AN announcement by the USA’s National Association of Realtors (NAR) that it would open its database — the Multiple Listing System (MLS) — to non-members has sent ripples through its local affiliate, the Realtors Association of Jamaica (RAJ).

Speculation was rife last week in WhatsApp groups with RAJ members about what this would mean for them. But, in a quick response, the RAJ made it clear that while it respects the NAR’s decision, its database will remain restricted to members only. It also pointed out that under the revised policy, access to an MLS is now “a matter of local discretion”.

For realtor Alana Igbe, who got her licence last year, she is hoping RAJ will change its stance.

“I’d love it if RAJ reconsidered. The economy isn’t great, we’ve just experienced a devastating hurricane, and our financial priorities are, understandably, elsewhere. I feel like leniency and understanding should be the way to go,” she said.

The MLS is a vital source of information and seen by many RAJ members as one of the biggest advantages of paying hefty annual membership fees. New realtors now pay $45,000 plus US$290. Renewals are $25,000 plus US$290.

According to RAJ President Gabrielle Gilpin-Hudson, some of these dues go towards the significant cost of maintaining the MLS. Other factors that influenced the decision to keep non-members who do not pay dues off the database include ensuring that professional standards are maintained as users engage with the sensitive information it contains.

“The platform is not just about listing properties; it’s about providing professional service. A lot of the information on the platform, especially on the back end, is very sensitive. It includes people’s address, the exact location of the property, the volume and folio — a lot of details. We’re not looking to open that up to persons who are not licensed professionals and who are not bound by the RAJ code of ethics — which goes even above and beyond the law. People dealing with this data need to be specially trained to provide services to their clients in an ethical and transparent way,” she told the Jamaica Observer’s Real Estate on the Rock.

Restricting information to members only is also seen as a way to shield clients from overexuberant prospects.

“There are some people who will just pick up themselves and drive by the property or show up there without an agent, and a lot of [clients] don’t like that. That is one of the reasons we have to be very careful how much information and what information about these listings we allow to be shared with the public,” said Gilpin-Hudson.

The RAJ is already in a battle to keep the MLS safe from players that “scrape” data.

“We’ve seen where these websites are illegally taking information from our members’ websites and using it to populate theirs. When that happens, we send them cease and desist letters; but a lot of them are not cooperating. Members of the public need to know that where they engage with those websites, they don’t have any protection,” warned Gilpin-Hudson, who is also an attorney.

She said the RAJ usually issues up to three cease and desist letters each year, and they have done at least one so far this year.

“Some of them are not even Jamaicans behind it, they’re just people looking for advertising and click revenue,” she added.

Then there is the new trend of online trolls who ridicule listings to boost engagement.

“They are not real estate professionals. They are taking listing information from people’s websites and sharing them, either on their own websites or on social media, and putting them in a position for people in the public to make fun of these listings and speak about the listings in a very derogatory way. Whereas we respect people’s right to freedom of expression and speech, why do this?” asked the bemused RAJ president.

“There is a reason owners list with a realtor; the realtor has to represent their properties in a professional way. When we have people stealing our information from our websites and using it in an uncontrolled way with no oversight, it allows this sensitive information about the property and the property itself to be the subject of unprofessional commentary and exposure. It is of concern because some of these people are giving real estate advice and these are not licensed real estate professionals. I want to caution the public against dealing with persons like that. The best source for any information is always on an RAJ member’s website or calling a member directly. You want to make sure that you’re dealing with your transaction in a safe way. You want to ensure you’re researching in a safe way, especially with the rise of all of these real estate scams. You don’t know who is trying to get your information and impersonate you or use it to scam you, that is one of the reasons we do not want to open up the MLS at this time,” Gilpin-Hudson added.

She pointed out that the RAJ does have an affiliate members programme that allows individuals in the business of real estate to attend RAJ events and training sessions. There are plans to revamp and relaunch that programme next year, as the RAJ celebrates its 60th anniversary.

“Anybody getting that access will only be able to do so under a very controlled framework to make sure, again, that the sensitive information is being treated with in a professional, transparent, and ethical manner,” stressed Gilpin-Hudson.