New Merger Creates Third Largest Association in America

“This merger combines the MLS and the Associations of Ft. Lauderdale and the Realtors® Association of the Palm Beaches and covers a four county region along the east coast of Florida stretching north from Miami.

The cornerstone of this consolidation is a result of the hard work of the staff and the volunteer leadership. The forward thinking leadership of the board presidents along with the capable and progressive attitudes of CEOs Dionna Hall and Rick Barkett pulled this merger together. Mr. Barkett will be retiring at the end of the year, culminating the career of one of our industry’s greatest CEOs. Hall will helm the new organization.”

I wanted to make a few comments on this last week but never got the chance. So here it goes.

Kudos to both of these associations for making this happen. I can’t imagine how tough it was putting together. And a huge congratulations to Dionna Hall on her new position. And a fond farewell to Rick Barkett.

Then there’s this..

“The new company will be offering an MLS service that covers the four county area with a front end website of choice using either FBS Flex MLS (current vendor for Palm Beaches) or CoreLogic Matrix (current vendor for Fort Lauderdale).”

I think this is a good idea, but still wonder how it will all work out. And I assume there are a myriad of vendor agreements to sort out. I’m beginning to see this “front end of choice”, where the whole MLS system is available, model in other places (CRMLS, MLSListings) but none have gone live yet. In the later case the MLS vendors are only paid on what system is being used. I worry the the total available market (TAM) might not sustain this, but who knows. One thing is for sure, new business models are beginning to emerge due to this new wave of consolidation.

Sam DeBord in a recent Facebook post really brought it home to me on how long the MLS industry has been at this.

“As we head to D.C. for NAR midyear meetings, the MLS seems to be crossing the tipping point toward an open service model. Worth your time:

11 yrs ago via Bright MLS’s David Charron (h/t Saul & John at RealTown & the irreplaceable Judith Lindenau): https://www.realtown.com/Judith2/blog/disorder

“Human and political factors can hinder the transmission of (MLS) content as much as technical factors. … this biggest and most powerful tool is not technology, it’s OUR attitude. Now is the perfect time for all of us as MLS executives to work together with the same sense of cooperation that defines the very industry, indeed the very customers we serve.”

11 years ago.