Fair housing is more than a list of dos and don’ts, rights and penalties and mandatory continuing education. As stewards of the right to own, use and transfer private property, fair housing protects our livelihood and business as REALTORS® and depends on a free, open market that embraces equal opportunity.

Fair housing is not an option, it is the law. The Federal Fair Housing Act prohibits housing discrimination based on race, religion, sex, national origin, disability, and familial status (protected classes). Californians are further protected from discrimination on the basis of age, marital status, genetic information, sexual orientation, sexual identification, AIDS/HIV, medical condition, political activities and affiliation, military or veteran status, and/or being domestic violence survivors.

What are some common unlawful acts of discrimination? They include:

• Refusing to sell a property because of a person’s protected class.
• Restricting loans or targeting higher cost loans to people based on their protected class or the neighborhood where the home is located.
• Falsely denying that housing is available for inspection, sale, or rental.
• Failing to provide reasonable accommodations to a person with a disability.

Fair housing exists in a community when individuals of similar income have the same range of housing choices regardless of race or color, ancestry or national origin, religion, gender, disability, marital or familial status, sexual orientation, or source of income.

The Fair Housing Acts covers most housing. In very limited circumstances, the Act exempts owner-occupied buildings with no more than four units, single-family houses sold or rented by the owner without the use of an agent, and housing operated by religious organizations and private clubs that limit occupancy to members.

REALTORS® recognize the significance of the Fair Housing Act and reconfirm their commitment to upholding fair housing law as well as their commitment to offering equal professional service to all in their search for real property.

The National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) has a “Fair Housing Action Plan” that uses the abbreviation “ACT,” which stands for (A)ccountability, (C)ulture Change and (T)raining. It ensures that America’s 1.4 million REALTORS® are doing everything possible to protect housing rights in America. NAR recommends printing a copy of the “REALTOR® Fair Housing Declaration” and posting it in your office. It can be found here,www.nar.realtor/fair-housing/fair-housing-program/fair-housing-declaration.

The Fair Housing Declaration says:

   I agree to:

• Provide equal professional service without regard to the race, color, religion, gender (sex), disability (handicap), familial status, national origin, sexual orientation or gender identity of any prospective client, customer, or of the residents of any community.
• Keep informed about fair housing law and practices, improving my clients’ and customers’ opportunities and my business.
• Develop advertising that indicates that everyone is welcome and no one is excluded;, expanding my client’s and customer’s opportunities to see, buy, or lease property.
• Inform my clients and customers about their rights and responsibilities under the fair housing laws by providing brochures and other information.
• Document my efforts to provide professional service, which will assist me in becoming a more responsive and successful REALTOR®.
• Refuse to tolerate non-compliance.
• Learn about those who are different from me, and celebrate those differences.
• Take a positive approach to fair housing practices and aspire to follow the spirit as well as the letter of the law.
• Develop and implement fair housing practices for my firm to carry out the spirit of this declaration.

Where and when is Fair Housing discrimination occurring? According to CSA San Diego County, recent examples include:

• A nationwide mortgage lender had systematically charged higher interest rates to Hispanic and African-American borrowers.
• In Virginia Beach, landlords refused to rent to families with three or more children.
• In Connecticut a landlord refused to grant a tenant reasonable accommodation for her assistance dog which helped her with her cerebral palsy, seizure disorder, and depression.

In addition, a three-year investigation by Newsday, a New York newspaper, uncovered widespread evidence of unequal treatment by real estate agents on Long Island, New York. In one of the most concentrated investigations of discrimination by real estate agents in the half century since enactment of America’s landmark fair housing law, Newsday found evidence of widespread separate and unequal treatment of minority potential homebuyers and minority communities on Long Island.

The three-year probe strongly indicates that house hunting in one of the nation’s most segregated suburbs poses substantial risks of discrimination, with black buyers chancing disadvantages almost half the time they enlist brokers. The investigation, published Nov. 17, 2019, involved 25 undercover testers and 93 real estate agents who provided a total of 5,763 listings, as well as 240 hours of secretly-recorded meetings. Unequal treatment was directed toward Asians (19 percent), Hispanics (39 percent), Blacks (49 percent)

Additionally, the investigation reveals that Long Island’s dominant residential brokering firms help solidify racial separations. They frequently directed white customers toward areas with the highest white representations and minority buyers to more integrated neighborhoods. They also avoided business in communities with overwhelmingly minority populations. Fair housing laws bar agents from directing whites to one community and equally qualified blacks, Hispanics or Asians to other places, a practice known as steering.

