RAJC Article, originally posted in the December issue of ELEVATE Magazine.
By: Darla Furst, CRB, Broker & Instructor, Michael Saunders & Company, 2022 RAJC Chair

Our world is filled with acronyms and particularly in the business of real estate. So, do you know what the RAJC is and what it provides you?

The REALTOR® Attorney Joint Committee, or RAJC, is a standing committee at RASM comprised of REALTORS® and attorneys from Sarasota and Manatee.

WHAT’S IN IT FOR YOU?

The RAJC provides periodic legal programs and monthly articles for the ELEVATE Magazine that are relevant to the marketplace, real estate laws, and FREC changes. As the 2022 Chair for RAJC, I am quite proud of the programs and articles that we have made available to RASM’s membership throughout this year.

Are you aware that many of these events are recorded and available for you to review on RASM’s YouTube channel? These are great videos for sales meetings and team educational sessions.

THE PRESENTATIONS FOR 2022 CAN BE FOUND ON YOUTUBE UNDER THE FOLLOWING TITLES:

  • Understanding Homestead
  • What REALTORS® Should Know About Wire Fraud
  • Property and Liability Insurance in Real Estate
  • RAJC Seminar Handling Multiple Offers
  • Seller’s Disclosure Panel July
  • RAJC Seasonal Rentals and Restrictions

2022 RAJC EVENTS

The RAJC was also honored to host two additional presentations with prestigious experts from the Orlando area. In June, Danny Villazon spoke to RASM Members about the most prevalent and egregious violations that the FREC has heard about in recent months. Mr. Villazon is a revered attorney who represents licensees appearing in front of the Commission.

Additionally, during the 2022 Soar Conference & Expo, the RAJC was proud to have Juana Watkins address the members. Ms. Watkins is the Chief Counsel for Florida REALTORS®. She discussed many of the more frequent questions posed through the Florida Legal Hotline.

Another resource that the RAJC brings to you is monthly articles written by our committee members. These are available on RASM’s website at www.myrasm.com, and can be found under the Member Resource Tab in the ELEVATE Magazine archives. These are great reference articles for legal and critical updates that are integral to your business.

BELOW ARE THE ARTICLES WRITTEN THIS YEAR BY RAJC MEMBERS:

  • January: Make Sure Your Buyers Don’t Miss Out on Valuable Tax Benefits
  • February: Beware of Wire Fraud
  • March: 5 Florida Homeowner’s Insurance Roadblocks to Watch for in 2022
  • April: Multiple Offers: Obligations and Ideas
  • May: Best Practices for Closing on a Florida Property
  • June: REALTOR® Risk Reduction Strategies
  • July: What Must a Seller Disclose?
  • August: Seller Default Provisions: No, You Can’t Just Not Close… Or Can You?
  • September: Top Complaints Received and Investigated by the FREC
  • October: Rental Restrictions in Manatee County… and Sarasota County
  • November: What to Know Before Negotiating a Purchase Contract
  • December: RAJC – What’s in it For You?

This Committee is one of my favorite committees at RASM. Our meetings are robust think tanks as to the trends in the marketplace and how we can educate and prepare our members to professionally and legally navigate through the topics presented. We look forward to continued attention from the committee to any legal issues that present themselves in 2023 and bringing them to you in the presentations and articles. Should you have any topics that you would like to see the RAJC address, please contact our Staff Liaison, Denise, at Denise@myrasm.com.

So, hopefully, you now know what the RAJC is and “What’s in it For You!” We are just another example of the fabulous resources that make our REALTOR® Association one of the best in Florida.

This article is meant for educational purposes only. It is not intended to serve as legal advice and should not be used as a substitute for consultation with an attorney.