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 Nelson Janes  Friday, February 3rd, 2012  The Oxford English Dictionary tells us that a profession involves the application of specialized knowledge of a subject to a fee-paying clientele. According to Wikipedia, a profession is a specialized occupation characterized by intensive training and subsequent licensure by a regulatory body.
The word is derived from Latin, meaning to swear an oath. That oath is based upon adherence to ethical standards which include client confidentiality, truthfulness and striving to be an expert. There is also a stipulation about upholding the good name of the profession.
Starting to sound familiar? Your REALTOR® Membership defines you as a professional. SAR, with the state and national REALTOR® organization, has been doing so for over 100 years.
Along with this overriding benefit, there are tangible savings, discounts and value that you receive through your Membership in the REALTOR® organization.
Excellence in educational programming is a prime and perennial benefit of SAR Membership. You can take all of the courses that you need for license renewal at a Member discount of at least $10 each course. You are also entitled to knowledgeable advice at no charge on how to renew your license.
Continue reading: Communicating Your Value as a Professional REALTOR
Patrick Lieuw Wednesday, February 1st, 2012
 By the time you read this, most of you (I hope all of you!) will have paid your dues to SAR, C.A.R. and NAR. Do you think about what you are getting for your money?
There are so many ways you get your money’s worth that SAR has a page on the website just to list them. Go to www.sacrealtor.org/benefits. In my experience, you don’t need to do too many transactions in a year before zipForm® alone is worth the price of your Membership. By the way, if you have not yet paid your dues, you will lose access to zipForm® on February 1.
SAR is here to help you with things you couldn’t do by yourself, or if you did, you would have no time to sell real estate. A prime example is our political action effort. Many times, SAR is able to stop regulations or fees before they go into effect and you may not even hear about them.
Another value is the diversity of SAR. Each one of us brings his or her own insights and background, and I’m not just talking about differences in gender and ethnicity. Many of us started out in a different career. We represent many cultures and age groups, to say nothing of our hobbies and memberships in other organizations. We can harness all of that knowledge to make the SAR even better.
A couple of years ago, Barbara’s theme was All Aboard. Doug’s theme last year was Your Bridge to Success. Now that we’re all on board and successful, my theme for this year is to Focus on Collaboration.
Continue reading: Focus on Communicating Value
Fatima Sogueco Wednesday, December 14th, 2011
 As part of the many benefits made available to members, C.A.R. offers its standard real estate forms in zipForm® 6, providing ease, convenience and a significant business tool for California REALTORS®. zipForm® 6 is the exclusive software of C.A.R.’s standard forms.
It has recently come to C.A.R.’s attention that some members may be attempting to modify the pre-printed text of C.A.R.’s standard forms or upload blank or modified versions of C.A.R.’s standard forms into other software programs for use in those programs. C.A.R’s standard forms are protected by U.S. copyright laws which expressly forbid the unauthorized reproduction of any portion of copyrighted material by any means, including electronic formats. Blank C.A.R. forms may not be printed from zipForm® 6, and any placement of C.A.R. standard forms in other software programs for use in those programs (other than a completed C.A.R. form in locked, .pdf format and saved in connection with a real estate transaction) infringes upon C.A.R.’s copyrights in its forms and is strictly prohibited. If a member needs to view a form that is not filled out, forms with the water mark “Sample” are available for printing from the zipForm® 6 software but are not to be used in transactions. Additionally, the removal or modification of pre-printed text in a C.A.R. form is a violation of C.A.R.’s copyrights in its forms and a breach of the zipForm® 6 End User License Agreement. Member placement of blank or modified C.A.R. standard forms in other software programs for use in those programs could result in substantial liability to the member for copyright infringement under federal law, as well as termination of the member’s zipForm® 6 account for violation of the End User License Agreement.
The C.A.R. copyright policy benefits our members in numerous ways. C.A.R. forms receive valuable protection under the C.A.R. User Protection Agreement. The C.A.R. User Protection Agreement will not apply, however, if the C.A.R. forms are used or modified in a way that violates C.A.R.’s copyrights in the forms. Additionally, proper use of C.A.R.’s standard forms in zipForm® 6 ensures that members are using the most current, up-to-date versions of the forms. Members can be confident that the C.A.R. standard forms in zipForm® 6 are reviewed in light of the latest changes in applicable law. C.A.R. standard forms in other software platforms may not be the most current version of the form and therefore may put you and your clients at risk. Finally, use of C.A.R. standard forms in zipForm® 6 helps to ensure that your membership dues do not subsidize the use of C.A.R. forms obtained from zipForm® 6 by individuals who have not purchased a license or otherwise are not entitled to such use.
Continue reading: Reminder About Proper Use of C.A.R.’s Standard Forms and zipForm® 6
Fatima Sogueco Friday, May 28th, 2010
 Now Available… Foreclosure Prevention Library for zipForm® 6!
C.A.R. members who are current zipForm® 6 users can now access the new Foreclosure Prevention library, which was launched on May 26.
C.A.R.’s Foreclosure Prevention Library is an add-on library consisting of 10 short documents explaining how homeowners can avoid foreclosure and foreclosure scams. The library consists of the following titles:
- Proposition 8 – Property Tax Relief
- Tips for a Short Sale Seller
- Tips for a Short Sale Buyer
- Foreclosure or Short Sale
- Foreclosure Prevention Resources
- Short Sale Process
- Foreclosure Timeline
- Homeowner Liability After Foreclosure
- Avoiding Foreclosure Scams
- Alternatives to Foreclosure
Each disclosure form allows you to customize contact information and make these available to your clients who may be at risk of foreclosure or who are already going through the process. The library is designed to help you act as a resource to your clientele who may be experiencing this painful process, and in so doing, possibly help prevent foreclosures.
Continue reading: zipForm® Today – California Special Edition
James Liptak Tuesday, November 10th, 2009
Dear C.A.R. Member:
The past few weeks have been very favorable for home buyers, our profession, and the real estate industry. President Obama on Friday signed a bill extending and expanding the federal tax credit for home buyers through April 30, 2010, and on Oct. 30 signed a resolution extending the current limits for Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, and FHA loans through the end of next year.
These successes were a teaching moment for us all on the impact we can make in Washington when we unite behind a common cause. We called for action, and you delivered. California REALTORS® placed nearly 25,000 calls or e-mails to their congressional representatives, urging them to extend and expand the home buyer tax credit. Passage of legislation critical to our profession also underscored the importance of being politically involved, at the local, state, and national levels. It’s why I’ve been personally involved in our Association’s advocacy efforts for many years, and why I back up my commitment with an annual contribution to the REALTOR® Action Fund.
Continue reading: November 2009 Message from C.A.R. President James Liptak
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