The newspaper said, “Fair housing standards generally bar agents from talking about the backgrounds of people who live in neighborhoods as a form of verbal racial or ethnic steering. The standards also require agents to provide equal guidance to customers about areas in which they may want to live.

“Agents and brokers bear the responsibility for applying fair housing standards as they act as licensed gatekeepers to housing choices. Industry representatives have contended that proper training is the best way to ensure agents uphold fair housing laws, arguing against more aggressive enforcement through fines, license suspensions or revocations.

“Ultimately, fair housing violations are determined by the courts or enforcement agencies. Authorities may choose to file charges based on egregious conduct in a single case. More generally, they bring legal action after subjecting an agent to several paired tests to establish a pattern and to reduce the likelihood that an agent’s choices were either a fluke or soundly guided by the market at the time.”

The Urban Institute, a nonprofit group, conducted a nationwide study sponsored by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development in 2010. That study involved more than 8,000 tests found real estate agents engaged less frequently than in the past in more explicit forms of discrimination, such as not showing available houses to minority buyers. However, the study also showed that agents placed minority buyers in more integrated neighborhoods at a higher rate than white buyers.

“The issue of discrimination is very subtle,” said Claudia Aranda, a director of field operations for the Urban Institute. “In the absence of treatment that’s more overt, in the absence of particular discriminatory comments, individual home seekers will never have potentially any reason to suspect discrimination.”

For more details about the Newsday study, visit https://projects.newsday.com/long-island/real-estate-agents-investigation.

In order to prevent the appearance of discrimination, CSA San Diego County recommends the following:

• Train all your staff consistently on local, state and federal regulations.
• Standardize your engagement practices.
• Always post the Fair Housing logo prominently on your property.
• Distribute materials and information equally to all interested parties.
• Standardize the process of maintaining wait or interest lists.
• Brief staff daily as to the availability of units.
• Don’t show different units to different prospective applicants.
• Don’t show unclean units to prospective applicants.

PSAR will present a webinar on “Fair Housing Laws and Regulations” from 10 to 11 a.m., Wednesday, July 1. Presenter will be Monica Lopez of CSA San Diego County, a nonprofit that advocates for fair housing and in meditating tenant-landlord issues. CSA services include fair housing counseling, dispute mediation, educational fair housing seminars and rental practice discrimination audits. CSA also is involved with immigrant rights, hate-crime prevention, human trafficking and voter education. The webinar will be presented over the Zoom online meeting platform. Registration information is available at www.psar.org. Zoom membership is not required to participate in the webinar.

The following statement from PSAR CEO Rich D’Ascoli is in response to the riots, looting and protests following the death of George Floyd, a black man while in the custody of Minneapolis police:

The shocking, senseless death of George Floyd is tragic. Our deepest sympathies are with the Floyd family and others, who through four hundred years of abuse, understand and feel this pain and grief like nobody else can.

As longtime champions of fair housing, equality and inclusion are among our most cherished values. PSAR is committed to leading the way on policies that address racial injustice and that build safe and inclusive communities. We remain committed to supporting the dignity and worth of all individuals, and to work vigorously to defend policies that bring justice, opportunity and security for all. We stand in support of racial equality and all those who search for it. We’re hoping this breakdown will ultimately turn into a breakthrough. Building the future begins with equal access to housing and opportunity for all.

Many of us are looking for ways to stand up for what we believe. We cannot remain disengaged and hope that this will go away. As a community of professionals working and living through extraordinarily challenging times, we must work together and remain committed to a better world for everyone, not just a few. Honesty, transparency, and empathy go a long way toward building trust and influencing change. Now is the time to listen, seek to understand, and speak up.

We appreciate all you do as REALTORS® to listen, learn and work with others to be part of the solution. As leaders in your communities, REALTORS® are active participants in promoting equality, inclusion and acceptance. Thank you for your support of PSAR.

If you have 15 minutes, please consider watching this video by Valerie Alexander on Unconscious Bias. I saw her speak at a CAR meeting in October with other CEOs from around California.  She helped me understand our biases, including my own, in a way that I hadn’t before.

________________________________________________________________________________________

Make a Great First Impression with your CMA

First impressions are everything. When your prospective clients give you the opportunity to wow them with how hard you will work to sell their home – don’t let the opportunity pass you by! It’s your chance to make it happen and win the listing. Having the very best in real estate comparative market analysis (CMA) software will ensure that you have everything your client needs all in one simple, effective, and beautiful presentation.

