As if the lack of security from the individual and corporate public were not enough of a flaw, RPR contracts lack a certain essential feature, and that is valuable consideration for our local MLSs. One of the parables in the New Testament has a woman searching until she finds the coin she has lost. All that time she'd held onto her coin and suddenly it was gone. That is what will happen to the sold and closed, pending, listing ans selling agent, and lots of other data that relates to realty that has gone through our local system. This is our history. They call it off-market data in their contract but it includes all of the aforementioned types of data and much, much more.
Those of us who are appaled by what we whites from back east did to the Indians under the doctrine of manifest destiny deplore the way we white men bought vast tracts of land from the Indians literally for trinkets. Okay, so we did that. Must it be our karma now to give up vast mines of valuable data to entrepeneurs from out of state for a website? Sure the whole tribe wants the fancy for-Realtors only product being shown to us. Eyes light up now just like the squaw's eyes did then, and those in leadership positions want to get this website for our membership. What we have here in New Mexico is worth more than access to a website. And they're trying to get our data. And the only valuable consideration they're offering is nearly worthless if we can't keep non-Realtors out of the RPR website. That website cannot be protected from corporate and public snooping, so what is it really worth as a purportedly Realtors-only URL. Next to nothing!
Especially in non-disclosure states like New Mexico, this data has value. It has value because RPR can't just go to the County Assessor in Albuquerque and get the sold data. RPR has used this argument in its sales presentations - that they will get the data anyway if the local MLS won't play ball - but it won't work in any non-disclosure state. Here in NM, it not only is more costly for RPR to go to all the counties, it's close to impossible. Each county has its own rules and each one has different rules about appearing in person, writing letters in advance, etc. It is much more cost effective for RPR to get the data for free from MLSs that cover two ir three oir five or more counties. Every county database is different. They would have to hire lots of programmers to extrapolate the data and put each county's data output into the same format. They can't afford to do RPR without our cooperation. Proponents of manifest destiny had to lie, cheate and steal too.
Must this be our fate as Realtors? Must we have built up our MLS and provided lots of enterprising local people with jobs and incomes only to see all that we built of value be given away for a WEBSITE? What about our sons and daughters in the business? Are we not at least going to negotiate for a fair share of the profits in case NAR ever makes any money?
So, let us get this straight. They want us to give them all our heretofore non-disclosed data, they want to pay us back another website like Realtor.com, and they want us to do this because? What else is in it for us in return? We're sacrificing our childrens' future for what, now? Another website?!Remember Realtor.com and talk to your MLS Board leaders before it is too late. Where's the beef? Show us the money, RPR!
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