Holiday Hours

The CMLS Office staff would like to wish you a very Happy Holiday and a Healthy, Happy and Prosperous New 2012!

In observance, the office hours for the holidays are as follows:

December 27-30 8:30am-5:00pm

December 31st Closed

January 2nd Closed

Our regular hours of 8:30 am - 6:00 pm will resume on Tuesday January 2nd.

Training Available

Sign Up Now!

There are still spaces available for the following classes.....

December 14 - Paragon 6:00pm Webinar

December 15 - REX Advanced 1:30pm CMLS office

December 20 - REXplorer 6:00pm Webinar


Or you can sign up for classes in January and start 2012 on the right foot!


January 10 - Listingbook 6:00pm Webinar

January 12 - REXplorer 9:30am CMLS office

January 18 - REXplorer 9:30am Bethel

January 18 - Listingbook 1:30pm Bethel

January 19 - REXplorer 9:30am Bridgeport

January 19 - Listingbook 1:30pm Bridgeport

January 20 - Listingbook Adv. 1:30pm CMLS Office

January 25 - CMA 6:00pm Webinar

January 26 - Paragon 6:00pm Webinar

January 31 - REXplorer 6:00pm Webinar

RE/Xplorer and IE9

If you have upgraded your browser to Internet Explorer 9, please make sure to follow these instructions in order for REX to work properly.

Naturally, if you'd prefer to have a GFC CMLS technician to walk you through it, or to connect to your computer and do it for you, please call the office.

IE9 Script Debugging Issue

If you have already configured your PC so RE/Xplorer works with Internet Explorer 9, and it stops performing searches or loading reports correctly, please follow these simple instructions.

The major indications that you need to do this are either the number of matches never updates when you enter criteria on your search, or reports do not load after you finish your search.

As always, if you would prefer to speak with a CMLS technician, please call us at (203) 840-6674, extension 310.

Training Available

Sign Up Now!

There are still spaces available for the following classes...

December 13 - Listingbook 9:30am CMLS office

December 14 - Paragon 6:00pm Webinar

December 15 - REX Advanced 1:30pm CMLS office

December 20 - REXplorer 6:00pm Webinar

Or you can sign up for classes in January and start 2012 on the right foot!

January 10 - Listingbook 6:00pm Webinar

January 12 - REXplorer 9:30am CMLS office

January 18 - REXplorer 9:30am Bethel

January 18 - Listingbook 1:30pm Bethel

January 19 - REXplorer 9:30am Bridgeport

January 19 - Listingbook 1:30pm Bridgeport

January 20 - Listingbook Adv. 1:30pm CMLS Office

January 25 - CMA 6:00pm Webinar

January 26 - Paragon 6:00pm Webinar

January 31 - REXplorer 6:00pm Webinar

Office Hours Friday December 9th

The GFC CMLS office will be closing at 5pm Friday December 9th.

Purchasing a new computer?

With the holidays upon us, we traditionally experience an increase in the number of users who purchase new technology. If you are planning to purchase an Apple device (iPad, MacBook, iMac, etc.) with the intent of using it for the GFC CMLS, please keep in mind that, currently, we are only partially Mac-compatible. We will not be fully Mac-compatible until the transition to our new Matrix system is complete (scheduled for the Summer of 2012).

So, if you are in the market for a computer that will give you immediate access to all GFC CMLS programs, you will still need to be running the Windows operating system. If you are intent on getting a Mac, you will still be able to use Paragon and reInsight Mobile right away, but RE/Xplorer will not work on it unless it has Windows installed.

Paragon Downtime

The Paragon system will be down tonight (Wednesday November 30th) from 11pm until 7am tomorrow morning for maintenance and upgrading.

Neither RE/Xplorer nor Listingbook are affected by this downtime.

New options added to Exterior Features

We have added three new options to the Exterior Features field: French doors, terrace, and Thermo pane windows. They are available to add to your listing during listing input/modification, and you can search for them by adding the Exterior Features field to the search screen.

Selling a house in the Winter

If you are trying to sell a property in the middle of Winter, check out this article for some helpful ideas to sell it quicker.

Click the link below for the full article:

http://www.thestreet.com/story/11323699/1/5-tips-to-ensure-your-home-sells-in-the-winter.html

Happy Thanksgiving

Our holiday hours will be:

Wednesday, November 23rd 8:30 am - 3:00 pm

Thursday, November 24th - Sunday, November 27th Closed

We will re-open on Monday November 28th at 8:30 am

Happy Thanksgiving from the GFC CMLS Staff

GFC CMLS Invoices were emailed

On Tuesday, November 15th 1st Quarter (Jan, Feb & March) GFC CMLS Invoices were emailed to all GFC CMLS members not participating in our automatic credit card payment program. Please contact our office if you did not receive your invoice via email.

