My feeling is the public should have easy access to the site with little or no delay time in getting the new listing on the site.  The general public opinion of Realtors is not healthy, for many reasons, and I strongly believe limiting access to the MLS site will only create more public skepticism, since the agent argument is ultimately tied to money.

The role of the Realtor is to assist vendors/purchasers in obtaining the best selling/purchasing price of the given asset.  It is not to force a market into using their expertise.  The MLS site is there to provide information and a wide-based marketing vehicle so vendors can feel comfortable in achieving the highest possible value for their asset. 

Chris Nasim

Financial Analyst

Royal LePage Commercial

Calgary