MRED Blog
REinventing MLS
Category Archives: Agent “Doing Business” Discussions
How Homeownership Adds to a Womans View of the American Dream [Infographic]
This interesting infographic shows the relationship between women and home ownership and how it relates to their view of the American Dream from KCM Blog.
AUGUST 2012 MONTHLY MARKET REPORTS
As the school-aged among us work their way back into classrooms across America, we continue to monitor key improvements in the local housing market with a keener eye. With two-thirds of 2012 complete, we’re starting to get a sense for how the year will shake out. Headlines include encouraging phrases like “Recovery Takes Hold,” “Home Prices on the Rise” and “Situation Eases for Sellers.” Local market conditions can vary. Let’s see just how much.
New Listings in Chicagoland were down 1.5 percent for detached homes and 9.0 percent for attached properties. Listings Under Contract increased 54.0 percent for detached homes and 70.5 percent for attached properties.
The Median Sales Price was down 2.7 percent to $180,000 for detached homes and 4.8 percent to $135,199 for attached properties. Months Supply of Inventory decreased 42.4 percent for detached units and 56.4 percent for attached units.
With election season in full swing, both politicians and economists will place extra emphasis on jobs and unemployment figures. Recognizing the relationship between jobs and housing demand, the most tuned-in agents and brokers will do the same. The truth is, the economy is and has been expanding consistently for years, albeit at a disjointed pace. There’s reason for optimism going into the last third of 2012 and even into 2013, and housing is actually playing a large role in that positive outlook.
MRED Customers: please go to MREDLLC.com. After logging in, click on the Statistics tab. There you will find the following:
MRED’s Monthly Indicators Report for August 2012
[NOTE: Residential Detached and Attached single family activity only.]
MRED’s Lender Mediated Report for August 2012
[NOTE: Lender-mediated properties are those marked in MRED as “Foreclosed”, “REO”, “Pre-Foreclosure” or “Short Sale”. Residential Detached and Attached single family activity only.]
MRED Begins the Season With a Win
Fans Respond Positively to the New Look and Enhanced Functionality of MREDLLC.com
LISLE, IL–(Marketwire – Sep 13, 2012) – Midwest Real Estate Data (MRED), Chicagoland’s multiple listing service (MLS), announced that the new MREDLLC.com has been successfully launched and is enjoying a great reception from MRED real estate professionals.
This redesigned website gives real estate professionals across the Midwest a more interactive and user friendly site with which to learn about the extensive suite of products and services provided by MRED, including easy access to its workhorse MLS system, connectMLS™. This new site is the place to find tools Realtors® can use, and to discover all the information and training on how to use them.
“Love it,” said Debbie Marwitz of Coldwell Banker Honig-Bell in Cary. “Everything you need is right there in front of you. Love the ‘top stories’ scrolling at the top and the direct link to connectMLS™. The bottom quick clicks which take you right to the answers — home, statistics, training, etc. — awesome! This site is so easy to navigate. GREAT job! Thanks for all your work on this!”
“OK, so my head is now spinning with this new website,” said Kathy Przybyla of RE/MAX of Barrington. “All of the wonderful options you have given the Realtor® community — thanks!”
Users find the new MREDLLC.com to be easy to navigate and very user friendly. The tabs across the top of the site give the visitor quick and easy access to general information on various topics. The powerful search feature allows you to enter a keyword and all documentation, links and information matching that keyword will be immediately available and accessible.
“I noticed the change right away and I am very pleased with it,” said Valerie DeMarco, of Prudential Starck Realtors in Palatine. “I think that the folks behind MRED have worked diligently to bring us the best MLS service out there. I love my MLS! I like that I can access different feature information right from the home page… and it is more visually appealing than the old website.”
“I thought it was neat to learn about the power search feature that I have not paid attention to while on connectMLS™,” said Bob Little, Jr., of Little Realty in Naperville. “I like that there is a ton of information that is easy to find and the housing statistics are something I can show clients without having to do a lot of prep work. Keep up the good work and continually improving the website.”
Not only are practicing real estate professionals giving the new website high marks, but their staff members are also experiencing the benefit of a cutting-edge MREDLLC.com.
“I think it is just great,” said Linda Kous, Lead/Listing Coordinator for The G-Slow Team in Frankfort. “As an assistant there are many times I have questions and the agent is not handy so it is nice to have a resource that is so easy to read visually and ‘user friendly’. I read all the tips sent from MRED as they come but it is nice that now they are indexed so you can go back when you need them and review — the “How To” section especially! You guys are always making our work life easier. Thanks.”
About MRED
Midwest Real Estate Data (MRED) is the real estate data aggregator and distributor providing the Chicagoland multiple listing service (MLS) to nearly 40,000 brokers, agents and appraisers and 8,000 offices. MRED serves Chicago and the surrounding “collar” counties and provides property information encompassing northern Illinois, southern Wisconsin and northwest Indiana. For more information, visit www.MREDLLC.com.
Are You a Socialist? No, Not THAT Kind
MRED Enhances Social Marketing for Its Customers With Facebook App From Appla.bz
LISLE, IL–(Marketwire – Sep 12, 2012) – Midwest Real Estate Data (MRED) (www.MREDLLC.com), the Chicagoland multiple listing service (MLS), has announced a new partnership that offers its real estate professionals a solution to connect with potential clients through Facebook.
