RMLS™ recently announced a handful of upcoming changes to the RMLS™ Rules and Regulations. These changes, effective December 17th, include  changes to the time limits allowed for new listing input and status changes, and other changes that clarify online marketing issues for listings in Coming Soon-No Showing (CSN) status.

The RMLSweb CSN status has generated a high volume of questions and feedback from subscribers and we anticipate these rules adjustments to garner more questions. Following are some of the most common questions we anticipate receiving in light of the upcoming rules changes.

I am the seller’s agent for a CSN listing which is published in RMLSweb. I have placed a sign on the property that includes the words “Coming Soon.” I received a call from a prospective buyer who saw the sign and would like to know more information about the listing. Can I share information about this CSN listing with the prospective buyer?

Yes, you may share information about this listing with that prospective buyer.

I am the seller’s agent for a CSN listing which has been published on RMLSweb. Can I send an email to my fellow agents with information about this CSN listing?

Yes, you may send an email to fellow agents assuming they are all active RMLS™ subscribers.

Can CSN listings be published on home search sites outside of RMLSweb, such as Realtor.com and Zillow?

No, they cannot. While a listing is in CSN status, it can only be published on RMLSweb.

I have a private Facebook group that includes other RMLS™ subscribers and my clients. Can I share my CSN listing with members of that group?

You may share your CSN listing with your private Facebook group as long as only your clients, current customers, and active RMLS™ subscribers are members of this group. If any member of the group is not your client, customer, or is an inactive RMLS™ subscriber, you may not share the CSN listing.

I am the seller’s agent for a CSN listing. I have not yet published the CSN listing on RMLSweb. Before I do so, I want to publish it as a Coming Soon listing on a public internet site first. Is that okay?

No, that is not permitted. The CSN listing must be published on RMLSweb and cannot be published on any public internet site.

I am the seller’s agent for a CSN listing. Can I post a vague statement on social media—without the listing address—that I have a CSN listing coming soon in a certain neighborhood, and to contact me for more information?

No, that is not allowed. Once published on RMLSweb, CSN listings can only be shared privately with a broker’s clients, current customers, and active RMLS™ subscribers, and must be published on RMLSweb.

My clients said they were ready for their listing to go live, then two days later they had an emergency and wanted the listing to go back to CSN. I logged in to RMLSweb but I’m not seeing CSN as an option anymore. What gives?

Your question is addressed by our prior set of CSN questions from August. What we’ve answered above only reflects those parts of the CSN rules that will be changing effective December 17th. Everything else about CSN listings—the 21 day limit for a listing to be in CSN status, the inability to change a listing back to CSN status once it’s active—were all addressed when the CSN status was introduced earlier this year.

That said, RMLS™ is happy to guide you through a specific situation or answer questions you may have about CSN listings or anything else. Contact the RMLS™ Rules staff at (503) 236-7657, they’re happy to educate subscribers who reach out!

As our subscribers are no doubt aware by now, RMLS™ released a new listing status—Coming Soon-No Showing (CSN) back in early May, along with making related changes to the Authorization to Exclude from MLS Addendum.

The changes we made had a notable impact. In the last three months, over 1,600 CSN listings have been added to RMLSweb! On average, listings have stayed in CSN status for six days before being changed to Active (ACT) status. Prior to the changes, the number of Authorization to Exclude from MLS Addendums submitted to RMLS™ was in the hundreds per month. Since the change, just 59 forms have been submitted.

These changes are still relatively new, and RMLS™ continues to get questions about how the new system works. Here are some of the most common questions we receive about the CSN changes, answered:

I am about to list a property in CSN status. What do I need to do in Listing Load to ensure that it is published as a CSN status?

Before publishing the listing in Listing Load, you should check two things. First, make sure the checkbox for “Publish as Coming Soon-No Showing (CSN):” is checked. Second, make sure you’ve filled in “Date Marketing to Begin.” This is the list date—a date greater than today, but not more than 21 days in the future. These two things will ensure that the listing is published as CSN in RMLSweb.

My seller wants their property published as a CSN for just ten days, not the full 21 days. Is this possible?

Yes it is! You and your seller can have a listing published on RMLSweb as CSN for as little as one day or as many as 21 days, but not more than 21 days.

I have a CSN listing that is supposed to be in CSN status for ten days. Today is the ninth day and the seller has decided that they need five more days to prepare the property. What should I do?

Edit the listing in Listing Load and change the “Date Marketing to Begin” field to reflect the new date. For example if you originally made August 1st the date marketing to begin and your seller needed five additional days, you would change it to August 6th. Save the changes and you are good to go. The listing will convert to Active (ACT) status on August 6th.

