ARMLS launches Rent Check with Heat Maps

ARMLS is the Arizona Regional Multiple Listing Service. Centered in the Phoenix  metropolitan area, they are the largest MLS in the State of Arizona. They are among the largest MLSs in the United States and leverage MLS data resources in unique ways to deliver value to their subscribers. I recently became aware of RENT Check™. Rent Check is a monthly report that examines the residential single family leasing market. RENT Check also features the RENT Check Quotient™ (RCQ) which compares leasing activity to sales.  As a result of  our nation’s recession, housing resales have given way to a hot residential [...]

By |2018-05-03T21:25:16-07:00January 21st, 2012|Main category, MLS Insights|Comments Off on ARMLS launches Rent Check with Heat Maps

Earthcomber sues real estate mobile app developers

Mobile real estate applications are the largest growth area in real estate technology. This is why so many people are attending online school to learn app development. Like anything expanding rapidly, there is big opportunity at stake, and pioneers who filed patents for methods of delivering mobile solutions are working hard to protect their intellectual property. We saw a similar pattern in real estate when mapping was experiencing great growth in real estate. As you may recall, that ended with the National Association of REALTORS® negotiating an industry wide settlement widely known as CIVIX. In that settlement, a combination of Associations, MLSs, and [...]

By |2018-05-03T21:25:16-07:00January 20th, 2012|Broker Technology Research, Main category, MLS Insights|Comments Off on Earthcomber sues real estate mobile app developers

How Listhub’s Real Estate Network Works

It is not uncommon for detailed questions to arise whenever there is major change afoot in the real estate industry regarding data. Listhub’s announcement of the launch of the Real Estate Network precipitated many questions regarding a broker’s ability to manage and control websites that display their data. The Listhub Real Estate Network includes the opportunity for any broker to publish listings on Century 21, Coldwell Banker, RE/MAX, and the Realty Executives websites. WAV Group has researched this topic of the Real Estate Network with executives from Listhub and we have great news to report. They did it right the [...]

What real estate can learn from Zappos cyber attack

Zappos, a division of Amazon focused on online shoe sales announced that their customer database of 24 million customer records was hacked over the weekend. Fortunately, the credit card database was not accessed. This is a huge problem for Zappos. They will now need to go through a process of getting all 24 million customers to update their password, and notify each user that their username and password have been stolen. The implications of this hacker stealing this information is far reaching. Many consumers use a familiar username and password for accessing commonly used websites. If you have ever set [...]

Real Estate Digital to build new MLSLI Consumer Website

Although Real Estate Digital is a new brand in the real estate industry, the management and owners of the company are industry vetrans whose consumer website prowess dates back to the first consumer property search solutions. Real Estate Digital was formed when former LPS company executives formed the new company with assets acquired from LPS early in the fourth quarter of 2011. Since Real Estate Digital began standing on its own, they have shown a remarkable, albeit somewhat predictable ability to transition customers over to the new company and continue the growth of the products under their new brand (THINK [...]

MOVE launches the Real Estate Network for Franchises

Franchise Networks have taken the first step to declare their independence from the MLS rules and regulations, and third party listing websites. Today MOVE, operators of REALTOR.com and the Listhub listing syndication network, announced that they have created a data sharing solution called the Real Estate Network. Participant in the network include the two largest REALOGY networks of Century 21 and Coldwell Banker along with Realty Executives and RE/MAX. Under the terms of the agreement, the four participating Franchise Organizations will reciprocate in a listing data share of property listings for public display each other’s franchise websites. New Century 21 [...]

New Study Measures Consumer Interest in MLS, Reinforces Efforts to Obtain .MLS Top-level Domain

The WAV Group has published results of research that demonstrates the high value consumers place on the term “MLS”. The research, commissioned by the MLS Domains Association, includes surveys of consumers using MLS public websites and of a representative sample of consumers who have purchased or sold real estate in the last twelve months. It supports three key conclusions: For consumers, an MLS represents property search, home valuations and “the good stuff”, as one respondent described it—the term “MLS” equates to high quality, educational, objective information about property; A majority of consumers prefer MLS sites as sources of real estate [...]

Trend MLS launches Find from MOVE

It has been about a year now, and Move has successfully launched the Find product into many of the nations’ leading MLSs. In score with this roll out, today Find launched in Trend MLS, serving 15 counties in southern Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware is the latest MLS to launch the product. You may know that Trend MLS is what industry insiders call a “home grown” system – meaning that they are responsible for programming the MLS software. Owning the code and having programmers on staff means that tighter and more elegant implementations of third party products are possible within the [...]

By |2018-05-03T21:25:18-07:00January 10th, 2012|Main category, MLS Insights|Comments Off on Trend MLS launches Find from MOVE

Why Dominant MLSs are Vulnerable

Today, there are numerous MLSs that have become dominant companies relative to their smaller competitors. In the world of survival of the fittest, one would assume that the large and strong eat the small and weak. But this is not necessarily true. For the purposes of this writing – I am using the term MLS to refer to MLS vendors and Regional MLSs. Most MLSs in the United States grew through merger and acquisition than through organic growth. As these companies began to reach dominant scale, they realized that they could provide agents and brokers quality MLS services more efficiently. [...]

By |2018-05-03T21:25:18-07:00January 9th, 2012|Main category, MLS Insights, Technology Evaluation|1 Comment

Instanet launches information website about REIS suit

The lawsuit  Instanet vs. REIS and Florida REALTORS has taken an interesting twist this weekend. Instanet launched a public information website about the lawsuit called TransparencyisGood.com. Before I talk about the website, I would add that REIS is not commenting publicly on this matter. In an informal statement they advise the following: “Federal litigation is a serious matter and should never be entered into lightly.  REIS declines to engage in a public debate about legal matters that are best left for the Court to decide.  Anyone interested in reviewing the complete public record, rather than just selected documents, may contact our attorney, [...]

By |2018-05-03T21:25:18-07:00January 8th, 2012|Main category, MLS Insights, Strategic Planning|2 Comments

Metrolist Colorado launches new consumer website

Congratulations to Metrolist MLS on the relaunch of their MLS consumer facing website. Looks and works great! Here are the top new features Mobile – Use your smartphone to search the mobile-optimized site. Property Alerts – Property alerts notify you when potential properties become available. Open Houses – Search for local open houses to tour properties first-hand. Home Valuation – Check out your home’s current estimated value. Rentals – A searchable rentals database is coming in early 2012. Visit the website now and let us know what you think http://www.recolorado.com/ Here is a link to articles on launching successful MLS consumer [...]

By |2018-05-03T21:25:19-07:00January 5th, 2012|Main category, MLS Insights|Comments Off on Metrolist Colorado launches new consumer website

Inman Agent Survey

Inman News is running a survey right now to understand today’s real estate agent. It would be a good idea for you to share this survey with your agents so that you can benefit from the results. http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/freeagent The survey collects baseline demographic data and transaction data to understand how age, location, years in the business, certifications and other profiles of an agent predict behavior, success, and excellence in real estate. Are there differences between NAR members and non-members? Are their differences between Franchises and independent brokerages? […]

By |2018-05-03T21:25:19-07:00December 22nd, 2011|Broker Technology Research, Broker-Agent Information, Main category, MLS Insights|Comments Off on Inman Agent Survey