Reminder: WINForms® users must upgrade to zipForm® 6. Beginning April 1, access to WINForms® will be terminated. All users, including those who already upgraded to zipForm® 6, must renew their software user licenses by March 31 to continue receiving access to this valuable resource.  Users who do not renew their software license by March 31 will be unable to use the program until they complete the renewal process. Click here for more info and instructions.

The U.S. Treasury has allocated $699.6 million to CalHFA to help low and moderate income borrowers who have been hit hardest by unemployment and falling home values. These funds will be used for innovative programs to help stabilize the housing market. Click to read more.

January sales and price report: California median price increased 15 percent; home sales decreased 10.6 percent. Read more.

California Department of Real Estate (DRE), and the State Bar of California are warning homeowners to avoid forensic loan audits, the loan-modification industry’s latest “phony foreclosure-relief service.� Read more.

Members have reported that certain investor buyers use a standard form “As-Is Contract for Sale and Purchase” which fraudulently purports to be approved by the California Association of REALTORS®. The form purports to be approved by C.A.R., although has not reviewed or approved the form. C.A.R. currently has no standard form with the words, “As Is,” in the title. REALTORS® who come across the form are encouraged to report the matter to C.A.R. by contacting Strategic Defense Counsel, Nicole Briggs, at nicoleb@car.org.

In the wake of a devastating earthquake in Haiti on January 12, the National Association of REALTORS® mobilized its resources to support the more than 3 million people affected by this tragedy. The REALTORS® Relief Foundation of NAR is contributing $550,000 to provide relief to Haiti earthquake victims, and NAR is calling upon its 1.2 million members to help. For more information and to make a contribution, click here.

The Department of Housing and Urban Development has announced it will eliminate for one year the FHA 90-day anti-flipping rule that general prohibits insuring a mortgage on a home owned by the seller for less than 90 days. To read more, click here.

Rising defaults on FHA loans have led to the FHA’s cash reserves falling below federally mandated levels. New rules proposed by the FHA are designed to ensure borrowers have a stronger equity position and are less likely to default. To read more, click here.

For more information on how you can save on your local dues click here.

Beginning January 27, you will notice changes to the address fields in Tempo. Sandicor is adding new fields for street directions, matching the address fields in the tax database. The new fields are Street Directional, Street Type and Street Post-Direction. For more information, visit www.sandicor.com.