Uncategorized Archives - CCARToday - Contra Costa Association of REALTORS

CCAR provides a complete series of FREE core curriculum courses to help you build a solid foundation for your growing real estate business. You will learn to navigate all the necessary technical tools and applications + master important skills in an easy step-by-step process:

intro to zipform

Your Transaction Management System
Write C.A.R. contracts with ease using Lone Wolf Transactions zipForm Edition. The course includes information on how to set up your profile, start new transactions for buyers and sellers, create time-saving templates, manage transaction details, send forms to clients, and more. | Check the Calendar for the next training session >

intro to cloud cma

Cloud CMA helps you stand out with polished, compelling Comparative Market Analysis (CMA) reports that showcase your value and help you win more listings. This FREE CCAR member class teaches you how to create professional CMA reports, set listing and offer price ranges, and use CMAs for valuation needs. Plus additional features, including quick property reports and flyers, advanced search tools, impressive Buyer Tour packets, and CMA Live for virtual listing presentations. | Check the Calendar for the next training session >

intro to rpr

Your 1-Stop Shop to Property Searches, Stats, Reports & More

Learn how REALTORS^® Property Resource provides you with the data you need to meet the demands of clients in today’s “age of information” market. You will learn how to brand your Profile/reports, search, filter, utilize mapping tools and layers, create cutting edge CMA reports, winning listing presentations, and more. | Check the Calendar for the next training session >

intro to paragon

Specific topics covered in this Intro to Paragon MLS class include:

Customizing your profile and settings to reflect your branding and preferences
Homepage navigation
Different ways to search, and working with the results
Customization
Adding and managing your contacts
Collaboration Center
Integrations & Additional Benefits
Paragon Connect (mobile MLS)

| Check the Calendar for the next training session >

intro to listing input +

Specific topics covered in this How to Add & Maintain Your Listing class include:

Staying in compliance with MLS Rules and Regulations
Pre-marketing with COMING SOON listings and Clear Cooperation
Input tips and tools: CRS Tax Autofill and Pricing Analysis Tool
Partial vs. Live Listings: what’s the difference?
Uploading and editing listing photos
Sharing via Social Media, Email or Text
Syndication options to maximize listing visibility and exposure
Resolving listing errors and warnings
Maintaining your listing from NEW to SOLD
Add/Maintain listings from your mobile device

| Check the Calendar for the next training session >

Set It & Forget It!

Using Paragon’s Collaboration Center

Need a Client Concierge? Paragon’s Collaboration Center is a feature-rich MLS portal that enables you to manage your business and collaborate with clients online in real time from any device. In this class you’ll learn how to set up your Collaboration Center in Paragon so your clients will be automatically notified of new listings. The Collaboration Center keeps you and your client in touch and allows you to build responsive relationships with buyers and sellers.

Specific topics covered in this Collaboration Center class include:

How to create a Collaboration account for your clients
Allow your buyers to interact with their search results, marking them as favorites, possible, or rejected
Receive immediate notifications of buyers reactions, comments, or showing requests to your emails
Personalize each buyers portal and be aware of their property searches
Learn to navigate the buyers personal website to better assist them when they have questions
Allow your buyers to create their own searches, and be notified when they do.

The Collaboration Center also includes seller-personalized portals so agents can stay in constant communication with clients about listing activity. Sellers get the transparency, information and communication they want with:

Activity notifications
Agent recommendations
Buyer-search matches
Social shares
Broker Tours & Open Houses
Views of competing properties

| Check the Calendar for the next training session >

Chris Dickson

Education Coordinator

Mon – Fri, 9am – 5pm

(925) 295-9210

[email protected]

Feature Course + Image

Feature course teaser… blah blahblah

CCAR ANNUAL SPONSORS

New Member Power Tools

Education @ Your Fingertips

SMART TIPS FOR NEW AGENTS

Skills for your new real estate practice >

Ethics Training

Check Your Status | Learn More >

On-Demand Training

C.A.R. Courses

C.A.R. Course Catalog >

NAR Courses

NAR Education Calendar >

core skills training

Your Launchpad For Success Starts Here

Starting out as a new REALTOR® can feel overwhelming, but your 3-way membership gives you a roadmap and support system from day one.