Caveat: if adding five days takes you over that 21 day limit, you’ll need to withdraw the listing until it is ready for market.

My CSN listing changed to Active (ACT) status by itself. I didn’t change it. How did this happen?

Once the date you’ve set as the “Date Marketing to Begin” hits, the system will automatically convert the listing status from CSN to ACT.

My sellers and I agreed to list their property as a CSN listing in RMLSweb for 18 days. Today’s the eleventh day and they’ve decided that they are ready to put the property on the market. Can I change the CSN status to ACT?

Yes you can. Anytime during the period when a property is in CSN status, the Seller’s Agent (that’s you!) can change the status to Active (ACT) or Withdrawn (WTH).

I want to install a sign with flyers on the property of my CSN listing. Are there requirements regarding the sign and flyer that I should know about?

Yes. The sign and/or flyers must contain the label “Coming Soon.” This will let folks know that that they can expect to see the property on the market soon.

Okay, I have published a listing as CSN in RMLSweb and posted a sign at the property that says “Coming Soon.” Can I email or share details about this property with my clients?

No you may not. If one of your clients ask about this property, let them know the date when it will be active on the market—you can follow up with them at that time.

Can CSN listings be published on internet sites outside of RMLSweb, such as Realtor.com or Zillow?

No, they cannot. While a listing is in CSN status, it can only be published on RMLSweb.

My seller has opted to exclude their property from the MLS. I have a signed listing contract noting this decision. Is there anything else I need to do?

Since the seller has chosen to exclude their property from the MLS, Document #1260, Authorization to Exclude from MLS Addendum or an equivalent form will need to be filled out and signed by the seller(s), Seller’s Agent, and the Principal/Designated Broker. The form must then be submitted to RMLS™ within 72 hours. You can submit this directly within RMLSweb by going to Back Office -> Submit Excluded Listing. Click “+Add a PDF” and follow the instructions. Information on the form will not be made available to other subscribers—just you, your Participant/Designated Broker, and RMLS™.

My seller wants to exclude the property from RMLSweb for 30 days and then include it. Our listing contract is effective for three months though. Is it possible to do what they are requesting?

No, it is not. When a seller elects to exclude the property from RMLSweb, they do so for the life of that listing contract. In this case, all three months.

My sellers excluded their listing from RMLSweb and the listing contract expired. Now the sellers want to list the property. How soon can I publish it?

You will need to wait for 30 days after the listing contract has expired. Once those 30 days are up, you can publish the listing in RMLSweb. At the time that the seller excluded the property from the MLS they filled out, signed, and agreed to Authorization to Exclude from MLS Addendum, which states the “Broker’s Firm shall not enter this property into the MLS until 30 days past the Expiration Date” (Page 2).

I have a client who wants to sell a property but it needs major work. The work won’t be completed for 45 days. CSN is not an option, because they need more than 21 days. What can I do?

Fill out the listing contact and choose the first option: “AN ACTIVE LISTING (ACT).” Since no marketing will occur while work is being completed, set “Date Marketing to Begin” to the 45th day out. For example, if today is August 1, 2018, you would set “Date Marketing to Begin” for September 14, 2018. You have secured the listing contact and the sellers will have the time they need to prep the property for the market. Once the work is complete, then publish the listing on RMLSweb on September 14, 2018 and begin your marketing efforts.

Read More:

What’s Coming to RMLSweb: Coming Soon-No Showing Details
What’s Date Marketing to Begin? Ask Technical Terry

Still have questions about the new Coming Soon-No Showing (CSN) status on RMLSweb? This week host Beth Raimer, Kurt von Wasmuth, and John Ayers discuss how CSN came about, provide some numbers, and answer the questions they’ve heard most from subscribers about this new listing status.

Listeners may now subscribe to Real Talk with RMLS™ on iTunes and Google Play!

Music: “Tropical Summer” by ArtIss (via MelodyLoops.com)

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:

We recently had a RMLS™ trainer out to our office to discuss the new CSN status. During the presentation they mentioned the importance of the Date Marketing to Begin field. I asked about this new field only to find out that it’s been in the listing contract for years! While the trainer did a wonderful job of explaining the new status I’m still a little fuzzy about that field. When would I use that, and why?

Confused in Carver

Dear CC:

Honestly, you’re not the only RMLS™ subscriber surprised by the Date Marketing to Begin field. And I’m happy to review:

There are primarily two scenarios where this field can play a role…

In the first scenario, you are meeting with sellers who agree to use you to list their home but they need some repairs (or just some time) before they’re ready for the property to go live on RMLSweb. You, on the other hand, really want to get your listing contract signed that day to ensure you’ve got the sellers under contract.

