Update 12-13-2011: Just to be clear this is not a data feed to Realtors of any kind. That would be against MRIS’s terms.
I offer several free services for Realtors from “competing” local firms. Easy to convince them because it is free? Nope, I spend a lot of time easing their fears & untrustingness (is that a word?). If you have an agent already (hey not everyone finds us first or is related to you), send them to read this.
So here I will list what Realtors from other firms can do with this site to help themselves and WHAT IS IN IT FOR ME.
Ways Realtors can benefit from FranklyMLS.com:
1) Join and get your free IDXbranded version of FranklyMLS(IDX is industry lingo for Internet Data Exchange, see Wikipedia). Even if you “already have one.” With the branded IDXversion of FranklyMLS, the logos of my firm, phone numbers, links to blogposts get dropped and replaced with your image and contact info. All “request a showings” go to you. When your client signs up for email alerts you are notified and each alert has YOUR branding. Also you get a BCC of each email alert that goes to your client. Over 250 agents have joined. Some have stopped paying for their $50/mo “true” IDX and others simply have both and let their customer choose.
Why do they ditch or augment their current “true” IDX? a) FranklyMLS.com Virginia, DC, Maryland Home Search does so much more. I can’t list them here, but recently an “I already have one”-type agent got the “oh mine doesn’t do that” moment about 5 times and finally the lightbulb (more…)
FPP stands for Frankly Price Predictor and it is the coolest new feature on FranklyMLS.com. So cool, it is patent pending.
The goal of FPP is to predict a home’s closing price, IF IT SOLD TODAY. Disclaimer: Please do NOT take it seriously.Consider it more like a TOY (at least for now).
FPP uses historic listing data (see below) to predict the price. It is NOT an AVM (which uses tax data and home data). Try a search for Arlington Condos.
An “AVM” is an Automated Valuation Model. The focus is on“value,” and it is for every home, listed or not.
Tools like Zillow’s Zestimate and Cyberhomes, use public data and recent sales. Many consider them wildly inaccurate. But heck, it makes for GREAT marketing! (Hats off to the Zillow team!). How “accurate” are they? In a Zillow report, the DC area is one of their most “accurate” areas, yet not even 50% of homes close within 5% of the Zestimate. So over 50% of $500k homes are off by over $25k!
Are Zestimates better than tax data, sure! Will we still show Zestimates on FranklyMLS? Sure. The more data the better, right? Is it better than a Realtor combing through comps, heck no (and they disclose that it is not a Realtor replacement).
How is FPP different than all those other “AVMs” or Automated Valuation Models are “value” estimators? (more…)
I am officially launching FranklyMLS.com, the The First Wiki MLS!
Where BUYER AGENTS, in Virginia and DC, from multiple brokerages come together to ADD information and photo albums to listings they visit. MORE DATA & 1,000+ MORE PHOTOS!
One major flaw is that if you go through my account there, it looks like I am the listing agent for each of the 1,000+ properties.
I get so many confused inquires that I’m now just going to link to this Blog to answer everything.
First of all it isn’t your fault! The design is horribly misleading making me look like the listing agent for everything. You might think this benefits me, but it creates more hassle.
BACK UP, WHAT IS HOMESDATABASE.com?
Homesdatabase.com is a service that Realtors pay annually to allow their customers to search the MLS and sign up for free (self-directed) email alerts. It is run by MRIS, the backend provider of the local MLS. I picked this service because it oftentimes has the most up to date information, as in every 15 minutes, while other national sites can be days late. Also HDB posts every photo that is on the MLS, while many other MLS sites pull from MRIS and opt NOT to show all the photos (like Realtor.com). And lastly a Realtor with an account there can choose, as we did, to show full addresses (many Realtors opt to hide this).
WHY ARE YOU LISTING 1,282 Homes?
I’m not. The problem is a design issue. Once you’ve surfed into my Homesdatabase.com/frankly account, you get a harmless cookie. That cookie keeps my ugly face on every page of your searches. Many people will look at 100 homes and think that I somehow am so great that I landed 100 active listings. When in fact the actual listing company is buried deep on the page.
Then a confused home buyer will press the “More Info Request” button. Instead of a form with an actual question, HDB just sends us an email with NAME: John Doe EMail=John@Doe.com and the MLS#. No question, no nothing. To which I have can only reply “How can I help you.” Half of the inquiries already have a buyer’s agent and they think I’m the listing agent (you shouldn’t be contacting the listing agent anyhow).
If you have a buyer’s agent, you need to contact your agentfor info on the property. Send them the MLS#. If you don’t think you need a Buyer’s agent, read my blog: I Need A Buyer’s Agent! But For My Car.?
So if you sent me a cryptic message (no fault of your own, this is a HDB design flaw), I would love to help you buy this home, but I am not the listing agent and I didn’t try to trick you. Instead I would work for you (not the seller) to help you get the best price.
Here is how you register for a free account and start getting daily email alerts: If you are early in your buying search, make sure to read the rest of this blog including:
Good luck! Feel free to email me if you want more tips on how to search and sign up for free daily email alerts according to zip codes. - Written by Frank Borges LL0SA- Broker/Owner FranklyRealty.com 703-827-4OO6 If you like this post, sign up for new blogs daily, use the form on the right of the page. 100% Spam-free.
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Cyberhomes, use public data and recent sales. Many consider them wildly inaccurate. But heck, it makes for GREAT marketing! (Hats off to the Zillow team!). How “accurate” are they? In a Zillow report, the DC area is one of their most 
rs? 
I am officially launching 
