Weekly E-Update           March 16, 2010

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Announcements/Events
MLS Updates
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Click here for a list of upcoming events

Next Monday TAR’s Annual Membership Meeting/Bylaws Amendment Notice
Network with other Association members at the Annual Membership Meeting on March 22 from 2pm to 4pm here at TAR! Meet TAR’s new CEO, Philip Tedesco and get the latest scoop from your Association’s committee chairs. Also, hear from TAR Board of Director’s candidates (the election will be in April) and vote on bylaw amendments. Register online by clicking here. Click here to read the Bylaws Amendments Notice from TAR President Bob Herd.

Candidate Applications Being Accepted
Are you interested in serving your Association as a member of the TAR or AAR Board of Directors? Applications are being accepted for: TAR President-elect, TAR Vice President, TAR Treasurer, TAR REALTOR® Director, TAR Affiliate Director and AAR Director. Click here for the Candidate Application. Contact Cheri at cheri@tucsonrealtors.org  if you have questions about the upcoming election.

NEW Affiliates! AZ Daily Star Advertising Opportunity
The REALTOR® Nationwide Open House Weekend is on April 10-11! Reduced ad rates are available for the Arizona Daily Star’s Nationwide Open House insert that will go out to 100,000 households with 230,000 readers on April 9 in the newspaper. It will feature the open houses for the weekend. Contact Laura at 382-8775 for more information. For more information on the event, go to www.tucsonrealtors.org/noh.html.

NEW Read the Latest Tucson REALTOR® Magazine – March/April 2010
In the latest online issue of the Tucson REALTOR® Magazine, learn how to let your creativity shine at home and at work. Tis the season for taxes! Find out if you can write off as a business expense the cost of the gift baskets you give. Also, check out photos from the TAR Forecast and Soccer Shootout! Click here to read it now!

2nd Annual At Bat for Habitat Softball Tournament, April 24
PLAY BALL!! Rally a team or let us create a team for you! The Habitat for Humanity Committee is hosting a softball tournament on Saturday, April 24 at Golf Links Sports Complex. Join us for the fun festivities! Come and tailgate with us!  The event will activities for the kids and fun for the whole family. Sponsorship Opportunities are available!  Click here to sign up today!  Click here for more information or contact Christine Sanchez at 382-8776.

New Affinity Program Members: AAA & Arizona Auto Spa
AAA and Arizona Auto Spa have special discounts/offers for you! Go to http://www.tucsonrealtors.org/affinity_partners.html to check out your benefits with them and the other companies in the program. The Association's Affinity Partner Program features affiliate members who provide TAR members with benefits including discounts for products and services.

Updated Affiliate Sponsorship Program, New Copper Sponsor: Villa Maria Care Center
The Affiliate Sponsorship Program is designed to increase your company’s exposure to the Association’s 5,300 REALTOR® members. Click here to view the Sponsorship levels and benefits you will receive as an Affiliate Sponsor. For more information, please contact Laura Kruszewski at 382-8775. Thank you to our Platinum Sponsor, Nova Home Loans and our Copper Sponsors, Prime Capital; 2009 Affiliate of the Year, Tom Heath. The Heath Team of Sunstreet Mortgage and Villa Maria Care Center.

**NOW AVAILABLE** Education Renewathon Cruise Cabins are available for a limited time!!
2 Inside Cabins & 1 Outside Cabin have opened up for sale on our 5-day Cruise from San Diego to Cabo San Lucas, April 10th-15th. Get your Continuing Education while enjoying the Sea! Inside Cabin available for $425 per person. Outside Cabin available for $485 per person. All cabins are based on dual occupancy. Time is limited, please act now! For further information click here. Or please contact Annalisa@tucsonrealtors.org or 382-8789.

BACK BY POPULAR DEMAND! Tax Strategies for the Real Estate Professional * Presented by Ron Reed * Friday, March 26, 2010 from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.* Cost: FREE
Looking for a way to turn tax dollars back into your dollars? This seminar is specifically geared for the Real Estate Professional. This seminar is guaranteed to identify between $2,500 and $27,500 in NEW deductions that can be used right away to pocket thousands in tax savings. These deductions are based in tax LAW, but presented in simple English that all of us can easily understand. Save money and sign up today! Click here for more information.

NAR’s Real Estate Today Radio Show - Now Aired Locally
Real Estate Today, is an-NAR produced, national radio show, that debuted in February 2009 and is currently broadcasted on more than 25 stations across the country. It’s currently broadcasted here in Tucson on 104.1 FM “The Truth” on Sunday’s from 10am to noon. Learn more about Real Estate Today Radio.

5th Annual Golf Tournament benefiting Habitat for Humanity
Gold, Platinum & Silver Golf Sponsors sign up by April 1 and receive an Out Field Sponsorship at the At Bat for Habitat Softball Tournament.  Click here to sign up today! Click here for more information or contact Christine Sanchez at 382-8776.

