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Cracks widen in MLS dominance

I remember splitting wood when I was a kid – putting the wedge in the center of the log, tapping it in and then *wham*!…  That’s what Google did this morning when they announced their new and improved real estate search and uploading part of Google Base.  (via CRT)I’ve been wrong before, but this is another step towards the obsolescence of the MLS as we know it.  Those Realtors whose dependence on the MLS to make them successful had best start honing those skills and tidying up those resumés.Here is there target market:Google are more innovative, more focused and more able to adapt.From a post I made a few months ago:What if – Google bought Zillow?

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Cracks in the foundation

The Northwest Multiple Listing Service will no longer send their data to Realtor.com….  Realtor.com depends on MLS’ sending them their data.  Without the data, what is Realtor.com?What if …  more MLS’ pulled their data?My question is this – will the NWMLS still allow, via IDX, their data to go to their broker sites, and in turn, google, trulia, etc?  This could signal the beginning of the end for Realtor.com.How will out-of-the-area buyers find the individual brokers’ sites, in light of Realtor.com’s no longer being an option?The same way I just did.  The search engines.  These are fascinating times to be a part of an industry that is changing more rapidly than ever beforeLocally, see what happens when one searches for “Charlottesville homes”?  (note: my website comes up #2 – Wow again!)This I know – soon, the search engines will refine their real estate search even further.

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