In-depth coverage of the MLS industry: lawsuits, policy, data and the fight over listings.
The Council of Multiple Listing Services (CMLS) is a trade group for MLS organizations. Coverage of its positions, events and legal fund. Official site ↗
The Council of Multiple Listing Services is setting up a legal action fund topping $1 million. The trade group says the money will support legal matters with significance for the wider MLS industry as lawsuits multiply.
The Council of Multiple Listing Services is proposing a legal fund of more than $1 million to help MLSs push back against legal threats. The move comes less than a month after Compass CEO Robert Reffkin escalated demands that MLSs allow off-MLS marketing of listings.
At the CMLS Open House conference, MLS legal experts urged executives to plan for multiple scenarios around cooperation, participation and data access as demand letters and lawsuits pile up.
Speakers at CMLS said listing data will be monetized one way or another, so the real issue is governance and protecting brokers' rights to their data, especially as AI companies seek access.
Zillow's Errol Samuelson told CMLS attendees that weakening the MLS could invite government regulation, pointing to congressional scrutiny of Compass and MRED and warning that restricting listing data carries risks.
Play video: CMLS2019 | Why the MLS Moment is Now Denee Evans20:19CMLS 2019 conference talk by Denee Evans on why the MLS moment is now.
Play video: CMLS Clear Cooperation Proposal Webinar1:03:12Council of Multiple Listing Services (CMLS) webinar on the Clear Cooperation proposal, recorded in 2019.
Play video: All The Questions You Wanted To Ask About The Broker Public Portal, Answered1:00:50CMLS session answering common questions about the Broker Public Portal.