What Information Do You Want To See There?
We often get requests to post messages on RMLSweb suggesting that agents use the Private Remarks in a certain way. For example, I received these two requests this week:
- Please ask agents to include when there is no water or power in the Private Remarks.
- Please remind agents that adding “No showings till MM/DD” in the remarks field is a rules violation.
As a general rule of thumb, we recommend that the Public Remarks be used for information about the property and the Private Remarks be reserved for information pertinent to other agents. But, apart from the following two sections of RMLS™ Rules that mention the Private Remarks directly, we don’t have any official guidelines for how to use these fields in the listing input forms:
- 3.12: … “A listing which excludes individually named prospective Purchasers, as may be agreed to by the Seller and Listing Broker, shall clearly indicate such exemption in the Agent/Private Remarks when loaded into the RMLS™ System by the Listing Broker or (in the case of RMLS™ load) on the Listing Data Input Form. Commercial Lease listings do not have the List Type field.”
- 3.25: … “How the reduction is allocated in a Short Sale is at the listing broker’s sole discretion, as long as the method (not the amount) of such allocation is set forth in the Listing’s private remarks, or the cooperating broker, in his discretion, has agreed to the allocation in writing after the offer has been presented. This section does not apply to the Commercial Lease category.”
So, what do you think? What are some examples of your best practices regarding Private Remarks? What would you like to see from other agents? Let them know by commenting below.
I look for particular showing instructions, would LOVE to see info on Flood Plain and/or Easements, Geo Hazard designation, special water types, if any recent inspections are available, etc.
Pertinent information rather than fluffy marketing. Telling me if environmental concerns have been addressed or if there are particulars to the showing instructions, etc…rather than stating the obvious “two bedrooms with wood floors”. I can see that if you have filled out the fields properly. That section should ideally be used for information a REALTOR would want to know or needs to know.
Anything related to showing the home or “unseen” at the property when I get there. Redundant remarks from the public remarks are just that and make my eyes tired.
Anything that would help a fellow Realtor show the home in the best and most informational way possible to the buyer. The more helpful information available, the better.
Info on strangely located important light switches at the front door or in the basement would help, especially now that it’s dark so early. When houses are supposed to be vacant, let us know that the neighbor parks in the driveway so we aren’t politely waiting until another agent is through showing the house or wondering if someone might have taken up residence. When we or the buyer feels “spooked” at a vacant house, the sale isn’t likely.
Pertinent information to showing such as pets, where the lockbox actually may be, or any additional special instructions. For condos downtown it would be helpful to know if you need a fob for access to the front door and/or elevator and where you need to swipe the fob (had this experience recently). Any information that would be important to know prior to writing an offer.
I agree. Limit Private remarks to information only a realtor needs to know that is not already listed or obvious. Assume the realtor has never seen the property before. How would it be shown best. What are the hidden extras.
Please do not copy and paste your Private Remarks into your Public Remarks field. The Private Remarks field should include things that another Realtor should know when showing the property. It would be nice to know if the power is on in a vacant house. It happened to me on an agent’s foreclosure listing, luckily we all had flashlights, but the house did not show well. Also a pet pieve to listing agents, please put your room measurements in the appropriate places. I can’t tell you how many buyers have told me how annoying that is. Some will pass up the house just because the room sizes aren’t included.
I want the real picture. example: 1. Don’t trip over the hole in the carpet as you enter the room. 2. Rooms smells very bad 3. In backyard be careful as they don’t pick up after their dog.
Then I can prepare my buyers.
Also if the sellers has something we should know about. example: 1. Will not leave at dinner time from 5-6 please do not show house at this time. 2. Key sticks but if you lift the handle it will work.
HI, Ruth.
Please see my comment later on on this chain.
Have a Moooving day.
Jim Hale
I look to the Private Remarks section for specific information such as already having offers on a short sale property thats not in Pending status, whether the electricity is turned off, special instructions for locating things or something that will help me be better informed to show and attempt to sell the home.
To anonymous: There is now a field for offer submitted to bank on short sales. I am updating my short sale notes to include that the gs is off. Great suggestion.
The Private Remarks section should be both renamed and re-directed.
Calling it “private remarks” suggests that what is found there is private info (i.e. only for agent consumption, not to be shared with clients).
