Getting listings to the Internet in a timely fashion is a process with many bottlenecks along the way. The problem often begins with agents who are either stumped by technology or don't have the right to post their own listings. MLSs compound the problem with outdated technology, or by being too relaxed in their requirements, such as allowing 10 days or more for agents to post new listings. Some MLSs hold listings in batches before forwarding them to national partners. Then, some national partners post listings only during the week or only once a week. One or more bottlenecks means excessive delays for consumers. How successful would online listing services be if consumers knew how outdated the information really is? Enabling agents Several MLSs across the country are finding solutions to the problem, beginning with operating their own Web sites for the public. The Middle Tennessee Regional MLS addressed the problem from the outset when its forward-thinking board OK'd an Internet-based MLS system over a year ago. All agents have the ability to input listing data which posts instantly on the MLS's public/private server, giving buyers instant access to new listings. Phil Graves, vice president of MarketLinx, the designer of the MTRMLS's Internet MLS system, says, "There is no question of having to pass information over because it is the same database as the Realtors use. It is always up to date. Many brokers also have public sites, and they can link in and display their listings right from the database. Universal language still lacking Graves is working on a solution for speeding information to national aggregators. "The problem with national aggregators is that there is no common database for real estate in the country," explains Graves. "So in order to pull information directly, they have to have an interface from every single board they want to get information from. There are a few boards where they are getting information directly." Because of the lack of standard language protocols, the national listing services must convert the data from hundreds of proprietary MLS systems, a job akin to translating listings written in hundreds of foreign languages. One of the solutions on the horizon is for MLS information system providers and other service providers to adopt a universal mark-up language so that all access to all databases can be done with a point and click browser. A new technology called XML (eXtensible markup language) makes this possible, and is endorsed by Graves. "That's why they (the national listings sites) don't get the listings as they are entered. They are getting a batch load. They have to convert to a common standard. If XML is adopted as a standard, it will make the whole job of aggregating data much easier." The National Association of REALTORS® is working on adopting the RETS standard, which includes the XML code, but it could be months or a few years before the technology is adopted nationwide. Many MLSs and brokers aren't waiting, and they are moving forward with solutions now. Kevin Fowler, developer of REWebcom, an Internet MLS parallel system, has devised an XML-based database in partnership with OpenMLS, a listing management system among the first to feature XML code. The technology allows agents to instantly post listings to the Internet and deliver their data online to their MLS. Russ Bergeron with the Southern California MLS is working to enable agents to be Web-efficient. He believes agents can upload their own listings and photos to the Internet. In fact, that is one of the primary features of MLS2000, the Internet MLS being designed for the So.Cal.MLS by HomeSeekers. The national listings aggregators pitch in Bergeron admits that an MLS can cause delays in some postings. "Some sites only produce a weekly file and send them to vendors, and some are still paranoid about sharing files with vendors. Some small MLSs don't have a large enough staff or technical staff to do it any more efficiently." The solution? Go to the source. Companies such as HomeSeekers, CyberHomes, HomeAdvisor and Realtor.com have all devised ways to go to the MLS databases and pull listings - with permission, of course. Realtor.com offers iLEAD, a new program for Realtors which enables them to post their listings on the national service with 48 hours. CyberHomes, the sister company to Moore Data Management Systems - a leading information system vendor to MLSs, offers same day or even hourly postings of listing data by Moore-operated MLS information systems. HomeSeekers and Homedvisor have devised new programs which provide broker-approved requests to tap into the MLS systems, enabling the listings sites to post the broker's listings online. Some problems still exist While some problems are being solved, others have no quick solution. Although agents can enter listing data rapidly either through their own MLSs or through national partners, there is still the problem of how to get photos of the home displayed in a timely fashion. Along with many other MLSs, Bergeron's MLS still dispatches photographers to photograph the homes, but he no longer considers this the best way to proceed. "You may have a home with the garbage cans out in front where all you see from the street is the garage. The photographer can't go in or around the back where there may be a million dollar home hanging off the cliff." He feels the agent should take the photos, and has enabled the Stellar system serving SCMLS to allow up to eight photos per listing. Few agents take advantage of this availability, however. He says, "How many agents have the capability of uploading to the Internet? If you said to the average agent, upload your own listing, they look at you funny. Do they have a digital camera, a scanner, so they can put the listing up during the listing presentation? That would be the ideal." A revolutionary idea To improve listing timeliness, Bergeron is debuting photographer bypass soon in Palm Springs "It will only be available to agents who are on HomeSeekers," says Bergeron. "These agents will be able to read the news, look at their listings, and it will allow them to change the remarks from the MLS and make it more pizzazzy. And you can upload your own photos." Bergeron proposes a reverse system in which the agent uploads are posted to HomeSeekers first and the MLS second. "We are working with HomeSeekers so that whenever an agent uploads a photo to HomeSeekers, it goes into the MLS system. We want agents to have that capability. They provide better quality photos, and you don't have the problem that the photographer got there on "garbage day."" "We are out to improve timeliness, quality and reduce costs," says Bergeron. Good ideas are worth sharing. Let us know if your broker, MLS, information system provider, or national partner is doing something positive to solve the online listing bottleneck. Also See: Why Aren't Listings Posted Instantly to the Internet?