SRCAR Connect

When MRMLS launched the SafeMLS token security program in 2008, we made a promise to our membership that we would continue to explore new and less intrusive ways of making sure your data was as secure as possible. MRMLS and your local Association feel that the rollout of our new security program, SCOUT for SAFEMLS on March 24th accomplishes giving you both ease of use and the highest levels of security.

SCOUT for SAFEMLS’s multi-layered authentication and heuristic methods in securing your account information is done behind the scene.  SCOUT clears the path for you to log onto MRMLS Matrix by providing your username and single password without the need of your SAFEMLS Token.

Beginning March 24th, we will begin a phased rollout.  Over the subsequent four weeks, groups of members will be required to register the next time they logon to Matrix.  After you have successfully registered, you will no longer need your SafeMLS token to log into the Matrix system.

Note: You will continue to need your SafeMLS Token UNTIL you have registered your new password.

Within a few weeks, MRMLS and your Local Association will provide you more detailed information about how this exciting new program will work!

Dear GE Security Customer,

There are a few changes coming to SupraWEB in the next couple of weeks. These changes will provide several new tools for your use.

• Enhanced reporting features including a new mobile site customized for phones.
• Improved showing feedback options: You can automatically forward showing notifications to sellers.
• Agent WebPAY is moving into SupraWEB. You will no longer need to remember two sets of passwords or use two different websites.

As part of this upcoming change, which will occur in about three weeks, it
will be necessary for you to create a new user ID and password before you
can access SupraWEB (until the change is made, you will continue to use
your current password and key number).

We will be providing information and training over the next few weeks on the set up process. You can visit www.ekeyprofessional.com/sso.html to learn how  this simple process works.

We will also add a dedicated queue in our call center with additional staff to assist you with the change.

We sincerely appreciate your continued business. We are working hard to add benefits to the Wireless Information System that will continue to make things easier for you.

Sincerely,
Greg Russell
Product Marketing Manager

At our Mid-Winter Board of Directors meeting February 4, 2010, the California Association of REALTORS overwhelmingly voted on a motion out of the Political Affairs Committee to Begin assessing every REALTOR the amount of $49 effective in 2011 for the purpose of funding our political activities.

At the urging of the Government Affairs Director sub-forum, CAR adopted the concept during our October 2009 meetings, directing legal staff to determine the most efficient way to implement the policy.

The determination, published as an Issues Briefing Paper prior to Januarys meeting, recommended a ‘political assessment opt-over approach’, which was ultimately the direction voted on by the BOD. The opt-over provision allows the member to determine whether the investment amount shall be directed toward the REALTOR Action Fund or ‘opted-over’ to an alternative account.

With over $19 million spent during the past year, NAR ranks as one of the top ten lobbying organization in the country and the #1 grassroots trade association lobby in Washington. Having achieved so much on behalf of our members and for our customers private property rights, we cannot abandon that position now. We’ve invested too much time and money to make it happen, we can’t simply walk away from the opportunity we’ve created for ourselves.

Since 2000 the CAR political action committees (PAC’s) have grown and shrunk based on membership numbers and the real estate market. In the 2001-2002 election cycles, the PAC’s were funded by $3.8 million of voluntary political contributions. By 2006-2007, the PAC’s funding had increased to $10.1. Million In the past three years those receipts have fallen to just$2.5 million for 2009.

As our organization faces increasing challenges at the local, state and federal level, that amount is simply not enough to keep us as a serious player in the political arena.

Please reply with any comments, questions or concerns. We’d love to hear from you.

The CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS^® and Los Angeles Times present the

Southern California Home Buyer’s Fair

WHAT: The Southern California Homebuyer’s Fair, sponsored by the CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS^® and the Los Angeles Times.

Educational seminars will be presented in English and Spanish and cover a wide range of topics,
including:

• How to Find and Qualify for a Home Loan
• Keeping Score: How to Monitor and Fix Your Credit
• What to Know Before You Buy
• How to Buy a Short Sale, REO, or Foreclosure
• How to Save for a Home of Your Own
• Finding and Working with a REALTOR^®, and more!

WHERE: The Los Angeles Convention Center in Downtown Los Angeles, 1201 S. Figueroa Street, Los Angeles, CA 90015.

WHEN: Saturday, March 13, 2010, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sunday, March 14, 2010, from
11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

WHY: This two-day event is free to the public and will include educational “how-to” seminars designed to help home buyers navigate today’s real estate market with confidence and peace of mind.

EXHIBITORS: The Southern California Home Buyer’s Fair also will feature exhibit booths, where
visitors can obtain information from industry experts about a vast range of programs pertaining to
homeownership and the home-buying process.

SPECIAL PROMOTIONS: Free movie tickets to the first 200 attendees each day(one ticket per person).

ADMISSION: FREE

FOR MORE INFORMATION: Please visit www.homebuyersfair.com

Dear Valued Customer,

On Friday, February 12th starting at 7:30pm PST through Saturday, February 13th at 3:00pm PST,  GE Security will be conducting routine maintenance at our data center. During this time SupraNET, Agent Web Pay and IVR will not be available. Keyholders will be able to eSYNC, get voice updates and log into KimWeb during  the maintenance period. Supra Keyholder Support, 877-699-6787, will be available to provide assistance for any keyholder who needs to update their key.

