Where Real Estate Gets Its Dirt

Reffkin pitches his fever dream idea of sharing exclusive listing data

Seller’s Choice?

Compass agrees to share its exclusive listings, with 2 caveats

“However, the NYC-based brokerage that has fiercely championed private listing networks said its offer comes with two conditions: The brokerage or MLS agrees not to alter or monetize the homeowners’ listings in any way, keeping the listing agent front and center, and the brokerage or MLS can ensure agents won’t be fined or banned for sharing listings with the brokerage or MLS.”

It sounds like they’ve closed the book on their Private Exclusive Book. That was quick. And now it seems they’re launching a new narrative about sites and MLSs that “monetize” listing data. I thought this was all about “seller’s choice”?

Honestly, it’s hard to keep track of how much shit they throw at the wall. Will they ban Google from showing their properties next, since Google monetizes search traffic? Are they banning all forms of referral compensation, or just the ones from people and brokerages they don’t like? MLS orgs are not allowed to charge vendors data licensing fees? Well maybe that last one might work ; )

And what’s this nonsense about not wanting listing data to be altered? The reason Zillow and other portals stopped taking direct feeds from brokers is because the data was garbage. Why should Compass get to issue non-compliant data to the MLS while everyone else has to play by the rules?

And don’t even get me started on this idea of “ensuring agents won’t be fined or banned for sharing listings with the brokerage or MLS.” Who is going to take that risk?

Looking for a new gig?

Chief Executive Officer (CEO) – Mid-Carolina Regional Association of REALTORS®

“The Mid-Carolina Regional Association of REALTORS® is seeking a dynamic Chief Executive Officer to drive strategic growth, member engagement, and operational excellence in the heart of Pinehurst, NC—a world-renowned golf destination and luxury second-home hotspot.

Chief Executive Officer
Mid-Carolina Regional Association of REALTORS® (MCRAR)
Pinehurst, North Carolina

Ready to lead in one of the most beautiful and stable real estate markets in the country?

Home to the USGA and 40 golf courses in just 15 miles, Pinehurst offers an unmatched lifestyle with a real estate market fueled by affluent second-home buyers and a deeply rooted sense of community.”

The find out about this job or post a job, please visit the Giant Steps Job Board.

RIP Joel MacIntosh

Real Estate Technology Pioneer Joel MacIntosh Passes Away

“As the founder and CEO of Wolfnet, and later through its successful merger with OjO Labs, Joel was instrumental in modernizing real estate technology and pioneering IDX. His forward-thinking leadership built critical bridges between traditional industry practices and the emerging digital ecosystem, empowering countless professionals with tools and platforms that remain essential today.”

Make sure you read Victor’s tribute above. What a sad loss.

I can’t even count how many times I recommended WolfNet to other vendors, brokers, and agents. They basically invented the IDX space. Joel was a great guy—reliable, solid, and someone who touched a lot of lives.

Joel was one of my very first industry interviews, before I even started podcasting. I think this interview really shows the great sense of humor he had.

RIP, Joel. My condolences to his family.

Industry Relations Podcast: Monopoly Schmonopoly

The Industry Relations Podcast is now available on your favorite podcast player!

Overview
In this episode of Industry Relations, Rob and Greg unpack the lawsuit Compass filed against Zillow over its ZLAS (Zillow Listing Agreement Standard) policy. They debate the strength of Compass’s legal claims, the language cited in the complaint, and what the alleged behind-the-scenes meetings reveal about Zillow’s influence in the real estate industry. Rob argues that Zillow is exercising monopoly power—even if it’s not illegal—while Greg pushes back on whether that power is absolute or harmful.