However, in practice, many things that are posted there are decidedly not private and MUST, under the rules of agency, be disclosed to buyers (often, by both selling agents and listing agents).
Calling this private remarks is simply a throwback to the days of sub-agency. Under that system, with everyone working for the sellers, putting something there that might be confidential but helpful made sense. It no longer does.
I suggest this section be renamed “coordinating info” and that it be used for just that.
At the same time, the “public remarks” should just be called “remarks” and it’s character limit be increased by, say 50%. Many high end listings deserve more space that we currently have.
Some of the things regularly placed in public remarks should have new separate spaces on the form to increase clarity and facilitate searches.
I agree with most remarks regarding the “private remarks” field. I especially agree that the “private remarks” should be renamed “Remarks for Agents” or “Broker Remarks” and possibly relocate the field to be under the “Broker/Agent Data” portion of the RMLS form. All of these are great comments!
I totally agree with what Jim Hale said. He has hit it right on the mark.
We do need more space available especially for our high end homes or homes that offer much more.
These are all great comments and hopefully will be looked at seriously by the committee.
Information that encourages both the Agent and the Buyer(s) to look closely at the property. We often become one-dimensional, not looking in depth at the home…try to experiment with vision similar to a detective…
When your best option is “other” when filling in a listing field, please describe further in remarks.
As an appraiser, disclosure of seller paid consessions would be helpful and save time for both appraisers and agents.
Seller paid consessions and condition of home would be a great help in doing CMAs. Of course, this has to be added after closing. How about a new remarks field for info on closed homes?
Add fields down by the closed info stating if there were concessions (checkbox), an amount field, and a text field to explain what they were for.
Would like to see a note about buyer being required to pay the seller’s short sale company. My buyer’s won’t look at homes that will cost an extra $4000. If the home won’t finance, say why instead of just fixer(ex: no septic, needs roof, no heat source). This would eleminate showing fha & va buyer’s unsuitable homes and be able to tell them why.
Appraisers would appreciate disclosure of seller paid concessions saves phone calls and time when a sale (maybe your sale) needs to close quickly. Disclosure of less than favorable items less fludd. More explaination of items for elements of comparison. Some realtors are very good at explaining the house. Thank you for that.
I meant less fluff. I agree fixer term is vague. More explaination on the less than favorable elements would be helpful. Terms like dated help I understand that the remarks are to get traffic to the listings perhaps more explaination in private remarks after the sale would help.
I appreciate that the appraisers have a difficult job. However, “concessions” are a confidential term of the transaction. Unless you have in writing from both Buyer & Seller that it is ok to disclose confidential terms then it is not ok to give out this info. Some agents may have this permission from their clients, but they probably do not have permission from both parties. If you do – great! If you don’t then the appraisers are welcome to contact Buyers & Sellers directly for this information. It seems to me that contacting Buyers & Sellers directly should be the norm so Realtors are not continuously asked to give out confidential information.
Thanks!
Not only do appraiser need terms of sale, I feel agents should also know the terms in order to price their listings as well. So go the extra mile and get the permission from YOUR clients so they are not bothered by appraisers.If the appraiser cannot find out the correct terms the appraiser might assume that concessions have been paid and it may kill your sale.
How is it after a sale has closed that the concessions are confidential? We enter payment type dont we? (cash/conv/fha/va/ect) These are all terms we need to know to accurately comp other properties. Some MLS services in other parts of the country not only include the concession information they make their sold properties public – that’s because this information is NOT confidential after the closing. Oregon law is not unique on this matter.
My big annoyance is just above Private Remarks; Directions, usually bad ones! Your first job as a listing agent is to get agents and their buyers to your clients property. Make it easy for them. Give good directions! Remember, not all agents showing your listing will be from that area and familiar with the minor roads.
Always start giving directions with the word “From”! Then name a MAJOR street. Then give a cardinal heading from that street, then give right and left turn directions. Be sure to use quadrants (NE, NW, SE, etc.) in conjuction with the street names or numbers! Allow directions to bleed over into Private Remarks if necessary. Example: From NE 117 Av, west on NE 99 St, right on…
How about making the space for directions larger!
Yes I agree we need more space for directions – then we could be more specific on how to get to our listings.
