Uncategorized Archives - Page 3 of 12 - Huntsville Area Association of Realtors

It’s a Wrap: 2025 REALTOR® Expo

10/03/2025

Congratulations to our winners!

The Realtor® Expo featured several prizes. Congrats to our winners and thank you to everyone who joined in the fun!

Booth Winners:

1st Place: Stockton Mortgage

2nd Place: Redstone Federal Credit Union

3rd Place: Foundation Title & Escrow

Congrats to Nicole Breighner, who scored FREE 2026 DUES just for visiting our Sponsor booths and voting for Best Booths!

Our lucky winner who visited our booth and installed the ValleyMLS App is… Yulonda VanBuren!

Enjoy your new Smart Home Bundle — courtesy of ValleyMLS. (Please pick up at HAAR)

Cutes & Cakes came through like true heroes with cupcakes for our guests — make sure to visit them again for your next sweet adventure!

HB382: What You Need to Know

09/30/2025

Alabama House Bill 382 (HB382), also known as Act 2025-380, is a state law concerning real estate license law that went into effect on October 1, 2025. The bill updates and modernizes real estate regulations, increases the maximum fine for license law violations from $2,500 to $5,000, and implements an administrative process for handling bounced payments instead of considering them a violation – among other updates to license law.

Seen below for our information hub on HB382, with updates published by Alabama REALTORS®.

Teams

Alabama license law will now include requirements regarding real estate teams.

Limited Consensual Dual Agency

Limited Consensual Dual Agency will be eliminated and replaced with Dual Agency, which will have different requirements.

Transaction Brokers

The term “transaction broker” will be replaced with the term “transaction facilitator”.

RECAD

The RECAD Brokerage Services Disclosure Form will be updated to align with the changes related to dual agency and transaction facilitators.

Out-of-State Co-Brokerage Agreements

Additional requirements and limitations regarding interstate co-brokerage agreements will be added to Alabama license law.

Any Office Location

As of 10/1/25, licensees will be able to use any office location of a company under which (s)he is licensed.

Bad Checks/ E-Payments

Submission of a bad check or a declined e-payment to AREC will no longer be considered a license law violation. Instead, AREC will have an administrative process to handle these issues.

Maximum Fine Amount:

The maximum fine amount for a license law violation will increase from $2,500 to $5,000.

Transaction Timeline – A Smarter Way to Manage Your Deals

09/26/2025

🆕 New Member Benefit: 50% Off Transaction Timeline for All ValleyMLS Agents

We’re excited to introduce you to Transaction Timeline (TT) — a new tool now available to all ValleyMLS agents through our partnership with Transaction Timeline.

Think of Transaction Timeline as your digital transaction coordinator. It helps agents, brokers, and clients stay on the same page, every step of the way.

For Agents: Manage every detail of your contracts, deadlines, and compliance items without the headache.
For Brokers: Gain oversight across all your agents’ transactions to ensure compliance with laws, regulations, and ethics.
For Clients: Give your buyers and sellers a sleek, easy-to-use portal where they can view their transaction timeline and always know what’s coming next.

And the best part? You don’t need to be part of a brokerage to use it — Transaction Timeline works for everyone.

Single agents get the full benefit: every checklist, deadline, document, and client portal is included whether you’re independent, part of a team, or part of a brokerage. It’s like having your own transaction coordinator in your pocket.
Brokerages, however, unlock an even higher level of value: complete oversight across every agent’s transactions, built-in internal compliance monitoring, and office-wide communication that keeps the entire company aligned.

Whether you’re closing one deal a month or managing hundreds across a brokerage, Transaction Timeline scales with you.

ValleyMLS members are the very first to use Transaction Timeline.
This locally developed app was built by licensed agents, for licensed agents — designed around the real needs of our market. As early adopters, you get to shape the future of this tool before it expands nationwide.

✨ Key Features

Centralized transaction management – all your deals in one place
Compliance and checklist tracking to avoid missed deadlines
Broker dashboards for office-wide oversight
Client-facing portal for real-time timeline visibility
Built-in communication tools – keep clients, co-op agents, lenders, and closing attorneys updated in one place
Automated reminders and alerts
Secure storage for transaction docs
No integrations required to get started
No lengthy setup times, get started in minutes on your first transaction

💰 Exclusive Pricing for ValleyMLS Agents

Thanks to our partnership, all ValleyMLS members receive 50% off regular pricing.

