Maps on RMLSweb are getting a facelift next week—and although they’ll have a different look, features will largely stay the same.

RMLSweb maps, which are currently powered by Microsoft’s Bing, will be making a big change in the coming days. This requires RMLS™ to make some changes to RMLSweb to keep maps on the site up and running.

The new interface is cleaner, easier, and more mobile friendly—but subscribers will notice that nearly all the current mapping features on RMLSweb will remain the same.

Map layers, map shapes, includes, and excludes are still available to target a search. Toggle buttons make it clear when the map is in drawing mode versus navigation mode. Larger buttons, less reliant on text, should make using the new interface easier for mobile users.

The one exception to the features available in this new look? The birds-eye view of maps won’t be available right away, but may return later as Microsoft improves its Bing product.

Map Checked properties will sport buttons to produce driving directions with the image of a car, and printable maps with the image of a printer. List and Map buttons toggle between two views of the same information.

Look for the visual changes to RMLSweb maps starting Wednesday, June 21st on RMLSweb!

UPDATE (June 20, 2017):

RMLS™ trainers have created a brief video (4:50) to demonstrate the new mapping interface.

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.

Hey TT-

Help! I witnessed a fellow REALTOR® giving out a SentriSmart™ lockbox access code to their buyers! I was at a coffee shop and overheard this person on the phone, walking someone through the process of opening a lockbox, including retrieving the lockbox serial number and using a lockbox code. When I approached them about the issue a few minutes later, they said they did not want to drive all the way to the coast to show a vacant condo. Is this OK?

Pensive in the Pearl

As you probably know, this is a major violation of the RMLS™ Rules and Regulations as well as the SentriLock user agreement! This person could face sanctions as high as $2500 and expulsion from RMLS™!

Perhaps you’ve noticed that RMLS™ has run an article on the RMLSweb desktop a few times over the past several months about this kind of issue. Detailing the liability concerns would take far too long, but this type of behavior strikes at the very core of REALTOR® professionalism. When the RMLS™ Board of Directors made the decision to transition to SentriLock, one of the key points considered was the numerous ways to open a lockbox. Unfortunately this enhanced capability has enhanced the potential for misuse as well. This is one example of misuse made possible because of technology.

SentriLock is a REALTOR®-owned company, and as such is keyed into the trends and behaviors of REALTORS® on a national level. SentriLock has developed new reporting capability for administrators (such as the MLS) that allow for GPS correlation between the cell phone using SentriSmart™ to generate an access code and the physical location of the lockbox. If you and your cell phone are in Portland generating a SentriSmart™ access code for a lockbox in Coos Bay, the SentriLock system will flag it. As you can imagine, this technology provides RMLS™ with much more information about this kind of behavior. Please continue to report suspected transgressions to RMLS™, but also be aware that we are watching these reports and responding accordingly.

Technical Terry,

One of my clients called me in a huff this morning. He was getting ready to leave for work when a random REALTOR® entered his house with clients! He and his wife accepted an offer last week and wasn’t expecting to see more strangers inside his home. How can I ensure this client won’t get any more surprises until moving day?

Frustrated in Forest Grove

I understand your frustration! This is another issue RMLS™ hears about with some regularity—REALTORS® entering a listing after an offer has been accepted and the listing is in pending status (PEN) on RMLSweb.

Everyone, listen up: if you enter a property currently in pending status on RMLSweb without the permission of the listing agent or owner, you could face some unpleasant repercussions! This activity is a violation of the RMLS™ Rules and Regulations.

We emphasized this information in our recent blog post about the importance of following showing instructions, but it bears repeating. Before showing a property, check the current status of a listing before entering the property. Apps like RPR Mobile™ and HomeSpotter give you easy access to RMLSweb listing information in the field. Then if a listing is in pending status, do not hold a showing! It doesn’t matter if the listing is vacant or occupied, if it’s pending on RMLSweb, do not enter.

Dear Technical Terry,

The batteries died in my lockbox and I want to replace them. There’s a great sale on CR123A batteries at my local bulk store, but they’re not Panasonic batteries like the front desk staff at RMLS™ have told me they use exclusively. What’s the big deal? Can’t I use these for my lockbox replacement batteries?

