Holiday Hours

The GFC CMLS will be observing the following holiday hours:



Friday, December 28th - 8:30 AM-5:00 PM

Monday, December 31st -8:30 AM - 3:00 PM

Tuesday, January 1st - Closed

Wednesday, January 2nd - back to normal business hours....8:30 AM - 6:00 PM



The CMLS wishes you Happy and Healthy 2013!

If You'd Like to Help the Newtown Community

CAR Executive Vice President, Robert Kennedy has asked that we share the following with GFC CMLS members:

Connecticut Association leadership recently met with the leaders of the Newtown Board of REALTORS. Although devastated by the tragedy in their community they focused on how best to support victims’ families, survivors, first responders and the community at large. The outpouring of support from throughout the country has been outstanding and is much appreciated by all. There are numerous efforts being implemented including volunteer chefs from the area preparing meals with the help of the REALTORS.

After much discussion the Newtown Board has identified the two entities below for contributions. The Board felt that they were best suited to deliver the needed services to the community at large.

• The Newtown Rotary Sandy Hook School Fund. Their website, (http://www.newtownctrotary.org/SandyHookSchoolFund.cfm ) describes the extent of town wide services to help all those affected by this tragedy. Checks can be mailed to: Newtown Rotary Sandy Hook School Fund, PO Box 263, Newtown, CT 06470.

• Newtown Youth and Family Services. Please earmark donations for "Caroline's Gift” to assure 100% of the donation is dedicated to services for addressing community needs arising from the school tragedy. The website,  ( http://www.newtownyouthandfamilyservices.org/ ) is being revamped to accommodate this tragedy and what Caroline's Gift will help with. Checks can be mailed to: Newtown Youth and Family Services 15 Berkshire Rd. Sandy Hook, CT 06482.

The Newtown REALTORS thank you all for your concerns, thoughts and prayers.

Our Thoughts and Prayers

The CMLS is deeply saddened by the senseless tragedy that occurred in Newtown on Friday, December 14, 2012. Our thoughts and prayers are with the families and loved ones of those innocent children whose lives were stolen, and the heroic adults who made the ultimate sacrifice that undoubtedly saved countless others.

Friday December 14th

On Friday December 14th the GFC CMLS office will be closing at 5 pm.

Matrix Intermediate Class

Spaces available for the Thursday, December 13th Matrix Intermediate class being held at the Greater Bridgeport Board of Realtors from 1:30-4:30 PM.

Don't miss out on learning how to Customize your searches and displays, Work with the Statistics, do Advanced Searches and much much more.

Call our office today at 203-840-6674 to reserve your seat for this dynamic session!

Change to Alternate List Type field

We have recently added a new option within the Alternate List Type field: Full Service Listing. Additionally, this field is now required when entering a listing.


Going forward, when entering a new listing in Matrix, you will be required to choose one of the three options within this field: Full Service Listing, Limited Service Listing, or MLS Entry Only Listing.

Listings that were entered prior to this change being made (around November 22, 2012) are not required to be updated to include this field, although you are certainly welcome to update your existing listings accordingly.

Here is a brief description of the differences between the three options:

Full Service means that the broker is responsible for providing the seller with all normal brokerage services, including: marketing, MLS input and maintenance, negotiations, etc.

Limited Service means that the broker will provide some services and not others. For example, the agent may list the property on the MLS and handle negotiations, however marketing may be the responsibility of the owner.

Entry Only means the broker is only obligated to enter and maintain the listing on the MLS. All other aspects are the responsibility of the owner.

How to create a shortcut for Matrix on a Mac, iPad, and iPhone

On a Mac:

To make a shortcut to Matrix, go to www.ct-mls.com and login to Matrix.

Once you're logged in, look for the address bar at the top of the screen,
where it says:  http://matrix.ct-mls.com...

To the left of that address for Matrix, there will be a little icon.

Click-drag that icon on to the Mac desktop.

On an iPad:

You can create a shortcut within Safari on an iPad:

To make a shortcut to Matrix, go to www.ct-mls.com and login to Matrix.

Once you're logged in, look for the address bar at the top of the screen,
where it says: http://matrix.ct-mls.com...

Tap the icon of the box with the arrow coming out of (it's to the left of the address field) and then tap  "Add To Home Screen".  If you'd like, you can then rename it, and then tap "Add".

On an iPhone:

Log in to Matrix.

Tap the icon that looks like a box with an arrow coming out of it at the bottom the screen.

Then you just tap "Add To Home Screen".

If you'd like, you can then rename the shortcut, and then tap "Add".

Pending Home Sales

The number of pending home sales has been on the rise.

