What does real estate actually look like without an MLS?
In this episode of Real Estate Insiders Unfiltered, Todd Cutter, broker-owner of 2Costa Rica Real Estate, explains how real estate works in a country where agents operate without centralized listing data, standardized addresses or a shared marketplace.
Cutter shares what it’s like building a successful brokerage in Costa Rica, how agents collaborate without a traditional MLS, and why reliable data and cooperation matter more than most agents realize. The conversation also dives into international buyers, second-home markets and the lifestyle shifts driving more Americans to consider Costa Rica.
If you want to understand what real estate might look like without an MLS and why that matters, this episode is for you.
Highlights
Cutter explains how agents build comps manually, how brokerages cooperate to market listings, and why choosing the right agent becomes even more important when reliable data is harder to find. In a market without full MLS adoption, relationships, reputation and local knowledge become the most valuable tools an agent can have.
But this conversation goes beyond Costa Rica.
Cutter also shares insights on global migration trends; why more Americans are looking at international real estate; and what agents everywhere can learn about patience, relationship building and long-term business growth.
You’ll learn:
- What real estate looks like without an MLS
- Why centralized listing data protects buyers and sellers
- How agents collaborate in markets without shared systems
- The role of referrals and global networks in second-home markets
- Why patience and intentionality still win in real estate
If you’ve ever wondered what the industry might look like without an MLS, this conversation provides a real-world perspective.
Connect with Todd Cutter on LinkedIn. Check out 2Costa Rica Real Estate on Instagram and 2costaricarealestate.com.
Real Estate Insiders Unfiltered is now exclusively on Inman. Tune in for agent- and team-focused content on Mondays and leadership interviews on Wednesdays each week. Listen on Apple or Spotify.
James Dwiggins is the Co-CEO of NextHome, Inc. and co-host of Real Estate Insiders Unfiltered.
Keith Robinson is the Co-CEO of NextHome, Inc. and co-host of Real Estate Insiders Unfiltered.
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