President’s P erspective Happy New Year!
I hope that 2015 is off to a great start. As you plan for a prosperous year in your real estate business, there are three points that I would like to bring to your attention.
HEALTH INSURANCE OPEN ENROLLMENT ENDS SOON! By now you have probably heard that GAR has partnered with Lighthouse Benefit Resources to bring you our newest member benefit, the GAR Exchange, which delivers a variety of affordable health insurance plan options in addition to other insurance products such as dental, vision and pet insurance.You may only sign up for health insurance during the open enrollment period, which ends on Febru- ary 15, 2015. However, all other products are available for purchase year-round. To view options or to enroll,visit
www.GARexchange.comand enter “GAR”when you are prompted for a password.
LEGISLATION THAT WILL AFFECT YOUR BUSINESS As the 2015 legislative session prepares to kick off, GAR is working hard to pro- tect consumers, private property rights, and the real estate profession. One of our initiatives this year is proposing tax advantaged savings accounts for Georgia residents who are first-time homebuyers. These buyers could benefit from the ability to save tax-free for a down payment to purchase a home, REALTORS® could benefit from the increased sales, and the state can benefit from the in- creased economic activity that occurs each time a home is sold. We are optimistic about this initiative, but our success will depend on the final details of the plan as well as the economic impact itwould have on the state.Our Government Affairs Committee is working diligently with the hope that when the Inaugural & Legisla- tive Conference is held in February each of us attending the Legislative Day at the Capitol will be able to encourage support from our representatives for this and any other issues that may arise between now and then.
JOIN US AT THE 2015 INAUGURAL & LEGISLATIVE CONFERENCE Don’t miss the education, networking, and opportunity to advocate for legisla- tion that positively impacts or industry and our clients. Join hundreds of your fellow Georgia REALTORS®
on February 9-12, at the Hyatt Regency Atlanta to
start your business off on the right foot. On Monday, February 9, our conference kicks off with a keynote presentation delivered by none other than Vince and Barbara Dooley! Don’t miss what promises to be a memorable and lively talk from two Georgia legends. On Tuesday, join more that 700 REALTORS®
from all over
Georgia at the Capitol to meet with our elected officials to discuss pressing leg- islative matters. Don’t forget to wear something REALTOR®
BLUE! It makes a
great impression when so many of us care enough to show up and advocate for our industry and private property rights. Finally, I hope that you’ll join me and the GAR leadership team for the President’s Gala on Wednesday evening. Visit
www.garealtor.com for more information and to register.
Thank you for being a part of this dynamic association! I look forward to meeting many of you in the months to come as I visit local boards/associations and bro- kerages around the state.
www.garealtor.com GEORGIA REALTOR® I 5
JIM SMITH 2015 President
GEORGIA REALTORS ®
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