![The Importance of Showing Instructions on RMLSweb]()
by RMLS Communication Department | Apr 14, 2017 | RMLSweb, SentriLock
REALTORS® have a lot of details to juggle in their daily lives, and in a hot real estate market, showing instructions probably aren’t on the top of your priority list. Even so, a hot market means it’s of utmost importance to provide detailed showing instructions if you’re listing a property, or abide by the instructions when showing a property to prospective clients.
Are you doing the best by your clients and your colleagues’ clients? RMLS™ has compiled a list of ways to make sure you’re doing the very best you can regarding showing instructions.
LISTING AGENTS
• Provide thorough showing information in the listing so other subscribers may easily conduct a showing. We understand it’s tempting to get a listing up quickly, thinking you’ll fix it later, but this may set your colleagues and clients up for some unpleasant interactions.
• Think about the hours your lockbox can be opened. Default lockbox hours on RMLS™ SentriLock lockboxes is 8am-9pm Pacific time. Did you change these default hours when the lockbox was on a prior listing? Would you like to customize your lockbox to only be accessible during a different timeframe? You can change lockbox hours yourself or call the RMLS™ Help Desk for assistance.
• Put yourself in the showing agent’s shoes. Double-check the showing instructions are accurate and that an agent showing the property has what they need to follow the instructions. If a listing instructs agents to call the owner first, the homeowner’s phone number should be included on the listing. Showing information may be included in any of the following fields: Private Remarks, Occupied By, Lockbox/Location/Combo, Showing Hours, Showing Instructions (aka Show), Owner/Phone, or Tenant/Phone.
• Do you need to restrict access to a listing? If so, consider using a Call Before Showing (CBS) code to access a lockbox.
• Make your CALL-LA instructions crystal clear. Use the private remarks to clarify if showing agents should make contact for instructions or just leave a message that they will be showing the property.
SHOWING AGENTS
• Check the current listing status to avoid a violation of the RMLS™ Rules and Regulations. Before showing any property, double-check the listing’s current status. If you enter a property in Pending (PEN) status without the permission of the listing agent or owner, you could face unpleasant repercussions! Entering a property in Pending (PEN) status is against the RMLS™ Rules and Regulations (see Sections 5.1 and 7.1)
• Read—and follow—showing instructions. While you’re in RMLSweb checking the listing’s current status, thoroughly review the showing instructions detailed on the listing. RMLS™ regularly receives reports of embarrassing situations, negative feelings, and potential rules violations when subscribers don’t pay close attention to instructions. Instructions or pieces of information could be found in any or all of the following listing fields: Private Remarks, Occupied By, Lockbox/Location/Combo, Showing Hours, Showing Instructions (aka Show), Owner/Phone, or Tenant/Phone.
• Use RPR Mobile™ and HomeSpotter to access listing information in the field. Listing data can be easily accessed in the field via HomeSpotter or RPR Mobile™. If you’re not already using both these apps, they’ll make showings easier, so get to it—find out more about RPR Mobile™ then read about HomeSpotter and download them today!
• Trust your gut. If you arrive at a scheduled showing and something is off—an aggressive pet is loose in the house, minors are home alone, or a band of squatters is camped on the front lawn—consider rescheduling the showing.
EVERYONE
• Know the difference between CALL1ST versus CALL-LA! If a listing says to call first in the showing instructions, call the owner/seller. If there is no answer, leave a message informing them you will be showing their property. If CALL-LA is in the showing instructions, check the remarks for further information and call the listing agent for further instruction before showing the property.
• Don’t enter listed properties in Pending (PEN) status! (Have we mentioned that one yet?) Check the status of the listing as well as the showing instructions just before entering the property, whether or not the property is occupied. It’s a RMLS™ Rules and Regulations violation if you don’t (see Sections 5.1 and 7.1)!
We realize that honest mistakes happen out in the field, but taking more time to be mindful about showing instructions can stop unpleasant situations—with clients or colleagues—before they happen.
![The Importance of Showing Instructions on RMLSweb]()
by RMLS Communication Department | Mar 31, 2017 | RMLSweb
Ask Technical Terry is a series RMLS™ aims to offer once a month. RMLS™ subscribers will drive the content—submit any question about RMLS™ to Technical Terry in the comments or by emailing communications@rmls.com. Don’t be shy—we won’t identify you by name.
Good Afternoon, Technical Terry!
