With all of the talk of new lockboxes and keys, the MLS Department has also been getting a number of questions about where SFARMLS lockboxes and keys will work within The Bay Area. Below is a quick guide:
SFAR Keys Will Work In:
MLSListings®: San Mateo, Santa Clara, San Benito, Santa Cruz, Monterey, San Joaquin, Stanislaus and part of Merced (not Merced city) counties.
MAXEBRD (Paragon): Alameda and Contra Costa counties.
SFAR Keys Will Not Work Unless Co-oped in:
BAREIS®: Marin, Mendocino, Napa, Solano and Sonoma counties.
MetroList®: El Dorado, Merced (Western), Placer, Sacramento, San Joaquin, Stanislaus and Yolo counties.
All SFAR keys (including the eKey) currently work in the East Bay (Alameda & Contra Costa counties) and the Peninsula. For keys to work in the North Bay, they would have to coop with BAREIS. This is not related to the exchange. Nothing is changing as far as access is concerned.
Key and Fob Questions
Q: If I have an iPhone 5 and I return my DisplayKEY and use only the eKEY app on my iPhone 5 and I want to go show a house in the East Bay or in the Peninsula, will there be anything else that I need to bring? Or can I really just take my phone and that's it?
A: Your iPhone5 is able to open an iBox BT LE with just your phone (no fob). However, only SFAR is standardizing to the iBox BT LE at this exchange. If you go to the Paragon and MLSListings coverage areas, you are likely to encounter an iBox or iBox BT; you will need a Fob to open those boxes. We will still sell the Fob 3 accessory for $100 + tax. (Click here to review the key pricing chart)
Q: Are all of the lockbox containers in the East Bay and in the Peninsula using only the Bluetooth LE key boxes (iBox BT LE) ? Or, will agents encounter the iBox BT boxes, as well?
A: Most associations are still using the older boxes. Only BARIES has upgraded so far.
Q: I have an Android phone with iBox BT LE, do I need a Fob?
A: No, you don not need a Fob on iBox BT LE, but you will need a Fob for older boxes. Q: I have an android phone with an older version of Bluetooth, do I need a Fob?
A: Yes, you will need a Fob on all boxes. Q: I have an iPhone 4s/5/5s/5c (the Bluetooth LE iPhones), do I need a Fob?
A: No, you do not need a Fob to access the iBox BT LE; but you need a Fob to access older boxes.
Q: I have an iPhone 4, or older, do I need a Fob? A: Yes, a Fob is needed to access all boxes.
