Jessica Edgerton, who takes over as CEO of the Council of Multiple Listing Services (CMLS) on July 1, gave RISMedia an interview last week that every agent should read—not because it sounds an alarm, but because it doesn’t. Edgerton gets the most important thing exactly right. Asked what is worth protecting as private listings and…
The multiple listing service has always been a simple concept. But like a lot of straightforward ideas, everything gets a lot more complicated once you need to address competing interests, stakeholder priorities and operational requirements. Even so, MLSs remained a relatively unquestioned foundation of real estate for decades—until now. For the first time in the…
Google’s effort to embed listings directly into its world-dominant search engine just expanded nationally as the tech mega-company leans into the scramble for listing control and display. Starting this summer—but currently limited only to mobile—consumers across the country will see entire listings with photos, pricing, home characteristics and the identities of listing agent and brokerage…
Above, Jessica Edgerton (courtesy of CMLS) Amid a fundamental reorganizing of the MLS space, the Council of Multiple Listing Services (CMLS) announced that Jessica Edgerton, a lawyer who previously served in high-profile leadership roles at Leading Real Estate Companies of the World® (LeadingRE) and as a lawyer for the National Association of Realtors® (NAR) will…
A transaction starts with a seller, and ends with a buyer. Everything in between is theoretically flexible—though for many years, not much has changed, as sellers have relied on agents to list properties directly on local MLSs, which subsequently syndicate properties to consumer portals that have the most reach with buyers. Today, the industry faces…
Above, Brian Donnellan, left, and Brian Schneider In an op-ed published earlier this month, Brian Donnellan, CEO of Bright MLS, referred to much of the recent industry upheaval as “noise.” Partnerships, consolidations, new entrants—all things that “sidestep” issues that directly affect real estate professionals, he argued. Also in that op-ed, Donnellan revealed that Bright was…
Above, left to right: Zillow CEO Jeremy Wacksman, MRED CEO Rebecca Jensen and Compass International Holdings CEO Robert Reffkin Against the backdrop of a nationwide fight over listing access, data control and marketing strategies, Chicago has become a flashpoint, with MLS Midwest Real Estate Data (MRED) recently cutting Zillow off from its listing feeds, ostensibly…
Above, Joe Hayden, Principal Broker, simpler.realestate Howard Hanna’s CEO Hoby Hanna published a recent op-ed in RISMedia titled, “The MLS is Not a Product. It’s Infrastructure.” I read it before my first coffee, and I agree with the central claim. I am writing this so I can add the part of the conversation that the…
The high-profile, industry-shaking battle between mega-brokerage Compass and dominant portal Zillow is back in the courtroom, as Zillow is asking a court to block a major MLS from cutting off its listing feed, claiming that Compass is engaging in an “illegal conspiracy” to promote its private listing and undermine Zillow. The 52-page lawsuit, which Zillow…
Above: CRMLS CEO Art Carter Back in 2020, the Clear Cooperation Policy (CCP)—compelling agents to submit properties to the MLS within one day of public marketing—recieved immediate pushback. But the headlines mostly centered on the reactions of ostensible outsiders, including listing startups that filed lawsuits and antitrust law enforcement that flagged the policy as potentially…
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