Data Access & Governance

Flexmls Helps You Govern, Share, and Monetize Your Data

MLS data powers the real estate marketplace, supports real estate consumers, fuels market insight, and drives the technology professionals rely on every day. At FBS, we’re unambiguous: your data belongs to you — not us. Your MLS technology vendor should never become your data gatekeeper. Through the Flexmls + Spark + Datamart ecosystem, we give you the infrastructure to manage it, distribute it, and monetize it on your terms, for your members, in your market. And as AI becomes central to real estate’s future, the MLS that controls its data controls its destiny.

The ecosystem

The Flexmls + Spark + Datamart Ecosystem

The Flexmls + Spark + Datamart ecosystem is FBS's MLS data and distribution infrastructure for collecting, storing, licensing, and delivering market data to approved systems.

Flexmls

Where Your Data Lives

Spark API

How Your Data Moves

Datamart

How Your Data Works for You

Where Your Data Lives

Every listing, every transaction, and every member record in your market starts in Flexmls. The platform keeps your data accurate, accessible, and fully under your control with the tools to manage how it's used across every connected system.

You decide:

  • Who can access your MLS data
  • What data can be shared
  • How your data can be licensed
  • Which systems can integrate with your MLS

How Your Data Moves

Spark is the standards-based API that powers how your MLS data flows to the applications and services your members rely on. Built on industry-leading RESO standards, Spark gives your MLS full data portability and permission-based control over who accesses your data, how, and when.

Spark also automatically makes your MLS AI-ready — so as intelligent tools become central to real estate, your data is positioned to power them.

How Your Data Works for You

Datamart is your MLS's data marketplace. It automates the entire data licensing process — bringing your data plans, licensing terms, pricing, approvals, billing, and usage tracking together in one place.

Your MLS decides who gets access, sets the terms, and can create data feeds as a source of non-dues revenue. No manual processes. No administrative burden. You stay in control of every step.

Spark Datamart

How Spark Datamart Automates MLS Data Licensing

1

Create a data plan

Define IDX, VOW, or custom feeds with your terms and pricing

2

Set terms and approvals

Licensing terms and approval workflows are defined once

3

Approve access

Requests are routed to the appropriate approvers you designate

4

Provision credentials automatically

Secure API credentials issued automatically once approved

Ownership

MLS maintains its listing data

Licensing

Defines how that data can be used

Sharing

Determines how data moves between organizations

APIs

Securely deliver approved data to connected systems

For the MLS

Create and manage Data Plans

Create and manage Data Plans — IDX, VOW, or custom data feeds — each with the licensing terms, pricing, and approval workflow your organization defines. Once the structure is set, Datamart handles the rest automatically.

For Developers

Discover, agree, and connect

Discover available data plans, agree to licensing terms, and submit access requests through a single interface. Requests are automatically routed to the appropriate approvers based on the structure you set. Once approved, secure API credentials are issued automatically.

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Data sharing

Support for Complex MLS Data Sharing

MLS data sharing demands both strong technical infrastructure and deep operational expertise. Rather than relying on third-party, add-on solutions that can impose limitations or disrupt data flow, FBS delivers tailored, reliable support for your market-specific data sharing requirements. Learn About Flexmls Data Sharing Options

Industry standards

Built on RESO and Industry Standards

As a long-time supporter of RESO and industry data standards, FBS builds technology designed for long-term interoperability and consistency. By aligning with established standards, Flexmls helps your MLS avoid fragmentation, integrate confidently, and stay adaptable as the industry evolves.

RESO certified

Full Support for RESO Data Dictionary 2.0 and RESO Web API v3

IDX listing distribution

MLS Listing Distribution with IDX

Providing IDX data feeds to brokers and agents is one of the most valuable services an MLS can offer its members, putting live MLS listings directly on their websites to maximize market exposure and capture leads. Because the FBS IDX solution is directly connected to the Flexmls platform, listings update in real time while remaining fully aligned with your MLS's policies, licensing rules, and lead capture requirements.

Data ownership

The MLS That Controls Its Data Shapes What Comes Next

Data ownership isn’t just about protection — it’s about possibility. When your MLS controls its data, it can power broker technology, enable innovative integrations, create new revenue streams, and deliver services that make the MLS indispensable to every member it serves.

he Flexmls + Spark + Datamart ecosystem isn’t just infrastructure. It’s a competitive advantage, built for the market you serve today and the one that’s coming.

Want to See How it All Works?

Talk with our sales team and see how Flexmls helps your members work more productively every day.