Dead Batteries in the Dalles

It’s sad, but true, DBD—not all CR123A batteries are exactly the same. In this case, the Panasonic batteries hold an extra circuit that ensures the batteries maintain a consistent three-volt power supply. SentriLock lockboxes require a constant three volts to function properly, meaning these are the batteries you’ll need to buy for your SentriLock lockbox.

I know it’s tempting to get whatever battery is easily available, but the lockbox will not function as reliably if it’s not getting that constant three volts of juice. It is because of this that SentriLock will not support or warranty any lockboxes with non-Panasonic batteries in them.

RMLS™ recently created a document outlining some of the finer points of SentriLock batteries. We’ve found Batteries Plus Bulbs or BatterySpace.com to be a fair place to purchase these batteries if you want to have extras on hand for that day when you get a low battery notification.

RMLS™ is gearing up for its annual forms change on RMLSweb! Following an overnight outage [SEE UPDATES], later this spring subscribers will notice new supplements, co-lister access to in-progress listings, contract changes, the absence of map coordinates fields, and a variety of smaller changes.

Forms changes happen regularly on RMLSweb. Each change has been approved by the RMLS™ Forms Committee based on the feedback provided through hundreds of subscriber comments. Recommendations were then reviewed and approved by the RMLS™ Board of Directors.

Implementation of these changes is quite a task, largely on the part of the RMLSweb development team. An overnight outage will take place in late May or early June to allow for this extra work.

Once the forms change is live, here are a few of the biggest pieces you’ll see.

Three New Supplements

Floating homes will gain a supplement, as will townhouses/planned communities. If a listing is occupied by someone other than the homeowner, a non-owner occupant supplement will be available.

Removal of Map Coordinates

RMLS™ will remove all map coordinates fields (map column, map page, and map row) in this forms change. Map coordinates have not been required on RMLSweb listings since December 2013, and usage of these fields has dropped considerably since that time.

RMLS™ recognizes that some subscribers may still want to use map shapes in their work on the site, and many have saved searches that utilize these fields. RMLS™ trainers produced a brief (four minute) video that can help subscribers make the transition away from map coordinates easier.

Co-lister Access to In-progress Listings

Have you ever co-listed a property with another agent and been unable to work on the listing as a team until the listing was published on RMLSweb? A co-lister may be chosen when creating a listing in Listing Load, and that chosen co-lister will be able to edit or publish those listings along with the agent who initiated the work.

Listing Load Unabbreviated by Default  [SEE UPDATES]

RMLS™ does its best to use listing abbreviations that make sense, but SPRNKLR is much easier to decipher than PLB-ICE. Once this forms change project is live, Listing Load on RMLSweb will be unabbreviated by default, so you won’t need to have Document #1210, Listing Abbreviations, open in another browser tab to do your work. If you prefer the brevity of an abbreviated Listing Load (or like to challenge your knowledge of RMLSweb abbreviations), a button will be available allowing you to toggle between the two options.

Searchable DOM

Looking for homes that have been on the market for a while? Days on Market (DOM) will be searchable in Advanced Search for listings in active status.

State of Oregon Residency

Listings in Oregon will sport a new field to indicate whether or not the seller is a permanent resident of the state. This information is now required on OREF forms.

Contract Changes

Listing contracts will carry a space to list the license number of the REALTOR® and office, some small changes to language, and a few new selections in various fields. (See update below.)

Looking for More Detail?

Dig into this spring’s forms changes with the following:
• View a complete summary of forms changes scheduled for this spring.
• Preview revised input, and supplement listing forms. (Green highlights indicate new items, blue indicate items that have moved location, and yellow highlights indicate items which have been changed.)
• Preview related changes to Oregon and Washington listing contracts.

UPDATE (May 3, 2017):

Contract changes will include some general housekeeping and the following:
• Listing contracts will include the license number of the REALTOR® and office in the signature section.
• Listing contracts will nclude the seller’s email in the signature section.
• The language regarding procuring cause in Section 3 will be removed, as the language was found to be redundant: “or (c) is the procuring cause of an agreement to sell the Property or lease the Property with an option to purchase.”

