As was communicated on September 23, Teranet and MPAC’s position on entering and displaying exact square footage was that “…posting exact (actual) square footage – from any source – has been and will continue to be expressly prohibited.”
Following discussions with both Teranet and MPAC, RAHB is pleased to notify members that Teranet and MPAC have reversed their position and are now advising that entering and displaying actual square footage values obtained through sources other than “Public Records” does not contravene MPAC terms of service “as long as the GeoWarehouse® terms and conditions are being followed and MPAC data is protected from unauthorized use.”
While this change is reassuring, it is important to note that the following remains in effect:
- The square footage field is mandatory and exact values are required on the RAHB MLS®; however, the option to select “Public Records” as a source of square footage data is no longer offered. Current square footage source options are:
- Builder Floorplan(s)
- 3rd Party Measuring Service
- LBO provided
- Other (see Remarks)
- MPAC data may be purchased, used as a tool for validation, and/or shared with a client outside of the MLS® system, but RAHB and its members are prohibited from entering MPAC data into the MLS® system. MPAC-sourced data includes:
- MPAC Propertyline™ reports
- Data obtained through Aboutmyproperty
- Data available from an owner’s Property Assessment Notice
RAHB continues to work in close collaboration with ITSO and OREA, as well as MPAC and Teranet, to research the matter for additional avenues and resolutions. RAHB will inform and update members on this issue as developments occur.
If you have any questions, please contact the MLS® Help Desk at support@rahb.ca.
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Below is a communication from Teranet that RAHB was asked to share with members:
To our valued customer,
For two decades GeoWarehouse has been providing authoritative data and insights to the real estate community. Our goal has been, and continues to be, to offer the most comprehensive property data that enables our customers to excel in their profession. Part of that strategy is to partner with other data providers that provide value in the real estate transaction so everything our customers need is in one central location. From time to time, the strategies of our partners may change and as such, the data we provide may be affected. We aim to always advocate for what is best for our users, but ultimately some decisions will be made by our partners that affect access to certain data and your user experience.
On September 18, 2020 MPAC implemented changes to the MPAC propertyline™ reports available for purchase through the GeoWarehouse e-Store. To accommodate these changes, the workflow to purchase reports has changed and the links in the Site & Structure section of the Property Report have been temporarily inactivated. The data included in your subscription for GeoWarehouse has not been altered. You will continue to receive all the data you’re provided today within the Property Reports. This change initiated by MPAC only affects the transactional reports:
- The Residential Detailed Level
- 2 Report and the Residential Floor Area Report
While we work with our partners to discuss alternate strategies, we wanted to provide some helpful tips and training to navigate this change. Please review the detailed user guide (https://marketing.geowarehouse.ca/acton/ct/1288/e-057c-2009/Bct/l-tst/l-tst:1/ct3_0/1?sid=TV2%3APjoyw4AZK) on how to purchase MPAC reports through the GeoWarehouse e-store.
Should you have any questions regarding the revised MPAC propertyline™ terms and conditions of use, or changes to the MPAC propertyline™ reports, please contact MPAC directly at 1-877-671-6722 x1.
We thank you for your continued support and partnership.
Chris Butler
Senior Account Manager
Teranet Inc.