BEST OF THE BLOGS

While home sales remain sizably lower than a couple of years ago, January’s monthly gain is the start of more supply and demand. From NAR.

Borrowing costs, which are rising toward 7% again, are putting a damper on the housing market. From NAR.

Water from Eagle County's designated Eagle Park Reservoir stores for housing should be enough for all 700 units. From VailDaily.com
INFOSPARKS TRAINING
InfoSparks training sessions
 
Are you using InfoSparks - a new interactive data tool that changes the way you use, display and share housing information? InfoSparks is available through the MLS. It's customizable and allows you to easily perform trend analysis on up to four areas at the same time.

Register for the ShowingTime webinar and get an overview of how the product works.
Wednesday, March 13
12:00 to 12:40 PM MST
VMLS UPDATE
Important Announcement: Tax Year & URL’s in Public Remarks
Tax Year/Amounts: It’s that time again!

Tax information for 2023 is now available. VMLS will provide a 1 month grace period for agents to go into all Active & Pending listings and update the tax year and amount (if applicable).

All Pending/Active listings must reflect the correct tax information for year 2023 and must be updated by April 1, 2024. Once the grace period ends, the VMLS will fine $50 per listing, with the fine escalating every 2 business days that information is not updated. Thank you for your effort in keeping the MLS up-to-date.
URLs in Public Remarks

The VMLS recently announced a rule change in which URL’s of any kind are no longer allowed in public remarks. We will be providing a grace period of 1 month to remove all URLs from Active/Pending listings. You may move any URL’s into the Agent-Only remarks. This includes ANY URL. Virtual tours and videos can still be entered into the Virtual Tour/Video URL fields in Flex when uploading photos.

Public remarks is intended for the public and only to describe the property. All listings need to be updated with removal of URL’s by April 1, 2024. Once the grace period ends, the VMLS will fine $50 per listing, with the fine escalating every 2 business days with no correction. 
LEGISLATIVE UPDATE
Call to action: Right to Remedy Construction Defects


SB24-106 would bring needed reforms to help decrease insurance costs, ensure homeowners have the right to pursue timely remedies, provide a faster path for resolution, and give homeowners greater transparency about construction litigation related to their property.
VBR Legislative Lookout

The Vail Board of REALTORS® wants to make sure you are "looking out" for these potential regulations and bills locally and statewide. Please stay informed on issues that can affect the real estate profession and property rights.
CAR Capitol Connection

The Colorado Association of REALTORS® is advocating to protect homeowner equity and private property rights in bills this session, and is anticipating long-term property tax relief solutions the Property Tax Commission recommends to the General Assembly as the session progresses.
NAR UPDATE
Advocacy work is a cornerstone of the National Association of REALTORS® value proposition to members and our leadership of the real estate industry.

NAR's Chief Advocacy Officer Shannon McGahn emphasizes how NAR advances public policies and candidates that build strong communities, increase access to homeownership, and protect private property rights. Click here or click the image to watch her video.
UPCOMING VBR CLASSES
This week!
Disclosure: Handling Material Defects
Wednesday, March 6
1:00 to 4:00 p.m.
3 CE

How should you handle a listing that has mold, radon, or a cracked foundation? Join us for Inspection & Disclosure: Handling Material Defects with John Gillam. This 3 credit class is tailored to our mountain resort community.
This week!
Ethics of Advertising & Social Media
Thursday, March 7
9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
4 CE

Taught by John Gillam, this is a fun, relevant class in today's world of social media! Perfect for existing Realtors®, it helps you make sure you are up to date with both Colorado requirements and NAR Ethical guidelines.

This class meets the Code of Ethics requirement for REALTORS and Appraisers. The current 3-year Ethics cycle for ALL Realtors is January 1, 2022, through December 31, 2024.
THIRD-PARTY CLASSES
Accredited Buyer’s Representative - Virtual with DMAR
Monday, March 25 & Tuesday, March 26
9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. both days
Price: FREE
12 CE credits

The Accredited Buyer’s Representative (ABR®) designation is for real estate buyer agents who focus on working directly with buyer-clients. The Denver Metro Association of REALTORS® hosts this class and it is not a VBR class.
Water Law in a Nutshell
Thursday, March 21
8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Colorado Mountain College, Edwards
8 CE credits for Brokers and Attorneys. 4 CE for Appraisers.

Taught by Aaron Clay, attorney at law and presented by Eagle River Coalition.

