What Do You Think of Your Local MLS?

By
Real Estate Agent with Sabinske & Associates, Inc. (Albertville, St. Michael)

What Do You Think of Your Local MLS?

Is it serving your needs?   Or is it a drain on your budget with little to show than helping to perpetuate a dying system of delivering property information to consumers?  Yes, most of the systems work off local MLSs but with Zillow and Trulia now delivering the same information, albeit perhaps not as accurate, why are our fees so high? 

If the local MLS were to be gone tomorrow, I am not sure that I would miss it all that much. 

There are some good aspects to it, but I wonder if the cost is worth the value I receive from it.  It gives some great ways to save time, but I am still old school and still run my comps the way that I have for years. 

Just asking.  I think every board and every MLS is different, perhaps yours is exceptional in service, and if that is the case, I am glad.

 

Many consumers don’t know that the information they are getting might not be current or even accurate, but they rely on it oftentimes. 

 

What say you?  Are you happy with the service you get?  I might be just stirring the pot here! 

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The information contained in this blog is believed to be true and correct and while every effort is made to ensure that the information is as accurate as possible, the author of this blog, and its comments disclaim any implied warranty or representation about its accuracy for any particular purpose. All information is copy written and the property of Suzanne McLaughlin.. 

For more information about real estate values in your area, give me a call or email me at 763-497-1870 or mclaughlinhomes@gmail.com  

Suzanne McLaughlin

Sabinske & Associates, Inc.    

When you need to buy or sell in St. Michael or Albertville Minnesota, or anywhere in Wright County, Sherburne County or Anoka County or Hennepin County, give me a call! 

Comments (27)

Chris Ann Cleland
Long and Foster REALTORS®, Gainesville, VA - Bristow, VA
Associate Broker, Bristow, VA

Honestly, with some of the changes my MLS system has made recently, I wouldn't be upset with the loss at all.

Jan 30, 2015 06:30 AM
Debbie Laity
Cedaredge Land Company - Cedaredge, CO
Your Real Estate Resource for Delta County, CO

I'm fortunate to have a great MLS service, and the company is looking at adding more services for us that I feel will be very useful for me. Our MLS already has integrated tax records which now makes it easier to enter a new listing...it saves a lot of time. I'm looking forward to some changes that I hope will be happening soon. 

Jan 30, 2015 07:00 AM
Yolanda Cordova-Gilbert
Richmond, TX

Suzanne,

I am a builders rep and it does drive our traffic, the other two in our neck of the woods give inaccurate information. I have one guy tell one of my homes was available since last Feb not the case....it was finished in July big difference and it had been sold twice.

Jan 30, 2015 07:02 AM
Endre Barath, Jr.
Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices - Beverly Hills, CA
Realtor - Los Angeles Home Sales 310.486.1002

Suzanne we have a great MLS here as well and they are so progressive and looking out for the member's interest, Endre

Jan 30, 2015 10:00 AM
Larry Johnston
Broker, Friends & Neighbors Real Estate and Elkhart County Subdivisions, LLC - Elkhart, IN
Broker,Friends & Neighbors Real Estate, Elkhart,IN

Hi Suzanne McLaughlin ,  I know the fees are over the top, but so is our local MLS.  In our case, we get what we pay for!!!

Jan 30, 2015 11:08 AM
Fred Griffin Tallahassee Real Estate
Fred Griffin Real Estate - Tallahassee, FL
Licensed Florida Real Estate Broker

Our MLS is great --- but I wish that the Tallahassee Board would join of some the State-wide MLS's in Florida.   Unfortunately, we have too many Petty Fiefdom people on our Board of Directors; they are afraid to relinquish control.

 

Jan 30, 2015 11:14 AM
Tammy Lankford,
Lane Realty Eatonton, GA Lake Sinclair, Milledgeville, 706-485-9668 - Eatonton, GA
Broker GA Lake Sinclair/Eatonton/Milledgeville

I don't even view our MLS as a "service", but rather a "holding place" for our listings.  Our fees are low and I use the IDX feed from our MLS and LOVE that I have all the accurate listings on my site.  I wish we had a little better rule enforcement.

Jan 30, 2015 12:16 PM
Michael Jacobs
Pasadena, CA
Los Angeles Pasadena 818.516.4393

Hi Suzanne - as Paul Henderson commented, our MLS had a service satisfaction survey last year as well.   There is certainly room for improvement but I don't know if some of things we don't like is more of an indication of what is happening at the national level rather than locally.  

