The MLS/CLAW partners with Compass, revises its IDX policy
The MLS, which is joining forces with the brokerage giant, will allow agents to pre-market listings to members only — without syndication to third-party sites.
As MLSs continue to adapt to a changing industry, one is launching updates to its policies and establishing a powerful new partnership in the process.
Pre-marketing without syndication: Southern California-based The MLS/CLAW announced on Wednesday that it has made significant updates to its IDX policy, including the addition of a new listing status.
With the MLS Exclusive (MX) status, agents and brokers can share listings with MLS members only — and can keep that status for the listing's entire lifespan, if desired. Days on market and price history will not be recorded while the listing is in MX status but will be displayed once the property sells.
The addition of this new status allows agents to pre-market their listings to MLS members without having those listings syndicated to third-party sites.
"At the core of these changes is our commitment to protecting our members from third-party platforms that may restrict listing visibility and negatively impact their clients' outcomes," CEO Annie Ives said in a statement.
The MLS/CLAW also updated language in its IDX policy. The revisions, which Real Estate News has reviewed, specify that member participants may not exclude listings from their IDX site based on "the identity of any Participant, brokerage firm, subscriber, licensee, or representative."
If members exclude listings from display based on "objective criteria," the policy now reads, they must also clearly disclose "some listings have been excluded from this website."
Teaming up with a brokerage giant: In addition to its IDX policy updates, The MLS/CLAW will also now receive Compass International Holdings' full active listing inventory, according to a news release, which means the MLS will expand its services accordingly.
The move comes in the wake of Realtracs and MRED announcing last month that they will be opening up their MLS services nationally, with Compass as the launch partner for each.
Compass will reimburse "some of the switching costs for the first 100,000 agents who join from Compass International Holdings, as well as the first 10,000 agents who join from outside Compass International Holdings," a company spokesperson said. At this time, the spokesperson was unable to specify how much of those costs would be covered.
A representative for The MLS/CLAW clarified that membership in the multiple listing service is available to any real estate professional across the country — as long as they hold an active license with the California Department of Real Estate.
A focus on data protection: The MLS/CLAW said these changes were made with the protection of members and a fair marketplace in mind.
"With the recent changes across the real estate landscape, we felt it prudent to protect the integrity of the data our members receive and send, without intervention by others," the representative said.