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 a 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 a RMLS™ subscriber contacts us—whether that is via the “Report Issue” button on a listing, by email, or contacting us directly by phone. In June 2020, our team handled 498 phone calls.
We tracked 32 specific issues in Listing Data Checker (LDC), the software that helps us spot and correct issues proactively. Six 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
Photographs are an important aspect of listing content in the MLS. All listings submitted to RMLS™ are required to have one photograph of the exterior building view, or land if a bare land listing. If multiple photos are submitted the first one must always be an exterior building view. In the case of new construction a floor plan or exterior elevation may be submitted until the building is completed at which point a photo of the exterior building view should be submitted.
The one exception is when your seller(s) have requested that no photos be published with their listing. In this case a signed Photograph Omission Form or equivalent document must be submitted to RMLSweb (Back Office -> Submit Excluded Listing -> Select Category=Photo Omission) within 24 hours of publishing the listing.
Photographs may not contain any added text or graphics, or any alterations that misrepresent the property. Any photograph that contains virtual staging must be disclosed using the “Virtually Staged” watermark. Residential new construction listings that use a photograph of a similar home must disclose it on the photograph with the “Sample Image” watermark.
This month we want to continue to remind everyone that 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!
The committee did not meet in June 2020 as there were no cases to review.
INFORMAL VIOLATIONS
In June 2020, RMLS™ Data Accuracy staff reviewed 34,077 listings in addition to the 540 notices sent through “Report Issue” button on RMLSweb. Of the items reviewed, 1,367 violation notices and 1,580 courtesy notices were sent out.
Category
June
Missing Tax ID
499
Personal Promotion
225
Incorrect or Missing Information
15
Missing Owner Name
81
Missing School
79
Duplicate Listing
62
Incorrect Status
48
No Showings
43
Incorrect First Photo
41
Is Property a Condo
29
Incorrect Property Type
20
Inaccurate Lot Size
16
Partial Bathrooms 5+
14
Listing Input in Incorrect MLS area
12
Conditions to Compensation
11
Address Issues
9
Duplicate Listing in Different Categories
6
HUD
4
Missing Condo Unit Number
4
City Unknown
3
Property Condition
2
The following are the courtesy notifications sent to RMLS™ subscribers in June 2020:
Category
June
Multiple Owner Names in First Field
633
Listing is Set to Expire
520
Listing Still Pending
303
New Listing Input Over 24 Hours
115
Listing Status Change over 24 Hours
9
When we notice an uptick in a specific type of violation (perhaps a rule recently changed or market conditions lead 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 the RMLS™ Rules and Regulations, if you wonder whether a specific listing has inaccurate data, or if you want to chat with us more about the above information.
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 a 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 a RMLS™ subscriber contacts us—whether that is via the “Report Issue” button on a listing, by email, or contacting us directly by phone. In May 2020, our team handled 546 phone calls.
We tracked 32 specific issues in Listing Data Checker (LDC), the software that helps us spot and correct issues proactively. Six 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
At the beginning of May, a new rule called Clear Cooperation 8.0 was introduced. This rule simply means that if a listing is to be marketed in any way to the public, it must be input into the MLS within 24 hours, excluding weekends and postal holidays. If your client wishes to hold their listing out of the MLS, then the property is only able to be marketed to your firm.
As a reminder, public marketing includes, but is not limited to, flyers displayed in windows, yard signs, digital marketing on public facing websites, brokerage website displays (including IDX and VOW), digital communications marketing (email blasts), multi-brokerage listing sharing networks, and applications available to the general public.
This month, we also want to continue reminding everyone to please also check the listing for special accommodation requests or notes from the home seller or seller’s agent prior to scheduling a showing.
The committee did not meet in May 2020 as there were no cases to review.
INFORMAL VIOLATIONS
In May 2020, RMLS™ Data Accuracy staff reviewed 30,954 listings in addition to the 475 notices sent through “Report Issue” button on RMLSweb. Of the items reviewed, 1,290 violation notices and 1,900 courtesy notices were sent out.
