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- 08-02-07 - NSBAR donates to Dr. King memorial - It's hard to believe that only a week ago at least a couple hundred of us gathered together to help dedicate the plaque and monument that commemorate Dr. King's fair housing speech on the Winnetka Village Green in 1965. I think all of us who were there were quite moved by the passionate leaders across generations, religions, and races coming together to support a fair and integrated Winnetka and North Shore, in which each individual regardless of background is welcomed and treated with respect.
Several people asked me about photos, so I just posted those I took on Interfaith's web site:
http://www.interfaithhousingcenter.org/photostories/kingplaquewinnetka.html
Katie Seigenthaler, President of the Interfaith Board of Directors, commented that "King's Corner" (we think Jean Cleland's apt name for the marker will stick) may become a central north suburban gathering place for all who care about social justice. Let's hope so!
- 07-09-07 - MLSNI and MAP have agreed to activate the Mirrored database. The process will be done overnight, so the mirrored database will be in place July 10th, 2007. PLEASE NOTE: This will not change the obligation of offices to continue to enter their listings into both systems. The Single Point of Entry (SPOE) program, which will relieve offices of double entry, is to be implemented after the mirrored databases are up and running. You will be advised of the projected implementation date for the SPOE program, and the intention is that you will have to continue to double enter your listings for only a short period of time. (Dual Members, in the very near future, will be given a choice of which system to use for the add/edit of your listings or you may continue to add/edit in both systems if you desire. If you choose to use the SPOE program, then you will only have to add/edit your listings in one system, but will still have access to both company’s systems for searching, prospecting, and other features).
- 06-15-07 - In accordance with the bylaws of the North Shore – Barrington Associationof REALTORS® this is to serve official notice of the slate of officers and directors for 2007-2008. Designated REALTORS® Members can vote for new officers in one of three ways: (1) by being present and voting at a meeting that will take place at 1 PM, Wednesday, August 29, 2007, in the classroom of the Northbrook office, or (2) by mailing an absentee ballot to the Northbrook office, postmarked between August 10 and August 24, 2007, or (3) electronic voting. Petitions to add additional names to the ballot must be signed by 10% of the membership (430) and must be filed by 5 PM, Friday, August 3, 2007 (delivered to either the Northbrook or Barrington office by that time).
Chairman of the Board Kris Keller, CCIM, National Realty Network, Barrington
Chair Elect, Adrianne Han, GRI, ABR, Best Choice Real Estate, Inc. Arlington Heights
Secretary-Treasurer, Darla Terrell, ABR,CRB, Koenig & Strey GMAC Real Estate, Deerfield
Directors whose terms end 2009
Dawn McAnaney, Dawn McAnaney, Northbrook
Peter R. Moulton, Coldwell Banker Residential, Winnetka
Kurt Penn, BRE Sotheby's International Real Estate
Daniel Schermerhorn, CPM, Schermerhorn & Co
Dale Shea, Koenig & Strey GMAC Real Estate, Lake Forest
Anthony L. Shoemaker, RE/MAX Villager
Returning Directors whose terms end 2008
Cheryl Chambers, GRI, CRS, Chambers Cross & Associates of Winnetka
William Coduto, Baird & Warner of Glenview
Scott Lackie, GRI, Griffith, Grant & Lackie, Lake Forest
Judy McEvoy, Prairie Shore Properties of Evanston
Kathy Pinkus, RE/MAX of Barrington, Barrington
This information will be posted on the web as official notice to the members.
- 06-14-07 - One MLS: Appeals court has issued an order that the stay is to remain until the case has been heard. We do NOT know when that will be. This means that we cannot proceed on sharing databases and we cannot continue with the issues that were voted on at the Shareholders meeting last November which includes the One MLS.
- 06-11-07 - More info on IDFPR Security Breach http://www.idfpr.com/FAQ/DPR/IDFPR_Breach.asp
- 05-31-07 - MLSNI could not hold today's annual Shareholder's meeting previously ordered by the Circuit Court of Cook County, after the appellate court temporarily stayed the order. Earlier this month, the circuit court ruled that the 11-15-07 annual Shareholder's meeting is void for a lack of quorum, but ordered that a reconstituted Annual Meeting be held within 30 days, to include the confirmation of Directors and a vote on the MAP transaction, and required all shareholders to attend or be deemed present for the purposes of a quorum if they fail to attend. That meeting was noticed for today. The 5 Boards trying to stop One MLS asked the appellate court to stay the required meeting pending the outcome of their appeal of the circuit court's order; the appellate court granted the order until it could consider both sides of the issue. A new meeting has been called for Tuesday, June 26, and hopefully the court will lift the stay before then.
Also, there was no Director's meeting today because the new board has not yet been confirmed. MLSNI reported that the shared database can be tested while we are waiting for the appellate court's ruling.
- 05-24-07 - They won't give up. The 5 associations have filed another appeal today.
- 05-22-07- COURT REFUSES TO DELAY SHAREHOLDER MEETING OF MULTIPLE LISTING SERVICE. (May 22/ Chicago) Judge Martin Agran, of the Circuit Court of Cook County, denied a request to stay his May 9 Order requiring that certain shareholders of Lisle-based Multiple Listing Service of Northern Illinois, Inc. ("MLNSI") attend a shareholders meeting within 30 days. A consolidation of MLSNI with the MAP Multiple Listing Service ("MAP") will be discussed at that meeting, which is scheduled for May 31. Five REALTOR® Associations opposed to the consolidation of the two regional multiple listing services asked the Court to delay the meeting pending an appeal of the Court's May 9 Order. In deciding not to issue the stay, Judge Agran weighed the likelihood of a successful appeal of his ruling, stating that he was "quite confident" that his decision was correct. Late last year, MLSNI's Board approved a series of reorganization transactions that included a consolidation with MAP. Five of the smaller REALTOR® Association shareholders of MLSNI, who together represent only about 9% of the area’s REALTORS®, attempted to prevent a vote on the MAP transaction by refusing to attend a November 15 meeting of MLSNI shareholders. After an extensive evidentiary hearing, the Court denied their request for a preliminary injunction and ordered these smaller REALTOR® Associations to attend a meeting, so that a vote for Directors and a vote on the MAP transaction could take place. The Court ruled that these smaller Associations breached their fiduciary and contractual obligations to MLSNI and its shareholders.
- 05-18-07 - The ruling made eariler this month is being appealed. More information on this will be made available by May 23rd.
- 05-10-07 - Judge Martin S. Agran ruled in favor of North Shore-Barrington on its Motion for Summary Judgment yesterday, when he announced his ruling on both Plaintiffs' Motion for Preliminary Injunction and North Shore-Barrington's Motion for Summary Judgment, which he deemed to be "joined at the hip."
Judge Agran first ruled that, pursuant to MLSNI's Articles of Incorporation and By-Laws, and notwithstanding the findings of the special election committee, a quorum was not present to transact business at the November 15th meeting. However, he determined that the Plaintiffs breached the Amended and Restated Voting Agreement by executing a blanket notice of revocation of their proxies in connection with that meeting. Judge Agran further ruled that MLSNI is a close corporation, its shareholders therefore owe fiduciary duties to MLSNI and each other, and that consistent with those fiduciary duties, MLSNI's quorum requirements do not give its minority shareholders a veto power to paralyze the management of MLSNI and frustrate the will of the majority of the shareholders and directors.
Judge Agran ordered the following:
1) The November 15th Annual Meeting is void for a lack of quorum;
2) Summary Judgment is granted in favor of North Shore-Barrington on its claims for breach of fiduciary duty and breach of contract;
3) That a reconstituted Annual Meeting be held within 30 days, to include the confirmation of Directors and a vote on the MAP transaction; and
4) That Plaintiffs are required to attend, and will be deemed to be present for the purposes of a quorum if they fail to attend.
