Michael Wurzer is a prolific advocate for standards across the real estate industry. He serves as President and CEO of FBS, creators of Flexmls, as well as is the current Vice-Chair of the RESO.
In this video interview with Wurzer, he explains the benefits of adopting the RESO API as well as the RESO Data Dictionary for the benefit of MLSs and brokerages alike. “The key question is what is your next implementation going to look like?” asks Wurzer, asserting that the cost benefits of adopting the RESO API and Data Dictionary become clear by making future implementations far less work.
When MLSs upgrade and implement new software, it is essential, Wurzer explains, that the “data that comes out is as rich” having “all the fields available.” Implementations that include just “standard” fields lead to frustration and challenges that are alleviated when adopting RESO APIs. “You really need to supply it all, because the recipients are expecting that,” explains Wurzer.
Currently, MLS internal systems have field names that are different from some IDX feeds or large websites such as realtor.com and others. Wurzer notes, “If all the fields are in the same language, I think that’s better,” acknowledging that this would be the ideal goal and the industry is not there yet. “It’s a process,” says Wurzer, citing that the adoption of the RESO Data Dictionary standardizes this process and will eventually eliminate the need for data field mapping.
While describing a future of the real estate industry when all websites with MLS feeds have robust and complete data with both standard and localized fields, Wurzer acknowledges, “It does require change,” but ideally it works best when what the consumer sees is the same data on all public facing websites. He adds the industry doesn’t need to “rush through the process necessarily” to achieve this but calls it a “great long term goal.”
