I recently responded to a question from an agent regarding an ongoing (8+ months!) data integrity / accuracy issue with a National Portal Company (no names will be mentioned here). This information is good and can help all of us to better understand and deal with listing data challenges that we inevitably will face from time to time.

Enjoy! -TM

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Data integrity is a key and critical component to the real estate industry as a whole. On the 'web' or portal side of the equation, often we are 'at the mercy' of the data that comes in to us. That's not an excuse, just a reality; something we deal with on a daily (dare I say hourly?) basis.

Here is my advice.

1) Give Clear and Accurate Info to the 'techies'.
Provide Clear, concise, and specific details regarding the error(s).
For example, rather than "..my listing on Jones Ave. has the wrong price on it" share the details in full: My Residential listing 22 Jones Ave., Englewood Heights, NJ 55555 should be priced at $259,900 and is showing up on your site/in your system priced at $2,590,000. Here is the listing URL: (http://specific example here.com)

2) Remember who your enemies are - and aren't.
Most data vendors and portals really want to get it 'right' - it's a battle for them, and they are (for the most part) passionate about it otherwise they wouldn't be in business very long. Don't immediately alienate them - find out who to speak with and build a relationship with that contact person. This can carry your voice longer and farther than emails and voice mails alone.

3) Rally the troops.
A 'lone voice' crying out in the wilderness doesn't get the same focus and attention as a group of customers banding together to share a common concern. For example, your listing on Jones Ave. (example above) gets less attention than a list of multiple properties, from different brokers/agents, all showing similar (or dissimilar for that matter) issues. In fact, it's often easier to isolate the issue given more examples. Databases and code can be tricky that way.

4) Remain objective.
Remember to remain professional and objective and realize that there are 2 driving forces behind data accuracy/inaccuracy: Technology and Policy.
If the technology is faulty, this can be fixed. If there is a difference in policy (for example, between an electronic flyer/syndication service and a local board/MLS) that is quite different. Technology issues are cut and dry, and addressable - policy differences are open to interpretation, understanding, levels of compliance and responsibility, and just plain willingness to 'listen' and serve the parties involved.

I trust this helps a bit. 8 months sounds like an awful long time in your example. Perhaps there is more to the issue than meets the eye.

Best to You in resolving your challenge!

Tim Mancuso - Co-Founder, VP Global Sales
MyREALTY.com, Inc.
Home of the GLS - the Global Listing Service(R)
tmancuso@MyREALTY.com