International Realty

Adeyemi A. Odunlami New Concept Realty Services

Maiki Paul Samson Properties

Nicholas Portelli Redfin Corporation

Erick E. Quiroz Pinto Century 21 New Millennium

Jaime H. Ramirez Samson Properties

Christine R. Reams Weichert REALTORS®

Andrea E. Rizkallah Rosado Fairfax Realty Premier

Xaviera V. Rosado Fairfax Realty Premier

Sherif H. Saeed Weichert REALTORS®

Franklyn J. Salas Keller Williams Capital Properties

Malek Sima Z. Samiy Coldwell Banker Realty

HomeSmart

Kiara S. Tate KW Metro Center

Bryce G. Thompson Donna Kerr Group

India M. Trimmer Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc.

Alexandru Turcan Pearson Smith Realty

Trevaris J. Tutt Occupy Real Estate Group, LLC

Krishnakumar C. Vadakuttil Weichert REALTORS®

Woodford S. VanMeter Redfin Corporation

Ashley Vonada Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc.

Yining Wang Union Plus Realty, Inc.

Charlotte R. Waters Roberta & Co. Real Estate

Sarah J. Westney Compass

Jonathan C. White Keller Williams Capital Properties

Stephanie P. Williams Keller Williams Realty

Thomas H. Xosa Metro Star Realty LLC

September Veronica O. Acha Ngwodo Samson Properties

Jasmine Adjetey Coldwell Banker Realty

Bekwele I. Amadi Fairfax Realty Elite

Andrea Andrejic Avery-Hess REALTORS®

Christine N. Dietrich

Caitlin M. James

Gene E. McKevie

Hayma T. Rajamani

Justin M. Walsh

Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc.

eXp Realty, LLC

Weichert REALTORS®

Keller Williams Preferred Prop

Weichert REALTORS®

Dana B. Drew

Samantha James

Rachael P. McMillan

Richard Reed

Monique M. Wehausen

Keller Williams Capital Properties

Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc.

Compass

Samson Properties

SRG National Harbor, LLC

John Edwards

Jesse J. Jaramillo

Tina L. Melichar

Laura B. Reif

Jesse D. Wilensky

Nitro Realty

Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc.

Compass

Courtney Jenkins

Yolanda G. Menjivar-Vasquez

Misty Roane

Pennylane G. Wilks

KW Metro Center

Coldwell Banker Realty

Kristin Rodriguez

Stephen Wolff

Keller Williams Capital Properties

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices PenFed

Marsha L. Romero

Timnah Yefet

Fathom Realty

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices PenFed Realty

Pearson Smith Realty

Manuel D. Ferrufino eXp Realty, LLC

Carlos E. Flores

Diran Balogun

RLAH Real Estate

Keller Williams Capital Properties

Maricris D. Flores

Navid Bastani eXp Realty LLC

Denise R. Beaudoin

Pearson Smith Realty

Diana L. Flores Coldwell Banker Realty

Keller Williams Capital Properties

Stephanie P. Forbes

Jamaal F. Beazer

Marybeth G. Fraser

Exit Landmark Realty

Coldwell Banker Realty

KW Metro Center

Ashley M. Bennett

Stephen J. Gabauer

Keller Williams Capital Properties

Century 21 New Millennium

Erica L. Boyd

Keller Williams Realty Centre

Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc.

Kenia V. Garcia Melody R. Goodman

RE/MAX Elite Services

Keller Williams Capital Properties

Melinda A. Burke

Nicholas Greek

Josie W. Bulitt

Compass

Jordan Chapman Pearson Smith Realty

Oksoon H. Choi Fairfax Realty, Inc.

Sandy S. Choi Avery-Hess REALTORS®

Fabio Chung Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices PenFed Realty

Patricia Ann Clark-Jackson eXp Realty, LLC

Christan R. Constantine Century 21 Redwood Realty

Amylex P. Conteh Living In Style Real Estate

Billy W. Cullipher Coldwell Banker Realty

Kunlavee Dangcham eXp Realty, LLC

Daan De Raedt Property Collective Partners, LLC

Maura R. De Raedt Property Collective Partners, LLC

Bianca DeStout

Pearson Smith Realty

Daniel W. Jette Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc.

