Why??

 It will cost jobs, raise taxes, and hurt Florida's economy. This has been addressed by the Washington Economics Group. Amendment 4 is likely to cost over 260,000 jobs, and reduce Florida's economic output by more than 34 billion per year.

Watch a clip of what your RAPB President Kevin Kent thinks of Amendment 4  and then forward the video to your friends, family and colleagues.  Click Here

  
Attend RAPB's Annual Membership Meeting and Find Out How you can Help Defeat this Amendment!

You can find more facts and videos at www.florida2010.org

NAR's chief Economist Lawrence Yun, said of March stats, that favorable affordability conditions have been working with the tax credit. "Clearly the home buyer tax credit has helped stabilize the market. In the months immediately following the expiration of the tax credit. we expect measurabley lower sales," he said. 
Good news for Palm Beach County, according to April stats, single family home sales are still on the rise and inventories remain low.  Click here for information on all April statistics.

Follow Florida's 2010 Legislative Session 
You can't be in Tallahassee every day, but you stay involved 24/7. Check out Florida Realtors Legislature 2010 website to follow proceedings, read our lobbyists' blog reports and more.. Get the lastest Updates from Tallahassee

Save the Date...Register Today!
Don't Miss The Boat!
Florida Realtors® 2010 Convention & Trade Expo
Rosen Shingle Creek - Orlando
August 25-29 , http://www.floridarealtors.org/Save-the-Date-2010-Convention.cfm

FREE Member Benefit: LUNCH ON THE HOUSE (RAPB Members Only)
If you weren't at the last Lunch on the House, here is another opportunity to witness an exceptional event. The event is  scheduled for May 26, 2010 in Boca Raton from 12:00pm - 1:30pm! Speaker: Palm Beach County Administrator, Robert Weisman. Administator  Weisman will inform you on the topic "Where is the County Budget Going and How Does It Apply to Real Estate". Remember this event is an opportunity for you to network, learn, and have lunch with your colleagues. Register Today!

International real estate opportunities are everywhere. New people move to the U.S. from other countries every day and foreign-born individuals residing in the U.S. move to new markets. Americans in your current market invest in property overseas. No matter which international audience you cater to, the Certified International Property Specialist (CIPS) Designation will provide you with the knowledge, research, network and tools to globalize your business.  More information on the CIPS Designation can be found at www.realtor.org/global

The 5 day CIPS Designation Series is going to be held in beautiful South Florida from June 21st-25th, 2010.  Why not educate yourself and build connections to increase your income, all while enjoying what summer in West Palm Beach has to offer!

Come for the entire week and complete the 5 day series or pick and choose classes to take individually.  Details can be found at the link below.  http://www.rapb.com/professional/events/06-cips-10.pdf

Places to stay:

There is a Holiday Inn about 15 minutes west with rooms starting at $75 a night. http://www.holidayinn.com/westpalmbeach   

Or stay near the historic Lake Worth beach at one of the many adorable Bed & Breakfast Cottages like the Mango Inn which has rooms that start at $120 a night. http://www.mangoinn.com/rooms.html  

There is so much to do in Palm Beach County!  We hope you join us this summer for the sun, the beaches and the International opportunities! http://www.palmbeaches.org/  

For more information feel free to contact Danielle Boutin at 561-997-8266 or dboutin@rapb.com

The Certified International Property Specialist Network (CIPS Network) is the specialty membership group for international practitioners of the National Association of REALTORS®, the world's largest trade association. The CIPS designation prepares REALTORS® to service the growing international market in their local community by focusing on culture, exchange rates, investment trends, and legal issues. The CIPS Network is comprised of real estate professionals in 50+ countries who deal in all types of real estate, but with one common element: they are focused specifically on the international market, most often in  their local area.  Whether assisting foreign investors, helping local buyers invest abroad, or serving a growing immigrant population in local markets, CIPS members are consumers' best providers of professional skills in the unique aspect of international real estate. Click Hereto read more about the benefits of the CIPS Designation.  

**A 2006 member survey reveals that CIPS Designees earn more than twice as much as REALTORS® without the designation.**

The CIPS Designation 5 day Series is coming to beautiful South Florida from June 21st-25th!  Take the courses individually or take the entire 5 days!

