A Virtual Office Web site (VOW) is a Member Participant’s Internet Web site, or a feature of a Member Participant’s Web site, through which the Member Participant is capable of providing real-estate brokerage services to consumer.
The Member Participant must first establish a broker-consumer relationship (as defined by state law).
The VOW provides the consumer with the opportunity to search MLS listing information, subject to the Member Participant’s oversight, supervision and accountability.
A VOW is different from Internet Data Exchange (IDX) in that a Member Participant operating a VOW can provide any listing information available in the MLS through the VOW that a broker or agent could provide in a brick-and-mortar office. In contrast, IDX is considered advertising and contains only limited MLS information from the MLS.