e-News from My Florida Regional MLS

We Have Moved Our News Blog!

mfrmls — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 15:52:06 +0000

Thank you for your interest in the news blog for My Florida Regional MLS (MFRMLS). With the evolution of our new corporate site, it is no longer necessary for us to maintain an outside WordPress blog for relevant news and information.

For the most up-to-date news and happenings at My Florida Regional MLS, please visit our website at:

mfrmls.com/news

Also, please follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

Thank you again for you interest.

Visit MFR at the ORRA REALTOR® Rally and Tech Fair July 22

mfrmls — Wed, 14 Jul 2010 15:51:06 +0000

Looking to race ahead of the competition? The ORRA REALTOR® Rally will put you on the fast track to success!

Located at the Westin Lake Mary on July 22, 2010, this one-day conference will feature industry experts, with a focus on online real estate marketing, a keynote address from Past NAR President, Richard Mendenhall, technology demonstrations and a vendor expo.

While there, be sure to visit our booth! The trainers from My Florida Regional MLS will be presenting product demonstrations and answering your questions.

The cost to the event for ORRA members is only $25 for the entire day, including lunch.

Click here for registration information»

See you there!

Email Attachments Too Big? MongoFax It!

mfrmls — Tue, 13 Jul 2010 13:42:00 +0000

Big spaces are big sellers in the real estate business. However, this is not the case when trying to send emails with large attachment sizes. Most email accounts allow a maximum size of 5 MB for attachments—or 5120 KB. Since the typical 5-page Seller’s Disclosure can be as large as 4359 KB, there leaves little room for additional attachments and lots of probability that the email will be undeliverable.

The creative minds at the MFR Help Desk have improvised a viable workaround. By faxing that same Seller Disclosure through MongoFax, that 5120 KB PDF can be compressed to a tiny 451 KB—leaving you plenty of room for other attachments!

How is this accomplished? By simply faxing the document to your own email account, but you’ll need to instruct it to remove the MongoFax coverpage prior to the delivery of the final PDF to your email inbox.

To send a fax without the MongoFax coverpage attached to the final PDF upon delivery, simply add the following email address into the CC: field of the coverpage:

noecp@mongonet.net

MongoFax is another MFR subscriber benefit available at no extra cost.

Try it today! Go Mongo!

Keep Your Listings Visible on REALTOR.com

mfrmls — Fri, 09 Jul 2010 14:01:17 +0000

When inputting listings into MLXchange, there is an opt-in feature that will allow visibility on REALTOR.com® and similar websites. To make certain that your marketing efforts are appearing the way you are intending, please take note of these helpful tips.

Under the “REALTOR.com®” field, be sure to select the “Yes” option. In a similar regard, we recommend that you also select the “Yes” option in the “Internet Yes/No” field.

If “Yes” is NOT selected in these fields, the listing will NOT transmit to REALTOR.com® and other third-party websites.

Please follow these tips if you want your listings to be visible on the Internet and REALTOR.com®. After all, when you’re visible, you’re viable!

The District 13 REALTOR® Rally Recap

mfrmls — Thu, 08 Jul 2010 19:25:48 +0000

On June 18, 2010 REALTORS® from six different associations converged at the District 13 REALTOR® Rally held at the Manatee Association in Lakewood Ranch. Featuring a keynote address from Real Estate Inner Circle CEO John Alexandrov, a legislative update from John Sabree, and a FAR/FREC show with Randy Schwartz and Darla Furst, members were able to brush up on the latest industry information, network with their colleagues, and visit the vendor exhibits. The Training Team from My Florida Regional MLS was there to promote and educate agents on the many productivity and marketing products available.

Prizes were given away by many of the vendors and sponsors and a good time was had by all.

Are You Getting the Most Out of YOUR Consumer Website?

mfrmls — Thu, 08 Jul 2010 14:07:03 +0000

MyFloridaHomesMLS.com is YOUR consumer website. Created by your fellow REALTORS® serving on the MFRMLS Board of Directors, this website is designed to serve the consumer, but keep you in the center of the transaction.

As a listing agent, you can demonstrate additional exposure for your sellers. MyFloridaHomesMLS.com gives you access to the number of “hits” received on each of your listings. These stats can be reviewed and emailed to your clients. In addition, brokers can view office-level statistics by clicking on “Agent Activity” after logging in.

As a buyer’s agent, you can promote your “custom link” or URL to prospective buyers that intuitively keeps YOUR name, contact info and primary agent photo in front of your clients while they search for properties. How’s that for hanging on to your buyers? MyFloridaHomesMLS.com is designed to work for you with an IDX-like experience. Best of all, it’s already included in your MLS fees.

