MRED AND THE CITY OF CHICAGO SHINE THE LIGHT ON ENERGY EFFICIENCY

LISLE, Ill., Sept. 24, 2013 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Midwest Real Estate Data (MRED), Chicagoland's multiple listing service (MLS), reported that the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE) has ranked America's 34 largest cities on energy efficiency in five key areas. Chicago's score resulted in it being ranked #9 by ACEEE. The report cites best practices, which include Chicago's requirement that home energy use be disclosed as part of real estate transactions.

MRED's recent MLS system enhancements added utility costs fields to aid real estate professionals comply with the disclosure requirements of the Chicago municipal code. Under the code it is required that utility costs be disclosed to prospective buyers for detached, attached and 2-4 unit properties. To accomplish this, MRED has added monthly and annual electricity/gas costs to its MLS listing database. Listing reports for the property then contain the estimated utility costs.

To populate these data fields, the MRED system provides easy to use "Lookup Estimates" links. Agents click on those links and enter the seller's Utility Account numbers. The system then interrogates MyHomeEQ.com, a home energy efficiency website created by CNT Energy, a division of the Center for Neighborhood Technology, and receives back the appropriate data for gas and/or electricity estimated costs. A Disclosure of Utility Costs report is also generated, and can be attached to the property listing within the MLS and is then available for presentation to possible buyers.

"The MyHomeEQ connection demonstrates our continued commitment to what we call 'Public Service Apps'," said MRED CEO Russ Bergeron. "We must all have a greater environmental consciousness. Enabling consumer access to energy costs information is critical. Not only do we demonstrate the energy efficiency of a home, but we strengthen our goal to determine and communicate the true cost of ownership. We are proud to be a contributor to Chicago's recognition as a leader in energy efficiency."

About MRED

Midwest Real Estate Data (MRED) is the real estate data aggregator and distributor providing the Chicagoland multiple listing service (MLS) to nearly 40,000 brokers and appraisers and 8,000 offices. MRED serves Chicago and the surrounding "collar" counties and provides property information encompassing northern Illinois, southern Wisconsin and northwest Indiana. MRED delivers over twenty products and services to its customers, complementing connectMLS™, the top-rated MLS system in the country per the latest WAV Group MLS Technology Survey. MRED is the 2013 Inman News Most Innovative MLS/Real Estate Trade Association. For more information please visit MREDLLC.com.