CREA, BCREA, Council and Industry Related Information

July 30, 2014

BCREA NOTICE: Standard Forms Updates for September 8th

BCREA has advised that the following revised and new forms will be available to REALTORS® via WEBForms® on September 8th. Reminders will be posted closer to the launch date.

REVISED FORMS – Major changes (please see below for details)
• Offer to Lease
• Offer to Lease Addendum
• Lease Report and Payout Instructions

NEW FORMS plus Education Guides
• Landlord Fee Agreements (Tenant Represented Landlord not Represented)
• Tenant's Fee Agreement (Tenant & Landlord not Represented)
• Tenant's Fee Agreement (Landlord Represented & Tenant not Represented)
• Landlord Fee Agreements (Tenant and Landlord Not Represented)

REVISIONS Offer to Lease
• 2.1 - divided into two lines to create enough space for names. Now : 2.1 a and 2.1 b
• 2.3, 2.7 and 2.12 - added Email field
• 6.1 and 6.2 - added $ sign to fields
• 6.6 Calendar icon added (WEBForms® version)
• 14.1 - will become a drop down list, the same choices will still be available (Within 48 Hours of Acceptance of Offer or Counter-Offer) with a selection required prior to printing
• 16.1 - Calendar icon added (WEBForms® version)
• 39 and 40 - moved the “printed” name fields for Landlord, Tenant and Covenantor name to appear below the signature line. This was changed to create more space to be able to enter a full name.

Offer to Lease Addendum
• The printed landlord and tenant name fields will appear below the signature line
• Added second line for tenant and landlord due to additional lines on Lease Report and Offer to Lease

Lease Report and Payout Instructions
• Changed “Your Exclusive Reference #” to “MLS® or Broker Reference #”
• Moved “City or Municipality” to the same line as property address
• Added another a line for Landlord and Tenant
• Moved the “printed” Landlord and Tenant Name field. Those lines have been replaced with signature lines and to print the names, the field has been moved under the signature line.

Click here for PDF of this notice.

July 23, 2014

CREA NOTICE: REALTOR.ca Listings Statistics Restored

CREA has issued a technical notice to advise that the Listing Statistics application for REALTOR.ca has been restored, and the Stats reports are now displaying information.

The application was not able to connect to its data source for the past few days -- from Sunday through Tuesday --so reports were not displaying any information. As a result, Members may have noticed what appeared to be a lack of traffic statistics associated with their listings during that time due to the temporary connection problem.

The connection has now been restored and Listing Stats are once again available.

If you have any questions, please contact [email protected] for assistance.

July 23, 2014

CREA NOTICE: WEBForms® Add-ons Available!

WEBForms® – CREA's most popular member product just got better!

Today, CREA is set to introduce Document and Transaction Management to its suite of WEBForms® services. These add-on services will provide members with additional flexibility when working with past and present transaction kits.

The release of Document and Transaction Management follows a long list of enhancements over the past year, including e-signatures, commercial real estate forms and the Transnational Referral Contract.

The driving force behind the launch of these new add-ons, and all future WEBForms® improvements, continues to be providing members with products and services that support their business needs. With Document and Transaction Management, CREA has partnered with two vendors to bring affordable solutions that improve the ways members can interact with their WEBForms® data -- each with various options to choose from like online document storage, unlimited faxing, mobile access via smartphone, branding, etc.

Click here to learn about the new add-ons. This document has also been posted in WEBForms® for your information.

Two Vendors to choose from:
* Transaction Desk by Instanet Solutions
Click here for info on how to integrate subscription with WEBForms®

* Faltour Electronic Document Management (EDM)
Click here for details on how to integrate subscription with WEBForms®

Electronic Signatures: If you are currently using Instanet’s Authentisign E-Signature Tool, the Instanet Transaction Desk would be the way to go for integration purposes as it is an optional add-on tool to Transaction Desk. However, for those using Docusign, the Faltour EDM would be the best option to integrate with your e-signatures.

Lone Wolf Technologies: Faltour Electronic Document Management (EDM) integrates with Lone Wolf back office solutions.

To clarify, the two add-ons are provided as subscription web-based options to add more flexibility and portability to managing documents electronically – acquire, share, store, archive -- especially WEBForms®. It is up to the Brokerages and Members which one they choose to purchase – if any.

July 15, 2014

CREA NOTICE: Maintenance on REALTOR.ca Tonite

CREA has advised that they are conducting maintenance on REALTOR.ca Beta from 11:00 PM tonight and 3:00 AM tomorrow (2:00 AM to 6:00 AM EDT on July 16), whereby users may experience slow response on the site.

The regularly scheduled 1:00 AM PDT (4:00 AM EDT) data update to REALTOR.ca Beta will be delayed for up to 6 hours. CREA apologizes for any inconveniences this may cause.

July 15, 2014

CREA NOTICE: Creating DDF® Data Feed Now Easier!

Introducing CREA’s new “Data Feed Wizard"...

Soon users who wish to create a DDF® Data Feed to pull listing content from CREA's National Shared Pool (NSP) or to pull their own listing content to populate their own website will find creating those Data Feeds much easier.

On July 15th (today), CREA will release an enhancement to the DDF® Dashboard which will help those wishing to create a Data Feed by introducing a new step-by-step process. If they are using one of the registered DDF® Technology Providers to host their website, their new Data Feed will automatically be linked to that Technology Provider in the background. No further action required and their feed is now ready to go.

For those Members wishing to pull a Data Feed, but who are not using one of the Registered Technology Providers, the new process will work for them too.

Click here for PDF of CREA notice.

July 14, 2014

CREA NOTICE: REALTOR Link® and WEBForms® Down!

Members are advised that REALTOR Link® and WEBForms® are currently both offline and inaccessible. CREA is investigating and will advise when service is restored.

July 8, 2014

BCREA NOTICE: Minor Changes to Standard Forms Education Guides RE: Fee Agreements

The following "Fee Agreement" Education Guides have been revised as highlighted in attached PDFs (linked to titles below), and will be available for Members on WEBFORMS® tomorrow – Wednesday, July 9th, 2014.

Guide revised with the addition of the following words:

Buyer’s Fee Agreement (Buyer and Seller Not Represented)
• “by a Brokerage”
• “Brokerage is acting as a facilitator”

Buyer’s Fee Agreement (Seller Represented / Buyer Not Represented)
• “to collect a fee directly”
• “Designated Agent” – in 4 places
• “or between the Seller’s Designated Agent and the Buyer”

Seller’s Fee Agreement (Buyer and Seller Not Represented)
• “Brokerage to collect”
• “is acting as a facilitator to bring the parties”
• “This Agreement is commonly used in commercial transactions where neither the Seller not the Buyer is represented.”

Seller’s Fee Agreement (Buyer Represented / Seller Not Represented)
• “The Agreement could be used in a ‘For Sale by Owner’ situation, or could also be used in conjunction with an Exclusive Buyer’s Agency Contract if the Buyer did not want to pay some of all of the remuneration payable.”
• “Designated Agent” – in 3 places
• “Designated Agent and the Buyer’s Brokerage”
• “between the Buyer’s Designated Agent and the Seller"

MAY 13, 2014

BCREA NOTICE: Standard Forms Revisions for June 5th

BCREA has advised that minor changes will be made to the following forms which will be available to REALTORS® on WEBForms® on June 5th.

Working With A REALTOR® brochure
• Typo corrected on page one left bottom paragraph called “the brokerage must…”, sentenced corrected to “Treated you and all of its clients in an even, handed, objective and impartial manner”

Multiple Listing Contract
• Clause 5b,iib – the paragraph starting with “provided, however, that…” was moved to the left to align with bullet (b)

Contract of Purchase and Sale for Commercial Real Estate
• Clause 26 Tender – added the word “cash”

Property Disclosure Statement – Residential
• Section 2.C question has been separated to two questions:
1. 2.C Are records available regarding the quantity of the water available?
2. 2.D Are records available regarding the quality of the water available?

Contract of Purchase and Sale for Business Assets
• Clause 6.1 - changed from schedule "N" to schedule "O"

Click here to download and print or save PDF of this notice.

May 6, 2014

BCREA EDUCATION NOTICE: PDP Survey to BC REALTORS®

In November 2013, BCREA launched a new Professional Development Program (PDP). The new program aims to enhance the quality, diversity and access of the PDP to better meet REALTOR® learning needs. The new PDP has been in operation now for six months and was officially launched by your Board in January 2014.

New PDP courses presented through OMREB:

COMPLETED (3) January 29 (Vernon) & 30 (Kelowna) Contract Nightmares: How to Detect, Avoid, Disarm & Survive Category B – Career Builder Instructor Deborah Moore

April 16 (Vernon) & 17 (Kelowna)
Trends & Issues in Real Estate
Category B – Career Builder
Instructor Richard Collins

April 30 (Kelowna)
Risk Management: Protecting Yourself, Your Client & Your Business
Vernon & Kelowna Category B – Emerging Pro
Instructor Kim Spencer (replacing Ann Petrone)

UPCOMING (1)
June 4 (Vernon) & 5 (Kelowna)
Technology: A Strategic Lever for Your Business
Category B – Emerging Pro
Instuctor Karen Singbeil

REALTOR® Survey: As part of the assessment of the new PDP launch, BCREA is asking BC REALTORS® to take this short 5-minute survey to provide your valuable feedback on the new course content, format and delivery. You will be eligible for a draw for a free PDP course upon completion of the survey.

Survey Link: www.surveymonkey.com/s/2GRZ2W2

Deadline: May 30, 2014

Thank you in advance for your participation.

MAY 1, 2014

BCREA NOTICE: Today is Transition to myLTSA

BCREA reminds Members that as of today, Land Title Services will no longer be accessible on BC OnLine. Register for myLTSA now if you have not already done so.

The Land Title and Survey Authority of BC (LTSA) is the source of ownership information for private land in BC. As of May 1, 2014, the LTSA’s Search and Filing services are no longer accessible via BC OnLine.

The LTSA is offering two myLTSA portal services for REALTORS®. Compare myLTSA services.

For REALTORS® that order 40 or fewer active land titles and accompanying strata plans: myLTSA Explorer • Register at https://myltsa.ltsa.ca/explorer • Electronically search active land titles by PID and title number only • Order strata plans if associated with a title • Transact immediately using Visa or MasterCard • 7-day order retention • Single user • For help, visit http://help.ltsa.ca/cms/myltsa-explorer

For REALTORS® who perform a variety of land title, document, and plan searches: myLTSA Enterprise • Register at https://myltsa.ltsa.ca/enterprise • Electronically search titles and order documents/plans. • Pay using a prepaid deposit account (requires a $250 initial deposit) • 7-day order retention. • Allow 3 to 5 days for financial approvals • Multiple users • For help, visit http://help.ltsa.ca/cms/myltsa-enterprise or download the myLTSA Enterprise Quick Start guide.

The LTSA is a publicly accountable, statutory corporation formed in 2005 to administer the land title and survey systems of BC: www.ltsa.cap

Register Now: https://apps.ltsa.ca/iam/signup

Click here to download and print PDF of this notice.

Thank you for your help in showing the world that REALTORS® in our Board area and across Canada really do care...

April 22, 2014

CREA NOTICE:Year "Built-in" Field Cleared - REALTOR.ca.beta

CREA has discovered a bug on REALTOR.ca.beta that, in some cases, causes the display field for Year “Built in” to be reported incorrectly.

In order to repair this, CREA will be clearing this field for all listings on Wednesday, April 23rd until a permanent resolution can be implemented in early May. This means that the year in the "Built in" field will remain blank until this glitch is fixed.

Thank you for your patience.

April 17, 2014

CREA NOTICE: Please Report Your REALTORS® Care Donations!

How did you give back in 2013?

The REALTOR® community in Canada reported giving over $30.6 million to charity in 2012 alone. That’s a strong message that helps CREA and the Canadian REALTORS Care® Foundation highlight the generosity of REALTORS® like you to the general public, the media, and decision-makers on Parliament Hill. It’s something we can share with our neighbours in the Okanagan and Shuswap for the benefit of all of our REALTOR® Members.

Now that 2013 has come to a close, let’s help the Foundation add another year's worth of REALTORS®' donations and fundraising totals to that figure to make it even more impressive!

FORM - For submission by May 5, 2014: Please visit www.REALTORSCare.ca and complete a simple form by the end of tax season (May 5, 2014) to let the Canadian REALTORS Care® Foundation know how you gave back in 2013. In case you’d prefer to submit your information by email, mail, or fax, click here for a PDF of the form.

Rest assured your personal information will be kept strictly confidential, in accordance with CREA’s Privacy Policy.

Thank you for your help in showing the world that REALTORS® in our Board area and across Canada really do care...

April 15, 2014

CREA NOTICE: CREA Helpdesk Closed for Easter

Members are advised that the offices of the Canadian Real Estate Association will be closed for the Easter weekend -- on Friday April 18th and Monday, April 21st -- and will re-open on Tuesday, April 22nd.

There will be no Helpdesk coverage on Good Friday or on Easter Monday.

April 7, 2014

CREA NOTICE: New Anti-Spam Resources to Simplify Obligations

New CREA resource materials are available to help REALTOR® members more easily comply with Canada’s Anti-Spam Legislation (CASL), which comes into force July 1st, 2014.

As the final anti-spam framework in the G-8, CASL regulates how email, text messages, and other forms of electronic messages can be sent for marketing purposes.

CREA has developed both brief and detailed resources:

* Guidance on Canada’s Anti-Spam Legislation (CREA) for REALTOR® Members - provides a comprehensive description of CASL and what members need to do to comply.
* Summary Guidance on Canada’s Anti-Spam Legislation (CREA) for REALTOR® Members - aims to be a reminder of members’ obligations.

Designed to simplify compliance with easy-to-understand language, the new publications compliment over four and half years of lobbying by CREA that resulted in nine modifications to Canada’s anti-spam framework, which preserve several critical marketing practices and ease compliance.

They are available on CREA's REALTOR® Resources page on REALTOR Link®.

Publications aimed at helping Boards and Associations comply with CASL will be available later this spring.

Click here for PDF of this Notice.

