Membership Info.

    Association Highlights

MLS Membership

What is the MLS (Multiple Listing Service)?

• A means by which one Participant (Designated REALTOR® / typically the Broker-Owner) makes a blanket, unilateral offer of cooperation and compensation to other Participants.

• The MLS system, also known as the Multiple Listing Service is a complex information-sharing and cooperative marketing network created by REALTORS® several decades ago to help the public buy and sell homes. While it is computer based today, it began as an exchange of paper listing information and photographs.

• The Multiple Listing Service® or MLS® is a member based service, paid for by the REALTOR® members of the local real estate Board. The MLS mark symbolizes the cooperation among REALTORS® to effect the purchase and sale of real estate, and is much more than a database of property information. It is the local real estate Board that actually administers and operates the local MLS® system.

• The MLS® service makes the real estate industry unique by encouraging a high degree of cooperation among salespeople. For example, if you're shopping for a car and you visit a local dealer, the salesperson's goal is to sell you a car from that car lot. They won't provide you with information on cars available at other competing dealerships. In the real estate industry, the opposite is true. The MLS service allows for cooperation between all REALTORS® no matter which company they work for.

Types of MLS Services

• If you elect to join the Berkshire County MLS, submission of listings is mandatory, with submission required for all property types, except commercial within 2 business days of seller's signature of Exclusive Right to Sell Agreement. Full Rules & Regs

• We offer on-line database services through our vendor, ProMatch, Inc.

• We offer quarterly comparable books, featuring sold property information for the quarter and one year-end book containing full sold information for the year.

• We offer free automatic e-mail prospecting for buyer clients and free IDX smart-frames searches to add to your own web site.

• We offer all contracts and forms electronically at no cost. Paper carbon forms are available individually.

• See the MLS Section of this web site. for more benefits of the service and details about the exact rules, programs and features.

Who is a member?

Any broker who holds REALTOR membership in any local, state association including the payment of national dues. Also, a broker must be able to and choose to make offers of compensation on a blanket basis to other brokers of the service. If a broker joins (participates) they can designate ‘users’ of the service – any licensed sales agent, appraiser or broker affiliated with their office.

Only the broker-Participant has voting rights in the MLS and is billed all fees for services of their firm. Users may access the MLS under their broker’s supervision, but do not hold voting rights and do not pay for services directly.

Electronic Billing

You can opt to have electronic (via e-mail) or paper billing in the MLS and we accept all forms of credit cards for monthly fees.

Application for REALTOR® & MLS Membership - Brokers who seek Multiple Listing Service access but do not currently hold REALTOR membership in any board must apply for both REALTOR and MLS membership. This application process has been combined to streamline the process. Pro-rated fees and the process are included in this document.

• Realtor® & MLS Combined Application process & fees for Membership(.doc)
• Realtor® & MLS Combined Application process & fees for Membership (.pdf)

Application for MLS-Only Membership - Brokers who already hold membership in the REALTOR organization can apply for MLS access by completing the following application. Please note that if REALTOR membership is held in Berkshire County, a copy of your Brokers license is all that is required for documentation with this application. If you hold membership elsewhere, please include a 'Letter of Good Standing" from the Board where you hold REALTOR® membership. A $500 application fee is due and a monthly per agent charge of $30 per licensed real estate agent and/or licensed appraiser in your office is changed.

• MLS Only Application process & fees for Firm Membership (.doc)
• MLS Only Application process & fees for Membership (.pdf)

MLS-Only New Agent Affiliation - The following form is for brokers who already hold REALTOR and MLS membership, but would like to add a newly affiliated REALTOR to their MLS roster. Please note that REALTOR membership must be documented and a 'Letter of Good Standing" included from the Board your agent holds membership. If the agent is applying to the Berkshire County Board of REALTORS for REALTOR Membership, this form is not needed.

• MLS-Only Agent Addition when new REALTORS join an MLS Office (.doc)
• MLS-Only Agent Addition when new REALTORS join an MLS Office (.pdf)