Application for Membership / MLS

All licensees, must belong to a primary association.  Those who join RCAR become REALTORS® and must abide by and complete the Code of Ethics and Fair Housing course renewal requirements adopted by NAR (National Association of REALTORS®).

**Licensed Assistants must pay non-member fees $250 if they do not need the benefits package of primary or secondary association membership.  Licensed Assistants must demonstrate a subscription with an MLS in Tennessee in order to qualify for a Waiver of MLS Subscription Fees, or must pay the Bi-Annual MLS fees to RC-MLS.

I understand and agree that I must complete a New Member Orientation within the first two (2) offerings following application for membership, or I will lose my provisional privileges and be requried to pay a $175 reinstatement fee. 

I hereby certify that the foregoing information furnished by me is true and correct, and I agree that failure to provide complete accurate information as requested, or any misstatement of fact, shall be grounds for revocation of my membership, if granted. I agree that, if accepted for membership in River Counties Association, I shall pay the fees and dues as established. 

Attach (or email) a copy of your TREC 1 Form and a Letter of Good Standing if applicable to melissa@rivercounties.com  

REALTOR® Association Information --For Primary and Secondary Membership Only.

If you have previous affiliation with a REALTOR® association, you will need a "Letter of Good Standing" to accompany your application prior to processing.

PRIMARY MEMBERSHIP

This type of membership includes benefits for all three associations (NAR, TAR, RCAR).
Membership entitles you to use the registered trademark of REALTOR®.
Dues are collected annually for all threee entities and are pro-rated on join date.

 

SECONDARY MEMBERSHIP

This type of membership includes benefits for two associations (TAR and RCAR).
Membership entitles you to use the registered trademark of REALTOR®
Dues are collected annually for just the two entities and are pro-rated on join date.
Members must demonstrate primary membership with another REALTOR® Association.

RCAR TERMS OF AGREEMENT FOR ALL APPLICANTS

I hereby apply for membership in the River Counties Association of REALTORS®, Inc. and understand there is a nonrefundable Application fee. Membership is provisional until fully approved.

I/we agree to complete the entire required indoctrination program for the River Counties Association of REALTORS®,Inc., and otherwise be familiar with the Code of Ethics of the National Association of REALTORS®, Inc., including the duty to arbitrate business disputes in accordance with the Code of Ethics and Arbitration Manual of the Association and the Constitution, Bylaws, and Rules and Regulations of the River Counties Association, the Tennessee Association and the National Association of REALTORS®. 

Pursuant to the bylaws, I further understand and agree as a condition to membership to thoroughly familiarize myself with the Code of Ethics of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®, the Constitutions, Bylaws, and Rules and Regulations of the Board, the State and National Associations, and if elected a Member, will abide by the Constitutions and Bylaws and Rules and Regulations of the Board, State and National Associations, and if a REALTOR® Member, will abide by the Code of Ethics of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® including the obligation to arbitrate or to mediate  controversies arising out of real estate transactions as specified by Article l7 of the Code of Ethics, and as further specified in the Code of Ethics and Arbitration Manual of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®, as from time to time amended, and applicant consents that the Association, through its Membership Committee or otherwise, may invite and receive information and comment about applicant from any Member  or  other  persons,  and  that  applicant  agrees  that  any  information  and  comment  furnished  to  the Association by any person in response to the invitation shall be conclusively deemed to be privileged and not form the basis of any action for slander, libel, or defamation of character. The applicant shall, with the form of application, have access to a copy of the Bylaws, Constitution, Rules and Regulations, and Code of Ethics referred to above. (Amended 11/11, 09/12)

NOTE: Applicant acknowledges that if accepted as a member and he/she subsequently resigns or is expelled from membership in the Association with an ethics complaint or arbitration request pending, the Board of Directors shall condition renewal of membership upon applicant's verification that he/she will submit to the pending ethics or arbitration proceeding and will abide by the decision of the Hearing Panel: or if applicant resigns or is expelled from membership without having complied with an award in arbitration, the Board of Directors shall condition renewal of membership upon his/her payment of the award, plus any costs that have previously been established as due and payable in relation thereto, providing that the award and such costs have not, in the interim, been otherwise satisfied. 

I agree to abide by the Code of Ethics as stated on NAR.REALTOR.ORG

I hereby certify that the foregoing information furnished by me is true and correct, and I agree that failure to provide complete and accurate information as requested, or any misstatement of fact, shall be grounds for revocation of my membership if granted.

I further agree that, if accepted for membership in the Board, I shall pay the fees and dues as from time to time established. Associations (local, state, national) and their subsidiaries, if any, may contact me at the specified address, telephone numbers, fax numbers, email, texts, addresss, or other means of communication available. 

