History of CRMLS

CRMLS – The Past, Present, and Future of the Nation’s Most Recognized MLS

History and Significance of the Multiple Listing Service and California Regional MLS

Who is CRMLS?

California Regional MLS (CRMLS) is the nation’s most recognized subscriber-based multiple listing service (MLS), dedicated to serving its membership of more than 103,000 real estate professionals from 41 Associations, Boards, and MLS organizations. Our story is one of collaboration, partnership, and expansion through excellent service, so we thought we’d provide a short history of how CRMLS came to be.

1979

In 1979, Multi-Regional Multiple Listing Service (MRMLS) was founded in Pomona, CA. It was a fast growing MLS that became incorporated in 1989. In 2005, current CRMLS CEO Art Carter took over operations at MRMLS and extended its services to over 26,000 members over the next few years. Its success earned it a spot in the top 100 most-visited real estate websites of 2007. Then, in 2010, MRMLS merged with calREDD, a subsidiary of the California Association of REALTORS, to create an organization of over 33,000 members to further expand the coverage of the MLS

2010

In 2010, MRMLS was officially renamed as California Regional MLS to appropriately reflect its broader coverage as it branched out into further parts of the Golden State. The following year CRMLS merged with SoCalMLS, which served the entirety of Orange County and contained 13 Associations. This merger doubled CRMLS’s size and brought the organization to 68,000 users and 33 associations, crowning them as the nation’s largest MLS. CRMLS continued to see impressive
year-over-year growth on its way to its current roster of over 103,000.

1979

In 2022, CRMLS launched Venture MLS, the first MLS-focused venture capital firm and a new voice in the VC field. Through strategic investment, the groundbreaking VC firm revolutionizes the quality, utility, and variety of products available in the real estate technology marketplace. Later the same year 2022, CRMLS partnered with Bright MLS to launch REdistribute to improve how MLS data is collected and distributed on behalf of the real estate industry for institutional use. In 2023, CRMLS, along with Bright MLS and REcolorado, launched Nestfully, a new consumer portal that is the source of principled and pristine data for homebuyers and sellers across the country.

2010

As the real estate technology space became increasingly complicated with vendor mergers and closures, it became apparent that CRMLS had the opportunity to assist the real estate world as more than a regional MLS. And so, CRMLS helped found REcore, an MLS SaaS technology and
data licensing company, to provide solutions for MLSs and by MLSs. Headed by some of the top MLS experts in the country, REcore is making tech solutions with the wisdom of those who know the business best. By 2024, REcore’s first launch, the product ecosystem REcenterhub that offers a single sign-on dashboard, became available to CRMLS users as their new dashboard and has already been adopted by other MLSs around the country.

1979

New real estate technologies are constantly emerging, and CRMLS is increasingly involved in the direction of these new advancements. However, throughout its expansions and evolutions, CRMLS has remained committed to prioritizing what makes an MLS in the first place — its brokerage community and the spirit of cooperation.

1800s

Agents and Brokers work together in person to trade information about their inventory.

1907

Concept of the MLS is born and established by the National Association of Real Estate Exchanges (later to be renamed the National Association of REALTORS, aka NAR).

1912

The MLS becomes a national standard when then-NAR President called on all local real estate boards to take part in the “exclusive agency and multiple listing plan.”

1960s

NAR begins standardization efforts to ensure that MLSs operate under a consistent set of rules.

1979

Multi-Regional MLS (MRMLS) is founded in Pomona, CA.

1989

MRMLS incorporates and supports 26k users.

1990s

The MLS starts to move almost exclusively to the internet.

2005

Art Carter is named CEO of MRMLS.

2010

MRMLS merges with calREDD, a subsidiary of the California Association of REALTORS, to form California Regional MLS (CRMLS), supporting 66k users.

2011

CRMLS merges with SoCalMLS, crowning CRMLS as the largest MLS in the country with 68k users.

2022

CRMLS grows to over 110k users. CRMLS launches Venture MLS venture capital firm. CRMLS launches data aggregation and licensing solution REdistribute in joint venture with Bright MLS.

2023

CRMLS launches consumer portal Nestfully in joint venture with Bright MLS and REcolorado.

2024

The CRMLS executive team founds REcore, an independent real estate technology firm to support other MLSs and Associations.