MFRMLS Rules & Regulations

Article 21.1: Amendments

Posted by MFRMLS Wed, 13 Apr 2011 21:14:00 GMT

Article 21 - Changes in Rules and Regulations

Section 1: Amendments. Amendments to the Rules and Regulations of MFRMLS shall be by majority vote of the members of the Board of Directors.

Posted in Article 21 Changes in Rules and Regulations

Article 21.2: Revision Date

Posted by MFRMLS Wed, 13 Apr 2011 21:15:00 GMT

Article 21 - Changes in Rules and Regulations

Section 2: Revision Date.  The last revision to the MFRMLS Rules and Regulations was approved by the Board of Directors on 11/18/11.

Posted in Article 21 Changes in Rules and Regulations

Q: What is Internet Data Exchange?

Posted by MFRMLS Fri, 22 Jun 2007 20:38:00 GMT

A: Internet Data Exchange (IDX) sometimes referred to as “Broker Reciprocity,” give MLS Participants the ability to display each other’s listings on their Internet Web sites.

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Q: How is Internet Data Exchange accomplished?

Posted by MFRMLS Fri, 22 Jun 2007 20:57:00 GMT

A:  Other brokers’ listings can be displayed by downloading data from the MLS listing compilation and publishing it on your Web site, by framing a designated Web site from your existing Web site, or by selection of a Web page created for you that contains listing data. MFRMLS had entered into a partnership with the Florida Association of Realtors® (FAR) to provide you with the most affordable and flexible IDX solutions. FAR has four different IDX options available to brokers and they’re all free!

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Q: What are the four MFRMLS/FAR IDX options?

Posted by MFRMLS Fri, 22 Jun 2007 21:00:00 GMT

A: 
Free company Web pages: You choose a design from among several templates. You customize the templates to suit your marketing goals and FAR pulls MFRMLS data on a daily basis. There’s one other thing you can do: focus on managing your business. Leave the techie stuff to FAR.

Free company Web page using your URL: Got a registered domain name but no Web site? FAR will host the URL and you create your own page as outlined.

Free “frameable” listings: This option is well-suited to brokerages that have a Web site and simply want all MLS listings to appear in a certain area on their site.

Free data download: A time-saving option for brokers who operate in multiple markets and/or have well developed Web sites. Think of this option as your one-stop shop. FAR can offer data downloads from multiple markets in a uniform data format.

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Q: How can you offer these IDX options for free?

Posted by MFRMLS Fri, 22 Jun 2007 21:07:00 GMT

A: The Florida Living Network, Real Property Ads, Residential Rentals, Buyers Listings, Florida Realtor Place, and Planet Realtor are all complex Internet-based applications which give FAR the experience and capability to offer IDX service. When they heard that MLSs were quoted $10,000 or more and brokers were quoted $1,000 or more by IDX vendors, they could not pass the opportunity to help. FAR offered these IDX solutions to all local Associations and MLSs free of charge. FAR is providing the solutions to MFRMLS for free and MFRMLS is offering them to you for free. It’s that simple.

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Q: Why should I participate in IDX?

Posted by MFRMLS Tue, 26 Jun 2007 16:14:00 GMT

A:  The spirit of IDX is the wide distribution and display of all MLS listings to the public through all Participants as a marketing effort that best serves the buyers and sellers. As a matter of fact, wide distribution is already accomplished through Realtor.com. Letting other Participants display your listings on the Internet is a business decision each Participant must make.

IDX allows you to compete with other popular listing Web sites. Your Web site can now become the finest location for customers to view listings, learn about your firm, experience, abilities and qualifications allowing you to successfully market your firm and attract new customers on a 24/7/365 basis.

Think about it, by displaying the complete MLS inventory of active listings, you are providing a service to consumers that can help keep them coming to your Web site. If you want to be able to sell services on-line, you need a way to keep consumers at your site once they get there. (Internet industry folks refer to this as having a “sticky” site – the “stickier,” the better.)

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Q: Does IDX conflict with license law/Code of Ethics?

Posted by MFRMLS Tue, 26 Jun 2007 16:22:00 GMT

A: IDX is consistent with Florida license law. It is consistent with the Code of Ethics since no display of other Participants’ listings can occur without their consent.

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Q: Can agents participate in IDX and have the MLS database on their Websites?

Posted by MFRMLS Tue, 26 Jun 2007 17:00:00 GMT

A: Yes, agents may have an IDX Web site with their Brokers approval. Here’s how…

• The agent’s brokerage firm must be contributing its listings to the program.
• The agent’s brokerage firm must have an IDX Website of its own.
• The agent’s Web site must frame or “gateway” into the brokerage’s Website. That is, the IDX data can only be hosted on the brokerage’s Website.
• The agent may “co-brand” the Website so that he/she shares branding with the broker.
• The agent must have the brokerage’s permission to frame its Website.