Read the full story by clicking the link below:

Pending home sales

Holiday Hours

In celebration of the Thanksgiving holiday, the CMLS office will be closing at 3pm on Wednesday, November 21, 2012, and will be reopening Monday, November 26th at 8:30am.

We wish you all a very happy and safe holiday weekend.

To Submit or To Cancel..that is the question!

Whether it be listing input, changing information in the body of a listing or marking a listing CTS, PENDING, SOLD, etc., it is extremely important to exit the screen the correct way.

To save any additions and/or changes to your listing, you must hit the SUBMIT LISTING button at the bottom left of your screen. You will then get a message that the listing has been successfully updated.

If you are on an input screen and need to abort, especially if you require assistance from the staff of the GFC CMLS, you must exit the screen by clicking the CANCEL INPUT button on the bottom left of the screen. Not exiting in this manner will hold the listing in limbo and make it impossible for us to offer immediate assistance.

As always, feel free to contact us for assistance.

Matrix Down Time 10 pm Wednesday until 1 am ...

On Wednesday October 24th at 10 pm Matrix will be unavailable until 1 am Thurday due to a system update. Click here to view a detailed list of enhancement.


Enhancement include:

- New and Improved Matrix Mobile. www.matrixmobile.ct-mls.com

- Improvements to the My Listings Widget on the Matrix Home Page

- Improvements to the Recent Portal Visitors Widget

- CMA can now include up to 5 custom pages

- CMA now includes a Map View

- Ability to save your own custom sort order

- and more ...

Timely Listing Entry

When entering NEW listings into Matrix before the actual contractual start date, you must verify the List Date is the actual date the listing begins,not the date you began entering it nor the date you finish entering it, before submitting the listing as ACTIVE.

You can save an Incoming listing with a future start date. Again, be sure to verify this date when submitting the listing and be sure to change your listing from INCOMING to ACTIVE before adding the listing to the LIVE system.

As always, please feel free to call upon the GFC CMLS staff for assistance!

New housing starts are up

New housing starts are up to their highest level since 2009

Click here to read the story

Print settings in Matrix

We have noticed that many users are still struggling with getting Matrix to print listings properly. There are two significant issues:


1. The text is printed very small and is therefore difficult to read.

2. Some of the text on the right side of the report is cut off.


Although we have addressed the small text issues by creating large font versions of many Matrix displays, which are available in the “Additional Reports” section of the Matrix Print screen, there are also browser settings that you should modify:


1. You should modify your browser’s page print margins to maximize the usable area on a page. This will provide printouts with larger type that are easier to read. By default browsers use large page margins (typically ¾”) (.75), by adjusting the margins to just ¼” (.25), the amount of printable area available for the report is significantly increased, allowing the browser to print larger sized text so that reports are easier to read.

2. Additionally, there is a shrink-to-fit setting that, if not properly configured, will cause the Matrix reports to be cut off on the right side of the page.

Click the link below for documentation and videos:
Printing docs and videos

Of course, please feel free to call our tech support staff, we’ll be happy to help.
203-840-6674 ext 310

How to change a PCD

How to change the Proposed Closing Date (PCD) in Matrix

-go to INPUT tab

-choose EDIT EXISTING listing or choose the listing from the list of your listings

-when the listing info appears on your screen, scroll down and click on CHANGE TO PENDING

-enter the new Proposed Closing Date to some future date

-hit SUBMIT LISTING and you're done!

Matrix IDX

Instructions for using the Matrix IDX are available in the Support section of our site.

Click here to login to the Support page.

Click the Matrix link on the left side, and then click the 3rd link on the next page.

Changes to Listing Input

Now that we have been up and running on Matrix for over a month, we have noticed that one of the biggest areas of confusion is partially saving listings. Currently, there are two different ways to save the work you have done on a listing without making it live on the MLS system: Quit and Save to Work Area and Submit Listing.

This has led to confusion, as each one behaves differently.

The Work Area allows you to save your work at any time, but does not allow you to add photos to your partial listing. Additionally, when you go back into the Work Area to work on a partial listing, if you hit Submit Listing when you are done, it will generate a list number, but does not delete the listing from the Work Area. This has led to duplicate Incoming Listings (each with their own unique list number) to be created by agents who repeatedly go into a listing in the Work Area to perform more work and then click Submit Listing when they are done. Items in the Work Area are not deleted until the user deletes them (even after the listing has been made an Active Listing and is on the MLS for all to see).

If you hit Submit Listing on a partial listing, it will save as an Incoming Listing and generate a list number, even though the listing is not live and no one but you can see it. You can then add photos to the listing before you make it live. You can still go into an Incoming Listing and make more changes to it without saving it as live, but when you hit Submit Listing, it will not generate a new list number for it, so there are no duplicates for the same property.

