iMapp

The Central Virginia Regional MLS (CVRMLS) and the Greater Ft. Lauderdale REALTORS (GFLR) have both signed multi- year extensions for the iMapp service.

CVRMLS has been in the iMapp family for several years and recently put out an RFP administered by the WAV Group. As usual, the choice came down to two services. Here’s what CVRMLS CEO Laura Lafayette had to say, “CVR MLS is pleased to continue our long-standing relationship with iMapp. We’ve compared iMapp with other tax providers, and they always rise to the top in terms of the accuracy and currency of their data. Our members greatly value the variety of tools within the iMapp system and its easy to use interface; as an MLS organization, we deeply appreciate iMapp’s responsiveness to our evolving needs.”

GFLR, one of the longest standing current clients of iMapp also signed a multi year extension for the iMapp service. GFLR chose to keep iMapp for their membership as both a premium public record provider as well as providing access to all MLS data as a fully operational redundant system.

We are honored that both CVRMLS and GFLR have chosen iMapp and we look forward to serving their needs everyday.

We have one more big renewal coming this year! Watch for it on this here blog ya’ll!!

On May 28th, Tallahassee REALTORS will have access to NAR’s REALTORS® Property Resource (RPR) online information system via a direct record to record link from the iMapp MLS/Tax mapping system. With record to record links, users will have single click access to an abundance of real estate and analytical data unmatched in the industry.

Dale Ross, CEO of RPR states, “The ability for REALTORS® to link to RPR directly from iMapp will be beneficial to users who have found both systems valuable to their businesses.”

Dale is right. And providing a record to record link to RPR also helps our REALTOR family members be more productive in their day to day operations. So much information, yet so few clicks to retrieve it all. It is quite impressive.

I think I just heard Debbie Kirkland shout “Awesome!”

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. & TAMPA, Fla., Apr 23, 2013 — CRS Data (Courthouse Retrieval System) and iMapp(R) today announced the signing of a strategic agreement which leverages the strengths of both companies. CRS Data is focused on expanding their data operations and the creation of the industry’s best-in-class software while iMapp continues to expand their highly effective, criteria-driven MLS advertising delivery system. CRS Data and iMapp remain separate, privately held companies serving the MLS market. Together, the companies currently serve over 50 MLSs, representing approximately 250,000 REALTORS.

Expanded Footprint

CRS Data serves a number of markets, including financial institutions, investors and appraisers. Matt Casey, CEO of CRS Data says, “We are doubling down on our commitment to be the premier public record provider and are committed to maintaining the iMapp platform in addition to our current suite of products.”

Advertising Continues to Grow

iMapp will continue to operate the advertising network for MLS clients and introduce the option of increased non-dues revenue to CRS customers. “The MLS advertising segment has tremendous growth potential and iMapp is uniquely positioned to expand our business,” said Bill Rovillo, CEO of iMapp(R). “We created criteria-driven MLS advertising delivery systems over four years ago and have been methodical about growth. We’re now ready to introduce the next phase of timely, relevant advertising delivery.”

About CRS Data:

CRS Data’s powerful collection of suites offers thousands of corporations access to public tax records, sales and mortgage histories, warranty deeds, comps, interactive GIS and plat maps, area demographics, property analyses and much more. We put property information at your fingertips and provide the robust tools necessary to fully analyze, customize and utilize data for maximum benefit.

About iMapp, Inc.:

Founded in 1997, iMapp is committed to the development and maintenance of highly accurate, web-based geographic real estate information systems that integrate a variety of property information including parcel polygons, tax-roll data, demographics, aerial imagery, mortgage and deed recordings, foreclosure information delivered with highly-targeted, contextual advertising.

iMapp is a registered trademark of iMapp, Inc. in the United States and/or other countries.

Over 25,000 Miami REALTORS® now have access to NAR’s REALTORS® Property Resource (RPR) online information system via a direct record to record link from the iMapp MLS/Tax mapping system. With record to record links, users will have single click access to an abundance of real estate and analytical data unmatched in the industry.

Dale Ross, CEO of RPR states, “RPR is enthusiastic about the opportunity to further enhance the REALTOR® experience by linking RPR and iMapp. One of RPR’s goals is to increase REALTOR® efficiency through technology integration. The ability for REALTORS® to link to RPR directly from iMapp will be beneficial to users who have found both systems valuable to their businesses.”

“REALTORS® in Miami research over one half million properties per month in the iMapp system”, says iMapp CEO Bill Rovillo. “Being able to access the wealth of information and reports RPR offers by using a single click, puts that information into more REALTORS® hands because it is so easy to retrieve. Our two products are the perfect combination for the Miami REALTORS®.”

The live links to RPR will be activated by Monday morning.
iMapp and Miami wishes to thank the RPR team for making this happen.

The Regional MLS of Palm Beach County, comprised of over 11,000 professional REALTORS, has signed a multi year agreement with iMapp for premium public record, GIS parcel mapping and MLS enhancement services.

The service begins in March 2013 and training will begin immediately following the launch.

Besides having access to the easy to use iMapp public records system, REALTORS will have instant access to their areas demographics, and sales stats and graphical charts for MLS and non-MLS sales.

Also available is iMapp’s new Statewide search, allowing REALTORS to conduct a search of the entire State of Florida, or search one county at a time.

“RMLS members will enjoy that the iMapp system will run on any browser and on any mobile device, without having to download a feature robbing app or other “lite” program that imitates the ‘real deal’ “, iMapp President Joel Cohen said.

A big thank you to RMLS General Manager Wes Wiggins, RAPB CEO Carol Van Gorp and the entire Board of Directors and Executive Committee for allowing iMapp to serve you and your membership.

Last year at this time, I posted predictions for 2012 here.
Lets take a gander at how I did shall we? Ok, just play along with this silly reindeer game anyway.

Number 1- I had predicted -More Thompson Brokers will emerge- Result= probably false but unknown. Easy to track how many REALTOR’s there are, not so much with Thompson brokers. Trash this one as False.

Number 2- I had predicted CoreLogic would be bought by a company from India. Result= I was close. They sold their India analytics operation to an Indian company. I’m going to count this one as True.

Number 3- I predicted more Big Brokers take control of their MLS/data- Result= I was dead on right. I won’t let the cat out of the bag on who I know is next in 2013 to dump Sin-dication, but it will make for great headlines on the blogs. Mark this one as True.

Number 4- Small Associations will merge- Result= true, true, true. Though not necessarily to avoid bankruptcy, but definately to keep service costs in check. Mark it as True, though I was not out on a limb on this one anyway.

Number 5- A free MLS will emerge. Result= jury is out on this one. While I have not heard of any MLS vendors offer their MLS system for free yet, MLS Vendor CoreLogic is certainly offering that Realist system for free if you are an iMapp partner. (Hey, it’s their last resort in an attempt to beat us). BTW, if you are thinking of replacing iMapp with a Corelogic system, read a few dozen pages of comments here:

Anyway, mark this one as almost True, barely False.

Number 6- I predicted LPS would be sold. Result= pretty close. LPS sold off a huge division to some of the employees, now called RED. Mark this one as True.

Number 7- I predicted Large MLS’s will take more control of their data- Result= Yup. Look no further than ARMLS, which now owns it’s own public data collection company. Smart move.

Number 8- I predicted Big Brokers will buy other RE businesses to gain market share,and nix sin-dication- Result- Hmm..not sure. I have not tracked the acquisitions this year, but I think it is safe to say that every big brokerage has at least thought of gaining more market share this way. If you get the lion’s share of listings, you don’t need Zillow or Trulia. Some brokers are even asking the Associations to assist in controlling where those listings are going so….Mark this as possibly true.

Number 9- I predicted Content would trump SEO. Result- dead on right. Ok, that was not a stretch to predict. I just wrote it to trump those who still think SEO is the cat’s meow. Mark this as Dead on True.

Number 10- I predicted some bloggers would get outed for “selling” a brand without telling you they were being paid to write. Result= tricky one to rate either way. Some creators of content that gushed on their blog over a company’s product ended up being employed by said companies. I guess one begets the other. Mark this one as “eh, not so much true”. But there’s always tomorrow!!