In this scenario you would have the sellers sign the listing agreement but choose a date in the future (Date Marketing to Begin) when the repairs (or whatever) will be done and the home will be ready to market. You would publish the listing on RMLSweb on that date.

Here’s an example of this scenario highlighted in the listing contract:

In the second scenario, you are meeting with sellers who agree to use you to list their home but the sellers want to create some buzz about the home prior to it being active on RMLSweb. You again want to get that listing contract signed the same day.

In this case, using the new Coming Soon-No Showing (CSN) status may work well. Choosing CSN will give the sellers up to 21 days of exposure in RMLSweb prior to their listing converting to active (ACT). In this scenario you would have the sellers sign the listing agreement but choose a date in the future (Date Marketing to Begin) within 21 days in the Coming Soon-No Showing section of the listing contract.

You would publish the listing as CSN, which is accessible only to RMLS™ subscribers until RMLSweb converts the listing to ACT on the date specified on Date Marketing to Begin.

Here’s an example of this second scenario highlighted in the listing contract:

Of course you also have the option of excluding the listing from RMLSweb for the life of the listing contract plus 30 days by choosing the “Excluded from MLS” option in the listing contract:

Still got questions? We also recently made a short video about Date Marketing to Begin.

Hopefully walking through Date Marketing to Begin was helpful! Don’t forget, we are always happy to provide additional assistance as you need it. Simply contact the RMLS™ Help Desk at (503) 872-8002 or (877) 256-2169 and we can answer your questions until it’s crystal clear!

TT

Hello Technical Terry!

Ever since an incident I had a few years ago I’ve been more conscious about my safety in the field, and that’s why I’m curious about the new agent safety features of SentriSmart™. Can you tell me more about them?

Cautious in Coburg

Hello Cautious!

I’m really glad to hear that you take your safety seriously. Surely you’re aware of the high-profile case of Beverly Carter, but even on the local level RMLS™ regularly receives reports from agents receiving harassing phone calls or contact from “potential clients” that just don’t check out.

One tool that SentriLock has given to its users is on the SentriSmart™ app. The agent safety feature allows REALTORS® to alert selected contacts in the case of an unexpected or potentially dangerous situation when showing a listing.

When the feature is enabled, the agent safety feature will launch when SentriSmart™ is used to open a lockbox. The feature will automatically alert designated contacts when you do not confirm that you are safe.

Download the latest version of SentriSmart™ then enable the agent safety feature by selecting the Settings tab. Scroll down to Agent Safety, select, then enter your PIN to configure your agent safety settings. Next to Safety Notification Contacts, touch the plus sign and select yes to allow the app to have access to your contacts. Choose at least one contact from the list as your emergency contact, then select Enable Automated Safety Check. (SentriLock has a series of videos demonstrating how to set the feature up on a variety of devices.)

Once you’ve opened a lockbox, SentriSmart™ will ask if you want to use the agent safety feature. If you press the start button, note that you will need to keep checking the app every 90-120 seconds to confirm you are still safe.

If you don’t periodically confirm your safety, your emergency contacts will receive a message from SentriSmart™ and you’ll start receiving a flurry of phone calls and/or text messages from those contacts. (I mention this as RMLS™ has heard reports from users who learned this lesson the hard way.)

The agent safety feature also integrates with the facial recognition/Touch ID features that are part of the new SentriSmart™ update. If you haven’t updated the app for a while, be sure and do so! And if you haven’t started using SentriSmart™, it’s available through both the Apple App Store and Google Play, and well worth checking out.

Technical Terry

This week, host Beth Raimer is joined by John Ayers and Terry Romel for a discussion about Coming Soon-No Showing (CSN), a new status making its RMLSweb debut on May 2nd.

Listeners may now subscribe to Real Talk with RMLS™ on iTunes and Google Play!

Music: “Tropical Summer” by ArtIss (via MelodyLoops.com)

RMLS™ subscribers who read our post from earlier this month no doubt have questions about the new status that will debut on RMLSweb in the coming months: Coming Soon-No Showing, or CSN. We’re ready to outline some key details, answer some questions, and talk about what this new status will mean for RMLSweb, listing forms, and subscribers.

THE BASICS

The Coming Soon-No Showing (CSN) status is for short-term use. Subscribers may use CSN to prepare a listing for Active (ACT) status. The listing may be in CSN status for no longer than 21 days and must have a valid listing agreement as well as seller approval. CSN status will indicate the listing firm and seller(s) are preparing the property for sale and marketing before the listing becomes active on RMLSweb. As such, CSN will be considered an off-market status as the listing is not actively being marketed and is not ready to be shown. Affiliate subscribers will not be able to view listings that are in CSN status, nor will CSN listings be included in statistical searches and reports.