Registration is $130. Includes class materials, breakfast and lunch.
RPAC NEWS
VBR member inducted into RPAC Hall of Fame

Congratulations to Amy Dorsey, one of the Colorado Association of REALTORS® members inducted into the NAR Hall of Fame. The Hall of Fame recognizes members who have made a commitment to RPAC by investing an aggregate lifetime amount of at least $25,000.
VBR EVENTS
AFFILIATE CORNER
Start your leadership journey

Get started on your LEAD Eagle Certification this year! LEAD Eagle (Leadership Education And Development) allows participants to understand the stages of leadership from tactical to strategic. This certification is awarded to individuals in Eagle County who show a commitment to their leadership journey by completing the four courses on the LEAD Eagle Pathway. You can learn more through Vail Valley Works, a program of the Vail Valley Partnership. 
TECH TIPS
The ultimate smart home series guide: 24 products of note

This year's Consumer Electronics Show showcased a treasure trove of smart home products, offering a glimpse into the future of living spaces. From NAR.
WILDFIRE AWARENESS
Free wildfire mitigation offered

Did you know that FREE wildfire mitigation property assessments are available to Eagle County homeowners? More information can be found at RealFire.net.

Please take some time to educate yourself, clients, and fellow community members.
MEMBER RESOURCES
Member Benefits & Programs

As a Realtor®, your membership includes National, State, and Local. Affiliates also receive benefits as a VBR member. We provide the tools to enhance professionalism in the real estate industry.
Members only: Monthly market stats

All VBR members can log in at VBR.net to see monthly stats, including each area in Eagle County.
Find trusted industry-related partners in the Vail Board of Realtors®' Affiliate directory. 
Find trusted industry-related partners in the Vail Board of Realtors®' Affiliate directory.
Help strengthen the VBR's events, services, member offerings, and initiatives.
THE VALUE OF A REALTOR
The Competition.Realtor website is available for Realtors®, and it provides a comprehensive overview - and talking points - of how Realtors® and the local MLS broker marketplaces benefit consumers.

The Vail Board of REALTORS® also makes this available on our "Why Use a REALTOR®" page on our website to help the public understand the value of REALTORS®.
Burnett et al v. NAR et al lawsuit: Resources & video
The Burnett vs. NAR lawsuit claims that the National Association of REALTORS® created and implemented rules which require home sellers to pay commissions to the broker or agent representing the buyer. It also alleges that Defendants enforce these rules through anticompetitive and unlawful practices. The lawsuit claims that these rules are anticompetitive and unfair, and that they violate federal antitrust law.

NAR is appealling the liability finding and stands by the fact that NAR rules serve the best interests of consumers, support market-driven pricing, and advance business competition.

We are sharing resources and helpful facts about the case in the button, video and links below.
MEMBER SAFETY TOOLS
Put your safety first - with free tools available to members!
SafeShowings deters criminal behavior, allows you to notify emergency contacts, and mark yourself as safe through the app.

Learn how it works and register today to use SafeShowings (see link below)!
FOREWARN allows agents to have instant due diligence on prospects.

VMLS members can verify a prospect’s identity, criminal records, bankruptcies, liens, judgments, address history and property records in one place, leading to safer and more productive interactions.
EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES
Education Quick Links

Visit VBR's Education Requirements page for more info on Code of Ethics, license cycle requirements,and more. A reminder: Please stay organized, and keep paper or virtual copies of your certificates.
WELCOME HOME BAGS
Welcome Home Bags available as free closing gifts

The Welcome Home Bag Program is a FREE benefit available for REALTOR® members who sell a home. Call 766-1028 to schedule a pick-up or email matt@vbr.net.

The bag is a great gift for your buyer clients. Each cooler bag includes a picnic blanket, set of wine tumblers, and a reusable shopping tote. It is also a great way to promote our REALTOR® and Affiliate members.

Affiliates: Sponsorship opportunities are available for one of the items. Please contact mel@vbr.net.
BECOME A VAIL PRO
Earn the Vail Pro Designation
Increase your knowledge in the real estate industry and become a local expert! The Vail Pro Designation is an educational program open to ALL VBR Realtor and Affiliate members!

Classes are free for VBR members.
ACCESS YOUR VBR ACCOUNT
You can easily access your account with the Vail Board of REALTORS® to register for events, pay invoices, and update your contact information.
If you have not yet created your account, click the link below and enter your name and contact email (Make sure it's the email we have on file for you). Once you hit submit, you will get a follow-up email to finish setting up the account.
HELPFUL CONTACT INFORMATION
VBR TEAM

Association Executive

MLS Director

Member Services & Office Manager

Melanie McKinney Education & Marketing Manager
SUPPORT LINES

If you need assistance with MLS, MLS Touch App, Tech Helpline, or Sentrilock, please use the contact information below.

Flexmls Support:
888-525-4747
(7 AM to 8 PM MTN, Monday - Friday)

Tech Helpline:
Phone: 866-619-8170

Sentrilock Support:
Phone: 877-736-8745
Vail Board of Realtors
970-766-1028 | www.vbr.net