- 5-9-07 - Judge Martin Agran today orally entered an order that will allow the shareholders of MLSNI to consider at a reconstituted Annual Meeting of shareholders a transaction between MLSNI and MAP. We await a final copy of the transcript containing the details of the Judge's Order.
- 4-26-07 - Judge will rule on the One MLS case May 9, 2007
- 4-19-07 - One MLS Database. MLSNI Board of Directors passed a motion yesterday to have a common database for MAP and MLSNI to begin June 1, 2007. We will keep you up to date on the details as they happen. The concept would be MAP listing in MLSNI and MLSNI listings in MAP.
- 4-10-07 - Why are the newspapers constantly berating the real estate industry? Because they are in the alternative real estate business! Tribune last weekend had a terrible piece in Parade Magazine and the item in number 1 told the public they don't need to list with an agent because they could use forsalebyowner.com. Of course, they didn't tell you that they OWN forsalebyowner.com as well as HomeGain!
- 3-26-07- On Wednesday, March 21st Governor Rod R. Blagojevich filed new rules to the Illinois Predatory Lending Database Pilot Program, also known as HB 4050. The Governor indicated that the new rules will help protect consumers by focusing scrutiny on the lenders and their loans rather than consumers and their credit history. These rules would re-institute the Predatory Lending Database Pilot Program’s reporting and counseling requirements, with several key changes. The rules provide that only first time homebuyers and homeowners who are refinancing their mortgages, who seek loans with certain attributes (interest-only, negative amortization, fees in excess of 5%, stated income, simultaneous 100% second, pre-payment penalty, or ARM), will be subject to counseling. In addition, the Governor directed the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation to designate the pilot area to be all of Cook County. You will recall that the Governor temporarily halted implementation of the original program that was drafted to only apply in certain Cook County neighborhoods after community organizations and civic leaders raised serious concerns. The IAR had presented testimony and written recommendations regarding our concerns about HB4050 and many of our recommendations were taken into consideration. IAR is in the process of further analyzing these proposed rules, and intends on providing comments on the rules by the official May comment deadline. For a copy of the proposed rule is available at the following link: www.idfpr.com/newsrls/032107FINAL4050ruledraft31607.pdf
- 3-23-07 One MLS - due to scheduling the Judge has moved the next court date to around 4-30-07
- 3-9-07 - One MLS: The court heard motions today but did not grant a Temporary Restraining Order. Next court date is 4-9-07
- 2-28-07 - NSBAR has just received word from IDFPR that the Salesperson Renewal Forms for this year will not be mailed out until the end of March. Licensees will receive a white postcard from IDFPR that contains a username and a password. These can be used to renew licenses 1) online or 2) via telephone. There is also the option to mail in their form. It is imperative that licensees are careful not to throw the renewal form away. According to IDFPR, there will be no duplicate renewal forms for agents to print and mail in. They must use the form mailed to them. According to IDFPR, there are no exceptions to this rule. The form will not be on IDFPR's traditional green renewal stock; it will be on a regular-sized white paper stock printed on both sides. Sponsor changes will use the bottom third of the form instead of the reverse side. Address changes will still be done on the reverse side of the form. The sponsor is listed on the reverse side of the renewal stub as opposed to being on the front page.
- 2-16-07 - In the court case for One MLS the judge will hear auguments for motions on March 9th
- 2-1-07 - MLS fees for April/May/June will be ZERO! Both MLSNI and NSBAR will be waiving their fees for the second quarter!
- 1-24-07 court has ganted 3 more days of hearing for the objectors on the One MLS lawsuit Feb 15, 16 and 24th.
- 1-23-07 - the court has scheduled 3 more days of hearings on one mls.
- 1-23-07 The Court hearing for One MLS began Friday and resumed today, Tuesday. Our attorneys say there will NOT be a decision today. We will keep you posted.
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1-23-07 MLSNI voted to have free months for February/March/April. Since this decision was made AFTER we send out the bills for the first quarter, we will have the free MLSNI months for April/May/June. Therefore the next MLS bills will be $60 less!
- 1-18-07 Court date for One MLS decision will not be until 1-23-07. Watch this site on 1-24-07 for results!
- 12-12-06 Net Neutrality - The nation's largest telephone and cable companies - including AT&T, Verizon, Comcast and Time Warner - want to be Internet gatekeepers, deciding which Web sites go fast or slow and which won't load at all. They want to tax content providers to guarantee speedy delivery of their data. They want to discriminate in favor of their own search engines, Internet phone services, and streaming video - while slowing down or blocking their competitors. These companies have a new vision for the Internet. Instead of an even playing field, they want to reserve express lanes for their own content and services - or those from big corporations that can afford the steep tolls - and leave the rest of us on a winding dirt road.
- 11-30-06 CHICAGO, IL -- (November 30, 2006) – The Multiple Listing Service of Northern Illinois, Inc. (MLSNI) and eight of the ten REALTOR® Associations who own MLSNI (including the Chicago Association of REALTORS®) have agreed to hold a preliminary injunction hearing on January 18 and 19, 2007, on a legal challenge to the consolidation of MLSNI and MAP.
"C.A.R. has been and continues to be a forceful advocate for the consolidation with MAP and the creation of “One MLS" for Chicagoland," said Alex Chaparro, president of C.A.R. The approval by MAP's membership and having a timetable for the resolution of the litigation are positive steps in guaranteeing the region's REALTORS® will continue to have access to a database with 100% of Chicagoland’s real estate listings."
The Aurora Tri-County Association of REALTORS® and other smaller REALTOR® associations who object to the Consolidation boycotted the November 15 at meeting and then filed a lawsuit in the Circuit Court of Cook County in an attempt to overturn the shareholder's approval of the Consolidation.
Virginia "Ginger" Downs, C.A.R.'s Chief Executive Officer, said "We are pleased that C.A.R. will have its day in court and an opportunity to defeat the unwarranted challenge to the MAP Consolidation. Each shareholder, director, officer, and agent of MLSNI who attended the various director and shareholder meetings held at MLSNI on November 15 acted in good faith in conducting the business."
The consolidation, including a transfer of the operating assets of both MLSNI and MAP to a new limited liability company was approved at a meeting of MLSNI's shareholders on November 15. MAP's membership approved the consolidation yesterday, subject to the resolution of the pending litigation.
The Plaintiffs were seeking a Temporary Restraining Order. Instead, attorneys for MLSNI, C.A.R., the REALTOR® Association of West/South Suburban Chicagoland, and the North Shore - Barrington Association of REALTORS® agreed on a date for the preliminary injunction hearing, and also that MLSNI would not close on a transfer of substantially all of its assets prior to that date.
The Court did not enter a Temporary Restraining Order, and the Order entered does not include any findings, any admissions, or a decision on the merits of the case -- preliminary or otherwise.
- 11-27-06 Dissenters filed suit to halt merger of One MLS. McHenry, West Towns, Aurora, Oak Park and Fox Valley filed a lawsuit to stop One MLS.
- 11-20-06 Rumor is that we will have One MLS Database by January 1, 2007. WRONG! We do not know at this date when there will be only one database. Stay tuned..............
- 11-15-06 The shareholders approved the MAP transaction.
- 11-13-06 Northbrook along with the surrounding towns have been experiencing a number of break-ins to new construction homes that are for sale and to near finished sites just before they go on the market. Burglary teams are either using brute force to the door or getting in via opened garages/windows/doors. They are taking all of the appliances, usually high end pieces.
Please advise your membership to the following:
- Make sure all doors etc are locked before leaving
- Change any keypad codes from the default to an actual number
- To hopefully stop the appliances from being taken---- remove all of the doors from the appliances. Keep these doors in another location. Thieves most likely won't take them if there are no doors. This idea comes from Wisconsin where a town was experiencing the same type of crime and when they took the doors off, the burglaries stopped.
