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!

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.

Not finding what you need when you print listings for your client?  Based off member input, starting April 3rd, MRMLS Matrix offers three new customer displays and reports for your clients!

• Customer 1 Line
• Customer Thumbnail
• Customer Brief

Follow these steps to view the new Customer Displays and Reports.

1. From your search page, change your Display to view the new customer 1 line, customer thumbnail or customer brief.
2. To print the new customer 1 line, customer thumbnail, or customer brief report, click Print Report.

America On Line (AOL) actively blocks spam email for their users. Unfortunately this approach also tends to block emails that your clients want to receive.

If your clients use AOL mail, they may not be getting your emails.

If clients mark your MRMLS Matrix Emails or Auto-Emails as junk or spam, AOL receives that as a complaint. If AOL receives enough complaints they block the entire system.

The MRMLS Matrix Email and Auto Email function was created for agents and brokers to communicate directly with clients. The MRMLS Matrix Email and Auto Email function is a communication system, and should not be used as a marketing system.

MRMLS is working with AOL to resolve this issue. The MRMLS Matrix system conforms to AOLs requirements, and has applied to be added to AOL’s “White List.” Until AOL approves that request, you may continue to receive email delivery failures from AOL.

We encourage you and your clients to contact AOL directly to request that they unblock MRMLS Matrix Emails and Auto Emails.

Here are some best practices for avoiding email problems:

• Keep your Client List Clean. Identify, modify and disable invalid email addresses when you receive a failed invalid email address notice sent to you via email
• Keep Your Client List Current. Disable Auto Emails that no longer apply
• Keep Your Contacts Current. Maintain and update your contact list in Matrix
• “Unsubscribe”, Don’t “Junk Mail.” Have your clients hit the “Unsubscribe” link in the Email or Auto Email rather than mark your email as junk or spam. At the bottom of each email there is a link where your clients can unsubscribe for example:

  If you wish to stop receiving these emails, please Unsubscribe by clicking:

  http://www.mrmlsmatrix.com/UAE.asp?ID=0-59253721-96

• Respect Clients That Unsubscribe. Do not re-enable Auto Emails that were disabled by your client. Doing so increases your chances of being “Black Listed.”

Note, no other major email providers are blocking MRMLS Matrix Emails or Auto Emails at that time.

Need training? All MRMLS training classes are FREE! For a list of classes go to www.imrmls.com/training

MRMLS is the first Multiple Listing Service to offer Department of Real Estate Continuing Education Credits in the Consumer Service Category.  Two hours of continuing education credits are given for each for Basic, Intermediate, Advanced, and Listing Management Matrix class.  These classes are offered at your local Association or Board of REALTORS®. Go to www.mrmlsu.com for the training calendar, online videos and other training materials.

MRMLS training classes include the following:

• Basic Matrix **
• Intermediate Matrix**
• Advanced Matrix**
• Listing Management**
• Realist Tax
• Pinpoint Mapping
• Smart Trac
• enCMA
• Wyldfyre7

**C.E. Credit Class

PLEASE NOTE: The regularly scheduled Matrix classes (3rd Thursday for Basic Matrix training, and last Mon. for Advanced Matrix Training each month) @ SRCAR DO NOT offer continuing education credits. We will be offering a few classes for credit in addition to the regular offerings. The reason for this is because they have to test on each section for credit and not as much information can be covered in the “for credit” sessions. We will offer the first for credit sessions in March. Online sessions for these for credit classes might be offered in the future.

We are excited to announce on December 3, 2008, your customers will be able to physically interact with their Auto Emails.  This improvement is called the Interactive Customer Portal.  This cool new feature will allow your clients to select listings as Favorites, Possibilities and Discard unwanted properties.  In addition, your customers will be able to rate these listings on a 5-star star system.

Important Note:  On December 3^rd, all listings that match your client’s criteria will be resent to your client to accommodate this new feature.  Please notify your clients to avoid questions or frustrations.

The Interactive customer portal will help you be engaged with your customers’ wants and needs.  To find your customer’s review of listings click on the Open Portal link in the Save/Automatic Searches in the My Matrix tab.

