New Member Orientation

Transcription

1 New Member Orientation

2 Toronto Real Estate Board May 1, 2016 All rights reserved This training material is provided for educational purposes only. While care has been taken to ensure the accuracy contained in the manual the Toronto Real Estate Board will not be liable for the use or misuse of information, facts, clauses, details, or any other elements, or for deficiencies, defects, errors or omissions in the content of this material. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the Toronto Real Estate Board. New Member Orientation Page iii

3 Table of Contents Chapter One: Introduction to the Toronto Real Estate Board... 1 Introduction... 1 Objectives... 1 Program Benefits... 1 Contact Us... 1 Chapter Two: Real Estate Council of Ontario... 3 RECO S CORE PURPOSE... 3 RECO S MISSION... 3 RECO S RESPONSIBILITY... 3 WHO RUNS RECO?... 3 WHO FUNDS RECO?... 3 RECO S INSURANCE PROGRAM... 3 CODE OF ETHICS UNDER THE ACT... 4 RECO S MANDATORY CONTINUING EDUCATION... 4 REGISTRAR S BULLETINS... 4 RECO S COMPLAINTS PROCESS... 4 RECO S INSPECTIONS/INVESTIGATIONS PROGRAM... 4 ORGANIZED REAL ESTATE... 5 Chapter Three: Canadian Real Estate Association... 7 MISSION STATEMENT... 7 A VOICE IN FEDERAL POLITICS... 7 REALTOR.CA... 7 REALTORLINK.CA... 8 New Member Orientation Page iv

4 WEBForms... 9 NATIONAL ADVERTISING CAMPAIGN TRADEMARKS Chapter Four: Ontario Real Estate Association MISSION STATEMENT ADVOCACY AT QUEEN S PARK PRE-REGISTRATION COURSES ARTICLING COURSES PROFESSIONAL DESIGNATION COURSE REALTOR EDGE NEWSLETTER LEGAL FORUM STANDARD FORMS AND OFFER CLAUSES MLS INTERBOARD LISTING ASSISTANCE FOR THE RECO COMPLAINTS PROCESS LEGAL PAMPHLETS LEGAL ARTICLES AFFINITY PROGRAMS Chapter Five: Toronto Real Estate Board MISSION STATEMENT KEY BENEFITS OF BELONGING TO THE TORONTO REAL ESTATE BOARD GOVERNMENT RELATIONS MEDIA/PUBLIC AFFAIRS MEMBER COMMUNICATIONS TREB S TECHNOLOGY SERVICES MLS SYSTEM New Member Orientation Page v

5 TREB S INTERNET SITE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT MLS SERVICES DEPARTMENT MEMBER SERVICES HELP DESK SERVICES FOR COMMERCIAL SPECIALISTS YOUNG PROFESSIONALS NETWORK COMMITTEE THE REALTOR STORE RESOURCE CENTRE PRODUCTS AND SERVICES ARBITRATION PROCESS PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS Chapter Six: MLS Rules and Policies REVIEW OF MLS RULES AND POLICIES AND BY-LAW Chapter Seven: Data Integrity Service (DIS) Chapter Eight: Complaining To The Board Chapter Nine: Changing Information On A Sold Listing Chapter Ten: Professional Development Introduction Courses, Types, and Locations To register for TREB courses: Hands-on Technical Training Stratus Fundamentals Training Creating a CMA in Stratus Working with Public Records New Member Orientation Page vi

6 WEBForms Residential Statistics in Stratus Add/Edit in Stratus Regular Course Fees Suggested Course Streams Chapter Eleven: Stratus and the Home Page Navigate via buttons, tabs, sliders and links Accessing Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) Interactive Member Tools Keyword Search Your Resource Centre Technology Corner Boards & Associations WEBForms REALTOR TOOLS Market Stats/Information TREB Market Stats Market Watch and Commercial Watch Condo Corner Rental Report Forms/Clauses e-commerce REALTOR STORE e-commerce / REALTOR STORE Products and Services Member to Member/Buy & Sell Maps/Calculators New Member Orientation Page vii

7 TREB Maps (PDF) TREB Map Commercial Research Maps Land Transfer Tax Calculator More Resources GTA News / Media Centre The Video Centre Video Centre Topics Chapter Twelve: Links Public Records Collaborate RealNet RealNet New Homes RealNet Commercial Connect The Buyer Registry Service (BRS ) Using the BRS TREB Map Chapter Thirteen: Manage My Profile Profile Tab Your Single Address If I choose to use my Trebnet , how can I check my messages? Verification Volunteer Activity Tab Open Houses Tab Submitting Member Photos & Logos for Stratus New Member Orientation Page viii

8 Chapter Fourteen: Mobile Stratus iphone/ipad Stratus MLS Mobile Other Mobile devices New Member Orientation Page ix

9 Chapter One: Introduction to the Toronto Real Estate Board Introduction The New Member Orientation Introduction to the Toronto Real Estate Board is an intensive 3- hour program designed to prepare you for Membership in the Toronto Real Estate Board, and to disseminate vital Board and industry specific information to ensure that you are aware of the tools and resources available to assist you with your day-to-day business pursuits. Objectives Today s session aims to: Help you gain practical information about TREB and assist you in pursuing a career in real estate; Clarify the structure and organization of one of the largest real estate boards in the world and to convey that the intent and role of TREB is To serve its Members. Program Benefits At the completion of this program, you will be aware of: the structure, governance and services of the Toronto Real Estate Board the benefits, privileges and obligations of Membership Rules and Policies governing the Multiple Listing Service (MLS ). Contact Us TREB Offices are located at: Toronto Real Estate Board York Office Mississauga Real Estate Board 1400 Don Mills Road 45 Millard Ave. W Ridgeway Drive #1 Toronto, ON M3B 3N1 Newmarket, ON L3Y 7P6 Mississauga, ON L5L 0A2 Main Switchboard: Phone: Phone: ext. 22 Fax: Fax: Help Desk: or mlshelpdesk@trebnet.com Automated Voice Messaging System TREB: TREB s York Region and MREB offices provides Member services such as registration for professional development, mobile pass administration and even a small REALTOR STORE and Resource Centre for your convenience. New Member Orientation Page 1

10 Notes New Member Orientation Page 2

11 Chapter Two: Real Estate Council of Ontario www. reco.on.ca Phone: or Fax: In 1997, the real estate industry became self-administering. The Real Estate Council of Ontario (RECO) was formed to administer the Real Estate and Business Brokers Act, 2002 (REBBA) on behalf of the Ontario Ministry of Consumer and Business Services. Under the Act, membership in RECO is a condition of registration. All Registrants are therefore required to adhere to the terms and conditions of membership in RECO. RECO S CORE PURPOSE To foster confidence and uphold integrity in real estate transactions. RECO S MISSION To regulate the activity of trading in real estate in the public interest. RECO S RESPONSIBILITY Interpret, enforce and suggest modification to regulation. WHO RUNS RECO? RECO is governed by a 12-Member board of directors, which includes nine elected representatives from the profession and three ministerial appointees to represent consumers, business and government. WHO FUNDS RECO? Operating revenues are derived from registration fees. RECO operates on a not-for-profit basis. RECO S INSURANCE PROGRAM RECO protects both consumers and Registrants with an insurance program. New Member Orientation Page 3

12 Insurance program consists of three major components: Consumer Deposit Insurance Errors and Omissions Insurance Commission Protection Insurance CODE OF ETHICS UNDER THE ACT In 2000, RECO established a Code of Ethics that all Brokers and Salespeople must adhere to. When the new Real Estate and Business Brokers Act, 2002 came into effect in March 31, 2006, the Code of Ethics and associated regulations were embodied under the new Act. The Code of Ethics is in place to assist Members of the Real Estate Council of Ontario (RECO) to know the conduct expected of them and to understand the principles upon which professional conduct is based upon. The Code of Ethics applies to all Members of RECO and deals with the particular issues and concerns that are faced in Ontario. RECO S MANDATORY CONTINUING EDUCATION After you finish your Articling period, you will need to maintain your RECO licence by taking RECO s online-only mandatory course consisting of 4 learning modules (offered in both residential & commercial versions) plus 2 elective modules at a cost of $44 per registration cycle. Visit RECO s website for additional information ( REGISTRAR S BULLETINS Registrar s Bulletins are publications that explain in a more reasonable detail, many aspects of REBBA, RECO S COMPLAINTS PROCESS RECO s Complaints & Enforcement provisions provide for a flexible handling of complaints and concerns about the ethical conduct of Registrants. RECO investigates complaints to determine if disciplinary action is warranted. RECO S INSPECTIONS/INVESTIGATIONS PROGRAM RECO inspects Brokerage offices as a part of operations. The primary role of an inspection is to administer the regulatory requirements of the real estate profession, which in turn increases the level of protection RECO is able to provide to consumers. New Member Orientation Page 4

