This Week’s Lockbox Activity
For the week of March 18-24, 2013, these charts show the number of times RMLS™ subscribers opened Supra lockboxes in Oregon and Washington. Activity in both Oregon and Washington decreased slightly this week.
For a larger version of each chart, visit the RMLS™ photostream on Flickr.
RMLS™ subscribers may now purchase the appraisal program DataMaster for use with RMLS™ data. DataMaster is a desktop application that imports MLS data from RMLS™ and public records data from another source. The data is combined into an appraiser’s existing appraisal software in order to quickly create an accurate 1004MC report.
DataMaster aims to increase an appraiser’s productivity by offering automatic importing, accuracy, and creating a 1004MC report in seconds. The software allows for custom formatting, and is UAD compliant.
Here’s a quick rundown of upcoming real estate training events for April in Oregon and Southwest Washington. If you have an event that’s not listed here, let us know in the comments! Be sure and check out the new RMLScentral events page as well.
April 10: Cloud CMA Demonstration
Come learn about what Cloud CMA has to offer! Cloud CMA is now integrated with RMLSweb. The program leverages multiple data sources and internet information to create custom reports for buyers and sellers from your PC, iPad, or smartphone. A large part of the class will focus on listing presentations, mobile applications, and utilizing social media to help propel your business.
Location: RMLS™ Portland – FREE
April 10-11: Certified Negotiation Expert Seminar (15CE)
A two day course taught by Oliver Frascona which includes competitive win-lose vs. collaborative win-win negotiation; the psychology of buying; persuasion principles; CNE model and planning; case studies; role plays; and group discussion. Attendees will be awarded Certified Negotiation Expert designation at the end of the course. Approved for CE in Oregon and Washington.
Location: Airport Clarion Hotel, Portland — $249
April 11: RMLS™ Spring Education Summit and Trade Fair
Hit a home run with RMLS™! This annual event offers free CE hours for both Oregon and Washington agents (registration required). Exhibitors will be on hand to offer the best in services, technology, and tools for your business needs. Refreshments will be available for purchase, and a special guest will be on hand to ensure a memorable day.
Location: Oregon Convention Center, Portland — FREE (except PMAR classes)
April 18: BuildRight: High Performance Building and Remodeling Conference and Expo
The Home Builders Association of Metropolitan Portland offers its annual business-to-business building and remodeling conference in the Portland metro area. Select classes are available for CE credit, and PMAR members may receive discounted registration.
Location: Airport Holiday Inn, Portland – $150
April 25: At Home with Diversity® (6CE)
PMAR’s Homeownership Opportunities Committee offers the National Association of REALTORS® At Home with Diversity® Program. Gain diversity awareness and cross-cultural skills and begin preparing your diversity marketing plan today! With this certification, you will be able to better serve your clients in the ever-growing diverse marketplace. PMAR members receive discounted registration.
Location: Oregon Medical Association, Tigard- $149
April 26: Homeownership Opportunities Certification Course (5CE)
Developed to help address buyers’ concerns about homeownership affordability, the Homeownership Opportunities Certification program provides practical, hands-on information about financing programs and products that may help financially challenged or first-time homebuyers in the Portland metropolitan region. PMAR members receive discounted registration, and lunch will be provided.
Location: Oregon Medical Association, Tigard- $149
FREE RMLSweb Training
If you are an RMLS™ subscriber, we have many free educational opportunities at a location near you. View the current calendar for your area by clicking the link.
-Brookings
-Coos County
-Eastern Oregon
-Eugene
-Florence
-Gresham
-Hood River
-Portland
-Roseburg
-Salem
-Vancouver
Don’t forget to check out our webinars for training outside these areas, and the Open House hours at the Portland office each Friday (10am-noon) when subscribers may consult with our training staff for individualized attention.
You can also find ongoing education and training classes through a number of different associations in the Portland metro area and beyond. To search for classes in April, check out the current event listings at the following associations:
Portland Metropolitan Association of Realtors® (PMAR)
East Metro Association of Realtors® (EMAR)
Clark County Association of Realtors® (CCAR)
To celebrate spring, RMLS™ is offering a reduced Office Initiation Fee this April. In fact, all initiation fees will be reduced to $50!
This is a great opportunity for offices to join RMLS™ and experience the benefits of sharing with more than 10,000 REALTORS® accessing your client’s listings.
Main Office Initiation Fee: Regularly $500, now just $50!
Branch Office Initiation Fee: Regularly $100, now just $50!
Affiliate Office Initiation Fee: Regularly $400, now just $50!
For more information on this promotion, you can email our Accounting Department, call them at 503-872-8003, or stop by your nearest RMLS™ office.
Available April 2013 ONLY!
