2025 Real Estate Predictions
Prediction 1
Clear Cooperation as we know it ends, giving homeowners the choice on where and how to market their homes and empowering them to be able to list without the risk of days on market and public price drops.
Prediction 2
The industry realizes that Clear Cooperation was forcing agents to cooperate with portal sites – companies that have no listings, no agents, and no clients – which was not the founding intent behind MLS cooperation.
Prediction 3
To incentives agents to give portal sites their listings as early as MLS “private agent only view”, portal sites place the listing agent’s full contact information back on their listings and remove days on market and price drop history when asked. This means that buyer inquiries go to the listing agent and the pathway is created for the entire industry to require portal sites to put the listing agent full contact information back on their listings.
More About Clear Cooperation
How Clear Cooperation Can Harm Homeowners
The National Association of Realtors’ Clear Cooperation Policy aims to create a more transparent and fair real estate market by requiring public property listings to be submitted to the Multiple Listing Service (MLS) within one business day of being marketed publicly. While this policy promotes equitable access to information, it may inadvertently harm homeowners in certain scenarios. Below, we’ll explore how this well-intentioned rule can create challenges for sellers.
1. Loss of Privacy for Sellers
Many homeowners value privacy when selling their property. Whether they are high-profile individuals or dealing with sensitive personal situations like divorce or financial issues, they may not want their property widely marketed. The Clear Cooperation Policy makes it difficult to maintain discretion unless the listing remains entirely private within the brokerage, limiting seller options.
2. Reduced Flexibility in Marketing Strategies
Before the policy, agents had the ability to test market interest through private networks, gauge pricing, or build demand among targeted buyers before committing to a full MLS listing. The Clear Cooperation Policy eliminates this flexibility, requiring public exposure early in the process. This constraint may not align with all sellers’ strategies, particularly for luxury or niche properties.
3. Risk of Overexposure
Once a property hits the MLS, the clock starts ticking. If it doesn’t sell quickly, it risks becoming “stale,” leading potential buyers to question its value or condition. Sellers who might prefer to test buyer interest privately first are now forced to publicly market their property, increasing the likelihood of this stigma.
4. Missed Opportunities for Quick, Private Sales
In certain markets, private marketing (“pocket listings”) allows for direct outreach to a small, targeted group of potential buyers, often resulting in faster sales at premium prices. The Clear Cooperation Policy restricts this approach, potentially delaying sales and requiring sellers to engage in broader competition.
5. Limited Testing of Market Reaction
Sellers often want to test their pricing or gauge buyer interest privately before fully committing to an MLS listing. The Clear Cooperation Policy removes this option, forcing sellers to either list publicly from the outset or forego marketing altogether, which can hinder strategic decision-making.
Balancing Transparency with Flexibility
While the Clear Cooperation Policy serves to enhance transparency and fairness, it isn’t without drawbacks for homeowners. Sellers and their agents must weigh the benefits of MLS exposure against the limitations imposed by the policy.