How School Zone Data Gives Realtors an Edge in a Tough Market

What do garages, updated kitchens, and yard space have in common? None of them are as important to home buyers as the school district a home is located in, according to research.

While we're still a few months away from the start of a new school year, for real estate consumers, the time to list or look for a home is now. In a housing market as competitive as the current one, access to accurate school zone data may just be the edge that real estate professionals need.

To learn more about the advantages that school zone information offers, we spoke to Mike Sandoval, Professional Development Manager at Valley MLS in northern Alabama. He shared how their members are leveraging school data in their day-to-day work.

The School Zone Advantage

Valley MLS has access to comprehensive school zone information through their public records/tax data provider, MLS Tax Suite by CRS Data.

"Our licensees like it simply because they're able to get not only public school information, but access to private schools as well," says Sandoval. "It's very helpful for people that want the buyer in a certain school."

Like most markets around the country, Huntsville and surrounding northern Alabama are experiencing record low levels of inventory and, in addition, the region is "a hotbed for new jobs." Valley MLS members are increasingly serving relocating buyers and having access to school zone information has been a boon.

"People are always wanting this information and having that information as readily available as it is in the MLS Tax Suite is wonderful for our licensees. It's quick and easy to be able to sort or search the schools, and usage in that part of the product is wildly increasing," Sandoval says.

One way that Valley MLS members use school zone data is by adding it to a CMA, which they can generate right in MLS Tax Suite. "It's such a great asset to be able to add that into your CMAs or any type of listing or buyer presentation."

Watch this quick video to learn more about how CRS Data's school zone feature works:

Schooling Their Members

Valley MLS launched the MLS Tax Suite just last year, during the heart of the coronavirus pandemic. That meant they had to get their members up to speed on the new software in conditions that were far from normal.

Rather than the in-person training that CRS Data typically offers new clients, all training was online out of necessity. In cooperation with CRS Data trainers, Valley MLS offered their members webinars and a series of ongoing "Lunch and Learns" to learn how to use the new platform.

"The trainings we've had have been wonderful," says Sandoval. "The trainers and the support have been just first class and top shelf. Anytime that there's a question, they respond very quickly. The trainings are run very, very professionally." He adds that turnout has been very good, "considering this is obviously a year that people are suffering from Zoom fatigue."

In addition to online training with CRS Data, Valley MLS implements their own educational series called "MLS Tips and Tricks" where they highlight various technology tools that the MLS offers.

"This is especially important for new licensees," Sandoval says, "because it's tough; there are a lot of members out there, inventory's low and the market is just booming. So we're trying to use every possible application that we have in our MLS to help them. The MLS Tax Suite is now one of those applications that we use in our Tips and Tricks class to help them move ahead in this business because it offers them options as far as marketing and information."

Beyond School Data

School zone information is not the only feature within the MLS Tax Suite that Valley MLS members use to compete in a tough market.

"The most popular tools have been just the Simple Property Search and the Property Report," says Sandoval. "However, we are seeing an increase in the CMA, simply because it is so hard in our market with inventory so low. Agents are looking at any kind of resource to enhance their CMAs and then go out on an appointment. So it's been a wonderful asset to the agents, especially some of the newer agents."

Sandoval has also been pleased with how CRS Data responds to requests to correct data. While conducting a training class, he noticed that there was a mistake on the property he was using as an example. He sent in a request to correct the data, "and within 48 hours, it was corrected. They were very quick to respond, very efficient. There were no hiccups."

Overall, the transition to MLS Tax Suite has been advantageous to Valley MLS and their members.

"CRS Data's information is so detailed and offers a lot for the licensee in every aspect of their profession," says Sandoval. "Whether it comes to printing the labels, getting school information, getting the map and the property report, and even MLS history, it's all tied into one simple report in one simple search. It's all in one."

To learn more about MLS Tax Suite, visit CRSData.com/MLS-Tax-Suite.