FLORIDA POLICY AND PROCEDURES MANUAL REALTY K E D I T I O N

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1 REALTY K E D I T I O N 1

2 TABLE OF CONTENTS Logging into the Online Office 3 Updating Your Agent Profile 4 Referring Another Agent 4 Rental Escrow Deposits 5 Sales Escrow Deposits 6 Commission Deposits 7 Required Documents - Rentals 8 Required Documents - Sales 9 Submitting Docs to Broker 10 Accessing Paperless Pipeline 10 Disbursement Timelines 11 Direct Deposit 12 Commission Invoicing 12 Approved Forms 13 Business Cards 13 Yard Signs 14 IDX Websites 14 Broker Price Opinions 15 Care of Client Personal Information 15 Entering Listings to MLS 16 Training and Professional Development 16 Preferred Vendors 17 2

3 Logging into The Sphere Visit either kcorealty.com or jointhekcompany.com click Agent Login at the top of the page. Use your address and password set during registration to log in. If you do not remember your password, you can use the Live Chat Feature or contact the corporate office to communicate with someone from the office and reset your password. You can alternatively click Forgot My Password and proceed to reset your password via . Please remember your and password are defined by you when signing up. We do not have access to view your password, but can reset it to a default password on your behalf. Remember that your and password are case-sensitive. 3

4 Updating Your Agent Profile Once you log-in to your account, you can update your profile. Click on the Edit Profile button in the upper middle section of The Sphere. If any of your contact information changes this is where you will edit it. This is also where you upload your headshot (image file name must be all one word with no symbols or spaces). Know this is where all K Company Agents go for referrals leads. Be sure to add information such as your locations, designations, languages spoken, etc. Since we have hundreds of agents throughout the state refer to this information, it is highly recommended to complete to the best of your ability. Agent Referrals The K Company s growth is primarily driven by agents like you who make us great and give us a good name in the industry. For each agent referred that joins the company, your monthly fee will be reduced by $20 per month for the 1st agent referred and then $10 per month for each agent thereafter. This continues every month as long as the agent remains in good standing with the company. To ensure that you are credited for the referral, have the referred agent enter your name during registration under How Did you Hear About Us? or register the referral with the office by clicking Refer an Agent on The Sphere when you log into the website. The button is located on the Menu Bar at the top of the Agent Profile page. 4

5 Rental Escrow Deposits RENTALS ONLY All Rental Escrow Deposits must be made payable to Florida Title and Escrow Services, LLC unless another entity is holding escrow and is stated on the Contract to Lease. The K Company Realty does NOT hold Escrow deposits. All Escrow deposits must be deposited and reported to the Broker or Escrow Agent in accordance with Florida Statute 475. At no time is an agent able to personally hold an Escrow Deposit. Deposits can be made at any Chase Bank branch. If you plan to make remote deposits, you must follow the rules of this manual, your Independent Contractor Agreement, and the Florida Real Estate Commission. All funds must be payable to "Florida Title & Escrow Services, LLC". It is our policy to NOT accept cash as form of a deposit. Please, have your client get money orders if they would like to pay in cash. We have a waiting period of days on all personal checks (this includes a business check). Banks may hold cashier s checks from 2-5 days, though its rare. Cleared funds are only money orders or direct wire transfers. Once you have deposited funds, you must send us the following (transactions@kcorealty.com) on the same day as the deposit is made in order to record the deposit into accounting: 1. Complete Rental Escrow Deposit Form (Office Forms Reference Tab on Paperless Pipeline) 2. Copy of Funds Deposited 3. Copy of Deposit Receipt from the Bank 4. Supporting Documents showing the Escrow Amount received for the transaction and communicated to all parties. Rental Escrow Deposits (For a Deposit on a New or Pending Transaction) *Only deposits with supporting documentation are allowed in Escrow (per #1-4 above) JP Morgan Chase Bank Account Name: Florida Title & Escrow Services, LLC - Rental Escrow Account Number:

