Project Upstream: A New Resource for Real Estate Listings Nationwide

 

​Project Upstream, a private database of real estate-related information designed to give real estate practitioners control of their data, was created by a coalition of brokerages, networks, and national franchises.  This new comprehensive data technology platform was designed with two primary objectives in mind:

  1. Create an intermediary data entry and collection platform between real estate firms and the recipients of real estate-related data.

  2. Re-order the flow of information with a rules-based engine that supports the individual requirements of each participating broker.

This project is backed by NAR with an initial 12 million dollar investment over the next 3 years and RPR will be providing the behind the scenes work and programming.

Project Upstream, along with the National Broker Public Portal, intends to provide a nationwide display of data that puts brokers at the controls. Among others, participants, founders, and supporters include Berkshire Hathaway Home Services (HSF Affiliates LLC), Re/Max Holdings Inc., Sotheby’s International, and The Realty Alliance. 

According to Mark Trenka, REcolorado Director and Chair: 

"Imagine having a single point of entry for all the data for your real estate listing.  From this single point, you could populate the MLS, showing service, order a virtual tour.  If the broker is a member of multiple MLS’s, the single point of entry will load the data and pictures, so that time consuming repetition is eliminated. This may sound a lot like the new syndication portal in REcolorado; one might think of it as a syndication portal for all the entry points a broker needs to market and publicize a listing.  For the member, this offering should bring more efficiency to our businesses.  The less time we spend on multiple points of data entry allows us to spend more time providing top-notch service to our clients.The major challenge in rolling this initiative out will be the overlay of new levels of standardization while maintaining the key data points of localization and uniqueness to properties.   As many have discovered in the past, every home is unique, a system that attempts to turn it into a commodity will be limited."

What is the Partnership Model for the Project Between NAR and RPR?

  • NAR is responding to a need in the industry; this initiative aims to create a permanent high-value benefit for REALTORS® at the request of, and in collaboration with, the brokerage community.

  • By committing the leadership and resources of Upstream and NAR to the success of Upstream and RPR AMP™, the partnership model would accelerate Upstream development by leveraging RPR’s investment in data and technology, AMP development, and five-year track record delivering a fully scaled and sophisticated national solution.

  • A Letter of Intent was executed this week at the NAR Legislative Meetings for the joint AMP/Upstream project, pending the NAR Board of Directors approval.

How Would REALTORS® Benefit?

  • The data entry and collection platform would comply with RESO standards, ensuring the quality of data across the industry.

  • A single entry point for data simplifies the process.

  • Brokers could more easily control where and how listing information is displayed.

How Would the Industry Benefit?

  • It could help MLS's provide options to brokers.

  • It is both parcel- and policy-centric.

  • It would offer an inherent awareness of roles and access framework.

  • MLS's would be able to use one or multiple front-end applications of its choosing.

Interested in learning more about Upstream? Check out these articles: 

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