If you access MLSPIN Data, YOU should pay your MLSPIN dues!

I'm going to be a very vocal, very public whistleblower on THIS issue! I pity anyone who crosses paths with me on THIS one!

Recently, it seems there's been a couple of agents and people who access MLSPIN data, and use THIS data overtly and openly without paying their MLSPIN dues!

Well, I'll be darned if I catch someone doing that and I let them get away!

You see, as an agent, I have to PAY quarterly dues to access MLSPIN Data. That's one way MLSPIN gets their money to stay in business.

And that's fine.. What I personally may think of the dues doesn't really matter. If I "wanna play, I have to play"... is pretty much what it all comes down to.

Now, if there's an agent that is affiliated with an office that subscribes to MLSPIN, that agent (all agents) are expected to pay their dues.

I guess there is an exemption for rental agents and personal assistants.

When it comes to personal assistants, I'm all for not charging dues for them. Personal assistants (licensed ones, I assume) are accessing the MLSPIN information to assist the agents that employ them. 

I don't agree with the decision about rental agents. I need more clarification on this, I suppose, however, my view is, if you access MLSPIN to get data, to potentially make money, then you should pay.  However, from what I understand, a rental agent IS exempt from paying dues as long as they are working under a broker of record.

My biggest concern however, isn't with the cost. There is also the SECURITY...

When you join MLSPIN, you can also elect to lease a lockbox "keypad" (depending on membership level). This keypad will allow access to properties that have the "electronic" lockbox on them.  Very safe, very effective way to show property.

There are penalties if an agent "lends" a lockbox to another agent for a showing, and well, there should be.

The lockbox "thinks" the person gained access to a property by reading the information from the keypad. We don't want to mislead the listing agent who's entering the property. There SHOULD BE and I'm GLAD there are fines and penalties.

So, if "Joe" works at Blah Blah Realty, and IS NOT a member of MLSPIN, they call the listing agent to show the property, and if the agent is stupid enough NOT to check and see if the agent is a paying subscriber to MLSPIN, the listing agent has effectively allowed ANYONE off the street access to the home!

That's why I LOVE the showing service I subscribe to. The first question I get from the operator is "May I have your Agent ID Number please?"

MAPass is an OPTIONAL service, and NOT all agents use it. Some agents are VERY security concious and do their job. Some aren't even aware.

Maybe if they read THIS blog post they will be aware!

Getting back to the "saga" of the agent who doesn't belong @ MLSPIN, there are SEVERE penalties and I mean SEVERE, imposed on the broker owners of companies that allow these shenanigans to take place.

First, as mentioned, it's a security issue.  Who am I dealing with?

Secondly, why should I pay and you shouldn't?

In the past couple of months, I've heard of  offers written by these "agents" and of course, they got duly reported (not by me) and their broker owners in turn got fined.  I hear all sorts of nightmares.

I have NO qualms about reporting ANYONE!  It's wrong, and like I said, these offenders can get as smug as they want to be, BUT if anyone of these folks cross MY path, they will get reported!