“Widely recognized as a thought leader and trailblazer in the real estate industry, Cowen has led Stellar MLS since 2008, guiding it through a period of transformational growth and modernization. Under her leadership, the organization expanded its customer base to become the largest MLS in Florida and Puerto Rico.”
Shayne Fairley, who has been named Merri Jo’s successor, has some big shoes to fill, but I’m sure he’ll do a great job.
It’s impossible to capture just how much Merri Jo has contributed to this industry, so I’ll save that for another post as we get closer to her departure. But I will say this: a lot of people owe their careers to Merri Jo, and the industry is a better place because of her.
“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?
“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.”
“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.
“REcore already serves MLSs with tools that simplify compliance, track member issues, and streamline operations. Navigator fits naturally into this ecosystem—helping staff and members get the answers they need, when they need them. As an exclusive reseller, REcore will bring Navigator to a broader market faster, while Lundy continues to focus on building and evolving the product.”
Navigator AI is a great product. Justin and his team have been in this space of awhile and know the pain points that MLS and association have regarding support, rules, and data. Like a lot of AI tools it seems like magic. I think the possibilities are endless. I’m sure Katie Smithson of RECore would love to give you a demo.
“Who’s No. 1? For the first time since T3 Sixty began its rankings, there is a new player in the top spot: Bright MLS, with 101,000 members. Bright has moved into the position formerly occupied by California Regional MLS, which drops to No. 2 with 99,000 members, followed by Central Florida-based Stellar MLS with 81,453.
The shift at the top aligns with the bigger picture nationally, where every part of the country saw a drop in the total number of MLS subscribers — except the South Atlantic region (up 0.4%). That area is covered in part by Bright MLS and has seen ongoing population growth.”
The difference in subscriber count is just 2,100. I’ve said this before, but what Clint Skutchan does with T3 Sixty is an incredible asset to the industry. The RE Almanac sits on my desk and serves as an important reference every week.
“Founded in January 2025 by UtahRealEstate.com, reDataExport aims to transform real estate data distribution by providing an efficient platform to supply real estate information to those who need multiple listing service (“MLS”) data for research, statistics, and analytics. MLSs across the nation often receive requests from government agencies, universities, economists, and research companies that need access to specific MLS data for market research and legislative analysis. With the reDataExport product, NorthstarMLS will be able to license data to these types of entities and provide the data without having to give full access to their MLS system, ensuring the confidentiality and data integrity of the MLS system”
Love these types of solutions. Simple, solves a problem, and easy to implement. I bet it’s pretty inexpensive too. Might be an easy way for others to support MLS led tech. I’m sure either Brad or Casey would love to chat.
“This partnership embeds Restb.ai’s advanced computer vision technology directly into Ocusell, giving agents and brokers powerful time-saving tools while maintaining the highest standards of accuracy and reliability,” said Hayden Rieveschl, CEO and Founder of Ocusell.”
“The term “Hobson’s Choice” indicates something that provides the illusion of choice but is not a real choice. And that would most accurately describe the “consumer’s choice” the real estate industry spends so much time discussing. Various theoretical reasons are presented for the choice that Refkin suggests consumers want. Those reasons for choosing a private exclusive listing have been easily addressed by the real estate industry for over 100 years with the existing rules set. In this new model, consumers are introduced to the program through manipulation disguised as concern and counseling, which contradicts the obligations of agency under which most real estate practitioners receive their licenses.”
Can’t believe this is the first time I’ve linked to Bill Lublin’s excellent blog.
“MetroList agents are now collecting property data on-site with the new voice-controlled app, capturing property details instantly and accurately by simply speaking as they walk through the home. Once agents experience the speed and convenience of this technology, there’s no going back. The app intelligently interprets spoken descriptions, automatically populating listing fields and reducing manual data entry. This allows agents to collect more complete and descriptive data in less time, enhancing the quality and searchability of listings across the platform.”
I never really thought that doing listing input via a mobile device was that practical. I just thought it might be too cumbersome to “type” that data on a phone. But this new voice stuff by Lundy is pretty slick.