13 The inspection process enables RECO to educate Brokers of Record to maintain current and appropriate records. RECO has developed and maintained a program that aims to inspect each Broker of Record at least once every five years. These visits typically involve inspection of trade record sheets, accounting records, handling of trust money and advertising. While most inspections are randomly selected, they may also be generated by a consumer complaint. RECO s website is accessible through Stratus. On the home page, click the Search Properties tab and then click Links to see the drop-down menu, and then click on RECO. ORGANIZED REAL ESTATE Organized real estate starts at the Board level. Brokers and Salespeople who choose to join a real estate Board become Members of organized real estate and are granted the right to call themselves REALTORS. Thanks to a three-way agreement, when you join a real estate Board you automatically become a Member of OREA and CREA. Your home Board collects the membership fees for OREA and CREA. New Member Orientation Page 5

14 Notes New Member Orientation Page 6

15 Chapter Three: Canadian Real Estate Association Phone: or Fax: The Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA) is one of Canada s largest single-industry trade associations. CREA represents the real estate interest of its Members and the public. CREA enhances Members professionalism, competency and profitability. CREA represents the interests of all REALTORS in Canada. MISSION STATEMENT The Canadian Real Estate Association represents and promotes the interests of the Members, enhances Members professionalism and ability to succeed, and advocates policies that ensure real estate property rights and ownership. A VOICE IN FEDERAL POLITICS TREB works with the Canadian Real Estate Association to promote a national legislative and regulatory environment that is favorable to REALTORS, real estate and property ownership. CREA works to establish and maintain contacts with federal cabinet ministers, Members of Parliament and senior bureaucrats, both directly and through its Political Action Committee (PAC). REALTOR.CA CREA owns and operates REALTOR.ca which is Canada s largest public residential and commercial real estate website. The MLS data from real estate boards across Canada is regularly uploaded to REALTOR.ca, where it is available 24 hours a day to Buyers all across Canada and around the world. REALTOR.ca is also accessible through Stratus. On the home page, click on the Search Properties tab and then click Links to see the drop-down menu, and then click on REALTOR.ca. New Member Orientation Page 7

16 To find the most up to date statistics, log into REALTOR.ca and go to the CREA page. Click on Technology, which will bring you to the Products and Services page. Scroll down the left-hand side of the page and click on the port that says Website Reports once there you have the option of selecting a website you would like the stats for. REALTORLINK.CA CREA also owns and maintains REALTORLink.ca. It is a national-password protected Internet service, or intranet, available only to Members of the Canadian Real Estate Association. The unique technical structure of the site allows CREA, provincial Associations, and local real estate Boards to post information and documents of interest to Members. REALTORLink.ca is also accessible through Stratus. On the home page, click on the Search Properties tab, and then click Links to see the drop down-menu, and then click on REALTORLink. New Member Orientation Page 8

17 WEBForms WEBForms is an online database management system of real estate forms and contracts accessible through REALTORLink.ca. Because it is online, it means you have instant access to all the Forms you need to do your business every hour of every day of every week of the year! WEBForms automatically populates the Form with your membership information as well as property address and legal description data from REALTOR.ca. WEBForms can also be accessed through Stratus. On the home page on the right-hand side navigation tool bar, click on WEBForms. New Member Orientation Page 9

18 NATIONAL ADVERTISING CAMPAIGN CREA runs a national advertising campaign designed to enhance the REALTOR image to the public. TRADEMARKS The Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA) owns a number of trademarks. Some of these marks including REALTOR, Multiple Listing Service and MLS are exclusively licensed to members of CREA to use in the course of their real estate business. All of these trademarks are valuable assets of organized real estate and must be carefully protected. They can be used only in accordance with the conditions and rules for their use. As a member of CREA, you have an interest in protecting the proper use of these marks. Members are referred to REALTORLink, where they can obtain a copy of CREA s new Trademark Manual. Enter the REALTORLink portal via the secure Stratus login. New Member Orientation Page 10

19 How well do you know CREA Trademarks and Logos? Please indicate which trademarks or logos are correct. Correct Yes/No If No why? New Member Orientation Page 11

20 Notes New Member Orientation Page 12

21 Chapter Four: Ontario Real Estate Association Phone: or Fax: The Ontario Real Estate Association (OREA) represents the interests of Ontario REALTORS at the provincial level. The Ontario Real Estate Association was founded in 1922 to organize real estate activities on a province-wide basis. MISSION STATEMENT OREA s mission statement is to represent their Members and to provide a professional environment for Members to maximize business opportunities. ADVOCACY AT QUEEN S PARK TREB works with OREA to lobby the provincial government on matters that affect REALTORS and the real estate industry. OREA works to promote a legislative and regulatory environment favourable to the profession. PRE-REGISTRATION COURSES OREA provides pre-registration courses for the Real Estate Council of Ontario. These are the ones you will be most familiar with, having just completed them. ARTICLING COURSES In order to qualify for permanent Salesperson status, you must pass your articling course during your first two years. PROFESSIONAL DESIGNATION COURSE Professional Brokerage (Residential or Commercial) Strategic management, business plans, brokerage set-up and appropriate regulatory requirements and registration procedures are covered. REALTOR EDGE NEWSLETTER The REALTOR Edge newsletter is a monthly electronic publication that provides commentary and analysis on real estate issues, legal matters, technology and more. New Member Orientation Page 13

22 LEGAL FORUM An online forum where REALTORS can ask general real estate or REALTOR conduct questions from real estate lawyer Merv Burgard. There are over 5,000 questions and answers in Legal Forum, divided by topic and sub-topic. STANDARD FORMS AND OFFER CLAUSES REALTORS can download Standard Forms and Offer Clauses from OREA s website. Access to these Forms and Clauses help REALTORS be more efficient and avoid legal entanglements. MLS INTERBOARD LISTING REALTORS may also choose to place their listings on another Board s MLS System this is called Interboard Listing. To Interboard your listing to another Board, contact the MLS Processing Department of TREB at and they will provide you with the necessary information you need. ASSISTANCE FOR THE RECO COMPLAINTS PROCESS A Member of OREA who is the subject of a RECO complaint can now speak with OREA lawyer, Diana Russo, who will provide legal information on the RECO investigative and adjudicative process. This service in intended to assist Members in navigating the sometimes stressful RECO complaints process and is not intended to replace the information available through RECO. In addition to utilizing this new service, Members are encouraged to regularly check the information available on RECO s website. A Member who is the subject of a RECO complaint and/or would like to receive more information on this service can contact Diana Russo at or at DianaR@orea.com. LEGAL PAMPHLETS As part of OREA s ongoing commitment to provide Ontario REALTORS with the services they need to maximize their business opportunities, the OREA Legal Resource Committee has created pamphlets on various legal and ethical topics of interest to the profession. The pamphlets are for use by REALTORS as a reference tool. New Member Orientation Page 14

23 The pamphlets describe the general legal and ethical principles that should be considered when Members find themselves in certain situations. More legal pamphlets are added to the website every year. LEGAL ARTICLES In the Legal Articles section of the OREA website, REALTORS will be able to find those news articles of a legal or ethical nature that have been published in REALTOR Edge since September of AFFINITY PROGRAMS OREA may also save REALTORS thousands of dollars a year with their Affinity Partnership programs. OREA has negotiated discount programs not available to the average consumer. OREA s website is also accessible through Stratus. On the home page, click the Search Properties tab and then click Links to see the drop-down menu, and then click on OREA. New Member Orientation Page 15

24 Notes New Member Orientation Page 16

25 Chapter Five: Toronto Real Estate Board Main Phone: The Toronto Real Estate Board was founded in 1920 by a small group of real estate practitioners. MISSION STATEMENT To be a primary professional resource providing, preserving and promoting the continuing real estate success of all Members. KEY BENEFITS OF BELONGING TO THE TORONTO REAL ESTATE BOARD The key benefits of membership are: You have the right to acquire access to the MLS System and to use the term REALTOR. You are represented to the government at the federal, provincial and municipal levels on issues affecting the real estate industry. You are automatically a Member of CREA and OREA. You have access to professional standards and arbitration procedures to help protect your interests. You are provided with a myriad of professional development/continuing education opportunities, resources and services specifically for your benefit. New Member Orientation Page 17

26 GOVERNMENT RELATIONS TREB monitors residential and commercial issues and maintains communication with government officials providing input into decisions that affect REALTORS and the public they serve. TREB works with OREA and CREA to ensure Members interests are represented at all levels of government. To keep Members informed of government policies and programs, TREB provides up-to-date Government Relations information available on Stratus and in the Resource Centre. To realize even stronger Member-driven lobbying, Members are encouraged to share their political action feedback with TREB. Send your thoughts to: MEDIA/PUBLIC AFFAIRS Through the use of a number of communication vehicles, TREB conveys to consumers the value of using a REALTOR. Tools such as advertising, social media, news releases, newspaper and magazine columns, corporate brochures and special events are all utilized to meet this goal. Public Awareness Campaigns: Home Ownership is a Great Investment cp24.com/more/treb Buyer Representation Agreement BRAFirst.ca Buyer Registry Service HomeFindsYou.ca Consumer Privacy ProtectYourPrivacy.ca Municipal Land Transfer Tax LetsGetThisRightToronto.ca Social Media Web Addresses: YPN: Facebook.com/groups/trebypn YPN Twitter: twitter.com/trebypn Facebook: Facebook.com/TorontoRealEstateBoard Twitter: Twitter.com/TREBhome YouTube: youtube.com/trebchannel Pinterest: Pinterest.com/TREBhome LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/treb Google+: google.com/+trebchannel Blog: New Member Orientation Page 18

