Ah, duh. Listen, I'm all for letting information out. I do it all the time. But MLS was not set up for the public. Never was. Why everyone thinks so is beyond me.

MLS was set up as a professional networking tool. Today it does vet information. But it also shares compensation rates with rival companies. It sets up parameters for showings. There are items on there that should not be public.

Now, if anyone wants to ask me what I make on any given transaction I'm more than happy to share that.

But do you want me sharing your alarm code? How about your phone number? Or, how about I share with everyone exactly what hours you are gone during the day so anyone, in the guise of public information, can know when you are gone, then use your alarm code to clean out your house.

If someone wants to sell their home FSBO, I'm cool with that. In fact, I've been known to counsel people on how to do so. But unless and until that FSBO wants to get their license, pay their dues and attend the training I say let them set up their own network.

And as far as Amy Le's statement the “data belongs to the people” I would again say “what?”

Who puts the data together? How many tens (hundreds?) of thousands of dollars does it take to compile it?

Again, and make no mistake about this, I share all data about my listings that people need to know. Any company can market it so long as they are attempting to bring a buyer so that my seller can meet their goals.

But to say I have to let someone use our information for their own puroses is funny to me.