News and Updates

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Activity and Interest are High in Housing Market, Despite Availability Low

WEST YARMOUTH, MA — According to preliminary data released today for Barnstable County, 214 single-family homes and 51 condominiums sold in March through the Cape Cod & Islands Multiple Listing Service. The Median sales price was $365,000 for single-family homes and $245,000 for a condominium.

In March 2014, 217 single family homes sold at a median price of $350,000 and 44 condominiums at a median price of $207,000.

Inventory of homes for sale continues to be lower than typical this time of year. As of the end of March, there were 2,797 homes for sale – compared to 3,939 for sale last year at the same time.

“Market activity numbers are reporting well despite the low inventory and wintry weather we experienced this year. We worried the winter weather would eventually slow the market 45 to 90 days after the storms, but high buying interest is driving sales and keeping us on pace for a healthy, growing market in 2015,” said Aleta Azarian, 2015 President of the Cape Cod & Islands Association of REALTORS®.

Year-to-date, 630 single-family homes have sold for a median price of $365,000 and 151 condominiums have sold for a median price of $270,000 – compared to last year, where through March,603 single family homes had sold for a median price of $360,000 and 141 condominiums had sold for a median price of $237,000.

Click here for the Monthly Housing Indicator Report for Barnstable County

Note: Data released reflects all residential and condominium activity in the Cape Cod & Islands Multiple Listing Service for Barnstable County.

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UPDATED 3/9/15

In a meeting with CCIAOR on March 6, National Grid officials announced they were loosening the moratorium review process for the Town of Barnstable and its affiliated villages. National Grid is restoring pre-moratorium process for natural gas conversions throughout the Town of...

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UPDATED 3/9/15

In a meeting with CCIAOR on March 6, National Grid officials announced they were loosening the moratorium review process for the Town of Barnstable and its affiliated villages. National Grid is restoring pre-moratorium process for natural gas conversions throughout the Town of Barnstable for gas capacities of less than 1000 cfh. A traditional residential house usually has a gas capacity of 250 cfh.

Officials said the review process in Yarmouth could take as long as six to eight weeks when requesting permission to convert to natural gas. However, they indicated their goal is to cut that time in half and to try to reduce it even further. National Grid says they need to know what specific items will be on gas to review whether a property owner would be able to connect in Yarmouth.

UPDATED 2/6/15

National Grid issued more guidance today regarding the natural gas sales moratorium in the Mid and Upper Cape towns. The company clarified some aspects of the moratorium and issued expanded fact sheets.

Working with buyers and sellers in Barnstable & Yarmouth and they are asking…

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A Response to the Cape Cod Times from CCIAOR President Aleta Azarian

Over the weekend, many of you saw a misleading and reckless blurb purported to be news in the 'At Home' section of the Cape Cod Times. I was taken back when I saw it and felt the need for the Cape Cod & Islands Association of REALTORS® to set the record straight about the facts of our MLS and the benefits to using a REALTOR® in a transaction. Below is a letter to the editor I submitted this morning to the Cape Cod Times:

‘Home Selling’ Tip a disservice to the public

Dear Editor, The “Home Selling Tip” of the week in Sunday’s Cape Cod Times “At Home” section was wrong, misleading, reckless and a disservice to the public. Let us be clear, there is no commission rate that is a standard of practice and the commission rate included by the newspaper is not necessarily indicative of the marketplace on Cape Cod and the Islands. The poorly constructed tip left the public misled believing they could contact the Multiple Listing Service (MLS) and list their house for sale – that practice is not allowed in the Cape Cod and Islands Multiple Listing Service (CCIMLS). The reckless part indicated its okay to discount the experience and expertise a REALTOR® brings to a home seller. That advice is dangerous. While there are varying business models and different levels of service offered by REALTORS®, we would like to emphasize that using a REALTOR®, no matter what level of service you use them for, will get a home seller, on average, a higher price, an easier time navigating the selling process and to the closing table quicker than going at it alone.

