Fair Housing - No Room for Discrimination
Melissa King • April 18, 2025
Fair housing isn't a political issue. It's a matter of professional integrity—and, not least of all, of human character.

As an MLS executive and someone who believes deeply in fair and equitable access to housing, I don't view fair housing as a compliance item — I see it as a fundamental responsibility. Either our systems support equity, or they leave room for bias. There isn't a middle ground.
The real estate industry has a well-documented history
of overt and subtle discrimination. As stewards of the MLS, we must do better.
Transparency is crucial. The NAR's Clear Cooperation Policy
limits pocket listings and private networks that restrict access. While off-MLS strategies may seem harmless, research indicates they can have negative consequences.
A 2020 National Fair Housing Alliance investigation
revealed that pocket listings harm buyers from historically marginalized communities by limiting their access to available homes. By marketing properties privately within small, homogeneous networks, this practice reinforces exclusivity and restricts opportunities for others, undermining the principle of an open and competitive market.
More recent studies have provided compelling data on the detrimental effects of pocket listings and private networks in real estate. A 2025 Zillow analysis
revealed that New York homes sold off the Multiple Listing Service (MLS) typically fetched $13,749 less than those listed on the MLS. The impact is even more pronounced in communities of color – almost 3% less than sellers in majority-white neighborhoods nationally.
These statistics highlight the importance of transparent and inclusive listing practices. We promote fair access and help sellers achieve the best financial outcomes by ensuring that properties are listed on the MLS. This practice also guarantees that all buyers have an equal opportunity and that sellers benefit from wider market exposure.
Our commitment goes beyond implementing policies. We must also do more by leveraging technology to identify discriminatory language, establish rules that prevent harmful practices, and provide education and guidance to our users. These actions form the foundation of our industry.
Fair housing isn't a political issue. It's a matter of professional integrity—and, not least of all, of human character. At the MLS, we play a central role in shaping how real estate is practiced—and that includes ensuring the systems we maintain are fair, transparent, and inclusive for everyone.

Farmingdale, NY – December 16, 2025 – The New York real estate market remained strong and accelerated in November. Home values rose, and buyer interest increased. The regional median sales price jumped 6.5% year-over-year to $685,000, showing high demand in the New York Metropolitan area. Closed sales fell 7.5% year-over-year due to seasonality, but the market stayed strong. Pending sales rose across all housing categories: single-family homes up 4.0%, condominiums up 6.0%, and co-ops up 11.6%. This contract activity mirrors national patterns, underscoring that buyers are responding quickly to steady mortgage rates and favorable fall conditions. Richard Haggerty, CEO of OneKey® MLS, said: “Pending sales, especially the 5% jump across all property types, show buyers gaining confidence. Consumers are moving quickly, setting up an active start to 2026.” Meanwhile, the single-family homes segment continues to drive the market, with median sales reaching $750,000—a 6.3% increase from November 2024. As inventory remains limited, down 7.1% year-over-year for all property types, competition for move-in-ready homes continues to boost equity gains for current homeowners. Looking ahead, expect this competitive environment to persist into early 2026, as buyers remain eager despite limited options. Many are expanding their searches to surrounding counties and suburban markets in hopes of finding suitable homes. This increase in activity is likely to support continued price growth and keep market momentum strong as the new year begins, sustaining the region's positive trends. To access all local and regional housing market reports, visit https://marketstats.onekeymls.com .

Caroline Andree is having a full circle moment. Starting her career in the MLS industry at Stellar MLS, she discovered her passion for connecting people, processes, and technology to create streamlined ways of working. Those skills served her well in roles in the death care technology space leading transformative projects that brought structure, empathy, and innovation to an industry ready for change. The OneKey® MLS team is excited to bring the benefits of Caroline’s expertise in automation, onboarding, and customer success to the Greater New York Metropolitan real estate community. In her new role, Caroline will collaborate with internal partners and external vendors to strengthen customer adoption of OneKey’s premium products and streamline workflows that help real estate professionals work smarter, not harder. Her superpower of seeing the systems beneath chaos - transforming complexity into clarity and building frameworks that empower both teams and end users to thrive--embodies OneKey’s values of service, innovation, collaboration, and adaptability , supporting the company’s vision to connect professionals and consumers with unparalleled data and solutions . Caroline’s personal philosophy— “Be kind, do good, listen in the moments of quiet” —reflects her belief that lasting progress requires both compassion and accountability and echoes OneKey’s commitment to integrity . Outside of work, Caroline enjoys journaling, various methods of crafting, being the “spooky friend”, and time with her family.

Sunil Anthony is Director of Innovation at OneKey MLS with over twenty years experience in technology. Artificial intelligence (AI) is no longer a futuristic concept; it’s here, and it’s transforming the real estate industry. From writing property descriptions to analyzing market data, generating photo descriptions, AI can help REALTORS® save time, work more efficiently, and unlock new opportunities for client service. But with new technology comes new questions: Is AI safe? Is it reliable? Could it put my clients or my business at risk? As part of REALTOR® Safety Month , let’s explore the realities of AI in real estate and outline practical steps you can take to use it both effectively and responsibly.