Yes we do need more space to write it is way toooooooo small, and not all agents are from that area, that is why we have a MLS, to attract a large area of people, and outside agents need better directions. I do when I go into other areas.
I’m with Susan! What I would NOT like to see: Agents cutting and pasting the public remarks section because they don’t know how to use the private remarks. I also recommend using the spell check button!
Truthfully if you’re savvy enough to have found this blog, you aren’t the one who needs the instruction.
Also, concession information release language can be added to the bottom of a release of contingencies in the “additional provisions” section so as to obtain permission from both the buyer and seller. I hate the appraisal calls as well but no appraisals, no home sales.
We all have to find ways of working together for the benefit of all of our clients.
P.S. I’m never too busy for your Eugene/Springfield referrals:)
I agree, it’s not nice see the SAME remarks in both places. It is better to leave it blank.
I have learned a lot reading these responses and will create much better “private remarks” as a result, thank you!
Regarding: Anonymous Says:
November 17, 2009 at 12:39 pm
I agree with you, to an extent…, and have no problem going many extra miles for our clients. However, it is not enough to get one party’s release. Both Buyer & Seller release is needed & this does not seem to commonly occur. REALTORS very much want to cooperate with Appraisers. OAR apparently has spent a lot of time on this issue with the Oregon Appraisers organization (sorry I don’t know the official name). Last I heard there is an impasse due to the way Oregon laws are written, and if we want change, then laws have to be re-written, or at least a of re-write a few terms on the OREF forms. Yes, if both Buyer & Seller agree to release of confidential terms of the sale, in writing, then it is not a problem, and it would be a great tool. Cheers.
The OREF forms need to be re-written to commit both buyer and seller to having these terms be reported by the listing agent.
More detailed directions would be great. Although I’ve lived in the area most of my life, there are many little roads and NEW roads that don’t show on the map! Also, if you want the map feature to work, please include the correct info. If there is a listing in the Mid-Columbia area listed by a metropolitian area agency, the system sometimes gives you a map showing it is in Vancouver or Portland, instead of The Dalles or White Salmon, etc. I agree that it isn’t always easy to find the info, but it sure helps the buyer’s agent. Thanks!
The first few lines of the Private Remarks feed to some printouts – Broker Open and Agent Showing – and the Public Remards do not. So what you put in the first few lines of Private Remarks is important to consider – perhaps most important features of the property and/or special instructions to show.
More space in the Public Remarks would be great – I sometimes use Private as “overflow” to give additional information that did not fit in the Public Remarks.
I’d like to know if the bedrooms are together or seperated. I would like to see if it’s a short sale or bank owned first in the private remarks and would like the offers, etc., kept up to date.
Just reading all of the remarks has helped a lot. I think that RMLS should have a site like this for us to comment on all of the time (to each other) not just during a survey.
Good job everyone. Especially for taking the time to do this survey and comments.
Hi Susie,
You are always welcome to comment here on the RMLS Updates blog and we will try to publish more posts like this one that spark these types of discussions. Please feel free to send topic suggestions to communications@rmls.com.
Thanks,
Natalie
Detail, details, details. Showing specifics (cats?, dogs?), commercial lease information. Anything that is already in public remarks does not belong in private remarks.
It should be a rule that after a property sells as much detail about the condition of the property’s interior is listed. There are many good appraisers, however, as we all know with the recent rule changes, we are getting valuations that vary wildly. Many of the appraisers who are not from around here that I have had to deal with only look at sales figures, have never been in the comparables, and don’t realize that while a home in an area may have sold low it didn’t have a kitchen in it because the real estate agent never put that in the listing. I would like to see one step better where we replace our “marketing” photographs with ones that accurately reflect the deficiencies, if any, of the property we sold.
Also, some people are not updating the short sale yes/no boxes for submitted offers.
If you run across those listings where they are not updating this field, please send them to Rules@rmls.com and we will follow up with the agent to correct this. Thanks.
I would like the field option for 2nd residence or Mother in law etc.
Under Features, Exterior there is in the drop down menu 2nd-res that you can enter for the listing.
99% of the listings are short sales, Realtors should daily update their listings with how many offers on the property and if any other offers will be submitted. We all waste so much time calling 20 listings to find out there are 2-5 offers on the property. If one offer has been submitted to the bank, then post it. Some banks will look at all offers, others will only take one. It is so helpful for Realtors to know what is available for a new Buyers.