Thank you,

GE Security Support Team

Understanding the different ways to describe commissions on the MLS often can be misunderstood. Selling Office Compensation is a required field and must be entered as a percentage or fixed dollar Amount.  In addition, any specific conditions related to estate sales, probate listings, auctions, sales dependent on lender approval or other special circumstances must be entered in Agent Remarks. Below are some typical questions and answers that should help clear the obstacles when placing your listing on the MRMLS Matrix system.

Questions and Answers:

Q. What is a Dual Variable Rate Commission?

A. The CARETS Rules and Regulations section 7.22 provides that a dual or variable commission is one in which the seller agrees to pay a different commission if:

• The Listing Broker represents both the Seller and Buyer (dual agent) or
• The Seller finds the buyer themselves: or
• The Listing Broker is not the Selling Broker.

In situations like these, you must disclose this information by using the Dual Variable Rate field when you add a listing in MRMLS Matrix.

Q. Is Selling Office Compensation based on Gross or Net Sales Price?

A. Selling Office Compensation is calculated on the Gross Sales Price. If applicable, listing brokers can invite a cooperating broker to “contact the listing broker for terms of additional compensation” in Agent Remarks.

Q. Are Conditional Offers of Compensation allowed on the MLS?

A. No. Conditional or discriminatory language regarding the payment of compensation is not allowed in public or agent remarks. Examples of discriminatory language include: “If the listing agent shows the property first to a buyer, total selling office compensation will be reduced to ’x‘%”, or, ’y’% compensation is given for full price offers, or ‘z‘% compensation if offers are less than full price.”

Q. How can I protect myself if the cooperating broker insists on the originally offered commission when the commission is reduced by the lender?

A. The CARETS MLS Rules and Regulations Section 7.15.2, which mirror the C.A.R. Model Rule, allows the listing broker to reduce a commission offered in the MLS to the cooperating broker if the lender reduces the overall gross commission it pays to the listing broker.  In order to receive protection of this rule, a listing broker or agent is required to publish in the Agent Remarks field (a) the fact the sale and gross commission of the listing are subject to lender approval, (b) the amount or method by which the compensation offered through the MLS will be reduced if the lender reduces the gross commission and (c) to disclose the listing is a Short Sale.

Readers who require specific advice should consult an attorney. C.A.R. members requiring legal assistance may contact C.A.R.’s member legal hotline at 213-739-8282, Monday through Friday, 9:00am to 6:00pm.  Broker-owners, office managers, or designated REALTORS® may contact the member legal hotline at 213-739-8350.  Or you may email your questions to legal_hotline@car.org or fax to 213-480-7724.

Total number of votes – 403

YES on Proposal to amend Bylaws – 312 (77.42%)
NO on Proposal to amend Bylaws – 48 (11.91%)
ABSTAIN – Vote counts towards quorum only – 43 (10.67%)

With the votes in, counted, and verified, the ballot has passed and the Association Bylaws will be amended.

• No more reciprocal key programming needed,
• No need to travel to a neighboring association or MLS to have your key programmed.
• No additional cost to you!

All agents who are members of an Association in Riverside, San Bernardino, LA, Orange and Ventura, Counties that are part of CARETS are now on a new “Cooperative Server” and that means your key will open any box within the CARETS area.

The Coop server is set up to operate on a real-time basis. Therefore, when a key is added or changed it is immediately sent to the Coop server.

There are no extra steps.

Your MLS and CARETS have been working to accomplish this enhanced keyservice for more than a year and the task is now complete.

This is one more step in CARETS goals of giving our members the access they need to list and show properties within the CARETS areas, without having extra expense or extra work for either members or association staffs.

To view the areas that your key is set up to work in simply log into SupraWEB and click on the link for “Update Code”.

MRMLS Matrix is now pulling Open House information from the participating MLSs of CARETS–they include CLAW, CristNet, iTech and SoCalMLS.

MRMLS Matrix now provides YOU AND YOUR CLIENTS information on all Open Houses entered into the MLSs throughout Southern California from the San Fernando Valley to Temecula and from the Inland Empire & Foothills to the Pacific Ocean.

Continue reading ‘CARETS Open Houses on MRMLS Matrix!’ »

Written by: Gene Wunderlich, SRCAR GAD

Seems like everywhere you look there’s more bad news on the housing front. Make that everywhere you look but here. I’m chockfull of tidings of good cheer right now and hoping I won’t be proven chockfull o’nuts before mid-year. It could go either way.

Let’s start with good news for homebuyers. The FHA has been very busy lately doing some good things for the market. Since they are currently backing about 30%+ of housing loans in this country (80% of first time buyers), whatever they do has a significant impact. Back in November we had a chance to chat with FHA Commissioner Dave Stevens, a Realtor® himself, and we were much encouraged by his take on the market.

Since then they have made a couple serious moves to further benefit home buyers including increasing the number of properties an investor can hold and, as of February 1, waiving their 90 day anti-flipping rule for one year. Why are these good moves? Well, 18 – 24 months ago many of the REO (bank-owned) properties on the market were in pretty good condition. You could buy one and move right in. Today, many of the homes are pretty thrashed making it impossible for somebody to move in without some degree of re-hab – new appliances, flooring, windows, electrical wiring, plumbing, etc. 1st time homebuyers usually can’t afford to do that nor can they get financing on a house like that anyway.

Continue reading ‘Good news for housing’ »