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This Thanksgiving may your heart be as full as your plate!
MSBR office will be closed for Thanksgiving on Thursday, Nov. 28 and Friday, Nov. 29th. |
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Let's Celebrate the Holidays Wednesday, December 3, 2025 5:30-7:30pm |
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Let’s celebrate the season together… Join us for the MSBR Holiday Party! This is one of our most fun, inclusive gatherings of the year—and MSBR is turning up the cheer with a Holiday Hat & Costume Contest! You could walk away with a $50 Target gift card just for being festive.
Expect: There’s no cost to attend, but we invite you to bring a small gift of kindness: We’d love to see you there—come celebrate, connect, and kick off the holidays with us!
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Thank You Holiday Party Sponsors
Bar Sponsor: Skipper Marquess with Coldwell Banker
Food Sponsors: Andy Beaven with Wright Real Estate Jenn Dudley with Title Excellence Denise & Bill McCormick ~ CK Capital Management Corp. Dave Whaley with National Property Inspections |
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Agents' worth is showing and communicating that worth is paying off
Agents' support highly valued as FSBOs lose market share: For Sale By Owner transactions—better known as FSBOs—comprised just 5% of home sales, beating out last year's lowest on record of 7%, according to the National Association of REALTORS 2025 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers. Meanwhile, a record high of 91% of home sellers sold their home with the assistance of a real estate agent. |
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Reminder to those working in Greensboro, MD
The Town of Greensboro requires all sold residential properties in the town to be inspected before closing/occupancy to ensure the structure is up to code and that no unpermitted work was done. This has been in effect for many years, but good to be reminded of! |
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ATTENTION ALL COMMERCIAL AGENTS - REQUIRED CE December 5th 10am to noon
This class will satisfy your Fair Housing "Topic P" requirement
As of October 1, 2025, Commercial Licensees are required to attend a Topic "P" Americans with Disabilities Act class. This class ("P" 1102-1604, 2 hours) has been approved to fulfill that requirement.)
This FREE online course is only available for Maryland REALTORS members. Sign in to the website to register. |
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Are You Showing Your Clients Gratitude?
A little appreciation goes a long way—it builds trust, strengthens relationships, and helps create clients for life. As the holidays approach and our industry keeps shifting, small gestures can make a big impact. Simple ways to show you care:
A small gesture can have a big impact. Consistent gratitude not only builds lasting loyalty—it reinforces the heart of what REALTORS® do every day: serve, support, and guide people through one of life’s most meaningful decisions. |
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Thank you Chuck Ireland for your insight on what REALTORS need to know about filing their taxes.
If you were not able to attend the session in person then check out the recorded presentation.
Affiliate Chuck Ireland, CPA with Accounting Strategies Group LLC can be reached at jdi@asg-cpas.com or 410-673-1384 // Main St Preston MD 21655
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MSBR Golf Tournament at Hog Neck Tuesday, May 19, 2026 9am Shotgun start All help with this is appreciated. Join us on Tuesday, January 11 at 9:30am in person or by zoom Let us know how you want to attend debbie@msbrmd.com |
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The 100 life decisions people dread most, according to psychologists | Popular Science
Coming in at #6: Buying a home
No matter the demographic, the majority of people most frequently associate risk with accepting a new job. This was immediately followed by quitting a job, as well as investing money, driving, becoming self-employed, and buying a house. |
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Association Presidents learning and sharing ideas with other Association Presidents from across the US. |
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Shandell Green, MSBR President and AE, Deb Leber met up Frederick Co. Assoc. President Terez Dorsey at the airport. |
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Key Note speaker Robert Herjavec of Shark Tank with Kevin Brown, 2026 NAR President. Over 8,000 attended the conference, plan now for the Nov. 4-6, 2026 NXT in New Orleans. |
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Out-going NAR President Ken Sears and NAR CEO Nykia Wright. |
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The horns were indeed long! |
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MD REALTOR President, Denise Lewis, with MSBR President Shandell Green and other Association Presidents at the MD REALTORS reception. |
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Pictures from the National Association of REALTORS Annual Conference in Houston, TX. Lots of AI information and how REALTORS can use this skill, plus networking, motivational and educational sessions, with some fun sprinkled in. |
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Check out the Safety Feature offered by ZipForms |
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Maryland Fair Housing Symposium 2025 at 10901 Little Patuxent Parkway Columbia, MD 21044
Overview: Let's focus on how REALTORS can play a leading role in advancing equity, inclusion, and opportunity for all Marylanders.
