SCRAR UPDATES:
AOR/MLS Office door is locked - I am working remotely and will open for scheduled appointments.
ZOOM online membership meeting once a month at 9:30 am.
SCRAR private member group on Facebook. Click here.
MLS Tours are currently canceled.
The Fair Housing and 1031 continuing education courses are postponed until June/July - unless prohibited.
SCRAR MLS put out a memo regarding special requirements for input of listings that allows a SELLER to direct his Broker to withdraw a listing due to COVID-19 concerns - or - put special showing remarks in the PUBLIC remarks to alert Brokers and Buyers of no-showings until a specific date.
April 14 - SCRMLS adopted the MLS Clear Cooperation policy with an implementation date of Monday, April 27, 2020.
April 27 - SCRMLS implemented the MLS Clear Cooperation policy and published a new "Effective Date" definition along with two new MLS waiver forms.
May 1 - An accurate census is critical because the data is used to determine the distribution of federal dollars and political representation for the next ten years. Grant County received money through federal programs which benefit the community from health care, to nutrition, to education, to housing, to jobs, and more. https://grantcountycensus.com
May 12 - https://grantcountycoronavirusupdate.org/ A clearinghouse of local, state & federal resources to help keep you, your family & our community safe during the COVID-19 pandemic & help you find resources to get you through the economic fallout. THANK YOU FOR DOING YOUR PART TO KEEP OUR COMMUNITY SAFE AND HEALTHY. BY COMING TOGETHER AS A COMMUNITY, WE CAN MAKE IT THROUGH THIS CRISIS!
June 1 - now accepting in-person appointments in the Association/MLS office from 8:30 am until noon.
June 8 - Changes to New Mexico Administrative Code 20.7.11 Liquid Waste Treatment and Disposal Fees will become effective July 1, 2020. Read more.
June 28-30- First ever Virtual Open House Tour - www.newmexicoopenhouse.com.
December 2 - Under the most recent Public Health Order, effective December 2, 2020 (“Order”), real estate falls within the “All Other Businesses” category, which allows brokers and brokerages to continue to conduct business. The new Order creates a tiered system for how business may be conducted based on the new COVID-19 case incidence rate and/or positive COVID-19 testing results in the respective county in which the brokerage is located or the real estate business is being conducted. The framework divides the counties into green, yellow, and red levels.
Window to the Law: Showing Guidance During a Pandemic (video here)
NAR encourages brokers and agents to continue using virtual tours and limiting in-person activity whenever possible. For those who choose to conduct in-person showings, a COVID-19 prevention plan is essential.
NMAR UPDATES:
Your Association is Here to Help Keep You Operating
Be assured, while your NMAR staff may not always be at the office, they are available to answer your questions via email.
Information is ever-changing. We will post the latest information regarding NMAR services, meetings, and New Mexico health orders on our Facebook Page and the NMAR website.
We encourage you to take proactive steps to help prevent the spread of illnesses, including coronavirus and the seasonal flu. Stay healthy and safe.
Legal Hotline - Form 1500 Coronavirus Addendum/Amendment - in Transaction Desk - YOU MUST LOG IN to get this form as NMAR forms are ONLY for REALTOR members.
Legal Hotline - Covid Info Sheet on website.
April 2 - Due to the coronavirus issues, Ashley Strauss-Martin, NMAR General Counsel, has created new and updated (Covid-19) forms (1500-1504) that you can use now. By clicking the link below (gold button), you can view the video synopsis and download each of the forms to use today. These following forms will also be in your forms library shortly. Click here to read more.
April 16 - NMAR requests extension to property tax payment deadline
NMAR sent a letter to the Governor requesting a 90-day extension for the payment of property taxes, which are currently due on May 10, 2020. Click here
May 15 -Notice to NMAR members County Clerks Directed to Refuse Remote Notaries At the request of several County Clerk Offices throughout the state, the attorney for the County Clerks offered guidance regarding remote notaries. In short, the attorney opined that because a notarization performed pursuant to Executive Order 2020-015 violates the law... Click here
June 1 - The Legal Hotline will be on break and closed from June 15-19, 2020.
