🐐🎙️What’s Up with NAR’s Clear Cooperation Policy?

Wicked Title Folks Podcast

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🐐🎙️What’s Up with NAR’s Clear Cooperation Policy?

How a Realtor Rule Might Shake Up the Way You Win Business

Cheryl.wtf

Apr 16, 2025

Transcript

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Hey folks, I'm Cheryl, welcome to Wicked Title Folks, where we talk about what’s happening in real estate, why it matters to you, and how to stay one step ahead of the chaos.

I’m your host, Cheryl, and today we’re diving into a topic that’s been making headlines—especially in the last few weeks: NAR’s Clear Cooperation Policy, also known as CCP.

Now, I know what you’re thinking:

"That sounds like a Realtor thing."

And you're not wrong—but what happens in Realtor-land always trickles down to impact buyers, sellers, lenders, and yes—you, the title agent.

So let’s break it down.

🔍 What is the Clear Cooperation Policy?

In simple terms, the CCP is a National Association of Realtors (NAR) policy that says if a Realtor publicly markets a listing, they must put it into the MLS within one business day.

That means no sitting on a listing and shopping it privately before it hits the market.

This was originally designed to prevent “pocket listings” from creating an unfair, exclusive market. NAR wanted to ensure transparency and equal access for all buyers.

So far, so good, right?

📰 Why Is It Making News Now?

In March 2025, NAR tweaked the policy—giving local MLSs more flexibility in how it’s enforced. They've added a policy called "Multiple Listing Options for Sellers," which includes "delayed marketing exempt listings." This allows sellers to instruct their agents to delay the public marketing of their property through Internet Data Exchange (IDX) and syndication for a specified period, as determined by the local MLS. However, the listing must still be filed with the MLS and be accessible to other MLS participants.

📰 Zillow Drops a Bomb

And then in April, Zillow dropped a bomb:

Zillow’s new listing access standard, effective May 2025, states that any property that is publicly marketed must be listed on an MLS and made widely available (like on Zillow) within one business day, or it won’t be published on Zillow at all.

🔍 What Zillow Says This Policy Does:

The PR Message:

Zillow says this is to ensure equal access to inventory for all buyers—a direct nod to the same consumer-protection logic that NAR’s Clear Cooperation Policy was built on.

And sure—this does discourage pocket listings and shadow marketing that exclude some buyers.

🧠 What’s Actually Driving This?

1. Zillow needs MLS data to remain dominant.

MLSs are still the richest, most consistent source of nationwide listing data. While there’s been a surge of alternative platforms and “non-MLS marketing” options (especially as some brokerages rebel against NAR and traditional MLS structures), Zillow’s model depends on easy, centralized access to listings at scale.

If more agents start marketing listings outside of the MLS ecosystem—on social media, private networks, or newer “MLS disruptors”—Zillow risks losing that clean, centralized stream of listings it built its dominance on.

So what does this new policy do?

It pressures listing agents back into the MLS system, so that Zillow can continue to pull those listings via its MLS data agreements—with minimal overhead or custom integrations.

2. It’s a preemptive strike against fragmentation.

The lawsuits, commission shifts, and tech innovation happening in real estate are all eroding NAR's grip on listing control. If the MLSs begin to fracture or lose relevance—and listing agents turn to alternative channels—Zillow’s clean pipeline gets muddy.

Zillow does not want to negotiate listing access with a dozen upstart platforms or individual broker networks.

By requiring listings to be in the MLS to appear on Zillow, they’re reinforcing the MLS system as the default—not because they love the MLS, but because it’s easier to harvest.

🏢 So Where Does This Leave Title Agents?

Now here’s where it gets interesting for you.

No, this policy doesn’t change how you issue commitments or clear liens. But it does shift the dynamics of how Realtors think about marketing, listing visibility, and their relationships with vendors. And it could impact how home buyers shop for real estate.

Which means—you’ve got an opening.

💡 3 Ways to Leverage This Shift

Be Educated
In addition to what you've learned here, do some quick research on how different brokerages in your area are reacting to these changes. You might find a local need or opening that you can leverage.
Be the educator
If your Realtor partners are confused about what this means, be the one who’s clued in. Send a simple explainer, or better yet—drop a quick video. They’ll remember who made them feel smart.
Support their marketing
Offer marketing support to agents feeling squeezed by new listing policies. Agents may need new tools to stand out. Offer co-branded property reports, custom net sheets, or digital tools that help listings look more professional and polished.
Position yourself as the tech-savvy partner
If these moves are making agents nervous, remind them that YOU work with agents who use any platform—and that you’ve got solutions that help them close faster, market smarter, and stay compliant.
Conduct Consumer Outreach
Host a buyer education night to help educate home buyers in your area about the shifting real estate listing landscape and how savvy buyers can find the best real estate agent to work with or locate the best homes for sale.

🎯 Don’t just react to real estate news—use it to grow your business.

Download the CCP Flyer Template now and turn confusion into connection.

🔄 Bottom Line

The Clear Cooperation Policy isn’t about title, but it will ripple into how listings are marketed, who controls the deal flow, and where referrals come from.

So while others are just reading headlines, you’ll be building stronger partnerships—because you saw the play before it hit your desk.

That’s it for today’s episode of Wicked Title Folks.

If you found this helpful, share it with your team or forward it to your favorite Realtor.

And hey—if you’ve got questions, hit me up. We love turning your real-world issues into wicked-smart solutions.

Until next time—keep it wicked.

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Stay Wicked,
Cheryl

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