Membership News: September 22, 2025

Each September is recognized as REALTOR Safety Month in a nationwide effort to equip real estate professionals with the tools necessary to maintain their own safety and the safety of those they work with in the field. Increasingly, real estate professionals are potential targets for criminals seeking to steal or commit acts of violence. Many case studies show us that implementing a simple safety system could mean the difference between a safe and productive transaction and even life and death itself.

Metro South Association of REALTORS has signed the 2025 REALTOR Safety Pledge and is committed to helping our members prioritize safety in all business dealings. See below the Top Safety Action Items Recommended for all Real Estate Professionals. Click each link for more info.

1. Plan your safety strategy.
2. See tips and best practices.
3. Access on-demand webinars and training videos.
4. See personal protection resources.
5. Take the REALTOR Safety Pledge.
6. Visit nar.realtor/safety for more safety tips and information.
7. Talk to your MLS services about any safety apps or services that are offered with your membership. (Forewarn, SafeShowings, etc.)
8. Talk with your broker or office manager about safety protocols within your firm.
9. Always listen to your gut: In nearly every case study, victimized agents had a hunch that something wasn't right but chose to ignore their gut and proceed for the chance of making the sale. Your safety is worth more than any compensation.

Complimentary to all REALTORS: Join us for this 3-hour CE class! Violence against real estate professionals is on the rise. This class provides industry-specific tips on agent safety and a basic introduction to firearms and firearms safety. Whether you are a seasoned or new gun owner, or even someone who has never been exposed to weapons, this course offers a no-pressure environment to safely learn about firearms in an instructor-controlled environment. Get hands-on range time and guidance from a professional who meets you wherever you are in experience.

Licensed instructor Jeremy Hobbs has been in law enforcement for more than 15 years and opened STRAC Concepts in 2019, which specializes in self-defense and security consultation. Jeremy is also a REALTOR. Secure your spot today!

• Friday, September 26, 2025, 10:00am - 1:15pm
• AmChar Georgia Gun Store & Range, 775 GA 42N, McDonough, GA 30253

MSAR had originally scheduled the Habitat for Humanity volunteer build day for September 25, 2025. Due to project availability, Habitat for Humanity has had to reschedule our event to October 30, 2025. More information will be coming soon about registering for the new date. We thank you for your patience and understanding with this schedule change that will help us best serve the families whose homes we will be working on.

An organization's Strategic Plan is a high-level roadmap that defines that organization's future direction and priorities. It outlines the mission, goals, and specific actions and strategies to achieve them. Periodically, healthy organizations meet to review their Strategic Plan and make any updates and corrections as business and organizational needs change.

Throughout 2025, MSAR's Strategic Planning Committee has been hard at work evaluating our plan and strategic objectives. They diligently created an updated plan that is poised to serve MSAR for years to come, outlining core pillars that we believe are crucial to our organization and members' collective success. At our September 2025 Board of Directors meeting, that updated plan was presented, voted on, and has been officially adopted as MSAR's Strategic Plan. 

Everything our leadership teams and committees do should point back to some portion of executing this updated plan. This plan informs every facet of our business and serves as a guiding beacon in all decisions. We are prompted to continuously ask: "How does this decision speak to the goals and mission outlined in our Strategic Plan?"

What changed? Most core components of MSAR's existing plan remained in a similar capacity within our new plan. We were able to streamline some objectives and make room for a few changes that accurately reflect our industry position. The same MSAR that you've come to know in this season will have similar goals, but an updated and adjusted guiding light that helps to keep us on the cusp of industry demands and member expectations. You may see the final adopted plan above. We hope that you will review it to learn more about how our goals are accomplished and what our organizational objectives are.

Here's to many more years of growth and support for MSAR and the members we serve. Thank you for being at the center of everything we do.

