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 Check out your CARBS
By Caroline Nordyke, CAR Director of the Board
CAR Business Services is a non-dues revenue resource for CAR members. Its mission statement reads like this: "The purpose of the CAR Business Services is to provide significant non-dues revenue to CAR by creating and developing new and innovative initiatives that will result in a new generation of programs and services to the Colorado REALTOR® community."
The revenue centers consist of:
1. Insurance products and services.
A contract with Williams Underwriting is in the works for Errors & Omissions insurance for the basic insurance and additional coverage available. This was scheduled to be out the end of October. They are also working on an insurance program for rental owners with AON Infinity, which should be out around the first of November.
2. Software solutions.
There are product and service items from Apple, CTM econtracts and Mobile Apps from Hillside Software. CTM econtracts is offering REALTOR® members a discount of 23 percent for new users and a 13 percent discount upon renewal.
3. Professional development.
CAR Business Services is developing a comprehensive program to assist members in gaining knowledge and expertise as you build your career. A portion of this will be launched in December 2011 that will feature webcast offerings on new changes in the 2012 contracts. Future broadcasts will feature various industry topics to benefit members. Webcasts and education are geared to supplement education courses. This is being designed to return 10 percent of the class cost to the local association where the attendee is a member.
4. Member resources.
This area will have discounts and/or promotions for members and your clients. Under the personal section, there are discounts for 5280 Magazine, Brooks Brothers and Hertz. Under Office, you will find Mongo Fax, discounts for Office Max, UPS, and Internet Media (Internet marketing designed especially for brokers). Under the client section there are five percent and 10 percent discounts from American Furniture Warehouse on gift cards. There is a discount on the Entertainment Books that give your clients a year's worth of coupons. Lowe's is offering a free real estate marketing system and coupons and discounts for their stores. There is also a Bestcontractors.com area that is an exclusive, unbiased online directory of qualified home improvement and repair professionals, which could be a valuable resource for your clients
5. New initiatives:
More to come.
This is the beginning of what can be a very powerful and useful tool for REALTOR® members. Check out the website at www.carbusinessservices.com to see what is there now and keep checking back to see what is new. This is a work in progress and there is much more to come.
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