Customer good or agent good?

My office was just fined by our local MLS. It seems we violated Section 7 paragraph B when entering one of our latest listings. This rule reads:

For incorrect information entered in the Remarks data fields. The
remarks shall not include any agent, broker, company, URL information or
affiliated businesses; however this
information may be entered in the Realtor
Remarks field.

I highlighted in red the sin we committed. The listing in question is one of several new condos being built in the Maitland Florida area. The offending urls were ones that directed the consumer to the City of Maitland's site and the second linked to the Builder's site showing all the amenities of their product. You would think both links would be of use to the buying public right? So why the fine?

The problem I believe is in the over zealous interpretation of the original intent of the rule. The reason we have a Section 7 paragraph B rule in my opinion is because someone in charge of the MLS decided, most likely through the prodding of a few real estate agents, that the MLS should help agents with keeping their customers loyal. What does that mean? Agents often have difficulty keeping buyers working just with them. This problem can escalate when an agent emails, faxes or delivers MLS reports to their customers which contain another agent's contact information. So the MLS said no personal contact info is allowed in any customer section of an MLS report.

Fine, I can accept that. However, I cannot accept eliminating valuable non-agent specific links. We as an industry are already under increased scrutiny by the powers who be that claim we are becoming more and more about what is good for us and less about what is good for the consumer. To say that the listing agent, selling agent, seller, prospective buyer are in some way harmed by the providing of a valuable link to a City or builder is short sighted.

I have appealed the fine with confidence my MLS will re-think their policy.


Related Florida real estate views:

Homebuyers and sellers in Florida may have fewer Realtors to choose from

Is there a way to search for foreclosures in the MLS?

MLS taking a stand regarding short sales and commissions


- Greg Staker Watson Realty Corp. 407-304-0255