Volume 2022 Edition 2
Welcome to the February 2022 Broker Report. CRMLS is broker-driven. We work to keep our brokers as informed and up-to-speed as possible. This information is available for you to share with your agents and office staff.
An update from our CEOÂ
In light of recent news that a court has held Zillow liable for an estimated $2,000,000 in copyright infringement damages, we want to emphasize to you and your agents that the brokerage community should carefully review all photo and other media licensing agreements.
Brokers must not place media subject to inadequate license agreements into the MLS. Inadequate license agreements include those that contain any limitations on the use of media after marketing of the property stops or any limitation on the ability to sub-license the media.
If you have any doubt about the scope or limitations in a license a photographer provides, CRMLS recommends having a knowledgeable attorney with a full understanding of the CRMLS Rules review the license. Brokers may also choose to use only photographers that appear on the CRMLS Photographer List, as all of them have agreed to provide the MLS-required license. We provide this list on our website and update it frequently: https://go.crmls.org/photographer-list/
CRMLS has always taken copyright infringement seriously. As I said in this video on the topic from 2018, even a single infringement can exponentially impose liability on everyone in the MLS.
The CRMLS Knowledgebase contains more detailed information about using professional photographs. You and your agents are welcome to contact Compliance with questions during live chat hours, Monday-Friday 8:30 AM – 4:00 PM, at https://go.crmls.org/compliance/.
Friendly Reminder
Hello, CRMLS Brokers. Here’s a friendly reminder!
Brokers can jump ahead of the wait time for MLS assistance by calling our Broker Support Line at 909-859-2040.
Please note, you must identify yourself by your broker or broker/office assistant MLS ID, as not all user classes have access to this service. For a list of MLS user classes that can access the Broker Helpline, see the last column of our User Classes document.
Compliance CornerÂ
- Trending Topics for Compliance: February 2022
- Reminder: Update the office compliance email field in Matrix
Member Experience Tip of the MonthÂ
Use your hot sheet as a daily tool to help you never miss a beat with daily market changes in the communities you serve. Start today and learn how to create:
The Member Experience Department’s role is to be the liaison for our membership and identify our members’ experiences. Once we identify what we’re doing well and what we need to improve, our obligation is to create an action plan that improves our CRMLS Systems and products. If you or your agents have a suggestion, complaint, or any feedback, please share with feedback@crmls.org.
Enhancement & Product Corner
Matrix
- New Matrix enhancements arrive March 8. See the changes in our Knowledgebase.
Paragon
- A new Paragon release is coming February 23. Click here to view the enhancements.
The Office Compliance Email Address feature is live! Please contact your local AOR to add the correct email address to this field.
Brokers and office managers who use Paragon can now ask AOR staff to add a special new email address to their office information in the CRMLS roster. This dedicated email address allows you to route office-level CRMLS compliance emails to a single address. Contact your Association today to add an Office Compliance Email to Paragon and simplify your compliance communications.
Previously, all these CRMLS compliance emails went to the addresses Designated Broker’s set for their own accounts in the MLS roster. With the Office Compliance Email, CRMLS Compliance can send these communications to a different designated address of the broker’s choice. Please note, agents will still receive notices and warnings in their roster-listed email accounts.
If you want to use a dedicated address for these office-level compliance emails, contact your Association. In Paragon, only Association and CRMLS staff can update the Office Compliance Email on behalf of brokers.
Why would I use an Office Compliance Email address?
This change lets you separate your usual MLS roster-related Designated Broker emails from your critical CRMLS Compliance notifications. We hope you’ll appreciate a cleaner inbox! Plus, keeping a single destination for your compliance-related notifications makes it easier to access, search, and organize this information. Because you can use an address that isn’t tied to a single person or position, you can keep everything in one place through personnel changes.
How do I set this email address in Paragon?
Contact your primary Association to choose the email address you want to designate as your Office Compliance Email. Although only Association and CRMLS staff can add or modify this information, the address you designate is the broker’s choice.
How do I know if I have the right address in my Paragon Office Compliance Email?
To verify that your Office Compliance Email is correct and present in Paragon, run an MLS roster search with your ID, click your office code in the results page, and check the Office Compliance Email field for the address (see below).
How to work with the new listing cancellation restrictions in Paragon
As of May 25, a rule restricts cancelling a listing to Office Managers and Brokers only. Find instructions to cancel a listing in our Knowledgebase.
You can also use the Assume Identity feature to accomplish this. Brokers can designate office admin or staff to assume identity. Assume Identity is a way for you as an agent or broker to allow a licensed or unlicensed assistant to log into CRMLS Paragon under their own unique login and then “Assume the Identity” of the agent or broker they are working for.
You can be certain that under your login, only you can manipulate your listings. When your assistant logs into Paragon and assumes your identity, there will be a “paper trail” that shows the assistant is logged in under their unique username and password. The “paper trail” will show that, with your permission, the assistant has assumed your identity and made changes to your listings.
Brokers/agents/assistants must belong to the same office and Association/Board of REALTORS® to assume IDs. View our step-by-step guide to give permission to Assume your Identity.
Here is a guide to issues that have been recently resolved and are currently in progress:
- IN PROGRESS: We’re working to ensure Coming Soon to Active shows as New (with vendor).
- IN PROGRESS: Addition of a Change Type for Coming Soon so that it can have its own category on Hotsheets and MarketWatch (with vendor).
- IN PROGRESS: Cleanup of City List (being finalized).
Visit your dedicated Paragon Upgrade Resources Center for information.