We feel that using Submit Listing to partially save your listing has more value and leads to much less confusion. Therefore, as of October 1, 2012, the Work Area functionality will be removed from our Matrix site. If you have begun any listings and saved them to the Work Area, it is imperative that you go into the listing from within the Work Area and hit Submit Listing. This will generate a list number and save the partial listing as an Incoming Listing, and you will be able to access it by clicking the Select a Listing drop down menu after you click the Input tab. On October 1st, all listings in the Work Area will be inaccessible.

Please call the CMLS office if you have any questions.

October Matrix Sessions

It’s hard to believe, but as of early October we will have been up and running solely on Matrix for two months. For the past few months, we have been conducting introductory training sessions, as well classes on listing input and CMAs. We are continually trying to develop training sessions that are relevant to topics we deal with most often (based on feedback, phone calls, emails, etc.).

In October, we are going to try something different. In addition to our typical classes, we have scheduled 3 dates that will be exclusively Question and Answer sessions. There will be no scheduled topic for these sessions- the idea is that we want you to come in with any specific topics you’d like covered or any questions you’d like answered.

Thursday, October 4th- Merritt 7 Building 301, Norwalk (two buildings down from the CMLS office)

Wednesday, October 24th- Bridgeport Board of Realtors

Thursday, October 25th- Northern Fairfield County Association of Realtors (Bethel)


There will be two sessions per day: 9:30am-11:00am and 1:00-2:30pm.

Please come prepared with anything you’d like us to cover. Although the sessions are scheduled for 90 minutes, we will allot more time if necessary and attempt to leave no question unanswered. That being said, in an effort to be fair and give everyone a chance to ask their questions, you may only ask one question at a time. If you have more than one topic you’d like discussed, you will have to wait until all others have had a chance to ask their question.

Seating is limited, so sign up today!

eKey and iPhone 5

Apple has announced that the new iPhone 5 will be orderable in September. This new phone has an updated operating system called “iOS 6” and a different connector called “Lightning.” The Lightning connector is much smaller than Apple’s previous 30-pin connector. As a result, the current eKEY iPhone Adapter will not plug directly into the new iPhone 5. Apple also announced it will release a 30 pin to Lightning adapter.


Supra will obtain an iPhone 5 and Lightning adapter from Apple as quickly as possible. Please be advised that, until we have tested our application and eKEY adapter with Apple’s products, we cannot confirm that they will operate correctly. Supra customers who wish to run the eKEY application on an iPhone 5 may want to consider delaying their purchase of the iPhone 5 until Supra’s testing is complete.

Supra plans to support the iPhone 5. We will confirm compatibility as soon as we obtain technical information from Apple and will make engineering changes to our products if required

Changes to Listing Input

Now that we have been up and running on Matrix for over a month, we have noticed that one of the biggest areas of confusion is partially saving listings. Currently, there are two different ways to save the work you have done on a listing without making it live on the MLS system: Quit and Save to Work Area and Submit Listing.

This has led to confusion, as each one behaves differently.

The Work Area allows you to save your work at any time, but does not allow you to add photos to your partial listing. Additionally, when you go back into the Work Area to work on a partial listing, if you hit Submit Listing when you are done, it will generate a list number, but does not delete the listing from the Work Area. This has led to duplicate Incoming Listings (each with their own unique list number) to be created by agents who repeatedly go into a listing in the Work Area to perform more work and then click Submit Listing when they are done. Items in the Work Area are not deleted until the user deletes them (even after the listing has been made an Active Listing and is on the MLS for all to see).

If you hit Submit Listing on a partial listing, it will save as an Incoming Listing and generate a list number, even though the listing is not live and no one but you can see it. You can then add photos to the listing before you make it live. You can still go into an Incoming Listing and make more changes to it without saving it as live, but when you hit Submit Listing, it will not generate a new list number for it, so there are no duplicates for the same property.

We feel that using Submit Listing to partially save your listing has more value and leads to much less confusion. Therefore, as of October 1, 2012, the Work Area functionality will be removed from our Matrix site. If you have begun any listings and saved them to the Work Area, it is imperative that you go into the listing from within the Work Area and hit Submit Listing. This will generate a list number and save the partial listing as an Incoming Listing, and you will be able to access it by clicking the Select a Listing drop down menu after you click the Input tab. On October 1st, all listings in the Work Area will be inaccessible.

Please call the CMLS office if you have any questions.

