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.
Zillow built its business on cooperation. Now it’s the MLS’s job to defend it.
AI is more than just technology; it is an extension of organizational memory, judgment, and foresight, expressed through software.
If consumers begin to feel the platform is steering them into costly, undisclosed arrangements, that trust frays. And once lost, it’s difficult to rebuild.
These agreements underscore the MLS’s role as a foundational asset for the industry. Brokers, teams, agents, and clients all benefit from a more connected system that delivers accuracy, transparency, and reach.
By bringing AI into the CRM itself, Real Estate Webmasters avoids the distraction of standalone tools and makes AI a natural part of the sales process.
Size matters in this battle. If State Associations and leading Franchises that serve over 100,000 real estate agents start selecting the same provider, a king will be crowned.
HAR’s success shows that when MLSs commit to every corner of the real estate marketplace, they deliver lasting value to their members and the public.
If the allegations hold, the industry will either need to raise its transparency, shift fee practices, or face regulatory and litigation risk. Agents, brokers, MLSs, and portals should assume change is coming and plan accordingly.
The opportunity is immediate, but so is the risk of inaction. Associations that fail to deliver this benefit may watch brokers and vendors seize the role of trusted daily guide. The time to act is now.
As it turns out, brokerage companies that collaborate with successful local businesses for co-marketing are more compelling together than they are when they market themselves independently.
As AI reshapes our industry, this much is clear: the MLS that provides the MCP server becomes the source of truth.
