Welcome to the December edition of LSTAR's e-Bulletin, a recap from the past month and highlights of what's to come. Please let us know your thoughts by sending an email to communications [at] LSTAR.ca (communications[at]LSTAR[dot]ca).

IN THIS ISSUE

That's a Wrap for 2024!

Join 2024 LSTAR Chair Kathy Amess and LSTAR CEO Bill Madder as they Wrap Up 2024 at LSTAR.

Highlights

LSTAR and ITSO Settle Dispute

LSTAR has announced the resolution of its recent dispute with ITSO over the termination of the MLS® Service Agreement (MSA). This settlement brings the disagreement to a close, allowing both parties to move forward. The agreement includes confidentiality and non-disparagement clauses, so LSTAR will not be providing any further comments on the matter.

REALTOR® Cooperation Policy

The cornerstone of the REALTOR® Cooperation Policy is that when a property is publicly marketed, REALTORS® must submit the listing to an MLS® System within the timeframe set by their board or association, up to a maximum of three (3) days, unless an exemption applies.

What Constitutes Public Marketing?

Public marketing refers to any form of promoting or advertising a listing to the general public or to REALTORS® not directly associated with the listing brokerage or office in a business capacity.

Examples of public marketing include:

Digital communications (e.g., email campaigns, newsletters, social media posts).
Flyers or physical advertisements
Yard signs
Listing on public-facing websites
Displays or promotions on brokerage websites or within their offices

Internal Communications: REALTORS® Within the Same Brokerage

Communications within the same brokerage are not considered public marketing.

What About Branch Offices?

If a brokerage has multiple branch offices under the same broker of record, communications between a listing REALTOR® and REALTORS® in those branch offices are also not considered public marketing.

However, communications with REALTORS® in a different brokerage office under a separate broker of record, whether unaffiliated or affiliated through a shared franchise, would be considered public marketing – unless communication is a one-to-one direct interaction.

One-to-One Direct Communication

Public marketing does not include one-to-one direct communication between the listing REALTOR® and a REALTOR® from another brokerage or office.

Key Distinction: One-to-One vs. One-to-Many

One-to-One Communication: Direct interaction between two REALTORS® (e.g. listing REALTOR® from Brokerage A shares a listing with a REALTOR® from Brokerage B who may have an interested buyer). This is not considered public marketing.
One-to-Many Communication: Any method where the listing is shared with multiple recipients (e.g., email blasts, private social media groups) triggers the requirement to list the property on the MLS® System within the specified timeframe.

Examples

Permissible:

A listing REALTOR® shares a property with a single REALTOR® from another brokerage through direct communication.

Not Permissible:

Sharing a listing in a private social media group with REALTORS® outside the listing brokerage.
Sending personalized emails to multiple REALTORS® using a database, even if addressed individually.

Additional Key Points

Forwarding Listing is Prohibited
As a receiving REALTOR®, listings shared through one-to-one communication must not be forwarded to other REALTORS®. Only the listing REALTOR® should handle direct communications.
Policy Covers Non-Active Listings
The policy also applies to “coming soon” or other non-active listings.
Disclosure Requirements
- REALTORS® must inform seller clients of the benefits of listing on an MLS® System in writing.
- At a minimum, the disclosure must explain that MLS® Systems:
  - Provide increased exposure to potential buyers.
  - May lead to more offers
  - May result in better offers regarding price and terms.
- This disclosure must be provided before any property marketing begins.
- A REALTOR® Cooperation Disclosure and Consent Form is available on WEBForms® and SkySlope Forms for this purpose.
Exempt Listings
Certain types of listings are exempt from this policy:
- Commercial properties (e.g., business or agricultural)
- New construction listings in developments with multiple properties or units (e.g., residential development projects and condo development projects) are traditionally controlled by the builder.
- Rental properties

As a REALTOR®, it is crucial to understand Canada’s Anti-Spam Legislation (CASL), which governs how electronic messages such as emails and texts can be sent.

To ensure compliance with these regulations and avoid potential penalties, detailed information and guidance are available here.

