RMLS Rules Roundup for April 2021

RMLS Rules Roundup for April 2021

Gavel

The RMLS Rules and Regulations Committee has requested that periodic reports are given to subscribers about the number and types of formal rules violations, along with information about informal violations and courtesy notifications by type. Read “If an RMLS Rule is Broken, What Happens?” for a deeper explanation.

Have you ever spotted something wrong in a property listing on RMLSweb? The Data Accuracy team is responsible for sorting things out whenever an RMLS subscriber contacts us — whether that is via the “Report Issue” button on a listing, through email, or directly by phone.

We track 34 specific issues in Listing Data Checker (LDC), the software that helps us spot and correct issues proactively. Eight of these are courtesy notifications, but the other 26 are informal violations of the RMLS Rules and Regulations. In addition to our focus on education, we also process formal violations throughout the year.

HOT TOPICS

Recently we’ve received quite a few notifications regarding incorrect or missing schools. You may have noticed that some of the school names you are used to seeing are now missing from RMLSweb. Recently several school districts have gone through a renaming process, with some schools changing names multiple times.

If you don’t see a school that you think should be on the list and want to know whether the school is missing or has a new name, here’s what to do: First, double check the area for your listing. It can be easy to be looking in the wrong area if the listing is near a county line or area boundary. 

Next, check the local school district’s website for updated information. If you’re still not sure, you can always contact our Data Accuracy department at 503.395.1916 and we will help you determine what the new name of the school is.

FORMAL VIOLATIONS

The RMLS Rules and Regulations Committee reviews all formal complaints which allege a violation of the RMLS Rules and Regulations. The committee has the power to impose sanctions.

The committee did not review any cases in April 2021.

INFORMAL VIOLATIONS

In April 2021, the RMLS Data Accuracy staff reviewed 31,851 listings in addition to the 574 notices sent through the “Report Issue” button on RMLSweb. Of the items reviewed, 1,327 violation notices and 1,564 courtesy notices were sent out. In addition our team handled 378 phone calls.

CategoryApril
Missing Tax ID423
Missing School157
Incorrect or Missing Information127
No Showings94
Duplicate Listing92
Personal Promotion86
Missing Owner Name55
Property Condition50
Incorrect Status41
Is Property a Condo38
Incorrect First Photo36
Incorrect Property Type33
Inaccurate Lot Size23
Conditions to Compensation13
Listing Input in Incorrect MLS area12
Missing Condo Unit Number12
Partial Bathrooms 5+11
City Unknown7
HUD5
Missing SQFT by Level4
Address Issues4
Duplicate Listing in Different Categories3
Is Listing a Short Sale1

The following are the courtesy notifications sent to RMLS subscribers in April 2021:

CategoryApril
Listing Still Pending632
Listing is Set to Expire447
Multiple Owner Names in First Field272
Listing Status Changed from PEN to SLD > 24 hours104
New Listing Input Over 24 Hours81
Listing Still in OMS, Public Records Indicate SLD28

When we notice an uptick in a specific type of violation (perhaps a rule recently changed or market conditions leading to an increase in a certain type of issue), we may also put a notification up on RMLSweb, educating subscribers before one of their listings gets flagged and we need to contact them.

RMLS Data Accuracy can be reached via email or by phone at 503.236.7657 if you have questions about RMLS Rules and Regulations or the data accuracy of specific listings, or simply want to chat with us more about the above information.

RMLS Rules Roundup for April 2021

RMLS Rules Roundup for March 2021

Gavel

The RMLS Rules and Regulations Committee has requested that periodic reports are given to subscribers about the number and types of formal rules violations, along with information about informal violations and courtesy notifications by type. Read “If an RMLS Rule is Broken, What Happens?” for a deeper explanation.

Have you ever spotted something wrong in a property listing on RMLSweb? The Data Accuracy team is responsible for sorting things out whenever an RMLS subscriber contacts us — whether that is via the “Report Issue” button on a listing, through email, or directly by phone.

We track 34 specific issues in Listing Data Checker (LDC), the software that helps us spot and correct issues proactively. Eight of these are courtesy notifications, but the other 26 are informal violations of the RMLS Rules and Regulations. In addition to our focus on education, we also process formal violations throughout the year.

HOT TOPICS

As the weather warms up and more houses begin to be put on the market it is important to keep in mind the rules regarding lockbox access and showings. Violating the lockbox and showing rules can have serious consequences which may include fines or even suspension from RMLS.