How Can You Make a Good Impression with a Cloud CMA Presentation?

Cloud CMA presentations make it easy for you to look awesome. In just minutes, you can have a client-ready report in hand and win that listing on the spot! So, how can you expect to impress your clients with a Cloud CMA presentation?

One of the first questions your client may have is, “What is a CMA?” followed by questions pertaining to the data and what it’s supposed to convey. Each CMA created with our software begins with an explanation of the contents and the purpose of the information. This will help solidify your position as an authority on local real estate trends and prices, as well as build a trusted and secure relationship with the client.

In addition to this valuable introduction, you will be able to provide your clients with report pages covering the following information:

• Your photo and contact information will be displayed so each client knows that you are the real estate professional who has provided them with the very best information.
• QR code allows clients to download the entire PDF report on their smartphone or tablet.
• Explanation of short sales and foreclosures and how they affect sale prices in your client’s neighborhood.
• Information on what goes into calculating the value of a home.
• Map of the comparable listings in the client’s area.
• List of comparable properties in the client’s area with listing status and price.
• Listing information and photos for all properties in the report used for comparison.
• Property analysis for active, expired, canceled and sold listings.
• The suggested listing price for the client’s listing.
• Commission breakdown.
• Additional information on why your client needs a real estate agent, strategic pricing and timing, and why first impressions with their property are important.

Customization and Mobile Access

You can customize your report in any way you like to communicate this information to your prospective clients. Choose your colors, fonts, page layout, and even create your own custom pages.

You can also create and send reports instantly. Just send an email from your computer, tablet, or smartphone and let us do the work!

Presentations can be shared via email, Twitter or Facebook, and work on all popular mobile devices, including the iPad®.

MLS Connection

Above all, Cloud CMA makes it easy to generate beautiful client reports by connecting directly with Paragon or Matrix. Cloud CMA pulls data directly from your MLS as well as top websites to create a winning real estate CMA with current listing information. Cloud CMA eliminates the guesswork for you, saves you time, and makes you look awesome.

PSAR Members access Cloud CMA along with many other tools from the login screen in Paragon or Matrix. 

Don't belong wot PSAR or CRMLS?  CloudCMA is available for $45/month.

Home sales locally and statewide dropped sharply in the month of April as the housing market felt the full impact of the COVID-19 pandemic stay-at-home lock-down order.

In its most recent monthly home sales and price report, the California Association of REALTORS^® (C.A.R.) stated that April 2020 home sales in San Diego County dropped 27 percent, compared to April 2019, and 15.9 percent, compared to March 2020.

Statewide, April 2020 home sales in California were down 30.1 percent from a year ago and 25.6 percent compared to March. Statewide year-to-date home sales were down 5.4 percent in April 2020.

Closed escrow sales of existing, single-family detached homes in California totaled a seasonally adjusted annualized rate of 277,440 units in April, according to information collected by C.A.R. from more than 90 local REALTOR^® associations and MLSs statewide.

It was the first time for statewide home sales to drop below the 300,000 level since March 2008, and the month-to-month drop was the largest since at least 1979, when C.A.R. began tracking the data. Additionally, the year-over-year decline was the first double-digit loss in 15 months and the largest decrease since December 2007.

Sales in April reflect purchases that began in March as stay-at-home orders swept the nation. While fear of economic insecurity stopped some potential buyers, another likely major factor in the slowdown was that many skittish sellers took their houses and condos off the market to wait out the COVID-19 virus crisis.

Meanwhile, home prices themselves have remained relatively unaffected by the effects of the pandemic-influenced market.

The median price for a single-family home in San Diego County in April 2020 was $671,000, down 0.6 percent from $675,000 in March 2020, but still 3.4 percent higher than the $649,000 figure in April 2019.

April 2020 County Sales and Price Activity
(Regional and condo sales data not seasonally adjusted)

Statewide, the median price of $606,410 for an existing single-family home in April 2020 was 1.0 percent lower than the $612,440 figure in March 2020, and 0.6 percent lower than a year ago in April 2019, when the median price was $603,030.

While the median price remained above the $600,000 benchmark statewide for the second consecutive month in April, price growth showed signs of softening when compared to the past six months. The year-over-year price gain was substantially less than the six-month average gain of 7.8 percent recorded between October 2019 and March 2020.

