Central Alberta REALTORS® Association and COVID-19

Thanks to social media and other video platforms, Realtors® can generate a live video stream and feed it to Matrix via website link. Viewers can ask questions in real time, just like they were there. It’s important to understand that Live Streaming is different from Virtual Tours. Live Streaming works in real time, you can only participate in the viewing during a certain timeframe, very similar to a real open house. A Virtual Tour is a combination of audio and video which can be watched over and over.

How REALTORS® use live streaming to host virtual open houses – CLICK HERE

Scheduled Livestream Open Houses will be available to all 3rd parties via RETS and DDF feeds (this includes Realtor.ca – SEE BELOW. Talk to your technology providers about adding Livestream Open House to your website).

HOW TO IN MATRIX:

• Schedule a date with your sellers, like a regular public open house.
• Choose from a variety of livestreaming platforms: Facebook, Youtube, Instagram, Twitter / Periscope, Twitch, YouNow and more.
• In Matrix, the same way you schedule a public open house, Under the INPUT tab, select your listing.
  • Under Modify Listing select OPEN HOUSE;
• From here you can schedule the date and time and insert the link to the livestream under ‘Virtual Open House URL’. Schedule multiple by selecting MORE.

HOW TO ON REALTOR.CA:

• Go to REALTOR.CA/GoLive & login using Matrix credentials
• This should take you to a page with all your listings (if not; at the top-right, select My Tools – My Listings)
• Find your listing and select DETAILS on the right
  • Click the +SCHEDULE LIVESTREAM button
  • A separate box will open asking for the URL to your livestream, and the date and time.
• Check your listing on Realtor.ca afterwards to ensure the Livestream Open House has been scheduled.

For more detailed instructions CLICK HERE.

1. During the first CERB application, they (an applicant) must not receive any employment or self-employment income for at least 14 consecutive days: This means that members can apply if they won’t be receiving income for 14 consecutive days during the first period of their application, ie they don’t have to wait until 14 days after they last receive income. Technically, a REALTOR® could receive income for part of their first CERB application period as long as there are 14 consecutive days where no income is received. But they can’t receive any income for the other three periods they apply for.
2. During subsequent CERB applications, they (an applicant) cannot receive any employment or self-employment income.

The Government has posted the following chart to outline the eligibility periods (please note – there’s a discrepancy that indicates the CERB will be available until October 3, 2020. Presumably the Government will adjust the conflicting info soon):

The Government has posted the following chart to outline the eligibility periods (please note – there’s a discrepancy that indicates the CERB will be available until October 3, 2020. Presumably the Government will adjust the conflicting info soon):

Here is the excerpt that I thought could be helpful:

Today, the portal for the Canadian Emergency Relief Benefit (CERB) opened. Some REALTORS® are concerned they are not eligible for CERB for one of two reasons:

• • • The closed a deal in the winter, and will be receiving commission in the coming weeks.
    • They are still “working” (phoning clients, conducting virtual tours, etc), though they are not receiving income.

In the first instance, the eligibility criteria states that income cannot have been received in the previous 14 days. If, for example, a member is going to receive payment today for work conducted days or months ago, they will have to wait for 14 days after that income is received in order to apply. The CERB is available from March 15, 2020 to October 3, 2020. The last date to apply is December 2, 2020. Canadians are eligible for a maximum of 4 months of benefits within that time period.

In the second instance the eligibility requirements state Canadians are eligible: “Who are or expect to be without employment or self-employment income for at least 14 consecutive days in the initial four-week period. For subsequent benefit periods, they expect to have no employment or self-employment income.” Many of our members fall into this criteria.

For Brokers, the Canadian Employment Wage Subsidy program will also be coming out soon.  CARA advises that you consult with your accountant for an interpretation on how the program may apply to your business.

We will endeavour to keep members updated as new information is received and CARA staff are compiling documents relating to the Covid-19 crisis in special folders on the CARA Knowledge Base that you can always find HERE.

Stay Safe!

Regards,

Larry Westergard – Executive Officer 

CARA

CARA’s Board of Directors reviewed the proposals and felt that they augmented their previously announced relaxation of the rules around active listings and concerns around Covid -19.  This viewpoint was shared by the overwhelming majority of Boards and Associations in Alberta.

You can find the revised rules HERE in detail, but in summary as they relate to CARA and your listings, there are 3 key points to know:

1. A listing can stay active on Matrix with no showings allowed as long as the remarks section clearly indicates that the Seller is not allowing showings at this time due to concerns stemming from COVID-19.
   • ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​These remarks should be included in both the public and Realtor remarks section and should be clearly visible to the reader.
2. A seller can still choose to withdraw a listing from being active without consideration of the standard 10 day maximum as contemplated under the harmonized rules.
   • ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Please advise the MLS® Dept in writing if the Seller wishes to do this and staff will process.
3. All other rules and protocols around showings remain in effect.

Any listings that have been withdrawn in the past few weeks to comply with the initial CARA rule change can be changed back to Active at the instruction of the Seller as long as the appropriate no showings remarks are added to the listing at the same time. Please contact the MLS® Dept.

Please note that these changes are subject to modification if the crisis changes and requires further consideration on showing practices.

CARA would like to thank AREA and the cooperating Boards and Associations for the seriousness with which they are taking this crisis and the timely manner in which they are making decisions to help the membership and the public.

AREA’s Full Communication CLICK HERE.