You can pay your invoice online by going to the Manage Account section of our website or by clicking here.

Paragon Downtime

The Paragon system will be down from 11pm tonight (Wednesday November 16) until 7am tomorrow morning for updating and maintenance.

Neither RE/Xplorer nor Listingbook are affected by this downtime.

New options added to Exterior Features

We have added three new options to the Exterior Features field: French doors, terrace, and Thermo pane windows.

They are available to add to your listing during listing input/modification, and you can search for them by adding the Exterior Features field to the search screen.

Listingbook Property Promotion Special

Due to all the storm outages, Listingbook has extended their promotion.

Listingbook is offering special pricing on their property promotions through November 15th, 17 Property Promotions, for $199.

If interested click here to view the flyer. All orders must be faxed to Jay Gootenberg at 631-325-9103 by November 15th.

If you have any questions about this promotion please contact Jay by email at jgootenberg@listingbook.com or by phone at 516-322-7143.

Access the MLS from your Mobile Device

Did you know you can access the MLS from any web enabled mobile device?

Go to http://cmls.mobile.paragonrels.com and log on with your MLS ID and password.

You search for listings, view a hotsheet, look for tours/openhouses, perform a radius search, email listings to clients and more.

November Class Schedule

Sign up now!

November 1 6pm-9pm REXPLORER Webinar

November 3 9:30am-12:30pm Listingbook Norwalk

November 9 6pm-9pm Paragon Webinar

November 10 9:30am-12:30pm REXPLORER Norwalk

November 16 9:30am-12:30pm REXPLORER Bethel

November 16 1:30pm-4:30pm Listingbook Bethel

November 17 9:30am-12:30pm REXPLORER Bridgeport

November 17 1:30pm-4:30pm Listingbook Bridgeport

November 22 9:30am-12:30pm REX Advanced Norwalk

November 29 6pm-9pm CMA Webinar

November 30 1:30pm-4:30pm REXPLORER Norwalk

You can sign up for any of these no-charge classes simply by visiting our website, ct-mls.com or calling our office at 203-840-6674.

IE9 Script Debugging Issue

If you have already configured your PC so RE/Xplorer works with Internet Explorer 9, and it stops performing searches or loading reports correctly, please follow these simple instructions.

The major indications that you need to do this are either the number of matches never updates when you enter criteria on your search, or reports do not load after you finish your search.

As always, if you would prefer to speak with a CMLS technician, please call us at (203) 840-6674, extension 310.

RE/Xplorer and IE9

If you have upgraded your browser to Internet Explorer 9, please make sure to follow these instructions in order for REX to work properly.

Naturally, if you'd prefer to have a GFC CMLS technician to walk you through it, or to connect to your computer and do it for you, please call the office.

The American Dream

A recent survey by Harris Interactive shows the majority of people still have home ownership high on their list for achieving the American Dream.

Read the full article by clicking the link below:

http://insights.truliablog.com/2011/09/trulia-american-dream-survey-fall2011/

Accessing MLS Data From Your Mobile Device

Did you know that you can access live GFC CMLS data from your mobile device (iPhone, iPad, Blackberry, Smart Phone, etc.) any time of day? As long as you have a data plan for internet access, and you are in an area where you have a good cellular signal, just open the web browser on your device and go to http://cmls.mobile.paragonrels.com (or http://cmls.mobile.fnismls.com).

Log in with your usual GFC CMLS id and password.

Our mobile application allows you to do real time searches, view detailed reports of active and off market listings, run hotsheets, and even email listings to your customers.
There is nothing to download or install. You are simply accessing a website.

4th Quarter Invoices

Invoices for 4th Quarter 2011 MLS Dues and Key Fees have been both emailed and snail-mailed out. These dues are payable on or before September 15, 2011.

You can pay your invoice online, over the phone, at your local service center or via the US Postal Service.

Labor Day Hours

We hope everyone has a safe, dry, and enjoyable Labor Day. Our offices will close at 5:00 pm on Friday and we will reopen at 8:30 am on Tuesday.

Are You Without Power?

If you are still without power and would like to use one of our computers to catch up on some work feel free to come to our offices in Norwalk between 1:00 pm and 5:30pm today, Tuesday August 30th and between 9:00 am and 12:30 pm, Wednesday August 31st or anytime between 9:00 am and 5:30 pm, September 1st and 2nd.

