Technology Timeline
March — NAR’s Presidential Advisory Group on MLS Technology Applications chaired by Jerry Matthews
RealSelect demonstrated to Walt Baczkowski and Saul Klein. RealSelect product introduced at orientations of the San Diego Association of REALTORS each month for remainder of the year.
April 26 — NAR Presdient Bill Chee delivers “Lion over the Hill” speech to NAR Board of Directors
September — AOL added USENET access to its features
October 4 – MLS Vendor White Paper
November — EDS (Electronic Data Systems) submits business plan to NAR
1994
October — The Gallup Organization submits their NAR commissioned Member Services Report
1995
January – NAR Mid-Year Meetings in Orlando. Introduced to new RIN Employee Team: Ed Evans, Kathy Hartke, Jim Tebay, John Schladweiler. Also Cathy, Linda, and Lisa of NAR staff transferred to RIN. Saul Klein hired by RIN as “Realtor Consutant” to create practical applications for the technology to be created and introduced by the Members.
March 3, 4 – MLS Charter Member Meeting – Drake Hotel, Chicago. Most participating MLSs gathered for an update and to participate in Focus Groups. DxM (Data Exchange Method) also a topic of discussion
March 31 – Jim Tebay leaves RIN. Ed Evans names Saul Klein as interim Vice President of Marketing. The search begins to fill the position of VP Marketing. Bob Goldberg hired.
April 4 – Richard Janssen letter and proposal for a real estate website sent to Walt Baczkowski
June 3 – National Advertising and “Barriers” marketing piece created and distributed by Saul Klein
August 9 – Netscape goes Public
September 3,4 – RIN online community planning meeting at SDAR in San Diego. “Discuss” functionality of RIN Network Desktop renamed RealTalk. Categories of conversation determined. In Attendance: Saul Klein, John Reilly, Jack Harper, Mike Barnett, Julie Garton Good, Richard Janssen, Ron Rothenberg, Becky Swann.
September 5, 1995: First MLS Contract Signed – Austin
November 3 – Incorporated Real Estate Electronic Publishing Company dba RealTown (1997 version) and Internet Crusade – Saul Klein, John Reilly, Jack Harper
November 10-13 – Launch of RIN and REALTOR.com at NAR Conference in Atlanta.
November 24 – Bill Gates publishes The Road Ahead (description of the way homes will be bought and sold online, Page 173.
December 24 — RIN Training and Publishing Plan Created by Saul Klein and John Reilly and submitted to the RIN Executive Team for approval. Plan approved
1996
Ferbruary – NAR Mid Winter Meetings in Honolulu – Hilton Hawaiian Village. Meetings about financials with NAR Leadership. Ed Evans, Bob Goldberg, Ben Blair, Bill Chee, Roy Rainey. Also there and involved in the conversations: Perry Morton and Saul Klein
March 29 – Inman.com domain created.
August 26 – Special Meeting of the NAR Board of Directors where it was decided that RIN would be collapsed, Realtor.com spun off to eventually go public as Homestore.
September 27-29 – First Inman Tech conference which evolves into Connect.
November — NAR Directors approve agreement between RIN and Real Select Inc to take over the operation of Realtor.com
1997
May — NAR launches their Intranet, OneRealtorPlace.com
1998
July 13, 1998 – Microsoft launches HomeAdivsor.com. Project headed by Ian Morris, who went on to head Market Leader
1999
August – Homestore goes public, raises $140 million. NAR recoups original RIN investment and much more
2000
April – NAR launches the e-PRO Technology Certification Program
May – Internet Data Exchange (IDX) MLS Policy 7.58 first adopted
2001
July – RealTown, dba Internet Crusade, takes over NAR’s e-PRO Technology Certification Program and operates it till 2000
August — NAR launches the Center For REALTORS Technology with Mark Lesswing Chief Technology Officer
October — NAR launches Realtor.org, the replacement site for OneRealtorPlace.com and realtorae.com
2004
January 1 – NAR adopts Virtual Office Website (VOW) policy
2005
September – Department of Justice (DOJ) files anti-trust lawsuit against NAR
September – Trulia launches beta service
2006
February – Zillow launches beta service
2008
May 27, 2008 – NAR/DOJ Settlement and adoption of new VOW rules