April 7, 2014

CREA NOTICE: Changes to REALTOR.ca and ICX.ca Apps

CREA has updated REALTOR.ca and ICX.ca apps. These upgrades will be rolled out during April on the following schedule:

1. REALTOR.ca for iPad v1.2 (available April 7)
2. REALTOR.ca Android v1.2 (April 7)
3. ICX.ca iPhone v1.2 (April 8)
4. REALTOR.ca iPhone v2.0 (April 10). (Note that this release is a completely new design that fully leverages the Apple iOS7 user experience and more responsive Apple maps.)

The following new features, and many more, have been included in all the apps:
• Ability to switch between metric & imperial at a touch;
• User Education overlay, to more easily introduce new features;
• Support multimedia links from REALTORS® such as additional pictures, videos and house tours;
• The REALTOR.ca apps have a new mortgage calculator. (If you save your settings, we’ll show you potential mortgage payment for every property you view. This feature is not available on the ICX.ca app.)

Check out the latest version of the mobile apps in April by visiting the mobile page on the REALTOR.ca and ICX.ca websites.

Click here for PDF of this Notice.

March 31, 2014

WEBFORMS® UPDATE: New FINTRAC Forms Available on WEBForms® This Week

CREA advises that the new FINTRAC forms will be released on WEBForms® by Thursday, April 3.

The following FINTRAC forms will be revised and available for British Columbia:

• Individual Identification Information Record - (CREA)
• Corporation/Entity Identification Information Record - (CREA)
• Risk Assessment Form - (CREA)
• Receipt of Funds Record - (CREA)

REVISION DATE: These new FINTRAC forms are “Stamped” with a March/2014 revision date located in the bottom right-hand-side of each form.

RELEASE DATE: WEBForms® will release these new FINTRAC forms during the day on Wednesday, April 2, 2014.

For more information, click here for complete WEBForms® Update. It outlines what Members can expect to experience following these FINTRAC form upgrades and provides helpful screen shots to refer to.

See separate Notice for information regarding new FINTRAC regulations and available resource materials.

March 31, 2014

CREA ADVISORY: New FINTRAC Resource Materials Help Simplify Compliance

New resource materials are available to help Members more easily comply with FINTRAC obligations, including the new regulatory requirements that took effect on February 1st to bring Canada’s anti-money laundering policy framework into line with international standards and obligations.

CREA’s resource materials include the new comprehensive Proceeds of Crime (Money Laundering) and Terrorist Financing Act and Regulations 2014 Compliance Regime manual that explains obligations – both existing and new -- in a user-friendly, fill-in-the-blank format. Of note, section 3.1.2.11 of the manual specifically pertains to the new regulations. Once completed and tailored to the brokerage’s business, this manual can be used to satisfy FINTRAC’s requirement for documentation of a brokerage’s policies and procedures.

Revised CREA forms, which incorporate the new requirements, are available for download on REALTOR Link® and will be available this week on WEBForms®. CREA’s FINTRAC FAQ has also been updated with instructions on how Brokers may wish to implement the new forms into their Brokerage.

Through an easy-to-implement format, these new materials complement the over two years of lobbying, which resulted in ten changes and clarifications that significantly and substantively reduce the administrative burden of the new regulations.

Click here for CREA Advisory with links to new FINTRAC materials online, and here for the latest FINTRAC FAQs for REALTOR® Members.

See separate Notice for information regarding WEBForms® updates.

March 28, 2014

CREA NOTICE: WEBForms® Database Maintenance Monday Night!

CREA advises that maintenance will be performed to the WEBForms® environment on Monday, March 31st at 10:00 PM PDT. At that time, WEBForms® will be taken offline for approximately two hours for database maintenance.

March 4, 2014

CREA NOTICE: CREA Releases REALTOR.ca Beta

CREA advises Members of an upcoming release of REALTOR.ca Beta scheduled for tomorrow -- Wednesday, March 5th.

In addition to bug fixes, the release also adds a few improvements to the user experience and includes required changes in the "Terms and Conditions" of the website:

• Removal of the dedicated beta feedback button on the site (visitors will continue to be able to submit their feedback through [email protected])

• Change in beta site logo and removal of access to old REALTOR.ca from the top navigation (access to the old site via a link on the footer remains).

February 27, 2014

BCREA NOTICE: Join the "Extraordinary Moments" Journey!

Looking for what it takes to create WOW clients? BCREA just launched "@Extraordinary Moments in the Consumer Real Estate Experience". Please visit the Facebook page, like it and spread the word. Or tweet about it!

https://www.facebook.com/extraordinaryrealestatemoments#ExtraordinaryRE

See you there!

February 18, 2014

BCREA NOTICE: PTT exemption for First-time Buyers increases February 19th

"Need to Know" from BCREA...

The BC Government released Budget 2014/2015 today. The most direct and immediate announcement for REALTORS® is:

Property Transfer Tax
Effective for registrations on and after February 19, 201 (tomorrow) the Property Transfer Tax exemption threshold under the First Time Home Buyers’ Program is increased to $475,000 from $425,000, with the partial exemption/phase out applying between $475,000 and $500,000.

The government estimates that approximately 1,700 first-time buyers will benefit this year, saving an average of $4,000 at a cost to government estimated at $8 million.

Home Owner Grant
For the 2014 tax year, the Home Owner Grant threshold for phase out will be decreased from $1,295,000 to $1,100,000. For properties valued above the threshold, the grant is reduced by $5 for every $1,000 of assessed value in excess of the threshold. The threshold captures at least 93.8% of homeowners as opposed to 95% previously. The measure is estimated to provide an additional $11 million in revenue.

BCREA Need to Know: Click here for more details and link to newly revised Government information online.

February 13, 2014

BCREA NOTICE: Register Now for New "myLTSA" Portal!

This news will be of interest to all REALTORS® in BC and has been passed on to Managing Brokers for office posting and mention at Sales meetings...

The Land Title and Survey Authority of BC (LTSA) opens its new portal – myLTSA -- for general registration by professionals, and government and business customers who require access to the LTSA's Electronic Services after May 1, 2014. This will replace the current portal available on BC Online.

The LTSA offers two myLTSA services:

1) myLTSA Enterprise -- available for registration now:
• Provides access to the full suite of LTSA Electronic Search and Filing services, and as of May 1, 2014 replaces the LTSA’s portal available on BC OnLine.
• Ideal for current BC OnLine customers who search land title records and electronically file applications with the LTSA.
• Customers will experience no significant changes to the LTSA's core Electronic Search and Filing services offered today on BC OnLine.
• Payment for transactions conducted through myLTSA Enterprise accounts is with a pre-paid deposit account.

2) myLTSA Explorer -- available in March 2014:
• For customers who only conduct occasional land title searches and do not electronically file applications with the LTSA.
• Ideal for real estate agents and general businesses who order a limited number of active land titles and related strata plans annually and do not require access to historical land titles or other documents or plans.
• A deposit account is not required for myLTSA Explorer, as payment is by Visa or MasterCard.

DETAILS: Click here for LTSA “Land Title Matters” newsletter for detailed information and outline of features, plus links to supporting documents about this new portal.

February 11, 2014

BCREA NOTICE: New "Release from Lease" on WEBForms®

Members are advised that a new form has been added to WEBForms® today and will be available online soon.

New Form: "General Release and Authorization for Offer to Lease"

Please note that this is a completely new form. It is for the "Offer to Lease" contract, while the existing form (already available) is to release from the regular "Contract of Purchase and Sale".

DECEMBER 10, 2013

BCREA NOTICE: WEBForms® "Fix" Scheduled for December 11th

BCREA has advised that WEBForms® will be releasing version 4.10.1 tomorrow -- Wednesday, December 11th -- at approximately 8:30 AM Pacific Standard Time.This is a minor “patch” release with no downtime required, so no impact on Members is expected.

Here is a list of the issues fixed in this minor WEBForms® 4.10.1 release:

WEBForms® 4.10.1 Change Log
• When Creating a new kit or changing a kits MLS number, the sellers Brokerage does not auto-populate to the Brokerage fields in the Contract of Purchase and Sale
• INC_0026759 - Unable to use slave office form in a Template
• INC_0026738 Changing Font Type and Font size in View Options is not reflected in Printed/Flattened form
• A bug on function setAutoTab()/setMultiTextbox() - A bug which prevented the text cursor from moving between two linked text fields when typing.

DECEMBER 3, 2013

CREA ADVISORY: WEBForms® 4.10 Upgrade

CREA advises that maintenance will be performed to the WEBForms® environment tonight - Tuesday, December 3rd at 10:00 PM (Pacific Time). WEBForms® will be taken off line for approximately three (3() hours for the launch of WEBForms® V4.10 on December 4th.

Click here to see list of WEBForms® 4.10 enhancements (also posted on WEBForms®):

* Authenticating using NAF (log-in once to REALTOR Link and NAF single sign-on allows access to multiple systems including WEBForms® without being prompted to log-in again)
* "Auto Complete" using "View Options" button
* Improved visual elements for better readability - like updated checkboxes and radio buttons, and icons on Menu Controls.

NOVEMBER 21, 2013

CREA NOTICE: New .REALTOR Domains Available Soon!

CREA and the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) are inviting REALTORS® from both countries (Canada and United States) to sign-up for a list that will give priority registration for a .REALTOR domain name. In other words, a day will come when REALTOR® website addresses will look like this: johnsmith.REALTOR.

Members of CREA can sign-up for the priority list now. By providing their name and email, members will be sent an invitation to register a .REALTOR domain 24 hours before REALTORS® who have not pre-registered – sometime in 2014.

Domains in the new .REALTOR extension will be available for registration to REALTOR® members, as well as Boards and Associations. More information about the registration rules for both members and Boards/Associations will be shared as soon as they become available.

Sign-up for Priority List: http://listserv.realtorlink.ca/subscribe/survey?f=398

More Info:Click here for more information (complete CREA Notice) and to sign-up online for priority list (same link as above).

NOVEMBER 21, 2013

BCREA WEBForms® Notice: Standard Forms Revision to “Contract of Purchase and Sale”

BCREA has advised that the form below will be revised as follows and available Friday, November 22 on WEBForms®.

Contract of Purchase and Sale
• Major Revision
Clause 2 - Revised to “will be paid within 24 hours of acceptance unless agreed to as follows”

• Minor Revision
At the top of the CPS
- Replaced “Prepared By” with “Brokerage”
- Replaced “Per” with “Prepared By”

Click here for PDF of this Notice.

September 4, 2013

BCREA NOTICE: Minor Change to REALTOR® Brochure

BCREA has advised of a minor change made to the "Working With a REALTOR®" brochure -- available today on WEBForms®. The word “must” has been added under the "Designated Agency" heading to last sentence of the first paragraph.

July 25, 2013

CREA NOTICE: WEBForms® - New Electronic Signatures Option!

CREA has advised that as of July 24th, an exciting new addition has been made to WEBForms®...

The WEBForms® application now includes a new feature titled “Add-on Services” and once clicked will provide the new integrated "electronic signature" component. Members may select the option best suited for their needs. Training material and videos have been developed and can be viewed from the WEBForms® tutorial section or from within the two vendor environments.

INTRODUCING E-SIGNATURES FOR WEBFORMS

CREA has been working with two e-signature providers to enhance your WEBForms® experience and give you and your clients more signing flexibility.

Add-on Highlights
• Save time & money. No printing. No faxing. No driving across town to get signatures.
• Enhance customer satisfaction. Clients can easily sign documents anytime, anywhere.

CREA has negotiated special member pricing with both e-signature solutions:
• DocuSign - $199/year
• AutheEntisign - $39/year

Getting Started
To access the E-Signatures add-on select the new tab titled: “Add-on Services” on WEBForms®. Click here for screen shots and how-to's.

More Info & Training
For details about the two options and instructions on setting up your E-Signature solution, click here for PDF of the above Notice -- includes links to both vendor sites and their training centres.

July 9, 2013

New CREA Toolkit Released!

CREA has announced the release of the new CREA Toolkit, and a brand new Listing Statistics Application, as well as new features for DDF™. Click here for CREA Advisory(summary appears below).

Tools.realtorlink.ca
The new CREA Toolkit allows access to many of CREA’s online products from one convenient location. Visit http://tools.realtorlink.ca/ to access WEBForms®, DDF™, Listing Statistics, MMS, My Listings and the ICX Console.

Listing Statistics Now, CREA members can see all of their Listing Statistics for all of CREAs public sites -- REALTOR.ca, ICX.ca, m.REALTOR.ca, as wwell as National Shared Pool Destinations, National Franchisor Pool, Member Website Feeds and Third Party Distribution site -- from one single location.

REALTOR.ca Beta Now Available Across Canada
CREA is excited to announce that the newly redesigned REALTOR.ca beta site is now accessible across Canada.Beta site visitors can look forward to:

• A new intuitive and modern design focused on searching
• Beautifully displayed property details, highlighting photos and the most relevant listing details, making this information easy to find and review
• Content that promotes the value REALTORS® bring to consumers
• Frequent site content updates (4X daily), giving REALTORS® faster exposure for their properties and ensuring that REALTOR.ca continues to be the consumer’s choice for real estate listings

CREA invites all members to participate in this trial and to submit feedback -- helping to shape the future of the new REALTOR.ca and, as a result, assisting REALTORS® to grow their business!

End of Life – REALTOR.ca for Windows Phone 7
The REALTOR.ca app for Windows Phone 7 will be discontinued from the Microsoft Market Place July 11, 2013. Users are invited to continue their mobile REALTOR.ca experience by pointing their mobile browser to m.realtor.ca.

Click here for more information about the above features (CREA advisory).

June 24, 2013

BCREA ADVISORY: Changes to Online HST/GST Resources

The following changes have now been made to BCREA’s online HST/GST resources:

HST to GST: Transition Rules for Real Property
• Slight change to indicate that Canada Revenue Agency GST/HST Notice 276 was revised in May 2013 (no substantive changes were made to the CRA notice, but revisions may provide more clarity)

These pages have been removed:
• Enhanced BC HST New Housing Rebate • First-Time New Home Buyers’ Bonus • Grant for New Second and Recreational Homes

HST/GST Calculators for BC:
The tax calculators have been simplified to eliminate considerations for: • Enhanced BC HST New Housing Rebate • First-Time New Home Buyers’ Bonus • Grant for New Second and Recreational Homes.