Rule 7.1 reads as follows:

The appointment for showing of listed property shall be arranged as indicated in the RMLS Listing Data Input Form.

a. A Cooperating Broker or Appraiser may use the lockbox access device to enter a listing whose status is Active, Bumpable or Short Sale Pending, only in accordance with the instructions on the RMLS Listing Data Input Form or in accordance with the express instructions of the Listing Broker or Owner.
b. A Cooperating Broker or Appraiser may use the lockbox access device to enter a listing whose status is other than Active, Bumpable or Short Sale Pending, only with the express permission of the Listing Broker or Owner.
c. A Listing Broker, Cooperating Broker or Appraiser may not use the lockbox access device to enter a listing whose status is Coming Soon-No Showing.
d. A property in Coming Soon-No Showing status cannot be shown.
e. If the Listing Broker’s representative is to accompany a Cooperating Broker on the showing of a listing, that requirement must be included in the RMLS Listing Data Input Form and the Listing Broker must have a representative available to accompany the showing at the convenience of the Owner and customer.
f. No Participant or Subscriber may require from a Cooperating Broker a prospective Purchaser’s address or telephone number.

Some tips to keep in mind:

  • Always follow the showing instructions and check the status of a listing prior to opening the lockbox, even if you checked before you left the office. It is better to take the extra step than to accidentally enter a pending listing.
  • Do not let your buyer have access to the listing before the agreed upon transfer of possession date. The seller is still the owner of the property until that time – your buyer may be excited to see the property, but until the transfer you should make an appointment with the Seller’ Agent to view the property. Utilizing the tools available and keeping the rule in mind will help to keep all parties safe and happy.
  • Prior to scheduling a showing, it’s important to double-check the listing for any special showing accommodation requests or notes from the seller(s) and/or Seller’s Agent.

Be safe out there!

FORMAL VIOLATIONS

The RMLS Rules and Regulations Committee reviews all formal complaints which allege a violation of the RMLS Rules and Regulations. The committee has the power to impose sanctions.

The committee did not review any cases in March 2021.

INFORMAL VIOLATIONS

In March 2021, the RMLS Data Accuracy staff reviewed 31,851 listings in addition to the 574 notices sent through the “Report Issue” button on RMLSweb. Of the items reviewed, 1,235 violation notices and 1,354 courtesy notices were sent out. In addition our team handled 343 phone calls.

CategoryMarch
Missing Tax ID424
Incorrect or Missing Information150
Personal Promotion119
Missing School100
No Showings89
Missing Owner Name51
Incorrect Status45
Incorrect First Photo42
Property Condition41
Incorrect Property Type32
Is Property a Condo25
Duplicate Listing21
Address Issues16
Duplicate Listing in Different Categories14
Inaccurate Lot Size12
Listing Input in Incorrect MLS area10
Partial Bathrooms 5+10
Conditions to Compensation8
Missing Condo Unit Number7
HUD4
City Unknown2

The following are the courtesy notifications sent to RMLS subscribers in March 2021:

CategoryMarch
Listing is Set to Expire563
Listing Still Pending489
Multiple Owner Names in First Field217
New Listing Input Over 24 Hours72
Listing Status Changed from PEN to SLD > 24 hours13

When we notice an uptick in a specific type of violation (perhaps a rule recently changed or market conditions leading to an increase in a certain type of issue), we may also put a notification up on RMLSweb, educating subscribers before one of their listings gets flagged and we need to contact them.

RMLS Data Accuracy can be reached via email or by phone at (503) 236-7657 if you have questions about RMLS Rules and Regulations or the data accuracy of specific listings, or simply want to chat with us more about the above information.

RMLS Rules Roundup for April 2021

RMLS Rules Roundup for February 2021

Gavel

The RMLS Rules and Regulations Committee has requested that periodic reports are given to subscribers about the number and types of formal rules violations, along with information about informal violations and courtesy notifications by type. Read “If an RMLS Rule is Broken, What Happens?” for a deeper explanation.

Have you ever spotted something wrong in a property listing on RMLSweb? The Data Accuracy team is responsible for sorting things out whenever an RMLS subscriber contacts us — whether that is via the “Report Issue” button on a listing, through email, or directly by phone.

We track 34 specific issues in Listing Data Checker (LDC), the software that helps us spot and correct issues proactively. Eight of these are courtesy notifications, but the other 26 are informal violations of the RMLS Rules and Regulations. In addition to our focus on education, we also process formal violations throughout the year.

HOT TOPICS

Spring time offers the chance to take great photos of your listings. As the season approaches, it’s important to remember that photographs aren’t just a terrific option to market homes – they’re required! Per RMLS Rules and Regulations section 3.8:

At the time of publication, listings submitted to RMLS are required to have one (1) photograph of the exterior building view, except for bare land, which must have a photograph of the land. If the seller does not wish to have a photograph published, a Photograph Omission Form or equivalent
document signed by the seller is required and must be submitted to RMLS within 24 hours of listing publication.

Another item that Buyer’s Agents should keep in mind is that you can request confirmation that your offer was presented. RMLS Rules and Regulations section 8.3 says:

Where the Cooperating Broker is not present during the presentation of the offer, the Cooperating Broker can request in writing, and the Listing Broker must provide, as soon as practical, written affirmation stating that the offer has been submitted to the seller, or written notification that the seller has waived the obligation to have the offer presented.

