The Westchester Putnam Multiple Listing Service has voted to change its name this morning to the Empire Access Multiple Listing Service. The name change from WPMLS to the EAMLS will be formalized later this year. For years the WPMLS served areas outside Westchester and Putnam Counties, as it has been the dominant MLS in the Bronx and an ever growing number of participants in Dutchess County (that only makes sense, since so many buyers in Dutchess come from Westchester and Putnam). There is also significant inventory in neighboring Fairfield County, CT and Rockland and Orange Counties west of the Hudson.
It was no easy task coming up with a name that would fit. We have a very large and diverse footprint, and we also wanted a name that would be forward thinking. I think we did it.
Personally, my next goal is to have the EAMLS get a great public portal that will ensure that buyers can search an MLS sponsored, unbranded database of the entire MLS like MLSLI.com out on Long Island. That might be a long time coming, but I am all for a transparent, consumer-friendly interface. We’ll see what’s next.