“I will be leaving one of the largest, most innovative and successful organizations in the best shape ever to move forward.”
When TK took over in 1993, MIAMI had 5,000 members and one office. Today it’s 60,000 members, the largest local Realtor association in the country, larger than 44 state associations, with nearly 300 international partnerships across 77 countries. She also steered the ship through 2008, COVID, and the NAR settlement — the hat trick of industry gut-checks.
33 years is a long time to do anything. To do it at that level, at that scale, is something else entirely.
My hat’s off to you, TK. Enjoy whatever you and John want to do, whenever you want to do it. You’ve earned it.
“A growing acceptance that the ‘all-in’ membership model is under threat.”
A new T3 Sixty survey offers a candid look at where MLS and association executives stand heading into 2026, and the results are interesting. On the surface, more than 8 in 10 organized real estate leaders say they’re aligned with NAR’s three-year strategic plan. But dig a little deeper and there’s a lot of nuance underneath that headline number.
The membership picture is stabilizing, sort of. While heading into 2025 over 70% of execs expected membership declines, only 25% actually saw them. Which is good news. About 35% saw membership tick up — the rest were flat. Those predictions had influenced budgeting so I’m glad that some of the gloom and doom around membership is thawing.
The bigger story for 2026 is what happens to membership models themselves. A full 70% of respondents think new membership structures are likely to emerge this year, with agents increasingly prioritizing MLS access while dropping secondary memberships. The “all-in” model that has defined organized real estate for decades is under real pressure.
On local autonomy, there’s broad support — 68% of all respondents favor more local policy discretion, and among MLS-only executives that jumps to 85%. That aligns pretty well with the sweeping MLS Handbook changes NAR pushed through late last year. But support for autonomy and comfort with autonomy are two different things. As NAR steps back from its traditional rulemaking role, local organizations are navigating uncertain legal territory without much of a safety net. One exec put it plainly: every policy is now under careful review “to ensure we aren’t the next target.”
The organizations that thrive will be the ones that treat this new autonomy as an opportunity rather than a burden.
“This next phase of our strategy ensures that our consumer-facing experience not only reflects the integrity of MLS data, but also actively supports our participants by helping connect buyers directly with listing brokerages.”
Looks like OneKey listings will expand portal distribution to add Cribio, BPP’s national consumer search site, with opt-out preserved for brokers and sellers.
This is a significant win for BPP. OneKey is one of the largest MLSs in the country — tens of thousands of subscribers across New York City, Long Island, and the surrounding metro. Landing them as a partner is a credibility milestone.
The pitch is becoming a bit more straight forward in my eyes: accurate MLS data, fair display, direct consumer-to-listing-brokerage connections, no ad model. That last part matters. In a post-settlement world where broker value is under a microscope, an MLS choosing to power its consumer experience through a platform that attributes rather than monetizes the listing relationship is a deliberate strategic signal. Although some industry players have pushed back on the overall value proposition of sending on-line leads to listing agents.
But, worth watching whether this accelerates adoption among other major MLSs. OneKey signing on makes the next conversation a lot easier for Dan Troup and his team. Congrats!
“NTREIS CEO, Chris Carrillo, remarked “today, we celebrate not just a retirement announcement, but the remarkable journey of a true mentor, industry leader, and friend. Matt is more than just a colleague; he embodies the best of our industry. His humility and almost clairvoyant intellect have guided us through challenges, and his unwavering commitment to our MLS community has left an indelible mark.”
CoStar Group Reiterates Strategic Initiatives to Prioritize Profitable Growth and Increase Long-term Stockholder Value
“Third Point appears intent on spinning a yarn of Board complacency and “quixotic” investment. Their story is completely detached from reality. Following a review process that Third Point and D.E. Shaw suggested with participation from their Board nominees, the Board unanimously recommended a plan involving accelerated profitability for Homes.com, additional investments in our core platforms, incremental capital return, stockholder-aligned executive compensation, and greater investor transparency. Unhappy with the conclusions of the independent Board they helped pick, Third Point, like a child with a board game, wants to throw the pieces off the board.”
I did some digging based on a tip. What I found was Third Point invested in Rocket last year which changes the optics for me a bit. Could there be a bit of game play here? Maybe. Maybe not. But, as I said in my last post, I still wouldn’t bet against Andy Florance.
But in my last episode of Industry Relations, recorded before the CoStar news broke, I asked Jack Miller his thoughts on CoStar and he had a brilliant take.