Pricing – 50% Off (pay per transaction):

1–2 deals/month → $10 each
3–30 deals/month → $2.50 each
31–100 deals/month → $1 each
101–249 deals/month → $0.50 each
250+ deals/month → Monthly Cap at $250

Example Cost in a Month – 50% Off:

1 deal → $10
3 deals → $22.50
9 deals → $37.50
17 deals → $57.50

Example Brokerage or Team Cost (Monthly Billing Available) – 50% Off (via Stripe, per office):

42 deals → $102
146 deals → $183
207 deals → $213.50
250+ deals → Capped at $250

✅ Zero Risk

No contracts – pay only when you need it
No startup fees
No ongoing charges if you take a break from transactions
Free trial – your ValleyMLS partnership includes 2 free transactions to test the system, no CC required to join

This is a considerable savings compared to other tools on the market, and we believe it will transform the way you and your clients experience the transaction process.

👉 [Get Started with Your Free Trial]

👉 [Find Out More!]

👉 [Youtube Info]

We can’t wait to see how Transaction Timeline helps you close more deals with less stress.

Sincerely,
Transaction Timeline in partnership with ValleyMLS

P.S. We will be at the Huntsville 2025 REALTOR® Expo at The Royal at Stovehouse on Thursday, Oct. 2nd, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Stop by our booth for a chance to win a free year of service for your brokerage or for your personal transactions.

It’s a Wrap: REALTOR® Casino Night

09/23/2025

Congratulations to our winners!

The Realtor® Casino featured three fabulous prizes for the top three chip winners. Congrats to our winners and thank you to everyone who joined in the fun Friday night!

Chip Leaders:

1st Place: Rebecca Lowrey

2nd Place: Tracey Duncan

3rd Place: Landa Pennington

Silent Auction Winners:

Sha Jarboe
Trash Panda Experience
Calm Crown Head Spa
Fusion Nail Salon

Landa Pennington
One Eleven Dinner Certificate
Terrame Spa Package

SAVE THE DATE!! Lift off with us! #Elev8Launch

Highlights from HAAR + ValleyMLS Board of Directors Meeting

09/18/2025

Stay informed with the latest updates from the Board of Directors meeting. Here are the key takeaways you need to know:

Revised Forms Now Available 📝

The Forms Committee has presented, and the ValleyMLS and HAAR Board of Directors have approved, three revised forms. Be sure to update your personal forms library with the new versions. These forms will be available in your library starting Monday, September 22nd.

Transaction Broker Agreement is now the Transaction Facilitator Agreement.
Revised Exclusive Right to Sell.
Revised Coming Soon Addendum.

Upcoming 2026 Budget Review 📅

The Board of Directors will review the 2026 Proposed Budget at a special-called meeting on September 29, 2026.

Director Appointment 🤝

We’re pleased to announce that Sha Jarboe will fill a director seat on the ValleyMLS Board of Directors, serving a term that concludes on December 31, 2026.

Data Share Update 📊

MLS Staff is in the final stages of data testing to ensure accuracy and reliability. We expect to go live with a data share with FMLS in Georgia and the Greater Alabama MLS in Birmingham by mid-October 2025.

2026 ValleyMLS Leadership 💼

Please join us in congratulating the newly appointed leaders for 2026:

2026 Co-Chair: Tamara Fox
2026 Chair: Cindi Peters Tanner

AAR Board Meeting Recap

09/18/2025

The 2025 Alabama REALTORS® Board of Directors met on Thursday, September 11th at the Alabama REALTORS® Building in Montgomery. The Board reviewed the 2026 budget, considered an increase in dues to keep up with ongoing inflation, considered governance proposals, discussed economic trends affecting members’ businesses, received legal updates, and conducted other Association business.

This information was posted to alabamarealtors.com on September 15th, 2025.