- 11-2-06 First Northbrook School District 27 Realtors' Reception on Thursday December 7 2006 9am. The event will be hosted at the new Wood Oaks Junior High School library located at 1250 Sanders Road. RSVP by Friday December 1st. Ann Potter - potter.a@nb27.org or call 847-498-2610.
- 11-2-06 Statistics
Houses in the North Shore and Barrington over $1 million is below in volume and units from 2005, however, 2006 has more units and and volume from 2004. 22% less units in 2006 v 2005 but 8.6% above 2004. Volume is off 13.4& 2006 v 2005 but 17% above 2004. Only a 1.4% increase in the average sales price 2005 from 2006.
Month of October only 2005 v 2006:
North Shore: Cancelled down almost 17%, closed up 49.5% and contingencies up 42% with new listing up 11.3%. No price changes were reported in October 2005 and 835 for October 2006. Houses that are priced right are selling at a fast pace. But also a sign of a cooling market in October last years there were no reported home rentals but this year had 52.
Barrington: Canceled are also down but 14% but closed is up 105.7% from the previous October. New listings are up 25.2%, pendings up 57% yet contingencies down 3%.
- 11-2-06 MLSNI shareholder vote for One MLS will be November 15, 2006
- 10-30-06 NAR releases profile of member offices
(CHICAGO) – The National Association of Realtors has released a statistical analysis of its real estate firm members.
According to the profile:
-- Two-thirds of real estate firms report higher profits in 2005.
-- 90% of brokerages with five or fewer licensees operate out of a single office. More than half of firms with 51 or more licensees have three or more offices.
-- The typical firm has a median of six licensees and one staff person. Among all firms, 73% report that all of their full-time licensees are independent contractors, along with 80% of part-time licensees.
-- About half of firms had no licensees leave in 2005, while 64 percent had at least one licensee depart.
-- 27% of firms offer health insurance to their independent contractors, although the licensee typically pays the full cost.
-- Nearly 90% of firms provide errors and omissions insurance.
-- 23% of firms are affiliated with a franchise, a number which has remained relatively constant since 1999. However, franchise firms now account for 55% of the total Realtor membership. The typical franchisee has had an affiliation for 11 years.
- 10-19-06 One step closer to One MLS! MLSNI Directors voted to send the issue of ONE MLS to the Shareholders for a vote November 15, 2006 and today MAP made the same recommendation to their shareholders. Stay tuned!
- 10-19-06 Glenbrook High School District 225,
Glenbrook North High School in Northbrook and Glenbrook South High School in
Glenview
Referendum Information Meeting for Realtors Friday, October 27 10 a.m.
Glenbrook South High School/Lyceum
We know you must have questions and we'd like the opportunity to
answer them. For the first time in more than 40 years, the Glenbrook High
Schools will have a building bond referendum on the November 7, 2006 ballot.
The bond referendum is structured to provide funds for both facilities and
education. The $94 M referendum will cost the average homeowner $120 per
year. No one knows better than our realtors the benefits of premier high
schools and the lowest high school tax rate in Cook County. Please join us.
We will give a brief presentation and answer your questions. Referendum
information is also available on our website, Glenbrook.k12.il.us. If you
have questions, please call Diane Freeman, 847-486-4705.
Directions: GBS is located at the corner of Pfingsten and West Lake Avenue
(4000 West Lake Avenue). Visitor parking is in front of the school: south
end of the the school - main entrance off Pfingsten.
- 9-25-06 The elections for the Broker seats on the 2006-2007 MLSNI Board of Directors are completed. The winners are as follows:
Category One
Fran Broude
Charles Melidosian
Category Two
Mike Prodehl
Connie Conway
Sue Miller
Category Three
John Schmitt
Chuck Dinolfo
Bill O'Donnell
At Large
Jim Nelson, Jr. - Re/Max Suburban
Pamela Tilton - @Properties
Andrea Geller - Sudler Sotheby's
Fern Krause - JFK.com
- 9-21-06 Steve Murray was the facilitator in the original task force meetings. Here is his article saying what he thinks about the saveourmls.info group.
You may link to Steve Murray’s RealTrends blog here: http://realtrendsblog.com/wp/?m=200609
- 9-20-06
TRUTH AND LIES BEHIND “SAVE OUR MLS”
A website called “SAVE OUR MLS” has been established by persons who are not willing to identify themselves, although the sponsors are probably related to one of the five boards that hired the lawyer who wrote a accusatory letter full of its own misinformation to the MLSNI board. (In case you don’t know, those five boards are Realtor® Association of the Fox Valley, McHenry County Association of Realtors®, West Towns Board of Realtors® Aurora Tri-County Association of Realtors® and Oak Park Board of Realtors®.) Information on the web site is addressed to the brokerage community and criticizes the proposed combination of the businesses of MLSNI and MAP. While discussion is healthy and everyone is entitled to his own opinion, the web site is a fountain of misinformation that needs to be corrected.
THE LIE: SAVE OUR MLS alleges that the forensic audit of MLSNI authorized by its board of directors in 2004 was a mere “cover” for three large brokerage firms to conduct radical changes in MLSNI operations and management.
- THE TRUTH: The audit was performed to investigate serious matters that led ultimately to the departure of the CEO. In addition, the management structure and election changes that followed the 2004 audit were approved UNANIMOUSLY by the Board of Directors and UNANIMOUSLY by ALL TEN of the Shareholders.
THE LIE: SAVE OUR MLS warns of new and uncertain rules of operation.
- THETRUTH: The operation is clearly set forth in documents that are being finalized for consideration by the board of directors and the shareholders.
THE LIE: SAVE OUR MLS states that the combined business would have only a “limited broker vote,” that it will operate at “the whim of a select few,” and that “only 4% of the 6000 brokers in the metropolitan area would have a controlling interest in the governing board” of the combined business operation.
- THE TRUTH: Thirteen of the fifteen board seats are intended to be individuals nominated by brokers. Brokers from all geographical areas, small firms, large firms, franchise and non-franchise firms, can buy a preferred unit which entitles them to one vote per firm. Since each broker firm has one vote, "big brokers" cannot dominate the Board, and there are no Board seats "reserved" for "big brokers." Any broker can run for a board seat or submit a nomination, but to encourage that there will be a balance, there is a nominating committee that is expressly tasked with the job of seeking diversity among geographical areas, small firms, large firms, franchise and non-franchise firms . This is true broker democracy, with a goal to have individuals serving whose concern is for the integrity of the real estate profession. This balanced group of directors, together with two directors representing MLSNI will be the decision makers in the business.
THE LIE: While SAVE OUR MLS admits that discussions between MLSNI and MAP have gone on for over a year, it also alleges that the transaction is being “hurriedly pushed toward adoption” with “lack of discussion.”
- THE TRUTH: In 2005, MLSNI created a task force with MAP to see if there would be interest in a business transaction with MAP. That task force included representatives from many of the Associations and the first written report of the task force was issued February 10, 2005. The task force process resulted in a Letter of Intent that was signed by eight of the ten MLSNI Association-shareholders. Those eight Associations were: Chicago Association of Realtors®, Realtor® Association of the Fox Valley, McHenry County Association of Realtors®, North Shore-Barrington Association of REALTORS®, REALTOR® Association of North West Chicagoland, Realtor® Association of the West South Suburban Chicagoland, West Towns Board of Realtors® and Three Rivers Association of Realtors®.
- Each of the eight Association-shareholders stated in this Letter of Intent that it had "... no serious reservations about moving forward with the planning process ... necessary to create definitive contracts ... so that the plan to combine MAP and MLSNI may be accomplished in an expeditious manner." In addition, representatives and lawyers of the larger REALTOR® boards met with representatives and lawyers of the smaller REALTOR® boards for many months in an effort to reach a common ground over the needs of all.
THE LIE: SAVE OUR MLS alleges that “some” have sought to change the successful MLSNI “for their own purposes.”
