| |  | West Contra Costa
Association of REALTORS®
Providing outstanding member services and proudly serving the communities of Crockett,El Cerrito,
El Sobrante, Hercules, Pinole, Richmond, Rodeo, San Pablo
and unincorporated western Contra Costa County since 1938. | |
| West Contra Costa Association of REALTORS®
423 - 46th Street
Richmond, California 94805-2301
T(510) 233-1152
F(510) 231-0243
e-mail: info@realtorswcc.org
Celebrating 70 years of service to our members and our communities.
Office and REALTOR® Store Hours
Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays
8:30 AM to 5:00 PM
Fridays
8:30 AM to 4:00 PM
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| CURRENT EVENTS AND ISSUES
Support NAR's Four-Point Housing Stimulus Plan
Congress may soon consider a new economic stimulus bill. Housing has always lifted our economy out of past economic downturns so it is imperative that Congress focus on housing in the next stimulus package.
We need ALL members to support NAR's efforts to have the NAR Four-Point Housing Stimulus Plan included in any future stimulus bill.
Contact Congress today and ask them to include NAR's Four-Points in the next stimulus package. Respond to the NAR "Call for Action" today!
Click here takeaction.realtoractioncenter.com
then enter your e-mail address and prefix and click on submit.
WCCAR REALTOR® Store
2009 Boss Planners
Get ready for the new year with a 2009 Boss Planner
Member pricing: 8.5 x 11 $23.95; 5.5 x 8.5 $21.35
Available in blue, black, burgundy and red.
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Household Batteries are Hazardous Waste
Household batteries are banned from being disposed of in the trash. In California all discarded batteries are considered hazardous waste. This includes AAA, AA, C, D, button cell, 9-volt, and all other rechargeable and single-use batteries. Recycle your household batteries at one of the following locations in West Contra Costa County.
recyclemore.com
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2009 New Laws
CAR has published a chart containing the new laws passed by the California and Federal legislatures (and propositions passed by the voters) affecting the real estate industry in the upcoming year as well as emergency legislation passed the end of 2008 that went into effect immediately. www.car.org
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Rodeo Sewer Lateral Ordinance
Rodeo Sanitary District has passed a new point of sale sewer lateral inspection and required backflow prevention device ordinance.
~ Owners / Agents are to contact a competent / experienced company to perform a video inspection of the sewer lateral.
~ The test needs to be coordinated with Mark Thompson at RSD
510-799-2970 or 510-719-0606.
~ The results will be sent to RSD for review - a list of needed improvements or certificate of complaince (good for 10 years) will be issued.
~ There are no RSD fees at this time.
RSD has reserved grant funds for the voluntary replacement of sewer laterals or an exceptional circumstance during the sale of a property.
Copies of the ordinance are available at WCCAR.
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CAR Member Legal Services
recently published a new article:
"MLS Short Sales and REO Issues"
www.car.org
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HousingMarketFacts.com
NAR has launched a new web site, housingmarketfacts.com as a part of a public awareness campaign to promote the benefits of home ownership.
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COMING EVENTS - - - SAVE THE DATES
Thursday, December 11th
Thursday Morning Comversation
"REO Procedures"
The doors open for networking and refreshments at 8:00 AM
The Conversation goes from 8:30 AM to 9:30 AM
at the El Sobrante Boys & Girls Club at 4660 Appian Way
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Thursday, January 8th
Thursday Morning Conversation
"Meet Your 2009 Leadership"
The doors open for networking and refreshments at 8:00 AM
The Conversation goes from 8:30 AM to 9:30 AM
at the El Sobrante Boys & Girls Club at 4660 Appian Way
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POINT OF SALE REQUIREMENTS
Contra Costa County
The Gas Shut Off Devices Ordinance 2006-44 requires gas shut-off valves be installed downstream of the meter and at the point of appliance on all buildings sold within unincorporated areas of the county prior to entering into an agreement for sale, or prior to close of escrow when an escrow agreement has been executed in connection with the sale.
For more information visit:
www.co.contra-costa.ca.us
For questions or to request a required plumbing permit application ($62.25 fee) or to schedule an inspection of installed valves call the Contra Costa Building Inspection Department at 925-646-4108.
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Contra Costa County
The mandatory Residential Rental Inspection program covers all single and multiple-family residential rental units in the unincorporated areas. For more information visit: www.co.contra-costa.ca.us
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Crockett Community Services District
As local sanitary districts continue to try to clean up their acts and prevent “inflow & infiltration”, another sewer lateral inspection program has taken effect. The Crockett Community Services district passed a sewer lateral inspection ordinance that requires sewer laterals to be inspected prior to close of escrow. Copies of the ordinance are available at WCCAR.
For more information,
contact the Crockett Sanitary Department at 510-787-2992.
