Here’s a question: Have you ever considered any problems the disabled might encounter trying to access or download information online?
Unless you deal each day with these ideas, chances are that online access does not fall into that realm of thought.
There may come a day soon, however, where you’ll definitely need to add this to your online “to do list,” as courts around the country are currently deciding on the issue of whether the American with Disabilities Act (ADA) extends to the Internet.
Some courts have indeed found that websites must be made accessible to people with visual and other impairments. While the ADA itself doesn’t address this issue, that’s only because the 1990 legislation predates the widespread use of the Internet.
Looking toward the future, it may be prudent to make your websites ADA compliant today, before being forced to meet an arbitrary deadline sometime in the future.
But how can you do that? Well, here are a few tips:
Contact your website expert and inquire about the current accessibility of your site.
Learn how your site scores on the “Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.0” standards created by the World Wide Web Consortium.
Learn about programs that add text descriptions to complex graphics, voiceovers that read aloud and/or transcripts of videos.
Add a feedback form to your site so users can tell you about what accessibility features you may need to add or improve upon.
BE PROACTIVE. Addressing these issues now can prevent legal and time sensitive problems later.
The National Association of REALTORS® recommends the above steps and others in order to ensure compliance with the ADA, both now and in the future.
Watch the video below to learn more about this issue:
How do you feel about this or other current issues going on in the world of real estate? Leave us your comments below and join in on the discussion.
This is your ultra-fast, easy dose of the latest tech that can help your life as a REALTOR®. Whether it’s using the MLS, Mobile Apps, or surfing around, we’ll give you the tools you need each Tuesday.
Tech Tip Tuesday #053 – Accessing DAR forms via DotLoop and Zip Forms
Today’s Tip:
Today we learn about Accessing DAR forms via DotLoop.
We do already have an instructional PDF on how to access DAR forms via DotLoop, but we now have an additional screencast showing you exactly how it’s done. (Also, click here to find your NRDS Number.)
Welcome to SCAORCast, your ultra-fast download of everything Sussex County Association of REALTORS®. Here’s what’s happening for this week. (Check our show notes at the bottom of this page for easy access to all of these links.) Our thanks to Royal Pest Solutions for sponsoring today’s episode.
This Week’s Show Notes & Links:
Leg Action Day – Tomorrow is Legislative action day, where REALTORS® make their voice heard in the states capital at Leg hall. We’ll be addressing issues like the rocket docket which expedites project review process, supporting the clean water for Delaware act with the stipulation that the least possible impact is made on taxpayers, property owners and business owners., and opposing HS 1 for HB 200, the parking lot bill that places an undue burden on the counties for enforcement and can be prohibitively expensing for business owners. Know that we’re on location tomorrow working for you!
Call to Action from NAR – Keep an eye out for a call to action from NAR. Help us reach the 20% participation rate by Telling the U.S. Senate to Pass HR 3700 & Get to Work for Future Homebuyers. Keep an eye out on your emails today for that.
Remember to RSVP for the 100 Year Realtor Celebration happening on June 23rd. We’re going to have an awesome reception-style party with food, music, awards and more, and it’s all free. All you have to do is go to scaor.com/party to register.
Questions? Comments? Talk back to us and let us know. We’d love to hear from you. (And be sure to subscribe in iTunes, and never miss an episode again!)
Building on the hugely successful advertising campaign that once urged consumers to “Get Milk,” the National Association of REALTORS® has embarked on a similar effort that instead prompts prospective home buyers and sellers to always utilize the knowledge and expertise of a properly trained REALTOR®.
Dubbed “Get REALTOR®,” the campaign launched in February and according to NAR’s Website, “targets hyper-connected and emerging generations of home buyers, sellers, owners and investors.” Primarily aimed at millennials, the advertising push is meant to discourage younger homebuyers from attempting the home buying or selling process alone. NAR President Tom Salomone of Florida put it best:
“When it comes to real estate and the Internet, today’s consumers don’t always know what they don’t know.”
