How to directly access MLS database?

Discussion in 'Data Sets and Feeds' started by bungrider, May 5, 2004.

  1. I owned a company which developed software for Realtors a few years ago (got screwed over by a partner, but that's another story).

    It is very much a closed community where each MLS (there are many per state) do their own thing and subscribe to their own data maintainers/providers. The only reason we were able to get access to the data was because we had a contact/advocate on the board of the local MLS. After we were "in" with one MLS, we were able to get access to other areas' MLS data much easier, but only those MLS' who had the same data provider. We paid upwards of $500/month for access to the data per MLS. Microsoft even tried making inroads to the market at the time and didn't fair too well.

    The moral of the story -- there is no easy way that I'm aware of to get access to the source data. Any local Realtor, however, should be able to give you as many printouts as you need. These printouts contain pretty much everything that is on the source datafeed (usually except for the commission rate) if you ask for a detailed print.
     
    #11     May 6, 2004