CAR Realegal

C.A.R. Independent Contractor Agreeent Revised Due to Recent Court Decision C.A.R. will release a revised standard form Independent Contractor Agreement (Form ICA) through zipForm® on or about June 15, 2011.  As between brokers and their salespersons and broker associates, the ICA will now mandate mediation for any disputes that may arise and, if mediation fails, the ICA recommends, but does not require, arbitration at the local Association of REALTORS® (AOR).  C.A.R. revised the ICA because a previous version requiring arbitration of disputes at the AOR, absent more, was recently deemed unenforceable in the Fourth District as discussed below (Wherry v. Award, Inc. (...

Realtytimes.com, Carla Hill

Housing affordability is higher today than it has been for decades. What does this mean for today's buyer? It means now is the time to buy.   According to the latest National Association of Home Builders/Wells Fargo Housing Opportunity Index (HOI) data, "73.9 percent of all new and existing homes sold in the fourth quarter of 2010 were affordable to families earning the national median income of $64,400." "Today's report shows that housing affordability at the end of 2010 was at its highest level since we started computing the HOI," said Bob Nielsen, chairman of the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) and a home builder from Reno, Nev....