By DeeinAustin™
Last week, I wrote a much talked-about article about the controversy surrounding the Austin Board of REALTOR®'s late launch of the new MLS tool, MLXchange. Top issues included:
- Numerous kinks and flaws set members back during these last few weeks of the holiday season.
- Mac users could not access automated home reports or personalized sites. Worse, agents were told the issue "may never be resolved".
- I wondered why ABOR limits access by consumers to MLS statistics and data that is provided in detail by Houston and San Antonio.
Although I didn't see a press release or announcement, my own tests showed that Mac/Safari/Firefox users should be able to see properties from MLXchange as of last Thursday. I was elated and felt that ABOR escalated the browser issue after the public made it clear that this fix could not be ignored or delayed.
MO' CONTROVERSY, MO' PROBLEMS
Jim A. in Austin sent an email on the 23rd about the domain pointer that I mentioned in the post about MLXchange issues.
Jim's said, "Dee, your
use of the MLS acronym is against ABOR policies (and recent NAR
policies as well). Please remove this domain, or I'll report you to ABOR."
Ouch, Jim! It's common to send reminders of rules, but we never threaten each other out of common courtesy. Consequences are inherent and threats do not create good will.
NAR WANTS TO PROTECT THEIR TRADEMARK, "MLS"
I purchased a domain in 2005, when other agents frequently used MLS in domain names. "MLS" is a registered trademark of National Association of REALTORS® (NAR). Both NAR® and the Austin board have since clarified rules that protect the use of REALTOR® and MLS® under the explanation that consumers become confused.
The domain is just a pointer available from this blog, so it wasn't an issue before. Regardless, this irks Jim A. Personally, I disagree that having "MLS" in a domain or "Search MLS" on a website harms NAR® or consumers since I'm a
paying member with legitimate access.
I don't have a problem with Jim, by the way. I contacted ABOR® for clarification and will wait to hear back.
RELATED STORIES
Austin BOARD of REALTORS® Shuts Agents, Mac Users out of MLS
Real Estate Agents should be Anti-Competitive
Another Austin Blogger's opinion on the ABOR "MLS" rule
How does your real estate agent justify their high commission?
Open Letter to ABOR Directors and Staff
Dear ABOR:
I wanted to write to let you folks know again how disappointed I am, day in and day out, with this new MLS product. Though I am learning to work around the challenges that have been imposed with the system and educate myself about the various idiosynchrasies of the program, I still feel virtually crippled by the product’s weaknesses an entire two months after its unveiling.
When potential clients called me in previous years, I used to be able to quickly load MLS and provide a CMA to my clients on the fly. It was one of the best tools in my arsenal. Because TEMPO operated quickly and intuitively, I was quick on the draw and knew exactly where to go to pull up values for my niche (duplexes). Clients were impressed – I got a lot of business.
Today, I had a client on the phone that had to wait literally an extra minute and a half while I loaded the MLS website (which had timed out after a short period), then had to plod through the interface to get the data I used to be able to pull up – no exaggerating here – 3 times faster. I get daily errors when trying to display report data.
Since most of you are Realtors yourselves, you can probably imagine how long a minute seems when talking to a first time calling lead who you’ve spent thousand of dollars marketing in order to get them call you; only to sound like a teenager working in a call center (“sorry, bear with me, my computer is operating slowly!”).
At one point in my call today, I thought my computer had frozen (and I have a state of the art, up to date computer system and T1 internet connection). All the while I am trying to calm the client and apologize for the delay this busy man had to endure.
I could tell in his voice and am completely sure this guy was less impressed with me, my knowledge, and my company (than he would have been had I had the same ability to reference CMA data as I used to) – solely because of the extra time and effort it took to pull a simple CMA up with this software.
By the time I had gathered the information I needed to help this gentleman, I felt less educated, less empowered, and virtually helpless. I literally feel this product has taken away my edge as a top producing listing agent.
Yes, I eventually pulled the comps and was able to help him. The product does work, and I know you’re trying to train people as quickly as possible – but it is a far cry from the previous solution, and it is just incredibly unfortunate that we have to “put up” with this albatross of a software program, and that it remains in place – as slow and buggy practically as day one.
I know my ranting gets me no where (and I have given up hope that you guys will bring us back a decent MLS system), but I wanted to let you know that the consequences of implementing this seemingly haphazardly developed system are practically devastating.
I know hundreds if not thousands of agents share my antipathy, and I thought you should know this.
Thanks for Listening,
Robert Grunnah
P.S. The loss of “smooth scrolling” in search results is perhaps the most incredible downgrade in functionality imaginable; having to page down on the interface and losing where you were when reviewing listings is just unfathomable.
Posted by: Robert Grunnah | Wednesday, January 23, 2008 at 08:08 PM
Robert, thank you for the feedback. MLXchange problems have lost business for me as well. I have been trying to set up a client gateway for a week and I still don't know if the client has received her emails.
It makes us all seem as if we're amateurs even though we're experienced agents.
Posted by: Dee Copeland | Wednesday, January 23, 2008 at 11:34 PM
Agents - go to http://www.keysurvey.com/survey/99246/12f2/ and take the Marketlinx survey. Blast them about MLXchange. Please lett them we want Tempo back. Did you know that Marketlinx, which owns Tempo and MLSchange is a First American Corporation?
Posted by: Sam Chapman | Wednesday, January 30, 2008 at 11:00 AM