General Link to BCREA Online HST-GST Resources:
http://www.bcrea.bc.ca/government-relations/hst-pst-resources/

Click here to download and print this notice.

June 24, 2013

BCREA NOTICE: Revised Standard Forms – Effective July 2nd

The following forms have been revised due to the Real Estate Council of BC introduction of new Rules 3-3.1 and 3-3.2 -- dealing with Designated Agency and coming into effect July 1st -- and will be available on WEBForms® on July 2nd:
• Authority to Lease - renamed MLS® Authority to Lease
• Buyer Agency Acknowledgement
• Exclusive Buyers Agency Contract
• Exclusive Tenants Agency Contract
• Exclusive Authority to Lease
• Limited Dual Agency
• Limited Dual Agency Competing
• Multiple Listing Contract
• Working With a REALTOR® brochure

New form and education guide will be available on July 2nd:
• New form and education guide – Contract of Purchase and Sale Business Assets

Revised forms (minor change* – previous version can still be used) will be available on July 2nd:
• Contract of Purchase and Sale
• Contract of Purchase and Sale – Commercial

*Minor change: On the information page – added “(plus GST)” beside Real Estate Commission under Costs to be Borne by the Seller

May 13, 2013

CREA NOTICE: Report Your REALTORS® Care Donations

Member Survey Winners from OMREB Announced!

Congratulations to David Beeson, Corine Riemer, Charlene Bertrand and Trish Power!

For participating in the CREA 2013 Membership Survey, David and Corine (both with Royal LePage Kelowna), Charlene (Coldwell Banker Horizon Realty), and Trish (RE/MAX Kelowna) all won REALTOR® branded USB keys.

Photos of the winners were posted to OMREB's Home Page on REALTOR Link by CREA. Pictured left to right are: David, Corine (top row), Trish and Charlene (bottom row). Take a look online at http://www.realtorlink.ca/portal/server.pt/community/okanagan-mainline/584/home.

May 9, 2013

BCREA NOTICE: Standard Forms Under Review to Reflect Desigated Agency

BCREA has advised that a number of Standard Forms have been revised and are being reviewed by BC Boards before being released in July. Your Broker is being asked to provide comments.

The updates are being made to reflect new Council Rules regarding Designated Agency and coming into effect on July 1st. The final version of these forms will be available on WEBForms® July 2nd.

BCREA ADVISORY RE: Standard Forms Updates

The Real Estate Council of BC will be introducing new Rules 3-3.1 and 3-3.2 on July 1, 2013. These Rules will primarily deal with Designated Agency.

The BCREA Standard Forms listed below have been revised to be compliant with the new Rules. Most of the changes to the service agreements revolve around the obligation of the Brokerage to remain neutral under Designated Agency and clarification that the fiduciary duties of the Designated Agent do not apply to the Brokerage or other Licensees of the Brokerage. The Real Estate Council of BC has reviewed and confirmed the revisions satisfy the new Rules.

The revised forms include:

• Limited Dual Agency
• Limited Dual Agency Competing
• Exclusive Buyers Agency Contract
• Multiple Listing Contract
• Buyer Agency Acknowledgement
• Working With a REALTOR® brochure
• Authority to Lease
• Exclusive Tenants Agency Contract
• Exclusive Authority to Lease

FEEDBACK: The revised forms have been distributed to all OMREB Managing Brokers for review. Any comments or concerns they may have regarding the changes noted are to be emailed to Janice Myers at OMREB ([email protected]) by Friday, May 24th (for Board compilation and submission to BCREA by May 30th).

April 8, 2013

CREA NOTICE: Report Your REALTORS® Care Donations

The Canadian REALTORS Care® Foundation needs your help!

They are on a mission to solve a mystery about how much money and time REALTORS® gave to charity last year. A total amount would send a powerful message about the kind of people REALTORS® are and they want to share it with the general public, the media, and decision-makers on Parliament Hill. As a Board, OMREB can use this total to promote our own members as well. It would benefit all of organized real estate.

Uncovering this total is a big undertaking. The Foundation can’t come up with a total amount unless REALTORS® like you from coast to coast tell them about the donations you’ve made. Please visit their website to watch a quick video and fill out a simple form before the end of tax season: http://realtorscare.ca/report-your-donations

You can also complete the Donation Report Form and submit it to the Foundation by mail, fax, or email. Click here to download.

March 28, 2013

BCREA NOTICE: WEBForms® Update for GST - Change to New Home Addendums

BCREA has advised that the New Home Addendums (CPS of an New Home Addendum – Seller is a Foreign Supplier & CPS of an New Home Addendum – Seller is a Not Foreign Supplier) have been revised to reflect the change to GST on April 1st. These two revised forms will be available April 2nd on WEBForms®.

The following changes were made:

• Removed 4B (included HST in the amount...)
• Removed 6 (The Enhanced B.C. New Housing HST rebate...)

Click here to print advisory.

February 21, 2013

BCREA NOTICE: GST/HST Change to Form

BCREA has advised that the "Lease Report and Payout Instruction" form has been revised to have both the GST and HST reference until April 1, 2013. The revised form was available online on WEBForms today.

February 21, 2013

UPDATE: WEBForms® SECURITY ADVISORY - Password Reset Strongly Recommended!

UPDATE: The amount of information that needs to be examined to fully determine the extent of the breach is expected to take several days to complete. The OMREB IT Department strongly recommends you change your password in an expeditious manner - if you have not already done so.

All changes made prior to 4:30 pm today will be reflected with CREA tomorrow. Please note that while this is a precau>tionary approach, we feel that the information received warrants an escalated solution.

Original Notice: CREA has advised that between 10 AM and noon PST yesterday, an attack in progress on the WEBForms® server was detected. A fix has been deployed. Analysis is ongoing but no evidence has been obtained that credentials or private data has been acquired.

Password Change Recommended: As a precautionary measure, it is recommended that all Members change your MLS® password that is used to logon to online services – REALTORLink, WEBForms, Matrix, TouchBase, Interface Express, SentriLock, and the OMREB Education and Invoice History site.

Instructions: Click here for instructions on how to reset your password.

Your Matrix password change will be immediate but REALTORLink and WEBForms will be updated the following day.

January 28, 2013

BCREA-WEBFORMS® NOTICE: Major Changes to Standard Forms!

Members are advised that three standard forms have been revised by BCREA and will be available on WEBForms on Wednesday, January 30th along with a new education guide re: New Home Addendums. Previous versions should be retired on this date.

Major revisions as of January 30:

Buyers Fee Agreement (Buyer & Seller Not Represented) and Sellers Fee Agreement (Buyer & Seller Not Represented) • The words “Designated Agent” has been replaced with “REALTOR®”

Contract of Purchase and Sale of a New Home Addendum (Seller is NOT a Foreign Supplier) before April 1, 2015
• New Paragraph 5 – BC Transition Tax (option to include in the purchase price or payable by the buyer)
• Current paragraph 7 replaced with new paragraph 8 – BC Transition Rebate

Contract of Purchase and Sale of a New Home Addendum (Seller is a Foreign Supplier) before April 1, 2015
• New Paragraph 5 – BC Transition Tax (option to include in the purchase price or payable by the buyer)
• Current paragraph 7 replaced with new paragraph 8 – BC Transition Rebate

No longer available on WEBForms:

Foreign Supplier up to Dec 2012 (Form 2062) and Non Foreign Supplier up to Dec 2012 (Form 2063)
• The deadline for these forms was January 2, 2013 which has expired. If, for some reason REALTORS® do need access of Form 2062/2063, REALTORS® can contact BCREA at 604-742-2795.

Education Guide – available on January 30:

For more information about the recent change to the New Home Addendums, please visit the "Education Guide" section on WEBForms for the following new guide:
• Contracts of Purchase and Sale – New Home Addendums – BC Transition Tax

Click here to download and print this BCREA advisory (PDF).

January 16, 2013

BCREA NOTICE: Minor Changes to Standard Forms!

Members are advised that two Standard Forms have been revised by BCREA and are available on WEBForms™ as of today. Previous versions can be used.

Minor changes to:

• MLS® Authority to Lease - Added an extra line on Clause 5d
• Multiple Listing Contract - Added an extra line on Clause 5a and c

January 16, 2013

BCREA NOTICE: HST/PST Calculators for BC Now Online!

Members are advised that a new tax calculator has been added to BCREA’s online HST/PST resources.

These tools calculate taxes using transition rules applicable to the switch back to BC PST on April 1, 2013 only. That is, they do not factor in pre-harmonization grand-parenting or prior tax rate change transitions.

Three calculation options are available:

* HST/PST Calculator: Starts with a purchase price that includes HST/GST net of available rebates)

* HST/PST Calculator: Starts with purchase price that includes full amount of HST/GST

* HST/PST Calculator: Starts with a purchase price that does not include taxes.

NOTE: These calculators should not be considered substitutes for professional accounting or legal advice.

All three tax calculators are available at:
www.bcrea.bc.ca/government-relations/hst-calculator

For comprehensive HST/PST resources, visit:
www.bcrea.bc.ca/government-relations/hst-pst-resources

January 15, 2013

CREA NOTICE: System Maintenance Wednesday Night!

Members are advised that maintenance is scheduled for CREA's network equipment starting at 11:00 PM Pacific on Wednesday, January 16th (2:00 AM EST), with maintenance completion and full service restoration planned for 3:00 AM Pacific (6:00 AM EST) on Thursday, January 17th.

During this four-hour period, affected services will briefly be unavailable within the agreed upon maintenance window. A maintenance page will be active.

Services affected:

• WEBForms®
• REALTOR Link®
• REALTOR.ca
• ICX.ca
• m.realtor.ca • APIs (REALTOR.ca and ICX.ca mobile apps on iPhones, iPad, Android, Blackberry)
• DDF™
• NAF
• MMS
• All other web services.

January 2, 2013

BCREA NOTICE: 2013 Property Assessments - Values Remain Stable

More than 150,000 property owners throughout the Central Okanagan, and North Okanagan-Shuswap regions can expect to receive their 2013 assessment notices in the next few days.

Most homes in the OMREB region are remaining stable in value compared to last year's assessment roll. Home owners in the North Okanagan and Shuswap can expect modest changes in the 0% to -5% range, while commercial and industrial properties will see changes ranging from +5% to -5%. Most homes and commercial/industrial properties in the Central Okanagan can expect changes ranging from -5% to +5%.

North Okanagan-Shuswap: Overall, the assessment roll decreased from $27,387,550,091 last year to $26,391,682,576 this year -- including $354,569,677 for subdivisions, rezoning and new construction. Please note that the North Okanagan Assessment region includes the Shuswap and Revelstoke. Click here for detailed media release and backgrounder.

Central Okanagan: Overall, the assessment roll decreased from $40,748,380,318 last year to $40,599,516,028 this year-- including $280,572,573 for subdivisions, rezoning and new construction. Click here for detailed media release and backgrounder.

Property owners who feel that their property assessment does not reflect market value as of July 1, 2012 or see incorrect information on their notice, should contact the BC Assessment office as indicated on their notice as soon as possible in January.

More Info Online: Please visit www.bcassessment.ca for more information about the 2013 Assessment Roll including lists of 2013's top most valuable residential properties across the province. Property owners can also contact BC Assessment toll-free at 1-866-valueBC (1-866-825-8322).

Special for 2013: Property owners can also visit the website for an online customer service survey, available until January 31. They can also compare assessments for similar properties online! Follow BC Assessment on Twitter, YouTube, Facebook, and LinkedIn.

December 17, 2012

BCREA-WEBFORMS® NOTICE: Revised Guide to CPS New Home Addendums!

On December 1, 2012, BCREA made available through WEBForms® a guide to the four new addendums required for new homes.

BCREA advises that the second page in the Guide contained an error, advising REALTORS® that: “The seller of real estate pursuant to a Contract of Purchase and Sale entered into on or after February 17, 2012 and before December 1, 2012, with ownership or possession transfers after December 31, 2012, has a legal obligation to deliver the applicable new addendum to the buyer on or before January 3, 2013.”

In fact, the applicable new addendum must be provided to the buyer on or before January 2, 2013.

The guide on WEBForms® has now been corrected. BCREA apologizes for this mistake. Click here to download correct version.

December 10, 2012

BCREA-WEBFORMS® NOTICE: Revised CPS Addendums-HST Transition!

Further to the BCREA advisory on November 30th, the new Contract of Purchase and Sale (CPS) Addendums for HST Transition have been revised on WEBForms® as of Friday, December 7, 2012.

The major revisions for all Addendums:
• 5.C replaced “Completion date is” with “HST becomes payable”
• 7.A replaced “new housing” with “Property”

New Home Addendum – up to 2015 (both):
• Removed the line on the 2nd page “This Addendum must be signed by the Seller…”

New Home Addendum – up to 2015 – Not a Foreign Supplier:
• 5 and 6 added “Buyer and” Seller to initial the option...

Click here to download PDF of BCREA notice.

November 30, 2012

BCREA Notice: New CPS Addendums for HST Transition !

BCREA has advised that the forms noted below are now available on WEBForms®.

The New Housing Transition Tax and Rebate Act was brought into force on November 9th, and the Regulations to that Act have now been approved and ordered by the Provincial Government by Order in Council.

Pursuant to the Regulations, four new standard forms Contract of Purchase and Sale (CPS) Addendums have been created:

1. CPS New Home Addendum – For contracts entered into on or after Feb 17, 2012 and before Dec 1, 2012, and ownership or possession transfers after Dec 31, 2012, and the Seller is NOT a “foreign supplier” [to be signed by Seller only and delivered to the Buyer];

2. CPS New Home Addendum – For contracts entered into on or after Feb 17, 2012 and before Dec 1, 2012, and ownership or possession transfers after Dec 31, 2012, and the Seller is a “foreign supplier” [to be signed by Seller only and delivered to the Buyer];

3. CPS New Home Addendum – For contracts entered into on or after Dec 1, 2012 and before April 1, 2015, and the Seller is NOT a “foreign supplier” [to be signed by both Buyer and Seller]; and

4. CPS New Home Addendum – For contracts entered into on or after Dec 1, 2012 and before April 1, 2015, and the Seller is a “foreign supplier” [to be signed by both Buyer and Seller].