27 Commercial: Facebook: Facebook.com/TREBCommercial Twitter: Twitter.com/TREBCommercial YouTube: youtube.com/trebcommercial MEMBER COMMUNICATIONS TREB keeps its Members apprised of Board and industry news on a regular basis. All Members have access to electronic news from the home page of Stratus. Other Member publications include the monthly, flip-page electronic newsletter Across The Board; Broker Connect, a newsletter that specifically focuses on updates for Brokerages; Market Watch, a statistical report of monthly residential sales and its counterpart Commercial Realty Watch; Just The Commercial Facts, a monthly newsletter that includes articles and statistics on trends in commercial real estate as well as upcoming education courses for commercial REALTORS ; the annual, pocket-sized Quick Reference Guide of important numbers and industry related information; and the Annual Report, a review of Board activities. In addition, the Video Centre, accessed from the home page, contains a library of training and market videos available 24 hours a day. TREB S TECHNOLOGY SERVICES MLS SYSTEM TREB provides the greatest exposure of listed properties to the largest trading area in Canada. Users of the Stratus system (TREB s MLS System) have the option of either sending the listing information on a completed MLS Data Information Sheet to be entered by TREB, or directly loading the information themselves onto the Stratus website from their offices. All listings are then displayed on the website. The Stratus system enables REALTORS to retrieve the latest information on new listings; research historical data on solds, expireds and registry changes; prepare timely CMAs; identify suitable properties for clients through an automatic property match; and utilize the system for many other exciting applications. The system is user-friendly and provides full access to the MLS database, as well as sales registry information and assessment data. The Map Search tool in the Stratus system utilizes a combination of Microsoft Bing Maps technology and MapArt interface. Its use of multiple views, numerous zoom levels as well as an extensive selection of search fields makes it a highly effective search tool. The listing photos capacity of Stratus increased from nine to 20. The quality and maximum size of listing photos being stored and displayed has also been upgraded, for an enhanced viewing experience on the Stratus website, and subsequently on REALTOR.ca. New Member Orientation Page 19

28 Launched in April 2012, the New Stratus website was designed to work with PCs and Macs, and is compatible with a variety of browsers including Firefox, Safari, Internet Explorer and Chrome. The phased retirement of the Old Stratus system was completed in March The ipad and iphone app, which is available as a free download at the Apple App Store, provides Members with the ability to conduct a wide range of searches using their ios mobile devices. The Stratus MLS Mobile web interface provides similar abilities to Members who have Android, Windows and BlackBerry smartphones. With the launch of MobilePASS, Members now have the ability to generate authentication passwords from their smartphones, thereby eliminating the need to carry a key fob authenticator. The revolutionary Connect interface is the result of Ontario s four largest Real Estate Boards: Hamilton, London, Ottawa and Toronto joining together to allow Members to search and view each participating Board s listings and recent sales history, in each Board s own MLS format. Since the inception of the Connect project in July of 2009, other boards have elected to participate and more will be added from time to time. The Participating Boards (at time of printing) include: Connect was recently enhanced to include the Unified Search option, which allows Members to search all participating Boards/Associations together, using an intuitive unified map interface. TREB s Internet Data Exchange (IDX) allows Brokerages, through reciprocal agreements, to advertise their active listings on each other s websites, thus heightening exposure. TREB New Member Orientation Page 20

29 Members can frame IDX participant listings on their respective websites, for viewing by their clients. Through an interface designed and extended to Members by TREB, a client visiting the website of a participating TREB Member or Brokerage can conduct real-time searches for MLS Listings, based on parameters they themselves select. The interface can be used to locate and map prospective Listings, as well as for viewing property details. IDX is being offered in RETS (Real Estate Transaction Standard) format as well. TREB s VOW (Virtual Office Website) also offers access to listings in a RETS (Real Estate Transaction Standard) format. VOW RETS allows all Brokerages that have signed the TREB VOW RETS Datafeed Agreement access to the available listings data via a RETS client. The Toronto Real Estate Board s Buyer Registry Service (BRS ) is another key component of the business process that benefits real estate professionals and consumers alike. The BRS allows Members to electronically register Buyer Representation Agreements, helping to reduce commission disputes. New BRS Property Match functionality provides Members with the capability to configure Property Match searches and send the resulting s to their registered BRS Prospects at selected time intervals, including as frequently as every hour. The Video Centre on the Stratus home page offers a BRS training video through the MORE VIDEOS link/technically Speaking category. The Toronto Real Estate Board (TREB), the Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA), and four other major real estate boards across Canada developed a new system to measure home prices and home price growth: the MLS Home Price Index (MLS HPI). The MLS HPI is calculated using a sophisticated statistical model that takes into account a home s quantitative (e.g., the number of rooms it has) and qualitative (e.g., whether it has a finished basement) features. The New Member Orientation Page 21

30 MLS HPI traditionally is less volatile than average and median measures, which can swing dramatically in response to changes in the number of very expensive or inexpensive home sales from one time period to the next. With the new TREB Market Stats dashboards, Members can use TREB stats in many exciting new ways, with the capability to create custom charts and tables using historic TREB data. Members can now access quarterly rental and community level statistics and download the results in PDF, PNG and Excel formats. Through RealNet, Members have access to current information on new housing developments (both low- and high-rise) and commercial properties in the Greater Golden Horseshoe. The information is fully searchable by field and includes photographs as well as information on sale price, square footage, lot size, location, maintenance fees, sale type and more. The RealTrack ICIcomps database, accessible to TREB Members from Stratus, can be used to search for information on Commercial sales transactions for properties located throughout Ontario. It contains information on over 99,000 property transfers dating back to The TREB Public Records links provide direct access to MPAC s propertyline online service for obtaining land registry and assessment information. Included are methods of searching properties, obtaining reports, and much more. This application recently benefitted from a number of enhancements, including the release of a cross-platform HTML5 version and the integration of GeoWarehouse. TREB S INTERNET SITE TREB s public website, TREBhome.com, is a site where both Members and the public can find essential real estate information including market reports, housing charts, and video presentations. It also carries advertisements of MLS properties listed across the Greater Toronto Area through REALTOR.ca and allows access to GTA market reports and open house listings. Access to MLS home price trends and home price growth in residential markets within territories of participating real estate boards in Canada is available on PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT One clear measure of Members commitment to real estate excellence is their constant desire for learning. Designed to maintain the highest standards, TREB s professional development opportunities are second to none. TREB s roster has recently expanded to include professional designations. TREB also schedules seminars in convenient facilities around the GTA as well as in the TREB Newmarket office. New Member Orientation Page 22

31 Further to the complimentary education webinars that are offered on an ongoing basis, the Video Centre, accessed from the home page, contains a library of training and market videos available 24 hours a day. MLS SERVICES DEPARTMENT The Department also handles calls from Members on interpretations of MLS Rules and Policies, use of Standard Forms as well as MLS processing, which processes MLS Listings and reporting of sold transactions. The MLS Services Department also conducts various courses within the Outreach Program. MEMBER SERVICES TREB s Member Services responds to Membership and Dues and Fees inquiries. The department is also able to assist you in booking for your professional development courses. Call (416) HELP DESK The Help Desk responds to Member requests for Stratus technical assistance. Phone: or Toll Free: TREB ( ) helpdesk@trebnet.com or TorontoMLSQA@trebnet.com Hours: Monday to Friday -- 7 am to 11 pm / Saturday & Sunday -- 9 am to 4 pm Also see the Contact Us section on the Stratus home page for more contact information. New Member Orientation Page 23

32 SERVICES FOR COMMERCIAL SPECIALISTS The Commercial Network is composed of Members trading in commercial real estate who have met the criteria for membership in Commercial Network. The Commercial Network publishes the Rough/Advanced Guide to Construction Costs which provides current construction costs to TREB s Members, and the Introductory GTA Green Guide which provides an overview of current green building trends and green building rating systems for both new and existing buildings. Both guides are available to Members as complimentary downloadable PDFs on Stratus. In conjunction with the Education Committee, the Commercial Network also presents a variety of seminars throughout the year. For details about joining the Commercial Network, call The Commercial Network tab on Stratus offers tools and resources specifically designed to benefit Commercial Members. How do you access it? (through the Commercial Network Information tab) (through the Members Login) What information can you access on the site? Commercial News Finding a REALTOR Publications Industry Resources Research Reports Property Searches New Member Orientation Page 24

33 Maps Monthly Newsletter Commercial Network Logos (only through Members login) Maps TREB s Commercial Network publishes research maps for the education and guidance of commercial practitioners. How do you access it? 1. Log into 2. Click Commercial Network Information. 3. Hover over Research. 4. Click Commercial Maps. What information can you access on the site? All research maps including: Land Value Analysis Industrial, ICI Traffic Flow Quarterly Analysis Retail Density Population Projection Household Expenditure Condo Demographics TTC Transit Line Expansions How often are Maps updated? Most maps are updated at least once a year, unless there are some significant changes. Traffic Flow maps are updated every two years. Space Calculator The Space Calculator derives the total amount of space required for a property or building. How do I access it? Log into Click Commercial Network Information. New Member Orientation Page 25

