Broker Resources

Bay East understands the needs of today’s real estate professional and offers a package of services designed to generate more business and to effectively serve your clients. Our REALTOR® members also belong to and receive the benefits of the National Association of REALTORS® and the California Association of REALTORS®. For more information on these products and services check out our Bay East Member Benefits and our MLS Tools and Benefits.

Bay East REALTOR® members are eligible for group rates on medical, dental, vision, life, and E&O insurance as a benefit of their local (Bay East), state (C.A.R.), and national (NAR) association memberships. For more information:

Austin & Austin Insurance:  Health, Dental, Vision, E&O, Cyber, Business Owners Policy, Workers Comp. & General Liability.
The Benefits Store:  Health, Dental and Vision
C.A.R. Insurance Benefits:  Health, E&O, Business, Personal, and Pet.
NAR Insurance Benefits:  Medical, Dental, Auto, Home, Renter’s, and E&O.

Broker Outreach encompasses the Broker Meetings held 2-3 times each year to discuss topics such as risk management, legal, DRE, and the like. The brokerCENTRIC is an email newsletter sent every other Sunday with Broker specific information. Please contact Pamela for more information.

During the last four years, the Bay East Association of REALTORS® has worked closely with the Commercial Brokers Association and its Board of Governors. The partnership resulted in helping commercial and residential real estate professionals expand their business opportunities through education and networking.

Recently, the Commercial Brokers Association was dissolved, and the Commercial Classes and Network Events previously offered by CBA now have a new home with the Bay East Association of REALTORS®. Whether you are new to commercial real estate, want to participate in investment real estate, or are simply interested in enhancing your current industry knowledge, the CBA Education Program provides fundamental and specialty courses designed to help you succeed in commercial real estate. Register for upcoming classes below. Contact Tori Byers to register 510.871.4200 or email Octoriab@bayeast.org.

More information about the Certificate of Completion coming soon.

Bay East Member Services:  925.730.4060
Bay East Tech Support:  925.730.7100

If you would like to request a Bay East staff member to speak at your upcoming event/meeting, have questions about Association onboarding policies and best practices, or are interested in learning more about your access to the benefits, tools, and resources available to help you and your team succeed in real estate, please complete the Broker Engagement Request Form and we will contact you within 1-2 business days.

Setup your office information with the DRE and obtain your Fictitious Business Name if desired.

To transfer your existing Bay East membership to your own office, complete and return the Bay East Transfer Package along with a copy of your broker license. Bay East will update your membership information with Bay East, C.A.R. and NAR – changes may take up to 48 hours.

Manually update your Lone Wolf Transactions – zipForm® Edition account profile with the newest information so it will appear on all forms going forward.

The new agent must add your brokerage to their DRE license.  This can be done through the DRE eLicensing portal.  New agents may join any REALTOR® Association to which you belong. Bay East Association of REALTORS® new member application.

You can view instructions for adding an agents license to your brokerage on the DRE website  here.

To update the contact information for your office please complete and return the Firm Information Change form to Member Services. Please note, this information will be listed for every agent in your office.

If an agent leaves your brokerage, remove their license from your brokerage via the DRE e-Licensing portal.  Complete and submit to Bay East a termination form. Bay East will process the termination with any of the memberships they hold including NAR, C.A.R., Lone Wolf Transactions – zipForm® Edition, MLS and Supra.

You can view instructions for removing a Salesperson license on the DRE website here.

Yes. Any licensed assistant who hangs their license with a REALTOR® broker is also required to carry REALTOR® membership. They can join as a Licensed Assistant (includes REALTOR® membership) by completing the Licensed Staff application or as a Licensed REALTOR® by completing the REALTOR®/MLS membership application.

Unlicensed assistants may also join the MLS to assist an agent who is a member of Bay East. Complete the Unlicensed Assistant application which must be signed by both the broker and the agent who is being assisted.

Please see sections 4.3 and 13.1 of the MLS Rules & Regulations for rules for both Licensed and Unlicensed assistants.  C.A.R. provides a list of “Do’s and Don’ts” for Unlicensed Assistants (login required).