Even if a Buyer and Seller have included and signed the New Home Addendum that was prepared in June 2012 as part of their CPS, the new Regulations still require the Seller to deliver the new CPS New Home Addendum in the form of either (1) or (2) referred to in the list above to the Buyer, because at the time of the June 2012 Addendum, information on whether the Seller is a “foreign supplier” for the purposes of the B.C. transition tax, and information on whether the federal GST/HST new housing rebate is applicable, was not required, but such information is now retroactively required as a result of the new Regulations.

An Education Guide will be posted on WEBForms® and hopefully available today or early next week.

Also, please note that the current CPS New Home Addendum on WEBForms® has been discontinued.

Click here to download PDF of this Notice.

November 29, 2012

WEBForms® Notice: Upgrade to Version 4.9.1 on December 4!

System advisory regarding the upgrade to WEBForms® version 4.9.1.

Please be advised that maintenance will be performed to the WEBForms® environment on Tuesday, December 4, 2012 commencing at 10:00 PM (PDT). WEBForms® will be taken offline for approximately 2 hours for the launch of WEBForms® v4.9.1.

Click here for announcement regarding the new simpler toolbar interface, and here to review details about the streamlining and improvements provided by WEBForms® 4.9.1 for BC, including the toolbar update.

November 5, 2012

BCREA NOTICE: Revised Property Disclosure Statements!

BCREA has advised of the following changes to Standards Forms.

Major change – please use the new forms

Property Disclosure Statements (all)
• New awareness question added to Section 4 General – Are you aware, if the property, or any portion of the property, is designated or proposed for designation as a “heritage site” or of “heritage value” under the Heritage Conservation Act or under municipal legislation?

Property Disclosure Statements (Strata Title Properties) (minor change)
• Removed "X" for Don't Know and "Does Not Apply" under Building Section 3Y

Property Disclosure Statements (Residential, Addendum, Land and Building, Rural Premises – Land and Building) (minor change)
• Removed "X" for Don't Know and "Does Not Apply" under Building Section 3S and 3T

Minor change - previous versions can still be used however once hard copies are done please use the updated version of the form

Working With A REALTOR® Brochure
• Removed "ABC" and "XYZ" from the diagrams leaving only "Real Estate Co."

October 16, 2012

WEBForms® Notice: BC Forms Released in HTML5 Today!

Good news! All BC forms on WEBForms® were released this morning in HTML5 format.

WEBForms® version 4.9 transforms accessibility by using HTML5, the most dynamic and adaptable HyperText Markup Language. REALTORS® will be able to create transaction kits, edit forms, templates and clauses using virtually any HTML5-compatible browser (including Internet Explorer, Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox and Apple's Safari).

All current, active British Columbia forms (Provincial, Board, and/or Office Level) have now been converted to HTML5.

New Toolbar: The HTML5 Toolbar is basically the only change to the WEBForms® User Interface. Click here for PDF explaining version 4.9 functionality and the various buttons on the new toolbar. This document is also posted on the WEBForms® announcement section.

Mobile Compatibility: By removing reliance on Adobe Reader/Acrobat, version 4.9 will also allow REALTORS® to capture an electronic signature on mobile devices such as: iOS, Android or BlackBerry! Click here for more information regarding mobile compatibility and how to capture an electronic signature (with links to apps).

Both documents linked above have also been archived to the MATRIX Help Section under "OMREB Provided Help Documents" for reference purposes.

NOTE: It is important for REALTORS® to not remove or delete their current installation of Adobe Reader/Acrobat until such time as forms for their respective province have been fully converted, and retrieval of any older forms and Transaction Kits requiring Adobe Reader are no longer needed.

October 12, 2012

BCREA NOTICE: Revisions to Standard Forms – Non Developer/New Developer Contracts

The forms below have been revised to include the words “non-refundable” to the Time paragraph and have been changed to incorporate Designated Agency. They will be available online on Tuesday, October 16.

• Assignment of Contract of Purchase and Sale – Non Developer
• Assignment of Contract of Purchase and Sale – New Development

CHANGES

• Page 1: Replaced “Licensee” with “Designated Agent” under the Per: line
• Paragraph 4.13 Time (Non-Developer), Paragraph 5.17 (New Development): Added the words “non-refundable and”
• Paragraph 4.18 Agency Disclosure (Non-Developer), Paragraph 5.22 (New Development): Replaced “Licensee” with “Designated Agent/Licensee” and added “who is licensed in relation to”

Click here to download PDF of this Notice.

September 25, 2012

CREA NOTICE: News Updates re: DDF, REALTOR.CA & WEBForms!

Here is the latest news regarding CREA's DDF™, WEBForms® Version 4.9 and the release of REALTOR.CA 5.6. Click here for full CREA Notice or view brief summary below.

DDF UPDATE: Spread the Word (and Your Listings!)

CREA is pleased to announce that the Third Party Destinations component of the Data Distribution Facility (DDF™) is now available.

CREA members can use this portion of the facility to send their listings to a variety of third party destinations, without logging into each third party destination separately. Members can select the destinations they want to use to market their listings, and in turn receive inquiries and leads from those sites. For details, refer to CREA Notice (above).

NOTE: The CREA DDF™ operates on an opt-in basis, so please contact your Brokerage to see if they have opted in and which of the 3 modules they will be participating in.

REALTOR.CA: 5.6 Release - Check New Features Available Today!

On September 25th (today), REALTOR.ca 5.6 went live. This version includes some exciting new features to enhance the consumer experience. Two of the most valuable changes are the integration of Walk Score® into REALTOR.ca, as well as auto-detection for users accessing REALTOR.ca through mobile devices. This release also includes some backend changes and bug fixes. For more information, see CREA Notice.

WEBForms®: Mac Friendly Version 4.9 Launches Tomorrow!

On September 26th, WEBForms® will be more accessible than ever due to HTML5! REALTORS® using PCs and Macs will be able to create WEBForms® transaction kits, edit forms, templates and clauses using most of the popular browsers, including Internet Explorer, Google Chrome, Firefox and Safari - without the Adobe Reader plug-in and its compatibility issues. For details, refer to CREA Notice.

The release of Version 4.9 will be performed in two stages:

Stage 1 - installation of new code for the launch of the short-term “hybrid” version of WEBForms® tomorrow (Sept. 26). Members will continue to access older forms using Adobe Reader/Acrobat, but new forms will be created in HTML.

Stage 2 – full go-live. All forms will be converted to HTML format and released in “Provincial” stages. For the many REALTORS® across Canada, a provincial announcement will be made prior to the forms being updated.

September 18, 2012

WEBFORMS ADVISORY: Maintenance Scheduled for Next Tuesday!

Members are advised of an upcoming scheduled WEBForms® system maintenance on the evening of Tuesday, September 25th. At 10:00 pm PDT, WEBForms® will be taken offline for approximately 3 hours for the launch of WEBForms® v4.9.

A reminder will be posted next week closer to the downtime.

The new Mac (and PC) friendly WEBForms® environment will use HTML5 and be compatible with any HTML-browser without the need for Adobe products! For details, click here for September 14th announcement (or refer to original Notice - posted below).

September 12, 2012

WEBFORMS NOTICE: WEBForms® V4.9 - Mac Friendly!

News Flash! The WEBForms® Team has advised that version 4.9 slated forlaunch on September 26th will transform accessibility to forms by using HTML5. This means that WEBForms® will no longer rely on Adobe and will therefore be Mac friendly!

By using HTML5, REALTORS® will be able to create transaction kits, edit forms, templates and clauses using virtually any HTML-compatible browser, including Internet Explorer, Google Chrome, Firefox and Safari. Previously created forms will be able to be interpreted and accessed without Adobe. Click here for PDF of this announcement.

PLEASE NOTE: It is important for REALTORS® to not yet remove or delete their current installation of Adobe Reader/Acrobat until such time as forms for their respective province have been fully converted and retrieval of any older forms and Transaction Kits requiring Adobe Reader are no longer needed.

MORE TO COME: Stay tuned for more information on how WEBForms® V4.9 will assist REALTORS® with mobile technology and possibly e-signature!

June 27, 2012

CREA ADVISORY: WEBForms™ Upgrade July 3rd!

CREA has advised that system maintenance will be performed in the WEBForms™ environment on Tuesday, July 3rd commencing at 10:00 pm PDT.

WEBForms™ will be taken offline for approximately 2 hours for the launch of WEBForms™ version 4.8, and will NOT be available during that time. Thank you for your patience.

Click here for upgrade information regarding enchancements and bug fixes provided by the upcoming WEBForms™ v4.8.

June 22, 2012

BCREA NOTICE: Updates to WEBForms™ Contracts!

BCREA has advised the following revised forms are now available on WEBForms™ -- except Multiple Listing Contract (revised form will be available online next week).

Minor change
• Buyer Agency Acknowledgment - Added an extra line in Clause 2
• Exclusive Buyer’s Agency Contract - Added an extra line in Clause 1
• Multiple Listing Contract - Added an extra line in Clause 5a

Major change
To be consistent, all Contract of Purchase and Sale documents were changed to include the words “non-refundable” to the Time Clause. The following forms have been revised:

• Contract of Purchase of a Manufactured Home on a Rental Pad
• Contract of Purchase for Leasehold Interest in Indian Reserve Lands
• Commercial Contract of Purchase and Sale

June 12, 2012

BCREA NOTICE: Minor Change – Multiple Listing Contract !

BCREA has advised that there has been a minor change to the Multiple Listing Contract - available today on WEBForms™.

* Clause 5c - moved to the second page to add more space so it is a multi-line field on WEBForms™

* Clause 7a – an extra line has been added to provide more space to type more names for those who are on a Team.

June 11, 2012

CREA NOTICE: New DDF Button on REALTOR® Link Home Page!

Brokers and Members are advised that a new button for a link to CREA’s Data Distribution Facility (DDF) page has been added to OMREB’s REALTOR® Link Home Page – far right column.

Check out the informative videos that are now included on the DDF page in preparation for the national roll-out of the program in late June/early July:
• Overview of the Data Distribution Facility
• National Shared Pool/National Franchisor Member Website Feed Pool
• Member Website Feed
• Third Party Destinations

The site also provides the following documentation:
• Introducing the Data Distribution Facility
• Data Distribution Facility FAQ's Updated May 2012
• Data Distribution Facility Policy and Rules Updated April 2012
• How to Identify Brokerage Owners for DDF
• Data Distribution Facility Update (PowerPoint slides)
• DDF Use Case Scenarios
• Part 1: DDF Interview with GaryZalepa Jr. (mp3)
• Part 2: DDF Interview with GaryZalepa Jr. (mp3)

June 7, 2012

CREA NOTICE: Reminder - End of Life of MLS.ca!

This CREA reminder is for those OMREB Members who maintain a public website for their business, and ONLY applies if you have a direct link to realtor.ca or mls.ca from your website.

LAST CHANCE FOR LINK-BACK! Any OMREB member who is currently utilizing the REALTOR®, office or MLS® listing link-back code to the public REALTOR.ca website from their personal website, should check, or have your website developer check, to see if the URL has “mls.ca” in it.

JUNE 26TH CUT-OFF FOR MLS.CA: If you have not already done so, please change “mls.ca” to “REALTOR.ca” by the June 26th cut-off date to ensure that the link-back code will continue to function properly. Any existing URLs still containing "mls.ca" after this date will no longer work or receive a re-direct.

No other changes to the link-backs are necessary. Click here for CREA's "auto re-direct" scenario.

Please contact Charles at the OMREB office for details if you are unsure: 250-491-4560, ext 232 or [email protected]

Originally posted March 3/12; updated June 7/12

May 31, 2012

BCREA NOTICE: Designated Agency Implementation and Forms for June 1st!

Designated Agency will officially roll out in the Province of British Columbia tomorrow - Friday, June 1st. JUNE 4 UPDATE: "Authority to Lease" form renamed MLS Authority to Lease".

WEBForms® Update: BCREA has advised that the online replacement of and required changes to old forms will commence this afternoon and should be completed by approximately 4:30 pm, so that the new forms are available on WEBForms® tomorrow for the implementation of Designated Agency.

UPDATED June 4! Memo and List of Forms: For details about the changeover, click here for BCREA Memo to Members with a list of the new and updated forms*. This information was emailed to all OMREB members this morning. *NOTE: List updated June 4 re: "Authority to Lease" form renamed MLS Authority to Lease".

Auto Update of Templates and Kits: Please note that templates and kits will update ‘automatically’. When a kit or template is pulled up subsequent to the changeover, the user will get a prompt to replace the old document with the new, revised document.

Designated Agency Site - Answers to Your Questions: The most common questions are already answered in the Q & A section of the designated agency website. Members are strongly encouraged to visit the site before picking up the phone to call the Board.

Visit the Designated Agency Website: http://web.bcrea.bc.ca/da

Call the Board if You Have Other Questions: If you are not able to find an answer to your question on the Designated Agency website, please call or email OMREB’s Ethics Advocate Gretchen Gebhard for assistance at 250-491-4560, Ext 237/ Toll Free 1-866-491-4560, Ext 236, or [email protected]. She will consult with BCREA and get back to you if the answer to your query is not at hand, or has not been anticipated.

May 22, 2012

CREA NOTICE: Time to Take the Leap!

After a full year of robust discussion and debate across the country about the future of organized real estate, it is time to take the leap. At CREA’s two-day AGM in March 2012, the strategy document entitled "Organized Real Estate Collaborative Strategy: Map to the Future" was approved by the membership.

A report summarizing the futures discussions at the CREA AGM in March and the next steps in the process is now available for download on CREA's Futures Planning web site. Titled "Time to Take the Leap: Report on the Discussion and Approval of the Organized Real Estate Collaborative Strategy", click here to download and view a copy of the report.

For a copy of the collaborative strategy document that was presented and approved at the CREA AGM, click here. Both documents will be posted to OMREB's Home Page "Spotlight" on REALTORLink.