34 Click the Calculators slider on the right side. Click on Space Calculator. How is the Calculator useful? The Space Calculator helps to analyze how much space is required for a potential building or property by accounting for the number of offices, conference rooms, boardrooms, cubicles, reception and pantry areas, along with extra space. It returns an approximate amount of square footage required to meet the need of the developers. Financial Models The Financial Models are built on a Microsoft Excel interface. They are built for the purposes of rough valuation of property. How do I access it? Log into Click Members Login. Enter Toronto MLS user ID, PIN and Authenticator password. Click on Property Investment Calculators under Calculator and Unit Convertor Click on desired Calculator. YOUNG PROFESSIONALS NETWORK COMMITTEE The Young Professionals Network (YPN) is a group real estate professionals looking to share best practices and innovative ideas, while serving the community and each other and educate the community about the real estate profession and work cooperatively with other real estate professionals to support the next generation of REALTORS through meet and greet sessions, educational seminars, and learning from experienced professionals. Everybody is welcome, whether you are new to the business or just young at heart. How do you join? Click on Your Resource Centre from the home page and then click on the Young Professionals Network link to find out how to join. THE REALTOR STORE TREB s REALTOR STORE stocks all our Standard Forms and a variety of products related to the real estate industry such as signs, stickers, lock boxes, client gifts and map books. These may be ordered by phone or online and delivered nightly to the Member s Brokerage. New Member Orientation Page 26

35 Access to TREB s REALTOR STORE online is through the Stratus home page by clicking the e-commerce REALTOR STORE banner (under REALTOR TOOLS on the right-hand side). RESOURCE CENTRE The Resource Centre (located across from the TREB Auditorium) provides complimentary printed material for all Members. The material covers TREB products, services and news as well as information from OREA, CREA, CMHC, and RECO, etc. A series of tutorials are available for viewing in a training video theatre playable through a touch-screen interface and a flat-screen monitor. PRODUCTS AND SERVICES Product and Service Directory contains information and weblinks to a variety of companies offering real estate related products and services. The Products and Services link can be easily accessed from the Stratus home page by clicking the e-commerce REALTOR STORE banner (under REALTOR TOOLS on the right-hand side). New Member Orientation Page 27

36 ARBITRATION PROCESS An Arbitration Roster is appointed on an annual basis to process claims involving disputes between Brokerage Members. Brokerage Members have access to an arbitration claim form which, when completed with supporting documentation, assist in initiating a claim. The Arbitration Roster follows the fundamental principles of procurement and fairness and equity in reaching a decision. For information on how to file an arbitration claim and the arbitration process, please visit the Frequently Asked Questions section of the arbitration and professional standards section of PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS All registrants in the province of Ontario must comply with the Real Estate Council of Ontario s (RECO) Code of Ethics. All Members of the Toronto Real Estate Board must also comply with MLS Rules and Policies and TREB s By-Law. These measures protect REALTORS and enhance their professional image. While RECO focuses on conduct issues, TREB s Professional Standards Rosters are geared toward the ongoing development and operation of the TREB MLS System. For information on the process of filing a complaint with the Toronto Real Estate Board, please visit the Frequently Asked Questions section of the arbitration and professional standards section of New Member Orientation Page 28

37 Notes New Member Orientation Page 29

38 Chapter Six: MLS Rules and Policies The purpose of TREB MLS Rules and Policies (the MLS Rules and Policies) is to set out the requirements for the orderly, competitive and efficient operation of TorontoMLS. They are designed to reflect a high standard of practice and all Members are expected to understand and abide by the RECO Rules, the CREA Rules, the MLS Rules and Policies, and by all applicable laws and regulatory requirements. The authority of the Board and the requirement for all Members to comply is contained in the TREB By-law. Any breach of the MLS Rules and Policies is a breach of the TREB By-law. Breach of an MLS Rule by a Member may result in the conduct being reported to the Professional Standards Committee. The Policies section is intended to assist Members in their understanding of the processes to be followed in the administration and operation of the TREB s MLS System. The Policies section was previously referred to as the Regulations. From and after the effective date of these MLS Rules and Policies, any references to Regulations in any TREB form or publication will be read as a reference to Policies. TREB MLS Rules and Policies are available to download from the Stratus home page. Click on MLS Information, then click on MLS Rules and Policies on the left-hand side navigation tool bar. We have a total of 73 MLS Rules and 22 Policies (not including the VOW Rules and Policies). At the end of the session, we will have touched on and reviewed, more or less, 40 of the most common Rules. Please take a look at the rest of your MLS Rules and Policies. New Member Orientation Page 30

39 REVIEW OF MLS RULES AND POLICIES AND BY-LAW 1. The selling price is not requested when reporting conditional sales. TRUE FALSE 2. Subject to the terms of the MLS Listing Agreement, a Member, who is unable to keep an appointment to show or inspect an MLS Listing, shall immediately advise the Listing Brokerage prior to the appointment, who shall in turn immediately advise the Seller or occupant. TRUE FALSE 3. The Spring annual meeting shall be held between April 1st and June 15th of each fiscal year and shall be adjourned to October of each fiscal year, the date, place and hour to be designated by the Board of Directors. TRUE FALSE 4. Membership in the Board, in any category, is transferable. TRUE FALSE 5. On expiry, suspension or Cancellation of an MLS Listing Agreement, the Listing Brokerage shall remove any MLS sign placed on the property by the Listing Brokerage immediately. TRUE FALSE 6. An MLS Listing Agreement shall run for a period of not less than thirty (30) days from the commencement date. TRUE FALSE New Member Orientation Page 31

40 7. Information published on TREB s MLS System shall relate directly to the listed real estate and the MLS Listing Agreement, and accordingly shall not include any information that promotes goods and services, provided that the Brokerage Remarks field may include the name, address, telephone and/or facsimile number and/or address (but not a link to that address) of Member(s) to be contacted for more information concerning the property. TRUE FALSE 8. The Board of Directors shall be comprised of twelve (12) Members. TRUE FALSE 9. The publication of an MLS Listing on TREB s MLS System constitutes an offer by the Listing Brokerage to any Co-operating Brokerage that upon obtaining an Offer that is accepted for the MLS Listing the Co-operating Brokerage shall be entitled to earn the commission on TREB s MLS System, subject to the arbitration provisions of the TREB By-law and MLS Rules or Policies. TRUE FALSE 10. MLS Listings on TREB s MLS System shall contain all information necessary for preparing an Offer for Sale, Lease or Sub-Lease. TRUE FALSE 11. The Listing Brokerage is responsible for the accuracy of all information submitted by the Listing Brokerage to TREB s MLS System. TREB is not obligated to or responsible for reviewing the accuracy or propriety of any MLS Data Information Form, MLS Listing Agreement or Document Attachments. It is the Listing Brokerage s responsibility to verify the accuracy of the photograph, information and documentation and to correct any inaccuracy or notify TREB of any inaccuracy immediately of same as may be necessary in the circumstances. TRUE FALSE 12. Any changes to approved TREB/OREA forms shall be clearly identified and initialled by all parties to the transaction. TRUE FALSE 13. A Member s MLS sign shall be placed on the property prior to the commencement date of the Member s MLS Listing Agreement. New Member Orientation Page 32

41 TRUE FALSE 14. If the Seller directs that the Co-operating Brokerage not be in attendance during an Offer presentation, the Listing Brokerage shall notify the Co-operating Brokerage verbally. TRUE FALSE 15. All Members shall abide by the RECO Rules, the CREA Rules, the MLS Rules and Policies, and by all applicable laws and regulatory requirements. No Member shall act in a manner so as to attempt to deliberately avoid or circumvent TREB s MLS System, the RECO Rules, the CREA Rules or these MLS Rules and Policies, or any applicable laws or regulatory requirements. TRUE FALSE Some people make things happen, some watch things happen, while others wonder what happened. New Member Orientation Page 33

42 Notes New Member Orientation Page 34

43 Chapter Seven: Data Integrity Service (DIS) The DIS Policy allows Members to help preserve the accuracy and integrity of the information on the MLS System in a non-adversarial manner. The policy states that if there is a verifiable violation of the 11 MLS Rules contained within the DIS Policy, then Members may submit a complaint by to dis@trebnet.com or fax to Further information about the DIS Policy is accessible from the Stratus home page by clicking on MLS Information tab and on the left-hand side of the screen, click on Data Integrity Service. When a Member submits a complaint regarding MLS Rules within the DIS Policy, the Member s information will remain confidential. The DIS Policy pertains to the following MLS Rules: 1. When the MLS Listing contains information that does not pertain to the property or that promotes goods or services. R-105 (Special Administrative Fee $400.00) Information published on TREB s MLS System shall relate directly to the listed real estate and the MLS Listing Agreement, and accordingly shall not include any information that promotes goods and services, provided that the Brokerage Remarks field may include the name, address, telephone and/or facsimile number and/or address (but not a link to that address) of Member(s) to be contacted for more information concerning the property. New Member Orientation Page 35

