February 23, 2017

IN THIS EDITION:

Zipform Renewal

Legislative Update

3 Legal Issues Facing Brokers

W. Mich. Regional Dashboard

Delayed Showings

Delayed Offer Presentations

Roster of Condo Associations

Membership Activity (New/

Inactive/Transfers)

Chicago’s Wrigley Mansion in

Foreclosure

HP 10B II Calculator Course

GRI III Coming to Grand Rapids

West Catholic High School

A weekly publication of the Grand Rapids Association of REALTORS (GRAR)

660 Kenmoor Ave. SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49546 | 616-940-8200 | www.grar.com

Pamela VanLuven | Editor

As you may be aware, the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) negotiated with zipLogix to provide all members with the zipForms Plus product. In addition, GRAR – through MichRIC – has been providing members with Digital Ink and MLS Connect. Our contract with zipForm for these 2 products – Digital Ink and MLS Connect – recently expired. It has been renegotiated to provide these products (plus MLS Push) for those who wish to continue use through a subscription.

Previously, all members were charged a fee for use of the enhanced zipform products. Rather than asking all members to subsidize this cost for a product they don’t use, we are now offering the option to subscribe to dotloop agent premium or zipform premium products, at a cost of $7.50 per month (you may subscribe to both, if you wish, for $7.50 each per month). The subscription information for dotloop agent pre-mium was previously published.

Following is information on how to subscribe to the Zipforms enhanced bundle of products:

Zipforms: If you have a Single User or a Multi-User Broker copy of the Zipforms Plus product and you have not renewed your product yet, you should do so when you see the message that your product will be expiring soon. The Zipforms Plus product is brought to you by NAR and there is no charge for using the Zipforms Plus product.

GRAR – through MichRIC – is offering you an optional bundle of other Ziplogix products for your use. The bundle consists of Digital Ink, MLS Connect and a new product, MLS Push, at a cost of $7.50 per month. If you have already renewed, the bundle was included with your renewal and you do not need to do anything to use the bundled products. When you renew, your shopping cart will display the products bundled as well as other individual products you can purchase from Ziplogix directly, such as Zipform Mobile. If you do not want the bundle, you just need to uncheck those items in your shopping cart. If you received the bundle, but you did not want it, you should contact GRAR.

If there is a problem with your renewing the product, please contact the Ziplogix Help Desk at 586-840-0140. They are available Monday- Friday 24 hours/day and Saturday, Sunday and Holidays 10:00am – 10:00pm EST. The MLS Push product will be implemented in the near future. It will appear as an option when you are viewing listing information on FlexMLS and will allow the user to go from a listing on FlexMLS to their Zipform Plus account, automatically filling the cover sheet with information from the listing they were viewing. A notice will be sent to all Members when this product is live for use.

Making life better: People Homes

Community

Please take a moment to watch the Legislative

Podcast, filmed live and in one take from Detroit

last week during the Michigan REALTORS®

Achieve Conference. Thirsty for more legislative

knowledge? Curious as to how your Michigan

RPAC dollars are working on your behalf?

Check out the success stories below:

INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS &

INCOME TAX CUTS: Governor Snyder, within

his January State of the State message,

discussed a continued need to enhance

Michigan’s infrastructure. Many in the Legislature are discussing reductions in the income tax. Given the

potential costs to the state coffers of either idea, coupled with the turnover in membership of the Michigan

Legislature due to our restrictive legislative term limits, we are educating the 40 new Legislators as to the

existing tax burdens associated with a transaction. We remain consistent that infrastructure proposals should

be paid for with some sort of nexus to the users of the service. We also volunteer that when tax revenues

drop significantly, often the idea of expanding the sales tax base to further include services tends to surface.

Taxing of commissions and affiliated services around a transaction would devastate our Association

membership.

SHORT-TERM VACATION RENTALS: Legislation is being introduced by a REALTOR® member and State

Representative Jason Sheppard. It will ban a local government’s ability to ban short-term vacation rentals. It

is becoming increasingly popular for local governmental units to entertain the idea of preventing short-term

vacation rentals and then act adversely in this arena. Rental rights are key to the value of one’s property.

