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Showing Start Date in Review: 2 ½ Years In The Showing Start Date field was added to our MLS almost 2 ½ years ago in December 2015. Implementation of the Showing Start Date field is a response to the “coming soon” marketing that is widely used across the country. It is also a policy clarification and addition to allow premarketing options for MLS listed properties. Members are now able to promote those listings “not quite ready for showing” while still entering them in MLS. The Showing Start Date field enables members to enter an exact date when showings will begin. The field is a required entry for all listings. It is important to note that NO SHOWINGS FOR ANYONE are permitted prior to the Showing Start Date. Verbiage such as “No Showings until June 14” is allowed in the Property Description field. You may also include a reason for the delayed showings such as “new carpet being installed”. All wording in the Property Description field is still subject to MLS policies, rules and regulations. Read the Full Article from 2015 at columbusrealtors.com that announced Showing Start Date for additional information regarding proper utilization of this field. For specific questions regarding showing start date and MLS policy surrounding it, please contact the MLS Policy Compliance Administrator at mlspolicy@columbusrealtors.com or (614)475-4000 during the hours of Mon-Fri 8:30a-5:00p. Primary Policies regarding Showing Start Date/Delayed Showings
Can I change the Showing Start Date if I made a mistake? The Showing Start Date (SSD) field cannot be “pulled back” after a listing goes live on the MLS. You should set the SSD to the minimum future date that you believe will be necessary. That is, if you think a repair will take 3 weeks, it would be in your best interest to set the SSD only 1 or 2 weeks in the future. If you need an extra week, the date can be extended into the future, but not retracted from the original date set. You will just have to wait until the 3 weeks pass. Just remember to extend the SSD BEFORE the date passes. You will not be able to extend the date after it has already passed. I made a mistake when I entered the Showing Start Date. Can I fix it? PLEASE NOTE: Even if MLS staff is notified of an SSD error within 24 hours, the SSD can only be adjusted to the next business day since SSD cannot be entered as a past date, even by MLS staff. Delayed Showing Authorization Form – Required for Listings with Future Showing Start Date The Delayed Showing Authorization Form is required for any listing for which the Showing Start Date is after the List Date. (Example: List Date June 1, Showing Start Date June 10.) Brokers are permitted to formulate their own version of the form provided the substitute form contains at least the same requirements as the MLS version of the form. Download the Delayed Showing Authorization Form from columbusrealtors.com website or email mlscorrections@columbusrealtors.com. Showing Start Date Displayed on Public and Private Reports The Showing Start Date field appears at the top of the Full (1 page), Full 2-page, and Brief with Photos MLS reports. The field appears directly below the List Price/Original List Price fields at the top right corner of both the public and private versions of these reports.
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MLS TIP: 48 Hours to Submit Listing to MLS – Office Exclusive Waiver We frequently receive calls to the MLS inquiring whether an Office Exclusive Waiver form is on file for a particular property where signage is placed. Frequently there is no form on file and a warning or fine must be assessed to the agent named on the sign. MLS policy mandates that a listing must be submitted to MLS within 48 hours from the date the listing agreement is signed or an Office Exclusive Waiver form must be on file. If the 48-hour limit falls on a weekend or federal holiday, the listing or form must be submitted on the next business day. Actual MLS Policy: Warning, $100, $200, $500 Listings required in MLS but not to be displayed initially in MLS at the request of the seller shall be submitted to MLS within 48 hours from the date signed except weekends and federal holidays whereby the data is to be entered the following business day or the Office Exclusive Waiver Form found on CR’s web site at http://www.columbusrealtors.com shall be on file with the MLS.
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Showing Start Date – Can I change it if I made a mistake? The Showing Start Date (SSD) field cannot be “pulled back” after a listing goes live on the MLS. You should set the SSD to the minimum future date that you believe will be necessary. That is, if you think a repair will take 3 weeks, it would be in your best interest to set the SSD only 1 or 2 weeks in the future. If you need an extra week, the date can be extended into the future, but not retracted from the original date set. You will just have to wait until the 3 weeks pass. Just remember to extend the SSD BEFORE the date passes. You will not be able to extend the date after it has already passed. I made a mistake when I entered the Showing Start Date. Can I fix it? PLEASE NOTE: Even if MLS staff is notified of an SSD error within 24 hours, the SSD can only be adjusted to the next business day since SSD cannot be entered as a past date, even by MLS staff.
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Do not give your MLS password to a vendor, virtual assistant…or anyone else. Providing your MLS password to anyone is a violation of MLS policy. MLS Policy specifically forbids providing your password to any other user. There is NOT an exception for vendors or virtual assistant. Do not provide your password to vendor or virtual assistant provider who will then log in as you to run searches or reports in the MLS. This is subject to a $500 fine. No one is permitted to access the MLS with your login information except you. In addition to vendors, no one else is permitted to login as you either. Other agents, members of your team, assistants and all other users must have their own login. They must login as themselves, then “superuse” (do business) as you. Family members, friends, and clients should never be given your MLS login credentials. Password sharing for any purpose is not permitted. ACTUAL MLS POLICY: 1.04.06 – Providing Login Name/Password to Non-Member
Fine with No Warning
$500, $1000, $2000
Your login name and password is highly confidential and is not to be shared with other agents, unauthorized technology
vendors or customers or clients. Your login name and password shall not be shared, disclosed or knowingly allowed to
come into the possession of any other person except your broker, manager and/or office administrator in your real estate
company.
