LPS Real Estate Group Inc. said a "phased release" of its new cross-platform MLS software, Paragon 5, is complete, and that more than 200 multiple listing services serving in excess of 160,000 members are expected to make the transition from Paragon 4.
LPS announced on Facebook that Paragon 5 was "coming soon" in October 2009.
But until now, many MLSs running Paragon 4 haven’t had the option of making the switch. LPS said it’s employed a three-phase release strategy to gather and respond to feedback from selected beta test sites and "minimize disruption to the MLS community."
The platform was deemed "agent ready" in November, and integration of all administrative functionality was completed in January, the company said.
LPS Real Estate Group said it will continue to provide parallel access to the Paragon 4 system until sometime in 2011 as each MLS transitions to Paragon 5.
Unlike its predecessor, Paragon 5 is compatible with not only PC but also Mac operating systems. Paragon 5 can be accessed using Firefox, Internet Explorer, Safari, Google Chrome and Opera, the company said.
The application offers features for managing contacts and generating comparative market analyses (CMAs).
A new module allows for collaboration between agents and their customers, providing each agent with a customizable Web page. Agents can create a unique URL for each client that connects them to content generated by that client’s search preferences, said Rudyard Henry, Paragon product manager.
The pages give clients direct contact with their agents and a real-time, interactive way to track, categorize and comment on their property search results, Henry said.
Paragon 5’s spreadsheet grid control does not require Microsoft Java or Sun Java, and listings input and maintenance has been redesigned. The application’s third-party integration and export functionality has been updated, along with the Paragon Tax Solution.
