Standing Rules

Masters Club Rules

Purpose

To recognize the top REALTORS® who have met the approved criteria in one of the categories listed below during the prior calendar year.

Mission

The purpose of the Yolo County Association of REALTORS® (Yolo AR) Masters Club is to support the Association in providing additional programs and services that enhance the competency, professionals and productivity of its Members, and to recognize the achievements of top REALTORS® who apply for membership and who have earned a level of excellence in real estate sales.

Goals

It is the goal of the Masters Club to have between 10-20% of the REALTOR® members of the Yolo County Association of REALTORS® belong to the Masters Club. Each June, the Masters Club Committee shall review the membership figures. Should the number of REALTOR® members approved for Master’s Club exceed 20% or drop below 10% it will be a duty of the Masters Club Committee to recommend changes to the criteria to the Yolo AR Board of Directors.

Eligibility

THE APPLICANT MUST BE A LICENSED REAL ESTATE AGENT OR BROKER and a Member in "good standing" with the Yolo County Association of REALTORS® both at the time of application, and during the year for which applying for Masters Club Membership. 

Member as used in these rules refers to someone who remains a Yolo AR Member in good standing at all times and has paid the current Masters Club dues.

For Reciprocal Membership eligibility requirements please see section titled “Types of Membership.”

Criteria for Approval

1. Applicant must submit in writing the "closed escrows" in which he/she has been either the listing and/or selling agent/broker. Applicant will be given 100% credit for a transaction if he/she represented only a buyer or only a seller in a single transaction. Applicant will be given 200% credit for the sales price if he/she has represented both the buyer and seller of the closed escrow.

2. If the applicant shared in the listing end or the selling end of the transaction with another agent, he/she can only take credit for the portion that the applicant actually completed. (Example: Applicant (Agent A) shared listing end with Agent B, and Agent C sold the property. Applicant (Agent A) can only take credit for the portion for which they are due, which may not be less than 50%).

3. Requests for additional supporting materials must be available for verification upon request of the Masters Club Committee. Failure to furnish records for verification will cause applicant to be disqualified. Falsification of records of sales credit will result in the individual's disqualification from further participation in the Masters Club.

4. Both MLS and non-MLS California sales may be counted. A closed escrow must be recorded during a calendar year to be counted. Applicant may only submit transactions where he/she was the agent of record and an agency relationship has been confirmed.

5. Membership applications involving TEAM LISTINGS AND SALES, including Members with licensed assistants, two Members sharing listings and sales, husband and wife teams and sales involving buyer's agents, must be verified in writing by the Designated Broker or Office Manager and must include each team Member's percentage (either 50% OR 100%) for each listing and/or sale. All team applications must be submitted together along with the broker verification and each team Member must meet the qualifying amount in order to be a Member of the Masters Club.

6. Information not reflected properly in the MLS must be considered as a non-MLS transaction with submission of documentation justifying credit for the applicant's share of the listing or sale. Qualifying documentation includes the listing and/or sales printout with the applicant's name recorded as part of the listing or sales team, OR a New Home/Non-MLS Sales Verification Form with the documentation requested on the form.

Category – Residential & Commercial

Applicants for this category must have a minimum of 8 closed ends AND $4 million in production OR  20 closed escrows of sales within California.

The applicant may submit the following closed real estate transactions where he/she has been the agent of record (not as a salaried employee) and represented either the buyer or seller or both.

A. Re-sale Residential/Residential Income (including For Sale by Owner)

B. New Residential

C. Land Sales/Subdivided Lots

D. Ranch Sales

E. Commercial

A Broker Member does not receive credit for a listing or sale of his/ her licensed personnel. A broker receives listing or selling credit only for his/her own individual transactions.

On HUD transactions, the applicant will be given credit for the selling end only of the transaction since he/she represents only the buyer when awarded the total commission paid.

Use of Logo and Advertising

Use of the Masters Club logo and/or advertising is restricted to Yolo AR Members and

Sacramento AR members who remain in good standing with their respective associations

and have paid the current Masters Club dues.

For new and continuing Members, the logo and/or advertising may be used only by those

Members who have submitted an application and have been accepted for Membership for

the current Membership year. The current membership year must be legible on all printed

material. Life Members may use the logo and/or advertising only if they have paid the annual

dues for the current Membership year. The current Membership year will not be included in the logo

for the Life Members. 

Types of Membership

New Member – Is the designation pertaining to a first year Member or Member who has had a 3 year or more lapses in Membership and meets current requirements.

Life Member - Is the designation pertaining to a Member who has achieved club criteria in any five out of seven consecutive years and has paid the current year’s dues. Once achieved, Life Member status may be maintained at its current level without meeting qualifying criteria by paying current "dues only" membership.  (See Recognition of Members and Annual Dues for clarification.)

