MLS listings for Carrollton, GA and Metro Atlanta housing and real estate
There are two MLS systems for Carrollton and the Atlanta Metro area -- the Georgia Multiple Listing Service (GAMLS) and the First Multiple Listing Service (FMLS). Both MLS systems cover the entire Metro Atlanta area. The decision for brokers to use one over the other comes down to preference. The GAMLS has roughly 36,364 members and more than 100,000 active listings at any given time. The FMLS has more than 36,000 members and more than 68,000 active listings at any given time. In some cases, local real estate agents and brokers will belong to both MLS systems. This is often to ensure maximum exposure; the majority of agents will have access to any given property that another agent is selling if they utilize both Atlanta MLS services.
So what is the Atlanta MLS and how does it work?
In simple terms, the Atlanta Multiple Listing Services (FMLS and GAMLS) are databases of homes for sale in the Carrollton area. While the MLS® trademark is owned by the Canada Real Estate Association (CREA) -- as is the REALTOR® trademark -- MLS systems across the country are typically set up as separate corporations. The MLS in any given area is affiliated with its local association of realtors. Now, here's where it gets tricky. Any city or region may have several associations. Atlanta, for example, has two. Some of these associations will integrate their MLS systems, while other will remain separate, which means neighboring areas may be listed on different systems that will not necessarily overlap. In Atlanta, it's important to utilize both the Georgia Multiple Listing Service and the First Multiple Listing Service when buying or selling a home.
The MLS also serves as a compensation offer between brokers. If one Atlanta broker represents a buyer who purchases a property that is listed by another Atlanta MLS broker, they will typically share the commission, and this information is listed in the MLS.
The overabundance of MLS systems available can also create confusion and frustration for many Atlanta agents and brokers. Real estate agents who are not members of a certain MLS service have difficulty gaining access to properties that are exclusively listed with that service. The Atlanta MLS systems help to protect the listings for a given neighborhood or larger community by controlling who has access to them. This ensures that local agents have an advantage over real estate agents from other areas. While this can be beneficial for the local agents, some also consider it to be a tactic by the MLS systems to earn more fees and recruit more members.
The cons to operating individual MLS systems (as opposed to one large MLS) mainly affect non-members. The individual Atlanta MLS systems are excellent tools for participating members, buyers, and sellers. The Atlanta MLS offers maximum exposure to houses for sale in Atlanta neighborhoods and it allows agents and brokers to quickly and easily find properties that are listed. Atlanta real estate agents and brokers can also examine commission rates and browse through an extensive amount of data about any given property for sale.
It is important to keep in mind that while Atlanta MLS membership is over 36,000 for both the GAMLS (www.georgiamls.com) and the FMLS (www.fmls.com), not all brokers participate. This means that while the Atlanta MLS services do list a significant number of properties for sale, they does not list all properties for sale in Carrollton and Metro Atlanta.