Have you seen the RPR--the coolest business tool from NAR?

     

      Have you taken a look at the RPR (REALTORS Property Resource) blog to see what the coolest business tool that NAR and maybe any vendor has ever brought you? If you haven't you need to.  Here is a link to the RPR blog where you can get all of the scoop and see what it's all about: http://blog.narrpr.com/  I watched a webinar this week where I was able to see a live demonstration of the site and all it has to offer.  I have been excited for what it means for REALTORS ever since I saw it launched at the NAR Convention in San Diego, but I got even more excited after the demo. 

      Here is a brief description, but you really need to go watch the videos on the blog.

The RPR will allow you to generate CMA's only not the plain old vanilla CMA's you have been doing--CMA's on steroids

     The RPR is taking all of the information about every parcel of property in the country that is found in the public domain--and marrying it to your MLS data.

     Imagine this :think of all of the information that is stored in courthouses about a property and its owners, like the owner's full name and the original mortgage amount, tax values, building permit information.  Then, toss in the MLS historical information (if your MLS shares data)  and neighborhood information and mapping from external providers and you get an idea of what you will have all in one place, without leaving the RPR website. You also get that information for every property around the property you are looking at, plus any comparable properties you think should be used. Then, imagine being able to make adjustments to the RVM (REALTOR Valuation Model) that you know about the property that the county nor the MLS knows and generate a truly professional opinion about what that property is worth. Then, imagine being able to generate a sharp looking CMA report that contains all of this information, completely branded to you which also contains charts and graphs showing market trends for the neighborhood. THAT is what the RPR is offering you!  Oh, and I forgot to mention the cost to you: FREE!  The NAR is providing this as a member benefit at no cost!  How can you beat that?

     In order to make it really work for you as a professional in the field, your MLS is going to have to be willing to sign a license agreement agreeing to share the MLS data in RPR.  If you are a REALTOR member you will have access to RPR whether your MLS shares or not,  but you can't generate the RVM, which marries public information with your MLS's information together if the MLS data isn't there to share.

     Lots of folks across the state have been asking me whether I think their MLS should participate with RPR and my answer is a very loud YES!  At this point in time, I see no downside to members or to MLS entities, nor do I think it will cause problems in the future.  It is the next generation use of the MLS we have known and loved.  I hope all of our members embrace it and use it!