Realtors gaming the MLS

I had an interesting debate with another Realtor this week about “gaming the MLS.”

This Realtor wanted to be able to withdraw a listing and put it back on so that it both got a new MLS number (to appear “new”) and so that the Days on Market number would reset – ostensibly because that’s what the clients wanted. MLS rules prevent this, but there is always another way.

When I questioned why – she said that other agents do it, and while she agrees it’s not right, if they’re going to do it, she wants to as well. Rather than report the offenders to the MLS so that the data could be accurate, she would rather game the system.

Does this type of gaming the system work?

Only on those who don’t have competent buyers’ agents who will track the history of the listing.

Now – contrast this attitude with that of previously-mentioned Roost: (link removed as the company is defunct)

“The MLS is really the definitive hub — (its) core mission is the integrity of the data,” he said, which is why Roost decided to operate via these relationships in each market rather than rely on brokers to send listings feeds to the site.

“They” value the data (Zillow, Trulia, Roost (archived: 2020), etc) – why shouldn’t the Realtors?

Buyers, Sellers – What do you think? Is a “fresh” MLS number really that appealing?

Kevin has a great post on this topic

I look at resetting the DOM figure as akin to a grocer scratching out the sell-by date on a can of tuna and replacing it with a later date: it smells funny.

This is a post I wrote in February 2007 about Days on Market penalties, and one from April 2007.