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NWMLS to take 3 more baby steps into the digital age
Ok, Robbie and I have both made our gripes known before about how closed the NWMLS technology is — even for agents. Well they are finally taking some steps in the right direction. I don’t have all the details yet so really not sure if they’ve gone far enough. But I thought the readers of RCG should see it here first. I’ll follow up with details as each is launched.
The three major changes coming up are:
- New Vendor Access Agreements for MLS Data. This new agreement allows a Broker to have as many IDX downloads as the Broker wants —as long as the providing Vendors sell their products only to that Broker’s agents. For agents this is great as we should see a greater range of MLS data solutions. The downside is I’ve heard that it these vendor agreements will be excluding public access solutions of the data. In other words, you might be able to develop a really bitching CRM system for agents that accesses MLS data directly, but we (agents) are still limited to our company’s primary IDX feed for our website data.
- NWMLS Sold Data to Become Public - Not sure they are going to give us all of the data fields on this, but a lot of the fields that become public record (e.g. close date, purchase price, etc) will be available on Broker-controlled websites. My guess is you will see some of the brokers coming up with online CMA systems for the general public. (Heading Zillow off at the pass?)
- FINALLY!!! Digital Signatures. - NWMLS approved and endorsed DocuSign as the sole electronic signature system for NWMLS documents.
- Robert
Posted: April 3rd, 2006 under General Real Estate.
Tags: digital-signatures, MLS
About the Author: Robert Smith
- Author's website: http://www.robertgsmith.com
- More posts by Robert Gray Smith
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Comments
2.
Comment
from Robbie
Time April 3, 2006 at 8:42 pm
“A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step”
-Confucius
Do agent’s now have the ability to use their broker’s MLS data for their own private use? For example, say your broker has a database server with MLS data, can you now connect to it w/ Excel or the application of your choice?
It’s still lame they don’t allow agent choice in picking their IDX solution though.
It’s nice they are making NWMLS sold data public. I think that will be one of the keys to helping brokers develop their own private Zillows.
3.
Comment
from ARDELL
Time April 3, 2006 at 10:06 pm
It will be interesting to see, if they ever do pass “Broker Only” licensure, if that will cause some of the rules to be loosened. Once the Broker is not totally reponsible for everything an agent does and says, they may be able to be a little more out of the box with their technology options.
Russ, I heard that got stalled back in September. Is it back on track yet?
4.
Comment
from Giles@DevelopingAtlanta.com
Time April 5, 2006 at 5:43 am
Dustin & Robbie,
How compliant would you say that RCG’s new search is on a scale of 1-10 in terms of the rules laid out by NWMLS?
5.
Comment
from Dustin
Time April 5, 2006 at 8:31 am
Giles,
Being compliant is really measured in a 0 to 1 scale (either you are or you aren’t).
Following the first point mentioned by Robert, NWMLS staff has told us that RCG is not Anna’s site and therefore not an “agent” site. Until we get that issue resolved, we’ve taken down the coolest real estate search site in Seattle, i.e. we’re currently a 0 in terms of compliance (at least according to the NWMLS).
6.
Comment
from Giles@DevelopingAtlanta.com
Time April 5, 2006 at 10:22 am
Hahaha… I am a negative 1
what ever you do Dustin… just remember that the complex relationships between brokers, agents, and MLS boards are what matter… Not the consumer trying to sell their house for top dollar.
Just remember that and your Search will do fine! 
7.
Trackback
from Developing Atlanta | Blog
Time April 5, 2006 at 10:26 am
Our New Search Is Live!…
It looks like there are a few changes left to be made, but for all intents and purposes the new version of the site is live. I just wanted to take a minute to say thanks to everyone who has helped contribute so far.
Especially Katherine and the Cr…
8.
Comment
from Giles@DevelopingAtlanta.com
Time April 5, 2006 at 12:19 pm
Eeekk! sorry about that last post… I am trying to figure out how to use trackbacks with wordpress.
9.
Pingback
from Seattle’s Rain City Real Estate Guide » No entiendo su lengua (I don’t understand your language)
Time July 17, 2006 at 9:48 pm
[...] If you speak any language, (foreign or domestic) talk with the MLS or your broker and see if there’s a way to change to MLS schema so that it’s contains remarks in Spanish and other foreign languages. As along as they are in the database, perhaps they can increase the size of the remarks field, so agents won’t be compelled to use abbreviations anymore (and make life easier for software translators). Perhaps, the MLS can add $25 to the cost of a listing to cover the cost of a human translating the remarks section into 4 or 5 different languages? After all, why should the listing agent or seller care what language the buyer speaks, as long their check doesn’t bounce? Anyway, I suspect MLSes are limited by their software vendors, and if enough professionals demand these features from their MLS, it might just happen someday. Remember, it wasn’t that long ago, that sold data was a pipe dream too. [...]
1. Comment from Dustin
Time April 3, 2006 at 8:14 pm
Along those lines, I’ve seen the next version of the search site that Robbie has been building for Rain City Guide, and it should be online soon!