Buttons to CREA's "Creating Our Future" web site (view all posted reports) and "Futures Discussions" site (share your ideas, and view recent comments and posts) are available on CREA's REALTORLink Home Page.

CREA's Futures Implementation Team thanks all Boards and their members for our continued support of this important journey and looks forward to keeping us updated on their progress.

May 1, 2012

BCREA NOTICE: New President and Directors!

The British Columbia Real Estate Association (BCREA) is pleased to announce that Jim McCaughan, an Abbotsford REALTOR® and former President of both the Fraser Valley and Chilliwack and District Real Estate Boards, has been elected as its 2012-2013 President.

“It is an honour to step into my role as BCREA President to help steer organized real estate in this time of impactful change and advancement of the profession,” said McCaughan. “I look forward to dedicating my time to help communicating the value of working with a REALTOR® and the profession’s commitment to Quality of Life in BC."

Jim McCaughan is a managing broker with Landmark Realty Corporation in Abbotsford. He has contributed extensively to the real estate industry as a BCREA Director, past Chair of the Real Estate Council of BC and past Chair of the Real Estate Errors and Omissions Insurance Corporation. With 35 years of experience as a licensed REALTOR® and 18 years as a BCREA course instructor, McCaughan looks forward to bringing his firsthand understanding of REALTOR® professionalism and commitment to their clients to his role as President.

For full media release with new Directors noted, click here.

BCREA represents the 11 member real estate boards and their approximately 18,000 REALTORS® on all provincial issues, providing an extensive communications network, standard forms, government relations, economic research and analysis, applied practice courses and continuing professional education (cpe).

April 23, 2012

BCREA NOTICE: Mere Postings Comparison Guide!

BCREA has advised that a education guide titled "Comparison of Mere Posting, Seller's Rights Reserved and Limited Service" has been added to the WEBForms under the Guide tab.

Click here for sample. Links to articles noted should be active online in WEBForms.

March 28, 2012

BCREA NOTICE: Minor Change to Contract of Purchase & Sale Forms

BCREA has advised that two Standard Forms have been revised to be consistent with the recent change to the Contract of Purchase and Sale. They will be available on WEBForms™ on Thursday, March 29.

• Contract of Purchase and Sale Addendum
• Assignment of Contract of Purchase and Sale Addendum

Minor Change: A line has been added for multiple PIDs.

March 14, 2012

CREA NOTICE: WEBForms™ and Mac Computers Update!

CREA has advised that with the latest OS release, Apple no longer supports the use of Adobe Reader or Adobe Acrobat to view PDF files on Safari 5.1.

Procedure to view WEBForms™ with Adobe Reader 10.X with Mac OS X Lion (10.7) or Mac OS X Snow Leopard (10.6):

1. Download and install Adobe Reader 10.X using this link: http://get.adobe.com/reader
2. Download Safari 4.0.5 from this link: http://webforms.realtorlink.ca/webforms/documentation/MultiSafari405.zip
3. Once downloaded, the file should automatically extract in the “Downloads” directory.
4. In the “Finder” bar click “Go” then select “Downloads” to open the “Downloads” folder window.
Or you can use the shortcut: Option + Command + L
5. Drag the new Safari 4.0.5 icon from the “Downloads” folder to the “Applications” folder.
6. Ensure to only have Safari 4.0.5 opened while accessing WEBForms™.

Click here for PDF with screenshots. Also available as a Word document upon request from [email protected].

NOTE: A reminder to OMREB members that regularly use a Mac computer... Please send a blank email to [email protected] with the subject line simply reading: “I have a Mac”. This will allow the OMREB technical department to notify you directly of news or updates regarding this issue as well as provide an indication of OMREB’s Mac user base.

Thank you for your continued patience in this matter.

March 7, 2012

BCREA NOTICE: Minor Change to Standard Forms March 8th!

BCREA has advised that as of tomorrow, March 8th, there will be a minor change to the Contract of Purchase and Sale and Multiple Listing Contract available on WEBForms™.

Minor Change: To provide more space for multiple PIDs, a line has been added.

• Contract of Purchase and Sale
• Multiple Listing Contract
• Multiple Listing Contract (Large Print)

March 1, 2012

BCREA NOTICE: More HST to PST Info!

Given the popularity of the First-Time New Home Buyers’ Bonus, BCREA has received many questions regarding how the bonus works and has updated its website with the information received from the Ministry of Finance: http://www.bcrea.bc.ca/government-relations/first-time-new-home-buyers'-bonus

In short:

• The BC First-Time New Home Buyers’ Bonus is a one-time refundable personal income tax credit worth up to $10,000 for first-time new home buyers.
• Application forms (available later this year) will need to be completed and sent to the BC Ministry of Finance for processing.
• The bonus will be issued as a separate cheque from the BC Ministry of Finance.
• If income is above $150,000 there will be some clawback of the $10,000.
• The bonus will NOT be claimed through income tax.

Please see the Ministry of Finance website for additional information and Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ): http://www.sbr.gov.bc.ca/individuals/Income_Taxes/Personal_Income_Tax/tax_credits/fthb_bonus.htm

The Ministry has confirmed they will be updating their site to reflect that the bonus will be a cheque from the government and not a tax credit.

NOTE: As additional questions about the First-Time New Home Buyers’ Bonus, or other HST/PST related questions are received, BCREA will find the answers and update online materials re: HST/PST Resources: http://www.bcrea.bc.ca/government-relations/hst-pst-resources

February 27, 2012

BCREA NOTICE: HST/PST Resources Online!

Members are advised that a collection of HST/PST Resources -- including Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about the Enhanced BC HST New Housing Rebate, PST Transition Rules for Real Property, and Grant for New Second and Recreational Homes -- are now available online.

These documents have been posted on the Home Page of BCREA's website www.bcrea.bc.ca under "Highlights", and on OMREB's REALTORLink Home Page "Spotlight".

February 17, 2012

BCREA NOTICE: HST Transition Rules for Housing Announced!

Thanks to input from BCREA, OMREB and other key stakeholders in our region, BC Finance Minister Falcon has just released information regarding the transition measures supporting new home buyers and builders.

The B.C. government is giving home buyers and builders a more solid foundation for the transition out of the harmonized sales tax, and says it will officially return to the provincial sales tax by April 1, 2013.

In the meantime, the government will raise the HST rebate threshold for new home buyers to $850,000, up from the current $525,000. That means more than 90 per cent of newly built homes will be eligible for the rebate of up to $42,500. After the HST-end date, those who buy a home built before April 1, 2013 will have to pay a two per cent transition tax on the full house price.

Minister Falcon says the changes ensure that there is fairness through the transition period and provide a road map for the housing industry to make the transition back to the PST as smooth as possible.

For full details, click here for media release, and click here for BCREA notes.

February 7, 2012

CREA ADVISORY: WEBForms™ and Mac Computers Update!

CREA has advised that a fix is very close to being released which we hope will resolve the problem of NOT being able to use WEBForms™ on your Mac computer. The fix is still being tested but is very near.

OMREB members that regularly use a Mac computer are asked to send a blank email to [email protected] with the subject line simply reading: “I have a Mac”. This will allow the OMREB technical department to notify you directly of news or updates regarding this issue as well as provide an indication of OMREB’s Mac user base.

Thank you for your continued patience in this matter.

February 3, 2012

CREA ADVISORY: End of Life of MLS.ca!

This message from CREA is of a technical nature and relates to those OMREB Members who maintain a public website for their business. Further, this ONLY applies if you have a direct link to realtor.ca or mls.ca from your website.

For any OMREB member who is currently utilizing the REALTOR®, office or MLS® listing link-back code to the public REALTOR.ca website from their personal website, we ask that you check, or have your website developer check, to see if the URL has “mls.ca” in it. If so, you will need to change “mls.ca” to “REALTOR.ca” to ensure that the link-back code will continue to function properly.

No other changes to the link-backs are necessary.

Please contact Charles at the OMREB office for details if you are unsure: 250-491-4560, ext 232 or [email protected]

December 15, 2011

BCREA NOTICE: New Strata Property Act Regulations!

The new Strata Property Act regulations regarding depreciation reports, contingency reserve fund changes and Form B information certificate updates were introduced by the BC Government on December 14, 2011.

The consultation with the strata community including strata associations, legal experts, professionals and strata lot owners was very helpful in refining the final regulations.

Both BCREA and PAMA have provided their overviews on the changes along with some supporting documents. Click here for BCREA notes and here for notes from PAMA, and supporting documents (government media release, etc.).

December 6, 2011

BCREA ADVISORY: Standard Clause title changes on WEBForms™

BCREA has advised that titles for some Standard Clauses have been updated on WEBForms™ to make it easier to find the clause in a “search”.

To maintain a level of title consistency, the Real Estate Council of BC changed the following 12 Clause Titles by removing the words “Subject to” in the title:

• Buyer Approving the Property Disclosure Statement Clause
• Buyer Approving Franchise Agreement Clause
• Buyer's Approval of Title and Title Search to be Incorporated into Contract
• Franchisor Approving Assignment of Franchise Clause
• Inspection/Testing/Government Approval Clause
• Legal Advice Clause
• New First Mortgage Clause
• New Second Mortgage Clause
• Refinancing with Existing Mortgagee Clause
• Sale of the Buyer's Property Clause
• Sale of the Buyer's Property, with Time Clause
• Seller Purchasing Residence Clause

Click here for memo and screen shot (PDF).

November 28, 2011

CREA ADVISORY: Upgrades to REALTOR.ca!

A new version of REALTOR.ca will be released November 29th (tomorrow) to enhance, improve and simplify the user experience.

Version 5.5 introduces exciting new features and tools that allow users to customize REALTOR.ca to find what they’re looking for faster. It will also enable REALTORS® and Offices to display their social media links.

A nice change will be the automatic re-sizing of the map to make use of space that’s currently empty on the left and right. In addition, the left and right panels on the site, which currently show the search criteria and thumbnail areas respectively, will be collapsible. This will allow even more of the map to display. Finally, the user will also be able to draw a polygon on the map to refine the search further. This will be particularly helpful in urban areas populated with a large number of listings.

Click here for CREA Advisory outlining the updates. NOTE: It will take about a week for the new fields and required dataload additions at the Board level to fully activate some of the new features and tools.

For more detailed information about the new features of REALTOR.ca v5.5, visit the new REALTOR.ca product page on REALTORLink®.

November 28, 2011

BCREA EDUCATION SURVEY: Gathering Feedback from Real Estate Professionals

To help guide BCREA through the process of making informed decisions about provincial REALTOR® education, the Association has put together an education survey to gather feedback on education programming over the next few years.

We have been asked to promote this survey to our members. Please see the message and URL link for the BCREA Education Survey below (click here for PDF version). The survey will close on December 15th.

EDUCATION SURVEY

http://app.fluidsurveys.com/s/ge

Welcome
As you may know, BCREA is undertaking a 3-year strategic approach to enhance provincial REALTOR® education. This includes enhancing PDP course offerings, expanding what kinds of learning opportunities are approved for PDP credit, and offering online learning for BC REALTORS®, in addition to face-to-face courses. In collaboration with the Real Estate Council of BC , BCREA is also working on a redesign of the Applied Practice Course.

Your answers to this survey will help guide BCREA through the process of making informed decisions about provincial REALTOR® education. Thank you for your time. The survey should take approximately 5-10 minutes.

Instructions
Please note that there are three pages of multiple-choice and open-ended questions in this survey. Once you have finished each page, click "Next" and you will automatically go to the next page. While you are in the survey, you can also go back by clicking on the "Back" button at the bottom of the page.

November 18, 2011

WEBForms™ ADVISORY: Minor Changes to Standard Forms!

BCREA has advised that as of late yesterday (November 17th), a number of minior changes have been made to the Standard Forms available on WEBForms™.

• Addition of “PREC” reference in the footer of several forms
• Fee Agreement titles revised to avoid confusion
• Addition plus revision to Property Disclosure Statement – Strata Title Properties

Click here for list of forms affected by the changes. A copy of this email was forwarded to Broker Owners and Office Admin Contacts.

October 11, 2011

BCREA NOTICE: PST Update from BCREA!

Members are advised that BCREA received confirmation this week from BC Minister of Finance Kevin Falcon that, when the Provincial Sales Tax is reinstated, it will not apply to sales of new homes or to real estate licensee commissions.

While BCREA expected this was the case, it was good to see it confirmed in writing. This information will be included in the October issue of the BCREA eBulletin, which will be published later this week. Click here for preview.

As a result of this news, BCREA has slightly revised its 2011-2012 Pre-Budget Submission recommendation on moving toward the PST (inserted below). The government is targeting March 31, 2013 as the date by which the PST will be reinstated, and BCREA continues to urge the government to reveal its transition plan ASAP, including clear and straightforward transitional rules.

Recommendations—Moving Toward the PST

BCREA understands the transition to a Provincial Sales Tax (PST) regime is expected to be complete by March 31, 2013. This means potential buyers of new homes may put off their purchases until that time, which will be especially negative for the condominium market and the secondary/ recreational home market.

Potential homebuyers also need firm answers about how the PST will apply. Delayed purchases of new homes will have a broad negative impact on BC’s economy, from local professionals and retailers all the way up to provincial tax revenue.

BCREA joins colleagues in other sectors and organizations in urging the provincial government to alleviate market uncertainty by revealing its transition plan as quickly as possible, including transitional rules that are written in clear, plain language.

Over the next few months, BCREA plans to consult with REALTORS® around the province to learn about their questions related to the transition, and to gather their suggestions about improvements that can be made to the PST. The Association will make this information available to elected officials to assist with the move toward the PST.

Click here for BCREA's new Shelter Taxes website!

September 8, 2011

WEBForms™ ADVISORY: Revised "Buyers Notice to Seller for Vacant Possession" Form

BCREA has advised that as of today, the "Buyers Notice to Seller for Vacant Possession of a Tenant Occupied Property" has been revised and is available on WEBForms™. Please use revised form.

Added:

Time reference: to vacate by 1 pm
Section 37 as a reference of the "Residential Tenancy Act" to enable landlords to refer tenants to the statutory requirement for time

Click here for sample of revised form.