For more information on the REALTOR® Cooperation Policy

https://member.crea.ca/resources-compliance/legal-compliance-national-s…;

2025 LSTAR Member Dues to Remain Unchanged

On December 13, 2024, LSTAR's Board of Directors approved that member dues would remain unchanged for 2025.

In other words, as a Member of LSTAR, you will have to pay $270 per month. This amount covers CREA dues of $29.19 and OREA dues of $73.05, as well as your LSTAR monthly dues, and there won't be any larger sums to pay throughout the year.

The table below shows the 2025 LSTAR assessment breakdown.

PropTx News

The Habistat is Here! – A New Way to Effectively Analyze and Report on the Real Estate Market

There’s a new way for PropTx System Users to analyze and report on the real estate market: The Habistat, powered by PropTx, is now available. This user-friendly tool helps you easily navigate housing market data, allowing you to produce value-added analysis and reports for your clients.

Education

Get Ready for the New Year with LSTAR's January Classes!

Classes are complimentary and available both in-person at LSTAR's Computer Lab and online via Zoom.

REALM™

IN-PERSON – January 14 @ 12:30 PM - 2:30 PM - REGISTER
ONLINE – January 28 @ 12:30 PM - 2:30 PM - REGISTER

Matrix™

ONLINE – January 15 @ 12:30 PM - 2:30 PM - REGISTER
IN-PERSON – January 29 @ 12:30 PM - 2:30 PM - REGISTER

PropTx Add/Edit

IN-PERSON – January 16 @ 12:30 PM - 2:30 PM - REGISTER
ONLINE – January 30 @ 12:30 PM - 2:30 PM - REGISTER

WEBForms®

ONLINE – January 22 @ 9:30 AM - 12:00 PM - REGISTER

SkySlope

ONLINE – January 14 @ 12:30 PM - 2:30 PM - REGISTER
IN-PERSON – January 23 @ 12:30 PM - 2:30 PM - REGISTER

GeoWarehouse®

ONLINE – January 22 @ 12:30 PM - 3:00 PM - REGISTER

Introduction to BrokerBay

ONLINE – January 28 @ 9:30 AM - 11:00 AM - REGISTER

TUTORIAL: HOW TO REGISTER

Please note:

If you don't receive a confirmation email after you register, you have not completed the registration correctly. If you require additional support, please email Learning [at] LSTAR.ca (Learning[at]LSTAR[dot]ca).

Master PropTx Tools with LSTAR: Explore Our Micro-Learning Videos, Tutorials and Pre-Recorded Classes!

Explore the PropTx MLS® ecosystem and personalize your MLS® experience to boost efficiency and work smarter, not harder!

For all our micro-learning videos & tutorials, go to MICRO LEARNING VIDEOS & TUTORIALS on the Member Hub.
View our pre-recorded ON-DEMAND COURSES on the Member Hub.

OREA Launches New Free Course - Leadership 303, Building an Inclusive Community

This course was designed for real estate professionals. Learners will learn foundational concepts within DEIA, explore common biases, and develop practical strategies so that they can build more inclusive and people-focused business strategies.

Events

Join LSTAR's Team of Blood Donors & You Could Win!

LSTAR's Team of Blood Donors, with 54 Active Members, is now at an incredible 182 donations so far this year – only 18 more donations to go to hit our goal of 200 donations in 2024. Let’s keep going team! We can do it!

As an added bonus, if you're a blood donor and bring a friend or a family member with you to donate blood, your buddy will receive one entry and your name will be entered TWICE into a quarterly draw for a chance to win a $100 gift card to a local restaurant!

There are several opportunities to donate in the region, so why not join LSTAR's Team and help us keep pushing toward our goal of 200 donations in 2024! And if you're not yet a donor, please consider joining us. We'd LOVE to have you!

JOIN TEAM LSTAR TODAY!

Thank You from the Gala Committee!

We are very excited to share that the ‘Moulin Rouge’ Gala was an incredible success! All proceeds from this event are in support of three wonderful charities – Humana, Wellkin and Women’s Rural Resource Centre! Thanks to the generosity of our guests, sponsors, and volunteers, we were able to raise an estimated $23,000 to make a significant impact in our community.

