Unlock MLS calls new listing option ‘a win for seller choice’ 

Editor's note: From regional and statewide players to locals focused on a single market, multiple listings services and Realtor associations are the backbone of residential real estate. Here we highlight some of the latest news about the organizations that are shaping the future of the industry.

Unlock MLS offers sellers 'early-stage runway' with new tool

Unlock MLS is now offering sellers in central Texas a new way to list their homes with the official launch of Flex Listings.

By using this tool, a seller can choose to release limited information about their home to the MLS without distributing it to home search portals and other public platforms. The seller's agent then has an opportunity to share the listing with the over 18,000 other real estate professionals in the Unlock MLS database before taking it public, according to a press release.

Back in March, Unlock MLS CEO Emily Girard wrote about the anticipated launch of Flex Listings while addressing the debate over the National Association of Realtors' controversial Clear Cooperation Policy. At the time, she called the tool "a practical, nuanced solution that allows sellers to enter essential property details in the MLS while delaying full internet exposure until they're ready."

Now that it has officially launched, Girard described Flex Listings as a product that offers sellers "that early-stage runway without cutting out cooperation or compromising listing integrity." It is "a win for seller choice, creative marketing in a tough market and the long-term health of our marketplace," she added.

"Sellers no longer have to choose between complete privacy and full public exposure," Girard said in the release. "They can ease into the market with the support of their agent, all within the trusted structure of the MLS."

Stellar MLS bolsters market insights for subscribers

A few weeks after unveiling a massive data sharing agreement with the country's two largest MLSs, Florida-based Stellar MLS announced this week that its members can now gain more insights into the markets they serve.

Stellar MLS' newly inked deal with Local Logic gives subscribers access to IO Reports, a platform that gathers information from over 3,000 sources to provide information on market conditions across the country.

The platform includes data on local demographics, schools, transportation, home pricing and more, allowing agents to develop or enhance their expertise in any U.S. market, according to a Stellar MLS press release.

Subscribers "now have access to powerful, hyper-local insights that help them go beyond the basics of a property, allowing them to tell the complete story of the neighborhoods their clients are considering," Stellar MLS CEO Merri Jo Cowen said in the release, adding that this kind of information is what "buyers care about most."

"We're proud to offer this innovative tool to help our customers stand out, build trust, and guide their clients with unmatched expertise," Cowen added.

NWMLS broadens home search accessibility

Northwest MLS (NWMLS) is now offering Finding Homes, a voice-activated home search tool developed by Lundy that responds to prompts in English and Spanish.

First launched in 2023, Finding Homes can be used on any device or app that enables Amazon's virtual assistant Alexa to search for listings on the MLS. It was designed to make it easier for all buyers to search for their next home simply by using their voice, according to a NWMLS press release. Examples of voice prompts mentioned in the release were location, number of bedrooms and local amenities.

The new tool "is about meeting buyers and sellers where they are — whether they're visually impaired, have accessibility needs, or simply prefer voice interaction," NWMLS President and CEO Justin Haag said, adding that Finding Homes' launch "reflects our ongoing commitment to inclusivity, accessibility, and innovation in real estate."

"We are committed to ensuring full market visibility, giving all buyers and sellers — regardless of background or ability — equal opportunities to access data and find homes that meet their needs," Haag said.