MLS Committe moves to ban "MLS" from realtor sites

[Ryan Ward]

Just an update...the site is now live.

I have created my own theme for the site - still a couple of tweeks and need to check the colors on another computer. I'm adding all of the necessary plugins, htaccess, etc..right now.

Tomorrow will be tough to get much done, but, I will have it ready with content asap.

If someone could help me...start thinking about targetted keywords. This will need to be hands on through email as well as search engine placement.

www.freethemls.com

[Morristown]

Looks good Ryan, I assume you are going to have it all dofollowed and all of that.

Jim

[arenetwork]

My "third party" opinion is that the Home and Mission page is vague as to the thrust of the original idea ... that is the use of the term MLS on the Internet.

This, as written now, reads to me as a blanket indictment against all competition on the Internet from third parties regarding the sale and promotion of Real Estate.

I think a clarification would gain more support from the base of whose support you seek.

Just my initial reaction on first read:

[Ryan Ward]

It's not meant to be anything yet... I was just fooling around as my eyes were getting heavy last night. It will be meant to address the NAR only...when it's finished...

you are correct though. It will be important (and I think vital) to address only the issue and not bring offense to others who are not directly affected by the rules change.

[jessiesc]

Looking good ryan, I like the layout and simplicity of the site.

I realize you just got started so I have a few preliminary suggestions and questions:

1. Since you haven't finalized the introduction or mission statement perhaps having a few people submit an introduction and mission statement that can be combined to form a single entity?
2. On the petition, should we not ask the agents for their license # for validity purposes? Perhaps even a drop down for type of signer: Agent/Broker/Consumer?
3. All text should be technically correct (uppercase and trademark usage) and items of clarification should be appropriately sited and linked.

Some odd and end thoughts:

As I contemplate on this more, I realize that perhaps not all agents give 2 cents about the new addition to the ethics standards (out of all the agents in my office, I am the only one who even knew this issue existed), since it primarily effects those agents with the most to lose.

I realize of course, one purpose of the movement is to educate those agents (and brokers and consumers) who do not today avail themselves of internet marketing (or realize what the potential issues are in the long run) and what could become a one sided marketing tactic for non-members.

Also, I would not concern myself with "nofollow" as this is not meant to be a link bait site. It would be fine to me either way, but IMO that is the least of the considerations moving forward.

Also, I suggest establishing a task force to manage this movement. If/as it grows, it will quickly become overwhelming for one person to manage (after all we have businesses to run in the meantime). I believe, having a task force will place additional emphasis on the movement and allow more people to get involved and tasks are also easier categorized and distributed to participants. It will also give us a tracking mechanism to see what tasks are producing the most desired effect for target marketing.

Thoughts, comments, opinions?

[Ryan Ward]

1. Yes
2. Yes - I will have to work on this today. It will involve some changes to the plugin.
3. Yes

SEO will be primarily directed towards getting the site indexed properly. Dofollow will be something I worry about later. I have the plugin uploaded, but not activated.

A task force will be essential. All agents who wish to be involved in a meaningful way will be in the blogroll - this is not meant to increase rankings for their main websites, but, for readers to learn more about members of the task force.

I need as much help as possible - I am not ego invested. I am professionally invested.

[jessiesc]

I just had an additional thought:

Task force related: The task force needs a better communication medium then email and forum posts. If anyone has a way to add any of these options: teamspeak, ventrilo or other communication medium such as netmeeting that would greatly help the ability to communicate and brain storm. If I had a server with ftp I would set this up, but at the moment I don't (I'm in the process of obtaining one but it won't be ready in time).

[arenetwork]

Wow, this went underground quick.

[Ryan Ward]

Not at all.....I'm doing the best I can. I created a theme, got the site up and installed the plugins for SEO (including the petition). We need a little content and I have other websites, blogs and clients...Jessie wrote the first blog entry for us and I am hoping that we can get more done today. We would like to alter the petition plugin to make it have drop downs so that signers have to select if they are an agent, broker, consumer or other, but, it's a little outside of my ability. I would like to get some incoming links to it, but, I am hoping to get a few more volunteers and ideas as well as more for people to have a reason to link to it. For now, I just want to use it to address this particular issue. However, if succesful on this issue, we might be able to use it for much more.

Once ready, I am hoping to get active agents to help ppromote it locallhy and provide some ideas on what else we can do to get it off the ground....

Any help or ideas are much appreciated.

[Ryan Ward]

Anyone want to come up with the language for the petition?