Amendments to MLS® Policy Now in Effect

The Board of Directors recently approved amendments to the MLS® Policies – Photos #2.

The first change is that members now have 48 hours to post a photo on their listing, instead of two business days. The fine for failing to upload a photo once a listing becomes active is still $50.

The second change is that a member now has 24 hours after receiving the $50 fine to upload a photo, rather than the unspecified time in the original policy. The additional fine remains at $100.

Lastly, if a photo is not uploaded within 24 hours of receiving the $100 fine, the listing will be removed from the MLS® System.

Photo policy #2 now reads:

If photo/sketch attached or photo to follow have been selected in the Photo field and no photo/sketch is attached or uploaded for any MLS® listing, within 48 hours of receiving an MLS® number, a $50 fine will be levied to the member.

Furthermore, if a photo is not uploaded within 24 hours of receiving the initial $50 photo fine, an additional $100 fine will apply and be charged to the member.

If a member does not upload a photo within 24 hours of receiving the $100 fine, the listing will be removed from the MLS® System.

New Official RAHB Video!

We’ve recently launched our new official RAHB video! Shot over the last year, with help and participation from several members and staff, the video showcases RAHB members and what you do. The video is below, as well as posted on our YouTube channel, Facebook pages, News & Alerts, and our website at www.rahb.ca. Please share at every opportunity you can.

 

Thank you to everyone who had a hand in making this video. Your efforts are truly appreciated.

Coming Soon: New Member Portal!

You will soon see a new, easy-to-use and more personal member portal when you sign in to my.rahb.ca! The new portal will give you the ability to:

  • immediately see details about your RAHB account – and you can pay right away!
  • view a list of upcoming courses and see what courses for which you are already registered
  • see a calendar with all meetings and courses
  • edit some of your personal profile information
  • perform a member search
  • see RAHB notifications
  • link to all the RAHB services/information as you do now

And all of this will be in one place!

The new member portal will be rolled out in two stages:

On Tuesday, June 12, you will be introduced to the new member portal when you log in to my.rahb.ca and use the link to education/account services. The link will take you to the new portal where you will easily see details about upcoming RAHB courses and information about your RAHB account.  New: Brokers of Record and Managers will see additional information about their office accounts.

After the new member portal is introduced in education/account services, the member portal will become the new Single Sign On (SSO) landing page at my.rahb.ca.  It will look similar to what you will have seen for education/account services, but will also include the icons with links to the REALTOR® Tools, RAHB News & Membership Services and REALTOR® Resources you see now at my.rahb.ca. This will be your gateway to Matrix, WEBForms® and other resources.

The new member portal will give you easier access to your RAHB account, your personal profile, and registration for professional development courses while still providing links to other RAHB resources. Watch for more details about the new member portal coming soon!

And there’s more exciting news!

Also coming soon: a new online Realty Shoppe, easily accessed through the new member portal.  Details are still being finalized, so watch for more information!

 

Complete Our Electronic Lock Box Survey for a Chance to Win a $50 Tim Horton’s Gift Card

RAHB is considering introducing electronic lock boxes to our marketplace for our members. In order for their use to be effective, electronic lock boxes would need to be used by every RAHB member who lists properties and chooses to install a lock box.

Before we explore this we would like to obtain your level of interest in the idea of using electronic lock boxes.

Your personal security, the physical security of your seller’s property and contents, as well as ease of use and compatibility with modern digital business processes and RAHB’s MLS®  System, are all reasons to consider exploring electronic lock boxes at this point in time.

We ask that you please take two minutes to answer four questions via our survey – use the Take the Survey link below.

The survey will be available until Thursday, May 24, 2018.

Please note that survey responses and participation are completely anonymous.

As a thank you for your participation, and if we receive one-third member participation for this survey, all members will be added to a draw for a $50 Tim Horton’s gift card.

Responses to this survey will be collected and provided to all members in an upcoming issue of our NewsReal e-newsletter. The winner of the Tim Horton’s gift card will also be announced at that time.

Thank you in advance for your participation. We value your feedback and strive to add value to your RAHB membership.

Take the survey now:  www.surveymonkey.com/r/ElectronicLockBoxes

First Partners in RAHB Advantage Member Value Package!

Member Value Package

 

Following up on the introduction of RAHB’s new member value package, RAHB Advantage, we are pleased to welcome our first two partners: The Personal Insurance Company for group home and auto insurance and GoodLife Fitness.

The Personal has been one of Canada’s leading group insurance companies for over 40 years, and offers preferred group rates on home and auto insurance. Their rates are not available to the general public. We chose The Personal for their excellent reputation, long-term commitment to their customers and the benefits they can offer to you.

In addition to preferred rates, you will also receive:

  • Personalized coverage to fit your individual needs
  • Expert advice from licensed insurance advisors
  • 24/7 emergency assistance if you ever need to make a claim

Learn more about The Personal by watching this short video.

For more information or to see how much you can save on your home and auto insurance, contact The Personal at 1.888.476.8737 or thepersonal.com/rahb.

 

GoodLife Fitness is also offering RAHB members a reduced rate not offered to the general public.

Once you become a GoodLife member under this program, you may add up to four additional family members as members. Use your membership in over 280 fitness clubs across Canada, including 50 Energie Cardio Clubs in Quebec. You will have access to state-of-the-art cardio equipment, free weights and weight machines, and much more!

The cost: only $519 +HST per member per year, or $24 +HST per member bi-weekly.

For more information or to register, go to http://register.goodlifefitness.com.

You can also find more information about both The Personal home and auto insurance and GoodLife Fitness by clicking here.  A link to RAHB Advantage will be coming soon to your dashboard at my.rahb.ca!

Be sure to watch for further announcements as additional partners are added to this member value package! It pays to be a RAHB member!

 

 

Announcement: RAHB’s New Member Value Package – RAHB Advantage

I am very pleased to announce a new member-only value package – RAHB Advantage!

Through RAHB Advantage, we are partnering with a variety of local businesses that will be offering services at discounted prices not available to the general public.

The May 9 issue of NewsReal will include details about our first two partners – The Personal home and auto group insurance and GoodLife Fitness – as well as instructions on how to sign up for the services of your choice. With this member value package you are in control as these services are totally optional; you may register and use whichever services you need or want.

RAHB Advantage is just one more way your association adds value to your RAHB membership. Over the past year RAHB has rolled out a full data share with the regional real estate boards and associations, a new Matrix MLS® System, ShowingTime to automate the property showings process and now this member value package.

Stay tuned as we continue to add more partners to RAHB Advantage, and add even more value to your RAHB membership.

Sincerely,


George O’Neill
CEO

 

Scholarship Applications Available!

Does your daughter, son, granddaughter or grandson qualify for a RAHB Scholarship in Memory of Karan Barker?  Does she or he:

  • Attend, or have an acceptance to attend, university or community college?
  • Demonstrate academic excellence?
  • Get involved in school activities or the community?
  • Show maturity, initiative and/or strength of character?

If this sounds like your child or grandchild, have them complete an application for a 2018 scholarship!

Download the 2018 RAHB Scholarship in Memory of Karan Barker application from REALTOR Link® (look under the Forms & Member Changes tab) or find it here.

Application deadline is Friday, September 14, 2018.

 

Reminder: Changes to RAHB Photographer Billings and Services

As of May 1, 2018, RAHB’s photographer, REAL Services, has changed its delivery platform. This has resulted in the following changes for members requesting photos through Matrix:

  • As of May 1, 2018, members will no longer be billed through their RAHB account for photos and virtual tours produced by REAL Services. Invoices will be issued by REAL Services directly to members.
  • Between May 1 and May 31, REAL Services will continue to take front and back photos requested through Matrix. REAL Services will send invoices directly to members during this time.
  • After May 31, the option to request photographs through Matrix will be discontinued – the Photographer’s Instructions field will no longer be available.
  • After May 31, all photography and virtual tours will need to be arranged with and paid for by members directly with service providers.

Please note that REAL Services will still be available as a photography/virtual tour service – please contact them at 905.319.9399 or via e-mail at photos@realservices.ca. Other real estate photo and virtual tour services are available in our area; a Google search for “real estate photo services (city/town) Ontario” yields a sizable number of service providers.

If you have any questions about this change in photography service, please contact our MLS® Department at 905.667.4650 or support@rahb.ca.

Welcome New Members!

We extend a warm welcome to RAHB’s newest members who joined the association between April 4 and April 24, 2018!

Stephanie Lu
Bay Street Group Inc.

Victor Rosettani
Homelife Professionals Realty Inc.

Maria Galerakis
Keller Williams Edge Realty

Oz Ferreira
Right At Home Realty Inc.

Kristen Termorshuizen
Royal LePage NRC Realty Inc.