This consent applies to changes in contact information that may be provided by me to the Association(s) in the future. This consent recognizes that certain state and federal laws may place limits on communications that I am waiving to receive all communications as part of my membership. 

I agree to the Bylaws of the Association, Policies and Procedures of the Association and FCC rules and regulations regarding communication and hereby consent to being contacted via E-mail, Facebook, Phone, text messaging and mail by RCAR, TAR, and NAR.

 

By typing your name below you are agreeing to all the terms and provisions in the RCAR Policies & Procedures, Bylaws and REALTOR® Code of Ethics, including required orientation, pursuant to NAR Mandate. You further understand these governing documents may change from time to time and it is your responsibility to stay informed as to all changes. 

 

Please allow up to 72 business hours for processing. 

I am making application to the River Counties Multiple Listing Service under the following terms, conditions, and consents. 

I agree to abide by the Constitutions, Bylaws, and Rules and Regulations of the River Counties Multiple Listing Service along with the State and National governing documents, and REALTORS®.

I understand I must be a member in good standing at a primary REALTOR® Association to receive MLS privileges and access.

I understand these governing documents may be amended from time to time. I further consent and authorize the RCMLS to transfer the information in my MLS file to any other MLS. I certify to the best of my knowledge the following information is true.

COPYRIGHT AGREEMENT

Pursuant to the DMCA (Digital Millennial Copyright Act) https://www.copyright.gov/dmca/ and Federal Copyight laws, user agrees to uphold copyright integrity and intellectual property mandates.

All files of the subject database MLS (“Database”) change on a daily basis.

Changes include the addition and deletion of records and changes to fields in existing records. The Database includes original selection, coordination, and arrangement.

User attests to original authorship of all media and descriptions and assign such copyright privileges to RC-MLS for the purposes of managing the MLS Database.  Users uploading listing content to RC-MLS Database do so pursuant to a click-through agreement that provides that the selection, coordination, and arrangement of the listing content that they submit for inclusion in the Database is a work made for hire for the Copyright Claimant (RC-MLS).

As a result, the Copyright owner (RC-MLS) is deemed owner of the selection, coordination and arrangement registration.

Uploading users may upload as many as 60 or more photographs per property listing. Users typically have available to them dozens of photographs of each property and creatively select the number of photos and the photos to be included in the listing content based on judgment concerning how to best market the property.

Users agree to follow all MLS rules regarding photos and other media, and understand the first photo, pursuant to the rules for the property type, must stay on the platform post-closing.

User understands and agrees they will not use photos or descriptions of properties, without express written permission, from the original artist or writer (i.e. agents, broker, photographer, media professional, seller, etc.) on any platform, including all social media.

 

USE OF COPYRIGHTED MLS COMPILATION

Participants shall, at all times, maintain control over and responsibility for each copy of any MLS compilation leased to them by the association of REALTORS®, and shall not distribute any such copies to persons other than subscribers who are affiliated with such participant as licensees, those individuals who are licensed or certified by an appropriate state regulatory agency to engage in the appraisal of real property, and any other subscribers as authorized pursuant to the governing documents of the MLS. Use of information developed by or published by an association multiple listing service is strictly limited to the activities authorized under a participant’s licensure(s) or certification, and unauthorized uses are prohibited. Further, none of the foregoing is intended to convey participation or membership or any right of access to information developed or published by an association multiple listing service where access to such information is prohibited by law. 

DISPLAY OF CONTENT

Participants and those persons affiliated as licensees with such participants shall be permitted to display the MLS compilation to prospective purchasers only in conjunction with their ordinary business activities of attempting to locate ready, willing, and able buyers for the properties described in said MLS compilation. ALL IDX REQUESTS MUST BE SUBMITTED USING THE MLS DATA LICENSING AGREEMENT.

UNAUTHORIZED USE OF CONTENT

Any participant who believes another participant has engaged in the unauthorized use or display of listing content, including photographs, images, and audio or video recordings, and virtual tours, shall send notice of such alleged unauthorized use to the MLS. Such notice shall be in writing, specifically identify the allegedly unauthorized content, and be delivered to the MLS not more than sixty (60) days after the alleged misuse was first identified. No participant may pursue action over the alleged unauthorized use and display of listing content in a court of law without first completing the notice and response procedures outlined in this Section 9.3 of the MLS rules.

Upon receiving a notice, the Board of Directors will send the notice to the participant who is accused of unauthorized use. Within ten (10) days from receipt, the participant must either: 1) remove the allegedly unauthorized content, or 2) provide proof to the Board of Directors that the use is authorized. Any proof submitted will be considered by the Board of Directors, and a decision of whether it establishes authority to use the listing content will be made within thirty (30) days.

