Rules Roundup: Marketing Practices (May 2023)

Rules Roundup: Marketing Practices (May 2023)

The Rules Roundup provides a monthly accounting of RMLS rules violations and courtesy notifications. Our Data Accuracy team manages all reports of property listing errors, tracking 34 specific issues outlined in the RMLS Rules and Regulations, and is responsible for addressing subscriber questions and concerns regarding listing accuracy.

HIGHLIGHTS

Recently, there have been numerous requests seeking clarity regarding marketing practices prior to a listing being published in the MLS. It has become increasingly popular to promote new listings on social media as “Coming Soon.” 

According to the National Association of Realtors (NAR), it is a mandatory requirement that any listing must be entered into the MLS for cooperation with constituents within 24 hours of its public marketing, including posts on Facebook or any other public site. 

This policy aims to ensure fairness and transparency in the real estate industry. You are able to market new listings on social media as long as you are abiding by the 24-hour rule outlined by NAR’s “Clear Cooperation” rule.

Here is the NAR excerpt on the specific policy rule:

Section 1.01 Clear Cooperation
Within one (1) business day of marketing a property to the public, the listing broker must submit the listing to the MLS for cooperation with other MLS participants. 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. (Adopted 11/19) 

Note: Exclusive listing information for required property types must be filed and distributed to other MLS Participants for cooperation under the Clear Cooperation Policy. This applies to listings filed under Section 1 and listings exempt from distribution under Section 1.3 of the NAR model MLS rules, and any other situation where the listing broker is publicly marketing an exclusive listing that is required to be filed with the service and is not currently available to other MLS Participants.

FORMAL VIOLATIONS

The RMLS Rules and Regulations Committee reviews all formal complaints which allege a violation of the RMLS Rules and Regulations. The committee has the power to impose sanctions.

The committee reviewed one case in May of 2023.

Case: Misuse of a Lockbox
Fine: $500

INFORMAL VIOLATIONS

Incomplete or Inaccurate Data violations have exceeded Personal Promotion ones for the month of May. This violation can occur for a variety of reasons, some of which include agent reported violations, incorrect mapping, and misrepresenting the property or sales terms.

    The chart below shows the next three most frequent informal violations from May 2023. 

    This pie chart shows the remainder of the informal violations last month.

    Data Accuracy Department Statistics 

    • Listings Reviewed: 25,931 (+4,642)
    • Notices Sent: 2,150 (+253)
    • Violation Notices Received: 382 (-14)
    • Courtesy Notices Sent: 1,203 (+106)
    • Phone Calls Received: 280 (-120)

    How to Report Violations

    Subscribers have multiple options to report violations, including a Report Issue button on every RMLSweb listing. Subscribers can email our Data Accuracy team at dataaccuracy@rmls.com or call them at 503.395.1916. When there are increases in specific violation types, we sometimes place notifications on RMLSweb.

    The Lifecycle of a Reported Issue (Part 3)

    The Lifecycle of a Reported Issue (Part 3)

    In Part 1 of this series, we covered how to report issues and inaccuracies to our Data Accuracy department. In Part 2, we discussed how issues are reviewed and processed. In this edition, we’ll cover how issues are resolved and how to check on the status of a specific matter.

    Step 3: Status & Resolution

    Our subscribers are able to check the progress of the issue at any time through the RMLSweb dashboard.

    Under ‘Back Office,’ look at the options below ‘Listing Issue.’ ‘Reported by Me’ provides status information on listings you reported, the current status of the report, and any available notes.

    ‘My Violations’ displays resolved violations for your listings, while ‘My Open Violations’ displays violations with your listings that are currently open. Both screens list the violation notes that have been reported. Principal Brokers can view this information for their agents as well.

    The ‘My Notifications’ section tracks notices about your listing violations. You can see when the notifications were sent and to whom they were sent. If you click the link under ‘Sent Date’ you can read the notice that was sent.

    Any issues that were discovered by our data checking software or staff will also appear in ‘My Notifications.’ The data is available for 18 months from the date the issue was closed. This does not mean that you cannot report an issue on a listing older than 18 months.

    One factor that could affect whether an issue can be reported is if the Seller’s Agent or firm are no longer RMLS subscribers. In that event you would receive an error and to report the issue you would need to use one of the previously mentioned alternative methods.

    Should you ever have a question about an issue that you submit or about a notice that you received on one of your own listings please reach out to us and we will be happy to answer any questions.

    Rules Roundup: Marketing Practices (May 2023)

    RMLS Rules Roundup for May 2021

    Gavel

    The Rules Roundup provides a monthly accounting of RMLS rules violations and courtesy notifications. Our Data Accuracy team manages all reports of property listing errors, tracking 34 specific issues outlined in the RMLS Rules and Regulations, and is responsible for addressing subscriber questions and concerns regarding listing accuracy whether those are submitted via the “Report Issue” button on a listing, through email, or by phone. When there are increases in specific violation types, we often place notifications on RMLSweb in order to alert subscribers so that they can avoid violations.

