Get FREE MLS access to develop your web or mobile app!

A catch-22 for real estate tech companies has been easy, free access real estate MLS access to develop web or mobile apps. MLSs usually require you to be working with a brokerage/agent customer before giving you access to real estate data. But it’s really hard to get brokerages / agents to sign on as customers if you don’t have an working app!

Thanks to a new partnership between the Austin Board of REALTORS, RESO, and CoreLogic, software developers can get a FREE access to a RETS server (called the Developer Reference Server) to develop and test their applications with actual real estate data.

The Developer Reference Server (DRS) is built on Corelogic’s Trestle platform, it’s a full RETS server using the Data Dictionary format. The data is provided by the Austin Board of REALTORS (ABoR) and it comprises of actual listings and photos that were sold in the Austin market over previous year. This means you get actual, real data that represents an actual market complete with real photos and other vital information.

Also by April 2017, there will be an option to get access using the RESO Web API format, making it even easier for developers to build applications using real estate listing data!

Related Article: What is the Data Dictionary & RESO Web API?

Anyone can apply for access, you can go here to submit your application. You are required to agree to the Reference Server Data Terms of Use policy. The biggest stipulation for access is the data cannot be displayed publicly, so you cannot use the data on an open, public website.

This is a really big step in the right direction to make it easier for developers to build real estate apps and websites. There’s still an open question on how developers can get their applications to market after they’ve developed the app, but this is a good sign the industry realizes it’s future depends on new ideas and technology.

Want to know more about RETS/IDX and real estate data? Sign up for my free 5-day email course and become an expert on all things regarding listings!