EP05: What It Actually Takes to Move an MLS

EP05: What It Actually Takes to Move an MLS

Everyone says MLSs move too slowly, but this episode asks the better question. What actually has to happen before an MLS can make a big change, and who has to live with the results once that change is made? Because if you are a broker, agent, vendor, MLS leader, or anyone working in the industry, these decisions are not just headlines. They affect the tools you use, the data you trust, the support you receive, and the way your business runs every day. Katie Smithson sits down with Chad Jacobson, CEO of PrimeMLS, for a conversation that gets into the pressure behind those decisions. Brokers want systems that work. Members want clear answers. Staff have to support every change. Vendors bring new ideas. And somewhere in the middle, the MLS has to make the call. Chad has seen this from more than one side, and that is what makes the conversation land. He has been the practitioner using the system, the person in the boardroom, and now the leader guiding PrimeMLS through a major move. “Whatever governance model is overriding the organization is going to influence how quickly you can adapt to changes.” That major move is where things get even more interesting. PrimeMLS is standing up a second MLS system, but Chad is clear about what this is and what it is not. “This is not a conversion. This is another choice.” It is a simple line, but it opens up a bigger conversation about data, vendors, growth, and what real choice can look like for members. Here are the key takeaways:  (2:23) From telecom to real estate (5:16) Why MLS change takes time (7:44) Why a second system was built (8:59) What true system choice looks like (12:11) Why brokers fear conversions (15:03) Choice without market fragmentation (19:46) New platforms and staff growth (21:39) The MLS education gap (23:22) Why MLSs cannot rush decisions (25:49) Responsible pace over fast change (26:12) One small change can break everything  This episode gives you the side of MLS change people do not always hear. Not the slow version. Not the shiny version. The real one. Tune in for a conversation about what it takes to move carefully, serve different needs, and still keep the industry moving forward. About Chad Jacobson Chad Jacobson is the CEO of Prime MLS. He began his career in telecommunications before moving into real estate and MLS leadership. His work now focuses on MLS governance, system choice, data independence, and serving brokers and members through technology decisions. Connect with Chad: LinkedIn [http://linkedin.com/in/chadjaco] About Katie Smithson Katie Smithson is a long-time veteran of the real estate industry with a history of MLS relationship management and product innovation. In her most recent role, Katie was Chief Revenue Officer for California Regional MLS (CRMLS), directing revenue operations and ensuring proper communication and collaboration between all of CRMLS’s revenue-generating departments. In addition, she has also served as a NAR REACH mentor, board member for the Council of MLS with a CMLX 1 certification, and RESO Board Secretary. Connect with Katie: LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/katiemsmithson/] Disclaimer This podcast is for informational purposes only and features opinions, perspectives, and candid discussions about real estate technology and the broader industry. It is not intended as legal, financial, business, or other professional advice. Listeners should consult qualified professionals regarding their specific circumstances.

EP04: AI Meets MLS: Turning Knowledge Into Answers

MLS support teams are drowning in documents, and their members can tell! Questions are answered differently each time they are asked. Justin Lundy and Shannon Baird decided this is a problem worth solving, and this episode walks you through exactly how AI should and should not be used with your MLS.  Katie Smithson welcomes Justin Lundy and Shannon Baird from Lundy for a conversation about AI, support, and the growing pressure MLSs face when answers are buried across too many documents and systems. Justin's mother-in-law was losing her vision, and that pushed him to think about access, search, and information in a way most people never have to. "I actually was just trying to solve a problem that was close to me." What came out of that is now one of the more interesting AI tools operating inside the MLS space. From there, Katie touches the MLS side of the business. If you have ever tried to get a straight answer out of a system that was not built to give one, this part of the conversation is going to feel very familiar. Shannon gets into the documentation chaos most MLS teams are quietly managing every day, and Justin puts the member side of it simply. "I could call three times with the same question and get three different answers." Navigator is what they built to fix that! It answers from your documents, cites its sources, and when it does not have the answer, it hands it off to a real person without dropping the conversation. “If it’s not in the documents, it’ll say it doesn’t know.” Here are the key takeaways:  (1:35) The personal reason Lundy started (3:16) How Lundy moved from spreadsheets to AI (5:07) Why MLS documentation breaks down (7:26) The support problem that led to Navigator (12:08) AI as support, not replacement (14:52) Finding documentation gaps before members do (18:17) Why the REcore and Navigator fit makes sense (22:54) Voice AI beyond simple commands (26:10) Nora and the push toward secure AI workflows AI is already in the hands of your members, and most of it has not been vetted by anyone. Justin names exactly what that means for MLS organizations, and the timeline is not years - it is months. This episode is where to start. Come join the conversation! About Justin Lundy and Shannon Baird Justin Lundy is the CEO and Founder of Lundy, Inc. and a former real estate agent who now builds AI and voice tools for the real estate industry. He started the company after seeing a gap in how people access housing information, which later grew into products for MLSs, associations, and support teams. His work focuses on making real estate data easier to use and turning industry problems into practical tools.  Shannon Baird is the Director of Operations at Lundy. Before joining the company, she worked in public education as a science teacher and middle school administrator. At Lundy, she works closely with MLS customers, onboarding, and the operational side of tools built to improve access, support, and documentation. Connect with Justin Lundy and Shannon Baird: www.getlundy.io Justin Lundy - LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/justin-lundy-792a6813a] Shannon Baird - LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/shannon-baird-2588aa141] About Katie Smithson Katie Smithson is a long-time veteran of the real estate industry with a history of MLS relationship management and product innovation. In her most recent role, Katie was Chief Revenue Officer for California Regional MLS (CRMLS), directing revenue operations and ensuring proper communication and collaboration between all of CRMLS’s revenue-generating departments. In addition, she has also served as a NAR REACH mentor, board member for the Council of MLS with a CMLX 1 certification, and RESO Board Secretary. Connect with Katie: LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/katiemsmithson/] Disclaimer This podcast is for informational purposes only and features opinions, perspectives, and candid discussions about real estate technology and the broader industry. It is not intended as legal, financial, business, or other professional advice. Listeners should consult qualified professionals regarding their specific circumstances.

