First I hear of bedbugs shuttering a Hollister store in SoHo, and then I find maggots in the Chicago Multiple Listing Service. Not a pleasant evening’s Web scanning.
The MLS had generally been a reliable source of information about homes, apartments and condos available for rent. At least it had been until the apartment locators began entering blind-address rental listings.
An MLS rental listing without an address or descriptive copy is an almost certain sign of a maggot infestation. A scan of rental listings in selected north side ZIP codes indicates a severe infestation by a company whose name rhymes with “Apartment Lies” – which strikes me as a fairly apt summary of several of the entries I scanned.
You’ll rarely see a blind address rental listing from a brand-name brokerage firm. When you do it will typically be for an upper-bracket property.
TIP: Skip any rental listing in the MLS that doesn’t disclose the address or building name. Better yet, work with a brand name-affiliated real estate agent who will do just that on your behalf.
Realtors, please start policing the maggots. If you don’t, the maggots will undermine the utility of the MLS. Count on it.
It was always my understanding that MRED fines members for improper listings. Should be an easy fix, we pay a lot of money for this service.
Joe, are you a member? You can report listings that don’t conform to guidelines. MLS listings are required to have accurate address, unit number, zip, and other financial details. I have the MLS violation form if you need.
Not a member, Bob. Does that bar me from filing a complaint?
“You’ll rarely see a blind address rental listing from a brand-name brokerage firm. When you do it will typically be for an upper-bracket property.”
Sounds like you are talking about an edge case. Probably not worth the time for the man on the street to get involved. Agents should police the MLS, not clients.