Weekly E-Update           March 23, 2010

If you are having trouble viewing this e-mail, click here.
Click the links below to go directly to that area
Announcements/Events
MLS Updates
Educational Opportunities
ISC Corner
Contact Us

Click here for a list of upcoming events

Last Chance to Sign Up, Class this FRIDAY BACK BY POPULAR DEMAND! Tax Strategies for the Real Estate Professional * Presented by Ron Reed * Friday, March 26, 2010 from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.* Cost: FREE
Looking for a way to turn tax dollars back into your dollars? This seminar is specifically geared for the Real Estate Professional. This seminar is guaranteed to identify between $2,500 and $27,500 in NEW deductions that can be used right away to pocket thousands in tax savings. These deductions are based in tax LAW, but presented in simple English that all of us can easily understand. Save money and sign up today! Click here for more information.

NEW Affiliates! Advertise in the Tucson REALTOR® Magazine
Watching your costs in 2010? How about putting 5,300+ professional sales representative to work for you for as little as $300? Your ad in the Tucson REALTOR® Association’s official/bi-monthly e-magazine puts you in front of TAR’s 5,300+ members. REALTORS® have a vital service needed in their transactions. If REALTORS® don’t know you, or hear from you on a regular basis, they can’t be expected to use or refer your services to their buyers. Please call our publisher regarding their special Affiliate advertising rates. Foley Publications, Inc.(800) 628-6983.

NEW DocuSign REALTOR® Edition: Electronic Signatures Exclusively for REALTORS®
Extend your brand equity while doing business. DocuSign REALTOR Edition electronic signatures are available exclusively to members of the National Association of REALTORS®, in partnership with the REALTOR Benefits® Program. Click here to learn more.

NEW Nationwide Open House UPDATE – Newspaper Insert Cancelled
We hope you are planning your open houses for the REALTOR® Nationwide Open House weekend April 10-11! For more information about the weekend go to www.tucsonrealtors.org/noh.html. Please note: the Tucson Newspaper insert that was to go out on April 9 that was to include all of the open houses for the weekend of April 10-11 has been CANCELLED due to not enough advertiser participation. We will continue to direct the public to www.tarmls.com to view the open houses.

NEW Discussion on the Streetcar
The Green Committee has invited Jim Glock, City of Tucson Department of Transportation Director; Adam Weinstein, owner and architect for The Mercado District; & Steve Farley, AZ Legislator to meet with our members and the community at large to talk about the Modern Streetcar and the exciting opportunities it means for Tucson. Join us April 23 from 9am-11am at TAR. For more info go to www.AgentsGoneGreen.com, click on Events.

NEW Where the “Green” Homes Are
A Showcase of Sustainable and Energy Efficient Home Builders in Southern AZ brought to you by the Green Committee. Join us on April 23, from 2pm-5pm at TAR. This event is open to TAR members and the community at large. Brad Lancaster, the rainwater harvesting guru and sustainability teacher, will be speaking at 3pm. For more info go to www.AgentsGoneGreen.com, click on Events.

NEW TAR Real Estate Expo – Save the Date 9/16/10
Every year, thousands of REALTORS® make their way to the Tucson Convention Center to experience a one of kind event. The Tucson Association of REALTORS® Real Estate Expo! Click here to watch a quick video about the Expo!

NEW Media Monitoring Service
Stay on top of real estate news with TARs FREE media monitoring service! Get the latest everyday in local, state and national news. To get your name on the list, send an email to christine@tucsonrealtors.org.

Read the Latest Tucson REALTOR® Magazine – March/April 2010
In the latest online issue of the Tucson REALTOR® Magazine, learn how to let your creativity shine at home and at work. Tis the season for taxes! Find out if you can write off as a business expense the cost of the gift baskets you give. Also, check out photos from the TAR Forecast and Soccer Shootout! Click here to read it now!

Updated 2nd Annual At Bat for Habitat Softball Tournament, April 24
PLAY BALL!! Rally a team or let us create a team for you! The Habitat for Humanity Committee is hosting a softball tournament on Saturday, April 24 at Golf Links Sports Complex. Join us for the fun festivities! Come and tailgate with us!  The event will have activities for the kids and fun for the whole family. Sponsorship Opportunities are available!  Click here to sign up today!  Click here for more information or contact Christine Sanchez at 382-8776. Thank you to our Field Sponsors:  Long Realty Cares Foundation, Keith & Tori Davern and Stewart Title.

5th Annual Golf Tournament benefiting Habitat for Humanity
Gold, Platinum & Silver Golf Sponsors sign up by April 1 and receive an Out Field Sponsorship at the At Bat for Habitat Softball Tournament.  Click here to sign up today! Click here for more information or contact Christine Sanchez at 382-8776.

