RetailMLS.com adds national listings

RetailMLS.com, the New York City-based multiple listings service that focuses exclusively on retail, has expanded nationwide, the company’s founder told The Real Deal. The expansion was motivated by user feedback and the realization that national firms such as Vornado Realty Trust and Cushman & Wakefield would list properties across the U.S., founder Benjamin Zises said.

“We felt like, why wait if we can start servicing them sooner and stake our claim throughout the country as soon as possible?” said Zises, himself a former broker.

From left: Benjamin and Samuel Zises

RetailMLS allows users to upload retail listings, as well as search for properties based on specific criteria, such as minimum street frontage, number of parking spaces, level of pedestrian traffic and features like kitchens.

Since its beta version launched in May, the site has amassed 7,790 listings, primarily in the Tri-State region, but Zises hopes to reach 350,000 listings across the country. The latest release adds listings in the Mid-Atlantic, South and Midwest, while a plan for California is in the works.

“Expect this map over the next several months to fill out incredibly,” Zises said of his site’s listings map, which shows how many retail listings are available.

Along with the nationwide expansion, RetailMLS hired a new sales executive, Leo Tawil, a former retail broker at RKF. Tawil was also formerly a broker at Harold Scherr, where he exclusively represented McDonald’s in New York City. Samuel Zises, Benjamin’s twin brother — a former advertising professional — works as the chief marketing officer.

Featured listings run between $49 and $249, depending on the market, while standard listings are free. Subscriptions to the RetailPRO service, which features enhanced search with demographic overlays, saved searches and alerts for listing changes, cost $199 per month.