Attention Brokers, You're Invited to hear from ADRE Commissioner, Judy Lowe
Monday, April 26, 2010 from 8:30am to 10:30am
ADRE Commissioner, Judy Lowe, will be in Tucson on Monday, April 26 to continue communication with respect to proposed legislation and changes and updates in the Department.
Save the Date for the next meeting:  May 24

TAR Facility Rental, click here for more information.

The GRI Scholarship Program, click here for more information.

Marketing Sessions and Home Tours, click here for more information.

Click here for Industry Events of Interest and Community Opportunities.

Conference Center Events (not a TAR endorsed event)
Arizona CRS Breakfast
Join us for a classic continental breakfast on Wednesday, March 24 beginning at 8:30am here at TAR. Invite your friends and colleagues to get "Up Close and Personal" with Guest Speaker, Philip Tedesco, the NEW CEO of TAR.  Cost is $8 prepaid and $10 at the door. Please register by Tuesday, March 23! CLICK HERE TO REGISTER, for more information, contact Christine Sanchez at 382-8848.

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FLEXMLS™ HANDS-ON CLASSES ADDED FOR MAY, and JUNE!!! (April classes are full.)
Flexmls™ Classes have been added for May and June. You may register for these classes from the Calendar of Events on the TAR website. Seating is limited.

Members are strongly encouraged to also attend the Demo classes being offered throughout this month, even if you plan to attend the hands-on training. View the March schedule.

Flex MLS Membership Preview
On March 8, 2010 membership will be given access to preview the Flex MLS system. Please remember that our cutover date is at the end of April. Here are some items that you need to know before accessing the system for the first time:
The Flex MLS URL: www.tar.flexmls.com 
LoginID: Use tar. and then your agent id (example: agent id 1000 would login as tar.1000)
Password: The default password for accessing the system for the first time is tarnow. You will be asked to change your password upon login.
Items to be aware of:
• Listing Input will be turned off in the Flex MLS System to eliminate the possibility of duplicate listings while we sync our data with Rapattoni. Input will be available when we go live at the end of April.
• Your contacts will sync over from Rapattoni. Please note that you may add a contact in Flex but it is recommended that you do not also add it to Rapattoni as it will create a duplicate when syncing over.
• Prospect searches do not transfer over from Rapattoni as it is a function of the individual Rapattoni application. Searches will need to be recreated for your individual contacts. Please click on the following link on tips for making this easier: Creating a Contact Report
• DOM/CDOM is still being updated on the system and may not show accurately for the first few days of the membership preview.
• Flex MLS training is available to get you up to speed on the new system. Please visit the Computer Training Information page on the TAR website to get Flex MLS training schedules in addition to the latest information and tips on the Flex MLS system. You may click here to go directly to the Computer Training Information page.

Support Options:
Flex MLS Technical Support:
Phone: 888-525-4747
Email: support@flexmls.com

Rapattoni Essentials
During March and April, members should continue to enter listings and contacts into Rapattoni rather than flexmls™. This way, all the Rapattoni data will be transferred to flexmls™ at one time.
In order to accommodate those new members who may need Rapattoni training during this time, we have added a Rapattoni Essentials class to the March and April schedules. Though it is not available for credits, it will teach the essentials of using the Rapattoni system.
March 19th 9:00-12:00
April 2nd 9:00-12:00
Instructions for Registering for Classes Online

Flexmls™ Update
In order to best ensure that the transition to Flexmls™ is as trouble free as possible, our conversion date is now scheduled for April 30th. Recognizing that there is a lot of activity in the marketplace due to the extension and expansion of the tax credit and the deadlines associated with that program, we chose to move the date. This change will allow for more training opportunities and a longer time to get acquainted with the system. We will now begin running both systems in parallel in March, allowing two full months of ‘trial’ instead of one. This change also allows for a longer test period, meaning fewer issues and glitches when we make the cutover on April 30th. We will be revising the training schedule to accommodate the extra time available, and will publish that as soon as possible. Watch this space for continuing updates!

Quick Fixes for Common ActiveKEY Issues

Search San Carlos MLS!
San Carlos has turned on access for our members to their listing data. Go to http://tucson.interfacexpress.com Your Tucson MLS username and password work for San Carlos. Remember, access to this information is not intended to imply that you may sell real estate in Mexico; you must be licensed in the State of Sonora in order to practice real estate there. This is information may be helpful to you in servicing your clients, and may foster the development of referral networks.

Access To Nationwide Foreclosure Information!
The MLS agreement with RealtyTrac now allows Tucson MLS members to access foreclosure information for the entire country for a discounted rate of only $19.95 per month. This change also allows for use of more tools on the RealtyTrac website!! There is no minimum term required to sign up. The links to register for this service are located in the MLS under the ‘links’ tab, and there is also a button on the www.tucsonrealtors.org website.

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