I saw the recent release of the INRIX Drive Time mapping tool in RMLSweb. I have to admit that while I had heard of INRIX before, and understand a bit about the technology, I was not sure I’d ever have use for it in RMLSweb.
Boy was I ever wrong! A day after you folks announced its availability, I got a new client lead that is a doctor moving to Portland, and he said he must live within 20 minutes of his work location and also, ideally, within 20 minutes of the daycare where he wished to enroll his son.
I explained that I have access to a really cutting-edge tool called INRIX Drive Time, and he was quite impressed! I created a search using both addresses and the 20-minute time frames, which helped narrow the number of listings down to homes that would keep him close to work and his child’s daycare.
Really cool! Thank you for adding this feature!
—Thrilled in Tigard
Hi TT (oh, I see what you did there!),
I’m so happy to hear of your success in using the new mapping tool! It really is designed to facilitate the very sort of search you just described. It sounds like you had no problem figuring out how the “Union” and “Intersection” controls work with the Drive Time tools.
For those who may not feel as confident in using the new INRIX Drive Time map functionality, the RMLS™ Training Team has created both a PDF overview and a video overview to walk you through the process.
You also mentioned being familiar with INRIX technology. I find their stuff fascinating, so I poked around on their website and found a great Trip Analyticsresource page that is worth reading if you want to really dive into what INRIX can do.
The INRIX Drive Time feature will be ready for you to use in RMLSweb the afternoon of Tuesday, March 26. This new mapping feature allows you to highlight an area — based on specified addresses and available traffic data — of the map, and see listings that meet your clients’ needs for a reasonable drive from home to work, school, a hospital, a grocery store, etc.
Drive Time is based on typical traffic conditions, rather than actual traffic, which includes nonrecurring activity, such as an accident or construction. With Drive Time, you can analyze the extent of a drive by day of week, time of day and length of journey.
Log into RMLSweb, then follow these steps to create a map that shows listings within your desired drive time between locations:
Navigate to “Map Search”
Click the “Locate” field and enter your destination address
Click “Go” to zoom the map in around a pin at the address
Click “Draw” and select the “Drive Time” icon
Enter your desired Drive Time Duration
Choose either “Arrival Time” or “Departure Time”
Click the “Calculate” button
Click “Count” to see listings in the selected drive time area
To learn more about INRIX Drive Time and other map search capabilities, contact an RMLS™ Trainer at training@rmls.com to schedule your own personal one-on-one training session. Please let us know if you have any questions!
In my tenure as a Realtor, I thought cooperation had always been one of the fundamental tenets of MLS — any MLS, not just RMLS™. I’ve tried to read up on the plethora of info that RMLS™ has been providing regarding this Clear Cooperation MLS 8.0 change, but I’m still not 100% sure I understand exactly what the change means.
I’ve heard the terms “pocket listing”, “off-MLS listing” and “office exclusive listing” — what the heck is the difference? I suspect it won’t really affect or alter my business practices, but I’m assuming it may other practitioners depending on how this changes the landscape. Can you help?
—Intrigued in Iona
Dear Intrigued,
Of course I can! Or, I should say, I will do my best to help you and others confused as we adjust to the new rules.
As you stated above, one of the core tenets of MLS is cooperation. That, along with a guarantee of compensation, make up what I consider to be two cornerstones in the foundation of MLS. As the industry has evolved over time, there have been many business models employed, some with greater success than others.
Regardless of their differences, all of the models relied on those two fundamental tenets (cooperation and compensation) via the MLS system. However, throughout the history of MLS, even with the demonstrable benefit to both seller and buyer of sharing listing information within the MLS co-op, there have been real-world reasons to withhold listings from the co-op. Most of those examples were based on seller security/privacy in some way — which is perfectly legitimate.
The problem that arose over time, facilitated in particular by web-based real estate marketing, is the reality that some “pocket listings” (or “off MLS listings” as they’ve been more recently described) were not actually being excluded for privacy reasons. They were excluded out of a desire to capture more of the money available in a transaction — this is clearly not within the framework of MLS rules regarding cooperation.
So along comes Clear Cooperation MLS 8.0, the new policy approved earlier this year by NAR and being implemented by RMLS™ on April 30, 2020. Intending to add clarity to what can and cannot be done by MLS subscribers with exclusions, this is a national change for any MLS aligned with NAR. In some ways, Clear Cooperation MLS 8.0 makes it better for sellers wanting their property excluded from the MLS co-op, in that they no longer experience a 30-day penalty to have their property added to the MLS co-op if it does not sell “off MLS”.
