The National Association of Realtors revealed a new beta version of its public listings site, Realtor.com, earlier this week, which will offer searchers the option of viewing recent sales nationwide including those in Massachusetts.
Local Multiple Listing Service groups said they were surprised and concerned by the move. MLSs generally require separate licensing in order for sites to display sold data, and many real estate agency websites require customers to create an account with that agency before providing access to recent sales data. The new Realtor.com site does not require this. Consumer-focused sites not tied to a real estate agency, such as Zillow and Trulia, already provide sold data.
Currently, all Massachusetts sales data appearing on Realtor.com is being pulled from public records. Only one of the three local MLSs, the one maintained by the Berkshire County Board of Realtors, said it had been approached by Realtor.com about having its sold listings data used directly. Berkshire County Board of Realtors CEO Sandy Carroll said the board had not yet made a decision on whether to allow the license. Fifty other MLSs around the country are already providing sold data.
"[Realtor.com receives] sold information because they need to know in order to take" listings off the website once they’re sold, said Marcia DelMonte, manager of the Cape Cod & Islands Multiple Listings Service. But, she added, "as far as I know I have not received any type of paperwork or any request to allow," the display of sold data.
Kathy Condon, president and CEO of MLS PIN, said MLS PIN had not received any request from Realtor.com to license sold data.
Currently, visitors to Realtor.com are being offered the option of exploring the new versions of the site, with plans for a permanent roll out over the next several weeks.
The ability to display recent sales is one of a number of changes the new site is testing.
The new site is also offering a "Find a Realtor" search feature which ranks Realtors by the number of active listings. The Houston Association of Realtors recently offered a similar feature on its site, causing controversy as some observers thought the move could harm the business prospects for newer, less-active agents.