44 Example: Contact information on Remarks for Clients or Extras Fields, Internet links or information that is not related to the property. 2. When Virtual Tours contain any identifying information of the Brokerage/Broker/Salesperson or third parties or internet links that does not relate directly to the property R-106 (Special Administrative Fee $400.00) Information published on TREB s MLS System and Virtual Tour shall contain information pertaining to the property to which the MLS Listing Agreement pertains and shall not include: (a) any internet links, links or references to any internet links; or (b) any information that promotes goods or services. Furthermore, a Virtual Tour on TREB s MLS System shall not include any information regarding any identification of the Listing Brokerage, the Listing Broker/Salesperson or the Virtual Tour Company. (Effective November 1, 2007) Example: Virtual Tour that contains information on the Salesperson, Brokerage and Virtual Tour Company. 3. When mandatory fields are not completed (i.e.: taxes, maintenance fees, lot sizes, legal descriptions) R-304 (Special Administrative Fee $400.00) (a) No Member shall submit an MLS Listing to TREB s MLS System that contravenes the TREB MLS Rules or Policies and/or the TREB By-Law. TREB may, in its sole discretion, deem any such MLS Listing to be invalid and either remove it from TREB s MLS System or refuse to publish such MLS Listing. New Member Orientation Page 36

45 (b) Without limiting the generality of the foregoing and the other provisions of the MLS Rules or Policies, any such MLS Listing shall not be accepted by TREB as an MLS Listing: (i) if it excludes any Members from showing the property; (ii) if it excludes any Members from acting as a Co-operating Brokerage; or (iii) if all Mandatory Fields have not been completed. (c) If a submitted MLS Listing is deemed invalid as hereinbefore provided, TREB shall send notice to the Listing Brokerage who shall, within two (2) TREB business days, remedy the information through a Re-run, or process a Cancellation. On an Incomplete MLS Listing that requires changes to Mandatory Fields, the Listing Brokerage is required to process a Re-run by the date specified in the notification to the Member provided by TREB. Example: 0 Taxes, 0 Maintenance Fee, 0 X 0 Lot Size 4. When there is two or more MLS Listings on the MLS System for the same trade from the same Seller for the same property R-312 (Special Administrative Fee $250.00) Only one MLS Listing for any one Trade function signed by the same Seller may be placed on TREB s MLS System at any one time. Example: 2 MLS Listings from the same Seller, for the same address and the same Trade function New Member Orientation Page 37

46 5. When an MLS Listing contains wordings such as: No showings, Off the market, No inspections, No registration of Offers R-345 (Special Administrative Fee $500.00) MLS Listings appearing on TREB s MLS System shall be immediately available (subject to applicable legislation, the rights of and reasonable accommodation to the occupancy) for showings, inspections and registration of Offers. In the event an existing listing becomes unavailable for showings, inspections or registration of Offers, the listing shall be suspended. While under suspension a record of all requests by Co-operating Brokerages for showings, inspections and registration of Offers shall be kept by the Listing Brokerage. Upon the Seller rescinding the suspension the Listing Brokerage shall immediately notify all Co-operating Brokerages who have requested showings, inspections or registration of Offers. (Effective May 12, 2008) Example: No showings/no inspections/no offer registration till 6. When the Sellers Name(s) is not disclosed on the MLS System R-360 (Special Administrative Fee $400.00) MLS Listings on TREB s MLS System shall contain all information necessary for preparing an Offer for Sale, Lease or Sub-Lease. Example: Sellers Name: Undisclosed 7. When an MLS Listing is designated as an Office Listing New Member Orientation Page 38

47 R-370 (Special Administrative Fee $100.00) Where an MLS Listing is designated as an Office listing in the Listing Salesperson field, the Broker of Record/Manager s name or the name of a Member who is familiar with the property shall also appear after the word Office. Example: Listing Salesperson: Administrator 8. When wordings or other embellishments not related to the property appear on the photograph R-385 (Special Administrative Fee $300.00) Photographs or other graphic images of a property, with wording or other embellishments not related to the property, shall not be accepted for an MLS Listing to be serviced through TREB s MLS System. 9. When taxes are inputted and they are not the current or prior year s annual taxes R-390 (Special Administrative Fee $300.00) Where realty taxes are required to appear on TREB s MLS System, the amount to be shown shall be the current year s annual taxes or if not available the prior year s annual taxes. New Member Orientation Page 39

48 10. When the sold conditional date has expired and the status has not been updated R-610 (Special Administrative Fee $500.00) The sale, lease or sub-lease of a residential or commercial MLS Listing shall be reported by the Listing Brokerage through TREB s MLS System, whether conditional or firm, to TREB within two (2) TREB business days following acceptance of an Offer. Reporting by the Listing Brokerage of a commercial sale/lease price shall contain the unit of measurement in which the original listing was posted. All changes in the status of a previously Reported conditional sale shall be Reported to TREB within two (2) TREB business days of the change. (a) The residential sale price shall be Reported to TREB within two (2) TREB business days of either: (i) Reporting of a firm transaction; or (ii) removal of all condition(s) (b) A commercial sale price shall be Reported either: (i) at the time of Reporting a firm transaction; or (ii) at the same time as Reporting a firm transaction, and request that the price be suppressed until after closing; or (iii) within five (5) TREB business days of closing of the transaction. Example: Sold Conditional date is passed two (2) TREB Business Days and the Listing has not been reported as Sold Firm 11. When there is no commission offered to a Co-operating Brokerage R-100 The MLS Rules and Policies shall be interpreted in accordance with RECO Rules, the CREA Rules, and all applicable laws and regulatory requirements. If any MLS Rules or Policies or CREA Rules conflict with the RECO Rules or any applicable laws or regulatory requirements, the conflicting MLS Rules or Policies or New Member Orientation Page 40

49 CREA Rules will be considered inoperative to the extent of such conflict. CREA Rule : Compensation to Co-operating Broker The listing REALTOR Member agrees to pay to the co-operating (i.e. selling) REALTOR Member compensation for the co-operative selling of the property. An offer of compensation of zero is not acceptable. Example: Commission to CB: 0 If there appears to be a possible violation of the above MLS Rules in an MLS Listing, a notification letter and a copy of the MLS Listing will be faxed to the Broker of Record, Manager(s) and Salesperson(s)/Broker(s). The notification letter will contain suggested remedial action(s) and the MLS Listing concerned has to be in compliance within (2) TREB business days. If the MLS Listing is not in compliance within two (2) TREB business days of the notification; a complaint will be forwarded to the Professional Standards Department for further action. New Member Orientation Page 41

50 Notes New Member Orientation Page 42

51 Chapter Eight: Complaining To The Board In order to ensure timely resolution of complaints, the following steps are required to submit a complaint: Submit your complaint in writing o by fax: o by complaints@trebnet.com Complaints surrounding multiple properties must be submitted separately. Keep things brief and to the point. Set out the facts clearly and in a logical order, outlining the action you took (not limited to: how you came across the violation, names of people you spoke with, date of the incidents or date of telephone calls, number of attempts made, what information was relayed to you, etc.). Send copies of any relevant paperwork that you believe supports your case. (Keep a copy of all information you send to the Toronto Real Estate Board.) If your complaint does not provide enough detail, the Toronto Real Estate Board will not proceed with an investigation. EXAMPLE: MLS no not allowing showings. (This Is Not A Complaint) MLS no contacted the office on DATE, spoke with NAME. Requested to schedule an appointment to view the property on DATE. NAME indicated the property is unavailable until DATE. What happened next? Were reasons given? Did you attempt to book another showing? Any other information that will assist the Toronto Real Estate Board in its investigation. Don't always expect immediate results some complaints may take time to investigate properly and resolve. New Member Orientation Page 43

52 Notes New Member Orientation Page 44

53 Chapter Nine: Changing Information On A Sold Listing When a property has been reported sold to TREB, Brokerage support staff or Salespeople can no longer change information in that listing: TREB put Policy P-103 in place A Form was created When a change is requested, the Form must be completed Once we receive the request for the change: It will be date and time stamped and logged It will be given a file number Authorization must be given by TREB CEO MLS Processing staff will then make the change The following will then happen to the History: There will be a notation next to the address in RED Click the History button found in the Action Toolbar. New Member Orientation Page 45

54 Any field that has to be entered in order for the change to be made will be flagged as Special Edits. New Member Orientation Page 46

55 New Member Orientation Page 47

56 Notes New Member Orientation Page 48

57 Chapter Ten: Professional Development Introduction The Professional Development presentation and this workbook are part of the New Member Orientation. This section covers information on the hands-on technology courses and seminars. Courses, Types, and Locations The Toronto Real Estate Board offers professional development seminars and hands-on technology training courses for Residential and Commercial purposes. The computer courses are offered at several locations around the GTA. The Toronto Real Estate Board has two fully equipped classrooms (1400 Don Mills); TREB York Office, 45 Millard Ave. West, Newmarket; TCP Training Centres, 5060 Spectrum Way, Mississauga (Eglinton & Dixie); The Brampton Board and the Durham Association also hold classes. Course descriptions and locations can be accessed on Professional Development tab found on the Stratus home page. New Member Orientation Page 49