    MAY HIGHLIGHTS

    We have seen a rise in the number of listings not being made available for showing. As a reminder, rule 3.27 of the RMLS Rules and Regulations states:

    Availability for Showing. With the exception of Commercial Lease, Auction, and Coming Soon-No Showing listings, all active listings shall be available for showing immediately upon entry into the RMLS system, excluding listings which require all offers to be made contingent on interior inspection. Listings cannot restrict showing until a future date.

    There are reasons your client may wish to restrict showings. Maybe there is a renter, or the house is unsafe. In cases like this you should add a statement to the remarks that explains that all offers are contingent upon an interior inspection. It may also be helpful to provide a brief explanation as to why showings are unavailable. If a home is simply not ready to be shown but you want to let people know it will available soon then publishing as CSN would be appropriate. This allows other RMLS subscribers the chance to know about your listing so that they can share it with their clients while still affording your client up to 21 days to finish getting their home ready for showings.

    FORMAL VIOLATIONS

    The RMLS Rules and Regulations Committee reviews all formal complaints which allege a violation of the RMLS Rules and Regulations. The committee has the power to impose sanctions.

    The committee did not review any cases in May 2021.

    INFORMAL VIOLATIONS & COURTESY NOTICES

    In May 2021, the RMLS Data Accuracy staff reviewed 32,556 listings in addition to the 539 notices sent through the “Report Issue” button on RMLSweb. Of the items reviewed, 1,397 violation notices and 1,458 courtesy notices were sent out. In addition, our team handled 401 phone calls.

    CategoryMay
    Missing Tax ID436
    Missing School168
    Incorrect or Missing Information141
    Personal Promotion135
    No Showings92
    Duplicate Listing75
    Missing Owner Name57
    Property Condition46
    Incorrect Status43
    Listing Input in Incorrect MLS area39
    Is Property a Condo32
    Incorrect First Photo28
    Incorrect Property Type21
    Inaccurate Lot Size19
    Missing Condo Unit Number14
    Address Issues14
    Conditions to Compensation13
    Partial Bathrooms 5+9
    City Unknown5
    HUD5
    Missing SQFT by Level4
    Duplicate Listing in Different Categories1

    The following are the courtesy notifications sent to RMLS subscribers in May 2021:

    CategoryMay
    Listing Still Pending622
    Listing is Set to Expire434
    Multiple Owner Names in First Field314
    New Listing Input Over 24 Hours62
    Listing Still in OMS, Public Records Indicate SLD25
    Listing Status Changed from PEN to SLD > 24 hours1

    Questions about RMLS Rules and Regulations or the accuracy of specific listings can be directed to the RMLS Data Accuracy department at dataaccuracy@rmls.com or 503.395.1916.

    Rules Roundup: Marketing Practices (May 2023)

    RMLS Rules Roundup for April 2021

    Gavel

    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 an 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 an RMLS subscriber contacts us — whether that is via the “Report Issue” button on a listing, through email, or directly by phone.

    We track 34 specific issues in Listing Data Checker (LDC), the software that helps us spot and correct issues proactively. Eight 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

    Recently we’ve received quite a few notifications regarding incorrect or missing schools. You may have noticed that some of the school names you are used to seeing are now missing from RMLSweb. Recently several school districts have gone through a renaming process, with some schools changing names multiple times.

    If you don’t see a school that you think should be on the list and want to know whether the school is missing or has a new name, here’s what to do: First, double check the area for your listing. It can be easy to be looking in the wrong area if the listing is near a county line or area boundary. 

    Next, check the local school district’s website for updated information. If you’re still not sure, you can always contact our Data Accuracy department at 503.395.1916 and we will help you determine what the new name of the school is.

    FORMAL VIOLATIONS

    The RMLS Rules and Regulations Committee reviews all formal complaints which allege a violation of the RMLS Rules and Regulations. The committee has the power to impose sanctions.

    The committee did not review any cases in April 2021.

    INFORMAL VIOLATIONS

    In April 2021, the RMLS Data Accuracy staff reviewed 31,851 listings in addition to the 574 notices sent through the “Report Issue” button on RMLSweb. Of the items reviewed, 1,327 violation notices and 1,564 courtesy notices were sent out. In addition our team handled 378 phone calls.

    CategoryApril
    Missing Tax ID423
    Missing School157
    Incorrect or Missing Information127
    No Showings94
    Duplicate Listing92
    Personal Promotion86
    Missing Owner Name55
    Property Condition50
    Incorrect Status41
    Is Property a Condo38
    Incorrect First Photo36
    Incorrect Property Type33
    Inaccurate Lot Size23
    Conditions to Compensation13
    Listing Input in Incorrect MLS area12
    Missing Condo Unit Number12
    Partial Bathrooms 5+11
    City Unknown7
    HUD5
    Missing SQFT by Level4
    Address Issues4
    Duplicate Listing in Different Categories3
    Is Listing a Short Sale1

    The following are the courtesy notifications sent to RMLS subscribers in April 2021:

    CategoryApril
    Listing Still Pending632
    Listing is Set to Expire447
    Multiple Owner Names in First Field272
    Listing Status Changed from PEN to SLD > 24 hours104
    New Listing Input Over 24 Hours81
    Listing Still in OMS, Public Records Indicate SLD28

    When we notice an uptick in a specific type of violation (perhaps a rule recently changed or market conditions leading 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 RMLS Rules and Regulations or the data accuracy of specific listings, or simply want to chat with us more about the above information.

