Apr 30, 2019 | CREA/OREA/RECO News |
Notice of Annual General Meeting
Thursday, May 16, 2019
To all members of the Real Estate Council of Ontario:
You are cordially invited to attend the 2019 Annual General Meeting of the Real Estate Council of Ontario (RECO).
When: Thursday, May 16, 2019
Where: Old Mill Toronto, 21 Old Mill Road, Toronto, Ontario M8X 1G5
Registration begins at 9 a.m. in Brulee Room A
Meeting begins at 10 a.m. in Brulee Room B
The purpose of the meeting is to:
- Appoint Auditors of the corporation until the close of the next Annual General Meetiing of the corporation
- Elect the Industry Director nominees selected by each of the three regions to the Board of Directors
- Approve a bylaw amendment
- Provide members with an opportunity to ask questions
You can find the agenda and resolutions for the AGM here.
The audited financial statements are contained in RECO’s Annual Report.
You may find information on the proposed bylaw amendment here.
Members of RECO who are not able to attend the meeting may submit questions in advance.
For additional details about the AGM, please click here.
Please remember to bring your RECO registration certificate (or the electronic certificate in the MyRECO app).
Apr 30, 2019 | CREA/OREA/RECO News |
OREA President Karen Cox is hosting a monthly podcast where she will sit down with industry experts to discuss subjects important to REALTORS®, like Standard Forms, tax advice, recreational real estate, and lead generation. Each episode is complete with updates on Government Relations, Standard Forms and real estate news that could impact Ontario REALTORS® and their growing businesses.
New episodes are released the second Tuesday of every month on our SoundCloud and iTunes accounts, and are shared across our social media channels.
This month, Karen spoke to real estate accountant Cherry Chan! You can find our social links below.
SoundCloud: https://bit.ly/2UDEpOn
iTunes: https://apple.co/2GGB7pO
Twitter: https://bit.ly/2PvM4gp
LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/2UTDBtq
Facebook: https://bit.ly/2L2xuyD
Apr 16, 2019 | CREA/OREA/RECO News |
On April 23, 2019, Members in Ontario will have the option to use the new WEBForms® 2019, or WEBForms® Legacy (the current WEBForms). WEBForms® Legacy will remain available to Members until December 2019. CREA will be sending out a pre-launch email to all Ontario WEBForms® users a week prior to launch letting them know it’s coming. On launch day CREA will send out an e-mail to all Ontario users letting them know it is available to try and will include a link to a WEBForms® Training Hub.
What is being migrated from the current to the new WEBForms® you ask?
- All (Personal and Office) templates
- **Members will have to re-insert any clauses and/or entered information into their templates**
- All clauses (Provincial, Board, Office and Personal)
- All Forms (CREA, Provincial, Board and Office)
What is NOT being migrated?
- Existing transaction kits will not be automatically migrated
- If a Member wishes to keep one or more of their old transaction kits, they can individually migrate them to WEBForms® 2019, where they will be imported as non-editable PDFs (READ ONLY) into their new document management
- 3rd Party links. All existing 3rd Party ADDons (Docusign, etc.) will be available in WEBForms® 2019, but users will need to re-link them
What is staying the same?
- Form auto-population – All existing form auto-population functions will continue as they do with Legacy
New Look
WEBForms® now has a public facing landing page. Previously, if you went to webforms.ca you were presented with the NAF log in screen, which didn’t provide any information about the application and was confusing to those not familiar with NAF. Now a user has an opportunity to learn more about WEBForms® or to sign in and use the application. If a user is already logged into NAF, they won’t need to sign in again.
Legacy View
Once CREA has rolled out the new WEBForms 2019, members going to WEBForms® Legacy will be presented with a pop up advertising that WEBForms® 2019 is available, giving them an opportunity to go and try the new version, or to remain in Legacy.
Switching Views
Through until the end of 2019 Members will have the ability to switch from the Legacy to WEBForms® 2019 via a pop up or via a link in the top banner of the screen.
