The Multiple Listing Service
MLS stands for Multiple Listing Service.
Basically, the MLS is a big property warehouse - sort of like a "home depot." When property is available for sale, it goes in the warehouse. When it is sold, it gets taken out of
the warehouse. Since real estate cannot actually be stored in a warehouse, the MLS only contains information. So the MLS is actually a database - an extremely convenient
way to know what is available for sale at a given moment. That is why real estate agents developed the MLS. Quick knowledge of home inventory made agents more
productive.
The Evolving MLS:
Since developing and maintaining the MLS system wasn't free, agents created local "MLS Associations," required membership, and charged each other annual dues (plus
additional fees) so that they could pay for the necessary staff and materials to make it work. In the really olden days, an agent submitted listings to their local association and
the MLS staff compiled the data on what was available for sale and what had been sold. Once a week (or so) MLS members received a book that showed all the current
listings. Then (in the "merely" olden days) computers came along and made it easier to create the listing books. When modems came along the books were no longer
necessary, though it took agents awhile to adjust. MLS members could now "dial in" directly to the computer.
Finally, along comes the information age -- and the Internet.
Beginning in 1996, some property information from the MLS was placed on the web. It isn't as current as dialing directly into the computer, and information on the web does
not contain all the properties available in the MLS. Plus, there is no national MLS or database. Information you find on the web is compiled from local and regional MLS
systems, not all of which participate on the web to the same extent.
Why the MLS works for home sellers:
The whole MLS idea is a born to sellers because of "supply and demand." How can you, as a seller, get access to the largest number of buyers? Placing an ad in a
newspaper? Or putting your home information into a computer accessible by every MLS member who will show your property to their qualified buyers in your price range?
Being placed in the MLS expands a home seller's sales force, exposes the property to a larger pool of prospective home buyers, and creates more demand for the property.
The higher the demand, the more pricing power enjoyed by the homeowner - and the quicker a home will sell.
Why the MLS works for home buyers:
It is extremely convenient, does not cost a penny to buyers, plus......you get a qualified and experienced guide to help you through the complicated process of becoming a
homeowner.
Common Misconceptions Of the MLS and what the general public sees when going to their local MLS public web site. As mentioned above, Real-Estate Agents in your are
belong to a MLS Board. All of these MLS Boards have their own web site. What the average person does not know is that not only are they not looking at the MLS. They are
simply seeing a list of properties for sale in their area that have been posted on this web site but their local MLS Board. Agents on the other hand have a much larger and
more detailed information data base. In West Michigan it called SWMRIC.
Over the last 5 to 10 years, the MLS has evolved with a sharing system across West Michigan. The real MLS in West Michigan is located at http://www.swmric.com/. This is
the site that Realtors in South and West Michigan use to input new listings. It is also known as the South West Regional Information Center. As the years went by, MLS
Boards have done away with their own systems to use SWMRIC. The map below is an illustration of the SWMRIC boundaries. Keep in mind, it is growing every year.
I am a member of the Grand Rapids Association Of Realtors. Every property I list is posted on SWMRIC, but because I am a member of GRAR my listings also go on their
web site as well. However, it is still able to be viewed by agents though out West Michigan if and when they do a search for a property for a potential buyer. In other words, if I
was to list a property in Lake County, agents is Lake County will still find your property on the MLS because we use the same MLS Data Base. The same goes for the entire
are within the read line.
As I mentioned before, all of these MLS Boards within the SWMRIC MLS coverage area have their own web site. All of them have a search area for the public to look for local
Real Estate. Many of these boards will direct the general public directly to the public side of the SWMRIC site. For example: If you go to the Lake Shore MLS Board, and do a
search on the public side of the MLS you will be directed to the SWMRIC property search engine. However, not all MLS Boards work that way. This does not mean that if you
were to use one of my programs, I could not have your property placed on their site. It just means that your property will be seen by the local Real Estate agents, but not by the
general public. For the public to see your property on their web site their will be an additional charge. For example: The Battle Creek area MLS Board uses the SWMRIC
database, however if you were to do a search on their public web site you would only find locally listed properties for sale. The agents in Battle Creek use the SWMRIC system
to do searches for buyers, but their board restricts the public to search properties listed by their members only or to non member licenced agents that must pay a fee to add
listings to their MLS public web site. This fee, like many MLS Boards requires me to pay $100 to post listing on their site.