Bay East IDX (Internet Data Exchange) gives MLS Participants/Subscribers the tool they need to display listings on their websites.  IDX is the primary means of enhancing cooperation between REALTORS® to facilitate the purchase and sale of real estate property. Under the IDX real estate system, brokers exchange consent to display each other’s listings on the Internet.

To obtain IDX on your website, visit our IDX Services webpage for information, applications and a complete list of IDX approved vendors.

Listing syndication is a method of advertising whereby the Broker Must Opt-In to send firm listing information to a wide variety of websites, mobile apps, and print publications to reach diverse consumers searching for properties to buy.

ListHub allows brokers to have control of their internet marketing by sending their office listings to real estate search websites. Bay East has arranged for brokers to have the ability to opt-in for posting their listings.

Read additional information on how to set up either or both syndication options.

Association staff can assist with questions regarding Bay East MLS Rules and Regulations but are unable to assist members with legal questions and/or advice.

The California Association of REALTORS® provides member legal services (login required) including a legal hotline, legal Q&As, support via email, sample letters and more.

Commonly referred to as the “NAR Variable Dues Formula” for Designated REALTORS®, the National Association of REALTORS® Delegate Body approved this formula to ensure fairness.  Member dues are based on the number of individuals licensed with REALTOR® principals (known as “Designated REALTORS®” or “DRs”). The premise is that every licensee in the firm benefits from the DR’s membership in the Association of REALTORS®, and, therefore, the DR’s dues should reflect all licensees in the firm – even those who are not REALTORS®.

Review this Legal Q&A (2016) that addresses frequently asked questions by DRs when they receive their annual dues billing from their local association.

C.A.R. (California Association of REALTORS®) and NAR (National Association of REALTORS®) billing cycles run on a calendar year, January through December. Bay East Association of REALTORS® local dues and the MLS and Supra Key fees billing cycle run on a fiscal year of July through June.

Example: member renewing  in June 2021, their annual invoice will include:

• Bay East local dues allocation, MLS and Supra Key fees (July 1, 2021-June 30, 2022)
• C.A.R. and NAR dues allocations for 2022.

In accordance with Article IX, Section 2(b) of the Bay East Bylaws, Designated REALTORS® dues and assessments are based on the number of licensees under their brokerage.

Brokers, office managers, and designated assistants can log in into the Broker Portal on the Bay East website at any time to view the payment status of their agents by following these steps:

• Login to https://portal.bayeast.org/

If there are agents in your office who have not paid their fees here are some of your options:

• Reach out to the agent and ask him/her to pay
• Remove the agent’s license from your office on the DRE website using eLicensing.

Call the Bay East accounting department to pay agent’s fees/dues and explore other options directly at 925.730.1070.

Referral Only agents are licensees affiliated with an entity solely engaged in referring clients and customers and are not engaged in the real estate profession as defined in Bylaws Article V, Section 2.2 (b) (buying, selling, exchanging, renting or leasing, managing, counseling, appraising for others for compensation, building, developing or subdividing real estate) and are not participants or subscribers in a Multiple Listing Service (“MLS”), may be eligible for Limited Function Referral Office (LFRO) status.

Brokers and brokerages who have potential LFRO agents, in accordance with Bylaws Article IX, Section 2(d), may certify agents with the association. LFRO agents must have their license hanging with the broker under the referral DBA.

Please contact Bay East Member services at 925.730.4060 for more information or review the LFRO Certification form.

You can view instructions to setup a DBA on the DRE website here

Access our resources for working with buyers page here.

It’s the Law – C.A.R.’s legal eagles tell you what you need to know to stay out of trouble.  Topics include recent legal developments, arbitration rules, legal Q&As, a legal hotline and more.  Login to access all of the features and download the legal hotline app.

Real estate broker and agent practice changes are coming or may already be in place. This site Broker Compensation Compliance will help you, the REALTOR®, with answers to your questions, and allow you to be prepared to answer questions from your seller or buyer client, or other agents in the field. The focus will not be on the reasons for the changes, but rather how you can comply and compete in the new real estate marketplace.

Legal Newsletter Archive:

• Senate Bill 567 to Add “Actual Damages” for Wrongful Eviction of a Tenant: How Much Can the Landlord Be Liable For?

