February 2014
-Too Many E-Mails When Setting Up a Showing? When you schedule a showing within Paragon, by default you get an email that the showing request was sent, another when it is viewed, and finally a third letting you know it was confirmed or denied. If you do not want to receive the first and/or second email, you can turn those off. Click on Preferences and then Showing Assist. Click the Edit Profile button on the Home Screen. Scroll down to Showing Agent Preferences and uncheck When appointment requests are received to turn off the first email and/or When appointment requests are viewed to turn off the second email.
-Take a Minute to Check your List of Contacts for Opt-Outs: Contacts who are no longer getting auto-emails from Paragon because they have been set to opted out can be identified on the contact view spreadsheet (Contacts, View/Manage Contacts) as those with a red exclamation point and grey envelope instead of an orange envelope in the email column. In addition to being flagged on this list within Paragon, you will also receive an email at the time a client is opted out.
There are two instances that would result in an opt-out. The first is that your contact clicked on the opt-out option within an email. The second happens when an email is non-deliverable due to invalid email address (which could be a typo). You have worked hard to create a relationship with your contacts. In case you miss an opt-out email alert, you may want to check your list of contacts regularly to be sure a valid client is not set to opted out.
If a client has accidentally opted out of receiving your emails from Paragon, or if they are set to opt-out due to an invalid email address, send them the following link which will take them to a page where they can opt back in: http://p50.paragonrels.com/paragonsubscriptions/optin.aspx.
-Photos: Do Not Use Them if You Did Not Take Them: When entering a property into the MLS, please include only photos that you have either taken or have permission to use. You may be tempted to use a cool photo of a nearby park, bluff, lake, etc. that you have found on the internet. It is really easy to right click and save. Please be aware that even if the photo does not include the copyright symbol, it is protected, and using it is copyright infringement.
Please keep in mind that the photos you enter in the MLS are sent to many public websites. Technology makes it easy for owners of photos to seek out websites that include their photos. Our MLS is aware of one situation whereby a local agent was held accountable for a photo that was included on a listing on his public website. He was not the listing agent of this listing. The photo was included in the IDX feed from our MLS. The photo was loaded by another agent that did not have permission to use that photo. Yes, that is correct, the agent displaying listings via our IDX had to pay for copyright infringement because another agent from another company loaded a photo into the MLS that they did not have permission to use. So, if you load a photo you did not take or do not have permission to use, not only can you be held accountable, but others displaying your listing on their website can be held accountable also.
The MLS recently emailed information regarding the Digital Millennium Copyright Act to all Brokers in our MLS. This packet includes instruction on how you can minimize your risk. Click here for a copy.
-Recently Updated Resources: Tax Mill Rates and Home Style Guide.
-Database Changes: The following changes have been made to our listing database and our listing input profile sheets:
A new optional field for co-listing agent has been added. Please update listings that are co-listed.
The current labels for manufactured homes have changed as follows. If you have a manufactured home listed, please make sure it is l labeled correctly.
Manufactured to Manufactured (sectional)
Mobile – no land to Manufactured (mobile) – no land
Mobile – with land to Manufactured (mobile) – with land
For Lots and Acreage, Price/SqFeet as entered by the agent has been replaced with a system calculated Price/SqFeet field and has thus been removed from the input screen.