Under All Is The Data is an educational series exploring a simple but often overlooked reality: beneath every transaction, platform, policy debate, marketplace, and technology innovation lies data.
The series examines how real estate information is created, governed, shared, licensed, distributed, and ultimately used throughout the industry. Along the way, it explores questions of cooperation, competition, transparency, ownership, access, and trust.
Written by Saul Klein and John Reilly, the series is intended for industry professionals, technology leaders, MLS stakeholders, policymakers, and consumers who want a deeper understanding of the information infrastructure that supports modern real estate.
The goal is not to advocate for a particular outcome, but to encourage informed discussion about the role data plays in shaping the future of the real estate marketplace.
As the series demonstrates, under all of the technology, policy, and business models, there is one common foundation: Data.
The Case the Industry Forgot — Part 1 of 8
The decree’s core principle fits in one sentence: a broker may not decide what a rival broker’s customers are allowed to see. Display decisions belong to the seller. Data flows to every cooperating broker on cost based, equal terms.
The Desk and the Window – Part 2 of 8
UNDER ALL IS THE DATA | PART 2 OF 8 The Desk and the Window A VOW is not a marketing site, and the difference
Two Licenses, One Compilation – Part 3 of 8
UNDER ALL IS THE DATA | PART 3 OF 8 Two Licenses, One Compilation Stop thinking of IDX and VOW as website types. Start reading
Who Holds the Pen: The Seller’s Menu – Part 4 of 8
UNDER ALL IS THE DATA | PART 4 OF 8 Who Holds the Pen: The Seller’s Menu Opting out of a VOW feed, the Internet
The 2005 Argument, With Better Branding – Part 5 of 8
UNDER ALL IS THE DATA | PART 5 OF 8 The 2005 Argument, With Better Branding Private listing networks, seller choice, and how the consent
Doors Do Not Check Motives – Part 6 of 8
UNDER ALL IS THE DATA | PART 6 OF 8 Doors Do Not Check Motives Paper brokers, “actively endeavoring,” and the half of this argument
The Tempting Test – Part 7 of 8
UNDER ALL IS THE DATA | PART 7 OF 8 The Tempting Test Why “half your revenue from closed transactions” fails three ways, and the
Reciprocity With Nothing to Take – Part 8 of 8
UNDER ALL IS THE DATA | PART 8 OF 8 Reciprocity With Nothing to Take Private networks and paper brokers are mirror images of
UNDER ALL IS THE DATA | SPECIAL EDITION #001 – The First Draft of the Next Decade
UNDER ALL IS THE DATA | SPECIAL EDITION The First Draft of the Next Decade CRMLS proposes to abolish IDX and VOW, license everything, and
UNDER ALL IS THE DATA | SPECIAL EDITION #002 – Austin Runs the Experiment
UNDER ALL IS THE DATA | SPECIAL EDITION #002 Austin Runs the Experiment We argued a revenue test for MLS data access cannot survive. Unlock