faRESO 2025 Fall Conference Recap
Hundreds of attendees descended upon Louisville, Kentucky, for the RESO 2025 Fall Conference in October, which was held at the sparkling downtown Omni Hotel.
The hospitality of our host city was splendid, and the friendliness of the locals was such a noticeable presence that it set the table for a positive three days amidst an industry backdrop with plenty of uncertainty…but not at a RESO conference! We pride ourselves on and are mission-driven by neutrality, focusing entirely on making real estate business as easy to transact as possible.
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Let’s dig into the recap.
Welcome and RESO Today – RESO Chair Rebecca Jensen from Midwest Real Estate Data (MRED) and RESO CEO Sam DeBord began the meeting in what has become their signature one-two punch of sharing inspirational stories and providing updates on RESO initiatives.
Jensen harked back to the origins of horse racing at Churchill Downs and how few people believed they could create the tradition that exists today with the Kentucky Derby. She compared that evolution to how RESO began humbly and has evolved into a global phenomenon with a groundswell of industry support.
Twenty years ago, some believed that real estate data standards were an impossible task in North America, and some still believe that creating global data standards is an impossible and unworthy pursuit. We can prove otherwise.
Before DeBord got into his semiannual remarks, there was a special presentation of the Realtors Property Resource® (RPR) Connections Grants by Emily Line of RPR. The recipients of this year’s grants were:
- Kim Clark of Silver City Regional Association of REALTORS®
- Shawna Perry of Anywhere
- John Werschler of Coeur d’Alene Multiple Listing Service
- Michael Walliser of EasyDigz
DeBord then provided the state of RESO today, including a healthy dose of AI, the success of the International MLS Forum in Toronto and announcement of the next two forums in Abu Dhabi in 2026 and Prague in 2027. He highlighted the groundbreaking Global Data Exchange between five MLSs in Canada, France, United Arab Emirates and the United States.
Closer to home, 60% of U.S. MLS subscribers are converted to the RESO Web API, and 74% are committed to the change from RETS. Encouragingly, 63% of U.S. MLS subscribers are working on systems certified for Data Dictionary 2.0.
But the greatest achievement of the past year is that more than 1 million U.S. MLS subscribers have been converted to Web API data feeds and are powered by MLSs certified for Data Dictionary 2.0. It’s a milestone that was commemorated at the conference with a framed platinum album and celebratory pins.
What’s Next in Broker Tech Standards? – Jeff Bosch of IRES MLS and Nina Dosanjh of Vanguard Properties welcomed Joe Wilhelmy of RE/MAX and Derek Taylor of T3 Sixty to discuss the innovations that brokers want to see in tech, including input systems that don’t require an endless repetition of effort and the means for those systems to use AI to take care of repetitive tasks.
Standard IDs, from Properties to Licensees – Jessica Hickok from ARELLO and Andrew Coca of Modern.tech held a fireside chat about how marketplaces deal in more than just property data. They discussed how licensee and roster data can become more powerful assets for MLS and broker technology through standardized IDs like the Unique Licensee Identifier (ULI).
Emerging Global Markets Joining the Standards Movement – Mathew Kallumadil and Shayne Fairley from Stellar MLS and its subsidiary, Universal Consulting Opportunities (UCO), talked about how organized marketplaces are appearing around the globe and how standardized data is at the core of this interconnection.
They focused on new international MLSs and the recent signing of a Memorandum of Understanding to launch the Global Data Exchange (GDX) of five MLSs – Stellar MLS (USA), Toronto Regional Real Estate Board (Canada), Syndicat National des Professionnels Immobiliers (France), Madhmoun MLS (United Arab Emirates) and San Diego MLS (USA). This new framework, built on RESO’s Web API and Data Dictionary 2.0, aims to simplify cross-border listing data sharing, reduce custom integrations and accelerate time-to-value for technology providers and marketplaces.
With AI Search and Agents, Where Do Standards Stand? – Joe Schneider of Modern.tech, Dan Troup of Broker Public Portal (BPP) and Dominik Pogorzelski of Rest.bi shared where proptech is going next, in terms of AI, and how RESO and its members should be thinking about the future of standards.
MLS Consolidation Requires the Data Dictionary – Paul Hethmon of Amplify and Adam Beck of REsides explored how leveraging the Data Dictionary as a data-mapping foundation enables faster, more accurate consolidation while minimizing disruption to stakeholders.