If the Board of Directors determines that the use of the content was unauthorized, the Board of Directors may issue a sanction pursuant to Section 7 of the MLS rules, including a request to remove and/or stop the use of the unauthorized content within ten (10) days after transmittal of the decision.  If the unauthorized use stems from a violation of the MLS rules, that too will be considered at the time of establishing an appropriate sanction.

If after ten (10) days following transmittal of the Board of Director’s determination the alleged violation remains uncured (i.e. the content is not removed or the rules violation remains uncured), then the complaining party may seek action through a court of law. 

CONFIDENTIAL TERMS

It is hereby a agreed between the River Counties MLS, and applicant, that the password used by the user and the data retrieval procedure shall be maintained in total confidentiality. Failure to maintain the confidentiality of the password and data retrieval procedures will result in imediate discontinuance of computer services for the user. Reinstatement of computer services will be determined by the MLS Committee with approval by the Board of Directors.

Computer printed reports, shall be maintained in total confidentiality, and will be controlled in a manner consistent with the MLS and Comparable Data Rules and Regulations established by the River Counties Multiple Listing Service. 

The user acknowledges that accesss and use of the River Counties Multiple Listing Service and comparable data service is contingent upon compliance with the rules and regulations of the multiple listing and comparable service. Failure of the applicant to abide by the rules and regulations may subject user and/or the particiapnt to sanction, provided the recipient of such sanction may file for an appeal with the River Counties Multiple Listing Service Board of Directors within (20) days of the committee's decision being rendered. 

Further, the user also, by submission of this agreement, hereby understands that the data from the River Counties Multiple Listing Service may not be shared or used in any way by persons or entities whom/which are not active RCMLS users.

The user further understands and agrees that any information derived from the MLS will be for the use and benefit of the user's real estate business and not for any other company(s) for whom the user may work. (i.e., mortgage companies; title companies may not have access to the active MLS data.) These types of companies may make application for the comparable information access only and must be a Preferred Partner Member of the Association. 

I agree to the above stated MLS User Information Password Confidentiality/Compliance Agreement. I understand MLS Fees are separate from membership dues and are billed bi-annually. 

CONSENT TO MONITORING 

The River Counties Multiple Listing Service ("RCMLS") aggregates information pertaining to real property. This aggregation of information is compiled from Participants and Subscribers and is placed on a Multiple Listing Service ("MLS"). The undersigned requests access to the information as a Subscriber, defined in the MLS By-Laws, and includes Licensees and Users. A subscriber can only obtain access to the RCMLS by going through a Participant. As a condition for access, the undersigned consents to the RCMLS monitoring the access and usage of the Subscriber. 

NOW, in consideration of the access to the RCMLS, Subscriber acknowledges and agrees to the following: 

1. Subscriberhas no ownership or property interest in the data and information aggregated by the RCMLS and placed in the MLS data file. The aggregated data and informtion is the exclusive property of the RCMLS.

2. Subscriber has no ownership interst in any of their individual listings. All listings are the proeprty of the Participant, as the Principal or Managing Broker. The access of the Subscriber's access is subject to following the Rules and Regulations and By-Laws of the RCMLS. 

3. Subscriber is requesting and if such request is granted, to receive only a limited, revocable license for the access and usage of RCMLS services. 

4. Subscriber stipulates that the RCMLS has a financial interest in its data and services and a legitimate business need to monitor and audit the access, usage, data, and the operations of the RCMLS. 

5. Subscriber knowingly consents to the RCMLS monitoring the access and usage of all of the RCMLS data, information, and services by the Subscriber. 

6. Subscriber expressly acknowledges that the Subscriber is familiar with the Rules and Regulations and By-Laws of the RCMLS and consents to the RCMLS sharing with or disclosing to the Participant the history or any other record concerning the access and usage of the RCMLS by the Subscriber. 

7. Subscriber waives any notice of monitoring and agrees that a record of access and usage may be compiled by the absolute discretion of the RCMLS Board. 

8. Subscriber agrees to indemnify and hold the RCMLS harmless for any loss, damage, or claim, incurred due to the misuse of access or information and any violation of the Rules and Regulations and By-laws of the RCMLS by the Subscriber or anyone using the username and password of the Subscriber. This indemnification includes but is not limited to reasonable attorney's fees and costs and expenses related to arbitration or litigation incurred by the RCMLS. 

9. If Subscriber changes firms or no longer continues as a Subscriber, the terms of this consent shall continue as a personal obligation of the Subscriber. 

10. If any provision or part of this consent form is found to be uneforceable, then the remaining portions of the consent form shall be enforceable as written with deletion of the unenforceable portion. 

11. This Agreement shall be governed by the laws of the State of Tennessee. 

By signing your name below you are agreeing to all the terms and provisions listed above.

Please allow up to 72 business hours for processing.