Short-term property rentals are important to the culture of many communities around the state. We are

heavily engaged in this debate.

FIRST-TIME HOMEBUYER SAVINGS ACCOUNTS: We are drafting legislation that will create a tax-free

savings account for a first-time home purchase. It would work in the spirit of how one can currently save for

educational expenses. Three other states have worked successfully on this issue. Given the student loan

debt situation facing potential buyers in the coming years, this tool could help support our market long-term.

PROPERTY TAX RECORD DATA: Legislation was signed recently that allows for a better access at a

reasonable cost structure in requesting quality electronic property tax record data from a County Treasurer.

We are working to see this concept be made applicable to townships and municipalities: Quality tax record

data accessible at a reasonable cost. Legislation will be introduced in the coming months.

SECONDARY MORTGAGE MARKET REFORMS: Expect proposals to surface in the coming year that

could substantially change the government’s role in the mortgage market. NAR will be engaged to make sure

that over the long-term in a stronger or challenged market that buyers have access to capital supporting our

market and mortgage options for our clients.

FEDERAL TAX REFORM: Realtors® will soon be seeing a sweeping tax reform proposal on the table in

Congress. The tax code currently contains provisions that are important to and help incentivize the owning,

buying, and selling of real property. Additionally, we will be reviewing the impact any changes would have to

industry practitioners and their business. We will be engaged in discussions with our elected officials as to

what any changes to these provisions would mean to the market and dues paying members.

Source: Michigan REALTORS® | Questions? Please contact Doug Merriam.

REALTOR® Magazine | Daily Real Estate News | February 17, 2017

There are three hot legal issues affecting real estate companies today that broker-owners

need to keep on their radar: website accessibility, copyright infringement, and cyber

fraud. During the 2017 REALTOR® Broker Summit in San Diego, NAR General Counsel

Katie Johnson summarized how brokers are at risk and what they can do about it.

ADA Website Accessibility: The Americans with Disabilities Act clearly mandates access to physical places of public accommodation. However, the law is ambiguous regarding websites. Circuit court decisions

are split on the issue, but Johnson predicts that regulations will eventually broaden to include online

accessibility standards. Generally, an accessible website interacts well with the adaptive software or

technology that people with disabilities use when surfing the web. This technology will read the text on

websites, including descriptions coded behind images for this specific purpose. Johnson recommends that if

your business website isn't already ADA accessible, then post an accessibility notice on your site letting

users know you are striving to be compliant. Include your company's contact information so they can reach

out and help you find a way to accommodate them. Learn more about ADA compliance.

Copyright Infringement: VHT, Inc., a nationwide photography services company, recently took Zillow to court for copyright infringement. VHT operated with a limited license, Johnson says, which only permitted use

of its property photos while the listing was active. As soon as the property was sold, the brokers and agents

no longer had rights to the images. However, Zillow was displaying photos after sale, as they were still

served up through local MLSs. Zillow filed a motion to dismiss, claiming that it was not the proper defendant.

However, the court ruled that Zillow must pay $8.3 million to VHT for violations. Zillow is going to appeal,

Johnson says, but this case directly involves photos commissioned by everyday real estate professionals.

There are two easy actions you can take immediately to protect your company from copyright violations,

Johnson says. First, require ownership or unrestricted permission for use of all your listing and marketing

photos taken by professional photographers. "It sounds so easy, but very few people do it," Johnson says. If

ownership of the images isn't an option, then the next best thing would be an exclusive license that allows

your company the use of images for any real estate business purposes. Download sample agreements at

nar.realtor. There's also the issue of other people's photographers, such as listing images coming from IDX

feeds that appear on your website. Johnson says the Digital Millennium Copyright Act provides safe harbor

from liability for those who register with the U.S. Copyright Office for $6. This will help protect your company if

someone contacts you about a photo you had nothing to do with on your site. If that does occur, Johnson

says, act quickly to have the image taken down by calling the MLS.

