The California MLS evolved from recommendations made by the C.A.R. MLS Workgroup.  The MLS Workgroup was established in 2005 and its mission and scope of work has evolved as it has responded to the environment and the direction of the C.A.R. Board of Directors.  The timeline below gives a history of the actions taken with the most recent activities first.  A list of resources also will give the documents leading up to the current initiatives. 

February 4, 2008
During 2007 and 2008 the four MLS Working Groups met.  At the C.A.R. January Directors' meeting, each group presented its recommendations as outlined in the following Issues Briefing Papers (IBP).

          MLS Governance Work Group -  Issues Briefing Paper

MLS Rules Work Group - Issues Briefing Paper

MLS Standards Subcommittee Work Group:

Issues Briefing Paper (Executive Summary)
Issues Briefing Paper (With Explanation)

MLS AE Work Group - Issues Briefing Paper   Also met and assisted with the MLS Rules Work Group's Issues Briefing Paper.

The C.A.R. Directors approved most of the motions with some significant changes.  The Board directed C.A.R. to modify the structure so that the entity was controlled by C.A.R., detailed the process for the selection of initial directors and modified parts of the composition of the board to include three directors from the largest ten real estate firms instead of the top three only.  It also left open the issue of solds to be included on IDX feeds.  Click here for full text of January 2008 motions.

November 2007 - January 2008 - Four MLS work groups (Governance, Rules, Data Standards, AE) met and submitted recommendations to the C.A.R. Directors.  The MLS Work Group met at the January Directors' Meetings in Indian Wells and recommended adoption of the four groups' reports with some modifications and additions.  The MLS Work Group further recommended a methodology for appointing the first directors and set a deadline of March 1st for submission of applications.  The C.A.R. Executive Committee recommended a further modification regarding ownership and control of the entity and its motion was approved with some minor modifications from the floor.  Click here for the final text of January 2008 motions.

July - October 2007 - Meetings with the various regionalization/consolidation and data sharing groups around the state occurred.   In addition, local associations and groups of local associations requested presentations from working group members.  About 30 different associations were contacted during this time. 

October 13, 2007 - The C.A.R. Directors Approved the following:

MLS Working Group
1. That a statewide hybrid MLS with a single data base be created.  This system could be used as a primary MLS at a local Association?s option, or as an aggregated data base by local Associations or Regional MLSs.

Further that a mutual benefit non profit corporation be chartered for the purpose of overseeing the development and ongoing operations of the hybrid system. 

Further that the following be formed:

a. An MLS Rules working group of the MLS Committee to recommend statewide rules to be used in either model.
b. An MLS Statewide Governance working group to recommend a specific governance structure.
c. An MLS Standards Subcommittee Group to report through the MLS Committee to recommend data standards.
d. An AE working group to recommend the most efficient and member-oriented approach on which services should be retained at the local level.

These groups will report back to the C.A.R. Board of Directors for review and approval of their recommendations in January.

Finally, that the previously approved $500,000 also fund minor expenses of the working groups.  (Note that none of the $500,000 approved at the June 2007 meeting has been used).

October 1, 2007 - MLS Working Group Issues Briefing Paper and Synopsis.

Click here for IBP - http://www.car.org/library/media/papers/pdf/10-01-07MLSImplementationplan-final.pdf

Click here for Synopsis - http://www.car.org/library/media/papers/pdf/10-02-07MLSSynopsis (2).pdf 

October 1, 2007 - MLS Working Group consideration of a statewide MLS or statewide aggregation.  Click here for the background paper: 
http://www.car.org/library/media/papers/pdf/10-01-07MLSImplementationplan-final.pdf

A MLS Working Group Synopsisof the October 1, 2007 Issues Briefing Paper noted above can be accessed by clicking on the following link :
http://www.car.org/library/media/papers/pdf/10-02-07MLSSynopsis (2).pdf 

September 7, 2007 - C.A.R. Working Group met to review progress to date and discuss feedback.

August 8, 2007 - C.A.R. Working Group and CDU representatives to meet.  This area includes the San Fernando Valley, San Bernandino, Riverside and Orange Counties.

July 18, 2007 - C.A.R. and the NCREx representatives met.  This initiative serves the area south of San Francisco to Monterey, the East Bay and Central Valley.

July 11, 2007 - C.A.R. and Quattro representatives met.  The Quattro initiative includes Metrolist (Sacramento and surrounding areas), BAREIS (Sonoma, Marin, Solano and surrounding areas) and the San Francisco Association are serviced by this initiative. 

