Ask Technical Terry: Withdrawn Versus Cancelled Listings

by RMLS Communication Department | Jan 26, 2017

Ask Technical Terry is a series RMLS™ aims to offer once a month. RMLS™ subscribers will drive the content—submit any question about RMLS™ to Technical Terry in the comments or by emailing communications@rmls.com. Don’t be shy—we won’t identify you by name.

Dear TT,

I am SO frustrated! Twice in the past week, I’ve had two clients call and tell me that they’ve been contacted by REALTORS® offering to list their property. These are both properties I’ve recently put into withdrawn (WTH) status, but we still have a listing contract. Do you know why this is happening?

Sincerely,
Aggravated on Alberta

Hey, AA, I feel your pain! We’ve heard a lot of discussion about withdrawn versus cancelled listings over the years. There are a few potential issues at play when a RMLSweb listing is marked as withdrawn (WTH).

It sounds like you already know that WTH listings are not being actively marketed! The listing is still under contract, the listing just isn’t being actively marketed at that particular time. WTH is often used for special circumstances where the seller, for whatever reason, does not want their listing marketed but wants to retain the contract with the listing broker.

Of course solicitation of listings in WTH status is a violation of RMLS™ rules and the NAR Code of Ethics. It seems that perhaps some REALTORS® are confusing a WTH listing with a cancelled (CAN) or expired (EXP) listing. They’d probably best refresh their memory by reviewing Document #1213, Listing Status Definitions, on RMLSweb.

In our current market of historic-low inventory, REALTORS® are looking for leads where they can, contacting homeowners before doing due diligence through a full history review of the property. We can’t control that aspect of the situation, but we can encourage RMLS™ subscribers to be familiar with the proper use of listing statuses and the rules.

Technical Terry,

I’m confused! My sellers have been getting calls from REALTORS® offering to list their property. The sale closed weeks ago! Why is this happening?

Unknowing on Upshur

Thanks for the question, UU. Did you perhaps create a second listing on RMLSweb, complete with a new ML number, after putting the first into WTH status? This is a scenario our Data Accuracy staff hears about with some frequency.

What’s going on is that your first listing, because it was marked WTH, keeps ticking down until the expiration date you entered originally. In the meantime, your second RMLSweb listing (for the same property) may have been published and already sold. Once the expiration date for that first listing rolls around though, your sellers may begin getting calls from other RMLS™ subscribers.

This scenario creates problems for others as well, including a messy property history that could cause some unwanted phone calls like the ones Aggravated on Alberta’s clients experienced above.

That’s why RMLS™ recommends cancelling that first listing if you’re planning to create a second record with a new ML number on RMLSweb.

Hello Technical Terry—

Our listing contract was signed months ago, but things just aren’t working out with this client and I’m about to fire him. (I’ll spare you the detailed drama of the situation.) Should I mark the listing as CAN or WTH in RMLSweb?

Sincerely,
Tense on Terwilliger

Wow, TT, sounds like a pretty unique situation! Two pieces of advice for you. First, have a look at Document #1213, Listing Status Definitions, and get to understand the dramatic difference between CAN and WTH. The details of the situation may be crucial to which status you go with.

And if you’re still unsure about which status to choose for your particular situation, contact RMLS™ via phone, email, or chat! We’re here to help.

Ask Technical Terry: CDOM, RMLSweb Watermarks, Flyers

by RMLS Communication Department | Aug 24, 2016

Ask Technical Terry is a series RMLS™ aims to offer once a month. RMLS™ subscribers will drive the content—submit any question about RMLS™ to Technical Terry in the comments or by emailing communications@rmls.com. Don’t be shy—we won’t identify you by name.

Dear Technical Terry:

There’s a listing I have in Hillsboro that hasn’t sold despite the low inventory and hot activity happening in the Portland metro area. I want this thing to sell! To that end, I’ve cancelled the listing on RMLSweb three times…and then created a new listing for the same property. This way, the days on market will stay low and I’ll get more eyeballs from area brokers. Why doesn’t RMLS™ teach people about this?

Hotsheet Harry

Dear Harry:

I’ve got some bad news for you—you’re doing a lot of extra work relisting your property for no reason!

On the back end of RMLSweb, changing a listing’s status to Pending, Sold, Withdrawn, Cancelled, or Expired will trigger an off-market date. If the property is relisted within 31 days of that off-market date, the listing will still show cumulative days on market (CDOM). Have a look at RMLS™ Document #1742, How CDOM is Calculated for more on this.

If the property has been off the market for more than 31 days and it’s relisted, that listing will just show regular days on market (DOM).

Here’s an idea. If your property isn’t selling (or even if it’s new on the market), try your hand at the Reverse Prospecting tool on RMLSweb. Reverse Prospecting searches for other brokers with a saved prospecting profile that matches the criteria for your listing. Check out RMLSweb Document #1772, Reverse Prospecting, and give it a try! This way, you can target your marketing efforts on those brokers with clients shopping for precisely what you’re selling.

TT:

Last week my eagle-eyed clients asked about the photo that appeared on a listing I sent them. The listing said the house was under construction, but the photo showed the exterior of the house, complete with landscaping! Was this a listing error I need to submit to RMLS™ staff or is Photoshopping really getting that good?

Betty in Battle Ground

BBG:

Isn’t it amazing how far we’ve come in these matters, when it’s possible to transport yourself to the sunny beaches of Hawaii with the magic of digital image manipulation? It can be difficult to discern whether Elvis is really alive and running for President or if Bigfoot really did lose 150 pounds.

Those are bad examples, but RMLS™ has noticed some confusion about listing photos and just released a watermark feature in order to address the issue.

If your listing photo has what we in the biz call “virtual staging” (meaning someone used computer technology to add furniture and other decorative items to a listing photo), you’ll need to add the “Virtually Staged” watermark to the photo.

Similarly, if your RMLSweb listing is marked as Proposed or Under Construction but features photographs of an actual built house, you’ll need to add the “Sample Image” watermark to the photo.

If your listing photo features both a model home and has been virtually staged, you’ll need to add both watermarks!

Read more and watch a short video about the new RMLSweb watermarks here. This RMLSweb feature has been folded into the RMLS™ Rules and Regulations, so you’ll want to check your current listings.

Dear Technical Terry:

My entire office staff consists of me, myself, and I. Instead of spending my day creating listing flyers in Microsoft Word, I’d rather be out in the world showing my clients some listings. Or snagging some new clients. Perhaps shopping for client gifts. In short, doing anything but wrangling with Microsoft Word! Do you have any suggestions on how I might be able to tackle listing flyers in a better way?

Sincerely,
Riddled in Riddle

Great question, Riddled. We recommend the flyer module available on Realtors Property Resource® (RPR). Look for a direct link on RMLSweb under the Toolkit menu, then enter a valid RMLSweb listing number to open the flyer module in a new tab.

Data from your listing will already be pre-loaded—confirm the property address at minimum, and personalize the flyer as you’d like. Once the flyer is ready to go, select the delivery method and click “Run Report.” Your flyer will be ready to go in a jiffy.