TIP: Prior to scheduling a showing, it’s important to double-check the listing for any special showing accommodation requests or notes from the seller(s) and/or Seller’s Agent. Be safe out there!

FORMAL VIOLATIONS

The RMLS Rules and Regulations Committee reviews all formal complaints which allege a violation of the RMLS Rules and Regulations. The committee has the power to impose sanctions.

The committee did not review any cases in February 2021.

INFORMAL VIOLATIONS

In February 2021, the RMLS Data Accuracy staff reviewed 23,447 listings in addition to the 444 notices sent through the “Report Issue” button on RMLSweb. Of the items reviewed, 1,161 violation notices and 1,243 courtesy notices were sent out. In addition our team handled 303 phone calls.

CategoryFebruary
Missing Tax ID447
Incorrect or Missing Information140
Personal Promotion115
Missing School78
No Showings68
Missing Owner Name40
Incorrect Status38
Incorrect Property Type38
Property Condition37
Conditions to Compensation31
Duplicate Listing22
Incorrect First Photo17
Listing Input in Incorrect MLS area15
Address Issues13
Inaccurate Lot Size10
Duplicate Listing in Different Categories5
HUD5
Partial Bathrooms 5+2
City Unknown1
Missing Condo Unit Number1
Not a Short Sale1

The following are the courtesy notifications sent to RMLS subscribers in February 2021:

CategoryFebruary
Listing is Set to Expire539
Listing Still Pending405
Multiple Owner Names in First Field212
New Listing Input Over 24 Hours72
Listing Status Changed from PEN to SLD > 24 hours12

When we notice an uptick in a specific type of violation (perhaps a rule recently changed or market conditions leading to an increase in a certain type of issue), we may also put a notification up on RMLSweb, educating subscribers before one of their listings gets flagged and we need to contact them.

RMLS Data Accuracy can be reached via email or by phone at (503) 236-7657 if you have questions about RMLS Rules and Regulations or the data accuracy of specific listings, or simply want to chat with us more about the above information.

RMLS Rules Roundup for January 2021

RMLS Rules Roundup for January 2021

Gavel

The RMLS Rules and Regulations Committee has requested that periodic reports are given to subscribers about the number and types of formal rules violations, along with information about informal violations and courtesy notifications by type. Read “If an RMLS Rule is Broken, What Happens?” for a deeper explanation.

Have you ever spotted something wrong in a property listing on RMLSweb? The Data Accuracy team is responsible for sorting things out whenever an RMLS subscriber contacts us — whether that is via the “Report Issue” button on a listing, through email, or directly by phone.

We track 34 specific issues in Listing Data Checker (LDC), the software that helps us spot and correct issues proactively. Eight of these are courtesy notifications, but the other 26 are informal violations of the RMLS Rules and Regulations. In addition to our focus on education, we also process formal violations throughout the year.

HOT TOPICS

Accurate data is very important to us at RMLS – ensuring accuracy is one of our core values. To that end, we use multiple checks and measures to ensure that accuracy. One such tool is the Report Issue button that can be found on every agent report listing in RMLSweb. The Report button enables you to alert our Data Accuracy department if you come across any listing data that may be inaccurate.

Why do we need your help with this? Given such a high volume of listings, It would be impossible for our staff to personally visit every property and verify each piece of data, so we are reliant on you, the RMLS community who are the experts in our local real estate markets, to alert us if you detect an issue. Those notifications allow us to follow up with the Seller’s Agent to get the data verified and corrected if need be.

The process is anonymous, meaning that we will never share the identity of anyone that alerts us to any issue. The verification and correction process can take some time to correct as we require permission from the Seller’s Agent before we can make any changes to a listing, so your patience is appreciated.

Accurate data is a benefit to all of us so please stay vigilant and let us know if you find any potential inaccuracies. If you have a question about your own listing or need us to help with any corrections, please contact our Help Desk.

TIP: Prior to scheduling a showing, it’s important to double-check the listing for any special showing accommodation requests or notes from the seller(s) and/or Seller’s Agent. Be safe out there!

FORMAL VIOLATIONS

The RMLS Rules and Regulations Committee reviews all formal complaints which allege a violation of the RMLS Rules and Regulations. The committee has the power to impose sanctions.

The committee did not review any cases in January 2021.

INFORMAL VIOLATIONS

In January 2021, the RMLS Data Accuracy staff reviewed 24,663 listings in addition to the 478 notices sent through the “Report Issue” button on RMLSweb. Of the items reviewed, 896 violation notices and 2,341 courtesy notices were sent out. In addition our team handled 303 phone calls.

