We are pleased to report that email delivery to Yahoo and AOL addresses has now been restored. However, we have been notified by the Paragon development team that Comcast email addresses are currently experiencing delays and, in some cases, bounce backs. They have reached out to Comcast and are monitoring.

Month: February 2025

Starting March 3, 2025, Paragon will introduce a new optional field called “Property Faces” on the listing input screen. This field allows listing agents to specify the property’s directional orientation, with selection options including East, North, Northeast, Northwest, South, Southeast, Southwest, and West.

While this field is not required, buyer agents can incorporate it into their search criteria when provided, making it easier to find properties that meet their clients’ preferences. Additionally, the selected direction will be displayed in Listing Reports, offering greater insight to potential homebuyers.

This enhancement is designed to provide more valuable details to assist buyers in their home search. We encourage listing agents to take advantage of this new feature to better showcase their properties!

The Alameda County District Attorney’s Office has issued a warning about a rising real estate scam targeting agents and escrow professionals. In the past 30 days, their office has received multiple complaints about fraudulent transactions involving fake property owners and falsified documents.

How the Scam Works

Fraudsters pose as distressed property owners, claiming they need to sell or lease land quickly due to urgent out-of-state medical expenses—most recently, cancer treatment in Texas. Their goal is to create pressure, bypass verification, and rush transactions through before red flags are noticed.

Red Flags to Watch For:

  • Avoiding in-person meetings – Scammers claim medical restrictions prevent face-to-face interactions, making it impossible for escrow notaries to verify their identity.
  • Communicating only via email or phone – They refuse video calls or in-person meetings.
  • Providing fraudulent documents – They submit falsified notary stamps, signatures, and other paperwork to make transactions appear legitimate.

How to Protect Yourself & Your Clients

  • Verify identities in person – Always require a government-issued photo ID before proceeding with a transaction.
  • Be cautious of urgent sales tied to medical emergencies – While some may be real, fraudsters often use urgency as a tactic.
  • Strengthen escrow verification protocols:

·         Independently confirm the property owner’s identity.

·         Verify ABA routing numbers to ensure they match the correct bank and address.

Why Vigilance Matters

Real estate fraud can lead to financial loss, legal liability, and reputational damage for agents and brokers. By staying alert and implementing strong verification practices, we can help prevent these scams and protect our clients.

For more details, read the official warning from the Alameda County District Attorney’s Office here:
🔗 Alameda County DA’s Real Estate Fraud Alert

Starting Tuesday, March 11, MLS Rule 12.16 (s) will change, allowing all photos of sold listings to be displayed on IDX websites. Previously, only the main photo was permitted. This update aligns our MLS rule with our data-share MLSs.

What This Means for You:

· What is Internet Data Exchange (IDX)? IDX allows brokers and agents to display Active, Pending, and Sold listings on their public websites.

· Can I prevent specific photos from appearing on IDX websites? Yes, you now can mark them as “Private” while your listing is in Active or Pending status.

· What if I need to mark photos private after I mark a listing sold? You would need to email us at mlsservices@bayeast.org providing the MLS#, Address, and which photos to update.

· When I mark a photo “private” what does that mean? These photos remain in the MLS and will be restricted to go to 3rd party sites/vendors.

· How do I mark a photo “private”?

1. Go to Listings tab -> Maintain Listing

2. Click on Select and Action link for that listing

3. Open the Picture Administration module

4. Select the photos you want to mark as private

5. Click Mark Private on the menu bar and close to save changes

· What if I mark a photo private but change my mind? No problem, select the photos and now click “Mark Public”

Updated MLS Rule 12.16 (s): Use of Sold Listing photos on Broker/Agent Website

· Previously: Only the main photo could be displayed; no additional photos are permitted.

· Effective March 11: This restriction will be removed, allowing additional photos to be displayed on approved IDX websites.

Click here xto get more information about IDX. If you have any questions regarding this rule change, please contact MLS Services at mlsservices@bayeast.org

We want to inform you of an important update to the MLS rules regarding Coming Soon listings in Broker back-office feeds.

Previous Rule:
“Allow Coming Soon data to be in Broker back-office feeds (no front-facing data component) (Brokerages own data only).”

Updated Rule:

“Upon request all Paragon MLS Coming Soon data can be in Broker back-office data feeds. However, Coming Soon listings may not be displayed or integrated into any public-facing products or websites, except for listings belonging to the listing brokerage.”

This update clarifies that broker back-office data feeds include all Paragon-generated Coming Soon data. It also outlines how this data can be used within broker back-office systems and what Coming Soon information, if any, can be publicly displayed.

If you have any questions about this change, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us at mlsservices@bayeast.org