New Omni Multiple Listing Service Set to Launch in Costa Rica
Would you like to buy a home or property in Costa Rica? If so, you’ll need a real estate agent who has access to up-to-date information and the most complete catalog of listings available. The RE/MAX Ocean Surf and Sun agency in Tamarindo can show you the widest range of options and the most recent listings. With their own Remax MLS system created by one of the Remax Ocean Surf and Sun owner, and for a specific area that this office covers, their Remax agents can send very accurate options to their clients with specific criteria and within a range of price for people working with a budget.
A new system was being launched in December 2022 by CRGAR, the Omni MLS (Multiple Listing Service). In addition to their own MLS, the agents of RE/MAX Ocean Surf and Sun can now search this nationwide MLS database. CRGAR, the Costa Rica Global Association of Realtors, announced that this effective search platform will available in 2022 for the agents and the public. It will contain the listings of the nearly 100 CRGAR members but won't include non-exclusive listings, listings of agents that are not members of CRGAR and neither open listings (sales by the owners). It will be a great tool for clients wanting to browse for options but only a Remax Ocean Surf and Sun agent will be able to give you a full list of options, accurate and updated with their own MLS that include all of the listings.
What is CRGAR?
The CRGAR realtor association was founded in 2004 to provide oversight and training to the real estate industry in Costa Rica. Its mission is to support local laws (including the payment of taxes on real estate transactions) and to back any efforts to create real estate licensing requirements. In addition, CRGAR is committed to the cooperation of realty associations. The Omni MLS is the latest result of those efforts, and it will be a valuable instrument for CRGAR member agents.
What is the Omni MLS system?
Omni is a multi-functional database used by 800,000 realtors in all countries in the Americas. Its technology has the speed and functionality to empower the agents that use it, and it is fully customizable to fit the needs of each real estate agency. CoreLogic, a leading global property data and analytics-driven solutions provider, explains that Omni MLS “provides service in both Spanish and English and is integrated with a variety of third-party applications, including solutions for association management, document management and e-signing, CRM, referral networks, social media marketing, floor plans, lock boxes, commercial real estate and more.” The multi-lingual capability is a necessity in Costa Rica. With all those features, it is not surprising that Omni MLS is the largest multiple listing service in Latin America. Its current database contains more than 60,000 properties, and it serves over 4,000 agents in Mexico. Omni MLS CEO Ross Buck adds that the “innovative functionality, powerful localization capabilities, and multi-lingual support make it the ideal solution to modernize the multiple listing landscape.” No doubt it will bring the same benefits to the Costa Rica real estate industry.
Features of the Omni MLS system (as announced by CRGAR)
- Fast Performance – Built for performance from the ground up, the optimized system architecture allows agents to search, email, and navigate the system swiftly.
- Integrated Mapping Options – The ability to seamlessly combine search criteria, map, and listing results that allow users to zoom and pan while results update in real-time while automatically grouping map pins into clusters when there are too many to display.
- Statistics – This sophisticated feature empowers agents with an endless array of statistical analysis options. Agents can select search parameters and generate statistics for specific listing statuses, market areas, time frames, and more. Advanced functionality allows for the comparison of virtually any two market stats at the same time.
- Carts – The program’s cart functionality offers agents greater listing management control with their clients. Agents can drop listings into any client’s cart from virtually anywhere in the program, so their clients can easily view, email, map, or print the listings at their convenience.
- Search History – The Omni MLS system automatically saves your recent searches—complete with a date/time stamp and the number of results and displays them in a list conveniently located near the top of each page. Search History is a terrific time-saving feature that is perfect for the busy agent serving multiple clients at once.
- CMA – A vital component of any multiple listing platform, the CMA (Comparative Market Analysis) module provides agents with a sophisticated toolset for creating professional listing presentations. Agents can customize their report by uploading PDF pages, branding the front cover, adding price adjustments to comparable, plus a variety of other options for assembling a unique document tailored to the individual client. Users can save incomplete CMAs, and print or email final reports directly to the Client Portal.
What does an MLS in Costa Rica mean for you?
Higher professional and ethical standards - Only CRGAR member realtors will have access to all the MLS features, so you are assured that your RE/MAX Ocean Surf agent has met the association’s professional standards and code of ethics.
Effective property searches – Instead of checking every individual website to find properties, your agent will be able to find many more properties on this integrated MLS database. By filtering for the price, the number of bedrooms/bathrooms, a specific location, or other features that are important to you, the search will quickly reveal the best personalized options. And since the listings are current, the Omni MLS will eliminate the frustration of finding a property you love only to find out that it was already sold and is off the market.
The announcement of an MLS in Costa Rica is exciting news for the professional real estate agents who will use it, and it’s a great benefit for everyone looking to buy a property in Costa Rica.