Make the MLS a pure marketing tool

Re: 'Sending out an SOS over MLS entries' (Jan. 28)

Dear Editor:

The assessment of the multiple listing service today as a marketing tool, literally to the world, is spot on. But then we need to treat it as such and allow it to be used to the best advantage for that purpose.

Many of the current, standard multiple listing service rules are not addressing that reality and continue to act as if it was meant for real estate professionals' use exclusively. An example of this is the restriction on including URLs that would take the individual to another site to view additional information about a property.

The so-called logic of this rule is that if an agent had an agency relationship with a client, the agent is not required to display to the client any information about a property's listing agency or agent.

If we really want to get radical with the MLS -- how about making it a pure marketing vehicle and do away with the practice of offering compensation to the cooperating broker through the MLS contract.

This relic is left over from the time before agency, when everybody worked for the seller. If we did away with this relic, every agent -- listing or selling -- would have to get their compensation agreement from their client.

No more procuring-cause arguments, no more worry about whether the commission was split 50-50 or not, and we would not be treated as a commodity because everyone would have to determine their own worth and fee structure. Organized real estate would lose a lot of dues-payers -- all those agents who cannot negotiate a contract to get paid for their services (about 80 percent, perhaps, or for sure the 60-plus percent who were MLS subscribers last year but did not complete even one side of one transaction).

The day is coming to let the MLS be what it is best at: a marketing tool with data available to everyone.

Allan Bernardi
Broker
RE/MAX Dolphin Real Estate
San Mateo, Calif.

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