They should be marking the field short sale offer as “Y”. If these listings do not have this field marked please send those listing numbers to Rules@rmls.com and we will follow up by calling the listing agent. Thanks.
Not a “Private Remarks” comment. But I would like to see listings in correct Areas. Exanple, I see a lot of addresses on 184th st, 197th st 181st st, etc (past
NE or SE 142, 143) – that should be Area 144 (Gresham).
No wonder these listings “expire” unsold, no one brings them up on their limited searches. Don’t agents look at the Area boundries?
Maybe there should be a way to ‘flag’ a listing that lets us peer regulate. For example, if the address is not correctly mapping, I can note it and then everyone can see that this is a problem. I can’t tell you how many agents I’ve called to let them know of the problem who do nothing about it – either because they don’t know how to or because they don’t care.
A flag system would at least let us have a chance to notify other people – maybe a series of check box choices so that people can’t editorialize. And the agent could have the option of removing the flag.
I couldn’t have said it better. Thanks Kate.
Tim
Amen to Kate’s comment. Having to send an email to that agent is a nuisance and often goes without action.
You can send those to Rules@rmls.com and we can follow up on those by contacting the listing agent. Thanks.
It would be absolutely incredible to have exciting things such as “Seller paid cost”, Seller concessions such as “short fat black pony negotiable/not negotiable” (actual incident), and any details relative to the property. Would serve to prevent lots of phone calls from appraisers and could even provide additional information to listing agents working on other listings in that neighborhood. Simply another tool in a box on conversations to be held with homeowners.
Good idea to enter updated sales comp information in the remarks after closing – We also need a field for entering seller credits as part of the sales data. However, if agents were only willing to honestly share this information – after years of conditioning to fluff the sales – we would not have had such runaway fake appreciation. I don’t know that they will ever do this.
Just be honest – Remember, to some extent, we’re all bsr’s, and you can’t bs a fellow bsr. Disclose facts, issues, and terms – if we would have been doing this for the past 10 years, we would not be in the situation we all find ourselves now…
I would like to see more enforcement of RMLS policies to eliminate unilateral rules and forms usually after the fact, especially by REO brokers. How many times have you written up offers only to be told to fill out their forms in which the buyer gives up their rights and protections?
I have seen remarks such as “Seller reserves the right to pay commissions based on net sales price.” This is a violation of RMLS rules that provide commissions are payable on “Sales price.” No commission based on sales price, no sale.
Or, “Please don’t call regarding availability or number of offers submitted.”
And, “The Bank has standardized addendums that they will send to the buyer that they feel has an acceptable offer.” Please note they will be sent after the offer is accepted and not before. Don’t you think the buyer (not to mention the buyer’s agent) is entitled to know what they will be asked to sign so they can make an informed decision as to whether they want to make an offer in the first place?
Some agents need to be reminded this is RMLS, and we have our own forms. Either play by RMLS rules or choose another MLS or avenue to sell your property.
Yeah – that’s right the RMLS controls all & has it all figured out – just forget that Fannie or HUD forms are required to get the job done…
I am grateful that you have asked for such feedback. I would truly appreciate the sellers/owners name on the RMLS, when writting an EMA contract, it is very important to have this information, available and concise.
Thanks,
Tim
Hi, Why is it that When I do a normal listing the owner has to put a selling price they will sell it for. And with a short sale rmls is allowing agents to make up a price? The other mls agencies in other areas. Only allow a price to be put in that is what the bank or owner will actually sell it for. I am tired of the realtor ploys to get showings on properties. And rmls allowing it.
It’s not what I want to see – as much as where I want to see it. Move the agent private remarks to last section along with the coded showing instructions – Add instructions to agents that they are NOT to repeat marketing puffery that goes in public remarks. (many agents are such idiots and they don’t get this)
Thanks to everyone for all the feedback! I forwarded your suggested RMLSweb changes to the enhancement committee to review at their next meeting.
In the event of allocating any commission reduction that may be required by a third party in the private remarks, I would like to see the total listing commission published. For example, imagine a 50/50 share in commission reduction posted in private remarks w/ a 2.5% published BAC & a 10% non-published confidential total listing commission.
Thanks for sharing this post. I love reading it.