Time is running out to be considered for the MLS Committee for 2025. Applications are due October 31st at 5pm.

Members of the MLS Committee are appointed by the President. Appointed applicants will begin their term January 1, 2026.   

Appointments will be ratified by the MLS Board of Directors, and consideration in making appointments will include but are not limited to:

• Brokerage size
• Active, recent use of the MLS
• Regional representation (rural)
• Years in industry
• Field of expertise (broker, agent, appraiser, residential, commercial)
• Knowledge of MLS system/rules/regulations/policies, RESO standards
• Proper balance of broker and agent representation. No less than 50% agent representation (8 committee members)
• Members are appointed to 3-year terms. All members appointed will have voting rights. No less than 9 and no more than 15 members will serve on the MLS Committee 

Please submit your application by October 31 at 5 p.m.  

MLS RULES & REGULATIONS
VII. THE COMMITTEE The purpose of the MLS Committee is to manage and oversee the operations of the Multiple Listing Service. This includes ensuring that the MLS rule and regulations are followed and maintained in an orderly and efficient system for listing and disseminating property information. (Amended 6/12 and 6/24)

Apply for the 2026 MLS Committee

If you have any questions, please reach out to Kathy Elliott at kelliott@columbusrealtors.com.

Back To Top

10/15/2025

An updated FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) has been added to the bottom of this article

‼️ Attention Columbus & Central Ohio Regional MLS Subscribers ‼️

This Spring, NAR announced expanded multiple listing options for sellers. For some MLSs across the country, this was new; for us, these options have always been available.

📺 Watch the instructional video with 2025 Columbus REALTORS® President, Buffie Patterson. 

Here’s a quick breakdown of the multiple listing options that are available in the MLS. 👇

✅ Active Listings: This option remains the most visible because it allows public marketing, showings, signage, and syndication – the whole package.

✅ Coming Soon: This option gives sellers time to prep while generating buzz.

✅ Brokerage Exclusive: Allows for listings within your brokerage. Communication outside the brokerage must be one-to-one to avoid triggering the Clear Cooperation requirement. A brokerage exclusive form must be filed with the MLS at mlspolicy@columbusrealtors.com. By December, you will be able to submit the form directly through Flex; however, this feature is currently under development.

✅ Exclude from Internet: This option has been available in our MLS for many years. Choosing this option means the listing is visible to MLS subscribers but is not syndicated to public websites.

✅ VOW (Virtual Office Website): This option requires the consumer to register on the brokerage website to view the listing.

⭐ Other important reminders

• A signed listing agreement or disclosure is required for every option, regardless of whether you use our form.
• MLS rules are local and unique to each MLS. That requires each MLS to enforce its policies.
• It’s the responsibility of the agent to explain these options clearly to their clients.
• This information has been vetted and approved by our MLS Board of Directors

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Q: What is the difference between “Exclude from Internet” and “Delayed Marketing?”

A: We have offered “Exclude from Internet” for years, and NAR refers to this option as Delayed Marketing. The only difference is the addition of a disclosure if Exclude from Internet is selected. The disclosure is integrated into the most recent MLS listing contract.

Q: What if I /we don’t use the Columbus & Central Ohio Regional MLS Listing Contract?

A: A disclosure is still required. A listing agreement may be required to be submitted to the MLS.

Q: What is the difference between “Exclude from Internet” and “Brokerage Exclusive?”

A: “Exclude from the Internet” is listed in the MLS, and all subscribers/brokerages can see the listing. A Brokerage Exclusive is communicated only within the listing brokerage. A Brokerage Exclusive cannot be publicly marketed, but one-to-one communication is allowed.

Q: Do “Days on Market” accumulate during “Exclude from Internet?”

A: Yes, because even though “Exclude from Internet” was selected, the listing is still technically active, but it is not being syndicated. Days on market do accumulate.

Q: What does it mean that “Brokerage Exclusives must be filed with the MLS?”

A: All Brokerage Exclusive listings must be submitted to MLS via email to mlspolicy@columbusrealtors.com. Soon, agents will be able to file directly through FlexMLS.

Q: Does this mean every listing must be filed with the MLS?

