"Starting February 17, buyers in CRMLS markets will lose access to one of the most important tools for understanding how homes actually sell: the ability to see interior photos of comparable properties once they close. This quiet adjustment limits IDX feeds used by consumer-facing portals reaching hundreds of millions of users monthly to a single primary photo, typically the exterior, for closed listings. Full photo sets remain available inside professional MLS systems."
"This may be the first gatekeeping move in real estate that no one objected to, because it benefits every intermediary at once. The information hasn't disappeared. Agents can still see it. Brokerages can still reference it. But buyers can no longer access it on their own. To understand why one home sold for more than another, buyers will increasingly need to ask someone who already has permission to see what they can't."
"In real estate, comparable sales are not just about price. They're about context. A sale price without an understanding of condition is a weak signal at best. Did the home have original cabinetry and worn flooring, or was it fully renovated and turnkey? Was the kitchen untouched since the 1990s, or recently redone with modern finishes? These details explain why a home sold for what it did and help buyers calibrate expectations."
Starting February 17, CRMLS will limit IDX feeds for closed listings on consumer-facing portals to a single primary photo, usually the exterior. Full interior photo sets will remain accessible within professional MLS systems to agents and brokerages. This change removes buyers’ direct access to interior images of comparable sold properties on public portals. Comparable sales will still show prices, dates, and basic facts, but will lack visual context about condition and renovations. Without interior photos, buyers cannot easily assess why one home sold for more than another. Buyers will increasingly need agents or brokerages to obtain condition details to calibrate bids and expectations.
Read at www.housingwire.com
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