“As expected, California home sales experienced the worst month-to-month sales decline in more than four decades as the coronavirus pandemic prompted stay-at-home orders, which kept both buyers and sellers on the sidelines,” said 2020 C.A.R. President Jeanne Radsick, a second-generation REALTOR^® from Bakersfield, Calif. “While some economic activity will resume as the state gradually reopens, the housing market is expected to remain sluggish for the next couple of months as potential market participants deal with the impact of stay-in-place restrictions.”

“With the recession-level decline in closed home sales, the statewide median price was just barely able to avoid going into negative territory in April, in part because high-end homes saw the biggest sales declines,” said C.A.R. Senior Vice President and Chief Economist Leslie Appleton-Young. “Even with tight supply and low interest rates, home prices will continue to be tested by economic deterioration in the short term.”

Reflecting the dramatic change in market conditions, a monthly Google poll conducted by C.A.R. in early April found nearly one-third (29 percent) of consumers said it is a good time to sell, up from 26 percent a month ago, but down from 45 percent a year ago. The market uncertainty has not curbed the optimism for homebuying as much; 31 percent of the consumers who responded to the poll believed that now is a good time to buy a home, a figure sharply higher than last year, when 22 percent said it was a good time to buy a home.

 Other key points from the April 2020 resale housing report include:

• All major regions reflected a dip in sales by more than 25 percent from last year, with the Bay Area dropping the most at -37.4 percent, followed by the Central Coast (-31.6 percent), Southern California (-30.2 percent), and the Central Valley (-26.1 percent).

• Median prices were lower in April from a year ago in the Central Coast (-6.1 percent) and the Bay Area (-0.8 percent) but increased modestly in both the Central Valley (4.8 percent) and in Southern California (3.5 percent).

• Regarding California’s supply of available housing, the Unsold Inventory Index jumped to 3.4 months in April from 2.7 months in March and was unchanged from last April. The index calculates the number of months needed sell the supply of homes on the market at the current rate of sales.

• Total active listings continued to decline on a year-over-year basis for the 10th consecutive month, and the 25 percent decrease in listings was consistent with what was observed before the shutdown.

• The median number of days to sell a California single-family home fell significantly from a year ago, from 21 days in April 2019 to 13 days in April 2020. That compares to 15 days in March 2020 and 23 days in February 2020.

• In San Diego County, the median number of days an existing, single-family home remained unsold on the market was eight days in April 2020, which compares to 10 days in March 2020, 12 days in February 2020, 23 days in January 2020 and 17 days in April 2019.

April 2020 County Unsold Inventory and Days on Market
(Regional and condo sales data not seasonally adjusted)

• The 30-year, fixed-mortgage interest rate averaged 3.31 percent in April, down from 4.14 percent in April 2019, according to Freddie Mac. The five-year, adjustable mortgage interest rate was an average of 3.31 percent, compared to 3.75 percent in April 2019.

 In other recent real estate and economic news, according to news reports:

• Nationwide in April, sales of existing homes in the U.S. dropped 17.8 percent in a month-over-month comparison and 17.2 percent year-over-year, according to the National Association of REALTORS^®. NAR stated each of the country's four major real estate regions experienced a decline in both monthly and yearly sales, with the West seeing the greatest dip in both categories.

• NAR also reports that 77 percent of potential home sellers in the U.S. are preparing to sell once the stay-at-home orders end. According to NAR’s Economic Pulse Flash Survey, conducted May 3-4, nearly three in four (73 percent) of REALTORS^® currently working with sellers said their clients have not reduced listing prices to attract buyers. About 20 percent said buyers are expecting a five-to-10 percent decrease in home prices over the next 12 months.

• Home sellers are slowly returning to the market, according to realtor.com. After several weeks of nearly 40 percent year-over-year declines, new listings moved toward positive territory as evidenced by a 29 percent decline in a year-over-year comparison during the week of May 9. In San Diego County, new listings were still down 28.4 percent year-over-year during the same time period.

• Zillow reports after a 25 percent reduction in year-over-year web-page views on March 22, when COVID-19 was declared a global pandemic, San Diego County had experienced a 27 percent increase in year-over-year page views by April 15. Nationwide, both Zillow page views of for-sale listings and requests to be connected to Zillow agents were higher in April than in the same month a year ago.

• According to CoreLogic, San Diego home sales had their biggest annual drop in April 2020 since the 2008 Great Recession. There were 2,499 home sales in April, down 30 percent from the same time last year. The last time there was a year-over-year drop of that magnitude was March 2008. However, there was not a corresponding drop in home prices in April. The median home price reached $594,500, which was $50,000 less than the record high reached in November 2019.