6 Sales Escrow Deposits All Sale Escrow Deposits must be addressed to and deposited with the Escrow Agent listed on the 1st page of your Purchase and Sales Contract. For your convenience, efficiency, and transparency, we strongly encourage our agents to provide Florida Title and Escrow Services as an option to their clients for escrow and closing. Please keep in mind that if you deposit escrow into Florida Title and Escrow Services accounts and they are not the closing agent, you or your client will be subject to a wire transfer fee when the funds must be transferred to another title company. Our agents and clients enjoy premier service and diligent communication when Florida Title and Escrow Services is employed. Given our long-standing integrated business relationship, you can rest assured knowing the process will be expedited and void of the issues that often arise during the process towards closing. This is attributed to all contracts being reviewed by the in-house attorney with decades of experience. Without you providing this as a service we would not be able to keep our monthly and transaction fees as low as they are given the level of service we provide here at The K Company. Sale Escrow Deposits (For a Deposit on a New or Pending Transaction) JP Morgan Chase Bank Account Name: Florida Title & Escrow Services, LLC - Sale Escrow Account Number: Florida Title and Escrow Services REALTOR Guarantee: Communication with our REALTORS and clients is the most important aspect of our business. We guarantee constant contact with our REALTORS to create a smoother transaction and ensure your clients are thrilled with our services. 6

7 Commission Deposits Commissions are considered earned at the time of move-in or following a closing. Any funds received or requested prior to that time are considered escrow deposits and should not be made payable to The K Company Realty LLC, but to Florida Title and Escrow Services, LLC. Commission deposits can be made at any Chase Branch. If you plan to make remote deposits, you must follow the rules of this manual, your Independent Contractor Agreement, and the Florida Real Estate Commission. It is our policy to NOT accept cash as a form of payment. Please, have your client get money orders if they would like to pay in cash. We have a waiting period of days on all personal checks (this includes a business check). Banks may hold cashier s checks from 2-5 days, though its rare. Cleared funds are only money orders or direct wire transfers. Once you have deposited funds, send us the following items (transactions@kcorealty.com) in order to record the deposit into accounting and begin processing: 1. Complete Commission Disbursement Form (Reference Tab on Paperless Pipeline) 2. Copy of Funds Deposited 3. Copy of Deposit Receipt from the Bank Commission Deposits (Following Closing or Move-In) JP Morgan Chase Bank Account Name: The K Company Realty, LLC Account Number:

8 Required Documents - Rentals Florida Real Estate Commission (FREC) requires all of the below forms relating to a transaction be turned into the Broker and held for a period of five (5) years. If you do not have any of the required documents for your transaction, please write an explanation and submit to the office via the Paperless Pipeline system for the transaction. All of these documents can be submitted to the office by uploading into the Paperless Pipeline system (most efficient method), or by ing them as a PDF attachment to transactions@kcorealty.com. Commission or Escrow Disbursement Form (Reference Tab on Paperless Pipeline) Copy of All Funds (This includes the funds, completed deposit form and copy of bank deposit receipt, if applicable) Full View MLS Sheet Fully Executed Lease Contract to Lease or Agreement to Enter into a Lease (if executed) Rental Application *K Company Realty is required to keep locked in secure environment Copy of Driver s License (if applicable) Credit Report *K Company Realty is required to keep locked in secure environment Client Information Sheet (If applicable) Association Approval Letter (If applicable) Any Other Documents Applicable 8

9 Required Documents - Sales Florida Real Estate Commission (FREC) all of the below forms to be submitted and held in the Broker s office for a period of a minimum of five (5) years. We require the documents below in completion in order to provide a Paid-at-Closing authorization or process a disbursement to pay out a commission. If you are unsure about a form or if it is applicable, simply contact the office. All of these documents can be submitted to the office by uploading into the Paperless Pipeline system (most efficient/direct method), or by ing them as a PDF attachment to transactions@kcorealty.com. Final Executed HUD or Closing Disclosure Sales Contract and Applicable Addenda Seller s Property Disclosure Escrow Deposit Verification Letter Full View MLS Sheet Agency Disclosure Signed by Your Client (Found Under Reference Tab on Paperless Pipeline) Lead Based Paint Disclosure (If Applicable - Properties Built Prior to Jan 1, 1978) 9