UPDATE (May 24, 2017):

The overnight outage to deploy the forms change project has been scheduled for Tuesday, June 6th at 10pm until Wednesday, June 7th at 6am.

During this time the maintenance mode version of RMLSweb will be available to search for listings and agent contact information. Data on the site will be read-only and users will not be able to save searches, create profiles, or enter listings.

UPDATE (June 6, 2017):

The enhancement to Listing Load, showing feature values in their unabbreviated form by default, will be released in late June.

UPDATE (October 27, 2017):

On October 31st, RMLS™ will release a few more edits to this year’s forms change, the result of subscriber feedback received after the initial release.

• The Seller Perm. Oregon Resident Y/N field will change from being required to being unrequired. (Oregon only)
• Pending HOA Litigation Y/N: The field will be changed from unrequired on the Condo Supplement to required. In addition, the field will change from Yes/No to Yes/No/Unknown.

REALTORS® have a lot of details to juggle in their daily lives, and in a hot real estate market, showing instructions probably aren’t on the top of your priority list. Even so, a hot market means it’s of utmost importance to provide detailed showing instructions if you’re listing a property, or abide by the instructions when showing a property to prospective clients.

Are you doing the best by your clients and your colleagues’ clients? RMLS™ has compiled a list of ways to make sure you’re doing the very best you can regarding showing instructions.

LISTING AGENTS

• Provide thorough showing information in the listing so other subscribers may easily conduct a showing. We understand it’s tempting to get a listing up quickly, thinking you’ll fix it later, but this may set your colleagues and clients up for some unpleasant interactions.

• Think about the hours your lockbox can be opened. Default lockbox hours on RMLS™ SentriLock lockboxes is 8am-9pm Pacific time. Did you change these default hours when the lockbox was on a prior listing? Would you like to customize your lockbox to only be accessible during a different timeframe? You can change lockbox hours yourself or call the RMLS™ Help Desk for assistance.

• Put yourself in the showing agent’s shoes. Double-check the showing instructions are accurate and that an agent showing the property has what they need to follow the instructions. If a listing instructs agents to call the owner first, the homeowner’s phone number should be included on the listing. Showing information may be included in any of the following fields: Private Remarks, Occupied By, Lockbox/Location/Combo, Showing Hours, Showing Instructions (aka Show), Owner/Phone, or Tenant/Phone.

• Do you need to restrict access to a listing? If so, consider using a Call Before Showing (CBS) code to access a lockbox.

• Make your CALL-LA instructions crystal clear. Use the private remarks to clarify if showing agents should make contact for instructions or just leave a message that they will be showing the property.

SHOWING AGENTS

• Check the current listing status to avoid a violation of the RMLS™ Rules and Regulations. Before showing any property, double-check the listing’s current status. If you enter a property in Pending (PEN) status without the permission of the listing agent or owner, you could face unpleasant repercussions! Entering a property in Pending (PEN) status is against the RMLS™ Rules and Regulations (see Sections 5.1 and 7.1)

• Read—and follow—showing instructions. While you’re in RMLSweb checking the listing’s current status, thoroughly review the showing instructions detailed on the listing. RMLS™ regularly receives reports of embarrassing situations, negative feelings, and potential rules violations when subscribers don’t pay close attention to instructions. Instructions or pieces of information could be found in any or all of the following listing fields: Private Remarks, Occupied By, Lockbox/Location/Combo, Showing Hours, Showing Instructions (aka Show), Owner/Phone, or Tenant/Phone.

• Use RPR Mobile™ and HomeSpotter to access listing information in the field. Listing data can be easily accessed in the field via HomeSpotter or RPR Mobile™. If you’re not already using both these apps, they’ll make showings easier, so get to it—find out more about RPR Mobile™ then read about HomeSpotter and download them today!

• Trust your gut. If you arrive at a scheduled showing and something is off—an aggressive pet is loose in the house, minors are home alone, or a band of squatters is camped on the front lawn—consider rescheduling the showing.

