Search the Bakersfield CA MLS – CLICK HERE TO GET STARTED
The Bakersfield MLS (MLS stands for Multiple Listing Service) is the tool that Bakersfield real estate agents use to help clients buy and sell real estate. Did you know that the Board of Realtors doesn’t own the MLS? The MLS is actually a third-party vendor or database provider that offers software as a program that takes all the information (properties listed and sold) and sorts it out in different reports and search functions. Without the MLS, Zillow, RedFin and Realtor.com would not be what they are today.
Without the Bakersfield MLS, agents would not be nearly as efficient in assisting their clients locate the perfect home when it comes time to buy or for valuing homes for Sellers looking to get their homes value. The database is a collective of all types of properties; residential, residential income, land, commercial, farm and others that provides the history of each property like for sale stats and history. This information is extremely informative and important for both Buyers and Sellers when determining whether to buy or sell. This tool is widely used by most Realtors and any agents not using the MLS today to assist their clients are likely doing their clients an injustice. To access the Bakersfield MLS, an agent will visit the Golden Empire MLS and login. Users will not have access to the MLS without being a member of the Bakersfield Association however if you’re wanting to search properties for sale in Bakersfield then please use our property search area.
As a Realtor, I use the MLS everyday. It’s functionality allows me to add clients and prospects as well as add the criteria of the properties they’re interested in. One great thing about the Bakersfield MLS is the auto prospecting feature. With auto-prospecting I can add a client and they type of property they’re interested into the system and when a property hits the market that fits the bill, my client is emailed in real-time about that property! Cool stuff, right! Having worked with buyers since 2006 I’ve got a tuned ear on what buyers want, I make sure what they tell me is what they want and ask further qualifying questions to clear up any questions. Using the technology that the Bakersfield MLS provides and offers allows me to find the perfect home for my buyer based on their buying criteria.
Today’s technology we want everything now, buyers and sellers have much of the information that’s available on the Bakersfield MLS through other online avenues. Sites like Zillow.com, Trulia.com and Realtor.com make much of the information available to the public, so much information that often times an agent will receive a call from a buyer saying “I found a home, when can I see it”. The technology that we all love, information at your fingertips type shopping has really evolved the way we do business as agents. There’s a little saying, Realtors wont be replaced by technology but Realtors not using technology will be replaced by other Realtors using technology. I’m happy to report that I am very tech savvy and pride myself with being at the forefront using the newest tools to assist my Buyers and Sellers.
Bakersfield MLS CA Multiple Listing Service
Many people think that the local association of Realtors own the MLS but this is not the case. The Bakersfield MLS is not owned by the Bakersfield Association of Realtors. Bakersfield MLS uses the Rappatoni system and it works great. Although up till recently they were lacking much of the luster the other providers offered they have since turned up the heat and are offering many of the items the other providers offer. Rappatoni is a family owned MLS provider and have been in business for over 45 years. They’re located right here in sunny California in Simi Valley which is about 60 miles north of Los Angeles.
There are several MLS vendors available, Rappatoni, Black Knight, Corelogic and FlexMLS just to name a few. In California there’s even a Statewide MLS that provides access to listings throughout the entire state. Many agents don’t use the Statewide MLS though because they know the property will get much more localized exposure in the locally offered MLS. Each MLS software provider offers the same overall product of offering data to its “Subscribers” or Association of Realtors but of course they also differ in many ways like features. Features such as different search types, mobile applications and so on. These items can be very useful to an agent when searching or selling a home because the potential buyer is always looking to have the most data possible in real-time. Thus the race to provide this information is constantly evolving and improving.
Many of the new features that Rappatoni has launched for the Bakersfield CA real estate market has been put to use immediately. Items like interactive map search and map view based on specific criteria allows it’s users to target into an exact neighborhood for their clients. I use this feature a lot and in fact weekly I use the map search to keep my selling clients informed of any newly listed or sold properties within the clients subject property area. This keeps me informed weekly of new competition which allows me to better guide my clients. Another great feature that I really appreciate and use a lot is that the MLS offers “Trends”. The benefit of keeping the data and history of properties is that you can begin to draw trend lines. Trendgraphix is the company that provides the integrated solution within the MLS and offers it’s users a ton of information. I use this data to post monthly market trend information on our Blog and provide data for Buyers and Sellers like average pricing, current days on market and most likely the most important item whether the current market is a “Buyer”, “Seller” or “Neutral” market. The market trend information gathered from the Bakersfield MLS that I use on our blog allows users to better gauge on how to navigate the current market.
