Broker Opt Out

Broker Opt Out Buttton The practice of MLS data licensing gives rise to new questions in our industry. The question before us today is: What does Broker Opt-Out mean? WAV Group reached out to a variety of respected industry executives to get an answer to this question. None were able to cite a rule or a legal case that outlined a definition. Moreover, none were able to produce a definition in their MLS rules and regulations. As such, our industry faces a new opportunity. MLSs may define Broker Opt-out and Broker Opt-in as it relates to data licensing as [...]

Generating Non Dues Revenue

Generating Non Dues Revenue MLSs and Associations of REALTORS® are facing budget woes. The decline in the housing market created a cascading impact on dues revenue.  The number of subscribers to MLS service has retreated to 2006 averages, coupled with membership losses to Associations of REALTORS®. In isolated real estate markets around the country, MLSs and Associations have become creative at building revenue streams outside of subscription fees and membership dues. Advertising is chief among them. As you have read in leading real estate media sources like RE Technology, Inman News and RIS Media, there are a number of [...]

By |2018-05-03T21:25:39-07:00June 13th, 2011|Main category, MLS Insights, Strategic Planning|Comments Off on Generating Non Dues Revenue

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 with a particular franchise. [...]

By |2018-05-03T21:25:40-07:00June 10th, 2011|Main category, MLS Insights|Comments Off on FBS First to comply with new IDX Rules

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 |2018-05-03T21:25:40-07:00June 8th, 2011|Main category, MLS Insights|Comments Off on CoreLogic v. LPS and RPR Lawsuit

The Top 10 Searched Real Estate Markets – April 2011

  Real Estate SearchWhich real estate markets are getting the most Web traffic? Realtor.com recently released its rankings for April, which reveal the most searched-for markets at its site.   Most Popular Real Estate Sites WAV Group decided to research what the most popular destinations for property search are in these markets. In 4 out of the top 10 Markets, Realtor.com is the most popular real estate site. In 3 out of the top 10 Markets, Zillow.com is the most popular real estate site. In 2 out of the top 10 Markets, the MLS website is the most [...]

By |2018-05-03T21:25:40-07:00June 1st, 2011|Broker Technology Research, Main category, MLS Insights|Comments Off on The Top 10 Searched Real Estate Markets – April 2011

When It’s Good To Lose Control

Business leaders can plan and set strategies but the real key to whether these plans are executed successfully is what their organization does after the plan is released.  Do they embrace the plan?  Do they start strong and then slip back to their old ways?  Do initiatives kick off with great promise and then lose momentum?  Do you find yourself having to continually push the plan rather than seeing full engagement by your staff?  Do you find that some of your staff get on board while others resist change? Here’s the truth! […]

By |2018-05-03T21:25:41-07:00May 31st, 2011|Broker Technology Research, Main category, MLS Insights, Strategic Planning, Suveys and Research|Comments Off on When It’s Good To Lose Control

Making a Change Requires Some Tension

We have always been big believers that most change occurs as a result of some “pain”.   While we all would like to create change in our lives for positive reasons, and we certainly do at times, a good deal of “major” changes in business and personal lives come about as a result of pain or some “tension” in our lives.  It’s the old aspirin vs. vitamins story. We know we should take vitamins; they are good for us right?  But, if you have a really bad headache or muscle ache you are most likely going to take something for it more [...]

The Era of Listing Syndication Security

We have entered a new era in real estate called the Era of Listing Syndication Security. Listing Syndication Security is a technology solution that solves many of the legal and technical concerns related to sending listings to third party websites (Zillow, Trulia, et al) in the form of advertising. WAV Group has published numerous papers on the topic over-viewing the key issues of Terms of Use, Accuracy of Online Listings, Indexing, and so forth. Since its inception 4 or 5 years ago, Listing Syndication has been fraught with business problems typical of any circumstance where many people are sending information [...]

By |2018-05-03T21:25:41-07:00May 6th, 2011|Broker-Agent Information, Main category, MLS Insights|Comments Off on The Era of Listing Syndication Security

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 |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

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 |2018-05-03T21:25:41-07:00May 4th, 2011|Broker-Agent Information, Main category, MLS Insights|Comments Off on CMLS intensifies pressure on NAR to repeal recent IDX rules

Is it time for a MLS “Light” product solution?

I have spent the last couple of hours reviewing verbatim comments from a member satisfaction survey for one of the largest MLSs in the United States. While they have outstanding satisfaction scores overall we always like to look at those that are less satisfied than average to better understand what could improve satisfaction. One of the themes that came through loud and clear with the less than satisfied was the need for simplicity. Many said things like “there are too many bells and whistles", “just want to “get in and get out” of the system quickly and that’s not possible [...]

By |2018-05-03T21:25:42-07:00April 30th, 2011|Main category, MLS Insights|Comments Off on Is it time for a MLS “Light” product solution?

Apple now the 5th best selling computer brand in the world!

According to a study released by Canalys today,  Apple fueled the 7% growth of the computer market in Q1, 2011. According to Canalys, pad shipments reached 6.4 million units worldwide. Apple accounted for 74% of these shipments, while other vendors struggled to bring competitive products to market. Canalys expects that next quarter will see a significant change in the market, with products appearing from Acer, Asus, LG and RIM. This continued growth suggests that the iPad and other pad devices are here to stay. They seem to be moving past devices that are purely for games and entertainment and into [...]

By |2018-05-03T21:25:42-07:00April 28th, 2011|Broker Technology Research, Broker-Agent Information, Main category, MLS Insights|Comments Off on Apple now the 5th best selling computer brand in the world!