Don t know where to begin? Getting started can be tough and overwhelming. Reviewing the orientation packet will not only show you how to log in and get started but will also highlight all the services and resources at your disposal. Let s begin! Metro MLS Orientation Getting Started Welcome to Metro MLS! Welcome to Metro MLS! Metro Multiple Listing Service, Inc. is a partnership of area REALTOR Associations serving over 5700 REALTORS in Southeast Wisconsin and the Greater La Crosse Area. Metro MLS acts as a full service cooperative bringing together buyers and sellers and providing REALTORS, their clients or customers with detailed information about thousands of properties in the marketplace. Metro MLS is focused on providing quality services to our members.
Getting Started: Navigating the Metro MLS Homepage www.metromls.com Member Log In Click here to enter your met. id number and password to access the MetroMLS and Wirex Databases. (You should have received your initial login credentials via email from admin@metromls.com, you will be prompted to change your password on your initial login. The login you create must be between 4-8 characters using letters or numbers) Search Box Enter key words to search the Metro MLS homepage. Social Media Icons Stay up to date and join the conversation online. KnowledgeBase Featuring a variety of articles regarding FlexMLS, Browser related issues and commonly asked Administration Questions. Member Support This section contains FlexMLS training manuals, video library, archived webinars and upcoming class schedule. News Contains archived FlexTips (FlexMLS specific updates and features) and The Word (articles designed to keep you up-to-date on all the happenings at Metro MLS). Resources Here you will find: Rosters, Quick Links, Forms & Profile Sheets, Rules & Procedures, Local Markets, Economic & Market Watch Reports, Property Tax Rankings, and County Coordinate Maps Online Bill Pay Available for Designated REALTOR level members to pay the monthly fees for the office. Upcoming Classes Metro MLS offers a variety of classes designed to help both New and Experienced agents learn the features necessary to succeed! Several weeks worth of classes will be displayed on the main page or you can access the full month by clicking on the Upcoming Classes header. The class calendar is updated for the following month on/around the 16 th of the current month.
Member Resources WIREdata Corporation provides members with access to comprehensive real estate property information for nearly all the counties in Wisconsin. The tax database can help members find property owners, property and owner addresses, property assessments, tax values, property features, and property sales history. Options are also available to generate and print reports and mailing labels. Tax Information has been integrated into FlexMLS and is accessible from a link in the navigation menu. Tax Information is also available from the Search Results screen for each listing making it easy to navigate tax reports for specific search criteria or neighborhoods. Visit www.metromls.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/taxinfo.pdf for additional information on using WIREdata. WIREX: Wisconsin Real Estate Exchange The purpose of WIREX is to create a facility for all Wisconsin MLSs to share and combine their content into a single database for the use and benefit of all MLS participants, subject to a Data Sharing Agreement and Common IDX Rules applicable to the database. Metro MLS delivers ALL results that match your search criteria, regardless of MLS of origin through our Inclusive Search. www.metromls.com/knowledgebase/wirex Internet Data exchange (IDX) Participation in IDX is available to member brokers to display their active and sold listings on their public office website as well as other IDX participant s office websites so long as specific rules are followed. Metro MLS member brokers may participate in IDX, a source of listing data, and display their own active and sold listings on their office public website. Additionally, listings from other IDX participant offices can be/will be included. Please refer to Section 15 of the MLS Rules (found under Resources- Rules & Procedures on the Metro MLS Homepage) for a complete description of the rules. Metro MLS also maintains a public website of MLS listings for sale at www.wihomes.com.
Map Server FlexMLS features a mapping tool to give members house-top satellite views, lot dimensions, a locate address tool, map overlays to outline neighborhoods, zip codes, counties, acres and more. The mapping tool also allows members to draw, save and re-use custom drawn shapes of circles, rectangles and polygons to define search areas as part of their search criteria. In addition to the layering capabilities, a Parcel Info feature allows members to click on any lot on the map to bring up its property information. The lot dimensions, parcel link to the tax record, and a mini listing history will appear in an Info Bubble for each parcel. From property address pins on the map, a member can add a radius search, zoom in to the street view, view the Birds Eye map of the area and even get driving directions. Read the Map Server documentation to learn more about the mapping tool. http://www.metromls.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/map-server-manual.pdf Education Held at the Metro MLS office, located at 11430 W North Avenue in Wauwatosa, training classes are provided to members at no additional cost. The classes provide excellent training for either beginners or advanced users on how to use FlexMLS. An online schedule and registration tool can be found at http://www.metromls.com/member-support/training-classes/. Register for a class by clicking the class date of the desired class. Metro MLS also provides online webinars on the first and third Wednesdays of each month. Join us on Mondays for open lab from 10:00am-12noon for one on one attention from one of our trainers. Classes currently being offered include: Add/Change, Introduction to FlexMLS, Contracts Searches and Subscriptions, Maps, CMA s (Comparable Market Analysis), Advanced, Portal, and My Market & Statistics.