The best way for you to tell if your local MLS board will require me and you to pay an additional fee is to go to your local MLS web site. If you do a search and the site (click here
for an example) looks like this one, then no additional fees will be required. If you are happy just having your property available for agent to find on the MLS and not the public,
then no additional fees will be required. You can always change your mind later if you feel you need the additional exposure. On the main page of my web site you will find a
list of MLS Systems in West Michigan. You should be able to find your MLS their and see for your self how your local MLS Board operates.
Just a note. Every property listed in West Michigan is on SWMRIC. You can go to this site and search for property and see every currently listed property for sale in West
Michigan. Also, regardless what part of Michigan you own a piece property that you would like to sell, you can still use this program even if I am not a member of your local
MLS. I can list property on any MLS in the State. It just cost you a little more to do it.
The MLS is the most efficient tool to create exposure for the property you want to sell. Not only is it the only place Realtors look to find properties for their buyers, but it also
sets a chain reaction of exposure on other web sites. Every property that is listed on the MLS, automatically gets posted on www.realtor.com. Every property that is listed on
www.realtor.com sets into motion a series of postings on other web site like Zillo.com, Homes.com, AOL.com and 15 to 20 more sites. Perhaps even more. The longer your
property is listed, the more sites it will be posted on. The National Association of Realtors is always building exposure for it's members.
MLS stands for Multiple Listing Service.
Basically, the MLS is a big property warehouse - sort of like a "home depot." When property is available for sale, it goes in the warehouse. When it is sold, it gets taken out of
the warehouse. Since real estate cannot actually be stored in a warehouse, the MLS only contains information. So the MLS is actually a database - an extremely convenient
way to know what is available for sale at a given moment. That is why real estate agents developed the MLS. Quick knowledge of home inventory made agents more
productive.
The Evolving MLS:
Since developing and maintaining the MLS system wasn't free, agents created local "MLS Associations," required membership, and charged each other annual dues (plus
additional fees) so that they could pay for the necessary staff and materials to make it work. In the really olden days, an agent submitted listings to their local association and
the MLS staff compiled the data on what was available for sale and what had been sold. Once a week (or so) MLS members received a book that showed all the current
listings. Then (in the "merely" olden days) computers came along and made it easier to create the listing books. When modems came along the books were no longer
necessary, though it took agents awhile to adjust. MLS members could now "dial in" directly to the computer.
Finally, along comes the information age -- and the Internet.
Beginning in 1996, some property information from the MLS was placed on the web. It isn't as current as dialing directly into the computer, and information on the web does
not contain all the properties available in the MLS. Plus, there is no national MLS or database. Information you find on the web is compiled from local and regional MLS
systems, not all of which participate on the web to the same extent.
Why the MLS works for home sellers:
The whole MLS idea is a born to sellers because of "supply and demand." How can you, as a seller, get access to the largest number of buyers? Placing an ad in a
newspaper? Or putting your home information into a computer accessible by every MLS member who will show your property to their qualified buyers in your price range?
Being placed in the MLS expands a home seller's sales force, exposes the property to a larger pool of prospective home buyers, and creates more demand for the property.
The higher the demand, the more pricing power enjoyed by the homeowner - and the quicker a home will sell.
Why the MLS works for home buyers:
It is extremely convenient, does not cost a penny to buyers, plus......you get a qualified and experienced guide to help you through the complicated process of becoming a
homeowner.
