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How Prop. 19 Can Help Your Business – Jan. 27

Join CCAR YPN on January 27th from 1-2:30pm for an online Panel via Zoom with Robert Bloom, C.A.R. Senior Counsel and Eric Meyers, Attorney and REALTOR^®.

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With the passage of Proposition 19, a homeowner who is over 55 years of age, severely disabled or whose home has been substantially damaged by wildfire or natural disaster may transfer the taxable value of their primary residence to:

• A replacement primary residence
• Anywhere in the state
• Regardless of the value of the replacement primary residence (with adjustments if “greater” in value)
• Within two years of the sale
• Up to three times (but without limitation for those whose houses were destroyed by fire)

During this Panel, learn:
• The ins and outs of Prop. 19
• How to use Prop. 19 to educate your clients
• How to use Prop. 19 to build your business

Raffle Prizes!:
Donated by First American Home Warranty & JCP-LGS Disclosures
• $250 Amazon Gift Card
• Free NHD Report (a $124 Value!)
• Golf Umbrella

YPN ANNUAL SPONSOR:

Upcoming Paragon 5 MLS Changes

On February 8th the following changes will be made to the Paragon 5 MLS.

The location of the “ZK-INTERNET DISPLAY & ZZ-INTERNET SITES” feature fields on the listing input page will be updated. These fields will now be located next to the VOW fields allowing you to make your IDX & VOW opt-in/opt-out selections with ease.
To assist with liability protection, an automated disclaimer will be auto appended to the end of Public Remarks for all listings stating the following “All information and images should be independently reviewed and verified for accuracy”.
The Paragon Timeout function will be extended from 90 minutes to 120 minutes (2 hours).

2022 FY Federal Omnibus Bill: NAR Priorities

On March 15, 2022, President Joe Biden signed the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2022, a $1.5 trillion omnibus spending package that will keep the government running and funded through Sept. 30.

Since last October, the government has relied on a series of short-term funding extensions while Congress worked toward this long-term solution. The trillion-dollar package, approved by the House March 9 and Senate March 10, includes defense funding ($782 billion; a $42 billion increase over FY 2021) and non-defense funding ($730 billion; a $46 billion increase over FY 2021). It provides for nearly $14 billion in support for Ukraine.

Notably, the bipartisan package includes a number of NAR priorities including:

Fair housing: Contains $85 million for fair housing activities, including the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Fair Housing Initiatives Program, Fair Housing Assistance Program, the National Fair Housing Training Academy, and translating HUD documents into languages other than English. This level represents an increase of $12.5 million above the FY 2021 enacted level.

Flood insurance: Extends the NFIP through Sept. 30 and provides significant funding for communities to respond to and mitigate the impacts of future disasters, with $276 million for flood mapping.

Affordable Housing: The bill provides $398 million for related agencies in the bill, including $166 million for NeighborWorks to support unique solutions to expand affordable housing options, increase housing counseling assistance, and strengthen economic development.

Rural Housing Loans and Rental Assistance: The bill provides a total of $30 billion in loan authority for the Single-Family Housing Guaranteed Loan Program. The bill includes $1.25 billion in direct single family housing loans, which provide home loan assistance to low-income rural families. In addition, a total of $1.495 billion is provided for rental assistance and rental vouchers for affordable rental housing for low-income families and the elderly in rural communities to renew all existing rental assistance contracts. In FY 2020, Rural Development housing programs provided affordable housing to 138,331 rural homeowners and over 250,000 rental units.

HUD and Rental Assistance: For fiscal year 2022, the bill provides a total of $53.7 billion for HUD, an increase of $4 billion above fiscal year 2021. Also includes $27.4 billion for Tenant-based Rental Assistance to continue to serve more than 2.3 million very low- and extremely low-income households nationwide. Has $1.5 billion in direct funding to states and local governments through the HOME Investment Partnerships Program, and significantly increases investments in distressed neighborhoods through the Choice Neighborhoods Initiative program.

Violence Against Women Act: Reauthorizes this legislation and establishes a Violence Prevention Office at HUD. NAR was part of the original group of housing industry supporters that helped craft the housing provisions of the bill.

Housing Counseling: $57.5 million for Housing Counseling assistance for renters, homeowners, and those considering homeownership and $145.4 million for Policy Development and Research, including $20 million to continue legal aid assistance for eviction prevention, a combined increase of $40.4 million above fiscal year 2021.

EB-5 Regional Center Program: Revives the EB-5 Visa Regional Center Program, with reforms that would address many of the accountability and transparency issues that has plagued the program previously. The EB-5 visa program awards permanent residence for non-U.S. citizens who invest a specified amount in distressed places in the United States, particularly high-unemployment urban areas or blighted rural areas. The program lapsed in mid-2021 and is slated for renewal through September 2027.

Homeless Assistance Programs: Includes $2.2 billion, an increase of $246 million above the 2021 enacted level and equal to the President’s budget request. This funding will enhance VA’s ability to reach homeless Veterans.

Broadband: Includes more than $550 million to expand rural broadband services on top of broadband funding included in the American Rescue Plan and bipartisan infrastructure bill last year.

Fraud: Directs the Federal Trade Commission to oversee efforts to protect seniors from fraud schemes and creates an advisory group to promote best practices to curb scammers. The bill includes $376.5 million for the FTC, an increase of $25.5 million above the FY 2021 enacted level.

