June 25, 2013 - Vendor Alley

WTFMLS

June 25th, 2013

Just when you thought South Florida MLS politics couldn’t get more crazier. The brain trust of these associations decided to dissolve RMLS, FL.

Realtors Association of the Palm Beaches
Jupiter-Tequesta-Hobe Sound Association of Realtors, Inc.
Realtors Association of St. Lucie, Inc.

REALLY? Dissolving RMLS was in the best interest of your members? Can anyone name any part of the country where this has been done successfully? I spoke to several agents at the recent Xplode conference in Boca Raton, and to say they are not happy is a massive understatement.

And don’t get me started about the hell Wes Wiggins must have been through. Do me a favor, next time you see Wes, pat him on the back and buy him a drink. He needs it. By all accounts he’s handled a tough situation with nothing but class.

But hey, this is Vendor Alley, we can’t help ourselves but offer some advice. We see a huge problem in the industry- what do you call this new entity created and now controlled by this trial blazing triumvirate of associations?

The MLS formerly known as RMLS, FL?
REALTORS of Palm Beaches, Jupiter-Tequesta-Hobe and St. Lucie MLS? RPBJTHSLMLS has a nice ring to it eh?

No, actually the name was uttered by one of the agents I was talking to in Boca Raton today.

“WTFMLS”

What The Fuck MLS?

Perfect.

Jerry Hahn joins Down Payment Resource

June 25th, 2013

Rumor has it that industry vet Jerry Hahn is coming out of “retirement” and joining Down Payment Resource.

Matt Cohen warned dotloop about “risky behavior”.

June 25th, 2013

What No One Is Saying About DotLoop and the California Association of REALTORS

“Fairly recently, DotLoop started getting cease and desist letters alleging that it had misappropriated REALTOR® Association intellectual property (forms) in order to use them as the core of its document and transaction management system. This shouldn’t have been unexpected by DotLoop – I myself warned them about this risky behavior in person a few years ago. If they end up paying treble damages for the alleged large-scale copyright violation and leave their customers in the lurch, they will have only themselves to blame.”

Great post from Matt Cohen. He really nails it. These copyright problems could turn in to a big problem for dotloop and its customers.

There seems to be a lack of maturity and good business sense at dotloop. Making a slick video (that only 545 people have viewed BTW) isn’t going to solve their problems. Being a positive effect for change isn’t sexy, it takes time, requires a lot of work. There are no shortcuts to success.

UPDATE: Looks like both Joel Singer and Austin Allision will “face off” at the Inman Connect conference next month.

Wednesday, July 10 2013
Face Off: Working Through the Gnarly Details of the Digital Transaction
5:10PM