Darren Noble
Royal LePage State Realty

Sarah Chambers
StreetCity Realty Inc.

Cait Rutty
Sutton Group About Town Realty Inc.

Changes to RAHB Photographer Billings and Services

As of May 1, 2018, RAHB’s photographer, REAL Services, is changing its delivery platform. This will result in the following changes for members requesting photos through Matrix:

  • As of May 1, 2018, members will no longer be billed through their RAHB account for photos and virtual tours produced by REAL Services. Invoices will be issued by REAL Services directly to members.
  • Between May 1 and May 31, REAL Services will continue to take front and back photos requested through Matrix. REAL Services will send invoices directly to members during this time.
  • After May 31, the option to request photographs through Matrix will be discontinued – the Photographer’s Instructions field will no longer be available.
  • After May 31, all photography and virtual tours will need to be arranged with and paid for by members directly with service providers.

Please note that REAL Services will still be available as a photography/virtual tour service – please contact them at 905.319.9399 or via e-mail at photos@realservices.ca. Other real estate photo and virtual tour services are available in our area; a Google search for “real estate photo services (city/town) Ontario” yields a sizable number of service providers.

If you have any questions about this change in photography service, please contact our MLS® Department at 905.667.4650 or support@rahb.ca.

On the Road Again!

RAHB is coming your way with Community Open Forums in June, 2018!

Caledonia – Tuesday, June 5, 2018
Grace United Church (174 Caithness St. East)
Special Speaker: Jaymie Nelson, Senior Economic Development Officer for Haldimand County
Topic: Economic development and tourism initiatives in Haldimand County

Register now for the Caledonia Community Open Forum!

Grimsby – Friday, June 15, 2018
Trinity United Church (100 Main Street West)
Special Speaker:  A representative from the Niagara Escarpment Commission will speak about

  • The development permit process: what you need to know to make the process move more smoothly
  • How the updated Niagara Escarpment Plan policies will affect development

Register now for the Grimsby Community Open Forum!

Dunnville – Wednesday, June 20, 2018
Grace United Church (301 Broad St. East)
Special speaker: Jaymie Nelson, Senior Economic Development Officer for Haldimand County
Topic: Economic development and tourism initiatives in Haldimand County

Register now for the Dunnville Community Open Forum!

For all open forums: check in and continental breakfast at 9:30 a.m.; opening remarks at 10:00 a.m.

Note:   If you have any  topics you would like to be discussed at an Open Forum, please send your suggestions to Nancy Duce at nancyd@rahb.ca.

 

Welcome New Members!

We extend a warm welcome to RAHB’s newest members who joined the association between February 28 and April 3, 2018!

Patricia Masters
Jonathan Reid
Bridgecan Realty Corp.

Evan Okopny
Coldwell Banker-Burnhill Realty

Aparna Kumta
Coldwell Banker Community Professionals

Kathryn Stenhouse
Com/Choice Realty

Marilee Fehr
ComFree Commonsense Network

Adam Landucci
Thong Nguyen
Homelife Professionals Realty Inc.

Anna Sophia Jodhi
Sukhi Kohli
Michael McQuinn
Sarah Murray
Keller Williams Edge Realty

Frank Battista
Nick Fernandez
Joshua Fleming
Kristy Kelly
Morgan LeBlanc
Emilio Librobuono
Suzanne MacGillivray
Mike Muzzin
Michael Ricci
Dawn Louise Simpson
Tracy Tran
Donna Young
Keller Williams Complete Realty

Irena Tunjic
Judy Marsales Real Estate Ltd.

Donna Ross
One Percent Realty Ltd.

Benjamin Dobrocky
PC275 Realty Inc.

Bharty Bhalla
Chris Cipriani
Sandra Giavedoni
David Hildebrand
Josh Reagan
Brendan Spencer
RE/MAX Escarpment Realty Inc.

Evan Boyle
Frank Ilia
RE/MAX Real Estate Centre Inc.

Allan Fry
Melissa Grego
Siddharth Jaishankar
Thomas Keaney
Right At Home Realty Inc.

Mike Andre
Robert Baker
Diana Cassar
Sinead Robinson
Chris Spiridoulias
Royal LePage Burloak Real Estate Services

Slavica Mutnjakovic
Search Realty Corp.

Dianne Usher
Sotheby’s International Realty Canada

Mariah Parker
Sutton Group Innovative Realty Inc.