DATA INTEGRITY
RULES & PROCEDURES
Clear Cooperation Policy
This policy is approved by NAR and enforced by Metro MLS. It explains clear cooperation, Delayed Status and Excluded Listings rules, and the fine structure for participants who violate these rules.
Federal Holidays Metro MLS Observes
| New Year’s Day | Martin Luther King Day | President’s Day | Good Friday | Memorial Day |
| Juneteenth Day | Independence Day | Labor Day | Veteran’s Day | Thanksgiving Day |
| Day After Thanksgiving | Christmas Eve* | Christmas Day | New Year’s Eve* |
*Metro MLS observes this day as a holiday if it is a weekday.
Third-Party Display Rules
The following fields and disclaimers are required to be displayed on your Metro MLS data-enabled websites on any page, email or printed material that displays data received from Metro MLS.
REQUIRED FIELDS & DISCLAIMERS
Required Fields
| 1) Listing Office Name |
| 2) MLS Number |
Required Disclaimers
| 1) Source of the listing data, in this case – “Metro MLS” |
| 2) Copyright notification – “Copyright 2022 (or current year) Multiple Listing Service, Inc. – All Rights Reserved” |
Optional Fields
| All remaining, non-confidential fields are optional, both for display and/or for searching. |
The following two fields are confidential fields and may be used only within your internal processing
| 1) Limited/Unserviced |
| 2) Exclusive Agency Contract |
| Note: They may not be displayed on your public Metro MLS data fed web site, nor used for searching by the public on your Metro MLS data-enabled website. |
Listing Office Name and MLS Number
| The Listing Office Name and MLS Number must be displayed adjacent to other MLS provided data and not separated out at the bottom of the page. Also, these two data fields must be displayed in the same typeface and bold as all other data received from the MLS |
Required Fields and Disclaimers
| The required fields and disclaimers are required to be displayed on EVERY page that displays ANY data you received from the Metro MLS data feed |
Adding Listing Data
| You may augment or enhance the display of your own office’s listing data with any additional information you would like within the overall display of Metro MLS listings on your web site |
Rules Violations
The below modules provide a broad overlook of the rule violations and the fines accessed and can be updated at any time. For a more detailed look at rules and violations, be sure to review the MLS Rules and Procedures Manuals which are approved, and date stamped.
RULES VIOLATIONS & FINES
ViolationFine
| Late/ Early Listings | $100 per day | |
| Failure to upload Required documentation | $100 per day | |
| Late listing and advertising | $200 per day | |
| Listing Advertised prior to start term | $200 per day | |
| Non Reported Excluded Listings | $200 per day | |
| Non Reported Excluded Status Changes | $100 per day day | |
| MLS Exclusion Abuse | $200 per listing | |
| Incorrect/Incomplete listings information | $10 | |
| Insertions in Inappropriate info in the remarks or directions | $25 | |
| Release of MLS | $500 | |
| Failure to report sold Information | $25/month | |
| Submittal of false information | Not to Exceed $500 | |
| Extension without authorization | $200 | |
| Failure to report changes | $10 per day | |
| Failure to report accepted offers | $25/per day | |
| Failure to submit a photo | $10/per month |
SANCTIONS & SUSPENSIONS: DELAYED/ANY MISCLASSIFICATION OF A LISTING
| Delayed/Any Misclassification of a Listing |
|---|
| Liquidated damages and other related actions for any violation of the “delayed” status (use or nonuse of status, as may be applicable) or for any misclassification of a listing: |
| i) 1st violation or misclassification (within 2 years) will be $200/per day the property has been under contract and not offered for showings and offers to cooperating Agents/Brokers |
| ii) 2nd violation or misclassification (within 2 years) will be $400/per day the property has been under contract and not offered for showings and offers to cooperating Agents/Brokers |
| iii) 3rd violation or misclassification (within a 2 year period) will be suspension of Agent MLS access for a calendar period of 30 days |
| iv) 4th violation or misclassification (within a 2 years) will be a suspension of Office MLS access for a calendar period of 30 days |
| v) 5th violation or misclassification (within a 2 years) will be a suspension of Office MLS access for a calendar period of 6 months |
SANCTIONS & SUSPENSIONS: FAILURE TO FILE AN EXCLUDED LISTING WITHIN 1 BUSINESS DAY
| Clear Cooperation Failure to file an excluded listing with the service within 1 business day of advertising the listing |
|---|
| i) 1st violation (within 2 years) will result in a sanction of $1000/day |
| ii) 2nd violation (within 2 years) will result in a sanction of $2000/day |
| iii) 3rd violation (within 2 years) will result in a sanction of $5000/day |
| iv) 4th violation (within 2 years) will result in a sanction of $5000/day and suspension of MLS services for the violating agent for 30 days |
| v) Continued abuse could lead to suspension of MLS Services for MLS Participant (Broker) |
MEMBERSHIP TERMINATION: FAILURE TO PAY SERVICE CHARGES, FEES OR DUES
| Failure to pay any service charges, fees or dues within thirty (30) days of the due date |
|---|
| Provided that at least ten (10) days’ notice has been given, the services shall be suspended until all service charges, fees, liquidated damages, or dues are paid in full |
| Failure to pay any service charges, fees, dues, or liquidated damages within sixty (60) days of the due date |
|---|
| Provided that at least ten (10) days’ notice has been given, the membership in the Service shall be terminated. Fees applicable to reinstatement or admission to the Service will apply. In addition to unpaid service charges, fees, liquidated damages, or dues, members shall also be charged all reasonable costs of collection, including actual attorney’s fees |
MLS Fines / Sanction Codes
The MLS checks the following information for accuracy. If you enter incorrect or incomplete information into the computer, the MLS makes the correction and levies appropriate sanctions.
