Trust, cooperation, and market information everyone can count on.
The Multiple Listing Service is a neutral place where real estate professionals collaborate based on shared rules and reliable data.
Being In The Know™ is better than being in the dark.
Imagine you're standing in a room and it's pitch black. You don't know the layout, where the doors or light switches are, or what objects are around that you might trip on.
Not so fun, right?
That's essentially what buying and selling homes would be like if we didn't have the Multiple Listing Service. The Multiple Listing Service turns the lights on, helping to create an open, fair and efficient marketplace.
Buying a home
Selling a home
So how does the Multiple Listing Service work?
Agents representing home sellers share those properties on the Multiple Listing Service.
The Multiple Listing Service collects that information in a secure system governed by agreed upon rules and standards.
It is then used by many people, in many ways...
Marketing and advertising
Apps and websites like Homes.com, Zillow, Realtor.com and Redfin use it to power their home search tools, home valuation tools and more.
Local home search
Brokerage websites use Multiple Listing data to showcase local properties for sale, and to power the tools they offer their agents.
Supporting buyers
Buyers' agents use it to find and share with their clients, and to generate market analyses based on historical data.
Supporting sellers
Sellers' agents use it to compare similar homes to their clients' so that they can give data-driven advice on when to list and for how much.
Building communities
Cities and communities use current and past housing data from Multiple Listing Services to inform city planning and economic forecasting.
Everyone - real estate agents, brokers, and the clients and communities they serve - benefits from the Multiple Listing Service.