Adding and Reporting a Listing When entering a listing New listings must be entered into the system within 48 hours of the start TERM OF THE CONTRACT (note: make sure you are using the TERM OF THE CONTRACT DATE and not the date the Seller signed the contract as the Seller may have signed the contract prior to the term indicated). Saturdays, Sundays and Certain Holidays (New Year s Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day) are excluded from the 48 hour period. The 1 st, 3 rd and last pages of the listing contract must also be uploaded within the 48 hour period. For help with uploading the document, please see the Private Document Uploader document located at http://www.metromls.com/knowledgebase/document-loader/ Within 7 days from the start term of the contract, upload at least 1 photo for Single Family, Two Family, Multi-family and Condomimium property types. Maximum number of photos that can be uploaded per listing is 25. Photos CANNOT contain for sale signs or wording. (note: properties entered into the system are automatically fed to certain 3 rd party sites as well as go out through customer subscriptions as soon as they are Active in the system, this includes properties that do not contain photos). Listings can be entered into the system as 1 of 2 statuses Active: the property is immediately available for showings and offers compensation to Broker s seeking cooperation. Delayed: the property is under contract, but is not available for showings. The NO SHOWINGS rule applies to Broker s, Agent s as well as Buyers. A listing can be in the system as delayed for up to 15 days. During that time, all regular marketing of the property can take place. However, delayed listings will not appear on 3 rd party website or go out through subscription emails until they appear as Active in the system. (Please see the Delayed Listings section of the Metro MLS Procedures, located on the Resources tab of the Metro MLS website). (Note: If at anytime during the duration of the listing the property becomes unavailable for showings, please change the status to WITHDRAWN until the property becomes available for showings again. The same rules apply to a Withdrawn listing as covered under the Delayed Section). Note: Clicking on the red circled question marks in the Add Screen provides additional information for that particular field
Data Accuracy It is very important that members enter new listings into FlexMLS correctly. Data accuracy helps maintain data integrity and avoid sanctions. The integrity of data means it's accurate and complete to the best of the members knowledge. Address Formatting: Fire House Addresses: If the property address contains both a N/S and E/W in the address enter as follows: N12W34467 MAIN ST (no spacing) Duplex/Multiple Addresses: For properties with multiple addresses 1234-1235 Main Street. Enter the first address for the Street # and enter the remaining address under the Unit#/AddlAddr Box. Vacant Land: If an official lot # or address has not been assigned to the parcel, the parcel should be entered into the system as Lt0 (Street Name). If the street is not yet available, please use the subdivision name as the street name. Once the address becomes available, please update the address in MLS, or contact the admin department to make the change. Correct Road Abbreviations Avenue Ave Court Ct Parkway Pkwy Street St Boulevard Blvd Drive Dr Place Pl Terrace Tr Circle Cir Lane Ln Road Rd Trail Trl Note: See the complete list of address formatting, along with the appropriate street abbreviations in the MLS Procedures manual http://www.mlswis.com/sites/default/files/policy procedures_manual_rev032016.pdf County: as indicated on the contract and tax records Municipality (Taxing): as indicated on the contract and WIREdata tax records Municipality (Postal): may vary from Taxing Municipality based upon zip code (any city listed as default or recognized for the zip code may be entered here), you can check to see if the listed taxing municipality is serviced by multiple post offices at: https://tools.usps.com/go/ziplookupaction_input (cities by zip code) Zip Code +4: As indicated on usps.com https://tools.usps.com/go/ziplookupaction_input Note: When searching for condos for house address with a unit indicator in the address, include the work unit before the indicator when searching for the +4 in the usps database (1234 main street D should be searched as 1234 main street unit D). Tax Key Number: as formatted on the tax record in WireData. If the property does not have a tax key number (i.e. New Construction), enter NOT ASSIGNED. (Recommendation: check entry accuracy by selecting Tax Info under the Details Tab of your listing to ensure the correct data sheet appears. If the incorrect data sheet, or a search option appears, correct the formatting error).
