A New President for MFRMLS

Friday 27 April 2007

Tom Scaglione passes the reigns to Jack Vahey

MFRMLS welcomed its new President, Jack Vahey, at our annual installment luncheon on Friday, April 20. Jack Vahey, of Mid-Florida Real Estate Brokerage in Eustis, is a member of the Greater Lake County Association of REALTORS. At the luncheon, Jack kept company with several new directors who were also installed.

Jack brings to his presidency years of experience in Central Florida's real estate market and a solid history of leadership on the MFRMLS Board of Directors. During his service as MFRMLS President, Jack plans to increase member satisfaction to new heights; provide more resources for education and training; and ensure MFRMLS management is structured to not only meet the demands of the astronomical growth we've seen in recent years, but also to accommodate potential expansion with neighboring Associations/MLSs.

With member satisfaction as a cornerstone of Jack's plans, he feels introducing new software capabilities will increase the value of membership. Moreover, a strong push for hands-on education and training will help members take full advantage of the tools they already have, and the possible creation of a marketing department could increase member awareness of all MFRMLS has to offer.

Another key to member satisfaction is the accuracy of the data on the MLS. While fines for listing violations are down, Jack believes more can be done, setting an ambitious goal of reducing fines 85% by the end of his term and investigating potential software solutions for policing the database.

Many of the value-added features we've been able to deliver in the last several years have been powered by the economy of scale allowed by the rapid growth of MFRMLS. Jack says that by offering our MLS tools to neighboring Associations/MLS services, we could grow our numbers and subsequently increase the quality of service to our members.

Your 2007-2008 MFRMLS Board of Directors

Here is a list your current Board of Directors. We'd like to take a moment and thank them for their dedication and service to MFRMLS.

Jack Vahey, MFRMLS President
Marty Hunt, MFRMLS President-Elect
Jack Frey, MFRMLS Treasurer
Tom Scaglione, Immediate Past President

Directors: Gary Balanoff, Jan Bellamy, Leanne Benjamin, David Brewer, Susan Brewer, William B. Briggle, Aaron Chandler, Sally J. Cinquanti, Diane C. Craparotta, Pete Craft, Deborah Farmer, Sean J. Ferguson, Carlos A. Fuentes, Stacy Johnson, Brad Monroe, Lynn Mooney, Tim Owens, Joe Perez, Gregory Rokeh, Vernon Taylor, Kristi Tyrrell, Kenneth Welch, Gary Williams, Cyn Zellner.

Friday 27 April 2007

E-Bills will be sent by May 11, payment due by June 15

Our constant mission is to provide you with the best tools and services in the industry at the lowest possible price. When we experience a budget surplus, we like to distribute that money back to you. This year, you'll get your share via an online, on-time payment incentive.

If you've been a member since at least June of 2006 and you pay online and on-time, you'll receive up to $92.00 off your base invoice amount. Those joining us after June of 2006 will receive a prorated online, on-time payment incentive, based upon the length of their participation.

Do I have to pay online to receive an incentive?

If you decide to make a traditional payment (such as mailing a check or calling in a credit card number), you'll still qualify for an on-time payment incentive of up to $42.00. Because of the significant time-savings made possible by our online payment center, we are able to offer a larger incentive for online, on-time payments.

What if I pay my fees late?

Payments are due no later than 5PM on Friday, June 15. Late payments will not qualify for any payment incentives. Additionally, a late charge of $40.00 will be applied to any delinquent accounts. By paying online and on-time you can potentially save up to $132.00!

When can I pay my fees?

Your invoice will be posted on our online payment center by May 11. When invoices are ready, we will send you a personalized E-Bill via Email explaining your fees and payment incentive options. Remember: you don't need an E-Bill to pay online; you can always access our online payment center by going to mfrmls.com and clicking the "Pay MLS Fees" icon. You'll also receive a reminder post card, e-zine reminders, and system message alerts in MLXchange to keep you updated. All fees are due no later than 5PM, Friday, June 15.

We're excited that we're able to give so much back in the form of online, on-time payment incentives, and we appreciate your participation in your MLS!

Help Desk Tech Support

Friday 27 April 2007

When a problem arises, "Who ya gonna call?"