July 8 - Join us July 30 for the NMAR Legal Update with Ashley Strauss-Martin. Ashley will be covering all new forms since February 2020 and new forms to be released next month, as well as the latest public & executive health orders, clarification on the Clear Cooperation Policy, Landlord Tenant Issues with Q&A to follow. www.nmrealtor.com to register.
NMREC UPDATES:
Boards & Commissions Procedures During the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency (CLICK HERE FOR NOTICE)
Approval for Distance Education During the Covid-19 Public Health Emergency (CLICK HERE FOR NOTICE)
Boards & Commissions Notice of Closure of Non-Essential Services (CLICK HERE FOR NOTICE)
Public Notice of Renewal Process and Continuing Education (CLICK HERE FOR NOTICE)
Public Notice of Suspension of Fingerprint Submission for License Renewal (CLICK HERE FOR NOTICE)
TOLL FREE: 1-800-801-7505
To report non-compliance to public health emergency order call: 1-833-551-0518
NAR UPDATES:
March 26 - Congress Reaches Deal on $2 Trillion Stimulus Package. The package includes a provision that the National Association of REALTORS® advocacy team has strongly worked alongside Congress to achieve—an inclusion of unemployment aid that also would apply to independent contractors, a category that traditionally is not included in unemployment laws but one that many real estate professionals fall into. Read more.
COVID-19 Advocacy FAQ - NAR's Federal Advocacy team has been working closely with Congress and the Administration to ensure the interests of REALTORS®and their clients are protected in any federal action in response to COVID-19, in addition to minimizing transaction disruptions during these very difficult circumstances.
March 26 - Summary of the Senate stimulus bill thus far. This bill still needs to pass the House (either tomorrow or this weekend if there are any snags). This is not the final version, given that. Because the attached doc will change.
April 3 - The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) signed into law on March 27, 2020, provides relief to families, small businesses, and individuals who are self-employed and independent contractors. A key provision in the law creates a temporary “Pandemic Unemployment Assistance” program that extends unemployment benefits to those not traditionally eligible, including self-employed individuals. Below is a summary of the program that will be updated with guidance anticipated from the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL). The NAR FAQs on Unemployment Assistance under the CARES Act is now available - click here.
As part of NAR’s relaunched Right Tools, Right Now initiative, starting right now, NAR is funding 2 months of telemedicine at no cost to members who sign-up by April 15, 2020. Through Members TeleHealth℠ you and your family can access professional medical advice from the comfort of your own home 24/7/365. Enrollment is limited, so before enrolling, we ask that you check your insurance first. You may already have access to telemedicine. And if that’s the case, please utilize those resources. Enroll here.
April 7 - Putting Members First With the Right Tools, Right Now. In light of the challenges presented by COVID-19, and its impact on the real estate industry, NAR is taking steps to support members through these uncertain times. The Right Tools, Right Now initiative, which was activated once before in 2009, makes new and existing NAR products and services available for FREE or at significant discounts – right now – and is available to REALTORS® and REALTOR® Associations. https://www.nar.realtor/right-tools-right-now
April 10 - #BreakingNews The IRS issued guidance Thursday evening to grant deadline relief for both 1031 like-kind exchanges and opportunity zone investments that are already underway. Both of these programs are designed to promote economic growth in communities, and NAR made the case that investors in these programs should not be harmed due to the effects of COVID-19. Learn more at nar.realtor/coronavirus.
April 16 Loan Servicing Relief Needed: The real estate industry is growing alarmed over recent moves to tighten credit standards for new loans to home buyers as banks try to fend off disruption and losses during the COVID-19 pandemic. NAR is warning that lending standards could grow even more stringent if federal regulators don’t step in soon to alleviate the servicer logjam in lending. Read more.
As of 4/16/20,the appropriations for both theSBA 7(a) Paycheck Protection Program loans and the Economic Injury Disaster Loans have been exhausted(link is external). NAR sent aletter(link is external)to Congress on 4/13/20 urging quick action to provide additional funds for these loans, to ensure that they can assist as many small businesses in need as possible. This FAQ has been updated with additional information to reflect this change, and will be updated again when the programs re-open.
