Not all REALTORS® who subscribe to RMLS™ have an intimate familiarity of the RMLS™ Rules and Regulations. This is why the Data Accuracy staff work hard each day to reach out to subscribers and correct issues that have been spotted in listings or address other concerns called in by fellow REALTORS®.
As Data Compliance Manager I’m relatively new to RMLS™ but one of my roles is to educate subscribers about the RMLS™ Rules and Regulations in our ongoing effort to ensure data accuracy on RMLSweb.
One of the most basic questions our subscribers may ask themselves is this: what happens when a RMLS™ subscriber breaks one of the RMLS™ Rules?
The answer depends on the rule, and whether a formal complaint was received. There are two types of issues that get sent to us. The most common of these is done using the report issue button that is found on the listing in RMLSweb, calling the RMLS™ Help Desk, or sending an email to rules@rmls.com. This is an anonymous process and is helpful to us in identifying errors on listings as well as rules violations.
The second type is the formal violation. A formal violation is not an anonymous process and involves accusations of rule breaking that could carry a sanction. These are far less common but we take them very seriously when they happen. Between January and July 2017 RMLS™ had received six formal violations. All of them were regarding various misuses of a lockbox (Section 5.1.l. Lockbox Access). Of those, three were for not following showing instructions, two were for entering a property while it was in pending (PEN) status and the last was for using it, the lockbox, for something other than real estate business. The six violations were reviewed by the Rules Committee and a total of $1,350.00 in fines were sanctioned. In one case, lockbox privileges were suspended.
The RMLS™ Rules and Regulations Committee has requested that reports about the number of formal violations, the type of violation, and the result get shared periodically with subscribers. RMLS™ will be reporting updates throughout the year, so keep watching for these reports throughout the year!
Over the last few years the RMLS™ Board of Directors and staff have received numerous questions, concerns, and comments regarding property that is being marketed as “coming soon.” In light of so many inquiries the RMLS™ Board of Directors formed a task force earlier this year to evaluate the concerns and identify potential solutions. The result is a new status called CSN – Coming Soon-No Showing. This new status indicates that there is a valid listing agreement between the seller(s) and the listing agent/firm, but that the listing is not ready to be shown. This listing is in the MLS, but not on market. This status tells other subscribers when the property will become available for showings.
Highlights of the new Coming Soon-No Showing (CSN) status:
CSN listings are considered an off-market status, like Withdrawn (WTH).
CSN listings are only viewable within RMLSweb.com.
CSN listings are not included on RMLS.com, Realtor.com, IDX, or syndicated feeds.
CSN listings are not included in open house or broker tours.
A property may be in CSN status for up to 21 days. After 21 days is reached the system will automatically change the status to Active (ACT) unless the listing agent changes it sooner.
CSN listings cannot be shown—by anyone. If a showing is to occur, the rules will state that the status of the listing must first be changed to Active (ACT) to allow everyone an opportunity to show the property.
Days on Market (DOM)/Cumulative Days on Market (CDOM) counts do not accrue while in CSN status
The first photograph will contain a “Coming Soon-No Showing” watermark. When the listing is no longer in CSN status, the system will automatically remove the watermark from the first photograph.
CSN listings can be searched and viewed within RMLSweb.
CSN listings will be excluded from client prospecting auto-email notifications.
CSN listings are excluded from statistical reports.
Agent reports within RMLSweb will only display “No Showings Permitted” in the showing notification section.
Here are a few examples of how you could benefit from the Coming Soon-No Showing listing status:
It allows time to prepare a listing so that it is fully marketable the moment it goes active. With this new status, you can prepare all marketing around the date the listing will move to Active status. Listings under the new status are submitted to the MLS and have an MLS number.
This new status allows agents to market their listings in the MLS to other subscribers while finishing touches (such as new paint, flooring, etc.) are being completed.
A listing will not needlessly accrue Days on Market/Cumulative Days on Market. DOM/CDOM accrual does not begin until it moves to Active status.
