Significant Change to Bylaws Approved 10/12/2022

For Immediate Release

October 12, 2022 … Lake Geneva, WI

Lakes Area Realtors® Commit to Higher Level of Education

The Lakes Area Realtors® Association has approved a significant change to the organization’s Bylaws requiring a higher level of education for local Realtors® than most of their 1.5 million peers around the world.

“The National Association of Realtors® requires us to take Realtor® Code of Ethics training every three years,” explained Brad Lois, past president of the local association and 2022 Chair of the Wisconsin Realtors® Association. The state licensing authority in Wisconsin requires 18 hours of continuing education, every two years. In his report at the General Membership Meeting of the Lakes Area Realtors® Association at Hawk’s View Golf Club on October 12 Lois added, “As the local association, we are requiring our members to take six additional hours of video based education within each three-year cycle. This video based education is free to members in good standing, easily accessible, online, and provides specific training on Wisconsin real estate forms, taught line by line by the professional attorneys on staff at the Wisconsin Realtors® Association.” Lois explained the requirement resulted from a task force analyzing solutions to elevate Realtor® professionalism through focused professional development. Real estate forms have direct impact on real estate buyers and sellers. Therefore, thorough knowledge of the forms is essential to providing the highest quality of professional service. “For many years I’ve heard conversations about elevating professionalism. Today, we can do something about it,” said Lois.

And they did. The motion carried to add the requirement.

“I have always been proud to be a member of Lakes Area Realtors® Association,” said 2022 President Rick Geaslen, adding “today I am even more proud. We are the first local association to require additional education of our members. Lakes Area leads, and we expect others will follow.”

Patrick Moore, Director and the Education/Professional Development Committee Chair led the task force that first successfully petitioned the state association to offer the video based training at no charge to members in good standing, and ultimately to today’s local decision to require the minimal six hours of additional education. “I’m pleased with this step forward and proud of our members for taking it,” he said following the decision.

Members of the local association have through December 31, 2024 to complete the first cycle of the additional training.