Northern VA MLS Increased its Fines for Manipulating DOM- What are your fines?

We were notified this week that our local MLS- MRIS has increased its fines to agents who manipulate the Days-on-Market (DOM) count by re-listing or recycling "old" listings. Personally I think it's a good thing because when you try to follow the rules, someone else is out there finding a why around the rules without consequence. MRIS's justification was that the small amount of agents that aare doing it were taking the fines and chalking it up as the cost of doing business.

With the recent shift to a buyers market and a significantly slower market, properties are staying on the marketing longer here in Norther Virginia. Some agents have figured out how to delete a listing and reenter it so the DOM counter goes back to zero. I think it's laughable because if agents have figured out how to beat the system- don't you think there are agents out there that know how to research the history of a property?

 Here are the fines for MRIS:

• 1st Occurrence- no fine- warning only
• 2nd Occurrence- Violation notice- $1,000 fine (increased from $50)
• 3rd Occurrence- Violation notice & phone call- $3,000 fine  (increased from $100)
• 4th & Subsequent Occurrence- Violation notice & phone-call- $3,000 fine- 30 day suspension with appeal or possible termination of service. Continued violations will result in referral to NVAR)

I'm curious to know what's going on in other parts of the country.

1. Do you have this problem?
2. What are your fines?
3. Do you really think this is an ethical issue or someone trying to sell their listing?
4. More importantly to me- in this slower buyer's market- do you pay much attention to the DOM?

I'd love to hear what's going on out there.

(SOURCE: REALTOR UPDATE Magazine-The Voice for Real Estate in Norther Virginia, April 2006, MRIS Increases Fines for Days-on-Market Manipulation)