![April is Fair Housing Month: Resources to Explore]()
by RMLS Communication Department | Apr 11, 2014 | Events, Homeownership
Fair Housing Month commemorates the anniversary of the Fair Housing Act in 1968. This major legislation sought to put an end to housing discrimination of all kinds—although many believe discrimination has only become more subtle in the decades since that time.
The Fair Housing Council of Oregon commemorates Fair Housing Month by organizing community events (Here is FHCO’s list of Fair Housing Month Events for 2014). They also offer historical tours of Portland, with important stops that serve to illustrate why fair housing is important to our past, present and future. These tours are highly recommended by RMLS™ staff, including Data Accuracy Liaison Vallerie Bush, who thinks REALTORS® who want to learn more about the history of Portland, or REALTORS® new to the area might find the tour especially enlightening.
The National Association of REALTORS® observes Fair Housing Month each year to “recognize the significance of [the Fair Housing Act of 1968] and reconfirm our commitment to offering equal professional service to all.” Click the link and find a set of articles including “Four Things You Didn’t Know About the Fair Housing Act,” and “What Everyone Should Know About Equal Opportunity Housing.”
An episode of This American Life called “House Rules” aired last year, which illustrated the ongoing need for fair housing laws. National Public Radio followed up with “A Battle for Fair Housing Still Raging, But Mostly Forgotten,” an interview with reporter Nikole Hannah-Jones, who became interested in the topic while reporting on the topic in our very own Portland, Oregon.
While Hannah-Jones worked for The Oregonian, the paper ran an extended series about housing discrimination in Portland in Locked Out. The series begins with “Portland Housing Audit Finds Discrimination in 64% of Tests; City Has Yet to Act Against Landlords” in May 2011. (That’s right—2011!)
We hope you’ll take some time to explore some of these resources and reflect on what you can do to help end discrimination and the fair housing movement through your work with clients.
by RMLS Communication Department | Apr 7, 2014 | Lockbox, Statistics
This Week’s Lockbox Activity
For the week of March 24-30, 2014, these charts show the number of times RMLS™ subscribers opened SentriLock lockboxes in Oregon and Washington. Showings in both Oregon and Washington rose this week.
For a larger version of each chart, visit the RMLS™ photostream on Flickr.
Please note: due to the RMLS™ transition to SentriLock, historical data is only currently available through the RMLS™ Flickr page, under the tag “Supra lockbox activity.” SentriLock data will continue accumulating until each chart represents a year of data.
by RMLS Communication Department | Apr 4, 2014 | RMLSweb, Tips & Tricks
The Rules and Regulations Committee wants to make sure that all of our subscribers understand the RMLS™ Rules, because they are a key ingredient in accurate data and a smooth-running real estate marketplace. Our new blog series Ruleschool will periodically highlight rules, starting with the following two.
3.26 Availability for Showing. With the exception of Commercial Lease and Auction listings, all active listings shall be available for showing immediately upon entry into the RMLS™ system, excluding listings which require all offers to be made contingent on interior inspection. Listings cannot restrict showings until a future date.
There are several complaints sent in each week because the remarks say, “No showings until broker tour…” which is not acceptable based on Rule 3.26.
There are several other reasons that have been given when the listing has “No showings…” in the remarks field, but unless the listing requires all offers to be made contingent on interior inspection, the listing must be moved to WTH status if it cannot be shown.
Section 7: Showing Procedures
a. A Cooperating Broker or Appraiser may use the lockbox system access device to enter a listing whose status is Active, Bumpable, or Short Sale Pending, only in accordance to the instructions on the RMLS™ Listing Data Input Form or in accordance with the express instructions of the Listing Broker or Owner.
b. A Cooperating Broker or Appraiser may use the lockbox system access device to enter a listing whose status is other than Active, Bumpable or Short Sale Pending, only with the express permission of the Listing Broker or Owner.
The formal violations received so far in 2014 were for not following showing instructions or entering a property without permission when the status was not Active, Bumpable, or Short Sale Pending.
There are so many reasons to be careful to follow the showing instructions and the status rules! Even if the house is vacant, there can be big problems. In one case, an alarm system was activated and the home owner had to pay for a visit from the Police Department.
If the house is not vacant there could be teenage children alone, dogs, alarms systems, etc. If you are out viewing properties and you see one for sale that you don’t have on your list, use your smart phone to check the status of the listing and the showing instructions before using your key to enter the property!
Stay tuned! Later this spring, there will be more rules that will be the focus of this blog.
by RMLS Communication Department | Mar 31, 2014 | Lockbox, Statistics
This Week’s Lockbox Activity
For the week of March 17-23, 2014, these charts show the number of times RMLS™ subscribers opened SentriLock lockboxes in Oregon and Washington. Showing activity fell in Washington and increased slightly in Oregon this week.
For a larger version of each chart, visit the RMLS™ photostream on Flickr.
Please note: due to the RMLS™ transition to SentriLock, historical data is only currently available through the RMLS™ Flickr page, under the tag “Supra lockbox activity.” SentriLock data will continue accumulating until each chart represents a year of data.
![April is Fair Housing Month: Resources to Explore]()
by RMLS Communication Department | Mar 27, 2014 | RMLS News
Office initiation fees have been reduced to $50 in April!
This is a great opportunity for offices to join RMLS™ and experience the benefits of sharing with more than 10,000 REALTORS® accessing your client’s listings.
Main Office Initiation Fee: $50 (regularly $500)
Branch Office Initiation Fee: $50 (regularly $100)
Affiliate Office Initiation Fee: $50 (regularly $400)
For more information on this promotion, email our Accounting Department, call them at (503) 872-8003, or stop by your nearest RMLS™ office.
ONLY Available April 2014!
