When it comes to looking for real estate, there are so many choices open to you. You can look through real estate blogs or go to real estate agents in your area. However, if you are finding it hard to find homes for sale, you may want to make sure that you have access to mls! Now, what is mls? Well, it is only the biggest tool for real estate searches in your area. MLS or Multiple Listing Service or Multiple Listing System is a compilation of housing listings that are available to real estate brokers in your area. Essentially, it is a database that real estate brokers are able to use and share information to each other. How it works is that a person who has a house for sale can use a real estate agent or realtor to advertise their home on MLs listings. From there, real estate agents who are representing people who are looking to buy a home for sale are able to search through the mls listings for real estate for sale in the area. The best part of the Multiple Listing Service is that it allows your real estate agent to search through homes for sale that are represented by real estate agents from most real estate companies. If you are using a realtor or a real estate agent to help you look for a home to buy, you have to make sure that they have access to mls listings. A real estate agent without access to a mls listing is essentially the same as looking for real estate by yourself. Do not limit yourself by going to a realtor who is unable to do a mls search. While having access to MLS listings is a good way to make sure that you are able to pick from the best homes for sale, it is also a good way to test potential realtor’s credentials. After all, only real estate brokers that are members of the MLS system and of either the National Association of Realtors (NAR) or the Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA) are able to use this precious real estate search tool. Remember that mls listings tend to be based around areas. Therefore, if you are planning to move to another state or another city, make sure that you are using a real estate agent that has access to that area’s mls listings. Also, not all MLS systems are created equal – some are operated by a real estate company while others are operated by a trade association. Ask a lot of questions to your realtor about mls. It may seem like a pain at first, but this badgering can mean the difference between a great real estate deal and a poor one. While having access to MLS listings is a great thing for your real estate search, you don’t have to rely on it anymore. That is because with the rise of the Internet in the real estate market, you are now able to peruse real estate listings that show FSBO (for sale by owner) homes or homes for sale by owner. Also, mls online is becoming more common.