How This Affects Chicago REALTORS®
The Chicago Association of REALTORS® now offers MLS access subscriptions to out-of-state REALTORS®. If you’re a current member, here’s the short version: nothing about your membership changes. The FAQs below cover what this means for your MLS access, your listings, and the professionals who will be joining the platform.
FAQs For Chicago Association of REALTORS® Members
I already have full MLS access through my Chicago REALTORS® membership. Does anything change for me?
No. This offering is for out-of-state REALTORS® and does not affect your existing MLS subscription, pricing or membership in any way.
Why would a REALTOR® from another state want to join our MLS?
Not every MLS across the country offers the advanced tools and technology that MRED does, and under NAR’s MLS of Choice policy, brokerages aren’t limited to just one MLS. The tools you use every day to support your clients (such as the Private Listing Network or MRED’s advanced listing display controls) are exactly what’s attracting brokerages from across the country to join MRED.
Will out-of-state subscribers have the same access to MRED that I do?
Out-of-state Full Access subscribers will have access to the same connectMLS platform you use. Out-of-state PLN-Only subscribers will have access to the PLN only, not the full standard listing database.
Do out-of-state REALTORS® who only subscribe to the MLS pay the same MLS fees as me?
No. The Chicago Association of REALTORS® maintains a tiered pricing structure that reflects differing levels of investment and participation in the association.
Out-of-state REALTORS® pay an annual MLS-only subscription rate that is higher than the rate paid by Chicago REALTORS® members, because your MLS access is part of your broader membership and the full range of benefits, advocacy and services that come with it. This structure is designed to ensure fair and consistent access to MLS services while recognizing the meaningful difference between full association membership and a standalone MLS subscription.
Will listings from out-of-state brokerages now appear in the MLS?
Yes. Whether a participant has Full Access or PLN-Only, their listings are visible to all MRED participants and subscribers within connectMLS.
Can out-of-state REALTORS® list or sell property in Illinois?
Only if they hold a valid real estate license in the state of Illinois. An MLS subscription is a subscription to a data service — it does not give anyone the right to practice real estate in Illinois or any other state. Licensure is regulated by each state’s licensing authority, independent of MLS access.
Are out-of-state subscribers subject to the same MLS rules as everyone else?
Yes. All subscribers, regardless of where they are located, are held to the same MRED rules and regulations. There are no separate standards or exceptions for out-of-state participants. Additionally, because all out-of-state participants must be active REALTORS®, they are bound by the NAR Code of Ethics just as any other REALTOR® is.