RE: webschema-ISSUE-13 (Describing Real Estate): Schema.org should document how best to describe Real Estate [Feedback on Schema.org]

I would like to bring everyones attention to MITS, or Multifamily 
Information and Transactions Standards. They have attempted to come up 
with an XML markup standard specifically for multifamily residences:
http://www.mitsproject.com

Their purpose is obviously not for standardizing the Web and making our 
Real Estate sites more searchable - they have been attempting to come up 
with this standard simply for data transaction between "multifamily 
firms, technology vendors and providers, owners, managers, investors, 
consumers, and other audiences".

They are sponsored by some big names: Apartments.com, Move.com, 
LexisNexis, Rent.com, National Apartment Association, and many more.

I encourage everyone interested in this area to become familiar with 
the standards they have come up with. They have been at this since 2002, 
and I think we can learn a lot from them, and hopefully speed up our 
process and debate considerably.

Much (nearly all, as far as I can tell) of their internal discussion 
and planning is very much closed, likely because they and their backers 
have a business interest in coming up with their standard, which they 
may be able to license or sell as a service. This is just speculation 
based on the fact that the majority of their information is password 
protected on their site. It is USD $1,000 anually just to participate in 
their discussion.

I digress, and again, would simply like to encourage all to take a look 
at their current schema. You can view their "Property Marketing" schemas 
here:
http://www.mitsproject.com/Content/ServeContent.cfm?menuID=463&ContentItemID=2918

I suggest viewing the XSL file, as it is the easiest to consume, and is 
in a very simple format.

Their "Property Marketing" schema seems to be one of the few areas they 
discuss that we'd be interested in.

Received on Friday, 24 February 2012 21:44:01 UTC