Cyber Fraud: One threat hitting the real estate industry particularly hard is a scheme that leads to wire fraud. It starts with email password hacking, which grants criminals access to money wiring correspondence.

Johnson says passwords are usually acquired through a phishing scheme, and once they’re in, they study

your email and wait for wire instructions. They use the opportunity to send their own bogus wire instructions

to clients. The money is sent to a fraudulent account, usually offshore, and is gone forever. One way to

protect your clients is to be open and honest with

them about this threat, Johnson says. "Get these

consumers on alert," she says. Tell them to be wary

and careful when transferring funds, or don't send

instructions via email at all. Some brokerages are

starting to forbid it, she says. The NAR legal team

has put together a short informational video that you

or your agents can share with clients explaining wire

fraud and warning signs. If it does happen to any of

your agents and their clients, contact the local FBI

field house immediately. The FBI is actively investi-

gating these crimes. Also, make all the financial insti-

tutions involved aware if a crime does occur. Learn

more about what you can do to protect your clients

against wire fraud.

Paid advertisement - Please click on image above.

Q: I heard that the Right Place is offering a tool to share economic and qualify of life data for West

Michigan. It seems like a great resource for out of town buyers. Do you know where I can access it?

A: Yes, the West Michigan Regional Dashboard is available at www.wmdashboard.org. It offers 34 different

data sets that cover a 13-county region from a social, economic, and environmental perspective. It is more

than an economic update, rather it provides everything from high school graduation rates and water testing

info to average commute times, crime stats, and more. The Dashboard is being maintained by the Right

Place, and the data will be updated on an annual basis.

Q: I have a new listing that will include a delay of showings and a delay in the presentation of offers.

Will the MLS accept that listing?

A: Yes, the MLS will accept a listing with these types of delays, provided: 1) the seller consents to the

delays in writing (in either the listing agreement or an attached amendment form), 2) the delays are disclosed

to cooperating brokers on the MLS (in the past we requested that these disclosures appear in the Agent

Remarks, but now are requesting that they be placed in the Listing Comments so that consumers are privy to

the information as well), 3) the delays are to a date certain (may not be indefinite) and, most importantly, 4)

the delays apply to all - including showings and offers procured by the listing office.

Q: I received a message from the MLS indicating that my new listing did not meet the minimum

requirements for submission for the reason that the Protection Period field in my listing contract was

left blank. It seems obvious to me that a blank field means that there is not a protection period. What

am I missing?

A: MLS Staff likely reached out to you to request that you complete that field and have the Sellers initial it as

evidence of consent. This is a risk reduction practice for the reason that a blank field does not equal a zero

amount. One might consider a contract with blank fields to be incomplete. Please keep in mind that Article 9

of the REALTOR® Code of Ethics requires that agreements be in clear and understandable language

expressing the specific terms, conditions, obligations, and commitments of the parties.

Q: Does GRAR still offer a list of Condominium Associations? If so, where would I locate it?

A: Yes, that list can be accessed from the public side of www.grar.com - Select GRAR Resources, then click

on the Public Policy tab, and then Condo Associations. The roster includes condo name, address, phone,

and contact person. See

sample at right. If you do

not see the Association

you are seeking, please

contact Julie Rietberg.

Paid advertisements - Please click on images above.

Paid advertisements - Please click on images above.

Housing shortage?

Realtor.com ranks Grand Rapids in the

Top 5 Cities Running Out of Homes the Fastest.

Since 2010, Grand Rapids has experienced

more people moving in than out.

Please click on the video above to learn more.

GRAR DATABASE TOTALS

AS OF FEBRUARY 1, 2017

566 Brokers

2,099 Salespersons

104 Appraisers

44 Life Members

181 Affiliate Members

Please click on the following links to view activity during the month of January 2017:

New Members Opted Not to Renew Change in Company Affiliation

Questions re:

GRAR’s member records?

