What is MLS?

The Massachusetts Multiple Listing Service (MLS) is a property listing network used by a real estate agent when they list a home to sell for a Seller. This listing information is then available to all subscribers of the service which includes over 22,000 Massachusetts agents. This MLS network is the largest database of property data in New England totaling more than 30,000 agents, and is in the top 10 of it's kind in the nation.

The type of information that is included in the MLS are home style, rooms, lot size, days it has been offered on the market, instructions for showing\touring the home, and a variety of other information. It also lists the compensation offered (usually as a percentage of the sold price) to a Buyer's Agent, or Facilitator, for finding the Seller a Buyer that leads to a closed sale.

Additionally, Buyers who are looking online for potential homes to purchase (with or without an agent representing them) can access the MLS from a variety of ways. Among others, these include Boston.com, Google, and the largest home listing database in the world - Realtor.com. Entering a home for sale listing in the MLS network is a powerful resource, offering the widest exposure available in the marketplace today.