Questions and Answers
WIREX stands for the WIsconsin Real Estate EXchange. The purpose of WIREX is to create a facility for all Wisconsin MLSs to share and combine their content into a single database for the use and benefit of all MLS Participants, subject to a Data Sharing Agreement and Common IDX Rules applicable to the database.
The development of WIREX involves the content exchange between the three founding charter members of WIREX - the Multiple Listing Service, Inc. (Milwaukee), the Realtors Association of Northeast Wisconsin MLS, Inc. and the South Central Wisconsin MLS Corporation. Through their ongoing efforts, a Data Sharing Agreement and Common IDX Rules have been created and approved by the three organizations. In addition, an agreement with a business partner has been reached for the development and hosting of the common database.
In late 2009, the Central Wisconsin Board of Realtors joined WIREX, and their content was added into the WIREX databases.
The Realtors Association of Northwestern Wisconsin joined WIREX in January of 2010.
The Western Wisconsin Realtors Association joined WIREX in June of 2010.
The Marinette County Board of Realtors joined WIREX in October of 2010. UPDATE: July 2018 Marinette County Board of Realtors merged with Metro MLS
The Lake Superior Area Realtors joined WIREX in April of 2011.
The Door County Board of Realtors joined WIREX in July of 2011. UPDATE: July 1, 2018 Door County exited WIREX. All off market listings are retained in WIREX from July 2011-2018.
WIREX is the result of an invitation made by the South Central Wisconsin MLS to MLS, Inc and the RANW MLS to engage in a discussion to explore the possibility of sharing data. These three MLS’s represent the three largest Realtor listing databases, and each one uses a different software provider. It was believed that if they could create the technology to merge their data, then it would be easier to add other MLSs in the future. The interest was to go beyond existing reciprocal access agreements and make the data more useful to brokers in their businesses.
BrightMLS, formerly MRIS (Metropolitan Regional Information Services), was the unanimous selection by the three MLSs after considering nine possible solutions. BrightMLS is the located in Rockville, MD and is the largest MLS in the nation. It has experience and expertise in bringing together multiple databases into a single source.
It is the hope that all MLSs in Wisconsin will elect to become involved in WIREX.
As of 2018, WIREX has content from 7 of the 9 active MLS operators in the state.
No. Whether or not an MLS elects to become involved is a decision made by that MLS’s Board of Directors. However, it is the hope that all MLSs will do so.
The data content from each MLS will include all descriptive data fields for current active listings and for off-market listings (sold, pending, expired and withdrawn) since July of 2005. Content also includes all available photos, history records, associated documents, property tax information for the supplied listings, open house records and the membership (office and agent) data needed to provide contact information, firm and agent names.
Yes, an offer of cooperation and compensation will accompany all properties that are included in the shared database. However, one must remember that licensees may not provide services which he or she is not competent to provide (unless the assistance of one who is competent is engaged – RL 24.03(2)). Therefore, before seeking to accept an offer of compensation, consider whether you are competent to provide the services.
No, this is not a state-wide MLS. Rather it is the agreement among Wisconsin MLSs to share data content on a state-wide basis in a single database in order for MLS Participants to better serve their clients and customers.
You may elect to retain your memberships in different MLSs. However, it will not be necessary to belong to another MLS (other than your “main” MLS) in order to access the data, assuming that your MLS participates in WIREX.
There will be an allocation of costs to your MLS to be a part of the shared database. Costs to members will be established independently by your respective MLS.
Not necessarily. If your MLS elects to bring the shared database back to your current MLS system, you will continue to use your current software program.
Yes.
