Latest News
On Thursday, October 22, 2015, the House of Representatives Transportation and Infrastructure Committee will begin consideration on the surface transportation reauthorization legislation.
One proposal would use Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac’s credit risk guarantee fees (g-fees) to fund transportation programs. This would create a tax on all potential homeowners and consumers looking to purchase or refinance a mortgage.
By increasing Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac’s credit risk guarantee fees (g-fees) to fund transportation programs, Congress would disturb the housing recovery. Now is not the time to raise the cost to purchase or refinance a home.
NAR strongly believes that taxing homeowners to pay for transportation programs places an unnecessary long-term burden on consumers and this action will disproportionately impact low and moderate income borrowers, as well as first-time homebuyers.
Take action now to prevent Congress from placing an unnecessary long-term burden on American homeowners with a new Transportation Tax. REALTOR members must act to stop this legislation. Click here to access the REALTOR Action Center and make your voice heard in Congress.
Need top-notch photos of a new listing? Stop using that cell phone camera and call Bobier! Their experienced and local photographers have top quality equipment and will help with staging rooms to produce only the highest quality images for your clients.
- One hour of photographic coverage (daytime)*.
- One CD containing High Resolution enhanced images for REALTOR’s marketing purposes.
- Images will include exterior and interior pictures to showcase the beauty and uniqueness of every property.
Packages start at just $150 with this offer, exclusively for NWIA members!
- Property up to 2000 square feet is just $150.
- Property 2000-4000 square feet is just $200.
- Evening photography also available, $50 additional.
Call today to schedule a time for a Bobier photography genius to come help make your next listing shine online! NWIA is pleased to have Bobier Photo Studio as an Affiliate Member of our organization.
Bobier Photo Studio
(402) 494-5192
*Package includes photographer travel within a 30 mile radius of Sioux City. Services are available across NWIA’s member area, additional mileage charges of $10 per 25 miles will apply. Evening photography services begin at 5 PM and incur an additional $50 charge. Contact studio for questions or additional details.
Our next Board Luncheon events will take place Thursday, October at Bev’s on the River from Noon to 1:00 PM. Be there to network, eat great food and learn something! This month’s speaker will be Dakin Schultz, Iowa Department of Transportation District Transportation Planner for Northwest Iowa. Mr. Schultz will provide updates on the I-29 and Highway 20 projects.
If you’re in need of a four hour Ethics class for your license renewal, one is set to happen at 1:00 that day immediately following the board lunch. The class will be held at the board office. Check it out and get registered on the IAR website if you’re in need.
Oh dear. Are you still using that old head shot from 1988 and no one has the heart to tell you it’s….well….just awful? It’s time to freshen up your professional photo, thanks to a great photography special from NWIA Affiliate Member Bobier Portrait Studio!
REALTOR® PHOTO SPECIAL at Bobier Portrait Studio
ONE DAY ONLY, EXCLUSIVELY FOR NWIA MEMBERS
Thursday, October 15
at Bobier Portrait Studio
2515 Dakota Ave, South Sioux City, NE
Call the studio to schedule your appointment, (402) 494-5192.
Appointments preferred but walk-in’s are also welcome.
Take advantage of this chance to update your professional head shot for just $50! Price includes session and one digital image of your choice. Additional images and retouching are also available.
Thanks to Andrea and the Bobier Portrait team for providing this amazing offer exclusively to NWIA members!
We’re pleased to welcome the following new members to the Northwest Iowa Regional Board of REALTORS® in September. It’s always wonderful to see new folks understand and embrace the power of the REALTOR® brand.
Be sure to say hello and welcome these folks aboard when you see them out and about.
Keller Williams Siouxland
opens in a new windowLinsey Dumkrieger
Keller Williams Siouxland
opens in a new windowConnie Julius
Epic Realty, Inc.
opens in a new windowDoug Julius
Epic Realty, Inc.
opens in a new windowJamie Upton
Keller Williams Siouxland
opens in a new windowJessica Johnson
Dowden-Hinn, REALTORS
The following new affiliate joined the NWIABOR in the month of September. Welcome aboard!
opens in a new windowElite Staffing LLC
Contact: Hope Schaefer
Kelly Burge, CEO of the Northwest Iowa Regional Board of Realtors has been awarded the prestigious Omega Tau Rho Medallion of Service, a national award bestowed for her contributions to the professional association and service to the Realtor profession. The award was presented September 23 during the Iowa Association of Realtors annual convention in Altoona.
The Omega Tau Rho Medallion of Service is awarded to members of the Realtor organization who meet specific leadership criteria on local, state, and national levels. Once a medallion is awarded, the recipient is a member of the prestigious Omega Tau Rho fraternity for life.
“This award is truly an honor as it marks Kelly’s exemplary dedication and service to the Realtor members of Sioux City and northwestern Iowa,” said Dave Bert, CEO of the Iowa Association of Realtors. “Kelly’s leadership and longstanding passion for excellence are well-recognized across our state and throughout the entire Realtor association,” he said.
Burge began her career in 1999 with the Greater Sioux City Board of Realtors and has served as the organization’s Executive Officer for the past 13 years. She successfully led the organization through a variety of changes during her tenure, including a recent merger with two adjacent Realtor boards to form the Northwest Iowa Regional Board of Realtors.
Omega Tau Rho was created in 1950 and is a National Association of Realtors honorary fraternity comprised of approximately 4000 members. The Omega Tau Rho Medallion of Honor elegantly captures the esteem in which inductees in this honorary fraternity are held by fellow REALTORS®. The medallion is two-inches in diameter and is made of solid brass with an antique gold ox finish in embossed hand relief.
