Ditching the MLS system with our open property data API
The Canadian real estate technology landscape is experiencing a fundamental transformation in 2025. Traditional Multiple Listing Service (MLS) systems, designed for exclusive realtor access, are being challenged by comprehensive property data APIs that democratize access to property information for developers, businesses, and consumers.
The shift is significant: While MLS systems provide access only to current listings for licensed professionals, modern property APIs offer comprehensive data on all properties—sold, listed, and off-market—through developer-friendly interfaces. This transformation is enabling new business models, improving market efficiency, and accelerating innovation across the real estate ecosystem.
Houski's property data API represents this new paradigm: open access to comprehensive property intelligence that powers the next generation of real estate applications.
What's wrong with the MLS?
The MLS is a database that's supposed to facilitate the buying and selling of properties. But in reality, it's a tool that realtors use to maintain their grip on the market. They control access to the data, limiting it to their own kind and making it difficult for developers, consumers, and anyone else who's not part of their exclusive club to get their hands on it. It's a system that's designed to keep the realtors in power and everyone else in the dark.
Modern Property Data API Architecture
Houski's API represents a fundamental advancement over traditional MLS systems, providing comprehensive property intelligence through modern, developer-friendly interfaces:
// Example: Comprehensive property data access
const getPropertyData = async (address, city, province, apiKey) => {
const url = new URL('https://api.houski.ca/properties');
url.searchParams.set('api_key', apiKey);
url.searchParams.set('address', address);
url.searchParams.set('city', city);
url.searchParams.set('province_abbreviation', province);
// Access comprehensive property data - not just listing information
url.searchParams.set('select', [
'interior_sq_m', 'bedroom', 'bathroom_full', 'construction_year',
'property_type', 'heating_type_first', 'foundation_type',
'assessment_value', 'assessment_year', 'latitude', 'longitude'
].join(','));
try {
const response = await fetch(url);
const data = await response.json();
if (data.data && data.data.length > 0) {
return {
property: data.data[0],
coverage: 'All properties, not just listings',
access: 'API-based, no license required',
updateFrequency: 'Regular data refreshes',
format: 'Standardized JSON responses'
};
}
} catch (error) {
console.error('Property data request failed:', error);
}
return null;
};
// Compare: MLS vs Modern API access
const compareDataAccess = {
mls: {
access: 'Licensed realtors only',
coverage: 'Current listings only',
format: 'Proprietary systems',
integration: 'Complex, expensive'
},
modernAPI: {
access: 'Developer API key',
coverage: '17+ million properties',
format: 'Standard JSON/REST',
integration: 'Minutes to implement'
}
};
Key advantages of modern property APIs:
- Universal access: Developer-friendly API keys replace licensing restrictions
- Comprehensive coverage: All properties, not just current listings
- Standardized data: Consistent formats across all property records
- Modern architecture: RESTful design with JSON responses
- Transparent pricing: Usage-based costs instead of exclusive membership fees
The benefits of our API
One of the significant advantages of our open property data API is that it provides data on ALL properties, not just those currently for sale. This comprehensive approach offers several benefits, particularly in terms of consistency, which allows for seamless integration into funnels and flows. With our API, you can essentially guarantee that the address will be found, making it ideal for:
- Streamlined property identification: Consistency in property data ensures that addresses can be easily located and matched, facilitating smoother transactions and reducing errors in processes like property valuation, neighborhood analysis, and urban planning.
- Efficient funneling: The comprehensive nature of our data enables the creation of more accurate and efficient funnels for real estate transactions, allowing for better targeting and more effective decision-making.
- Seamless flow integration: Our API's consistency ensures that data can be easily integrated into various workflows, such as property valuation, neighborhood analysis, and urban planning, without the need for manual intervention or data cleaning.
- Enhanced decision-making: By providing a complete picture of the market, our API empowers users to make more informed decisions, backed by accurate and reliable data, in areas like real estate investments, urban development, and market research.
The trade-offs
While our open property data API offers many advantages, it's essential to acknowledge the trade-offs:
- Delay in data updates: The most significant downside is the 12 to 24-hour delay in data updates. This means that if a property is listed or sold, it may take some time before that information is reflected in our API. But hey, this delay is a small price to pay for the accessibility and transparency our system provides.
- No photos: Currently, our API only provides a "street view" photo. This limitation is due to the complexities of navigating the (complete bullshit) MLS photograph monopoly laws, which vary across different states and properties. However, users can upload photos for their properties, and we hope to provide more photos in the future.
Conclusion
In conclusion, while the MLS has been the traditional go-to for real estate data, our open property data API offers a compelling alternative. With its open and user-friendly design, rigorous data validation, and community-driven approach, it empowers developers and consumers alike to access property information without the barriers imposed by the MLS. The comprehensive nature of our data, including all properties, not just those for sale, provides a more complete picture of the market, enabling better decision-making and more informed strategies.
If you’re ready to explore the possibilities of replicating the MLS system with our open property data API, visit our API documentation to get started. Embrace the future of property data—open, accessible, and comprehensive!