C.A.R. Standard Forms are developed by the C.A.R. Legal Department which gathers input from real estate professionals and attorneys to create user-friendly, comprehensive, and dependable forms.  View the summary of changes and new forms (login required).

Please go to on.car.org/townhall to sign up for a townhall and check back often to learn about additional training opportunities in the weeks ahead. You may attend more than one townhall, however, each one will cover the same material.

Real estate broker and agent practice changes are coming or may already be in place. This site will help you, the REALTOR®, with answers to your questions, and allow you to be prepared to answer questions from your seller or buyer client, or other agents in the field. The focus will not be on the reasons for the changes, but rather how you can comply and compete in the new real estate marketplace.

Visit the C.A.R. SmartZone for access to New Forms & Business Practice Resources.

C.A.R. advocates for REALTOR® issues in Washington D.C., Sacramento and in city and county governments throughout California.

Your contributions to the REALTOR® Action Fund make this possible.

Stay up to date via case studies, briefings, podcasts, and get involved.

C.A.R. provides all the essential real estate transaction management and forms software with all the must-have features, at no additional cost. In addition to online Lone Wolf Transactions – zipForm® Edition, C.A.R offers zipForm® Edition for Brokers and vast array of Transaction Management Tools essential to real estate transaction management.

C.A.R. Customer Support line is available for zipForm® support Monday – Friday from 8:30 a.m.- 4:45 p.m. at 213.739.8227 or by emailing cs@car.org. You can also contact Lone Wolf Support 24 hours a day, seven days a week at 866.279.9653.

zipForm® Mobile is a must-have app.  C.A.R. also offers Centriq, Legal Hotline and the C.A.R. Emoji’s & Stickers app. Learn about the mobile apps.

Claim your FREE 45-Hour Package of Online CE Courses for your License Renewal. All packages meet the DRE requirements for mandatory subjects and course categories.  All packages below include an ethics course that fulfills the REALTOR® Code of Ethics Training Requirement for NAR.

Find answers to questions regarding Team Names and a quick guide to Team Names: Rules and Advertising.

Access C.A.R.’s Housing Market Data including Market Stats and Forecast, as well as, Current Sales & Price Statistics and the Annual Historical Data Summary.

C.A.R. zipForm® Support

Website:  C.A.R. Transaction Tools
Phone: 213.739.8227  (8:30am – 4:45pm, M-F)
Via email

Lone Wolf zipForm® Edition Tech Support:
Phone: 866.279.9653 (24 hours, 7 Days a Week)
Website: Lone Wolf Support

C.A.R. Legal Support
Website:  Legal Q & A’s, New Laws, and Disclosure Charts
Phone: 213.739.8282 – All Agents  (8am – 6pm, M-F & Sat. 10am – 2pm)
Phone: 213.739.8350 – Broker-Owners, Office Managers, Designated REALTORS® (8am – 6pm, M-F)
C.A.R. Legal Hotline App

To continue to provide the strongest consumer protection measures and to better align fees with the cost of providing services, DRE proposed to the Legislature a series of fee increases, and the proposal was approved and signed into law on June 29, 2024. The fee increases take effect July 1, 2024, and they will apply to the below outlined applications submitted to DRE on or after July 1, 2024. These adjustments affect many DRE examinees, licensees, subdivider, and statutory/pre-license course provider fees. DRE last increased statutory fees in 1997. Click here to view the fee table.

RE 540 Broker Self-Evaluation is a checklist designed to assist you in conducting a self-evaluation of your residential real estate business activities.

RE 5 Broker Compliance Evaluation Manual was prepared to assist brokers in conducting residential sales in ascertaining compliance with DRE requirements.

RE27 Real Estate Advertising Guidelines are intended to assist California real estate licensees—brokers and salespersons—in understanding the many advertising requirements they are expected to know and follow. (08/2020)

The Current Real Estate Law is comprised of statutes and regulations with which real estate practitioners should be familiar. It is divided into four parts by subject matter:

• Real Estate Law and Subdivided Lands Law
• Regulations of the Real Estate Commissioner
• Administrative Procedure Act
• Pertinent Excerpts from the California Codes

• The DRE publishes current news with quarterly bulletins, monthly disciplinary actions, and advisories as needed.
• The DRE’s online Reference Book offers quick access to information on a variety of topics. Chapter 19 offers helpful information for running a brokerage.
• The Department of Real Estate launched the First Home – California podcast in September 2023, with the goal of helping consumers get to a place where they know what to expect during the homebuying process, and to help them make sure they’re ready to make informed decisions about what will likely be the biggest purchase of their life. Each episode of the podcast will focus on a specific part of the homebuying process.
• Subscribe to the California Department of Real Estate “News Flash” RSS (Really Simple Syndication) feed to get DRE news delivered directly to your email or desktop!