Equity in Every Zip Code: Advancing Fair Housing Across MarylandJoin real estate professionals, housing partners, and community leaders from across Maryland for a dynamic day of learning, collaboration, and action.
This year’s symposium focuses on how realtors can play a leading role in advancing equity, inclusion, and opportunity ensuring that every Marylander, in every zip code, has fair access to housing.
Continuing Education Units (CEUs) will be offered for licensed Realtors® who participate in designated fair housing sessions.
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Christmas is Early with NAR discounted programs and products To see a full list of NAR REALTOR Benefits NAR REALTOR Benefits®.
Also, certain tools, products and resources are available free or at a discount every month; bookmark Right Tools, Right Now to see each month’s featured offers. |
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2026 REALTOR & Affiliate Dues
Dues notices were e-mailed on November 1, 2025 REALTOR & Affiliate dues are due December 1, 2025 Avoid the $100 late fee - pay by January 2, 2026
2026 Total REALTOR Dues $850 2026 Affiliate Dues $350 (no increase)
Hardship letters must be received by Monday, December 1, 2025 in order to be considered This will give you until Feb. 2, 2026 to pay without a late fee. |
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Thoughts on a 50-Year Mortgage There’s been increasing conversation around the idea of a 50-year mortgage. At the recent NAR Conference, Lawrence Yun noted that a loan stretched over five decades begins to resemble an interest-only structure and would likely require significant regulatory updates before becoming a mainstream option.
What could a 50-year mortgage actually mean for the housing market and for buyers? Most borrowers today choose 30-year mortgages, with some opting for 15 years. Extending that timeline to 50 years spreads payments across two generations of market cycles, lowering the monthly cost and potentially allowing buyers priced out of the current market to finally purchase a home.
Here’s an example to put it in perspective: If a buyer purchases a $300,000 home with a 9% down payment ($27,000):
That monthly difference—nearly $200—could open doors for families on the edge of affordability. But it comes with meaningful tradeoffs.
Risks and long-term implications A longer mortgage term often means increased risk for lenders, which could translate into higher interest rates. If that happens, some or all of the monthly savings could disappear. On top of that, stretching payments over 50 years nearly doubles the total interest paid. Buyers would build equity far more slowly, shifting the financial benefits of homeownership farther into the future.
Could it push home prices even higher? Possibly. If more buyers suddenly qualify, demand could rise. But the core issue driving affordability challenges—low supply—would remain untouched. Even now, the market is expected to be short 1.1 million units by year-end. Without meaningful increases in inventory, any demand-side incentive risks fueling further price growth.
Is it still worth considering? For some families, yes. A 50-year mortgage could be the bridge that gets them into homeownership. But it’s not a silver bullet. Affordability solutions must address both sides: financing options and actual housing supply. |
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Don't Unclick the Box RPAC is working for you. Your $25.00 keeps it working. When paying your dues, include RPAC. |
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On Common Ground explores how local governments are rethinking budgets to balance rising costs, housing scarcity and climate challenges. From adaptive reuse to value capture, communities are finding creative ways to fund growth and strengthen local economies. |
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MSBR Continuing Education November 2025 ~ February 2026 Maryland Department of Labor's website to view your CE status and |
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Couldn't make the CE Classes? MSBR partners with The CE Shop. Education on your time. For November 35% off discount code: CLOSE35 For December 35% off discount code: AHEAD35 CE Shop Classes available 24/7
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Community Volunteers:
Waterfowl volunteers for Information Guides included: Brenda Andrew, Holly Anderson, Danielle Espinoza, Karla Cherry, Mark Lappen and Matthew Fitzgerald. |
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Next Newsletter is December 9, 2025
Copyright © 2025 Mid-Shore Board of REALTORS, All rights reserved. Our mailing address is: Easton, MD 21601 Want to change how you receive these emails? |