At WAV Group, we have long believed that consolidation is not just about size. It is about leverage and the ability to turn scale into sustained profitability. This merger should prompt every brokerage leader to revisit their own growth strategy.
Every wave of technology gives us a chance to rethink how we work. MCP is that wave.
While the expansion news is exciting, the working relationship Hive MLS has created is even more newsworthy. Hive’s model allows an Association to get out from under the burden of the daily management of their MLS operation without losing their local identity in the process. By wholesaling services from Hive, Associations maintain the revenues generated from their MLS operations, but leave the day to day management to the MLS leaders at Hive MLS.
NAR’s policy statement offers caution but avoids clarity. Until the association clearly defines what control means in the age of AI, it risks losing both the tree and the forest.
This announcement is about reclaiming control over the data infrastructure that underpins the real estate industry. RealAPI represents digital sovereignty, a future where MLSs and brokers control how their data is accessed, who uses it, and what value is returned.
Agents leave because they think something might be better. FOBO doesn’t come from dissatisfaction. It comes from doubt.
CoreHome doesn’t try to replace the agent. It amplifies them with better timing, better visibility, and tools that work with the way they already operate.
It is a logical evolution of customer for life solutions, but it also raises new questions about privacy, data sharing, and competitive dependence.
If MLSs provide a standardized, policy-compliant way for AI systems to query listing data (with proper guardrails), then any broker or authorized app can use it and we maintain a level playing field and oversight.
Real estate brokerages have always competed on reputation. For decades, word of mouth, Google reviews, and social media have shaped how consumers choose who to trust with their biggest financial transaction. But today, a new powerful influencer is entering that decision-making process — ChatGPT. Today, 59% of consumers said they’ve used at least one AI-powered platform to support their homebuying journey and get information about the real estate market, according to a new study from Veterans United Home Loans.
Many MLSs believe they “own” their data because it’s collected under their rules and compliance structures. But in practice, most MLSs house their data on vendor-controlled servers, governed by vendor-written terms, infrastructure and development priorities.
Zillow built its business on cooperation. Now it’s the MLS’s job to defend it.
