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MLS debate intensifies as brokers clash over access and competition
One MLS-only broker, Spot Real Estate, cites RealTrends Verified data showing 2,083 transaction sides totaling $701.97 million in 2025.
A growing dispute over how the Multiple Listing Service should work has moved beyond brokerages and MLS groups, as HousingWire reports competing research and business claims about pricing, market access, and whether the system is helping or hurting competition. Supporters of centralized MLS listing data argue it functions as an open marketplace with network effects that reduce search costs and help brokers sell with a fuller view of inventory. Critics counter that some sellers may see higher prices and faster contracting outside MLS channels, while also challenging whether MLS rules can become anti-competitive. HousingWire also highlights arguments from industry participants who say the MLS was originally designed to aggregate brokers' clean listing data to avoid fragmented markets. Boomer Foster, founder of Paul Wesley Real Estate and former president of Long and Foster, said the MLS helps smaller firms compete by ensuring their agents and buyers can see the full set of listings rather than being disadvantaged if a larger brokerage sells outside MLS. The debate also includes performance claims from MLS-only models. Spot Real Estate’s Steven Koleno, designated broker of beycome.com, said he has recorded 2,083 transaction sides totaling $701.97 million in 2025, and he described his results as evidence that MLS access can enable brokers to compete without relying on full service listings. He added that NAR data indicates roughly 17% of home sales are completed through limited service or MLS-only listing brokers.