MLS Clear Cooperation Policy

Yes. By establishing a national policy, it is mandatory that all REALTOR® Association MLSs adopt the policy and have the same consistent standard.

No. The new policy does not include an “opt out.” Any listing that is “publicly marketed” must be filed with the service and provided to other MLS Participants for cooperation within (1) one business day.

Business days exclude Saturdays, Sundays and holidays. The NAR MLS Advisory Board specifically revised the policy’s timeframe due to concerns with enforcement to provide greater flexibility for days when submitting the listing to the service could be a challenge. For consistency among all REALTOR® Association MLSs, the approved timeframe is 1 business day.; “holidays” include all recognized federal and state holidays.

The local MLS’s filing deadline, typically found in Section 1 of the MLS rules, is the amount of time that a broker has to file the listing with the service after receiving all of the appropriate signatures on the listing contract. Once a broker begins to publicly market the property, they have 1 business day to file the property with the service. Specific questions about filing deadlines can be directed to your local MLS.

This is a matter of local discretion. In most MLSs, Participants are required to submit status changes to the service, including the details of a sale and the sales price. However, this does not prevent the MLS from exploring and establishing local options and specific criteria to withhold sales data when requested by the seller (or buyer). MLSs are encouraged to work with local brokers to determine their needs.

Yes. By joining the MLS, Participants agree to be bound by the MLS Rules and Regulations. Per the policy’s rationale, the public marketing of a listing indicates that the MLS participant has concluded that cooperation with other MLS participants is in their client’s best interests.

Yes.

Yes. MLSs can adopt the specific policy language under Listing Procedures. Below are the changes to the NAR model MLS Rules. These changes will be reflected in the Model MLS Governing Documents found in the 2020 Handbook on Multiple Listing Policy (updated version expected January 2020)

(Additions highlighted in bold)

Section 1.01 – Clear Cooperation

Within one (1) 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. (Adopted 11/19)

Note: Exclusive listing information for required property types must be filed and distributed to other MLS Participants for cooperation under the Clear Cooperation Policy. This applies to listings filed under Section 1 and listings exempt from distribution under Section 1.3 of the NAR model MLS rules if it is being publicly marketed, and any other situation where the listing broker is publicly marketing an exclusive listing that is required to be filed with the service and is not currently available to other MLS Participants.

Section 1.3 Exempt Listings

If the seller refuses to permit the listing to be disseminated by the service, the participant may then take the listing (office exclusive) and such listing shall be filed with the service but not disseminated to the participants. Filing of the listing should be accompanied by certification signed by the seller that he does not desire the listing to be disseminated by the service.

Note 1: Section 1.3 is not required if the service does not require all (indicate type[s] of listing[s] accepted by the service) listings to be submitted by a participant to the service.

Note 2: MLS Participants must distribute exempt listings within (1) one business day once the listing is publicly marketed. See Section 1.01, Clear Cooperation.

Brokers and MLSs from across the country asked NAR to consider policy that will reinforce the consumer benefits of cooperation. The MLS creates an efficient marketplace and reinforces the pro-competitive, pro-consumer benefits that REALTORS® have long sought to support. After months of discussion and consideration within NAR’s MLS Technology and Emerging Issues Advisory Board, this proposal was brought forth for the industry to discuss and consider, then approved by NAR's Board of Directors.

NAR’s MLS Technology and Emerging Issues Advisory Board is made up of brokers and MLS executives from across the country. Two dozen volunteers review industry concerns from a wide range of business and regional viewpoints. Potential policy changes are discussed within the group to create a positive impact on the industry and to address broker needs within the marketplace. The policy was strongly supported by the NAR MLS Committee and the NAR Board of Directors.

No. While listings that are displayed on the Internet must be submitted to the MLS and distributed to other MLS participants for cooperation, submitting a listing for cooperation within the MLS does not necessarily require that listing to be included in an MLS’s IDX display, if the seller has opted out of all Internet display. Per MLS rules, participants can work with their listing clients to determine an appropriate marketing plan, taking into account the client’s needs and full disclosure of the benefits to market exposure.