We are excited to announce users of MRMLS have the ability to access CARETS Residential and Residential Lease listings across ALL status types (actives and one year of solds; expired and canceled listings will begin to appear later this week) from the participating CARETS MLS organizations (CRISNet, CLAW, i-Tech, and SoCal MLS). We have MORE listings, MORE historical data, and MORE searchable choices in ONE convenient system for you, MRMLS! The only CHANGES will be MORE listings and EXPANDED search options!

Q. How do I retrieve CARETS listings?

A.  Run a Residential or Residential Lease property search to pull CARETS listings.  CARETS

Listings appear the SAME way MRMLS listings appear with a few noticeable changes.

They are:

1. More searchable options in the City, Market Area, and School District fields for Residential and Residential Lease property types.
2. A  MLS identifier has been placed on the far right side of the Agent 1 Line display.  The identifier indicates which MLS organization the listing originated from.
3. Thousands of listing data will have been imported into Residential and Residential lease property types.  Other property types are set to arrive in early 2009.

Agent 1 Line Display of Carets Listing

During the last three weeks of September MRMLS will begin a phased distribution of the SAFEMLS™ token product.  Distribution events and location details have been posted to Matrix News.  At the event you will receive a brief presentation, the SAFEMLS® token, and instructions on how to register and use your SAFEMLS® device.

Throughout the past few weeks we have collected questions from our membership regarding SAFEMLS® tokens.  Here are the top questions we have received.

Top Questions and Answers:

Q. Who is required to use SAFEMLS™ tokens?
A. All users including office and personal assistants are required to have their own SAFEMLS® token.  If your office or personal assistant does not have their own MLS login credentials; you will need to contact your Association or Board of Realtors.  Please contact them prior to November 1st to avoid additional charges.

Q. If I am an existing member of Sandicor or SoCal MLS and have an existing token, do I need to attend a distribution Event?
A. No, you do not need to attend a distribution event.  You can register your existing Sandicor or So Cal MLS token on the Matrix login page starting September 15, 2008. If you have issues with your Sandicor or SoCal SAFEMLS® token, please contact them directly.  If you have Rapattoni token or a token from iTech; you will be required to attend your distribution event.

Q. What if I cannot make it to my distribution event?
A. We understand that there may be some difficulties in getting to the event in your time slot.
Therefore, we will be having make-up events in October.  The schedule will be posted in the early October timeframe.

Q. How does the SAFEMLS® tokens work?
A. You will need your SAFEMLS® token each time you log into the Matrix system or Matrix Mobile. At the Matrix login page you will be required to input your User ID, a 4-digit pin, and the SAFEMLS password.  Your 4-digit pin is what you have assigned at the time of registering your token.   The SAFEMLS password is the unique number that is generated by pressing the grey button located on your SAFEMLS™ token device.

Q. Can I have the SAFEMLS Password generated on my Active Key or Mobile Phone?
A. Yes, you can have either device setup for a nominal fee. Please contact your Association or Board of Realtors for their setup fee.  Please note you can have multiple device activated to generate your SAFEMLS password.

You are required to have the SafeMLS token each time you log into Matrix. Please pick up your tokens during your distribution times.

Where:
Embassy Suites (map – directions)
29345 Rancho California Rd.
Temecula, Ca 92591

When:
Day 1: September 22, 2008 from 8:30am to 8:00pm
Day 2: September 23, 2008 from 8:30am to 8:00pm
Day 3: September 24, 3008 from 8:30am to 8:00pm
Day 4: September 25, 2008 from 8:30am to 6:30pm

Distribution is based on the first few characters of your last name.
*All sessions will promptly begin at your start time.
***Please Bring a Valid Photo ID.***

September 22, 2008

September 23, 2008

September 24, 2008

September 25, 2008

Should you have any questions, please call the Association office at 951-894-2571.

Top Areas of Citations for July

1.9 – Misuse of Data with intent to mislead – 11

2.4- Misuse of Public Remarks- 8

1.10 – Inappropriate Image and Virtual Tour Links – 4

1.4- Entry of a property listed by a non-MLS member-
2

2.3- Wrong Property Classification-2

1.5- Inaccurate listing status- 2

1.8- Conditional offers of compensation- 2

SAFETY- 2

2.1- Duplicate listings-1