Devin L. Merritt

Anthony J. Johnson

Keller Williams Capital Properties

ERA Realty Group

Analissa Johnson Samson Properties

De Wayne C. Jolly eXp Realty, LLC

Andrew T. Jones eXp Realty, LLC

Darcel K. Jones Weichert REALTORS®

Michele S. Jones Coldwell Banker Realty

Jordan Judd Avanti Real Estate

Christopher Junior eXp Realty, LLC

Keller Williams Capital Properties

Susan K. Kash

Felecia C. Green Brissett

Joshua L. Kenes

Compass

Weichert REALTORS®

Century 21 Redwood Realty

Mohamed L. Hammami

Katie King

Keller Williams Realty Falls

Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc.

Dietrick E. Hart

Charles A. Krampf

Redfin Corporation

Reed Haynie

Weichert REALTORS®

TTR Sotheby's International Realty

Rachel M. Miller Execuhome Realty

Keyna Mitchell Samson Properties

Melissa A. Morales Century 21 New Millennium

Noelia Y. Morris eXp Realty, LLC

Dawn S. Myles Keller Williams Capital Properties

Riva I. Neam NextHome Envision

Hannah S. Nielsen Compass

Arinzechukwu Ofodile Coldwell Banker Realty

Anthony Paolini Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc.

Andrew S. Rubin RE/MAX Realty Centre, Inc.

Soo C. Shin New Star First Realty, LLC

Charles F. Shuford Exit Landmark Realty

Gurvinder Singh Fairfax Realty, Inc.

Karla Smith

October Michael L. Albrittain The Albrittain Group LLC

Riki Alkoby HomeSmart

Adolat Almetova

Exit Landmark Realty

Keller Williams Capital Properties

Craig B. Smith

Eva K. Anifantis

Living In Style Real Estate

TTR Sotheby's International Realty

Shanita Stinnett The Agency Maryland, LLC

Leslie J. Backoff

Jarod K. Stokes

TTR Sotheby's International Realty

Keller Williams Capital Properties

Jillian Stringer

Frederic Ball RLAH Real Estate

TTR Sotheby's International Realty

Leroy W. Battle

Keller Williams Realty

John W. Pascoe

Karen L. Sutson

Brandon Bedford

Weichert REALTORS®

Bennett Realty Solutions

Coldwell Banker Realty

Lucas Pekarski

Bonnie A. Sweet

Ana K. Bejarano

KW Metro Center

Weichert REALTORS®

Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc.

Evani A. Perez

Jonathan Tenjo

Alicia Benderly

Eluvial Realty

RE/MAX Advantage Realty

Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc.

Amsley M. Pietranton

Petena Thomas

Jason C. Berto

Pier Associates Real Estate

Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc.

Yoav Pinto

Tracy M. Thompson

Keller Williams Capital Properties

RE/MAX Elite Services

Keller Williams Capital Properties

Sara A. Birberso

Marcia P. Turk

Bradley J. Boland

Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc.

Keller Williams Realty

Phyllis B. Papkin

Urban Development Ventures

Keller Williams Capital Properties

Robert W. Kuletz

Heather N. Henson

Mona Lawson

McEnearney Associates, Inc.

Samson Properties

Keith Herrmann

Caroline C. Lesousky

Keller Williams Realty Falls

Compass

Summer J. Hine

Saaheb S. Mahant

McEnearney Associates, Inc.

S 4 Realty, LLC

Daniel C. Hixon

Mohammad Makhmalbaf

Keller Williams Realty

RE/MAX Success

Nick Hurson

Ronald M. Manning

Kelsey Bolze

Redfin Corporation

TTR Sotheby's International Realty

Sheri L. Turnbow

Argent Realty, LLC

Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc.

