The membership of the Kingston and Area Real Estate Association (KAREA) is joining the Ontario Regional Technology & Information Systems (ORTIS), a regional MLS system with more than 14,000 members.
“While having seamless access to MLS data in the areas surrounding our association and access to great technology tools were central to our decision, we are equally excited to join a group focused on breaking down legacies and who always place the Realtor and consumer top of mind,” says Dave Pinnell Jr., president of KAREA.
KAREA represents more than 580 Realtors. Once they are integrated into the ORTIS MLS system, they will be able to access the MLS data from all 20 of ORTIS’s member associations, plus the MLS data belonging to the Realtors Association of Hamilton Burlington through a datashare agreement. ORTIS Realtors also have reciprocal access to the Sudbury Real Estate Board and the Ottawa Real Estate Board MLS systems.
“Our Board of Directors believes that every Realtor in the province should have access to all of the MLS listings in the province – anything less is an unnecessary burden on Realtors and consumers,” says Brad Johnstone, chair of ORTIS. “Adding KAREA to our network brings us one step closer to this goal.
“The value that ORTIS offers is that the sum is greater than its parts. Our Realtors can list and access property in any jurisdiction of any of our member associations,” says Johnstone. “We welcome all member associations as equal partners, with an equal voice, which creates tremendous diversity of thought and experience that is brought to our decision-making process.”
ORTIS also has created a regional professional standards and arbitration framework to ensure MLS rules are consistently enforced, that the Realtor Code is enforced with ORTIS Realtors and commission disputes are resolved amicably and efficiently, the organization says.