CategoryJanuary
Missing Tax ID434
Incorrect or Missing Information128
Personal Promotion106
Missing Owner Name74
Property Condition60
No Showings52
Missing School48
Incorrect Status46
Incorrect First Photo41
Duplicate Listing38
Is Property a Condo31
Incorrect Property Type27
Address Issues27
Inaccurate Lot Size13
Conditions to Compensation10
Duplicate Listing in Different Categories8
Listing Input in Incorrect MLS area8
City Unknown8
Partial Bathrooms 5+6
Missing Condo Unit Number3
Missing SQFT by Level2
Fannie Mae/Homepath1

The following are the courtesy notifications sent to RMLS subscribers in January 2021:

CategoryJanuary
Listing is Set to Expire747
Listing Still Pending545
Multiple Owner Names in First Field200
New Listing Input Over 24 Hours45
Listing Status Changed from PEN to SLD > 24 hours12

When we notice an uptick in a specific type of violation (perhaps a rule recently changed or market conditions leading to an increase in a certain type of issue), we may also put a notification up on RMLSweb, educating subscribers before one of their listings gets flagged and we need to contact them.

RMLS Data Accuracy can be reached via email or by phone at (503) 236-7657 if you have questions about RMLS Rules and Regulations or the data accuracy of specific listings, or simply want to chat with us more about the above information.

RMLS Rules Roundup for April 2021

RMLS Rules Roundup for December 2020

Gavel

The RMLS Rules and Regulations Committee has requested that periodic reports are given to subscribers about the number and types of formal rules violations, along with information about informal violations and courtesy notifications by type. Read “If an RMLS Rule is Broken, What Happens?” for a deeper explanation.

Have you ever spotted something wrong in a property listing on RMLSweb? The Data Accuracy team is responsible for sorting things out whenever an RMLS subscriber contacts us — whether that is via the “Report Issue” button on a listing, through email, or directly by phone.

We track 34 specific issues in Listing Data Checker (LDC), the software that helps us spot and correct issues proactively. Eight of these are courtesy notifications, but the other 26 are informal violations of the RMLS Rules and Regulations. In addition to our focus on education, we also process formal violations throughout the year.

HOT TOPICS

A new year has begun and this means new listing numbers and often the ‘refreshing’ of listings in order to get a new listing number. If you represent sellers, please let them know that if they ‘refresh,’ they could receive solicitation phone calls from other REALTORSⓇ aiming to represent their property. Conversely, if you are planning to solicit business from sellers who have had a listing cancel or expire, please double-check that the property has not been relisted before contacting them. Solicitation of a listing that is under contract (i.e., Active (ACT), Bumpable Buyer (BMP), Short Sale Pending (SSP), Pending (PEN), Pending Lease Option (POP), Withdrawn (WTH), or Coming Soon-No Showing (CSN) statuses) can result in a fine of up to $2,500.00.

TIP: Prior to scheduling a showing, it’s important to double-check the listing for any special showing accommodation requests or notes from the seller(s) and/or Seller’s Agent. Be safe out there!

FORMAL VIOLATIONS

The RMLS Rules and Regulations Committee reviews all formal complaints which allege a violation of the RMLS Rules and Regulations. The committee has the power to impose sanctions.

The committee did not review any cases in December 2020.

INFORMAL VIOLATIONS

In December 2020, the RMLS Data Accuracy staff reviewed 20,117 listings in addition to the 415 notices sent through the “Report Issue” button on RMLSweb. Of the items reviewed, 896 violation notices and 2,341 courtesy notices were sent out. In addition our team handled 282 phone calls.

CategoryDecember
Missing Tax ID295
Personal Promotion126
Incorrect or Missing Information99
Property Condition66
Missing School57
Incorrect Status46
No Showings41
Incorrect First Photo33
Missing Owner Name27
Duplicate Listing16
Incorrect Property Type15
Duplicate Listing in Different Categories12
Is Property a Condo11
Conditions to Compensation8
Missing Condo Unit Number7
Listing Input in Incorrect MLS area6
Inaccurate Lot Size4
Partial Bathrooms 5+4
City Unknown4
Address Issues2
HUD2
No Photograph Omit Form1

The following are the courtesy notifications sent to RMLS subscribers in December 2020:

CategoryDecember
Listing is Set to Expire1624
Listing Still Pending561
Multiple Owner Names in First Field109
New Listing Input Over 24 Hours32
Listing Status Changed from PEN to SLD > 24 hours11
Listing Status Change > 24 hours3

When we notice an uptick in a specific type of violation (perhaps a rule recently changed or market conditions leading to an increase in a certain type of issue), we may also put a notification up on RMLSweb, educating subscribers before one of their listings gets flagged and we need to contact them.

RMLS Data Accuracy can be reached via email or by phone at (503) 236-7657 if you have questions about RMLS Rules and Regulations or the data accuracy of specific listings, or simply want to chat with us more about the above information.