Field Guide to Real Estate Transaction Standards (RETS)
(Updated September 2011)
RETS: Short for Real Estate Transaction Standard, RETS provides a common language so that computers can more easily transfer real estate information, such as MLS data, to other computer programs or Web sites. The NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® and other industry groups launched RETS in 1999. (S. Hogan, Information and Web Content Specialist)
Source: 4 Computer Terms You Should Know, (REALTOR® Magazine, Mar. 2007).
CRT RETS Applications:
ezRETS - allows ODBC-aware applications (Microsoft Office Excel, Word) to easily download data from RETS-compliant server.
VieleRETS - download and store listing information from MLS in a variety of formats.
libRETS - client library written in C++, allowing rapid development of RETS client applications.
What is RETS?
CRT RETS Info & Intro, (NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® - Center for REALTOR® Technology).
The RETS stuff, (REALTOR® Magazine, Feb. 2004).
Why RETS?
Getting your listings out there, (Center for REALTOR® Technology Weblog, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®, May 5, 2008).
June 2009: The Uber Era of Real Estate Data, (Center for REALTOR® Technology Weblog, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®, Feb. 1, 2008).
e-Transaction management, (REALTOR® Magazine, Apr. 2004).
RETS milestones
Announcing Data Wrap, a RETS to Atom Proxy, (Center for REALTOR® Technology Weblog, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®, Aug. 19, 2010).
Announcing Variman 3.1 - Are you RETS Ready?, (Center for REALTOR® Technology Weblog, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®, Aug. 18, 2009).
RETS for Drupal!, (Center for REALTOR® Technology Weblog, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®, June 30, 2009).
RETS: It will ConnectEvery One of Us, (Center for REALTOR® Technology Weblog, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®, Sept. 5, 2007).
RETS renewed, (Center for REALTOR® Technology Weblog, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®, Jan. 11, 2007).
Websites
RETS website - Provides information to developers and association users of RETS-compliant products: on-line forum and meeting announcements, standards documents, links to Word and PDF versions of standards documents. Software developers will find additional resources, including running demonstrations, in the Resources section.
RETS wiki - Cooperative resource for the RETS community to share knowledge, projects and concepts related to the progression of the RETS Standard.
Center for REALTOR® Technology, (NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®) - The Center for REALTOR® Technology (CRT) serves REALTORS® and REALTOR® associations as an industry advocate, implementation consultant and technology information resource.
eBooks & Other Resources
Books, Videos, Research Reports & More
The resources below are available for loan through Information Central. Up to three books, tapes, CDs and/or DVDs can be borrowed for 30 days from the Library for a nominal fee of $10. Call Information Central at 800.874.6500 for assistance.
2010 Data Security Survey Report, (NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®, Center for REALTOR® Technology, 2010).
Realtor Technology Report 2010, (NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®, Center for REALTOR® Technology, 2010).
2009 MLS Technology Report, (NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®, Center for REALTOR® Technology, 2009).
Realtor Technology Report 2009, (NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®, Center for REALTOR® Technology, 2009).
RELAY Transaction Management, REALTOR® Benefits program
Field Guides & More
These Field Guides and other resources in the Virtual Library may also be of interest:
Field Guide to Electronic Signatures
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