'Enhanced Cooperation ? 'Come on MLS/NAR We are Smarter than That !

Hi Sally and David... I cannot disagree with any of your points. And the underlying issue is also that our MLS's and NAR forget why they exist and to whom they owe their existance. Nothing will change until we agents, who pay exorbitant fees to these organization, revolt.

Sally/David, Fined for Dr. instead of Drive...oh how ridiculous! Yes many of these rules are ludicrous infratctions!                         

I know in our market there a couple reeeeaaalllyyy slow agents that feel it's their job to do nothing but review other agents posts and listings and see if they can locate an infraction to turn in to the board. Everyone knows who it is and they still show up at events and act like nothing is going on. 

This post reminds me how thankful I should be not having to deal with these issues during my retirement.

Couldn't have said better but I was not as elegant in 1997 when I stood before the Board here and said we were giving up our business by selling MLS feeds for $1 to all the Newspapers and I was laughed out of the room when I said in 10 years that Realtor.com (which every agent needs to know what went on when NAR sold it) would be history and most MLS would extinct because someone would come up with a business plan that would replace MLS and include FSBO. I was told we owe it to every seller and buyer to have the listing put where ever it would get advertised. Just recently I went before MLS again and said we have not learned our lesson as within the next 5 years Zillow will be a brokerage. Now after 25 years in the business they want to reconize me as being an innovator LOL, I am laughing now all the way to the bank. 

Sally, your MLS does have some stringent rules!   We have some too, but much more beneficial to everyone, like make your changes within 72 hours and keep status current.   They don't care what the first photo is either.

Give a small person a little power - then look out!

Yes, some interesting things from this year's NAR meeting.  I particularly like how only associations of realtors are now allowed to teach the ethics class.  No more third party courses.  "Here's a requirement and you have to pay us to meet it."  I really do hope the DOJ looks into NAR.  Might be time to send them a group letter...

As to this "cooperation" rule, I see three options:

1. Ignore the rule
2. Leave NAR (or have a non-NAR member on staff to do advertising)
3. Or take advantage of the other loopholes, some of which NAR opened up last year!

Since most of my sellers are builders/rehabbers, this rule does have a strong impact on us, but I'm already set for option 3 and eagerly awaiting the day when I can exercise option 2. 

I imagine that companies like DR Horton and KB Homes are going to have a significant impact from this too.

NAR's new slogan should be "Join the National Association of Realtors, because your client's directives are meaningless."

Well said! Sometimes I feel like we need a right to work rule! I don't like being told how to run my business

I think the NAR has lost sight of their mission and reason for being here.  In our area they are promoting, with lots of money, the rights of investors over the rights of homeowners.  I hope the DOJ does investigate and that the control they have over the membership is changed.

Many MLS are just like yours. Got a fine for posting a sellers disclosure in public documents versus private. Pretty Ridiculous!!! After that if there was another option I would take it!

While I understand the need for rules .. and order ... our governing organizations act too over-zealously in many respects, Sally K. & David L. Hanson ... you're 110% correct in that regard.  As far as your example regarding Drive and Dr. ... I'm wondering if it's not really an issue that revolves around the U.S. Postal system?  In our area, a "mistake" such as that can result in a mailing being returned. Whatever and however the postal service deems an address is thee official address needed for documentation and mailings now.  Using something other than that triggers problems down the line in the lending business ...

Gene

All the 'doctors' I know end their names with M.D. followed by their specialties and memberships in fellowships. 

I have been fined a few times for items that I was surprised that were even against the rules.  I have to say, they did remove them once I called and discussed it with them.  There are just so many rules, I do not see how anyone can follow them all.

The two MLS organization to which I belong, San Francisco Association of Realtors and the San Mateo County Association have relatively reasonable rules; I made an infraction inputting an off-market sale, but took action to correct it as soon as I became aware of it--no fine or scolding involved. Only time in 23 years that occurred.

However, if we want to have access to these two MLS associations, we MUST be members of both NAR and CAR (California Assn. of Realtors) as well as the local boards. 

Dr. before a proper name usually emphasizes the person with that name specializes in a certain profession. Dr. after a proper name usually is used in a certain vehicular passageway.