Gulf South Real Estate Information Network (GSREIN) New Orleans Metropolitan Association of REALTORS (NOMAR) What is the Purpose of this FACT SHEET? Employees and Leadership of NOMAR and GSREIN have been fielding numerous calls relative to inaccurate information being conveyed to our membership. In an order to clarify the concerns and questions of our membership we have prepared a detailed FACT SHEET for your reference. What is GSREIN? GSREIN is the MLS Corporation servicing the MLS needs of brokers, agents and appraisers in the Greater New Orleans Metropolitan and surrounding areas. Who owns GSREIN? NOMAR is the only shareholder of GSREIN. Where is GSREIN Located? GSREIN has two staffed offices 3645 N I-10 Service Rd W; Metairie, LA 70002 4350 Hwy 22, Suite J; Mandeville, LA 70471 FACT SHEET What do I pay for access to the GSREIN MLS? Participants (Principal Brokers & Appraisers) pay $396 per year per office NOMAR Member Participants receive a $60 discount and pay $336 per year per office Subscribers (Associate Brokers, Agents & Appraisers) pay $340 per year.($28.33/mo) NOMAR Member Subscribers receive a $20 discount & pay $320 per year.($26.66 /mo) What MLS Staff Support is available to me? NOMAR has 14 Full Time and 2 Part Time Employees creating staff efficiency by sharing responsibilities among NOMAR & GSREIN so that the needs of all members are always taken care of. 2 staff persons are 100% MLS 3 staff persons are 90% Association 9 are shared employees in which more than 50% of their time is spent on MLS responsibilities 1 is shared in which more than 50% of their time is spent on NOMAR responsibilities 1 is shared 50/50. 3 CoreLogic Customer Support Reps Teach classes in Metairie & Mandeville Offices Conduct office visits and training in broker offices Maintain phone support 8:30am 5:00pm, Mon-Fri 1
Who are your GSREIN Board of Directors? GSREIN s Board of Directors are nine volunteers who are actively engaged in the business of managing, listing or selling real estate. The breakdown of the nine directors are as follows: 5 directors elected at-large by the MLS Participants, 2 Directors appointed by Large Firms (500+ licensees), the Ex-Officio and the NOMAR President. A firm cannot have more than one At-Large or Large Firm Director. The At-Large Directors serve 3 year terms. An election is held every year to fill expiring terms. The Directors meet monthly to conduct the business of the Board. They share thoughts and ideas and work to provide you with tools, products and services that will enhance cooperation, compensation and market efficiency which makes it easier for GSREIN REALTORS to do business together. Your directors stay abreast of national real estate industry developments in order to make strategic informed decisions regarding outside entities threatening our business. At its recent Strategic Planning Session GSREIN adopted as part of its plan a policy moving forward to not focus on technologies that would be considered marketing technologies as it is the brokerage s responsibility to provide these. Introduction to Your 2018 GSREIN Board of Directors President Dee Halphen, RE/MAX Elite, Mandeville President-Elect Stephanie Brouillette, Conchita L Sulli & Assoc., Inc, Kenner Secretary-Treasurer Donna Chandler, RE/MAX Affiliates, Metairie At-Large Jeff Breland, C-21 Investment Realty, Slidell At-Large John Sibley, Keller Williams Realty 4550100, Metairie Large Firm Karin St, Romain, GARDNER, REALTORS (offices throughout Metro Area) Large Firm Evelyn Wolford, LATTER & BLUM, INC/REALTORS (offices throughout Metro area) Ex-Officio Ginger Wiggins, Coldwell Banker, TEC New Orleans NOMAR President Cindy Callais, LATTER & BLUM, INC/REALTORS, New Orleans Westbank What benefits are included in my 2018 Annual GSREIN Fees? Full Access to Matrix MLS Google Maps within Matrix MLS Maximum Compatibility and Mobility A pure HTML application which can be accessed from virtually any computer, tablet or phone with internet access. Go MLS App Realist Tax information Ability to run over 25 Statistical and Market reports Matrix Open House and Broker/Agent Tour Entry Feature and Reports Showingtime access (with ability for Broker s to purchase office enhancements) Remine - GSREIN is the only MLS in LA that can provide all of its MLS members with statewide access to Remine s data. (Broker and Agent ability to purchase enhanced services) Cloud CMA access for all MLS members Data Feed to Data Master if the Appraisers want to purchase this product Data Feed to Zillow for Brokers ability to Opt In (Only Data of Brokers who Opt In is sent) Data Feed to Upstream for Brokers ability to Opt In (Only Data of Brokers who Opt In is sent) Ability to Auto Pop MLS data to the following Electronic Forms Products: 2
