Accredited Buyer’s Representatives (ABR) is the benchmark of excellence in buyer representation. What’s their key to success? They know that you can’t count on the market—you have to count on your skills. ABR education provides the expertise you need for an edge in serving today’s homebuyers.

The ABR Course will be offered live at CTAR on March 20 and 21 from 9am-4pm with instructor Shane Mask.

After completing this two-day course, you will have achieved ABR candidate status, a three-year period during which you must fulfill the ABR Designation Requirements.

The Details
March 20-21 | 9am-4pm with Shane Mask
CEE3607 | 12 Elective hours (LLR & CTAR)

The Cost
Member / Non-Member rate $265
Gold Card rate: $240

The Benefits
Check out the full list of ABR Member Benefits and learn how to earn your full ABR designation here.

After an intense seller’s market, the real estate landscape is changing. Many buyers feel anxious about a potential economic downturn and rising interest rates.

ABR designees have continuous access to education, industry information, marketing materials, and more. These resources can boost referrals and lead generation.

Fake Seller/Fake Buyer Scam Alert: Vacant Lots

In 1990, Montez C. Martin, Jr served as the first African American President of the CTAR Multiple Listing Service (MLS) President. During his presidency, Montez worked with Trident Technical College to update and incorporate a new MLS computer system for members that increased efficiency and helped streamline MLS searching. His commitment to implementing new technology for the MLS helped pave the way for the technology-forward MLS products we use today.

Martin’s career in real estate officially began in 1976 when he opened Montez Real Estate, originally located in the Old Darlington Apartments. The office was sparsely appointed with just a phone, desk and filing cabinet and he didn’t have well-established connections to other agents in the area yet.

Knowing he needed support, Martin reached out to well-known local Realtor® Max Hill, who he had worked with previously at the Chamber of Commerce and on other community projects. When he reached out, his first question to Hill was, “How do you keep the lights on?” From there, a mentorship developed as Hill allowed Martin to view his file forms and process and supported him as he got his business off the ground.

In 1980, Martin joined CTAR to become a Realtor®. At the time, the Association required agents to pass an exam to join. Martin said, “The test wasn’t hard but I didn’t want to score a 100. I went back through the test and changed answers until I believed the score would be around 80.” At the time Martin believed scoring a 100 as a black person would come with potential unwanted attention.

After joining CTAR, Martin served on several boards and committees in the community and at the Association. Association committees and board included Legislative committee, MLS committee and Property transfers and TMS committee and the CTAR Board. In the community, he served on the Charleston Chamber of Commerce Board, Trident Community Foundation, Co-Chair of Regional Transportation Authority and Trident Technical College Board. In 1986, he was named President of the Charleston Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors and became their first African American President.

A native of Columbia, South Carolina, Martin graduated from Hampton University with a degree in Architectural Engineering and Building Construction. Shortly after graduation, he joined the Army as a commissioned officer in the Corps of Engineers. He was assigned to Vietnam where he commanded a port construction detachment. After 7 years of service, Martin joined the Army Reserves. Martin’s impressive career resume includes a high school mechanical drawing teacher, a camera person and interviewer for WSB-TV, Executive Director for WSB Savannah Radio Station, Director of Construction at the College of Charleston and a news reporter and talk show host for WCBD channel 2.

In 1992, Martin left real estate and accepted a position as the Executive Director of the Charleston County Housing Authority where he remained until retirement in 2012.

Martin’s determination to succeed in both his real estate business and his path to leadership is inspiring and remarkable—during this year’s Black History month, we reflect on the contributions of trailblazers like Montez Martin and celebrate his achievements!

The Association Board of Directors voted to make several revisions to the CTAR Bylaws.  The revisions attempt to streamline the application and onboarding process for new or returning Realtor® members, clarifies the makeup of the board of directors and revises the standing committees the association maintains.

Please review proposed revisions below and submit your vote by Friday, December 23.

Submit your vote here.

ARTICLE V ‑ QUALIFICATION AND ELECTION
Article V, Section 2a a
The revision to this section is a change in the timeframe that allows the Board to terminate provisional membership.

The previous version of the bylaws stated that a new or returning Realtor® member must complete orientation within 180 days of the Association’s receipt of their membership.

The proposed version states that a new or returning Realtor® member must complete orientation within 60 days from the date their membership was granted.

Please review the complete proposed text below:
Section 2: Election
The procedure for election to membership shall be as follows:

Applicants for REALTOR® membership shall be granted provisional membership immediately upon submission of a completed application form and remittance of applicable association dues and any application fee. Provisional members shall be considered REALTORS® and shall be subject to all of the same privileges and obligations of membership.  Provisional membership is granted subject to subsequent review of the application by the board of directors.  If the board of directors determines that the individual does not meet all of the qualifications for membership as established in the association’s Bylaws, or, if the individual does not satisfy all of the requirements of membership (for example, completion of a mandatory orientation program) within 60 days from the  date that provisional membership was granted, membership may, at the discretion of the board of directors, be terminated.

Article V, Section 3
The revision to this section is a change in the timeframe that members are given to complete the Realtor® Code of Ethics training.

The previous version of the bylaws stated that a new or returning Realtor® member must complete Realtor® Code of Ethics training within 180 days of the Association’s receipt of their membership.

The proposed version states that a new or returning Realtor® member must complete Realtor® Code of Ethics training within 60 days from the date their membership was granted.

Please review the complete proposed text below:
Section 3: New Member Code of Ethics Orientation

Applicants for REALTOR® membership shall complete an orientation program on the Code of Ethics of not less than two (2) hours and thirty (30) minutes of instructional time. This requirement does not apply to applicants for REALTOR® membership who have completed comparable orientation in another association, provided that REALTOR® membership has been continuous, or that any break in membership is for one (1) year or less.

