MLS/Association News

NAR’s lobbying muscle is focused on ensuring MLSs aren’t classified as data brokers — but are recognized by federal agencies as “procompetitive infrastructure.”

The launch of NTREIS Rewards, which echoes earlier actions by other mega MLSs, aims to make broker participants “the focal point of the organization’s purpose.”

Cyber liability? Crime loss? Antitrust allegations? New insurance offerings aim to protect associations and MLSs from these concerns and others, NAR said.

The new recommendations will cover marketing strategies, disclosure forms, CCP compliance assessments and state-level legislation, among other topics.

One new group will tackle listing broker attribution, IDX and VOW policy modernization, and the “reimagining” of mandatory policies in the NAR MLS handbook.

In response to broker feedback, the California-based MLS has added a new option for coming-soon listings allowing sellers to forego broad internet distribution.

In a closed meeting, the trade group defended its new approach to partnering with MLSs and explained the actions it has taken so far in 2026.

Through a partnership with HouseCanary, the Mid-Atlantic MLS’s listings will be promoted nationwide in Google search results starting June 30.

An association attorney said NAR is stepping up trademark enforcement. “We don't want ‘Realtor’ to become synonymous with ‘real estate professional.’”

ARA Co-founder Jason Haber expressed skepticism about the subpoena's relevance to the case: “What does this have to do with a lawsuit about private listings?”

Nearly an hour was spent debating the idea, with some calling it an “ethical duty” as others said it would “create ‘ahas’ or ‘gotchas’” in NAR’s Code of Ethics.

Newly elected first vice president Pete Kopf stressed the importance of protecting consumer interests — and responsive leadership — in remarks to directors.

Jessica Edgerton, chief legal officer at LeadingRE, will join CMLS on July 1. The move, she said, comes “at a moment when our work has never mattered more.”

A handful of MLSs have recently opened their doors to agents nationwide — but saying “anyone can join” isn’t the same as having comprehensive data coverage.

Calling it a “brokerage-agnostic” move, the MLS will waive fees for new subscribers seeking a “stable, reliable” option amid ongoing listing feed disputes.

The MLS’s president painted the move as a response to a rapidly shifting industry in which brokers “need tools and marketplaces that evolve” with them.

Kentucky's growing MLS partners with two smaller organizations. Plus, Momentum MLS integrates Gitcha’s Buyer Listing Service; SWMLS collabs with SourceRE.

The MLS is pro-consumer, NAR told the DOJ and FTC, and requested guidance on how to promote cooperation without "facilitating coordination among competitors."

The trade organization highlighted MLSs as collaborative entities that benefit consumers and the real estate industry by sharing and protecting listing data.

Retooling legacy systems, understanding data ownership and knowing what to outsource will be key to operating in an AI-powered world, industry leaders say.