Alameda & Contra Costa County Recorder's Offices - Open/Closed Status

Alameda County:

The Alameda County Recorder's Office is now closed to the public. Unfortunately, the County does not have online recording capability, however, documents can still be filed at the recorder's office by placing them in a dropbox. Please check with your title company to confirm recordation timelines.

Please visit their website for the official notice:

https://www.acgov.org/auditor/clerk/

Contra Costa County:

The Clerk-Recorder-Elections Department remains open to provide essential services, but access to buildings and in-person services is limited. The Department is urging customers to use online services in an effort to help reduce the rate of COVID-19 transmission. In-person services are currently limited to transactions that cannot be done online, over the phone or through the mail. For more information on the impact of specific services offered by the Clerk-Recorder's office, please click here.

Starting March 17, 2020, through April 7, 2020, the Clerk of the Board will operate on a modified schedule, and will be open from 10 AM to 2 PM.

During non-public hours, please email clerkoftheboard@cob.cccounty.us and a member of their staff will contact you as soon as possible

Urgent news for your transactions! CAR just released NEW Coronavirus form

C.A.R. released the following message on March 17, 2020:

C.A.R. just released NEW Coronavirus form We know many of you are in the middle of, or about to enter into transactions that may be affected by the coronavirus situation. In response to this unprecedented crisis, we are pleased to inform you that C.A.R. has just released a new form called the Coronavirus Addendum/Amendment (Form CVA). It will be in zipForm® tomorrow but in the meantime you can download it here and use it in your transactions. The form provides that when circumstances related to the coronavirus are affecting the closing date, the Buyer and Seller agree to extend escrow for a default of 30 days. There is also an optional clause where the buyer and seller can mutually agree to cancel the Agreement and an additional optional clause where the buyer or seller can cancel even after removing the loan contingency if inability to fund is caused by Covid-19 related loss of income. This form can be used either as an amendment to a contract that is already in place or as an addendum to a contract that has not yet been formed. To help you better understand this new form, C.A.R. Legal is offering a free webinar tomorrow, March 18, at 3 p.m.. Additionally, we are offering a zipForm® webinar tomorrow at 11 a.m. about using zipForm® Plus in a paperless world.

COVID-19: Open Houses and Showings

Yesterday, the Association sent out information regarding Broker Tour and Open Houses, and in following with the policies and the mission statement of the Association, we gave the recommendation that you heed the direction of your local, state, and national governmental entities regarding the COVID-19 outbreak.

Based on the March 16 directive to Shelter in Place until April 7, we strongly recommend that you do NOT hold Open Houses or Broker Tours, but consider other alternatives using technologies to host "virtual showings," like video chat on your mobile phone, so clients can experience an open house as if they were in person.

By clicking below, you may view the final order of the Shelter in Place for Alameda County, which states: "Order of the Alameda County Health Officer to "Shelter in Place." Violation of or failure to comply with this Order is a misdemeanor punishable by fine, imprisonment, or both. (California Health and Safety Code § 120295, et seq.)"

Click here to view the Final Order.

We also suggest you continue to seek the advice of your broker.

This is an ever-changing situation and your Association and MLS are here for you during their normal business hours: M-F, 9 am - 5 pm.

Bridge AOR: Call 510-848-4288 or email staff@bridgeaor.org

bridgeMLS: Call 925-363-2333 or email support@bridgemls.com

Thank you,

Eric Wong, 2020 President & DaVina Lara, CEO