Realty Plus Online, Inc., a transaction management services provider has come up with an irresistible combination for MLS organizations - Internet MLS information services coupled with transaction management software.

The combination may prove irresistible to agents, too. Instead of paying at the end of a transaction for online services, or a monthly fee in order to use a platform, the agent is already used to paying MLS membership dues. They won't feel the pinch of adding a new service model to the budget, particularly when some, like CloseYourDeal.com, are free of charge to the agent and their consumers.

Internet MLS systems enable agents to be more competitive, and they can result in lower information system costs for MLS organizations who can pass the savings along to their members if they choose. Information system companies develop contracts with MLS organizations that can include revenue sharing and incentives.

Realty Plus Online takes this concept a step further; they call it the "no-risk" model. The greater number of transactions that go through Fusion MLS and CloseYourDeal.com, for example, the greater the incentives are for the MLS organization partners like MLSNI. Instead of agents paying a transaction fee for every transaction, the title companies, lenders, appraisers, and others who wish to get in front of agents and their buyers and sellers, pay to be on the platform.

As Realty Plus Online rolls out to new MLS organizations, they provide an existing selection of service providers. Agents are welcome to add whatever service providers they want to use, who only need an Internet connection to participate. There is no cost to any service provider to be in the system and be available. To encourage participation, Realty Plus will even allow Internet-slow service providers to fax documents in and they will post the documents online for them, so that agents can use their favorite providers without penalty. A transaction fee is charged only once they have received an active order, or when a deal has closed.

Spokesperson for Realty Plus Online, Sue Watkins says, "It's one place where everybody can communicate. Service providers are anxious to get rid of costs like courier services, as well as the loss of time and convenience from not being able to reach people."

One thing many new Internet service providers forget is that in order for Realtors to adopt their platforms, the incentive must be strong to make the change. Realtors must overcome old methods of getting things done in order to migrate to the Internet or to use new software, for that matter. If they aren't sufficiently rewarded by savings in time or money, or by restoring control of the transaction to them, they have little reason to change.

Realty Plus Online, Inc. seems to have figured these realities out.

The largest MLS in the nation, the Multiple Listing Service of Northern Illinois (MLSNI), is the first to step up to the plate and adopt both Internet MLS services and transaction management in one million dollar plus deal. The ink is drying on a contract for Realty Plus to provide Fusion MLS™ and CloseYourDeal.com™ concurrently to MLSNI's 28,500 members.

Fusion MLS is an Internet-based MLS information management system for real estate agents. CloseYourDeal.com is a transaction management suite that automates the "12 steps" of the real estate transaction over the Internet, from listing the property to closing.

MLSNI will receive Fusion MLS version 3.0, the only MLS system which offers a "Listing Manager" that provides a sortable list of an agent’s listings. The Listing Manager allows an agent to select and view a listing; perform and view reverse prospecting for his/her listings; schedule an open house or tour for a listing; select a preferred default image for the listing; and add a note and even add attachments to a listing, such as virtual tours, fliers, pest reports, or appraisals. This feature also allows an agent to see how many “clickthroughs” a listing is receiving and compare that number to how many prospects he/she has received out of those hits, a feature which can help agents generate leads with sellers.

Fusion MLS also offers other prospecting tools that allow agents interested in each listing advanced notification of listing expiration dates at log on and via email and agent/client notifications of new matching listings via email.

Fusion MLS also integrates with CloseYourDeal.com with the click of a button. CloseYourDeal.com, according to the company, is the first secure Web site to automate the entire real estate transaction over the Internet— from listing the property to closing the deal, allowing agents, buyers and sellers, title and settlement companies, lenders, appraisers, and inspectors and others to collaborate in a secure Web environment.

Jay Huffman, CEO of MLSNI, said, “Our agreement to run both Fusion MLS and CloseYourDeal.com concurrently is a progressive step for our MLS as well as the real estate industry itself. Realty Plus Online is revolutionizing the industry with CloseYourDeal.com, and we need to be prepared for the revolution. This agreement is the first deal of its kind, and it demonstrates the need for all real estate professionals to move toward online real estate transaction management.”