The Northwest Iowa Regional Board of REALTORS® is delighted to offer two outstanding continuing education classes on Friday, October 16. Both events will be held at Bev’s on the River, Sioux City.
Join us from 8 AM to 11 AM for Beyond the Transaction. Ever shaken your head after a transaction wondering what happened? Perhaps the answer lies in client relationships. This course covers buyer and seller agency representation and the responsibilities and ethics of each agency role. The course will increase your professionalism and competency in dealings with the general public. 3 hours CE credit is available. Course cost is $40 if registered by October 9, $50 after that date.
Plan to stick around for the afternoon and join us from 1 to 4 PM for Making A Splash With The ICE Strategy. Rapidly shifting loyalties and expectations must be met with solid service: online AND face-to-face. You need ICE! This course teaches the Incredible Client Experience today’s marketplace demands. Learn to evaluate your business processes and plan a sure-footed path to consumer confidence about the “cool” services you offer. 3 hours CE credit is available. Course cost is $40 if registered by October 9, $50 after that date.
Registration information for both classes was sent to members via e-mail on September 9. Members needing assistance locating the e-mail with registration links should contact the board office at (712) 255-8810.
About Our Speaker
Motivational humorist, real estate business strategist, consultant and author Karel Murray engages her audiences with a mix of attitude, perspective, humor and relevant, timely content that inspires accountability for achieving results. She opens and closes conferences nationally and internationally with a memorable energy, impactful insight about personal accountability and provides relevant, immediately applicable information for attendees.
Having presented to over 75,000 people in her career, her extensive real estate experience as a past managing broker and professional speaking background combine for an incredible attendee experience. Karel has earned the National Speakers Association CSP (Certified Speaking Professional) and the Real Estate Educators Association DREI (Distinguished Real Estate Instructor) designations and is a past President of the Real Estate Educators Association (REEA).
The board office has received word that long-time REALTOR® and NWIA member Gordon Hansch passed away Tuesday, September 1. Gordon received his Broker’s license in April 1986 and had been with DOWDEN-HINN, REALTORS® in Spirit Lake for over 26 years. He had worked previously in Fort Dodge with Iowa Realty.
In addition to his membership with the Northwest Iowa Regional Board, Gordon was a secondary member of the Iowa Great Lakes Board of REALTORS®.
Arrangements are pending at the Schuchert Funeral Home in Spirit Lake. Online condolences may be sent to the family via the funeral home website.
The members and staff of the Northwest Iowa Regional Board of REALTORS® send our thoughts and condolences to both the Hansch family and the DOWDEN-HINN, REALTORS® family at this time.
We’re pleased to welcome the following new members to the Northwest Iowa Regional Board of REALTORS® in July and August. It’s always wonderful to see new folks understand and embrace the power of the REALTOR® brand.
Be sure to say hello and welcome these folks aboard when you see them out and about.
Karina Fast
Keller Williams Siouxland
Sioux City, IA
Greg Gregerson
United Real Estate Solutions
Sioux City, IA
Brandi Jorgensen
J & M Real Estate
North Sioux City, SD
Jacqueline Maassen
Beyer Auction & Realty
Sioux Center, IA
Also this month we had the opportunity to welcome two new offices to our board. Please greet the agents from these two new offices as you have opportunity to meet them.
Diamond Pro Realty
Akron, IA
Adam Frerichs, Broker
Keller Williams Siouxland
Sioux City, IA
Kevin Archer, Broker
Congratulations and welcome to our new friends. We wish you much success in your new endeavors and are thrilled to have you as members of our organization.
The Council of Residential Specialists will mark their 2015 CRS Week from August 24-28, 2015. CRS Week is full of great webinars, useful resources and education discounts available to both CRS and non-CRS REALTORS®.
See below for the list of FREE webinars being offered during 2015 CRS Week*!
| Date | Subject | Instructor |
|---|---|---|
| Monday, August 24, 2015 | opens in a new windowSupercharge Your Referral Business | Presented by Referral Exchange |
| Tuesday, August 25, 2015 | opens in a new windowUse Staging to Put Your Listings in the Spotlight | opens in a new windowCarl Medford, CRS |
| Wednesday, August 26, 2015 | opens in a new windowPlunge into Productivity: Systems and Tools to Get You There | opens in a new windowSasha Farmer, CRS |
| Thursday, August 27, 2015 | opens in a new windowHarness the Power of Online Reviews | opens in a new windowMaura Neill, CRS |
| Friday, August 28, 2015 | opens in a new windowHow Pre-Listing Inspections Can Make You More Money | Sponsored by opens in a new windowPillar to Post |
*Dates and times are subject to change.
There are 31 members of the Northwest Iowa Regional Board of REALTORS® who hold CRS designation. They are:
Rick Arnold
Pauline Blassl
Michael Borschuk
Nicole Card
Kevin Christie
Marceta Claypool
Lisa Cunningham-Messelhiser
Jim Gergeni
Gina Grimsley
Carol Halstead
Nancy Henry
Barbara Kimmel
Cindy Kinzey
Victoria Kollbaum
Joseph Krage
Barb Maxon
Susan Meis Trucano
Gayle Miille
Kathy Miller
Scott Miller
Sue Raby-Struthers
Sandra Siegel
Lisa Sissel
Julie Skaff-Gregg
Anita Small
Kenneth Spies
James Trucano
Cyndi Unger
Lisa Wagner
Jan Wagner
LaNay Welch
Holly Wright
