A multiple listing service (MLS, also multiple listing system or multiple listings service) is an organization with a suite of services that real estate brokers use to establish contractual offers of cooperation and compensation (among brokers) and accumulate and disseminate information to enable appraisals. A multiple listing service's database and software is used by real estate brokers in real estate (or in other industries, for example, aircraft brokers), representing sellers under a listing contract to widely share information about properties with other brokers who may represent potential buyers or wish to work with a seller's broker in finding a buyer for the property or asset. The listing data stored in a multiple listing service's database is the proprietary information of the broker who has obtained a listing agreement with a property's seller.
Origin According to the U.S. National Association of Realtors: In the late 1800s, real estate brokers regularly gathered at the offices of their local associations to share information about properties they were trying to sell. They agreed to compensate other brokers who helped sell those properties, and the first MLS was born, based on a fundamental principle that's unique to organized real estate: Help me sell my inventory and I'll help you sell yours.
The term "MLS" is considered generic in the United States and cannot be trademarked or branded. MLSs can be owned and operated by individual realtor associations, regional multi-association conglomerates or independent cooperatives of real estate brokerages. There is no single authoritative MLS. However, there is a data standard for MLS systems. The Real Estate Standards Organization provides the Data Dictionary for common real estate terms and data structures, and the RESO Web API for data transport. A previous common data transport standard, RETS, has been deprecated.
Purpose and benefits The primary purpose of an MLS is to provide a facility to publish a "unilateral offer of compensation" by a listing broker, to other broker participants in that MLS. In other words, the commission rate that is offered by the listing broker is published within the MLS to other cooperating brokers. This offer of compensation is considered a contractual obligation; however, it can be negotiated at any time between the listing broker and the broker representing the buyer. Many Realtors feel commission is not negotiable after an offer is received, but the National Association of Realtors states it can be negotiated at any time. Since the commission for a transaction as well as the property features are contained in the MLS system, it is in the best interests of the brokers to maintain accurate and timely data.
The additional benefit of MLS systems is that an MLS subscriber may search an MLS and retrieve information about all homes for sale by all participating brokers. MLS systems contain hundreds of fields of information about the features of a property. These fields are determined by real estate professionals who are knowledgeable and experienced in that local marketplace.
Limitations on access and other criticisms There are currently 529 Multiple Listing Services in the US. They are owned by associations of realtors individually, collectively, or by, in a small number of cases, brokers. They are not freely accessible to anyone and a fee must be paid to be a user. In addition, only licensed real estate agents, and brokers, and appraisers are eligible to belong to an MLS.
In response, the Federal Trade Commission investigated, found several violations of anti-trust laws, and entered into settlements with five MLSes to enable free competition for listings. One MLS, Realcomp in Michigan, refused to enter a settlement/consent agreement with the FTC, asserting it had the right to hide listings of discounters because such competition is detrimental to the revenue of its members. In 2006, the FTC filed a lawsuit against the Realcomp MLS alleging violations of federal anti-trust laws and squelching free competition. The lawsuit went to trial in 2007 and the FTC lost, but won the case in a 4–0 unanimous ruling on appeal in 2009.
In Canada, CREA has come under scrutiny and investigation by the Competition Bureau and litigation by former CREA member and real estate brokerage Realtysellers (Ontario) Ltd., for the organization's control over the Canadian MLS system. In 2001, Realtysellers (Ontario) Ltd., a discount real-estate firm was launched that reduced the role of agents and the commissions they collect from home buyers and sellers. The brokerage later shut down and launched a $100 million lawsuit against CREA and TREB, alleging that they breached an earlier out-of-court settlement that the parties entered into in 2003.
Asia India Listings of India specializing in multiple listing services launched a platform in Dec 2015 in India, for the first time, to connect all authorized Real Estate Agents/Brokers/Agency/ Promotes/Builders through one platform; to showcase their property listings for wider exposure among the network.
Philippines
The Philippine Association of Real Estate Boards (PAREB) operates the PAREB MLS, an Multi Listing Service (MLS) which provide real time property listing exchange nationwide among PAREB Brokers.
Vietnam The Vietnam Multiple Listing Service was started in 2010. The MLS in Vietnam is based around the U.S. model, with some changes to accommodate different local market conditions. In particular, the system supports open agency listings as well as MLS listings, as the current market operates mainly on the open agency model. FSBO listings, however, are not allowed.
