It’s been a month since Residential Measurement Standard (RMS) diagrams became mandatory in supplements and, currently, members are trending toward a 90 per cent compliance rate.

To help keep members informed, we’ve put together some detailed answers to the top member questions and comments.

Why does Matrix™ allow a listing submission if the Residential Measurement Standard (RMS) diagram is not compliant?

• Our MLS^® System has always had mandatory fields and the Board of Directors extended this approach by creating a mandatory diagram upload to the measurement supplement field. Matrix™ cannot identify what is being uploaded into the supplement field, only that a document has been uploaded. This means Matrix™ doesn’t have the ability to verify or correct false data that is entered by members.
• The mandatory measurement supplement field and the information provided is only as good as the efforts made by each member to input correct data. This is not unlike other mandatory fields in Matrix™ such as room measurements or the number of bathrooms for a property.
• The supplement field is used for other documents including court orders, floor plans and brochures. Matrix™ is unable to discern the difference between these documents.

Why are listings without RMS diagrams withdrawn as opposed to providing a grace period?

• Listing a property without correct measurements is considered by the Real Estate Council of Alberta (RECA) to be a misrepresentation. This is a serious issue and one that RECA or a court of law would not take lightly.
• Willful non-compliance with RECA’s RMS rules was a growing issue this year that unnecessarily exposed our members and their brokers to RECA discipline. To protect our members, our board enacted the requirement for mandatory measurement supplement uploads. Non-compliant listings were withdrawn to help protect our membership from potential liability issues.
  
  • A property has only one opportunity to make a first impression. The first few days a listing is active are the most critical and for many buyers this provides their first impression of a new listing. Another way to look at this issue is who are we actually serving by putting poor quality data in front of buyers? The sellers, the buyers or ourselves? Taking short cuts doesn’t serve the sellers or the buyers, nor does it enhance the professional image of the REALTOR^® brand.
  • Over the last several years CREB^®’s Board of Directors has been very open about the need for all of us to get serious about database integrity. Members seeking the easiest and least accountable route by uploading listings that are incorrect or missing information are eroding our biggest joint asset. In addition, the member needs assessment and previous member surveys all indicate that the majority of our membership supports stronger compliance enforcement to promote professionalism in our industry.

How are the Days on Market (DOM) and the property history impacted when a listing is withdrawn?

• A listing can be withdrawn for several reasons, not only by the broker and the associate, but also by CREB^® for compliance purposes or by member request (supported by documentation).
• When a listing is withdrawn for any reason, the status will automatically reflect this change and remain in the property history. DOM will not be suspended and the days on market for the listing will continue to be counted.

What communication efforts were undertaken prior to the launch of mandatory diagrams?

• The communications plan launched on Sept. 5, 2018 at the Broker Summit and followed our usual pattern of informing brokers about a change before the wider membership.
• Since that time, there have been about 14 touchpoints made with members including CREB^®Talk articles, bulletins, the Sept. 5 Broker Summit, the Oct. 4 member town hall, and Matrix™ News and Alerts. Examples include articles to raise awareness and implementation. We have also consistently linked back to articles about the mandatory measurement supplement, including a how-to upload guide and FAQ. As a post-implementation pulse check, we also created this RMS video.

What are the responsibilities of the broker, the associate and CREB^®?

• Broker
  • Provide leadership to their associates.
  • Uphold legislative accountabilities within their brokerage.
  • Have knowledge of what their associates are uploading and taking steps to correct and educate their team.
• Associate
  • Fiduciary responsibilities to their client.
  • Validity of data input to Matrix™.
  • REALTOR^® brand – associate actions represent other members of the industry.
• CREB^® is not RECA
  • RECA works to protect the public.
  • CREB^® works to enhance professionalism within our membership.
  • The REALTOR^® brand, now more than ever, needs to be upheld and those who don’t choose to adhere to professional standards dilute public perception.

What are the current statistics on compliance?