EP03: The Data Licensing Wake-Up Call for MLSs

There is a lot happening behind the scenes in real estate right now, and most of it starts with data. Who controls it, who uses it, and who actually benefits from it have become much bigger questions than they used to be. Katie Smithson talks with Edward Zorn about a part of the business that usually stays in the background. What starts with data licensing quickly opens into a sharper discussion about ownership, protection, and why so many of the rules that still shape this space were built for a very different version of the internet. Ed looks back at how the industry handled the early internet and how some of those assumptions completely missed the mark. “Not only was it wrong, but it was also the exact opposite of what actually happened.” The conversation then moves on to how listing data is being used now, where the real risk lies, and why AI has raised the stakes even more. Ed is clear that the issue is no longer just access. “The theft now comes through the data feeds.” He also says, “The photographs are the holy grail of protecting the data.” From there, the episode turns to what MLS leaders need to do now, especially regarding ownership, rules, and protecting the value of the data. Here are the key takeaways:  (5:25) Updating IDX rules for the AI era (10:52) Cooperation, consumer harm, and old industry habits (11:51) What better data stewardship actually looks like (15:01) Copyright as a real answer to AI scraping (19:48) How REcore helps protect broker content (21:20) The MLS advantage in spotting data misuse (24:50) What happens when a licensee breaks the rules (29:31) Why old MLS licensing systems are falling behind (33:50) A bigger data vision for brokers and vendors (36:32) Modernize now or lose control of the data If you like episodes that feel current, sharp, and a little more inside than expected, this one is worth your time. Tune in for a conversation about data that says a lot more. About Edward Zorn Edward Zorn is Vice President and General Counsel at California Regional MLS. He oversees legal matters across the business and supports company strategy and operations. He has worked in real estate law for more than 30 years and has also worked as a broker. Connect with Edward: LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/edwardzorn/] https://www.linkedin.com/in/edwardzorn/ About Katie Smithson Katie Smithson is a long-time veteran of the real estate industry with a history of MLS relationship management and product innovation. In her most recent role, Katie was Chief Revenue Officer for California Regional MLS (CRMLS), directing revenue operations and ensuring proper communication and collaboration between all of CRMLS’s revenue-generating departments. In addition, she has also served as a NAR REACH mentor, board member for the Council of MLS with a CMLX 1 certification, and RESO Board Secretary. Connect with Katie: LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/katiemsmithson/] https://www.linkedin.com/in/katiemsmithson/ Disclaimer This podcast is for informational purposes only and features opinions, perspectives, and candid discussions about real estate technology and the broader industry. It is not intended as legal, financial, business, or other professional advice. Listeners should consult qualified professionals regarding their specific circumstances.

