Why does Massachusetts (MLSPin) and New Hampshire (Innovia) MLS systems sabotage their own sales?

Hi Fred~ How absurd and antiquated that is!  The buyers will find another way to get the information they want.  Forcing them to call an agent is not the answer!

Hi Fred ~ I posted about the MLSpin issue before and would love to join with others to get this insane policy changed.  What is most outrageous about it is that zillow, trulia, google, homes.com, etc. etc. DO get to post the descriptions.  They become the authority site - not the agents whose listings the MLS is comprised of.  It is soooo backwards I really can't fathom it.

Liz

I think there would be a roit in the streets if they tried that in Southern Oregon.

Fred...A picture is worth a thousand words, many of the views the properties I have for sale are the main focus of wowing a potential buyer up north to take a look I have never liked the Innovia...photo set up. Lets hope the changes will come further and faster.

I for one would like to see the whole MLS concept completely go away, with brokerages and agents in a true meritocracy and have something like GoogleBase or some other entity have every listing on the planet, fsbos, everything and then we will see how the market changes.  I cannot stand anything that is proprietary.  I respect and defend the need for intellectual property and patents, but MLSs are dinosaurs, even the good ones.  It's from a bygone era that the REALTOR community won't release it's lock on.

That is ridiculous.  We get 24 photos in my market, but are NOT allowed to display addresses on our MLS...is that not crazy? (Agents don't want them....they keep voting against it).  Lord, grab a club and drag me back into the cave. 

Wow, Fred, that is shocking. St. Augustine and some of the smaller beach towns have INNOVIA. We have FlexMLS which now allows us to have unlimited photos.

This is crazy!  We can add 12 photos here and they're not the tiny things either.  We also include address and other pertinent information as well.  You're right, consumers will find the info.  Sounds like your MLS is trying to put itself out of business.

Don't get me going about antiquated information sharing policies.

All MLS's are still clutching to the idea that the information and access to it, is their main value.

When trying to develop social media solutions and using 2.0 technologies, the main technical hurdles are the ones to make the MLS data "safe".

I find it insulting to agents that there is no value placed on area knowledge, personal service and an agents ability to close a sale.

In the end, the more they try to control the spread of information, the more less they'll be serving the needs of the very customer that that they are supposed to be supporting.

Look at the music business and try to learn from it, when consumers needs are not being met, they make a move to where their needs ARE being met.

Apple understood that, while the music publishers did not and we can see what happened to the industry of selling music - it shifted where the consumer wanted it to be.

They are a monopoly, bureaucracy and dictatorship, all wrapped up in one.  You should either vote the idiots at the top OUT of office immediately, or get together with other brokers and start a competing MLS.  

Scott Miller, Realty Associates, Boca Raton, FL 

Fred,

I belong to 2 MLS systems.  My main one is Tempo which is great but the 2nd one is through Innovia and is horrible and I mean horrible to use.  Now, I don't know if your system and this one is the same or similar but my feelings are shared by many others.  I'm not sure about the photo sizes but it seems to me when looking at them they are of decent size and not as small as a postage stamp.

I would hope they could change it or maybe your board would consider using someone else for your MLS needs?

Fred - It is extremely annoying that MLSPin removed the comment section. We also have Cape Cod MLS and many agents put their listings on both services. You can see a description for one property, but not the other. It looks ridiculous and will cause the potential client to move on to another website to get the information somewhere else. Grrrr

I did not realize that the sites Liz mentioned above have some preferential treatment. My guess is that they PAY MLSPin extra for the comments to be visible.

I called MLSPin when they first instituted the new policy to complain, but it obviously hasn't gotten anywhere!

I'll tell you what I think. 

New Hampshire. Massachusetts. 

Isn't it obvious?

It's the Curse of the Bambino.  

Fred, we had a Realtor rebellion against our Board leadership about five years ago. We now have a membership driven CEO and a membership driven Board. We use Houston as an example of how to benefit the public and the members. I suggest that you get a coalition together and get on the Board. Remember that MLS systems are for profit. They do take care of Board expenses, but how the money is spent beyond that is decided by a few people. I can tell you that in this period I served three years on our MLS Board. When I saw the budget and saw where money was being spent, I was angry. That has all changed because Realtors devoted to making the business better for it's members took action.

8 images in Maine..maybe time for a national activerain mls done right. Built by brokers not pencil pushers that are not in tune with today's need to give more information, imagery, video, details. Good to see your post Fred..missed them.

Hi Fred!

Thanks so much for this site!!! LOVIN'IT!!!...

AR has shot us up to page one on every search after less than 3 weeks!

But we reallly miss Lance!

Lesley and Mikey

Fred, we will continue to see this type of thinking go by the wayside eventually. Until then it's suffer along. Good post!