The Value of NorthstarMLS: A Look Back at 2024

As 2024 ends, we look back on a year that included many accomplishments and new beginnings for our industry. It’s been a journey that we are thankful to have been on with you, and we hope to continue as your trusted source for updated, accurate listing data and relevant MLS tools and resources in 2025 and beyond.

Here’s a summary of what we accomplished in this year-end video review: 

We kicked off 2024 with free subscriber access to try out NorthstarMLS’ three “front end” MLS systems of choice: Flexmls, Matrix and Paragon Connect. This was an opportunity to test drive another MLS front end while keeping your primary MLS system choice active. It’s also a great reminder to familiarize yourself with existing MLS tools you may not routinely utilize.

System Enhancements

Data accuracy and speed continued to be top of mind and we made enhancements to our MLS systems.

This included introducing Save & Continue, which made editing incomplete listings easier in Add/Edit. When in Edit mode on an Incomplete listing, you can now quickly save your work and continue where you left off using the Save & Continue button located on the lower right corner of your Incomplete Listing page.

Other enhancements to the Add/Edit listing platform include new fields for manufactured homes on leased land. We made this popular request reality with the help of a committed task force that included subscribers, association staff and broker members.

For Matrix users, NorthstarMLS introduced a new three-panel search and dashboard. This new design is fully responsive, and the search feature provides an intuitive and efficient user experience across a wide range of screen resolutions and devices, including mobile phones, tablets and computers.

Getting market stats fast got easier with the new Realist Insights Dashboard available directly from the NorthstarMLS Dashboard and Matrix, Flexmls and Paragon. These powerful features provide critical insights and quick access to your last viewed properties, enhancing your role as the market advisor clients need to make better, faster decisions.

Lastly, a new ShowingTime opt-in process improved ShowingTime’s text message notification system, ensuring you stay informed on listing appointments and activity.

New Offerings

We also introduced several new offerings in 2024 designed to provide you more data insights, integrated marketing capabilities and rental management tools including:

Green Building Registry®. With a single click, you can add energy ratings, third-party building certifications and solar electricity generation capabilities from the Green Building Registry® (GBR) to your listings using new RESO green fields available in Add/Edit. Agents and appraisers can create thorough valuations that can add thousands of dollars of value to homes while assisting buyers in making informed purchasing decisions. Green Building Registry.

WellcomeMat. We boosted NorthstarMLS listing video capabilities by introducing WellcomeMat, which gives you full control over creating, uploading, modifying, replacing, deactivating and distributing a video from within your listings in Add/Edit.

PostcardMania. With the introduction of PostcardMania we made direct mail marketing easier than ever, so you can connect with potential clients with customized postcards directly from the MLS. With just a few clicks in Add/Edit or the NorthstarMLS Dashboard, you can create targeted direct mail campaigns for sellers and buyers using mailing lists, design templates and offers.

AdBuilder. You can now create standout online with ready-to-launch digital ads you create in minutes directly from your NorthstarMLS listings in Add/Edit. Whether you are tech-savvy or just getting started with digital marketing, AdBuilder’s user-friendly platform makes it easy to create, manage and optimize your ads.

RentSpree. We introduced RentSpree, a seamless online solution for tenant screening and lease management that simplifies the rental application process for your clients. From tenant screening to rent payment, RentSpree provides powerful tools for every step of the rental process, empowering you to generate more leads, reduce transaction times and boost returns.

Neighborhood Intel. New subscription-based reports from Neighborhood Intel puts detailed neighborhood statistics and insights at your fingertips so you can help clients make more informed decisions with detailed neighborhood statistics and insights.

New Partnerships

We advanced our commitment to expanding the scope and reach of NorthstarMLS subscribers’ listings by welcoming Fargo-Moorhead Area Association of REALTORS® (FMR) as a new Datashare Partner in March. This partnership gives NorthstarMLS subscribers access to more listings from Western Minnesota and Eastern North Dakota and provides FMR members access to all NorthstarMLS listings.

In August, NorthstarMLS introduced a new intra-Matrix collaboration with Omni MLS. Now available in Matrix to all NorthstarMLS Matrix users, this collaboration expands inventory and referral opportunities for NorthstarMLS subscribers into Central and South America.

New Business Practices

Even prior to the National Association of REALTORS® Settlement announced in March, we had begun work on a NorthstarMLS Subscriber Report that provided the details and context of our role, structure and future in the real estate landscape in the Upper Midwest and the U.S. as a whole. Introduced in May, the Subscriber Report is available to all who want to better understand our efforts to serve NorthstarMLS subscribers.

For the Settlement itself, we introduced practice changes to remove communication of offers of compensation from the MLS and provided a simple-to-understand Buyer Touring Agreement that can be used with buyers to comply with new MLS rules. Details about the Settlement and NorthstarMLS’s compliance actions can be found on the Settlement MLS Updates page on our website.

Outreach

Did we talk to you in 2024?

We hope we connected with you as one of the over 20,000 Help Desk calls/emails we served during the year. Maybe we saw you on one of the 18 visits we made to Association events and broker offices across the region during the year.

Or you were one of the 10,000 who participated in 11 monthly webinars or MLS CE courses. Did you stop by our booth at the REALTORS® Unite Conference in Duluth?

We appreciate everyone who took time to say “hi,” ask a question, or make MLS training part of your day to learn more about our resources and how they can help your business.

We are also thankful for those 2,000+ subscribers who completed our 2024 survey. We are now working diligently to review the quantitative and qualitative feedback you provided to continue to improve how we serve you. Watch for more details in 2025.

What’s Ahead in 2025…

While a lot happened in 2024 we are even more excited for 2025 as we look to further enhance existing offerings, add some new ones and connect with you.

Watch for expanded capabilities in the NorthstarMLS Dashboard that will make navigation smoother and more intuitive, helping you get things done faster. Be ready for more AI capabilities, including predictive analytics and smarter listing tools, that will also help streamline your work processes. We are also very excited to introduce a new social media offering for subscribers that is essentially “Instagram for Listings,” allowing you to search, scroll and “like” listings.

October 2025 will mark the return of 3iCon. Innovate. Impact. Inspire. We hope you’ll join us for another premiere event just for NorthstarMLS subscribers. Once again, we will gather an exceptional lineup of exceptional speakers who address timely topics to help your real estate business deliver value to your clients.

At NorthstarMLS, our mission is to give you the best tools, the best data, and the best support. Together, we’ve achieved so much in 2024, and the best is yet to come. Thank you for your partnership, and here’s to an incredible 2025!