The bottom line and the focus of the “Get REALTOR®” campaign is that unforeseen problems and issues are inevitably going to arise. The process can be a complex minefield of financing, inspections, legal documents, disclosures, negotiations, and any number of other possible pitfalls. It’s navigating this potential minefield that sets REALTORS® apart from mere real estate agents.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zrQZhFAKYUI
To further educate the public on this important distinction, NAR has also partnered with the ABC television network via a special integration deal. If you missed the recent episode of the popular “Modern Family” television program where main character Phil Dunphy, played by actor Ty Burrell, explained his work as a licensed REALTOR®, then here’s a clip to explain the program and the goals of the advertising campaign.
Programs like this assist greatly with the main “Get REALTOR®” advertising campaign that’s hit television, print media and online sites since the beginning of 2016. And they help all of us do our jobs that much better. After all, SCAOR is comprised of REALTOR® members, so educating the public on the key advantages of using a licensed REALTOR® can only benefit each and every one of us.
This is your ultra-fast, easy dose of the latest tech that can help your life as a REALTOR®. Whether it’s using the MLS, Mobile Apps, or surfing around, we’ll give you the tools you need each Tuesday.
Tech Tip Tuesday #019 – Advanced MLS Wildcard Searching
In the real world, we forget bits and pieces of information that’s essential to finding what we need. In the MLS, there’s a handy feature that helps find what you need using just pieces of information. The asterisks, (which you can produce by hitting “shift-8” on the keyboard is a wildcard that allows you to search for what you remember. Let’s see how it works.
Let’s say you can remember what some of your criteria starts with, but can’t remember the entire name or number. Well, add an asterisks wherever your memory fails. If I know the phone number of the person I’m looking for starts with a 302-227….but can’t remember the rest, add an asterisk, and it’ll search for everything that starts with those numbers. Let’s say you remember the last name starts with an “s” and ends with a “t”….but can’t remember their full name, add an asterisk in the middle.
Let’s say you remember the office name had the word re/max somewhere in it? Just add an asterisk at the beginning and end of the term, and now we see every occurrence of the word.
Very cool, very helpful way to find what you’re looking for when you can’t remember the whole term.
That’s advanced MLS wildcard searching, and that’s today’s tech tip tuesday.
Welcome to SCAORCast, your ultra-fast download of everything Sussex County Association of REALTORS®. Here’s what’s happening for this week. (Check our show notes at the bottom of this page for easy access to all of these links.) Our thanks to Women’s Council of REALTORS® for sponsoring today’s episode.
This Week’s Show Notes & Links:
Tomorrow there is a Sign Ordinance amendment before Sussex County Council on at 10am. This proposed amendment has significantly negative impacts upon your business. SCAOR is holding a position of opposition to this amendment. If you haven’t already responded to the call to action, You may do so now by clicking here.
One Question with a staff member: “What are some of the essential tools for a REALTOR® to have in their technology toolkit? And what’s ahead?”
Questions? Comments? Talk back to us and let us know. We’d love to hear from you. (And be sure to subscribe in iTunes, and never miss an episode again!)
Arriving today, we’re excited to announce that we’ve streamlined SCAOR.com to be cleaner, more compact, and easier to navigate. We wanted to give you a design that looked great on whatever device or browser you might be using. Phone? Desktop? Tablet?All good.
You Keep Changing Things!!
Absolutely, we are. We believe in constant improvement, and that helps us serve everyone better. Just as food that starts fresh gets stale over time, we believe that anything that sits still for too long will start to stink 😉 That’s why we’ve been pursuing the latest standards in design and code. It’s also a significant step toward making SCAOR’s site ADA complient.
So, What’s New Then?
Aesthetically? A lot. Navigation-wise? Hardly anything. And that’s the great news. All the buttons are in the same place that you’d expect them to be; Just more prominent, and better-labelled.
What if I Don’t See it Yet? …..And What’s Next?
Patience. It’ll show up within the next 24 hours. If you don’t already see the new design here, try the site again in a few hours.
And leave a comment below letting us know what you think! We’d love your feedback.