Each April, Fair Housing Month commemorates the anniversary of the Fair Housing Act in 1968. This major legislation sought to put an end to housing discrimination of all kinds—although many believe discrimination has only become more subtle in the decades since that time.
The Fair Housing Council of Oregon celebrates Fair Housing Month by organizing at least one major community event. This year, they’ve teamed up with Portland Center Stage to present a special performance of Clybourne Park by Bruce Norris on Thursday, April 18th.
Clybourne Park is a new play that tells the story of a 1950s neighborhood that splinters over the black family about to move in, and compares it to the present day when the same house represents very different demographics, neighborhood values, and tensions. Decades apart, neighbors battle over territory and legacy that forces viewers to consider how far ideas about race have evolved.
Tickets to the April 18th performance are $75 and include a pre-show reception including refreshments, and a post-show discussion. Contact Justin Taylor with Fair Housing Council of Oregon at (503) 223-8197 x111 if you’d like to attend.
Read More About Fair Housing History:
• “History of Fair Housing” by the US Department of Housing and Urban Development
• Fair Housing History and The Way It Was by Jo Becker, Fair Housing Council of Oregon Education/Outreach Specialist
This Week’s Lockbox Activity
For the week of March 11-17, 2013, these charts show the number of times RMLS™ subscribers opened Supra lockboxes in Oregon and Washington. Activity in both Oregon and Washington increased by 3.7% this week.
For a larger version of each chart, visit the RMLS™ photostream on Flickr.
The archive of RMLS™ Market Action statistical summaries on RMLSweb has a fresh new look, thanks to RMLS™ Business Analyst/Policy Manager Christina Smestad.
If you have never seen them, statistical summaries compile many years of data from our Market Action newsletter for most areas in the RMLS™ region so readers can compare long-term market movements in key areas.
In order to improve the statistical summaries we standardized the data, added a few numbers not previously compiled, and reworked the layout to be more readable and printer-friendly. Our revised versions combine average and median sales price into one report and add inventory counts to the summary report. We think you’ll like what you see!
Available reports include average sales price, average and median sales price by area, closed sales, market percent and time by price, median sales price, new listings, pending listings, and a summary report. Affordability summaries are available for the Portland metro area, Clark County, and Lane County. Statistical summaries are currently available for those areas as well as Baker County, Columbia Basin, Coos County, Curry County, Douglas County, Mid-Columbia, Union County, and Wallowa County.
The treasury of statistical summaries may be accessed online two ways. Currently, subscribers logged in to RMLSweb may navigate to Toolkit->All Documents, then expand the folder titled “Market Action Statistical Summaries” on the left sidebar to find subgroups of specific geographic regions (see image at left).
As of March 28, a shortcut will be available allowing users to access quick links to statistical summaries directly from the RMLSweb menu. Subscribers logged in to RMLSweb may navigate to Statistics->Statistical Summaries for a more navigable list of geographic areas.
Moving forward, RMLS™ will update the statistical summaries more frequently than the annual updates of the past. We’re also working to expand the reports into other areas: Polk and Marion Counties, Grant County, North Coastal Communities, and Cowlitz County are planned additions for the future!
RMLS™ is changing password requirements on RMLSweb!
Starting March 27th, all subscribers who log in will need to change their Private ID (password). Moving forward, the system will continue to require a password change every three months (or if you’ve received notice about unauthorized access of your RMLSweb account).
Currently, Private IDs must be between 7 and 8 characters, include both letters and numbers, and are not case sensitive.
As of March 27th, new Private IDs will require the following:
• Private ID length must be between 8 and 12 characters.
• Private IDs must contain both letters and numbers.
• Private IDs can (but are not required to) contain the following special characters: ! @ # $ % ^ & *
• Private IDs are now case sensitive, but just changing case (“RMLS1234” to “rmls1234” for example) is not acceptable for a new Private ID.
Need to think of a great password? Check out “The Usability of Passwords,” “Why Multi-Word Phrases Make for More Secure Passwords Than Incomprehensible Gibberish,” or this great infographic about password security. Alternately, don’t use one of the 25 Worst Passwords of 2012.
Questions about the new requirements? Contact the RMLS™ Help Desk at (503) 872-8002, or (877) 256-2169 toll free.
The RMLS™ blog has moved!
We’ve folded the RMLS™ Updates blog into our new site at RMLScentral. Moving forward, point your browser over here at the new RMLS™ blog for news!
This Week’s Lockbox Activity
For the week of March 4-10, 2013, these charts show the number of times RMLS™ subscribers opened Supra lockboxes in Oregon and Washington. Showings in both Oregon and Washington increased this week.
For a larger version of each chart, visit the RMLS™ photostream on Flickr.