From MLS to Global Federation: Saul Klein’s Vision for Trusted Real Estate Data
“Believe it or not, there was a time when people needed to be convinced that the internet would matter. In 1995, when web browsers were first becoming commercialized, I had the opportunity to tell the real estate industry that the internet was going to change the way business was done. That turned out to be true.”
Industry Crossroads™ — PART 1
That explains why brokerages want greater control before MLS entry, why portals insist on broad consumer access, and why MLSs find themselves caught in the middle.
Does Your Use of AI comply with the Copyright Fair Use Rules?
In practice, it’s hard to reason about the “purpose” of a product as broad as ChatGPT, or the “purpose” of the entire internet. A better framing is: do the market harms from ChatGPT come from it producing substitutes that compete with the originals? Or is it an indirect effect, like a book critic review could have on a book?
Technology Product Licensing for MLSs — A “Site License” or a “Hunting License?”
A vendor seeking a site license must have a program that takes the MLS or association through these steps and be ready to fund the necessary efforts to ensure high usage and value for the fee paid.
Merri Jo Cowen Steps Down & Steps Up!
After more than 15 years of visionary leadership, Merri Jo Cowen, CEO of Stellar MLS, announced she will step down from her role in Q1 2026.
Today’s Battle For Content On The Internet — Insights By Saul Klein
The mid-1990s marked a monumental turning point with the conceptualization of putting real estate listings on the “worldwide web.” Saul Klein, acting as a consultant for the National Association of Realtors (NAR), was a central figure in this ambitious endeavor.