CALMLS Is Unveiled

As a veteran of several market cycles, I can attest that a down market is not the time to be a “technology fence-sitter.” Just like overly cautious buyers, technology fence-sitters tend to miss the telltale signs of an uptick until the bottom is in the rearview mirror.

California’s market, like other regions across the country, has experienced a 30 percent decline in the median price in 2008 compared with 2007, and deals are more labor-intensive and slower to complete. In response to these market dynamics, the CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® (C.A.R.) has strived to make a difference to its members and their businesses—and prepare them for the inevitable market rebound. Inside this issue of ret2® (Real Estate Trends + Technology®)—another member-benefit of C.A.R.—you’ll find an array of easy-to-adopt ideas that I hope will inspire you and provide novel ways to help you extend your brand and sphere of influence. In addition, this year C.A.R. created a series of outreaches, “Special Weapons and Tactics to Survive a Down Market” (S.W.A.T.), events where our members learned how to handle short sales and foreclosures. While not necessarily technology-driven, these conferences were member-driven and were created in response to members’ requests for more information on short sales and foreclosures.

As part of a much larger initiative and one that is aligned with the technology needs of our members, the Association announced the California REALTOR® MLS Initiative (CALMLS). This massive undertaking has been on the drawing board and on the wish list of brokers and agents for several years. In August, Scott Kucirek, former co-founder, president, and EVP of new market development at an innovative technology-oriented real estate brokerage company, as well as general manager of a major real estate firm, was tapped to lead CALMLS’ launch and release phase. Today, at this writing, CALMLS is no longer a concept: The implementation of CALMLS is under way.

It is our goal that CALMLS will provide a flexible, accessible, and state-of-the-art MLS to our members; eliminate the need for brokers to join multiple MLSs with overlapping jurisdictions; and provide a central repository for MLS data for one of the largest real estate markets in the country.

To date, 66 associations and three regional MLSs representing more than 120,000 California REALTORS® have confirmed their interest by signing non-binding letters of intent to participate in CALMLS. C.A.R. anticipates providing this system to our members in 2009.

William E. Brown

2008 President, California Association of REALTORS®