On Cape Cod and the Islands, you have an easy way to determine if the person is a REALTOR® - if your property is to be listed in the CCIMLS, then feel confident knowing you’ve chosen a REALTOR®. There are REALTORS® who are not members of CCIMLS as well, and you can find all REALTORS® with specific market knowledge of the Cape and the Islands at www.cciaor.com. Using a REALTOR® as your listing agent, gives you more than simply having your property listed in a Multiple Listing Service. These REALTOR® professionals are held to a higher ethical standard and have access to information that a mere real estate agent does not, which is why it’s so important to choose a REALTOR® and among other benefits: -       Have an agent who subscribes to a Code of Ethics and the client has the avenue to hold that REALTOR® accountable to that code; -       Has access to more tools and information from public records (including tax and mortgage information) to comparable home sales to neighborhood trends, which affect price and marketing of a home; -       Feel confident your REALTOR® has specialized expertise and training on the local area and market conditions. The above are just some of the many benefits to using a REALTOR® and a member of CCIMLS, but contact one today to find out the level of service they can provide and their own pricing structure, as everyone is different – the most important thing is you are represented by a true professional and the only way to guarantee that is to use a REALTOR®. Aleta Azarian President Cape Cod and Islands Association of REALTORS® & MLS

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How many waterfront homes can you show on Cape Cod in 24 hours?

How many of you are toughing it out showing houses in the snow? One of our own REALTORS® had a take on a recent Barnstable Patriot column talking about how to have fun in a blizzard.

Here is a response to this recent Barnstable Patriot column from REALTOR® Martin Traywick:

In his numbingly unoriginal and humorless article, “Making the best of blizzards,” (sic) Stephen Pastore has just qualified as Number One on the “Enemies List” of 5000 Realtors on Cape Cod with his hilarious recommendation for winter fun by engaging an agent with the bogus representation that he’s a prospective buyer who wants to see every $4-5,000,000 waterfront home on Cape Cod in 24 hours.   How can you beat making fun of the earnest effort of a saleslady who gets stuck in the snow.   No doubt he using the “she” pronoun and “Cadillac” reference to further belittle the hard working and classy ladies who grace our profession?   Screamingly funny, huh?

Martin C. Traywick, President Craigville Realty, Inc. 648 Craigville Beach Road West Hyannisport, MA

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UPDATED 3/9/15

In a meeting with CCIAOR on March 6, National Grid officials announced they were loosening the moratorium review process for the Town of Barnstable and its affiliated villages. National Grid is restoring pre-moratorium process for natural gas conversions throughout the Town of Barnstable for gas capacities of less than 1000 cfh. A traditional residential house usually has a gas capacity of 250 cfh.

Officials said the review process in Yarmouth could take as long as six to eight weeks when requesting permission to convert to natural gas. However, they indicated their goal is to cut that time in half and to try to reduce it even further. National Grid says they need to know what specific items will be on gas to review whether a property owner would be able to connect in Yarmouth.

UPDATED 2/6/15

National Grid issued more guidance today regarding the natural gas sales moratorium in the Mid and Upper Cape towns. The company clarified some aspects of the moratorium and issued expanded fact sheets.

Working with buyers and sellers in Barnstable & Yarmouth and they are asking...

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A Move to Belonging to the Associaton

By Ryan Castle CEO of the Cape Cod & Islands Association of REALTORS®

A majority of you joined the Association in one way: your broker told you to go to the Association and become a REALTOR®. We never sold you on membership, we never toldyou about the benefits, and you didn’t make a conscious choice to be a part ofthe Cape Cod & Islands Association of REALTORS®, but rather you justjoined. As such, we’ve fostered a culture where you join the Association rather than belong to it.

We are now embarking on a path to change that. The aim is to provide tools and resources that matter to you and to get to a place where many of you will look towards the Association as a resource and support network that helps you grow your business, connect with your colleagues, foster better relationships with your clients, and in the end, effects a positive impact in the real estate industry on Cape Cod, Nantucket, and Martha’s Vineyard.

If you click here, you’ll see an overview of the Association’s new Strategic Plan. The plan is focused on the Association, and you will notice that it doesn’t mention or represent the MLS. That is because the Association and the MLS are separate organizations. Because they have different goals, missions, and resources, it is important to keep an independent focus on each, so that plans can be carried out for both separately, in regards to strategy and goal setting and achievement.

In the world REALTOR® associations, the main discussion focuses the articulation of the value proposition on being a member of a REALTOR® association. I’m not a fan of that discussion. I think this focus misses a key point -- executing and delivering the value proposition to members. Associations must improve, and when they do so, their members will see the benefits and choose to belong.

Through a collaborative process, with input from focus groups, email surveys, and a strategic planning work group, we’ve defined our value proposition: To provide the tools and resources necessary to make you a better REALTOR® and help you serve your clients in an ethical manner, to provide information about the buying and selling process to the public, to be the source of real estate statistical information, and to promote the value of homeownership, as well as the benefits of using a REALTOR®. We want REALTORS® to become community leaders, and we will assist in these efforts by refreshing the core skills needed to complete real estate transaction and by engaging our brokers and managers in a more uniform and informative process. Now that the plan has been defined, CCIAOR will focus on action, execution, and delivery.

