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St. Louis-based MLS is pioneering a broker profit-sharing program tied to listings data, offering a percentage of revenue from data feeds to brokers who upload and close active listings. Mid-America Regional Information Systems (MARIS) will give each participating broker a share of the revenue generated by MARIS data feeds. This could translate to "multiple tens of thousands of dollars" for some brokers annually, according to MARIS President and CEO Cameron Paine.

    The program aims to incentivize brokers to enter their listings on the MLS, recognizing that timely, accurate, and comprehensive real estate data has value. As the industry grapples with the issue of listings access and the National Association of Realtors' Clear Cooperation Policy, MARIS's approach is seen as a smart change by some.

    Here's how it works: MARIS monitors data requests via its API and charges fees based on who's requesting data and how much they're seeking. Most brokers pay little or nothing for their data feed, while vendors could pay up to $1,000 a month. In December, participating brokers will receive a check for their percentage of the total revenue earned from these data feeds.

    This move is significant in a world where national listing information can be easily bought and sold on the gray market, with only licensed real estate brokers and MLSs not benefiting from its sale. MARIS President Paine notes that no MLS should decide whether a broker deserves a data feed, as this valuable information is being bought and sold daily without them reaping any benefits.