The dynamic communities that comprise the Inland region deserve an equally dynamic and responsive association to serve its REALTOR® community. In a constantly changing real estate world, IVAR is committed to developing and hosting educational programs, upholding professional standards, representing REALTORS® in critical issues of policy, and taking steps to support our members in their day-to-day business. As a licensed broker with more than 17 years of real estate experience, I bring a unique, industry perspective on ways to provide services that help meet member’s professional needs. As new Realtor members, it’s essential to your success that you be engaged in the real estate industry while continually seeking to improve your skills and knowledge base.

Please take a moment to navigate our website, discover ways to get involved, meet your colleagues at an upcoming networking event or learn new skills in our educational series.

 

California Regional MLS

About CRMLS – The Nation’s Largest and Most Recognized MLS

Working to connect real estate professionals throughout the state of California, CRMLS provides access to the most data at the lowest cost possible, thereby eliminating the need to join multiple MLSs.

Through powerful best-in-class MLS tools, CRMLS provides real estate professionals with authority and high visibility in an constantly evolving, highly-competitive industry.

CRMLS’ Mission

To deliver, through local member Associations, the most affordable, reliable, and convenient listing technology service available, and to provide products and services that support REALTORS® in maximizing use of property data to achieve business goals.

Our services are to provide state-of-the-art MLS technology, access to public records, various map products and services, distribution of data as authorized by rules in place, enable the use of productivity tools for members, provide training on products and services, technical customer support, and electronic data exchange with member associations.

CRMLS Training

http://www.crmls.org/getwebinars/webinars.html

http://www.crmls.org/centsite/online_video.htm

http://www.crmls.org/centsite/training_manuals.htm

http://www.crmls.org/centsite/services.html

 

California Association of REALTORS®

New Members

Welcome to C.A.R.! You are now a member of one of the largest and most influential business associations in the country:  the CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®.  For more than 100 years, C.A.R. has provided its members with resources to enhance their performance and ensure their continued success.

 GETTING STARTED
      1. Know your member benefits:
· Quick Look
· Complete Overview

2. Know important contact information

C.A.R.
(213) 739-8200 (Los Angeles Headquarters)
(916) 492-5200 (Sacramento Office)
(213) 739-8227  (Customer Service)

N.A.R.
(800) 874-6500 (Customer Support)

Bureau of Real Estate
·  District Offices

    3. Stay informed
           ·  C.A.R.’s Newsletters
·  Market Information

    4. Marketing
           · ClientDIRECT® (free consumer newsletter)
· One Cool Thing (infographics)

TIPS FOR NEW REALTORS®

· NAR website
· NAR Magazine

THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A REALTOR® AND AN AGENT
· Code of Ethics

 

National Association of REALTORS®

Resources

From research and advocacy updates to events and networking, these are just a few of the resources available to you as a REALTOR® from NAR.

Tools For You

NAR has the resources to help you through each stage and focus of your career – helping you add value for clients and the industry as a whole.

For Your Clients

At NAR, we know that success comes by demonstrating utmost value to clients. That’s why we’ve put together tools to help you inform and empower your clients about real estate.

Real Estate Specialties

When clients know that you possess specific real estate experience, your value as a REALTOR® increases. NAR offers a number of resources in many concentrations, most with online courses, to help you broaden your experience and attract more clients.

NAR Apps

NAR has developed apps to keep you connected on the go.

 

REALTOR® Brand & Ethics

Your membership in the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® (NAR) instantly sets you apart from other real estate professionals. That’s because as REALTORS® we adhere to a Code of Ethics, which governs how we treat clients, prospects and each other.

Only members of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® can call themselves REALTORS® and use the REALTOR® trademark and, as a result, the trademark is able to convey what few do: trust and recognition among consumers, which gives REALTORS® a competitive advantage. In fact, the REALTOR® brand has been valued at more than $3 billion.

NAR continually builds the value of the REALTOR® brand by protecting the trademark, advocating on behalf of REALTORS® and connecting you to your clients and community.

Protecting the REALTOR® Brand

Because of its high awareness with consumers, the REALTOR® brand is a powerful marketing tool. Be sure to wear your pin and put the brand on your business cards, websites and newsletters to show you are a REALTOR®. NAR ensures that the cornerstone of our brand – the trademark – maintains its integrity through consistency, starting with these important rules:

• “REALTOR®” is not an occupation or generic term synonymous with “real estate agent” and should never be used as such.
• “REALTOR®” may not be modified by descriptive words or phrases such as “your,” “local” or “Chicago.”
• “REALTOR®” must be used in conjunction with a member’s name or the name of a member’s brokerage firm.

Similar rules govern the use of the REALTOR® logo. Learn more about how you can use the REALTOR® trademark and logo with NAR’s On Your Mark brochure as well as the Protecting the REALTOR® Trademark video and theREALTOR® trademark resource page, both on REALTOR.org.