Did you know that over 90% of Buyers shop online for homes for sale before even contacting a Realtor? With technology today, things are instant and as consumers we want things instantly! After all we have instant coffee, instant soup and instant access to the internet to everything in between! Of course shopping for a home is no different, Buyers use the internet and major websites like Zillow, Realtor, Trulia and many other smaller sites to shop for homes and many times before even contacting an agent for help. These massive real estate websites all compile data from the local MLS’s and package it up for easy searching and Buyer browsing.
With so much data available at our fingertips in such a high priced transaction, do you think it’s wise to take on buying a home with only the information you obtain on the internet and not seek out a licensed professional? Before you answer that, you need to be aware that not all data on those major real estate sites are completely accurate. Again, most data is pulled from the MLS so the basic data will be accurate nased on Realtor input but things like instant valuation information, trends information and other third party resources as well as the agent you contact on the site may not be the actual agent you’re intending to contact. So, while you’re shopping for your next home be aware of these things so you’re a bit more savvy in the online home shopping process. If you use these sites for photos and the basic information of the listing like sales price and property data then you should be pretty safe. Always consult with a licensed agent though just to verify the information so as to avoid costly mistakes.
After browsing the internet for homes you might be interested in taking a look at and before contacting any Seller to see their home you need to contact your agent and discuss your thoughts. If you don’t have an agent that you’re working with then I’ll be happy to throw my hat in the ring at this time, you can read more about me and the service I provide here… About Jason Thoele
The good thing about having an agent is that they can assist you with the information that is true and accurate on the MLS for the properties you’re interested in. Additionally, if your agent is seasoned and has been in the real estate business for a while like I have then they’ll likely know most agents in the area and will be able to get you some insight that you may not have been able to obtain on your own. After selecting the properties you want to see then your Agent can schedule the appointments for you and show you the homes. Many Buyers believe they can locate and purchase a home on their own and many have but why would a Buyer not want licensed representation to protect their interests in one of the most expensive transactions of their life especially when the service is provided to Buyers for free? That’s one question I can write 1,000 blog post about but would never come up with an answer! So, for all the independent Buyers out there be careful! Just because the data is available for you to see, it doesn’t make you an experienced Buyer or instant-agent capable of navigating the purchase process and transaction.
Sellers choosing to list their home in the Bakersfield MLS will likely see better results than opting to list the home for sale themselves. After all, think about all the buyers you’re reaching when you put your home on the market. For more information on listing your home through a Bakersfield Realtor versus listing it yourself, check out our article, Bakersfield Realtor versus For Sale By Owner (FSBO). Providing that other agents do the same thing I do with adding their clients into the mls auto-prospecting program, Sellers should immediately receive the exposure needed to sell your home fast and for top dollar.
When it comes to Sellers looking to get the value on their home I also refer to the Bakersfield MLS as one of my trusted resources. I can quickly compare my clients home square footage, condition, room count, etc to other homes that have listed in the area. This information will then allow me to adjust any variances like pools, square footage, owned solar, etc to get an accurate value to ensure my clients list their home for a competitive price without leaving money on the table. Pricing a clients home properly is probably the single most important thing you can do for your client, list it to low and you’ve lost money for your client and listing the home for too much ends up costing your clients money in the long run as well. The Bakersfield MLS along with another value resource is what I use to make sure my clients homes are properly priced and my history proves my accuracy as I am typically within 2% value to sales price!
