Northern Alabama Realtors are in for some big changes. Just as Huntsville-based North Alabama Multiple Listing Service has decided to send major listing portals Trulia, Zillow and Homes.com direct listing feeds, the MLS has inked another deal with Lender Processing Services to make Paragon its new MLS system.
North Alabama MLS represents more than 2,500 members belonging to seven Realtor associations. The MLS is the latest to choose LPS’ Paragon platform, which now serves more than 200 MLSs and 190,000 real estate professionals. Earlier this month, the Memphis Area Association of Realtors made a similar move, and in August, LPS signed its second-biggest MLS customer yet, San Diego-based Sandicor.
In a survey released earlier this year by real estate consulting firm Clareity Consulting, LPS’ Paragon 5 and Paragon XL systems got the highest marks in overall end-user satisfaction among the 13 MLS platforms evaluated. Huntsville-based Solid Earth’s LIST-IT, North Alabama MLS’s current platform, received poorer satisfaction ratings, which Solid Earth attributed to disruptions in MLS operations while the platform was undergoing an overhaul.
In a statement, North Alabama MLS President Opie Balch said a selection committee had chosen LPS after spending many months evaluating members’ current and long-term needs and thoroughly assessing the systems available.
LPS said its Paragon system was selected for its advanced features, including multitasking capabilities allowing agents to respond to multiple opportunities at the same time; powerful and easy-to-use comparative market analyses; innovative, resourceful tools for client collaboration; experience integrating public record data with the MLS; the system’s numerous mobile access options; and intuitive, straightforward navigation.
“We like that LPS delivers monthly Paragon releases that enable rapid and continuous innovation, and we are most impressed with their customer satisfaction,” said Kipp Cooper, CEO of North Alabama MLS, in a statement.
“Huntsville is known as ‘The Rocket City,’ so our clients, customers and Realtors are very technology-savvy and expect and deserve the best MLS experience possible. We are confident that the Paragon MLS team will help us to grow and reach new levels of service for our members.”