Summary of September 11th Board Actions

2026 Budget: The Board of Directors reviewed and approved the 2026 Budget.
Dues: The Board of Directors approved a 4% ($9) increase in dues to support the growth of AAR’s Legal, Advocacy, and Economic Development efforts and continue to offset the effect of inflation.
Programs and Services: The Board of Directors approved changing GRI course delivery into alignment with existing REBAC course structures, enhancing efficiency and expanding educational opportunities. The Board also voted to realign the AAR Annual Conference with the Association’s core advocacy mission. Future conference topics will include speakers on public policy, legal, and economic issues affecting our members, their businesses, and consumers.
Legal Update: The Board received a legal update regarding the implementation of updates to Alabama real estate license law on October 1, Alabama legal developments, statewide legal forms, and external legal challenges.
Annual Conference: Registration for Annual Conference 2025 is still open! The conference will be held on October 14-16, 2025 at The Grand Hotel in Point Clear with keynote speaker Andy Andrews for the Awards and Installation Dinner.
Alabama REALTORS® Foundation Scholarship – The Alabama REALTORS® Foundation Education Scholarship is open for applications! Applications for the Fall 2026 school year are open now through December 31, 2025. If you know of a member with an eligible child or grandchild, please be sure you share the information with them.

Announcing Slate for 2026 Officer & Director Elections

09/15/2025

The Huntsville Area Association of REALTORS® and ValleyMLS are pleased to announce the 2026 Slate of Officers & Directors. Voting will take place beginning at 9:00am Friday, October 3rd and conclude the following Monday, October 6th at 5:00pm.

Open 2026 positions are:
2026 President-Elect
2026 Vice President
2026 – 2028 HAAR Board of Directors (four seats)
2026 ValleyMLS Board of Directors (four seats)

See below for candidate slate, elections timeline, committee member listings, and a copy of policies and procedures.

for President-Elect

for Vice President

for Four (4) Open 3-Year Terms on the HAAR Board of Directors

for Four (4) Open 1-Year Terms on the ValleyMLS Board of Directors

Elections & Nominations Timeline

JULY

Monday, July 21st: Election Work Group meets to review and confirm elections timeline.

AUGUST

Friday, August 1st: Application period opens for two weeks. Application instructions are emailed to all members.
Friday, August 15th: Application period closes at 5pm.
Week of August 18th: DQC meets to review all submitted applications

SEPTEMBER

Monday, September 8th: Slate of Candidates is finalized
Friday, September 12th: Official Slate of Candidates announced
Friday, September 12th: Petitioning period opens for additional candidates
Friday, September 19th: Petitioning period closes for additional candidates. Candidates who have secured the required signatures added to slate.

OCTOBER

Friday, October 3rd: Voting begins at 9am, members emailed instructions
Monday, October 6th: Voting closes at 5pm
Tuesday, October 7th: Candidates notified of results
Wednesday, October 8th: 2026 Officers & Directors announced via email to members

2025 Elections Committee

Joshua Click
Tracy DeGraaff
Beth Heflin, Chair

2025 Directors Qualification Committee

Allison Click
Zelda Friedman
Lore Hislop
Regina Mitchell
Tina Terry
Bill Ward
Sharita Whitehead

Roomvo: room visualization integration at your fingertips with ValleyMLS

09/12/2025

ValleyMLS Launches Roomvo AI Room Visualization to Enhance Real Estate Listings

ValleyMLS is proud to announce a partnership with Roomvo, bringing its proprietary visualization technology to listings across Valley MLS’s platform. The new integration from Roomvo allows buyers to instantly redesign rooms in just seconds—transforming how properties are explored, marketed, and experienced online.

This powerful tool gives consumers the ability to visualize homes in their own style, directly on the listing page. With Roomvo, users can see real-time design changes to walls, floors, countertops, cabinetry, and more—all rendered within seconds.

Helping Buyers See the Possibilities

Homebuyers often struggle to see beyond outdated finishes or unfamiliar styles. Roomvo solves this by making it easy to reimagine any space in seconds—whether it’s modernizing a kitchen, experimenting with paint colors, or previewing flooring upgrades. These cutting-edge virtual renovations create deeper emotional connections and help buyers see the full potential of a home.

“Buyers today expect more than static images—they want to explore, imagine, and personalize. By bringing this level of customization into our listings, we’re giving our members a competitive edge and delivering a better experience for everyone.”

Sid Pugh, ValleyMLS Chair

Boosting Engagement for Agents and Sellers

For agents and sellers, the feature adds a powerful layer of interactivity that increases listing engagement and sets Roomvo-enabled properties apart. Home listings enhanced with Roomvo’s AI design tools see increased time-on-page, more qualified inquiries, and higher conversion from online interest to in-person showings.

“We built Roomvo with a belief that everyone deserves a beautiful home. Our partnership with ValleyMLS brings that vision to life—giving buyers the ability to see a space not just as it is, but as it could be.