- THE TRUTH: - Associations that hold approximately 88% of MLSNI's voting power and whose members constitute approximately 85% of the MLSNI subscribers and contribute approximately 85% of the listings to MLSNI want the transaction to proceed to a vote.
THE LIE: SAVE OUR MLS states that the new organization would have a new subscriber fee structure.
- THE TRUTH: The organization is mandated to run at break even, just as MLSNI currently is mandated to operate.
THE LIE: SAVE OUR MLS states that the new organization would end the existing association with the National Association of REALTORS® and its Code of Ethics and other user safeguards.
- THE TRUTH: The new MLS would not dissociate with NAR. The new entity will follow NAR Rules and Regulations just as MLSNI does.
THE LIE: SAVE OUR MLS states that the transaction will “greatly restrict the ability of you and your firm to exist in the near future” and that most MLSNI members will not benefit from the consolidation of the two MLS systems.
- THE TRUTH: Expanding the MLS through the consolidation with MAP may create economies of scale and a better technology platform, but the real threat is what will happen if brokerage firms representing a large subscriber base totally withdraw from MLSNI should the transaction with MAP not occur. Were significant withdrawals to occur, the viability of MLSNI and other broker access to listings would be threatened. The refusal of all of the boards to recognize this threat is a dangerous denial of reality. THAT is the threat to your future.
THE LIE: There has been a lack of disclosure from MAP concerning its assets and liabilities to be assumed, a lack of disclosure by some MLSNI board members about potential conflicts of interest from their, or their company’s affiliation with MAP, and antitrust opinions have not been sought or, at the very least, been made available to MLSNI shareholders.”
- THE TRUTH: MAP has made disclosure of its assets and liabilities. Each Director member of the MLSNI Board of Directors has completed a “Disclosure of Potential Conflict of Interest”, and the antitrust opinion has been sought, received, discussed and delivered to the Board of Directors and their attorneys.
We feel it is the responsibility of Associations to act in the best interests of their members and ask Associations to keep that in mind as this process moves forward. This responsibility includes the dissemination of facts and complete disclosure of information to their Boards and membership.
AND HERE IS A QUESTION TO THE UNNAMED ASSOCIATIONS BEHIND SAVE OUR MLS: ARE YOU ACTING RESPONSIBLY AND RESPONSIVELY TO YOUR USERS AND PURCHASERS OF MLS SERVICES WITH RESPECT TO THE MARKUPS YOU CHARGE YOUR MEMBERS? THE ASSOCIATIONS IN FAVOR OF THE TRANSACTION ARE SERVING THEIR MEMBERS. ARE YOU?
- 9-14-06 Today it is discovered that someone who is hiding their identity has put together a web page rife with lies, misstatements and innuendos about One MLS. These perpetrators that won't even put their name on the documents are also sending out blind emails asking you to read it. Believe them if you want -- but if it is true, don't you think they would put their names on the document?
http://www.saveourmls.info/INDEX.HTML Email a response to this group about their distortion of the truth and tell them they should have the courage to say who they are instead of hiding behind a website.
Why are they against One MLS? They think MLS is run just fine, many of these people are the same people who empowered Jay Huffman. They think the associations should run MLS so they can change you more money so they can stay in business. They want to pool the recourses of the larger companies, sell their information and split the proceeds with everyone.
- 9-13-06 MLSNI Directors met to review the due diligence papers to vote on One MLS. Negotiations were presented and maybe now not all 6 associations previously against One MLS MIGHT view the proposal differently. There will be another meeting of MLSI Directors to see more paperwork on October 18 and then a Shareholders meeting to FINALLY vote on One MLS will be November 15th. If the vote is for ONE MLS it is hoped that things would move fast. If the associations against One MLS do not attend the Shareholders meeting then there would not be a quorum and no vote can be taken. Currently 4 associations have public ally stated they want One MLS and they hold 87% of all the members and 90% of all the listings. However, it takes 6 associations for a quorum. 5 of the six associations said they would not attend a shareholders meeting which would stop the vote.
- 9-1-06 The Illinois Department
of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR) has reported
an increasing number of complaints concerning offers that
substantially exceed the list price and the immediate concern
for the real estate licensee is whether or not this is mortgage
fraud. First and foremost, the listing agent should present
all offers to the seller and not make any independent judgment
or take any independent action regarding the veracity of
the offer. Second, the listing agent should generally review
the offer to determine that all the proceeds of the offer
amount are contractually to go to the seller as opposed
to being forgiven at or after closing or being rebated to
the purchaser or other third party. If there is some question
about that, the agent should ask his/her broker for direction
on how to proceed, and/or suggest the seller have seller's
attorney review the offer, and this activity should be documented
by the listing agent or his/her broker. Third, the listing
agent should never increase the list price after an offer
has been received to indicate or make it appear that the
list price was the same or greater than the offer. Fourth,
if the commission is to be paid on an amount lower than
the purchase price specified in a contract to purchase,
the listing agent/broker should consider why the commission
paid to the listing broker is based upon a lower number.
Concerns about possible mortgage fraud can be reported to
the local office of the Federal
Bureau of Investigation and to IDFPR
- 8-24-06 CARBON MONOXIDE ALARM ACT - A new law in Illinois:
Carbon Monoxide Alarm Detector Act. Requires that every
dwelling unit be equipped with at least one approved carbon
monoxide alarm in an operating condition within 15 feet
of every room used for sleeping purposes. Provides that
the carbon monoxide alarm may be combined with smoke detecting
devices provided that the combined unit complies with the
respective provisions of the administrative code, reference
standards, and departmental rules relating to both smoke
detecting devices and carbon monoxide alarms and provided
that the combined unit emits an alarm in a manner that clearly
differentiates the hazard. Provides that it is the responsibility
of the owner of a structure to supply and install all required
alarms. Provides that it is the responsibility of a tenant
to test and to provide general maintenance for the alarms
within the tenant's dwelling unit or rooming unit, and to
notify the owner or the authorized agent of the owner in
writing of any deficiencies that the tenant cannot correct.
Provides that the willful failure to install or maintain
in operating condition any carbon monoxide alarm required
by the Act is a Class B misdemeanor. Provides that tampering
with, removing, destroying, disconnecting, or removing the
batteries from any installed carbon monoxide alarm, except
in the course of inspection, maintenance, or replacement
of the alarm, is a Class A misdemeanor in the case of a
first conviction, and a Class 4 felony in the case of a
second or subsequent conviction.
- 8-21-06 Mlsni directors should receive all the paperwork
(due deligence) and information to make a final decision
on merging the 2 MLS databases.
The vote will take place September 13, 2006. It may still
take a Shareholders vote. Although the Shareholders meeting
has not been established the annual mandatory meeting is
every October
- 8-11-06 NAR President's Blog and Podcast Launched This
Week : Starting this week NAR President Thomas M. Stevens
is writing a blog (Web log) entry, posted on Realtor.org,
and supplemented with a short podcast (audio recording)
twice a month. You can have the podcast automatically sent
to your computer or Internet audio player (an MP3 player
or iPod), or you can go to Realtor.org to access. Look for
a notice appearing in your INS Report every two weeks to
give you a head's up when the latest blog entry and podcast
are posted. To access the first blog entry and podcast,
click here: http://narblog1.realtors.org/mvtype/president/
- 8-4-06 MLSNI and MAP - one data base should be decided
by October 2006
- 8-3-06 Small Business Health Plan Petition Online
AEs: NAR has posted a petition that your members can sign
and have sent to the U.S. Senate advocating for passage
of small business health plan legislation. The petition
urges senators to work with the sponsors of the NAR-backed
"Health Insurance Marketplace Modernization and Affordability
Act" to get that bill passed. To access the petition,
go to: www.naractioncenter.com.
