I’ve gone and done it now… I opened up the search capability on my website. Search the MLS without having to register or give up your private information.

As long as there have been real estate agents, we have been gatekeepers of information. In the early days, agents and brokers held their own listings. They wouldn’t even share them with other agents and brokers. Then, somebody figured out that other agents had listings, too… and they might be willing to all cooperate and share… and EVERYBODY would benefit. And so the Multiple Listing Service was born. It was real estate brokers in a specific area cooperating with each other and making all of their listings available to each other.

It was… “The Book.” I can remember back in the 1980s (and the book goes back WAY before that) going to the agent’s office to see “The Book.” It was guarded, and seldom allowed out of the office. It was updated every week or three… depending on the market. But, agents guarded it like a treasure. The information was power…

And then came the listing computer. I remember this as well (no, I wasn’t in the business. I was a buyer). One actually had to go to the office of the agent to look at “The Terminal.” It was on an intranet, and tied into the MLS. Agents could only see it at the office, and there were still books, but the listings were updated daily, and somewhat searchable on “The Terminal.” But, if a buyer wanted to have access to new listings, the agent had to pour over the machine each day or every few days to see what was updated.

Then came “The Website.” Soon, the listings were available via IDX (this is a data exchange where the listings are sent to all of the brokers that want them). Because the internet was still not widely adopted, and the information was prized, the only way to access “The Website” was through a broker’s site… with a password… that one got by giving up their information.

Now, the information is out there. We all have it. I have it on one of my websites as an IDX feed.

When I surf, I hate putting in my private information. I want to be anonymous until I desire to give up my information. I assume that most web surfers are like me. So, I decided that I needed to give the same anonymity to my surfers that I want when I am out on the web. The Golden Rule and all that.

There was a little reluctance from some of those that were entrenched with the “control of information”, but they have caved… Search away.

If you wish to give me your information, I’ll be happy to put you on my email list. Or, you can get my RSS feed from my blog, confident that I am still in the dark as to your identity. If you want to look through my site and search the listings and then use another agent for the transaction, that’s ok. I hope that you decide that I should represent you.

Enjoy.

Oh yeah… You can do the search through ANY of my websites. LaneGetsResults, LaneBailey, GarageHomesUSA or directly.