Brokers urge MLS to modernize operations

Real estate brokers are urging Multiple Listing Services (MLSs) to modernize their operations to better support brokers and agents. At the Council of MLS’s Open House conference, brokerage leaders discussed their frustrations with the current MLS model, citing slow response times, inconsistent data standards, and territorial boundaries.

Gretchen Rosenberg of HomeServices of America and Paul Boomsma of Leading Real Estate Companies of the World expressed concerns about the lack of responsiveness from their MLSs. Rosenberg noted that brokers and agents often have to wait for answers to questions about interpreting rules, while Boomsma added that digital queues can be inefficient in today’s remote and digital working environment.

Brokerage Leaders Speak Out

Al Becker of Jack Conway, who operates in a broker-owned MLS in Massachusetts, said responsiveness is not an issue for his company. However, he emphasized the need for organizations, bylaws, and governance structures that create opportunities for brokers while maintaining a level playing field.

Dennis Cestra, newly elected president of West Penn MLS, acknowledged that the MLS has become a backstop for rules that people wanted to have enforced but that nobody else wanted to enforce. He believes that MLSs should focus on being data aggregators and partners with brokers rather than rule-making bodies.

Holly Mabery of eXp Realty stressed that MLSs need to become less territorial, citing the frustration of agents who have to join multiple MLSs and associations to access properties. She believes that artificial boundaries and fiefdoms need to be eliminated to create a more seamless experience for consumers.

Cestra emphasized the importance of MLS rules allowing for innovation, while Mabery focused on the need for technological advancements, suggesting that MLSs do not need multiple SaaS contracts. Instead, she believes that members and subscribers should be able to plug directly into the ecosystem and access robust data.

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Rosenberg highlighted the issue of data standardization, noting that HomeServices of America is a member of over 250 MLSs nationwide, many of which are not Real Estate Standards Organization (RESO) certified. This creates a tax on brokers who operate across multiple MLSs, she said.

Mabery warned that if MLSs do not evolve and address these pain points, they risk becoming obsolete. She cited the example of her local association in Arizona, which is trying to reverse its decision to join a regional MLS.

Boomsma stated that brokers will find a way around the MLS if they do not get what they need, emphasizing the importance of conversations between MLSs and brokerages. Cestra believes that allowing people to be creative is essential.

Rosenberg said that the MLS needs to be a partner to brokers, supplying them with data and information, and that brokers do not want the MLS to act as a gatekeeper. The brokers emphasized that they want the MLS to be their partner, not an obstacle, and that they are looking for solutions to help agents, brokers, and consumers.

As the discussion continued, it became clear that the relationship between MLSs and brokers is at a critical point, with brokers pushing for change and MLSs facing the challenge of adapting to a real estate environment that is changing quickly, with Multiple Listing Services playing a key role.