MLS # on Realtor(tm).com vs MLS# on ZipRealty(tm)…?

[speedingpullet]

This is probably a stupid question, but here goes…

I’m tracking a few houses I like the look of here in L.A, using a mixture of Realtor, ZipRealty and Zillow. I’m not planning on buying until summer of 2007, but it always helps to be prepared.

I’m using Zip vs Realtor where possible, but I’m finding that the MLS# on Realtor doesn’t correspond on Zip – ie I cut/paste the MLS# from Realtor and put it into Zip, it tells me they have no property with this number.

Which is a pity, as you normally get more information about DOM and price reductions on Zip than on Realtor. However the Realtor search engine is more user-friendly (IMHO) so I look there first and then try and find the same house on Zip…

I’ve noticed that many of the MLS#s on Realtor have a hyphen in them, and these always seem to be the ones that don’t ‘work’ on Zip.

Does Realtor ‘truncate’ it’s MLS#s?

Or, am I being a Doofus?
I’m pretty new at all this (only discovered the Housing Bubble Blogs last week), so please forgive my ignorance.

[lindismith]

All our Realtor members are most likely working today – maybe they will answer tonight?

The only thing I can think of is maybe you are inadvertantly adding something with the paste. Try typing the number in directly (not pasting) and see if that helps.

Welcome to the bubble forums! You are already more enlightened, I’m sure!

[speedingpullet]

Thank you !

Yeah, I’ve tried typing them in by hand and also removing the hypen in between, but no joy so far.

[SD Realtor]

Odd stuff. I am a member of SDAR so I cannot comment on the MLS up in L.A… FYI each county has thier own association of realtors. That association basically has an MLS that is run by the association itself or a 3rd party. In San Diego SDAR is out association and Sandicor runs and maintains the MLS.

So here is what I tried for ya…I verified that the MLS number on one of my listings on Realtor.com matches the MLS that was assigned by Sandicor. I also did the same for Zip. They both matched and when I did an MLS number search on zip it did come up and find my listing.

So… not sure what is going on. Again, the listings you are looking for may be subject to a different numbering system which is why there are hyphens… (This is admittedly a long shot)

Your best bet is to simply call an agent and have them look up the MLS number. The listing agents information is at the bottom of the listing on both Zip and Realtor. Then you can see if Zip or Realtor actually is corrupting the MLS number. Sorry I couldn’t help more.

[speedingpullet]

Thanks for that SD. I just assumed that an MLS number would be the same for a house, regardless of which website you were using.

I’m not really at the ‘looking for agents’ stage just yet, as we’re not planning on buying until this time next year.

i just like doing my own research online, seeing what’s coming down, what’s staying the same…purely voyeuristic at this point 😉

[speedingpullet]

OK, figured out the problem…..once again I am blinded by science 😉

The MLS searcher on Zip expects numbers with underscores, while the MLS numbers from Realtor come with hyphens.

If only everything else in life was so easy…

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