Godspeed
FBS joins ROAM on its journey to form statewide marketplace
Press Release: ROAM MLS Selects FBS and the Flexmls® Platform to Support Statewide Marketplace
“Our newly established partnership with FBS will provide our members with an MLS platform that preserves many of the features and familiarity of their current native system while offering access to updated technology. This decision eliminates the need for duplicative add-ons, consolidates data into a single source, and provides our members with the opportunity for greater cost savings,” said Rhonda Reap-Curiel, ROAM MLS President”
Significant win for FBS. See below from ROAM’s website:
“What is changing
- ROAM will launch a unified MLS platform, built specifically for ROAM by Flex MLS.
- ROAM will retire the existing Matrix, Paragon, and legacy Flex platforms.
- Members will be converted to the new platform with their listings, contacts, and saved searches.
- The Clareity dashboard will be retired.
What is not changing
- All ancillary services will remain in place, including Cloud CMA, ShowingTime, lockboxes, RentSpree, RPR, and other current tools.
- Local support remains local.
- Association-specific fees are unchanged as part of this announcement.”
Nice to see Cloud CMA didn’t get kicked off the island. 😅
Looking for a new gig?
Association Executive – Huntsville Area Association of REALTORS(r)
“The Huntsville Area Association of REALTORS® (HAAR) is beginning a leadership search at a moment of extraordinary growth for both the organization and the region it serves. HAAR is seeking a progressive, forward-thinking Association Executive who brings fresh ideas, proven leadership experience, and a genuine passion for elevating the value of the REALTOR® community across North Alabama.”
Chief Executive Officer – Women’s Council of REALTORS(r)
“The Women’s Council of REALTORS® is seeking its next Chief Executive Officer at a pivotal time in the organization’s history. With a mission to advance women as business leaders in the real estate industry, the Council has built one of the most respected leadership networks in real estate, serving thousands of members through a nationwide collection of state and local networks. For decades, it has played a measurable role in elevating leadership pathways, strengthening brokerages, and increasing professional opportunity across the industry.”
To find out about these jobs and more please visit the Giant Steps Job Board.
A New MLS Vendor Enters the Chat
“After evaluating multiple MLS software platforms, we found reData MLS to be the fastest, most innovative, and technologically advanced.” -Crystal McCaslin, NMMLS Board Chair
I guess it was just a matter of time. UtahRealEstate.com has had their own homegrown MLS system for a while now. And just like other MLS organizations (think TheMLS/CLAW – VESTAPlus) they have decided to enter the vendor game.
I think New Mexico MLS (NMMLS) is a good start. With about 1,200 members is will be a perfect proving ground. NMMLS has already adopted the AlignedShowings property showing solution via UtahRealEstate.com’s ownership of MLSAligned.
I spoke to Brad Bjelke, CEO of UtahRealEstate.com briefly about the shift, and he told me that their goal isn’t to take over the world, but they think their MLS system could be a good solution for many MLS organizations. If you’re an MLS organization and want to find out more they have a pretty cool URL, https://realestatedata.com.
I secretly love when MLS organizations get in to the vendor game. As we all know, it’s a lot harder than it looks.
Richard Gibbens is new CEO of Intermountain MLS
Intermountain MLS Welcomes Richard Gibbens as CEO
“Richard most recently served as Chief Executive Officer of Bluegrass REALTORS®, where he led strategic modernization initiatives, strengthened broker collaboration, and advanced data and technology capabilities. Under his leadership, the organization sharpened its operational focus while building stronger alignment with brokerage partners.”
Congrats to IMLS and Richard!
MLS Independence, AI and talking to portals.
The Industry Relations Podcast is now available on your favorite podcast player!
Overview
Rob and Greg discuss MLS autonomy and whether smaller organizations are truly positioned to handle independence from NAR. They examine legal exposure, slow consolidation, and the financial vulnerability of small MLSs. The conversation shifts to AI—highlighting Homes.com’s new voice search experience—and what rapid innovation means for brokers, MLSs, infrastructure, and data access moving forward.
Key Takeaways
- MLS consolidation is happening slowly, but smaller MLSs may face increasing legal and financial risk.
- Independence removes guardrails and shifts more responsibility onto local leadership.
- AI-powered search is advancing quickly, raising questions about cost, infrastructure, and long-term sustainability.
- Agents will soon demand MLS data access for personal AI tools, and most MLSs aren’t prepared for that shift.
- Over-regulation—whether in housing, energy, or MLS governance—can slow innovation and adaptation.