Keller Williams Realty

Marcus Jackson

Margarethy Martins

Georgiana S. Tyler

Jack Buchen

Smart Realty, LLC

Joshua J. Prouty

Keller Williams Capital Properties

Century 21 Redwood Realty

Coldwell Banker Realty

Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc.

Brittany Jacoby

RE/MAX Town Center

Hassan Rahmani

Donovan J. Tyson

Keller Williams Realty Reston

Compass

Keller Williams Realty

Clifford T. McCormick

Douglas J. Porter Coldwell Banker Realty

Jacqueline R. Prince

KW Metro Center

Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc.

Coldwell Banker Realty CAPITAL AREA REALTOR ® — November/December 2020 33

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Lester D. Butts, III

Sean M. Firestone

Moise K. Kakou

Waris Mojaddidi

Tamara S. Ross

Keller Williams Capital Properties

Weichert REALTORS®

Coldwell Banker Realty

Douglas Realty, LLC

RE/MAX Allegiance

Frederick C. Cain

Julius Gamble, Jr.

Robert E. Kenney

Gustavo Molina, Jr.

James M. Sabol

At Home Real Estate, LLC

Coldwell Banker Realty

KW Metro Center

Pearson Smith Realty

Melanie B. Cantwell

Xiaoling Gao

In C. Kim

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices PenFed Realty

Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc.

Redfin Corporation

Signature Home Realty, LLC

Shawn P. Mountgordon

Weichert REALTORS®

Jade Carter KW Metro Center

Geoffrey T. Chesman Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc.

Erin Clark Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc.

Elexxus M. Clarke Exit Deluxe Realty

Suzanne M. Collins NextHome Envision

Nicholas M. Collins Nhabit Real Estate Co.

Laurel M. Constantine Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc.

Maria Contos TTR Sotheby's International Realty

Ricardo L. Cooper Samson Properties

Jahmari A. Cooper III Keller Williams Capital Properties

Catherine T. Coridan Keller Williams Realty

Christine M. Cornejo-Harvey Keller Williams Realty

Diana Cortijo Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc.

Todd L. Crain Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc.

Kristeal D. Cunningham Samson Properties

Janaya M. Davis Avery-Hess REALTORS®

Gurpratap S. Deo Samson Properties

Milton Diaz Coldwell Banker Realty

Alissa J. Dillon Redfin Corporation

Barbara A. DiPietro Nhabit Real Estate Co.

Mark C. Downs Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc.

Elliott Emuh Altruist Realty, LLC

Francis P. Fernandez De Castro

Amina L. Garrett

Cheryl R. Kincaid

eXp Realty, LLC

Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc.

Lawrence C. Garrett

Mariana Koegel

Compass

Bennett Realty Solutions

Victoria M. Glakas

Varun Kohli

Keller Williams Realty Chantilly Ventures, LLC

Redfin Corporation

Holly P. Glass

RE/MAX Realty Centre, Inc.

TTR Sotheby's International Realty

Prokash W. Gomes Samson Properties

Nancy A. Gordon KW Metro Center

Lori Graham Keller Williams Realty

Nadia Green eXp Realty, LLC

Nishika Green HomeSmart

Camille E. Kolick Thomas Kolker Keller Williams Realty McLean

Brett J. Korade Keller Williams Realty Reston

Joseph M. Kotula Washington Fine Properties

Sanjay Lakhmani Keller Williams Capital Properties

Jeanne D. Langdon Washington Fine Properties

Arlene A. Layfield

Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc.

Joseph A. Muldoon Compass

Temeka L. Mumford Keller Williams Preferred Prop

Mark Nabity Samson Properties

Daniel T. Najafi Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc.

Deepak Nathani eXp Realty LLC

Quintin M. Nichols Keller Williams Capital Properties

Willard Oakley Compass

Daphne Paisible Keller Williams Capital Properties

Brittney J. Parker Coldwell Banker Realty

Denise L. Parsons

Samson Properties

Keller Williams Realty Chantilly Ventures, LLC

Susan Griffith

Christopher J. Lee

Tiffany M. Payne

Bennett Realty Solutions

Parlay Real Estate, LLC

RE/MAX Success

Claudia Grinius

Monica Leid

Howard Pedlar

Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc.