REALTOR® Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice: A Defining Factor

Part of what distinguishes REALTORS® from other real estate professionals is the REALTOR® Code of Ethics to which members of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® adhere.

The Code of Ethics defines the way REALTORS® do business, as well as how REALTORS® interact with clients, customers, the general public and each other.

In addition to our Code of Ethics, we encourage all REALTORS® to take on a commitment to service. That’s why NAR works together with local and state associations to create volunteer opportunities to help you go beyond building business relationships to strengthening your community.

Dedication to industry and community is just one way REALTORS® live out the Code of Ethics – a commitment to doing the right thing that is recognized and respected by all.

Helping Consumers Find You

NAR provides a number of ways to help you leverage the REALTOR® brand, including informative and educational tools for your clients:

Public Advocacy Campaign. NAR encourages consumers to seek out REALTORS® for their every real estate need. For 2011, our television, radio, magazine and online public awareness efforts center on the value of homeownership – reminding consumers that owning a home supports families, builds strong communities and creates jobs.

HouseLogic.com. A website devoted entirely to making the most of homeownership, HouseLogic is a great tool to pass along to your clients for home improvement ideas, tax and insurance tips and evaluating cost v. value.

Home Ownership Matters. NAR responded to media reports questioning the value of homeownership with this multi-faceted campaign to express the benefits of homeownership to lawmakers, thought leaders and the general public. The campaign supports REALTORS®, consumers and the real estate industry.

Real Estate Today Radio

 

. The fastest-growing real estate radio show, Real Estate Today positions REALTORS® as the go-to resource for all things real estate. Tell your clients to tune in for expert advice on buying, selling, remodeling, landscaping and more. Plus, you can embed the Real Estate Today Radio player on your website.

Your NAR Membership

Your NAR membership and status as a REALTOR® differentiates you from real estate licensees – and buyers and sellers recognize this difference.

Access your NAR membership card online, and with the Member Center iPhone and iPad apps, to enjoy NAR member benefits from outside companies and services, as well as to show your name, designations and certifications to clients and prospects.

We also encourage you to tap into your state and local REALTOR® associations to learn about the benefits and networking opportunities available within your community.

Eight Essential Tips for New Real Estate Agents Looking to Ignite Their Career

by 29doors

 

Tips for New Members

When it comes to tips for new real estate agents, we could easily sit down and write an entire book on the subject.  There are many best practices, sales tips, marketing tidbits and real estate technology tools we could compile and share as important, must-have advice for new real estate agents.

But instead of writing an entire book, we thought we would provide you a quick-start guide to help you navigate this new career path.  So if you are ready, let’s take a look at eight essential tips for new real estate agents looking to ignite their career and succeed at real estate.

Tip #1 – Prepare with a Plan

Freedom is one of the reasons many of you started a career in real estate.  Freedom can also be the biggest contributor to the end of your career.  Don’t go where the wind blows you each day.  Instead, begin your day with a plan – a set of goals – along with action steps for achieving those goals.  This can include everything from obtaining two new listings to developing an online lead-generating strategy.  The purpose of your daily plan is to provide a roadmap that leads to success while helping you avoid costly detours along the way.

Tip #2 – Build Your Brand

Most of you will get your start with a well-known brokerage and this does come with many benefits.  However, in the grand scheme of things, you are still on your own when it comes to your success or your failure.  Make it a point to build your brand – a brand of one – with your marketing materials, your advertising, your niche market and the way you go about your business on a daily basis.  Be a part of a team, but position yourself as the star of your team.

Tip #3 – Grab the Online Bull by the Horns

According to a report compiled by Google and NAR, “90 percent of home buyers searched online during their home buying process.”  Unless you want to compete for the 10 percent who are searching for a home somewhere outside of cyberspace, you need to embrace the Internet and all it offers.  Start by establishing your home on the Web with a branded, professional website.  As a new agent, your real estate website will give you instant credibility while also delivering valuable information and collecting leads twenty-four hours a day and seven days a week.

Tip #4 – Socialize and Network

Sticking with the theme from the previous tip, our advice for new real estate agents would not be complete if we failed to mention social media marketing.  Relationships are key to your success.  And while it is still absolutely necessary to network with prospects, customers and clients in a face-to-face environment, social networks are now a must-have tool for every agent.  Social media can help you grow your buyer and seller networks quickly and inexpensively when you are just starting your career.  Spend some time each day connecting with your social community, providing them with valuable content, and utilizing strategies to convert these individuals to viable leads.

Tip #5 – Cater to Your Clients

With the whirlwind of activity and chaos that comes with the newness of your career, it is often easy to forget that it is not all about you  Instead, it should be all about your clients.  Focus your energy on learning about each and every one of your clients.  Do they prefer to meet face-to-face on a regular basis instead of swapping emails?  Do you have clients who want to be involved in every step of the buying and selling process?  Are there clients that have an exact set of criteria for the properties they wish to add to their real estate investing portfolio?  Cater to your clients, show you care, and you will be rewarded greatly for the effort.

