This is my column for this week from the Arizona Republic (permanent link).
New FlexMLS system is a bold stride into the twenty-first century for Phoenix-area Multiple Listings Service
Metropolitan Phoenix got a brand new MLS system this week. MLS is the Multiple Listings Service, the system by which Realtors share their listings with one another. Until this week, the Arizona Regional Multiple Listings Service had been using a computing system called Tempo to share listings. As of this Monday just past, we have switched to the FlexMLS system.
Had you guessed that something had changed? If your Realtor has been sending you listings from a saved search, or if you had been receiving updates to a Tempo Gateway, all that stopped on Monday morning. Chances are your agent has spent much of this week rewriting searches and reestablishing gateways. The FlexMLS system is more robust than anything we’ve had before, but it’s also quite a bit more complicated. It may take a while before things get back to normal.
So why make the switch? For one very good reason, to tap into that much more robust technology. Tempo permitted a crude kind of map-based search, but FlexMLS allows you to select houses from within multiple non-contiguous irregular polygons. So, as an example, I can search for homes that are either within walking distance of Apollo High School or within walking distance of Valley Metro bus lines servicing Apollo High School.
There’s more: The FlexMLS pricing software is comparable to the tools appraisers use. Realtors will have to stretch themselves to learn how to tap this power, but our Comparative Market Analyses are going to be painstakingly accurate.
But not without some growing pains. ARMLS is by far the largest MLS system FlexMLS has taken on so far. This first week has been a trial for the North Dakota company — a strain on their servers, and, no doubt, a strain on their tech support staff as well.
And workaday Realtors are sharing the pain. No doubt many are grumbling, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” But FlexMLS is a bold stride into the twenty-first century for ARMLS. This transition may not be fun, but it will be a boon to everyone in the long run.
Technorati Tags: arizona, arizona real estate, phoenix, phoenix real estate, real estate, real estate marketing, technology
Dave says:
Kind of a funny note – we are a member of 19 MLS boards – 5 of them use Flex. We have been getting apology letters every day as those five Flex databases have been down for the last week.
This is the first time this has happened in 3 years…and other than this issue – we like the system.
Maybe it has something to do with those growing pains.
August 2, 2008 — 9:22 am
Jeffrey Buettner says:
I think the new FlexMLS is great except they dont automatically calculate Title Policy and Escrow fees for the Sellers Net Sheet.
August 2, 2008 — 9:29 am
Ken Smith says:
About time you moved out of the dark ages. Can’t believe you still had to use Tempo, it is very outdated technology wise.
August 2, 2008 — 8:36 pm
Jeffrey Buettner says:
Ken Smith-
Where are you from? and how long has it been since you have been out of tempo?
August 2, 2008 — 8:42 pm
Ken Smith says:
Chicago market and we haven’t had Tempo in years…have used ConnectMLS for at least the last 4 years and something similar before that for a couple years. Our small local MLS (MAP) used Tempo all the way up to getting bought out by our big MLS (MLSNI). It was one of the reasons I refused to belong to the small MLS, they refused to stay with the times.
August 3, 2008 — 8:57 am
Jeffrey Buettner says:
Wow! Arizona is late! I knew we were a little behind but I had no idea.
August 3, 2008 — 9:30 am
Sean Purcell says:
You guys don’t want to know about San Diego…
August 3, 2008 — 8:33 pm
Jeffrey Buettner says:
Why ? What is it like in San Diego?
August 3, 2008 — 9:18 pm
Sean Purcell says:
We are still using Tempo. (They just “updated” to Tempo 5.0) with a protective FOB. (Wouldn’t want the general public to get ahold of listing info would we?!)
The system is not very robust and the search capabilities, beside not being very intuitive, are not very useful.
Reading about FlexMSL makes me drool.
August 3, 2008 — 9:29 pm
Jeffrey Buettner says:
Wow… That does sound harsh. I feel bad for you.
August 4, 2008 — 6:46 am
Ken Smith says:
Wonder how different Connect and Flex are. Not sure they could handle our volume of listings and activity, but our MLS is always looking for better products. Many times we have had multiple systems in place as they let the agents test new products to see if we like it better then the current one, that is how we ended up on Connect.
Funny thing I noticed today, due to the merger we now can use Tempo if we want…lol. It is still there to let the agents that had been with the small MLS that got bought out time to learn Connect.
August 4, 2008 — 8:50 am
Sean Purcell says:
our MLS is always looking for better products. Many times we have had multiple systems in place as they let the agents test new products to see if we like it better then the current one
Now that is the way an MLS should do things. Out here the only impression I get is the gatekeepers are losing their hold and it drives them nuts.
When they introduced the new version of Tempo everyone had to attend a Tempo class to learn all the bells & whistles. I’ll admit there was a good 15 or 20 minutes of pretty interesting stuff. Unfortunately, the class was 2.5 hours long…
August 4, 2008 — 9:03 am
Ken Smith says:
Sean our MLS’s willingness to help the agents with quality search tools and willingness to listen to the agents I think might be why I have such a hard time with the agents that cry for a major revolt against the current system. Really if an MLS just does it’s job and provides the tools agents need and they charge a fair fee then everyone can be happy.
Most MLS’s don’t need a complete overhaul, just some minor tweaks to focus their efforts. MLS’s want to do what is best for their agents, just many times things like egos and large members get in the way. Our MLS is so large that even a group of the largest members don’t control enough of the listings to have leverage to force the MLS to do anything. They tried and cost themselves a TON of money and agents. That allows our MLS to truly act in the best interest of the agents as a whole not just a few larger offices.
August 4, 2008 — 9:48 am
Sue says:
Our system is very limited like Sean’s. Funny, we are in very pricy real estate areas too. We had tempo and switched to a newly developed system. We did have tempo several years ago and it had a nice feture which you could draw a circle around an area and see which homes were for sale and/or have sold there in and designate a timeframe as well…great helpful tool. We no longer have that, I understand its in the courts to determine who owns in. In the meantime, we don’t have anything like it.
August 5, 2008 — 6:49 am
Doug Quance says:
The better of our two MLS’s uses Tempo…. so that should tell you how things are here in Atlanta…
😆
August 6, 2008 — 3:55 pm