CCAR provides MLS access, training and mentorship opportunities so you can hit the ground running. C.A.R. gives you confidence with standardized contracts and a Legal Hotline when questions come up. And NAR gives you instant credibility with clients, a Code of Ethics that sets you apart, and designations that help you stand out in a competitive field. You’re not building your career alone–you’ve got the whole industry behind you.

This online kit includes access to free training on core skills technology, online Code of Ethics coursework and webinars–all designed to help you build a strong, informed, and ethical foundation for your real estate business.

intro to zipform

intro to cloud cma

intro to rpr

Your 1-Stop Shop to Property Searches, Stats, Reports & More

intro to paragon

Specific topics covered in this Intro to Paragon MLS class include:

Customizing your profile and settings to reflect your branding and preferences
Homepage navigation
Different ways to search, and working with the results
Customization
Adding and managing your contacts
Collaboration Center
Integrations & Additional Benefits
Paragon Connect (mobile MLS)

| Check the Calendar for the next training session >

intro to listing input +

Specific topics covered in this How to Add & Maintain Your Listing class include:

Staying in compliance with MLS Rules and Regulations
Pre-marketing with COMING SOON listings and Clear Cooperation
Input tips and tools: CRS Tax Autofill and Pricing Analysis Tool
Partial vs. Live Listings: what’s the difference?
Uploading and editing listing photos
Sharing via Social Media, Email or Text
Syndication options to maximize listing visibility and exposure
Resolving listing errors and warnings
Maintaining your listing from NEW to SOLD
Add/Maintain listings from your mobile device

| Check the Calendar for the next training session >

Set It & Forget It!

Using Paragon’s Collaboration Center

Specific topics covered in this Collaboration Center class include:

How to create a Collaboration account for your clients
Allow your buyers to interact with their search results, marking them as favorites, possible, or rejected
Receive immediate notifications of buyers reactions, comments, or showing requests to your emails
Personalize each buyers portal and be aware of their property searches
Learn to navigate the buyers personal website to better assist them when they have questions
Allow your buyers to create their own searches, and be notified when they do.

Activity notifications
Agent recommendations
Buyer-search matches
Social shares
Broker Tours & Open Houses
Views of competing properties

| Check the Calendar for the next training session >

Membership Services
Mon – Fri, 9am – 5pm
(925) 295-1270
[email protected]

A mobile and desktop application that simplifies MLS workflows and property searches on any device.

LEARN MORE >

AI-driven property reports consolidate 60+ data sources, including permits, zoning, liens, climate risk, valuations, and more for faster, in-depth client prep.

LEARN MORE >

Instant property data and analytics
from a national platform—
valuations, reports, and insights
ready for every client meeting.

LEARN MORE >

A mobile-friendly platform with rental applications and screening tools that streamline your workflow—at home, in the office, or on the go.

LEARN MORE >

CCAR ANNUAL SPONSORS

New Law: AB 723 – Disclosure Required for Digitally Altered Property Images

Effective January 1, 2026, California Assembly Bill 723 introduces new disclosure rules for real estate professionals who use digitally altered images in advertising, marketing, or online listings. The new law requires that a clear disclosure be present on or near the image stating that it has been digitally altered. It is also required to provide access to the original, unaltered version of the image when made publicly accessible.

Why This Matters
AB 723 adds Section 10140.8 to the California Business & Professions Code. It applies to licensed real estate brokers and salespersons and those acting on their behalf.

What Counts as a “Digitally Altered Image”?
According to the recently revised California Association of REALTORS® (C.A.R.) Model MLS Rules:

“Digitally altered image” means an image, created by or at the direction of the real estate broker or salesperson, or person acting on their behalf, that has been altered through the use of photo editing software or artificial intelligence to add, remove, or change elements in the image, including, but not limited to, fixtures, furniture, appliances, flooring, walls, paint color, hardscape, landscape, façade, floor plans, and elements outside of, or visible from, the property, including, but not limited to, streetlights, utility poles, views through windows, and neighboring properties. “Digitally altered image” does not include an image where only lighting, sharpening, white balance, color correction, angle, straightening, cropping, exposure, or other common photo editing adjustments are made that do not change the representation of the real property.

How Does this Affect Photograph Requirements in the MLS?
CCAR has been actively reviewing AB 723 and the different ways the MLS can accommodate this new statewide requirement. Our focus is to align MLS workflows and rules with the law while keeping listing input as clear and practical as possible for Participants and Subscribers.