I don’t check my email often and my RMLSweb Watch List notification emails get buried. Last week I missed a property that went back on the market until it already had another accepted offer! That’s clearly not how you intended the service to work. What would you suggest?
Wheeler Dealer
Good Morning, Wheeler Dealer! What I would suggest is changing your Watch List to send notifications to you by text message.
Next time you’re on RMLSweb, select “Watch List” under the Prospecting menu on the navigation bar. This is your dashboard for Watch List. Under Options, you can select to receive notifications by text or email.
But wait—is that check box for the texting option greyed out? That’s because you need a number to use for texting! Hover over your name in the navigation bar to access User Preferences, then enter a number into the “Text Phone Number” field and save. Once the number has been saved, head back to Watch List and both text and email options should be available.
Remember, the RMLS™ Help Desk has staff that are happy to help if you need a little more assistance.
Dear TT,
I absolutely LOVE the new Watch List feature on RMLSweb! I have a problem though: I got my first text and thought I was being spammed, so I typed STOP to end them. (I’ve used this trick before to end unwanted text messages.) Now I’m afraid I’ve removed my ability to receive text messages about my Watch List items forever. Can you help me?
Textually Challenged
Dear TC,
It heartens me to hear of your interest in the Watch List feature on RMLSweb! It really does a great job of allowing you to passively watch either MLS numbers or Tax ID numbers based on numerous triggers. To date there have been over 14,000 Watch List items saved in RMLSweb by over 2,500 RMLS™ subscribers. In march alone, there were 15,700 Watch List texts sent!
While you are one of the first to report mistakenly opting out of the Watch List texts, I’m sure you won’t be the last. Readers that have either not set up any properties to watch or have not yet seen a text for a watched property, they look like this.
If you reply to the text message with the word STOP, this screen will appear.
Eagle-eyed readers probably notice that one can reinstate your phone number by texting START again.
If you mistakenly type STOP and want to reinstate your phone number to receive texts about your RMLSweb Watch List items, simply type and send the word START and you’ll receive the confirmation below.
Pretty easy, isn’t it? Whether or not you’re textually challenged, it’s a breeze to restore your Watch List text messages! Good luck, TC.
![The Importance of Showing Instructions on RMLSweb]()
by RMLS Communication Department | Mar 10, 2017 | Fun Facts, RMLSweb
It’s not that important to be absolutely certain about listing details before publishing a listing on RMLSweb, is it?
As a matter of fact it’s very important, both to RMLS™ and your fellow REALTORS®.
Accurate listing information is vital to the smooth operation of the real estate market. Correct listing data also facilitates cooperation between REALTORS® engaged in a transaction. This is why RMLS™ puts staff time and resources into reviewing listings. Our staff also relies upon help from subscribers—REALTORS® like you—to help us quickly identify inaccuracies and get them cleaned up for the benefit of all.
In 2016 the RMLS™ Data Accuracy team addressed 6,355 listing inaccuracies that were reported to RMLS™ on RMLSweb. That’s nearly 25 issues addressed each business day! Our Data Accuracy also conducts daily audits which identify additional inaccuracies that get corrected (but that’s another blog post for another time).
What are the top 10 most common listing inaccuracies on RMLSweb? We compiled a list to help RMLS™ subscribers focus their efforts as they’re entering listings using Listing Load. We encourage REALTORS® to get familiar with the details of each of these issues in order to help RMLSweb the most accurate it can be.
1. Year Built and Year Built Description
Resolved: 1,296 (20.4%)
These can include the Year Built Description not being changed from Under Construction or Proposed to the correct state of construction on the property. If the property is completed at time of closing the Year Built Description value should be changed to New before being marked as Sold. Another common error can occur by accidentally setting the Year Built Description to New when it should have been Resale, because the property was previously occupied.
2. Incorrect/Missing Information
Resolved: 1,153 (18.1%)
This can include many different issues within a variety of fields. Examples are listing the incorrect number of bedrooms, incorrect number of bathrooms, or having the incorrect number of levels listed. This also includes listings with inaccurate square footage and/or not dividing the square footage between levels.
3. Personal Promotion
Resolved: 1,094 (17.2%) [See RMLS™ Rules, Section 3.24]
The rules don’t permit information in the public fields of a listing that identifies the listing agent or their brokerage. This includes names or contact information (or links to such) in the public remarks, photos, or virtual/video tours containing yard signs or other types of branding. Promotion is only allowed in Private Remarks.