June 21st - 25th, 2010
RAPB Lake Worth Conference Room
1926 10th Ave. North, Suite 410
561-585-4544

June 21st - International Real Estate for Local Markets - (CIPS Pre-requisite)  The course is an analysis of the international real estate business environment, including capital flow, currencies, government regulations and cultures. The practical aspects of international brokerage, networking, marketing and selling are discussed. Students must take this course before taking any of the other CIPS courses. 8:30am-5:00pm

June 22nd - Investment and Financial Analysis - Provides the tools needed to present investment information to international clients-in their currency and area. 8:30am-5:00pm

June 23rd - The Americas and International Real Estate- Practical information for professionals who work with Caribbean, North, Central, and South American investors. Historical and cultural influences, regional relationship, and investment opportunities are covered along with a special focus on Mexico. 8:30am-5:00pm

June 24th - Europe and International Real Estate - Provides information on working with clients in Western and Central Europe. The European Union and its impact on international real estate are covered, along with economic and real estate trends, networking and relationship building, plus marketing and selling practices. 8:30am-5:00pm

June 25th - Asia/Pacific and International Real Estate -  Covers real estate practices in Asia and the Pacific with emphasis on cultural influences, economic trends and assessment of investment opportunities. A special chapter on working with the Japanese is included. 8:30am-5:00pm

Individual Courses:

Global Business Alliance of the Palm Beaches (Formerly IBC) Member: $139 each

RAPB Non-GBAPB Member: $159 each

Non RAPB or GBAPB Member: $179 each

Full 5 Day Series:

GBAPB (Formerly IBC) Member: $650

RAPB Non-GBAPB Member: $709 (includes membership into Global Business Alliance of the Palm Beaches through 9/31/10)

Non RAPB or GBAPB Member: $800 (includes membership into Global Business Alliance of the Palm Beaches through 9/31/10)

 ***Once registration is received you will be automatically added to the Global Business Alliance and your information will be posted on www.rapbinternational.com. If you decide to cancel your CIPS course you will receive a refund minus the cost for membership to the GBAPB which is $59 for RAPB Members and $69 for Non-members. Refunds will be given if written cancellation is received (5) days prior to class.***

Registration Deadline June 7th, 2010

For more information on the GBAPB go to www.rapbinternational.com and click on "How to Become a Member"

To register for the CIPS cours(es) Click Here for the registration form to mail or fax in your payment.

For Directions and Local Hotels Click Here

Questions? Contact Danielle Boutin at 561-997-8266 or dboutin@rapb.com

You are Invited!

Active Rain Meet & Greet

Robb & Stucky Palm Beach Gardens
3801 Design Center Drive
Click Here for Directions to Robb & Stucky

4:00pm-5:30pm

FREE Admission!!

Join Active Rain Neighbors like Steve Hoffacker, Lou Ludwig and Katerina and Nestor Gasset, for a short presentation from a fellow blogger, a quick tech tip and plenty of time to network.  Meet the people you talk to online all the time, face-to-face.

RSVP to dboutin@rapb.com 561-997-8266

It's almost license renewal time for some Sales Associates and Brokers (March 31st) and there are a few options available; online, take home book or live classroom. 

The online version and the book version require a TEST! 

The beauty of taking a LIVE course is you have an instructor teaching who is available to ask questions, you have other agents in the classroom who are asking questions about the current market and you DON'T HAVE TO TAKE A TEST!  Coming to a live course ensures you are going to have a real grasp of what the new changes in real estate law are and you will also leave with a true grasp of the current market.  If you are planning on getting back in to real estate I highly suggest taking a live course which includes a Short Sale update! Don't just take the course for the sake of satisfying your requirement, come to a live classroom and LEARN!

At the RAPB we understand many of you had to go back to work so we are offering a weekend course in the Boca Raton Conference Room on March 13th & 14th.  Registration for this course is REQUIRED by March 8th.  For more information Click Here  Instrcutor: Lou Ludwig

Available 14 hour course dates:

March 4th & 5th
Boca Raton Conference Center
Click Here for more info
Instructor: Lou Ludwig

March 18th & 19th
Boca Raton Conference Center
Click Here for more info
Instructor: Tony Macaluso

March 22nd & 23rd
Lake Worth Conference Center
Click Here for more info
Instructor: Lou Ludwig

 
Lou Ludwig         Tony Macaluso

If you still would like to take the course online we offer that course as well.
Click Here for more information

We welcome RAPB Members and Non-Members.

If you have any questions please contact Daniel Perez at 561-585-4544 dperez@rapb.com

Boca Raton Conference Center - 3200 North Military Trl. suite 110, Boca Raton, FL 33431

Lake Worth Conference Center - 1926 10th Ave. North, suite 410, Lake Worth, FL 33461

www.rapb.com

You are invited to our next Active Rain Meet & Greet!

