CAR Gains Customers for New System; Competition Loses Valuable Data

PORTLAND-The Commercial Association of Realtors secured a big boost this week when five of Portland’s major brokerage houses agreed to have their active, licensed brokers subscribe to CARDS, the association’s fledgling commercial real estate listings database and broadcast email subsidiary.

The heads of Norris Beggs & Simpson, Cushman & Wakefield, Colliers International, Norris & Stevens and CB Richard Ellis got together this week and agreed to join the service as paying members as of June 1. Grubb & Ellis, which is represented on the CARDS board of directors, says it will do the same, but was not present at this week’s gathering.

Together, the brokerage houses represent around 150 paying subscribers for the system and a significant percentage of listed properties in the market. The commitment means CAR can continue to grow and improve its quality and comprehensiveness of its listing and email service subsidiary, which is being made available at the cost of $60 per month per broker, with discounts available for the larger brokerage houses.