4. Address
Resolved: 847 (13.3%)
Adding extra words to a street name, not using the selection boxes for street direction/street suffix, or failing to submit the unit number can cause problems with mapping and/or searching for a property. When these items are found the Data Accuracy team will work to correct the address fields as appropriate. If you know of an issue with the published address, let Data Accuracy know.
5. Owner Name
Resolved: 589 (9.3%)
There are reasons why a seller may wish to have their name withheld from a listing. If this is the case, use Document 1261 (Owner Name Omission Form) and submit the form to RMLS™. After this form has been submitted, enter “Form 1261 on file” into the Owner Name field on the listing.
6. No Showings
Resolved: 380 (6.0%) [See RMLS™ Rules, Section 3.26]
Any active status listing that is published on RMLSweb must be made available to be shown to prospective clients.
7. Residential Property Type
Resolved: 310 (4.9%)
Is the property attached? Detached? A condo? In a park? Proper property type is essential to ensure that the listing shows up in the right search results and gets seen by the people who would be the most interested in your listing. Document 1270 (Residential Property Types), found on RMLSweb, can be helpful in determining what property type should be noted.
8. Photo(s)
Resolved: 293 (4.6%) [See RMLS™ Rules, Section 3.7]
Common issues found with photos include:
• First listing photo is not of the exterior of building
• Text or graphics appear in photos
• Missing watermarks for “Sample Image” or “Virtual Staging”
• Photo contains children or other inappropriate content.
If the seller wishes to omit listing photos, please submit Document 1263 (Photograph Omission Form).
9. MLS Area
Resolved: 172 (2.7%)
A listing is sometimes entered with the wrong MLS area or has been listed in two different MLS areas. This can have an impact on details like making the proper school choices available or allowing the correct county to be selected.
10. Duplicate Listings
Resolved: 131 (2.1%)
Sometimes properties are listed more than once by mistake. This typically happens if two different people in an office input the same listing. It could also happen if a property is being relisted and the old listing does not get canceled prior to the new listing being published.
Have you noticed any of the above issues as you’ve perused listings on RMLSweb? Data accuracy on RMLSweb starts with you, the subscriber. Be sure information in your own listings is correct, and contact RMLS™ Data Accuracy staff if you see issues in other listings—just click the Report Issue button at the bottom of the listing. We appreciate your hard work and enjoy working with you to ensure that RMLSweb listing data is as accurate as possible.
![The Importance of Showing Instructions on RMLSweb]()
by RMLS Communication Department | Feb 24, 2017 | RMLSweb
Ask Technical Terry is a series RMLS™ aims to offer once a month. RMLS™ subscribers will drive the content—submit any question about RMLS™ to Technical Terry in the comments or by emailing communications@rmls.com. Don’t be shy—we won’t identify you by name.
Dear TT-
I am SO frustrated just getting logged in to RMLSweb. Why, for gosh sakes, are there two login buttons on the login screen? Which one should I be using?
Frustrated in Fairview
Dear FF-
Understood completely! Let me explain the concept behind the two unique login options and how they will eventually transition to a single login for RMLSweb.
As you may be aware, last year RMLS™ transitioned into a new customer relationship system. This is how RMLS™ manages your subscriber information. An important part of the project was replacing Internet Member Services (IMS) with My.RMLS.com—the website where subscribers paid RMLS™ dues.
This transition required a more stringent password system for access due to the new system being PCI-compliant. RMLS™ built up a single sign-on process so that subscribers would be able to access both RMLSweb and My.RMLS.com with one set of login credentials.
Our new vendor needs to prove their uptime meets our strict requirements before RMLS™ will rely solely on the new login option. We’re still running analytics on the vendor’s uptime and once we’re confident they can match or exceed our expectations we will eliminate the dueling logins and subscribers will transition to a single login using their email address and password to log in to both RMLSweb and My.RMLS.com.
In the meantime RMLS™ provides both options: the Public/Private ID which provides access to RMLSweb, and the email address/password which provides access to both RMLSweb and My.RMLS.com.
It may sound like a lot of work just to transition to a new payment website. If that was the only benefit I might agree, but the new system offers more billing and payment options, a single login for REALTORS® with dual licenses, and other features we’ll be rolling out as time goes on.
Imagine, for example, a central location for downloading CE certificates from RMLS™ education events, so you’d no longer need to chase down paperwork when it’s time for license renewal. The new system has a more robust registration process for training classes and events, including confirmations, reminders, and wait list management.
