NWMLS Holds Annual Meeting, Excludes Agents

The Northwest Multiple Listing Service (NWMLS) will hold its annual meetings this November to discuss issues such as MLS Rules, Arbitration for disciplinary proceedings, and NWMLS Forms. They will also be nominating candidates for the NWMLS Board of Directors.

Unfortunately, there will be a significant population unrepresented at these meetings. According to NWMLS rules only Brokers and Office Managers are allowed at meetings. The NWMLS warmly reminded agents of this by posting a message on Discover, the NWMLS home page:

Meetings are Open to Member Broker and/or Branch Managers only.

This practice is very disappointing and undemocratic. If the NWMLS exists as a service to the real estate agents of Western Washington, ought not the agents participate in forming the rules and regulations that govern them? It is my belief that a significant amount of rules currently enforced by the NWMLS would not be in existence if Agents participated.

By allowing Broker control of the NWMLS, the brokers either consciously or sub-consciously make rules that benefit themselves rather than the agents. This is not to suggest that most brokers don't care about their agents; however the voice of a broker's bottom line may often drown out the voice of an agent's best interest.