Jan 30, 2015 05:07 PM
Joe Petrowsky
Mortgage Consultant, Right Trac Financial Group, Inc. NMLS # 2709 - Manchester, CT
Your Mortgage Consultant for Life

Good morning Suzanne. I hear so much complaining about the MLS system these days, but what kind of alternative could be created?

Make it a great weekend!

Jan 30, 2015 07:51 PM
Gita Bantwal
RE/MAX Centre Realtors - Warwick, PA
REALTOR,ABR,CRS,SRES,GRI - Bucks County & Philadel

I love our local mls . It has made things easy for me to prepare market analysis.

Jan 30, 2015 07:58 PM
Debb Janes EcoBroker and Bernie Stea JD
ViewHomes of Clark County - Nature As Neighbors - Camas, WA
REALTORS® in Clark County, WA

I don't have a problem with our MLS - but I have huge problems with Zillow and Trulia. It would be a happy day if they went away. Sadly, doubt it's going to happen. 

Jan 31, 2015 02:00 AM
Ron Marshall
Marshall Enterprises - Saint Michael, MN
Birdhouse Builder Extraordinaire

Wish I could say something about it, but not being a realtor....I have nothing to say and I'm saying it as John Cage put it!

Jan 31, 2015 04:53 AM
Suzanne McLaughlin
Sabinske & Associates, Inc. (Albertville, St. Michael) - Saint Michael, MN
Sabinske & Associates, Realtor

Tamra Lee Ulmer , thanks for the great comment, and I know that most realtors are happy with their local MLS...but you made some great points there, too!

Jan 31, 2015 08:17 AM
Georgie Hunter R(S) 58089
Hawai'i Life Real Estate Brokers - Haiku, HI
Maui Real Estate sales and lifestyle info

I think we have a very progressive MLS here on Maui. You need your MLS because it's the backbone of the market between agents. If you don't have an MLS how can you input your properties? The whole concept of the MLS is that it's a way for agents to communicate with each other and agree to compensate each other for selling the listings. Those sites like Z and T are just vampires sucking the info from our MLSs so they can sell premium upgrades back to us. Without your local MLS you are nothing. Don't ever forget that. The members and agents who get the listings are important and Z and T can't do what you guys do.

Jan 31, 2015 10:38 AM
Rebecca Gaujot, Realtor®
Lewisburg, WV
Lewisburg WV, the go to agent for all real estate

I am happy with our MLS...Just wish that the other surrounding counties would be one big one.  There is a MLS for each nearby county and doesn't make sense.  There is an effort be made to combine all the surrouding counties...and would make our job easier.

Jan 31, 2015 11:23 AM
Suzanne McLaughlin
Sabinske & Associates, Inc. (Albertville, St. Michael) - Saint Michael, MN
Sabinske & Associates, Realtor

Rebecca Gaujot, the GO TO REALTOR .  It was that way for years around here, too, until maybe five years ago, most in Minnesota consolidated, and finally they all came around!  It does make life much easier.

Jan 31, 2015 08:27 PM
Sharon Paxson
Compass - Newport Beach, CA
Newport Beach Real Estate

I have no issue with my MLS, and I very much appreciate our board also as they are there if I have any questions.

Feb 01, 2015 12:19 AM
Suzanne McLaughlin
Sabinske & Associates, Inc. (Albertville, St. Michael) - Saint Michael, MN
Sabinske & Associates, Realtor

Gita Bantwal You sure do make great use of the stats that you can pull from your local MLS with all your wonderful market reports!

Feb 01, 2015 05:12 AM
Suzanne McLaughlin
Sabinske & Associates, Inc. (Albertville, St. Michael) - Saint Michael, MN
Sabinske & Associates, Realtor

Yolanda Cordova-Gilbert , I know that there are some real inaccuracies with Zillow and Trulia, but, thankfully, the public is becoming more aware.

Feb 01, 2015 05:15 AM
Suzanne McLaughlin
Sabinske & Associates, Inc. (Albertville, St. Michael) - Saint Michael, MN
Sabinske & Associates, Realtor

Debbie Laity We have the tax records, too, and some other bells and whistles, but after learning what other people are being charged, I felt our fees were abnormally high. Thanks for the comment!

Feb 02, 2015 05:19 AM

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