I hope, through following this achievable plan with measurable objectives, over the next three to five years, we can move the needle and create a membership base that belongs because you see value, not just join because someone told you to.

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Take some time to think about personal branding

By Aleta Azarian, 2015 CCIAOR & MLS President

As I was preparing for a recent sales meeting, I came across a fantastic article about personal branding. Branding is important for a REALTOR® to consider. By defining your strengths and growing your own identity, you are enhancing your ability to showcase who you are within your company. The article challenges you to look at what you bring to your business, what you bring to the table in terms of experience, talents, & strengths, and how to translate those attributes into a personal brand. Branding is about perception, right? So, why not have your clients and potential customers view you in the best light possible?

The article emphasizes that a brand isn’t just one thing, but rather, a compilation of various factors that speak to who you are, including professional demeanor, business acumen, knowledge of your industry, how you present yourself, what your professional profiles and social media pages say about you, and much more. In the article from more.com, Dorie Clark says, “your personal brand is what you stand for and your reputation – what others say about you when you leave the room. That doesn’t boil down to any one thing. But put them all together and these elements communicate to the outside world who you are and how you see yourself.” Clark goes on to say that your brand must have four elements: a mission statement, an updated wardrobe, a chic office, and lively social media.

This year at the Association, we’re thinking about branding, too! We are taking steps to enhance the perception and identity of the Cape Cod & Islands Association of REALTORS®. We will be making our brand stronger and more clearly defined than ever and taking the actions necessary to stand by our image and promote our reputation… We want to not just look the part but to BE IT and ACT IT. We recently adopted a NEW Strategic Plan that articulates Clark’s must have’s for a brand:

A Mission Statement: As I mentioned, our Strategic Plan (which you can read more about in the CEO’s column in this newsletter) defines our mission. It starts with making sure we’re delivering the tools and resources necessary so that you can better serve the public. It continues by ensuring that CCIAOR serves as the Voice for Real Estate for the Cape and Islands. The plan then lays out initiatives to get us there, and it is supported by action steps and the staff’s operational plan for achieving the mission.

An Updated Wardrobe: In the view of an organization, I take this to mean our staff. We’ve updated our staff and recruited new talent, energy, and enthusiasm. Ryan comes with his own set of knowledge and sphere of influence, and his talents and abilities will help our members tremendously, as well as enable us to achieve our mission, while setting forth new goals and objectives as we grow.

A Chic Office: We’ve updated the physical space of CCIAOR to reflect the mission of what and who we want to be. Our state-of-the-art board room is a phenomenal space for committees and small group meetings. The Conference Center at CCIAOR is continually updated, including everything from new carpeting to remote controls for our A/V system, as well as new technology and other cosmetic enhancements. We want you (REALTORS® and the public) to feel comfortable, motivated, and ready to learn, grow, network, and connect when visiting our meeting and events space.

Lively Social Media: Yes, we now have a staff that is social media savvy… Just take a look at our updated social media sites, and you’ll see a significant improvement to ensure we’re posting relevant information, not just about the Association, but also local and industry news for you to share with your clients. Our social media pages now reflect the activity and momentum we have conjured up in the past few months, so stay tuned for more photos and news from networking events, charitable endeavors, and all of the happenings at CCIAOR. Furthermore, our lively social media pages will be connected to our new Digital Strategy, in which we will launch our new Association website in the second quarter, to act as a portal to all the information needed to help you and your clients. 

In conclusion, the New Year presents a new opportunity for you to become an even better version of YOU! Take some time to reflect and think about yourself personally and professionally, who you are individually and as a REALTOR®, including what you do, how others perceive you, and how it all translates to your personal brand. We, here at CCIAOR, will help you along the way, by providing the best tools and resources so that you can be the best YOU in 2015!

Here’s to much continued success and a wonderful and prosperous year!

CLICK HERE TO READ THE 2015 1st QUARTER CCIAOR REALTOR PERSPECTIVE

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Direct Feed Agreement Reached With Zillow

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT

Direct Feed Agreement Reached With Zillow

Greater Listing Control and Pre-Negotiated Benefits

Why did we negotiate a direct feed? 

Since May of 2014, the Data Syndication Committee, chaired by Doug Azarian and created by Deb Martin, has worked tirelessly to sort through the many methods through which your listing data is output to the public and how to improve the process for greater accuracy and agent/broker control. After member surveys and a public forum discussions of members' needs, the consensus was to find a way to make publishers directly accountable to our membership, for the use of our data and to receive benefits for providing our listings.

