NAR Ends MLS/Non-MLS Listing Separation Rule

In a closed-door meeting on June 4, the NAR Exec Committee attested a ballot by the Numerous Listings Issues and Plan Board the day previously. The move officially retracts the rule that recommends dividing MLS and non-MLS listings.

Zillow’s Reaction to the Policy Change

“Home customers have actually made their expectation clear: they desire a seamless, clear experience that shows all offered homes in one place,” Matt Hendricks, Zillow’s vice head of state of Sector Affairs, stated in a declaration to Property News. “Removing the outdated no-commingling guideline is a purposeful action toward guaranteeing the home search procedure shows the way people in fact purchase homes today.”

Rationale Behind Ending the Rule

‘ Outdated’ strategy to listings and search: In a file obtained by Real Estate Information describing the change, the Numerous Listings Issues and Policy Board concluded that “These optional commingling policies are obsoleted and not reflective of current advertising and marketing fads for online listings and residential or commercial property search.”

A questionable policy that landed in court: The restriction against combining MLS and non-MLS listings has actually been an uncomfortable situation for several years, with numerous MLSs embracing the policy while a few other did not. The policy caused court room difficulty for NAR and Zillow, who were sued by Realty Exchange– well-known generally as REX– after Zillow developed a different tab for non-MLS listings, causing a significant drop in website traffic. Zillow and NAR inevitably dominated in court, and Zillow changed how it takes care of listings.