The label for the “Contingent Finance and Inspection” status label will change to simply “Contingent” on August 11. This is only a label change for this status. The functionality has not changed. This change was made since many contingencies may not include both Financing AND Inspection.

The Contingency Reason field still exists and should be used to clarify the specifics of the contingency (Finance OR Inspection). Contingent Escape (eg. Sale of Home) and Contingent Lien Release (eg. Short Sale) statuses also still
exist and should be used for these specific types of contingencies.

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08/10/2021

The MLS Listing Lifecycle and MLS Listing Status Guides have been updated as of May 2021 to include a section for Coming Soon status The Lifecycle Guide will lead readers through the stages of a listing, from conception to closing. The Status Guide details the basic usage of each listing status encountered in the MLS. These updated guides can be found on www.columbusrealtors.com under the MLS “Rules and Regulations” section.

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07/26/2021

The Den selection in MLS has been relabeled to Den/Home Office. This update is to better reflect the use of the space with the increasing popularity of home office spaces. The change is visible in all fields that contained a Den option. This includes the Add/Edit screen, Quick Search, and all reports where the Den field is displayed. 

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07/23/2021

A new searchable field known as the Sewer field has been added to FlexMLS. Using this, members can indicate on their listings whether the property has a Public Sewer, or a Private Sewer. This can also be used as search criteria for quick searches. Sewer is not enabled on searches by default and must be added to your search using the Add a field to this search option at the bottom of the currently added criteria.

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07/19/2021

Closed listings must be entered into the MLS within 96 hours from the actual closing and funding date.

HUD listings are to be updated within 96 hours of either:

1) Asset Manager’s notice of closing
2) the county auditor or Realist published sale information for the property.

Please ensure that your closed listings are entered before this deadline to avoid any warnings or fines.

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05/13/2021

Have you ever wanted to hide your photos in the MLS? Well, you can’t exactly hide them, but you can mark them as “private”. When a photo is marked as Private, only other agents can see them. Be sure to check out the video on this topic with the link below. Each video will provide a very short synopsis of a timely MLS policy or software function, so don’t miss them!

MLS Video Minute – 1 – Private Photos (vimeo.com)

• From the main MLS page, go to the “change listing” screen for the listing you want to edit.
• If you have photos on your listing, you should see the Photos option under the Media section as seen below.

• Inside are the photos of your listing (Note that the primary photo cannot be hidden). To select a photo, click the checkbox in the upper-right corner of each photo.
• Upon selecting one or more photos, the following options will appear at the top of the photo screen.

• Once you have all the photos you wish to hide selected, click “Mark Private” and the photo will immediately be private and unable to be seen by anyone outside of the MLS.
  • Alternatively, you can click “Mark Private while off-market”, which makes the photos private only when the status is Temp Off Market, Canceled, Expired, or Closed.
• Viola! Your photos are now hidden!

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05/05/2021

The Office Exclusive form allowed agents to keep a listing exclusive to their brokerage. The Brokerage Exclusive Waiver Form is the same form with a new name.  The form is still required when a listing will not be placed on the MLS on the Commencing Date on the Listing Agreement.

                A number of members thought that the old Office Exclusive form limited the listing to just the listing office, denying them the support of their sister offices. The name change of the Brokerage Exclusive Waiver Form clarifies that the listing can be shared with the entire brokerage, not just a satellite office.

                Most details of the form remain the same. The Brokerage Exclusive Waiver Form is still required to have an exclusive listing. It must be submitted to the Columbus MLS within 48 hours after the Commencing Date on the Listing Agreement. Exclusive listings cannot be advertised outside the brokerage, as doing so can result in a Clear Cooperation violation. Any exclusive listing marketed outside the brokerage must be entered as Active or Coming Soon in the MLS within 1 business day, or a significant fine for Clear Cooperation violations will be assessed.

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04/30/2021

The Delayed Showing Authorization form has been discontinued following the replacement of Showing Start Date (SSD) with Coming Soon and the Active on MLS date. Delayed Showing forms are no longer available or required for listings. The rules and regulations for Delayed Showings/Showing Start Date have been consolidated and rolled into Coming Soon, so reference these rules when considering a delayed showing.

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04/29/2021

Coming Soon MUST be selected at the time the listing is created.  An Active listing cannot be returned to Coming Soon status.

When a new listing is being entered into the MLS, user must choose a status under the Main Fields section. The new listing status can be either Active or Coming Soon. Coming Soon must be selected before the listing is made active. When Coming soon is selected, the user will then be prompted for a List Date and an Active on MLS date.

The List Date is the day when your listing goes up on the MLS showing as Coming Soon. This corresponds with the MLS Entry Date field on the listing agreement. While in Coming Soon status, your listing does not accrue Days on Market (DOM). The Active on MLS date is when the MLS switches your listing to the Active status for you, making it fully available for showings.

No showings are allowed while your listing is in the Coming Soon status. When it becomes Active, it must be available for showings immediately. Be aware of this when you set your List and Active on MLS dates, as this is the only method to delay showings for properties. Coming Soon and Active on MLS Date have completely replaced the Showing Start Date.

 While you can extend Coming Soon up to a maximum of 30 days from List Date, you cannot move the Active on MLS date to an earlier date.  You can, however, use the End Coming Soon button, which makes converts the listing to Active status immediately.  So, be sure to double-check your dates!

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04/26/2021

EDIT – 4/12/2021: FBS is now reporting this issue as resolved. If you notice the issue still occurring, please contact MLS Tech Support.

MLS Technical Support is aware of a bug in the Flexmls system that generates duplicate emails in client email subscriptions when a “Coming Soon” converts to “Active” as a “New Listing”.

This has been reported to FBS who manages the back-end of the Flexmls system and they are continuing to work to resolve this ASAP. MLS Technical Support is in contact with the vendor regarding an urgent need for resolution and monitoring of the situation. Updates will be provided as soon as they are available.

We thank you for your patience and apologize for the inconvenience.

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04/09/2021