August 31, 2011

WEBForms™ ADVISORY: Westbank First Nation “Addendum” Added!

The following Addendum specific to Westbank First Nation in the Central Zone has been added to WEBForms™ (click on link below for sample).

• "Contract of Purchase & Sale of a Manufactured Home on a Rental Pad – WFN Addendum"

Included with this Addendum is the required WFN Consent to Assign form, so the new form is 4 pages in total: "Westbank First Nation - Request for Consent to Assign Manufactured Home Pad Tenancy Agreement"

The new form appears online under “Printable Forms” in two categories with all other “Contract of Purchase and Sale…” forms posted for OMREB:

• Board > “ALL” (Screen shot provided here)
• Board > “SALES”

August 30, 2011

CREA NOTICE: 2011 Member Survey Draw Winners!

As part of CREA’s Spring 2011 Member Survey several prizes were awarded as incentive for members to complete the survey.

We are pleased to announce that the following OMREB Members will receive USB flash drives for their participation:

Paige Guernsey, Coldwell Banker Horizon Realty (Kelowna)
Dale Crellin, Coldwell Banker Alliance Realty (Vernon)

Photos of the prize winners will be submitted to CREA for promo use and will appear in OMREB's Fall 2011 Mainline CONNECTIONS e-newsletter due for release at the end of September.

Thank you to all OMREB Members for taking the time to participate in the CREA Survey. We hope you will continue to support the efforts of your national association in the future.

August 9, 2011

CREA ADVISORY: WEBForms™ Notice for Mac Users - Reverting Safari from 5.1 to 5.0.3

This applies to Mac computers only!

Due to problems with WEBForms™ and Mac (Apple) computers, the WEBForms™ development team have devised a work around for those who are affected by the incompatobility problem with Safari 5.1.

Bottom Line: If you updated your version of Safari to version 5.1, your WEBForms™ will no longer work correctly. Opera, Firefox, Chrome do not work with WEBForms™ on the Mac OS. If you have not updated to version 5.1 of Safari, or the new ‘Lion’ OS, it is strongly recommended that you wait until this issue has been addressed by Apple and Adobe.

1. Apple issued new version of Safari 5.1 with its own PDF viewer which will also be the Safari version in the new ‘Lion’ OS.
2. Unlike Google Chrome – there is no current method to turn off the native PDF viewer from Safari 5.1.
3. Adobe was aware that this was coming and issued a communiqué the day after Safari 5.1 release advising of issues. Adobe may have a possible fix by the end of 2011.
4. The only way to rectify this huge crisis on Mac O/S is to revert to Safari 5.0.3
5. Please follow instructions in attached PDF to resolve the problem
6. Reinstall Adobe Reader if necessary.

How To: Click here for instructions on reverting Safari 5.1 to 5.9.3. This procedure will also be posted in the "Announcements" section on WEBForms™.

July 26, 2011

CREA ADVISORY: Maintenance to REALTORLink® and Listing Stats

CREA advises that on Tuesday, August 2nd, between 3 am and 5 am (midnight to 2 am Pacific), they will be performing maintenance designed to update the backup agent on the server.

During this time, both REALTORLink® and Listing Stats will be unavailable. However, the ‘back-door’ for WebFORMS™ will be available: www.webforms.info/webforms/

CREA apologizes for any inconvenience this may cause.

July 25, 2011

CREA ADVISORY: WEBForms™ and Mac OS X Lion incompatible

The WEBForms™ team has identified a problem with the recent release of Mac OS X Lion, and therefore, does not recommend WEBForms™ users to upgrade to the new Mac OS X Lion at this time.

Adobe Reader plug-in and Acrobat plug-in are not compatible with the Safari 5.1 browser, which will ship with Mac OS X 10.7 and for 10.6 in July 2011.

Click here for CREA Notice and the applicable Adobe Advisory.

June 21, 2011

CREA ADVISORY: Unauthorized Scraping of REALTOR.ca Data by Mobile Apps!

As most Members are probably aware, the development of applications ("apps") for mobile devices such as Blackberries and iPhones have become big business. It has come to CREA’s attention that a number of real estate apps that scrape content from REALTOR.ca have been created by third parties and are being sold and/or made available to consumers and to REALTORS®.

REALTORS® should be aware that these apps infringe CREA's copyright in the REALTOR.ca website and are in violation of the Terms of Use of the site. CREA has developed the only authorized app for REALTOR.ca and that app is available for Blackberry, iPhone, Windows Phone 7, and will be available soon for Android.

NOTE: REALTOR.ca is an advertising website created, owned, and maintained by CREA to give the listingsof its members universal exposure to the public. As is set out in the Terms of Use on the REALTOR.ca website, the database and all materials on the website are protected by copyright laws and are owned by CREA or by the member who has supplied the data. Property listings and other data available on REALTOR.ca are intended for the private, non-commercial use by individuals. Any commercial use of the listings or data in whole or in part, directly or indirectly, is specifically forbidden. This means that listing content from REALTOR.ca cannot be used to create apps.

Click here for full Advisory from William D. Harrington, CREA Corporate Counsel.

July 7, 2011

BCREA NOTICE: New & Revised Standard Forms and Education Pieces!

As of July 6th, 10 forms and 9 education pieces have been updated or added on WEBForms™, and 2 forms have been removed.

NOTE: As the majority of the updates are major, the new forms should be used immediately instead of previous versions.

FYI: BCREA has received some concerns about removing the Authority to Lease form. As a result, it is now available on WEBForms™ again along with the Exclusive Authority to Lease form, until further notice.

A printable PDF of each form or document has been emailed to Managing Brokers (and forwarded to Office Admin Contacts) for easy office reference (attached to July 7th “Broker Update”).

Click here for details (printable list - from text below).

REMOVED from WEBForms™

• Authority to Lease - back on WEBForms™ until further notice

• Fee Agreement

NEW & REVISED FORMS (10 Forms)

MINOR CHANGE – previous versions can still be used. However, once hard copies are done please use the updated version of the form.

• Offer to Lease – added an additional line for the covenantor to sign on the signature page.

MAJOR CHANGE – please use the new forms!

• Exclusive Authority to Lease This has been converted from an MLS® Authority to Lease to an Exclusive Authority to Lease – The committee discussed that currently Commercial REALTORS® are using the MLS® Authority to Lease and crossing out the MLS® reference and that an exclusive form could be more useful.

• Buyers Notice to Seller for Vacant Possession of a Tenant Occupied Property - NEW

• Service Retainer Agreement - NEW

• Multiple Listing Contract – revision on Section 7.D

• FEE AGREEMENTS:

The Standard Forms Committee decided that a Fee Agreement might be needed to be used with a buyer and a seller both when the REALTOR® is in an agency relationship and when not. As the representations and acknowledgements were different for each scenario you need four agreements:

• Buyer’s Fee Agreement (Seller Not Represented)
• Buyer’s Fee Agreement
• Seller’s Fee Agreement (Buyer Not Represented)
• Seller’s Fee Agreement

• Contract of Purchase and Sale of a Manufactured Home:

Page 1 – Paragraph 5: “and the Residential Tenancy Act” was added to the end of the sentence
Paragraph 6 : “deck” was added
Page 3 – Part I (b): discloses changed to “has disclosed”
“Removal” was removed from Subject Removal Clause….
heading "Under the Subject Clause – Seller’s Disclosure…:"
changes to (a) – “of the offer” added after acceptance and “Seller” added after by the (b) “of such disclosure” added after delivery
Part II – changes to (a) and (b). (c) and the last sentence were removed.
New (c) and (d) was added.
Page 6 – Section 5: The last sentence in the paragraph that deals with the date has been revised.

EDUCATION PIECES – Available under the GUIDE Tab (9 Forms)

• Buyer’s Fee Agreement (Seller Not Represented)
• Buyer’s Fee Agreement
• Seller’s Fee Agreement (Buyer Not Represented)
• Seller’s Fee Agreement
• Important Information for the Landlord (Buyers Notice to Seller for Vacant Possession)
• Service Retainer Agreement
• Acting for Two Buyers Interested in the Same Property
• Mere Postings
• A REALTOR®’S Guide to Buyer Agency Remuneration Agreement (revised)

NOTE FOR CENTRAL ZONE: To be added to WEBForms soon!

• Westbank First Nations Addendum to Contract of Purchase & Sale of a Manufactured Home
• Westbank First Nations Request for Consent to Assign Manufactured Home Pad Tenancy Agreement

June 21, 2011

CREA ADVISORY: FINTRAC Warns of Compliance Assessments!

CREA advises that REALTORS® and Brokers must remain diligent in following FINTRAC’s rules and regulations.

FINTRAC continues to conduct audits of real estate Brokerages to gauge compliance, and Administrative Monetary Penalties (included with attachment) have been levied for non-compliance, including to a real estate brokerage.

REALTOR® and Broker Bruce Mullett sat down with CREA’s Director of External Relations to share his experience with a FINTRAC compliance audit. We encourage you to watch this podcast as it contains important insight into preparing for, and working through, an audit.

In addition, FINTRAC wrote to CREA (letter included with attachment) to advise that some brokerages will be selected to complete an assessment report in the upcoming year to gauge their level of compliance.

REALTORS® can visit CREA’s FINTRAC compliance centre on REALTORLink® for additional background. FINTRAC has also developed information (included with attachment) to assist the real estate industry in meeting its obligations.

Click here for advisory with three of the reference items noted. Click on underlined links in PDF for more information.

June 2, 2011

CREA NOTICE: Watch for Member Survey!

OMREB is encouraging members to participate in CREA's Annual Member Survey - running from June 2nd through 30th, 2011. The survey only takes about 15 minutes to complete and you will automatically be eligible for multiple prize draws, so enter soon!

The Spring 2011 CREA/Insightrix Member Survey allows is a valuable way to find out what is on the mind of our members and to get to know them better. The information from the survey will help CREA continue to improve and develop products and services that serve members better.

Complete the survey before June 21st, 2011 and you’re eligible to win:

• One of 7 ‘Winner’s Choice’ of an Apple iPad or BlackBerry Playbook Tablet (64 Gb, approx. value $700.00)
• One of 10 REALTOR® branded iPod Touch units (8Gb, approx. value $220.00)
• One of 120 REALTOR® branded USB Flash Drives (2Gb, approx. value $12.00)

Complete the survey between June 22nd, 2011 and June 30th, 2011 and you’re eligible to win:

• One of 3 ‘Winner’s Choice’ of an Apple iPad or BlackBerry Playbook Tablet (64 Gb, approx. value $700.00)
• One of 8 REALTOR® branded iPod Touch units (8Gb, approx. value $220.00)
• One of 100 REALTOR® branded USB Flash Drives (2Gb, approx. value $12.00)

Click here to print copy of this CREA notice.

May 30, 2011

CREA ALERT: Fixes on REALTOR.ca and ICX on Tuesday

Members are advised that CREA is completing the following fixes on REALTOR.ca and ICX on Tuesday, May 31st. No downtime is expected.

REALTOR.ca Fixes: • Email a REALTOR® and Office: free text section optional depending on Member settings
• Realtor.ca, test8080 and live website will not load saved searches from home pages
• Search image wraps to the next line in Search Map via Chrome browser
• Listings with the same MLS# number do not display on IXN
• Changes required to realtor.ca mortgage calculator to allow for one per cent rate
• Property Details page displays map of incorrect area, when there is no map to a property
• French link to worldproperties.com connects to English page on ICX.ca and REALTOR.ca
• Status bar error on REALTOR.ca Live caused by Splash screen
• Calculator Disappears in window when Land Transfer Tax Error is generated
• On Advanced Search, using Save Search, hit Enter Key, and More Than 500 results Error Message displays, when it should save named search
• Basement Information Display Issue

ICX Fixes: • Email a REALTOR® and Office: free text option depending on Member settings
• ICX.ca test8080 and live will not load saved searches from home page
• Search image wraps to the next line in Search Map via Chrome browser
• Advanced Search remove unnecessary labels and dropdowns: Office: Class Type & Communication, Institutional: Zoning Criteria
• Toggle between thumbnails and map views does not work properly
• Remove logo and link from Commercial Source
• Firefox: Price Error Message Displays Outside Property Search Box
• Tracking pixels added for howrealtorshelp.ca & ICX.ca

Comments/questions can be directed to [email protected]

Click here to download and print PDF of this CREA Notice.

MAY 10, 2011

BCREA ALERT: HST Survey & Telephone Townhall!

This past week, the government launched a survey for British Columbians to provide input on improving the HST: www.HSTinBC.ca/survey. OMREB Members are encouraged to please take a few minutes to complete this brief survey and to participate in the telephone town hall meeting scheduled for 6:30 pm tonight (May 10th) - see details below.

BCREA has made recommendations to minimize the negative impact of the tax since the concept was first introduced nearly two years ago. The following questions are particular opportunities to reinforce the Association’s current recommendation:

2. If government considers changes to the HST, please rate each policy option on a scale from 1 to 5, with 1 being not an improvement, and 5 being significant improvement to the HST.
b. Make it more affordable for British Columbians to buy a home by reducing taxes on home purchases.

3. Please list any other options that you believe would improve the HST. BCREA’s current recommendation is that the provincial HST rebate threshold on new homes—currently set at $525,000—should be indexed using the New Housing Price Index, with adjustments made annually.

HST TELEPHONE TOWN HALL MEETINGS
Another opportunity to ask questions and provide input is through telephone town hall meetings, which are taking place throughout the province. While several have already occurred, six town halls are scheduled for this week (May 10 through 12).

Local Town Hall: Okanagan - Tuesday, May 10 at 6:30 pm

Complete information is available here:
www.hstinbc.ca/making_your_choice/talking-tax-public-engagement/Talking_Tax_Tour.

How do you participate?
If you have a publicly listed telephone number, you will receive a call at home in the early evening of the day when your regional telephone town hall is being held (6:30 pm, Tuesday, May 10th). A recorded message will ask if you are interested in attending the tele-town hall. If you would like to participate, stay on the line and follow the instructions given in the message.

If you do not want to participate, just hang up. Anyone who is unable to leave a message on the call can also leave feedback by emailing: [email protected].

