The real estate Internet company HomeSeekers.com has signaled its intent to challenge traditional MLS vendors such as Moore Data and Interealty for national supremacy in the listing business, saying old models are obsolete and that only Web-based systems will be able to deliver the kind of flexibility and economy the industry is going to need in the future.

To emphasize the point, HomeSeekers.com officially unveiled its MLS2000 system at the NAR Midyear meetings in Washington, and announced the hiring of key MLS experts who in the past had worked for traditional vendors.

According to HomeSeeker President John Giaimo, MLS2000 is a system that can run parallel to current MLS vendor systems, and replace them as soon as their contracts expire. The system is being introduced at a critical time, when real estate agents nationwide are voicing complaints about MLS systems and especially about hardships being endured during vendor change overs.

"A typical (current) MLS fee might be between $8 and $12 per month, maybe $18," Giaimo said. "With MLS2000, that fee could drop $4 to $6 per month."

Of more importance, however, is the flexibility of the system.

"Let's say pink fireplaces become fashionable in your area," Giaimo said. "Right now, the agents have to ask that that category be added to the MLS, the MLS board has meet to discuss it. The vendor has to respond. And three months and $50,000 later, you might get a category for pink fireplaces.

"With MLS2000, all your system administrator has to do is say, ‘Add pink fireplaces’ and you're done. You can start loading pink fireplaces that night."

Joining HomeSeekers to manage MLS2000 are industry veterans Ira Luntz and Todd Colthorp. These two individuals demonstrate HomeSeekers' commitment to this market and its potential.

Best known as founders of BORIS Systems, Luntz headed BORIS' development and operations, and Colthorp led the BORIS sales and marketing efforts.

In 1984, BORIS introduced high-speed, menu-driven MLS systems with photos, and made turnkey MLS operation practical and affordable. In 1993, with profitable annual revenue in excess of $12 million and an industrywide reputation for innovation and service, BORIS was sold to Norwest Mortgage.

In 1996, Norwest sold the division to Moore Data Management Services. Luntz subsequently became senior partner for Clareity Consulting, while Colthorp remained with Moore as vice president of sales, with responsibility for revenue of more than $50 million.

MLS2000 is XML-compliant, with the first generation now being tested in Southern California by the SoCal MLS system, an 18,000 member system in Los Angeles and Orange County.

"We think it will be a pretty good test to see if the system can keep up with heavy trafic," Giaimo said.

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