This Petition is For Brokers, Agents and Appraisers to tell The BCAR MLS Board to Stop and answer all Questions and Concerns about Joining The Gulf Coast Commercial MLS before moving forward with making changes that are not necessary and will cost Brokers, Agents and Appraisers more money. This should be put to a vote by all concerned.

Lets Get Answer on Questions the Board Keeps Dodging.

1. If as stated Below is Letter from BCAR President Mary Jane Owen the board has been working on this project for a year, then why don't they have the answers to the most basic question and why did they let all the brokers and agents renew their MLS for a year withholding the intent to remove 2 of the 5 data feeds from Navica and Solid Earth? Why were our MLS renewals at the same rate as previous years with reduced services.

2. In The Gulf Coast Rules and Regs it clearly states that membership may be terminated for lack of production, not enough listings, etc who makes this determination and what happens to any listing held by that broker or agent.

3. Free Commercial Listing Free to Input if you figure a List Price without Comps, and the Listing only visible to Subscribing Members How Many Members?

4. Several agents have given me the same information received from the PAR Office that the GCCMLS has plans to eventually require a commercial designation in order to maintain membership and market commercial property this is an objective they are working towards!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

5. I Finally got a amount for a IDX feed of $1500.00, but no answer as to if it is Annually, Semi-Annual, Quarterly or Monthly or how it is to be paid. IDX Feeds are useless unless there is a way to have a search created to use the Data.

6. MAAR (Mobile Area Association of REALTORS®) signed a contract with Catylist and then had to have an Attorney dissolve the contract because the terms called for all Commercial listing to be removed from Solid Earth and place in Catylist. They renegotiate the contract with Catylist. Where is the Contract that BCAR signed and what are the terms and conditions isn't this an important Question and vital information we as Brokers and Agent should Know before signing on with Catylist lets do the math Navica Serves us well and we know the cost. Catylist we get piecemeal information. BCAR Broker additional Cost $73.00 per month x 12 = $876.00

We have been give a price or $1500.00 for IDX Feed if that is yearly (but what good it this feed) just the 2 cost alone will add $ 2376.00 to Each Broker. And Then there is the issue of becoming designated if GCCMLS continues on it's established path.

• Annual dues for CCIM Institute membership
  • $595 for U.S. professionals
  • $545 U.S. membership with government discount
  • $395 for Canadian membership
  • $195 International membership
• Cost of required courses(link is external)
• Portfolio of Qualifying Experience
  • $100 submission fee
• Comprehensive Exam and Course Concepts Review (CCR)
  • $725 for the Course Concepts Review (CCR)
  • $325 for the Comprehensive Exam

For more information, visit the CCIM website(link is external).

Letter From BCAR

Dear Member;

The Board of Directors for the Baldwin County Association of REALTORS® is excited to announce that starting on September 1, 2016 BCAR and MAAR (Mobile Area Association of REALTORS®) will be joining the GCCMLS (Gulf Coast Commercial MLS) for commercial listings. This affiliation was evaluated for well over a year before the decision to join GCCMLS was finally made.

Catylist, the MLS provider, offers the only true form of commercial MLS and web presence which reaches national viewing. It is a well thought out, broad database platform that focuses strictly on commercial real estate. Catylist is the #1 commercial MLS service provider to REALTOR® associations nationwide and is used by over 2000 commercial professionals across the gulf coast from Louisiana to Panama City.

As technology and systems continue to evolve, The Baldwin County Association of REALTORS® and its all-volunteer member Board of Directors is striving to keep pace with today’s environment. BCAR intends to provide the best products available that match the needs of our members. As your fellow member we are well aware that each decision that is made effects not only your business, but ours as well. Real Estate is constantly changing and the goal is to progress forward, adapting to new technologies and opportunities to be certain that BCAR and its members are positioned for the future to stay relevant and offer the most professional service possible.

The goal was to create one commercial MLS database to represent all listings on the Gulf Coast. Like Knoxville and Chattanooga MLS’s the board has elected to remove commercial listings from the primary residential MLS. Commercial listings in Navica will remain until the end of 2016. The board acknowledges the concern that some feel we are “taking” something away. We believe that GCCMLS offers a superior solution for your clients and customers by providing the broadest exposure for their commercial properties. With over 2,000 users, it more than triples the exposure to those who work in commercial real estate sales and leases that is presently in Navica. Even as a non-GCCMLS member you are still able to input listings for free to be viewed by the entire 2,000+/- GCCMLS members.

Attached you will find details on the way you can be part of this new opportunity. Training for you, your staff and anyone interested in the new system will be offered at BCAR on August 24, 2016 at 9:00 am until 11:00 am. There will also be an administrator's training that afternoon from 1:00 to 3:00pm. You can sign up at www.baldwinrealtors.org. In addition you will find FAQ’s and an application for membership at the bottom of this email. .

On behalf of the Board of Directors for the association and the MLS,

Mary Jane Owen

President

Please click on the link below to open the documents:

Commercial MLS Frequently Asked Questions

GCCMLS Application