Attention Brokers, You're Invited to hear from ADRE Commissioner, Judy Lowe
Monday, April 26, 2010 from 8:30am to 10:30am
ADRE Commissioner, Judy Lowe, will be in Tucson on Monday, April 26 to continue communication with respect to proposed legislation and changes and updates in the Department.
Save the Date for the next meeting:  May 24

TAR Facility Rental, click here for more information.

The GRI Scholarship Program, click here for more information.

Marketing Sessions and Home Tours, click here for more information.

Click here for Industry Events of Interest and Community Opportunities.

Conference Center Events (not a TAR endorsed event)
WEDNESDAY Arizona CRS Breakfast
Join us for a classic continental breakfast on Wednesday, March 24 beginning at 8:30am here at TAR. Invite your friends and colleagues to get "Up Close and Personal" with Guest Speaker, Philip Tedesco, the NEW CEO of TAR.  Cost is $8 prepaid and $10 at the door. Please register by Tuesday, March 23! CLICK HERE TO REGISTER, for more information, contact Christine Sanchez at 382-8848.

Free class on Health Insurance!
Whether you currently have a policy and want to know how to read and understand it or are looking for health insurance and want to know what is out there, this class can help! April 14th at 9am. RSVP by April 12 to 520-519-1111. Click here for more information.

Back to Top

FLEXMLS™ HANDS-ON CLASSES ADDED FOR MAY, and JUNE!!! (April classes are full.)
Flexmls™ Classes have been added for May and June. You may register for these classes from the Calendar of Events on the TAR website. Seating is limited.

Members are strongly encouraged to also attend the Demo classes being offered throughout this month, even if you plan to attend the hands-on training. View the March schedule.

Flex MLS Membership Preview
On March 8, 2010 membership will be given access to preview the Flex MLS system. Please remember that our cutover date is at the end of April. Here are some items that you need to know before accessing the system for the first time:
The Flex MLS URL: www.tar.flexmls.com 
LoginID: Use tar. and then your agent id (example: agent id 1000 would login as tar.1000)
Password: The default password for accessing the system for the first time is tarnow. You will be asked to change your password upon login.
Items to be aware of:
• Listing Input will be turned off in the Flex MLS System to eliminate the possibility of duplicate listings while we sync our data with Rapattoni. Input will be available when we go live at the end of April.
• Your contacts will sync over from Rapattoni. Please note that you may add a contact in Flex but it is recommended that you do not also add it to Rapattoni as it will create a duplicate when syncing over.
• Prospect searches do not transfer over from Rapattoni as it is a function of the individual Rapattoni application. Searches will need to be recreated for your individual contacts. Please click on the following link on tips for making this easier: Creating a Contact Report
• DOM/CDOM is still being updated on the system and may not show accurately for the first few days of the membership preview.
• Flex MLS training is available to get you up to speed on the new system. Please visit the Computer Training Information page on the TAR website to get Flex MLS training schedules in addition to the latest information and tips on the Flex MLS system. You may click here to go directly to the Computer Training Information page.

Support Options:
Flex MLS Technical Support:
Phone: 888-525-4747
Email: support@flexmls.com

Rapattoni Essentials
During March and April, members should continue to enter listings and contacts into Rapattoni rather than flexmls™. This way, all the Rapattoni data will be transferred to flexmls™ at one time.
In order to accommodate those new members who may need Rapattoni training during this time, we have added a Rapattoni Essentials class to the March and April schedules. Though it is not available for credits, it will teach the essentials of using the Rapattoni system.
March 19th 9:00-12:00
April 2nd 9:00-12:00
Instructions for Registering for Classes Online

Flexmls™ Update
In order to best ensure that the transition to Flexmls™ is as trouble free as possible, our conversion date is now scheduled for April 30th. Recognizing that there is a lot of activity in the marketplace due to the extension and expansion of the tax credit and the deadlines associated with that program, we chose to move the date. This change will allow for more training opportunities and a longer time to get acquainted with the system. We will now begin running both systems in parallel in March, allowing two full months of ‘trial’ instead of one. This change also allows for a longer test period, meaning fewer issues and glitches when we make the cutover on April 30th. We will be revising the training schedule to accommodate the extra time available, and will publish that as soon as possible. Watch this space for continuing updates!

Quick Fixes for Common ActiveKEY Issues

Search San Carlos MLS!
San Carlos has turned on access for our members to their listing data. Go to http://tucson.interfacexpress.com Your Tucson MLS username and password work for San Carlos. Remember, access to this information is not intended to imply that you may sell real estate in Mexico; you must be licensed in the State of Sonora in order to practice real estate there. This is information may be helpful to you in servicing your clients, and may foster the development of referral networks.

Access To Nationwide Foreclosure Information!
The MLS agreement with RealtyTrac now allows Tucson MLS members to access foreclosure information for the entire country for a discounted rate of only $19.95 per month. This change also allows for use of more tools on the RealtyTrac website!! There is no minimum term required to sign up. The links to register for this service are located in the MLS under the ‘links’ tab, and there is also a button on the www.tucsonrealtors.org website.

Back to Top

Back to Top