The MFRMLS Help Desk is better than ever with our new extended hours and weekend availability. That means that almost anytime you're doing business, you have the expertise of the Help Desk at your disposal.

Part of getting the help you need when you need it requires an understanding of which applications are supported directly with your subscription, which are value-added third-party applications, and which are not directly related to your MLS subscription at all. We work closely with a number of vendors and service providers to bring you an awesome array of tools to help you run your business.

For core applications, such as MLXchange, our Help Desk professionals can offer direct support.

For third-party applications that are bundled with MLXchange, such as iMapp or ShowingTime, we can offer limited support, and we're able to easily assist with the most common issues.

Other applications and services, SUPRA, are offered through REALTOR(R) associations, and only they are able to provide proper support.

Finally, there are applications that you use everyday as a real estate professional that are not associated with the services we offer: computer hardware, software, digital cameras, Internet access, and more. We're happy to lend our expertise when we can, we are not equipped to provide quality support for IT applications at large, and it interrupts our Help Desk professionals from servicing members with specific MLS applications.

Supported: We support the applications that MFR provides subscribers or which are critical to accessing them:

• MLXchange
• MLS Passport
• MFRMLS.com Website
• LoginKeys(TM)
• iMapp Tax thru MLXchange (limited support)
• IRIS - Integrated Realty Information System (limited support)
• ShowingTime (limited support)
• WyldFyre
• MLXchange Agent Websites
• MLX Wireless (limited support)
• MongoFAX (limited support)
• MLS Listing Photos
• Limited support for Windows OS's and browsers, but ONLY to the extent their settings affect access to MFR products and services.

Unsupported: Third Party Products (Outside of MFR):

• IDX by FAR (contact the Florida Association of REALTORS(R) at 407-587-1450.)
• IDX by other vendors (contact vendor)
• Third party Real Estate applications: Top Producer, SuperCMA, ACT, etc.
• Consumer applications such as AOL, Instant Messaging, Adobe Acrobat, PhotoShop, Corel Draw, QuickTime or RealPlayer, Symantec, Norton, McAfee, and more.
• Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Photo Manager, Publisher, Media Player, etc.)
• Printers/scanners & associated software/drivers
• Wireless routers/wireless cards
• ISP applications or service, firewalls
• ISP hardware: DSL, cable, dial-up modems
• Digital cameras & downloads/uploads
• Cellular Phones, PDAs, Blackberries
• PC & laptop hardware & peripherals, BIOS, monitors
• CD-ROM and DVD Players or software
• SUPRA Keys, downloads, rosters (contact local association)

For technology related issues, contact the FAR Tech Support Hotline number:
(407) 587-1450

For all other supported issues, contact MFRMLS Tech Support Hotline at:
Local: (407) 513-7288
Toll Free: (800) 686-7451

Help Desk support is part of the package of benefits you receive as part of your MFRMLS subscription, and we’re working hard to give you the best service possible.

Spam Guards

Friday 27 April 2007

Where have all your Emails gone?

These days, spam guards do a pretty good job at keeping unwanted Email out of our "in" boxes. Unfortunately, they often block Emails we do want as well.

Internet Service Providers like AOL, Bellsouth, and Verizon that host a large consumer base try to protect their customers by filtering out Email from blacklisted Email servers. A server is blacklisted if it receives too many reports of spam Email coming from it. Unfortunately, bulk mailers like MFRMLS (we send more than 30,000 Emails at a time to communicate with our subscribers) are often mistakenly identified as spammers, and placed on a black list.

If you find that you suddenly stop receiving Email or e-zines from MFRMLS, check your spam folder first, and if you don't find it there, call your Internet Service Provider and tell them you want mfrmls.com and mfrmlsezine.com to be put on the white list.

Still Waiting to Try MLX Wireless Solutions?

Friday 13 April 2007

Take advantage of this convenient tool

Since the end of February, you've had access to MLX Wireless Solutions as a value-added part of your annual subscription fees. MLX Wireless gives you abridged access to the information in your MLS, and it's perfect for REALTORS(R) who frequently find themselves in the field needing more information.