Tip #6 – Narrow Your Niche

Like any new career, you can easily get overwhelmed with all of the possibilities and options that career offers.  Real estate is no different.  Some excellent new real estate agent advice we heard previously was to seek out that one segment – that one niche – that interests you.  Then, focus your energy and efforts into being the best you can possibly be at servicing the target market that is in that niche.  For example, you may find that you love short sales and helping homeowners avoid foreclosure.  You might decide to get extra training in green building and environmentally friendly housing.  By focusing on a niche, you can brand yourself as an expert (remember tip #2) and grow your business quickly.

Tip # 7 – Embrace Education

As your real estate career moves forward, you will have to complete continuing education courses to keep your real estate license current.  However, don’t think of these courses as boring requirements.  Every opportunity you have to learn opens the door to a new group of potential clients.  This real estate training can also be an essential part of branding yourself as a expert in a niche area of the business.  Every day you practice real estate will bring a newlearning experience.  Always be open to these learning experiences and always embrace education opportunities whether they are required or not.

Tip #8 – Practice Professionalism

This is one of those tips for new real estate agents which encompasses everything you do each and every day of your real estate career.  Always do what you say you are going to do.  Always call people back and reply to emails in a timely manner.  Always address problems head-on, accept responsibility for mistakes and correct those issues immediately.  Always treat people fairly and honestly.  Always go into every real estate transaction prepared.  Practicing professionalism – even when things don’t go your way – can be the difference between losing a client or gaining a handful of referrals.

 

Top Ten Traits of a Real Estate Agent

By: Kaplan Real Estate Education

The world of residential real estate has many different players, including appraisers, home inspectors, property managers, contractors, bankers, mortgage loan officers, and government agencies, as well as prospective buyers and sellers. But, the workhorses of the typical real estate transaction are the people that coordinate the process—the real estate agents and brokers.

A good real estate agent is similar in nature to a conductor of a symphony, coordinating the different players to make a successful transaction a reality. At different points in the process, the real estate agent is a salesperson, a buyer’s advocate, an analyst, a business manager, a consultant, a negotiator, and a marketer, just to name a few. We have found there are a number of qualities and traits that successful real estate professionals share.

1. Problem solver mindset.Do you enjoy coming up with creative solutions to problems or issues? Many successful real estate agents know how to properly showcase a house to make it more marketable and develop creative MLS listings to attract the right buyers.
2. Self-motivated entrepreneur. Having a desire to control your own professional destiny and be your own boss is a trait shared by top real estate professionals. To be successful in real estate requires a high degree of self-motivation, drive, and smart decision making.
3. Honesty and integrity. Your professional reputation is crucial to a long and successful career in real estate. Becoming amember of the National Association of REALTORS^®is one way to show you practice high ethical standards. To become amember, you must pledge to a strict Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice.
4. Hustle and tenacity.Being a top producing real estate agent requires a great work ethic. You must have the tenacity to pursue every lead and the hustle to aggressively market your clients’ properties in order to have success. It’s not just about putting in a lot of time—it’s about working smart, putting in the right amount of time, and doing whatever is necessary to close the deal.
5. Interest in houses and architecture.Having a true interest in houses and architecture can give you an advantage over other brokers and salespersons. If your knowledge and interest level is apparent in conversations, your clients will see that you care about the industry you’re in.
6. Engaging personality.A good real estate agent doesn’t just sell properties—they sell themselves. It’s important to show your real personality. People will respond to you if you have a great attitude, are personable and honest, have confidence in your abilities, and get a sense of fulfillment by serving others.
7. Attention to detail. Paying close attention to the details is imperative for your real estate career. A complete real estate agent is attentive to the unique needs of their individual clients. If you are organized, follow up with leads, communicate well, and pay attention to the needs of your clients, you will close more deals.
8. Understand the local housing market.A top producing real estate agent appreciates and utilizes the nuances that make a specific community’s housing market and pricing strategy unique. Success comes from identifying and developing a focus or niche in the local real estate market that allows you to distinguish yourself from the competition.
9. Build a network of connections.Successful real estate agents have a vast network of contacts within the market they serve. This list of connections should include other real estate agents and brokers, potential buyers and sellers, and all the other players in the real estate industry, such as appraisers, home inspectors, and mortgage loan officers.
10. Knowledge is power.Staying up-to-date on the latest topics in real estate and in the local market will allow you to service clients more effectively. Continuing education and professional development are doors to opportunity that you can utilize to expand your business options and stay at the forefront of the real estate field.

At the end of the day, you get out of it what you put into it. There is a certain level investment needed (time, energy, and money) to make any business venture successful. Real estate is no different. If you are passionate about real estate and have similar traits to those outlined here, you have a great shot at having a long and successful real estate career.