The Open MLS movement isn’t slowing down—it’s accelerating. As of this month, MLSs representing over 941,000 REALTORS® now offer Open MLS subscriptions, up from 888,000 just last month. This rapid growth signals a powerful shift in the real estate landscape and possibly a wake-up call top MLSs still operating under restrictive access policies.
You can’t run a forward-thinking organization if you cannot attract the right people with vision, passion, and a selfless commitment to leadership. linked According to the 2025 WAV Group Association Governance Effectiveness Study, more than one third of Associations say it’s very or extremely difficult to recruit qualified leaders to serve on the Board of Directors. And if you dig into the reasons why, it’s easy to see this isn’t a pipeline problem – it’s a governance design problem.
Congrats to Dave Howe and the team at MetroList, Northern California’s largest MLS, for investing in making it easier for agents to work with the MLS. Lundy, the latest addition to the Metrolist suite of technologies, allows agents to create and update listings directly from the property site using just their voice. With the removal of Compensation as a core benefit, smart MLSs are finding other ways to earn their monthly subscriptions and tap into the capabilities of AI to deliver increased value.
Over 70% of brokerages offer at least 4 technologies and 45% offer 7 or more technologies. 7 or more log-ins on seven different websites make it nearly impossible for an agent to remember where to find all of the tools. Without a centralized view and nothing getting pushed to agents regularly to remind them to attend training, try a new product or learn a new feature, brokerage technologies are under utilized.
Nearly 40% of associations require a second board approval for expenses that have already been approved in the budget. In small and mid-sized organizations, this extra layer of scrutiny can stall initiatives for weeks or even months. In one case, a copier contract cost the association 8% more because it took four months to get final approval. That’s not sound oversight – that’s expensive inefficiency.
Every agent wants a faster and better way to enter listings accurately and ways to maximize the engagement and marketability of their listings. Agents are busy and do not always take the time to be sure they have done everything to put the property’s best foot forward. In their haste to get the listing live, they sometimes makes mistakes which reduces the quality of the data for the MLS database.
A second consumer-centric MLS has joined New Mexico MLS in requiring floor plans for all of their listings.
A decline in Association membership is one of the main fears about opening up MLSs to licensees that are not members of the National Association of REALTORS®. There are MLSs representing hundreds of thousands of agents that have been offering Open MLS subscriptions since the 90’s.
While understanding your organization's value is essential, making a well thought out decision to sell is far more complex. The smartest MLS leaders are preparing now—before an unsolicited offer lands on their desk.
Valuations aren’t just for businesses preparing to sell. They’re a strategic tool to help MLSs make informed decisions, plan ahead, and uncover areas where they can grow stronger. Whether you’re considering a change or just trying to run smarter, knowing your value is essential.
The conversation around an Open MLS model is gaining traction, particularly among real estate professionals who hold active licenses but are not members of local, state, or national REALTOR® associations. These licensee-only practitioners represent a largely untapped market for MLS growth. By quantifying this opportunity, MLSs can make informed business decisions about adopting an Open MLS strategy.
One of the best places to learn from fellow educators and education consultants is to attend The Bringing Educators & Associations Together for Success (BEATS) Conference. The BESTS conference is the premier event of the year for Real Estate Education Directors, Event Planners, and Speakers. Designed to foster collaboration, innovation, and professional growth,