- 8-2-06 Junk Fax rule takes effect Aug. 30. The new rules
require businesses to offer recipients a cost-free way to
opt out of receiving unsolicited advertising faxes, even
if the business and the recipient have an established business
relationship. Get
guidance on rules compliance from NAR.
Illinois floodplain maps are now updated. Illinois' paper
floodplain maps, used for regulatory and flood insurance
purposes as well as identifying sensitive riparian corridors,
are called Flood Insurance Rate Maps, or FIRMs. These FIRMS
have recently been updated using the latest geographic information
system (GIS) technology. Find the maps at www.illinoisfloodmaps.org.
- 8-2-06 On 7/31/06 the Lake County Board passed a Resolution
to the Subdivision Landscaping Boundary section in the Unified
Development Ordinance. A developer must put in a buffer
with 1 plant unit per 100 linear feet when the development
adjoins a similar residential development. 1 plant unit
is-1 canopy tree, 2 understory trees, 2 evergreens and 7
shrubs. The lots along this buffer will have to be deep
and of course will be more expensive.
- 7-28-06 Illinois REALTORS®
Applaud Signing of Eminent Domain Reform Law
The Illinois Association of REALTORS® (IAR) and other
advocates of property owners applauded as the Eminent Domain
Act was signed into law by Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich
today.
“The Illinois Association of REALTORS® supported
this legislation designed to protect the rights of private
property owners from the abusive eminent domain power of
government,” said Stan Sieron, CRS, GRI, president
of the Illinois Association of REALTORS®. “This
new law strengthens existing Illinois protections for private
property owners while still allowing the government to redevelop
truly blighted property. It also ensures that property owners
are fairly and fully compensated for their land and relocation
expenses.”
The Eminent Domain Act was first introduced by Illinois
Senator Susan Garrett following a decision by the U.S. Supreme
Court in Kelo vs. New London affirming virtually unlimited
power of local government to seize private property and
turn it over to other private interests. The Illinois law
puts reasonable restriction on those powers and restores
balance in the exercise of eminent domain by government.
“It is crucial that we have clear and transparent
laws to protect property owners,” said Senator Garrett.
“Now property owners will fully understand their rights.”
The new law places the obligation on government to prove
that an area is blighted before forcing owners to sell for
private development projects, helps owners receive fair
market value for their property, requires relocation costs
for displaced residents and businesses, and pays for attorney
fees when owners successfully sue to keep their property.
“We have provided meaningful protections that level
the playing field between powerful government and private
property owners, and have addressed any concerns among the
municipalities that this bill would impede important economic
development or public works projects,” said Rep. John
Bradley, House sponsor of the bill. “This is good
public policy and we should all be proud of our efforts.”
For more background on SB3086, visit www.protectillinoisproperty.org.
The Illinois Association of REALTORS® is a voluntary
trade association whose 61,000 members are engaged in all
facets of the real estate industry. In addition to serving
the professional needs of its members, the Illinois Association
of REALTORS® works to protect the rights of private
property owners in the state by recommending and promoting
legislation that safeguards and advances the rights of real
property ownership.
- 7-24-06 MLSNI Directors cancelled the Shareholders meeting
for August 24 to vote for one MLS. The Directors have instructed
the MLSNI Executive Committee to meeting with MAP and discuss
their differences. So far it still looks like we do not
have enough associations to consititute a quorum at a Shareholder's
meeting even though those associations that want one MLS
represent 90% of the listings. Those who combined have only
10% of the listings continue you to successfully stop the
process.
- 7-17-06 REALTOR stabbed to death in open house in Texas.
click
here
-
7-12-06 As you know the Consumer Federation put out
another attack on real estate in June. From bad things
we can all learn - here are some items agents should keep
in mind:
Better Consumer Information: Traditional brokers must
supply fuller, more timely information to their clients,
verbally and in writing, and in plain English. At the
first substantial contact, that information should include:
• whether brokers will represent the financial interests
of their clients or merely serve as facilitators or transactional
brokers;
• precisely what they will do to help sellers sell
and buyers buy, including whether they will provide access
to all listings available to the broker, including those
on the local multiple listing service, regardless of commission
split;
• their compensation and how it is received, especially
any commission splits; and
• potential conflicts of interest such as self-identified
“buyer brokers” trying to sell their own listings
or those of their firms.
- 7-11-06 JUST A REMINDER....1
day from today, all cell phone numbers are being released
to telemarketing companies and you will start to receive
sale calls. ...YOU WILL BE CHARGED FOR THESE CALLS.... To
prevent this, call the following number from your cell phone:
888-382-1222. It is the National DO NOT CALL list. It will
only take a minute of your time.
It blocks your number for five (5) years. For more information,
go to http://www.donotcall.gov/
-
7-6-06 Outlook of the market: http://www.jchs.harvard.edu/publications/markets/son2006/son2006.pdf
-
6-22-06 - Yesterday MLSNI Board of Directors passed
a series of motions to move forward the issue of combining
databases for MLSNI and MAP. The due deligence papers
are to be presented to the MLSNI Board of Directors July
24 and then send to the Shareholders for a vote on August
24, 2006. The challenge is to secure a quorum for
the Shareholders meeting. It will take 6 Associations
to be present to take the vote. Only 4 have publically
stated they are for the merged database. Those four
currently have 86.54% of the total vote but 4 won't constitute
a quorum. Below is the May tally of positions.
The issue of a DOJ advisory opinion was voted down by
recommendation of attorneys. Stay tuned for August
24!
3 Rivers - stay neutral because pf DO J - wants
that resolved first
Oak Park - Oppose, supports Aurora's paper (resolution
attached)
NSBAR - Oppose Aurora's position that everything should
stay the same for MLSNI and there is no merit to their
position. Consolidation of database is supported. Did
not like attorney's suggestion but would go with it IF
it brings more to the position of one database. Association
seat to AE only.
CAR - oppose Aurora's position. For consolidation. Tired
of barriers. Would go along with attorney proposal ONLY
as appeasement. Prefer task force proposal.
McHenry - staying neutral because of DOJ. prefer attorney
proposal
RANWC - approve attorney proposal, want it in writing,
go forward
Fox - Oppose to consolidation. Support Aurora resolution
Aurora - support their resolution
West Towns -Proceed with caution but must have DOJ advisory
opinion by DOJ before proceeding
- 06-14-06 Beginning August
1, 2006, Lincolnwood properties must have a certificate
for closing proving the water bill has been paid before
there can be a closing. The city needs at least 5
days to accomplish this. Click
here for the VILLAGE OF LINCOLNWOOD CERTIFICATE OF PAYMENT
form that needs to be filled out prior to closing.
VILLAGE
OF LINCOLNWOOD
PAYMENTS DUE TO THE VILLAGE MUST BE PAID IN ORDER
TO SELL PROPERTY
EFFECTIVE – AUGUST 1, 2006
Sales
of real estate have occurred in the Village wherein property
owners have failed to pay for the final water service
charges and other outstanding monetary obligations owed
to the Village at the time of transfer. This loss of revenue
creates a financial hardship upon the Village and a time
consuming effort to follow up on the collection of this
revenue.
Therefore,
there was a need to establish and maintain a mechanism
to capture the final water meter reading and collection
of these final water charges plus any unpaid water charges
and other unpaid monetary obligations, if existing , at
the time of sale.
When
selling property, owners shall request a final water meter
reading from the Village within five (5) business days
of the property closing date. Upon application to the
Finance Director, or nominee, and payment of all charges
for water service, plus outstanding penalties for any
delinquent charges, if any, and other monetary obligations
owed to the Village, a Certificate of Payment shall be
prepared within five (5) business days from receipt of
application. This Certificate of Payment will be issued
to the property owner certifying that all water service
charges and any other monetary obligations owed to the
Village have been paid-in-full.
