Canopy MLS, Charleston Regional MLS, Georgia MLS and Realtracs unite to provide improved access to data and referrals for their users

ATLANTA (October 2, 2023) – Southeast MLS Alliance today announced its formation as a data share system with its four founding members being the largest multiple listing services (MLS) in their respective states.

“It was time for like-minded MLSs in large markets across the southeast to come together and form a meaningful referral network for our combined members,” stated Richard Boone, CEO of Georgia MLS. “It was important the agreement kept the members as top priority and that the participating MLSs made geographic sense. Collectively, our members will now have access to listing data in four of the most desirable cities in the southeast.”

The alliance was established to provide real estate agents across service areas with more data and potential for referrals throughout the southeastern states of Tennessee, North Carolina, Georgia and South Carolina.

“The real estate market is most effective when agents and brokers have access to the data they need and enhanced confidence that it is accurate,” said Canopy CEO Anne Marie DeCatsye, Esq. “The Southeast MLS Alliance will provide access to this data for our market as well as data from Georgia, South Carolina and Tennessee -- allowing agents to work together across state lines increasing their ability to better serve their client’s real estate needs.”

The four MLSs together serve more than 100,000 real estate agents across more than 11,000 offices.

“It’s been an exciting few years for the real estate market in the southeast,” said Charleston MLS Executive Director Joseph Cullom. “We’re proud to be forming this alliance as an opportunity to better serve our members in all market conditions by providing them with increased exposure for their listings.”

The Southeast MLS Alliance launched October 1. As each MLS integrates all the systems' native data, members of Canopy MLS, Charleston MLS, Georgia MLS and Realtracs will have a comprehensive feed of more than 85,000 accurate listings across Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky, North Carolina, Tennessee and South Carolina.

“MLSs were designed to be a resource and benefit for real estate agents,” said Realtracs CEO Stuart White. “We believe that being a resource for agents and brokers requires finding new opportunities to innovate and improve their services for sellers and buyers. All listings – Active, Off Market and Sold – will be integrated into each of our systems, providing a seamless experience in the market data available.”

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About Southeast MLS Alliance

Southeast MLS Alliance is an alliance of Realtracs, Canopy MLS, Georgia MLS and Charleston Regional MLS. The alliance provides members of the largest multiple listing services (MLS) in the states of Tennessee, Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina with accurate data for listings across the states. Serving a combined 100,000+ real estate agents in over 11,000 offices, the alliance will provide agents and brokers with a live data feed of all listings as well as create opportunity for cross-MLS referrals.

Frequently Asked Questions

Last updated: November 10, 2023

1. What is the Southeast MLS Alliance?

   The Southeast MLS Alliance is a collaboration between Canopy MLS, Charleston Regional MLS, Georgia MLS, and Realtracs.

2. Why was the Southeast MLS Alliance created?

   The Southeast MLS Alliance was created to provide additional services and benefits to brokers and agents in the southeastern states so they can better serve their consumer-clients. Through this collaborative effort, the MLSs can help to increase access to data, which creates a more open, transparent, and efficient real estate marketplace.

3. Is this a merger between the participating MLSs?

   No. Canopy MLS, Charleston Regional MLS, Georgia MLS, and Realtracs remain separate legal entities, each operating its individual business.

4. How do I get access to data from participants in the other Southeast MLS Alliance MLSs?

   Data from each MLS in the Southeast MLS Alliance will be ported into your current MLS system. You will not need to learn a new system to access data.

5. When will data from the other participants be available?

   The goal is that the data share will be live in Q1 2024.

6. Will there be any additional costs to brokers and agents?

   No. Participants and subscribers will have access to the data share data as part of their existing services from an MLS participating in the Southeast MLS Alliance.

7. Will I get access to the products and services provided by the other MLSs in Southeast MLS Alliance?

   You will only have access to the products and services that are provided by the MLS where you subscribe (e.g., IDX, lockboxes, database access, showing services, etc.). In order to get access to the products and services offered by a different MLS, you would need to subscribe to that MLS.

8. Does my offer of cooperation and compensation made through my MLS extend to participants of the other MLSs in Southeast MLS Alliance?

   Yes, if the listing broker in one MLS makes an offer of compensation, that offer will extend to all the participants of the other MLSs in Southeast MLS Alliance (once the data share goes live in your MLS system). An offer of compensation is subject to the MLS’s rules where you enter the listing, so you can vary an offer of compensation as described in the rules.

   Note that offers of compensation are subject to state law and not all brokers may be eligible for an offer that appears on a listing. For more details on eligibility in Georgia see: https://grec.state.ga.us/information-research/license-law/, in North Carolina see: https://www.ncrec.gov/Resources/LicenseLaw, in South Carolina see: https://llr.sc.gov/re/laws.aspx, and in Tennessee see: https://www.tn.gov/commerce/regboards/trec/rules-and-laws.html.

9. What if I have a dispute with a participant of another MLS?

   If participants of different MLSs have a dispute, it will be handled via arbitration according to the rules of the MLS where the listing was entered.

10. Do I need to learn another MLS’s rules? How will compliance be handled for MLS rules violations?

    Each MLS is responsible for its own compliance and enforcement of its own rules. You are only required to comply with the rules of the MLS where you participate.

11. Can any MLS join the SE MLS Alliance?

    Currently, Canopy MLS, Charleston Regional MLS, Georgia MLS, and Realtracs are working hard to implement the data share and look forward to the future possibility of scaling with other MLSs.