Cheryl Krause (616) 940-8218

Search the Member Roster (REALTORS® and

Service Partners) online at

http://www.grar.com/

CHICAGO’S FABULOUS

WRIGLEY MANSION IN FORECLOSURE

A “Gilded Age” era mansion linked to one of

Chicago’s most storied families - the Wrigleys

(founders of the chewing gum and former owners

of the Chicago Cubs) has gone on the market. It’s

a beauty, but buyers should beware. It is also a

foreclosure. Please click here to continue reading.

Date: March 7, 8, 13, 14, 15

Time: 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Location: Grand Rapids Association of REALTORS®

This session consists of 40 classroom hours that are approved for 30 hours of broker licensing credit w/3

hours of civil rights training. Topics include: income/expense analysis, time value of money concepts,

lender’s language, current tax law, installment sale calculations, and hands-on/practical approach to

investment real estate. An HP 10B II Calculator is required (available in GRAR REALTOR® Store). Please

click here for additional information and registration. Questions? Please contact Brittany Sheets.

March:

March 1 - 11:00 a.m. - Building a Partnership Between REALTORS® & Homebuilders (Lunch & Learn) - Contact:

Brittany Sheets - Sponsored by: Transnation Title Agency

March 2 - 10:00 a.m. - Marketing/Branding Focus Group - Contact: Julie Rietberg or Sue Jenkins

March 6 - HP 10BII Calculator Course - Contact: Brittany Sheets

March 7, 8, 13, 14, 15 - GRI III - Contact: Brittany Sheets

March 8 - 9:00 a.m. GRAR Board of Directors Meeting - Contact: Julie Rietberg or Sue Jenkins

March 9 - 9:00 a.m. - Candidate Review & Development Committee - Contact: Pam VanLuven

March 13 - 12:15 p.m. - Professional Standards Review Board - Contact: Sue Jenkins

March 15 - 8:15 a.m. - New Member Orientation - Contact: Cheryl Krause

March 16 - 9:00 a.m. - Grievance Review Panel - Contact: Pam VanLuven

March 16 - 1:00 p.m. - Tech/Mobile Focus Group - Contact: Julie Rietberg or Sue Jenkins

March 20 - 2:00 p.m. - Community Involvement Task Force - Contact: Brittany Sheets

March 21 - 1:30 p.m. - REBarCamp Task Force - Contact: Brittany Sheets

March 22 - 8:00 a.m. - 2017 Michigan Real Estate Continuing Education w/Jack Miedema - Contact: Brittany Sheets

March 22 - 9:00 a.m. - International Committee - Contact: Julie Rietberg or Sue Jenkins

March 23 - 2:00 p.m. - West Michigan Regional Forms Committee - Contact: Pam VanLuven

March 29 - GRARLA Bus Trip to Lansing - Contact: Pam VanLuven - Sponsored by: Evolve Bank & Trust

April:

April 10 - 1:30 p.m. - Government Affairs Committee - Contact: Julie Rietberg or Sue Jenkins

April 11 - 1:30 p.m. - YPN Advisory Council - Contact: Brittany Sheets

April 12 - 9:00 a.m. - GRAR Board of Directors Meeting - Contact: Julie Rietberg or Sue Jenkins

April 13 - 8:15 a.m. - New Member Orientation - Contact: Cheryl Krause

April 13 - 2:00 p.m. - West Michigan Regional Forms Committee - Contact: Pam VanLuven

April 14 - GRAR Office Closes at 3:00 p.m. in celebration of Good Friday

April 17 - 10:00 a.m. - Educational Programming Task Force - Contact: Brittany Sheets

April 19 - 9:00 a.m. - Safety Strategies Training - Contact: Brittany Sheets - Sponsored by: Mortgage1

April 19 - 1:00 p.m. - Safety Strategies Training - Contact: Brittany Sheets - Sponsored by: Mortgage1

April 20 - Michigan REALTORS® Broker Summit - Troy, MI

April 20 - Dotloop Training

April 25 - REBarCamp Task Force - Contact: Brittany Sheets

April 26 - MLS Policy Committee - Contact: Pam VanLuven

April 27 - GRARLA to Attend Fair Housing Center of West Michigan’s Fair Housing Luncheon/Workshop