Matrix Videos

To see videos on how to use Matrix, click the link below:
Matrix Videos

Inputting New Listings

There seems to be some confusion for agents when entering new listings on Matrix- they are submiting the listing and getting a list number, but no one can actually find the listing on the MLS. This is because the listing is still set to Incoming, which is the default status when a new listing input is begun. Incoming listings will get a list number if you click Submit Listing, but no other Matrix users will be able to see it.

If you have filled out all of the fields and are ready to put the listing on the MLS so all users can see it, please remember to go back to the Status tab and switch it to Active before clicking Submit Listing. Once it is submitted as Active, all Matrix users will be able to see it.

If you have any questions, please call the CMLS office and go to extension 315.

Editing Existing Listings

We have created documentation for modifying listings in Matrix.

Please follow this document for assistance with all types of changes- status changes, price changes, data changes, tours/open houses, photos, virtual tours, and supplements (attaching documents).

Matrix Training Session

The following Matrix Training Sessions have been scheduled.



Wednesday, August 22nd

9:30 - 11:30 am Matrix Best Practices - CMLS office Norwalk

1:30 - 3:00 pm Listing Input and Change - CMLS office Norwalk



Tuesday, August 28th

9:30 - 11:00 am Listing Input and Change - CMLS office Norwalk

1:30 - 3:30 pm Matrix Best Practices - CMLS office Norwalk



Thursday, August 30th

9:30 - 11:30 am Matrix Best Practices - CMLS office Norwalk

1:30 - 3:00 pm Listing Input and Change - CMLS office Norwalk

Help for Matrix Listing Input

There has been some confusion about the listing input process in Matrix, so we've created step-by-step documentation.

Hopefully it will make it easier for you to enter your listings.

Click Here to view the document.

Please contact us with any questions.

Matrix FAQ

Click the link below for the Matrix FAQ list
Matrix: Frequently Asked Questions

Matrix Support information

For Matrix training videos, manuals, FAQ, and Forms, click the link below:

Matrix Support page

Reminder about Listing Input and Change

Our new beginning has started...

Reminder, as of 11 am Today, Monday, August 6th there will be no listing input or change or tour/open house input.

Listing input will resume at 9 am Tuesday, August 7th in Matrix

Listing Input & Change Training Video

Click Here to view the Listing Input Video Tutorial. Also note, Listing Input will not become available on Matrix until 9 am Tuesday, August 7th. From 11 am Monday August 6th until Tuesday August 7th there will not be any listing input or modification for any GFC CMLS listings. Click here to view a Listing Input Summary video

Matrix Listing Input Forms

Matrix fillable Listing Input forms are now available. You can access them at the Forms section of our website, in the external links widget in Matrix or you can click here.

Matrix Listing Input Webinar

We will be conducting a Matrix Listing Input Webinar Wednesday, July 25th at 6:15 pm.
Click here to register

Less than 2 Weeks Left

RE/Xplorer and PC Access will be gone forever in less than 2 weeks.


Have you transfered over your saved searches and your contacts to Matrix?


The following sessions are scheduled.


Wednesday, July 25th 6:15 – 7:30 pm Webinar Listing Input

Friday, July 27th 9:30 – 11:30 am Shelton Embracing the Change

Friday, July 27th 12 Noon – 1:00 pm Shelton Listing Input

Friday, July 27th 1:30 – 3:30 pm Shelton Embracing the Change

Matrix Hands On Sessions Added

4 additional hands on Matrix - Just Searching sessions have been added. The sessions will be held at the CMLS office in Norwalk.

July 11th 9:30 - 10:30 am

July 11th 11:30 - 12:30 pm

July 11th 1:30 - 2:30 pm

July 11th 3:30 - 4:30 pm

Click here to login and register for classes:
http://ims.ct-mls.com/

Matrix Discussion webpage

You can ask questions or put in suggestions for Matrix by logging in here:
http://www.ct-mls.com/membersonly/cmlsbb/default.aspx

July 4th Holiday

In celebration of the Fourth of July, the CMLS office will be closing at 1pm today (Tuesday, July 3rd) and will reopen Thursday morning, July 5th, at 8:30am.

If you need to pay your CMLS invoice, please go to
http://ims.ct-mls.com/
Once paid, your RE/Xplorer, Listingbook, and Matrix access will be reactivated shortly thereafter.

Have a safe and enjoyable holiday.

Upcoming Matrix Training Sessions

Still need to take a Matrix Training Session? The following sessions are scheduled. Morning, Afternoon, Evening, Saturday and Webinars. Choose the session that is best for you.