    Rules Roundup: Marketing Practices (May 2023)

    RMLS Rules Roundup for January 2021

    Gavel

    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 an 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 an RMLS subscriber contacts us — whether that is via the “Report Issue” button on a listing, through email, or directly by phone.

    We track 34 specific issues in Listing Data Checker (LDC), the software that helps us spot and correct issues proactively. Eight 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

    Accurate data is very important to us at RMLS – ensuring accuracy is one of our core values. To that end, we use multiple checks and measures to ensure that accuracy. One such tool is the Report Issue button that can be found on every agent report listing in RMLSweb. The Report button enables you to alert our Data Accuracy department if you come across any listing data that may be inaccurate.

    Why do we need your help with this? Given such a high volume of listings, It would be impossible for our staff to personally visit every property and verify each piece of data, so we are reliant on you, the RMLS community who are the experts in our local real estate markets, to alert us if you detect an issue. Those notifications allow us to follow up with the Seller’s Agent to get the data verified and corrected if need be.

    The process is anonymous, meaning that we will never share the identity of anyone that alerts us to any issue. The verification and correction process can take some time to correct as we require permission from the Seller’s Agent before we can make any changes to a listing, so your patience is appreciated.

    Accurate data is a benefit to all of us so please stay vigilant and let us know if you find any potential inaccuracies. If you have a question about your own listing or need us to help with any corrections, please contact our Help Desk.

    TIP: 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!

    FORMAL VIOLATIONS

    The RMLS Rules and Regulations Committee reviews all formal complaints which allege a violation of the RMLS Rules and Regulations. The committee has the power to impose sanctions.

    The committee did not review any cases in January 2021.

    INFORMAL VIOLATIONS

    In January 2021, the RMLS Data Accuracy staff reviewed 24,663 listings in addition to the 478 notices sent through the “Report Issue” button on RMLSweb. Of the items reviewed, 896 violation notices and 2,341 courtesy notices were sent out. In addition our team handled 303 phone calls.

    CategoryJanuary
    Missing Tax ID434
    Incorrect or Missing Information128
    Personal Promotion106
    Missing Owner Name74
    Property Condition60
    No Showings52
    Missing School48
    Incorrect Status46
    Incorrect First Photo41
    Duplicate Listing38
    Is Property a Condo31
    Incorrect Property Type27
    Address Issues27
    Inaccurate Lot Size13
    Conditions to Compensation10
    Duplicate Listing in Different Categories8
    Listing Input in Incorrect MLS area8
    City Unknown8
    Partial Bathrooms 5+6
    Missing Condo Unit Number3
    Missing SQFT by Level2
    Fannie Mae/Homepath1

    The following are the courtesy notifications sent to RMLS subscribers in January 2021:

    CategoryJanuary
    Listing is Set to Expire747
    Listing Still Pending545
    Multiple Owner Names in First Field200
    New Listing Input Over 24 Hours45
    Listing Status Changed from PEN to SLD > 24 hours12

    When we notice an uptick in a specific type of violation (perhaps a rule recently changed or market conditions leading 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 RMLS Rules and Regulations or the data accuracy of specific listings, or simply want to chat with us more about the above information.

    RMLS by the Numbers 2020

    RMLS by the Numbers 2020

    Here we go again! RMLS celebrates another year working hard for thousands of subscribers across Oregon and Southwest Washington by presenting an annual collection of numbers. These numbers show just how much RMLS has supported real estate activity over the course of 2020. We hope you enjoyed journeying along with us.

    Compare the numbers below with the same from prior years and see how we’ve grown!

    RMLSweb
    Number of times subscribers logged in to RMLSweb: 1,920,055
    Photos uploaded to listings: 1,939,599
    Number of new prospect profiles created: 75,157
    All residential properties listed for sale: 71,940
    All residential properties sold: 61,350
    Median sold price of homes listed: $397,000
    Total dollar volume of homes sold: $27,089,173,000
    Reports viewed: 11,929,621

    RMLS Subscribers
    RMLS subscribers as of December 2020: 14,894
    New RMLS subscribers (compared to December 2019): +370
    Increase in subscribers, above: +2.5%
    Subscribers who attended training: 9,326 via 892 individual classes
    Number of calls to the RMLS Help Desk: 19,846 calls

    Number of Bug Reports: 8,821
    Number of Help Desk chats: 5642
    Number of incidents reported using the “Report Issue” button: 5387
    CE hours distributed by RMLS™ at no cost to subscribers: 664

    Social Media
    RMLS followers on Facebook (as of December 31): 5,832
    RMLS followers on Twitter (as of December 31): 2,826

    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.

    We love numbers here at RMLS, and hope you find this data as fun and interesting as we do.