RMLS™ is ready to start rolling out the results of this year’s forms change project! On Wednesday, July 29th, subscribers will see a brand new Green/Energy Supplement form, additional options for Showing Instructions, and much more.

These regular changes are the result of hundreds of subscriber suggestions and the hard work of the RMLS™ Forms Committee and RMLSweb development team.

What’s Changing?

A few highlights:
• Green/Energy Supplement Form: The use of sustainable building technology continues to grow, and this year RMLS™ is moving a scattered number of green features into the Green/Energy Supplement form, available for any residential listing. On this form, agents can note details about a home’s green certification and its use of solar energy. Agents also have an opportunity to provide additional remarks about aspects of green building and energy features on a property.
• Text to Show: Prefer to be texted when a buyer’s agent wants to show a property? Showing Instructions will now include options to text the listing agent, tenant, or owner. Not everyone prefers texting though, and another new option will exist to email the listing agent.
• Multiple Tax IDs in One Listing: Subscribers listing large parcels of land that stretch across multiple tax lots now have the option of including up to three total Tax IDs per listing. (If you’ve got more than three Tax IDs, you’ll still need to note those in the legal description or private remarks field.)
• Dual Living: RMLS™ currently lists a separate on-site dwelling unit in multiple places, including Accessibility Features and Additional Structures Supplement. A new field in Advanced Search, Dual Living Y/N, will identify residential listings where any of these dual living setups have been indicated.

Looking for more detail? View a complete summary of forms changes scheduled for July 29, 2015 or preview the contract, input, and supplement listing forms. Fields highlighted in green are new, orange fields have been modified, and blue highlights mean the field has moved.

A Longer Outage Needed for Forms Change

Improvements take time. July’s RMLSweb maintenance outage will take longer than usual to allow for this extra work. Plan now, as RMLSweb will be in maintenance mode (search only) from 10pm Tuesday, July 28th until 6am Wednesday, July 29th.

And Coming Soon…

Expect even more this fall. Other improvements to be released later this year as part of the forms change project include a brand new photo uploader and a new listing status, Pending Lease Option (POP).

RMLSweb continually improves when subscribers talk back to us about the system. We hope subscribers appreciate this work and will continue to share comments and questions! If you have questions about these new features, contact the RMLS™ Help Desk at (503) 872-8002 or (877) 256-2169.

This Week’s Lockbox Activity

For the week of July 5-12, 2015, these charts show the number of times RMLS™ subscribers opened SentriLock lockboxes in Oregon and Washington. Showing activity increased in both states this week.

For a larger version of each chart, visit the RMLS™ photostream on Flickr.

This Week’s Lockbox Activity

For the week of June 29-July 5, 2015, these charts show the number of times RMLS™ subscribers opened SentriLock lockboxes in Oregon and Washington. Activity decreased in both Oregon and Washington this week.

For a larger version of each chart, visit the RMLS™ photostream on Flickr.

RMLS™ subscribers, get ready—RMLS™ is putting the finishing touches on a new reverse prospecting tool! We plan to premiere the new system the morning of Thursday, July 16th.

What should you expect? Here’s a preview:

Map Capability

Need to find buyers specifically looking in your geographical area? Reverse prospecting will now feature map capability, meaning REALTORS® can connect with agents who have clients looking in the specific area where your listing is situated. Net result? A more effective search!

NOTE: Agents using auto-fill to populate information from a ML# in Reverse Prospecting, take note: the map pin will be placed where it was entered in Listing Load. It can be adjusted in this new Reverse Prospecting interface, but it’s always good practice to verify the map point of your listing in Listing Load!

If the map isn’t useful to you, minimize it by clicking “Map Point Selection Map” above the upper left corner of the map window. This will give you easy access to the other search fields that appear below the map.

Saved Searches

Just like our other search options, users will now be able to save searches in reverse prospecting. These saved searches can be accessed via tabs at the top of the screen.

A Refreshed Look

The current RMLSweb reverse prospecting system is a bit dated, and we’ve been working to bring a consistent look and feel to the site as a whole. You’ll notice a big difference in the visual design of the reverse prospecting system as soon as we roll it out.

