Where Real Estate Gets Its Dirt

Zillow sues MRED and Compass

Zillow sues MRED and Compass for conspiring to hide home listings from buyers and restrict competition

“In April 2026, MRED and Compass announced a formal partnership to expand MRED’s private listing network nationwide. It allowed Compass agents anywhere in the country to enter listings into MRED’s system — supposedly to “protect” those listings from pro-transparency platforms like Zillow. The explicit purpose was to extend MRED’s monopoly leverage far beyond the Chicago region and force competitors nationwide to abandon consumer protections. 

MRED made good on the deal almost immediately. By early May 2026, MRED demanded that Zillow reinstate Compass private listings in states hundreds of miles outside MRED’s territory — listings from agents who had already been warned they were violating Zillow’s consumer standards. 

The same day, the technology provider that distributes MRED’s listing feed threatened to terminate Zillow’s access entirely if it did not comply. MRED CEO Rebecca Jensen also serves as chair of that distributor’s board of managers, meaning the same person controlled both the threat and the mechanism for carrying it out.”

It’s a fight that had to happen. And it’s going to get really messy. In my estimation Compass has a lot more to lose than anyone else. Zillow has shown it can pivot. But Compass has gone all in on their 3-phased marketing strategy and that’s what’s at stake.

And at the end of the day, can anyone tell me what MRED is fighting for? What do the other members of MLS GRID think?

My main fear is that the biggest loser will be the organized real estate industry itself. Zillow in my estimation has the strongest voice to the consumer. And as the saying goes, “you don’t fight the man with the microphone.” If Zillow can successfully push the narrative that Compass is hiding listings from buyers and restricting competition, then the blow back will affect all of us.

Is anyone else afraid of checking their email nowadays? Can we all just pop a gummy and chill out for a while?

BLX, Zillow, MRED, and Fight for Control

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

Overview

Rob and Greg react to Cotality’s launch of BLX, a new broker-focused listing input platform that immediately sparks debate over whether it’s a defensive move against portals or “Project Upstream” all over again. They dig into broker control, MLS compliance, native Matrix integration, and whether MLSs were blindsided by the launch.

They also discuss Zillow filing suit against MRED and Compass over private listings, leading into a larger conversation about industry framing, consumer transparency, and whether Zillow has become an unofficial regulator of real estate.

Key Takeaways

  • Cotality launched BLX, a broker listing input and distribution platform aimed at streamlining listing management across MLSs and portals.
  • Rob questions whether BLX effectively bypasses MLS authority and compares it directly to Project Upstream.
  • Greg argues the product is more about preserving MLS relevance as brokers increasingly use portal-based listing input systems.
  • Debate over whether MLSs were informed ahead of the BLX launch and how major Matrix customers may react.
  • Discussion around broker control vs. MLS compliance rules, especially regarding listing distribution and branding.
  • Zillow sued MRED and Compass over private listings and alleged restriction of competition.
  • Rob and Greg debate Zillow’s influence over consumer perception and whether portals should be shaping

Connect with Rob and Greg

Rob’s Website 

Greg’s Website 

Watch us on YouTube

Our Sponsors:

Cotality 

Notorious VIP

The Giant Steps Job Board 

Production and Editing Services by Sunbound Studios

RPR-RVM-BPP-CHA-CHA-CHA

RPR® and Broker Public Portal Collaborate to Bring RVM® Valuations to Participating Cribio Markets

“The integration brings together two industry-aligned platforms with a shared commitment to accurate data, transparency and consumer trust. BPP, owned by brokers and MLSs, was created to deliver a national consumer home search experience powered by real-time MLS data and guided by Fair Display Guidelines. RPR, a wholly owned subsidiary of the National Association of REALTORS®, provides REALTORS® with parcel-centric property data, valuation tools, market insights and client-ready reports.

Through this collaboration, participating MLSs and associations that have partnered with BPP, may authorize the display of RVM® values within their local Cribio-powered consumer experience. RVM®permissions will be controlled by each MLS and enablement will require the appropriate authorization and permissions process between the MLS, BPP and RPR.”

I hadn’t checked out Cribio.com in a while. I have to say they’ve done a nice job with the site. Comparing their respective Listing Detail Pages (LDP) side to side with Zillow, it’s amazing to see how many pixels Zillow dedicates to their “Request a tour” button and ad for “Home Loans” product.

Without the ad space, Cribio is able to show a map of the area and a lot more information on the property.

Right now on Cribio you can search any off-market property and on the upper left of the right column you get a Zestimate button that goes to Zillow. The RVM, I’m told, will be displayed on the page (no clicking). I’ve also heard they might keep the Zestimate as is, and maybe add a third AVM — I believe Homes.com has four.