Category
May
Missing Tax ID
476
Personal Promotion
223
Incorrect or Missing Information
130
Missing Owner Name
87
Missing School
72
HUD
49
Duplicate Listing
46
Incorrect Status
32
Conditions to Compensation
24
No Showings
24
Is Property a Condo
21
Incorrect Property Type
21
Listing Input in Incorrect MLS area
13
Partial Bathrooms 5+
9
Inaccurate Lot Size
8
Duplicate Listing in Different Categories
8
Property Condition
7
City Unknown
5
Missing Condo Unit Number
5
Address Issues
3
Missing SQFT by Level
1
Fannie Mae/Homepath
1
The following are the courtesy notifications sent to RMLS™ subscribers in May 2020:
Category
May
Listing is Set to Expire
915
Multiple Owner Names in First Field
491
Listing Still Pending
423
New Listing Input Over 24 Hours
63
Listing Status Change over 24 Hours
8
When we notice an uptick in a specific type of violation (perhaps a rule recently changed or market conditions lead 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 the RMLS™ Rules and Regulations, if you wonder whether a specific listing has inaccurate data, or if you want to chat with us more about the above information.
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 a 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 a RMLS™ subscriber contacts us—whether that is via the “Report Issue” button on a listing, by email, or contacting us directly by phone. In April 2020, our team handled 450 phone calls.
We tracked 32 specific issues in Listing Data Checker (LDC), the software that helps us spot and correct issues proactively. Six of these are courtesy notifications, but the other 24 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
Please remember to check state and local policies regarding showings, since several new policies, rules and regulations, and business best practices have been rolled out in recent weeks.
Please also check the listing for special accommodation requests or notes from the home seller or seller’s agent prior to scheduling a showing.
The committee did not meet in April 2020 as there were no cases to review.
INFORMAL VIOLATIONS
In April 2020, RMLS™ Data Accuracy staff reviewed 26,993 listings in addition to the 347 notices sent through “Report Issue” button on RMLSweb. Of the items reviewed, 1,337 violation notices and 1,875 courtesy notices were sent out.
Category
April
Missing Tax ID
407
Personal Promotion
337
Property Condition
177
Incorrect or Missing Information
102
Missing School
57
Duplicate Listing
50
Incorrect Property Type
37
No Showings
21
Missing or Incorrect 1st Photo
21
Is Property a Condo
14
Address Issues
13
Incorrect Status
9
Partial Bathrooms 5+
8
Conditions to Compensation
7
Listing Input in Incorrect MLS area
5
Inaccurate Lot Size
5
Duplicate Listing in Different Categories
4
City Unknown
4
HUD
3
Missing Condo Unit Number
1
The following are the courtesy notifications sent to RMLS™ subscribers in April 2020:
Category
April
Listing is Set to Expire
943
Multiple Owner Names in First Field
469
Listing Still Pending
377
New Listing Input Over 24 Hours
84
Listing Status Change over 24 Hours
2
When we notice an uptick in a specific type of violation (perhaps a rule recently changed or market conditions lead 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 the RMLS™ Rules and Regulations, if you wonder whether a specific listing has inaccurate data, or if you want to chat with us more about the above information.
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 a 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 a RMLS™ subscriber contacts us—whether that is via the “Report Issue” button on a listing, by email, or contacting us directly by phone. In March 2020 our team handled 326 phone calls.
We track 32 specific issues in Listing Data Checker (LDC), the software that helps us spot and correct issues proactively. Six of these are courtesy notifications, but the other 24 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
Please remember to check state and local policies regarding showings, since several new policies, rules and regulations, and business best practices have been rolled out in recent weeks.
Please also check the listing for special accommodation requests or notes from the home seller or seller’s agent prior to scheduling a showing.
The committee reviewed 1 case in March 2020 that resulted in $100.00 in fines.
5.1.l – Unauthorized use of lockbox system: A buyer’s agent did not follow showing instructions.
INFORMAL VIOLATIONS
In March 2020, RMLS™ Data Accuracy staff reviewed 34,158 listings in addition to the 483 notices sent through “Report Issue” button on RMLSweb. Of the items reviewed, 1,041 violation notices and 1,601 courtesy notices were sent out.
