RETS Future Direction

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RETS Future Direction
New Topic

• 2004 Survey results
• RETS Roadmap - the plan
• Versions 1.7 1.x
• RETS 2.0

2004 RETS Survey suggests the way
Kevin McQueen
Yogi Schulz
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RETS Future Direction Topic Objectives

• Learn about the survey results which directed the
  plans for the future
• Learn about specific planned initiatives
• Increase understanding of future direction for
  RETS 1.x and 2.0

There is a plan the RETS Roadmap
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Survey Facts

• First-ever RETS survey June 2004
• 1,900 people surveyed 254 participants
• Summary of participants
• 73 MLS
• 55 non-technical
• 75 familiar with RETS
• Document available
• www.rets.org/resources/retssurvey2004.pdf

Feedback illuminates need to communicate
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Survey Says Focus On

• Increasing RETS awareness, education
  communications
• Improving interoperability between servers
  clients
• Making it easier to get started
• Improving security

The priorities are clear
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RETS Roadmap

• The plan for RETS
• Developed based on survey and other feedback
• Roadmap will be introduced at December meeting
• NAR has been very supportive
• Preview of planned initiatives

There is a plan the RETS Roadmap
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Increase RETS awareness, education
communications
RETS Roadmap Planned Initiatives

• Develop marketing plan focus on
• Value proposition business case for RETS
• Communications
• Better use of www.rets.org
• Offer more education for
• MLS, Brokerages Software Developers

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Improve interoperabilitybetween servers clients
RETS Roadmap Planned Initiatives

• Enhance Compliance Program - Avantia
• Update compliance checker
• Introduce at RETS meeting Dec. 7-9 Scottsdale
• Require vendor re-certification April 2005
• Lead outreach programs to learn more
• Listen and develop ongoing improvements based on
  feedback
• Perform MLS Site Audits to verify compliance

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Make it easierto get started
RETS Roadmap Planned Initiatives

• For non-developers
• Create RETS best practices guide
• Describe options for implementation
• For software developers
• Create RETS software development guide
• Update RETS specification document where
  appropriate

Produce more useful information
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Improve Security
RETS Roadmap Planned Initiatives

• Identify security best practices communicate
  them
• Focus on education
• Encourage all RETS service providers to include
  Role-based permissions
• Better Data Management Solutions based on MLS
  requirements

Vendors customers will determine outcome
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NAR Support for RETS

• NARs support and sponsorship for RETS is
  considerable
• Sponsors three RETS meetings per year
• April / August / December
• Funds development projects and education

Essential to RETS progress
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RETS Version Update

• Versions 1.0 and 1.5 are most common supported
• .9 is not an official release
• 1.7 will be next maintenance release Dec 2004
• Mostly minor functionality improvements and spec
  clean-up based on actual experiences
• Market adoption start first half 2005

Support for RETS 1.x to continue for many years
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RETS Version 2.0

• Next generation of RETS
• As RETS has matured, additional business
  opportunities are emerging
• RETS 2.0 is the response to emerging technologies
  and their application to business opportunities
• RETS 2.0 workgroup has started with design
• Parallel track to maintenance work on RETS 1.X

RETS 2.0 will not prevent adopters of the current
release from gaining benefits now
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TopicSummary

• 2004 RETS Survey results suggest the way
• Resulted in RETS Roadmap which describes planned
  initiatives
• RETS versions 1.0 1.x are delivering value now
• RETS version 2.0 will deliver value from new
  technology into the future

Discussion Time