We have all become well aware of the substantial changes that have met our associations and real estate businesses within the last 2 years. We have won some, lost some, and are consistently finding our way forward as an industry. For the last 2 years, MSAR has also been recording Key Performance Indicators (KPI's) that help to measure our successes, where they can be measured. We are happy to share a few results:

• Annual membership fluctuates throughout the year, so it's normal to hear that membership number change as the year progresses. Year over year, MSAR is thankful to have experienced GROWTH. We ended August 2025 with a total of 1738 members, compared to 1705 in August 2024 and 1683 in August 2023. At MSAR, we believe that a rising tide lifts all ships and that our growth is indicative of health within our local industry and association. We are fortunate to see the new agent pre-licensing classes that are held in our facility still packed full of the next generation of eager future agents.
• RPAC Investments: RPAC has been a high priority this year. We are pleased that our YTD investment level is higher than last year, but we are still only at 45% of our total annual goal. We are looking forward to opportunities to encourage our members to invest in their businesses and our industry's future through RPAC, like our upcoming Casino Royale.
• Events & Engagement: MSAR offers an average of 3 classes each month, with about 60 people per month attending classes and another 60 attending other various membership events. Some events, like our recent Expo Through Time and Circle of Excellence Banquet, bring well over 100 attendees each. That said, there is still plenty of room for you to get involved and take advantage of the classes and events already on the calendar. We are excited to continue to expand the opportunity for all to participate, including in our Committee Workday sessions. In 2026, we will take another step forward to ensure that all standing committees of the Association have a designated monthly meeting time and virtual/hybrid attendance option. This will help us to bring more voices to the table to best represent you.
• Membership Benefits: MSAR continues to add to our suite of benefits in ways that provide business bolstering opportunities for our members. If you haven't looked in a while, please check out all our Membership Benefits. Taking advantage of one or two of these more than pays for your membership dues.
• Culture: While it's harder to track KPI's for culture, what we are seeing and feeling is something to be incredibly grateful for. There has been an overwhelming spirit of support and energy from our members and an outpouring of excitement about what we are all doing together. Our goal is to place the members in every room where decisions are being made to ensure that the steps we take are in line with what's best for them. Metro South wouldn't be the same without that special thing that makes us, well..... us. That's YOU! Thank you for your trust and continued support. 

During the first week of September, hundreds of Georgia REALTORS traveled to Charlotte to attend the Georgia REALTORS Annual Conference and Expo. About 20 MSAR members showed up to represent our association and have a little racecar-themed fun!

Attendees went to many sessions to learn more about building their businesses and our organization. Several attendees sit on statewide committees and had important roles at the conference. Each association had the opportunity to have a night out to build camaraderie within its members. We all got to visit the NASCAR Hall of Fame, hear a lifechanging keynote speech by Ryan Leak, raise over $100,000 for RPAC, and participate in Georgia REALTORS democratic process at the week's pinnacle: the GAR Board of Directors meeting. At this meeting, 13 elected members from MSAR had the opportunity to represent our members at the state level.

Thank you to all members who made it out to the Queen City. To see photos from the conference, click the link below.

We are delighted to share with you that there has been no increase in MSAR or NAR Membership Dues for 2026. GAR's dues for 2026 have increased to $125. By September 30, 2025, all members should have received an invoice for 2026 dues, which must be paid no later than December 31, 2025. The amounts due are as follows:

• Primary REALTOR® Members: $521 total
  • $165: MSAR Dues
  • $125: GAR Dues
  • $156: NAR Dues
  • $45: NAR Special Assessment 
  • $5: Credit Card Processing Fee
  • (Optional) $25 RPAC Contribution
• Secondary REALTOR® Members: $195 total
  • $165: MSAR Dues
  • $5: Credit Card Processing Fee
  • (Optional) $25 RPAC Contribution
• Secondary (Out of State) REALTOR® Members: $320 total
  • $165: MSAR Dues
  • $125: GAR Dues
  • $5: Credit Card Processing Fee
  • (Optional) $25 RPAC Contribution
• Affiliates:
  • Primary Affiliates: $320 Total
    • $165: MSAR Dues
    • $125: GAR Dues
    • $5: Credit Card Processing Fee
    • (Optional) $25 RPAC Contribution
  • Secondary Affiliates: $195 Total
    • $165: MSAR Dues
    • $5: Credit Card Processing Fee
    • (Optional) $25 RPAC Contribution