10 Submitted Transaction Documents to Broker The most efficient method to submit any transaction documentation to the Broker is by uploading the document directly into Paperless Pipeline. Alternatively, documents can be submitted via to as PDF attachments. For a brief video tutorial instructing how to upload your documents and manage your transaction via Paperless Pipeline, please click the below Agent Introduction Video. Click Me for How to Use Paperless Pipeline All documents upon being completed, must be turned into the Broker according to FREC regulations. Upon turning in the document to the Broker, please ensure Client Personal Information is securely disposed of. Accessing Paperless Pipeline To access our Paperless Pipeline system, log into The Sphere. Once logged in, across the top menu bar you will see the menu item Documents & Transactions. After you click that menu option, the system should automatically log you into Paperless Pipeline. If you reach a page that gives you an Oops error, please info@kcorealty.com or call the corporate office and we will assist you in getting this corrected immediately. 10

11 Commission and Disbursement Timelines If all required documents are submitted with cleared funds Monday through Friday by 4 PM, the disbursements will be made available the following business day (i.e. if you turned in all documents on Thursday afternoon by 4 PM, the disbursement would be available on Friday). Missing documents will delay this process. Our transaction fee is based on sides in an individual transaction. If you represent both the Buyer and Seller in a transaction, we will deduct $79 per side. This functions the same for rentals. A processing fee charged to a client and/or a bonus commission are subject to an additional $79 fee. Sales If you would like to be paid-at-closing, please fill out the Paid-at-Closing form that can be found under the Reference Tab in Paperless Pipeline. We must have a copy of a Preliminary HUD or Closing Disclosure showing all commissions, fees, and credits involving The K Company in order for this to be signed. Some title companies will not pay commissions at closing. To ensure that you are paid-at-closing, we recommend using the in-house title company, Florida Title and Escrow Services, to expedite the closings for your clients. Rentals Rental Commissions are Paid upon Move In. All agents in the transaction must sign disbursement form in order to be completed. Commissions can be paid by any of the following means: Checks to be picked up at the Corporate Office in Pompano Beach, Florida Checks Mailed Out to all necessary parties Direct Deposit made to your bank account. 11

12 Direct Deposit One of the easiest ways to get paid commissions is by Direct Deposit from the office. In order to set this up to receive your commissions to an account, please complete the Direct Deposit form available on the Reference Tab of Paperless Pipeline and send into the accounting staff via along with a copy of a voided check or direct deposit slip from your banking institution. If you change bank accounts, The K Company will not be held liable for deposits being sent to old bank accounts. You MUST notify us to remove any banking information from our systems if you close the account we deposit commissions to. Invoices If you complete a transaction with an apartment complex or management company requiring an invoice, complete the Complex Rental Form (available under the Reference Tab in Paperless Pipeline) and turn in to the office by uploading into a transaction or ing as a PDF attachment to transactions@kcorealty.com. Once received, we will draft and submit an invoice to the community or management company on your behalf. Once the check arrives, we will process it for disbursement and advise you when ready. We do recommend staying informed on the status of this process, as some communities take longer than others. 12

13 Approved Forms You must use all standardized forms and contracts from your realtor association (i.e. Form Simplicity or Transaction Desk). These contracts and addenda are available through these paperless systems or under the Reference Tab on Paperless Pipeline. If you have any questions regarding forms, please contact the office and we will advise you on which one to use. Paperless Pipeline does not have every possible form that can be used, however it does have most commonly used forms available for you, including our Office Forms. Business Cards If you choose to design your own business cards, the office must approve all designs prior to printing. The company approved logos and artwork are available for download from The Sphere. Click on the Marketing menu item and then Logos to download the correct color and file format. Our custom cards come in sets of 1,000 high quality cards in full color for $69 including shipping to your address. Cards are typically delivered within 5-7 business days from the date the art proof is approved by you. Log into The Sphere and Click Marketing > Order Business Cards to proceed. 13

14 Yard Signs We have personalized yard signs available to order and can be delivered anywhere in Florida. They are available on the K Company Webstore. The standard size comes prepared to be hung on a 6 foot standard wooden post (18x24 sign) that you can place a rider on. The post comes separately provided by the sign installation company at Agent s cost (most charge $25 - $45 per installation). If you order your own signs for your listings with an outside company, you must have them approved by the office. You can send the content and design to us for approval info@kcorealty.com ORDER SIGNS HERE Personalized IDX Websites All-in-One Digital Marketing Marketing yourself on the web should be a large part of your business, but this doesn t mean it needs to be complex. We offer an easy all-in-one personal website featuring integrated digital marketing tools, for a heavily reduced monthly fee of $25. This suite can also be upgraded for SEO and Google PPC to drive traffic & leads SEE MORE FEATURES HERE 14