While the transition period may be frustrating as RMLS™ works out the details, the net gain to RMLS™ subscribers like yourself will be worth the wait!
Technical Terry
Dear Technical Terry:
My Thomas Guide is always at the ready, but I’ve been increasingly finding listings on RMLSweb without Thomas Guide coordinates. Why would REALTORS® fail to include such a key piece of information?
Lloyd Multnomah
Dear Lloyd:
It’s great that you still have your Thomas Guide for fast reference, but not everyone has easy access to this useful tool anymore. Rand McNally (owner of Thomas Guide) ceased publishing any street guides for Portland or Oregon, and you may recall in 2013 RMLS™ halted the map coordinates requirement for new listings.
There’s more news than that though, Lloyd.
Do you have any saved searches on RMLSweb that search using map coordinates? If so, an important change is on the horizon: RMLS™ will be eliminating map coordinates fields with the RMLSweb forms change coming this spring. This means that any saved searches you have that utilize map coordinates through Thomas Guide (or Pittmon Maps) will need to be updated with a map shape to replace this geographic component of each of your saved searches.
Adjusting your search may sound difficult, but RMLS™ will help subscribers effected by this change as much as possible. Look for a video in the coming weeks about how to replace map coordinates in a saved search with a drawn shape on a map.
You may be wondering why RMLS™ is eliminating these fields from RMLSweb. Usage of these fields has been steadily declining. Brokers who search using these fields are missing active properties on RMLSweb—a big problem in markets with low inventory! The RMLS™ Forms Committee recommended removal as part of its annual set of RMLSweb forms changes.
Sorry to break the bad news to you Lloyd, but we’ll be doing our best to make the transition as smooth as possible for you.
Sincerely Yours,
Technical Terry
Hey Technical Terry—
This is the first year I’ll be able to attend the RMLS™ Education Summit and Trade Fair. I’m making the drive from The Dalles to take the SentriLock class. Really looking forward to it. Do you have any tips you’d recommend for someone who has never been to this event?
It’s Gorge-ous in the Dalles
Hey Gorge-ous:
What a great question! It’s great that you’re making the trek from The Dalles to attend the event. Even if you weren’t taking the SentriLock class, there’s still plenty of aspects of this annual event that will make the trip worth your time.
Top tips for a first-timer:
• Bring plenty of business cards. Business cards will not only be useful when you’re chatting with industry vendors and networking with other REALTORS®, but they’re also your key to prize drawings! This year RMLS™ has 50 door prizes lined up valued at nearly $6,000.
• Waitlisted? Show up! Class registration may be full, but not everyone makes it the day of the event. If you’re on the wait list, we can’t get you into a class if you’re not there! Show up for class and there’s a good chance we’ll have a spot for you.
• Sign in AND sign out for classes. If you’re going to a class, make sure to sign in when you arrive AND sign out when you leave. Without a signature, time-in, and time-out, you will not receive a CE certificate after the event.
• Parking advice. If you’ve parked inside the DoubleTree parking structure, check in at the RMLS™ info desk for a $3 parking voucher. If you don’t have a voucher, your parking will be more than $3. There’s also a parking pay station located inside the DoubleTree event space, if you want to pay before heading back to your car.
If that’s not enough, I’d also keep your eyes peeled for the basketball tournament happening inside the trade fair hall. REALTORS® will be shooting hoops all day, and the winner will receive a free quarter of RMLS™ dues!
We hope to see you at the event, Gorge-ous! Be sure to stop by the RMLS™ info desk and say hello.
![The Importance of Showing Instructions on RMLSweb]()
by RMLS Communication Department | Jan 26, 2017 | RMLSweb
Ask Technical Terry is a series RMLS™ aims to offer once a month. RMLS™ subscribers will drive the content—submit any question about RMLS™ to Technical Terry in the comments or by emailing communications@rmls.com. Don’t be shy—we won’t identify you by name.
Dear TT,
I am SO frustrated! Twice in the past week, I’ve had two clients call and tell me that they’ve been contacted by REALTORS® offering to list their property. These are both properties I’ve recently put into withdrawn (WTH) status, but we still have a listing contract. Do you know why this is happening?
Sincerely,
Aggravated on Alberta
Hey, AA, I feel your pain! We’ve heard a lot of discussion about withdrawn versus cancelled listings over the years. There are a few potential issues at play when a RMLSweb listing is marked as withdrawn (WTH).
