But
after
what
it
called
“careful
review
and
consideration,”
CRMLS

said
it
will
not
adopt
the
MLOS
policy
and
will
instead
rely
on
existing
systems
that
it
claims
already
fulfill
the
policy’s
intent.

“There
is
no
need,”
CRMLS
said
in
a
statement
issued
to
its
users.
“This
new
policy
does
not
provide
any
additional
seller
choices
or
options,
is
not
clear
nor
easy
to
understand
or
explain,
and
we
don’t
need
to
complicate
things.

“Implementing
a
new
status
would
only
complicate
things
and
create
confusion
for
our
agents
and
brokers.”

The
organization
also
expressed
concern
that
the
policy
could
usher
in
a
less
open

real
estate
marketplace,
potentially
benefiting
powerful

brokerages
at
the
expense
of

smaller
firms
and
consumers.

CRMLS
also
feels
that
Multiple
Listing
Options
for
Sellers
is
part
of
a
broader
attempt
to
sidestep
NAR’s

Clear
Cooperation
Policy,
which
mandates
that
listings
be
shared
on
an
MLS
within
one
business
day
of
being
marketed
publicly.

“To
understand
why
we
have
refused,
we
must
explain
where
the
impetus
for
this
new
policy
came
from,”
CRMLS
said.
“NAR
was
under

increasing
pressure
from
powerful,
national
brokerages
to
drop
the
Clear
Cooperation
Policy.
In
an
effort
to
maintain
CCP
as-is
and
to
placate
those
complaining
brokerages,
NAR
created
this
(policy).”

CRMLS
said
it
already
supports
the
spirit
of
the
new
rule
through
its
existing
“active”
listing
status,
which
permits
brokers
to
withhold
listings
from
internet
distribution
if
their
clients
request
it.

But
the
NAR
policy
introduces
a
new
category
—
“delayed
marketing
exempt
listings,”
which
are
accessible
to
agents
and
buyers
via
MLS
and
virtual
office
website
(VOW)
feeds
but
hidden
from
IDX
and
syndicated
platforms.

CRMLS
argues
this
approach
is
not
only
redundant
but
ineffective.

“Major
portals
like

Zillow,

Redfin,
and
other
large
broker/franchise
websites
already
receive
CRMLS
VOW
feeds,”
the
statement
read.
“That
means
listings
will
still
appear
on
those
sites
—
just
not
on
the
nearly
30,000
CRMLS
IDX
websites
or

Realtor.com,
which
doesn’t
use
a
VOW.”

According
to
CRMLS,
that
outcome
could
confuse
and
frustrate

homebuyers,
forcing
them
to
create
accounts
on
multiple
sites
to
access
the
full

inventory
of

listings.

The
organization
is
also
concerned
about
administrative
impact
on
its
members.
It
warned
of
“increased
compliance
confusion,”
“overlapping
statuses,”
and
unnecessary
“hurdles
to
day-to-day
business
operations.”

As
an
alternative,
CRMLS
said
it
is
exploring
additional
enhancements
to
its
current
active-listing
status
that
it
claims
would
preserve
transparency
while
meeting
sellers’
privacy
needs.

“CRMLS,
as
a
broker
cooperative
and
pro-consumer
advocate,
opposes
private
listings
and
information
silos,”
the
statement
concluded.
“It’s
time
to
stop
unnecessarily
changing
up
the
rules
and
to
let
agents
and
brokers
get
back
to
work.”

In
January,
CRMLS
CEO
Art
Carter
expressed
vehement
support
for
the
Clear
Cooperation
Policy
in
an
op-ed
posted
to
his


LinkedIn
page.

“A
broker
cooperative
needs
to
provide
meaningful
services
to
all
of
its
subscribers,
their
clients
and
other
stakeholders,”
he
wrote.
“While
listing
platforms
are
valuable
and
some
of
our
best
customers,
they
do
not
establish
rules,
policies,
or
systems
to
facilitate
cooperation
between
agents.
Instead,
they
focus
on
advertising
properties
for
sale
and
offer
historical
information.”