MAARdata began in the 1990s born from what was then known as the INTAX system, now the MLS. Carolyn Gregory was the MAARdata Records Manager and when the system went online in 1999 she was tasked with overseeing the first, and what continues to be, the only in-house property data system in the country. In those formative years, in addition to purchasing data tapes containing 250,000 property records from the Assessor’s office, great effort was made to partner with local appraisers. Appraisers throughout the Memphis area heard the call and began providing past and current appraisal data to the MAARdata system. Property records were created and matched to MLS records which were then matched to Appraiser data and all the Assessor data was stripped down and matched to the newly created property records. VOILA! A new database was born.

 

This process, though long and tedious, created the most unique well of information on any property from three sources of verified data in one place. Branded MAARdata in 2001 it arose from the need to deliver three things to the Memphis Area Association of REALTORS® membership: the most accurate real estate data available, control of the property rights associated with that data, and the lowest possible cost for developing, owning, and maintaining that data. Then President, Harold Crye and the MAAR Board of Directors saw the wisdom in developing a comprehensive database that would belong to the association and approved its development and oversight. The tools available within MAARdata have grown and expanded over the last two decades to become the best resources available to agents today.

 

Betty Chastain joined Carolyn in 2000 and began assisting with entering sales, appraisal data and maintaining property records. Over the years Betty and Carolyn created the MLS Map areas which are still relied on today as well as created each new street, lot and subdivision added to Shelby, Tipton, and Fayette County. This task remains the same today; the team still creates each new street and parcel added to our tax base.

 

The Association began reporting MAARdata Market Statistics in 2009. These statistics, published to local media, are provided to elected officials and the Memphis Chamber. Our data is critical when determining the health of the market, growth areas and economic development projects. Once monthly sales are totaled, the data is broken down by total sales, new homes, bank sales, and foreclosures. Each monthly analysis provides a snapshot of the market as well as year to year comparison for historical tracking. This data is invaluable not only to our REALTOR® membership but serves the larger Memphis and surrounding areas as well.

 

When Carolyn retired Betty Chastain became MAARdata Manager. In 2018 Jennifer Masters, with 16 years of real estate and appraisal experience, was hired as MAARdata Coordinator. Jennifer assists Betty maintaining the department’s day to day operations as well as focusing on Appraiser Outreach and Retention with the Appraiser Community. MAAR’s CEO, Katie Shotts, understood the importance of supporting MAARdata when hiring a new MLS Director in 2022. Tonya Bell brought fresh enthusiasm to the MLS and MAARdata departments with the goal of polishing both systems and offering more resources to the membership. Today MAARdata maintains over 400,000 active tax records and the core mission has not changed: Provide the most up to date, accurate, and reliable data to our membership. Moving forward, technology will continue to change and MAARdata will evolve with it while the purpose remains clear and constant.