No. "Office exclusive" listings are an important option for sellers concerned about privacy and wide exposure of their property being for sale. In an office exclusive listing, direct promotion of the listing between the brokers and licensees affiliated with the listing brokerage, and one-to-one promotion between these licensees and their clients, is not considered public advertising.

Common examples include divorce situations and celebrity clients. It allows the listing broker to market a property among the brokers and licensees affiliated with the listing brokerage. If office exclusive listings are displayed or advertised to the general public, however, those listings must also be submitted to the MLS for cooperation.

Yes. "Private listing networks" that include more brokers or licensees than those affiliated with the listing brokerage constitute public advertising or display pursuant to Policy Statement 8.0. Listings shared in multi-brokerage networks by participants must be submitted to the MLS for cooperation.

Yes. Policy Statement 8.0 applies to any listing that is or will be available for cooperation. Pursuant to Policy Statement 8.0, "coming soon" listings displayed or advertised to the public by a listing broker must be submitted to the MLS for cooperation with other participants. MLSs may enact "coming soon" rules providing for delays and restrictions on showings during a "coming soon" status period, ensuring flexibility in participants' listing and marketing abilities, while still meeting the participant's obligations for cooperation.

The concept of “Coming Soon” and “Delayed Showing” can be achieved within the local MLS. Listings which are truly not yet ready to be shown can be shared with the MLS’s brokers and agents to create exposure while the property is being prepared for showing.

MLSs can also add clarity to the coming soon and delayed showing process by defining specific statuses and showing requirements if these listings are to be included in the MLS. The most common implementations do not allow for showings of the listing until its status is changed to active, and any showings of the listing would immediately trigger that status change.

No. MLSs have different local rules as to listing turn-in times. If a listing is taken and is not yet ready to be marketed/shown, longer timelines for turn in may apply in local markets. If a listing is marketed to the public, however, Policy Statement 8.0’s 1 business day turn-in timeline goes into effect.

Similar policies have been enacted in some marketplaces. MRED in Illinois has a similar policy in place. The organization has produced a white paper explaining the benefits to the marketplace.

Bright MLS on the Eastern seaboard has a similar policy in effect.

Northwest MLS in the Seattle area has had a policy disallowing the pre-marketing of properties since 2013. Its intent could be viewed as similar to Policy 8.0 in terms of encouraging greater participation and inventory within the MLS.

Compliance is up to local determination. The policies in the markets previously discussed usually include an escalating process of warnings and fines. Reporting of non-compliance is often taken care of by the marketplace. When listings are publicly marketed, agents and consumers become aware and can report unsubmitted listings by MLS participants to the MLS.

The obligations of Statement 8.0 were specifically adopted to address concerns with residential “for sale” exclusive listing contracts required to be filed with the service. Based on the Advisory Board’s discussions that did not include commercial properties, rental properties, and new construction developments with multiple properties (single family homes, condos, etc.) Those property types, and other exclusive listings that require mandatory submission, can be included in the application of Statement 8.0 at local discretion.

These are factors that can be determined locally. Brokers should discuss with their MLSs the desire to submit properties which are not yet ready for showings in the MLS. Brokers and MLSs should consider whether a new listing must immediately become active, whether a temporary "coming soon" or "no showings" status is allowed, and when "Days on Market" will begin in these scenarios.

The MLS Tech and Emerging Issues Advisory Board held a conference call on October 30, 2019. Based on feedback and concerns over the time enforcement, the timeframe was changed from '24 hours' to 'one business day.'

The policy is effective from January 1, 2020 with local implementation required by no later than 5/1/2020

No, the MLS can continue operating under existing local policy, which may provide for voluntary submission of different property types, like land, rentals, and new construction. Business practices in different markets for these property types may vary and only call for voluntary submission. If the listing broker has a choice to submit a particular exclusive listing to the MLS, the listing broker is not obligated to submit that listing because it is publicly marketed. The new policy on Clear Cooperation only covers exclusive listings of property types that require mandatory submission.

Further, the existing deadline for submitting listing information to the MLS remains intact, unless the property is publicly marketed in which case the property listing information must be submitted to the MLS within the one (1) business day deadline.

The cut off for “business days” is before 12:00 am midnight, and can be changed to before 5 pm at local discretion to coincides with MLS office hours.