Some Local Boards of Realtors without Power

The Greater Fairfield Board of Realtors and the Newtown Board of Realtors, Ridgefield Board of Realtors and Mid-Fairfield Board of Realtors are currently without power, you may call the GFC CMLS with any assistance you may need.

Hurricane Preparations

We are keeping a very close eye on the hurricane that may potentially impact the area this weekend. We have been going over contingency plans on how we can best maintain at least some level of service to our users, even if we should lose power to the building which houses the GFC CMLS office. As the weekend approaches, and the weather forecasts become more accurate, we will keep you updated on how we plan to proceed.

In the meantime, it is very important that you write down or print out the following information. Should we lose power to our building, our normal website will not be up, but you can still access our programs using the following URLs:

Paragon 5

http://cmls.paragonrels.com

Listingbook

http://www.listingbook.com/home/login?mls=MCTGFC&resident_mls=

reInsight Mobile

http://cmls.mobile.paragonrels.com

SUPRA

http://www.supraekey.com

All of these systems are housed in other parts of the country and should be up and running normally, despite what may happen in the Northeast.

If we have no power, RE/Xplorer and PC Access will be unavailable, since their server is within our office. This means you may not be able to input/modify listings or see tours/open houses for some time. We ask that you think ahead and try and get any of these things done prior to Sunday.

Again, we will provide more information as time goes by.

Real Estate Tax tips

Here are some good tips for filing taxes if you're selling your home.

Click the link to the story below:

http://www.norwalkplus.com/nwk/information/nwsnwk/publish/realestate/Top-ten-tax-tips-when-selling-your-home_np_14052.shtml

Accessing MLS Data From Your Mobile Device

Did you know that you can access live GFC CMLS data from your mobile device (iPhone, iPad, Blackberry, Smart Phone, etc.) any time of day? As long as you have a data plan for internet access, and you are in an area where you have a good cellular signal, just open the web browser on your device and go to http://cmls.mobile.paragonrels.com (or http://cmls.mobile.fnismls.com). Log in with your usual GFC CMLS id and password.

Our mobile application allows you to do real time searches, view detailed reports of active and off market listings, run hotsheets, and even email listings to your customers.

There is nothing to download or install. You are simply accessing a website.

Every Listing Needs A Photo

We seem to be experiencing a growing problem! Many agents have been removing all the photos on their listings when the listing goes off market.

Please do not remove your photos when your listing goes off market as per our Rules and Regulations, all listings, regardless of status, require at least one photo.

Photos are helpful and important for both Available and Off Market properties for identification, marketing and comparable purposes. If you are so inclined to remove photos (as we do understand that professional photos can be expensive), please be sure to leave at least one on your listing or our data verification program will automatically flag and fine you. Thanks for your cooperation!

Paragon System Update

The Paragon system will be unavailable on Tuesday, August 2nd beginning at 11:00 pm and all functionality should return no later than 7 am on Wednesday August 3rd.

Increase in Pending Home Sales

Pending home sales have increased in June 2011 compared to June 2010.

Read more info on the story by clicking the link below:

http://realtytimes.com/rtpages/20110802_pending.htm

RE/Xplorer and IE9

If you have upgraded your browser to Internet Explorer 9, please make sure to follow these instructions in order for REX to work properly.

Naturally, if you'd prefer to have a GFC CMLS technician to walk you through it, or to connect to your computer and do it for you, please call the office.

Tax Data for July 2011 - June 2012

Tax data for the following communities has been updated for the July 2011 - June 2012 tax year. Your listings will not automatically be updated to the new information.

Ansonia, Barkhamsted, Bethany, Bethel, Bethlehem, Branford, Bridgewater, Brookfield, Canaan, Cheshire, Colebrook, Cornwall, East Haven, Easton, Fairfield, Goshen, Greenwich, Guilford, Kent, Monroe, New Canaan, New Fairfield, New Haven, New Milford, Norfolk, North Haven, Orange, Oxford, Prospect, Redding, Roxbury, Salisbury, Seymour, Sharon, Sherman, Southbury, Stamford, Stratford, Torrington, Trumbull, Warren, Washington, Waterbury, Weston, Winchester, Woodbridge, Woodbury.

Accessing the MLS on an iPad

We are pleased to announce that you can now access Paragon 5 on the iPad. All of the functionality within Paragon 5 works except for uploading documents (in Associated Docs) and generating CMAs.

Please remember- you cannot input or modify listings in Paragon, nor can you view Tours/ Open Houses. You still need to use RE/Xplorer for these functions.