One other thing I appreciate about Cribio’s LDP is that the right column is scrollable, while the left column of property photos is static. It’s a subjective design choice, but I like it.

Will this RVM integration move the needle on consumer adoption? Probably not. But I do like to see the industry collaboration and some of the cool stuff Dan’s team is working on.

The BLX Files

Cotality Broker Listing Exchange (Cotality BLX) Launches to Give Brokerages Options and Control Over How They Market Their Listings

“We heard clearly from agents and franchise owners that managing listings across multiple platforms creates unnecessary friction in an already fast-moving business and a rapidly evolving industry,” said Chris Czarnecki, CEO and President, KW. “Our continued collaboration with Cotality is about simplifying one of the most important workflows in real estate: listing management. By reducing duplicate entry across platforms and creating a more centralized experience, we’re helping our affiliated agents save time and gain greater control over their listings while creating maximum exposure opportunities for their clients. The BLX platform will afford our affiliated agents maximum flexibility in how they manage their listings distributions, in a format that they are highly familiar with, which in turns creates leverage for their business and gives them a competitive advantage in the marketplace.”

Interesting move. Feels like Cotality is seeing something on the horizon most are not. We’ve heard the arguments from brokers about “duplicate entry” syndrome for years, even back in the Upstream days. Which is as far as the comparison to Upstream I think this news deserves. But what I think moved the needle for Cotality is Zillow touting how many brokers were signing up to participate in their Zillow Previews offering. That meant a lot of agents/brokers were entering listings in Zillow first, not Matrix. No bueno, if you are selling MLS software.

I’ve heard some MLS organizations not pleased about hearing the news last minute, which I can sympathize with. But I’m not sure those MLS organizations are offering the same courtesy when they announce a new front end of choice solutions in their markets or when they start offering competitive services. “It’s show business, not show friends” I like to say.

Overall, I’m still a bit skeptical about the product offering itself. How many brokers will actually buy this? Cotality is owned by Stone Point Capital, and Stone Point also owns a chunk of Keller Williams too, so that deal was probably easier to put together, than HomeServices. And what’s going to motivate the agent to change their workflow?

Call it a hunch, but I think we’re only seeing Act One.

Cotality [Sponsor]

Camp Cotality 2026 is heading to Montréal!

” At Cotality, we’re more than just a technology provider—we’re your partner in navigating the ever-evolving MLS landscape. Our goal is simple: helping multiple listing organizations deliver more value to their members and tackling the market’s biggest challenges with you.

Our MLS partnerships and collaborations truly come to life at Camp Cotality, our annual user conference, coming in June!

Join us in Montréal | June 21–24

Camp Cotality promises three days of insight, innovation, and connection. Here’s what you can expect:

  • A first look at our upcoming AI-driven innovations.
  • Collaborative sessions to help define the future roadmaps for Cotality RES solutions.
  • Direct access to our executive team, product, and service leaders.
  • Peer-to-peer networking and shared learning with MLS leaders.
  • And plenty of camp-style fun!  

Who should attend?

Camp Cotality is an invitation-only event for our Real Estate Solutions clients, including MLS and association staff, committee members, and leadership. 

Reach out to your Cotality representative to learn more.

We look forward to seeing you in Montréal! “

Introducing the MLS Channel Field Guide from Giant Steps

We Built the Field Guide We Wish We Had 20 Years Ago

If you’re a proptech company trying to sell into the MLS channel, you already know the basics: it’s complex, it’s slow, and nobody picks up the phone.

What you might not know is exactly how complex, how slow, and why nobody picks up the phone. That’s the part that takes years to figure out. We know, because we spent decades figuring it out ourselves.

Today we’re announcing something we’ve been working on for a while: The MLS Channel Field Guide.

I spend a lot of time speaking to new vendors and other vendors who may have been selling directly to brokers or agents who were curious about partnering with the MLS channel as a way for distributing their product. I’ve distilled all those conversations in to a presentation which I think does a great job of informing anyone new to the space. If you interested please go read the full blog post on the Giant Steps Advisors website and Let’s Talk.

Brian Boero on Storytelling, Signal, and What Comes Next for MLS

The Listing Bits Podcast is now available on your favorite podcast player!

Overview

Greg Robertson sits down with Brian Boero of 1000Watt to talk about the current state of organized real estate, the future of the MLS, AI’s impact on SaaS and marketing, and why writing and storytelling still matter in an AI-driven world. They also preview 1000Watt’s upcoming Signal Conference and discuss a new “next generation MLS” concept the team is developing for the event. 