Try MyFloridaHomesMLS.com today.

Click here to learn how to activate your “custom link”»
Click here for a MyFloridaHomesMLS.com PDF flyer »

The REALTOR®-Builder, Tampa Bay Home Show was a Huge Success

mfrmls — Wed, 07 Jul 2010 12:42:55 +0000

“I found my home on your website… I searched for my house using the Preferences Tool and ended up buying the first house that came up. This is my favorite website!”
—Audra D., Tampa, FL regarding MyFloridaHomesMLS.com

My Florida Regional MLS participated in a dynamic tradeshow that resulted in a huge turnout and great exposure for the organization and its subscribers. The show was divided into two distinct parts—the agent exclusive REALTOR®-Builder Expo on Friday followed by a three-day Home Show for the general public.

The REALTOR®-Builder Expo, sponsored by the Greater Tampa Association of REALTORS® and the Tampa Bay Builders Association, featured seminars, raffles and dozens of exhibits. The marketing and training staff from MFR met with many REALTORS® to discuss our products and services available.

Attracting Potential Home Buyers to You through MyFloridaHomesMLS.com

On Friday afternoon, the Tampa Bay Home Show opened to the general public. The team from MFR put on their “consumer caps” to promote your consumer website—MyFloridaHomesMLS.com—to several thousand attendees who stopped by the booth. The team also distributed tens of thousands of promotional items like pens, refrigerator magnets and literature to generate additional brand recognition and garner new users to the website. More website visitors amounts to more potential leads to MFR members.

A Very Satisfied Home Buyer

During the course of the three-day Home Show, the MFR team encountered many people who recognized the name “MyFloridaHomesMLS.com” and have used the site. After receiving numerous positive comments about the ease of use and excellent functionality of the site, the team met with a very satisfied home buyer who found her home through MyFloridaHomesMLS.com. Her testimony reinforces the need in the marketplace for a product like this, which is made to help the consumer, and also steer leads back to our subscribers.

Here’s her testimony:

MFRMLS Now Features RETechnology

mfrmls — Wed, 07 Jul 2010 06:59:49 +0000

MFRMLS is pleased to welcome RETechnology as its newest technology partner. This information organization is poised to assist MFR members with insights on new products, emerging industry trends and breaking news.

If you haven’t noticed already, the Real Estate Technology portal is strategically positioned in the Message of the Day pop-up screen within MLXchange. To activate your free membership (included with your MFRMLS subscription) simply click on a button labeled “Products,” “Services” or “Vendor” to connect to the RETechnology.com sign up page.

Within the signup page, you will have the option of choosing from specific niches of the real estate industry that are of particular interest to you. By choosing your interests, the RETechnology.com algorithms will narrow down the articles. You can even choose to opt-in for daily emails. No more sensory overload; you control the information!

New IDX Contract Reminder

mfrmls — Tue, 06 Jul 2010 20:21:10 +0000

MFRMLS introduced new features and functionality to the Internet Data Exchange (IDX) feed that took effect on June 1st. In conjunction with the new features, all IDX recipients are required to review and electronically submit the new IDX contract. If you are an IDX subscriber and you haven’t yet submitted your newly executed contract, please do so by July 30, 2010 to avoid a service interruption on August 2, 2010. Detailed, step-by-step instructions to complete and submit a new IDX Contract can be found here:

Broker Instructions for MFRMLS IDX System»
(Please note – only Brokers can log in to the site, using their MLXchange ID and password.)

For those members currently receiving a free IDX feed from Florida REALTORS®, please note that this service will cease on September 3, 2010. MFRMLS will be providing a free replacement feed to those recipients.

For more information about the new features with this technology upgrade, please read our June 1st article:

Click here to read our June 1st article»
Click here for the new IDX agreement page»

If you have further questions or need assistance, please feel free to contact our Compliance Specialists at the IDX Desk at 407-218-8607 or 800-686-7451 Option 4, or by email to idx@mfrmls.com.

Thank you for your participation.

REALTORS to Help Soldiers Phone Home

mfrmls — Thu, 01 Jul 2010 15:25:40 +0000

REALTORS and their local boards and associations are rallying to send international calling cards to deployed members of the U.S. armed services. Anyone can donate to the Florida REALTORS “Show Our Troops We Care” program, which calls on members statewide to donate and encourage Facebook friends, clients and family to also support our troops. The deadline for donations is August 15, 2010. Go to the online promotional toolkit for pocket cards, PDF flyers, news release templates and logo. Make donations online too.