Beginning of the End for Realtors? -- ChoiceA.com to Challenge the Multiple Listing Service (MLS) with Free Listings.

ChoiceA intends to create a 2nd national database designed for the by-owner community that will compete directly with the MLS and provide people a choice in whether to use an agent or to list for free

PORTLAND, Ore. -- http://ChoiceA.com thinks that the Internet has yet to change real estate to the extent that it should. Today, the company announced that they have launched their service nationally after a rollout in the northwest. The traditional practice of marketing real estate is an archaic system that has been slow to change. ChoiceA will use current technologies to offer free listings and establish the site as a first-thought alternative to using the MLS. Historically, using an agent has cost 6-7 percent of the purchase price - a big dollar figure that ChoiceA feels is dated and unnecessary. ChoiceA has built a state-of-the-art site that is clean and easy-to-use. Clutter has been minimized and focus has been placed on usable technologies that make the interface friendly. The site offers drag and drop features, as well as sortable columns and free state-specific downloadable real estate forms.

The current system is not only esoteric in structure but also seemingly out-of-touch in the amount that is charged for connecting buyer and seller, says co-founder Jeffrey Summerson. ChoiceA founders believe that a national alternative to the MLS is overdue, and that the timing is right to challenge the incumbent practice. It is hard to imagine the MLS being forever unchallenged and ChoiceA intends to be a viable alternative in the space. The company does not aggregate or participate in the traditional model as they are not agents; contrarily they believe that there is a growing trend in Do It Yourself real estate. ChoiceA does not intend to be just a free FSBO site, but rather to create a 2nd national database for real estate listings that will empower the DIY. Additionally, the company says they are considering an API that will further allow for an 'open' alternative database. The historic structure has led the industry down a path where it has become acceptable to charge a 6% commission just because it's a high-dollar transaction - something that is hard to stomach in the Internet age where information is increasingly free.

Despite being a 2.0 offering that provides something at no cost, ChoiceA plans to build a business atop the free alternative. There will be embedded advertising on the site that fits with the clean design, as well as industry referral services and marketing materials. There is currently $60 billion spent annually on real estate commissions and another $12-$15 billion on real estate related advertising. The company plans to partner with title companies, home inspectors and other industry segments going forward. Visit http://www.choicea.com.