58 Click a course title in the handy month-at-a-glance Professional Development calendar to learn more about the course. Click the preferred location in the colour-coded Legend on the right to access course dates and details as well as offsite location information and maps. To see more technology training offered, click the Professional Development drop-down menu and select Technology Training. To register for TREB courses: Online: Online registration can be accessed 24/7 from the e-commerce Course Registration link on the right-hand side of the professional development calendar. It can also be accessed from the Stratus home page. Under REALTOR TOOLS, click e-commerce REALTOR STORE and then click e-commerce. You will be required to login with your authenticator to access the registration tool. Phone: Member Services at or (Newmarket) or Ext. 22 (Mississauga). New Member Orientation Page 50

59 In Person: Bring your completed form with payment to the Member Services, Monday - Friday, 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Hands-on Technical Training The Board offers complimentary hands-on training during the first six months as a new Member. You may choose from the following: Stratus Fundamentals Training Hands-on classes in using the Stratus System are available in 2 formats: Searching in Stratus - Residential(4 hours). Searching in Stratus - Commercial (4 hours). Both classes cover the following topics: o Searching for available and unavailable listings using a variety of methods; o ing and printing search results; o Saving searches, map locations and shapes for future use; o Accessing database archives to view a property s history (as far back as 1986 for residential and 1989 for commercial listings); o Setting up a Prospect Search the search that automatically s new listings to your Prospects, as they come available; Creating a CMA in Stratus In this 3-hour course, you will learn how to use Stratus to determine a value for a property in the current marketplace. The main approach used is the Sales Comparison Approach; and while the class focuses on residential properties, the same approach can be applied to many commercial properties. It is highly recommended that you complete one of the Stratus Fundamentals courses before attending this course. Working with Public Records This course will teach you how to access and understand information that comes from the Land Registry Offices and assessment information from MPAC. Information found includes legal description, year built and property dimensions, most recent assessed value, current Phased-in assessed value, access to the Property Assessment Notice, last sale price and date. New Member Orientation Page 51

60 WEBForms WEBForms is an online tool offered by the CREA for creating Agreements and Clauses. A complete database of standard clauses and forms is available and is always up to date. In Working with WEBForms, you will learn to set up and save your offers, create templates for typical transactions, and create your own custom clauses to add to WEBForms. Additional hands-on courses are available; however, there is a fee for these. Residential Statistics in Stratus This advanced level class collects information from many sources to help your Buyers or Sellers make decisions. Do you know what MOI is? HPI? So much information is available, but how do you make sense of it all, and how can you share it with your clients so that they too can make sense of it? Learn to use the TREB Market Stats dashboards, export data to Excel, create and format your own charts. Interpret data from Market Watch and the MLS Home Price Index (HPI) to use for your CMAs and other decision-making processes. Add/Edit in Stratus This course teaches Members how to add and edit listings to the Stratus database. Add/Edit is not available to every Member. Access is granted by the Broker of Record. In some offices, only Managers or Administrators can upload and process listings. In other offices, permission may be granted to Salespeople as well. Check with your Broker prior to taking the Add/Edit class since you will need to have been given this access to take part in this class. Regular Course Fees There is a modest charge for hands-on training after the first six months and for retakes: Half-day, hands-on classes (3 or 4 hours) cost $40.00 plus HST. Full-day, hands-on classes (6 hours) cost $75.00 plus HST. Retake of hands-on classes, full or half day, cost $20.00 plus HST. Note: Cancellation of any course or retake should be made at least 5 business days prior to the scheduled class in order to reschedule without charge. New Member Orientation Page 52

61 Suggested Course Streams New Member Orientation Page 53

62 Notes New Member Orientation Page 54

63 Chapter Eleven: Stratus and the Home Page Members can Log On to Stratus using their preferred browser: Firefox, Chrome, Safari or Internet Explorer (version 9 or higher). Type into the browser s address bar and you will land on the Stratus Welcome page, where you log in with your authenticator or MobilePASS. After you log in, you land on the Stratus home page, which is more than an entry point to Search Properties where the listing database is found. It is an important communication centre featuring portals into Commercial Network Information and access to many other resources such as the Media Centre with top stories for all the latest and relevant news. There is the Video Centre that houses a library of training videos and recorded webinars. Click More Videos to access the full library, organized by category. New Member Orientation Page 55

64 Navigate via buttons, tabs, sliders and links New Member Orientation Page 56

65 Accessing Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) The home page features a Frequently Asked Questions section (FAQ). Once logged on, click on FAQ in the upper right corner of the home page. For a Commercial FAQ, click on the Commercial Network Information button, and then click on the FAQ link in the upper right corner. The FAQ list of topics covered includes questions such as: New Member Orientation Page 57

66 Interactive Member Tools When you are looking for information about TREB services and don t know where to look, click on the Interactive Member Tools button. This navigational tool provides easy access to all Member tools and services from any device. Keyword Search When you want to know more information on any topic, why not use the Keyword Search box? It is located in the upper right-hand corner of the home page and is on other screens as well. Type the keywords that you are looking for into the search box and click Go. The results will include all the references to the desired words. To access a reference, click the link in the title of the section. Your Resource Centre On the home page right panel, click Your Resource Centre to quickly connect to Industry News, REALTOR Safety information, Across The Board Newsletter, Tax Rates/Calculators, Stratus MLS Mobile, Compliance Corner, Young Professionals Network, Social Media and Public Awareness Campaigns. At the bottom of this page, you will find a collection of videos that can be shared with your clients by or on Facebook, your website or blog. Technology Corner On the right side of the home page, click Technology Corner, then either Manuals or Stratus Manuals from the left navigation panel to get information and manuals on the following topics: New Member Orientation Page 58

67 Stratus Fundamentals, Creating a CMA in Stratus, WEBForms, Connect; RealNet; the Buyer Registry Service ; Manage My Profile, Stratus Wireless and many more. Members wanting to request that an enhancement be made to the Stratus system can fill in the Enhancement Request Form which gets submitted to the MLS Committee. The form is under Technology Corner > System Updates > Member Requests. Boards & Associations On the home page right panel, click the drop-down arrow beside Boards & Associations to access websites for BREB (Brampton Real Estate Board), DRAR (Durham Region Association of REALTORS ), MREB (Mississauga Real Estate Board) and ODREB (Orangeville & District Real Estate Board). WEBForms The WEBForms button provides one-click access to your Transaction Kits in WEBForms. You will not be required to log in again as long as your current Stratus session is active. New Member Orientation Page 59

68 REALTOR TOOLS There are five REALTOR TOOLS sliders on the right side of the home page that expand when clicked on giving you access to the following resources: Market Stats/Information The Market Stats/Information slider contains valuable resources to help you help your clients make informed decisions. You will gain insights on up-to-date information with the links under this slider: TREB Market Stats, Market Watch, Commercial Watch, Condo Corner, and be sure to use the scroll bar to see Rental Reports too. There is also archival data for you to compare current reports with past ones. TREB Market Stats Market Watch Commercial Watch Condo Corner Rental Report TREB Market Stats The TREB Market Stats dashboard was launched in June Using the dashboard, Members are able to create custom charts and tables using historic TREB data and have the ability to export into PDF and Excel. These capabilities support the suite of market reports and videos available. Market Watch and Commercial Watch You can access both current and archived copies of Market Watch and Commercial Watch. These offer detailed information identifying market trends and neighbourhood summaries. You can copy charts and tables from these articles to use in your newsletters, websites, blogs, presentations, and other marketing material. Condo Corner The Condo Corner serves as a comprehensive resource for Condo practitioners. A new feature of the corner is the Condo Registry. The registry is a wiki which contains building names, Condo Corporation numbers, Property Management Companies and more. Condo Corner begins with New Member Orientation Page 60

69 the latest Condo Market Commentary. The Toronto Condo Network reviews market trends such as interest rates that will affect the Condo market. Additional resources found in the corner include: Links to order Status Certificates and access maps Condo Newsfeed Dealing with Condo Assignments RealNet New Homes which covers condos and lofts And much more. Rental Report The Rental Market Report provides insight into an important sector of the local real estate market. It will serve as a valuable resource to REALTORS specializing in rentals or working with clients who are buying condominium units for investment purposes. It will also help potential renters compare unit prices in different parts of the city. Forms/Clauses This slider provides access to up-to-date real estate forms and clauses as well as Forms Explained. Since real estate transaction paperwork can be a source of confusion to consumers, these forms will help you explain some of the legal terminology. The forms open in PDF format and can be saved to your computer. New Member Orientation Page 61