• Tuesday, July 10th 9:30 – 11:30 am Norwalk Reluctant to Change

• Thursday, July 12th 9:30 – 11:30 am Danbury Embracing the Change

• Thursday, July 12th 12:00 – 1:00 pm Danbury Listing Input

• Thursday, July 12th 1:30 – 3:30 pm Danbury Reluctant to Change

• Friday, July 13th 9:30 – 11:30 am Shelton Embracing the Change

• Friday, July 13th 12:00 – 1:00 pm Shelton Listing Input

• Friday, July 13th 1:30 – 3:30 pm Shelton Embracing the Change

• Saturday, July 14th 9:30 – 11:30 am Norwalk Embracing the Change

• Tuesday, July 17th 9:30 – 10:30 am Norwalk Listing Input

• Tuesday, July 17th 11:00 – 12:00 pm Norwalk Listing Input

• Tuesday, July 17th 1:30 – 2:30 pm Norwalk Listing Input

• Tuesday, July 17th 3:00 – 4:00 pm Norwalk Listing Input

• Wednesday, July 18th 9:30 – 10:30 am Norwalk Listing Input

• Wednesday, July 18th 11:00 – 12:00 pm Norwalk Listing Input

• Wednesday, July 18th 1:30 – 2:30 pm Norwalk Listing Input

• Wednesday, July 18th 3:00 – 4:00 pm Norwalk Listing Input

• Wednesday, July 18th 6:15 – 8:15 pm Norwalk Embracing the Change

• Thursday, July 19th 10:00 – 11:30 am Webinar Listing Input

• Monday, July 23rd 9:30 – 11:30 am Norwalk Embracing the Change

• Monday, July 23rd 1:30 – 3:30 pm Norwalk Reluctant to Change

• Tuesday, July 24th 9:30 – 11:30 am Danbury Embracing the Change

• Tuesday, July 24th 12 Noon – 1:00 pm Danbury Listing Input

• Tuesday, July 24th 1:30 – 3:30 pm Danbury Embracing the Change

• Wednesday, July 25th 6:15 – 7:30 pm Webinar Listing Input

• Friday, July 27th 9:30 – 11:30 am Shelton Embracing the Change

• Friday, July 27th 12 Noon – 1:00 pm Shelton Listing Input

• Friday, July 27th 1:30 – 3:30 pm Shelton Embracing the Change

• Tuesday, July 31st 9:30 – 11:30 am Norwalk Reluctant to Change

• Tuesday, July 31st 1:30 – 3:30 pm Norwalk Embracing the Change

• Wednesday, August 1st 9:30 – 11:30 am Norwalk Last Chance

• Wednesday, August 1st 1:30 – 3:30 am Norwalk Last Chance

Request For Qualifications (RFQ) - Realtor Services

On behalf of the owners of foreclosed residential properties purchased and rehabilitated with federal Neighborhood Stabilization Program funds, the Stamford Community Development Office (SCDO) is seeking licensed real estate agents/brokers (Agents) to market and close on the sale of these properties to income qualified buyers. Responding Agents must be licensed in CT, be familiar with HUD funded program requirements, and have experience working with low and moderate income buyers.

Complete RFQ can be obtained at SCDO, 10th fl., Government Center (9 am – 4 pm Mon.-Fri.)
or online at http://www.cityofstamford.org/content/25/52/131/144/358/default.aspx

For additional information contact Erik Larson, SCDO, at (203) 977-4053 or elarson@ci.stamford.ct.us

Matrix is Here!

We are excited to announce that Matrix is now available for all GFC CMLS users. For the next 2 months, it will be running in parallel with RE/Xplorer and Paragon. This gives everyone a great opportunity to get familiar with the system before we completely cut over to it in August. Please make sure to take advantage of this. The only functionality that will not be available during the parallel period will be listing input and modification. You will still need RE/Xplorer for all listing input and changes.

Please keep in mind that, while the foundation of our system is in place and functioning well, there are adjustments that are constantly being made behind the scenes to add/modify features and functionality. You can access Matrix by going to matrix.ct-mls.com (do not enter www or http://) using any of the major web browsers: IE, Chrome, Safari, Firefox, or Opera. Use your normal CMLS username and password. We will have a Matrix icon on the CMLS homepage in the near future. For Matrix support, you can call the CMLS office and go to extension 330 or send an email to matrix@ct-mls.com.

There is also a Matrix Discussion forum that allows users to post questions/suggestions/issues so everyone can see them. We try to respond to these as quickly as possible. Additionally, we've created a Matrix support page on our site that contains videos, documentation and training materials. We encourage you to play around as much as you can, and welcome your feedback. We hope you enjoy your Matrix MLS experience.