Listing and Expiration Dates: as indicated under the Terms of Contract section of your listing contract. Compensations to Subagent/Buyer Agent: entered as either a percentage of the sale price or specific dollar amount. Commission ranges are not allowed in this section. Disclosure of the Following (Y/N) Named Prospects: exceptions to the listing contract due to a named potential buyer who is excluded from the terms of the contract or buyers whose names appear on a Named Prospect list. Variable Commission: the commission rate varies based upon which office is responsible for procuring the buyer/tenant (i.e. Listing Firm/Office vs. Cooperating Broker Firm/Office), or if the rate changes based upon a specified, indicated buyer. This does not affect the compensation being offered to agents based upon the agency relationship with the buyer. Broker Owned: the property is owned by a licensed real estate broker/agent. The owner is not necessarily the listing broker. Exclusive Agent Contract: This type listing contract authorizes the broker to offer compensation/cooperation to other brokers but also allows the seller to procure their own buyer without owing the listing broker commission. The right to a commission is not guaranteed. Mark this box no if the listing is a standard Exclusive Right to Sell agreement. Once the listing is entered into the MLS only the MLS staff can make changes to this field. Limited/Un-Serviced Listings: Listing agreements under which the listing broker will not provide one, or more, of the following services: (a) arrange appointments for cooperating brokers to show listed property to potential purchasers but instead gives cooperating brokers authority to make such appointments directly with the seller(s); (b) accept and present to the seller(s) offers to purchase procured by cooperating brokers but instead gives cooperating brokers authority to present offers to purchase directly to the seller(s); (c) advise the seller(s) as to the merits of offers to purchase; (d) assist the seller(s) in developing, communicating, or presenting counter-offers; (e) participate on the seller(s) behalf in negotiations leading to the sale of the listed property; (f) schedule and coordinate the closing and order a title insurance policy. Short Sale: a listing whose list price is below the amount still owed for the property. These types of listings also require bank approval for a successful sale (check short sale box under terms/misc). Note: the listing must be indicated as either Active w/offer or Pending when the SELLER accepts the offer, regardless if the bank has approved the sale amount on the Offer to Purchase. Directions and Public Remarks: may only contain information regarding directions or information about the property, you cannot enter your office/agent info, any websites, emails, phone numbers, etc. Accurate or Estimated Values for: Estimated Total Square Feet, Estimated Year Built and Estimated Acreage along with the source of the values.
Finding Estimated Acreage, Square Footage, and Year Built Tax Information Select Tax Information from the menu tree. Make sure you have the correct county selected from Choose Counties. Under Search, select Address, check either Search entire county or select the municipality from the drop down list and enter the street # and name, then click search. Tax Information: Full Report Data sent from the municipalities and counties will be displayed on the Full Report. If they have included the Acres, Square Feet and Year Built, include those number with your listing and cite Public Record for the source, if you are missing any of the information, you can try the following to locate the information. Tax Information: Assessor Source List You can also check the Assessor s website site for your desired municipality, links to each of the site can be found through the Tax Information section of FlexMLS. Once you are in WIREdata, select the Assessor Source List from the bottom of the menu tree. Once you click on the Assessor Source List, a document will open up with links to each assessor s website. The list will be alphabetized by County, then the Municipality within that county. Follow the instructions as indicated on the assessor s website.
Map Search: Acreage In most cases, acreage can be found by using the Map Search feature in FlexMLS. Select Map Search from the menu tree and select a property type from the Available Quick Searches list. To perform the acreage search, start by locating the property by using the Red Stickpin located at the bottom right corner of the map. Once you click on the stickpin, a Locate Address box will appear on the screen, enter the address for the property and hit Locate.
Accepted Offers Accepted Offers must be reported with 48 hours from acceptance date as either Active w/offer or Pending (if the offer has a home sale contingency, the listing can remain as Active, once the Home Sale Contingency is satisfied the listing status needs to be adjusted to reflect the correct status). Active with Offer: The property is still being shown and is still accepting secondary offers. (it is acceptable to include Accepting Secondary Offers in the public remarks). Pending: The property is no longer being shown and is not accepting secondary offers (if the property is in Active w/offer status prior to Pending, please use the date the listing went Active w/offer for the Pending date). Closing a Listing Properties that have sold/closed need to be reported to the service with 10 days of the closing date including: Closing Date, Sold Price, Terms of Sale (Financing Type) and Concessions (Y/N: as a courtesy to Appraisers, we encourage you to enter the concession details into private remarks) Immediate Reporting Cancellation of pending sales shall be reported immediately through the FlexMLS system for reinstatement as an Active Listing. We Are Here to Help Administrative Support: The Administrative staff are available to assist members with questions about membership rules and procedures, dues, sanctions, forms, etc. Not sure who to talk to, call the administrative staff and the call will be directed to the appropriate support personnel. Phone Number: 414.778.5400 Email: admin@metromls.com Technical Support: Trained technical support staff are available to assist members with system and training related questions. The technical support staff also provides training to members free of charge in the classroom, in a one on one environment, or over the phone. Office Visits are available to offices for training and system updates to accommodate larger groups. If members need help with FlexMLS, call technical support. Phone Number: 414.778.5450 Email: support@metromls.com WIREdata Support: The WIREdata staff are available to assist members with questions about the tax database to find property owners, property and owner addresses, property assessments, tax values, property features, and property sales history. Phone Number: 414.778.6154 Feedback Email: inmyopinion@metromls.com Fax Number: 414.778.6143 Public Websites: www.wihomes.com and www.realtor.com Join the Conversation Online: Stay up-to-date by reading our 2 publications emailed directly to you: FlexTips and The Word. Office Hours and Location Monday through Friday, 8:00 am to 5:00 pm 11430 W North Avenue Wauwatosa, WI 53226