70 e-commerce REALTOR STORE Click the e-commerce REALTOR STORE slider to access e-commerce, REALTOR STORE, Products & Services, and Member to Member/Buy & Sell links. e-commerce / REALTOR STORE When you click either the e-commerce or REALTOR STORE link, you will be taken to the e- Commerce login screen. Here, you are required to login with your Membership#, PIN and Authenticator password. Once you gain access to e-commerce, you will see four points of entry: New Member Orientation Page 62

71 1. MAKE PAYMENTS gives you access to your membership account online. Click here to pay your annual fees online; 2. PAYMENT HISTORY gives you the history of your membership account payments; 3. REALTOR STORE offers a wide range of real estate related products, from calculators and electronic measuring devices to signage and standard forms. The REALTOR STORE is a one-stop-shop for all of your real estate business needs. TREB has used the buying power of its membership to provide you with exceptional value. You can shop online, order by phone or visit our store in person. Items can be shipped to your Brokerage office. 4. PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT REGISTRATION gives you 24/7 access to all the information you need to find the right course. See the available dates for the course you want and book your seat immediately. Check out course descriptions and instructor bios. Products and Services The Products & Services link opens a directory with contact information and links to a wide variety of companies offering real estate related products and services to our membership. Many of our trade show exhibitors are represented here. Check back often, the directory will continue to expand as new offerings and categories are added. Member to Member/Buy & Sell The Buy & Sell section features a Member to Member/Buy & Sell service provided to all TREB Members who want to buy or sell select products. To place your ad, simply buyandsell@trebnet.com. New Member Orientation Page 63

72 Maps/Calculators Click this slider to access links to TREB Maps, Re-districting Map, Commercial Research Maps and the LTT Calculator (Land Transfer Tax). TREB Maps (PDF) Click this link to access maps that can be printed showing Area and Municipality boundaries. TREB Map Click this link to access a dynamic map onto which you can overlay TREB boundaries for Areas, Municipalities and Communities. First you drill down on a specific location and then you click the provided check boxes to see the desired boundary lines (layers). Commercial Research Maps Click this link to access an assortment of commercial, residential, household spending and other maps. Land Transfer Tax Calculator Use this link to work with a Land Transfer Tax calculator. More Resources This slider provides access to FINTRAC Compliance, Anti-Spam, the Do-Not-Call List, and Altus InSite information. New Member Orientation Page 64

73 Click the FINTRAC Compliance link to learn more about Canada s anti-money laundering legislation and what you need to do to comply. Watch the compliance video, access forms and other training tools here. Click the Anti-Spam link to learn more about the new anti-spam legislation and its impact on business. Click the Do-Not-Call List link to learn more about national privacy compliance and read expert commentaries. Click the Altus InSite link to register/access office and industrial spaces for lease contained in the Altus InSite database on a pay-per-use basis. GTA News / Media Centre Top Stories Headlines for top news articles are featured on the left side of the home page under Top Stories. Titles that appear in green are new (within last 48 hours). To view the full story, click the title. Additional headlines are featured under the GTA News section. Click the title for details. The Media Centre tab contains industry-related articles from media sources (print and Web), organized under the headings: News Items on TREB and other Real Estate Associations News Items on Real Estate New Member Orientation Page 65

74 News Items on REALTORS News Items on Commercial Real Estate News Items on Government Relations To receive news items in your inbox: 1. On the home page, at the bottom of the Media Centre, click MORE NEWS. 2. In the right side panel, under TREB NEWS DIRECT TO YOU, click the See details link. 3. Select the type of news you want to receive; enter your membership number and the address where you want it sent to. 4. Click Subscribe to finish. New Member Orientation Page 66

75 The Video Centre The Video Centre contains a growing library of training videos as well as some webinars on a wide variety of topics. Several videos are featured on the home page. To access the full library, click More Videos. Select the desired category and then click a title to launch the video. You can also navigate to the full library of training videos by way of the home page Professional Development tab (click the Prof.Dev. tab and select e-training Tutorials in the menu that appears) or, by searching tutorials in the keyword search box. New Member Orientation Page 67

76 Video Centre Topics (Subject to change) Stratus & Research Collaborate Listing Search in New Stratus Search Results in Stratus Map Search in Stratus Creating a Prospect Search in Stratus Contacts in Stratus Creating Custom One-line Search Results Public Records Residential GeoWarehouse Access Added to Public Records Stratus Mobile for Android, BlackBerry and Windows Phones Searching in Stratus MLS Mobile for iphone/ipad Working with Search Results in Stratus MLS Mobile for iphone/ipad RealNet New Homes RealNet Commercial Zoning Map Your Listings and the Internet MPAC propertyline for Commercial Practitioners Choosing a Digital Signatures Program Advertising Public Open Houses Community Reports Commercial CBES Haves and Wants Office Space Calculator RealNet Commercial Altus InSite Commercial Market Watch - Q MPAC propertyline for Commercial Practitioners Market Statistics Market Watch March 2016 Market Watch February 2016 Market Watch January 2016 Market Watch December 2015 Market Watch November 2015 Market Watch October 2015 The Market According to Mercer 3 rd Quarter Report Commercial Market Watch - Q Home Price Index Community Reports Events Market Year in Review & Outlook Report 2015 Highlights Realtor Quest 2015 Summary Compliance FINTRAC/Anti-Spam Compliance Requirements Calculating Realty Taxes Preparing for a Professional Standards Hearing Data Integrity Service (DIS) CREA s Collusion and Conspiracy CREA s Doing Business with Competitors CREA s Don t Mislead CREA s Setting Your Prices Technically Speaking Your Resource Centre Technically Speaking RealNet s Condo Investment Calculator Technically Speaking Home Price Index (HPI) Buyer Registry Service (BRS ) Property Match Connect Market Dashboards The Buyer Registry Service (BRS ) RealNet New Homes Public Records Internet Data Exchange (IDX) Facebook Creating a Facebook Account & Profile Managing Your Privacy Settings Making & Managing Your Facebook Friends Engaging Your Social Network Through Facebook Creating a Facebook Business Page Public Campaigns TREB Tuned in TV Spot with President Mark McLean Home Ownership is a GREAT Investment Campaign Home Ownership is a GREAT Investment TV Commercial TREB Tuned in TV Spot with President Paul Etherington Home Ownership is a Great Investment! Charitable REALTORS Care Foundation New Member Orientation Page 68

77 Notes New Member Orientation Page 69

78 Notes New Member Orientation Page 70

79 Chapter Twelve: Links From the home page, click Search Properties to access Stratus. Once in Stratus, there are many links found in the Left Side Panel to quickly navigate you to the following resources: Home Page: takes you back to the first page you landed on after logging in e-commerce: provides access to your membership account and to the REALTOR STORE Public Records: links to MPAC s propertyline website for searching property information from the Land Registry Offices and assessment information from MPAC. Public Records (Mobile): links to the mobile interface of MPAC s propertyline website. This interface can be viewed on computers as well as tablets. Collaborate: a cross-platform application allowing you to collaborate in real time with your clients. RealNet: links to a New Homes database and a database of Commercial sales history. RealTrack: a link to a province-wide ICIcomp database which contains information on over 86,000 property transfers dating back to Professional Development: access to Professional Development program offerings across our local Boards Street Photos: offers Members another option when it comes to obtaining and using exterior photos for your listings. The Streetscape images are updated every four years. TREB Market Stats: using the dashboards, Members are able to create custom charts and tables using historic TREB data and have the ability to export into PDF and Excel. Connect: links to the MLS databases of participating Boards and Associations. Both active listings and recent sales can be searched. Condo Corner: serves as a comprehensive resource for Condo practitioners. Buyer Registry Service: allows for the electronic, direct-load registration of Buyer Representation Agreements. REALTOR.CA: a link to CREA s public MLS OREA: links to the Ontario Real Estate Associate website New Member Orientation Page 71

80 RECO: links to the Real Estate Council of Ontario website REALTORLink: links to CREA s site Data Distribution Facility: links to CREA s information page on sharing listings through third-party websites. Manage My Profile: links to TREB s member profile info. TREB Map: Bing s map onto which you can display TREB boundary overlays TREB Maps (PDF): Printable PDFs of TREB maps and boundaries Training Mode (Add/Edit): Used for Add/Edit training purposes only Public Records Public Records links to MPAC s propertyline website which provides you with access to key Public Record features such as MPAC Data (assessment information) and Land Registry Data (legal description, last sale date and amount). Province-wide information is available. Collaborate Collaborate allows you to interact with your clients in real time from any device. Create searches for your clients and have them notified immediately of new listings. Invite clients to register and create their own searches. Be notified of clients activity in Collaborate, learning what they like and dislike. RealNet RealNet is a link to two completely different data bases: RealNet New Homes and RealNet Commercial. For manuals on RealNet New Homes and Commercial and articles about RealNet, go to the Technology Corner of the home page. In the left sidebar, click Manuals. RealNet New Homes RealNet s New Homes provides monthly updates of builders projects throughout the Golden Horseshoe including available inventory, property transactions and price information. This data is available for Low-Rise developments (detached, link, semis, and townhouses) and High-Rise developments (stacked townhouses, apartments, and lofts). Only projects with at least 15 units are included. New Member Orientation Page 72