15 Broker Price Opinions (BPOs) BROKER PRICE OPINIONS: By accepting the Independent Contractor Agreement regarding conducting BPOs, agent acknowledge the clause underlined below. Associate agrees to turn any and all paperwork originated from conducting BPOs and the BPOs themselves into the office the day they are completed. BROKER PRICE OPINIONS (BPOs) Associate agrees they are conducting BPOs at their own risk and it is not encouraged by The K Company Realty unless the Associate has been certified or trained by a state recognized institution for conducting Broker Price Opinions. Associate will indemnify and hold The K Company Realty, broker, its officers, directors and employees harmless from all claims, demands, suits, costs and expenses, including reasonable attorneys fees at all levels, of whatever nature and description to the extent based on Associate s representations; acts; omissions; negligence; willful misconduct; or violation of laws, rules, regulations, codes of ethics, any and all claims from Associate conducting Broker Price Opinions (BPOs). All costs and obligations incurred by associate conducting his/her independent business and/or the practice of Broker Price Opinions shall be paid solely by the associate, who will hold Broker harmless from any and all costs and obligations. Documents and Client s Personal Information Protecting our client s personal information is extremely important to us. Please make sure all documentation originated from a deal is turned into our office in a timely manner. Any and all documentation with personal information including, but not limited to, contact information, names, social security numbers, credit information, etc. must be protected and should never be stored by the agent. These documents are secured by K Company Realty. K Company Realty provides shredder stations in our offices should you need. Please note it is against our office policy for agents to handle documentation with client s personal information outside of regular business document transmission or submission. 15

16 Entering MLS Listings Our agents have the ability of entering their own listings into the MLS. The office must have received your written listing agreement and any supporting documents before a listing may be entered. If you would prefer the office to input your listing, we are available to do so at a cost of $35 per listing, discounts available when entering multiple listings at once. Please make sure you follow all rules with your local MLS. If you need help, do not hesitate to contact the office and we will assist you. MLS listings represent the company, so we have a few requirements that help our agents optimize the exposure of their listings and ensure compliance. All Listings should be thorough and complete. Partial listings will be removed if not corrected. Non-Contact or Professional Information should be included in the remarks. Please place this information under Broker Remarks. All listings should have the maximum amount of allowed photos (Typically 35 photos) Please maintain the status accurately (Active, Pending Sale, Backup, Closed Sale, etc.) You must disclose all known facts that could affect the sale or leasing of the property. Please refer to Florida Statute 475 and the FAR Code of Ethics. Disclose, Disclose, Disclose! Training We offer effective training for real life practices including lead generation, sales, listings, rentals, contracts, and more. We pride ourselves on providing custom and tailored training specific to each individual s needs. Our office offers various training seminars, webinars, and web-based content. We also host informative monthly Professional Development presentations that are voluntarily but highly recommended to all of our agents. This is our venue for covering topics and current events in the our industry. If you would like to schedule a 1x1 training time at the office, please contact us to schedule. Lastly, all newly licensed agents must attend training offered by their local Realtor Association for both How to Use MLS and Real Estate Contracts before we can cover those topics. 16

17 Property Management As part of The K Company Realty, Agents may perform property management services, however they are not permitted to collect rental funds and/or hold security deposits. All payments must be made directly to the Landlord and Agent can invoice the Landlord for services rendered on a monthly ongoing basis. There is no fee due to The K Company for such services rendered. The Lease and Sale portions are still considered Real Estate activities and must be completed through the Broker. Preferred Partners Close With Us Team of Hamilton Group Funding NW 8th St, Suite 109, Sunrise, FL chad@closewithus.com Office Fax Pettineo Insurance Agency 2430 E Commercial Blvd Fort Lauderdale, FL insurance@thekco.net Florida Title and Escrow Services, LLC 1500 E Atlantic Blvd, Ste B Pompano Beach, FL info@fltitleagents.com Office Fax