What is the MLS?

The MLS is a collection of databases used by real estate professionals to make the inventory of their listings available to other realtors. Real estate agents use it to search for other real estate agents’ listings. It contains a lot of detailed information about each property as well as the listing agent’s name and how to contact them.

Years ago, real estate agents used to meet up to discuss their listings with each other. Real estate agents had to split their commissions if another real estate agent sells the property, but 50 percent of a quicker sale isn’t a bad trade-off.

Only licensed real estate agents have access to all of the information in the MLS. The listings in the MLS are confidential. But they are there so that other real estate agents can cooperate and share the earnings for a mutually agreeable transaction.