Outstanding Life Member - Is the designation pertaining to a life Member who has qualified for club membership for ten plus years and has paid the current year's dues. Once achieved, Outstanding Life Member status may be maintained at its current level without meeting qualifying criteria by paying current "dues only" membership. (See Recognition of Members and Annual Dues & Dues Only Membership for clarification.)

Presidential Masters Club –  Is the designation pertaining to member who has qualified/achieved membership for at least 25 years with no lapses greater than three years. Pay current membership dues only.

Reciprocal Member-This designation is available for Yolo AR and SAR members who have achieved their appropriate Masters Club criteria for the current year and have paid the current year’s Yolo AR and SAR dues.

Lapses in Membership

Masters Club Members who have not paid their dues for a period of three (3) years or more will lose their last designated Masters Club Membership status and start over as a New Member.

Recognition of Members

Members who have achieved club criteria for the current Membership year and who pay the current year's dues will be recognized at the annual awards meeting and in local media publications and Yolo AR news media.

Only Members who have achieved club criteria for the current year may order plaques or year plates for that year.



Preparation of Application

The application must include:

1. A completed Masters Club application form signed by the applicant.

2. The Masters Club Report from the MLS.

3. Masters Club annual dues must be attached as well as any payments for plaques and year plates.

4. Only 100% or 50% credit (per the names on the MLS printout), will be given for each side of a transaction.

5. EACH new home/non-MLS sale must be submitted along with the New Home/Non-MLS Sales Verification Form and must include the proper documentation as indicated on the form. (Copies of the form may be made for each entry.)

6. If the applicant’s name does not appear on the MLS print-out, or any information is incorrect on the MLS print-out, the transaction will be considered a non-MLS transaction requiring the non-MLS form and appropriate documentation referenced on the non-MLS form.

7. Late applications will be accepted until the last business day of June by completing the requirements above and attaching a late payment of $50 in addition to the dues. The Masters Club cannot assure recognition at the luncheon or in the media for late applications, or the availability of plaques. The late application fee is not applicable to “Dues Only” Life Members who may pay the dues anytime during the calendar year following the year for which applying (e.g. 2011 for 2010 production).

Application Deadline

Applications for the current calendar year may be emailed to   estella@yolorealtors.com or mailed to the Yolo AR, 449 Elm Street, Woodland, CA 95695, beginning October 15th of each year. All applications must be received by the Masters Club Yolo AR staff by the close of business on January 17, 2025, at 4:00pm.

Reciprocal Membership

Yolo AR Masters Club members may join the SAR Masters Club as a Reciprocal Member if all qualifying criteria for the current year have been submitted. In addition to paying the Yolo AR Masters Club dues of $50; you will need to pay the SAR Masters Club fee of $85. Yolo AR will then forward your application (proof of production) and the check to the appropriate reciprocal association after first verifying current Yolo AR Masters Club membership.

Annual Dues

The Annual dues shall be set by the Yolo AR Board of Directors (currently $75). Dues for all classes of Masters Club membership must be paid by the established deadline. If an application is submitted after the deadline a $50 late fee shall apply.

All Members must pay the current annual dues, plus the cost of a plaque or year plate (if ordered), to retain membership in the Masters Club. Life Members who do not achieve Club criteria for the current Membership year must pay the annual dues in order to advertise as a Masters Club Member. Dues only Life Members must also pay the current year's dues to use the Masters Club logo and serve on the Masters Club Committee. Dues for such Life Members may be paid at any time during the calendar year following the year for which applying.

Budget and Finance

The dues collected by the Masters Club shall be used for any club-related functions, including postage and correspondence and administrative fees charged by Yolo AR. Consideration will be given to any excess dues at the end of the year for contributions to charitable organizations. The Masters Club Committee makes decisions on the allocation of funds, but an annual financial statement will be prepared and submitted to the Yolo AR Board of Directors for review.

Masters Club Committee

The Yolo AR Board of Directors will appoint a Chairperson of the Masters Club. This person will be selected from the previous year’s Masters Club Committee. The Chairperson will serve a two-year term. Those wishing to serve on the Masters Club Committee must be at least a third year Masters Club member. Interested Masters Club members need to submit their interest in serving on the committee to the Yolo AR offices for consideration. If a Member of the Masters Club Committee does not qualify for Membership the Committee occurring during a term year will be filled by appointment by a majority vote of the Committee, and the appointed member will complete the term of the Committee member replaced.

Meetings

The Masters Club will hold at least one meeting per year. The Awards Program will be combined with the Yolo AR Officer Installation and Awards Program unless otherwise determined by the Committee. Other meetings will be called at the discretion of the Committee and the Chairperson.

Changes to Rules

 
Changes to these Rules can be made by Recommendation of the Masters Club Committee with final approval by the Board of Directors.

Exceptions

Any request for exceptions to these rules must be put in writing and submitted to the Association for approval by the Masters Club Committee and then presented to the Board of Directors for final approval.