Above, Jessica Edgerton (courtesy of CMLS)
Amid a fundamental reorganizing of the MLS space, the Council of Multiple Listing Services (CMLS) announced that Jessica Edgerton, a lawyer who previously served in high-profile leadership roles at Leading Real Estate Companies of the World® (LeadingRE) and as a lawyer for the National Association of Realtors® (NAR) will be its new CEO.
“Our industry created the MLS for a vital purpose: to give real estate professionals a shared foundation of trusted information,” Edgerton said in a statement. “I look forward to working with the CMLS Board, staff, members, and partners to elevate the value of the MLS, support the leaders who guide it, and help shape a stronger future for real estate.”
Edgerton faces a dizzying task: helping hundreds of MLSs with widely varying priorities, outlooks and governance structures find their role in a new era of real estate, with NAR stepping back from policy mandates as brokerages, portals, vendors and other disruptors seek a foothold amid industrywide disruption.
She will take the helm on July 1, a little over a year after former CEO Denee Evans announced she would be stepping down following more than a decade leading the organization.
CMLS has remained a relatively small operation as the trade group representing the MLS industry, claiming around half of MLSs as members and $2.7 million in revenue as of 2024, according to publicly filed tax documents. Founded in 2002, CMLS focuses on advocacy and education, recently speaking out against private listing practices, and lobbying federal agencies to recognize the value of MLS infrastructure.
Edgerton has spent the last eight years at LeadingRE, most recently as chief legal officer and executive vice president, keeping a high profile as the industry navigated the commission lawsuits. CMLS, in its announcement, touted “the respect she has earned across the real estate industry through her work with brokerages, networks, and industry leaders.”
“Jessica brings the vision, credibility, and collaborative leadership CMLS needs for this important moment,” said Nicole Jensen, 2026 Chair of CMLS, in a statement. “She understands the essential role MLSs play in creating access to trusted real estate information, supporting informed decisions, and helping the market work for consumers and professionals.”
CMLS also noted that at LeadingRE, Edgerton worked with many international brokerages that operate without an MLS, which it claims “gives her a firsthand understanding of the value MLSs create.”
“Through my work with brokerages around the world, I have seen what real estate markets look like when professionals and consumers do not have access to the complete, trusted information an MLS provides,” said Edgerton. “It gives me an even deeper appreciation for the MLS as essential market infrastructure and for the leaders who make that system work every day.”
Among other challenges, the MLS industry is currently grappling with lawsuits and policy shifts related to so-called pre-marketing. Some brokerages—most notably Compass—have argued that MLSs cannot restrict these types of marketing practices and should loosen their rules, a stance some have embraced, while others have resisted.
CMLS previously took a hard stance opposing the “industry narrative” that pre-marketing benefits consumers.
LeadingRE previously touted Edgerton’s expertise in risk management—a focus that will almost certainly be central to her new role at CMLS.
“There is no one better to advocate for the industry regarding best practices, data access and transparency during this pivotal time when there is an ongoing dialogue around private listings and off-MLS distribution channels,” said Paul Boomsma, president and CEO of LeadingRE.
