Finding Other Listings in Southwest Missouri

Although the Springfield MLS is by far the largest multiple listing service in this area, there are several others you may want to check out as you're conducting your Southwest Missouri real estate search.

The second-largest MLS is based in Joplin, the Ozark Gateway Board of Realtors. Ozark Gateway covers Joplin, Carthage, Neosho, and the surrounding counties. I am familiar with the area, and I do cooperate with agents from this board to show real estate to customers as needed. The easternmost listings of this board occasionally overlap the westernmost listings from Springfield, but in general the two boards cover a completely different set of properties.

In addition, there are smaller Multiple Listing Services in the outlying areas.

• Lebanon Board of Realtors: This MLS is based in Lebanon, and almost all of its listings are in Laclede County. I do check this board for customers, and cooperate with agents from this board to show real estate to customers that I'm helping to search for property over a wide-flung area. If Lebanon is your main interest, I will most likely refer you out to someone who concentrates in that area.
• Southwest Missouri Board of Realtors: This small MLS is based in Monett, Missouri. It overlaps with the Springfield board on quite a few listings. I check this board regularly as part of normal service to customers & cooperate with its agents as needed. I'd be glad to check this board for you.
• Ozark Trails: This MLS covers areas east of Springfield and out into South Central Missouri. Some properties are cross-listed with the Springfield MLS. I occasionally use this board to view parts of Dallas, Webster, Taney, Laclede and Christian counties for my buyers. For most areas covered by Ozark Trails, I will refer you out to another agent.
• Branson/Tri-Lakes: This MLS focuses on Stone and Taney Counties, including the towns of Branson, Forsyth, Hollister, Kimberling City, and Shell Knob. I do check this board for properties in the northern part of its territory, just to make sure that customers aren't missing anything. However, if you're looking for Shell Knob, Table Rock Lake, Lake Taneycomo or to purchase inside Branson or surrounding towns, let me put you in touch with someone who can do a better job of helping you.
• Five-County: This small MLS is based in Nevada (say "Neh-vay-da"), Missouri. It focuses on Vernon, Bates, Barton, Cedar, and St. Clair counties. The board has very limited online search capabilities. If you are mostly interested in these counties, I may refer you out to another agent. I do use it to help customers who are looking for larger farmland since large farms tend to be few and far between.

You may also want to check out my blog post on Southwest Missouri's Multiple Listing Systems to understand more about how agents cooperate within these systems, and how you can become a well-informed buyer.