From Jack’s perspective it’s still about product market fit. In my 2026 predictions I said that we were going to see a shift in the strategies of non-Zillow portals. So far Realtor.com has announced their Realtor + app, and I think Homes.com is going to have to think of something that answers Jack’s take.
“West Metro joining Hive is a powerful example of what our cooperative model is all about,” said Daniel Jones, CEO of Hive MLS. “They share in our belief in the strength of community, where associations gain influence by working together, the value of collaboration across markets to support brokers and agents with better tools, and the importance of connectivity through modern systems and seamless data exchange. We look forward to West Metro helping to strengthen our Hive.”
Interesting model. One thing I’m looking forward to about MLS Reset is getting a chance to learning more from Daniel and others on their unique business models.
“As it prepared to scale up its 3-Phase Marketing Strategy, which includes two off-MLS phases, Compass set out internally to get a clear view of the rules that MLSs — big and small — had in place that might intersect with the plan.”
This story is from last week but I wanted to do some digging. I downloaded the spreadsheet the Inman story referenced. Compass ranked 171 MLSs on a 1-to-5 scale for “restrictiveness.”
Here’s what the numbers say:
Score
MLSs
%
5 (Most Restrictive)
1
0.6%
4 (Highly Restrictive)
7
4.1%
3 (Moderate)
144
84.2%
2 (Friendly)
14
8.2%
1 (Wide Open)
5
2.9%
Read that again. Only 8 MLSs scored a 4 or 5. That’s it. Eight.
Compass is betting they only have to fight 8 MLSs. The other 163? Either friendly or not worth worrying about.
The Score 5 club has one member:
Northwest MLS (NWMLS)
The same MLS that cut off Compass’s IDX feed. The same MLS Compass sued. No surprises there.
The Score 4 list:
CRMLS (California Regional)
NTREIS (North Texas)
Georgia MLS
First MLS (Atlanta)
SmartMLS (Connecticut)
Greenwich Association of REALTORS®
If my math is correct these MLS Organizations represent about 290,000 real estate agents. Which if we say there are 1.4M members of NAR, then that’s about 20%. Also, nobody pushes Greenwich in to a corner!
Meanwhile, the “Compass-Friendly” Score 2 list includes:
Bright MLS
MRED (Chicago)
Houston Association of REALTORS® (HAR)
ACTRIS (Austin)
San Diego MLS
MLSListings (Silicon Valley)
The MLS (Los Angeles)
San Francisco Association of REALTORS®
That’s a lot of major markets where Compass sees a clear runway.
The irony? MRED — currently in a standoff with Zillow over its Private Listing Network (PLN) — landed on the Compass-friendly list. Turns out you can fight one portal while enabling another.
84% of MLSs got a 3. The vast middle. Compass is probably betting these swing votes won’t put up a fight if the big dominoes fall.
So if you’re an MLS executive, you might want to know where you stand on this list. Because Compass already does.
“With the addition of MAR, MetroList now serves 15 Central and Northern California counties and supports data-sharing across 29 relevant counties, creating expanded exposure and opportunity for real estate professionals and consumers alike. This strategic move reflects MAR’s commitment to equipping its members with forward-thinking tools, innovative technology, and comprehensive service and support in an increasingly value driven real estate landscape.”
Looks like MetroList is building some momentum. The consolidation continues…
My son was home for winter break from NYU Film School, so I put him to work.
I wrote a short script, we shot this video, and he handled the edit. I think it turned out great. Credit also to Tuesday founder Coleton Boyer, who nailed the “walk and talk,” which is harder than it looks.
Unlike traditional MLS apps, Tuesday is different by design. The goal is simple: be the first app real estate agents open in the morning.
Agents can quickly see what’s happening in the market, track activity in their farm, and share listings with clients. Instead of boring spreadsheets and endless email alerts, Tuesday turns your MLS into a clean, scrollable feed.
Agents can also follow other agents. Teammates, office mates, even rivals. That’s how cooperation actually happens.
Tuesday is the best way to unlock cooperation at your MLS.
“Chris is a proven leader with a deep understanding of the industry and Metro MLS,” said Joe Horning, Metro MLS Chairman. “Over the past eight months, he has provided stability, strengthened relationships and positioned Metro MLS for long-term success. We are excited to have him leading our organization.”
I am honored to officially lead Metro MLS as CEO,” Lambrou said. “Over the past several months, I’ve seen firsthand the talent and dedication of our team. I look forward to building on our momentum, driving innovation and ensuring Metro MLS continues to provide exceptional value to our members and the real estate community”