RE/Xplorer is not compatible with the iPad.

It's Time to Update Your Listings Taxes and Assessment

New tax rates go into effect on July 1st, do not forget to update your active listings with the new information.

Welcome New Members

The Greater Fairfield County CMLS welcomes Kenneth Jacobson, one of our new members from May.

Click here for a list of other new members from May.

Take a Class!!!

June 21 REXplorer - 9:30am - Bethel

June 21 Listingbook - 1:30pm - Bethel

June 22 Paragon 5 - 9:30am - Norwalk

June 23 DocCentral - 6:00pm - Webinar

June 28 REXplorer - 1:30pm - Norwalk

Our July schedule is also available by clicking here.

Listingbook Property Promotion Special

Listingbook is offering a Pre-Summer Special, 17 Property Promotions for $199.

Click Here for the order form.

Offer expires June 20th.

RE/Xplorer Search screen tip

If a search screen in RE/Xplorer will not open, or it starts to open but then does not fill in, try the following:

At the bottom-right of Internet Explorer, make sure the zoom level is set to 100%.
You can click on it until it changes to 100%, then the RE/Xplorer search screen should open correctly.

If it still doesn't work, you may have a pop-up blocker running, or it may be that Internet Explorer 9 was installed. Please give us a call at 203-840-6674 ext 310 and we can help you with that.

Continuing Education Available

Continuing Education classes are being offered by many of the area local boards of Realtors.

Click here to view the sessions.

Paragon 5 is Now Available

In the near future, GFC CMLS is going to be upgrading our Paragon system from version 4 to version 5. Currently, users have access to both versions of Paragon: Paragon 4 is still available by using the icon in the upper right corner of the GFC CMLS homepage (www.ct-mls.com); Paragon5 is now available by opening your browser and going to http://cmls.paragonrels.com. Eventually, Paragon 4 will be completely replaced by Paragon 5, and will we put a new icon on our homepage for it.

Hands down, the primary benefit of using Paragon 5 is that it is completely compatible with the Mac operating system and Safari browser. Currently, it is not compatible with the iPad or iPhone (although programmers are very close to having it certified for the iPad). You can access reInsight Mobile (http://cmls.mobile.fnismls.com) from either of these devices.

In addition to Safari, you can also access P5 from the Firefox, Chrome, and Opera internet browsers.

Some other reasons you should check out Paragon 5 include:
1. P5 is faster and more user friendly than its predecessor

2. It boasts more customizable reports3. Client Connect- a new module that creates a portal for your Contacts which facilitates communication regarding their saved searches.

*** As is the case with Paragon 4, you will still not be able to input or modify listings in Paragon 5, nor will you be able to see tours/ open houses. You will still need to access RE/Xplorer to perform these functions.***

Listed below are the webinars for next couple weeks! Make sure to click on the link below to register for the class of your choice.

5/24 Tuesday 9:00 am EST – https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/458705154

5/25 Wednesday 9:00 am EST - https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/239679779

5/26 Thursday 1:30 pm EST - https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/628951579

5/31 Tuesday 9:00 am EST - https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/510434586

6/1 Wednesday 9:00 am EST - https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/470079762

6/2 Thursday 1:30 pm EST - https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/368865354

6/7 Tuesday 9:00 am EST - https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/403392875

6/8 Wednesday 9:00 am EST - https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/527378203

6/9 Thursday 1:30 pm EST - https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/489295394

Please note: there is no dial in phone number for the webinar. The session’s audio will play through the speakers on your computer. If your computer does not have speakers, you will not be able to hear the webinar instructor.

MAY CLASS SCHEDULE

Sign up Now!!!

May 10 - 1:30PM - REXplorer Webinar

May 11 - 9:30AM - REX Advanced (GFC CMLS office-Norwalk)

May 12 - 6:00PM - CMA Webinar

May 18 - 6:00PM - REXplorer Webinar

May 20 - 9:30AM - REXplorer (Bridgeport Board office)

May 20 - 1:30PM - Listingbook (Bridgeport Board office)

May 24 - 9:30AM - REXplorer (NFCAR office in Bethel)

May 24 - 1:30PM - Listingbook (NFCAR office in Bethel)

May 25 - 1:30PM - REXplorer (GFC CMLS office in Norwalk)

May 26 - 6:00PM - DocCentral Webinar

Our June schedule is also available by clicking here.

Support documentation

You can get support documentation for our programs and other helpful links by logging in to the Support section of our website.

Go to http://www.ct-mls.com/, click Support and login.

