Projects
We need your help with funding and we need volunteers to make these projects a reality.
Follows are just a few of the projects for which we need some help:
1. Consumer Data Collection. We want to collect data from real estate consumers about their residential transaction. We believe that studies in this regard will shed light on the type of representation consumers receive and how to improve their investment decisions.
2. Train the Trainers. We want to create a training program for non-profits that work directly with first time home buyers. We have never before used tools that will help first-time buyers make wiser investment decisions.
3. Attorney Surveys. Unconflicted real estate attorneys are the best safeguard to ensure healthy and competitive consumer transactions. These same attorneys are also keenly aware of some of the problems afflicting consumers. Our first survey
4. Compiling Laws. We want consumers to have easy access to residential real estate laws that affect their transactions. In addition, we want to analyze these laws from a consumer perspective to determine if these laws provide the protections for which they were designed.
5.. Controlled Business Arrangements. We want to publicize the names and affiliations of controlled business. One of the worst atrocities to consumer interests occurred when these arrangements were legalized. The industry got the name changed to Affiliated Business Arrangements (to avoid the accurate negative connotations conveyed by the term we use).
6. Who Are The Regulators? This project would involve investigating key real estate regulators around the nation for close ties to the real estate industry.
7. LIST of Buyer Agents Who Discount. Consumers are marketed by buyer agents and often told that the buyer agent works for free or not to worry because the seller is paying for it. That is far from the truth and thousands of agents nationwide will rebate part of their fee back to the buyer. We need help developing this list past the approximately 30 states already on our list.
8. LIST of Exclusive Buyer Agents. These brokerage firms only work for buyers. We want to further develop our list.
9. LIST of Independent Title Agents. Title companies investigate and examine title and make important investigative, examination and closing decisions that severely impact consumers. Title companies that are affiliated with builders, lenders, attorneys and real estate brokerages often have a substantial financial motivation to look the other way when title defects arise. Truly independent title companies avoid these conflicts by choosing to remain free of ties to real estate professionals who refer them business. We have already started our list of independent title agents – we need help to finish it.
10. Create Consumer Friendly Forms and Clauses. Industry forms tend to favor the real estate practitioner and are often harmful to consumers. We have already drafted a form to help consumers avoid the problems of open houses. We also have drafted clauses for buyer representation agreements and listing agreements. There is a lot more work to be done in this area.
11. Amicus Briefs. We are aware of a multitude of complex consumer lawsuits for which the consumers’ voice needs to be heard.
12. Comment Letters. When new real estate laws are proposed, it is important that legislators are made aware of the ramifications of those laws. Although we are prohibited from lobbying, we play an important role in providing information about new proposed laws.
13. Improve CAARE’s Reach. We have an important message for real estate consumers and we need to fully exploit our visibility on social media and SEO results.