New WEBForms Training
Watch for CREA to send out a communication offering online help in addition to in-class training, training webinars you can register for, or view online training videos. In the link below watch CREA’s Relationship Training Manager Lynn St. Germain show an overview of WEBForms® 2019 https://vimeo.com/322945829/99463d75d4
Should you have any questions regarding the new 2019 WEBforms®, please contact the Help Desk at 905-667-4650 or email support@rahb.ca
Apr 16, 2019 | CREA/OREA/RECO News |
On Friday, April 12, the Travel Industry Council of Ontario (TICO) and Real Estate Council of Ontario (RECO) affirmed the right of real estate brokerages to transact short-term rental properties.
The affirmation comes in the form of bulletins from both regulators that clarify the rights of Ontario real estate brokerages under REBBA to transact short-term rental properties.
Thanks to this ruling, members will not have to register as travel agents in order to transact vacation properties provided they do it through their brokerage – saving members thousands of dollars in costs and dozens of hours taking courses/passing exams.
This issue was brought to OREA’s attention by the Southern Georgian Bay Association of REALTORS® and The Lakelands Association of REALTORS® whose local members were receiving compliance letters from TICO asking them to register as travel agents.
Through some quick action, OREA was able to get TICO to stop their double registration compliance campaign. TICO and RECO then set about creating a short-term solution to the problem which was announced today in the form of the below bulletins.
Going forward, OREA will be working with Minister Bill Walker and his team to address the issue for the long-term as part of the Province’s updates to REBBA.
This is another great example of what a united and strong REALTOR® voice can do to protect its members from unnecessary red tape and costs.
Read OREA’s Statement
Read the RECO bulletin
Read the TICO bulletin
Feb 5, 2019 | CREA/OREA/RECO News |
Join OREA for PART 2 of the 2019 OREA Forms Update, Answering Member Questions Webinar. This webinar is a comprehensive overview of the changes that have taken place to OREA Standard Forms and Clauses for 2019 AND provides answers to a host of Member Forms Questions. This year there are only 12 forms that did not receive any changes so don’t get caught off guard when filling out a form on your next listing or sale!
Register for the webinar
We are going to cover:
- What’s New in 2019
- What’s Revised in 2019
- A Review of Forms to assist REALTORS with written Notification, Communication and varied Consents for trading accountability
- A review of the New & Revised Clauses
- Navigation of OREA Forms Resources to assist in day to day practice and enhancement of Forms knowledge
- Helping Members use OREA Forms & Clauses in 2019, to avoid being caught off guard when completing their next Form!
- Answers to frequent Member Form & Clause Questions
The session will include a 45-minute presentation, followed by Q & A period. The Webinar will be facilitated by Cassandra Agnew Walker, Head of Standard Forms at OREA, a former REALTOR®, OREA Director and Instructor. She has extensive facilitation experience with brokerages, boards and associations and exudes enthusiasm in Member Forms discussions.
Visit the orea.com Standard Forms landing page to view our comprehensive list of OREA Forms resources benefiting REALTOR® Members.
All OREA Standard Forms webinars, webcasts, forms explained files, tutorials and related resources are for OREA members only.
Feb 5, 2019 | CREA/OREA/RECO News |
The Ontario government launched a consultation on a broad range of possible changes to the Real Estate and Business Broker Act, 2002 (REBBA). The government is seeking feedback in many areas, including multiple representation, transparency in the offer process, and salesperson incorporation.
Feedback Survey
RECO encourages all brokers and salespeople to participate by reading the government’s consultation paper and submitting comments. Click here to read the paper.
Updating REBBA will ensure that the legislation keeps pace with the evolving real estate marketplace. To learn about RECO’s position on REBBA reform, check out Proposals for REBBA Reform.
The government will be accepting feedback until March 15, 2019.
For more information about the consultation process, please see the Ontario government’s news release.
Jan 28, 2019 | CREA/OREA/RECO News |
On January 31, CREA will be releasing a maintenance update on REALTOR.ca. Changes will include launching redesigned email templates, including REALTOR.ca and DDF® leads; as well as enabling all listing REALTORS® to receive email notifications when their new listings go live on REALTOR.ca.
This maintenance will also allow members to know when their listings go live on REALTOR.ca, so they will be able to check data accuracy, start listing marketing campaigns that lead visitors to REALTOR.ca and connect with their clients. The refreshed REALTOR.ca lead emails will deliver the enhancements members have been asking for such as prioritizing listing’s address in the subject line and making the lead information easier to review.
