Event Coverage
SILVAR Marks 20th Year, No Dues Increase for 2016
SILVAR President Chris Isaacson welcomes members to SILVAR's Annual economic Seminar and General Membership Meeting.
The nearly 400 SILVAR members attending Tuesday's Annual Economic Seminar and General Membership Meeting received lots of good news from SILVAR officials about the Association's progress this year, which marks SILVAR's 20th birthday. The merger and reorganization of area boards went into effect January 1, 1995, forming the Peninsula-West Valley Association of REALTORS®, which later became known as the Silicon Valley Association of REALTORS®.
SILVAR President Chris Isaacson said he is privileged to serve as president this year and has learned a lot during his term. His goal has been to make positive changes. He encouraged members to read the newly-released D.A.N.G.E.R. Report commissioned by the National Association of REALTORS®. The report looks at challenges ahead for the industry and its stakeholders.
Isaacson also stressed that contrary to what some members believe, SILVAR does not give away members' data. "SILVAR does not have the data to give away; the MLS does, and members have the right to opt out of data sharing," said Isaacson.
Executive Officer Paul Cardus reported SILVAR continues to be financially solid and going strong. The Association this year has had a 3 percent year-to-year increase in membership, and now has 4,936 REALTOR® and affiliate members - 4,731 REALTOR® members - 4,421 primary and 310, secondary REALTOR® members, and 208 affiliated professionals.
Cardus announce that dues will not increase next year, and this news was greeted with a resounding applause from members. There has been no dues increase for members since 2002, thanks to the wisdom and judgment of past leadership and the Budget & Finance Committee, said Cardus.
Cardus highlighted rising statistics on the use of PRDS Forms, SILVAR's "crown jewel." Over 2,900 SILVAR REALTORS® have used PRDS Forms on Instanet in the first three quarters of 2015 - 62 percent have accessed the online platform since September, and over 218,000 forms in 26,000 transaction packages have been created in 2015. Instanet Solutions now provides 24/7 toll free and chat support 365 days a year.
"We feel the best agents in California deserve the best forms," said Cardus. He praised the PRDS Standard Forms Committee, which has worked hard and released 22 revisions and brand new forms this year.
Also good news is SILVAR REALTOR® members are now able to use Instanet PRDS forms from within MLSListings' Matrix system. All users have to do is look for the TD icon and the icon will sign them into Instanet and expose the PRDS forms for their use.
Adoption and continued usage rate of SILVAR membership benefits are growing, including the use of Authentisign™ and Authentisign2Go™, the FHA-approved E-SIGN and UETA compliant signature solution, which allows users to have PRDS Forms and zipForms® and virtually any document electronically signed, whether that document was originally in electronic or paper form.
Usage of the DocBox™ and DocBox2Go™ paperless online document management system has surpassed last year. In the first nine months of 2015, SILVAR REALTORS® uploaded over 63,250 documents exceeding 590,000 pages.
Cardus encouraged members to use Proxio, which is entering its second year as a free membership benefit. Proxio connects agents in the U.S. and abroad and shares their listings. Proxio's new Proxio Developer Showcase™ connects agents to new developments in the U.S. and around the world.
A big success this year was "REALTORS® Honor Veterans," an event which raised over $37,000 for the SILVAR Veterans Scholarship Fund, a new education component of the Silicon Valley REALTORS® Charitable Foundation designed to support eligible U.S. veterans and eligible dependents of deceased veterans residing in SILVAR's traditional service area who wish to further their education. Through membership support, the Charitable Foundation has donated over $25,000 in the form of grants and scholarships this year. The Foundation also has been assisting students with scholarship grants for the past 17 years, awarding $306,000 to date.
Yet another piece of good news was Cardus' announcement that SILVAR's Global Business Council earned the NAR Global Achievement platinum award for the third time. SILVAR is only one of three REALTOR® associations that has been awarded the top award for three years in a row.
Updating members on legislative advocacy, Government Affairs Director Jessica Epstein said members' support for the REALTOR® Action Fund (RAF) has helped SILVAR, the California Association of REALTORS® (C.A.R.) and NAR continue to protect homeownership and private property rights. Heavy lobbying by REALTORS® prompted the Consumer Financial Protection Board to postpone the implementation of the TILA-RESPA Integrated Disclosure rule to October 3, to give real estate professionals and consumers more time to prepare for the new rule. Lobbying by SILVAR and other Bay Area REALTORS® also forced the Bay Area Air Quality Management District to withdraw its controversial proposal to ban fireplaces at the point of sale.
NAR and C.A.R. are currently opposing a provision in the highway transportation bill that taxes homebuyers and those looking to refinance by increasing the fees Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac charge on their loans. Epstein urged members to answer the Call for Action opposing this provision. She also urged members to join SILVAR in opposing rent control, an issue a number of cities in the Bay Area are considering.
All the above-mentioned achievements attributed to SILVAR would not be possible without member participation and support, said Cardus. He called on members to join SILVAR's committees and get involved.
"When someone asks you, please say 'yes'," said Cardus.
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The Silicon Valley Association of REALTORS® (SILVAR) is a professional trade organization representing over 4,000 REALTORS® and Affiliate members engaged in the real estate business on the Peninsula and in the South Bay. SILVAR promotes the highest ethical standards of real estate practice, serves as an advocate for homeownership and homeowners, and represents the interests of property owners in Silicon Valley.
The term "REALTOR®" is a registered collective membership mark which identifies a real estate professional who is a member of the National Association of REALTORS® and who subscribes to its strict Code of Ethics.
For further information, please email or call the SILVAR office at (408) 200-0100.