The Origins of the MLS
MLSs originated during the 1960s, when REALTORS® began to share property listing information with other agents, while having lunch at local coffee houses and restaurants. An informal communication network began to flourish as a method to market homes, and the Real Estate Information Service Industry was underway. These networks were organized by the local Associations of REALTORS® then developed into a database of property listing information, usually covering the area serviced by each Associations' membership. Initially, the network communicated mostly through books, but as the information age arrived and computers took hold, the MLS industry quickly grew into a computerized service. The need to share listing data between local MLSs eventually led to the creation of regional MLSs across the countries, which provide information services to an entire metropolitan area.
The Origins of TREND
In the mid-1990s, the former multiple listing services in Pennsylvania, together with some of the regional brokers, began the task of creating a single source for all Delaware Valley MLS and real estate related services with one listing database, one set of forms, and one common set of fees. To accomplish this goal, TREND was formed and became operational in December 1995. TREND's first computer-based MLS, called Boris Maestro, was primitive compared to today's MLS system. There were no colors or graphics and very few property photos. Over the next six months, six separate MLS databases from the area were converted and six separate membership bases were integrated into TREND. By the summer of 1996, TREND had more than 10,000 members who had access to approximately 60,000 new listings per year across seven counties. TREND was one of the largest regional MLSs in the country.
In the following years, the REALTOR® associations of neighboring counties joined TREND. In 1998, the Reading-Berks Association of REALTORS® merged followed in 2000 by the Greater New Jersey MLS. This eventually led to the 13-county Primary Service Area.
The Advent of the Internet
By 1998, the Internet was revolutionizing many industries and real estate was no exception. TREND leadership realized that an Internet-based MLS system would provide access to the emerging functionality that consumers demanded. They reviewed many systems and then entered into an agreement with Terradutum to customize their MLSWeb system for TREND's members. Although difficult to do, 17,000 members were moved to the Internet. The new functionally of MLSWeb allowed for the use of color, graphics, multiple photos, improved reports, mapping capabilities, integrated virtual tours and floor plans, and the ability to send listing information via e-mail. With the increasing number of members, TREND assumed complete control over the development and management of the MLSWeb system in 2001.
The Growth of TREND
In 2003, TREND launched a new website with a new look. This website introduced three technologies to TREND members which are now a significant part of their on-line MLS business routine: a new homepage, completely customized for each individual member with timely news and important MLS links; an online membership account program and E-billing Service with real-time bill viewing and payment capabilities; and an extensive and completely searchable Help Desk, so members could easily locate TREND help information. These new features have empowered members to conduct all their TREND business more efficiently.
The following year, TREND wanted to support members' need to have a more accurate and integrated public records system. TREND launched Realty Records in January 2004. Today, this Public Records system contains more than 4.6 million property parcels in 34 counties, 8.9 million sales records and 12.8 million owner records. Tax maps and flood data were also added to available data from Public Records by early 2005.
At the end of 2005, TREND unveiled its new corporate look by adopting a new logo. The circular design of TREND's logo symbolizes the spirit of the MLS as members cooperatively market properties for sale. It also represents the global nature of the World Wide Web, where many of TREND's products and services reside. The logo also embodies TREND's commitment to look toward the future in offering high-quality service to its members.
MLS Blue
In April 2006, TREND unveiled a new site design, which sported a new navigation and blue color scheme to compliment TREND's new logo. It marked the completion of the first phase of a project to provide members with a consistent, seamless and contemporary experience. This design was the pre-cursor to the new MLS, which was already in well into development.
Starting in 2005, TREND began planning and development on a new MLS. This new MLS would support TREND's growth in membership and listings; improve underlying technology; make key functionality easy to use; and offer new intuitive and innovative functionality for members. This new functionality focused on providing customization; support for the member-client relationship; ease of use, step-by-step wizards that make complex processes easier to complete; and improving page instructions and help. Starting in January 2007, TREND members were switched over to this new MLS, and by April 2007, all 30,000 members were using MLS Blue.
TREND Today
Today, TREND is a network for more than 32,000 real estate professionals who share information on properties for sale in and around Philadelphia and the surrounding metropolitan regions. TREND's MLS system provides members to more than 170,000 new listings per year. It delivers more than 40,000 listing e-mail messages to real estate consumers every day. We focus our products and services on the needs of our members and strive to deliver high-quality, innovative, personal and fast service.
TREND has evolved into more than an on-line system. TREND helps members market homes and generate leads by delivering information on residential properties for sale to consumer-based websites, such as REALTOR.com, and local websites, such as Philly.com, Phillyburbs.com, CourierPostOnline.com and DelawareOnline.com. TREND also shares listing information on broker websites through programs like Internet Data Exchange (IDX). TREND supports the delivery of data to more than 500 broker and advertising websites. TREND continues to provide new technology options to members with products to access MLS information by downloading it to a laptop or desktop computer, products to access listing information effortlessly using a PDA or handheld computer and more.
The Future of TREND
TREND continues our commitment to offering state-of-the-art products and services, by constantly exploring new ways not only to improve our system but to help solve the ever-changing business needs of our members.
TREND remains focused to adding features to the MLS system that meet the needs of our members. Over the next few years, we will continue the multi-phase project to improve elements of the system, including the Add/Change Listings module and Public Records. Both of these will be redesigned to match the look and feel of TREND's MLS Blue system.
As brokers are serving consumers across an ever-expanding geographical region, the same problems from the mid-1990s continue: needing membership in multiple MLSs to do their business. This problem, which is being discussed locally and nationally, is now being called overlapping market disorder, or OMD. In the past the only answer was regionalization of the MLS. But today's complex and global real estate industry demands new ideas and solutions to complex and global problems like OMD. TREND is at the forefront of the discussions on OMD, and a priority in our future is solving OMD for our members.
TREND is active in the discussion an implementation of Real Estate Transaction Standard (RETS), the widely accepted real estate data standard. A cooperative agreement with MRIS (the MLS for Maryland, Washington DC, Northern Virginia, and parts of West Virginia and Pennsylvania) will combine TREND and MRIS listings into a single database, called MRIS Cornerstone Universal RETS Exchange, or "MRIS CURE." It will eventually allow TREND and MRIS to jointly license data to brokers and vendors that service the broader market and open the door to many other data sharing opportunities and potential OMD solutions.
Issues relating to data control, data security, and much more will face TREND and our members in the future. To maintain our role as a leader and innovator in this fast-paced industry, TREND is committed to anticipating these issues and needs, and meeting them with service and products that set new standards and enable our members to provide superior real estate information and marketing services to the clients they serve.