MLS executives speak out about non-member access

"Among the adopted policy changes is a repeal of an MLS that stated that NAR was firmly and unequivocally committed to requiring membership for access to Realtor-affiliated MLSs. Now, whether or not an MLS requires Realtor association membership for MLS access is a matter of local discretion. Additionally, NAR will also no longer be requiring local Realtor associations to alert the state and national associations if someone requests access to the MLS but isn't a Realtor member."

"While this may seem like a major change, NAR has allowed local Realtor boards and associations to decide whether they wanted to allow non-Realtors to subscribe and participate in their owned MLSs since adopting an optional rule surrounding Realtor membership and MLS access in 1994. For this reason, Chad Jacobson, the CEO of the New Hampshire-based Prime MLS, said there was nothing earth shattering about the changes."

"Across the country in San Diego, the CEO of San Diego MLS Saul Klein, said he doesn't really see any of these changes having a significant impact on his MLS, as the state of California has allowed non-Realtors to access the MLS since the 1970s. For us it is almost a nothing burger because we already deal with most of these things on a daily basis, Klein said. But people are wanting more local discretion and NAR is giving it to them."

NAR repealed a rule requiring Realtor association membership for access to Realtor-affiliated MLSs and made MLS access a matter of local discretion. NAR also removed the obligation for local associations to notify state and national associations when a non-Realtor requests MLS access, noting the policy was rarely enforced. Local boards have had optional authority since a 1994 rule allowing non-Realtor MLS participation. Many retired items related to Open MLS; some MLSs reported little impact because they already operated as Open MLS or allowed non-Realtors historically. Some CEOs welcomed clearer separation between association membership and MLS subscription.

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