One of the biggest mistakes a Seller can make is improper pricing, price to low and you’re leaving money on the table and too high and your home won’t sell. There is a very thin line to walk when pricing a home for sale and the pendulum swing can cost a Seller thousands in the long-run. Using the Bakersfield MLS to locate comparable properties that have sold which are similar in condition, size and location will help target the sales price. Now, just because you have sold comparable properties that have sold in your immediate area doesn’t mean you can determine a correct value and NEVER consult the major real estate website for their opinion of value. To gain a properties true value your agent must make necessary adjustments in the other properties variances. Once that’s completed and you have a “Most Likely Sales Price” then you’re ready to take the info to the next step and establish a list price. In the end, you can never determine a list price without knowing the properties value.
If you’ve stumbled across this article browsing for information on selling your home then let me be the one to HIGHLY encourage you to seek the assistance of a licensed professional. Whether it be me or another agent just don’t do it yourself. Listing a home is easy, Selling a home and doing it properly to protect your interests is difficult and needs special attention and experience. If you’re considering Selling your Home in any of the areas we service such as Bakersfield, Simi Valley, Moorpark, Thousand Oaks, Westlake Village or Newbury Park then please give me a call. I have a proven track record of selling homes and would appreciate the opportunity to assist you in achieving your real estate goals. You can read more about me and the service I provide here… About Jason Thoele
So what did we do before the internet? Before computers… The history of the MLS regardless of location was pretty much the same. Before online databases, smartphones and laptop computers, agents would literally carry binders with papers contained of all the properties for sale! It’s crazy to think that an agent would carry around a binder of all the listings in a particular area and have to update the info daily. When a new property went on the market the real estate office would usually get a fax and then that information would be copied for the agents to put in their binders. Thank God for technology because nowadays, most agents who are tech savvy have the ability to pull up a listing in real-time on their smart phones or tablets. Gone are the days of trapper-keepers!
Click Here & Search the MLS
Are you ready to buy a new home? Let’s get you setup on the MLS and auto-prospecting system! As I mentioned earlier, the Bakersfield MLS really offers some great functionality. One of those items I’d like to talk a bit more about is the auto-prospecting system. This is a function within the MLS I use all the time, used properly it really helps a Buyer find the right home quickly and much more efficiently than them trying to locate homes themselves. This feature will take information such as bedrooms, bathrooms, square footage and many other buyer criteria items and allow the agent to setup a special search function. The best part about the Bakersfield MLS and many others is that once you have all the information keyed in based on your Buyers buying criteria then they will get emails automatically as soon as a property that matches that criteria either comes on the market or there is a price reduction. What I’ve found is that my clients love this feature because regardless of the time of day, when a new listing hits the market they’ll be one of the first to know! In real estate markets such as a Sellers Market, it’s imperative to send new listings a Buyer’s interested in asap. The quick turnaround my office and I offer allows our Buyers to look at homes quicker, make offers quicker and get those offers accepted with a smaller chance of additional Buyers as competition.
Now that you know more about the Bakersfield MLS it’s important to understand what the next steps are as a Buyer or Seller. If you’re considering purchasing a home then make sure to reach out to a trusted Realtor or myself to discuss your needs further. We’ll analyze your current buying needs and wants to ensure you get a home that meets exactly what you want and one that matches your lifestyle. With so many homes to choose from on the MLS you’ll want to make sure you choose an agent to represent you that offers the experience, knowledge and ethical standards you expect. When thinking about Selling a home you want to make sure you select an agent that knows the local market well and has the experience to represent you properly. Selling a home done properly is a smooth process but even the smoothest transactions can put a Seller in harms way with the liability that comes with it. Sellers will want to make sure they choose a Realtor that has a proven track record to ensure the selling transaction is completed properly. Loose ends in a sales transaction can leave a seller in a precarious situation for up to three years after the sale such as in California.
Having sold over 1,000 homes since being licensed in 2006 you can be assured you’ll receive top-notch service from my team and I. Whether you’re buying or selling a home you can count on me and my team to treat you right, protect your interests and offer you the guidance and assistance you need along the way to assist you in achieving your real estate goals. When yo’re ready to buy or sell your next home, contact me or someone on my team and we’ll be glad to assist you!
For more information on the Bakersfield MLS or if you’re interested in searching homes for sale online please contact us or leave a comment below. We’d appreciate the opportunity to assist you!
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