What is an 'MLS Feed' in the context of a Christies International Real Estate franchise?

According to Christies International Real Estate's 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, an MLS Feed refers to the local multiple listing service feeds that a franchisee obtains from one or more MLSs for specific geographic areas. The purpose of these feeds is to enable the display of real estate listings for those areas.

Christies International Real Estate requires franchisees to be members of local or regional MLS and obtain a data feed as specified by the franchisor. If a franchisee fails to provide the required MLS information, they may not receive certain services or access to specific tools within the Computer System, including the Proprietary Software. This failure can also result in the franchisee being in default under the Franchise Agreement. Therefore, maintaining an approved data feed from the MLS is essential for accessing all services and tools and remaining compliant with the agreement.

The MLS data feed must enable the franchisee, their agents, Christies International Real Estate, and its affiliates to display property listings on the internet for consumers to view online. Christies International Real Estate may use this data feed for various reasons, including running reports, aggregating information, tracking trends, or for other internal or public-facing marketing or data tracking initiatives, as long as it complies with the rules of the relevant MLS or data feed providers. The franchisee is solely responsible for all initial and ongoing fees associated with their Business's MLS feed, which are determined by local MLS rules.

Furthermore, if MLS feeds are required as part of Christies International Real Estate's proprietary software/technology integration, the specific MLSs and associated fees will be detailed in a separate written agreement. There may also be an MLS implementation fee ranging from $5,000 to $10,000 per feed. This highlights the importance of understanding and budgeting for these potential costs when considering a Christies International Real Estate franchise.