Clear as a Bell: NAR’s Listing Rule Updates & How We’re Using Them to Your Advantage

In real estate, timing is everything—and so is strategy. Which is why the recent updates to NAR’s Clear Cooperation policy have everyone buzzing (and maybe stress-Googling terms like "MLS loophole"). But before your eyes glaze over with legal jargon, take a deep breath—we’ve got you.

Let’s decode what these changes actually mean and how we at the Kendall Hood Collection are using them (via Compass’s secret sauce) to launch your home three times for max exposure, momentum, and that sweet, sweet buyer demand.

First, What Is Clear Cooperation?

The National Association of Realtors (NAR) introduced its Clear Cooperation policy in 2020 to crack down on off-market listings (aka “pocket listings”) being shared too privately among select agents. It required that once a property was publicly marketed in any way, it had to be added to the MLS within one business day.

But now, the rules are loosening up—and the playing field just got interesting.

The 2025 Update: What’s Changed?

As of this year, agents can now market listings to other agents outside their brokerage without going live on the MLS. Yep, that’s a major shift.

Here’s the quick breakdown:

• Previously: You could only share off-market listings within your own brokerage (e.g., Compass agents could share among Compass agents only).

• Now: You can share with any agent 1:1—even those from different brokerages—before putting the property live on MLS.
  
  

Also worth noting: local Realtor boards can now set limits on how long a listing can stay in "Coming Soon" status before it must syndicate to third-party platforms like Zillow and Redfin. As of March 2025, ECAR or CPAR (our local boards) have not decided on these rules.

So yes, it’s a little complicated—but we’re not just adapting. We’re optimizing.

Our Secret Weapon: The Compass 3-Phase Strategy

At the Kendall Hood Collection, we don’t just “list and pray.” We use a three-phase marketing strategy that’s built to evoke emotion and create demand—and the new rules? They just gave us more flexibility to do exactly that.

Here’s how we turn one property into three headline-worthy moments:

Phase 1: Private Exclusive

Test the waters without going public.

• We share your listing privately with Compass’s national network of 34,000+ agents and their qualified buyers.

• No days on market. No public price drops. Just early buzz and potentially a premium offer from a buyer who wants first dibs.

• Bonus: Now we can also strategically share with non-Compass agents too. 👀
  
  

Phase 2: Coming Soon

Drumroll, please...

• Your home gets its own moment on Compass.com—without syndicating to the MLS (yet).

• We build hype through curated agent outreach, social media, and targeted previews.
  Collect feedback. Tweak strategy. Prep for launch with purpose.
  
  

Phase 3: Go Live

It’s showtime.

• We activate the listing on the MLS, pushing it out to Zillow, Realtor.com, Redfin, and all the usual suspects.

• By this point, we’ve got built-in momentum and market-tested pricing.

• Showings increase, demand spikes, and we’re in prime position to negotiate strong.
  
  

For Buyers: Exclusive Access You Won’t Find on Zillow

Our Compass tech tools aren’t just about pretty listings—they’re about giving our buyers access to homes before the masses. From Private Exclusives to sneak peeks of Coming Soon properties, working with our team means you’ll be the first to know—not the last to scroll.

The Bottom Line:

The NAR Clear Cooperation updates just gave agents a little more runway—and we’re turning that extra space into a full-blown runway show (minus the awkward strut).

At the Kendall Hood Collection, we’re using these updates not just to comply—but to compete smarter and serve our clients better.

Selling? Let’s talk about how to launch your property three times for max impact.
Buying? We’ll get you access to listings before they hit the public radar.

Let’s clear the confusion—and make these changes work for you.