April 29 & 30 - Regional Open House Weekend - Save the Dates! - Contact: Brittany Sheets

Other Important Dates:

September 20 - 2017 Michigan Real Estate Continuing

Education w/Jack Miedema - Contact: Brittany Sheets

September 27-29 - Michigan REALTORS® Convention

& Expo - Grand Rapids, MI

October 12 - Annual Meeting of Brokers & Certified

Appraisers - Contact: Julie Rietberg or Sue Jenkins

October 26-27 - GRAR Board of Directors Annual

Planning Retreat - Contact: Julie Rietberg or Sue Jen-

kins

November 3-6 - NAR Conference & Expo in Chicago, IL

December 15 - GRAR Annual Installation & Awards

Breakfast - Contact: Julie Rietberg or Sue Jenkins

Paid advertisements - Please click on images above.

The events listed below are not hosted by GRAR, but are shared for your information. If you are looking for

continuing education credits, we would encourage you to make certain that the course you select is approved

by the CE Marketplace (https://www.cemarketplace.net/):

February 23 - WCR “Meet Your Match”

February 23 - Credit Score & Mortgage Updates Lunch-n-Learn (Offered by Mortgage1)

February 23-25, 2017 - RPOA Presents: Michigan’s Largest FREE Real Estate Investor/Landlord Conference/Expo

March 2 - Commercial Drones: A Look at New Regulations & Applications for Commercial

March 6-9 & 13-16 - Real Estate Pre-Licensing Training with MiLicense.net

March 8 - New Construction Con. Ed. Course with Transnation Title Agency

March 9 - WCR Breakfast Program

March 9 - Sun Title’s Continuing Education Series - Real Estate Transactions (C001728) and Closing Experience

(C001730) - Held at Gerald R. Ford Museum

March 13–17 - Real Estate Pre-Licensing with Real Estate One Academy

March 14 - Michigan Business Brokers Association Meeting (West Chapter)

March 20-24 - Real Estate Pre-Licensing with MiLicense.net

March 25 - Review for the Exam - Real Estate Pre-Licensing with Real Estate One Academy

April 3-7 - Real Estate Pre-Licensing with Real Estate One Academy

April 12 - Title 101 Con. Ed. Course with Transnation Title Agency

April 13 - WCR New Member Orientation & Mixer

April 22, 29 & May 6, 13 - Real Estate Pre-Licensing with Real Estate One Academy (Saturday Classes)

April 24-28 - Real Estate Pre-Licensing with MiLicense.net

April 26 - 1031 Exchange Con. Ed. Course with Transnation Title Agency

April 27 - Fair Housing Center of West Michigan’s Annual Luncheon & Workshop Series

May 1-4 & 8-11 - Real Estate Pre-Licensing with MiLicense.net

May 8-12 - Real Estate Pre-Licensing with Real Estate One Academy

May 10 - Apps (Matt Muscat, Instructor) Con. Ed. Course with Transnation Title Agency

May 11 - Sun Title’s Continuing Education Series - Fraud, Data Security, & NPI (C001732) and Appraisals

(C001743) - Held at Gerald R. Ford Museum

May 15-19 - Real Estate Pre-Licensing with MiLicense.net

View more online. If you would like to post an event above, please forward the event name, date, time, and registration

link to Pam VanLuven.

GRAR’s Community Involvement Task Force will be meeting with administrators and/or board members from

West Catholic High School in the coming weeks to learn more about the school, its programs, volunteer

opportunities for real estate professionals, and to receive information that may be shared with real estate

consumers. Please watch this mailing for that information, or visit gowestcatholic.org to learn more. Thank

you, GRAR REALTOR® Jeff Blahnik, for facilitating the Task Force’s introduction to this great learning

establishment! If you are aware of any other organization or school that should be communicating with

GRAR, please reach out to Brittany Sheets at Brittany@grar.com to share contact information.