July 2007 - Chairman Gary Thomas sent a letter to Quattro, CDU and NCRex inviting them to meet with C.A.R. MLS Working Group representatives to maximize efforts of all parties. Click here for full text of letter.

June 2007 - C.A.R. Directors adopted the motions directing staff to review in depth the technical work of three groups currently working on the goal of making MLS information available to subscribers over market and MLS areas.  It also included funding for an information engineering effort to facilitate either a statewide aggregation or a statewide MLS and directed a more detailed implementation plan of those two directions.  Finally, the directors referred a motion to the Strategic Planning and Finance Committee to address the consumer site issue in the context of the business plans and speed in creating a C.A.R. statewide consumer website utilizing current IDX feeds.

Text of Motion:

MLS Working Group
1. That prior to the issuance of an RFP for Information Engineering, C.A.R. will meet with the current groups (NCREX, Quattro, and CDU) to review in depth their technical work and to maximize use of their work product in the Statewide Information Engineering effort. 
2. That C.A.R. authorize up to $500,000 for the Information Engineering effort necessary to facilitate the development of either a Statewide Data Aggregation and/or a Statewide MLS, accelerating the implementation of either plan.
3. That C.A.R. develop more detailed implementation plans for both a Statewide Data Aggregation Service and a Statewide MLS which will be presented for consideration in October.  It is understood that participation in either plan will be voluntary.
4. A motion from the floor of the Board of Directors was referred to the Strategic Planning and Finance Committee, that the MLS Working Group accomplish two additional goals:
a. Hire a consultant or consultants to advise C.A.R. on how to be more Web 2.0 enabled, how to build a website that will drive, capture and serve consumers on a statewide aggregated data site or statewide MLS site, and build this into a strategic portion of the business plan.
b. Evaluate the feasibility of creating a C.A.R. statewide website that is consumer driven utilizing current IDX data feeds which can be up and running very quickly and not years out.

Click here for full text of  June 2007 motions 

January 2007 - The MLS Working Group reported that a statewide MLS was feasible but politically difficult. In response, the Directors authorized creation of a detailed business plan for a Statewide Aggregation and/or a Statewide MLS. 

Text of Motion:

MLS Working Group
1. That C.A.R. authorize the MLS Working Group to develop a detailed business plan to create an aggregated Statewide listing database for review at the June 2007 Business Meeting.
2. That C.A.R. authorize the MLS Working Group to develop a detailed business plan to create a Statewide MLS that would comply with the 6 principles for review at the June 2007 Business Meetings. In addition, local MLS and Associations are encouraged to limit long term contractual commitments extending beyond December 2008.
3. That the Strategic Planning and Finance Committee accelerate their efforts to establish a trusted public site for consumer access to a broad range of consumer real estate needs.
4. That C.A.R. Business Plans should take into consideration the technological and value proposition of current data aggregation initiatives in Northern and Southern California.

Click here for full text of  January 2007 minutes.

October 2006 - the C.A.R. Directors passed the following motion:  That the scope of work of the MLS Working Group be expanded to include the feasibility of a statewide MLS, including the issue of ownership and control.  The directors also approved $30,000 for a consultant to develop a RFP to assess the feasibility of a data repository for collective use capable of supporting any ongoing efforts towards data consolidation in California consistent with the Statement of Principles.  
  
September 24, 2005 -  C.A.R. directors adopt Six MLS Principles:

1.  MLS data needs to be fully standardized with local options for data field variation.

2.  California REALTORS® should have universal access to all MLS data.

3.  Use of MLS data and its distribution to third parties should be controlled by the brokers who provide the data.

4.  MLS entities should exist for the benefit of participants and subscribers.

5.  MLS rules should be uniform and enforced consistently.

6.  The MLS Board of Directors should include broker owners with appropriate regional representation.

Click here for full text and explanation of principles.

June 6, 2005 - Preliminary California MLS Environmental Scan presented to MLS Working Group.   Key findings included:

1.  There are too many MLSs in the state.

2.  There are too many MLS systems in the state.

3.  Brokers with offices across MLSs cannot gain economies of scale impacting their ability to compete.

4.  The MLS organizations are not structured in such a way that the broker owners or a senior officer would want to participate.

The report also suggested a number of steps that CAR could take dealing with issues of common rules, encouragement of more full regionalization, common data distribution rules and standardized data fields, and establishment of structures conducive for the broker owners, particularly large firms, to be on boards of directors.