Where Real Estate Gets Its Dirt

CMLS 2013 is next week, and we’ve got you covered.

It’s hard to believe that CMLS 2013 is next week. And despite the bitching and groaning about having to take two flights in to Boise, or the lack of a W hotel, CMLS 2013 is breaking records. Why? Because it the best damn conference of the year. Especially if your an MLS professional. So when you’re at the lobby bar and see Greg Manship or Jay Gordon (our two host this year) buy them a drink. And by a staff member a drink too. As many of you know, putting on this conference is no small task, so show a little love.

I’m showing the love the days running up to CMLS by posting a series of articles about various things I think are interesting about the MLS business today. So starting today don’t forget to check Vendor Alley for all cocktail conversation starters.

Reciprocal Deep Linking. Is it the future of MLS data sharing?

California has always been a hot bed of MLS politics and a place of innovation, when it comes to sharing MLS data.

Remember the MLS Alliance? How about Mercado? CARETS is still going strong. Quattro ring a bell? And who could forget the calREDD disaster? It seems whenever MLS providers want to share data, politics get in the way. But a group of MLS professionals believe they have the answer to change the way MLS providers share data, without the politics.

MetroList Services, Inc., i-Tech MLS, Rapattoni and MOVE announced earlier this month a new way, using MOVE’s Find application, to share listing detail records from the source MLS system. They do this with reciprocal deep linking, I’m calling it RDL.

To be honest when I first read the press release I was a bit nonplussed. Seemed just like another MLS data share agreement. But the twist on this is subtle. Using Find and SSO its possible for a MLS member in Sacramento to view the actual MLS property detail page on any cooperating MLS provider’s system. But here the brilliant part, the only thing that each MLS provider must agree to is an offer of cooperation and compensation. Boom.

Here’s a few screen shot to show you how it works:

RDL 1
SSO to Find from within participating MLS system.

RDL 2
Property Search results on Find. Click on the Property Address to display the Find Detail page.

RDL 3
On Find detail page, click on ‘View details on i-Tech’ (cooperating MLS system.)

RDL 4
i-Tech (cooperating MLS system) MLS property detail sheet displays.

Tom Beede, CEO of MetroList Services put it this way, “Reciprocal deep linking is the most cost-effective way to provide real estate agents with access to confidential information on for sale properties, because it’s free.”

Granted there are a few integration points that must be handled, but MOVE, Rapattoni, MetroList Services and i-Tech have already proven the model. Is this the future? Time will tell. The best thing is seeing MLS professionals continue to drive innovation to help them seek solutions to their challenges.

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