• Redfin said there were 31 percent fewer homes for sale in San Diego County from April 6 to May 3. As of May 3, Redfin said there were 5,166 active listings in San Diego County, down from around 7,250 the same time last year
.

Yes, Really!  Marketing Prior to a securing a listing agreement.

The CRMLS Board of Directors made a rules change this week.  The added language is in red below. Read it closely because the change is more significant than it may look at first glance. 

7.9 Mandatory Submission upon Marketing. Within one (1) business day of marketing or advertising a residential property to any member of the public, for sale which contains one to four units, or is a residential vacant land lot which is subject to any exclusive right to sell or seller reserved listing agreement, the Listing Broker must submit the property into the MLS for cooperation with other CRMLS participants. Marketing and advertising includes but is not limited to, any information about the property or its availability for sale displayed on any: signs, websites, social media, brokerage or franchise-operated websites, communications (verbal or written), multi-brokerage or franchise listing sharing networks, flyers or written material, or on any applications available to the public, or by conducting an open house. Any individual or entity that has signed within the previous year a Disclosure Regarding Real Estate Agency Relationship form in compliance with CA Civil Code section 2079.16 that identifies the Listing Broker shall not be considered a “member of the public” under this rule.  

The change is to Rule 7.9, “Mandatory Submission Upon Marketing.” This rule governs listing brokers’ submission of properties into the MLS. The previous version of this rule detailed how within one business day of marketing a property to the public, the listing broker must submit the property into the MLS. 

This new version makes clear that the listing broker must submit a property into the MLS within one day of marketing only if an exclusive listing contract exists.  If there is no contract, agents can talk about the listing that they "may secure."  Agents should use caution when discussing a listing prior to securing a listing contract.  The listing still remains open for a competitor to list with.  

The San Diego Old Paragon doesn't have "Hold" Yet.  Can I market a property when it's "Withdrawn?" 

The answer is YES!  The definition of the Withdrawn status does state that a property cannot be marketed or advertised, while remaining in our "old Paragon" system. But CRMLS will not be enforcing that aspect of the Rule until we actually get the CRMLS "Hold" status that is enjoyed by CRMLS Matrix users. CRMLS will allow marketing and advertising to occur the same as Hold listings in Matrix. A property in the status of "Withdrawn" can be marketed and advertised but cannot be shown.

The Withdrawn status in San Diego Paragon allows you to temporarily remove your listing from an “Active” status, without having to cancel it. This feature will allow you to place your listing in Withdrawn for a specified period of time. Marketing and Advertising as defined in Rule 7.5.1 is permitted. However, no showings are allowed, consistent with Rule 9.8.

To update your listing’s status to Withdrawn, follow the steps below.

Step 1: Navigate to your listings by clicking on the Listings tab and clicking on Maintain Listings.

Step 2: Enter the MLS#, then click Go, or, enter the property address, then click Search. In the search results, click on the listing’s MLS# or Select an Action, then click on Maintain Listing.

Step 3: Update the status to Withdrawn Then click Save Listing.

PSAR Helps Veterans / Active Duty Service members
with the Robert Calloway Memorial Housing Grant*

To celebrate Memorial Day 2020, the Pacific Southwest Association of REALTORS^® (PSAR) is proud to announce the launch of a special grant program designed to provide active duty, reserve and veteran military service members in San Diego County who are first-time homebuyers with closing-cost assistance.

In a joint partnership with the California Association of REALTORS^® (C.A.R.) Housing Affordability Fund (HAF), PSAR is providing 34 grants, each in the amount of $1,500.  These closing cost assistance grants are being made available to military families for a first-time purchase of a home in San Diego County.

The PSAR-sponsored program, titled “Robert Calloway Memorial Veteran Housing Grant”, launches June 1, 2020 and will continue for one year or until the available grant funds are exhausted.

“We are very excited to give-back to our military community and provide closing-cost assistance to our hometown heroes and their families who are searching to find a place to call home,” said Robert Cromer, 2020 PSAR President. “Our nation has thrived because of the courage, perseverance and resolve of active duty, reserve and veteran Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps and Coast Guard service men and women. They have served and protected this beautiful country and our rights that have kept us free. Now it’s our turn to serve those individuals who have stepped up to protect the values and freedoms our country was founded upon. They fought for our homes, now it’s our turn to take action and help them with their first homes.”