From this section of our site, you can:

Print out the latest versions of our training materials for all of our programs (RE/Xplorer, Paragon, Listingbook, and rDesk).

Search our online knowledge base for answers to common issues.

Open up an instant message chat with a technician (during business hours).

Download free programs to help keep your computer clean of virus and spyware infections.

Internet Explorer 9

***update***

Be careful when you are installing Windows Updates. Microsoft Internet Explorer 9 might be set to automatically install with other Important Updates that are available for your computer.

Microsoft released the full version of Internet Explorer 9, Monday March 14, 2011.
Please do not install this update yet, as the programmers at LPS are still working to make sure RE/Xplorer and Paragon are fully compatible. Once we are fully compatible with IE9, we will put a message on the GFC CMLS homepage that it is safe to upgrade.

Thank you.

Do not use Combo Lockboxes on GFC CMLS listings

The GFC CMLS does not support combo lockboxes, nor do we recommend using a combo lockbox on your listings. It has come to our attention that people are using combo lockboxes to access vacant homes and steal the copper piping. The GFC CMLS only supports electronic lockboxes because they maintain an audit trail of who has accessed the lockbox. Combo lockboxes do not have this security feature.

Stamford Board of Realtors- Continuing Education

RESPA (Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act)- Elective

Thursday, April 28, 2011
9:15 am to 12:30 pm
Italian Center
1620 Newfield Avenue, Stamford, CT

$25.00 Members / $40.00 Non-Members

Mail or Fax reservation and payment

Checks are made payable to:

Stamford Board of REALTORS
35 Sixth Street, Stamford, CT 06905

e-mail: stamfordrealtors@aol.com
website: http://www.stamfordrealtors.org/
Please click here for more information.

Internet Explorer 9

Be careful when you are installing Windows Updates. Microsoft Internet Explorer 9 might be set to automatically install with other Important Updates that are available for your computer.

Microsoft released the full version of Internet Explorer 9, Monday March 14, 2011. Please do not install this update yet, as the programmers at LPS are still working to make sure RE/Xplorer and Paragon are fully compatible. Once we are fully compatible with IE9, we will put a message on the GFC CMLS homepage that it is safe to upgrade.

Thank you.

Mapping features outage

The mapping features in RE/Xplorer will be down tonight, Tuesday, April 12, 2011, beginning at 10:00pm- the server which controls the mapping functionality is being upgraded.

If you need to print out any reports that include a map, please make sure to do so prior to 10pm.

The map functionality should be back online by 6am tomorrow.

Book Report Changes

We have recently made several cosmetic changes to the Book report in RE/Xplorer. In an effort to ensure that the reports do not spill over to a second page when printing, even when an agent banner is attached to the report, the following modifications were made:

1. The Address, MLS#, and List Price fields were removed from the top of the report- these are fields that already appear elsewhere on the report.

2. The Property ID field has been moved down to the section of the report that displays other related tax information (taxes, assessment, mil rate).

3. The multi-photo and virtual tour icons have been moved to the section beneath the photo and map where the listing and property history icons appear.

Please be assured that no data has been removed from the report. It has just been rearranged a little to make the most efficient use of the space the report offers.

Strategies for buying a house

Many neighborhoods have good amounts of properties that are already listed, and some might be getting more than just 1 offer. For some ideas on buying a house you want, click the link below: http://realtytimes.com/rtpages/20110406_buyers.htm

Parcel Lines

We have recently updated the Book and Public w/Map reports in RE/Xplorer to include parcel lines. They have been included for all locations within our service area where parcel lines are currently available. Parcel lines will display automatically when you view these reports online. When printing or emailing these report formats, the parcel lines will display by default, but you will have the option to remove them if you wish. After you click the Publish or Print buttons, you can remove the check for Parcel Lines within the Print Attributes section of the Publish or Print Options window. Please contact the GFC CMLS office if you have any problems.

Invoices Due March 15th

2nd Quarter GFC CMLS Invocies are due March 15th.

Click Here to pay your invoice online or you can mail your payment to GFC CMLS 101 Merritt 7, Suite 23 Norwalk, CT 06851.

Pricing your house for sale

Here is an article with advice on how to price your home when
putting it up for sale.

Click the link below to read the article:

http://www.wmdt.com/Global/story.asp?S=14204226

Internet Explorer 9

Microsoft released the full version of Internet Explorer 9, Monday March 14, 2011. Please do not install this update yet, as the programmers at LPS are still working to make sure RE/Xplorer and Paragon are fully compatible.