Samson Properties

Colin W. Gunderson

Donna M. Lewis

Nicole Petersen

Keller Williams Realty

Keller Williams Capital Properties

TTR Sotheby's International Realty

Linda Hamafari

Rossana MacDonald

Monique Pierce

Karen R. Greenidge Parker

RE/MAX Realty Group

Ann S. Hayward Coldwell Banker Residential

Graciela C. Henriquez Keller Williams Capital Properties

Vail Henry Realty One Group Capital Properties

Jesus O. Herrera Martinon First Decision Realty

Jonathan K. Holland SRG National Harbor, LLC

Craig A. Horness Compass

Britney A. Joseph Executive Investment Realty, LLC

Rany A. Justin Keller Williams Realty

Keller Williams Capital Properties 34 CAPITAL AREA REALTOR ® — November/December 2020

Hagan Realty, LLC

Coldwell Banker Realty

G&G Group LLC

Eduardo M. Machado

James P. Podoley

Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc.

Coldwell Banker Realty

Sharon E. Martlock

Charonda D. Pryor

HomeSmart

Keller Williams Alexandria

Morgan McAuliffe

Lintoya T. Ramgeet Anuniru

Compass

Weichert REALTORS®

Justin D. McNeal

Tyler S. Ramlal

Keller Williams Capital Properties

Samson Properties

Gabriel L. Melrod

James Ricciuti

Redfin Corporation

Century 21 Redwood Realty

Peter M. Merriam

Robin K. Rice

Keller Williams Alexandria

Compass

Eduardo M. Miranda

Damaris J. Rosales

Compass

Exit Landmark Realty

Karen Miranda

Jason J. Rosenwach

Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc.

Yannick K. Mitheo Keller Williams Capital Properties

Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc.

Maria R. Salguero Ruth Schilling Compass

Kristian S. Sheils Avery-Hess REALTORS®

Melanie Sholl Keller Williams Realty #29

Mary C. Soltesz Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc.

Steven F. Sontheimer Bankable Realty, LLC

Emily M. Sower Washington Fine Properties

Jasmine M. Spruill Coldwell Banker Realty

Shawnda Steward Compass

Ben C. Suarez The ONE Street Company

Yasha Taginya Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc.

Brandii N. Taylor-Daniels Century 21 Redwood Realty

Fikirte Tesfaye Samson Properties

Pamela A. Thompson Exit Realty Center

Mica R. Varga Realty One Group Capital Properties

Van P. Vaughn Coldwell Banker Realty

Soumya D. Veerachandran Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc.

Yunia M. Velasquez Elan Real Estate, Inc.

Alicia S. Walker Century 21 New Millennium

Blair A. Woodson The Agency Maryland, LLC

Cynthia R. Woolbright NK Real Estate Group

Douglas G. Young Pearson Smith Realty

Mawugnon D. Zouhongbe Keller Williams Capital Properties

Thank you to our 2020 Major and Large RPAC investors Golden “R“

Ed Krauze Carole Maclure Frank Pietranton, Jr. Bonnie Roberts-Burke Dale Ross Chris Suranna Holly Worthington Crystal “R“

Jamie Coley Fred Kendrick Mike Moran Sterling “R“

Koki Adasi Avi Adler Wendy Banner Stacey Barton Fred Bates Elizabeth Blakeslee Lisa Bosse Jan Brito Charles Burger

Catherine Czuba Tom Daley David DeSantis Melinda Estridge Greg Ford Scott Goldberg Katherine Gordon Brandon Green Harold Huggins Franklin Jamison Colin Johnson Angela Jones Justin Levitch Kymber Lovett-Menkiti Peg Mancuso Dale Mattison Samuel Medvene Bo Menkiti Katalin Peter Jean Poitevien Philip Raskin Leigh Reed Marj Rosner Bradley Rothstein