EVERYONE

• Know the difference between CALL1ST versus CALL-LA! If a listing says to call first in the showing instructions, call the owner/seller. If there is no answer, leave a message informing them you will be showing their property. If CALL-LA is in the showing instructions, check the remarks for further information and call the listing agent for further instruction before showing the property.

• Don’t enter listed properties in Pending (PEN) status! (Have we mentioned that one yet?) Check the status of the listing as well as the showing instructions just before entering the property, whether or not the property is occupied. It’s a RMLS™ Rules and Regulations violation if you don’t (see Sections 5.1 and 7.1)!

We realize that honest mistakes happen out in the field, but taking more time to be mindful about showing instructions can stop unpleasant situations—with clients or colleagues—before they happen.

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.

Good Afternoon, Technical Terry!

I don’t check my email often and my RMLSweb Watch List notification emails get buried. Last week I missed a property that went back on the market until it already had another accepted offer! That’s clearly not how you intended the service to work. What would you suggest?

Wheeler Dealer

Good Morning, Wheeler Dealer! What I would suggest is changing your Watch List to send notifications to you by text message.

Next time you’re on RMLSweb, select “Watch List” under the Prospecting menu on the navigation bar. This is your dashboard for Watch List. Under Options, you can select to receive notifications by text or email.

But wait—is that check box for the texting option greyed out? That’s because you need a number to use for texting! Hover over your name in the navigation bar to access User Preferences, then enter a number into the “Text Phone Number” field and save. Once the number has been saved, head back to Watch List and both text and email options should be available.

Remember, the RMLS™ Help Desk has staff that are happy to help if you need a little more assistance.

Dear TT,

I absolutely LOVE the new Watch List feature on RMLSweb! I have a problem though: I got my first text and thought I was being spammed, so I typed STOP to end them. (I’ve used this trick before to end unwanted text messages.) Now I’m afraid I’ve removed my ability to receive text messages about my Watch List items forever. Can you help me?

Textually Challenged

Dear TC,

It heartens me to hear of your interest in the Watch List feature on RMLSweb! It really does a great job of allowing you to passively watch either MLS numbers or Tax ID numbers based on numerous triggers. To date there have been over 14,000 Watch List items saved in RMLSweb by over 2,500 RMLS™ subscribers. In march alone, there were 15,700 Watch List texts sent!

While you are one of the first to report mistakenly opting out of the Watch List texts, I’m sure you won’t be the last. Readers that have either not set up any properties to watch or have not yet seen a text for a watched property, they look like this.

If you reply to the text message with the word STOP, this screen will appear.

Eagle-eyed readers probably notice that one can reinstate your phone number by texting START again.

If you mistakenly type STOP and want to reinstate your phone number to receive texts about your RMLSweb Watch List items, simply type and send the word START and you’ll receive the confirmation below.

Pretty easy, isn’t it? Whether or not you’re textually challenged, it’s a breeze to restore your Watch List text messages! Good luck, TC.

It’s not that important to be absolutely certain about listing details before publishing a listing on RMLSweb, is it?

As a matter of fact it’s very important, both to RMLS™ and your fellow REALTORS®.

Accurate listing information is vital to the smooth operation of the real estate market. Correct listing data also facilitates cooperation between REALTORS® engaged in a transaction. This is why RMLS™ puts staff time and resources into reviewing listings. Our staff also relies upon help from subscribers—REALTORS® like you—to help us quickly identify inaccuracies and get them cleaned up for the benefit of all.

In 2016 the RMLS™ Data Accuracy team addressed 6,355 listing inaccuracies that were reported to RMLS™ on RMLSweb. That’s nearly 25 issues addressed each business day! Our Data Accuracy also conducts daily audits which identify additional inaccuracies that get corrected (but that’s another blog post for another time).

What are the top 10 most common listing inaccuracies on RMLSweb? We compiled a list to help RMLS™ subscribers focus their efforts as they’re entering listings using Listing Load. We encourage REALTORS® to get familiar with the details of each of these issues in order to help RMLSweb the most accurate it can be.

