Realtors tend to like statistics, so let’s look at some more important numbers.
Consumers viewed MLS listings in the ITSO client portal more than 4 million times in the last month alone. From Jan. 1 to Sept. 30, there were nearly 120,000 new listings on the ITSO MLS System and close to 60,000 sales. These listings and sales come from the more than 23,000 users of the ITSO MLS System — 18,500 of which are realtors.
Now, let’s look at the statistics found in the Toronto Regional Real Estate Board’s (TRREB) Market Watch report. In the same time period, there were more than 112,000 new listings on the TRREB MLS System and close to 54,000 sales. According to CREA’s 2023 Q2 Membership statistics, there were 76,000 realtors that belong to TRREB and TRREB’s partner boards, all contributing to these listings and sales.
As you can see, access to both ITSO’s MLS data and TRREB’s MLS data is essential for realtors trading in areas covered by these two systems — and these aren’t the only ones in Ontario.
Fragmented MLS systems in Ontario
Ontario realtors need access to all the data in the province so that they can do their jobs and appear professional in the eyes of consumers. Consumers have access to Realtor.ca and VOWs. They know what listings are out there, and they notice when properties are missing from searches provided by their realtors. Realtors need access to the comprehensive listings found only in MLS, and they need that information to provide comprehensive comparables and relevant guidance to their clients.
ITSO and its member associations are willing to share their data. The 15 member associations of ITSO share their data with each other, as well as with the Realtors Association of Hamilton-Burlington, Sudbury Real Estate Board, Ottawa Real Estate Board, Cornwall and District Real Estate Board, Rideau-St. Lawrence Real Estate Board and Renfrew County Real Estate Board. The bad news is that there are a handful of real estate associations in Ontario that appear unwilling to reciprocally share their data.
Realtors created these listings and put them in the various MLS Systems across the province. Now, the associations they belong to, formed to act in the best interest of their members, are capitalizing off that data and forcing realtors to pay dual memberships or subscriber fees — just to access their own collective data. This is a tax on realtors that could stop.
Collaborative data sharing
ITSO found a solution that can give realtors access to all the data from the various MLS Systems in Ontario — while each association maintains their own corporate identity, local presence, and ownership of their data. Associations do not need to be forced or rush into amalgamations simply to gain access to data. However, this solution will only work if the leaders of the associations in the province support this direction.
ITSO is not, and will not be, a barrier to increasing access to MLS data because we are only custodians of the data for the real estate associations we serve. This is where ITSO and your local real estate association need to hear from you.
This has been a year of monumental change in the real estate industry, and there are realtors in Ontario who feel they have not been adequately consulted or heard when they voiced opinions. This is your chance to let your association know if you want them to embrace this opportunity to be pro-competitive and reduce artificial geographical boundaries that currently prevent realtors from accessing all MLS data.
The call for action
ITSO is hosting a second province-wide meeting for the leaders of Ontario real estate associations on Nov. 26 to discuss this solution for increasing access to MLS data. We trust that the industry will come out of this meeting with a plan to provide all Ontario realtors with access to the MLS data they need, which will increase professionalism in the real estate industry and raise the public image of the profession.
We have heard a plethora of reasons as to why increasing access to data can’t or shouldn’t be done. Some associations claim there would be data security concerns, others point to issues regarding the uniqueness of specific markets, and competition is brought up at almost every meeting.
But these are simply excuses.
Realtor associations could change to provide services their members want and need instead of just acting as gatekeepers to data. Isn’t it time that the Ontario real estate industry takes this bold step forward?
With over 15 years experience working at not-for-profit associations, Allison started her career as legal counsel providing advice with expertise in real estate technology, general corporate law, intellectual property law, the application of MLS ® Rules, and the REALTOR ® Code. Allison’s first project as ITSO was creating the framework for the regional professional standards and arbitration program before taking on the role of General Counsel and now her current role as Executive Director.
Thanks ITSO lest’s make this happen. This is so past do. We have been fighting for this for years. You did forget to mention how it hurst the consumer. Never a day go past where I see a listing outside of the TRREB area only listed on TRREB. This is a disservice to the consumer.
I didn’t bother reading the entire article because it is likely full of BS and REM is likely part of the grooming of us for one system to be controlled by “someone” that has proven time and time again not to have our best interest at heart. We do need one system, one system per province and it needs to be outside the existing organizations we have today that have proven they don’t listen. I truly feel it is time to tear down and rebuild. We the members that are funding all this are at the bottom of the list in regards to needs and wants. I am feeling less and less like a real estate professional and more like an admin person for these association. I feel they have turned the tables on us. Do we really need 3 association hanging over our head trying to dictate and control us to make themselves relevant?
She did write this… Realtors created these listings and put them in the various MLS Systems across the province. Now, the associations they belong to, formed to act in the best interest of their members, are capitalizing off that data and forcing realtors to pay dual memberships or subscriber fees — just to access their own collective data. This is a tax on realtors that could stop.
Some board don’t want to be part of TRREB because they figured out, TRREB doesn’t have its members best interest at heart. TRREB is often referred to as the bully in the room. Yes we need one system and we also need only one association not 3, one that works in the best interest of its members.
