Industry Decoded

Recent industry headlines have been focused on the big players, but independent and mid-sized firms have some competitive advantages in this shifting market.

The industry is evolving, and brokers are making key decisions about listings, data and technology. MLSs must work to improve a broker’s business, not limit it.

The industry is losing sight of what the MLS was created to do. To restore trust, the trend of MLS politicization must end.

The idea that privacy creates scarcity makes for a good marketing pitch, but it doesn’t hold up when you look at how the housing marketplace really works.

As new distribution models emerge, the industry faces a fundamental question: Maintain an open marketplace or control access to listings?

Real estate professionals have an obligation to put their clients’ best interests first. Sometimes, that means telling them their inclinations may be wrong.

The strength of the MLS lies in how participants use it to move the industry forward, with cooperative competition, transparency, and a focus on the consumer.

The debate focuses on consumers, marketing strategies, flexibility, privacy and even morality. But it’s really about who controls access to the housing market.

As consolidation picks up, firms that manage transitions well retain more talent, sustain productivity and capture the growth the deal promised to deliver.

The winners? Zillow and its launch partners, who gain a recruiting advantage. The losers? Small independents — and MLSs, who should see this as a wake-up call.

Brokerage consolidation is accelerating, but sellers aren’t always winning — especially when assumptions and emotions factor into M&A negotiations.

The plumbing may need some upgrades, but overall, the MLS system flows smoothly. Ironically, the efficiency we take for granted could now be putting it at risk.

Brokerages and proptech companies need to think beyond Google. Clients are increasingly searching via chatbots, making “AI consistency” a critical new metric.

The firms achieving the best results share some common traits — starting with strong leadership. See what else comprises the blueprint for brokerage success.

The deal isn't revolutionary — it's an old-school American monopoly strategy being applied in a modern way: cleaner, more sophisticated and more legally aware.

Realtor.com CEO Damian Eales has a New Year's resolution for the industry: Stop bickering and put your energy into solving the housing supply problem.

Think you’re immune from regulatory scrutiny? Recent litigation involving agents and teams suggests otherwise. But there’s a very simple way to avoid liability.

"Codes of Cooperation" established by local MLSs — rather than national, top-down rule-making — can strengthen professional standards and modernize practices.

Artificial intelligence is transforming the mortgage industry at breakneck speed — but with regulators sidelined, the risks of bias and inequity loom large.

Early success can be intoxicating, but rapid growth without discipline can be costly in more ways than one. Just ask Phillip Cantrell — he's been there.