Norwalk Matrix Sessions

If you are attending one of the Matrix sessions in Norwalk, please remember that they are being held in the Conference Room of Building 301 (two buildings down from the CMLS office). The conference room is on the UL level. If you need assistance when you are in the building, please ask a security guard. Thank you.

Matrix Training Starts June 5th

*** Because of high demand, we have added 2 additional sessions in Norwalk (at building 301 of the Merritt 7 complex) for Tuesday, June 12. Use the link at the bottom of this article to register for any of the sessions ***

We have designed two types of session. Choose the session that is best for you. Session dates are at the bottom of this email.

EMBRACING THE CHANGE

This session is perfect for all agents embracing the move to the new MATRIX system!!!
Please join us for an exciting, informative learning experience. .

You will be shown how to:

• Navigate the Homepage, Tabs and Widgets

• Personalize & Customize the system to reflect how and where you work

• Search Properties, agents and offices, tours, property history, maps and much more

• Saved searches

• Print/email reports in various formats

• Auto-email your buyers, sellers and prospects

• Optimize the SPEED BAR

• Do a CMA

• Utilize useful shortcuts and helpful hints

Come one, come all! These sessions are open to all agents and administrative personnel. Sign up now!


RELUCTANT TO CHANGE

Do you have an aversion to change? Are you a PC Access user? Are you coming kicking and screaming to our new Matrix system??? We know that change isn’t easy, but sometimes it is necessary. This session will show you how to accomplish your daily work with ease and speed.

You will be shown how to:

• Search Properties, hotsheets, tours, agents and offices, property history and more

• Print/email reports in various formats

• Optimize the SPEED BAR ****PC Access users-you will LOVE this feature!****

• Utilize useful shortcuts and helpful hints that will make your life easier!

Sign up now and give yourself the advantage of having time to practice before we turn off PC Access, RE/Xplorer and Paragon in the beginning of August.


Training Schedule


Embracing the Change Sessions


Tuesday, June 5th 9:30 – 11:30 am 301 Merritt 7, Norwalk full

Wednesday, June 6th 9:30 – 11:30 am 301 Merritt 7, Norwalk

Wednesday, June 6th 1:30 – 3:30 pm 301 Merritt 7, Norwalk full

Thursday, June 7th 9:30 – 11:30 am The Matrix Corporate Park, Danbury

Thursday, June 7th 1:30 – 3:30 pm The Matrix Corporate Park, Danbury

Friday, June 8th 9:30 -11:30 am, 3 Corporate Drive, Shelton

Friday, June 8th 1:30 – 3:30 pm, 3 Corporate Drive, Shelton

Wednesday, June 13th 6:15 – 8:15 Webinar (We will email the webinar login information by noon Wednesday June 13th)





Reluctant to Change Sessions



Tuesday, June 5th 1:30 – 3:30 am 301 Merritt 7, Norwalk

Tuesday, June 19th 9:30 – 11:30 am NFCAR, Bethel

Tuesday, June 19th 1:30 – 3:30 pm NFCAR, Bethel

Tuesday, June 19th 1:30 – 3:30 pm New Milford Board of Realtors, New Milford

Wednesday, June 20th 10:00 – 12:00 pm Bridgeport Board of Realtors, Bridgeport

Wednesday, June 20th 1:30 – 3:30 pm Bridgeport Board of Realtors, Bridgeport

Thursday, June 21st 9:30 – 11:30 am GFC CMLS 101 Merritt 7, Norwalk

Wednesday, June 27th 9:30– 11:30 am, New Haven Board of Realtors, North Haven

Wednesday, June 27th 1:30 – 3:30 pm, New Haven Board of Realtors, North Haven

To register, go to http://www.ct-mls.com, click "Class Offerings" and then login to register for a class

Internet Remarks is now a required field

We have noticed that far too many listings that originate from GFC CMLS and appear on consumer-facing sites such as Listingbook, Realtor.com, and other IDX sites have no public comments, which does a major disservice to your seller. We have therefore made it mandatory that at least the first line of the Internet Remarks section is populated.

This will also affect listing modifcation. When you go to make a change to your listing, the system will detect that there is a required field that is blank, and you will have to enter something into at least the first line of the Internet Remarks section in order to save your listing change.

As we transition to Matrix, you will see that there are two different remarks sections on detailed reports: Public Remarks and Agent Remarks. The text you enter in our current Internet Remarks section will populate the Public Remarks section, and that which you enter into the current Remarks section will appear in the Agent Remarks section. Please keep your audience in mind when filling out these two fields on your listings.