81 The site also provides various market video briefings, presentations, monthly statistical reports and the newest report, The Condo Investment Advisor. RealNet Commercial RealNet s Commercial database contains daily updates of commercial property transactions throughout the Golden Horseshoe. This information is available for Office, Retail, Industrial, Apartment, Hotel, ICI Land and Residential Land. These transactions are over $500,000 and are entered into the system within 10 days after closing. Data is available back to In addition, detailed sales transaction reports, quarterly statistical reports, and quarterly multimedia briefings are available. New Member Orientation Page 73

82 Connect Connect offers all REALTOR Members from participating Boards and Associations, the ability to search and view active listings and recent sales history of all other participating Boards and Associations in their own local MLS format. Some of the classes included are Residential, Lease, Commercial and Condo. The most recent two years of available, sold and leased listings are provided in Connect. The Unified Search allows you the ability to search by a map location for listings from all participating Boards and Associations. For a complete manual on using Connect go to the home page, click on Technology Corner, then Manuals. New Member Orientation Page 74

83 The Buyer Registry Service (BRS ) The Buyer Registry Service (BRS ) is a database of Buyers under a Buyer Representation Agreement. It will serve to help clarify any confusion about a particular Buyer s relationship with a REALTOR. It will ultimately help to make the Buyer side of real estate transactions more professional and offer greater Buyer consumer protection. Also, the BRS acts as a useful tool for listing sales representatives to find potential Buyers for a specific property. Using the BRS Entering a Buyer s information into the database requires a Buyer Representation Agreement with a term of at least 5 business days and an optional consent form called the Buyer Representation Agreement Data Form. Information from the data form is entered into the database by the Broker or an authorized representative. For privacy, no details about the Buyer are accessible except to the Buyer s REALTOR and Broker of Record. There are several benefits to Members who use the BRS. Authorized TREB users are able to search the BRS to determine whether or not a potential Buyer is already registered and under a Buyer Representation Agreement with another REALTOR. Using the Reverse Search tool, Members can search the BRS to determine if there are registered Buyers for a specific listing. By entering characteristics of a property, including price, location, type and style, the BRS will reveal a list of Brokers with registered Buyers with similar search criteria. (Buyers names remain confidential.) The Buyers benefit by having more people working to find them a suitable property. In addition, having an indication as to the number of potential Buyers for a property type or specific area will also help both Listing and Buyer REALTORS to develop more precise strategies with respect to multiple offers. You can also create a BRS Property Match from a new or an existing profile in the BRS. A Property Match, connected to a profile in the BRS can run multiple times a day keeping Buyers updated about available properties throughout the day. All Members can search the BRS. Your Broker of Record is responsible for distributing access to the functions allowing you to add a Buyer. If you don t have permission to access the Add/Edit functions of the Buyer Registry, the BRS will appear with only the Buyer s Name and the Reverse Search in the Search section of the sidebar. New Member Orientation Page 75

84 If you have access to the Add/Edit functions of the BRS, you will see the screen below. In order to access a training video on the BRS, click on the tab BRS etraining. A link to the manual is also available from this link. TREB Map When a listing is added to Stratus, it needs to contain three location elements: Area Municipality Community The TREB Map will help you identify these elements. To find a location on the map, use the Search field to type the address, town or postal code of a property and then click the Search button. When the map appears, you can adjust the zoom level using your mouse wheel or the zoom tools on the map. You can also click and drag the map to adjust the boundaries. Then, click New Member Orientation Page 76

85 into the check box for each Layer you wish to view. You may choose any or all Layers at once: Area, Municipality, Community and MapArt. Note: Some boundaries display only at certain zoom levels. Adjust the zoom if necessary. Zoom Tools Map Layers Search text New Member Orientation Page 77

86 Notes New Member Orientation Page 78

87 Chapter Thirteen: Manage My Profile From Manage My Profile you can: View your Membership profile and edit/update some of the fields such as your address, add a website, add languages, change your roster address, and upload a new photo for your ecard. View Preferences and edit security, and miscellaneous fields. View your TREB volunteer committee work and edit/update external volunteer activity Add, edit, and remove your public open house information. To access Manage My Profile from Stratus: 1. Log into New Stratus and click Search Properties to go to the Info Centre. 2. In the Left Side Panel, under LINKS, click Manage My Profile. 3. You will be prompted to enter your password, which is the password you were given in your membership package. You can click the Forgot your password link if you need it ed to you. Note: The User ID already entered corresponds to your Membership number. New Member Orientation Page 79

88 4. Click Sign On to enter Manage My Profile. 5. From the home screen pictured below, select the function you want by clicking on the desired tab. For example, to view and edit your profile, click Profile. Note: Be sure to click Log Off when you are finished using Manage My Profile, especially if you are using a shared computer. New Member Orientation Page 80

89 Profile Tab The Profile tab allows Members to access their own profile information as well as to edit/update some fields. To access and edit your profile information: 1. Click the Profile tab at the top of the Manage My Profile screen. 2. Click Edit Profile. 3. Click into any field that you wish to edit and type your change. a. Languages Spoken allows you to check mark languages you speak so that the public searching in can find a REALTOR by languages spoken. b. The CREA Designation field allows you to enter information (e.g. ABR - Accredited Buyer Representative, etc.) This also appears on New Member Orientation Page 81

90 c. Social Media links for Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn can also be added. These links will appear on d. To change your Single address, click into the Single field and type your preferred address. For example, Note: For more information on your Single , refer to the next section of this chapter. e. To include your direct phone number (home or cellular) with your contact information on click in the REALTOR.ca-Member s Direct Phone field and enter your phone number. If you have a number that you would like to include, then click in the REALTOR.ca-Member s Direct Phone (1-800) field and enter that number. When entering a number, type 800 in the first text box and your 7-digit number in the second. Do not type the 1. f. To include your direct phone number (home or cellular) with your contact information on click in the REALTOR.ca-Member s Direct Phone field and enter your phone number. If you have a number, then click in the REALTOR.ca Member s Direct Phone (1-800) field and enter that number. You may want to check with your Broker regarding office policy on the subject of changing the Print View Phone number. 4. Select Click to Save at the bottom of the screen. Your Single Address When Members log in to Stratus for the first time, a dialog box appears asking them to choose a single address. You can choose the trebnet address assigned to you or an of your choice. (The trebnet address along with a password can be found in your Welcome letter of the New Member package.) Whichever address you select, it will be used for all TREB communications, e-commerce, copies of listings sent to clients including Prospect Matches, and REALTOR.ca. After you have selected your address, you will be prompted to confirm it (or change it if you wish) every four months. This will ensure that all TREB Members have an accurate, live address on file. It is important that your Single address always reflects your primary account because this address appears in the following areas: on your Stratus listings (as Salesperson 1 or 2); as your contact information in Stratus (for Members & TREB staff to reach you); as the reply address for all sent by you from Stratus; New Member Orientation Page 82

91 as the address used when you select Also send me a copy in Stratus s; as the REALTOR address displayed on as the address used when you select I forgot my PIN or I lost my token. If I choose to use my Trebnet , how can I check my messages? Since your Trebnet account is not a Web-based account, you cannot normally check it from any computer with Internet access like you can with a Hotmail, Gmail, or Yahoo! account. There are, however, several websites that do allow access to POP mail servers from any computer in the world with Internet access. Log into a Web-based reader and access by typing your trebnet address and password. Examples include: (this one only keeps last 30 days of messages) Alternatively, you can add your trebnet to an existing Gmail or other web-based account. Note: If you need a password for your Trebnet , call our Help Desk at Verification Every four months Stratus will prompt an verification process. This is to ensure that we have most up to date contact information for you on file. The validation prompt will appear when logging into Stratus and will also provide you with an opportunity to review and formally agree to the TREB Terms and Conditions. At this time, if you choose to change your , your membership profile will update automatically. Volunteer Activity Tab The Volunteer Activity tab provides Member access to view their TREB Volunteer Activity (Committee history), add and view external volunteer activity, edit or remove any external volunteer activity they have already added, as well as print a volunteer activity report. New Member Orientation Page 83

92 Open Houses Tab The Open Houses tab allows Members to add open houses for their own listings that can be viewed by consumers on the Internet. Consumers can view these open on TREB s public website, They can also view your open house when they search for open houses on www. REALTOR.ca. To add an open house: 1. Click the Open Houses tab. 2. Click Add Open House. 3. Click the MLS# for the listing you wish to access. 4. Click the drop-down arrows under the Date, From Time, and To Time to select the relevant date and time for the open house. 5. To add a second open house date, click Add Another Open House. Repeat steps 3 and Click Submit. 7. Click Go to MLS Listing. The previous screen appears. Any open houses that you add to Manage My Profile are uploaded to REALTOR.ca and TorontoRealEstateBoard.com. Open houses can be searched on these two websites by the general public. This makes the Manage My Profile s Open House tab an effective way to drive traffic to your open house. It is important to remember, however, that only Salesperson1 can view, add, and edit open houses for your own listings New Member Orientation Page 84

93 Submitting Member Photos & Logos for Stratus New Member Orientation Page 85