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City of Richmond Sanitary Sewer District #1
Richmond has an ordinance requiring the inspection of all sewer lateral connections serviced by Richmond Sanitary Sewer District #1 during 2007 - 2009. The ordinance includes a point-of-sale requirement and is now in effect. This covers all properties in the City of Richmond not served by West County Wastewater District or Stege Sanitary District. Check the property tax bill to confirm the service provider. For a copy of the ordinance click here www.ci.richmond.ca.us
Owners of property built before August 1, 1991 are required to hire a licensed plumber to inspect their sewer lateral - repair, if necessary - and submit a report to the City of Richmond ($100 fee) for issuance of a Certificate of Lateral Compliance. A waiver is available for those properties constructed within the past 15 years ($25 fee).
Copies of the application form, FAQ sheet and list of plumbers were distributed with the September 6th issue of the Top O' the Mart.
For questions contact the City of Richmond Engineering Department at 510-412-2062.
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Rodeo Sewer Lateral Ordinance
Rodeo Sanitary District has passed a new sewer lateral inspection and required backflow prevention device ordinance.
~ Owners / Agents are to contact a competent / experienced company to perform a video inspection of the sewer lateral.
~ The test needs to be coordinated with Mark Thompson at RSD
510-799-2970 or 510-719-0606.
~ The results will be sent to RSD for review - a list of needed improvements or certificate of complaince (good for 10 years) will be issued.
~ There are no RSD fees at this time.
RSD has reserved grant funds for the voluntary replacement of sewer laterals or an exceptional circumstance during the sale of a property.
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San Pablo Residential Health & Safety Inspection
Visit www.ci.san-pablo.ca.us for more information on this point-of-sale required inspection on all residential properties.
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Stege Sanitary District
The Stege Sanitary District, serving Kensington, El Cerrito and the Richmond Annex, has an ordinance that requires the inspection of sewer laterals. For details visit stegesd.dst.ca.us or call 510-524-4668.
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West County Wastewater District
The West County Wastewater District has ordinances requiring the inspection / installation of a Backwater Overflow Prevention Device and a Sewer Lateral Inspection at point-of-sale.
The WCWD service area covers approximately 17 square miles in San Pablo, all of the northern subdivisions of Richmond, portions of Pinole, communities of El Sobrante, East Richmond Heights, Tara Hills, Rollingwood, Bayview, and portions of unincorporated Contra Costa County.
WCWD also has a "Building Sewer Replacement Grant Program" to help defray a portion of the costs of the required upgrade. That maximum amount of assistance available is 50% of the cost up to $2,000.
Visit www.wcwd.org for more information on the ordinances, the requirements, and the grant program.
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CITY OF HERCULES ZONING ORDINANCE Chapter 34
Sign Regulations (abbreviated version)
Section 34.500
A. Real Estate Sign…shall not be located on City of Hercules rights-of-way, landscaped medians or parkways.
C. Temporary Off-Site Residential Real Estate Open House/Directional Signs. Portable off-site residential real estate signs within any residential zone which is intended to provide directional assistance for an “open house” shall be:
1. “A-frame” in design. “Stick signs” are strictly prohibited.
2. Allowed only for residential real estate developments that are located within the City of Hercules.
3. Limited to one sign for each direction at any intersection for each real estate company regardless of the number of listings located in that direction.
4. Limited to a maximum total of three temporary off-site residential real estate signs at the corners of major arterial/collector streets and intersections; provided motorist visibility is not obstructed. Signs on secondary or residential streets and intersections shall be limited to a maximum total of two temporary off-site residential real estate signs at the corners of the intersection; provided, motorist visibility is not obstructed.
5. Designed to include directional arrows on each sign.
6. Limited to 30 inches in height and 6.25 square feet in sign face area.
7. Signs may be placed on private property only after first obtaining permission from the property owner.
8. Signs may not be placed in the public right-of-way. Signing is prohibited in the center divider, any landscaped median, sidewalk, and/or traffic islands of public streets, bicycle paths or public walking trails. The A-frame, real estate open house signs shall be placed behind the sidewalk if the sidewalk is adjacent to the curb, or in the landscaped parkway if the parkway is adjacent to the curb. Signs shall not be placed on fences, utility poles or walls, or taped to traffic lights or light standards.
9. No signs shall be posted within sixteen (16) feet from the curb returns on all intersections.
10. Signs may be displayed only on weekends from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., and broker’s touring days between 8:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m., during the period when the property is available for public showing. Signs shall be removed after each day of showing.
11. Violations. All signs in violation are subject to seizure by the City of Hercules. (Note: These signs will be removed and stored at the City of Hercules Corporation Yard for a maximum of ten (10) days. After ten (10) days, the City will dispose of the sign if not claimed. Signs may be retrieved by contacting the Public Works Department and paying a seventy-five ($75.00) dollar retrieval fee per sign.