That was a very real deterrent historically that has been changed with this new policy. So, you can still take a “pocket” or “off MLS” listing but the criteria for keeping it out of the co-op has become much clearer.
You mentioned that you have read and watched a lot of info about this change, so this may not be news to you. However, here is a look at key attributes of the new policy:
Any “public” marketing of the pocket / off MLS listing immediately invokes a violation of the new rule, requiring the listing be added to the MLS co-op within one business day of public marketing.
“Public marketing” includes (but is not limited to):
flyers displayed in windows
yard signs
digital marketing on public-facing websites
brokerage website displays (including IDX and VOW)
digital communication marketing (email blasts),
multi-brokerage listing sharing networks
applications available to the general public
“Office Exclusive” listings are still possible within the framework of this new rule, but your “marketing” of this type of listing is limited to direct promotion of the listing between the licensees/brokers in your brokerage office, and one to one promotion between these licensees and their clients. In essence, you could share your Office Exclusive listing with the licensees within your brokerage at an office meeting, and they can one to one share with their clients, and that’s it.
Coming Soon No Showing listings are still possible for RMLS™ subscribers even after the implementation of CC 8.0 (same CSN rules apply as prior to this change).
In closing, thank you for the great question, and for trying hard to stay abreast of this really important evolution of MLS rules. Keep your eye on the RMLSweb Desktop News for more info as this rule change is rolled out.
You asked, and we answered! Mobile devices are so prevalent in real estate that we took steps to modernize our client reports.
Starting on Wednesday, April 8 around noon, we will roll out a new, responsive format for these reports. In other words, they will look clean and streamlined on smartphones and tablets, not just a shrunken version of the desktop view.
The most essential info will be shown right up top, with alternating colors for each section to make for easier reading. Speaking of easier reading, the default text size will be 2 points larger (and in a spiffier font!), which helps when looking at a screen or at a printout.
Take a look at the before and after examples below. Bear in mind, this “new” example is just a mockup…you will see an actual photo when you look up client reports in the future.
The old look…
…and the NEW look!
We welcome your feedback, so please let us know what you think. If this new look is as popular as toilet paper and hand sanitizer, we might find even more ways to modernize our reporting features.
Thanks for being a loyal subscriber, and stay safe as we continue to flatten the curve!
I’m really looking for ways to constructively fill my time with all the social distancing during this pandemic. One of my fellow realtors said they saw some good resources on the RMLSweb desktop page, but I haven’t looked yet. Can you help me out with some ideas?
I’m concerned that what I’m really looking for is a way to ask specific questions about the RMLS™ modules and possibly some third-party software too. How can I do that?
— Bored on Broadway
Hi BB,
I can sure relate to your perspective. It can be challenging to keep yourself busy in a constructive manner (instead of, say, just binge-watching Tiger King on Netflix).
The article your fellow Realtor® mentioned is on the RMLSweb desktop page. I have included the info for you below, including links to various resources for our third-party vendors.
Regarding our modules, the RMLS™ Training team has just launched a new one-on-one training concept called Virtual Classroom! Registration is just like any one of our other courses, and here are Virtual Classroom details:
Classes are scheduled in one-hour blocks.
Go to Toolkit → Training Registration to find the option for “Web One on One” in the class scheduler.
Select this option and the date you wish to meet online, then select from the available times.
Please include any specifics you want us to focus on in the Comments box, then submit your selected date, time and comments.
A Trainer will confirm the appointment via email and provide you a link to join the video meeting.
When connecting to the Zoom meeting, using your computer audio is fine, particularly if you have a headset you use with your computer (this is my preferred way of video conferencing). You may also call into any of the phone numbers provided in the meeting information.
See you online BB!!
RMLS™ Third-Party Partners Training and Support Opportunities
HOMESNAP
A full calendar of live, self-paced, and prerecorded webinars is available to all RMLS™ subscribers including everything from a Homesnap Crash Course to Finding Seller Leads and can be accessed here. Homesnap also offers a brand-new webinar in the series “Five Tips for Providing Your Clients a Happier Home Search,” which is live at nine different times this week. Last, we have recently completed an overhaul of the Homesnap University Page, which is another excellent resource for all RMLS™ subscribers and includes quick tutorials, printables, and more!
REMINE
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