Last week members were notified of amendments that the Board of Directors made to the CREB^® Rules. The Board, the Practice Governance Standing Committee and Member Practice staff work to support understandable rules that elevate the profession.

To help align practice with professional standards, rules and regulations, check out the information below to learn how the different elements of your business might need to be reviewed and finessed with the recent updates to the CREB^® Rules.   

Update those conditionally sold listings, folks!  

Workflow process impacted: End or change to of a condition period. 

What's changed: To be honest, nothing really. We've just made it clearer that regardless of how your conditional sale progresses, we need your MLS^® listing updated within two business days to reflect those changes.  

• Received a waiver – first things first, celebrate! Then, update the listing to sold status. 
• Received a non-waiver – breathe deeply, it's going to be fine. Then, update the listing to active and find the next buyer! (Other status updates, like expired or terminated, are also ok, depending on your seller's listing and strategy – just make sure it's accurate). 
• Extended the condition date – Good things take time. Once that amendment is signed, update the pending date on the MLS^® listing. 

We're all working to ensure our MLS^® System data is strong and reflects property changes in a timely manner. Thanks to our members for already taking the necessary steps to be on top of reporting these changes to the sale. 

Rule reference: Part I 4.02 Reporting of Sales 

Do the sellers know what you're doing in their home? 

Workflow process impacted: Booking appointments and entering a property. 

What's changed: If you've entered a property for a reason other than what you've told the listing agent or seller, this change is for you. This rule ensures buyers' agents and their guests enter the property only for their stated appointment purpose. 

• Calling something a "showing" equals bringing a buyer through the property (if it's a virtual showing, give the listing agent a heads up first so they can let their seller know). 
• Booking a "preview" means other people aren't entering the property with you, unless you've cleared it with the listing agent first. 
• Requesting an "inspection" equals someone will be accompanying the buyer's agent to confirm everything appears as expected. Don't forget: if you're not staying on site for the inspection, you need written permission from the seller. 

Please don't book a "showing" and bring your videographer, content creator, make up artist and audio tech to film promo material. Assume the seller is watching. Assume that they'll feel deceived to see a marketing crew take over their home without their permission. Instead, request an appointment with enough details that you can get permission to use their property for that purpose before using the property for that purpose. 

Listing agents, please don't assume every request for an appointment is going to be a showing. Read the request details (even if that means clicking the link that comes via ShowingTime Text) so you can inform your seller about why another agent wants to enter their property.  

Rule references: Part I 4.05 Acceptable Use & 5.02 Communicating in Good Faith. 

You've got (unexpected) mail.  

Branch of business impacted: Sorting through the emails, texts, calls and voicemails you receive. 

What's changed: When its ok for a member to send you communications you didn't ask for.  

We already know that if a member wants to send you info on a previous, current or potential future deal, there's no issues. For example:  

• Following up on a previous showing is totally ok.  
• One-to-one email notifications to find the perfect buyer for your super-exclusive property listing not on the MLS^® System – yup, that's fine (it's a potential future deal).  
• Need to find out why a seller didn't think it was important to tell your buyer about the squirrels living in the washing machine (that's just given your buyers a heart attack and now their kid wants to keep them for pets), yes – that's important, please communicate on that previous deal. 

With the new rule update these are also ok reasons to send an unexpected email: 

• You'd like to get permission to send that member communications on different stuff or ask them to subscribe to your ultimate REALTOR^® superstar/influencer/side-hustle newsletter.  

Remember this: The initial email asking for permission may not include all the details, such as the actual newsletter; it just mentions the kinds of things you want to send in the future.  

PRO TIP: Only affirmative confirmation is permission. If you don't hear back from the recipient, don't send the detailed email. If someone asks you not to email them again, don't add them on your email distribution list. 

Rule references: CREB^® Rules Part I 5.01 – Member Communication 

Stay tuned to next week for more pointers on aligning with other updates to the CREB^® Rules:  Not every 'thought' needs a megaphone, but when it does, be considerate. The content is coming from inside the app / site / platform. Professional limitations when sending out modified material.