In the coming weeks, the C.A.R. Model MLS Rules that address AB 723 will be reviewed during CCAR’s joint-MLS group meeting with our neighboring East Bay MLSs. This collaborative review will help ensure a consistent regional approach to compliance and member support.

More details will be shared soon, including how to disclose “digitally altered images” within the MLS and the specific MLS Rules that correlate with this requirement. Please watch for additional guidance as we finalize implementation steps ahead of the law’s effective date.

Giving Thanks 2025

It’s Giving Season, and we’re celebrating the holidays by thanking you!

Sincere thanks to YOU for all the work you do throughout the year to enrich lives in our community. Many CCAR members volunteer for service in the Helping Hands Committee,* the Affiliates & Events* and YPN Committees* and the CCAR Scholarship Foundation,* and we are grateful for the hours you spend throughout the year to raise dollars and awareness about these important charitable organizations. And none of it would be possible without ALL our members and Affiliates who donate so generously.

Thank you!

Young Pros. Big Purpose: YPN Fills Classrooms with Hope and Supplies

Even in communities that seem affluent, not every family can afford a backpack, notebooks, or basic school supplies when a new school year begins. That’s where CCAR’s Young Professionals Network (YPN) continues to make a difference.

Last August the CCAR YPN team organized their 5th annual School Supply Drive that collected hundreds of essential learning tools for local children. The outpouring of generosity from members helped ensure that kids from every background could start the year with confidence and dignity. Each of these items represents more than just school supplies, it represents opportunity, self-esteem, and a community that refuses to overlook need.

YPN’s initiative reminds us that success isn’t just measured by sales—it’s also measured by service. Through volunteerism and giving, CCAR members show that the real estate community’s impact extends far beyond property lines.

Helping Hands Fund Turns Good Times into Good Deeds – $5,000 Donation to Feed 15,000 Locals

Next time you get an invitation to a CCAR event, don’t dismiss it as “just another party” or an excuse to grab a few drinks with colleagues.

Every ticket purchased, every raffle entered, and every conversation shared helps create real change in our community. CCAR events do more than connect members—they fuel our Helping Hands Fund, which supports local nonprofits feeding, sheltering, and uplifting thousands of our neighbors in need.

This year, because of your participation and generosity, the Helping Hands Fund has donated approximately $40,000 to individuals and local charities in our community. Most recently, the group committed $5,000 to fund more than15,000 meals for families across Contra Costa, Alameda, and Solano Counties.

GIVE >

You Can Help. Donate today by clicking links below:

Contra Costa/Solano County Food Banks serve families across both counties. Currently, they distribute enough emergency/supplemental food to provide 2.7M meals each month. | DONATE >

White Pony Express is a Contra Costa-based nonprofit with a mission “to eliminate hunger and poverty with love.” Their Food Rescue Program recovers fresh, high quality food every week. They report an average of 12,000 pounds of food recovered. | DONATE >

Monument Crisis Center provides nutritious food, education, assistance and referrals to individuals, families, children and seniors in need. They provide over one million meals annually via more than 30,000 food boxes. | DONATE >

Bay Area Rescue Mission serves homeless and hurting men, women and children, operating 24/7. They provide daily averages of 4,931 meals, hundreds of shelter stays and life transformation programs. | DONATE >

Affiliates & Events Committee the Fundraising Engine Behind CCAR Giving

The CCAR Affiliates & Events Committee plays a pivotal role in fueling CCAR’s philanthropic efforts. Through its annual fundraising events—the Bingo Tournament, Affiliates Fair, and more, the committee brings REALTORS® and Affiliate members together in support of the community. These events are more than networking or social gatherings: they raise significant funds that are split evenly between two major charitable programs—the Helping Hands Fund and the CCAR Scholarship Foundation.

CCAR Affiliates are key partners in this work, offering their time, expertise, and financial support. Their involvement is essential to the success of every fundraising effort.

50 Years of Scholarships Powered by CCAR Members

For more than half a century, the CCAR Scholarship Foundation has offered educational support to students throughout Contra Costa County. What began in 1967 as a small, member-driven initiative has grown into a long-standing program that continues to benefit new generations—thanks largely to the ongoing dedication of its CCAR member trustees. The program is open to high school seniors, college undergrads, graduate students, and trade school students.

