The NWMLS recently sent me a letter from their legal counsel that my website was in violation of one of the rules.   The local MLS in the Pacific Northwest is a large one, with over 22,000 members and it just recently added a smaller MLS from a neighboring county so now it is actually even larger.   Of course the MLS has a plethora of rules to ensure the tidy order of business while it's member brokers list and sell the real estate inventory.

The rule in question prohibits agents from using the word "NWMLS" or it's derivatives on any public website.  It also says that agents may not state or otherwise imply that the website is an MLS or that the public may have access to listings from the MLS.  Now, I understand why they made this rule--they want to unsure the integrity of the local Multiple Listing Service, making availability of MLS listings through all licensed agents, not just those who have a website.

Several months ago, I already had to adjust the wording on my website to remove indications that people would be searching MLS listings if they used the "Property Search" solution right there on the front page.   Now, you ask, what is the big deal here?   Well, the NWMLS allows its subscribers to use what's called an IDX search solution on websites.   It's been around for years and it evolved along with broker reciprocity--every broker can advertise every other brokers listings.  In one rule they allow me to display listings and in another rule I can't tell the public that those listings are from the MLS.   Isn't that stupid?  

I just don't think they can tell anyone that they can't use the term MLS.   It isn't copyrighted like the term Realtor.   In fact, the term MLS has been around for many, many years and it's a universal term used all around the country.   Anyone who is looking to purchase real estate would look for MLS listings in what ever area they were looking to relocate to.   If they were looking for real estate in Seattle, they'd do a search for MLS listings.  Even if my website didn't have one use of the term MLS, a 12 year old using the IDX search feature would think that they were searching the MLS.   But, the reality is, of course, that they are not searching the MLS.   They are searching a COPY of MLS listings.   It's simply a feed from the MLS that all brokers use to access the listing data.

So, if you go to my website and use the property search feature, you're NOT searching MLS Listings, Ok?  I'm glad we have that straight.