USING CSN ON RMLSWEB

A listing agent will have the choice to publish a property as CSN. All required fields will still be required for a CSN listing and must follow all other input business rules. The required first photo will bear a watermark saying “Coming Soon-No Showings.” The Oregon and Washington listing contracts will be updated to allow seller(s) to choose between publishing the listing as ACT or CSN in RMLSweb or to exclude the property from the MLS.

Listings can stay in CSN status for up to 21 days. Listing Load will not allow a date further than 21 days in the future from being entered as the list date. If a listing agent submits a list date of fewer than 21 days in the future, the agent may extend the list date up until that 21st day—something that may come in handy if more time is needed to prep a property than was originally estimated.

The status of a CSN listing may be manually changed to ACT or WTH at any time during the 21 day period. When the list date is reached or the listing has been in the system for 21 days RMLSweb will automatically change the status of the listing to ACT at midnight. Once a listing is out of CSN status it cannot be reverted back, nor can properties that were once in CSN status be re-entered as a new CSN listing (exceptions: the property has expired or has been withdrawn for over 90 days; the property has been relisted with a new brokerage; or the property has been sold).

Open houses and broker tour offerings cannot be set up in Listing Load for a listing in CSN status. Listing View Count reports will still be available showing viewing counts from within RMLSweb, but Days on Market (DOM)/Cumulative Days on Market (CDOM) will not accrue while a listing is in CSN status.

RMLSWEB SEARCH AND CSN

CSN will not be included in the default status criteria when doing a new search—ACT and BMP will remain the two default statuses. CSN listings will be excluded from exported reports and consumer prospecting auto-emails. CSN can be searched with other statuses, included in a user’s watch list. CSN listings may be used to conduct a reverse prospect search or using Hotsheet. CSN listings are included in agent-only prospect notifications. CSN listing reports can be printed and emailed from RMLSweb, including client reports. The listings will state “no showings permitted” in showing instructions on agent reports, with the actual showing instructions hidden while in CSN status.

DATA FEEDS

CSN listings will be excluded from data feeds, including but not limited to RMLS.com, Realtor.com, HomeSpotter, IDX, VOW, and broker specific feeds.

AUTHORIZATION TO EXCLUDE

Listing agents will be able to submit the completed Authorization to Exclude from MLS Addendum directly into Listing Load on RMLSweb, eliminating the need to email or mail a copy to RMLS™. If a property is excluded, it will be for the full length of the listing contract, as the short-term option on the addendum will be eliminated. The listing firm may list the property as active again once 30 days from the form’s expiration date have passed.

CHANGES TO THE RMLS™ RULES AND REGULATIONS

Changes will be made to the RMLS™ Rules and Regulations, and subscribers may view a redline version of these changes in advance of the project rollout.

UPDATE (May 17, 2018):

Update (May 23, 2018):

RMLS™ is excited to announce that our development team has started work on several projects which will be released on RMLSweb this spring.

On the surface these projects look very different, but as they require some bigger back-end changes to the website, we’ll be rolling them into one project that should make a big splash with RMLS™ subscribers once it all goes live.

COMING SOON/NO SHOWING STATUS

UPDATE (April 5, 2018): Read more details about Coming Soon/No Showing

Creation of a new listing status, Coming Soon/No Showing, was approved by the RMLS™ Board of Directors in September. This new status will mean changes to the RMLS™ Rules and Regulations as well as the Authorization to Exclude from MLS Addendum.

2017 FORMS CHANGE

UPDATE (April 5, 2018): Read more details about this year’s forms changes

RMLS™ will be rolling out the 2017 forms change, a regular improvement of the forms and fields on RMLSweb that are a direct result of input from RMLS™ subscribers.

Subscriber comments are given to the Forms Committee, then recommendations are approved by the RMLS™ board. This year’s changes were approved in November, and highlights include updated language to listing contracts, improved addendums, terminology changes, and some new features and small changes to other fields in RMLSweb.

SHOWING TIME

UPDATE (April 5, 2018): Read more details about ShowingTime

ShowingTime is coming to RMLSweb! ShowingTime makes the scheduling of showings easy for everyone. RMLS™ subscribers can edit and control the showing schedule on their own listings, reducing calls and the inevitable phone tag. Using ShowingTime will be optional, so subscribers who would rather schedule showings offline will still be able to do so.

Watch RMLScentral and the RMLSweb desktop page in the coming weeks, as we’ll be discussing each piece of this larger project in more detail. If you have a question about any of these, leave it for us below!

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.