RMLS™ Rules Roundup for September 2019

by RMLS Communication Department | Oct 10, 2019

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 a 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 a RMLS™ subscriber contacts us—whether that is via the “Report Issue” button on a listing, by email, or contacting us directly by phone. In September 2019 our team handled 232 phone calls.

We track 32 specific issues in Listing Data Checker (LDC), the software that helps us spot and correct issues proactively. Six of these are courtesy notifications, but the other 24 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

Did you know our system sends out courtesy notices? The two main courtesy notices are sent to help remind sellers’ agents about their listings that are set to expire within ten days or their listings that have remained in pending (PEN) status for over 90 days. If you receive a courtesy notice about one of your listings, take a look and see if that listing needs to be updated in RMLSweb.  If the information provided is correct, then no action is needed. If you have any questions regarding a courtesy notice simply reply to the email and Data Accuracy will be happy to help answer your questions.

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 two formal violations at the September meeting. The violations were both for misuse of a lockbox and a total of $1,600.00 in fines were levied.

• 5.1L Unauthorized Use of a Lockbox: An agent entered a listing that was in PEN status.
• 5.1L Unauthorized Use of a Lockbox: Buyer’s agent provided a lockbox code to their buyer.

INFORMAL VIOLATIONS

In September 2019, RMLS™ Data Accuracy staff reviewed 21,445 listings in addition to the 469 notices sent through “Report Issue” button on RMLSweb. Of the items reviewed, 1,336 violation notices and 2,433 courtesy notices were sent out.

Following are the courtesy notifications sent to RMLS™ subscribers in September 2019:

When we notice an uptick in a specific type of violation (perhaps a rule recently changed or market conditions lead 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 ever have questions about the RMLS™ Rules and Regulations, if you wonder whether a specific listing has inaccurate data, or if you want to chat with us more about the above information.

RMLS™ Rules Roundup for July 2019

by RMLS Communication Department | Aug 22, 2019

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 a 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 a RMLS™ subscriber contacts us—whether that is via the “Report Issue” button on a listing, by email, or contacting us directly by phone. In July 2019 our team handled 276 phone calls.

We track 32 specific issues in Listing Data Checker (LDC), the software that helps us spot and correct issues proactively. Six of these are courtesy notifications, but the other 24 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

Ever wonder what is included in the “Incorrect or Missing Information” category? The types of issues that are reported to us are broad and varied and often change from month to month. Some examples of things that we see are inquiries about agents that were involved in a sale, what type of frontage does the property have, is the neighborhood correct, and price inquiries. We also get a general questions that don’t result in a violation and these are not tracked as such.

We encourage everyone to use the “Report Issue” button that can be found at the bottom of listings in RMLSweb to let us know if you think there is an issue with the listing you are viewing.

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 receive any formal violations to review for the July or August meetings.

INFORMAL VIOLATIONS

In July 2019, RMLS™ Data Accuracy staff reviewed 22,466 listings in addition to the 462 notices sent through “Report Issue” button on RMLSweb. Of the items reviewed, 1,315 violation notices and 1,813 courtesy notices were sent out.

Following are the courtesy notifications sent to RMLS™ subscribers in July 2019:

When we notice an uptick in a specific type of violation (perhaps a rule recently changed or market conditions lead 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 ever have questions about the RMLS™ Rules and Regulations, if you wonder whether a specific listing has inaccurate data, or if you want to chat with us more about the above information.

RMLS™ Rules Roundup for June 2019

by RMLS Communication Department | Jul 18, 2019

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 a 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 a RMLS™ subscriber contacts us—whether that is via the “Report Issue” button on a listing, by email, or contacting us directly by phone. In June 2019 our team handled 293 phone calls.

We track 32 specific issues in Listing Data Checker (LDC), the software that helps us spot and correct issues proactively. Six of these are courtesy notifications, but the other 24 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

We have recently been receiving many inquiries about listings in Bumpable Buyer (BMP) status. As a reminder, the RMLS™ Rules and Regulations define BMP as:

3.16 a. “Accepted Offer with Bumpable Buyerʺ. Accepted offers with bumpable buyers shall be only those listings with an accepted offer which provides:
1) that the buyer’s purchase is contingent upon the sale of the buyer’s property within a limited time;
2) the buyer’s property is in a category which can be listed in RMLS™; and
3) that if the seller receives another acceptable offer, the first buyer has a specified period to remove the contingency.
A property may not remain in “active” status if an offer has been accepted with the foregoing terms. “Accepted offer with bumpable buyer” sales will remain as searchable listings in “BMP” status in the RMLS™ System until the buyer is no longer bumpable and the appropriate status change is reported.

