Welcome to CRMLS, Glendale members!
I’m Art Carter, CEO of California Regional MLS (CRMLS). As you may have heard, your Association of REALTORS®’ Board of Directors recently voted to join CRMLS. We are excited to close out 2020 by handling management of Glendale AOR’s MLS operations as of December 9, 2020. This is my official “welcome” to you, along with a bit of information on what to expect.
As the nation’s largest multiple listing service, we have extensive experience in MLS management. You’re in good hands!
To learn more, click here.
This information is available for you to share with your agents and office staff. Resources for you and your agents on any modifications to how you do business are available on our webpage: CRMLS COVID-19 Resources. Please make sure to look out for emails from CRMLS and your local association as they become available.
New consumer protection rules will soon affect real estate
On November 19, 2020, the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) and the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) announced that they are in the process of coming to an agreement that will affect how you use CRMLS products and services.
Please note that this agreement is not yet final. As of this writing, they are in the middle of a 45-day communication period that will determine the exact rule changes. We will share the information we have so far, but some specifics may change.
Visit CRMLS.org/NewRules to keep up to date on how CRMLS will implement these rules.
What This Means
Please visit NAR’s official FAQ to learn more and watch a video explaining the agreement. Below is a condensed summary of proposed changes.
- Public display of buyer broker compensation
“…[The] amount of compensation offered to buyers’ agents for each MLS listing will be made publicly available. Publicly accessible MLS data feeds will include offers of compensation, and buyers’ agents will have an affirmative obligation to provide such information to their clients for homes of interest.” - Consumer access to all properties that fit their criteria
“…MLSs and brokerages, as always, must provide consumers all properties that fit their criteria regardless of compensation offered or the name of the listing brokerage.” - Forbidding buyers’ agents from representing services as “free”
“While NAR has long encouraged buyers’ agents to explain how they expect to be paid, typically through offers of cooperative compensation from sellers’ agents, there will be a rule that more definitively states that buyers’ agents cannot represent that their services are free to clients.” - Lockboxes and licensed agents
“[With] the seller’s prior approval, a licensed real estate agent will have access to the lockboxes of properties listed on an MLS even if the agent does not subscribe to the MLS.”
What Happens Next
From 11/19/2020, NAR and the DOJ will have 45 days to agree on exact rule changes. The NAR Board of Directors and DOJ will both have to approve the new rules. Per NAR, the “Court overseeing the settlement must formally approve the agreement, at which point [NAR anticipates] that the new rules will take effect.”
CRMLS plans to fully comply with the terms of this government-mandated agreement, once finalized.
Please continue to read communications from CRMLS, NAR, and your local Association or Board on these changes, and let us know if you have any feedback or questions.
Zillow’s 2021 transition to IDX
- Your Listing Distribution options are changing on January 12. Please review our blog post regarding how Zillow’s transition to IDX affects you.
- An Introduction to IDX and Your Listing Distribution Options
Product Corner
Education Corner
- Request free training for your agents.
- Want to learn more about the CRMLS & Glendale partnership & member benefits? Schedule an update for your office.
- We offer many resources for Brokers, office managers and office admin staff. View your Broker Resources here.
- CRMLS Customer Care is available for your agents’ i-Tech related calls now at 1-800-925-1525 or online.
Welcome to CRMLS, Glendale members!
What can I expect?
First things first: Your login process and the listings you see in your MLS will be the same. We don’t anticipate any loss of data or any alterations to how you log in. You’ll still use the i-Tech Rapattoni system and access it the way you always have.
The CRMLS team is working diligently behind the scenes to ensure important pieces are in place so that your transition is as seamless as possible.
It is important to note that some specific items in this project – such as new product availability and compliance management – may be rolled out in phases over the coming months. We will, however, communicate updates as they come along to keep you in the loop.
We’re glad you asked! Here is a brief video introducing some of the highlights.
What are the benefits of CRMLS?
Customer Support
CRMLS offers live customer support out of our Chino Hills headquarters on all our core products and services. You can reach CRMLS customer support by calling (800) 925-1525 or by visiting submitting a ticket. Our support offerings include:
- Phone, chat, and online ticket support 7 days a week, Monday-Friday 8:30 AM – 9 PM and Saturday-Sunday 10 AM – 3 PM
- Bilingual phone support in Spanish, Monday through Friday
- The CRMLS Customer Care Center is certified as a Center of Excellence by BenchmarkPortal – among the highest honors in the call center industry
Compliance
CRMLS Compliance works diligently to ensure that your MLS data is accurate and current, and to keep the playing field level for all users. Our Compliance team services include:
- Dedicated staff, including trained Analysts, Team Leads, Supervisors, and Billing Administration servicing the broad CRMLS footprint
- Live chat platform for all users to interact with our team
- In office, webinar, video library, and livestream training for brokers and agents
- Robust Knowledgebase, FAQ, and other informational online library resources
Products & Services
You’ll continue to have access to all the products you currently use, including your Rapattoni i-Tech MLS platform.
Training & Education -Coming January 2021
Through our team of dedicated Systems Experts, we offer a wide variety of training options. These include:
- Online classroom training for Associations and brokerage offices
- Multiple weekly live online webinar trainings – ask us questions through chat!
- A robust Knowledgebase and online video library, including Compliance and Education
Thanks for reading. We look forward to serving you!
