Do you believe the California Association of Realtors (CAR) provides you valuable services for your annual dues?
- No (70%, 481 Votes)
- Yes (30%, 206 Votes)
Total Voters: 687
Updated 05-10-2012
Many real estate licensees wrongly believe they must join the National Association of Realtors (NAR), the California Association of Realtors (CAR) or the local Association of Realtors (AOR) branch of CAR to practice real estate in California, too often equating these trade union leviathans to the Department of Real Estate (DRE) due to their past close liaison.
Other licensees have a slightly better grasp on the implications of membership or non-membership in the real estate trade union versus DRE licensing, but still mistakenly believe that union membership is necessary in order to access their local multiple listing services (MLS).
This impression is not unfounded. Before 1976, most real estate trade union boards owned and required all access to the MLS to include membership in their association. Such practice was prohibited in 1976. [Marin County Board of Realtors, Inc. v. Palsson (1976) 16 C3d 920]
Palsson prohibited making association membership a requirement for MLS access to the marketplace. The association was allowed to exact a “reasonable fee” from nonmembers, derogatorily called Palsson members, for MLS access. Of course, the bundling continued with the AORs claiming ownership of data behind all the published listings, giving access only to their card-carrying members.
Related article:
So, let’s get the facts straight: trade union membership is not required to practice real estate and it is not required to access an MLS. Give your local association a call — they know the rules.
Related article:
Letter to the Editor: trade union membership not a licensing requirement
To access an AOR-owned MLS, an individual must:
- have a valid California real estate license;
- be a broker, or a sales agent under a broker who is a member of the MLS;
- apply for access to the MLS; and
- pay a fee, which varies by AOR.
If an agent’s broker is not a member of an AOR, the agent is not required to be a member of an AOR. However, if a broker is a member of an AOR, his agents must also be members of the AOR in order to access the broker’s MLS.
No other restrictions apply. Real estate agents and brokers can continue to access an MLS without paying excessive and unnecessary dues or entangling themselves in a trade union’s bureaucracy, codes and arbitration rules.
Knowledge is power — and this case, money saved.
I have been a Realtor since 1986, and broker 12 years, 26 years total. The dues is too high and getting out of control, between the dues and the high MLS fee, more members I talk to are seriously considering dropping out. These high fees always come around the Holiday season when members are strapped for cash. This is no longer a market where agents are closing two deals a week. Many have lost 70% of their income. Many associations have lost membership, and are increasing fees on the backs on it’s existing members.Our MLS fee this year jumped to $495, and our association fee jumped from $540.00 to a new high of $639.00. What’s it going to be next year $925.00?. Where does it stop?
In addition we realtors have new fees we have to contend with such as Technology and insurance fees, not to mention Website’s, and other costs we didn’t have years ago. The general public has access now to all new listings just by going on Website’s like Realtor.com. Maybe they will call you, and maybe they won’t. I have no problem with CAR, and I would like to continue being a member, However, if push comes to shove I’ll have to pick the MLS over membership, and so will many others.
For an answer to CAR forms, why yes. It costs more to get the forms and Mongofax and more… Than joining.
Any full time professional, not seeing the benefits of being a member is not thinking straight. Do I think CAR is worth more than the DRE? Yes
At leat CAR is on the side of the realtor. Man, this topic is drawing me into areas I would never want to go in business. I have been licensed over 37 years and the ones who do not belong always seem to sponge off others. Might be the 50% who collect unemployment checks. Too many have licenses that are under used, skim the top and cause most of our problems selling homes. 25% of th offers I received in 2007 as an example, we’re from people whose license had expired. Many used CAR forms with different brokers names or blocked off.
I won’t do business with a person who fails to recognize value and gripes about a few bucks. CAR is the best of all the agencies we join, even here. I am talking from experieince, not as a Koop aid drinker.
Ok, let’s get serious. CAR dues are not that big. What it allows is access to medical at a reasonable cost to self employed people who may be rejected in other plans. Not the first thing on your mind? Well try and change from a plan after you had some problem. This is just one thing, I no longer need it as I am on Medicare but it saved my butt big time.
Second. Yes your forms are great. Try telling that to the other agents who refuse to let you use them. Sure I can fight it, but the offer never gets presented without bias or maybe is rejected. Fight sure. Win, not likely in my town.
I know the main reason is agents do not want to be held accountable to any rules beyond state law. Sure, ethics are of a higher standard and are ignored by most, but they have to go to a hearing or proSyds when they deviate. Do I personally feel better dealing with a member who can be hauled in for crap ethics? You bet
thx for re-bringing this Fact to readers attention.In my opinion the “ASSociation” has intentionally withheld truth from licencees for years; just likewise about agency matters such as informational Open Listings being legal (for true single agency brokers” working on a few-for-services with their clientele. LeMoine Bond-CaDRE #00287022
The most important service CAR provides is lobbying on real estate and property rights issues in Sacramento. Dozens of bills are introduced every year that can have very negative impacts on real estate practitioners and real property owners. Legislators generally have no intimate knowledge about the realities of real estate or any other business or field of interest. Lobbyists on all sides of an issue are needed to provide them with detailed information about the issues and urge them to vote yay or nay or amend.
