The Commonwealth MLS Co-op is coming to Williamsburg!

Williamsburg, VA, Realtors are about to have access to information on thousands of additional listings in the region. The Williamsburg Multiple Listing Service (WMLS) has long provided listing data to members of the Williamsburg Area Association of Realtors and will continue to do so. However, WMLS started a project in June 2014 to broaden the scope of its data by bringing together the MLS systems in Richmond and the Gloucester area to create the Commonwealth MLS Co-op. WMLS will join with Central Virginia Regional MLS (the MLS for the Richmond Association of Realtors) and the Chesapeake Bay and Rivers Association of Realtors to share their data across all three organizations. While each jurisdiction will remain autonomous, the three groups are in the process of converting their data into a single MLS that will be accessible to all of their members. The Cooperative will eliminate the need for Realtors to belong to multiple associations. Each group will continue to act as the governing body of Realtors in their primary jurisdictions and maintain their own lockbox systems, but Realtors will have more information available to them and will be able to reach a wider audience with their listings.

The Chesapeake Bay and Rivers Association jurisdiction includes Gloucester, parts of King and Queen County and King William County, all of Mathews County and Middlesex County, as well as the city of West Point. The Richmond Association of Realtors jurisdiction includes Richmond, Caroline, Charles City, Chesterfield, Colonial Heights, Dinwiddie, Goochland, Hanover, Henrico, Hopewell, part of King William, Louisa, Petersburg, Powhatan, and Prince George. The Williamsburg Area Association of Realtors covers all of the City of Williamsburg and James City County, as well as parts of York County.

The process is in the final stages of testing and data transfer, and the Co-op hopes to launch the new combined MLS in February.

This post was authored by local REALTOR John Womeldorf, known around town as Mr. Williamsburg, for both his extensive knowledge of the Williamsburg/Hampton Roads area and his expertise in the local real estate market. I would love to help you find your dream home in the area or sell your existing home! You can text or call me at 757-254-8136 or email [email protected].

I look forward to serving your real estate needs!

John