Key Takeaways

  • Compass Lawsuit Against Zillow – Compass has sued Zillow over ZLAS, and Rob and Greg break down what the complaint says, especially around alleged comments from Zillow executives.
  • Redfin’s Role in the Lawsuit – The lawsuit describes a phone call between Redfin CEO Glenn Kelman and Compass’s Robert Reffkin, which raises questions about Redfin’s alignment or neutrality.
  • Allegations from the Zillow Meeting – The complaint claims Zillow executives said they would “not allow” Compass to have listings that aren’t on Zillow. Rob questions how MLSs will interpret that language.
  • Zillow’s Relationship to MLSs – Rob and Greg debate whether Zillow is stepping into a policy-making role that could create long-term tension with MLSs.
  • Monopoly vs. Illegal Monopoly – Rob insists Zillow is a monopoly in terms of influence, while Greg questions whether that matters if they haven’t broken any laws.
  • Private Listing Networks as Leverage – Rob suggests that large brokerages should consider creating private listing networks to provoke offers or concessions from Zillow.
  • MLS and NAR Dynamics – The conversation revisits the lack of MLS policy leadership from NAR and whether groups like CMLS can step up in its place.
  • Consumer Perception of Real Estate – Greg ends by cautioning that all this infighting could be harmful to public trust, as evidenced by critical reader comments in mainstream news outlets.

Connect with Rob and Greg

Rob’s Website 

Greg’s Website 

Watch us on YouTube

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Notorious VIP

The Giant Steps Job Board 

Production and Editing Services by Sunbound Studios

Doorify invests in BPP

Doorify MLS Joins Broker Public Portal as Strategic Investor

“Our investment in Broker Public Portal is a clear signal of Doorify MLS’s commitment to technology sovereignty in real estate,” said Matt Fowler, CEO of Doorify MLS. “By taking ownership in this broker- and MLS-controlled platform, we’re ensuring our industry retains vital control over its technology infrastructure and data. Our core mission is to provide consumers with the most comprehensive MLS search experience, directly connecting them with the local experts – their agents and brokers. This investment fortifies a platform truly built by the industry, for the industry, fostering genuine engagement between consumers and real estate professionals.”

The tech that Dan and his team have put together in such a short amount of time is pretty amazing. And I was especially impressed by this statement from the release:

“With this addition, the strategic investors in the Broker Public Portal are comprised of 44 brokerages and 48 MLSs, serving 1,047,000 agents.”

There seems to be a lot of opportunity out there. The tough part is just fitting all the pieces together. Fortunately, Matt and his team have no shortage of ideas, and with his background at Solid Earth I’m confident they will be a perfect strategic partner.

Behind the scenes of the Zillow listings “ban”

Oh to be a fly on the wall….

COMPASS AGENT: Hey Bill, I just wanted to give you a quick call. Our CEO is in a fight with Zillow and I just wanted you to be aware your house won’t be listed for sale on Zillow.

Bill (Home Seller): Not on Zillow? Why? A fight?

COMPASS AGENT: It’s part of our “3 Phased Marketing” Agreement, remember the agreement you signed when you listed with us?

Bill (Home Seller): I never signed anything that said our house wouldn’t be on Zillow. That’s crazy, we found our house on Zillow ferchistsake…

COMPASS AGENT: Umm, well, we wanted to test the waters, remember, find the right buyer, our CEO says its the best thing eve……

Bill (Home Seller): Are you fucking serious?? I can tell you right now if you don’t put our house of Zillow I’m gonna fire you…

COMPASS AGENT: But what about Days on Market and…

Bill (Home Seller): –click—-

COMPASS AGENT: Bill?….Bill? Bill??? Shit.

Looking for a new gig?

Association CEO – Southern Indiana Association of REALTORS® 

“The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) will serve as a collaborative strategic and operational leader, working in close partnership with the Board of Directors and staff to advance the organization’s mission. Together with the board and team, the CEO will lead initiatives to streamline operations, strengthen internal and external communication, elevate community and industry engagement, and position the organization as a visible, respected, and forward-thinking force in the region.”

The find out about this job or post a job, please visit the Giant Steps Job Board.

Listing Bits Podcast:AI and compliance with Todd Carpenter of Styldod

In this episode of Listing Bits, Greg Robertson sits down with Todd Carpenter, SVP of Industry Relations at Styldod, to talk about the evolution of real estate technology—from mortgage lead gen to photo AI. They dive deep into how Styldod uses artificial intelligence to help agents with virtual staging, automate compliance workflows, and extract property data directly from listing photos. Todd also shares his career journey through early online mortgage startups, NAR, and RE.net culture to where he is today—working on AI-powered tools designed to modernize listing input and photo compliance for MLSs.

