There’s a lot to be excited about in real estate tech right now. We’re seeing an impressive wave of generative AI integrations across platforms. Some are cosmetic. Others are foundational.

Dive deeper into how these innovations are shaping MLS governance in our new white paper, “Sovereign AI and the Future of MLS Governance.”

Recent History

Howard Hanna was one of the first brokerages to embed conversational AI into home search. Cribio.com, the new portal for the Broker Public Portal, is pushing innovation forward with AI-powered discovery and real-time listing intelligence. Homes.com and Realtor.com have recently added generative AI tools to enhance search experiences. 

Associations and MLSs are partnering with companies to deliver 24/7 customer support and insights from tools like Ardi by Voiceflip and voice-enabled search by Lundy.

Broker tech vendors are also racing to modernize. Delta Media, Inside Real Estate (through BoldTrail), Real Estate Webmasters, Rechat, and others are building AI features into their stacks. But what’s happening behind the scenes is even more important: many of these companies are actively developing Model Context Protocol (MCP) servers to manage data downloaded by the MLS.

All of this momentum is worth celebrating, but it’s just the tip of the iceberg. The future of MLSs depends on taking on a much more active role in re-inventing the ways MLS data, insights and guidance are delivered to subscribers. 

What’s missing: production-grade MCP servers at the MLS

Right now, no MLS has a production-ready MCP server live in the field. UtahRealEstate.com and NorthstarMLS are close to completion. FBS has an MCP server in Beta. Others are exploring. Most are still on the sidelines.

That vacuum creates real risk.

AI is not waiting. While the MLS industry debates policy and control, technologists are moving forward. And without a clear, industry-led channel for AI access to listing data, the most likely outcome is direct publication. Broker to large language model.

If that happens, the foundation of the MLS cracks. At a time when MLSs should be expanding the excellence of listing input and quality to new arenas like rental listings and commercial listings, it could all fall apart. 

The stakes: data ownership, cooperation, and control

The moment real estate listings are published directly to ChatGPT, Perplexity, Claude, Gemini, and/or CoPilot without going through an MCP server managed by the MLS, the structure that governs listing data begins to collapse.

• Data ownership disappears. Raw listings inside an LLM become a public asset, not a broker’s.
• Brokerage cooperation breaks. If LLMs surface every listing, there’s no reason for agents to collaborate.
• The MLS gets bypassed. When brokers can reach consumers directly through AI, the MLS is no longer essential.

This is not a theory. It is already happening.

No other country has the level of cooperation that brokers have built in America. And that cooperation is based on trust. Access is granted by one shared condition: a state-issued real estate license. That simplicity has fueled competition, protected consumers, and invited innovation.

We should not give that away.

The inflection point: unify or fracture

The real estate industry is consolidating. Brokerages are national. MLSs are regional. Now is the time to act like we’re on the same team.

One of the most consistent points of tension among brokers is the IDX program. It may be time to reset the terms.

Picture this: brokers only advertise their own listings. When a consumer becomes a client through a signed buyer agency agreement, they are invited into a private portal. The public side of listings is handled only by Fair Display Guideline-compliant websites like HAR.com, Cribio.com, and UtahRealEstate.com. These platforms are governed by rules that prioritize broker control and consumer protection.

A call to MLS leaders: don’t wait

If your MLS is not actively developing an MCP server, now is the time to start. If your vendor does not offer one, press them for a roadmap. Because if the MLS community doesn’t step up, others will fill the void. And the role of the MLS will shrink along with it.

Every wave of technology gives us a chance to rethink how we work. MCP is that wave.

MLSs need to lead. Brokerages need to act. And the industry must protect the very thing that makes it work. Broker cooperation is rare. It is valuable. It is worth defending.

Let’s not lose it to an API endpoint.

To explore a strategic framework for MLS-led AI innovation, download our white paper, “Sovereign AI and the Future of MLS Governance.”

Use code “Fluente” at checkout for your free copy – for a limited time.

We’re helping organizations across real estate design practical AI frameworks and MCP strategies. Reach out to us below to start your journey.