SRCAR Connect

Starting Tuesday, March 31, DRE License Number and NRDS number will be required fields in the Matrix Agent Roster. And the NRDS number in Office Roster will be required. As a result, any addition or modification to agent roster or office roster will require you to input the DRE License and /or NRDS numbers.

Note, only the Association and Board Staff members are able and/or required to modify these fields.

(Screen shot of Agent Roster in Matrix Add/Edit)

(Screen shot of Office Roster in Matrix Add/Edit)

Exciting news from GE Security! We are pleased to announce that we have released eKEY Professional on BlackBerry and along with that, we have made some enhancements to eKEY Basic. To take full advantage of these changes, you will need to update your eKEY software. We encourage you to take the steps outlined below as soon as possible.

The major change we have made to eKEY is that when you open a key box, you will no longer see the box that says “Updating eKEY”. This operation now occurs in the background and will no longer appear in the forefront. We have also made some changes to the way eKEY looks when it is installed on the BlackBerry Storm.

To update the eKEY version on your BlackBerry, please do the following:

1. Launch the eKEY application

2. Click the Menu button, and choose About

3. Click the Menu button again, and choose Check for Updates. This will launch your phone’s browser and open up the ekeymobile.com website.

4. Within the browser, click on Download Supra eKEY

5. An additional screen will come up and ask you to download version 4.5.05. Click on Download.

6. It will ask you to replace your version, with version 4.5.05. Click on Yes

7. After the application is downloaded, a message will appear, stating “Device must be rebooted to complete install”. Click on Reboot. This will turn off your device, and then start it back up again. This process will take several minutes.

8. Once your device has completely rebooted, eKEY is now ready for use.

It is our hope that as many users as possible will take this action as soon as possible. Any keys that have not been updated by Thursday March 19^th, will be set to have their software automatically updated remotely.

If you have any problems with this update process, please contact customer support at 1-877-699-6787 (5am to 7pm PT, seven days a week) or send an email to suprasupport@ge.com.

Kind Regards

GE Security

Dear GE Security Customer:

Exciting news from GE Security! We are pleased to announce that we have released eKEY Professional on BlackBerry. It has some great new features that you will find very useful such as MLS data, roster information, real time showing notifications, mapping to listings, and more.

The eKEY solution will work on the following BlackBerry devices: Pearl, Curve, Pearl Flip, Bold, 8800 and 8900 series, and the Storm.

eKEY for BlackBerry will require the use of a small piece of hardware called the eKEY Fob. The fob will translate the Bluetooth in the BlackBerry to Infrared in the iBox. This piece is required because BlackBerry devices do not have an IR Port.

If you have are interested in purchasing a new phone to work as an eKEY, we have created the eKEY Device Portal, which provides a complete selection of all available devices that work as an eKEY. It is located at the following address: www.ekey.letstalk.com

Michelle Medley
Supra Administrator

Dear Valued Customer,

Great news for your members!  We’ve been making enhancements to ShowingValue, the email and feedback notification included with your service.   Your keyholders will start seeing the name of the person showing their listing, and the address if the box is assigned to an address.   All of this without having to log into www.supraekey.com.  If your members are currently getting ShowingValue email notifications, they don’t need to anything.  They will get the new email format automatically.

If you have members that are not using the ShowingValue email notification feature, here are the simple steps to enable this feature:

1. Log into KIMweb at www.supraekey.com using your key serial number and PIN.
2. Click on “ShowingValue” on the left side of the page, under Activity Reports.
3. Click on the “Change Email Settings” link.
4. Chose the “After showing agent eSYNC” or “After keybox opening” option.  This will be the first option in the list, and the wording will vary by which kind of key you have.  It is important to check this first option as this is the only option that will receive the enhanced emails.
5. Click “Save Now” at bottom right of page.
6. You are now set up to get enhanced emails.

We hope your members will enjoy the time savings of the enhancements.  Stay tuned as we continue to improve other aspects of the service.

Sincerely,

GE Security

How Do VOWs Affect You Now?

Much has been written about Virtual Office Websites (VOWs) over the past few years.  These discussions have affected organized real estate and MLSs alike.  And now they might affect you.  Today we will answer:

• What is a VOW?
• How have VOW regulations changed?
• What fields in Matrix involve VOWs?

A VOW is a public website operated by a Broker / Agent that allows consumers to search the MLS with more visible fields than are traditionally available (i.e. property status, property features, etc).  These expanded search capabilities are a departure from traditional real estate web site that provides this information.

Prior to the National Association of REALTORS® & Department of Justice (DOJ) agreement, brokers and agents had the option to send listing information to the internet, and its respective listing address.  Brokers and agents are now required to get a seller’s authorization to opt out of sending listing information to the internet.

MRMLS has simplified the process by including these four fields in the listing input form (below).

Since a broker / agent must have a seller’s opt-out, these four fields are set to “Yes” by default.

• Send Listing to Internet
  • This allows your listing to be displayed on VOW and public internet displays.  If the seller opts-out internet display, the listing can only be displayed on the listing broker / agent own VOW.
• Send Address to Internet
  • The address of your listing can be included on VOWs and public internet displays.
• VOW Allow Blog
  • This allows a VOW that uses “blogging” to post public comments on your listing.
• VOW Allow AVM
  • This includes your listing in an automated valuation model (AVM) on any VOW.

For more information, please visit www.imrmls.com and click on rules and policies for the Seller’s Opt Out form created by the DOJ, MRMLS’ sample language for an Opt-Out Clause, and VOW related policies and agreements.

On Wednesday, President Barack Obama signed H.R. 1105, the Omnibus Appropriations Bill, into law. In doing so, he ended our nearly eight-year battle to preserve the separation between banking and commerce.

Specifically, this new law permanently bans large national banking conglomerates from entering the real estate business by preventing the Treasury and Federal Reserve, by rule, order, or any other way, from opening the door to such activities. Below is a link to more information and a Q&A that can help you respond to inquiries you may receive from your members.

http://www.realtor.org/banks_and_commerce.nsf

On behalf of NAR, we thank all of you for your support and leadership on this issue during the past many years. This is a great victory for the real estate industry and consumers. Congratulations!

Sincerely,

Charles McMillan, CIPS, GRI
2009 NAR President