PUBLIC DIALOGUE FORUMS
British Columbians are invited to take part in a series of 11 public forums being held in 10 communities (May 24 to June 9) before the referendum on the Harmonized Sales Tax (HST). During each forum, the yes and no sides will present their views about the HST Referendum in a public meeting format. The goal is to generate informed discussion before the vote.

Local Forum Date: Kelowna - May 30 (7:30 pm to 9:00 pm) Kelowna Okanagan College

The HST Public Forums will take place in BC public universities, colleges and institutes. Independent representatives of the post-secondary institutions will moderate the forums in a non-partisan way.

People are invited to attend the sessions or watch them on the Internet at www.hstpublicforums.ca. The website has an online forum where people can express their opinions. Citizens can also participate in the discussion via Facebook (www.facebook.com/HSTForums) and Twitter (@HSTForums, use hashtag #HSTforums).

HST RFERENDUM CALENDAR
April 18 to May 13 - "Talking Tax" public engagements
May 13 - Independent Panel report expected
May 24 to June 10 - Public dialogue
June 6 - Voter Guide mail-out begins to BC households
June 13 - Ballots start to be mailed out by Elections BC
June 24 - Majority of British Columbians will have ballots
July 8 - Last day to request ballots
July 22 - Deadline for ballots to be returned to Elections BC

MORE INFO
More information about the HST and Property Transfer Tax is available at www.bcrea.bc.ca/sheltertaxes, and also on BCREA’s REALTOR Link® "Lobbying & Legislation" page. And the report of the independent HST Panel is available at: www.hstinbc.ca/media/ItsYourDecisionHSTGSTPST.pdf

APRIL 18, 2011

CREA ALERT: CREA Site Maintenance on April 19 & 20

On Wednesday, April 20th, 2011 between 2:30 AM and 5:30 AM EST (11:30 PM PST on April 19th to 2:30 AM PST on April 20th), CREA will be performing maintenance that will affect most of CREA core services.

CREA is expecting 3 hours downtime for the following services:

- REALTOR.ca
- ICX.ca
- Data feed for Mobile Apps (iPhone, WP7 and BB)
- Cobrands

A maintenance page will be configured for REALTOR.ca, ICX.ca and REALTOR Link®, beginning at 12 AM EST on April 20th (9 PM PST on April 19th).

For the following (internal) services, downtime starts 11 PM EST on April 19th (8 PM PST):

- REALTOR Link®
- NAF
- My Listing Stats
- FTP
- Media Load
- Lyris

NOTE: WEBForms™ will be available at all times.

CREA apologizes for any inconvenience this may cause. Click here for printable Alert.

If you have any questions, please contact [email protected].

APRIL 13, 2011

CREA NOTICE: New Electronic Marketing Rules!

CREA has advised that the government is close to finalizing new rules for marketing by e-mail, text messaging and other forms of electronic communication, which will impact the way REALTORS® communicate with clients.

When the proposed rules were before Parliament in an anti-spam bill, CREA won important concessions. There may be additional modifications, and CREA continues to follow this issue closely.

In order to get prepared, there are 10 are things REALTORS® need to know. Click here for list and links to background information.

APRIL 7, 2011

BCREA NOTICE: Social Media Guidelines!

BCREA’s Social Media Guidelines, a set of best practices for BC REALTORS®, brokerages, member boards and associations when building their social media presence, is now on REALTORLink® > BCREA Home Page > What's New.

The Guidelines were also included with OMREB's Spring 2011 Mainline CONNECTION newsletter emailed to members on April 4th, posted to the MATRIX Home Page (front page news notice) and loaded to REALTORLink® > OMREB > Board Info > The Mainline Connection > Spring 2011.

Click here to download and print guidelines.

MARCH 10, 2011

CREA NOTICE: New version of REALTOR.ca iPhone App!

A new version of REALTOR.ca iPhone App (Version 1.1) has been approved and is now available in the Apple App store for download.

The REALTOR.ca iPhone Application has been downloaded a total of 94,640 times since its release in December 2010.

Here is a list of the changes for V1.1 of IPhone:

Fixes:
• Improved speed
• Map improvements
• Property search - Agent photo not appearing on listing
• Details page – Now displays all listing agents, not just one
• REALTOR® Search – Email to REALTOR® Failing

New functionality:
• Saved Searches
- The ability to save your search criteria in your iPhone
• Favorites
- Ability to save favorite listings as long as they are active
• Recent
- View new listings based on a date criteria

If you should have any questions, please contact [email protected].

July 8, 2010

BCREA NOTICE: New HST Resources Available!

BCREA advises licensees and their clients to visit the Canada Revenue Agency's (CRA) website for the latest resources available regarding the Harmonized Sales Tax (HST) and how it relates to the real estate industry: www.cra-arc.gc.ca

For more information, click here to view current BCREA Notice.

Visit BCREA's Shelter Tax website for other detailed information relating to shelter taxes such as HST and the Property Transfer Tax: www.bcrea.bc.ca/hst/hstaction.htm

Click here for HST information regarding New Housing Rebates in BC and here for info re: BC New Residential Rental Property Rebate.

July 5, 2010

BCREA NOTICE: WEBForms™ Updated for HST and Posted Online!

A number of WEBForms™ have been updated (GST replaced with HST) and posted on REALTORLink® as of today! Please do not use the previous versions.

Click here for list of forms that have been replaced.

June 2, 2010

CREA NOTICE: Do You Have What It Takes to Be A "REALTOR® Rock Star"?

On Monday, June 7th, CREA will launch REALTOR® Rock Star, the head-banging, guitar-smashing game that tests your knowledge of CREA's trademarks. Protecting CREA's important trademarks, such as MLS® and REALTOR®, ensures that members can continue to rock the industry with their one-of-a-kind brand of knowledge, service and integrity.

So grab your axe, mic, or yes even cowbell, and get ready to rock the world with your trademark excellence. You can even win one of four awesome vacations, one of 50 REALTOR®-branded iPod Touch units or REALTOR®-branded USB Flash Drives.

For a game preview and to start playing, visit: http://www.realtorrockstar.ca/ A new button has also been added to OMREB's REALTOR Link® Home Page. You will be directed to use your member login and password for REALTOR Link® to access the game as a CREA member. The contest will run through to December 31, 2010. Rock on!

June 1, 2010

BCREA NOTICE: WEBForms™ Updated and Posted Online!

A number of WEBForms™ have been updated and posted on REALTORLink®! Previous versions can still be used but should be replaced with the updates once hardcopies are done.

Click here for list of forms that have been replaced and reasons for the current revisions.

May 14, 2010

EDUCATION NOTICE: Online HST Webinars Now Available!!

BCREA advises that a Harmonized Sales Tax (HST) Webinar is now available on REALTORLink®. Designed to inform real estate practitioners about the implementation of the new tax in BC and how it will affect them, the webinar is facilitated by Marjorie Brown, a tax expert and partner at Lawson Lundell LLP.

Click here for details about and access info for this free 50-minute online information session. Learn how to evolve your business practices and implement the changes.

April 30, 2010

BCREA ADVISORY: Forms Updated to Include HST Starting May 6th!

Members are advised that a number of forms have been updated to include HST alongside GST and will be available on WEBForms as of May 6th.

HST: Reference to HST has been added alongside the GST. In the summer, these forms will be updated again to remove the GST reference.

Please do not use the previous versions:

Authority to Lease
Assignment of CPS - New Development & Non - Developer
Contract of Purchase and Sale
Contract of Purchase and Sale for Commercial
CPS - Leasehold Interest in Indian Reserve Lands
CPS - Manufactured Home on a Rental Pad
Fee Agreement
Lease Report
MLS
Offer to Lease
Exclusive Tenant's Agency Contract

February 9, 2010

CREA UPDATE: Bureau Information Live on REALTOR Link®

Members are advised that CREA has created a Competition Bureau Information Zone on REALTOR Link® to act as your online resource for accurate and current information related to the Competition Bureau's action against CREA, including CREA activities and actions.

Content will be updated regularly as the situation changes to provide you with the most up-to-date and accurate information.

Click here for today's CREA notice to all boards and associations.

The Competition Bureau button has now been added to the OMREB page on REALTOR Link® for easy access (top right). It is also available via the CREA Tab at the top of the OMREB page.

February 8, 2010

IMPORTANT CREA NOTICE: Canadian Real Estate Board
Disappointed by Competition Bureau Tribunal Filing

Members are advised that the Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA) learned today that the Competition Bureau filed a Notice of Application with the Competition Tribunal against CREA.

“CREA views the Commissioner’s decision as surprising and disappointing,” said Dale Ripplinger, President of CREA. “We do not agree with the Bureau’s position that certain CREA rules are anti-competitive, either as a matter of fact or as a matter of law. CREA’s rules allow for innovative business models and provide a broad range of choice for consumers.”

For today’s CREA media release, click here.

For more details, click here for CREA’s latest dispatch.

To read today’s statement from the Competition Bureau, click here

The Board realizes that members will have many questions about what this means and the process ahead. More information will be provided as it becomes available.

All media inquiries should be directed to CREA: 613-237-7111 (Spencer Callahan or Alyson Fair).

December 8, 2009

CREA TECHICAL ADVISORY: REALTORLink® Document Issues

Due to CREA hardware upgrades over the weekend, most of OMREB's document folders on REALTORLink® now appear as empty so there may be issues retrieving some documents.

As a result, all of the Statistics links are broken and these documents are currently unavailable to members. Please visit OMREB's public website at www.omreb.com > Market Statistics where current and archived statistical information is also posted.

CREA technicians are working to resolve the situation, and will advise when it has been rectified.

November 17, 2009

IMPORTANT BCREA NOTICE -
New & Revised Standard Forms Posted to WEBForms®!

Members are advised that a number of BCREA Standard Forms have been revised for 2009 and are were posted to WEBForms® on REALTORLink® on Friday, November 13th. Most changes were "housekeeping" and relatively minor in nature.

NEW:
* Exclusive Tenant’s Agency Agreement / and Schedule

REVISED:
* Contract of Purchase and Sale / and Addendum
* Contract of Purchase and Sale for Commercial Real Estate / and Schedule

MOST NOTABLE CHANGES:
* Property Disclosure Statement (PDS) – Residential
* Property Disclosure Statement– Strata Title Properties
* Property Disclosure Statement - Land Only
* Property Disclosure Statement – Rural Property – Land and Building / and Addendum

Click here for a description of the changes on each form.

BCREA advises that the Sellers Rights Reserved Multiple Listing Contract will not be released at this time pending review by CREA’s legal counsel in light of the Competition Bureau and CREA’s ongoing discussions.

PLEASE NOTE: Hard copies of Standard Forms are being kept at the OMREB office for faxing to any Member in need of a form "in a pinch" if the internet is down and WEBForms® cannot be accessed. Please call the Board office at 250-491-4560 (Kelowna and area) or 1-866-491-4560 (toll-free).

August 27, 2009

BCREA news release-BC Home Sales Brightest Light in Economy: 2009 Third Quarter Housing Forecast Update

Click here above to view the August 27, 2009 Media Release and information regarding the BCREA Forecast for the Third Quarter 2009.

August 25, 2009

BCREA Call to Action for REALTORS® and Consumers to voice concern about HST

Click here to view a Media Release and information regarding a new website launched for REALTORS® and the Public to send their concerns to government regarding the introduction of a HST in BC next July.

July 29, 2009

BCREA PUBLIC POLICY ALERT: Cell Phones & Driving
and the New HST... What They Mean to REALTORS®

YOUR OPINION: Using Cell Phones While Driving

The provincial government is seeking feedback regarding the use of cell phones and other technologies (like GPS devices and MP3 players) while driving.

Because this issue impacts all REALTORS®, and the government has asked for input by August 7, BCREA asks that you take about five minutes to complete a short survey: www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=wLZb3jkkirb4FmqY0dOmWA_3d_3d

For more information, including a discussion paper that summarizes related research, please go to: www.pssg.gov.bc.ca/legislation/current.htm#distracteddrivers

HARMONIZED SALES TAX

On July 23, 2009, Premier Gordon Campbell and Finance Minister Colin Hansen announced that, effective July 1, 2010, BC will adopt a Harmonized Sales Tax (HST), combining the seven per cent Provincial Sales Tax (PST) with the five per cent federal Goods and Services Tax (GST) for a single sales tax rate of 12 per cent.

An additional seven per cent tax will be charged on a variety of real estate related services, including commissions, appraisals and other services that are currently exempt, as well as adding thousands of dollars in additional costs to new home purchases.

Looking to offset the increase in costs, the Government of BC plans to offer a partial rebate of the provincial portion of the HST for new housing to ensure that new homes up to $400,000 will bear no more tax than under the current PST system, while homes above $400,000 will receive a flat rebate of about $20,000.

What does this mean for REALTORS®?

As proposed, the HST will increase the cost of buying or selling a home and becomes essentially an additional tax on home ownership. Under the HST, REALTOR® commissions will be subject to a 12 per cent tax, replacing the five per cent GST now charged.

New home sales over $400,000 will be dramatically impacted, as buyers will now have to pay an additional seven per cent tax (even with the $20,000 flat rebate). This will act as a disincentive to buyers of new homes in the short term.

Next Steps

Although no consultation occurred before the announcement, BCREA is working on recommendations to keep the impact of the HST as neutral as possible with respect to housing attainability. BCREA President John Tillie is preparing an opinion editorial for publication in the Vancouver Sun on Wednesday, July 29.

More information will be available once the BCREA Board of Directors, staff and member boards have had a chance to review and analyze potential strategies.

Real estate boards, real estate associations and REALTORS® may reprint this content, provided that credit is given to BCREA by including the following statement: "Copyright British Columbia Real Estate Association. Reprinted with permission." BCREA makes no guarantees as to the accuracy or completeness of this information.

Copyright © British Columbia Real Estate Association
1420 – 701 Georgia Street West
PO Box 10123, Pacific Centre
Vancouver, BC V7Y 1C6
Phone: 604.683.7702
Fax: 604.683.8601
www.bcrea.bc.ca
[email protected]

July 27, 2009

CREA ADVISORY: Maintenance Dates
for REALTOR Link®, REALTOR.ca & ICX.ca

Members are advised that maintenance is required for the REALTOR Link®, REALTOR.ca & ICX.ca infrastructure so accessibility will be affected on the following dates.

