Manhattan is the only major real estate market in the country without a multiple listing service.
The service allows costumers to shop for all the available properties in a given area through a single broker. The Web site was seen as the first step in creating such a service. The MLS Web site grew out of the desire of small and medium-size firms to have an alternative to a Web site that two large firms, Douglas Elliman and the Corcoran Group, proposed creating in July 2000, The Times said. Pam Liebman, chief executive of the Corcoran Group, blamed an unwieldy, 17-member board. Spinola agreed that there is a consensus for a smaller board when a new Web site is tried again in about 60-90 days.