Size? One is all we need?

Just came across a white paper re statewide MLS consolidation released MAY 2010 by CEO of a NE statewide MLS. I love it when a CEO writes a white paper extolling the virtues of his own accomplishments. That hardly fits the commonly held definition of a white paper. Is the content likely to be objective? Not hardly. What are the odds this author is going conclude that the grand endeavor he slaved over for many years, played political theater within, risked his professional reputation on and spent many sleepless nights over was really not that great a concept? Wanna take odds on his objectivity?

As you've probably guessed, I've got a few issues with assumptions made by the white paper at the outset and also with the analysis, not to mention other relevant matters that are just ignored.

Then there's the issue of whether what worked for his state (if it did work) will necessarily work in all states (as he suggests it should). Hey, all the states and all the state associations and all their politics are the same right?

It's a one sized fits all world out there. Houses are all the same, buyers and sellers are all the same and agents are all the same. So they all need the same MLS data from one statewide MLS and one data vendor, then everyone will be happy and well served in all their real estate needs. It's a perfectly beautiful world defined by elegant simplicity!

Who needs a complexly diverse tropical rain forest when you can have a lush corn field? It's really a question of real estate ecology.

The white paper is a mere 133 pages long, so I'll need a few blogs to cover it, but if anyone has an interest (up or down) in the statewide initiative that's out there in the not too distant future, it's an interesting read. For those agents mostly focused on the commission checks, forget reading the white paper. Just kick back with the absolute confidence that your state association has a plan for your future. Not to worry, it's your state association and the benevolent leadership is fully accountable--to whom?