Full
payment shall be made to the Village in the form of a
CASHIER’S or CERTIFIED CHECK for all unpaid monetary
obligations owed to the Village before a Certificate of
Payment shall be issued.
The
Village shall charge a $20.00 service fee payable upon
issuance of the Certificate of Payment.
A Certificate
of Payment must be filed for recordation along with the
deed of conveyance or assignment of beneficial interest
with the Office of the Recorder of Deeds of Cook County,
Illinois. A Certificate of Payment shall be invalid if
issued more than 20 days prior to such recordation.
A Certificate
of Payment shall be required for all real estate transfers
commencing on or after August 1, 2006.
If you have any questions
please do not hesitate to call the Village’s Finance
Director, Ron Pfeiffer at (847/745-4703).
- 06-12-06 Absurd new law
in effect now! Specifically bans the use of certain
words or phrases in advertisements for properties zoned
single-family.
The following words are now illegal to use in MLS remarks
and any advertising (which would also include ads and web
pages):
"apartment"
"two units"
"related living"
"in-law arrangement"
"related apartment"
Penalty for using these words is a violations of the License
law and up to $25,000 fine or loss of license.
The specific part of the license
law:
Section 1450.140 Advertising
a) Deceptive
and misleading advertising includes, but is not limited
to, the following:
1) advertising
a property that is subject to an exclusive listing agreement
with a sponsoring broker other than the licensee's own
without the permission of and identifying that listing
broker;
2) failing to
remove advertising of a listed property within a reasonable
time, given the nature of the advertising, after the earlier
of the closing of a sale on the listed property or the
expiration or termination of the listing agreement; and
3) advertising
a property at auction as an absolute auction or auction
without reserve, when there is a minimum bid or opening
bid required.; and
4) advertising a property in a
manner that creates a reasonable likelihood of confusion
regarding the permitted use of the property. Advertising
for a property zoned single family shall be deemed to
be likely to confuse a buyer regarding the permitted use
of the property where the advertising contains words or
phrases suggesting multi-dwelling use, including but not
limited to “apartment,” “two units,”
“related living,” “in-law arrangement,”
or “related apartment.”
- 5-24-06 Each association at the last MLSNI meeting was
directed to state their position on the merged database:
RWSSC - Attorney changes are ok (add a seat for a small
association and small broker). Association seats to AE only.
LLC ok, Proceed
3 Rivers - stay neutral because pf DO J - wants that resolved
first
Oak Park - Oppose, supports Aurora's paper (resolution attached)
NSBAR - Oppose Aurora's position that everything should
stay the same for MLSNI and there is no merit to their position.
Consolidation of database is supported. Did not like attorney's
suggestion but would go with it IF it brings more to the
position of one database. Association seat to AE only.
CAR - oppose Aurora's position. For consolidation. Tired
of barriers. Would go along with attorney proposal ONLY
as appeasement. Prefer task force proposal.
McHenry - staying neutral because of DOJ. prefer attorney
proposal
RANWC - approve attorney proposal, want it in writing, go
forward
Fox - Oppose to consolidation. Support Aurora resolution
Aurora - support their resolution
West Towns -Proceed with caution but must have DOJ advisory
opinion by DOJ before proceeding
To me this equates to:
Do this now: RWSSC, NSBAR, CAR, RANWC which is 87% of the
membership
Support Aurora resolution: Oak park, Fox, Aurora
Want permission from DOJ to proceed: 3 Rivers, McHenry,
West Towns
There was a motion later in the meeting to adopt the attorney
recommendation - 17 embers and the ae's are in the 3 seats.
Motion was carried with 3 voting no - McHenry representative,
Oak Park representative, Aurora representative.
- 5-10-06 MLSNI did NOT have shareholders meeting this week
to vote on the combined database. A motion was passed at
the Wednesday MLSNI Directors meeting to support the concept
of the 17 member board of "NewCO" and the 3 representatives
to be AE's only. The vote had 3 no votes from McHenry, Oak
Park and Aurora.
Also at the meeting each of the ten associations were to
say how they felt about the combined database proposal for
NEWCO. Those who want MLSNI to remain the same and not to
proceed: Oak Park, Fox Valley, Aurora. Neutral and want
permission from the Federal Government before proceeding:
3 Rivers, McHenry, West Town. Those who said to proceed:
NSBAR, RWSSC, CAR, RANWC which is 87% of the total membership.
An outside attorney will be drawing up the papers for a
vote of the MLSNI Directors and Shareholders.
- 05/02/06 - Tech Hotline - In an effort to make our Tech
Hotline more meaningful, we will be re-orienting it to the
tech concerns of new members of the Association. In the
near future, all individuals currently subscribing to the
Tech Hotline will be dropped and, if they wish to continue,
will be given the opportunity to do so for $12.00 per year.
AE’s and members of the Tech Work Group will be removed
from the Tech Hotline’s service and will be re-enrolled,
hopefully within a few days after the file has been purged.
All new members of the Association will be given the opportunity
to sign up for the Tech Hotline free of charge until May
of 2007. Prior to May of 2007, usage of the hotline by all
individuals will be re-evaluated by the leadership team,
and a determination will be made whether to continue the
service or not.
In the event that you have any questions concerning this
approach to the Tech Hotline, I would encourage you to contact
IAR staff at any time. Thank you in advance for your assistance
and support.
- 05/01/06 - Due to the recent
technological issues the Department of Financial and Professional
Regulation (DFPR) has experienced with the online renewal
the deadline to renew broker licenses has been extended
to May 15, 2006. Renewals postmarked after this date
will require the $50 late fee. Real Estate Brokers
may practice through this date on their existing license
that expires 4/30/06 without risk of penalty. If you
have any questions you may contact DFPR at 217/782-3414.
- 04/19/06 The SB 3086 passed the House today on a roll
call vote of 85-6-8!!
http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/votehistory/94/house/09400SB3086_04192006_004000T.pdf
NO votes: Acevedo, Burke, Chavez, M. Davis, Krause, Mendoza
PRESENT votes: Berrios, Chapa LaVia, Delgado, Golar, Howard,
Mulligan, Rita, Soto
- 03/15/06 Evanston
first time home buyer. If you are looking to buy your
first house, the 2005 First-Time Homebuyer Program offers
qualifying applicants one of the best deals in Evanston.
This year’s program is better than ever, enabling
clients to buy more house with lower payments and a fixed
rate. Purchase your first home in Evanston for as little
as 3 percent down or 1.5 percent with a gift. The Evanston
Housing Corporation (EHC) is a joint program between participating
financial institutions and the City of Evanston. The Corporation
was established to provide low-cost, affordable mortgage
financing to Evanston moderate income, first-time homebuyers.
Pre-approvals are now available; please call (847) 866-2929
for details.
- 03/15/06 WASHINGTON (March 10, 2006)
– PolicyPage,
an Internet compliance software application that scans Web
sites
for compliance with Multiple Listing System display policies,
is now available from the Center for REALTOR®
Technology at no charge to members of the National Association
of Realtors® for use or licensing of the application.
- 03/15/06 Starting april 1 2006 the mls fees are reduced
$13.
- 03/10/06 Nearly 100 Languages Spoken in Skokie Homes
Statistics for the 2005-06 school year identify 98 languages
spoken in the homes of Skokie students. By comparison, data
from the 1999-2000 school year showed 65 such languages.
The Village has tracked this data, through Skokie schools,
for the past seven years. For the current school year, Spanish
is the top language spoken by Skokie students in their homes,
followed by Urdu and then Assyrian. Pilipino and Korean
comprise the fourth and fifth-most spoken languages. Only
7.6% of students who spoke a language other than English
at home were classified as having limited English proficiency.
Urdu was the fastest-growing language spoken by students
at home, and new languages added to the list were from regions
of India and Pakistan impacted by recent earthquakes.