Anti-money Laundering: Provides $161 million for the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN), an increase of $34 million above the FY 2021 enacted level, to boost efforts to combat terrorist financing and money laundering. Also includes $195 million for the Office of Terrorism and Financial Intelligence, an increase of $20 million above the FY 2021 enacted level, to continue investments to protect the integrity of the financial system.

LIBOR Transition: Includes language that helps companies and lenders switch financial contracts to a new rate and away from the London Interbank Offered Rate. This language ensures a smooth transition to the new reference rate on legacy contracts and avoids disruption to the secondary mortgage markets.

Transportation & Infrastructure: Provides the remaining funding to implement programs and spending in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Framework, which was passed in November. Provides more than $10 billion to upgrade the nation’s water infrastructure.

Small Business Administration (SBA): The bill provides a total of $1 billion for SBA, an increase of $109 million above the FY 2021 enacted level, to support investments in programs to help underserved entrepreneurs access capital and contracting opportunities. The bill includes $290 million, an increase of $18 million above the FY 2021 enacted level, for Entrepreneurial Development Programs, including: $138 million for Small Business Development Centers; $37 million for Microloan Technical Assistance; $17 million for the Federal and State Technology Partnership Program, Growth Accelerators, and Regional Innovation Clusters; and $24 million for Women’s Business Centers.

Environmental Protections: Includes $587 million for conservation programs, $539 million for environmental monitoring projects, $200 million for climate research, $3.2 billion to support renewable energy technologies, and an increase in the annual budgets for under-resourced agencies like the EPA, NOAA, the Department of Interior, and the Bureau of Land Management.

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Clozio

CLOZIO

Win more listings, earn more referrals, and recover valuable time. Clozio’s shareable, branded, transaction timelines boost your professionalism, your brand, and your productivity. Just create a transaction, add important deadlines from your RLA and/or RPA, import a task template, and invite your client, team, and cooperating agents. Clozio provides a central location for managing all transaction activities. And download the App to have all info at your fingertips, on-the-go!

What is
Clozio?

Clozio tames the chaos of buying and selling for both agents and their clients. Their collaboration platform provides a central hub for agents and their clients to easily communicate and manage their to-dos, task lists and timelines. With Clozio, real estate agents can spend more time delighting their clients, and less time on repetitive tasks and questions.

A Quick Tour of
Clozio’s Pro Features

Clozio
Mobile App

The Clozio mobile app is designed for agents and their teams who are on the go and juggling multiple transactions.

Stay on Track – Don’t spend time worrying and reacting. Clozio gives top real estate professionals one place to manage all of their to do lists and timelines on-the-go, while keeping every transaction on track.
Build Trust – Clozio creates transparency for the blackbox of listing and escrow, helping you make your clients feel confident and prepared.
Ensure Your Clients Come First – Clozio helps you track, manage, and complete your work from anywhere, so you can invest more time with your clients without falling behind on existing transactions.
Get More Done, Faster – From scheduling inspections to managing contractors, Clozio offers execution services so you can spend more time focusing on generating business.

Contact:

CCAR Member Support
Monday – Friday: 8:30am – 5:00pm
925.295.1270
[email protected]

Clozio Support
[email protected]

CA DRE Reopening Exam Centers

After a seven-week shutdown, the California Department of Real Estate (DRE) is poised to reopen its exam centers.

Governor Gavin Newsom lifted the remaining parts of a stay-at-home order on Monday, January 25, 2021, clearing the way for exam centers to reopen.

DRE will reopen four of the exam centers (Sacramento, Fresno, La Palma, and San Diego) on Wednesday, January 27, 2021. The Oakland exam center will reopen shortly thereafter.

Rescheduling Cancelled Exams
DRE staff are now contacting examinees to reschedule their previously cancelled exams. Those examinees whose exams were scheduled on the earliest date when they were cancelled will be offered the chance to reschedule first. Rescheduling fees for them will be waived.

Contracting COVID-19
If an examinee tests positive for COVID-19, has been exposed to COVID-19, have COVID-19 symptoms or has other COVID-19 related issues, they can reschedule their examination without a fee by sending a request by email to [email protected]. Examinees should put “COVID – Exam Reschedule Request” in the email subject line and include the Examinee ID number and current test date, time, and location.

They also can call the DRE Virtual Call Center Monday-Friday from 8:00 a.m. through 5:00 p.m. at 877-373-4542. However, due to staffing restrictions, wait times may be excessive.

Plans to Increase Testing Capacity
Because of physical distancing requirements put in place in spring 2020, DRE exam centers are limited to 50% capacity. Those requirements are still in-place. To make up for lost exam seats, DRE will continue the additional exam session on weekdays put in-place after a shutdown in spring 2020. Saturday testing will also take place in DRE’s two largest exam centers (Sacramento and La Palma).

DRE also plans to evening exams, and is in the process of adding a second exam center at its Sacramento headquarters. Other testing opportunities around the state are being explored and could be added later.

Exam Fee Refunds
DRE will refund exam fees to any applicant who requests it. Requests can be made by email to [email protected]. Please put “Exam Fee Refund Request” in your subject line and include your Examinee ID number.

Stay updated on DRE’s COVID-19 Updates page.

If you’ve applied for a DRE license, please be sure DRE has your most up-to-date contact information by logging into your eLicensing account. If you are not registered, you should use your Examinee ID number to create a free account now.