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

We have had an increase in questions recently regarding Office Exclusive listings and what qualifies as public marketing. As a REALTOR-owned MLS, we are obligated to follow all rules and policies laid out by the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR).

NAR’s Clear Cooperation Policy, which addresses these questions directly, was created to promote an equal opportunity marketplace that is competitive and supports the consumer. It also provides a consistent rule that outlines the guidelines for any publicly marketed property.

Watch this video provided by NAR explaining this policy and why it was adopted.

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 September of 2022.

INFORMAL VIOLATIONS

Listings missing Tax ID information are consistently the top informal violation within RMLSweb. Sometimes the missing tax information is due to an error of omission. Other times, it may be because the listing is a new construction property that does not yet have a tax ID number available. Data Accuracy sends courtesy notices out to remind agents of the need to provide the tax information (when available).

The chart below shows the next three most frequent informal violations from September 2022.

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

Data Accuracy Department Statistics 

• Listings Reviewed: 17,739
• Notices Sent: 2,812
• Violation Notices Received: 373
• Courtesy Notices Sent: 2,116
• Phone Calls Received: 431

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 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

Personal promotion is consistently one of our top violations, and a good many of them result from virtual tours. While virtual tours are an excellent tool to give buyers a feel for a home and help them decide if they want to see it in person, there are rules which govern these tours.

Keep in mind that personal promotion is not allowed anywhere in the virtual tour or on the website you use to host them.

Hired photographers will often offer you branded and non-branded versions of your tour. Only the non-branded version is allowed to be hosted with the listing. Neither you or anyone associated with you is allowed to be on the tour. We have seen many cases where the photographer will host your tour as well as other non-branded tours on their channel, which is a great option.

There are many websites and services that provide packages and host non-branded videos, including Vimeo and Matterport, and YouTube is a great free option. Make sure the website you are using is not affiliated with you in any way. This means not including your first, last, or brokerage name, or any contact information. Remember that the purpose is to advertise the house and all its attractive features, not yourself. It’s a good idea to have one channel dedicated to non-branded virtual tours and nothing else.

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 August of 2022.

Type of violation: Unauthorized use of RMLS lockbox access

Resulting fine: $2,000.00

INFORMAL VIOLATIONS

Listings missing Tax ID information are consistently the top informal violation within RMLSweb. Sometimes the missing tax information is due to an error of omission. Other times, it may be because the listing is a new construction property that does not yet have a tax ID number available. Data Accuracy sends courtesy notices out to remind agents of the need to provide the tax information (when available).

The chart below shows the next three most frequent informal violations from August 2022.

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

Data Accuracy Department Statistics 

• Listings Reviewed: 19,448
• Notices Sent: 3,168
• Violation Notices Received: 387
• Courtesy Notices Sent: 2,381
• Phone Calls Received: 413

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 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

One of the most common listing violations concerns missing school information. Elementary and High School are both required fields, so selecting “other” when entering a listing will result in a violation notice. Let’s talk about why listings are entered without school names and how to prevent that.

The number one reason this field is left blank is because the appropriate school did not show up on the drop-down list. School names populate on the drop-down list based on the area number that is selected.

If you do not see the correct school’s name, first verify that your area number is correct. Here are a few key tips that will make finding your area number a breeze and help you find the school you are looking for.

1. You can find maps labeled with commonly used area numbers and maps here: Toolkit > Forms and Documents > All Documents > 1200-1299 Property Listing Menu > 1200-1209 Area Maps and Lists.

2. You can also use the Map Search to find the Area number:

• • From the menu bar select Search > Map Search.
    
  • In the Locate field on the right, above the map, enter the address and click Go.
  • Verify the pin is in the correct location.
  • At the top left, click the Layers button and turn on the Area layer. This will display the area numbers on the map. (You may need to zoom out a bit to get them to show)

3. If you have verified that your area number is correct and the school is still not showing, check with the school district to verify that the school is still open and hasn’t changed names recently. Also ensure that the school in question is a public school and not a private school – private schools are not included in RMLSweb.

4. Lastly, you can always contact rules@rmls.com to inquire about schools or let us know of any school information changes.

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 July 2022.

INFORMAL VIOLATIONS

Listings missing Tax ID information are consistently the top informal violation within RMLSweb. Sometimes the missing tax information is due to an error of omission. Other times, it may be because the listing is a new construction property that does not yet have a tax ID number available. Data Accuracy sends courtesy notices out to remind agents of the need to provide the tax information (when available).

The chart below shows the next three most frequent informal violations from July 2022.

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

Data Accuracy Department Statistics 

• Listings Reviewed: 21,179
• Notices Sent: 2,782
• Violation Notices Received: 418
• Courtesy Notices Sent: 2,044
• Phone Calls Received: 447

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.