1.  Year Built and Year Built Description
Resolved: 1,296 (20.4%)
These can include the Year Built Description not being changed from Under Construction or Proposed to the correct state of construction on the property. If the property is completed at time of closing the Year Built Description value should be changed to New before being marked as Sold. Another common error can occur by accidentally setting the Year Built Description to New when it should have been Resale, because the property was previously occupied.

2. Incorrect/Missing Information
Resolved: 1,153 (18.1%)
This can include many different issues within a variety of fields. Examples are listing the incorrect number of bedrooms, incorrect number of bathrooms, or having the incorrect number of levels listed. This also includes listings with inaccurate square footage and/or not dividing the square footage between levels.

3. Personal Promotion
Resolved: 1,094 (17.2%) [See RMLS™ Rules, Section 3.24]
The rules don’t permit information in the public fields of a listing that identifies the listing agent or their brokerage. This includes names or contact information (or links to such) in the public remarks, photos, or virtual/video tours containing yard signs or other types of branding. Promotion is only allowed in Private Remarks.

4. Address
Resolved: 847 (13.3%)
Adding extra words to a street name, not using the selection boxes for street direction/street suffix, or failing to submit the unit number can cause problems with mapping and/or searching for a property. When these items are found the Data Accuracy team will work to correct the address fields as appropriate. If you know of an issue with the published address, let Data Accuracy know.

5. Owner Name
Resolved: 589 (9.3%)
There are reasons why a seller may wish to have their name withheld from a listing.  If this is the case, use Document 1261 (Owner Name Omission Form) and submit the form to RMLS™. After this form has been submitted, enter “Form 1261 on file” into the Owner Name field on the listing.

6. No Showings
Resolved: 380 (6.0%) [See RMLS™ Rules, Section 3.26]
Any active status listing that is published on RMLSweb must be made available to be shown to prospective clients.

7. Residential Property Type
Resolved: 310 (4.9%)
Is the property attached? Detached? A condo? In a park? Proper property type is essential to ensure that the listing shows up in the right search results and gets seen by the people who would be the most interested in your listing. Document 1270 (Residential Property Types), found on RMLSweb, can be helpful in determining what property type should be noted.

8. Photo(s)
Resolved: 293 (4.6%) [See RMLS™ Rules, Section 3.7]
Common issues found with photos include:
• First listing photo is not of the exterior of building
• Text or graphics appear in photos
• Missing watermarks for “Sample Image” or “Virtual Staging”
• Photo contains children or other inappropriate content.
If the seller wishes to omit listing photos, please submit Document 1263 (Photograph Omission Form).

9. MLS Area  
Resolved: 172 (2.7%)
A listing is sometimes entered with the wrong MLS area or has been listed in two different MLS areas. This can have an impact on details like making the proper school choices available or allowing the correct county to be selected.

10. Duplicate Listings    
Resolved: 131 (2.1%)
Sometimes properties are listed more than once by mistake. This typically happens if two different people in an office input the same listing. It could also happen if a property is being relisted and the old listing does not get canceled prior to the new listing being published.

Have you noticed any of the above issues as you’ve perused listings on RMLSweb? Data accuracy on RMLSweb starts with you, the subscriber. Be sure information in your own listings is correct, and contact RMLS™ Data Accuracy staff if you see issues in other listings—just click the Report Issue button at the bottom of the listing. We appreciate your hard work and enjoy working with you to ensure that RMLSweb listing data is as accurate as possible.

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 just getting logged in to RMLSweb. Why, for gosh sakes, are there two login buttons on the login screen? Which one should I be using?

Frustrated in Fairview

Dear FF-

Understood completely! Let me explain the concept behind the two unique login options and how they will eventually transition to a single login for RMLSweb.

As you may be aware, last year RMLS™ transitioned into a new customer relationship system. This is how RMLS™ manages your subscriber information. An important part of the project was replacing Internet Member Services (IMS) with My.RMLS.com—the website where subscribers paid RMLS™ dues.

This transition required a more stringent password system for access due to the new system being PCI-compliant. RMLS™ built up a single sign-on process so that subscribers would be able to access both RMLSweb and My.RMLS.com with one set of login credentials.