Common Misconceptions Of the MLS and what the general public sees when going to their local MLS public web site. As mentioned above, Real-Estate Agents in your are
belong to a MLS Board. All of these MLS Boards have their own web site. What the average person does not know is that not only are they not looking at the MLS. They are
simply seeing a list of properties for sale in their area that have been posted on this web site but their local MLS Board. Agents on the other hand have a much larger and
more detailed information data base. In West Michigan it called SWMRIC.
Over the last 5 to 10 years, the MLS has evolved with a sharing system across West Michigan. The real MLS in West Michigan is located at http://www.swmric.com/. This is
the site that Realtors in South and West Michigan use to input new listings. It is also known as the South West Regional Information Center. As the years went by, MLS
Boards have done away with their own systems to use SWMRIC. The map below is an illustration of the SWMRIC boundaries. Keep in mind, it is growing every year.
I am a member of the Grand Rapids Association Of Realtors. Every property I list is posted on SWMRIC, but because I am a member of GRAR my listings also go on their
web site as well. However, it is still able to be viewed by agents though out West Michigan if and when they do a search for a property for a potential buyer. In other words, if I
was to list a property in Lake County, agents is Lake County will still find your property on the MLS because we use the same MLS Data Base. The same goes for the entire
are within the read line.
As I mentioned before, all of these MLS Boards within the SWMRIC MLS coverage area have their own web site. All of them have a search area for the public to look for local
Real Estate. Many of these boards will direct the general public directly to the public side of the SWMRIC site. For example: If you go to the Lake Shore MLS Board, and do a
search on the public side of the MLS you will be directed to the SWMRIC property search engine. However, not all MLS Boards work that way. This does not mean that if you
were to use one of my programs, I could not have your property placed on their site. It just means that your property will be seen by the local Real Estate agents, but not by the
general public. For the public to see your property on their web site their will be an additional charge. For example: The Battle Creek area MLS Board uses the SWMRIC
database, however if you were to do a search on their public web site you would only find locally listed properties for sale. The agents in Battle Creek use the SWMRIC system
to do searches for buyers, but their board restricts the public to search properties listed by their members only or to non member licenced agents that must pay a fee to add
listings to their MLS public web site. This fee, like many MLS Boards requires me to pay $100 to post listing on their site.
The best way for you to tell if your local MLS board will require me and you to pay an additional fee is to go to your local MLS web site. If you do a search and the site (click here
for an example) looks like this one, then no additional fees will be required. If you are happy just having your property available for agent to find on the MLS and not the public,
then no additional fees will be required. You can always change your mind later if you feel you need the additional exposure. On the main page of my web site you will find a
list of MLS Systems in West Michigan. You should be able to find your MLS their and see for your self how your local MLS Board operates.
Just a note. Every property listed in West Michigan is on SWMRIC. You can go to this site and search for property and see every currently listed property for sale in West
Michigan. Also, regardless what part of Michigan you own a piece property that you would like to sell, you can still use this program even if I am not a member of your local
MLS. I can list property on any MLS in the State. It just cost you a little more to do it.
The MLS is the most efficient tool to create exposure for the property you want to sell. Not only is it the only place Realtors look to find properties for their buyers, but it also
sets a chain reaction of exposure on other web sites. Every property that is listed on the MLS, automatically gets posted on www.realtor.com. Every property that is listed on
www.realtor.com sets into motion a series of postings on other web site like Zillo.com, Homes.com, AOL.com and 15 to 20 more sites. Perhaps even more. The longer your
property is listed, the more sites it will be posted on. The National Association of Realtors is always building exposure for it's members.
| Realistic Listing Fees For This Unrealistic Market Click Here Or Doug Baird For More Details 616-554-5796 Michigan For Sale By Owner |
| The map to the right shows the boundaries of the SWMRIC MLS Database that Agents and Brokers use to do searches for buyers in West Michigan. This is also the database that Agents and Brokers use when they list properties on the MLS. Here you can also search properties in West Michigan. You as a buyer will have limited access. If your property is currently listed with in these boundaries, you will be able to find it on this database. |