Data Dollars

Splits and Caps Daily: Action for Agents

March 10, 2025

📈 Market Move:

MLS Money Machine

A St. Louis-based MLS just flipped the script on how brokers make money. Instead of just giving up their listing data for free, brokers in this system are now getting a cut of the revenue from MLS data feeds. Every time they upload and close a deal, they get a slice of the pie.

For some, this could mean tens of thousands of extra dollars a year—just for doing what they already do. It’s a shift that acknowledges what everyone in real estate already knows: listings data is valuable, and brokers should be the ones cashing in.

The move is also a not-so-subtle push against office exclusives and private listings. Instead of cracking down with strict rules, this MLS is basically saying, “Hey, want free money? Just put your listings on the platform.”

Here’s how it works: The MLS charges vendors and tech providers up to $1,000 a month for access to its data feeds. At the end of the year, brokers who played ball get a cut of that revenue. Simple.

This taps into a much bigger issue: real estate data is already being bought and sold in back channels, but brokers aren’t seeing a dime. With this model, at least some of that cash flow finally makes it back to the people actually creating the data.

Is this the future of MLSs? Or just a clever way to keep brokers hooked? Either way, if money is on the table, brokers will take it.

🌟Quote of the Day:

"All progress takes place outside the comfort zone." — Michael John Bobak

📊🤔 Agent Poll Results

On 3/7, we asked: Rates are down, but buyers are still hesitant. What’s the biggest challenge you’re seeing?

The results are in!

• 1️⃣ Sticker shock—home prices are too high. 💰: 11%

• 2️⃣ Uncertainty—buyers don’t trust the market yet. 🤷‍♂️: 66%

• 3️⃣ Inventory—there’s just not enough good homes to sell. 🏡: 22%

Love the mix of takes here! Appreciate you all for jumping in!

🎉 Fun Fact of the Day: 

Bulk Buyer Boss: In 2012, a Nevada man bought 1,200 foreclosed homes in a single day. That’s not a portfolio—it’s a mini empire.

📚 Book Recommendation:

"The Conversion Code" by Chris Smith—Real talk—most agents think they’re good at lead conversion, but let’s be honest… if that were true, they wouldn’t be complaining about “bad leads” all the time. The Conversion Code is basically the cheat sheet for turning internet tire-kickers into actual commissions.

Chris Smith lays out a straight-up playbook for capturing, qualifying, and closing leads using social media, online ads, and email—without sounding like a desperate telemarketer. If your follow-up game consists of sending one text and “hoping for the best,” this book will hurt your feelings (but also make you a lot of money).

Read it. Implement it. And watch your pipeline go from “maybe” to “money.”

Consistency beats talent when talent isn’t consistent.

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