Misconceptions About the Release of Sold Content

Misconception #1: TREND is releasing the sold content to the public.

TREND is not planning to release this information to the public. We are planning to release this information to you, our members! It will be available through IDX Plus, an add-on to the IDX product.

Misconception #2: Releasing this information reduces REALTORS^® value, and will put me out of business.

The information is already out there. Releasing it to you gives you the ability to compete with valuation tools and to draw the consumer back to you.

Consumers today can get home valuations from the tools on any number of sites on the Internet. Think Trulia. Think Zillow. Even REALTOR.com in January 2008, released a tool right on their front page, "What's Your Home Worth?" Today, consumers can get this information from anybody but you.

TREND knows that brokers spend considerable effort to ensure that they provide unique products and services and that their website can attract and keep visitors. Wouldn't a home valuation tool or a link to recently sold properties on your company website be instrumental in achieving those goals? And once the consumer is on your site, wouldn't they then be more likely to contact you directly for expert analysis on it, and probably much more...?

By giving brokers the sold content they create, TREND can provide the information to compete with the Trulias and Zillows. Having this information on your site you can draw the consumers away from their sites and back to yours. Valuation tools on your website will give you the opportunity to become the primary source for that information and you can capture the consumer more efficiently.

Misconception #3: Everyone is against this.

Lots of members have told TREND they want it - and they want it quickly!

Many TREND members realize the benefits possible with the availability of MLS sold content. They know that the public records and user-entered data that feed Zillow's and Trulia's valuation tools are often old, out-of-date and do not contain feature information.

MLS sold content could fuel a valuation tool on your website with more up-to-date, accurate and content-rich data straight from the MLS sold data you create. Having these quality valuation tools with better data will help establish your site, and not Trulia's or Zillow's, as the best source for that information and keep the consumer coming back!

TREND knows the challenges real estate professional are experiencing right now: questions about the state of the market, ever-changing technology demands, and competition from new business models. TREND's unique role as an aggregator of data puts us in a position to be able to provide you - and only you - with the information you want that will help you remain competitive in your business and succeed. By offering you IDX Plus as an option, sold data will do that!

Find out more about the release of sold content in "TREND to Explore Making MLS Sold Content Available for Broker Websites."