Our board  hosted a visit June 16 from some folks from FlexMLS providers FBS. This is the Fargo North Dakota based company that created the database program we use for our MLS system. I suspect they are feeling the heat from the calREDD proposed statewide MLS database system, and this roadshow was an opportunity to show they have some hot new features as well. We were lucky enough to have 3 of their people in attendance, Steve (sorry didn't get last name, right) David Rifkin(left), and notably their President and CEO, Michael Wurzer(center). Michael is well known to many of you, and is very well known in RE blogging circles as a creative and innovative industry thinker.  I checked his Twitter page and he has like a bazillion followers.  Anyway, he showcased some perhaps lesser known, but very useful Flex features, and he capably demonstrated them to the many enlightened attendees.

Michael spent quite a bit of time on the advanced mapping features built into FlexMLS. I admit I picked up several things there I did not know it could accomplish. And I'm looking forward to seeing parcel maps overlay the data (MLS Committee?). I recall mapping was one of the things that calREDD demonstrated at length when they were here, but Flex seems to have matched most of the same map capabilities. Michael moved on to the Portal, which is a new and powerful contact empowerment feature, designed with both agent and client needs in mind.  Michael showcased our colleague and prolific blogger Jeneane Gendron's extensive use of the FBS IDX feed across her web presence. She very generously explained how she uses a combination of the IDX data and the Portal system to increase client touch. It fit very well with Michael's demonstration of the advanced features available to Flex users. You can call David Rifkin if you are interested in purchasing their IDX solution (701) 499 0323 or drifkin@fbsdata.com.

Michael showed that Flex can now synchronize contact data with MS Outlook. He also touched on a new photo utility Flex Photo that allows you to upload a folder of photos and have them automagically resized, which was ostensibly a big feature of calREDD. Michael demonstrated wireless.flexmls.com, which I have to say works very well on my iPhone. We were also shown a live demo of Regionalization of multiple MLS data existing side by side. Flex was able to easily show several Pennsylvania MLS systems that were all located very closely, and yet visible within Flex, and differentiated by color. A little hard to explain if you haven't seen it, but the purpose was clearly to show that Flex could "play well with others," and wasn't a purely proprietary and closed system. That could be handy to know as we are likely to see competing interest calREDD push interoperability. For more info, see RETS.

Clearly there has been a lot going on in Fargo. FBS has been aggressively modernizing their FlexMLS product and planning for the future.  They are using their deep knowledge of the MLS industry needs and requirements. It's interesting to note that systems like FlexMLS seem to have been developed from very early computerization of paper MLS systems, all the while evolving and adding features. Meanwhile calREDD, which is supposed to be something entirely new, seems determined to mimic many of the features of legacy systems like FlexMLS. I suppose that's only natural. They have to sell what's comfortable to members. Competition is good for innovation. But meanwhile, real innovation seems to be taking place elsewhere, with well funded players who have no interest in helping REALTORS, but who are happy to take our data feeds and online agent content and commentary. But that's a subject for another blog post (or not). Today, we had a sterling presentation by a highly regarded industry professional showing deep new features of a product we all use. It's very encouraging to see FBS acting to aggresively modernize their product and maintain close relationships with their customer base. I'm sure everyone there was glad they attended. Skip Murphy