Rules, Instructions, Frequently Asked Questions

The MREIS Strategic Business Plan identified the need to establish a buyer listings database to allow REALTORS who have written Exclusive Buyer Representation Agreements to have a database to include those "buyer listings."

Because many companies have more buyers than properties, this will give buyer agents the ability to promote their buyers to those with properties in a searchable format. 

That program is now activated.

a) THERE ARE TWO RULES:

1. Only buyers who are on a WRITTEN Exclusive Buyer Representation Agreement may be included in the database.  This is NOT a prospect system.
2. You MUST include the last name of the buyer and an expiration date that is no later than the actual expiration date of your Buyer Agreement in the system.  Neither will appear on the buyer listing to other brokers or the public, but are essential to our ability to ensure data integrity of the information in the system.

Should false information be provided to the system, MAR will take action consistent with that violation which may include an ethics hearing and/or removal of ability for the company to participate in the buyer listing system.

b) TO KNOW BEFORE YOU ADD A BUYER LISTING:

This program was designed according to new real estate industry data standards that seek to apply features and data elements that could apply to the entire country and various aspects of residential real estate.  You will see many fields that will make you wonder who came up with this program.  We believed it was important that you became familiar with the data fields as you are likely to see them in other real estate software programs you use in the future.

You do NOT need to use all of the fields in the system.  You can put a minimal amount of data in, or an extensive amount of data in.  The most important fields are:  towns and public comments.

The system works with either Internet Explorer 5.0 or higher or Netscape 6.0 or higher.  MAR's technology hotline does not recommend the newer versions of Netscape, so if you don't already use Internet Explorer, this is a good reason to change

c)  HOW TO ADD A BUYER LISTING:

1. Go to http://me.living.net
2. Select "Realtors" and Search YOUR last name
3. Click on YOUR name and at the top of the page click "Personal Profile"
4. The ONLY data you need to enter is the password -- which is the last 6-digits of your social security number without dashes or spaces, and then Click "Login"
5. On the left side of the screen, Click "Buyer Database"
6. Click "New Buyer"
7. Add data about the New Buyer --
   a) Property Type - Do they want single family, condo/townhouse, mobile home, vacant land?
   b) Cities - Click as many Maine towns as they may consider - hold down the Control key on your keyboard to select the ones you want
   c) Click anything else that matters to your buyer - Remember, do NOT get overwhelmed by the list, you do NOT need to add more than minimal data
   d) Click "Next" to move to the next page
   e) IF you click "Buyers List" it returns you to the main page, IF you click "Start Over" it wipes out all the data you input
   f)  Required Fields -- Buyer ID -- this is YOUR code so if a seller's agent contacts you, you will know who in the world they are calling about -- it can be an actual last name, a code, a description -- whatever will trigger to you who the Buyer is
   g) Public Comments - this is where you describe what is of greatest interest to your buyer such as "Near Cony High School" or "Waterfront desired"
   h) Other Buyer Confidential data - You MUST put in the ACTUAL last name of the buyer in Last Name field (will not appear) and an Expiration Date that reflects either the actual expiration date OR a time shorter than the expiration date -- you may NOT extend the time from what is in your written contract in the system.  All other data is solely for your use, if you desire.  Except for a limited number of fields, very little is required.
   i)  Select SAVE at the end

d)  HOW TO EDIT A BUYER LISTING:

Follow the steps above, but instead of "New Buyer" click the "Edit" button next to an existing buyer and that gives you the screen which you can correct.

e)  FAQs - FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:

1. How do Buyer Listings expire?
   The system will automatically expire it on the date you inserted it in the buyer field.  You may also remove a buyer at any time.  There is NOT a printout or notice to others in the system about which buyers have "expired."
   
2. Why aren't these in MLS?
   MLS is for property listings. This system is for buyer desires.
   
3. Can the public search this database?
   Yes.  Although it is primarily for listing agents to search for buyers, it was decided to keep this "public" so it would allow someone considering
   selling their home to contact companies that may have properties for the listings.  The reverse process of buyers signing up when they call you about listed properties.
   
4. If I have a buyer who would live in more than 1 state (such as Kittery, Maine OR Portsmouth, NH), can I input that data?
   Yes - but you will need to put the buyer in twice for each State.  This is each to accomplish with the "copy" button and you will simply change the state using the Edit feature.
   
5. Are there any limitations to the numbers of towns I can add?
   Yes - only 30 can be added for a buyer.  If you NEED more than 30 you can do one of two things -- 1) you can use the "copy" feature to copy that buyer and insert the OTHER towns over 30 into that new, additional record; or 2) you can add a statement in the Public Comments that explains the scope of the area being considered (although it won't show up in a "town" search -- such as "wants anywhere in Lincoln County".
   
6. There are towns missing when I want to add a Buyer -- why?
   Approximately 20 town listings that are currently in MREIS are not included at the current time in the Buyer Listing database.  The Buyer Listing program used a U.S. postal service program that in those few instances when multiple towns shared one zip code, the smallest of the towns (but not all) may not be included.  By late June, every town in MREIS will also be in the database so the omissions will be added.
   
7. Why doesn't every town display on the public/listing agent search?
   Only towns that have at least one buyer listing connected with it will display.  This is to avoid frustration in not finding data in a search.  The
   more buyer agents that participate in the system, the more complete the town list will be on the searching side.
   
8. How can listing agents access the site?
   Go to http://me.living.net, then select "Buyer Listings" to start a search.  On May 21 MAR will be adding a button that says "Buyers" next to the ones that say "Homes", "Rentals", "Land."
   
9. What if I have a Non-Exclusive Buyer Agreement?
   It does not qualify.  Must be Exclusive.
   
10. What if my Exclusive Buyer Agreement is only for 3 days?
    That meets the requirement.  But on the expiration date you may only use an expiration up to and including the third day, when it expires.
    
11. What if I call a company and believe they do not actually have a buyer?
    You can confidentially report that to MAR.  We will request a copy of the Exclusive Buyer Agreement to verify that an actual written Exclusive Buyer Agreement exists.  E-mail tanya@mainerealtors.com
    
12. In Maine, written agreements aren't necessary.  Why would you have that requirement?
    Although it is not required by license law, MAR supports written agreements for both client/agent understandings and company/agent risk reduction.  It would be very difficult for MAR to verify a "verbal" Exclusive Buyer Agreement as there would not be a document with a name.
    
13. How can licensees who are not Realtors add a buyer in the system?
    They can't.  This is a REALTOR program.
    
14. Why would I participate in the system?
    a)  To promote your buyers to seller agents and/or sellers.
    b)  To have an added reason to give buyers why they might want to sign a WRITTEN Exclusive Buyer Agreement form -- because it must be in writing to go in.
    c)  May also be a way to find out about open listings or office exclusives that are not in the MLS system
    

Also, when there is a Buyer's market in the future, it will be more important than ever to know there are buyers out there.  Right now Seller's agents aren't as desperate to find Buyers as they are in markets when there is plenty of inventory.  However, there are properties on the market, and this
System can help.