MRED rules are such that each listing brokerage needs to authorize sending their private listings to us in order to be displayed on Zenlist and shared with our users.

With respect to these rules and feedback from brokerages on Zenlist in the Chicagoland area, we have created categories for brokerages to participate on Zenlist.

Zenlist Category 1:

A brokerage that contributes their private listings to Zenlist.

Agents from these brokerages can use Zenlist and will have access to all listing statuses from all brokerages in addition to the private listings from all other Category 1 brokerages.

Private status listings from Category 1 brokerages will be accessible through Zenlist!

Zenlist Category 2:

A brokerage that does not contribute their private listings.

Agents from these brokerages can use Zenlist and will have access to all (non-private) listing statuses from all brokerages but will not have access to any private status listings.

Private status listings from Category 2 brokerages will NOT be accessible through Zenlist.

Zenlist will always have 100% of the regular, MLS listings. That means that through Zenlist, you and your clients will have access to the most complete inventory possible, including the vast majority of private listings that cannot be found on any other third-party search sites.

In the MLS, a private listing must be marked as "Y" to the question- "Can this listing be shared with Clients?." This information is available to all agents through the MRED ConnectMLS portal and can be confirmed by locating that address or MLS ID.

That field looks like this:

Additionally, in the MLS, there is a field for a listing agent to "Restrict download access to your listing from your brokerage?" This field must be marked as "N" to be sent to Zenlist and looks like this:

Restricting download access is for not publicly available information and is an important way to ensure a listing agent can control where their listings are shared. If you're not sure, confirm that the brokerage is sharing their listings with Zenlist and the listing agent has allowed this property to be shared with clients. If both of those are true and you are still not finding the listing in Zenlist, the download access is being restricted.