The joint partnership with PSAR and C.A.R. was initiated by the late Robert Calloway, who served as 2019 PSAR President. A military veteran, Calloway served in the U.S. Navy for 26 years, from June 1985 to June 2011, retiring as a Senior Chief Navy Counselor. He specialized in human resources and counseling for the Navy during 20 of his 26 years. In 2008, Calloway started selling real estate while still in the Navy. He joined PSAR at the start of his real estate sales career and was elected to the PSAR board of directors in 2014. Prior to serving as PSAR president, Calloway served as the founding president of the Veterans Association of Real Estate Professionals (VAREP), San Diego chapter.

Calloway passed away suddenly from heart disease on May 4. He was 54. At the time of his passing, Calloway was serving as a current PSAR board member and as a C.A.R. director and Vice Chair of C.A.R.’s Southern California Region 30.

“It’s great for our Association to team-up with C.A.R. and give back to our deserving veterans who have worked hard to protect our everyday lives,” said Rich D’Ascoli, CEO of PSAR. “We are committed to working together to enhance lives of our veterans over the long haul. We feel naming this grant after Robert is a fitting tribute to his legacy as a veteran and a member of the PSAR family of realtors.”

REALTORS^® are limited to one transaction in a year’s time. To qualify for the closing-cost assistance, the homebuyer’s mortgage loan must already be approved through regular Desktop Underwriting (DU) industry standards and have an executed Residential Purchase Agreement (RPA) in escrow. Homebuyers also must be using a Veterans Administration (VA) loan for their home purchase. If, for any reason, the transaction does not fund or close escrow, the $1,500 allocation will return to the PSAR grant program fund.

The Robert Calloway Memorial Veteran Housing Grant program is funded by HAF, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to addressing California’s growing housing affordability crisis. The HAF receives donations from C.A.R. members, non-members and other institutions that are committed to addressing housing challenges in California. HAF donations are then distributed through local REALTOR^® associations who have submitted funding requests for local housing affordability and housing supply programs. For maximum impact, HAF funds are leveraged with local associations and their housing partners.

HAF was established in November 2002 to provide more options to first-time homebuyers. It was created by REALTORS^® who bore witness to working families being denied the American dream of homeownership. The HAF mission statement states the nonprofit plays an active role in addressing ongoing housing affordability challenges facing Californians

Looking for ways to make your client feel safer throughout the buy/sell process?  By this time, most everyone is familiar with virtual meeting applications such as Zoom, Google Meet, Webex and the like.   But they require downloading their software utilities and managing accounts on their systems.

There is an alternative tool with which you may not be aware—zipConsult^®, available within zipForm Plus^®. With zipConsult^®, you can conduct online meetings with your clients to review contracts, conduct virtual tours, go over required paperwork prior to sending documents for signatures, or simply to stay connected.  And the best feature - it’s already in your technology toolbox if you are a San Diego county realtor and a PSAR member!

The great thing about this program is that it resides inside Zipforms Plus^®, so working with documents is easier. And you can host conference calls and meetings with multiple clients in multiple locations at the same time. 

Here are some of the feature/functions of zipConsult:

• Share your screen with clients online and review zipForm transactions: Once the meeting begins simply start screen sharing and display the document you’d like to share – it’s that easy. For further privacy, the screen sharing feature allows you to share only a specific application (program). The rest of your desktop will be hidden from the attendees’ view.

• Meet faster-- invite attendees utilizing saved contacts in your zipForm address book: zipConsult is integrated directly with zipForm Plus, so starting a meeting online is simple and quick. Select clients from the address book with no typing then connect, communicate and review faster than ever.
  
  
• Plan meetings and schedule them in advance: Within the advanced options the Schedule a Meeting option allows you to setup the date, time, and attendees in advanced. Also included in this interface is an email message editor to craft the personal invite that your attendees will receive.
  
  
• Video conferencing allows face to face client meetings online: Add a personal touch to meetings with a webcam. When you share your webcam feed it’s like being there in person. Up to six people can video conference at once
  
  
• Conference calling and text chat keep participants engaged: Your zipConsult account includes a conference call number with PIN codes, so participants can join by phone or computer mic and speakers. Encourage engagement with easy communication via easy conference calling and text chat.
  
  
• Meeting Notes: Keep detailed notes during the meeting for later review or reference. Notes can be kept private or public. Upon the conclusion of the meeting all notes can be emailed to attendees to share the results of the meeting or assigning follow up tasks.
  
  
• Create unlimited online meetings: Feel free to explore the value of meeting with clients online. Review zipForm transactions, review property disclosures, or discuss aspects of the transaction process.