DRE Website:   dre.ca.gov

Local Office:  Oakland District Office and Examination Site
1515 Clay Street, Suite 702
Oakland, CA 94612
Phone: 877.373.4542

Please visit the DRE website to confirm current office openings and testing. View the latest Coronavirus Updates.

• The Consumer Recovery Account became operative on July 1, 1964, and is funded from a portion of the fees paid by licensees. It enables a person who has been defrauded or had trust funds converted by a real estate licensee in a transaction requiring that license, and who satisfies specified requirements (California Business and Professions Code Section 10471 et seq.) to recover at least some of his or her actual loss when the licensee has insufficient personal assets to pay for that loss.
• The mission of the Complaint Resolution Program is to respond quickly and informally to concerns of consumers and members of the real estate industry by serving as a facilitator to resolve conflicts and/or prevent real estate law violations. Since its inception, the program has proven effective in resolving disputes and in reducing staff workloads by addressing issues up front as opposed to at the conclusion of a lengthy investigative process.

Staying relevant in today’s marketplace and in years to come is a priority for brokerage owners and managers across the country.  Being a Broker resources and topics include information on establishing your business, franchise vs. independent, managing your office, risk management and managing your agents.

Seasoned brokers share the insights and tools of the trade they wish they’d known when they first started out in this edition of the NAR REALTOR® Magazine.

Broker to Broker: practical content on how to grow and shape a successful, ethical, and resilient real estate business.

Tools include information, agendas, and activities for teaching sales meetings with a variety of topics.

Meetings are a necessary part of business. Make sure your sales meetings are productive by taking advantage of the research NAR has already done for you and laid out in its sales meeting strategies.

NAR Legal provides up to date information regarding real estate laws, compliance regulations, risk management, fair housing, and more.  Online legal cases are searchable and summarized by the Legal Affairs department.  Financial assistance to support litigation may also be available.

Window to the Law is a monthly video series focusing on a legal topic of interest. Not just for legal professionals, Window to the Law covers topics applicable to legal compliance for real estate professionals, brokerages, and REALTOR® associations. View archived videos.

The REALTOR® Party is a powerful alliance of REALTORS® and REALTOR® Associations working to advance public policies and candidates that build strong communities, protect property interests and promote a vibrant business environment.

The Broker Involvement Program provides broker-owners with a quick and effective tool to rally their agents on critical legislative issues affecting the real estate industry.

The Code of Ethics includes the Preamble, Duties to Clients and Customers, Duties to the Public, and Duties to REALTORS®.

While the Code of Ethics establishes obligations that may be higher than those mandated by law, in any instance where the Code of Ethics and the law conflict, the obligations of the law must take precedence.

It is important to use NAR’s membership marks-including the REALTOR® logo and the terms REALTOR®, REALTOR-ASSOCIATE®, REALTORS®-correctly.

Read more about Logos and Trademark rules and the details outlined in the Membership Marks Manual.

REALTORS® Property Resource (RPR®) is an invaluable member benefit offered exclusively to REALTORS® at no additional cost. RPR® services every segment of the real estate industry: Residential, Commercial, Brokers, Appraisers, Associations, and MLSs.

HouseLogic is a site for homeowners who want smart solutions to enjoy, improve, and maintain their home; for buyers ready to find their happy place; and for sellers ready for their next chapter.  Share with your agents and clients.

realtor.com offers a comprehensive list of for-sale properties, as well as the information and tools to make informed real estate decisions searchable by the public.  Members should set up their profile so potential clients will find them.

NAR Mobile Apps include NAR Legislative, realtor.com, RPR® Mobile and more.

Website:  nar.realtor
Phone: 1.800.874.6500  (8 am-6 pm CT, M-F)
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