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.
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.
Realtor associations across the country are facing sharper questions about their value proposition. Dues are rising, member counts are under pressure, and agents are weighing every dollar against the tangible benefits they receive. Advocacy, education, and networking remain important, but they don’t always feel immediate or indispensable to the average practitioner.
Many MLSs have transitioned from operating as a Committee of their Shareholder Association to a stand-alone legal entity with their own bylaws, board of directors, and financials. On paper, this move allows MLSs to gain autonomy to function as a nimble, technology company while enabling the Association to focus on what it does best - education, advocacy, professional standards and community development.
It’s Time to Rethink Everything You Do Through the Lens of AI Before you finalize your 2026 budget, you need to dedicate some time and resources so that you will have resources to take a hard look at every service, technology, training program, support channel, and event you offer. Ask yourself: Can this be enhanced, streamlined, or scaled using AI?
Major consolidation strengthens advocacy, reduces costs, and expands professional development opportunities for Dallas-Fort Worth area REALTORS®.
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.
According to the 2025 WAV Group Association Governance Effectiveness Study, fewer than 40% of Associations include specific action plans or key performance indicators in their strategy. More than half say their strategic plan does not help the organization evolve or succeed long-term.
Most MLSs and Associations have small staffs and lean operations. They do a lot with very little. With small teams, tight budgets, and a focus on member service, it’s easy to feel pressure to assign someone internal to “handle HR.” But here's the reality: Most real estate organizations do not need a dedicated internal HR staff member until they hit at least 50 employees.
There’s a growing movement across the country - REALTOR® Associations and MLSs are pursuing formal valuations of their organizations.
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.