MLS RULES SECTION 7.0
| 1. The address – as indicated in WIREdata |
| 2. County – as indicated on the contract and tax records |
| 3. Municipality – as indicated on tax records |
| 4. ZIP |
| 5. Tax Key Number – as indicated on the tax records |
| 6. Listing and Expiration Dates – as indicated on the listing contract |
| 7. Compensations to Subagent/Buyer Agent – compensations must be entered correctly |
| 8. Disclosures – Named Prospects, Variable Rate Commission |
| 9. Commission, Broker Owned, Exclusive Agency Contract, Limited/Un-Serviced listings |
| 10. Directions and Public Remarks may only contain information regarding directions or information about the property. NO names, phone numbers, email, commission information, showing information, web sites, etc. are allowed. |
SANCTION CODES
|
AD – Address |
| BC – Buyer Agent Commission |
| BO – Broker Owned |
| CO – County |
| CS – Subagent Commission |
| EA – Exclusive Agency |
| LD – Listing Date |
| MN – Tax Municipality |
| TX – Tax Key Number |
| NP – Named Prospects |
| VC – Variable Commission |
| XD – Expiration Date |
| ZP – Zip Code |
SANCTIONS FOR INAPPROPRIATE INFORMATION IN PUBLIC REMARKS OR DIRECTIONS
| BN – Bonus Information |
| CS – Commission Information |
| DG – Derogatory Information |
| EM – Email/Web Address |
| LA – Agent Name |
| OF – Office Name |
| PH – Phone Number |
| SH – Showing Information |
| WB – Web Address |
OOPS!
FIX MY MISTAKE.
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THINK YOU KNOW THE RULES?
TAKE OUR QUIZ.
Challenge yourself with the data integrity quiz. A perfect score result will demonstrate your dedication to being a true industry professional.
1. How long do you have to change the listing status in the MLS after an accepted offer?
Metro MLS Rules: Section 1.4, Change of Listing Status: Any changes in listed price or other change to the original listing agreement shall be made only when authorized in writing by the seller and shall be filed with the Service within forty-eight (48) hours, federal holidays excluded, after the authorized change is received by the listing broker. Changes entered into the online computer system, faxed or mailed to the Service shall constitute filing. Late submissions are subject to liquidated damages.
2. When does Metro MLS require one-party listings to be entered into the MLS after the property closes?
Metro MLS Rules: Section 2.3, REPORTING SALES TO THE SERVICE: Status changes, including final closing of sales, shall be reported to the MLS by the listing broker within ten (10) days after they have occurred. Late submissions are subject to liquidated damages (Section 7.0 (A)). If negotiations were carried on under Section 2 a. or b. hereof, the cooperating broker shall report accepted offers to the listing broker within seventy-two (72) hours after occurrence and the listing broker shall report them to the MLS consistent with license law and the provisions of this section.
3. Does the primary photo have to be an exterior photo?
Metro MLS Procedures: An acceptable primary photograph (exterior photo) shall be submitted with all residential listings (Categories one (1) Single Family, two (2) Two Family, three (3) Vacant Land, four (4) Multi Family, and (6) Condominium. If after seven (7) days (from Term of Contract) no photo is submitted, the MLS will charge the current sanction until a photo is received (section 7.0). Participant will be charged the then current fee for a photo. No personal, business or office/company/franchise branding of any kind is permitted on photos in MLS.
4. How much time do you have to upload a primary exterior photo with a listing in the MLS?
An acceptable primary photograph shall be submitted with all residential listings, unless otherwise instructed in writing by seller. If after seven (7) days no photo is submitted, the MLS will charge the current sanction until a photo is received (section 7.0).
5. How long do you have to submit a listing to the MLS once you start marketing the property?
Within two business day of marketing a property to the public, the listing broker must submit the listing to the MLS for cooperation with other MLS participants. Public marketing includes, but is not limited to, flyers displayed in windows, yard signs, digital marketing on public facing websites, brokerage website displays (including IDX and VOW), digital communications marketing (email blasts), multi-brokerage listing sharing networks, and applications available to the general public.
6. Do you need to make Metro MLS aware if your client purchases a for sale by owner property?
For a For Sale By Owner property you must submit the required paperwork -- Buyers Agency Agreement (including photo) -- after it closes. After the listing is entered into the computer system and given an MLS number, immediately change it to a SOLD status. Contact MLS to change the listing agent to NON MLS.
7. Can you advertise an excluded listing property?
Metro MLS Procedures: Properties being excluded from the MLS Compilation are not publicly advertised pursuant to the National Association of REALTORS® Clear Cooperation Policy. Participants/Subscribers have 1 (one) business day to enter the Excluded Property into the MLS Compilation once advertising of the property has begun. Failure to enter the listing into the MLS Compilation within 1 (one) business day of a property being advertised will be sanctioned the current appropriate sanctions as outlined in Section 7 of the MLS Rules.
8. Are you allowed to show a delayed or withdrawn listing?
You can still market a listing that is delayed or withdrawn, but the property is not allowed to be shown, including by the listing company.
9. Are you allowed to show a listing if that status is Active with Offer?
Active with Offer indicates that the property has an accepted offer. However, the listing broker is continuing to show the property and accept secondary offers. These listings will continue to appear in active searches. If a property has an offer with a bump clause for a home sale contingency, Metro MLS recommends REALTORS® put in the private remarks that they currently have an offer with a bump clause and to allow the seller a specific time frame for acceptance.
10. Can virtual tours be branded with listing company name, logo and agent name?
Metro MLS Procedures: Virtual tours may be branded with listing company name and logo and/or listing agent name. However, no other branding or contact information will be allowed on the virtual tour listed in MLS. You must check the box, "This virtual tour contains branding," when you add a virtual tour in Flexmls.