Category
March
Missing Tax ID
394
Personal Promotion
320
Incorrect or Missing Information
126
Missing School
61
Missing Owner Name
60
No Showings
59
Incorrect Status
45
Missing or Incorrect 1st Photo
44
Duplicate Listing
34
Address Issues
29
Incorrect Property Type
25
HUD
24
Is Property a Condo
23
Conditions to Compensation
12
Inaccurate Lot Size
12
Listing Input in Incorrect MLS area
11
Partial Bathrooms 5+
9
City Unknown
6
Duplicate Listing in Different Categories
4
Missing Condo Unit Number
4
Address Issues
8
Inaccurate Lot Size
7
HUD
5
Property Condition
2
Following are the courtesy notifications sent to RMLS™ subscribers in March 2020:
Category
March
Multiple Owner Names in First Field
560
Listing is Set to Expire
465
Listing Still Pending
270
New Listing Input Over 24 Hours
72
Listing Status Change over 24 Hours
2
When we notice an uptick in a specific type of violation (perhaps a rule recently changed or market conditions lead 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 ever have questions about the RMLS™ Rules and Regulations, if you wonder whether a specific listing has inaccurate data, or if you want to chat with us more about the above information.
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 a 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 a RMLS™ subscriber contacts us—whether that is via the “Report Issue” button on a listing, by email, or contacting us directly by phone. In February 2020 our team handled 263 phone calls.
We track 32 specific issues in Listing Data Checker (LDC), the software that helps us spot and correct issues proactively. Six of these are courtesy notifications, but the other 24 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 gets warmer and business begins to heat up it is a good time to remind everyone that it is not okay to solicit listings that are under contract. Section 5.1.v of the Rules and Regulations states:
For solicitation of a listing under contract (i.e.: Active (ACT), Bumpable Buyer (BMP), Short Sale Pending (SSP), Pending (PEN), PendingLeaseOption (POP), Withdrawn (WTH), or Coming Soon‐No Showing (CSN)), a fine of up to Two Thousand Five Hundred Dollars ($2,500), in an amount to be determined by the RMLS™ Rules and Regulations Committee.
So please, if you see a listing has cancelled or expired recently, check to make sure that it is has not been relisted by the Seller’s Agent. This will save everyone some frustration and allow you to focus on profitable activities.
The committee reviewed 6 cases in February 2020 that resulted in $7,750 in fines.
5.1.l – Unauthorized use of lockbox system: A buyer’s agent did not follow showing instructions.
5.1.l – Unauthorized use of lockbox system: A buyer’s agent entered a listing that was in pending (PEN) status.
5.1.l – Unauthorized use of lockbox system: A buyer’s agent gave a lockbox code to their buyer without being present.
5.1.l – Unauthorized use of lockbox system: A buyer’s agent did not follow showing instructions.
5.1.l – Unauthorized use of lockbox system: A buyer’s agent gave a lockbox code to their buyer without being present.
5.1.s – Marketing of a Listing Prior to RMLS™Publication: A Seller’s Agent was found to be marketing a listing prior to publishing it as active (ACT) in the MLS.
INFORMAL VIOLATIONS
In February 2020, RMLS™ Data Accuracy staff reviewed 20,938 listings in addition to the 426 notices sent through “Report Issue” button on RMLSweb. Of the items reviewed, 1,041 violation notices and 1,601 courtesy notices were sent out.
Category
February
Missing Tax ID
383
Incorrect or Missing Information
113
Personal Promotion
109
Missing Owner Name
86
Missing School
73
Duplicate Listing
55
Incorrect Status
44
No Showings
38
Missing or Incorrect 1st Photo
27
Incorrect Property Type
24
Is Property a Condo
21
Duplicate Listing in Different Categories
13
Conditions to Compensation
12
Missing Condo Unit Number
10
Address Issues
8
Inaccurate Lot Size
7
HUD
5
Year Built Description
4
Listing Input in Incorrect MLS area
4
City Unknown
3
Partial Bathrooms 5+
1
Is Listing a Short Sale
1
Following are the courtesy notifications sent to RMLS™ subscribers in February 2020:
Category
February
Listing is Set to Expire
760
Multiple Owner Names in First Field
387
Listing Still Pending
308
New Listing Input Over 24 Hours
146
When we notice an uptick in a specific type of violation (perhaps a rule recently changed or market conditions lead 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 ever have questions about the RMLS™ Rules and Regulations, if you wonder whether a specific listing has inaccurate data, or if you want to chat with us more about the above information.
