Newsletter

October 2022

What to do if your Contact Opts Out of Paragon Emails

If you receive an email alerting you that a client has opted out of receiving emails via Paragon, this may be because they accidently clicked on the opt out link within an email, or because Paragon received a bounce back from your client’s email provider. To opt them back in, email them the following link or open the link and type in their email address: http://p50.paragonrels.com/paragonsubscriptions/optin.aspx

Your client will be sent a confirmation email containing an opt-in option they will need to click on within 72 hours to opt back in.

The above opt in link can always be found within the links in the blue banner on the top of the Paragon home page:

You can proactively check for clients who have been opted out by clicking on Contacts and View/Manage Contacts within Paragon. Look at the Email column. Clients should have an orange envelope indicating a valid email address. If you see a white envelope with a red exclamation point, this client is opted out and is not receiving emails.

New Opportunity to Include Listing Office Contact Info on IDX Websites

In addition to the long-standing requirement to prominently display the listing firm name on all MLS listings on office and agent IDX/VOW websites, beginning September 1, the phone number or email address, as selected by the listing broker, should be displayed along with the listing firm name. All current IDX/VOW website vendors have been notified, but it is the responsibility of the website owner to ensure compliance. 

Listing brokers can choose if they want their office phone, office email, listing agent phone, or listing agent email to be included in the MLS data sent for display on IDX/VOW public websites. This selection can be made within Paragon, by the broker or anyone in the firm with broker access.

• Select Preferences from the top Paragon Menu
• Under System Preferences, select IDX/VOW Contact Info
• Select your desired contact info option from the drop down and Save

If your office phone or email needs to be updated in Paragon, send that request to member@wisre.com.

The contact information selected will be sent to IDX/VOW website providers for each new listing added going forward, and each existing listing when next modified.

If you do not make a selection, the default is to provide no contact information.

New MLS Rule for Advertising Before Effective Date

Per Wisconsin State Statute 452.136(3), an agent cannot advertise a property unless their firm is the listing firm or has permission from the listing firm. The firm does not become the listing firm until the term of the contract begins.  The beginning of the term of the contract is the beginning date as listed on line 311 of the WB-1.

In response to many complaints of agents advertising before the effective date of their contract, the MLS Committee and the MLS Board of Directors created an MLS rule to parallel Wisconsin law.  The hope with this new rule is to elevate the level of professionalism by stopping violations internally, before DSPS sanctions one of our members.

The following SCWMLS rule went into effect September 26, 2022:

If any detail of a specific property, sufficient to activate the interest of a potential buyer, is advertised before the effective date of the listing contract for said property, the listing agent shall be fined $200 per day, from the time of advertisement until the effective date of the contract. This new fine will not exceed $5,000. 

What is a Variable Commission?

If there is an agreement between the listing agent and the seller that would cause the total commission paid to vary based on circumstances of the sale, this is a variable commission. The most common occurrence of this is if the seller agrees to pay one commission if the offer is a result of a co-broke situation involving a subagent or buyer’s agent, and yet another amount if there is not a co- brokerage situation, and the listing broker is handling the listing and selling side of the transaction. Click here for an explanation of all Yes/No questions required when entering a new listing.

Upcoming Training Opportunities 

TrustFunds: TrustFunds provides an electronic option for the transfer of earnest money. Integration within Paragon makes it easily accessible. In this 40-minute webinar you will learn how to use TrustFunds to send, receive and track earnest money.

This live webinar will be held on Wednesday, October 19 at 2:30 p.m. and again on Thursday, October 20 at 10:00 a.m.  Please register here.

Collab Center: Do you want to set up buyers with an automatic search that notifies them about new properties? Learn how to set up a Collab Center site for your buyers, and what they can do with it. This live class will be held via Zoom, please register here.

Map Search in Paragon: With Paragon's map search you can visually define areas on a map to search for listings. Join SCWMLS trainer, Dave Bass, for this 30-minute class where you will learn how to draw different shapes on the map and edit them, use layers to show lots of helpful information, and more. This live class will be held via Zoom, please register here.

Paragon Overview Classes: We offer weekly live classes for Paragon training. To register for an upcoming session click here.

South Central Wisconsin Multiple Listing Service

4801 Forest Run Rd, Suite 101

Madison, WI 53704

(608) 240-2800

www.scwmls.com