Innovator Network Recaps
Going Backwards Is Not an Option
May 30, 2025
By Arianna Marino
On May 28, the PropTech Innovator Network welcomed Kipp Cooper, CEO of the Kansas City Regional Association of REALTORS® (KCRAR) and Heartland MLS. With a background in government affairs and a decade of leadership at Heartland MLS and the Kansas City Regional Association of REALTORS®, Kipp Cooper brings a unique policy-first mindset to MLS innovation. His approach blends clear governance, tech adoption, and crisis-readiness — always with the agent’s best interest at the center.
Kipp Cooper Conversation Highlights
With a background in government affairs and a decade of leadership at Heartland MLS and the Kansas City Regional Association of REALTORS®, Kipp Cooper brings a unique policy-first mindset to MLS innovation. His approach blends clear governance, tech adoption, and crisis-readiness, always with the agent’s best interest at the center.
Learning by Doing
Early in his career, Cooper made an ambitious promise: he would become an MLS expert within a year — despite having no prior experience. Reflecting on that mindset, Cooper noted, “I wasn’t bogged down with the national policies and all of the different players,” which gave him the freedom to innovate without the burden of legacy constraints.
Coming from a background in government affairs and legislation, Cooper emphasized how his policy acumen translated seamlessly into MLS leadership. His focus was clear: help members operate more efficiently through smarter use of technology and better rules management.
Mergers, Chapters, and Maintaining Local Identity
As consolidation continues across the real estate landscape, Cooper’s experience merging multiple associations and MLSs offered valuable lessons. He stressed the importance of respecting local identities while offering tangible improvements. “We sell the benefits and the service,” he said. “We’re here to do the hard stuff so that you can do the fun stuff.”
To address fears of lost autonomy, Cooper adopted a chapter model, allowing local councils to retain influence over community engagement and leadership development, a strategy that helped reassure members and create future organizational leaders.
Former skeptics became champions, some even rising to lead the regional organization. “They went from fearing they’d lose their voice to having the largest voice at the table,” he said.
Crisis Leadership During COVID-19
Cooper also recounted how proactive leadership helped Heartland MLS and KCRAR navigate the uncertainties of the COVID-19 pandemic. Thanks to early warnings from contacts abroad, he began preparations weeks in advance, ordering supplies and drafting guidelines before the lockdowns hit.
“I always want to have the most information possible going into a crisis,” he explained. Heartland MLS created a handbook for REALTORS® on safe operations and an interactive map detailing local regulations — all within four days — ensuring real estate transactions could continue safely and uninterrupted.
Standing Up for Data Integrity
Cooper recalled an early experience where a listing reverted to the wrong price on public portals — an error that left a veteran agent in tears. That moment sparked a major push for better syndication controls and led Heartland to temporarily cut off all portals except Realtor.com.
Eventually, other platforms returned — but only after agreeing to fair data terms, including public agent attribution. “If we’re going to give this data for free, essentially, these listing folks should actually get something in return for it,” he emphasized.
Practical AI Applications
Turning to technology, Cooper discussed how AI is quietly reshaping MLS operations. Heartland MLS has found success using AI tools to automatically generate property photo descriptions, improving accessibility and enriching search experiences. “Photography really starts to open up all of those pieces where you’re identifying all the data points,” Cooper said.
He also stressed the importance of properly educating members about the purpose and limitations of AI tools to ensure smooth adoption and real-world value.
What Vendors Can Do Better
Cooper offered pointed advice for PropTech vendors: don’t just focus on selling to MLS leadership; help drive agent adoption. “You guys spend time selling me, and the issue is, we do a crap job selling that to the agents for implementation,” he noted.
He urged vendors to invest in better agent-facing marketing and training tools to ensure their products gain real traction at the ground level, helping both MLSs and vendors succeed in the long term.
The Real Threat to the MLS? It’s Not the Courts
In closing, Cooper didn’t mince words. “Greed, not the government or the courts, is the biggest threat to the MLS,” he said.
Warning against the dangers of pocket listings and private exclusives, he stated, “Particularly if companies are not going to do it themselves, putting their listings in the MLS is the best way. It is the most transparent way.”
For Cooper, preserving the integrity, transparency, and accessibility of real estate data isn’t just a leadership principle, it’s a fight for the very future of the industry.
His warning was clear: “Going backwards isn’t just bad for members. It’s bad for everyone.”
About the PropTech Innovator Network
Each month, MLSPropTech.com highlights an industry executive who will dive into the complexities of the organized real estate sector in an exclusive gathering of PropTech Executives. This presents an opportunity for PropTech Innovator Network members to expand their network with high-caliber individuals and acquire insights that are truly unique and unavailable elsewhere. Become a member to join us every month.