All REALTOR® Activity Subject to New Ethics Standards

Code of Ethics amended to expand applicability to all REALTOR® activities on and off 'the field'

No matter the setting–business or private–REALTORS® must uphold NAR Code of Ethics; newly added Standard of Practice 10-5 also expands Duties to the Public to prohibit all discriminatory, harassing, hate speech…

broad APPLICABILITY

The National Association of REALTORS® has instituted changes to the Code of Ethics and Arbitration Manual which include amended policies that expand applicability to all REALTOR® activities. Realtors are now subject to disciplinary action for activities outside the scope of “business” or real estate transactions:

Policy Statement 29. Applicability of the Code to non-real estate related activities

~~While REALTORS® are encouraged to follow the principles of the Code of Ethics in all of their activities, a~~ A REALTOR® shall be subject to disciplinary action under the Code of Ethics only with respect to ~~real estate related~~ all their activities.~~, and transactions involving the REALTOR.~~

new Sop 10-5

This new Standard of Practice flows directly from the requirement to not deny equal professional services to all or be parties to discrimination. Specifically, bias against protected classes revealed through the public posting of hate speech, overt discrimination or disparate treatment (e.g., violations of the Fair Housing Act).

Standard of Practice 10-5 REALTORS® must not use harassing speech, hate speech, epithets, or slurs based on race, color religion, sex, handicap, familial status, national origin, sexual orientation, or gender identity.

public trust REdefined

The definition of “public trust” was expanded to include all discrimination against the protected classes under Article 10 of the Code and all fraud, and to limit the reporting requirement to final ethics decisions involving real estate related activities and transactions.

Article IV Code of Ethics, Section 2 NAR Bylaws

Section 2. Any Member Board which shall neglect or refuse to maintain and enforce the Code of Ethics with respect to the business activities of its members may, after due notice and opportunity for hearing, be expelled by the Board of Directors from membership in the National Association. Enforcement of the Code of Ethics also requires Member Boards to share with the state real estate licensing authority final ethics decisions holding REALTORS® in violation of the Code of Ethics in instances involving real estate related activities and transactions where there is reason to believe the public trust may have been violated. The “public trust” as used in this context refers to demonstrated misappropriation of client or customer funds or property, willful discrimination against the protected classes under the Code of Ethics, or fraud ~~resulting in substantial economic harm~~. Enforcement of the Code of Ethics also requires Member Boards to provide mediation and arbitration services to members and their clients so that the dispute resolution requirements of Article 17 of the Code of Ethics can be met…

| LEARN MORE >

CLICK on links BELOW FOR nar & c.a.r. professional standards resources

Special Guest Presenting at West County Marketing Meeting – This Thursday

Join us Dec 17!

Guest Speaker Edward Nattenberg

of Property Entry Now

Please join us for the West County Virtual Marketing meeting on Thursday, Dec. 17th from 9:00 to 10:00 am for a presentation by Edward Nattenberg of Property Entry Now. Property Entry Now is an app-based product that streamlines the process of gathering PEAD documents and scheduling showings. Edward will provide a demo and explain how the app works.

ZOOM IN:

https://zoom.us/j/96905629800?pwd=b2oydlVtS2g3WTcxQ2xUWDZVckV3Zz09

Meeting ID: 969 0562 9800

Passcode: 816803

One tap mobile

+12532158782,,96905629800# US (Tacoma)

+13017158592,,96905629800# US (Germantown)

Dial by your location

+1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma)

+1 301 715 8592 US (Germantown)

+1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago)

+1 346 248 7799 US (Houston)

+1 646 558 8656 US (New York)

+1 669 900 9128 US (San Jose)

Meeting ID: 969 0562 9800

Find your local number: https://zoom.us/u/aGF5umEJc

Complete Sexual Harassment Prevention Training by Jan 1st — It’s the Law!

Legal REQUIREMENT

CA law requires sexual harassment prevention training in the workplace by Jan 1, 2021

Online supervisor training $55, Employee training $25

Deadline for training is right around the corner! California Association of Realtors online course for supervisors and employees meets all state requirements. These are non-credit courses (not for license renewal). Courses are compliant with CA Senate Bill 292.

Click on the C.A.R. Online Ed link (right) to see if you are required to complete training.

CONTACT:

C.A.R. ONLINE ED >

Expanded MLS Access Coming January 20th

Expanded MLS Data Access Coming in January

Seven regional MLSs form NorCal MLS Alliance, enabling one-stop-access to thousands of listings throughout 22 Northern California counties.

With one login, MLS Participants and Subscibers will have access to thousands of listings spanning from the Greater Bay Area and Silicon Valley to the Monterey Coastline, up through the Central Valley to Sacramento and the Sierra foothills. What this means for homebuyers and sellers is expanded property listing search options and more marketing exposure.

The NorCal MLS Alliance grew from the existing reciprocal access model and will continue to evolve as technology improves and additional regional MLSs sign on to provide members and subscribers with greater access to MLS data. When fully implemented, this seven-member-alliance will benefit more than 55,000 brokers and agents.

Users will experience significant benefits from the new expanded data system while continuing to use familiar technologies from their home MLS systems. Additionally, they will reduce the number of data feeds necessary to run their businesses and eliminate the need for dual/multiple entry of listings into various regional MLS systems, saving time and money.

EXPANDED LISTING DISTRIBUTION

Maximum exposure – Simultaneously input listings into 4 MLS platforms

Input a listing into the Paragon system and that will automatically post that listing in all seven participating MLSs which include CCAR, Bay East, bridgeMLS, BAREIS, Metrolist, MLSListings and SFAR. A single-sourced IDX feed will be available soon.

expanded access to tours

Maximum access – One search for Broker Tours/Open Houses in 22 counties

With this new system, Participants and Subscribers will be able to search Broker Tours and Open Houses for all on-market listings in all 7 regional MLS jurisdictions.

UPON LAUNCH...

CCAR Participants and Subscribers will access Metrolist, BARIES and SFAR platforms from one (Paragon) home platform, eliminating the need to login to those systems separately.

for more information:

Saved Searches – If you have saved searches in the BAREIS, Metrolist and/or SFAR MLS platforms, you must document the search criteria from each and replicate in Paragon.

Contacts – Upon launch, users must export contact data from BAREIS, Metrolist and/or SFAR MLS and import into Paragon.

CMAs – If you have created CMAs in the BAREIS, Metrolist and/or SFAR MLS platforms you must save a copy to your files to maintain continued access.

On Market Listings from BAREIS, Metrolist and/or SFAR MLS platforms must be transferred to the Paragon system or cancelled.

www.norcalmlsalliance.com >

Join on Facebook >

Join on Instagram >

CCAR will make every effort to enable a seamless transition to the new system and technical staff will be available for ongoing support.

Help Educate Clients About the Value of the MLS

Consumers don’t understand the MLS

Research shows that only 24% of consumers have even a vague idea of what the MLS is, let alone how it benefits them. But as an industry, we rely on the MLS every day. It’s how we monitor what’s happening across the market, how we cooperate to get sales done, how we offer compensation. We know the value of the MLS, even if we take it for granted.

Help educate your clients

We need to educate consumers about how the MLS benefits them, and now there’s a new resource at your fingertips to do just that! CMLS has created a consumer marketing campaign to help you tell the MLS story in a way that enhances your value as a broker, agent or an MLS leader. Click here to access a variety of campaign materials that will help you help consumers understand the value of the MLS.

www.cmlsintheknow.org