Omer,
Those organizations too feel the time to tear down and rebuild has come, so they are trying everything they can to stay “relevant”.
TRREB’s recent motion to take the decision making from its members and hand it to the board of directors was the ultimate step in that direction.
I don’t believe that the Mls system is fragmented. I would like to know, however, when someone is going to consider checking out why sarnia is the only closed board left in Canada?
As real estate professionals the core of what we do is for our clients. Every decision we and our associations make should be predicated on that principle. Denying access between boards, adding prohibitive fee structures to list on other boards, and restricting access to fellow professionals runs contrary to that. Equally, decisions being made about how long a property can be advanced marketed prior to MLS Listing run contrary to that. While the latter may seem to run contrary to the sharing of information it is a decision made by the Seller in consultation with their Agent and a decision Sellers have a right to make and not be dictated by legislation. The needs of each Seller are not the same and legislative rules should never dictate that. Lastly, and it goes without saying the decision to apply a mandated insurance further proves how far the disconnect truly is. Leadership is so far off the pathway, I am not sure if they can even see the trees.
I agree, the divide between members and the associations is far greater then the multiple boards and the negative impact. As for restricting the exclusive listing to only 3 days of marketing, who the hell do they think they are to put what is essentially a restrictive covenant on every property owner in Canada that wants to sell and use a responsible real estate agent (not realtor) must post on the MLS. As for the mandate, in insurance, it is criminal in so far as just because they can legally do it, doesn’t make it right.
I agree and I have said it for years. We as salespeople do all the work ever associations make all the rules for us to follow which is a bunch of garbage they’re all sitting back in their cushy jobs collecting great pay and benefits and then dictating how we’re going to do things when we’re the ones paying them it’s time to tear down all systems and rebuild especially OREA AND CREA they need to go.
They just make themselves work to keep their existence
It will be either torn down by us, or we will be destroyed by a for profit organization. By the time we figure out what is happening, it will be too late. We really don’t need the association, the do dick all anyway. RECO is what governs us, that’s all we need, our association are nothing more than parasites that feed off us.
Patrick Hulley, great letter! I agree 100% The Boards who hold info hostage is not in line with what consumers want!
And OREA needs a complete overhaul! How dare they mandate my personal health care needs and hold our mls system hostage if we don’t want their very poor healthcare insurance!
OREA has realtors “boxed” in and cornered! Do what we say whether you like it or not (as quoted by current president TANIA)in regard to your personal health care insurance or you get fired from your Board and have NO access to mls. Talk about a dictatorship!
Excellent point. The number one concern for real estate agents in Ontario is access to the MLS. The desire for one-province-wide data share has been around for a long time. Access to listings and data sharing was the very reason for creating local boards and associations. Historically, that was their purpose. As time evolved, so did the nature of selling real estate. People buy homes in far greater distances to where they did 50 years ago, or even 10 years ago, and agents go with the clients, often outside of the traditional MLS jurisdiction. This means that they need access to listings in the other jurisdiction. Some local boards recognize this and share the MLS data, but some don’t. In this Information-Age, hoarding knowledge (or in this case, information) is old school, outdated, and old-fashioned closed-minded thinking, and it is time to change that.
I am glad that ITSO is pushing the dialogue where other boards and the provincial association (OREA) are failing the industry. It is time to collaborate on data sharing and making MLS accessible to all agents in the province, without duplicating fees and forcing real estate agents to “voluntarily” purchase and to “voluntarily” participate in unwanted and unneeded services and “benefits”.
Invite the 96,000 individual OREA members to the “Access to All” ITSO-sponsored meeting in November .
Only 2-3,000 will show up.
But those self-selected “delegates” need to get an eye-ful of how their Ontario Association and Boards of Boards actually work.
I cannot understand why a united ontario mls system is being shunned by the present boards , is it politics or money or just plain blind arrogance , and why don’t they give us the reason . obviously each of the depts such as crea orea reco … are comfy in their roles
down the road i see their/our services lower than in undeveloped countries
yes we are regressing rather than progressing .
The issue is with the TRREB and them alone. Every other association in Ontario wants to share data and create access to all listing data for all sales reps. TRREB seems to want to take over and be the controller of all the mls data in Ontario. Controlling all the data gives them power, and more importantly money. “Follow the money” is that not the catch phrase to determine the source of the problems?
At the very least I would like to see TRREB kicked to the curb and OREA step up and take over the MLS and run it for the members; and get out of our life with their stupid insurance scheme. Or I could get excited about HouseSigma; it’s definitely positioning itself nicely. It wouldn’t take much for HouseSigma to give the associations a run for its money. Just a little tweaking actually. I would support HouseSigma or a group like them to give MLS a challenge.
Hey Alison, why don’t you livestream the meeting? If we all see how the sausage is made we might be more sympathetic or at least better informed?
Thanks for the suggestion Ken. I’ll look into that.
I haven’t heard good things about ITSO. Would this not be jumping out of the pan an into the fire?