MLSCloud.com
Got a tip today that MLSCloud.com is launching to what amounts to be a consumer facing directory of MLS Search sites and the Realtors that make them up. The email links for contact to submit your MLS is to HAR, the Houston Association of Realtors, who are known for their innovation and forward thinking, as well as their dedication to improvements for their membership.
Is this a sign of boards stepping up into the 21st Century, is it a game changer, or simply a non-event?
(5 votes, average: 4.80 out of 5)
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Consumerism, Geo-mapping columnist
Marketing columnist
the midwest sure isn’t representing. sure would be nice for minneapolis to step up to the plate.
I wish the St. Louis association would join into the technology era. Currently the SLAR home search redirects to realtor.com. The first step for SLAR would be creating a consumer facing MLS site.
I do appreciate HAR’s idea to create a network of local MLS websites that might be able to compete with the likes of Trulia and Zillow. Since the MLS has every local listing, a network of MLS sites would be a powerful competitor to these real estate advertisers. I’m all for it as long as my MLS doesn’t try to sell the leads back to me. As a paying member, it would be nice to have them give back something in return for my membership dues. Leads on my own listings would be a start.
I’m not so sure that this should be a function of the MLS.
The MLS public side should face the agents, not buyers and sellers.
Why should agents be competing with MLS sites? Case in point would be the Sarasota Association of Realtors taking of Marc Rasmussens domain name. They didn’t just want the domain name he chose with the help of REALTOR Magazines “Mr. Internet” retired, they wanted the domain name pointed to their site to benefit from all of Marc’s inbound links and PR that was built with thousands of dollars and thousands of hours of sweat equity. Wanting to display properties to the public is simply not the function I perceive that the MLS should have. In my opinion its function is to faciltate the cooping of listings by brokers, not to market the brokers properties to the public.
My opinion is that the MLS’s should not display properties to the public from their websites at all, only agent rosters with links to their sites. The same should be true with REALTOR dot com (as the name suggests visitors should be coming there to find REALTORS, not real property).
Your opinions?
Hmmm, missed this post, just found the MLS cloud on my own by accident. Did a whois search to see who owned it, of course that information is hidden. I agree with Cal, MLS has no business marketing to the consumer, that is agent turf. So where are the leads going?