Here are a few MLX Wireless features:

• 24 Hour Hotsheet tells you what's new, what's sold, and what's back on the market
• Search agent and office roster data for important contacts
• Search listing information like price, bedrooms, bathrooms, pubic & private remarks, directions, showing instructions, listing agent contact info, days on market, and more
• Instantly email a listing report with a property photo to prospects and clients

Here's how to join the wireless revolution:

• First, select an Internet enabled wireless hand-held device from your favorite wireless service provider
• Next, visit the Home Page of MLXchange
• Under the "Resources" section, click on "Register for MLX Wireless" to activate your account
• Our MLX Wireless Tutorial will walk you through the sign-up process

MFR Office Closed for Annual Shareholders Luncheon

Friday 13 April 2007

Office closed between 11:30 AM to 1:30 PM, April 20

On Friday, April 20, we will be closing the MFRMLS offices at 5032 Goddard Street, Orlando, between the hours of 11:30 AM to 1:30 PM for our Annual Shareholders Luncheon. At the luncheon, we will be welcoming a new President and a new Board of Directors, and we will celebrate the hard work and leadership provided by our outgoing president, Tom Scaglione, and the current Board.

If you have business at the MFRMLS office on April 20, we will be pleased to serve you before 11:30 AM or after 1:30 PM. Thank you for your patience.

Tax ID violations top March list

Friday 13 April 2007

Tax ID violations top March list

The number of overall fines in March were level with February's numbers, which means fines are still down significantly from January and December. Thank you for your efforts to keep your MLS accurate!

However, after watching violations for incorrectly formated Tax IDs fall from 1st to 5th place in February, we were surprised to see it pop to the top of the list for March.

Why is Tax ID so important?

A properly formatted Tax ID links directly to the county tax records for that property, a big benefit for cooperating agents. When the Tax ID is listed improperly, that link to the county records cannot be made.

What has MFRMLS done to make entering the Tax ID easier?

We've equipped MLXchange with the "Tax Auto-pop" feature, which automatically and correctly enters the Tax ID information. We also initiated a pop-up reminder that gives you tips on how to avoid errors when entering a Tax ID.

Other violations leading to fines in March were Photos, Status, Compensation, and Contact Info. To understand the correct way to input information in those fields, see the MFRMLS Rules and Regulations.

Friday 13 April 2007

Look for your E-Bill by May 11

MLS subscription fees for the fiscal year spanning July 2007 to June 2008 will be due no later than 5:00 PM June 15. By May 11, you'll receive an electronic bill (your E-Bill) via email, which will include an explanation of your fees, an online payment incentive, and a link to our online bill payment center.

While the E-Bill won't be your only notification that fees are due (expect to see system messages, ezine articles, and a post card reminder), you WILL NOT receive an itemized paper bill in the mail. The success of last year's E-Bill campaign demonstrated that subscribers are comfortable paying online, and the cost savings of the E-Bill over a traditional bill allows us to give you better service for your dollars.

Because of the cost savings associated with online payments, traditional payments such as checks or phoned or faxed credit card payments will incur a $10 Personal Attention Fee and will not qualify for the online payment incentive.

Thank you for your participation in MFRMLS!

Extended Help Desk Hours

Friday 13 April 2007

Changing to better suit your needs

REALTORS(R) start early, stay late, and work weekends -- and so does your Help Desk staff at MFRMLS. On April 6, we started our new extended Help Desk hours so we can be there for you when you need us. During our extended Help Desk hours, live agents will be ready to take your call. If you reach our voice mail system, you'll know that all our agents are helping other subscribers, but please leave a clear, detailed message, and we will return your call quickly.

New Help Desk hours of operation:

Keep Web Links Out of Public or Additional Remarks

Friday 13 April 2007

Check your listings to avoid possible fines

Often, there are great websites that contain valuable information about a property, community, or neighborhood that can assist in the sale of a home. But on MLXchange, links to external resources should be made available only to cooperating agents by placing website URLs only in the "REALTOR Only Remarks" field. Similarly, we provide a special field for virtual tour links; and like other web links, virtual tours should not appear in any of the public or additional remarks.

Check your listings to make sure they are in compliance with this important rule and avoid unnecessary fines. Thanks for helping to keep your MLS accurate and fair.