Connect with others who are working to Green the MLS!
View examples of existing green MLS data entry forms.
Step 3 - Design for Ongoing Quality
A quick way to quality is to design your Green MLS plan with two different end-users in mind: traditional real estate agents and appraisers. While many Green MLS design teams include a large number of agents or professionals with green training or certifications, the vast majority of listing agents, buyers agents, apprasiers and even consumers do not have detailed green backgrounds. Therefore it is critical that any Green MLS design be easy enough for any agent to use without any additional training.
Typical problem spots:
- Terms like HERS which do not make sense to the average consumer without an explanation
- Terms like ENERGY STAR which could refer to either a product, a building approach or both
Continuous Improvement
Green building is evolving fast and technologies, standards and products are changing too. It is important that any Green MLS design team build a continuous improvement plan as part of a rollout.
Changing Environment
Green technology and building methods are constantly evolving, so before adding new fields, your MLS team should closely review the latest in appliances, insulation, windows, doors, roofing, landscaping, and so forth, to be sure you are incorporating features on your lists that best support home sellers' return on investment.
Deployment and Testing
Any MLS change requires a fair amount of effort. It not only entails making actual MLS changes, but requires considering the changes that users (IDX web sites, for example) need to make their systems. Additional considerations are needed to update training materials and accommodate the end-users' learning curve.
Timing your green changes with other planned changes to your metadata can reduce the efforts required. And by organizing changes to occur less frequently, your external data users' costs of ramping up for development can be reduced. Such consideration of their bottom line can aid in gaining cooperation in promoting important changes.
Placement of new fields also has to be well thought out. With some features, you may be incorporating new lookup options to existing fields. In this case, bringing the new features to the top of the pick list for a period of time can gain members' attention.
When adding new fields, grouping the fields into a section titled "green" (or some other catchy name) also can increase their usage. And to drive attention to the new fields, making them "required" (with a "none' option) will force members to recognize the new field(s) during listing input.
When it is time to test the new data structure, involving parties that can help foster adoption and acceptance can ensure a smooth rollout. For instance, by including the same green professionals you consulted during the planning phase for the rollout, you can ensure that the finished product retains its relevance. Also, interested members invited for a preview can be helpful in promoting the new system among colleagues.
Maintenance
Depending on the implementation decisions you make, maintenance, at minimum, entails updating of some fields. A minimal effort is needed to add new certifications and restrict input of certifications that have become invalid. If you opted to include specific green features, you will need to review them periodically. As they age, they could lose their green designation. New features will also need to be added in order to keep your feature lists relevant. If you opted for the more generic attributes, less, if any change, will be required.
Author: Rob Larson