- 02/23/06 NSBAR Northbrookwill be replacing it's office
furniture. If you are interested in the old furniture please
contact Steve at 847.480.7177. All furniture has been spoken
for.
- 02/21/06 This did not come from NSBAR so please
ignore any email with the subject line "NORTH SHORE-BARRINGTON
ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS Member Offer". Here
is a small portion of the content - Green Village
Docs is introducing a powerful easy to use contract/document
solution that can be used as a supplement or replacement
for Zip Forms or any other document system you may be using.
Use all your current documents. You will
not have to change the way you do business, and won't
be limited to only official and standard forms. Add
your company logo to the top of all your documents (Zip
Forms only supports standard forms, there is no way to import
your unique documents) . Green Village Docs does not
provide forms, but we allow you to upload any word
doc, PDF, excel sheet, or text file you currently use.
You are not limited in any way, you will just need
to have the form on your PC. If you are using Zip
Forms or another online document source and do not have
those forms on your PC, in almost all cases you can download
them from your association.
- 02/16/06 MLSNI passed a motion to have a Shareholders
meeting May 10, 2006 to take a final vote on the documents
to merge MLSNI and MAP.
- 01/11/06 2006 interest rate for security deposits
held by landlords is 0.55 percent. According to the Illinois
Department of Financial and Professional Regulation: "The
Security Deposit Interest Act (765 ILCS 715) requires that
the lessor of residential real property, consisting of 25
or more units, pay interest to the lessee on any security
deposit held for six months or more. Interest must be paid
to the lessee in cash or in the form of credit towards rent
within 30 days after the end of each 12 month rental period
at a rate equal to the interest paid by the largest commercial
bank in Illinois on minimum deposit passbook savings accounts
as of December 31 of the calendar year preceding the inception
of the rental agreement. This Act does not apply to deposits
made with respect to public housing, nor to a lessee who
is in default under the terms of the lease.” Under home
rule powers, communities that have enacted a landlord-tenant
ordinance may have differing rates. For example, the Chicago
rate is 1.71 percent. The rate in Evanston also typically
differs from the state rate, although at press time the
current rate was not known. To be sure, always check with
your local municipality to be sure that you are using the
appropriate interest rate for security deposits. Learn
more.
- 12-28-05 Highwood does not have a transfer tax but
properties within the town of Ft. Sheridan do - they are
'subject to a transfer fee pursuant to Section V B of the
Annexation Agreement related to this subdivision' (City
of Highwood). The latest updated transfer tax information
I found was updated on 10/15/05, which stated that Ft. Sheridan
Areas are the only "parts" of Highwood that have transfer
taxes $5.00/1,000 under Highwood's Ordinance 98-0-16. The
Seller is the party that is liable for this tax and this
ordinance has been in effect since 03/03/1998 - there is
no pre-transfer inspection required. I have not seen anything
different from this.
Highwood refers to Ft. Sheridan as a 'town' but you have
to go to Highwood's City Hall to pick up transfer fee declaration
forms, etc.
- 11-23-05 Recommendations from the MLSNI Rules Committee
discussed at yesterday's Board of Directors meeting
(a) The bedroom counting and level relationships
have been approved but are not yet implemented.
This will not take place until early next year, once MLSNI
has had the opportunity to have dynaConnections program
the logic, inform the MLSNI Subscribers regarding the
change, convert the current database, etc. So, for
this, I would only circulate it as a "future change -
for your information" piece at this time
- 11-23-05 Real Estate Moves from "Banks & Real
Estate" to "Professions. " The Illinois Department
of Financial and Professional Regulation has reorganized
its Real Estate Bureau (formerly the Division of Banks and
Real Estate or DBRE) to fall under the Division of Professional
Regulation. It is a technical change but one supported by
IAR as a better representation of real estate as a profession.
Bookmark this quick-link to real estate regulations, licensee
look-up and FAQs on the IDFPR Web site:
- 11-17-05 - MLSNI is hoping for a merged MLS around the
end of March of 2006
- 11-4-05 Wisconsin has a new law effecting piers, click
here for more information
- 11-4-05 New Fair Housing study shows agents are ignoring
their Fair Housing training and now using "Good school"/"Bad
School" as terms to steer.
- 10-24-05 NSBAR ask for a motion to have a combined database
before the end of 2005. We were told the earliest
that could happen is in 4 or 5 months.
- 10-07-05 You might want to pass this along to others.
You just plug in your zip code & it tells you which
gas stations have the cheapest prices (And the highest!)
on gas. It's updated every evening. http://autos.msn.com/everyday/gasstations.aspx?zip=&src=Netx
- 08-23-05 NSBAR Directors signed the letter of intent regarding
the combining of MLSNI and MAP.
- Aurora (Shareholder vote 1.13) - voted
to NOT sign the letter intent
CAR (Shareholder vote 31.34) - will vote on this August
30/31
Fox Valley (Shareholder vote 4.25) - signed
McHenry (Shareholder vote 2.57) - signed
NSBAR (Shareholder vote 6.97) - signed
RANWC (Shareholder vote 17.36) - signed
Oak Park (Shareholder vote 1.45) - voted
to NOT sign the letter of
intent
RWSSC (Shareholder vote 30.09) - signed
West Town (Shareholder vote 1.04) - still polling their
members
3 Rivers (Shareholder vote 3.80) - signed
- 08-04-05 Today the Task force to make a recommendation
to merge the 2 MLS's handed out the letter of intent for
the new proposed MLS. The 10 Shareholder Board of
Directors, the MLSNI Board and Directors and the MAP Board
of Directors now have to review the letter of intent and
sign it. If there is enough to sign it then the Task
Force will put together the new articles of agreement and
bylaws for the final and official vote.
- 07-13-05 Interesting facts: 57.2% of NSBAR membership
has been a member 6 years or less!
- So far in July NSBAR staff averages 91 calls a day.
In just 7 days 33.3% of the offices has someone in their
office call NSBAR
- 07-07-05 - Giving it back! Instead of a MLS fee
the July/August/September of $111.50 the fee will only be
$22.34!!! Both MLSNI and NSBAR reduced their fees for the
third quarter. Every dime MLSNI "gave back"
to NSBAR we forwarded to you!
- 5-24-05 MLSNI: Zero
Compensation Listings It was MOVED and
SECONDED that any listing that shows “0”
or less in the Cooperative Compensation field be removed from
the system and that an automatic fine of initially $100 be
issued to the Listing Agent, and that the fine will be a cumulative
fine similar to those issued for Market Time infringements.
MOTION CARRIED ( Unanimous )
- 5-23-05 update on consolodation From MLSNI: The
consolidation task force met yesterday with our consultants,
Steve Murray, Bob Downs (attorney), Zach Fortsch & Milton
Marcotte from McGladry Pullen.
We have made a lot of progress and after our next meeting
on June 21 to review the detailed structural outline and
business plan, the task force will be coming out with
a draft of the key operational documents. The goal
right now is to shoot for having NEWCO operational by the
end of September.
The idea is that both MAP and MLSNI will run in tandem and
deliver their current level of service on their current
operating systems for possibly
up to another year until NEWCO makes final decisions for
long term operations. Once NEWCO is operational
and the necessary final and binding agreements signed, current
members of MAP and MLSNI will be able to access the
consolidated database on the operating system they are accustomed
to using, thereby creating a seamless and transparent
transition without any disruption to the business
of individual agents.
Keep in mind that these are just a few of the things the
task force has discussed, with many of the final details
to be hammered out at
subsequent meetings.
With all that said, the recommendation from our consultants
is that we need to establish an interim Board of Directors
for Newco, the members
of which would serve from the time of incorporation until
an election of directors by the shareholders can be accomplished,
which should be in
the fall if everything progresses as planned. This interim
board would serve only so long as necessary to effect an
orderly transition. Our consultants felt that the
task force would be the ideal group to act as the interim
Board of Directors given their involvement to date and their
total familiarity with the transition plan. By no means
is the group trying to commit to NEWCO without Shareholder
approval. However, these are necessary steps that need to
be taken in order for us to get to the next level. If any
of you object to that concept, please let us
know as soon as possible.
