Sam DeBord, CEO of the Real Estate Standards Organization (RESO), will deliver a keynote at the 4th International MLS Forum, taking place November 16-17, 2026, at Raffles Istanbul in Istanbul, Türkiye. His address will focus on the more than $1 trillion in real estate purchased annually by buyers who do not live in the country where they are buying, and the role that MLSs, brokers, and technology providers can play in that market.
DeBord describes cross-border real estate as a massive market, but one where listing information remains scattered. While U.S. buyers can typically see nearly every home for sale on a single portal, buyers in many other countries must ask one broker after another what is available. “The inventory exists, but access to it is very fragmented from an information perspective,” DeBord says. He adds that creating a more factual, comprehensive picture of international investment can help professionals represent buyers better.
At the center of DeBord’s keynote is a question for MLSs and industry organizations: knowing that this trillion-dollar marketplace exists, what is your role in it? He suggests that organizations with valuable marketplace data have a role either as a data provider to the network or as a partner empowering brokers and consumers with a more transparent and trustworthy experience. RESO, he notes, supports data partners’ ability to use standards and create an efficient, interoperable information marketplace, with the goal of giving buyers, sellers, and investors access to more accurate, transparent, and efficient transactions across borders.
DeBord acknowledges that many U.S. organizations see themselves as local, and he says that is fine. “Probably not everyone in Atlanta is interested in buying a second home in Italy, but some people in Atlanta are,” he says. First MLS, which serves the Atlanta area, has already connected with an MLS in Italy. For agents, that kind of access helps three groups of clients: people moving abroad, buyers relocating to the U.S. who want to see local listings before they arrive, and local clients looking for a second home or investment property overseas. It also gives agents listings their clients may not find on the sites they already use. “It’s a new reason for a consumer to reach out and talk to you, and something exciting and different to add to your set of tools,” DeBord says.
MLS leaders deciding where their organizations fit in cross-border real estate can hear DeBord’s keynote in person in Istanbul. The forum brings together MLS executives, brokers, and technology providers from a few dozen countries. Tickets are available now. The 4th edition is organized by RESO, ADRES, and RealtyFeed.
The implications for the industry are significant. As cross-border purchases continue to exceed $1 trillion annually, MLSs and agents that embrace standardized, interoperable data could gain access to a wider pool of international clients and listings. Those that remain solely local may miss opportunities as buyers increasingly expect transparent, efficient access to property information across borders. DeBord’s keynote is positioned to help industry leaders assess their role in a market that is already substantial and shows no signs of shrinking.
