carlittle,
ok…now that’s insider’s stuff 
thanks for checking it out for the rest of us who dont have access…
This may vary from state to state, but in Virginia, you do not have to join the National Association of Realtors to gain access to the MLS. I’m a licensed real estate agent, not a Realtor, and I use the same regionally based MLS system that Realtors do.
Save yourself the $600 a year (or whatever it is) and find a broker who does not require you to join the NAR.
Beemnseven,
You are correct. Not sure about other states, but in California it is the Broker that joins NAR and the local association. As an agent representing the broker you could certainly gain access without joining NAR, but your broker must join the association.
I am a broker so finding a broker is not an option for me. Most brokers charge you for the MLS access as part of your regular “desk fees” or commission split. How you actually pay for it is really up to an agreement between the agent and the broker. I assure you that if you are accessing MLS that you are paying for it one way or another.
Oh certainly, you pay for access somehow. My point was to address the statement someone made about having to join the National Association of Realtors before you can gain access to the MLS. This is not the case. As to whether my broker is a Realtor, I’m not sure. The MLS system we use here in the region is in no way affiliated with the NAR.
In my area I use realtor.com to check for comparables and listings. The realtor that I work with says that it is fairly close to the MLS listings. I usually ask how many listings they have in our Major City and compare the numbers to what I find on Realtor.com Usually it’s with in 10 properties. I have checked some areas of the country and find very few on Realtor.com. I will check mlslistings.com and compare it.
NDI
Realtor.com is fed by the many MLS systems that are out there. No tall listings in MLS are on Realtor.com. For my MLS system, I have to select that I want the listing on Realtor.com. Most listings are put on the site though.
Realtor.com is a great place to look. When you want more information, then call your contact that has access to MLS to get the details.
do you use the mls access just for comps reason, or also to get leads and search for properties easily ? the reason I ask is because I would like to know from someone who has access to mls for texas how importants it is to have to find deals.
i use it for leads and listings, but mainly for comps.
MLS by definition is what most Realtors use to advertise to other Realtors working with buyers, therefore if “your MLS is not affiliated in anyway with NAR”, which i doubt, it defeats the very purpose the original poster was asking. In conclusion, MLS is a data base owned and operated by local Realtor Association, Realtors pay a fee to participate and access, it is not public information. If you are given access e.g. a participant allows you to use their id/password, they are in violation of usage agreement. If you have a Realtor set you up as a customer or client they can provide you with any and all information they can gain from the site.
Over here you pay $164/quarter for MLS access and $218/year for the keybox superkey.
I think most MLS systems put their listings into Realtor.com by default although I suppose there could be a few out there that don’t do that. There’s also certain areas that have their own private MLS or don’t put their listings in MLS because they serve a very specialized market and they don’t want to co-broke as anyone interested in the property will go to them anyway.
As for the rules of my MLS, it’s only licensed agents/brokers. Also appraisers can be members. You don’t need to be a member of the National Association of Realtor in order to join, but they do have a member and a non-member rate.
Now that you mention it, I believe their was a court ruling that said they cannot require membership in NAR to be a member of the MLS. Some kind of Anti-trust thing. However, they can charge you a different rate.
So if that is the case, no NAR required, would you still have to have take the state exam? Hmmm…
Realtor.com is nice and all, but the problem is that you have to contact an agent to get the address and other details…PITA…
Aaron
The fact that Realtors use the MLS does not mean that the National Association of Realtors owns exclusive rights to it, nor does it mean that only Realtors can use it. At least that’s the case with the MLS system we use in this area. If the NAR set up their own MLS system, then what you say is true. They can include or exclude membership to whomever they want, and charge any fee they want. The MLS system we use was set up privately by a selection of area real estate brokers. Some are members of the NAR, some are not. This particular MLS was not set up by the NAR – but Realtors and non-Realtors alike can use it. Everyone pays a fee to use it.
Again, this all depends on the multiple listing service that is predominantly used in any given area. If someone decides to get a broker’s license, doesn’t join the NAR, and the NAR owns and operates the MLS in that particular region, then yes, that broker, in order to remain in business must have access to a database that contains all the listings. The NAR can exclude membership to those who are not Realtors, and hence, this broker will have to join before he or she can use that particular MLS.
Bottom line: the National Association of Realtors does not automatically assume ownership of any and all databases that contain listings of a particular area. If I personally start a website, and all the area real estate agents agree to give me information on their listings, and we then agree that this is the system we will use to access information on listings for our buyers, then that is a local, private MLS. Maybe we won’t call it that, we can call it something else. Either way, I’m not a Realtor, and the National Association of Realtors doesn’t by some magical right assume ownership of it.
You still have to take the exam for our MLS. It’s open to people that have a state license as a real estate agent or broker or appraiser. You do not have to join NAR and become a Realtor to have access, but you do need to be licensed to have access.
As for getting the address, once you sign up with a Realtor, they will send you daily updates with the address and additional detail. Of course they might call you once in a while to see if you’d like to go and see anything.
Its nice to have access to MLS I guess, most of the realtors I’ve tried with wanna do the search listing for me, only they all come back with lousy deals favoring them. BTW your site is nice, does it bring you any business ?
Thanks Henry, I guess I will have to check the local MLS here in ATL unless some curious reader has that info…
Just curious, what state are you in??
I am in IL and I pay $85 quarterly for MLS access and $107 for the keybox.
Sofia.
For Northern Colorado: Our local MLS, called IRES, is an LLC jointly and equally owned by the local Boards of Realtors of 5 northern Colorado cities. Fees are $75 to join plus $35 per month for REALTORS, or $225 plus $45/mo for non-REALTORS. All users must be Colorado state licensed real estate brokers (there is no “sales agent” licensing anymore in Colorado).
Employing brokers must be members in order for their broker associates to sign up. State licensed appraisers are also eligible to join, under the non-REALTOR fees.
Office staff and non-licensed assistants can also have access, as associate members, for the same fees per user as non-REALTORS.
The fine for sharing access/password with a non-member is $500, and DOUBLES for every subsequent offense, with no cap.
IRES operates their own public “front” that is fed directly from the same database as the MLS, available at www.coloproperty.com, with just certain data points removed, of course.
Keybox is optional. My company uses our own lock boxes.
I am acting as a “marketing assistant” while awaiting receipt of my license, own one rental property, and am just now getting into creative REI. Newbie to this forum.
Hope this helps somebody in this area.
Make it a great day!
-Jassen