- 4-22-05 the next MLS consolodation meeting will be May
19. The group as agrred to hire Robert Downs, Professor
of Law, University of Missouri (counsel to the Realty Alliance
and RELO). They also agreed to hire the accounting firm
of McGladrey & Pullen. McGladrey & Pullen is currently
the accounting firm for MAP. They assisted MLSNI as consultants
when we did the restructuring study back in 1995. All parties
will sign non disclosure agreements.
- 4-13-05 All 10 MLSNI Shareholders, MLSNI BOD and MAP have
all agred to continue meetings to develop a new MLS entity.
See 2-15-05 for details of the agreement.
- 3-22-05 NSBAR, West Towns, RWSSC and MAP has voted to
support the concept of the one MLS. Everyone else
has until April 11 to make up their minds.
- 3-11-05
Click here for a copy of the "Report to the Boards
of Directors of MAP Multiple Listing Service and Multiple
Listing Service of Northern Illinois".
- 3-7-05 MLSNI Board of Directors continue to be unresponsive
to the request of the Shareholders and continue to ignore
their demands.
- 2-15-05 The MLS merger committee met and is making the
following recommendation to all parties: A new entity
be created that is NOT owned by the associations, all members
will be REALTORS®, there will be IDX but not VOW, the
associations will invoice the members, broker owned.
NSBAR will vote on this proposal 2-23-05 and send the results
to both MLS's.
February 10, 2005
To: Members of Consolidation Task Force
From: Steve Murray, Facilitator
RE: Outline of findings of Task Force Meetings January
21- February 10
Ladies and Gentlemen:
Thus far we
have discussed the following:
- What are the objectives of MLS
- Who is the primary customer/client of MLS
- What are the differences in the organization and founding
principals of MAP and MLSNI
- Reviewed organizational structures, voting procedures
and other issues pertaining to how governance works
for both MLS firms
- Policy issues relating to membership, VOW’s,
IDX, and other data distribution issues
- Discussed and reviewed issues related to outcomes
of various ideas for combining MLSNI and MAP
- Discussed potential legal and financial implications
of various ideas for combination of MLSNI and MAP
- Reviewed and discussed information regarding ownership
as it relates to association with NAR; as it relates
to Realtor only membership policies; as it relates to
voting and other issues.
- General discussion of the operational, legal, membership,
ownership and voting challenges of creating a combined
MLS entity.
The following are a summation of
the Consolidation Task Force’s recommendations to
the respective leadership of MAP and MLSNI as it relates
to creating one MLS for the brokerage firms and sales
professionals of the Chicago marketplace. These are the
outgrowth of the discussion briefly outlined above.
In each case a consensus was reached without unanimity
by all those who participated.
General outline for NEWCO (a business to be formed by
the combination of MAP and MLSNI)
A New Company to be formed
It was felt that forming a new company (NEWCO)
that would acquire the assets of and assume certain liabilities
of MLSNI and MAP would be the easiest and most acceptable
manner in which to form NEWCO. While this could also be
accomplished by an acquisition of one MLS firm by the
other, it was felt that a fresh start, one where no entity
bought the other, and with new ownership, would be best
for all parties.
Broker owned business
It was felt that since there was general agreement
that brokerage firms are the primary customer/client of
MLS then they should own and govern the MLS. To have the
broadest potential ownership participation yet not force
any firm to have to be an owner in order to receive full
MLS privileges, brokers could chose to be MEMBERS or SUBSCRIBERS
(these terms used by example only).
MEMBERS would be firms that paid a joining fee and were
able to receive voting rights and distributions of excess
fees (if there were any).
SUBSCRIBERS would be firms that chose not to have to pay
a joining fee, would not receive voting rights and would
not receive distributions of excess fees.
MEMBERSHIP privileges would be delivered through a MEMBERSHIP
AGREEMENT rather that through any stock subscription agreement.
Governance
The MEMBERS would elect 11-15 directors via proportional
voting based on the size of each member. However each
member would have a capped limit to their voting rights.
MEMBERS would be divided into several size categories
and the bylaws would reflect that certain numbers of MEMBERS
from each size category would be elected to fill directorships.
This would ensure that all different sizes of MEMBERS
and SUBSCIRBERS would have representation on the board
of directors.
It was left open whether a SUBSCRIBER could be elected
a director.
The Associations would have the right to appoint one director
as well.
Rules
If this direction is taken it appears that we
would not be able to have a formal association with the
National Association of Realtors (NAR) for MLS purposes.
This would mean:
We would need to seek our own Errors and Omissions Policy;
We would need to adopt our own Code of Ethics and other
rules;
We would need to adopt our own policies about VOW’s,
IDX and other critical issues of MLS governance.
Certainly there are other issues to be investigated in
this area of NEWCO development.
Realtor membership
There was a general consensus that at the start
NEWCO would insist that all MLS MEMBERS and SUBSCRIBERS
would need to members of the Realtor Association. There
was additional discussion and thought concerning legal
challenges to this but it was felt that NEWCO directors
would deal with this issue should it arise in later years.
VOW/IDX
While there remains some confusion over the differences
in policy between the two existing MLS organizations it
was felt that:
A modified OPT OUT IDX and/or VOW solution might work;
A modified use policy concerning broker supervision of
Sales Professional Web sites and the ability to feed to
Sales Professional Web sites under the supervision of
Brokerage firms might also work to satisfy the needs of
MEMBERS and SUBSCRIBERS of NEWCO.
Other issues
To form NEWCO would require a significant majority of
the directors of MLSNI and MAP. We have tried to take
into account the most pressing concerns of both organizations
not assuming that either would take this decision lightly.
NEWCO would have to raise capital to acquire existing
fixed assets and assume liabilities (such as MLS software
licenses, office leases etc.). How much is yet to be determined
The existing MLS firms would liquidate and distribute
remaining cash and other assets to their owners as per
their own shareholder agreements.
At this stage we believe we need specific input and instructions
from the directors of both organizations as to whether
this direction is one that is workable. We understand
that by seeking such direction we are not receiving a
final commitment but rather a check on our progress thus
far.
A more detailed plan can and would be created based on
the input from the leadership of MAP and MLSNI.
The Consolidation Task Force
- 2-11-05 NSBAR printed
Map error. The map coordinates, in the current NSBAR
map, for the Glen area are incorrect. The coordinates on
the map read 11W and 12W when they should be 9W and 10W.
- 1-17-05 Below is the final list of representatives from
MLSNI for the joint consolidation committee. Loretta Alonzo
added Piero Orsi Re/Max Showcase from RANWC in lieu of Fran
Broude. MAP will have Bud Fogel, Chris Eigel, Andy Starck,
Doug Ayers and perhaps one other representing them. Steve
Murray will be the facilitator.
MLSNI Representatives:
Loretta Alonzo MLSNI/West Towns
Brad Tertell MLSNI
Jim Roth Realtor Prudential Preferred
Joel Adams Realtor Re/Max Suburban
Iver Johnson Realtor McHenry Association
Pat Callan Realtor RWSSC
Piero Orsi Realtor RANWC
Pam Krieter RWSSC AE
Peter Swaufield Fox Valley Association AE
Vernon Jones CAR AE
- 12-08-04 MLSNI Director and Staff Planning Meeting
On 8 December 2004 the Directors and Staff of MLSNI met
to address the directives from Shareholders offered during
a meeting the previous day. In light of the directives
from the previous day, the Directors undertook the tasks
of re-defining MLSNI to be in compliance with the shareholder's
directions. Each major directive/action is outlined
below.
Redefine mission statement:
MLSNI is a Multiple Listing Service that provides services
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