MLS fees?

[Jozsef Poor]

This maybe a Conn. thing, but why do I have to become a full member of a local Realtor Broad just to be able to get access to MLS services, which are two different fees. The B.O.R. fee is $440 per year membership with a $100+ app fee. Then I have to pay for MLS access fee of $85 per qtr. with a 1-time $100 app fee. I am giving the Broad of Realtors $440 (free cash IMOP) a year for nothing as I am not buying or selling real estate, nor a realtor, just to be able to get access. What a rip off.

How about paying me $550 a year to do appraisals for your company and then charge you my normal fee to do the appraisal.

Real Estate is a business. MLS listings are/were created by realtors to do business with other realtors. The business they do is to sell, not to valuate. MLS companies are private companies, not public records. So if somebody needs information, need to pay, just like they pay for the information you provide in your report.

 

[Jozsef Poor]

Jozef, the two major MLS systems in GA are private companies, and the Realtors have nothing to do with it. However, it is much cheaper to join as a broker than an appraiser. There are many smaller and more local/regional MLS systems owned and run by the Realtor board, and I subscribe to those as a broker too. It is much cheaper as a broker. Not to mention, I get to list my own stuff in all of them.

Realtors have everything to do with it. They are the one who pay for membership and post the listings up! if they don't put anything there is nothing to search.
The purpose of MLS is to sell not to appraise! You guys tend to mix up sales and finance with appraisal.
Beside the fact is the appraisers CAN NOT rely on the data from MLS listings. MLS lisiting is NOT a primary confirmation, however. the Realtor is.

You can list maybe your own private property, however, not other's.

 

[BOBBYGINE]

I refuse to use MLS for anything but listings. I just don't believe realtors and I won't put my faith in their hands. I use three public records databases, free MLS access for listings, and verify sales information via homeowner. MLS is not accurate in my opinion. I must see the home for myself, I rarely find a comp owner not willing to talk or allow me access to their home. I can get more info than any realtor because I actually want the truth.

 

[Vermonter]

Those Realtors get you comming and going. We have three different MLSs here in my county because the greedy b@stards won't co-op with eachother.

2 here and a gray mix area in between that is a real cluster when searching.

I had to be a Realtor to get in my MLS. So it's $800+ a year for National, state and local Realtor board membership, $135 quarterly dues for 2 MLS which has no public records, another $149 a year for another dbase that has all property transfers in the state and I still have to go to the clerks office for public records.

Nickel and Dime you to death.

 

[Apraysr]

Where i am located in Ohio, I need to subscribe to 2 MLS services. 1 was $1,800 per year and the other is $600 per year. We were actually paying more then the realtors on the $1,800 MLS, until a new set of board members took over and lowered all appraisers fees to $500 per year. no refunds available either for overpaying all those years.

 

[Vegan702]

You weren't overpaying as those were the fees for those years.

 

[Financially Feasible]

I know that my MRIS fee is about $250/quarter (changed from per month on my first post) and that covers an ENORMOUS area... all 3 counties in DE, Washington DC, 25 counties in MD, 5 counties in NJ, 30 counties in PA, 97 counties in VA and 16 in W. VA. I guess that fee is bearable when I see it that way. I also have a TREND/MLS subscription which I don't remember what that fee is. I use that because it's the main MLS for service in Delaware/PA and sometimes MRIS doesn't have all of the info that TREND does.

Maybe I should get certified in DC/VA/WVA, also? :laugh:

 

[Fritz in NY]

It is intresting that "we" appraisers need to pay to make "their" sales close. Without an appraisal there is no motgage and therefore no REALTOR commision.
I've paid dues as a REALTOR for 10 years and now another 9 as an appraiser. I need to pay out to 4 different MLS systems....over $ 1,800. per year, just to go online and get data. There is no "appraiser" discount. I reiceve no benefits from the REALTOR boards other than data to help THEM.
It is true, there is very little cooperation or standardization. Apprsisers should have FREE access to data, we make closings happen.
Turning Blue in Upstate NY.

 

[Vermonter]

I know that my MRIS fee is about $250/quarter (changed from per month on my first post) and that covers an ENORMOUS area... all 3 counties in DE, Washington DC, 25 counties in MD, 5 counties in NJ, 30 counties in PA, 97 counties in VA and 16 in W. VA. I guess that fee is bearable when I see it that way. I also have a TREND/MLS subscription which I don't remember what that fee is. I use that because it's the main MLS for service in Delaware/PA and sometimes MRIS doesn't have all of the info that TREND does.

Maybe I should get certified in DC/VA/WVA, also? :laugh:

Used to work in Northern VA. MRIS was awesome compared to current crap I'm stuck with.

 

[J L H]

Utah MLS

At first glance, the Wasatch Front Regional MLS looks affordable at $252 annually (a bit more by the month or quarter), but where they get you is requiring a $500 "entry fee" for full listings ($100 for closed sales only) AND also require you to join the Utah Board of Realtors - $120 local, $135 Utah, $64 national, $30 "image fee and a whopping $350 "entry fee".

On an on going basis our MLS might be competitive or even affordable, but forking out $1450 upfront to get your first listing is a tough sell. At this point, my bread and butter is earned working for the county assessor but I want to go out on the side on my own sooner or later, but with all the initial start-up costs, I think my solo work will be later than sooner. m2: