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Will I need to change my whole MLS system to use the standard?
This question actually presents two distinct issues: (1) whether the existing MLS computers can accommodate the additional data and the Internet-based communications protocols required by RETS, and (2) whether the format of the information maintained on the system is compatible with the specified data exchange procedures.
It's easier to answer the second question first. The design of RETS contemplates a type of information layout that is used by virtually all of the current MLS systems. That does not mean there is necessarily an exact correlation between the current listing form and the RETML, the RETS data dictionary (or XML DTD) employed for some types of data exchanges. However, it does mean that the existing MLS information almost certainly can be described in a way that matches the requirements for basic data exchange.
For two reasons, there is less assurance that an existing MLS system can handle the communication requirements. First, some servers lack the available storage space for the additional descriptive information that RETS requires a host to provide. Second, not all servers can support the Internet-based communications protocol on which RETS is based.
Even if a particular MLS system does not meet the requirements for RETS, however, that does not mean it must be replaced. Another option may be to install a RETS -compliant parallel system that draws the information from the main host and then stores and provides it in accordance with the standard. That solution may be available from the same vendor who supplied the present system or from a third-party provider.
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Will I need to change my listing form?
That would be highly unlikely. As noted in the previous answer, RETS is consistent with the way most if not all listing forms are currently designed.
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Will the standard let me update information in the MLS?
In response to comments received on the initial draft, an update transaction has been added to allow modification of data on the server. The content may be new or changed listings, agent records, office information, new photographs or any other file modifications. RETS will allow data entry to be done online or offline, depending on the client software being used.
When data is being entered, most if not all traditional MLS servers have a way to check for errors, for example, to make certain a new listing includes all the required fields. These "business rules" can become highly complex because of issues such as field interdependencies (e.g., the list of valid school districts depends on what county is entered) and conditional relationships (e.g., "selling agent" must be entered if status is "sold" but not if status is "active"). If the attempted modification violates any of the business rules, the host rejects the change.
RETS provides a way for the host to communicate all its business rules to the client. The client can then be designed to mimic the host's validation operations with a high degree of reliability, so that data can be entered offline with great confidence that it will be accepted when sent to the host. This is a major benefit if an office enters a number of new or changed listings offline during the day and later uploads them to the MLS server in an automated operation overnight.
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Will RETS require agents and brokers to buy new software or hardware?
No. Simply installing RETS will not require anyone to change the way they use real estate information or communicate with the MLS system. One of the specific design objectives for the standard was that it would add new functions without disrupting the current ways of doing business. Obviously, some practitioners may choose to make technology investments that will let them take advantage of the new capabilities to become more competitive.
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Will this standard work on my Macintosh?
Nothing in RETS dictates that standards-compliant programs must run on any particular type of computer or operating system. The Macintosh has tools that support both HTTP and XML, making applications that use this standard easier to develop. Whether software companies produce versions of their products for the Macintosh platform will depend on market demand.
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Does this standard have capabilities for international support?
Where that can be done without introducing significant complications, the standard accommodates international activities as, for instance, in the transmission of date and time information. However, no specific support was added for languages other than English, and no specific international fields were added. If market demand warrants, those will be appropriate topics for the change process.
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