It provides subscribers with the date of when the listing is expected to be active. By providing this date, the most interested buyers can get prepared to see the property when the listing switches to Active status.
It helps keep other subscribers informed of upcoming inventory. By including CSN listings in RMLSweb, subscribers will not be caught off guard by “coming soon” yard signs when driving through a community with a buyer.
We will be adding the new status in early 2018. Changes to the RMLS™ Rules and Regulations, listings contracts, and the Authorization to Exclude from MLS Addendum will be required as well as programming changes for RMLSweb. Watch the RMLSweb desktop for more information as we get closer to implementing this new status.
Did you know that 2016 marks the 25th anniversary of RMLS™?
RMLS™ staff members have been visiting association meetings this year to deliver thank yous and anniversary-themed goodies, as our partners around the region have been absolutely vital to the success of RMLS™ since 1991.
RMLS™ will close out this silver anniversary with a month of giveaways. We’ll be giving away 25 prizes in December, one for each year RMLS™ has been serving REALTORS® in the Pacific northwest.
Each week in December, we’ll spotlight a couple of RMLS™ departments who will choose a couple of lucky subscribers to receive a $50 gift card from Amazon, Home Depot, or Best Buy. If you’ve had an interaction with the RMLS™ Help Desk, Account Services, Training, Data Accuracy, Distribution Services, or the Front Desk in 2016, you’ll be automatically entered for these giveaways.
We have more to give away! Tell us how RMLS™ has impacted your real estate career in an email to communications@rmls.com—and you’ll be entered to win a cookie basket to share with your office or an iPad Air 2!
GIFT CARD WINNERS!
Data Accuracy:
Cy Vandermeer, Blue Pacific Realty (Brookings)
Cindy Whipple, Berkshire Hathaway Home Services NW Real Estate (Eugene)
Beth Earnest, Earnest and Associates Real Estate (Portland)
Distribution Services:
Andy Harris, Home Team Realty (Portland)
Ray Penny, NextHome All State Real Estate (Coos Bay)
Hunter Finch, Bandon Property (Bandon)
Front Desk:
Sherri Brown, Century 21 The Neil Company (Roseburg)
Steve Betts, Coldwell Banker Seal (Vancouver)
Nadia Mulyar, Premiere Property Group (Vancouver)
Training:
Emily Siskin, Premiere Property Group (Clackamas)
Cristina Tran, Better Homes and Gardens (Portland)
Sondra McFeters, Portland Digs (Portland)
Help Desk:
Sally Haskin, Ross Pacific Realty (Vancouver)
Zoe Brady, Equinox Real Estate (Eugene)
Richard Compton, Keller Williams Realty Professionals (Portland)
Check back with this post throughout December for a list of winners.
Did you know that 2016 marks the 25th anniversary of RMLS™?
RMLS™ staff members have been visiting association meetings this year to deliver thank yous and anniversary-themed goodies, as our partners around the region have been absolutely vital to the success of RMLS™ since 1991.
RMLS™ will close out this silver anniversary with a month of giveaways. We’ll be giving away 25 prizes in December, one for each year RMLS™ has been serving REALTORS® in the Pacific northwest.
Each week in December, we’ll spotlight a couple of RMLS™ departments who will choose a couple of lucky subscribers to receive a $50 gift card from Amazon, Home Depot, or Best Buy. If you’ve had an interaction with the RMLS™ Help Desk, Account Services, Training, Data Accuracy, Distribution Services, or the Front Desk in 2016, you’ll be automatically entered for these giveaways.
We have more to give away! Tell us how RMLS™ has impacted your real estate career in an email to communications@rmls.com—and you’ll be entered to win a cookie basket to share with your office or an iPad Air 2!
GIFT CARD WINNERS!