All invoices will be sent to the email address on file with the association. Payment may be made by:

• Opening the emailed invoice:
  • Click the secure link "Submit Online Payment Here" on the invoice to pay online (no login required)
• Log into your Infohub account or MSAR app to pay (login required) - See below
• Pay by card over the phone at 770-477-7579
• Bring/mail a check to MSAR.
  • All check payments must be postmarked by 12/31/2025 to avoid a $50 late fee.
  • Please make all checks out to Metro South Association of REALTORS.

For any payments made by check, please deduct the $5 credit card processing fee and mail / bring your payment to the MSAR office at 1671 Adamson Parkway, Suite 100, Morrow, GA 30260.

Prepare for billing today by logging in to your membership to see any store payment profiles and update your profile information. Note: Stored payment profiles will not be automatically charged to members, unless they are utilizing the MSAR Installment Agreement.

MSAR will work tirelessly to notify all agents and brokers of outstanding invoices. It is not our goal to have any balance left in arrears. If, however, a balance remains unpaid after December 31, 2025, it will be subject to the following:

• If dues remain unpaid as of January 1, 2026, a $50 late fee will be assessed to any unpaid accounts.
• If any account remains unpaid as of March 1, 2026, that account will be deactivated.
• After March 1, 2025, all inactivated accounts will be subject to total dues owed, plus the $50 late fee and the $50 reactivation fee. 

Each year, MSAR asks all its members to contribute $25 to the REALTORS® Political Action Committee (RPAC.) $25 is what we consider to be each member's "fair share" investment. You will see the $25 on your dues billing statement as an optional investment with your dues payment.

• Andrew Laiz
• Leisa Long
• Sheila Boan
• Kyle Gordon K
• Jackson Baker
• Rebecca Jean Kimpson
• Jerri Sims
• Valencia Baptiste
• Damika Bermudez
• Christy Gaddis
• Keisha Linton
• Dianne Turner
• Michale Harris
• Kori Jordan
• Cheryl Kates
• David Alarcon
• Kyrishia Johnson
• Daisha Hoppin
• Laura Gomez
• Fonda Johnson
• Olivia Norsworthy
• Andrea Bowen
• SYLVIA THOMAS
• Paris Taylor
• Priscillah Mogaka
• Brittanni Morgan
• Andre’ Weeks
• Isaac Jenkerson

Over the last couple of years, MSAR has experienced growth, not only in numbers, but in programs, classes, and benefits. Members like you have shown up and shown out in every way to essentially double MSAR's annual offerings and initiatives. In a time when real estate is more challenging, you have leaned in to not only grow our association over years past, but to invest in the future of your business and the industry as a whole. We could not do it without your trust and support. Thank you!

New Member Orientation is required of all new REALTORS® within 6 months of joining an association. At its core, New Member Orientation is about more than just learning how things are done. This 2-hour interactive event gives new members the opportunity to meet the leadership team and staff at MSAR. It also gives our Affiliate Business Partners a unique opportunity to network with these new members and give them tools to help start a successful business. Further, participants in orientation build camaraderie and a support system of other new members. They learn about REALTOR® membership requirements, all the benefits associated with being a REALTOR® at MSAR, and how to get more involved in the business, MSAR, and our community. We end each orientation program by administering the REALTOR® Oath and sharing a toast to all our new members and their shared success.

New Member Orientation is offered every other month, alternating between Wednesday and Saturday mornings from 10:00am to 12:00pm. This essentially gives all new members 2-3 opportunities to attend the program within their first 6 months of joining.

While orientation is required for all new members, we invite our affiliates and leaders to come on out and show what they do for MSAR. If you didn't get your opportunity to get plugged into this wonderful resource in-person, we also invite you to join us for one of our upcoming orientation sessions, linked below.

Thank you, valued members of Metro South Association of REALTORS®, for your unwavering commitment to excellence in the real estate industry. 

Visit us on Social Media!