PLEASE DON'T BE A SPAMMER

Recently the number of member complaints about receiving unsolicited email messages from other GFC CMLS members promoting their listings has been increasing. While you may feel this is promoting a listing, others consider these unsolicited messages to be SPAM. Before sending this type of unsolicited promotion consider how congested your inbox would be if everyone sent these types of promotional emails. Please be considerate of each other.

Westport Open House Schedule Modified

The Mid-Fairfield Association of Realtors has modified the Weston and Westport Open House schedule effective May 15, 2012


Weston Broker Open Houses will remain on Tuesdays but the hours will be from 11 am - 2 pm.


Westport Broker Open Houses will continue on Thursdays from 10 am - 2pm. If you choose to open your listing for less than 4 hours, it should be open for 2 hours. If it is north of the Post Rd, it should be hosted between 10 am and 12 noon and south of the Post Rd should be open between 12 noon and 2 pm. First time broker open house agents should work hard to be open for the full 4 hour period. 'Repeats' should be held open during the hours assigned to their location.

3 Months and Counting

In case you have not heard in just 3 months the GFC CMLS will be changing MLS systems to Matrix. RE/Xplorer, PC Access and Paragon will be replaced by Matrix MLS. Matrix training will start in June. Session times and locations will be announced in a few short weeks.

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.

Support Information

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.

Matrix Overview Video

We are all eagerly awaiting the first glimpse of our brand new Matrix system (which should occur for GFC CMLS staff within the next few weeks). In the meantime, we have created a high-level overview video of Matrix. The video is a recap of the Matrix informational sessions we held back in February- it outlines the factors that led to our decision to switch MLS vendors, explains why we chose Matrix as our new MLS system, and provides a sneak peak of several key features of the Matrix system.

The next couple of months are going to fly by. Before we know it, it will be June and Matrix will be running in parallel with RE/Xplorer and Paragon. At that point, you will have a couple of months to acclimate yourself to Matrix before the final cutover in August.

We encourage everyone to watch the video, even if you attended one of the sessions a couple months ago. It is very important that everyone has a clear understanding of what is going to be happening over the next several months. We want to give all of our users ample opportunity to learn about our new system and experience it for themselves before we shut off RE/Xplorer, PC Access and Paragon.

Please do not get left behind. Click here to view the Matrix Overview Video. To best view the video Do Not Click the link while you are in RE/Xplorer, go to www.ct-mls.com and click the link there.

In Case You Haven't Heard...

We are moving to a completely new MLS System this Summer- Matrix MLS. Matrix is very fast and user friendly, and we are excited about transitioning to it over the next several months.

Right now, our customized Matrix system is in the process of being built. Once this is complete, we will begin a testing phase where we hope to identify and correct as many issues as possible. If you have volunteered to help us test our system, we will be contacting you with more details as the testing phase approaches.

If our current timetable remains unchanged, we will be running Matrix side by side with RE/Xplorer and Paragon beginning in June.
At that point, everyone is encouraged to use it as much as possible. All functionality except for listing input and maintenance will be available during the parallel period.

The final cutover is scheduled for the first week of August. At that point, our current system will be completely shut down, and the only way to access the live MLS system will be through Matrix. That means PC Access, RE/Xplorer, and Paragon will no longer be around.

As the transition draws nearer, we will be providing many different forms of Matrix training: lecture-style sessions, hands-on classes, webinars, and recorded videos posted to our website. We will make every effort to keep all of our users as informed as possible. We do not want anyone to be left behind.

Please keep an eye on our website and your email inbox- we will be using both to communicate updates regarding our Matrix transition.

New fix for IE9 Script Debugging Issue

We are happy to announce that there is a new, easier way to deal with the IE9 Script Debugging issue that has plagued RE/Xplorer users recently.

Here are the most common symptoms of the problem: 1.) you are doing a search but the number of matches never changes when you enter criteria, 2.) you cannot display reports (it just says Loading in the upper left corner of the screen), 3.) you are having problems entering/saving listings.

To fix the problem, close your search or report and get back to the RE/Xplorer homepage (you do not need to log out). Go to Setup,click Fix IE9 Debug Settings, click Run, click OK.
You should once again be able to run searches, display reports, and input/modify listings without any problems

Internet Explorer 9 Documentation

We have recently created a separate page for all of the documentation we've created for RE/Xplorer with respect to IE9. You will find instructions for setting up IE9 so REX works properly, fixing the script debugging issue, installing REX in IE9 if you get an error message, and even uninstalling IE9 and rolling back Internet Explorer to its previous version.

Click on Support in the blue bar at the top of our website, log in, and click on Internet Explorer 9 on the left column.

Danbury Tax Issue is Resolved

We recently had an issue where the tax information on Danbury properties was inaccurate- the correct current phase-in values were not displaying properly. This has been corrected and now the proper values are displaying.