12. No balloons or attachments are permitted on the A-frame real estate open house…
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Seller Need Not Reveal SSN to Buyer Under FIRPTA
Effective immediately, sellers are no longer required to provide to their buyers the Seller's Affidavit of Nonforeign Status (C.A.R. Form AS), which includes the sellers' social security numbers, under the Foreign Investment in Real Property Tax Act (FIRPTA). Instead, as another option, no federal withholding is required if the seller furnishes the Seller's Affidavit with his or her social security number to escrow or other qualified substitute as defined, who in turn, furnishes a statement to the buyer stating, under penalty of perjury, that it has the Seller's Affidavit in its possession. A "qualified substitute" is a person responsible for closing the transaction, such as an escrow company, title company or the buyer's agent, but not the seller's agent. The federal withholding law is now similar to California's Franchise Tax Board (FTB) policy which allows the escrow officer to remove the seller's tax ID number from the buyer's copy of the California withholding tax statement, but not other copies.
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THURSDAY MORNING CONVERSATION AND TOUR
WCCAR Thursday Morning Conversation and Tour - expectations
To maximize the exposure of your open house, you should plan to:
- Add your Brokers’ Open House information to
the EBRD Thursday West Contra Costa tour list
(before 1:30 PM on Wednesday);
- Attend the TMC meeting at the El Sobrante Boys and Girls Club
(4660 Appian Way / TBM 589:D1);
- announce the availability of your listing’s Brokers’ Open House;
- encourage people to visit the property; and
- hold the property open from 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM.
= = Doors open at 8:00 AM for coffee and networking. = =
= = Meetings start at 8:30 AM and end by 9:30 AM. = =
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GENERAL INFORMATION
Some Helpful Websites
www.realtor.org - National Association of REALTORS®
www.car.org - California Association of REALTORS®
www.car.learningcenter.com - CAR online continuing education site
www.store.car.org - CAR Online Store
www.leginfo.ca.gov - California laws
www.dre.ca.gov - California Department of Real Estate
www.factcheck.org - Annenberg Political Fact Check
www.snopes.com - Urban Legends Reference Pages
www.recyclemore.com - West County Recycling Resources & Information
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Contact Numbers
CAR Legal Hotline on Monday through Friday from 9 AM to 6 PM
For Agents at 213-739-8282
For Managing Brokers / Office Managers / Designated REALTORS® at 213-739-8350
(Another Membership Benefit)
WINForms Tech Support at 586-840-0140 or tech@zipform.com
(Another Membership Benefit)
EBRD Help Desk at 925-906-5200 or 800-974-2123
EBRD Training Department at 925-906-5128 or www.ebrdi.com
KIM DisplayKEY update (a manual update option, if you missed your automatic eSYNC) at 888-968-4032
RELAY™ Tech Support: RELAY™ Tech Support: 586-840-1168 or support@rebt.com
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Finding Your NRDS (nerds) Number
The simplest way to find your nine-digit NRDS ID number is to log onto CAR Online at www.car.org and click on "Sign In" located at the top of the screen. The sign-in box that appears contains a link that reads "I forgot my member number". This option takes you to a page where you can search for your member number by first and last name. If you still have trouble determining your unique ID, you can also look at the address label of your California Real Estate magazine.
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Reservations Policy
Due to the challenges of dealing with restaurants / caterers and attendant financial commitments, and to treat fairly those members who make timely reservations, the following policy has been implemented:
Any event requiring commitment to a caterer / restaurant will require advance reservations by a specific date. Reservations made after that date are subject to availability and an additional charge of at least $10.
"Walk-ins" will not be allowed at "reservations required" events.
Tickets will not be sold at the door.
If you plan to attend an event, please make your reservations in a timely manner to avoid confusion and disappointment.
"Time is of the essence" in making reservations as well as in real estate.
= = = = = = = = = = Is Your Information Current?..
Please check the Members section (upper left corner) for the online directory to confirm the accuracy of your information. Then take a moment to send any changes/corrections AND your e-mail address to info@realtorswcc.org. Thanks very much.
= = = = = = = = = = Directions to WCCAR
We're at 423 - 46th Street between Barrett and Nevin (TBM:589-A7)
- one block SW of the intersection of Barrett and San Pablo in Richmond
From I-80 Westbound take the San Pablo Ave exit / turn left at the traffic light onto Barrett / go one block under the overpass and turn right onto Wilson and 46th. We're at the end of the block.
From I-80 Eastbound take the San Pablo Ave exit and turn right at San Pablo Ave / go two blocks to Nevin and turn right / go two blocks to 46th and turn right. We're on your left side.
West Contra Costa
Association of REALTORS®
Celebrating 70 years of service to our members and our communities
The WCCAR "PLAN":
WCCAR provides its members with
Professional Development
Leadership
Advocacy and
Networking
to assist them with their success and profitability.
2008 President
Joe Fisher / Fisher REALTORS®
jlfisher@aol.com
2008 President-Elect
Alberta Huston / Bay Area Dream Homes
rmxalberta@aol.com
2008 Treasurer
Renee Bartels / Coldwell Banker Bartels REALTORS®
renee.bartels@coldwellbanker.com
Immediate Past President
Sharon Brown, CRS / Prudential California Realty - El Sobrante
sharonsell@aol.com
Executive Vice President / Secretary
Terry Murphy, RCE, CRB, CRS, e-PRO
TerryMurphy@RealtorsWCC.org
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