While datasharing is a new concept to some MLSs, others have been doing it in one form or another for a while.

Metrolist MLS in Denver recently became the first MLS to implement a datasharing cooperative among MLSs serving the Denver, Boulder and Colorado Springs areas, without the use of a third-party vendor, the company says.

Some MLSs have other arrangements in place. What's clear is that region to region, attitudes about what should and should not be shared and how tend to differ.

The Southern California MLS has participated in some form of datasharing in place since 1994, between Multi-Regional MLS, Orange Coast-Newport Beach, Pasadena, Glendale, Desert Area (Palm Springs, Palm Desert), LA Westside, and Southland Regional AOR. The combined number of agents served was approximately 75,000, says Russ Bergeron, general manager of SoCal MLS.

"We set up a loose coalition whereby if you were a member of one of the MLSs who were participating, you received search access into all the other MLSs -- included 8 or 9 regional MLSs," says Bergeron. "Maybe it costs you a phone call, and you had to learn the other system (although at the time we set this up, five of us were on a common platform using common forms)."

"Then we set up the MLS Alliance with WyldFyre in which any member of a participating MLS can go to the Alliance Website, do a search which goes across MLS boundaries, and find all the listings in a geographic area -- not just the ones from their MLS," he says. "The detail of the listings then comes from each MLS's individual servers. They have e-mail and mapping capabilities as well.

"And you get to see the whole listing -- not just a handful of data fields," he adds.

Was compensation an issue? Not according to Bergeron. "The agreement we had stated that you would cooperate and compensate as if you were one big MLS," he says.

RealComp II, Ltd., Michigan's largest MLS, began datasharing with nine other MLSs in the state about three to four years ago, says Karen Kage, chief executive officer.

"Three of the MLSs we currently share data with involve actual data sets being swapped and incorporated into each other’s computer systems," explains Kage. "The other six MLSs we share data with involves our issuing guest user IDs and passwords to our members for our data sharing partners’ systems."

Data exchange arrangements are with the Ann Arbor Area Board of REALTORS, the Flint Area Association of REALTORS and the Lapeer and Upper Thumb Association of REALTORS. The guest user IDs (password access arrangements) are with the Eastern Thumb Association of REALTORS, Jackson Area Association of REALTORS, Lenawee County Association of REALTORS, Monroe County Association of REALTORS, Traverse Area Association of REALTORS and the Down River Association of REALTORS.

"For those that we have the actual exchange of data with, here are some of the details of the arrangement:

Published: October 24, 2003

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