In a recent issue of the Regional MLS publication, Regional RE-Views, an article concerning their public website, hometoflorida.com, states that the official sponsored site "includes ALL of your listings in MLXChange..." This isn't accurate.
All of the MLXchange listings are not on hometoflorda.com, only the public IDX info is available. There is a difference between the private information in Regional MLS that is only available to state-licensed real estate agents who are members of the Regional MLS and the public information that is available to the general public, the IDX.
There Is A Difference
Properties in the MLS that are made available to the general public is the IDX data, whereas property listings that stay in the MLS is only available to licensed agents who are members in good standing.
Just because a property listing is in the MLS (referred to as MLXChange in the article) does not mean it shows on the officially sponsored website of the Regional MLS.
Private Listing Situations
While it is noted that the majority of listings in MLS are in IDX, it is important to note that not all of listings flow to the Regional IDX. There are cases where sellers don't want to publicly advertise that they are selling their home. The reasons vary. In some situations, the sellers may not want the general public to know, they may not want their neighbors to know or they simply may not want to show the inside of their home to the general public.
MLS's Need To Remain Intact
If the whole MLS becomes public, the MLS loses meaning as anyone could build a system to add other property listings whether those properties are entered by a licensed real estate agent or not.
Being licensed is a critical point because agents who display a lack of character lose their license and can no longer be a member to the Regional MLS and can no longer have access to the information.
All properties are of great value and great importance. Mistakes in property exchange can be very costly both in time and in dollars. Everyone is well aware that in today's current global climate, there are individual who are less than honest. Giving private information to those individuals is asking for trouble and opens the floodgates for private information to flow to the general public which is a security concern for physical, material and financial reasons.
Final Thoughts
Regional IDX Recognizes the importance of a private MLS system that contains private information that is only accessible by licensed real estate agents. Further, Regional IDX is also committed to character and building character in the real estate industry.
To this end, all of the Regional MLS listings are not on hometoflorda.com, only the public IDX info is available.