The BOD and Data Syndication Committee are proud to announce we have reached a direct feed agreement with Zillow, which will ensure listing attribution and accuracy.

What does this mean for you?

This means, instead of funneling listings through a third party syndicator, we will provide a feed directly to Zillow, receiving negotiated benefits for access to our data. This also means, if there are any issues with the display of a listing on Zillow, we can have those errors corrected within 24 hours; statuses and prices will be updated every 2 hours at a minimum.

What are the benefits to you?

Here are some highlights:

Listing agent will appear first and with "Listing Agent" designation and no one (except for the listing agent) can be pre-checked to be contacted.

CCIMLS Data trumps all other data sources unless also sourced from listing agent/broker.

Ratings and reviews accepted only from "buyers and sellers who have communicated or worked with an agent". Agents may opt out of ratings and reviews by removing or not creating a profile. With this agreement, if a CCIAOR member has a review not from a buyer/seller the agent has worked with, there is a mechanism to remove that review.

Leads distributed to listing agent will be free if consumers choose to contact listing agent through Zillow.

Zillow will not alter content of data provided by CCIMLS.

Zillow will post a redirect link to agent/broker URL.

Zillow will provide error reports, remove bad data, and make changes within 24 hours.

Search results will be based on search criteria and not paid placement.

As with the current system, brokers and agents may opt-out of providing their listings to Zillow simply by selecting to do so right within the MLS.

  If you have further questions, please contact our office at 508-957-4300 or email: [email protected].

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National Grid Moratorium: What REALTORS® need to know

UPDATED 3/9/15

In a meeting with CCIAOR on March 6, National Grid officials announced they were loosening the moratorium review process for the Town of Barnstable and its affiliated villages. National Grid is restoring pre-moratorium process for natural gas conversions throughout the Town of Barnstable for gas capacities of less than 1000 cfh. A traditional residential house usually has a gas capacity of 250 cfh.

Officials said the review process in Yarmouth could take as long as six to eight weeks when requesting permission to convert to natural gas. However, they indicated their goal is to cut that time in half and to try to reduce it even further. National Grid says they need to know what specific items will be on gas to review whether a property owner would be able to connect in Yarmouth.

UPDATED 2/6/15 National Grid issued more guidance today regarding the natural gas sales moratorium in the Mid and Upper Cape towns. The company clarified some aspects of the moratorium and issued expanded fact sheets. Working with buyers and sellers in Barnstable & Yarmouth and they are asking about gas connections? For questions concerning whether a property in Barnstable or Yarmouth can add new or expanded gas service, contact Kerrie Doyle at [phone] with questions regarding the availability of new natural gasservice in Barnstable and Yarmouth.  1. New residential and commercial and industrial customer gas service connections are prohibited. 2. Incremental gas load on existing commercial and industrial customer gas accounts is prohibited. This includes, but is not limited to, heating, hot water, cooking and other types of loads. 3. Incremental gas load on existing residential customer gas accounts is prohibited. This includes, but is not limited to, heating, hot water, cooking and other types of loads, unless it meets one of the exceptions below. 1. For existing residential gas customers only, natural gas barbecues are permitted as added load. 2. For existing residential gas customers only, emergency backup natural gas generators are permitted as added load, subject to application, review and approval of the Company. Please contact Kerrie Doyle at [phone] for questions regarding the availability of service to new natural gas generators. Clarifying Gas Sales Moratorium for Dennis to Eastham: The requirements for the moratorium are as follows: Exceptions: NEW National Grid Gas Sales Moratorium Fact Sheet for Cape Cod

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ORIGINAL POST 12/15/15

As you may be aware, National Grid announced changes earlier this month to gas conversions, hookups and upgrades in the Mid and Lower Cape. The Cape Cod & Islands Association of REALTORS® participated in a stakeholder meeting early last week to obtain more information relating to the issue. CCIAOR has put together the following briefing on the issue to share with our membership base*. If you have additional questions, please contact CCIAOR’s Chief Executive Officer, Ryan Castle 508.957.4300 or [email protected].

Issue National Grid provides natural gas service to approximately 100,000 businesses and residences on Cape Cod. Following a recent inspection, the company made the decision to lower the pressure in a 21-mile stretch of natural gas main, as well as perform infrastructure upgrades to maintain the reliability and safety of the system. While the gas main is safe, some of its welds and other equipment no longer meet current standards for operating at a high pressure. Therefore, the company lowered the pressure in the main from a 200 pound maximum to a 125 pound maximum. This puts less stress on infrastructure, but it also reduces the natural gas capacity.

What does this mean? To accommodate the reduced amount of gas distributed and to meet the needs of their current customers so they can continue receiving reliable gas service, National Grid is making changes to availability of new gas service and upgrades to existing gas service in the Mid and Lower Cape towns.

As a result, National Grid will not be able to connect new customers to our natural gas system in certain areas in the mid- to lower- Cape Cod, including the communities of Dennis, Harwich, Brewster, Chatham, Orleans, Eastham and possibly Barnstable and Yarmouth.

Barnstable and Yarmouth Properties in Barnstable and Yarmouth could still be eligible for new service, conversions or an upgrade in service, but they must go through a review process to see if the system can handle it. Currently that review process could take from 4 to 6 weeks, although National Grid says they hope to shorten that review period to closer to one week.

How does this impact REALTORS® and their clients? Those selling or buying properties in Barnstable and Yarmouth who may want to covert to natural gas or upgrade their existing gas meter should urge buyers to contact National Grid to get answers as to natural gas availability and should not assume because gas is on the street that it can be connected. Buyers or sellers can contact National Grid’s Kerrie Doyle at 781.907.2201 to begin the process of determining natural gas availability.

Dennis through Eastham A moratorium on new gas connections, conversions, and upgrades is currently in effect. There is no definitive date on when the moratorium will be lifted.

How does this impact REALTORS® and their clients? Those selling and buying properties from Dennis to Eastham need to be aware that gas service is unavailable now and there is no promise of when a gas conversion could take place or when service could be added. National Grid has estimated it could take 5 to 7 years.

What is National Grid’s solution? National Grid has said they are starting the process to replace the line to handle the 200 pound capacity. That process could take 5 to 7 years depending upon engineering, permitting, and construction. The Cape Cod Commission, who was also in attendance at the stakeholder meeting, is committed to doing everything in their power to expedite and run concurrent approval processes with the state and local government, in an effort to have bureaucratic delays minimized.

Will everything remain the same until the line is replaced? National Grid says they will reevaluate capacity every year and make necessary adjustments to ensure the safety of the line and the reliability of natural gas to existing customers.

What if a property has existing gas service, but during a renovation/tear down, capped off the line for construction? National Grid said those properties are accounted for in their model and will be able to go back to the existing level of gas service, but contact National Grid to confirm your property was included in their model.

How about those with applications in for new gas service, an upgrade, or a conversion? All applications that were received by October 1, 2014 will be honored, according to National Grid. There were approximately 600 submitted.

What is the Cape Cod & Islands Association of REALTORS® doing for its members and their clients? CCIAOR will continue to monitor and report the latest news to REALTORS® to ensure they have the most up to date, relevant information. We will continue to work with our stakeholder partners, the Cape Cod Chamber of Commerce and the Home Builders & Remodelers Association of Cape Cod, to evaluate any advocacy needed to ensure natural gas conversion and hookups return in a timely manner.

Tips for REALTORS® handling questions from clients about natural gas service: - Direct them to National Grid for answers to questions - Do not say gas service could be converted or assume because gas is at the street that it can be tapped into - If questions arise, disclose what you know - Inform to explore other solutions other than national gas - Call the Massachusetts Association of REALTORS® legal hotline for guidance or disclosure issues at 800-370-5342 or through email at [email protected].

Click here for National Grid Cape Cod Gas Capacity Fact Sheet

Click here for a map of the affected areas of Cape Cod

Contact information for National Grid representatives: Gas Sales — Patricia Weldon 508.400.5051 Sales Manager — Kerrie Doyle 781.907.2201 Community & Customer Manager — Dennis McCaffery 781.794.3515

*Disclaimer: This information was taken from various National Grid documents and through notes at a meeting with National Grid representatives. For specific information, or to verify, please contact National Grid.

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Report of the NAR Convention & Annual Meeting from Aleta Azarian

CCIAOR President-Elect Aleta Azarian attended the National Association of REALTORS® Convention & Annual Meeting in New Orleans, La and filed the following report:

Among the meetings attended include: Local Leadership Idea Exchange Leadership Breakout Session List Trac Meeting with Ryan Castle Reception for Tom Riley, candidate for NAR Treasurer Attended ABR Awards Event Attended - Installation Gala – Former President Bill Clinton installed President Chris Polychron MLS Policy Forum Director & Delegate Body Forum REALTOR Party Trustees for State & Local Campaign Services Committee (NAR) MAR Caucus Region 1 Caucus Board of Directors Meeting Delegate Body Meeting (served as CCIAOR's delegate) Realtor Trade Show Strategic Planning w/ Stephen Swanepol & Rob Hahn Economic Forecast w/ Lawrence Yun NAR Chief Economist

BIG NEWS: Realtor.com, part of Move was sold to Newscorp, the world’s largest media company.

