The MLS Vendor arena is highly competitive! Superior installs build upon the foundation from the sales team; they are essential to solid relationships and happy, long-term MLS customers. In my 25 years as a vendor, my never-ending pursuit was to make each implementation a positive experience. I built upon what worked and maybe more importantly, what did not. Giving back to the industry that has been so good to me over the years is another commitment of mine. My basis for this comes from being the vendor during my tenure with BORIS/ FNIS (now LPS) and also with Threewide... [Read more]
This is the first in a series of posts aimed at educating MLS leaders and vendors about how to create better long-term relationships. When I joined Focus Forward earlier this year, Kevin (McQueen) and I set out to make a big difference through our services by changing the status quo. We are very passionate about achieving the ultimate result, which is a much-improved experience for both sides – MLS and vendors. We have worked with some amazing MLSs and vendors over the past 25+ years. Right now, many are moving to action as they prepare to select a new vendor or... [Read more]
What’s Your Movement About? This past weekend, I attended a 3-day coaching program, which after 3 years of participating in the event, continues to stimulate me to action and to truly live my life. Bill Baren’s Big Shift Experience is the real deal. I am grateful to Bill and his team. Bill reminds us (me) that we all have responsibilities. Each one of us is responsible for doing our part to change the world. He asked, “so, what is your movement about?”. And I am reminded of mine this morning as I prepare to serve. To make it easier for my clients in... [Read more]
Predicting the Future is Easy! I will be speaking on this topic Sunday morning, March 17 at the Association Executives Institute (AEI) in San Diego. How the MLS of Tomorrow Affects Your Association Today Sunday, March 17, 10:15 a.m. – 11:15 a.m. Art Carter, CEO, California Regional MLS, San Dimas, CA; Kevin McQueen, President, Focus Forward, Denver, CO and David Charron, President & CEO, MRIS, Rockville, MD The current threat to the future of MLS can affect the relevance of your association. Discover how MLS existence (or... [Read more]
My good friend Judith Lindenau recently completed a 3-month stint as the Interim Association Executive. She did an exception job of explaining the value in her first two posts. And there are four more coming! Judith makes it easy to understand the benefits to everyone involved. I know first-hand how difficult it is for the person who moves their life to another city for 3-6 months of intense work like this. The value and benefits to the leadership are amazing. Just ask the volunteer board officers who try to “run the association” and the MLS for 3-6 months. They... [Read more]
January 2013 — Eight REALTOR® associations in Southern Missouri have banded together to create a brand new regional MLS. They have created the new corporation and their “Creation Workgroup” to discuss and define the specifics of what their unique regional MLS will look like. They have adapted the nickname of SOMO REGIONAL MLS. When you take a first glance at the words, you see “so more”. They see this regionalization project meaning SO MUCH MORE for their collective members. “We are banding together to create one bigger and better... [Read more]
Richard Haggerty and his team have been on the move since they merged three associations over the past 18 months. They are leading the way and showing all of us how to do it right. There is a logical and business-like “flow” to these type of opportunities for REALTOR(r) associations and MLSs. They chose to focus on the associations first. This resulted in one Board of Directors to make a series of good business decisions about how to best serve the members through MLS and other association services. In January 2012, the Members of the Westchester... [Read more]
Last week, Steve Murray of RealTrends and I spoke to a group of Brokers and others leaders in Indiana. We shared our views and many current trends, which Steve and I will continue to write about. I talked about what’s happening right now in Missouri and Washington State and it’s all pretty exciting. MLS leaders are moving to action. More to come. Here are some of Steve’s take-aways. Read More →
I’m flying to Washington state right now to work with a great group of leaders who want to explore what is possible when they share a common vision and move the agenda forward. They are focused on creating something bigger and better for inland northwest REALTOR associations and their collective members. This could be big, similar to the efforts which are well underway in Indiana and Michigan. Update on Indiana — I’m pleased to announce that 12 Founder Boards have joined the Indiana Regional MLS, representing about 5,000 REALTORS from across the state.... [Read more]
Imagine an Inland Northwest MLS for REALTOR associations east of the Cascades in Washington and including neighboring boards in Oregon and Idaho. That’s what we will be talking about in Kennewick WA later this month. Click on the Google Map below to see who has been invited so far. Let us know if you would like to join in the discussion on August 30. It’s all about the future of organized real estate in the Northwest. Read More →