Please click on the link below to give them feedback and help craft a response strategy for all members.

CLICK HERE FOR SURVEY (only 4 questions)

To learn more about the Alberta Real Estate Foundation, click HERE.

Alternatively, if it’s unsafe to contact your seller(s) or you’re unable to, we will accept written confirmation from you (listing associate) to withdraw, either by email or on an MLS® Change Request Form (found HERE).

Listings that are Withdrawn will not be searchable on Matrix and are not sent to CREA/RETS Feeds. Only CARA Staff can edit a Withdrawn listing. Withdrawn listings can be found under MY MATRIX – MY LISTINGS and then changing the ‘Show’ in the upper left to MY OFF MARKET. Withdrawn listings do not accumulate days on market and they will not reset after 10 days off market.

Thank you,

~CARA

In a special evening meeting held on Thursday, March 19, 2020, the Board of Directors has voted to issue a directive to all members of the Central Alberta REALTORS® Association that:

Effective immediately, members must cease holding ALL (Realtor®, Broker and Public) Open Houses until such time as the public health crisis known as Covid-19 has ended.

Members are advised that until further notice holding an open house shall be deemed a rules violation and will result in a show cause hearing that may result in the following:

• The first violation shall result in a $50 fine
• The second violation will result in a $250 fine
• A third violation will result in the suspension of Association services for a three-month period.

The Board of Directors recognizes the severity of this step and these penalties but feel that the safety and well-being of its members, their clients and the general public requires a strong and forceful response.

We urge our members to make full use of creative and technological ways to conduct their businesses, such as virtual open houses, video conference calls and tours, along with digital signing applications.
All of us can work together to help Albertans through this crisis.

Regards,

Larry Westergard – Executive Officer
Central Alberta REALTORS® Association

 As a reminder, here are the contact emails for the various areas of support:

Membership, Education and Events – eandersen@carassociation.ca

MLS® and RETS – mlsdept@carassociation.ca

Supra and ShowingTime – cvirtucio@carassociation.ca 

Accounting – lgoings@carassociation.ca

For anything else, professional standards, complaints concerns et al please reach out to me directly – eo@carassociation.ca 

Regards,

Larry Westergard – Executive Officer

Rather than $128.50(+GST), your CARA bill for April and May will only show a charge of $34.00(+GST) which represents the technology fee for Matrix and ShowingTime. 

Please note that the waiver does not exempt members from keeping their account current and up to date.  If you have yet to pay any outstanding balances for the first quarter those remain due and payable.

~CARA

The Motion acknowledges the Bylaw requirement to hold the meeting in the first three months of the year but suspends the requirement considering the unusual circumstances.  The Annual General Meeting will be held sometime after June 1, 2020 at a time and location to be determined. CLICK HERE TO READ FULL STATEMENT

During the evening and into the morning they began to feel worse and the decision was made to have them stay home.  They have yet to be able to get through to 811 so we are unable to determine if this is simply a case of seasonal flu or something else.

In consultation with the Board of Directors it has been decided that in the greater interest of member safety Association staff will be working remotely until such time as we have more information from Alberta Health regarding the above noted case. 

Effective Monday March 16, 2020 the Association office will be closed.

Staff are still working but will only be available via email.  Please see the list below for whom to contact regarding specific areas:

Accounting and Billing questions: Lana Goings – lgoings@carassociation.ca

Supra and MLS® Interboard listings: Catherine Virtucio –  cvirtucio@carassociation.ca

MLS® or RETS questions: Corey Cote – mlsdept@carassociation.ca

Membership, Event and Education questions: Erin Andersen – eandersen@carassociation.ca

All other inquiries: Larry Westergard – eo@carassociation.ca

Here are the toll-free support lines for some of our products as well:

CREA WEBFORMS: 1-888-237-7945 or support@crea.ca 

SHOWINGTIME: 1-800-379-0057 or support@showingtime.com

SUPRA: 1-877-699-6787

Rest assured that CARA staff are committed to providing quality and timely member care but there may be a longer than usual response time in replying to your concerns.  We want to thank you in advance for your patience and understanding in the next while as we work together through this.

Regards,

Larry Westergard – Executive Officer

CARA continues to monitor communications from local, provincial and federal
agencies in order to stay informed and assess the need for any changes to our
day to day services or to events being organized by CARA.

At this time CARA has not cancelled any scheduled courses or meetings that
have been announced, but we are considering alternative delivery methods in
case the need arises. We are also making contingency plans in case we need
to deliver administrative services remotely.

In the interim, we are asking members and staff to be mindful of their own
personal health circumstances and if they are experiencing any flu-like
symptoms or have travelled outside the country – especially to areas of
concern (cruises for example), that they be respectful to others and consider
not attending Association events until they are satisfied they are not
symptomatic.

Internally, please be aware that staff are being instructed to stay home and
get assessed if they are in any way feeling ill and exhibiting any of the
symptoms associated with COVID-19. We are taking this precautionary,
conservative approach out of respect for our staff’s health and while this may
impact delivery speed on some services to members, we feel this is the right
approach to take for all concerned.

Please click the link above to find some links that the Red Deer Chamber of Commerce has compiled that will allow you to stay informed and updated as events unfold. CARA leadership will continue to monitor the situation and provide updates to members and staff as events continue to evolve.

Thank you for your cooperation and understanding as we continue to learn about the impact that this event has for us all.

Regards,
Larry Westergard
For
Allan Melbourne – 2020 President