Dear Members:

Recent reports from health officials are cautiously optimistic that we are doing the right thing. Flattening the curve and social distancing are concepts we never would have imagined a few short months ago, yet now they are everyday life. We cannot let up just yet as more time is needed to hold it back. 
 
Meanwhile, our essential business in real estate continues. This message contains new information and resources for you as you work with your clients over the coming weeks. 
 
Next GAOR Town Hall: Wednesday, April 22 at 8:30 a.m.  
 
Our next Town Hall is Wednesday morning. We will send the Zoom link in a separate message. We are now scheduling our town halls every Wednesday morning and will treat them like caravans: Two new components of the Town Hall will be introduced in this next meeting:
  1. We invite our Affiliates to introduce themselves
  2. Agents will have an opportunity to present property listings.

If you have a listing to present, please email Robert Sandoval at robert@gaor.org  no later than Tuesday, April 20 at 1pm. 
 
New MLS Feature: Virtual Open House and Broker Tours
 
i-Tech MLS is pleased to roll out a new feature for your use starting today. You can now enter, search, and view Virtual Open Houses and Broker Tours for listings in the MLS. A new Type field has been added to searches, search results, and “Enter/Revise Dates” pages for both Open Houses and Broker Tours, making it quick and easy for users to set up and search for Virtual showing options.

When the Virtual option is selected, the system will provide new Link Text and Link URL fields for users to add the URL link for their live events and customize the link text that displays on their listings. In our April 22 Town Hall we will have a brief demo on this feature. See the screen shot below: 
Updates from C.A.R. 
 
The California Association of REALTORS® is maintaining a website, www.carcovidupdates.org , with updated information. C.A.R. also has a  dedicated webpage (login required)  with all the new forms to help you work through your transactions during the public health crisis. Last week, C.A.R. introduced these two forms: 
 
Form NTAP (Notice to Tenant of Ability to Pay Rent During Coronavirus Pandemic)  is an informational notice that a landlord can send to a tenant for the purpose of starting a dialogue with the tenant regarding the payment of rent during the coronavirus pandemic. 
 
Form RPD (Coronavirus Rent Payment Delay and Repayment)  is an addendum to a residential lease or rental agreement that, when agreed to and signed by the landlord and tenant, documents the tenant’s claim that the tenant is unable to pay rent and the reason for the inability; proof of the inability to pay; the amount of the rent not being paid; and a plan to pay it in the future. 
 
Update on Federal Relief 
 
Many of you have questions regarding the federal relief package and its assistance for SBA Loans and Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA). C.A.R. announced that on April 14 the California Employment Development Department (EDD) announced that its new system for processing Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) applications is expected to launch in two weeks. With this in mind, C.A.R. recommends that independent contractors wait until the program is in place before applying.  See the C.A.R. website for details .  
 
On April 6 the Small Business Administration (SBA) announced that it cannot accept new applications for Paycheck Protection Program or the Economic Injury Disaster Loan until Congress appropriate more funds into those programs.  See the C.A.R. website for more details  and watch for upcoming updates on the availability of additional relief. 
 
MLS Compliance Updates and NAR Rule 8 
 
We want to remind you that GAOR, along with every other MLS and REALTOR® Association in the U.S., is on track to implement  NAR’s MLS Statement 8.0, “Clear Cooperation Policy” , which we refer to in shorthand as “Rule 8”. Please review the FAQ on this NAR webpage for details on how Rule 8 affects your listing practices. 
 
The GAOR Board of Directors has voted to implement Rule 8 by May 1, 2020, as required by NAR. Over the coming weeks we will send you communications and fact sheets about how Rule 8 will apply to your listings in i-Tech MLS. GAOR members who are subscribers or participants on CRMLS or CLAW are also subject to Rule 8 and will receive communications from those MLS’s as well. 
 
Lastly, for those of our members who are subscribers or participants on CRMLS, we want to inform you that CRMLS is handling compliance issues, including rule enforcement and fines, as of Monday, April 13. This only applies to CRMLS members active on the CRMLS platform. You should be receiving by now a series of emails from CRMLS about this transition. 
 
Thank you as always for your attention, for your support of the REALTOR® profession and for helping move our communities forward and get back on track. Please contact us if you any questions or concerns. 
 
We look forward to seeing you online and fielding any questions or concerns you may have.

Regards.
Steven Small
President
David Kissinger
Chief Executive Officer

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