The housing market in Cincinnati, one of the hottest in the country, has been hit hard by a months-old cyber attack. The attack caused the Rapattoni Multiple Listing Service (MLS) to go offline for over a month, leaving both buyers and sellers struggling to find accurate information on homes for sale. As a result, the Realtor Alliance of Greater Cincinnati, which represents approximately 8,000 members, is now voting on whether to return to using the Rapattoni MLS or continue with the replacement service, Perchwell.

The vote was forced by a petition from 1,000 members who have complained about the bugs and inaccurate data in Perchwell. According to Brett Keppler, speaking on behalf of the Realtor-members, the data has lost its integrity and cannot be trusted for pricing a home or searching for homes on behalf of clients. The Perchwell system has also failed to accurately convey information to popular listing websites, such as Realtor.com and Zillow.com.

Real estate agents in the region have expressed their frustration with the situation. Casey Stewart, a real estate agent, referred to the transition to Perchwell as being “like being between a rock and another rock you know less about.” However, MLS of Greater Cincinnati President Anne Uchtman has stated that they are committed to finding a solution and are working non-stop to resolve the issue.

The board had been planning to bring Perchwell online since 2022, even before the cyber attack on Rapattoni. Joe Duffey, a board member, explained that the decision to accelerate the process was made when it became clear that Rapattoni’s system would not be online quickly. While some members have expressed fear and concerns about Perchwell, Duffey believes it has been the least disruptive option available as they recover from the MLS outage.

A vote of all Realtor-members will determine the future of Perchwell and Rapattoni in Cincinnati. The outcome of the vote will determine the course of action for CincyMLS. Both Rapattoni and Perchwell have refrained from commenting, citing ongoing discussions and support for their customers.

Overall, the cyber attack has significantly impacted the Cincinnati housing market, leaving real estate professionals and clients without reliable listing services. The vote by the Realtor Alliance of Greater Cincinnati will play a crucial role in determining the way forward for the market.

Sources:
– Realtor Alliance of Greater Cincinnati
– Cincinnati MLS
– Rapattoni
– Perchwell