On Wednesday, August 18, 2021, CHS Regional MLS launched three important updates to MLS policy.
These changes come after much exploration by the CHS Regional MLS Board of Directors, staff and Policy teams to determine if policy changes or additional tools would enhance cooperation opportunities in our market.
Three Important Policy Updates As of August 18
Listing Entry Deadline Listings are due in MLS within 7 calendar days from the valid listing agreement, or within 1 business day from the first public marketing action, whichever is sooner. It may be entered as Active or the new Coming Soon - No Showings status.
Coming Soon - No Showings Status A new status, titled "Coming Soon - No Showings" may be used for up to 7 calendar days from entry into MLS on a brand new listing.
Showing Availability The listing must be available to show once Active. If it is suddenly unavailable to show for more than 7 calendar days, it should be moved to the Temporarily off Market status.
DETAILS: LISTING ENTRY DEADLINE
Beginning August 18, listings are due in MLS* within 7 calendar days from the valid listing agreement date, or within 1 business day from the first public marketing action, whichever is sooner.
Public marketing in this phase would trigger MLS entry within 1 business day (this includes sharing details with other licensees on social media). Showings are not allowed under any circumstances (until the property is listed in MLS as ACTIVE).
Pro Tip: With a max of 7 calendar days to entry, and an optional 7 calendar days in the Coming Soon - No Showings status, remember the new policy easily as the "7 & 7 Rule"!
*Does not apply to Office Exclusives.
DETAILS: LISTING ENTRY CHOICE OF STATUS
Beginning August 18, upon entry* within the window outlined above, you may go straight to Active status or use the new "Coming Soon - No Showings" status.
If you use the new status, be sure to familiarize yourself with the “Coming Soon - No Showings” settings and policies outlined here and in the CHS MLS Rules & Regulations.
Before using the Coming Soon - No Showings status:
You must have a valid SC listing agreement
You must obtain written approval from the seller for use of this status
During use of the Coming Soon - No Showings status:
The status may only be used once per listing agreement, for newly entered listings
You must not conduct any showings on the property to anyone, either virtual or otherwise. If a listing is shown during the Coming Soon - No Showings period, the Participant must change the listing to Active and make showings available to all CHS MLS members.
Listings cannot be transferred to another brokerage and maintain Coming Soon – No Showings status
Days on Market will not accrue while in the Coming Soon – No Showings status
Listings cannot revert back to Coming Soon – No Showings, once Active
Listings in Coming Soon – No Showings status will not be included in IDX feeds, Syndication Feeds, Subscription emails or searches for Active property
Listings in this status will be available in the Hotsheet, with a new selection available for Coming Soon - No Showings
How does the status work in Flexmls?
To enter a listing into this status, select Coming Soon - No Showings from the status options menu. It must be a brand new listing!
Enter a "Start Showing Date” into this new field (only shows for this status). This date may be up to 7 calendar days maximum from MLS entry. On this date, your listing will AUTOMATICALLY convert to Active status. You do not have to use the full 7 calendar days.
If you decide that you’d like to push it to Active status sooner than planned, you may. Enter listing maintenance and publish to Active manually.
Check out the full detail on the status, posted here.
Pro Tip: don't forget to add the new status to your custom Hotsheet criteria if you'd like!
*Does not apply to Office Exclusives.
DETAILS: SHOWING AVAILABILITY
Beginning August 18, all Active listings must be available to show immediately upon entry. This policy does not mean that you are forced to accept every showing request immediately. This means that the listing must be offering showings as soon as it is entered into Active status.
If it is suddenly unavailable to show for more than 7 calendar days, it should be moved to the Temporarily off Market status.
SHOWINGS AND THE NEW STATUS
As the status label implies, if your listing is in the “Coming Soon - No Showings” status, showings are not allowed under any circumstances. However, while it is under that status, showing appointments may still be requested for the time slots on the date that it will auto-convert to Active status.
If you use ShowingTime, the system will automatically stack those appointments for the date that the listing will reach Active status, which is a convenient tool to manage and prepare!
RESOURCES
Download the Coming Soon - No Showings addendum here (should your brokerage allow use of this status, this form may be used as your required permission from seller for use of the status. Retain for your own records).
Explore the full CHS MLS Rules & Regulations found here.
Always know your MLS Fines! Find a full Fine Cheat Sheet here so that you can avoid a fine.
Pro Tip: With a max of 7 calendar days to entry, and an optional 7 calendar days in the Coming Soon - No Showings status, remember the new policy easily as the "7 & 7 Rule"!
FAQS
How do I know when my listing is due in MLS?
Beginning August 18, your listing is due in MLS within a maximum of 7 calendar days from the valid listing agreement date. At that point, you may choose to utilize the new Coming Soon - No Showings status, or set it straight to Active status.
Is this the same as the NAR Clear Cooperation 8.0 Policy?
Not quite. The CCP 8.0 policy focuses on the date of your first public marketing action and requires that your listing be in MLS within 1 business day from that action. This MLS policy focuses on your listing agreement date, and allows up to 7 calendar days. If you publicly market within that window, however, the NAR CCP 8.0 policy would supersede CHS MLS policy and require MLS entry within 1 business day from that first public marketing action.
Can a seller still instruct me to take an Office Exclusive listing under these policy changes?
Yes - these rules do not change the existing Office Exclusive policy. Be sure to execute the addendum found here.
What status do I put my new listing into?
Beginning August 18, you can choose from either Active status or the new Coming Soon - No Showings status. Entry into either status within 7 calendar days of your valid listing agreement is MLS policy compliant.
What if I'm late getting my listing into MLS?
If your listing entry is not compliant with the MLS and NAR policies, you may be subject to a fine as listed in our Rules and Regulations. For quick access to the details, save your fine cheat sheet at CHSMLS.com/governance. All policies are intended to increase member cooperation so all member real estate professionals have equal access to listings.
What if I want to go ahead and start showing?
If you’d like to start showing before your planned “Start Showing Date” in Flexmls, you can manually make the listing Active via listing maintenance at any time. Once it is in the Active status, showings are welcome!
As you navigate these policy updates, please reach out to our team if you have questions or share your feedback about these changes with us!
*An Office Exclusive listing is allowed per NAR policy.