The estimated duration is from 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. and there is a moderate potential impact to the site however no downtime is required.
Jan 7, 2019 | CREA/OREA/RECO News |
OREA has made revisions to the 2019 Standard Forms and Clauses (see revisions below) and the new forms are now available via CREA’s WEBForms®.
Please use these new forms immediately for any new webkits that need to be created. The cutoff date for use of the old forms is Friday, February 1, 2019, after which RAHB will no longer accept the 2018 forms.
As of February 1, the new forms will be available in the Realty Shoppe.
Due to an extensive number of OREA Forms revised in 2019 (many of which were minor, correction or housekeeping), we are identifying herein the 2019 OREA Forms NOT revised from 2018 to 2019.
OREA strongly encourages Members to always use the current year OREA Forms, to ensure they are using the most up to date and accurate OREA Forms & Clauses available. Further, OREA recommends Members retrieve their OREA FORMS from an OREA Forms Third Party Licensee source, to ensure again they are accessing the most up to date and accurate OREA Forms.
www.rahb.ca/OREA-Standard-Forms-2019-Summary-of-Revisions.pdf
Dec 13, 2018 | CREA/OREA/RECO News |
CREA is looking for experienced and skilled REALTORS® to put their names forward as candidates for the 2019-2020 Board of Directors.
Positions available:
Director-at-Large
Three Director-at-Large positions are available – each for a two-year term
Regional Director
Four position are available – each for a two-year term – one each from the following regions:
- British Columbia/Yukon
- Manitoba
- Quebec
- Atlantic Region (New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, Newfoundland & Labrador)
Qualifications:
- Be a REALTOR® member
- Have been a REALTOR® for at least five years
- Have a minimum of three years’ experience within the last 10 years sitting on a board of directors of a Canadian not-for-profit corporation or a public body
- Not be disqualified by the Act
- For Regional Directors, be licensed in that Region
- If elected, must have completed leadership courses as set out in CREA policy within one year of being elected
- Complete the candidacy documents in the form provided by CREA.
The deadline for submissions is Thursday, February 7, 2019.
The Director-at-Large elections will take place at CREA’s Annual General Meeting in Ottawa on Tuesday, April 9, 2019.
The Regional Director elections will take place prior to the CREA Annual General Meeting at a time and place to be determined.
Click below for more information or to put your name forward for Director-at-Large.
More Information
Dec 11, 2018 | CREA/OREA/RECO News |
CREA and Lone Wolf Technologies are partnering to deliver new CREA WEBForms® making it easier for members to manage deals from offer to close. In April 2019, the new CREA WEBForms® will be released in Ontario.
To help familiarize members with the new CREA WEBForms® 2019, REALTORS® will be able to switch between the different versions until December 2019, at which time, the classic version of CREA WEBForms® will be unavailable.
If you have any questions, please contact Blair Armstrong, CREA WEBForms® Product Manager at barmstrong@crea.ca.
Oct 16, 2018 | CREA/OREA/RECO News |
The 2nd reading debate on the Tax Fairness for Real Estate Professionals Act, 2018 will be held at Queen’s Park on October 18 from 12 – 4 p.m. The bill, if passed, would permit personal real estate corporation (PRECs) in Ontario.
OREA is encouraging REALTORS® to attend and demonstrate how important this bill is to grassroots members. OREA is also offering a free lunch served in the legislative dining room of Queen’s Park and will cover your travel expenses if you attend.
If you would like to attend, please e-mail
Wendy Stewart or call at 905.529.8101 x295 by Wednesday, October 17.
Oct 9, 2018 | CREA/OREA/RECO News |
On October 17, 2018, CREA will release a completely new redesign of REALTOR.ca.
In addition to visual enhancements on both the desktop and mobile site, the release will include the following changes:
- An optimized and refined search experience which includes:
- More prominence for the most used search fields;
- Complete removal of all sub-areas;
- A “Type-Ahead” feature on the location field for recent searches;
- School catchment areas are now displayed on the map.
- New top level navigational to help users’ better access the tools they need;
- New financial calculators;
- Addition of REALTOR® and brokerage images on listing cards;
- Improvements to CAPTCHA handling.
This scheduled event will take place between 6 a.m. and 4 p.m. and is not expected to impact users connections.
