What is the "Multiple Listing Service" and "MLS"?

If you are looking for a new home or you are looking to sell your home, you might be considering using the MLS. The letters “MLS” stand for “multiple listing service.” This is a service that is either local or regional that gathers real estate listings -- homes that are for sale. The MLS will have detailed information on it that brokers and agents can access online. There are many different searches that can be completed on the MLS. These searches can be customized -- you can search by any given ZIP code, by using a certain distance radius from a location that you enter, by street name, subdivision name, property size and more. Depending on where you live or where you are shopping for a home, you may even have the option of customizing your search even further. You can set a price range, a bedroom and bathroom range, parking spaces, features (like a pool or spa) or even the type of home you might want to buy. An MLS listing includes a home’s address, the age of the home, how many rooms it has (including the number of bathrooms and bedrooms), any upgrades or remodeling that have been completed, the school district and the types of financing the seller will accept, plus much more information. You might need a real estate agent or broker to set you up with access to your local MLS, depending on the MLSs rules. MLS listings can help you to figure out what you are looking for in a home. They provide an easy and efficient way for you to perform searches for your new home from the comfort of your current living room. For customized listings, real estate agents and brokers should be able to help you. Related real estate articles on Multiple Listing Service and MLS:

• The sun is setting on the era of the MLS
• MLS books still a cash cow
• Does the MLS limit progress?
• Our entire article list around the Multiple Listing Service on Inman