So enhance your clients’ sense of well-being while at the same making your own virtual activities more efficient cost-free!  Just contact CAR to find out how to get started with zipConsult.

Don't want to watch the video?  Check out the slide deck here.

Not sure how  to use this?  Check how Realtor Wes Young used zipConsult on a transaction.

Perhaps the greatest impact of the Covid-19 measures is on open houses. Going forward, instead of group open-house gatherings, expect fewer open houses with smaller numbers, as well as private home showings, featuring social distancing and plenty of disinfectant, masks and hand sanitizers available at the entryway.

The adaptability and ingenuity of realtors have come into play and a better and simpler way to conduct an open house has been developed--  a virtual open house using a laptop or cell phone. 

“Covid has changed the way real estate is being bought and sold all over the world. It has created a lot of uncertainty as agents are unsure of what the new norms will be,” said PSAR REALTOR® member Anthony Manzon. “No longer can we have public open houses with hundreds of people in attendance. Gone are the days of aggressively pricing properties and getting every single person into the house to create bidding wars.”

Indeed, as the pandemic has spread across the country, many home sellers, spooked by an unsure economic future and/or the thought of buyers potentially leaving virus deposits throughout their homes, have taken their properties off the market.

“The more agents hosting virtual open houses means the practice will become standard in our profession, which is good for everybody,” said Manzon. “All agents will benefit as more buyers and sellers become comfortable and confident with high-level virtual open houses. We can show the public this is how we can transact in today’s market in a safe way.”

Manzon, who prefers using a laptop for his virtual open houses, has created a Facebook page, called “Realtors of the Virtual World,” that offers training and success stories about virtual open houses and other virtual industry tools.

According to Manzon, agents who become proficient at hosting a virtual open house will attract new clients, demonstrate how to be proactive and solution-based and will keep buyers and sellers and agents safe, thus reducing the spread of the virus.

“Be sure to have some sort of lead capture, provide more information than what the MLS provides and remember that with every virtual open house agents are interviewing for their next client,” Manzon said.

Clearly, the rapid migration to digital technologies driven by the pandemic will continue during the nation’s economic recovery and beyond. REALTORS® will need to keep pace. After the lockdowns end, this time will be remembered for the rapid deployment of digital access to services across nearly every business sector.

Recently, Rich D’Ascoli, CEO of PSAR, facilitated an online discussion about virtual open houses with several REALTORS®. Here is a sampling of their comments: 

• “In my opinion, virtual open houses are the wave of the future,” said Amber Tannehill. “The ability to show a client a home virtually will assist us in identifying the buyers who are serious and ready to make an offer. As we adapt to what appears to be a new normal, we will certainly have some obstacles to overcome, but I find that buyers and sellers are understanding and appreciative as we make these adjustments." 

• “Open houses are still happening, but with virtual open houses, we’re just filtering the effort through a different process,” said Jason Lopez.

• “Because of the restrictions, traditional open houses may be a thing of the past. But, in some ways, virtual open houses are a better way to get the word out,” said Denisse Roldan Newell. “It’s becoming more important to become tech-savvy, and it’s not that difficult. It’s how we embrace change.” 

• “If you aren't willing to adapt as the market changes, then you will quickly learn what it’s like to be irrelevant,” said Sarah Heck. “Virtual open houses and new safety protocols are now the standard of care for our industry.” 

• “Virtual open houses are the wave of the future and, as REALTORS®, we need to learn it because it’s an important listing tool. Otherwise, we might lose the listing,” said Jacklyn Lamkin Dougan. “We need to be fearless and embrace change and be willing to do whatever it takes.”

• “It might take a few practice runs, but I think clients are very understanding and excited about virtual open houses as a new technology,” said Patty Nesbitt. “It’s better than watching the news. We need to bring happiness and normalcy to people’s lives.”

• “I’m excited about virtual open houses because it will be one of the great real estate game-changers that comes out of the pandemic environment,” said Elaine Boyd. “Virtual open houses are a win for all sides. The sellers love having fewer people wandering through their homes. Great for agents, too. We can do as many or as few VOHs as we like. Even if you do just one, you can post it on YouTube, then anyone can “walk” through the home any time. The 3D imaging is key for getting a true sense of walking through the home. It’s the wave of the future, just amazing. The Virtual Open House is so more than a bridge for these strange days of Covid-19. It is a new style of open house that benefits us all and it is here to stay.” 

Here are some general tips on hosting a virtual live open house.

