NAR Archives

Why MLS sold data is bad, and a note about the comma

Oversights are interesting. They are even more interesting when they are fixed. Let me explain a little bit about “reporting Sales to the (MLS) Service” in the model MLS rules. Up until the recent meeting of the MLS Issues and Policies Committee meeting at the NAR Annual Convention, agents were required to change the listing status to Sold when a transaction closed. This is a case whereby the rule did not clearly indicate the behavior. As written, the agent was required to update the status of the listing, not enter the sale price from the contract. This is a significant [...]

By Victor Lund|2018-05-03T21:25:22-07:00November 16th, 2011|Main category, MLS Insights, Virtual Office Website Series|Comments Off

Nielsen credits HAR and Zillow among others

When it comes to measuring marketing effectiveness, there is little argument that Nielsen is the leader. Nielsen believes that providing clients with a precise understanding of the consumer is the key to making the right decisions — decisions that can lead to profitable growth. At Nielsen, they are always innovating to keep pace with emerging market trends and the increasingly diverse, demanding and connected consumer. Joining Nielsen is the Houston Association of REALTORS, Zillow, a few dozen brokerages, and about 500 of the more than 1 Million REALTORS in America today. These REALTORS are the bold, the true, the transparant, [...]

By Victor Lund|2018-05-03T21:25:23-07:00November 7th, 2011|Broker Technology Research, Main category, Marketing, MLS Insights|Comments Off

It’s time for Gutsy Leadership – Marilyn Wilson’s observations of the CMLS conference

The CMLS Conference in Tucson was absolutely the BEST EVER in my view! First, there were over 550 attendees – the largest in conference history. The conference continues to grow in popularity year after year due to the relevant and timely content delivered coupled with well-organized and FUN events. This year was no different. The CMLS Board led by Merri Jo Cowen and the fabulous hosts at the Tucson Association of REALTORS® led by Phil Tedesco and Wes Wiggins, formerly of Tucson created a very memorable event. Jim Harrison, CEO of MLSListings was also elected as the latest board member [...]

By Marilyn Wilson|2018-05-03T21:25:26-07:00October 13th, 2011|Main category|Comments Off

WAV Group Week in Review September 18 2011

The predominant buzz in real estate this week was focused on successful and unsuccessful buyouts. On the successful side of buyouts, a talented team of managing executives from LPS was able to complete a buyout of non-MLS products and form a new company called RED, an acronym for Real Estate Digital. In a more straightforward buyout, CoreLogic purchased MLS provider Tarasoft, rolling that system under their Marketlinx brand. On the unsuccessful side of buyouts, the Arizona State Association of REALTORS was unsuccessful in its bid to purchase the shares of ARMLS, its first leg in a course to develop a [...]

By Victor Lund|2018-05-03T21:25:28-07:00September 18th, 2011|Main category, MLS Insights|Comments Off

FBI Targets REALTORS

I caught an article published in the Kansas City Star this morning that blew my mind. The Federal Bureau of Investigations reports that there are an estimated $10 Billion in fraudulent loan applications each year in America. The problem is so bad that they have launched a sting initiative called Operation Stolen Dreams. This may be no surprise to many MLS executives. If you operate a large or mid-sided MLS, the FBI has already contacted you to gain access to MLS data. This is the front door approach. In some cases, the FBI gets a real estate license and joins [...]

By Victor Lund|2018-05-03T21:25:32-07:00August 12th, 2011|Main category, MLS Insights|Comments Off

Franchisor IDX issues continue

MLS System providers have been working hard on rapidly delivering a solution to support the NEW NAR policy for Franchisor IDX guidelines that is in place between June 13th and the NAR convention in November. Franchise Organizations lost the privilege extended to them at the last NAR meeting that permitted them to display broker listing data that would link to a franchise broker website. This is called Indexing. Non-Franchise brokers do not feel that the Franchisor – who is a third party and not an MLS member, should have these privileges. IDX data had previously [...]

By Victor Lund|2018-05-03T21:25:38-07:00June 22nd, 2011|Broker Technology Research, Main category, MLS Insights|Comments Off

FBS First to comply with new IDX Rules

FBS Flex MLS For those of you who attended the NAR Midyear Legislative meetings this spring in Washington DC, you may well understand that NAR Executive Committee passed a modification to the IDX model rules and regulations. Specifically, they altered the component of the rule that refers to the rights of Franchise Organizations to receive an IDX feed. Under the old policy, Franchise Organizations would receive a feed of all IDX listings. Under the new policy, a Franchise Organization may only receive IDX listing if an MLS broker as Opted In to sharing their listings [...]

