Couldn’t Attend the SCR Conference? No Worries. Here’s a Summary of Key Points

Report from SCR Conference August 30-September 1

SCR Update—Nick Kremydas, CEO

  • 2018 focus is on local events and meetings
  • Broker Summit to be held in Columbia on October 23 with Steve Murray as keynote
  • SCR is in a great financial position—better than in the 22 years previous
  • 2018 election will be pivotal with a Governor’s race and many house seats open.
  • Working on building great alliances with Real Estate Commission and to provide licenses with more research and information
  • If a member brokerage desires to use a forms platform other than Zipform, contact Austin Smallwood at SCR for upload information.
  • Dues remain at $140 for 2018

 

Economic Update by Dr. Paul Bishop

  • We are in 98th month of recovery.  Wages, however, have not kept up with economic growth, causing an affordability gap in many areas of the state
  • Most consumers continue to say that buying a home is a great idea and that now is a good time to invest
  • We have had less than 6 month’s inventory in SC since 2012.  No reversal of that is seen on the horizon
  • We cannot fix this without building more homes.  The problem started in 2008 and is playing out on the streets now.
  • No inventory may cause growth to stall in 2018.
  • Prices/growth vary across the state:
    • Greenville up 13.5% from 2008 peak
    • Spartanburg up 3.6%
    • Statewide up 4.0%
    • Hilton Head down 10.6%
    • Myrtle Beach down 17.9%
    • Non-metro areas down 4.0%
  • Challenges and Opportunities
    • Policies—CFPB, NFIP
    • Opportunities—80% strongly agree home ownership is good idea

 

Don Cleveland—Legislative Chair

  • License Law 2017 passed
  • Criminal Background Check passed
  • Reciprocity of Licensure passed
  • Priorities for 2018
    • Timeshare Resales
    • HOA Legislation
    • First time homebuyer focus
    • Flood mapping
    • 13 local boards participated in Delegation Days at State House

 

Pam Boswell—Member Services Group Chair

  • Housing Opportunity Committee License Plate Sales goes to Habitat Build
  • Leadership SCR is seeking 2018 participants
  • Next conference September 19-22 in Myrtle Beach

 

Yvonne Schmidt—Legal and Ethical Services Chair

  • New forms updated to require Earnest Money Disbursement Agreement or court order when trust funds are disputed
  • Recent webinar on forms update available at www.screaltors.org
  • 13 or 16 local associations/boards have entered into Professional Standards Cooperative Agreement
  • Watch for the date for 2018 Mediation Training from SCR and NAR
  • Legal Hotline fielding unparalleled number of calls
  • January 23-24, 2018  is the date for the SCR Leadership Forum in Columbia