The agent’s Website must retain the brokerage’s branding at all times. The brokerage’s branding must be equal to or larger than the agent’s branding. When a Broker decides to activate the agent option it will be all or none of their agents.

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Q: Why would I want to allow other Brokers to display my listings on their Websites?

Posted by MFRMLS Tue, 26 Jun 2007 17:04:00 GMT

A: This is a great question. The answer lies in a desire to strengthen the brokerage industry. Long-term, if real estate brokerages want to compete with other industry segments for the business of Internet consumers, they will need to have Websites that are attractive to consumers. That means having the most data. If you don’t want your listings on the Internet at all, then you don’t want to participate in IDX. If you currently provide your listing data to one or more local or national Website on the theory that more exposure is better, why wouldn’t you want your listings exposed on other Brokers’ Websites?

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Q: Why would I want to let other Brokers display my listings if I don’t have my own Website?

Posted by MFRMLS Tue, 26 Jun 2007 17:08:00 GMT

A: See the answer to the previous question. The rationale is equally strong in this case. In addition to those arguments, sellers will want to know why your listings do not show up on IDX Websites when the listings of other brokers do. But remember if you don’t have a Website you can now have one for free!

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Q: Do I have to allow other Participants to display my listings on their Websites?

Posted by MFRMLS Tue, 26 Jun 2007 17:11:00 GMT

A:  No, Participants are free to withhold authority for such display either on a blanket or on a listing-by-listing basis. Please fill out the Opt-out form contained below.

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Q: What happens if I won’t allow other Participants to display my listings on their Website?

Posted by MFRMLS Tue, 26 Jun 2007 21:35:00 GMT

A:  If you prohibit the display of your listings by other Participants, you may not display their listings on your Website pursuant to the MFRMLS IDX rules. You would not be participating in IDX.

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Q: Can the MLS refuse my listings if I do not permit other Participants to display them on their Websites?

Posted by MFRMLS Wed, 27 Jun 2007 14:35:00 GMT

A:  No. Participants cannot be required to consent to display of their listings on other Participants’ Websites as a condition of participation in the MLS. MLS and IDX are entirely different services.

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Q: Will the MLS refuse to transfer my listings to Realtor.com, HomeAdvisor.com, etc. if I do not permit other Participants to display them on their Websites?

Posted by MFRMLS Wed, 27 Jun 2007 14:41:00 GMT

A:  No, the MFRMLS will not. You and your sellers will choose which Websites to include your listings.

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Q: What happens if someone abuses IDX?

Posted by MFRMLS Wed, 27 Jun 2007 14:43:00 GMT

A:  An IDX Broker must make changes to an Internet site necessary to cure a violation of IDX rules within five business days after notice of the violation from MLS. Failure to comply may result in suspension from the IDX Program until such time as the violation is cured. Repeated violations may result in permanent suspension from the IDX Program.

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Q: Must the listing firm be identified when I display their listings on my Website?

Posted by MFRMLS Wed, 27 Jun 2007 14:44:00 GMT

A:  On both the thumbnail and detailed listing displayed, yes the Listing Firm must be displayed.

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Q: Can my listing information be modified when it is displayed on other Participants’ Websites?

Posted by MFRMLS Wed, 27 Jun 2007 14:45:00 GMT

A:  No. MLS rules prohibit modifications of IDX data.

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Q: What data (property types, status, data fields, etc.) will consumers see?

Posted by MFRMLS Wed, 27 Jun 2007 14:52:00 GMT

A:  The IDX task force selected a large number of fields to be included in the IDX program. And of course, any information may be displayed on the Listing Brokers own listings on the Listing Brokers own Websites.

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Q: Does IDX mean that confidential information will now be available to the public?

Posted by MFRMLS Wed, 27 Jun 2007 14:54:00 GMT

A:  No. The IDX display data fields do not include information intended exclusively for other real estate professionals and not for consumers.

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Q: Should I continue to send listings to other Websites?

Posted by MFRMLS Wed, 27 Jun 2007 14:56:00 GMT

A:  That’s a business decision you have to make for yourself. Some brokers feel their listing data is being used by third party Websites to draw consumers away from the brokerage community. Others feel that the exposure available from such Websites is well worth any purported loss of control of the data. You should examine this situation carefully and decide for yourself.

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Q: How do my listings get included in the daily data pull?

Posted by MFRMLS Wed, 27 Jun 2007 14:58:00 GMT

A:  All listings will be uploaded by FAR in the daily data pull. If a seller decides to exempt their home from the Internet they will need to complete an Internet exempt listing form and mail or fax it to the MLS department.

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Q: If I want to authorize other Participants to display my listings under IDX, how do I do it?

Posted by MFRMLS Wed, 27 Jun 2007 14:59:00 GMT

A:  MFRMLS’s IDX program is an opt-out program. Every Broker is assumed to be participating unless they complete an opt-out form and return it to My-Florida Regional MLS, 5032 Goddard Ave, Orlando FL 32804 or fax to 407-293-6461. 

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