Contra Costa and Alameda Counties have issued revised Shelter-in-Place Orders permitting select businesses to resume operations, subject to specified protocols and conditions. These new orders reflect a gradual and measured resumption of activity designed to manage the overall volume, duration, and intensity of person-to-person contact to prevent a surge in COVID-19 cases. CCAR strongly urges members to continue working remotely if possible, especially those at risk for COVID-19. The following information is provided to members as a brief summary of relevant information. Please fully research County Health Department orders, C.A.R. COVID-19 guidelines and other CCAR coronavirus updates.

C.A.R. has issued a comprehensive set of BEST PRACTICES GUIDELINES that will enable brokerages to comply with specific aspects of the new industry guidance. Brokerages must also implement Social Distancing Protocol from Contra Costa County’s Health Services Order and provide evidence of its implementation to any enforcing authority upon demand; CCAR MLS participants and subscribers must also comply with new rules provided below:

1.       Post the following communications at all office entrances (easily viewable by the public and personnel); customers and personnel must agree to rules as a condition of entry: (a) new rules pictogram, (b) a copy of the PEAD form and (c) a completed (new) Appendix A – Social Distancing Protocol form. Note: Appendix A must be updated from prior versions to address new requirements.

a.     New Rules (Pictogram) >

b.     PEAD Form (Property Entry Advisory & Declaration) located in zipForm® Plus  >

c.     New Appendix A – Social Distancing Protocol Form***  >

2.       Employers must provide a copy of the Social Distancing Protocol to each person performing work at the facility (see c. New Appendix A, above).

3.       All personnel and customers should avoid entering the facility if they have any COVID-19 symptoms; they must maintain a minimum six-foot distance from one another; sneeze and cough into one’s elbow; not shake hands and not engage in any unnecessary physical contact.

4.       Face coverings and social distancing specifications required for all individuals in all public areas.

–      Contra Costa County Face Covering Order  >

–      Alameda County Face Covering Order >

5.       Employers must follow specific business operations guidance in CalOSHA Guidance for Real Estate Industry  >

6.          Regularly disinfect high-touch surfaces.

7.          Limit the number of people who may enter the facility at any one time to ensure that people in the facility can easily maintain a minimum six-foot distance from one another at all times, except as required to complete Essential Business activity;

Where lines may form at a facility, marking six-foot increments at a minimum, establishing where individuals should stand to maintain adequate social distancing.

8.          Provide hand sanitizer, soap and water, or effective disinfectant at or near the entrance of the facility and in other appropriate areas for use by the public and personnel, and in locations where there is high-frequency employee interaction with members of the public (e.g. cashiers);

9.          Provide for contactless payment systems or, if not feasible to do so, provide for disinfecting all payment portals, pens, and styluses after each use.

10.       Discontinue holding open houses and showings open to the general public on a walk-in basis; use an appointment or digital sign-in process to control the number of people in the house or property and follow specific guidance outlined in CalOSHA Guidance for Real Estate Industry  >

11.       Before conducting any business transactions first consult your broker and adhere to specific rules and guidelines established by your respective corporations/firms and the requirements set out in the County/City orders. Members should seek individual counsel for legal and insurance matters.

Please Note: Where County and State orders differ, please follow most stringent guidelines.

New County Shelter-In-Place Orders:

–                Contra Costa Shelter-in-Place Order (05.18.20)  >

–                Alameda County Shelter-in-Place Order (05.18.20)  >

For more information on social distancing in the business environment, please see the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s guidance at: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/guidance-business-response.html.

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Revised MLS Rules

Under the Shelter in Place Order issued March 17, some MLS rules were temporarily altered to help agents follow the new State and County regulations. With the recent changes to the Shelter in Place Orders that permit agents to show properties, these rules will return to their original status, effective May 25.

Effective May 25

Now that lockboxes are available for pickup via an appointment at CCAR, a Supra Lockbox is required for showing purposes (if a lockbox is used).

Required Front Exterior – MLS Rule 11.5 (b)

SIP Revised Rule

If the required front exterior photo was not uploaded, we were issuing courtesy notices, not fines.

Effective May 25

Front exterior photos will be required; this includes “Coming Soon” listings. Fines will be issued for listings without the front exterior photo.

(We recommend reviewing your listings to make sure each has one required front exterior image to avoid violations/fines.)

Changing “Withdrawn Temporarily” to “New” listing status

SIP Revised Rule

We permitted members to change the status to Withdrawn Temporarily to stop accumulating Days on MLS (DMLS). With an email request, we were changing the status from “Withdrawn Temporarily” to “New” for members who were ready to put the listing back on the market.

Effective May 25

With the updated SIP Orders allowing occupied homes to be shown (virtually and if virtually is not feasible by appointment only), we will no longer change “Withdrawn Temporarily” to “New” for listings placed in that status after May 25. 

Showing Access Field

SIP Revised Rule

We had disabled this field in the Paragon MLS.

Effective May 25

This field will be enabled in the Paragon MLS. 

URLs in Public Remarks – MLS Rule 12.5.2

SIP Revised Rule

We allowed branded or unbranded URLs in the public remarks. 

Effective May 25

We will only allow unbranded URLs in public remarks. 

For questions regarding MLS Rules changes, please contact CCAR MLS Compliance Department at [email protected] or 925.295.1270.

More information will be released as it becomes available.