Real(i)ty check: MLS access for non-CAR members

“excessive and unnecessary dues “? What is it that you have against Realtors? Have you even looked at the myriad of services CAR/NAR provides? Oops. Stupid question. Of course you haven’t. If you had you would see well over one hundred of them. Furthermore, CAR/NAR members comply with a rigorous Code Of Ethics. Enforcement is swift and strict. Only CAR/NAR members can be called Realtors (Trademark) and that assures clients and other agents that they will be treated with the utmost of professional care.

Ahhh, another union group trying to bully the rest into believing their organization is the one, the only , the one and only. I have news for you – being a member of an organization does not make you a good salesperson or broker, no more than having a degree and a teaching credential makes you a good teacher. Theere’s a difference between “credentials” and “experience”, learn to recognize the difference.

Many agents and brokers are no longer interested in doing things the old skool way. There’s too many legal and creative ways to do business without engaging organizations who have decided among themselves how important they are. So what if CAR provides free legal advice – it’s not free, it’s built into the fees. Not to mention that any quality brokerage already has their own legal staff dispensing advice.

I have to agree in the end with Mr. Pick re the code of ethics – please tell us more stories of the code of ethics and how it managed to keep California out of the morass of bad loans, oversold buyers and greed – we must have missed that seminar. Where was this group when agents and brokers alike were pushing garbage paper and sales ? I notice they take no responsibility (or even a mention) of the bad apples that were and are in the group.

If , Members knew the NAR…CAR…and Local Boards & Local Board Attys., are Lining their pockets with

$ 80,000-$ 500,000…Salaries w / Benes + Ins ( FREE ) & FULL RETIREMENTS !!!

They would Flip

And th get in the club You must know the Elite of NAR…CAR…and Local Boards

The most important service CAR provides is lobbying on real estate and property rights issues in Sacramento. Dozens of bills are introduced every year that can have very negative impacts on real estate practitioners and real property owners. Legislators generally have no intimate knowledge about the realities of real estate or any other business or field of interest. Lobbyists on all sides of an issue are needed to provide them with detailed information about the issues and urge them to vote yay or nay or amend.

The efforts of CAR and CAA (California Apartment Association) have produced results far in excess of their dues for real estate professionals who own property or care about the interests of their clients who own property in California.

Real estate agents and owners who do not contribute financially to lobbying efforts and critical real estate ballot campaigns are freeloading at everyone else’s expense.

Ok, let’s get serious. CAR dues are not that big. What it allows is access to medical at a reasonable cost to self employed people who may be rejected in other plans. Not the first thing on your mind? Well try and change from a plan after you had some problem. This is just one thing, I no longer need it as I am on Medicare but it saved my butt big time.
Second. Yes your forms are great. Try telling that to the other agents who refuse to let you use them. Sure I can fight it, but the offer never gets presented without bias or maybe is rejected. Fight sure. Win, not likely in my town.
I know the main reason is agents do not want to be held accountable to any rules beyond state law. Sure, ethics are of a higher standard and are ignored by most, but they have to go to a hearing or proSyds when they deviate. Do I personally feel better dealing with a member who can be hauled in for crap ethics? You bet

I have been a Realtor since 1986, and broker 12 years, 26 years total. The dues is too high and getting out of control, between the dues and the high MLS fee, more members I talk to are seriously considering dropping out. These high fees always come around the Holiday season when members are strapped for cash. This is no longer a market where agents are closing two deals a week. Many have lost 70% of their income. Many associations have lost membership, and are increasing fees on the backs on it’s existing members.Our MLS fee this year jumped to $495, and our association fee jumped from $540.00 to a new high of $639.00. What’s it going to be next year $925.00?. Where does it stop?
In addition we realtors have new fees we have to contend with such as Technology and insurance fees, not to mention Website’s, and other costs we didn’t have years ago. The general public has access now to all new listings just by going on Website’s like Realtor.com. Maybe they will call you, and maybe they won’t. I have no problem with CAR, and I would like to continue being a member, However, if push comes to shove I’ll have to pick the MLS over membership, and so will many others.

I do like both the First Tuesday and CAR forms. The other agents do not like any forms except the CAR forms. Even some listings require offers to be made using CAR forms. I do like the CAR legal Hot Line. I like the convenience of the way the CAR forms are set up to be used and records kept for years for our review. What I don’t like about CAR is that they are irresponsible in their lobbying efforts and I don’t have any input. I think that the housing bubble that caused our present recession is in part the fault of CAR. They lobbied for low down, no down & easy qualifications to get more sales only looking to get more agents in the industry to increase the dues and thus making CAR stronger. I don’t like my dues going to a UNION, which is what CAR is, and not being able to say how the dues are used. I was a subscriber to First Tuesday for years before there was an internet, where we had big binders of information. I believe that First Tuesday was and is great for letting the real estate industry know what is happening on the legal front.

I’m a broker, in the business for over 33 years. I have belonged to both CAR and MLS…MLS provides a service…CAR provides forms. First Tuesday has forms. However, some dumb agents won’t accept the First Tuesday forms and won’t present your offers. Used to be able to go to the Board office and buy forms even if you didn’t belong to CAR. Haven’t tried it lately. I was told 30 years ago, that an offer written on a brown paper bag was legal…but the young people coming into the business don’t know that. They THINK they have to join all the organizations. Now you can access listings through the internet without belonging to MLS. My daughter is a broker and I argued with her over joining CAR. She thought she HAD to.
Having access to lok box keys is useful…but have to belong to MLS to “lease” the key. Some agents have combo locks on property (I have used them for years), but they won’t give you the combination. Lots of ignorance in the business…and lots of agents are losing out on good buyers because they think they can only work with those who belong to all the organizations.

There is a weekly prayer breakfast? Damn! Take my yes vote back.

i’ve been a member off and on for the last two decades and finally decided that the “buy now” blather they push is too much for me to bear. their economists are hacks, the code of ethics is a joke, they take all comers who can pony up a check…they are no more exclusive than a supermarket club card.

realtor is a brand and the brand stands for nothing except a bunch of hot air.

i buy the forms from zipforms for about twice the cost of membership but i am no longer embarrassed by the association with uneducated kooks that can’t spell, transact, communicate clearly, return calls, compose an offer or even add or subtract. good ridence.

Can you just join CAR and not NAR or local association to be able to access the MLS and get a supra key?

Question. If my broker belongs to a local association can I just join MLS and get a supra key?

former member of local mls in my northern county. In order to obtain membership in our local MLS, it was required to join the local mls by purchasing one share of stock for $225.( in addition to pay monthly dues to access current listings). The original MLS became less competetive,and many fellow brokers were joining the Board Multiple Service. and were not forwarding their listings to the original MLS. At one time, original members would recieve one or two listings per week and not being competetive with the board listings. thereby many mls members dropped out , or sold their stock share for minimum amount. The president of the corporation, offered to purchase my share for a small dollar amount, and I refused to sell. At the board meetings the board voted to conviscate or remove my share from ownership for not paying dues then due. Please Comment . thanks.