The National Association of Realtors® Board of Directors approved a MLS policy change that will impact our MLS and your business. As an Association-owned MLS, CHS Regional MLS must implement the policy adjustment by September 1, 2022 to be in compliance with NAR policy.
This policy was not created by CHS MLS. We have worked to make the setting details (within Flexmls) as smooth as possible. But since it is an NAR mandate, coming from the NAR Board of Directors, CHS MLS is not able to adjust the policy in any way.
The change was passed by NAR’s Board of Directors with the intent to create transparency for consumers and bring consistency in services for brokers nationwide.
Please review NAR's policy adjustment language, and the detail of what this means for you, farther below.
Internet Data Exchange (IDX) Policy, Policy Statement 7.58
Policies Applicable to Participants' IDX Websites and Displays
12. An MLS Participant's IDX display must identify the listing firm, and the email or
phone number provided by the listing participant in a reasonably prominent location
and in a readily visible color and typeface not smaller than the median used in the
display of listing data.
IV. Requirements that MLSs May Impose on the Operation of VOWs and
Participants, Policy Statement 7.91.
d. Any listing displayed on a VOW shall identify the name of the listing firm, and the
email or phone number provided by the listing participant in a reasonably prominent
location and in typeface not smaller than the median typeface used in the display of
listing data.
NAR's Rationale: Listing broker attribution with contact information could provide a more accurate representation to the public about the listing and improve the public's ability to seek additional property details.
What this means for you if you are a Broker-in-Charge (the MLS Participant):
If you are the MLS Participant for your brokerage (usually also the Broker-in-Charge), then you have two important items to address detailed below. You will receive further information from us, closer to the implementation date of September 1, on how to complete these. Until then, you do not need to take action.
If you would like to include a phone or email address to be displayed on other brokers' IDX or VOW websites, decide which "email address or phone number" you would like to include, via the new FlexMLS setting at the Participant level (more detail below). - It may be either an email or phone, but not both. - Your choice can cover listings for the entire office. - If you do not want to include an email address or phone number, no action is needed for this item (see step 2, instead).
Ensure that your website vendor is prepared to populate the new data in the IDX or VOW feed onto your site. - Even if you choose to not include your email or phone, the new email or phone data from brokerages that DO, will need to show on your site where you're displaying IDX feed data, in order to comply with the NAR policy.
What this means for you if you are a Salesperson: If you are a salesperson licensee within the brokerage, you will only have the option to choose the phone number or email displayed on your listings on IDX feeds IF your MLS Participant (Broker-in-Charge) chooses to designate that option to you. They are allowed, per NAR policy, to choose a phone or email that covers all brokerage listings.
If your BIC does designate this option to you, you may then enable it in your General Preferences. Then, you'll find a new available field within your listing input form, where you will need to input a phone OR email (not both) for that listing. What you enter will display with your listing on sites that display IDX or VOW feed data.
If you have a website separate from your brokerage, you will need to ensure that your website vendor is prepared to populate the new data in the IDX or VOW feed onto your site.
How will the settings work in Flexmls beginning September 1?
Due to the new NAR-mandated policy, our MLS vendor, FBS Data, has created functionality to allow for the "email or phone number provided by the listing participant" to be entered.
The new "Broker Attribution" settings will be set initially by the MLS Participant of the office - an agent cannot access without the MLS Participant taking action first.
Broker Attribution is disabled by default.
How to turn on Broker Attribution, if you are an MLS Participant:
Navigate to your Menu in Flexmls.
Choose General Preferences.
Choose the Broker Attribution tab. From here, you may enable attribution and enter an email address or a phone number that can show for all of your office listings. Or, you may designate this option to the listing agent.
How to utilize Broker Attribution if you are an agent:
First, you must talk to your MLS Participant (often the Broker-in-Charge) and be sure they have enabled this setting and find out whether they have chosen to add an email address or phone number for the whole office, or designated this option to the listing agents. If they have, you can then enable attribution in your account, and set an email address or phone number per listing, or set a default email or phone, in your General Preferences.
TO EDIT PER LISTING:
Make sure Broker Attribution is enabled in your account via General Preferences > Broker Attribution.
When you enter your listing, you'll see a new field in your listing on the General tab (shown below). Remember, this will ONLY show if your BIC designates the field to you from their settings. This does not overwrite the contact info in your regular MLS profile.
TO SET A DEFAULT EMAIL OR PHONE
Make sure Broker Attribution is enabled in your account via General Preferences > Broker Attribution.
Then, on the same page (Broker Attribution tab in General Preferences), enter your desired email address or phone number. It will show as the listing attribution contact item anywhere that your listings syndicate. This does not overwrite the contact info in your regular MLS profile.
TO EDIT WHAT YOU'VE ENTERED ON A LISTING
Navigate to listing maintenance
Choose the Listing/Selling Members option
Edit in the bottom field as shown here:
