Frequently Asked Questions

We have tried to answer as many questions about AMLA Membership as we could think of. I am sure there are some we have missed. If you cannot find the answer you are looking for then drop me, Neil Ebsworth, an e-mail at neil@amlaspain.com .

Questions Asked

Q. How much does membership Cost

A. 400 Euros a year.

Q. What do I get for my money?

A. As a member you get;
Page 1 exposure for your properties on the major search engines for the big and small keyword searches.
1. Access to the MLS database where you can list unlimited properties.
Access to the database also allows you the listing agent details of the entire database along with the commission they are offering if you find a buyer.
2. 10 One-way text links to your own website to help increase its search engine ranking.
3. Preferential listings in our Spanish Business Directory and Spanish Estate Agent Directory. Both directories are highly ranked on Google and provide additional traffic to your own website. (Most pages of the directories are also Page-ranked by Google, further boosting your own websites search engine results).
4. The benefit of additional marketing by AMLA.. Our role is to promote our membership. We recently acted as key sponsor to the ‘Smart Guide to Living in the Costa Blanca’ A 280,000 CD-ROM distribution with BCCIS, (British Chamber of Commerce in Spain, ‘A Place in the Sun’ Magazine (the CH4 television programme in the UK) and the Costa Blanca News who distributed 50,000 copies in its weekly paper on 28th April.
We hope to expand our marketing as we expand across Spain.

Q. What is my commitment as an AMLA member?

A. Membership of AMLA is a statement by you of a commitment to the highest professional standards. We have a Code of Practice and in the future intend to introduce training and development programmes for members.
To get the most out of the Multiple Listing Service requires members to use the service, network with local members, creating new associations that are mutually beneficial to all.
Marketing your property to the buyer clients of the entire membership means that you are much more likely to sell the property and in a shorter period of time. This  is not a prediction but proven fact. In mature real estate markets that use MLS including the US, the MLS is proven to increase sales/completion ratios and reduce property turnover rates.

Q. Am I committed to working with other AMLA members?

A. No. It is up to you who you wish to work with. If you don’t want to ‘share a property’ with other members then you can offer 0% buyers agent commission! 

Q: Whats the difference between the  AMLA MLS and an advertising Portal like Kyero.com or ThinkSpain?

A. There is a significant difference between the two
.
An advertising portal is just that, advertising. If you want to advertise you property on the internet then you want your properties to be seen by the largest number of people. As 85% of people searching on the internet fail to search past Page 1 of the results page then you need to advertise with a company with exposure on Page 1 for the biggest keyword terms.
These are terms such as ‘Spanish Property’, ‘Costa Blanca Property’, ‘Costa del Sol Property’.
Don’t get confused. The search term ‘Spanish properties’ is less than half as competitive as ‘Spanish Property’. Search terms are specific and each has distinctive statistics.

AMLA is a Multiple Listing Service. Multiple Listing is a form of Agency that allows professional agents to share a common database of properties.

As a new company with a different product we decided to also provide Internet exposure on Page 1 of the search engines. This should be seen as an additional benefit to AMLA membership and not the primary goal.

AMLA’s primary goal is to provide a single database of property for sale in Spain accessible by all professional agents. This single market place is proven to be the most efficient way to conduct real estate transactions.

Q. Why are your fees so much cheaper than the advertising sites?

A. We see ourselves as an industry tool rather than just internet exposure. Our aim is to create a single market place for all buyers and sellers. We set our fees using economies of scale. As news of the effectiveness of MLS spreads then we expect membership numbers to more than cover our costs allowing us to market the membership across the globe in all media forms as well as investing in training and development for members.

Q How do I list my Properties on the AMLA MLS.

A. Every member has their own online account where they can input the property details and upload photos. You may list an unlimited number of properties. The only restriction being that you must be the listing agent for the property.

Q. Most properties are listed by a number of agents. Do you allow duplicate listings.

A. No. The listings on the AMLA MLS are allowed under the AMLA ‘Exclusive Right to List? Agency agreement. (see Link). The computer software is also designed to spot duplication and the database is also monitored manually.

Q. Does this mean the only properties I can list are my own exclusive listings?

A. No. The AMLA agency agreement applies only to the listing of a property on the AMLA MLS. Property owners are free to list with as many agents as they like. Only one AMLA member may list any given property under the agency agreement.

 
Q What about XML feeds?

A. A XML feed is a means of transferring data across the internet. Where this information is database information, the fields of the database exporting information must match the fields importing the same information. As most databases are configured differently, this means that feeds have to be manually configured for each database.

For example, A XML feed from Kyero does not match the import requirements for the AMLA database. As a Multiple Listing Service we require more information than Kyero and so the information in your Kyero feed would be insufficient.

Q. So, Can I use my Kyero feed?

A. This is a question we have been asked a lot. Although the feed from Kyero does not contain all the information required, we are configuring a system where you can initially
import your properties from your Kyero feed.

You will then have to manually add the extra data to ‘activate’ the property on the MLS.

Q. Where will I add property details from then on?

A. You will have a choice. We are also working with Kyero so that you will be able to export from the AMLA database in the format required by Kyero. This means that if you choose to input the property details into your AMLA account you will have no extra work involved in exporting to Kyero.
You can still use your Kyero feed but this means you will need to log in every time to ‘activate your properties.

Q. I don’t use Kyero. Can I export a XML feed from my own database?

A. Yes. We will shortly be publishing full details of how to configure a feed from your own database.

Q. Are there any other ‘New Developments’ in the pipeline.

A. Yes. The AMLA site is about to launch an upgraded look to its website with new interactive search facilities, new expanded property fields and lots of new features for buyers and sellers alike.
We see the development of the site as an ongoing progress and look forward to as much input as possible from the membership to help improve the site and the service we offer members.

As I said at the beginning if you cannot find the answer to your question then just e-mail me at neil@amlaspain.com