PLEASE NOTE.....if you are using Vision Appraisal as your tax info source, they use the 100% assessment amount. Our system displays the phase in amount for the current year. Our amount is the proper number to use when calculating taxes.

If you have recently entered a listing for a property in Danbury, please make sure the tax information is accurate.

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 walk you through it, or to connect to your computer and do it for you, please call the office.

Valentines Day Offer from Listingbook

Sweeten Your Listings With This Valentines Day Offer from Listingbook.

Purchase Property Promotions to Advertise Your Open Houses or Feature Your Listing. 18 Property Promotions for $199, less than 1/2 the price.

Click Here to print out the flyer.

Tip of the week....

All Single Family, Condo, Multi-Family listings, regardless of status, require at least one photo.

Therefore, even if your listing goes off market prior to submitting a photo you are still responsible to submit a photo.

You can copy your photo(s) from a previous listing ONLY if it belonged to you in the same office. The copy photo process happens twice a day (at 12 noon and 6 pm). Copying other agents photos is forbidden.

Listingbook Milestone

In June of 2008, we added Listingbook to our stable of MLS products because it was innovative, easy to use, and we thought it would be a great tool for real estate professionals to engage in a more collaborative relationship with their customers. In less than four years, it has become an integral part of many of our users’ daily business.

We are excited to announce that the GFC CMLS Listingbook community has surpassed the 100,000 consumer mark!

Don’t miss out on the power of Listingbook. Show your customers (both buyers and sellers) that you are on top of things by giving them a Listingbook account. Your buyers will appreciate that they can go in and perform their own searches (in addition to the saved search you set up for them), and sellers will love the additional exposure they get when you assign their listing to their account and promote it (either as a Featured Listing or Open House).

Put Listingbook to work for you.

Call our office if you’d like help getting started.

New MLS System Information Sessions

The GFC CMLS will be holding informational sessions to discuss our new MLS system, Matrix MLS, on February 1st, 2nd and 3rd. During these sessions, we will explain why we decided to make a change and how the Matrix system was selected. There will also be a brief demonstration of the key Matrix MLS features, followed by a question and answer session.

Come and get a sneak preview of your new MLS system.

The following sessions will be held:

Thursday, February 2nd in Danbury
Matrix Banquet and Conference Center
39 Old Ridgebury Road, Danbury
9:30 – 11:00 am and 1:30 – 3:30 pm

Friday, February 3rd in Shelton
Enterprise Corporate Park 3
Corporate Drive, Shelton
9:30 – 11:00 am and 1:30 – 3:30 pm

Monday, February 6th in Norwalk
Conference Room- 301 Merritt 7 (2 buildings down from the GFC CMLS office)
9:30 – 11:00 am or 11:30 - 1:00 pm

Seating is limited, registration is required!
Click here to register or call the GFC CMLS office at 203 840-6674.

Updated Residential Property Condition Disclosure

The Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection has updated the Residential Property Condition Disclosure Report.

The updated report is available in fillable format at the forms section of our website or by clicking here.

Martin Luther King Day

In observance of Martin Luther King Day, GFC CMLS will be closed Saturday, January 14th and Monday January 16th. Normal hours will resume Tuesday January 17th.

Streamlining Phone Calls

To save time when calling our office for administrative assistance with your listings, please be sure to have your listing number on hand.

If you are calling regarding your account, having your invoice number, credit card information and agent id readily available will also be very helpful.

As for Data Verification emails……please read before calling to discuss. Many times, simply reading the email can save you a phone call. All emails have a due date therefore, please take the time to read the notification (preferably when you are not driving) prior to contacting the office. If you still have questions after reading the notification, please call ext 320 for assistance.

Never, never, never ignore a Data Verification email. All Data Verification notifications require some action.

A Courtesy Notification requires you to simply double check your information. You DO NOT need to contact us if your information is correct.

A Violation Notification requires you to either fix the issue or reply to us via email or phone by the noted due date. If nothing is done, a fine will be issued.

As always, please feel free to contact either Janis or Shawn at ext. 320 with any questions or comments.

Training Available

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

January 10 - Listingbook 6:00pm Webinar

January 12 - REXplorer 9:30am CMLS office

January 18 - REXplorer 9:30am Bethel

January 18 - Listingbook 1:30pm BethelJ

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

Did you get a new computer for the Holidays?

If you got a new computer for the Holidays, RE/Xplorer will not work on it until it has been configured for Internet Explorer 9.

If you want to try doing it yourself, follow these instructions.

If you'd prefer a CMLS technician to do it for you, please call our office.