Rob Rothstein Daniel Schuler Andres Serafini Dianah Shaw Jason Sherman Ellie Shorb Danai Mattison Sky Brenda Small Jennifer Smira Frank Snodgrass Marty Stanton Kirsten Williams Capital Club ($250-$999)

Abeer Abou Elmakarem Christine Barnhart M. Jacqueline Bennett Russell Brazil Kevin Brunell Carolyn Burns Lori Connor Samantha Damato Lauren Davis

Realtor Party ®

Joe Detrick Tony DeVol Lauren Donnelly Carlos Evans Michael Fowler Jennifer Frewer Jeffrey Ganz Carlos Garcia Lee Goldstein Gwen Henderson Robert Jenets Michael Joseph Linda Kibunja Peter Locker KT Maclure Tony Mancuso Hank May Thomas Muldoon Barbara Nalls Betty Pair JD Teitelman Stephen Withrow

•

RPAC INVESTOR TESTIMONIAL: “I’ve been involved in RPAC for over 10 years. RPAC helps ensure our country's leaders are protecting the rights of homeownership and everyone in our entire real estate community. It’s protecting my livelihood as well as the others around me. Over the years there have been so many significant wins that have been directly related to RPAC and its leadership. Currently, the fact that REALTORS®, lenders, title agents and our associated organizations are still able to conduct business in this pandemic is proof that the committee works. Investing yearly in RPAC is helping me ensure that we can continue to have strong, smart leadership looking out for our industry.” — JOE DETRICK, CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER OF THE PRIVATELY HELD TITLE FIRM CLASSIC SETTLEMENTS

CAPITAL AREA REALTOR ® — November/December 2020 35

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Join the Join the Join the LARGEST LARGEST LARGEST Independent Independent Independent Brokerage in Brokerage in Brokerage in Maryland Maryland Maryland

00% 1 % 0 ION 0% S 1 S I N 0 M O 10COM SOIN S I M I S COM MIS COM

100% commission for $49/mon 100% commission $49/month 85% commission for $0/mon 100% commission forfor $49/month 85% commission for $0/month 85% commission for $0/month

100% Commission on 2 Sales – (3% of $300,000) x 2 100% Commissionon on22Sales Sales– –(3% (3%ofof$300,000) $300,000) 100% Commission x 2x 2 Monthly Broker Fee (No Agent Transaction Fees) MonthlyBroker BrokerFee Fee(No (NoAgent AgentTransaction Transaction Fees) Monthly Fees)

$18,000 $18,000 $18,000 - $49 $49 - $49

Your Monthly Income Your MonthlyIncome Income Your Monthly

• Commission paid same day as settlement Commission paidsame sameday dayasassettlement settlement • Full broker service ••Commission paid Fullbroker broker service • Seminars by industry leaders ••Full service Seminars byindustry industry leaders • Open your own branch at no extra cost ••Seminars by leaders Openyour yourown ownbranch branchatatno noextra extracost cost ••Open

$17,951 $17,951 $17,951

• Set your own commission rates • Set your own commission rates • In-House lender and title company • Set your own commission rates • In-House lender and title company • Training/mentoring program • In-House lender and title company • Training/mentoring program • In-House Continuing Education • Training/mentoring program • In-House Continuing Education • In-House Continuing Education

Office Locations Office Locations Office Locations Annapolis, Bethesda, Silver Spring, Columbia and Bowie (NEW OFFICES) Annapolis, and Bowie (NEW OFFICES) Annapolis,Bethesda, Bethesda,Silver SilverSpring, Spring,Columbia Columbia and Bowie (NEW OFFICES)

LicensedMD, in MD, DC VA, DC and now PENNSYLVANIA Licensed Licensedin in MD,VA, VA, DCand andnow nowPENNSYLVANIA PENNSYLVANIA Call Today (800) 590-0925 www.TaylorProperties.co/careers Call www.TaylorProperties.co/careers CallToday Today(800) (800)590-0925 590-0925 www.TaylorProperties.co/careers CAPITAL AREA REALTOR ® — May/June 2020

Capital Area REALTOR® Nov/Dec 2020

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