MLS should be national, public
Letter to the Editor
By Inman News, Thursday, January 22, 2009.Re: 'Experts predict major change for MLSs' (Jan. 9)
Dear Editor:
Why the real estate industry does not have a nationwide multiple listing service in the U.S. shows the small-minded, egocentric thinking that is the hallmark of our industry. The build could be financed on a per-capita assessment of all members of the National Association of Realtors, and administered by an elected or appointed board of directors chosen based on technical expertise.
Then every board and every member in the country could have access on a monthly fee basis, based on the cost to operate and upgrade. The public would have limited access to all the listings on the system as they now do on realtor.ca in Canada. This is not a matter of building a better mousetrap -- it is the ultimate mousetrap.
It would provide MLS access to every licensee and provide public access to every listing. Why are we so afraid of the public having access to MLS information? Isn't our stated aim as agents to expose every seller's property to the greatest number of potential buyers as quickly as possible?
What better exposure could we hope to gain than worldwide exposure within 24 hours of the execution of the listing contract? In the past I have had in-depth, personal involvement in the technical issues involved and the only real hindrance is the politics of overinflated egos.
Don MacKay
Managing broker
AMEX Realty
Vancouver, Canada
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Submitted by Derek Eisenberg on January 22, 2009 - 1:28pm.
Mr. MacKay,
Please describe what is involved to get a change made to the national database. In other words say your property is noted as yes for waterfront but the choices are Ocean, Lake and River but you want stream or pond added. How easy is it to get that done. Similarly, say that your listing has a copper roof and the only choices are shingle, slate and tile. How easy is it to get that done.
I concur that a national database could be more efficient in theory but in practice I think it would be like changes I have requested from Realtor.com that their staff says are good ideas but their management never implements.
In my local MLS, I call or email the EO or someone on the tech committee and it's done fast.
Derek Eisenberg
http://www.mls2u.com
Submitted by Bruce Hahn on January 22, 2009 - 2:16pm.
American Homeowners Grassroots Alliance
Mr. McKay is absolutely correct. It would be a much better and user friendly system for home sellers and home buyers. It would be even better for all if all MLSs were prohibited from discriminating against any category of listings, and all members of every MLS were required to post all listings in that MLS on their consumer facing websites. Real estate brokers would be providing a better service to those who provide their living, there would be fewer pesky FTC and Justice Department lawsuits, and less unfavorable media coverage that undermines the profession's reputation.
A national MLS would be a lot of work but it can be done. Other industries and other databases (Craigslist, eBay, Yahoo, etc.) have done it. It's only a matter of the determined visionaries overcoming the defeatists and obstructionists.
Submitted by Jerry Hoffman on January 22, 2009 - 2:27pm.
Egos and politics will cetainly be problematic, but the concept of putting all the listings into one database is impractical if not just unnecessary. As Derek points out, there are too many issues to accomodate nationally. The myriad differences locally are exponential nationally.
What we are looking for is access to listings nationwide. Why go through the expense and exercise in futility of re-inventing an already effecitve and reliable wheel.
Each MLS can present their data better than any other source. Having a public access along the lines of HAR.com (MLS run) is probably best. This could keep the listing agent/broker as the primary conduit of information, content and contact. After all, the listing exists because of a contractual agreement between seller and broker. Lets at least try to acknowledge the agency that created the listing in the first place.
A network of links to search these MLS sites could be created along the lines of the state government list at www.statelocalgov.net It would be organized/indexed regionally or by state.
No politics; no data compatability issues; control by the broker with sole responsibility and authority for the listing through their MLS; the largely (not solely) voyeuristic need to peek into different markets around the country are met.
The only problem is, nobody gets to make a boat load of money off the daily efforts of licensed agents in the field, without compensating these agents/brokers. Certainly the owners of such a site would rake in some advertising revenue, but there are costs to maintaining such a minimal site. Ultimately, the broker responsible for the listing has direct control. Not as much fun as building another Tower of Babel, but a whole lot easier.
Submitted by Art Lane on April 24, 2009 - 5:59am.
Actually there are grassroots efforts to launch national MLS websites.
While Trulia, HomeGain and others offer an impersonal approach, our website, The National MLS Access Point, offers MLS access via local IDX links embedded in websites maintained by independent REALTOR-GRIs in local markets.
This offers three distinct advantages:
1. Visitors obtain information in a local-regional format without pre-registration;
2. Visitors have the option of contacting the local REALTOR whose site has been used as an on-ramp to that MLS for additional assistance;
3. Since the participating REALTORs must be pre-qualified as Graduates of the REALTORS institute (GRIs), the public is assured that they will be working with those who have a demonstrated commitment to the profession.
Art Lane
admin@nationalmlsaccesspoint.com
http://direct2mls.com