Is the mls on the internet why get a license?

Question

My girlfriend says all of the mls is on the internet because "her aunt is an agent and says so ". So is this the case? Because I hear different on the podcast. Please help, what is accessible for us common folk and what can only be seen by agents?

Frank Perkins · Answer

Hi Dustin,

The properties listed for sale by a Realtor on the MLS are all on the internet.  They get pulled through on the back end and show up on Zillow, Realtor.com and any other website where you see listings for sale online.  What you are seeing on these sites is the public version, it does not contain the confidential remarks that are only available to Realtors or any documents that are attached to the listing such as property disclosures and inspection reports.

I wouldn't advise getting a real estate license just so you can have access to the MLS, there are easier ways to get that access.  I also wouldn't necessarily advise you to get a real estate license in order to learn the business of being an investor.  Getting a real estate license is going to take you a lot of time and headache and teach you to how to pass a state standardized test and avoid going to jail for legal violations, thats about it.  People really learn the real estate world after they get their license and start working at their brokerage.

You don't have to have a real estate license to be a real estate investor, and most people who invest don't.

Frank Perkins · Answer

No worries Dustin.  My advice would be to befriend or partner up with someone who is a Realtor in the area you are looking.  Unless they are a personal friend of yours they are not going to want to dedicate a ton of time to doing research if you are just speculating.  You should do your own research through public sites like Zillow or Trulia or Realtor.com to try and find something you think will work for what you want to do.

After you have identified a property then you can ask your Realtor partner to dig into it a little deeper for you and see what is on the non-public version of the MLS, often times there is nothing significant there other than showing instructions and the occupants phone number.  Also be serious, don't waste their time doing research if you are not willing and able to purchase a property if the numbers work out.  Every agent has had tons of people send them on wild goose chases looking for a unicorn deal only to find out they aren't able to purchase it anyways.  When I was a new agent I fell victim to that far too many times!

Dustin Mathenia · Answer

@frank Perkins

Thank you for the response what are these easier ways to see the full content of the mls ?