Sales activity remained strong in October, with 613 homes sold, a 17% increase over October, 2019, with a 28% increase in the average price of homes sold. The 613 homes sold and the 627 homes placed under contract represent the highest such numbers in any October in the history of the MLS. A link to the October home sales statistics, including a 4-year comparison, is provided on the front page of RVAR.com. The MLS releases its monthly home sales statistics around the 15th of the following month.  

The Virginia Employment Commission has asked RVAR to spread the word. Scammers are using the addresses of vacant listings to apply for unemployment benefits. A confirmation is mailed to the address of the vacant property. The Virginia Employment  Commission asks REALTORS® to periodically check the mailboxes at your vacant listings. If you spot any official government mail - or other legitimate mail (as opposed to advertisements) - addressed to a name you don't recognize, just mark it "return to sender" and drop it in a mailbox. 

Effective December 1st, a new MLS rule will prohibit any price change to a listing in Pending status. Also, changing a listing from Pending to another status for the sole purpose of changing the price is also prohibited.

Effective February 1st, a violation will be attached to this prohibition along with a $100 fine. 

1. Supra user invites a non-member to access the lockbox using SupraWEB or Mobile SupraWEB. Supra user sends non-member the invite text by clicking "key" icon next their specific lockbox in SupraWEB.
2. Non-member receives text message with a link to register, download the eKEY app, and authorize it.
3. Non-member receives access information (lockbox serial #, date & time).
4. Non-member opens the eKEY app, enters 4-digit PIN and opens lockbox.

NAR's Board of Directors, at its November 13th meeting, voted to strengthen REALTORS®' commitment to upholding fair housing ideals, approving recommendations from NAR's Professional Standards Committee that extend the application of Article 10 of the Code of Ethics to discriminatory speech and conduct outside of members' real estate practices.

The Board approved a new Standard of Practice 10-5 that states: "REALTORS® must not use harassing speech, hate speech, epithets or slurs based on race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, national origin, sexual orientation or gender identity."

The Board also approved a change to professional standards policy, expanding the Code of Ethics' applicability to all of a REALTOR®'s activities.

The Board made these changes effective as of November 13th, though the changes cannot be applied to speech or conduct that occurred before the effective date. NAR will be rolling out training and resource materials in the coming weeks.  

Each year, the National Association of REALTORS® gathers detailed information about buyers and sellers nationwide. How does your experience compare with the national average? Did you know that . . .

• The share of home buyers who searched online for a home increased to an all-time high of 97%
• 31% of recent home buyers were first time buyers, a dip from last year's 33%
• 88% of buyers and sellers worked with a real estate agent; 73% interviewed only one agent
• Buyers typically searched for 8 weeks and looked at a median of 9 homes (5 of which were viewed only online)

Click here for more highlights from NAR's profile results.

Sympathy