Breaking Barriers: The Global MLS Revolution

By Joe Schneider | October 14, 2024

Fresh off the plane from the 2nd Annual International MLS Forum in Milan, and wow, what an event. This wasn’t just another stiff industry gathering—it was an adrenaline shot straight to the heart of real estate. In a city where old-world charm collides with modern edge, we didn’t just toss around buzzwords like “transparency” or “collaboration.” No, we laid the foundation for a full-blown revolution. The air was electric, thick with innovation, and a hunger to break down the walls that have held global markets back for too long. And honestly, it’s about time.

Paris last year? That was just the warm-up. This year, we went bigger—200+ attendees, representing 51 countries. The energy was off the charts, the stakes higher, and the conversations bolder. And it wasn’t just the usual suspects from Europe and the U.S. anymore. We flung the doors wide open, bringing in fresh perspectives from the Middle East, Africa, and Asia.

 

Why the surge? It’s simple. The global real estate world is waking up. Everyone’s watching the PropTech explosion in North America, seeing how it’s reshaping the industry from the ground up. Now, everyone wants in. Everyone wants to bring these cutting-edge tools to their markets—whether you’re a buyer, seller, broker, or agent.

 

PropTech’s impact isn’t confined to North America, but let’s not kid ourselves—North America has a century-long head start. Why? Because we’ve got a not-so-secret advantage: a massive, mostly synchronized data set powered by RESO. It’s like having a playground where innovation can run wild. One set of data rules, endless possibilities.

 

So, how does a country with no formal MLS or data standard even begin to close the gap? There’s no easy answer. Every market is its own beast, and no single blueprint will work across the board.

 

That idea threw some North American attendees for a loop—an MLS that doesn’t follow the U.S. model? But here’s the reality: whether it’s privacy laws, unique business customs, or whatever quirks exist in a specific market, a RESO-powered data set will still spark a revolution, just like the MLS did in North America—for consumers, brokers, and tech innovators alike.

 

After two days of stimulating panels and presentations, what really lit a fire under me were the one-on-one conversations with global colleagues. Watching them absorb these high-level ideas from U.S. and Canadian speakers, break them down, and rework them to fit their markets—that’s where the magic happens. These folks aren’t waiting for a cookie-cutter solution; they’re taking the pieces and making it work. It’s this kind of scrappy ingenuity that’s going to turn the global real estate market on its head.

 

And as we look forward to the 2025 International MLS Forum in Toronto, Canada, I’m more excited than ever. We’re going to roll up our sleeves, dig deep into unique MLS models from around the world, and—who knows?—maybe we’ll learn a few tricks that North America can bring back home.