Every month we bring you the latest news in our sector, so you can be on top of your business! In this edition of the KADREA Newsletter, we'll be sharing brief updates and videos on WEBForms® Training, New features on Xposure, upcoming PDP Changes, an informational videos following our collaboration with BC Cattlemen's Association and updates from BCREA.

1. WEBForms® Training:

A hot topic of discussion among REALTOR® Members recently, has been the launch of new WEBForms® platform. The concerned platform has undergone a major overhaul and had UX/UI-related transformations.

CREA trainer, Lynn St.Germain was at the KADREA Hub in October to discuss the newly evolved platform and to train KADREA members on it. More than 100 members from both Kamloops and Kootenay Real Estate boards welcomed and attended this highly sought for training session in October. 

Watch the recorded version of this training session here:




NOTE: The old (legacy version) is scheduled to become obsolete, come January 2020.

2. KADREA collaborates with BC Cattlemen's Association (BCCA) for informational videos on property management:

BCCA over the years has been leading brand advocacy through creative content development around topics that appeal to the masses. When BCCA approached us with the idea of creating content around topics that concern our collective audience, we were excited, and worked together on common topics such as Use of Water, Information on Open Range, Fencing etc. 

The videos embedded below aim to provide our audience with all the necessary information they may need to understand best practices, laws and regulations concerning property ownership.

About 'Fencing' in British Columbia:



Open Range in British Columbia:



Water management for Land Owners:

3. New features on Xposure:

The Technology committee headed by REALTOR® Murray Brown, submitted a range of 'good-to-have' options on Xposure to RealtyServer.  After months of deliberation and constant feedback from our members, a series of updates within Xposure took effect last month. They're listed as follows:

a. Multi-Session:


Check where the GREEN arrow is pointing in the image above. This  is the 'Multi-Session' button. By clicking on this, you can initiate more than one session within Xposure simultaneously. This allows us to copy listings from one set of search results and paste them in another search. As you all know, this was a loved feature in INTERFACE and it is now in Xposure as well.

b. New Edit Button:

To answer the common question - how will we copy or paste listings?, check where the GREEN arrow is pointing in the image below.


A new 'Edit' button has been placed right next to the 'Actions' button. The 'Edit' button facilitates rearrangement of search results as well as gives options to copy, paste or view listings on the clip-board. From now on, 'Actions' button can be used for other functions like 'Sending Gateway link', 'Printing' the search results as feature sheets, etc.

c. Improved Search Tab:

When you are in the 'Search' Tab, you'll notice that now you can customize and do more with the tools that are now available. You'll also see search bubbles under the search actions buttons. Check where the GREEN arrow is pointing in the image below.


Search bubbles can be used at anytime while performing a search to modify search results. You can add or remove search criteria bubbles using the (x) on each bubble. In essence, you don't have to recreate a search if you entered a wrong criteria. You can simply remove that particular search bubble by clicking on 'x' and it should remove that particular criteria and modify your search results accordingly.

In order to rearrange the search parameters, you can use the 'Actions' button above the search bubbles. 

d. Searching for 'Open House' and Searching by 'Tax' parameters:

As the headline of this update suggests, REALTORS® can now search for open house schedules and look up properties using Tax parameters within the 'Search' tab.



e. PID number displayed on all Feature Sheets that have Legal Description on them:



f. Adding CMA Subject property by MLS Number:

The Xposure system allows us to send CMA reports to clients in 4 steps. The first of which is to set the 'Subject' property. Xposure initially allowed us to set the subject property using 'street address', which works fine. For simplifying this procedure, the system now allows us to enter the subject property and fetches details of the subject property, just by MLS Number.  Check where the GREEN arrow is pointing in the image below:

4. PDP Changes will be effective from January 01, 2020.



This change is aimed at giving REALTOR® members more flexibility for their professional development.


DETAILS:

• REALTORS® will earn hours instead of credits
  
  
• All existing credits will be converted into hours
  
  
• You will have to have 18 hours of professional development
  
  
• 18 hours of professional development equates to 12 hours of 'Accredited' and 6 hours of 'Self-Directed' Learning but can also be completed by attending only 'Accredited' courses.
  
  
• Relicensing education, like Legal Update, won't count toward your PDP hours
  
  
• If you take 2 legal updates (1 each year), the 1st will be considered to be towards your mandatory education for relicensing, while the 2nd legal update will count as an 'Accredited' course towards PDP
  
  
• PDP will still align with your 2-year licensing cycle

What is Self-Directed Learning?:

BCREA News:



1. Market Momentum Continues into the Fall

The Bank of Canada held its overnight rate at 1.75 per cent this morning. In the statement accompanying the decision, the Bank noted that ongoing trade conflicts have weakened the global economic outlook, which is expected to drag Canadian economic growth below its potential in the second half of this year. The bank is further projecting that growth will register under 2 per cent over the next two years. Inflation is expected to trend at the Bank's target of 2 per cent.

Read Full Article

2. BC Monthly Real GDP Estimate for August 2019 (Updated: October 31, 2019)

The BCREA Nowcast estimate of provincial economic growth (expressed as year-over-year growth in real GDP) for August is 1.5 per cent, down from 2.1 estimated annual growth in July. That is the slowest estimated growth since December 2009. After a stronger start to the year, the BC economy has slowed in the second half and we are now tracking annual 2019 real GDP growth at 2.2 per cent.

Read more on BCREA Nowcast

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