Suburban West Realtors Association
Suburban West Weekly
April 25th, 2018
IN THIS ISSUE
Learn to Legally Text Clients
Under the Telephone Consumer
Protection Act

Describe the Property
Not the People

Spring Schedule for Required
SWRA Membership Course
Now Posted
 
Offsite Starbucks Morning:
Mold and the Real Estate
Transaction

Region Could Face Apartment
Glut

Calendar of Events
 



Learn to Legally Text Clients Under the Telephone Consumer Protection Act

Sending text messages is a fast and effective way to reach business partners, clients and potential clients, but did you know the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) regulates most text messages? Without a firm understanding of the TCPA, your real estate business may be at risk. Click here for an article from NAR, "The Window to the Law" to understand what type of consent is required.
A Florida-based real estate brokerage is currently defending against a TCPA class action lawsuit in Federal court in Florida, alleging the brokerage sent text messages without obtaining required consent. 
In short, the text message sender must have clear consent agreements from the recipient for telemarketing messages. Consent should be well documented and preserved. According to the act, the text message sender bears the burden of proof to demonstrate the sender complied with the relevant consent requirements. It is a good idea to include language on forms where wireless numbers are provided, stating that recipients providing their wireless number agree to receive text messages from or on behalf of the sender. 
Don't let the TCPA or fear of litigation stop you from using text messaging to better your real estate business. But be knowledgeable and build a fully compliant text messaging program so that you can continue to be successful. Watch the full video "Window to the Law: TCPA and Texting" from the National Association of REALTORS for full details.

Describe the Property Not the People

One of the most frequently asked questions in Fair Housing seminars is "Can I say (fill in the blank)". What words or phrases are appropriate? The answer is simple. Real estate involves the exchange of property. All marketing and advertising must describe the property only NOT the people who once, currently or might in the future live there. For more detailed guidance from HUD, click here

Spring Schedule for Required SWRA Membership Course Now Posted

The REALTORS Code of Ethics requires cooperation among REALTORS except when cooperation is not in the client's best interest. In Putting Clients First: Cooperation, Compensation and Procuring Cause, instructors will engage students in work that will address the ethical and legal issues as well as best practices involving some of the most challenging issues raised by the cooperation vs. client best interest dynamic. The Spring Schedule for Putting Clients First has now been released. All Suburban West REALTOR members must take this 3.5 hour class by December 31st, 2018. To register, click here (once logged in, click "events" and then "upcoming classes").
Please note that the Putting Client First class does not providing continuing education credits for licensing renewal. Click here to access the PA Continuing Education course schedule.

Offsite Starbucks Morning: Mold and the Real Estate Transaction

The presence of mold can derail the home buying or selling process. Join home inspector, Tom Bartholetti, on May 2nd (10:00am-11:30am) at the Red Clay Room in Kennett Square for our upcoming seminar, Starbucks Morning: Mold - What REALTORS Need to Know. Tom will review the common causes of mold and how these causes can be addressed in order to diminish the impact when your client is buying or selling a property. Click here to register (once logged in, click "events" and then "upcoming meetings"). 

Region Could Face Apartment Glut

At the end of 2017, more than 16,000 rental units in 68 projects were in various stages of development in the Philadelphia region, leading some observers to wonder whether an oversupply of apartments is coming. Of that number, about 13,500 units are in early stages of planning and discussion, about 1,500 are under construction, and about 1,000 are in the lease-up phase. In Philadelphia, 8,100 units have been built in Center City since 2010, increasing supply by 20 percent. Read more.

Calendar of Events

Facebook
Twitter
Instagram
Suburban West REALTORS Association
1 Country View Road, Suite 201, Malvern PA 19355
P: 610-560-4800 | F: 610-560-4801
Association of REALTORS School
1 Country View Road, Suite 101, Malvern PA 19355
P: 610-560-4900 | F: 610-560-4801
  Equal Housing Opportunity Realtor
Manage your preferences | Opt out using TrueRemove®
Got this as a forward? Sign up to receive our future emails.
View this email online.
This email was sent to .
To continue receiving our emails, add us to your address book.
powered by emma
Subscribe to our email list.