Australia There is no general MLS for Australia; however, a private company Investorist operates a specialised MLS for off the plan property, which is used by some Australian developers and master agents. Investorist is also accessed by international agents.
realestate.com.au Pty. Ltd. operates Property Platform, which allows real-time reservations and eCommerce reservation fee processing.
Middle East
Bahrain Bahrain Real Estate Multilevel Listing Solution – mlsBH is a localized and enhanced version of RETS based MLS service but still in its early stage of implementation and integration within the property sector of Bahrain. mlsBH is owned and operated by a private company since 2015 and unlike conventional MLS; is not restricted to dealing with brokers only. Via RealtorBH; a set of FSRBO classes which along with extended broker classes are facilitated to directly submit their exclusive listings, which after verification are centralized in mlsBH. Furthermore it also directly syndicates centralized listings on RealtyBH – a local comparable of US' Zillow. With the introduction of Bahrain RERA in 2018 operators of mlsBH aligned themselves with the policies of the regulator.
Israel The MLS in Israel has been operating since 1990 only in the Jerusalem . The Israel Multiple Listing Service began in 2013 and is managed by a Multiple Listing Service LTD.
Europe
Czech Republic There are not any MLS services in the Czech Republic. With high demand and low surplus of available properties, there is no need for agents to split commission as there is not a lack of buyers.
Italy
In Italy there are many MLSs and it is possible to choose between different software enabling real estate agencies either to manage and share their properties with others or to syndicate their listings on the web, or both the two things as it happens on MLS Agent RE and, as of 2021, it had 89,22% of market shares as stated in the "Reti e Aggregazioni Immobiliari 2021" report. Unlike the US model, in agent one there is no obligation for members to include properties in the mls.
Although many countries are lacking regulations regarding real estate transactions, lately there are attempts to align with those in developed markets, among which the only one managed directly by real estate agents is the “confederazione reti Mls”. the confederation brings together a series of mls local networks that adhere to the confederation's code of ethics, and differs from other mls networks in Italy for the obligation to pre-qualify properties and the sharing of the entire list of properties. The site of the confederation for customers, who can choose the real estate agent regardless of whether he is the holder of the assignment or not, is immobilimls.
Cyprus, Turkey, Portugal and Spain The UltraIT Multiple Listing Service (MLS) is a “Trade Only” property network of estate agents. Agents subscribed to the MLS have the ability to search this database of property sales and property rentals properties from a growing number of subscribing estate agents, providing each agent the ability to access and search the UltraIT MLS system of ten’s of thousands of properties all over the world, currently including Cyprus, Turkey, Portugal and areas in Spain such as the Costa Blanca, Costa del Sol, Barcelona and Tenerife. All Entrepreneur Real Estate Agents (TUGEM) of Turkey has started MLS based database with its members, mainly international brands that works in Turkey. TUGEM has start working relation with www.cepi.eu/ and www.nar.realtor to amalgamate their resources. Ministry of Land Registry in Turkey has started www.yourkeyturkey.gov.tr web based portal to work with TUGEM and TUGEM GLOBAL to expend their services and their database of all listings and land registry information. TUGEM is planning to launch their full MLS system in Mid- 2021.
United Kingdom In the United Kingdom, MLS – Multiple Listing Systems do exist via some of the agents software providers, but many software providers have only designed their software to work in one company (typically for firms working across a large office footprint). One hurdle to the traditional MLS comes as a result of mixed software packages among agencies that do not allow them to cross share data between other company, so MLS in the United Kingdom is in its infancy and a cross data platform now exists via INEA.
MLS History in the United Kingdom. In the 1980s and early/mid 1990s agents did work together much like the early U.S. and Canadian realtors via paper-based forms which had tick-boxes offering a listing from one agent to sub-agents. Attached would be the property details pre-agreed with the owner for correctness, a photographic negative of photo; later a similar procedure was carried out by email and graphic computer file. Agents involved could copy and process the paper- or email-based property data. The main agent was treated as the vendor; all sales progression went through her and commission was split upon completion.
The Dark Years: In the late 1990s many of the smaller agencies were acquired by larger companies, breaking many of the MLS relationships that existed. More software options came in (all in competition) and, as the software houses did not work together, their collectives of agents became fragmented by non-collaborative out-of-group software restraints. With large property portals gaining ground in the 2000s agents in the UK started working alone as all could upload to the same portal platforms.
MLS Today: In the UK there are a number of seedling MLS systems that attempt to connect agents horizontally. INEA, Lonres and AgentHub.com are examples of sites that serve similar functions to US MLS counterparts, however there are insufficient data to conclude that any of these systems are used popularly across the country.