All in all, not a bad W-L record.
I’ll go home tonight and before I go to sleep, I’ll eat a cucumber and peanut butter sandwich (and yes Kristen, maybe some bacon) and dream up next years predictions.
Because it helps with the creativity.

It’s no secret that 15 years ago the commercial brokers in Miami first fell in love with iMapp. And Tom Byrne would become famous (infamous?) for strolling into Miami CEO Teresa King Kinney’s (pictured above) office and saying “once the residential members see this system, it’s all over”. Meaning, the “iMapp system” would be available “all over the place”.

Well, he was spot on with that observation. iMapp now has more Florida Realtor members and associations using it’s products and services than all other vendors combined (MLS or Tax!). AND…..there is one more Association getting ready to join the iMapp family early next year. That will bring iMapp’s Florida market share to over 85%!!!!

Like the sign says…….Florida Realtors love iMapp!

Florida REALTORS have been receiving robo-calls from an organization claiming to offer better services to REALTORS at a lower cost than their local association or MLS. Now they are sending emails to them.
The voice on the calls never use a first and last name, only the company (?) name of Atlas.
The email contains only this signature “Michael from the Atlas Development team”.
You can’t find a persons name, address or any contact information.
And the best part? (….drum roll please…..) They are asking you to fund them via Fundable.com!
Yeah for real.
They won’t give you their names.
They won’t say where their office is located.
But give them money.
And if that’s not a great enough sales pitch for ya, why just look at their screenshot of the system they tout as being Revolutionary!! (maybe they meant it was created right after the war of the same name).

Whoa! AND it’s browser agnostic! I must be dreeeeeaaaming.

What a joke. Here’s the email my Broker/Wife received today:
*************************************************************
Dear Colleague,

My name is Michael from the Atlas Project. Atlas is an exciting new concept in Real Estate. We hear a lot from agents, just like you, who are very frustrated by the lack of attention they are receiving from their national, state and local associations, including their MLS.

Some of these agents are extremely upset by their inability to conduct business statewide. Others are fed up with out-of-date MLS systems. Many feel trapped by a monopoly, and the list goes on. We are not getting our money’s worth.

We know what we are talking about because we are Real Estate agents too. That’s why we developed the Atlas Project. The whole concept behind Atlas is that together, we can do something to change the industry for the better, something that we can all feel good about!

Please take a moment to learn more about this wonderful new opportunity. Just visit www.fundable.com/ATLAS

Feel free to contact me directly with any questions or concerns that you may have, and thanks for your time!

Take care and together we can do this!

Sincerely,

Michael with the ATLAS Development Team
***************************************************

I think i just threw up in my mouth a little bit.

The NAR convention is over and, once again, we have a winner of $500 in the unannounced, privately held, you-wouldn’t-know-it-existed-if you-didn’t-use-iMapp-and-loved-it -contest. That’s what I call it because marketing never came up with a name for it. Anyway, over 300 REALTORS came by our booth and mentioned how much “they love iMapp”. Not knowing what was about to happen, they were asked to leave a biz card with the company President, Joel Cohen.
So without further ado, this years winner of $500 is Jan Leighton from Peoria, Arizona. Congratulations Jan!!

Jan flew all the way to Orlando just to say “I Love You”.

iMapp will be launching its new iCMA program in beta mode in Miami, Florida next month. After the initial roll out and subsequent tweaks and bug fixes, iMapp plans to do a national launch shortly thereafter for all iMapp susbcribers in 7 States.

iCMA is an online program that operates in the cloud so that REALTORS can store and share their custom CMA’s with anyone. Full color and branded to the individual REALTOR, iCMA utilizes the MLS listing data as well as the Non-MLS sales that iMapp collects from public records, ensuring that the REALTOR has the most updated information available when discussing the true value of a home with a prospective seller/buyer. This new CMA promises to answer back to those consumers relying upon 3rd party sites with antiquated and often useless information (a.k.a. Zillow/Trulia), allowing the REALTOR to once again be known as the trusted source for accurate MLS and public record information.

iCMA will be previewed by select REALTOR Association executives during this weeks’ NAR event in Orlando.