The efforts of CAR and CAA (California Apartment Association) have produced results far in excess of their dues for real estate professionals who own property or care about the interests of their clients who own property in California.
Real estate agents and owners who do not contribute financially to lobbying efforts and critical real estate ballot campaigns are freeloading at everyone else’s expense.
This is news to me. I have saved emails where i am being told by the SDAR, that it was mandatory for me to join the NAR, and the CAR. I also have emails where I am being told that if I didn’t renew my membership, I wpuld not be able to renew my sentrilock membership. Therefore, I have not been able to enjoy any of my cutrent membership fees, because I just couldn’t afford the to pay the MLS, sentrilock, SDAR, CAR, and NAR.
Because of this practice, I had decided not to renew my real estate license. The associations are monopolizing
the services so that my lockbox was just a purchase that is useless to me since I cant afford to join all 5 entities.
The real estate business is very under handed.
If , Members knew the NAR…CAR…and Local Boards & Local Board Attys., are Lining their pockets with
$ 80,000-$ 500,000…Salaries w / Benes + Ins ( FREE ) & FULL RETIREMENTS !!!
They would Flip
And th get in the club You must know the Elite of NAR…CAR…and Local Boards
The advantage that I see is in being able to use the CAR forms. Yes, I know First Tuesday has lots of forms, but most real estate folks still feel more confortable with the CAR forms. I have been a broker since 1980 and a Realtor several times but not now. Is there a way to buy or subscribe to the CAR forms service? I can do without the PAC, weekly prayer breakfast and all the rest..
Ahhh, another union group trying to bully the rest into believing their organization is the one, the only , the one and only. I have news for you – being a member of an organization does not make you a good salesperson or broker, no more than having a degree and a teaching credential makes you a good teacher. Theere’s a difference between “credentials” and “experience”, learn to recognize the difference.
Many agents and brokers are no longer interested in doing things the old skool way. There’s too many legal and creative ways to do business without engaging organizations who have decided among themselves how important they are. So what if CAR provides free legal advice – it’s not free, it’s built into the fees. Not to mention that any quality brokerage already has their own legal staff dispensing advice.
I have to agree in the end with Mr. Pick re the code of ethics – please tell us more stories of the code of ethics and how it managed to keep California out of the morass of bad loans, oversold buyers and greed – we must have missed that seminar. Where was this group when agents and brokers alike were pushing garbage paper and sales ? I notice they take no responsibility (or even a mention) of the bad apples that were and are in the group.
Lets put things in perspective. Yes there are those who took advantage and always will. The real culprits are on wall street with their allied banks. They created the toxic loan system and packages under which many unknowingly promoted.
None of them were prosecuted even after admittance. So talk about ethics lets start with wall street, federal bureaucrats and corrupt politicians. Take no responsibility and bad apples YES !!
Your first two paragraphs are right on !
I became an agent in ’76, broker in ’77. Joined CAR, NAR in ’76, opted out in ’77. Saw that both were a trade union, little benefit, many downsides, no benefit to the consumer, market monopoly on forms. I have been an MLS only member of multiple boards ever since, and only laugh about the pretense of their code of ethics.
“excessive and unnecessary dues “? What is it that you have against Realtors? Have you even looked at the myriad of services CAR/NAR provides? Oops. Stupid question. Of course you haven’t. If you had you would see well over one hundred of them. Furthermore, CAR/NAR members comply with a rigorous Code Of Ethics. Enforcement is swift and strict. Only CAR/NAR members can be called Realtors (Trademark) and that assures clients and other agents that they will be treated with the utmost of professional care.
Wow! Mr. Allan, you have been brainwashed “nicely!” I have been an agent for over 30 years. I have seen some great things come from being a member of local AOR’s, CAR and NAR, however, I have also seen the steady decline in fundamental continuities from which these organizations began. Yes, there are no arguments that each organization, individually and collectively, provides multi-level benefits, but within the primordial ooze, they have also created fur lined handcuffs for seasoned agents to adjust and grow and feel satisfied in their real estate careers. Don’t get me wrong, I am not against having the support systems in place and paying for them, however, what I am against, is the loss of freedom to choose how and with what tools I use to practice my profession. It is, really, bordering unconstitutional business behavior to strong arm and limit the reasonable availability of access and tools required to create a legal and binding transaction in the our chosen neighborhoods, chosen state of which we live in, and our chosen country in which we reside. I am not politically driven within my business model, I save that for my personal life. Being forced to “conform” or behave like “sheep” to “feel” as though I am someone important because I was told I can now call myself a “Realtor”, is actually just plain unsophisticated and entry level thinking.
Are you a broker that is not a member of CAR or NAR or AOR ?Can you still do real estate transaction,Even not a member of those association? Can I join your company?
Yes and Yes and Yes and final NO. Need to find the Independent Broker in your market area
The CAR provides valuable services to Realtors E.G. Free Seminars with very professional speakers with a
great deal of information for Realtors concerning litigation and a tremendous amount of important topics
relating to the Industry.
CAR also provides free legal advice with a large number of Attorneys that Realtors can talk to on a daily
basis concerning Contracts and all facets of Real Estate Law. Those who say they don’t provide any
service are sadly mistaken or haven’t taken the time to find out.