Once we are fully compatible with IE9, we will put a message on the GFC CMLS homepage that it is safe to upgrade.

Thank you.

DocCentral Upgrade

Our DocCentral program is being upgraded tonight (Friday, March 11, 2011) to version 4.0.

DocCentral will be offline between 9pm and midnight.

New features include:

- the ability to search for files within DocCentral by fields such as file number, MLS list number, and address.
- the ability to run a report to see how many times a user has clicked on the DC icon on a RE/Xplorer report and viewed the public document(s) therein.

The DocCentral downtime does not affect RE/Xplorer, Paragon, or Listingbook- they will be online as usual.

Setup for RE/Xplorer with IE8 and Windows 7

If you have a computer that is running Windows 7 and would like to make it compatible with RE/Xplorer, we have just created a step-by-step guide that walks you through the settings that need to be configured.

Please click here for the instructions.

As always, if it is during our normal business hours and you'd like a GFC CMLS technician to walk you through the configurations, or take over your computer and do it for you, please do not hesitate to call us.

These instructions are also applicable if you have recently upgraded to Internet Explorer 8 and need to make RE/Xplorer compatible with it.

The Greater Fairfield Board of Realtors Presents:

The Greater Fairfield Board of Realtors is hosting "Professional Makeover" by Jared James. Wednesday, March 30, 2011, 9:00 am - 10:15 am at the Gaelic/American Club. $5 per person.

To register goto www.gfbor.com or call the Greater Fairfield Board at 203 255-0497.

Invoices Due March 15th

2nd Quarter GFC CMLS Invoices are due March 15th.

Click Here to pay your invoice online or you can mail your payment to GFC CMLS 101 Merritt 7, Suite 23 Norwalk, CT 06851.

IMPORTANT - ALERT!

Occasionally we hear from members advising us that items such as prescription medications, cash or jewelry are believed to have disappeared after an open house.
Recently we have heard of problems in both Rowayton and the Stratfield section of Fairfield.

They involve a man described as about 5’ 10”, with a stocky build, short dark brown hair that looks “slicked back”, “a bit of a squished sort of face” who appears to sweat a lot, and has a tendency to “foam” at the corners of his mouth when he talks.

He signs in with different names and with addresses in Woodbridge or Stamford and drives an older Jeep SUV.

Both the Norwalk and Fairfield police are aware of his activities and ask that you call them if he comes to your open house. Please contact either officer Daily in Norwalk or Officer Cocoulis in Fairfield as appropriate.

REO vs Short Sale

A listing cannot be both a SHORT SALE and a REO property. These are mutually exclusive fields.

A short sale is a sale of real estate in which the sale proceeds fall short of the balance owed on the property's loan. It often occurs when a borrower cannot pay the mortgage loan on their property, but the lender decides that selling the property at a moderate loss is better than pressing the borrower. Both parties consent to the short sale process, because it allows them to avoid foreclosure. This agreement, however, does not necessarily release the borrower from the obligation to pay the remaining balance of the loan, known as the deficiency. The Compensation Code field is not a required field however you can mark your listing as a Possible Short Sale by placing a “S” in this field.

IN A SHORT SALE SITUATION, THE LISTING MUST BE MARKED AS CTS WITHIN 48 HOURS OF THE BUYER AND SELLER REACHING A MEETING OF THE MINDS. APPROVAL OF THE BANK IS A CONTINGENCY OF THE TRANSACTION AND SHOULD NOT AFFECT WHEN THE LISTING IS REPORTED AS CTS!

Real estate owned or REO is a class of property owned by a lender, typically a bank, after an unsuccessful sale at a foreclosure auction. As soon as the bank repossesses the property, it is listed on their books as REO – Real Estate Owned – and is categorized as an asset. REO Property shall mean a property listed by a lender or the lender’s authorized representative. This is a required field for SF, CN, MU, CI and LA property types.

GFC CMLS Invoices Emailed

On Tuesday, February 16th 2nd Quarter GFC CMLS Invoices were emailed to all GFC CMLS members not participating in our automatic credit card payment program.

Please contact our office if you did not receive your invoice via email.

You can pay your invoice online by going to the Manage Account section of our website or by clicking here.

Market Watch Reports

The Market Watch Report for the 4th Quarter 2010 is now available.

Please Click Here.

Windows 7 and IE8 settings for RE/Xplorer

If you have a computer that is running Windows 7 and would like to make it compatible with RE/Xplorer, we have just created a step-by-step guide that walks you through the settings that need to be configured.

Please click here for the instructions.