Streaming Data: New Standards for Continuous Connection – Rick Herrera and John Flaig of Constellation Data Labs dug into data streaming to see how one technology company is using multiple standards to establish continuous data flow with a large brokerage partner.
New Construction Technology and Data – Dan Weisman from the National Association of REALTORS® and Ashley Stinton from Second Century Ventures and REACH delved into how there has been a significant increase in startups entering the construction technology space. They shared how RESO organizations can learn from and contribute to new construction tech and data quality.
Fueling the Rental Data Flywheel – Lauren Martin from RentSpree moderated a panel featuring Michael Lucarelli, also from RentSpree, John Breault from State-Wide MLS, Sara Fogg from PrimeMLS and Marsha Buice of First Multiple Listing Service (FMLS). The panel discussed standardization as the catalyst for market insights, accurate distribution and fraud prevention. They expressed how adopting standardized rental data can ignite a powerful flywheel effect.
Data Dictionary Workgroup – The RESO Data Dictionary provides the structure for the real estate industry’s universal language for technology. Venerable Workgroup Chair Rob Larson of Larson Consulting, LLC, offered a fresh update on the topics of note coming out of the highly popular monthly meetings, including the naming of two new vice-chairs, Al McElmon of Cotality and Gayle Ludemann of MRED.
Other items on the agenda included a new major/minor/patch schedule for Data Dictionary releases, online voting on updates becoming a successful norm and several topics that have hit the discussion forum in the past few months, as well as updates on several subgroups that meet on various topics, such as new construction, duplication and global considerations.
Pain Points – Speaking of new Data Dictionary Vice-Chair Gayle Ludemann, she joined Rick Herrera to conduct another Pain Points session, which was more heavily focused on existing solutions than usual, somewhat indicating that pain points are being reported to RESO throughout the year now rather than just at conferences. Some examples include:
- How to handle records that have been removed from a user’s feed. RESO has a standard that can communicate this information and why records were removed. It is the EntityEvent specification.
- Members want RESO to be more aggressive with expiring old certifications. RESO has recently passed a policy where all endorsements expire after two years and will start enforcing this in early 2026.
- There is no county named “Out of Area.” RESO has created a new Schools and Geographies Subgroup to address questions like this. Contact transport@reso.org if you would like to participate.
- Going by the definition of PostalCodePlus4 in the Data Dictionary, it seems like the +4 component should be in a separate field. The definition of PostalCode doesn’t cover this, so a solution will be explored in the new subgroup.
RESO members can now track Pain Points Issues on Confluence! See what is being worked on, what has been addressed and what has been completely resolved.
Reception – After the first day’s sessions, Louisville’s Falls Market served as the backdrop for beer, bourbon and tacos thanks to generous sponsors like FMLS, RentSpree and APEX MLS.
Mini-Expo – A new addition to the RESO conference was a one-day mini-expo featuring approximately 20 companies just outside of the main ballroom. Vendors were given a quick in and out to share information about their products for conference attendees. By all accounts, it was a smashing success that we expect to return.
Proving MLS Value with RESO Data – Hud Bixler and Jay Pepper-Martens from the San Francisco Association of REALTORS® joined James Rogers from RealReports to talk about using the Data Dictionary as a guide to show how much MLS exposure increases opportunities for homeowners.
Data Distribution of Choice – Al McElmon of Cotality discussed how to maximize the value of MLS data by providing choice to meet customers where they are. McElmon pointed out how all data and certifications are equal and then shared how you can offer data feeds of higher value to move more customers forward and capture more revenue.
Using the Data Dictionary to Extract MLS Data from Media – Todd Carpenter of Styldod shared how the transformation of media to three-dimensional models can help pre-populate listings and expand MLS data sets with AI photo recognition that creates opportunities for compliance and marketing through the MLS.
MLS Technology and Standards – Dan Ray and Katie Smithson of REcore shared how new technology opportunities can help maximize MLS and technology vendor collaborations with MLSs poised to lead innovation as the central data hubs for markets.
CMLS Update – Council of Multiple Listing Services (CMLS) board member Chris Haran provided an update on the latest initiatives being championed by CMLS that are strengthening the MLS industry.
