DID YOU KNOW??  

Is There Life After COVID-19?

If you are anything like me, you are sick of the phrase “the new normal” being assigned to all aspects of life. In my life, there have been many life-changing events, but change is what life is all about. While the current COVID-19 pandemic has us all temporarily stuck in an uncomfortable rut, we should all remember, “this too shall pass”. Now is the time to be planning for when this crisis ends and what we can do to transition to a post COVID-19 lifestyle.

Real Estate, like the economy, is impacted by many events both local and global. It is cyclical in nature moving from a seller’s market, to a balanced market, to a buyer’s market. When we enter the post COVID-19 lifestyle, buyers and sellers will be anxious to have unfettered access to properties and inventory. They will want a combination of the convenience of virtual tours, photos, online information, and in-person inspections of the properties they have narrowed their search down to. As REALTORS®, you already know about the requirement for you to be available when your clients are ready to make one of the biggest decisions of their lives.

Because we understand your challenges, Yes-MLS is committed to providing you with the freshest, most complete, and accurate listing content available. We deliver that content in secure web API via Trestle for your website developers, back-office product vendors, and other technology partners you may have. We also deliver that contact to you via Matrix 360, OneHome, and other services. Access to listed properties is also imperative to you and your clients so we are providing as part of your dues Supra eKEY service. This safe, secure and convenient service gives peace of mind to your clients.

As we move toward post COVID-19, Yes-MLS is currently offering online education and events, and we are planning our second Agent Streaming Forum for Spring 2021. Also coming early in 2021, Yes-MLS will be changing our name to MLS Now. I believe 2021 will be an entirely new era for Real Estate in Ohio. Are you ready to make it successful?

Until next time, have a delightful Autumn and Holiday Season!

Quality Assurance and Education  

We would probably all agree that a good education and knowledge are vital to avoiding many of the pitfalls in life. Education is an ongoing part of life and that’s one of the reasons our Education and Quality Assurance (QA) Departments are now working more closely together to serve and educate our members on how together we can maintain the most accurate, most timely, and most reliable database possible for our members. It’s not about issuing fines  but rather the goal of these two departments is to educate you, our members, so that the data in the MLS can be accurate and relied upon, and infractions and fines can be avoided.

We all want to see fewer infractions and fines. In fact, we would prefer there be none. The MLS staff wants to do our part to make sure you have the proper tools and know the rules. That’s why our QA Department and Education Department have teamed up even more than in the past to help you avoid the pitfalls that can lead to infractions in the MLS. 

Here are the infractions that we see most often by order of frequency

• Late status changes
• Late entry of listings in the MLS
• Not submitting the required Coming Soon documents in a timely manner
• Not marking a listing closed within 14 days of the recording date

All of these impact the timeliness of the data that our members rely upon.

Some may ask, why do we even need a QA Department? Here are some of the things QA does to help maintain the accuracy and reliability of the data in the MLS: The QA Department conducts different kinds of audits. There are random audits of listings selected by our automated Listing Data Checker system (LDC). There are audits for sold before processing listings, listings that are listed but go under contract for sale before having been entered into the MLS. Other audits “for cause” are done when other questions arise regarding the accuracy of the listing information. The listing information in the MLS is your listing information. You and your fellow members rely on this information when pricing listings, making offers, and doing appraisals. It is vital that this information be as accurate and timely as possible. Working together, MLS Members and MLS Staff are responsible for assuring the accuracy and timeliness of this listing information.

We mentioned the LDC. The LDC is an automated software program or system that is set up by the MLS to flag potential rule violations and generate expiration reminder notices and random audits. The vast majority of the notices that go out from the LDC are not penalty notices at all but instead are reminders that you may have a listing that is about to expire in the system and needs to be extended before expiration. Many agents appreciate receiving this reminder in time to extend their listing as opposed to having to relist the property and do all new paperwork.

Again, the goal of the MLS Staff is to maintain the most accurate, most timely, and most reliable information possible, and provide that information to all of our MLS Members to help them to better serve their clients.

Yes, we all, MLS Staff and MLS Members, want to see fewer infractions and penalties. The QA Department and our Education and Support Department, both, are here to help our members to avoid infractions and penalties. Please take advantage of the office visits, videos, tip sheets, online and live classes, books and much more that the MLS offers to you. Our knowledgeable staff is here to serve and help you with any questions so please give us a call. Our main number is 216-485-4100 ext. 480 for the Education Dept and ext. 485 for the QA Department.

MLS Dashboard Links

Did you know that you can access many services and quick links right from the MLS Dashboard? Be sure to click through the links and save some time today!
The Ohio Real Estate Commission announced it will award three (3) hours of core law continuing education credit to active and inactive Ohio Real Estate Licensees who serve as a poll worker during the Nov. 3, 2020 election. The commission approved the policy due to circumstances created by the COVID-19 pandemic. Please click here for complete details and to review the Policy Statement. This content is copyright 2020 Ohio REALTORS. Read more at: https://www.ohiorealtors.org/blog/1370/gain-ce-credit-for-serving-at-election-polls/
REMINDERS Agents and brokers, the general purpose of a Broker Open House is to allow agents and brokers to preview a property and is not typically open to the public. When invited to a Broker Open House, please do not share that invitation with the general public without the consent of the listing agent or listing broker. Just a reminder of Ohio law when recommending home inspectors. Ohio law now reads:  735.22 Referral of home inspectors. If a real estate broker or real estate salesperson provides the name of a home inspector to a purchaser or seller of real estate, the broker or salesperson shall provide the buyer or seller with the names of at least three home inspectors. Any home inspector named shall be licensed under Chapter 4764. of the Revised Code. Providing a purchaser or seller of real estate with the names of licensed home inspectors does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation of those inspectors and does not obligate the broker or salesperson to satisfy any due diligence requirements with respect to the licensed home inspectors. This section does not require a broker or salesperson to provide purchasers or sellers of real estate with information on home inspection services or home inspectors. No cause of action shall arise against a broker or salesperson for providing or failing to provide the names of licensed home inspectors or information on home inspection services or for failing to recommend a licensed home inspector to a purchaser or seller.   Added by 132nd General Assembly File No. TBD, SB 255, §1, eff. 4/5/2019.
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