Don’t forget, if you find yourself with questions as you navigate around the new system, the RMLS™ Help Desk is available to assist you via telephone [(503) 872-8002 or (877) 256-2169], email, or by chatting directly from RMLSweb.

This Week’s Lockbox Activity

For the week of June 22-28, 2015, these charts show the number of times RMLS™ subscribers opened SentriLock lockboxes in Oregon and Washington. Activity decreased in both Oregon and Washington this week.

For a larger version of each chart, visit the RMLS™ photostream on Flickr.

Are your doors wide enough for a wheelchair? View a tour of an accessible house in Virginia. (Photo courtesy of Fairfax County, VA via Flickr)

Would you know how to look for a home for a client who uses a wheelchair? Do you know how to identify accessible features when listing a home to market them to a wider audience on RMLSweb?

July 26th is the 25th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act, a piece of legislation crafted to eliminate discrimination against people with physical or mental conditions that may require accommodations. Last week, an educational forum organized by the Portland Metro Association of REALTORS® (PMAR) explored the intersection of real estate and accessibility—from looking at how a brokerage can improve accessibility in the office to the perspective of a local REALTOR® who uses a wheelchair.

Today we aim to educate RMLS™ subscribers on how they may use RMLSweb more effectively in both the listing and buying processes.

The Accessibility Field on RMLSweb

Accessibility has been addressed on RMLSweb for years, with the Accessibility field being regularly reviewed and developed by the RMLS™ Forms Committee. Over the years this field has been expanded to include wide parking spaces, stair assistance, roll-in showers, and more.

The Devil’s in the Details

How wide must a doorway be to be marked as WD-DOOR? Specificity helps REALTORS® do their job, so prospective clients don’t arrive at a property to find the listing inadequate for their needs—perhaps sporting a dangerously steep ramp or a ‘wide’ hallway where a wheelchair can’t turn.

Document #1211 on RMLSweb, Accessibility Term Definitions, defines minimum standards for each accessibility feature. REALTORS® listing a property should verify the specified measurements on each feature before marking the appropriate field in RMLSweb.

(We also include the accessibility terms on Document #1210, Listing Abbreviations, but this document only unravels abbreviations without specific details about each feature.)

In the Thick of Listing or Searching for a Property?

If you’re listing a property using Listing Load, click on the linked text that says “Accessibility” for a pop-up window with full definitions.

Searching for properties for a client? In Advanced Search, select the Accessibility field and then click the Help link for full definitions.

Incorrect Data? Let Us Know!

What if, as a buyer agent, you show a listing that don’t quite meet the standards outlined on the definitions document? Report the listing to RMLS™ using the Report Issue button! Our staff will contact the listing agent to get things ironed out.

Have any suggestions for improving how RMLSweb communicates a listing’s accessibility? Submit a suggestion to the RMLS™ Forms Committee by contacting Christina Smestad.

This Week’s Lockbox Activity

For the week of June 15-21, 2015, these charts show the number of times RMLS™ subscribers opened SentriLock lockboxes in Oregon and Washington. Activity rose in Washington, but decreased in Oregon this week.

For a larger version of each chart, visit the RMLS™ photostream on Flickr.

This Week’s Lockbox Activity

For the week of June 8-14, 2015, these charts show the number of times RMLS™ subscribers opened SentriLock lockboxes in Oregon and Washington. Activity decreased in both Oregon and Washington this week.

For a larger version of each chart, visit the RMLS™ photostream on Flickr.

This Week’s Lockbox Activity

For the week of June 1-7, 2015, these charts show the number of times RMLS™ subscribers opened SentriLock lockboxes in Oregon and Washington. Numbers in both Oregon and Washington increased this week.

For a larger version of each chart, visit the RMLS™ photostream on Flickr.

This Week’s Lockbox Activity

For the week of May 25-31, 2015, these charts show the number of times RMLS™ subscribers opened SentriLock lockboxes in Oregon and Washington. Decreases were seen in both Oregon and Washington this week.

For a larger version of each chart, visit the RMLS™ photostream on Flickr.