Our new vendor needs to prove their uptime meets our strict requirements before RMLS™ will rely solely on the new login option. We’re still running analytics on the vendor’s uptime and once we’re confident they can match or exceed our expectations we will eliminate the dueling logins and subscribers will transition to a single login using their email address and password to log in to both RMLSweb and My.RMLS.com.

In the meantime RMLS™ provides both options: the Public/Private ID which provides access to RMLSweb, and the email address/password which provides access to both RMLSweb and My.RMLS.com.

It may sound like a lot of work just to transition to a new payment website. If that was the only benefit I might agree, but the new system offers more billing and payment options, a single login for REALTORS® with dual licenses, and other features we’ll be rolling out as time goes on.

Imagine, for example, a central location for downloading CE certificates from RMLS™ education events, so you’d no longer need to chase down paperwork when it’s time for license renewal. The new system has a more robust registration process for training classes and events, including confirmations, reminders, and wait list management.

While the transition period may be frustrating as RMLS™ works out the details, the net gain to RMLS™ subscribers like yourself will be worth the wait!

Technical Terry

Dear Technical Terry:

My Thomas Guide is always at the ready, but I’ve been increasingly finding listings on RMLSweb without Thomas Guide coordinates. Why would REALTORS® fail to include such a key piece of information?

Lloyd Multnomah

Dear Lloyd:

It’s great that you still have your Thomas Guide for fast reference, but not everyone has easy access to this useful tool anymore. Rand McNally (owner of Thomas Guide) ceased publishing any street guides for Portland or Oregon, and you may recall in 2013 RMLS™ halted the map coordinates requirement for new listings.

There’s more news than that though, Lloyd.

Do you have any saved searches on RMLSweb that search using map coordinates? If so, an important change is on the horizon: RMLS™ will be eliminating map coordinates fields with the RMLSweb forms change coming this spring. This means that any saved searches you have that utilize map coordinates through Thomas Guide (or Pittmon Maps) will need to be updated with a map shape to replace this geographic component of each of your saved searches.

Adjusting your search may sound difficult, but RMLS™ will help subscribers effected by this change as much as possible. Look for a video in the coming weeks about how to replace map coordinates in a saved search with a drawn shape on a map.

You may be wondering why RMLS™ is eliminating these fields from RMLSweb. Usage of these fields has been steadily declining. Brokers who search using these fields are missing active properties on RMLSweb—a big problem in markets with low inventory! The RMLS™ Forms Committee recommended removal as part of its annual set of RMLSweb forms changes.

Sorry to break the bad news to you Lloyd, but we’ll be doing our best to make the transition as smooth as possible for you.

Sincerely Yours,

Technical Terry

Hey Technical Terry—

This is the first year I’ll be able to attend the RMLS™ Education Summit and Trade Fair. I’m making the drive from The Dalles to take the SentriLock class. Really looking forward to it. Do you have any tips you’d recommend for someone who has never been to this event?

It’s Gorge-ous in the Dalles

Hey Gorge-ous:

What a great question! It’s great that you’re making the trek from The Dalles to attend the event. Even if you weren’t taking the SentriLock class, there’s still plenty of aspects of this annual event that will make the trip worth your time.

Top tips for a first-timer:

• Bring plenty of business cards. Business cards will not only be useful when you’re chatting with industry vendors and networking with other REALTORS®, but they’re also your key to prize drawings! This year RMLS™ has 50 door prizes lined up valued at nearly $6,000.

• Waitlisted? Show up! Class registration may be full, but not everyone makes it the day of the event. If you’re on the wait list, we can’t get you into a class if you’re not there! Show up for class and there’s a good chance we’ll have a spot for you.

• Sign in AND sign out for classes. If you’re going to a class, make sure to sign in when you arrive AND sign out when you leave. Without a signature, time-in, and time-out, you will not receive a CE certificate after the event.

• Parking advice. If you’ve parked inside the DoubleTree parking structure, check in at the RMLS™ info desk for a $3 parking voucher. If you don’t have a voucher, your parking will be more than $3. There’s also a parking pay station located inside the DoubleTree event space, if you want to pay before heading back to your car.