How to Survive Your Data Dictionary Conversion – Cameron Paine of MARIS provided details on the big lift that was a Data Dictionary conversion in his MLS’s St. Louis market. He shared some preventative steps to spare headaches for staff, the Board of Directors and subscribers while keeping inevitable issues minimal and manageable.
The conference staple, Roundtables sessions moved from the morning to the afternoon this year and included seven breakout sessions, as follows:
Why Native? Translation Is So 2020
Moderator: Rich McGonigle, ImagineMLS
The group discussed the benefits, hazards and lessons learned from converting a database to native RESO.
Datashares: Frustrations and Solutions
Moderator: Olga Ermolin, MLSListings
Experienced data share operators in the San Francisco Bay Area and Sacramento shared their best practices and common pitfalls along the way to creating a successful data share.
Gaining MLS Independence Without Breaking Collaboration
Moderator: Jason Jakus, Florida Gulf Coast MLS
This group discussed how being more independent with your data allows for more agile changes, swift certification and more efficient data collaborations with others.
The Power of Boundaries: Building Confidence Through Positive Communication
Moderator: Lauren Martin, RentSpree & RENEW
This group explored how setting clear, respectful boundaries can enhance collaboration, strengthen leadership and build confidence in every interaction. They discussed practical strategies for communicating with authenticity and empathy, creating space for more balanced, productive and empowering professional relationships.
Next Up for a More International Data Dictionary
Moderator: Ethan Bailey, Cotality
New opportunities for measurements, currencies and other international expansions of the RESO Data Dictionary were discussed.
Global Data Exchange
Moderator: Mathew Kallumadil, Stellar MLS and Universal Consulting Opportunities
A four-country data exchange featuring five MLSs – Stellar MLS (USA), Toronto Regional Real Estate Board (Canada), Syndicat National des Professionnels Immobiliers (France), Madhmoun MLS (UAE) and San Diego MLS (USA) – was revealed at the International MLS Forum in Toronto. A breakdown of breaking down international borders was provided.
What’s New in RESO Analytics?
Moderator: Jason Darrough, RESO
A live demo of RESO Analytics and how it provides insights into standardized data was provided, including a new set of alignment reports.
Research & Development Workgroup – The Research & Development Workgroup solicits and reviews submitted business cases from the real estate community. It identifies how RESO can contribute to a solution and which workgroups should be involved in vetting that solution. Workgroup Chair Greg Moore of Regional Multiple Listing Service (RMLS) and Vice-Chair John Breault of State-Wide MLS shared updates on two case studies involving AI tracking and environmental hazards enumerations.
Interoperability Workgroup – The Interoperability Workgroup creates solutions that ensure different industry systems can seamlessly work together. In driving standardized models for sharing listing and customer data across transaction management systems, this workgroup creates efficiency for industry professionals and consumers. Workgroup Chair Chris Haran of MRED talked about the many opportunities to build more interoperable relationships in a variety of software that touches real estate, including ActivityPub, Offer Management, AI, Search Engine Optimization (SEO), Association Management System (AMS) and Model Context Protocol (MCP).
Beyond the Portal: How AI and APIs Transform MLS into a Living Data Ecosystem – Meagan Zeman of Voiceflip and Matt Purcell of BPP sat down to talk about how modern MLSs are evolving from static data repositories into dynamic, accessible ecosystems. This session demonstrates how BPP, Ardi and MCP servers work together to reinforce the MLS as the definitive source of truth while delivering unprecedented field usability and data accessibility.
Transport Workgroup and Certification Subgroup – The Transport Workgroup develops rules and specifications to ensure that data can be moved between different technology systems efficiently. The Certification Subgroup works hand in hand with the Transport Workgroup to identify and resolve any issues related to rules, testing, reporting and other topics related specifically to RESO certification. Paul Stusiak of Falcon Technologies pulled double duty to round out the final day with an update on the more technologically intensive wings of RESO’s proceedings.
If anything should be retained from this final session, it’s that RESO certifications will now expire after two years. That is going to be a big change for some vendors, but preparation will get you everywhere. RESO’s GitHub is the best place for public discourse and is open to all.
San Antonio is Up Next!
The RESO 2026 Spring Conference site is live with registration links for hotel, onsite registration and livestream registration. | REGISTER TODAY
Many thanks to all attendees and to the organizations who contributed their time and money to the continued success of RESO conferences.