Failure to satisfy this requirement within sixty (60) days of the date that provisional membership was granted will result in denial of the membership application.

ARTICLE XI ‑ OFFICERS AND DIRECTORS
Article XI, Section 7d
The revisions to this section affects the composition of the Association Board of Directors.

The previous version of the bylaws stated that not more than four (4) members in either director or officer positions may be from the same firm or firms under common ownership.

The proposed version states that not more than 25% of members in either director or officer positions may be from the same firm or firms under common ownership..

Please review the complete proposed text below:
The election of Officers and Directors shall take place electronically when required. Not more than 25% of the Board of Directors shall consist of Officers or Directors from the same real estate firm or firms under common ownership. If because of change of employment, company merger or any other action, elected Officers and Directors will serve out their current term.  Of the voting members of the Board of Directors selected by the nominating committee, at least 60% must be from different companies and no more than 25% from any firm or firms with common ownership.  After election, any vacancies resulting from ineligibility shall be filled pursuant to Section 8 of this Article.  All Officers shall be elected by majority of the votes cast (if voting is necessary) or plurality (if voting is not necessary) and Directors shall be elected by plurality of the votes cast.

ARTICLE XIII – COMMITTEES
Article XIII, Section 1
The revisions to this section revises the Association’s standing committees following the transfer of management of Professional Standards oversight and the associated committee to the South Carolina Association of Realtors® (SCR) and the re-establishment of the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion committee.

The previous version of the bylaws stated that the Association will maintain three standing committees: Legislative, Realtor® Housing Opportunity Fund (RHOF) and Professional Standards.

The proposed version states that the Association will maintain three standing committees: Legislative, Realtor® Housing Opportunity Fund (RHOF) and Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.

Please review the complete proposed text below:
Section 1: Standing Committees
The Association shall maintain three standing committees, Legislative, REALTOR® Housing Opportunity Fund, and Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.  In addition, the President shall appoint, subject to confirmation by the Board of Directors, such committees as deemed necessary.

As a service to all Realtor® members, a volunteer group of your Realtor® peers takes the time each election season to interview the candidates running for office. If you’d like to participate in our candidate screening committee, please email Josh Dix. This committee is open to all Realtor® members.

These voter guides identify candidates who are pro-business, pro-public property rights and whose values closely align with Realtor® interests.

As an individual, who you vote for is YOUR business, but as Realtors® who we support impacts all of OUR business. Our number one consideration in recommending one candidate over another is the candidate’s stance on key Realtor® Issues – private property rights, highest and best use of land and of course, fair housing.

This voter guide is intended to help you identify those candidates who will be supportive of Realtor® issues and support your business.

If you have questions about the 2022 Voter Guide, the candidate screening process or how selections are made, please contact Josh Dix.

Click each image to download a PDF.

CTAR Retains its Position of Support for the Expansion of I-526 

As our region continues to grow, the conversations regarding traffic and infrastructure have intensified. We should care how citizens move about the region, and we have a responsibility to ensure every citizen is moving safely from place to place.

Safety and the ease of mobility should be the focus of any discussion on transportation.  That is why the Charleston Trident Association of Realtors® is in full support of extending 526 from West Ashley to Johns Island. We need to protect every member of our communities, those here today and those yet to come.

Johns Island has roughly 4,500 entitlements in the City of Charleston alone.  Kiawah has the opportunity to develop roughly 500 acres around Freshfields and roughly 1,500 units will be developed just outside of Kiawah Island.  That will lead to a great deal of stress on an already over-extended network of roads.

Mark Clark is not the silver bullet that will immediately remedy our congestion issues but it is an important part of a bigger solution.  Addressing the North and South Pitchforks, implementation of the Main and 17 Flyover, getting CARTA access to the islands, examining bike and pedestrian options and completing 526 are all part of the strategy to begin addressing the transportation needs of our region.

Safe options are how we develop thriving communities.  The comfort in safety creates better drivers and better drivers means eased road congestion.  We cannot safely move the number of residents coming to the barrier islands without a comprehensive strategy, and that strategy must include 526.

We cannot view these islands and their future needs through a static lens.  Just as we are working to anticipate future needs in housing, the economy and workforce development, Lowcountry Rapid Transit, education, public safety and more, the islands deserve all the assets we have as a community.  Our infrastructure is stressed because we have not had visionary direction.  We need to address 526 with the same drive and direction as the other community initiatives we have taken on.

There is no denying the updated costs gave us all a bit of sticker shock—but those numbers aren’t going to decline, they will only continue to grow. The reality is that there is not a project whose future costs will not be higher, and perhaps a bigger cost to consider is the safety of those who travel our roadways. Overtaxed roads with constant traffic congestion, residents stranded on islands, unable to get to where they need to go is a safety issue. Instead of discussing increasing costs, we should be discussing how to increase the safety of our roads.

We need to come together as a community and decide what community we want to be.  Do we want to be stuck with the same infrastructure in worse conditions or do we want to embrace that we need to be thinking of the future and not our static condition?  We believe in planning for the future and our future generations’ needs.

Planning for the future are what thriving communities do.  They anticipate the growing needs and implement smart strategies that address those concerns.  We believe 526 is part of the solution to the infrastructure and safety dilemmas the barrier islands face.  We encourage our leadership to continue putting safety above all else and protect the citizens of our Charleston region.

Wil Riley, CEO, Charleston Trident Association of Realtors®

Wil Riley is the CEO of the Charleston Trident Association of Realtors® with a membership of over 7,000 across Berkeley, Charleston, Colleton, and Dorchester Counties.