As always, if it is during our normal business hours and you'd like a GFC CMLS technician to walk you through the configurations, or take over your computer and do it for you, please do not hesitate to call us.

These instructions are also applicable if you have recently upgraded to Internet Explorer 8 and need to make RE/Xplorer compatible with it.

Using a Mac with RE/Xplorer or Paragon

If you'd like to get RE/Xplorer and Paragon to run on an Intel-based Mac, there are a couple of ways you can do that.

You can buy a copy of Parallels or Fusion, and either of those will let you run the Windows operating system. You will also need to buy a copy of Windows to install in one of those 2 programs, such as Windows 7.

Another way to get Windows running on a Mac is to use BootCamp, which is included with newer Macs, but then you have to reboot the computer each time you want to switch between the Mac or PC operating systems.
You would also still need to buy a copy of Windows to install with BootCamp, just like with Parallels or Fusion.

For more info (system requirements, etc.) on Fusion, Parallels and Bootcamp, click the links below:

http://www.vmware.com/products/fusion/

http://www.parallels.com/products/desktop/

http://www.apple.com/support/bootcamp/

Women's Council Event

The Southern Fairfield County Women's Council Chapter is hosting a "What is Your DISC" event featuring Laura Treonze at the Norwalk Inn, Wednesday, February 16th. Learn how to communicate more effectively, close more deals and create clients for life through the DISC personality assessment.

The cost is $20 for members and $30 for non -members. Contact Nadine Tanen for additional information.

MFCAR Special Event February 7th

The Mid-Fairfield County Association of Realtors invites you to hear Congressman Jim Himes and State Senator Bob Duff talk about the Economy, Jobs, National & State Deficits, Frannie & Freddie, the Mortgage Crisis, Bank Foreclosures, Possbile Repeal of Mortgage Interest Deduction and in general, the tone of governing in Washington and Hartford. Monday, February 7th at the Westport Country Playhouse from 9 am to 11 am. $5 per person and a reservation is required. Contact the Mid-Fairfield Board at 203 227-4418 for additional information.

Settings for RE/Xplorer and Windows 7

If you have a computer that is running Windows 7 and would like to make it compatible with RE/Xplorer, we have created a step-by-step guide that walks you through the settings that need to be configured.

Please click here for the instructions.

As always, if it is during our normal business hours and you'd like a GFC CMLS technician to walk you through the configurations, or take over your computer and do it for you, please do not hesitate to call us.

These instructions are also applicable if you have recently upgraded to Internet Explorer 8 and need to make RE/Xplorer compatible with it.

January Class Schedule

Sign up now before classes fill up!!!

01/26-Paragon-6:00 pm Webinar will be held as scheduled

01/28-REXplorer-1:30 pm @ CMLS (Norwalk)

01/27-REXplorer Advanced-9:30 am @ CMLS (Norwalk)
Postponed until February 3rd at 9:30 am

MFCAR Special Event February 7th

The Mid-Fairfield County Association of Realtors invites you to hear Congressman Jim Himes and State Senator Bob Duff talk about the Economy, Jobs, National & State Deficits, Frannie & Freddie, the Mortgage Crisis, Bank Forclosures, Possible Repeal of Mortgage Interest Deduction and in general, the tone of governing in Washington and Hartford.

Monday, February 7th at the Westport Country Playhouse from 9 am to 11 am. $5 per person and a reservation is required. Contact the Mid-Fairfield Board at 203 227-4418 for additional information.

Continuing Education Class

The Stamford Board of Realtors is hosting Connecticut Real Estate Agents Fiduciary Duties Review and Law Update, Thursday, Janaury 27th 2011 9:15 am to 12:30 pm. $25 Members/ $40 non-members. Contact the Stamford Board at 203 327-1433 for additional information.

Update on Paragon Comcast email issue

LPS has gotten Comcast to whitelist the Paragon email servers for 48 hours so that the backlog of Paragon emails can get through to Comcast recipients. They should be caught up within a couple of hours.

In an effort to try and avoid future incidents, please go through all of the contacts you have set up for automatic email (in Paragon and RE/Xplorer)and make sure that you have a valid email address for them. If you have contacts that are no longer active and should not be receiving automatic emails, please make sure to set them to inactive, or delete them from the system. Cutting back on the amount of unnecessary emails being sent can help reduce the liklihood of another blacklist situation.

We appreciate your cooperation.

Important changes concerning Remarks, Internet Remarks, and Public Remarks

The GFC CMLS is in the process of making changes to the remarks sections that appear on listing reports that are viewed, printed, and emailed from our programs (PC Access, RE/Xplorer, Paragon, Listingbook, reInsight Mobile). We are changing the focus of our two remarks sections so that they will become more useful and informative to both GFC CMLS users and consumers.

