The global market for cross-border real estate exceeds $1 trillion annually, yet buyers face significant obstacles in accessing listing information across national boundaries. Sam DeBord, CEO of the Real Estate Standards Organization (RESO), will address this challenge as a keynote speaker at the 4th International MLS Forum, scheduled for November 16-17, 2026, at Raffles Istanbul in Istanbul, Türkiye.
DeBord's keynote will focus on the fragmented nature of international listing data. "There’s more than a trillion dollars invested every year by people buying real estate in a country that they don’t live in," DeBord says. "It’s a massive market." However, the listing information behind those purchases is scattered. While U.S. buyers can see nearly every home for sale on a single portal, buyers in many other countries must inquire with one broker after another. "The inventory exists, but access to it is very fragmented from an information perspective," DeBord notes. "Creating a more factual, comprehensive picture of what international investment looks like can help the professionals represent buyers better."
The keynote will challenge MLSs, brokers, and technology providers to consider their role in this market. "Knowing that this trillion-dollar marketplace exists, what’s your role in it?" DeBord asks. He suggests that organizations with valuable data can serve as data providers or partners to create a more transparent and trustworthy experience. "RESO supports these data partners’ ability to use standards and create an efficient, interoperable information marketplace," he adds. "The outcome we’re all working toward is to see buyers, sellers and investors have access to more accurate, transparent, efficient transactions across borders."
For local MLSs, DeBord acknowledges that some may choose to focus solely on their local market. "If organizations feel that their only focus needs to be the local marketplace, that’s fine," he says. "Probably not everyone in Atlanta is interested in buying a second home in Italy, but some people in Atlanta are." First MLS, which serves the Atlanta area, has already connected with an MLS in Italy, demonstrating that cross-border collaboration is feasible. For agents, such access benefits three client groups: people moving abroad, buyers relocating to the U.S. who want to see listings before they arrive, and local clients seeking a second home or investment property overseas. It also provides agents with listings that clients may not find on their own. "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 interested in exploring cross-border opportunities can attend DeBord's keynote in Istanbul. The forum convenes MLS executives, brokers, and technology providers from dozens of countries. Tickets are available now for the event, which is organized by RESO, ADRES, and RealtyFeed. The implications of DeBord's message extend beyond the conference: as cross-border real estate investment continues to grow, MLSs and agents that adapt to a more interconnected data environment may gain a competitive edge, while those that remain isolated risk missing out on a significant and expanding market.
