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Your Personal Info & Property is now More Secure!

By
Real Estate Agent with RE/MAX Professionals BK659643

Our local Board of Realtors has made a very wise decision.  All Realtors that are members of the Gainesville-Alachua County Association of Realtors have now entered into a more "High Tech" environment for their clients.  We now have a "SAFEMLS" system for our MLS Database.

 For the last six years, all Realtors have a user name and password to access our MLS Database.  All Realtor-members have access to the "Not For Public" versions of homes that are on the market.   Most Realtors can email "Public Versions" of listing sheets to their customers.  The Public Versions do not disclose the sellers name, phone numbers, or any of the Private remarks in the "Realtor Only" version.

But over the years, user names and passwords have been given out to "who-knows-who", members have dropped out of our system, office staff comes and goes.   Due to real life crime issues, and real life security issues - this is a smart move for Realtors, MLS Boards, and even you the homeowner of a home that is on the market. This is a great way for your Realtor to protect your private information!

Realtors have a special section called "Private Remarks", and this is viewed only by other members with full access.  Often Realtors will post alarm codes for security systems in the private remarks to allow access for showings of homes.   Can you imagine if some unscrupulous people had your security codes for your home?  There have been cases in many states of sensitive information in the "Private Remarks" section of our MLS database to cause a loss or crime to a homeowner.  

Our local association now has a SAFEMLS.  Only current, active, professional Realtors will have access to our database.  Our Password to access the new system changes every single time we log in.  All of the old user names and passwords are no longer valid.   I want all my clients and anyone here in Gainesville to know about this wonderful, new security issue we have to protect your home, your private information, and your family! 

So you will be seeing these little blue electronic devices being carried by all the Realtors!

It's our way of keeping our Real Estate market in Gainesville safer & smarter.  

If you want to know more about the Real Estate Market in Alachua County, please call on me! 

Written and Posted By: Chris Bohn, GRI- ABR-ePro- Gainesville FL Real Estate  Copyright © 2007
Chris Bohn, RE/MAX Professionals, Inc., is a Florida Realtor® who specializes in Gainesville, FL and communities in Alachua County, FL . To find out more information about her real estate services please visit her profile . You are welcome to contact her by phone at 352-472-4472 Ext 103  or by email at chris@eHomesGainesville.com  . You can click to view her listings or visit her website. Thank you for your visit.

Comments (3)

Jason Crouch
Austin Texas Homes, LLC - Austin, TX
Broker - Austin Texas Real Estate (512-796-7653)
Hey Christine - This is a nice, informative post.  I guess I have been doing this too long, as I can't stand the fact that I need to carry this token in order to log on to the MLS now (we started using this here about a year ago).  Overall, I know that it makes things safer, but I usually am upstairs when I need it and the token is downstairs, or vice versa.  Oh well....
Sep 20, 2007 01:32 PM
Gary Bolen
McCall Realty - South Lake Tahoe, CA
CRS - Lake Tahoe Real Estate Information

Christine, we've got the same key, and have had if for a little while now. Our first reaction to it was it was another time consuming, ill thought out pest for us to deal with. In retrospect, it's been easy to incorporate into our routine, but it does take another few steps and a bit longer.

Have debated with the board and our brokers about it. They all believe it helps maintain the integrity of our data, which we suspect it does. The big difference our board has seen, though, is an increase in dues-paying  members as many have had to join to get the data they were getting under the table before.

The idea of protecting private remarks and sensitive data and security codes...etc. is spot on. Our thought was this should have never been on an MLS in the first place.

As we got deeper into what's behind the scene with this secure key, perhaps the real reason for it became apparent. Most MLS's across the country will sooner or later be adding an transaction component for us to process contracts and escrow online. That must be secure.

Thanks for this post, and also thanks for commenting on our O.J. satire yesterday. Both are appreciated. 

Sep 20, 2007 02:27 PM
Lexa R. Montierth
NextHome Complete Realty - Tucson, AZ
Real Estate Sales Agent and Marketer
Chris, I haven't seen this device before.  It will be interesting to use one.  Thanks for the info. 
Sep 21, 2007 07:30 AM