April 28 - How to Secure Your Business Through the CARES Act (Video with 4 REALTORS®) Hear directly from quick-acting REALTORS®, with businesses of varying structure and size, who successfully obtained Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) Business Loans or Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL). Learn how to navigate the Small Business Administration website, which forms to have on-hand when applying, and tips for finding a lender in your area. Don’t wait—funding is limited. The video can be found here.
April 28 - New Protect Your Investment Brochure REALTORS® and Associations have access to a new resource from NAR to share with homeowners who are struggling to meet their loan obligations. The Protect Your Investment: A Guide for At-Risk Homeowners brochure encourages homeowners to work with REALTORS® and housing counselors and offers guidance on options provided by lenders and tips for avoiding scams. Associations and REALTORS® may add their logo to the cover for a customized look. To make distribution easy, we suggest that associations and members post the brochure to their website, then link to it in a newsletter, social media post, or direct email.
April 29 - FHFA Won’t Require Lump-Sum Payment After Forbearance. The Federal Housing Finance Agency, which regulates mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, said Monday that it will not require homeowners who take mortgage forbearance due to financial hardship from the COVID-19 pandemic to make up the missed payments in a lump sum.
April 30 - Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) Lending Operations Update – Wednesday, April 29, 2020 SBA and Treasury value all lenders and their small business customers. To ensure access to the PPP loan program for the smallest lenders and their small business customers, starting at 4 p.m. today EDT through 11:59 p.m. EDT, SBA systems will only accept loans from lending institutions with asset sizes less than $1 billion dollars. Please note, lending institutions with asset sizes less than $1 billion will still be able to submit PPP loans outside of this time frame. Please also note that lenders with asset sizes greater than $1 billion will be able to submit loans outside of today's 4pm -11:59pm EDT reserved processing time. This reserved processing time applies today April 29, 2020. SBA and Treasury will evaluate whether to create a similar reserved time again in the future. SBA and Treasury continue to monitor loan system performance and will continue to provide frequent updates to the lending community.
May 13 - Earlier this afternoon, the FHFA announced that beginning July 1st, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac will have a new option to offer homeowners to repay their forborne payments.
May 13 - New Guidance on PPP Loan Safe Harbor. The Treasury Department released new guidance this morning pertaining to how the government will review PPP loan borrowers' good-faith certifications of loan necessity; I've underlined the most pertinent part: SBA, in consultation with the Department of the Treasury, has determined that the following safe harbor will apply to SBA's review of PPP loans with respect to this issue: Any borrower that, together with its affiliates, received PPP loans with an original principal amount of less than $2 million will be deemed to have made the required certification concerning the necessity of the loan request in good faith. SBA has determined that this safe harbor is appropriate because borrowers with loans below this threshold are generally less likely to have had access to adequate sources of liquidity in the current economic environment than borrowers that obtained larger loans.
May 15 - NAR’s new guidance for answers to fair housing questions in light of COVID-19, such as whether anti-discrimination laws apply to housing during the pandemic and whether people who have COVID-19 are covered under the national origin or disability protections of the federal Fair Housing Act.
May 18 - SBA, Treasury Release PPP Loan Forgiveness Application On Friday, the SBA and Treasury released the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) Loan Forgiveness Application. The application provides borrowers with instructions on how to apply for forgiveness of PPP loans as authorized by the CARES Act. SBA is expected to issue additional guidance on the loan forgiveness application early next week.
May 22 - Guidance on Home Showings As restrictions begin to ease around the country, NAR has created new guidance to help members formulate best practices and guidelines for showing properties and preparing for business reopenings. Click here.
June 17 - NAR has launched a new training video in partnership with the Perception Institute called “Bias Override: Overcoming Barriers to Fair Housing,” which aims to help you uncover and address unconscious stereotypes you may believe. http://ow.ly/XJbd50A8kSH
June 26 - The Paycheck Protection Program ends June 30, but around $100 billion is still unclaimed. NAR encourages members who may need this aid to act now. NAR has released several new videos to walk members through the PPP loan forgiveness process.