A heartfelt thank you to the LSTAR Gala Committee, whose dedication and hard work made this event possible. Also, a HUGE thank you to our amazing sponsors for their unwavering support. A special and heartfelt thank you to our ‘Star of the Show’ Title Sponsor, Upstaging Limited, for their incredible support. You truly helped make this event shine!

For those who want to relive the magic of the evening, click the album below to see more pictures:

Thank You from the Children's Christmas Party Committee!

We are delighted to announce that the Children's Christmas Party was a wonderful success, raising an estimated $7,000 in support of Investing in Children. We are so grateful to everyone who helped us make a difference in our community.

A big thank you goes out to the LSTAR Children's Christmas Party Committee for their hard work and dedication in bringing this celebration to life. We also extend our deepest gratitude to our fantastic sponsors, whose generosity played a key role in the success of the event, including our Title Sponsor, Libro Credit Union, for their outstanding support and commitment to making this day truly magical.

Because of you, we’ve been able to make a positive impact, and we couldn’t be prouder of what we’ve achieved together. Thank you to everyone who joined us and contributed to this meaningful cause!

Other News

Interest Rate Cuts Fuel November Real Estate Market Increase

In November, the average sale price in the real estate market was $640,198, reflecting a 5.9% increase compared to the same month last year. This rise in prices highlights the ongoing demand and value in the market. Sales activity also saw a significant boost, with 614 transactions, marking a 35.5% increase year-over-year. New listings saw a significant rise of 10.8% year-to-date, providing more options for buyers.

Kathy Amess, Chair of LSTAR, commented on these trends, saying, "The recent interest rate cuts have played a significant role in boosting market activity. Lower borrowing costs have made homeownership more accessible, driving up sales and expanding inventory. It's encouraging to see such positive momentum, and we remain committed to working with all stakeholders to ensure a vibrant and affordable housing market for everyone."

Membership Updates

Membership Count

As of December 13, 2024, LSTAR has 2,336 Members.

Welcome to our Newest Members!

Brandy Skellett – Re/Max Icon Realty
Kara Bethune – Keller Williams Lifestyles
Nicolas Straughan – Aros Realty
Jesse Cronk – Re/Max Advantage Realty
Dezi Gebel – Mummery & Co. Real Estate Brokerage
Lucian Janzen – Janzen-Tenk Realty Inc.
Rose Ravin – Peak Peninsula Realty Inc.
Kanwaijeet Singh – Gold Empire Realty Inc.
Dilpreet Singh – Century 21 First Canadian Corp.
Louise Anastasiadis – Sutton Group Select Realty
Jack Cronk – Thrive Realty Group
Donnita De Freitas – EXP Realty
Amanpreet Kaur – Gold Empire Realty Inc.

New Transfers

Sandra Field – now with Thrive Realty Group Inc.
Dana Alakhras – now with Re/Max Advantage Realty
Jeffery House – now with Canadian Commercial Realty Inc.
Marilene Pasculescu – now with Anchor Realty
Angela Westerik – now with EXP Realty (branch change)
Shawn Westerik – now with EXP Realty (branch change)
Sulakhan Brar – now with Supermax Realty Inc.

Closed Offices

Wiltshire Realty Inc.
PB: Bryan Wiltshire

Retired Members

Donna Czach – Royal Lepage Triland
Del Wadsworth – Royal Lepage Triland
Lisa Campbell – Century 21 First Canadian Corp.

For questions regarding your LSTAR Membership, please contact our Membership department at Membership [at] LSTAR.ca (Membership[at]LSTAR[dot]ca) or by phone at 519-641-1400.

LSTAR Offices Holiday Closure

LSTAR’s offices will be closed for the Holidays beginning at 4:30 p.m. on Friday, December 20th, reopening Monday, December 30th at 8:30 a.m. However, MLS® Staff will be on stand-by December 23rd & 27th should any emergencies arise. The offices will also be closed on Wednesday, January 1st.

All of us at LSTAR wish you safe and happy holidays and a prosperous New Year!