For those of you considering taking advantage of the new XML feed tools that allow you to automatically distribute your listings on portals like Craigslist, Trulia, Yahoo and Google, you may be in for a bit of a surprise. Your local MLS may be highly resistant to allowing third party XML feeds of YOUR listings. That’s right…..you heard me. Your MLS provider may be telling you what you can and can’t do with YOUR listings; whether you like it or not.

Here in Sonoma County California, our BAREIS MLS board is much tighter on their IDX/MLS data distribution policies than other boards around the country but this is changing fast. MLS boards are trying to prevent other more agile and nimble technology companies from swooping in and grabbing their secret sauce. What’s that secret sauce…………YOUR LISTINGS!

The real question is, who owns the listing data?
Isn’t it the brokerage/agent who spends time and money developing a sphere of interest to attract the seller/listing in the first place? Isn’t it the brokerage/agent who has and maintains the relationship with the seller? Isn’t it the brokerage/agent that is spending time and money to list, market and prepare the home (and the seller) for the ultimate sale of that property? Why then should the MLS boards have ultimate say in how, when and to whom that listing information should be distributed?

If your board has not already jumped on the “No More Third Party Feed” bandwagon, I would suggest getting your XML feeds in place as soon as possible. For the rest of us, good luck!

Sean Taylor
Domaine Real Estate