Pawel Rajszel, Roomvo Chief Executive Officer

For agents and sellers, the feature adds a powerful layer of interactivity that increases listing engagement and sets Roomvo-enabled properties apart. Home listings enhanced with Roomvo’s AI design tools see increased time-on-page, more qualified inquiries, and higher conversion from online interest to in-person showings.

The Roomvo capabilities are live across all listings on Valley MLS. Agents using Valley MLS now have access to these visualization tools as part of their existing service—no additional setup required.

About ValleyMLS

ValleyMLS is the leading real estate marketplace in North Alabama, serving over 3,800 brokerages and real estate professionals. With a focus on innovation, Valley MLS is committed to helping its members connect more effectively with buyers, sellers, and the evolving needs of today’s market.

About Roomvo

Roomvo is the leading visualization platform for both the home decor and real estate industries, with millions of consumers using the platform on a monthly basis. Leveraging its proprietary technology, Roomvo empowers real estate professionals, homebuyers, and homeowners to effortlessly reimagine spaces—whether by previewing home decor products in their own rooms or visualizing potential homes. With a proven track record of increasing sales, and as a four-time Deloitte Technology Fast 500 winner, Roomvo is at the forefront of visual innovation across global markets.

Visit https://hello.roomvo.com/real-estate or email hello@roomvo.com to learn more.

Tickets on Sale for Realtor® Casino Night!

09/10/2025

We are excited to announce that tickets are now available for the Huntsville Area Association of REALTORS®’ exclusive “High Rollers Casino & Jazz Lounge” event!

This elegant evening promises gaming tables, live jazz music, delectable food and drinks, and networking opportunities with fellow real estate professionals. All proceeds from this event will benefit ARPAC.

Door prizes will be announced throughout the evening and the night’s top three chip winners will win fabulous giveaways!

Tickets are $35 and come with $50 in casino chips for the evening. Additional chips can be purchased at the door.

EVENT DETAILS:

Date: Friday, September 19th

Time: 7:00 – 10:00 PM

Location: 535 Monroe St NW

Entertainment: Live jazz music performed by the talented Ms. Fee Fee

Catering: Delicious hors d’oeuvres provided by Mason Dixon

Activities: Blackjack, Poker, Roulette — plus exciting giveaways!

Don’t miss your chance to try your luck at the tables while supporting an important cause!

We look forward to seeing you dressed in your casino best for an unforgettable evening!

Farewell to Jay Jennings

09/02/2025

It’s with a mix of emotions that we announce the departure of our Education Director, Jay Jennings. While we’re incredibly sad to see him go, we’re also so proud and excited for him as he embarks on his next chapter. Jay will be joining the Greater Chattanooga Realtors® and we’re thrilled that he’s staying within the Realtor® family.

Jay has always been a champion for our members. His dedication to education was evident in everything he did. He brought in the best instructors, developed innovative courses, and ensured our members had access to the most up-to-date and relevant professional development opportunities. The quality of our education program flourished under his leadership, a testament to his passion for helping our members succeed.

Happy Trails, Jay!

Website Search:

News

It’s a Wrap: 2025 REALTOR® Expo

Congratulations to our winners!

The Realtor® Expo featured several prizes. Congrats to our winners and thank you to everyone who joined in the fun!

Booth Winners:

1st Place: Stockton Mortgage

2nd Place: Redstone Federal Credit Union

3rd Place: Foundation Title & Escrow

Congrats to Nicole Breighner, who scored FREE 2026 DUES just for visiting our Sponsor booths and voting for Best Booths!

Our lucky winner who visited our booth and installed the ValleyMLS App is… Yulonda VanBuren!

Enjoy your new Smart Home Bundle — courtesy of ValleyMLS. (Please pick up at HAAR)

​

Cutes & Cakes came through like true heroes with cupcakes for our guests — make sure to visit them again for your next sweet adventure!

HB382: What You Need to Know

Seen below for our information hub on HB382, with updates published by Alabama REALTORS®.

Teams

Alabama license law will now include requirements regarding real estate teams.

Limited Consensual Dual Agency

Limited Consensual Dual Agency will be eliminated and replaced with Dual Agency, which will have different requirements.

Transaction Brokers

The term “transaction broker” will be replaced with the term “transaction facilitator”.