To prepare for the virtual open house, first, select a time and date as you would for any open house. Allow 30-45 minutes to tour the property and answer questions from participants. 

Next, select an online meeting platform, such as Zoom, Google Meet or others.  Decide on a “private” open house private with a select group or streaming it to a platform like Facebook to be promoted widely. 

The following live web conferencing services are currently allowed on CRMLS Paragon: BlueJeans, bluejeans.com; Facebook Live, facebook.com; GoToMeeting, gotomeeting.com; GoToWebinar, gotowebinar.com; Google Hangouts,  hangouts.google.com; Google Meet, meet.google.com; Join.me, join.me; Livestream, livestream.com; Periscope, periscope.com; Skype, skype.com; Microsoft Teams, teams.microsoft.com; Webex, webex.com; Whereby, whereby.com; YouTube Live, youtube.com; Zoho, zoho.com; Zoom, zoom.us.

Facebook is popular because it allows you to create an event from your Facebook business page. Under the “Events” tab create a new public event to share.

To drive traffic to your virtual open house, include the link in a shared event via Facebook and other social media platforms. Also email your client list and agents who will bring interested buyers.

On the event day, prepare the house as you would for a typical open house.  Make sure it’s clean, presentable and properly lit.

If the home has a fast WiFi Connection and you feel confident with mobile technology, live streaming from the property is an option.

Another method is to prepare content like Matterport, video clips, and other multimedia in advance and review the content live from a home office.

Start the tour by opening your Facebook app on your smartphone, go to your business page, open-up the event you’ve previously created. Go to the “Say Something” option, click the “Live Video” option and then click “Start Live Video.” You’re on: “Hello, Facebook friends, thanks for tuning in to this live virtual open house.” The recording can then be posted on your Facebook timeline. And, don’t forget to follow-up with your viewers.

When using a smartphone, keep it in a horizontal position, not vertical, so participants see a wider view of the home as you’re touring. Put yourself on the other side of the camera and imagine how the audience is viewing the screen. Slowly move the smartphone and try not to shake it. There are gimbals available online for less than $100 that help to stabilize live video.

During the tour, think of your ideal buyer. Anticipate the questions they might ask and discuss the features they would find interesting. Some agents respond live to questions by looking at specific points of interest in a home.

The Coming Soon status launches in San Diego Paragon Tuesday, May 19th. From that day forward, when entering listings for sale in San Diego Paragon, you may choose between Active and Coming Soon.

To prepare for this launch, Paragon will undergo scheduled maintenance from 10:00 PM PT Monday, May 18th to 6:00 AM PT on Tuesday, May 19th – a total of eight hours. Paragon will be unavailable during this time.

CRMLS prepared a video to help you understand the details of this status. Click below to watch.

How does Coming Soon work?

Coming Soon allows listing agents to take up to 21 days to stage the property, take interior photos, prepare it for showings, and so on, without Days on Market accruing.

How is Coming Soon similar to Active?

• Marketing is allowed in both statuses, so long as Coming Soon listings are clearly marked as Coming Soon.
• Both Coming Soon and Active listings are fully displayed to other professional users of MLS systems.
• The listing agent offers a commission on both Coming Soon and Active listings.

How is Coming Soon unique?

• Coming Soon listings have limited distribution: they will not go out from the MLS to portals like Zillow, Trulia, and Realtor.com, or to IDX broker and agent websites.
• Showings are not permitted in Coming Soon.
• Because of these limitations, Days on Market do not count in Coming Soon.
•  

Listing input for Coming Soon in Paragon will look like this:

FAQ on Coming Soon Status

1. Will Registered and Coming Soon listings appear in portals like Zillow, Trulia, and Realtor.com? No.
2. Who can see listings in the “Coming Soon” status? All CRMLS users.
3. Why are there no showings while a listing is in Coming Soon status?  There are no showings under Coming Soon status because marketing and showing a property means it is actively on the market, and it is not “coming soon” to the market. Showings are contrary to the stated purpose of Coming Soon, which is to prepare the property for “full marketing.
4. What is the reason for the change in statuses? Registered status has been developed as an alternative to the current exclusion form process. This change simplifies workflow while at the same time satisfying the requirements of the longstanding mandatory delivery rule. Coming Soon is being introduced in response to a demand for time to get a property ready for full marketing while not accruing Days on Market.
5. What does the CRMLS coming soon form look like?  Take a look here:

This new "Coming Soon" status is an important component needed in order to make compliance of NAR's Clear Cooperation Policy.