I don't understand your argument about putting another companies sign on the property. If I did that consumer's would be confused as to whom to call if they are not already working with an agent.

It is true that I am more concerned with doing what is fair and best for my client than being "fair" with other agents and if that means being less "fair" to other agents, than so be it. Still, I don't understand why it is unfair to show our sign, phone number, web address, etc on the photos we supply for all the real estate websites that show MLS data.

Aren’t 2 signs better than one for your client? You said you did not want to exclude other agents from selling your listing, was that not true?

There are agents like you who care more about themselves (under the guise of doing good for the buyer/seller) than playing by the established ethics and rules, which are designed for the benefit of all agents. (If I were you, I’d cancel my membership to the local board in protest)

If you want to advertise yourself, get an ad in the paper or your own website. The MLS is not the place! [Removed per forum rules]

I think what the Powers-to-Be are attempting to do is remove any possibility of Broker Coop infringements.

When you go to any site that has MLS feeds, such as realtor.com, the only information displayed is the brokerage name and the brokerage office phone number. The agent name or agent phone numbers are not displayed. If someone were visiting realtor.com and were interested in a listing, they would call the listing office or they call their agent. In any case, the process works.

So, would the process work any better if the consumer had all of the listing agents contact information or promotional information? Not really. (Unless you are the listing agent)

Would this information compromise Broker Coop? IMHO it would.

Think about it.

Agent A has a link to the MLS on his website. Mary Prospect finds this site and searches the MLS through Agent A's link, which he is paying a yearly fee for in addition to the normal costs with his website.

Mary finds a great house - and she sees that it is listed with Agent B. She sees his website, his email, everything all over the listing and in the images. Mary then assumes she must visit Agent B's website and send him an email about this house. (not everyone outside of real estate is savvy about how the system works. we have people calling our office and then are shocked that we can show them a listing from another office, or they are shocked that they can be shown the property by the listing agent...)

Showing a potential buyer a listing like that is esentially sending them on their merry way to the listing agent. Which really is what I think you want anyway. You can't be that naive.

I'm not sure I'm understanding the problem. In our MLS, the listing agency's name is right there along with the agent's name and contact information.

edited by pepperjack