YOUR HOME, OUR COMMUNITY
DECEMBER 2022 NEWSLETTER

UPCOMING EVENTS

December 2-REALTOR^® Ring Day

December 5-Executive Committee Meeting 4pm

December 9-Board Meeting 9:30am at Indian Summer Golf & Country Club 

December 9-Holiday Charity Auction/ Installation Luncheon at Indian Summer Golf & Country Club 11am*

*REGISTRATION IS FULL FOR OUR 12/9/22 GMM LUNCHEON

PLEASE DROP OFF YOUR DONATIONS FOR THE HOLIDAY CHARITY AUCTION BY WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 7TH AT NOON. 

IF YOU ARE DROPPING THEM OFF AT THE VENUE, PLEASE MAKE SURE THAT THEY ARE DELIVERED THERE NO LATER THAN 9AM ON DECEMBER 9TH.

If you are still interested in donating to the Holiday Charity Auction, please complete the HCA Procurement Form or reach out to Robin at the TCRA office and we will coordinate pick up/drop off location.

December 23-26-TCRA Office Closed for Christmas Holiday

December 30-January 2-TCRA Office Closed for New Year Holiday

Legislative Days are taking place in Olympia on January 18-19, 2023! Mark your calendars... registration and details will be available December 4th.

YOUR MEMBERS AT WORK

December 13-Diversity Committee 12pm

December 20-YPN Committee 1pm

All committee meetings are via the zoom links above unless otherwise noted. 

REALTOR RING DAY-12/2/2022

Please join us for a fun-filled day of bell ringing for our local Salvation Army. TCRA offices will be RINGING BELLS at locations throughout our community on December 2nd from 10am to 6pm to take donations from you, your affiliates, your contacts, your friends and family members.

HOLIDAY CHARITY AUCTION AND INSTALLATION LUNCHEON 12/9/22

EVENT IS SOLD OUT but please don't hesitate to donate an item to the Holiday Charity Auction! 

You can drop off your donations at the TCRA office during regular business hours now through Wednesday, December 9th at noon.  You can drop off items at Indian Summer on the morning of the event, no later than 9 am please!

December General Membership Meeting, Holiday Charity Auction and Installation Luncheon on Friday, December 9th from 11am to 1pm at the Indian Summer Golf & Country Club

This wonderful TCRA tradition continues with our generous members going "all out" on holiday items for our silent auction benefiting the charity of the bidders choice. 

We will also be installing our newly elected officers and board members.  This is a great opportunity to meet and mingle with all of your favorite REALTORS and Affiliate members.    

DEI COMMITTEE UPDATE

EQUITABLE HOUSING

December 3rd is National Roof Over Our Heads Day. TCRA will help raise money on December 2nd with our annual bell ringing benefitting our local Salvation Army. 

As we prepare for winter and the holiday season, we want to acknowledge our unhoused population. Going from homeless to homeowner is a big leap, but as professionals we get a front row seat to success stories of all kinds for our clients. 

Home ownership is the best way to ensure stability in housing. As interest rates rise, lenders are adjusting their loans to accommodate first-time buyers. We’re seeing 100% loans, down payment assistance, special interest rates, and more. We’re even seeing closing costs being paid for by sellers again.

Use your platform and expertise to educate those experiencing housing instability. TCRA is also here to connect you to further resources, as well as experts in our field.” 

Mark your calendars for our Black History Month speaker, Thelma Jackson.  February 28th from 11am to 1pm via Zoom.  

Want to stay in the loop on Diversity/Equity/ Inclusion events and learning opportunities? Follow us on Facebook! 

YPN COMMITTEE UPDATE

HAPPY HOUR/YEAR END SOCIAL

Check out our YPN Calendar of Events for 2023: 

Want to join the TCRA YPN COMMITTEE and help us plan our events?  Contact Joe Heilman or Kelli Yoder, YPN Co-Chairs or Robin to be added to the meeting distribution list.  

MESSAGE FROM TCRA PRESIDENT,

VICKIE JACKSON

Hope. Every year begins with it.

We Hope that we will make a difference to someone, somewhere.  We Hope we’ll have enough time to accomplish our optimistic over-flowing bucket list of To-Dos.  So we get busy doing The Things.  And every year, we say, “Where did the year go?” when December 1st arrives!  

Yet, here it is, and as I’m thoughtfully reminiscing about the year, its events, and the accomplishments of our Thurston County REALTORS® Association, I am honored and grateful to be associated with our extraordinary members. Every single one of you, whether we’ve met or not.

We are all active, busy REALTORS® in our businesses, so it is no simple feat to plan and execute the events that our Association and our Chair Persons deliver to our members and the public. Our Master Schedule of Events is set, and tasks assigned, prior to the new year even starting.  Robin Chase, our Event/Member Services Director, keeps our events top of mind with her communications and reminders.

Throughout the year, we have hosted a variety of fundraisers and service events such as our Community Service Day, the annual Golf Tournament, Flag Day, RPAC/Affiliate Showcase, Bell Ringing, Candidate Interviews, and Back-to-School Supplies Drive—all of which bless our members and communities.  There have also been with opportunities to just gather for fun and networking through YPN and the Softball Tournament, as well as educational and informational experiences through our DEI, Education, and Government Affairs Committees, and of course, Hill Day.

