| Searching for real estate in the upper Cape Cod and just off-cape area presents some unique and little-known challenges due to the overlap between the two Multiple Listing Services (MLS) covering this area.*
Because of this overlap, some properties are listed in one MLS,
some in the other MLS, and some are listed in both - depending
on the listing broker and which MLS(es) they belong to. (Note:
At CENTURY 21 Bourne Landing Realtors we always list our
properties in both MLS.)
How It Affects Your Search
Duplicates
Why do you see two of each listing when you search on our
website? No, we don't pad the results to make it look like
more listings!
Websites that do MLS searches in this area have to choose
between two imperfect solutions:
To ensure you don't miss any listings, we have to search both MLS*.
But searching both MLS means you will see duplicates in your search
results for any properties that are listed in both (an example).
This applies to our website searches as well searches done through the MLS Property Finder service. Currently there's no practical solution, though we are looking into it.
This problem is most noticable when searching the towns of
Bourne, Wareham, Falmouth, and Sandwich, where overlap is the greatest.
The Better Solution
Most brokerages that belong to both MLS have chosen to solve
the problem by restricting their searches to just one MLS.
But at CENTURY 21 Bourne Landing Realtors we think
searching for a home is too important to let you miss out
on any listings just for prettier results, and we think you'll agree.
That's why we've chosen to search both MLS and live with
the duplicates. Luckily, they're easy to spot because
the photos are usually the same.
Different MLS, Different Villages
Why do some villages on the search page have * or ** after them?
To alert you that searching these villages might not find all the listings.
In the list of towns on our
search page and in the Quick MLS Search boxes
on some pages, some villages have a * or ** after their name.
These villages are recognized by only one of our two MLS services,
and present a special challenge to MLS searches. Although
searching these villages is easy, knowing how to find
all the property for sale requires a bit more experience.
To ensure you don't miss out on any listings, we urge you to
call our office and let an agent assist you in searching these areas.
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