What happens when the MLS collides with Big Tech? This isn’t just industry drama — it’s a fight over who controls the future of real estate. In this episode of Real Estate Insiders Unfiltered, former executive at Realtor.com and Bright MLS Amit Kulkarni breaks down what MLS versus Big Tech really means for agents, brokerages and consumers.
He’ll discuss the Compass–Rocket–Redfin move, why data — not just listings — may be the real battleground and how AI could accelerate every pressure point already building in the industry.
If you want to understand where real estate may be headed next, this episode is for you.
Highlights
Kulkarni dives into the power struggle shaping real estate right now: platforms, MLS organizations, brokerages and Wall Street-backed players all fighting for leverage.
Find out why the Compass–Rocket–Redfin deal (and moves like it) signal a bigger shift: Companies with massive capital aren’t thinking transaction-by-transaction. They’re thinking ecosystem; data, distribution and lifetime customer value. And that changes everything about how real estate competes.
But this conversation goes beyond headlines.
Kulkarni explains why MLS versus Big Tech becomes dangerous when the MLS is fragmented, data standards remain inconsistent and leadership avoids hard decisions.
He also digs into AI: Why it’s still early, why it’ll become ingrained in the workflow, and why the agents and organizations that adapt fastest will create an unfair advantage.
You’ll learn:
- Why the Compass–Rocket–Redfin move matters
- Why fragmentation creates risk for transparency and consumers
- What AI changes (and what it doesn’t)
- Why it’s “a terrible time to be average” and a great time to be exceptional
If you want to understand what happens next, this episode is essential.
Connect with Amit Kulkarni on LinkedIn.
Real Estate Insiders Unfiltered is now exclusively on Inman. Tune in for agent- and team-focused content on Mondays and leadership interviews on Wednesdays each week. Listen on Apple or Spotify.
James Dwiggins is the Co-CEO of NextHome, Inc. and co-host of Real Estate Insiders Unfiltered.
Keith Robinson is the Co-CEO of NextHome, Inc. and co-host of Real Estate Insiders Unfiltered.
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