NWMLS Doesn’t Want to Share Its Name

Posted under Local News by judyo

This is not a local issue, at least not yet. But the fact that this is happening in different real estate areas, I thought I’d post about it. Some MLS providers (not our local one which is MLSNI), are forbidding agents from using the term MLS on their websites in any way, shape or form.

I am involved with an active real estate forum that has had a robust discussion regarding this. The NWMLS located in the state of Washington is threatening to fine their agents for having the full initials of NWMLS, or even just MLS, on their websites.

Some of the agents I network with over at the Real Estate Webmasters forum have done some homework and have discovered that these initials are not trademarked by any multiple listing service and many feel their threats are unfounded. However, most agents do not want to fight the attorneys from their MLS or local boards.

In two other areas some website owners have been asked to get rid of their domain names that have “mls” in the domain. For anyone that has worked on and paid for a business website, changing a domain name means starting over from scratch. In most cases, it takes money, sweat equity and time, sometimes years, to get natural search engine position. If an agent (or any online site owner) has to change their domain name, the years of work go back to square one.

The multiple listing services in question are stating that no real estate website offers the actual MLS, but only a limited search of active properties that are taken from the MLS. In fact, in some areas only IDX is offered, some offer both IDX and VOW.

IDX allows brokers to opt out of providing their listings so many IDX services do not offer all of the active listings available. In fact, our IDX offerings in Northern Illinois are so pitiful I don’t offer that on my sites. I offer VOW, which does provide all active listings but MLSNI (Multiple Listing Service of Northern Illinois), requires registration to have access to these active listings.

Back to the story, these MLS’s are stating that agents using “MLS” on their sites are misleading the general public as the MLS is not just active listings but also encompasses pending, temporarily off market, expired and closed listings, among agent inventory and contact information, etc. Real estate agents that are hearing about these cases are coming back with the fact the the initials “MLS” have become generic, much like tissue paper being called Kleenex.

I have heard about 3 different MLS’s coming down on their agents over this and I hope someone can set a precedence over what can legally be done to agents using this either in their domain names or just in the content of their websites. Of course, I hope nothing can be done.

The bad thing is, other sites that are not members of any kind of MLS cannot be forced to make changes referring to MLS on their sites. So those of us that belong to the local MLS providers can’t use the term (in the areas that this is happening in), but these local MLS providers cannot go after anyone else besides their own members! Sounds like biting the hand that feeds you to me.

Here is another take and opinion on this: NWMLS Bullies their own

And don’t forget, I offer all active listings on the MLS Search on my sites. Sign up and have fun searching all active real estate listings in northern Illinois. Check the following sites to search their local MLS:

Search the Orlando MLS for Orlando area real estate and homes.

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