Data Accuracy:
Cy Vandermeer, Blue Pacific Realty (Brookings)
Cindy Whipple, Berkshire Hathaway Home Services NW Real Estate (Eugene)
Beth Earnest, Earnest and Associates Real Estate (Portland)
Distribution Services:
Andy Harris, Home Team Realty (Portland)
Ray Penny, NextHome All State Real Estate (Coos Bay)
Hunter Finch, Bandon Property (Bandon)
Front Desk:
Sherri Brown, Century 21 The Neil Company (Roseburg)
Steve Betts, Coldwell Banker Seal (Vancouver)
Nadia Mulyar, Premiere Property Group (Vancouver)
Training:
Emily Siskin, Premiere Property Group (Clackamas)
Cristina Tran, Better Homes and Gardens (Portland)
Sondra McFeters, Portland Digs (Portland)
Help Desk:
Sally Haskin, Ross Pacific Realty (Vancouver)
Zoe Brady, Equinox Real Estate (Eugene)
Richard Compton, Keller Williams Realty Professionals (Portland)
Check back with this post throughout December for a list of winners.
Our subscribers have spoken, and RMLS™ will be poring over every comment in the coming weeks. Over 2,700 subscribers took the 2016 RMLS™ Subscriber Satisfaction Survey, doing their part to voice their opinions and help us guide the organization into 2017.
This annual survey is crucial in the RMLSwebdevelopment process, as subscriber feedback can lead to RMLSweb improvements the following year. Data from the survey also helps set priorities for the organization as a whole, identifies areas of improvement in each department, and acts as an overall indicator of how the organization is performing.
Detail-oriented subscribers may have noticed the rating system change from a five-point to a ten-point scale this year. This was at the request of the RMLS™ Board of Directors. While this change eliminated the safety of a “neutral” option, doubling the number on a past survey response offered an easy way to compare results from previous years.
How did RMLS™ fare in this challenging year? Let’s have a look at a couple of key questions.
OVERALL SATISFACTION
RMLS™ subscribers rated their overall satisfaction as an 8.4. Adjusted for the new rating system, the overall score on this same question in 2015 was 7.6.
Opinions about every single survey question varied wildly, and this big question was no different.
Comments: “RMLS™ always does a great job responding to my questions or problems.” “Better than it’s ever been, but still not rockin’ it.” “Very friendly staff, just a bit costly to me, being a new agent.” “If I was more familiar, it would be more valuable.” “I would like to see more ‘appraiser friendly’ search options.” “Perfect service.” “I am a member of three other MLS services and RMLS™ is head and shoulders above them all.” “Darn close to invaluable.”
RMLSWEB PROJECTS THAT HELPED YOUR BUSINESS
RMLS™ released several improvements to RMLSweb since the previous survey. Few of these changes impacted all 13,000 subscribers the same way, but taking metrics gives us information on where RMLS™ got the most bang for its development buck.
In 2015, RMLS™ listed four system improvements, with ratings (adjusted) ranging from 6.6 to 7.0.
Comments: “I hate to admit that I didn’t know about most of these, but am looking forward to learning more about them!” “The new mapping system is nice!” “The new mapping tool is okay.” “Not a fan of the new maps.” “Anything new in regards to photos/logos/editing is always helpful.” “I love the increase in photo count!” “The photo watermarks are great, the virtually staged is helpful too.” “These questions make me think I need a class as I am not using half of the improvements.” “While these features sound good, the implementation of them is often clunky.” “Almost none of this has anything to do with appraisers.” “LOVE the watermarks – super handy for new construction/purposed homes!!!!!” “RPR is fabulous! So glad to have it as an additional tool for my use!” “I think RMLS™ has done a good job, and I appreciate the changes.” “Thank you!”
THIRSTING FOR MORE?
Respondents were sometimes open about their lack of knowledge about RMLSweb. Perhaps they were unfamiliar with the full suite of features or had no idea an improvement had been made that might make their day go easier.
If you’re wanting more education about RMLSweb, our trainers can help! RMLS™ trainers are constantly teaching subscribers the finer points of RMLSweb in one of the RMLS™ offices, online, and even on the road! Contact the RMLS™ trainers at (503) 236-7657 to discuss your needs and set up an appointment.