April 14th, 2010
4:00pm-5:30pm
Robb & Stucky - Palm Beach Gardens
4001 Design Center Dr.
RSVP to Danielle Boutin at dboutin@rapb.com or 561-997-8266

Here are a few photos of the last AR Meet & Greet we held in Lake Worth. Everyone had a great time and we had a wonderful presentation from Katerina and Nestor Gasset, Lou Ludwig and Steve Hoffacker.

We hope for a great turnout at this next event and we encourage everyone to invite a friend, whether they are AR members or maybe just interested in getting involved.  The event will include a special Tech Tip, a brief presentation from an AR blogger (presenter to be announced soon) and plenty of time to network and ask questions with your fellow AR members!

Pictured Left to Right, Steve Hoffacker, Katerina and Nester Gasset and Lou Ludwig

Hope to see you there!

(If you are intersted in being a sponsor for this event please contact Danielle Boutin at dboutin@rapb.com or 561-997-8266)

The Realtors Association of the Palm Beaches has just added 2 weekend 14 hour Florida License Renewal courses in February and March in additiona to the already scheduled classes!  The courses are 2 days from 9:00am-5:00pm and do not require a test to pass. 

There's always the option of taking the class online or with a book and that's just fine...if you don't want to learn anything.  The benefit of having a live instructor, besides the obvious plus of not having to take a test, is that you will actually LEARN!  The instrcutors are going to go over real life situations, they are going to give a short sale update and it's completely interactive, you can ask questions and have them answered right there...LIVE!   We welcome RAPB Members and Non-members to attend.

14 hour Schedule, includes 3 hours of Core Law:

Instructor: Tony Macaluso

Monday & Tuesday, February 22nd-23rd - Boynton Beach

Saturday & Sunday, February 27th-28th - Boca Raton 

Thursday & Friday, March 18th & 19th - Boca Raton

Instuctor: Lou Ludwig

Thursday & Friday, March 4th & 5th- Boca Raton

Saturday and Sunday, March 13th & 14th - Boca Raton

Monday & Tuesday, March 22nd & 23rd - Lake Worth

To register go to http://rapb.com/professional/continuinged.php  search for the course of your choice and print and fax the registration form.  RAPB Members can pay online.

Cost:
RAPB Members $99   Non-RAPB Members $129
Core Law portion only RAPB Members $49  Non-Members $74

Please contact Daniel Perez for more information at 561-585-4544 dperez@rapb.com

Yesterday, February 2nd, was the first of many Active Rain Meet and Greets sponsored by the Realtors Association of the Palm Beaches in Lake Worth.  Through the rain and muggy weather came 30 Realtors and Affiliate business professionals anxious to meet face to face with the bloggers they connect with online on Active Rain.  Some curious non-AR members were in attendance to hear about Active Rain and see if it's something they should pursue. 

Lou Ludwig, Steve Hoffacker and Katerina and Nestor Gasset presented and talked about using AR and their successes with blogging.  Katerina shares with the attendees she spends 2-4 hours a day blogging and for her it's the best time spent.  She has made connections with people from all over the country which have landed her referrals and new friends. 

Below are a few pictures from the event.  To view the rest of the photos please visit our Facebook Palm Beach County Active Rainers Fan Page.   Become a fan to hear about the next Active Rain Meet & Greet in Palm Beach County!   If you would like to host an AR Meet & Greet please email dboutin@rapb.com

Today Tuesday, February 2, from 4:30-6:00 at RAPB in Lake Worth, we are having a "Meet & Greet" for Active Rainers. We are expecting a great turnout with over 40 registered!

If you live anywhere in South Florida - or maybe you're in the area for the Super Bowl - plan on attending and getting a chance to meet fellow Rainers face-to-face. Lou Ludwig, Steve Hoffacker and Nestor & Katerina Gasset will be presenting.  Call Danielle at RAPB 561-997-8266 or email at dboutin@rapb.com with questions.  Walk-ins welcome!    This event is FREE!

Realtors Association of the Palm Beaches
1926 10th Ave. North, 4th Floor
Lake Worth, FL 33461
Easy access off I-95.  Take I-95 to 10th Ave. North, go west and make your first right into our parking lot.

***There's still a last minute chance to sponsor!   If your company is interested in extra exposure at this event please contact Danielle Boutin ASAP!