MRED Blog
REinventing MLS
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/.
REALLY???
By Jeff Lasky, MRED Director of Communications and Training
The headlines are all over now. As housing inventory is shrinking because of the great real estate market of the last few months, housing affordability is threatened.
Really?
As an industry, I don’t think we can be more negative about things than we are. Anytime anything happens, trust that the spin will quickly be negative.
– Many homes are for sale? Well, that’s because no one is buying.
– Low interest rates? Well, nobody has a down payment.
– Lots of homes are selling? Well, that means less homes are now available and those properties are less affordable.
You can think of a lot more examples, because you are in the real estate industry and we’re all really good at picking the bad out of the good.
Can we just stop? Can we just take the marketplace as is it, use our considerable skills and knowledge, and just service the heck out of our customers and make money?
The really successful in this industry (and everywhere else) do just that. The not so successful? Too busy picking the bad out of the good.
One last thing: “housing affordability is threatened” is another way of saying “prices are going up”. You mean equity is being restored to properties? Is there a chance that consumers might actually rise up from being underwater?
Gosh, I can’t stand all of this bad news . . .
July 2012 Monthly Market Report
During the month of the 30th Olympiad, housing medaled in several arenas. A few short years ago, housing was considered a headwind to economic recovery. Today, housing is seen as a tailwind to a stalling economy. For the first time since 2005, housing is on track for contributing positively to national GDP in 2012. That can occur either by way of direct residential investment or through remodeling and other ancillary services. Watch for signs of sustained tailwinds in a variety of indicators, including market times, seller concessions, prices and absorption rates.
New Listings in Chicagoland were up 1.2 percent for detached homes but decreased 1.8 percent for attached properties. Listings Under Contract increased 56.3 percent for detached homes and 69.7 percent for attached properties.
The Median Sales Price was down 2.6 percent to $185,000 for detached homes and 11.7 percent to $132,500 for attached properties. Months Supply of Inventory decreased 41.5 percent for detached units and 55.2 percent for attached units.
Sustained recovery will not occur without real employment and wage growth. Consumers must be confident in both the economy and their family finances before signing on the dotted line. Cheap borrowing costs have served as the glue binding things together. Unimaginable a few years ago, the rate on a 30-year fixed mortgage recently ducked below the 3.49 percent marker. Job creation and GDP numbers will garner particular attention this quarter.
Click HERE to see MRED’s Monthly Indicators Report for July 2012
[NOTE: Residential Detached and Attached single family activity only.]
Click HERE to see MRED’s Lender Mediated Report for July 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.]
Daily Morning Roundup – August 14, 2012
Here are some of the top real estate posts on the social networking sites this morning:
Foreclosure Filings Down 10 percent from a year ago per RealtyTrac – from Chicago Agent Magazine – http://t.co/CjXJOhPQ
Once and For All, Which Way Are Home Prices Headed? From the KCM Blog – http://t.co/Ks9aUxze
NAR Reports 33% of Houses Sold in One Month Time Period – http://t.co/B0omBkFK
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