The biggest news of this week broke on Tuesday as the National Association of Realtors decided the fate of its Clear Cooperation Policy, opting to keep the rule in place and introduce a new rule to give sellers more options. Inman staffers have been been following this story closely for the better part of a year, and today, they’re bringing you reaction from brokerage and portal leaders. We’ve also rounded up reaction op-eds from Brown Harris Stevens CEO Bess Freedman, Redfin CEO Glenn Kelman and coach Darryl Davis. Don’t miss your chance to weigh in with your thoughts in this week’s Pulse survey.
Meanwhile, the housing market isn’t getting any easier for buyers — or agents and brokers. Luxury consultant Chris Pollinger lists 25 outside-the-box ways to cut brokerage costs without killing your growth. EXp’s Kendall Bonner explores insights from a panel she moderated at SXSW 2025 with heavy-hitters who explored the housing supply gap and how the industry can come together to create solutions.
And as we close Women’s History Month, BHGRE President Ginger Wilcox shares the women who have moved her in her career.
On this week’s Broker Edge:
Plus, Inman’s Broker Spotlight shines on Chris Parra. Check out the latest from Inman Intel: Consumers give agents high marks and want them to be paid
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After months of heated debate and many proposed alternatives, The National Association of Realtors made a decision on the Clear Cooperation Policy, opting to uphold the policy and roll out a new "Multiple Listing Options for Sellers" policy.
In the wake of NAR’s decision, real estate executives were cautiously optimistic — but several voiced uncertainty over new rules that will authorize hundreds of individual MLSs to set policy, including how long listings stay off market, Inman staffers report.
The new rule allows listing agents to delay putting a listing on the Internet Data Exchange, or IDX, for a certain period of time that will be determined individually by hundreds of multiple listing services nationwide. The Internet Data Exchange acts as a middleman between MLSs and portals like Zillow, Realtor.com, Redfin and CoStar.
During that period of delayed marketing, MLS subscribers will be able to access those listings via the MLS, even though they won't officially be listed until later. Sellers will be required to sign a disclosure document waiving their benefits of immediate public marketing through IDX and syndication to take advantage of the option, NAR documents state.
The new policy went into effect on Tuesday and must be implemented by MLSs by Sept. 30, 2025. |
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Every dollar you keep is a dollar you don’t have to chase in sales. The best brokerages don’t just earn more — they keep more.
“Too many brokers focus on increasing revenue without realizing they’re hemorrhaging cash in unnecessary expenses,” luxury consultant Chris Pollinger writes.
“The usual cost-cutting advice — downsizing office space, canceling software subscriptions and hiring fewer staff — only scratches the surface. The real savings come from thinking outside the box and challenging industry norms.” Here are 25 outside-the-box ways to cut your brokerage costs. Read the full story here. MOVES AND SHAKEUPS
EXTRA: Sellers, MLS PIN slam DOJ claims in Nosalek case: 'DOJ is simply wrong' |
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The housing supply gap is one of the most pressing challenges in the real estate industry today. At SXSW 2025, eXp’s Kendall Bonner moderated a panel discussion that brought together key experts, including Realtor.com’s Chief Economist Danielle Hale, Mayor of Austin Kirk Watson and The Urban Institute’s Mary K. Cunningham, to explore the findings of Realtor.com’s 2025 Housing Supply Gap Report.
According to the report, the U.S. is short nearly 4 million homes, an issue that has driven up housing costs and made homeownership increasingly difficult for millions of Americans.
As real estate professionals, policymakers and communities collaborate to find solutions, Bonner writes, they can create a future where housing is more accessible, affordable and efficiently produced. Read the full story here. EXTRA: John Davis says Keller Williams is attempting to ‘bully and intimidate’ |
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“In real estate, we talk a lot about movement — helping people find homes, change communities and navigate an evolving industry. But the most profound movement often comes from the people who shape us along the way,” BHGRE President Ginger Wilcox writes.
Leadership isn’t just about what we accomplish individually. It’s about the way you show up for others, the opportunities you create and the impact you leave behind. Here, Wilcox shares stories about the clients, mentors and colleagues who have moved her. Read the full story here.
EXTRA: Broker fights to keep Nevada brick-and-mortar mandate lawsuit in play
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Being new isn’t a weakness — it’s a superpower. You have advantages that experienced agents don’t, and if you use them the right way, you’ll blow past the competition, coach Darryl Davis writes.
What you don't yet know can offer a distinct advantage as you launch your career. Here are five massive reasons you should stop seeing yourself as “just a new agent,” and start realizing you’ve got a secret weapon. Read the full story here.
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Ride the Wave to San Diego in 2025 |
Ready to transform your real estate business? The industry’s most important event is happening July 30–August 1 at the Hilton San Diego Bayfront. Connect with thousands of professionals, gain actionable insights from leading experts, and discover strategies to grow your business in today’s competitive market all at
Inman Connect San Diego. |
Team size: Eight to 12 people
Transaction sides: North of 60 transactions in the last 12 months in Barbados alone Sales volume: In recent years, the brokerage has achieved significant gross sales values close to $2 billion (USD) 3 reasons Chris Parra is in the spotlight |
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| One Caribbean Estates bills itself as "the only authentic Caribbean brand in the market," and specializes in luxury property sales, exclusive villa rentals, concierge services and property management. |
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The indie brokerage leverages its affiliation with Luxury Portfolio International as well as partnerships with other indies around the world, especially in the U.S., U.K. and Canada. |
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| Before founding One Caribbean Estates, Parra spent 17 years building “a vast global network of contacts at well-known international real estate firms.” |
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