Thousands of agents in the San Francisco Bay Area will soon have a new option for accessing their multiple listing service.
In January, the Oakland/Berkeley Association of Realtor-owned bridgeMLS will launch connectMLS, an MLS system from real estate software firm dynaConnections, to its 3,500 subscribers, giving them the choice of trying the new system or sticking to their current MLS platform, Black Knight’s Paragon.
In doing so, bridgeMLS joins a growing number of MLSs that offer their members an MLS “front end of choice” — or alternative interfaces for agents to input and search for listings.
Screenshots of connectMLS
The agreement between bridgeMLS and dynaConnections has a term of 36 months. Midwestern mega-MLS MRED and the San Antonio Board of Realtors MLS also use the connectMLS platform.
“DynaConnections’ connectMLS was selected after a 12-plus month process that included detail analysis of all full MLS platforms offered in the market today,” Gustavo Rodriguez, COO of bridgeMLS, told Inman via email.
Gustavo Rodriguez
“The success of connectMLS in areas like Chicago was evident to us from the great feedback received from their current connectMLS customers,” Rodriguez added. “In the other hand, the incredible input received from our brokers and leadership gave us the assurance this is the best match for bridgeMLS. Our goal, to offer an MLS system of choice.”
The connectMLS platform offers features such as search, reports, contact management, an embedded transaction management system, millisecond response time and customization options as well as full functionality on any device with an interface that automatically adjusts based upon screen dimensions, according to a joint press release.
connectMLS’s search filters
“Intuitive design, flexibility for customization and fully mobile responsive — these are the top features that attracted us to connectMLS, in addition to their great team!” Rodriguez said. “The people behind the product and the vendor made [a] complete difference. [They offered] great support, patience and all the time in the world to go over this project with them.”
ConnectMLS’s “SmartBar” is also a valuable differentiator, Rodriguez said.
“Not only does it provide dynamic search results in real-time as criteria is entered, but clicking within the empty SmartBar will display a list of recent activity. This provides convenient access to an agent’s history and helps them seamlessly transition between devices to pick up right where they left off,” he said.
Screenshot of connectMLS SmartBar
BridgeMLS, which also provides MLS services to the Antioch,California-based Delta Association of Realtors, has data shares in place with 10 MLSs covering 80 percent of the state, including:
- California Regional MLS (CRMLS)
- MLSListings
- San Francisco Association of Realtors MLS
- BAREIS
- MetroList
- Contra Costa Association of Realtors
- Bay East Association of Realtors
- Nevada County Association of Realtors
- San Diego MLS
Those data shares will be available to subscribers that choose to use connectMLS. The MLS plans to put more data shares in place in the coming year.
“We might not be the biggest kid in the block, but we are excited to innovate, to be disruptive!” Rodriguez said. “To not be afraid of the change and the new, to try our best for our participants/subscribers. We owe it to them and to ourselves!”