Major Topics: Core Standards: Code of Excellence which aims to measurably increase professionalism through increased training and recognition of competencies that consumer’s value. This code would address competencies such as stewardship of property listing data, privacy and security of consumer information, advocacy of property rights, community involvement and technological expertise. This is considered an Aspirational Code of Excellence. To support this Aspirational Code of Excellence, it was proposed and accepted to have bi-annual Code of Ethics Training beginning in 2016.

REALTOR Leadership Program: Comprised of three courses: Leadership 100, On the Path to Leadership Leadership 200, Becoming a Leader Leadership 300, Enhancing Leadership Skills These courses can be held at an association with an NAR license and NAR trained facilitator.

RPAC: NAR Board of Directors voted on a set of recommendations to simplify RPAC fundraising policies so there is one national, needs-based goal.

*Note of interest for 2014 Independent Expenditures results for Primary Elections in local and state races across the country: Number of programs – 148 Won – 107 (72%) Lost – 34 races (23%) Runoff – 3 races (3%)

The next REALTORS Conference & Expo is in San Diego, CA, November 13-16 2015.

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Report of the NAR covention by CCIAOR NAR Director Doug Azarian

Doug Azarian, who represents CCIAOR on the National Association of REALTORS® Board of Directors, filed this report from the annual NAR Convention held Nov. 5-10 in New Orleans, La.:

Meetings attended include:

Finance Committee Meeting

Nominating Committee Meeting

General Session

Meeting with List Hub

Meeting with List Trac

MAR Informational Caucus

New England Regional Caucus

Realtor Trade Show

NAR Board of Directors Meeting

Major Topics (Refer to NAR policy for full detail of topic

Nominating Committee name was changed to the Credentials and Campaign Rules so this was NAR’s last Nominating Committee Meeting as all qualified candidates will now have the opportunity to be elected for office

REALTOR of the Future Proposal to increase professionalism by requiring members to subscribe to a new aspirational Code of Excellence. - REALTORS will strive to be proficient in data content - Includes Advocacy of Property Rights - Ensuring privacy of consumer’s personal information - Accurate dissemination of data

Code of Ethics Training beginning in 2016 will be required every 2 years

NAR will develop an industry standard to fairly and more accurately evaluate REALTORS. It is NAR’s plan to have a standard for others to use (ie. Zillow, Trulia, etc.)

NAR passed a policy on the use of drones in real estate and will work with them and other Federal regulators on approval of safe and responsible use. Currently they are prohibited by the Federal Aviation Administration.

Changes to NAR mandated MLS Rules & Regulations include: - Participants must refresh all MLS downloads and displays automatically fed by those downloads not less frequently than every 12 hours (was 3 days) - A MLS participant may comingle the listings of other brokers received in an IDX feed provided the participant holds participatory rights in those MLSs - If requested by a participant the MLS must supply a minimum of 3 years sold data

Finance Committee – NAR has 1,085,000 members vs a budget of 1,020,000 leaving the operating funds favorable to budget, currently more than $3 million.

Other Topics

Funds were granted to RMLS of Minnesota, MRIS of Maryland, JB Goodwin Realtors, and Better Homes and Gardens Winans Inc. of Texas to deal with licensing and patent infringement claims.

REALTOR Party – In MA investment in Realtor friendly candidates resulted in 70% of those elections being won.

Realtor.com part of Move was sold to Newscorp the  world’s largest media company. It should result in more resources to improve Realtor.com and its position in the online world.

NAR increasing its involvement with international markets. Standards would help to improve the process for buyers. (Cuba, South America, Asia)

Ads with the theme “Accuracy Matters” should help to downplay competing space as the “Voice for Real Estate.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d9sRsTdOzeY

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PEDAT3ASKN4

Canadian Association Ad Use a Realtor https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CWIjl0k6JAw

ZIP Forms is free to all members. It is a fantastic forms platform with all of the standard MAR forms available including Agency Disclosure, Offers, P&S, etc. Companies may add their own forms library at a reasonable cost. It is integrated with Docusign.