If that’s not enough, I’d also keep your eyes peeled for the basketball tournament happening inside the trade fair hall. REALTORS® will be shooting hoops all day, and the winner will receive a free quarter of RMLS™ dues!

We hope to see you at the event, Gorge-ous! Be sure to stop by the RMLS™ info desk and say hello.

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.

It’s that time again! RMLS™ has made it through another year working hard for thousands of subscribers across Oregon and Southwest Washington and we’d like to show just how much RMLS™ has supported real estate activity over the course of a single year. How do we do it? We compile a suite of numbers to quantify the work we do for our REALTOR® members.

Compare the numbers below with the same from the prior three years and see how we’ve grown!

RMLSweb
Number of times subscribers logged in to RMLSweb: 1,785,754
Photos uploaded to listings: 1,688,226
Property searches run: 572,205
Number of new prospect profiles created: 78,319
All residential properties listed for sale: 75,331
All residential properties sold: 59,203
Median sold price of homes listed: $300,000
Total dollar volume of homes sold: $20,243,723,000
Unique tax searches: 111,094
Reports viewed: 9,856,816
Broker tour searches run: 11,744
Open house searches run: 10,534
Statistical searches run: 24,247

RMLS™ Subscribers
RMLS™ subscribers as of December 2016: 13,345
New RMLS™ subscribers (compared to December 2015): 1,132
Increase in subscribers, above: +9.3
Subscribers who attended training: 3,538
Number of calls to the RMLS™ Help Desk: 25,850
Number of Help Desk chats: 4,508
Number of incidents reported using the “Report Issue” button: 6,668
CE hours distributed by RMLS™ at no cost to subscribers: 2,514
Total attendance at RMLS™ training events: 3,538

RMLS.com
Total customer visits to RMLS.com: 3,145,131
Unique visits: 1,141,705
Total listing views: 1,790,588

Social Media
RMLS™ followers on Facebook (December 31st): 3,715
RMLS™ followers on Twitter (December 31st): 2,837

RMLS™ regularly compiles plenty of other numbers as well! In addition to publishing Market Action each month, we have statistical summaries available on RMLSweb with information dating back several years. Since 2012 we’ve also been compiling statistics about residential distressed properties in RMLSweb.

We love numbers here at RMLS™, and hope you find this data as fun and interesting as we do.

RMLS™ released two projects on RMLSweb earlier this week that have been regularly requested by subscribers in recent years. The new Share button makes sharing a listing to social media a snap, and Watch List offers instant notification when key changes happen to a parcel of land or listing!

SHARE BUTTON

REALTORS® adding a listing on RMLSweb want to be able to market right away and the Share button offers a new, more convenient way to do so.

In Listing Load, switch to the Detail View tab. Clicking the Share button that appears above the report window will open a new browser tab with a mobile-friendly report featuring the first photo from the listing. The top of this report will feature buttons to easily share the listing on Facebook or Twitter.

WATCH LIST

REALTORS® hoping to keep their eye on a particular listing or parcel of land should find the new Watch List on RMLSweb to be a helpful tool for their business.

When viewing any listing on RMLSweb, click the button above the listing that says “Add to Watch List.” Properties already on the user’s watch list will have an orange button that says “Watching.”

Any parcel of land can be added to Watch List—even a property not on the market. Properties may be added to Watch List by using their tax record. REALTORS® approached by clients interested in purchasing a specific property may be notified when that property comes on the market.

Viewing all properties that have been added to Watch List is a snap—just select Watch List under the RMLSweb Prospecting tab. Up to 50 properties may be on a user’s list at any time.

This view of Watch List is also where RMLSweb subscribers may choose how they’re notified about listing status changes and the like. RMLS™ is able to notify agents via email or text message, either 24 hours a day or between the hours of 7am-10pm. Subscribers wishing to receive a text message should navigate to User Preferences and enter a text phone number which will ONLY be used for sending texts involving Watch List, if desired.

RMLS™ is excited about these two additions to RMLSweb, which were the direct result of subscriber requests. RMLS™ subscribers can always contact the RMLS™ Help Desk at (503) 872-8002 or (877) 256-2169 with questions or suggestions for future improvements.