MRED is now offering its customers the MRED Social IDX, a Facebook social listing search app from Appla.bz, which allows real estate agents to add a property search directly to their Facebook business page. Potential home buyers will be able to search accurate and up-to-date listings through a visually intuitive platform. This new application also includes a feature that allows real estate professionals and their clients to have conversations about specific listings in real time via their computer, smartphone or tablet. A “Friend Feedback” feature allows people to share listings with their friends, family, and social circles.
“We are privileged to be working with one of the most well respected MLSs in the country,” says Joshua Lopour, CEO of AppLa.bz. “We are passionate about not only making the home search experience easier and more accessible but making it an event that can be shared with friends and family. We applaud MRED in taking that first step and allowing their agents to be on the cutting edge.”
“Social media is here to stay, and with nearly a billion users Facebook is obviously the place to be,” said MRED CEO Russ Bergeron. “As part of our continued search for products and services that are ahead of the curve, the MRED Social IDX Facebook app certainly fits. I predict this just might become the breakthrough product of the year. I know our customers are going to love it.”
To get to the MRED Facebook App Page, real estate professionals may visit facebook.com/MREDLLC, click on the handbag icon, and add this product to their Facebook brand page. For only $5.99 per month, any MRED customer will now have the ability to offer search-and-display of the full active inventory of homes for sale throughout their Facebook network. Anybody signing up before October 1st is getting the first month for free. With the power of social marketing they will then be able to take advantage of the exponential power of shared networks with their clients, friends and family.
About MRED
Midwest Real Estate Data (MRED) is the real estate data aggregator and distributor providing the Chicagoland multiple listing service (MLS) to nearly 40,000 brokers, agents and appraisers and 8,000 offices. MRED serves Chicago and the surrounding “collar” counties and provides property information encompassing northern Illinois, southern Wisconsin and northwest Indiana. For more information, visit www.mredllc.com.
About AppLa.bz
Founded in 2012, AppLa.bz (pronounced App Labs) allows anyone to add quality apps to social media pages in 30 seconds. Currently AppLa.bz is servicing over 600 Brands in retail, music, fashion and most recently real estate. Our offices are conveniently located both in Orange County, California and Vancouver, British Columbia. For more information visit www.AppLa.bz.
MRED Gives Company Website a Facelift
MRED Launches the New Look and Enhanced Functionality of MREDLLC.com
LISLE, IL–(Marketwire – Aug 20, 2012) – Midwest Real Estate Data (MRED), Chicagoland’s multiple listing service (MLS), announced that it has launched the new MREDLLC.com. This redesigned website gives real estate professionals across the Midwest a more interactive and user friendly site with which to learn about the extensive set of products and services provided by MRED, including easy access to its workhorse MLS system, connectMLS™. This new site is the place to find tools Realtors® can use and to get all of the information and training on how to use them.
MRED retained the services of Warren McKenna Design Group (WMDesignGroup.com) of Chicago, Illinois, for the planning, design and building of the new site. WMDG was chosen based on its excellence in execution in creating and updating websites for other organizations in the real estate industry. “It’s all about creating an experience that anticipates subscribers’ needs and delivers results in the field,” Warren McKenna, Principal of WMDG, adds.
Users will find the new MREDLLC.com to be easy to navigate and very user friendly. The tabs across the top of the site give the visitor quick and easy access to general information on various topics. The powerful search feature allows you to enter a keyword and all documentation, links and information matching that keyword will be immediately available and accessible.
A substantial amount of MREDLLC.com is dedicated to MRED’s products and services. By hovering over the Products and Resources tab, you are given an extensive drop down menu with links to descriptions of MRED’s products by category, including: MLS and Public Records; Enhanced Property Info; Transaction Assistance; Marketing Tools; Statistics and Analytics; Mobile; Public Service Apps; Real Estate News and Views; and Data Licensing. Visitors can then click on the desired item and get all the information needed on a single page dedicated to that product. They can even sign up for training right then and there.
The Training tab itself has been enhanced and organized for ease of use. The Class Finder functionality has made searching and registering for classes, or scheduling custom training and webinars easier than ever.
“We are very excited about the launch of the new MREDLLC.com,” said MRED CEO Russ Bergeron. “The new MREDLLC.com allows our customers to easily access all the products and services that MRED offers. We love the much cleaner, more up to date look. One of our goals is to be able to communicate quickly and effectively with all of our customers. MREDLLC.com allows us to do that 365/24/7.”
MRED encourages its customers to take full advantage of the functionality that exists at the new MREDLLC.com. The site is not a static page but is a living, breathing entity that will be updated to accommodate new ideas and suggestions, as well as any changes and new products that are added to the mix. Viewing activity will be measured in order to identify areas that might need improvement and areas that get the greatest use, helping MRED to focus on those areas of its operation that might need immediate attention. MRED will be continuously updating the site to keep it at the cutting edge of MLS websites.
About MRED
Midwest Real Estate Data (MRED) is the real estate data aggregator and distributor providing the Chicagoland multiple listing service (MLS) to nearly 40,000 brokers, agents and appraisers and 8,000 offices. MRED serves Chicago and the surrounding “collar” counties and provides property information encompassing northern Illinois, southern Wisconsin and northwest Indiana. For more information, visit http://www.mredllc.com/.
Under 35 Population Staying Home But Not Buying One
Great Infographic from the KCM Blog:
MRED Blog 