Austin Board of REALTORS® to return data syndication decisions to brokers

ABoR announces intent to terminate contract with ListHub after April 30, 2014, and cease facilitation of member listing data syndication to non-REALTOR® websites

AUSTIN, TX – October 9, 2013 – (RealEstateRama) — Today, the Austin Board of REALTORS® (ABoR) announced plans to give brokers autonomy in deciding whether to syndicate data to non-REALTOR® consumer websites after April 30, 2014.

Based on a decision by the ABoR Board of Directors last week, the organization will terminate its agreement with listings syndication provider ListHub after April 30, 2014, and intends to cease syndicating members’ listings to non-REALTOR® consumer websites at that time. This decision was made to protect the integrity of Austin-area property information, address concerns about the business practices of non-REALTOR® consumer websites and to mitigate issues caused by inaccurate listing data in the home buying and selling process.

Cathy Coneway, President of ABoR, explained: “Unlike REALTOR® organizations, third-party websites that receive syndicated data are not regulated to provide reliable property information or to protect consumers through the REALTOR® Code of Ethics. This lack of regulation has resulted in outdated, inaccurate property information being displayed online that disappoints homebuyers and frustrates sellers.”

In June 2012, ABoR formed a Syndication Task Force of nine REALTORS® from brokerages of various sizes to investigate syndication issues and increased reports of frustration from consumers and REALTORS® with publishers of syndicated listing data. After more than a year of research, the task force concluded that some syndication sources not bound by the REALTOR® Code of Ethics have business practices that are not consistent with that code. In addition, it was concluded that the inaccurate property information provided by these sources sets false expectations for consumers that inhibits homebuyers’ ability to make sound real estate decisions. Due to these concerns, the ABoR Board of Directors decided that brokers should have the ability to decide independently whether to provide listing data to non-REALTOR® consumer websites on a case-by-case basis as dictated by the best interests of clients.

ABoR will spend the months leading up to April 30, 2014, collecting input and educating members about this decision. After that date, brokerages and individual agents can choose independently whether to provide listings to non-REALTOR® consumer websites based on the best interests of their clients.

Consumers are encouraged to visit a REALTOR®-affiliated website, such as the website of a REALTOR®, AustinHomeSearch.com, Realtor.com and TexasRealEstate.com to search for properties. Listings on these websites are provided directly from multiple listing services and updated frequently.

Coneway concluded, “It’s our responsibility as REALTORS® to act with integrity, and that means providing consumers with the most timely, trustworthy data possible. We believe this decision will do just that.”

The Austin Board of REALTORS® (ABoR) is a non-profit, voluntary organization dedicated to educating and supporting Central Texas REALTORS®. ABoR proudly serves over 9,000 members, promotes private property rights, and provides accurate, comprehensive property listing information for the Greater Austin area. For more information, please contact the ABoR Marketing Department at marketing (at) abor (dot) com or 512-454-7636. Visit AustinHomeSearch.com, a public resource on Austin real estate, for the latest news on the local housing market.