New property searches in RMLSweb automatically default to include BMP in the status field. When searching on internet sites, BMP listings may appear as “Contingent,” so it is important to explain to your buyers and sellers what this status means and how it may appear on internet sites. 

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 four formal violations at their June meeting. Two were for Unauthorized Use of a Lockbox, another was for Marketing of a Listing Prior to MLS Publication, and the last one was for Marketing of a Coming Soon-No Showing Listing. A total of $1,100.00 in fines were levied by the committee.

• 5.1L Unauthorized Use of a Lockbox: Buyer’s agent provided a lockbox code to a 3rd party.
• 5.1L Unauthorized Use of a Lockbox: Buyer’s agent provided a lockbox code to a 3rd party.
• 5.1S Marketing of Listing Prior to RMLS Publication: A listing was marketed for a week prior to publication in RMLSweb.
• 5.1U Marketing of Coming Soon-No Showing Listing: A CSN listing was sent to an internet site viewable by the general public.

INFORMAL VIOLATIONS

In June 2019, RMLS™ Data Accuracy staff reviewed 22,959 listings in addition to the 503 notices sent through “Report Issue” button on RMLSweb. Of the items reviewed, 1,220 violation notices and 2,158 courtesy notices were sent out.

Following are the courtesy notifications sent to RMLS™ subscribers in June 2019:

When we notice an uptick in a specific type of violation (perhaps a rule recently changed or market conditions lead 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 ever have questions about the RMLS™ Rules and Regulations, if you wonder whether a specific listing has inaccurate data, or if you want to chat with us more about the above information.

RMLS™ Rules Roundup for May 2019

by RMLS Communication Department | Jun 20, 2019

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 a 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 a RMLS™ subscriber contacts us—whether that is via the “Report Issue” button on a listing, by email, or contacting us directly by phone. In May 2019 our team handled 293 phone calls.

We track 32 specific issues in Listing Data Checker (LDC), the software that helps us spot and correct issues proactively. Six of these are courtesy notifications, but the other 24 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

Over the past few years unauthorized use of a lockbox has been a frequently seen formal violation. As a reminder—the potential penalties for this violation can include fines and possible suspension or expulsion from RMLS™. It is important to remember that you should not enter listings that are not active nor without following the showing instructions. You should also not generate codes and give them out to anyone if you are acting as a buyers’ agent. The sellers’ agent may generate a one day code, typically for use by someone doing work on behalf of their seller and always with the seller’s permission.

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.

In May 2019, four formal rules violation were filed. These will be reviewed at the June 2019 Rules Committee meeting. The committee reviewed three formal violations at their May meeting. Two were for unauthorized use of a lockbox and the third was for not changing a listing to PEN status for over 144 hours. A total of $1,700.00 in fines were levied by the committee.

• 5.1L Unauthorized Use of a Lockbox: Buyer’s agent entered a property that was in PEN status.
• 5.1L Unauthorized Use of a Lockbox: Buyer’s agent was provided an access code by another agent who was not present in order to enter a property.
• 5.1C Listing PEN Status Change greater than 144 hours: A listing with an accepted offer was not changed to PEN for more than 144 hours.

INFORMAL VIOLATIONS

In May 2019, RMLS™ Data Accuracy staff reviewed 28,829 listings in addition to the 606 notices sent through “Report Issue” button on RMLSweb. Of the items reviewed, 1,419 violation notices and 2,337 courtesy notices were sent out.

Following are the courtesy notifications sent to RMLS™ subscribers in May 2019:

When we notice an uptick in a specific type of violation (perhaps a rule recently changed or market conditions lead 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 ever have questions about the RMLS™ Rules and Regulations, if you wonder whether a specific listing has inaccurate data, or if you want to chat with us more about the above information.