Key Takeaways

  • Brian explains how 1000Watt blends strategic advisory work with branding, messaging, and design. 
  • Greg and Brian discuss why strong writing is still a critical skill, even as AI tools become more common. 
  • The conversation dives into private listings, MLS relevance, and the growing tension between brokerages, portals, and organized real estate. 
  • Brian shares his core belief: “don’t mess with homes,” arguing that limiting access to listings could ultimately hurt the industry. 
  • Greg and Brian discuss how AI may fundamentally reshape proptech, SaaS, and vendor business models over the next few years. 
  • Signal Conference preview: 1000Watt will unveil a conceptual “future MLS” complete with branding, governance ideas, and a proposed business model. 

Links

Sponsors

Aligned Showings — MLS-owned showing software built to simplify scheduling, improve communication, and keep MLS data where it belongs.

Giant Steps Job Board – Built for organized real estate and PropTech, not generic tech bros and recruiters who don’t know what an MLS is.

Production and editing services by:

Sunbound Studios

Denee Evans steps down as CMLS CEO, Amy Gorce takes Interim CEO role

My Final Day at CMLS and What Comes Next

“Last year, I shared my plan to step down as CEO of CMLS. After 11.5 years in this role, I am writing to share that my final day will be May 31.

It is hard to fully capture what this organization and this community have meant to me. This adventure has been filled with growth, challenge, and opportunity, but more than anything, it has been defined by the people. Working alongside individuals who are willing to collaborate, challenge one another, and continue pushing forward has been the greatest privilege. “

This news came out on Friday, May 1st, via email. I haven’t seen it posted anywhere else. A few people I talked to this week still hadn’t heard the news.

Denee’s tenure has covered some of the biggest challenges our industry has faced: a worldwide pandemic, the NAR settlement, consolidation, the destruction of compensation and erosion of part of the MLS value proposition, and now a fight to erode cooperation as well.

CMLS today is unrecognizable from its Northwest Council of MLS roots, with conferences routinely surpassing 1,000 attendees. CMLS has continued to grow and evolve under Denee, and that is a strong testament to her leadership. I’m sure it hasn’t been easy, and I’m 100% certain she has a lot of battle scars to prove it.

More from the email:

“That is why finding the right next CEO is so important. CMLS has begun the search and expects to identify a leader this summer who will carry this work forward and guide the organization into its next chapter, building on a strong foundation already in place. 

As we move through this transition, it is important that we continue to show up for you in the same way you expect from CMLS. To support that, I’m excited to share that the CMLS Board has engaged Amy Gorce to serve as Interim CEO.”

I joked with Amy that I’m going to have to call her “Elon” due to the number of companies she is running now. But, I think we all know Amy is the perfect choice to lead the organization in the interim so Denee can move on and pursue her new goals.

For me, and a lot of other people in the industry, CMLS is very special. We are at a very critical time in our industry. If I had one trait I would put at the top of my list for the new CEO to have, it would be Courage.

Thank you Denee for your dedication, optimism, and sense of humor to let a smart ass like me poke fun at an industry we both love.

The Game of Chicken: MLS Style

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

Overview
Greg previews his ICE keynote, “What If We’re Wrong?”, challenging core MLS assumptions around data ownership, cooperation, and control. The discussion quickly shifts to MRED’s push to limit public data visibility, sparking a broader debate on transparency, Zillow’s leverage, and whether MLSs still hold real power.

Rob argues the industry is already moving past NAR’s authority, while both highlight growing instability across MLSs, vendors, and business models. The episode ends on a bigger theme: rapid change, AI, and the need for organizations to adapt fast—or fall behind.

Key Takeaways
– MLS assumptions around data and control are being tested  
– MRED vs. Zillow signals a larger industry power struggle  
– NAR is shifting toward an advisory role, not enforcement  
– Larger MLSs are acting independently; smaller ones may still rely on NAR  
– Vendors and MLSs face increasing uncertainty and decision paralysis  
– AI is accelerating disruption across the industry  
– Success now depends on speed, flexibility, and willingness to adapt

Connect with Rob and Greg

Rob’s Website 

Greg’s Website 

Watch us on YouTube

Our Sponsors:

Cotality 

Notorious VIP

The Giant Steps Job Board 

Production and Editing Services by Sunbound Studios

Cotality [Sponsor]

We talk a lot about data in this industry. Less about what it takes to actually make it usable.

Cotality is working on that layer, bringing together property data, analytics, and risk signals (like climate) into something operators can actually make decisions on.

That’s not easy, especially when the inputs are all over the place.

But as the conversation shifts more toward risk, insurance, and long-term property value, that kind of insight starts to matter a lot more.

If you haven’t checked them out, it’s worth a look: Cotality

Many thanks to Cotality for sponsoring Vendor Alley this month.

Sponsored By Cotality