Survey: Most CRMLS subscribers support Clear Cooperation
More than two-thirds of agents took a supportive or neutral stance. Criticism was largely focused on the difficulty of meeting the one-day listing requirement.
Active listing agents who subscribe to the California Regional Multiple Listing Service (CRMLS) have weighed in on the National Association of Realtors' Clear Cooperation Policy (CCP) — and a majority would like to see the policy stay.
70% support or accept the CCP: According to a targeted survey of CRMLS users, 58.3% of respondents indicated support for the CCP, while 12.5% are "neutral" to the policy. Of those in favor of the policy, nearly 39% said they are "extremely supportive" of it.
After months of deliberation, NAR announced in March 2025 that it was keeping Clear Cooperation, which requires agents to send a listing to the MLS within one day of publicly marketing it, while also adding a "delayed marketing" option for sellers and their agents.
Only about 17% of respondents said they don't support the policy at all, meaning those who support it outweigh those who don't by more than 2:1, CRMLS noted in a news release.
The MLS conducted the survey in March, polling agents who had closed at least one transaction this year, which represented about 24,000 users, CRMLS said.
'Not a restraint on competition': The findings suggest that real estate professionals "understand the value of transparency and cooperation," according to CRMLS CEO Art Carter.
"The Clear Cooperation Policy is not a restraint on competition — it's what enables it," Carter said. "It ensures listings are available to the full marketplace, creating more opportunity for buyers and better outcomes for sellers."
Remaining criticism: Among the 29.1% of survey respondents who indicated low support for the policy, some noted in written feedback that they approve of the policy's intent but would like to see adjustments.
Many of their comments focused on the one-day submission requirement, which some saw as restrictive or challenging. One respondent, for example, said "it is extremely difficult to get your listings on that quickly."
A desire for fairness: Of the CRMLS subscribers who took a neutral stance on the CCP, many also expressed support for broad access to listings, the MLS noted.
"Feels fair to require a listing be marketed to everyone at the same time," one of the policy-neutral respondents wrote, while another said "there should be equal access amongst all MLS listings."
Private listing concerns: Although the survey didn't ask agents about private listings or PLNs, several respondents used the open comments area to express opinions about the topic, CRMLS said.
One respondent said private networks and withholding listings from the MLS "does a disservice to the client." Another said, "It's important for MLSs to remain the central repository … not the fragmentation we're seeing."
CRMLS said the organization believes the CCP establishes a baseline of fairness across the industry, allowing all MLS participants to have equal access to listings in a timely way. The MLS also said it continues to elicit feedback from agent users to improve policies while preserving CRMLS's core policies and values — which include a rejection of "delayed marketing" and staunch support of listings transparency.
"An open marketplace benefits everyone," Carter said in CRMLS's report. "When information is shared broadly, it strengthens competition, supports fiduciary duty, and ultimately delivers better results for consumers."