A: Yes, listings can be filed and submitted in one of three ways:

• Through the Brokerage Exclusive Waiver Form submitted to mlspolicy@columbusrealtors.com
• The most recent MLS Listing Agreement containing brokerage exclusive language submitted to mlspolicy@columbusrealtors.com
• Or by submitting the listing in the FlexMLS platform (soon to be available)

Q: When will I be able to “file the brokerage exclusive” directly into Flex?

A: This feature is currently in development by our vendor, FBS Flex, with an anticipated Q4 2025 rollout.

Q: What if my seller doesn’t want their listing on the internet at all? Must I still submit it to the MLS?

A: Yes, digital (emailed PDF) or hard copies (paper) are acceptable.  If sent directly to MLS, staff will NOT upload listings to FlexFBS. This option would ensure the brokerage exclusive is not visible to anyone within the office but it may still be marketed one-to-one.

Q:Can the listing status change during the life of the listing? Examples: Active to Exclude from Internet. Brokerage exclusive to active, Exclude from Internet to Active.

A: Yes, nothing has changed

Q: What, if any documentation is required if my seller decides to change statues throughout the listing?

A: Nothing has changed.

Back To Top

10/01/2025

Cotality will be conducting maintenance on systems that affect Realist® this weekend on Saturday, September 27, 2025 between 11:30 pm – 10:00 am Sunday, September 28, 2025. The Realist application and autopop public record integration will be unavailable for the majority of this maintenance window.

Back To Top

09/25/2025

FBS reports that the issue has been resolved as of 4:23pm. Public and Private document uploads in Flexmls should now be functioning normally.

Original message:

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

Issues have been reported with the document upload functions in MLS.  The error generated is typically “Invalid document confidentiality setting of (undefined)”. This seems to affect primarily the upload of Private documents to listings, but may also affect Public documents.

FBS is aware of the issue and is working to resolve it. We will update this post when the issue has been resolved.

Back To Top

08/11/2025

MLS Main Phone Numbers

General Email

Back To Top

05/16/2025

New MLS Worksheets (input forms) are available for all property types directly from FlexMLS and through the Member Portal. These updated worksheets reflect the changes made recently to ensure RESO 2.0 compliance. They have been provided to all forms vendors, but may take a few days to be updated on those external forms platforms.

To access the new MLS Worksheets through Member Portal:

To access the new MLS Worksheets from inside FlexMLS:

1. Login to FlexMLS through Member Portal
2. Click Menu > Daily Functions > Input Forms
3. Select the Property Type of the form you wish to print/download
4. Click Print button at bottom right
5. NOTE: This location will always have the latest version of the worksheets. They are automatically updated by FlexMLS as soon as field modifications are completed.

Back To Top

04/11/2025

Our MLS vendor, FBS, reports that the conversion and data move for the Property Description field should now be complete. If you experience issues with display of the new 2,000 character Property Description field, please contact MLS Technical Support.

Original story:

Part of the recent changes to FlexMLS included the expansion of the Property Description field to allow 2,000 characters. We are noticing some inconsistencies with the new field:

1. Duplicated property description fields in some locations.
2. Text that is modified, then reverts back to the original.
3. The Property Description field is not appearing at all on external websites.

Our vendor, FBS, is aware of the situation and is working on a resolution.

Back To Top

04/08/2025

As of the morning of March 27 we are noticing search functionality issues impacting FlexMLS. We are aware that the desktop version search results when compared to the mobile version search results are out of sync. 

Our vendor, FBS has escalated the issue within its support team. We will provide an update when FlexMLS is functioning properly. 

Back To Top

03/27/2025

3/26/2025 11:42am: Realist is now reporting this is resolved.

CoreLogic Provided the following:
“Realist is currently unavailable.  This is being treated as a critical priority.  The technical teams have been gathered and are working to resolve this as soon as possible.”

Back To Top

03/26/2025

The Columbus & Central Ohio Regional MLS would like to make its subscribers aware of the new “Multiple Listing Options for Sellers” policy announced on March 25, 2025, by the National Association of REALTORS®. Our leadership team will soon meet with our MLS Committee and the Board of Directors to determine the best ways to implement this policy before the September 30, 2025, deadline. We will provide more information about this announcement in the coming weeks, so please stay tuned.

Back To Top

03/25/2025