by Heather Andrews | Nov 2, 2012 | RMLS News, RMLSweb
RMLS™ subscribers were recently invited to reflect on our services through this year’s Subscriber Satisfaction Survey. Staff members have been reading through every comment submitted since the survey closed. We’d like to share the results with subscribers as well, so over the next few weeks we’ll be highlighting some questions from the survey.
Asking a diverse set of REALTORS® who use our site regularly was bound to yield a flood of feedback. While there were generally favorable comments on some topics and some negative feedback about others, it was also interesting to see directly opposing comments on the same specific topic!
Overall, how easy do you find RMLSweb to use?
RMLSweb scored a cumulative 3.8 on this one, almost square in the middle of “Pretty Easy” and “Very Easy.”
Subscriber comments included:
• “Some of the recent changes have made it more user-friendly, so it’s not as cumbersome as before.”
• “I am not techy, and RMLSweb is one of the easist websites that I have used. If I have questions, tech support is there for me. If I want help, there are classes. If I want personal help, there is the Friday morning one-on-one opportunity.”
• “Abbreviations are very difficult, perhaps a pop-up definition per term?”
• “It is amazing how much RMLS™ has improved in the past 32 years!” [Ed. Note: RMLS™ began offering service in 1991, 21 years ago.]
How did the following RMLS™ projects (released since our last survey) affect your business?
Enabling photo upload for in-progress listings was the winner, but not by much. Adding a “Short Sale Pending” status to RMLSweb listings was nearly as helpful to respondents. Rounding out the top three, the implementation of Bing Maps on the site was favorably received by most subscribers.
Subscriber comments included:
• “I think any time you can have tools to be able to show your clients to help them understand the market is a huge tool in our business.”
• “Photos for in-progress listings was the best of all!”
• “Bing Maps are a big improvement.”
• “Bing Maps are worse than previous, generally.”
• “Listing Load could be a lot simpler.”
• “The share button, and listing load with click stats are the best changes I’ve seen in a while. Keep up the great work.”
Next time, we’ll reveal how subscribers generally interface with RMLS™.
by Heather Andrews | Oct 31, 2012 | Misc., Oregon Real Estate, Portland, RMLS Primary Service Areas
The Pacific Northwest gets a lot of rain, and stormwater runoff can be challenging to manage. Many cities in the region are starting to build green street facilities in residential areas to reduce the risk of flooding and provide other benefits.
The City of Portland recently released a guide for REALTORS® and homeowners called “Buying or Selling a House with a Green Street Facility.” The guide outlines basic information about these facilities, including how to report a need for maintenance.
Additionally, the caretakers of these facilities remind REALTORS® and homeowners of the following:
• Place “for sale” signs in yards rather than green street facilties or between curbs and sidewalks.
• Inform clients that green streets are publicly owned stormwater management facilities.
• If a green street facility near a property on the market needs maintenance, contact the City of Portland.
Facilities like these exist outside of Portland as well—REALTORS® in other areas may equally benefit from reviewing these materials.
![Supra Lockbox Activity October 15-21, 2012]()
by Heather Andrews | Oct 29, 2012 | Lockbox, Statistics
This Week’s Lockbox Activity
For the week of October 15-21, 2012, these charts show the number of times RMLS™ subscribers opened Supra lockboxes in Washington and Oregon. Compared to last week, the numbers declined in Washington, while Oregon saw a marginal increase.
For a larger version of each chart, visit the RMLS™ photostream on Flickr.
![Supra Lockbox Activity October 15-21, 2012]()
by Heather Andrews | Oct 24, 2012 | Distressed Properties, Industry News, Market Trends, Statistics
This chart shows the number of bank owned properties and short sales in all areas of the RMLS™ system during the third quarter of 2012.
Below are links to additional charts for some of our larger areas.
• Portland Metro Distressed Properties (3rd Quarter 2012)
• Clark County, WA Distressed Properties (3rd Quarter 2012)
• Lane County, OR Distressed Properties (3rd Quarter 2012)
• Douglas County, OR Distressed Properties (3rd Quarter 2012)
• Coos County, OR Distressed Properties (3rd Quarter 2012)
Here are some additional facts about distressed residential properties in the third quarter of 2012:
All areas when comparing percentage share of the market, third quarter 2012 to second quarter 2012:
• When comparing the third quarter of 2012 to the second quarter, distressed sales as a percentage of new listings decreased by .6% (18.2% v. 18.8%).
• In a comparison of the third quarter of 2012 to the second quarter, distressed sales as a percentage of closed sales decreased by 5.3% (24.8% v. 30.1%).
• Short sales comprised 9.8% of new listings and 12.2% of sales in the third quarter of 2012, down .1% and up .5% from the second quarter of 2012, respectively.
• Bank owned/REO properties comprised 8.4% of new listings and 12.6% of sales in the third quarter of 2012, down .5% and 5.8% from the second quarter of 2012, respectively.
Portland Metro when comparing percentage share of the market, third quarter 2012 to second quarter 2012:
• When comparing the third quarter of 2012 to the second quarter, distressed sales as a percentage of new listings decreased by 1.4% (18.5% v. 19.9%).
• In a comparison of 3Q 2012 to 2Q, distressed sales as a percentage of closed sales decreased by 5.3% (24.2% v. 29.5%).
• Short sales comprised 10.2% of new listings and 12.5% of sales in 3Q 2012, down .3% and up 1.1% from 2Q 2012, respectively.
• Bank owned/REO properties comprised 8.3% of new listings and 11.7% of sales in 3Q 2012, down 1% and 6.4% from 2Q 2012, respectively.
Clark County when comparing percentage share of the market, third quarter 2012 to second quarter 2012:
• When comparing the third quarter of 2012 to the second quarter, distressed sales as a percentage of new listings decreased by .4% (24.6% v. 25.0%).
• In a comparison of 3Q 2012 to 2Q 2012, distressed sales as a percentage of closed sales decreased by 5.3% (29.7% v. 35%).
• Short sales comprised 17.2% of new listings and 20.1% of sales in the third quarter of 2012, down .1% for new listings and down .3% for sales when compared to the second quarter of 2012, respectively.
• Bank owned/REO properties comprised 7.4% of new listings and 9.7% of sales in the third quarter of 2012, down .4% and 4.9% from the second quarter of 2012, respectively.
If you’d like more information or percentages of distressed residential sales in other areas not represented by our charts, please contact us at communications@rmls.com.
by Heather Andrews | Oct 24, 2012 | Misc.
The spotlight continues to shine on some of our REALTOR® subscribers this week! Meet Tim Sellers, who works with Barb Sellers and Associates Realty in Fairview, Oregon. Tim, who specializes in residential resale, was another one of this year’s Subscriber Satisfaction Survey winners.
How did your real estate career begin?
I’m a third generation real estate agent. I thought I’d just give it a try, and 24 years later I’m still trying.
What do you enjoy most about being a REALTOR®?
I like working with people, no matter who they are, where they’re from, or what their world view is.
Tell me about a particularly interesting property you sold.
Well…it’s more the people than the properties that are interesting, and I probably shouldn’t say any more.
Everyone has a secret talent. What’s yours?
I can make a bubble sound that always makes babies smile. And for the older kids, I made great paper airplanes.
Thanks, Tim!
