The MLS

(the less-scary short version)

It stands for the Multiple Listing Service. It’s a monolithic service company dating back to c. 1908 and maintains a comprehensive database of (pretty much all) real estate properties in the marketplace–along with dozens of other related services. It’s the fundamental tool used by real estate professionals to buy and sell properties. Recall The Yellow Pages as an apt metaphor. To have a property for sale without being in this system is most unusual and likely intentional.

There are about 800 regional MLSs throughout the land.

Here are some local examples:

• RMLS (Regional Multiple Listing Service)
• WVMLS (Willamette Valley Multiple Listing Service)
• COMLS (Central Oregon Multiple Listing Service)

All require separate (and rather expensive) memberships, cover different territories and do essentially the same thing. And they all communicate with the mothership.

As licensed REALTORS^® we generate reports on the home (or subject property) you’re considering. This subject property report is casually referred to as “the MLS sheet”.

Overall, the MLS system is an incredibly complex “living data system” which has been evolving for well over 100 years. To understate its marketing power and its considerable reach is difficult.

There are agent versions  which are more involved & may contain sensitive client information.
There are client versions which hopefully do not.

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