Interesting article on Inman News about the Triad MLS Board of Directors (read traditional real estate brokers) in Winston-Salem, NC requiring all member real estate brokers’, agents’ and staffs’ attendance at a training session for using a new version of MLS data input software. Lots of great points and counter-points from the traditonal and alternative model Realtors®.

As I see it, the problem isn’t whether or not Realtors® like Ryan Gehris have successfully represented thousands of sellers all over the country (he has). So obviously, to answer the question posed in one comment, yes, he CAN represent sellers without physically being there or ever visiting Winston-Salem. The problem IS that the Boards that make these decision are, without exception, controlled by traditional, full-service, full-commission local agents and brokers who don’t really care if low cost or alternative model competitors are put out. Heck, they’d probably love it if we quit the MLS over it.

It’s just one more example, and there are MANY, of how subtle rules and decisions affecting all Realtors® get twisted in favor of those with power to make it more difficult for innovative business models and new forms of competition (so that they can hang on to the old ways of doing business in the face of growing consumer dissatisfaction). (whew, what a sentence

A good portion of the Realtor® community still tend to think in their own terms as to what’s best for consumers. After all, many Realtors® truly believe that a home seller NEEDS and should be required to HAVE to pay for all of the possible services a Realtor can bestow. But, the fact is, that many intelligent consumers have decided that they want something else. NAR surveys showed that between 2002 and 2006, entry-only models had grown from almost 0% to nearly 10% of the market. With the current housing market conditions, you can bet that number’s climbed even higher since then. It’s fast growing for a reason, because it’s what the customer wants! – not necessarily what the Realtor® wants or thinks is best.

As an online, flat-fee broker, I have a degree in Information Systems and, with over 25 years in the business, have attended countless hours of Tempo MLS software training. I don’t say this to be bragadocious, but I doubt there’s anything so complicated as to REQUIRE my physical attendance there next week. If there is, then to piggy-back on Philip’s comments, the software vendors aren’t making the MLS software intuitive and user friendly enough and it must take some kind of ‘expert’ hand holding to figure it out. If so, I blame the Board members who approve such poorly designed software purchases.

In this economic environment I simply can’t believe that a tech-company, MLS software vendor would rather have to pay to send their people to Winston-Salem for a week for this type of training – (so it can’t be their idea). I’m sure they would agree that a webinar is a sensible answer (even for the local Realtor® folks who may have trivial conflicts). Why cause 5,000+- Realtors® to have to gas up their cars, leave their businesses, converge on the Association headquarters, sit in a classroom for hours just so they can ‘learn’ about something they can probably figure out on their own. Especially when a simpler, more time and cost efficient method exists. This is a day trip for me, but it requires an overnight stay for some. Even some local Realtors® will probably have to get babysitters or leave children at home or otherwise interupt a perfectly good day. What a waste…