Hive MLS publishes a proposed 'MLS constitution'; Mainstreet adds Gitcha Buyer Listing Service

# What happened Hive MLS published a document titled the Declaration of MLS Stewardship Principles, described by CEO Daniel Jones as an "MLS constitution." The declaration lays out nine principles meant to provide a common framework for how multiple listing services should steward real estate marketplaces as technology, business models and ownership structures change.

Mainstreet Organization of Realtors announced a partnership with Gitcha to add the company's Buyer Listing Service (BLS) to the MyMainstreet member dashboard. The BLS lets buyer agents post structured "want listings" that communicate buyers' search criteria, timelines and financing to a broader community of licensed agents.

# Why the Hive MLS declaration matters The declaration does not mandate a particular governance structure, operating model or technology stack. Instead, it frames the MLS role as a steward of a trusted marketplace and sets out principles covering standards, trust, competition, data cooperation, public marketing and innovation.

# Gitcha are doing Mainstreet will integrate Gitcha's Buyer Listing Service into its MyMainstreet member dashboard for suburban Chicagoland members. The BLS allows buyer agents to publish search criteria — including timeline and financing details — to create want listings that other licensed agents can see.

Gitcha CEO Dan Cooper described the partnership as a means to provide "structured, transparent listings of buyer needs to increase cooperation between agents, create more matches, and establish a clearer path for listing agents to bring the right inventory to market." Mainstreet CEO John Gormley called Gitcha "a perfect fit," saying members can use the BLS to strengthen both sides of transactions by understanding buyer needs in real time.

# How these moves connect Both items respond to similar pressures on MLSs and associations: shifting private-listing practices, new data-licensing questions, and the need for cooperation across brokerages while accommodating different business models. The Hive declaration seeks to articulate responsibilities that endure even if MLS organizations change. Mainstreet's BLS integration is a concrete example of new tools MLSs and associations can offer to facilitate cooperation and match-making.

# What to watch next

• Whether other MLSs or associations publicly endorse or sign the Declaration of MLS Stewardship Principles.
• How integration of buyer-intent data like Gitcha's want listings affects listing agents' behavior and matching rates.
• Whether the declaration spurs more formal guidance on data licensing, public marketing and cooperation rules across MLSs.

# Practical takeaway If you work at an MLS, association or brokerage, read the Declaration of MLS Stewardship Principles to see how its nine principles align with your governance and data practices. If you're a member of Mainstreet or operate in Chicagoland, expect Gitcha's want listings to appear in the MyMainstreet dashboard and consider how structured buyer demand can inform outreach and inventory decisions.