Amidst all of these accomplishments, we said good-bye to our long-time and much beloved Association Executive, Beverly Vincent; she has passed the torch to Michelle Erb, our new, highly qualified AE—and I know we are in good hands.

We are influencers in the changing world of real estate, with our involvement in local and state legislation.  We serve our clients well, with knowledge and the constancy of improving our skills.  And we have raised thousands of dollars for the Thurston County Food Bank and other charitable causes, through our members’ generosity.  We make a difference.

Thank you so much to all of our member volunteers who have served on our TCRA Board of Directors and TCRA Committee Chairs, and who have gone the extra hours and miles to serve our association’s members.  Most of all, thank you to you, our members, whose very membership in our association makes it possible for us serve you as we do.

In 2023, you will be led by my friend and colleague, the incredible Anya Myer, as your TCRA President.  With her servant’s heart, I know she is going to accomplish so many great things for our members— which will translate to great things for homeownership and our communities. My Hope for her is that her Board of Directors is as awesome as mine was this year!

My Hope for all of you is that this has been a fruitful and fulfilling year for you (even with its challenges!), both professionally and personally…and that 2023 brings goodness and light to you in all the ways.

Wishing you all a Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, a glorious holiday season, and an amazing New Year!

Vickie Jackson

2022 TCRA President

GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS UPDATE FROM CHRIS LESTER, TCRA GA CO-DIRECTOR

Well, this year has flown right by! Hard to believe we are in the middle of the hustle and bustle of the Holiday season!

While most jurisdictions are winding down the year with budget reviews, planning priorities for the upcoming Legislative session and setting first quarter 2023 agendas there are still some public hearings set to occur and decisions being made.

Thurston County has a couple of public hearings coming in December that may be of interest to our members:

December 7th at 3:30pm, County Commissioners will hear public testimony on the proposed 5 Thurston County Commissioners District boundary lines.

December 13th at 3:30pm, Public Hearing to receive public comment on docket item A-22, Boundary Line Adjustment Code Amendment.

Please click on the link below to find out more information on these items and how to participate in the hearings:

Thurston County | Home | Public Meetings (thurstoncountywa.gov)

County Commissioners also voted to move forward with the Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP) and proposed mitigation fee schedule. Permitting under these new guidelines will begin 1/1/2023.

City of Tumwater’s next Council meeting will be held on December 6th and they will be voting on new and revised Unfair Housing Practice Ordinances and Rental Housing Code Ordinances.

Click on the link below to find the City of Tumwater’s meeting agendas:

Agendas/Minutes | City of Tumwater Washington Meetings Portal (municodemeetings.com)

City of Lacey met last week and voted in favor of a property tax levy as well as increases in water, wastewater and storm water rates. 

With January right around the corner be sure to mark your calendars for Washington REALTORS Legislative Hill Days on January 18th and 19th. Meetings will be taking place at the Olympia Hotel and we should be able to make some Hill visits too. Lots of Housing legislation on the docket this session (and it’s a long session too) and WR will be holding regularly scheduled update calls throughout the session to help us stay informed. Stay tuned for more info on registration and what our Legislative Priorities will be!

There will be no Government Affairs meeting in the month of December.  Look for an exciting line up of guest speakers for 2023.

SPOTLIGHT ON MEMBER BENEFITS-

EDCUATION CALENDAR

As a member of TCRA, one of your many benefits is 7.5 clock hours of continuing education each calendar year for just the $10 registration/ certificate fee.  This clock hour benefit can be used for any clock hour classes that we have listed on our website with the exception of Designation/Certification classes.  To register using this discount, just choose the "TCRA Member Utilizing Clock Hour Benefit" option when registering for a class.  This benefit saves members over $100/year for continuing education.

TCRA also offers a wide variety of classes with certified instructors.  In 2023 we will be offering two designation class; Accredited Buyers Representative (ABR) and Sellers Representative Specialist (SRS).  Please register early as seating will be limited for these outstanding offerings.

TCRA is also offering CAREER BOOST--two full weeks of training designed for new REALTORS or existing REALTORS that just want a refresher.  We are working with NWMLS and many of our outstanding affiliates to offer a wide array of information to help you BOOST YOUR CAREER IN REAL ESTATE.  Check out the flyers below in the Continuing Education section of this newsletter.

LEARNING NEVER ENDS

**Each member is eligible for 7.5 Clock Hour Benefit for the year of 2023 in which they will only pay the registration/certificate fee of $10.  Once the 7.5 Clock Hour Benefit has been used for 2023, members should choose the discounted TCRA Member price at registration. If you are unsure of your 2022 benefit balance, you can contact the Robin or check your Info Hub. 

Registration fees are non-refundable if cancellation is less than 24 hours before the class time.

WELCOME NEW AND RETURNING MEMBERS

Gabrielle Hough, Better Properties-Lacey

Peyton Haas, Better Properties-Lacey

Alicia Baca, Keller Williams South Sound

Ron Harmon, Real Broker, LLC

Francis Newell, eXp Realty

Aaron Bishop, eXp Realty

Brittany Graff

*Mike Lindsay, 1st Security Bank

*Brenda Thornbrue, Academy Mortgage

*Janey Howell, Academy Mortgage

*Kim Harmon, Fairway Mortgage Corp-Gig Harbor

*William Griffin, WSECU

*New affiliate members.

Mark your calendars for our April 6th, 2023, New Member Orientation and Code of Ethics training for new REALTORS, 10:30-3:30pm.