EP02: The Data Is Clear: Why MLS Listings Still Win

RealReports has been digging into one of the biggest questions in real estate - what actually happens when a home is listed off the MLS instead of on it? Katie Smithson brings James Rogers into the conversation to talk through the research, where it started, and why the numbers are getting attention. James explains that the work began with MLS partners who wanted a data-driven answer instead of another industry argument. He gets into how the study was built, why they started with public record data, and how they cleaned out transactions that were never meant for the open market in the first place. The conversation keeps coming back to the seller. In one market they looked at, homes listed on the MLS sold a little over 13% higher than those sold off MLS, which came out to about $51,000 more per transaction. Katie also brings in the broader market picture, from San Francisco to North Carolina, where similar patterns started showing up again. James does not just talk about money left on the table. He also gets into the bigger tension underneath all of it. “I’ve personally yet to see an actual study proving the opposite.” Here are the key takeaways:  (2:55) Why RealReports took on the private listings debate (8:00) Why MLS exposure needs real data behind it (9:17) Letting data shape the market conversation (11:29) Looking past outliers to see the real pattern (13:54) The $51,000 question for sellers (15:31) From one transaction to $406 million left behind (19:06) Turning local findings into a national message (21:04) Getting MLS data in front of consumers (23:11) The RealReports approach: listen first Consumer value, brokerage incentive, and national scale all start to come into view by the end of this episode. Tune in for a conversation about listings, data, and who really benefits when exposure gets smaller. About James Rogers James Rogers is the CEO and co-founder of RealReports. He works with MLS partners on real estate data and market analysis. His work focuses on helping the industry use data to answer important questions around listings, seller value, and consumer impact. Connect with James: LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamesrogers10] https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamesrogers10 About Katie Smithson Katie Smithson is a long-time veteran of the real estate industry with a history of MLS relationship management and product innovation. In her most recent role, Katie was Chief Revenue Officer for California Regional MLS (CRMLS), directing revenue operations and ensuring proper communication and collaboration between all of CRMLS’s revenue-generating departments. In addition, she has also served as a NAR REACH mentor, board member for the Council of MLS with a CMLX 1 certification, and RESO Board Secretary. Connect with Katie: LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/katiemsmithson/] https://www.linkedin.com/in/katiemsmithson/ Disclaimer This podcast is for informational purposes only and features opinions, perspectives, and candid discussions about real estate technology and the broader industry. It is not intended as legal, financial, business, or other professional advice. Listeners should consult qualified professionals regarding their specific circumstances.

EP01: For the Industry, By the Industry

Some conversations do more than introduce a guest. They open the door to a bigger story.  Welcome to the first episode of REpod, where Katie Smithson sits down with Art Carter for a conversation about the MLS world, who gets to shape it, and why this matters more than ever. Art talks about why so many industry conversations miss the mark and why he wanted a space that speaks from the MLS side out. “There’s really no voice out there talking from the MLS out,” he says. That idea gives the whole episode its pull, especially as he starts getting into the parts of the business most people never see.  Katie keeps it moving as the conversation shifts into REcore, how it came to be, and why ownership and trust keep coming up. Art is clear about what he believes matters. “It is owned by MLSs, for MLSs, and will remain that way.” It is a simple line, but it says a lot about where this conversation goes.  One of the best parts of the episode is when they stop talking about products and start talking about people. Brokers, MLSs, and the gap that still sits between them. “We may be different sides of the coin, but it’s the same coin,” Art says. It is one of those lines that lands because it feels bigger than the moment.  Here are the key takeaways:  (2:27) Why the MLS voice has been missing (5:00) Bringing brokers, vendors, and MLSs into one conversation (7:18) The push to own the MLS data experience (14:06) Building for the industry, not for a quick exit (17:24) Repairing trust between brokers and MLSs (20:00) Why AI needs real industry governance There is also a bigger thread running through this episode about trust, partnership, and what the industry risks if those things keep slipping. If you like conversations that feel honest, current, and a little more inside than expected, this one is worth your time. Tune in for a first episode that starts with one guest and ends up saying a lot more. About Art Carter Art Carter is a founder of REcore and has served as the CEO of California Regional MLS, Inc. (CRMLS) since 2005. Carter oversees the strategic direction of the organization and serves over 100,000 users. He has also previously served as COO of the Pacific West Association of REALTORS®. Carter is a tenacious advocate for brokers who leads initiatives for MLS data sharing in California and beyond. Connect with Art: LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/art-carter-150103b/] https://www.linkedin.com/in/art-carter-150103b/ About Katie Smithson Katie Smithson is serving as CRO of REcore and is a long-time veteran of the real estate industry with a history of MLS relationship management and product innovation. In her most recent role, Katie was Chief Revenue Officer for California Regional MLS (CRMLS), directing revenue operations and ensuring proper communication and collaboration between all of CRMLS’s revenue-generating departments. In addition, she has also served as a NAR REACH mentor, board member for the Council of MLS with a CMLX 1 certification, and RESO Board Secretary. Connect with Katie: LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/katiemsmithson/] https://www.linkedin.com/in/katiemsmithson/