MRED Blog
REinventing MLS
Midwest Real Estate Data LLC (MRED) Enters into Licensing Agreement for Cloud CMA
Midwest Real Estate Data LLC (MRED) announced today it has entered into a licensing agreement to provide MRED’s 40,000 customers with W&R Studios’ Cloud CMA product in early 2011.
Cloud CMA is an innovative as well as eye-catching product for preparing comparative market analyses, buyer’s tours and other property reports. With Cloud CMA users can easily create amazing presentations from a desktop/laptop or mobile smartphone, with exclusive blended data from top websites including Google, Zillow, education.com, Walk Score, Yelp and more.
When Cloud CMA is integrated with MRED’s connectMLS™ MLS system, users will be able to search for listings and comparables and seamlessly launch the Cloud CMA package to produce stunning reports that will help them win more listings and write more offers.
“One of MRED’s goals is to locate tools with which to arm real estate professionals so that they are the driving force for every real estate transaction,” said Russ Bergeron, CEO of MRED. “Cloud CMA will enable our customers to create personalized reports that blend data from our MLS and top websites to give their clients the full spectrum of real estate information.”
“The key aspect of Cloud CMA our Board found most attractive is that it provides our agents with a cutting edge tool that incorporates all of the real estate information available for today’s agent,” stated Dean Rouso, President of MRED.
Kelly Reichert, an agent with Coldwell Banker in Ft. Collins, Colorado, and an avid Cloud CMA user, said, “I’m so excited with the Cloud CMA program. This program saves me so much time in preparing a market analysis. I am so grateful I have this tool!”
“Cloud CMA’s reports aren’t just a pretty face – they have a purpose, too,” said Greg Robertson, co-founder of W&R Studios. “The layout, page order, content and design are all about taking your client to the next step, whether it’s making an offer, or signing that listing agreement. If you can use e-mail you can use Cloud CMA.”
About MRED
Midwest Real Estate Data (MRED) is the real estate data aggregator and distributor that provides the largest multiple listing service (by listing volume) to over 40,000 customers, with property information encompassing northern Illinois, southern Wisconsin and northwest Indiana.
About W&R Studios
Founded in 2008, W&R Studios is a privately held web software company located in Huntington Beach, California. W&R Studios focuses on creating the next generation of web-based software solutions for the real estate industry. By providing a “less is more” approach to software design, elegant user interfaces, and using the latest in agile programming, W&R Studios’ software applications are at the same time powerful, yet accessible to everyone.
Midwest Real Estate Data LLC (MRED) introduces connectMLS 4.0
Midwest Real Estate Data LLC (MRED) has announced the release of connectMLS™ version 4.0. Making the system more meaningful to today’s real estate practitioner, this release features a full blown restructuring of the listing database.
connectMLS™ version 4.0 has navigational enhancements including a “widgetized” home page with which the user may customize the look and feel of their desktop. Time-saving features like drop-down menus allow the user to quickly jump to any function without having to switch screens or use the browser’s back button.
Probably the biggest time-saving feature is the ability to “clone” or copy listings from one property type to another – e.g., copy a sale listing so that it can also be shown as a rental without having to duplicate data entry.
“Since 2003, dynaConnections, creators of connectMLS™, has provided MRED with exceptional systems – integrated MLS and Transaction Management – along with outstanding support. They have always demonstrated an ability to make good on their promises to provide us with fast, dependable and customizable systems while providing a level of support second to none,” said Russ Bergeron, CEO, Midwest Real Estate Data LLC.
“This latest release is just one more step in making connectMLS™ a premier MLS system,” added Bergeron. “We are thrilled to be able to provide this service allowing us to continue to deliver the very best in products and services to the brokers, agents and appraisers who are a part of MRED.”
connectMLS™ version 4.0 is also a powerful communications tool. When users log onto the system, they immediately see any messages sent from their office, their Realtor® association or from MRED.
“Thanks for the cool new broker broadcast tool,” said Scott Newman, Broker/Owner of Scott Newman Realty Group, in Chicago, Illinois. “Any broker can now get important messages out easily to their agents in the place they are most likely to see them – on the MLS system.”
The consumer experience will also be enhanced through the latest system upgrades. Each user can create individualized web sites for each of their buyers, sellers and past clients with which to collaborate; with these sites containing the enhanced property data now being collected via the MLS. Buyers can be shown any number of properties that might be just right for them; sellers can be kept apprised of activity and interest on their property; and past clients can be kept up to date on the market in their neighborhood.
“Thanks for upgrading the system,” said Ryan Gable, Broker/Owner of Starting Point Realty, in Palatine, Illinois. “Our prospects and clients are being tempted to gravitate to third party sites. We need this upgrade to keep our competitive advantage. Having been involved in a few software upgrades, I think you guys did great!”
“It remains a focus of MRED’s Board of Managers to, above all else, bring the very best MLS system and tools to our subscribers,” stated Dean Rouso, President of MRED. “It is our belief that we are succeeding.”
About MRED
Midwest Real Estate Data (MRED) is a real estate data aggregator and distributor that provides the largest multiple listing service (by listing volume) to over 40,000 customers, with property information encompassing northern Illinois, southern Wisconsin and northwest Indiana.
About dynaConnections
dynaConnections Corporation is an Austin-based company that is renowned for its constant innovation and dedication to service. dynaConnections provides an MLS solution, connectMLS™, that is second to none with its millisecond response time and ease of access via all browser platforms. connectMLS™ is created to be both powerful and easy to use, and exceeds all standards of what the real estate industry expects from their MLS provider. For more information, visit: www.dynaconnections.com.
Community Areas Comparison
Want to create a side-by-side comparison chart of any 3 of 77 community areas in Chicago? Click www.chicagocondosonline.com/areacomparisonchart.pdf for the step by step instructions on how to do this. While you are at it, check out the rest of the great information and tools at www.ChicagoCondosOnline.com.
Russ Bergeron ~ Quick Biography
Russ Bergeron has recently joined Midwest Real Estate Data as its new CEO.
Prior to coming to the Chicagoland Russ was at the helm of Southern California Multiple Listing Service since its formation in 1993. As head of the largest MLS in the state of California and second largest in the nation, he is known for his leadership in bringing technological advances to the multiple listing industry. In recognition of his leadership and innovation, he was named one of the 100 Most Influential Leaders in Real Estate for 2009 by Inman News.
Under Russ’ leadership, SoCalMLS membership grew from 7,500 to nearly 56,000 real estate practitioners and enjoys a nationwide reputation of excellence. He is recognized as a pioneer in the movement to place real estate listings on the Internet for which he won the Inman Innovator Award in 1998.
Russ’s most recent accomplishment was spearheading and leading the birth and growth of CARETS into the preeminent MLS data repository serving over 106,000 real estate practitioners throughout Southern California while positioning CARETS to become the statewide solution for MLS data throughout the state of California.
Russ is a Magna Cum Laude graduate of Marywood College where he holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration. He proudly served his country for four years as a member of the United States Air Force stationed both at home and in Pakistan.
He is living in Naperville with his wife of 35 years. They have one daughter who, upon completion of graduate school at the University of California, joined the MLS service industry.
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