Your Membership, Your Way - November 2009

SAVING YOU TIME

From the day-to-day legal support you need to updates on new laws that affect your transactions – Legal online is your quick stop for answers. Here’s a snapshot of the legal news you need, now.

• 2010 New Laws
• RESPA New Rule
• Agency Law Summary Chart
• Agency Disclosure and Confirmation
• Legal Q&As
• Realegal®

SAVING YOU MONEY

You’ve heard that the zipForm® 6 FREE upgrade is now available – so here’s what’s new. Get ready to enjoy the enhanced features and functionality of zipForm® 6. Available in two versions: zipForm® 6 Professional Edition (formerly WINForms Online®), allows users to log onto any computer to access the software; Zipform® 6 Standard Edition (formerly WINForms® Desktop), is an offline version of zipForm® 6, and saves all program files, settings, and transactions locally instead of online. Software installation is required to utilize the desktop version.

zipForm® 6 allows you to:

• Complete and e-mail/print forms without first having to create a transaction
• Apply one or multiple templates at any time during a transaction
• Drag and drop forms into transactions
• Save (in the background) as you work
• Run on either a PC or MAC
• Work on a Windows Vista and Windows 7 32-bit or 64-bit machine

To help make the transition even easier, we are offering FREE member webinars to help familiarize you with the new software. Click here to sign up today.

SAVING YOUR SANITY

To help REALTORS® with their real estate transactions, C.A.R. released revised standard forms earlier this month. C.A.R. has recently released new and newly revised standard forms, including a revised Disclosure Regarding Real Estate Agency Relationships (AD) form, REO Advisories forms, and a Property Management Addendum form.

The revised AD form aims at ending the confusion surrounding the form by allowing a buyer’s agent to use just one form for both the seller and buyer to sign. The REO advisories forms (Forms REO and REOL) have been revised to inform the seller and buyer of the new Buyer’s Choice Act, effective Oct. 11, 2009. The new Property Management Addendum form authorizes a property manager to withhold funds from the broker’s trust account to submit to the Franchise Tax Board (FTB). Click here for a complete summary of these and other forms.

SAVING YOUR TRANSACTION

Great news for your first-time buyers: The Mortgage Protection Program has been extended through 2010. To continue to provide first-time home buyers with peace of mind when purchasing their first home, the C.A.R. Housing Affordability Fund has extended the Mortgage Protection Program (MPP) through December 2010. To date, more than 1,700 first-time home buyers already have been approved for the program, and the numbers continue to increase. Be sure to tell your first-timers about this great opportunity. Click here for more information, requirements, and a downloadable application.

Keep current on the new FHA changes that impact you by attending the FREE Think FHA Webinar on Dec. 9, from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. Join us to learn about recent Mortgagee Letters and how they affect you as a REALTOR®. You’ll learn about FHA program changes and what that means for your transactions. This session will be presented by the U.S. Dept. of Housing and Urban Development. Click here to register.