LOS ANGELES, CA – August 12, 2010 – (RealEstateRama) — CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® (C.A.R.) subsidiary California MLS, Inc., doing business as calREDD®, and the Multi-Regional Multiple Listing Service, Inc. (MRMLS), last week signed an agreement to merge the efforts of calREDD® and MRMLS. calREDD® is the C.A.R. initiative to create one Multiple Listing Service (MLS) accessible to real estate agents throughout the state. The new yet-to-be-named entity will serve more than 33,000 real estate professionals and 25 REALTOR® associations throughout California.
“The signing of this agreement signifies a historic and positive step forward for our members, and opens up new opportunities to provide choice, efficiencies, and new technology opportunities to real estate professionals throughout the state,” said C.A.R. President Steve Goddard. “This new structure combines the strengths and resources of calREDD® and MRMLS, while supporting the principles that have guided C.A.R.’s efforts to create a statewide MLS.”
The guiding principles are that: MLS data needs to be fully standardized with local options for data field variation; California REALTORS® should have universal access to all MLS data; use of MLS data and its distribution to third parties should be controlled by the brokers who provide the data; MLS entities should exist for the benefit of participants and subscribers; MLS rules should be uniform and enforced consistently; and the MLS board of directors should include broker owners with appropriate regional representation.
“We are excited about the completion of the agreement with calREDD®,” said MRMLS President Richard Stone. “The real estate industry is fast changing. In the coming months, many in the industry will see the results of many hours of hard work to provide the best MLS technologies and services available today. We look forward to working with C.A.R. to further the vision set forth in the guiding principles five years ago.”
Members of the new entity will have expanded access to MLS information, greater exposure for listings, and soon will be able to select either the calREDD® software system or the Tarasoft Matrix platform currently in use by MRMLS. calREDD® and MRMLS will work closely during the transition to ensure there are no disruptions in service, the needs of members continue to be met, and associations scheduled to join calREDD® are seamlessly added to the system.
The mission of Pomona, Calif.-based MRMLS is to deliver, through local member associations, the most affordable, reliable, and convenient listing technology service available, and to provide products and services that support REALTORS® in maximizing use of property data to achieve business goals.
MRMLS Inc. is a member organization made up of 12 local associations of REALTORS® with a service area covering a large area in Southern California, and was one of the founders and integral forces behind the CARETS initiative.
Leading the way…® in California real estate for more than 100 years, the CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® (www.car.org) is one of the largest state trade organizations in the United States, with nearly 150,000 members dedicated to the advancement of professionalism in real estate. C.A.R. is headquartered in Los Angeles.