RECAD

The RECAD Brokerage Services Disclosure Form will be updated to align with the changes related to dual agency and transaction facilitators.

Out-of-State Co-Brokerage Agreements

Additional requirements and limitations regarding interstate co-brokerage agreements will be added to Alabama license law.

Any Office Location

As of 10/1/25, licensees will be able to use any office location of a company under which (s)he is licensed.

Bad Checks/ E-Payments

Submission of a bad check or a declined e-payment to AREC will no longer be considered a license law violation. Instead, AREC will have an administrative process to handle these issues.

Maximum Fine Amount:

The maximum fine amount for a license law violation will increase from $2,500 to $5,000.

Transaction Timeline – A Smarter Way to Manage Your Deals

🆕 New Member Benefit: 50% Off Transaction Timeline for All ValleyMLS Agents

We’re excited to introduce you to Transaction Timeline (TT) — a new tool now available to all ValleyMLS agents through our partnership with Transaction Timeline.

Think of Transaction Timeline as your digital transaction coordinator. It helps agents, brokers, and clients stay on the same page, every step of the way.

For Agents: Manage every detail of your contracts, deadlines, and compliance items without the headache.

For Brokers: Gain oversight across all your agents’ transactions to ensure compliance with laws, regulations, and ethics.

For Clients: Give your buyers and sellers a sleek, easy-to-use portal where they can view their transaction timeline and always know what’s coming next.

And the best part? You don’t need to be part of a brokerage to use it — Transaction Timeline works for everyone.

Single agents get the full benefit: every checklist, deadline, document, and client portal is included whether you’re independent, part of a team, or part of a brokerage. It’s like having your own transaction coordinator in your pocket.

Brokerages, however, unlock an even higher level of value: complete oversight across every agent’s transactions, built-in internal compliance monitoring, and office-wide communication that keeps the entire company aligned.

Whether you’re closing one deal a month or managing hundreds across a brokerage, Transaction Timeline scales with you.

ValleyMLS members are the very first to use Transaction Timeline.This locally developed app was built by licensed agents, for licensed agents — designed around the real needs of our market. As early adopters, you get to shape the future of this tool before it expands nationwide.

✨ Key Features

Centralized transaction management – all your deals in one place

Compliance and checklist tracking to avoid missed deadlines

Broker dashboards for office-wide oversight

Client-facing portal for real-time timeline visibility

Built-in communication tools – keep clients, co-op agents, lenders, and closing attorneys updated in one place

Automated reminders and alerts

Secure storage for transaction docs

No integrations required to get started

No lengthy setup times, get started in minutes on your first transaction

💰 Exclusive Pricing for ValleyMLS Agents

Thanks to our partnership, all ValleyMLS members receive 50% off regular pricing.

Pricing – 50% Off (pay per transaction):

1–2 deals/month → $10 each

3–30 deals/month → $2.50 each

31–100 deals/month → $1 each

101–249 deals/month → $0.50 each

250+ deals/month → Monthly Cap at $250

Example Cost in a Month – 50% Off:

1 deal → $10

3 deals → $22.50

9 deals → $37.50

17 deals → $57.50

Example Brokerage or Team Cost (Monthly Billing Available) – 50% Off (via Stripe, per office):

42 deals → $102

146 deals → $183

207 deals → $213.50

250+ deals → Capped at $250

✅ Zero Risk

No contracts – pay only when you need it

No startup fees

No ongoing charges if you take a break from transactions

Free trial – your ValleyMLS partnership includes 2 free transactions to test the system, no CC required to join

This is a considerable savings compared to other tools on the market, and we believe it will transform the way you and your clients experience the transaction process.

👉 [Get Started with Your Free Trial]

👉 [Find Out More!]

ValleyMLS members are the very first to use Transaction Timeline.
This locally developed app was built by licensed agents, for licensed agents — designed around the real needs of our market. As early adopters, you get to shape the future of this tool before it expands nationwide.

Sincerely,
Transaction Timeline in partnership with ValleyMLS

Sha Jarboe
Trash Panda Experience
Calm Crown Head Spa
Fusion Nail Salon

Landa Pennington
One Eleven Dinner Certificate
Terrame Spa Package

Open 2026 positions are:
2026 President-Elect
2026 Vice President
2026 – 2028 HAAR Board of Directors (four seats)
2026 ValleyMLS Board of Directors (four seats)