According to Inman.com, Sandicor (the MLS for Southern California, San Diego) requires that the listing agent contact information is placed on websites.
The MLS will reportedly terminate its data feed to those third-party publishers that do not comply in displaying the new field within 60 days.
My reaction: WTH? Srsly!?
In all possible situations I can not understand why the MLS would require it. To reasonably look at this, let’s first consider what an MLS is.
The MLS is a database of every home for sale, by realtors, within a specific area. This service makes an accessible database to developers and vendors to show listings on the world wide web so for the general public, finding a home is easy. Individual realtors take advantage of the MLS service so they can create a useful website for potential home buyers. Home buyers then come to a website which has the MLS and browse home listings – this information is free and available to them, but the developer of that site hopes that in return this “web surfer/ potential home buyer” will contact the designer (probably a realtor) to talk more about homes.
Now let me ask. Why would you build a website if 1) You know that when somebody views your website you are sending them to somebody else. 2) Even though you made it possible for this potential home buyer to find the home they love, you will never contact that person because you were required to put somebody elses information on it.
Should we not reward the person who took the time to create this resource (the website) available to home buyers.
A home is not the realtors product. They should have no right to put their name on it. The realtor did their job when they became friends with the home seller and then listed the home into the MLS. Beyond that, they should have no claim on the selling of the home, or give themselves an extra advantage in securing the home sale.
I’d like to try not to take side on things here, but this seems absolutely ridiculous. And I’m in Utah! It seems to me that this came about because a bunch of listing agents lobbied together to persuade Sandicor to make this nonsense decision.
Put it back to the way it was. There is no reason that a listing agent should need to double side every sale. They fulfilled their portion by listing the home, they can let somebody else do their job of now selling the home. Which brings up an entirely additional list of concerns when you suggest that the listing and seller agent be the same person. Sandicor, this decision is absolutely ridiculous.
My name is Kirk Salisbury, and welcome to my website kirksalisbury.com. I live in beautiful Logan, UT
and work as a web designer
SEO specialist and
internet marketer
at Boomerang Leads.
To the listing agent, it is a real service that other real estate agents are marketing their homes on their high traffic websites for FREE. It used to be that high profile websites charged agents to have their listing appear.
If listings agents realized this, and didn’t list their homes on IDX feeds, then they would be doing a huge dis-service to their clients.
The reason this has happened is that old school real estate agents are struggling to get buyers anymore. People don’t call off of signs like they did in the past. Home buyers look online for listings. It’s not an issue of what is best for consumers, it is an issue of old school real estate agents trying to find a way to survive.