Instanet Dot Loop Zip Forms Training FREE for GSREIN MLS Members - GSREIN conducted in excess of 100 Training Classes in the first half of 2018. - Providing Better Service Utilizing Matrix I (3 hrs in computer lab) Basic operations of Matrix includes the following: homepage functionality, personalizing your information, setting up contact information, performing a search, and creating auto emails. - Providing Better Service Utilizing Matrix II (2 hrs in computer lab) Recommended That You Take Matrix I FIRST Data Co-Op, Hot Sheet & Market Watch customization, Realist, Market Reports, Managing Emails and Auto Emails, Speed Bar Search, Map Search, creating a Comparative Market Analysis (CMA) - Realist (30-60 min in computer lab) Realist - is a public record database that seamlessly integrates with Matrix, to provide in-depth property and ownership data, market information, street and aerial maps, as well as market trends to its users. Realist enhances the capabilities of your MLS system-giving Real Estate professionals a data centric, easy to use resource that increases your competitive advantage. This is a 30-60-minute-long class. - Mapping Class (45-60 min in computer lab) Learn how to use the three drawing tools, set your map location to default where your marketing location is. How to use the Jump To other locations quickly and more. - CMA Class (30-60 min in computer lab) Learn how to create listing presentations. Using the Matrix CMA Wizard agents can customize the report from start to finish, including a custom cover page, dynamic statistical pages, and a variety of options for assembling a unique document. This class is 30-60 minutes long. - Instanet (2 hrs in computer lab) - Authentisign (2 hrs in computer lab) - Showingtime (2 hrs in computer lab) - Cloud CMA (2 hrs in computer lab) - C.E. approved Matrix & Instanet Courses FREE Data Coop which provides access to the following MLS s listing data through your Matrix MLS: Greater Baton Rouge Association of REALTORS Northwest Louisiana Association of REALTORS Baldwin County AOR Daytona Beach Area AOR Greater El Paso AOR Greater Las Vegas AOR Houston Association of REALTOR Maine REIS Miami Association and the Beaches My Florida Regional MLS 3
MLS OK Northwest Alabama BOR Northwest Mississippi AOR NYS Buffalo Ocean County BOR, NJ SMART MLS Conn Savannah MLS Western Arizona Data Feeds offered through GSREIN FREE Unlimited Office Only Data Feeds IDX Plus (includes Sold Data) only available to Brokers $500 each IDX Feed for Agents w/broker Approval $450 each Back Office Not for Publication $300 (up to 3 feeds), $200 per additional GSREIN FINANCIAL INFORMATION Over 50% of GSREIN s revenue from your GSREIN dues is spent on the products and services provided to its members as defined above. The remainder pays operating expenses for 2 offices (one leased in Mandeville and one owned building in Metairie), staff, building and equipment maintenance, E&O and D&O insurance for all GSREIN members, property and liability insurance, legal, license fees and miscellaneous such fees incurred by GSREIN for members paying their dues by credit card. NOMAR and GSREIN share staff, facilities, furniture and fixtures, business equipment, insurance and all other operating expenditures in order to provide an adequate work place for both corporations while sharing in the efficiencies created by this structure. Each corporation pays for its own proportionate share of overhead expenses. NOMAR and GSREIN are financially healthy corporations. They have always been responsibly managed with never any incident of misappropriation or wasteful spending. We follow GAAP, generally accepted accounting principles and we employ many levels of internal control. We operate financially within the guidelines placed on us by the annual budget which is developed by the budget committee and approved by the Board of Directors. 0 based budgeting is used in developing a budget. If an expense is not in the budget, it cannot be incurred without Board approval. Your GSREIN directors (9) are either elected by the MLS Participants or appointed by each of the large firms with over 500 licensees. Good contract negotiations, generating non-dues revenue, smart profitable conservative investments and staff operating with exceptional fiscal responsibility allows us to operate within the approved budget year after year and continue to grow our revenue without increasing your dues. This is how GSREIN is able to continuously add benefits without increasing costs to its members. If there is profit at the end of the year it goes into reserves. Your volunteer leadership and staff 1) Make a conscientious effort in the continued reduction in broker costs, 4
2) Created a budget with no dues increase in many years, and 3) Implemented a move over the last year with the intention of generating fewer MLS fines while still maintaining MLS data integrity. Warning letters are sent to inform listing agents of inaccurate data in an effort to have the data corrected. A fine is issued in the event the agent does not correct the data. Our goal is to achieve data excellence with no fines! GSREIN RESERVE POLICY Both NOMAR and GSREIN have a reserve policy. Reserves are necessary in the event of emergencies, disasters and economic conditions that would cause for the corporation(s) to have to draw from its reserves to continue to operate and service its members. The emergency could be one such as Hurricane Katrina where NOMAR and/or GSREIN may have to waive member s dues to help them stay in business in the aftermath of the disaster. It also allows the corporations to continue to keep their doors open and operate. Additionally GSREIN has many outstanding contracts with which it provides services and products to its members. It needs to be able to cover the obligation of these contracts in the event of a disaster or economic downturn. FULL FINANCIAL AUDIT CONDUCTED ANNUALLY Both GSREIN and NOMAR are audited annually by an outside CPA firm that is engaged by their Board of Directors. Both have received a clean and favorable opinion every year. FACT Your GSREIN MLS continues to provide access to the most MLS benefits for the lowest MLS cost in the surrounding areas. 5