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For real estate professionals still reeling from a multiple listing service outage across the nation, Realtors Property Resource® has been offering a lifeline: a way to access MLS data.
Although its systems are beginning to come back online, the cyberattack launched on MLS vendor Rapattoni has created a huge challenge for brokers, agents and appraisers in affected markets. “This outage has substantial direct and indirect impacts to our profession. It has significantly slowed the market and caused tools that our members rely upon to be ineffective,” says Derek Sprague, CEO of the Bakersfield Association of REALTORS® in California.
That’s where RPR® comes in. As a partner with MLSs in all markets that use the Rapattoni system, RPR® has been able to provide access to up-to-date MLS data as of Aug. 8, along with deep off-market and historical listing data, according to COO and General Manager Jeff Young. “RPR® is here to support you and your members,” Young said in an email to the 22 Rapattoni-based MLSs. “As a member-owned and operated data platform, we have a unique opportunity to be able to offer an alternative entry point for your members to access your MLS data through RPR®.”
A nationwide one-stop shop for property data, tools and reports, RPR® is a benefit for members of the National Association of REALTORS®, available as part of their member dues. The platform includes features that professionals need to conduct business, such as CMAs, reports, RPR Mobile and commercial data and tools.
Supporting Appraisers and Brokerages
MLSs continue to work with partners to create their own workarounds until the vendor issue is fully resolved. In Bakersfield, Calif., for example, the Golden Empire MLS contacted RPR® specifically about support for their non-member appraisers. “We spoke to leadership at NAR and RPR® and, within 24 hours, had a solution to provision temporary RPR® access to our appraisers,” Sprague says. This temporary access to RPR® provides sales, listing data and photos currently available through the MLS, as well as public record data. Since creating temporary accounts for appraisers in Bakersfield, seven additional MLSs have joined the program, giving appraisers the data they need to meet appraisal standards.
Because the outage affects both appraisers who are REALTORS® (members of NAR) and those who are not REALTORS®, NAR and RPR® have taken steps to expand access to all appraisers. Last Friday, NAR put out a notice asking appraisal members in the affected areas to alert their non-member colleagues of RPR®’s program. And to ensure data procured through RPR® can be used in the appraisal process, NAR and RPR® have been actively engaged with lending agencies Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, VA and FHA to make them aware of this bridge solution for the appraiser community. On Tuesday, Freddie Mac issued a notice that the RPR® data set can be used by appraisers as an alternative until MLS system access is restored.
“We have had so many folks reaching out asking RPR® to assist in this data crisis,” says NAR CEO Bob Goldberg. “We’re grateful that 97% of MLSs nationwide are sharing data through RPR® so we can be in a position to help.”
In support of brokers, companies like the San Francisco–based Vanguard Properties hosted a companywide streaming session last Friday for agents, says Nina Dosanjh, AHWD, chief technology and strategy officer. “We’re pushing agents to RPR®,” she says. “It’s a viable solution for our agents to be able to continue to create listing presentations and CMA reports for their clients.”
How to Access, Use RPR®
Whether you’re a current RPR® user or not, if your MLS partners with RPR®, you can see listings in your market through the platform. Through RPR View, users also will be able to see listings from any other MLSs with which their MLS shares data.
- Get up and running using this printable guide.
- Use RPR®’s quick, on-demand learning resources to get up to speed on the platform’s features.
- Attend the webinar “Kickstart Your Business: An Introduction to RPR Residential” on Aug. 23 at noon ET.
The extended outage at Rapattoni points up the importance of keeping data secure from bad players. Learn more about how to keep your data and systems safe at NAR’s Data Privacy & Security page.
