Summary: Real estate agents in northwest Indiana are facing challenges after a cyberattack on a nationwide multiple-listings vendor disrupted online listings. With the inability to upload property photos, agents are resorting to alternative methods such as billboard advertising and Facebook pages to showcase properties. The lack of visibility for sellers may lead to delays in making deals. The cyberattack targeted Rappatoni, a California-based company that manages multiple-listing services for real estate associations. While some listing details and write-ups were affected, the primary issue remains the absence of photos, a crucial component of real estate listings. Fortunately, the attack did not impact Midwest Real Estate Data and the Southwest Michigan Association of Realtors, as they utilize a different system. To work around the issue, agents have taken to Zenlist, a specialized supplementary listing service, and have even resorted to traditional advertising methods like newspaper ads. Although Rappatoni has stated that the photo issues will be resolved soon, agents and their clients continue to face frustration and inconvenience. Alongside northwest Indiana, other listing services in cities such as San Francisco, Cape Cod, and Cincinnati were also affected by the cyberattack.
Sources:
– Original article: Crain’s Chicago Business
– Definition of Rappatoni: A California-based company that manages multiple-listing services for real estate associations [source]
– Definition of MLS: Multiple-Listing Service, a tool used by real estate agents and brokers to share information about properties for sale [source]
– Definition of cyberattack: A deliberate attempt to disrupt or gain unauthorized access to computer systems or networks, often for malicious purposes [source]