It sounds like you already know that WTH listings are not being actively marketed! The listing is still under contract, the listing just isn’t being actively marketed at that particular time. WTH is often used for special circumstances where the seller, for whatever reason, does not want their listing marketed but wants to retain the contract with the listing broker.
Of course solicitation of listings in WTH status is a violation of RMLS™ rules and the NAR Code of Ethics. It seems that perhaps some REALTORS® are confusing a WTH listing with a cancelled (CAN) or expired (EXP) listing. They’d probably best refresh their memory by reviewing Document #1213, Listing Status Definitions, on RMLSweb.
In our current market of historic-low inventory, REALTORS® are looking for leads where they can, contacting homeowners before doing due diligence through a full history review of the property. We can’t control that aspect of the situation, but we can encourage RMLS™ subscribers to be familiar with the proper use of listing statuses and the rules.
Technical Terry,
I’m confused! My sellers have been getting calls from REALTORS® offering to list their property. The sale closed weeks ago! Why is this happening?
Unknowing on Upshur
Thanks for the question, UU. Did you perhaps create a second listing on RMLSweb, complete with a new ML number, after putting the first into WTH status? This is a scenario our Data Accuracy staff hears about with some frequency.
What’s going on is that your first listing, because it was marked WTH, keeps ticking down until the expiration date you entered originally. In the meantime, your second RMLSweb listing (for the same property) may have been published and already sold. Once the expiration date for that first listing rolls around though, your sellers may begin getting calls from other RMLS™ subscribers.
This scenario creates problems for others as well, including a messy property history that could cause some unwanted phone calls like the ones Aggravated on Alberta’s clients experienced above.
That’s why RMLS™ recommends cancelling that first listing if you’re planning to create a second record with a new ML number on RMLSweb.
Hello Technical Terry—
Our listing contract was signed months ago, but things just aren’t working out with this client and I’m about to fire him. (I’ll spare you the detailed drama of the situation.) Should I mark the listing as CAN or WTH in RMLSweb?
Sincerely,
Tense on Terwilliger
Wow, TT, sounds like a pretty unique situation! Two pieces of advice for you. First, have a look at Document #1213, Listing Status Definitions, and get to understand the dramatic difference between CAN and WTH. The details of the situation may be crucial to which status you go with.
And if you’re still unsure about which status to choose for your particular situation, contact RMLS™ via phone, email, or chat! We’re here to help.
by Christina Smestad | Jan 12, 2017 | Fun Facts, RMLSweb, Statistics
It’s that time again! RMLS™ has made it through another year working hard for thousands of subscribers across Oregon and Southwest Washington and we’d like to show just how much RMLS™ has supported real estate activity over the course of a single year. How do we do it? We compile a suite of numbers to quantify the work we do for our REALTOR® members.
Compare the numbers below with the same from the prior three years and see how we’ve grown!
RMLSweb
Number of times subscribers logged in to RMLSweb: 1,785,754
Photos uploaded to listings: 1,688,226
Property searches run: 572,205
Number of new prospect profiles created: 78,319
All residential properties listed for sale: 75,331
All residential properties sold: 59,203
Median sold price of homes listed: $300,000
Total dollar volume of homes sold: $20,243,723,000
Unique tax searches: 111,094
Reports viewed: 9,856,816
Broker tour searches run: 11,744
Open house searches run: 10,534
Statistical searches run: 24,247
RMLS™ Subscribers
RMLS™ subscribers as of December 2016: 13,345
New RMLS™ subscribers (compared to December 2015): 1,132
Increase in subscribers, above: +9.3
Subscribers who attended training: 3,538
Number of calls to the RMLS™ Help Desk: 25,850
Number of Help Desk chats: 4,508
Number of incidents reported using the “Report Issue” button: 6,668
CE hours distributed by RMLS™ at no cost to subscribers: 2,514
Total attendance at RMLS™ training events: 3,538
RMLS.com
Total customer visits to RMLS.com: 3,145,131
Unique visits: 1,141,705
Total listing views: 1,790,588
Social Media
RMLS™ followers on Facebook (December 31st): 3,715
RMLS™ followers on Twitter (December 31st): 2,837
RMLS™ regularly compiles plenty of other numbers as well! In addition to publishing Market Action each month, we have statistical summaries available on RMLSweb with information dating back several years. Since 2012 we’ve also been compiling statistics about residential distressed properties in RMLSweb.
We love numbers here at RMLS™, and hope you find this data as fun and interesting as we do.
