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As Northwest Multiple Listing Service (NWMLS) celebrates its 40th Anniversary in 2024, let’s take a look back at how real estate transaction forms have evolved over the past four decades.
1980s – Paper Forms with Carbon Copies
Before electronic forms, real estate brokers handwrote purchase and sale agreements on single-page forms, using carbon paper to produce five copies. Once completed and signed, copies could then be distributed to the buyer, the buyer’s broker, their office, the listing office, and the seller. The agreement’s general terms and clauses, such as financing and inspections, were printed on the reverse side of each sheet.
In the late 1980s, “NCR” (No Carbon Required) paper forms replaced traditional carbon copies. NCR forms produced clearer, more legible copies without the need for separate carbon sheets. Like their predecessors, these forms included fine print on the back covering financing, inspections, and other sale provisions.
Throughout this time, a dedicated Forms Committee, consisting of member brokers and MLS legal counsel, met regularly to review and revise transaction forms as needed.
1990s – Additional Addenda and County-Specific Forms
As NWMLS grew, new supplementary forms were introduced, including county-specific forms to address local regulations and additional addenda to clarify specific terms of the purchase and sale agreement. During this time, the purchase and sale agreement transitioned from legal-size to letter-size paper, and the general terms and clauses were removed from the back of the form. Instead, specific addenda were attached as needed for each transaction.
2000s – Launch of Xpress Forms
In 2001, NWMLS launched Xpress Forms, an innovative online forms platform that allowed brokers to easily access and save transaction forms as PDFs. Developed in-house, Xpress Forms featured a Transaction Profile tool, enabling brokers to auto-fill property and client information into selected forms, streamlining the transaction process. Check out the Xpress Forms User Guide!
2008 – Formation of a Statewide Forms Task Force
To simplify real estate transactions and ensure brokers across Washington State used a consistent set of forms, NWMLS partnered with Washington REALTORS® and the Spokane MLS to develop statewide forms. NWMLS became the owner and operator of these forms, establishing them as the industry standard.
The Statewide Forms Task Force was created, bringing together real estate brokers from across the state and NWMLS legal counsel to review and discuss potential form revisions. NWMLS implemented structured procedures for task force meetings and future updates to transaction forms, ensuring consistency and efficiency statewide.
2011 – Authentisign E-Signature Service
In 2011, NWMLS introduced Authentisign, an electronic signature service that streamlined the signing process for brokers and their clients. Brokers could upload transaction forms and documents into a guided, step-by-step system and securely send them to multiple parties for electronic review and signatures. Once signed, all participants automatically received copies delivered to their inbox, adding convenience and efficiency to real estate transactions.
2014 – TransactionDesk Online Forms and Document Storage System
In 2014, NWMLS introduced TransactionDesk, a secure online platform for forms and document storage. This comprehensive service includes a transaction wizard, online forms, document management, cloud storage, Authentisign e-signatures, and fax-to-email capabilities.
TransactionDesk also offers enhanced tools for Designated and Branch Brokers, enabling them to set up transaction management workflows and document review processes for their firms.
Integrated with Matrix, TransactionDesk allows NWMLS brokers to quickly create a sales transaction directly from a listing, with listing data automatically transferred into the transaction for added convenience. The platform also provides unlimited storage for transaction files.
Since its launch, TransactionDesk has been continually updated with new features and improvements based on broker feedback.
2024 & Beyond
Over the past four decades, NWMLS has continually introduced innovative tools and technology to help brokers support their clients throughout the home buying and selling process. From early carbon copy forms to today’s fully integrated, cloud-based platforms, NWMLS has evolved to meet the changing needs of the industry.
Looking ahead, NWMLS is committed to driving the future of real estate with continued advancements, ensuring NWMLS brokers have the technology to deliver efficient, top-tier service to their clients.