As the DRE weighs in on “Coming Soon” advertising, they implore agents to, “Be Sure to Maintain Fiduciary Responsibility for Your Client or Face Civil and Regulatory Liability.” The Department of Real Estate has included in its 2018 Winter Real Estate Bulletin an article which discusses the risks of “Coming Soon” marketing. It includes a statement of […]
CA Housing Affordability Inches Up in 4th Quarter
Lower seasonal home prices allowed more Californians to afford a home purchase in the fourth quarter of 2018 compared to the previous quarter, but higher interest rates pushed affordability lower compared to the previous year, the CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® (C.A.R.) said Feb. 12. Twenty-eight percent of California households could afford to purchase the $564,270 […]
New & Revised Forms Released
On Dec. 10, 2018, C.A.R. and zipForm® released 2 new forms and 32 revised forms. The new forms: • The Buyer Pre-Occupancy Storage Agreement (POSA) • The Summary of Offer RIPA (SUM-RIPA) The revised forms: • 12 were revised to make them easier to understand and use. • The remaining 20 revised forms include statutory changes […]
Check Your NAR Ethics Status
Have you met your NAR ethics training requirement? Many CVAR members have already completed the Code of Ethics class (deadline Dec. 31). Here are step by step instructions to check your status with NAR: (If you need to contact CVAR for assistance, you MUST have a login, as we don’t have access to NAR or […]
CVAR Area September Stats
Why R.E. Is Behind Prop 5, Against Prop 10
From California Association of REALTORS® The stakes have never been higher for REALTORS® and before you know it, the Nov. 6 election will be here. On the ballot, we will be faced with an initiative that could dramatically improve housing opportunities for millions of Californians (Prop 5) and another that could destroy housing affordability (Prop […]
What AI Is Doing to Real Estate
As reported in a recent CVAR At A Glance, C.A.R.’s Center for California Real Estate (CCRE) convened a panel of real estate heavy hitters to discuss how the industry can adopt and embrace artificial intelligence. Moderated by C.A.R. CEO Joel Singer, the panelists explored the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead with regard to AI. […]
California’s Controversial Proposition
Thanks to Proposition 13, homeowners who bought back in the late ’70s-’90s are often sitting on impressive equity gains, and have their tax basis capped at no more than a 2% increase over the initial purchase price (plus any improvements). This is the tax structure that enabled situations such as Newport Beach’s Lido Isle, where […]
EPA Lead Paint Enforcement Actions
The Environmental Protection Agency is serious about cleaning up lead paint, so it’s a good idea for REALTORS® to know about the rules and disclosures required. In March it announced six settlements, totaling $287,000 and completed over the last year, regarding lead paint enforcement actions. Five of the settlements concerned the Renovation, Repair, and […]
C.A.R. Creates Alexa Skill for REALTORS®
Last week attendees at the Real Estate REvive Conference & Expo saw an amazing live demonstration of Amazon Alexa and the capabilities of voice-activated technology as a useful tool for our industry. Did you know that C.A.R. has an Alexa Skill for Amazon Echo products as well? Like adding a new app to your phone, […]