July 7 - Business owners are struggling with which workplace safety measures to implement in an effort to prevent the spread of COVID-19 as people return to work. Read more.
July 9 - Nineteen percent of REALTORS® say they’re “very prepared” for a second wave of COVID-19 cases, and 39% say they’re “somewhat prepared,” according to the National Association of REALTORS®’ Market Recovery Survey, which is based on responses from about 2,300 members. Of those who believe there might be a second wave, 30% say they feel more prepared because they have a better idea of what to expect. Twenty-seven percent of REALTORS® say they’re concerned enough about the ongoing threat of the coronavirus that they have shifted their business practices to better prepare. Read more.
July 28- Millions of Renters at Risk of Eviction - The national moratorium on evictions set forth by the CARES Act expired last week, but mortgage forbearance for landlords was extended in June.
CAN REALTOR MEMBERS GET LOST WAGES? Members can find out if they qualify for aid under the recently authorized federal Lost Wages Assistance Program.
Oct 12 - Good News for PPP Borrowers For NAR members who borrowed $50,000 or less through the Paycheck Protection Program, it is now easier to receive automatic loan forgiveness. These smaller loans now require less documentation and fewer calculations than the previous process. One in five NAR members report having taken out a PPP loan since the program was created, according to a recent NAR survey. NAR continues to actively encourage Congress, in any future COVID relief bill, to forgive loans of less than $150,000. See NAR’s Washington Report for details.
Dec 21, 2020- Summary of COVID Stimulus and OMNIBUS Appropriations Act! Provided in this note (and copied below) is the NAR staff summary of the COVID Stimulus and OMNIBUS Appropriation Act with tax extenders and other legislative items. The attached staff analysis are those provisions that NAR advocated for. It is a robust list of important provisions for members and the consumers you serve! The House just passed this package and the Senate is next and the President is expected to sign! NAR's Federal Advocacy Responses to COVID-19 page: www.nar.realtor/political-advocacy/...
OTHER RESOURCES
The New Mexico Taxation and Revenue Department announced recently that it was granting a time extension until July 25, 2020 for small businesses to file tax returns and payments for Gross Receipt Taxes (GRT) collections and other withheld taxes. More here.
Small Business Development Center New Mexico resources here.
CAR legal counsel Scott Petersen just did a really great video on what to expect during the Coronovirus period for Colorado REALTOR members. https://www.facebook.com/ColoradoREALTORS/videos/649732002260902/
MVD Office Closures - Deactivating Manufacture Housing title WORKAROUND: Via Scott Florez: In the meantime, if you have any rushes, I can submit to my office. I do this for one of my lender clients who have chattel loans in which they send me the package to drop off at my office (they were using the main office which took 2-3 months). I just charge them my minimum service fee of $50.00 to ensure all the documents are their and then to drop off and collect at MVD. Naturally, my normal fee is higher because I'm the one who is preparing all of the documentation. Scott Florez Owner/Manager, Title Land Consulting LLC Mobile: 505-217-8988 | Fax: 505-213-1685 Email: scott@titlelandconsulting.com | Website: www.titlelandconsulting.com Address: 5935 Sleepy Nights Road NW, Albuquerque NM 87114
Septic Inspection Update: According to Priscilla, NMED is not currently sending inspectors, and has just authorized HEI to do state inspections on their behalf. HEI can do any necessary repairs, or any other septic contractor can be used, and they will then do a final inspection. She said they can also help customers get unpermited systems registered (for a fee). Call Priscilla directly and she can give you a complete update: 538-2152 ****READ HERE FOR UPDATED INFO - April 6
SMALL BUSINESS PAYCHECK PROTECTION PROGRAM - Overview. The Paycheck Protection Program provides small businesses with funds to pay up to 8 weeks of payroll costs including benefits. Funds can also be used to pay interest on mortgages, rent, and utilities. Click here.
