Annie Ives, CEO of The MLS® and VestaPlus®, will speak on the panel “Consolidation, Portals and the Next Competitive Map” at the 4th International MLS Forum, November 16-17, 2026, at Raffles Istanbul in Istanbul, Türkiye. Ives has been in MLS leadership for more than 30 years. The MLS builds its own technology through VestaPlus, which licenses it to MLS organizations across the country.
Ives’s participation underscores a central debate in organized real estate: whether MLSs can retain relevance as brokerages and portals grow and as consolidation reshapes the industry. Her answer is that MLSs remain essential because they are the keeper of the data and the accuracy of the data. On consolidation among MLSs and associations, Ives says the deciding factor is the value an organization provides to its members. Asked where the MLS fits as brokerages and portals grow, she points to partnership. “I think partners,” she says. “They will always need the data from the MLS.” The MLS shares data with most of Southern California and some of Northern California. “I think data share is the way to go,” Ives says.
Ives sees the MLS and its technology as one business. “You have to become a technology company, offer value to your members, expand your horizon,” she says. About 25 years ago, Ives decided The MLS would build its own MLS platform, starting with two programmers. “We decided to develop our own MLS platform because we wanted greater control over our technology and our future,” she says. Every Friday, the help desk meets with the product managers to go over agents’ reports and requests, and Ives then sets priorities with her managers. Most of her team has worked with her for 20 to 25 years. “For our agents, the biggest benefit is a platform that continues to evolve with their needs,” Ives says.
The MLS also built CheckMate™, an AI-powered compliance tool, for its own staff. It helps staff keep track of compliance follow-ups, and uses AI to review listing photos and remarks, including for fair housing. “Now we don’t wait for anyone to report the violation,” Ives says. “With AI, we can find it ourselves.” “Our goal is to get clean data,” she says. “What began as an investment in our own technology has also become a business opportunity,” Ives says. VestaPlus licenses its MLS platform, CheckMate and other products to MLS organizations across the country, and customizes them for each client. “Simply put, The MLS provides the marketplace, data, and services, while VestaPlus develops the technology that makes it all work,” she says.
Ives’s appearance at the Forum signals that The MLS is looking beyond domestic licensing. “Real estate is global,” Ives says. “It’s always good to hear what’s going on in other countries to get some ideas.” Ives says The MLS may be interested in data exchange, and the Forum is a chance to meet potential partners. “Because we are our own technology company, we do everything ourselves and we want to expand,” she adds. VestaPlus is a sponsor of this year’s Forum and also sponsored the 2025 Forum in Toronto. Ives says she hopes the sponsorship brings recognition and business with international partners.
Ives will speak on “Consolidation, Portals and the Next Competitive Map” on November 16 in Istanbul. The Forum brings together MLS executives, brokers and technology providers from a few dozen countries. Tickets are available at mlsforum.org.