Over the past 12 years alone, the Foundation has awarded $740,000 to 265 local students, and many past recipients have credited these funds with helping them complete degrees, reduce financial strain, and access opportunities they may not have otherwise afforded. The 2025 Awards recognized 20 new scholars—students now attending institutions across the country.

While the scale of the awards has grown, the core of the Foundation

remains unchanged: CCAR members volunteering their time and expertise to support local students’ futures.

Scholarship funding is sustained by member donations, public support, and half of the proceeds from CCAR fundraising events.

* Many Thanks to 2025 Committee Volunteers and Scholarship Trustees *

Helping Hands Committee

Jennifer Newton, Chair

Victoria Haket, Vice Chair

Marilyn Cunningham

Jamie Gaines

Diane Gilfether

Sue Kuehn

Lisa Lilley

Affiliates & Events Committee

Jessica Evans, Chair

Cameron Chatterron, Vice Chair

Abdullah Al-Hadeethi

Anna Febiana

Donna Davis

Danny Levitt

Cherry Wade

Andrew Waite

Rich Mendoza

YPN Committee

Gilda Whitehead, Chair

Cherry Wade, Vice Chair

Ruthie Abelson Olivas

Jordan Burns

Ashley Newton

Gabrielle Rajasekhar

Victor Reyes

Scholarship Foundation Trustees

Angela Muetterties, President

Marianne Bordogna, Vice President

Bill Erb, Treasurer

Michael Moore, Secretary

Ruthie Ableson Olivas

Jonas Champion

Lupe Kemper

Terry Moore

Long Nguyen

CCAR ANNUAL SPONSORS

District 5 Rubenstein – Nov 25

Dear Friends and Colleagues,

It’s giving season, and we’re celebrating the holidays by thanking you for the work you do throughout the year to enrich lives in our community. Many CCAR members volunteer for service in the Helping Hands Committee,* the Affiliates & Events* and YPN Committees* and the CCAR Scholarship Foundation,* and we are grateful for the hours you spend throughout the year to raise dollars and awareness about these important charitable organizations. And none of it would be possible without ALL our members who donate so generously.

Thank you!

Matt

Young Pros. Big Purpose: YPN Fills Classrooms with Hope and Supplies

Helping Hands Fund Turns Good Times into Good Deeds – $5,000 Donation to Feed 15,000 Locals

Next time you get an invitation to a CCAR event, don’t dismiss it as “just another party” or an excuse to grab a few drinks with colleagues.

GIVE >

You Can Help. Donate today by clicking links below:

Contra Costa/Solano County Food Banks serve families across both counties. Currently, they distribute enough emergency/supplemental food to provide 2.7M meals each month. | DONATE >

Affiliates & Events Committee the Fundraising Engine Behind CCAR Giving

CCAR Affiliates are key partners in this work, offering their time, expertise, and financial support. Their involvement is essential to the success of every fundraising effort.

50 Years of Scholarships Powered by CCAR Members

While the scale of the awards has grown, the core of the Foundation

remains unchanged: CCAR members volunteering their time and expertise to support local students’ futures.

Scholarship funding is sustained by member donations, public support, and half of the proceeds from CCAR fundraising events.

* Many Thanks to 2025 Committee Volunteers and Scholarship Trustees *

Helping Hands Committee

Jennifer Newton, Chair

Victoria Haket, Vice Chair

Marilyn Cunningham

Jamie Gaines

Diane Gilfether

Sue Kuehn

Lisa Lilley

Affiliates & Events Committee

Jessica Evans, Chair

Cameron Chatterron, Vice Chair

Abdullah Al-Hadeethi

Anna Febiana

Donna Davis

Danny Levitt

Cherry Wade

Andrew Waite

Rich Mendoza

YPN Committee

Gilda Whitehead, Chair

Cherry Wade, Vice Chair

Ruthie Abelson Olivas

Jordan Burns

Ashley Newton

Gabrielle Rajasekhar

Victor Reyes

Scholarship Foundation Trustees

Angela Muetterties, President

Marianne Bordogna, Vice President

Bill Erb, Treasurer

Michael Moore, Secretary

Ruthie Ableson Olivas

Jonas Champion

Lupe Kemper

Terry Moore

Long Nguyen

CCAR ANNUAL SPONSORS

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