REAL Trends President Steve Murray answers key questions about the CARES Act(Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act)and discusses how real estate brokerages and agents can benefit from this new stimulus package.Click here for the 2 min Video
April 14 - Finance New Mexico - Frustrated business owners have reported challenges when applying for loans authorized by the CARES Act, which includes the Paycheck Protection Plan (PPP) accessible through SBA lenders and the Emergency Injury Disaster Loan offered by online application to the SBA. Many SBA lenders have focused on assisting their existing clients, but we expect that to change. And the US Congress is negotiating another bill to augment the $349 billion offered through the PPP. While waiting for additional funding and lender capacity to assist everyone in need, business owners are encourage to prepare their financial information. Find other loan resources related to COVID-19 impact.
April 15 - Citing the need to “extend financing to creditworthy households and businesses quickly in the wake of the national emergency declared in connection with COVID-19,” a trio of federal banking regulators announced Tuesday evening that banks will soon be able to delay getting an appraisal on a property for as many as 120 days after a mortgage closes. Read more.
April 15 - Here is what I found out (Water Well Testing): Hall in Albuquerque, $48.00 must order a special bottle from them fill and return within 24 hours on ice. Iaslabs in Phoenix, $55.00 but you can use a water bottle, clean not drank from of course, fill return within 24 hours on ice. (they would be fastest because you don't have to order the bottle) UPS will not guarantee right now 24 hours to either but she told me that Albuquerque leaves Silver at 5:00 and drives up to Albuquerque and Phoenix flies. Via Dale Spurgeon.
April 21 - Excluded From Bailouts, Mortgage Servicers Face Cash Crunch. Read more.
April 29 - The Town of Silver City and Silver City MainStreet would like to invite Downtown Businesses to apply for the COVID-19 Small Business Assistance Program. These forgivable loans will be awarded to local downtown businesses for infrastructure/improvement and job creation. Awardees shall submit a report of the use of funding that indicates how the funds were utilized for the above purposes as it is applied to maintaining or restoring the business to contributing to the local economy. Projects that maintain, construct, reconstruct real property, and improve buildings that correct or prevent blight or physical improvements that allow a business to re-open once the 2020 COVID-19 restrictions are lifted. Any project that creates or retains a job. Projects may include painting exterior or interiors, carpeting, awnings, signage etc. If you have a project you think is worthy of assistance, but don’t see how it fits with the program, please call Silver City MainStreet at 575-534-1700.
July 7 - The New Mexico Small Business Recovery Program, enacted by the New Mexico Legislature during the June, 2020 special session, was signed by Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham today, July 7. New Mexico businesses and nonprofits that reported less than $5 million in gross revenue on their 2019 income tax return and experienced 30 percent or greater reduction in monthly gross revenue in April and May of 2020 (compared to the same period in 2019) can apply for a low-interest, three-year loan of up to $75,000. Interest is deferred for the entire three-year term, after which principal and interest can be paid in full or converted into a new three-year term that requires monthly payments of principal and interest. The New Mexico Finance Authority will manage the program, and it expects to begin accepting applications on August 3. The NMFA FAQs page gives a list of documents applicants can begin preparing now https://www.nmfa.net/faqs
EDUCATION/LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES
NAR's e-PRO® certification program helps REALTORS® master the advanced digital marketing techniques of today. With the e-PRO® certification, REALTORS® increase their ability to reach customers, expand their capabilities, and build trust by safeguarding client information. Through May 31, 2020, the 12 hour e-PRO® Certification Course is FREE (normally $219) when taken through the Center for REALTOR® Development, and all application fees will be reduced to $74.50 (normally $149). For the application fee discount, use code epro50appfee in the payment portal. https://epro.realtor/
The CE Shop - Technology Tools, Trends, and Risk Management (Training Elective)This looks like a great CE course on technology - use the April promo code TECH30 to save at checkout. 4 ce hours. Click here.
Nikon has made its entire curriculum of online photography classes free until the end of April. Now through April 30th, all 10 classes available at the Nikon School can be streamed for free. The classes are normally priced anywhere between $15 to $50 each. https://www.nikonevents.com/us/live/nikon-school-online/
SOFTWARE AND APP RESOURCES
Homesnap | Homesnap Crash Course to Finding Seller Leads and can be accessed here |