Welcome to Western Upstate Association of REALTORS®

The MLS has recently encountered a situation regarding listings of HUD properties, and has been advised that similar concerns may apply to listings of lender REO properties. In the case of HUD properties, HUD may require certain qualifications for a cooperating broker and the use of specific contract forms and submission data before it will consider and respond to an offer to purchase.

It is important to cooperating brokers that they be advised, by way of the input of listing information into the MLS system, of any requirements and conditions regarding the submission of offers. This is true not only on HUD owned and lender REO properties, but on all listings of properties submitted to the MLS.

Section 1.6 of the MLS Rules and Regulations states: "Any contingency or conditions of any term in a listing shall be specified and notice given to Participants." Therefore, it is essential that listing brokers include sufficient information in the listing data submitted to the MLS to properly advise potential cooperating brokers of any specific contingencies or conditions regarding the property, the listing and the submission and acceptance of offers.

When taking listings and submitting listings data into the MLS system, remember to include all information which you would want to know if you were the cooperating broker.

Home Builders Association Built Habitat Home to be Dedicated

The third Habitat for Humanity house built by the Homebuilders Association of Oconee County (HBA) will be dedicated on Friday, February 12, 2010, at 12:00 p.m. The house, located at 220 Old Knox Bridge Road in Fair Play, SC, was built in partnership with The Western Upstate Association of Realtors (WUAR) for Oconee County Habitat for Humanity (OCHFH). To thank all volunteers who were instrumental in building this house, OCHFH is hosting a light lunch following the dedication.

Directions: Take 59 South all the way to the Yoder's Building Store. There you will see a sign for Route 182. Turn right on 182 and shortly on your left you wil see Old Knox Bridge Road. The house is on the right side of the road.

OCHFH thanks the Western Upstate Association of Realtors (WUAR) for obtaining a $5,000 grant from the South Carolina Realtors® Housing Opportunity Committee for this project and participating in the construction of the home.

For further information, contact Margret Nordquist at ochfh07@bellsouth.net, or call (864) 944-6334.

Will Federal Short Sale Rules Speed Deals?

Lenders have until April 5 to implement procedures for complying with federal short-sale guidelines released in November. In an interview with REALTOR® Magazine, NAR Managing Director of Regulatory Policy Jeff Lischer walks your members through the new rules and the forms that go with them, and shares his assessment of what their impact could be. Watch the video.

Poll Shows Voters Opposed to Point of Sale Tax

Ohio based company, Fallon Research and Communications, recently surveyed SC registered voters about the Point of Sale tax. The findings concluded that 70% of respondents are opposed to the current law. "The point of sale tax is opposed by an overwhelming majority of voters. There is little doubt about opposition to it," said Paul Fallon, President of Fallon Research & Communications, an Ohio-based research firm. The survey was released by SC Realtors (SCR) as a part of the statewide STOP THE UNFAIR TAX campaign.

"A large majority of South Carolina's voters believe that the point of sale tax is unfair and that it is hurting our economy," said SCR CEO, Nick Kremydas. "Voters get it. They understand that the current point of sale tax is flawed. Because of the unfair point of sale tax, some companies have said they will not relocate or open new businesses in our state. In a tough economy, the last thing we need are taxes that eliminate jobs and prevent new businesses from opening in South Carolina."

For a copy of the Fallon key findings memo, and to learn more about the STOP THE UNFAIR TAX campaign, visit

http://www.ItsJustNotFair.org