Arroyo Grande, CA – July 14th, 2015 – The Broker Public Portal (BPP) today announced that it has retained the Minneapolis law firm of Larson Skinner PLLC to assist in developing a broker-friendly and MLS-friendly content license agreement for BPP’s projects. BPP continues its progress to bring a national MLS consumer-facing website to market. As with any other portal, multiple listing services that will be participating in the Broker Public Portal will need to enter into data license agreements that allow MLS-participant listing information to be displayed on the site.
One of the founding covenants of the Broker Public Portal is to display data in compliance with the Fair Display Guidelines (http://fairdisplay.org) to create an online consumer site that is very different from other sites in the marketplace today.
Larson Skinner is a firm that has long supported MLSs and other companies with advice on data licensing. “They are a natural fit for the needs of the Broker Public Portal,” said Merle Whitehead, BPP Chairman. “They have been in the trenches of data licensing agreements with third party sites like Zillow Group, MOVE, and REALTOR® Property Resource. They know how to structure agreements that protect MLSs and their participants’ data very well,” continued Whitehead.
According to Victor Lund, WAV Group consultant to the Broker Public Portal, “It will be a pleasure to work with Larson Skinner again.” WAV Group has worked with Larson Skinner in the past on data licensing projects for mutual clients of both firms. “Their leadership in developing constructive agreements across our industry is well known.”
BPP released the first draft of the licensing agreement to the MLSs who have contributed financially to the development of the project. “The agreement is open for comments and feedback from MLSs that are already involved in the project, and we expect to have revisions to the draft incorporated immediately following the two-week commenting period,” said Mitchell Skinner. Both Brian Larson and Mitch Skinner are collaborating on the development of the data license agreement between the BPP and participating MLSs. They are being assisted by Larson Skinner attorney Camille Beshara.
About the Broker Public Portal
The Broker Public Portal is a nationwide group of leading Multiple Listing Services (MLSs) and real estate brokerage firms supporting the creation of a national property search portal. The portal aims to deliver the most comprehensive, timely, and complete property information to consumers while adhering to the fair display guidelines that brokers expect when their content is displayed online. More information can be found at http://brokerpublicportal.com
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Media Contact:
Kevin Hawkins | WAV Group Communications
(206) 866-1220 | kevin@wavgroup.com