Now that the big picture is taken care of, each department at RMLS™ will start digging deep into individual responses over the coming weeks. If you completed the survey, you might hear from us! We frequently contact subscribers to answer a question or clarify a comment before moving forward.
Subscribers who helped us out with this crucial survey by giving us your thoughts, thanks again! We hope the results will help us shape RMLSweb over the next year to make it even better.
Our subscribers have spoken, and RMLS™ will be poring over every comment in the coming weeks. Over 2,700 subscribers took the 2016 RMLS™ Subscriber Satisfaction Survey, doing their part to voice their opinions and help us guide the organization into 2017.
This annual survey is crucial in the RMLSwebdevelopment process, as subscriber feedback can lead to RMLSweb improvements the following year. Data from the survey also helps set priorities for the organization as a whole, identifies areas of improvement in each department, and acts as an overall indicator of how the organization is performing.
Detail-oriented subscribers may have noticed the rating system change from a five-point to a ten-point scale this year. This was at the request of the RMLS™ Board of Directors. While this change eliminated the safety of a “neutral” option, doubling the number on a past survey response offered an easy way to compare results from previous years.
How did RMLS™ fare in this challenging year? Let’s have a look at a couple of key questions.
OVERALL SATISFACTION
RMLS™ subscribers rated their overall satisfaction as an 8.4. Adjusted for the new rating system, the overall score on this same question in 2015 was 7.6.
Opinions about every single survey question varied wildly, and this big question was no different.
Comments: “RMLS™ always does a great job responding to my questions or problems.” “Better than it’s ever been, but still not rockin’ it.” “Very friendly staff, just a bit costly to me, being a new agent.” “If I was more familiar, it would be more valuable.” “I would like to see more ‘appraiser friendly’ search options.” “Perfect service.” “I am a member of three other MLS services and RMLS™ is head and shoulders above them all.” “Darn close to invaluable.”
RMLSWEB PROJECTS THAT HELPED YOUR BUSINESS
RMLS™ released several improvements to RMLSweb since the previous survey. Few of these changes impacted all 13,000 subscribers the same way, but taking metrics gives us information on where RMLS™ got the most bang for its development buck.
In 2015, RMLS™ listed four system improvements, with ratings (adjusted) ranging from 6.6 to 7.0.
Comments: “I hate to admit that I didn’t know about most of these, but am looking forward to learning more about them!” “The new mapping system is nice!” “The new mapping tool is okay.” “Not a fan of the new maps.” “Anything new in regards to photos/logos/editing is always helpful.” “I love the increase in photo count!” “The photo watermarks are great, the virtually staged is helpful too.” “These questions make me think I need a class as I am not using half of the improvements.” “While these features sound good, the implementation of them is often clunky.” “Almost none of this has anything to do with appraisers.” “LOVE the watermarks – super handy for new construction/purposed homes!!!!!” “RPR is fabulous! So glad to have it as an additional tool for my use!” “I think RMLS™ has done a good job, and I appreciate the changes.” “Thank you!”
THIRSTING FOR MORE?
Respondents were sometimes open about their lack of knowledge about RMLSweb. Perhaps they were unfamiliar with the full suite of features or had no idea an improvement had been made that might make their day go easier.
If you’re wanting more education about RMLSweb, our trainers can help! RMLS™ trainers are constantly teaching subscribers the finer points of RMLSweb in one of the RMLS™ offices, online, and even on the road! Contact the RMLS™ trainers at (503) 236-7657 to discuss your needs and set up an appointment.
Now that the big picture is taken care of, each department at RMLS™ will start digging deep into individual responses over the coming weeks. If you completed the survey, you might hear from us! We frequently contact subscribers to answer a question or clarify a comment before moving forward.
Subscribers who helped us out with this crucial survey by giving us your thoughts, thanks again! We hope the results will help us shape RMLSweb over the next year to make it even better.