Key Takeaways

  • Career Journey – Todd shares his path from growing up in real estate, to working in mortgage tech, to leading social media strategy at NAR, and now serving at Styldod.
  • Photo Compliance and Automation – Styldod’s AI can detect and automatically correct issues like branding, people, pets, or license plates in listing photos based on MLS rules.
  • Data Extraction from Photos – The AI identifies room types, finishes, and furniture to help pre-populate listing details and property descriptions.
  • AI-Powered Listing Input – Discussion on how AI can assist in streamlining listing input and future MLS integrations without replacing MLS platforms themselves.
  • Visual Staging and Marketing Add-ons – Styldod enables decluttering, virtual staging, and style customization through a seamless workflow integrated into MLS photo upload processes.
  • Product and Pricing Models – Overview of different pricing approaches for MLSs, agents, and brokers—either as direct charges or revenue-share options.
  • Reimagine.AI – Styldod’s consumer-facing product with over 2 million users, offering swipe-based before-and-after image tools.
  • AI Search and Industry Disruption – Todd and Greg speculate on how on-device AI and generative agents may reshape search, SEO, and real estate monetization in the future

Contact Todd

Email: todd@styldod.com

LinkedIn

Links:

Reimagine

Styldod

Our Sponsors

Trackxi – Real Estate’s #1 Deal Tracking Software

Giant Steps Job Board – Where ORE gets hired

Production and editing services by:

Sunbound Studios

Compass: An iBuyer by a different name?

A thought hit me this morning while reading (yet another) piece about Compass suing Zillow over their “three-phased marketing strategy.” You know the one, start off with an “exclusive listing,” then open it up to Compass agents, and eventually put it on the MLS when the seller realizes they’d like actual offers.

It occurred to me: this whole thing smells a lot like the pitch we heard from iBuyers.

Think about it. What were iBuyers really selling? Convenience and certainty. “Skip the open house.” “Pick your closing date.” “Avoid strangers in your home.” That kind of thing. Compass’s exclusive listing strategy is, in many ways, pushing the same emotional buttons. It just has a better front man. Don’t get me wrong. I understand the appeal. I have more Opendoor stock at $22 per share than I care to admit.

But here’s where it gets interesting: Compass says that 94% of their listings end up on the MLS anyway. That stat feels oddly familiar—probably because Opendoor said the same thing when they quietly started syndicating to the MLS after realizing selling homes off-market wasn’t exactly a winning proposition. Hell, they recent shifted their strategy to sending seller lead to agents!

So if Compass listings are eventually going to land on the MLS… what’s the point of the detour?

Offering sellers a “soft launch” gives them a sense of control. Maybe they think their perfect buyer will materialize from Compass’s magical internal network before they have to show the place to the unwashed public. But just like the iBuyer promise of certainty came with a service fee and a haircut on price, the Compass pitch has its own catch: fewer eyeballs, fewer offers, and usually—eventually—a trip to the MLS anyway.

Call it what you want—three phases, soft launch, “concierge listing”—at the end of the day, broad exposure still wins. Everyone eventually runs back to Mama (the MLS).

Exclusive? Maybe. But if the final destination is still the MLS, it starts to feel more like a layover than a luxury.

Looking for a new gig?

Association CEO – Las Vegas Association of REALTORS

“T3 Sixty is working with the Las Vegas REALTORS® to find their next CEO. This is an in-office position. 

The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) will lead a dynamic, member-driven organization representing over 15,000 real estate professionals. The CEO is responsible for developing and executing strategic plans, leading operational excellence, fostering strong relationships across members, staff, and the public, and serving as the primary liaison to the Board of Directors. This leader will help unify organizational culture, strengthen public engagement, and modernize operations in alignment with LVR’s long-term vision.”

To find out about this job and more please visit the Giant Steps Job Board!

Sponsored By Styldod