By Victor Lund|2018-05-03T21:25:40-07:00June 10th, 2011|Main category, MLS Insights|Comments Off

CoreLogic v. LPS and RPR Lawsuit
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CoreLogic v. LPS and RPR Lawsuit

Main category, MLS Insights

CoreLogic v. LPS and RPR Lawsuit

Lawsuit On the heals of settling the Civix lawsuit, MLSs are aware that litigation can have significant impacts on the services they offer to their members using third party service providers. The Civix settlement was arranged by NAR legal council and cost MLSs about $9.06 per subscriber. There are other ongoing patent infringement lawsuits for mobile that could also have significant impacts on MLS service providers, but a recent Inman article brought my attention to a suit that CoreLogic has pending against LPS, and by association, RPR™. CoreLogic® has patents on their Automated Valuations tools and claim that [...]

By Victor Lund|2018-05-03T21:25:40-07:00June 8th, 2011|Main category, MLS Insights|Comments Off

NAR Announces 2011 30 under 30 Award Winners

As a former winner of a “40 under 40″ award in Buffalo, New York I know what an honor it is to receive a “30 under 30″ award. It’s a great way for the industry to recognize those that go above and beyond - the up and comers - the future of our business. Today, the National Association of REALTORS® announced its 2011 list of “30 Under 30″ honorees. This group exemplifies the personal drive many Realtors® have to be the best and provide a high level of service to their clients, despite tough market conditions and a constantly evolving [...]

By Marilyn Wilson|2018-05-03T21:25:40-07:00May 31st, 2011|Broker-Agent Information, Clients, Main category, Marketing, Our Company|Comments Off

MLS Listings submits repeal request to NAR on IDX policies
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MLS Listings submits repeal request to NAR on IDX policies

Main category, MLS Insights

MLS Listings submits repeal request to NAR on IDX policies

MLS Listings of the San Francisco Bay area is apparantly the first MLS in the country to join The Realty Alliance, Leading RE, the Council of MLSs, Home Services and others who have sent letters to NAR requesting a denial of recent wrokgroup suggestions for IDX policies. MLSListings, Inc. operates a regional multiple listing service for 8 REALTOR® associations in the Silicon Valley and coastal regions of Northern California, encompassing a service area of over 28,000 square miles and representing more than $70 billion dollars in annual real estate transactions. We are owned by these associations, and governed by the [...]

By Victor Lund|2018-05-03T21:25:41-07:00May 4th, 2011|Main category, MLS Insights|2 Comments

CMLS intensifies pressure on NAR to repeal recent IDX rules
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CMLS intensifies pressure on NAR to repeal recent IDX rules

Broker-Agent Information, Main category, MLS Insights

CMLS intensifies pressure on NAR to repeal recent IDX rules

Dear Pat and MLS Issues and Policy Members, Please accept this letter on behalf of the Council of Multiple Listing Services (CMLS) regarding the recommendations included in the “Report and Recommendations of the IDX Data Use Work Group". The difficult task of reviewing the inclusion of social media in IDX isnt an enviable one; please know that we respect the commitment that each work group member gave to the effort. The membership of CMLS is very diverse and includes Associations and MLS organizations from small to very large REALTOR® owned to regional to broker owned to private. Regardless [...]

By Victor Lund|2018-05-03T21:25:41-07:00May 4th, 2011|Broker-Agent Information, Main category, MLS Insights|Comments Off

Why IDX at all? A response to 7DS Associates
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Why IDX at all? A response to 7DS Associates

Broker-Agent Information, Main category

Why IDX at all? A response to 7DS Associates

I cannot speak for The Realty Alliance, Leading RE or any other brokerage. But I can summarize the sentiments of WAV Groups’ broker clients. This will hopefully shed some light on the question of IDX usefulness, and the issues that are concerning brokers across America representing 200,000 REALTORS. Brokers are upset with recent changes to NAR’s model IDX rules and regulations. Brokers claim that the two recent modifications to IDX, and a third policy revision under consideration; NAR’s MLS Policy Committee failed to contemplate (or appreciate) who owns the data and who is legally responsible for it. The first policy change extended IDX [...]

By Victor Lund|2018-05-03T21:25:42-07:00April 30th, 2011|Broker-Agent Information, Main category|Comments Off