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RPR Quiz: Is a Real Estate Agent Blog a Consumer Website?

Published by Joseph Ferrara (2) November 19th, 2009 in Marketing tips. Comments

rpr quiz

The new Realtor Property Resource (RPR) database is designed to help Realtors and their clients.

RPR™ will provide nationwide access to public record information such as tax and assessment data, liens, zoning, permits, environmental information, and information on neighborhoods, school district and community demographics….(Source: NAR Press Release November 9, 2009)

But….

There will be no public access to the RPR® and the database and its data cannot be shared through consumer websites. (emphasis added)

So…..two questions:

1. What is the definition of a “consumer website”? Seems to me, any website which Google can crawl is accessible by a consumer.

2. Can any Realtor® publish RPR data, to which they have access, on their blog or website? If they can share the data in listing presentations, seems to me they can put it on their blog or website. No?

Anyone know the answers to these questions?

Thanks.

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  • I appreciate your comments Reggie. I think I know where your heart is concerning the transparency of public information that is helpful to the real estate transaction-- for the consumer. My concern is the use of the word "exclusive" with respect to this data. To the extent it is public information, it ought to be freely available to consumers without having to visit a realtor office-- i.e. from the Realtor's website. I'm hoping with folks like you behind the initiative, this public information should not be exclusive, nor controlled, by anyone. So, they ought carve an exception to "consumer sites" and allow display on "Realtor websites". Please advocate this.
  • Hey JF,
    You asked the question "Can any REALTOR® publish RPR data, to which they have access, on their blog or website?"

    I mentioned on another post if a REALTOR® wants a client to access RPR from their website, they will need to do so via a Virtual Office Website (VOW).

    Also let me preface this last thought with the fact that I'm not a VOW expert nor is this a legal opinion, but I'm wondering if we'll see someone create a VOW plugin for REALTORS® using WordPress that follows the rules set forth by the DOJ.
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