In the near future, what is currently known as “Remarks” will be renamed “Agent Remarks”, and what is currently known as “Internet Remarks” will be renamed “Public Remarks”.
Listing reports will then be altered so that the appropriate remarks field will display based on the report that is selected. The following reports, which are intended for distribution to clients and customers, will display only the “Public Remarks” section: Public Handout, Public with Map, Summary Photo, Combo, and 4-Up Photo, while the Book and Full Input reports, which are intended for distribution among agents and MLS members, will display both the “Agent Remarks” and “Public Remarks” sections. Additionally the Book, and Full Input reports will be redesigned so that the “Public Remarks” section will display immediately following the “Agent Remarks” section.

We expect these changes will be made by the end of January and will notify you a day or two before they will be put in place. We encourage you to check both your Active and recent Off-Market listings now and ensure they have both of these remarks fields populated correctly. Specifically, it is important that you check the field currently known as “Internet Remarks” as there are currently over 5,000 listings that have no information in this section at all. If these listings are not updated once the aforementioned changes have been made there will be nothing in the “Public Remarks” section in their public-facing reports.

As is our current policy, we will continue to provide only the “Internet Remarks” (what will soon change to “Public Remarks”) to Realtor.com and all IDX sites. This means that consumer reports emailed from reInsight Mobile and consumer flyers & reports displayed in Listingbook will only display Public Remarks as they are not allowed to use Agent Remarks.

Comcast email issue

We have just been notified that emails being sent from Paragon to Comcast email addresses are not making it to the recipient. LPS is currently working with Comcast to resolve this issue as quickly as possible.
This issue does not affect RE/Xplorer or Listingbook. If you have a customer at a Comcast email address and need to email them information from CMLS, please do it from one of these programs.
We will let you know when the Paragon issue is resolved.

Be careful!

Please take care when filling out your listing agreements and status change forms! The year is now 2011! Make sure to check the dates in all areas of your forms to insure the correct year has been used.

JANUARY CLASS SCHEDULE

Sign up now before classes fill up!!!

01/05-Listingbook Basic-9:30 am @ CMLS Office (Norwalk)

01/07-REX Tax and Statistics-10:00 am Webinar

01/11-Listingbook Advanced-9:30am Webinar

01/12-REXplorer-6:00 pm Webinar

01/19-REXplorer-10:00 am @MFCAR (Westport)

01/20-REXplorer-9:30 am @GBBR (Bridgeport)

01/20-Listingbook-1:30 pm @GBBR (Bridgeport)

01/21-REXplorer-9:30 am @NFCAR (Bethel)

01/21-Listingbook-1:30 pm @NFCAR (Bethel)

01/22-REXplorer-10:00 am @CMLS (Norwalk)

01/25-DocCentral-9:30 am Webinar

01/25-rDesk-1:00pm Webinar

01/26-Paragon-6:00 pm Webinar

01/27-REXplorer Advanced-9:30 am @ CMLS (Norwalk)

01/28-REXplorer-1:30 pm @ CMLS (Norwalk)

ONE AGENT - ONE ID

To protect the integrity and security of our MLS system, please be reminded that under no circumstances is anyone to share their Agent ID and Password...with anyone! (team IDs may qualify for exemption)

Section 2.6 Unauthorized Use of a System ID. Unless specifically authorized in writing by the MLS, only the Participant, Subscriber or User specifically assigned a given MLS ID is authorized to access the System using that MLS ID. Allowing any other person to use an MLS ID to access the Service, including, without limitation, the Subscriber’s Participant, other Participants, another Associated Personnel of Subscriber’s Participant, Clients, Customers, Service Providers or Vendors is expressly prohibited.

Any violation of Section 2.6 is subject to the automatic imposition of a “Fourth Tier” fine as set forth in Section 5 of Schedule C. After the first violation, if a Participant, Subscriber or User again violates this Section the Service shall impose a thirty (30) day suspension of all MLS Services and privileges. Misuse of a MLS ID or allowing the unauthorized use of a MLS ID may also subject the Subscriber to criminal prosecution or civil litigation to enjoin such unauthorized use. Because of current limitations within the GFC CMLS System, the GFC CMLS will not unreasonably deny written requests for Subscribers and Users within Teams to access the System using another Team member’s MLS ID provided that: (a) all Team members are Subscribers or Users in good standing who have their own personal MLS ID; and (b) there is a reasonable business need for such use.