Connect with Rob and Greg
Watch us on YouTube
Our Sponsors:
Production and Editing Services by Sunbound Studios
Please fill out your MLS Reset event survey
For those of you who attended the event, please go to your inbox and fill out your survey. The email should have been sent on February 18th. Thank you!
Homes.com new AI voice search is legit!
“For the first time on a major real estate portal, consumers can engage in natural, real-time, two-way conversations – by voice or text – to search, refine, and explore homes in an interactive experience that feels less like navigating a website and more like being guided by a deeply knowledgeable, trusted real estate advisor. Homes AI draws from Homes.com’s unmatched depth of property data, Matterport 3D digital twin technology, images, proprietary school data, neighborhood insights, and market intelligence to deliver bespoke guidance that empowers shoppers with the resources and confidence they need to find the perfect home.”
Growing up I remember watching Star Trek. I was always fascinated by the way Captain Kirk and others crew members of the starship Enterprise would talk so effortlessly to computers.
“Computer, activate shields!”
“Computer, make me a sandwich.”
Many AI tools I use have that capability now but I’m still a little too self conscious to use AI that way. I suspect that will change soon enough. When I read about Homes.com new AI search interface that had voice integration I had to try it out. I had previously been impressed by MetroList’s implementation of voice and seen stories about other real estate portals/apps.
After giving the homes.com permission for my location and use of my computer’s microphone I was up and running. A few things stood out. Number one is that it was so seamless. I didn’t have to click any buttons to start or end recording my voice commands. Number two was the quality of the AI voice, it sounded natural…human. Number three was the speed. There was almost no latency in giving my commands and the site responding.
But what really impressed me is the way it understood and could act on my questions/commands.
“Show me homes in the 92646 zip code”
“Can you sort the houses from highest to lowest price?”
“Can I see the one on ‘Vacation Lane’?”
“Can you make the photos bigger?”
“Can you show me the next photo?”
“Next. Next. Next.”
“Can you go back to the search results page?”
“Let me see the home on ‘Pollack Drive”
“How many days has this been on the market?”
All of these commands the site understood perfectly. Don’t believe me? Check out this video I recorded.
I’m sure all of this will be commonplace shortly. And I don’t think I even scratched the surface of what this feature of Homes.com can do.
Big kudos to the engineers and designers at Homes.com. Well done!
TK Is Hanging It Up
“I will be leaving one of the largest, most innovative and successful organizations in the best shape ever to move forward.”
When TK took over in 1993, MIAMI had 5,000 members and one office. Today it’s 60,000 members, the largest local Realtor association in the country, larger than 44 state associations, with nearly 300 international partnerships across 77 countries. She also steered the ship through 2008, COVID, and the NAR settlement — the hat trick of industry gut-checks.
33 years is a long time to do anything. To do it at that level, at that scale, is something else entirely.
My hat’s off to you, TK. Enjoy whatever you and John want to do, whenever you want to do it. You’ve earned it.
MLS Execs Are Ready for Local Autonomy — But the Safety Net Is Gone
Most MLS, association execs back NAR’s strategy — with caveats
“A growing acceptance that the ‘all-in’ membership model is under threat.”
A new T3 Sixty survey offers a candid look at where MLS and association executives stand heading into 2026, and the results are interesting. On the surface, more than 8 in 10 organized real estate leaders say they’re aligned with NAR’s three-year strategic plan. But dig a little deeper and there’s a lot of nuance underneath that headline number.
The membership picture is stabilizing, sort of. While heading into 2025 over 70% of execs expected membership declines, only 25% actually saw them. Which is good news. About 35% saw membership tick up — the rest were flat. Those predictions had influenced budgeting so I’m glad that some of the gloom and doom around membership is thawing.
The bigger story for 2026 is what happens to membership models themselves. A full 70% of respondents think new membership structures are likely to emerge this year, with agents increasingly prioritizing MLS access while dropping secondary memberships. The “all-in” model that has defined organized real estate for decades is under real pressure.
On local autonomy, there’s broad support — 68% of all respondents favor more local policy discretion, and among MLS-only executives that jumps to 85%. That aligns pretty well with the sweeping MLS Handbook changes NAR pushed through late last year. But support for autonomy and comfort with autonomy are two different things. As NAR steps back from its traditional rulemaking role, local organizations are navigating uncertain legal territory without much of a safety net. One exec put it plainly: every policy is now under careful review “to ensure we aren’t the next target.”
The organizations that thrive will be the ones that treat this new autonomy as an opportunity rather than a burden.