July 28, 2009 - Accessibility to REALTOR Link® will be impacted as we are performing maintenance between 5:am (EST) and 7:am (EST). During this time, an outage will occur and visitors will see a maintenance page. WEBForms™ will not be impacted and can still be accessed via www.webforms.info.

August 11, 2009 - Accessibility to REALTOR.ca, ICX.ca and REALTOR Link® will be impacted as we will be performing maintenance beginning at 12:30 am EST with completion expected by 5:00 am (EST). An outage will occur between 3:00 am (EST) and 3:10 am (EST).

August 18, 2009 - Accessibility to REALTOR.ca, ICX.ca and REALTOR Link® will be impacted as we will be performing maintenance beginning at 12:30 am EST with completion expected by 5:00 am (EST). An outage will occur between 3:00 am (EST) and 3:10 am (EST).

For any further information contact the CREA Help desk at: [email protected]

MTC TECH NEWS: Click here for info re: REALTOR.ca enhancements, REALTOR Link® upgrades, and WEBForms™ news.

June 22, 2009

YOUR FEEDBACK REQUESTED: Provincial Election Wrap-Up!

The 2009 Provincial Election is over, and the new MLAs, cabinet and opposition critics are in place. While the province waits to learn more about the direction the government will take, the British Columbia Real Estate Association is putting the final touches on its election strategy.

Please take two or three minutes to complete this brief, anonymous survey of BC REALTORS®. Your feedback is important. Click here for the survey.

Norma Miller
Policy Analyst
BC Real Estate Association

April 23, 2009

REALTORLink® UPDATE: Service Restored!

Please be advised that REALTOR Link®, and all services associated with it, have now been restored, including access to Lyris, WEBForms, MMS and My Statistics.

If any member tried to log on between Noon and 1:00 pm Eastern, they may have encountered a security request for a PIN number they did not have. This occurred during a test of the NAF security system, and has also been resolved.

Technicians have now determined the defective server began to fail at 3:00 pm Wednesday, April 22nd. Back-up files have been implemented, but there may be some material missing in the three-hour window when the server failure was intermittent. Documents posted were not affected.

If you encounter any issues with missing material, defective documents, or access through NAF, please contact the CREA Help desk immediately: [email protected]

Our apologies for the inconveniences this may have caused.

Bob Linney
Communications Director
Canadian Real Estate Association

February 20, 2009

IMPORTANT NOTICE RE: ICX.ca Re-Launch on February 26th

Please be advised that beginning Thursday, February 26th, the ICX.ca website will be re-launched as the Commercial side of the new REALTOR.ca.

Some of the changes users can expect to see include:

a new simple search with some advanced search criteria available
the removal of third party advertising from the site
the addition of branding in the top bar with the tag line “Canada’s Source for Commercial Real Estate”
the new tagline “This site is provided as a service proved by REALTORS® across Canada”
new interactive mapping by Microsoft Virtual Earth.

The new site will be available by visiting REALTOR.ca and selecting Commercial from the front page. If you have questions about the new website, send them to [email protected].

January 26, 2009

IMPORTANT TECHICAL NOTICE RE: REALTOR.CA

Please be advised that performance of the REALTOR.CA web site on Monday, January 26th has been affected by the loss of a server. The result has been slower response and display times. In some cases the display of virtual tours or other associated links may not function as well.

The defective server has been replaced, and technicians continue to monitor the infrastructure to ensure there are no other issues.

Please have consumers with comments or complaints contact us directly at [email protected].

Bob Linney, Communications Director - Canadian Real Estate Association

January 9, 2009

IMPORTANT TECHICAL ADVISORY!

Please be advised that CREA technicians continue to investigate the cause of performance issues that result in the slow performance of CREA public web sites, including REALTOR.CA and ICX.CA. All internal IT resources and external expertise have been assigned to resolve this as quickly as possible.

The performance issues mean some visitors to the sites may have to wait an unusually long time to see any results, or any responses to search commands. This is not related to interactive mapping.

Our apologies for the inconvenience; please do not hesitate to have website visitors contact us at [email protected].

Bob Linney, Communications Director - Canadian Real Estate Association

OMREB Note: REALTORLink is also experiencing slow performance issues that will be dealt with as soon as possible.

December 19, 2008

FEDERAL BUDGET SURVEY: OMREB Members Encouraged to Participate!

Federal Finance Minister Jim Flaherty recently announced he wants to hear from individual Canadians about his next budget, scheduled to be tabled in the House of Commons on January 27th, 2009. To do this, the government has set up an online survey to collect opinions and ideas from Canadians.

URGENT: Please note that the URL (internet address) to the survey has changed! If you would like to participate in the process, the new link is: http://www.fin.gc.ca/scripts/prebudgetsurvey/selectMainPriorities_e.asp

On the site, you will be asked to rank the order of priority for six budget or economic initiatives. One specifically says Invest in Housing, while another asks for an idea from each respondent.

This provides a unique opportunity to deliver a message about the two big CREA priorities. Under Housing, we encourage you to input "increasing the maximum withdrawal allowed" under the RRSP Home Buyers Plan. Under Other, we encourage you to put "Capital Gains Tax Rollover" with the explanation that it "would encourage private investment in the economy and create jobs".

Please note, at the conclusion of the survey you will be asked for some personal information (age, income, education, etc.) but you are NOT required to identify yourself.

At the present time, we are unaware of any formal public consultations for the budget, so this online survey may be our best opportunity to deliver the message about our two priorities. In an effort to maximize the effectiveness of our message, we encourage all members of OMREB to provide input to the Finance Minister’s site.

If you have any questions or comments about this, please do not hesitate to contact us at [email protected]

Bob Linney, Communications Director - Canadian Real Estate Association

November 7, 2008

DO-NOT-CALL LIST ADVISORY: Be Aware of "Scrubber Service" Promotions!

Now that we have passed the 31 day implementation “grace period” for the national Do-Not-Call List, a number of private companies are staging online or email promotions about services offered to help brokerages comply. These should NOT be confused with any requirement to subscribe to the national Do-Not-Call List.

These companies appear to offer a variety of implementation or “scrubber” services - in other words, they can help brokers implement a subscription, but brokers must still subscribe and must have an office policy in place. The URL to purchase a subscription is www.lnnte-dncl.gc.ca/ind/accueil-home-eng.

These offers may promote confusion about subscription requirements. Please note the services being offered DO NOT replace a requirement for a broker to subscribe to the national Do-Not-Call List, if representatives of your brokerage use cold-calling for marketing purposes. Only the brokerage can subscribe – a third party, such as the companies promoting the services described, cannot subscribe on their behalf.

Please also note that in correspondence with CREA dated October 24th, the CRTC also clarified two points: 1) it is the brokerage, and 2) not individual agents, who should subscribe. A brokerage may also share a subscription between branch offices, as long as those offices are owned by the same person or company.

A series of FAQs covering these issues are available in the Do-Not-Call compliance centre on www.realtorlink.ca . A recommended office policy guide for brokerages is also available on the site.

- Bob Linney, Communications Director, Canadian Real Estate Association

October 1, 2008

Move from mls.ca to REALTOR.ca - Re-Branding Official October 2nd

At approximately 5:00 am Eastern on Thursday, October 2nd, CREA will make the official move from mls.ca to REALTOR.ca. This means anyone using a bookmark or entering the old site name in their web browser will automatically be re-directed to the new REALTOR.ca portal.

This is a major re-branding project so CREA asks that Boards, Associations and Members do whatever possible to remove the old mls.ca logo from websites, newsletters or any publications. New link buttons and logos are available for download from the Marketing box or portlet on the CREA page of REALTORLink®.

Ads for use in newsletters and local media are located on the same webpage along with brief articles to advise members or consumers about the change. CREA will also be issuing a news release once the change has gone into effect and it will also be posted in the same portlet on REALTORLink.

This change to REALTOR.ca may also mean some members loose their links to specific pages that previously appeared as part of mls.ca. These individuals should contact the CREA Help Desk at 1-888-237-7945 or email [email protected].

September 12, 2008

FINTRAC Compliance Requirements

Effective June 23rd, 2008, changes in Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing laws come into effect. To comply with the new law each REALTOR® - for each transaction - is required to complete an Individual Identification Information Record and a Receipt of Funds Record for EVERY transaction they are involved in after June 23. Both forms are available from the FINTRAC Compliance Requirements portlet on the Main Page in REALTORLink® (see below).

CREA has also posted a 4-page, consumer brochure which you will be able to give to your clients to help them understand why REALTORS® are required by law to collect the identification information. There is also a 24-page information booklet intended to educate REALTORS® regarding the new law.

For now, please familiarize yourself with the information CREA has made available on REALTORLink® - look on the right hand side of the OMREB Home Page in the Compliance Centre for "Money Laundering".

September 12, 2008

mls.ca has been rebranded as REALTOR.ca

On July 2nd, mls.ca became REALTOR.ca. As a result of two years of study and re-design, the website has officially become REALTOR.ca and will evolve into a portal providing consumer access to all of the public web sites operated on behalf of REALTORS®.

The re-branding of the website was recommended by a task force of The Canadian Real Estate Association, and approved by the membership at the CREA Fall Assembly in 2007. While the site is re-branded, the old address - www.mls.ca - will not disappear. CREA will maintain ownership of the old URL, and consumers using it or referring to bookmarks will be automatically re-directed to the new site.

There will be some new features added to REALTOR.ca when it launches on June 30th. All of the existing features from mls.ca are moving, but interactive mapping and more material promoting REALTOR® value will be introduced with the launch of the new site. The interactive mapping technology will be provided using Microsoft Virtual Earth technology, and will include both mapping and "true view". Visitors will be able to search for properties using the existing detailed Advanced Search, a new "Quick Search", or by using the interactive mapping to select the specific area or neighbourhood they're interested in.

The parameters for the interactive mapping on the site were tested with both REALTORS® and consumers through the Fall of 2007. The final application reflects what the majority of REALTORS® said they were comfortable in providing as an internet service.

"CREA and the MTC certainly recognize the marketing importance of the existing web site." said Bruce Mullett, the Chair of the MLS® and Technology Council during his presentation to the membership at the CREA AGM. "We want to make sure the changes are not detrimental to the fact the existing www.mls.ca is one of the most popular real estate web sites in Canada."

You can view features of the new REALTOR.ca and the interactive mapping, by going to realtor.ca

September 24, 2014

BCREA NOTICE: Survey on Proposed Standard Form Changes

September 22, 2014

BCREA NOTICE: Minor Change to CPS Addendum Available September 23rd

September 19, 2014

CREA NOTICE: REALTOR® Mobile Apps Updated for iOS 8 Release

September 19, 2014

BCREA NOTICE: LTSA 2014 Stakeholder Survey

September 5, 2014

CREA NOTICE: CREA Changing Helpdesk Name, Email and Hours

July 30, 2014

BCREA NOTICE: Standard Forms Updates for September 8th

July 23, 2014

CREA NOTICE: REALTOR.ca Listings Statistics Restored

July 23, 2014

CREA NOTICE: WEBForms® Add-ons Available!

July 15, 2014

CREA NOTICE: Maintenance on REALTOR.ca Tonite

July 15, 2014

CREA NOTICE: Creating DDF® Data Feed Now Easier!

July 14, 2014

CREA NOTICE: REALTOR Link® and WEBForms® Down!

July 8, 2014

BCREA NOTICE: Minor Changes to Standard Forms Education Guides RE: Fee Agreements

MAY 13, 2014

BCREA NOTICE: Standard Forms Revisions for June 5th

May 6, 2014

BCREA EDUCATION NOTICE: PDP Survey to BC REALTORS®

MAY 1, 2014

BCREA NOTICE: Today is Transition to myLTSA

April 22, 2014

CREA NOTICE:Year "Built-in" Field Cleared - REALTOR.ca.beta

April 17, 2014

CREA NOTICE: Please Report Your REALTORS® Care Donations!

April 15, 2014

CREA NOTICE: CREA Helpdesk Closed for Easter

April 7, 2014

CREA NOTICE: New Anti-Spam Resources to Simplify Obligations

April 7, 2014

CREA NOTICE: Changes to REALTOR.ca and ICX.ca Apps

March 31, 2014

WEBFORMS® UPDATE: New FINTRAC Forms Available on WEBForms® This Week

March 31, 2014

CREA ADVISORY: New FINTRAC Resource Materials Help Simplify Compliance

March 28, 2014

CREA NOTICE: WEBForms® Database Maintenance Monday Night!

March 4, 2014

CREA NOTICE: CREA Releases REALTOR.ca Beta

February 27, 2014

BCREA NOTICE: Join the "Extraordinary Moments" Journey!

February 18, 2014

BCREA NOTICE: PTT exemption for First-time Buyers increases February 19th

February 13, 2014

BCREA NOTICE: Register Now for New "myLTSA" Portal!

February 11, 2014

BCREA NOTICE: New "Release from Lease" on WEBForms®

DECEMBER 10, 2013

BCREA NOTICE: WEBForms® "Fix" Scheduled for December 11th

DECEMBER 3, 2013

CREA ADVISORY: WEBForms® 4.10 Upgrade

NOVEMBER 21, 2013

CREA NOTICE: New .REALTOR Domains Available Soon!

NOVEMBER 21, 2013

BCREA WEBForms® Notice: Standard Forms Revision to “Contract of Purchase and Sale”

September 4, 2013

BCREA NOTICE: Minor Change to REALTOR® Brochure

July 25, 2013

CREA NOTICE: WEBForms® - New Electronic Signatures Option!

July 9, 2013

New CREA Toolkit Released!

June 24, 2013

BCREA ADVISORY: Changes to Online HST/GST Resources

June 24, 2013

BCREA NOTICE: Revised Standard Forms – Effective July 2nd

May 13, 2013

CREA NOTICE: Report Your REALTORS® Care Donations

May 9, 2013

BCREA NOTICE: Standard Forms Under Review to Reflect Desigated Agency

April 8, 2013

CREA NOTICE: Report Your REALTORS® Care Donations