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New MLS Field: Green Features Y/N – Form Required A new field, “Green Features Y/N – Form Required” has been added to the Residential property type. Because the field is brand new, it will take some time for the new field to be fully populated. Agents will be required to make a Yes or No selection in the Green Features Y/N field for all new listings. Existing listings will require a selection in the field the first time the listing is edited. If Yes is selected, then the Green Features Checklist form is required to be completed and attached as a PDF to the listing on the MLS. This Green Features Checklist can be used to detail the green features present on a Residential property. Items on the form include Energy/Green Certifications and Energy and Water Efficient Features. The Green Features Y/N field allows agents to search specifically for listings that have “green/energy efficient features” of some type. After searching, they can then review the attached form to see all green features present on that property. It is highly recommended that you immediately update your listing for this new field particularly if your listed property has energy efficient green features. Simply edit your listing and look for the new, required Green Features Y/N field. Do not forget to fill out and upload the complete Green Features Checklist to your listing as an attachment. Download the Green Features Checklist from www.ColumbusRealtors.com > Tools > Worksheets, Forms and Contracts page by clicking here.
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Avoiding MLS Fines: Non-Reported Closings (Solds) There is a warning prior to receiving a fine for this violation. MLS Policy requires that the listing’s status be changed to “Closed” within 72 hours. Listings are required to be marked Closed on MLS: Sold date is Thursday = Listing must be closed on Monday Actual full text of the policy: All sales closed must be entered within 72 hours from the actual closing/funding date except if the 72-hour deadline falls on weekends and federal holidays whereby the closing information is to be entered the following business day except HUD listings that are to be updated within 72 hours of either (1) Asset Manager’s notice of closing or (2) the county auditor or Realist published sale information for the property.
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MLS Taxes: Time to Update “Tax (Yrly)” and “Tax Year” It’s that time of year again to update your listings with the latest property tax information for the 2017 tax year. Many county auditors have updated their tax records already, or will finish their process in the next few weeks, for each parcel in their taxing districts for the 2017 tax year. Voter approved school and bond levies impact those figures each year along with auditor reassessments or owner appeals of property valuation. Most real estate taxes change annually. It is important that REALTORS®, clients and even sellers be kept apprised of these ever changing figures. While Realist can auto-pop the Yearly Taxes and Tax Year for you when you first enter the listing, it cannot automatically update them when those figures change. This routine remains an important manual operation for REALTORS® to complete at the beginning of each year. For listings that are not in a CANCELLED or CLOSED status, these fields can be edited along with other listing fields by editing the listing values through LISTING INFORMATION. This action can be taken by the broker/office admin or by the listing/co-listing agent.
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RESO Field Name Changes – Coming 11/20/2017 Tenant Pays field – Electric will change to Electricity – Trash will change to Trash Collection Construction field – Shingle will change to Shingle Siding – Vinyl will change to Vinyl Siding
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Do You Want to Be on the MLS Committee? – Deadline extended to November 6, 2017 at 4:00pm Ever wonder why things happen in the MLS or think about serving on the MLS Committee and wonder how that’s done? The process to serve on this committee is different than any other. First, it’s an elected committee with a limited number of seats determined by a weighted formula based on the MLS’s number of agents, listings, solds and offices. The number of seats available can change each year based on this formula or elected members whose term ends or sometimes as a result of members simply changing offices and then perhaps no longer representing the group from which they were elected. You can find more detailed information on this process here. Interested yet ? If so please follow these steps to throw your hat in the ring:
Your bio and resume will be presented to the MLS Nominating Committee who are selected at the Annual Business Meeting. The five selected Realtors® that serve on the Nominating Committee meet in November to select candidates. A ballot is created for the annual election where only brokers vote. Members who wish to volunteer their time to serve are very much in demand by the Nominating Committee and always appreciated. If you still have questions, please review the information linked to the main Columbus REALTORS® site. You could also call or E-mail Bryan Dean in the MLS Department at 614.475.4000 and bdean@columbusrealtors.com. Original posting on 10/18/17
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Contingent Listings Now Expire on Expiration Date Listings that are in any of the 3 Contingent Statuses (Escape, Financing and Inspection, Lien Release) will now expire on their expiration date. This policy change has been approved by the MLS Committee and Board of Directors. Previously, listings in Contingent status would ignore the expiration date and remain in that status indefinitely. The listing agent should receive an email notice that their listing is nearing the expiration date, same as active listings.
The expiration of Under Contract/Pending listing has been delayed indefinitely due to programming issues.
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